Rāmāyana | Āraṇya Kaṇḍa | Chapter 75

75. Rāma Reaches Pampa

[Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa reach the lake Pampa. They are anxious to climb the Riṣyamūka mountain and meet Sugrīva.]

When Śabarī went to heaven in her own lustrous body, Rāma started thinking along with his brother Lakṣmaṇa. 75.1

Then after Rāma, the soul of Dharma thought about the power of those great sages, Rāma told Lakṣmaṇa who was his completely focused well-wisher. 75.2

"Please see this wonderful hermitage belonging to great souls, where deer and tiger live together in implicit faith and which is served by all type of birds." 75.3

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa, here after bathing in the waters of the seven seas, we have also offered prayers according to rules to our manes." 75.4

"We have got rid of the inauspicious time and now the auspicious time is within our reach and Oh Lakṣmaṇa happiness is truly in my mind now and I feel auspiciousness has sprung up again." 75.5

"Come, let us go to Pampa, which is good to look at. The Riṣyamūka mountain is shining not very far off from here and there lives Sugrīva, the son of Sun god and the follower of Dharma being scared daily of his brother Bali along with four other monkeys." 75.6-75.7

"Oh gentle one, I am in a hurry to see Sugrīva the mighty monkey, because the searching of Sītā depends on him." 75.8

To the courageous Rāma who spoke like this the son of Sumitrā replied "my heart is also hastening me up. Let us go there." 75.9

Then that lord of men left that hermitage immediately and the Lord arrived in Pampa along with Lakṣmaṇa. 75.10

Then they saw the sacred spot served by great sages. That Pampa with its various plants and creepers provided good drinking water. With scented red lotuses, clusters of night lotuses, combination of lotuses and white lilies and blue lotuses, that lake Pampa looked like a multi coloured carpet." 75.11-75.12

Rāma from a distance saw that source of drinking water, went near it and called it Mātanga lake and bathed in it. 75.13

Pampa tank was filled with red lotuses and had the fragrance of lotuses. The bank was full of mango trees in bloom and trees of several kinds like Tilaka, trees with fruits abounding in seeds like Citron, Dhavai trees, white trees in bloom, Karavīra trees loaded with flowers, Punnaga trees, clusters of Jasmine and Kunda shrubs, Banyan trees, so also reeds, Asoka trees, shrubs surpassing in whiteness to pearls, and several other trees amazing and lovely spread all over, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa passed by glancing at them. There were other trees with abundance of flowers, huge trees, Koyashtikas trees with rind. Several different kinds of birds such as cranes, parrots, sparrows, peacocks were found dwelling in the forest screaming aloud making noises. Seeing all these Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa went without being disturbed and with a composed mind in that forest. 75.14-75.19

Then Rāma saw Pampa filled with the treasure of clean and cold water and it was surrounded by groves of Aśoka, Tilakā, Punnaga, Vakula and Uddālaka trees. 75.20

Rāma, seeing various types of trees and various ponds, was affection by passionate feelings and went to the Pampa. 75.21

That sides of the tank was full of trees with blossoms of flowers, beautiful Sāla and Champaka trees and the honeybees which collected honey from the flowers looked pretty and bright. The waters were crystal clear with the scent of lotuses. The soft sands on the banks of Pampa gleamed. Rāma saw them again and again and said this to Lakṣmaṇa. 75.22-75.24

As told previously the Riṣyamūka mountain, full of minerals was situated on the banks of Pampa and it was surrounded by trees with divine flowers. 75.25

The greatly valorous monkey by the name of Sugrīva who was the son of the monkey king Riksharaja resided there. 75.26

The bull among men told Lakṣmaṇa, "please go and meet Sugrīva" and he also further said these words to Lakṣmaṇa who was valorous in truth 75.27

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa, how can I, being banished, pitiable, and with mind in love with her, lead this life without her." 75.28

After telling this, under spell of the god of love, to Lakṣmaṇa who was hearing with concentration, he entered the blue and pretty waters of Pampa. 75.29

After going a long distance on the great path, they gradually went through the forest observing the forest with auspicious looks seeing several kinds of flocks of birds and at last saw Pampa. 75.30

This is the end of Seventy Fifth Sarga of Āraṇya Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.

End of Āraṇya Kāṇda.