Aranya Kanda · Sarga 56 of 76 · 36 verses
A Blade of Grass Between Them; the Ashoka Grove
Spoken to so, Vaidehi, fearless, wasted by grief, places a blade of grass between herself and Ravana and answers: “There was a king named Dasharatha, unshakable like a dam of dharma, true to his promise, well known; his son is that Raghava, named Rama, righteous, famous in the three worlds, long-armed, large-eyed: that husband of mine is my god. Born in the family of the Ikshvakus, lion-shouldered, of great splendour, he, with his brother Lakshmana, will take your life. If you had violated me by force before his eyes, you would be lying killed in battle, like Khara in Janasthana. These terrible, mighty rakshasas you speak of will all be powerless against Raghava, like snakes before Suparna. The gold-adorned arrows released from his string will tear your body apart as waves tear the bank of the Ganga. Even if you cannot be killed by asuras or gods, Ravana, having started this great enmity you will not escape him alive. That mighty Raghava will make an end of the rest of your life; your life is as hard to keep as an animal’s tied to the sacrificial post. If Rama looks at you with his eye blazing with anger, rakshasa, you will be burned today, as Manmatha was by Rudra. He who could bring down the moon from the sky to the earth, or destroy it, or dry up the ocean, he will free Sita here. Your life gone, your fortune gone, your strength gone, your senses gone: Lanka will become a widow because of what you have done. This evil deed of yours will not end in happiness, you who have taken me by force from my husband’s side. That husband of mine, of great splendour, with his brother-in-law, fearless, relying on his valour, lives in the empty Dandaka. In battle, with a rain of arrows, he will take from your limbs your valour, strength, pride and such arrogance. When the destruction of beings driven by Time is seen, men under Time’s power become careless in their affairs. Having violated me, your time has come, lowest of rakshasas, for the death of yourself, the rakshasas and your inner palace. As the altar in the middle of a sacrifice, adorned with ladles and vessels, purified by the mantras of the twice-born, cannot be trampled by a chandala, so I, the lawful, firm-vowed wife of one ever devoted to dharma, cannot be touched by you, wicked lowest of rakshasas. How could the female swan, always playing with the royal swan in the lotus beds, look at a cormorant standing in the grass? Bind or kill this body; it is senseless. I need not protect this body, nor my life, rakshasa; but I cannot bring disgrace upon myself on earth.” Having said these very harsh words in anger, Janaki says nothing more to Ravana there.
Hearing Sita’s harsh, hair-raising words, he answers with words meant to frighten: “Hear my words, Maithili. If in twelve months, passionate one with the lovely smile, you do not come to me in that time, my cooks will cut you into pieces for my morning meal.” Having spoken these harsh words, Ravana, who makes his enemies cry, angrily says to the rakshasis: “Let the ugly, terrible-looking rakshasis, eaters of flesh and blood, quickly break her pride.” At his word those very terrible, terrible-looking ones, palms joined, surround Maithili. King Ravana, terrible to look at, stamping his feet as if splitting the earth, says to them: “Take Maithili into the middle of the Ashoka grove. Guard her there in secret, surrounding her. There, by terrible threats and again by gentle words, bring Maithili under control, all of you, like a wild she-elephant.” Instructed so by Ravana, the rakshasis take Maithili and go to the Ashoka grove, surrounded by trees bearing every fruit one could wish, with flowers and fruit of many kinds, frequented by birds drunk with joy at every season. But Maithili, Janaka’s daughter, her limbs consumed by grief, fallen into the power of the rakshasis like a doe among tigresses, seized by great grief, timid, finds no peace, like a doe caught in a snare. Threatened terribly by the ugly-eyed ones, Maithili finds no peace there; remembering her dear husband and her brother-in-law, tormented by fear and grief, she falls senseless.
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सा तथोक्ता तु वैदेही निर्भया शोककर्शिता । तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा रावणं प्रत्यभाषत ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to so, Vaidehi, fearless, wasted by grief, placing a blade of grass between them, answered Ravana:
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A Blade of Grass Between Them; the Ashoka Grove 1 min read.
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राजा दशरथो नाम धर्मसेतुरिवाचलः । सत्यसंधः परिज्ञातो यस्य पुत्रः स राघवः ॥ २ ॥
“There was a king named Dasharatha, unshakable like a dam of dharma, true to his promise, well known, whose son is that Raghava,
रामो नाम स धर्मात्मा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षो दैवतं स पतिर्मम ॥ ३ ॥
“named Rama, righteous, famed in the three worlds, long-armed, large-eyed: that husband of mine is my god.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः सिंहस्कन्धो महाद्युतिः । लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा यस्ते प्राणान् वधिष्यति ॥ ४ ॥
“Born in the family of the Ikshvakus, lion-shouldered, of great splendour, he, with his brother Lakshmana, will take your life.
प्रत्यक्षं यद्यहं तस्य त्वया वै धर्षिता बलात् । शयिता त्वं हतः संख्ये जनस्थाने यथा खरः ॥ ५ ॥
“If I had been violated by you by force before his eyes, you would be lying killed in battle, like Khara in Janasthana.
य एते राक्षसाः प्रोक्ता घोररूपा महाबलाः । राघवे निर्विषाः सर्वे सुपर्णे पन्नगा यथा ॥ ६ ॥
“These terrible-formed, very mighty rakshasas who have been spoken of will all be without poison before Raghava, like serpents before Suparna.
तस्य ज्याविप्रमुक्तास्ते शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः । शरीरं विधमिष्यन्ति गङ्गाकूलमिवोर्मयः ॥ ७ ॥
“Those gold-adorned arrows released from his string will tear apart your body, as waves the bank of the Ganga.
असुरैर्वा सुरैर्वा त्वं यद्यवध्योऽसि रावण । उत्पाद्य सुमहद् वैरं जीवंस्तस्य न मोक्ष्यसे ॥ ८ ॥
“Even if you are unkillable by asuras or gods, Ravana, having produced this very great enmity, you will not be released from him alive.
स ते जीवितशेषस्य राघवोऽन्तकरो बली । पशोर्यूपगतस्येव जीवितं तव दुर्लभम् ॥ ९ ॥
“That mighty Raghava will be the end-maker of the rest of your life. Your life is hard to keep, like that of an animal gone to the sacrificial post.
यदि पश्येत् स रामस्त्वां रोषदीप्तेन चक्षुषा । रक्षस्त्वमद्य निर्दग्धो यथा रुद्रेण मन्मथः ॥ १० ॥
“If that Rama were to see you with his eye blazing with anger, rakshasa, you would be burned today, as Manmatha by Rudra.
यश्चन्द्रं नभसो भूमौ पातयेन्नाशयेत वा । सागरं शोषयेद् वापि स सीतां मोचयेदिह ॥ ११ ॥
“He who could bring down the moon from the sky to the earth, or destroy it, or dry up the ocean: he will free Sita here.
गतासुस्त्वं गतश्रीको गतसत्त्वो गतेन्द्रियः । लङ्का वैधव्यसंयुक्ता त्वत्कृतेन भविष्यति ॥ १२ ॥
“Your life gone, your fortune gone, your strength gone, your senses gone: Lanka will become joined with widowhood through what you have done.
न ते पापमिदं कर्म सुखोदर्कं भविष्यति । याहं नीता विनाभावं पतिपार्श्वात् त्वया बलात् ॥ १३ ॥
“This evil deed of yours will not have a happy outcome, you by whom I have been brought by force into separation from my husband’s side.
स हि देवरसंयुक्तो मम भर्ता महाद्युतिः । निर्भयो वीर्यमाश्रित्य शून्ये वसति दण्डके ॥ १४ ॥
“For that husband of mine, of great splendour, together with his brother-in-law, fearless, relying on his valour, lives in the empty Dandaka.
स ते वीर्यं बलं दर्पमुत्सेकं च तथाविधम् । अपनेष्यति गात्रेभ्यः शरवर्षेण संयुगे ॥ १५ ॥
“He will take from your limbs, with a rain of arrows in battle, your valour, strength, pride and such arrogance.
यदा विनाशो भूतानां दृश्यते कालचोदितः । तदा कार्ये प्रमाद्यन्ति नराः कालवशं गताः ॥ १६ ॥
“When the destruction of beings, driven by Time, is seen, then men, gone into the power of Time, are careless in their affairs.
मां प्रधृष्य स ते कालः प्राप्तोऽयं राक्षसाधम । आत्मनो राक्षसानां च वधायान्तःपुरस्य च ॥ १७ ॥
“Having violated me, this time of yours has come, lowest of rakshasas, for the killing of yourself, the rakshasas and the inner palace.
न शक्या यज्ञमध्यस्था वेदिः स्रुग्भाण्डमण्डिता । द्विजातिमन्त्रसम्पूता चण्डालेनावमर्दितुम् ॥ १८ ॥
“The altar standing in the middle of a sacrifice, adorned with ladles and vessels, purified by the mantras of the twice-born, cannot be trampled by a chandala.
तथाहं धर्मनित्यस्य धर्मपत्नी दृढव्रता । त्वया स्प्रष्टुं न शक्याहं राक्षसाधम पापिना ॥ १९ ॥
“So I, the lawful wife of one ever devoted to dharma, firm in my vows, cannot be touched by you, wicked lowest of rakshasas.
क्रीडन्ती राजहंसेन पद्मषण्डेषु नित्यशः । हंसी सा तृणमध्यस्थं कथं द्रक्ष्येत मद्गुकम् ॥ २० ॥
“Always playing with the royal swan in the lotus beds, how would that female swan look at a cormorant standing in the grass?
इदं शरीरं निःसंज्ञं बन्ध वा घातयस्व वा । नेदं शरीरं रक्ष्यं मे जीवितं वापि राक्षस ॥ २१ ॥
“Bind or kill this senseless body. This body need not be protected by me, nor my life, rakshasa.
न तु शक्यमपक्रोशं पृथिव्यां दातुमात्मनः । एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही क्रोधात् सुपरुषं वचः ॥ २२ ॥
“But it is not possible to bring disgrace on myself on earth.” Having said these very harsh words so out of anger, Vaidehi,
रावणं जानकी तत्र पुनर्नोवाच किंचन । सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा परुषं रोमहर्षणम् ॥ २३ ॥
Janaki, said nothing more there to Ravana. Hearing Sita’s harsh, hair-raising words,
प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां भयसंदर्शनं वचः । शृणु मैथिलि मद्वाक्यं मासान् द्वादश भामिनि ॥ २४ ॥
he then answered Sita with words showing fear: “Hear my words, Maithili: twelve months, passionate one;
कालेनानेन नाभ्येषि यदि मां चारुहासिनि । ततस्त्वां प्रातराशार्थं सूदाश्छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः ॥ २५ ॥
“if in this time you do not come to me, lovely-laughing one, then cooks will cut you into pieces for my morning meal.”
इत्युक्त्वा परुषं वाक्यं रावणः शत्रुरावणः । राक्षसीश्च ततः क्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ २६ ॥
Having spoken these harsh words, Ravana, who makes his enemies cry, then, angry, said these words to the rakshasis:
शीघ्रमेव हि राक्षस्यो विरूपा घोरदर्शनाः । दर्पमस्यापनेष्यन्तु मांसशोणितभोजनाः ॥ २७ ॥
“Let the rakshasis, ugly, terrible to see, eaters of flesh and blood, quickly take away her pride.”
वचनादेव तास्तस्य सुघोरा घोरदर्शनाः । कृतप्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा मैथिलीं पर्यवारयन् ॥ २८ ॥
At his very word those very terrible ones, terrible to see, having joined their palms, surrounded Maithili.
स ताः प्रोवाच राजासौ रावणो घोरदर्शनाः । प्रचल्य चरणोत्कर्षैर्दारयन्निव मेदिनीम् ॥ २९ ॥
That king Ravana, terrible to see, moving with stamping feet as if splitting the earth, said to them:
अशोकवनिकामध्ये मैथिली नीयतामिति । तत्रेयं रक्ष्यतां गूढं युष्माभिः परिवारिता ॥ ३० ॥
“Let Maithili be taken into the middle of the Ashoka grove. Let her be guarded there in secret, surrounded by you.
तत्रैनां तर्जनैर्घोरैः पुनः सान्त्वैश्च मैथिलीम् । आनयध्वं वशं सर्वा वन्यां गजवधूमिव ॥ ३१ ॥
“There, with terrible threats and again with gentle words, all of you bring Maithili under control, like a wild she-elephant.”
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टा राक्षस्यो रावणेन ताः । अशोकवनिकां जग्मुर्मैथिलीं परिगृह्य तु ॥ ३२ ॥
Instructed so by Ravana, those rakshasis, taking Maithili, went to the Ashoka grove,
सर्वकामफलैर्वृक्षैर्नानापुष्पफलैर्वृताम् । सर्वकालमदैश्चापि द्विजैः समुपसेविताम् ॥ ३३ ॥
surrounded by trees bearing the fruit of every desire, with flowers and fruit of many kinds, frequented by birds intoxicated at every season.
सा तु शोकपरीताङ्गी मैथिली जनकात्मजा । राक्षसीवशमापन्ना व्याघ्रीणां हरिणी यथा ॥ ३४ ॥
But Maithili, Janaka’s daughter, her limbs pervaded by grief, fallen into the power of rakshasis like a doe among tigresses,
शोकेन महता ग्रस्ता मैथिली जनकात्मजा । न शर्म लभते भीरुः पाशबद्धा मृगी यथा ॥ ३५ ॥
seized by great grief, Maithili, Janaka’s daughter, timid, does not find peace, like a doe bound in a snare.
न विन्दते तत्र तु शर्म मैथिली विरूपनेत्राभिरतीव तर्जिता । पतिं स्मरन्ती दयितं च देवरं विचेतनाभूद् भयशोकपीडिता ॥ ३६ ॥
But Maithili does not find peace there, greatly threatened by the ugly-eyed ones; remembering her dear husband and her brother-in-law, tormented by fear and grief, she became senseless.