Sundara Kanda · Sarga 26 of 68 · 49 verses
Sita Resolves to Die
Her face streaming with tears, Sita rolls on the ground like a frightened colt and laments. She was carried off by force while Rama was off guard; now, among threatening rakshasis, she has no wish to live. Her heart must be made of stone, she says, not to break. She would not touch Ravana even with her left foot; cut, burned, she will never go to him.
Then her doubts turn on Rama. He is famous for gratitude and compassion; has he become pitiless because her luck is spent? He killed fourteen thousand rakshasas and Viradha alone; why does he not come? Perhaps he does not know where she is; the only one who could have told him, Jatayu, was struck down. If he knew, he would empty the world of rakshasas, burn Lanka and dry the sea, and Lanka’s women would weep as she does now. She sees evil omens over Lanka already, and knows its end is near.
But Ravana’s deadline is coming, and he will make her his breakfast. Perhaps Rama has died of grief for her; perhaps the brothers, unarmed in the forest, were killed by Ravana’s trickery; perhaps she has some fault, or her fortune is simply gone. Blessed are the sages who have mastered themselves and have neither dear nor hateful things, for they suffer no separation. Abandoned by her beloved, in Ravana’s power, she will give up her life.
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प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी त्वेवं ब्रुवती जनकात्मजा । अधोगतमुखी बाला विलप्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ १ ॥
So speaking, her face streaming with tears, the young daughter of Janaka, her face cast down, began to lament.
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उन्मत्तेव प्रमत्तेव भ्रान्तचित्तेव शोचती । उपावृत्ता किशोरीव विचेष्टन्ती महीतले ॥ २ ॥
Grieving like one mad, like one drunk, like one whose mind is wandering, she rolled over on the ground like a young colt, writhing.
राघवस्य प्रमत्तस्य रक्षसा कामरूपिणा । रावणेन प्रमथ्याहमानीता क्रोशती बलात् ॥ ३ ॥
“While Raghava was off guard, the rakshasa Ravana, who takes any form he likes, carried me off by force as I cried out, and brought me here.
राक्षसीवशमापन्ना भर्त्स्यमाना च दारुणम् । चिन्तयन्ती सुदुःखार्ता नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥ ४ ॥
“Fallen into the power of rakshasis and cruelly threatened, thinking, deeply stricken with sorrow, I have no heart to live.
नहि मे जीवितेनार्थो नैवार्थैर्न च भूषणैः । वसन्त्या राक्षसीमध्ये विना रामं महारथम् ॥ ५ ॥
“I have no use for life, nor for wealth or ornaments, living among rakshasis without Rama, the great chariot-warrior.
अश्मसारमिदं नूनमथवाप्यजरामरम् । हृदयं मम येनेदं न दुःखेन विशीर्यते ॥ ६ ॥
“Surely this heart of mine is made of iron, or else it is ageless and deathless, since it does not break with this sorrow.
धिङ्मामनार्यामसतीं याहं तेन विना कृता । मुहूर्तमपि जीवामि जीवितं पापजीविका ॥ ७ ॥
“Shame on me, ignoble and unfaithful, that separated from him I live even a moment: a life of sin.
चरणेनापि सव्येन न स्पृशेयं निशाचरम् । रावणं किं पुनरहं कामयेयं विगर्हितम् ॥ ८ ॥
“I would not touch the night-wanderer even with my left foot; how then could I desire Ravana, the despised?
प्रत्याख्यानं न जानाति नात्मानं नात्मनः कुलम् । यो नृशंसस्वभावेन मां प्रार्थयितुमिच्छति ॥ ९ ॥
“He knows no refusal, nor himself, nor his own family, who wants to ask for me out of his cruel nature.
छिन्ना भिन्ना प्रभिन्ना वा दीप्ता वाग्नौ प्रदीपिता । रावणं नोपतिष्ठेयं किं प्रलापेन वश्चिरम् ॥ १० ॥
“Cut, split, torn apart or burned in a blazing fire, I would not go to Ravana. What is the use of your long chattering?
ख्यातः प्राज्ञः कृतज्ञश्च सानुक्रोशश्च राघवः । सद्वृत्तो निरनुक्रोशः शङ्के मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात् ॥ ११ ॥
“Raghava is famous as wise, grateful and compassionate, a man of good conduct; I fear he has become pitiless because my fortune is spent.
राक्षसानां जनस्थाने सहस्राणि चतुर्दश । एकेनैव निरस्तानि स मां किं नाभिपद्यते ॥ १२ ॥
“He by whom alone the fourteen thousand rakshasas in Janasthana were swept away: why does he not come for me?
निरुद्धा रावणेनाहमल्पवीर्येण रक्षसा । समर्थः खलु मे भर्ता रावणं हन्तुमाहवे ॥ १३ ॥
“I am held by Ravana, a rakshasa of little valour; my husband is certainly able to kill Ravana in battle.
विराधो दण्डकारण्ये येन राक्षसपुंगवः । रणे रामेण निहतः स मां किं नाभिपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥
“He by whom Viradha, bull among rakshasas, was killed in battle in the Dandaka forest: why does Rama not come for me?
कामं मध्ये समुद्रस्य लङ्केयं दुष्प्रधर्षणा । न तु राघवबाणानां गतिरोधो भविष्यति ॥ १५ ॥
“Lanka may be hard to assault in the middle of the ocean, but there will be no stopping the course of Raghava’s arrows.
किं नु तत् कारणं येन रामो दृढपराक्रमः । रक्षसापहृतां भार्यामिष्टां यो नाभिपद्यते ॥ १६ ॥
“What can be the reason that Rama, firm in valour, does not come for his beloved wife, carried off by a rakshasa?
इहस्थां मां न जानीते शङ्के लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः । जानन्नपि स तेजस्वी धर्षणां मर्षयिष्यति ॥ १७ ॥
“I suspect Lakshmana’s elder brother does not know I am here; knowing it, would that radiant one bear this outrage?
हृतेति मां योऽधिगत्य राघवाय निवेदयेत् । गृध्रराजोऽपि स रणे रावणेन निपातितः ॥ १८ ॥
“The one who, learning I had been carried off, could have told Raghava, the king of the vultures, was struck down by Ravana in battle.
कृतं कर्म महत् तेन मां तथाभ्यवपद्यता । तिष्ठता रावणवधे वृद्धेनापि जटायुषा ॥ १९ ॥
“A great deed was done by old Jatayu, who came to my aid then and stood to fight for Ravana’s death.
यदि मामिह जानीयाद् वर्तमानां हि राघवः । अद्य बाणैरभिक्रुद्धः कुर्याल्लोकमराक्षसम् ॥ २० ॥
“If Raghava knew I was living here, in his anger he would today make the world empty of rakshasas with his arrows.
निर्दहेच्च पुरीं लङ्कां निर्दहेच्च महोदधिम् । रावणस्य च नीचस्य कीर्तिं नाम च नाशयेत् ॥ २१ ॥
“He would burn the city of Lanka, and burn the great ocean, and destroy the fame and name of low Ravana.
ततो निहतनाथानां राक्षसीनां गृहे गृहे । यथाहमेवं रुदती तथा भूयो न संशयः ॥ २२ ॥
“Then in house after house the rakshasis, their husbands slain, would weep as I weep now, no doubt of it.
अन्विष्य रक्षसां लङ्कां कुर्याद् रामः सलक्ष्मणः । नहि ताभ्यां रिपुर्दृष्टो मुहूर्तमपि जीवति ॥ २३ ॥
“Rama with Lakshmana would search out Lanka and do it, for no enemy seen by those two lives even a moment.
चिताधूमाकुलपथा गृध्रमण्डलमण्डिता । अचिरेणैव कालेन श्मशानसदृशी भवेत् ॥ २४ ॥
“Its streets thick with the smoke of pyres, adorned with circling vultures, in a short time it would be like a cremation ground.
अचिरेणैव कालेन प्राप्स्याम्येनं मनोरथम् । दुष्प्रस्थानोऽयमाभाति सर्वेषां वो विपर्ययः ॥ २५ ॥
“In a short time I will attain this wish of mine. This road you are on looks evil: ruin awaits you all.
यादृशानि तु दृश्यन्ते लङ्कायामशुभानि तु । अचिरेणैव कालेन भविष्यति हतप्रभा ॥ २६ ॥
“From the ill omens seen in Lanka, in a short time it will lose its splendour.
नूनं लङ्का हते पापे रावणे राक्षसाधिपे । शोषमेष्यति दुर्धर्षा प्रमदा विधवा यथा ॥ २७ ॥
“Surely, when the evil Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, is killed, unassailable Lanka will wither like a widowed woman.
पुण्योत्सवसमृद्धा च नष्टभर्त्री सराक्षसा । भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का नष्टभर्त्री यथांगना ॥ २८ ॥
“Rich in holy festivals now, the city of Lanka with its rakshasas will be like a woman whose husband is lost.
नूनं राक्षसकन्यानां रुदतीनां गृहे गृहे । श्रोष्यामि नचिरादेव दुःखार्तानामिह ध्वनिम् ॥ २९ ॥
“Surely before long I will hear here, in house after house, the cries of rakshasa daughters weeping in sorrow.
सान्धकारा हतद्योता हतराक्षसपुंगवा । भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का निर्दग्धा रामसायकैः ॥ ३० ॥
“Dark, its light gone, its rakshasa heroes slain, the city of Lanka will be burned by Rama’s arrows,
यदि नाम स शूरो मां रामो रक्तान्तलोचनः । जानीयाद् वर्तमानां यां राक्षसस्य निवेशने ॥ ३१ ॥
“if only that hero Rama, with red-cornered eyes, knew that I am living in the rakshasa’s house.
अनेन तु नृशंसेन रावणेनाधमेन मे । समयो यस्तु निर्दिष्टस्तस्य कालोऽयमागतः ॥ ३२ ॥
“But the term that was set for me by this cruel, vile Ravana: its time has come.
स च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुष्टेन वर्तते । अकार्यं ये न जानन्ति नैर्ऋताः पापकारिणः ॥ ३३ ॥
“And the death appointed for me by that wicked one is at hand, among nairritas who do evil and know nothing of what must not be done.
अधर्मात् तु महोत्पातो भविष्यति हि साम्प्रतम् । नैते धर्मं विजानन्ति राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः ॥ ३४ ॥
“From this unrighteousness a great calamity will soon come, for these flesh-eating rakshasas know nothing of dharma.
ध्रुवं मां प्रातराशार्थं राक्षसः कल्पयिष्यति । साहं कथं करिष्यामि तं विना प्रियदर्शनम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“Surely the rakshasa will make me his morning meal. What shall I do without him who is so lovely to see?
रामं रक्तान्तनयनमपश्यन्ती सुदुःखिता । क्षिप्रं वैवस्वतं देवं पश्येयं पतिना विना ॥ ३६ ॥
“Not seeing Rama of the red-cornered eyes, in deep sorrow, I will soon see the god Vaivasvata, without my husband.
नाजानाज्जीवतीं रामः स मां भरतपूर्वजः । जानन्तौ तु न कुर्यातां नोर्व्यां हि परिमार्गणम् ॥ ३७ ॥
“Rama, Bharata’s elder brother, did not know I was alive; if the two of them knew, they would surely search the earth for me.
नूनं ममैव शोकेन स वीरो लक्ष्मणाग्रजः । देवलोकमितो यातस्त्यक्त्वा देहं महीतले ॥ ३८ ॥
“Surely that hero, Lakshmana’s elder brother, has gone from here to the world of the gods out of grief for me, leaving his body on the earth.
धन्या देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । मम पश्यन्ति ये वीरं रामं राजीवलोचनम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“Blessed are the gods with the gandharvas, the siddhas and the supreme sages, who see my hero, lotus-eyed Rama.
अथवा नहि तस्यार्थो धर्मकामस्य धीमतः । मया रामस्य राजर्षेर्भार्यया परमात्मनः ॥ ४० ॥
“Or perhaps the wise one, who loves only dharma, the royal sage, the great soul, has no need of me, his wife.
दृश्यमाने भवेत् प्रीतिः सौहृदं नास्त्यदृश्यतः । नाशयन्ति कृतघ्नास्तु न रामो नाशयिष्यति ॥ ४१ ॥
“Love lasts while one is seen; there is no affection for one who is not seen. But it is the ungrateful who destroy love; Rama will not.
किं वा मय्यगुणाः केचित् किं वा भाग्यक्षयो हि मे । या हि सीता वरार्हेण हीना रामेण भामिनी ॥ ४२ ॥
“Or have I some faults? Or is my luck simply spent, that I, Sita, lovely, am deprived of Rama, who deserves the best?
श्रेयो मे जीवितान्मर्तुं विहीनाया महात्मना । रामादक्लिष्टचारित्राच्छूराच्छत्रुनिबर्हणात् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Better for me to die than live, deprived of the great-souled Rama, of unblemished conduct, the hero who destroys his enemies.
अथवा न्यस्तशस्त्रौ तौ वने मूलफलाशनौ । भ्रातरौ हि नरश्रेष्ठौ चरन्तौ वनगोचरौ ॥ ४४ ॥
“Or perhaps those two brothers, best of men, have laid aside their weapons and wander the forest living on roots and fruit.
अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना । छद्मना घातितौ शूरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ४५ ॥
“Or perhaps the two heroic brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, have been killed by trickery by the evil-souled Ravana, king of the rakshasas.
साहमेवंविधे काले मर्तुमिच्छामि सर्वतः । न च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुःखेऽतिवर्तति ॥ ४६ ॥
“So at such a time I want to die by any means; and yet the death appointed for me does not come in this sorrow.
धन्याः खलु महात्मानो मुनयः सत्यसम्मताः । जितात्मानो महाभागा येषां न स्तः प्रियाप्रिये ॥ ४७ ॥
“Blessed indeed are the great-souled sages, honoured for truth, who have conquered themselves, the fortunate ones, who have neither dear nor not-dear.
प्रियान्न सम्भवेद् दुःखमप्रियादधिकं भवेत् । ताभ्यां हि ते वियुज्यन्ते नमस्तेषां महात्मनाम् ॥ ४८ ॥
“From what is dear no sorrow can come, and from what is not dear none greater; they are free of both: homage to those great souls.
साहं त्यक्ता प्रियेणैव रामेण विदितात्मना । प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि पापस्य रावणस्य गता वशम् ॥ ४९ ॥
“Abandoned by my beloved Rama, who knows himself, and fallen into the power of evil Ravana, I will give up my life.”