Sundara Kanda · Sarga 20 of 68 · 36 verses
Ravana’s Wooing
Ravana speaks to Sita with sweet, suggestive words. He tells her not to hide herself from him or fear him: it is a rakshasa’s own dharma to take other men’s wives, but he will not touch her against her will. Her single braid, her bed on the ground, her soiled clothes and her fasting do not suit her; with him she could have garlands, sandal, silks, jewels, the finest drink, music and dance. Her youth is passing and will not return.
He praises her beauty extravagantly and offers her everything: to be first among his queens, all the treasures he has seized from the worlds, the kingdom itself, even the conquered earth to give to her father Janaka. No one is his equal; gods and asuras have fled from him in battle. What will she do with Rama, a beggar in bark cloth, his fortune gone, sleeping on the bare ground, perhaps not even alive? Rama could no more take her from his hand than Hiranyakashipu could win back his glory from Indra. Since he saw her, Ravana says, he takes no pleasure in his own wives; let her rule them all, drink, play, enjoy, and roam with him through the flowering woods by the sea.
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स तां परिवृतां दीनां निरानन्दां तपस्विनीम् । साकारैर्मधुरैर्वाक्यैर्न्यदर्शयत रावणः ॥ १ ॥
To her, surrounded, wretched, joyless, rich in austerity, Ravana revealed his intent with suggestive, sweet words:
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मां दृष्ट्वा नागनासोरु गूहमाना स्तनोदरम् । अदर्शनमिवात्मानं भयान्नेतुं त्वमिच्छसि ॥ २ ॥
“Seeing me, you whose thighs are like an elephant’s trunk, you hide your breasts and belly; out of fear you seem to want to make yourself invisible.
कामये त्वां विशालाक्षि बहु मन्यस्व मां प्रिये । सर्वांगगुणसम्पन्ने सर्वलोकमनोहरे ॥ ३ ॥
“I desire you, large-eyed one; think well of me, beloved, you who have every grace of limb, who charm the whole world.
नेह किञ्चिन्मनुष्या वा राक्षसाः कामरूपिणः । व्यपसर्पतु ते सीते भयं मत्तः समुत्थितम् ॥ ४ ॥
“There are no men here, nor rakshasas who take any form at will. Let the fear that has risen in you because of me go away, Sita.
स्वधर्मो रक्षसां भीरु सर्वदैव न संशयः । गमनं वा परस्त्रीणां हरणं सम्प्रमथ्य वा ॥ ५ ॥
“It is always a rakshasa’s own dharma, timid one, no doubt of it: going to other men’s wives, or carrying them off by force.
एवं चैवमकामां त्वां न च स्प्रक्ष्यामि मैथिलि । कामं कामः शरीरे मे यथाकामं प्रवर्तताम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Even so, Maithili, I will not touch you while you are unwilling. Let desire act in my body as it will.
देवि नेह भयं कार्यं मयि विश्वसिहि प्रिये । प्रणयस्व च तत्त्वेन मैवं भूः शोकलालसा ॥ ७ ॥
“Goddess, there is nothing to fear here; trust me, beloved. Love me truly; do not be so given to grief.
एकवेणी अधःशय्या ध्यानं मलिनमम्बरम् । अस्थानेऽप्युपवासश्च नैतान्यौपयिकानि ते ॥ ८ ॥
“A single braid, sleeping on the ground, brooding, a soiled garment, fasting without cause: these do not suit you.
विचित्राणि च माल्यानि चन्दनान्यगुरूणि च । विविधानि च वासांसि दिव्यान्याभरणानि च ॥ ९ ॥
“Wonderful garlands, sandal and aloe, many kinds of clothes and heavenly ornaments,
महार्हाणि च पानानि शयनान्यासनानि च । गीतं नृत्यं च वाद्यं च लभ मां प्राप्य मैथिलि ॥ १० ॥
“precious drinks, beds and seats, song, dance and music: have them, Maithili, by having me.
स्त्रीरत्नमसि मैवं भूः कुरु गात्रेषु भूषणम् । मां प्राप्य हि कथं वा स्यास्त्वमनर्हा सुविग्रहे ॥ ११ ॥
“You are a jewel among women; do not be like this. Put ornaments on your limbs. Having me, how could you be unworthy of them, lovely-bodied one?
इदं ते चारु संजातं यौवनं ह्यतिवर्तते । यदतीतं पुनर्नैति स्रोतः स्रोतस्विनामिव ॥ १२ ॥
“This lovely youth of yours, now in its bloom, is passing; what is gone does not come back, like the current of a river.
त्वां कृत्वोपरतो मन्ये रूपकर्ता स विश्वकृत् । नहि रूपोपमा ह्यन्या तवास्ति शुभदर्शने ॥ १३ ॥
“I think that the maker of forms, the maker of the world, stopped when he had made you; for there is no other comparable to your beauty, lovely one.
त्वां समासाद्य वैदेहि रूपयौवनशालिनीम् । कः पुनर्नातिवर्तेत साक्षादपि पितामहः ॥ १४ ॥
“Coming upon you, Vaidehi, so rich in beauty and youth, who would not stray, even the Grandsire himself?
यद् यत् पश्यामि ते गात्रं शीतांशुसदृशानने । तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् पृथुश्रोणि चक्षुर्मम निबध्यते ॥ १५ ॥
“Whatever part of you I look at, moon-faced, broad-hipped one, there my eye is held fast.
भव मैथिलि भार्या मे मोहमेतं विसर्जय । बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणां ममाग्रमहिषी भव ॥ १६ ॥
“Be my wife, Maithili; put away this folly. Be my chief queen above many excellent women.
लोकेभ्यो यानि रत्नानि सम्प्रमथ्याहृतानि मे । तानि ते भीरु सर्वाणि राज्यं चैव ददामि ते ॥ १७ ॥
“All the treasures I have seized by force from the worlds, timid one, I give to you, and the kingdom too.
विजित्य पृथिवीं सर्वां नानानगरमालिनीम् । जनकाय प्रदास्यामि तव हेतोर्विलासिनि ॥ १८ ॥
“Having conquered the whole earth with its garlands of cities, I will give it to Janaka for your sake, playful one.
नेह पश्यामि लोकेऽन्यं यो मे प्रतिबलो भवेत् । पश्य मे सुमहद्वीर्यमप्रतिद्वन्द्वमाहवे ॥ १९ ॥
“I see no one else in this world who could match my strength. See my great valour, unrivalled in battle.
असकृत् संयुगे भग्ना मया विमृदितध्वजाः । अशक्ताः प्रत्यनीकेषु स्थातुं मम सुरासुराः ॥ २० ॥
“Again and again gods and asuras have been broken by me in battle, their banners crushed, unable to stand against me.
इच्छ मां क्रियतामद्य प्रतिकर्म तवोत्तमम् । सुप्रभाण्यवसज्जन्तां तवांगे भूषणानि हि ॥ २१ ॥
“Want me; let the finest adornment be done for you today; let shining ornaments be hung on your body.
साधु पश्यामि ते रूपं सुयुक्तं प्रतिकर्मणा । प्रतिकर्माभिसंयुक्ता दाक्षिण्येन वरानने ॥ २२ ॥
“Let me see your beauty well set off by adornment; adorned with grace, lovely-faced one.
भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् यथाकामं पिब भीरु रमस्व च । यथेष्टं च प्रयच्छ त्वं पृथिवीं वा धनानि च ॥ २३ ॥
“Enjoy pleasures as you wish, drink, timid one, and play; give away the earth or wealth as you please.
ललस्व मयि विस्रब्धा धृष्टमाज्ञापयस्व च । मत्प्रासादाल्ललन्त्याश्च ललतां बान्धवस्तव ॥ २४ ॥
“Frolic with me in trust, command me boldly; and as you frolic by my favour, let your kin frolic too.
ऋद्धिं ममानुपश्य त्वं श्रियं भद्रे यशस्विनि । किं करिष्यसि रामेण सुभगे चीरवासिना ॥ २५ ॥
“Look at my prosperity and my splendour, glorious lady. What will you do with Rama, fortunate one, a man in bark cloth?
निक्षिप्तविजयो रामो गतश्रीर्वनगोचरः । व्रती स्थण्डिलशायी च शंके जीवति वा न वा ॥ २६ ॥
“Rama has laid down victory, his fortune is gone, he roams the forest, keeps vows, sleeps on the bare ground. I doubt whether he is even alive.
नहि वैदेहि रामस्त्वां द्रष्टुं वाप्युपलभ्यते । पुरोबलाकैरसितैर्मेघैर्ज्योत्स्नामिवावृताम् ॥ २७ ॥
“Rama cannot even find you to see you, Vaidehi, like moonlight covered by dark clouds with cranes in front.
न चापि मम हस्तात् त्वां प्राप्तुमर्हति राघवः । हिरण्यकशिपुः कीर्तिमिन्द्रहस्तगतामिव ॥ २८ ॥
“Nor can Raghava win you from my hand, as Hiranyakashipu could not win back his glory once it was in Indra’s hand.
चारुस्मिते चारुदति चारुनेत्रे विलासिनि । मनो हरसि मे भीरु सुपर्णः पन्नगं यथा ॥ २९ ॥
“Sweet-smiling, lovely-toothed, lovely-eyed, playful, timid one, you steal my mind as Suparna carries off a snake.
क्लिष्टकौशेयवसनां तन्वीमप्यनलंकृताम् । त्वां दृष्ट्वा स्वेषु दारेषु रतिं नोपलभाम्यहम् ॥ ३० ॥
“Seeing you, though your silk is worn and you are thin and unadorned, I take no pleasure in my own wives.
अन्तःपुरनिवासिन्यः स्त्रियः सर्वगुणान्विताः । यावत्यो मम सर्वासामैश्वर्यं कुरु जानकि ॥ ३१ ॥
“The women who live in my inner palace, endowed with every virtue, however many they are: be mistress over them all, Janaki.
मम ह्यसितकेशान्ते त्रैलोक्यप्रवरस्त्रियः । तास्त्वां परिचरिष्यन्ति श्रियमप्सरसो यथा ॥ ३२ ॥
“My women, dark-haired one, the finest in the three worlds, will wait on you as the apsarases wait on Shri.
यानि वैश्रवणे सुभ्रु रत्नानि च धनानि च । तानि लोकांश्च सुश्रोणि मया भुङ्क्ष्व यथासुखम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“The jewels and riches that were Vaishravana’s, lovely-browed one, and the worlds, enjoy them with me as you please, lovely-hipped one.
न रामस्तपसा देवि न बलेन च विक्रमैः । न धनेन मया तुल्यस्तेजसा यशसापि वा ॥ ३४ ॥
“Rama is not my equal, goddess, in austerity or strength or valour, nor in wealth, splendour or fame.
पिब विहर रमस्व भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान् धननिचयं प्रदिशामि मेदिनीं च । मयि लल ललने यथासुखं त्वं त्वयि च समेत्य ललन्तु बान्धवास्ते ॥ ३५ ॥
“Drink, roam, play, enjoy pleasures; I give you heaps of wealth and the earth. Frolic with me as you please, lovely one, and let your kin, joining you, frolic too.
कुसुमिततरुजालसंततानि भ्रमरयुतानि समुद्रतीरजानि । कनकविमलहारभूषितांगी विहर मया सह भीरु काननानि ॥ ३६ ॥
“In woods by the sea, crowded with masses of flowering trees and humming with bees, with your body adorned with bright golden necklaces, roam with me, timid one.”