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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 111: Departure from Atri’s hermitage
Summary. Sītā wears Anasūyā’s gifts, Rāma, Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa receive warnings of rākṣasas and take the forest path
Sequence
- Anasūyā embraces Sītā and thanks her for the account as the sun sets (2.111.1–3)
- she points out the evening scene: birds returning to rest, munis coming back from bathing, smoke rising from agnihotras, darkness gathering, and the moon appearing (2.111.4–9)
- she asks Sītā to put on the gifts before returning to Rāma (2.111.10–11)
- Sītā dresses, bows, and rejoins him → Rāma is pleased, and she explains Anasūyā's gifts; Lakṣmaṇa too rejoices at the exceptional honor shown to her (2.111.12–15)
- the travelers spend the night at the hermitage → in the morning they bathe and take leave (2.111.15–17)
- the tapasvins warn them that rākṣasas infest the forest ahead and show them the path used for gathering fruit → after receiving blessings, Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa enter the forest, bringing Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa to its close. (2.111.18–20)
Verses 2.111.1–20
2.111.1
anasūyā tu dharmajñā śrutvā tāṃ mahatīṃ kathām
paryaṣvajata bāhubhyāṃ śirasy āghrāya maithilīm
But Anasūyā, knower of dharma, having heard that great tale, embraced Maithilī with both arms and kissed her upon the head.
Words: anasūyā — Anasūyā; tu — but; dharmajñā — knower of dharma; śrutvā — having heard; tāṃ mahatīṃ kathām — that great tale; paryaṣvajata — embraced; bāhubhyāṃ — with both arms; śirasy — on the head; āghrāya — having smelled, kissed; maithilīm — Maithilī
2.111.2
vyaktākṣarapadaṃ citraṃ bhāṣitaṃ madhuraṃ tvayā
yathā svayaṃvaraṃ vṛttaṃ tat sarvaṃ hi śrutaṃ mayā
“With clear syllables and words, wonderfully and sweetly, you have told it; and all of how the self-choice took place has indeed been heard by me.
Words: vyaktākṣarapadaṃ — with clear syllables and words; citraṃ — wonderful, vivid; bhāṣitaṃ — spoken; madhuraṃ — sweetly; tvayā — by you; yathā — how; svayaṃvaraṃ — the self-choice (marriage); vṛttaṃ — took place, happened; tat sarvaṃ — all that; hi — indeed; śrutaṃ — heard; mayā — by me
2.111.3
rame 'haṃ kathayā te tu dṛṣḍhaṃ madhurabhāṣiṇi
ravir astaṃ gataḥ śrīmān upohya rajanīṃ śivām
I take great delight in your tale, O sweet-speaker; the glorious sun has gone to its setting, ushering in the auspicious night.
Words: rame — I delight; 'haṃ — I; kathayā — in the tale; te — your; tu — indeed; dṛṣḍhaṃ — firmly, greatly; madhurabhāṣiṇi — O sweet-speaker; ravir — the sun; astaṃ gataḥ — has gone to setting; śrīmān — glorious; upohya — having ushered in, brought on; rajanīṃ — the night; śivām — auspicious
2.111.4
divasaṃ prati kīrṇānām āhārārthaṃ patatriṇām
saṃdhyākāle nilīnānāṃ nidrārthaṃ śrūyate dhvaniḥ
At twilight is heard the noise of the birds that had scattered abroad all day in search of food and are now settling down to sleep.
Words: divasaṃ prati — throughout the day; kīrṇānām — of the scattered ones; āhārārthaṃ — for the sake of food; patatriṇām — of the birds; saṃdhyākāle — at twilight; nilīnānāṃ — of those roosting, settling; nidrārthaṃ — for the sake of sleep; śrūyate — is heard; dhvaniḥ — the sound
2.111.5
ete cāpy abhiṣekārdrā munayaḥ phalaśodhanāḥ
sahitā upavartante salilāplutavalkalāḥ
And here these sages, wet from their ablutions and having cleansed their fruit, return together, their bark-garments drenched with water.
Words: ete — these; cāpy — and also; abhiṣekārdrā — wet from ablution; munayaḥ — the sages; phalaśodhanāḥ — having cleansed their fruit; sahitā — together; upavartante — return, approach; salilāplutavalkalāḥ — with bark-garments drenched in water
2.111.6
ṛṣīṇām agnihotreṣu huteṣu vidhipurvakam
kapotāṅgāruṇo dhūmo dṛśyate pavanoddhataḥ
Now that the sages' fire-oblations have been offered according to rule, smoke grey as a pigeon's body is seen, driven upward by the wind.
Words: ṛṣīṇām — of the sages; agnihotreṣu — in the fire-oblations; huteṣu — when offered; vidhipurvakam — according to rule; kapotāṅgāruṇo — grey like a pigeon's body; dhūmo — the smoke; dṛśyate — is seen; pavanoddhataḥ — driven up by the wind
2.111.7
alpaparṇā hi taravo ghanībhūtāḥ samantataḥ
viprakṛṣṭe 'pi ye deśe na prakāśanti vai diśaḥ
The trees, though sparse of leaf, have grown so dense on every side that even in an open stretch of country the quarters do not shine forth.
Words: alpaparṇā — sparse of leaf; hi — indeed; taravo — the trees; ghanībhūtāḥ — have become dense; samantataḥ — on all sides; viprakṛṣṭe — in an open, far-spread; 'pi — even; ye — which; deśe — region; na prakāśanti — do not shine forth; vai — indeed; diśaḥ — the quarters
2.111.8
rajanī rasasattvāni pracaranti samantataḥ
tapovanamṛgā hy ete veditīrtheṣu śerate
The night-roaming creatures move about on every side; while these deer of the ascetic grove lie asleep at the altar-fords.
Words: rajanī — by night; rasasattvāni — the roaming creatures; pracaranti — move about, roam; samantataḥ — on all sides; tapovanamṛgā — the deer of the ascetic grove; hy — indeed; ete — these; veditīrtheṣu — at the altar-fords, sacred spots; śerate — lie asleep
2.111.9
saṃpravṛttā niśā sīte nakṣatrasamalaṃkṛtā
jyotsnā prāvaraṇaś candro dṛśyate 'bhyudito 'mbare
The night has fully come on, Sītā, adorned with stars; and the moon, mantled in its own moonlight, is seen risen in the sky.
Words: saṃpravṛttā — fully set in, come on; niśā — the night; sīte — O Sītā; nakṣatrasamalaṃkṛtā — adorned with stars; jyotsnā prāvaraṇaś — having moonlight for a mantle; candro — the moon; dṛśyate — is seen; 'bhyudito — risen; 'mbare — in the sky
2.111.10
gamyatām anujānāmi rāmasyānucarī bhava
kathayantyā hi madhuraṃ tvayāhaṃ paritoṣitā
Go now — I give you leave; be your Rāma's companion. For by you, telling your tale so sweetly, I have been well contented.
Words: gamyatām — let there be going, go now; anujānāmi — I give leave; rāmasyānucarī — Rāma's companion; bhava — be; kathayantyā — by (you) telling; hi — for; madhuraṃ — sweetly; tvayāhaṃ — by you I; paritoṣitā — well pleased, contented
2.111.11
alaṃkuru ca tāvat tvaṃ pratyakṣaṃ mama maithili
prītiṃ janaya me vatsa divyālaṃkāraśobhinī
And now adorn yourself before my very eyes, Maithilī; give me joy, my child, shining with these divine ornaments.
Words: alaṃkuru — adorn yourself; ca — and; tāvat — now, meanwhile; tvaṃ — you; pratyakṣaṃ mama — before my eyes; maithili — O Maithilī; prītiṃ — joy; janaya — produce, give; me — to me; vatsa — O child; divyālaṃkāraśobhinī — shining with divine ornaments
2.111.12
sā tadā samalaṃkṛtya sītā surasutopamā
praṇamya śirasā tasyai rāmaṃ tv abhimukhī yayau
Then Sītā, having adorned herself, like a daughter of the gods, bowed her head to her and went to face Rāma.
Words: sā tadā — she then; samalaṃkṛtya — having adorned herself; sītā — Sītā; surasutopamā — like a daughter of the gods; praṇamya śirasā — having bowed with her head; tasyai — to her; rāmaṃ — toward Rāma; tv — indeed; abhimukhī — facing; yayau — went
2.111.13
tathā tu bhūṣitāṃ sītāṃ dadarśa vadatāṃ varaḥ
rāghavaḥ prītidānena tapasvinyā jaharṣa ca
And Rāghava, best of speakers, beheld Sītā thus adorned, and rejoiced at the loving gift of the ascetic-woman.
Words: tathā — thus; tu — and; bhūṣitāṃ sītāṃ — Sītā adorned; dadarśa — beheld, saw; vadatāṃ varaḥ — the best of speakers; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; prītidānena — by the loving gift; tapasvinyā — of the ascetic-woman; jaharṣa — rejoiced; ca — and
2.111.14
nyavedayat tataḥ sarvaṃ sītā rāmāya maithilī
prītidānaṃ tapasvinyā vasanābharaṇasrajām
Then Sītā Maithilī reported it all to Rāma — the ascetic-woman's loving gift of garments, ornaments, and garlands.
Words: nyavedayat — reported, made known; tataḥ — then; sarvaṃ — all; sītā — Sītā; rāmāya — to Rāma; maithilī — Maithilī; prītidānaṃ — the loving gift; tapasvinyā — of the ascetic-woman; vasanābharaṇasrajām — of garments, ornaments, and garlands
2.111.15
prahṛṣṭas tv abhavad rāmo lakṣmaṇaś ca mahārathaḥ
maithilyāḥ satkriyāṃ dṛṣṭvā mānuṣeṣu sudurlabhām
Rāma was overjoyed, and so was Lakṣmaṇa the great chariot-warrior, at seeing Maithilī so honored with a hospitality scarcely to be won among mortals.
Words: prahṛṣṭas — overjoyed; tv — indeed; abhavad — became; rāmo — Rāma; lakṣmaṇaś ca — and Lakṣmaṇa; mahārathaḥ — the great chariot-warrior; maithilyāḥ — of Maithilī; satkriyāṃ — the honoring, hospitality; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; mānuṣeṣu — among mortals; sudurlabhām — very hard to obtain
2.111.16
tatas tāṃ sarvarīṃ prītaḥ puṇyāṃ śaśinibhānanaḥ
arcitas tāpasaiḥ siddhair uvāsa raghunandanaḥ
Then that delight of the Raghus, his face like the moon, gladdened and honored by the perfected ascetics, passed that holy night.
Words: tatas — then; tāṃ sarvarīṃ — that night; prītaḥ — glad, pleased; puṇyāṃ — holy; śaśinibhānanaḥ — with a face like the moon; arcitas — honored; tāpasaiḥ — by the ascetics; siddhair — perfected, accomplished; uvāsa — dwelt, passed; raghunandanaḥ — delight of the Raghus
2.111.17
tasyāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyām abhiṣicya hutāgnikān
āpṛcchetāṃ naravyāghrau tāpasān vanagocarān
When that night had passed, the two tigers among men, having bathed, took their leave of the forest-ranging ascetics who had duly offered their fire-oblations.
Words: tasyāṃ rātryāṃ — in that night; vyatītāyām — having passed; abhiṣicya — having bathed, performed ablutions; hutāgnikān — those who had offered the fire-oblations; āpṛcchetāṃ — the two took leave (dual); naravyāghrau — the two tigers among men; tāpasān — the ascetics; vanagocarān — ranging in the forest
2.111.18
tāv ūcus te vanacarās tāpasā dharmacāriṇaḥ
vanasya tasya saṃcāraṃ rākṣasaiḥ samabhiplutam
To those two, those forest-dwelling ascetics, followers of dharma, told of that forest's tract, overrun with rākṣasas.
Words: tāv — to those two; ūcus — spoke, told; te — they; vanacarās — forest-ranging; tāpasā — ascetics; dharmacāriṇaḥ — followers of dharma; vanasya tasya — of that forest; saṃcāraṃ — the tract, the passage; rākṣasaiḥ — by rākṣasas; samabhiplutam — overrun, infested
2.111.19
eṣa panthā maharṣīṇāṃ phalāny āharatāṃ vane
anena tu vanaṃ durgaṃ gantuṃ rāghava te kṣamam
“This is the path of the great sages who gather fruits in the forest; by it, Rāghava, it will be fitting for you to traverse the trackless wood.”
Words: eṣa panthā — this is the path; maharṣīṇāṃ — of the great sages; phalāny — fruits; āharatāṃ — of (those) gathering; vane — in the forest; anena — by this; tu — indeed; vanaṃ durgaṃ — the impassable forest; gantuṃ — to go, traverse; rāghava — O Rāghava; te — for you; kṣamam — fitting, proper
2.111.20
itīva taiḥ prāñjalibhis tapasvibhir dvijaiḥ kṛtasvastyayanaḥ paraṃtapaḥ
vanaṃ sabhāryaḥ praviveśa rāghavaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ sūrya ivābhramaṇḍalam
So blessed with rites of well-being by those twice-born ascetics standing with joined palms, Rāghava, scorcher of foes, together with his wife and with Lakṣmaṇa, entered the forest as the sun enters a bank of clouds.
Words: itīva — thus, in such words; taiḥ — by those; prāñjalibhis — with joined palms; tapasvibhir — by the ascetics; dvijaiḥ — by the twice-born; kṛtasvastyayanaḥ — for whom a blessing of well-being was performed; paraṃtapaḥ — scorcher of foes; vanaṃ — the forest; sabhāryaḥ — together with his wife; praviveśa — entered; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; salakṣmaṇaḥ — together with Lakṣmaṇa; sūrya ivābhramaṇḍalam — as the sun a bank of clouds
← 2.110 Anasūyā’s gifts and Sītā’s story · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 3.1 Daṇḍaka’s tapasvins seek protection →
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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