रामक्रोधवर्णनम् — Lakshmana’s Counsel to the Enraged Rama
अरण्यकाण्ड
This sarga frames the immediate psychological and ethical aftermath of Sita’s abduction through a high-intensity poetic portrait of Rama. Rama is described as tormented and emaciated by grief, repeatedly looking upon his strung bow and exhaling heated sighs, likened to the fire of cosmic dissolution and to Rudra/Śiva at world’s end—imagery that elevates personal sorrow into a near-cosmic threat. Observing an unprecedented rage in Rama, Lakshmana addresses him with folded hands and a parched throat, combining reverence with restraint. He urges Rama not to abandon his natural composure and welfare-oriented disposition, arguing that destroying worlds for one offender is improper and that kings should punish only the deserving. Lakshmana also reads the battlefield signs (broken chariot, blood, hoof and wheel marks) to infer a single-combat event rather than an army engagement. He then pivots to actionable strategy: search relentlessly across oceans, mountains, forests, caves, rivers, lotus-ponds, and even divine and gandharva realms until the abductor is found. Finally, he outlines a graduated policy—conciliation, humility, diplomacy, and, if these fail, overwhelming force—thus articulating a dharma-guided escalation model under crisis.
Verse 3.65.1
तप्यमानं तथा रामं सीताहरणकर्शितम्।लोकानामभवे युक्तं सांवर्तकमिवानलम्।।।।वीक्षमाणं धनुस्सज्यं निश्श्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः।दग्धुकामं जगत्सर्वं युगान्ते च यथा हरम्।।।।अदृष्टपूर्वं सङ्क्रुद्धं दृष्ट्वा रामं तु लक्ष्मणः।अब्रवीत्प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता।।।।
Rāma, burning with anguish and worn down by Sītā’s abduction, seemed like the dissolving fire poised to lay waste to the worlds. Again and again he fixed his gaze upon his strung bow, breathing hot sighs, as though he longed to burn the whole universe—like Hara (Śiva) at the end of an age. Seeing Rāma in such unprecedented fury, Lakṣmaṇa, with folded hands and a throat gone dry, spoke to him.
Verse 3.65.2
तप्यमानं तथा रामं सीताहरणकर्शितम्।लोकानामभवे युक्तं सांवर्तकमिवानलम्।।3.65.1।।वीक्षमाणं धनुस्सज्यं निश्श्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः।दग्धुकामं जगत्सर्वं युगान्ते च यथा हरम्।।3.65.2।।अदृष्टपूर्वं सङ्क्रुद्धं दृष्ट्वा रामं तु लक्ष्मणः।अब्रवीत्प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता।।3.65.3।।
Seeing Rāma enraged in a way he had never witnessed before, Lakṣmaṇa—hands folded in reverence, his mouth parched—spoke these words to him.
Verse 3.65.3
तप्यमानं तथा रामं सीताहरणकर्शितम्।लोकानामभवे युक्तं सांवर्तकमिवानलम्।।3.65.1।।वीक्षमाणं धनुस्सज्यं निश्श्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः।दग्धुकामं जगत्सर्वं युगान्ते च यथा हरम्।।3.65.2।।अदृष्टपूर्वं सङ्क्रुद्धं दृष्ट्वा रामं तु लक्ष्मणः।अब्रवीत्प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता।।3.65.3।।
Formerly you were gentle and self-restrained, devoted to the welfare of all beings; it does not befit you, overtaken by anger, to abandon your natural composure.
Verse 3.65.4
पुरा भूत्वा मृदुर्दान्तस्सर्वभूतहिते रतः।न क्रोधवशमापन्नः प्रकृतिं हातुमर्हसि।।।।
As grace belongs to the moon, radiance to the sun, motion to the wind, and forbearance to the earth—so too these virtues are firmly established in you, along with unsurpassed renown.
Verse 3.65.5
चन्द्रे लक्ष्मीः प्रभा सूर्ये गतिर्वायौ भुवि क्षमा।एतत्तु नियतं सर्वं त्वयि चानुत्तमं यशः।।।।
For the offence of a single person you ought not destroy the worlds. Yet I do not know whose this war-chariot is—broken here—still furnished with weapons and equipment, nor by whom, nor for what cause.
Verse 3.65.6
एकस्य नापराधेन लोकान् हन्तुं त्वमर्हसि।न तु जानामि कस्यायं भग्नस्साङ्ग्रामिको रथः।।।।केन वा कस्य वा हेतोस्सायुधस्सपरिच्छदः।
O prince, this ground is scarred by hooves and chariot-rims and drenched with drops of blood; a most dreadful battle has taken place here.
Verse 3.65.7
खुरनेमिक्षतश्चायं सिक्तो रुधिरबिन्धुभिः।।।।देशो निर्वृत्तसङ्ग्रामस्सुघोरः पार्थिवात्मज।
O best of speakers, this clash seems to involve only one, not two; for I do not see the tracks or traces of any great army here.
Verse 3.65.8
एकस्य तु विमर्धोऽयं न द्वयोर्वदतांवर।।।।न हि वृत्तं हि पश्यामि बलस्य महतः पदम्।
You should not destroy the worlds for the sake of a single person. The rulers of the earth must be gentle and composed, and punish only where punishment is truly due.
Verse 3.65.9
नैकस्य तु कृते लोकान्विनाशयितुमर्हसि।।।।युक्तदण्डा हि मृदवः प्रशान्ता वसुधाधिपाः।
O lord of Kosala, if even the lords of the gods do not restore your wife in response to gentle entreaty, then—after that—you may act when the proper time has come.
Verse 3.65.10
सदा त्वं सर्वभूतानां शरण्यः परमा गतिः।।।।को नु दारप्रणाशं ते साधु मन्येत राघव।
You are ever the refuge and highest resort of all beings. Who, O Rāghava, could deem it right that your wife should be lost from you?
Verse 3.65.11
सरितस्सागराश्शैला देवगन्धर्वदानवाः।।।।नालं ते विप्रियं कर्तुं दीक्षितस्येव साधवः।
Rivers, seas, and mountains—gods, gandharvas, and even dānavas—cannot do you harm, just as the good do nothing hostile to one who is under sacred vows.
Verse 3.65.12
येन राजन्हृता सीता तमन्वेषितुमर्हसि।।।।मद्वितीयो धनुष्पाणिस्सहायैः परमर्षिभिः।
O king, you should seek out the one by whom Sītā was carried away—bow in hand—with me as your second, and with the aid of the great ṛṣis.
Verse 3.65.13
समुद्रं च विचेष्यामः पर्वतांश्च वनानि च।।।।गुहाश्च विविधा घोरा नदी पद्मवनानि च।
We shall search the ocean, the mountains, and the forests—also the many dreadful caves—along with the rivers and the lotus-groves.
Verse 3.65.14
देवगन्धर्वलोकांश्च विचेष्यामस्समाहिताः।।।।यावन्नाधिगमिष्यामस्तव भार्यापहारिणम्।
Steadfast and focused, we shall search even the realms of the gods and the gandharvas—until we find the abductor of your wife.
Verse 3.65.15
न चेत्साम्ना प्रदास्यन्ति पत्नीं ते त्रिदशेश्वराः।।।।कोसलेन्द्र ततः पश्चात्प्राप्तकालं करिष्यसि।
Rāma, scorched by anguish and wasted by Sītā’s abduction, seemed like the cosmic fire of dissolution—poised to bring the worlds to ruin.
Verse 3.65.16
शीलेन साम्ना विनयेन सीतां नयेन न प्राप्स्यसि चेन्नरेन्द्र।ततस्समुत्सादय हेमपुङ्खै र्महेन्द्रवज्रप्रतिमैश्शरौघैः।।।।
Again and again he looked upon his strung bow, breathing out fierce breaths, as though he wished to burn the entire world—like Hara (Śiva) at the end of time.