← 3.9.20 · Araṇya Kāṇḍa 9: Rāma’s promise to the ṛṣis
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.9.21
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.
3.9.21
ity evam uktvā vacanaṃ mahātmā sītāṃ priyāṃ maithila rājaputrīm
rāmo dhanuṣmān sahalakṣmaṇena jagāma ramyāṇi tapovanāni
Having spoken these words to Sītā, his beloved, the princess of the Mithila king, the great-souled Rāma, bow in hand, together with Lakṣmaṇa, went on to the lovely penance-groves.
Words: ity evam — thus, in this way; uktvā — having spoken; vacanaṃ — the words; mahātmā — the great-souled one; sītāṃ — to Sītā; priyāṃ — beloved; maithila — of the Mithila (king); rājaputrīm — princess, king's daughter; rāmo — Rāma; dhanuṣmān — bearing a bow; sahalakṣmaṇena — together with Lakṣmaṇa; jagāma — went; ramyāṇi — lovely; tapovanāni — penance-groves
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.