Rama's Answer to Sita

Shloka 1 (aranya.10.1)

वाक्यमेतत् तु वैदेह्या व्याहृतं भर्तृभक्तया । श्रुत्वा धर्मे स्थितो रामः प्रत्युवाचाथ जानकीम् ॥ 10.1 ॥

vākyametat tu vaidehyā vyāhṛtaṃ bhartṛbhaktayā śrutvā dharme sthito rāmaḥ pratyuvācātha jānakīm || 10.1 ||

Having heard this speech uttered by Vaidehi, devoted to her husband, Rama, steadfast in dharma, then replied to Janaki—

Shloka 2 (aranya.10.2)

हितमुक्तं त्वया देवि स्निग्धया सदृशं वचः । कुलं व्यपदिशन्त्या च धर्मज्ञे जनकात्मजे ॥ 10.2 ॥

hitamuktaṃ tvayā devi snigdhayā sadṛśaṃ vacaḥ kulaṃ vyapadiśantyā ca dharmajñe janakātmaje || 10.2 ||

'What you have spoken, O queen, out of affection, is beneficial and fitting, befitting your lineage, O daughter of Janaka, knower of dharma.'

Shloka 3 (aranya.10.3)

किं नु वक्ष्याम्यहं देवि त्वयैवोक्तमिदं वचः । क्षत्रियैर्धार्यते चापो नार्तशब्दो भवेदिति ॥ 10.3 ॥

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmyahaṃ devi tvayaivoktamidaṃ vacaḥ kṣatriyairdhāryate cāpo nārtaśabdo bhavediti || 10.3 ||

'What indeed shall I say, O queen? This very truth has been spoken by you yourself: that kshatriyas bear the bow so that no cry of distress may ever arise.'

Shloka 4 (aranya.10.4)

ते चार्ता दण्डकारण्ये मुनयः संशितव्रताः । मां सीते स्वयमागम्य शरण्यं शरणं गताः ॥ 10.4 ॥

te cārtā daṇḍakāraṇye munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ māṃ sīte svayamāgamya śaraṇyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ || 10.4 ||

'And those afflicted sages of rigorous vows in the Dandaka forest, O Sita, have themselves come to me, worthy of granting refuge, and have taken shelter in me.'

Shloka 5 (aranya.10.5)

वसन्तः कालकालेषु वने मूलफलाशनाः । न लभन्ते सुखं भीरु राक्षसैः क्रूरकर्मभिः ॥ 10.5 ॥

vasantaḥ kālakāleṣu vane mūlaphalāśanāḥ na labhante sukhaṃ bhīru rākṣasaiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ || 10.5 ||

'Dwelling always on roots and fruits in the forest, they find no happiness at all, O timid one, because of rakshasas of cruel deeds.'

Shloka 6 (aranya.10.6)

भक्ष्यन्ते राक्षसैर्भीमैर्नरमांसोपजीविभिः । ते भक्ष्यमाणा मुनयो दण्डकारण्यवासिनः ॥ 10.6 ॥

bhakṣyante rākṣasairbhīmairnaramāṃsopajīvibhiḥ te bhakṣyamāṇā munayo daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinaḥ || 10.6 ||

'They are being devoured by fearsome rakshasas who feed on human flesh—those sages of the Dandaka forest, being thus devoured—'

Shloka 7 (aranya.10.7)

अस्मानभ्यवपद्येति मामूचुर्द्विजसत्तमाः । मया तु वचनं श्रुत्वा तेषामेवं मुखाच्च्युतम् ॥ 10.7 ॥

asmānabhyavapadyeti māmūcurdvijasattamāḥ mayā tu vacanaṃ śrutvā teṣāmevaṃ mukhāccyutam || 10.7 ||

'"Come to our aid," so those foremost brahmins said to me. And having heard these words fallen from their lips, I—'

Shloka 8 (aranya.10.8)

कृत्वा वचनशुश्रूषां वाक्यमेतदुदाहृतम् । प्रसीदन्तु भवन्तो मे ह्रीरेषा तु ममातुला ॥ 10.8 ॥

kṛtvā vacanaśuśrūṣāṃ vākyametadudāhṛtam prasīdantu bhavanto me hrīreṣā tu mamātulā || 10.8 ||

'—having listened attentively to their words, gave this reply: "May you be gracious to me; this indeed is my unequalled shame."'

Shloka 9 (aranya.10.9)

यदीदृशैरहं विप्रैरुपस्थेयैरुपस्थितः । किं करोमीति च मया व्याहृतं द्विजसंनिधौ ॥ 10.9 ॥

yadīdṛśairahaṃ viprairupastheyairupasthitaḥ kiṃ karomīti ca mayā vyāhṛtaṃ dvijasaṃnidhau || 10.9 ||

'"Since such brahmins, worthy of being served, have come to me, what shall I do?"—thus I spoke in the presence of those twice-born.'

Shloka 10 (aranya.10.10)

सर्वैरेव समागम्य वागियं समुदाहृता । राक्षसैर्दण्डकारण्ये बहुभिः कामरूपिभिः ॥ 10.10 ॥

sarvaireva samāgamya vāgiyaṃ samudāhṛtā rākṣasairdaṇḍakāraṇye bahubhiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ || 10.10 ||

'Then, all of them gathering together, this speech was spoken: "By the many rakshasas of Dandaka, who take any form at will,"'

Shloka 11 (aranya.10.11)

अर्दिताः स्म भृशं राम भवान् नस्तत्र रक्षतु । होमकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते पर्वकालेषु चानघ ॥ 10.11 ॥

arditāḥ sma bhṛśaṃ rāma bhavān nastatra rakṣatu homakāle tu samprāpte parvakāleṣu cānagha || 10.11 ||

'"—we are sorely afflicted, O Rama; may you protect us. For, O sinless one, at the time of the fire-oblation and on sacred occasions,"'

Shloka 12 (aranya.10.12)

धर्षयन्ति सुदुर्धर्षा राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः । राक्षसैर्धर्षितानां च तापसानां तपस्विनाम् ॥ 10.12 ॥

dharṣayanti sudurdharṣā rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ rākṣasairdharṣitānāṃ ca tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām || 10.12 ||

'"—the flesh-eating rakshasas, exceedingly hard to withstand, assail us. And these ascetics, thus assailed by the rakshasas,"'

Shloka 13 (aranya.10.13)

गतिं मृगयमाणानां भवान् नः परमा गतिः । कामं तपःप्रभावेण शक्ता हन्तुं निशाचरान् ॥ 10.13 ॥

gatiṃ mṛgayamāṇānāṃ bhavān naḥ paramā gatiḥ kāmaṃ tapaḥprabhāveṇa śaktā hantuṃ niśācarān || 10.13 ||

'"—seeking a refuge, find in you their supreme refuge. Truly, by the power of our own austerity we could destroy these night-wanderers,"'

Shloka 14 (aranya.10.14)

चिरार्जितं न चेच्छामस्तपः खण्डयितुं वयम् । बहुविघ्नं तपो नित्यं दुश्चरं चैव राघव ॥ 10.14 ॥

cirārjitaṃ na cecchāmastapaḥ khaṇḍayituṃ vayam bahuvighnaṃ tapo nityaṃ duścaraṃ caiva rāghava || 10.14 ||

'"—yet we do not wish to break this austerity acquired over so long a time. Austerity, O Raghava, is ever beset by many obstacles and is hard indeed to practise."'

Shloka 15 (aranya.10.15)

तेन शापं न मुञ्चामो भक्ष्यमाणाश्च राक्षसैः । तदर्द्यमानान् रक्षोभिर्दण्डकारण्यवासिभिः ॥ 10.15 ॥

tena śāpaṃ na muñcāmo bhakṣyamāṇāśca rākṣasaiḥ tadardyamānān rakṣobhirdaṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ || 10.15 ||

'"Therefore, though being devoured by the rakshasas, we do not release a curse against them. So protect us, thus afflicted by the rakshasas, we who dwell in the Dandaka forest,"'

Shloka 16 (aranya.10.16)

रक्ष नस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा त्वन्नाथा हि वयं वने । मया चैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा कार्त्स्न्येन परिपालनम् ॥ 10.16 ॥

rakṣa nastvaṃ saha bhrātrā tvannāthā hi vayaṃ vane mayā caitadvacaḥ śrutvā kārtsnyena paripālanam || 10.16 ||

'"—protect us, together with your brother, for in this forest you alone are our lord." Having heard these words, I promised their entire protection,'

Shloka 17 (aranya.10.17)

ऋषीणां दण्डकारण्ये संश्रुतं जनकात्मजे । संश्रुत्य च न शक्ष्यामि जीवमानः प्रतिश्रवम् ॥ 10.17 ॥

ṛṣīṇāṃ daṇḍakāraṇye saṃśrutaṃ janakātmaje saṃśrutya ca na śakṣyāmi jīvamānaḥ pratiśravam || 10.17 ||

'—this I promised to the sages of the Dandaka forest, O daughter of Janaka. And having so promised, I could never, while I live, go back on my word.'

Shloka 18 (aranya.10.18)

मुनीनामन्यथा कर्तुं सत्यमिष्टं हि मे सदा । अप्यहं जीवितं जह्यां त्वां वा सीते सलक्ष्मणाम् ॥ 10.18 ॥

munīnāmanyathā kartuṃ satyamiṣṭaṃ hi me sadā apyahaṃ jīvitaṃ jahyāṃ tvāṃ vā sīte salakṣmaṇām || 10.18 ||

'To act otherwise toward these sages I cannot do, for truth is ever dear to me. I would sooner give up my very life, O Sita, or you, together with Lakshmana,'

Shloka 19 (aranya.10.19)

न तु प्रतिज्ञा संश्रुत्य ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः । तदवश्यं मया कार्यमृषीणां परिपालनम् ॥ 10.19 ॥

na tu pratijñā saṃśrutya brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣataḥ tadavaśyaṃ mayā kāryamṛṣīṇāṃ paripālanam || 10.19 ||

'—than break a vow, once made, especially to brahmins. Therefore the protection of these sages is a duty I must certainly carry out.'

Shloka 20 (aranya.10.20)

अनुक्तेनापि वैदेहि प्रतिज्ञाय कथं पुनः । मम स्नेहाच्च सौहार्दादिदमुक्तं त्वया वचः ॥ 10.20 ॥

anuktenāpi vaidehi pratijñāya kathaṃ punaḥ mama snehācca sauhārdādidamuktaṃ tvayā vacaḥ || 10.20 ||

'Even had they not asked, O Vaidehi, once a vow is made, how could I ever break it? These words you have spoken were born of your love and affection for me.'

Shloka 21 (aranya.10.21)

परितुष्टोऽस्म्यहं सीते न ह्यनिष्टोऽनुशास्यते । सदृशं चानुरूपं च कुलस्य तव शोभने ॥ सधर्मचारिणी मे त्वं प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसी ॥ 10.21 ॥

parituṣṭo'smyahaṃ sīte na hyaniṣṭo'nuśāsyate sadṛśaṃ cānurūpaṃ ca kulasya tava śobhane sadharmacāriṇī me tvaṃ prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī || 10.21 ||

'I am well pleased, Sita, for one does not counsel someone unloved. Fitting and worthy of your lineage are these words, O lovely one; you are my companion in dharma, dearer to me than life itself.'

Shloka 22 (aranya.10.22)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा वचनं महात्मा । सीतां प्रियां मैथिलराजपुत्रीम् ॥ रामो धनुष्मान् सह लक्ष्मणेन । जगाम रम्याणि तपोवनानि ॥ 10.22 ॥

ityevamuktvā vacanaṃ mahātmā sītāṃ priyāṃ maithilarājaputrīm rāmo dhanuṣmān saha lakṣmaṇena jagāma ramyāṇi tapovanāni || 10.22 ||

Having thus spoken to his beloved Sita, the princess of Mithila's king, the great-souled Rama, bow in hand, together with Lakshmana, proceeded onward into those lovely penance-forests.