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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 109: Rāma leaves Citrakūṭa for Atri

Summary. Family memories and the army’s animal waste prompt departure, Atri recounts Anasūyā’s relief of a ten-year drought and sends Sītā to her

Sequence

  1. Rāma now decides to leave Citrakūṭa: the place continually reminds him of the painful family meeting, and the large camp has fouled the surroundings with animal dung (2.109.1–4)
  2. he travels with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa to Atri's hermitage, where they are warmly received (2.109.5–8)
  3. Atri tells Rāma that during a ten-year drought Anasūyā brought forth roots and fruit and made the Jāhnavī flow (2.109.9–10)
  4. he credits her with ten thousand years of austerities and with compressing ten nights into one for a divine purpose (2.109.11–12)
  5. he asks Sītā to visit her, and Rāma encourages her to do so (2.109.13–16)
  6. Sītā approaches the elderly woman, introduces herself, and bows (2.109.17–20)
  7. Anasūyā praises her willingness to leave wealth and family to accompany her husband (2.109.21–25)
  8. she speaks about steadfastness in marriage and the value she assigns to a wife's devotion through changing circumstances. (2.109.26–28)

Verses 2.109.1–28

2.109.1

rāghavas tv apayāteṣu tapasviṣu vicintayan
na tatrārocayad vāsaṃ kāraṇair bahubhis tadā

But when the ascetics had departed, Rāghava, reflecting, did not then favor dwelling there, for many reasons.

Words: rāghavas — Rāghava; tv — but; apayāteṣu tapasviṣu — when the ascetics had gone away; vicintayan — reflecting, considering; na — not; tatrārocayad — did there favor, approve; vāsaṃ — dwelling; kāraṇair bahubhis — for many reasons; tadā — then

2.109.2

iha me bharato dṛṣṭo mātaraś ca sanāgarāḥ
sā ca me smṛtir anveti tān nityam anuśocataḥ

“Here Bharata was seen by me, and my mothers along with the townsfolk; and that memory pursues me as I grieve for them constantly.

Words: iha — here; me — by me; bharato — Bharata; dṛṣṭo — was seen; mātaraś ca — and the mothers; sanāgarāḥ — together with the townsfolk; sā ca — and that; me — my; smṛtir — memory; anveti — follows, pursues; tān — them; nityam — constantly; anuśocataḥ — of (me) grieving

2.109.3

skandhāvāraniveśena tena tasya mahātmanaḥ
hayahastikarīṣaiś ca upamardaḥ kṛto bhṛśam

By the pitching of that great one's army-camp, and by the dung of the horses and elephants, a severe fouling has been done here.

Words: skandhāvāraniveśena — by the pitching of the army-camp; tena — that; tasya — of that; mahātmanaḥ — great one; hayahastikarīṣaiś ca — and by the dung of horses and elephants; upamardaḥ — trampling, fouling, damage; kṛto — made, done; bhṛśam — severely

2.109.4

tasmād anyatra gacchāma iti saṃcintya rāghavaḥ
prātiṣṭhata sa vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca saṃgataḥ

‘Therefore let us go elsewhere’ — so resolving, Rāghava, together with Vaidehī and Lakṣmaṇa, set out.

Words: tasmād — therefore; anyatra — elsewhere; gacchāma — let us go; iti — thus; saṃcintya — having reflected; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; prātiṣṭhata — set out; sa — he; vaidehyā — with Vaidehī; lakṣmaṇena ca — and with Lakṣmaṇa; saṃgataḥ — together, accompanied

2.109.5

so 'trer āśramam āsādya taṃ vavande mahāyaśāḥ
taṃ cāpi bhagavān atriḥ putravat pratyapadyata

He of great fame, reaching Atri's hermitage, saluted him; and the venerable Atri too received him like a son.

Words: so — he; 'trer — of Atri; āśramam — the hermitage; āsādya — having reached; taṃ — him; vavande — saluted, paid homage to; mahāyaśāḥ — he of great fame; taṃ cāpi — and him too; bhagavān — the venerable; atriḥ — Atri; putravat — like a son; pratyapadyata — received, welcomed

2.109.6

svayam ātithyam ādiśya sarvam asya susatkṛtam
saumitriṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ sītāṃ ca samasāntvayat

Personally directing that hospitality be well shown to him in every way, he also comforted Saumitri and the illustrious Sītā.

Words: svayam — personally; ātithyam — hospitality; ādiśya — having directed, ordered; sarvam — all, in every way; asya — to him; susatkṛtam — well honored; saumitriṃ ca — and Saumitri; mahābhāgāṃ — the illustrious (Sītā); sītāṃ ca — and Sītā; samasāntvayat — he comforted, consoled

2.109.7

patnīṃ ca tam anuprāptāṃ vṛddhām āmantrya satkṛtām
sāntvayām āsa dharmajñaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ

And summoning his aged, honored wife who had come up to him, the righteous one, devoted to the welfare of all beings, spoke gently to her.

Words: patnīṃ ca — and (his) wife; tam — her; anuprāptāṃ — who had come to him; vṛddhām — aged; āmantrya — having addressed, summoned; satkṛtām — honored; sāntvayām āsa — he spoke gently, reassured; dharmajñaḥ — the knower of dharma; sarvabhūtahite rataḥ — devoted to the welfare of all beings

2.109.8

anasūyāṃ mahābhāgāṃ tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm
pratigṛhṇīṣva vaidehīm abravīd ṛṣisattamaḥ

The best of sages said to Anasūyā, the illustrious ascetic woman who walked in dharma: “Receive Vaidehī.”

Words: anasūyāṃ — (to) Anasūyā; mahābhāgāṃ — the illustrious; tāpasīṃ — the ascetic woman; dharmacāriṇīm — who walks in dharma; pratigṛhṇīṣva — receive!; vaidehīm — Vaidehī; abravīd — said; ṛṣisattamaḥ — the best of sages

2.109.9

rāmāya cācacakṣe tāṃ tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm
daśa varṣāṇy anāvṛṣṭyā dagdhe loke nirantaram

And to Rāma he described that ascetic woman who walked in dharma: when for ten years the world was scorched without respite by drought,

Words: rāmāya — to Rāma; cācacakṣe — and he described; tāṃ — her, that; tāpasīṃ — ascetic woman; dharmacāriṇīm — who walks in dharma; daśa varṣāṇy — for ten years; anāvṛṣṭyā — by drought; dagdhe loke — when the world was scorched; nirantaram — without respite, continuously

2.109.10

yayā mūlaphale sṛṣṭe jāhnavī ca pravartitā
ugreṇa tapasā yuktā niyamaiś cāpy alaṃkṛtā

by whom roots and fruits were brought forth and the Jāhnavī made to flow, she who was endowed with fierce penance and adorned with observances,

Words: yayā — by whom; mūlaphale — roots and fruits (dual); sṛṣṭe — were brought forth, created; jāhnavī ca — and the Jāhnavī (Ganges); pravartitā — was made to flow, set in motion; ugreṇa — with fierce; tapasā — penance; yuktā — endowed; niyamaiś cāpy — and with observances too; alaṃkṛtā — adorned

2.109.11

daśavarṣasahasrāṇi yayā taptaṃ mahat tapaḥ
anasūyāvratais tāta pratyūhāś ca nibarhitāḥ

by whom great penance was practiced for ten thousand years, and by whose envy-free observances, my son, obstacles were dispelled,

Words: daśavarṣasahasrāṇi — for ten thousand years; yayā — by whom; taptaṃ — was practiced (lit. heated); mahat tapaḥ — great penance; anasūyāvratais — by (her) envy-free observances; tāta — my son; pratyūhāś ca — and obstacles; nibarhitāḥ — dispelled, destroyed

2.109.12

devakāryanimittaṃ ca yayā saṃtvaramāṇayā
daśarātraṃ kṛtvā rātriḥ seyaṃ māteva te 'nagha

and by whom, hasting for the sake of a divine task, ten nights were compressed into a single night — that very lady, sinless one, is like a mother to you.

Words: devakāryanimittaṃ ca — and for the sake of a divine task; yayā — by whom; saṃtvaramāṇayā — hastening; daśarātraṃ — the ten-night period; kṛtvā — having made; rātriḥ — (into a single) night; seyaṃ — that very she; māteva — is like a mother; te — to you; 'nagha — O sinless one

2.109.13

tām imāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ namaskāryāṃ yaśasvinīm
abhigacchatu vaidehī vṛddhām akrodhanāṃ sadā

Let Vaidehī approach this glorious lady, worthy of homage from all beings, aged and ever free from anger.

Words: tām imāṃ — her, this; sarvabhūtānāṃ — by all beings; namaskāryāṃ — worthy of homage; yaśasvinīm — the glorious; abhigacchatu — let (her) approach; vaidehī — Vaidehī; vṛddhām — the aged; akrodhanāṃ — free from anger; sadā — ever, always

2.109.14

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ tathety uktvā sa rāghavaḥ
sītām uvāca dharmajñām idaṃ vacanam uttamam

Saying “So be it” to the sage who spoke thus, Rāghava then addressed Sītā, who knew dharma, with these excellent words:

Words: evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ — who was speaking thus; tam ṛṣiṃ — to that sage; tathety uktvā — having said 'so be it'; sa rāghavaḥ — he, Rāghava; sītām — Sītā; uvāca — spoke to; dharmajñām — the knower of dharma (fem); idaṃ vacanam uttamam — these excellent words

2.109.15

rājaputri śrutaṃ tv etan muner asya samīritam
śreyo 'rtham ātmanaḥ śīghram abhigaccha tapasvinīm

“O princess, you have heard what this sage has enjoined; for your own good, go quickly to the ascetic woman.

Words: rājaputri — O princess; śrutaṃ tv — this has been heard; etan — this; muner asya — of this sage; samīritam — uttered, enjoined; śreyo 'rtham — for the sake of good; ātmanaḥ — of yourself; śīghram — quickly; abhigaccha — go to, approach; tapasvinīm — the ascetic woman

2.109.16

anasūyeti yā loke karmabhiḥ kyātim āgatā
tāṃ śīghram abhigaccha tvam abhigamyāṃ tapasvinīm

Go quickly, you, to that ascetic woman, worthy to be approached, who in the world has won renown by her deeds as ‘Anasūyā.’”

Words: anasūyeti — as 'Anasūyā'; yā — who; loke — in the world; karmabhiḥ — by (her) deeds; kyātim — renown; āgatā — has attained, come to; tāṃ — her; śīghram — quickly; abhigaccha — approach, go to; tvam — you; abhigamyāṃ — worthy to be approached; tapasvinīm — the ascetic woman

2.109.17

sītā tv etad vacaḥ śrutvā rāghavasya hitaiṣiṇī
tām atripatnīṃ dharmajñām abhicakrāma maithilī

But Sītā of Mithilā, well-wisher of Rāghava, hearing these words, went up to that wife of Atri, the knower of dharma.

Words: sītā — Sītā; tv — but; etad vacaḥ — these words; śrutvā — having heard; rāghavasya — of Rāghava; hitaiṣiṇī — the well-wisher (fem); tām — her; atripatnīṃ — the wife of Atri; dharmajñām — knower of dharma; abhicakrāma — went toward, approached; maithilī — the princess of Mithilā

2.109.18

śithilāṃ valitāṃ vṛddhāṃ jarāpāṇḍuramūrdhajām
satataṃ vepamānāṅgīṃ pravāte kadalī yathā

— slack-limbed, wrinkled, aged, her hair grown gray with age, her limbs ever trembling like a plantain tree in the wind —

Words: śithilāṃ — slack, loose-limbed; valitāṃ — wrinkled; vṛddhāṃ — aged; jarāpāṇḍuramūrdhajām — with hair whitened by age; satataṃ — continually; vepamānāṅgīṃ — with trembling limbs; pravāte — in the wind; kadalī — a plantain tree; yathā — like

2.109.19

tāṃ tu sītā mahābhāgām anasūyāṃ pativratām
abhyavādayad avyagrā svaṃ nāma samudāharat

But Sītā, composed, saluted that illustrious Anasūyā, devoted to her husband, and announced her own name.

Words: tāṃ tu — but her; sītā — Sītā; mahābhāgām — illustrious; anasūyāṃ — Anasūyā; pativratām — devoted to her husband; abhyavādayad — saluted, greeted; avyagrā — composed, unflustered; svaṃ nāma — her own name; samudāharat — announced, uttered

2.109.20

abhivādya ca vaidehī tāpasīṃ tām aninditām
baddhāñjalipuṭā hṛṣṭā paryapṛcchad anāmayam

And having saluted that blameless ascetic woman, Vaidehī, her palms folded in reverence and full of joy, inquired after her well-being.

Words: abhivādya ca — and having saluted; vaidehī — Vaidehī; tāpasīṃ — the ascetic woman; tām — that; aninditām — blameless; baddhāñjalipuṭā — with palms folded in reverence; hṛṣṭā — joyful; paryapṛcchad — inquired after; anāmayam — well-being, health

2.109.21

tataḥ sītāṃ mahābhāgāṃ dṛṣṭvā tāṃ dharmacāriṇīm
sāntvayanty abravīd dhṛṣṭā diṣṭyā dharmam avekṣase

Then, seeing that illustrious, dharma-observing Sītā, she, delighted, spoke soothingly: “By good fortune you have regard for dharma!

Words: tataḥ — then; sītāṃ — Sītā; mahābhāgāṃ — the illustrious; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; tāṃ — that; dharmacāriṇīm — observer of dharma (fem); sāntvayanty — soothing, consoling; abravīd — she said; dhṛṣṭā — delighted; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; dharmam — dharma; avekṣase — you regard, look to

2.109.22

tyaktvā jñātijanaṃ sīte mānam ṛddhiṃ ca mānini
avaruddhaṃ vane rāmaṃ diṣṭyā tvam anugacchasi

Having forsaken your kinsfolk, Sītā, and honor and prosperity, O proud lady, by good fortune you follow Rāma into the forest, banished as he is.

Words: tyaktvā — having forsaken; jñātijanaṃ — kinsfolk; sīte — O Sītā; mānam — honor, esteem; ṛddhiṃ ca — and prosperity; mānini — O proud lady; avaruddhaṃ — banished, exiled; vane — in the forest; rāmaṃ — Rāma; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; tvam — you; anugacchasi — you follow

2.109.23

nagarastho vanastho vā pāpo vā yadi vāśubhaḥ
yāsāṃ strīṇāṃ priyo bhartā tāsāṃ lokā mahodayāḥ

Those women to whom their husband is dear — whether he dwell in the city or the forest, whether wicked or ill-fated — theirs are the worlds of great felicity.

Words: nagarastho — dwelling in a city; vanastho vā — or dwelling in the forest; pāpo vā — or wicked; yadi vāśubhaḥ — or if ill-fated; yāsāṃ strīṇāṃ — of which women; priyo bhartā — the husband is dear; tāsāṃ — of them, theirs; lokā — the worlds; mahodayāḥ — of great felicity

2.109.24

duḥśīlaḥ kāmavṛtto vā dhanair vā parivarjitaḥ
strīṇām ārya svabhāvānāṃ paramaṃ daivataṃ patiḥ

Ill-natured, or given to lust, or destitute of wealth — the husband is nonetheless the supreme deity for women of noble nature.

Words: duḥśīlaḥ — of bad character; kāmavṛtto vā — or given to lust; dhanair vā — or of wealth; parivarjitaḥ — destitute, deprived; strīṇām — for women; ārya — noble (in nature); svabhāvānāṃ — of (noble) nature; paramaṃ — supreme; daivataṃ — deity; patiḥ — the husband

2.109.25

nāto viśiṣṭaṃ paśyāmi bāndhavaṃ vimṛśanty aham
sarvatra yogyaṃ vaidehi tapaḥ kṛtam ivāvyayam

Reflecting, I see no kinsman more distinguished than he; in every case, Vaidehī, such devotion is fitting, like imperishable penance performed.

Words: nāto — than this (there is); viśiṣṭaṃ — more distinguished, superior; paśyāmi — I see; bāndhavaṃ — kinsman; vimṛśanty — reflecting (fem); aham — I; sarvatra — everywhere, in all cases; yogyaṃ — fitting, proper; vaidehi — O Vaidehī; tapaḥ — penance; kṛtam — performed; ivāvyayam — like imperishable (merit)

2.109.26

na tv evam avagacchanti guṇa doṣam asat striyaḥ
kāmavaktavyahṛdayā bhartṛnāthāś caranti yāḥ

But base women do not thus perceive the merit and the fault — those who, with hearts to be swayed by desire, behave loosely though having a husband as their protector.

Words: na tv — but not; evam — thus; avagacchanti — they understand; guṇa doṣam — the merit and the fault; asat — base, bad; striyaḥ — women; kāmavaktavyahṛdayā — with hearts to be dictated by desire; bhartṛnāthāś — having a husband as protector; caranti — they go about, behave; yāḥ — who

2.109.27

prāpnuvanty ayaśaś caiva dharmabhraṃśaṃ ca maithili
akārya vaśam āpannāḥ striyo yāḥ khalu tad vidhāḥ

Such women, O Maithilī, who fall under the sway of what ought not to be done, reap both infamy and a fall from dharma.

Words: prāpnuvanty — they obtain; ayaśaś caiva — and infamy; dharmabhraṃśaṃ ca — and a fall from dharma; maithili — O Maithilī; akārya vaśam — under the sway of wrong deeds; āpannāḥ — fallen into; striyo — women; yāḥ — who; khalu — indeed; tad vidhāḥ — of such a kind

2.109.28

tvadvidhās tu guṇair yuktā dṛṣṭalokaparāvarāḥ
striyaḥ svarge cariṣyanti yathā puṇyakṛtas tathā

But women like you, endowed with virtues, who have perceived the higher and lower worlds, will roam in heaven just as those who have done meritorious deeds.

Words: tvadvidhās — women like you; tu — but; guṇair yuktā — endowed with virtues; dṛṣṭalokaparāvarāḥ — who have seen the higher and lower worlds; striyaḥ — women; svarge — in heaven; cariṣyanti — will roam, move about; yathā — just as; puṇyakṛtas — those who have done merit; tathā — so

← 2.108 The ṛṣis leave Citrakūṭa · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.110 Anasūyā’s gifts and Sītā’s story →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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