Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 27

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही प्रियार्हा प्रियवादिनी। प्रणयादेव संक्रुद्धा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.27.1।।

evamuktā tu vaidehī priyārhā priyavādinī| praṇayādeva saṃkruddhā bhartāramidamabravīt

When the sweettongued daughter of Videha (Sita) who deserved affection, heard this she was very angry out of her love (for Rama). She said these wordsto her husband (in reply):

किमिदं भाषसे राम वाक्यं लघुतया ध्रुवम्। त्वया यदपहास्यं मे श्रुत्वा नरवरात्मज।।2.27.2।।

kimidaṃ bhāṣase rāma vākyaṃ laghutayā dhruvam| tvayā yadapahāsyaṃ me śrutvā naravarātmaja

O Rama why are you speaking so lightly? O prince if you hear these very same words (spoken to you), you will ridicule me.

आर्यपुत्र पिता माता भ्राता पुत्रस्तथा स्नुषा। स्वानि पुण्यानि भुञ्जानाः स्वं स्वं भाग्यमुपासते।।2.27.3।।

āryaputra pitā mātā bhrātā putrastathā snuṣā| svāni puṇyāni bhuñjānāḥ svaṃ svaṃ bhāgyamupāsate

O son of a noble monarch father, mother, brother, son or daughterinlaw (everybody) experiences the merit (of their past deeds) and receives what is due from destiny.

भर्तुर्भाग्यं तु भार्यैका प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ। अतश्चैवाहमादिष्टा वने वस्तव्यमित्यपि।।2.27.4।।

bharturbhāgyaṃ tu bhāryaikā prāpnoti puruṣarṣabha| ataścaivāhamādiṣṭā vane vastavyamityapi

A wife alone, O best of men shares the destiny of her husband. I am also therefore, ordered to dwell in the forest. ( a command to you is a command to me).

न पिता नात्मजो नात्मा न माता न सखीजनः। इह प्रेत्य च नारीणां पतिरेको गतिस्सदा।।2.27.5।।

na pitā nātmajo nātmā na mātā na sakhījanaḥ| iha pretya ca nārīṇāṃ patireko gatissadā

It is not her father or mother, nor her son or herself, nor her friends but her husband alone gives a woman the permanent refuge in this or in the next world.

यदि त्वं प्रस्थितो दुर्गं वनमद्यैव राघव। अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि मृद्नन्ती कुशकण्टकान्।।2.27.6।।

yadi tvaṃ prasthito durgaṃ vanamadyaiva rāghava| agrataste gamiṣyāmi mṛdnantī kuśakaṇṭakān

O son of the Raghus if you set out for the impenetrable forest now itself, I shall also go, walking ahead of you and crushing the thorns and (spiky) kusa grass (rendering the path comfortable for you to walk).

ईर्ष्यारोषौ बहिष्कृत्य भुक्तशेषमिवोदकम्। नय मां वीर विस्रब्धः पापं मयि न विद्यते।।2.27.7।।

īrṣyāroṣau bahiṣkṛtya bhuktaśeṣamivodakam| naya māṃ vīra visrabdhaḥ pāpaṃ mayi na vidyate

Do take me with you, O valiant one without hesitation. Dismiss all anger and envy (from your mind) like the leftover water after drinking (anger because she disobeys and envy because she, too, like Rama, is willing to brave the hazards of forest life). There is no fault on my part.

प्रासादाग्रैर्विमानैर्वा वैहायसगतेन वा। सर्वावस्थागता भर्तुः पादच्छाया विशिष्यते।।2.27.8।।

prāsādāgrairvimānairvā vaihāyasagatena vā| sarvāvasthāgatā bhartuḥ pādacchāyā viśiṣyate

Every woman, everywhere be it on the top of mansions or in lovely palaces or flying in the sky should take shelter at his (her husband's) feet (or follow his footsteps).

अनुशिष्टाऽस्मि मात्रा च पित्रा च विविधाश्रयम्। नाऽस्मि सम्प्रति वक्तव्या वर्तितव्यं यथा मया।।2.27.9।।

anuśiṣṭā'smi mātrā ca pitrā ca vividhāśrayam| nā'smi samprati vaktavyā vartitavyaṃ yathā mayā

I have been so instructed by my parents about diverse duties in all stages of life that I need not be told anything (about my duties) now.

अहं दुर्गं गमिष्यामि वनं पुरुषवर्जितम्। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं शार्दूलवृकसेवितम्।।2.27.10।।

ahaṃ durgaṃ gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ puruṣavarjitam| nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ śārdūlavṛkasevitam

I will also go to the forest, which is impassable, uninhabited, teeming with various kinds of animals and infested with tigers and wolves.

सुखं वने निवत्स्यामि यथैव भवने पितुः। अचिन्तयन्ती त्रीन्लोकांश्च्चिन्तयन्ती पतिव्रतम्।।2.27.11।।

sukhaṃ vane nivatsyāmi yathaiva bhavane pituḥ| acintayantī trīnlokāṃśccintayantī pativratam

Free from any anxiety about the three worlds, my only concern will be my duties towards my husband. I shall dwell as happily in the forest as I did in my father's abode.

शुश्रूषमाणा ते नित्यं नियता ब्रह्मचारिणी। सह रंस्ये त्वया वीर वनेषु मधुगन्धिषु।।2.27.12।।

śuśrūṣamāṇā te nityaṃ niyatā brahmacāriṇī| saha raṃsye tvayā vīra vaneṣu madhugandhiṣu

I shall wander with you, O heroic Rama in the honeyscented forest remaining selfpossessed, always doing your service, and observing the vow of celibacy.

त्वं हि शक्तो वने कर्तुं राम सम्परिपालनम्। अन्यस्यापि जनस्येह किं पुनर्मम मानद।।2.27.13।।

tvaṃ hi śakto vane kartuṃ rāma samparipālanam| anyasyāpi janasyeha kiṃ punarmama mānada

O respector of individuals when you are capable of protecting other people in the forest, what of me?

सह त्वया गमिष्यामि वनमद्य न संशयः। नाहं शक्या महाभाग निवर्तयितुमुद्यता।।2.27.14।।

saha tvayā gamiṣyāmi vanamadya na saṃśayaḥ| nāhaṃ śakyā mahābhāga nivartayitumudyatā

There is no doudt that I shall go with you to the forest today. O distinguished one I cannot be restrained from this resolve.

फलमूलाशना नित्यं भविष्यामि न संशयः। न ते दुःखं करिष्यामि निवसन्ती सह त्वया।।2.27.15।।

phalamūlāśanā nityaṃ bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ| na te duḥkhaṃ kariṣyāmi nivasantī saha tvayā

Do not doubt that I shall not be able to live on fruits and roots or that I will create difficulty for you while living with you.

इच्छामि सरितश्शैलान्पल्वलानि वनानि च। द्रष्टुं सर्वत्र निर्भीता त्वया नाथेन धीमता।।2.27.16।।

icchāmi saritaśśailānpalvalāni vanāni ca| draṣṭuṃ sarvatra nirbhītā tvayā nāthena dhīmatā

Living with you sans fear, O my sagacious husband, I wish to see the rivers, mountains, lakes and forests here and there.

हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाः पद्मिनीस्साधुपुष्पिताः। इच्छेयं सुखिनी द्रष्टुं त्वया वीरेण सङ्गता।।2.27.17।।

haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇāḥ padminīssādhupuṣpitāḥ| iccheyaṃ sukhinī draṣṭuṃ tvayā vīreṇa saṅgatā

I wish to enjoy the lotus lakes in full bloom, abounding in swans and ducks in the company of a brave husband like you.

अभिषेकं करिष्यामि तासु नित्यं यतव्रता। सह त्वया विशालाक्ष रंस्ये परमनन्दिनी ।।2.27.18।।

abhiṣekaṃ kariṣyāmi tāsu nityaṃ yatavratā| saha tvayā viśālākṣa raṃsye paramanandinī

Observing such vows and bathing daily in the lotus lakes, I shall be very much happy to sport with you, O largeeyed one

एवं वर्षसहस्राणां शतं वाऽहं त्वया सह। व्यतिक्रमं न वेत्स्यामि स्वर्गोऽपि न हि मे मतः।।2.27.19।।

evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇāṃ śataṃ vā'haṃ tvayā saha| vyatikramaṃ na vetsyāmi svargo'pi na hi me mataḥ

Thus living in your company for a thousand years or even a hundred thousand years, I shall not feel the passing of time. I shall not desire even heaven.

स्वर्गेऽपि च विना वासो भविता यदि राघव। त्वया मम नरव्याघ्र नाहं तमपि रोचये।।2.27.20।।

svarge'pi ca vinā vāso bhavitā yadi rāghava| tvayā mama naravyāghra nāhaṃ tamapi rocaye

O Raghava, tiger among men, if I were given heaven to live in without you, even that I shall not covet.

अहं गमिष्यामि वनं सुदुर्गमं मृगायुतं वानरवारणैर्युतम्। वने निवत्स्यामि यथा पितुर्गृहे तवैव पादावुपगृह्य संयता।।2.27.21।।

ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ sudurgamaṃ mṛgāyutaṃ vānaravāraṇairyutam| vane nivatsyāmi yathā piturgṛhe tavaiva pādāvupagṛhya saṃyatā

I shall go (along with you) to the highly impenetrable forest infested with animals like monkeys and elephants. I shall live in the forest in (full) discipline as in my father's abode, taking shelter at your feet.

अनन्यभावामनुरक्तचेतसं त्वया वियुक्तां मरणायनिश्चिताम्। नयस्व मां साधु कुरुष्व याचनाम् न ते मयाऽतो गुरुता भविष्यति।।2.27.22।।

ananyabhāvāmanuraktacetasaṃ tvayā viyuktāṃ maraṇāyaniścitām| nayasva māṃ sādhu kuruṣva yācanām na te mayā'to gurutā bhaviṣyati

Since I have no thought other than you and my heart is (irretrievably) attached to you I have resolved to die if separated from you. Pray, be favourably disposed to take me. I shall not be a burden to you.

तथा ब्रुवाणामपि धर्मवत्सलो न च स्म सीतां नृवरो निनीषति। उवाच चैनां बहु सन्निवर्तने वने निवासस्य च दुःखितां प्रति।।2.27.23।।

tathā bruvāṇāmapi dharmavatsalo na ca sma sītāṃ nṛvaro ninīṣati| uvāca caināṃ bahu sannivartane vane nivāsasya ca duḥkhitāṃ prati

Although Sita was thus appealing, Rama, devoted to righteousness, was (still) unwilling to take her. In order to dissuade her, he began to describe to the mournful Sita the many hardships of forest life. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तविंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the twentyseventh sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.