Ramayana Sayings

3. Aranya Part

1. Rama is welcomed by the sages of the Dandaka Forest

2. The demon Viradha carries off Sita

3. The struggle between Viradha and the two brothers

4. Rama and Lakshmana slay the demon Viradha

5. The meeting with the sage Sharabhanga and his ascent to Brahmaloka

6. The sages seek the protection of Rama

Slay the titans. (6)

7. The meeting between Rama and Sutikshna

8. Rama takes leave of Sutikshna

9. Sita implores Rama not to attack the titans

Prosperity arises from Dharma [righteous fare(s)]. Happiness emerges from Dharma. (9.30)

10. Rama reminds Sita of his promise to the ascetics

11. Rama visits the different retreats and hears of Agastya

12. Agastya receives Rama into his hermitage

13. Rama goes to Panchavati on the advice of Agastya

14. Jatayu reveals his lineage to Rama

15. Rama takes up his abode in Panchavati

16. Description of winter by Lakshmana

17. The arrival of Shurpanakha at the hermitage

18. The Mutilation of Shurpanakha

19. Shurpanakha tells her brother Khara of her disfigurement

20. Rama slays the demons sent by Khara

21. Shurpanakha urges Khara to fight Rama

22. Khara and his fourteen thousand demons march against Rama

23. The titan army advances amid evil portents

24-26. The combat opens between Rama and the titans + The fight continues + Rama destroys the titans and slays Dushana

A wise man should foresee tragedy or misfortune and take action to prevent or overcome such tragedy or misfortune well before it strikes. (24.11)

How could Rama overcome fourteen thousand demons of fearful deeds single-handed? Rama discharged his arrows. Fourteen thousand demons of cruel deeds were slain by Rama, a mortal, single-handed and on foot! (24, 25, 26).

27. Rama and Trishiras meet in combat. Trishiras is slain

28. The combat between Rama and Khara

29. Rama and the demon Khara taunt one another

30. The death of Khara

31. Ravana, the king of the titans, hears of the death of Khara and determines to slay Rama

32. Shurpanakha upbraids Ravana and urges him to destroy Rama

33. Shurpanakha's speech to Ravana

34. She urges Ravana to slay Rama and wed Sita

35. Ravana visits the demon Maricha once again

36. Ravana reveals his project to him

37. Maricha seeks to dissuade Ravana from his design

38. Maricha describes his first encounter with Rama

Who are pious and innocent suffer for the misdeeds of others . . . as fish in a snake-infested lake. (38)

39. Maricha again seeks to dissuade Ravana from pursuing his design

40. Ravana's wrath

41. Further counsels of Maricha to Ravana

42. Maricha, assuming the form of a deer, goes to Rama's hermitage

43. Sita is enamoured of the fawn

44. Rama slays Maricha

A flaming arrow that resembled a lightning flash fashioned by Brahma himself, pierced the heart of the titan Maricha, who had assumed the form of a deer. (44)

45. Sita sends Lakshmana to Rama's assistance

46-49. Ravana approaches Sita + He talks with her + She defies him + She is abducted by him

The ten-headed Ravana, in the guise of a mendicant with matted locks and clad in a saffron robe, approached Ramas' wife Sita at dusk when Rama was away. The leaves of the treen ceased to move. The wind grew still. Ravana said: "Lady of sweet smiles, lovely teeth and expressive eyes, it is for you to live in sumptuous and delightful palaces where you can wander clad in beautiful robes, decked in fragrant garlands, you charming and dark-eyed lady of sweet smiles."

Ravana revealed his gigantic form and lifted up Sita, the ady of lovely limbs and gracious features, and rose high into the air with her. Then, among piercing shrieks she cried to Rama's brother, who had left her unprotected, "Lakshmana, I am being carried away by a titan able to assume an ant's shape at will!" (46-49)

50. Jatayu attacks Ravana

51. The combat between Jatayu and Ravana

52. Jatayu being slain, Ravana resumes his flight

53. Sita censures Ravana

54. Ravana returns to Lanka with Sita

55. Ravana implores Sita to become his consort

56. Sita is guarded by the titan women

57. Rama sees terrible portents

58. Rama's lament

59. Rama reproaches Lakshmana

60. The search for Sita

Rama began to weep and cry to find his beloved in the forest, running from tree to tree, scaling the hills, searching by river and stream, overcome with grief. "Kedumbra tree," he cried, "haven't you seen my dear one? If thou know anything, then tell me." And "Bilova tree! have you seen her who wears a silken robe?" "Arjuna tree! Give me tidings - does Sita still live?" "Tala tree, have pity on me. If you have seen that fair damsel whose breasts resemble your ripe fruit, do tell me!" – In such ways Rama questioned every tree around, Cuta, Nipa, giant Sala, Panasa, Kuravasa, also Vakula, Punnaga, Candana and Ketaka trees, running here and there in the forest like one demented. Thereafter he addressed the beasts - deer, elephants, a tiger - all in vain.

He kept up crying, "My Sita of gracious smiles, shapely nose and beautiful earrings has been devoured when I was away! Sita, where have you gone?" He continued to call upon her again and again, tortured by love and almost going out of his mind. (60)

61. Rama's plaint

62. His despair

63. He continues to lament

64, 65. Rama's wrath + Lakshmana seeks to pacify Rama

Rama ran to the banks of the Godaveri river and there cried out: "Where is Sita?" But neither the spirits of the forest nor the river told him she had been abducted by the wicked Ravana. The river's silence caused Rama to abandon all hope of seeing Sita again. He said: "What shall I say to my father-in-law when we meet again?" (64)

Deer rose and turned their heads towards the south, looking upward, showing how Sita had disappeared from there. Then the deer turned southwards, sometimes fixing their gaze on Rama and then looking towards the sky, crying while running in front of Rama and his brother Lakshmana. Lakshmana understood their movements and cries, said to his brother: "Since you asked the deer about Sita, they have shown she left for the south, in the air."

On their way towards the south, Rama said to a mountain: "Have you seen that princess of lovely limbs and skin that resembles beaten gold?"

The mountain remained silent.

Suddenly Rama noticed the titan Ravana's footprint on the ground and Sita's too: in her terror she had run here and there before being dragged away by Ravana.

Rama said with a rapidly beating heart: "Brother, if I do not recover Sita this day in all her pristine beauty, I shall destroy the universe."

His brother wanted him to calm down, saying, "We will search the ocean, the hills, the forests, the deep caves and innumerable lakes filled with lotuses. Take to the measures that you consider fitting. We will ask around until we find Sita or - if you do not find the dear one - then you can let loose your arrows. (64-65)

66, 67. Lakshmana seeks to inspire Rama with courage + Rama encounters Jatayu

Gods themselves are subject to fate. (66)

"Take courage! And after due consideration, discriminate between that which is good and that which is evil. Prepare to overcome your enemies! Of what use for you would it be to destroy the whole world? [Don't overreact.]"

Rama controlled his wrath and agreed: "Let us consider these things carefully." (66-67)