# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 14 — Lakṣmaṇa builds the Pañcavaṭī hut *He bathes in the Godāvarī and performs puṣpabali and śānti, Rāma embraces him and recalls Daśaratha’s care* Portion: Ten years in the forest and settlement at Pañcavaṭī · Verses: 29 · Ref format: 3.14. ## Sequence - At Pañcavaṭī, Rāma asks Lakṣmaṇa to find a place that all three will enjoy, near water and with firewood, flowers, and kuśa grass readily available (14.1–5) - Lakṣmaṇa asks Rāma himself to choose and promises to follow his directions (14.6–7) - Rāma considers the ground, takes his brother's hand, and indicates a level spot among flowering trees (14.8–10) - he points out the lotus pond, nearby Godāvarī, deer, waterbirds, caves, mineral-colored hills, and varied trees (14.11–18) - he proposes that they settle there together with Jaṭāyu (14.19) - Lakṣmaṇa quickly constructs a spacious leaf-roofed hut with packed-clay walls, strong posts, and bamboo rafters (14.20–21) - he bathes in the Godāvarī, gathers lotuses, returns, and performs puṣpabali (flower offering) and śānti (pacification rite) himself before showing the hut to Rāma (14.22–23) - Rāma and Sītā are delighted → Rāma embraces Lakṣmaṇa as his reward and says that his considerate care makes their father seem still present (14.24–27) - the three live happily at Pañcavaṭī for a time (14.28–29). ## Verses **3.14.1** tataḥ pañcavaṭīṃ gatvā nānāvyālamṛgāyutām uvāca bhrātaraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaṃ dīptatejasaṃ Then, having reached Pañcavaṭī, thronged with beasts of prey and wild deer of many kinds, Rāma spoke to his brother Lakṣmaṇa of blazing splendor. **3.14.2** āgatāḥ sma yathoddiṣṭam amuṃ deśaṃ maharṣiṇā ayaṃ pañcavaṭī deśaḥ saumya puṣpitakānanaḥ “We have come to this region as directed by the great sage; this is the region of Pañcavaṭī, gentle one, with its forests in bloom. **3.14.3** sarvataś cāryatāṃ dṛṣṭiḥ kānane nipuṇo hy asi āśramaḥ katarasmin no deśe bhavati saṃmataḥ Let your gaze range on every side, for you are skilled in woodcraft; in which spot should our hermitage rightly be? **3.14.4** ramate yatra vaidehī tvam ahaṃ caiva lakṣmaṇa tādṛśo dṛśyatāṃ deśaḥ saṃnikṛṣṭajalāśayaḥ Let such a place be found, Lakṣmaṇa, where Vaidehī may delight, and you and I as well — one close to a body of water. **3.14.5** vanarāmaṇyakaṃ yatra jalarāmaṇyakaṃ tathā saṃnikṛṣṭaṃ ca yatra syāt samitpuṣpakuśodakam one where there is the loveliness of forest and the loveliness of water too, and where firewood, flowers, kuśa grass, and water are close at hand. **3.14.6** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa lakmaṇaḥ saṃyatāñjaliḥ sītā samakṣaṃ kākutstham idaṃ vacanam abravīt Addressed thus by Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, with palms reverently joined, spoke these words to Kākutstha in Sītā's presence: **3.14.7** paravān asmi kākutstha tvayi varṣaśataṃ sthite svayaṃ tu rucire deśe kriyatām iti māṃ vada “I am dependent on you, Kākutstha, though you should stand a hundred years; you yourself must tell me, ‘Let it be made in this pleasant place.’ **3.14.8** suprītas tena vākyena lakṣmaṇasya mahādyutiḥ vimṛśan rocayām āsa deśaṃ sarvaguṇānvitam Well pleased by that speech of Lakṣmaṇa, the greatly radiant one, after reflecting, chose a place endowed with every good quality. **3.14.9** sa taṃ ruciram ākramya deśam āśramakarmaṇi haste gṛhītvā hastena rāmaḥ saumitrim abravīt Having stepped onto that pleasant place for the work of the hermitage, Rāma, taking Saumitri by the hand with his own hand, said to him: **3.14.10** ayaṃ deśaḥ samaḥ śrīmān puṣpitair tarubhir vṛtaḥ ihāśramapadaṃ saumya yathāvat kartum arhasi “This place is level and lovely, surrounded by flowering trees; here, gentle one, you should duly make our hermitage-site. **3.14.11** iyam ādityasaṃkāśaiḥ padmaiḥ surabhigandhibhiḥ adūre dṛśyate ramyā padminī padmaśobhitā Not far off is seen this lovely lotus-pond, adorned with lotuses, with blossoms bright as the sun and of fragrant scent. **3.14.12** yathākhyātam agastyena muninā bhāvitātmanā iyaṃ godāvarī ramyā puṣpitais tarubhir vṛtā Just as it was described by the sage Agastya, whose soul is purified, here is the lovely Godāvarī, surrounded by flowering trees. **3.14.13** haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇā cakravākopaśobhitā nātidūre na cāsanne mṛgayūthanipīḍitā It is strewn with geese and kāraṇḍava ducks and graced by cakravāka birds; neither too far nor too near, it is thronged by herds of deer. **3.14.14** mayūranāditā ramyāḥ prāṃśavo bahukandarāḥ dṛśyante girayaḥ saumya phullais tarubhir āvṛtāḥ Lovely, resounding with peacocks, tall and full of caverns, the mountains are seen, gentle one, covered with trees in full bloom. **3.14.15** sauvarṇe rājatais tāmrair deśe deśe ca dhātubhiḥ gavākṣitā ivābhānti gajāḥ paramabhaktibhiḥ With their golden, silver, and copper minerals here and there, they shine as if latticed with windows, like elephants marked with the finest ornamental streaks. **3.14.16** sālais tālais tamālaiś ca kharjūraiḥ panasāmrakaiḥ nīvārais timiśaiś caiva puṃnāgaiś copaśobhitāḥ They are graced with sāla, tāla, and tamāla trees, with date-palms, jackfruit and mango, with nīvāra rice, timiśa creepers, and puṃnāga trees; **3.14.17** cūtair aśokais tilakaiś campakaiḥ ketakair api puṣpagulmalatopetais tais tais tarubhir āvṛtāḥ with mango, aśoka, tilaka, campaka, and ketaka trees too, covered all about with these and those trees, with their flowering shrubs and vines. **3.14.18** candanaiḥ syandanair nīpaiḥ panasair lakucair api dhavāśvakarṇakhadiraiḥ śamīkiṃśukapāṭalaiḥ with sandalwood, syandana, nīpa, jackfruit, and lakuca trees too, with dhava, aśvakarṇa, and khadira, with śamī, kiṃśuka, and pāṭala. **3.14.19** idaṃ puṇyam idaṃ medhyam idaṃ bahumṛgadvijam iha vatsyāma saumitre sārdham etena pakṣiṇā This place is holy, this is pure, this abounds in deer and birds; here let us dwell, Saumitri, together with this bird.” **3.14.20** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā acireṇāśramaṃ bhrātuś cakāra sumahābalaḥ Addressed thus by Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, slayer of enemy heroes and of great strength, in a short while built a hermitage for his brother. **3.14.21** parṇaśālāṃ suvipulāṃ tatra saṃghātamṛttikām sustambhāṃ maskarair dīrghaiḥ kṛtavaṃśāṃ suśobhanām There a very spacious leaf-hut with packed-clay walls, well-pillared, its rafters made of long bamboo poles, most beautiful; **3.14.22** sa gatvā lakṣmaṇaḥ śrīmān nadīṃ godāvarīṃ tadā snātvā padmāni cādāya saphalaḥ punar āgataḥ Then the illustrious Lakṣmaṇa, having gone to the Godāvarī river and bathed, and having gathered lotuses, came back again, his errand accomplished. **3.14.23** tataḥ puṣpabaliṃ kṛtvā śāntiṃ ca sa yathāvidhi darśayām āsa rāmāya tad āśramapadaṃ kṛtam Then, having made a flower-offering and a rite of appeasement according to rule, he showed Rāma that hermitage-site he had built. **3.14.24** sa taṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛtaṃ saumyam āśramaṃ saha sītayā rāghavaḥ parṇaśālāyāṃ harṣam āhārayat param Seeing that lovely hermitage that had been built, Rāghava, together with Sītā, felt supreme joy in the leaf-hut. **3.14.25** susaṃhṛṣṭaḥ pariṣvajya bāhubhyāṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ tadā atisnigdhaṃ ca gāḍhaṃ ca vacanaṃ cedam abravīt Greatly delighted, embracing Lakṣmaṇa then with both arms, he spoke this most affectionate and heartfelt word: **3.14.26** prīto 'smi te mahat karma tvayā kṛtam idaṃ prabho pradeyo yannimittaṃ te pariṣvaṅgo mayā kṛtaḥ “I am pleased with you: this great deed has been done by you, O capable one; for the sake of which an embrace, a thing worth giving, has been bestowed on you by me. **3.14.27** bhāvajñena kṛtajñena dharmajñena ca lakṣmaṇa tvayā putreṇa dharmātmā na saṃvṛttaḥ pitā mama By you, Lakṣmaṇa — a son who knows my mind, who is grateful, and who knows dharma — my righteous father lives on and is not gone. **3.14.28** evaṃ lakṣmaṇam uktvā tu rāghavo lakṣmivardhanaḥ tasmin deśe bahuphale nyavasat sa sukhaṃ vaśī Having spoken thus to Lakṣmaṇa, Rāghava, the increaser of prosperity, dwelt happily in that fruitful place, self-controlled. **3.14.29** kaṃ cit kālaṃ sa dharmātmā sītayā lakṣmaṇena ca anvāsyamāno nyavasat svargaloke yathāmaraḥ For some time that righteous one dwelt there, attended by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, like an immortal in the world of heaven.