Sita Meets Anasuya and Hears the Teaching of Wifely Devotion
Anasuya lovingly receives Sita and instructs her in the sacred ideals of wifely devotion, steadfastness, and dharma. Their meeting offers a gentle and exalted vision of righteous household life.
Aranya Kand · Episode 4 / 18
Episode Text
अनुसुइया के पद गहि सीता। मिली बहोरि सुसील बिनीता॥ रिषिपतिनी मन सुख अधिकाई। आसिष देइ निकट बैठाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
anusuiyā ke pada gahi sītā। milī bahori susīla binītā॥ riṣipatinī mana sukha adhikāī। āsiṣa dei nikaṭa baiṭhāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Then the supremely virtuous and modest Sita clasped Anusuya's feet and met her again. The sage's wife felt great joy in her heart. Blessing Sita, she seated her close by.
दिब्य बसन भूषन पहिराए। जे नित नूतन अमल सुहाए॥ कह रिषिबधू सरस मृदु बानी। नारिधर्म कछु ब्याज बखानी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dibya basana bhūṣana pahirāe। je nita nūtana amala suhāe॥ kaha riṣibadhū sarasa mṛdu bānī। nāridharma kachu byāja bakhānī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
She dressed her in divine garments and ornaments that seemed ever-new, pure, and beautiful. Then the sage's wife spoke in a sweet and tender voice, using the pretext of explaining certain duties of women.
मातु पिता भ्राता हितकारी। मितप्रद सब सुनु राजकुमारी॥ अमित दानि भर्ता बयदेही। अधम सो नारि जो सेव न तेही॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mātu pitā bhrātā hitakārī। mitaprada saba sūnu rājakumārī॥ amita dāni bhartā bayadehī। adhama so nāri jo seva na tehī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O princess, listen: mother, father, and brother are all benefactors, but only up to a limit. O Janaki, the husband is the giver of limitless blessing. Low indeed is the woman who does not serve such a husband.
धीरज धर्म मित्र अरु नारी। आपद काल परिखिअहिं चारी॥ बृद्ध रोगबस जड़ धनहीना। अंध बधिर क्रोधी अति दीना॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhīraja dharma mitra aru nārī। āpada kāla parikhi'ahiṃ cārī॥ bṛddha rogabasa jaḍa dhanahīnā। aṃdha badhira krodhī ati dīnā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Fortitude, righteousness, a friend, and a woman—these four are tested in times of calamity. An old man, one weakened by illness, the dull-witted, the penniless, the blind, the deaf, the angry, and the extremely forlorn—
ऐसेहु पति कर किएँ अपमाना। नारि पाव जमपुर दुख नाना॥ एकइ धर्म एक ब्रत नेमा। कायँ बचन मन पति पद प्रेमा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aisehu pati kara kieṃ apamānā। nāri pāva jamapura dukha nānā॥ ekai dharma eka vrata nemā। kāyaṃ bacana mana pati pada premā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Even by insulting such a husband, a woman suffers many kinds of sorrows in Yama's realm. For a woman, to love her husband's feet with body, speech, and mind is the one duty, one vow, and one rule.
जग पतिब्रता चारि बिधि अहहीं। बेद पुरान संत सब कहहीं॥ उत्तम के अस बस मन माहीं। सपनेहुँ आन पुरुष जग नाहीं॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jaga patibratā cari bidhi ahahīṃ। beda purāna santa saba kahahīṃ॥ uttama ke asa basa mana māhīṃ। sapanēhuṃ āna puruṣa jaga nāhīṃ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
In the world there are four kinds of women devoted to their husbands; the Vedas, Puranas, and saints all say this. In the mind of the highest kind of pativrata, the thought remains that in the world there is no other man, even in a dream.
मध्यम परपति देखइ कैसें। भ्राता पिता पुत्र निज जैसें॥ धर्म बिचारि समुझि कुल रहई। सो निकिष्ट त्रिय श्रुति अस कहई॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
madhyama parapati dekhai kaisẽ। bhrātā pitā putra nija jaisẽ॥ dharma bicāri samujhi kula rahī। so nikisṭha triya śruti asa kahī॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
The middle kind of pativrata regards another's husband as she would her own brother, father, or son. That woman is considered low who, reflecting on righteousness and understanding the honor of her family, remains restrained; thus says the Shruti.
बिनु अवसर भय तें रह जोई। जानेहु अधम नारि जग सोई॥ पति बंचक परपति रति करई। रौरव नरक कल्प सत परई॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
binu avasara bhaya teṃ raha joī। jānehu adhama nāri jaga soī॥ pati baṃcaka parapati rati karī। raurava naraka kalpa sata parī॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
And the woman who remains faithful only because there is no opportunity or because of fear—know her to be a low woman in the world. The woman who deceives her husband and seeks love with another's husband remains in the terrible Raurava hell for a hundred kalpas.
छन सुख लागि जनम सत कोटी। दुख न समुझ तेहि सम को खोटी॥ बिनु श्रम नारि परम गति लहई। पतिब्रत धर्म छाड़ि छल गहई॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
chana sukha lāgi janama sata koṭī। dukha na samujha tehi sama ko khoṭī॥ binu śrama nāri parama gati lahī। patibrata dharma chāṛi chala gahī॥ 9 ॥
Meaning:
Who could be more wicked than one who, for a moment's pleasure, does not think of the suffering of hundreds of millions of births? The woman who abandons deceit and follows the vow of fidelity attains the supreme state without effort.
सहज अपावनि नारि पति सेवत सुभ गति लहइ। जसु गावत श्रुति चारि अजहुँ तुलसिका हरिहि प्रिय॥ ५ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sahaja apāvani nāri pati sevata subha gati lahai। jasu gāvata śruti cāri ajahūṃ tulasikā harihi priya॥ 5 (a) ॥
Meaning:
A woman is impure by nature, yet by serving her husband she attains a blessed state without effort. Because of the virtue of fidelity, Tulsi is still dear to Hari, and the four Vedas sing his glory.
सुनु सीता तव नाम सुमिरि नारि पतिब्रत करहिं। तोहि प्रानप्रिय राम कहिउँ कथा संसार हित॥ ५ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunu sītā tava nāma sumiri nāri patibrata karahiṃ। tohi prānapriya rāma kahiuṃ kathā saṃsāra hita॥ 5 (b) ॥
Meaning:
O Sita, listen: even by remembering your name, women will practice the vow of fidelity. Since Rama is dear to you as life itself, I have spoken this account of fidelity for the welfare of the world.
सुनि जानकी परम सुखु पावा। सादर तासु चरन सिरु नावा॥ तब मुनि सन कह कृपानिधाना। आयसु होइ जाउँ बन आना॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni jānakī param sukhu pāvā। sādara tāsu carana siru nāvā॥ taba muni sana kaha kṛpānidhānā। āyasu hoi jāuṃ bana ānā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing this, Janaki felt supreme joy and respectfully bowed her head at his feet. Then the Treasure of Mercy, Rama, said to the sage, "If you permit, I shall go to another forest."
संतत मो पर कृपा करेहू। सेवक जानि तजेहु जनि नेहू॥ धर्म धुरंधर प्रभु कै बानी। सुनि सप्रेम बोले मुनि ग्यानी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃtata mo para kṛpā karehū। sevaka jāni tajehu jani nehū॥ dharma dhuraṃdhara prabhu kai bānī। suni saprema bole muni gyānī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Keep showing me your grace always, and knowing me to be your servant, do not abandon your affection. Hearing the words of the righteous Lord Rama, the learned sage spoke with love:
जासु कृपा अज सिव सनकादी। चहत सकल परमारथ बादी॥ ते तुम्ह राम अकाम पिआरे। दीन बंधु मृदु बचन उचारे॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāsu kṛpā aja siva sanakādī। cahata sakala paramāratha bādī॥ te tumha rāma akāma piāre। dīna bandhu mṛdu bacana ucāre॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Brahma, Shiva, and the sages beginning with Sanaka all long for Your grace, O Rama. You are the beloved of the desireless and the friend of the poor, and You speak such gentle words.
अब जानी मैं श्री चतुराई। भजी तुम्हहि सब देव बिहाई॥ जेहि समान अतिसय नहिं कोई। ता कर सील कस न अस होई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aba jānī maiṃ śrī caturāī। bhajī tumhahi saba deva bihāī॥ jehi samāna atisaya nahim koī। tā kara sīla kasa na asa hoī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Now I understand this noble wisdom: she worshiped You, leaving all the gods aside. When there is none greater than You in every way, how could such virtue not be fitting?
केहि बिधि कहौं जाहु अब स्वामी। कहहु नाथ तुम्ह अंतरजामी॥ अस कहि प्रभु बिलोकि मुनि धीरा। लोचन जल बह पुलक सरीरा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kehi bidhi kahauṃ jāhu aba svāmī। kahahu nātha tumha antarajāmī॥ asa kahi prabhu biloki muni dhīrā। locana jala baha pulaka sarīrā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
How can I say, O Lord, that You should now go? O Master, You are the Inner Knower—please tell me Yourself." Saying this, the composed sage gazed upon the Lord. Tears flowed from the sage's eyes, and his body thrilled with devotion.
तन पुलक निर्भर प्रेम पूरन नयन मुख पंकज दिए। मन ग्यान गुन गोतीत प्रभु मैं दीख जप तप का किए॥ जप जोग धर्म समूह तें नर भगति अनुपम पावई। रघुबीर चरित पुनीत निसि दिन दास तुलसी गावई॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tana pulaka nirbhara prema pūrana nayana mukha paṃkaja die। mana gyāna guna gotīta prabhu maiṃ dīkha japa tapa kā kie॥ japa joga dharma samūha teṃ nara bhagati anupama pāvaī। raghubīra carita pūnīta nisi dina dāsa tulasī gāvaī॥
Meaning:
His body is brimming with love and bristling with goosebumps, and his eyes are fixed on the lotus face of Rama. He seems to be thinking, "What chanting and austerities did I perform that I have come to see the Lord, beyond mind, knowledge, qualities, and the senses?" Through chanting, yoga, and the whole body of religious discipline, a person attains incomparable devotion. Tulsidas sings the holy deeds of Raghubir day and night.
कलिमल समन दमन मन राम सुजस सुखमूल। सादर सुनहिं जे तिन्ह पर राम रहहिं अनुकूल॥ ६ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kalimala samana damana mana rāma sujasa sukhamūla। sādara sunahiṃ je tinha para rāma rahahiṃ anukūla॥ 6 (a) ॥
Meaning:
The beautiful fame of Rama destroys the sins of the Kali age, subdues the mind, and is the source of joy. Those who listen to it with reverence have Rama ever favorable to them.
कठिन काल मल कोस धर्म न ग्यान न जोग जप। परिहरि सकल भरोस रामहि भजहिं ते चतुर नर॥ ६ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaṭhina kāla mala kosa dharma na gyāna na joga japa। parihari sakala bharosa rāmahi bhajahiṃ te catura nara॥ 6 (b) ॥
Meaning:
This hard age of Kali is a treasury of faults; in it there is neither dharma nor knowledge, nor even yoga and japa. In such times, those who give up all other hopes and worship Rama alone are the truly wise.