← 2.32 Kaikeyī opposes Rāma’s escort · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.34 Farewell to the Queens →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 33: Bark garments over Sītā’s silk

Summary. Rāma declines royal provisions and helps Sītā fasten her bark clothing, Daśaratha protests her humiliation

Sequence

  1. Rāma declines the escort: after giving up the Kingdom, retaining its luxuries would make no sense (2.33.1–3)
  2. he asks only for bark garments, a spade, and a basket (2.33.4–5)
  3. Kaikeyī brings the garments, and Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa change out of their fine clothing (2.33.6–8)
  4. Sītā does not know how to wear hers and asks Rāma for help → he fastens it over her silk clothing, provoking an outcry from those watching (2.33.9–13)
  5. Daśaratha tells Kaikeyī that Rāma's exile should be enough and that Sītā need not be dressed in bark (2.33.14–16)
  6. Rāma asks his father to take special care of Kausalyā so that grief does not destroy her. (2.33.17–19)

Verses 2.33.1–19

2.33.1

mahāmātravacaḥ śrutvā rāmo daśarathaṃ tadā
anvabhāṣata vākyaṃ tu vinayajño vinītavat

Having heard the minister's words, Rāma, versed in propriety, then addressed these words to Daśaratha humbly:

Words: mahāmātravacaḥ — the minister's words; śrutvā — having heard; rāmo — Rāma; daśarathaṃ — to Daśaratha; tadā — then; anvabhāṣata — replied, addressed; vākyaṃ — words; tu — and; vinayajño — knower of decorum; vinītavat — modestly, humbly

2.33.2

tyaktabhogasya me rājan vane vanyena jīvataḥ
kiṃ kāryam anuyātreṇa tyaktasaṅgasya sarvataḥ

For me, O king, who have renounced all enjoyments, who shall live in the forest on wild fare, having wholly given up attachment—what use is an escort?

Words: tyaktabhogasya — of me who has renounced enjoyments; me — of me, my; rājan — O king; vane — in the forest; vanyena — on forest fare; jīvataḥ — living; kiṃ — what; kāryam — use, need; anuyātreṇa — with an escort, retinue; tyaktasaṅgasya — of one who has abandoned attachment; sarvataḥ — entirely, wholly

2.33.3

yo hi dattvā dvipaśreṣṭhaṃ kakṣyāyāṃ kurute manaḥ
rajjusnehena kiṃ tasya tyajataḥ kuñjarottamam

For the man who, having given away his finest elephant, then sets his heart upon its girth-rope—what use has he, who parts with the noblest elephant, for fondness over a rope?

Words: yo — who; hi — for, indeed; dattvā — having given away; dvipaśreṣṭhaṃ — the best of elephants; kakṣyāyāṃ — on the girth-rope, tether; kurute — sets, makes; manaḥ — mind, heart; rajjusnehena — with fondness for the rope; kiṃ — what (use); tasya — to him; tyajataḥ — who gives up; kuñjarottamam — the best elephant

2.33.4

tathā mama satāṃ śreṣṭha kiṃ dhvajinyā jagatpate
sarvāṇy evānujānāmi cīrāṇy evānayantu me

So too, O best of the virtuous, what use have I for an army, O lord of the world? I dismiss them all; let them bring me only bark-garments.

Words: tathā — likewise, so; mama — for me; satāṃ śreṣṭha — O best of the good; kiṃ — what (use); dhvajinyā — with an army, banner-host; jagatpate — O lord of the world; sarvāṇy — all; evānujānāmi — I dismiss, release; cīrāṇy — bark-garments; evānayantu — let them bring only; me — for me

2.33.5

khanitrapiṭake cobhe mamānayata gacchataḥ
caturdaśa vane vāsaṃ varṣāṇi vasato mama

Bring me both a spade and a basket, for me as I set out to dwell in the forest for fourteen years.

Words: khanitrapiṭake — a spade and a basket (dual); cobhe — and both; mamānayata — bring for me; gacchataḥ — for (me) as I go, departing; caturdaśa — fourteen; vane — in the forest; vāsaṃ — a dwelling, residence; varṣāṇi — years; vasato — dwelling; mama — of me

2.33.6

atha cīrāṇi kaikeyī svayam āhṛtya rāghavam
uvāca paridhatsveti janaughe nirapatrapā

Then Kaikeyī, fetching the bark-garments herself and shameless before the throng, said to Rāghava: “Put these on.”

Words: atha — then; cīrāṇi — bark-garments; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; svayam — herself; āhṛtya — having fetched; rāghavam — to Rāghava; uvāca — said; paridhatsveti — “put (them) on”; janaughe — in the throng of people; nirapatrapā — shameless

2.33.7

sa cīre puruṣavyāghraḥ kaikeyyāḥ pratigṛhya te
sūkṣmavastram avakṣipya munivastrāṇy avasta ha

That tiger among men, accepting those two bark-garments from Kaikeyī and casting off his fine raiment, put on the garments of an ascetic.

Words: sa — he; cīre — the two bark-garments (dual); puruṣavyāghraḥ — tiger among men; kaikeyyāḥ — from Kaikeyī; pratigṛhya — having accepted; te — those two; sūkṣmavastram — fine garment; avakṣipya — having cast off; munivastrāṇy — sage's garments; avasta — put on; ha — indeed

2.33.8

lakṣmaṇaś cāpi tatraiva vihāya vasane śubhe
tāpasāc chādane caiva jagrāha pitur agrataḥ

And Lakṣmaṇa too, laying aside right there his splendid garments, took up ascetic's robes in his father's presence.

Words: lakṣmaṇaś — Lakṣmaṇa; cāpi — and also; tatraiva — right there; vihāya — having laid aside; vasane — garments (dual); śubhe — fine, splendid; tāpasāc — ascetic's; chādane — robes, coverings (dual); caiva — and indeed; jagrāha — took up; pitur — of the father; agrataḥ — in front of, before

2.33.9

athātmaparidhānārthaṃ sītā kauśeyavāsinī
samīkṣya cīraṃ saṃtrastā pṛṣatī vāgurām iva

Then Sītā, clad in silk, gazing at the bark-garment meant for her own wearing, was struck with terror, like a spotted doe at the sight of a snare.

Words: athātmaparidhānārthaṃ — then, for the purpose of clothing herself; sītā — Sītā; kauśeyavāsinī — clad in silk; samīkṣya — looking at, beholding; cīraṃ — the bark-garment; saṃtrastā — terrified; pṛṣatī — a spotted doe; vāgurām — a snare, net; iva — like

2.33.10

sā vyapatrapamāṇeva pratigṛhya ca durmanāḥ
gandharvarājapratimaṃ bhartāram idam abravīt
kathaṃ nu cīraṃ badhnanti munayo vanavāsinaḥ

As if abashed and downcast at heart, she took it and said to her husband, who was like the king of the gandharvas: “How, pray, do the forest-dwelling sages fasten on the bark-garment?”

Words: sā — she; vyapatrapamāṇeva — as if abashed; pratigṛhya — having taken; ca — and; durmanāḥ — downcast, sad at heart; gandharvarājapratimaṃ — like the king of the gandharvas; bhartāram — to her husband; idam — this; abravīt — said; kathaṃ — how; nu — pray; cīraṃ — the bark-garment; badhnanti — do they tie, fasten; munayo — sages; vanavāsinaḥ — forest-dwelling

2.33.11

kṛtvā kaṇṭhe ca sā cīram ekam ādāya pāṇinā
tasthau hy akuṣalā tatra vrīḍitā janakātmaja

Hanging one bark-garment at her neck and holding the other in her hand, Janaka's daughter stood there abashed and helpless, not knowing how.

Words: kṛtvā — having placed; kaṇṭhe — at the neck; ca — and; sā — she; cīram — the bark-garment; ekam — one; ādāya — having taken; pāṇinā — with her hand; tasthau — stood; hy — indeed; akuṣalā — unskilled, at a loss; tatra — there; vrīḍitā — abashed; janakātmaja — Janaka's daughter

2.33.12

tasyās tat kṣipram āgamya rāmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
cīraṃ babandha sītāyāḥ kauśeyasyopari svayam

Rāma, best of those who uphold dharma, quickly coming to her, himself fastened the bark-garment over Sītā's silk.

Words: tasyās — her; tat — that; kṣipram — quickly; āgamya — having come; rāmo — Rāma; dharmabhṛtāṃ — of the upholders of dharma; varaḥ — the best; cīraṃ — the bark-garment; babandha — tied, fastened; sītāyāḥ — of Sītā; kauśeyasyopari — over the silk; svayam — himself

2.33.13

tasyāṃ cīraṃ vasānāyāṃ nāthavatyām anāthavat
pracukrośa janaḥ sarvo dhik tvāṃ daśarathaṃ tv iti

As she, though she had a protector, put on the bark-garment like one forlorn, all the people cried aloud: “Shame on you, Daśaratha!”

Words: tasyāṃ — when she (loc.); cīraṃ — the bark-garment; vasānāyāṃ — putting on (loc.); nāthavatyām — though having a protector; anāthavat — as if without a protector; pracukrośa — cried out, wailed; janaḥ — the people; sarvo — all; dhik — shame!; tvāṃ — on you; daśarathaṃ — Daśaratha; tv — indeed; iti — thus

2.33.14

sa niḥśvasyoṣṇam aikṣvākas tāṃ bhāryām idam abravīt
kaikeyi kuśacīreṇa na sītā gantum arhati

Sighing hotly, the descendant of Ikṣvāku said this to that wife of his: “Kaikeyī, Sītā ought not to go clad in a garment of bark.

Words: sa — he; niḥśvasyoṣṇam — sighing hotly; aikṣvākas — the descendant of Ikṣvāku; tāṃ — to that; bhāryām — wife; idam — this; abravīt — said; kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; kuśacīreṇa — with a garment of bark; na — not; sītā — Sītā; gantum — to go; arhati — ought

2.33.15

nanu paryāptam etat te pāpe rāmavivāsanam
kim ebhiḥ kṛpaṇair bhūyaḥ pātakair api te kṛtaiḥ

Surely this banishment of Rāma is enough for you, O wicked woman! What need of these further wretched crimes committed by you?”

Words: nanu — surely; paryāptam — enough, sufficient; etat — this; te — for you; pāpe — O wicked woman; rāmavivāsanam — the banishment of Rāma; kim — what (need); ebhiḥ — by these; kṛpaṇair — wretched, miserable; bhūyaḥ — further, more; pātakair — sins, crimes; api — also; te — by you; kṛtaiḥ — done, committed

2.33.16

evaṃ bruvantaṃ pitaraṃ rāmaḥ saṃprasthito vanam
avākśirasam āsīnam idaṃ vacanam abravīt

To his father, who spoke thus and sat with his head bowed low, Rāma, now setting out for the forest, said these words:

Words: evaṃ — thus; bruvantaṃ — speaking (acc.); pitaraṃ — to his father; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃprasthito — setting out; vanam — to the forest; avākśirasam — with head bowed down; āsīnam — seated; idaṃ — this; vacanam — word; abravīt — said

2.33.17

iyaṃ dhārmika kausalyā mama mātā yaśasvinī
vṛddhā cākṣudraśīlā ca na ca tvāṃ devagarhite

This illustrious Kausalyā, O righteous one, is my mother, aged and of noble, ungrudging character; and she never reproaches you, O lord.

Words: iyaṃ — this; dhārmika — O righteous one; kausalyā — Kausalyā; mama — my; mātā — mother; yaśasvinī — illustrious; vṛddhā — aged; cākṣudraśīlā — and of noble, ungrudging character; ca — and; na — not; ca — and; tvāṃ — you; devagarhite — O lord, (she) reproaches (you) not

2.33.18

mayā vihīnāṃ varada prapannāṃ śokasāgaram
adṛṣṭapūrvavyasanāṃ bhūyaḥ saṃmantum arhasi

Bereft of me, O granter of boons, plunged into an ocean of grief and having never known calamity before—her you ought all the more to console.

Words: mayā — by me, of me; vihīnāṃ — bereft, deprived (her); varada — O granter of boons; prapannāṃ — fallen into, plunged (her); śokasāgaram — ocean of grief; adṛṣṭapūrvavyasanāṃ — who has never before known calamity; bhūyaḥ — the more, further; saṃmantum — to console, treat with regard; arhasi — you ought

2.33.19

imāṃ mahendropamajātagarbhiṇīṃ tathā vidhātuṃ janamīṃ mamārhasi
yathā vanasthe mayi śokakarśitā na jīvitaṃ nyasya yamakṣayaṃ vrajet

You ought so to care for this my mother, who bore a son like great Indra, that, worn away by grief while I dwell in the forest, she may not lay down her life and pass to the realm of Yama.

Words: imāṃ — this, her; mahendropamajātagarbhiṇīṃ — who bore an offspring like great Indra; tathā — so, in such a way; vidhātuṃ — to treat, provide for; janamīṃ — mother; mamārhasi — you ought (for) my (mother); yathā — so that; vanasthe — when (I am) in the forest; mayi — in me, regarding me; śokakarśitā — emaciated by grief; na — not; jīvitaṃ — life; nyasya — having laid down, given up; yamakṣayaṃ — to the abode of Yama; vrajet — should go, pass

← 2.32 Kaikeyī opposes Rāma’s escort · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.34 Farewell to the Queens →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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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