रामस्तु सहितो भ्रात्रा सीतया च परंतपः। सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमपदं जगाम सह तैर्द्विजैः॥
And Rāma accompanied by his brother as well as Sītā went to the asylum of Sutīksna in company with the twice-born ones.
सं गत्वा दूरमध्वानं नदीस्तीत्वा॑ बहूदकाः। ददर्श विमलं शैलं महामेरुमिवोत्रतम्॥
And having proceeded far, and crossed many a stream of copious waters, Rāma saw a holy peak towering high like the mighty Meru.
ततस्तदिक्ष्वाकुवरौ सततं विविधैर्दुमैः। काननं तौ विविशतुः सीतया सह राघवौ॥
Then those worthy scions of the Ikşvāku race-descendants of Raghu—with Sītā entered the forest ever furnished with various kinds of trees.
प्रविष्टस्तु वनं घोरं बहुपुष्पफलद्रुमम्। ददर्शाश्रममेकान्ते चीरमालापरिष्कृतम्॥
And having entered the dense forest abounding in blossoms and fruits and trees, Rāma saw in a recess an asylum glittering with bark and garlands.
तत्र तापसमासीनं मलपङ्कजधारिणम्। रामः सुतीक्ष्णं विधिवत् तपोधनमभाषत॥
There Rāma duly addressed an ascetic seated in the lotus-attitude* for warding off evil, even Sutīksna, *The yoya system has many positions for concentrating thought.
रामोऽहमस्मि भगवन् भवन्तं द्रष्टुमागतः। तन्माभिवद धर्मज्ञ महर्षे सत्यविक्रम॥
O you conversant with righteousness, speak to me, O Maharsi, You that have truth for your prowess.
स निरीक्ष्य ततो धीरो रामं धर्मभृतां वरम्। समाश्लिष्य च बाहुभ्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon eyeing Rāma keenly, that calm (ascetic)-the foremost of those practising righteousness, embracing him with his arms, said,
स्वागतं ते रघुश्रेष्ठ राम सत्यभृतां वर। आश्रमोऽयं त्वयाऽऽक्रान्तः सनाथ इव साम्प्रतम॥
Welcome, you foremost of the Raghus, O Rāma, you the best of those practising righteousness. This asylum now has been furnished with its master in consequence of your visit.
प्रतीक्षमाणस्त्वामेव नारोहेऽहं महायशः। देवलोकमितो वीर देहं त्यक्त्वा महीतले॥
O illustrious one, O hero, expecting you, I have not yet ascended heaven, renouncing on earth this body of mine.
चित्रकूटमुपादाय राज्यभ्रष्टोऽसि मे श्रुतः। इहोपयातः काकुत्स्थ देवराजः शतक्रतुः॥
I had already) heard that, coming to Citrakūta, (you had been staying there), having been deprived of the kingdom. Here came, O Kākutstha, the Sovereign of the celestials of an hundred sacrifices.
उपागम्य च मे देवो महादेवः सुरेश्वरः। सर्वांल्लोकाञ्जितानाह मम पुण्येन कर्मणा॥
Coming to me, that mighty deity, the Sovereign of the celestials, said that I had acquired all the worlds by my pious acts.
तेषु देवर्षिजुष्टेषु जितेषु तपसा मया। मत्प्रसादात् सभार्यस्त्वं विहरस्व सलक्ष्मणः॥
Do you, by my grace, in company with your wife and Lakşmaņa, dwell delightfully in those regions won by my asceticism, containing Devarsis.
तमुग्रतपसं दीप्तं महर्षि सत्यवादिनम्। प्रत्युवाचात्मवान रामो ब्रह्माणमिव वासवः॥
Thereupon the self-possessed Rāma answered that blazing and truth-telling Brāhmana of fiery austerities, like Vasava answering Brahma.
अहमेवाहरिष्यामि स्वयं लोकान् महामुने। आवासं त्वहमिच्छामि प्रदिष्टमिह कानने॥
O mighty ascetic, I myself will win those regions. I wish to be directed to a dwelling in this forest.
भवान् सर्वत्र कुशलः सर्वभूतहिते रतः। आख्यातं शरभङ्गेन गौतमेन महात्मना ॥
You are possessed of ability in respect of everything, and are (at the same time) engaged in the welfare of all beings, this has been told to me by the high-soulcd Sarabhanga of the Gautama race.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण महर्षिलोकविश्रुतः। अब्रबीन्मधुरं वाक्यं हर्षेण महता युतः॥
Thus addressed by Rāma, that Maharşi known over all the worlds, Spoke sweet words in great joy,
अयमेवाश्रमोः राम गुणवान् रम्यतामिति। ऋषिसङ्घांनुचरितः सदा मूलफलैर्युतः॥
O meritorious Rāma, even this is the asylum (for you). Do you live here pleasantly. It is inhabited by numbers of saints and is always provided with fruits and roots.
इममाश्रममागम्य मृगसङ्घा महीयसः। अहत्वा प्रतिगच्छन्ति लोभयित्वाकुतोभयाः॥
This forest is haunted by herds of deer that range here without doing harm to any one, although they possess great energy; and go away, having bewitched people (by their beauty).
नान्यो दोषो भवेदत्र मृगेभ्योऽन्यत्र विद्धि वै। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य महर्षेर्लक्ष्मणाग्रजः॥ उवाच वचनं धीरो विगृह्य सशरं धनुः।
Save what comes, from these deer, there is no other evil to be encountered here. Hearing those words of the Maharși, the placid elder brother of Lakşınaņa, taking up his bow with the arrow set, said
तानहं सुमहाभाग मृगसंघान् समागतान्॥ हन्यां निशितधारेण शरेणानतपर्वणा। भवांस्तत्राभिषज्येत किं स्यात् कृच्छ्रतरं ततः॥
O exalted one, if by means of sharpened shafts blazing like lightning, I slay those herds of deer when they come, it shall impart pain to you, and what can be more unfortunate than this?
एतस्मिन्नाश्रमे वासं चिरं तु न समर्थये। तमेवमुक्त्वोपरमं रामः संध्यामुपागमत् ॥ अन्वास्य पश्चिमां संध्यां तत्र वासमकल्पयत्। सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमे रम्ये सीतया लक्ष्मणेन व॥
Therefore I shall not be able to dwell long in this asylum. Having said this, Rāma ceased and became engaged in his evening adorations, and, having finished them, along with Sīta and Lakşmaņa fixed his quarters in the asylum of Sutiksna.
ततः शुभं तापसयोग्यमन्नं स्वयं सुतीक्ष्णः पुरुषर्षभाभ्याम्। ताभ्यां सुसत्कृत्य ददौ महात्मा संध्यानिवृत्तौ रजनीं समीक्ष्य॥
Then, when the evening had passed away and night fell, Sutiksna, having done homage to those chiefs of men, offered them excellent fare, suitable to ascetics.