Summary
Kabandha extols Pampa Lake and details Rama about the course to be adopted to proceed to Mt. Rishyamuka to befriend Sugreeva. He details about Matanga hermitage and implores upon Rama to visit an anchoress name Shabari, who is waiting for ages to have a glimpse of Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 73 in Detail
darshayitvaa raamaaya siitaayaah praimaargane |
vaakyam anvartham arthajnah kabandhah punah abraviit || 3-73-1
On showing a concept for questing after Seetha that context-sensitive Kabandha further spoke this sentence which is inclusive of right concept to Rama. [3-73-1]
esa raama shivah panthaa yatra ete puspitaa drumaah |
pratiiciim disham aashritya prakaashante mano ramaah || 3-73-2
ja.mbuu priyaala panasaah plaksa nyagrodha ti.ndukaah |
ashvatthaah karnikaaraah ca cuutaah ca anye ca paadapaah || 3-73-3
dhanvanaa naaga vrikshaa tilakaa naktamaalakaah |
niila ashoka kada.mbaah ca karaviiraah ca puspitaah || 3-73-4
agnimukhaa ashokaah ca suraktaah paribhadrakaah |
"Oh, Rama, have a recourse to westward, and where the trees of Rose-apple, Priyalas, Jackfruit, Plaksha, Banyan, Tindukas, Pipal, Karnikara, Mango, and others... and even trees like Dhanva, Naaga, Tilaka, Naktamaala, blue Ashoka, Kadamba, Karaviira, Agnimukha, Ashoka, red-sandalwood trees and Neem trees will be heart-pleasingly shining forth in full blossom, that alone is an optimistic course for you. [3-73-2, 3, 4, 5a]
taan aaruhya athavaa bhuumau paatayitvaa ca taan balaat || 3-73-5
phalaani amrita kalpaani bhaksayitvaa gamisyathah |
"On shinning up those trees, or else, even on forcefully pelting those fruits down onto ground, then you may pelt over, devouring those ambrosial fruits... [3-73-5b, 6a]
tat atikramya kaakutstha vanam pusita paadapam || 3-73-6
na.ndana pratimam tu anyat kuravah uttaraa iva |
"On crossing over that parkland, oh, Kakutstha, another parkland with blossomy flowers is there, which replicates the heavenly Nandana gardens, and a replica of North-Kuru, an all-endowing province... [3-73-6b, 7a]
sarva kaala phalaa yatra paadapaa madhura sravaah || 3-73-7
sarve ca ritavah tatra vane caitrarathe yathaa |
"Wherein the trees fruit all-season fruits that transude nectar, why fruits alone, in that parkland all seasons are coeval, as they will be in Caitraratha, the celestial gardens of Kubera... [3-73-7b, 8a]
phala bhaara nataah tatra mahaa vitapa dhaarinah || 3-73-8
shobante sarvatah tatra megha parvata sa.mnibhaah |
"In there, the trees bear enormous branches which will be crouching under the weight of their own fruits, and everywhere such trees will be shining forth like shiny clouds and shining mountains... [3-73-8b, 9a]
taan aaruhya athavaa bhuumau paataitvaa yathaa sukham || 3-73-9
phalaani amrita kalpaani lakshamanah te pradaasyati |
"Let Lakshmana present those ambrosial fruits to you either by climbing up those trees to pluck them, or else by pelting them to ground, according to his convenience... [3-73-9b-10a]
cankrama.ntau varaan shailaan shailaat shailam vanaat vanam || 3-73-10
tatah puskariniim viirau pa.mpaam naama gamisyathah |
"Peregrinating finest places by trekking from mountain to mountain, from forest to forest, oh, valorous ones, you will trek to an auspicious lotus-lake, called Pampa... [3-73-10b, 11a]
asharkaraam avibhramshaam sama tiirtham ashaivalaam || 3-73-11
raama samjaata vaaluukaam kamala utpala shobhitaam |
"It is un-pebbly, un-slippery, un-weedy thereabouts, oh, Rama, equal are its quaysides [land bordering a structure built parallel to the bank of a waterway for use as a landing place] and emersed [standing out of] are its sandbanks, red and blue lotuses beautify that Pampa Lake... [3-73-11b, 12a]
tatra hamsaah plavaah krauncaah kuraraah caiva raaghava || 3-73-12
valgu svaraa nikuujanti pa.mpaa salila gocaraah |
"There the indwellers of Pampa Lake's waters, oh, Raghava, namely the swans, cranes, Kraunca-s and fish-hawks will be letting out peeps in tuneful voice... [3-73-12a, 13b]
na udvijante naraan dristvaa vadhasya akovidaah shubhaah || 3-73-13
ghrita pinda upamaan sthuulaan taan dvijaan bhaksayisyathah |
"Thereabout birds will be unflustered on seeing humans, because they are artless to avoid hunting, because none kills them, and you may savor them because those birds will be best and burley, similar to ghee-gobs... [3-73-13b, 14a]
rohitaan vakra tundaan ca nala miinaan ca raaghava || 3-73-14
pa.mpaayaam isubhih matsyaan tatra raama varaan hataan |
nistvakpaksaanayasataptaanakrishaannaikakantakaan - yadvaa -
nih tvak paksaan ayasa taptaan akrishaan na aneka kantakaan || 3-73-15
tava bhaktyaa samaayukto laksmanah sa.mpradaasyati |
bhrisham taan khaadato matsyaan pa.mpaayaah puspa sa.ncaye || 3-73-16
"Oh, Rama in that Pampa Lake there are best fishes, red-carps, and blunt-snouted small porpoises [dolphin], and a sort of sprats [a small European marine fish], which are neither scraggy, nor with many fish-bones. Lakshmana will reverentially offer them to you on skewering them with arrow, and on broiling them on iron rod of arrow after de-scaling and de-finning them. [3-73-14b, 15, 16a]
padma gandhi shivam vaari sukha shiitam anaamayam |
uddhritya sa tadaa aklistam ruupya sphatika sannibham || 3-73-17
atha puskara parnena laksmanah paayayisyati |
"While you eat those fishes to satiety, Lakshmana will offer you the water of Pampa Lake, which will be in the bunches of flowers of that lake, and which will be lotus-scented, pellucid, comfortably cool, shiny like silver and crystal, uncontaminated and that way pristine, by lifting it up that water with lotus leaf, making that leaf a stoup-like basin... [3-73-16b, 17, 18a]
sthuulaan giri guhaa shayyaan vaanaraan vana caarinah || 3-73-18
saaya aahne vicaran raama darshayisyati lakshmanah |
apaam lobhaata upaavrittaan vrisabhaan iva nardatah || 3-73-19
ruupa anvitaan ca pa.mpaayaam draksyasi tvam narottama |
"Oh, best one among men Rama, at Pampa you will see best shaped Vanara-s who have their bunk bed in mountain caves, and who will be coming nearby the lake, greedy as they are for water, and those forest movers will be moving about in evening time of the day, bellowing like bulls... oh, Rama, Lakshmana will show them to you... [3-73-18b, 19, 20a]
saaya ahne vicaran raama vitapiin maalya dhaarinah || 3-73-20
shiva udakam ca pa.mpaayaam dristvaa shokam vihaasyasi |
"While roving in the evenings, oh, Rama, should you see the serenely water of Pampa, with her trees garlanded with their own blooms and twigs, you will discard your own dolour... [3-73-20b, 21a]
su manobhih citaan tatra tilakaan nakta maalakaan || 3-73-21
utpalaani ca phullaani pa.nkajaani ca raaghava |
"Oh, Raghava, there you will see highly delightful and wide-ranging trees like Tilaka and Naktamaala, and fully bloomed red and blue lotuses, as well... [3-73-21b, 22a]
na taani kashcit maalyaani tatra aaropayitaa narah || 3-73-22
na ca vai mlaanataam yaanti na ca shiir.hyanti raaghava |
"Oh, Raghava, there is none someone to inwreathe [create] the garlands of those flowers, and indeed, they neither dry up, nor drop down... [3-73-22b, 23a]
matanga shisyaah tatra aasan risayah susamaahitah || 3-73-23
tesaam bhaara abhitaptaanaam vanyam aaharataam guroh |
ye prapetuh mahiim tuurnam shariiraat sveda bindavah || 3-73-24
taani maalyaani jaataani muniinaam tapasaa tadaa |
sveda bindu samutthaani na vinashyanti raaghava || 3-73-25
"Erst [before] there were self-collected sages, the disciples of Sage Matanga, and at one time while they were bringing the forest produce as ritual paraphernalia, they were much wearied by its weight and they were sweating... and all of those earthbound strings of sweat-drops that quickly dropped from their bodies were wafted by air onto trees, and on them they reoccurred as strings of flowers, by the merit of the ascesis of those sages... oh, Raghava, since those flowers have emerged from sweat-drops, they are imperishable, indeed... [3-73-23b, 24, 25]
tesaam gataanaam adya api drishyate paricaarinii |
shramanii shabarii naama kaakutstha cira jiivinii || 3-73-26
"Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, albeit the passing of those sages through the pearly gates, their maidservant, a long-lived one and an anchoress, named Shabari, can be seen there, even today... [3-73-26]
tvaam tu dharme sthitaa nityam sarva bhuuta namaskritam |
dristvaa deva upamam raama svarga lokam gamisyati || 3-73-27
"Oh, Rama, she who always stands by probity will depart to the sphere of heaven, on attending to you, for you are the referent to god, and a reverent for one and all... [3-73-27]
tatah tat raama pa.mpaayaah tiiram aashritya pashcimam |
aashrama sthaanam atulam guhyam kaakutstha pashyasi || 3-73-28
"Oh, Rama, thereafter on your taking course to that western bank of Pampa Lake, oh, Kakutstha, there you will see the unequalled and arcane place of hermitage of sage Matanga... [3-73-28]
na tatra aakramitum naagaah shaknuvanti tad aashrame |
riseh tasya mata.ngasya vidhaanaat tat ca kaananam || 3-73-29
"Sage Matanga so methodized [ordered] that woodland, where even the elephants are rendered incapable to trespass in that hermitage of sage Matanga disturbing its serenity... [3-73-29]
maata.nga vanam iti eva vishrutam raghuna.ndana |
tasmin na.ndana sa.mkaashe deva aranya upame vane || 3-73-30
naanaa vihaga sa.nkiirne ra.msyase raama nirvritah |
"Oh, the legatee of Raghu, that woodland which in simile is like a godly forest, similar to the heavenly Nandana gardens, overspread with divers birds is renowned as 'Matanga woodland', and oh, Rama, you will take delight rejoicing in that woodland... [3-73-30, 31a]
risyamuukah tu pa.mpaayaah purastaat puspita drumah || 3-73-31
su duhkha aarohanah ca eva shishu naaga abhiraksitah |
udaaro brahmanaa caiva puurva kaale vinirmitah || 3-73-32
"In front of Pampa there is a bountiful but an un-climbable mountain is there with trees in full blossom, which is well-protected by baby elephants, and which in earlier times was purposefully created by Brahma, and that alone is Mt. Rishyamuka... [3-73-31b, 32]
shayaanah puruso raama tasya shailasya muur.hdhani |
yat svapne labhate vittam tat prabuddho adhigacchati || 3-73-33
"And should a man sleep on the heights of that mountain, and should he dream of gaining some riches in that sleep, he gains that much when he wakes up... [3-73-33]
yah tu enam visama aacaarah paapa karmaa adhirohati |
tatra eva praharanti enam suptam aadaaya raaksasaah || 3-73-34
"But he who is diabolic in his deportment and devilish in comportment, climbs that and hopes to sleep soundly, demons capture him while he is in sleep, and rough him up to death, there itself... [3-73-34]
tatra api shishu naagaanaam aakra.ndah shruuyate mahaan |
kriidataam raama pa.mpaayaam mata.nga aashrama vaasinaam || 3-73-35
"Oh, Rama, there the blaring trumpet-blasts of baby elephants that amuse themselves at Lake Pampa, and of those that are the indwellers of Matanga hermitage, even there on Mt. Rishyamuka are audible... [3-73-35]
siktaa rudhira dhaaraabhih sa.mhatya parama dvipaah |
pracaranti prithak kiirnaa megha varnaah tarasvinah || 3-73-36
"The mighty and massy dark-cloud colored elephants will be hitting head-on, and with dripping blood streams on their jumbo heads and temples, they disperse and move about separately, only to come together for yet another round of head-to-head collision... [3-73-36]
te tatra piitvaa paaniiyam vimalam caaru shobhanam |
atyanta sukha sa.msparsham sarva gandha samanvitam || 3-73-37
nivrittaah samvigaahante vanaani vana gocaraah |
"There the elephants are quenched on drinking water of Pampa Lake, that is daintily clean, and neatly clear, spring like for touch, and in which all scents of flowers of that lake are included, and then they will be collectively re-entering the forests, for they are forest ranging elephants... [3-73-37, 38a]
rikshaam ca dvipinah caiva niila komalaka prabhaan || 3-73-38
ruruun apetaa apajayaan dristvaa shokam prahaasyasi |
"On your seeing the bears, also thus the tigers and even the exultant sapphire-blue Rurus with black stripes there, you will discard your distress... [3-73-38b, 39a]
raama tasya tu shailasya mahatii shobhate guhaa || 3-73-39
shilaa pidhaanaa kaakutstha duhkham ca asyaah praveshanam |
"But oh, Rama, a cavernous cave lidded with a boulder stone outshines on that mountain, and oh, Kakutstha, problematic is an entry into it... [3-73-39b, 40a]
tasyaa guhaayaah praak dvaare mahaan shiita udako hradah || 3-73-40
bahu muula phalo ramyo naanaa naga samaakulah |
"On its right at its eastern opening a delightful lake with highly coolant waters is there, fringed with divers trees and fraught with numerous tubers and fruits... [3-73-40b, 41a]
tasyaam vasati sugriivah caturbhih saha vaanaraih || 3-73-41
kadaacit shikhare tasya parvatasya api tisthate |
"Sugreeva dwells in that cave along with four other monkeys, and at times he will be available on the peaks of that mountain, even on its bluffs and cliffs, for he is a terrified monkey..." Thus Kabandha informed them. [3-73-41b, 42a]
kabandhah tu anushaasya evam tau ubhau raama laksmanau || 3-73-42
sragvii bhaaskara varna aabhah khe vyarocata viiryavaan |
That impressive Kabandha adorned with divine garlands and abiding in sky scintillating with the grandeur of the dazzle of the sun has bidden both the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana thus, awaited a bid adieu from them. [3-73-42b, 43a]
tam tu kha stham mahaabhaagam kaba.ndham raama laksmanau || 3-73-43
prasthitau tvam vrajasva iti vaakyam uucatuh antike |
Rama and Lakshmana who started off on their peregrination said this sentence to that highly providential Kabandha, who is temporizing in the sky in their vicinity, thus as "you may proceed..." [3-73-43b, 44a]
gamyataam kaarya siddhi artham iti tau abraviit ca sah || 3-73-44
supriitau tau anujnaapya kaba.ndhah prasthitah tadaa || 3-73-45
On getting the orders for departure from those two brothers who are highly gladdened at the information given by Kabandha, he that Kabandha who is ready to exit, he further said to them thus, "proceed for the purpose of achieving your task..." [3-73-44b, 45]
sa tat kaba.ndhah pratipadya ruupam
vritah shriyaa bhaaskara sarva dehah |
nidarshayan raamam aveksya kha sthah
sakhyam kurusva iti tadaa abhyuvaaca || 3-73-46
Kabandha who redeemed his divine form has now got an aureole around him, and while irradiance is tamping whole of his mien, he moved further up on sky and reappeared. And staying in the sky he pointed out at the side of Mt. Rishyamuka, and then he reiterated, "you befriend Sugreeva..."and then he vanished. [3-73-46]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande tri saptatitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 73rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate