Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 30 of 119 · 47 verses
“Come With Me”
Deeply agitated, Sita reproaches broad-chested Rama out of love and pride: “What did my father, the lord of Mithila, think when he got you as a son-in-law: a woman in a man’s body? People would lie, out of ignorance, if they said there is no greater power in Rama than in the blazing sun. What has made you so dejected, what do you fear, that you want to abandon me, who have no one else? Know me to be like Savitri, devoted to Satyavan, son of Dyumatsena. I will not even look at another man in my mind; I am not some woman who disgraces her family. You want to hand me, your wife since girlhood, to others like an actor. Be obedient yourself to the one whose welfare you speak of. You must not go to the forest without me; austerity, forest or heaven, let it be with you. I will feel no weariness walking behind you; kusha, kasha and thorns will feel like cotton and deerskin; the dust the wind throws on me will be like costly sandal; lying on grass in the forest will be sweeter than a covered bed; leaves, roots and fruit you gather will taste like nectar. I will not remember mother, father or home. Where you are is heaven; where you are not is hell. If you will not take me, I will drink poison now rather than fall into the power of enemies. I cannot bear this grief a moment, let alone fourteen years.”
Lamenting, she clings to him and cries aloud, like a cow-elephant pierced by poisoned arrows; her long-held tears pour out like fire from the kindling-wood, crystal drops from lotus eyes, her moon-bright face drying like a lotus pulled from water. Rama embraces her, nearly senseless with grief, and reassures her: “Queen, I would not want even heaven at the cost of your sorrow. Not knowing your whole intention, I did not want you in the forest, though I am able to protect you. Since you were made to live in the forest with me, I cannot leave you, any more than a self-possessed man can leave his love of goodness. I will follow the dharma the good have practised, as Suvarchala follows the sun. I must go: my father’s word, strengthened by truth, leads me. Obedience to father and mother is dharma; how can one worship unseen fate while transgressing mother, father and guru, who are within reach? Neither truth, giving, honour nor sacrifices are as powerful as service to one’s father. I want to act as my father commands, firm on the path of truth. My resolve not to take you is gone. Since you are determined, follow me, timid one; be my partner in dharma. Your resolve is worthy of me and my family. Begin preparing for forest life. Without you, even heaven does not please me. Give jewels to the brahmanas, food to beggars, our fine ornaments, clothes, beds and vehicles to our servants after the brahmanas; hurry.” Seeing her husband agree, the queen joyfully begins to give away their wealth.
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सान्त्व्यमाना तु रामेण मैथिली जनकात्मजा । वनवासनिमित्तार्थं भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Being comforted by Rama, Maithili, daughter of Janaka, spoke to her husband about the matter of living in the forest:
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सा तमुत्तमसंविग्ना सीता विपुलवक्षसम् । प्रणयाच्चाभिमानाच्च परिचिक्षेप राघवम् ॥ २ ॥
Supremely agitated, Sita reproached broad-chested Raghava out of love and pride:
किं त्वामन्यत वैदेहः पिता मे मिथिलाधिपः । राम जामातरं प्राप्य स्त्रियं पुरुषविग्रहम् ॥ ३ ॥
“What did my father, the Videha king, lord of Mithila, think, Rama, when he gained you for his son-in-law: a woman in the form of a man?
अनृतं बत लोकोऽयमज्ञानाद् यदि वक्ष्यति । तेजो नास्ति परं रामे तपतीव दिवाकरे ॥ ४ ॥
“Alas, this world would be speaking falsely out of ignorance if it said there is no greater splendour in Rama than in the burning sun.
किं हि कृत्वा विषण्णस्त्वं कुतो वा भयमस्ति ते । यत् परित्यक्तुकामस्त्वं मामनन्यपरायणाम् ॥ ५ ॥
“What has made you dejected, or what fear do you have, that you wish to abandon me, who have no other refuge?
द्युमत्सेनसुतं वीरं सत्यवन्तमनुव्रताम् । सावित्रीमिव मां विद्धि त्वमात्मवशवर्तिनीम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Know me to be like Savitri, devoted to heroic Satyavan, son of Dyumatsena, and subject only to you.
न त्वहं मनसा त्वन्यं द्रष्टास्मि त्वदृतेऽनघ । त्वया राघव गच्छेयं यथान्या कुलपांसनी ॥ ७ ॥
“I will not look at another man even in my mind, except you, sinless one. Let me go with you, Raghava; am I like some other woman who disgraces her family?
स्वयं तु भार्यां कौमारीं चिरमध्युषितां सतीम् । शैलूष इव मां राम परेभ्यो दातुमिच्छसि ॥ ८ ॥
“Your own wife, married as a girl, long living with you, faithful: you want to give me to others yourself, Rama, like an actor.
यस्य पथ्यं च रामात्थ यस्य चार्थेऽवरुध्यसे । त्वं तस्य भव वश्यश्च विधेयश्च सदानघ ॥ ९ ॥
“Him whose welfare you speak of, Rama, and for whose sake you are being kept back: be obedient and submissive to him yourself always, sinless one.
स मामनादाय वनं न त्वं प्रस्थितुमर्हसि । तपो वा यदि वारण्यं स्वर्गो वा स्यात् त्वया सह ॥ १० ॥
“You must not set out for the forest without taking me. Be it austerity, or the forest, or heaven, let it be with you.
न च मे भविता तत्र कश्चित् पथि परिश्रमः । पृष्ठतस्तव गच्छन्त्या विहारशयनेष्विव ॥ ११ ॥
“There will be no weariness for me at all on the road, going behind you, as if on pleasure couches.
कुशकाशशरेषीका ये च कण्टकिनो द्रुमाः । तूलाजिनसमस्पर्शा मार्गे मम सह त्वया ॥ १२ ॥
“Kusha, kasha, reeds and rushes, and thorny trees on the road will feel to me like cotton and deerskin, with you.
महावातसमुद्भूतं यन्मामवकरिष्यति । रजो रमण तन्मन्ये परार्घ्यमिव चन्दनम् ॥ १३ ॥
“The dust raised by great winds that falls on me I shall think, my love, like the most precious sandal.
शाद्वलेषु यदा शिश्ये वनान्तर्वनगोचरा । कुथास्तरणयुक्तेषु किं स्यात् सुखतरं ततः ॥ १४ ॥
“When I lie on grassy places, living in the forests and forest-lands, what could be happier than that, even on beds with coverlets?
पत्रं मूलं फलं यत्तु अल्पं वा यदि वा बहु । दास्यसे स्वयमाहृत्य तन्मेऽमृतरसोपमम् ॥ १५ ॥
“Leaf, root or fruit, little or much, that you bring and give me yourself will be like nectar to me.
न मातुर्न पितुस्तत्र स्मरिष्यामि न वेश्मनः । आर्तवान्युपभुञ्जाना पुष्पाणि च फलानि च ॥ १६ ॥
“I will not remember my mother or father there, nor my home, enjoying the flowers and fruits of the seasons.
न च तत्र ततः किंचिद् द्रष्टुमर्हसि विप्रियम् । मत्कृते न च ते शोको न भविष्यामि दुर्भरा ॥ १७ ॥
“And you shall see nothing unpleasant there because of me; there will be no grief for you on my account, and I will not be hard to support.
यस्त्वया सह स स्वर्गो निरयो यस्त्वया विना । इति जानन् परां प्रीतिं गच्छ राम मया सह ॥ १८ ॥
“Whoever is with you is heaven, and whoever is without you is hell. Knowing this, Rama, my supreme love, go with me.
अथ मामेवमव्यग्रां वनं नैव नयिष्यसे । विषमद्यैव पास्यामि मा वशं द्विषतां गमम् ॥ १९ ॥
“If you will not take me, untroubled as I am, to the forest, I will drink poison this very day, so as not to fall into the power of enemies.
पश्चादपि हि दुःखेन मम नैवास्ति जीवितम् । उज्झितायास्त्वया नाथ तदैव मरणं वरम् ॥ २० ॥
“Even afterwards, through grief, there is no life for me abandoned by you, my lord; better to die at once.
इमं हि सहितुं शोकं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे । किं पुनर्दश वर्षाणि त्रीणि चैकं च दुःखिता ॥ २१ ॥
“I cannot bear this grief even for a moment; how much less, in sorrow, for ten years and three and one.”
इति सा शोकसंतप्ता विलप्य करुणं बहु । चुक्रोश पतिमायस्ता भृशमालिङ्ग्य सस्वरम् ॥ २२ ॥
So, burning with grief, she lamented much and pitifully, and, distressed, embracing her husband tightly, cried aloud.
सा विद्धा बहुभिर्वाक्यैर्दिग्धैरिव गजाङ्गना । चिरसंनियतं बाष्पं मुमोचाग्निमिवारणिः ॥ २३ ॥
Pierced by his many words like a cow-elephant by poisoned arrows, she released her long-held tears, as the kindling-wood releases fire.
तस्याः स्फटिकसंकाशं वारि संतापसम्भवम् । नेत्राभ्यां परिसुस्राव पङ्कजाभ्यामिवोदकम् ॥ २४ ॥
Water born of pain, like crystal, flowed from her eyes, like water from lotuses.
तत्सितामलचन्द्राभं मुखमायतलोचनम् । पर्यशुष्यत बाष्पेण जलोद्धृतमिवाम्बुजम् ॥ २५ ॥
Her face, like the clear, spotless moon, with its long eyes, dried with weeping like a lotus taken from the water.
तां परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां विसंज्ञामिव दुःखिताम् । उवाच वचनं रामः परिविश्वासयंस्तदा ॥ २६ ॥
Embracing her with both arms, grieving and nearly senseless, Rama then spoke, reassuring her:
न देवि बत दुःखेन स्वर्गमप्यभिरोचये । नहि मेऽस्ति भयं किंचित् स्वयम्भोरिव सर्वतः ॥ २७ ॥
“Queen, I would not want even heaven at the cost of your sorrow. I have no fear of anything on any side, like the Self-born.
तव सर्वमभिप्रायमविज्ञाय शुभानने । वासं न रोचयेऽरण्ये शक्तिमानपि रक्षणे ॥ २८ ॥
“Not knowing your whole intention, lovely-faced one, I did not want your living in the forest, though I am able to protect you.
यत् सृष्टासि मया सार्धं वनवासाय मैथिलि । न विहातुं मया शक्या प्रीतिरात्मवता यथा ॥ २९ ॥
“Since you were created, Maithili, to live in the forest with me, I cannot abandon you, as a self-possessed man cannot abandon his love.
धर्मस्तु गजनासोरु सद्भिराचरितः पुरा । तं चाहमनुवर्तिष्ये यथा सूर्यं सुवर्चला ॥ ३० ॥
“I will follow the dharma practised by the good of old, you whose thighs are like an elephant’s trunk, as Suvarchala follows the sun.
न खल्वहं न गच्छेयं वनं जनकनन्दिनि । वचनं तन्नयति मां पितुः सत्योपबृंहितम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“It is not that I would not go to the forest, daughter of Janaka. That word of my father, strengthened by truth, leads me.
एष धर्मश्च सुश्रोणि पितुर्मातुश्च वश्यता । आज्ञां चाहं व्यतिक्रम्य नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥ ३२ ॥
“This is dharma, lovely-hipped one: obedience to father and mother. Transgressing that command, I could not bear to live.
अस्वाधीनं कथं दैवं प्रकारैरभिराध्यते । स्वाधीनं समतिक्रम्य मातरं पितरं गुरुम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“How can fate, which is not in one’s power, be worshipped by any means, if one transgresses mother, father and guru, who are within one’s power?
यत्र त्रयं त्रयो लोकाः पवित्रं तत्समं भुवि । नान्यदस्ति शुभापाङ्गे तेनेदमभिराध्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
“Where these three are, the three worlds are; there is nothing on earth as purifying as that, lovely-eyed one. Therefore it is worshipped.
न सत्यं दानमानौ वा यज्ञो वाप्याप्तदक्षिणाः । तथा बलकराः सीते यथा सेवा पितुर्मता ॥ ३५ ॥
“Neither truth, nor giving and honour, nor sacrifices with rich fees are as strengthening, Sita, as service to a father is held to be.
स्वर्गो धनं वा धान्यं वा विद्या पुत्राः सुखानि च । गुरुवृत्त्यनुरोधेन न किंचिदपि दुर्लभम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“Heaven, wealth or grain, learning, sons and happiness: nothing at all is hard to gain by following one’s elders.
देवगन्धर्वगोलोकान् ब्रह्मलोकांस्तथापरान् । प्राप्नुवन्ति महात्मानो मातापितृपरायणाः ॥ ३७ ॥
“Great souls devoted to mother and father gain the worlds of the gods, gandharvas and cows, and Brahma’s worlds and others.
स मा पिता यथा शास्ति सत्यधर्मपथे स्थितः । तथा वर्तितुमिच्छामि स हि धर्मः सनातनः ॥ ३८ ॥
“As my father, standing on the path of truth and dharma, commands me, so I wish to act; that is the eternal dharma.
मम सन्ना मतिः सीते नेतुं त्वां दण्डकावनम् । वसिष्यामीति सा त्वं मामनुयातुं सुनिश्चिता ॥ ३९ ॥
“My resolve to take you to the Dandaka forest had faltered. But since you are fully determined to follow me, saying ‘I will live there,’
सा हि दिष्टानवद्याङ्गि वनाय मदिरेक्षणे । अनुगच्छस्व मां भीरु सहधर्मचरी भव ॥ ४० ॥
“you are destined for the forest, flawless one, intoxicating-eyed. Follow me, timid one; be my partner in dharma.
सर्वथा सदृशं सीते मम स्वस्य कुलस्य च । व्यवसायमनुक्रान्ता कान्ते त्वमतिशोभनम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“In every way, Sita, the resolve you have taken is worthy of me and of my family, my love; it is most beautiful.
आरभस्व शुभश्रोणि वनवासक्षमाः क्रियाः । नेदानीं त्वदृते सीते स्वर्गोऽपि मम रोचते ॥ ४२ ॥
“Begin, lovely-hipped one, the preparations fit for living in the forest. Now without you, Sita, even heaven does not please me.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च रत्नानि भिक्षुकेभ्यश्च भोजनम् । देहि चाशंसमानेभ्यः संत्वरस्व च मा चिरम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Give jewels to the brahmanas and food to the mendicants, and to those who hope for something. Hurry; do not delay.
भूषणानि महार्हाणि वरवस्त्राणि यानि च । रमणीयाश्च ये केचित् क्रीडार्थाश्चाप्युपस्कराः ॥ ४४ ॥
शयनीयानि यानानि मम चान्यानि यानि च । देहि स्वभृत्यवर्गस्य ब्राह्मणानामनन्तरम् ॥ ४५ ॥
“The costly ornaments and fine clothes, whatever lovely things there are for play, the beds and vehicles, and my other things, give to your own servants after the brahmanas.”
अनुकूलं तु सा भर्तुर्ज्ञात्वा गमनमात्मनः । क्षिप्रं प्रमुदिता देवी दातुमेव प्रचक्रमे ॥ ४६ ॥
Knowing that her husband now favoured her going, the queen, delighted, quickly began to give.
ततः प्रहृष्टा प्रतिपूर्णमानसा यशस्विनी भर्तुरवेक्ष्य भाषितम् । धनानि रत्नानि च दातुमङ्गना प्रचक्रमे धर्मभृतां मनस्विनी ॥ ४७ ॥
Then, overjoyed, her heart full, seeing her husband’s word, the glorious, high-minded woman, upholder of dharma, began to give away wealth and jewels.