Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 32 of 128 · 44 verses
Sita’s Lament over the Head
Sita looks at the head and the great bow; she remembers what Hanuman told her of Sugriva’s alliance; she sees the eyes, the colour of the face, the hair and hairline, and the lovely crest-jewel, all like her husband’s. Recognising them, in deep grief, she cries out against Kaikeyi like an osprey: be satisfied now, Kaikeyi; the delight of the family has been killed, and you have destroyed the whole house with your quarrelling. What wrong had noble Rama done you, that you sent him to the forest in bark clothes with me? Trembling, she falls to the ground like a cut plantain.
Recovering, she sits by the head and laments. I am lost, mighty-armed one, who kept the hero’s vow; I have come to see your last state, made a widow. A husband’s death is called a wife’s first death; you, so virtuous, have gone before me. Even you, who were ready to save me from this sea of grief, have been struck down. Kausalya is left like a cow without her calf. The astrologers said you would live long; their words were false. Even the wise lose their judgement when Time ripens them. How did you, who knew policy and every remedy against disaster, meet a death you did not foresee? You have been torn from me by the cruel Night of Doom. You lie on the earth as if it were a beloved woman, leaving me. Here is your gold-adorned bow, which I honoured with scents and garlands. Surely you have joined your father Dasharatha and all your ancestors in heaven, becoming a star. Why do you not look at me, or answer me, your wife since childhood? Remember your promise at our wedding to walk with me; take me too. Wild beasts must be tearing at your body; you will not receive the funeral rites earned by your sacrifices. Of the three who went into exile, only Lakshmana will return to Kausalya, and tell her you were killed by rakshasas in the night; her heart will break. For my sake, unworthy as I am, the blameless prince crossed the ocean and was killed in a cow’s hoofprint. I was married by Dasharatha’s son to my family’s shame; Rama’s wife has become his death. Surely in another life I prevented some great gift. Ravana, kill me quickly over Rama; join wife to husband, my head to his head, my body to his body; I will follow my husband’s path.
While she laments, a rakshasa from the army comes to Ravana with joined palms, hails him with “Victory!”, and announces that Prahasta and all the ministers have arrived on urgent business and want to see him. Ravana leaves the Ashoka grove for the council, confirms all his plans with the ministers, having learned Rama’s strength; and as soon as Ravana leaves, the head and the bow vanish. He orders his commanders to summon all the armies with the beating of drums, without giving a reason; the messengers do so, and report to the king, eager for war, that the army has assembled.
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सा सीता तच्छिरो दृष्ट्वा तच्च कार्मुकमुत्तमम् । सुग्रीवप्रतिसंसर्गमाख्यातं च हनूमता ॥ १ ॥
Sita, seeing that head and that excellent bow, and recalling the alliance with Sugriva told by Hanuman,
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Sita’s Lament over the Head 1 min read.
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नयने मुखवर्णं च भर्तुस्तत्सदृशं मुखम् । केशान् केशान्तदेशं च तं च चूडामणिं शुभम् ॥ २ ॥
the eyes and the colour of the face, the face like her husband’s, the hair, the hairline, and that lovely crest-jewel,
एतैः सर्वैरभिज्ञानैरभिज्ञाय सुदुःखिता । विजगर्हेऽत्र कैकेयीं क्रोशन्ती कुररी यथा ॥ ३ ॥
recognising it by all these tokens, in deep grief, cried out against Kaikeyi like an osprey:
सकामा भव कैकेयि हतोऽयं कुलनन्दनः । कुलमुत्सादितं सर्वं त्वया कलहशीलया ॥ ४ ॥
“Have your wish, Kaikeyi; this delight of the family has been killed. The whole family has been uprooted by you, quarrelsome one.
आर्येण किं नु कैकेय्याः कृतं रामेण विप्रियम् । यन्मया चीरवसनं दत्त्वा प्रव्राजितो वनम् ॥ ५ ॥
“What wrong did noble Rama do Kaikeyi, that she gave him bark clothes and sent him into exile in the forest with me?”
एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही वेपमाना तपस्विनी । जगाम जगतीं बाला छिन्ना तु कदली यथा ॥ ६ ॥
Having said this, Vaidehi, the poor young woman, trembling, fell to the ground like a cut plantain.
सा मुहूर्तात् समाश्वस्य परिलभ्याथ चेतनाम् । तच्छिरः समुपास्थाय विललापायतेक्षणा ॥ ७ ॥
After a moment, recovering and regaining consciousness, she approached that head, and the long-eyed one lamented:
हा हतास्मि महाबाहो वीरव्रतमनुव्रत । इमां ते पश्चिमावस्थां गतास्मि विधवा कृता ॥ ८ ॥
“Ah, I am lost, mighty-armed one, follower of the hero’s vow! I have come to see your last state; I have been made a widow.
प्रथमं मरणं नार्या भर्तुर्वैगुण्यमुच्यते । सुवृत्तः साधुवृत्तायाः संवृत्तस्त्वं ममाग्रतः ॥ ९ ॥
“A husband’s misfortune is called a wife’s first death; you, of good conduct, have gone before me, who am of good conduct.
महद् दुःखं प्रपन्नाया मग्नायाः शोकसागरे । यो हि मामुद्यतस्त्रातुं सोऽपि त्वं विनिपातितः ॥ १० ॥
“To me, fallen into great sorrow, drowned in an ocean of grief: even you, who were ready to save me, have been struck down.
सा श्वश्रूर्मम कौसल्या त्वया पुत्रेण राघव । वत्सेनेव यथा धेनुर्विवत्सा वत्सला कृता ॥ ११ ॥
“My mother-in-law Kausalya, Raghava, has been made by you, her son, like a loving cow deprived of her calf.
उद्दिष्टं दीर्घमायुस्ते दैवज्ञैरपि राघव । अनृतं वचनं तेषामल्पायुरसि राघव ॥ १२ ॥
“A long life was foretold for you by the astrologers, Raghava; their words were false; you are short-lived, Raghava.
अथवा नश्यति प्रज्ञा प्राज्ञस्यापि सतस्तव । पचत्येनं तथा कालो भूतानां प्रभवो ह्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥
“Or else the wisdom even of a wise man like you perishes; so Time cooks him, for it is the source of beings.
अदृष्टं मृत्युमापन्नः कस्मात् त्वं नयशास्त्रवित् । व्यसनानामुपायज्ञः कुशलो ह्यसि वर्जने ॥ १४ ॥
“Why did you meet a death you did not foresee, you who know the science of policy? You know the remedies for disasters and are skilled at avoiding them.
तथा त्वं सम्परिष्वज्य रौद्रयातिनृशंसया । कालरात्र्या ममाच्छिद्य हृतः कमललोचन ॥ १५ ॥
“So you have been embraced by the fierce, most cruel Night of Doom, and torn from me and carried off, lotus-eyed one.
इह शेषे महाबाहो मां विहाय तपस्विनीम् । प्रियामिव यथा नारीं पृथिवीं पुरुषर्षभ ॥ १६ ॥
“Here you lie, mighty-armed one, leaving me, the poor ascetic, embracing the earth like a beloved woman, bull among men.
अर्चितं सततं यत्नाद् गन्धमाल्यैर्मया तव । इदं ते मत्प्रियं वीर धनुः काञ्चनभूषितम् ॥ १७ ॥
“This bow of yours, adorned with gold, dear to me, hero, was always carefully worshipped by me with scents and garlands.
पित्रा दशरथेन त्वं श्वशुरेण ममानघ । सर्वैश्च पितृभिः सार्धं नूनं स्वर्गे समागतः ॥ १८ ॥
“Surely you have met in heaven your father Dasharatha, my father-in-law, sinless one, with all your ancestors.
दिवि नक्षत्रभूतं च महत्कर्मकृतं तथा । पुण्यं राजर्षिवंशं त्वमात्मनः समुपेक्षसे ॥ १९ ॥
“Having become a star in the sky, having done a great deed, you neglect the holy line of royal sages, your own.
किं मां न प्रेक्षसे राजन् किं वा न प्रतिभाषसे । बालां बालेन सम्प्राप्तां भार्यां मां सहचारिणीम् ॥ २० ॥
“Why do you not look at me, king? Or why do you not answer me, your wife, your companion, won as a girl when you were a boy?
संश्रुतं गृह्णता पाणिं चरिष्यामीति यत् त्वया । स्मर तन्नाम काकुत्स्थ नय मामपि दुःखिताम् ॥ २१ ॥
“Remember, Kakutstha, the promise you made when you took my hand, ‘I will walk with you’; take me too, in my sorrow.
कस्मान्मामपहाय त्वं गतो गतिमतां वर । अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं त्यक्त्वा मामपि दुःखिताम् ॥ २२ ॥
“Why have you gone, leaving me, best of those who go, from this world to the next, abandoning me in my sorrow?
कल्याणै रुचिरं गात्रं परिष्वक्तं मयैव तु । क्रव्यादैस्तच्छरीरं ते नूनं विपरिकृष्यते ॥ २३ ॥
“That lovely body, embraced only by me with blessings: surely your body is being dragged about by flesh-eaters.
अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्टवानाप्तदक्षिणैः । अग्निहोत्रेण संस्कारं केन त्वं न तु लप्स्यसे ॥ २४ ॥
“You who sacrificed with the Agnishtoma and other sacrifices with ample gifts: why will you not receive the rites with the sacred fire?
प्रव्रज्यामुपपन्नानां त्रयाणामेकमागतम् । परिप्रेक्ष्यति कौसल्या लक्ष्मणं शोकलालसा ॥ २५ ॥
“Of the three who went into exile, Kausalya, longing in grief, will see only one come back, Lakshmana.
स तस्याः परिपृच्छन्त्या वधं मित्रबलस्य ते । तव चाख्यास्यते नूनं निशायां राक्षसैर्वधम् ॥ २६ ॥
“When she asks him, he will surely tell her of the slaughter of your allied army, and of your killing by rakshasas in the night.
सा त्वां सुप्तं हतं ज्ञात्वा मां च रक्षोगृहं गताम् । हृदयेनावदीर्णेन न भविष्यति राघव ॥ २७ ॥
“Knowing you killed in your sleep, and me gone to the rakshasa’s house, with her heart broken she will not live, Raghava.
मम हेतोरनार्याया अनघः पार्थिवात्मजः । रामः सागरमुत्तीर्य वीर्यवान् गोष्पदे हतः ॥ २८ ॥
“For my sake, unworthy as I am, the sinless prince, valiant Rama, having crossed the ocean, was killed in a cow’s hoofprint.
अहं दाशरथेनोढा मोहात् स्वकुलपांसनी । आर्यपुत्रस्य रामस्य भार्या मृत्युरजायत ॥ २९ ॥
“I, the shame of my family, was married by Dasharatha’s son out of delusion; the wife of the noble Rama has become his death.
नूनमन्यां मया जातिं वारितं दानमुत्तमम् । याहमद्यैव शोचामि भार्या सर्वातिथेरिह ॥ ३० ॥
“Surely in another life I prevented some excellent gift, since today I, the wife of one who welcomed every guest, grieve here.
साधु घातय मां क्षिप्रं रामस्योपरि रावण । समानय पतिं पत्न्या कुरु कल्याणमुत्तमम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Ravana, kill me quickly over Rama. Unite wife with husband; do this highest good.
शिरसा मे शिरश्चास्य कायं कायेन योजय । रावणानुगमिष्यामि गतिं भर्तुर्महात्मनः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Join my head with his head, my body with his body. Ravana, I will follow the path of my great-souled husband.”
इतीव दुःखसंतप्ता विललापायतेक्षणा । भर्तुः शिरो धनुश्चैव ददर्श जनकात्मजा ॥ ३३ ॥
So, burning with grief, the long-eyed daughter of Janaka lamented, looking at her husband’s head and bow.
एवं लालप्यमानायां सीतायां तत्र राक्षसः । अभिचक्राम भर्तारमनीकस्थः कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ३४ ॥
As Sita lamented so, a rakshasa from the army came up to his master with joined palms.
विजयस्वार्यपुत्रेति सोऽभिवाद्य प्रसाद्य च । न्यवेदयदनुप्राप्तं प्रहस्तं वाहिनीपतिम् ॥ ३५ ॥
Saluting him with “Victory, noble lord!” and winning his favour, he announced that Prahasta, commander of the army, had arrived:
अमात्यैः सहितः सर्वैः प्रहस्तस्त्वामुपस्थितः । तेन दर्शनकामेन अहं प्रस्थापितः प्रभो ॥ ३६ ॥
“Prahasta, with all the ministers, has come to you; he sent me, wanting to see you, lord.
नूनमस्ति महाराज राजभावात् क्षमान्वित । किंचिदात्ययिकं कार्यं तेषां त्वं दर्शनं कुरु ॥ ३७ ॥
“Surely, great king, patient as befits a king, there is some urgent matter. Grant them an audience.”
एतच्छ्रुत्वा दशग्रीवो राक्षसप्रतिवेदितम् । अशोकवनिकां त्यक्त्वा मन्त्रिणां दर्शनं ययौ ॥ ३८ ॥
Hearing this, announced by the rakshasa, Ten-necked left the Ashoka grove and went to see his ministers.
स तु सर्वं समर्थ्यैव मन्त्रिभिः कृत्यमात्मनः । सभां प्रविश्य विदधे विदित्वा रामविक्रमम् ॥ ३९ ॥
Having confirmed with his ministers everything he had to do, he entered the hall and made his arrangements, knowing Rama’s valour.
अन्तर्धानं तु तच्छीर्षं तच्च कार्मुकमुत्तमम् । जगाम रावणस्यैव निर्याणसमनन्तरम् ॥ ४० ॥
And that head and that excellent bow vanished immediately after Ravana’s departure.
राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तैः सार्धं मन्त्रिभिर्भीमविक्रमैः । समर्थयामास तदा रामकार्यविनिश्चयम् ॥ ४१ ॥
The king of the rakshasas, with those ministers of terrible valour, confirmed his decision about Rama.
अविदूरस्थितान् सर्वान् बलाध्यक्षान् हितैषिणः । अब्रवीत् कालसदृशं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥ ४२ ॥
To all his commanders of forces, his well-wishers, standing nearby, Ravana, king of the rakshasas, spoke words fit for the time:
शीघ्रं भेरीनिनादेन स्फुटं कोणाहतेन मे । समानयध्वं सैन्यानि वक्तव्यं च न कारणम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Quickly, with the sound of drums beaten clearly with sticks, assemble the armies for me; and no reason is to be given.”
ततस्तथेति प्रतिगृह्य तद्वच- स्तदैव दूताः सहसा महद् बलम् । समानयंश्चैव समागतं च न्यवेदयन् भर्तरि युद्धकाङ्क्षिणि ॥ ४४ ॥
Then, accepting his words with “So be it,” the messengers at once quickly assembled a great army, and reported to their master, eager for war, that it had assembled.