Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 114 of 128 · 36 verses
Sita Is Brought to Rama
Saluting Rama, the lotus-eyed, best of all archers, the very wise monkey says: you should see the queen Maithili, burning with grief, for whose sake all this was undertaken and whose fruit has now risen. Overcome by grief, her eyes clouded with tears, hearing of your victory, she longs to see you; trusting me from before, she told me, eyes brimming, “I wish to see my husband.” Hearing Hanuman, Rama, best of the upholders of dharma, suddenly falls into thought, his eyes a little wet with tears. Sighing long and looking at the ground, he says to Vibhishana, dark as a cloud, standing near: bring Sita here quickly, the Vaidehi, her head bathed, anointed with heavenly ointments and adorned with heavenly ornaments; do not delay. Vibhishana hurries into the inner palace and has his own women urge Sita; then, seeing the very fortunate Sita, the glorious rakshasa king, palms joined to his head, says humbly: anointed with heavenly ointments and adorned with heavenly ornaments, Vaidehi, mount the carriage; bless you, your husband wishes to see you. The Vaidehi answers: I wish to see my husband without bathing, lord of the rakshasas. Vibhishana replies: you should do as Rama, your husband, says. Hearing this, Maithili, whose god is her husband, virtuous, filled with devotion to him, says, “So be it.” Then Vibhishana brings Sita, her head bathed, adorned, wearing costly ornaments and costly clothes, on a shining palanquin covered with precious cloth, guarded by many rakshasas. Approaching the great soul, though he knows him lost in thought, he bows and joyfully announces that Sita has come. Hearing that she has come, who lived so long in the rakshasa’s house, Raghava, slayer of enemies, feels anger, joy and sorrow. Considering Sita in the carriage with deliberation, Raghava, unsmiling, says to Vibhishana: lord of the rakshasas, gentle one, always devoted to my victory, let the Vaidehi come quickly near me.
At once Vibhishana, knower of dharma, has the crowd cleared: attendants in jackets and turbans, with canes and drums in hand, go round driving back the warriors; the hosts of bears, monkeys and rakshasas, pushed back, stand at a distance, and their noise is like the roar of the ocean stirred by the wind. Seeing them driven back and agitated on every side, Rama, from kindness and indignation, stops it, and as if burning Vibhishana with his eye, says with reproach: why, disregarding me, do you trouble these people? Stop this disturbance; these people are my own. Not houses, nor clothes, nor walls, nor screens, nor such royal honours are a woman’s covering: her conduct is her covering. In calamities, in hardships, in wars, at a choosing of a husband, at a sacrifice or at a wedding, it is no fault for a woman to be seen. She has been in calamity and is in hardship; there is no fault in her being seen, especially near me. So let her leave the palanquin and come on foot; let these forest-dwellers see the Vaidehi near me. Thoughtful, Vibhishana humbly brings Sita near Rama. Hearing Rama’s words, Lakshmana, Sugriva and the monkey Hanuman are deeply troubled; from his harsh signs, which seemed indifferent to his wife, they guess Raghava is displeased with Sita. Shrinking into her own limbs with shame, followed by Vibhishana, Maithili comes to her husband; with wonder, joy and love, she whose god is her husband looks up at his gentle face, her own face gentler still. Gazing at the face of her beloved, unseen for so long, bright as the risen full moon, she dispels the weariness of her heart, and her face becomes like the spotless moon.
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तमुवाच महाप्राज्ञः सोऽभिवाद्य प्लवङ्गमः । रामं कमलपत्राक्षं वरं सर्वधनुष्मताम् ॥ १ ॥
Saluting him, the very wise leaper said to Rama, lotus-petal-eyed, best of all archers:
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यन्निमित्तोऽयमारम्भः कर्मणां यः फलोदयः । तां देवीं शोकसंतप्तां द्रष्टुमर्हसि मैथिलीम् ॥ २ ॥
“You should see that queen Maithili, burning with grief, for whose sake this undertaking of deeds was made, whose fruit has risen.
सा हि शोकसमाविष्टा बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा । मैथिली विजयं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुं त्वामभिकांक्षति ॥ ३ ॥
“For Maithili, overcome with grief, her eyes clouded with tears, hearing of your victory, longs to see you.
पूर्वकात् प्रत्ययाच्चाहमुक्तो विश्वस्तया तया । द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भर्तारमिति पर्याकुलेक्षणा ॥ ४ ॥
“From her earlier trust, I was told by her, trusting, her eyes brimming: ‘I wish to see my husband.’”
एवमुक्तो हनुमता रामो धर्मभृतां वरः । आगच्छत् सहसा ध्यानमीषद्बाष्पपरिप्लुतः ॥ ५ ॥
Spoken to so by Hanuman, Rama, best of the upholders of dharma, suddenly went into thought, a little flooded with tears.
स दीर्घमभिनिःश्वस्य जगतीमवलोकयन् । उवाच मेघसंकाशं विभीषणमुपस्थितम् ॥ ६ ॥
Sighing long, looking at the ground, he said to Vibhishana, like a cloud, standing near:
दिव्याङ्गरागां वैदेहीं दिव्याभरणभूषिताम् । इह सीतां शिरःस्नातामुपस्थापय मा चिरम् ॥ ७ ॥
“Bring Sita here, the Vaidehi, with heavenly ointments, adorned with heavenly ornaments, her head bathed; do not delay.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण त्वरमाणो विभीषणः । प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं सीतां स्त्रीभिः स्वाभिरचोदयत् ॥ ८ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, Vibhishana, hurrying, entering the inner palace, urged Sita through his own women.
ततः सीतां महाभागां दृष्ट्वोवाच विभीषणः । मूर्ध्नि बद्धाञ्जलिः श्रीमान् विनीतो राक्षसेश्वरः ॥ ९ ॥
Then, seeing the very fortunate Sita, glorious Vibhishana, lord of the rakshasas, with joined palms raised to his head, humbly said:
दिव्याङ्गरागा वैदेहि दिव्याभरणभूषिता । यानमारोह भद्रं ते भर्ता त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति ॥ १० ॥
“With heavenly ointments, adorned with heavenly ornaments, mount the carriage, Vaidehi; bless you, your husband wishes to see you.”
एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही प्रत्युवाच विभीषणम् । अस्नात्वा द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भर्तारं राक्षसेश्वर ॥ ११ ॥
Spoken to so, the Vaidehi replied to Vibhishana: “I wish to see my husband without bathing, lord of the rakshasas.”
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच विभीषणः । यथाऽऽह रामो भर्ता ते तत् तथा कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १२ ॥
Hearing those words of hers, Vibhishana replied: “As Rama your husband has said, so you should do.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मैथिली पतिदेवता । भर्तृभक्त्यावृता साध्वी तथेति प्रत्यभाषत ॥ १३ ॥
Hearing those words of his, Maithili, whose god is her husband, virtuous, filled with devotion to her husband, said, “So be it.”
ततः सीतां शिरःस्नातां संयुक्तां प्रतिकर्मणा । महार्हाभरणोपेतां महार्हाम्बरधारिणीम् ॥ १४ ॥
Then Sita, her head bathed, joined with adornment, wearing very costly ornaments, bearing very costly clothes,
आरोप्य शिबिकां दीप्तां परार्घ्याम्बरसंवृताम् । रक्षोभिर्बहुभिर्गुप्तामाजहार विभीषणः ॥ १५ ॥
placing her on a shining palanquin covered with most precious cloth, guarded by many rakshasas, Vibhishana brought her.
सोऽभिगम्य महात्मानं ज्ञात्वापि ध्यानमास्थितम् । प्रणतश्च प्रहृष्टश्च प्राप्तां सीतां न्यवेदयत् ॥ १६ ॥
Approaching the great soul, though he knew him to be lost in thought, he bowed and, delighted, announced that Sita had come.
तामागतामुपश्रुत्य रक्षोगृहचिरोषिताम् । रोषं हर्षं च दैन्यं च राघवः प्राप शत्रुहा ॥ १७ ॥
Hearing that she had come, who had long lived in the rakshasa’s house, Raghava, slayer of enemies, felt anger, joy and sorrow.
ततो यानगतां सीतां सविमर्शं विचारयन् । विभीषणमिदं वाक्यमहृष्टो राघवोऽब्रवीत् ॥ १८ ॥
Then, considering with deliberation Sita, who was in the carriage, Raghava, unsmiling, said these words to Vibhishana:
राक्षसाधिपते सौम्य नित्यं मद्विजये रत । वैदेही संनिकर्षं मे क्षिप्रं समभिगच्छतु ॥ १९ ॥
“Lord of the rakshasas, gentle one, always devoted to my victory, let the Vaidehi come quickly near me.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य विभीषणः । तूर्णमुत्सारणं तत्र कारयामास धर्मवित् ॥ २० ॥
Hearing those words of Raghava’s, Vibhishana, knower of dharma, quickly had the crowd cleared there.
कञ्चुकोष्णीषिणस्तत्र वेत्रझर्झरपाणयः । उत्सारयन्तस्तान् योधान् समन्तात् परिचक्रमुः ॥ २१ ॥
Men in jackets and turbans there, with canes and drums in their hands, driving back those warriors, went round on every side.
ऋक्षाणां वानराणां च राक्षसानां च सर्वशः । वृन्दान्युत्सार्यमाणानि दूरमुत्तस्थुरन्ततः ॥ २२ ॥
The hosts of bears, monkeys and rakshasas everywhere, being driven back, stood up far off at last.
तेषामुत्सार्यमाणानां निःस्वनः सुमहानभूत् । वायुनोद्धूयमानस्य सागरस्येव निःस्वनः ॥ २३ ॥
Of those being driven back there arose a very great noise, like the noise of the ocean stirred up by the wind.
उत्सार्यमाणांस्तान् दृष्ट्वा समन्ताज्जातसम्भ्रमान् । दाक्षिण्यात्तदमर्षाच्च वारयामास राघवः ॥ २४ ॥
Seeing them being driven back, alarmed on every side, Raghava, from kindness and from indignation, stopped it.
संरम्भाच्चाब्रवीद् रामश्चक्षुषा प्रदहन्निव । विभीषणं महाप्राज्ञं सोपालम्भमिदं वचः ॥ २५ ॥
And in agitation Rama, as if burning with his eye, said these words with reproach to very wise Vibhishana:
किमर्थं मामनादृत्य क्लिश्यतेऽयं त्वया जनः । निवर्तयैनमुद्वेगं जनोऽयं स्वजनो मम ॥ २६ ॥
“Why, disregarding me, are these people troubled by you? Stop this disturbance; these people are my own people.
न गृहाणि न वस्त्राणि न प्राकारस्तिरस्क्रिया । नेदृशा राजसत्कारा वृत्तमावरणं स्त्रियाः ॥ २७ ॥
“Not houses, nor clothes, nor walls, nor screening, nor such royal honours: conduct is a woman’s covering.
व्यसनेषु न कृच्छ्रेषु न युद्धेषु स्वयंवरे । न क्रतौ नो विवाहे वा दर्शनं दूष्यते स्त्रियाः ॥ २८ ॥
“In calamities, in hardships, in wars, at a choosing of a husband, at a sacrifice or at a wedding, the sight of a woman is not a fault.
सैषा विपद्गता चैव कृच्छ्रेण च समन्विता । दर्शने नास्ति दोषोऽस्या मत्समीपे विशेषतः ॥ २९ ॥
“She has fallen into calamity and is joined with hardship; there is no fault in her being seen, especially near me.
विसृज्य शिबिकां तस्मात् पद्भ्यामेवापसर्पतु । समीपे मम वैदेहीं पश्यन्त्वेते वनौकसः ॥ ३० ॥
“So let her leave the palanquin and come on foot; let these forest-dwellers see the Vaidehi near me.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सविमर्शो विभीषणः । रामस्योपानयत् सीतां संनिकर्षं विनीतवत् ॥ ३१ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, Vibhishana, thoughtful, humbly brought Sita near Rama.
ततो लक्ष्मणसुग्रीवौ हनूमांश्च प्लवङ्गमः । निशम्य वाक्यं रामस्य बभूवुर्व्यथिता भृशम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Then Lakshmana and Sugriva and the leaper Hanuman, hearing Rama’s words, became deeply distressed.
कलत्रनिरपेक्षैश्च इङ्गितैरस्य दारुणैः । अप्रीतमिव सीतायां तर्कयन्ति स्म राघवम् ॥ ३३ ॥
From his harsh signs, indifferent to his wife, they guessed that Raghava was as if displeased with Sita.
लज्जया त्ववलीयन्ती स्वेषु गात्रेषु मैथिली । विभीषणेनानुगता भर्तारं साभ्यवर्तत ॥ ३४ ॥
Shrinking into her own limbs with shame, Maithili, followed by Vibhishana, came to her husband.
विस्मयाच्च प्रहर्षाच्च स्नेहाच्च पतिदेवता । उदैक्षत मुखं भर्तुः सौम्यं सौम्यतरानना ॥ ३५ ॥
With wonder and joy and love, she whose god was her husband looked up at her husband’s gentle face, her own face gentler still.
अथ समपनुदन्मनःक्लमं सा सुचिरमदृष्टमुदीक्ष्य वै प्रियस्य । वदनमुदितपूर्णचन्द्रकान्तं विमलशशाङ्कनिभानना तदाऽऽसीत् ॥ ३६ ॥
Then she dispelled the weariness of her mind, gazing at the face of her beloved, unseen for a very long time, lovely as the risen full moon; and her face became then like the spotless moon.