भर्तृभक्तया out of devotion to her husband, वैदेह्या by Sita, व्याहृतम् spoken, एतत् this, वाक्यम् word, श्रुत्वा on hearing, धर्मे in righteousness, स्थितः steadfast, रामः Rama, अथ thereafter, मैथिलीम् to Sita, प्रत्युवाच replied.
Meaning
Having heard these words spoken by Sita who was devoted to her husband, replied Rama who was firm in righteousness.
देवि O Devi, धर्मज्ञे O one who knows righteousness जनकात्मजे O daughter of Janaka, कुलम् race, व्यपदिशन्त्या by admonishing, स्निग्धया affectionately, त्वया by you, हितम् good, सदृशम् suitable, वचः words, उक्तम् is stated.
Meaning
O daughter of Janaka, you are conversant with dharma. Whatever you have admonished out of affection for me is befitting your race.
देवि O Devi, अहम् I, किन्तु but, वक्ष्यामि I speak, आर्तशब्दः cry of distress न भवेदिति not to arise, क्षत्रियैः by kshatriyas, चापः bow, धार्यते is held, इदम् this way, वचः declaration, त्वयैव by yourself, उक्तम् is spoken.
Meaning
But permit me, Devi, you have already stated, when a kshatriya holds a bow there will be no cry of distress. (it means you approve of my holding a bow)
te cārtā daṇḍakāraṇye munayassṃśitavratāḥ| māṃ sīte svayamāgamya śaraṇyāśśaraṇṃ gatāḥ||3.10.4||
Translation
सीते Sita, संशितव्रता: practising rigorous austerities, शरण्या worthy of giving refuge, दण्डकारण्ये in Dandaka forest, ते मुनयः those sages, आर्ताः in distress, स्वयम् personally, आगम्य after coming to me, माम् myself, शरणं गताः sought refuge.
Meaning
O Sita, the sages who perform rigorous penance in Dandaka forest came to me personally, seeking shelter although they can be their own protection.
vasanto dharmaniratā vane mūlaphalāśanāḥ| na labhante sukhṃ bhītā rākṣasaiḥ krūrakarmabhiḥ||3.10.5||
Translation
मूलफलाशनाः living on roots and fruits, धर्मनिरताः engaged in righteous activition वने in the forest, वसन्तः residing, क्रूरकर्मभिः by cruel activities, राक्षसैः by demons, भीताः are afraid, सुखम् happiness, न लभन्ते do not get.
Meaning
The sages living in the forest, eating roots and fruits and ever engaged in righteous activities are afraid of the depredations of the demons, with their happiness gone.
kāle kāle ca niratā niyamairvividhairvane| bhakṣyante rākṣasairbhīmairnaramāṃsopajīvibhiḥ||3.10.6||
Translation
काले काले at all times, विविधैः by different, नियमैः traditions, निरताः totally involved, वने in the forest, नरमांसोपजीविभिः living on human flesh (as cannibals), भीमैः by dreadful, राक्षसैः demons, भक्ष्यन्ते are eaten.
Meaning
The sages engrossed in various austerities in the forest have been victims to the dreadful demons living on human flesh.
te bhakṣyamāṇā munayo daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinḥ| asmānabhyavapadyeti māmūcurdvijasattamā||3.10.7||
Translation
भक्ष्यमाणाः eaten up like that, दण्डकारण्यवासिनः living in the Dandaka forest, द्विजसत्तमाः best of brahmins, ते मुनयः those sages, अस्मान् to us, अभ्यवपद्य you may come to our rescue, इति like this, माम् me, ऊचु: spoke.
Meaning
The ascetics, the best of brahmins living in Dandaka forest being eaten up like that besought me to come to their rescue.
mayā tu vacanṃ śrutvā teṣāmevṃ mukhāccyutam| kṛtvā caraṇaśuśrūṣāṃ vākyametadudāhṛtam||3.10.8||
Translation
एवम् in that way, तेषाम् their, मुखात् from their mouth, च्युतम् that came out from, वचनम् statement, श्रुत्वा on hearing, मया by me, चरणशुश्रूषाम् bowing at their feet, कृत्वा having done एतत् this way, वाक्यम् words, उदाहृतम् said so.
Meaning
On hearing the words that came from their mouth, I bowed at their feet and said:
prasīdantu bhavanto me hrīreṣā hi mamātulā| yadīdṛśairahṃ viprairupastheyairupasthitḥ||3.10.9||
Translation
भवन्तः you all, मे myself, प्रसीदस्तु be pleased, अहम् I, यत् that, उपस्थेयैः to be approached ईदृशैः by such men, विप्रैः by sages, उपस्थितः is approached, एषा this, मम my, अतुला immeasureable, ह्रीः हि shame in deed.
Meaning
Be pleased That brahmins like you have approached me while I should have come to you has put me to shame immeasurable .
kiṃ karomīti ca mayā vyāhṛtṃ dvijasannidhau| sarvairetaissamāgamya vāgiyṃ samudāhṛtā||3.10.10||
Translation
किम् what, करोमि can I do, इति this, मया by me, द्विजसन्निधौ in the presence of brahmins, व्याहृतम् was enquired, सर्वैः by all of them, एतैः by these, समागम्य collected together, इयम् this, वाक् voice, समुदाहृता was spoken.
Meaning
I enquired about what I could do for them. And all the brahmins in one voice said:.
राम O Rama, दण्डकारण्ये in Dandaka forest, बहुभिः by many, कामरूपिभिः assuming forms at will राक्षसैः by demons, दृढम् strongly, (cruelly) अर्दिताः are tormented, स्म we are, भवान् you, तत्र for that reason, नः us, रक्षतु may protect.
Meaning
'O Rama, the demons who can assume any form at their will are mercilessly tormenting us in Dandaka forest. Do protect us from them'.
अनघ O sinless one, सुदुर्धर्षाः quite invincible, पिशिताशनाः flesheaters, राक्षसाः demons, होमकालेषु at the time of sacrifices, पर्वकालेषु at the time of change of lunar conjunction like full moon or no moon days सम्प्राप्ताः are arriving, धर्षयन्ति are attacking.
Meaning
'O sinless one, these cannibals are invincible. They arrive at the time of our sacrificial rituals, on the days of festivities or at the time of lunar conjunctions like no moon or full moon days and attack us.
rākṣasairdharṣitānāṃ ca tāpasānāṃ tapasvinām| gatiṃ mṛgayamāṇānāṃ bhavānnḥ paramā gatiḥ||3.10.13||
Translation
राक्षसैः by demons, धर्षितानाम् oppressed, तपस्विनाम् helpless people, तापसानाम् of the sages, गतिम् direction, मृगयमाणानाम् for those who search for, नः for us, भवान् your, परमा supreme, गतिः refuge
Meaning
'You are the supreme refuge for us ascetics, tormented by demons, helpless men in search of shelter.
kāmṃ tapḥprabhāvena śaktā hantuṃ niśācarān| cirārjitṃ tu necchāmastapḥ khaṇḍayituṃ vayam||3.10.14||
Translation
वयम् we, तपःप्रभावेन by the power of penance, निशाचरान् nightrangers (demons), हन्तुम् to kill, कामं शक्ताः have the power, तु however, चिरार्जितम् earned over a long time, तपः penance, खण्डयितुम् to exhaust them, (वयम्) नेच्छामः we are not willing.
bahuvighnṃ tapo nityṃ duścarṃ caiva rāghava| tena śāpṃ na muñcāmo bhakṣyamāṇāśca rākṣasaiḥ||3.10.15||
Translation
राघव Rama, तपः penance, नित्यम् always, बहुविघ्नम् is full of obstacles, दुश्चरं चैव but is difficult to pursue, तेन therefore, राक्षसैः by demons, भक्ष्यमाणाः even if they eat us, शापम् curse, न not, मुञ्चामः we do not pronounce.
Meaning
'O Rama it is difficult to perform penance which is ever full of obstacles. Therefore, we do not pronounce curses even if eaten up by demons'.
tadardhyamānānrakṣobhirdaṇḍakāraṇyavāsibhiḥ| rakṣa nastvṃ saha bhrātrā tvannāthā hi vayṃ vane||3.10.16||
Translation
तत् then, दण्डकारण्यवासिभिः by those who are dwelling in Dandaka forest, रक्षोभिः by demons, अर्ध्यमानान् being tormented by, नः us, सह भ्रात्रा with your brother, त्वम् you,रक्ष protect, वयम् we, वने in the forest, त्वन्नाथाः हि you alone as the Lord.
Meaning
'The demons, dwelling in the Dandaka forest are tormenting us. You alone are our lord in the forest. Do protect us with your brother.'
जनकात्मजे O daughter of Janaka, Sita, च and, एतत् these, वचः words, श्रुत्वा hearing, दण्डकारण्ये ऋषीणाम् of sages of Dandaka forest, कार्त्स्न्येन in the entire, परिपालनम् protection, संश्रुतम् made a promise.
Meaning
O daughter of Janaka, on hearing the words of the sages I promised to undertake the entire protection of sages of the Dandaka forest.
sṃśrutya ca na śakṣyāmi jīvamānḥ pratiśravam| munīnāmanyathā kartuṃ satyamiṣṭṃ hi me sadā||3.10.18||
Translation
संश्रुत्य having promised, जीवमानः as long as there is life in me, मुनीनाम् of sages, प्रतिश्रवम् promise, अन्यथा otherwise, कर्तुम् to do, न shall not do, शक्ष्यामि I will not be able, सदा always, मे to me, सत्यम् truth, इष्टं हि is dear.
Meaning
Having promised the sages, I cannot do otherwise as long as I have life in me. To me truth is always dear.
apyahṃ jīvitṃ jahyāṃ tvāṃ vā sīte salakṣmaṇām| na tu pratijñāṃ sṃśrutya brāhmaṇebhyo viśeṣatḥ||3.10.19||
Translation
सीते O Sita, अहम् I, जीवितमपि even life, सलक्ष्मणाम् including Lakshmana, त्वां वा or you, जह्याम् I may forsake तु but, प्रतिज्ञाम् the promise, विशेषतः specially, ब्राह्मणेभ्यः to the brahmins, संश्रुत्य after promising, न do not (fail to fulfil).
Meaning
O Sita I may forfeit my life forsake, even Lakshmana and you but will not break the promise made specially to the brahmins৷৷
tadavaśyṃ mayā kāryamṛṣīṇāṃ paripālanam| anuktenāpi vaidehi pratijñāya tu kiṃ punḥ||3.10.20||
Translation
वैदेहि O Sita, तत् that, मया by me, अनुक्तेनापि even if they did not request, ऋषीणाम् of the sages, परिपालनम् protection, कार्यम् should have been done, प्रतिज्ञाय even after making the promise किं पुनः what more?
Meaning
Even before the sages requested me I should have protected them. What to speak of the promise I have already made ?
mama snehācca sauhārdādidamuktṃtvayā'naghe| parituṣṭo'smyahṃ sīte na hyaniṣṭo'nuśiṣyate||3.10.21||
Translation
अनघे O sinless, मम my, स्नेहाच्च out of love, सौहार्दात् friendly feeling, त्वया by you, इदम् this, उक्तम् is spoken, सीते O Sita, अहम् I, परितुष्टः pleased, अस्मि I am, अनिष्टः undesirable, न अनुशिष्यते हि is not advised.
Meaning
O sinless one all that has been said by you is out of your love and affection for me. I am pleased. What is harmful is never advised.
sadṛśṃ cānurūpṃ ca kulasya tava cātmanḥ| sadharmacāriṇī me tvṃ prāṇebhyo'pi garīyasī||3.10.22||
Translation
तव your, कुलस्य of family, आत्मनः च of yourself, सदृशम् befitting अनुकूलं च favourable too, मे to me, सधर्मचारिणी follwer of dharma of husband, त्वम् you, प्राणेभ्योऽपि more than my life, गरीयसी dearer.
Meaning
Your auspicious words are quite befitting your lineage. You are the follower of my dharma and so dearer to me than my life.
महात्मा great soul, रामः Rama, प्रियाम् to his beloved, मैथिलराजपुत्रीम् to the daughter of king of Mithila, सीताम् to Sita, इत्येवम् in this way, वचनम् statement, उक्त्वा on having said, धनुष्मान् wielding the bow, सह लक्ष्मणेन with Lakshmana, रम्याणि most delightful, तपोवनानि penance groves, जगाम moved about.
Meaning
Having said this to Sita, the princess of Mithila, Rama along with Lakshmana, bow in hand, moved about the delightful penancegrove. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे दशमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the tenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by the sage Valmiki.