Sri Valmiki Ramayanam -Aranya Kanda (Book 3) Sarga 51 to 56

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 51

Introduction

The combat of Jataayu and Ravana ensues now, as Ravana was adamantine to the righteous sermons of Jataayu. In combating with Ravana, Jataayu shatters Ravana's bows, arrows, and chariot and kills the mules of the chariot and plucks off the head of the charioteer with his beak. Further Jataayu attacks on the body of Ravana lacerating severally. Enraged at the bird-hits Ravana severs that eagle's wings, feet, and sides. Then seeing that fallen eagle Seetha weeps over, as if Jataayu is her own relative.

iti uktaH krodha taamraakshaH tapta kaa.ncana kuNDalaH |
raakshasendro abhidudraava patagendram amarSaNaH || 3-51-1

1. tapta kaancana kuNDalaH= burnt [burnishing] golden, ear-knobs; krodha taamra akshaH= infuriately, reddened, eyed one; raakshasa indraH= demon's, lord - Ravana; iti uktaH= thus, one spoken to; a + marSaNaH = not, tolerantly; pataga indram= to bird's lord; abhi dudraava= towards, dashed.

When Ravana is spoken to by Jataayu with judicious words, Ravana's eyes reddened infuriately, and his burnished golden ear-knobs flickered injuriously, and that lord of demons dashed towards the lord of birds, intolerantly. [3-51-1]

Ravana's ear-knobs jerked flickeringly as he gnashed his teeth in anger, as if they are fireballs. Here another type of rendering for this verse is available in other versions, which reads: iti uktasya yath˜ ny˜yam r˜vaõasya ja÷˜yuÿ˜ | kruddhasya agni nibh˜× sarv˜ reju× vimþati d®ÿ÷aya× || 'thus when Jataayu spoke to Ravana in judicious words, all the twenty eyes of infuriated Ravana are torched, like torchlit fires...'

sa sa.mprahaaraH tumulaH tayoH tasmin mahaa mR^idhe |
babhuuva vaata uddhatayoH meghayoH gagane yathaa || 3-51-2

2. tasmin mahaa mR^idhe [gagane, vane]= in that, great [tempestuous,] combat [in sky, in forest]; tayoH = between those two; saH= that; tumulaH samprahaaraH = tempestuous, fight; gagane= in sky; vaata= by gust, ud dhatayoH= up, heaved; meghayoH= among two clouds; yathaa= as with; babhuuva = became.

As with two gigantic clouds up-heaved by the tornadic gusts will be hard hitting each other tempestuously in sky, the combat between those two, Ravana and Jataayu, became tempestuous in the sky. [3-51-2]

tat babhuuva adbhutam yuddham gR^idhra raakSasayoH tadaa |
sapakSayoH maalyavatoH mahaa parvatayoH iva || 3-51-3

3. tadaa= then; gR^idhra raakSasayoH= of eagle, of demon; tat adbhutam yuddham = that, startling, combat; sa pakSayoH maalyavatoH= with, wings, between two Maalyavanta mountains; mahaa parvatayoH iva= gigantic, mountains, as with; babhuuva = became.

As with a startling combat between two gigantic and winged mountains, called Mt. Maalyavanta-s, that combat between the eagle and demon then became a startling one. [3-51-3]

One commentator said that one Mt. Maalyavanta is in Dandaka forest and the other in Kishkindha, while another commentator said that one is in Dandaka forests and the other is nearby Mt. Meru. There appears to be no second Mt. Maalyavanta and the poet seems to be taking one mountain and mirroring it, and thus saying that if two selfsame mountains were to confront, then it will be disastrous. This is to narrate the equivalence between their courage and strength.

tato naaliika naaraacaiH tiikSNa agraiH ca vikar.hNibhiH |
abhyavarSat mahaaghoraiH gR^idhra raajam mahaabalaH || 3-51-4

4. tataH= then; mahaabalaH= great-mighty [Ravana]; tiikSNa agraiH= that are with excruciating, arrowheads; mahaa ghoraiH = with highly, dreadful naaliika naaraacaiH[sharaiH]= Naaliika [tubular,] Naaraaca [iron,] [with arrows]; vi karNibhiH ca= upturned, ears [arrows with, crescentic arrowheads,] also; gR^idhra raajam = on eagle, lord; abhyavarSat verily [incessantly] stormed.

Then the great-mighty Ravana incessantly stormed the lord of eagles Jataayu, with arrows that have excruciating and highly dreadful arrowheads, like tubular arrows, iron arrows, and with arrows that have crescentic arrowheads. [3-51-4]

sa taani shara jaalaani gR^idhraH patraratha iishvaraH |
jaTaayuH pratijagraaha raavaNa astraaNi sa.nyuge || 3-51-5

5. patraratha iishvaraH= winged chariots [birds,] lord of; saH gR^idhraH jaTaayuH = that, eagle, Jataayu; sanyuge= in combat; taani shara jaalaani= them, arrows, arrays of; raavaNa astraaNi Ravana's, missiles [arrows]; prati jagraaha= received [sustained]

That eagle Jataayu who is the lord of winged-chariots, namely birds, in turn sustained those arrays of Ravana's arrows in that combat. [3-51-5]

tasya tiikSNa nakhaabhyaam tu caraNaabhyaam mahaabalaH |
cakaara bahudhaa gaatre vraNaan pataga sattamaH || 3-51-6

6. mahaa balaH= great-mighty one [Jataayu]; pataga sattamaH= among birds, one with best-stamina; tiikSNa nakhaabhyaam caraNaabhyaam = which have gashing, claws, with two feet; tasya gaatre= his, on body [of Ravana]; bahudhaa vraNaan cakaara = severally, gashes, made.

But that great-mighty Jataayu severally made gashes on the body of Ravana with his two feet that have gashing claws for that bird is with best stamina. [3-51-6]

atha krodhaat dashagriivaH jagraaha dasha maargaNaan |
mR^ityu daNDa nibhaan ghoraan shatror nidhana kaankSayaa || 3-51-7

7. atha= now; dashagriivaH krodhaat = Decahedral demon [Ravana] infuriately; shatroH nidhana kaankSayaa= his enemy's, elimination, wishful of; mR^ityu daNDa nibhaan= Terminator's, shaft, similar in aspect; ghoraan= deadly ones; dasha maar gaNaan jagraaha = ten, arrows, took up.

Now the Decahedral demon Ravana infuriately took up ten deadly arrows that are similar in their shine to the Shafts of the Terminator, wishful of the elimination of his enemy. [3-51-7]

sa taiH baaNaiH mahaaviiryaH puurNa muktaiH ajihma gaiH |
bibheda nishitaiH tiikSNaiH gR^idhram ghoraiH shilii mukhaiH || 3-51-8

8. mahaaviiryaH saH= highly energetic one, he that Ravana; puurNa muktaiH= fully [stretching bowstring,] released; a + jihma gaiH= not, zigzaggedly, going [straight shooting]; nishitaiH= with sharp ones; tiikSNaiH= hurtful; ghoraiH= deadly [arrows]; shilii mukhaiH= steel-pointed, with arrowheads; taiH baaNaiH = with those, arrows; gR^idhram bibheda = eagle, he impaled.

That highly energetic Ravana released and impaled the eagle with straight shooting arrows on fully stretching the bowstring up to his ear, whose steel-pointed arrowheads are sharp, hurtful, and deadly. [3-51-8]

sa raakSasa rathe pashyan jaanakiim baaSpa locanaam |
aci.ntayitvaa baaNaam taan raakSasam samabhidravat || 3-51-9

9. saH= he that Jataayu; raakSasa rathe= demon's, in chariot; baaSpa locanaam jaanakiim pashyan = with teary, eyes, Jaanaki, while seeing; taan baaNaam= those, arrows; a + cintayitvaa = without, thinking [heedless of]; raakSasam= to demon; sam abhi dravat= swiftly, towards, flowed [lunged forcefully.]

That Jataayu on seeing teary-eyed Jaanaki in the chariot of the demon forcefully lunged towards that demon heedless of arrows that are lunging at him. [3-51-9]

tato asya sasharam caapam muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam |
caraNaabhyaam mahaatejaa babha.nja patagottamaH || 3-51-10

10. tataH= then; mahaatejaaH pataga uttamaH= highly refulgent, among birds, unexcelled one; asya= his - Ravana's; muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam= pearls, gemstones, decorated with; sa sharam= with, an arrow - admitted on bowstring; caapam= bow; caraNaabhyaam babhanja= with pair of feet, shattered.

That unexcelled bird of high refulgence then shattered Ravana's bow which is decorated with pearls and gemstones, and on which an arrow is admitted targeting the eagle, just by the pair of his bare feet. [3-51-10]

tato anyat dhanuH aadaaya raavaNaH krodha muurcChitaH |
vavarSa shara var.hSaaNi shatasho atha sahasrashaH || 3-51-11

11. tataH= then; raavaNaH krodha muurcChitaH= Ravana, in anger, convulsed; anyat dhanuH aadaaya= then, another, bow, on taking; shatashaH atha sahasrashaH = in hundreds, now, in thousands; shara varSaaNi vavarSa = arrow, storms, stormed.

Ravana convulsed in anger then took up another bow and stormed hundreds and thousands of arrow storms. [3-51-11]

sharaiH aavaaritaH tasya sa.nyuge patageshvaraH |
kulaayam abhisa.mpraaptaH pakshiH iva babhau tadaa || 3-51-12

12. tadaa= then; sanyuge= in combat; tasya sharaiH = by his - Ravana's, by arrows; aavaaritaH= covered with - engirded with, nested with; patag iishvaraH= lord of birds; kulaayam= nest; abhisampraaptaH= readily obtained; pakshiH iva= a bird, like; babhau= shone forth.

Nested in the arrows shot by Ravana that lordly bird Jataayu then shone forth in that combat like a bird that obtains a readymade nest. [3-51-12]

sa taani shara jaalaani pakshaabhyaam tu vidhuuya ha |
caraNaabhyaam mahaatejaa babha.nja asya mahat dhanuH || 3-51-13

13. mahaa tejaa= highly refulgent one; saH= he - Jataayu; taani shara jaalaani= them, arrows, arrays of; pakshaabhyaam= = with both wings; vi dhuuya= verily, blowing off [on winnowing]; asya mahat dhanuH= his [Ravana's,] mighty, bow; caraNaabhyaam babhanja= with both feet, shattered.

On winnowing those arrays of arrows with both of his wings, he that highly refulgent Jataayu shattered the mighty bow of Ravana with both of his feet. [3-51-13]

tat ca agni sadR^isham diiptam raavaNasya sharaavaram |
pakSaabhyaam ca mahaatejaa vyadhunot patageshvaraH || 3-51-14

14. mahaatejaaH patageshvaraH= = highly resplendent one, birds, lord of - Jataayu; raavaNasya= Ravana's; agni sadR^isham = flame, like; diiptam= glowing; tat sharaavaram ca= that, armour, also; pakSaabhyaam= with both wings; vyadhunot= blasted off.

That highly resplendent lord of birds also blasted off the armour of Ravana, which is glowing and flamelike in its flare, with both of his feet. [3-51-14]

The word used here for armour is sharaavara and for this Pt. Satya Vrat says: 'Another word which is also not noticed by Monier Williams is sharaavara. It means an armour kavaca and occurs at least twice in the Ramayana...' i.e., here and at 3-64-49 of this canto.

kaa.ncana uraH Chadaan divyaan pishaaca vadanaan kharaan |
taan ca asya java sa.mpannaan jaghaana samare balii || 3-51-15

15. balii= mighty one Jataayu; asya= his [Ravana's]; kaancana uraH Chadaan= golden, armour [sheaths,] covered with; divyaan= marvellous ones; pishaaca vadanaan= ghost, faced ones; java sampannaan= fastness, having; taan kharaan ca= those, mules, also; samare jaghaana= in combat, killed [knocked off.]

Mighty Jataayu also knocked off the ghost-faced mules yoked to the chariot of Ravana which are covered in golden armours and tantivy in fastness. [3-51-15]

atha triveNu sa.mpannam kaamagam paavaka arciSam |
maNi sopaana citra a.ngam babha.nja ca mahaaratham || 3-51-16

16. atha= then; tri veNu sampannam three, with bamboos [from chariot to yoke,] flourishing with; kaama gam= by wish, which traverses; paavaka arciSam= like Ritual-fire, in flare; maNi= with gems, sopaana [hema]= stairs, [with gold]; citra= fantastically [crafted]; angam= bodied [or, having wheels]; mahaaratham ca= great-chariot, even; babhanja = splintered.

Then that great-chariot which is flourishing with three bamboos from chassis to yoke, and which traverses just by its steersman's wish, and which is crafted fantastically with gem-studded body and stairs, or, whose wheels are crafted with gold and gemstones, and which in its flare is like a Ritual-fire, Jataayu splintered down even that chariot of Ravana. [3-51-16]

puurNa candra pratiikaasham Chatram ca vyajanaiH saha |
paatayaamaasa vegena graahibhii raakshasaiH saha || 3-51-17

17. puurNa candra pratiikaasham= full, moon, mirroring in shine; Chatram ca= parasol, also; vyajanaiH saha= white-fur-royal-fans, together with; graahibhii raakshasaiH saha= with handlers [of fans,] demons, along with; vegena paatayaamaasa = swiftly, started to collapse.

Jataayu swiftly collapsed the parasol of Ravana which in shine is mirroring the full moon, along with the regalia of white-royal-fur-fans, together with the demons handling them for fanning Ravana. [3-51-17]

saaratheH ca asya vegena tuNDena ca mahat shiraH |
punaH vyapaaharat shriimaan pakshiraajo mahaabalaH || 3-51-18

18. punaH= again; mahaabalaH= highly energetic one; shriimaan= imposing one; pakshi raajaH= bird's, king, Jataayu; asya= his [Ravana's]; saaratheH= of charioteer; mahat shiraH= robust, head; vegena= speedily; tuNDena vyapaaharat= with beak, took away - pecked off.

Again that highly energetic and imposing king of birds pecked off the robust head of the charioteer of Ravana with beak. [3-51-18]

sa bhagna dhanvaa viratho hata ashvo hata saarathiH |
a.nkena aadaaya vaidehiim papaata bhuvi raavaNaH || 3-51-19

19. bhagna dhanvaa= one with devastated, bow; vi rathaH= devoid of, chariot; hata ashvaH= dispatched, horses; hata saarathiH= departed, charioteer; saH raavaNaH = such as he is, Ravana; vaidehiim ankena aadaaya = Vaidehi, by her torso, grabbing, [or, taking her onto his torso]; bhuvi papaata = onto earth, jumped down.

Now Ravana who is with his devastated bow, devoid of chariot, dispatched are his horses and departed is his charioteer, and such as he is, he on grabbing Vaidehi by her torso, or, placing her on the lower end of his torso, jumped to earth. [3-51-19]

Again the problem of 'untouchability of Seetha' occurred. Hence that compound ankena aadaaya vaidehiim can be expressed in two ways, one is like the usual villain's grabbing by torso, and the other is like an ardent devotee of Goddess Lakshmi, keeping her on his torso. This is similar to the method adopted by Viraadha while handling Seetha.

dR^iSTvaa nipatitam bhuumau raavaNam bhagna vaahanam |
saadhu saadhu iti bhuutaani gR^idhra raajam apuujayan || 3-51-20

20. bhagna vaahanam= crumbled, with vehicle; bhuumau on earth; ni patitam raavaNam = downwards, one who is foundered, at Ravana; dR^iSTvaa = on seeing; saadhu saadhu iti= Goodness!, Gracious!, thus; bhuutaani= [all] beings; gR^idhra raajam apuujayanat= eagle, lordly, reverenced.

On seeing Ravana who is foundered onto earth from his crumbled vehicle, all beings like sylvan deities, caarana-s, siddha-s and suchlike, reverenced that lordly eagle Jataayu. [3-51-20]

parishraantam tu tam dR^iSTvaa jarayaa pakSi yuuthapam |
utpapaata punar hR^iSTo maithiliim gR^ihya raavaNaH || 3-51-21

21. pakSi yuuthapam= birds', commandant; tam= him [Jataayu]; jarayaa= owing to senescence; parishraantam= fatigued; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; raavaNaH hR^iSTaH= Ravana, gladdened; maithiliim gR^ihya = Maithili, on taking; punaH= again; ut papaata = up, fallen - rose up to sky.

But on seeing the commandant of birds Jataayu is fatigued owing to his senescence, Ravana is gladdened and he again rose up to skies taking Maithili. [3-51-21]

tam prahR^iSTam nidhaaya a.nke raavaNam janaka aatmajaam |
gacCha.ntam khaDga sheSam ca praNaSTa hata saadhanam || 3-51-22
gR^idhra raajaH samutpatya raavaNam samabhidravat |
samaavaaryam mahaatejaa jaTaayuH idam abraviit || 3-51-23

22, 23. gR^idhra raajaH= eagle's, king; mahaatejaaH= highly resplendent one; jaTaayuH= Jataayu; sam ut patya= well, up, fallen [swiftly rising up]; prahR^iSTam= one who is cheerful - to Ravana; pra NaSTa hata saadhanam= completely, lost [demolished,] assault, devices; khaDga sheSam ca = one having [single] sword, remnant [save for,] also; janaka aatmajaam= Janaka's, daughter; anke nidhaaya gacChantam= on flank, keeping [holding,] one who is going away; tam raavaNam= him, at Ravana; sam abhi dravat= to very, fore, ran [dashed]; sam aavaaryam= practically, forestalling [Ravana]; idam abraviit this, spoke.

The highly resplendent king of eagles Jataayu swiftly rose to sky dashing practically to forestall Ravana, which demon's assault devices are all demolished by now save for a single sword, but who is cheerful to spirit away the daughter of Janaka, and actually spiriting away holding her onto his flank, and Jataayu spoke this to such Ravana. [3-51-22, 23]

varja sa.msparsha baaNasya bhaaryaam raamasya raavaNa |
alpa buddhe harasi enaam vadhaaya khalu rakSasaam || 3-51-24

24. alpa buddhe= you, mean, minded; raavaNa= Ravana; varja samsparsha baaNasya = Vajra, [Thunderbolt weapon of Indra,] with a touching off, one who has [wields] arrows; raamasya bhaaryaam= Rama's, who is wife of; enaam= her; rakSasaam vadhaaya harasi khalu = of all demons, for destruction, you abduct, definitely.

"You mean-minded Ravana, you abduct her whose husband wields arrows that touch off like the Thunderbolt of Indra, and this spite of yours is definitely for the destruction of all the demons. [3-51-24]

sa mitra bandhuH sa amaatyaH sa balaH sa paricChadaH |
viSa paanam pibasi etat pipaasita iva udakam || 3-51-25

25. sa mitra bandhuH sa amaatyaH= with, friends, relatives, with, ministers; sa balaH sa pari cChadaH = with, armies, with, accomplices; pipaasita= one that thirsteth; udakam iva =[drinketh] water, as with; etat= this [abduction of Seetha called consumption of venom]; by undertaking this you; viSa paanam pibasi= venom, drink, you drinketh.

"As one thirsteth drinketh water, you drinketh venomous drink along with your friends, relatives, ministers, armies, and with your accomplices, as this abduction of Seetha itself is squirrelling away dangerous poison. [3-51-25]

anuba.ndham ajaana.ntaH karmaNaam avicakSaNaaH |
shiighram eva vinashyanti yathaa tvam vinashiSyasi || 3-51-26

26. karmaNaam= of exploits; anu bandham= after, effect [backlash]; a + jaanantaH= not, knowing; a + vicakSaNaaH= not, discriminators [mindless adventurers]; yathaa= as to how; shiighram eva vinashyanti = quickly, thus, get ruined; [tathaa= similarly]; tvam [shiighram] vinashiSyasi = you, [quickly,] will ruin.

"As with the mindless adventurers quickly getting ruination for they undertake self-ruinous exploits, unknowing the backlashes thereof, so also you too will ruin that quickly with this mindless adventure. [3-51-26]

baddhaH tvam kaala paashena kva gataH tasya mokSyase |
vadhaaya baDisham gR^ihya sa amiSam jalajo yathaa || 3-51-27

27. tvam= you are; paashena kaala = with lasso, of Terminator; vadhaaya= for termination; baddhaH = tethered; sa amiSam= with, [a piece of] flesh; baDisham= fish rod and line with fish-hook; gR^i^ihya= on catching [on swallowing]; jala jaH= water, born [fish]; yathaa= as with; tasya= from it [from that death lasso]; kva gataH mokSyase = wherever, you go, get released [whereby you untether yourself.]

"You are tethered for termination with the lasso of the Terminator, as with a fish that can go nowhere on its biting fishhook with a piece of flesh. How do you untether yourself from that lasso of the Terminator, even if you go anywhere? [3-51-27]

Vividly: The Terminator gives a sinner a longest rope possible to hang himself from a tallest tree. Perchance there may be fish that bites the bait, stripping fishhook from fish line, dives deep down to escape from the fisherman, and yet it cannot survive even there, because the fishhook is already in its throat, which the fish can neither vomit nor swallow. Thus, it is destined to die. Likewise, you bit the baited hook called Seetha and running away with that bait and hook around your neck, thereby the Terminator has already lassoed His noose around your neck, and perchance you may presently abscond from this hermitage, but not from that noose, called Rama's arrow, for a long time.

na hi jaatu duraadharSau kaakutsthau tava raavaNa |
dharSaNam ca aashramasya asya kSamiSyete tu raaghavau || 3-51-28

28. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; duraadharSau= unassailable ones; kaakutsthau raaghavau = those from Kakutstha dynasty, Raghava-s - Rama, Lakshmana; tava= your; asya aashramasya dharSaNam= this, of hermitage, assailing; jaatu= at anytime; na kSamiSyete hi= never, condone, indeed.

"But, oh Ravana, the unassailable Raghava-s of Kakutstha dynasty will nevermore condone your assailing this hermitage. [3-51-28]

yathaa tvayaa kR^itam karma bhiiruNaa loka garhitam |
taskara aacarito maar.hgo na eSa viira niSevitaH || 3-51-29

29. bhiiruNaa= by dastard; tvayaa= by you; yathaa= as to how; loka garhitam karma kR^itam = by world [society,] contemptible, deed [crime,] being done [committed]; this way of doing; taskara aacaritaH maargaH= thieves, tramped, pathway [in the footsteps of thieves]; viira niSevitaH= by valiant ones, adored by [acceptable, commendable by valiant ones]; na eSa = not, this [thieving] is.

"Like a dastard you are committing a crime of thieving Seetha when none at home in the footsteps of thieves, this thieving is contemptible to society and condemnable by valiant ones. [3-51-29]

yudhyasva yadi shuuro asi muhuurtam tiSTha raavaNa |
shayiSyase hato bhuumau yathaa bhraataa kharaH tathaa || 3-51-30

23. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; shuuraH asi yadi= valiant one, you are, if; yudhyasva = you combat; muhuurtam tiSTha= for a moment, you stay; puurvam kharaH yathaa= earlier, as with, Khara; tathaa= likewise; hataH bhuumau shayiSyase = slain, on earth, you will sprawl.

"Stay for a moment, oh, Ravana, if you are valiant enough you can combat with Rama who will return right away, and at his hand you will be slain and sprawling on earth in the same way as Khara sprawled earlier. [3-50-23]

This verse is a repeat of verse at 3-50-23, and such iterations are not for want of paucity of verses or verbiage, but they are reckoned as the determination of the character to express his/her stance in similar terms.

pareta kaale puruSo yat karma pratipadyate |
vinaashaaya aatmano adharmyam pratipanno asi karma tat || 3-51-31

31. puruSaH= a person; pareta kaale= at death, time [occasion of]; yat karma pratipadyate= which, [fateful] activity, obtains [undertakes]; a + dharmyam= un, righteous [activity]; tat karma= such an, activity; aatmanaH vinaashaaya = of yourself, for ruination; pratipannaH asi = obtained [undertaking,] you are, [fateful.]

"A person undertakes such an unrighteous and fateful activity if only death looms large on him. You too have undertaken this unrighteous fateful activity only for your self-ruination. [3-51-31]

paapa anuba.ndho vai yasya karmaNaH ko nu tat pumaan |
kur.hviita loka adhipatiH svaya.mbhuuH bhagavaan api || 3-51-32

32. yasya karmaNaH= which, activity's; paapa anu bandhaH= sin, is following, sequential - consequential; tat= that [activity]; loka adhipatiH= universe, lord of; bhagavaan= god; svayam bhuuH api = self, born one, even; kaH pumaan nu = which, man, really; kurviita= undertakes.

"If sin is consequential to any given activity who will undertake it? Even if that person vies with the Self-Born God and Lord of the Universe, namely Brahma, will he undertake it?" Thus Jataayu advised Ravana. [3-51-32]

evam uktvaa shubham vaakyam jaTaayuH tasya rakSasaH |
nipapaata bhR^isham pR^iSThe dashagriivasya viiryavaan || 3-51-33

33. viiryavaan jaTaayuH = valorous one, Jataayu; evam shubham vaakyam uktvaa = this way, auspicious [commonsensical,] words, on speaking; rakSasaH tasya dashagriivasya pR^iSThe= demon, his, Decahedron's, on hind-side, on back; bhR^isham= muchly [devastatingly]; ni papaata= down, fallen - descended on.

Even on speaking those commonsensical words to Ravana, Jataayu found him carrying off Seetha heedlessly, then that valorous Jataayu descended on the hind-side of that Decahedral demon Ravana, devastatingly. [3-51-33]

tam gR^ihiitvaa nakhaiH tiikSNaiH vidadaara sama.ntataH |
adhiruuDho gaja aaroho yathaa syaat duSTa vaaraNam || 3-51-34

34. tam gR^ihiitvaa= him [Ravana,] on taking [clasping]; adhiruuDhaH= one mounted upon - bestriding; gaja aarohaH= elephant, mounter - mahout; duSTa vaaraNam= bad, elephant - an uncontrollable elephant that is running amok; yathaa= as with; syaat= as it will be -as he will try to control; likewise; tiikSNaiH nakhaiH = with incisive, nails - claws; samantataH= everywhere [rampantly]; vidadaara [vi da daara]= deeply lacerated.

On clasping Ravana with incisive claws Jataayu lacerated deeply and rampantly, as a mahout, an elephant-trainer-controller, sitting astride on it will try to control an uncontrollable elephant that is running amok with an incisive goad. [3-51-34]

vidadaara nakhaiH asya tuNDam pR^iSThe samarpayan |
keshaan ca utpaaTayaamaasa nakha pakSa mukha aayudhaH || 3-51-35

35. asya pR^iSThe tuNDam samarpayan= his [Ravana's,] on back, beak, applying; nakhaiH vidadaara= with claws, he tore asunder; nakha pakSa mukha aayudhaH= claws, wings, face [beak, only with] weaponed one; keshaan ca= hair, also; utpaaTayaamaasa= started to pluck off.

Weaponed only with his claws, wings, and beak, Jataayu not only tore the back of Ravana asunder applying his beak and claws, but started to tweeze even his hair. [3-51-35]

sa tathaa gR^idhra raajena klishyamaano muhur muhuH |
amarSa sphurita oSThaH san praaka.mpata sa raakSasaH || 3-51-36

36. gR^idhra raajena= by eagles, king of; muhuH muhuH= again, again [repetitiously]; tathaa klishyamaanaH= thus, exasperated; saH= he - Ravana; amarSa sphurita oSThaH san= by intolerance, quivering, lips, on becoming; saH raakSasaH= that, demon; praa kampata= severely, shuddered; or; [pradakSiNena calanam= on to his right, staggered.

His lips becoming intolerantly quivery when Ravana is exasperated by that king of eagles repetitiously, that demon staggered on to his right targeting the hovering eagle at his hind-side to fell it down. [3-51-36]

sa.mpariSvajya vaidehiim vaamena a.nkena raavaNaH |
talena abhijaghaana aarto jaTaayum krodha muurchitaH || 3-51-37

37. raavaNaH krodha muurchitaH= Ravana, in fury, convulsed; vaamena ankena = on [his] left, flank; vaidehiim sampariSvajya = Vaidehi, firmly, embracing tightly clutching; aartaH= aggrieved one [Ravana]; [aashu= quickly]; jaTaayum talena abhijaghaana= Jataayu, with [Ravana's] palm, hit back.

Ravana who is aggrieved and convulsed in fury hit back Jataayu with his palm while firmly clutching Vaidehi onto his left flank. [3-51-37]

jaTaayuH tam atikramya tuNDena asya khaga adhipaH |
vaama baahuun dasha tadaa vyapaaharat arindamaH || 3-51-38

38. tadaa= then; khaga adhipaH= birds, lord; arindamaH= enemy-vanquisher; jaTaayuH= Jataayu; tam= him - Ravana; ati kramya, over, stepping [outstripping]; tuNDena= with beak; asya dasha vaama baahuun= his, ten, left, arms; vyapa aharat = taken away - ripped off.

Jataayu, the lord of birds, being a vanquisher of enemies outstripped Ravana and ripped off ten left-arms of Ravana with his beak, with which left arms Ravana is clutching Vaidehi, in order to release her from his clutches. [3-51-38]

sa.mcChinna baahoH sadyo vai baahavaH sahasaa abhavan |
viSa jvaalaavalii yuktaa valmiikat iva pannagaaH || 3-51-39

39. samcChinna baahoH= one with mutilated, arms - Ravana; his; baahavaH= arms; sadyaH eva= instantaneously, indeed; valmiikat= from snake pit; viSa jvaala aavalii yuktaa= venomous, blazes, series of, having; pannagaaH iva = snakes, like; sahasaa abhavan, instantly, became - sprang up, ricocheted.

Though his arms are mutilated thus, they instantaneously ricocheted from his body like snakes possessing a series of venomous blazes sprawling out from a snake pit. [3-51-39]

tataH kroddhaat dashagriivaH siitaam utsR^ijya viiryavaan |
muSTibhyaam caraNaabhyaam ca gR^idhra raajam apothayat || 3-51-40

40. tataH= then; viiryavaan dashagriivaH= valorous one Decahedron [Ravana]; siitaam utsR^ijya = Seetha, throwing off; muSTibhyaam caraNaabhyaam ca= with both fists [fisticuffs,] with both feet [kicks]; gR^idhra raajam= with eagle, king; kroddhaat apothayat= out of fury, scuffled with.

The valorous Decahedron Ravana then threw off Seetha, and out of fury he scuffled with the king of eagles with fisticuffs and kicks, by both his feet and fists. [3-51-40]

tato muhuurtam sa.ngraamo babhuuva atula viiryayoH |
raakSasaanaam ca mukhyasya pakSiNaam pravarasya ca || 3-51-41

41. tataH= then; a + tula viiryayoH= between out, weighing, valorous ones; raakSasaanaam mukhyasya= of demons, chieftain; pakSiNaam pravarasya = of birds, chief; muhuurtam sangraamaH babhuuva= for some time, encounter, chanced.

Then there chanced an encounter for some time between those two valorous ones with mutually outweighing capabilities, namely the chieftain of demons and the chief of the birds. [3-51-41]

tasya vyaayacChamaanasya raamasya arthe atha raavaNaH |
pakSau paadau ca paarshvau ca khaDgam uddhR^itya so acChinat || 3-51-42

42. saH raavaNaH= he that, Ravana; khaDgam uddhR^itya= sword, up-raising - brandishing; raamasya= Rama's; arthe= for the sake of; vyaayacChamaanasya= one who is up raising - revolting; atha= then; tasya= his - Jataayu's; pakSau paadau ca paarshvau ca= wings, feet, also, sides, also; acChinat= hewed off.

Ravana brandishing his sword at Jataayu, who is revolting for the sake of Rama, hewed off both of his wings, sides, and feet. [3-51-42]

sa Chinna pakSaH sahasaa rakSasaa raudra karmaNaa |
nipapaata mahaa gR^idhro dharaNyaam alpa jiivitaH || 3-51-43

43. raudra karmaNaa rakSasaa = of cruel, actions, by demon; Chinna pakSaH = ruptured, winged; saH mahaa gR^idhraH= he, the colossal, eagle; alpa jiivitaH= with lessened, life; sahasaa= immedietly; dharaNyaam ni papaata= onto earth, down, fallen.

When that demon of cruel actions has ruptured his wings that colossal eagle Jataayu immediately fell down to earth with a lessened life. [3-51-43]

tam dR^iSTvaa patitam bhuumau kSataja aardram jaTaayuSam |
abhyadhaavata vaidehii sva ba.ndhum iva duHkhitaa || 3-51-44

44. vaidehii= Vaidehi; bhuumau patitam = on earth, fallen; kSataja aardram = with blood, dampened; tam jaTaayuSam= him, Jataayu; dR^i^iSTvaa= on seeing; duHkhitaa= fell into a fit of weeping; sva bandhum iva= her own, relative, as if; abhyadhaavata= towards ran.

On seeing Jataayu fallen on earth and dampened with blood Vaidehi fell into a fit of weeping and ran towards him as if he is her own relative. [3-51-44]

tam niila jiimuuta nikaasha kalpam
supaaNDura uraskam udaara viiryam |
dadarsha la.nkaa adhipatiH pR^ithivyaam
jaTaayuSam shaantam iva agni daavam || 3-51-45

45. lanka adhipatiH= Lanka's, monarch [Ravana]; niila jiimuuta nikaasha kalpam= blue[-black,] cloud, in shine, similar; su paaNDura uraskam= whitely, whitish, chested; udaara viiryam= worthily, valorous one; agni daavam iva= fire, storm, like; shaantam= [now] quiescent; tam jaTaayuSam= him, at Jataayu; pR^ithivyaam dadarsha = on earth, he saw.

Ravana, the monarch of Lanka, gazed at that worthily valorous Jataayu, who in his shine is like a blue-black cloud with a whitely white chest and who by now is like a quiescent fire-storm flattened onto ground. [3-51-45]

The cloudy blackness is simile to the black feathers of the eagle, and to the charred material by a wildfire. The whitely white colour is to the whitish feathers on the chest of the eagle, and to the white ashes overlaid on the charred material by wildfire, before they ashen. Thus, Jataayu fell down in a supine posture.

tataH tu tam patraratham mahii tale
nipaatitam raavaNa vega marditam |
punaH ca sa.mgR^ihya shashi prabha aananaa
ruroda siitaa janaka aatmajaa tadaa || 3-51-43

46. tataH tu= then, but; shashi prabha aananaa= moon, shine, visaged; janaka aatmajaa siitaa= Janaka's, daughter, Seetha; tadaa= then; raavaNa vega marditam= by Ravana's, forcefulness, subjugated; mahii tale nipaatitam= on earth's, surface, felled down; tam patra ratham= him, winged, chariot [bird, eagle Jataayu]; punaH samgR^ihya ruroda= again [further, incessantly,] taken in hands [hugged,] wept over.

But then Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, whose face vies with moonshine hugged eagle Jataayu, whom Ravana has subjugated with his forcefulness and felled down onto the surface of earth, and she wept over incessantly. [3-51-46]

Seetha is hugging Jataayu. 'Is it admissible or not...' is another debatable issue. 'Because it is bird, it may be handled...' is one adjustment, while the other is, 'when Jataayu is a personified entity and a friend of Dasharatha, this bird is as good as a man. So, Seetha's touching him shall be a taboo...' The commentators deal this aspect in the next chapter of this canto.

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Jataayu - the duteous creature

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The character of Jataayu is not introduced just to give information to Rama at the time of his physical death. He is an example of self-duteous, self-dedicated, unpaid servant to his master. In Ch.14 of this Aranya canto when Jataayu firstly met Rama he says: so aham v˜sa sah˜ya× te bhaviÿy˜mi yadi icchasi | idam durgam hi k˜nt˜ram m®ga r˜kÿasa sevitam sŸt˜m ca t˜ta rakÿiÿye tvayi y˜te salakÿmaõe || "That is what I am, I will be your helpmate at your residence, should you wish so, for this forest is one that is impassable and adorned by predators and demons...oh boy, I wish to protect Seetha, if you go out of your residence with Lakshmana..." 3-14-34 And Jataayu kept up his pledge in 'helping Rama and protecting Seetha' as much as he can, without hesitation. This selfless service and sermons he rendered to Ravana are exemplary. This is called daasya bhakti 'devoutness through selfless service...' and service whether paid or unpaid is thus to be rendered selflessly - is the lesson he taught.

Secondly, birds hitting airplanes is not a recent phenomenon and it existed even before airplanes were invented, as is evident from Jataayu's hitting Ravana's aircraft. And Ravana's aircraft that is variously and amazingly portrayed by the sage-poet, is nothing before a bird. Hence, Ravana should have used some other latest state of art technology to prevent such bird-hits. This is to say, any artificial paraphernalia is nothing before a living organism, and Hanuma, a mere monkey, taking lessons from Jataayu, a mere eagle, reduces even the artificially devised Lanka to ashes.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eka pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 51st chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 52

Introduction

Seetha is abducted by Ravana. When they are on their way to Lanka the whole nature along with its inhabitants laments for the atrocious abduction of Seetha. In here, almost every verse is elaborated, for they contain poetic niceties, and hence more stuffing in introduction is unbefitting.

saa tu taaraa adhipa mukhii raavaNena niriikSya tam |
gR^idhra raajam vinihatam vilalaapa suduHkhitaa || 3-52-1

1. taaraa adhipa mukhii= stars', lord, visaged - Seetha; saa tu= she, on her part; raavaNena vinihatam= by Ravana, [nearly] killed; tam gR^idhra raajam niriikSya= at him, eagles, king of, on gazing at; su duHkhitaa= highly anguished; vilalaapa= wept away.

Seetha whose visage is like a full moon wept on gazing the king of eagles Jataayu whom Ravana nearly killed. [3-52-1]

There occurs another verse before this one in Eastern recension which says that Ravana has firstly seen Jataayu who is spinning on earth to breath his last: tam alpa jŸvitam g®dhram sphurantam r˜kÿa adipa | dadarþa bh¨mau patitam samipe r˜ghava ˜þram˜t || thereby giving some time to Seetha to recollect what has happened.

nimittam lakSaNam svapnam shakuni svara darshanam |
avashyam sukha duHkheSu naraaNaam paridR^ishyate || 3-52-2

2. lakSaNam= characteristics - of omens; svapnam= [concomitants of] dreams; shakuni= presages [shakuna] svara darshanam= [of birds,] callings', seeing [cognisance]; naraaNaam= of humans; sukha duHkheSu= in ecstasy, in agony; avashyam= definitely; nimittam= conjecturable; pari dR^ishyate= in general, are being seen [perceived.]

"Humans definitely perceive either agony or ecstasy by its concomitant happenings, or by the characteristics of uncommon reflexes of their own body parts, or by the presages, or by conjecturable concomitants, or by cognising calls of birds. [3-52-2]

Vividly: Seetha's plaint is like this: 'Oh, Rama, we humans do perceive good or bad happenings by the presages, like concomitant happenings of some hindrances when a deed is attempted, like unforeseen tidings like sneezing, a minor accident or a misfire, or unable to catch a sight of one's own face in a mirror... or by the undue reflexes of bodily parts, like flutter of eyelids or shudder of shoulders or arms... or by the callings of birds and movements of animals... so, by now your left shoulder and left eye should have shuddered, or some crows might have cawed uglily, or some birds might have gone from your right to left, except garuDa, bharadwaja birds, and by these forebodings why do not you cognise that something is happening to me and thus why not come to my rescue?'

na nuunam raama jaanaasi mahat vyasanam aatmanaH |
dhaavanti nuunam kaakutstha mat artham mR^iga pakSiNaH || 3-52-3

3. raama= oh, Rama; aatmanaH= for you [bechancing you]; mahat vyasanam= big, catastrophe; na jaanaasi= not, able to know; nuunam= for sure; mat artham= for my, sake; mR^iga pakSiNaH = animals, birds; kaakutstha [kaakutstham]= oh, Kakutstha, [or, towards Kakutstha]; dhaavanti nuunam= running, for sure.

"Oh, Rama, for sure you are not able to know about big catastrophe called my kidnap is chancing on you, even though oh, Kakutstha, these animals and birds are running towards you surely for my sake, to tell about me. [3-52-3]

bhaava/import: 'Oh, Rama you may not be able to perceive the prognostications as you are in a fit of hunting that Golden Deer, but, for a while keep that hunting at bay and give an ear to these birds and animals that are rushing towards you to convey the news of my kidnap... and for god's sake do not kill these animals, presuming that they are pestering you...

ayam hi kR^ipayaa raama maam traatum iha sa.ngataH |
shete vinihato bhuumau mama abhaagyaat viha.ngamaH || 3-52-4

4. raama= oh, Rama; maam traatum = me, to save; kR^ipayaa= mercifully; iha sangataH= here, arrived [or, encountered Ravana]; ayam vihan gamaH= this, sky, flier [eagle Jataayu]; mama a + bhaagyaat= by my, ill, luck; vinihataH= verily mangled; bhuumau shete hi = on earth, sprawling, indeed.

"Oh, Rama, this sky flier Jataayu who mercifully came here to save me is verily mangled on his encountering Ravana, and he is sprawling on earth, indeed by my ill luck." Thus Seetha wailed. [3-52-4]

bhaava/import: 'My ill luck is so preponderant, in that it has demolished this Jataayu, who by himself is a pious and merited being who came to help the helpless one like me... but my ill luck pervaded over such an impeccable being also... otherwise Jataayu would have vanquished Ravana... thus, when an immeasurable ill luck is holding sway, it is for you, and you alone, oh, Rama, to come for my rescue...'

traahi maam adya kaakutstha lakSmaNa iti varaa.nganaa |
su sa.mtrastaa samaakra.ndat shR^iNvataam tu yathaa antike || 3-52-5

5. vara anganaa= best, lady; su sam trastaa= very, highly, panicked; kaakutstha lakSmaNa= oh, Kakutstha Rama, oh, Lakshmana; adya maam traahi = now, me, liberate; iti= thus; antike shR^iNvataam yathaa= close by [afore,] listeners [addressees,] [are available] as though; sam aakrandat= noisily, bawled.

That best lady who is very highly panicked bawled noisily, "oh, Rama of Kakutstha... oh, Lakshmana... liberate me now..." as though the addressees are before her. [3-52-5]

bhaava/import: A subject's bawling in the audience of a king is different from that of a cry of a subject in a moor. Here Seetha is visualising those two Kakutstha-s, Rama, and Lakshmana, right in her front, in a halo, and suppliantly bawling, as though asking them to come out that halo to help her out. Her bawling is not in a clamorous tone but it is a roshantiim madhura svaraam 'crying with mellowly voice...' as detailed at verse 42 below, for there should be difference between the braying of an ass and parroting of a parrot.

taam kliSTa maalya aabharaNaam vilapantiim anaathavat |
abhyadhaavata vaidehiim raavaNo raakSasa adhipaH || 3-52-6

6. kliSTa maalya aabharaNaam= muddled up, garland, jewellery; a naatha vat= un, husbanded [orphanized one,] like; vilapantiim = bawling; taam vaidehiim= at her, to Vaidehi; raakSasa adhipaH raavaNaH = demons', sovereign, Ravana; abhyadhaavata = towards rushed.

That sovereign of demons, Ravana, rushed towards Vaidehi whose garlands and jewellery are muddled up and who is bawling like an orphanized one. [3-52-6]

taam lataam iva veSTantiim aali.ngantiim mahaadrumaan |
mu.nca mu.nca iti bahushaH pravadan raakSasa adhipaH || 3-52-7
kroshantiim raama raama iti raameNa rahitaam vane |
jiivita antaaya kesheSu jagraaha antaka sa.nnibhaH || 3-52-8

7, 8. antaka sannibhaH= Death, one similar in shine; raakSasa adhipaH= demons', lord; lataam iva mahaadrumaan veSTantiim aalingantiim = climber plant, like, to sturdy tree, who is muffling, and clinging; vane raameNa rahitaam = in timberland, by Rama, one who is devoid of; raama raama iti= Rama, Rama, thus; kroshantiim= who is bewailing; taam= to her; munca munca iti= leave off, leave off [the trees,] [saying] thus; bahushaH pra vadan= repeatedly, harshly, on saying [on taunting]; jiivita antaaya= for [his] life, end of [self-ruinously]; kesheSu jagraaha= at head-hair [bun of hair,] clutched her.

Ravana, the lord of demons, has repeatedly and harshly taunted Seetha saying, 'leave it off, leave it off...' when Seetha devoid of Rama in that timberland is clinging and muffling a sturdy tree like a climber plant, and bawling, 'Rama, Rama,' and that demon whose shine is similar to the Death has clutched her hair loosened from her bun, as death loomed large on him. [3-52-7, 8]

bhaava/import: Here the word vane 'in timberland...' is actually 'loneliness...' plus, 'minus Rama...' and her crying is araNya rodana 'a cry in wilderness...' And from the viewpoint of Ravana, she is uttering a wild cry indicating that 'the giant tree called Ravana is going to fall...' as with the woodcutters' yelling 'timber... timber...' as a warning cry that a tree is about to fall, when the word 'timber' is used esp. as intransitive. This catching a chaste woman by her hair is the worst possible crime and sin as explained at 3-50-13 of this chapter. And now all the gods feel satisfied for the commencement of the process for elimination of vice on earth, called Ravana, though pitying Seetha.

Here, the 'capturing Seetha by her shadow' as explained by Maheshvara Tiirtha, is an untouched subject. If she can be captured by shadow while she is in her senses and agitating and clinging a sturdy tree, as with Simhika-Hanuma in Sundara Kanda, Ravana should not have given her this much time to her to bemoan, but should have captured by her shadow without leaving her to pay a visit to dying Jataayu. Hence, this capture is viewed on a human plane, rather than a conjuror's trick.

pradharSitaayaam vaidehyaam babhuuva sa caraa acaram |
jagat sarvam amaryaadam tamasaa andhena sa.mvR^itam || 3-52-9
na vaati maarutaH tatra niS prabho abhuut divaakaraH |

9, 10a. vaidehyaam= of Vaidehi; pradharSitaayaam= while being insulted; sa caraa a caram= together with, mobile, not mobile [sessile]; sarvam jagat = entire, world; a + maryaadam= not, scrupulous [chaotic]; andhena tamasaa samvR^itam babhuuva= by blinding, blackness, blanketing, it became [bechanced]; tatra maarutaH na vaati = there, wind, not, wafts; divaakaraH niS prabhaH abhuut= day maker [Sun,] devoid of, shine, became.

While Vaidehi is insulted thus, entire world together with its mobile or sessile beings became chaotic, and there chanced a blanketing of a blinding blackness, and waft-less is the Wind and shine-less is the Sun. [3-52-9]

This 'blackness' is a poetic gloominess of the mood, rather than a material or mythical, or superimposing darkness. Sun is gloomy, wind is gloomy, and the entire nature is in oblivion of sadness.

dR^iSTvaa siitaam paraa mR^iSTaam devo divyena cakSuSaa || 3-52-10
kR^itam kaaryam iti shriimaan vyaajahaara pitaamahaH |
prahR^iSTaa vyathitaaH ca aasan sarve te parama R^iSayaH || 3-52-11

10b, 11. shriimaan devaH pitaamahaH= illustrious, god, Grandparent [Brahma]; siitaam paraa mR^iSTaam = of Seetha, by other [person, inappropriate one,] touched [appropriated]; divyena cakSuSaa dR^iSTvaa= by divine [clairvoyant,] eyes, on seeing; kaaryam kR^itam iti= deed, is done, thus; vyaajahaara= said [declared]; prahR^iSTaa vyathitaaH ca aasan= delighted, despondent, also, became; sarve te parama R^iSayaH= all, those, supreme, sages [in Brahma's abode.]

On seeing Seetha's appropriation by an inappropriate being with His clairvoyant eyes, the illustrious Grandparent of Universe Brahma declared, "the deed is done..." but all of the supreme sages in Brahma's abode on seeing Seetha in such a condition became despondent, and yet delighted in foreseeing results. [3-52-10b, 11a]

Usually this expression parama R^iSaya 'quintessential sages...' is linked with the words danDakaraNya in next verse and said that 'the sages dwelling in Dandaka forest are delighted and yet, despondent...' If some elderly sages were available in the vicinity, they would have waited until the arrival of Rama and would have informed Rama of Seetha's abduction, though they may not be able to combat Ravana or hurl a curse at Ravana. But Ravana is no fool to abduct Seetha while a bystander stands over looking on the spectacle. Hence, these sages said here are those that are available in the academy of Brahma. And the danDaraNya vaasinaH in the next foot are the voiceless and incommunicable beings in Dandaka forest.

dR^iSTvaa siitaam paraa mR^iSTaam daNDakaaraNya vaasinaH |
raavaNasya vinaasham ca praaptam buddhvaa yadR^icChayaa || 3-52-12

12. dR^iSTvaa siitaam paraa mR^iSTaam= on seeing, Seetha, by other [person, inappropriate one,] touched [appropriated]; daNDaka araNya vaasinaH= in Dandaka, forest, dwellers; raavaNasya vi naasham ca= Ravana's, utter, destruction [annihilation,] also; praaptam= bechanced; buddhvaa yadR^icChayaa= cognised, coincidentally [as a godsend.]

On seeing Seetha's appropriation by an impropriate being, the dwellers in Dandaka forest cognised that Ravana's annihilation has chanced coincidentally. [3-52-12]

Again a poetic 'thinking' that even speechless beings can presage and prognosticate. Though they may not tell us directly, their body language and odd behaviour will certainly tell. The behaviour of animals and birds before an earthquake or a storm or any natural devastation is not an unknown phenomena. After all, a frog crocks before a rain.

sa tu taam raama raama iti rudantiim lakSmaNa iti ca |
jagaama aadaaya ca aakaasham raavaNo raakSaseshvara || 3-52-13

13. raakSaseshvara saH raavaNaH tu= demons' lord, he, Ravana, on his part; raama raama iti= Rama, Rama, thus; lakSmaNa iti ca= Lakshmana, thus, also; rudantiim = bawling; taam aadaaya = her, on taking - on wresting; aakaasham jagaama= skyward, took flight.

Ravana, the lord of demons, on wresting Seetha who is bawling, "Rama... Rama..." also thus as, "Lakshmana..." took flight skyward. [3-52-13]

tapta aabharaNa varNa angii piita kausheya vaasanii |
raraaja raaja putrii tu vidyut saudaamanii yathaa || 3-52-14

14. tapta aabharaNa varNa [juSTa] angii= molten [refined,] jewellery, coloured [muffled up,] bodied; piita kausheya vaasanii= ocherish, in silks, dressed; raaja putrii tu= king's, daughter [princess,] on her part; vidyut saudaamanii [sau daaman] yathaa= lightning flashes, in cloud, as with; raraaja= scintillated.

That princess Seetha scintillated like the oblique flashes of lightning in a cloud, owing to her golden coloured body which is muffled up with jewellery of pure gold, and added with a golden coloured ocherish silky dress, while traversing in the sky. [3-52-14]

dhvani/innuendo: A lightening in a cloud does not last for a long period. So also, for being with this cloudlike Ravana, these flashes of lightning, called Seetha, will not last long, albeit those flashes alone will electrocute that cloud, called Ravana.

uddhuutena ca vastreNa tasyaaH piitena raavaNaH |
adhikam paribabhraaja giriH diipa iva agninaa || 3-52-15

15. tasyaaH= of her; uddhuutena piitena ca vastreNa= by upheaved, yellowish [ochreish silken sari, rather, blazing hue of silk sari,] also, by cloth [upper fringe of sari]; raavaNaH= Ravana; agninaa diipa giriH iva= by fire, blazing, mountain, like; adhikam pari babhraaja= muchly, overly, shone forth - ablaze.

When her ochreish silk sari's upper fringe is upheaved by air onto to Ravana, Ravana looked blazing like a mountain set ablaze, muchly and overly. [3-52-15]

dhvani/innuendo: If some parts of a mountain are afire it is no problem since it is usual. But when the mountain itself is overly and muchly aflame, it is impracticable for any to prevent it or help it out. The upper cloth of Seetha's sari is goldenly silky and thus it will have a tinge of reddish brown hue, like the outer edge of the tongue of fire. That fringe pallu is upheaved, [intr.] rise and fall rhythmically or spasmodically, by air and it is flagging off the annihilation of Ravana, by its flag-like motions on his face. Thus, Ravana who is standing like a mountain as of now is destined soon to become a mountain with a self-ruinous fire, overly and muchly.

tasyaaH parama kalyaaNyaaH taamraaNi surabhiiNi ca |
padma patraaNi vaidehyaa abhyakiiryanta raavaNam - yadvaa -
- cyutaani padma patraaNi raavaNam samaavaakiran - || 3-52-16

16. parama kalyaaNyaaH= highly, of auspicious one - Seetha's; tasyaaH= of her; taamraaNi= coppery [reddish brown, or reddish]; surabhiiNi ca= scented, also; padma patraaNi= lotus, petals [so far decorating her bun]; cyutaani= slithered; raavaNam samaavaakiran= on Ravana, well bestrewn on; [padma patraaNi vaidehyaa= lotus, petals, of Vaidehi; abhyakiiryanta raavaNam= around, strewn - by air.]

Reddish and scented lotus-petals adorning that highly auspicious Seetha have slithered, but again upheaved by air they are bestrewn on Ravana. [3-52-16]

dhvani/innuendo: The reddish lotus petals which hitherto are on her body, as garlands and on her braid as a chaplet, are crumpled and loosened in the tussle and thus each petal is falling each time. Instead of falling onto earth, they are upheaved and sprinkled on Ravana's body by the fast wind under the feet of Ravana, somewhat like a floral welcome. This is in one way a good omen to Ravana to get a release from his accursed state, while on the other, it suggests that his opulence is soon destined to wither away like a withered petal of lotus. The last foot is taken, which obtains in other mms, leaving off the middle foot, that also says the same.

tasyaaH kausheyam uddhuutam aakaashe kanaka prabham |
babhau ca aaditya raageNa taamram abhram iva aatape || 3-52-17

17. tasyaaH= of her; aakaashe uddhuutam= in sky, upheaved; kanaka prabham kausheyam= golden, in glitter, silk sari [upper fringe]; aatape= in red heat [of midday]; aaditya raageNa= by sun's, reddish hue; taamram abhram iva= coppery red, cloud, like; babhau= beamed forth.

Upper fringe of Seetha's silk sari with golden glitter is upheaved in the sky, and with the reddish hue of sun in red heat of midday it beamed forth like a reddish cloud. [3-52-17]

bhaava/import: A reddish cloud is acceptable either in morning or in evening but not in midday since it is a bad omen.

tasyaaH tat vimalam - su nasam - vak.htram aakaashe raavaNa a.nka gam |
na raraaja vinaa raamam vinaalam iva pa.nkajam || 3-52-18

18. aakaashe= in sky; raavaNa anka gam= Ravana's, in flank, one who has gone in; tasyaaH tat vimalam vaktram= of her, that, immaculate, visage; raamam vinaa = Rama, without - devoid of, not in vicinage; vi naalam panka jam iva = without, stalk, as with, mud, born [like lotus minus stalk]; na raraaja= not, brightened.

As with a stalk-less lotus the immaculate visage of Seetha is unbright in the sky when she is on the flank of Ravana as Rama is not in vicinage. [3-52-18]

bhaava/import: A lotus without a stalk looses its glamour as well as its infrastructure. As sun brightens the face of moon, Rama brightens Seetha's visage. As moon depends on sun, Seetha depends on Rama, and devoid of him, she is lost to the world for a glimpse.

babhuuva jaladam niilam bhittvaa candra iva uditaH |
su lalaaTam su kesha a.ntam padma garbha aabham avraNam || 3-52-19
shuklaiH su vimalair dantaiH prabhaavadbhiH ala.nkR^itam |
tasyaaH su nayanam vak.htram aakaashe raavaNa a.nka gam || 3-52-20
ruditam vyapamR^iSTa asram candravat priya darshanam |
su naasam caaru taamra oSTham aakaaSe haaTaka prabham || 3-52-21

19, 20, 21. su lalaaTam= one with pretty, forehead; su kesha antam = having prettyish, hair, ends [curls]; padma garbha aabham= lotus, pistil, in shine; a+ vraNam= without, boils [without pimples]; shuklaiH= whitish; su vimalaiH= verily, unblemished [spick and span]; prabhaavadbhiH= sparkling; dantaiH= with teeth; alankR^itam= adorned with; ruditam= on weeping; vyapamR^iSTa asram = vi apa mR^iSTa asram= verily, sideways, dabbed, face; candravat priya darshanam = moon, like, pleasant, to see; su naasam= shapely, nosed; su nayanam= with pretty, eyes; caaru taamra oSTham= charming, coppery [rosy,] lipped; aakaaSe haaTaka prabham= in sky, golden, in shine; aakaashe raavaNa anka gam= in sky, in Ravana's, flank, gone in; tasyaaH tat [vimalam] vaktra= her, that, [immaculate,] face - of Seetha; niilam jaladam bhittvaa= bluish, cloud, on bursting; uditaH= risen; candra iva = moon, like; babhuuva= it became - turned out.

Her lotus pistil like un-pimply face is adorned with a pretty forehead on which prettyish curls are fluttering, and with teeth that are spick and span and sparkling, but tears dabbed on that face to sideways when she wept, yet it is pleasant like moon for a sight with shapely nose, pretty eyes, roseate lips, and shining with golden hue in sky. Nevertheless, when she has gone in the flank of Ravana on the sky such an immaculate face of Seetha turned like a palish moon that has just risen bursting a bluish cloud. [3-52-19, 20, 21]

raakSasendra samaadhuutam tasyaaH tat vadanam shubham |
shushubhe na vinaa raamam divaa candra iva uditaH || 3-52-22

22. raakSasendra = by demon's lord; sam aadhuutam= highly, disturbed - disconcerted; shubham tat [haaTaka prabha] vadanam= auspicious, that, [golden, in hue,] face; raamam vinaa= Rama, without; divaa uditaH candra iva= in daytime, arisen, moon, like; na shushubhe= not, brightened.

Highly disconcerted by the king of demons that auspicious face of Seetha is unbright like the moon arisen in daytime with somewhat golden hue, owing to the absence of Rama. [3-52-22]

bhaava/import: One moon is enough. If there were to be two moons, it is indicative of some havoc. Now, a silvern moon is there and this lady with her golden-moon face may supersede that silvern moon and thus may cause havocs. Moon coming out when sun is still on sky will be somewhat golden in hue. She is un-brightened because Rama is not at her side as of now, but like a diamond that is coexistent with coal, Seetha is now with this coal-like Ravana.

saa hema varNaa niila a.ngam maithilii raakSasa adhipam |
shushubhe kaa.ncanii kaa.ncii niilam maNim - gajam - iva aashritaa || 3-52-23

23. niila angam raakSasa adhipam= blackish, bodied, demons', sovereign [Ravana]; aashritaa= dangling to - moored by; hema varNaa saa maithilii= golden, coloured, she, that Maithili; niilam maNim [gajam]= Indra niila, sapphire, gem [elephant]; kaancanii= golden; kaancii iva= cincture; shushubhe= shone forth.

She that golden coloured Maithili who is moored by the blackish-bodied sovereign of demons shone forth like a sapphirine gemstone studded in a golden cincture.

Or

She that golden coloured Maithili who is moored by the blackish-bodied sovereign of demons shone forth like a golden cincture girded to an elephant. [3-52-23]

The gemstone sapphire, more precisely indra niila maNi, shines brilliantly when studded in silver ornaments, rather than in golden ones. Gold is no match to that blue stone. So also, Seetha's shine is dullish. This is vyatireka ukti alankaara 'a litotes...' The mms of Govindaraja says shushubhe kaa.ncanii kaa.ncii niilam maNim iva aashritaa 'shone like a sapphire with gold...' while Maheshvara Tiirtha puts it as gajam iva aashritaa 'a golden cincture like elephant's girdle, where Ravana is the elephant and golden cincture is Seetha...' Though this text of Tiirtha is found more emphatic, but the blemish of reiteration occurs to the epic, because another verse, namely 30 below, contains similar 'elephant-golden-cincture' expression gajam kakshyaa iva kaa.ncanii Then, in the text of Maheshvara Tiirtha this verse 30 is pushed to a farther place that is at 30. 'Then unblemished it is, insofar as proximate reiteration is concerned...' it is said so.

saa padma piitaa hema aabhaa raavaNam janaka aatmajaa |
vidyut ghanam iva aavishya shushubhe tapta bhuuSaNaa || 3-52-24

24. padma piitaa [gaurii]= lotus, yellowish; hema aabhaa= golden, in tinge; tapta bhuuSaNaa= with molten [purified golden,] ornaments; saa janaka aatmajaa= she that, Janaka's, daughter Seetha; raavaNam [ghanam iva] aavishya = Ravana, [stonehearted one, as with,] on holding - on possessing; vidyut [elliptic. aavishya] ghanam iva= lightning, [possessed in,] dark-cloud, like; shushubhe= flashed.

Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, with a complexion that is goldenly yellowish in the tinge of a lotus, moreover with her ornaments of purified gold, flashed like a lightning possessed in a dark-cloud, when that stonehearted Ravana possessed her. [3-52-24]

dhvani/innuendo: A lightning seeks no mercy. Though Seetha is overlain on the shoulder of that ghana saara hR^idaya 'stonehearted...' Ravana, she does not seek for his mercy to leave her off, as lightning overlain on a cloud does not seek the mercy of a ghanaa ghanaH 'a darkly massive cloud...' The nearness or the proximity of a lightning and cloud is short-lived, so is this proximity of Seetha with Ravana. And the lightning will brighten a darkish cloud, but the darkish cloud cannot darken that silvery lightning.

tasyaa bhuuSaNa ghoSeNa vaidehyaa raakSasa adhipaH |
babhuuva vimalo niilaH saghoSa iva toyadaH || 3-52-25

25. raakSasa adhipaH= demons', lord; tasyaaH vaidehyaa= of her, of Vaidehi; bhuuSaNa ghoSeNa= jewellery's, with tinkles [with rustles]; vimalaH= spotless - shipshape; [sa capalaH= with, undulating lightning]; sa ghoSa= with, rumbles; niilaH toyadaH iva= blue-blackish, cloud, like; babhuuva [babhau]= became [shone forth.]

With the rustles of Vaidehi's jewellery that lord of demons shone forth like a shipshape blue-black cloud with rumbles and undulating lightning. [3-52-25]

dhvani/innuendo: A massive darkish cloud may rumble, roar or blare, but its bursting will be scanty and short. So also, this Ravana may appear like a thunderous cloud as of now, but it dissipates soon.

uttama a.nga cyutaa tasyaaH puSpa vR^iSTiH samantataH |
siitaayaa hriyamaaNaayaaH papaata dharaNii tale || 3-52-26

26. hriyamaaNaayaaH= while being abducted; tasyaaH siitaayaaH= of her, Seetha's; uttama anga cyutaa = best, of body part i.e., head, or, from her best, body,] fallen; puSpa vR^iSTiH = flowers, shower of; samantataH dharaNii tale papaata = all-over, on earth's, surface, fallen.

Flowers gracing her best body on her head, in garlands on chest, and on armlets have fallen all-over the surface of earth like showers of flowers while she is being abducted. [3-52-26]

saa tu raavaNa vegena puSpa vR^iSTiH samantataH |
samaadhuutaa dashagriivam punaH eva abhyavartata || 3-52-27

27. samantataH [cyutaa] tu= all-over, [fallen,] though; saa puSpa vR^iSTiH= that, flower, shower; raavaNa vegena= by Ravana's, speed; samaadhuutaa= sam aa dhuutaa= well, up, heaved [windswept]; punaH dashagriivam eva= again, to Decahedral Ravana, alone; [saa puSpa vR^iSTiH ] abhi aa vartata= towards, re, coursed.

Though that flower-shower has fallen all-over, it is windswept by the speed of Ravana, and fell again on that Decahedral demon. [3-52-27]

All the gods have caused the flower-shower, for their mission is going to fructify by this act of siitaa apaharaNa 'Abduction of Seetha...' saying, 'Oh Goddess Lakshmi, you have graced all of us and the earth to allow yourself for abduction... thus triggered off is our mission of elimination of vice, in the shape of Ravana, on earth...' So said in kaTaka vyaakhya kaTaka's commentary. But Maheshvara Tiirtha says that 'when gods have no guts to affront Ravana or come into the sight of Ravana, wherefrom they cause a flower-shower? So, it is not gods that showered these flowers, but they are the flowers on her body fallen down by the gust caused by the speed of Ravana, but again windswept, up-heaved and fallen on the body of Ravana...' In either the case, Goddess Lakshmi has blessed Ravana with the flowers fallen from her physique onto the head of Ravana, as with the flowers slid from an idol in a temple, becoming worthy to wear on heads of devotees.

abhyavartata puSpaaNaam dhaaraa vaishravaNa anujam |
nakSatra maalaa vimalaa merum nagam iva unnatam || 3-52-28

28. puSpaaNaam dhaaraa= of flowers, showers; vimalaa nakSatra maalaa= pristine, stars, garland; unnatam merum nagam iva [ abhi aa vartitam]= loftiest, Mt, Meru, mountain, like [circles round]; vaishravaNa anujam= Vaishravana, or Kubera's, brother; abhyavartata= circled.

Like the garland of pristine stars that circles round the loftiest Mt. Meru, that flower-shower circled Ravana, the brother of Kubera. [3-52-28]

dhvani/innuendo: This whirling and twirling of flowers around Ravana is not a one time affair. It is continued by his dashing speed. When the circling flowers are lowered by gravity, they are again up-heaved by Ravana's speed and thus it is recurrent.

caraNaat nuupuram bhraSTam vaidehyaa ratna bhuuSitam |
vidyut maNDala sa.nkaasham papaata dharaNii tale || 3-52-29

29. vaidehyaa caraNaat bhraSTam= of Vaidehi, from foot, slid; ratna bhuuSitam nuupuram = gems, adorned with, anklet; vidyut maNDala sankaasham= electric, annulus, similar to [sparky] sparkles; dharaNii tale papaata = on earth's, plane of, fell down.

Slid from the left foot of Vaidehi her anklet adorned with gems fell down onto the plane of earth like an electric annulus with its sparky sparkles. [3-52-29]

dhvani/innuendo: This anklet has not suddenly fallen. It is whirling for sometime against the gust raised by Ravana's rush. When it is circuitously whirling, that ring's sparkles are like the sparks of electricity in a circular band. And this ringlet is a symbolic of an electric ring-like guard for the entire earth against further atrocities on earth, which is why it exhibited its electric-sparks in sky for a while and descended onto earth.

taru pravaala rak{}taa saa niila a.ngam raakSasa iishvaram |
praashobhayata vaidehii gajam kakshyaa iva kaa.ncanii || 3-52-30

30. taru pravaala raktaa= tree's, leaflet, reddish; saa vaidehii= she, that Vaidehi; niila angam raakSasa iishvaram= blackish, bodied, demons', lord; kaancanii kakshyaa gajam iva= golden, with girdle [in elephant-stable,] elephant, like; praa shobhayata= well and truly, made lambent.

She that Vaidehi who is so delicate like reddish leaflets of trees made that blackish bodied lord of demons, Ravana, well and truly lambent, herself becoming a golden girdle girded around the elephant like Ravana.

Or

She that Vaidehi who is so delicate like reddish leaflets of trees made that blackish bodied lord of demons, Ravana, well and truly lambent, as with an elephant, with a golden girdle, stabled in an elephant-stable by a mahout, the elephant-trainer. [3-52-30]

bhaava/import: The first gist is the apparent and lexical in its meaning and the second one is like this: An elephant that runs amock and berserk will be controlled and brought back to normalcy by a mahout, an elephant-trainer. He will use all necessary items like ropes, chains, hurdles etc., to stop its haphazard running, and among them is a girdle rope with which he mounts that elephant with his goad to control it. Here Seetha is that golden girdle to this elephantine Ravana, with the help that rope Rama, the mahout, can control this elephant in rut, namely Ravana, and can place that pachyderm in its elephant-stable. Govindaraja.

taam mahaa ulkaam iva aakaashe diipyamaanaam sva tejasaa |
jahaara aakaasham aavishya siitaam vaishravaNa anujaH || 3-52-31

31. vaishravaNa anujaH= Vaishravana's [Kubera's,] brother Ravana; mahaa ulkaam iva= massive, meteor like; sva tejasaa= by her own, radiancy; aakaashe diipyamaanaam= in sky, radiating; taam siitaam= her, that Seetha; aakaasham aavishya= sky, invading; jahaara= stolen [abducted.]

Ravana, the brother of Kubera, on invading the sky abducted that radiant Seetha who is radiating the sky by her own radiancy like a massive meteor. [3-52-31]

bhaava/import: The sighting of a meteor in itself is a bad omen mahaa utpaata suucitam 'augural of a great havoc...' and this Ravana is personally handling such a causer of a great havoc. A meteor, though visible as a streak of light falling in yonder sky, becomes incandescent as a result of friction with the earth's atmosphere. As such, it is tantamount to a massive fireball. Ravana is carrying this fireball to set his home afire. Perhaps Ravana might have thought in similar way and thus kept Seetha in Ashoka gardens, instead of placing her in his golden palace, so that his golden palace will not be burnt with this torch, called Seetha. But the same torch burns that golden palace down to ashes, though not directly but indirectly through Hanuma, in Sundara Kanda, as a coincidence.

tasyaaH taani agni var.hNaani bhuuSaNaani mahii tale |
sa ghoSaaNi avakiiryanta kSiiNaaH taaraa iva a.mbaraat || 3-52-32

32. tasyaaH= of her; agni varNaani = flamelike, coloured [lustrously flamy]; taani bhuuSaNaani= [some of] those, ornaments; sa ghoSaaNi= with, [much] clatter; ambaraat kSiiNaaH= from sky, fallen [pelted down - stars]; taaraa iva= stars, like; mahii tale ava kiiryanta= on earth's, plane, about, strewn.

Some of her ornaments which are lustrously flamy, for they are sparkling like the sparkles of fireworks, are strewn about on the plane of earth with much clatter like the stars pelted down from the sky. [3-52-32]

tasyaaH stana antaraat bhraSTo haaraH taaraa adhipa dyutiH |
vaidehyaa nipatan bhaati ga.ngaa iva gaganaat cyutaa || 3-52-33

33. tasyaaH vaidehyaa= of her, of Vaidehi; stana antaraat= breasts, medial; bhraSTaH= glissaded; taaraa adhipa dyutiH= stars, lord in sheen [moonshine]; haaraH= necklace [usu. pearly multi-stringed pendant a rivière ]; nipatan= while falling [while glissading]; gaganaat cyutaa gangaa iva bhaati= from skies, in glissade, River Ganga, like, sheeny.

A multi-string pearl pendant, a rivière, that vies with the moonshine has glissaded from the medial of her breasts, and while glissading from sky it is sheeny like River Ganga while she glissaded from skies. [3-52-33]

bhaava/import: The simile upama of Seetha's pearly strings of a pendant to River Ganga may be observed and the portrayal of ganga avataraNa 'Ganga's descent to earth...' may be referred in Bala Kanda. The pearls of the pendant are shining like Ganga's glistening froth and foam, the strings are her streams, and the string's wavy movement is Ganga's beautiful flexuous and curvy drift, moreover the stings are falling off medially from two mountains, called Seetha's breasts, as Ganga also rose and fell from mountainous heights.

utpaata vaata abhihataa naanaa dvija gaNa aayutaaH |
maa bhaiH iti vidhuuta agraa vyaajahruH iva paadapaaH || 3-52-34

34. vaata abhi hataa= by wind, well, struck - stirred up by the gust caused by Ravana's flight; naanaa dvija gaNa aayutaaH= diverse, bird, folks, consisting of - perching on; paadapaaH= trees; vi dhuuta agraa= verily, blown, with tops; maa bhaiH [maa bhaiH] iti= do not, fear, [fear not,] thus; vyaajahruH iva= saying [consoling Seetha,] as though; ut paata= up, heaved - swung.

The trees on which diverse birds are perching have been stirred up with the wind blown and up-heaved by the gust of Ravana's flight, while the swaying motion of those treetops is as though waving hands to console Seetha saying, "fear not... fear not..." [3-52-34]

dhvani/innuendo: When the treetops, rather whole of a tree is swaying, will not the birds abiding on it chirp and chitter? Yes! They will. Thus, the birds are twittering and trees are swaying their tops for a bon voyage. The chirrups of the birds are abhaya vaakyaaH the 'expression of good wishes to a departing traveller...' and the swaying motion of treetops are abhaya hasta abhinaya are the 'gesturing with raised and swaying hands wishing good to a departing traveller... etc. minus voicing, as with 'ta-ta, cheerio, best of luck...'. The word is 'tree' which comes out of earth and stands on earth, thus an earth-born one. Seetha is also an earth-born one and kindred of trees, i.e., nature. Nature itself is assuring Seetha to not to fear.

nalinyo dhvasta kamalaaH trasta miina jale caraaH |
sakhiim iva gata utsaahaam shocanti iva sma maithiliim || 3-52-35

35. dhvasta kamalaaH= with wilted, lotuses; trasta miina jale caraaH= with scared, fish, [other] water, moving beings; nalinyaH= lotus-lakes; gata utsaahaam= lost, enthusiasm [unenthusiastically]; sakhiim iva= girlfriend, like; maithiliim= about Maithili; shocanti iva= sorrowing, as though; sma= they are.

With wilted lotuses and scared fishes and other beings moving in water the lotus lakes are unenthusiastically sorrowing for Maithili as though Seetha is their girlfriend.

Poetically

The lakes with lotuses as their faces, and fishes as their eyes, and with the other facial adornments like the swimming, sweeping and sailing water-moving beings like tortoises, waterfowls and the like are unenthused, for a similar girlfriend of theirs, the lotus-faced, fish-eyed, lotus-modelled Seetha is beleaguered, and thus they are sorrowing for such a selfsame Maithili. [3-52-35]

sama.ntaat abhisa.mpatya si.mha vyaaghra mR^iga dvijaaH |
anvadhaavan tadaa roSaat siitaam Chaayaa anugaaminaH || 3-52-36

36. tadaa= then; simha vyaaghra mR^iga dvijaaH= lions, tigers, animals, birds; samantaat= from all-over; abhi sampatya= towards, came together [gathered in herds]; roSaat= rancorously; Chaayaa anu gaaminaH = shadow of Seetha, on the heels, going, - shadowing her; siitaam anva dhaavan= after Seetha, pursuantly, ran.

All lions, tigers, animals and birds have then gathered in herds from all-over and ran rancorously and pursuantly shadowing the shadow of Seetha. [3-52-36]

dhvani/innuendo: Even the cruellest animals will be compassionate, if only humans are compassionate to them. Neither Seetha scared any animal nor any animal scared Seetha. This may be a useful verse for Animal Rights Activists.

jala prapaata asra mukhaaH shR^ingaiH ucChrita baahavaH |
siitaayaam hriyamaaNaayaam vikroshanti iva parvataaH || 3-52-37

37. siitaayaam hriya maaNaayaam= at Seetha, who is being abducted; parvataaH= mountains; jala prapaata= water, falls; asra mukhaaH= as [shedding] tears, with [such] faces; shR^ingaiH ucChrita baahavaH= by peaks, upraised, arms; vikroshanti iva= bewailed, as though [appeared to be.]

The mountains appeared bewailing with their waterfalls as shedding tears and with their peaks as upraised arms, while Seetha is thus being abducted. [3-52-37]

dhvani/innuendo:A mountain cannot fly up to confront Ravana like an eagle, nor it can express its anguish like a swaying tree or a chirping bird, nor it cannot doggedly run after like lions and other animals, thus it is a 'cannot but situation' for any mountain to sit back and weep, as it is sessile. The eyes do not shed tears only in one direction. So also, the waterfalls are shed in many directions at the face-level of mountains, but not from their peaks. Then how to express their anguish bodily, to her who is up above the sky or pray the Almighty to rescue her? Hence, their raised mountaintops are their upraised arms, expressing all of their anguish, more so, with the booming weepy noise of the air coming out their caves, which in normal situations will be like the booming voicing of Sama Veda.

hriyamaaNaam tu vaidehiim dR^iSTvaa diino divaakaraH |
pravidhvasta prabhaH shriimaan aasiit paaNDura maNDalaH || 3-52-38

38. hriyamaaNaam vaidehiim dR^iSTvaa= being abducted, at Vaidehi, on seeing; shriimaan divaakaraH diinaH = magnificent, day maker [Sun,] is saddened; pra vi dhvasta prabhaH= very, lowly, weakened, with sunshine; paaNDura maNDalaH aasiit= whitened [palely,] sun-sphere [rather, sun-disc,] became.

On seeing Vaidehi who is being abducted thus, magnificent Sun in firmament is saddened, and lowly weakened is his sunshine, palely whitened is his sun-disc, and faintly deadened is his solar constant. [3-52-38]

na asti dharmaH kutaH satyam na aarjavam na anR^ishamsataa |
yatra raamasya vaidehiim bhaaryaam harati raavaNaH || 3-52-39
iti bhuutaani sar.hvaaNi gaNashaH par.hyadevayan |

39, 40a. yatra= where [when]; raamasya bhaaryaam vaidehiim= Rama's, wife, Vaidehi is; raavaNaH harati= Ravana, is abducting; at such juncture; dharmaH na asti= probity, not, is there; satyam kutaH = fundamental truth [conscience,] whereby; aarjavam na = candour, no [place for, unfounded]; a+nR^i+shamsataa na = un-mercifulness [compassion,] no [place for, unfounded,]; iti sarvaaNi bhuutaani gaNashaH = thus, all of the, being, in throngs; paryadevayan= overly regretted.

"When Ravana is abducting none other than the wife of Rama, then there is no probity. At such a juncture, how conscience can prevail? Unfounded are candour and compassion," thus the throngs of all beings overly regretted. [3-52-39, 40a]

vitrastakaa diina mukhaa ruruduH mR^iga potakaaH || 3-52-40
udviikSya udviikSya nayanaiH asra paata aavila iikSaNaaH |

40b, 41a. mR^iga potakaaH vi trastakaa= deer, fawns, verily, frightened; diina mukhaa= with saddening, faces; asra paata aavila iikSaNaaH= with tears, shedding; flustered, looks; with such; nayanaiH = eyes; ut viikSya ut viikSya= up, seeing, up, seeing- craning and seeing; ruruduH= wept.

Verily frightened are the fawns of deer, and their saddened faces are with tear shedding eyes with flustered looks, and they looked up and up at Seetha in sky and wept. [3-52-40b, 41a]

dhvani/innuendo: The fawns are frightened because they have very broad and comely eyes like Seetha and someday some seducer like Ravana may also lead them astray, as collapsed is the equilibrium of conscience, candour or compassion. Hence, they are peeking out skyward repeatedly while Seetha is also looking down for Rama and Lakshmana, where the commonality is in the fawn-eyes filled with tears, both to the fawns and Seetha.

supravepita gaatraaH ca babhuuvuH vana devataaH || 3-52-41
vikroshantiim dR^iDham siitaam dR^iSTvaa duHkham tathaa gataam |

41b, 42a. tathaa= that way; duHkham gataam= anguish, undergoing; dR^iDham vi kroshantiim = in high-pitched [voice,] highly, bawling; siitaam dR^iSTvaa= Seetha, on seeing; vana devataaH= sylvan, deities; su pra vepita gaatraaH = very, extremely, shuddered, bodied; babhuuvuH= [bodies] happened to be.

On seeing Seetha who is undergoing anguish in that way the sylvan deities physically shuddered in a worst way. [3-52-41b, 42a]

taam tu lakSmaNa raama iti kroshantiim madhura svaraam || 3-52-42
avekSamaaNaam bahusho vaidehiim dharaNii talam |
sa taam aakula keshaantaam vipramR^iSTa visheSakaam |
jahaara aatma vinaashaaya dashagriivo manasvinaam || 3-52-43

42b, 43. lakSmaNa raama iti= Lakshmana, Rama, thus; madhura svaraam kroshantiim = with mellowly, voice, one who is crying; bahushaH dharaNii talam avekSamaaNaam= oftentimes, at earth's, plane, who is looking searchingly; aakula kesha antaam= tousle, hair, ends - tousle-haired; vi pra mR^iSTa = very, untidily, smudged; visheSakaam= felicitous, vermilion mark on forehead - tilaka, sindoor]; manasvinaam= uncompromising one - a husband-devout, pati vrata; taam vaidehiim= such a, Vaidehi; saH dashagriivaH= he, that decahedral demon; aatma vinaashaaya= for self, ruination; taam jahaara= her, he abducted.

She who is looking searchingly at the plane of earth for Rama or Lakshmana, and truly bawling in high-pitched but mellowly voice calling "Rama, Lakshmana", and whose hair-lengths are tousled, and whose felicitous vermilion mark on her forehead is smudged very untidily, that Decahedral demon abducted such an uncompromising husband-devout, Vaidehi, only for his self-ruination. [3-52-42a, 43]

tataH tu saa caaru datii shuci smitaa
vinaa kR^itaa bandhu janena maithilii |
apashyatii raaghava lakSmaNaau ubhau
vivarNa vak{}traa bhaya bhaara piiDitaa || 3-52-44

44. tataH= then; caaru datii= prettily, teethed; shuci smitaa= clean-cut, one with such smile; bandhu janena vinaa kR^itaa= kin, folk, without, made [already distanced from kith and kin]; saa= she that; maithilii= Maithili is; raaghava lakSmaNaau ubhau= Raghava, Lakshmana, both; a + pashyatii= not, seen [by her]; vi varNa vaktraa= less of, colour, face [pale faced]; bhaya bhaara piiDitaa= of consternation, by cumber, chastened.

She who is already detracted from her kinsfolk in Mithila or in Ayodhya, that Maithili with pretty teeth and clean-cut smile is then distanced from the only two last kinsmen, for either Raghava or Lakshmana or both are unseen by her, and thus her face is paled for she is chastened by the cumber of consternation. [3-52-44]

.

The sense and nonsense of the 'untouchability' of woman

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There are many taboos annexed to woman saying that 'a woman is untouchable by other men...' and much discussion is also there in Ramayana. For this, the commentator of Dharmaakuutam says, that when Seetha herself said to Hanuma that touching other men is indecent in Sundara Kanda, Ch. 37, at verses 60 or so: bhartur bhaktim puraskrtya r˜m˜t anyasya v˜nara | na aham spraÿ÷um pad˜ g˜tram iccheyam v˜narottama || yadaham g˜tra samsparþam r˜vaõasya gat˜ bal˜t | anŸþ˜ kim kariÿy˜mi vin˜th˜ vivaþ˜ satŸ || the commentator questions 'how then can she embrace Jataayu, let alone touching?' and in answer he says iti han¨mantam prati para puruÿa sparþana m˜tram anucitam iti vakÿyasi | evam t˜d®þŸyam sŸt˜ para puruÿam jat˜yuÿam katham ˜liðgatavati iti cet na | duÿ÷a bh˜vena para puruÿa ˜liðganasya doÿatvo api du×kha parih˜r˜ya ˜tura buddhi sparþane doÿam a-bh˜v˜t | tatra - gautama× - strŸ prekÿaõa ˜lmbhane maithun k˜ðkÿay˜m - varjayet iti þeÿa× | atra - mitr˜kÿar˜ - prakaþeõa Ÿkÿaõam avayavaþo nir¨paõam - na y˜d®cchika darÿanam | ˜lambhanam sparÿanam | maithuna þaðk˜y˜m iti vacan˜t b˜l˜y˜m - v®ddh˜y˜m - ˜tur˜y˜m svasya ca b˜l˜de× na doÿa iti | evam s˜m˜nyatay˜ b˜la v®ddha ˜tur˜õ˜m para puruÿ˜õ˜m strŸbhi× sparþane k®to api na doÿa× || 'advances towards a woman with a libidinous look, or a voluptuous gesticulation or lustful approaches are 'immoral' but mere touching or embracing age-old people, people in anguish etc, is as good as fondling her own babies...' Again according to gautama suutraa-s 'lustful eying, or teasingly hankering after other's women is to be avoided...' Even the mitraakshara 'A treatise of Friendlily Advises' says: 'seeing voyeuristically, bodily gesticulations, habitual observations, or hankering after lustfully etc., are immoral for a man of age at any woman...' This is discussed for the act of Seetha in hugging Jataayu at last verse of previous chapter of this Aranya Kanda: punaH ca samgR^ihya ruroda 'again taken into hands, wept away...' Some publications of this Gorakhpur version has this word samgR^ihya a word of less intensity, 'taken into hands...' has a replacement parishvajya, aali.ngya the words with clear-cut action, 'embraced, hugged a dying eagle with a fatherly affection. Therefore it does not mean women are 'untouchables' in general.

From Ravana's side his curse is that, 'his head splinters into thousands of pieces if he touches other's woman...' But it is not yet splintered though he handled Seetha that roughly. Hence, that curse in its actuality is 'raping' but not mere 'touching' of body parts. Touching the 'untouchable' parts of other's women, that too without proper and full consent of that woman. As such, though he touched Seetha, carried on his flanks, took to his Lanka on his own body, he gives her time to reconcile herself, but does not make haphazard advances unilaterally. Thus, a difference between touching and fondling, grasping and caressing is established and it is no sin or taboo for any woman to do so.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 52nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 53

Introduction

Seetha denounces Ravana's misdeed and challenges him to brave her husband in a manly combat, rather than thieving her in a mousy way. She reasons with him about his propriety in abducting other's wives, in vainglory.

kham utpatantam tam dR^iSTvaa maithilii janaka aatmajaa |
duHkhitaa parama udvignaa bhaye mahati vartinii || 3-53-1

1. janaka aatmajaa maithilii= Janaka's, daughter, Maithili; kham ut patantam tam dR^iSTvaa= on sky, up, fallen [Ravana's taking flight along with her,] him, on seeing; parama udvignaa= became highly, frantic; mahati bhaye vartinii= in highest, dismay, remaining in; duHkhitaa= she is distraught.

Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, on seeing the skyward flight of Ravana taking her along became highly frantic and remaining in highest dismay she is distraught. [3-53-1]

roSa rodana taamraakSii bhiimaakSam raakSasa adhipam |
rudatii karuNam siitaa hriyamaaNaa idam abraviit || 3-53-2

2. hriyamaaNaa= while being abducted; siitaa= Seetha; rudatii= outpouring tears; roSa rodana taamraakSii= with resentment, tearful, coppery, eyed one; bhiima akSam raakSasa adhipam= terrible [gory,] eyed one, to demon's, chief; karuNam idam abraviit= piteously, this, said [poured scorn on Ravana.]

Seetha whose eyes turned coppery-red with tears and resentment, still outpouring tears while being abducted she piteously poured this scorn on that gory-eyed demon's chief, Ravana. [3-53-2]

na vyapatrapase niica karmaNaa anena raavaNa |
j~naatvaa virahitaam yo maam corayitvaa palaayase || 3-53-3

3. niica raavaNa= knave, Ravana; j~naatvaa= on knowing; vi rahitaam= without, someone - my aloneness; yaH= you who are; maam corayitvaa palaayase= me, on thieving, you took to flight; anena karmaNaa= by this, act [subterfuge]; na vyapatrapase [vi apa tarpase]= not, [very, lowly, ashamed]= are you not ashamed in the least.

"You knave Ravana, you are taking flight on thieving me after prowling about my loneliness, such as you are, are you not ashamed in the least for this subterfuge. [3-53-3]

tvayaa eva nuunam duSTaatman bhiiruNaa hartum icChataa |
mama apavaahito bhartaa mR^iga ruupeNa maayayaa || 3-53-4

4. duSTa aatman= oh, black, hearted [fiend]; hartum icChataa= to abduct, wishful; bhiiruNaa= by coward; tvayaa eva= by you, alone; mama bhartaa= my, husband; maayayaa mR^iga ruupeNa= by trickery, in a Golden-Deer's, guise; apa vaahitaH= to side, lined - led away from hermitage; nuunam= for sure.

"You black-hearted fiend, for sure, you alone sidelined my husband in a trickish guise of Golden Deer wishful to abduct me as you are a coward. [3-53-4]

yo hi maam udyataH traatum so api ayam vinipaatitaH |
gR^idhra raajaH puraaNo asau shvashurasya sakhaa mama || 3-53-5

5. yaH gR^idhra raajaH= which, eagle, king; maam traatum= me, to bail [me] out; udyataH= battled against; mama shvashurasya puraaNaH sakhaa= my, father-in-law's, old, friend; saH ayam= such as he is; asau api= him, also [even he is]; vi ni paatitaH hi= verily, down, felled, indeed.

"Which king of eagles battled against you to bail me out, an old friend of my father-in-law, such as he is he is also felled, indeed. [3-53-5]

Annex: 'You have felled an old and withered eagle after a long-drawn battle... then, how long can you battle that Raghava? Does this felling of an age-old eagle adds any feather to your crown?'

paramam khalu te viiryam dR^ishyate raakSasaadhama |
vishraavya naamadheyam hi yuddhe na asmi jitaa tvayaa || 3-53-6

6. raakSasa adhama= you demon, basely; te viiryam= your, audacity; paramam dR^ishyate khalu= audacious, appearing [shown by you,] truly; naamadheyam vishraavya= [your great] name, making to listen [earbashing, ear-shattering,]; tvayaa yuddhe na jitaa asmi hi= by you, in combat, not, conquered, I am, really; [or, yuddhena asmi jitaa tvayaa hi= by combating, I am, conquered, by you - Really? Or, yuddhe naamadheyam vishraavya= in combat, you name, on announcing.]

"Ah, truly what an audacious audacity is shown by you... you basely demon... by ear-shattering your great name saying that 'I am Ravana...' I am conquered in a combat - Really?

Or

"Am I conquered by you in a combat between my husband and you, wherein you on announcing your name to my husband and truly showing your audacious audacity defeated my husband, and thus triumphing over me - or what? Tell me, you mousy demon...

Or

"Unable to conquer my husband in a combat, but able to earbash your name to a lonely woman and abducting her, will this tantamount to your apparently audacious audacity? Thus, I am not really triumphed over by a lowly demon like you... [3-53-6]

iidR^isham garhitam karma katham kR^itvaa na lajjase |
striyaaH ca haraNam niica rahite ca parasya ca || 3-53-7

7. niica= you knave; rahite= lonely; parasya ca= other [man's,] also [that too]; striyaaH ca= woman, also; haraNam ca= abduction, also [that too]; iidR^isham garhitam karma= this kind of, deplorable, deed; kR^itvaa= on doing [undertaking]; katham na lajjase= how, not, ashamed you are.

"A woman, that too a lonely one, that too the other man's wife, that too an abduction, but not winning or wooing her... you knave, on your undertaking such a kind of deplorable deed, how unashamed are you? [3-53-7]

Annex: 'Will not the other males deplore you for your unmasculine female stealing, for this kind of undertaking is unobserved even in animal world?'

kathayiSyanti lokeSu puruSaaH karma kutsitam |
sunR^ishamsam adharmiSTham tava shauNDiirya maaninaH || 3-53-8

8. shauNDiirya maaninaH= glorious, self-admirer [self-glorification, or self-vain-glorification] tava= of yours; su nR^ishamsam= highly, inhuman; a + dharmiSTham= not, equitable [iniquitous]; kutsitam= reprovable [imputable]; karma= deed; lokeSu puruSaaH kathayiSyanti= in world, men, wish to recount.

"A self-glorifier as you are, this highly inhuman, iniquitous, imputable deed of yours will be recounted by all men in all worlds. [3-53-8]

Annex: 'For this is an unmanly action of yours, all the manly men wish to recount this as a fabulously fabled account, in dissent, for exemplification of their manliness and also to retroject your self-vainglory...'

dhik te shauryam ca sattvam ca yat tvayaa kathitam tadaa |
kula aakroshakaram loke dhik te caaritram iidR^isham || 3-53-9

9. yat= what; tvayaa tadaa kathitam= by you, then, said; te shauryam= of your, might; sattvam ca= mettle, also; dhik= be damned; loke= in world; kula aakrosha karam= to [whole of the] clan, lamentable; te iidR^isham caaritram= your, this kind of, demeanour; dhik= be damned.

"Damn with what you have said then about your might and mettle... damn with this kind of your demeanour which is lamentable to whole of your clan in this world. [3-53-9]

Annex: 'You were boastful of your triumphs and victories at the time of captivating me, damn with them... since there is not an iota of gallantry in thieving me, a lonely one in the thick of the forests... and this misdemeanour of yours which not only ruins you but becomes a lamentable affair to whole of your clan, while being burnt in the infernos of Raghava's arrows...'

kim shakyam kartum evam hi yat javena eva dhaavasi |
muhuurtam api tiSThasva na jiivan pratiyaasyasi || 3-53-10

10. kim kartum shakyam= what, to do, possible - what can be done possibly; yat= why because; evam javena eva dhaavasi= this way, speedily, thus, you are fleeing; muhuurtam api tiSThasva= for moment, even, stay [wait, to ascertain]; jiivan na prati yaasyasi= in aliveness, not [whether,] back, you can go; hi= indeed.

"What can be done possibly... why because you are fleeing very speedily in this way... wait for a moment to ascertain whether you can go back in aliveness... [3-53-10]

Annex: 'You are fleeing as though death is haunting you... death is at your behind... wait, wait and stay... it will approach you speedily... when death nears you, let us watchfully ascertain whose is glory or whose is vainglory... between your Death similar Raghava and deadened you...'

na hi cakSuH patham praapya tayoH paarthiva putrayoH |
sa sainyo api samarthaH tvam muhuurtam api jiivitum || 3-53-11

11. tayoH paarthiva putrayoH= two of their, of king's, sons [princes Rama, Lakshmana]; cakSuH patham praapya= eyesight, way [line,] on getting [coming into]; tvam sa sainyaH api= you, along with, military, even; muhuurtam api jiivitum na samarthaH hi= moment, even, to live on, not, capacitated you are, indeed.

"On your coming into the line of sight of those two princes, even if you are with whole of your military, you will be incapacitated to live on, indeed even for a moment... [3-53-11]

na tvam tayoH shara sparsham soDhum shaktaH katha.ncana |
vane prajvalitasya iva sparsham agneH viha.ngamaH || 3-53-12

12. vane pra jvalitasya agneH= in forest, overly, flaring up, of wildfire; sparsham vihan gamaH iva= touch, sky, flyer [bird,] as with; tvam tayoH shara sparsham= you, their, arrows, touch; soDhum kathancana na shaktaH= to endure, in anywise, not, capable.

"Anywise it will be incapable of you to endure the touch of their arrows, as with a bird that cannot endure the overly flaring up wildfire in a forest. [3-53-12]

Annex: 'After all, birds flee by the very touch of fiery air of forest fire even it is burning distantly... thus, where is the question of your tolerating those infernos, called my husband's arrows, shot from long, long a distance... and whereby you can stop them from hitting you, or with what you can retaliate them...'

saadhu kR^itvaa aatmanaH pathyam saadhu maam mu.nca raavaNa |
mat pradharSaNa ruSTo hi bhraatraa saha patiH mama || 3-53-13
vidhaasyati vinaashaaya tvam maam yadi na mu.ncasi |

13, 14a. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; saadhu aatmanaH pathyam kR^itvaa= positively, in your soul, behove, on making [contemplate]; maam saadhu munca= me, politely, release; tvam maam na muncasi yadi= you, me, not, releases, if; mat pradharSaNa ruSTaH hi= of my, by insulting, by rancour, indeed; mama patiH= my, husband; bhraatraa saha= [his] brother, along with; [te= you]; vinaashaaya vidhaasyati= [of your] doom, devises.

"Oh, Ravana, positively contemplate in your soul and politely release me... and if you do not release me, indeed by the rancour of insulting me, my husband along with his brother devises your doom... [3-53-13, 14a]

All women, without exception, have a weapon called prathama kopam 'a preambular fury...' it is exactly not 'fury' but a sort of bewilderment and insultment meted out by their indignation. Seetha spewed out a stomachful of ire. Pausing a while, she now started to sermonise this demon with hita bodha 'moral teaching...' thinking in 'his' shoes and foreseeing 'his' annihilation. What and why does he care? And how does she bother for his well-being? These questions have their answers in mythology.

yena tvam vyavasaayena balaat maam hartum icChasi || 3-53-14
vyavasaayaH tu te niica bhaviSyati nirarthakaH |

14b, 15a. niica= you rogue; tvam= you; yena vyavasaayena= by which, endeavour; maam balaat hartum icChasi= me, under duress, to thieve, desirous of; te= of yours; [sah= that]; vyavasaayaH tu= endeavour, on its part; nir arthakaH= less of, meaning [meaningless, absurd]; bhaviSyati= it results as.

"You rogue! By which endeavour you are desirous of thieving me under duress, that endeavour of yours behoves absurd. [3-53-14b, 15a]

Seetha's wording should have been 'for lovemaking with me...' instead of 'endeavour' but as an urbane lady, she used a + graamya pada prayoga, 'urbane' language rather than the graamya bhaaSa 'boorish wording.' Her calculated and cultured talking indicates her staunchness in her 'husband-devoutness...'

na hi aham tam apashyantii bhartaaram vibudha upamam || 3-53-15
utsahe shatru vashagaa praaNaan dhaarayitum ciram |

15b, 16a. aham= I will; vibudha upamam bhartaaram= god, in simile, at husband; tam a + pashyantii= him [Rama,] by not, seeing; shatru vashagaa= enemy's, going under control of; ciram= for a long; praaNaan dhaarayitum= lives, to bear up; na utsahe hi= not, I enthuse, indeed.

"Though I am in aliveness now, but on my going under the control of an enemy and on unseeing godlike husband of mine I am indeed unenthused to bear up my lives for a long. [3-53-15]

Again she may recount her list of 'suicide programs' as related to Lakshmana after this dialogue. She prefers to use whatever means to end her life, rather than to surrender to immorality. To indicate this 'character's mood' paatra aucityam of Seetha, all her opinions about 'somebody's possessing her' were listed when Lakshmana was hastened after Rama, though at the cost of Lakshmana's steadfastness in his duty.

na nuunam ca aatmanaH shreyaH pathyam vaa samavekSase || 3-53-16
mR^ityu kaale yathaa martyo vipariitaani sevate |

16b, 17a. martyaH mR^ityu kaale= mortals, at death, time; yathaa vipariitaani sevate= as, too much [noxious, non-recuperative foodstuffs, or, quirkily behaviour,] enjoys [undertakes]; aatmanaH= in your heart; pathyam ca= nontoxic [worthwhile,] either; shreyaH vaa= beneficial, or; nuunam na sam avekSase= definitely, not, completely, you anticipate.

"Definitely and completely unanticipated in your heart are either that which is worthwhile or that which is beneficial to you, as mortals undertake a quirkily behaviour at the time of their death...

Or

"At the time of their death mortals wish to enjoy noxious and non-recuperative foods, thus definitely and completely unanticipated in your heart are either nontoxic or beneficial nourishments for your well-being. [3-53-16b, 17a]

Annex: 'Bechanced is your death-time hence you behave eccentrically and as a dying person wants to feast on with disagreeable foods, you also would like to consume a lethal poison, that is me, and on your death Yama, the Terminator, is ready to offer you a sumptuous feast with hellish edibles...'

mumuurSuuNaam tu sarveSaam yat pathyam tat na rocate || 3-53-17
pashyaami iva hi kaNThe tvaam kaala paasha avapaashitam |

17b, 18a. mumuurSuuNaam tu sarveSaam= mortals about to die [death-rattlers,] but, to all of them; yat pathyam tat na rocate= which, is recuperative, that, not, interested [unpalatable]; tvaam= you; kaNThe= at throat; kaala paasha ava paashitam iva= Time's, loop; around, looped, as if; pashyaami hi= I behold, indeed.

"But which is recuperative that is unpalatable to all of the death-rattlers, and indeed, I behold you as one around whose throat the noose of Time is looped. [3-53-17b, 18a]

yathaa ca asmin bhaya sthaane na bibheSi dashaanana || 3-53-18
vyaktam hiraNmayaan hi tvam sa.mpashyasi mahii ruhaan |

18b, 19a. dashaanana= oh, Decahedral demon; tvam= you; asmin bhaya sthaane= in this, daunting, place [situation]; yathaa na bibheSi= as to how, not, fearing; thereby; hiraNmayaan mahii ruhaan= golden, earth, sprouted [trees]; sam pashyasi= clearly, seeing [fantasising]; vyaktam hi= clear, indeed.

"As you are dauntless in this daunting situation as for yourself, oh, Decahedral demon, indeed it is clear that you are clearly fantasising the ill-omened golden trees all around. [3-53-18b, 19a]

nadiim vaitaraNiim ghoraam rudhira ogha vivaahiniim || 3-53-19
khaDga patra vanam caiva bhiimam pashyasi raavaNa |

19b, 20a. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; rudhira ogha vi vaahiniim= blood, streams, verily [tumultuously,] streaming; ghoraam vaitaraNiim nadiim= ghastly, Vaitarani, river; bhiimam khaDga patra vanam caiva= grisly, swords, leaved, forest, also thus; pashyasi you will see.

"Oh, Ravana, you will see the ghastly River Vaitarani which will be tumultuously streaming with blood streams, also thus you will see the grisly sword-leaved-forests in hell. [3-53-19b, 20a]

tapta kaa.ncana puSpaam ca vaiduurya pravara cChadaam || 3-53-20
drakSyase shaalmaliim tiikSNaam aayasaiH kaNTakaiH citaam |

20b, 21a. tapta kaancana [tapta] puSpaam ca= molten, gold, [melting] flowered, also; [tapta] vaiduurya pravara cChadaam= [melting] lapis gemlike, best, shrouded [by lapis like leaves]; aayasaiH kaNTakaiH citaam= with iron, thorns, encrusted; tiikSNaam shaalmaliim= sharp, silk-cotton tress; drakSyase= you will see.

"You will see silk-cotton trees flowered with molten gold, shrouded with lapis gemlike melting leaves, and enshrouded with sharp irony thorns in hell. [3-53-20b, 21a]

Annex: Then Ravana may retort her by saying 'if such a condition comes, it comes after my death... but while living I will enjoy you and your company...' for this 'as on date enjoyment' of Ravana, she is repudiating him with her next statement... 'you have already quaffed off a venom, called Seetha... dwindled is your lifetime...'

This is a kind of punishment in a section called asi patra vana 'sword-leaved-forest...' in the Hell of Yama, namely naraka. The sinners are asked to hug a silk-cotton tree like wooden structure with golden leaves and sappharine flowers and irony thorns, where all these items will be sweltering the sinners besides pinching and piercing with thorns. This punishment is aimed at those who abduct, molest, or rape the other man's wife.

na hi tvam iidR^isham kR^itvaa tasya aliikam mahaatmanaH || 3-53-21
dhaaritum shaksyasi ciram viSam piitvaa iva nirghR^iNaH |

21b, 22a. nir ghR^iNaH= oh, not, merciful one; tvam= you; mahaatmanaH tasya= to that noble souled, to him - Rama; iidR^isham aliikam kR^itvaa= this kind of, misdeed, on doing; viSam piitvaa iva= venom, drunk, like; ciram dhaaritum na shaksyasi hi= for a long, to bear up [to live,] not, capable of, indeed.

"Oh, unmerciful one, on doing this kind of misdeed to that noble-souled Rama you are incapable to bear up life for a long time like the one who quaffed venom. [3-53-21b, 22a]

Then Ravana may say 'nonsense, these venoms, poisons, toxins... all these things can do nothing to me as I am immortalised, I take you off to a distant place, come what may...' for that Seetha is saying that 'the lasso of the Time is very long, but its noose is just throat sized and that noose is already noosed around your throat, called arm-length-sized arrow of Rama, already shot from his bowstring, called sting-like Seetha, as I am his and only his... as such, inescapable you are, anywhere you go...'

baddhaH tvam kaala paashena dur.hnivaareNa raavaNa || 3-53-22
kva gato lapsyase sharma bhartuH mama mahaatmanaH |

22b, 23a. raavaNa= Ravana; tvam= you; dur nivaareNa= not, preventable; kaala paashena baddhaH= by Time's, lasso, bound; mama bhartuH mahaa-aatmanaH= my, husband, from strong-willed one [uncompromising] Rama; kva gataH= to where, on going; lapsyase sharma= you get, complacency.

"You are bound by the unpreventable lasso of the Time, oh, Ravana, on going where you will get complacency from that uncompromising husband of mine? [3-53-22b, 23a]

Ravana may say: 'is it? What is the proof of his mettle basing on which you sermonise me?' For this, her reply is in the next verse.

nimeSa antara maatreNa vinaa bhraataram aahave || 3-53-23
raakSasaa nihataa yena sahasraaNi caturdasha |
katham sa raaghavo viiraH sarva astra kushalo balii || 3-53-24
na tvaam hanyaat sharaiH tiikSNaiH iSTa bhaaryaa apahaariNam |

23b, 24, 25a. yena= by whom; aahave= in combat; bhraataram vinaa= brother, without [brother's help]; nimeSa antara maatreNa= a minute within, just in; caturdasha sahasraaNi= fourteen thousand; raakSasaa nihataa= demons, killed; viiraH= brave one; sarva astra kushalaH= in all kinds of, missiles, expert; balii= mighty one; saH raaghavaH= he, that Raghava; iSTa bhaaryaa apahaariNam= chosen, wife's, with the stealer; tvaam= you; tiikSNaiH sharaiH= with mordant, arrows; katham na hanyaat= how, not, kills.

"By whom fourteen thousand demons are killed in war just within a minute, single-handedly without any help from his brother, how then that brave and mighty Raghava, an expert in all kinds of missiles, will not eliminate you, the stealer of his chosen wife, with his mordant arrows?" Thus Seetha poured forth her ire at Ravana. [3-53-23b, 24, 25a]

etat ca anyat ca paruSam vaidehii raavaNa a.nka gaa |
bhaya shoka samaaviSTaa karuNam vilalaapa ha || 3-53-25

25b, c. raavaNa anka gaa= on Ravana's, flank, [who] has gone; vaidehii= Vaidehi; bhaya shoka samaaviSTaa= dismay, distress, coalesced with; etat ca anyat ca paruSam= this much, also, other, also, sharp [saying exacting words]; karuNam vilalaapa ha= lamentably, lamented, indeed.

On saying this much and other exacting words, Vaidehi who has gone onto the flank of Ravana, indeed lamented lamentably as her dismay is coalesced with her distress. [3-53-25b, c]

tathaa bhR^isha aartaam bahu caiva bhaaSiNiim
vilalaapa puurvam karuNam ca bhaaminiim |
jahaara paapaH taruNiim viveSTatiim
nR^ipaatmajaam aagata gaatra vepathum || 3-53-26

26. tathaa= in that way; bhR^isha aartaam= highly, agonised; vilalaapa puurvam= lamenting, prioritised - weeping prior to talking; caiva bhaaSiNiim= in muchness, talking [a ranter]; taruNiim= come of age; karuNam ca= pitiably, also; bahu vi veSTatiim= verily whirler [in anguish]; nR^ipa aatmajaam= king's, daughter; aagata gaatra vepathum= bechanced, bodily, spasmodic jerking; bhaaminiim= resentful lady; paapaH= sinner; jahaara= stole.

She who is highly agonised and weeping before talking, a ranter who ranted much, a resentful lady who has come of age, and a pitiable whirler in the hands of demon whose whirligig has transformed into spasmodic jerking of her body for deliverance from that sinner, and in that way that sinner stole that princess Seetha. [3-53-26]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe tri pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 53rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 54

Introduction

Seetha drops her ornaments at Sugreeva and other monkeys available on a mountaintop during the course of her abduction. Ravana does not take notice of this as he is hurrying as though haunted by Rama. On crossing the southerly ocean, his jitteriness in stealing Seetha ceases and he hypocritically feels elated in gaining both Seetha and an animosity with Rama.

hriyamaaNaa tu vaidehii ka.mcit naatham apashyatii |
dadarsha giri shR^i.ngasthaan pa.nca vaanara pu.ngavaan || 3-54-1

1. hriyamaaNaa vaidehii= being abducted, Vaidehi; naatham= a rescuer; kamcit a+ pashyatii= none, not, seen; giri shR^ingasthaan= mountain, on top staying; panca vaanara pungavaan= five, Vanara, prominent ones [Sugreeva, Hanuma et al]; dadarsha= she saw.

Vaidehi has not seen any rescuer while she is abducted, but she has seen five prominent vanara-s staying on a mountaintop. [3-54-1]

teSaam madhye vishaalaakSii kausheyam kanaka prabham |
uttariiyam varaarohaa shubhaani aabharaNaani ca || 3-54-2
mumoca yadi raamaaya sha.mseyuH iti bhaaminii |

2, 3a. vishaalaakSii= broad-eyed one; varaarohaa= curvaceous lady; bhaaminii= lady with resentment; kanaka prabham kausheyam uttariiyam= golden, in hue, silk sari, upper cloth; shubhaani aabharaNaani ca= auspicious, ornaments, also; raamaaya= to Rama; shamseyuH yadi= they indicate, if [they may]; iti= thus [on thinking]; teSaam madhye mumoca= their, amid, released - dropped.

That broad-eyed and curvaceous lady with resentment Seetha, inwrapping her auspicious ornaments in the upper-fringe of her sari, dropped in the midmost of those five Vanara-s with a thinking that 'these creatures may perhaps indicate them to Rama.' [3-54-2, 3a]

Some say that Seetha shore her upper cloth and bundled the ornaments while some others say that whole of the upper cloth was dropped. The Indian sari worn by those women of yore was in a different fashion, where they wore sari like the present day dhoti with pleated back stuffing like men, but they also used an upper cloth enough to cover their busts. A three-piece dress is a must, either to man or a woman in Indian style. It comprises of a loincloth dhoti or sari, and a shirt-like or a jacket-like bust cover, and an upper-cloth to hang on the shoulder to men or to muffle the bust for women. So some say the whole of upper cloth of Seetha is dropped bundled with ornaments.

vastram utsR^ijya tan madhye vinikSiptam sa bhuuSaNam || 3-54-3
sa.mbhramaat tu dashagriivaH tat karma na ca buddhvaan |

3b, 4a. saha bhuuSaNam vastram= along with, ornaments, upper cloth; utsR^ijya= up, whipping; tan madhye= those [five vanara-s,] amongst; vi nikSiptam= which is verily [carefully,] stowed away - that bundle; saH dashagriivaH tu= he, Decahedron, on his part; sambhramaat= owing to his hurry; tat karma na buddhvaan= that, deed, not, noticed [unbothered.]

On his part that Decahedron Ravana has not noticed her action in whipping up her silky upper-cloth and ornaments, their bundling and stowing away at five vanara-s, owing to his own hurry. [3-54-3]

Ravana is in his own hurry because Rama may have heard the wailing of Seetha and thus may be chasing him, or will chase his shortly. He bothers like this until he crosses the ocean and enters his city-state Lanka. There he is absolutely secured. Until such time his 'mousy thievishness' haunts him. But Seetha is on his flank and under his arm, her trunk turned against his. Then she shortly saw the oddish Vanara-s, who look unlike ordinary monkeys, but with some presumably pro-human and non-demonic features, yet monkeyish with some regality, and then she quickly plucked off her ornaments and upcast her upper-cloth, and hastily but carefully, bundled her jewellery and downcast that bundle at them.

These ornaments are said to be one nosering, one earring, one bracelet, one biceps-let, one anklet with tinkling bells - all from her right side - because showing ornaments/items worn on left-side to husband is held improper. The anklet that has fallen from her leg on earth, in earlier chapters, is from her left leg.

pi.ngaakSaaH taam vishaalaakSiim netraiH animiSaiH iva || 3-54-4
vikroshantiim tadaa siitaam dadR^ishuH vaanara R^iSabhaaH |

4b, 5a. pinga akSaaH= ochreish, eyed ones; vaanara R^iSabhaaH= Vanara, bullish [best] ones; vishaala akSiim= at broad, eyed [Seetha]; tadaa= then; vi kroshantiim= verily, wailing; taam siitaam= at her, at Seetha; a + nimiSaiH iva= not, winking, like; netraiH= with eyes; dadR^ishuH= they observed.

Those ochreish-eyed best Vanara-s with their unwinking eyes have observed the broad-eyed Seetha, who at that time is verily wailing. [3-54-4b, 5a]

The 'wink-less-ness' is the property of celestials, thus the vanara-s saw with wink-less eyes with their wide-eyed amazement. Here the Vanara-s are said to be bulishly impetuous beings and if so, could they not have averted or countered Ravana - will be the question. It is a regular scene for them to see this skywalker demon to carry off such goddess like ladies and they have seen many women thus carried off. But this particular one is appearing to be somewhat different, more over she is repeatedly calling for some 'Rama...' and she is wriggling in that demon's capture. They know this demon to be Ravana and they even know of the alliance of Ravana with Vali. If these handfuls of vanara-s dare Ravana, they die at the hands of Ravana instead at the hand of Vali. Hence, they remained silent spectators to save themselves. This is why Sugreeva did not indicate the way Seetha in which was abducted by 'some' demon, to Rama, in Kishkindha, when they firstly met.

sa ca pa.mpaam atikramya la.nkaam abhimukhaH puriim || 3-54-5
jagaama rudatiim gR^ihya maithiliim raakSasa iishvaraH |

5b, 6a. saH raakSasa iishvaraH= he, demons, chief; pampaam atikramya= Pampa [area,] on going across; lankaam puriim abhimukhaH= to Lanka, city, facing towards; rudatiim maithiliim gR^ihya= bewailing, Maithili, taking [captivating]; jagaama= advanced.

The chief of demons Ravana captivating Maithili, who is still wailing, has crossed the Pampa region down underneath and advanced facing the City of Lanka. [3-54-5b, 6a]

So far Ravana's travel is proceeding with his looking backward, sideward, and frontward, expecting any attack from anywhere, as this Dandaka or Janasthaana are his frontiers for operation but not the areas of his stronghold. And when once these areas are crossed reaching Pampa, there is no more self-confessed fear.

taam jahaara susa.mhR^iSTo raavaNo mR^ityum aatmanaH || 3-54-6
utsa.ngena eva bhujagiim tiikSNa da.nSTraam mahaaviSaam |

6b, 7a. raavaNaH= Ravana is; su sam hR^iSTaH= very, highly, happily; aatmanaH mR^ityum= for himself, death; taam= her; tiikSNa danSTraam mahaa viSaam= of stinging, fanged, lethally, venomous; bhujagiim iva= she-snake, as with; utsangena eva= by lap, thus; jahaara= stole.

Ravana is jubilantly happy in stealing his own death alias Seetha, as one would carry a stingingly fanged and lethally venomous she-snake in his own lap. [3-54-6b, 7a]

vanaani saritaH shailaan saraamsi ca vihaayasaa || 3-54-7
sa kSipram samatiiyaaya sharaH caapaat iva cyutaH |

7b, 8a. saH= he; caapaat cyutaH sharaH iva= from bow, bolting, arrow, as with; kSipram= at the double; vanaani saritaH shailaan saraamsi ca= woodlands, waterways, mounts, pools, also; vihaayasaa= by skyway; sam atiiyaaya= well crossed over - bolted out.

He bolted out in skyway up above the woodlands, waterways, pools, and mountains at the double, as with an arrow bolting from a bow. [3-4-7b, 8a]

timi nakra niketam tu varuNa aalayam akSayam || 3-54-8
saritaam sharaNam gatvaa samatiiyaaya saagaram |

8b, 9a. timi nakra niketam= sharks, alligators, housing of; varuNa aalayam= Rain-god's, home; a + kSayam= never, decreasing - never-draining - ocean; saritaam sharaNam= for rivers, [ultimate] course; saagaram= ocean; gatvaa= on reaching; sam atiiyaaya= well [hastily] crossed over.

On reaching the ocean, a housing for sharks, alligators, a home of Rain-god, a never-draining deep and an ultimate course of the rivers, he hastily crossed it over. [3-54-8b, 9a]

sa.mbhramaat parivR^itta uurmii ruddha miina mahoragaH || 3-54-9
vaidehyaam hriyamaaNaayaam babhuuva varuNa aalayaH |

9b, 10a. vaidehyaam hriyamaaNaayaam= of Vaidehi, being abducted; varuNa aalayaH= Rain-god's, abode [ocean]; sambhramaat= by high flustering; parivR^itta uurmii= topsy-turvy, waves; ruddha mina mahaa uragaH= deterred [stopped hesitantly, shilly-shally] fishes, great, [water] snakes [marine reptiles]; babhuuva= became.

That ocean being the abode of Rain-god is highly flustered when Vaidehi is being abducted over it, and its waves became topsy-turvy and its fishes and great marine-reptiles remained shilly-shally. [3-54-9b, 10a]

antarikSa gataa vaacaH sasR^ijuH caaraNaaH tadaa || 3-54-10
etat anto dashagriiva iti siddhaaH tadaa abruvan |

10b, 11a. tadaa= then; antarikSa gataa caaraNaaH= airspace, gone in [available,] caarana-s; dashagriiva etat antaH= Decahedron, this, as end - he ends with this; iti= thus; vaacaH sasR^ijuH= words, released [averred]; tadaa= likewise; siddhaaH abruvan= siddha-s, said.

Then the siddha-s and caarana-s available in airspace averred saying, "this alone is the end of Decahedron Ravana." [3-54-10b, 11a]

sa tu siitaam viceSTantiim a.nkena aadaaya raavaNaH || 3-54-11
pravivesha puriim lankaam ruupiNiim mR^ityum aatmanaH |

11b, 12a. saH raavaNaH= he, Ravana; aatmanaH= for himself - Ravana's; ruupiNiim mR^ityum= by persona [in propria persona,] death - a personified death; vi ceSTantiim= who is verily, wriggling; such; siitaam ankena aadaaya= Seetha, on flank, taking; lankaam puriim pravivesha= Lanka, city, he entered.

Ravana entered the city of Lanka transporting Seetha, while she wriggling in his flank, who appeared like the personified death of Ravana wriggling its way into his Lanka. [3-54-11b, 12a]

saH abhigamya puriim la.nkaam suvibhakta mahaapathaam || 3-54-12
sa.mruuDha kakSyaa bahulam svam a.ntaH puram aavishat |

12b, 13a. saH= he; su vi bhakta= neatly, separately, divided, [well-symmetrized]; mahaa pathaam= wide, roadways - having; lankaam puriim= to Lanka, city; abhi gamya= towards, on going; sam ruuDha= well, thronged; kakSyaa bahulam= doors [houses / chambers,] many - having; svam antaH puram aavishat= his own, palace, chambers, entered.

On going towards the city Lanka that has well-symmetrized roadways, then he entered his own palace-chambers which is with very many doors and chambers thronging with crowds.

Or

On going towards the city Lanka that has well-symmetrized roadways, he then entered his own palace chambers in which royal servants are thronging at many doorways as that palace has very many chambers. [3-54-12b, 13a]

tatra taam asita apaa.ngaam shoka moha paraayaNaam || 3-54-13
nidadhe raavaNaH siitaam mayo maayaam iva aasuriim |

13b, 14a. raavaNaH= Ravana; asita apaangaam= one with blackish, eyelashes; shoka moha paraayaNaam= by whimpering, bewildered, deep in; taam siitaam= her, Seetha; mayaH= Maya, the demon; aasuriim maayaam iva= demonic, maya, as with [guhaam iti sheSaH= black hole, thus ellipted]; [or, maayaam iva striyam= Maya, as with, a lady-love]; tatra nidadhe= therein, he placed her down.

Ravana placed down Seetha whose eyelashes are blackish and who is deep in bewilderment caused by whimpering, therein his palace chambers, as demon Maya once kept his lady-love, a nymphet called Hema, in a demonic Black Hole.

Or

Ravana placed down Seetha whose eyelashes are blackish and who is deep in bewilderment caused by whimpering, therein his palace chambers, as demon Maya kept his demonic power in a Black Hole.

Or

Ravana placed down Seetha whose eyelashes are blackish and who is deep in bewilderment caused by whimpering, therein his palace chambers, as demon Maya had once kept al his demonic scriptures duly usurping them from his own mentor, namely Shukracaarya, at an unknown illusory place. [3-54-13b, 14a]

This verse has some divergences from the viewpoints of commentators. Govindaraja's text uses maayaam iva striyam while Tilaka uses mayaH maayaam iva aasuriim thereby the word 'aasurriim...' suggests that Ravana brought a maayaa siita 'an illusory Seetha...' instead of original Seetha, which original Seetha is said to have been in safe keeping of Ritual-fire until the elimination of Ravana, and comes out of the same Ritual-fire after the elimination of Ravana. A very big controversy surrounds this statement and whole of the auxiliary Ramayana-s are brought in, along with puraaNa-s, which substantiate this riddler, maayaa siita.

As it is, we do not find that much debatable aspect in Valmiki Ramayana, if the statement that 'Ravana placed Seetha in an unapproachable Black Hole like Lanka, as Maya once placed Hema in an unapproachable underground Black Hole...' is taken up. This episode of demon Maya-Hema occurs in Kishkindha, Ch. 51, which may please be referred. Then it suffices to satisfy the verbiage of aasuriim, when the analogy of 1] Lanka of Ravana and R^iksha bila, 'Black Hole' of Maya, both being the constructions of artifice, and again between 2] Maya, the demon and Ravana, the demon, [that too, the eliminable demons,] 3] nymphet Hema and nymphal Seetha, [the causative factors for elimination,] and the actual eliminators Indra and Rama, is taken into consideration.

The eyes of Seetha are said to be blackish at their ends. This is not mascara or something like a makeup article. The eyelashes are longish like those of celestials, so as to give a blackish orb around her eyeball and because she is now ceaselessly shedding tears, these eyelashes are tear-wet and slanted edge-ward to give a blackish shade at the end of her eyes.

abraviit ca dashagriivaH pishaaciiH ghora darshanaaH || 3-54-14
yathaa na enaam pumaan strii vaa siitaam pashyati asammataH |

14b, 15a. dashagriivaH= Decahedron; ghora darshanaaH pishaaciiH= bogie, for sight, to bogeywomen; abraviit ca= spoke [instructed,] also; a + sammataH= not, permitted; pumaan strii vaa= male, female, either; enaam siitaam= at her, Seetha; yathaa na pashyati= as to how, not, sees; [tathaa bhaviSyatha= thus, you shall conduct - your watch and ward shall be.]

That Decahedron Ravana also instructed the bogey-sightly bogeywomen, "your watch and ward shall be in such a way that neither a female nor a male can see Seetha impermissibly." [3-54-14b, 15a]

muktaa maNi suvar.hNaani vastraaNi aabharaNaani ca || 3-54-15
yat yat icChet tat eva asyaa deyam mat cCha.ndato yathaa |

15b, 16a. muktaa maNi suvarNaani= pearls, jewels, gold; vastraaNi aabharaNaani ca= apparels, adornments, also; yat yat icChet= which, which, she wishes; tat eva= they all, thus; asyaaH= to her; mat cChandataH yathaa= to me, as per my whims, as with - as you give to me as per my wish; deyam= be given.

"Whatever she wishes to have, gold, jewels, pearls, apparels or adornments, they all be given to her as you would give me according to my whimsies. [3-54-15b, 16a]

yaa ca vakSyati vaidehiim vacanam ki.mcit apriyam || 3-54-16
aj~naanaat yadi vaa j~naanaan na tasyaa jiivitam priyam |

16b, 17a. yaa ca= she who, also - whoever; a + j~naanaat= not, knowingly; yadi vaa= else, or; j~naanaat= knowingly; vaidehiim= to Vaidehi; kimcit= in the least; a +priyam= not, pleasant; vacanam vakSyati= words, if speaks; tasyaaH jiivitam na priyam= her, life, not, to be pleasant.

"Whosoever speaks unpleasant words to Vaidehi in the least, either unknowingly or knowingly, her life becomes unpleasant for herself." Thus Ravana ordered the chamber-demonesses. [3-54-16b, 17a]

tathaa uktvaa raakSasiiH taaH tu raakSasendraH prataapavaan || 3-54-17
niSkramya antaH puraat tasmaat kim kR^ityam iti ci.ntayan |
dadarsha aSTau mahaaviiryaan raakSasaan pishita ashanaan || 3-54-18

17b, 18. prataapavaan= valorous one; raakSasa indraH= demon's, chief; taaH raakSasiiH= to those. to demonesses; tathaa uktvaa= thus, on speaking; tu= on his part; tasmaat antaH puraat niSkramya= from that, palace, chambers, on exiting; kim kR^ityam= what, to do [next]; iti cintayan= thus, thinking; mahaa viiryaan= highly, vigorous ones; pishita ashanaan= raw-flesh, feasters of; aSTau raakSasaan dadarsha= eight, demons, he saw - gave audience.

On speaking to those demonesses thus that chief of demons exited from that palace chamber, and giving a thought to what is to be done in sequel, then he gave audience to eight highly vigorous demons, the feasters on raw-flesh. [3-54-17b, 18]

sa taan dR^iSTvaa mahaaviiryo vara daanena mohitaH |
uvaaca taan idam vaakyam prashasya bala viiryataH || 3-54-19

19. mahaa viiryaH= great-mighty [Ravana]; vara daanena mohitaH= boon, awarded, beguiled by [egocentric by the boon once accorded to him]; saH= he, Ravana; bala viiryataH= by [their] might, valour [of eight demons]; prashasya= praising them; taan= them; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing [on giving an audience]; taan idam vaakyam uvaaca= to them, this, sentence, spoke.

He who is egocentric by the boon awarded by Brahma for his invincibleness, that Ravana on giving an audience to those eight demons spoke this sentence to them praiseful of their might and valour. [3-54-19]

naanaa praharaNaaH kSipram ito gacChata satvaraaH |
janasthaanam hata sthaanam bhuuta puurvam khara aalayam || 3-54-20

20. naanaa pra haraNaaH [gR^ihiitvaa ]= multiple, highly, assaultive weaponry [on taking]; sa tvaraaH= with, haste - speedily; itaH kSipram= from here, immediately; hata sthaanam= [demons] killed, place of [a deadpanned place of demons]; khara aalayam= Khara's, abode [placement]; bhuuta puurvam= which was, earlier; janasthaanam= to Janasthaana; gacChata= begone.

"You immediately take up multiple assaultive weaponry and begone from here to Janasthaana speedily, a place now deadpanned for demons, which earlier was the placement of Khara. [3-54-20]

tatra uSyataam janasthaane shuunye nihata raakSase |
pauruSam balam aashritya traasam utsR^ijya duurataH || 3-54-21

21. pauruSam balam aashritya= [your own] self-assurance, self-confidence, depending on; traasam duurataH utsR^ijya= fright, faraway, throwaway; nihata raakSase= killed, demons - where demons are killed; shuunye= fell void; tatra janasthaane= there, in Janasthaana; uSyataam= you stay.

"Throwaway your fright faraway and you stay in that Janasthaana which fell void as the demons are voided by someone called Rama, and there you shall stay self-assuredly and self-confidently. [3-54-21]

Then those eight demons may as, 'when these many leading warriors and commanders are there why we eight are picked and chosen?' for this Ravana is saying 'you eight are self-assured and self-confident and can to mete out any assault on our race...' and again they may hesitate as to 'why we should depend on our own personal strengths...' for that Ravana is saying 'a still mightier Dushana, still mightiest Khara are eliminated... thus you perk up your sprites, personally...'

bahu sainyam mahaaviiryam janasthaane niveshitam |
sa duuSaNa kharam yuddhe nihatam raama saayakaiH || 3-54-22

22. mahaaviiryam bahu sainyam= highly forceful, many, forces; janasthaane niveshitam= in Janasthaana, [though] deployed; raama saayakaiH= Rama, by [his] arrows; yuddhe nihatam= in combat, utterly destroyed; sa duuSaNa kharam= along with, Duushana, Khara.

"Though highly forceful forces are deployed in Janasthaana, Rama's arrows have utterly destroyed them, together with Khara and Duushana. [3-54-22]

Expecting another enquiry from them as, 'when such mighty, mightier, and mightiest demons are dead at the hand of a lonely Rama, do you wish us also die in the same way?' and to them Ravana is saying 'you are the next best in line of order of military, hence it is your turn to assume command, as committed soldiers, as I am at loggerheads with Rama...' Ravana follows such 'order of priorities' in warring scrupulously and we chance to meet them in Yuddha Kanda, canto of Great War.

tataH krodho mama apuurvo dhairyasya upari var.hdhate |
vairam ca sumahat jaatam raamam prati sudaaruNam || 3-54-23

23. tataH= thereby; mama= my; a + puurvaH= not, precedented; krodhaH= fury; dhairyasya upari vardhate= of [my] courage, [over and] above, escalating; raamam prati= Rama, towards; su mahat= verily, heightened [unhindered]; su daaruNam= utterly, unforgivable; vairam ca= animosity, also; jaatam= is evoked;

"Thereby an unprecedented fury is escalating over and above my courage, and an unhindered and unforgivable animosity towards that Rama is evoked in me. [3-54-23]

Then the eight commandant demons may say 'what if, let all of us wage a war and end him up...' for that Ravana is saying suggestively that 'my fury is hovering over my courage... thus fury alone is scaling up, while courage is scaling down... as I came to know that only one was warring against fourteen thousand demons and eliminated all... thus we cannot wage large scale war overtly when our courage is lessening... but we can covertly do some kind of harm... hence, you go there and undertake any kind of activity that will be harmful to that Rama... as I am uncourageous and uncomfortable, as of now...'

niryaatayitum icChaami tat ca vairam aham ripoH |
na hi lapsyaami aham nidraam ahatvaa sa.nyuge ripum || 3-54-24

24. aham= I; ripoH= enemy's [who bears a grudge against me]; tat vairam= that, animosity; nir yaatayitum icChaami= to out, cast, I wish; sanyuge ripum a + hatvaa= in war, enemy, without, eliminating; aham nidraam na lapsyaami hi= I, sleep, not, getting, indeed.

"I wish to cast out my begrudging against my enemy who bears a grudge against me, and indeed, to me 'sleep' is not the word for it, until my enemy is undone in a war. [3-54-24]

By an enforced enmity one's own sleep vanishes as he will always be wakeful of his enemy, for he who has purchased enmity is a weakling and worthless to confront... vidura niiti: Maha Bharata, Udyoga parve: anena balavad virodhino nidr˜ na bhaviÿyati iti s¨citam | tath˜ ca udyoge vidura× - ayuktam balavat˜ durbalam hŸna s˜dhanam | h®ta svam k˜minam coram ˜viþanti pra j˜gar˜× || - dk

tam tu idaaniim aham hatvaa khara duuSaNa ghaatinam |
raamam sharma upalapsyaami dhanam labdhvaa iva nirdhanaH || 3-54-25

25. aham idaaniim= I, now - I for myself; khara duuSaNa ghaatinam= Khara, Duushana, killer of; tam raamam hatvaa= him, Rama, on eliminating; [yadi= if I can kill him]; nir dhanaH= not, a rich one - pauper; dhanam labdhvaa iva= riches, on acquiring, as with; sharma upalapsyaami= peace [comfortableness,] I acquire.

"I for myself will be comfortable only on eliminating him who has eliminated Khara and Duushana as with a pauper acquiring riches. [3-54-25]

janasthaane vasadbhiH tu bhavadbhiH raamam aashritaa |
pravR^ittiH upanetavyaa kim karoti iti tattvataH || 3-54-26

26. janasthaane vasadbhiH= in Janasthaana, while you remain; bhavadbhiH= by you; kim karoti iti= what, [he] does, thus; raamam aashritaa pravR^ittiH= of on Rama, dependant, deportment - how he deports himself; tattvataH upanetavyaa= accurately, be brought [to me.]

"While you remain in Janasthaana you have to accurately bring me the information about Rama's activities and deportment. [3-54-26]

apramaadaat ca ga.ntavyam sarvaiH eva nishaacaraiH |
kartavyaH ca sadaa yatno raaghavasya vadham prati || 3-54-27

27. nishaacaraiH sarvaiH eva= by night-walkers, by all [of you,] thus; a + pramaadaat gantavyam= not, heedlessly, you have to go [there]; raaghavasya vadham prati= Raghava's, killing, apropos; sadaa yatnaH kartavyaH ca= continually, [every] trial, is doable [conceivable,] also.

"Do not go heedlessly, you all night-walkers, for that Rama appears to be too dangerous, and on your going there heedfully, you have to continually try for the elimination of that Raghava. [3-54-27]

yuSmaakam tu balam j~naatam bahusho raNa muurdhani |
ataH tu asmin janasthaane mayaa yuuyam niyojitaaH || 3-54-28

28. raNa muurdhani= in battle, fronts; bahusha= many times; yuSmaakam balam j~naatam= your, might, I know; ataH tu= by that reason, only; yuuyam= you all; asmin janasthaane= in that, Janasthaana; mayaa niyojitaaH= by me, commissioned.

"I am aware of your might in battle fronts for a number of times, as such I have commissioned you all in that Janasthaana." Thus Ravana spoke to those eight demons. [3-54-28]

tataH priyam vaakyam upetya raakSasaa
mahaaartham aSTau abhivaadya raavaNam |
vihaaya la.nkaam sahitaaH pratasthire
yato janasthaanam alakSya darshanaaH || 3-54-29

29. tataH= then; aSTau raakSasaa= eight, demons; priyam= amiable; mahaa artham= with important, purpose [or, words with allusions]; vaakyam upetya= words [of Ravana,] on picking up; raavaNam abhivaadya= Ravana, hailing; lankaam vihaaya= Lanka, departing from; sahitaaH= collectively; a + lakSya darshanaaH= not, perceivable, with appearances - unseen by anyone; janasthaanam yataH= Janasthaana, at where it is - in that direction; pratasthire= journeyed to.

Then on picking up those words amiable to all intents and purposes of Ravana, those eight demons departed from Lanka on hailing Ravana, and they collectively journeyed in the direction of Janasthaana with their imperceivable appearances. [3-54-29]

tataH tu siitaam upalabhya raavaNaH
susa.mprahR^iSTaH parigR^ihya maithiliim |
prasajya raameNa ca vairam uttamam
babhuuva mohaat muditaH sa raakSasaH || 3-54-30

30. tataH= then; raakSasaH saH raavaNaH= demon, he, that Ravana; siitaam upalabhya= Seetha, on gaining; maithiliim parigR^ihya= Maithili, holding sway over; su sam pra hR^iSTaH= well, truly, highly, gladdened; raameNa= with Rama; uttamam vairam= archly, animosity; pra sajya= well-wrought; mohaat= by hypocrisy; muditaH= amused; babhuuva= he became.

Ravana is then highly gladdened well and truly on gaining over Seetha, and even for holding sway over that Maithili, and equally for the well-wrought and archly animosity with Rama, whereby that demon Ravana is hypocritically amused. [3-54-30]

The wording in this verse mohaat mudiataH sa raakshasaH together with the word hR^iSTaH raavaNaH at verse 6, is discussed by commentators stating that he is self-conceitedly and hypocritically lost in his own hallucinations of possessing Seetha. Tilaka commentary says that bringing Seetha to Lanka is a villainous act but not with an iota of reverence to her, when elucidating verse 1 of next chapter where it contains: aatmaanam buddhi vaiklbyaat kR^ita kR^ityam amanyata... 'he believed in his own self that he achieved a great feat, as his brain gone astray foolishly...' But the poet also says proximately that he is amused in gaining an archenemy's animosity, i.e. that of Rama. It is therefore said that he is happy as his release from his accursed demon-hood is set to happen soon, as he achieved the abduction of Seetha, thus paved way for Rama to come to Lanka to release him from his accursed being. This is supported by the statement in verse that Ravana's words have some mahaa artham 'words with allusion, or secret message' to Rama perhaps, as at verse 29.

If Lanka is a body, it embodies pleasure seeking traits seated in manas 'pleasuring heart...' along with an 'ever witnessing soul...' called saakshi buuta aatma. Along with the release of captivated soul, called Seetha, this pleasure seeking manas 'heart' also gets released. And the releaser or the deliverer is Rama, and hence Ravana is happy.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe catuH pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 54th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 55

Introduction

Ravana entices Seetha to marry him by demonstrating various luxuries and comforts, and even baiting her to become his empress. The words of Ravana have some latent meanings as derived by ancient commentators and they are included here, as far as possible

sa.mdishya raakSasaan ghoraan raavaNo aSTau mahaabalaan |
aatmaanam buddhi vaiklavyaat kR^ita kR^ityam amanyata || 3-55-1

1. raavaNaH= Ravana; mahaa balaan aSTau ghoraan raakSasaan= great-mighty, eight, ghastly, demons; samdishya= on directing; buddhi vaiklavyaat= by mind's, hypocrisy; aatmaanam= himself - in heart of hearts; kR^ita kR^ityam amanyata= accomplished, [a great] feat, deemed [amused.]

On directing those eight ghastly demons Ravana is amused in his heart of hearts that he has accomplished a great feat. [3-55-1]

sa ci.ntayaano vaidehiim kaama baaNa sa.mprapiiDitaH |
pravivesha gR^iham ramyam siitaam draSTum abhitvaran || 3-55-2

2. saH vaidehiim cintayaanaH= he, upon Vaidehi [alone,] musing [continually]; kaama baaNa sam pra piiDitaH= by Love-god's, arrows, very, much, tormented; siitaam draSTum abhi tvaran= at Seetha, to lay eyes on, post, hastily; ramyam gR^iham pravivesha= beautiful, palace, he entered.

On continually musing upon Vaidehi Ravana is tormented with the arrows of Love-god, thereby to lay eyes on Seetha he post-hastily entered the beautiful palace. [3-55-2]

sa pravishya tu tat veshma raavaNo raakSasa adhipaH |
apashyat raakSasii madhye siitaam duHkha paraayaNam || 3-55-3

3. raakSasa adhipaH saH raavaNaH= demons, supremo, he, that Ravana; tat veshma pravishya= that, house [palace-chamber,] on entering; raakSasii madhye= demonesses, amongst; duHkha paraayaNam siitaam= ruefulness, overwhelmed by, at Seetha; apashyat= he beheld.

On entering the palace-chamber that supremo of demons beheld Seetha overwhelmed with ruefulness amongst demonesses. [3-55-3]

ashru puurNa mukhiim diinaam shoka bhaara avapiiDitaam |
vaayu vegaiH iva aakraa.ntaam majjantiim naavam ar.hNave || 3-55-4
mR^iga yuutha paribhraSTaam mR^igiim shvabhiH iva aavR^itaam |
adhogata mukhiim siitaam taam abhyetya nishaacaraH || 3-55-5
taam tu shoka vashaat diinaam avashaam raakSasa adhipaH |
sa balaat darshayaamaasa gR^iham deva gR^iha upamam || 3-55-6

4, 5, 6. ashru puurNa mukhiim= tears, brimming over, visage; diinaam= pitiful [browbeaten]; shoka bhaara ava piiDitaam= bewailing, burthen, down, trodden; vaayu vegaiH= by air's, speed by whirlwinds; aakraantaam= routed - spreadeagled; arNave= in ocean; majjantiim naavam iva= about to sink [about to capsize,] boat, who is alike; mR^iga yuutha pari bhraSTaam= impala, herd, altogether, swerved from; shvabhiH aavR^itaam= by dog-wolves, hemmed in; mR^igiim iva= an impala, alike; adhaH gata mukhiim= down, gone [cast,] faced; taam siitaam= towards her, [to such a] Seetha; nishaa caraH= night, walker; =; abhi etya= nigh, came; and; shoka vashaat diinaam= of sorrow, by shackles, pitiable one [Seetha]; a + vashaam= not, in her own control; taam= her [to her]; saH raakSasa adhipaH= he, that demons', supremo; balaat= forcefully, compellingly; deva gR^iha upamam= god's, palace, [paradisiacal palace,] similar to; gR^iham= [his] palace; darshayaamaasa= started to show.

She whose visage is brimming over with tears, one browbeaten and downtrodden with the burden of bewail, one capsized like a boat that is about to capsize in an ocean spreadeagled with whirlwinds, and one alike an impala altogether swerved from its herd of impala yet hemmed in with dog-wolves, that nightwalker came nigh of such a Seetha whose face is downcast unwilling to see any, and to such a pitiable Seetha who is in the shackles of her sorrow, that supremo of demons compellingly started to show his palace which is similar to any paradisiacal palace. [3-55-4, 5, 6]

Then he must have hauled her by her hand or demonesses must have dragged all along the corridors, chambers and all over, or as usual, he must have carried her on his flank to show his palace. Taking this situation and the statement at verse 1, aatmaanam buddhi vaiklavyaat Rama Tilaka negates the idea that Seetha is brought to Lanka as a much cherished Goddess Lakshmi, but her bringing is only with a villainous intent. Even then, the supporters of Ravana - the devotee - disagree. There are many such slants given to Ravana's dialogs, to portray him as a devotee, in this chapter itself.

harmya praasaada sa.mbadham strii sahasra niSevitam |
naanaa pakSi gaNaiH juSTam naanaa ratna samanvitam || 3-55-7
daantakaiH taapaniiyaiH ca sphaaTikai raajataiH tathaa |
vajra vaiduurya citraiH ca stambhaiH dR^iSTi manoramaiH || 3-55-8
divya dundubhi nir.hghoSam tapta kaa.ncana bhuuSaNam |

7, 8, 9a. [naanaa ] harmya praasaada sambadham= with [innumerable] skyscrapers, cupolaed, congestive; strii sahasra niSevitam= females, thousands, adored by; naanaa pakSi gaNaiH juSTam= diverse, bird, bevies, frequented by; naanaa ratna samanvitam= numerous, gemstones, comprised of; [tat deva gR^iha upamam gR^iham dashagrrivasya= that paradisiacal palace like mansion house of Decahedral Ravana;] daantakaiH= with ivory-work; taapaniiyaiH ca= gilt-work, also; sphaaTikai raajataiH api= with quartz-work, silvern-work, even; tathaa= likewise; vajra vaiduurya= with diamond, lapis works; citraiH [ citritaiH ] ca= amazingly, [ellipt. glided, gild the lily type] also; dR^iSTi manaH ramaiH= for a look, for hearts, pleasing; stambhaiH= with pillars; divya dundubhi nirghoSam= with divine, drums', drumbeats; tapta kaancana= molten [pure,] gold; bhuuSaNam [or, toraNam]= adorned by, [having archways]

That paradisiacal mansion house of Decahedral Ravana is congestive with innumerable cupolaed skyscrapers, adored with thousands of females, frequented by diverse bevies of birds, and it comprised of numerous gemstones. The pillars are amazingly gilded with engraving of ivory, gilt, quartz, silvern linocuts, and they are even embossed with diamonds and with lapis gems, which are heart-pleasing for a look. The drumbeats of divine drums are echoing in entire palace, and its archways are adorned with the gildings of pure gold. [3-55-7, 8, 9a]

sopaanam kaa.ncanam citram aaruroha tayaa saha || 3-55-9
daantakaa raajataaH caiva gavaakSaaH priya darshanaaH |
hema jaalaa aavR^itaaH ca aasan tatra praasaada pa.nk{}tayaH || 3-55-10

9b, 10. kaancanam citram sopaanam= wonderful, golden, staircase; tayaa saha aaruroha= her [Seetha,] along with, [Ravana] walked up; tatra= there; daantakaa raajataaH caiva= ivoried, silvered, also thus; priya darshanaaH gavaakSaaH= amusing, for sight, windows; hema jaalaa aavR^itaaH ca= golden, nets [window-blinds,] covered with, also; praasaada panktayaH= skyscraper, rows of[ aasan= are there.

Ravana walked up the wonderful golden staircase along with Seetha, and the rows of skyscrapers with windows that are ivoried and silvered and with window-blinds are seen from the windows of the landing on that flight of stairs, which are also ivoried and silvered windows with window-blinds, and all are amusing for sight. [3-55-9b, 10]

Did she walk on her own or was she dragged on the flight of stairs? Yes! She had to walk up the staircase after Ravana, but defiantly and straggly.

sudhaa maNi vicitraaNi bhuumi bhaagaani sarvashaH |
dashagriivaH sva bhavane praadarshayata maithiliim || 3-55-11

11. dashagriivaH= Decahedral Ravana; sva bhavane= in his own, palace; sarvashaH= all over; sudhaa= white [whitewashed, or, white-marbled] maNi vicitraaNi= diamond [encrusted,] amazing; bhuumi bhaagaani= earth's, divisions [stories, multiple - multi-stories]; maithiliim praadarshayata= to Maithili, he displayed.

That Decahedral Ravana displayed the multiple stories of his own palace which is all over white-marbled and diamond encrusted to Maithili. [3-55-11]

diirghikaaH puSkariNyaH ca naanaa puSpa samaavR^itaaH |
raavaNo darshayaamaasa siitaam shoka paraayaNaam || 3-55-12

12. raavaNaH= Ravana; diirghikaaH= wellsprings [descendible ones]; naanaa puSpa samaavR^itaaH puSkariNyaH= diverse, flowers, overspread with, leisure pools; shoka paraayaNaam siitaam= anguish, languishing under, to Seetha; darshayaamaasa= continued to display.

Ravana continued to display the descendible wellsprings and leisure pools from which diverse flowers have sprung and overspread them, regardless of Seetha's languishing under her anguish. [3-55-12]

Has she seen all these riches of Ravana? Yes! She had seen, but in disdain and scorn. Refraining and desisting from allurement is possible only on seeing the objects of lure. And yielding to such an opulent demon or his opulence, just for the sake of carnality, is beyond the scope of Seetha's thinking according to her reply to Ravana, in next chapter 'all this affluence is going to be reduced to ashes...' keeping Rama in view as the reducing agent, for Hanuma, the actual reducer of this affluence, is yet an unknown entity.

dar.hshayitvaa tu vaidehiim kR^itsnam tat bhavana uttamam |
uvaaca vaakyam paapaatmaa siitaam lobhitum icChayaa || 3-55-13

13. paapaatmaa= dirty-minded one; kR^itsnam tat bhavana uttamam= entirely, that, palace, best one; vaidehiim darshayitvaa= to Vaidehi, on flaunting siitaam icChayaa lobhitum= Seetha, by lust, in order to tempt; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, spoke [to her.]

On flaunting his best palace in its entirety to Vaidehi that dirty-minded Ravana spoke this sentence to Seetha in order that she may be tempted on her own, lustily. [3-55-13]

dasha raakSasa koTyaH ca dvaavi.mshatiH atha aparaaH |
var.hjayitvaa jaraa vR^iddhaan baalaan ca rajaniicaraan || 3-55-14
teSaam prabhuH aham siite sarveSaam bhiima karmaNaam |

14, 15a. siite= oh, Seetha; jaraa vR^iddhaan baalaan ca= weakish, oldish, youngish, also; varjayitvaa= omitting; dasha= ten; raakSasa koTyaH= for demons, , crores of - for ten crores of demons are there; atha aparaaH= then, further - furthermore; dvaa vimshatiH= two, twenty [twenty-two crores are there - total ten + twenty two= thirty three crores of demons are there]; bhiima karmaNaam rajaniicaraan= of ghastly, exploits, night walkers; teSaam= for them - demons; sarveSaam= for all of them; aham prabhuH= I am, the lord.

"Oh, Seetha, ten crores of first-rated demons are there, furthermore, twenty-two crores of demons of ghastly exploits are there, thus all put together, three hundred twenty millions of demons are there in Lanka, omitting the weakish, oldish, youngish demons. For all of them I am the lord." Thus Ravana started his self-eulogy. [3-55-14, 15a]

sahasram ekam ekasya mama kaarya puraHsaram || 3-55-15
yat idam raajya ta.ntram me tvayi sarvam pratiSThitam |
jiivitam ca vishaalaakSi tvam me praaNaiH gariiyasii || 3-55-16

15b, 16. ekasya= for [every] single [work of mine]; mama= of mine; ekam sahasram= one, thousand [servitors]; kaarya puraHsaram= work, will be ahead of - will rush in; yat idam raajya tantram= which, this, sovereignty's, suzerainty is there; that and; sarvam jiivitam ca= entire, life, also [of mine]; tvayi pratiSThitam= in you, is pledged - a thing given as a token of love, favour, or something to come; vishaalaakSi= oh, broad-eyed one; tvam me praaNaiH gariiyasii= you are, to me, by lives, loftier.

"For every single work of mine a thousand servitors will rush in. Such as I am I pledge entire life of mine along with the suzerainty of this sovereign city-state Lanka to you, oh, broad-eyed lady, for you are loftier than my lives. [3-55-15b, 16]

bahviinaam uttama striiNaam mama yo asau parigrahaH |
taasaam tvam iishvarii siite mama bhaaryaa bhava priye || 3-55-17

17. siite= oh, Seetha; bahviinaam uttama striiNaam= for countless, of finest [fabric,] females; yaH asau parigrahaH= which, this, capturing, [or, marrying, or amassing]; is there - to those that are collected by me; taasaam= for them; tvam iishvarii bhava= you, empress, become; priye= oh, dear; mama bhaaryaa bhava [yadi bhavati cet]= mine, wife, you become [if only you become.]

"Oh, Seetha, you will become an empress for all of the those countless females of finest fabric amassed by me, oh, dear, if only you marry me. [3-55-17]

dhvani/innuendo: Ravana the devotee is saying: 'oh, Seetha... you become my empress and lord over me and all of my wives that are amassed by me... for, You are the most adorable Goddess Lakshmi, and now though appearing in a gross form of Seetha, you are the real Subtlety, Goddess Lakshmi... bhaaryaa; bhaa= cidruupiNii= oh, Subtlety; aaryaa = oh, adorable one; a+bhava = oh, Redeemer; priye = most adorable Goddess Lakshmi.'

saadhu kim te anyayaa buddhyaa rocayasva vaco mama |
bhajasva maa abhitaptasya prasaadam kartum ar.hhasi || 3-55-18

18. te=to you; anyayaa buddhyaa kim= by converse, thinking, what [is the use]; saadhu= amiably; mama vacaH rocayasva= my, words, be keen on; [kaama ] abhitaptasya bhajasva= [in desire,] one who is burning with; maam= to me; prasaadam kartum arhasi= compassion, to do [to show,] apt of you.

"You be keen on my amiable words and it will be apt of you to show compassion on me, for I have burning desire for you, and of what use is your thinking conversely about that long-lost Rama? [3-55-18]

dhvani/innuendo: The word kaama is ellipted here as it appears in other mms. Then it is said ' kaama 'desirous... I have the burning desire of regaining my servitude at your door...' thus maam bhajasva 'me, you accept accordingly...'

parikSiptaa samudreNa la.nkaa iyam shata yojanaa |
na iyam dhar.hSayitum shakyaa sa indraiH api sura asuraiH || 3-55-19

19. shata yojana= with hundred, yojana-s [widthwise]; iyam lankaa= this, Lanka; samudreNa parikSiptaa= by ocean, roundly enshrouded; sa indraiH= along with, by Indra; sura asuraiH api= for gods, demons, even; iyam dharSayitum= this, to assail; na shakyaa= not, [Lanka] possible.

"It is impossible to assail this Lanka even for Indra with all of the gods and demons, as an ocean roundly enshrouds this Lanka which is hundred-yojana-s witdthwise. [3-55-19]

na deveSu na yakSeSu na ga.ndharveSu na R^iSiSu |
aham pashyaami lokeSu yo me viirya samo bhavet || 3-55-20

20. lokeSu= in world; yaH me viirya samaH= he who, mine, vitality, equal [matchable to]; bhavet= is there; him; aham= I; deveSu na pashyaami= among gods, not, seeing; yakSeSu na= among yaksha-s, no; gandharveSu na= among gandharva-s, no; R^iSiSu na= among sage, no.

"I behold none matchable to my vitality is existent among gods; among yaksha-s - no; among gandharva-s - no; among sages - no, nor anyone in any world. [3-55-20]

raajya bhraSTena diinena taapasena padaatinaa |
kim kariSyasi raameNa maanuSeNa alpa tejasaa || 3-55-21

21. raajya bhraSTena= with [the one who is] from kingdom, overthrown [dethroned]; diinena= hapless; maanuSeNa= with human; [in other mms: gata aayuSaa= gone, lives - with diminished lifespan;] alpa tejasaa= of littlest, vitality; taapasena= a seer; padaatinaa= vagrant; raameNa= with [such] Rama; kim kariSyasi= what, you do - you achieve.

"What can you achieve with that dethroned, hapless, seer, vagrant Rama who is short-lived, for after all, he is a human with littlest vitality? [3-55-21]

dhvani/innuendo: Ravana, the devotee is saying: 'Why this wasteful lamenting about an un-lamentable entity, called Rama, for he is raajya bhraSTa yena 'by whom enemies are dethroned...' raajyaat bhrSTaa ripavo yasmaat tena and take this as one word diinenataapasenagataayuSaa by which I mean... diina ina taapasa ina gata aayuSaa where ina means 'lord...' thus a lord of hapless, a lord for seers, and maanuSeNa gataayuSaa whereby 'for a man who gained longevity...' that is ekaa dasha sahasra samvatsara parimita aayuSa yena gataH - praaptaH, saH 'one who has achieved eleven thousands years of age in human incarnation...' in which he has to lord over and save the saints, sages, seers and such hapless lot...' and alpa tejasaa by which I mean alpam itareSaam teejo yasmaat tena 'by whom others' resplendency is dwindled and lessened, just by his own resplendence... about such raameNa kim? Why you bother about such Rama, since he is parama puruSa the Supreme Person?

bhajasva siite maam eva bhartaa aham sadR^ishaH tava |
yauvanam hi adhruvam bhiiru ramasva iha mayaa saha || 3-55-22

22. siite= oh, Seetha; maam eva bhajasva= me, only, apotheosise; aham tava sadR^ishaH bhartaa= I am, your, seemliest, husband; bhiiru= oh, jumpy lady; yauvanam a+ dhruvam hi= primeness, not, permanent, indeed; iha mayaa saha ramasva= here, me, along with, delight.

"Oh, Seetha, you apotheosise me only for I am your seemliest husband, oh, jumpy lady, indeed, primeness has impermanence, thus here you be blithesome with me. [3-55-22]

dhvani/innuendo: Ravana, the devotee is saying, me yauvanam 'my lifespan...' where the word yauvana indicates total lifespan from childhood, to young age, to old age... 'Thereby the total lifespan of mine is a + dhruvam 'impermanent...' life itself is impermanent... and with elliptic yataH 'whereby...' aham tava sadR^ishaH 'I am your seemliest... bhartaa; bibharti shushruuSa aadinaa svaaminam iti bharta= sevakaH 'a servant...' and with elliptic ataH 'thereby...' maa bhajava 'me alone, you deify, as un-godly beings cannot be in the service of Goddess Lakshmi... take me as your servant...' maameva= maa ava 'me, deliver... accord deliverance...' for that you stay here in Lanka maya saha which cleaves like maa= lakshmi, raajya lakshmi 'with Fortune of Kingdom...' saha 'along with...' ramasva 'you grace us...'

'Whereby my lifespan is impermanent to adore you, thereby you deify me from this accursed being to be in your service constantly... for which I am the seemliest servant of yours... for that you stay in Lanka and grace me and this Fortune of Kingdom, till the arrival of Rama, and then accord deliverance through Rama...

dar.hshane maa kR^ithaaH buddhim raaghavasya varaanane |
kaa asya shaktiH iha aaga.ntum api siite manorathaiH || 3-55-23

23. vara aanane= oh, beautifully, visaged lady; raaghavasya darshane= of Raghava, to see; buddhim maa kR^ithaaH= mind, do not, do [do not half a half mind, needless to think]; siite= oh, Seetha; asya manaH rathaiH api= by his, thought [wits,] by chariot, even - even by his thinking he cannot come here; iha aagantum= here, to come; kaa shaktiH= what is, calibre.

"Oh, beautifully visaged lady, it is needless to have half a mind to see that Raghava, oh, Seetha, even if his wits chariot him what is his calibre to come thither crossing an un-crossable ocean? [3-55-23]

dhvani/innuendo: Rama is living by his own wits and wisdom to come to Lanka, and his chariot called heart, is ambitiously steered by that chariot's horses, called the five senses of Rama, towards Lanka alone all through this incarnation. And bechanced is that time and opportunity, thus he has to come here, hence oh, Seetha, you needn't worry...

na shakyo vaayuH aakaashe paashaiH baddham mahaajavaH |
diipyamaanasya vaa api agneH grahiitum vimalaam shikhaam || 3-55-24

24. mahaa javaH vaayuH= gusty, cyclonic, currents of air; aakaashe paashaiH baddham= in mid air, with ropes, to knot; na shakyaH= not, possible; diipyamaanasya agneH= irradiant, fire's; vimalaam shikhaam= unmarred [radiative,] tongues [of fire]; grahiitum api vaa= even, or [more so,] to lay hold of; [na shakyaH= not practicable.]

"It is impossible to knot the currents of cyclonic gusts in mid air, more so, it is impracticable to lay hold on the tongues of radiately irradiant fire. [3-55-24]

trayaaNaam api lokaanaam na tam pashyaami shobhane |
vikrameNa nayet yaH tvaam mat baahu paripaalitaam || 3-55-25

25. shobhane= oh, benefactress of bliss; trayaaNaam lokaanaam api= threefold, in worlds, even; yaH= he [who can]; mat baahu paripaalitaam tvaam= by my, [mighty] arms, fended off, you; vikrameNa nayet= by [his] valour, lead [back]; tam na pashyaami= him, not, I envisage.

"Oh, benefactress of bliss, he who can lead you back with his valour, while you are being fended off by my mighty arms, him I do not envisage even in any one world of this threefold world. [3-55-25]

dhvani/innuendo: 'Who can manaH rathaiH api wishfully iha aagantum enter this Lanka, and if tried, he becomes a straw in the gale or char in flame... hence tam na pashyaami I don't foresee anyone else... raamam vinaa, iti seSaH 'excepting Rama...' ellipted. Thus, Rama is scheduled to come here as we have our own dealings, hence maa kR^ithaaH buddhim darshane raamasya don't get perturbed at mind in not seeing Rama... he comes soon...'

la.nkaayaam sumahat raajyam idam tvam anupaalaya |
tvat preSyaa mat vidhaa caiva devaaH ca api cara acaram || 3-55-26

26. tvam= you; lankaayaam= of Lanka; su mahat= very, great one; idam raajyam= this, empire; anupaalaya= you rule over; mat vidhaa= me [and mine,] like; devaaH caiva= gods, also thus; cara acaram= mobile, sessile - beings; tvat preSyaa= your, [royal] stewards - they will become.

"You rule over this very great empire of Lanka as an empress of Lanka, while me and mine, also thus all gods like me who hitherto are under my rule, and all mobile and sessile entities of whom I am the ruler, they too will hereafter make ourselves useful as your royal stewards, if you marry me. [3-55-26]

From now on Ravana is dedicating whatever he has or acquired to his benefactress, Goddess Lakshmi. By saying madvidhaa 'me-like...' it is aatma samarpaNa self-dedication...' lankaayaam raajyam anu paalaya 'from Lanka you rule over...' this is aatmiiya samarpaNa 'selfless dedication...'

abhiSeka udaka klinnaa tuSTaa ca ramayasva maam |
duSkR^itam yat puraa karma vana vaasena tad gatam || 3-55-27
yat ca te sukR^ito dharmaH tasya iha phalam aapnuhi |

27, 28a. abhiSeka udaka klinnaa= anointment, waters, wet by; tuSTaa ca= be elated, also; maam ramayasva= me, you delight; puraa= earlier - in bygone times; yat duSkR^itam karma= which, misdealt, deed - bad-luck; tat vana vaasena gatam= that, in forests, by dwelling, is bygone; te yat sukR^itaH dharmaH= your, which, well-done, dutiable [to become my empress]; tasya phalam iha aapnuhi= its [that deed's,] fruit, here, you secure.

"Wet with the waters of anointment you be elated and then delight me. By your damnable dwelling in forests bygone is your bad-luck that you misdealt in bygone times. And what dutiable good deed is to be done by you in marrying me, you do that now, and secure the fruits of that good deed here by marrying me. [3-55-27, 28a]

dhvani/innuendo: 'A damnable demon living in vana vaasena where vana is to betaken as waters, 'suchlike me living in an island surrounded by oceanic waters...' mayaa, iti sheSaH ellipted 'by me...' puraa yat duSkR^itam karma - kR^itam iti sheSaH 'earlier what sinful act...' ellipted 'was done...' tat= duSkarma; tava= mama iSTa devataa darshana maatreNa - gataH 'that sin - just by the chance of seeing my choicest deity Goddess Lakshmi - it has gone...' puraa maya sukR^ito yo dharmaH 'by which good deed I have done earlier...' tasya phalam 'its good results...' te - nivedayaami 'I surrender unto you... tat aapnuhi 'that you kindly accept...'

'As a damnable and islanded demon living amidst water surrounded island, what all the evil-acts done by me are evanished just by getting a glimpse of my choicest deity Goddess Lakshmi in you, thus I am absolved of all demerits... and any merit, if remnant with me by my performing some good deeds, intentionally or unintentionally, I surrender the fruits of all those merits even, unto to you... pray accept...'

iha sar.hvaaNi maalyaani divya ga.ndhaani maithili || 3-55-28
bhuuSaNaani ca mukhyaani taani seva mayaa saha |

28b, c. maithili= oh, Maithili; iha= here, in Lanka; divya gandhaani= divinely, fragranced; sarvaaNi maalyaani= all, garlands; mukhyaani bhuuSaNaani ca= topmost, jewellery, also; taani= them; mayaa saha= me, with; seva= make use of - you dress up with them.

"Oh, Maithili, here all the garlands are divinely fragranced and the jewellery is topmost, you will dress up with them along with me should you become my wife. [3-55-28b]

dhvani/innuendo: A woman is attractable by embellishments and nothing is uncommon about it. A commonplace devotee offers just a leaf, or a mere fruit, or at least water to his deity as Bhagavad Gita said: phalam, puSpam, toyam 'a fruit, a leaf or water is enough to satisfy God...' since a mountainous God cannot be appeased with mountainy offerings. But here Ravana, the devotee wants to embellish his deity with divinely garlands and topmost jewellery... maya - samarpitaani iti sheSaH 'by me...' ellipted: 'offered...' saha= ekadaiva 'at least once...' sevasva 'accept them...' 'Touch my offerings at least for once... thereby I deem that I am graced by you...'

puSpakam naama sushroNi bhraatuH vaishravaNasya me || 3-55-29
vimaanam suurya sa.nkaasham tarasaa nirjitam raNe |

29b, 30a. sushroNi= oh, well-waisted one; me bhraatuH vaishravaNasya= my, of brother, Vaishravana [Kubera's]; puSpakam naama= Pushpaka, known as; suurya sankaasham vimaanam= sun, similar in shine, aircraft; tarasaa [mayaa] nirjitam raNe= by might, [by me,] notched up, in war.

"Oh, well-waisted lady, just by my might I notched up an aircraft known as Pushpaka from my brother Kubera in a war with him, which is similar sun in its shine. [3-55-29b. 30a]

vishaalam ramaNiiyam ca tat vimaanam mano javam || 3-55-30
tatra siite mayaa saardham viharasva yathaa sukham |

30b, 31a. siite= oh, Seetha; manaH javam= intuition, at speed of; tat vimaanam= that, aircraft; ramaNiiyam ca= exhilarating, also; vishaalam ca= expansive, also; tatra= in that; mayaa saardham= me, along with; yathaa sukham viharasva= as per, [your] cheer [cheerfully,] you fly about.

"That aircraft is expansive and exhilarating, also its speed is on par with intuition, oh, Seetha, in that you can cheerfully fly about along with me, should you marry me. [3-55-30b, 31a]

dhvani/innuendo: 'That aircraft maya - samarpite - iti sheSaH when I dedicated that aircraft to you...' sa artham= sarva sampadbhiH 'with all other riches, besides this aircraft... viharasva 'you enjoy...' 'Apart from this aircraft, I denounce all the riches I gained in you... you enjoy the fruits of my action and release me...'

vadanam padma sa.nkaasham vimalam caaru darshanam || 3-55-31
shoka aartam tu varaarohe na bhraajati vara aanane |

31b, 32a. varaarohe= oh, curvaceous lady; vara aanane= oh, one with comely, countenance; padma sankaasham= lotus, similar in shine; vimalam= immaculate one; caaru darshanam= fairish, eyeful; vadanam= [your] visage; shoka aartam= mushily, maudlin; na bhraajati= not, brightish.

"Oh, lady with a comely countenance, your visage is lotus similar in its shine, besides being immaculate, fairish and eyeful, but oh, curvaceous lady, with such a mushily maudlin of such a face this palace of mine is unbright, thus marry me to brighten everything" Thus Ravana spoke to Seetha. [3-55-31b, 32a]

evam vadati tasmin saa vastra antena vara a.nganaa || 3-55-32
pidhaaya indu nibham siitaa ma.ndam ashruun avartayat |

32b, 33a. tasmin evam vadati= by him [Ravana, thus, she is spoken; vara anganaa saa siitaa= graceful, lady, she, that Seetha; indu nibham= moon, similar; [mukham= face]; vastra antenna= cloth's, with fringe; pidhaaya= covered [veiled,] Seetha; ashruun [ashruuNi] mandam avartayat= slowly [stiflingly,] tears, dispelled.

While Ravana is speaking to her in this way that graceful lady Seetha veiled her moonier face with fringe of her sari, and stiflingly dispelled tears on that mooniest face behind her half-veil. [3-55-32b, 33a]

dhyaayantiim taam iva asvasthaam siitaam ci.ntaa hata prabhaam || 3-55-33
uvaaca vacanam viiro raavaNo rajanii caraH |

33b, 34a. viiraH= valorous - resolute one [or paapaH= sinner]; rajanii caraH raavaNaH= night, walker, Ravana; dhyaayantiim iva= meditating [appearing to be pondering over,] as if - she appeared; asvasthaam [an vasthaam]= disconcerted; cintaa hata prabhaam= by anguish, marred, brilliance; taam siitaam= to her, to Seetha; vacanam uvaaca= words, said.

To her who is disconcerted and whose anguish marred her brilliance and who is appearing as though pondering over the question of her submittal to Ravana, or otherwise, although she is meditating, to such a Seetha Ravana the nightwalker said these words. [3-55-33b, 34a]

She allowed him to prattle whatever he wished, but when it is aimed at her face, she had to veil it customarily to conceal the flood of sobbing tears, aversely. But Ravana, being a leech of lechery, amusedly thinks that she is bashful, thus silent, and because silence is 'half-agreeing', thus he furthers his leeching.

alam vriiDena vaidehi dharma lopa kR^itena te || 3-55-34
aarSo ayam devi niSyando yaH tvaam abhigamiSyati |

34b, 35a: vaidehi= oh, Vaidehi; dharma te lopa kR^itena= for scriptural canons, by you, detrimental, caused by; vriiDena= embarrassment; alam= enough; yaH tvaam abhigamiSyati= which, to you, approaching [queen-hood]; ayam= that; devi= oh, empress; niSyandaH= compatible; [or, daiva niSyandaH= godly, connection, ordinance]; aarSaH= [absolutely] traditional.

"Oh, Vaidehi, enough is this embarrassment of yours presuming that your consorting with me is detrimental to scriptural canons, oh, empress, what that is approaching you in the form of queen-hood is absolutely compatible with the tradition.

Or

"Oh, Vaidehi, enough is this embarrassment of yours presuming that your consorting with me is detrimental to scriptural canons, what that is approaching you in the mode of queen-hood is ordained by gods and it is absolutely traditional. [3-55-34b, 35a]

dhvani/innuendo: 'Enough is this embarrassment alam vriidena in the matter of 'served and servant..' ayam daiva niSSyandaH for this is preordained by gods... aarSaH 'age old, traditional, and perennial...' tvaam abhigamiSyati 'the same 'served and servant relation' is now approaching you... in this incarnation and nothing new about it, for this is preordained by gods, age old, perennial, and traditional, thus enough with your embarrassment... and accept me as your devotee...' Maheshvara Tiirtha.

Much is commented on this verse and this verse itself is held controversial as the meaning for niSyandaH as 'connection...' is said to be ill defined. Further, some versions use differently as shown above. It is said that yet another ancient mms of Ramayana contains the same verse as: alam vrŸýena vaidehi dharma t˜pa k®tena ca | harÿo ayam devi vispaÿ÷o ya× tv˜m upagamiÿyati || where the first foot is almost the same and the second foot: harSo ayam devi vispaSTo yaH tvaam upagamiSyati which means devi oh, lady yaH harSaH which pleasure you are going to get with your queen-hood tvaam upagamiSyati to you approaching in the mode of queen-hood ayam harSaH vispaSTaH that pleasure is evident...

'Oh, Lady, which pleasure you are going to get as a queen, for that queen-hood is fast approaching you, that pleasure is evident... why then you presume that marrying me is anti-canonical, and thus be ashamed...' so said Ravana with a kind of epicurean philosophy.

A woman who marries twice is called punarbhuH and these are of three kinds. And then there is another type called svairiNi. The first category are the women who leave off their first husbands and get married to another, thus become the first punarbhuH and the svairiNi is the kind of women who will not care customs but follow their own course of alliances. para p¨rv˜× striya× tvat any˜× sapta prokt˜ svayambhuv˜ | punarbh¨× trividh˜ t˜s˜m tu svairiõŸ catur vidh˜ || naarada Then Ravana is supposed to have argued with Seetha 'you become a punarbhuH or choose whatever kind of scriptural statement about the rules of remarriages, but marry me - Govindaraja.

There is another kind of Indian marriage called raakshasa vivaaha loosely: 'demonical marriage...' i.e., abducting a girl with her consent and marrying secretly. But this way of raakshasa vivaaha 'marriage through abduction...' is admissible only to unmarried girls but not to the married women. Hence, the scriptural canons again cannot be satisfied. Therefore Ravana is said to have stated all this as an eyewash due to his tamo guNa praadhaanyata 'stupid contrivance of scripture with his stolidity of mind...' Maheshvara Tirtha

'If Ravana is stupid enough to distort scriptures how then can his - devotee-goddess relation - with Seetha can be established...' is the question of Rama Tilaka. Thus, it is concluded that Ravana's advances are only with a lecherous intent, contrary to what Maheshvara Tiirtha tried to establish Ravana as a devotee... Tilaka.

In spite of all these debates and counter-debates of commentators - Ravana remained as a devotee of Seetha, namely Goddess Lakshmi, legendarily.

etau paadau mayaa snigdhau shirobhiH paripiiDitau || 3-55-35
prasaadam kuru me kSipram vashyo daaso aham asmi te |

35b, 36a: etau snigdhau paadau= these two, delicate, feet [of yours]; mayaa shirobhiH paripiiDitau= by me, with [ten] heads, let let hem be massaged - let them be touched; kSipram prasaadam kuru= readily, favour, you do; aham te vashyaH= I, to you, under control - subordinate; daasaH asmi= servant, I am.

"Let these two feet of yours be massaged by my ten heads, do me favour readily, for I am your subordinate and servant. [3-55-35b. 36a]

imaaH shuunyaa mayaa vaacaH shuSyamaaNena bhaaSitaaH || 3-55-36
na ca api raavaNaH kaa.ncit muurdhnaa striim praNameta ha |

36b, 36c: shuSyamaaNena= being emptied [becoming hollow-hearted by lust]; mayaa imaaH= by me, these; shuunyaaH vaacaH bhaaSitaaH= hollow, words, spoken; raavaNaH kaancit striim= Ravana, whomsoever, to lady; muurdhnaa na ca api praNameta ha= headlong, not [never,] also, even, supplicate, indeed.

"I with a lustful hollow-heart spoke all these hollow words that are unbefitting to my stature, indeed, Ravana will never supplicate headlong to whosoever woman. [3-55-36b, 36c]

Here the expression shunyaaH is held inconvenient to derive proper meaning and another ancient mms is said to have this as: na imaaH shuunyaaH kR^ithaa vaacaH shuSyamaaNena bhaaSitaaH where the wordage is shunnyamaanena emptied by lust...' imaaH vaacaH 'these words...' shuunyaaH 'empty...' na kR^ithaa 'do not make them...' 'Nullified by lust I spoke all these words... and you, on taking them as mere nullities, pray, do not nullify my lovelorn words...' Tiirtha calls this as rasaabhaasa 'desiring an undesirous woman of others, by hook or by crook.

evam uktvaa dashagriivo maithiliim janaka aatmajaam |
kR^ita anta vasham aapanno mama iyam iti manyate || 3-55-37

37. dashagriivaH= Decahedral Ravana; janaka aatmajaam maithiliim= Janaka's, daughter, to Maithili; evam uktvaa= thus, having said; kR^itaanta vasham aapannaH= Terminator's, sway, on getting; iyam mama= she is, mine; iti manyate= thus, he deemed.

That Decahedral Ravana on speaking thus to Maithili, who is the daughter of Janaka, deemed that 'she is mine,' as he has gone under the sway of the Terminator. [3-55-37]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.nca pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 55th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 56

Introduction

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.

saa tathaa uktaa tu vaidehii nirbhayaa shoka karshitaa |
tR^iNam antarataH kR^itvaa raavaNam prati abhaaSata || 3-56-1

1. tathaa uktaa= in that way, she who is addressed; shoka karshitaa= by anguish, haggard; saa vaidehii tu= she, Vaidehi, on her part; nir bhayaa= without, fear [boldly]; tR^iNam antarataH kR^itvaa= straw-blade, in between, on making [placing]; raavaNam= to Ravana; prati abhaaSata= counter, spoke - castigated.

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]

The place of conversation is a speckles palace and then where from a blade of straw is available to Seetha to place in between them - is the question. It is adjusted by saying that a straw blade stuck to her sari, which she removed and placed in between. Has she searched whole of sari, inch by inch, for a blade of straw that too to talk to a debased character - is its counter-question. Anyway she treated Ravana just as a worthless straw - is another viewpoint. Either way, 'husband-devout' wives do not chat with 'the other' males without making an improvised screen in between, may it be a half-veil, a door, or any other item that prevent the vilely ogles of others.

She is also said to be talking 'boldly...' where this boldness is the derivative of her self-assured 'husband-devoutness.' When this boldness is there why she is emaciated through sadness - is the collateral question. For this, it is said that her wailing is not for herself, but for her separation from Rama, coupled with her thinking about Rama's miseries in forest, besides, due to the ambiguity about Lakshmana's meeting with Rama or otherwise.

Tilaka says, 'Seetha is aware of the curse of Ravana that his heads get splintered into pieces if he makes advances to any female without her consent, hence Seetha is talking fearlessly. And if Ravana tries to make any further advances, Seetha is ready to disappear, as is the practice with gods, or to become an untouchable entity, like a hologram...' But this is negated, taking Seetha as a human level entity rather than an incarnation, saying that 'human Seetha is unaware of Ravana himself, thus her becoming aware of his curse is untenable...' Maybe, Goddess Lakshmi or Maya Seetha is aware of that curse of Ravana.

raajaa dasharatho naama dharma setuH iva acalaH |
satya sandhaH parij~naato yasya putraH sa raaghavaH || 3-56-2

2. dasharathaH naama raajaa= Dasharatha, known as, king; a + calaH= unwavering [resolute]; dharma setuH iva= for righteousness, rampart, like; satya sandhaH= forthrightness, he abide by; pari j~naataH= overly, known [well renowned one]; saH raaghavaH= he that, Raghava - Rama; yasya putraH= whose, son; [saH patiH mama= such a Raghava, husband, of mine.]

"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]

The word used setu also means a 'bridge' apart from a rampart. Thus Dasharatha is not only a rampart 'a defensive wall with a broad top and usu. a stone parapet...' for the defence of dharma from its mismanagement, but he is also the bridge between a dharma and dharma. Thus this bridge called Dasharatha enables anyone to crossover it towards dharma. That bridge called Dasharatha allowed Rama to cross and to reach forests for the annihilation of demons.

Therefore, Seetha is saying 'being such a righteous king's daughter-in-law, I cannot bring blemish to my in-laws, or to their dynasty in surrendering to you... furthermore, my husband is the one from such a dynasty who never tolerates unrighteousness...'

And by taking the name of Dasharatha, where dasha ratha 'ten way charioteer, or charioteer of ten chariots...' she is explaining 'my father-in-law chariots his one chariot in ten ways, whereas you can steer only one in one way, called lust... my father-in-law chariots ten chariots in a single instance, whereas you can handle only one, at any given time besides being dependent on the capability of auto-propelling Pushpaka aircraft, rather than on your own steersman's capability...

raamo naama sa dharmaatmaa triSu lokeSu vishrutaH |
diirgha baahuH vishaalaakSo daivatam sa patiH mama || 3-56-3

3. [yasya dasharasya putraH= which, Dasharatha's, son is]; who is; triSu lokeSu vishrutaH= in three, worlds, highly, renowned; diirgha baahuH= lengthy, armed one [having ambidexterity]; vishaala akSaH= wide, eyed [eagle-eyed, having perspicacity]; raamaH naama= Rama, known as; saH dharma aatmaa= he, virtue-souled one; mama patiH= my, husband; and; daivatam= [my] godlike.]

"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]

Annex: 'And he is named as Rama because he causes rejoice in one and all, thus he is well renowned in all worlds, unlike you who are named as Ravana, meaning that 'the one who makes one and all rueful...' thus you are also well renowned in the worlds, but by your notoriety. On the other hand Rama is virtue-souled, unlike you a virtueless, meritless and lawless knave... and his ambidexterity contrasts with your guile-handedness, while his perceptiveness with your purblindness of the proximate problem of yours... such a husband's wife as I am, how do you think that I on my own get estranged from such a godlike husband of mine, unrighteously...

ikSvaakuuNaam kule jaataH si.mha skandho mahaadyutiH |
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa yaH te praaNaan hariSyati || 3-56-4

4. ikSvaakuuNaam kule jaataH= in Ikshvaku's, dynasty, born in; simha skandhaH= lion, shoulders; mahaa dyutiH= great, resplendent one; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha= brother, with Lakshmana, along with; yaH te praaNaan hariSyati= who, your, lives, will take away.

"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]

Annex: Ravana asked Seetha at 3-55-21 'what can you achieve with that dethroned, hapless, seer, vagrant Rama and who is short-lived, for after all, he is a human with littlest vitality?' Thus belittling Rama's possessions in the shape of palaces, riches and kingdoms. For that Seetha is now saying that Rama does not possess anything, but the whole world is possessed of him. saha lakshmaNa= sa ha lakshmaNa ; cihnaa naamno saha lakshmii ke saumitrau saa rasa striyaam 'Supreme Person's possession is the eternal opulence of the Universe...' para brahma mantraNayo 'one achievable by constant meditation upon Him alone...' To such Rama now adjoined is Lakshmana, the personified prosperity. As such, that Supreme Splendour has taken incarnation as Rama because of the curse of Anaranya. Thus, Seetha took the name of Ikshvaku dynasty.

The curse of Anaranya: Anaranya is the ancestor of Rama in Ikshvaku dynasty. His son is Haryashva, a grandparent of Rama. When Ravana subjugated Anaranya, dying Anaranya curses Ravana to die at the hands of his great-grandson Rama in later generations.

'Such Ikshvaku will now come along with prosperous Lakshmana not only to belittle your opulence of falsity, but also to terminate such a vainglorious mischief... thus foxlike creatures like you cannot dare a lion, for he is lion-shouldered... and because you foxed Rama you are still alive, otherwise...' - continuation with next verse.

pratyakSam yadi aham tasya tvayaa syaam dharSitaa balaat |
shayitaa tvam hataH sa.nkhye janasthaane yathaa kharaH || 3-56-5

5. aham tvayaa= I am, by you; tasya pratyakSam= in his [Rama's,] presence; balaat= forcibly; dharSitaa syaam yadi= humiliated, had I been, if; tvam= you; jana sthaane kharaH yathaa= in Janasthaana, Khara, as with; sankhye hataH shayitaa= in combat, killed, you would have been sprawling [on earth.]

"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]

ya ete raakSasaaH proktaa ghora ruupaa mahaabalaaH |
raaghave nirviSaaH sarve suparNe pannagaa yathaa || 3-56-6

6. ghora ruupaa= with ghastly, forms; mahaabalaaH= gruellingly powerful; yaH [ye=]= which; ete= all these; raakSasaaH proktaa= demons, said to be - available with you; sarve= all of them; suparNe= with respect to Garuda, the Divine Eagle; pannagaa yathaa= snakes, as with; raaghave= with regard to Raghava; nir viSaaH= devoid of, poison - futile.

"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]

Annex: 'You said that you have millions and millions of ghastly demons... but where are they, in the backyard of your house and behind your back? None has surfaced so far to confront my husband, for they are nothing but your kitchenware... and thus you are a gehe shuuraH 'a champion in your own home... a paper tiger...' boastful of your paper-thin-tigerish-ness before me, a solitary woman... thus you and your forces will be rendered ineffectual the minute you confront my husband...'

tasya jyaa vipramuktaaH te sharaaH kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaaH |
shariiram vidhamiSyanti ga.ngaa kuulam iva uurmayaH || 3-56-7

7. tasya= his - Rama's; jyaa= from bowstring; vi pra muktaaH= verily [directly,] unswervingly, unloosened; kaancana bhuuSaNaaH= in gold, decorated [gilded]; sharaaH= arrows; uurmayaH= waves; gangaa kuulam iva= River Ganga's, riverbanks, as with; te shariiram= your, body; vi dhamiSyanti= utterly, wallop.

"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]

Annex: 'What if Rama is dethroned or enthroned? He is not a 'hapless' person as observed by you, but he solitarily depends upon his self-confidence and a pair of skilful arms

asuraiH vaa suraiH vaa tvam yadi avadhyo asi raavaNa |
utpaadya sumahat vairam jiivan tasya na mokSyase || 3-56-8

8. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; tvam= you; asuraiH vaa suraiH vaa= by demons, or, by gods, either; a + vadhyaH= not, killable; asi yadi=you are, [even] if; su mahat vairam utpaadya= very, great, animosity, on generating - hatching; jiivan= in aliveness; tasya na mokSyase= by him [from Rama,] not, set free.

"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]

Annex: 'Maybe god or demons or others, other than humans, cannot kill you... why the humans were slighted by you as your killing agents at the time of your seeking boons from Brahma, or at least at the time of my abduction why humans are disregarded... hence, that heedlessness alone becomes the very cause for your self-ruination...'

sa te jiivita sheSasya raaghavo anta karo balii |
pashoH yuupa gatasya iva jiivitam tava durlabham || 3-56-9

9. balii saH raaghavaH= mighty one, he, that Raghava; te jiivita sheSasya= your, life's, vestige of; anta karaH= end, maker [terminator]; yuupa gatasya pashoH iva= stake [of sacrifice,] on going [fastened to,] animal, as with; tava jiivitam dur labham= your, life, not, retrievable.

"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]

Annex: 'Even the beasts like cattle and goats when herded towards a slaughterhouse they will be apprehensively fearsome and walk closely and snugly, for they know not what will become of them... and for your part, your intellect is far too low than that of a beastie bovine... and you say vaingloriously that everything in every world fears you... firstly you fear for yourself as an animal tied to a stake...

'Rama's life itself is yaj~na 'a sacrificial ritual...' his actions are ritualistic performances... in which he sacrifices a dharma for the sake of dharma even by sacrificing his own comforts... and you said of him as a 'vagrant...' yes, his yaj~na is to be performed not by sitting in some hall of ritual, but meandering vagrantly... because entire earth is his hall of ritual... and now, you as a sacrificial beast are fastened to the stake of sacrifice by a rope called Seetha, and you be ready awaiting for your slaughter in that raama yaj~na

yadi pashyet sa raamaH tvaam roSa diiptena cakSuSaa |
rakSaH tvam adya nirdagdho yathaa rudreNa manmadhaH || 3-56-10

10. rakSaH= oh, demon; saH raamaH= he, that Rama; roSa diiptena cakSuSaa= rancour, torched, with eyes; tvaam pashyet yadi= at you, he sees, if; adya= now; [sadyaH= promptly]; tvam nirdagdh= you, completely burnt down; rudreNa manmadhaH yathaa= by Rudra [the Furious Shiva,] Love-god, as with.

"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]

Annex: 'exacting eroticism is an inexcusable impasse... did you not learn this lesson from the legend of your iSTa daiva 'most cherished god...' God Shiva, who burnt down the Love-god... and if there is any thinly separated state between love and lust, how then will you be unburnt by the furious glances of Rama for your lustfulness...

yaH candram nabhaso bhuumau paatayen naashayeta vaa |
saagaram shoSayet vaa api sa siitaam mocayet iha || 3-56-11

11. yaH= who - which Rama; candram nabhasaH= moon, from sky; bhuumau paatayen= on earth, hurls down; vaa= or else; naashayeta= extirpates [if need be]; saagaram shoSayet vaa api= ocean, desiccates, or, even; saH iha siitaam mocayet= he that Rama, from here, Seetha, rescues.

"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]

Annex: 'You need not sit back gleefully thinking that none can cross over an ocean and come thither, presuming that 'a hundred-yojana ocean roundly enshrouds this Lanka...' Rama can dehydrate any ocean of any size in its entirety... thus he just walk on its sands in commissioning his mission...

gata aayuH tvam gata shriikaH gata sattvo gata indriyaH |
la.nkaa vaidhavya sa.myuktaa tvat kR^itena bhaviSyati || 3-56-12

12. tvam= you; gata aayuH= with gone, livability; gata shriikaH= with gone, prosperity; gata sattvaH= with gone, vivacity; gata indriyaH= with gone, senses [faculty]; tvat kR^itena= by your, deed done - by the deed you have done in abducting me; lankaa vaidhavya samyuktaa bhaviSyati= Lanka, with widowhood, enjoined [widowed,] it will be [Lanka will become a widow.]

"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]

Annex: 'as such, you yourself cannot be on the throne of Lanka since her widowhood is admonished by your single act of touching 'other man's wife' that is me, and in abducting me... wherewith you daydream and daresay to me 'you rule over this very great empire of Lanka as empress of Lanka...'

na te paapam idam karma sukha udarkam bhaviSyati |
yaa aham niitaa vinaa bhaavam pati paarshvaat tvayaa vanaat || 3-56-13

13. te idam paapam karma= your, this, diabolic, deed; sukha udarkam= happiness, for ultimate fruition; na bhaviSyati= not, it will be [yields]; yaa= by which [deed]; aham= I am; tvayaa vanaat= by you, from forest; pati paarshvaat= husband, from the side of; vinaabhaavam= separation; niitaa= dragged into [separated.]

"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]

Annex: you said to me, 'of what use is your thinking conversely about that long-lost Rama...' what else am I to do, for I am diabolically dragged away from him by you, as such I am, I am now contemplating upon that Rama alone to come here to handover 'a fruit of unhappiness' to you as a barter for my release...'

sa hi devara - daivata - sa.myukto mama bhartaa mahaadyutiH |
nirbhayo viiryam aashritya shuunye vasati daNDake || 3-56-14

14. mahaadyutiH mama bhartaa= great-resplendent one, my, husband; saH= he that Rama; viiryam aashritya= [his own] valour, hinging on to; nir bhayaH= without, fear [bravely]; devara [daivata ] samyuktaH= brother-in-law [or, God,] joined by [in tandem]; shuunye daNDake vasati hi= empty [eremitical,] in Dandaka, still residing; hi= in fact.

"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]

Annex: 'you said that you do not envisage 'him who can lead me back with his valour...' but my husband is still there in Dandaka along with his brother, both in tandem only with God Almighty, whose biting bravery and venomous valour are yet to be tasted by you... and if you too are brave enough, confront him to know whether I am winnable or otherwise...'

sa te viiryam darpam balam utsekam ca tathaa vidham |
apaneSyati gaatrebhyaH shara var.hSeNa sa.nyuge || 3-56-15

15. saH= he - my husband Rama; samyuge shara varSeNa= in combat, arrow, by storms of; te gaatrebhyaH= your, from limbs; darpam balam viiryam= insolence, arrogance, puissance; tathaa vidham= in that, way; utsekam= impudence; apa neSyati= to side, leads - expels.

"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]

Annex: 'for yours is only bodily might as you have said 'I behold none matchable to my vitality...' and no spiritual or ethical, or whatsoever merits abide in you... thus, should you confront an ethical and scrupulous combatant, evanished are your bodily vanities...'

yadaa vinaasho bhuutaanaam dR^ishyate kaala coditaH |
tadaa kaarye pramaadyanti naraaH kaala vasham gataaH || 3-56-16

16. bhuutaanaam= for birthed beings; yadaa kaala coditaH vinaashaH dR^ishyate= as [and when,] time, actuated, ruination, manifests; tadaa naraaH kaala vasham gataaH= then, humans [created beings,] Time's, under control, having gone in; kaarye pramaadyanti= in actions [behaviour,] endangers [places themselves.]

"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]

Annex: 'you said to me that 'by your damnable dwelling in forests, bygone is your bad-luck which you misdealt in bygone times...' and I agree for that assertion of yours as my damnable bad-luck is nearing its completion, but your damnable, ill-lucky, self-ruinous time as started, and hence you are placing your behaviour in endangerment, by this quirkish act of abducting me...'

maam pradhR^iSya sa te kaalaH praapto ayam rakSasa adhama |
aatmano raakSasaanaam ca vadhaaya antaH purasya ca || 3-56-17

17. rakSasa adhama= oh, demon, basely; maam pradhR^iSya= me, on molesting; aatmanaH= for yourself; raakSasaanaam ca= for [all] demons, also; antaH purasya ca= for interior [Queen's,] Chambers, also; vadhaaya= for devastation; ayam= this; saH kaalaH= that, time - [end time]; te praaptaH= to you, bechanced.

"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]

Annex: You said that I will become an empress among all females you brought. I need not become an empress for the 'countless females of finest fabric you amassed...' Because all those females have yielded themselves to you, and they are going to be devastated and evanished along with their Chambers of Queens, which chambers you endowed to them as gifts. But Rama will rescue others who are still captivated yet reticent. Where is the question of my becoming an empress of dead souls?

na shakyaa yaj~na madhyasthaa vediH sruk bhaaNDa maNDitaa |
dvijaati ma.ntra sa.mpuutaa caNDaalena avamarditum || 3-56-18

18. yaj~na madhyasthaa= ritual [hall,] amidst; sruk bhaaNDa maNDitaa= oblational, vessels, surrounded with; dvijaati mantra sampuutaa ca= by Brahman's [Vedic,] hymns, sanctified by, further; vediH= Fire-altar; caNDaalena ava marditum= by profaner, to heavily tread on; na shakyaa= not, possible.

"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]

Annex: 'Liken me to that Altar of Fire, centrally located in the ritual hall of Rama, namely the whole earth, and liken the oblational receptacles to nature's bounties like lakes, rivers, mountains, trees, and liken the offerings to flowers, fruits, and waters, and liken Vedic sound to the background drone of nature... and every bit of it is sanctified by all the hymns of Veda-s, as all Veda-s glorify them, the components of nature alone... and you profaner... it is impossible for you tread on this Fire Altar, that is me, blasphemously...'

This expression caNDaal has its own impact. Though this is amplified elsewhere it is reiterated here also. The nomenclature of caNDaal is not the present day 'untouchable' 'outcaste' or a 'pariah' etc., because he is also a member and an important functionary in Hindu system of castes. The analogy is between the Vedic-scholar and profaner, [meaning: one who is not initiated into religious rites or any esoteric knowledge...] and between the Altar of Fire and Fire of Pyre, and between the Vedic Ritual and Funeral Rites, both involving Vedic-hymns. A Vedic scholar may perhaps conduct a yaj~na but he is no authority to conduct antya kriya 'funerals' till its end. At best, a priest's function is until the lighting of the pyre, and even perhaps until kapaala moksha 'breakage of cranium...' and from then on it is the function of this caNDaal to take care of the corpse consigned to fire and for its complete cremation, since leaving half burnt corpse to vultures and foxes or wolves, is sinning. Thus, if a Vedic scholar conducts jaata aadi kriyaaH 'rites from birth onwards...' as an initiator, whereas a caNDaal conducts antya, uttara kriyaaH 'rites of death afterwards...' as a terminator. Thus, Ravana being a Vedic scholar is now conducting himself as a self-cremator.

tathaa aham dharma nityasya dharma patnii dR^iDha vrataa |
tvayaa sa.mpraSTum na shakyaa aham raakshasaadhama paapinaa || 3-56-19

19. raakshasa adhama= oh, demon, basely; tathaa= likewise - on par with Rama; dharma nityasya= in righteousness, one who steadied himself; dharma patnii= legitimate, wife; dR^iDha vrataa= solemnly, pledged [wife]; aham= such as I am; paapinaa tvayaa sampraSTum= by a trespasser, by you, to touch; aham na shakyaa= I am, not, possible - impossible.

"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]

kriiDantii raaja ha.msena padma Sa.nDeSu nityashaH |
ha.msii saa tR^iNa SaNDastham katham draksheta madgukam || 3-56-20

20. padma SanDeSu= in lotuses, bunches; nityashaH= ever; raaja hamsena kriiDantii= with majestic, swans, sporting [frolicking]; saa hamsii= she, that she-swan; tR^iNa SaNDastham= grass, abiding in bunch - sneaking in a bunch of grass; madgukam= at water-crow; katham draksheta= how, leers at.

"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]

idam shariiram niHsa.nj~nam bandha vaa ghaatayasva vaa |
na idam shariiram rakSyam me jiivitam vaa api raakSasa || 3-56-21
na tu shakyaami upakrosham pR^ithivyaam dhaatum aatmanaH |

21, 22a: raakshasa= oh, demon; niH sanj~nam= less of, feelings [inertial]; idam shariiram= this, body; bandha= you trammel; vaa= or; ghaatayasva= vandalise; vaa= or; me idam shariiram= to me, [either] this, body; jiivitam vaa api= life, or, even; rakSyam= saveable; na= not - no need; [this life is irreclaimable by me]; tu= but; pR^ithivyaam= on earth; aatmanaH= for myself; upakrosham= disrepute; dhaatum na shakyaami= to bear with, not, tolerant I am.

"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]

Annex: 'my father endowed me to Rama bodily in kanyaa daana 'bride betrothal...' and I soulfully resigned my soul, let alone my life, unto that Rama by my vara sviikaara, paaNi grahaNa... 'marriage...' as such I cannot reclaim my body and soul from Rama for placement in other's unworthy hands... thereby it is up Rama to win back his wife, or it is up to you to tangle, mangle, and wrangle with these ideas...'

Nobility is nobler than life. Hence, it is to be protected even at the cost of one's own life... anena pr˜õa parity˜gena api loka apav˜da pariharaõa p¨rvakam yaþa× samrakÿõŸyam iti s¨citam - tath˜ ca raghu vamþe k˜lid˜sa× - api sva deh˜t kim uta indriya arth˜t yaþodh˜n˜nam hi yaþo garŸya× - dk

evam uktvaa tu vaidehii kroddhaat su paruSam vacaH || 3-56-22
raavaNam maithilii tatra punaH na uvaaca ki.mcana |

22b, 23a. vaidehii maithilii= princess of Videha, Maithili; kroddhaat= with fury; raavaNam= to Ravana; evam= in that way; su paruSam vacaH uktvaa= highly, caustic, words, on speaking; tatra= therein [that matter]; punaH kimcana na uvaaca= further, no more, not, spoke.

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]

siitaayaa vacanam shrutvaa paruSam roma harSaNam || 3-56-23
prati uvaaca tataH siitaam bhaya sa.ndarshanam vacaH |

23b, 24a. siitaayaaH= Seetha's; paruSam roma harSaNam vacanam shrutvaa= scathing, hair, raising, words [censures,] on hearing; [raavaNaH= Ravana]; tataH= then; siitaam= to Seetha; bhaya sandarshanam vacaH= fear, showing [intimidatory,] words [chides]; prati uvaaca= in turn, said - retorted.

On hearing Seetha's scathing and hair-raising censures, then Ravana retorted with these intimidatory chides. [3-56-23b, 24a]

shR^iNu maithili mat vaakyam maasaan dvaadasha bhaamini || 3-56-24
kaalena anena na abhyeSi yadi maam caaru haasini |
tataH tvaam praataH aashaa artham suudaaH Chetsyanti leshashaH || 3-56-25

24b, 25. maithili= oh, Maithili; bhaamini= oh, lady in anger; mat vaakyam shR^iNu= my, words, you listen; dvaa dasha maasaan= two, ten [twelve,] months; is the period given to you; caaru haasini= oh, smiley, smiler; anena kaalena= by that, time; maam na abhyeSi yadi= of me, do not, you come nigh, if; tataH= then; suudaaH= cooks; tvaam= you; praataH aashaa artham= morning, meal [/ quarters,] for purpose of; leshashaH= to pieces; Chetsyanti= they slice you.

"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]

dhvani/innuendo: Ravana the devotee is saying: 'I will wait for a period of twelve months... and if I am na abhyeSi 'unblessed...' tataH tvaam uddishya 'then, on your account...' praataH 'morning, next morning after twelve month period...' aashaa artham 'for the purpose of crows, eagles and vultures in direction, quarters...' suudaaH 'cooks...' maam Chesyanti 'me, they slice to pieces...' mat aaj~nayaa, iti shesaH 'by my order, thus ellipted...'

'I will wait for a period of twelve months... and if I am unblessed even by that time, by my order my cooks will slice me to pieces for the morning meal of vultures in all the directions of compass, as a kind of self-immolation by getting sliced to pieces as I will become unworthy for your grace...' Tiirtha.

If one king conquers another and lay seize to queens, a twelve month time is given to the defeated king to regain his captivated queens, by making another round of combat. If the defeated king is unable to do so, or reluctant to do so, the captivated queens of the defeated king automatically belong to the conquering king after twelve months, raja niita - shaanti parva - Maha Bharata.

iti uktvaa paruSam vaakyam raavaNaH shatru raavaNaH |
raakSasiiH ca tataH kruddha idam vacanam abraviit || 3-56-26

26. shatru raavaNaH raavaNaH =[his] enemies, one who make to bewail, such Ravana; iti paruSam vaakyam uktvaa= thus, harsh, words, on saying; tataH kruddha= then, infuriated one; raakSasiiH idam vacanam abraviit= to [guarding] demonesses, this, sentence, said.

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]

shiighram eva hi raakSasyo vikR^itaa ghora darshanaaH |
darpam asyaa apaneSyantu maa.msa shoNita bhojanaaH || 3-56-27

27. vikR^itaa ghora darshanaaH= gnarled ones, grisly, in mien; maamsa shoNita bhojanaaH= meat, blood, eaters of; such as you are you; raakSasyaH= oh, demonesses; shiighram eva= immediately, only; asyaaH darpam apaneSyantu= her, pride, you remove.

"Oh, gnarled demonesses of grisly mien and devourers of meat and blood, you have to indeed remove her pride immediately. [3-56-27]

dhvani/innuendo: 'Oh, demonesses you now immediately become a+ vikR^itaa 'not, ghastly, not gnarled...' darpam vinaa 'your pride, without...' asyaat samiipe 'in her proximity, in her audience...' iSyadhvam 'be servitors...'

'Oh, demonesses of gnarled grisly mien and devourers of meat and blood, now you immediately become presentable, casting off your gnarled and ghastly appearances... and without your personal pride be in her servitude as servitors in her audience... for she is my Goddess Lakshmi...'

vacanaat eva taaH tasya vikR^itaa ghora darshanaaH |
kR^ita praa.njalayo bhuutvaa maithiliim paryavaarayan || 3-56-28

28. vikR^itaa ghora darshanaaH= grotesque, ugly, in appearance; taaH= those; [raakshasii gaNaaH= demonesses, groups of; tasya= his [Ravana's]; vacanaat eva= by wordds [order of,] only - just by that order; kR^ita praanjalayaH bhuutvaa= made, palm-fold, they on becoming - obedient; maithiliim paryavaarayan= around Maithili, encircled.

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]

sa taaH provaaca raajaa tu raavaNo ghora darshanaaH |
pracaalya caraNa utkarSaiH daarayan iva mediniim || 3-56-29

29. raajaa saH raavaNaH tu= who is king, he, that Ravana, on his part; caraNa utkarSaiH= with feet's, stamping; mediniim pracaalya= earth, made to shatter; daarayan iva= to cleave [earth,] as though; taaH ghora darshanaaH= to them, to ghastly demonesses, in look; pra uvaaca= clearly, said.

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]

ashoka vanikaa madhye maithilii niiyataam iti |
tatra iyam rakSyataam guuDham yuSmaabhiH parivaaritaa || 3-56-30

30. [iyam= this]; maithilii= Maithili; ashoka vanikaa madhye= Ashoka, gardens, centre of; niiyataam= she is to be led - taken away; tatra iyam= there, she; yuSmaabhiH parivaaritaa= by you all, by blockading; guuDham rakSyataam= stealthily, guarded; iti= thus; he said to them.

"Let this Maithili be taken to the centre of Ashoka gardens, where you all shall blockade and guard her stealthily. [3-56-30]

tatra enaam tar.hjanaiH ghoraiH punaH saa.ntvaiH ca maithiliim |
aanayadhvam vasham sarvaa vanyaam gaja vadhuum iva || 3-56-31

31. tatra= there; sarvaaH= all of you; enaam maithiliim= at her, at Maithili; ghoraiH= with dreadful [admonitions]; tarjanaiH= [pointing the] forefingers, [threateningly]; punaH saantvaiH ca= again, imploringly [speaking,] also; vanyaam gaja vadhuum iva= in forest [wild,] elephant, bride [she-elephant,] as with; vasham aanayadhvam= under control, you shall bring her.

"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]

Annex: Ravana the devotee's the caution is: vinaa tarjaniaH 'without threats, tame her; or tarjanaiH vinaa ghoraiH where vinaa 'without...' is ellipted by commentators and said 'threats without dreadfulness...

'You as demons are already habituated to threat sages and saints till their death... but, mind it... just threaten Maithili till threat-tolerability... do not overdo it, lest she may die of threats... again brainwash her with good words of me and my generosity... if Maithili is dead at your hands deem that you and your families are effaced... for I cherish Maithili to live...'

iti prati samaadiSTaa raakSasyo raavaNena taaH |
ashoka vanikaam jagmuH maithiliim parigR^ihya tu || 3-56-32
sarvakaamaphalairvR^ikSairnaanaapuSpaphalairvR^itaam - yadvaa -
sarva kaama phalaiH vR^ikSaiH naanaa puSpa phalaiH vR^itaam |
sarva kaala madaiH ca api dvijaiH samupasevitaam || 3-56-33

32, 33. raavaNena iti= by Ravana, in this way; prati sam aadiSTaa= towards, clearly, ordered - demonesses who are ordered; taaH raakSasyaaH= those, demonesses; maithiliim parigR^ihya tu= Maithili, on taking, on their part; sarva kaama phalaiH= to every, savour, having fruits; naanaa puSpa phalaiH= having diverse, flowers, fruits; vR^ikSaiH= with such - trees; vR^itaam= surrounded with; sarva kaala madaiH dvijaiH= at all, time, lusty, by birds; sam upa sevitaam= highly adored; ashoka vanikaam jagmuH= to Ashoka, gardens, they went.

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]

saa tu shoka pariita a.ngii maithilii janakaatmajaa |
raakSasii vasham aapannaa vyaaghriiNaam hariNii yathaa || 3-56-34

34. shoka pariita angii= with anguish, coverall, body; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; saa maithilii tu= she, that Maithili, on her part; hariNii vyaaghriiNaam yathaa= she-deer, to tigresses, as good as; raakSasii vasham aapannaa= demonesses, controlling, obtained.

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]

shokena mahataa grastaa maithilii janakaatmajaa |
na sharma labhate bhiiruH paasha baddhaa mR^igii yathaa || 3-56-35

35. mahataa shokena grastaa= by utmost, agony, consumed by; bhiiruH= timorous one - Seetha / she-deer; janaka aatmajaa maithilii= Janaka's, daughter, Maithili; paasha baddhaa mR^igii yathaa= tether, bound, she-deer, as with; sharma na labhate= placidity, not, obtained.

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]

na vindate tatra tu sharma maithilii
viruupa netraabhiH atiiva tarjitaa |
patim smarantii dayitam ca devaram
vicetanaa abhuut bhaya shoka piiDitaa || 3-56-36

36. viruupa netraabhiH= by [demonesses] with bizarre, eyes; atiiva tarjitaa= highly, intimidated; maithilii= Maithili; tatra sharma na vindate= there [in captivity,] peace, not, knows; dayitam patim= about dear, husband; devaram ca= of brother-n-law Lakshmana, too; smarantii= while reminiscing; bhaya shoka piiDitaa= with alarm, with anguish, distraught; vi cetanaa= with, animation [swooned]; abhuut= she became.

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]

.

An enigma called - Seetha

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Is Seetha really the Goddess Lakshmi? This question is often raised and answered by commentators. Ravana kidnapped umpteen numbers of beautiful women and goddess, but why his dialogues with Seetha are given many shades of meanings by all most all commentators. Is this for proving Ravana as devotee or else to prove that Seetha is not a human but Goddess Lakshmi - is the collateral objection. Apparently, Seetha is behaving like a normal woman but latently her speeches, verbiage, or the words put by Valmiki on her tongue, indicate that she is an all-powerful enigma... without saying who she is.

If she is an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi how then can Ravana lift her up and carry this far - is the next dilemma, because Ravana's strength becomes useless to lift up Lakshmana who swooned on the battlefield when Ravana used Shakti missile. In Yuddha Kaanda Ch. 59 verse 111 it is said: himav˜n mandaro mero× trai lokyam v˜ saha amarai× | þakyam bhuj˜bhy˜m uddhartum na þakyo bharata anuja×

'Ravana may have lifted Mt. Himavan, Mt. Mandara, Mt. Meru or all the three worlds along with all gods, but he could not lift up Bharata's brother Lakshmana with both of his shoulders...'

Ravana wanted to distance fiercer Lakshmana from Rama so that Rama's intensity of warring lessens. Then an episode of this lifting occurs and Hanuma on seeing this comes to Ravana and hits Ravana with fist, by which Ravana falls distantly with blood effusing from eyes, ears, and mouth. Then Hanuma easily lifts up Lakshmana and takes him to Rama. A man in swoon will not weigh differently to two different lifters. How then Ravana could not lift Lakshmana, which is not at all a great feat to Hanuma? For this the very next verse 112 gives a reply saying that:

'even if Lakshmana is hit by Shakti missile of Brahma, he is conscious of himself as an unimaginable entity of God Vishnu, so Ravana could not lift Lakshmana. Whereas Hanuma happened to be a true devotee of God Almighty, he could easily lift Lakshmana...'

Then the original topic of Ravana's lifting and carrying off Seetha comes to fore. She is also another unimaginable entity of Supreme Person. How then can Ravana lift her? For this it is said that Seetha allowed herself to be carried off by Ravana as she pledged in the incarnation of Vedavati.

The legend goes on to say that Vedavati is the brainchild of a sage called Kushadhwaja, and he decides to give Vedavati only to Vishnu in marriage. But it is an unfulfilled desire in his lifetime. Then Vedavati starts a rigorous penance to achieve her father's wish. When she is at the culmination point of her penance, Ravana passing that way in skyway sees this beautiful lady, nears, and disturbs her penance. Vedavati coming out of her meditation curses Ravana saying that she will reincarnate herself to destroy Ravana and his entire dynasty. Then she causes a yogic fire and immolates herself in it. Ravana took this as prattle by a woman-hermit, dismisses that curse, and conveniently forgets it.

Later, Ravana being an ardent devotee of Shiva, on one day when he enters a lake to get lotuses for his daily worship of Shiva, and finds among lotuses a baby in a lotus. He brings that lotus and the baby to his palace, in all his fondness for children. But his empress Mandodari doubts the arrival of this baby in lotus and recognises that baby as Goddess Lakshmi. They consult their teachers about that baby's arrival. Those teachers, priests and pundits advise to get rid of this baby immediately, for she is Vedavati, arrived here only to end Ravana and his dynasty. Then Mandodari orders the servants to carry away this baby in a casket, and bury it.

Empress Mandodari further curses that girl saying: 'this faithless girl [for Wealth has no faithfulness, and this girl is recognised as Goddess Lakshmi - presiding deity of Wealth,] will thrive only in a house, where the householder has his senses conquered, and who being an emperor lives like a perfect hermit, and who though wealthy and supreme by himself, will care nothing for the riches but view whole of the world and people as his own soul, with an impartial attitude...' Mandodari thought that such a person is an impossibility to take birth in this mortal world, and thus presumed this curse to be twisty. But there is King Janaka who has all these attributes. A king without ego, wealthy one living simple, childless but yet does not crave for children, like King Dasharatha. Hence, he is called raajarshi a saintly king. While King Janaka was about to perform a Vedic ritual, he had to till some piece of land as a ceremonial act to commence that ritual. Then this casket with the baby is touched to the blade at the end of plough-beam and that plough halted. The attendants dug up that area only to find this casket with baby. The childless Janaka takes the baby into his arms and names her as 'Seetha...' where Seetha in Sanskrit means 'furrow.' This is as per aananda raamaayaNa Thus, Goddess Lakshmi became Vedavati and Vedavati became Seetha of Ramayana, as such Valmiki calls his Ramayana siithaayaH charitam mahaan...

Then another counter objection - it is all correct to say that all puraaNaa-s say that these characters in Ramayana as gods and goddesses, as Vishnu Puraana says raaghavatve havat siitaa rukmiNii kR^iSNa jananii. But does Valmiki say it in his epic? For this it is answered, though it is not said explicitly there are many instances indicating towards this divinity of Seetha. Seetha asks Fire-god to become cool for Hanuma, when his tail is burnt saying siito bhava hanumataa and likewise she could have said hato bhava raavaNa 'dead you are Ravana...' But she does not say so for, because Rama has to undertake that process of elimination of vice called Ravana. As Seetha said in Sundara Kanda Ch. 22, verse 20: a sandeþ˜t tu r˜masya tapasa× ca anup˜lan˜t | na tv˜m kurmi daþagrŸva bhasma bhasm˜rha tejas˜ ||

'As I have no indication from Rama to burn you down, nor do I wish to waste my ascetic power, therefore I do not burn you to ashes, though you are worthy to become a mound of ash...'

In the very next verse 21 she directly says to Ravana: na apahartum aham þky˜ tvay˜ r˜masya dhŸmata× | vidhi× tava vadha arth˜ya vihito na atra samþaya× ||

'I am un-seizable for [any] as I am the wife of bold Rama, but it happened so, for you are fated to doom [you could seize me...] undoubtedly...'

Again in Yuddha Kanda Brahma in eulogising Rama for eliminating Ravana says in Ch. 117, verse 28: siitaa lakshmiiH bhavaan viSNuH... 'Seetha is Lakshmi and you are Vishnu...' Like this, there are many bits and pieces of information to establish her as an incarnate of Vedavati alias Goddess Lakshmi. Govindaraja.

Then why she and Rama behaved like humans in their wailing, moaning, and bawling is again a secondary query. This is according to loka riiti, laukika vidhaana 'humanly nature, behaviour in human world...' Though this humanly behaviour is not innate trait as Rama says aatmaanam aham maanuSam manye 'I for myself confess to be human...' Hence this humanly wailing and bawling are due to an adopted human behaviour, where incarnation itself is an adaptation.

Their humanly behaviour is to show themselves as one with the humans, asking humans to undergo these series of sufferings to eliminate unrighteousness, either in the society or within themselves. Besides, their mission is to make believe Ravana that they are just humans, as Ravana is killable by humans and monkeys, but not to hoodwink readers, the adherents or all of us put together. Maheshvara Tiirtha.

This incarceration of Seetha in Ashoka gardens is viewed as the incarceration of the innate soul in birthed being's body. The release from that body, namely moksha is achievable only when that being wants a perfect release by transcending the threefold nature consisting of sattva, rajas, tamo guNaaH 'purity, activity and stolidity...' and with an unswerving devotion to the Supreme as said in Gita, 14-26: m˜m ca yo avyabhic˜reõa bhakti yogena sevate | sa guõ˜n samatŸtya et˜n brahma bh¨ya kalpate ||

'And such- / With single, fervent faith adoring Me, / Passing beyond the Qualities, conforms / To Brahma, and attains Me!' - Sir Edwin Arnold.

God Almighty is said to be masculine single, the rest of the universe is taken as feminine, as said in Vishnu Puraana: sa eva v˜sudevo ayam s˜kÿ˜t puruÿa ucyate | strŸ pr˜yam etat sarvam jagat brahma purassaram || Then the way the innate soul, called Seetha, is incarcerated is, when she had no help of the Supreme or the Adherent of the Supreme, [Rama and Lakshmana.] Then the Decahedral demon [the demon called Ten Motor Senses,] came and captured the Soul, called Seetha and incarcerated that soul in Lanka. The syllable 'lam' in the word Lanka is lam - biijaakshara which stands for earth, and because body is earthly, lascivious and carnal, the soul enters that body by its bondage. If that soul again tries for a final release, that soul shall seek the Ultimate as said in the verse of Gita, quoted above.

There is no instance to quote that Rama or Seetha have performed some miracles, special effects or any other optical works... perhaps due to lack of any FX studio or something like that, or due to their humanly behaviour. This wizardry is shown by demons and monkeys but not by mannish Rama or womanish Seetha. Yet Seetha is held more enigmatic than Rama. If she is not an enigma how she footslogged miles and miles in forests without hiring a taxi, and how she came out of blazing fire when she performed self-immolation after Great War? These are but two questions among many. Because these questions are never-ending and more enigmatic, because we think that we have deciphered what Rama is, it is better retain Seetha as an undecipherable enigma.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe SaT pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 56th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection