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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 70: Śabarī’s welcome and ascent
Summary. She shows the seven seas gathered for her teachers’ bath, receives Rāma’s permission and enters fire to rejoin them
Sequence
- Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa follow Kabandha's westward route, passing fruit-laden trees and spending a night on a mountain ridge (3.70.1–3)
- on Pampā's western shore they reach the śramaṇī Śabarī’s hermitage (3.70.4–5)
- she rises, joins her palms, and bows at both brothers' feet (3.70.6)
- Rāma asks whether her austerities and observances prosper, whether she has mastered anger and appetite, and whether her service to her teachers has borne fruit (3.70.7–8)
- she explains that her teachers left for heaven when Rāma reached Citrakūṭa, instructing her to wait for his visit and receive him with Lakṣmaṇa before joining them (3.70.9–12)
- she says she has gathered a variety of forest produce from Pampā's shores for him (3.70.13)
- Rāma recalls Kabandha's description of the hermitage's spiritual power and asks to see it. (3.70.14–15)
- Śabarī shows them Mataṅga's Wood, the sacred ford, and the places where her teachers worshipped (3.70.16–19)
- she points out altars that still shine through their tapas (3.70.20)
- she explains that the seven seas gathered there when the weakened, fasting munis wished to bathe but could not travel → their wet bark garments still hang on the trees without drying (3.70.21–22)
- having shown the brothers the hermitage, she asks Rāma's permission to leave her body and rejoin her teachers (3.70.23–24)
- Rāma, with Lakṣmaṇa beside him, gladly gives her leave (3.70.25)
- she enters the sacrificial fire and, through her spiritual discipline, reaches the blessed realm of those maharṣis. (3.70.26–27)
Verses 3.70.1–27
3.70.1
tau kabandhena taṃ mārgaṃ pampāyā darśitaṃ vane
ātasthatur diśaṃ gṛhya pratīcīṃ nṛvarātmajau
Those two sons of the best of men, taking the western direction, set out along that path to Pampā shown by Kabandha in the forest.
Words: tau — the two; kabandhena — by Kabandha; taṃ — that; mārgaṃ — path, road; pampāyā — to Pampā; darśitaṃ — shown, pointed out; vane — in the forest; ātasthatur — the two set out upon; diśaṃ — direction; gṛhya — having taken; pratīcīṃ — western; nṛvarātmajau — the two sons of the best of men
3.70.2
tau śaileṣv ācitānekān kṣaudrakalpaphaladrumān
vīkṣantau jagmatur draṣṭuṃ sugrīvaṃ rāmalakṣmaṇau
Gazing at the many trees on the mountains laden with fruit sweet as honey, those two, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, went on to see Sugrīva.
Words: tau — the two; śaileṣv — on the mountains; ācitānekān — the many laden (trees); kṣaudrakalpaphaladrumān — trees with fruit like honey; vīkṣantau — gazing (both); jagmatur — the two went; draṣṭuṃ — to see; sugrīvaṃ — Sugrīva; rāmalakṣmaṇau — Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
3.70.3
kṛtvā ca śailapṛṣṭhe tu tau vāsaṃ raghunandanau
pampāyāḥ paścimaṃ tīraṃ rāghavāv upatasthatuḥ
And having made their lodging on the mountain-ridge, those two joys of the Raghus, the two Rāghavas, came to the western shore of Pampā.
Words: kṛtvā — having made; ca — and; śailapṛṣṭhe — on the mountain-ridge; tu — and, but; tau — the two; vāsaṃ — lodging, dwelling; raghunandanau — the two joys of Raghu; pampāyāḥ — of Pampā; paścimaṃ — western; tīraṃ — shore, bank; rāghavāv — the two Rāghavas; upatasthatuḥ — the two approached, came to
3.70.4
tau puṣkariṇyāḥ pampāyās tīram āsādya paścimam
apaśyatāṃ tatas tatra śabaryā ramyam āśramam
The two, reaching the western shore of the lotus-pond Pampā, then saw there the lovely hermitage of Śabarī.
Words: tau — the two; puṣkariṇyāḥ — of the lotus-pond; pampāyās — of Pampā; tīram — shore; āsādya — having reached; paścimam — western; apaśyatāṃ — the two saw; tatas — then; tatra — there; śabaryā — of Śabarī; ramyam — lovely, delightful; āśramam — hermitage
3.70.5
tau tam āśramam āsādya drumair bahubhir āvṛtam
suramyam abhivīkṣantau śabarīm abhyupeyatuḥ
Reaching that hermitage, ringed by many trees and most lovely, and gazing upon it, the two approached Śabarī.
Words: tau — the two; tam — that; āśramam — hermitage; āsādya — having reached; drumair — with trees; bahubhir — many; āvṛtam — surrounded, ringed; suramyam — most lovely; abhivīkṣantau — gazing upon (both); śabarīm — Śabarī; abhyupeyatuḥ — the two approached
3.70.6
tau tu dṛṣṭvā tadā siddhā samutthāya kṛtāñjaliḥ
pādau jagrāha rāmasya lakṣmaṇasya ca dhīmataḥ
Then that perfected woman, seeing the two, rose up with palms joined and clasped the feet of Rāma and of wise Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: tau — the two; tu — then, and; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; tadā — then; siddhā — the perfected one (f.); samutthāya — having risen up; kṛtāñjaliḥ — with palms joined; pādau — the two feet; jagrāha — clasped, took hold of; rāmasya — of Rāma; lakṣmaṇasya — of Lakṣmaṇa; ca — and; dhīmataḥ — of the wise one
3.70.7
tām uvāca tato rāmaḥ śramaṇīṃ saṃśitavratām
kaccit te nirjitā vighnāḥ kaccit te vardhate tapaḥ
Then Rāma said to that ascetic woman of firm vows: 'Have your obstacles been overcome? Does your austerity flourish?'
Words: tām — her; uvāca — said; tato — then; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śramaṇīṃ — the female ascetic; saṃśitavratām — of firm vows; kaccit — surely? (interrogative); te — your; nirjitā — conquered, overcome; vighnāḥ — obstacles; kaccit — surely?; te — your; vardhate — grows, flourishes; tapaḥ — austerity
3.70.8
kaccit te niyataḥ kopa āhāraś ca tapodhane
kaccit te niyamāḥ prāptāḥ kaccit te manasaḥ sukham
kaccit te guruśuśrūṣā saphalā cārubhāṣiṇi
Are your anger and your food held in check, O rich in austerity? Have your observances been fulfilled, and has your mind found happiness? Has your service to your teachers borne fruit, O sweet-spoken one?
Words: kaccit — surely?; te — your; niyataḥ — controlled, restrained; kopa — anger; āhāraś — food, sustenance; ca — and; tapodhane — O (you) rich in austerity; kaccit — surely?; te — your; niyamāḥ — observances, restraints; prāptāḥ — attained, fulfilled; kaccit — surely?; te — your; manasaḥ — of the mind; sukham — happiness, ease; kaccit — surely?; te — your; guruśuśrūṣā — service to teachers; saphalā — fruitful, successful; cārubhāṣiṇi — O sweet-spoken one (f.)
3.70.9
rāmeṇa tāpasī pṛṣṭhā sā siddhā siddhasaṃmatā
śaśaṃsa śabarī vṛddhā rāmāya pratyupasthitā
Questioned by Rāma, that ascetic, perfected and esteemed by the perfected ones, old Śabarī, standing before him, made reply to Rāma.
Words: rāmeṇa — by Rāma; tāpasī — the ascetic woman; pṛṣṭhā — questioned; sā — she; siddhā — perfected; siddhasaṃmatā — esteemed by the perfected; śaśaṃsa — told, replied; śabarī — Śabarī; vṛddhā — old, aged; rāmāya — to Rāma; pratyupasthitā — standing before, come near
3.70.10
citrakūṭaṃ tvayi prāpte vimānair atulaprabhaiḥ
itas te divam ārūḍhā yān ahaṃ paryacāriṣam
When you had reached Citrakūṭa, those whom I served rose from here to heaven in celestial cars of matchless splendor.
Words: citrakūṭaṃ — Citrakūṭa; tvayi — you (loc.); prāpte — having arrived (loc. abs. with tvayi); vimānair — in celestial cars; atulaprabhaiḥ — of matchless splendor; itas — from here; te — they; divam — to heaven; ārūḍhā — ascended, risen; yān — whom; ahaṃ — I; paryacāriṣam — I served, waited upon
3.70.11
taiś cāham uktā dharmajñair mahābhāgair maharṣibhiḥ
āgamiṣyati te rāmaḥ supuṇyam imam āśramam
And I was told by those righteous, illustrious great sages: 'Rāma will come to this most holy hermitage of yours.
Words: taiś — by those; cāham — and I; uktā — was told (f.); dharmajñair — by the knowers of dharma; mahābhāgair — by the illustrious; maharṣibhiḥ — by the great sages; āgamiṣyati — will come; te — to your; rāmaḥ — Rāma; supuṇyam — most holy; imam — this; āśramam — hermitage
3.70.12
sa te pratigrahītavyaḥ saumitrisahito 'tithiḥ
taṃ ca dṛṣṭvā varāṃl lokān akṣayāṃs tvaṃ gamiṣyasi
He, accompanied by Saumitri, is to be received by you as a guest; and having beheld him, you will go to the excellent, imperishable worlds.'
Words: sa — he; te — by you; pratigrahītavyaḥ — to be received; saumitrisahito — accompanied by Saumitri; 'tithiḥ — guest; taṃ — him; ca — and; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; varāṃl — excellent; lokān — worlds; akṣayāṃs — imperishable; tvaṃ — you; gamiṣyasi — will go
3.70.13
mayā tu vividhaṃ vanyaṃ saṃcitaṃ puruṣarṣabha
tavārthe puruṣavyāghra pampāyās tīrasaṃbhavam
Various forest-fare has been gathered by me, O bull among men, for your sake, O tiger among men — produce grown on the shore of Pampā.
Words: mayā — by me; tu — and; vividhaṃ — various, manifold; vanyaṃ — forest-fare, wild produce; saṃcitaṃ — gathered, collected; puruṣarṣabha — O bull among men; tavārthe — for your sake; puruṣavyāghra — O tiger among men; pampāyās — of Pampā; tīrasaṃbhavam — grown on the shore
3.70.14
evam uktaḥ sa dharmātmā śabaryā śabarīm idam
rāghavaḥ prāha vijñāne tāṃ nityam abahiṣkṛtām
Thus addressed by Śabarī, that righteous Rāghava said this to Śabarī, who was never shut out from (spiritual) knowledge:
Words: evam — thus; uktaḥ — addressed; sa — he; dharmātmā — the righteous one; śabaryā — by Śabarī; śabarīm — to Śabarī; idam — this; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; prāha — said; vijñāne — in knowledge, discernment; tāṃ — her; nityam — ever, always; abahiṣkṛtām — not shut out, not excluded
3.70.15
danoḥ sakāśāt tattvena prabhāvaṃ te mahātmanaḥ
śrutaṃ pratyakṣam icchāmi saṃdraṣṭuṃ yadi manyase
From Danu I have truly heard of the power of you great ones; I wish to behold it with my own eyes, if you think fit.
Words: danoḥ — from Danu (Kabandha); sakāśāt — from the presence of; tattvena — truly, in truth; prabhāvaṃ — power, majesty; te — of you / of these; mahātmanaḥ — of the great-souled; śrutaṃ — heard; pratyakṣam — directly, with the eyes; icchāmi — I wish; saṃdraṣṭuṃ — to behold; yadi — if; manyase — you think fit, consent
3.70.16
etat tu vacanaṃ śrutvā rāmavaktrād viniḥsṛtam
śabarī darśayām āsa tāv ubhau tad vanaṃ mahat
Hearing this speech issuing from Rāma's mouth, Śabarī showed both of them that great forest.
Words: etat — this; tu — and; vacanaṃ — speech, words; śrutvā — having heard; rāmavaktrād — from Rāma's mouth; viniḥsṛtam — issued forth; śabarī — Śabarī; darśayām āsa — showed; tāv — the two; ubhau — both; tad — that; vanaṃ — forest; mahat — great
3.70.17
paśya meghaghanaprakhyaṃ mṛgapakṣisamākulam
mataṅgavanam ity eva viśrutaṃ raghunandana
'Behold this forest, dark as a mass of clouds, teeming with beasts and birds, renowned by the very name of Mataṅga's Wood, O joy of the Raghus.
Words: paśya — behold; meghaghanaprakhyaṃ — resembling a mass of clouds; mṛgapakṣisamākulam — teeming with beasts and birds; mataṅgavanam — Mataṅga's wood; ity — thus; eva — indeed; viśrutaṃ — renowned, famed; raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus
3.70.18
iha te bhāvitātmāno guravo me mahādyute
juhavāṃś cakrire tīrthaṃ mantravan mantrapūjitam
Here, O greatly radiant one, those my teachers of disciplined souls, offering oblations, consecrated the sacred ford with mantras, worshipped with mantras.
Words: iha — here; te — those; bhāvitātmāno — of purified souls; guravo — teachers; me — my; mahādyute — O greatly radiant one; juhavāṃś — offering oblations; cakrire — they made; tīrthaṃ — the sacred ford; mantravan — with mantras; mantrapūjitam — worshipped with mantras
3.70.19
iyaṃ pratyak sthalī vedī yatra te me susatkṛtāḥ
puṣpopahāraṃ kurvanti śramād udvepibhiḥ karaiḥ
This, to the west, is the raised altar-ground where those, well honored by me, make their flower-offering with hands trembling from toil.
Words: iyaṃ — this; pratyak — to the west, westward; sthalī — raised ground, plateau; vedī — altar; yatra — where; te — those; me — by me; susatkṛtāḥ — well honored; puṣpopahāraṃ — flower-offering; kurvanti — make, offer; śramād — from toil; udvepibhiḥ — trembling, quivering; karaiḥ — with hands
3.70.20
teṣāṃ tapaḥ prabhāvena paśyādyāpi raghūttama
dyotayanti diśaḥ sarvāḥ śriyā vedyo 'tulaprabhāḥ
By the power of their austerity, behold — even today, O best of the Raghus — the altars of matchless radiance illumine all the quarters with their splendor.
Words: teṣāṃ — of them; tapaḥ — austerity; prabhāvena — by the power; paśyādyāpi — behold even today; raghūttama — O best of the Raghus; dyotayanti — illumine, light up; diśaḥ — the quarters; sarvāḥ — all; śriyā — with splendor; vedyo — altars; 'tulaprabhāḥ — of matchless radiance
3.70.21
aśaknuvadbhis tair gantum upavāsaśramālasaiḥ
cintite 'bhyāgatān paśya sametān sapta sāgarān
When those sages, unable to go, languid from the toil of fasting, but wished it, behold — the seven seas that came and gathered here together.
Words: aśaknuvadbhis — by those unable; tair — by those; gantum — to go; upavāsaśramālasaiḥ — languid from the toil of fasting; cintite — when it was thought/wished (loc. abs.); 'bhyāgatān — come, arrived; paśya — behold; sametān — assembled, gathered; sapta — seven; sāgarān — seas, oceans
3.70.22
kṛtābhiṣekais tair nyastā valkalāḥ pādapeṣv iha
adyāpi na viśuṣyanti pradeśe raghunandana
The bark-garments laid on the trees here by them when they had bathed do not dry out even now, in this spot, O joy of the Raghus.
Words: kṛtābhiṣekais — by those who had bathed; tair — by them; nyastā — laid, placed; valkalāḥ — bark-garments; pādapeṣv — on the trees; iha — here; adyāpi — even today; na — not; viśuṣyanti — dry up, wither; pradeśe — in the place, spot; raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus
3.70.23
kṛtsnaṃ vanam idaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ śrotavyaṃ ca śrutaṃ tvayā
tad icchāmy abhyanujñātā tyaktum etat kalevaram
This whole forest has been seen by you, and what was to be heard has been heard; so, with your leave, I wish to give up this body.
Words: kṛtsnaṃ — whole, entire; vanam — forest; idaṃ — this; dṛṣṭaṃ — seen; śrotavyaṃ — what is to be heard; ca — and; śrutaṃ — heard; tvayā — by you; tad — so, then; icchāmy — I wish; abhyanujñātā — granted leave (f.); tyaktum — to abandon, give up; etat — this; kalevaram — body
3.70.24
teṣām icchāmy ahaṃ gantuṃ samīpaṃ bhāvitātmanām
munīnām āśraṃmo yeṣām ahaṃ ca paricāriṇī
I wish to go to the presence of those sages of purified souls, whose hermitage this is and whose attendant I am.
Words: teṣām — of them, to them; icchāmy — I wish; ahaṃ — I; gantuṃ — to go; samīpaṃ — to the presence, near; bhāvitātmanām — of the purified souls; munīnām — of the sages; āśraṃmo — the hermitage (is); yeṣām — whose; ahaṃ — I; ca — and; paricāriṇī — the attendant (f.)
3.70.25
dharmiṣṭhaṃ tu vacaḥ śrutvā rāghavaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ
anujānāmi gaccheti prahṛṣṭavadano 'bravīt
Hearing that most righteous speech, Rāghava, together with Lakṣmaṇa, with gladdened face said: 'I give you leave; go.'
Words: dharmiṣṭhaṃ — most righteous; tu — and; vacaḥ — speech; śrutvā — having heard; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; sahalakṣmaṇaḥ — together with Lakṣmaṇa; anujānāmi — I give leave, permit; gaccheti — 'go!' thus; prahṛṣṭavadano — with gladdened face; 'bravīt — said
3.70.26
anujñātā tu rāmeṇa hutvātmānaṃ hutāśane
jvalatpāvakasaṃkāśā svargam eva jagāma sā
Granted leave by Rāma, offering herself into the sacrificial fire, blazing like kindled flame, she went straight to heaven.
Words: anujñātā — granted leave (f.); tu — and; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; hutvātmānaṃ — having offered herself; hutāśane — into the fire; jvalatpāvakasaṃkāśā — like blazing fire; svargam — to heaven; eva — straight, indeed; jagāma — went; sā — she
3.70.27
yatra te sukṛtātmāno viharanti maharṣayaḥ
tat puṇyaṃ śabarīsthānaṃ jagāmātmasamādhinā
To that holy place of Śabarī, where those great sages of virtuous souls dwell, she went by the concentration of her spirit.
Words: yatra — where; te — those; sukṛtātmāno — of virtuous souls; viharanti — dwell, sport; maharṣayaḥ — the great sages; tat — that; puṇyaṃ — holy; śabarīsthānaṃ — the place of Śabarī; jagāmātmasamādhinā — went by concentration of spirit
← 3.69 Kabandha’s directions to Pampā · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.71 Rāma enters Pampā’s waters →
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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