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Note the ‘found answers to basic questions of life’ part of this Ṡlōka.This is one of the main problems faced by the society today. Everyone is pushed into the responsibilities of adult life before they have a chance to find the answers to the basic questions of life.
People enter wedlock before they know the meaning, responsibilities and rationale of marriage. They get into job before they know their responsibilities and rights as a member of the workforce. They are given the right to vote before they understand democracy and their role in it.
On a personal note, this is the concern that prompted me to start the Mēdha Jananam (ignite the intellect) program.4.17.27b-28a
4.17.27b-28aத்வம் ராகவகுலே ஜாதோ
தர்மவாநிதி விஸ்ருத: ।
அபவ்யோ பவ்யரூபேண
கிமர்தம் பரிதாவஸி ॥
tvaṃ rāghavakulē jātō
dharmavāniti viṡrutaḥ ।
abhavyō bhavyarūpēṇa
kimarthaṃ paridhāvasi ॥
You are born into the lineage of Raghu.
You are widely known as an adherent of Dharma.
Why are you running about
like a pious man, being an evil one?
4.17.28b-29a ஸாம தாநம் க்ஷமா தர்ம:
ஸத்யம் த்ருதிபராக்ரமௌ ।
பார்திவாநாம் குணா ராஜந்
தண்டஸ்சாப்யபராதிஷு ॥
sāma dānaṃ kṣamā dharmaḥ
satyaṃ dhṛtiparākramau ।
pārthivānāṃ guṇā rājan
daṇḍaṡcāpyaparādhiṣu ॥
O King! Conciliation, generosity, forbearance,
adherence to Dharma, truthfulness,
resolve and prowess — these are the
distinguishing qualities of kings,
and infliction of punishment on offenders as well!
4.17.29b-30a வயம் வநசரா ராம
ம்ருகா மூலபலாஸநா: ।
ஏஷா ப்ரக்ருதிரஸ்மாகம்
புருஷஸ்த்வம் நரேஸ்வர: ॥
vayaṃ vanacarā rāma
mṛgā mūlaphalāṡanāḥ ।
ēṣā prakṛtirasmākam
puruṣastvaṃ narēṡvaraḥ ॥
O Rāma! We are animals that roam in the Vana
feeding on roots and fruits. That is our nature.
But you are a human and Lord of the people.
4.17.30b-31a பூமிர்ஹிரண்யம் ரூப்யம் ச
விக்ரஹே காரணாநி ச ।
தத்ர கஸ்தே வநே லோபோ
மதீயேஷு பலேஷு வா ॥
bhūmirhiraṇyaṃ rūpyaṃ ca
vigrahē kāraṇāni ca ।
tatra kastē vanē lōbhō
madīyēṣu phalēṣu vā ॥
Land, gold and silver are usually
the objects of contention.
Given that, what could you possible covet,
in the Vana or among my possessions?
4.17.31b-32a நயஸ்ச விநயஸ்சோபௌ
நிக்ரஹாநுக்ரஹாவபி ।
ராஜவ்ருத்திரஸங்கீர்ணா
ந ந்ருபா: காமவ்ருத்தய: ॥
nayaṡca vinayaṡcōbhau
nigrahānugrahāvapi ।
rājavṛttirasaṅkīrṇā
na nṛpāḥ kāmavṛttayaḥ ॥
Kings cannot govern according
to their whims and fancies.
The duty of a king, in simple terms,
is to follow ethics, to be humble and
restrain (unethical activities)
as well as support (ethical activities).
4.17.32b-33a த்வம் து காமப்ரதாநஸ்ச
கோபநஸ்சாநவஸ்தித: ।
ராஜவ்ருத்தேஷு ஸங்கீர்ண:
ஸராஸநபராயண: ॥
tvaṃ tu kāmapradhānaṡca
kōpanaṡcānavasthitaḥ ।
rājavṛttēṣu saṅkīrṇaḥ
ṡarāsanaparāyaṇaḥ ॥
Whereas you hold your fancies as important.
You are fickle and given to temper.
You defile the responsibilities of a king.
You are obsessed with the (use of the) bow.
4.17.33b-34a ந தேऽஸ்த்யபசிதிர்தர்மே
நார்தே புத்திரவஸ்திதா ।
இந்த்ரியை: காமவ்ருத்தஸ்ஸந்
க்ருஷ்யஸே மநுஜேஸ்வர ॥
na tē'styapacitirdharmē
nārthē buddhiravasthitā ।
indriyaiḥ kāmavṛttassan
kṛṣyasē manujēṡvara ॥
You have no respect for Dharma.
You are not even focused on your goals.
O lord of people, indulged in your fancies,
you are being dragged by your senses.
4.17.34b-35a ஹத்வா பாணேந காகுத்ஸ்த
மாமிஹாநபராதிநம் ।
கிம் வக்ஷ்யஸி ஸதாம் மத்யே
கர்ம க்ருத்வா ஜுகுப்ஸிதம் ॥
hatvā bāṇēna kākutstha
māmihānaparādhinam ।
kiṃ vakṣyasi satāṃ madhyē
karma kṛtvā jugupsitam ॥
O Kākutstha! Killing me, who is at no fault,
here with this arrow, what would you say
in the presence of good men,
having committed such a heinous act?
4.17.35b-36a ராஜஹா ப்ரஹ்மஹா கோக்ந:
சோர: ப்ராணிவதே ரத: ।
நாஸ்திக: பரிவேத்தா ச
ஸர்வே நிரயகாமிந: ॥
rājahā brahmahā gōghnaḥ
cōraḥ prāṇivadhē rataḥ ।
nāstikaḥ parivēttā ca
sarvē nirayagāminaḥ ॥
All those who assassinate a king
or kill a Brāhmaṇa or a cow,
or steal, or indulge in destroying life,
or do not believe in anything,
or marry before an older brother is married
are destined to go to hell.
4.17.36b-37a ஸூசகஸ்ச கதர்யஸ்ச
மித்ரக்நோ குருதல்பக: ।
லோகம் பாபாத்மநாமேதே
கச்சந்தே நாத்ர ஸம்ஸய: ॥
sūcakaṡca kadaryaṡca
mitraghnō gurutalpagaḥ ।
lōkaṃ pāpātmanāmētē
gacchantē nātra saṃṡayaḥ ॥
The taleteller, the miser, the murderer of a friend,
and the violator of his Guru’s bed
are without doubt consigned to the worlds
to which the sinners go.
4.17.37b-38a அதார்யம் சர்ம மே ஸத்பீ
ரோமாண்யஸ்தி ச வர்ஜிதம் ।
அபக்ஷ்யாணி ச மாம்ஸாநி
த்வத்விதைர்தர்மசாரிபி: ॥
adhāryaṃ carma mē sadbhī
rōmāṇyasthi ca varjitam ।
abhakṣyāṇi ca māṃsāni
tvadvidhairdharmacāribhiḥ ॥
My skin is not fit to be worn by good men,
my hair and bones are taboo to them,
and my flesh is not be eaten by those like you
who are vowed to the practice of Dharma.
4.17.38b-39a பஞ்ச பஞ்ச நகா பக்ஷ்யா
ப்ரஹ்மக்ஷத்ரேண ராகவ ।
ஸல்யகஸ்ஸ்வாவிதோ கோதா
ஸஸ: கூர்மஸ்ச பஞ்சம: ॥
pańca pańca nakhā bhakṣyā
brahmakṣatrēṇa rāghava ।
ṡalyakaṡṡvāvidhō gōdhā
ṡaṡaḥ kūrmaṡca pańcamaḥ ॥
O Rāghava! Only five five-nailed beasts
may be eaten by a Brāhmaṇa or a Kshatriya:
the porcupine, the hedgehog, the iguana,
the hare and the tortoise.
4.17.39b-40a சர்ம சாஸ்தி ச மே ராஜந்
நஸ்ப்ருஸந்தி மநீஷிண: ।
அபக்ஷ்யாணி ச மாம்ஸாநி
ஸோऽஹம் பஞ்சநகோ ஹத: ॥
carma cāsthi ca mē rājan
naspṛṡanti manīṣiṇaḥ ।
abhakṣyāṇi ca māṃsāni
sō'haṃ pańcanakhō hataḥ ॥
Men of high order do not even touch my skin and bones
and consider my flesh not to be consumable.
Yet, I, of five nails, have been killed.
4.17.40b-41a தாரயா வாக்யமுக்தோऽஹம்
ஸத்யம் ஸர்வஜ்ஞயா ஹிதம் ।
தததிக்ரம்ய மோஹேந
காலஸ்ய வஸமாகத: ॥
tārayā vākyamuktō'ham
satyaṃ sarvajńayā hitam ।
tadatikramya mōhēna
kālasya vaṡamāgataḥ ॥
I was told by Tārā, who knows everything,
what was true and good for me.
I disregarded it in my folly and
have fallen into the hands of Death.
4.17.41b-42a த்வயா நாதேந காகுத்ஸ்த
ந ஸநாதா வஸுந்தரா ।
ப்ரமதா ஸீலஸம்பந்நா
தூர்தேந பதிநா யதா ॥
tvayā nāthēna kākutstha
na sanāthā vasundharā ।
pramadā ṡīlasampannā
dhūrtēna patinā yathā ॥
Having you for its protection, O Kākutstha,
the earth truly lacks protection,
like a chaste woman whose husband is a rake.
4.17.42b-43a ஸடோ நைக்ருதிக: க்ஷுத்ரோ
மித்யாப்ரஸ்ரிதமாநஸ: ।
கதம் தஸரதேந த்வம்
ஜாத: பாபோ மஹாத்மநா ॥
ṡaṭhō naikṛtikaḥ kṣudrō
mithyāpraṡritamānasaḥ ।
kathaṃ daṡarathēna tvam
jātaḥ pāpō mahātmanā ॥
How could you, the perfidious, the dishonest,
the mean, the pretender of humility and a sinner,
be the son of Mahātma Daṡaratha?
4.17.43b-44a சிந்நசாரித்ரகக்ஷ்யேண
ஸதாம் தர்மாதிவர்திநா ।
த்யக்ததர்மாங்குஸேநாஹம்
நிஹதோ ராமஹஸ்திநா ॥
chinnacāritrakakṣyēṇa
satāṃ dharmātivartinā ।
tyaktadharmāṅkuṡēnāham
nihatō rāmahastinā ॥
I have been done to death by an elephant called Rāma
that broke off the waist-restraint called character,
crossed the lines drawn by Dharma,
with the goad called Dharma thrown away.
4.17.44b-45a அஸுபம் சாப்யயுக்தம் ச
ஸதாம் சைவ விகர்ஹிதம் ।
வக்ஷ்யஸே சேத்ருஸம் க்ருத்வா
ஸத்பிஸ்ஸஹ ஸமாகத: ॥
aṡubhaṃ cāpyayuktaṃ ca
satāṃ caiva vigarhitam ।
vakṣyasē cēdṛṡaṃ kṛtvā
sadbhissaha samāgataḥ ॥
Having done this kind of a bad and improper act
which is reproachable for any good man,
what would you say when you face good people?
4.17.45b-46a உதாஸீநேஷு யோऽஸ்மாஸு
விக்ரமஸ்தே ப்ரகாஸித: ।
அபகாரிஷு தே ராஜந்
நஹி பஸ்யாமி விக்ரமம் ॥
udāsīnēṣu yō'smāsu
vikramastē prakāṡitaḥ ।
apakāriṣu tē rājan
nahi paṡyāmi vikramam ॥
I do not see this display of valor by you
even to those who have harmed you,
as you have displayed towards us
who are not connected with you (in any way).
4.17.46b-47a த்ருஸ்யமாநஸ்து யுத்த்யேதா
மயா யதி ந்ருபாத்மஜ ।
அத்ய வைவஸ்வதம் தேவம்
பஸ்யேஸ்த்வம் நிஹதோ மயா ॥
dṛṡyamānastu yuddhyēthā
mayā yadi nṛpātmaja ।
adya vaivasvataṃ dēvam
paṡyēstvaṃ nihatō mayā ॥
O son of a king! If you had fought with me
face to face, you would have, slain by me,
seen the god of death by now.
4.17.47b-48a த்வயாऽத்ருஸ்யேந து ரணே
நிஹதோऽஹம் துராஸத: ।
ப்ரஸுப்த: பந்நகேநேவ
நர: பாநவஸம் கத: ॥
tvayā'dṛṡyēna tu raṇē
nihatō'haṃ durāsadaḥ ।
prasuptaḥ pannagēnēva
naraḥ pānavaṡaṃ gataḥ ॥
I, who am barely approachable,
was killed by you unawares
like a man fallen asleep
inebriated, bitten by a snake.
4.17.48b-50 ஸுக்ரீவப்ரியகாமேந
யதஹம் நிஹதஸ்த்வயா ।
மாமேவ யதி பூர்வம் த்வம்
ஏததர்தமசோதய: ।
மைதிலீமஹமேகாஹ்நா
தவ சாநீதவாந்பவே: ।
ராக்ஷஸம் ச துராத்மாநாம்
தவ பார்யாபஹாரிணம் ।
கண்டே பத்த்வா ப்ரதத்யாம் தேऽ -
நிஹதம் ராவணம் ரணே ॥
sugrīvapriyakāmēna
yadahaṃ nihatastvayā ।
māmēva yadi pūrvaṃ tvam
ētadarthamacōdayaḥ ।
maithilīmahamēkāhnā
tava cānītavānbhavēḥ ।
rākṣasam ca durātmānām
tava bhāryāpahāriṇam ।
kaṇṭhē baddhvā pradadyāṃ tē' -
nihataṃ rāvaṇaṃ raṇē ॥
If only you had requested me for the favor first,
for which you killed me to earn the pleasure of Sugreeva,
I would have brought Maithili to you in one day,
capturing Rāvaṇa the evil-minded Rākshasa
who abducted your wife, alive in a fight,
and dragging him to you with a leash around his neck.
4.17.51 ந்யஸ்தாம் ஸாகரதோயே வா
பாதாலே வாபி மைதிலீம் ।
ஆநயேயம் தவாதேஸாத்
ஸ்வேதாமஸ்வதரீமிவ ॥
nyastāṃ sāgaratōyē vā
pātālē vāpi maithilīm ।
ānayēyaṃ tavādēṡāt
ṡvētāmaṡvatarīmiva ॥
If you had asked me, I would have recovered Maithili,
even if she had been hidden in the waters of the ocean
or in the nether regions, like the white horse did.
The ‘white horse’ refers to Vishṇu in the form of Hayagreeva
who recovered the Upanishad that was hidden by
the Rākshasas Madhu and Kaiṭabha in the nether regions.
The Upanishad thus retrieved came to be
known as Ṡwētāṡwatara Upanishad.
4.17.52 யுக்தம் யத்ப்ராப்நுயாத்ராஜ்யம்
ஸுக்ரீவஸ்ஸ்வர்கதே மயி ।
அயுக்தம் யததர்மேண
த்வயாऽஹம் நிஹதோ ரணே ॥
yuktaṃ yatprāpnuyādrājyam
sugrīvassvargatē mayi ।
ayuktaṃ yadadharmēṇa
tvayā'haṃ nihatō raṇē ॥
Sugreeva getting the kingdom
after I go to heaven is right;
but not you killing me
abjuring Dharma in the fight.
4.17.53 காமமேவம் விதோ லோக:
காலேந விநியுஜ்யதே ।
க்ஷமம் சேத்பவதா ப்ராப்தம்
உத்தரம் ஸாது சிந்த்யதாம் ॥
kāmamēvaṃ vidhō lōkaḥ
kālēna viniyujyatē ।
kṣamaṃ cēdbhavatā prāptam
uttaraṃ sādhu cintyatām ॥
This is how it happens in this world, driven by destiny.
Think it over well and if you can,
give me a good response (that justifies your act).
4.17.54 இத்யேவமுக்த்வா பரிஸுஷ்கவக்த்ர:
ஸராபிகாதாத்வ்யதிதோ மஹாத்மா ।
ஸமீக்ஷ்ய ராமம் ரவிஸந்நிகாஸம்
தூஷ்ணீம் பபூவாமரராஜஸூநு: ॥
ityēvamuktvā pariṡuṣkavaktraḥ
ṡarābhighātādvyathitō mahātmā ।
samīkṣya rāmaṃ ravisannikāṡaṃ
tūṣṇīṃ babhūvāmararājasūnuḥ ॥
Having spoken thus, that Mahātma,
the mighty son of the king of immortals,
tormented by the arrow and face dried up,
fell silent, looking at Rāma
who was brilliant like the sun.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
கிஷ்கிந்தாகாண்டே ஸப்ததஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
kiṣkindhākāṇḍē saptadaṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the seventeenth Sarga
in Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 9696 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.