“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13
Rama’s Meeting with Agastya Summary
Rama requests Sage Agastya to indicate a place in the forest to make a residence during the days of exile. Sage Agastya foresees the next course of Ramayana, and orients his conversation around womanhood and Seetha. Then that sage informs Rama to proceed to Panchavati where Seetha will be delightful of its surroundings.
Chapter [Sarga] 13 in Detail
raama priito asmi bhadram te paritusto asmi laksmana |
abhivaadayitum yan maam praaptau sthah saha siitayaa || 3-13-1
“I am delighted Rama, safe you be, oh Lakshmana, well-contended I am for you have come to pay respects to me along with Seetha. [3-13-1]
adhva shramena vaam khedo baadhate pracura shramah |
vyaktam utkanthate vaa api maithilii janaka aatmajaa || 3-13-2
"The well-worn trail of yours on pathway is strenuousness and painful for you two, and it is evident from the sweat above your necks, even much more for Janaka's daughter, Maithili. [3- 13-2]
esaa ca sukumaarii ca khedaih ca na vimaanitaa |
praaajya dosam vanam praptaa bhartri sneha pracoditaa || 3-13-3
"She is delicate and not discomforted by such distresses earlier, yet motivated by her friendship she came to these highly detrimental forests. [3-13-3]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13 yathaa esaa ramate raama iha siitaa tathaa kuru |
duskaram kritavatii esaa vane tvaam abhigacchatii || 3-13-4
"In which way Seetha takes delight in these forests, Rama that you may ensure to her, for she has done an impossible deed in following you to forests, an impossible deed for womenfolk, in general. [3-13-4]
esaa hi prakritih striinaam aasriste raghuna.ndana |
samastham anura.nja.nte visamastham tyajanti ca || 3-13-5
"From the beginning of creation the nature of women is this way only, oh scion of Raghu, they devote themselves to their men in good fortune, but they leave them off in ill fortune. [3-13-5]
shata hradaanaam lolatvam shastraanaam tiiksnataam tathaa |
garuda anilayoh shaighryam anugacchanti yositah || 3-13-6
"With the mercurially [having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity] of hundreds of streaks of thunderbolt and with the incisiveness of a weapon, and with the speediness of an eagle or the gusty wind, the women are conformable. [3-13-6]
iyam tu bhavato bhaaryaa dosair etair vivarjitaah |
shlaaghyaa ca vyapadeshyaa ca yathaa devii hi arundhatii || 3-13-7
"But she this wife of yours is devoid of all those stigmas, an exemplary and an estimable lady, like Lady Arundhati. [3-13-7]
alamkrito ayam deshah ca yatra saumitrinaa saha |
vaidehyaa ca anayaa raama vatsyasi tvam ari.mdama || 3-13-8
"Where you wish to put up along with Lakshmana and with this Seetha, oh, enemy- destroyer Rama, that province shall be glorified." So said Sage Agastya to Rama." [3-13-8]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13 evam uktah tu muninaa raaghavah sa.myata a.njalih |
uvaaca prashritam vaakyam risim diiptam iva analam || 3-13-9
Thus said by the sage, Raghava spoke amiable this sentence adjoining his palms to the sage who is glowing like a ritual-fire. [3-13-9]
dhanyosmi anugrihiitosmi yasya me muni pu.mgavah |
gunaih sabhraatri bhaaryasya guruh nah paritusyati || 3-13-10
"I am privileged and blessed as my mentor and the eminent age is well pleased with the virtues of my brother and wife which are non-dissimilar to mine. [3-13-10]
kintu vyaadisha me desham sa udakam bahu kaananam |
yatra aashrama padam kritvaa vaseyam niratah sukham || 3-13-11
"But a place with water and many forests may please be shown, where I can reside happily and self-composedly on erecting a hermitage." Thus Rama asked the Sage Agastya. [3- 13-11]
tato abraviit muni shresthah shrutvaa raamasya bhaasitam |
dhyaatvaa muhuurtam dharmaatmaa dhiiro dhiirataram vacah || 3-13-12
Then that eminent sage Agastya on contemplating a while about what Rama has said, that virtuous and confident sage spoke more ideational word to Rama. [3-13-12]
ito dvi yojane taata bahu muula phala udakah |
desho bahu mrigah shriimaan pa.ncavati abhivishrutah || 3-13-13
"A most prosperous place called Panchavati is there at a distance of two yojana-s from here, oh, dear Rama, which is abundant with tubers, fruits, water, and many deer." Thus Agastya started to tell. [3-13-13]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13 tatra gatvaa aashrama padam kritvaa saumitrinaa saha |
ramasva tvam pitur vaakyam yathaa uktam anupaalayan || 3-13-14
"On your going there along with Saumitri, and on erecting a hermitage you may take delight in there complying the decreed order of your father. [3-13-14]
vidito hi esa vrittaa.nto mama sarvah tava anagha |
tapasah ca prabhaavena snehaad dasharathasya ca || 3-13-15
"Indeed this entire episode of yours is known to me, oh, merited one, by the ability of my asceticism, and also by my friendship with Dasharatha. [3-13-15]
hridayasthah ca te chando vijnaatah tapasaa mayaa |
iha vaasam pratijnaaya mayaa saha tapo vane || 3-13-16
atah ca tvaam aham bruumi gaccha pa.ncavatiim iti |
"I am in the know of your heartfelt certitude by my ascesis, thereby I wish to advise you to go to Panchavati, though I said that you may dwell in these ascetic-woods along with me. [3-13- 16, 17a]
sa hi ramyo vanoddesho maithilii tatra ra.msyate || 3-13-17
sa deshah shlaaghaniiyah ca na atiduure ca raaghava |
"That woodland will be delightful isn't it Raghava, for it is praiseworthy and not very far off from here, and Seetha can take delight in there. [3-13-17b, 18a]
godaavaryaah samiipe ca maithilii tatra ra.msyate || 3-13-18
praajya muula phalaih caiva naanaa dvija ganair yutah |
viviktah ca mahaabaaho punyo ramyah tathaiva ca || 3-13-19
"There Maithili will take delight nearby River Godavari, and it is with abundant tubers, fruits, various are its bird flocks, and it is very reclusive too, oh, great dexterous Rama, further it is meritorious and appealing. [3-13-18b, 19]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13 bhavaan api sadaacaarah ca shaktah ca pariraksane |
api ca atra vasan raama taapasaan paalayisyasi || 3-13-20
"Even you, Rama, with your good deportment are capable to safeguard the hermits while residing there. [3-13-20]
etat aalaksyate viira madhuukaanaam mahat vanam |
uttarena asya ga.ntavyam nyagrodham api gacchataa || 3-13-21
"Oh, brave one, you see this great forest of flower-liquor trees, you have to proceed north of it and advance towards a banyan tree. [3-13-21]
tatah sthalam upaaruhya parvatasya aviduuratah |
khyaatah pa.ncavatii iti eva nitya puspita kaananah || 3-13-22
"Then on climbing up upland a mountain is seen, that which is also not far away, and that renowned Panchavati is there in an ever-blooming forest in the valley of that mountain." Said Sage Agastya to Rama. [3-13-22]
agastyena evam uktah tu raamah saumitrinaa saha |
satkritya aama.ntrayaamaasa tam risim satya vaadinam || 3-13-23
When thus said by Sage Agastya, Rama along with Saumitri venerated and bade farewell to that truth advocator sage Agastya. [3-13-23]
tau tu tena abhyanujnaatau krita paada abhivandanau |
tam aashramam pa.ncavatiim jagmatuh saha siitayaa || 3-12-24
Thus well bidden by Sage Agastya those two Rama and Lakshmana have offered their venerations at the feet of that sage and proceeded to their prospective hermitage at Panchavati along with Seetha. [3-12-24]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Aranya Kanda – Chapter 13 grihiita caapau tu naraadhipa aatmajau
visakta tuunii samaresu akaatarau |
yathaa upadistena pathaa maharsinaa |
prajagmatuh pa.ncavatiim samaahitau || 3-13-25
Those princes that are dauntless in war took up their bows and braced up their quivers, and resolutely proceeded to Panchavati on the route appraised [evaluated] by that great sage Agastya. [3-13-25]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande trayodashah sargah
Thus, this is the 13th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao. (1998). Aranya Kanda - Forest track.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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