← 3.9.19 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 9: Rāma’s promise to the ṛṣis · 3.9.21 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.9.20
Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 9: Rāma’s promise to the ṛṣis. He explains their refusal to spend tapasvin power on curses and declares that protecting them binds him more strongly than his own life
In the sequence: he again expresses appreciation for Sītā's concern and continues with her and Lakṣmaṇa toward the hermitages.
3.9.20
mama snehāc ca sauhārdād idam uktaṃ tvayā vacaḥ
parituṣṭo 'smy ahaṃ sīte na hy aniṣṭo 'nuśiṣyate
sadṛśaṃ cānurūpaṃ ca kulasya tava śobhane
This word has been spoken by you out of love for me and out of goodwill; I am well pleased, O Sītā—for one who is not dear is not counselled thus—and it is fitting and worthy of your family, O lovely one.
Words: mama — for me; snehāc ca — out of affection and; sauhārdād — out of goodwill; idam — this; uktaṃ — spoken; tvayā — by you; vacaḥ — word; parituṣṭo — well pleased; 'smy — I am; ahaṃ — I; sīte — O Sītā; na — not; hy — for, indeed; aniṣṭo — one who is not dear; 'nuśiṣyate — is counselled, advised; sadṛśaṃ — fitting, befitting; cānurūpaṃ — and worthy, suitable; ca — and; kulasya — of the family; tava — your; śobhane — O lovely one
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.