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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 10
In this Sarga, Rāma explains to Seetā how the Ṛshis of Daṇḍaka Araṇya are harassed by the flesh eating Rākshasas and how they are helpless against their attacks, and how he promised them that he would protect them. He says that even if they did not plead with him, it is imperative for him to protect them.
He concludes saying that he, however, appreciates the concern showen by Seetā for him, but protecting people is more important for him than even his own life, and Seetā and Lakshmaṇa.
3.10.1 வாக்யமேதத்து வைதேஹ்யா
வ்யாஹ்ருதம் பர்த்ருபக்தயா ।
ஸ்ருத்வா தர்மே ஸ்திதோ ராம:
ப்ரத்யுவாசாத மைதிலீம் ॥
vākyamētattu vaidēhyā
vyāhṛtaṃ bhartṛbhaktayā ।
ṡrutvā dharmē sthitō rāmaḥ
pratyuvācātha maithilīm ॥
Having heard those words spoken by Vaidēhi,
who was devoted to her husband,
Rāma, who was firmly rooted in Dharma,
answered Maithili saying: What makes Rāma great?
It is not only the big things he did, such as giving up the kingdom to make his father a man of his word or killing Rāvaṇa, the Rākshasa to relieve the world from suffering, but also the little things he did such as the way he conducted himself with everyone, in every situation.
Seetā, in the previous Sarga spoke out of fear and was very incoherent in what she said. She tried to compensate for the lack of coherence by throwing the weight of her love and respect.
How should Rāma react?
First of all, he did not disregard her words, even as much as she did her own words. He neither insulted her for being incoherent, nor chided her for being timid. Nor did he ridicule her for speaking that way, being the daughter of a great king like Janaka!
Rather, he appreciated her concern, acknowledged her love and asserted his own love for her. Then, in clear terms, he explained why he has to do what he has to do.
That is, to be Rāma!
3.10.2 ஹிதமுக்தம் த்வயா தேவி
ஸ்நிக்தயா ஸத்ருஸம் வச: ।
குலம் வ்யபதிஸந்த்யா ச
தர்மஜ்ஞே ஜநகாத்மஜே ॥
hitamuktaṃ tvayā dēvi
snigdhayā sadṛṡaṃ vacaḥ ।
kulaṃ vyapadiṡantyā ca
dharmajñē janakātmajē ॥
O Dharmajña, my lady! You have,
out of love, given me wholesome advice worthy of
your noble birth, O daughter of Janaka!
3.10.3 கிந்து வக்ஷ்யாம்யஹம் தேவி
த்வயைவோக்தமிதம் வச: ।
க்ஷத்ரியைர்தார்யதே சாபோ
நார்தஸப்தோ பவேதிதி ॥
kintu vakṣyāmyahaṃ dēvi
tvayaivōktamidaṃ vacaḥ ।
kṣatriyairdhāryatē cāpō
nārtaṡabdō bhavēditi ॥
My lady! What should I say?
You yourself say that Kshatriyas hold a bow,
to ensure there never a cry from any abuse.
3.10.4 தே சார்தா தண்டகாரண்யே
முநயஸ்ஸம்ஸிதவ்ரதா: ।
மாம் ஸீதே ஸ்வயமாகம்ய
ஸரண்யாஸ்ஸரணம் கதா: ॥
tē cārtā daṇḍakāraṇyē
munayassaṃṡitavratāḥ ।
māṃ sītē svayamāgamya
ṡaraṇyāṡṡaraṇaṃ gatāḥ ॥
O Seetā! Those Munis of Daṇḍaka Araṇya,
who are given to severe vows,
are in great distress.
They, who are the refuge for all the world,
of their own accord, sought refuge in me.
3.10.5 வஸந்தோ தர்மநிரதா
வநே மூலபலாஸநா: ।
ந லபந்தே ஸுகம் பீதா
ராக்ஷஸை: க்ரூரகர்மபி: ॥
vasantō dharmaniratā
vanē mūlaphalāṡanāḥ ।
na labhantē sukhaṃ bhītā
rākṣasaiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ ॥
Adhering to Dharma, they live in the Vana
subsisting on roots and fruits.
Yet they are not at peace,
terrified by the Rākshasas of wicked deeds.
3.10.6 காலே காலே ச நிரதா
நியமைர்விவிதைர்வநே ।
பக்ஷ்யந்தே ராக்ஷஸைர்பீமை:
நரமாம்ஸோபஜீவிபி: ॥
kālē kālē ca niratā
niyamairvividhairvanē ।
bhakṣyantē rākṣasairbhīmaiḥ
naramāṃsōpajīvibhiḥ ॥
They keep to themselves, following
various disciplines according to the time and season.
Yet they were being eaten by the terrifying
Rākshasas, who live upon human flesh.
3.10.7 தே பக்ஷ்யமாணா முநயோ
தண்டகாரண்யவாஸிந: ।
அஸ்மாநப்யவபத்யேதி
மாமூசுர்த்விஜஸத்தமா ॥
tē bhakṣyamāṇā munayō
daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinaḥ ।
asmānabhyavapadyēti
māmūcurdvijasattamā ॥
They, the Munis, the best of Brāhmaṇas
who live in the Daṇḍaka Araṇya,
who were thus being preyed upon,
approached me and said:
'may we gain your attention!'.
3.10.8 மயா து வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா
தேஷாமேவம் முகாச்ச்யுதம் ।
க்ருத்வா சரணஸுஸ்ரூஷாம்
வாக்யமேததுதாஹ்ருதம் ॥
mayā tu vacanaṃ ṡrutvā
tēṣāmēvaṃ mukhāccyutam ।
kṛtvā caraṇaṡuṡrūṣāṃ
vākyamētadudāhṛtam ॥
I, upon hearing those words
that came from their mouth,
prostrated at their feet and said these words:
3.10.9 ப்ரஸீதந்து பவந்தோ மே
ஹ்ரீரேஷா ஹி மமாதுலா ।
யதீத்ருஸைரஹம் விப்ரை:
உபஸ்தேயைருபஸ்தித: ॥
prasīdantu bhavantō mē
hrīrēṣā hi mamātulā ।
yadīdṛṡairahaṃ vipraiḥ
upasthēyairupasthitaḥ ॥
I am humbled beyond measure
by being approached by you, Brāhmaṇas,
who should have been approached by me.
Please, please take mercy on me.
3.10.10 கிம் கரோமீதி ச மயா
வ்யாஹ்ருதம் த்விஜஸந்நிதௌ ।
ஸர்வைரேதைஸ்ஸமாகம்ய
வாகியம் ஸமுதாஹ்ருதா ॥
kiṃ karōmīti ca mayā
vyāhṛtaṃ dvijasannidhau ।
sarvairētaissamāgamya
vāgiyaṃ samudāhṛtā ॥
When I asked those Brāhmaṇas, 'What shall I do?'
all of them joined together, in saying these words:
3.10.11 ராக்ஷஸைர்தண்டகாரண்யே
பஹுபி: காமரூபிபி: ।
அர்திதாஸ்ஸ்ம த்ருடம் ராம
பவாந்நஸ்தத்ர ரக்ஷது ॥
rākṣasairdaṇḍakāraṇyē
bahubhiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ ।
arditāssma dṛḍhaṃ rāma
bhavānnastatra rakṣatu ॥
O Rāma! We are being terribly harassed by
hordes of Rākshasas in the Daṇḍaka Araṇya
who can take any form at will,
Would you please save us from this (harassment)!
3.10.12 ஹோமகாலேஷு ஸம்ப்ராப்தா:
பர்வகாலேஷு சாநக ।
தர்ஷயந்தி ஸுதுர்தர்ஷா
ராக்ஷஸா: பிஸிதாஸநா: ॥
hōmakālēṣu samprāptāḥ
parvakālēṣu cānagha ।
dharṣayanti sudurdharṣā
rākṣasāḥ piṡitāṡanāḥ ॥
Descending upon us when we perform Yajñas,
and at the time of the new moon and full moon,
these Rākshasas who live on flesh,
whom it is difficult to confront, attack us.
3.10.13 ராக்ஷஸைர்தர்ஷிதாநாம் ச
தாபஸாநாம் தபஸ்விநாம் ।
கதிம் ம்ருகயமாணாநாம்
பவாந்ந: பரமா கதி: ॥
rākṣasairdharṣitānāṃ ca
tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām ।
gatiṃ mṛgayamāṇānāṃ
bhavānnaḥ paramā gatiḥ ॥
We, the Tapasvis, exhausted
from the harassment of the Rākshasas,
were in search of a refuge.
You are our ultimate refuge.
3.10.14 காமம் தப:ப்ரபாவேந
ஸக்தா ஹந்தும் நிஸாசராந் ।
சிரார்ஜிதம் து நேச்சாம:
தப: கண்டயிதும் வயம் ॥
kāmaṃ tapaḥprabhāvēna
ṡaktā hantuṃ niṡācarān ।
cirārjitaṃ tu nēcchāmaḥ
tapaḥ khaṇḍayituṃ vayam ॥
For sure, we can kill these night-rovers
using the powers of our Tapa.
But we do not like to expend the
(powers of) Tapa that we earned over a long time.
3.10.15 பஹுவிக்நம் தபோ நித்யம்
துஸ்சரம் சைவ ராகவ ।
தேந ஸாபம் ந முஞ்சாமோ
பக்ஷ்யமாணாஸ்ச ராக்ஷஸை: ॥
bahuvighnaṃ tapō nityaṃ
duṡcaraṃ caiva rāghava ।
tēna ṡāpaṃ na muñcāmō
bhakṣyamāṇāṡca rākṣasaiḥ ॥
Many are the impediments to Tapa,
and the practice is always difficult.
Therefore we do not, though preyed upon
by the Rākshasas, lay curses on them.
3.10.16 ததர்த்யமாநாந்ரக்ஷோபி:
தண்டகாரண்யவாஸிபி: ।
ரக்ஷ நஸ்த்வம் ஸஹ ப்ராத்ரா
த்வந்நாதா ஹி வயம் வநே ॥
tadardhyamānānrakṣōbhiḥ
daṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ ।
rakṣa nastvaṃ saha bhrātrā
tvannāthā hi vayaṃ vanē ॥
Hence, please, along with your brother,
save us, who live in Daṇḍaka Araṇya,
from the harassment of Rākshasas!
In this Vana, you alone are our protector.
3.10.17 மயா சைதத்வசஸ்ஸ்ருத்வா
கார்த்ஸ்ந்யேந பரிபாலநம் ।
ருஷீணாம் தண்டகாரண்யே
ஸம்ஸ்ருதம் ஜநகாத்மஜே ॥
mayā caitadvacaṡṡrutvā
kārtsnyēna paripālanam ।
ṛṣīṇāṃ daṇḍakāraṇyē
saṃṡrutaṃ janakātmajē ॥
When I heard this, I took an oath
to provide absolute protection
to the Ṛshis of Daṇḍaka Araṇya,
O daughter of Janaka!
3.10.18 ஸம்ஸ்ருத்ய ச ந ஸக்ஷ்யாமி
ஜீவமாந: ப்ரதிஸ்ரவம் ।
முநீநாமந்யதா கர்தும்
ஸத்யமிஷ்டம் ஹி மே ஸதா ॥
saṃṡrutya ca na ṡakṣyāmi
jīvamānaḥ pratiṡravam ।
munīnāmanyathā kartuṃ
satyamiṣṭaṃ hi mē sadā ॥
Having committed to the Munis,
I am incapable of doing anything
different from what I have committed
as long as I am alive.
For I love keeping my word. This kind of absolute commitment to one's word shown by Rāma here in this Ṡlōka is made 'cool' and 'hip' by Puri Jagannath, the writer, in his 2006 movie Telugu movie Pokiri (remade in Tamil as Pokkiri, in Kannada as Porki and in Hindi as 'Wanted').
3.10.19 அப்யஹம் ஜீவிதம் ஜஹ்யாம்
த்வாம் வா ஸீதே ஸலக்ஷ்மணாம் ।
ந து ப்ரதிஜ்ஞாம் ஸம்ஸ்ருத்ய
ப்ராஹ்மணேப்யோ விஸேஷத: ॥
apyahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ
tvāṃ vā sītē salakṣmaṇām ।
na tu pratijñāṃ saṃṡrutya
brāhmaṇēbhyō viṡēṣataḥ ॥
O Seetā! I would rather give up
my own life or you or Lakshmaṇa
than break my pledged word,
and that too, to Brāhmaṇas. Rāma asserts very clearly what is important for him.
Seetā is more important for him than his own life (Ṡlōka 22).
But truth is even more important for him than even Seetā and Lakshmaṇa (Ṡlōka 19).
3.10.20 ததவஸ்யம் மயா கார்யம்
ருஷீணாம் பரிபாலநம் ।
அநுக்தேநாபி வைதேஹி
ப்ரதிஜ்ஞாய து கிம் புந: ॥
tadavaṡyaṃ mayā kāryaṃ
ṛṣīṇāṃ paripālanam ।
anuktēnāpi vaidēhi
pratijñāya tu kiṃ punaḥ ॥
It is my imminent duty, O Vaidēhi,
to protect the Ṛshis, even if it was not sought of me;
how much more so when I have promised it?
3.10.21 மம ஸ்நேஹாச்ச ஸௌஹார்தாத்
இதமுக்தம்த்வயாऽநகே ।
பரிதுஷ்டோऽஸ்ம்யஹம் ஸீதே
ந ஹ்யநிஷ்டோऽநுஸிஷ்யதே ॥
mama snēhācca sauhārdāt
idamuktaṃtvayā'naghē ।
parituṣṭō'smyahaṃ sītē
na hyaniṣṭō'nuṡiṣyatē ॥
I am very happy about whatever you have
told me out of love and affection,
O Seetā, blameless one;
for no advice would ever be tendered
to those who are not dear enough.
3.10.22 ஸத்ருஸம் சாநுரூபம் ச
குலஸ்ய தவ சாத்மந: ।
ஸதர்மசாரிணீ மே த்வம்
ப்ராணேப்யோऽபி கரீயஸீ ॥
sadṛṡaṃ cānurūpaṃ ca
kulasya tava cātmanaḥ ।
sadharmacāriṇī mē tvaṃ
prāṇēbhyō'pi garīyasī ॥
What you said is very much expected
of you and someone of your lineage.
You are my partner in pursuing Dharma.
And you are more than life to me.
3.10.23 இத்யேவமுக்த்வா வசநம் மஹாத்மா
ஸீதாம் ப்ரியாம் மைதிலராஜபுத்ரீம் ।
ராமோ தநுஷ்மாந்ஸஹ லக்ஷ்மணேந
ஜகாம ரம்யாணி தபோவநாநி ॥
ityēvamuktvā vacanaṃ mahātmā
sītāṃ priyāṃ maithilarājaputrīm ।
rāmō dhanuṣmānsaha lakṣmaṇēna
jagāma ramyāṇi tapōvanāni ॥
Having said these words to his dear Seetā,
the daughter of the king of Mithilā,
Rāma, the Mahātma, along with Lakshmaṇa,
went to the beautiful Vana of Tapa, wearing the bow.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே தஸமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē daṡamassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the tenth Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 6819 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.