[Sita insists on going with Rama]
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सीता रामस्य दुःखिता।
प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी मन्दमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।2.29.1।।
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सीता रामस्य दुःखिता।
प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी मन्दमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।2.29.1।।
Sloka & Translation
सीता Sita, रामस्य Rama's, एतत् these, वचनम् words, श्रुत्वा तु having heard, दुःखिता sad, प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी with tears flowing incessantly from her face, मन्दम् in a faint voice, इदं वचनम् these words, अब्रवीत् spoke.
Having heard the words of Rama, thus spoke Sita in a faint voice in sadness, with tears flowing incessantly from her eyes:
ये त्वया कीर्तिता दोषा वने वस्तव्यतां प्रति।
गुणानित्येव तान्विद्धि तव स्नेहपुरस्कृतान्।।2.29.2।।
गुणानित्येव तान्विद्धि तव स्नेहपुरस्कृतान्।।2.29.2।।
वने in the forest, वस्तव्यतां प्रति about dwelling in the forest, त्वया by you, ये those, दोषाः
difficulties, कीर्तिताः described, तव your, स्नेहपुरस्कृतान् accompanied by your affection, तान् them, गुणानित्येव as virtues only, विद्धि understand.
Understand that the difficulties of forest life described by you will be turned into advantages if they are accompanied by your affection.
मृगा स्सिंहा गजाश्चैव शार्दूला श्शरभास्तथा।
पक्षिण स्सृमराश्चैव ये चान्ये वनचारिणः।।2.29.3।।
अदृष्टपूर्वरूपत्वात्सर्वे ते तव राघव।
रूपं दृष्ट्वाऽपसर्पेयुर्भये सर्वे हि बिभ्यति।।2.29.4।।
पक्षिण स्सृमराश्चैव ये चान्ये वनचारिणः।।2.29.3।।
अदृष्टपूर्वरूपत्वात्सर्वे ते तव राघव।
रूपं दृष्ट्वाऽपसर्पेयुर्भये सर्वे हि बिभ्यति।।2.29.4।।
राघव Rama, मृगाः antelopes, सिंहाः lions, गजाश्चैव elephants also, शार्दूला: tigers, तथा also, शरभाः sarabhas (a fabulous deer said to have eight legs), पक्षिणः birds, सृमराश्चैव srimaras (a kind of deer), अन्ये other, ये all, वनचारिणः wild beasts wandering in the forest, ते सर्वे all those, तव your, अदृष्टपूर्वरूपत्वात् which had not been seen by you before, रूपम् your appearance, दृष्ट्वैव on seeing alone, अपसर्पेयुः will flee away, भये when fear arises, सर्वे all, बिभ्यति हि are afraid of.
O scion of the Raghu race antelopes, lions, elephants, tigers, sarabhas, birds, srimaras and other wild beasts wandering in the forest have not seen your beauty before. Now on seeing you, they will flee away. In fact, who will not be afraid of seeing an object of fear?.
त्वया च सह गन्तव्यं मया गुरुजनाज्ञया।
त्वद्वियोगेन मे राम त्यक्तव्यमिह जीवितम्।।2.29.5।।
त्वद्वियोगेन मे राम त्यक्तव्यमिह जीवितम्।।2.29.5।।
गुरुजनाज्ञया with the command of elders, त्वया सह along with you, मया च गन्तव्यम् I should follow, राम Rama, त्वद्वियोगेन if separated from you, मे my, जीवितम् life, इह here, त्यक्तव्यम् will have to be given up.
In accordance with the command of the elders, I must accompany you to the forest. If I am separated from you, I will give up my life here itself.
न हि मां त्वत्समीपस्थामपि शक्नोतिराघव।
सुराणामीश्वर श्शक्रः प्रधर्षयितुमोजसा।।2.29.6।।
सुराणामीश्वर श्शक्रः प्रधर्षयितुमोजसा।।2.29.6।।
राघव O Rama, त्वत्समीवस्थाम् in your company, माम् me, सुराणाम् for gods, ईश्वरः lord, शक्र: अपि even Indra, ओजसा with his might, प्रधर्षयितुम् to injure, न शक्नोति will not be able
If I am in your company, O Rama even the lord of the gods, Indra with all his might will not be able to hurt me.
पतिहीना तु या नारी न सा शक्ष्यति जीवितुम्।
काममेवं विधं राम त्वया मम निदर्शितम्।।2.29.7।।
काममेवं विधं राम त्वया मम निदर्शितम्।।2.29.7।।
या नारी a woman, पतिहीना without her husband, सा she, जीवितुम् to live, न शक्ष्यति cannot live, राम Rama, त्वया by you, कामम् greatly, एवं विधम् in this manner, मम to me, निदर्शितम् has been illustrated.
Your salutary instruction to me, O Rama, is 'A woman cannot live without her husband'. This truth is greatly applicable to me.
अथ चापि महाप्राज्ञ ब्राह्मणानां मया श्रुतम्।
पुरा पितृगृहे सत्यं वस्तव्यं किल मे वने।।2.29.8।।
पुरा पितृगृहे सत्यं वस्तव्यं किल मे वने।।2.29.8।।
महाप्राज्ञ O Sagacious one, अथ चापि moreover, पुरा formerly, पितृगृहे at my father's house, मया by me, ब्राह्माणानाम् brahmins' (word), श्रुतम् has been heard, मे about me, सत्यम् in sooth, वने in the forest, वस्तव्यं किल to dwell certainly.
O highly sagacious Rama I had also heard in my father's house long ago, from brahmins prophesing that some day I shall have certainly to dwell in the forest.
लक्षणिभ्यो द्विजातिभ्य श्शृत्वाऽहं वचनं पुरा।
वनवासकृतोत्साहा नित्यमेव महाबल।।2.29.9।।
वनवासकृतोत्साहा नित्यमेव महाबल।।2.29.9।।
महाबल O mighty one, अहम् I, पुरा long ago, लक्षणिभ्यः from palmist, द्विजातिभ्यः from brahmins, वचनम् words, शृत्वा having heard, नित्यमेव always, वनवासकृतोत्साहा I have become eager to dwell in the forest.
O mighty hero ever since I heard the prophesies from the brahmin palmists I am yearning to dwell in the forest.
आदेशो वनवासस्य प्राप्तव्य स्स मया किल।
सा त्वया सह तत्राहं यास्यामि प्रिय नान्यथा।।2.29.10।।
सा त्वया सह तत्राहं यास्यामि प्रिय नान्यथा।।2.29.10।।
प्रिय O beloved Rama, मया by me, वनवासस्य to dwell in the forest, सः आदेशः such orders, प्राप्तव्यः किल certainly needs to be obtained, सा अहम् such I am, त्वया सह along with you, तत्र there, यास्यामि I shall accompany, अन्यथा न not otherwise.
Therefore, O my beloved I must certainly obtain such a command to dwell in the forest. I must accompany you to the forest and it cannot be otherwise.
कृतादेशा भविष्यामि गमिष्यामि सह त्वया।
कालश्चायं समुत्पन्न स्सत्यवाग्भवतु द्विजः।।2.29.11।।
कालश्चायं समुत्पन्न स्सत्यवाग्भवतु द्विजः।।2.29.11।।
कृतादेशा carrying out the orders, भविष्यामि I shall become, त्वया सह along with you, गमिष्यामि shall go, अयम् this, कालश्च time, समुत्पन्नः has come, द्विज: brahmin, सत्यवाक् true to his words, भवतु let him be.
I will go with you, true to the prediction of the brahmin. That time has come and let his prediction come to pass.
वनवासेऽभिजानामि दुःखानि बहुथा किल।
प्राप्यन्ते नियतं वीर पुरुषैरकृतात्मभिः।।2.29.12।।
प्राप्यन्ते नियतं वीर पुरुषैरकृतात्मभिः।।2.29.12।।
वीर O valiant one, वनवासे while residing in the forest, दुःखानि hardships, बहुथा किल certainly of every kind, अभिजानामि I am aware, अकृतात्मभिः by those whose senses are not under their control, पुरुषैः by men, नियतम् definitely, प्राप्यन्ते will be experienced.
I am aware, O valiant one, that there are hardships of every kind in forest life. But they befall those whose senses are not under their control.
कन्यया च पितुर्गेहे वनवास श्शृतो मया।
भिक्षिण्या स्साधुवृत्ताया मम मातुरिहाग्रतः।।2.29.13।।
भिक्षिण्या स्साधुवृत्ताया मम मातुरिहाग्रतः।।2.29.13।।
पितुः father's, गेहे in the house, कन्यया when I was young, मया by me, मम मातुः my mother's, अग्रतः in the presence, साधुवृत्तायाः a saint, भिक्षिण्या a female mendicant, इह in
this world, वनवासः forest life, श्रुतः heard.
When I was young in my father's house, a holy female mendicant foretold in the presence of my mother that I would dwell in the forest (in this life).
प्रसादितश्च वै पूर्वं त्वं मे बहुतिथं प्रभो।
गमनं वनवासस्य काङ्क्षितं हि सह त्वया।।2.29.14।।
गमनं वनवासस्य काङ्क्षितं हि सह त्वया।।2.29.14।।
प्रभो O Lord, पूर्वम् in the past, त्वम् you, बहुतिथम् for a long time, मे for me, प्रसादितश्च वै favoured, त्वया सह along with you, वनवासस्य गमनम् to go to the forest, काङ्क्षितं हि is wished for.
Pleased with my long entreaties in the past to dwell with you in the forest, O lord, you had granted my desire.
कृतक्षणाऽहं भद्रं ते गमनं प्रति राघव।
वनवासस्य शूरस्य चर्या हि मम रोचते।।2.29.15।।
वनवासस्य शूरस्य चर्या हि मम रोचते।।2.29.15।।
राघव Rama, ते to you, वनवासस्य of forest life, गमनं प्रति about departure, अहम् I, कृतक्षणा counting time, ते भद्रम् prosperity to you, शूरस्य of a valiant one, चर्या movement, मम to me, रोचते हि is pleasing.
Since then I have been counting time for this forest life. It pleases me to follow my valiant hero as he lives in the forest. Rama, prosperity to you
शुद्धात्मन्प्रेमभावाध्दि भविष्यामि विकल्मषा।
भर्तारमनुगच्छन्ती भर्ता हि मम दैवतम्।।2.29.16।।
भर्तारमनुगच्छन्ती भर्ता हि मम दैवतम्।।2.29.16।।
शुद्धात्मन् O purehearted one, प्रेमभावात् with feeling of love, भर्तारम् husband, अनुगच्छन्ती following, विकल्मषा sinless, भविष्यामि I shall become, भर्ता husband, मम to me, दैवतं हि is a god.
O my purehearted one by following my husband with love I shall become sinless, because my husband is my god.
प्रेत्यभावे हि कल्याण स्सङ्गमो मे सह त्वया।
श्रुतिर्हि श्रूयते पुण्या ब्राह्मणानां यशस्विनाम्।।2.29.17।।
इहलोके च पितृभिर्या स्त्री यस्य महामते।
अद्भिर्दत्ता स्वधर्मेण प्रेत्यभावेऽपि तस्य सा।।2.29.18।।
श्रुतिर्हि श्रूयते पुण्या ब्राह्मणानां यशस्विनाम्।।2.29.17।।
इहलोके च पितृभिर्या स्त्री यस्य महामते।
अद्भिर्दत्ता स्वधर्मेण प्रेत्यभावेऽपि तस्य सा।।2.29.18।।
प्रेत्यभावेऽपि even after death, त्वया सह with you, मे to me, कल्याणः auspiciousness, सङ्गमः union, यशस्विनाम् by the famous, ब्राह्मणानाम् brahmins', पुण्या pious, श्रुतिः statement from the Vedas, श्रूयते is heard, महामते O highminded one, या स्त्री that woman, इह लोके in this world, पितृभिः by parents, यस्य to whom, स्वधर्मेण in accordance with one's own tradition, अद्भि: with waters, दत्ता is given, प्रेत्यभावेऽपि even after death, सा she, तस्य belongs to him.
My union with you, O highminded one, is auspicious even beyond death. A woman, given away by her parents in accordance with traditional offerings of water belongs to him even after death and lives with him. This is a statement from the Vedas quoted by famous brahmins.
एवमस्मात्स्वकां नारीं सुवृत्तां हि पतिव्रताम्।
नाभिरोचयसे नेतुं त्वं मां केनेह हेतुना।।2.29.19।।
नाभिरोचयसे नेतुं त्वं मां केनेह हेतुना।।2.29.19।।
त्वम् you, केन हेतुना for what reason, इह now, एवम् this way, सुवृत्ताम् a woman of good conduct, पतिव्रताम् faithful and loyal wife, स्वकां नारीम् your own woman, माम् me, अस्मात् from this place, नेतुम् to take, नाभिरोचयसे you are not willing.
Why don't you want to take to the forest your own wife who is loyal and devoted, and is of good conduct.
भक्तां पतिव्रतां दीनां मां समां सुखदुःखयोः।
नेतुमर्हसि काकुत्स्थ समान सुखदुःखिनीम्।।2.29.20।।
नेतुमर्हसि काकुत्स्थ समान सुखदुःखिनीम्।।2.29.20।।
काकुत्थ्स O descendant of Kakutstha, भक्ताम् devotee, पतिव्रताम् faithful to the husband, दीनां distressed, सुखदुःखयोः in happines and sorrow, समाम् having equal disposition, समान सुख दुःखिनीम् equally share your prosperity and adversity, माम् me, नेतुम् अर्हसि should take.
O Rama, I am faithful and devoted to you. I have equal disposition to happiness and sorrow. I equally share your prosperity and adversity. Therefore, you should take your wife (to the forest). In this time of distress.
ययदि मां दुःखितामेवं वनं नेतुं न चेच्छसि।
विषमग्निं जलं वाऽहमास्थास्ये मृत्युकारणात्।।2.29.21।।
विषमग्निं जलं वाऽहमास्थास्ये मृत्युकारणात्।।2.29.21।।
एवम् in this, दुःखिताम् distressed, माम् me, वनम् to the forest, नेतुम् to take, न च इच्छसि यदि if you do not wish, मृत्युकारणात् to seek death, विषम् poison, अग्निम् fire, जलं वा or water, आस्थास्ये I shall take refuge.
If you do not wish to take your wife in this time of distress to the forest I shall die by consuming poison or throwing myself into fire or drowning in water.
एवं बहुविधं तं सा याचते गमनं प्रति।
नानुमेने महाबाहुस्तां नेतुं विजनं वनम्।।2.29.22।।
नानुमेने महाबाहुस्तां नेतुं विजनं वनम्।।2.29.22।।
एवम् in this way, सा she, गमनं प्रति about her departure, बहुविधम् in several ways, तम् him, याचते requested, महाबाहुः mightyarmed Rama, ताम् her, विजनम् desolate, वनम् forest, नेतुम् to take, नानुमेने did not consent.
Despite Sita's pleadings with him in various ways the mightyarmed Rama would not consent to take her to the desolate forest.
एवमुक्ता तु सा चिन्तां मैथिली समुपागता।
स्नापयन्तीव गामुष्णैरश्रुभिर्नयनच्युतैः।।2.29.23।।
स्नापयन्तीव गामुष्णैरश्रुभिर्नयनच्युतैः।।2.29.23।।
एवम् in this way, उक्ता spoken, सा मैथिली that daughter from Mithila, नयनच्युतैः fallen from her eyes, उष्णैः by warm, अश्रुभिः tears, गाम् the ground, स्नापयन्तीव as if drenching, चिन्ताम् grief, समुपागता obtained.
Thus spoken to (prevented), Sita was filled with grief and cried, drenching the ground with warm tears that fell from her eyes.
चिन्तयन्तीं तथा तां तु निवर्तयितुमात्मवान्।
ताम्रोष्ठीं स तदा सीतां काकुत्स्थो बह्वसान्त्वयत्।।2.29.24।।
ताम्रोष्ठीं स तदा सीतां काकुत्स्थो बह्वसान्त्वयत्।।2.29.24।।
आत्मवान् selfpossessed, सः काकुत्स्थ: that scion of the Kakutstha dynasty, तथा that way, चिन्तयन्तीम् grieving, ताम्रोष्ठीम् to the lady with copperred lips, तां सीताम् to that Sita, तदा then, निवर्तयितम् to dissuade her (from going to the forest), बहु many ways, असान्त्वयत् consoled.
That selfpossessed scion of the Kakutstha dynasty consoled the copperredlipped Sita in several ways to dissuade her (from going to the forest).
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the twentyninth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.