At Sutikshna's Hermitage

Shloka 1 (aranya.7.1)

रामस्तु सहितो भ्रात्रा सीतया च परंतपः । सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमपदं जगाम सह तैर्द्विजैः ॥ 7.1 ॥

rāmastu sahito bhrātrā sītayā ca paraṃtapaḥ sutīkṣṇasyāśramapadaṃ jagāma saha tairdvijaiḥ || 7.1 ||

Rama, the scorcher of foes, together with his brother and Sita, went with those brahmins to the hermitage of Sutikshna.

Shloka 2 (aranya.7.2)

स गत्वा दूरमध्वानं नदीस्तीर्त्वा बहूदकाः । ददर्श विमलं शैलं महामेरुमिवोन्नतम् ॥ 7.2 ॥

sa gatvā dūramadhvānaṃ nadīstīrtvā bahūdakāḥ dadarśa vimalaṃ śailaṃ mahāmerumivonnatam || 7.2 ||

Having journeyed a long distance and crossed rivers full of water, he beheld a spotless mountain, towering like the great Meru.

Shloka 3 (aranya.7.3)

ततस्तदिक्ष्वाकुवरौ सततं विविधैर्द्रुमैः । काननं तौ विविशतुः सीतया सह राघवौ ॥ 7.3 ॥

tatastadikṣvākuvarau satataṃ vividhairdrumaiḥ kānanaṃ tau viviśatuḥ sītayā saha rāghavau || 7.3 ||

Then those two best of the Ikshvakus, the Raghava brothers, together with Sita, entered that forest ever adorned with trees of many kinds.

Shloka 4 (aranya.7.4)

प्रविष्टस्तु वनं घोरं बहुपुष्पफलद्रुमम् । ददर्शाश्रममेकान्ते चीरमालापरिष्कृतम् ॥ 7.4 ॥

praviṣṭastu vanaṃ ghoraṃ bahupuṣpaphaladrumam dadarśāśramamekānte cīramālāpariṣkṛtam || 7.4 ||

Having entered that dense forest rich with flowering, fruit-laden trees, he saw, in a secluded spot, a hermitage adorned with garlands of bark-cloth.

Shloka 5 (aranya.7.5)

तत्र तापसमासीनं मलपङ्कजधारिणम् । रामः सुतीक्ष्णं विधिवत् तपोधनमभाषत ॥ 7.5 ॥

tatra tāpasamāsīnaṃ malapaṅkajadhāriṇam rāmaḥ sutīkṣṇaṃ vidhivat tapodhanamabhāṣata || 7.5 ||

There Rama duly addressed the ascetic Sutikshna, rich in austerity, who bore upon his person the marks of long penance, like a lotus risen from mud.

Shloka 6 (aranya.7.6)

रामोऽहमस्मि भगवन् भवन्तं द्रष्टुमागतः । तन्माभिवद धर्मज्ञ महर्षे सत्यविक्रम ॥ 7.6 ॥

rāmo'hamasmi bhagavan bhavantaṃ draṣṭumāgataḥ tanmābhivada dharmajña maharṣe satyavikrama || 7.6 ||

'Holy one, I am Rama; I have come to see you. O knower of dharma, great sage of true valour, be pleased to receive me.'

Shloka 7 (aranya.7.7)

स निरीक्ष्य ततो धीरो रामं धर्मभृतां वरम् । समाश्लिष्य च बाहुभ्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 7.7 ॥

sa nirīkṣya tato dhīro rāmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam samāśliṣya ca bāhubhyāmidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 7.7 ||

Then that steadfast sage, beholding Rama, best among the upholders of dharma, embraced him with both arms and spoke these words—

Shloka 8 (aranya.7.8)

स्वागतं ते रघुश्रेष्ठ राम सत्यभृतां वर । आश्रमोऽयं त्वयाऽऽक्रान्तः सनाथ इव साम्प्रतम् ॥ 7.8 ॥

svāgataṃ te raghuśreṣṭha rāma satyabhṛtāṃ vara āśramo'yaṃ tvayā''krāntaḥ sanātha iva sāmpratam || 7.8 ||

'Welcome, O best of the Raghus, Rama, foremost among the truthful. By your coming, this hermitage now seems, as it were, to have found its true lord.'

Shloka 9 (aranya.7.9)

प्रतीक्षमाणस्त्वामेव नारोहेऽहं महायशः । देवलोकमितो वीर देहं त्यक्त्वा महीतले ॥ 7.9 ॥

pratīkṣamāṇastvāmeva nārohe'haṃ mahāyaśaḥ devalokamito vīra dehaṃ tyaktvā mahītale || 7.9 ||

'Waiting only for you, O greatly renowned one, I have not, O hero, ascended from here to the world of the gods, leaving this body behind.'

Shloka 10 (aranya.7.10)

चित्रकूटमुपादाय राज्यभ्रष्टोऽसि मे श्रुतः । इहोपयातः काकुत्स्थ देवराजः शतक्रतुः ॥ 7.10 ॥

citrakūṭamupādāya rājyabhraṣṭo'si me śrutaḥ ihopayātaḥ kākutstha devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ || 7.10 ||

'I had heard that, having gone to Chitrakuta, you had lost your kingdom. Then, O Kakutstha, Indra, king of the gods, of a hundred sacrifices, came here to me.'

Shloka 11 (aranya.7.11)

उपागम्य च मे देवो महादेवः सुरेश्वरः । सर्वान् लोकान् जितान् आह मम पुण्येन कर्मणा ॥ 7.11 ॥

upāgamya ca me devo mahādevaḥ sureśvaraḥ sarvān lokān jitān āha mama puṇyena karmaṇā || 7.11 ||

'That great god, lord of the celestials, approaching me, told me that all the worlds had been won through my meritorious deeds.'

Shloka 12 (aranya.7.12)

तेषु देवर्षिजुष्टेषु जितेषु तपसा मया । मत्प्रसादात् सभार्यस्त्वं विहरस्व सलक्ष्मणः ॥ 7.12 ॥

teṣu devarṣijuṣṭeṣu jiteṣu tapasā mayā matprasādāt sabhāryastvaṃ viharasva salakṣmaṇaḥ || 7.12 ||

'In those very worlds, frequented by celestial sages and won through my austerities, may you now, with my leave, dwell happily with your wife and with Lakshmana.'

Shloka 13 (aranya.7.13)

तमुग्रतपसं दीप्तं महर्षिं सत्यवादिनम् । प्रत्युवाचात्मवान् रामो ब्रह्माणमिव वासवः ॥ 7.13 ॥

tamugratapasaṃ dīptaṃ maharṣiṃ satyavādinam pratyuvācātmavān rāmo brahmāṇamiva vāsavaḥ || 7.13 ||

To that great sage, radiant with fierce austerity, truthful in speech, the self-possessed Rama replied, as Indra might reply to Brahma.

Shloka 14 (aranya.7.14)

अहमेवाहरिष्यामि स्वयं लोकान् महामुने । आवासं त्वहमिच्छामि प्रदिष्टमिह कानने ॥ 7.14 ॥

ahamevāhariṣyāmi svayaṃ lokān mahāmune āvāsaṃ tvahamicchāmi pradiṣṭamiha kānane || 7.14 ||

'I myself, great sage, shall win such worlds by my own effort. What I desire is a dwelling appointed for me here in this forest.'

Shloka 15 (aranya.7.15)

भवान् सर्वत्र कुशलः सर्वभूतहिते रतः । आख्यातं शरभङ्गेन गौतमेन महात्मना ॥ 7.15 ॥

bhavān sarvatra kuśalaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ ākhyātaṃ śarabhaṅgena gautamena mahātmanā || 7.15 ||

'You are skilled in every matter, devoted to the welfare of all beings—thus you were described to me by Sharabhanga and by the great-souled Gautama.'

Shloka 16 (aranya.7.16)

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण महर्षिर्लोकविश्रुतः । अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं हर्षेण महता युतः ॥ 7.16 ॥

evamuktastu rāmeṇa maharṣirlokaviśrutaḥ abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ harṣeṇa mahatā yutaḥ || 7.16 ||

Thus addressed by Rama, the sage renowned throughout the world, filled with great joy, spoke sweet words—

Shloka 17 (aranya.7.17)

अयमेवाश्रमो राम गुणवान् रम्यतामिति । ऋषिसंघानुचरितः सदा मूलफलैर्युतः ॥ 7.17 ॥

ayamevāśramo rāma guṇavān ramyatāmiti ṛṣisaṃghānucaritaḥ sadā mūlaphalairyutaḥ || 7.17 ||

'This very hermitage, Rama, is excellent—may it please you to dwell here. It is ever frequented by hosts of sages and rich in roots and fruits.'

Shloka 18 (aranya.7.18)

इममाश्रममागम्य मृगसंघा महीयसः । अहत्वा प्रतिगच्छन्ति लोभयित्वाकुतोभयाः ॥ 7.18 ॥

imamāśramamāgamya mṛgasaṃghā mahīyasaḥ ahatvā pratigacchanti lobhayitvākutobhayāḥ || 7.18 ||

'Great herds of deer come to this hermitage and depart again unharmed and fearless, having only stirred one's desire by their presence.'

Shloka 19 (aranya.7.19)

नान्यो दोषो भवेदत्र मृगेभ्योऽन्यत्र विद्धि वै । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य महर्षेर्लक्ष्मणाग्रजः ॥ 7.19 ॥

nānyo doṣo bhavedatra mṛgebhyo'nyatra viddhi vai tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya maharṣerlakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ || 7.19 ||

'There would be no fault here except in regard to these deer—elsewhere, know it to be otherwise.' Having heard these words of the great sage, the elder brother of Lakshmana—

Shloka 20 (aranya.7.20)

उवाच वचनं धीरो विगृह्य सशरं धनुः । तानहं सुमहाभाग मृगसंघान् समागतान् ॥ 7.20 ॥

uvāca vacanaṃ dhīro vigṛhya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ tānahaṃ sumahābhāga mṛgasaṃghān samāgatān || 7.20 ||

—the steadfast one, raising his bow with an arrow, spoke: 'O most fortunate one, if these very herds of deer that have gathered here—'

Shloka 21 (aranya.7.21)

हन्यां निशितधारेण शरेणानतपर्वणा । भवांस्तत्राभिषज्येत किं स्यात् कृच्छ्रतरं ततः ॥ 7.21 ॥

hanyāṃ niśitadhāreṇa śareṇānataparvaṇā bhavāṃstatrābhiṣajyeta kiṃ syāt kṛcchrataraṃ tataḥ || 7.21 ||

'—I should strike with a sharp-edged arrow, and you should thereby be harmed, what could be more grievous than that?'

Shloka 22 (aranya.7.22)

एतस्मिन्नाश्रमे वासं चिरं तु न समर्थये । तमेवमुक्त्वोपरमं रामः संध्यामुपागमत् ॥ 7.22 ॥

etasminnāśrame vāsaṃ ciraṃ tu na samarthaye tamevamuktvoparamaṃ rāmaḥ saṃdhyāmupāgamat || 7.22 ||

'Therefore I do not think it right to stay long in this hermitage.' Having said this, Rama fell silent and went to perform the evening rites.

Shloka 23 (aranya.7.23)

अन्वास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां तत्र वासमकल्पयत् । सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमे रम्ये सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च ॥ 7.23 ॥

anvāsya paścimāṃ saṃdhyāṃ tatra vāsamakalpayat sutīkṣṇasyāśrame ramye sītayā lakṣmaṇena ca || 7.23 ||

Having performed the evening twilight worship, he arranged to spend the night there, in Sutikshna's delightful hermitage, together with Sita and Lakshmana.

Shloka 24 (aranya.7.24)

ततः शुभं तापसयोग्यमन्नं । स्वयं सुतीक्ष्णः पुरुषर्षभाभ्याम् ॥ ताभ्यां सुसत्कृत्य ददौ महात्मा । संध्यानिवृत्तौ रजनीं समीक्ष्य ॥ 7.24 ॥

tataḥ śubhaṃ tāpasayogyamannaṃ svayaṃ sutīkṣṇaḥ puruṣarṣabhābhyām tābhyāṃ susatkṛtya dadau mahātmā saṃdhyānivṛttau rajanīṃ samīkṣya || 7.24 ||

When the evening worship was done and night had fallen, the great-souled Sutikshna himself, having duly honoured those two bulls among men, gave them auspicious food fit for ascetics.