शीघ्रं तौ रूपसम्पन्नावनुज्ञातौ महर्षिणा। प्रस्थितौ धृतचापासी सीतया सह राघवौ
Swiftly, those two, endowed with handsome form and permitted by the great sage, set out, bearing bows and swords, together with Sita.
thumb|नवमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे नवमः सर्गः ॥३-
Let the ninth chapter be heard.
सुतीक्ष्णेनाभ्यनुज्ञातं प्रस्थितं रघुनन्दनम्। हृद्यया स्निग्धया वाचा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्
Having received Sutīkṣṇa's permission, the descendant of Raghu departed; with heartfelt and affectionate words, she spoke to her husband.
अधर्मं तु सुसूक्ष्मेण विधिना प्राप्यते महान्। निवृत्तेन च शक्योऽयं व्यसनात् कामजादिह
Indeed, by a very subtle method, great unrighteousness is attained; and by withdrawal, one can escape from misfortune born of desire and the like.
त्रीण्येव व्यसनान्यत्र कामजानि भवन्त्युत। मिथ्यावाक्यं तु परमं तस्माद् गुरुतरावुभौ
There are three misfortunes arising from desire; but false speech is the greatest, and the other two are heavier because of it.
परदाराभिगमनं विना वैरं च रौद्रता। मिथ्यावाक्यं न ते भूतं न भविष्यति राघव
Without enmity or cruelty, approaching another's wife, and false speech—these have never occurred in you, nor will they, O Rāghava.
कुतोऽभिलषणं स्त्रीणां परेषां धर्मनाशनम्। तव नास्ति मनुष्येन्द्र न चाभूत् ते कदाचन
How could there be desire for other women, which destroys righteousness? You have never had this, O king among men, nor has it ever arisen in you.
मनस्यपि तथा राम न चैतद् विद्यते क्वचित्। स्वदारनिरतश्चैव नित्यमेव नृपात्मज
Even in your mind, O Rāma, such a thought does not exist anywhere; you are always devoted to your own wife, O prince.
धर्मिष्ठः सत्यसंधश्च पितुर्निर्देशकारकः। त्वयि धर्मश्च सत्यं च त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Righteous, truthful, and obedient to your father's command; in you, both righteousness and truth are firmly established.
तच्च सर्वं महाबाहो शक्यं वोढुं जितेन्द्रियैः। तव वश्येन्द्रियत्वं च जानामि शुभदर्शन
All this, O mighty-armed one, can be borne by those who have conquered their senses; I know your self-control, O one of auspicious appearance.
प्रतिज्ञातस्त्वया वीर दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम्। ऋषीणां रक्षणार्थाय वधः संयति रक्षसाम्
You have pledged, O hero, to protect the sages dwelling in the Dandaka forest, and to destroy the demons in battle.
एतन्निमित्तं च वनं दण्डका इति विश्रुतम्। प्रस्थितस्त्वं सह भ्रात्रा धृतबाणशरासनः
For this reason, you are renowned as having departed for the Dandaka forest, together with your brother, carrying bow and arrows.
ततस्त्वां प्रस्थितं दृष्ट्वा मम चिन्ताकुलं मनः। त्वद्धृत्तं चिन्तयन्त्या वै भवेन्निःश्रेयसं हितम्
Then, seeing you depart, my mind became troubled with anxiety; thinking of your departure, I ponder what would be truly beneficial.
नहि मे रोचते वीर गमनं दण्डकान् प्रति। कारणं तत्र वक्ष्यामि वदन्त्याः श्रूयतां मम
I do not find pleasure, O hero, in your journey to Dandaka; I will tell you the reason—listen to what I say.
त्वं हि बाणधनुष्पाणिर्भ्रात्रा सह वनं गतः। दृष्ट्वा वनचरान् सर्वान् कच्चित् कुर्याः शरव्ययम्
You, holding bow and arrows, have gone to the forest with your brother; seeing all the forest-dwellers, may you not use your arrows against them.
क्षत्रियाणामिह धनुर्हुताशस्येन्धनानि च। समीपतः स्थितं तेजोबलमुच्छ्रयते भृशम्
For Kshatriyas, the bow is like fuel for the fire; when close at hand, their power and energy rise greatly.
पुरा किल महाबाहो तपस्वी सत्यवान् शुचिः। कस्मिंश्चिदभवत् पुण्ये वने रतमृगद्विजे
Once, O mighty-armed one, there was a virtuous, truthful, and pure ascetic, who lived in a holy forest, delighting in deer and birds.
तस्यैव तपसो विघ्नं कर्तुमिन्द्रः शचीपतिः। खड्गपाणिरथागच्छदाश्रमं भटरूपधृक्
To hinder his austerity, Indra, lord of Śacī, came to his hermitage, taking the form of a warrior and carrying a sword.
तस्मिंस्तदाश्रमपदे निहितः खड्ग उत्तमः। स न्यासविधिना दत्तः पुण्ये तपसि तिष्ठतः
There, in that hermitage, the excellent sword was placed; it was given according to the rule of deposit, while he remained engaged in holy austerity.
स तच्छस्त्रमनुप्राप्य न्यासरक्षणतत्परः। वने तु विचरत्येव रक्षन् प्रत्ययमात्मनः
Having obtained that weapon, he became intent on guarding the deposit; while wandering in the forest, he protected it, trusting in himself.
यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च। न विना याति तं खड्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः
Wherever he went to gather roots and fruits, he never went without that sword, being intent on guarding the deposit.
नित्यं शस्त्रं परिवहन् क्रमेण स तपोधनः। चकार रौद्रीं स्वां बुद्धिं त्यक्त्वा तपसि निश्चयम्
Always carrying the weapon, that ascetic gradually developed a fierce disposition, abandoning his resolve for austerity.
ततः स रौद्राभिरतः प्रमत्तोऽधर्मकर्षितः। तस्य शस्त्रस्य संवासाज्जगाम नरकं मुनिः
Then, indulging in violence, careless and led astray by unrighteousness, the sage, through association with that weapon, went to hell.
एवमेतत् पुरावृत्तं शस्त्रसंयोगकारणम्। अग्निसंयोगवद्धेतुः शस्त्रसंयोग उच्यते
Thus, this is what happened before, the cause for the use of weapons; just as with fire, so too is the use of weapons considered to have a cause.
स्नेहाच्च बहुमानाच्च स्मारये त्वां तु शिक्षये। न कथंचन सा कार्या गृहीतधनुषा त्वया
Out of affection and great respect, I remind and instruct you: you must never act thus while bearing a bow.
बुद्धिर्वैरं विना हन्तुं राक्षसान् दण्डकाश्रितान्। अपराधं विना हन्तुं लोको वीर न मंस्यते
To kill the Rākṣasas dwelling in Daṇḍaka without enmity or fault, O hero, the world will not approve.
क्षत्रियाणां तु वीराणां वनेषु नियतात्मनाम्। धनुषा कार्यमेतावदार्तानामभिरक्षणम्
For Kṣatriya heroes, self-controlled in the forest, this alone is the duty with the bow: to protect the afflicted.
क्व च शस्त्रं क्व च वनं क्व च क्षात्रं तपः क्व च। व्याविद्धमिदमस्माभिर्देशधर्मस्तु पूज्यताम्
Where is the weapon, and where is the forest? Where is the Kṣatriya's duty, and where is asceticism? This is all mixed up by us; let the law of the land be honored.
कदर्यकलुषा बुद्धिर्जायते शस्त्रसेवनात्। पुनर्गत्वा त्वयोध्यायां क्षत्रधर्मं चरिष्यसि
A mean and impure mind arises from the practice of weapons; when you return to Ayodhyā, you will again follow the Kṣatriya's duty.
अक्षया तु भवेत् प्रीतिः श्वश्रूश्वशुरयोर्मम। यदि राज्यं हि संन्यस्य भवेस्त्वं निरतो मुनिः
Endless affection would exist between my mother-in-law and father-in-law and me, if you, having renounced the kingdom, were devoted as a sage.