तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च (Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas)
अयोध्याकाण्ड
In Citrakūṭa’s tapas-grove, after Bharata’s departure, Rāma notices a marked shift among the resident ascetics: apprehension, furtive glances, and whispered consultations. Concerned that some fault in himself, Lakṣmaṇa, or Sītā may have disturbed the hermitage’s harmony, he respectfully questions the kulapati (chief ascetic). The aged ṛṣi rejects any suspicion against Sītā’s conduct and instead attributes the agitation to rākṣasa hostility intensified by Rāma’s presence. The ascetics describe a pattern of harassment: demons assume grotesque forms, assault and kill tapasvins, disrupt yajña preparations by scattering ladles and vessels, dousing sacred fire with water, and breaking ritual pots. They identify Khara—Rāvaṇa’s brother—dwelling near Janasthāna, notorious for uprooting ascetics and unlikely to tolerate Rāma. Concluding that continued residence endangers both the sages and the royal couple, the group resolves to abandon the ashram for an older refuge in a nearby fruit-rich forest and invites Rāma to accompany them. Rāma cannot restrain their departure by words alone; he escorts them for a distance, pays obeisance, receives their instruction with consent, and returns to his holy hermitage, steadfast even when it is left without them.
Verse 2.116.1
प्रतिप्रयाते भरते वसन्रामस्तपोवने।लक्षयामास सोद्वेगमथौत्सुक्यं तपस्विनाम्।।2.116.1।।
After Bharata had departed, Rāma, dwelling in the ascetics’ grove, observed the hermits’ anxiety and their urgent, restless unease.
Verse 2.116.2
ये तत्र चित्रकूटस्य पुरस्तात्तापसाश्रमे।राममाश्रित्य निरतास्तानलक्षयदुत्सुकान्।।2.116.2।।
There, in the ascetics’ hermitage before Citrakūṭa, Rāma noticed those sages who had taken refuge in him and meant to remain, now anxious and agitated.
Verse 2.116.3
नयनैर्ब्रुकुटीभिश्च रामं निर्दिश्य शङ्किताः।अन्योन्यमुपजल्पन्त श्शनैश्चक्रुर्मिथः कथाः।।2.116.3।।
Seeing their anxious agitation, Rāma grew concerned within himself; then, with palms joined in reverence, he addressed the sage who was the hermitage-chief.
Verse 2.116.4
तेषामौत्सुक्यमालक्ष्य रामस्त्वात्मनि शङ्कितः।कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदमृषिं कुलपतिं ततः।।2.116.4।।
“Revered sir, do you see any deviation in my former conduct—anything altered in me—by which these ascetics have become disturbed?”
Verse 2.116.5
न कच्चिद्भगवन्किञ्चित्पूर्ववृत्तमिदं मयि।दृश्यते विकृतं येन विक्रियन्ते तपस्विनः।।2.116.5।।
“Or has my younger brother Lakṣmaṇa, through inadvertence, done something that the sages have seen as unbecoming of him?”
Verse 2.116.6
प्रमादाच्चरितं कच्चित्किञ्चिन्नावरजस्य मे।लक्ष्मणस्यर्षिभिदृष्टं नानुरूपमिवात्मनः।।2.116.6।।
“Or has Sītā—though devoted to serving me and attentive to serving you—failed to maintain, in proper measure, the conduct considered fitting for a woman?”
Verse 2.116.7
कच्चिच्छुश्रूषमाणा व श्शुश्रूषणपरा मयि।प्रमदाऽभ्युचितां वृत्तिं सीता युक्तं न वर्तते।।2.116.7।।
Then an ascetic—aged by years and worn by austerity—spoke, as if trembling, to Rāma, who is deeply compassionate to all beings.
Verse 2.116.8
अथर्षिर्जरया वृद्धस्तपसा च जरां गतः।वेपमान इवोवाच रामं भूतदयापरम्।।2.116.8।।
“Dear child, how could there be any lapse on Vaidehī’s part—she whose nature is noble and who delights in what is auspicious—especially in her conduct toward ascetics?”
Verse 2.116.9
कुतः कल्याणसत्त्वायाः कल्याणाभिरतेस्तथा।चलनं तात वैदेह्यास्तपस्विषु विशेषतः।।2.116.9।।
That lord, Rāghava, did not abandon the hermitage—now bereft of sages—even for a moment; and the ascetics, steadfast in virtues and faithful to the sages’ tradition, continually accompanied Rāghava.
Verse 2.116.10
त्वन्निमित्तमिदं तावत्तापसान्प्रतिवर्तते।रक्षोभ्यस्तेन संविग्नाः कथयन्ति मिथः कथाः।।2.116.10।।
Because of you this fear has arisen among the ascetics—on account of the rākṣasas; alarmed by it, they speak among themselves of what may come next.
Verse 2.116.11
रावणावरजः कश्चित् खरो नामेह राक्षसः।उत्पाट्य तापसान्सर्वाञ्जनस्थाननिकेतनान्।।2.116.11।।धृष्टश्च जितकाशी च नृशंसः पुरुषादकः।अवलिप्तश्च पापश्च त्वां च तात न मृष्यते।।2.116.12।।
Here there is a rākṣasa named Khara, the younger brother of Rāvaṇa; he has driven out and uprooted all the ascetics dwelling in Janasthāna.
Verse 2.116.12
रावणावरजः कश्चित् खरो नामेह राक्षसः।उत्पाट्य तापसान्सर्वाञ्जनस्थाननिकेतनान्।।2.116.11।।धृष्टश्च जितकाशी च नृशंसः पुरुषादकः।अवलिप्तश्च पापश्च त्वां च तात न मृष्यते।।2.116.12।।
He is audacious and swaggering as though victorious—cruel, a man-eater, haughty and sinful; and you too, dear child, he will not tolerate.
Verse 2.116.13
त्वं यदाप्रभृति ह्यस्मिन्नाश्रमे तात वर्तसे।तदाप्रभृति रक्षांसि विप्रकुर्वन्ति तापसान्।।2.116.13।।
Dear child, ever since you began living in this hermitage, the rākṣasas have been troubling the ascetics.
Verse 2.116.14
दर्शयन्ति हि बीभत्सैः क्रूरैर्भीषणकैरपि।नानारूपैर्विरूपैश्च रूपैर्विकृतदर्शनैः।।2.116.14।।
They reveal themselves in many shapes—hideous, cruel, terrifying, deformed—forms that are repulsive to behold.
Verse 2.116.15
अप्रशस्तैशुचिभिस्सम्प्रयोज्य च तापसान्।प्रतिध्नन्त्यपरान्क्षिप्रमनार्याः पुरतः स्थिताः।।2.116.15।।
Standing right before them, those ignoble ones use forbidden and impure means against the ascetics—and then quickly strike down others as well.
Verse 2.116.16
तेषु तेष्वाश्रमस्थानेष्वबुद्धमवलीय च।रमन्ते तापसां स्तत्र नाशयन्तोऽल्पचेतसः।।2.116.16।।
Those small-minded ones hide unseen in this or that hermitage-site, and take delight there in destroying the ascetics.
Verse 2.116.17
अपक्षिपन्ति स्रुग्भाण्डानग्नीस्निञ्चन्ति वारिणा।कलशांश्च प्रमध्नन्ति हवने समुपस्थिते।।2.116.17।।
When the sacrifice is about to begin, they cast away the ladles and vessels of oblation, douse the sacred fire with water, and shatter the water-pots as well.
Verse 2.116.18
तैर्दुरात्मभिरामृष्टानाश्रमान्प्रजिहासवः।गमनायान्यदेशस्य चोदयन्त्यृषयोऽद्य माम्।।2.116.18।।
Now the sages, wishing to abandon the hermitages defiled by those wicked ones, are urging me today to depart for another region.
Verse 2.116.19
तत्पुरा राम शारीरामुपहिंसां तपस्विषु।दर्शयन्ति हि दुष्टास्ते त्यक्ष्याम इममाश्रमम्।।2.116.19।।
O Rāma, those depraved beings, from the very outset, even inflict bodily violence upon ascetics; therefore we have resolved to abandon this hermitage.
Verse 2.116.20
बहुमूलफलं चित्रमविदूरादितो वनम्।पुराणाश्रममेवाहं श्रयिष्ये सगणः पुनः।।2.116.20।।
Not far from here is a lovely forest rich in roots and fruits; there I shall again take refuge in an ancient hermitage, together with my companions.
Verse 2.116.21
खरस्त्वय्यपि चायुक्तं पुरा तात प्रवर्तते।सहास्माभिरितो गच्छ यदि बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते।।2.116.21।।
Dear child, Khara behaves improperly even toward you, as he has from before. If you deem it right, then come—let us depart from here together.
Verse 2.116.22
सकलत्रस्य सन्देहो नित्यं यत्तस्य राघव।समर्थस्यापि हि सतो वासो दुःखमिहाद्य ते।।2.116.22।।
O Rāghava, for one who dwells here with his wife, anxiety is ever present; even for you—though fully capable—living here now is fraught with hardship and peril.
Verse 2.116.23
इत्युक्तवन्तं स्तंराम राजपुत्रस्तपस्विनम्।न शशाकोत्तरैर्वाक्यैरवरोद्धुं समुत्सुकम्।।2.116.23।।
Having spoken thus, the ascetic was eager to depart, and Prince Rāma could not restrain him with words in reply.
Verse 2.116.24
अभिनन्द्य समापृच्छ्य समाधाय च राघवम्।स जगामाश्रमं त्यक्त्वा कुलैः कुलपतिस्सह।।2.116.24।।
Having greeted Rāghava, taken leave of him, and set matters in order with him, the leader departed, abandoning the hermitage together with his community.
Verse 2.116.25
रामः संसाद्य ऋषिगणमनुगमनाद्देशात्तस्मात्कुलपतिमभिवाद्य ऋषिम्।सम्यक्प्रीतैस्तैरनुमत उपदिष्टार्थः पुण्यं वासाय स्वनिलयमुपसम्पेदे।।2.116.25।।
Rāma walked with the band of ṛṣis for some distance; then, taking leave, he bowed in reverence to that ṛṣi, their leader. Approved by those well-pleased sages and having rightly understood their counsel, he returned to his own holy dwelling to reside.
Verse 2.116.26
आश्रममृषिविरहितं प्रभुः क्षणमपिन जहौ स राघवः।राघवं हि सततमनुगता स्तापसाश्चार्षचरित धृतगुणाः।।2.116.26।।
The ascetics, pointing toward Rāma with wary eyes and knitted brows, quietly conferred among themselves, exchanging words in secret.