Aranya Kanda, Sarga 10

वाक्यमेतत्तु वैदेह्या व्याहृतं भर्तृभक्तया। श्रुत्वा धर्मे स्थितो रामः प्रत्युवाचाथ मैथिलीम्।।3.10.1।।

vākyametattu vaidehyā vyāhṛtaṃ bhartṛbhaktayā| śrutvā dharme sthito rāmaḥ pratyuvācātha maithilīm

Having heard these words spoken by Sita who was devoted to her husband, replied Rama who was firm in righteousness.

हितमुक्तं त्वया देवि स्निग्धया सदृशं वचः। कुलं व्यपदिशन्त्या च धर्मज्ञे जनकात्मजे।।3.10.2।।

hitamuktaṃ tvayā devi snigdhayā sadṛśaṃ vacaḥ| kulaṃ vyapadiśantyā ca dharmajñe janakātmaje

O daughter of Janaka, you are conversant with dharma. Whatever you have admonished out of affection for me is befitting your race.

किन्तु वक्ष्याम्यहं देवि त्वयैवोक्तमिदं वचः। क्षत्रियैर्धार्यते चापो नार्तशब्दो भवेदिति।।3.10.3।।

kintu vakṣyāmyahaṃ devi tvayaivoktamidaṃ vacaḥ| kṣatriyairdhāryate cāpo nārtaśabdo bhavediti

But permit me, Devi, you have already stated, when a kshatriya holds a bow there will be no cry of distress. (it means you approve of my holding a bow)

ते चार्ता दण्डकारण्ये मुनयस्संशितव्रताः। मां सीते स्वयमागम्य शरण्याश्शरणं गताः।।3.10.4।।

te cārtā daṇḍakāraṇye munayassaṃśitavratāḥ| māṃ sīte svayamāgamya śaraṇyāśśaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

O Sita, the sages who perform rigorous penance in Dandaka forest came to me personally, seeking shelter although they can be their own protection.

वसन्तो धर्मनिरता वने मूलफलाशनाः। न लभन्ते सुखं भीता राक्षसैः क्रूरकर्मभिः।।3.10.5।।

vasanto dharmaniratā vane mūlaphalāśanāḥ| na labhante sukhaṃ bhītā rākṣasaiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ

The sages living in the forest, eating roots and fruits and ever engaged in righteous activities are afraid of the depredations of the demons, with their happiness gone.

काले काले च निरता नियमैर्विविधैर्वने। भक्ष्यन्ते राक्षसैर्भीमैर्नरमांसोपजीविभिः।।3.10.6।।

kāle kāle ca niratā niyamairvividhairvane| bhakṣyante rākṣasairbhīmairnaramāṃsopajīvibhiḥ

The sages engrossed in various austerities in the forest have been victims to the dreadful demons living on human flesh.

ते भक्ष्यमाणा मुनयो दण्डकारण्यवासिनः। अस्मानभ्यवपद्येति मामूचुर्द्विजसत्तमा।।3.10.7।।

te bhakṣyamāṇā munayo daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinaḥ| asmānabhyavapadyeti māmūcurdvijasattamā

The ascetics, the best of brahmins living in Dandaka forest being eaten up like that besought me to come to their rescue.

मया तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तेषामेवं मुखाच्च्युतम्। कृत्वा चरणशुश्रूषां वाक्यमेतदुदाहृतम्।।3.10.8।।

mayā tu vacanaṃ śrutvā teṣāmevaṃ mukhāccyutam| kṛtvā caraṇaśuśrūṣāṃ vākyametadudāhṛtam

On hearing the words that came from their mouth, I bowed at their feet and said:

प्रसीदन्तु भवन्तो मे ह्रीरेषा हि ममातुला। यदीदृशैरहं विप्रैरुपस्थेयैरुपस्थितः।।3.10.9।।

prasīdantu bhavanto me hrīreṣā hi mamātulā| yadīdṛśairahaṃ viprairupastheyairupasthitaḥ

Be pleased That brahmins like you have approached me while I should have come to you has put me to shame immeasurable .

किं करोमीति च मया व्याहृतं द्विजसन्निधौ। सर्वैरेतैस्समागम्य वागियं समुदाहृता।।3.10.10।।

kiṃ karomīti ca mayā vyāhṛtaṃ dvijasannidhau| sarvairetaissamāgamya vāgiyaṃ samudāhṛtā

I enquired about what I could do for them. And all the brahmins in one voice said:.

राक्षसैर्दण्डकारण्ये बहुभिः कामरूपिभिः। अर्दितास्स्म दृढं राम भवान्नस्तत्र रक्षतु।।3.10.11।।

rākṣasairdaṇḍakāraṇye bahubhiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ| arditāssma dṛḍhaṃ rāma bhavānnastatra rakṣatu

'O Rama, the demons who can assume any form at their will are mercilessly tormenting us in Dandaka forest. Do protect us from them'.

होमकालेषु सम्प्राप्ताः पर्वकालेषु चानघ। धर्षयन्ति सुदुर्धर्षा राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः।।3.10.12।।

homakāleṣu samprāptāḥ parvakāleṣu cānagha| dharṣayanti sudurdharṣā rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ

'O sinless one, these cannibals are invincible. They arrive at the time of our sacrificial rituals, on the days of festivities or at the time of lunar conjunctions like no moon or full moon days and attack us.

राक्षसैर्धर्षितानां च तापसानां तपस्विनाम्। गतिं मृगयमाणानां भवान्नः परमा गतिः।।3.10.13।।

rākṣasairdharṣitānāṃ ca tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām| gatiṃ mṛgayamāṇānāṃ bhavānnaḥ paramā gatiḥ

'You are the supreme refuge for us ascetics, tormented by demons, helpless men in search of shelter.

कामं तपःप्रभावेन शक्ता हन्तुं निशाचरान्। चिरार्जितं तु नेच्छामस्तपः खण्डयितुं वयम्।।3.10.14।।

kāmaṃ tapaḥprabhāvena śaktā hantuṃ niśācarān| cirārjitaṃ tu necchāmastapaḥ khaṇḍayituṃ vayam

We have the power to slay the night-rangers by the force of our penance, yet we do not wish to squander the austerity earned over so long a time.

बहुविघ्नं तपो नित्यं दुश्चरं चैव राघव। तेन शापं न मुञ्चामो भक्ष्यमाणाश्च राक्षसैः।।3.10.15।।

bahuvighnaṃ tapo nityaṃ duścaraṃ caiva rāghava| tena śāpaṃ na muñcāmo bhakṣyamāṇāśca rākṣasaiḥ

'O Rama it is difficult to perform penance which is ever full of obstacles. Therefore, we do not pronounce curses even if eaten up by demons'.

तदर्ध्यमानान्रक्षोभिर्दण्डकारण्यवासिभिः। रक्ष नस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा त्वन्नाथा हि वयं वने।।3.10.16।।

tadardhyamānānrakṣobhirdaṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ| rakṣa nastvaṃ saha bhrātrā tvannāthā hi vayaṃ vane

'The demons, dwelling in the Dandaka forest are tormenting us. You alone are our lord in the forest. Do protect us with your brother.'

मया चैतद्वचश्श्रुत्वा कार्त्स्न्येन परिपालनम्। ऋषीणां दण्डकारण्ये संश्रुतं जनकात्मजे।।3.10.17।।

mayā caitadvacaśśrutvā kārtsnyena paripālanam| ṛṣīṇāṃ daṇḍakāraṇye saṃśrutaṃ janakātmaje

O daughter of Janaka, on hearing the words of the sages I promised to undertake the entire protection of sages of the Dandaka forest.

संश्रुत्य च न शक्ष्यामि जीवमानः प्रतिश्रवम्। मुनीनामन्यथा कर्तुं सत्यमिष्टं हि मे सदा।।3.10.18।।

saṃśrutya ca na śakṣyāmi jīvamānaḥ pratiśravam| munīnāmanyathā kartuṃ satyamiṣṭaṃ hi me sadā

Having promised the sages, I cannot do otherwise as long as I have life in me. To me truth is always dear.

अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां त्वां वा सीते सलक्ष्मणाम्। न तु प्रतिज्ञां संश्रुत्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः।।3.10.19।।

apyahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ tvāṃ vā sīte salakṣmaṇām| na tu pratijñāṃ saṃśrutya brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ

O Sita I may forfeit my life forsake, even Lakshmana and you but will not break the promise made specially to the brahmins৷৷

तदवश्यं मया कार्यमृषीणां परिपालनम्। अनुक्तेनापि वैदेहि प्रतिज्ञाय तु किं पुनः।।3.10.20।।

tadavaśyaṃ mayā kāryamṛṣīṇāṃ paripālanam| anuktenāpi vaidehi pratijñāya tu kiṃ punaḥ

Even before the sages requested me I should have protected them. What to speak of the promise I have already made ?

मम स्नेहाच्च सौहार्दादिदमुक्तंत्वयाऽनघे। परितुष्टोऽस्म्यहं सीते न ह्यनिष्टोऽनुशिष्यते।।3.10.21।।

mama snehācca sauhārdādidamuktaṃtvayā'naghe| parituṣṭo'smyahaṃ sīte na hyaniṣṭo'nuśiṣyate

O sinless one all that has been said by you is out of your love and affection for me. I am pleased. What is harmful is never advised.

सदृशं चानुरूपं च कुलस्य तव चात्मनः। सधर्मचारिणी मे त्वं प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी।।3.10.22।।

sadṛśaṃ cānurūpaṃ ca kulasya tava cātmanaḥ| sadharmacāriṇī me tvaṃ prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī

Your auspicious words are quite befitting your lineage. You are the follower of my dharma and so dearer to me than my life.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं महात्मा सीतां प्रियां मैथिलराजपुत्रीम्। रामो धनुष्मान्सह लक्ष्मणेन जगाम रम्याणि तपोवनानि।।3.10.23।।

ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ mahātmā sītāṃ priyāṃ maithilarājaputrīm| rāmo dhanuṣmānsaha lakṣmaṇena jagāma ramyāṇi tapovanāni

Having said this to Sita, the princess of Mithila, Rama along with Lakshmana, bow in hand, moved about the delightful penancegrove. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे दशमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the tenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by the sage Valmiki.