Aranya Kanda · Sarga 46 of 76 · 38 verses
Ravana Comes as a Mendicant
Spoken to so harshly by her, Raghava’s younger brother, angry and longing for Rama, sets out almost at once. Seizing his chance, Dashagriva quickly takes the opening and approaches Vaidehi in the form of a wandering mendicant: dressed in smooth saffron robes, with a tuft of hair, an umbrella and sandals, a staff and water-pot hanging from his left shoulder. In the form of a mendicant he comes toward Vaidehi. The very mighty one comes upon her, alone in the forest without the two brothers, as great darkness comes upon twilight bereft of the sun and moon. He looks at the young, glorious princess as a very cruel planet looks at Rohini bereft of the moon. Seeing that fierce doer of evil, the trees of Janasthana do not stir, and the wind does not blow. Seeing him looking about with red eyes, the swift river Godavari begins to flow sluggishly out of fear. Seeking his chance in Rama’s absence, Dashagriva Ravana approaches Vaidehi in the form of a beggar, the unholy in holy form, as she grieves for her husband. He comes toward Vaidehi as Saturn toward the star Chitra, suddenly, in a holy form, like a well covered with grass. He stands looking at Vaidehi, Rama’s glorious wife; standing there, Ravana looks at Rama’s wife, auspicious, with lovely teeth and lips, her face like the full moon, sitting in the leaf hut, overwhelmed by tears and grief. The night-ranger, glad at heart, approaches that lotus-eyed Vaidehi in yellow silk. Pierced by the arrows of desire, chanting Vedic sounds, the king of the rakshasas speaks courteous words to her in that lonely place. Ravana praises her, the best in the three worlds, like Shri without her lotus, shining in her body:
“You with the colour of silver and gold, wearing yellow silk, bearing a lovely garland of lotuses like a lotus pool: lovely-faced one, are you Hri, Shri, Kirti, auspicious Lakshmi, or an apsaras? Are you Bhuti, lovely-hipped one, or Rati, roaming at will? Your teeth are even, pointed, glossy and white; your eyes large and clear, red at the corners with black pupils; your hips broad and full, your thighs like an elephant’s trunk; your lovely breasts, full and high, round, close, firm, like glossy palm fruits, adorned with the finest gems. Lovely-smiling, lovely-toothed, lovely-eyed, playful one, you steal my mind, beautiful one, as water steals a riverbank. With a waist a hand could span, fine hair and close breasts: neither goddess, gandharvi, yakshi nor kinnari of such form have I seen on earth before. Your beauty, best in the worlds, your delicacy, your youth, and your living here in the wilderness, stir my mind. Go back, bless you; you should not live here. This is the home of terrible rakshasas who take any form at will. Lovely palace roofs, rich and fragrant city gardens are fit for you to walk in. The best garlands, the best perfume, the best clothes, lovely one, and the best husband I think fit for you, dark-eyed one. Who are you, bright-smiling one? You seem to me a goddess of the Rudras, the Maruts or the Vasus, lovely-hipped one. No gandharvas, gods or kinnaras come here; this is the home of rakshasas; how have you come here? Here are monkeys, lions, leopards, tigers, deer, wolves, bears, hyenas and herons; how are you not afraid of them? Of the terrible, mighty elephants in rut: how are you not afraid, alone in the great forest, lovely-faced one? Who are you, whose are you, where are you from, and why do you wander alone in the terrible Dandakas frequented by rakshasas, auspicious one?” Praised so by Ravana, the great soul, Maithili, seeing Ravana come in the dress of a twice-born, honours him with all the courtesies due to a guest. First bringing a seat, and inviting him with water for his feet, she says to that gentle-looking one: “It is ready.” Seeing him come in the dress of a twice-born, carrying bowl and saffron, impossible to turn away because of his outward appearance, Maithili invites him, come so, as a brahmana: “Here is a seat, brahmana; sit as you wish. Accept this water for your feet. And this excellent food, grown in the forest, prepared for you, enjoy it here at ease.” Being invited by the king’s wife Maithili, who speaks so fully, Ravana looks at her and firmly sets his mind on carrying her off by force, for his own destruction. Then, waiting for her husband in his fine clothes, gone hunting, and for Lakshmana, looking out, she sees the great green forest, but not Rama and Lakshmana.
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तया परुषमुक्तस्तु कुपितो राघवानुजः । स विकांक्षन् भृशं रामं प्रतस्थे नचिरादिव ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to harshly by her, Raghava’s younger brother, angry, longing greatly for Rama, set out almost at once.
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Ravana Comes as a Mendicant 1 min read.
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तदासाद्य दशग्रीवः क्षिप्रमन्तरमास्थितः । अभिचक्राम वैदेहीं परिव्राजकरूपधृक् ॥ २ ॥
Taking that opening, Dashagriva, quickly seizing the interval, approached Vaidehi, bearing the form of a wandering mendicant,
श्लक्ष्णकाषायसंवीतः शिखी छत्री उपानही । वामे चांसेऽवसज्याथ शुभे यष्टिकमण्डलू ॥ ३ ॥
clad in smooth saffron, with a tuft of hair, an umbrella and sandals, and having hung an auspicious staff and water-pot on his left shoulder.
परिव्राजकरूपेण वैदेहीमन्ववर्तत । तामाससादातिबलो भ्रातृभ्यां रहितां वने ॥ ४ ॥
In the form of a mendicant he came toward Vaidehi. The very mighty one came upon her, without the two brothers in the forest,
रहितां सूर्यचन्द्राभ्यां संध्यामिव महत्तमः । तामपश्यत् ततो बालां राजपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम् ॥ ५ ॥
as great darkness comes upon twilight without the sun and moon. He then saw that young, glorious princess,
रोहिणीं शशिना हीनां ग्रहवद् भृशदारुणः । तमुग्रं पापकर्माणं जनस्थानगता द्रुमाः ॥ ६ ॥
like a very cruel planet Rohini bereft of the moon. Seeing that fierce doer of evil deeds, the trees in Janasthana
संदृश्य न प्रकम्पन्ते न प्रवाति च मारुतः । शीघ्रस्रोताश्च तं दृष्ट्वा वीक्षन्तं रक्तलोचनम् ॥ ७ ॥
do not tremble, and the wind does not blow. And seeing him looking about with red eyes, the swift-flowing
स्तिमितं गन्तुमारेभे भयाद् गोदावरी नदी । रामस्य त्वन्तरं प्रेप्सुर्दशग्रीवस्तदन्तरे ॥ ८ ॥
river Godavari began to flow sluggishly out of fear. And seeking an opening in Rama’s absence, Dashagriva, in that interval,
उपतस्थे च वैदेहीं भिक्षुरूपेण रावणः । अभव्यो भव्यरूपेण भर्तारमनुशोचतीम् ॥ ९ ॥
Ravana approached Vaidehi in the form of a beggar, the unholy in holy form, as she grieved for her husband.
अभ्यवर्तत वैदेहीं चित्रामिव शनैश्चरः । सहसा भव्यरूपेण तृणैः कूप इवावृतः ॥ १० ॥
He came toward Vaidehi as Saturn toward Chitra, suddenly, in a holy form, like a well covered with grass.
अतिष्ठत् प्रेक्ष्य वैदेहीं रामपत्नीं यशस्विनीम् । तिष्ठन् सम्प्रेक्ष्य च तदा पत्नीं रामस्य रावणः ॥ ११ ॥
He stood, looking at Vaidehi, Rama’s glorious wife; and standing, Ravana then looked at Rama’s wife,
शुभां रुचिरदन्तोष्ठीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । आसीनां पर्णशालायां बाष्पशोकाभिपीडिताम् ॥ १२ ॥
auspicious, with lovely teeth and lips, her face like the full moon, seated in the leaf hut, tormented by tears and grief.
स तां पद्मपलाशाक्षीं पीतकौशेयवासिनीम् । अभ्यगच्छत वैदेहीं हृष्टचेता निशाचरः ॥ १३ ॥
The night-ranger, glad at heart, approached that lotus-petal-eyed Vaidehi, wearing yellow silk.
दृष्ट्वा कामशराविद्धो ब्रह्मघोषमुदीरयन् । अब्रवीत् प्रश्रितं वाक्यं रहिते राक्षसाधिपः ॥ १४ ॥
Seeing her, pierced by the arrows of desire, uttering Vedic chant, the lord of the rakshasas spoke courteous words in that lonely place.
तामुत्तमां त्रिलोकानां पद्महीनामिव श्रियम् । विभ्राजमानां वपुषा रावणः प्रशशंस ह ॥ १५ ॥
Ravana praised her, the best of the three worlds, like Shri without her lotus, shining in her body:
रौप्यकाञ्चनवर्णाभे पीतकौशेयवासिनि । कमलानां शुभां मालां पद्मिनीव च बिभ्रती ॥ १६ ॥
“You with the colour of silver and gold, wearing yellow silk, bearing a lovely garland of lotuses, like a lotus pool,
ह्रीः श्रीः कीर्तिः शुभा लक्ष्मीरप्सरा वा शुभानने । भूतिर्वा त्वं वरारोहे रतिर्वा स्वैरचारिणी ॥ १७ ॥
“are you Hri, Shri, Kirti, auspicious Lakshmi, or an apsaras, lovely-faced one? Or are you Bhuti, lovely-hipped one, or Rati, moving at will?
समाः शिखरिणः स्निग्धाः पाण्डुरा दशनास्तव । विशाले विमले नेत्रे रक्तान्ते कृष्णतारके ॥ १८ ॥
“Your teeth are even, pointed, glossy and white; your eyes large and clear, red at the corners, with black pupils;
विशालं जघनं पीनमूरू करिकरोपमौ । एतावुपचितौ वृत्तौ संहतौ सम्प्रगल्भितौ ॥ १९ ॥
“your hips broad and full, your thighs like an elephant’s trunk; these, full, round, close, well developed,
पीनोन्नतमुखौ कान्तौ स्निग्धतालफलोपमौ । मणिप्रवेकाभरणौ रुचिरौ ते पयोधरौ ॥ २० ॥
“full, with high tips, lovely, like glossy palm fruits, adorned with the finest gems: your beautiful breasts.
चारुस्मिते चारुदति चारुनेत्रे विलासिनि । मनो हरसि मे रामे नदीकूलमिवाम्भसा ॥ २१ ॥
“Lovely-smiling, lovely-toothed, lovely-eyed, playful one, you steal my mind, beautiful one, as water steals a riverbank.
करान्तमितमध्यासि सुकेशे संहतस्तनि । नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी ॥ २२ ॥
“With a waist measured by a hand, fine-haired, with close breasts: neither goddess, nor gandharvi, nor yakshi, nor kinnari,
नैवंरूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले । रूपमग्र्यं च लोकेषु सौकुमार्यं वयश्च ते ॥ २३ ॥
“a woman of such form has been seen by me before on the earth. Your beauty, the best in the worlds, your delicacy and your youth,
इह वासश्च कान्तारे चित्तमुन्माथयन्ति मे । सा प्रतिक्राम भद्रं ते न त्वं वस्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २४ ॥
“and your dwelling here in the wilderness, churn my mind. Go back, bless you; you should not live here.
राक्षसानामयं वासो घोराणां कामरूपिणाम् । प्रासादाग्राणि रम्याणि नगरोपवनानि च ॥ २५ ॥
“This is the home of terrible rakshasas who take any form at will. Lovely palace roofs and city gardens,
सम्पन्नानि सुगन्धीनि युक्तान्याचरितुं त्वया । वरं माल्यं वरं गन्धं वरं वस्त्रं च शोभने ॥ २६ ॥
“rich and fragrant, are fit for you to walk in. The best garland, the best perfume, and the best clothes, lovely one,
भर्तारं च वरं मन्ये त्वद्युक्तमसितेक्षणे । का त्वं भवसि रुद्राणां मरुतां वा शुचिस्मिते ॥ २७ ॥
“and the best husband I think fit for you, dark-eyed one. Who are you, among the Rudras or the Maruts, bright-smiling one?
वसूनां वा वरारोहे देवता प्रतिभासि मे । नेह गच्छन्ति गन्धर्वा न देवा न च किन्नराः ॥ २८ ॥
“Or among the Vasus, lovely-hipped one? You seem to me a goddess. Here gandharvas do not come, nor gods, nor kinnaras.
राक्षसानामयं वासः कथं तु त्वमिहागता । इह शाखामृगाः सिंहा द्वीपिव्याघ्रमृगा वृकाः ॥ २९ ॥
“This is the home of rakshasas; how have you come here? Here are monkeys, lions, leopards, tigers, deer, wolves,
ऋक्षास्तरक्षवः कङ्काः कथं तेभ्यो न बिभ्यसे । मदान्वितानां घोराणां कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम् ॥ ३० ॥
“bears, hyenas and herons; how are you not afraid of them? Of terrible, swift elephants filled with rut,
कथमेका महारण्ये न बिभेषि वरानने । कासि कस्य कुतश्च त्वं किं निमित्तं च दण्डकान् ॥ ३१ ॥
“how, alone in the great forest, are you not afraid, lovely-faced one? Who are you, whose, and from where, and for what reason
एका चरसि कल्याणि घोरान् राक्षससेवितान् । इति प्रशस्ता वैदेही रावणेन महात्मना ॥ ३२ ॥
“do you wander alone in the terrible Dandakas frequented by rakshasas, auspicious one?” Praised so by the great soul Ravana, Vaidehi,
द्विजातिवेषेण हि तं दृष्ट्वा रावणमागतम् । सर्वैरतिथिसत्कारैः पूजयामास मैथिली ॥ ३३ ॥
seeing Ravana come in the dress of a twice-born, Maithili honoured him with all the courtesies due to a guest.
उपानीयासनं पूर्वं पाद्येनाभिनिमन्त्र्य च । अब्रवीत् सिद्धमित्येव तदा तं सौम्यदर्शनम् ॥ ३४ ॥
First bringing a seat, and inviting him with water for the feet, she then said to that one of gentle appearance: “It is ready.”
द्विजातिवेषेण समीक्ष्य मैथिली समागतं पात्रकुसुम्भधारिणम् । अशक्यमुद्द्वेष्टुमुपायदर्शना- न्न्यमन्त्रयद् ब्राह्मणवत् तथागतम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Seeing him come in the dress of a twice-born, bearing bowl and saffron, impossible to repel because of the appearance he showed, Maithili invited him, come so, as a brahmana:
इयं बृसी ब्राह्मण काममास्यता- मिदं च पाद्यं प्रतिगृह्यतामिति । इदं च सिद्धं वनजातमुत्तमं त्वदर्थमव्यग्रमिहोपभुज्यताम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“Here is a seat, brahmana; sit as you wish. Accept this water for the feet. And this excellent food, prepared, grown in the forest, for your sake: enjoy it here at ease.”
निमन्त्र्यमाणः प्रतिपूर्णभाषिणीं नरेन्द्रपत्नीं प्रसमीक्ष्य मैथिलीम् । प्रसह्य तस्या हरणे दृढं मनः समर्पयामास वधाय रावणः ॥ ३७ ॥
Being invited by Maithili, the wife of the lord of men, who spoke so fully, looking at her, Ravana firmly set his mind on her carrying off by force, for his own death.
ततः सुवेषं मृगयागतं पतिं प्रतीक्षमाणा सहलक्ष्मणं तदा । निरीक्षमाणा हरितं ददर्श त- न्महद् वनं नैव तु रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ३८ ॥
Then, waiting for her husband, finely dressed, gone hunting, with Lakshmana, looking out, she saw that great green forest, but not Rama and Lakshmana.