Aranya Kanda · Sarga 9 of 76 · 33 verses
Sita Questions the Weapons
As Rama sets out with Sutikshna’s leave, Sita speaks to her husband in a warm, loving voice: “Great adharma is incurred by very subtle means, but it can be avoided here by one who turns away from the vices born of desire. There are three such vices: false speech is the greatest, and two are heavier still: going to other men’s wives, and violence without enmity. You have never spoken falsely, Raghava, and never will. How could you desire other men’s wives, which destroys dharma? You do not, lord of men, and never did, not even in your mind; you have always been devoted to your own wife, prince, most righteous, true to your word, doing your father’s command. Dharma and truth and everything rest in you, and only those who have conquered their senses can bear it all; I know you are master of your senses. But the third, this cruel thing, taking others’ lives without enmity, done out of delusion, has now come near you. You have promised, hero, to kill rakshasas in battle to protect the seers living in the Dandaka forest, and for that reason you have set out with your brother, carrying bow and arrows, into the forest called Dandaka. Seeing you set out, my mind is troubled with worry, thinking of your conduct and what would be good and best for you. I do not like this going to Dandaka, hero; I will tell you the reason; listen. You have gone to the forest with your brother, bow and arrows in hand; seeing all the creatures of the forest, might you not spend your arrows on them? For kshatriyas, a bow here is like fuel to a fire: placed near, it makes their fiery strength flare up.
“Long ago, they say, mighty-armed one, there was a truthful, pure ascetic in a holy forest where beasts and birds delighted. To obstruct his austerity, Indra, husband of Shachi, came to his hermitage in the form of a soldier, sword in hand, and left that excellent sword in the hermitage as a deposit with the one devoted to holy austerity. Receiving that weapon, devoted to guarding the deposit, he wandered in the forest, protecting the trust placed in him. Wherever he went to gather roots and fruit, he never went without the sword, so careful was he to guard it. Always carrying the weapon, little by little the ascetic made his mind fierce and gave up his resolve for austerity. Then, delighting in cruelty, careless, dragged down by adharma, because of living with that weapon, the sage went to hell. This is what happened long ago through contact with a weapon: contact with weapons is said to be like contact with fire. Out of love and great respect I remind you, I do not instruct you: you, holding your bow, must never form the intention to kill the rakshasas living in Dandaka without enmity. The world will not approve of killing without an offence, hero. For heroic kshatriyas, self-controlled in the forest, the work of the bow is this much: to protect the afflicted. Where is a weapon, and where the forest? Where is the kshatriya’s duty, and where austerity? These are contradictory; let us honour the dharma of the place. A mind made foul by meanness arises from serving weapons. When you go back to Ayodhya, you will practise the kshatriya’s dharma again. My mother-in-law and father-in-law would have endless joy if, having laid aside the kingdom, you were devoted to being a sage. From dharma comes wealth, from dharma comes happiness; by dharma one gains everything; this world has dharma as its essence. The wise, wearing themselves down with effort by various disciplines, gain dharma; happiness is not won by happiness. With a pure mind always, gentle one, practise dharma in the penance-forest; you know everything truly, even in the three worlds. I have said this out of a woman’s lightness; who could teach you dharma? Think it over with your brother, and do quickly whatever pleases you.”
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सुतीक्ष्णेनाभ्यनुज्ञातं प्रस्थितं रघुनन्दनम् । हृद्यया स्निग्धया वाचा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
To her husband, the delight of the Raghus, setting out with Sutikshna’s leave, she spoke these words in a heartfelt, loving voice:
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Sita Questions the Weapons 1 min read.
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अधर्मं तु सुसूक्ष्मेण विधिना प्राप्यते महान् । निवृत्तेन च शक्योऽयं व्यसनात् कामजादिह ॥ २ ॥
“Great adharma is incurred by very subtle means; and here it can be avoided by one who turns away from the vice born of desire.
त्रीण्येव व्यसनान्यत्र कामजानि भवन्त्युत । मिथ्यावाक्यं तु परमं तस्माद् गुरुतरावुभौ ॥ ३ ॥
“Here there are just three vices born of desire. False speech is the greatest; heavier than that are two:
परदाराभिगमनं विना वैरं च रौद्रता । मिथ्यावाक्यं न ते भूतं न भविष्यति राघव ॥ ४ ॥
“going to another’s wife, and cruelty without enmity. False speech has never been yours, nor will it be, Raghava.
कुतोऽभिलषणं स्त्रीणां परेषां धर्मनाशनम् । तव नास्ति मनुष्येन्द्र न चाभूत् ते कदाचन ॥ ५ ॥
“How could there be desire for others’ wives, which destroys dharma? It is not in you, lord of men, nor ever was.
मनस्यपि तथा राम न चैतद् विद्यते क्वचित् । स्वदारनिरतश्चैव नित्यमेव नृपात्मज ॥ ६ ॥
“Nor is it found anywhere in your mind, Rama; you are always devoted to your own wife, prince,
धर्मिष्ठः सत्यसंधश्च पितुर्निर्देशकारकः । त्वयि धर्मश्च सत्यं च त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ ७ ॥
“most righteous, true to your promise, doer of your father’s command. Dharma and truth are in you; everything is established in you.
तच्च सर्वं महाबाहो शक्यं वोढुं जितेन्द्रियैः । तव वश्येन्द्रियत्वं च जानामि शुभदर्शन ॥ ८ ॥
“And all that, mighty-armed one, can be borne by those who have conquered their senses; and I know your mastery of your senses, handsome one.
तृतीयं यदिदं रौद्रं परप्राणाभिहिंसनम् । निर्वैरं क्रियते मोहात् तच्च ते समुपस्थितम् ॥ ९ ॥
“But the third, this cruel thing, harming others’ lives without enmity, done out of delusion: that has come near you.
प्रतिज्ञातस्त्वया वीर दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् । ऋषीणां रक्षणार्थाय वधः संयति रक्षसाम् ॥ १० ॥
“You have promised, hero, the killing of rakshasas in battle for the protection of the seers living in the Dandaka forest.
एतन्निमित्तं च वनं दण्डका इति विश्रुतम् । प्रस्थितस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा धृतबाणशरासनः ॥ ११ ॥
“For this reason you have set out with your brother, carrying arrows and bow, into the forest known as Dandaka.
ततस्त्वां प्रस्थितं दृष्ट्वा मम चिन्ताकुलं मनः । त्वद्धृत्तं चिन्तयन्त्या वै भवेन्निःश्रेयसं हितम् ॥ १२ ॥
“So, seeing you set out, my mind is troubled with worry, thinking of your conduct, what would be beneficial and best.
नहि मे रोचते वीर गमनं दण्डकान् प्रति । कारणं तत्र वक्ष्यामि वदन्त्याः श्रूयतां मम ॥ १३ ॥
“I do not like this going to the Dandakas, hero. I will tell you the reason; let it be heard as I speak.
त्वं हि बाणधनुष्पाणिर्भ्रात्रा सह वनं गतः । दृष्ट्वा वनचरान् सर्वान् कच्चित् कुर्याः शरव्ययम् ॥ १४ ॥
“You have gone to the forest with your brother, arrows and bow in hand. Seeing all the forest creatures, might you not spend arrows?
क्षत्रियाणामिह धनुर्हुताशस्येन्धनानि च । समीपतः स्थितं तेजोबलमुच्छ्रयते भृशम् ॥ १५ ॥
“For kshatriyas, a bow here is like fuel for fire: standing near, it makes their fiery strength flare up greatly.
पुरा किल महाबाहो तपस्वी सत्यवान् शुचिः । कस्मिंश्चिदभवत् पुण्ये वने रतमृगद्विजे ॥ १६ ॥
“Long ago, they say, mighty-armed one, there was a truthful, pure ascetic in a certain holy forest where deer and birds delighted.
तस्यैव तपसो विघ्नं कर्तुमिन्द्रः शचीपतिः । खड्गपाणिरथागच्छदाश्रमं भटरूपधृक् ॥ १७ ॥
“To obstruct his austerity, Indra, husband of Shachi, then came to the hermitage, sword in hand, taking the form of a soldier.
तस्मिंस्तदाश्रमपदे निहितः खड्ग उत्तमः । स न्यासविधिना दत्तः पुण्ये तपसि तिष्ठतः ॥ १८ ॥
“In that hermitage then was placed an excellent sword; it was given by way of a deposit to him who stood in holy austerity.
स तच्छस्त्रमनुप्राप्य न्यासरक्षणतत्परः । वने तु विचरत्येव रक्षन् प्रत्ययमात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥
“Having received that weapon, intent on guarding the deposit, he wandered in the forest, guarding his own trustworthiness.
यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च । न विना याति तं खड्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः ॥ २० ॥
“Wherever he went to gather roots and fruits, he did not go without that sword, intent on guarding the deposit.
नित्यं शस्त्रं परिवहन् क्रमेण स तपोधनः । चकार रौद्रीं स्वां बुद्धिं त्यक्त्वा तपसि निश्चयम् ॥ २१ ॥
“Always carrying the weapon, gradually the ascetic made his own mind cruel, abandoning his resolve for austerity.
ततः स रौद्राभिरतः प्रमत्तोऽधर्मकर्षितः । तस्य शस्त्रस्य संवासाज्जगाम नरकं मुनिः ॥ २२ ॥
“Then, delighting in cruelty, careless, dragged down by adharma, through living with that weapon, the sage went to hell.
एवमेतत् पुरावृत्तं शस्त्रसंयोगकारणम् । अग्निसंयोगवद्धेतुः शस्त्रसंयोग उच्यते ॥ २३ ॥
“So this happened long ago, caused by contact with a weapon. Contact with weapons is said to be a cause like contact with fire.
स्नेहाच्च बहुमानाच्च स्मारये त्वां तु शिक्षये । न कथंचन सा कार्या गृहीतधनुषा त्वया ॥ २४ ॥
“Out of love and great respect I remind you; I do not teach you. That intention must in no way be formed by you, holding your bow,
बुद्धिर्वैरं विना हन्तुं राक्षसान् दण्डकाश्रितान् । अपराधं विना हन्तुं लोको वीर न मंस्यते ॥ २५ ॥
“to kill without enmity the rakshasas who live in Dandaka. The world will not approve of killing without an offence, hero.
क्षत्रियाणां तु वीराणां वनेषु नियतात्मनाम् । धनुषा कार्यमेतावदार्तानामभिरक्षणम् ॥ २६ ॥
“For heroic kshatriyas, self-controlled in the forests, this much is the work of the bow: the protection of the afflicted.
क्व च शस्त्रं क्व च वनं क्व च क्षात्रं तपः क्व च । व्याविद्धमिदमस्माभिर्देशधर्मस्तु पूज्यताम् ॥ २७ ॥
“Where is a weapon, and where the forest? Where is the kshatriya’s duty, and where austerity? This is contradictory for us; let the dharma of the place be honoured.
कदर्यकलुषा बुद्धिर्जायते शस्त्रसेवनात् । पुनर्गत्वा त्वयोध्यायां क्षत्रधर्मं चरिष्यसि ॥ २८ ॥
“A mind stained with meanness arises from serving weapons. Going again to Ayodhya, you will practise the kshatriya’s dharma.
अक्षया तु भवेत् प्रीतिः श्वश्रूश्वशुरयोर्मम । यदि राज्यं हि संन्यस्य भवेस्त्वं निरतो मुनिः ॥ २९ ॥
“Imperishable would be the joy of my mother-in-law and father-in-law if, having laid down the kingdom, you were a devoted sage.
धर्मादर्थः प्रभवति धर्मात् प्रभवते सुखम् । धर्मेण लभते सर्वं धर्मसारमिदं जगत् ॥ ३० ॥
“From dharma arises wealth; from dharma arises happiness. By dharma one obtains everything; this world has dharma as its essence.
आत्मानं नियमैस्तैस्तैः कर्षयित्वा प्रयत्नतः । प्राप्तये निपुणैर्धर्मो न सुखाल्लभते सुखम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Having worn themselves down with effort by various restraints, the skilful attain dharma; happiness is not gained from happiness.
नित्यं शुचिमतिः सौम्य चर धर्मं तपोवने । सर्वं तु विदितं तुभ्यं त्रैलोक्यामपि तत्त्वतः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Always with a pure mind, gentle one, practise dharma in the penance-forest. For everything is known to you truly, even in the three worlds.
स्त्रीचापलादेतदुपाहृतं मे धर्मं च वक्तुं तव कः समर्थः । विचार्य बुद्ध्या तु सहानुजेन यद् रोचते तत् कुरु माचिरेण ॥ ३३ ॥
“This has been brought up by me out of a woman’s fickleness; and who is able to tell you dharma? Consider it with your mind, together with your younger brother, and do without delay whatever pleases you.”