Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 7
In this Sarga, Rāma reaches Suteekshṇa's Āṡrama. Suteekshṇa tells him that he was waiting to see him without going to Heaven, even though Indra came down to take him there.
He offers to give his privileges for the higher worlds to Rāma, just as Ṡarabhaṅga did, but Rāma politely refuses and asks Suteekshṇa to show a place where he could to stay.
Suteekshṇa tells him to stay in his Āṡrama which was full of Ṛshis and where fruits and roots were abundant. He tells that the only inconvenience at that Āṡrama would be that wild beasts invading the place now and then, though they did not harm anyone.
Rāma tells him that he may be provoked to kill the beasts, which may not be to the liking of Suteekshṇa and hence it is better for him to move on to another place.
3.7.1 ராமஸ்து ஸஹிதோ ப்ராத்ரா
ஸீதயா ச பரந்தப: ।
ஸுதீக்ஷ்ணஸ்யாஸ்ரமபதம்
ஜகாம ஸஹ தைர்த்விஜை: ॥
rāmastu sahitō bhrātrā
sītayā ca parantapaḥ ।
sutīkṣṇasyāṡramapadaṃ
jagāma saha tairdvijaiḥ ॥
Then Rāma, harrier of the foe,
accompanied by his brother and Seetā,
went to Suteekshṇa's Āṡrama
along with those Brāhmaṇas .
3.7.2 ஸ கத்வா தீர்கமத்வாநம்
நதீஸ்தீர்த்வா பஹூதகா: ।
ததர்ஸ விமலம் ஸைலம்
மஹாமேகமிவோந்நதம் ॥
sa gatvā dīrghamadhvānaṃ
nadīstīrtvā bahūdakāḥ ।
dadarṡa vimalaṃ ṡailaṃ
mahāmēghamivōnnatam ॥
Having gone a long way, crossing rivers in spate,
he saw a clear mountain that was lofty like a huge cloud.
3.7.3 ததஸ்தமிக்ஷ்வாகுவரௌ
ஸந்ததம் விவிதைர்த்ருமை: ।
காநநம் தௌ விவிஸது:
ஸீதயா ஸஹ ராகவௌ ॥
tatastamikṣvākuvarau
santataṃ vividhairdrumaiḥ ।
kānanaṃ tau viviṡatuḥ
sītayā saha rāghavau ॥
The foremost of the descendents of Ikshwāku and Raghu,
along with Seetā, entered the
forest filled with many kinds of trees.
3.7.4 ப்ரவிஷ்டஸ்து வநம் ரம்யமம்
பஹுபுஷ்பபலத்ருமம் ।
ததர்ஸாஸ்ரமமேகாந்தே
சீரமாலாபரிஷ்க்ருதம் ॥
praviṣṭastu vanaṃ ramyamaṃ
bahupuṣpaphaladrumam ।
dadarṡāṡramamēkāntē
cīramālāpariṣkṛtam ॥
Entering that beautiful Vana
crowded with trees loaded with fruit and flower,
Rāma saw a sequestered Āṡrama
decorated with drapes made of bark.
3.7.5 தத்ர தாபஸமாஸீநம்
மலபங்கஜதாரிணம் ।
ராமஸ்ஸுதீக்ஷ்ணம் விதிவத்
தபோவ்ருத்தமபாஷத ॥
tatra tāpasamāsīnaṃ
malapaṅkajadhāriṇam ।
rāmassutīkṣṇaṃ vidhivat
tapōvṛddhamabhāṣata ॥
Rāma addressed with due deference,
the Tapasvi Suteekshṇa who was seated there,
rich with Tapa and besmeared with lotus-like marks:
3.7.6 ராமோऽஹமஸ்மி பகவந்
பவந்தம் த்ரஷ்டுமாகத: ।
தந்மாபிவத தர்மஜ்ஞ
மஹர்ஷே ஸத்யவிக்ரம ॥
rāmō'hamasmi bhagavan
bhavantaṃ draṣṭumāgataḥ ।
tanmābhivada dharmajña
maharṣē satyavikrama ॥
O Dharmajña, O blessed one!
O Maharshi of true convictions!
I am Rāma, I have come here to see you;
be pleased to speak to me.
3.7.7 ஸ நிரீக்ஷ்ய ததோ தீரோ
ராமம் தர்மப்ருதாம் வரம் ।
ஸமாஸ்லிஷ்ய ச பாஹுப்யாம்
இதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
sa nirīkṣya tatō dhīrō
rāmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam ।
samāṡliṣya ca bāhubhyām
idaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Thereupon the intrepid one looked at Rāma,
who was foremost among the upholders of Dharma.
Embracing him with both arms, he said:
3.7.8 ஸ்வாகதம் தே ரகுஸ்ரேஷ்ட
ராம ஸத்யப்ருதாம் வர ।
ஆஸ்ரமோऽயம் த்வயாऽக்ராந்த:
ஸநாத இவ ஸாம்ப்ரதம் ॥
svāgataṃ tē raghuṡrēṣṭha
rāma satyabhṛtāṃ vara ।
āṡramō'yaṃ tvayā'krāntaḥ
sanātha iva sāmpratam ॥
Welcome to you, O Rāma, O best of Raghus,
O foremost among the upholders of Truth!
This hermitage has now found a protector
with you stepping here.
3.7.9-10a ப்ரதீக்ஷமாணஸ்த்வாமேவ
நாரோஹேऽஹம் மஹாயஸ: ।
தேவலோகமிதோ வீர
தேஹம் த்யக்த்வா மஹீதலே ।
சித்ரகூடமுபாதாய
ராஜ்யப்ரஷ்டோऽஸி மே ஸ்ருத: ॥
pratīkṣamāṇastvāmēva
nārōhē'haṃ mahāyaṡaḥ ।
dēvalōkamitō vīra
dēhaṃ tyaktvā mahītalē ।
citrakūṭamupādāya
rājyabhraṣṭō'si mē ṡrutaḥ ॥
I am waiting for you, O Veera, o man of great renown,
without going to the world of Dēvas
and leaving this body on the earth,
after hearing that you have came to Citrakūṭa
upon being displaced from your kingdom.
3.7.10b-11 இஹோபயாத: காகுத்த்ஸ
தேவராஜஸ்ஸதக்ரது: ।
உபாகம்ய ச மே தேவோ
மஹாதேவஸ்ஸுரேஸ்வர: ।
ஸர்வாந் லோகாஞ்ஜிதாநாஹ
மம புண்யேந கர்மணா ॥
ihōpayātaḥ kākutthsa
dēvarājaṡṡatakratuḥ ।
upāgamya ca mē dēvō
mahādēvassurēṡvaraḥ ।
sarvān lōkāñjitānāha
mama puṇyēna karmaṇā ॥
O Kakutstha! The king of the Dēvas,
the performer of a hundred Yajñas, came here.
And he, the Mahā Dēva, the lord of the Dēvas,
told me that I had won all the worlds
by my deeds of Puṇya.
3.7.12 தேஷு தேவர்ஷிஜுஷ்டேஷு
ஜிதேஷு தபஸா மயா ।
மத்ப்ரஸாதாத்ஸபார்யஸ்த்வம்
விஹரஸ்வ ஸலக்ஷ்மண: ॥
tēṣu dēvarṣijuṣṭēṣu
jitēṣu tapasā mayā ।
matprasādātsabhāryastvaṃ
viharasva salakṣmaṇaḥ ॥
Please be my guest, along with your wife,
to visit those worlds, which were
won by me through Tapa and
in which celestial Ṛshis live.
3.7.13 தமுக்ரதபஸம் தீப்தம்
மஹர்ஷிம் ஸத்யவாதிநம் ।
ப்ரத்யுவாசாத்மவாந்ராமோ
ப்ரஹ்மாணமிவ வாஸவ: ॥
tamugratapasaṃ dīptaṃ
maharṣiṃ satyavādinam ।
pratyuvācātmavānrāmō
brahmāṇamiva vāsavaḥ ॥
The sensible Rāma, replying as Indra might to Brahma,
told that great Maharshi, who is truthful
and resplendent with the intense Tapa he did:
3.7.14 அஹமேவாஹரிஷ்யாமி
ஸ்வயம் லோகாந்மஹாமுநே ।
ஆவாஸம் த்வஹமிச்சாமி
ப்ரதிஷ்டமிஹ காநநே ॥
ahamēvāhariṣyāmi
svayaṃ lōkānmahāmunē ।
āvāsaṃ tvahamicchāmi
pradiṣṭamiha kānanē ॥
O great Muni! I shall attain
all those worlds with my own efforts!
For now, I just want a place to live
in this Vana, that you might show. Rāma here gives the same reply that he gave to Ṡarabhaṅga earlier (Ṡlōka 3.5.32).
3.7.15 பவாந்ஸர்வத்ர குஸல:
ஸர்வபூதஹிதே ரத: ।
ஆக்யாதஸ்ஸரபங்கேண
கௌதமேந மஹாத்மநா ॥
bhavānsarvatra kuṡalaḥ
sarvabhūtahitē rataḥ ।
ākhyātaṡṡarabhaṅgēṇa
gautamēna mahātmanā ॥
Mahatma Ṡarabhaṅga, descendent of Gautama,
spoke of you as one who knows everything
and who keeps the welfare of every creature at heart.
3.7.16 ஏவமுக்தஸ்து ராமேண
மஹர்ஷிர்லோகவிஸ்ருத: ।
அப்ரவீந்மதுரம் வாக்யம்
ஹர்ஷேண மஹதாயுத: ॥
ēvamuktastu rāmēṇa
maharṣirlōkaviṡrutaḥ ।
abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ
harṣēṇa mahatāyutaḥ ॥
Asked thus by Rāma,
the world renowned Maharshi
was delighted beyond measure
and said these sweet words:
3.7.17 அயமேவாஸ்ரமோ ராம
குணவாந்ரம்யதாமிஹ ।
ருஷிஸங்காநுசரித:
ஸதா மூலபலைர்யுத: ॥
ayamēvāṡramō rāma
guṇavānramyatāmiha ।
ṛṣisaṅghānucaritaḥ
sadā mūlaphalairyutaḥ ॥
This Āṡrama, inhabited by hosts of Ṛshis,
and perennially abundant with fruits and roots,
might itself be suitable in every way;
you may as well enjoy it here!
3.7.18-19a இமமாஸ்ரமமாகம்ய
ம்ருகஸங்கா மஹீயஸ: ।
அஹத்வா ப்ரதிகச்சந்தி
லோபயித்வாऽகுதோபயா: ।
நாந்யத்தோஷம் பவேதத்ர
ம்ருகேப்யோऽந்யத்ர வித்தி வை ॥
imamāṡramamāgamya
mṛgasaṅghā mahīyasaḥ ।
ahatvā pratigacchanti
lōbhayitvā'kutōbhayāḥ ।
nānyaddhōṣaṃ bhavēdatra
mṛgēbhyō'nyatra viddhi vai ॥
But droves of great beasts do invade this Āṡrama,
and move about fearlessly;
they cause great distraction,
coming and going as they please.
There is no other problem here other than those beasts.
3.7.19b-20a தச்ச்ருத்வா வசநம் தஸ்ய
மஹர்ஷேர்லக்ஷ்மணாக்ரஜ: ।
உவாச வசநம் தீரோ
விக்ருஹ்ய ஸஸரம் தநு: ॥
tacchṛtvā vacanaṃ tasya
maharṣērlakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ ।
uvāca vacanaṃ dhīrō
vigṛhya saṡaraṃ dhanuḥ ॥
Hearing those words of the Maharshi,
the intrepid elder brother of Lakshmaṇa,
grabbed the bow along with the arrows,
and said these words:
3.7.20b-21a தாநஹம் ஸுமஹாபாக
ம்ருகஸங்காந்ஸமாகதாந் ।
ஹந்யாம் நிஸிததாரேண
ஸரேணாஸநிவர்சஸா ॥
tānahaṃ sumahābhāga
mṛgasaṅghānsamāgatān ।
hanyāṃ niṡitadhārēṇa
ṡarēṇāṡanivarcasā ॥
O highly blessed one! I shall kill those invading droves of beasts
with sharp edged arrows that are nudged at the joints!
3.7.21b-22a பவாம்ஸ்தத்ராபிஷஜ்யேத
கிம்ஸ்யாத்க்ருச்ச்ரதரம் தத: ।
ஏதஸ்மிந்நாஸ்ரமே வாஸம்
சிரம் து ந ஸமர்தயே ॥
bhavāṃstatrābhiṣajyēta
kiṃsyātkṛcchrataraṃ tataḥ ।
ētasminnāṡramē vāsaṃ
ciraṃ tu na samarthayē ॥
But you might be sensitive to those beasts,
in which case nothing could be more painful (to you)!
Hence I do not think I will be able
to live in this Āṡrama for long.
3.7.22b-23 தமேவமுக்த்வோபரமம்
ராமஸ்ஸந்த்யாமுபாகமத் ।
அந்வாஸ்ய பஸ்சிமாம் ஸந்த்யாம்
தத்ர வாஸமகல்பயத் ।
ஸுதீக்ஷ்ணஸ்யாऽஸ்ரமே ரம்யே
ஸீதயா லக்ஷ்மணேந ச ॥
tamēvamuktvōparamaṃ
rāmassandhyāmupāgamat ।
anvāsya paṡcimāṃ sandhyāṃ
tatra vāsamakalpayat ।
sutīkṣṇasyā'ṡramē ramyē
sītayā lakṣmaṇēna ca ॥
Rāma concluded the conversation thus and
proceeded to perform his evening oblations.
Finishing them, he rested at Suteekshṇa's
delightful Āṡrama along with Seetā
and Lakshmaṇa (for the night).
3.7.24 ததஸ்ஸுபம் தாபஸபோஜ்யமந்நம் ।
ஸ்வயம் ஸுதீக்ஷ்ண: புருஷர்ஷபாப்யாம் ।
தாப்யாம் ஸுஸத்க்ருத்ய ததௌ மஹாத்மா ।
ஸந்த்யாநிவ்ருத்தௌ ரஜநீம் மவேக்ஷ்ய ॥
tataṡṡubhaṃ tāpasabhōjyamannaṃ ।
svayaṃ sutīkṣṇaḥ puruṣarṣabhābhyām ।
tābhyāṃ susatkṛtya dadau mahātmā ।
sandyānivṛttau rajanīṃ mavēkṣya ॥
Noting that the evening had passed and night had arrived,
Suteekshṇa the Mahātma personally
honored those bulls among men,
giving them the best food apt for Tapasvis.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே ஸப்தமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē saptamassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the seventh Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.