००६ रामस्य रक्षोवधप्रतिज्ञा

Sages seek Rama’s protection from demons – Rama’s assurance to sages

श्लोकः

मूलम्

शरभङ्गे दिवं प्राप्ते मुनिसङ्घास्समागताः।
अभ्यगच्छन्त काकुत्स्थं रामं ज्वलिततेजसम्॥3.6.1॥

शब्दार्थः

शरभङ्गे when Sarabhanga, दिवम् heaven, प्राप्ते attained, मुनिसङ्घाः all groups of sages, समागताः came together, काकुत्स्थम् to Rama, ज्वलिततेजसम् shining like radiance of fire, रामम् Rama, अभ्यगच्छन्त approached.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

When Sarabhanga attained the heaven, all the sages collected together and came to Rama whose radiance was like fire.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

वैखानसा वालखिल्यास्सम्प्रक्षाला मरीचिपाः।
अश्मकुट्टाश्च बहवः पत्राहाराश्च तापसाः॥3.6.2॥
दन्तोलूखलिनश्चैव तथैवोन्मज्जकाः परे।
गात्रशय्या अशय्याश्च तथैवाभ्रावकाशकाः॥3.6.3॥
मुनयस्सलिलाहारावायुभक्षा स्तथापरे।
आकाशनिलयाश्चैव तथा स्थण्डिलशायिनः॥3.6.4॥
व्रतोपवासिनो दान्तास्तथाऽर्द्रपटवाससः।
सजपाश्च तपोनित्यास्तथा पञ्चतपोऽन्विताः॥3.6.5॥
सर्वे ब्राह्म्या श्रिया जुष्टा दृढयोगास्समाहिताः।
शरभङ्गाश्रमे राममभिजग्मुश्च तापसाः॥3.6.6॥

शब्दार्थः

वैखानसाः Vaikhanasas (those born of the nails of Prajapati), वालखिल्याः Valakhilyas (the sixty thousand sages born out of the hair of Brahma, they are the size of the thumb, they surround the chariot of the Sungod), सम्प्रक्षालाः those who keep on washing their body frequently, मरीचिपाः those who drink the rays of Sun and Moon, अश्मकुट्टाश्च Asmakuttas, (those who bruise their bodies with stones or those who pound the grain and make their own food), पत्राहाराः those who live on leaves, बहवः many, तापसाश्च sages, दन्तोलूखलिनश्चैव those who have teeth like mortar, वायुभक्षा those who live on air, तथैव in a similar way, उन्मज्जकाः those who perform penance standing in neckdeep water, परे great men, गात्रशय्याः those who sleep on the skin of the tiger, अशय्याः those who do penance without bending any part of the body, तथैव similarly, अभ्रवकाशकाः those who live in the open in Sun and rain, सलिलाहाराः those who live on water only, मुनयः sages, तथा like that, वायुभक्षाः those who live on air, अपरे others, आकाशनिलयाश्चैव those who carry on their penance under the open sky, तथा similarly, स्थण्डिलशायिनः those who sit and sleep on bare ground, तथा similarly, व्रतोपवासिनः those who observe vows and fastings, दान्ताः those who are selfrestrained, आर्द्रपटवाससः those who wear only wet clothes all the time, सजपाश्च those who repeat the names of gods always, तपोनिष्ठाः those who are steadfast in penance, तथा similarly, पञ्चतपोन्विताः those who do penance amidst five blazing fires, तापसाः ascetics, शरभङ्गाश्रमे in the hermitage of Sarabhanga, रामम् Rama, अभिजग्मुः approached, सर्वे all, ब्राह्म्या श्रिया shining with radiance born of Brahmavidya, जुष्टाः endowed, दृढयोगसमाहिताः those who are steadfast and singleminded in the practice of yoga.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

Vaikhanasas, Valakhilyas, sages who continuously wash their bodies, Marichakas Asmakuttas sages who live on leaves only, those who have teeth like mortar, Unmajjakas, those who use limbs as their bed, those who practise penance without using a bed, those who do penance in the open, unmindful of rain or Sun or wind, those who live on water only, those who penance under the open sky, those who carry on penance on high places like the mountaintop, those who recline on bare ground only, those who observe fast as a part of religious tradition, those selfrestrained men, those who mutter sacred mantras, those who constantly perform penance and those who stand under the blazing Sun in summer placing fire on four sides while performing penanceall these types of sages met Rama in the hermitage of Sarabhanga.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

अभिगम्य च धर्मज्ञा रामं धर्मभृतां वरम्।
ऊचुः परमधर्मज्ञमृषिसङ्घास्समाहिताः॥3.6.7॥

शब्दार्थः

धर्मज्ञाः knowers of dharma, समागताः all of them who reached there, ऋषिसङ्घाः groups of sages, धर्मभृताम् among upholders of righteousness, वरम् foremost, परमधर्मज्ञम् supreme knower of dharma, रामम् Rama, अभिगम्य having reached, ऊचुः said.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

All groups of sages, who knew dharma, and were upholders of righteousness reached Rama, the supreme knower of dharma, and saidः

श्लोकः

मूलम्

त्वमिक्ष्वाकुकुलस्यास्य पृथिव्याश्च महारथ।
प्रधानश्चासि नाथश्च देवानां मघवानिव॥3.6.8॥

शब्दार्थः

महारथ O great charioteer, त्वम् you, अस्य of this, इक्ष्वाकुकुलस्य of the line of the Ikshvakus, पृथिव्याश्च of this earth, देवानाम् of gods, मघवानिव like Indra, प्रधानश्च chief also, नाथश्च lord as well

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O great charioteer you are the lord of the Ikshvaku race and of the world just like Indra, chief among the gods.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

विश्रुतस्त्रिषु लोकेषु यशसा विक्रमेण च।
पितृभक्तिश्च सत्यं च त्वयि धर्मश्च पुष्कलः॥3.6.9॥

शब्दार्थः

त्रिषु among the three, लोकेषु in worlds, यशसा by renown, विक्रमेण च विश्रुतः famous in valour, त्वयि in you, पितृभक्तिः च devotion to father, सत्यं च the truth also, पुष्कलः धर्मश्च as well as righteousness.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

You are renowned in the three worlds for your valour, for your devotion to father, and in you lies enough evidence of your adherence to truth and righteousness.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

त्वामासाद्य महात्मानं धर्मज्ञं धर्मवत्सलम्।
अर्थित्वान्नाथ वक्ष्यामस्तच्च नः क्षन्तुमर्हसि॥3.6.10॥

शब्दार्थः

महात्मानम् great soul, धर्मज्ञम् knower of dharma, धर्मवत्सलम् one who loves dharma, त्वाम्
you, अर्थित्वात् being the needy ones, आसाद्य having come to you, वक्ष्यामः we speak, नाथ O lord, नः for us, तत् that, क्षन्तुम् to excuse, अर्हसि should.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O lord, do excuse us. We sought your help to fulfil our needs since you are at hand. You are a great soul, knower and lover of dharma.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

अधर्मस्सुमहांस्तात भवेत्तस्य महीपतेः।
यो हरेद्बलिषड्भागां न च रक्षति पुत्रवत्॥3.6.11॥

शब्दार्थः

तात (नाथ) O Lord, यः whoever, बलिषङ्भागम् sixth portion of wealth as tax, हरेत् will take, पुत्रवत् like children, न च रक्षति does not protect, तस्य his, महीपतेः king’s, सुमहान् very great, अधर्मः act of injustice, भवेत् will become.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O Lord, a king who collect one sixth of the produce as tax and yet does not protect his subjects like his children commits an act of grave injustice.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

युञ्जानस्स्वानिव प्राणान्प्राणैरिष्टान्सुतानिव।
नित्ययुक्तस्सदा रक्षन्सर्वान्विषयवासिनः॥3.6.12॥
प्राप्नोति शाश्वतीं राम कीर्तिं स बहुवार्षिकीम्।
ब्रह्मणस्स्थानमासाद्य तत्र चापि महीयते॥3.6.13॥

शब्दार्थः

सर्वान् all, विषयवासिनः residents of his country, प्राणैः more than lives, इष्टान् dear ones, सुतानिव like his sons, स्वान् his own, प्राणान् life, यञ्जानः इव taking care, नित्ययुक्तः always in rightful manner, सदा always, रक्षन् while protecting, सः he, शाश्वतीम् forever, बहुवार्षिकीम् extending over long years, कीर्तिम् fame, प्राप्नोति will acquire, ब्रह्मणः Brahman, स्थानम् place, असाद्य after reaching, तत्र चापि there also, महीयते will be excelling.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O Rama, whoever protects the inhabitants of his kingdom at all times like his own son who he loves more than his own life will attain the world of Brahma and remain there for long years and will achieve prosperity thereafter.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

यत्करोति परं धर्म मुनिर्मूलफलाशनः।
तत्र राज्ञश्चतुर्भाग प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षितः॥3.6.14॥

शब्दार्थः

मुनिः sage, यत् whatever, परम् supreme, धर्मम् merit, करोति earns, तत्र there, चतुर्भागः fourth portion, प्रजाः people, धर्मेण righteously, रक्षितः for him who protects.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

One fourth of the supreme merit a sage earns by living on fruits and roots, accrues to the king through which the people are protected righteously.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

सोऽयं ब्राह्मणभूयिष्ठो वानप्रस्थगणो महान्।
त्वन्नाथोऽनाथवद्राम राक्षसैर्वध्यते भृशम्॥3.6.15॥

शब्दार्थः

राम O Rama, त्वन्नाथः with you as their lord, ब्राह्मण भूयिष्ठः mostly brahmins, महान् great, सः अयम् that we, वानप्रस्थगणः group of sages leading the vanaprastha stage of life, अनाथवत् like orphans, राक्षसैः by the demons, भृशम् in large numbers, वध्यते being slain.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O Rama we are a group of great sages, mostly brahmins, leading a vanaprastha life. Yet with a protector like you, we are slaughtered in large numbers like orphans.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

एहि पश्य शरीराणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्।
हतानां राक्षसैर्घोरैर्बहूनां बहुधा वने॥3.6.16॥

शब्दार्थः

एहि come on, वने in the forest, घोरै fierce, राक्षसैः by demons, बहुधा in many, हतानाम् killed, भावितात्मनाम् those who have perceived the Supreme spirit, बहूनाम् of many, मुनीनाम् of sages, शरीराणि the bodies, पश्य see.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

Come and see the bodies of ascetics, who had perceived the Supreme Spirit, killed in large numbers in the forest by the fierce demons.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

पम्पानदीनिवासानामनुमन्दाकिनीमपि।
चित्रकूटालयानां च क्रियते कदनं महत्॥3.6.17॥

शब्दार्थः

पम्पानदीनिवासानाम् of residents on the banks of river Pampa, अनुमन्दाकिनीमपि of those residing near river Mandakini, चित्रकूटालयानां च of those residing in mount Chitrakuta, महत् great, कदनम् war, क्रियते is being waged.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

A great slaughter is taking place amongst those residing on the bank of the Pampa lake, near the river Mandakini, and on mount Chitrakuta.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

एवं वयं न मृष्यामो विप्रकारं तपस्विनाम्।
क्रियमाणं वने घोरं रक्षोभिर्भीमकर्मभिः॥3.6.18॥

शब्दार्थः

एवं वयम् in this state we are, भीमकर्मभिः by those doing fearful deeds, रक्षोभिः by demons, वने in the forest, क्रियमाणम् being done, तपस्विनाम् for ascetics, घोरम् dreadful, विप्रकारम् offence, न मृष्यामः we are not able to bear.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

We ascetics are not able to tolerate the fearful deeds perpetrated by the dreadful demons in the forest.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

ततस्त्वां शरणार्थं च शरण्यं समुपस्थिताः।
परिपालय नो राम वध्यमानान्निशाचरैः॥3.6.19॥

शब्दार्थः

ततः then, राम O Rama, शरण्यम् worthy of refuge, त्वाम् you, शरणार्थम् for protection, समुपस्थिताः we have come here, निशाचरैः by the nightstalkers (the demons), वध्यमानान् being killed, नः us, परिपालय protect.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O Rama, you are worthy of refuge. Hence we have come to you seeking your protection. We are being killed by the nightstalkers. Save us.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

परा त्वत्तो गतिर्वीर पृथिव्यां नोपपद्यते।
परिपालय नस् सर्वान्राक्षसेभ्यो नृपात्मज॥3.6.20॥

शब्दार्थः

वीर great warrior, त्वत्तः other than you, परा greatest, गतिः refuge, पृथिव्याम् on this earth,
नोपपद्यते cannot be found, नृपात्मज O son of a king, नः us, सर्वान् all, राक्षसेभ्यः from the demons, परिपालय rescue.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

O great warrior here on this earth there is no protector as mighty as you. So, O prince save us all from these demons.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु काकुत्स्थस्तापसानां तपस्विनाम्।
इदं प्रोवाच धर्मात्मा सर्वानेव तपस्विनः॥3.6.21॥

शब्दार्थः

धर्मात्मा righteous self, काकुत्स्थः of Kakutstha dynasty, तपस्विनाम् engaged in penance, तापसानाम् of the ascetics, एतत् this, श्रुत्वातु on hearing, सर्वानेव addressing them all, तपस्विनः ascetics, इदम् this, प्रोवाच said.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

Having heard this, righteous Rama of the Kakutstha dynasty said to all the ascetics engaged in penanceः

श्लोकः

मूलम्

नैवमर्हथ मां वक्तुमाज्ञाप्योऽहं तपस्विनाम्।
केवलेनात्मकार्येण प्रवेष्टव्यं मया वनं॥3.6.22॥

शब्दार्थः

एवम् thus, माम् we, वक्तुम् to address, न अर्हथ it is not befitting you, अहम् I, तपस्विनाम् for ascetics, आज्ञाप्यः should be ordered, केवलेन only to, आत्मकार्येण with a personal mission, मया by me, वनम् forest, प्रवेष्टव्यम् entered

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

You should not speak to me this way. I deserve to be commanded by the ascetics. I have not entered this forest only on a personal mission.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

विप्रकारमपाक्रष्टुं राक्षसैर्भवतामिमम्।
पितुस्तु निर्देशकरः प्रविष्टोऽहमिदं वनम्॥3.6.23॥

शब्दार्थः

अहम् I, राक्षसैः by the demons, भवताम् to you, इमम् these, विप्रकारम् offence, अपाक्रष्टुम् to ward off, पितुः father’s, निर्देशकरः one who carries out instructions, इदम् here, वनम् forest, प्रविष्टः I entered.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

I came into this forest in obedience to my father’s orders to repel the aggression of demons against you.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

भवतामर्थसिद्ध्यर्थमागतोऽहं यदृच्छया।
तस्य मेऽयं वने वासो भविष्यति महाफलः॥3.6.24॥

शब्दार्थः

अहम् I, भवताम् your, अर्थसिध्यर्थम् to acomplish your task, यदृच्चया incidentally, आगतः came, तस्य for such a man, मे for me, अयम् this, वने वासः stay in the forest, महाफलः great result, भविष्यति will yield.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

I came here to acomplish your task incidentally, Therefore, my stay in the forest will yield great results.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

तपस्विनां रणे शत्रून्हन्तुमिच्छामि राक्षसान्।
पश्यन्तु वीर्यमृषयस्सभ्रातुर्मे तपोधनाः॥3.6.25॥

शब्दार्थः

तपस्विनाम् of ascetics, शत्रून् enemies, राक्षसान् demons, रणे in war, हन्तुम् to kill, इच्छामि intend to, तपोधनाः those who are richly endowed with penance, ऋषयः sages, सभ्रातुः along with my brother, मे my, वीर्यम् valour, पश्यन्तु you will see.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

I wish to kill in the fight the demons who are your enemies. O great ascetics, you may witness my prowess supported by my brother.

श्लोकः

मूलम्

दत्त्वाऽभयं चापि तपोधनानां धर्मे धृतात्मा सह लक्ष्मणेन।
तपोधनैश्चापि सभाज्यवृत्तः सुतीक्ष्णमेवाभिजगाम वीरः॥3.6.26॥

शब्दार्थः

धर्मे in righteousness, धृतात्मा steadfast man, वीरः a brave man, तपोधनानाम् for ascetics endowed with the wealth of penance, अभयम् assurance to protect, दत्वा after giving, सह लक्ष्मणेन with Lakshmana, तपोधनैश्चापि and along with the ascetics, सभाज्यवृत्तः one whose behaviour deserves to be respected, सुतीक्ष्णमेव to Sutikshna, अभिजगाम approached.

आङ्ग्लानुवादः

Brave Rama, steadfast in righteousness, worthy of honour, gave assurance to protect the ascetics endowed with the wealth of penance, and proceeded towards sage Sutikshna.

समाप्तिः

श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे षष्ठस्सर्गः॥
Thus ends the sixth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.