Sita's Counsel on the Bow

Shloka 1 (aranya.9.1)

सुतीक्ष्णेनाभ्यनुज्ञातं प्रस्थितं रघुनन्दनम् । हृद्यया स्निग्धया वाचा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 9.1 ॥

sutīkṣṇenābhyanujñātaṃ prasthitaṃ raghunandanam hṛdyayā snigdhayā vācā bhartāramidamabravīt || 9.1 ||

To Raghunandana, who, given leave by Sutikshna, had set out, Sita spoke these words to her husband in a voice tender and full of affection—

Shloka 2 (aranya.9.2)

अधर्मं तु सुसूक्ष्मेण विधिना प्राप्यते महान् । निवृत्तेन च शक्योऽयं व्यसनात् कामजादिह ॥ 9.2 ॥

adharmaṃ tu susūkṣmeṇa vidhinā prāpyate mahān nivṛttena ca śakyo'yaṃ vyasanāt kāmajādiha || 9.2 ||

'Great unrighteousness can be incurred through a very subtle process; yet this can be avoided by one who abstains from the vice born of desire.'

Shloka 3 (aranya.9.3)

त्रीण्येव व्यसनान्यत्र कामजानि भवन्त्युत । मिथ्यावाक्यं तु परमं तस्माद् गुरुतरावुभौ ॥ 9.3 ॥

trīṇyeva vyasanānyatra kāmajāni bhavantyuta mithyāvākyaṃ tu paramaṃ tasmād gurutarāvubhau || 9.3 ||

'There are just three vices born of desire; of these, false speech is grave indeed—yet graver still than that are the other two.'

Shloka 4 (aranya.9.4)

परदाराभिगमनं विना वैरं च रौद्रता । मिथ्यावाक्यं न ते भूतं न भविष्यति राघव ॥ 9.4 ॥

paradārābhigamanaṃ vinā vairaṃ ca raudratā mithyāvākyaṃ na te bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati rāghava || 9.4 ||

'Desire for another's wife, and cruelty without enmity—these are the other two. False speech, O Raghava, has never been in you, nor shall it ever be.'

Shloka 5 (aranya.9.5)

कुतोऽभिलषणं स्त्रीणां परेषां धर्मनाशनम् । तव नास्ति मनुष्येन्द्र न चाभूत् ते कदाचन ॥ 9.5 ॥

kuto'bhilaṣaṇaṃ strīṇāṃ pareṣāṃ dharmanāśanam tava nāsti manuṣyendra na cābhūt te kadācana || 9.5 ||

'Whence, O lord of men, could desire for other men's wives—that destroyer of dharma—ever be in you? It is not in you, nor has it ever been.'

Shloka 6 (aranya.9.6)

मनस्यपि तथा राम न चैतद् विद्यते क्वचित् । स्वदारनिरतश्चैव नित्यमेव नृपात्मज ॥ 9.6 ॥

manasyapi tathā rāma na caitad vidyate kvacit svadāranirataścaiva nityameva nṛpātmaja || 9.6 ||

'Even in your mind, Rama, this exists nowhere; you are ever devoted solely to your own wife, O prince.'

Shloka 7 (aranya.9.7)

धर्मिष्ठः सत्यसंधश्च पितुर्निर्देशकारकः । त्वयि धर्मश्च सत्यं च त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ 9.7 ॥

dharmiṣṭhaḥ satyasaṃdhaśca piturnirdeśakārakaḥ tvayi dharmaśca satyaṃ ca tvayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam || 9.7 ||

'You are most righteous, true to your word, ever carrying out your father's command; in you dharma and truth abide—in you all things are established.'

Shloka 8 (aranya.9.8)

तच्च सर्वं महाबाहो शक्यं वोढुं जितेन्द्रियैः । तव वश्येन्द्रियत्वं च जानामि शुभदर्शन ॥ 9.8 ॥

tacca sarvaṃ mahābāho śakyaṃ voḍhuṃ jitendriyaiḥ tava vaśyendriyatvaṃ ca jānāmi śubhadarśana || 9.8 ||

'And all this, O mighty-armed one, only those who have conquered their senses can uphold; and I know, O fair one, that your senses are wholly in your control.'

Shloka 9 (aranya.9.9)

तृतीयं यदिदं रौद्रं परप्राणाभिहिंसनम् । निर्वैरं क्रियते मोहात् तच्च ते समुपस्थितम् ॥ 9.9 ॥

tṛtīyaṃ yadidaṃ raudraṃ paraprāṇābhihiṃsanam nirvairaṃ kriyate mohāt tacca te samupasthitam || 9.9 ||

'But this third, cruel deed—the taking of another's life without enmity, done out of delusion—now confronts you.'

Shloka 10 (aranya.9.10)

प्रतिज्ञातस्त्वया वीर दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् । ऋषीणां रक्षणार्थाय वधः संयति रक्षसाम् ॥ 9.10 ॥

pratijñātastvayā vīra daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām ṛṣīṇāṃ rakṣaṇārthāya vadhaḥ saṃyati rakṣasām || 9.10 ||

'You have vowed, O hero, to slay the rakshasas in battle for the protection of the sages dwelling in the Dandaka forest.'

Shloka 11 (aranya.9.11)

एतन्निमित्तं च वनं दण्डका इति विश्रुतम् । प्रस्थितस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा धृतबाणशरासनः ॥ 9.11 ॥

etannimittaṃ ca vanaṃ daṇḍakā iti viśrutam prasthitastvaṃ saha bhrātrā dhṛtabāṇaśarāsanaḥ || 9.11 ||

'For this very purpose you have set out, bow and arrows in hand, together with your brother, for this forest known as Dandaka.'

Shloka 12 (aranya.9.12)

ततस्त्वां प्रस्थितं दृष्ट्वा मम चिन्ताकुलं मनः । त्वद्वृत्तं चिन्तयन्त्या वै भवेन्निःश्रेयसं हितम् ॥ 9.12 ॥

tatastvāṃ prasthitaṃ dṛṣṭvā mama cintākulaṃ manaḥ tvadvṛttaṃ cintayantyā vai bhavenniḥśreyasaṃ hitam || 9.12 ||

'Seeing you thus set out, my mind has grown troubled with anxiety; pondering over your resolve, let me tell you what would truly be for your good.'

Shloka 13 (aranya.9.13)

नहि मे रोचते वीर गमनं दण्डकान् प्रति । कारणं तत्र वक्ष्यामि वदन्त्याः श्रूयतां मम ॥ 9.13 ॥

nahi me rocate vīra gamanaṃ daṇḍakān prati kāraṇaṃ tatra vakṣyāmi vadantyāḥ śrūyatāṃ mama || 9.13 ||

'This journey to the Dandaka forest does not please me at all, O hero. I shall tell you the reason for it; please listen.'

Shloka 14 (aranya.9.14)

त्वं हि बाणधनुष्पाणिर्भ्रात्रा सह वनं गतः । दृष्ट्वा वनचरान् सर्वान् कच्चित् कुर्याः शरव्ययम् ॥ 9.14 ॥

tvaṃ hi bāṇadhanuṣpāṇirbhrātrā saha vanaṃ gataḥ dṛṣṭvā vanacarān sarvān kaccit kuryāḥ śaravyayam || 9.14 ||

'You, going into the forest with bow and arrow in hand, together with your brother, might on seeing all the forest creatures spend your arrows on them needlessly.'

Shloka 15 (aranya.9.15)

क्षत्रियाणामिह धनुर्हुताशस्येन्धनानि च । समीपतः स्थितं तेजोबलमुच्छ्रयते भृशम् ॥ 9.15 ॥

kṣatriyāṇāmiha dhanurhutāśasyendhanāni ca samīpataḥ sthitaṃ tejobalamucchrayate bhṛśam || 9.15 ||

'For a kshatriya, the bow is like fuel to fire; with fuel placed near it, its fiery power blazes up all the more.'

Shloka 16 (aranya.9.16)

पुरा किल महाबाहो तपस्वी सत्यवान् शुचिः । कस्मिंश्चिदभवत् पुण्ये वने रतमृगद्विजे ॥ 9.16 ॥

purā kila mahābāho tapasvī satyavān śuciḥ kasmiṃścidabhavat puṇye vane ratamṛgadvije || 9.16 ||

'Long ago indeed, O mighty-armed one, there lived, in a certain sacred forest delighted by deer and birds, an ascetic, truthful and pure of heart.'

Shloka 17 (aranya.9.17)

तस्यैव तपसो विघ्नं कर्तुमिन्द्रः शचीपतिः । खड्गपाणिरथागच्छदाश्रमं भटरूपधृक् ॥ 9.17 ॥

tasyaiva tapaso vighnaṃ kartumindraḥ śacīpatiḥ khaḍgapāṇirathāgacchadāśramaṃ bhaṭarūpadhṛk || 9.17 ||

'To create an obstacle to that very ascetic's austerity, Indra, sword in hand, came to his hermitage disguised in the form of a soldier.'

Shloka 18 (aranya.9.18)

तस्मिंस्तदाश्रमपदे निहितः खड्ग उत्तमः । स न्यासविधिना दत्तः पुण्ये तपसि तिष्ठतः ॥ 9.18 ॥

tasmiṃstadāśramapade nihitaḥ khaḍga uttamaḥ sa nyāsavidhinā dattaḥ puṇye tapasi tiṣṭhataḥ || 9.18 ||

'At that hermitage that excellent sword was left with him—given to him in trust, as a deposit, while he remained engaged in his sacred austerity.'

Shloka 19 (aranya.9.19)

स तच्छस्त्रमनुप्राप्य न्यासरक्षणतत्परः । वने तु विचरत्येव रक्षन् प्रत्ययमात्मनः ॥ 9.19 ॥

sa tacchastramanuprāpya nyāsarakṣaṇatatparaḥ vane tu vicaratyeva rakṣan pratyayamātmanaḥ || 9.19 ||

'Having received that weapon, intent on guarding the trust, he continued to wander the forest, keeping faith with what had been entrusted to him.'

Shloka 20 (aranya.9.20)

यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च । न विना याति तं खड्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः ॥ 9.20 ॥

yatra gacchatyupādātuṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca na vinā yāti taṃ khaḍgaṃ nyāsarakṣaṇatatparaḥ || 9.20 ||

'Wherever he went to gather roots and fruits, intent on guarding the trust, he never went without that sword.'

Shloka 21 (aranya.9.21)

नित्यं शस्त्रं परिवहन् क्रमेण स तपोधनः । चकार रौद्रीं स्वां बुद्धिं त्यक्त्वा तपसि निश्चयम् ॥ 9.21 ॥

nityaṃ śastraṃ parivahan krameṇa sa tapodhanaḥ cakāra raudrīṃ svāṃ buddhiṃ tyaktvā tapasi niścayam || 9.21 ||

'Constantly carrying the weapon, that ascetic gradually made his mind fierce, abandoning his firm resolve in austerity.'

Shloka 22 (aranya.9.22)

ततः स रौद्राभिरतः प्रमत्तोऽधर्मकर्षितः । तस्य शस्त्रस्य संवासाज्जगाम नरकं मुनिः ॥ 9.22 ॥

tataḥ sa raudrābhirataḥ pramatto'dharmakarṣitaḥ tasya śastrasya saṃvāsājjagāma narakaṃ muniḥ || 9.22 ||

'Then, delighting in violence, grown negligent and drawn toward unrighteousness, that sage went to hell because of his long association with that weapon.'

Shloka 23 (aranya.9.23)

एवमेतत् पुरावृत्तं शस्त्रसंयोगकारणम् । अग्निसंयोगवद्धेतुः शस्त्रसंयोग उच्यते ॥ 9.23 ॥

evametat purāvṛttaṃ śastrasaṃyogakāraṇam agnisaṃyogavaddhetuḥ śastrasaṃyoga ucyate || 9.23 ||

'Thus this happened long ago because of association with a weapon; contact with weapons is said to be a cause of corruption, just as contact with fire is.'

Shloka 24 (aranya.9.24)

स्नेहाच्च बहुमानाच्च स्मारये त्वां न शिक्षये । न कथंचन सा कार्या गृहीतधनुषा त्वया ॥ 9.24 ॥

snehācca bahumānācca smāraye tvāṃ na śikṣaye na kathaṃcana sā kāryā gṛhītadhanuṣā tvayā || 9.24 ||

'Out of love and high regard I only remind you—I do not presume to instruct you—that, bow in hand, this must never in any way be done by you.'

Shloka 25 (aranya.9.25)

बुद्धिर्वैरं विना हन्तुं राक्षसान् दण्डकाश्रितान् । अपराधं विना हन्तुं लोको वीर न कामये ॥ 9.25 ॥

buddhirvairaṃ vinā hantuṃ rākṣasān daṇḍakāśritān aparādhaṃ vinā hantuṃ loko vīra na kāmaye || 9.25 ||

'To slay, without provocation and without any wrong done by them, the rakshasas dwelling in Dandaka—this, O hero, is not something I wish for you.'

Shloka 26 (aranya.9.26)

क्षत्रियाणां तु वीराणां वनेषु नियतात्मनाम् । धनुषा कार्यमेतावदार्तानामभिरक्षणम् ॥ 9.26 ॥

kṣatriyāṇāṃ tu vīrāṇāṃ vaneṣu niyatātmanām dhanuṣā kāryametāvadārtānāmabhirakṣaṇam || 9.26 ||

'For valiant, self-controlled kshatriyas dwelling in the forest, the bow has only this purpose: the protection of those in distress.'

Shloka 27 (aranya.9.27)

क्व च शस्त्रं क्व च वनं क्व च क्षात्रं तपः क्व च । व्याविद्धमिदमस्माभिर्देशधर्मस्तु पूज्यताम् ॥ 9.27 ॥

kva ca śastraṃ kva ca vanaṃ kva ca kṣātraṃ tapaḥ kva ca vyāviddhamidamasmābhirdeśadharmastu pūjyatām || 9.27 ||

'Where is the weapon, and where the forest-dwelling? Where the kshatriya's calling, and where austerity? We have confused these together; let the dharma proper to this place now be honoured instead.'

Shloka 28 (aranya.9.28)

कदर्यकलुषा बुद्धिर्जायते शस्त्रसेवनात् । पुनर्गत्वा त्वयोध्यायां क्षत्रधर्मं चरिष्यसि ॥ 9.28 ॥

kadaryakaluṣā buddhirjāyate śastrasevanāt punargatvā tvayodhyāyāṃ kṣatradharmaṃ cariṣyasi || 9.28 ||

'A mind grows tainted and base through indulgence in weapons. Having returned again to Ayodhya, you may then practise the duty of a kshatriya there.'

Shloka 29 (aranya.9.29)

अक्षया तु भवेत् प्रीतिः श्वश्रूश्वशुरयोर्मम । यदि राज्यं हि संन्यस्य भवेस्त्वं निरतो मुनिः ॥ 9.29 ॥

akṣayā tu bhavet prītiḥ śvaśrūśvaśurayormama yadi rājyaṃ hi saṃnyasya bhavestvaṃ nirato muniḥ || 9.29 ||

'Unending would be the joy of my mother-in-law and father-in-law, and mine too, were you to renounce kingship and become a sage devoted wholly to austerity.'

Shloka 30 (aranya.9.30)

धर्मादर्थः प्रभवति धर्मात् प्रभवते सुखम् । धर्मेण लभते सर्वं धर्मसारमिदं जगत् ॥ 9.30 ॥

dharmādarthaḥ prabhavati dharmāt prabhavate sukham dharmeṇa labhate sarvaṃ dharmasāramidaṃ jagat || 9.30 ||

'From dharma arises wealth; from dharma arises happiness; through dharma one obtains everything—this whole world has dharma as its very essence.'

Shloka 31 (aranya.9.31)

आत्मानं नियमैस्तैस्तैः कर्षयित्वा प्रयत्नतः । प्राप्यते निपुणैर्धर्मो न सुखाल्लभते सुखम् ॥ 9.31 ॥

ātmānaṃ niyamaistaistaiḥ karṣayitvā prayatnataḥ prāpyate nipuṇairdharmo na sukhāllabhate sukham || 9.31 ||

'By diligently disciplining oneself through many observances, the skilful attain dharma; happiness is never obtained through ease alone.'

Shloka 32 (aranya.9.32)

नित्यं शुचिमतिः सौम्य चर धर्मं तपोवने । सर्वं तु विदितं तुभ्यं त्रैलोक्यामपि तत्त्वतः ॥ 9.32 ॥

nityaṃ śucimatiḥ saumya cara dharmaṃ tapovane sarvaṃ tu viditaṃ tubhyaṃ trailokyāmapi tattvataḥ || 9.32 ||

'Ever pure of mind, gentle one, practise dharma in this forest of penance—though indeed all the truths of the three worlds are already known to you.'

Shloka 33 (aranya.9.33)

स्त्रीचापलादेतदुपाहृतं मे । धर्मं च वक्तुं तव कः समर्थः ॥ विचार्य बुद्ध्या तु सहानुजेन । यद् रोचते तत् कुरु माचिरेण ॥ 9.33 ॥

strīcāpalādetadupāhṛtaṃ me dharmaṃ ca vaktuṃ tava kaḥ samarthaḥ vicārya buddhyā tu sahānujena yad rocate tat kuru mācireṇa || 9.33 ||

'All this I have spoken only out of a woman's natural impulsiveness—who indeed is capable of instructing you in dharma? Yet, having reflected well, together with your younger brother, do whatever seems right to you—only, do not delay.'