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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 6
In this Sarga, after Ṡarabhaṅga ascends to Heaven, all the Tapasvis gather around Rāma and tell him that it behooves him to protect them from the Rākshasas who were causing menace and killing them.
Rāma assures them that he will kill the Rākshasas and that it is his good fortune that he has got the opportunity to do so. He then proceeds to meet Suteekshṇa along with everyone.
3.6.1 ஸரபங்கே திவம் ப்ராப்தே
முநிஸங்காஸ்ஸமாகதா: ।
அப்யகச்சந்த காகுத்ஸ்தம்
ராமம் ஜ்வலிததேஜஸம் ॥
ṡarabhaṅgē divaṃ prāptē
munisaṅghāssamāgatāḥ ।
abhyagacchanta kākutsthaṃ
rāmaṃ jvalitatējasam ॥
After Ṡarabhaṅga went to heaven,
the many Munis who had assembled together went to Rāma,
the scion of Kakutstha lineage, of dazzling splendor.
3.6.6 வைகாநஸா வாலகில்யா:
ஸம்ப்ரக்ஷாலா மரீசிபா: ।
அஸ்மகுட்டாஸ்ச பஹவ:
பத்ராஹாராஸ்ச தாபஸா: ॥
தந்தோலூகலிநஸ்சைவ
ததைவோந்மஜ்ஜகா: பரே ।
காத்ரஸய்யா அஸய்யாஸ்ச
ததைவாப்ராவகாஸகா: ॥
முநயஸ்ஸலிலாஹாரா
வாயுபக்ஷாஸ்ததாபரே ।
ஆகாஸநிலயாஸ்சைவ
ததா ஸ்தண்டிலஸாயிந: ॥
ததோர்த்வவாஸிநோ தாந்தா:
ததாऽர்த்ரபடவாஸஸ: ।
ஸஜபாஸ்ச தபோநித்யா:
ததா பஞ்சதபோऽந்விதா: ॥
ஸர்வே ப்ராஹ்ம்யா ஸ்ரியா யுக்தா
த்ருடயோகாஸ்ஸமாஹிதா: ।
ஸரபங்காஸ்ரமே ராமம்
அபிஜக்முஸ்ச தாபஸா: ॥
vaikhānasā vālakhilyāḥ
samprakṣālā marīcipāḥ ।
aṡmakuṭṭāṡca bahavaḥ
patrāhārāṡca tāpasāḥ ॥
dantōlūkhalinaṡcaiva
tathaivōnmajjakāḥ parē ।
gātraṡayyā aṡayyāṡca
tathaivābhrāvakāṡakāḥ ॥
munayassalilāhārā
vāyubhakṣāstathāparē ।
ākāṡanilayāṡcaiva
tathā sthaṇḍilaṡāyinaḥ ॥
tathōrdhvavāsinō dāntāḥ
tathā'rdrapaṭavāsasaḥ ।
sajapāṡca tapōnityāḥ
tathā pañcatapō'nvitāḥ ॥
sarvē brāhmyā ṡriyā yuktā
dṛḍhayōgāssamāhitāḥ ।
ṡarabhaṅgāṡramē rāmaṃ
abhijagmuṡca tāpasāḥ ॥
Among them were Tapasvis who sprung
from the nails and hair of the Prajāpati,
and from the water that washed his feet.
Among them were Tapasvis who sustained themselves
on the rays of the sun and the moon alone,
on stone pounded food-grains and on leaves.
Among them were those who
used their teeth as pestle and mortar,
stood in neck-deep water (doing Tapa),
made their own body as their bed,
did not have a bed at all and
confined themselves to narrow spaces.
Among them were those who
had nothing but water or air for their meal,
lived in the open and
lay down on the bare ground.
Among them were those who
lived in high altitudes,
were devoted to vows and frequent fasts,
always wore wet clothes,
practiced Japa, practiced austerities and
subjected themselves to the discipline of the five fires.
All of them, who were
rich with the luster of Brahman and
firmly established in the Yoga (of Brahman),
met Rāma at Ṡarabhaṅga's Āṡrama. Various techniques of doing Tapa are outlined in these Ṡlōkas. The common theme of these various techniques can be described as: many -> one -> none.
Mind wanders on many things. But when you inconvenience yourself, such as by confining yourself to a narrow space, your mind focuses on that one inconvenience alone. That is the 'many -> one' process.
Then it gets tired and calms down, essentially withdrawing from everything that is external. That is the 'one -> none' process.
Then one gets to feel the deepest of oneself, where the Self resides, in which everything in the Universe (Brahman) reflects.
3.6.7 அபிகம்ய ச தர்மஜ்ஞா
ராமம் தர்மப்ருதாம் வரம் ।
ஊசு: பரமதர்மஜ்ஞம்
ருஷிஸங்கா: ஸமாகதா: ॥
abhigamya ca dharmajñā
rāmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam ।
ūcuḥ paramadharmajñaṃ
ṛṣisaṅghāḥ samāgatāḥ ॥
Those bands of Ṛshis who knew Dharma, together
approached Rāma, who knew the ultimate Dharma and
was foremost among the upholders of Dharma, and said:
3.6.8 த்வமிக்ஷ்வாகுகுலஸ்யாஸ்ய
ப்ருதிவ்யாஸ்ச மஹாரத ।
ப்ரதாநஸ்சாஸி நாதஸ்ச
தேவாநாம் மகவாநிவ ॥
tvamikṣvākukulasyāsya
pṛthivyāṡca mahāratha ।
pradhānaṡcāsi nāthaṡca
dēvānāṃ maghavāniva ॥
O mighty charioteer!
You are the chief as well as the lord of
this Ikshwāku lineage and also the earth
as Indra is of the Dēvas.
3.6.9 விஸ்ருதஸ்த்ரிஷு லோகேஷு
யஸஸா விக்ரமேண ச ।
பித்ருபக்திஸ்ச ஸத்யம் ச
த்வயி தர்மஸ்ச புஷ்கல: ॥
viṡrutastriṣu lōkēṣu
yaṡasā vikramēṇa ca ।
pitṛbhaktiṡca satyaṃ ca
tvayi dharmaṡca puṣkalaḥ ॥
You are renowned in the three worlds
for your valor and good name.
You are full of regard
to Truth, Dharma and your father.
3.6.10 த்வாமாஸாத்ய மஹாத்மாநம்
தர்மஜ்ஞம் தர்மவத்ஸலம் ।
அர்தித்வாந்நாத வக்ஷ்யாம:
தச்ச ந: க்ஷந்துமர்ஹஸி ॥
tvāmāsādya mahātmānaṃ
dharmajñaṃ dharmavatsalam ।
arthitvānnātha vakṣyāmaḥ
tacca naḥ kṣantumarhasi ॥
O Mahātma, O Dharmajña, O lover of Dharma!
We seek out to you in desperation.
Please excuse us for what we say!
3.6.11 அதர்மஸ்ஸுமஹாம்ஸ்தாத
பவேத்தஸ்ய து பூபதே: ।
யோ ஹரேத்பலிஷட்பாகாம்
ந ச ரக்ஷதி புத்ரவத் ॥
adharmassumahāṃstāta
bhavēttasya tu bhūpatēḥ ।
yō harēdbaliṣaḍbhāgāṃ
na ca rakṣati putravat ॥
O Lord! A king, who takes away
a sixth of all that is produced,
will indeed incur a great sin,
if he fails to protect everyone
as he does his own offspring.
3.6.12-13 யுஞ்ஜாநஸ்ஸ்வாநிவ ப்ராணாந்
ப்ராணைரிஷ்டாந்ஸுதாநிவ ।
நித்யயுக்தஸ்ஸதா ரக்ஷந்
ஸர்வாந்விஷயவாஸிந: ॥
ப்ராப்நோதி ஸாஸ்வதீம் ராம
கீர்திம் ஸ பஹுவார்ஷிகீம் ।
ப்ரஹ்மணஸ்ஸ்தாநமாஸாத்ய
தத்ர சாபி மஹீயதே ॥
yuñjānassvāniva prāṇān
prāṇairiṣṭānsutāniva ।
nityayuktassadā rakṣan
sarvānviṣayavāsinaḥ ॥
prāpnōti ṡāṡvatīṃ rāma
kīrtiṃ sa bahuvārṣikīm ।
brahmaṇassthānamāsādya
tatra cāpi mahīyatē ॥
On the other hand, O Rāma, a king
who constantly protects the people that live in his realm
like he would his own children
whom he loves as dearly as his life,
and is ready to give up his life in doing so,
will earn eternal fame that lasts for years to come.
He will also reach the abode of Brahma
and will be highly regarded even there. The relationship between the ruler and the ruled is established in simple and straightforward terms here.
A ruler is expected to take a sixth of all that is produced (i.e., taxes) and in return protect people according to Dharma as if they were his own children, even putting his own life at risk if needed.
3.6.14 யத்கரோதி பரம் தர்மம்
முநிர்மூலபலாஸந: ।
தத்ர ராஜ்ஞஸ்சதுர்பாக
ப்ரஜா தர்மேண ரக்ஷத: ॥
yatkarōti paraṃ dharmaṃ
munirmūlaphalāṡanaḥ ।
tatra rājñaṡcaturbhāga
prajā dharmēṇa rakṣataḥ ॥
A king who protects the people
in accordance with Dharma,
will receive a fourth of the (fruits of) ultimate Dharma
that a Muni, who lives on roots and fruits, does.
3.6.15 ஸோऽயம் ப்ராஹ்மணபூயிஷ்டோ
வாநப்ரஸ்தகணோ மஹாந் ।
த்வந்நாதோऽநாதவத்ராம
ராக்ஷஸைர்வத்யதே ப்ருஸம் ॥
sō'yaṃ brāhmaṇabhūyiṣṭhō
vānaprasthagaṇō mahān ।
tvannāthō'nāthavadrāma
rākṣasairvadhyatē bhṛṡam ॥
Yet, O Rama, in spite of you being our lord,
this great community of Vana dwellers
that is full of Brāhmaṇas,
is being terribly harassed by Rākshasas
as if there is no one to protect us. The people of bygone eras exerted moral pressure on the rulers to do their job right. However, things have changed with the onset of democracy.
In a democratic system, we vote a ruler out of power if he is not doing the right thing. On the surface, this looks like a powerful option, but really is not.
To remain in power, a ruler in a democratic system does not have to focus on ruling better, but only on expanding his vote bank. That is what we see happening. They bring emotional and sensational issues out to the front to expand the vote bank.
The opposition also tries to do the same. In other words, people in democracy become pawns in the hands of ruling party and the opposition, between whom the power alternates. Time and again, people vote with hope. Time and again the parties play on their emotions to secure their vote. It is a vicious circle.
3.6.16 ஏஹி பஸ்ய ஸரீராணி
முநீநாம் பாவிதாத்மநாம் ।
ஹதாநாம் ராக்ஷஸைர்கோரை:
பஹூநாம் பஹுதா வநே ॥
ēhi paṡya ṡarīrāṇi
munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām ।
hatānāṃ rākṣasairghōraiḥ
bahūnāṃ bahudhā vanē ॥
Come and see for yourself the mangled bodies
of the many Munis, who are pursuing
nothing but the realization of the Self,
done to death in many ways by
the horrid Rākshasas in the Vana.
3.6.17 பம்பாநதீநிவாஸாநாம்
அநுமந்தாகிநீமபி ।
சித்ரகூடாலயாநாம் ச
க்ரியதே கதநம் மஹத் ॥
pampānadīnivāsānāṃ
anumandākinīmapi ।
citrakūṭālayānāṃ ca
kriyatē kadanaṃ mahat ॥
Their major targets are the ones living
on the banks of river Pampa, river Mandākini
and on the mountain sides of Citrakūṭa.
3.6.18 ஏவம் வயம் ந ம்ருஷ்யாம:
விப்ரகாரம் தபஸ்விநாம் ।
க்ரியாமாணம் வநே கோரம்
ரக்ஷோபிர்பீமகர்மபி: ॥
ēvaṃ vayaṃ na mṛṣyāmaḥ
viprakāraṃ tapasvinām ।
kriyāmāṇaṃ vanē ghōraṃ
rakṣōbhirbhīmakarmabhiḥ ॥
We the Tapasvis are unable to bear
the sufferings inflicted on us
by Rākshasas in this Vana
who indulge in ghastly activities.
3.6.19 ததஸ்த்வாம் ஸரணார்தம் ச
ஸரண்யம் ஸமுபஸ்திதா: ।
பரிபாலய நோ ராம
வத்யமாநாந்நிஸாசரை: ॥
tatastvāṃ ṡaraṇārthaṃ ca
ṡaraṇyaṃ samupasthitāḥ ।
paripālaya nō rāma
vadhyamānānniṡācaraiḥ ॥
Therefore we seek your protection,
since you are our protector;
save us, O Rama, from these night-rovers who harry us.
3.6.20 பரா த்வத்தோ கதிர்வீர
ப்ருதிவ்யாம் நோபபத்யதே ।
பரிபாலய நஸ்ஸர்வாந்
ராக்ஷஸேப்யோ ந்ருபாத்மஜ ॥
parā tvattō gatirvīra
pṛthivyāṃ nōpapadyatē ।
paripālaya nassarvān
rākṣasēbhyō nṛpātmaja ॥
O Veera! There is no recourse (to us) better than you.
O prince! Protect all of us from the Rākshasas!
3.6.21 ஏதச்ச்ருத்வா து காகுத்ஸ்த:
தாபஸாநாம் தபஸ்விநாம் ।
இதம் ப்ரோவாச தர்மாத்மா
ஸர்வாநேவ தபஸ்விந: ॥
ētacchrutvā tu kākutsthaḥ
tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām ।
idaṃ prōvāca dharmātmā
sarvānēva tapasvinaḥ ॥
Kākutstha, the Dharmātma,
thus implored by the suffering Tapasvis,
said these words to all those Tapasvis:
3.6.22 நைவமர்ஹத மாம் வக்தும்
ஆஜ்ஞாப்யோऽஹம் தபஸ்விநாம் ।
விப்ரகாரமபாக்ரஷ்டும்
ராக்ஷஸைர்பவதாமிமம் ॥
naivamarhatha māṃ vaktuṃ
ājñāpyō'haṃ tapasvinām ।
viprakāramapākraṣṭuṃ
rākṣasairbhavatāmimam ॥
You should not have to plead this way.
I should, rather, be commanded by the Tapasvis
to remove this menace caused by the Rākshasas.
3.6.23 கேவலேந ஸ்வகார்யேண
ப்ரவேஷ்டவ்யம் வநம் மயா ।
பிதுஸ்து நிர்தேஸகர:
ப்ரவிஷ்டோऽஹமிதம் வநம் ॥
kēvalēna svakāryēṇa
pravēṣṭavyaṃ vanaṃ mayā ।
pitustu nirdēṡakaraḥ
praviṣṭō'hamidaṃ vanam ॥
I entered Vana purely because of personal reasons.
Following the orders of my father, I came to this Vana.
3.6.24 பவதாமர்தஸித்த்யர்தம்
ஆகதோऽஹம் யத்ருச்சயா ।
தஸ்ய மேऽயம் வநே வாஸோ
பவிஷ்யதி மஹாபல: ॥
bhavatāmarthasiddhyarthaṃ
āgatō'haṃ yadṛcchayā ।
tasya mē'yaṃ vanē vāsō
bhaviṣyati mahāphalaḥ ॥
It is by sheer coincidence that
I happened to come here,
(as if I was meant) to fulfill your need.
And that will make my stay
in this Vana extremely worthy.
3.6.25 தபஸ்விநாம் ரணே ஸத்ரூந்
ஹந்துமிச்சாமி ராக்ஷஸாந் ।
பஸ்யந்து வீர்யம்ருஷய:
ஸப்ராதுர்மே தபோதநா: ॥
tapasvināṃ raṇē ṡatrūn
hantumicchāmi rākṣasān ।
paṡyantu vīryamṛṣayaḥ
sabhrāturmē tapōdhanāḥ ॥
I want to kill the Rākshasas
who are the foes of the Tapasvis.
The Ṛshis who are rich with Tapa
shall see the valor of my brother and me.
3.6.26 தத்த்வாऽபயம் சாபி தபோதநாநாம்
தர்மே த்ருதாத்மா ஸஹ லக்ஷ்மணேந ।
தபோதநைஸ்சாபி ஸஹார்யதத்த:
ஸுதீக்ஷ்ணமேவாபிஜகாம வீர: ॥
dattvā'bhayaṃ cāpi tapōdhanānāṃ
dharmē dhṛtātmā saha lakṣmaṇēna ।
tapōdhanaiṡcāpi sahāryadattaḥ
sutīkṣṇamēvābhijagāma vīraḥ ॥
Having thus assured them freedom from fear,
the heroic one who held Dharma firmly in his mind,
set out to meet Suteekshṇa, along with the
Tapasvis, Lakshmaṇa and (Seetā,)
the one given by the noble one.
'The one given by the noble one'
is agreeably cryptic, and refers to Seetā.
The noble one is King Janaka,
and the one given by him to Rāma is Seetā.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே ஷஷ்டஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē ṣaṣṭhassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the sixth Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.