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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 117
In this Sarga, after considering many aspects, Rāma decides to leave Citrakūṭa. He proceeds to the Āṡrama of Muni Atri. Atri receives him, Seetā and Lakshmaṇa with all the hospitality and introduces his wife Anasūyā to them.
Anasūyā feels very happy to see Seetā following her husband with all the devotion that she herself has for her own husband. She encourages her to stick to that devotion.
2.117.1 ராகவஸ்த்வத யாதேஷு
தபஸ்விஷு விசிந்தயந் ।
ந தத்ராரோசயத்வாஸம்
காரணைர்பஹுபிஸ்ததா ॥
rāghavastvatha yātēṣu
tapasviṣu vicintayan ।
na tatrārōcayadvāsaṃ
kāraṇairbahubhistadā ॥
After the Tapasvis left,
Rāma thought through it.
He did not feel like living there,
for various reasons.
2.117.2-4 இஹ மே பரதோ த்ருஷ்டோ
மாதரஸ்ச ஸநாகரா: ।
ஸா ச மே ஸ்ம்ருதிரந்வேதி
தாந்நித்யமநுஸோசத: ॥
ஸ்கந்தாவாரநிவேஸேந
தேந தஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
ஹயஹஸ்திகரீஷைஸ்ச
உபமர்த: க்ருதோ ப்ருஸம் ॥
தஸ்மாதந்யத்ர கச்சாம
இதி ஸஞ்சிந்த்ய ராகவ: ।
ப்ராதிஷ்டத ஸ வைதேஹ்யா
லக்ஷ்மணேந ச ஸங்கத: ॥
iha mē bharatō dṛṣṭō
mātaraṡca sanāgarāḥ ।
sā ca mē smṛtiranvēti
tānnityamanuṡōcataḥ ॥
skandhāvāranivēṡēna
tēna tasya mahātmanaḥ ।
hayahastikarīṣaiṡca
upamardaḥ kṛtō bhṛṡam ॥
tasmādanyatra gacchāma
iti sañcintya rāghavaḥ ।
prātiṣṭhata sa vaidēhyā
lakṣmaṇēna ca saṅgataḥ ॥
"It is here that Bharata, mothers
and the citizens of Ayōdhyā visited me.
I keep thinking of them and their memory haunts me.
Because of the encampment of
the army of that Mahātma (Bharata)
(this place) is completely filled with the
dung of horses and elephants.
We shall, therefore, go to some other place"
Having resolved thus, Rāma left (that place),
accompanied by Lakshmaṇa and the princess of Vidēha.
2.117.5 ஸோऽத்ரேராஸ்ரமமாஸாத்ய
தம் வவந்தே மஹாயஸா: ।
தம் சாபி பகவாநத்ரி:
புத்ரவத்ப்ரத்யபத்யத ॥
sō'trērāṡramamāsādya
taṃ vavandē mahāyaṡāḥ ।
taṃ cāpi bhagavānatriḥ
putravatpratyapadyata ॥
Then, he, of great repute,
reached the Āṡrama of Atri
and offered Vandana to him.
The revered Atri received
him as he would his own son.
2.177.6 ஸ்வயமாதித்யமாதிஸ்ய
ஸர்வமந்யத்ஸுஸத்க்ருதம் ।
ஸௌமித்ரிம் ச மஹாபாகாம்
ஸீதாம் ச ஸமஸாந்த்வயத் ॥
svayamātithyamādiṡya
sarvamanyatsusatkṛtam ।
saumitriṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ
sītāṃ ca samasāntvayat ॥
He personally took care to ensure that
hospitality of every kind was offered to him.
He comforted Seetā and the blessed the son of Sumitrā.
2.117.7 பத்நீம் ச ஸமநுப்ராப்தாம்
வ்ருத்தாமாமந்த்ர்ய ஸத்க்ருதாம் ।
ஸாந்த்வயாமாஸ தர்மஜ்ஞ:
ஸர்வபூதஹிதே ரத: ॥
patnīṃ ca samanuprāptāṃ
vṛddhāmāmantrya satkṛtām ।
sāntvayāmāsa dharmajñaḥ
sarvabhūtahitē rataḥ ॥
The Dharmajña, interested
in the wellbeing of every being,
called his well regarded and aged wife,
(to join him) in comforting (them).
2.117.8-9a ஆநஸூயாம் மஹாபாகாம்
தாபஸீம் தர்மசாரிணீம் ।
ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ணீஷ்வ வைதேஹீம்
அப்ரவீத்ருஷிஸத்தம: ।
ராமாய சாசசக்ஷே தாம்
தாபஸீம் தர்மசாரிணீம் ॥
ānasūyāṃ mahābhāgāṃ
tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm ।
pratigṛhṇīṣva vaidēhīm
abravīdṛṣisattamaḥ ।
rāmāya cācacakṣē tāṃ
tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm ॥
Then the eminent Ṛshi said to that
Tapasvini Anasūyā , a blessed adherent of Dharma,
"please receive this princess of Vidēha"
and told Rāma about that Tapasvini.
2.117.9b-12 தஸ வர்ஷாண்யநாவ்ருஷ்ட்யா
தக்தே லோகே நிரந்தரம் ॥
யயா மூலபலே ஸ்ருஷ்டே
ஜாஹ்நவீ ச ப்ரவர்திதா ।
உக்ரேண தபஸா யுக்தா
நியமைஸ்சாப்யலங்க்ருதா ॥
தஸவர்ஷ ஸஹஸ்ராணி
தயா தப்தம் மஹத்தப: ।
அநஸூயா வ்ரதைஸ்ஸ்நாதா
ப்ரத்யூஹாஸ்ச நிவர்திதா: ॥
தேவகார்யநிமித்தம் ச
யயா ஸந்த்வரமாணயா ।
தஸராத்ரம் க்ருதா ராத்ரி
ஸ்ஸேயம் மாதேவ தேऽநக ॥
daṡa varṣāṇyanāvṛṣṭyā
dagdhē lōkē nirantaram ॥
yayā mūlaphalē sṛṣṭē
jāhnavī ca pravartitā ।
ugrēṇa tapasā yuktā
niyamaiṡcāpyalaṅkṛtā ॥
daṡavarṣa sahasrāṇi
tayā taptaṃ mahattapaḥ ।
anasūyā vrataissnātā
pratyūhāṡca nivartitāḥ ॥
dēvakāryanimittaṃ ca
yayā santvaramāṇayā ।
daṡarātraṃ kṛtā rātri
ssēyaṃ mātēva tē'nagha ॥
O sinless one! This is Anasūyā .
Consider her to be your mother.
She performs severe Tapa and is
distinguished for her discipline and rigor.
She is purified by the many Vratas she has performed.
She performed severe Tapa for ten thousand years.
When there was a drought (some time ago)
that scorched the world for ten long years,
she created fruits and roots and made Gaṅgā flow.
She collapsed ten nights into one
to help the expediency of Dēvas,
overcoming the obstacles in doing so. Some people wonder whether it is only men that perform Tapa. And that is not true, as one can see from these Ṡlōkas about Anasūyā .
2.117.13 தாமிமாம் ஸர்வபூதாநாம்
நமஸ்கார்யாம் யஸஸ்விநீம்
அபிகச்சது வைதேஹீ
வ்ருத்தாமாக்ரோதநாம் ஸதா ।
அநஸூயேதி யா லோகே
கர்மபி: க்யாதிமாகதா ॥
tāmimāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ
namaskāryāṃ yaṡasvinīm
abhigacchatu vaidēhī
vṛddhāmākrōdhanāṃ sadā ।
anasūyēti yā lōkē
karmabhiḥ khyātimāgatā ॥
She, the renowned one, is
worthy of reverence of all beings.
She knows no anger, ever.
Her illustrious deeds earned
her the name Anasūyā .
May the princess of Vidēha go to her.
Anasūyā means one who
does not have Asūya, i.e., envy.
2.117.14 ஏவம் ப்ருவாணம் தம்ருஷிம்
ததேத்யுக்த்வா ஸ ராகவ: ।
ஸீதாமுவாச தர்மஜ்ஞாம்
இதம் வசநமுத்தமம் ॥
ēvaṃ bruvāṇaṃ tamṛṣiṃ
tathētyuktvā sa rāghavaḥ ।
sītāmuvāca dharmajñām
idaṃ vacanamuttamam ॥
Told thus by the Ṛshi,
Rāghava responded saying, 'may it be so'.
He then turned to Seetā, the Dharmajña,
and said these worthy words:
2.117.15 ராஜபுத்ரி ஸ்ருதமிதம்
முநேரஸ்ய ஸமீரிதம் ।
ஸ்ரேயோऽர்தமாத்மநஸ்ஸீக்ரம்
அபிகச்ச தபஸ்விநீம் ॥
rājaputri ṡrutamidaṃ
munērasya samīritam ।
ṡrēyō'rthamātmanaṡṡīghram
abhigaccha tapasvinīm ॥
O princess! You have heard what the Muni said.
Please go to the Tapasvini quickly,
and it will brings you all good.
2.117.16 ஸீதாத்வேதத்வசஸ்ஸ்ருத்வா
ராகவஸ்ய ஹிதைஷிண: ।
தாமத்ரிபத்நீம் தர்மஜ்ஞாம்
அபிசக்ராம மைதிலீ ॥
sītātvētadvacaṡṡṛtvā
rāghavasya hitaiṣiṇaḥ ।
tāmatripatnīṃ dharmajñām
abhicakrāma maithilī ॥
On hearing those words of
Rāghava, who always wished her the best,
Seetā, the princess of Mithilā,
reached the Tapasvini, the Dharmajña,
and circumambulated her (in reverence).
2.117.17-18 ஸிதிலாம் பலிதாம் வ்ருத்தாம்
ஜராபாண்டுரமூர்தஜாம் ।
ஸததம் வேபமாநாங்கீம்
ப்ரவாதே கதலீம் யதா ॥
தாம் து ஸீதா மஹாபாகாம்
அநஸூயாம் பதிவ்ரதாம் ।
அப்யவாதயதவ்யக்ரா
ஸ்வநாம ஸமுதாஹரத் ॥
ṡithilāṃ palitāṃ vṛddhāṃ
jarāpāṇḍuramūrdhajām ।
satataṃ vēpamānāṅgīṃ
pravātē kadalīṃ yathā ॥
tāṃ tu sītā mahābhāgām
anasūyāṃ pativratām ।
abhyavādayadavyagrā
svanāma samudāharat ॥
Seetā announced her name and
greeted Anasūyā, the blessed one, the devout wife,
the atrophied, ripened, aged and matured one,
one whose hair had turned white with age
and one who was shaking incessantly
like a banana plant under heavy winds,
with all attention.
2.117.19 அபிவாத்ய ச வைதேஹீ
தாபஸீம் தாமநிந்திதாம் ।
பத்தாஞ்ஜலிபுடா ஹ்ருஷ்டா
பர்யப்ருச்சதநாமயம் ॥
abhivādya ca vaidēhī
tāpasīṃ tāmaninditām ।
baddhāñjalipuṭā hṛṣṭā
paryapṛcchadanāmayam ॥
The cheerful princess of Vidēha,
after greeting the blemish-less Tāpasi,
spoke to her with folded hands,
making enquiries of her health.
2.117.20 ததஸ்ஸீதாம் மஹாபாகாம்
த்ருஷ்ட்வா தாம் தர்மசாரிணீம் ।
ஸாந்த்வயந்த்யப்ரவீத்த்ருஷ்டா
திஷ்ட்யா தர்மமவேக்ஷஸே ॥
tatassītāṃ mahābhāgāṃ
dṛṣṭvā tāṃ dharmacāriṇīm ।
sāntvayantyabravīddhṛṣṭā
diṣṭyā dharmamavēkṣasē ॥
And she, delighted to see the
blessed and Dharma-adhering Seetā,
received her saying:
'By good grace, you hold
great regard for Dharma!'
2.117.21 த்யக்த்வா ஜ்ஞாதிஜநம் ஸீதே
மாநம்ருத்தம் ச பாமிநி ।
அவருத்தம் வநே ராமம்
திஷ்ட்யா த்வமநுகச்சஸி ॥
tyaktvā jñātijanaṃ sītē
mānamṛddhaṃ ca bhāmini ।
avaruddhaṃ vanē rāmaṃ
diṣṭyā tvamanugacchasi ॥
Forsaking your kinfolk and giving up
your opulent lifestyle and its privileges
O Seetā, my fair lady,
you have followed Rāma, even after
knowing that he is consigned to Vana!
2.177.22 நகரஸ்தோ வநஸ்தோ வா
பாபோ வா யதி வா ஸுப: ।
யாஸாம் ஸ்த்ரீணாம் ப்ரியோ பர்தா
தாஸாம் லோகா மஹோதயா: ॥
nagarasthō vanasthō vā
pāpō vā yadi vā ṡubhaḥ ।
yāsāṃ strīṇāṃ priyō bhartā
tāsāṃ lōkā mahōdayāḥ ॥
Women who love their husbands regardless of
whether he lives in a city or in a Vana,
whether he stays virtuous or falters,
attain the best of the worlds. Anasūyā is very happy to meet Seetā, a woman of her kind and virtues. In these Ṡlōkas, she reflects on being a good wife just as she herself is, and laments about the women who are not.
This must be an important moment for Seetā also. She is hearing, from an outsider, a ripe woman who has done great Tapa, for the first time after leaving Ayōdhyā, that her choice to follow her husband is right and is very much in line with what is expected of a noble woman.
Such reassurances from renowned, matured and count-worthy outsiders, are always important for a growing young person, as he or she make the first few of the major choices of their life. Rāma (Sarga 54) and Bharata (Sarga 90) get such reassurances from Bharadwāja, and Seetā gets it from Anasūyā here.
2.117.23 துஸ்ஸீல: காமவ்ருத்தோ வா
தநைர்வா பரிவர்ஜித: ।
ஸ்த்ரீணாமார்யஸ்வபாவாநாம்
பரமம் தைவதம் பதி: ॥
duṡṡīlaḥ kāmavṛttō vā
dhanairvā parivarjitaḥ ।
strīṇāmāryasvabhāvānāṃ
paramaṃ daivataṃ patiḥ ॥
Regardless of whether he is
licentious or vile or penniless,
husband is the ultimate
for a woman of noble character.
2.117.24 நாதோ விஸிஷ்டம் பஸ்யாமி
பாந்தவம் விம்ருஸந்த்யஹம் ।
ஸர்வத்ர யோக்யம் வைதேஹி
தப: க்ருதமிவாவ்யயம் ॥
nātō viṡiṣṭaṃ paṡyāmi
bāndhavaṃ vimṛṡantyaham ।
sarvatra yōgyaṃ vaidēhi
tapaḥ kṛtamivāvyayam ॥
O princess of Vidēha!
From every perspective that I can think of,
I cannot see a better relative than a husband,
who is like an infinite and great Tapa
(that always stays with you)!
2.11.7.25 ந த்வேவமவகச்சந்தி
குணதோஷமஸத்த்ஸ்ரிய: ।
காமவக்தவ்யஹ்ருதயா
பர்த்ருநாதாஸ்சரந்தி யா: ॥
na tvēvamavagacchanti
guṇadōṣamasattsriyaḥ ।
kāmavaktavyahṛdayā
bhartṛnāthāṡcaranti yāḥ ॥
Women who are lost,
whose hearts have fallen for lust and
who lord over their husbands
do not understand the value of doing so.
2.117.26 ப்ராப்நுவந்த்ய யஸஸ்சைவ
தர்மப்ரம்ஸம் ச மைதிலி ।
அகார்யவஸமாபந்நா:
ஸ்த்ரியோ யா: கலு தத்விதா: ॥
prāpnuvantya yaṡaṡcaiva
dharmabhraṃṡaṃ ca maithili ।
akāryavaṡamāpannāḥ
striyō yāḥ khalu tadvidhāḥ ॥
O princess of Mithilā! Such women,
entangled in their vices, earn nothing but infamy.
And they fall from the ways of Dharma.
2.117.27 த்வத்விதாஸ்து குணைர்யுக்தா
த்ருஷ்ட லோக பராவரா: ।
ஸ்த்ரியஸ்ஸ்வர்கே சரிஷ்யந்தி
யதா தர்மக்ருதஸ்ததா ॥
tvadvidhāstu guṇairyuktā
dṛṣṭa lōka parāvarāḥ ।
striyassvargē cariṣyanti
yathā dharmakṛtastathā ॥
But women like you, who are virtuous
and who clearly understand
the best and worst of this world
have an abiding place in heaven
just as anyone who follows Dharma would.
2.117.28 ததேவமேநம் த்வமநுவ்ரதா ஸதீ
பதிவ்ரதாநாம் ஸமயாநுவர்திநீ ।
பவ ஸ்வபர்து ஸ்ஸஹதர்மசாரிணீ
யஸஸ்ச தர்மம் ச தத ஸ்ஸமாப்ஸ்யஸி ॥
tadēvamēnaṃ tvamanuvratā satī
pativratānāṃ samayānuvartinī ।
bhava svabhartu ssahadharmacāriṇī
yaṡaṡca dharmaṃ ca tata ssamāpsyasi ॥
Therefore, continue to cleave to him,
conduct yourself by the code of the faithful wife and
be your husband’s partner in the pursuit of Dharma;
you will win fame and (the fruits of) Dharma.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே
வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே
ஸப்ததஸோத்தரஸததமஸ்ஸர்க: ।
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē
vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē
saptadaṡōttaraṡatatamassargaḥ ।
Thus concludes the one hundred seventeenth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 6476 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.