Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 16: Lakṣmaṇa’s Description of Winter
Text 3.16.28
त्यक्त्वा राज्यं च मानं च भोगांश्च विविधान्बहून्।
तपस्वी नियताहारः शेते शीते महीतले॥
tyaktvā rājyaṁ ca mānaṁ ca bhogāṁś ca vividhān bahūn
tapasvī niyatāhāraḥ śete śīte mahī-tale
tyaktvā = having given up; rājyam ca = His kingship; mānam ca = honor; bhogān = enjoyments; ca = and; vividhān = varieties of; bahūn = several; tapasvī = He has accepted the appearance of an ascetic; niyata-āhāraḥ = and regulated His eating; śete = He sleeps; śīte = on the cold; mahī-tale = floor.
Having given up His kingship, honor and several varieties of enjoyments, He has accepted the appearance of an ascetic and regulated His eating. He sleeps on the cold floor.
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣaṇa: śīta ity anenāvaraṇa-rāhityam ucyate, mahī-tala ity anena khaṭvādi-rāhityam.
Bharata had given up His kingship, that is, His lordship, His honor, that is, the pride of being a king’s son and [several varieties of] enjoyments such as garlands, sandalwood, women and so on. Bahūn (“several”) indicates that such enjoyments were those that were impossible to give up. Bharata’s eating was regulated, that is, He was eating fruits, roots and so on. That He slept on the cold floor indicates that He did not sleep on a cot or bed and he did not use a mattress.1