# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 6 — Sutīkṣṇa’s hospitality *The ṛṣi offers heavenly worlds and a forest home, Rāma declines a long stay because hunting the resident deer would distress his host* Portion: The forest ṛṣis seek protection · Verses: 22 · Ref format: 3.6. ## Sequence - Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa travel with the brāhmaṇas across rivers and through dense forest until they reach Sutīkṣṇa's secluded hermitage (6.1–4) - Rāma introduces himself to the aged, matted-haired tapasvin (6.5–6) - Sutīkṣṇa embraces him and says that he too has delayed leaving his body because he was waiting to see Rāma (6.7–9) - he recalls hearing of Rāma's exile and offers him, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa the heavenly worlds earned by his austerities (6.10–11) - Rāma says he will earn those for himself and asks instead for a place to live, explaining that Śarabhaṅga sent him (6.12–14) - Sutīkṣṇa invites them to remain in this very hermitage, supplied with roots and fruit and visited by fearless deer (6.15–17) - Rāma says that he would shoot the deer gathering there and that this might distress the maharṣi, so he does not think a long stay appropriate (6.18–20) - he performs evening worship and settles for the night → Sutīkṣṇa personally gives the brothers food suitable for tapasvins (6.21–22). ## Verses **3.6.1** rāmas tu sahito bhrātrā sītayā ca paraṃtapaḥ sutīkṣṇasyāśramapadaṃ jagāma saha tair dvijaiḥ And Rāma, scorcher of foes, together with his brother and with Sītā, went to the hermitage of Sutīkṣṇa along with those brahmins. **3.6.2** sa gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ nadīs tīrtva bahūdakāḥ dadarśa vipulaṃ śailaṃ mahāmegham ivonnatam Having gone a long way and crossed rivers with abundant water, he saw a broad mountain, lofty as a great cloud. **3.6.3** tatas tad ikṣvākuvarau satataṃ vividhair drumaiḥ kānanaṃ tau viviśatuḥ sītayā saha rāghavau Then the two best of the Ikṣvākus, the two Rāghavas, with Sītā, entered that forest densely (thick) with all kinds of trees. **3.6.4** praviṣṭas tu vanaṃ ghoraṃ bahupuṣpaphaladrumam dadarśāśramam ekānte cīramālāpariṣkṛtam Having entered the dread forest, with its trees of many flowers and fruits, he saw in a secluded spot a hermitage adorned with strings of bark-garments. **3.6.5** tatra tāpasam āsīnaṃ malapaṅkajaṭādharam rāmaḥ sutīkṣṇaṃ vidhivat tapovṛddham abhāṣata There Rāma duly addressed the ascetic Sutīkṣṇa, who sat wearing matted locks caked with dirt and mud, aged in austerity: **3.6.6** rāmo 'ham asmi bhagavan bhavantaṃ draṣṭum āgataḥ tan mābhivada dharmajña maharṣe satyavikrama “I am Rāma, venerable one; I have come to see you. So speak to me, O knower of dharma, great seer of true valour.” **3.6.7** sa nirīkṣya tato vīraṃ rāmaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam samāśliṣya ca bāhubhyām idaṃ vacanam abravīt Then, gazing upon the hero Rāma, the best of the upholders of dharma, and embracing him with both arms, he spoke these words: **3.6.8** svāgataṃ khalu te vīra rāma dharmabhṛtāṃ vara āśramo 'yaṃ tvayākrāntaḥ sanātha iva sāmpratam “Welcome indeed to you, O hero Rāma, best of the upholders of dharma! This hermitage, now trodden by you, is as if it had found a protector. **3.6.9** pratīkṣamāṇas tvām eva nārohe 'haṃ mahāyaśaḥ devalokam ito vīra dehaṃ tyaktvā mahītale Awaiting you alone, O greatly glorious one, I have not ascended from here to the world of the gods, O hero, by casting off my body upon the earth. **3.6.10** citrakūṭam upādāya rājyabhraṣṭo 'si me śrutaḥ ihopayātaḥ kākutstho devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ sarvāṃl lokāñ jitān āha mama puṇyena karmaṇā I have heard that, having settled at Citrakūṭa, you were deprived of your kingdom, O Kākutstha now arrived here; the king of the gods, Śatakratu, declared that all the worlds had been won by my meritorious deed. **3.6.11** teṣu devarṣijuṣṭeṣu jiteṣu tapasā mayā matprasādāt sabhāryas tvaṃ viharasva salakṣmaṇaḥ Those worlds, frequented by gods and seers, having been won by me through austerity — by my grace, roam them, you with your wife and with Lakṣmaṇa. **3.6.12** tam ugratapasaṃ dīptaṃ maharṣiṃ satyavādinam pratyuvācātmavān rāmo brahmāṇam iva vāsavaḥ To that great seer of fierce austerity, resplendent and truth-speaking, the self-possessed Rāma replied, as Vāsava (Indra) to Brahmā: **3.6.13** aham evāhariṣyāmi svayaṃ lokān mahāmune āvāsaṃ tv aham icchāmi pradiṣṭam iha kānane “I myself shall win the worlds for myself, great sage; but I wish for a dwelling here in this forest, one pointed out to me. **3.6.14** bhavān sarvatra kuśalaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ ākhyātaḥ śarabhaṅgena gautamena mahātmanā You, skilled in everything and devoted to the welfare of all beings, were described to me by the great-souled Śarabhaṅga Gautama.” **3.6.15** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa maharṣir lokaviśrutaḥ abravīn madhuraṃ vākyaṃ harṣeṇa mahatāplutaḥ Thus addressed by Rāma, the great seer, renowned in the world, flooded with great joy, spoke sweet words: **3.6.16** ayam evāśramo rāma guṇavān ramyatām iha ṛṣisaṃghānucaritaḥ sadā mūlaphalair yutaḥ “This very hermitage, O Rāma, is excellent; take your delight here — frequented by throngs of seers, ever furnished with roots and fruits. **3.6.17** imam āśramam āgamya mṛgasaṃghā mahāyaśāḥ aṭitvā pratigacchanti lobhayitvākutobhayāḥ Coming to this hermitage, O greatly glorious one, herds of deer roam about, tempt (us with their charm), and then go back, free from fear from any quarter. **3.6.18** tac chrutvā vacanaṃ tasya maharṣer lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ uvāca vacanaṃ dhīro vikṛṣya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ Hearing that speech of the great seer, the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa (Rāma), steadfast, drawing his bow with an arrow, spoke these words: **3.6.19** tān ahaṃ sumahābhāga mṛgasaṃghān samāgatān hanyāṃ niśitadhāreṇa śareṇāśanivarcasā O most fortunate one, I would slay those herds of deer as they gather, with a sharp-edged arrow blazing like the thunderbolt. **3.6.20** bhavāṃs tatrābhiṣajyeta kiṃ syāt kṛcchrataraṃ tataḥ etasminn āśrame vāsaṃ ciraṃ tu na samarthaye But you might be pained by that — what could be more grievous than that? Therefore I do not think it right to dwell long in this hermitage. **3.6.21** tam evam uktvā varadaṃ rāmaḥ saṃdhyām upāgamat anvāsya paścimāṃ saṃdhyāṃ tatra vāsam akalpayat Having spoken thus to that boon-giver, Rāma went to the twilight (worship); and having attended to the evening twilight, he arranged for a stay there. **3.6.22** tataḥ śubhaṃ tāpasabhojyam annaṃ svayaṃ sutīkṣṇaḥ puruṣarṣabhābhyām tābhyāṃ susatkṛtya dadau mahātmā saṃdhyānivṛttau rajanīṃ samīkṣya Then the great-souled Sutīkṣṇa himself, having warmly honoured those two bulls among men, gave them fine food fit for ascetics, when the twilight had passed and he saw that night had come.