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Aranya Kaanda Sargas 60-63
Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 60
In this Sarga, Rāma searches the wide and deep jungle for Seetā. Each and every tree reminds him the figure and limbs of his beloved. He asks each tree whether it has seen Seetā. Like a madman, he goes from wood to wood, mountain to mountain, river to river looking for Seetā. He hallucinates that she is hiding behind the bushes with her yellow silk garment seen here and there. But then again, he convinces himself that Seetā would not play such cruel jokes on him. He imagines the terrible act of her being devoured by the Rakshasas piece by piece.
3.60.1 ப்ருஸமாவ்ரஜமாநஸ்ய
தஸ்யாதோ வாமலோசநம் ।
ப்ராஸ்புரச்சாஸ்கலத்ராமோ
வேபதுஸ்சாப்ய ஜாயத ॥
bhṛṡamāvrajamānasya
tasyādhō vāmalōcanam ।
prāsphuraccāskhaladrāmō
vēpathuṡcāpya jāyata ॥
As he hastened towards the Āṡrama,
Rāma floundered, his frame trembled and
the lower lid of his left eye quivered intensely. Vālmeeki saw the male of a pair of birds struck down by a hunter writhing in a pool of blood for no fault of his and the bird’s beloved watching over him helplessly.
It must have moved him so much that he does not seem to have enough occasion to express it through the story of Rāma.
In Ayōdhyā Kanda, he expressed it through the characters of Daṡaratha, Kousalyā, the people of Ayōdhyā, and later Bharata.
From now on, he expresses it through Rāma, to his heart’s content.
How will a sensitive soul ever find peace, after witnessing someone wrongly accused or wrongly punished or wrongly thrown into misery?
3.60.2 உபாலக்ஷ்ய நிமித்தாநி
ஸோऽஸுபாநி முஹுர்முஹு: ।
அபி க்ஷேமம் நு ஸீதாயா
இதி வை வ்யாஜஹார ச ॥
upālakṣya nimittāni
sō'ṡubhāni muhurmuhuḥ ।
api kṣēmaṃ nu sītāyā
iti vai vyājahāra ca ॥
Seeing evil omens again and again,
he exclaimed, ‘I hope Seetā is safe!’
3.60.3 த்வரமாணோ ஜகாமாத
ஸீதாதர்ஸநலாலஸ: ।
ஸூந்யமாவஸதம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
பபூவோத்விக்நமாநஸ: ॥
tvaramāṇō jagāmātha
sītādarṡanalālasaḥ ।
ṡūnyamāvasathaṃ dṛṣṭvā
babhūvōdvignamānasaḥ ॥
Eagar to see Seetā, he went in all haste.
Seeing the Āṡrama empty, his mind was distraught.
3.60.4-5 உத்ப்ரமந்நிவ வேகேந
விக்ஷிபந்ரகுநந்தந: ।
தத்ர தத்ரோடஜஸ்தாநம்
அபிவீக்ஷ்ய ஸமந்தத: ।
ததர்ஸ பர்ணஸாலாம் ச
ரஹிதாம் ஸீதயா ததா ।
ஸ்ரியா விரஹிதாம் த்வஸ்தாம்
ஹேமந்தே பத்மிநீமிவ ॥
udbhramanniva vēgēna
vikṣipanraghunandanaḥ ।
tatra tatrōṭajasthānam
abhivīkṣya samantataḥ ।
dadarṡa parṇaṡālāṃ ca
rahitāṃ sītayā tadā ।
ṡriyā virahitāṃ dhvastām
hēmantē padminīmiva ॥
Like one reeling, flinging his arms,
the delight of Raghus searched every spot
all over that cottage, only to find
that leafy cottage devoid of its life,
like a lotus pond in winter.
3.60.6-7 ருதந்தமிவ வ்ருக்ஷைஸ்ச
ம்லாநபுஷ்பம்ருகத்விஜம் ।
ஸ்ரியா விஹீநம் வித்வஸ்தம்
ஸந்த்யக்தவநதேவதம் ।
விப்ரகீர்ணாஜிநகுஸம்
விப்ரவித்தப்ருஸீகடம் ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸூந்யம் நிஜஸ்தாநம்
விலலாப புந: புந: ॥
rudantamiva vṛkṣaiṡca
mlānapuṣpamṛgadvijam ।
ṡriyā vihīnaṃ vidhvastam
santyaktavanadēvatam ।
viprakīrṇājinakuṡam
vipraviddhabrusīkaṭam ।
dṛṣṭvā ṡūnyaṃ nijasthānam
vilalāpa punaḥ punaḥ ॥
Seeing his very own dwelling empty,
its trees appearing to weep,
its flowers wilting, its birds and beasts dispirited,
its charm robbed and thrown into disorder,
with the sylvan deities having deserted it,
deerskin and Kuṡa grass scattered all over the place,
and the reed-mats thrown around,
he lamented repeatedly.
3.60.8 ஹ்ருதா ம்ருதா வா நஷ்டா வா
பக்ஷிதா வா பவிஷ்யதி ।
நிலீநாப்யதவா பீரு:
அதவா வநமாஸ்ரிதா ॥
hṛtā mṛtā vā naṣṭā vā
bhakṣitā vā bhaviṣyati ।
nilīnāpyathavā bhīruḥ
athavā vanamāṡritā ॥
Has she been abducted, devoured,
or is she lost or dead?
Has the timid one hid herself?
Or did she go into the Vana? We have seen how strong Seetā is, in the previous Sargas 47 through 56.
Yet, Rāma, out of love, refers to her as ‘timid Seetā’. It is similar to the usage of saying ‘poor fellow’ about someone who faces unwarranted and undeserving adversity.
3.60.9 கதா விசேதும் புஷ்பாணி
பலாந்யபி ச வா புந: ।
அதவா பத்மிநீம் யாதா
ஜலார்தம் வா நதீம் கதா ॥
gatā vicētuṃ puṣpāṇi
phalānyapi ca vā punaḥ ।
athavā padminīṃ yātā
jalārthaṃ vā nadīṃ gatā ॥
Has she gone to pluck flowers or fruits?
Or has she gone to the lotus pond?
Or has she gone to the river to fetch water?
3.60.10 யத்நாந்ம்ருகயமாணஸ்து
நாஸஸாத வநே ப்ரியாம் ।
ஸோகரக்தேக்ஷணஸ்ஸோகாத்
உந்மத்த இவ லக்ஷ்யதே ॥
yatnānmṛgayamāṇastu
nāsasāda vanē priyām ।
ṡōkaraktēkṣaṇaṡṡōkāt
unmatta iva lakṣyatē ॥
Search as much as he could,
he did not find his beloved in the Vana.
With his eyes bloodshot with grief,
he looked like a mad man.
3.60.11 வ்ருக்ஷாத்வ்ருக்ஷம் ப்ரதாவந்ஸ
கிரேஸ்சாத்ரிம் நதாந்நதீம் ।
பபூவ விலபந்ராம:
ஸோகார்ணவபரிப்லுத: ॥
vṛkṣādvṛkṣaṃ pradhāvansa
girēṡcādriṃ nadānnadīm ।
babhūva vilapanrāmaḥ
ṡōkārṇavapariplutaḥ ॥
Sunk in an ocean of grief
he ran lamenting from one tree to the other,
from hill to mountain and stream to river.
3.60.12 அபி காசித்த்வயா த்ருஷ்டா
ஸா கதம்பப்ரியா ப்ரியா ।
கதம்ப யதி ஜாநீஷே
ஸம்ஸ ஸீதாம் ஸுபாநநாம் ॥
api kācittvayā dṛṣṭā
sā kadambapriyā priyā ।
kadamba yadi jānīṣē
ṡaṃsa sītāṃ ṡubhānanām ॥
O Kadamba tree! Have you seen my beloved
who loves the Kadamba flowers?
Please tell me if you know
about Seetā of auspicious face!
3.60.13 ஸ்நிக்தபல்லவஸங்காஸா
பீதகௌஸேயவாஸிநீ ।
ஸம்ஸஸ்வ யதி வா த்ருஷ்டா
பில்வ பில்வோபமஸ்தநீ ॥
snigdhapallavasaṅkāṡā
pītakauṡēyavāsinī ।
ṡaṃsasva yadi vā dṛṣṭā
bilva bilvōpamastanī ॥
O Bilva tree! Tell me if you have seen
the one who has the sheen of tender shoots,
who wears yellow garments of silk and
whose breasts are like Bilva fruits!
3.60.14 அதவாऽர்ஜுந ஸம்ஸ த்வம்
ப்ரியாம் தாமர்ஜுநப்ரியாம் ।
ஜநகஸ்ய ஸுதா பீரு:
யதி ஜீவதி வா ந வா ॥
athavā'rjuna ṡaṃsa tvam
priyāṃ tāmarjunapriyām ।
janakasya sutā bhīruḥ
yadi jīvati vā na vā ॥
O Arjuna tree! You, at least,
tell me about her, my beloved
who loves the Arjuna trees;
is she, the daughter of Janaka,
the timid one, alive and not?
3.60.15 ககுப: ககுபோரூம் தாம்
வ்யக்தம் ஜாநாதி மைதிலீம் ।
யதா பல்லவபுஷ்பாட்யோ
பாதி ஹ்யேஷ வநஸ்பதி: ॥
kakubhaḥ kakubhōrūṃ tām
vyaktaṃ jānāti maithilīm ।
yathā pallavapuṣpāḍhyō
bhāti hyēṣa vanaspatiḥ ॥
This Kakubha tree, which is resplendent
with the tender shoots and flowers
must surely know about Maithili
whose thighs resemble the Kakubha (branches)!
3.60.16 ப்ரமரைருபகீதஸ்ச
யதா த்ருமவரோ ஹ்யயம் ।
ஏஷ வ்யக்தம் விஜாநாதி
திலகஸ்திலகப்ரியாம் ॥
bhramarairupagītaṡca
yathā drumavarō hyayam ।
ēṣa vyaktaṃ vijānāti
tilakastilakapriyām ॥
This Tilaka tree, the best among trees,
whose glory is sung by
the humming bees hovering around it
must very well and surely know
about her who loves the Tilaka!
3.60.17 அஸோக ஸோகாபநுத
ஸோகோபஹதசேதஸம் ।
த்வந்நாமாநம் குரு க்ஷிப்ரம்
ப்ரியாஸந்தர்ஸநேந மாம் ॥
aṡōka ṡōkāpanuda
ṡōkōpahatacētasam ।
tvannāmānaṃ kuru kṣipram
priyāsandarṡanēna mām ॥
O Aṡōka tree, O dispeller of sadness!
My heart is stricken with grief.
Please show my beloved to me
and make me your namesake fast!
The literal meaning of Aṡōka is ‘without sadness’.
3.60.18 யதி தால த்வயா த்ருஷ்டா
பக்வதாலபலஸ்தநீ ।
கதயஸ்வ வராரோஹாம்
காருண்யம் யதி தே மயி ॥
yadi tāla tvayā dṛṣṭā
pakvatālaphalastanī ।
kathayasva varārōhām
kāruṇyaṃ yadi tē mayi ॥
O Tāla tree! If you have seen her
of excellent Kaṭee and ripened Tāla fruit like breasts,
would you be kind enough to tell me about her?
3.60.19 யதி த்ருஷ்டா த்வயா ஸீதா
ஜம்பு ஜம்பூபலோபமா ।
ப்ரியாம் யதி விஜாநீஷே
நி:ஸங்கம் கதயஸ்வ மே ॥
yadi dṛṣṭā tvayā sītā
jambu jambūphalōpamā ।
priyāṃ yadi vijānīṣē
niḥṡaṅkaṃ kathayasva mē ॥
O Jambū tree! If you have seen or know about
Seetā, my beloved, who resembles the Jambū fruit
please tell me, without holding back anything!
To be Continued
Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 60
In this Sarga, Rāma searches the wide and deep jungle for Seetā. Each and every tree reminds him the figure and limbs of his beloved. He asks each tree whether it has seen Seetā. Like a madman, he goes from wood to wood, mountain to mountain, river to river looking for Seetā. He hallucinates that she is hiding behind the bushes with her yellow silk garment seen here and there. But then again, he convinces himself that Seetā would not play such cruel jokes on him. He imagines the terrible act of her being devoured by the Rakshasas piece by piece.
3.60.1 ப்ருஸமாவ்ரஜமாநஸ்ய
தஸ்யாதோ வாமலோசநம் ।
ப்ராஸ்புரச்சாஸ்கலத்ராமோ
வேபதுஸ்சாப்ய ஜாயத ॥
bhṛṡamāvrajamānasya
tasyādhō vāmalōcanam ।
prāsphuraccāskhaladrāmō
vēpathuṡcāpya jāyata ॥
As he hastened towards the Āṡrama,
Rāma floundered, his frame trembled and
the lower lid of his left eye quivered intensely. Vālmeeki saw the male of a pair of birds struck down by a hunter writhing in a pool of blood for no fault of his and the bird’s beloved watching over him helplessly.
It must have moved him so much that he does not seem to have enough occasion to express it through the story of Rāma.
In Ayōdhyā Kanda, he expressed it through the characters of Daṡaratha, Kousalyā, the people of Ayōdhyā, and later Bharata.
From now on, he expresses it through Rāma, to his heart’s content.
How will a sensitive soul ever find peace, after witnessing someone wrongly accused or wrongly punished or wrongly thrown into misery?
3.60.2 உபாலக்ஷ்ய நிமித்தாநி
ஸோऽஸுபாநி முஹுர்முஹு: ।
அபி க்ஷேமம் நு ஸீதாயா
இதி வை வ்யாஜஹார ச ॥
upālakṣya nimittāni
sō'ṡubhāni muhurmuhuḥ ।
api kṣēmaṃ nu sītāyā
iti vai vyājahāra ca ॥
Seeing evil omens again and again,
he exclaimed, ‘I hope Seetā is safe!’
3.60.3 த்வரமாணோ ஜகாமாத
ஸீதாதர்ஸநலாலஸ: ।
ஸூந்யமாவஸதம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
பபூவோத்விக்நமாநஸ: ॥
tvaramāṇō jagāmātha
sītādarṡanalālasaḥ ।
ṡūnyamāvasathaṃ dṛṣṭvā
babhūvōdvignamānasaḥ ॥
Eagar to see Seetā, he went in all haste.
Seeing the Āṡrama empty, his mind was distraught.
3.60.4-5 உத்ப்ரமந்நிவ வேகேந
விக்ஷிபந்ரகுநந்தந: ।
தத்ர தத்ரோடஜஸ்தாநம்
அபிவீக்ஷ்ய ஸமந்தத: ।
ததர்ஸ பர்ணஸாலாம் ச
ரஹிதாம் ஸீதயா ததா ।
ஸ்ரியா விரஹிதாம் த்வஸ்தாம்
ஹேமந்தே பத்மிநீமிவ ॥
udbhramanniva vēgēna
vikṣipanraghunandanaḥ ।
tatra tatrōṭajasthānam
abhivīkṣya samantataḥ ।
dadarṡa parṇaṡālāṃ ca
rahitāṃ sītayā tadā ।
ṡriyā virahitāṃ dhvastām
hēmantē padminīmiva ॥
Like one reeling, flinging his arms,
the delight of Raghus searched every spot
all over that cottage, only to find
that leafy cottage devoid of its life,
like a lotus pond in winter.
3.60.6-7 ருதந்தமிவ வ்ருக்ஷைஸ்ச
ம்லாநபுஷ்பம்ருகத்விஜம் ।
ஸ்ரியா விஹீநம் வித்வஸ்தம்
ஸந்த்யக்தவநதேவதம் ।
விப்ரகீர்ணாஜிநகுஸம்
விப்ரவித்தப்ருஸீகடம் ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸூந்யம் நிஜஸ்தாநம்
விலலாப புந: புந: ॥
rudantamiva vṛkṣaiṡca
mlānapuṣpamṛgadvijam ।
ṡriyā vihīnaṃ vidhvastam
santyaktavanadēvatam ।
viprakīrṇājinakuṡam
vipraviddhabrusīkaṭam ।
dṛṣṭvā ṡūnyaṃ nijasthānam
vilalāpa punaḥ punaḥ ॥
Seeing his very own dwelling empty,
its trees appearing to weep,
its flowers wilting, its birds and beasts dispirited,
its charm robbed and thrown into disorder,
with the sylvan deities having deserted it,
deerskin and Kuṡa grass scattered all over the place,
and the reed-mats thrown around,
he lamented repeatedly.
3.60.8 ஹ்ருதா ம்ருதா வா நஷ்டா வா
பக்ஷிதா வா பவிஷ்யதி ।
நிலீநாப்யதவா பீரு:
அதவா வநமாஸ்ரிதா ॥
hṛtā mṛtā vā naṣṭā vā
bhakṣitā vā bhaviṣyati ।
nilīnāpyathavā bhīruḥ
athavā vanamāṡritā ॥
Has she been abducted, devoured,
or is she lost or dead?
Has the timid one hid herself?
Or did she go into the Vana? We have seen how strong Seetā is, in the previous Sargas 47 through 56.
Yet, Rāma, out of love, refers to her as ‘timid Seetā’. It is similar to the usage of saying ‘poor fellow’ about someone who faces unwarranted and undeserving adversity.
3.60.9 கதா விசேதும் புஷ்பாணி
பலாந்யபி ச வா புந: ।
அதவா பத்மிநீம் யாதா
ஜலார்தம் வா நதீம் கதா ॥
gatā vicētuṃ puṣpāṇi
phalānyapi ca vā punaḥ ।
athavā padminīṃ yātā
jalārthaṃ vā nadīṃ gatā ॥
Has she gone to pluck flowers or fruits?
Or has she gone to the lotus pond?
Or has she gone to the river to fetch water?
3.60.10 யத்நாந்ம்ருகயமாணஸ்து
நாஸஸாத வநே ப்ரியாம் ।
ஸோகரக்தேக்ஷணஸ்ஸோகாத்
உந்மத்த இவ லக்ஷ்யதே ॥
yatnānmṛgayamāṇastu
nāsasāda vanē priyām ।
ṡōkaraktēkṣaṇaṡṡōkāt
unmatta iva lakṣyatē ॥
Search as much as he could,
he did not find his beloved in the Vana.
With his eyes bloodshot with grief,
he looked like a mad man.
3.60.11 வ்ருக்ஷாத்வ்ருக்ஷம் ப்ரதாவந்ஸ
கிரேஸ்சாத்ரிம் நதாந்நதீம் ।
பபூவ விலபந்ராம:
ஸோகார்ணவபரிப்லுத: ॥
vṛkṣādvṛkṣaṃ pradhāvansa
girēṡcādriṃ nadānnadīm ।
babhūva vilapanrāmaḥ
ṡōkārṇavapariplutaḥ ॥
Sunk in an ocean of grief
he ran lamenting from one tree to the other,
from hill to mountain and stream to river.
3.60.12 அபி காசித்த்வயா த்ருஷ்டா
ஸா கதம்பப்ரியா ப்ரியா ।
கதம்ப யதி ஜாநீஷே
ஸம்ஸ ஸீதாம் ஸுபாநநாம் ॥
api kācittvayā dṛṣṭā
sā kadambapriyā priyā ।
kadamba yadi jānīṣē
ṡaṃsa sītāṃ ṡubhānanām ॥
O Kadamba tree! Have you seen my beloved
who loves the Kadamba flowers?
Please tell me if you know
about Seetā of auspicious face!
3.60.13 ஸ்நிக்தபல்லவஸங்காஸா
பீதகௌஸேயவாஸிநீ ।
ஸம்ஸஸ்வ யதி வா த்ருஷ்டா
பில்வ பில்வோபமஸ்தநீ ॥
snigdhapallavasaṅkāṡā
pītakauṡēyavāsinī ।
ṡaṃsasva yadi vā dṛṣṭā
bilva bilvōpamastanī ॥
O Bilva tree! Tell me if you have seen
the one who has the sheen of tender shoots,
who wears yellow garments of silk and
whose breasts are like Bilva fruits!
3.60.14 அதவாऽர்ஜுந ஸம்ஸ த்வம்
ப்ரியாம் தாமர்ஜுநப்ரியாம் ।
ஜநகஸ்ய ஸுதா பீரு:
யதி ஜீவதி வா ந வா ॥
athavā'rjuna ṡaṃsa tvam
priyāṃ tāmarjunapriyām ।
janakasya sutā bhīruḥ
yadi jīvati vā na vā ॥
O Arjuna tree! You, at least,
tell me about her, my beloved
who loves the Arjuna trees;
is she, the daughter of Janaka,
the timid one, alive and not?
3.60.15 ககுப: ககுபோரூம் தாம்
வ்யக்தம் ஜாநாதி மைதிலீம் ।
யதா பல்லவபுஷ்பாட்யோ
பாதி ஹ்யேஷ வநஸ்பதி: ॥
kakubhaḥ kakubhōrūṃ tām
vyaktaṃ jānāti maithilīm ।
yathā pallavapuṣpāḍhyō
bhāti hyēṣa vanaspatiḥ ॥
This Kakubha tree, which is resplendent
with the tender shoots and flowers
must surely know about Maithili
whose thighs resemble the Kakubha (branches)!
3.60.16 ப்ரமரைருபகீதஸ்ச
யதா த்ருமவரோ ஹ்யயம் ।
ஏஷ வ்யக்தம் விஜாநாதி
திலகஸ்திலகப்ரியாம் ॥
bhramarairupagītaṡca
yathā drumavarō hyayam ।
ēṣa vyaktaṃ vijānāti
tilakastilakapriyām ॥
This Tilaka tree, the best among trees,
whose glory is sung by
the humming bees hovering around it
must very well and surely know
about her who loves the Tilaka!
3.60.17 அஸோக ஸோகாபநுத
ஸோகோபஹதசேதஸம் ।
த்வந்நாமாநம் குரு க்ஷிப்ரம்
ப்ரியாஸந்தர்ஸநேந மாம் ॥
aṡōka ṡōkāpanuda
ṡōkōpahatacētasam ।
tvannāmānaṃ kuru kṣipram
priyāsandarṡanēna mām ॥
O Aṡōka tree, O dispeller of sadness!
My heart is stricken with grief.
Please show my beloved to me
and make me your namesake fast!
The literal meaning of Aṡōka is ‘without sadness’.
3.60.18 யதி தால த்வயா த்ருஷ்டா
பக்வதாலபலஸ்தநீ ।
கதயஸ்வ வராரோஹாம்
காருண்யம் யதி தே மயி ॥
yadi tāla tvayā dṛṣṭā
pakvatālaphalastanī ।
kathayasva varārōhām
kāruṇyaṃ yadi tē mayi ॥
O Tāla tree! If you have seen her
of excellent Kaṭee and ripened Tāla fruit like breasts,
would you be kind enough to tell me about her?
3.60.19 யதி த்ருஷ்டா த்வயா ஸீதா
ஜம்பு ஜம்பூபலோபமா ।
ப்ரியாம் யதி விஜாநீஷே
நி:ஸங்கம் கதயஸ்வ மே ॥
yadi dṛṣṭā tvayā sītā
jambu jambūphalōpamā ।
priyāṃ yadi vijānīṣē
niḥṡaṅkaṃ kathayasva mē ॥
O Jambū tree! If you have seen or know about
Seetā, my beloved, who resembles the Jambū fruit
please tell me, without holding back anything!
To be Continued