Rama bestows parting gifts to Vedic scholars and their wives. Thereafter he also accords charities to Brahmins, young scholars, servants, and others. Rama accords an unusual gift, of cows filling a space of miles and miles, to a poor Brahmin named Trijata. Then Rama is blessed for a bon voyage by all of the eminent Vedic scholars.
Chapter [Sarga] 32 in Detail
tatah shaasanam aajnaaya bhraatuh shubhataram priyam |
gatvaa sa pravivesha aashu suyajnasya niveshanam || 2-32-1
Thereupon, Lakshmana obeying his brother's order which is kindly and auspicious, went immediately to the house of Suyajna.
tam vipram agni agaarastham vanditvaa laksmano abraviit |
sakhe abhyaagaccha pashya tvam veshma duskara kaarinah || 2-32-2
Offering salutation to that Brahmana living in a house of fire, Lakshmana spoke as follows: "Oh, friend! Come and see the house of Rama who is doing an arduous task."
tatah samdhyaam upaasya aashu gatvaa saumitrinaa saha |
justam tat praavishal laksmyaa ramyam raama niveshanam || 2-32-3
Then, Suyajna, having performed worship at the juncture of day and night, came at once along with Lakshmana and entered Rama's house which was good-looking and inhabited by Lakshmi the goddess of wealth.
tam aagatam vedavidam praanjalih siitayaa saha |
suyajnam abhicakraama raaghavo agnim iva arcitam || 2-32-4
Seeing him arrived, Rama with joined palms along with Seetha, moved clockwise as around sacrificial fire, that Suyajna the venerable man who had the knowledge of Vedas.
jaata ruupamayaih mukhyaih angadaih kundalaih shubhaih |
sahema suutraih manibhih keyuuraih valayaih api || 2-32-5
anyaih ca ratnaih bahubhih kaakutsthah pratyapuujayat |
suyajnam sa tadaa uvaaca raamah siitaa pracoditah || 2-32-6
Rama adored Suyajna with excellent Angadas (armlets) and beautiful earrings of gold, gems stung on gold threads as also with keyuras (another ornament similar in shape to an Angada but worn above it near the armpit) and bracelets as well as with many other excellent precious stones. Urged by Seetha, the said Rama then spoke to Suyajna as follows:
haaram ca hema suutram ca bhaaryaayai saumya haaraya |
rashanaam ca adhunaa siitaa daatum icchati te sakhe || 2-32-7
"Oh the gentle sage, my friend! Now, Seetha wants to give for your wife a pearl necklace, a string of gold and a girdle. Please take them."
agadaani vichitraani keyuuraani shubhaani cha |
paryankam agrya aastaranam naanaa ratna vibhuusitam || 2-32-8
"Oh, friend! Seetha who is departing to the forest, is giving you for your wife armlets adorned with figures cut in them and beautiful keyuras."
paryakamagryaastaranam naanaaratnavibhuushhitam |
tam api icchati vaidehii pratisthaapayitum tvayi || 2-32-9
"Seetha wants to offer you that couch also inlaid with various jewels and provided with an excellent coverlet."
naagah shatrum jayo naama maatulo yam dadau mama |
tam te gaja sahasrena dadaami dvija pumgava || 2-32-10
"Oh, the best of Brahmanas! I am giving you this elephant called Satrunjaya, given earlier to me by my maternal uncle as well as those thousand elephants."
iti uktah sa hi raamena suyajnah pratigrihya tat |
raama laksmana siitaanaam prayuyoja aashisah shivaah || 2-32-11
As requested by Rama, Suyajna accepted the gift and bestowed benign [of a gentle disposition] blessings to Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha.
atha bhraataram avyagram priyam raamah priyam vadah |
saumitrim tam uvaaca idam brahmaa iva tridasha iishvaram || 2-32-12
Then, Rama who speaks polite words as coolly as Brahma to Devendra, spoke to his beloved brother Lakshmana as follows:
agastyam kaushikam caiva taav ubhau braahmana uttamau |
arcaya aahuuya saumitre ratnaih sasyam iva ambubhih || 2-32-13
"Oh, Lakshmana! Call those two excellent Brahmanas Agastya and Kaushika and worship them with valuable gifts as water is poured to a crop of corn."
tarpayasva mahaabaaho gosahasaraishcha maanada |
suvarnai rajataishchaiva manibhishcha mahaadhanaih || 2-32-14
"Oh, Lakshmana the honor-giver, with great arms! Satiate them with thousands of cows, gold, silver and with gems of great value."
kausalyaam ca yaaashiirbhir bhaktah paryupatisthati |
aacaaryah taittiriiyaanaam abhiruupah ca vedavit || 2-32-15
tasya yaanam ca daasiih ca saumitre sampradaapaya |
kausheyaani ca vastraani yaavat tusyati sa dvijah || 2-32-16
"Oh, Lakshmana! Which Brahman is studying Taittiriya (a school of Yajurveda), a preceptor, a man of conformity; a knower of Vedas, serving Kausalya with his devotion and blessing, to him see that he is duly gifted conveyance, servant maids and silken clothing till he gets satisfied."
suutah citra rathah ca aaryah sacivah sucira usitah |
tosaya enam mahaa arhaih ca ratnaih vastraih dhanaiah tathaa || 2-32-17
"The charioteer called Chitraratha the companion of our venerable father was of very long standing. Gratify him with valuable gifts of great worth, with clothes, with money, with all types of small animals and with thousands of cows."
pashukaabhikachha sarvaabhirgavaam dashashatena cha |
ye cheme kathakaalaapaa bahavo dandamaanavaah || 2-32-18
nityasvaadhyaayashiilatvaannaanyatkurvanti kimchana |
alasaah svaadukaamaashcha mahataam chaapi sammataah || 2-32-19
shaali vaaha sahasram ca dve shate bhadrakaams tathaa |
vyanjana artham ca saumitre go sahasram upaakuru || 2-32-20
Here are many religious students carrying staffs, belonging to katha and kalaapa branches of Yajurveda, who being always engaged in studying the sacred scriptures, do not perform any other austerities but are highly honored by even noble men, are inactive( in the sense, they do not move out for alms) and crave for sweets. Cause them to be given eighty carts loaded with jewels, a thousand bullocks carrying loads of rice and two hundred bullocks used for cultivation. Give a thousand cows for use in their nourishment, Oh Lakshmana!"
mekhaliinaam mahaasaghah kausalyaam samupasthitah |
teshhaam sahasram saumitre pratyekam sampradaapaya || 2-32-21
"Oh, Lakshmana! Many celebrate wearing fillets stand near Kausalya, cause them to be given a thousand cows each."
ambaa yathaa cha saa nandetkausalyaa mama dakshinaam |
tathaa dvijaatiim staansarvaan lakshmanaarcha || 2-32-22
"Honor all those Brahmanas in every way, so that my mother Kausalya will feel happy to see my gifts."
tatah sa purusa vyaaghrah tat dhanam laksmanah svayam |
yathaa uktam braahmana indraanaam adadaat dhanado yathaa || 2-32-23
Then, Lakshmana the tiger among men himself gave that wealth, like Kubera, to the best of Brahmanas as instructed.
atha abraviid baaspa kalaams tisthatah ca upajiivinah |
sampradaaya bahu dravyam ekaikasya upajiivinah || 2-32-24
Rama, after giving abundant wealth to each one of the dependents, standing there with tears in their throats, spoke to them as follows;
laksmanasya ca yad veshma griham ca yad idam mama |
ashuunyam kaaryam ekaikam yaavad aagamanam mama || 2-32-25
"Till my return, the house belonging to Lakshmana and also this house which is occupied by me, should be guarded by each one of you, by turn."
iti uktvaa duhkhitam sarvam janam tam upajiivinam |
uvaaca idam dhana dhyaksam dhanam aaniiyataam iti || 2-32-26
Having thus ordered those servants distressed as they were, he instructed his treasurer as follows: "Let my wealth be brought (here)."
tatah asya dhanam aajahruh sarvam eva upajiivinah |
sa raashih sumahaamstatra darshaniiyo hyadrishyata || 2-32-27
Thereafter, the servants brought all the wealth of Rama. That very large heap of wealth there appeared good-looking.
tatah sa purusa vyaaghrah tat dhanam saha laksmanah |
dvijebhyo baala vriddhebhyah kripanebhyo abhyadaapayat || 2-32-28
Rama, the tiger among men, along with Lakshmana then caused that wealth to be distributed among the Brahmanas, the children, the old-aged and the pitiable.
tatra aasiit pingalo gaargyah trijatah naama vai dvijah |
kshatavrittirvane nityam phaalakuddaalalaagalii || 2-32-29
"There lived a Brahmana by name Trijata who was born in Garga community and was reddish born in color. He used to make his living in the forest by digging the soil, always carrying an axe, a spade and a plough."
tam vriddham tarunii bhaaryaa baalaanaadaaya daarakaan |
abraviidbaahmanam vaakyam daaridryenaabhipiiditaa || 2-32-30
His young wife, having been afflicted with poverty, taking her small children with her, spoke to that aged Brahmana as follows:
apaasya phaalam kuddaalam kurushhva vachanam mamam |
raamam darshaya dharmajjnam yadi kimchidavaapsyasi || 2-32-31
"Throw away the axe and the spade. Carry out my word. Seek for the presence of Rama who knows his duty and see if you get at least something."
sa bhaaryaavachanam shrutvaa shaatiimaachchhaadya dushchhadaam |
sa pratishhthata panthaanam yatra raamaniveshanam || 2-32-32
He heard the request of his wife, wrapped a strip of cloth that could hardly cover his body and set out towards the track wherein lies Rama's palace.
bhrigvagirasamam diiptyaa trijatam janasamsadi |
aa pancamaayaah kaksyaayaa na enam kashcit avaarayat || 2-32-33
Up to the fifth gate, none in that society of men could obstruct this Trijata, who was equal in spiritual splendor with the sages Bhrigu and Angira.
sa raaja putram aasaadya trijatah vaakyam abraviit |
nirdhano bahu putrah asmi raaja putra mahaa yashah |
kshatavrittirvane nityam pratyavekshasva maamiti || 2-32-34
That Trijata having approached the prince Rama spoke the following words: "Oh, the most illustrious prince! I am a destitute, having many children in my family. I always dwell in the forest, with an occupation of digging the soil. Look to me, as you know."
tamuvaacha tato raamah parihaasasamanvitam |
gavaam sahasramapyekam na cha vishraanitam mayaa |
parikshipasi dandena yaavattaavadavaapysasi || 2-32-35
Thereupon, Rama replied jestingly to him as follows: “By me, even one thousand cows were not given away so far. You will get as many cows to such an extent as you will throw this staff."
sa shaatiim tvaritah katyaam sambraantah pariveshhtya taam |
aaviddhya dandam chikshepa sarvapraanena vegitah || 2-32-36
Winding his loin cloth round his waist hurriedly and twirling his staff, he swiftly threw it with all his strength, excited as he was.
sa tiirtvaa sarayuupaaram dandastasya karaachchyutah |
govraje bahusaahaasre papaatokshanasannidhau || 2-32-37
Flying away from his hand and crossing across the Sarayu river, that staff fell close to a bull amidst a flock of cows numbering in several thousands.
tam parishhvajya dharmaatmaa aatasmaatsarayuutataat |
aanayaamaasa taa gopaistrijataayaashramam prati || 2-32-38
Embracing him, Rama of virtuous mind caused to be delivered to Trijata's hermitage the cows up to that bank of Sarayu.
uvaacha cha tato raamastam gaargyamabhisaantvayan |
manyurna khalu kartavyah parihaaso hyayam mama || 2-32-39
Thereupon, Rama pacifying spoke to that son of Gargi as follows: "You need not express your contempt, for this was only a jest indulged in by me."
idam hi tejastava yaddhuratyayam |
tadeva jijjnaasitu michchhataa mayaa |
imam bhavaanarthamabhiprachodito |
vriniishhva kimchedaparam vyavasyati || 2-32-40
"I only desired to know your strength, which is unfathomable and hence this trial for you. If you desire any other thing, opt for it."
braviimi satyena na te.asti yantranaa |
dhanam hi yadyanmama viprakaaranaat |
bhavatsu samyakrpatipaadanena ta |
nmayaarjitam priitiyashskaram bhavet || 2-32-41
" I am telling the truth here. There is no limitation for you. Whatever riches belonging to me, are indeed for Brahmanas. If the wealth earned by me is given abundantly to you, it will bring in joy and fame."
tata ssabhaarya strijato mahaamuni |
rgavaamaniikam pratigrihya moditah |
yashobalapriitisukhopabrimhanii |
stadaashishhah pratyavadanmahaatmanah || 2-32-42
Thereupon, Trijata along with his wife accepted that flock of cows and were delighted. Then, he pronounced on Rama the virtuous man, the blessings to enhance reputation, strength, delight and happiness.
sa chaapi raamah pratipuurnamaanaso |
mahaddhanam dharmabalairupaarjitam |
niyojayaamaasa suhrijjane.achiraa |
dyathaarhasammaanavachahprachoditah || 2-32-43
Rama being inspired by the befitting words of honor and having his heart satisfied, immediately bestowed on friendly people, a great wealth earned by righteous might.
dvijah suhridbhrityajano.athavaa tadaa |
daridrabhikshaacharanashcha yo.abhavat |
na tatra kashchinna babhuuva tarpito |
yathaarha sammaanana daana sambramaih || 2-32-44
At that time in Ayodhya, there was no Brahmana, relative, dependant, pauper or mendicant who was not satiated with befittingly deserving honor, gifts and respect.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande dvaa trayah tri.mshah sargah
Thus completes 32nd chapter of Ayodhya Kanda in glorious Ramayana, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate