कृताभिषेकः bath over, रामस्तु Rama too, सीता Sita, सौमित्रिरेव च and also Lakshmana, ततः then, तस्मात् therefrom, गोदावरीतीरात् from the bank of Godavari, स्वम् their, आश्रमम् hermitage, जग्मुः went.
Meaning
Ablution over, Rama, accompanied by Sita and Lakshmana, went back from the bank of the river Godabari to their hermitage.
सहलक्ष्मणः accompanied by Lakshmana, राघवः Rama, तम् that, आश्रमम् hermitage, उपागम्य on reaching, पौर्वाह्णिकम् rituals to be performed in the forenoon, कर्म rituals, कृत्वा after doing, पर्णशालाम् cottage thatched with leaves, उपागमत् went in.
Meaning
On reaching the hermitage, Rama and Lakshmana performed the forenoon rituals and entered the leafthatched cottage.
sa rāmḥ parṇaśālāyāmāsīnassaha sītayā| virarāja mahābāhuścitrayā candramāḥ iva||3.17.4||
Translation
सीतया सह along with Sita, पर्णशालायाम् in the cottage, आसीनः seated, महाबाहुः longarmed, सः रामः that Rama, चित्रया with the constellation Chitra, चन्द्रमाः इव like the Moon, विरराज appeared.
Meaning
Longarmed Rama seated with Sita in the cottage, appeared like the Moon in conjunction with constellation Chitra.
रामस्य Rama's, कथासंसक्तचेतसः engrossed in conversation, तथा like that, आसीनस्य while he was sitting, काचित् one, राक्षसी demoness, यदृच्छया by chance, तं देशम् to that place, आजगाम came.
Meaning
While Rama was thus seated, engrossed in conversation, there incidentally appeared a demoness.
सिंहोरस्कम् whose chest was like that of a lion, महाबाहुम् longarmed, पद्मपत्रनिभेक्षणम् whose eyes resembled lotus petals, आजानुबाहुम् kneelong arms, दीप्तास्यम् with a glowing face, अतीव vey much, प्रियदर्शनम् pleasing to look at, गजविक्रान्तगमनम् who walked with the gait of an elephant, जटामण्डलधारिणम् having matted hair, सुकुमारम् delicate, महासत्वम् very strong , पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितम् endowed with royal traits, इन्दीवरश्यामम् bluelotuslike complexion, कन्दर्पसदृशप्रभम् glowing like the god of love, इन्द्रोपमम् as Indra, रामम् Rama, दृष्ट्वा after seeing, राक्षसी demoness, काममोहिता infatuated, बभूव became.
Meaning
The demoness was infatuated with Rama, whose chest was like that of a lion, who was strongarmed, who had a glowing face, pleasing to the eyes, who walked with the gait of an elephant, whose hair was matted, who was gentle and strong who was, endowed with royal traits, who had a blue lotuslike complexion, who was handsome as the god of love, and who resembled Indra.
दुर्मुखी looking, महोदरी hugebellied, विरूपाक्षी woman with deformed eyes, ताम्रमूर्धजा copperred hair, विरूपा ugly, भैरवस्वरा of shrill voice, दारुणा वृद्धा dreadfully old, वामभाषिणी with a perverted tongue, सुदुर्वृता very wicked, अप्रियदर्शना ugly to look at, राक्षसी the demoness, सुमुखम् of beautiful face, वृत्तमध्यम् slender waist, विशालाक्षम् largeeyed, सुकेशम् with beautiful hair, प्रीतिरूपम् with lovely appearance, सुस्वरम् sweet voice, तरुणम् young , दक्षिणम् favourable, न्यायवृत्तम् who was just, प्रियम् lovely, रामम् to Rama, शरीरजसमाविष्टा overcome by lust, वाक्यम् these words, अब्रवीत् said.
Meaning
Rama's face was lovely, Surpanakha's was hideous. Rama had a slender waist, she had a huge belly. His eyes were large, hers were deformed. His hair was black and beautiful, hers was coppercoloured. He was lovely in appearance, she was ugly. His voice was sweet, hers was shrill. He was young, she was dreadfully old. He was positive, she was perverted. Rama was wellbehaved, she was wicked. Rama was just and loving while she was overcome by lust. (This) demoness said to Rama :
jaṭī tāpasarūpeṇa sabhāryaśśaracāpadhṛt| āgatastvamimṃ deśṃ kathṃ rākṣasasevitam||3.17.13|| kimāgamanakṛtyṃ te tattvamākhyātumarhasi|
Translation
त्वम् you, जटी having matted hair, सभार्यः with your wife, शरचापधृत् holding bow and arrows, तापसरूपेण in the form of an ascetic, राक्षससेवितम् haunted by demons, इमं this, देशम् place, कथम् how, आगतः have you come, ते your, आगमनकृत्यम् reason for coming, किम् what, तत्वम् truth, अख्यातुम् to tell, अर्हसि should.
Meaning
O Rama you are wearing matted hair like an ascetic, but living with your wife and holding bow and arrows. What brings you to this place haunted by demons ? You should tell me the truth ?
राक्षस्या by the demoness, शूर्पणख्या by Surpanakha, एवम् in that way, उक्तः asked, परन्तपः a scorcher of foes, ऋजुबुद्धितया due to simplemindedness, सर्वम् everything, आख्यातुम् to tell, उपचक्रमे started.
Meaning
Thus asked by the demoness Surpanakha, Rama, scorcher of foes began telling her everything due to his simplemindedness.
anṛtṃ na hi rāmasya kadācidapi sammatam||3.17.15|| viśeṣeṇā'śramasthasya samīpe strījanasya ca|
Translation
रामस्य to Rama, अनृतम् untruth, कदाचिदपि ever, न सम्मतं हि not acceptable, आश्रमस्थस्य while at the hermitage, स्त्रीजनस्य of women, समीपे च in the presence of, विशेषेण especially.
Meaning
To Rama untruth is never acceptable at the hermitage and especially in the presence of a woman.
त्रिदशविक्रमः mighty like the gods, दशरथो नाम Dasaratha by name, राजा king, आसीत् was, अहम् I am, तस्य his, अग्रजः eldest, पुत्रः son, रामो Rama, नाम by name, जनैः by people, श्रुतः heard.
Meaning
(Rama replied) There was a king named Dasaratha who was mighty like the gods. I am his eldest son known among the people as Rama.
bhrātā'yṃ lakṣmaṇo nāma yavīyānmāmanuvratḥ||3.17.17|| iyṃ bhāryā ca vaidehī mama sīteti viśrutā|
Translation
अयम् he is, लक्ष्मणो नाम Lakshmana by name, यवीयान् younger one, भ्राता brother, माम् to me, अनुव्रतः always following me, वैदेही daughter of king of Videha, इयम् this, मम my, भार्या wife, सीतेति as Sita, विश्रुता wellknown.
Meaning
Here is Lakshmana , my younger brother, who always follows me . And this is the daughter of the king of Videha and my wife, wellknown as Sita.
niyogāt tu narendrasya piturmātuśca yantritḥ||3.17.18|| dharmārthṃ dharmakāṅkṣī ca vanṃ vastumihāgatḥ|
Translation
नरेन्द्रस्य king's, पितुः father's, मातुश्च and mother's, नियोगात् by the order, यन्त्रितः impelled, धर्मकाङ्क्षी च one desirous of establishing righteousness, धर्मार्थम् for the sake of duty, इह here, वस्तुम् to reside, वनम् to the forest, आगतः I have come.
Meaning
I have come here, commanded by the king, my father and mother.Intending to obey the orders of my father, and impelled by duty to establish righteousness I have come to reside here.
tvāṃ tu veditumicchāmi kasya tvṃ kāsi kasya vā||3.17.19|| tvṃ hi tāvanmanojñāṅgī rākṣasī pratibhāsi me|
Translation
त्वाम् you, वेदितुम् to know, इच्छामि I wish, कथ्यताम् you may speak, क्व who, असि you are, कस्य वा whose, मनोज्ञाङ्गी a woman of beautiful limbs, राक्षसी demoness, मे to me, न प्रतिभासि seem not.
Meaning
I wish to know who you are. Tell me who your kins are. With lovely limbs you do not appear to be a demoness.
इह here, किंनिमित्तम् for what purpose, त्वम् you, आगता वा you have come, तत्त्वत: truly, ब्रूहि tell, वचनम् these words, श्रुत्वा hearing, मदनार्दिता overtaken by passion, सा राक्षसी that demoness, अब्रवीत् said,
Meaning
Tell me truly what you have come here for. Having heard the words of Rama and overtaken by passion, the demoness said:
अहम् myself, शूर्पणखा नाम is Surpanakha by name, कामरूपिणी assume the form I desire, राक्षसी a demoness, एका alone, सर्वभयङ्करा can terrorise all creatures, इदम् this, अरण्यम् forest, विचरामि I move about.
Meaning
My name is Surpanakha. I am a demoness who can assume any form at will, I move in this forest alone, unleashing a reign of terror.
rāvaṇo nāma me bhrātā balīyānrākṣaseśvarḥ| vīro viśravasḥ putro yadi te śrotramāgatḥ||3.17.23||
Translation
बलीयान् strongman, वीरः a hero, विश्रवस: Visrava's, पुत्रः son, रावणो नाम by name Ravana, राक्षसेश्वरः lord for all demons, मे my, भ्राता brother, ते to you, श्रोत्रम् is heard,यदि I suppose.
Meaning
My brother is Ravana, son of Visrava, and lord of all demons. You have heard his name I suppose.
pravṛddhanidraśca sadā kumbhakarṇo mahābalḥ| vibhīṣaṇastu dharmātmā na tu rākṣasaceṣṭitḥ||3.17.24|| prakhyātavīryau ca raṇe bhrātarau kharadūṣaṇau|
Translation
सदा always, प्रवृद्धनिद्रः in deep sleep, महाबलः very strong, कुम्भकर्णः च Kumbhakarna, धर्मात्मा a righteous one, विभीषणस्तु Vibhisana also, तु but, राक्षसचेष्टितः nature of the demon, न not, रणे in war, प्रख्यातवीर्यौ both very wellknown heroes, खरदूषणौ च Khara and Dusana, भ्रातरौ two brothers.
Meaning
Kumbhakarna is another brother of mine. He is very strong. He is always in deep sleep. Vibhisna another brother. He is righteous free from any demoniac trait. My other two brothers are Khara and Dusana who are wellknown heroes of war.
राम O Rama, अहम् I, तान् them, समतिक्रान्ता transgressing all of them, पूर्वदर्शनात् as soon as I saw, पुरुषोत्तमम् finest of men, त्वा you, भर्तारम् as husband, भावेन with that feeling, समुपेता approached, अस्मि I am.
Meaning
Setting them aside, I came here, as soon as I saw you. You are the finest among men and I am here wishing you to be my husband.
ahṃ prabhāvasampannā svacchandabalagāminī||3.17.26|| cirāya bhava me bhartā sītayā kiṃ kariṣyasi|
Translation
अहम् I, प्रभावसम्पन्ना influential, स्वच्छन्दबलगामिनी I have the capacity for moving wherever I want चिराय for long, मे my, भर्ता husband, भव you, सीतया with Sita, किंन्करिष्यसि what will you do?
Meaning
I have influence over others, I have capacity to move wherever I want. Be my husband forever. What will you do with Sita?
vikṛtā ca virūpā ca na ceyṃ sadṛśī tava||3.17.27|| ahamevānurūpā te bhāryā rūpeṇa paśya mām|
Translation
विकृता च an ugly form, विरूपा च deformed too, इयम् this woman, तव your, न सदृशी is not suitable to you, ते you, अहमेव I alone, अनुरूपा suitable, माम् me, भार्यारूपेण as wife, पश्य look upon.
Meaning
She is ugly, deformed, unsuitable for you. I am alone fit for you. Look upon me as your wife.
imāṃ virūpāmasatīṃ karālāṃ nirṇatodarīm||3.17.28|| anena te saha bhrātrā bhakṣayiṣyāmi mānuṣīm|
Translation
विरूपाम् deformed, असतीम् unchaste, करालाम् frightful, निर्णतोदरीम् flat bellied woman, इमां मानुषीम् to this lady, ते भ्रात्रासह along with your brother, भक्षयिष्यामि I will eat up.
Meaning
I will devour your brother along with this disfigured, unchaste and fearful lady with a flat belly.
कान्त O darling, ततः thereafter, पर्वतशृङ्गाणि tops of mountains, विविधानि many kinds, वनानि च forests also, पश्यन् while seeing, मया सह with me, दण्डकान् Dandaka forest, विचरिष्यसि will wander.
Meaning
O darling, thereafter you can keep wandering with me in this Dandaka forest, enjoying the beauty of the mountain tops and forests.
इत्येवम् in this way, उक्तः said, वाक्यविशारदः expert in speech, काकुत्स्थ: Rama, प्रहस्य laughing, मदिरेक्षणाम् to her with bewitching eyes, इदं वचनम् these words, वक्तुम् to speak, आरेभे started.
Meaning
Thus addressed, Rama, skilled in speech, laughed and started speaking to that woman of bewitching eyes. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तदशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the seventeenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.