Shloka 10
ततः पूर्वेण तौ गत्वा त्रिक्रोशं भ्रातरौ तदा।क्रौञ्चारण्यमतिक्रम्य मतङ्गाश्रममन्तरा।।3.69.8।।दृष्ट्वा तु तद्वनं घोरं बहुभीममृगद्विजम्।ननासत्त्वसमाकीर्णं सर्वं गहनपादपम्।।3.69.9।।ददृशाते तु तौ तत्र दरीं दशरथात्मजौ।पातालसमगम्भीरां तमसा नित्यसंवृताम्।।3.69.10।।
tataḥ pūrveṇa tau gatvā trikrośaṃ bhrātarau tadā |
kr auñcāraṇyam atikramya mataṅgāśramam antarā ||
dṛṣṭvā tu tad vanaṃ ghoraṃ bahubhīmamṛgadvijam |
nānāsattvasamākīrṇaṃ sarvaṃ gahanapādapam ||
dadṛśāte tu tau tatra darīṃ daśarathātmajau |
pātālasamagambhīrāṃ tamasā nityasaṃvṛtām ||
ततः पूर्वदिशं प्रति त्रिक्रोशमात्रं गत्वा तौ भ्रातरौ, क्रौञ्चारण्यमतिक्रम्य मतङ्गाश्रमसमीपे, घोरं वनं ददृशतुः—बहुभीममृगद्विजसमाकीर्णं, नानासत्त्वनिवहैः पूर्णं, सर्वतः गहनपादपच्छन्नम्। तत्र च दशरथात्मजौ पातालसमगम्भीरां, तमसा नित्यसंवृतां दरीं ददृशतुः।
Then both the sons of Dasaratha, went further east, crossed the kraunchaforest after three krosas. They saw a dreadful forest which was full of fierce animals and birds near the hermitage of sage Matanga. It was densely covered with trees. They saw there a cave perpetually enveloped in darkness which was as deep as the netherworld.
FAQs
Dharma often demands entering difficult, even fearsome spaces to uphold truth and justice; the righteous do not abandon their quest because the path is dark.
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa traverse eastward, cross the Krauñca forest near Mataṅga’s hermitage, and discover a terrifying region and a deep, dark cave.
Fearlessness and steadfast pursuit of duty despite ominous surroundings.