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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 57: Lakṣmaṇa explains his departure
Summary. He recounts Sītā’s accusations after the false cry, Rāma insists that her harsh words should not have overridden his order
Sequence
- The account returns to the brothers' conversation on the path: Rāma asks why Lakṣmaṇa abandoned the responsibility entrusted to him (3.57.1–4)
- Lakṣmaṇa says he did not leave willingly (3.57.5–6)
- he recounts how the cry in Rāma's voice frightened Sītā and how he tried to reassure her that no enemy could overcome Rāma (3.57.7–13)
- she accused him of desiring her, conspiring with Bharata, and waiting for an opportunity against Rāma → angered by those accusations, he left the hermitage (3.57.14–18)
- Rāma says that even harsh words should not have made him disregard the order to protect her, particularly when he knew Rāma could defend himself (3.57.19–22)
- he confirms that the deer was a rākṣasa who revealed his real form and imitated his voice while dying. (3.57.23–25)
Verses 3.57.1–25
3.57.1
athāśramād upāvṛttam antarā raghunandanaḥ
paripapraccha saumitriṃ rāmo duḥkhārditaḥ punaḥ
Then Rāma, the delight of Raghu, afflicted with grief, on the way questioned Saumitri again, who had turned back from the hermitage.
Words: athāśramād — then, from the hermitage; upāvṛttam — (who had) turned back; antarā — on the way, midway; raghunandanaḥ — the delight of Raghu (Rāma); paripapraccha — questioned, asked; saumitriṃ — Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa); rāmo — Rāma; duḥkhārditaḥ — afflicted with grief; punaḥ — again
3.57.2
tam uvāca kimarthaṃ tvam āgato 'pāsya maithilīm
yadā sā tava viśvāsād vane viharitā mayā
He said to him: For what reason have you come, abandoning Maithilī, when she was left by me in the forest through trust in you?
Words: tam — to him; uvāca — said; kimarthaṃ — for what reason; tvam — you; āgato — have come; 'pāsya — having abandoned; maithilīm — Maithilī (Sītā); yadā — when; sā — she; tava — in you, your; viśvāsād — through trust; vane — in the forest; viharitā — was left, entrusted; mayā — by me
3.57.3
dṛṣṭvaivābhyāgataṃ tvāṃ me maithilīṃ tyajya lakṣmaṇa
śaṅkamānaṃ mahat pāpaṃ yat satyaṃ vyathitaṃ manaḥ
O Lakṣmaṇa, the moment I saw you come to me having left Maithilī, my mind, suspecting some great calamity, was truly agitated.
Words: dṛṣṭvaivābhyāgataṃ — the moment I saw (you) arrive; tvāṃ — you; me — to me; maithilīṃ — Maithilī; tyajya — having left; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; śaṅkamānaṃ — suspecting; mahat — great; pāpaṃ — calamity, evil; yat — which, indeed; satyaṃ — truly; vyathitaṃ — agitated, distressed; manaḥ — mind
3.57.4
sphurate nayanaṃ savyaṃ bāhuś ca hṛdayaṃ ca me
dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇa dūre tvāṃ sītāvirahitaṃ pathi
My left eye throbs, and my arm and my heart, O Lakṣmaṇa, on seeing you at a distance on the path, bereft of Sītā.
Words: sphurate — throbs, quivers; nayanaṃ — eye; savyaṃ — left; bāhuś — arm; ca — and; hṛdayaṃ — heart; ca — and; me — my; dṛṣṭvā — on seeing; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; dūre — at a distance; tvāṃ — you; sītāvirahitaṃ — bereft of Sītā; pathi — on the path
3.57.5
evam uktas tu saumitrir lakṣmaṇaḥ śubhalakṣaṇaḥ
bhūyo duḥkhasamāviṣṭo duḥkhitaṃ rāmam abravīt
Thus addressed, Saumitri Lakṣmaṇa of auspicious marks, again overcome with grief, spoke to the grieving Rāma.
Words: evam — thus; uktas — addressed; tu — and, but; saumitrir — Saumitri; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; śubhalakṣaṇaḥ — of auspicious marks; bhūyo — again; duḥkhasamāviṣṭo — overcome with grief; duḥkhitaṃ — grieving; rāmam — Rāma; abravīt — spoke
3.57.6
na svayaṃ kāmakāreṇa tāṃ tyaktvāham ihāgataḥ
pracoditas tayaivograis tvatsakāśam ihāgataḥ
Not of my own free will did I abandon her and come here; urged on by her with fierce words, I came here to your presence.
Words: na — not; svayaṃ — of my own accord; kāmakāreṇa — by free will, willfully; tāṃ — her; tyaktvāham — having abandoned, I; ihāgataḥ — came here; pracoditas — urged on; tayaivograis — by her with fierce (words); tvatsakāśam — to your presence; ihāgataḥ — came here
3.57.7
āryeṇeva parikruṣṭaṃ hā sīte lakṣmaṇeti ca
paritrāhīti yad vākyaṃ maithilyās tac chrutiṃ gatam
The cry that seemed uttered by the noble one—'Ah Sītā! O Lakṣmaṇa! Save me!'—that utterance reached Maithilī's hearing.
Words: āryeṇeva — as if by the noble one (Ārya, Rāma); parikruṣṭaṃ — cried out, wailed; hā — ah, alas; sīte — O Sītā; lakṣmaṇeti — '(O) Lakṣmaṇa,' thus; ca — and; paritrāhīti — 'save (me),' thus; yad — which; vākyaṃ — utterance; maithilyās — of Maithilī; tac — that; chrutiṃ — hearing; gatam — reached, went to
3.57.8
sā tam ārtasvaraṃ śrutvā tava snehena maithilī
gaccha gaccheti mām āha rudantī bhayavihvalā
Hearing that anguished cry, Maithilī, out of love for you, weeping and overcome with fear, said to me, 'Go, go!'
Words: sā — she; tam — that; ārtasvaraṃ — anguished cry; śrutvā — having heard; tava — for you, your; snehena — out of love; maithilī — Maithilī; gaccha — go; gaccheti — 'go,' thus; mām — to me; āha — said; rudantī — weeping; bhayavihvalā — overcome with fear
3.57.9
pracodyamānena mayā gaccheti bahuśas tayā
pratyuktā maithilī vākyam idaṃ tvatpratyayānvitam
Being urged repeatedly by her with 'go,' Maithilī was answered by me with this word, full of trust in you:
Words: pracodyamānena — being urged; mayā — by me; gaccheti — 'go,' thus; bahuśas — repeatedly; tayā — by her; pratyuktā — was answered, replied to; maithilī — Maithilī; vākyam — word; idaṃ — this; tvatpratyayānvitam — full of trust in you
3.57.10
na tat paśyāmy ahaṃ rakṣo yad asya bhayam āvahet
nirvṛtā bhava nāsty etat kenāpy evam udāhṛtam
I see no rākṣasa here that could bring him danger; be at ease—there is nothing to it; this was uttered thus by some (deceiver).
Words: na — not; tat — that; paśyāmy — I see; ahaṃ — I; rakṣo — rākṣasa; yad — which; asya — to him; bhayam — danger, fear; āvahet — could bring; nirvṛtā — at ease, content; bhava — be; nāsty — there is not; etat — this; kenāpy — by someone; evam — thus; udāhṛtam — was uttered
3.57.11
vigarhitaṃ ca nīcaṃ ca katham āryo 'bhidhāsyati
trāhīti vacanaṃ sīte yas trāyet tridaśān api
O Sītā, how would the noble one—he who could rescue even the gods—utter so despicable and base a word as 'save me!'?
Words: vigarhitaṃ — despicable, reproachable; ca — and; nīcaṃ — base, low; ca — and; katham — how; āryo — the noble one; 'bhidhāsyati — would utter; trāhīti — 'save (me),' thus; vacanaṃ — word; sīte — O Sītā; yas — who; trāyet — could rescue; tridaśān — the gods (the thirty); api — even
3.57.12
kiṃnimittaṃ tu kenāpi bhrātur ālambya me svaram
visvaraṃ vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ lakṣmaṇa trāhi mām iti
na bhavatyā vyathā kāryā kunārījanasevitā
For what reason, and by whom, taking on my brother's voice, was this word uttered in a distorted tone—'Lakṣmaṇa, save me!'? You should not indulge the distress that base women resort to.
Words: kiṃnimittaṃ — for what reason; tu — but, indeed; kenāpi — by someone; bhrātur — of (my) brother; ālambya — having taken up, imitated; me — my; svaram — voice; visvaraṃ — in a distorted voice; vyāhṛtaṃ — was uttered; vākyaṃ — word; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; trāhi — save; mām — me; iti — thus; na — not; bhavatyā — by you (respectful); vyathā — distress; kāryā — should be made, indulged; kunārījanasevitā — resorted to by base women
3.57.13
alaṃ vaiklavyam ālambya svasthā bhava nirutsukā
na cāsti triṣu lokeṣu pumān yo rāghavaṃ raṇe
jāto vā jāyamāno vā saṃyuge yaḥ parājayet
Enough of giving way to agitation—be composed and free of anxiety; there is no man in the three worlds, born or yet to be born, who could defeat Rāghava in battle.
Words: alaṃ — enough; vaiklavyam — agitation, distress; ālambya — giving way to, resorting to; svasthā — composed, self-possessed; bhava — be; nirutsukā — free of anxiety; na — not; cāsti — and there is; triṣu — in the three; lokeṣu — worlds; pumān — man; yo — who; rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; raṇe — in battle; jāto — born; vā — or; jāyamāno — being born, yet to be born; vā — or; saṃyuge — in combat; yaḥ — who; parājayet — could defeat
3.57.14
evam uktā tu vaidehī parimohitacetanā
uvācāśrūṇi muñcantī dāruṇaṃ mām idaṃ vacaḥ
Thus addressed, Vaidehī, her mind utterly bewildered, shedding tears, spoke to me this harsh word.
Words: evam — thus; uktā — addressed; tu — but; vaidehī — Vaidehī; parimohitacetanā — her mind utterly bewildered; uvācāśrūṇi — spoke, (shedding) tears; muñcantī — shedding; dāruṇaṃ — harsh; mām — to me; idaṃ — this; vacaḥ — word
3.57.15
bhāvo mayi tavātyarthaṃ pāpa eva niveśitaḥ
vinaṣṭe bhrātari prāpte na ca tvaṃ mām avāpsyasi
Your feeling toward me has been set exceedingly wicked; even when your brother is dead and gone, you shall not obtain me.
Words: bhāvo — feeling, intention; mayi — toward me; tavātyarthaṃ — your... exceedingly; pāpa — wicked, evil; eva — indeed; niveśitaḥ — has been set, fixed; vinaṣṭe — (when) destroyed, dead; bhrātari — (your) brother; prāpte — having come to pass; na — not; ca — and; tvaṃ — you; mām — me; avāpsyasi — shall obtain
3.57.16
saṃketād bharatena tvaṃ rāmaṃ samanugacchasi
krośantaṃ hi yathātyarthaṃ nainam abhyavapadyase
By a secret pact with Bharata you follow Rāma; for though he cries out so exceedingly, you do not go to his aid.
Words: saṃketād — by a secret pact; bharatena — with Bharata; tvaṃ — you; rāmaṃ — Rāma; samanugacchasi — you follow, accompany; krośantaṃ — crying out; hi — for, indeed; yathātyarthaṃ — so exceedingly; nainam — not him; abhyavapadyase — you come to (his) aid
3.57.17
ripuḥ pracchannacārī tvaṃ madartham anugacchasi
rāghavasyāntaraprepsus tathainaṃ nābhipadyase
You are an enemy moving in disguise, following us for my sake; seeking a chance against Rāghava, you thus do not go to his aid.
Words: ripuḥ — enemy; pracchannacārī — moving in disguise; tvaṃ — you; madartham — for my sake; anugacchasi — you follow; rāghavasyāntaraprepsus — seeking a weakness in Rāghava; tathainaṃ — thus him; nābhipadyase — you do not go to (his aid)
3.57.18
evam ukto hi vaidehyā saṃrabdho raktalocanaḥ
krodhāt prasphuramāṇauṣṭha āśramād abhinirgataḥ
Thus addressed by Vaidehī, enraged and red-eyed, my lips quivering with anger, I went forth from the hermitage.
Words: evam — thus; ukto — addressed; hi — indeed; vaidehyā — by Vaidehī; saṃrabdho — enraged, agitated; raktalocanaḥ — red-eyed; krodhāt — with anger; prasphuramāṇauṣṭha — (my) lips quivering; āśramād — from the hermitage; abhinirgataḥ — went forth
3.57.19
evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ saumitriṃ rāmaḥ saṃtāpamohitaḥ
abravīd duṣkṛtaṃ saumya tāṃ vinā yat tvam āgataḥ
To Saumitri speaking thus, Rāma, bewildered by anguish, said: 'You have done wrong, gentle one, in that you came without her.'
Words: evaṃ — thus; bruvāṇaṃ — speaking; saumitriṃ — to Saumitri; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃtāpamohitaḥ — bewildered by anguish; abravīd — said; duṣkṛtaṃ — wrongdoing, a wrong; saumya — O gentle one; tāṃ — her; vinā — without; yat — in that; tvam — you; āgataḥ — came
3.57.20
jānann api samarthaṃ māṃ rakṣasāṃ vinivāraṇe
anena krodhavākyena maithilyā niḥsṛto bhavān
Though you knew me capable of warding off the rākṣasas, you set out on account of this angry speech of Maithilī.
Words: jānann — though knowing; api — even, though; samarthaṃ — capable; māṃ — me; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; vinivāraṇe — in warding off; anena — by this; krodhavākyena — angry speech; maithilyā — of Maithilī; niḥsṛto — set out, departed; bhavān — you (respectful)
3.57.21
na hi te parituṣyāmi tyaktvā yad yāsi maithilīm
kruddhāyāḥ paruṣaṃ śrutvā striyā yat tvam ihāgataḥ
I am by no means pleased with you, in that you left Maithilī and came, in that you came here on hearing an angry woman's harsh words.
Words: na — not; hi — indeed, at all; te — with you; parituṣyāmi — I am pleased; tyaktvā — having abandoned; yad — in that; yāsi — you go, come; maithilīm — Maithilī; kruddhāyāḥ — of an angry (woman); paruṣaṃ — harsh (words); śrutvā — having heard; striyā — of a woman; yat — in that; tvam — you; ihāgataḥ — came here
3.57.22
sarvathā tv apanītaṃ te sītayā yat pracoditaḥ
krodhasya vaśam āgamya nākaroḥ śāsanaṃ mama
In every way you have done amiss, in that, urged on by Sītā and falling under the sway of anger, you did not carry out my command.
Words: sarvathā — in every way; tv — but; apanītaṃ — done amiss, wrongly done; te — by you; sītayā — by Sītā; yat — in that; pracoditaḥ — urged on; krodhasya — of anger; vaśam — the sway, control; āgamya — having come under; nākaroḥ — you did not do; śāsanaṃ — command; mama — my
3.57.23
asau hi rākṣasaḥ śete śareṇābhihato mayā
mṛgarūpeṇa yenāham āśramād apavāditaḥ
For that rākṣasa lies dead, struck down by my arrow—he by whom, in the form of a deer, I was lured away from the hermitage.
Words: asau — that; hi — for, indeed; rākṣasaḥ — rākṣasa; śete — lies (dead); śareṇābhihato — struck down by an arrow; mayā — by me; mṛgarūpeṇa — in the form of a deer; yenāham — by whom I; āśramād — from the hermitage; apavāditaḥ — was lured away, enticed
3.57.24
vikṛṣya cāpaṃ paridhāya sāyakaṃ salīla bāṇena ca tāḍito mayā
mārgīṃ tanuṃ tyajya ca viklavasvaro babhūva keyūradharaḥ sa rākṣasaḥ
Having drawn my bow and fitted an arrow, and struck by me effortlessly with a shaft, that rākṣasa, casting off his deer-body and crying in a faltering voice, became a wearer of armlets (his true demon form).
Words: vikṛṣya — having drawn; cāpaṃ — bow; paridhāya — having fitted, fixed; sāyakaṃ — arrow; salīla — effortlessly, in sport; bāṇena — with a shaft, arrow; ca — and; tāḍito — struck; mayā — by me; mārgīṃ — deer's, of the antelope; tanuṃ — body, form; tyajya — casting off; ca — and; viklavasvaro — with a faltering voice; babhūva — became; keyūradharaḥ — a wearer of armlets; sa — that; rākṣasaḥ — rākṣasa
3.57.25
śarāhatenaiva tadārtayā girā svaraṃ mamālambya sudūrasaṃśravam
udāhṛtaṃ tad vacanaṃ sudāruṇaṃ tvam āgato yena vihāya maithilīm
Struck by the arrow, in an anguished voice, taking on my voice so as to be heard far off, he uttered that most terrible cry—on account of which you came, leaving Maithilī behind.
Words: śarāhatenaiva — by (him) struck with an arrow; tadārtayā — then, in an anguished (voice); girā — with voice, speech; svaraṃ — voice; mamālambya — having taken on my (voice); sudūrasaṃśravam — audible very far off; udāhṛtaṃ — was uttered; tad — that; vacanaṃ — word, cry; sudāruṇaṃ — most terrible; tvam — you; āgato — came; yena — on account of which; vihāya — leaving behind; maithilīm — Maithilī
← 3.56 Return to the empty hut · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.58 Rāma searches for Sītā →
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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