Chapter 7 - The Meeting between Rama and Sutikshna

Rama, the Scourge of his Foes, accompanied by his brother, Sita and the sages, approached the hermitage of Sutikshna, and having proceeded far and crossed many deep rivers he beheld a wonderful mountain as high as Mount Meru.

Thereafter those two scions of the House of Raghu went forward with Sita through a forest filled with many kinds of trees and having penetrated into that dense woodland, abounding in trees laden with flowers and fruit, Rama observed in a solitary spot a hermitage decorated with garlands and bark.

There he beheld the Sage Sutikshna, a mine of asceticism, his hair matted, covered with dust, seated in the lotus posture and addressed him, saying:—

“O Blessed One, I am Rama, who have come hither to behold you. Be gracious enough, O Virtuous and Illustrious Rishi, O Essence of Sanctity, to speak to me.”

Seeing Ramacandra, the sage, foremost of the ascetics, took him in his arms and addressed him thus:—

“Be you welcome, O Best of the Raghus, O Rama, chief of virtuous men. Henceforth this hermitage, which you have entered, has a protector. I have waited for you, O Illustrious Hero, and for this reason did not ascend to the region of the Gods, leaving my body here on earth. I had heard that you, being banished from your kingdom, had gone to Cittrakuta, O Kakutstha!

“The Chief of the Gods, Shatakratu, came hither and approaching me, that mighty King of the Celestials made it known to me that I had conquered all the worlds by virtue of my good karma.

“All those blessings acquired by the divine sages through asceticism I offer to you; do you enjoy them with your consort and Lakshmana.”

To that great and illustrious sage of rigid vows and devout speech, Rama, the master of his senses, replied, as Vasava addresses Brahma, saying:—

“O Illustrious Sage, I myself have conquered the worlds; yet in accordance with the command received by me, I have elected to dwell in the great forest. ‘You are possessed of everything, yet art engaged in the welfare of all beings’, were the words of the ascetic Sharabhanga, that Gautama of great soul, to me.”

Hearing Rama’s words, the great Rishi, renowned throughout the world, graciously addressed him, saying:—

“Do you live in this hermitage, O Rama, which is pleasant and frequented by companies of sages, where one may gather roots and fruit in all seasons, where herds of marvellous deer gather without injuring any and come and go enchanting all with their beauty. No harm is to be encountered here, save what the deer bring about.”

Hearing the words of the great Rishi, the elder brother of Lakshmana, lifting up his bow and arrows, said:—

“O Blessed Lord, what could be more unfortunate than that I with my bow and sharp burnished arrows should slay those deer that gather here, and thus give you pain; for this reason I shall not sojourn long in this sanctuary.”

Having spoken thus, Rama became silent and performed his evening devotions; thereafter with Sita and Lakshmana he prepared to pass the night in Sutikshna’s enchanting hermitage.

The evening having passed and night fallen, the magnanimous Sutikshna with his own hands distributed hulled grain, the traditional food of the ascetics, to those Lions among Men, having paid homage to them.