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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 50: The Citrakūṭa hut and its rites

Summary. Lakṣmaṇa builds and roasts a black antelope, Rāma bathes and makes a protective offering before they enter

Sequence

  1. At dawn Rāma wakes Lakṣmaṇa, and the three resume the route Bharadvāja described (2.50.1–4)
  2. as the cold season ends, Rāma points out flowering trees and branches heavy with fruit to Sītā (2.50.5–7)
  3. he notices large honeycombs, birds calling to one another, and the mountain's animal life (2.50.8–10)
  4. reaching Citrakūṭa, he chooses to stay and asks Lakṣmaṇa to build a hut (2.50.11–13)
  5. Lakṣmaṇa gathers timber and constructs a shelter roofed with leaves → at Rāma's request, he also hunts a black antelope for vāstu-related rites for entering their new dwelling (2.50.14–16)
  6. once the meat is cooked, Rāma bathes and performs the protective offering (2.50.17–19)
  7. they enter the sheltered hut and settle into the forest → amid Citrakūṭa and the river Mālyavatī, Rāma finds relief from the sorrow of exile. (2.50.20–22)

Verses 2.50.1–22

2.50.1

atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyām avasuptam anantaram
prabodhayām āsa śanair lakṣmaṇaṃ raghunandanaḥ

When the night had passed, the delight of the Raghus gently awakened Lakṣmaṇa, who was sleeping right beside him.

Words: atha — now, then; rātryāṃ — the night; vyatītāyām — when passed (loc. abs.); avasuptam — sleeping; anantaram — right beside, next to; prabodhayām āsa — awakened, roused; śanair — gently, softly; lakṣmaṇaṃ — Lakṣmaṇa; raghunandanaḥ — delight of the Raghus

2.50.2

saumitre śṛṇu vanyānāṃ valgu vyāharatāṃ svanam
saṃpratiṣṭhāmahe kālaḥ prasthānasya paraṃtapa

'Saumitri, hear the sweet sound of the forest creatures as they call; let us set forth—it is time to depart, O scorcher of foes.'

Words: saumitre — O Saumitri; śṛṇu — hear, listen; vanyānāṃ — of the forest creatures; valgu — sweet, pleasing; vyāharatāṃ — of (them) calling, uttering; svanam — sound; saṃpratiṣṭhāmahe — let us set forth; kālaḥ — the time; prasthānasya — of departure; paraṃtapa — O scorcher of foes

2.50.3

sa suptaḥ samaye bhrātrā lakṣmaṇaḥ pratibodhitaḥ
jahau nidrāṃ ca tandrīṃ ca prasaktaṃ ca pathi śramam

Lakṣmaṇa, asleep, was roused at that moment by his brother, and cast off sleep, drowsiness, and the fatigue that clung to him from the journey.

Words: sa — he; suptaḥ — asleep; samaye — at the (right) moment; bhrātrā — by his brother; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; pratibodhitaḥ — awakened, roused; jahau — cast off, abandoned; nidrāṃ — sleep; ca — and; tandrīṃ — drowsiness, lassitude; ca — and; prasaktaṃ — clinging, persistent; ca — and; pathi — on the path; śramam — fatigue, weariness

2.50.4

tata utthāya te sarve spṛṣṭvā nadyāḥ śivaṃ jalam
panthānam ṛṣiṇoddiṣṭaṃ citrakūṭasya taṃ yayuḥ

Then they all rose, touched the auspicious water of the river, and took that path to Citrakūṭa which the sage had pointed out.

Words: tata — then; utthāya — having risen; te — they; sarve — all; spṛṣṭvā — having touched; nadyāḥ — of the river; śivaṃ — auspicious; jalam — water; panthānam — the path; ṛṣiṇoddiṣṭaṃ — pointed out by the sage; citrakūṭasya — to Citrakūṭa; taṃ — that; yayuḥ — went

2.50.5

tataḥ saṃprasthitaḥ kāle rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha
sītāṃ kamalapatrākṣīm idaṃ vacanam abravīt

Then Rāma, having set out at the right time together with Saumitri, spoke these words to Sītā, whose eyes were like lotus petals:

Words: tataḥ — then; saṃprasthitaḥ — having set out; kāle — at the (right) time; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saumitriṇā saha — together with Saumitri; sītāṃ — to Sītā; kamalapatrākṣīm — lotus-petal-eyed; idaṃ — this; vacanam — word; abravīt — spoke

2.50.6

ādīptān iva vaidehi sarvataḥ puṣpitān nagān
svaiḥ puṣpaiḥ kiṃśukān paśya mālinaḥ śiśirātyaye

'O Vaidehī, behold the kiṃśuka trees, blossoming on every side as if ablaze, garlanded with their own flowers now that the cold season is ending.'

Words: ādīptān — blazing, ablaze; iva — as if; vaidehi — O Vaidehī; sarvataḥ — on all sides; puṣpitān — blossoming, in flower; nagān — trees; svaiḥ — with their own; puṣpaiḥ — flowers; kiṃśukān — the kiṃśuka trees; paśya — behold; mālinaḥ — garlanded, wreathed; śiśirātyaye — at the close of the cool season

2.50.7

paśya bhallātakān phullān narair anupasevitān
phalapatrair avanatān nūnaṃ śakṣyāmi jīvitum

'Behold the bhallātaka trees in full bloom, untended by men, bowed low with fruit and leaves; surely I shall be able to live here.'

Words: paśya — behold; bhallātakān — the bhallātaka (marking-nut) trees; phullān — in full bloom, blossomed; narair — by men; anupasevitān — untended, unfrequented; phalapatrair — with fruit and leaves; avanatān — bowed down, bent low; nūnaṃ — surely; śakṣyāmi — I shall be able; jīvitum — to live

2.50.8

paśya droṇapramāṇāni lambamānāni lakṣmaṇa
madhūni madhukārībhiḥ saṃbhṛtāni nage nage

'Look, Lakṣmaṇa, at the honeycombs the size of a droṇa, hanging on tree after tree, gathered by the honey-making bees.'

Words: paśya — behold; droṇapramāṇāni — of the measure of a droṇa; lambamānāni — hanging; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; madhūni — the honeycombs, masses of honey; madhukārībhiḥ — by the honey-makers (bees); saṃbhṛtāni — gathered, stored up; nage nage — on tree after tree

2.50.9

eṣa krośati natyūhas taṃ śikhī pratikūjati
ramaṇīye vanoddeśe puṣpasaṃstarasaṃkaṭe

'Here a gallinule cries out, and the peacock calls back to it, in this delightful stretch of forest thick with a carpet of flowers.'

Words: eṣa — here (this one); krośati — cries out; natyūhas — the gallinule (a water-bird); taṃ — to it; śikhī — the peacock; pratikūjati — calls back, answers; ramaṇīye — delightful; vanoddeśe — in the stretch of forest; puṣpasaṃstarasaṃkaṭe — thick with a carpet of flowers

2.50.10

mātaṃgayūthānusṛtaṃ pakṣisaṃghānunāditam
citrakūṭam imaṃ paśya pravṛddhaśikharaṃ girim

'Behold this mountain Citrakūṭa, its peaks towering high, roamed by herds of elephants and resounding with flocks of birds.'

Words: mātaṃgayūthānusṛtaṃ — roamed by herds of elephants; pakṣisaṃghānunāditam — resounding with flocks of birds; citrakūṭam — Citrakūṭa; imaṃ — this; paśya — behold; pravṛddhaśikharaṃ — with towering peaks; girim — mountain

2.50.11

tatas tau pādacāreṇa gacchantau saha sītayā
ramyam āsedatuḥ śailaṃ citrakūṭaṃ manoramam

Then the two, going on foot together with Sītā, reached the lovely, delightful mountain Citrakūṭa.

Words: tatas — then; tau — the two; pādacāreṇa — on foot; gacchantau — going; saha sītayā — together with Sītā; ramyam — lovely; āsedatuḥ — the two reached; śailaṃ — mountain; citrakūṭaṃ — Citrakūṭa; manoramam — delightful

2.50.12

taṃ tu parvatam āsādya nānāpakṣigaṇāyutam
ayaṃ vāso bhavet tāvad atra saumya ramemahi

Reaching that mountain teeming with flocks of various birds, (Rāma said): 'Let this be our dwelling for now; here, gentle one, let us take our delight.'

Words: taṃ — that; tu — and, now; parvatam — mountain; āsādya — having reached; nānāpakṣigaṇāyutam — teeming with flocks of various birds; ayaṃ — this; vāso — dwelling; bhavet — let it be; tāvad — for now, then; atra — here; saumya — O gentle one; ramemahi — let us take delight

2.50.13

lakṣmaṇānaya dārūṇi dṛḍhāni ca varāṇi ca
kuruṣvāvasathaṃ saumya vāse me 'bhirataṃ manaḥ

'Lakṣmaṇa, bring stout and choice pieces of wood and build a dwelling, gentle one; my mind is set on living here.'

Words: lakṣmaṇānaya — Lakṣmaṇa, bring; dārūṇi — pieces of wood, timber; dṛḍhāni — firm, stout; ca — and; varāṇi — choice, excellent; ca — and; kuruṣvāvasathaṃ — build a dwelling; saumya — O gentle one; vāse — on dwelling (here); me — my; 'bhirataṃ — delighting, set upon; manaḥ — mind

2.50.14

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā saumitrir vividhān drumān
ājahāra tataś cakre parṇa śālām ariṃ dama

Hearing that word of his, Saumitri fetched various trees and then built a leaf-hut, O tamer of foes.

Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — that word; śrutvā — having heard; saumitrir — Saumitri; vividhān — various; drumān — trees; ājahāra — fetched, brought; tataś — then; cakre — made; parṇa śālām — a leaf-hut; ariṃ dama — O tamer of foes

2.50.15

śuśrūṣamāṇam ekāgram idaṃ vacanam abravīt
aiṇeyaṃ māṃsam āhṛtya śālāṃ yakṣyāmahe vayam

To (Lakṣmaṇa), attentive and single-minded, he spoke these words: 'Let us fetch antelope-flesh and consecrate the hut.'

Words: śuśrūṣamāṇam — to (him) attentive, eager to serve; ekāgram — single-minded, intent; idaṃ — this; vacanam — word; abravīt — spoke; aiṇeyaṃ — of the antelope; māṃsam — flesh, meat; āhṛtya — having fetched, brought; śālāṃ — the hut; yakṣyāmahe — we shall consecrate with an offering; vayam — we

2.50.16

sa lakṣmaṇaḥ kṛṣṇamṛgaṃ hatvā medhyaṃ patāpavān
atha cikṣepa saumitriḥ samiddhe jātavedasi

That mighty Lakṣmaṇa, having killed a pure black antelope, then—Saumitri—cast it onto the blazing fire.

Words: sa — he; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; kṛṣṇamṛgaṃ — a black antelope; hatvā — having killed; medhyaṃ — pure, fit for sacrifice; patāpavān — the mighty one (=pratāpavān); atha — then; cikṣepa — cast, threw; saumitriḥ — Saumitri; samiddhe — kindled, blazing; jātavedasi — on the fire (Jātavedas, Agni)

2.50.17

taṃ tu pakvaṃ samājñāya niṣṭaptaṃ chinnaśoṇitam
lakṣmaṇaḥ puruṣavyāghram atha rāghavam abravīt

When he perceived it cooked through, thoroughly roasted, its blood drained away, Lakṣmaṇa then said to Rāghava, the tiger among men:

Words: taṃ — it; tu — and, now; pakvaṃ — cooked, done; samājñāya — having ascertained, perceived; niṣṭaptaṃ — thoroughly roasted, well-heated; chinnaśoṇitam — with its blood drained; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; puruṣavyāghram — the tiger among men; atha — then; rāghavam — to Rāghava; abravīt — spoke

2.50.18

ayaṃ kṛṣṇaḥ samāptāṅgaḥ śṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa mṛgo yathā
devatā devasaṃkāśa yajasva kuśalo hy asi

'This black antelope, with its limbs entire, is cooked just as a black buck should be; O god-like one, worship the deities, for you are skilled in this.'

Words: ayaṃ — this; kṛṣṇaḥ — black (antelope); samāptāṅgaḥ — with limbs complete; śṛtaḥ — cooked, boiled; kṛṣṇa mṛgo — the black antelope; yathā — just as, as befits; devatā — the deities; devasaṃkāśa — O you resembling a god; yajasva — worship, make offering; kuśalo — skilled; hy asi — for you are

2.50.19

rāmaḥ snātvā tu niyato guṇavāñ japyakovidaḥ
pāpasaṃśamanaṃ rāmaś cakāra balim uttamam

Rāma—virtuous, self-restrained, and skilled in muttered prayer—having bathed, performed an excellent offering to allay all evil.

Words: rāmaḥ — Rāma; snātvā — having bathed; tu — and; niyato — self-restrained; guṇavāñ — virtuous; japyakovidaḥ — skilled in muttered prayer; pāpasaṃśamanaṃ — allaying evil; rāmaś — Rāma; cakāra — performed, made; balim — offering, oblation; uttamam — excellent, supreme

2.50.20

tāṃ vṛkṣaparṇac chadanāṃ manojñāṃ yathāpradeśaṃ sukṛtāṃ nivātām
vāsāya sarve viviśuḥ sametāḥ sabhāṃ yathā deva gaṇāḥ sudharmām

That charming hut, thatched with tree-leaves, well-built to plan and sheltered from the wind—all of them together entered it to dwell, as the hosts of gods enter the hall Sudharmā.

Words: tāṃ — that; vṛkṣaparṇac chadanāṃ — thatched with tree-leaves; manojñāṃ — charming, pleasing; yathāpradeśaṃ — according to plan / to the site; sukṛtāṃ — well-made; nivātām — sheltered from wind, windless; vāsāya — for dwelling; sarve — all; viviśuḥ — entered; sametāḥ — assembled, together; sabhāṃ — the hall, assembly; yathā — as; deva gaṇāḥ — the hosts of gods; sudharmām — Sudharmā (the gods' assembly-hall)

2.50.21

anekanānāmṛgapakṣisaṃkule vicitrapuṣpastabalair drumair yute
vanottame vyālamṛgānunādite tathā vijahruḥ susukhaṃ jitendriyāḥ

In that finest of forests—crowded with many and various beasts and birds, set with trees bearing variegated flower-clusters, and echoing with beasts of prey—they too, their senses subdued, sported in great comfort.

Words: anekanānāmṛgapakṣisaṃkule — crowded with many and various beasts and birds; vicitrapuṣpastabalair — with variegated flower-clusters; drumair — with trees; yute — furnished, joined; vanottame — in the finest forest; vyālamṛgānunādite — echoing with beasts of prey; tathā — likewise, so; vijahruḥ — they sported, disported; susukhaṃ — very comfortably; jitendriyāḥ — with senses subdued

2.50.22

suramyam āsādya tu citrakūṭaṃ nadīṃ ca tāṃ mālyavatīṃ sutīrthām
nananda hṛṣṭo mṛgapakṣijuṣṭāṃ jahau ca duḥkhaṃ puravipravāsāt

Having reached the delightful Citrakūṭa and that river Mālyavatī with its fair fords, haunted by beasts and birds, Rāma rejoiced with a glad heart and cast off the sorrow of his exile from the city.

Words: suramyam — very delightful; āsādya — having reached; tu — and; citrakūṭaṃ — Citrakūṭa; nadīṃ — river; ca — and; tāṃ — that; mālyavatīṃ — the Mālyavatī; sutīrthām — with fair fords; nananda — rejoiced; hṛṣṭo — delighted, glad; mṛgapakṣijuṣṭāṃ — haunted by beasts and birds; jahau — cast off, abandoned; ca — and; duḥkhaṃ — sorrow; puravipravāsāt — from exile from the city

← 2.49 The raft across the Yamunā · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.51 Sumantra returns to Ayodhyā →

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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