Sloka & Translation

[Rama takes leave of Sutikshna]

rāmastu sahasaumitrissutīkṣṇēnābhipūjitaḥ.

pariṇāmya niśāṅ tatra prabhātē pratyabudhyata৷৷3.8.1৷৷


sahasaumitriḥ accompanied by Lakshmana, rāmastu Rama too, sutīkṣṇēna by Sutikshna, abhipūjitaḥ worshipped by, tatra there, niśām night, pariṇāmya having spent, prabhātē early in the morning, pratyabudhyata again got up.

Rama, worshipped by Sutikshna and accompanied by Lakshmana, spent the night at the hermitage, and got up early in the morning.
utthāya tu yathākālaṅ rāghavassahasītayā.

upaspṛśyasuśitēna jalēnōtpalagandhinā৷৷3.8.2৷৷


rāghavaḥ Rama, sahasītayā along with Sita, yathākālam at proper time, utthāya ca getting up, suśītēna with cold water, utpalagandhinā fragrant like lilies or fragrant with lilies, jalēna with water, upāspṛśat took bath

In the morning Rama and Sita got up in time and took bath in cool, lily-fragrant water.
atha tē.gniṅ surāṅścaiva vaidēhī rāmalakṣmaṇau.

kālyaṅ vidhivadabhyarcya tapasviśaraṇē vanē৷৷3.8.3৷৷

udayantaṅ dinakaraṅ dṛṣṭvā vigatakalmaṣāḥ.

sutīkṣṇabhigamyēdaṅ ślakṣṇaṅ vacanamabruvan৷৷3.8.4৷৷


atha then, vaidēhī Sita, rāmalakṣmaṇau Rama and Lakshmana, tē they, kālyam work fit for that
time, agnim fire, surāṅścaiva the gods, tapasviśaraṇē refuge of ascetics, vanē forest, vidhivat as per tradition, abhyarcya worshipped, udayantam rising, dinakaram Sun, dṛṣṭvā seeing, vigatakalmaṣāḥ devoid of all sins, sutīkṣṇam Sutikshna, abhigamya went towards, ślakṣṇam good, idam these, vacanam words, abruvan spoke.

And as per routine, sinless Sita, Rama and Lakshmana offered prayers to the fire and other gods of the forest which was the refuge of the ascetics. Seeing the rising Sun, they worshipped him, and approaching Sutikshna, said these soothing words:
sukhōṣitāssmabhagavaṅstvayā pūjyēna pūjitāḥ.

āpṛcchāmaḥ prayāsyāmō munayastvarayanti naḥ৷৷3.8.5৷৷


bhagavan O revered Sutikshna, pūjyēna worship-worthy by you, tvayā by you, pūjitāḥ received, sukhōṣitāḥ stayed comfortably, smaḥ were, āpṛcchāmaḥ we bid you farewell, prayāsyāmaḥ we will go, munayaḥ sages, naḥ us, tvarayanti are hastening.

O revered Sutikshna! received by one so worship-worthy like you, we spent the night well. We (now)take leave of you. The sages are hastening us.
tvarāmahē vayaṅ draṣṭuṅ kṛtsnamāśramamaṇḍalam.

ṛṣīṇāṅ puṇyaśīlānāṅ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām৷৷3.8.6৷৷


vayam we, puṇyaśīlānām of holy men, daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām of those residing in Dandakaranya, ṛṣīṇām of sages, kṛtsnam the entire, āśramamaṇḍalam circle of hermitages, draṣṭum to see, tvarāmahē we are making haste.

We wish to see the entire circle of hermitages of the sages, residing in Dandaka forest. So we are in a hurry.
abhyanujñātumicchāmassahaibhirmunipuṅgavaiḥ.

dharmanityaistapōdāntairviśikhairiva pāvakaiḥ৷৷3.8.7৷৷


dharmanityaiḥ ever engaged in nighteousness tapōdāntaiḥ self-controlled by penance, viśikhaiḥ without flames, pāvakairiva like fire, ēbhiḥ by these, munipuṅgavaiḥ great sages, abhyanujñātum to be granted icchāmaḥ desire.

We seek your permission to go with the great sages, who are ever engaged in righteousness, self-controlled by virtue of their penance, and are like flameless fire.
aviṣahyātapō yāvatsūryō nātivirājatē.

amārgēṇāgatāṅ lakṣmīṅ prāpyēvānvayavarjitaḥ৷৷3.8.8৷৷

tāvadicchāmahē gantumityuktvā caraṇau munēḥ.

vavandē sahasaumitrissītayā saha rāghavaḥ৷৷ 3.8.9৷৷


anvayavarjitaḥ without good lineage amārgēṇa by unlawful ways, āgatām earned, lakṣmīm prosperity, prāpyēva after getting, sūryaḥ Sun, yāvat before, aviṣahyātapa: with unbearable heat (of the Sun), nātivirājatē before he comes out with blazing heat, tāvat before that, gantum to go, icchāmahē we desire, iti thus, uktvā having said, sītayā saha along with Sita, sahasaumitriḥ with Lakshmana, rāmaḥ Rama, munēḥ sage's, caraṇau feet, vavandē worshipped.

We wish to depart before the Sun grows unbearably hot like the man devoid of good lineage who acquires wealth through un-lawful means (becomes arrogant). Thereafter Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana offered worship at the feet of the venerable sage.
tau saṅspṛśantau caraṇāvutthāpya munipuṅgavaḥ.

gāḍhamāliṅgya sasnēhamidaṅ vacanamabravīt৷৷3.8.10৷৷


munipuṅgava: best of the sages, caraṇau feet, saṅspṛśantau while touching, tau both of them, utthāpya after lifting them up, gāḍham tightly, āliṅya hugged, sasnēham lovingly, idam these, vacanam words, abravīt said.

When both Rama and Lakshmana touched the feet of Sutikshna, the best of the sages, he lifted them up, hugged them tightly, and said affectionately:
ariṣṭaṅ gaccha panthānaṅ rāma! saumitriṇā saha.

sītayā cānayā sārdhaṅ chāyayēvānuvṛttayā৷৷3.8.11৷৷


rāma! Rama, saumitriṇā saha with Lakshmana, chāyayēva like a shadow, anuvṛttayā following, anayā sārdhaṅ ca with her, ariṣṭam safe, panthānam on the path, gaccha you may go.

You may safely tread, O Rama, this path along with Lakshmana and Sita who is following you like a shadow.
paśyāśramapadaṅ ramyaṅ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām.

ēṣāṅ tapasvināṅ vīra tapasā bhāvitātmanām৷৷3.8.12৷৷


vīra O warrior, daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām of these residing in Dandaka forest, tapasā with penance, bhāvitātmanām of those self-realised souls, ēṣām of these, tapasvinām sages, ramyam delightful, āśramapadam location of hermitage, paśya see.

O valient Rama! the sages, living in the Dandaka forest, are self realised souls. See how delightful is the location of their hermitages!.
saprājyaphalamūlāni puṣpitāni vanāni ca.

praśastamṛgayūthāni śāntapakṣigaṇāni ca৷৷ 3.8.13৷৷

phullapaṅkajaṣaṇḍāni prasannasalilāni ca.

kāraṇḍavavikīrṇāni taṭākāni sarāṅsi ca৷৷3.8.14৷৷

drakṣyasē dṛṣṭiramyāṇi giriprasravaṇāni ca.

ramaṇīyānyaraṇyāni mayūrābhirutāni ca৷৷3.8.15৷৷


suprājyaphalamūlāni places with abundant fruits and roots, puṣpitāni with flowers in full bloom, praśastamṛgayūthāni full of herds of animals, śāntapakṣigaṇāni ca with flocks of quiet birds, vanāni ca forest- areas, phullapaṅkajaṣaṇḍāni with fully blossomed lotuses, prasannasalilāni ca having clear waters, kāraṇḍavavikīrṇāni filled with water-ducks, taṭākāni tanks, sarāṅsi ca and lakes, dṛṣṭiramyāṇi delightful to look at, giriprasravaṇāni ca water-falls coming down the hills, mayūrābhirutāni filled with sounds of peacocks, ramaṇīyāni beautiful, araṇyāni forests , drakṣyasē you will see.

You will see the beautiful forest-areas with abundant fruits and roots, flowers in full bloom, herds of animals, flocks of quiet birds; tanks and lakes filled with clean waters and shining with fully blossomed lotuses, resounding with water-ducks and peacocks and water-falls coming down the hills. Thus you will enjoy a delightful sylvan sight.
gamyatāṅ vatsa saumitrē bhavānapi ca gacchatu.

āgantavyaṅ ca tē dṛṣṭvā punarēvāśramaṅ mama৷৷3.8.16৷৷


vatsa O dear child!, gamyatām you may go, saumitrē O Lakshmana, bhavānapi ca you also, gacchatu may go, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, punarēva again, āśramaṅ to hermitage, mama my, tē for you, āgantavyam you have to come here.

O dear Rama, O Lakshmana you may leave (now), you may have to come back to this hermitage after seeing those places.
ēvamuktastathētyuktvā kākutsthassahalakṣmaṇaḥ.

pradakṣiṇaṅ muniṅ kṛtvā prasthātumupacakramē৷৷3.8.17৷৷


ēvam that way, uktaḥ having been told, kākutstha: Rama, sahalakṣmaṇaḥ along with Lakshmana, tathēti let it be, uktvā having said this, munim to the sage, pradakṣiṇaṅ kṛtvā circumambulated( the sage as a mark of reverence), prasthātum to set out, upacakramē started.

Thus addressed, Rama, scion of the Kakutsthas along with Lakshmana circumambulated the sage (in reverence) and set forth.
tataśśubhatarē tūṇī dhanuṣī cāyatēkṣaṇā.

dadau sītā tayōrbhrātrōḥ khaṅgau ca vimalau tataḥ৷৷3.8.18৷৷


tataḥ thereafter, āyatēkṣaṇā large-eyed lady, sītā Sita, tayōḥ to them, bhrātrōḥ two brothers, śubhatarē auspicious, tūṇī quivers, dhanuṣī ca bows and, tataḥ then, vimalau two excellent, khaṅgau ca swords, dadau gave.

Thereafter large-eyed Sita handed the brothers two quivers, two bows as well as two excellent swords.
ābadhya ca śubhē tūṇī cāpē cādāya susvanau.

niṣkrāntāvāśramādgantumubhau tau rāmalakṣmaṇau৷৷3.8.19৷৷


tau rāmalakṣmaṇau Rama and Lakshmana, ubhau both, śubhē auspicious ones, tūṇī two quivers, ābadhya ca tying up, susvanau twanging cāpē ca bows, ādāya after taking, gantum to go, āśramāt from the hermitage, niṣkrāntau departed.

Both Rama and Lakshmana tied their auspicious quivers, took the two twanging bows and departed from the hermitage.
śrīmantau rūpasampannau dīpyamānau svatējasā.

prasthitau dhṛtacāpau tau sītayā saha rāghavau৷৷3.8.20৷৷


rūpasampannau both very handsome, śrīmantau tau rāghavau powerful Rama and Lakshmana, svatējasā by their radiance, dīpyamānau both glowing, dhṛtacāpau both holding bows, sītayā saha along with Sita, śīghram quickly, prasthitau exited.

Handsome Rama and Lakshmana, glowing in their radiance held the bows and exited with Sita.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē aṣṭamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the eighth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.