Summary
Rama arrives at the auspicious Pampa Lake according to the suggestion of Kabandha. On seeing that pious environ of that lake Rama has a breather and he expects some good to happen now. On further beholding the ladylike Pampa Lake, his thoughts move to Seetha, and he is again dispirited. However, on overcoming that short spell of his anguish, he proceeds with Lakshmana to the nearby of the lake.
Chapter [Sarga] 75 in Detail
divam tu tasyaam yaataayaam shabaryaam svena tejasaa |
laksmanena saha bhraatraa cintayaamaasa raaghavah || 3-75-1
While Shabari ascended to heaven with her own divine self-resplendence, Raghava who is with Lakshmana started to cogitate over the magnificence of Matanga disciples. [3-75-1]
cintayitvaa tu dharmaatmaa prabhaavam tam mahaatmanaam |
hita kaarinam eka agram laksmanam raaghavo abraviit || 3-75-2
That noble-souled Raghava on thinking about the efficacy of the disciples of Matanga, said to Lakshmana, who is the maintainer of Rama's well being, and who is thinking single-mindedly. [3-75-2]
dristo mayaa aashramah saumya bahu aashcaryah krita aatmanaam |
vishvasta mriga shaarduulo naanaa vihaga sevitah || 3-75-3
"I have seen a highly astounding hermitage of self-controlled sages, oh, gentle Lakshmana, in which the deer and tigers are at home, and which is adored by divers birds... [3-75-3]
saptaanaam ca samudraanaam tesaam tiirthesu laksmana |
upaspristam ca vidhivat pitarah ca api tarpitaah || 3-75-4
"Oh, Lakshmana, holy is our taking a bath in this holy Pampa Lake, for it is formed by the waters of seven seas, and even holier is our oblation of this holy waters to manes... [3-75-4]
pranastam ashubham yat nah kalyaanam samupasthitam |
tena tu etat prahristam me mano laksmana sa.mprati || 3-75-5
hridaye hi nara vyaaghra shubham aavir.hbhavisyati |
"What that was unpropitious for us is completely abated by our holy bath and holy oblations, oh, Lakshmana, propitiousness is standing en face us, and thereby presently this heart of mine is highly gladdening... oh, lion-like man, indeed, heart alone hatches hope... [3-75-5, 6a]
tat aagaccha gamisyaavah pa.mpaam taam priya darshanaam || 3-75-6
risyamuuko girih yatra na ati duure prakaashate |
yasmin vasati dharmaatmaa sugriivo a.mshumatah sutah || 3-75-7
nityam vaali bhayaat trastah caturbhih saha vaanaraih |
"Thereby, where Mt. Rishyamuka is beaming forth at its nearby, on which that right minded son of the Sun, Sugreeva, is living along with four other Vanara-s, always frightened by the fear from Vali, we will go to her, to that spectacular Lake Pampa, come on, Lakshmana... [3-75-6b, 7, 8a]
aham tvare ca tam drastum sugriivam vaanararsabham || 3-75-8
tat adhiinam hi me kaaryam siitaayaah parimaarganam |
"I am also hasty to see that best one among Vanara-s, Sugreeva, for my enterprise called search for Seetha is under his aegis, isn't it... [3-75-8b, 9a]
iti bruvaanam tam viiram saumitrih idam abraviit || 3-75-9
gacchaavah tvaritam tatra mama api tvarate manah |
To that brave Rama who is speaking thus, Soumitri said this, “my heart too is hastening me, let us go there promptly..." [3-75-9b, 10a]
aashramaat tu tatah tasmaat nis.hkramya sa vishaam patih || 3-75-10
aajagaama tatah pa.mpaam laksmanena sahaprabhuh |
Then that Lord of People and Lord of Nature on exiting from that hermitage, he then came nigh of Lake Pampa along with Lakshmana. [3-75-10b, 11a]
samiiksamaanah puspa aadhyam sarvato vipula drumam || 3-75-11
koyastibhih ca arjunakaih shata patraih ca kiirakaih |
etaih ca anyaih ca bahubhih naaditam tat vanam mahat || 3-75-12
sa raamo vividhaan vriksaan saraa.msi vividhaani ca |
pashyan kaama abhisa.mtapto jagaama paramam hradam || 3-75-13
Rama on scrutinizing that rosy woodland in which everywhere there are outsized and diverse trees that are thickset with flowers, and different lakes loaded with the trilling birds like plovers, peacocks, waterfowls and suchlike, with which that woodland itself is trilling in much ado, became impassioned as he is instantly rendered thus by Love-god, and thus that Rama went towards that lovely Lake Pampa. [3-75-11b, 12, 13]
sa taam aasaadya vai raamo duuraat paaniiya vaahiniim |
mata.nga sarasam naama hradam samavagaahata || 3-75-14
Rama spotted Pampa Lake from a distance which is plethoric with water, but entered into a lake called Matanga Lake on his way to Pampa... [3-75-14]
tatra jagmatuh avyagrau raaghavau hi samaahitau |
sa tu shoka samaavisto raamo dasharathaatmajah || 3-75-15
Though both Raghava-s came there composedly and dispassionately, but Rama, the son of Dasharatha, is ensorcelled by anguish on seeing a ladylike lake Pampa. [3-75-15]
vivesha naliniim ramyaam pa.nkajaih ca samaavritaam |
tilakaashokapu.mnaagabakuloddaalakaashiniim - yadvaa -
tilaka ashoka punnaaga bakula uddaala kaashiniim || 3-75-16
Rama entered the area of that beautiful lake which is beaming forth with lotuses hemming in from inside, and trees like Tilaka, Ashoka, Punnaga, Bakula, Uddala, are hemming it from outside. [3-75-16]
ramya upavana sa.mbaadhaam padma sa.mpiidita udakaam |
sphatika upama toya aadhyaam shlaksna vaaluka sa.mtataam || 3-75-17
That lake is huddled with delightful fringe lands and lotuses squeeze it from within, and its water is plethoric and crystalline, and its sand is soft all over. [3-75-17]
matsya kacchapa sa.mbaadhaam tiirastha druma shobhitaam |
sakhiibhih iva sa.myuktaam lataabhih anuvestitaam || 3-75-18
That lake is beautified with packs of fishes and tortoises, and packs of trees on its banks, on which climber plants are wraparound like the ladyloves of those trees. [3-75-18]
kimnaroragagandharvayaksharakshasasevitam -yadvaa - |
kinnara uraga gandharva yaksa raaksasa sevitaam |
naanaa druma lataa aakiirnaam shiita vaari nidhim shubhaam || 3-75-19
And that is adored by the beings like sylvan, reptilian, celestial, georgic, and elfish beings, and it is overcrowded with trees and tendrils, and it is a trove for fairish and cloddish [soiled] water. [3-75-19]
padma saugandhikaih taamraam shuklaam kumuda mandalaih |
niilaam kuvalaya ud ghaataih bahu varnaam kuthaam iva || 3-75-20
aravinda utpalavatiim padma saugandhika aayutaam |
puspita aamra vanopetaam barhina ud ghusta naaditaam || 3-75-21
The lotuses of the lake are rich in their fragrance, and with the heaps of clusters of reddish, whitish, and blackish lotuses, and with such pinkish, whitish, and reddish lotuses the sheet of water is like a picturesquely painted canvas and it is surrounded by the orchards of flowered mango trees and sounded much by the screams of peacocks. [3-75-20, 21]
sa taam dristvaa tatah pa.mpaam raamah saumitrinaa saha |
vilalaapa ca tejasvii kaamaat dasharathaatmajah || 3-75-22
Then Rama along with Lakshmana on seeing at that Pampa Lake, that self-refulgent son of Dasharatha whimpered over, owing to his passionate recollection of Seetha. [3-75-22]
tilakaih biija puuraih ca vataih shukla drumaih tathaa |
puspitaih karaviiraih ca punnaagaih ca su puspitaih || 3-75-23
maalatii ku.nda gulmaih ca bhandiiraih niculaih tathaa |
ashokaih sapta parnaih ca ketakaih atimuktakaih || 3-75-24
anyaih ca vividhaih vriksaih pramadaa iva upashobhitaam |
That Pampa Lake is wraparound with the trees of Tilaka, Citron-fruits, Banyan, White-trees, likewise flowered are flowery trees like Red oleanders, Punnaaga, shrubs of Malati and Kunda, likewise flowered are the trees of Madder, Nicula, Ashoka, and Seven-leaved banana plants, and plants of Mogra and climbers of Maadhavii Lata are also flowered, and with them she that Ladylike Pampa shone forth like a pulchritudinous lady. [3-75-23, 24]
asyaah tiire tu puurva uktah parvato dhaatu manditah || 3-75-25
rishyamuuka iti khyaatah citra puspita paadapah |
The aforesaid mountain renowned as Rishyamuka which is abounding with colorful ores and amazingly flowered trees is there on the bank of Pampa Lake. [3-75-25b, 26a]
hareh riksarajo naamnah putrah tasya mahaatmanah || 3-75-26
adhyaaste tu mahaaviiryah sugriiva iti vishrutah |
A noble soul by his name Risharaja was there and that monkey's son is the highly valiant Sugreeva, thus he is renowned, and he presides over that mountain. [3-75-26b, 27b]
sugriivam abhigaccha tvam vaanarendram nararsabha || 3-75-27
iti uvaaca punah vaakyam laksmanam satya vikramam |
katham mayaa vinaa siitaam shakyam lakshmana jiivitum || 3-75-28
That best one among men Rama, said this way, "oh, Lakshmana, you make a headway for that chief of monkeys, Sugreeva..." and further said this to Lakshmana whose valiance is truthfulness alone, "how can I possibly live without Seetha..." [3-75-27b, 28]
iti evam uktvaa madana abhipiiditah
sa lakshmanam vaakyam ananya cetanah |
vivesha pa.mpaam nalinii mano ramaam
tam uttamam shokam udiirayaanah || 3-75-29
Such as he is whose thinking is applying itself to Seetha alone, and who is vocalizing his anguish for her, to whom aa stymie is laid by the Love-god just at the appearance that lake, that Rama on saying that sentence in that way to Lakshmana neared that superb and heart delighting lotus Lake Pampa. [3-75-29]
kramena gatvaa pravilokayan vanam
dadarsha pa.mpaam shubha darsha kaananaam |
aneka naanaa vidha paksi sa.nkulaam
vivesha raamah saha lakshmanena || 3-75-30
On going step by step, and on going on seeing ardently and intently at that forest which has picturesque visuals of forestry, and which is with hurly-burly birds, not one, but numerous and divers are they, and then Rama along with Lakshmana on entering the area of that lake, has seen that Lake Pampa. [3-75-30]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande pa.ncah saptatitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 75th, and conclusive chapter of Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
om santih santih santih
Om, Let Triple-Peace betide, one and all...
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate