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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 56
In this Sarga, Seetā, in response to Rāvaṇa’s allurements of the previous Sarga, tells him that Rāma, the son of Daṡaratha is her lawfully wedded husband and she is devoted to him.
She tells him that if he had tried to abduct her in the presence of Rāma, he would have been lying dead like Khara. She makes it clear to him that he should consider himself all but dead having earned the wrath of Rāma.
Rāvaṇa, in response, frightens her by saying that his cooks will slice her into pieces for preparing breakfast, if she does not accept him within twelve months.
He orders the Rākshasis to take Seetā to the Aṡōka grove in secret and guard her over there. He tells them to win her over by using the stick as well as the carrot. And the Rākshasis follow the orders, with no peace left for Seetā.
3.56.1 ஸா ததோக்தா து வைதேஹீ
நிர்பயா ஸோககர்ஸிதா ।
த்ருணமந்தரத: க்ருத்வா
ராவணம் ப்ரத்யபாஷத ॥
sā tathōktā tu vaidēhī
nirbhayā ṡōkakarṡitā ।
tṛṇamantarataḥ kṛtvā
rāvaṇaṃ pratyabhāṣata ॥
Addressed thus, even though worn out by sorrow,
Vaidēhi retorted fearlessly,
placing a straw between herself and Rāvaṇa.
3.56.2 ராஜா தஸரதோ நாம
தர்மஸேதுரிவாசல: ।
ஸத்யஸந்த: பரிஜ்ஞாதோ
யஸ்ய புத்ரஸ்ஸராகவ: ॥
rājā daṡarathō nāma
dharmasēturivācalaḥ ।
satyasandhaḥ parijñātō
yasya putrassarāghavaḥ ॥
Rāghava is the son of the famous King Daṡaratha,
a strong defender of Dharma and a man of his word.
3.56.3 ராமோ நாம ஸ தர்மாத்மா
த்ரிஷு லோகேஷு விஸ்ருத: ।
தீர்கபாஹுர்விஸாலாக்ஷோ
தைவதம் ஹி பதிர்மம ॥
rāmō nāma sa dharmātmā
triṣu lōkēṣu viṡrutaḥ ।
dīrghabāhurviṡālākṣō
daivataṃ hi patirmama ॥
He, known as Rāma by name, is a Dharmātma
well known in all the three worlds.
He of the long arm and wide eyes
is my husband and my lord.
3.56.4 இக்ஷ்வாகூணாம் குலே ஜாத:
ஸிம்ஹஸ்கந்தோ மஹாத்யுதி: ।
லக்ஷ்மணேந ஸஹ ப்ராத்ரா
யஸ்தே ப்ராணாந்ஹரிஷ்யதி ॥
ikṣvākūṇāṃ kulē jātaḥ
siṃhaskandhō mahādyutiḥ ।
lakṣmaṇēna saha bhrātrā
yastē prāṇānhariṣyati ॥
He, of immense strength with lion-shoulders,
born into the lineage of Ikshwākus,
and his brother Lakshmaṇa, will take your life.
3.56.5 ப்ரத்யக்ஷம் யத்யஹம் தஸ்ய
த்வயா ஸ்யாம் தர்ஷிதா பலாத் ।
ஸயிதா த்வம் ஹதஸ்ஸம்க்யே
ஜநஸ்தாநே யதா கர: ॥
pratyakṣaṃ yadyahaṃ tasya
tvayā syāṃ dharṣitā balāt ।
ṡayitā tvaṃ hatassaṃkhyē
janasthānē yathā kharaḥ ॥
If I had been violated forcibly by you
when he was present, you would be
lying dead in battle in Janasthāna, just like Khara.
3.56.6 ய ஏதே ராக்ஷஸா: ப்ரோக்தா
கோரரூபா மஹாபலா: ।
ராகவே நிர்விஷாஸ்ஸர்வே
ஸுபர்ணே பந்நகா யதா ॥
ya ētē rākṣasāḥ prōktā
ghōrarūpā mahābalāḥ ।
rāghavē nirviṣāssarvē
suparṇē pannagā yathā ॥
Your Rākshasas, whom you spoke of as
terrible-looking and possessing of great strength,
would be as ineffectual against Rāghava
as the poison of serpents against Suparṇa.
3.56.7 தஸ்ய ஜ்யாவிப்ரமுக்தாஸ்தே
ஸரா: காஞ்சநபூஷணா: ।
ஸரீரம் விதமிஷ்யந்தி
கங்காகூலமிவோர்மய: ॥
tasya jyāvipramuktāstē
ṡarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ ।
ṡarīraṃ vidhamiṣyanti
gaṅgākūlamivōrmayaḥ ॥
Your body will fall apart in pieces
from the (torrent of) arrows, decorated with gold,
released from the string of his bow,
like the banks of Gaṅgā pummeled by its waves.
3.56.8 அஸுரைர்வா ஸுரைர்வா த்வம்
யத்யவத்யோऽஸி ராவண ।
உத்பாத்ய ஸுமஹத்வைரம்
ஜீவம்ஸ்தஸ்ய ந மோக்ஷ்யஸே ॥
asurairvā surairvā tvam
yadyavadhyō'si rāvaṇa ।
utpādya sumahadvairam
jīvaṃstasya na mōkṣyasē ॥
It may be that, O Rāvaṇa, you
cannot be killed by Suras or Asuras;
but engendering this kind of enmity with him,
you will not be left alone to live.
3.56.9 ஸ தே ஜீவிதஸேஷஸ்ய
ராகவோऽந்தகரோ பலீ ।
பஸோர்யூபகதஸ்யேவ
ஜீவிதம் தவ துர்லபம் ॥
sa tē jīvitaṡēṣasya
rāghavō'ntakarō balī ।
paṡōryūpagatasyēva
jīvitaṃ tava durlabham ॥
Rāghava, the mighty strong, is going to end
whatever life you are left with.
Life for you is as impossible as it is
for an animal tied to the sacrificial post.
3.56.10 யதி பஸ்யேத்ஸ ராமஸ்த்வாம்
ரோஷதீப்தேந சக்ஷுஷா ।
ரக்ஷஸ்த்வமத்ய நிர்தக்த:
யதா ருத்ரேண மந்மத: ॥
yadi paṡyētsa rāmastvām
rōṣadīptēna cakṣuṣā ।
rakṣastvamadya nirdagdha:
yathā rudrēṇa manmatha: ॥
If Rāma casts his eye, blazing in wrath, on you,
O Rākshasa, you will be burnt to ashes now
as Manmatha was by Rudra!
3.56.11 யஸ்சந்த்ரம் நபஸோ பூமௌ
பாதயேந்நாஸயேத வா ।
ஸாகரம் ஸோஷயேத்வாபி
ஸ ஸீதாம் மோசயேதிஹ ॥
yaṡcandraṃ nabhasō bhūmau
pātayēnnāṡayēta vā ।
sāgaraṃ ṡōṣayēdvāpi
sa sītāṃ mōcayēdiha ॥
He who can destroy moon or
shoot it down from the sky to the earth
and can make the oceans dry up,
will certainly get me relieved from here.
3.56.12 கதாயுஸ்த்வம் கதஸ்ரீகோ
கதஸத்த்வ கதேந்த்ரிய: ।
லங்கா வைதவ்யஸம்யுக்தா
த்வத்க்ருதேந பவிஷ்யதி ॥
gatāyustvaṃ gataṡrīkō
gatasattva gatēndriyaḥ ।
laṅkā vaidhavyasaṃyuktā
tvatkṛtēna bhaviṣyati ॥
Count yourself dead and relieved of
your wealth, strength and faculties.
Laṅkā is going to be widowed because of you.
3.56.13 ந தே பாபமிதம் கர்ம
ஸுபோதர்கம் பவிஷ்யதி ।
யாऽஹம் நீதா விநாபாவம்
பதிபார்ஸ்வாத்த்வயா வநே ॥
na tē pāpamidaṃ karma
ṡubhōdarkaṃ bhaviṣyati ।
yā'haṃ nītā vinābhāvam
patipārṡvāttvayā vanē ॥
This sinful act of yours,
in taking me away from
my husband’s side in the Vana,
will result in nothing good for you.
3.56.14 ஸ ஹி தைவதஸம்யுக்தோ
மம பர்தா மஹாத்யுதி: ।
நிர்பயோ வீர்யமாஸ்ரித்ய
ஸூந்யே வஸதி தண்டகே ॥
sa hi daivatasaṃyuktō
mama bhartā mahādyutiḥ ।
nirbhayō vīryamāṡritya
ṡūnyē vasati daṇḍakē ॥
My supremely radiant husband
lives in the lonely Daṇḍaka fearlessly,
relying on his own strength
and the favor of destiny.
3.56.15 ஸ தே தர்பம் பலம் வீர்யம்
உத்ஸேகம் ச ததாவிதம் ।
அபநேஷ்யதி காத்ரேப்ய:
ஸரவர்ஷேண ஸம்யுகே ॥
sa tē darpaṃ balaṃ vīryam
utsēkaṃ ca tathāvidham ।
apanēṣyati gātrēbhyaḥ
ṡaravarṣēṇa saṃyugē ॥
He is going to eject every bit of
strength, pride and valor
and the unbridled arrogance
from your limbs with his
shower of arrows in battle.
3.56.16 யதா விநாஸோ பூதாநாம்
த்ருஸ்யதே காலசோதித: ।
ததா கார்யே ப்ரமாத்யந்தி
நரா: காலவஸம் கதா: ॥
yadā vināṡō bhūtānām
dṛṡyatē kālacōditaḥ ।
tadā kāryē pramādyanti
narāḥ kālavaṡaṃ gatāḥ ॥
When the time of doom descends on them,
people, controlled by their destiny,
commit mistakes in everything they do.
3.56.17 மாம் ப்ரத்ருஷ்ய ஸ தே கால:
ப்ராப்தோऽயம் ராக்ஷஸாதம ।
ஆத்மநோ ராக்ஷஸாநாம் ச
வதாயாந்த:புரஸ்ய ச ॥
māṃ pradhṛṣya sa tē kālaḥ
prāptō'yaṃ rākṣasādhama ।
ātmanō rākṣasānāṃ ca
vadhāyāntaḥpurasya ca ॥
O basest of the Rākshasas!
With your transgression on me,
the time has arrived for the destruction of
yourself, the Rākshasas and your women-folk.
3.56.18-19 ந ஸக்யா யஜ்ஞமத்யஸ்தா
வேதீ ஸ்ருக்பாண்டமண்டிதா ।
த்விஜாதிமந்த்ரபூதா ச
சண்டாலேநாவமர்திதும் ।
ததாऽஹம் தர்மநித்யஸ்ய
தர்மபத்நீ பதிவ்ரதா ।
த்வயா ஸ்ப்ருஷ்டும் ந ஸக்யாऽஸ்மி
ராக்ஷஸாதம பாபிநா ॥
na ṡakyā yajñamadhyasthā
vēdī sṛgbhāṇḍamaṇḍitā ।
dvijātimantrapūtā ca
caṇḍālēnāvamarditum ।
tathā'haṃ dharmanityasya
dharmapatnī pativratā ।
tvayā spṛṣṭuṃ na ṡakyā'smi
rākṣasādhama pāpinā ॥
Just as a Caṇḍāla may not touch the Vēdi
situated in the middle of an Yajña,
with its ladles and pots
sanctified by the Mantras of the Brāhmaṇas,
a sinner like you, O base Rākshasa,
cannot touch me, a lawfully wedded and devout wife
of the one who is always devoted to Dharma.
3.56.20 க்ரீடந்தீ ராஜஹம்ஸேந
பத்மஷண்டேஷு நித்யதா ।
ஹம்ஸீ ஸா த்ருணஷண்டஸ்தம்
கதம் பஸ்யேத மத்குகம் ॥
krīḍantī rājahaṃsēna
padmaṣaṇḍēṣu nityadā ।
haṃsī sā tṛṇaṣaṇḍastham
kathaṃ paṡyēta madgukam ॥
Would the she-swan enjoying with
the royal swan on the lotus beds
care to look at the water-crow among the reeds?
3.56.21 இதம் ஸரீரம் நிஸ்ஸம்ஜ்ஞம்
பந்த வா காதயஸ்வ வா ।
நேதம் ஸரீரம் ரக்ஷ்யம் மே
ஜீவிதம் வாபி ராக்ஷஸ ॥
ந து ஸக்ஷ்யாம்யுபக்ரோஸம்
ப்ருதிவ்யாம் தாதுமாத்மந: ।
idaṃ ṡarīraṃ nissaṃjñam
bandha vā khātayasva vā ।
nēdaṃ ṡarīraṃ rakṣyaṃ mē
jīvitaṃ vāpi rākṣasa ॥
na tu ṡakṣyāmyupakrōṡam
pṛthivyāṃ dhātumātmanaḥ ।
This body, which has no sensation any more,
might be tied down or destroyed.
I do not like to cling to this body or this life.
The only thing I cannot bear in this world
is any kind of disgrace attached to me.
3.56.22 ஏவமுக்த்வா து வைதேஹீ
க்ரோதாத்ஸுபருஷம் வச: ॥
ராவணம் மைதிலீ தத்ர
புநர்நோவாச கிஞ்சந ।
ēvamuktvā tu vaidēhī
krōdhātsuparuṣaṃ vacaḥ ॥
rāvaṇaṃ maithilī tatra
punarnōvāca kiñcana ।
Having said many such extremely strong words
in her wrath there to Rāvaṇa,
Maithili did not say a word again.
3.56.23 ஸீதாயா வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா
பருஷம் ரோமஹர்ஷணம் ॥
ப்ரத்யுவாச ததஸ்ஸீதாம்
பயஸந்தர்ஸநம் வச: ।
sītāyā vacanaṃ ṡrutvā
paruṣaṃ rōmaharṣaṇam ॥
pratyuvāca tatassītām
bhayasandarṡanaṃ vacaḥ ।
Hearing those harsh words of Seetā,
that would make one’s hair stand on its end,
he responded to her in terrifying words:
3.56.25 ஸ்ருணு மைதிலி மத்வாக்யம்
மாஸாந்த்வாதஸ பாமிநி ॥
காலேநாநேந நாப்யேஷி
யதி மாம் சாருஹாஸிநி ।
ததஸ்த்வாம் ப்ராதராஸார்தம்
ஸூதாஸ்சேத்ஸ்யந்தி லேஸஸ: ॥
ṡṛṇu maithili madvākyam
māsāndvādaṡa bhāmini ॥
kālēnānēna nābhyēṣi
yadi māṃ cāruhāsini ।
tatastvāṃ prātarāṡārtham
sūdāṡchētsyanti lēṡaṡaḥ ॥
Listen to my words, Maithili!
If you do not accept me,
O lovely lady of winsome smile,
within a period of twelve months,
the cooks will slice you into pieces
for preparing breakfast.
3.56.26 இத்யுக்த்வா பருஷம் வாக்யம்
ராவணஸ்ஸத்ருராவண: ।
ராக்ஷஸீஸ்ச தத: க்ருத்த
இதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
ityuktvā paruṣaṃ vākyam
rāvaṇaṡṡatrurāvaṇaḥ ।
rākṣasīṡca tataḥ kruddha
idaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Having said these cruel words (to Seetā),
the enraged Rāvaṇa who made his enemies wail,
said these words to the Rākshasis:
3.56.27 ஸீக்ரமேவ ஹி ராக்ஷஸ்யோ
விக்ருதா கோரதர்ஸநா: ।
தர்பமஸ்யா விநேஷ்யத்வம்
மாம்ஸஸோணிதபோஜநா: ॥
ṡīghramēva hi rākṣasyō
vikṛtā ghōradarṡanāḥ ।
darpamasyā vinēṣyadhvam
māṃsaṡōṇitabhōjanāḥ ॥
You Rākshasis of crooked shapes and
terrifying looks who feed on flesh and gore,
quell the pride of this woman at once!
3.56.28 வசநாதேவ தாஸ்தஸ்ய
ஸுகோரா ராக்ஷஸீகணா: ।
க்ருதப்ராஞ்ஜலயோ பூத்வா
மைதிலீம் பர்யவாரயந் ॥
vacanādēva tāstasya
sughōrā rākṣasīgaṇāḥ ।
kṛtaprāñjalayō bhūtvā
maithilīṃ paryavārayan ॥
The moment he said that, the horrid Rākshasis,
folding their hands in salutation,
crowded around Maithili.
3.56.29 ஸ தா: ப்ரோவாச ராஜா து
ராவணோ கோரதர்ஸந: ।
ப்ரசால்ய சரணோத்கர்ஷை:
தாரயந்நிவ மேதிநீம் ॥
sa tāḥ prōvāca rājā tu
rāvaṇō ghōradarṡanaḥ ।
pracālya caraṇōtkarṣaiḥ
dārayanniva mēdinīm ॥
Rāvaṇa, the dreadful-looking king told them,
stamping his feet as if he would
shake the earth and tear it apart:
3.56.30 அஸோகவநிகாமத்யே
மைதிலீ நீயதாமியம் ।
தத்ரேயம் ரக்ஷ்யதாம் கூடம்
யுஷ்மாபி: பரிவாரிதா ॥
aṡōkavanikāmadhyē
maithilī nīyatāmiyam ।
tatrēyaṃ rakṣyatāṃ gūḍham
yuṣmābhiḥ parivāritā ॥
Take Maithili to the Aṡōka grove, and keep it secret.
She should be surrounded and guarded by you.
3.56.31 தத்ரைநாம் தர்ஜநைர்கோரை:
புநஸ்ஸாந்த்வைஸ்ச மைதிலீம் ।
ஆநயத்வம் வஸம் ஸர்வா
வந்யாம் கஜவதூமிவ ॥
tatraināṃ tarjanairghōraiḥ
punassāntvaiṡca maithilīm ।
ānayadhvaṃ vaṡaṃ sarvā
vanyāṃ gajavadhūmiva ॥
Tame her like one would a wild she-elephant
by threatening as well as by pleading.
3.56.32-33 இதி ப்ரதிஸமாதிஷ்டா
ராக்ஷஸ்யோ ராவணேந தா: ।
அஸோகவநிகாம் ஜக்மு:
மைதிலீம் பரிக்ருஹ்ய து ।
ஸர்வகாலபலைர்வ்ருக்ஷை:
நாநாபுஷ்பபலைர்வ்ருதாம் ।
ஸர்வகாலமதைஸ்சாபி
த்விஜைஸ்ஸமுபஸேவிதாம் ॥
iti pratisamādiṣṭā
rākṣasyō rāvaṇēna tāḥ ।
aṡōkavanikāṃ jagmuḥ
maithilīṃ parigṛhya tu ।
sarvakālaphalairvṛkṣaiḥ
nānāpuṣpaphalairvṛtām ।
sarvakālamadaiṡcāpi
dvijaissamupasēvitām ॥
Ordered thus by Rāvaṇa, they took Maithili
to the Aṡōka grove that was filled with
trees with a variety of fruit and flower and
trees that bore fruit in all seasons,
and frequented, all around the year,
by birds that were intoxicated with love.
3.56.34 ஸா து ஸோகபரீதாங்கீ
மைதிலீ ஜநகாத்மஜா ।
ராக்ஷஸீவஸமாபந்நா
வ்யாக்ரீணாம் ஹரிணீ யதா ॥
sā tu ṡōkaparītāṅgī
maithilī janakātmajā ।
rākṣasīvaṡamāpannā
vyāghrīṇāṃ hariṇī yathā ॥
But Maithili, the daughter of Janaka,
with every one of her limbs soaked in grief
found herself helpless under
the control of the Rākshasis,
like a doe under the control of tigresses. It must be noted that, though wedded to Rāma and is the daughter-in-law of Ikshwākus, Seetā is continuously referred to as one belonging to the city of Mithilā and to the Vidēha kingdom and as the daughter of Janaka.
3.56.35 ஸோகேந மஹதா க்ரஸ்தா
மைதிலீ ஜநகாத்மஜா ।
ந ஸர்ம லபதே பீரு:
பாஸபத்தா ம்ருகீ யதா ॥
ṡōkēna mahatā grastā
maithilī janakātmajā ।
na ṡarma labhatē bhīruḥ
pāṡabaddhā mṛgī yathā ॥
Overwhelmed by boundless grief,
the timid Maithili, daughter of Janaka,
could not find any respite,
like a doe caught in a noose.
3.56.36 ந விந்ததே தத்ர து ஸர்ம மைதிலீ
விரூபநேத்ராபிரதீவ தர்ஜிதா ।
பதிம் ஸ்மரந்தீ தயிதம் ச தேவரம்
விசேதநாऽபூத்பயஸோகபீடிதா ॥
na vindatē tatra tu ṡarma maithilī
virūpanētrābhiratīva tarjitā ।
patiṃ smarantī dayitaṃ ca dēvaram
vicētanā'bhūdbhayaṡōkapīḍitā ॥
Maithili could find no peace,
threatened out of her wits
by those women of crooked eyes.
Thinking of her dear husband and brother-in-law,
distraught with fear and grief, she lay senseless.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே ஷடபஞ்சாஸஸ்ஸர்க:.
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē ṣaṭapañcāṡassargaḥ.
Thus concludes the fifty sixth Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 8390 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.