← 3.6 Sutīkṣṇa’s hospitality · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.8 Story of the tapasvin’s sword →

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 7: Departure from Sutīkṣṇa

Summary. Rāma obtains leave to visit other hermitages and promises to return, Sītā hands the brothers their weapons

Sequence

  1. At dawn Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa wake → Rāma and Sītā sip and rinse with cool, lotus-scented water → all three worship the fire and Suras (3.7.1–3)
  2. they thank Sutīkṣṇa for his hospitality and ask leave to visit the other Daṇḍaka hermitages with the munis accompanying them → they ask to leave while it is still cool enough to travel (3.7.4–9)
  3. Sutīkṣṇa raises and embraces the brothers and blesses their journey with Sītā (3.7.10–11)
  4. he describes the forests, peaceful animals, lotus ponds, and mountain cascades they will see, and asks them to return to his hermitage afterward (3.7.12–16)
  5. they agree and walk respectfully around him (3.7.17)
  6. Sītā hands the brothers their quivers, bows, and swords → they equip themselves and depart. (3.7.18–19)

Verses 3.7.1–19

3.7.1

rāmas tu sahasaumitriḥ sutīkṣṇenābhipūjitaḥ
pariṇamya niśāṃ tatra prabhāte pratyabudhyata

Rāma, together with Saumitri, honoured by Sutīkṣṇa, having passed the night there, awoke at dawn.

Words: rāmas — Rāma; tu — and; sahasaumitriḥ — together with Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa); sutīkṣṇenābhipūjitaḥ — honoured by Sutīkṣṇa; pariṇamya — having passed; niśāṃ — the night; tatra — there; prabhāte — at dawn; pratyabudhyata — awoke

3.7.2

utthāya tu yathākālaṃ rāghavaḥ saha sītayā
upāspṛśat suśītena jalenotpalagandhinā

Rising at the proper time, Rāghava together with Sītā sipped and rinsed with cool water fragrant of lotuses.

Words: utthāya — having risen; tu — and; yathākālaṃ — at the proper time; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; saha — with; sītayā — Sītā; upāspṛśat — touched (ritually sipped) water; suśītena — with cool; jalenotpalagandhinā — with water fragrant of lotuses

3.7.3

atha te 'gniṃ surāṃś caiva vaidehī rāmalakṣmaṇau
kālyaṃ vidhivad abhyarcya tapasviśaraṇe vane

Then Vaidehī and Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, in that forest that is the refuge of ascetics, duly worshipped the fire and the gods at dawn.

Words: atha — then; te — they; 'gniṃ — the fire; surāṃś caiva — and the gods; vaidehī — Vaidehī (Sītā); rāmalakṣmaṇau — Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; kālyaṃ — at dawn; vidhivad — duly, according to rule; abhyarcya — having worshipped; tapasviśaraṇe — in the refuge of ascetics; vane — in the forest

3.7.4

udayanntaṃ dinakaraṃ dṛṣṭvā vigatakalmaṣāḥ
sutīkṣṇam abhigamyedaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanam abruvan

Seeing the sun rising, free of all impurity, they approached Sutīkṣṇa and spoke these gentle words:

Words: udayanntaṃ — rising; dinakaraṃ — the sun (day-maker); dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vigatakalmaṣāḥ — free of impurity; sutīkṣṇam — Sutīkṣṇa; abhigamyedaṃ — having approached, this; ślakṣṇaṃ — gentle, smooth; vacanam — words; abruvan — spoke

3.7.5

sukhoṣitāḥ sma bhagavaṃs tvayā pūjyena pūjitāḥ
āpṛcchāmaḥ prayāsyāmo munayas tvarayanti naḥ

“We have dwelt happily, O lord, honoured by you who are worthy of worship; we take our leave and shall depart—the sages are urging us on.

Words: sukhoṣitāḥ — dwelt happily; sma — (perfect particle); bhagavaṃs — O lord, venerable one; tvayā — by you; pūjyena — worthy of worship; pūjitāḥ — honoured; āpṛcchāmaḥ — we take leave, ask permission; prayāsyāmo — we shall depart; munayas — the sages; tvarayanti — urge, hasten (us); naḥ — us

3.7.6

tvarāmahe vayaṃ draṣṭuṃ kṛtsnam āśramamaṇḍalam
ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyaśīlānāṃ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām

We are eager to see the whole circle of hermitages of the sages of holy conduct who dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest.

Words: tvarāmahe — we hasten, are eager; vayaṃ — we; draṣṭuṃ — to see; kṛtsnam — the whole, entire; āśramamaṇḍalam — circle of hermitages; ṛṣīṇāṃ — of the seers; puṇyaśīlānāṃ — of holy conduct; daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām — dwelling in the Daṇḍaka forest

3.7.7

abhyanujñātum icchāmaḥ sahaibhir munipuṅgavaiḥ
dharmanityais tapodāntair viśikhair iva pāvakaiḥ

We wish to be given leave, together with these bulls among sages—constant in dharma, subdued by austerity, like smokeless fires.

Words: abhyanujñātum — to be granted leave, dismissed; icchāmaḥ — we wish; sahaibhir — together with these; munipuṅgavaiḥ — bulls among sages; dharmanityais — constant in dharma; tapodāntair — subdued by austerity; viśikhair — smokeless (flameless); iva — like; pāvakaiḥ — fires

3.7.8

aviṣahyātapo yāvat sūryo nātivirājite
amārgeṇāgatāṃ lakṣmīṃ prāpyevānvayavarjitaḥ

While the sun, whose heat is unbearable, does not yet blaze too fiercely—like fortune gained by wrong means by a man devoid of good lineage—

Words: aviṣahyātapo — of unbearable heat; yāvat — as long as, while; sūryo — the sun; nātivirājite — does not yet blaze too much; amārgeṇāgatāṃ — come by a wrong path; lakṣmīṃ — fortune, prosperity; prāpyevānvayavarjitaḥ — like one devoid of lineage having obtained

3.7.9

tāvad icchāmahe gantum ity uktvā caraṇau muneḥ
vavande sahasaumitriḥ sītayā saha rāghavaḥ

so long do we wish to travel.” Having said this, Rāghava together with Saumitri and with Sītā saluted the feet of the sage.

Words: tāvad — so long, by then; icchāmahe — we wish; gantum — to go; ity uktvā — having said thus; caraṇau — the (two) feet; muneḥ — of the sage; vavande — saluted, bowed to; sahasaumitriḥ — together with Saumitri; sītayā saha — together with Sītā; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava

3.7.10

tau saṃspṛśantau caraṇāv utthāpya munipuṃgavaḥ
gāḍham āliṅgya sasneham idaṃ vacanam abravīt

As the two touched his feet, the bull among sages raised them up, embraced them warmly and affectionately, and spoke these words:

Words: tau — the two; saṃspṛśantau — touching; caraṇāv — the (two) feet; utthāpya — having raised up; munipuṃgavaḥ — the bull among sages; gāḍham — firmly, warmly; āliṅgya — having embraced; sasneham — affectionately; idaṃ vacanam — these words; abravīt — spoke

3.7.11

ariṣṭaṃ gaccha panthānaṃ rāma saumitriṇā saha
sītayā cānayā sārdhaṃ chāyayevānuvṛttayā

“Travel a safe road, O Rāma, together with Saumitri and with this Sītā, who follows you like your shadow.

Words: ariṣṭaṃ — safe, unharmed; gaccha — go, travel; panthānaṃ — the path, road; rāma — O Rāma; saumitriṇā saha — with Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa); sītayā — with Sītā; cānayā — and this; sārdhaṃ — together with; chāyayevānuvṛttayā — like a following shadow

3.7.12

paśyāśramapadaṃ ramyaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām
eṣāṃ tapasvināṃ vīra tapasā bhāvitātmanām

Behold, O hero, the lovely hermitage-region of these ascetics who dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest, their souls purified by austerity.

Words: paśyāśramapadaṃ — behold the hermitage-region; ramyaṃ — lovely, delightful; daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinām — of those dwelling in the Daṇḍaka forest; eṣāṃ — of these; tapasvināṃ — ascetics; vīra — O hero; tapasā — by austerity; bhāvitātmanām — of purified souls

3.7.13

suprājyaphalamūlāni puṣpitāni vanāni ca
praśāntamṛgayūthāni śāntapakṣigaṇāni ca

You will see forests rich in fruits and roots and in bloom, with peaceful herds of deer and calm flocks of birds,

Words: suprājyaphalamūlāni — having abundant fruits and roots; puṣpitāni — flowering, in bloom; vanāni ca — and forests; praśāntamṛgayūthāni — with peaceful herds of deer; śāntapakṣigaṇāni ca — and with calm flocks of birds

3.7.14

phullapaṅkajaṣaḍāni prasannasalilāni ca
kāraṇḍavavikīrṇāni taṭākāni sarāṃsi ca

and ponds and lakes with clusters of blooming lotuses and clear water, strewn with kāraṇḍava ducks,

Words: phullapaṅkajaṣaḍāni — with clusters of blooming lotuses; prasannasalilāni ca — and with clear water; kāraṇḍavavikīrṇāni — strewn with kāraṇḍava ducks; taṭākāni — ponds; sarāṃsi ca — and lakes

3.7.15

drakṣyase dṛṣṭiramyāṇi giriprasravaṇāni ca
ramaṇīyāny araṇyāni mayūrābhirutāni ca

mountain cascades pleasing to the eye, and delightful forests resounding with peacocks.

Words: drakṣyase — you will see; dṛṣṭiramyāṇi — pleasing to the eye; giriprasravaṇāni ca — and mountain cascades; ramaṇīyāny — delightful; araṇyāni — forests; mayūrābhirutāni ca — and resounding with peacocks

3.7.16

gamyatāṃ vatsa saumitre bhavān api ca gacchatu
āgantavyaṃ ca te dṛṣṭvā punar evāśramaṃ mama

Let us go, dear Saumitri; and let your honour go too. Having seen it, you must return again to this hermitage of mine.”

Words: gamyatāṃ — let (the way) be taken, go; vatsa — dear child; saumitre — O Saumitri; bhavān — your honour; api ca — and also; gacchatu — let (him) go; āgantavyaṃ ca — and (you) must return; te — by you; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; punar evāśramaṃ — again to the hermitage; mama — my

3.7.17

evam uktas tathety uktvā kākutsthaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ
pradakṣiṇaṃ muniṃ kṛtā prasthātum upacakrame

Addressed thus, Kākutstha with Lakṣmaṇa said “So be it,” and having circumambulated the sage, set about departing.

Words: evam uktas — thus addressed; tathety uktvā — having said 'so be it'; kākutsthaḥ — Kākutstha (Rāma); sahalakṣmaṇaḥ — with Lakṣmaṇa; pradakṣiṇaṃ — circumambulation (keeping to the right); muniṃ — the sage; kṛtā — having made; prasthātum — to set out; upacakrame — began, set about

3.7.18

tataḥ śubhatare tūṇī dhanuṣī cāyatekṣaṇā
dadau sītā tayor bhrātroḥ khaḍgau ca vimalau tataḥ

Then the long-eyed Sītā gave to the two brothers the two fine quivers and the two bows, and then the two spotless swords.

Words: tataḥ — then; śubhatare — the two very fine; tūṇī — the two quivers; dhanuṣī — the two bows; cāyatekṣaṇā — and the long-eyed one (Sītā); dadau — gave; sītā — Sītā; tayor bhrātroḥ — to those two brothers; khaḍgau ca — and the two swords; vimalau — spotless; tataḥ — then

3.7.19

ābadhya ca śubhe tūṇī cāpe cādāya sasvane
niṣkrāntāv āśramād gantum ubhau tau rāmalakṣmaṇau

Having fastened on the two fine quivers and taken up the twanging bows, both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa set out from the hermitage to travel.

Words: ābadhya ca — and having fastened on; śubhe — the two fine; tūṇī — quivers; cāpe — the two bows; cādāya — and having taken up; sasvane — twanging, resonant; niṣkrāntāv — the two went out; āśramād — from the hermitage; gantum — to go, travel; ubhau tau — both those; rāmalakṣmaṇau — Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa

← 3.6 Sutīkṣṇa’s hospitality · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.8 Story of the tapasvin’s sword →

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.

Plain text: /text/3/7.md · JSON: /data/3/7.json