अरण्य-काण्ड > सीता द्वारा श्री राम के प्रेम का वर्णन, राक्षसियों का अशोक वाटिका लेजाके फटकारना



Seetha reprimands Ravana in saying that her unswerving devotion to Rama will not permit her to be dominated by anyone. She gives word-by-word replies to all that is prattled by Ravana in earlier chapter. A discussion about Seetha's stance and stability is given in the endnote of this chapter.

सा तथा उक्ता तु वैदेही निर्भया शोक कर्शिता |
तृणम् अन्तरतः कृत्वा रावणम् प्रति अभाषत || ३-५६-१
She that Vaidehi who is haggard by anguish boldly spoke to Ravana when he addressed her in that way, duly placing a blade of straw in between herself and Ravana. [3-56-1]
राजा दशरथो नाम धर्म सेतुः इव अचलः |
सत्य सन्धः परिज्ञातो यस्य पुत्रः स राघवः || ३-५६-२
"He whose son is Raghava, is a resolute king known as Dasharatha. That king is a kingly rampart for righteousness, a kingpin abiding in forthrightness and thereby his kingliness is well renowned in all worlds, and my husband Rama is such a king's son. [3-56-2]
रामो नाम स धर्मात्मा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः |
दीर्घ बाहुः विशालाक्षो दैवतम् स पतिः मम || ३-५६-३
"Such a Dasharatha's son who is virtue-souled one, who is highly renowned in all the three worlds for his ambidexterity and perspicacity, and who is known as Rama is my husband and a god to me. [3-56-3]
इक्ष्वाकूणाम् कुले जातः सिंह स्कन्धो महाद्युतिः |
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा यः ते प्राणान् हरिष्यति || ३-५६-४
"He who took birth in Ikshvaku's dynasty is a great-resplendent one with his shoulders like those of a lion, and who comes here along with similarly lion-shouldered and nearly great-resplendent brother of his, namely Lakshmana, to take your lives away. Such Rama is my husband. [3-56-4]
प्रत्यक्षम् यदि अहम् तस्य त्वया स्याम् धर्षिता बलात् |
शयिता त्वम् हतः संख्ये जनस्थाने यथा खरः || ३-५६-५
"Had I been forcibly humiliated by you in the presence of Rama, you too would have been killed by Rama in combat and by now you too would be sprawling on earth, as with Khara in Janasthaana, but you foxed him. However, such Rama is my husband. [3-56-5]
य एते राक्षसाः प्रोक्ता घोर रूपा महाबलाः |
राघवे निर्विषाः सर्वे सुपर्णे पन्नगा यथा || ३-५६-६
"Those demons who are spoken of you to be with ghastly forms and gruelling power, they all will become formless and powerless in face of Raghava, as with all snakes becoming non-poisonous earthworms in the face of Garuda, the Divine Eagle. Such Rama is my husband. [3-56-6]
तस्य ज्या विप्रमुक्ताः ते शराः कांचन भूषणाः |
शरीरम् विधमिष्यन्ति गंगा कूलम् इव ऊर्मयः || ३-५६-७
"Those gilded arrows of Rama unloosened directly and unswervingly from his bowstring will utterly batter your body, as the waves of River Ganga will be battering that river's riverbanks. Such Rama is my husband. [3-56-7]
असुरैः वा सुरैः वा त्वम् यदि अवध्यो असि रावण |
उत्पाद्य सुमहत् वैरम् जीवन् तस्य न मोक्ष्यसे || ३-५६-८
"Even if you are unkillable either by gods or by demons, you Ravana, you will not be disenthralled by Rama while you are alive, for you hatched a very great animosity in him against you. [3-56-8]
स ते जीवित शेषस्य राघवो अन्त करो बली |
पशोः यूप गतस्य इव जीवितम् तव दुर्लभम् || ३-५६-९
"That mighty Rama will become the terminator of the vestige of your life, and as with an animal fastened to the stake of sacrifice your life too will become irretrievable. [3-56-9]
यदि पश्येत् स रामः त्वाम् रोष दीप्तेन चक्षुषा |
रक्षः त्वम् अद्य निर्दग्धो यथा रुद्रेण मन्मधः || ३-५६-१०
"If he that Rama glances you with his rancour-torched eyes, you demon, you will be completely burnt down now itself, as with Love-god burnt down by Furious Shiva. [3-56-10]
यः चन्द्रम् नभसो भूमौ पातयेन् नाशयेत वा |
सागरम् शोषयेत् वा अपि स सीताम् मोचयेत् इह || ३-५६-११
"He that Rama who hurls down the moon from skies onto earth, or else extirpates it if need be, or even desiccates an ocean, he alone rescues Seetha from here. [3-56-11]
गत आयुः त्वम् गत श्रीकः गत सत्त्वो गत इन्द्रियः |
लंका वैधव्य संयुक्ता त्वत् कृतेन भविष्यति || ३-५६-१२
"Gone is your liveability, gone is your prosperity, gone is your vivacity, and gone is your faculty. Thus Lanka is widowed by a single deed of yours. [3-56-12]
न ते पापम् इदम् कर्म सुख उदर्कम् भविष्यति |
या अहम् नीता विना भावम् पति पार्श्वात् त्वया वनात् || ३-५६-१३
"In forest you have separated me from the propinquity of my husband, which diabolic deed of yours will not result in any ultimate happiness for you. [3-56-13]
स हि देवर - दैवत - संयुक्तो मम भर्ता महाद्युतिः |
निर्भयो वीर्यम् आश्रित्य शून्ये वसति दण्डके || ३-५६-१४
"In fact, that great-resplendent husband of mine, Rama, is still residing in the eremitical Dandaka forest, bravely hinging on to his own valour, in tandem only with my brother-in-law. [3-56-14]
स ते वीर्यम् दर्पम् बलम् उत्सेकम् च तथा विधम् |
अपनेष्यति गात्रेभ्यः शर वर्षेण संयुगे || ३-५६-१५
"With storms of his arrows in a given combat my husband will dislodge arrogance, insolence, puissance, like that impudence from every limb of yours. [3-56-15]
यदा विनाशो भूतानाम् दृश्यते काल चोदितः |
तदा कार्ये प्रमाद्यन्ति नराः काल वशम् गताः || ३-५६-१६
"As and when ruination of created beings manifests actuated by Time, then all of them will place their behaviour in endangerment, as they have gone under the control of End-Time. [3-56-16]
माम् प्रधृष्य स ते कालः प्राप्तो अयम् रक्षस अधम |
आत्मनो राक्षसानाम् च वधाय अन्तः पुरस्य च || ३-५६-१७
"This is that time which has bechanced on you owing to your molesting me, you basely demon, by which time-factor yourself, all of your demons, and even all of your queens in the Chambers of Queens will be devastated. [3-56-17]
न शक्या यज्ञ मध्यस्था वेदिः स्रुक् भाण्ड मण्डिता |
द्विजाति मंत्र संपूता चण्डालेन अवमर्दितुम् || ३-५६-१८
"It is impossible for a profaner to heavily tread on the Altar of Fire amidst a Ritual Hall surrounded by oblational vessels, further sanctified by Vedic hymns. [3-56-18]
तथा अहम् धर्म नित्यस्य धर्म पत्नी दृढ व्रता |
त्वया संप्रष्टुम् न शक्या अहम् राक्षसाधम पापिना || ३-५६-१९
"Likewise, I am the solemnly pledged legitimate wife of one who steadied himself in righteousness, and such as I am, you basely demon, it is impossible for you trespasser to touch me even. [3-56-19]
क्रीडन्ती राज हंसेन पद्म षँडेषु नित्यशः |
हंसी सा तृण षण्डस्थम् कथम् द्रक्षेत मद्गुकम् || ३-५६-२०
"How a she-swan ever frolicking with majestic swans in bunches of lotuses can leer at a water-crow sneaking in a bunch of grass? [3-56-20]
इदम् शरीरम् निःसंज्ञम् बन्ध वा घातयस्व वा |
न इदम् शरीरम् रक्ष्यम् मे जीवितम् वा अपि राक्षस || ३-५६-२१
न तु शक्यामि उपक्रोशम् पृथिव्याम् धातुम् आत्मनः |
"Oh, demon, you may either trammel or vandalise this inertial body of mine. I claim neither this body nor life of mine as my own. But I am intolerant to bear with any disrepute on this earth." Thus Seetha castigated Ravana. [3-56-21, 22a]
एवम् उक्त्वा तु वैदेही क्रोद्धात् सु परुषम् वचः || ३-५६-२२
रावणम् मैथिली तत्र पुनः न उवाच किंचन |
Vaidehi on speaking those highly caustic words angrily to Ravana in this way, she that Maithili spoke no more in that matter. [3-56-22b, 23a]
सीताया वचनम् श्रुत्वा परुषम् रोम हर्षणम् || ३-५६-२३
प्रति उवाच ततः सीताम् भय संदर्शनम् वचः |
On hearing Seetha's scathing and hair-raising censures, then Ravana retorted with these intimidatory chides. [3-56-23b, 24a]
शृणु मैथिलि मत् वाक्यम् मासान् द्वादश भामिनि || ३-५६-२४
कालेन अनेन न अभ्येषि यदि माम् चारु हासिनि |
ततः त्वाम् प्रातः आशा अर्थम् सूदाः छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः || ३-५६-२५
"Oh, angry lady Maithili, listen to my words. A period of twelve months is given to you. And oh, smiley smiler, if you do not come nigh of me within that period, then the cooks will slice you to pieces for the purpose of a morning meal." [3-56-24b, 25]
इति उक्त्वा परुषम् वाक्यम् रावणः शत्रु रावणः |
राक्षसीः च ततः क्रुद्ध इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत् || ३-५६-२६
Thus on saying those harsh words, Ravana, the one who makes his enemies to bewail, and who is now infuriated said this sentence to the guarding demonesses. [3-56-26]
शीघ्रम् एव हि राक्षस्यो विकृता घोर दर्शनाः |
दर्पम् अस्या अपनेष्यन्तु मांस शोणित भोजनाः || ३-५६-२७
"Oh, gnarled demonesses of grisly mien and devourers of meat and blood, you have to indeed remove her pride immediately. [3-56-27]
वचनात् एव ताः तस्य विकृता घोर दर्शनाः |
कृत प्रांजलयो भूत्वा मैथिलीम् पर्यवारयन् || ३-५६-२८
Just by that order of Ravana those demonesses of grotesque and ugly appearance have obediently made palm-fold to him and encircled Maithili. [3-56-28]
स ताः प्रोवाच राजा तु रावणो घोर दर्शनाः |
प्रचाल्य चरण उत्कर्षैः दारयन् इव मेदिनीम् || ३-५६-२९
That king Ravana paced in an earth-shattering manner as though to cleave it and clearly said this to those demonesses with ghastly look. [3-56-29]
अशोक वनिका मध्ये मैथिली नीयताम् इति |
तत्र इयम् रक्ष्यताम् गूढम् युष्माभिः परिवारिता || ३-५६-३०
"Let this Maithili be taken to the centre of Ashoka gardens, where you all shall blockade and guard her stealthily. [3-56-30]
तत्र एनाम् तर्जनैः घोरैः पुनः सांत्वैः च मैथिलीम् |
आनयध्वम् वशम् सर्वा वन्याम् गज वधूम् इव || ३-५६-३१
"You threaten her with dreadful admonitions and again speaking imploringly you all have to bring her under control, as a wild she-elephant of age will be brought under control. [3-56-31]
इति प्रति समादिष्टा राक्षस्यो रावणेन ताः |
अशोक वनिकाम् जग्मुः मैथिलीम् परिगृह्य तु || ३-५६-३२
सर्वकामफलैर्वृक्षैर्नानापुष्पफलैर्वृताम् - यद्वा -
सर्व काम फलैः वृक्षैः नाना पुष्प फलैः वृताम् |
सर्व काल मदैः च अपि द्विजैः समुपसेविताम् || ३-५६-३३
When Ravana has clearly ordered, those demonesses on their part took Maithili to Ashoka garden. That Ashoka gardens are surrounded with trees that yield fruits to every savour, and now they are diversely flowered and fruited. Further, those gardens are highly adored by all-time lusty birds. [3-56-32, 33]
सा तु शोक परीत अंगी मैथिली जनकात्मजा |
राक्षसी वशम् आपन्ना व्याघ्रीणाम् हरिणी यथा || ३-५६-३४
But she that Janaka's daughter Maithili whose body is with a coverall of anguish, further on obtaining the control of demonesses, she is as good as a she-deer under the coverall of tigresses. [3-56-34]
शोकेन महता ग्रस्ता मैथिली जनकात्मजा |
न शर्म लभते भीरुः पाश बद्धा मृगी यथा || ३-५६-३५
Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, who is already consumed by utmost agony has not obtained any placidity now as with a she-deer bound by tether - where timorousness is common to both. [3-56-35]
न विन्दते तत्र तु शर्म मैथिली
विरूप नेत्राभिः अतीव तर्जिता |
पतिम् स्मरन्ती दयितम् च देवरम्
विचेतना अभूत् भय शोक पीडिता || ३-५६-३६
Maithili knows no peace when the bizarre-eyed demonesses have highly intimidated her, and by shut-seeing those demonesses her reminiscences went over to her dear husband and about her brother-in-law Lakshmana too, and when she felt about the improbability of their coming here, she is distraught with alarm and anguish, and then she swooned. [3-56-36]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे षट् पंचाशः सर्गः