The Hardships of the Forest

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.28.1)

सएवम् ब्रुवतीम् सीताम् धर्मज्ञो धर्म वत्सलः । निवर्तन अर्थे धर्म आत्मा वाक्यम् एतत् उवाच ह ॥ २८.१ ॥

saevam bruvatīm sītām dharmajño dharma vatsalaḥ | nivartana arthe dharma ātmā vākyam etat uvāca ha || 28.1 ||

He, knower of Dharma and tender toward it, that righteous-souled one, spoke this word to Sita as she spoke thus, meaning to turn her back.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.28.2)

सान्त्वयित्वा पुनस्ताम् तु बाष्पदूषितलोचनाम् । निवर्तनार्थे धर्मात्मा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥ २८.२ ॥

sāntvayitvā punastām tu bāṣpadūṣitalocanām | nivartanārthe dharmātmā vākyametaduvāca ha || 28.2 ||

Soothing her again, her eyes dimmed with tears, the righteous-souled one spoke this word once more, to turn her back.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.28.3)

सीते महा कुलीना असि धर्मे च निरता सदा । इह आचर स्वधर्मम् त्वम् मा यथा मनसः सुखम् ॥ २८.३ ॥

sīte mahā kulīnā asi dharme ca niratā sadā | iha ācara svadharmam tvam mā yathā manasaḥ sukham || 28.3 ||

'Sita, you are born of a great lineage, ever devoted to Dharma. Practise your own duty here, in the manner that would ease my mind.'

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.28.4)

सीते यथा त्वाम् वक्ष्यामि तथा कार्यम् त्वया अबले । वने दोषा हि बहवो वदतः तान् निबोध मे ॥ २८.४ ॥

sīte yathā tvām vakṣyāmi tathā kāryam tvayā abale | vane doṣā hi bahavo vadataḥ tān nibodha me || 28.4 ||

'Sita, gentle one, do as I now tell you; the forest holds many hardships — hear them from me as I speak.'

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.28.5)

सीते विमुच्यताम् एषा वन वास कृता मतिः । बहु दोषम् हि कान्तारम् वनम् इति अभिधीयते ॥ २८.५ ॥

sīte vimucyatām eṣā vana vāsa kṛtā matiḥ | bahu doṣam hi kāntāram vanam iti abhidhīyate || 28.5 ||

'Sita, give up this resolve you have made for forest life; the wilderness men call the forest is said to be laden with many perils.'

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.28.6)

हित बुद्ध्या खलु वचो मया एतत् अभिधीयते । सदा सुखम् न जानामि दुह्खम् एव सदा वनम् ॥ २८.६ ॥

hita buddhyā khalu vaco mayā etat abhidhīyate | sadā sukham na jānāmi duhkham eva sadā vanam || 28.6 ||

'This word I speak indeed out of care for your welfare. I have never known the forest to be pleasant — it is ever a place of suffering.'

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.28.7)

गिरि निर्झर सम्भूता गिरि कन्दर वासिनाम् । सिम्हानाम् निनदा दुह्खाः श्रोतुम् दुह्खम् अतः वनम् ॥ २८.७ ॥

giri nirjhara sambhūtā giri kandara vāsinām | simhānām ninadā duhkhāḥ śrotum duhkham ataḥ vanam || 28.7 ||

'The roar of mountain cascades, and the din of lions dwelling in hill caves, are painful to hear — for this too the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.28.8)

क्रीडमानाश्च विस्रब्धा मत्ताह् शून्ये महामृगाः । दृष्ट्वा समभिवर्तन्ते सीते दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.८ ॥

krīḍamānāśca visrabdhā mattāh śūnye mahāmṛgāḥ | dṛṣṭvā samabhivartante sīte duḥkhamato vanam || 28.8 ||

'Great wild beasts, fearless and maddened, sporting in the empty wild, come charging at the sight of one — for this too, Sita, the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.28.9)

सग्राहाः सरितश्चैव पङ्कवत्यश्च दुस्तराः । मत्तैरपि गजैर्नित्यमतो दुःखतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.९ ॥

sagrāhāḥ saritaścaiva paṅkavatyaśca dustarāḥ | mattairapi gajairnityamato duḥkhataram vanam || 28.9 ||

'Streams infested with crocodiles and choked with mire are ever hard to cross even for maddened elephants — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.28.10)

लताकण्टकसम्पूर्णाः कृकवाकूपनादिताः । निरपाश्च सुदुर्गाश्च मार्गा दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.१० ॥

latākaṇṭakasampūrṇāḥ kṛkavākūpanāditāḥ | nirapāśca sudurgāśca mārgā duḥkhamato vanam || 28.10 ||

'Paths choked with creepers and thorns, echoing with the cries of wild fowl, waterless and hard to pass — for this too the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.28.11)

सुप्यते पर्ण शय्यासु स्वयम् भग्नासु भू तले । रात्रिषु श्रम खिन्नेन तस्मात् दुह्खतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.११ ॥

supyate parṇa śayyāsu svayam bhagnāsu bhū tale | rātriṣu śrama khinnena tasmāt duhkhataram vanam || 28.11 ||

'One wearied with toil must sleep at night upon a bed of fallen leaves scattered on the bare earth — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.28.12)

अहोरात्रम् च सन्तोषः कर्तव्यो नियतात्मना । फलैर्वृक्षावपतितैः सीते दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.१२ ॥

ahorātram ca santoṣaḥ kartavyo niyatātmanā | phalairvṛkṣāvapatitaiḥ sīte duḥkhamato vanam || 28.12 ||

'One of disciplined mind must, day and night, be content with fruit fallen from the trees — for this too, Sita, the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.28.13)

उपवासः च कर्तव्या यथा प्राणेन मैथिलि । जटा भारः च कर्तव्यो वल्कल अम्बर धारिणा ॥ २८.१३ ॥

upavāsaḥ ca kartavyā yathā prāṇena maithili | jaṭā bhāraḥ ca kartavyo valkala ambara dhāriṇā || 28.13 ||

'Fasting must be kept as the body's strength allows, O Maithili; and one clad in bark garments must bear the weight of matted hair besides.'

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.28.14)

देवतानाम् पितृइणाम् चकर्तव्यम् विधिपूर्वकम् । प्राप्तानामतिथीनाम् च नित्यशः प्रतिपूजनम् ॥ २८.१४ ॥

devatānām pitṛiṇām cakartavyam vidhipūrvakam | prāptānāmatithīnām ca nityaśaḥ pratipūjanam || 28.14 ||

'The gods, the ancestors, and whatever guests may arrive must always be duly worshipped, according to rite.'

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.28.15)

कार्यस्त्रीरभिषेकश्च काले काले च नित्यशः । चरता नियमेनैव तस्माद्दुःखतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.१५ ॥

kāryastrīrabhiṣekaśca kāle kāle ca nityaśaḥ | caratā niyamenaiva tasmādduḥkhataram vanam || 28.15 ||

'One who walks the forest must, with strict discipline, bathe three times daily at the proper hours — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.28.16)

उपहारश्च कर्तव्यः कुसुमैः स्वयमाहृतैः । आर्षेण विधिना वेद्याम् बाले दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.१६ ॥

upahāraśca kartavyaḥ kusumaiḥ svayamāhṛtaiḥ | ārṣeṇa vidhinā vedyām bāle duḥkhamato vanam || 28.16 ||

'An offering must be made at the altar with flowers gathered by one's own hand, by the rite the sages laid down — for this too, child, the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.28.17)

यथालब्धेन कर्तव्यः सन्तोष्स्तेन मैथिलि । यताहारैर्वनचरैः सीते दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.१७ ॥

yathālabdhena kartavyaḥ santoṣstena maithili | yatāhārairvanacaraiḥ sīte duḥkhamato vanam || 28.17 ||

'Forest-dwellers must be content with restrained food, with whatever is obtained, O Maithili — for this too, Sita, the forest is suffering.'

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.28.18)

अतीव वातः तिमिरम् बुभुक्षा च अत्र नित्यशः । भयानि च महान्ति अत्र ततः दुह्खतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.१८ ॥

atīva vātaḥ timiram bubhukṣā ca atra nityaśaḥ | bhayāni ca mahānti atra tataḥ duhkhataram vanam || 28.18 ||

'There, wind and darkness are extreme, and hunger is ever-present; great terrors too abound — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.28.19)

सरी सृपाः च बहवो बहु रूपाः च भामिनि । चरन्ति पृथिवीम् दर्पात् अतः दुखतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.१९ ॥

sarī sṛpāḥ ca bahavo bahu rūpāḥ ca bhāmini | caranti pṛthivīm darpāt ataḥ dukhataram vanam || 28.19 ||

'Many creeping things of many forms, radiant one, roam the earth in their boldness — for this too the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.28.20)

नदी निलयनाः सर्पा नदी कुटिल गामिनः । तिष्ठन्ति आवृत्य पन्थानम् अतः दुह्खतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.२० ॥

nadī nilayanāḥ sarpā nadī kuṭila gāminaḥ | tiṣṭhanti āvṛtya panthānam ataḥ duhkhataram vanam || 28.20 ||

'Serpents that dwell by rivers, moving as crookedly as rivers themselves, lie coiled blocking the path — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.28.21)

पतम्गा वृश्चिकाः कीटा दंशाः च मशकैः सह । बाधन्ते नित्यम् अबले सर्वम् दुह्खम् अतः वनम् ॥ २८.२१ ॥

patamgā vṛścikāḥ kīṭā daṃśāḥ ca maśakaiḥ saha | bādhante nityam abale sarvam duhkham ataḥ vanam || 28.21 ||

'Flying insects, scorpions, gnats, biting flies together with mosquitoes torment one always, gentle one — the whole of it is suffering; hence the forest.'

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.28.22)

द्रुमाः कण्टकिनः चैव कुश काशाः च भामिनि । वने व्याकुल शाखा अग्राः तेन दुह्खतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.२२ ॥

drumāḥ kaṇṭakinaḥ caiva kuśa kāśāḥ ca bhāmini | vane vyākula śākhā agrāḥ tena duhkhataram vanam || 28.22 ||

'Thorny trees, and clumps of kusha and kasha grass too, radiant one, spread their tangled branch-tips through the forest — for this the forest is the more sorrowful.'

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.28.23)

कायक्लेशाश्च बहवो भयानि विविधानि च । अरण्यवासे वसतो क्धुःखमेव ततो वनम् ॥ २८.२३ ॥

kāyakleśāśca bahavo bhayāni vividhāni ca | araṇyavāse vasato kdhuḥkhameva tato vanam || 28.23 ||

'Many are the bodily hardships, and manifold the fears, for one who dwells the forest life — hence the forest is truly nothing but suffering.'

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.28.24)

क्रोधलोभे विमोक्तव्यौ कर्तव्या तपसे मतिः । न भेतव्यम् च भेतव्ये नित्यम् दुःखमतो वनम् ॥ २८.२४ ॥

krodhalobhe vimoktavyau kartavyā tapase matiḥ | na bhetavyam ca bhetavye nityam duḥkhamato vanam || 28.24 ||

'Anger and greed must be renounced, the mind bent wholly on austerity; and where fear would be natural, one must still not fear — for this too the forest is ever suffering.'

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.28.25)

तत् अलम् ते वनम् गत्वा क्षमम् न हि वनम् तव । विमृशन्न् इह पश्यामि बहु दोषतरम् वनम् ॥ २८.२५ ॥

tat alam te vanam gatvā kṣamam na hi vanam tava | vimṛśann iha paśyāmi bahu doṣataram vanam || 28.25 ||

'Enough, then, of your going to the forest — it is truly not fit for you. Reflecting well, I find the forest laden with fault upon fault.'

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.28.26)

वनम् तु नेतुम् न कृता मतिस् तदा । बभूव रामेण यदा महात्मना । न तस्य सीता वचनम् चकार तत् । ततः अब्रवीद् रामम् इदम् सुदुह्खिता ॥ २८.२६ ॥

vanam tu netum na kṛtā matis tadā | babhūva rāmeṇa yadā mahātmanā | na tasya sītā vacanam cakāra tat | tataḥ abravīd rāmam idam suduhkhitā || 28.26 ||

But when the great-souled Rama's mind was thus made up not to take her to the forest, Sita would not accept that word of his; then, sorely grieved, she spoke this to Rama.