--- title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 55" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-55" lang: "en" --- # Aranya Kanda, Sarga 55 > संदिश्य राक्षसान् घोरान् रावणोऽष्टौ महाबलान्। > आत्मानं बुद्धिवैक्लव्यात् कृत्कृत्यममन्यत॥ १॥ Having given instruction to the eight fierce ogres of inordinate strength to leave for Janasthāna, Rāvaṇa thought, due to perversity of intellect, that he had accomplished his object. (1) > स चिन्तयानो वैदेहीं कामबाणैः प्रपीडितः। > प्रविवेश गृहं रम्यं सीतां द्रष्टुमभित्वरन्॥ २॥ Thinking of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), sore stricken as he was with darts of love, and being in a great hurry to see Sītā, he directly entered his delightful gynaeceum. (2) > स प्रविश्य तु तद्वेश्म रावणो राक्षसाधिपः। > अपश्यद् राक्षसीमध्ये सीतां दुःखपरायणाम्॥ ३॥ > अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं दीनां शोकभारावपीडिताम्। > वायुवेगैरिवाक्रान्तां मज्जन्तीं नावमर्णवे॥ ४॥ > मृगयूथपरिभ्रष्टां मृगीं श्वभिरिवावृताम्। > अधोगतमुखीं सीतां तामभ्येत्य निशाचरः॥ ५॥ > तां तु शोकवशाद् दीनामवशां राक्षसाधिपः। > सबलाद् दर्शयामास गृहं देवगृहोपमम्॥ ६॥ Having duly entered that palace, Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, for his part saw Sītā given over to woe in the mind of ogresses, her face bathed in tears, distressed as she was, nay, weighed down by the load of grief (she carried in her heart) and resembling a bark buffeted by blasts of wind and foundering in the ocean or a female deer strayed from the herd of deer and beset by hounds. Approaching the aforesaid Sītā, who sat with her face bent down (through humiliation and shame), afflicted as she was through grief, the night-stalker, Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres, for his part, forcibly showed her, even though she was unwilling to see it, his palace resembling an abode of gods. (3—6) > हर्म्यप्रासादसम्बाधं स्त्रीसहस्रनिषेवितम्। > नानापक्षिगणैर्जुष्टं नानारत्नसमन्वितम्॥ ७॥ The palace was thickly set with mansions and seven-storeyed buildings, was occupied by thousands of women, inhabited by flocks of birds of every description and full of jewels of various kinds. (7) > दान्तकैस्तापनीयैश्च स्फाटिकै राजतैस्तथा। > वज्रवैदूर्यचित्रैश्च स्तम्भैर्दृष्टिमनोरमैः॥ ८॥ It was supported on pillars of ivory, gold, crystal and silver, and studded with diamonds and cat’s-eye jewels and was pleasing to the sight as well as to the mind. (8) > दिव्यदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणम्। > सोपानं काञ्चनं चित्रमारुरोह तया सह॥ ९॥ The palace resounded with the crash of large kettledrums and was decked with ornaments of refined gold. (In order to show her the palace) he ascended with her the magnificent stairway of gold. (9) > दान्तका राजताश्चैव गवाक्षाः प्रियदर्शनाः। > हेमजालावृताश्चासंस्तत्र प्रासादपङ्क्तयः॥ १०॥ Along the stairway there were air-holes of ivory as well as of silver and above them ranged rows of palaces pleasing to look at and covered with trellises of gold. (10) > सुधामणिविचित्राणि भूमिभागानि सर्वशः। > दशग्रीवः स्वभवने प्रादर्शयत मैथिलीम्॥ ११॥ Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster) showed Sītā (the princess of Mithilā) the floors in his palace paved with mortar and inlaid with gems and hence looking picturesque on all sides. (11) > दीर्घिकाः पुष्करिण्यश्च नानापुष्पसमावृताः। > रावणो दर्शयामास सीतां शोकपरायणाम्॥ १२॥ Rāvaṇa also showed Sītā, who was given over to grief, spacious wells with staircases and ponds hemmed in with flowers of various kinds. (12) > दर्शयित्वा तु वैदेहीं कृत्स्नं तद्भवनोत्तमम्। > उवाच वाक्यं पापात्मा सीतां लोभितुमिच्छया॥ १३॥ Having shown Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) the whole of that excellent palace, Rāvaṇa (whose mind was set on sin) for his part spoke as follows to Sītā with intent to enamour her : (13) > दश राक्षसकोट्यश्च द्वाविंशतिरथापराः। > वर्जयित्वा जरावृद्धान् बालांश्च रजनीचरान्॥ १४॥ “Barring the aged ones and infant rangers of the night, there are other ten and twenty-two crores of ogres in my kingdom. (14) > तेषां प्रभुरहं सीते सर्वेषां भीमकर्मणाम्। > सहस्रमेकमेकस्य मम कार्यपुरःसरम्॥ १५॥ “I am the lord, O Sītā, of all the aforesaid ogres of terrible deeds. One thousand of them remain at my beck and call for doing my work alone. (15) > यदिदं राज्यतन्त्रं मे त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। > जीवितं च विशालाक्षि त्वं मे प्राणैर्गरीयसी॥ १६॥ “The entire administration of this state of mine as well as my life, O large-eyed lady, stands consecrated to you. You are more valuable to me even than my life. (16) > बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणां मम योऽसौ परिग्रहः। > तासां त्वमीश्वरी सीते मम भार्या भव प्रिये॥ १७॥ “Be my wife, O beloved Sītā, and as such the queen of all the numerous excellent women, who are my wives. (17) > साधु किं तेऽन्यथाबुद्ध्या रोचयस्व वचो मम। > भजस्व माभितप्तस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ १८॥ “Accept my wholesome advice; what will you gain by thinking otherwise (fixing your mind on Rāma)? Therefore, look favourably on me; you ought to show grace to me, who am sore stricken with love. (18) > परिक्षिप्ता समुद्रेण लङ्केयं शतयोजना। > नेयं धर्षयितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः॥ १९॥ “This city of Laṅkā surrounded by the ocean, covers an area of eight hundred miles. It cannot be taken by storm even by gods and demons (taken together) including Indra, the ruler of gods. (19) > न देवेषु न यक्षेषु न गन्धर्वेषु नर्षिषु। > अहं पश्यामि लोकेषु यो मे वीर्यसमो भवेत्॥ २०॥ “I do not perceive in all the three worlds anyone, among the gods or the Yakṣas or the Gandharvas or the seers of Vedic Mantras, who may prove my equal in prowess. (20) > राज्यभ्रष्टेन दीनेन तापसेन पदातिना। > किं करिष्यसि रामेण मानुषेणाल्पतेजसा॥ २१॥ “What will you do with the human Rāma of scant energy, who has been deprived of his sovereignty, is a pauper given to austerities and travels on foot? (21) > भजस्व सीते मामेव भर्ताहं सदृशस्तव। > यौवनं त्वध्रुवं भीरु रमस्वेह मया सह॥ २२॥ “Accept me alone, O Sītā; I am a consort worthy of you. Youth is but fleeting, O timid lady; enjoy life with me here in Laṅkā. (22) > दर्शने मा कृथा बुदिं्ध राघवस्य वरानने। > कास्य शक्तिरिहागन्तुमपि सीते मनोरथैः॥ २३॥ “Do not harbour even the thought of beholding again in this life Rāma, a scion of Raghu, O lady of charming countenance ! What power has he to reach this place even in thought, O Sītā? (23) > न शक्यो वायुराकाशे पाशैर्बद्धुं महाजवः। > दीप्यमानस्य वाप्यग्नेर्ग्रहीतुं विमलाः शिखाः॥ २४॥ “A very powerful wind cannot be bound with ropes in the sky nor can the smokeless flames of a blazing fire be seized. (24) > त्रयाणामपि लोकानां न तं पश्यामि शोभने। > विक्रमेण नयेद् यस्त्वां मद्बाहुपरिपालिताम्॥ २५॥ “In all the three worlds, viz., heaven earth and the intermediate region, I do not perceive a man who may snatch by dint of prowess you, who are protected by my arms, O beautiful lady ! (25) > लङ्कायाः सुमहद्राज्यमिदं त्वमनुपालय। > त्वत्प्रेष्या मद्विधाश्चैव देवाश्चापि चराचरम्॥ २६॥ “Rule you over this vast dominion of Laṅkā. If you agree to this proposal of mine, those like me (viz., the ogres) as well as gods, nay, the entire mobile and immobile creation will automatically become your servants (inasmuch as they are all subservient to my will and I shall be at your beck and call). (26) > अभिषेकजलक्लिन्ना तुष्टा च रमयस्व च। > दुष्कृतं यत्पुरा कर्म वनवासेन तद्गतम्॥ २७॥ > यच्च ते सुकृतं कर्म तस्येह फलमाप्नुहि। > इह सर्वाणि माल्यानि दिव्यगन्धानि मैथिलि॥ २८॥ > भूषणानि च मुख्यानि तानि सेव मया सह। > पुष्पकं नाम सुश्रोणि भ्रातुर्वैश्रवणस्य मे॥ २९॥ > विमानं सूर्यसंकाशं तरसा निर्जितं रणे। > विशालं रमणीयं च तद्विमानं मनोजवम्॥ ३०॥ “Nay,1 drenched with the water meant for bath and gratified on being relieved from fatigue, afford delight to me. Whatever sinful act was done by you in the past has been exhausted through exile in the forest. And enjoy here the fruit of such meritorious acts as stand to your credit. Share with me all these garlands emitting a heavenly fragrance as well as the excellent ornments that are available here, O princess of Mithilā. Moreover, there exists an aerial car, Puṣpaka by name, belonging to my (half-) brother, Kubera (son of Sage Viśravā), which shines brightly as the sun and was won by me in an encounter by sheer dint of superior strength, O lady of comely limbs ! Spacious and delightful, the said aerial car is swift as thought. (27—30) > तत्र सीते मया सार्धं विहरस्व यथासुखम्। > वदनं पद्मसंकाशं विमलं चारुदर्शनम्॥ ३१॥ > शोकार्तं तु वरारोहे न भ्राजति वरानने। > एवं वदति तस्मिन् सा वस्त्रान्तेन वराङ्गना॥ ३२॥ > पिधायेन्दुनिभं सीता मन्दमश्रूण्यवर्तयत्। > ध्यायन्तीं तामिवास्वस्थां सीतां चिन्ताहतप्रभाम्॥ ३३॥ > उवाच वचनं वीरो रावणो रजनीचरः। > अलं व्रीडेन वैदेहि धर्मलोपकृतेन ते॥ ३४॥ > आर्षोऽयं देवि निष्पन्दो यस्त्वामभिभविष्यति। > एतौ पादौ मया स्निग्धौ शिरोभिः परिपीडितौ॥ ३५॥ “Divert yourself with me in that car so long as it gratifies you, O Sītā ! Your flawless countenance, resembling a lotus and lovely to look at, does not look charming, oppressed as it is with grief, O lady with a beautiful face and other limbs !” Covering her moonlike face while Rāvaṇa was speaking thus, that lovely lady, Sītā, gently allowed her tears to flow. Rāvaṇa, the valiant prowler of the night, addressed the following words to the aforesaid Sītā, who was definitely ill at ease, her splendour having been bedimmed through anxiety, and was contemplating on Śrī Rāma: “Have done with bashfulness occasioned by transgrassion of the prescribed course of conduct in the shape of leaving one’s husband and accepting another. The tie of love which is going to be established with you by me, O queen, is permitted by the seers of Vedic Mantras, who allow marriage2 by force, giving it the name of Rākṣasa-Vivāha. These tender soles of yours are being lovingly pressed with my heads. (31—35) > प्रसादं कुरु मे क्षिप्रं वश्यो दासोऽहमस्मि ते। > इमाः शून्या मया वाचः शुष्यमाणेन भाषिताः॥ ३६॥ > न चापि रावणः कांचिन्मूर्ध्ना स्त्रीं प्रणमेत ह। > एवमुक्त्वा दशग्रीवो मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम्। > कृतान्तवशमापन्नो ममेयमिति मन्यते॥ ३७॥ “Show your grace to me at once; I am your obedient servant. Let not these words uttered by me pining from love fall flat on your ears. It is well-known that Rāvaṇa never salutes any woman whatsoever with his head bent low.” Having spoken as aforesaid to Sītā (the princess of Mithilā), daughter of Janaka, Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed monster, who had fallen a prey to Death, thought to himself, ‘She is now mine.’ (36-37) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.