--- title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 64" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-64" lang: "en" --- # Aranya Kanda, Sarga 64 > स राजपुत्रः प्रियया विहीनः > शोकेन मोहेन च पीड्यमानः। > विषादयन् भ्रातरमार्तरूपो > भूयो विषादं प्रविवेश तीव्रम्॥ १॥ Filling his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, with despondency, the aforesaid prince, Śrī Rāma, who was being tormented with grief and infatuation, bereft as he was of his beloved consort and wore a distressed air, once more sank into the slough of acute despondency. (1) > स लक्ष्मणं शोकवशाभिपन्नं > शोके निमग्नो विपुले तु रामः। > उवाच वाक्यं व्यसनानुरूप- > मुष्णं विनिःश्वस्य रुदन् सशोकम्॥ २॥ Drawing a hot and deep breath, and crying with grief, Śrī Rāma for his part, who was plunged in profound grief, addressed to Lakṣmaṇa, who had likewise fallen a prey to grief, the following words befitting the misfortune in the shape of his sister-in-law’s abduction that had befallen him : (2) > न मद्विधो दुष्कृतकर्मकारी > मन्ये द्वितीयोऽस्ति वसुंधरायाम्। > शोकानुशोको हि परम्पराया > मामेति भिन्दन् हृदयं मनश्च॥ ३॥ “I believe none else on earth has perpetrated sinful deeds as I have done, in that grief after grief is overtaking me in uninterrupted succession, breaking my heart and disturbing the mind. (3) > पूर्वं मया नूनमभीप्सितानि > पापानि कर्माण्यसकृत्कृतानि। > तत्रायमद्यापतितो विपाको > दुःखेन दुःखं यदहं विशामि॥ ४॥ “Surely in my previous existences sinful deeds, fondly designed, were perpetrated by me more than once. The fruit of some of them has appeared suddenly before me today in that through one sorrow I pass to another. (4) > राज्यप्रणाशः स्वजनैर्वियोगः > पितुर्विनाशो जननीवियोगः। > सर्वाणि मे लक्ष्मण शोकवेग- > मापूरयन्ति प्रविचिन्तितानि॥ ५॥ “The loss of sovereignty, separation from my kith and kin, the demise of my father, the parting from my mother, Kausalyā—all these, when pondered deeply over, aggravate the force of my grief, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (5) > सर्वं तु दुःखं मम लक्ष्मणेदं > शान्तं शरीरे वनमेत्य क्लेशम्। > सीतावियोगात् पुनरप्युदीर्णं > काष्ठैरिवाग्निः सहसोपदीप्तः॥ ६॥ “All this agony, which was followed by bodily discomfort, O Lakṣmaṇa, on my reaching the forest had disappeared on account of Sītā’s presence. It has flared up once more consequent on separation from Sītā even as a fire would burst into flames all of a sudden with the addition of pieces of firewood. (6) > सा नूनमार्या मम राक्षसेन > ह्यभ्याहृता खं समुपेत्य भीरुः। > अपस्वरं सुस्वरविप्रलापा > भयेन विक्रन्दितवत्यभीक्ष्णम्॥ ७॥ “On reaching the skies when actually carried away by force by an ogre through the air-space, that noble and timid consort of mine, who used to converse so sweetly, must have surely cried again and again in a dissonant voice from fear. (7) > तौ लोहितस्य प्रियदर्शनस्य > सदोचितावुत्तमचन्दनस्य। > वृत्तौ स्तनौ शोणितपङ्कदिग्धौ > नूनं प्रियाया मम नाभिपातः॥ ८॥ “Those spherical breasts of my beloved spouse, which were ever worthy of being smeared with excellent red sandal-paste, so lovely to look at, must surely have been soiled with thickened blood (when put to the knife for being eaten up). Yet my accursed body does not fall to pieces ! (8) > तत् श्लक्ष्णसुव्यक्तमृदुप्रलापं > तस्या मुखं कुञ्चितकेशभारम्। > रक्षोवशं नूनमुपागताया > न भ्राजते राहुमुखे यथेन्दुः॥ ९॥ “That face—which uttered bland, very distinct and soft words and bore a mass of curly hair on its head—of Sītā, who has surely fallen into the clutches of ogres, no longer shines any more than the moon in the mouth of Rāhu (the deity presiding over a planet of the same name, which is now identified with the shadow of the earth falling on the orb of the moon). (9) > तां हारपाशस्य सदोचितान्तां > ग्रीवां प्रियाया मम सुव्रतायाः। > रक्षांसि नूनं परिपीतवन्ति > शून्ये हि भित्त्वा रुधिराशनानि॥ १०॥ “Having cut open in a lonely place the shapely neck of my beloved spouse of noble vows—whose circumference ever deserved to be adorned with a beautiful string of pearls: ogres have surely, I presume, drunk to their heart’s content beverages in the shape of her blood. (10) > मया विहीना विजने वने सा > रक्षोभिराहृत्य विकृष्यमाणा। > नूनं विनादं कुररीव दीना > सा मुक्तवत्यायतकान्तनेत्रा॥ ११॥ “Being dragged by ogres after surrounding her, bereft of me, in the lonely forest that lady of large and lovely eyes must have surely uttered a loud cry like a female osprey, afflicted as she was. (11) > अस्मिन् मया सार्धमुदारशीला > शिलातले पूर्वमुपोपविष्टा। > कान्तस्मिता लक्ष्मण जातहासा > त्वामाह सीता बहुवाक्यजातम्॥ १२॥ “Seated close to me by my side on this slab of rock and seized with laughter in the days gone by, Sītā, who was blessed with a generous disposition and had a lovely smile on her lips, talked to you of many things, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (12) > गोदावरीयं सरितां वरिष्ठा > प्रिया प्रियाया मम नित्यकालम्। > अप्यत्र गच्छेदिति चिन्तयामि > नैकाकिनी याति हि सा कदाचित्॥ १३॥ “This Godāvarī, the foremost of rivers, has been the favourite resort of my darling at all times. I think she might have gone that side; but she never sought its bank alone. (13) > पद्मानना पद्मपलाशनेत्रा > पद्मानि वानेतुमभिप्रयाता। > तदप्ययुक्तं नहि सा कदाचि- > न्मया विना गच्छति पङ्कजानि॥ १४॥ “Possessed as she is of a lotus-like countenance and eyes resembling the petals of a lotus, she might have probably sallied forth to gather lotuses. That too, however, is absurd; for she would never approach lotuses without me. (14) > कामं त्विदं पुष्पितवृक्षषण्डं > नानाविधैः पक्षिगणैरुपेतम्। > वनं प्रयाता नु तदप्ययुक्त- > मेकाकिनी सातिबिभेति भीरुः॥ १५॥ “It is quite probable that she has left for the yonder forest containing clusters of trees in blossom and visited by flocks of birds of various species. That too, however, is improbable; for, the timid lady felt very much afraid when left alone. (15) > आदित्य भो लोककृताकृतज्ञ > लोकस्य सत्यानृतकर्मसाक्षिन्। > मम प्रिया सा क्व गता हृता वा > शंसस्व मे शोकहतस्य सर्वम्॥ १६॥ (Addressing the sun-god) “O sun-god (son of Aditi), the knower of what has been done and what has not been done in the world and the witness of the good and evil deeds of the people, where has my darling, Sītā, gone or has been borne away? Pray, let me know everything, stricken with sorrow as I am. (16) > लोकेषु सर्वेषु न नास्ति किंचिद् > यत् ते न नित्यं विदितं भवेत् तत्। > शंसस्व वायो कुलपालिनीं तां > मृता हृता वा पथि वर्तते वा॥ १७॥ (Addressing the wind-god) “There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in all the worlds, which is not always known to you. Pray, give me news about Sītā—(that guardian angel of my race)—whether she is dead or has been borne away or is on her way to some unknown destination, having been carried away by some desperado.” (17) > इतीव तं शोकविधेयदेहं > रामं विसंज्ञं विलपन्तमेव। > उवाच सौमित्रिरदीनसत्त्वो > न्याय्ये स्थितः कालयुतं च वाक्यम्॥ १८॥ To Śrī Rāma, who had been deprived of his understanding, his body having been utterly overpowered by grief, even while he was wailing as aforesaid, Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) who was positive in spirit and ever stuck to the right path, tendered the following opportune advice: (18) > शोकं विसृज्याद्य धृतिं भजस्व > सोत्साहता चास्तु विमार्गणेऽस्याः। > उत्साहवन्तो हि नरा न लोके > सीदन्ति कर्मस्वतिदुष्करेषु॥ १९॥ “Casting off grief, take heart now. And let vigorousness be brought to bear upon the quest for Sītā: for men who are full of vigour never lose heart even when engaged in pursuits which are most difficult to carry through.” (19) > इतीव सौमित्रिमुदग्रपौरुषं > ब्रुवन्तमार्तो रघुवंशवर्धनः। > न चिन्तयामास धृतिं विमुक्तवान् > पुनश्च दुःखं महदभ्युपागमत्॥ २०॥ Śrī Rāma (the promoter of Raghu’s race), who felt distressed due to the disappearance of Sītā, took no notice of Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā), who was speaking as aforesaid and was possessed of great manliness, lost courage once for all and once more fell a prey to deep agony. (20) 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.