--- title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-119" lang: "en" --- # Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 119 > अनसूया तु धर्मज्ञा श्रुत्वा तां महतीं कथाम्। > पर्यष्वजत बाहुभ्यां शिरस्याघ्राय मैथिलीम्॥ १॥ Hearing that great narrative and smelling the head of the princess of Mithilā as a token of affection, Anasūyā for her part, who knew what is right, folded her in her arms and said : (1) > व्यक्ताक्षरपदं चित्रं भाषितं मधुरं त्वया। > यथा स्वयंवरं वृत्तं तत् सर्वं च श्रुतं मया॥ २॥ “What you have said in distinct tones and words is surprising and sweet. The way in which your self-choice-marriage took place has also been fully heard by me.(2) > रमेयं कथया ते तु दृढं मधुरभाषिणि। > रविरस्तं गतः श्रीमानुपोह्य रजनीं शुभाम्॥ ३॥ “I would have been delighted much to hear more of your story, O sweet-speaking lady ! Ushering in the charming night, the glorious sun has, however, sunk below horizon. (3) > दिवसं परिकीर्णानामाहारार्थं पतत्त्रिणाम्। > संध्याकाले निलीनानां निद्रार्थं श्रूयते ध्वनिः॥ ४॥ “The noise is being heard of birds scattered about during the daytime in search of food and roosted in their nests at eventide for sleep. (4) > एते चाप्यभिषेकार्द्रा मुनयः कलशोद्यताः। > सहिता उपवर्तन्ते सलिलाप्लुतवल्कलाः॥ ५॥ “These hermits too, wet after a bath and their coverings of bark too soaked with water, are returning in a body with uplifted vessels full of water. (5) > अग्निहोत्रे च ऋषिणा हुते च विधिपूर्वकम्। > कपोताङ्गारुणो धूमो दृश्यते पवनोद्धतः॥ ६॥ “The rite of offering oblations into the sacred fire having been performed by the sage Atri according to the scriptural ordinance, a column of smoke, dark-blue like a pigeon’s neck, raised by the wind, is seen over there. (6) > अल्पवर्णा हि तरवो घनीभूताः समन्ततः। > विप्रकृष्टेन्द्रिये देशे न प्रकाशन्ति वै दिशः॥ ७॥ “In the landscape remote from our eyes trees, though clothed with sparse leaves, indeed look dense all round with foliage, so that the quarters do not shine vividly. (7) > रजनीचरसत्त्वानि प्रचरन्ति समन्ततः। > तपोवनमृगा ह्येते वेदितीर्थेषु शेरते॥ ८॥ “Ogres, who range at night, are freely moving all round, while these deer of groves reserved for practising austerities are lying down on the sacred altars. (8) > सम्प्रवृत्ता निशा सीते नक्षत्रसमलंकृता। > ज्योत्स्नाप्रावरणश्चन्द्रो दृश्यतेऽभ्युदितोऽम्बरे॥ ९॥ “The night richly adorned with stars has fairly set in, O Sītā; the moon enveloped in moonlight is seen clearly risen in the sky. (9) > गम्यतामनुजानामि रामस्यानुचरी भव। > कथयन्त्या हि मधुरं त्वयाहमपि तोषिता॥ १०॥ “You may go now, I permit you to depart. Wait you as a maid-servant on Śrī Rāma. I too have undoubtedly been pleased by you, speaking as you did sweet words to me. (10) > अलंकुरु च तावत् त्वं प्रत्यक्षं मम मैथिलि। > प्रीतिं जनय मे वत्से दिव्यालंकारशोभिनी॥ ११॥ “Adorn yourself in the meantime with the garment and ornaments gifted by me before my eyes, O princess of Mithilā ! Heightening the charm of the heavenly jewels with your personal charm, cause delight to me, my darling !” (11) > सा तदा समलंकृत्य सीता सुरसुतोपमा। > प्रणम्य शिरसा पादौ रामं त्वभिमुखी ययौ॥ १२॥ Having duly adorned herself and saluting with reverence the feet of Anasūyā with her head bent low, Sītā for her part, who looked like a daughter of gods, went forward to meet Śrī Rāma on that occasion. (12) > तथा तु भूषितां सीतां ददर्श वदतां वरः। > राघवः प्रीतिदानेन तपस्विन्या जहर्ष च॥ १३॥ Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the foremost of speakers, for his part beheld Sītā adorned as aforesaid and felt delighted with the gift made out of love by the hermitess. (13) > न्यवेदयत् ततः सर्वं सीता रामाय मैथिली। > प्रीतिदानं तपस्विन्या वसनाभरणस्रजाम्॥ १४॥ Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, then related to Śrī Rāma all about the loving gift made by the hermitess of a garment, ornaments and garland. (14) > प्रहृष्टस्त्वभवद् रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महारथः। > मैथिल्याः सत्क्रियां दृष्ट्वा मानुषेषु सुदुर्लभाम्॥ १५॥ Śrī Rāma, for his part, as well as Lakṣmaṇa, the great chariot-warrior, felt highly rejoiced to see the reception of Sītā (the princess of Mithilā), which was extremely rare among human beings. (15) > ततः स शर्वरीं प्रीतः पुण्यां शशिनिभाननाम्। > अर्चितस्तापसैः सर्वैरुवास रघुनन्दनः॥ १६॥ Beholding Sītā, whose countenance shone like the moon, consecrated by the sacred gift of the holy lady, the celebrated Śrī Rāma (the delight of the Raghus) who was received with honour by the hermits, then spent the night with all. (16) > तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामभिषिच्य हुताग्निकान्। > आपृच्छेतां नरव्याघ्रौ तापसान् वनगोचरान्॥ १७॥ Having finished their ablutions when that night had fully expired, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, who were tiger among men, took leave of the ascetics dwelling in the forest, who had just offered oblations into the sacred fire. (17) > तावूचुस्ते वनचरास्तापसा धर्मचारिणः। > वनस्य तस्य संचारं राक्षसैः समभिप्लुतम्॥ १८॥ The aforesaid ascetics dwelling in the forest and practising virtue there told the two princes about the region of that forest infested by ogres. (18) > रक्षांसि पुरुषादानि नानारूपाणि राघव। > वसन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये व्यालाश्च रुधिराशनाः॥ १९॥ “Ogres feeding upon the human flesh and appearing in various guises, as well as blood-sucking beasts of prey live in this great forest, O scion of Raghu ! (19) > उच्छिष्टं वा प्रमत्तं वा तापसं ब्रह्मचारिणम्। > अदन्त्यस्मिन् महारण्ये तान् निवारय राघव॥ २०॥ “They devour an ascetic or celibate who has not rinsed his mouth after partaking of some solid or liquid food or who is delinquent in this great forest; pray, ward them off, O scion of Raghu ! (20) > एष पन्था महर्षीणां फलान्याहरतां वने। > अनेन तु वनं दुर्गं गन्तुं राघव ते क्षमम्॥ २१॥ “This is the path followed by eminent Ṛṣis gathering fruits in the forest. It would be advisable for you to make to the forest, which is difficult of access, by this path alone.” (21) > इतीरितः प्राञ्जलिभिस्तपस्विभि- > र्द्विजैः कृतस्वस्त्ययनः परंतपः। > वनं सभार्यः प्रविवेश राघवः > सलक्ष्मणः सूर्य इवाभ्रमण्डलम्॥ २२॥ Spoken to as above by the ascetics with folded hands as a gesture of supplication, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the scorcher of his foes, when he had been presented by the Brāhmaṇas with flowers etc., accompanied by good wishes and benedictions, made his way into the heart of the forest alongwith his consort and Lakṣmaṇa, as the sun would penetrate a mass of clouds. (22) 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.