Chapter 42 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 42

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 42.18

किमिच्छसि वरारोहे कामः किं क्रियतां तव। स्मितं कृत्वा तु वैदेही रामं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्॥ तपोवनानि पुण्यानि द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघव। गङ्गातीरोपविष्टानामृषीणामुग्रतेजसाम्॥ फलमूलाशिलां देव पादमूलेषु वर्तितुम्। एष मे परमः कामो यन्मूलफलभोजिनाम्॥ अपेयकरात्रि काकुत्स्थ निवसेयं तपोवने।

kimicchasi varārohe kāmaḥ kiṃ kriyatāṃ tava| smitaṃ kṛtvā tu vaidehī rāmaṃ vākyamathābravīt|| tapovanāni puṇyāni draṣṭumicchāmi rāghava| gaṅgātīropaviṣṭānāmṛṣīṇāmugratejasām|| phalamūlāśilāṃ deva pādamūleṣu vartitum| eṣa me paramaḥ kāmo yanmūlaphalabhojinām|| apeyakarātri kākutstha nivaseyaṃ tapovane|

English Meaning

Smiling a little the daughter of Janaka said:"O Rāghava, I wish to behold the holy hermitages. I wish to salute the greatly effulgent Rșis living on fruits and roots and residing on the banks of the Gangā. I greatly desire, O Rāma, that I may spend even one night in the hermitage of the Rșis living on fruits and roots.”

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)