Kishkindha Kaanda - Sarga 27
In this Sarga, Rāma and Lakshmaṇa make a big and spacious cave on the mount Prasravaṇa as their residence. Rāma reflects on the beauty of the mountain and the nearby river with Lakshmaṇa.
But even though the mountain is comfortable and everything is available in plenty, Rāma was unable to enjoy any of them, harrowing himself about his abducted wife who is more than life to him.
Lakshmaṇa, who is equally sad, cheers Rāma up, saying he is very capable, and with the help of Sugreeva who will do everything to meet the wishes of Rāma, he should be able to destroy Rāvaṇa, his kingdom and his clan. He goads Rāma to gain composure and bear with patience the four months of the monsoon season. Rāma accepts and follows the wholesome and gentle advice of Lakshmaṇa with due regard.
4.27.1 அபிஷிக்தே து ஸுக்ரீவே
ப்ரவிஷ்டே வாநரே குஹாம் ।
ஆஜகாம ஸஹ ப்ராத்ரா
ராம: ப்ரஸ்ரவணம் கிரிம் ॥
abhiṣiktē tu sugrīvē
praviṣṭē vānarē guhām ।
ājagāma saha bhrātrā
rāmaḥ prasravaṇaṃ girim ॥
After Sugreeva, the Vānara,
was consecrated and settled in the cave,
Rāma, along with his brother,
went to the Prasravaṇa mountain.
4.27.2-3 ஸார்தூலம்ருகஸங்குஷ்டம்
ஸிம்ஹைர்பீமரவைர்வ்ருதம் ।
நாநாகுல்மலதாகூடம்
பஹுபாதபஸங்குலம் ।
ருக்ஷவாநரகோபுச்சை:
மார்ஜாரைஸ்ச நிஷேவிதம் ।
மேகராஸிநிபம் ஸைலம்
நித்யம் ஸுசிகரம் ஸிவம் ॥
ṡārdūlamṛgasaṅghuṣṭam
siṃhairbhīmaravairvṛtam ।
nānāgulmalatāgūḍham
bahupādapasaṅkulam ।
ṛkṣavānaragōpucchaiḥ
mārjāraiṡca niṣēvitam ।
mēgharāṡinibhaṃ ṡailam
nityaṃ ṡucikaraṃ ṡivam ॥
Tigers and deer abounded there,
and lions whose roar was terrifying.
It was overgrown with shrubs and
creepers of every kind and
covered with multitudes of trees.
It was the haunt of bears, monkeys,
Gōpuccas and wild cats.
That mountain, serene and auspicious ever,
resembled a great bank of clouds.
4.27.4 தஸ்ய ஸைலஸ்ய ஸிகரே
மஹதீமாயதாம் குஹாம் ।
ப்ரத்யக்ருஹ்ணத வாஸார்தம்
ராமஸ்ஸௌமித்ரிணா ஸஹ ॥
tasya ṡailasya ṡikharē
mahatīmāyatāṃ guhām ।
pratyagṛhṇata vāsārtham
rāmassaumitriṇā saha ॥
Rāma, along with Sowmitri,
made a big and spacious cave
on the top of that mountain as their residence.
4.27.5-6a க்ருத்வா ச ஸமயம் ராம:
ஸுக்ரீவேண ஸஹாநக: ।
காலயுக்தம் மஹத்வாக்யம்
உவாச ரகுநந்தந: ।
விநீதம் ப்ராதரம் ப்ராதா
லக்ஷ்மணம் லக்ஷ்மிவர்தநம் ॥
kṛtvā ca samayaṃ rāmaḥ
sugrīvēṇa sahānaghaḥ ।
kālayuktaṃ mahadvākyam
uvāca raghunandanaḥ ।
vinītaṃ bhrātaraṃ bhrātā
lakṣmaṇaṃ lakṣmivardhanam ॥
Having made the pact with Sugreeva,
Rāma, the flawless one, the delight of the Raghus,
said these poignant words to his
obedient brother Lakshmaṇa, augmenter of prosperity.
4.27.6b-7a இயம் கிரிகுஹா ரம்யா
விஸாலா யுக்தமாருதா ।
அஸ்யாம் வத்ஸ்யாம ஸௌமித்ரே
வர்ஷராத்ரமரிந்தம ॥
iyaṃ giriguhā ramyā
viṡālā yuktamārutā ।
asyāṃ vatsyāma saumitrē
varṣarātramarindama ॥
O Sowmitri, subduer of the foe!
This mountain cave is beautiful.
It is spacious and served by moderate breezes.
Let us live here through the monsoon season.
4.27.7b-8 கிரிஸ்ருங்கமிதம் ரம்யம்
உந்நதம் பார்திவாத்மஜ ।
ஸ்வேதாபி: க்ருஷ்ணதாம்ராபி:
ஸிலாபிருபஸோபிதம் ।
நாநாதாதுஸமாகீர்ணம்
தரீநிர்ஜரஸோபிதம் ॥
giriṡṛṅgamidaṃ ramyam
unnataṃ pārthivātmaja ।
ṡvētābhiḥ kṛṣṇatāmrābhiḥ
ṡilābhirupaṡōbhitam ।
nānādhātusamākīrṇam
darīnirjharaṡōbhitam ॥
This mountain-crest is lofty and beautiful.
It is splendid with black, white and copper boulders,
and with the spread of minerals of every kind.
It is gorgeous with the caverns and water falls.
4.27.9-10 விவிதைர்வ்ருக்ஷஷண்டைஸ்ச
சாருசித்ரலதாயுதம் ।
நாநாவிஹகஸங்குஷ்டம்
மயூரரவநாதிதம் ।
மாலதீகுந்தகுல்மைஸ்ச
ஸிந்துவாரைஸ்ஸிரீஷகை: ।
கதம்பார்ஜுநஸர்ஜைஸ்ச
புஷ்பிதைருபஸோபிதம் ॥
vividhairvṛkṣaṣaṇḍaiṡca
cārucitralatāyutam ।
nānāvihagasaṅghuṣṭam
mayūraravanāditam ।
mālatīkundagulmaiṡca
sindhuvāraiṡṡirīṣakaiḥ ।
kadambārjunasarjaiṡca
puṣpitairupaṡōbhitam ॥
If is full of groves of various kinds of trees,
and lovely and amazing creepers.
It resounds with the sounds of birds of every kind
and reverberates with the cawing of peacocks.
Its beauty is enhanced by its
flowering trees and shrubs,
Mālati, Kunda, Sindhuvāra, Ṡireeshaka,
Kadamba, Arjuna and Sarja.
4.27.11 இயம் ச நலிநீ ரம்யா
புல்லபங்கஜமண்டிதா ।
நாதிதூரே குஹாயாநௌ
பவிஷ்யதி ந்ருபாத்மஜ ॥
iyaṃ ca nalinī ramyā
pullapaṅkajamaṇḍitā ।
nātidūrē guhāyānau
bhaviṣyati nṛpātmaja ॥
This lotus pool, adorned with lotuses in full blossom,
will be within easy reach of our cave, O prince.
4.27.12 ப்ராகுதக்ப்ரவணே தேஸே
குஹா ஸாது பவிஷ்யதி ।
பஸ்சாச்சைவோந்நதா ஸௌம்ய
நிவாதேயம் பவிஷ்யதி ॥
prāgudakpravaṇē dēṡē
guhā sādhu bhaviṣyati ।
paṡcāccaivōnnatā saumya
nivātēyaṃ bhaviṣyati ॥
This mountain cave, on the slopes
in the northeast direction,
raised at the back, my dear,
will be free from high winds.
4.27.13 குஹாத்வாரே ச ஸௌமித்ரே
ஸிலா ஸமதலா ஸுபா ।
ஸ்லக்ஷ்ணா சைவாயதா சைவ
பிந்நாஞ்ஜநசயோபமா ॥
guhādvārē ca saumitrē
ṡilā samatalā ṡubhā ।
ṡlakṣṇā caivāyatā caiva
bhinnāñjanacayōpamā ॥
At the entrance to the cave, O Sowmitri,
the rocky surface is level;
it is smooth and spacious like
a mound of well prepared colliriyum.
4.27.14 கிரிஸ்ருங்கமிதம் தாத
பஸ்ய சோத்தரத: ஸுபம் ।
பிந்நாஞ்ஜநசயாகாரம்
அம்போதரமிவோத்திதம் ॥
giriṡṛṅgamidaṃ tāta
paṡya cōttarataḥ ṡubham ।
bhinnāñjanacayākāram
ambhōdharamivōtthitam ॥
Look at the serene mountain-crest
in the north, my dear, which
resembles a huge mound of colliriyum and
looks like a heavy cloud that stood up (on its side).
4.27.15 தக்ஷிணஸ்யாமபி திஸி
ஸ்திதம் ஸ்வேதமிவாம்பரம் ।
கைலாஸஸிகரப்ரக்யம்
நாநாதாதுவிபூஷிதம் ॥
dakṣiṇasyāmapi diṡi
sthitaṃ ṡvētamivāmbaram ।
kailāsaṡikharaprakhyam
nānādhātuvibhūṣitam ॥
Even to the south, there is a mountain
rivalling the peak of Kailāsa
standing like a white cloud,
adorned by many kinds of ores.
4.27.16 ப்ராசீநவாஹிநீம் சைவ
நதீம் ப்ருஸமகர்தமாம் ।
குஹாயா: பூர்வத: பஸ்ய
த்ரிகூடே ஜாஹ்நவீமிவ ॥
prācīnavāhinīṃ caiva
nadīṃ bhṛṡamakardamām ।
guhāyāḥ pūrvataḥ paṡya
trikūṭē jāhnavīmiva ॥
And look at the river that flows
to the east in front of the cave,
and is wholly free from mud
like the Jahnavi at Trikūta.
4.27.17-19 சந்தநைஸ்திலகைஸ்தாலை:
தமாலைரதிமுக்தகை: ।
பத்மகை: ஸரலைஸ்சைவ
அஸோகைஸ்சைவ ஸோபிதாம் ।
வாநீரைஸ்திமிஸைஸ்சைவ
வகுலை: கேதகைர்தவை: ।
ஹிந்தாலைஸ்திநிஸைர்நீபை:
வேதஸை: க்ருதமாலகை: ।
தீரஜைஸ்ஸோபிதா பாதி
நாநாரூபை ஸ்ததஸ்தத: ।
வஸநாபரணோபேதா
ப்ரமதேவாப்யலங்க்ருதா ॥
candanaistilakaistālaiḥ
tamālairatimuktakaiḥ ।
padmakaiḥ saralaiṡcaiva
aṡōkaiṡcaiva ṡōbhitām ।
vānīraistimiṡaiṡcaiva
vakulaiḥ kētakairdhavaiḥ ।
hintālaistiniṡairnīpaiḥ
vētasaiḥ kṛtamālakaiḥ ।
tīrajaiṡṡōbhitā bhāti
nānārūpai statastataḥ ।
vasanābharaṇōpētā
pramadēvābhyalaṅkṛtā ॥
It is like a woman gorgeously
bedecked with garments and ornaments,
adorned with rows of a variety of trees,
Campaka, Tilaka, palm, Tamāla,
Atimukta, Padmaka, Sarala and Aṡōka,
Vāneera, Timida, Vakula, Kētaka, Dhava,
Hintāla, Tiniṡa, Neepa, Vētasa,
grown here and there on its banks.
4.27.20-21 ஸதஸ: பக்ஷிஸங்கைஸ்ச
நாநாநாதைர்விநாதிதா ।
ஏகைகமநுரக்தைஸ்ச
சக்ரவாகைரலங்க்ருதா ।
புலிநைரதிரம்யைஸ்ச
ஹம்ஸஸாரஸஸேவிதை: ।
ப்ரஹஸந்தீவபாத்யேஷா
நாரீ ஸர்வவிபூஷிதா ॥
ṡataṡaḥ pakṣisaṅghaiṡca
nānānādairvināditā ।
ēkaikamanuraktaiṡca
cakravākairalaṅkṛtā ।
pulinairatiramyaiṡca
haṃsasārasasēvitaiḥ ।
prahasantīvabhātyēṣā
nārī sarvavibhūṣitā ॥
Adorned with pairs of Cakravākas in love,
its sandflats favored by swans and Sārasas,
reverberating with the clamor of
hundreds of flocks of birds of different notes,
it shines like a woman bedecked all over, laughing.
4.27.22 க்வசிந்நீலோத்பலைஸ்சந்நா
பாதி ரக்தோத்பலை: க்வசித் ।
க்வசிதாபாதி ஸுக்லைஸ்ச
திவ்யை: குமுதகுட்மலை: ॥
kvacinnīlōtpalaiṡchannā
bhāti raktōtpalaiḥ kvacit ।
kvacidābhāti ṡuklaiṡca
divyaiḥ kumudakuḍmalaiḥ ॥
At places, it is covered with blue lilies.
At others, it shines with red lilies.
And at even others, it shines with white ones.
And in others, it is splendid with Kumuda buds.
4.27.23 பாரிப்லவஸதைர்ஜுஷ்டா
பர்ஹிக்ரௌஞ்சவிநாதிதா ।
ரமணீயா நதீ ஸௌம்ய
முநிஸங்கைர்நிஷேவிதா ॥
pāriplavaṡatairjuṣṭā
barhikrauñcavināditā ।
ramaṇīyā nadī saumya
munisaṅghairniṣēvitā ॥
With its hundreds of aquatic birds,
reverberating with the cries of peacocks and Krouncas
and hosts of Munis visiting it,
the river is enchanting, my dear! We do not quite realize, but even humans are cute like birds, when seen in natural and serene environment involved in their simple and orderly activities.
The beauty of the river is enhanced not only by the birds, but also by the Munis.
4.27.24 பஸ்ய சந்தநவ்ருக்ஷாணாம்
பங்க்தீஸ்ஸுரசிதா இவ ।
ககுபாநாம் ச த்ருஸ்யந்தே
மநஸேவோதிதாஸ்ஸமம் ॥
paṡya candanavṛkṣāṇām
paṅktīssuracitā iva ।
kakubhānāṃ ca dṛṡyantē
manasēvōditāssamam ॥
Look at the sandal trees, so beautiful, in orderly rows;
and those Kakubha trees, so perfectly alike,
as if they are born at once, out of imagination. There is a philosophical and scientific underpinning for the usage of ‘perfectly alike .. coming out of imagination’ in this Ṡlōka.
The philosophical question here is, can any two things be created one hundred percent identical? Both modern scientists and ancient philosophers agree that if the initial conditions are not identical, the resulting products will not be identical.
In a universe that is constantly changing, there can never be two identical ‘initial conditions’. Every condition is different from the other, separated either by space or time. That is why assembly lines in the manufacturing plants have to go to extreme lengths, to make the products one hundred percent identical.
Ancient Indians pondered about things being ‘identical’, and philosophized that even Brahma cannot create two identical things (Bhūtas), unless the mind conceives them at the very same moment and they take shape instantly, with no lag whatsoever.
4.27.25 அஹோ ஸுரமணீயோऽயம்
தேஸஸ்ஸத்ருநிஷூதந ।
த்ருடம் ரம்ஸ்யாவ ஸௌமித்ரே
ஸாத்வத்ர நிவஸாவஹை ॥
ahō suramaṇīyō'yam
dēṡaṡṡatruniṣūdana ।
dṛḍhaṃ raṃsyāva saumitrē
sādhvatra nivasāvahai ॥
Ah! What an enchanting place
this is, O slayer of the foe!
Let us spend our time here, Sowmitri!
We are going to enjoy thoroughly.
To be continued