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|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 29

In the earlier Sargas thinking of Rama and Lakshmana - 'रामानुजं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं" , Sita blames herself as the cause of the separation from Rama. And unable to bear the sorrow and in desperation, Sita says she was ready to go to Yama - "यमस्य मूलं"

For a tormented soul there are two protectors.
Bhagavan and the Teacher. When separated from both, with no ostensible support , the Jiva will be devastated. Sita is also in a similar position. For Sita Rama and Lakshmana are the Bhagavan and the teacher.

In the last Sloka of the previous Sarga , we heard that auspicious omens manifested in her. In this Sarga we hear more of that.

Now the twenty ninth Sarga with meanings and commentary

||Sloka 29.01||

तथा गतां तां व्यधितामनिंदिताम्
व्यपेतहर्षां परिदीन मानसाम्।
शुभां निमित्तानि शुभानि भेजिरे
नरं श्रिया जुष्ट मिहोप जीविनः॥29.01||

स॥तथागतां व्यथितां अनिंदितां व्यपेत हर्षां परदीनमानसाम् शुभाम् तां श्रिया जुष्टं नरं उपजीवनः इव शुभानि निमित्तानि भेजिरे ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

तथागतां व्यथितां -
as expected the agonized lady
अनिंदितां व्यपेत हर्षां -
one who is without faults, and is bereft of all happiness
परिदीनमानसाम् - distressed in mind
शुभाम् - auspicious
तां शुभानि निमित्तानि भेजिरे - auspicious omens surrounded her
श्रिया जुष्टं नरं उपजीवनः इव -like one blessed with fortune surrounded by well wishers

||Sloka summary||

"Auspicious signs of fortune surrounded the lady, who is agonized, who is without faults, who is bereft of all happiness, and is distressed in mind, like a wealthy man is surrounded by well-wishers." ||29.01||

||Sloka 29.02||

तस्या श्शुभं वाम मराळपक्ष्म
राजीवृतं कृष्णविशालशुक्लम्।
प्रास्पंदतैकं नयनं सुकेश्या
मीनाहतं पद्मामिवाभिताम्रं॥ 29.02||

स॥ सुकेश्याः तस्याः शुभं अरालपक्ष्म राजीवृतम् कृष्णविशालशुक्लम् वामनयनम् मीनाहतं अभिताम्रं एकं पद्ममिव प्रास्पंदत ||29.02||

||Sloka meanings||

सुकेश्याः - lady with beautiful hair
तस्याः शुभं har auspicious
अरालपक्ष्मराजीवृतम्-
surrounded by curved eye lashes
कृष्णविशालशुक्लम् वामनयनम् -
left black pupils in broad eye in white
मीनाहतं अभिताम्रं एकं पद्ममिव -
like a lotus with reddish ring struck by a fish
प्रास्पंदत - throbbed

||Sloka summary||

"Sita's left eye which is surrounded by a row of curved eyelashes, with broad black pupils in white, throbbed , like a red lotus gently struck by a fish, throbbed. ||29.02||

Sita is described as a lady with beautiful hair.

||Sloka 29.03||

भुजश्च चार्वंचित पीनवृत्तः
परार्थ्यकालागरुचंदनार्हः।
अनुत्तमे नाध्युषितः प्रियेण
चिरेण वामः समवेपताsशु॥29.03||

स॥ चार्वंचित पीन वृत्तः वाम भुजश्च परार्थ्यकाला अगरु चंदन अर्हः अनुत्तमेन प्रियेन चिरेण अध्युषितः आशु समवेपत॥

॥Sloka meanings||.

चार्वंचित पीन वृत्तः -
round and stout beautifully curved
परार्थ्यकाला अगरु चंदन अर्हः-
deserving the application of agaru and sandal paste
अनुत्तमेन प्रियेन चिरेण अध्युषितः-
for a long time used by her beloved for resting his head
वाम भुजश्च - her left shoulder
आशु समवेपत - suddenly throbbed.

||Sloka summary||

"Her round and stout beautifully curved arm, deserving the application of agaru and sandal paste, which was used by her beloved for resting his head, suddenly throbbed." ||29.03||

 

||Sloka 29.04||

गजेंद्रहस्तप्रतिमश्च पीनः
तयोः द्वयोः संहतयोः सुजातः।
प्रस्पंदमानः पुन रूरु रस्या
रामं पुरस्तात् स्थित माचचक्षे ||29.04||

स॥ संहतयोः द्वयोः अस्याः ऊरुः पीनः सुजातः गजेंद्रहस्तप्रतिमः प्रस्पंदमानः रामं पुरस्तात् स्थितं आचचक्षे॥

॥Sloka meanings||

संहतयोः द्वयोः अस्याः ऊरुः -
her two thighs close to each other
गजेंद्रहस्तप्रतिमः -
resembling an elephant's trunk
पीनः सुजातः - stout and well-shaped
प्रस्पंदमानः - throbbing
रामं पुरस्तात् स्थितं आचचक्षे-
indicated as though Rama was standing in front

||Sloka summary||

One of her two well-shaped and stout thighs, which resemble the trunk of the king of elephants and are close to each other, throbbed again, indicating as though Rama was standing in front of her." ||29.04||

||Sloka 29.05||

शुभं पुनर्हेमसमानवर्ण
मीषद्रजो ध्वस्तमिवामलाक्ष्याः।
वासस्थ्सितायाः शिखराग्रदंत्याः
किंचित्परिस्रंसत चारुगात्य्राः ||29.05||

स॥ पुनः अमलाक्षयाः शिखराग्रदंत्याः चारुगात्र्याः स्थितायाः शुभं हेमसमानवर्णं ईर्षत् रजोध्वस्तम् इव वासः किंचित् परिसंस्रत॥

Rama Tika says- अमलाक्ष्याः निर्मल नेत्रायाः शिखराग्रवत् दाडिम बीजाग्रभागवत् दन्ता यस्याः चारु यस्याः तस्याः स्थितायाः सीतायाः शुभं मङ्गळप्रदं हेमसमान वर्णं ईर्षत् किंचित् रजसा ध्वस्त मिव वासो अस्त्रं शुभं शुभसूचकं यथाभवति तथा किंचित् परिस्रंसत् पर्यस्त्रंसत्॥

॥Sloka meanings||

पुनः अमलाक्षयाः -
Again as the lady with pristine eyes
शिखराग्रदंत्याः चारुगात्र्याः -
well-shaped teeth, one with beautiful limbs,
स्थितायाः- standing
हेमसमानवर्णं -
of the color of the gold
ईर्षत् रजोध्वस्तम् इव वासः -
like a cloth slightly covered with dust
शुभं किंचित् परिसंस्रत -
slipped a bit auspiciously

||Sloka summary||

"Again, as the lady with pristine eyes, well-shaped teeth, and beautiful limbs stood up, her sari of golden hue but dull due to being soiled slipped a little, auspiciously." ||29.05||

||Sloka 29.06||

एतैर्निमित्तैः अपरश्च सुभ्रूः
संबोधिता प्रागपि साधु सि द्धैः।
वातातप्लकांत मिव प्रणष्टम्
वर्षेण बीजं प्रतिसंजहर्ष॥29.06||

स॥ प्रागपि साधु सिद्धैः एतैः निमित्तैः अपरैश्च संबोधिता सुभॄः वातप्रक्लांतं प्रणष्टं बीजं वर्षेण इव प्रतिसंजहर्ष॥

॥Sloka meanings||

प्रागपि साधु सिद्धैः -
( indicated) before also by experienced seers
एतैः निमित्तैः अपरैश्च -
with these omens as also other indications
संबोधिता - thus addressed
सुभॄः - the lady with beautiful eyebrows
वातप्रक्लांतं प्रणष्टं बीजं - like a seed blighted by sun and wind
वर्षेण इव - ( sprouted) with rain
प्रतिसंजहर्ष - felt happy

||Sloka summary||

"Because of these omens which were in the past also indicated by Siddhas and others, Sita the lady with lovely eyebrows, felt happy like a withering seed which comes back to life with a shower of rain.||29.06||

 

||Sloka 29.07||

तस्यां पुनर्बिंबफलाधरोष्टम्
स्वक्षिभ्रु केशांत मराळ पक्ष्म।
वक्त्रं बभासे सितशुक्लदंष्ट्रम्
राहोर्मुखाः चंद्र इव प्रमुक्तः॥29.07||

स॥ पुनः तस्याः बिंबफलाधरोष्ठं स्वक्षिभृकेशांतं अराळपक्ष्म सितचारुदंतं वक्त्रं राहोः मुखात् प्रमुक्तः चंद्र इव बभासे॥

॥Sloka meanings||

पुनः बिंबफलाधरोष्ठं -
with beautiful red lips which are like Bimba fruit
स्वक्षिभृकेशांतं अराळपक्ष्म -
with curved eyelashes extending up to her hair
सितचारुदंतं -
with white lovely teeth
तस्याः वक्त्रं बभासे -
her face shone
राहोः मुखात् प्रमुक्तः चंद्र इव -
like the moon that was released from the mouth of Rahu.

||Sloka summary||

Her face shining with beautiful red lips which are like Bimba fruit, with sparkling teeth, curved eyelashes extending up to her hair , looked like the moon that was released from the mouth of Rahu. || 29.07||

These omens were in vogue having been declared as such by people who knew. Poet describes that Sita, feeling a bit relieved, was looking like the full moon who came out of his encounter with Rahu.

This is the poet telling us that the sorrows of Sita are ending. Hanuman has seen Sita's sorrow, he has heard the threats of Rakshasa women, he heard Trijata's dream. The time is ripe for Hanuman to come out and reveal himself to Sita

||Sloka 29.08||

सा वीत शोका व्यपनीत तंद्री
शांतज्वरा हर्षविवृद्धसत्वा।
अशोभतार्या वदनेन शुक्ले
शीतांशुना रात्रि रिवोदितेन ||29.08||

स॥ अर्या सा वीतशोका व्यपनीततंद्री शांतज्वरा हर्षविशुद्धसत्त्वा वदनेन शुक्ले उदितेन शीतांशुना रात्रिः इव अशोभत॥

Rama Tika says- वीतो व्यतीतः शोको यस्याः व्यपनीता गता तन्द्रा यस्याः शान्तो ज्वरो मनस्तापो यस्याः हर्षेण विवुद्धं प्रकाशितं सत्त्वं चित्तं यस्याः सा आर्या सीता शुक्ले सितपक्षे शीतांशुना चन्द्रेण रात्रिरिव वदनेन अशोभत॥

॥Sloka meanings||

वीतशोका व्यपनीततंद्री -
शोकमुनुंडि विडिवडि , अलसत्वमु पोयि
शांतज्वरा हर्षविशुद्धसत्त्वा वदनेन -
हर्षमुतो निंडि शुद्धमैन मनस्सुकल अदनमुतो वुन्न
अर्या सा - आ पूज्युरालु
शुक्ले उदितेन शीतांशुना रात्रिः इव -
शुक्लपक्षमु नाटि चल्लनि चंद्रुनि वलॆ
अशोभत - शोभिंचॆनु

॥Sloka summary||

"That revered lady, feeling relieved from sorrows and exhaustion, with a serene sense of peace and a mind illumined with joy, had a charming face that looked like the cool moon on a bright fortnight." ||29.08||

In the Upanishads, we often encounter dialogues between the teacher and the student, where the teacher tests the student's readiness to receive the teachings. The teacher proceeds with the teachings only when satisfied with the student's preparedness.

There are five characteristics that a student must possess to be ready for learning:

-Belief in the goal to be achieved.
-Hunger to achieve that goal.
-Willingness to work for that goal.
-Patience to achieve that goal.
-Freedom from jealousy.

Sita, who desires only to reunite with Rama and disregards the temptations of wealth and power, embodies these five characteristics:

She is entirely focused on Rama and rejects all entreaties of Ravana, keeping a blade of grass between herself and him as a symbol of her devotion.
She is persistent in her sorrow and takes extreme measures, such as fasting and sleeping on the floor, to achieve her goal.
She is willing to give up her life if she cannot attain Rama.
She listens with rapt attention when Hanuman sings the story of Rama.
She does not blame Rama for neglecting her welfare, despite having thoughts about it.

These indicators suggest that Sita is in a receptive state and ready to receive guidance like a disciple ready to hear the Guru. Thus, Hanuman's appearance is timely.

This is what we learn from the twenty-ninth Sarga of the Sundarakanda in Valmiki's Ramayana.

Thus ends the twenty-ninth Sarga.

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये वाल्मीकीये
चतुर्विंशत् सहस्रिकायां संहितायाम्
श्रीमत्सुंदरकांडे एकोनत्रिंशस्सर्गः॥

Thus end the twenty-ninth Sarga in Sundarakanda of Valmiki Ramayana the first poem composed by the first poet in Sanskrit.

||ओं तत् सत्॥