Sundara Kanda · Sarga 27 of 68 · 54 verses
Trijata’s Dream
Some of the rakshasis go to report Sita’s words to Ravana; the rest close in, saying they will eat her now. Then the old rakshasi Trijata, waking, stops them: eat yourselves, not Sita. She has had a terrible dream, foretelling the destruction of the rakshasas and the triumph of Sita’s husband.
In it she saw Rama and Lakshmana, dressed in white, in an ivory palanquin drawn through the sky by a thousand horses; Sita, in white, on a white mountain in the sea, united with Rama like light with the sun; Rama on a four-tusked elephant, and Sita rising from his lap to stroke the sun and moon with her hands; the three of them in the Pushpaka chariot, heading north. And she saw Ravana, shaven, smeared with oil, in red, drunk, garlanded with oleander, fall from the Pushpaka and be dragged south by a dark woman on a cart drawn by donkeys, and sink into a pit of filth; Kumbhakarna and all Ravana’s sons shaven and oiled, riding south on a boar, a dolphin and a camel; only Vibhishana, in white, under a white umbrella, on a four-tusked elephant with his four ministers. She saw Lanka fallen into the sea, its gates broken, burned by Rama’s messenger, a swift monkey.
So, Trijata says, stop the threats and beg Sita’s pardon: she can protect us from the terror coming from Raghava. She sees no ill mark on Sita; her left eye and left arm and thigh are throbbing, good omens for a woman, and a bird in the branches keeps calling out a welcome. Shyly, Sita says: if it comes true, I will be your refuge.
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इत्युक्ताः सीतया घोरं राक्षस्यः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः । काश्चिज्जग्मुस्तदाख्यातुं रावणस्य दुरात्मनः ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to so terribly by Sita, the rakshasis, swooning with anger, some of them went off to report it to the evil-souled Ravana.
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ततः सीतामुपागम्य राक्षस्यो भीमदर्शनाः । पुनः परुषमेकार्थमनर्थार्थमथाब्रुवन् ॥ २ ॥
Then the rakshasis, terrible to look at, came up to Sita and once again said harsh things, all to one purpose, a purpose of harm:
अद्येदानीं तवानार्ये सीते पापविनिश्चये । राक्षस्यो भक्षयिष्यन्ति मांसमेतद् यथासुखम् ॥ ३ ॥
“Today, right now, ignoble Sita, set on evil, the rakshasis will eat this flesh of yours as they please.”
सीतां ताभिरनार्याभिर्दृष्ट्वा संतर्जितां तदा । राक्षसी त्रिजटा वृद्धा प्रबुद्धा वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ४ ॥
Seeing Sita threatened so by those ignoble ones, the old rakshasi Trijata, waking up, said:
आत्मानं खादतानार्या न सीतां भक्षयिष्यथ । जनकस्य सुतामिष्टां स्नुषां दशरथस्य च ॥ ५ ॥
“Eat yourselves, ignoble ones; you will not eat Sita, the beloved daughter of Janaka and daughter-in-law of Dasharatha.
स्वप्नो ह्यद्य मया दृष्टो दारुणो रोमहर्षणः । राक्षसानामभावाय भर्तुरस्या भवाय च ॥ ६ ॥
“For today I have seen a dream, terrible, hair-raising, foretelling the end of the rakshasas and the rise of her husband.”
एवमुक्तास्त्रिजटया राक्षस्यः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः । सर्वा एवाब्रुवन् भीतास्त्रिजटां तामिदं वचः ॥ ७ ॥
Spoken to so by Trijata, the rakshasis, who had been swooning with anger, were all afraid and said to Trijata:
कथयस्व त्वया दृष्टः स्वप्नोऽयं कीदृशो निशि । तासां श्रुत्वा तु वचनं राक्षसीनां मुखोद्गतम् ॥ ८ ॥
“Tell us, what kind of dream was it that you saw in the night?” Hearing the words that came from the rakshasis’ mouths,
उवाच वचनं काले त्रिजटा स्वप्नसंश्रितम् । गजदन्तमयीं दिव्यां शिबिकामन्तरिक्षगाम् ॥ ९ ॥
Trijata spoke at that time the words that told her dream: “A heavenly palanquin of ivory travelling through the sky,
युक्तां वाजिसहस्रेण स्वयमास्थाय राघवः । शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरो लक्ष्मणेन समागतः ॥ १० ॥
“yoked with a thousand horses, Raghava himself mounted it, wearing white garlands and clothes, and came with Lakshmana.
स्वप्ने चाद्य मया दृष्टा सीता शुक्लाम्बरावृता । सागरेण परिक्षिप्तं श्वेतपर्वतमास्थिता ॥ ११ ॥
“And in the dream today I saw Sita wrapped in white clothing, standing on a white mountain surrounded by the sea,
रामेण संगता सीता भास्करेण प्रभा यथा । राघवश्च पुनर्दृष्टश्चतुर्दन्तं महागजम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Sita united with Rama as light with the sun. And again I saw Raghava on a great four-tusked elephant,
आरूढः शैलसंकाशं चकास सहलक्ष्मणः । ततस्तु सूर्यसंकाशौ दीप्यमानौ स्वतेजसा ॥ १३ ॥
“mounted, like a mountain, shining, with Lakshmana. Then the two, like the sun, blazing with their own splendour,
शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरौ जानकीं पर्युपस्थितौ । ततस्तस्य नगस्याग्रे ह्याकाशस्थस्य दन्तिनः ॥ १४ ॥
“wearing white garlands and clothes, came to Janaki. Then on the top of that mountain, the elephant standing in the sky,
भर्त्रा परिगृहीतस्य जानकी स्कन्धमाश्रिता । भर्तुरङ्कात् समुत्पत्य ततः कमललोचना ॥ १५ ॥
“held by her husband, Janaki sat on its shoulder. Then, springing up from her husband’s lap, the lotus-eyed one
चन्द्रसूर्यौ मया दृष्टा पाणिभ्यां परिमार्जती । ततस्ताभ्यां कुमाराभ्यामास्थितः स गजोत्तमः । सीतया च विशालाक्ष्या लङ्काया उपरि स्थितः ॥ १६ ॥
“I saw stroking the moon and the sun with her hands. Then that finest of elephants, ridden by those two princes and by large-eyed Sita, stood above Lanka.
पाण्डुरर्षभयुक्तेन रथेनाष्टयुजा स्वयम् । इहोपयातः काकुत्स्थः सीतया सह भार्यया ॥ १७ ॥
“In a chariot yoked with eight white bulls, Kakutstha himself came here with his wife Sita,
शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरो लक्ष्मणेन सहागतः । ततोऽन्यत्र मया दृष्टो रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ॥ १८ ॥
“wearing white garlands and clothes, come with Lakshmana. Then elsewhere I saw Rama, of true valour,
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा सीतया सह वीर्यवान् । आरुह्य पुष्पकं दिव्यं विमानं सूर्यसंनिभम् ॥ १९ ॥
“with his brother Lakshmana and with Sita, the mighty one, mounting the heavenly chariot Pushpaka, bright as the sun,
उत्तरां दिशमालोच्य प्रस्थितः पुरुषोत्तमः । एवं स्वप्ने मया दृष्टो रामो विष्णुपराक्रमः ॥ २० ॥
“and setting out for the north, the best of men. So in the dream I saw Rama, with the valour of Vishnu,
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा सीतया सह भार्यया । न हि रामो महातेजाः शक्यो जेतुं सुरासुरैः ॥ २१ ॥
“with his brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita. Rama of great splendour cannot be conquered by gods or asuras,
राक्षसैर्वापि चान्यैर्वा स्वर्गः पापजनैरिव । रावणश्च मया दृष्टो मुण्डस्तैलसमुक्षितः ॥ २२ ॥
“nor by rakshasas or others, as heaven cannot be won by sinners. And I saw Ravana, shaven, sprinkled with oil,
रक्तवासाः पिबन्मत्तः करवीरकृतस्रजः । विमानात् पुष्पकादद्य रावणः पतितः क्षितौ ॥ २३ ॥
“in red clothes, drinking, drunk, wearing a garland of oleander. Today Ravana fell from the Pushpaka chariot to the ground.
कृष्यमाणः स्त्रिया मुण्डो दृष्टः कृष्णाम्बरः पुनः । रथेन खरयुक्तेन रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः ॥ २४ ॥
“I saw him again, shaven, in black clothes, being dragged by a woman; in a chariot yoked with donkeys, with red garlands and unguents,
पिबंस्तैलं हसन्नृत्यन् भ्रान्तचित्ताकुलेन्द्रियः । गर्दभेन ययौ शीघ्रं दक्षिणां दिशमास्थितः ॥ २५ ॥
“drinking oil, laughing, dancing, his mind confused, his senses in turmoil, he went quickly by donkey, headed south.
पुनरेव मया दृष्टो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । पतितोऽवाक्शिरा भूमौ गर्दभाद् भयमोहितः ॥ २६ ॥
“Again I saw Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, fallen head downward on the ground from the donkey, bewildered by fear.
सहसोत्थाय सम्भ्रान्तो भयार्तो मदविह्वलः । उन्मत्तरूपो दिग्वासा दुर्वाक्यं प्रलपन् बहु ॥ २७ ॥
“Getting up suddenly, confused, terrified, unsteady with drink, looking like a madman, naked, babbling many foul words,
दुर्गन्धं दुःसहं घोरं तिमिरं नरकोपमम् । मलपङ्कं प्रविश्याशु मग्नस्तत्र स रावणः ॥ २८ ॥
“he entered a stinking, unbearable, terrible darkness like hell, a bog of filth, and quickly Ravana sank there.
प्रस्थितो दक्षिणामाशां प्रविष्टोऽकर्दमं ह्रदम् । कण्ठे बद्ध्वा दशग्रीवं प्रमदा रक्तवासिनी ॥ २९ ॥
“Going south, he entered a lake without mud. A woman in red, binding Ten-necked by the throat,
काली कर्दमलिप्तांगी दिशं याम्यां प्रकर्षति । एवं तत्र मया दृष्टः कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः ॥ ३० ॥
“dark, her body smeared with mud, dragged him to Yama’s quarter. So too I saw mighty Kumbhakarna there.
रावणस्य सुताः सर्वे मुण्डास्तैलसमुक्षिताः । वराहेण दशग्रीवः शिशुमारेण चेन्द्रजित् ॥ ३१ ॥
“All Ravana’s sons, shaven, sprinkled with oil: Ten-necked on a boar, Indrajit on a dolphin,
उष्ट्रेण कुम्भकर्णश्च प्रयातो दक्षिणां दिशम् । एकस्तत्र मया दृष्टः श्वेतच्छत्रो विभीषणः ॥ ३२ ॥
“and Kumbhakarna on a camel, went to the south. Only one I saw there with a white umbrella: Vibhishana,
शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरः शुक्लगन्धानुलेपनः । शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषैर्नृत्तगीतैरलंकृतः ॥ ३३ ॥
“wearing white garlands and clothes, anointed with white scents, honoured with the sound of conches and drums, with dance and song,
आरुह्य शैलसंकाशं मेघस्तनितनिःस्वनम् । चतुर्दन्तं गजं दिव्यमास्ते तत्र विभीषणः ॥ ३४ ॥
“mounted on a heavenly four-tusked elephant like a mountain, sounding like a thundercloud: Vibhishana sits there
चतुर्भिः सचिवैः सार्धं वैहायसमुपस्थितः ॥ ३५ ॥
“with his four ministers, standing in the sky.
समाजश्च महान् वृत्तो गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनः । पिबतां रक्तमाल्यानां रक्षसां रक्तवाससाम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“And a great assembly took place, loud with song and music, of rakshasas drinking, in red garlands and red clothes.
लङ्का चेयं पुरी रम्या सवाजिरथकुञ्जरा । सागरे पतिता दृष्टा भग्नगोपुरतोरणा ॥ ३७ ॥
“And this lovely city of Lanka, with its horses, chariots and elephants, I saw fallen into the ocean, its gate towers and arches broken.
लङ्का दृष्टा मया स्वप्ने रावणेनाभिरक्षिता । दग्धा रामस्य दूतेन वानरेण तरस्विना ॥ ३८ ॥
“I saw in the dream Lanka, guarded by Ravana, burned by Rama’s messenger, a swift monkey.
पीत्वा तैलं प्रमत्ताश्च प्रहसन्त्यो महास्वनाः । लङ्कायां भस्मरूक्षायां सर्वा राक्षसयोषितः ॥ ३९ ॥
“Having drunk oil, drunk and laughing with loud voices, all the rakshasa women were in Lanka, rough with ash.
कुम्भकर्णादयश्चेमे सर्वे राक्षसपुंगवाः । रक्तं निवसनं गृह्य प्रविष्टा गोमयह्रदम् ॥ ४० ॥
“And all these bulls among rakshasas, Kumbhakarna and the rest, taking red clothing, entered a pool of cow dung.
अपगच्छत पश्यध्वं सीतामाप्नोति राघवः । घातयेत् परमामर्षी युष्मान् सार्धं हि राक्षसैः ॥ ४१ ॥
“Go away! Look: Raghava is winning Sita back. In his great wrath he would have you killed along with the rakshasas.
प्रियां बहुमतां भार्यां वनवासमनुव्रताम् । भर्त्सितां तर्जितां वापि नानुमंस्यति राघवः ॥ ४२ ॥
“His dear, honoured wife, who followed him into the forest, threatened or menaced: Raghava will not allow it.
तदलं क्रूरवाक्यैश्च सान्त्वमेवाभिधीयताम् । अभियाचाम वैदेहीमेतद्धि मम रोचते ॥ ४३ ॥
“So enough of cruel words; let gentleness alone be spoken. Let us beg Vaidehi’s pardon: that is what I think best.
यस्या ह्येवंविधः स्वप्नो दुःखितायाः प्रदृश्यते । सा दुःखैर्बहुभिर्मुक्ता प्रियं प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“When such a dream is seen about a woman in sorrow, she is freed from her many sorrows and gains the highest joy.
भर्त्सितामपि याचध्वं राक्षस्यः किं विवक्षया । राघवाद्धि भयं घोरं राक्षसानामुपस्थितम् ॥ ४५ ॥
“Though you have threatened her, beg her pardon, rakshasis. Why talk more? A terrible danger from Raghava has come upon the rakshasas.
प्रणिपातप्रसन्ना हि मैथिली जनकात्मजा । अलमेषा परित्रातुं राक्षस्यो महतो भयात् ॥ ४६ ॥
“Pleased by a bow of submission, Maithili, Janaka’s daughter, is able to protect you, rakshasis, from the great danger.
अपि चास्या विशालाक्ष्या न किंचिदुपलक्षये । विरूपमपि चांगेषु सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षणम् ॥ ४७ ॥
“Besides, I see in this large-eyed lady no mark at all, even the slightest, that is ill on her limbs.
छायावैगुण्यमात्रं तु शङ्के दुःखमुपस्थितम् । अदुःखार्हामिमां देवीं वैहायसमुपस्थिताम् ॥ ४८ ॥
“Only a shadow of misfortune, I suspect, has fallen on her; this goddess, who does not deserve sorrow, I have seen standing in the sky.
अर्थसिद्धिं तु वैदेह्याः पश्याम्यहमुपस्थिताम् । राक्षसेन्द्रविनाशं च विजयं राघवस्य च ॥ ४९ ॥
“I see Vaidehi’s purpose about to be fulfilled, and the destruction of the king of the rakshasas, and Raghava’s victory.
निमित्तभूतमेतत् तु श्रोतुमस्या महत् प्रियम् । दृश्यते च स्फुरच्चक्षुः पद्मपत्रमिवायतम् ॥ ५० ॥
“And here is a sign that she is to hear great good news: her eye, long as a lotus petal, is seen to throb.
ईषद्धि हृषितो वास्या दक्षिणाया ह्यदक्षिणः । अकस्मादेव वैदेह्या बाहुरेकः प्रकम्पते ॥ ५१ ॥
“Her left arm, though she is not left-handed in anything, has its hair bristling a little; of a sudden one arm of Vaidehi trembles.
करेणुहस्तप्रतिमः सव्यश्चोरुरनुत्तमः । वेपन् कथयतीवास्या राघवं पुरतः स्थितम् ॥ ५२ ॥
“And her fine left thigh, like an elephant’s trunk, trembling, seems to say that Raghava stands before her.
पक्षी च शाखानिलयं प्रविष्टः पुनः पुनश्चोत्तमसान्त्ववादी । सुस्वागतां वाचमुदीरयाणः पुनः पुनश्चोदयतीव हृष्टः ॥ ५३ ॥
“And a bird that has come into its nest in the branches, again and again speaking the finest words of comfort, uttering a sweet welcome, seems to urge her on again and again, delighted.”
ततः सा ह्रीमती बाला भर्तुर्विजयहर्षिता । अवोचद् यदि तत् तथ्यं भवेयं शरणं हि वः ॥ ५४ ॥
Then the modest young woman, delighted at the thought of her husband’s victory, said: “If that is true, I will be your refuge.”