Sarga 32¶
Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · The rain of flowers (27 verses)
Sarga 32 at a glance
Śrī Vālmīki tells how heaven and earth responded to Rāma's speech.
- Everyone who heard — sages, ministers, kings, citizens, servants, the queens at their windows, even caged birds and horses — fell still, filled with wonder and, for a moment, with dispassion (1.32.1–1.32.11).
- When Rāma fell silent, a rain of flowers fell from a cloudless sky, sent by the hosts of siddhas (1.32.12–1.32.22).
- The siddhas declared that in a whole aeon they had never heard words like these, and that Rāma's words had awakened them (1.32.23–1.32.27).
Verse 1.32.1¶
श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
वदत्येवं मनोमोहविनिवृत्तिकरं वचः ।
रामे राजीवपत्राक्षे तस्मिन्राजकुमारके ॥ १.३२.१ ॥
राजीव-पत्र-अक्षे तस्मिन् राज-कुमारके रामे (when that young prince Rāma, with eyes like lotus petals) एवं (thus) मनः-मोह-विनिवृत्ति-करं वचः वदति [सति] (spoke words that end the mind's delusion) …
Translation: Śrī Vālmīki said: "When the lotus-eyed young prince Rāma had spoken these words, which end the delusion of the mind …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- The response. Sarga 32 describes the effect of Rāma's speech on everyone who heard it, from the sages to the caged birds, and ends with a rain of flowers from heaven.
- Words that end delusion. Vālmīki says Rāma's very questions are healing. A question rightly asked is half the answer (questions worth asking).
Verse 1.32.2¶
सर्वे बभूवुस्तत्रस्था विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनाः ।
भिन्नाम्बरा देहरुहैर्गिरः श्रोतुमिवोद्धुरैः ॥ १.३२.२ ॥
तत्र-स्थाः सर्वे (all who were there) विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-लोचनाः (with eyes wide in wonder) गिरः श्रोतुम् इव उद्धुरैः देह-रुहैः (with their hair standing up as if to hear the words) भिन्न-अम्बराः (their clothes [as if] split) बभूवुः (were).
Translation: "… all who were there sat with eyes wide in wonder, their hair standing on end as if to hear the words, so that it seemed to split their clothes."
Pointers for Reflection:
- Hair standing on end (रोमाञ्च) — a sign of deep spiritual emotion. Arjuna too, seeing the cosmic form, was हृष्टरोमा (Gītā 11.14), his hair standing on end.
Verse 1.32.3¶
विरागवासनापास्तसमस्तभववासनाः ।
मुहूर्तममृताम्भोधिवीचीविलुलिता इव ॥ १.३२.३ ॥
विराग-वासना-अपास्त-समस्त-भव-वासनाः (all their worldly tendencies removed by the tendency to dispassion) मुहूर्तम् (for a moment) अमृत-अम्भोधि-वीची-विलुलिताः इव (as if tossed by the waves of an ocean of nectar) [बभूवुः].
Translation: "For a moment, all their worldly tendencies were swept away by the pull towards dispassion, and they were as if tossed on the waves of an ocean of nectar."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The pure vāsanā (1.3.11). Hearing Rāma, the listeners' own impure tendencies gave way for a moment to the pure tendency of dispassion. Good words change the hearer.
- For a moment. Not yet permanent. The teaching is needed to make it lasting.
Verse 1.32.4¶
ता गिरो रामभद्रस्य तस्य चित्रार्पितैरिव ।
संश्रुताः शृणुकैरन्तरानन्दपदपीवरैः ॥ १.३२.४ ॥
तस्य रामभद्रस्य ताः गिरः (those words of noble Rāma) चित्र-अर्पितैः इव (as if painted in a picture) अन्तर-आनन्द-पद-पीवरैः शृणुकैः (by listeners swelling with inner joy) संश्रुताः (were heard) …
Translation: "Those words of the noble Rāma were heard by people sitting motionless as if painted on a wall, brimming with joy within …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Reading note. The online text prints श्रृणुकैः; corrected here to शृणुकैः.
- Still as a painting — the image of 1.31.24 now describes the listeners. Rāma's stillness has spread to the assembly. The list of listeners runs on to 1.32.11.
Verse 1.32.5¶
वसिष्ठविश्वामित्राद्यैर्मुनिभिः संसदि स्थितैः ।
जयन्तधृष्टिप्रमुखैर्मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रकोविदैः ॥ १.३२.५ ॥
संसदि स्थितैः (present in the assembly) वसिष्ठ-विश्वामित्र-आद्यैः मुनिभिः (by sages led by Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra) मन्त्र-कोविदैः जयन्त-धृष्टि-प्रमुखैः मन्त्रिभिः (by counsellors expert in policy, led by Jayanta and Dhṛṣṭi) …
Translation: "… by the sages in the assembly, led by Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra; by the counsellors skilled in policy, led by Jayanta and Dhṛṣṭi …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Jayanta and Dhṛṣṭi are among Daśaratha's eight ministers in Vālmīki's Rāmāyaṇa.
Verse 1.32.6¶
नृपैर्दशरथप्रख्यैः पौरैः पारशवादिभिः ।
सामन्तै राजपुत्रैश्च ब्राह्मणैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः ॥ १.३२.६ ॥
दशरथ-प्रख्यैः नृपैः (by kings like Daśaratha) पारशव-आदिभिः पौरैः (by citizens, including those of mixed birth) सामन्तैः राज-पुत्रैः च (by vassals and princes) ब्रह्म-वादिभिः ब्राह्मणैः (by brāhmaṇas who speak of Brahman) …
Translation: "… by kings like Daśaratha; by citizens of every class; by vassal lords and princes; by brāhmaṇas who teach of Brahman …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Every class of society listened. The teaching is for all.
Verse 1.32.7¶
तथा भृत्यैरमात्यैश्च पञ्जरस्थैश्च पक्षिभिः ।
क्रीडामृगैर्गतस्पन्दैस्तुरंगैस्त्यक्तचर्वणैः ॥ १.३२.७ ॥
तथा (likewise) भृत्यैः अमात्यैः च (by servants and ministers) पञ्जर-स्थैः पक्षिभिः च (by birds in their cages) गत-स्पन्दैः क्रीडा-मृगैः (by pet deer, now motionless) त्यक्त-चर्वणैः तुरङ्गैः (by horses that had stopped chewing) …
Translation: "… by attendants and officers of state; by the birds in their cages; by the pet deer, which stopped quite still; by the horses, which left off their chewing …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Reading note. The online text prints भृत्यैऽरमात्यैः; corrected here to भृत्यैरमात्यैः.
- Even the animals. A lovely detail: the horses stop chewing, the deer stand still. Rāma's words touch all beings — like Kṛṣṇa's flute in the Bhāgavata, which made even animals stand still.
Verse 1.32.8¶
कौसल्याप्रमुखैश्चैव निजवातायनस्थितैः ।
संशान्तभूषणारावैरस्पन्दैर्वनितागणैः ॥ १.३२.८ ॥
निज-वातायन-स्थितैः (standing at their own windows) संशान्त-भूषण-आरावैः (the jingling of their ornaments hushed) अस्पन्दैः (motionless) कौसल्या-प्रमुखैः वनिता-गणैः च एव (and by the women, led by Kausalyā) …
Translation: "… and by the women of the palace, led by Kausalyā, standing motionless at their windows, the jingling of their ornaments hushed …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Kausalyā — Rāma's mother. The women's ornaments fall silent; even the smallest sounds stop.
Verse 1.32.9¶
उद्यानवल्लीनिलयैर्विटङ्कनिलयैरपि ।
अक्षुब्धपक्षततिभिर्विहङ्गैर्विरतारवैः ॥ १.३२.९ ॥
उद्यान-वल्ली-निलयैः (living in the garden creepers) विटङ्क-निलयैः अपि (and in the eaves) अक्षुब्ध-पक्ष-ततिभिः (their wings unmoving) विरत-आरवैः (their calls stopped) विहङ्गैः (by the birds) …
Translation: "… by the birds that live in the garden vines and under the eaves, their wings still, their songs stopped …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Nature listens. The whole palace falls silent.
Verse 1.32.10¶
सिद्धैर्नभश्चरैश्चैव तथा गन्धर्वकिन्नरैः ।
नारदव्यासपुलहप्रमुखैर्मुनिपुङ्गवैः ॥ १.३२.१० ॥
सिद्धैः नभः-चरैः च एव (by the perfected beings and sky-dwellers) तथा गन्धर्व-किन्नरैः (and by gandharvas and kinnaras) नारद-व्यास-पुलह-प्रमुखैः मुनि-पुङ्गवैः (by the great sages, led by Nārada, Vyāsa and Pulaha) …
Translation: "… by the siddhas and other beings of the sky, by gandharvas and kinnaras, and by the great sages led by Nārada, Vyāsa and Pulaha …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Heaven listens too. Beings of the sky gather to hear Rāma. Vyāsa — the compiler of the Mahābhārata and the Gītā — is among them.
Verse 1.32.11¶
अन्यैश्च देवदेवेशविद्याधरमहोरगैः ।
रामस्य ता विचित्रार्था महोदारा गिरः श्रुताः ॥ १.३२.११ ॥
अन्यैः च (and by others) देव-देवेश-विद्याधर-महा-उरगैः (gods, lords of gods, vidyādharas and great serpents) रामस्य ताः विचित्र-अर्थाः महा-उदाराः गिरः (those noble words of Rāma, rich in meaning) श्रुताः (were heard).
Translation: "… and by others too — gods and their lords, vidyādharas and great serpents. All of them heard those noble words of Rāma, so rich in meaning."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The three worlds listen. Earth, heaven and the underworld (serpents) — all hear Rāma's questions.
Verse 1.32.12¶
अथ तूष्णीं स्थितवति रामे राजीवलोचने ।
तस्मिन्रघुकुलाकाशशशाङ्के शशिसुन्दरे ॥ १.३२.१२ ॥
अथ (then) रघु-कुल-आकाश-शशाङ्के (the moon in the sky of the Raghu line) शशि-सुन्दरे (lovely as the moon) तस्मिन् राजीव-लोचने रामे (when that lotus-eyed Rāma) तूष्णीं स्थितवति [सति] (had fallen silent) …
Translation: "Then, when lotus-eyed Rāma, lovely as the moon, the moon in the sky of the Raghu line, had fallen silent …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Silence before the answer. The sentence continues: heaven responds.
Verse 1.32.13¶
साधुवादगिरा सार्धं सिद्धसार्थसमीरिता ।
वितानकसमा व्योम्नः पौष्पी वृष्टिः पपात ह ॥ १.३२.१३ ॥
साधु-वाद-गिरा सार्धं (together with cries of 'well said!') सिद्ध-सार्थ-समीरिता (sent forth by the hosts of siddhas) वितानक-समा (like a canopy) पौष्पी वृष्टिः (a rain of flowers) व्योम्नः पपात ह (fell from the sky).
Translation: "… a rain of flowers, sent by the hosts of siddhas with cries of 'Well said!', fell from the sky like a canopy."
Pointers for Reflection:
- पुष्पवृष्टि — a rain of flowers. In Indian epic, heaven's sign of approval at a great moment. Here it falls not for a victory in battle, but for a young man's questions about life.
Verse 1.32.14¶
मन्दारकोशविश्रान्तभ्रमरद्वन्द्वनादिनी ।
मधुरामोदसौन्दर्यमुदितोन्मदमानवा ॥ १.३२.१४ ॥
[सा वृष्टिः] मन्दार-कोश-विश्रान्त-भ्रमर-द्वन्द्व-नादिनी (humming with pairs of bees resting in mandāra blossoms) मधुर-आमोद-सौन्दर्य-मुदित-उन्मद-मानवा (delighting and intoxicating people with the beauty of its sweet fragrance) …
Translation: "The shower hummed with pairs of bees resting in the mandāra blossoms, and its sweet fragrance and beauty filled people with joy …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Mandāra — one of the five trees of Indra's heaven. The flowers come from paradise. The description runs on (1.32.14–1.32.22).
Verse 1.32.15¶
व्योमवातविनुन्नेव तारकाणां परम्परा ।
पतितेव धरापीठे स्वर्गस्त्रीहसितच्छटा ॥ १.३२.१५ ॥
[सा] व्योम-वात-विनुन्ना तारकाणां परम्परा इव (like a stream of stars blown by the winds of the sky) धरा-पीठे पतिता स्वर्ग-स्त्री-हसित-च्छटा इव (like the laughter of heavenly women fallen on the earth) …
Translation: "… like a stream of stars blown down by the sky's winds, like the laughter of the women of heaven fallen upon the earth …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Laughter as white flowers. In Indian poetics, laughter is imagined as white. The white flowers are heaven's laughter of joy.
Verse 1.32.16¶
वृष्यमूककचन्मेघलवावलिरिव च्युता ।
हैयंगवीनपिण्डानामीरितेव परम्परा ॥ १.३२.१६ ॥
च्युता ऋष्यमूक-कचत्-मेघ-लव-आवलिः इव (like a row of cloud-fragments fallen from [Mount] Ṛṣyamūka) ईरिता हैयङ्गवीन-पिण्डानां परम्परा इव (like a stream of balls of fresh butter, thrown) …
Translation: "… like a line of little clouds fallen from the mountain, like a stream of balls of fresh butter thrown down …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Reading note. The online text prints वृष्यमूक; this may be a misprint for ऋष्यमूक, a mountain in the Rāmāyaṇa. The translation keeps the general sense of fragments of white cloud.
Verse 1.32.17¶
हिमवृष्टिरिवोदारा मुक्ताहारचयोपमा ।
ऐन्दवी रश्मिमालेव क्षीरोर्मीणामिवाततिः ॥ १.३२.१७ ॥
[सा] उदारा हिम-वृष्टिः इव (like an abundant snowfall) मुक्ता-हार-चय-उपमा (like heaps of pearl necklaces) ऐन्दवी रश्मि-माला इव (like a garland of moonbeams) क्षीर-ऊर्मीणाम् आततिः इव (like a spread of waves of milk) …
Translation: "… like an abundant snowfall, like heaps of pearl necklaces, like a garland of moonbeams, like a spread of waves of milk …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- All images of whiteness and coolness — snow, pearls, moonlight, milk. The colour of purity and peace (शीतल, 1.30.25).
Verse 1.32.18¶
किञ्जल्काम्भोजवलिता भ्रमद्भृङ्गकदम्बका ।
सीत्कारगायदामोदिमधुरानिललोलिता ॥ १.३२.१८ ॥
किञ्जल्क-अम्भोज-वलिता (with lotuses and their filaments) भ्रमत्-भृङ्ग-कदम्बका (with swarms of circling bees) सीत्कार-गायत्-आमोदि-मधुर-अनिल-लोलिता (swayed by a sweet, fragrant breeze that seemed to sing with a sigh) …
Translation: "… with lotuses and their golden filaments, with swarms of bees circling, swayed by a sweet, fragrant breeze that sighed as if singing …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- The breeze sings. The whole scene is alive with sound, scent and colour.
Verse 1.32.19¶
प्रभ्रमत्केतकीव्यूहा प्रस्फुरत्कैरवोत्करा ।
प्रपतत्कुन्दवलया चलत्कुवलयालया ॥ १.३२.१९ ॥
प्रभ्रमत्-केतकी-व्यूहा (with masses of whirling ketakī blossoms) प्रस्फुरत्-कैरव-उत्करा (with heaps of glittering water-lilies) प्रपतत्-कुन्द-वलया (with rings of falling jasmine) चलत्-कुवलय-आलया (with waving blue lotuses) …
Translation: "… with masses of whirling ketakī blossoms, heaps of glittering water-lilies, falling circlets of jasmine and waving blue lotuses …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- A catalogue of flowers. The poet lingers, as one lingers in a moment of grace.
Verse 1.32.20¶
आपूरिताङ्गणरसा गृहाच्छादनचत्वरा ।
उद्ग्रीवपुरवास्तव्यनरनारीविलोकिता ॥ १.३२.२० ॥
आपूरित-अङ्गण-रसा (filling the courtyards) गृह-आच्छादन-चत्वरा (covering the roofs of houses and the squares) उद्ग्रीव-पुर-वास्तव्य-नर-नारी-विलोकिता (watched by the men and women of the city with necks craned upward) …
Translation: "… it filled the courtyards, covered the roofs and the squares, and the men and women of the city watched it, craning their necks …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- The whole city sees. What happened in the assembly becomes visible to everyone.
Verse 1.32.21¶
निरभ्रोत्पलसंकाशव्योमवृष्टिरनाकुला ।
अदृष्टपूर्वा सर्वस्य जनस्य जनितस्मया ॥ १.३२.२१ ॥
[सा] निरभ्र-उत्पल-संकाश-व्योम-वृष्टिः (a rain from a sky clear as a blue lotus) अनाकुला (gentle) अदृष्ट-पूर्वा (never seen before) सर्वस्य जनस्य जनित-स्मया (filling all the people with wonder) …
Translation: "… a gentle rain from a cloudless sky, blue as a lotus, never seen before, filling all the people with wonder …"
Pointers for Reflection:
- From a cloudless sky. A sign that it came not from nature but from heaven.
Verse 1.32.22¶
अदृश्याम्बरसिद्धौघकरोत्करसमीरिता ।
सा मुहूर्तचतुर्भागं पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात ह ॥ १.३२.२२ ॥
अदृश्य-अम्बर-सिद्ध-ओघ-कर-उत्कर-समीरिता (thrown by the many hands of hosts of siddhas invisible in the sky) सा पुष्प-वृष्टिः (that rain of flowers) मुहूर्त-चतुर्-भागं पपात ह (fell for a quarter of a muhūrta).
Translation: "For about a quarter of a muhūrta that shower of blossoms kept falling, scattered by the countless hands of siddhas whom no one could see in the sky."
Pointers for Reflection:
- A quarter of a muhūrta — about twelve minutes. The heavenly response is real and brief.
Verse 1.32.23¶
आपूरितसभालोके शान्ते कुसुमवर्षणे ।
इमं सिद्धगणालापं शुश्रुवुस्ते सभागताः ॥ १.३२.२३ ॥
आपूरित-सभा-लोके (when the people in the assembly were filled) कुसुम-वर्षणे शान्ते [सति] (and the shower of flowers had ceased) ते सभा-गताः (those in the assembly) इमं सिद्ध-गण-आलापं शुश्रुवुः (heard this speech of the siddhas).
Translation: "When the rain of flowers had stopped and the whole assembly was filled with them, those present heard the hosts of siddhas speak."
Pointers for Reflection:
- The siddhas speak. Their words fill the remaining verses.
Verse 1.32.24¶
आकल्पं सिद्धसेनासु भ्रमद्भिरभितोदिवम् ।
अपूर्वमिदमस्माभिः श्रुतं श्रुतिरसायनम् ॥ १.३२.२४ ॥
आकल्पं (for a whole kalpa) सिद्ध-सेनासु (among the armies of siddhas) अभितः दिवं भ्रमद्भिः (wandering all over heaven) अस्माभिः (by us) इदम् अपूर्वं श्रुति-रसायनं (this unprecedented elixir for the ears) श्रुतम् (has been heard).
Translation: "'In a whole aeon of wandering through the heavens with the hosts of siddhas, we have never heard anything like this — an elixir for the ears!'"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Unprecedented. Even beings who have heard everything for an aeon have never heard questions like these. The rarity of the true question.
Verse 1.32.25¶
यदनेन किलोदारमुक्तं रघुकुलेन्दुना ।
वीतरागतया तद्धि वाक्पतेरप्यगोचरम् ॥ १.३२.२५ ॥
अनेन रघु-कुल-इन्दुना (by this moon of the Raghu line) वीत-रागतया (out of freedom from passion) यत् उदारम् उक्तं किल (the noble words that were spoken), तत् हि (that indeed) वाक्पतेः अपि अगोचरम् (is beyond even the lord of speech).
Translation: "'What this moon of the Raghus has spoken, from his freedom from passion, is beyond the reach even of Bṛhaspati, the lord of speech.'"
Pointers for Reflection:
- वीतराग — free from passion. The siddhas recognise that Rāma's words come not from cleverness but from dispassion. That is why even Bṛhaspati, the teacher of the gods, could not have spoken them.
Verse 1.32.26¶
अहो बत महत्पुण्यमद्यास्माभिरिदं श्रुतम् ।
वचो राममुखोद्भूतं महाह्लादकरं धियः ॥ १.३२.२६ ॥
अहो बत (oh!) अद्य (today) अस्माभिः (by us) महत् पुण्यम् (a great merit) इदं राम-मुख-उद्भूतं धियः महा-आह्लाद-करं वचः श्रुतम् (these words from Rāma's mouth, which greatly delight the mind, have been heard).
Translation: "'Oh, what great merit is ours today, to have heard these words from Rāma's own mouth, which so delight the mind!'"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Hearing as merit. Hearing true words (श्रवण) is itself the first step of the path — before reflection (मनन) and contemplation (निदिध्यासन), Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2.4.5.
Verse 1.32.27¶
उपशमामृतसुन्दरमादरादधिगतोत्तमतापदमेष यत् ।
कथितवानुचितं रघुनन्दनः सपदि तेन वयं प्रतिबोधिताः ॥ १.३२.२७ ॥
एषः रघु-नन्दनः (this delight of the Raghus) यत् (what) उपशम-अमृत-सुन्दरम् (lovely with the nectar of peace) आदरात् अधिगत-उत्तमता-पदम् (reached with care, the highest state) उचितं (fittingly) कथितवान् (has spoken), तेन (by that) वयं सपदि प्रतिबोधिताः (we have at once been awakened).
Translation: "'Rāma, delight of the Raghus, has spoken fittingly, with care, words lovely with the nectar of peace, that lead to the highest state — and by them we have been awakened at once.'"
Pointers for Reflection:
- Reading note. The online text prints आदरा दधिगतो; corrected here to आदरादधिगतो (word division).
- A closing verse in a longer metre (drutavilambita).
- The student awakens the listeners. A remarkable reversal: Rāma has not yet received the teaching, yet his questions have already awakened the siddhas. The Lord as student is still the Lord (the Lord as student).
- उपशम — peace. The word of the very first verse (1.1.1) returns at the close of Rāma's speech.