SARGA 117
[Rama and Sita depart from Chitrakuta — meet sage Atri and Anasuya.]
राघव स्त्वथ यातेषु तपस्विषु विचिन्तयन्।
न तत्रारोचयद्वासं कारणैर्बहुभिस्तदा।।2.117.1।।
अथ then,
राघवस्तु as for Rama,
तपस्विषु ascetics,
यातेषु when departed,
विचिन्तयन् thinking over,
बहुभिः for many,
कारणैः reasons,
तदा then,
तत्र there,
वासम् to reside,
नारोचयत् did not like.
When the ascetics had departed, Rama thought over the matter well and did not like to reside there for many reasons.
इह मे भरतो दृष्टो मातरश्च सनागराः।
सा च मे स्मृतिरन्वेति तान्नित्यमनुशोचतः।।2.117.2।।
मे to me,
इह here,
भरतः Bharata,
दृष्टः has been seen,
सनागराः with the citzens of Ayodhya,
मातरश्च mothers also,
नित्यम् always,
तान् about them,
अनुशोचतः filled with grief,
मे to me,
सा स्मृतिः च that memory,
अन्वेति is chasing.
It is here that Bharata, mothers along with citizens of Ayodhya have visited me. That memory soaked with grief is chasing me.
स्कन्धावारनिवेशेन तेन तस्य महात्मनः।
हयहस्तिकरीषैश्च उपमर्दः कृतो भृशम्।।2.117.3।।
महात्मनः magnanimous,
तस्य Bharata’s,
तेन by that,
स्कन्धावारनिवेशेन with the encampment of army,
हयहस्तिकरीषैश्च with the dung of horses and elephants,
भृशम् exceedingly,
उपमर्थः dirty,
कृतः has been made.
Due to the encampment of the army of the magnanimous Bharata (here), this place has been filled with the dung of horses and elephants and made exceedingly dirty.
तस्मादन्यत्र गच्छाम इति सञ्चिन्त्य राघवः।
प्रातिष्ठत स वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च सङ्गतः।।2.117.4।।
तस्मात् therefore,
अन्यत्र to some other place,
गच्छाम let us go,
इति thus,
सञ्चिन्त्य having resolved,
सः that,
राघवः Rama,
वैदेह्या with Sita,
लक्ष्मणेन with Lakshmana,
सङ्गतः accompanied by,
प्रातिष्ठत set forth.
We shall, therefore, go to some other place, having resolved thus, Rama accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana set forth.
सोऽत्रेराश्रममासाद्य तं ववन्दे महायशाः।
तं चापि भगवानत्रिः पुत्रवत्प्रत्यपद्यत।।2.117.5।।
महायशाः illustrious one,
सः रामः that Rama,
अत्रेः Atri’s,
आश्रमम् hermitage,
आसाद्य having reached,
तम् to that sage,
ववन्दे prostrated,
भगवान् the revered,
अत्रिः Atri,
अपि also,
तं him as well,
पुत्रवत् like a son,
प्रत्यपद्यत received.
Having reached the hermitage of the revered sage Atri, illustrious Rama prostrated before him and Atri also received him as his son.
स्वयमातिथ्यमादिश्य सर्वमन्यत्सुसत्कृतम्।
सौमित्रिं च महाभागां सीतां च समसान्त्वयत्।।2.117.6।।
(अस्य of Rama),
सुसत्कृतम् rendered befitting hospitality,
सर्वम् in all ways,
आतिथ्यम् hospitality,
स्वयम् himself,
आदिश्य च having ordered,
महाभागाम् highly virtuous,
सीतां च Sita,
सौमित्रिं च also Lakshmana,
समसान्त्वयत् treated with kind words.
That sage Atri himself extended to Rama the hospitality befitting him in all possible ways and treated Lakshmana and highly virtuous Sita with kind words.
पत्नीं च समनुप्राप्तां वृद्धामामन्त्र्य सत्कृताम्।
सान्त्वयामास धर्मज्ञः सर्वभूतहिते रतः।।2.117.7।।
धर्मज्ञः knower of the ways of dharma,
सर्वभूतहिते in the welfare of all beings,
रतः engaged,
समनुप्राप्ताम् who had just come there,
सत्कृताम् revered by all,
वृद्धाम् aged,
पत्नी च his wife also,
आमन्त्र्य called out,
सान्त्वयामास said kind words.
Conversant in the ways of dharma and eagaged in the welfate of all beings, sage Atri called out his aged wife who is revered by all and spoke kind words to her.
आनसूयां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्
प्रतिगृह्णीष्व वैदेहीमब्रवीदृषिसत्तमः।
रामाय चाऽचचक्षे तां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्।।2.117.8।।
ऋषिसत्तमः excellent among the sages (Atri),
वैदेहीम् Sita,
प्रतिगृह्णीष्व receive,
महाभागाम् highly virtuous,
तापसीम् female ascetic,
धर्मचारिणीम् who adheres to dharma,
अनसूयाम् to Anasuya,
अब्रवीत् said,
धर्मचारिणीम् who followed the ways of dharma,
तां तापसीम् about his ascetic wife Anasuya,
रामाय to Rama,
आचचक्षे च related.
Atri, who was excellent among the sages said to his ascetic wife who was highly virtuous and an adherent of dharma, Welcome Sita. Thereafter, he related to Rama a story about his ascetic wife who follows the ways of dharma.
दश वर्षाण्यनावृष्ट्या दग्धे लोके निरन्तरम्।।2.117.9।।
यया मूलफले सृष्टे जाह्नवी च प्रवर्तिता।
उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता नियमैश्चाप्यलङ्कृता।।2.117.10।।
दश वर्ष सहास्राणि तया तप्तं महत्तपः।
अनसूया व्रतै स्स्नाता प्रत्यूहाश्च निवर्तिताः।।2.117.11।।
देवकार्यनिमित्तं च यया सन्त्वरमाणया।
दशरात्रं कृता रात्रि स्सेयं मातेव तेऽनघ।।2.117.12।।
अनघ O blameless one (Rama),
लोके in this world,
दशवर्षाणि ten years,
अनावृष्ट्या by drought,
निरन्तरम् constantly,
दग्धे devastated,
यया by whom,
मूलफले roots and fruits,
सृष्टे were created,
जाह्नवी च Ganga,
प्रवर्तिता caused to flow,
उग्रेण rigid,
तपसा with mortifications,
युक्ता engaged,
नियमैश्च अपि with self-imposed religious observances,
अलङ्कृता decorated,
यया by whom,
दशवर्षसहस्राणि for ten thousand years,
महत् severe,
तपः asceticism,
तप्तम् was practiced,
देवकार्यनिमित्तम् for the sake of gods,
सन्त्वरमाणया by her eagerly,
यया by whom,
प्रत्यूहां impediments,
निवर्तिताः have been averted,
दशरात्रं ten nights,
रात्रिः as night,
कृता was converted,
सा such,
व्रतैः स्नाता bathed in her vow,
इयम् अनसूया this Anasuya,
ते to you,
मातेव like a mother.
O blameless one (Rama), once this world was consecutively ravaged by drought for ten years. It was the virtuous Anasuya who created roots and fruits and caused Ganga to flow. She was engaged in severe mortifications and selfimposed religious observances. She practised severe asceticism for ten thousand years bathed in her vows. Solicited on behalf of the gods, she removed all impediments and converted ten nights into one. She is like a your mother to you.
*We read in Puranas how sage Mandavya once pronounced a curse against a hermitess, Sandili by name, who was a friend of Anasuya that she would be widowed one morning within the next ten days. The hermitess in her turn pronounced a counter-curse saying that there would be no dawn any more. Alarmed at this, gods approached Anasuya, who by virtue of her asceticism converted the period of ten nights into one and in this way averted the death of the hermittess, husband and accomplished the purpose of gods.
तामिमां सर्वभूतानां नमस्कार्यां यशस्विनीम्
अभिगच्छतु वैदेही वृद्धामक्रोधनां सदा।
अनसूयेति या लोके कर्मभिः ख्यातिमागता।।2.117.13।।
सर्वभूतानाम् for all beings,
नमस्कार्याम् worthy of adoration,
यशस्विनीम् illustrious lady,
वृद्धाम् aged,
सदा always,
अक्रोधनाम् free from anger,
ताम् to such a woman,
इमाम् this Anasuya,
वैदेही Sita,
अभिगच्छतु let her approach,
या who,
कर्मभिः with deeds,
आनसूयेति as Anasuya,
ख्यातिम् renown,
आगता has acquired.
‘She is renowned throughout this world for her deeds as Anasuya, (one who is free from anger). Aged, illustrious she is free frm anger, worthy of adoration by all beings. Let Sita approach her’.
एवं ब्रुवाणं तमृषिं तथेत्युक्त्वा स राघवः।
सीतामुवाच धर्मज्ञामिदं वचनमुत्तमम्।।2.117.14।।
सः राघवः that Rama,
एवम् in this way,
ब्रुवाणम् speaking,
तम् ऋषिम् that sage,
तथेति be it so,
उक्त्वा having said,
धर्मज्ञाम् wise in the ways of dharma,
सीताम् Sita,
उत्तमम् excellent,
इदं वचनम् these words,
उवाच said.
Hearing those words of the sage, Rama said be it so and said to righteous Sita these choice words.
राजपुत्रि श्रुतमिदं मुनेरस्य समीरितम्।
श्रेयोऽर्थमात्मनश्शीघ्रमभिगच्छ तपस्विनीम्।।2.117.15।।
राजपुत्रि O princess (Sita),
अस्य मुनेः of this sage,
इदं समीरितम् this saying,
श्रुतम् has been heard,
आत्मनः for your,
श्रेयोऽर्थम् for your welfare,
शीघ्रम् without delay,
तपस्विनीम् ascetic,
अभिगच्छ you may approach.
O princess, you have heard the message of the sage. Without delay approach the ascetic (Anasuya) for your welfare.
सीता त्वेतद वचः श्रुत्वा राघवस्य हितैषिणः।
तामत्रिपन्तीं धर्मज्ञामभिचक्राम मैथिली।।2.117.16।।
मैथिली daughter of the king of Mithila,
सीता तु Sita,
हितैषिणः wishing her welfare,
राघवस्य Rama’s,
एतद्वचः words,
शृत्वा hearing,
धर्मज्ञाम् knower of dharma,
ताम् to that,
अत्रिपत्नीम् wife of Atri (Devi Anasuya),
अभिचक्राम circumamabulated in reverence.
Having heard the words of Rama, intended for her welfare, Sita, daughter of the king of Mithila, approached the consort of Atri (Devi Anasuya), knower of dharma, and reverently circumambulated her.
शिथिलां वलितां वृद्धां जरापाण्डुरमूर्धजाम्।
सततं वेपमानाङ्गीं प्रवाते कदलीं यथा।। 2.117.17।।
तां तु सीता महाभागामनसूयां पतिव्रताम्।
अभ्यवादयदव्यग्रा स्वं नाम समुदाहरत्।।2.117.18।।
सीता Sita,
शिथिलाम् feeble,
वलिताम् with wrinkles,
वृद्धाम् old,
जरापाण्डुरमूर्धजाम् hair turned grey due to old age,
प्रवाते in stormy wind,
कदलीं यथा like a plantain tree,
सततम् constantly,
वेपमानाङ्गीम् her body trembling,
महाभागाम् highly fortunate,
पतिव्रताम् chaste woman,
ताम् अनसूयाम् that Anasuya,
अव्यग्रा without haste,
अभ्यवादयत् made obeisance,
स्वनाम her name,
समुदाहरत् pronounced.
Highly chaste and fortunate Anasuya was very old and feeble. Her skin was wrinkled and her hair turned grey due to old age. Her body was constantly trembling like a plantain tree in a stormy wind. Pronouncing her name to such Anasuya, Sita made obeisance to her with utmost concentration.
अभिवाद्य च वैदेही तापसीं तामनिन्दिताम्।
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा हृष्टा पर्यपृच्छदनामयम्।।2.117.19।।
वैदेही Sita,
अनिन्दिताम् blameless,
तां तापसीम् to that asceetic (Anasuya),
अभिवाद्य after paying her homage,
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा folding the palms,
हृष्टा delighted lady,
अनामयम् wellbeing,
पर्यपृच्छत् enquired.
Sita offered her obeisance to the blameless ascetic, Anasuya, folding her palms and enquired of her wellbeing in delight.
ततस्सीतां महाभागां दृष्ट्वा तां धर्मचारिणीम्।
सान्त्वयन्त्यब्रवीद्धृष्टा दिष्ट्या धर्ममवेक्षसे।।2.117.20।।
ततः then,
महाभागाम् glorious lady,
धर्मचारिणीम् engaged in righteous acts,
तां सीताम् that Sita,
सान्त्वयन्ती consoling,
हृष्टा in delight,
अब्रवीत् said,
दिष्ट्या fortunately,
धर्मम् rightful duty,
अवेक्षसे you are observing.
Anasuya was delighted to see the glorious Sita who was always engaged in righteous acts and said in kind words, You are fortunate. You are observing your rightful duty.
त्यक्त्वा ज्ञातिजनं सीते मानमृद्धं च भामिनि।
अवरुद्धं वने रामं दिष्ट्या त्वमनुगच्छसि।।2.117.21।।
भामिनः सीते O noble Sita,
त्वम् you,
दिष्ट्या by the grace of heaven,
ज्ञातिजनम् your kins,
मानम् pride,
ऋद्धं च wealth,
त्यक्त्वा after forsaking,
वने in the forest,
अवरुद्धम् confined,
रामम् Rama,
अनुगच्छसि you are following.
O noble Sita, by the grace of heaven you are following Rama, forsaking your kinsmen and wealth and confining yourself to the forest.
नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा पापो वा यदि वा शुभः।
यासां स्त्रीणां प्रियो भर्ता तासां लोका महोदयाः।।2.117.22।।
यासाम् those,
स्त्रीणाम् women,
नगरस्थः in the city,
वनस्थो वा or in the forest,
पापो वा or sinful,
यदि वा or,
शुभः virtuous,
भर्ता husband,
प्रियः dear,
तासाम् for them,
महोदयाः highly promising,
लोकः worlds.
One who is devoted to her husband, whether he be in the city or in the forest, whether he is sinful or virtuous, will attain the most prosperous worlds.
श्शीलः कामवृत्तो वा धनैर्वा परिवर्जितः।
स्त्रीणामार्यस्वभावानां परमं दैवतं पतिः।।2.117.23।।
आर्यस्वभावानाम् of noble nature,
स्त्रीणाम् for women,
दुश्शीलः a man of bad character,
कामवृत्तो वा or licentious,
धनैः with riches,
परिवर्जितो वा or devoid of,
पतिः husband,
परमम् is supreme,
दैवतम् is deity.
For a woman of noble nature her husband, whether he be licentious or of bad character or devoid of riches, is her supreme lord.
नातो विशिष्टं पश्यामि बान्धवं विमृशन्त्यहम्।
सर्वत्र योग्यं वैदेहि तपः कृतमिवाव्ययम्।।2.117.24।।
वैदेहि Sita,
अहम् I,
सर्वत्र all over,
विमृशन्ती reflecting,
कृतम् performed,
अव्ययम् imperishable,
योग्यम् befitting,
तपः इव like austerities,
अतः more than husband,
विशिष्टम् better,
बान्धवम् relation,
न पश्यामि I do not see.
O Sita, on reflection I know of none who is a better friend than the husband. He, like an imperishable penance, once acquired is never lost.
न त्वेवमवगच्छन्ति गुणदोषमसत्त्स्रियः।
कामवक्तव्यहृदया भर्तृनाथाश्चरन्ति याः।।2.117.25।।
याः those women,
कामवक्तव्यहृदयाः with minds overpowered by carnal desires, भर्तृनाथाः as lords of their husbands,
चरन्ति ranging at will,
असत्त्स्रियः such wicked women,
एवम् in this way,
गुणदोषम् vice and virtue,
न अवगच्छन्ति do not understand.
Those wicked women whose minds are overpowered by carnal desires, ranging at will as lords of their husbands, do not understand about vice and virtue.
प्राप्नुवन्त्य यशश्चैव धर्मभ्रंशं च मैथिलि।
अकार्यवशमापन्नाः स्त्रियो याः खलु तद्विधाः।।2.117.26।।
मैथिलि O Sita,
तद्विधाः such,
स्त्रियः women,
अकार्यवशम् the influence of unworthy acts,
आपन्नः having obtained,
अयशश्च infamy,
पाप्नुवन्ति are obtaining,
धर्मभ्रंशं च dislodged from the state of dharma.
O Sita, those women under the control of unworthy acts are dislodged from the path of dharma and get infamy.
त्वद्विधास्तु गुणैर्युक्ता दृष्ट लोक परावराः।
स्त्रिय स्स्वर्गे चरिष्यन्ति यथा धर्मकृतस्तथा।।2.117.27।।
गुणैः with virtues,
युक्ताः endowed with,
दृष्टलोकपरावरा who can distinguish between good and bad in the world,
त्वद्विधाः like you,
स्त्रियस्तु women,
धर्मकृतः doing virtuous deeds,
यथा as to how,
तथा that way,
स्वर्गे in heaven,
चरिष्यन्ति will range about.
Women like you who are endowed with virtues and can distinguish between good and bad in this world, like those who perform virtuous deeds, will move about in heaven.
तदेवमेनं त्वमनुव्रता सती पतिव्रतानां समयानुवर्तिनी।
भव स्वभर्तु स्सहधर्मचारिणी यशश्च धर्मं च तत स्समाप्स्यसि।।2.117.28।।
तत् for that reason,
त्वम् you,
एनम् this (Rama),
अनुव्रता सती being devoted to your husband,
पतिव्रतानाम् of chaste women,
समयानुवर्तिनी following at all times,
स्वभर्तुः to your husband,
सहधर्मचरिणी भव be a virtuous wife,
ततः from that,
यशश्च renown,
धर्मं च and virtue,
समाप्स्यसि will obtain.
Therefore, always following your husband, upholding the traditions of chaste women, carrying out worthy and timely duties, be a virtuous wife to your husband. You will thus obtain renown and virtue.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तदशोत्तरशततमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the hundred and seventeenth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
Janamejayan's धर्म जिज्ञासा 