# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 33 — Bark garments over Sītā’s silk *Rāma declines royal provisions and helps Sītā fasten her bark clothing, Daśaratha protests her humiliation* Portion: Preparing for exile and taking leave · Verses: 19 · Ref format: 2.33. ## Sequence - Rāma declines the escort: after giving up the Kingdom, retaining its luxuries would make no sense (33.1–3) - he asks only for bark garments, a spade, and a basket (33.4–5) - Kaikeyī brings the garments, and Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa change out of their fine clothing (33.6–8) - Sītā does not know how to wear hers and asks Rāma for help → he fastens it over her silk clothing, provoking an outcry from those watching (33.9–13) - Daśaratha tells Kaikeyī that Rāma's exile should be enough and that Sītā need not be dressed in bark (33.14–16) - Rāma asks his father to take special care of Kausalyā so that grief does not destroy her (33.17–19). ## Verses **2.33.1** mahāmātravacaḥ śrutvā rāmo daśarathaṃ tadā anvabhāṣata vākyaṃ tu vinayajño vinītavat Having heard the minister's words, Rāma, versed in propriety, then addressed these words to Daśaratha humbly: **2.33.2** tyaktabhogasya me rājan vane vanyena jīvataḥ kiṃ kāryam anuyātreṇa tyaktasaṅgasya sarvataḥ For me, O king, who have renounced all enjoyments, who shall live in the forest on wild fare, having wholly given up attachment—what use is an escort? **2.33.3** yo hi dattvā dvipaśreṣṭhaṃ kakṣyāyāṃ kurute manaḥ rajjusnehena kiṃ tasya tyajataḥ kuñjarottamam For the man who, having given away his finest elephant, then sets his heart upon its girth-rope—what use has he, who parts with the noblest elephant, for fondness over a rope? **2.33.4** tathā mama satāṃ śreṣṭha kiṃ dhvajinyā jagatpate sarvāṇy evānujānāmi cīrāṇy evānayantu me So too, O best of the virtuous, what use have I for an army, O lord of the world? I dismiss them all; let them bring me only bark-garments. **2.33.5** khanitrapiṭake cobhe mamānayata gacchataḥ caturdaśa vane vāsaṃ varṣāṇi vasato mama Bring me both a spade and a basket, for me as I set out to dwell in the forest for fourteen years. **2.33.6** atha cīrāṇi kaikeyī svayam āhṛtya rāghavam uvāca paridhatsveti janaughe nirapatrapā Then Kaikeyī, fetching the bark-garments herself and shameless before the throng, said to Rāghava: “Put these on.” **2.33.7** sa cīre puruṣavyāghraḥ kaikeyyāḥ pratigṛhya te sūkṣmavastram avakṣipya munivastrāṇy avasta ha That tiger among men, accepting those two bark-garments from Kaikeyī and casting off his fine raiment, put on the garments of an ascetic. **2.33.8** lakṣmaṇaś cāpi tatraiva vihāya vasane śubhe tāpasāc chādane caiva jagrāha pitur agrataḥ And Lakṣmaṇa too, laying aside right there his splendid garments, took up ascetic's robes in his father's presence. **2.33.9** athātmaparidhānārthaṃ sītā kauśeyavāsinī samīkṣya cīraṃ saṃtrastā pṛṣatī vāgurām iva Then Sītā, clad in silk, gazing at the bark-garment meant for her own wearing, was struck with terror, like a spotted doe at the sight of a snare. **2.33.10** sā vyapatrapamāṇeva pratigṛhya ca durmanāḥ gandharvarājapratimaṃ bhartāram idam abravīt kathaṃ nu cīraṃ badhnanti munayo vanavāsinaḥ As if abashed and downcast at heart, she took it and said to her husband, who was like the king of the gandharvas: “How, pray, do the forest-dwelling sages fasten on the bark-garment?” **2.33.11** kṛtvā kaṇṭhe ca sā cīram ekam ādāya pāṇinā tasthau hy akuṣalā tatra vrīḍitā janakātmaja Hanging one bark-garment at her neck and holding the other in her hand, Janaka's daughter stood there abashed and helpless, not knowing how. **2.33.12** tasyās tat kṣipram āgamya rāmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ cīraṃ babandha sītāyāḥ kauśeyasyopari svayam Rāma, best of those who uphold dharma, quickly coming to her, himself fastened the bark-garment over Sītā's silk. **2.33.13** tasyāṃ cīraṃ vasānāyāṃ nāthavatyām anāthavat pracukrośa janaḥ sarvo dhik tvāṃ daśarathaṃ tv iti As she, though she had a protector, put on the bark-garment like one forlorn, all the people cried aloud: “Shame on you, Daśaratha!” **2.33.14** sa niḥśvasyoṣṇam aikṣvākas tāṃ bhāryām idam abravīt kaikeyi kuśacīreṇa na sītā gantum arhati Sighing hotly, the descendant of Ikṣvāku said this to that wife of his: “Kaikeyī, Sītā ought not to go clad in a garment of bark. **2.33.15** nanu paryāptam etat te pāpe rāmavivāsanam kim ebhiḥ kṛpaṇair bhūyaḥ pātakair api te kṛtaiḥ Surely this banishment of Rāma is enough for you, O wicked woman! What need of these further wretched crimes committed by you?” **2.33.16** evaṃ bruvantaṃ pitaraṃ rāmaḥ saṃprasthito vanam avākśirasam āsīnam idaṃ vacanam abravīt To his father, who spoke thus and sat with his head bowed low, Rāma, now setting out for the forest, said these words: **2.33.17** iyaṃ dhārmika kausalyā mama mātā yaśasvinī vṛddhā cākṣudraśīlā ca na ca tvāṃ devagarhite This illustrious Kausalyā, O righteous one, is my mother, aged and of noble, ungrudging character; and she never reproaches you, O lord. **2.33.18** mayā vihīnāṃ varada prapannāṃ śokasāgaram adṛṣṭapūrvavyasanāṃ bhūyaḥ saṃmantum arhasi Bereft of me, O granter of boons, plunged into an ocean of grief and having never known calamity before—her you ought all the more to console. **2.33.19** imāṃ mahendropamajātagarbhiṇīṃ tathā vidhātuṃ janamīṃ mamārhasi yathā vanasthe mayi śokakarśitā na jīvitaṃ nyasya yamakṣayaṃ vrajet You ought so to care for this my mother, who bore a son like great Indra, that, worn away by grief while I dwell in the forest, she may not lay down her life and pass to the realm of Yama.