Aranya Kanda, Sarga 56
सा तथोक्ता तु वैदेही निर्भया शोककर्शिता। तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा रावणं प्रत्यभाषत॥ १॥
Meaning
*Interposing a blade of grass between herself and Rāvaṇa when spoken to as aforesaid, Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), for her part, emaciated as she was through grief, fearlessly replied to Rāvaṇa as follows : (1)
राजा दशरथो नाम धर्मसेतुरिवाचलः। सत्यसंधः परिज्ञातो यस्य पुत्रः स राघवः॥ २॥ रामो नाम स धर्मात्मा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः। दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षो दैवतं स पतिर्मम॥ ३॥
Meaning
“There was a king, Daśaratha by name, who was, as it were, an unflinching bulwark of righteousness, was true to his promise and well-known for these virtues all over the world, whose son is the celebrated scion of Raghu, Śrī Rāma by name. The latter, whose mind is set on virtue, is equally well-known in all three worlds, and is distinguished by long arms and large eyes. He is my husband, and the object of my adoration. (2-3)
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः सिंहस्कन्धो महाद्युतिः। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा यस्ते प्राणान् वधिष्यति॥ ४॥
Meaning
“Born in the line of Ikṣwākus, he has shoulders like those of a lion and is possessed of extraordinary splendour. It is he who, with his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, will put an end to your life. (4)
प्रत्यक्षं यद्यहं तस्य त्वया वै धर्षिता बलात्। शयिता त्वं हतः संख्ये जनस्थाने यथा खरः॥ ५॥
Meaning
“Had I been forcibly laid violent hands upon by you before his eyes, you would have surely lain on the ground, killed in battle by him as Khara in Janasthāna. (5)
य एते राक्षसाः प्रोक्ता घोररूपा महाबलाः। राघवे निर्विषाः सर्वे सुपर्णे पन्नगा यथा॥ ६॥
Meaning
“These ogres of grim visage and extraordinary might, who have just been commanded by you to proceed to Janasthāna will all become powerless in the presence of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, as serpents turn venomless in the presence of Garuḍa of beautiful wings. (6)
तस्य ज्याविप्रमुक्तास्ते शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः। शरीरं विधमिष्यन्ति गङ्गाकूलमिवोर्मयः॥ ७॥
Meaning
“Shafts decked with gold, shot from his bow-string, will tear your body to pieces as the waters of the sacred Gaṅgā wear away its banks. (7)
असुरैर्वा सुरैर्वा त्वं यद्यवध्योऽसि रावण। उत्पाद्य सुमहद् वैरं जीवंस्तस्य न मोक्ष्यसे॥ ८॥
Meaning
“In case you cannot be killed by demons or, say, by gods (by virtue of the boon granted in your favour by Brahmā, the creator), O Rāvaṇa, you shall not be allowed to escape alive having set up bitter enmity, as you have done, with him. (8)
स ते जीवितशेषस्य राघवोऽन्तकरो बली। पशोर्यूपगतस्येव जीवितं तव दुर्लभम्॥ ९॥
Meaning
“That mighty scion of Raghu will put an end to the remnant of your life. Your life, like that of the animal tied to a sacrificial post, is now difficult to save. (9)
यदि पश्येत् स रामस्त्वां रोषदीप्तेन चक्षुषा। रक्षस्त्वमद्य निर्दग्धो यथा रुद्रेण मन्मथः॥ १०॥
Meaning
“If the said Rāma were to regard you with an eye inflamed with anger, O ogre, you will be consumed that very moment as Love was by Lord Śiva (the Destroyer of the universe). (10)
यश्चन्द्रं नभसो भूमौ पातयेन्नाशयेत वा। सागरं शोषयेद् वापि स सीतां मोचयेदिह॥ ११॥
Meaning
“He, who is able to bring the moon down to the earth or destroy it or again to dry up the ocean, is able (even) to be here and deliver Sītā. (11)
गतासुस्त्वं गतश्रीको गतसत्त्वो गतेन्द्रियः। लङ्का वैधव्यसंयुक्ता त्वत्कृतेन भविष्यति॥ १२॥
Meaning
“Your life has all but departed; your royal fortune too is gone; gone too is your strength and your organs of perception and action have also left you. Nay, Laṅkā too will be endowed with widowhood through your fault. (12)
न ते पापमिदं कर्म सुखोदर्कं भविष्यति। याहं नीता विनाभावं पतिपार्श्वात् त्वया बलात्॥ १३॥
Meaning
“This sinful act of yours will not result in happiness inasmuch as I have been forcibly weaned by you from the side of my husband. (13)
स हि देवरसंयुक्तो मम भर्ता महाद्युतिः। निर्भयो वीर्यमाश्रित्य शून्ये वसति दण्डके॥ १४॥
Meaning
“Actually depending on his own prowess and accompanied by my brother-in-law, the aforesaid husband of mine, possessed as he is of extraordinary splendour, lives fearlessly in the desolate Daṇḍaka forest, indeed. (14)
स ते वीर्यं बलं दर्पमुत्सेकं च तथाविधम्। अपनेष्यति गात्रेभ्यः शरवर्षेण संयुगे॥ १५॥
Meaning
“By the shower of his arrows on the battlefield he will squeeze out of your limbs your prowess, strength, arrogance and impropriety of conduct of aforesaid description. (15)
यदा विनाशो भूतानां दृश्यते कालचोदितः। तदा कार्ये प्रमाद्यन्ति नराः कालवशं गताः॥ १६॥
Meaning
“When the destruction of beings as ordained by the god of death is at hand, people under the sway of Death commit lapses in their duty. (16)
मां प्रधृष्य स ते कालः प्राप्तोऽयं राक्षसाधम। आत्मनो राक्षसानां च वधायान्तःपुरस्य च॥ १७॥
Meaning
“Death, O vile ogre, has arrived at your door consequent on your having laid violent hands upon me—for your own destruction as also the entire ogre race and of the inmates of your gynaeceum. (17)
न शक्या यज्ञमध्यस्था वेदिः स्रुग्भाण्डमण्डिता। द्विजातिमन्त्रसम्पूता चण्डालेनावमर्दितुम्॥ १८॥
Meaning
“An altar existing in the centre of a sacrificial pavilion, adorned with ladies for pouring ghee etc., on the sacred fire with and other sacrificial vessels and consecrated with the sacred texts uttered by Brāhmaṇas, cannot be trampled upon by a pariah. (18)
तथाहं धर्मनित्यस्य धर्मपत्नी दृढव्रता। त्वया स्प्रष्टुं न शक्याहं राक्षसाधम पापिना॥ १९॥
Meaning
“I, the lawful wife, firm of vows, of him who is constantly devoted to virtue, cannot likewise be laid hands upon by you, a sinner as you are, O vile ogre ! (19)
क्रीडन्ती राजहंसेन पद्मषण्डेषु नित्यशः। हंसी सा तृणमध्यस्थं कथं द्रक्ष्येत मद्गुकम्॥ २०॥
Meaning
“How can a female swan, well-known for its rare virtues, and ever sporting with a male swan among tufts of lotuses, cast its wistful eyes on a diver bird standing in the midst of reeds? (20)
इदं शरीरं निःसंज्ञं बन्ध वा घातयस्व वा। नेदं शरीरं रक्ष्यं मे जीवितं वापि राक्षस॥ २१॥
Meaning
“Put this body, which is insentient by itself, in chains or cause it to be put to death, as you will. This body is not to be preserved by me, not even life, O ogre ! (21)
न तु शक्यमपक्रोशं पृथिव्यां दातुमात्मनः। एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही क्रोधात् सुपरुषं वचः॥ २२॥ रावणं जानकी तत्र पुनर्नोवाच किंचन। सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा परुषं रोमहर्षणम्॥ २३॥ प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां भयसंदर्शनं वचः। शृणु मैथिलि मद्वाक्यं मासान् द्वादश भामिनि॥ २४॥
Meaning
“It is not possible for me to give a bad name to myself on earth.” Having spoken very harsh words as aforesaid in anger to Rāvaṇa, Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), daughter to King Janaka, for her part, said nothing further on that occasion. Hearing the harsh words of Sītā, which made his hair stand on their end, Rāvaṇa now made the following threatening reply to Sītā : “Hear my warning, O Princess of Mithilā : I allow you an interval of twelve months, O comely and youthful lady ! (22—24)
कालेनानेन नाभ्येषि यदि मां चारुहासिनि। ततस्त्वां प्रातराशार्थं सूदाश्छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः॥ २५॥
Meaning
“If you do not yield voluntarily to me within this period, O lady of smiles with love, my cooks will then cut you into small pieces for my breakfast.” (25)
इत्युक्त्वा परुषं वाक्यं रावणः शत्रुरावणः। राक्षसीश्च ततः क्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥ २६॥
Meaning
Having given this stern warning to Sītā, Rāvaṇa, who made his enemies cry by his cruel actions, then angrily addressed the following words to the ogresses guarding Sītā : (26)
शीघ्रमेव हि राक्षस्यो विरूपा घोरदर्शनाः। दर्पमस्यापनेष्यन्तु मांसशोणितभोजनाः॥ २७॥
Meaning
“Take away without delay the vanity of this lady, O misshapen ogresses of terrible aspect, subsisting on flesh and blood !” (27)
वचनादेव तास्तस्य सुघोरा घोरदर्शनाः। कृतप्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा मैथिलीं पर्यवारयन्॥ २८॥
Meaning
Joining their palms at his very command, those ferocious ogresses of grim visage surrounded the princess of Mithilā. (28)
स ताः प्रोवाच राजासौ रावणो घोरदर्शनाः। प्रचल्य चरणोत्कर्षैर्दारयन्निव मेदिनीम्॥ २९॥
Meaning
Taking a few strides, the celebrated King Rāvaṇa, referred to above, spoke to those ogresses of terrifying looks as follows, rending the earth with his very footsteps, as it were : (29)
अशोकवनिकामध्ये मैथिली नीयतामिति। तत्रेयं रक्ष्यतां गूढं युष्माभिः परिवारिता॥ ३०॥
Meaning
“Let the princess of Mithilā be taken to the heart of the Aśoka grove. Let her remain surrounded by you and guarded in a clandestine way. (30)
तत्रैनां तर्जनैर्घोरैः पुनः सान्त्वैश्च मैथिलीम्। आनयध्वं वशं सर्वा वन्यां गजवधूमिव॥ ३१॥
Meaning
“Win over, all of you, this princess of Mithilā there by recourse to fearful threats and again with conciliatory words as one would tame a wild she-elephant.” (31)
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टा राक्षस्यो रावणेन ताः। अशोकवनिकां जग्मुर्मैथिलीं परिगृह्य तु॥ ३२॥ सर्वकामफलैर्वृक्षैर्नानापुष्पफलैर्वृताम्। सर्वकालमदैश्चापि द्विजैः समुपसेविताम्॥ ३३॥
Meaning
Taking the princess of Mithilā with them when commanded thus by Rāvaṇa, those ogresses for their part left for the Aśoka grove, encompassed with trees yielding all one’s desires and laden with flowers and fruits of every description and inhabited by birds remaining in heat every moment. (32-33)
सा तु शोकपरीताङ्गी मैथिली जनकात्मजा। राक्षसीवशमापन्ना व्याघ्रीणां हरिणी यथा॥ ३४॥
Meaning
The aforesaid princess of Mithilā, Sītā, daughter of Janaka, however, found her limbs overpowered by grief. Fallen into the clutches of the ogresses, she was reduced to the plight of a female deer fallen into the clutches of tigresses. (34)
शोकेन महता ग्रस्ता मैथिली जनकात्मजा। न शर्म लभते भीरुः पाशबद्धा मृगी यथा॥ ३५॥
Meaning
Overwhelmed with excessive grief, the timid Sītā (a princess of Mithilā), daughter of Janaka, did not find peace of mind any more than a female deer caught in a snare. (35)
न विन्दते तत्र तु शर्म मैथिली विरूपनेत्राभिरतीव तर्जिता। पतिं स्मरन्ती दयितं च देवरं विचेतनाभूद् भयशोकपीडिता॥ ३६॥
Meaning
Thereatened in an excessive measure by those misshapen ogresses of deformed eyes, the princess of Mithilā, however, did not find rest there. Remembering her beloved lord as well as her brother-in-law, Lakṣmaṇa, she lost her consciousness, oppressed as she was with fear and grief. (36)
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