Summary
Rama replies Seetha's enquiry as to why he should wage war to eliminate the demons. He says that it is only to protect the land from the atrocities of demons, and for safeguarding the decrepit sages under his scheme of protecting the helpless.
Chapter [Sarga] 10 in Detail
vaakyam etat tu vaidehyaa vyaahritam bhartri bhaktyaa |
shrutvaa dharme sthito raamah pratyuvaaca jaanakiim || 4-10-1
On hearing all of the words said by Vaidehi, in adoration of her husband, he who abides by virtue alone that Rama replied Janaki. [4-10-1]
hitam uktam tvayaa devi snigdhayaa sadrisham vacah |
kulam vyapadishantyaa ca dharmajne janaka aatmaje || 4-10-2
"You have said beneficial, friendlily words that are seemlier to your disposition, oh, lady, which are apt to speak of your familial brought up, for you are the daughter of virtue-knowing Janaka. [4-10-2]
kim nu vaksyaami aham devi tvayaa eva uktam idam vacah |
ksatriyaih dhaaryate caapo na aarta shabdo bhaved iti || 4-10-3
"What more shall I say, oh, lady, since it is said that 'a warrior handles a bow so that misery's tears cease to flow...' and this saying is iterated even by you... [4-10-3]
te ca aartaa dandakaaranye munayah sa.mshita vrataah |
maam siite svayam aagamya sharanyaah sharanam gataah || 4-10-4
"Oh! Seetha, those shelter-able sages of Dandaka forest have approached me somberly [dismal or depressing] on their own, and thus they came into my refuge... [4-10-4]
vasantah kaala kaalesu vane muula phala ashanaah |
na labhante sukham bhiiru raaksasaih kruura karmabhih || 4-10-5
"Subsisting on fruits and tubers, living at all the time in forests those sages are not getting quietude, as they are scared by the demons with invidious deeds... [4-10-5]
bhaksyante raaksasaih bhiimaih nara maa.msopajiivibhih |
te bhaksyamaanaa munayo dandakaaranya vaasinah || 4-10-6
asmaan abhyavapadya iti maam uucur dvija sattamaah |
"The sages dwelling in Dandaka forest are being eaten away by fiendish demons that subsist on human flesh, and while being eaten away like that those eminent Brahmans have said to me, "please come to our rescue..." [4-10-6,7a]
mayaa tu vacanam shrutvaa tesaam evam mukhaat cyutam || 4-10-7
kritvaa vacana shushrusaam vaakyam etat udaahritam |
prasiidantu bhavanto me hriih esaa tu mama atulaa || 4-10-8
yad iidrishaih aham vipraih upastheyaih upasthitah |
"This way when I have heard the words voiced by them, I comforted them verbally and avouched this way, "Be gracious to me... you all... by which reason I am being addressed this way by this kind of eminent Brahmans, whom I should have actually addressed my self, this indeed is a dishonor for me... [4-10-7b, 8, 9a]
kim karomi iti ca mayaa vyaahritam dvija sa.mnidhau || 4-10-9
sarvaih eva samaagamya vaak iyam samudaahritaa |
"Then I said before the Brahmans, "What shall I do?" All of them thus thronged and spoke this word. [4-10-9b, 10a]
raaksasaih dandakaaranye bahubhih kaama ruupibhih || 4-20-10
arditaah sma bhrisham raama bhavaan nah tatra rakshatu |
"Many of the guise changing demons are out-rightly torturing us in Dandaka forest, hence in that context you shall protect us... [4-10-10b, 11a]
homa kaale tu sa.mpraapte parva kaalesu ca anagha || 4-10-11
dharsayanti sudurdharsaa raaksasaah pishita ashanaah |
"Those resistless carnivorous demons, oh, merited Rama, will descend exactly at the time of fire oblations, or on propitious times like full or new moons to persecute us... [4-10-11b, 12a]
raaksasaih dharsitaanaam ca taapasaanaam tapasvinaam || 4-10-12
gatim mrigayamaanaanaam bhavaan nah paramaa gatih |
"We the ascetics being assaulted thus are aggrieved, and when we searched for recourse you chanced as our ultimate course... [4-10-12b, 13a]
kaamam tapah prabhaavena shaktaa hantum nishaacaraan || 4-10-13
ciraarjitam na ca icchaamah tapah khandayitum vayam |
"We by the efficacy of our ascesis are surely capable to eradicate those demons, but we do not wish to shorten the effect of our long earned merit of ascesis... [4-10-13b, 14a]
bahu vighnam tapo nityam duhshcaram caiva raaghava || 4-10-14
tena shaapam na mu.ncaamo bhaksyamaanaah ca raaksasaih |
"Many hurdles are always there in our practice of ascesis, and even the ascesis have become impracticable, oh, Raghava, thus though being eaten away by the demons we are not issuing any curse... [4-10-14b, 15a]
tad ardyamaanaan raksobhih dandakaaranya vaasibhih || 4-10-15
raksa nah tvam saha bhraatraa tvam naathaa hi vayam vane |
"Thereby, you along with your brother protect us that are being persecuted by the demons dwelling in Dandaka forest as you alone are the protector of ours in these forests...'so said sages to me... [4-10-15b, 16a]
mayaa ca etat vacah shrutvaa kaartsnyena paripaalanam || 4-10-16
risiinaam dandakaaranye sa.mshrutam janakaaatmaje |
"On hearing all those words, oh, Seetha, I promised complete protection to the sages of Dandaka forests... [4-10-16b, 17a]
samshrutya na ca shaksyaami jiivamaanah pratishravam || 4-10-17
muniinaam anyathaa kartum satyam istam hi me sadaa |
"Having promised to the sages it is incapable of me to implement it otherwise while I am alive... truth is dearer to me, isn't it... [4-10-17b, 18a]
api aham jiivitam jahyaam tvaam vaa siite sa laksmanaam || 4-10-18
na tu pratijnaam sa.mshrutya braahmanebhyo vishesatah |
"I may forfeit my life, forgo Lakshmana, or even forsake you but not a promise that too especially made to Brahmans and having promised I can never go back... [4-10-18b, 19a]
tat avashyam mayaa kaaryam risiinaam paripaalanam || 4-10-19
anuktena api vaidehi pratijnaaya katham punah |
"By that reason, oh, Seetha, even if I am unasked, safeguarding sages is definitely to be done by me, how then it is undone when given a promise... [4-10-19b, 20a]
mama snehaat ca sauhaardaat idam uktam tvayaa vacah || 4-10-20
paritusto asmi aham siite na hi anisto anushaasyate |
"With your friendship and good-heartedness you say these words, oh, Seetha, I am contended... uninterested ones do not forewarn, indeed... [4-10-20b, 21a]
sadrisham ca anuruupam ca kulasya tava shobhane |
sadharma caarinii me tvam praanebhyo api gariiyasii || 4-10-21
"Appropriate and seemly is your word of caution to your bloodline, oh, graceful Seetha, you are the co-pursuer in dharma with me, hence you are loftier to me than my own lives..." So said Rama to Seetha. [4-10-21b, c]
iti evam uktvaa vacanam mahaatmaa
siitaam priyaam maithila raaja putriim |
raamo dhanusmaan saha laksmanena
jagaama ramyaani tapo vanaani || 4-10-22
That exalted soul Rama on saying those words to Seetha, his dear wife and the daughter of Janaka, wielding his bow proceeded further with Lakshmana to the picturesque woodlands of hermits. [4-10-22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande dashamah sargah
Thus, this is the 10th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate