---
title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 45"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-45"
lang: "en"
---

# Aranya Kanda, Sarga 45

> आर्तस्वरं तु तं भर्तुर्विज्ञाय सदृशं वने।  
> उवाच लक्ष्मणं सीता गच्छ जानीहि राघवम्॥ १॥

Recognizing the piteous cry heard in the forest as akin to the voice of her lord, Sītā spoke to Lakṣmaṇa (as follows) : “Go and ascertain the truth about Śrī Rāma (the scion of Raghu). (1)

> नहि मे जीवितं स्थाने हृदयं वावतिष्ठते।  
> क्रोशतः परमार्तस्य श्रुतः शब्दो मया भृशम्॥ २॥

“Neither my life-breath nor my heart is functioning properly. I have heard the voice of someone like him crying for help at a high pitch in great distress. (2)

> आक्रन्दमानं तु वने भ्रातरं त्रातुमर्हसि।  
> तं क्षिप्रमभिधाव त्वं भ्रातरं शरणैषिणम्॥ ३॥  
> रक्षसां वशमापन्नं सिंहानामिव गोवृषम्।  
> न जगाम तथोक्तस्तु भ्रातुराज्ञाय शासनम्॥ ४॥

“Surely, you ought to rescue your elder brother, crying piteously in the forest. Rush you at once to the side of your brother fallen into the hands of ogres as a bull into the clutches of lions and as such seeking your protection.” Recalling as he did the command of his brother not to leave her alone, Lakṣmaṇa, however, did not stir even though urged in the foregoing words. (3-4)

> तमुवाच ततस्तत्र क्षुभिता जनकात्मजा।  
> सौमित्रे मित्ररूपेण भ्रातुस्त्वमसि शत्रुवत्॥ ५॥  
> यस्त्वमस्यामवस्थायां भ्रातरं नाभिपद्यसे।  
> इच्छसि त्वं विनश्यन्तं रामं लक्ष्मण मत्कृते॥ ६॥

Getting upset thereby, Sītā (daughter of Janaka) spoke to him on that occasion as follows : “You are as it were an enemy of your brother in the guise of a friend, O Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā), in that you do not rush to the help of your brother even in this predicament. For my sake, O Lakṣmaṇa, you wish Śrī Rāma to perish. (5-6)

> लोभात्तु मत्कृते नूनं नानुगच्छसि राघवम्।  
> व्यसनं ते प्रियं मन्ये स्नेहो भ्रातरि नास्ति ते॥ ७॥

“Surely due to greed for me you do not follow Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). I believe that your brother’s sad plight is dear to you and that there is no affection in you for him. (7)

> तेन तिष्ठसि विस्रब्धं तमपश्यन् महाद्युतिम्।  
> किं हि संशयमापन्ने तस्मिन्निह मया भवेत्॥ ८॥  
> कर्तव्यमिह तिष्ठन्त्या यत्प्रधानस्त्वमागतः।  
> एवं ब्रुवाणां वैदेहीं बाष्पशोकसमन्विताम्॥ ९॥  
> अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणस्त्रस्तां सीतां मृगवधूमिव।  
> पन्नगासुरगन्धर्वदेवदानवराक्षसैः ॥ १०॥  
> अशक्यस्तव वैदेहि भर्ता जेतुं न संशयः।  
> देवि देवमनुष्येषु गन्धर्वेषु पतत्रिषु॥ ११॥  
> राक्षसेषु पिशाचेषु किन्नरेषु मृगेषु च।  
> दानवेषु च घोरेषु न स विद्येत शोभने॥ १२॥  
> यो रामं प्रतियुध्येत समरे वासवोपमम्।  
> अवध्यः समरे रामो नैवं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि॥ १३॥

“That is why you stand unperturbed without seeing Śrī Rāma, who is possessed of extraordinary splendour. Indeed, what purpose will be served by me, remaining secure here when he, with whom as your leader you have come, has fallen into danger?” To Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory—who was full of tears and possessed with grief and felt frightened as a female deer, and who was speaking in the above strain—Lakṣmaṇa replied as follow : “Your husband, O princess of the Videha kingdom, is unconquerable by Nāgas, demons, Gandharvas, gods, titans and ogres : there is no doubt about it. There exists none among gods and human beings, Gandharvas, birds, ogres, fiends, Kinnaras and wild beasts as well as among the terrible demons, O blessed lady, who can encounter in battle Śrī Rāma, who is equal to Indra. Nay, Śrī Rāma cannot be killed in an encounter. You ought not (therefore) to speak like that. (8—13)

> न त्वामस्मिन् वने हातुमुत्सहे राघवं विना।  
> अनिवार्यं बलं तस्य बलैर्बलवतामपि॥ १४॥  
> त्रिभिर्लोकैः समुदितैः सेश्वरैः सामरैरपि।  
> हृदयं निर्वृतं तेऽस्तु संतापस्त्यज्यतां तव॥ १५॥

“I dare not leave you in the forest without Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). His might cannot be repulsed even by the forces of mighty warriors nor even by the three worlds joined together including gods and the three lords of the universe, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Let your heart, therefore, be at ease and let all agony be shed by you. (14-15)

> आगमिष्यति ते भर्ता शीघ्रं हत्वा मृगोत्तमम्।  
> न स तस्य स्वरो व्यक्तं न कश्चिदपि दैवतः॥ १६॥

Having killed the foremost of deer, your husband will soon return. Clearly it was not his voice, which was heard by us, nor was it the incorporeal voice of any deity. (16)

> गन्धर्वनगरप्रख्या माया तस्य च रक्षसः।  
> न्यासभूतासि वैदेहि न्यस्ता मयि महात्मना॥ १७॥  
> रामेण त्वं वरारोहे न त्वां त्यक्तुमिहोत्सहे।  
> कृतवैराश्च कल्याणि वयमेतैर्निशाचरैः॥ १८॥  
> खरस्य निधने देवि जनस्थानवधं प्रति।  
> राक्षसा विविधा वाचो व्याहरन्ति महावने॥ १९॥  
> हिंसाविहारा वैदेहि न चिन्तयितुमर्हसि।  
> लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्ता तु क्रुद्धा संरक्तलोचना॥ २०॥  
> अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं लक्ष्मणं सत्यवादिनम्।  
> अनार्याकरुणारम्भ नृशंस कुलपांसन॥ २१॥  
> अहं तव प्रियं मन्ये रामस्य व्यसनं महत्।  
> रामस्य व्यसनं दृष्ट्वा तेनैतानि प्रभाषसे॥ २२॥

It was surely a conjuring trick of that ogre and unreal like an imaginary city in the sky (visible due to some natural phenomenon). You are a sacred trust placed in my charge by the high-souled Śrī Rāma, O comely princess of the Videha territory. I dare not, therefore, leave you alone. On the score of extermination of the ogres’ colony in Janasthāna at the time of Khara’s death we have been made into enemies by these night-stalkers, O blessed lady ! Ogres who indulge in destruction of life as a recreation simulate diverse voices in the huge forest, O princess of the Videha kingdom ! You need not, therefore, feel anxious.” Reassured in these words by Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā for her part addressed the following harsh words to Lakṣmaṇa, who had spoken the truth, her eyes turning blood-red through anger : “O ignoble and merciless Lakṣmaṇa of cruel deeds, O disgrace of your race, I believe Śrī Rāma’s great adversity is dear to you. That is why you complacently utter such words even on seeing the distress of Śrī Rāma. (17—22)

> नैव चित्रं सपत्नेषु पापं लक्ष्मण यद् भवेत्।  
> त्वद्विधेषु नृशंसेषु नित्यं प्रच्छन्नचारिषु॥ २३॥

“It is not at all strange, O Lakṣmaṇa, that a sinful propensity should exist in the mind of cruel enemies like you, ever moving in disguise. (23)

> सुदुष्टस्त्वं वने राममेकमेकोऽनुगच्छसि।  
> मम हेतोः प्रतिच्छन्नः प्रयुक्तो भरतेन वा॥ २४॥

“With your motive cleverly concealed, you have followed in the forest Śrī Rāma, who was without a male companion, alone for my sake or because you were engaged by Bharata as his agent. (24)

> तन्न सिध्यति सौमित्रे तवापि भरतस्य वा।  
> कथमिन्दीवरश्यामं रामं पद्मनिभेक्षणम्॥ २५॥  
> उपसंश्रित्य भर्तारं कामयेयं पृथग्जनम्।  
> समक्षं तव सौमित्रे प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्याम्यसंशयम्॥ २६॥

“But that object of yours or even of Bharata will not be accomplished, O son of Sumitrā ! Having served as my husband Śrī Rāma of lotus-like eyes and dark-brown as a blue lotus, how can I covet an ordinary man like you? I shall undoubtedly give up the ghost in your presence, O son of Sumitrā ! (25-26)

> रामं विना क्षणमपि नैव जीवामि भूतले।  
> इत्युक्तः परुषं वाक्यं सीतया रोमहर्षणम्॥ २७॥  
> अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणः सीतां प्राञ्जलिः स जितेन्द्रियः।  
> उत्तरं नोत्सहे वक्तुं दैवतं भवती मम॥ २८॥

“I shall certainly not survive on the surface of the earth even for an instant without Śrī Rāma.” Spoken to in these harsh words, which made one’s hair stand on end, by Sītā, the celebrated Lakṣmaṇa, who had mastered his senses, replied with joined palms as follows : “I dare not make a reply to you, since you are a deity to me. (27-28)

> वाक्यमप्रतिरूपं तु न चित्रं स्त्रीषु मैथिलि।  
> स्वभावस्त्वेष नारीणामेषु लोकेषु दृश्यते॥ २९॥

“It is no wonder at all for women to utter words which are not worthy of them, O princess of Mithilā ! For such is the nature of women, which is observed in these worlds. (29)

> विमुक्तधर्माश्चपलास्तीक्ष्णा भेदकराः स्त्रियः।  
> न सहे हीदृशं वाक्यं वैदेहि जनकात्मजे॥ ३०॥  
> श्रोत्रयोरुभयोर्मध्ये तप्तनाराचसंनिभम्।  
> उपशृण्वन्तु मे सर्वे साक्षिणो हि वनेचराः॥ ३१॥

“Women are generally such as have cast decorum to the winds, are fickle, hard-hearted and disposed to create discord. Surely I cannot put up, O princess of the Videha territory and daughter of Janaka, with such words as penetrate into both my ears like a heated steel arrow. Let all the denizens of the forest listen to my words as so many witnesses. (30-31)

> न्यायवादी यथा वाक्यमुक्तोऽहं परुषं त्वया।  
> धिक् त्वामद्य विनश्यन्तीं यन्मामेवं विशङ्कसे॥ ३२॥  
> स्त्रीत्वाद् दुष्टस्वभावेन गुरुवाक्ये व्यवस्थितम्।  
> गच्छामि यत्र काकुत्स्थः स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु वरानने॥ ३३॥

“Since I, who have spoken what is right, have been castigated by you in harsh words, fie upon you, who are going to perish inasmuch as you distrust in this way, through feminine nature and a wicked disposition, me, who firmly abide by the words of my elder brother. I leave for the spot where Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) is. May all be well with you, O lady of charming countenance ! (32-33)

> रक्षन्तु त्वां विशालाक्षि समग्रा वनदेवताः।  
> निमित्तानि हि घोराणि यानि प्रादुर्भवन्ति मे।  
> अपि त्वां सह रामेण पश्येयं पुनरागतः॥ ३४॥

“Let all the sylvan deities protect you, O large-eyed lady ! The fearful evil protents which appear before my eyes indeed make me doubtful whether when come back with Śrī Rāma, I shall be able to see you.” (34)

> लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्ता तु रुदती जनकात्मजा।  
> प्रत्युवाच ततो वाक्यं तीव्रबाष्पपरिप्लुता॥ ३५॥

Crying and bathed in a gushing stream of tears, when spoken to in these words, Sītā (the daughter of Janaka) forthwith replied as follows: (35)

> गोदावरीं प्रवेक्ष्यामि हीना रामेण लक्ष्मण।  
> आबन्धिष्येऽथवा त्यक्ष्ये विषमे देहमात्मनः॥ ३६॥

“Bereft of Śrī Rāma, O Lakṣmaṇa, I shall take a plunge into the Godāvarī or hang myself or cast off my body by climbing up a precipice and falling from it. (36)

> पिबामि वा विषं तीक्ष्णं प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम्।  
> न त्वहं राघवादन्यं कदापि पुरुषं स्पृशे॥ ३७॥

“Or I shall drink a strong poison or enter the fire. But I shall never touch any male other than Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu).” (37)

> इति लक्ष्मणमाश्रुत्य सीता शोकसमन्विता।  
> पाणिभ्यां रुदती दुःखादुदरं प्रजघान ह॥ ३८॥

Having taken this vow before Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā, who was overwhelmed with grief, beat her abdomen with her hands, crying through agony: so the tradition goes. (38)

> तामार्तरूपां विमना रुदन्तीं  
> सौमित्रिरालोक्य विशालनेत्राम्।  
> आश्वासयामास न चैव भर्तु-  
> स्तं भ्रातरं किंचिदुवाच सीता॥ ३९॥

Depressed in spirit to perceive her weeping with a distressed air, Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, consoled the large-eyed lady. Sītā, however, did not utter even a word to her aforesaid brother-in-law. (39)

> ततस्तु सीतामभिवाद्य लक्ष्मणः  
> कृताञ्जलिः किंचिदभिप्रणम्य।  
> अवेक्षमाणो बहुशः स मैथिलीं  
> जगाम रामस्य समीपमात्मवान्॥ ४०॥

Then, greeting Sītā with joined palms and respectfully bowing down a little, nay, looking at the princess of Mithilā again and again, the celebrated Lakṣmaṇa, who had mastered his self, sought the presence of Śrī Rāma. (40)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

---

Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition

Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.