एकमन्वन्तरं चैव पुष्करे च तपस्विनी
For one manvantara, she practiced austerity at Puṣkara.
तथाऽपि पुष्टा न कृशा नवयौवनसंयुता
Yet she remained nourished, not emaciated, and endowed with youthful beauty.
जन्मान्तरे ते भर्त्ता च भविष्यति हरिः स्वयम्
In another birth, her husband will be Hari himself.
इति श्रुत्वा तु सा रुष्टा चकार च पुनस्तपः 2.14.
Hearing this, she became angry and undertook ascetic practice again.
तत्रैवं सुचिरं तप्त्वा विश्वस्य समुवास सा
There, having performed austerity for a long time, she dwelt in the universe.
दृष्ट्वा साऽतिथिभक्त्या च पाद्यं तस्मै ददौ किल
Seeing him, with hospitality, she gave him water for washing the feet.
तच्च भुक्त्वा स पापिष्ठश्चावात्सीत्तत्समीपतः
Having eaten that, the most sinful one remained nearby.
तां च दृष्ट्वा वरारोहां पीनोन्नतपयोधराम्
And seeing her, the excellent woman, with full and prominent breasts,
मूर्च्छामवाप कृपणः कामबाणप्रपीडितः
The wretched one, afflicted by the arrows of desire, fell into a swoon.
सा सती कोपदृष्ट्या च स्तम्भितं तं चकार ह
She, being virtuous, with an angry glance, rendered him motionless.
तुष्टाव मनसा देवीं पद्मांशां पद्मलोचनाम्
He praised the goddess Padma, lotus-eyed, in his mind.
शशाप च मदर्थे त्वं विनश्यसि सबान्धवः
And she cursed, 'For my sake, you shall perish along with your kin.'
इत्युक्त्वा सा च योगेन देहत्यागं चकार ह
Having spoken thus, she, through yoga, abandoned her body.
अहो किमद्भुतं दृष्टं किं कृतं वा मयाऽधुना ।। 2.14.
'Ah! What wondrous thing have I seen, what have I done now?'
सा च कालान्तरे साध्वी बभूव जनकात्मजा
In time, that virtuous woman became the daughter of Janaka.
महातपस्विनी सा च तपसा पूर्वजन्मनः
She, a great ascetic, by the austerity of her previous birth,
संप्राप्य तपसाऽऽराध्य स्वामिनं च जगत्पतिम्
Having attained, through austerity, and worshipped the Lord of the universe,
जातिस्मरा स्म स्मरति तपसश्च क्रमं पुरा
She, remembering her birth, recalls the sequence of her austerities from before.
नानाप्रकारविभवं चकार सुचिरं सती
The virtuous one performed various kinds of austerities for a long time.
गुणिनं रसिकं शान्तं कान्तवेषमनुत्तमम्
He was virtuous, delightful, peaceful, and possessed an unsurpassed handsome form.
पितुर्वचःपालनार्थं सत्यसन्धो रघूत्तमः
For the sake of obeying his father's command, the best of the Raghu dynasty was truthful.
तस्थौ समुद्रनिकटे सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च
He stayed near the ocean with Sita and Lakshmana.
तं रामं दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा स च दुःखी बभूव ह
Seeing Rama distressed, he too became sorrowful.
वह्निरुवाच सीताहरणकालोऽयं तवैव समुपस्थितः ।। 2.14.
Agni spoke: 'The time for Sita's abduction has now arrived for you.'
दैवं च दुर्निवार्य्यं वै न च दैवात्परं बलम्
Fate is indeed difficult to resist, and there is no power greater than destiny.
दास्यामि सीतां तुभ्यं च परीक्षासमये पुनः
I will give Sita to you again at the time of the trial.
रामस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा न प्रकाश्य च लक्ष्मणम्
Hearing those words, Rama did not reveal them to Lakshmana.
वह्निर्योगेन सीतावन्मायासीतां चकार ह
By the power of fire, Sita was made into a Maya-Sita.
सीतां गृहीत्वा स ययौ गोप्यं वक्तुं निषेध्य च
He went away, taking Sita, and forbade her to speak openly.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रामो ददर्श कनकं मृगम्
Meanwhile, Rama saw a golden deer.