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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 116
In this Sarga, which sets the stage for Araṇya Kāṇḍa, Rāma, after Bharata has left, notices something unusual among the Ṛshis of Citrakūṭa. He notices that they are agitated and talking among themselves in secrecy.
Then he goes to the head of the community of Ṛshis and asks him for the reason, which he hopes is not his own conduct or the conduct of Lakshmaṇa or Seetā.
The head of the Ṛshis tells Rāma that a Rākshasa by name Khara, who is the younger brother of Rāvaṇa, had started troubling them. He says that Khara’s goons, appearing in disgusting and terrifying forms were waylaying the Tapasvis, throwing garbage on them and even killing them.
He says that they want to leave the place, before the Rākshasas increase the physical violence. He advices Rāma also to leave the place and go along with them, as it could be difficult for him to protect his wife.
Rāma fails to dissuade them to stay back, and sees them off.
ப்ரதிப்ரயாதே பரதே
வஸந்ராமஸ்தபோவநே ।
லக்ஷயாமாஸ ஸோத்வேகம்
அதௌத்ஸுக்யம் தபஸ்விநாம் ॥
pratiprayātē bharatē
vasanrāmastapōvanē ।
lakṣayāmāsa sōdvēgam
athautsukyaṃ tapasvinām ॥
After Bharata left, Rāma noticed
a certain discomfort and fear
among the Tapasvis in the Vana.
யே தத்ர சித்ரகூடஸ்ய
புரஸ்தாத்தாபஸாஸ்ரமே ।
ராமமாஸ்ரித்ய நிரதா:
தாநலக்ஷயதுத்ஸுகாந் ॥
yē tatra citrakūṭasya
purastāttāpasāṡramē ।
rāmamāṡritya niratāḥ
tānalakṣayadutsukān ॥
Rāma noticed that those who used to be happy about
living in the Āṡramas of Citrakūṭa in his good company
were now agitated for some reason.
நயநைர்ப்ருகுடீபிஸ்ச
ராமம் நிர்திஸ்ய ஸங்கிதா: ।
அந்யோந்யமுபஜல்பந்த:
ஸநைஸ்சக்ருர்மித: கதா: ॥
nayanairbrukuṭībhiṡca
rāmaṃ nirdiṡya ṡaṅkitāḥ ।
anyōnyamupajalpantaḥ
ṡanaiṡcakrurmithaḥ kathāḥ ॥
They were apprehensive even at the sight of Rāma,
which was evident in their eyes
and in the twist of their eyebrows.
They were increasingly seen whispering
to each other in secrecy.
தேஷாமௌத்ஸுக்யமாலக்ஷ்ய
ராமஸ்த்வாத்மநி ஸங்கித: ।
க்ருதாஞ்ஜலிருவாசேதம்
ருஷிம் குலபதிம் தத: ॥
tēṣāmautsukyamālakṣya
rāmastvātmani ṡaṅkitaḥ ।
kṛtāñjaliruvācēdam
ṛṣiṃ kulapatiṃ tataḥ ॥
Seeing them agitated thus,
Rāma himself became apprehensive.
With palms joined in reverence,
he said these words to the head Ṛshi:
ந கச்சித்பகவந்கிஞ்சித்
பூர்வவ்ருத்தமிதம் மயி ।
த்ருஸ்யதே விக்ருதம் யேந
விக்ரியந்தே தபஸ்விந: ॥
na kaccidbhagavankiñcit
pūrvavṛttamidaṃ mayi ।
dṛṡyatē vikṛtaṃ yēna
vikriyantē tapasvinaḥ ॥
Have the Tapasvis found in me, O Bhagawan,
any change that makes them feel differently
towards me ? Or what is it ?
ப்ரமாதாச்சரிதம் கச்சித்
கிஞ்சிந்நாவரஜஸ்ய மே ।
லக்ஷ்மணஸ்யர்ஷிபித்ருஷ்டம்
நாநுரூபமிவாத்மந: ॥
pramādāccaritaṃ kaccit
kiñcinnāvarajasya mē ।
lakṣmaṇasyarṣibhidṛṣṭaṃ
nānurūpamivātmanaḥ ॥
I trust the sages do not feel
any inadvertent and unbecoming change in
the behavior of my younger brother Lakshmaṇa.
கச்சிச்சுஸ்ரூஷமாணா வ:
ஸுஸ்ரூஷணபரா மயி ।
ப்ரமதாऽப்யுசிதாம் வ்ருத்திம்
ஸீதா யுக்தம் ந வர்ததே ॥
kaccicchuṡrūṣamāṇā vaḥ
ṡuṡrūṣaṇaparā mayi ।
pramadā'bhyucitāṃ vṛttiṃ
sītā yuktaṃ na vartatē ॥
I hope Seetā did not inadvertently do anything
that is unbecoming of a woman in serving you,
absorbed in her attention to me.
அதர்ஷிர்ஜரயா வ்ருத்த:
தபஸா ச ஜராம் கத: ।
வேபமாந இவோவாச
ராமம் பூததயாபரம் ॥
atharṣirjarayā vṛddhaḥ
tapasā ca jarāṃ gataḥ ।
vēpamāna ivōvāca
rāmaṃ bhūtadayāparam ॥
Then, the Ṛshi who was ripe with age as well as Tapa
said, almost trembling, to Rāma,
who had enormous compassion to all beings:
குத: கல்யாணஸத்த்வாயா:
கல்யாணாபிரதேஸ்ததா ।
சலநம் தாத வைதேஹ்யா:
தபஸ்விஷு விஸேஷத: ॥
kutaḥ kalyāṇasattvāyāḥ
kalyāṇābhiratēstathā ।
calanaṃ tāta vaidēhyāḥ
tapasviṣu viṡēṣataḥ ॥
Good heavens, No! How could the princess of Vidēha,
my child, with her good nature
and her love for all that is good,
ever waver, especially towards Tapasvis?
த்வந்நிமித்தமிதம் தாவத்
தாபஸாந்ப்ரதிவர்ததே ।
ரக்ஷோப்யஸ்தேந ஸம்விக்நா:
கதயந்தி மித: கதா: ॥
tvannimittamidaṃ tāvat
tāpasānprativartatē ।
rakṣōbhyastēna saṃvignāḥ
kathayanti mithaḥ kathāḥ ॥
But, because of you, the Tapasvis
fear trouble from the Rākshasas;
and it is about this that
they talk among themselves in private.
ராவணாவரஜ: கஸ்சித்
கரோ நாமேஹ ராக்ஷஸ: ।
உத்பாட்ய தாபஸாந்ஸர்வாந்
ஜநஸ்தாநநிகேதநாந் ॥
த்ருஷ்டஸ்ச ஜிதகாஸீ ச
ந்ருஸம்ஸ: புருஷாதக: ।
அவலிப்தஸ்ச பாபஸ்ச
த்வாம் ச தாத ந ம்ருஷ்யதே ॥
rāvaṇāvarajaḥ kaṡcit
kharō nāmēha rākṣasaḥ ।
utpāṭya tāpasānsarvān
janasthānanikētanān ॥
dhṛṣṭaṡca jitakāṡī ca
nṛṡaṃsaḥ puruṣādakaḥ ।
avaliptaṡca pāpaṡca
tvāṃ ca tāta na mṛṣyatē ॥
My child! Khara, an insolent, cruel, arrogant and
evil Rākshasa, who prevailed in many fights,
who is a cannibal and a younger brother of Rāvaṇa,
is extricating all the Tapasvis from Janasthāna,
unable to bear your presence here.
த்வம் யதாப்ரப்ருதி ஹ்யஸ்மிந்
நாஸ்ரமே தாத வர்தஸே ।
ததாப்ரப்ருதி ரக்ஷாம்ஸி
விப்ரகுர்வந்தி தாபஸாந் ॥
tvaṃ yadāprabhṛti hyasmin
nāṡramē tāta vartasē ।
tadāprabhṛti rakṣāṃsi
viprakurvanti tāpasān ॥
My child, ever since you came to live in this Āṡrama,
the Rākshasas have been giving trouble to Tapasvis.
தர்ஸயந்தி ஹி பீபத்ஸை:
க்ரூரைர்பீஷணகைரபி ।
நாநாரூபைர்விரூபைஸ்ச
ரூபைர்விக்ருததர்ஸநை: ॥
darṡayanti hi bībhatsaiḥ
krūrairbhīṣaṇakairapi ।
nānārūpairvirūpaiṡca
rūpairvikṛtadarṡanaiḥ ॥
They appear in many disgusting, horrendous,
frightening, disfigured and repulsive forms and shapes.
அப்ரஸஸ்தைஸுசிபி:
ஸம்ப்ரயோஜ்ய ச தாபஸாந் ।
ப்ரதித்நந்த்யபராந்க்ஷிப்ரம்
அநார்யா: புரத: ஸ்திதா: ॥
apraṡastaiṡucibhiḥ
samprayōjya ca tāpasān ।
pratidhnantyaparānkṣipram
anāryāḥ purataḥ sthitāḥ ॥
These savages waylay Tapasvis,
throwing garbage on them
and even killing some of them.
தேஷு தேஷ்வாஸ்ரமஸ்தாநே-
ஷ்வபுத்தமவலீய ச ।
ரமந்தே தாபஸாம்ஸ்தத்ர
நாஸயந்தோऽல்பசேதஸ: ॥
tēṣu tēṣvāṡramasthānē-
ṣvabuddhamavalīya ca ।
ramantē tāpasāṃstatra
nāṡayantō'lpacētasaḥ ॥
These mean creatures delight in harassing the Tapasvis,
hiding themselves in and around the Āṡramas.
அபக்ஷிபந்தி ஸ்ருக்பாண்டாந்
அக்நீஸ்நிஞ்சந்தி வாரிணா ।
கலஸாம்ஸ்ச ப்ரமத்நந்தி
ஹவநே ஸமுபஸ்திதே ॥
apakṣipanti srugbhāṇḍān
agnīsniñcanti vāriṇā ।
kalaṡāṃṡca pramathnanti
havanē samupasthitē ॥
They throw away the Srukkus and pots,
and break the Kalaṡas and pour water on the fire
as Hōmas are being performed.
தைர்துராத்மபிராம்ருஷ்டாந்
ஆஸ்ரமாந்ப்ரஜிஹாஸவ: ।
கமநாயாந்யதேஸஸ்ய
சோதயந்த்ய்ருஷயோऽத்ய மாம் ॥
tairdurātmabhirāmṛṣṭān
āṡramānprajihāsavaḥ ।
gamanāyānyadēṡasya
cōdayantyṛṣayō'dya mām ॥
The Ṛshis want to abandon these Āṡramas
that are infested by these wicked creatures
and now urge me to move to some other place.
தத்புரா ராம ஸாரீராம்
உபஹிம்ஸாம் தபஸ்விஷு ।
தர்ஸயந்தி ஹி துஷ்டாஸ்தே
த்யக்ஷ்யாம இமமாஸ்ரமம் ॥
tatpurā rāma ṡārīrām
upahiṃsāṃ tapasviṣu ।
darṡayanti hi duṣṭāstē
tyakṣyāma imamāṡramam ॥
These vile creatures are certainly
going to torture the Tapasvis physically.
So, Rāma, we shall leave this Āṡrama.
பஹுமூலபலம் சித்ரம்
அவிதூராதிதோ வநம் ।
புராணாஸ்ரமமேவாஹம்
ஸ்ரயிஷ்யே ஸகண: புந: ॥
bahumūlaphalaṃ citram
avidūrāditō vanam ।
purāṇāṡramamēvāhaṃ
ṡrayiṣyē sagaṇaḥ punaḥ ॥
There is, not far from here, a beautiful Vana
with plentiful supply of roots and fruits.
I shall, again, go back to that
former Āṡrama with all my folks.
கரஸ்த்வய்யபி சாயுக்தம்
புரா தாத ப்ரவர்ததே ।
ஸஹாஸ்மாபிரிதோ கச்ச
யதி புத்தி: ப்ரவர்ததே ॥
kharastvayyapi cāyuktaṃ
purā tāta pravartatē ।
sahāsmābhiritō gaccha
yadi buddhiḥ pravartatē ॥
Khara might behave inappropriately, even with you.
Hence, my child, you might also
come away from here along with us, if you like.
ஸகலத்ரஸ்ய ஸந்தேஹோ
நித்யம் யத்தஸ்ய ராகவ ।
ஸமர்தஸ்யாபி ஹி ஸதோ
வாஸோ து:கமிஹாத்ய தே ॥
sakalatrasya sandēhō
nityaṃ yattasya rāghava ।
samarthasyāpi hi satō
vāsō duḥkhamihādya tē ॥
O Rāghava! It would be
difficult for you to guard your wife,
in spite of being ever vigilant.
Even though you are capable,
living here now would but be miserable.
இத்யுக்தவந்தம் ராமஸ்தம்
ராஜபுத்ரஸ்தபஸ்விநம் ।
ந ஸஸாகோத்தரைர்வாக்யை:
அவரோத்தும் ஸமுத்ஸுகம் ॥
ityuktavantaṃ rāmastaṃ
rājaputrastapasvinam ।
na ṡaṡākōttarairvākyaiḥ
avarōddhuṃ samutsukam ॥
Rāma, the prince, could not find enough words
in response, to dissuade that Tapasvi,
who was ready (to leave) and spoke thus.
அபிநந்த்ய ஸமாப்ருச்ச்ய
ஸமாதாய ச ராகவம் ।
ஸ ஜகாமாஸ்ரமம் த்யக்த்வா
குலை: குலபதிஸ்ஸஹ ॥
abhinandya samāpṛcchya
samādhāya ca rāghavam ।
sa jagāmāṡramaṃ tyaktvā
kulaiḥ kulapatissaha ॥
After commending, convincing and taking leave
of Rāghava, the chief of that community went ahead
along with all the Tapasvis, leaving the Āṡrama.
ராம: ஸம்ஸாத்ய ருஷிகணமநுகமநா-
த்தேஸாத்தஸ்மாத்குலபதிமபிவாத்ய ருஷிம் ।
ஸம்யக்ப்ரீதைஸ்தைரநுமத உபதிஷ்டார்த:
புண்யம் வாஸாய ஸ்வநிலயமுபஸம்பேதே ॥
rāmaḥ saṃsādya ṛṣigaṇamanugamanā-
ddēṡāttasmātkulapatimabhivādya ṛṣim ।
samyakprītaistairanumata upadiṣṭārthaḥ
puṇyaṃ vāsāya svanilayamupasampēdē ॥
After seeing off that community of Ṛshis
who set off from that place,
after paying obeisance to the chief of the Ṛshis
and after receiving permission and
words of wisdom from those pleased ones,
Rāma returned to his cottage.
ஆஸ்ரமம்ருஷிவிரஹிதம் ப்ரபு:
க்ஷணமபிந ஜஹௌ ஸ ராகவ: ।
ராகவம் ஹி ஸததமநுகதா
ஸ்தாபஸாஸ்சார்ஷசரிதே த்ருதகுணா: ॥
āṡramamṛṣivirahitaṃ prabhuḥ
kṣaṇamapina jahau sa rāghavaḥ ।
rāghavaṃ hi satatamanugatā
stāpasāṡcārṣacaritē dhṛtaguṇāḥ ॥
Rāghava could not be away from that Āṡrama
which was now bereft of the Ṛshis, even for a moment;
for, those Tapasvis, who were
fully committed to the traditions of Ṛshis,
used to be there with Rāghava at all times.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே
வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே
ஷோடஸோத்தரஸததமஸ்ஸர்க: ।
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē
vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē
ṣōḍaṡōttaraṡatatamassargaḥ ।
Thus concludes the one hundred and sixteenth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.