Into the Dandaka Forest

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.119.1)

अनसूया तु धर्मज्ना श्रुत्वा ताम् महतीम् कथाम्। पर्यष्वजत बाहुभ्याम् शिरस्य् आघ्राय मैथिलीम्॥ 119.1 ॥

anasūyā tu dharmajñā śrutvā tām mahatīm kathām| paryaṣvajata bāhubhyām śirasy āghrāya maithilīm

Having heard that great story, the righteous Anasuya kissed Maithili upon the head and embraced her with both arms.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.119.2)

व्यक्त अक्षर पदम् चित्रम् भाषितम् मधुरम् त्वया। यथा स्वयम् वरम् वृत्तम् तत् सर्वम् हि श्रुतम् मया। रमे अहम् कथया ते तु दृढम् मधुर भाषिणि॥ 119.2 ॥

vyakta akṣara padam citram bhāṣitam madhuram tvayā| yathā svayam varam vṛttam tat sarvam hi śrutam mayā| rame aham kathayā te tu dṛḍham madhura bhāṣiṇi

"In clear words, wondrously and sweetly, you have told it, and how that svayamvara came to pass I have now heard in full. O sweet-voiced one, I take great delight in your story.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.119.3)

रविर् अस्तम् गतः श्रीमान् उपोह्य रजनीम् शिवाम्॥ 119.3 ॥

ravir astam gataḥ śrīmān upohya rajanīm śivām

The glorious sun has set, as the gracious night draws near.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.119.4)

दिवसम् प्रति कीर्णानाम् आहार अर्थम् पतत्रिणाम्। संध्या काले निलीनानाम् निद्रा अर्थम् श्रूयते ध्वनिः॥ 119.4 ॥

divasam prati kīrṇānām āhāra artham patatriṇām| saṃdhyā kāle nilīnānām nidrā artham śrūyate dhvaniḥ

The birds that scattered far and wide by day in search of food are now gathering at twilight to roost for sleep, and the sound of them can be heard.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.119.5)

एते च अप्य् अभिषेक आर्द्रा मुनयः फल शोधनाः। सहिता उपवर्तन्ते सलिल आप्लुत वल्कलाः॥ 119.5 ॥

ete ca apy abhiṣeka ārdrā munayaḥ phala śodhanāḥ| sahitā upavartante salila āpluta valkalāḥ

Here too these sages, still wet from their ablutions and busy sorting their gathered fruit, their bark garments drenched with water, are returning together.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.119.6)

ऋषीणाम् अग्नि होत्रेषु हुतेषु विधि पुर्वकम्। कपोत अन्ग अरुणो धूमो दृश्यते पवन उद्धतः॥ 119.6 ॥

ṛṣīṇām agni hotreṣu huteṣu vidhi pūrvakam| kapota aṅga aruṇo dhūmo dṛśyate pavana uddhataḥ

Now that the sages have duly poured their oblations into the sacred fires, smoke the ruddy hue of a dove's neck can be seen, lifted on the wind.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.119.7)

अल्प पर्णा हि तरवो घनी भूताः समन्ततः। विप्रकृष्टे अपि ये देशे न प्रकाशन्ति वै दिशः॥ 119.7 ॥

alpa parṇā hi taravo ghanī bhūtāḥ samantataḥ| viprakṛṣṭe api ye deśe na prakāśanti vai diśaḥ

Even trees that are thin of leaf now look dense on every side, and in the more distant reaches the quarters of the sky can no longer be clearly seen.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.119.8)

रजनी चर सत्त्वानि प्रचरन्ति समन्ततः। तपो वन मृगा ह्य् एते वेदि तीर्थेषु शेरते॥ 119.8 ॥

rajanī cara sattvāni pracaranti samantataḥ| tapo vana mṛgā hy ete vedi tīrtheṣu śerate

Creatures that roam by night are now stirring on every side, while these deer of the hermitage lie down to rest close by the altars and sacred fords.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.119.9)

सम्प्रवृत्ता निशा सीते नक्षत्र समलम्कृता। ज्योत्स्ना प्रावरणः चन्द्रो दृश्यते अभ्युदितो अम्बरे॥ 119.9 ॥

sampravṛttā niśā sīte nakṣatra samalaṃkṛtā| jyotsnā prāvaraṇaḥ candro dṛśyate abhyudito ambare

Sita, the night, adorned with stars, has now well set in; the moon, risen in the sky, is seen wrapped in its own moonlight.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.119.10)

गम्यताम् अनुजानामि रामस्य अनुचरी भव। कथयन्त्या हि मधुरम् त्वया अहम् परितोषिता॥ 119.10 ॥

gamyatām anujānāmi rāmasya anucarī bhava| kathayantyā hi madhuram tvayā aham paritoṣitā

Go now, I give you leave; be Rama's companion once more. Your sweet telling of that tale has given me great contentment.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.119.11)

अलम्कुरु च तावत् त्वम् प्रत्यक्षम् मम मैथिलि। प्रीतिम् जनय मे वत्स दिव्य अलम्कार शोभिनी॥ 119.11 ॥

alaṃkuru ca tāvat tvam pratyakṣam mama maithili| prītim janaya me vatsa divya alaṃkāra śobhinī

Adorn yourself now, Maithili, here before my eyes; give me joy, dear child, shining in these heavenly ornaments.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.119.12)

सा तदा समलम्कृत्य सीता सुर सुत उपमा। प्रणम्य शिरसा तस्यै रामम् तु अभिमुखी ययौ॥ 119.12 ॥

sā tadā samalaṃkṛtya sītā sura suta upamā| praṇamya śirasā tasyai rāmam tu abhimukhī yayau

Then Sita, thus adorned and resembling a daughter of the gods, bowed her head to Anasuya and set out toward Rama.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.119.13)

तथा तु भूषिताम् सीताम् ददर्श वदताम् वरः। राघवः प्रीति दानेन तपस्विन्या जहर्ष च॥ 119.13 ॥

tathā tu bhūṣitām sītām dadarśa vadatām varaḥ| rāghavaḥ prīti dānena tapasvinyā jaharṣa ca

Raghava, most eloquent of speakers, saw Sita thus adorned, and rejoiced at the loving gift given by that ascetic woman.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.119.14)

न्यवेदयत् ततः सर्वम् सीता रामाय मैथिली। प्रीति दानम् तपस्विन्या वसन आभरण स्रजाम्॥ 119.14 ॥

nyavedayat tataḥ sarvam sītā rāmāya maithilī| prīti dānam tapasvinyā vasana ābharaṇa srajām

Maithili Sita then showed Rama all of it — the robe, the ornaments and the garlands — that gift of love from the ascetic woman.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.119.15)

प्रहृष्टः तु अभवद् रामो लक्ष्मणः च महा रथः। मैथिल्याः सत्क्रियाम् दृष्ट्वा मानुषेषु सुदुर्लभाम्॥ 119.15 ॥

prahṛṣṭaḥ tu abhavad rāmo lakṣmaṇaḥ ca mahā rathaḥ| maithilyāḥ satkriyām dṛṣṭvā mānuṣeṣu sudurlabhām

Both Rama and the great warrior Lakshmana were greatly delighted, seeing such honour shown to Maithili, honour so rare among human beings.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.119.16)

ततः ताम् शर्वरीम् प्रीतः पुण्याम् शशि निभ आननः। अर्चितः तापसैः सिद्धैर् उवास रघु नन्दनः॥ 119.16 ॥

tataḥ tām śarvarīm prītaḥ puṇyām śaśi nibha ānanaḥ| arcitaḥ tāpasaiḥ siddhair uvāsa raghu nandanaḥ

Then that delight of the Raghus, his face like the moon, honoured by those accomplished ascetics, gladly spent that sacred night there.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.119.17)

तस्याम् रात्र्याम् व्यतीतायाम् अभिषिच्य हुत अग्निकान्। आपृच्छेताम् नर व्याघ्रौ तापसान् वन गोचरान्॥ 119.17 ॥

tasyām rātryām vyatītāyām abhiṣicya huta agnikān| āpṛcchetām nara vyāghrau tāpasān vana gocarān

When that night had passed, those two tigers among men, having bathed and poured their oblations into the fire, took leave of the forest-dwelling ascetics.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.119.18)

ताउ ऊचुः ते वन चराः तापसा धर्म चारिणः। वनस्य तस्य संचारम् राक्षसैः समभिप्लुतम्॥ 119.18 ॥

tāu ūcuḥ te vana carāḥ tāpasā dharma cāriṇaḥ| vanasya tasya saṃcāram rākṣasaiḥ samabhiplutam

Those forest-dwelling, righteous ascetics told the two of them about the passage through that forest, overrun as it was by demons.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.119.19)

रक्षांसि पुरुषादानि नानारूपाणि राघव। वसन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये व्याळाश्च रुधिराशनाः॥ 119.19 ॥

rakṣāṃsi puruṣādāni nānārūpāṇi rāghava| vasanty asmin mahāraṇye vyāḷāś ca rudhirāśanāḥ

"In this great forest, Raghava, dwell man-eating demons of many shapes, and savage beasts that drink blood.

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.119.20)

उच्चिष्टम् वा प्रमत्तम् वा तापसम् धर्मचारिणम्। अदन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये तान्निवारय राघवः॥ 119.20 ॥

ucchiṣṭam vā pramattam vā tāpasam dharmacāriṇam| adanty asmin mahāraṇye tān nivāraya rāghavaḥ

In this great forest they devour even a righteous ascetic who has not rinsed his mouth after eating, or who is off his guard — ward them off, Raghava.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.119.21)

एष पन्था महर्षीणाम् फलान्य् आहरताम् वने। अनेन तु वनम् दुर्गम् गन्तुम् राघव ते क्षमम्॥ 119.21 ॥

eṣa panthā maharṣīṇām phalāny āharatām vane| anena tu vanam durgam gantum rāghava te kṣamam

This is the path the great sages use when they go to gather fruit in the forest; by this path, Raghava, it is fitting for you to enter this impassable wood."

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.119.22)

इति इव तैः प्रान्जलिभिः तपस्विभिः द्विजैः कृत स्वस्त्ययनः परम् तपः। वनम् सभार्यः प्रविवेश राघवः सलक्ष्मणः सूर्य इव अभ्र मण्डलम्॥ 119.22 ॥

iti iva taiḥ prāñjalibhiḥ tapasvibhiḥ dvijaiḥ kṛta svastyayanaḥ param tapaḥ| vanam sabhāryaḥ praviveśa rāghavaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ sūrya iva abhra maṇḍalam

Thus blessed with words of benediction by those ascetic brahmins, hands folded in reverence, the greatly powerful Raghava entered the forest with his wife and with Lakshmana, as the sun enters a bank of clouds.