Entering Dandaka Forest

Shloka 1 (aranya.1.1)

प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं दण्डकारण्यमात्मवान् । रामो ददर्श दुर्धर्षस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम् ॥ 1.1 ॥

praviśya tu mahāraṇyaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyamātmavān | rāmo dadarśa durdharṣastāpasāśramamaṇḍalam || 1.1 ||

Entering that great forest, the Dandaka wilderness, the self-possessed and unassailable Rama beheld a cluster of ascetics' hermitages.

Shloka 2 (aranya.1.2)

कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्म्या लक्ष्म्या समावृतम् । यथा प्रदीप्तं दुर्दर्शं गगने सूर्यमण्डलम् ॥ 1.2 ॥

kuśacīraparikṣiptaṃ brāhmyā lakṣmyā samāvṛtam | yathā pradīptaṃ durdarśaṃ gagane sūryamaṇḍalam || 1.2 ||

It was strewn with sacred kusha grass and bark garments, and suffused with a brahminical splendour, blazing like the sun's orb in the sky, which the eye can hardly bear to behold.

Shloka 3 (aranya.1.3)

शरण्यं सर्वभूतानां सुसम्मृष्टाजिरं सदा । मृगैर्बहुभिराकीर्णं पक्षिसंघैः समावृतम् ॥ 1.3 ॥

śaraṇyaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ susammṛṣṭājiraṃ sadā | mṛgairbahubhirākīrṇaṃ pakṣisaṃghaiḥ samāvṛtam || 1.3 ||

It was a refuge for all creatures, its courtyard ever well swept, crowded with many deer and thronged with flocks of birds.

Shloka 4 (aranya.1.4)

पूजितं चोपनृत्तं च नित्यमप्सरसां गणैः । विशालैरग्निशरणैः स्रुग्भाण्डैरजिनैः कुशैः ॥ 1.4 ॥

pūjitaṃ copanṛttaṃ ca nityamapsarasāṃ gaṇaiḥ | viśālairagniśaraṇaiḥ srugbhāṇḍairajinaiḥ kuśaiḥ || 1.4 ||

It was honoured and forever danced about by bands of apsaras; there stood broad fire-shrines with their sacrificial ladles and vessels, deerskins and sacred grass,

Shloka 5 (aranya.1.5)

समिद्भिस्तोयकलशैः फलमूलैश्च शोभितम् । आरण्यैश्च महावृक्षैः पुण्यैः स्वादुफलैर्वृतम् ॥ 1.5 ॥

samidbhistoyakalaśaiḥ phalamūlaiśca śobhitam | āraṇyaiśca mahāvṛkṣaiḥ puṇyaiḥ svāduphalairvṛtam || 1.5 ||

and it was adorned with sacrificial firewood, water jars, fruits and roots, ringed about by great forest trees, sacred and laden with sweet fruit.

Shloka 6 (aranya.1.6)

बलिहोमार्चितं पुण्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् । पुष्पैश्चान्यैः परिक्षिप्तं पद्मिन्या च सपद्मया ॥ 1.6 ॥

balihomārcitaṃ puṇyaṃ brahmaghoṣanināditam | puṣpaiścānyaiḥ parikṣiptaṃ padminyā ca sapadmayā || 1.6 ||

That sacred place was honoured with offerings and fire-oblations and resounded with the chanting of the Veda; it was ringed about by a lotus-pond in bloom and by other forest flowers.

Shloka 7 (aranya.1.7)

फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरैः । सूर्यवैश्वानराभैश्च पुराणैर्मुनिभिर्युतम् ॥ 1.7 ॥

phalamūlāśanairdāntaiścīrakṛṣṇājināmbaraiḥ | sūryavaiśvānarābhaiśca purāṇairmunibhiryutam || 1.7 ||

It housed venerable sages, self-restrained, living on fruit and roots, clad in bark cloth and black antelope skin, radiant as the sun and as fire.

Shloka 8 (aranya.1.8)

पुण्यैश्च नियताहारैः शोभितं परमर्षिभिः । तद् ब्रह्मभवनप्रख्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् ॥ 1.8 ॥

puṇyaiśca niyatāhāraiḥ śobhitaṃ paramarṣibhiḥ | tad brahmabhavanaprakhyaṃ brahmaghoṣanināditam || 1.8 ||

That cluster of hermitages, resembling the very abode of Brahma and echoing with the sound of Vedic chant, was graced by holy sages disciplined in their diet.

Shloka 9 (aranya.1.9)

ब्रह्मविद्भिर्महाभागैर्ब्राह्मणैरुपशोभितम् । तद् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमांस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम् ॥ 1.9 ॥

brahmavidbhirmahābhāgairbrāhmaṇairupaśobhitam | tad dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ śrīmāṃstāpasāśramamaṇḍalam || 1.9 ||

and it was further adorned by illustrious brahmins learned in the knowledge of Brahman. Seeing that cluster of ascetics' hermitages, the glorious scion of Raghu—

Shloka 10 (aranya.1.10)

अभ्यगच्छन्महातेजा विज्यं कृत्वा महद् धनुः । दिव्यज्ञानोपपन्नास्ते रामं दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः ॥ 1.10 ॥

abhyagacchanmahātejā vijyaṃ kṛtvā mahad dhanuḥ | divyajñānopapannāste rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā maharṣayaḥ || 1.10 ||

—the greatly resplendent one—unstrung his mighty bow and drew near. Those great sages, endowed with divine knowledge, on seeing Rama—

Shloka 11 (aranya.1.11)

अभिजग्मुस्तदा प्रीता वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम् । ते तु सोममिवोद्यन्तं दृष्ट्वा वै धर्मचारिणम् ॥ 1.11 ॥

abhijagmustadā prītā vaidehīṃ ca yaśasvinīm | te tu somamivodyantaṃ dṛṣṭvā vai dharmacāriṇam || 1.11 ||

and the illustrious Vaidehi, moved forward with delight to greet them. Beholding that upholder of righteousness, rising like the moon,

Shloka 12 (aranya.1.12)

लक्ष्मणं चैव दृष्ट्वा तु वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम् । मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जानाः प्रत्यगृह्णन् दृढव्रताः ॥ 1.12 ॥

lakṣmaṇaṃ caiva dṛṣṭvā tu vaidehīṃ ca yaśasvinīm | maṅgalāni prayuñjānāḥ pratyagṛhṇan dṛḍhavratāḥ || 1.12 ||

and Lakshmana as well, and the illustrious Vaidehi, those sages, steadfast in their vows, uttered blessings and received them.

Shloka 13 (aranya.1.13)

रूपसंहननं लक्ष्मीं सौकुमार्यं सुवेषताम् । ददृशुर्विस्मिताकारा रामस्य वनवासिनः ॥ 1.13 ॥

rūpasaṃhananaṃ lakṣmīṃ saukumāryaṃ suveṣatām | dadṛśurvismitākārā rāmasya vanavāsinaḥ || 1.13 ||

Those forest-dwelling sages, their faces filled with wonder, gazed upon Rama's well-formed body, his splendour, his delicate grace, and his fine bearing.

Shloka 14 (aranya.1.14)

वैदेहीं लक्ष्मणं रामं नेत्रैरनिमिषैरिव । आश्चर्यभूतान् ददृशुः सर्वे ते वनवासिनः ॥ 1.14 ॥

vaidehīṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmaṃ netrairanimiṣairiva | āścaryabhūtān dadṛśuḥ sarve te vanavāsinaḥ || 1.14 ||

All those forest-dwellers gazed upon Vaidehi, Lakshmana and Rama with unblinking eyes, as if beholding wonders incarnate.

Shloka 15 (aranya.1.15)

अत्रैनं हि महाभागाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः । अतिथिं पर्णशालायां राघवं संन्यवेशयन् ॥ 1.15 ॥

atrainaṃ hi mahābhāgāḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ | atithiṃ parṇaśālāyāṃ rāghavaṃ saṃnyaveśayan || 1.15 ||

Those illustrious ones, devoted to the welfare of all beings, seated Raghava there as their honoured guest in a hut of leaves.

Shloka 16 (aranya.1.16)

ततो रामस्य सत्कृत्य विधिना पावकोपमाः । आजह्रुस्ते महाभागाः सलिलं धर्मचारिणः ॥ 1.16 ॥

tato rāmasya satkṛtya vidhinā pāvakopamāḥ | ājahruste mahābhāgāḥ salilaṃ dharmacāriṇaḥ || 1.16 ||

Then those illustrious sages, radiant as fire and devoted to righteousness, having duly honoured Rama with the proper rites, brought water for him.

Shloka 17 (aranya.1.17)

मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जाना मुदा परमया युताः । मूलं पुष्पं फलं सर्वमाश्रमं च महात्मनः ॥ 1.17 ॥

maṅgalāni prayuñjānā mudā paramayā yutāḥ | mūlaṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ sarvamāśramaṃ ca mahātmanaḥ || 1.17 ||

Filled with the greatest joy and uttering blessings, they offered that great soul roots, flowers, fruit — and their entire hermitage —

Shloka 18 (aranya.1.18)

निवेदयित्वा धर्मज्ञास्ते तु प्राञ्जलयोऽब्रुवन् । धर्मपालो जनस्यास्य शरण्यश्च महायशाः ॥ 1.18 ॥

nivedayitvā dharmajñāste tu prāñjalayo'bruvan | dharmapālo janasyāsya śaraṇyaśca mahāyaśāḥ || 1.18 ||

and having offered all this, those knowers of righteousness spoke with joined palms: "You are the guardian of this people's righteousness, their refuge, and one of great renown —

Shloka 19 (aranya.1.19)

पूजनीयश्च मान्यश्च राजा दण्डधरो गुरुः । इन्द्रस्यैव चतुर्भागः प्रजा रक्षति राघव ॥ 1.19 ॥

pūjanīyaśca mānyaśca rājā daṇḍadharo guruḥ | indrasyaiva caturbhāgaḥ prajā rakṣati rāghava || 1.19 ||

worthy of worship and of honour. A king, the bearer of the rod of justice, is a figure to be revered; for it is a fourth part of Indra himself, O Raghava, that protects the people in the person of the king —

Shloka 20 (aranya.1.20)

राजा तस्माद् वरान् भोगान् रम्यान् भुङ्क्ते नमस्कृतः । ते वयं भवता रक्ष्या भवद्विषयवासिनः । नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा त्वं नो राजा जनेश्वरः ॥ 1.20 ॥

rājā tasmād varān bhogān ramyān bhuṅkte namaskṛtaḥ | te vayaṃ bhavatā rakṣyā bhavadviṣayavāsinaḥ | nagarastho vanastho vā tvaṃ no rājā janeśvaraḥ || 1.20 ||

and so the king, honoured by all, enjoys the finest and most delightful pleasures. We who dwell within your domain are yours to protect; whether you abide in the city or in the forest, you remain our king, the lord of the people.

Shloka 21 (aranya.1.21)

न्यस्तदण्डा वयं राजञ्जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः । रक्षणीयास्त्वया शश्वद् गर्भभूतास्तपोधनाः ॥ 1.21 ॥

nyastadaṇḍā vayaṃ rājañjitakrodhā jitendriyāḥ | rakṣaṇīyāstvayā śaśvad garbhabhūtāstapodhanāḥ || 1.21 ||

O king, we have renounced the rod of retaliation; we have conquered anger and mastered our senses. Austerity alone is our wealth, and so, like a child yet in the womb, we must ever be shielded by you."

Shloka 22 (aranya.1.22)

एवमुक्त्वा फलैर्मूलैः पुष्पैरन्यैश्च राघवम् । वन्यैश्च विविधाहारैः सलक्ष्मणमपूजयन् ॥ 1.22 ॥

evamuktvā phalairmūlaiḥ puṣpairanyaiśca rāghavam | vanyaiśca vividhāhāraiḥ salakṣmaṇamapūjayan || 1.22 ||

Having said this, they honoured Raghava, together with Lakshmana, with fruits, roots, flowers, and other varied fare of the forest.

Shloka 23 (aranya.1.23)

तथान्ये तापसाः सिद्धा रामं वैश्वानरोपमाः । न्यायवृत्ता यथान्यायं तर्पयामासुरीश्वरम् ॥ 1.23 ॥

tathānye tāpasāḥ siddhā rāmaṃ vaiśvānaropamāḥ | nyāyavṛttā yathānyāyaṃ tarpayāmāsurīśvaram || 1.23 ||

In the same way, other accomplished ascetics, radiant as fire and righteous in conduct, duly honoured Rama, their lord, in fitting manner.