Chapter [Sarga] 29

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 29

Introduction

Seetha implores upon Rama to allow her to come to forests, and says that she heard through some foretellers that she has to live in forests for some time, when she was with her father's place. But Rama is not interested to make Seetha's life penurious in forests and once again tries to pacify her. He asks her to stay back at Ayodhya. For that Seetha laments to become lonely parted with her husband.

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etat tu vacanam shrutvaa siitaa raamasya duhkhitaa |
prasakta ashru mukhii mandam idam vacanam abraviit || 2-29-1

1. siita= Seetha; shrutvaatu= heard; etat= these; vachanam= words; raamasya= of Rama; duHkhitaa= distressed; prasaktaashrumukhii= having the face wet with tears; abraviit= spoke; idam vachanam= these words; mandam= slowly.

Seetha was distressed to hear these words of Rama and spoke these words slowly, with her face with tears.

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ye tvayaa kiirtitaa doSaa vane vastavyataam prati |
guNaan iti eva taan viddhi tava sneha puraH kR^itaan || 2-29-2

2. viddhi= know; ye= which; doshhaaH= disadvantages; kiirtitaaH= mentioned; tvayaa= by you; vastavyataam prati= about dwelling; vane= in the forest; taan= those; guNaanityeva= to be advantages; tava sneha puraskR^itaan= if your affection is placed before them.

"know all those disadvantages you mentioned about dwelling in the forest become advantages to me, if your affection is placed before them."

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mR^igaaH simhaa gajaashchaiva shaarduulaaH sharabhaastathaa |
pakshiNaH sR^imaraashcaiva ye chaanye vanachaariNaH || 2-29-3
adR^ishhTapuurvaruupatvaatsarve te tava raaghava |
ruupam dR^ishhTvaapasarpeyurbhaye sarve hi bibhyati || 2-29-4

3,4. raaghava= Oh, Rama! mR^igaaH= Antelopes; simhaaH= lions; gaNaashchaiva= elephants; shaarduulaaH= tigers; tathaa= and; sharabhaaH= sarabhas(a legendary animal with eight legs and said to be more powerful than the lion); pakshhiNaH= birds; sR^iimaraashchaiva= yaks; te sarve= all those; anye= others; ye= which; vanachaariNaH= roam in the forest; apasarpcyuH= run away; dR^ishhTvaiva= after seeing; ruupam= your form; tava adR^ishhTapuurva ruupatvaat= since they have never seen your figure, before; bhaye= when there is cause for fear; sarve= all; bibhyati hi= would have indeed fear.

"Oh Rama! Antelopes, lions, elephants, tigers, sarabhas(legendary animal with eight legs), birds, yaks and all others which roam in the forest, run away after seeing your form, since they have never seen your figure before. When there is cause for fear, who would not have fear?"

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tvayaa ca saha gantavyam mayaa guru jana aaj~nayaa |
tvad viyogena me raama tyaktavyam iha jiivitam || 2-29-5

5. raama= Oh, Rama! gurujanaaJNjayaa= as per the command of the elders; mayaa cha= I also; gantavyam= should go; tvayaasaha= along with you; tvadviyogena= by separation from you; jiivitam= life; me= to me; tyaktavyam= is to be abandoned; iha= here.

"Oh, Rama! As per the command of the elders, I also should go along with you. My life is to be abandoned here, if I were separated from you."

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na ca maam tvat samiipastham api shaknoti raaghava |
suraaNaam iishvaraH shakraH pradharSayitum ojasaa || 2-29-6

6. raaghava= Oh, Rama! shakraH api= even Devendra; iishvaraH= who is the lord; suraaNaam= of celestials; na shaknoti= cannot; ojasaa= by his strength; pradarshhiyitum= over power; maam= me; tvatsamiipasthaam= who is in your vicinity.

"Oh Rama! Even Devendra the Lord of celestials, by his strength, cannot over power me, who is in your vicinity."

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pati hiinaa tu yaa naarii na saa shakSyati jiivitum |
kaamam evam vidham raama tvayaa mama vidarshitam || 2-29-7

7. yaa naarii= which woman; patihiinaa= is without husband; saa= she; na shakshhyati= should not be able; jiivitum= to live; raama= Oh, Rama! kaamam= verily; evam vidham= such a thing; vidarshitam= was taught; mama= to me; tvayaa= by you.

"Oh Rama! Verily such a thing was taught to me by you, that a woman disunited from her husband should not be able to survive."

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atha ca api mahaa praaj~na braahmaNaanaam mayaa shrutam |
puraa pitR^i gR^ihe satyam vastavyam kila me vane || 2-29-8

8. mahaa praaJNja= Oh, the very wide man! atha chaapi= besides; puraa= formerly; pitR^igR^ihe= in my father's house; braahmaNaanaam= brahmana's word; shrutam= was heard; mayaa= by me; vastavyam kila= to be stayed; satyam= really; vane= in forest; me= to me.

"Oh Rama, the very wise! Besides, formerly in my father's house it was heard by me from the month of brahmanas that I was destined to stay really in a forest."

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lakSaNibhyo dvijaatibhyaH shrutvaa aham vacanam gR^ihe |
vana vaasa kR^ita utsaahaa nityam eva mahaa bala || 2-29-9

9. mahaabala= Oh, man of great strength! aham= I; shrutvaa= after hearning; puraa= formerly vachanam= the word; dvijaatibhyaH= from brahmanas; lakshhaNibhyaH= who can interpret marks on the boday; nityameva= always; vanavaasakR^itotsaahaa= I was enthusiastic to live in a forest.

"Oh Rama the man of great strength! Ever since I heard this word from brahmanas who can interpret marks on the body, I was always eager to stay in a forest."

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aadesho vana vaasasya praaptavyaH sa mayaa kila |
saa tvayaa saha tatra aham yaasyaami priya na anyathaa || 2-29-10

10. priya= Oh, Rama the beloved! saH aadeshaH= that prediction; vanavaasasya= of dwelling in the forst praaptavyaH kila= is to be realised by me; aham= I saa= as such; yaasyaami= can go; tatra= to forest; tvayaa saha= along with you; na= not; anyathaa= otherwise.

"Oh, Rama the beloved! That prediction of dwelling in the forst is to be realised by me. I must accordingly accompany you to the forest, it cannot be otherwise."

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kR^ita aadeshaa bhaviSyaami gamiSyaami saha tvayaa |
kaalaH ca ayam samutpannaH satya vaag bhavatu dvijaH || 2-29-11

11. bhavishhyaami= I shall become; kR^itaadeshaa= the one who has fulfilled brahmana's word; gamishhyaami= I shall come; tvayaa saha= along with you; ayam= this; kaalashcha= time also; samntpannaH= has come; bhavatn dvijaH= let brahmana become; bhavatu dvijaH= let brahmana become; satyavaak= true to his word.

"I shall be the one who has fulfilled the brahmana's word. I shall accompany you to the forest. The time has come for brahmana's words to come true."

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vana vaase hi jaanaami duhkhaani bahudhaa kila |
praapyante niyatam viira puruSaiH akR^ita aatmabhiH || 2-29-12

12. viira= Oh, valiant prince! abhijaanaami= I know; vanavaase= that in the forest; duHkhaani= sufferings; bahudhaakila= are many indeed; niyatam= certainly; praapyante= be obtained; purushhaiH= by men; akR^itaatmabhiH= having unformed minds.

"Oh valiant prince! I know that in the forest, sufferings indeed are many and are invariably obtained by men having unformed minds."

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kanyayaa ca pitur gehe vana vaasaH shrutaH mayaa
bhikSiNyaaH saadhu vR^ittaayaa mama maatur iha agrataH || 2-29-13

13. mayaa= by me; kanyayaa= who was unmarried girl; pituH gehe= in my father's horse; vanavaasaH= dwelling in a forest; iha= now; shrutaH= was heard; bhikshhiNyaaH= from a female medicant; saadhuvR^ittaayaaH= who was having good manners; agvataH= in the presence; mama maatuH= of my mother

"While I was an unmarried girl, the prediction about my dwelling the forest was heard by me in my father's house from a female mendicant having good manners, in the presence of my mother."

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prasaaditaH ca vai puurvam tvam vai bahu vidham prabho |
gamanam vana vaasasya kaankSitam hi saha tvayaa || 2-29-14

14. prabho= Oh, Lord! puurvam= In the past; tvam= you; prasaadiashcha vai= have been pleased really; bahutitham= for many a time vanavaasasya gamanam= for the tour of a forest; kaaNkshhitam hi= as desire by me indeed; tvayaa saha= with you.

"Oh Lord! In the past, you have been really pleased for many a time to take me along with you indeed for the tour of a forest, as longed by me."

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kR^ita kSaNaa aham bhadram te gamanam prati raaghava |
vana vaasasya shuurasya caryaa hi mama rocate || 2-29-15

15. raaghava= Oh, Rama! bhadvam= many all be well; te= with you! aham= I kR^itakshhaNaa= am waiting; gamanam prati= for a journey; vanavaasasya= of the forest;charyaa= a work-out; shuurasya= of adventurist; rochate hi= is really delightful mama= to me.

"Oh, Rama! May all be well with you! I am waiting for a journey to the forest. A work-out of adventurist is really delightful to me."

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shuddha aatman prema bhaavaadd hi bhaviSyaami vikalmaSaa |
bhartaaram anugacchantii bhartaa hi mama daivatam || 2-29-16

16. shuddhaatman= Oh, the pure-minded! prema bhaavaat hi= by loving devotion; anugachchhantii= following; bhartaaram= you, the husband; bhavishhyaami= I shall become; vikalmashhaa= sinless; mama= to me; bhartaa= husband; daivatam hi= is supreme deity.

"Oh, the pure-minded! Following my husband with loving devotion, I shall become sin-less; for husband is the supreme deity to me."

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pretya bhaave api kalyaaNaH samgamaH me saha tvayaa |
shrutir hi shruuyate puNyaa braahmaNaanaam yashasvinaam || 2-29-17
iha loke ca pitR^ibhir yaa strii yasya mahaa mate |
adbhir dattaa svadharmeNa pretya bhaave api tasya saa || 2-29-18

17,18. pretya bhaave.api= even after death; kalyaaNaH= auspicions; saNgamaH= union; me= to me; tvayaa saha= with you; puNyaa= meritoins; shrutiH= words of Veda; brahmaNaam= by brahmanas; shruuyate hi= being heard indeed; mahaamate= Oh, the great minded! yaa strii= which woman; iha loke= in this world; dattaa= was given away; yasya= to who; adbhiH= with water; pitR^ibhiH= by her parents; svadharmeNa= according to the moral code; tasya= to him; saa= she(belongs) pretya bhaave.api= even after death.

"Even after my death, I shall stay united with you. On this subject, the meritorious words of brahmanas is being heard thus:- In this world, which woman was given away to whom by parents with water according to the moral code binding on them, that woman belongs to him alone even after death.

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evam asmaat svakaam naariim suvR^ittaam hi pati vrataam |
na abhirocayase netum tvam maam kena iha hetunaa || 2-29-19

19. kena hetunaa= by what reason; iha= now; tvam= you; naabhirochayase= are not willing; evam= thus; netum= to take; asmaat= from this place; maam= me; suvR^ittaam= having good conduct; pativrataam= devoted to her husband; svakaam naariim= the woman belonging to you.

"By what reason now are you thus not willing to take me, the woman having good conduct, devoted to her husband and belonging to you, from this place?"

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bhaktaam pati vrataam diinaam maam samaam sukha duhkhayoh |
netum arhasi kaakutstha samaana sukha duhkhiniim || 2-29-20

20. kaakutthsa= Oh, the seion of Kakustha! arhasi= you ought to; netum= take; maam= me, bhaktaam= who is a devotee; pativrataam= devoted to husband; diinaam= who is distressed; samaam= who is equal; sukhaduHkhayoH= in pleasure and pain; samaana sukhaduHkhaniim= sharing in your joys and sorrows.

"Oh Rama, the seion of Kakutsa! You ought to take me, who is a devotee, so devoted to husband, who is distressed who feels alike in pleasure and pain and shares your joys and sorrows."

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yadi maam duhkhitaam evam vanam netum na ca icchasi |
viSam agnim jalam vaa aham aasthaasye mR^ityu kaaraNaat || 2-29-21

21. aasthaasye= I shall take resort to; vishham= poison or; agnim= fire or; jalamvaa= water; mR^ityukaaraNaat= for dying; nachaichchhasiyadi= if you are not willing; netum= to take; maam= me; duHkhitaam= afflicted as I am; evam= as above.

"I shall take resort to poison or fire or water for dying, if you are not willing to take me, afflicted as I am, as above."

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evam bahu vidham tam saa yaacate gamanam prati |
na anumene mahaa baahus taam netum vijanam vanam || 2-29-22

22. saa= she; evam= thus yaachate= requested; tam= him; bahuvidham= in many ways; gamanam prati= about setting out(to the forst) mahaabaahuH= Rama, the long armed; naamnumane= did not agree; netum= to take; taam= her; vanam= to forest; vijanam= which is a solitary place.

Eventhough she requested him in many ways about setting out to the forest, he did not agree to take her to the forest, which is a solitary place.

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evam uktaa tu saa cintaam maithilii samupaagataa |
snaapayantii iva gaam uSNaiH ashrubhir nayana cyutaiH || 2-29-23

23. saa maithili= that Seetha; uktaa= who was spoken; evam= thus; samupaagataa= got; chintaam= anguish; gaam= with earth; snaapayantiiva= as though wet; ushhNaiHashrubhiH= by burning tears; nayanachyntaiH= trickling down from her eyes.

After hearing Rama's words, seetha was sorrowful, moistening with earth as it were with burning tears, trickling down her eyes.

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cintayantiim tathaa taam tu nivartayitum aatmavaan |
taamroshhThiiM sa tadaa siitaam kaakutstho bahv asaantvayat || 2-29-24

24. saH kakutthsaH= that Rama; aatmavaan= the prudent man; tadaa= then; asaantvayat= pacified; bahu= in many ways; nivartiyutum= to avert;taam siitaam= that Seetha; taamroshhThiim= with red lips; chintayantiim= who was sorrowful; tathaa= as above.

Rama the prudent man then pacified in many ways, to avert that Seetha with red lips, who was sorrowful as above.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye ayodhya kaaNDe ekona tri.mshaH sargaH

Thus completes 29th chapter of Ayodhya Kanda in glorious Ramayana, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.