---
title: "Sundara Kanda, Sarga 22"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/sundara-kanda/sarga-22"
lang: "en"
---

# Sundara Kanda, Sarga 22

> सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा परुषं राक्षसेश्वरः।  
> प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां विप्रियं प्रियदर्शनाम्॥ १॥

Hearing the sharp rebuff of Sītā, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, then made the following unpalatable reply to Sītā of pleasing aspect : (1)

> यथा यथा सान्त्वयिता वश्यः स्त्रीणां तथा तथा।  
> यथा यथा प्रियं वक्ता परिभूतस्तथा तथा॥ २॥

“The courteous a man is to women, the more agreeable he becomes to them. In your case, however, I find that the more kind words I speak the more I am snubbed by you. (2)

> संनियच्छति मे क्रोधं त्वयि कामः समुत्थितः।  
> द्रवतो मार्गमासाद्य हयानिव सुसारथिः॥ ३॥

“The love that has sprung up in my heart for you restrains my anger even as a good charioteer controls the horses of his chariot swirling on a wrong path. (3)

> वामः कामो मनुष्याणां यस्मिन् किल निबध्यते।  
> जने तस्मिंस्त्वनुक्रोशः स्नेहश्च किल जायते॥ ४॥

“It is a well-known fact that compassion and affection are generated towards that individual on whom cruel love gets actually fastened. (4)

> एतस्मात् कारणान्न त्वां घातयामि वरानने।  
> वधार्हामवमानार्हां मिथ्या प्रव्रजने रताम्॥ ५॥

“It is on this account that I do not cause you to be put to death even though you are deserving of death and ignominy, devoted as you are to asceticism (the way of life of recluses) in vain, O lady of charming countenance ! (5)

> परुषाणि हि वाक्यानि यानि यानि ब्रवीषि माम्।  
> तेषु तेषु वधो युक्तस्तव मैथिलि दारुणः॥ ६॥

“Indeed for all those cutting remarks that you have uttered with reference to me, violent capital punishment is proper for you, O princess of Mithilā !” (6)

> एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेहीं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः।  
> क्रोधसंरम्भसंयुक्तः सीतामुत्तरमब्रवीत्॥ ७॥

Having spoken thus to Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, who was filled with anger, addressed the following words to Sītā : (7)

> द्वौ मासौ रक्षितव्यौ मे योऽवधिस्ते मया कृतः।  
> ततः शयनमारोह मम त्वं वरवर्णिनि॥ ८॥

“According to the time-limit of twelve months which has been fixed by me, I must wait for two months (that now remain). After that you must share my bed, O lady of excellent complexion ! (8)

> द्वाभ्यामूर्ध्वं तु मासाभ्यां भर्तारं मामनिच्छतीम्।  
> मम त्वां प्रातराशार्थे सूदाश्छेत्स्यन्ति खण्डशः॥ ९॥

“My cooks will mince you for my morning repast in case you do not consent to have me for your husband even after two months from now.” (9)

> तां भर्त्स्यमानां सम्प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसेन्द्रेण जानकीम्।  
> देवगन्धर्वकन्यास्ता विषेदुर्विकृतेक्षणाः॥ १०॥

Gazing on that daughter of Janaka being threatened by Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, those daughters of gods and Gandharvas, who had been forcibly borne away like Sītā, grew melancholy with troubled eyes. (10)

> ओष्ठप्रकारैरपरा नेत्रैर्वक्त्रैस्तथापराः।  
> सीतामाश्वासयामासुस्तर्जितां तेन रक्षसा॥ ११॥

Some of them reassured by the expression of their lips and others by their eyes and faces Sītā, who was being menaced as above by that ogre. (11)

> ताभिराश्वासिता सीता रावणं राक्षसाधिपम्।  
> उवाचात्महितं वाक्यं वृत्तशौटीर्यगर्वितम्॥ १२॥

Restored to confidence by them, Sītā addressed to Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, the following reply, which was in his own interest and which was full of pride for her own morality as well as for her husband’s valour : (12)

> नूनं न ते जनः कश्चिदस्मिन्निःश्रेयसि स्थितः।  
> निवारयति यो न त्वां कर्मणोऽस्माद् विगर्हितात्॥ १३॥

“Surely in this city there is no man intent on your welfare, since no one deters you from this most reproachful act in the shape of detaining another’s wife forcibly without her concurrence. (13)

> मां हि धर्मात्मनः पत्नीं शचीमिव शचीपतेः।  
> त्वदन्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रार्थयेन्मनसापि कः॥ १४॥  
> राक्षसाधम रामस्य भार्याममिततेजसः।  
> उक्तवानसि यत् पापं क्व गतस्तस्य मोक्ष्यसे॥ १५॥

“Indeed, who other than you in all the three worlds will seek even with his mind to have me, the consort of Śrī Rāma, who has set his mind on virtue, even as one would seek Saci, the spouse of Indra? Going anywhere you will not escape the consequences of the sinful proposal you have made to the consort of Śrī Rāma, who is endowed with immense energy, O vile ogre! (14-15)

> यथा दृप्तश्च मातंगः शशश्च सहितौ वने।  
> तथा द्विरदवद् रामस्त्वं नीच शशवत् स्मृतः॥ १६॥

“Śrī Rāma is like an elephant, while you, O mean fellow, have been declared to be like a hare. If you two ever encounter each other in a combat, the picture will be of a proud elephant and a hare come to grips in a forest. (16)

> स त्वमिक्ष्वाकुनाथं वै क्षिपन्निह न लज्जसे।  
> चक्षुषो विषये तस्य न यावदुपगच्छसि॥ १७॥

“As such you do not evidently feel abashed while railing here (when he is not before you) at Śrī Rāma, the protector of the Ikṣwākus. You blab like this only so long as you do not fall within the range of his sight. (17)

> इमे ते नयने क्रूरे विकृते कृष्णपिंगले।  
> क्षितौ न पतिते कस्मान्मामनार्य निरीक्षतः॥ १८॥

“I wonder how these cruel, evil, dark-yellow eyes of yours did not drop on the ground even as you gazed on me lustfully, O ignoble creature ! (18)

> तस्य धर्मात्मनः पत्नी स्नुषा दशरथस्य च।  
> कथं व्याहरतो मां ते न जिह्वा पाप शीर्यति॥ १९॥

“Why did your tongue not fall off even as you were talking as you did to me, the spouse of the aforesaid pious minded soul and daughter-in-law of King Daśaratha? (19)

> असंदेशात्तु रामस्य तपसश्चानुपालनात्।  
> न त्वां कुर्मि दशग्रीव भस्म भस्मार्हतेजसा॥ २०॥

“I do not reduce you to ashes by dint of my glory, which alone is enough to reduce you to ashes, only because I do not have the mandate of Śrī Rāma to do so and also because I seek to preserve the power of my asceticism, O ten-headed monster ! (20)

> नापहर्तुमहं शक्या तस्य रामस्य धीमतः।  
> विधिस्तव वधार्थाय विहितो नात्र संशयः॥ २१॥

“Being the consort of that wise Śrī Rāma, I was not capable of being wrested by you. My abduction is only a device ordained by Providence for bringing about your destruction: there is no doubt about it. (21)

> शूरेण धनदभ्रात्रा बलैः समुदितेन च।  
> अपोह्य रामं कस्माच्चिद् दारचौर्यं त्वया कृतम्॥ २२॥

“Wherefore was Śrī Rāma’s consort, myself, stolen away by you after luring away Śrī Rāma from the hermitage, heroic as you claim yourself, nay, a (half-) brother of Kubera, the bestower of riches, and well-equipped with forces?” (22)

> सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसाधिपः।  
> विवृत्य नयने क्रूरे जानकीमन्ववैक्षत॥ २३॥  
> नीलजीमूतसंकाशो महाभुजशिरोधरः।  
> सिंहसत्त्वगतिः श्रीमान् दीप्तजिह्वोग्रलोचनः॥ २४॥  
> चलाग्रमुकुटप्रांशुश्चित्रमाल्यानुलेपनः।  
> रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरस्तप्तांगदविभूषणः ॥ २५॥  
> श्रोणीसूत्रेण महता मेचकेन सुसंवृतः।  
> अमृतोत्पादने नद्धो भुजंगेनेव मन्दरः॥ २६॥

Turning his cruel eyes round in anger on hearing the reply of Sītā, the glorious Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, looked askance at the daughter of Janaka–Rāvaṇa, who resembled a dark cloud had enormous arms and neck, possessed the courage and gait of a lion, had a flaming tongue and frightful eyes, who looked very tall with the crest of his diadem shaking as a result of his anger, who was adorned with excellent garlands and smeared with exquisite sandal-paste and who wore a garland of red flowers and a red costume, was decked with brilliant armlets and encircled at his waist with a costly dark-blue girdle, obviously made of sapphires, thus presenting the appearance of Mount Mandāra encompassed by the serpent Vāsuki at the time of the churning of the ocean for extracting nectar. (23—26)

> ताभ्यां स परिपूर्णाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां राक्षसेश्वरः।  
> शुशुभेऽचलसंकाशः शृंगाभ्यामिव मन्दरः॥ २७॥

With his two well-built arms of well-known might that lord of ogres, who was colossal as a mountain, looked charming like Mount Mandāra with a pair of peaks. (27)

> तरुणादित्यवर्णाभ्यां कुण्डलाभ्यां विभूषितः।  
> रक्तपल्लवपुष्पाभ्यामशोकाभ्यामिवाचलः ॥ २८॥

Adorned with a pair of ear-rings resembling the rising sun in hue, he looked like a mountain with a pair of Aśoka trees clothed with crimson leaves and flowers. (28)

> स कल्पवृक्षप्रतिमो वसन्त इव मूर्तिमान्।  
> श्मशानचैत्यप्रतिमो भूषितोऽपि भयंकरः॥ २९॥

Though adorned like a wish-yielding tree or like spring-incarnate, he was fearful like a funeral monument or pyramidal column containing the ashes of deceased persons and existing in a crematorium. (29)

> अवेक्षमाणो वैदेहीं कोपसंरक्तलोचनः।  
> उवाच रावणः सीतां भुजंग इव निःश्वसन्॥ ३०॥

Gazing on Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, his eyes bloodshot through anger, and hissing like a serpent, Rāvaṇa spoke to her as follows: (30)

> अनयेनाभिसम्पन्नमर्थहीनमनुव्रते।  
> नाशयाम्यहमद्य त्वां सूर्यः संध्यामिवौजसा॥ ३१॥

“O woman devoted to a man who is beset with ill-luck and is devoid of resources, I shall get rid of you today by recourse to my glory even as the sun dispels the morning twilight by its brilliance.” (31)

> इत्युक्त्वा मैथिलीं राजा रावणः शत्रुरावणः।  
> संददर्श ततः सर्वा राक्षसीर्घोरदर्शनाः॥ ३२॥  
> एकाक्षीमेककर्णां च कर्णप्रावरणां तथा।  
> गोकर्णीं हस्तिकर्णीं च लम्बकर्णीमकर्णिकाम्॥ ३३॥  
> हस्तिपद्यश्वपद्यौ च गोपदीं पादचूलिकाम्।  
> एकाक्षीमेकपादीं च पृथुपादीमपादिकाम्॥ ३४॥  
> अतिमात्रशिरोग्रीवामतिमात्रकुचोदरीम्।  
> अतिमात्रास्यनेत्रां च दीर्घजिह्वानखामपि॥ ३५॥  
> अनासिकां सिंहमुखीं गोमुखीं सूकरीमुखीम्।  
> यथा मद्वशगा सीता क्षिप्रं भवति जानकी॥ ३६॥  
> तथा कुरुत राक्षस्यः सर्वाः क्षिप्रं समेत्य वा।  
> प्रतिलोमानुलोमैश्च सामदानादिभेदनैः॥ ३७॥

Having threatened Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, as aforesaid, King Rāvaṇa, who made his enemies cry in terror, commanded as follows all the ogresses of formidable appearance stationed there to guard Sītā, ogresses, who were either one-eyed or with one ear only or with ears wide enough to cover their body, or with ears resembling those of a cow or those of an elephant, or with long ears or devoid of ears or with the feet of an elephant, horse or cow or with feet having a tuft of hair or with a single eye or single foot or enormous feet or no feet at all, with their head and neck of inordinate size, with enormous breasts and belly, with a disproportionately large mouth and eyes, with a long tongue and nails, noseless or having the head of a lion, cow or boar: “Act promptly in such a way, severally or jointly, O ogresses, that Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, soon submits to my will. Reduce Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, to submission by acting conformably or contrary to her will, by causing disaffection in her mind to her husband after persuasion and gifts have failed, and also by exercising coercion, if necessary.” (32—37)

> आवर्जयत वैदेहीं दण्डस्योद्यमनेन च।  
> इति प्रतिसमादिश्य राक्षसेन्द्रः पुनः पुनः॥ ३८॥  
> काममन्युपरीतात्मा जानकीं प्रति गर्जत।  
> उपगम्य ततः क्षिप्रं राक्षसी धान्यमालिनी॥ ३९॥  
> परिष्वज्य दशग्रीवमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।  
> मया क्रीड महाराज सीतया किं तवानया॥ ४०॥  
> विवर्णया कृपणया मानुष्या राक्षसेश्वर।  
> नूनमस्यां महाराज न देवा भोगसत्तमान्॥ ४१॥  
> विदधत्यमरश्रेष्ठास्तव बाहुबलार्जितान्।  
> अकामां कामयानस्य शरीरमुपतप्यते॥ ४२॥  
> इच्छतीं कामयानस्य प्रीतिर्भवति शोभना।  
> एवमुक्तस्तु राक्षस्या समुत्क्षिप्तस्ततो बली।  
> प्रहसन् मेघसंकाशो राक्षसः स न्यवर्तत॥ ४३॥

Having commanded the ogresses in these words again and again, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, whose mind was seized with passion and anger, roared at Sītā, Janaka’s daughter. Approaching Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster) speedily and embracing him with a view to preventing him from striking Sītā, Mandodarī as well as Dhanyamālinī (Rāvaṇa’s junior most consort) thereupon spoke to him as follows: “Sport with me, O great king ! What purpose of yours will be served by Sītā, this pale and wretched human creature, O lord of ogres ! Surely, O great monarch, gods like Brahmā and Indra, who are the foremost of immortals, have not assigned to her lot the exquisite luxuries that have been won by the might of your arms. The body of one, who loves a woman not loving him in return, reaps suffering alone; while extreme delight falls to the lot of the man loving a woman who pines for him.” Spoken to in these words and drawn away from that place by Mandodarī, that mighty ogre Rāvaṇa, for his part, who fully resembled a cloud, turned back heartily laughing.(38—43)

> प्रस्थितः स दशग्रीवः कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम्।  
> ज्वलद्भास्करसंकाशं प्रविवेश निवेशनम्॥ ४४॥

Having left that place as though causing the earth to shake, that ten-headed monster duly entered his abode, fully resembling the blazing sun. (44)

> देवगन्धर्वकन्याश्च नागकन्याश्च तास्ततः।  
> परिवार्य दशग्रीवं प्रविशुस्ता गृहोत्तमम्॥ ४५॥

Surrounding Rāvaṇa, the aforesaid daughters of gods and Gandharvas as well as those of Nāgas thereupon penetrated deep into that excellent abode. (45)

> स मैथिलीं धर्मपरामवस्थितां  
> प्रवेपमानां परिभर्त्स्य रावणः।  
> विहाय सीतां मदनेन मोहितः  
> स्वमेव वेश्म प्रविवेश रावणः॥ ४६॥

Having unsparingly threatened Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, who was devoted to virtue and stood rooted where she was, though shaking from top to bottom, and letting her alone, the aforesaid Rāvaṇa, who made people cry in terror and was distracted with passion, duly entered his own abode. (46)

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