Sloka & Translation

[Rama, Lakshmana and Sita take leave of Atri and Anasuya -- enter the Dandaka forest.]

अनसूया तु धर्मज्ञा श्रुत्वा तां महतीं कथाम्।

पर्यष्वजत बाहुभ्यां शिरस्याघ्राय मैथिलीम्।।2.119.1।।


धर्मज्ञा knower of righteousness, अनसूया तु Anasuya on her part, ताम् all that, महतीं कथाम् great narrative, श्रुत्वा having heard, मैथिलीम् Sita, शिरसि on head, आघ्राय having smelt, बाहुभ्याम् with arms, पर्यष्वजत embraced.

Then righteous Anasuya, having heard the great story of Sita, kissed her on the forehead and embraced her with both the arms.
व्यक्ताक्षरपदं चित्रं भाषितं मधुरं त्वया।

यथा स्वयंवरं वृत्तं तत्सर्वं हि श्रुतं मया।।2.119.2।।

रमेऽहं कथया ते तु दृढं मधुरभाषिणि।


त्वया by you, व्यक्ताक्षरपदम् with each word and each syllable uttered clearly, चित्रम् wonderful, मधुरम् sweet, भाषितम् spoken, स्वयंवरम् the ceremony in which the bride chooses the groom of her own accord, यथा as, वृत्तम् it happened, तत्सर्वं all that, मया by me, श्रुतं हि has been heard, मधुरभाषिणि O sweetspeaking, Sita, ते your, कथया in the story, अहम् I, दृढम् रमे I enjoy greatly.

You have related wonderfully and sweetly your Swayamvara with each word and each syllable uttered clearly. I have heard everything as it happened. O sweetspeaking Sita, I have greatly enjoyed your story.
रविरस्तङ्गतश्श्रीमानुपोह्य रजनीं शिवाम्।।2.119.3।।

दिवसं प्रतिकीर्णानामाहारार्थं पतत्रिणाम्।

सन्ध्याकाले निलीनानां निद्रार्थं श्रूयते ध्वनिः।।2.119.4।।


श्रीमान् resplendent, रविः Sun, शिवाम् auspicious, रजनीम् night, उपोह्य after drawing near, अस्तगतः has set, दिवसम् during day, आहारार्थम् for the sake of food, प्रतिकीर्णानाम् forage far and wide, सन्ध्याकाले in the twilight, निद्रार्थम् for the sake of sleep, निलीनानाम् resting, पतत्रिणाम् of birds, ध्वनिः sound, श्रूयते is heard.

The resplendent Sun has set. The auspcious night is drawing near. The birds who forage far and wide for food during the day return to their nests to rest for the night. You can hear them twittering.
एते चाप्यभिषेकार्द्रा मुनयः कलशोद्यताः।

सहिता उपवर्तन्ते सलिलाप्लुतवल्कलाः।।2.119.5।।


एते मुनयः च these sages, अभिषेकार्द्राः wet through ablution, कलशोद्यताः carrying waterpitchers, सलिलाप्लुतवल्कलाः their bark robes soaked with water, सहिता: in groups, उपवर्तन्ते are returning.

The sages also are returning in groups with waterpitchers filled with water and their bark robes soaked with water after their ceremonial bath.
ऋषीणामग्निहोत्रेषु हुतेषु विधिपूर्वकम्।

कपोताङ्गारुणो धूमो दृश्यते पवनोद्धतः।।2.119.6।।


ऋषीणाम् of the ascetics, अग्निहोत्रेषु in Agnihotra sacrifices, विधिपूर्वकम् duly, हुतेषु oblations offered, कपोताङ्गारुणः tawny like the pigeon's body, धूमः smoke, पवनोद्धतः raised by the wind, दृश्यते is seen.

The ascetics have duly offered oblations to the fire in Agnihotra sacrifices and the smoke, tawny like the pigeon's body, emanates wafted by the wind.
अल्पपर्णा हि तरवो घनीभूतास्समन्ततः।

विप्रकृष्टेन्द्रिये देशेऽस्मिन्न प्रकाशन्ति वै दिशः।।2.119.7।।


समन्ततः on all sides, अल्पपर्णाः with sparse leaves, तरवः trees, घनीभूताः have grown dense, विप्रकृष्टेन्द्रिये with disturbed senses, अस्मिन् देशे in this region, दिशः the four quarters, न प्रकाशन्ति वै no longer look bright.

The trees with sparse leaves all over have grown dense, the quarters in the distant region are no longer discernible by the senses.
रजनीचरसत्त्वानि प्रचरन्ति समन्ततः।

तपोवनमृगा ह्येते वेदितीर्थेषु शेरते।।2.119.8।।


रजनीचरसत्वानि the beings that range by night, समन्ततः everywhere, प्रचरन्ति are wandering, एते तपोवनमृगाः these deer of the penance grove, वेदितीर्थेषु around sacred altars, शेरते are sleeping.

The night rangers have started moving everywhere and the deer in the penance grove are beginning to sleep around the sacred altars.
सम्प्रवृत्तानिशा सीते नक्षत्रसमलङ्कृता।

ज्योत्स्नाप्रावरणश्चन्द्रो दृश्यतेऽभ्युदितोऽम्बरे।।2.119.9।।


सीते O Sita, नक्षत्रसमलङ्कृता adorned with stars, निशा night, सम्प्रवृत्ता has commenced, ज्योत्स्नाप्रावरणः spread with the mantle of moonlight, चन्द्रः moon, अम्बरे in the sky, अभ्युदितः is rising, दृश्यते is appearing.

O Sita, adorned with stars, the night has commenced. You can see the moon rising in the sky spreading his mantle of light.
गम्यतामनुजानामि रामस्यानुचरी भव।

कथायन्त्या हि मधुरं त्वयाऽहं परितोषिता।।2.119.10।।


गम्यताम् you may go now, अनुजानामि I give you my consent, रामस्य to Rama, अनुचरी भव be his companion, मधुरम् sweetly, कथयन्त्या storytelling, त्वया by you, अहम् I, परितोषिता thoroughly contented.

With my permission you may go now and be a companion of Rama. I am thoroughly contented with your story told so sweetly.
अलङ्कुरु च तावत्त्वं प्रत्यक्षं मम मैथिलि।

प्रीतिं जनय मे वत्से दिव्यालङ्कारशोभिता।।2.119.11।।


मैथिलि O Sita, त्वम् you, मम my, प्रत्यक्षं तावत् in my presence, अलङ्कुरु adorn yourself, वत्से dear child, दिव्यालङ्कारशोभिता adorned with divine ornaments, मे to me, प्रीतिम् delight, जनय cause me.

O Sita, adorn yourself in my presence. Dear child, permit me the pleasure of adorning you with these divine ornaments.
सा तथा समलङ्कृत्य सीता सुरसुतोपमा।

प्रणम्य शिरसा तस्यै रामं त्वभिमुखी ययौ।।2.119.12।।


सुरसुतोपमा resembling the daughter of a god, सा सीता that Sita, तथा in that way, समलङ्कुत्य having adorned, तस्यै to her, शिरसा with her head, प्रणम्य saluting with reverence, रामम् to Rama, अभिमुखी towards, ययौ went.

Sita, adorned, looked like the daughter of a god. She bowed at the feet of Anasuya in reverence and set out to meet Rama.
तथा तु भूषितां सीतां ददर्श वदतां वरः।

राघवः प्रीतिदानेन तपस्विन्या जहर्ष च।।2.119.13।।


वदताम् among those eloquent one, वरः excellent, राघवः Rama, तथा in that way, भूषिताम् adorned, सीताम् Sita, ददर्श beheld, तपस्विन्याः of the female ascetic, प्रीतिदानेन with gifts of
love, जहर्ष च rejoiced.

Rama, the most eloquent among men, saw Sita adorned, and rejoiced at the gifts of love given by the ascetic Anasuya.
न्यवेदयत्ततस्सर्वं सीता रामाय मैथिली।

प्रीतिदानं तपस्विन्या वसनाभरणस्रजम्।।2.119.14।।


मैथिली the princess of Mithila, सीता Sita, ततः there after, तपस्विन्याः of ascetic Anasuya, प्रीतिदानम् gifts of love, वसनाभरणस्रजम् raiment, jewellery and garlands, सर्वम् everything, रामाय to Rama, न्यवेदयत् related.

Sita the princess of Mithila related everything to Rama and showed him the gifts of love given by ascetic Anasuya -- raiment, jewellery and garlands.
प्रहृष्टस्त्वभवद्रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महारथः।

मैथिल्यास्सत्क्रियां दृष्ट्वा मानुषेषु सुदुर्लभाम्।।2.119.15।।


रामः Rama, महारथः great charioteer, लक्ष्मणश्च Lakshmana also, मानुषेषु among mortals, सुदुर्लभाम् very difficult to obtain, मैथिल्याः to Sita, सत्क्रियाम् the honour, दृष्ट्वा having seen, प्रहृष्टः अभवत् was gratified.

Rama the great charioteer and Lakshmana were exceedingly gratified to see the honour conferred on Sita, rare among mortals.
ततस्तां शर्वरीं प्रीतः पुण्यां शशिनिभाननः।

अर्चितस्तापसै स्सिद्धैरुवास रघुनन्दनः।।2.119.16।।


ततः thereafter, शशिनिभाननः face like the Moon, रघुनन्दनः the descendant of Raghu, सिद्धैः
by the acomplished, तापसैः by ascetics, अर्चितः hospitality having been extended, प्रीतः in
delight, पुण्याम् holy, तां शर्वरीम् that night, उवास passed.

Thereafter, the descendant of Raghu, whose countenance resembled the Moon, having received the hospitality of the accomplished ascetics, passed that holy night in delight.
तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामभिषिच्य हुताग्निकान्।

आपृच्छेतां नरव्याघ्रौ तापसान्वनगोचरान्।।2.119.17।।


तस्याम् that, रात्र्याम् night, व्यतीतायाम् had passed away, नरव्याघ्रौ the two great men, अभिषिच्य having bathed, हुताग्निकान् who performed their fireofferings, वनगोचरान् inhabiting the forest, तापसान् ascetics, अपृच्छेताम् took leave of.

Night over, the two best men, Rama and Lakshmana, after their ablution took leave of the ascetics inhabiting the forest who offered morning oblations to the fire .
तावूचुस्ते वनचरास्तापसा धर्मचारिणः।

वनस्य तस्य सञ्चारं राक्षसैस्समभिप्लुतम्।।2.119.18।।


वनचराः dwellers in the forest, धर्मचारिणः following the righteousness, ते तापसाः those ascetics, तस्य वनस्य of that forest, सञ्चारम् movement, राक्षसैः with demons, समभिप्लुतम् inundated, तौ addressing both of them, ऊचुः said.

The righteous ascetics dwelling in the forest informed both Rama and Lakshmana that part of the forest infested by demons.
रक्षांसि पुरुषादानि नानारूपाणि राघव।

वसन्त्यस्मिन्महारण्ये व्यालाश्च रुधिराशनाः।।2.119.19।।


राघव O Rama, अस्मिन् महारण्ये in this great forest, पुरुषादानि maneaters, नानारूपाणि in various forms, रक्षांसि demons, रुधिराशनाः blooddrinking, व्यालाश्च wild animals, वसन्ति are
living.

O Rama, this great forest is haunted by carnivorous demons who can assume any
form and by blooddrinking wild animals.
उच्छिष्टं वा प्रमत्तं वा तापसं धर्मचारिणम्।

अदन्त्यस्मिन्महारण्ये तान्निवारय राघव।।2.119.20।।


राघव Rama, अस्मिन् महारण्ये in this great forest, उच्छिष्टं वा or impure, प्रमत्तं वा or not alert, तापसम् an ascetic, अदन्ति they (eat) devour, तान् them, निवारय prevent them.

O Rama, in this great forest demons will devour the ascetics if they find them impure or intoxicated or indolent. Prevent them.
एष पन्था महर्षीणां फलान्याहरतां वने।

अनेन तु वनं दुर्गं गन्तुं राघव ते क्षमम्।।2.119.21।।


राघव Rama, एषः वने in the forest, फलानि fruits, आहरताम् of those gathering, महर्षीणाम् ascetics, एष पन्थाः this path, अनेन through this path, दुर्गम् impassable, वनम् the forest, गन्तुम् to go, ते to you, क्षमम् is safe.

O Rama, this is the one path in the forest used by the ascetics to gather fruits. You can safely cross the otherwise impassable forest through this path.
इतीव तैः प्राञ्जलिभिस्तपस्विभिर्द्विजैः कृतस्वस्त्ययनः परन्तपः।

वनं सभार्यः प्रविवेश राघवस्सलक्ष्मणस्सूर्य इवाभ्रमण्डलम्।।2.119.22।।


प्राञ्जलिभिः (paying obeisance) with folded hands, तपस्विभिः by ascetics, तैः द्विजैः by those brahmins, इतीव thus, कृतस्वस्त्ययनः obtaining their blessings, परन्तपः tormentor of enemies, राघवः Rama, सभार्यः with his wife, सलक्ष्मणः with Lakshmana, सूर्यः Sun, अभ्रमण्डलम् इव like entering the mass of clouds, वनम् forest, प्रविवेश entered.

The ascetics offered their blessings to Rama the tormentor of enemies. Thereafter,
accompanied by his wife and Lakshmana, he entered the great forest like the Sun entering the mass of clouds.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे श्रीमद्वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये चतुर्विंशत्सहस्रिकायां संहितयां श्रीमदयोध्याकाण्डे एकोनविंशत्युत्तरशततमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the hundrednineteenth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.