Farewell to Sutikshna

Shloka 1 (aranya.8.1)

रामस्तु सहसौमित्रिः सुतीक्ष्णेनाभिपूजितः । परिणाम्य निशां तत्र प्रभाते प्रत्यबुध्यत ॥ 8.1 ॥

rāmastu sahasaumitriḥ sutīkṣṇenābhipūjitaḥ pariṇāmya niśāṃ tatra prabhāte pratyabudhyata || 8.1 ||

Rama, together with Saumitri, duly honoured by Sutikshna, having passed the night there, awoke at dawn.

Shloka 2 (aranya.8.2)

उत्थाय च यथाकालं राघवः सह सीतया । उपस्पृश्य सुशीतेन तोयेनोत्पलगन्धिना ॥ 8.2 ॥

utthāya ca yathākālaṃ rāghavaḥ saha sītayā upaspṛśya suśītena toyenotpalagandhinā || 8.2 ||

Rising at the proper hour, Raghava, together with Sita, bathed in cool water fragrant with lotuses.

Shloka 3 (aranya.8.3)

अथ तेऽग्निं सुरांश्चैव वैदेही रामलक्ष्मणौ । काल्यं विधिवदभ्यर्च्य तपस्विशरणे वने ॥ 8.3 ॥

atha te'gniṃ surāṃścaiva vaidehī rāmalakṣmaṇau kālyaṃ vidhivadabhyarcya tapasviśaraṇe vane || 8.3 ||

Then, in that forest which is a refuge for ascetics, Vaidehi, Rama and Lakshmana duly worshipped the sacred fire and the gods at dawn.

Shloka 4 (aranya.8.4)

उदयन्तं दिनकरं दृष्ट्वा विगतकल्मषाः । सुतीक्ष्णमभिगम्येदं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥ 8.4 ॥

udayantaṃ dinakaraṃ dṛṣṭvā vigatakalmaṣāḥ sutīkṣṇamabhigamyedaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanamabruvan || 8.4 ||

Having beheld the rising sun, their impurities dispelled by the morning rites, they approached Sutikshna and spoke these gentle words—

Shloka 5 (aranya.8.5)

सुखोषिताः स्म भगवंस्त्वया पूज्येन पूजिताः । आपृच्छामः प्रयास्यामो मुनयस्त्वरयन्ति नः ॥ 8.5 ॥

sukhoṣitāḥ sma bhagavaṃstvayā pūjyena pūjitāḥ āpṛcchāmaḥ prayāsyāmo munayastvarayanti naḥ || 8.5 ||

'We have dwelt here happily, honoured by you, holy one, worthy yourself of honour. We now take our leave and wish to depart, for the other sages are urging us to hasten.'

Shloka 6 (aranya.8.6)

त्वरामहे वयं द्रष्टुं कृत्स्नमाश्रममण्डलम् । ऋषीणां पुण्यशीलानां दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् ॥ 8.6 ॥

tvarāmahe vayaṃ draṣṭuṃ kṛtsnamāśramamaṇḍalam ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyaśīlānāṃ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām || 8.6 ||

'We are eager to see the entire circle of hermitages of the virtuous sages who dwell in the Dandaka forest.'

Shloka 7 (aranya.8.7)

अभ्यनुज्ञातुमिच्छामः सहैभिर्मुनिपुंगवैः । धर्मनित्यैस्तपोदान्तैर्विशिखैरिव पावकैः ॥ 8.7 ॥

abhyanujñātumicchāmaḥ sahaibhirmunipuṃgavaiḥ dharmanityaistapodāntairviśikhairiva pāvakaiḥ || 8.7 ||

'We wish for your leave to go together with these foremost of sages, ever devoted to dharma, disciplined by austerity, blazing like flames.'

Shloka 8 (aranya.8.8)

अविषह्यातपो यावत् सूर्यो नातिविराजते । अमार्गेणागतां लक्ष्मीं प्राप्येवान्वयवर्जितः ॥ 8.8 ॥

aviṣahyātapo yāvat sūryo nātivirājate amārgeṇāgatāṃ lakṣmīṃ prāpyevānvayavarjitaḥ || 8.8 ||

'While the sun's heat is not yet unbearable and does not blaze too fiercely—as one, though having gained it, forsakes a fortune won by an improper path—'

Shloka 9 (aranya.8.9)

तावदिच्छामहे गन्तुमित्युक्त्वा चरणौ मुनेः । ववन्दे सहसौमित्रिः सीतया सह राघवः ॥ 8.9 ॥

tāvadicchāmahe gantumityuktvā caraṇau muneḥ vavande sahasaumitriḥ sītayā saha rāghavaḥ || 8.9 ||

'—that long we wish to travel.' Having said this, Raghava, together with Saumitri and Sita, bowed at the sage's feet.

Shloka 10 (aranya.8.10)

तौ संस्पृशन्तौ चरणावुत्थाप्य मुनिपुंगवः । गाढमाश्लिष्य सस्नेहमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 8.10 ॥

tau saṃspṛśantau caraṇāvutthāpya munipuṃgavaḥ gāḍhamāśliṣya sasnehamidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 8.10 ||

That foremost sage, raising up the two who were touching his feet, embracing them warmly with affection, spoke these words—

Shloka 11 (aranya.8.11)

अरिष्टं गच्छ पन्थानं राम सौमित्रिणा सह । सीतया चानया सार्धं छाययेवानुवृत्तया ॥ 8.11 ॥

ariṣṭaṃ gaccha panthānaṃ rāma saumitriṇā saha sītayā cānayā sārdhaṃ chāyayevānuvṛttayā || 8.11 ||

'Go, Rama, upon an unobstructed path, together with Saumitri and this Sita, who follows you like your own shadow.'

Shloka 12 (aranya.8.12)

पश्याश्रमपदं रम्यं दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् । एषां तपस्विनां वीर तपसा भावितात्मनाम् ॥ 8.12 ॥

paśyāśramapadaṃ ramyaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām eṣāṃ tapasvināṃ vīra tapasā bhāvitātmanām || 8.12 ||

'Behold, O hero, the delightful hermitage-grounds of these ascetics of the Dandaka forest, their souls purified by austerity.'

Shloka 13 (aranya.8.13)

सुप्राज्यफलमूलानि पुष्पितानि वनानि च । प्रशस्तमृगयूथानि शान्तपक्षिगणानि च ॥ 8.13 ॥

suprājyaphalamūlāni puṣpitāni vanāni ca praśastamṛgayūthāni śāntapakṣigaṇāni ca || 8.13 ||

'You will see forests rich in fruit and root, in full bloom, with fine herds of deer and flocks of tranquil birds,'

Shloka 14 (aranya.8.14)

फुल्लपङ्कजखण्डानि प्रसन्नसलिलानि च । कारण्डवविकीर्णानि तटाकानि सरांसि च ॥ 8.14 ॥

phullapaṅkajakhaṇḍāni prasannasalilāni ca kāraṇḍavavikīrṇāni taṭākāni sarāṃsi ca || 8.14 ||

'—clusters of blooming lotuses, waters clear and pure, and lakes and pools scattered with karandava birds.'

Shloka 15 (aranya.8.15)

द्रक्ष्यसे दृष्टिरम्याणि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च । रमणीयान्यरण्यानि मयूराभिरुतानि च ॥ 8.15 ॥

drakṣyase dṛṣṭiramyāṇi giriprasravaṇāni ca ramaṇīyānyaraṇyāni mayūrābhirutāni ca || 8.15 ||

'You shall see mountain streams delightful to behold, and lovely forests resounding with the cries of peacocks.'

Shloka 16 (aranya.8.16)

गम्यतां वत्स सौमित्रे भवानपि च गच्छतु । आगन्तव्यं च ते दृष्ट्वा पुनरेवाश्रमं प्रति ॥ 8.16 ॥

gamyatāṃ vatsa saumitre bhavānapi ca gacchatu āgantavyaṃ ca te dṛṣṭvā punarevāśramaṃ prati || 8.16 ||

'Go then, my child; and you too, Saumitri, may go. But having seen all this, you must return again to this hermitage.'

Shloka 17 (aranya.8.17)

एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा काकुत्स्थः सहलक्ष्मणः । प्रदक्षिणं मुनिं कृत्वा प्रस्थातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ 8.17 ॥

evamuktastathetyuktvā kākutsthaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ muniṃ kṛtvā prasthātumupacakrame || 8.17 ||

Thus addressed, saying 'so be it,' the scion of Kakutstha, together with Lakshmana, circumambulated the sage and set out to depart.

Shloka 18 (aranya.8.18)

ततः शुभतरे तूणी धनुषी चायतेक्षणा । ददौ सीता तयोर्भ्रात्रोः खड्गौ च विमलौ ततः ॥ 8.18 ॥

tataḥ śubhatare tūṇī dhanuṣī cāyatekṣaṇā dadau sītā tayorbhrātroḥ khaḍgau ca vimalau tataḥ || 8.18 ||

Then Sita, the wide-eyed one, gave to the two brothers their fine quivers, bows, and two spotless swords.

Shloka 19 (aranya.8.19)

आबध्य च शुभे तूणी चापे चादाय सस्वने । निष्क्रान्तावाश्रमाद् गन्तुमुभौ तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ 8.19 ॥

ābadhya ca śubhe tūṇī cāpe cādāya sasvane niṣkrāntāvāśramād gantumubhau tau rāmalakṣmaṇau || 8.19 ||

Having strapped on the fine quivers and taken up their twanging bows, Rama and Lakshmana both set forth from the hermitage.

Shloka 20 (aranya.8.20)

शीघ्रं तौ रूपसम्पन्नावनुज्ञातौ महर्षिणा । प्रस्थितौ धृतचापासी सीतया सह राघवौ ॥ 8.20 ॥

śīghraṃ tau rūpasampannāvanujñātau maharṣiṇā prasthitau dhṛtacāpāsī sītayā saha rāghavau || 8.20 ||

Swiftly, those two splendid Raghavas, bows and swords in hand, given leave by the great sage, set out together with Sita.