Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28
स एवं ब्रुवतीं सीतां धर्मज्ञां धर्मवत्सलः। न नेतुं कुरुते बुद्धिं वने दुःखानि चिन्तयन्॥ १॥
Meaning
Bearing in mind the hardships one will be called upon to bear in the forest, Śrī Rāma, who was fond of righteousness, did not favour the idea of taking alongwith him to the forest Sītā, who knew what is right, and spoke as aforesaid. (1)
सान्त्वयित्वा ततस्तां तु बाष्पदूषितलोचनाम्। निवर्तनार्थे धर्मात्मा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह॥ २॥
Meaning
Soothing with kind words Sītā, whose eyes were bedimmed with tears, Śrī Rāma, whose mind was given to piety, for his part, so the tradition goes, then spoke as follows with a view to turning her back from her resolve : (2)
सीते महाकुलीनासि धर्मे च निरता सदा। इहाचरस्व धर्मं त्वं यथा मे मनसः सुखम्॥ ३॥
Meaning
“Sītā, you are born of a high pedigree and are ever devoted to righteousness. Practise you virtue here so that gratification may be caused to my mind. (3)
सीते यथा त्वां वक्ष्यामि तथा कार्यं त्वयाबले। वने दोषा हि बहवो वसतस्तान् निबोध मे॥ ४॥
Meaning
“You should act as I am going to tell you, O frail Sītā ! A dweller in forest, really speaking, suffers from many a handicap: please know them from me. (4)
सीते विमुच्यतामेषा वनवासकृता मतिः। बहुदोषं हि कान्तारं वनमित्यभिधीयते॥ ५॥
Meaning
“Let this idea of living in a forest be finally relinquished, O Sītā; for a dense forest is spoken of as fraught with manifold dangers. (5)
हितबुद्ध्या खलु वचो मयैतदभिधीयते। सदा सुखं न जानामि दुःखमेव सदा वनम्॥ ६॥
Meaning
“This advice is tendered by me with an eye to your welfare alone and not because you will prove a burden to me. Not only there is no joy in a forest at all times; I rather know it to be an abode of perpetual misery. (6)
गिरिनिर्झरसम्भूता गिरिनिर्दरिवासिनाम्। सिंहानां निनदा दुःखाः श्रोतुं दुःखमतो वनम्॥ ७॥
Meaning
“Intensified by the noise of hill-streams, the roars of lions dwelling in mountain caves are unpleasant to hear. Hence a forest is full of misery. (7)
क्रीडमानाश्च विस्रब्धा मत्ताः शून्ये तथा मृगाः। दृष्ट्वा समभिवर्तन्ते सीते दुःखमतो वनम्॥ ८॥
Meaning
“Again, on seeing a human being, wild beasts in rut, sporting fearlessly in a lonely retreat, attack him on all sides. Hence a forest is full of suffering. (8)
सग्राहाः सरितश्चैव पङ्कवत्यस्तु दुस्तराः। मत्तैरपि गजैर्नित्यमतो दुःखतरं वनम्॥ ९॥
Meaning
“Rivers are full of alligators and marshy too and as such difficult to cross even for elephants in rut. Hence a forest is ever exceedingly unpleasant. (9)
लताकण्टकसंकीर्णाः कृकवाकूपनादिताः। निरपाश्च सुदुःखाश्च मार्गा दुःखमतो वनम्॥ १०॥
Meaning
“The paths are waterless and extremely rugged, covered with creepers and thorns and rendered noisy by wild cocks. A forest is, therefore, full of misery. (10)
सुप्यते पर्णशय्यासु स्वयंभग्नासु भूतले। रात्रिषु श्रमखिन्नेन तस्माद् दुःखमतो वनम्॥ ११॥
Meaning
“Exhausted through toil entailed by search for food in the shape of fruits etc., one has to lie down during nights on beds of dry leaves fallen of themselves. Hence a forest is a source of great suffering. (11)
अहोरात्रं च संतोषः कर्तव्यो नियतात्मना। फलैर्वृक्षावपतितैः सीते दुःखमतो वनम्॥ १२॥
Meaning
“By day and by night hunger has to be appeased with one’s mind fully controlled by means of fruits fallen of themselves from trees, O Sītā ! Hence a forest is full of privations. (12)
उपवासश्च कर्तव्यो यथा प्राणेन मैथिलि। जटाभारश्च कर्तव्यो वल्कलाम्बरधारणम्॥ १३॥
Meaning
“Fasting has to be observed according to one’s stamina, O princess of Mithilā ! Nay, a mass of matted hair has to be worn on the head and one has to remain clad in the bark of trees. (13)
देवतानां पितॄणां च कर्तव्यं विधिपूर्वकम्। प्राप्तानामतिथीनां च नित्यशः प्रतिपूजनम्॥ १४॥
Meaning
“Worship must be offered everyday to the gods and the manes according to the scriptural ordinance and hospitality shown to unexpected guests arrived at his door. (14)
कार्यस्त्रिरभिषेकश्च काले काले च नित्यशः। चरतां नियमेनैव तस्माद् दुःखतरं वनम्॥ १५॥
Meaning
“By those living strictly in accordance with the scriptural ordinance ablutions must be performed thrice at the appointed time, viz., in the morning and evening as well as at midday, everyday. Hence a forest is full of great hardships. (15)
उपहारश्च कर्तव्यः कुसुमैः स्वयमाहृतैः। आर्षेण विधिना वेद्यां सीते दुःखमतो वनम्॥ १६॥
Meaning
“Worship must be offered according to the ordinance laid down by sages at the altar, prepared with one’s own hands by means of flowers gathered by oneself, O Sītā ! Hence a forest is a source of suffering. (16)
यथालब्धेन कर्तव्यः संतोषस्तेन मैथिलि। यताहारैर्वनचरैः सीते दुःखमतो वनम्॥ १७॥
Meaning
“Eating sparingly, dwellers in forests have to appease their hunger with fruits etc. obtained according to season, O Sītā, princess of Mithilā ! Hence a forest is full of hardships. (17)
अतीव वातस्तिमिरं बुभुक्षा चाति नित्यशः। भयानि च महान्त्यत्र ततो दुःखतरं वनम्॥ १८॥
Meaning
“The wind blows furiously everyday, thick darkness prevails and hunger too is rapacious. Besides there are great perils in the forest. Hence a forest is a source of great hardships. (18)
सरीसृपाश्च बहवो बहुरूपाश्च भामिनि। चरन्ति पथि ते दर्पात् ततो दुःखतरं वनम्॥ १९॥
Meaning
“Well-known serpents of various kinds proudly creep on the tracks in large numbers, O proud lady ! A forest, therefore, is a source of great miseries. (19)
नदीनिलयनाः सर्पा नदीकुटिलगामिनः। तिष्ठन्त्यावृत्य पन्थानमतो दुःखतरं वनम्॥ २०॥
Meaning
“Serpents having their home in rivers and moving tortuously like rivers lie blocking the way. Hence a forest is full of great suffering. (20)
पतङ्गा वृश्चिकाः कीटा दंशाश्च मशकैः सह। बाधन्ते नित्यमबले सर्वं दुःखमतो वनम्॥ २१॥
Meaning
“Moths, scorpions, worms and gnats alongwith mosquitoes harass everyone daily, O frail princess ! Hence a forest is full of suffering. (21)
द्रुमाः कण्टकिनश्चैव कुशाः काशाश्च भामिनि। वने व्याकुलशाखाग्रास्तेन दुःखमतो वनम्॥ २२॥
Meaning
“Thorny trees, blades of the sacred Kuśa grass and gnarled shrubs known by the name of Kāśas are seen with the ends of their limbs spreading on all sides in the forest, O proud lady ! Hence a forest is thickly beset with hardships. (22)
कायक्लेशाश्च बहवो भयानि विविधानि च। अरण्यवासे वसतो दुःखमेव सदा वनम्॥ २३॥
Meaning
“Manifold bodily sufferings torment and perils of various kinds threaten a person taking up his abode in a forest dwelling. A forest is thus a perennial source of suffering. (23)
क्रोधलोभौ विमोक्तव्यौ कर्तव्या तपसे मतिः। न भेतव्यं च भेतव्ये दुःखं नित्यमतो वनम्॥ २४॥
Meaning
“Anger and greed have to be completely abandoned, one’s heart has to be set on asceticism and one must not dread even that which deserves to be dreaded. Hence a forest is a perpetual source of suffering. (24)
तदलं ते वनं गत्वा क्षेमं नहि वनं तव। विमृशन्निव पश्यामि बहुदोषकरं वनम्॥ २५॥
Meaning
“Therefore, have done with the idea of proceeding to the forest. A forest is not secure for you. Bestowing my thought on the subject I perceive the forest as fraught with many evils, as it were.” (25)
वनं तु नेतुं न कृता मतिर्यदा बभूव रामेण तदा महात्मना। न तस्य सीता वचनं चकार तं ततोऽब्रवीद् राममिदं सुदुःखिता॥ २६॥
Meaning
When the high-souled Śrī Rāma did not agree to take Sītā to the forest, the latter for her part did not concur with his verdict. Sore afflicted, she then spoke as follows to the illustrious Śrī Rāma. (26)
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