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title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 117"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-117"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 117

> राघवस्त्वपयातेषु सर्वेष्वनुविचिन्तयन्।  
> न तत्रारोचयद् वासं कारणैर्बहुभिस्तदा॥ १॥

Reflecting again and again, when all the ascetics had left, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, for his part did not like to continue his stay there any more for many reasons. (1)

> इह मे भरतो दृष्टो मातरश्च सनागराः।  
> सा च मे स्मृतिरन्वेति तान् नित्यमनुशोचतः॥ २॥

“At this place was Bharata seen by me as well as my mothers with the people of Ayodhyā. Nay, that memory still haunts me, and I mourn for them daily. (2)

> स्कन्धावारनिवेशेन तेन तस्य महात्मनः।  
> हयहस्तिकरीषैश्च उपमर्दः कृतो भृशम्॥ ३॥

“Moreover much impurity has been caused to the land by the dry dung of horses and elephants due to the camping, referred to above, of the army of that high-souled prince, Bharata. (3)

> तस्मादन्यत्र गच्छाम इति संचिन्त्य राघवः।  
> प्रातिष्ठत स वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च संगतः॥ ४॥

“We shall, therefore, move elsewhere !” Pondering thus, the celebrated Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, accompanied by Sītā, a princess of the Videha kingdom, and Lakṣmaṇa, departed from Citrakūṭa. (4)

> सोऽत्रेराश्रममासाद्य तं ववन्दे महायशाः।  
> तं चापि भगवानत्रिः पुत्रवत् प्रत्यपद्यत॥ ५॥

Having reached the hermitage of Sage Atri, that highly illustrious prince saluted him; and the glorious Atri too received him as his own son. (5)

> स्वयमातिथ्यमादिश्य सर्वमस्य सुसत्कृतम्।  
> सौमित्रिं च महाभागं सीतां च समसान्त्वयत्॥ ६॥

Having personally shown every hospitality with full honours to him, he comforted the highly blessed Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā too. (6)

> पत्नीं च तामनुप्राप्तां वृद्धामामन्त्र्य सत्कृताम्।  
> सान्त्वयामास धर्मज्ञः सर्वभूतहिते रतः॥ ७॥  
> अनसूयां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्।  
> प्रतिगृह्णीष्व वैदेहीमब्रवीदृषिसत्तमः॥ ८॥

Calling by name his aged and highly blessed wife, Anasūyā, who had reached his presence and was received with attentions by him, and who was given to austerities and the practice of virtue, Atri, the foremost of sages, who knew what is right and was devoted to the good of all created beings, spoke kindly to her, and said, “Welcome Sītā, a princess of the Videha kingdom.” (7-8)

> रामाय चाचचक्षे तां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्।  
> दश वर्षाण्यनावृष्ट्या दग्धे लोके निरन्तरम्॥ ९ ॥  
> यया मूलफले सृष्टे जाह्नवी च प्रवर्तिता।  
> उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता नियमैश्चाप्यलंकृता॥ १०॥  
> दश वर्षसहस्राणि यया तप्तं महत् तपः।  
> अनसूयाव्रतैस्तात प्रत्यूहाश्च निबर्हिताः॥ ११॥  
> देवकार्यनिमित्तं च यया संत्वरमाणया।  
> दशरात्रं कृता रात्रिः सेयं मातेव तेऽनघ॥ १२॥

He further introduced to Śrī Rāma as follows the aforesaid lady, who was given to austerities and the practice of virtue : “Like a mother to you, O sinless prince, is this celebrated Anasūyā, distinguished by severe asceticism and adorned with sacred vows, by whom roots and fruits were produced and the river Gaṅgā, a foster-daughter of the royal king Jahnu, was made to flow close to my hermitage by virtue of her asceticism at a time when the world had been dried up by a drought continuing for ten years without break, nay, by whom great askesis were practised for ten thousand years and obstacles in the way of Ṛṣis were done away with and by whom for the purpose* of gods in a great hurry ten nights were reduced to one night. (9—12)

> तामिमां सर्वभूतानां नमस्कार्यां तपस्विनीम्।  
> अभिगच्छतु वैदेही वृद्धामक्रोधनां सदा॥ १३॥

“Let Sītā, a princess of the Videha kingdom, meekly approach this celebrated * We read in the Purāṇas how Sage Māṇḍavya once pronounced a curse against a hermitess, Śāṇḍili and aged hermitess, who is worth saluting in the eyes of all created beings, and is ever free from anger.” (13)

> एवं ब्रुवाणं तमृषिं तथेत्युक्त्वा स राघवः।  
> सीतामालोक्य धर्मज्ञामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ १४॥

Saying “Amen!” to the aforesaid Ṛṣi, who was speaking in this strain and looking at Sītā, who knew what is right, the celebrated Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) addressed the following words to her : 14)

> राजपुत्रि श्रुतं त्वेतन्मुनेरस्य समीरितम्।  
> श्रेयोऽर्थमात्मनः शीघ्रमभिगच्छ तपस्विनीम्॥ १५॥

“The foregoing utterance of this sage has surely been heard by you, O princess! For your own good, therefore, quickly approach the hermitess with reverence. (15)

> अनसूयेति या लोके कर्मभिः ख्यातिमागता।  
> तां शीघ्रमभिगच्छ त्वमभिगम्यां तपस्विनीम्॥ १६॥

“Speedily seek you respectfully the ascetic lady, who is worth approaching with reverence and who has attained celebrity in the world through her actions under the name of Anasūyā (lit., free from jealousy).” (16)

> सीता त्वेतद् वचः श्रुत्वा राघवस्य यशस्विनी।  
> तामत्रिपत्नीं धर्मज्ञामभिचक्राम मैथिली॥ १७॥  
> शिथिलां वलितां वृद्धां जरापाण्डुरमूर्धजाम्।  
> सततं वेपमानाङ्गीं प्रवाते कदलीमिव॥ १८॥

Hearing this exhortation of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), the illustrious Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, for her part proceeded to meet the celebrated and aged consort of Atri, who knew what is right, nay, who was feeble of body and wrinkled, with her hair turned grey due to old age, and whose frame constantly shook like a banana tree in a storm. (17-18)

> तां तु सीता महाभागामनसूयां पतिव्रताम्।  
> अभ्यवादयदव्यग्रा स्वं नाम समुदाहरत्॥ १९॥

Sītā for her part calmly greeted the highly blessed Anasūyā, devoted to her husband, and duly uttered her own name by way of introduction. (19)

> अभिवाद्य च वैदेही तापसीं तां दमान्विताम्।  
> बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा हृष्टा पर्यपृच्छदनामयम्॥ २०॥

Nay, having greeted that hermitess, who was endowed with self-restraint, Sītā (a princess of the Videha kingdom), full of joy, enquired after her health with folded hands. (20)

> ततः सीतां महाभागां दृष्ट्वा तां धर्मचारिणीम्।  
> सान्त्वयन्त्यब्रवीद् वृद्धा दिष्ट्या धर्ममवेक्षसे॥ २१॥

Seeing the highly blessed and celebrated Sītā, who was given to the practice of virtue, the old lady, thereupon, comfortingly said to her, “Luckily enough, you have your eyes fixed on righteousness. (21)

> त्यक्त्वा ज्ञातिजनं सीते मानवृद्धिं च मानिनि।  
> अवरुद्धं वने रामं दिष्ट्या त्वमनुगच्छसि॥ २२॥

“Having forsaken your relations and given up your exaltation, O proud Sītā, I am glad, you are following your husband, Śrī Rāma, who has been exiled into the forest. (22)

> नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा शुभो वा यदि वाशुभः।  
> यासां स्त्रीणां प्रियो भर्ता तासां लोका महोदयाः॥ २३॥

“Worlds that are attended with great prosperity await those women to whom their husband is dear, no matter whether he lives in a city or in a forest, whether he is propitious or adverse. (23)

> दुःशीलः कामवृत्तो वा धनैर्वा परिवर्जितः।  
> स्त्रीणामार्यस्वभावानां परमं दैवतं पतिः॥ २४॥

“In the eyes of women who are blessed with a noble disposition the husband is the highest deity, no matter whether he is ill-mannered or licentious or entirely devoid of riches. (24)

> नातो विशिष्टं पश्यामि बान्धवं विमृशन्त्यहम्।  
> सर्वत्र योग्यं वैदेहि तपःकृतमिवाव्ययम्॥ २५॥

“Though deeply pondering, I do not see for a woman a friend greater than the husband and more capable of yielding one’s desired object at all places like the imperishable fruit of one’s austerities, O princess of the Videha kingdom ! (25)

> न त्वेवमनुगच्छन्ति गुणदोषमसत्स्त्रियः।  
> कामवक्तव्यहृदया भर्तृनाथाश्चरन्ति याः॥ २६॥

“Those evil women, however, whose hearts are swayed by desire, nay, who lord it over their husband, having no sense of virtue and vice, and move about at will, do not follow him in the aforesaid manner. (26)

> प्राप्नुवन्त्ययशश्चैव धर्मभ्रंशं च मैथिलि।  
> अकार्यवशमापन्नाः स्त्रियो याः खलु तद्विधाः॥ २७॥

“Indeed, fallen a prey to concupiscence, which is worth giving up, women who belong to that category, O princess of Mithilā, meet with a fall from virtue and also reap infamy. (27)

> त्वद्विधास्तु गुणैर्युक्ता दृष्टलोकपरावराः।  
> स्त्रियः स्वर्गे चरिष्यन्ति यथा पुण्यकृतस्तथा॥ २८॥

“Women like you, on the other hand, who are adorned with virtues like devotion to their husband and have discovered what is good and evil in the world, will hereafter dwell in heaven in the same way as those who have performed meritorious deeds. (28)

> तदेवमेतं त्वमनुव्रता सती  
> पतिप्रधाना समयानुवर्तिनी।  
> भव स्वभर्तुः सहधर्मचारिणी  
> यशश्च धर्मं च ततः समाप्स्यसि॥ २९॥

“Therefore, remaining devoted to the service of this prince, nay, looking upon your husband as the foremost object of your worship and attending on him at the proper time, practise virtue in co-operation with your husband. Thereby you will easily attain fame as well as religious merit.” (29) Thus end Canto One hundred and seventeen in the Ayodhyākāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki, the work of a Ṛṣi and the oldest epic.

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

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