praviśya tu mahāraṇyṃ daṇḍakāraṇyamātmavān| dadarśa rāmo durdharṣastāpasāśramamaṇḍalam||3.1.1||
Translation
आत्मवान् selfpossessed, दुर्धर्षः invincible रामः Rama, महारण्यम् great forest, दण्डकारण्यम् Dandaka forest, प्रविश्य having entered, तापसाश्रममण्डलम् multitude of hermitages of the ascetics, ददर्श saw.
Meaning
The invincible and selfpossessed Rama entered the great forest of Dandaka and saw there a multitude of hermitages of the ascetics.
कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तम् ceremonial robes(made) of kusa grass spread all over ब्राह्म्या of the brahmanas, लक्ष्म्या of auspicious appearance, समावृतम् surrounded, गगने in the sky, प्रदीप्तम् glowing, सूर्यमण्डलं यथा like the orb of the Sun, दुर्दर्शम् difficult to gaze.
Meaning
They (the hermitages) were strewn all over with kusa grass and robes by bark with auspicious sacrificial materials around and hence dazzling like the orb of the sun in the sky difficult to gaze.
सर्वभूतानाम् for all beings, शरण्यम् shelter, सदा always, सुसम्मृष्टाजिरं the courtyard being wellcleaned, wetted and decorated, बहुभिः by many, मृगैः by antelopes, आकीर्णम् filled all over, पक्षिसङ्घै by flocks of birds, समावृतम् filled with.
Meaning
The courtyards (of the hermitages) were cleanswept, sprinkled with water and decorated. They provided shelter to all kinds of creatures and were filled all over with flocks of birds and antelopes.
pūjitṃ ca pranṛttṃ ca nityamapsarasāṃ gaṇaiḥ| viśālairagniśaraṇaiḥ srugbhāṇḍairajinaiḥ kuśaiḥ||3.1.4|| samidbhistoyakalaśaiḥ phalamūlaiśca śobhitam| āraṇyaiśca mahāvṛkṣaiḥ puṇyaissvāduphalairvṛtam||3.1.5||
Translation
अप्सरसाम् by celestial damsels, गणैः by groups, पूजितं च glorified, प्रनृत्तं च and offered dances as service, विशालैः with vast, अग्निशरणैः with fire sanctuaries स्रुग्भाण्डैः with wooden ladles for offering ghee अजिनैः with deerskins, कुशैः with kusa grass, समिद्भि: with faggots (specially offered to fire in sacrificial ceremonies), तोयकलशैः pots filled with water, फलमूलैश्च with fruits and roots, शोभितम् adorned, आरण्यैः produced in forests, पुण्यैः sacred ones, स्वादुफलैः by sweet fruits, महावृक्षैः with huge trees, उपशोभितम् looking delightful all over.
Meaning
The hermitages looked glorified with dances by celestial damsels. They were adorned with vast fire sanctuaries, ladles for sacrificial ceremonies, deerskins and kusa grass faggots for pots of water, roots and fruits. They looked delightful with huge sacred trees of the forest laden with sweet fruits.
बलिहोमार्चितम् worshipped with various offerings and sacrifices, पुण्यम् sacred, ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् reverberating with chanting of the Vedas,अन्यैः पुष्पैः by other flowers, परिक्षिप्तम् scattered here and there, पद्मिन्या by a lotuspond, सपद्मया filled with lotuses, फलमूलाशनैः by those living on fruits and roots, दान्तै: selfrestrained ones, चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरैः wearing bark garments and skins of black antelopes, सूर्यवैश्वानराभैश्च glowing like the Sun or the fire, पुराणैः by the aged, मुनिभिः by the sages, वृतम् surrounded by.
Meaning
The hermitages where various sacrificial offerings were made reverberated with Vedic chantings. Flowers were scattered all over. There was a lotuspond with lotuses. There were aged, selfrestrained sages glowing like the Sun or the fire, living on fruits and roots, clothed in bark and dark deerskin.
पुण्यैः by holy people, नियताहारैः with regulated diet, परमर्षिभिः by great sages, शोभितम् shining, ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् echoing with the chanting of the Vedas, ब्रह्मभवनप्रख्यम् resembling the abode of Brahma, तत् that (hermitage).
Meaning
The hermitages echoing with the sounds of Vedic recitations and resembling the very abode of Brahma were adorned with great, holy sages living on regulated diet.
ब्रह्मविद्भि: by those knowing the Supreme Spirit, महाभागैः by the venerable ones, बाह्मणैः by brahmins, उपशोभितम् was adorned, तत् that, तापसाश्रममण्डलम् groups of hermitages of the sages, दृष्ट्वा after seeing, श्रीमान् illustrious, महातेजाः a man of great lustre, राघवः Rama, महत् great, धनुः bow, विज्यम् with loosened string, कृत्वा doing, अभ्यगच्छत् went forward.
Meaning
The illustrious, effulgent Rama saw groups of hermitages adorned with venerable brahmins, with knowledge of the Supreme Spirit. On seeing them he loosened the string of his great bow and went forward.
divyajñānopapannāste rāmṃ dṛṣṭvā maharṣayḥ||3.1.10|| abhyagacchanstadā prītā vaidehīṃ ca yaśasvinīm|
Translation
दिव्यज्ञानोपपन्नाः richly endowed with divine knowledge, ते महर्षयः those great sages, रामं Rama, यशस्विनीम् highly reputed, वैदेहीं च Sita too, दृष्ट्वा on seeing, प्रीताः pleased, तदा then, अभ्यगच्छन् went towards.
Meaning
On seeing Rama with illustrious Sita, the great sages, richly endowed with divine knowledge, went forward to greet him.
te tṃ somamivodyantṃ dṛṣṭvā vai dharmacāriṇam||3.1.11|| lakṣmaṇṃ caiva dṛṣṭvā tu vaidehīṃ ca yaśasvinīm| maṅgalāni prayuñjānāḥ pratyagṛhṇandṛḍhavratāḥ||3.1.12||
Translation
दृढव्रताः steadfast in vows, ते they, उद्यन्तम् rising, सोममिव like the Moon, धर्मचारिणम् follower of righteous path, दृष्ट्वा तु on seeing, लक्ष्मणं चैव Lakshmana too, यशस्विनीम् famed, वैदेहीं च Sita also, दृष्ट्वा तु seeing, मङ्गलानि words of benediction, प्रयुञ्जानाः uttering, प्रत्यगृह्णन् went towards and received them.
Meaning
The sages, steadfast in their vows, saw Rama who was shining like the rising Moon, Lakshmana and the famed Sita went forward and received them with words of benediction.
वनवासिनः (sages) living in the woods, रामस्य Rama's, रूपसंहननम् beauty of the body, लक्ष्मीम् splendour, सौकुमार्यम् tenderness, सुवेषताम् will attired, विस्मिताकाराः wonderstruck sages, ददृशुः saw.
Meaning
Those sages living in the forest were wonderstruck to see the handsome, graceful, delicate and welldressed Rama.
vaidehīṃ lakṣmaṇṃ rāmṃ netrairanimiṣairiva| āścaryabhūtāndadṛśuḥ sarve te vanacāriṇḥ||3.1.14||
Translation
सर्वे all, ते वनचारिण: those forestrangers, आश्चर्यभूतान् creating wonder, वैदेहीम् Sita, लक्ष्मणं Lakshmana, चैव too, रामं Rama, अनिमिषैरिव unblinking, नेत्रै: with eyes, ददृशुः saw.
Meaning
All the foresters looked at the wonderful figures of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana with unblinking eyes.
atrainṃ hi mahābhāgā ssarvabhūtahite ratāḥ| atithiṃ parṇaśālāyāṃ rāghavṃ sṃnyaveśayan||3.1.15||
Translation
सर्वभूतहिते in the welfare of all beings, रताः engaged, महाभागाः glorious, अत्र here, पर्णशालायाम् in a leafy hut, अतिथिम् guest, एनम् राघवम् this Rama, संन्यवेशयन् made him sit and rest.
Meaning
Ever engaged in the welfare of all beings, the sages made Rama, their guest, sit in their leafy hut.
tato rāmasya satkṛtya vidhinā pāvakopamāḥ| ājahruste mahābhāgāḥ salilṃ dharmacāriṇḥ||3.1.16||
Translation
ततः thereafter, पावकोपमाः comparable to fire, महाभागाः great ones, ते they, धर्मचारिणः followers of righteousness, विधिना as per tradition, सत्कृत्य after rendering due hospitality, रामस्य to Rama, सलिलम् water, आजह्रुः offered.
Meaning
The great sages comparable to the firegod and followers of righteousness honoured Rama according to tradition by offering water.
puṣpṃ mūlṃ phalṃ sarvamāśramṃ ca mahātmanḥ| nivedayitvā dharmajñāste tatḥ prāñjalayo'bruvan||3.1.17||
Translation
धर्मज्ञाः knowers of dharma, ते they, तत: then, पुष्पम् flower, फलम् fruit, मूलं root, सर्वम् all, आश्रमं च and the hermitage, महात्मनः to the great self, निवेदयित्वा having offered, प्राञ्जलयः with folded palms, अब्रुवन् said.
Meaning
The sages who were knowers of dharma saluted the noble Rama, offered fruits, roots and flowers available at the hermitage and with folded palms said thus:
राजा king, महायशा: of great fame, जनस्यास्य of the people, धर्मपालः protector of dharma, शरण्यश्च refuge, पूजनीयश्च worthy of worship, मान्यश्च respectable, दण्डधरः chastiser of evildoers, गुरुः a respectable one.
Meaning
O king of great reputation, you are the refuge of the people, a protector of dharma, a chastiser of wrongdoers, a worshipful and respectable preceptor.
O Rama, in this world a king is considered the fourth part of Indra as he protects the people. Therefore, he is respected and he enjoys the choicest pleasures of life.
te vayṃ bhavatā rakṣyā bhavadviṣayavāsinḥ| nagarastho vanastho vā tvṃ no rājā janeśvarḥ||3.1.20||
Translation
भवद्विषयवासि residents of your domain, ते to you, वयम् we, भवता by you, रक्ष्याः deserve to be protected, नगरस्थः residing in a city, वनस्थः वा or staying in the forest, जनेश्वर: Lord of the people, त्वम् you, राजा king.
Meaning
Since we are the residents of your territory we deserve to be protected by you. Whether you live in the city or in the forest, you are the lord of the people and our king.
राजन् O king, जितक्रोधाः men who have conquered anger, जितेन्द्रियाः selfcontrolled, तपोधनाः asceties, वयम् we, न्यस्तदण्डाः cast aside the symbol of authority, गर्भभूताः like your children, त्वया by you, शश्वत् forever, रक्षणीयाः to be protected.
Meaning
O king, we have conquered our anger and have controlled our senses. We ascetics have cast aside all our authority. We are like your children and need to be protected by you forever
एवम् in that manner, उक्त्वा having said, सलक्ष्मणम् along with Lakshmana, राघवम् Rama, फलैः with fruits, मूलैः with roots, पुष्पैः with flowers, अन्यैश्च and by other, वन्यैः by forest produce, विविधाहारैः different kinds of food, अपूजयन् offered with reverence.
Meaning
Having said so, the ascetics offered with reverence fruits, roots, flowers and other forest products to Rama and Lakshmana.