Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 118 of 119 · 54 verses
Sita Tells Her Story
Spoken to so by Anasuya, Vaidehi, free of envy, honours her words and begins to speak softly: “It is no wonder that you, noble lady, speak to me so. I too know that a husband is a woman’s elder. Even if my husband were without good conduct, noble lady, I would serve him without hesitation. How much more one whose virtues are praiseworthy, compassionate, master of his senses, steady in his love, righteous, as dear as a mother or a father. The conduct mighty Rama shows toward Kausalya he shows toward the king’s other wives too. Toward women the king had seen even once, the hero, loving the king, behaves as to a mother, setting aside pride, knowing dharma. When I came into this lonely, frightening forest, my mother-in-law gave me counsel, and I have kept it firmly in my heart. And what my mother taught me long ago, at the time of my marriage before the fire, I have kept too. All of it has been renewed by your words, you who walk in dharma: for a woman, no austerity is prescribed other than serving her husband. Savitri, having served her husband, is honoured in heaven; you too, behaving so, have gone to heaven by serving your husband. The best of all women, now a goddess in heaven, Rohini is not seen without the moon even for a moment. Such excellent women, firm in their vows to their husbands, are honoured in the world of the gods by their own holy deeds.”
Delighted at Sita’s words, Anasuya kisses Maithili’s head and says, to please her: “I have great power of austerity, won by many vows. Relying on that power, Sita of the bright smile, I offer you a boon. Your words are fitting and lovely, Maithili, and I am pleased. Tell me what I may do for you.” Hearing her, Sita, gently amazed, says to the woman rich in austerity: “It is already done.” Spoken to so, the knower of dharma is even more pleased: “Then I will make your joy bear fruit, Sita. This heavenly, excellent garland, these clothes and ornaments, this body-paint and costly ointment, Vaidehi, given by me, will adorn your limbs; they will always be fitting and will never fade. Anointed with this heavenly paint, daughter of Janaka, you will grace your husband as Shri graces imperishable Vishnu.” Maithili accepts the clothes, the paint, the ornaments and garlands, an incomparable gift of love, and, palms joined, sits by the woman rich in austerity. Anasuya, firm in her vows, begins to ask Sita for some pleasant story: “I have heard, Sita, that you were won by glorious Raghava at a svayamvara. I want to hear that story in full, Maithili, as you lived it; please tell me all of it.”
Saying “Listen,” Sita tells the story: “The heroic lord of Mithila, Janaka, who knows dharma and delights in a kshatriya’s duty, rules the earth justly. As he was ploughing the field with a plough in his hand, I rose, they say, splitting the earth: the king’s daughter. Seeing me, all my limbs covered with dust, King Janaka, who was scattering handfuls of seed, was amazed. Childless, out of love he took me on his lap himself, said ‘This is my daughter,’ and poured his love on me. A voice, not human, spoke from the sky: ‘So it is, king; by dharma she is your daughter.’ My righteous father, the lord of Mithila, was delighted, and having found me he found great prosperity. The doer of holy deeds gave me lovingly to his eldest queen, and she raised me tenderly with a mother’s affection. Seeing that I had reached the age for marriage, my father fell into worry, like a poor man who has lost his wealth. In this world the father of a daughter, even one equal to Shakra on earth, meets insult from equals and inferiors alike. Seeing that insult not far off, the king, sunk in an ocean of worry, could not reach the far shore, like a man without a raft. Knowing I was not born of a womb, the protector of the earth, thinking hard, could not find a husband equal and fitting for me. As he thought constantly, the wise king had this idea: ‘I will hold a svayamvara for my daughter.’ At a great sacrifice, great-souled Varuna had once lovingly given him an excellent bow and two quivers with inexhaustible arrows. Men could not move it even with effort, so heavy was it; kings could not bend it even in dreams. Having obtained that bow, my truthful father, first inviting the kings to a gathering of lords of men, said: ‘The man who lifts this bow and strings it, my daughter shall be his wife, without doubt.’ Seeing that excellent bow, like a mountain for its weight, the kings saluted it and went away, unable to lift it. After a very long time, radiant Raghava here came with Vishvamitra to see the sacrifice, Rama of true valour, with his brother Lakshmana. Righteous Vishvamitra, well honoured by my father, said to him there: ‘These brothers Rama and Lakshmana, sons of Dasharatha, wish to see the bow. Show the divine bow to Prince Rama.’ At the brahmana’s word my father brought the bow. In the twinkling of an eye the mighty one bent it, strung it and drew it with strength. As he drew it with force, the bow broke in two in the middle, and its sound was terrible, like falling thunder. Then my father, true to his word, raising a fine water-vessel, resolved to give me to Rama there. But Raghava would not accept me then, not knowing the wish of his father, the lord of Ayodhya. Then, having consulted my father-in-law, old King Dasharatha, my father gave me to Rama, who knows himself. And my father himself gave my sister, good, lovely Urmila, as wife to Lakshmana. So I was given to Rama at that svayamvara, and by dharma I am devoted to my husband, best of the strong.”
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सा त्वेवमुक्ता वैदेही त्वनसूया ऽनसूयया । प्रतिपूज्य वचो मन्दं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to so by Anasuya, Vaidehi, free of envy, honouring her words, began to speak softly:
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नैतदाश्चर्य्यमार्याया यन्मां त्वमनुभाषसे । विदितं तु ममाप्येतद्यथा नार्य्याः पतिर्गुरुः ॥ २ ॥
“It is no wonder that you, noble one, speak to me so. I too know this, that a husband is a woman’s elder.
यद्यप्येष भवेद्भर्ता ममार्ये वृत्तवर्जितः । अद्वैधमुपचर्तव्यस्तथाप्येष मया भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥
“Even if my husband were without good conduct, noble lady, he would still be served by me without doubleness.
किं पुनर्यो गुणः श्लाघ्यः सानुक्रोशो जितेन्द्रियः । स्थिरानुरागो धर्मात्मा मातृवत्पितृवत्प्रियः ॥ ४ ॥
“How much more one whose virtues are praiseworthy, compassionate, master of his senses, steady in his love, righteous, dear like a mother and a father.
यां वृत्तिं वर्त्तते रामः कौसल्यायां महाबलः । तामेव नृपनारीणामन्यासामपि वर्त्तते ॥ ५ ॥
“The conduct mighty Rama shows toward Kausalya, that same he shows toward the other wives of the king.
सकृद्दृष्टास्वपि स्त्रीषु नृपेण नृपवत्सलः । मातृवद्वर्त्तते वीरो मानमुत्सृज्य धर्मवित् ॥ ६ ॥
“Toward women seen by the king even once, the hero, loving the king, behaves as toward a mother, setting aside pride, knowing dharma.
आगच्छन्त्याश्च विजनं वनमेवं भयावहम् । समाहितं मे श्वश्र्वा च हृदये तद्धृतं महत् ॥ ७ ॥
“And as I was coming into this lonely, fearful forest, what my mother-in-law instructed me, that great thing is kept in my heart.
पाणिप्रदानकाले च यत्पुरा त्वग्निसन्निधौ । अनुशिष्टा जनन्या ऽस्मि वाक्यं तदपि मे धृतम् ॥ ८ ॥
“And what my mother taught me long ago at the time of the giving of hands, before the fire, those words too I have kept.
नवीकृतं च तत्सर्वं वाक्यैस्ते धर्मचारिणि । पतिशुश्रूषणान्नार्य्यास्तपो नान्यद्विधीयते ॥ ९ ॥
“And all of it has been renewed by your words, you who walk in dharma: for a woman no austerity other than serving her husband is prescribed.
सावित्री पतिशुश्रूषां कृत्वा स्वर्गे महीयते । तथावृत्तिश्च याता त्वं पतिशुश्रूषया दिवम् ॥ १० ॥
“Savitri, having served her husband, is honoured in heaven; and you, behaving so, have gone to heaven by serving your husband.
वरिष्ठा सर्वनारीणामेषा च दिवि देवता । रोहिणी न विना चन्द्रं मुहूर्त्तमपि दृश्यते ॥ ११ ॥
“The best of all women, this goddess in heaven, Rohini, is not seen without the moon even for a moment.
एवंविधाश्च प्रवराः स्त्रियो भर्तृदृढव्रताः । देवलोके महीयन्ते पुण्येन स्वेन कर्मणा ॥ १२ ॥
“Such excellent women, firm in their vows to their husbands, are honoured in the world of the gods by their own holy deeds.”
ततो ऽनसूया संहृष्टा श्रुत्वोक्तं सीतया वचः । शिरस्याघ्राय चोवाच मैथिलीं हर्षयन्त्युत ॥ १३ ॥
Then Anasuya, delighted, hearing the words spoken by Sita, kissed Maithili on the head and, gladdening her, said:
नियमैर्विविधैराप्तं तपो हि महदस्ति मे । तत्संश्रित्य बलं सीते छन्दये त्वां शुचिस्मिते ॥ १४ ॥
“I have great austerity, won by many kinds of vows. Relying on that power, Sita of the bright smile, I invite you to choose.
उपपन्नं मनोज्ञं च वचनं तव मैथिलि । प्रीता चास्म्युचितं किं ते करवाणि ब्रवीहि मे ॥ १५ ॥
“Your words are fitting and lovely, Maithili, and I am pleased. Tell me what fitting thing I may do for you.”
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विस्मिता मन्दविस्मया । कृतमित्यब्रवीत्सीता तपोबलसमन्विताम् ॥ १६ ॥
Hearing her words, Sita, amazed, gently amazed, said to her who was endowed with the power of austerity: “It is done.”
सा त्वेवमुक्ता धर्मज्ञा तया प्रीततरा ऽभवत् । सफलं च प्रहर्षं ते हन्त सीते करोम्यहम् ॥ १७ ॥
Spoken to so by her, the knower of dharma became even more pleased: “Then, Sita, I will make your joy fruitful.
इदं दिव्यं वरं माल्यं वस्त्रमाभरणानि च । अङ्गरागं च वैदेहि महार्हं चानुलेपनम् ॥ १८ ॥
“This heavenly, excellent garland, clothes and ornaments, body-paint, Vaidehi, and costly ointment,
मया दत्तमिदं सीते तव गात्राणि शोभयेत् । अनुरूपमसंक्लिष्टं नित्यमेव भविष्यति ॥ १९ ॥
“given by me, Sita, will adorn your limbs. It will always be fitting and unfading.
अङ्गरागेण दिव्येन लिप्ताङ्गी जनकात्मजे । शोभयिष्यसि भर्त्तारं यथा श्रीविष्णुमव्ययम् ॥ २० ॥
“Your limbs anointed with this heavenly paint, daughter of Janaka, you will grace your husband as Shri graces imperishable Vishnu.”
सा वस्त्रमङ्गरागं च भूषणानि स्रजस्तथा । मैथिली प्रतिजग्राह प्रीतिदानमनुत्तमम् ॥ २१ ॥
Maithili accepted the clothes and paint, the ornaments and garlands, an unsurpassed gift of love.
प्रतिगृह्य च तत् सीता प्रीतिदानं यशस्विनी । श्लिष्टाञ्जलिपुटा तत्र समुपास्त तपोधनाम् ॥ २२ ॥
And glorious Sita, having accepted that gift of love, sat there with joined palms beside her who was rich in austerity.
तथा सीतासुपासीनामनसूया दृढव्रता । वचनं प्रष्टुमारेभे काञ्चित् प्रियकथामनु ॥ २३ ॥
Then Anasuya, firm in her vows, began to ask Sita, as she sat so, for some pleasant story:
स्वयंवरे किल प्राप्ता त्वमनेन यशस्विना । राघवेणेति मे सीते कथा श्रुतिमुपागता ॥ २४ ॥
“I have heard the story, Sita, that you were won by this glorious Raghava at a svayamvara.
तां कथां श्रोतुमिच्छामि विस्तरेण च मैथिलि । यथानुभूतं कार्त्स्न्येन तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ २५ ॥
“I wish to hear that story in detail, Maithili. You should tell it to me completely, as you experienced it.”
एवमुक्ता तु सा सीता तां ततो धर्मचारिणीम् । श्रूयतामिति चोक्त्वा वै कथयामास तां कथाम् ॥ २६ ॥
Spoken to so, Sita then said to her who walked in dharma, “Listen,” and told her that story:
मिथिलाधिपतिर्वीरो जनको नाम धर्मवित् । क्षत्रधर्मे ह्यभिरतो न्यायतः शास्ति मेदिनीम् ॥ २७ ॥
“The heroic lord of Mithila, named Janaka, knower of dharma, devoted to the dharma of kshatriyas, rules the earth justly.
तस्य लाङ्गलहस्तस्य कर्षतः क्षेत्रमण्डलम् । अहं किलोत्थिता भित्त्वा जगतीं नृपतेः सुता ॥ २८ ॥
“As he, plough in hand, was ploughing the circle of the field, I, they say, rose up, splitting the earth, the king’s daughter.
स मां दृष्ट्वा नरपतिर्मुष्टिविक्षेपतत्परः । पांसुकुण्ठितसर्वाङ्गीं जनको विस्मितो ऽभवत् ॥ २९ ॥
“Seeing me, all my limbs covered with dust, King Janaka, intent on scattering handfuls of seed, was amazed.
अनपत्येन च स्नेहादङ्कमारोप्य च स्वयम् । ममेयं तनयेत्युक्त्वा स्नेहो मयि निपातितः ॥ ३० ॥
“And, being childless, out of affection he took me on his lap himself, saying ‘This is my daughter,’ and poured his affection on me.
अन्तरिक्षे च वागुक्ता प्रति मा ऽमानुषी किल । एवमेतन्नरपते धर्मेण तनया तव ॥ ३१ ॥
“And a voice, not human, they say, spoke in the sky about me: ‘So it is, lord of men; by dharma she is your daughter.’
ततः प्रहृष्टो धर्मात्मा पिता मे मिथिलाधिपः । अवाप्तो विपुलामृद्धिं मामवाप्य नराधिपः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Then my righteous father, the lord of Mithila, was delighted; having obtained me, the lord of men obtained great prosperity.
दत्ता चास्मीष्टवद्देव्यै ज्येष्ठायै पुण्यकर्मणा । तया सम्भाविता चास्मि स्निग्धया मातृसौहृदात् ॥ ३३ ॥
“The doer of holy deeds gave me lovingly to his eldest queen, and I was raised by her, tender, with a mother’s affection.
पतिसंयोगसुलभं वयो दृष्ट्वा तु मे पिता । चिन्तामभ्यगमद्दीनो वित्तनाशादिवाधनः ॥ ३४ ॥
“But seeing my age, when union with a husband comes easily, my father fell into worry, wretched, like a poor man after the loss of his wealth.
सदृशाच्चापकृष्टाच्च लोके कन्यापिता जनात् । प्रधर्षणमवाप्नोति शक्रेणापि समो भुवि ॥ ३५ ॥
“In the world the father of a daughter, even one equal to Shakra on earth, meets insult from people both equal and inferior.
तां धर्षणामदूरस्थां दृष्ट्वा चात्मनि पार्थिवः । चिन्तार्णवगतः पारं नाससादाप्लवो यथा ॥ ३६ ॥
“Seeing that insult not far off for himself, the king, plunged in an ocean of worry, could not reach the far shore, like one without a raft.
अयोनिजां हि मां ज्ञात्वा नाध्यगच्छद्विचिन्तयन् । सदृशं चानुरूपं च महीपालः पतिं मम ॥ ३७ ॥
“Knowing me to be not born of a womb, the protector of the earth, thinking, could not find an equal and fitting husband for me.
तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता चिन्तयानस्य सन्ततम् । स्वयं वरं तनूजायाः करिष्यामीति धीमतः ॥ ३८ ॥
“As he thought constantly, this idea arose in the wise one: ‘I will hold a svayamvara for my daughter.’
महायज्ञे तदा तस्य वरुणेन महात्मना । दत्तं धनुर्वरं प्रीत्या तूणी चाक्षयसायकौ ॥ ३९ ॥
“At a great sacrifice, great-souled Varuna had then lovingly given him an excellent bow, and two quivers with inexhaustible arrows.
असञ्चाल्यं मनुष्यैश्च यत्नेनापि च गौरवात् । तन्न शक्ता नमयितुं स्वप्नेष्वपि नराधिपाः ॥ ४० ॥
“Men could not move it even with effort, because of its weight; lords of men could not bend it even in dreams.
तद्धनुः प्राप्य मे पित्रा व्याहृतं सत्यवादिना । समवाये नरेन्द्राणां पूर्वमामन्त्र्य पार्थिवान् ॥ ४१ ॥
“Having obtained that bow, my truthful father, first inviting the kings to a gathering of lords of men, declared:
इदं च धनुरुद्यम्य सज्यं यः कुरुते नरः । तस्य मे दुहिता भार्या भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ ४२ ॥
“’Whatever man lifts this bow and strings it, my daughter will be his wife, without doubt.’
तच्च दृष्ट्वा धनुः श्रेष्ठं गौरवाद्गिरिसन्निभम् । अभिवाद्य नृपा जग्मुरशक्तास्तस्य तोलने ॥ ४३ ॥
“And seeing that excellent bow, like a mountain for its weight, the kings saluted it and went away, unable to lift it.
सुदीर्घस्य तु कालस्य राघवो ऽयं महाद्युतिः । विश्वामित्रेण सहितो यज्ञं द्रष्टुं समागतः । लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ॥ ४४ ॥
“After a very long time, this radiant Raghava came with Vishvamitra to see the sacrifice, Rama of true valour, with his brother Lakshmana.
विश्वामित्रस्तु धर्मात्मा मम पित्रा सुपूजितः । प्रोवाच पितरं तत्र भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ४५ ॥
“Righteous Vishvamitra, well honoured by my father, said to my father there about the brothers Rama and Lakshmana:
सुतौ दशरथस्येमौ धनुर्दर्शनकांक्षिणौ । धनुर्दर्शय रामाय राजपुत्राय दैविकम् ॥ ४६ ॥
“’These two sons of Dasharatha wish to see the bow. Show the divine bow to Prince Rama.’
इत्युक्तस्तेन विप्रेण तद्धनुः समुपानयत् । निमेषान्तरमात्रेण तदानम्य स वीर्य्यवान् ॥ ४७ ॥
“Spoken to so by that brahmana, he brought that bow. In the mere space of a twinkle, the mighty one bent it,
ज्यां समारोप्य झटिति पूरयामास वीर्यवत् ॥ ४८ ॥
“strung it and swiftly drew it with strength.
तेन पूरयता वेगान्मध्ये भग्नं द्विधा धनुः । तस्य शब्दो ऽभवद्भीमः पतितस्याशनेरिव ॥ ४९ ॥
“As he drew it with force, the bow broke in two in the middle, and its sound was terrible, like falling thunder.
ततो ऽहं तत्र रामाय पित्रा सत्याभिसन्धिना । निश्चिता दातुमुद्यम्य जलभाजनमुत्तमम् ॥ ५० ॥
“Then my father, true to his word, raising an excellent water-vessel, resolved to give me there to Rama.
दीयमानां न तु तदा प्रतिजग्राह राघवः । अविज्ञाय पितुश्छन्दमयोध्याधिपतेः प्रभोः ॥ ५१ ॥
“But Raghava did not accept me then as I was being given, not knowing the wish of his father, the lord of Ayodhya.
ततः श्वशुरमामन्त्र्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम् । मम पित्रा त्वहं दत्ता रामाय विदितात्मने ॥ ५२ ॥
“Then, having consulted my father-in-law, old King Dasharatha, my father gave me to Rama, who knows himself.
मम चैवानुजा साध्वी ऊर्मिला प्रियदर्शना । भार्य्यार्थे लक्ष्मणस्यापि दत्ता पित्रा मम स्वयम् ॥ ५३ ॥
“And my good younger sister, lovely Urmila, was given by my father himself as wife to Lakshmana.
एवं दत्तास्मि रामाय तदा तस्मिन् स्वयम्वरे । अनुरक्तास्मि धर्मेण पतिं वीर्यवतां वरम् ॥ ५४ ॥
“So I was given to Rama then at that svayamvara; and I am devoted by dharma to my husband, best of the mighty.”