व्यावृत्तकचपीनस्रक्प्रकीर्णवरभूषणाः। पानव्यायामकालेषु निद्रोपहतचेतसः
With loosened hair and garlands, scattered precious ornaments, their minds overcome by sleep at the time of drinking and sport, they lay there.
व्यावृत्ततिलकाः काश्चित् काश्चिदुदभ्रान्तनूपुराः। पार्श्वे गलितहाराश्च काश्चित् परमयोषितः
Some had their forehead marks smeared, some had anklets displaced, and some of those supreme women had necklaces slipped to their sides.
मुक्ताहारवृताश्चान्याः काश्चित् प्रस्रस्तवाससः। व्याविद्धरशनादामाः किशोर्य इव वाहिताः
Others were adorned with pearl necklaces, some with garments fallen loose, sashes untied, like young girls carried away.
अकुण्डलधराश्चान्या विच्छिन्नमृदितस्रजः। गजेन्द्रमृदिताः फुल्ला लता इव महावने
Some wore no earrings, some had garlands broken and crushed, like blossoming creepers trampled by a lordly elephant in a great forest.
चन्द्रांशुकिरणाभाश्च हाराः कासांचिदुद्गताः। हंसा इव बभुः सुप्ताः स्तनमध्येषु योषिताम्
Necklaces on some, shining like moonbeams, rose up and looked like sleeping swans between the breasts of the women.
अपरासां च वैदूर्याः कादम्बा इव पक्षिणः। हेमसूत्राणि चान्यासां चक्रवाका इवाभवन्
For others, cat's-eye gems appeared like kadamba birds, and for some, golden threads resembled pairs of cakravāka birds.
हंसकारण्डवोपेताश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः। आपगा इव ता रेजुर्जघनैः पुलिनैरिव
With swans and kāraṇḍava birds, adorned by cakravāka birds, their hips and buttocks shone like riverbanks with sandbars.
किङ्किणीजालसंकाशास्ता हेमविपुलाम्बुजाः। भावग्राहा यशस्तीराः सुप्ता नद्य इवाबभुः
Some, with golden lotuses as large as nets of tinkling bells, lay asleep like rivers with beautiful banks, grasping feelings and fame.
मृदुष्वंगेषु कासांचित् कुचाग्रेषु च संस्थिताः। बभूवुर्भूषणानीव शुभा भूषणराजयः
On the soft limbs and at the tips of the breasts of some, splendid rows of ornaments appeared like beautiful jewels.
अंशुकान्ताश्च कासांचिन्मुखमारुतकम्पिताः। उपर्युपरि वक्त्राणां व्याधूयन्ते पुनः पुनः
The ends of garments of some, stirred by the breath from their mouths, fluttered again and again above their faces.
ताः पताका इवोद्धूताः पत्नीनां रुचिरप्रभाः। नानावर्णसुवर्णानां वक्त्रमूलेषु रेजिरे
Those radiant ends of the wives' garments, like banners, shone at the base of their faces in various hues of gold.
ववल्गुश्चात्र कासांचित् कुण्डलानि शुभार्चिषाम्। मुखमारुतसंकम्पैर्मन्दं मन्दं च योषिताम्
The earrings of some women with splendid radiance gently trembled, moved softly by the breath from their mouths.
शर्करासवगन्धः स प्रकृत्या सुरभिः सुखः। तासां वदननिःश्वासः सिषेवे रावणं तदा
The fragrance of sugar and wine, naturally sweet and pleasant, emanated from their breath and delighted Rāvaṇa at that time.
रावणाननशंकाश्च काश्चिद् रावणयोषितः। मुखानि च सपत्नीनामुपाजिघ्रन् पुनः पुनः
Some of Ravana's wives, whose faces resembled Ravana's own, repeatedly inhaled the fragrance of their rivals' faces.
अत्यर्थं सक्तमनसो रावणे ता वरस्त्रियः। अस्वतन्त्राः सपत्नीनां प्रियमेवाचरंस्तदा
Those noble women, their minds deeply attached to Ravana, acted only according to the wishes of their co-wives, being themselves without independence.
बाहूनुपनिधायान्याः पारिहार्यविभूषितान्। अंशुकानि च रम्याणि प्रमदास्तत्र शिश्यिरे
Some women there slept, resting their ornamented arms on each other, and their beautiful garments as well.
अन्या वक्षसि चान्यस्यास्तस्याः काचित् पुनर्भुजम्। अपरा त्वङ्कमन्यस्यास्तस्याश्चाप्यपरा कुचौ
One woman lay on another's chest, another on her arm; yet another reclined on someone's lap, and another on her breasts.
ऊरुपार्श्वकटीपृष्ठमन्योन्यस्य समाश्रिताः। परस्परनिविष्टांग्यो मदस्नेहवशानुगाः
They rested upon each other's thighs, sides, hips, and backs, their limbs intertwined with one another, overcome by intoxication and affection.
अन्योन्यस्यांगसंस्पर्शात् प्रीयमाणाः सुमध्यमाः। एकीकृतभुजाः सर्वाः सुषुपुस्तत्र योषितः
Delighting in the touch of each other's bodies, those slender-waisted women, with their arms entwined, all slept there together.
अन्योन्यभुजसूत्रेण स्त्रीमाला ग्रथिता हि सा। मालेव ग्रथिता सूत्रे शुशुभे मत्तषट्पदा
That garland of women, strung together by each other's arms, shone like a garland of flowers woven on a thread, swarming with intoxicated bees.
लतानां माधवे मासि फुल्लानां वायुसेवनात्। अन्योन्यमालाग्रथितं संसक्तकुसुमोच्चयम्
Like clusters of blossoming vines in spring, intertwined and mingled by the wind, so too were these women, their flowers interlaced with one another.
प्रतिवेष्टितसुस्कन्धमन्योन्यभ्रमराकुलम्। आसीद् वनमिवोद्धूतं स्त्रीवनं रावणस्य तत्
That grove of Ravana's women, with their beautiful shoulders entwined and swarming with bees, resembled a forest shaken by the wind.
उचितेष्वपि सुव्यक्तं न तासां योषितां तदा। विवेकः शक्य आधातुं भूषणांगाम्बरस्रजाम्
Even among their proper ornaments, bodies, garments, and garlands, it was impossible at that time to distinguish one woman from another.
रावणे सुखसंविष्टे ताः स्त्रियो विविधप्रभाः। ज्वलन्तः काञ्चना दीपाः प्रेक्षन्तो निमिषा इव
As Ravana lay comfortably, those women of various complexions, shining like golden lamps, appeared as if they were eyes that did not blink.
राजर्षिविप्रदैत्यानां गन्धर्वाणां च योषितः। रक्षसां चाभवन् कन्यास्तस्य कामवशंगताः
The maidens of kings, sages, gods, Gandharvas, and demons, all, overcome by desire, had become his.
युद्धकामेन ताः सर्वा रावणेन हृताः स्त्रियः। समदा मदनेनैव मोहिताः काश्चिदागताः
All those women, seized by Ravana who longed for battle, were intoxicated with passion; some had been brought there, deluded by love.
न तत्र काश्चित् प्रमदाः प्रसह्य वीर्योपपन्नेन गुणेन लब्धाः। न चान्यकामापि न चान्यपूर्वा विना वरार्हां जनकात्मजां तु
None of those women had been obtained by force, by valor, or by any other desire, nor were any of them new to him—except for the worthy daughter of Janaka.
न चाकुलीना न च हीनरूपा नादक्षिणा नानुपचारयुक्ता। भार्याभवत् तस्य न हीनसत्त्वा न चापि कान्तस्य न कामनीया
None was of low birth, none was lacking in beauty, none was ungracious or lacking in courtesy; none became his wife who lacked virtue, nor was any unlovely to him.
बभूव बुद्धिस्तु हरीश्वरस्य यदीदृशी राघवधर्मपत्नी। इमा महाराक्षसराजभार्याः सुजातमस्येति हि साधुबुद्धेः
Then the lord of the monkeys reflected: 'If the virtuous wife of Raghava is like this, then these wives of the great king of the Rakshasas are indeed well-born'—such was his noble thought.
पुनश्च सोऽचिन्तयदात्तरूपो ध्रुवं विशिष्टा गुणतो हि सीता। अथायमस्यां कृतवान् महात्मा लंकेश्वरः कष्टमनार्यकर्म
Again he pondered, assuming a hidden form: 'Surely Sita is superior in virtue; yet this great-souled lord of Lanka has committed a grievous, ignoble deed against her.'