# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 108 — The ṛṣis leave Citrakūṭa *Rākṣasas assault the tapasvins and disrupt their rites, the community departs for another hermitage despite Rāma’s appeal to remain* Portion: Leaving Citrakūṭa for Atri’s hermitage · Verses: 26 · Ref format: 2.108. ## Sequence - Back at Citrakūṭa, after Bharata's departure, Rāma notices the tapasvins exchanging worried looks and speaking about him (108.1–3) - he asks their senior ṛṣi whether he, Lakṣmaṇa, or Sītā has behaved improperly (108.4–7) - the muni assures him that their conduct is not the problem (108.8–10) - he explains that Khara, Rāvaṇa's brother, has been driving tapasvins out of Janasthāna and that the rākṣasas' harassment here has intensified since Rāma arrived (108.11–13) - they appear in frightening forms, assault and defile the tapasvins, lurk around the hermitages, extinguish fires, break pots, and disrupt offerings (108.14–17) - the community plans to move to an ancient hermitage in a nearby forest rich in roots and fruit before further bodily harm is done → the elder advises Rāma to leave too, especially because Sītā is with him (108.18–22) - Rāma cannot persuade the departing group to stay → he escorts them part of the way, pays his respects, and returns to his dwelling → although that community has gone, the account says other tapasvins continue to accompany him (108.23–26). ## Verses **2.108.1** pratiprayāte bharate vasan rāmas tapovane lakṣayām āsa sodvegam athautsukyaṃ tapasvinām When Bharata had gone back, Rāma, dwelling in the penance-grove, noticed the agitation and, moreover, the anxiety of the ascetics. **2.108.2** ye tatra citrakūṭasya purastāt tāpasāśrame rāmam āśritya niratās tān alakṣayad utsukān Those who were there in the ascetics' hermitage before Citrakūṭa, content in their reliance on Rāma — them he observed to be anxious. **2.108.3** nayanair bhṛkuṭībhiś ca rāmaṃ nirdiśya śaṅkitāḥ anyonyam upajalpantaḥ śanaiś cakrur mithaḥ kathāḥ Pointing at Rāma with their eyes and their frowns, apprehensive, whispering to one another, they softly held mutual conversation. **2.108.4** teṣām autsukyam ālakṣya rāmas tv ātmani śaṅkitaḥ kṛtāñjalir uvācedam ṛṣiṃ kulapatiṃ tataḥ Observing their anxiety, Rāma, apprehensive within himself, then with joined palms spoke this to the sage, the head of the community: **2.108.5** na kaccid bhagavan kiṃ cit pūrvavṛttam idaṃ mayi dṛśyate vikṛtaṃ yena vikriyante tapasvinaḥ Surely, revered one, nothing amiss of former conduct is seen in me, by which the ascetics are being troubled? **2.108.6** pramādāc caritaṃ kaccit kiṃ cin nāvarajasya me lakṣmaṇasyarṣibhir dṛṣṭaṃ nānurūpam ivātmanaḥ Nothing, I hope, has been done carelessly by my younger brother Lakṣmaṇa that the sages have seen to be unbecoming of him? **2.108.7** kaccic chuśrūṣamāṇā vaḥ śuśrūṣaṇaparā mayi pramadābhyucitāṃ vṛttiṃ sītā yuktaṃ na vartate I trust that Sītā, who attends upon you and is devoted to serving me, does not fall short of the conduct befitting a woman? **2.108.8** atharṣir jarayā vṛddhas tapasā ca jarāṃ gataḥ vepamāna ivovāca rāmaṃ bhūtadayāparam Then the sage, aged with years and grown decrepit through penance as well, as if trembling, spoke to Rāma, who was ever devoted to compassion for all beings: **2.108.9** kutaḥ kalyāṇasattvāyāḥ kalyāṇābhirates tathā calanaṃ tāta vaidehyās tapasviṣu viśeṣataḥ Whence, my son, could there be any wavering on the part of Vaidehī, who is of auspicious nature and delights in the good — especially toward ascetics? **2.108.10** tvannimittam idaṃ tāvat tāpasān prati vartate rakṣobhyas tena saṃvignāḥ kathayanti mithaḥ kathāḥ This much that befalls the ascetics is on your account; alarmed by the rākṣasas because of it, they talk among themselves. **2.108.11** rāvaṇāvarajaḥ kaś cit kharo nāmeha rākṣasaḥ utpāṭya tāpasān sarvāñ janasthānaniketanān A certain rākṣasa here named Khara, a younger brother of Rāvaṇa, having uprooted all the ascetics who dwell in Janasthāna — **2.108.12** dhṛṣṭaś ca jitakāśī ca nṛśaṃsaḥ puruṣādakaḥ avaliptaś ca pāpaś ca tvāṃ ca tāta na mṛṣyate — insolent and flaunting his conquests, cruel, a man-eater, arrogant and wicked, he cannot endure even you, my son. **2.108.13** tvaṃ yadā prabhṛti hy asminn āśrame tāta vartase tadā prabhṛti rakṣāṃsi viprakurvanti tāpasān For from the very time, my son, that you have dwelt in this hermitage, from that time on the rākṣasas have been harassing the ascetics. **2.108.14** darśayanti hi bībhatsaiḥ krūrair bhīṣaṇakair api nānā rūpair virūpaiś ca rūpair asukhadarśanaiḥ For they display themselves in disgusting, cruel, and terrifying guises — in manifold shapes, misshapen, in forms unpleasant to behold. **2.108.15** apraśastair aśucibhiḥ saṃprayojya ca tāpasān pratighnanty aparān kṣipram anāryāḥ purataḥ sthitaḥ And having brought the ascetics into contact with vile, impure things, these ignoble ones, standing before them, swiftly strike down still others. **2.108.16** teṣu teṣv āśramasthāneṣv abuddham avalīya ca ramante tāpasāṃs tatra nāśayanto 'lpacetasaḥ Lurking unnoticed in this or that hermitage-spot, those dull-witted ones take delight there in destroying the ascetics. **2.108.17** apakṣipanti srugbhāṇḍān agnīn siñcanti vāriṇā kalaśāṃś ca pramṛdnanti havane samupasthite They fling away the sacrificial ladles and vessels, douse the fires with water, and smash the pots when the oblation is at hand. **2.108.18** tair durātmabhir āviṣṭān āśramān prajihāsavaḥ gamanāyānyadeśasya codayanty ṛṣayo 'dya mām Wishing to abandon their hermitages now beset by those evil ones, the sages are urging me today toward departure for another region. **2.108.19** tat purā rāma śārīrām upahiṃsāṃ tapasviṣu darśayati hi duṣṭās te tyakṣyāma imam āśramam Therefore, Rāma, before those wicked ones inflict bodily injury upon the ascetics, we shall abandon this hermitage. **2.108.20** bahumūlaphalaṃ citram avidūrād ito vanam purāṇāśramam evāhaṃ śrayiṣye sagaṇaḥ punaḥ Not far from here is a lovely forest rich in roots and fruits; there in an ancient hermitage I, with my company, shall take refuge once more. **2.108.21** kharas tvayy api cāyuktaṃ purā tāta pravartate sahāsmābhir ito gaccha yadi buddhiḥ pravartate Before Khara begins to act improperly against you too, my son, come away from here along with us, if your mind is so inclined. **2.108.22** sakalatrasya saṃdeho nityaṃ yat tasya rāghava samarthasyāpi hi sato vāso duḥkha ihādya te Since for you, who have your wife with you, there is constant peril here, O Rāghava, dwelling in this place is now painful for you, capable though you are. **2.108.23** ity uktavantaṃ rāmas taṃ rājaputras tapasvinam na śaśākottarair vākyair avaroddhuṃ samutsukam Rāma the prince could not, with any words of reply, hold back that ascetic who, having spoken thus, was so eager to depart. **2.108.24** abhinandya samāpṛcchya samādhāya ca rāghavam sa jagāmāśramaṃ tyaktvā kulaiḥ kulapatiḥ saha Having greeted, taken leave of, and reassured Rāghava, the head of the community abandoned the hermitage and departed together with his families. **2.108.25** rāmaḥ saṃsādhya tv ṛṣigaṇam anugamanād deśāt tasmāccit kulapatim abhivādyarṣim samyakprītais tair anumata upadiṣṭārthaḥ puṇyaṃ vāsāya svanilayam upasaṃpede Rāma, having escorted the host of sages a little way from that region and saluted the sage who was the community's head, being permitted by them who were thoroughly pleased and instructed in his course, betook himself to his own holy abode to dwell. **2.108.26** āśramaṃ tv ṛṣivirahitaṃ prabhuḥ kṣaṇam api na jahau sa rāghavaḥ rāghavaṃ hi satatam anugatās tāpasāś carṣicaritadhṛtaguṇāḥ But the lord Rāghava did not forsake even for a moment the hermitage now bereft of its sages; for ascetics who held fast to the virtues drawn from the seers' way of life followed Rāghava constantly.