सर्वथा तेन हीनाया रामेण विदितात्मना। तीक्ष्णं विषमिवास्वाद्य दुर्लभं मम जीवनम्
Indeed, deprived of Rāma, who knows himself, my life is hard to endure, as if tasting sharp poison.
कीदृशं तु महापापं मया देहान्तरे कृतम्। तेनेदं प्राप्यते घोरं महादुःखं सुदारुणम्
What great sin did I commit in a former body, that I now suffer this terrible, dreadful sorrow?
जीवितं त्यक्तुमिच्छामि शोकेन महता वृता। राक्षसीभिश्च रक्षन्त्या रामो नासाद्यते मया
I wish to abandon my life, overwhelmed by great grief, but guarded by the rākṣasīs, I cannot reach Rāma.
धिगस्तु खलु मानुष्यं धिगस्तु परवश्यताम्। न शक्यं यत् परित्यक्तुमात्मच्छन्देन जीवितम्
Fie upon humanity, fie upon dependence on others, for life cannot be abandoned at will.
thumb|षड्विंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे षड्विंशः सर्गः ॥५-
Listen to the twenty-sixth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa.
प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी त्वेवं ब्रुवती जनकात्मजा। अधोगतमुखी बाला विलप्तुमुपचक्रमे
With her face streaming with tears, the daughter of Janaka, her face cast down, began to lament like a young girl.
उन्मत्तेव प्रमत्तेव भ्रान्तचित्तेव शोचती। उपावृत्ता किशोरीव विचेष्टन्ती महीतले
She grieved like one mad, or intoxicated, or deranged in mind, moving restlessly on the ground like a young cow that has turned back.
राघवस्य प्रमत्तस्य रक्षसा कामरूपिणा। रावणेन प्रमथ्याहमानीता क्रोशती बलात्
While Rāghava was unguarded, I was seized by Rāvaṇa, the rākṣasa who can assume any form, and brought here by force as I cried out.
राक्षसीवशमापन्ना भर्त्स्यमाना च दारुणम्। चिन्तयन्ती सुदुःखार्ता नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे
Fallen under the power of the rākṣasīs and harshly threatened, I am deeply afflicted and cannot endure to live.
नहि मे जीवितेनार्थो नैवार्थैर्न च भूषणैः। वसन्त्या राक्षसीमध्ये विना रामं महारथम्
For me, there is no value in life, nor in wealth, nor in ornaments, dwelling among the rākṣasīs without Rāma, the great chariot-warrior.
अश्मसारमिदं नूनमथवाप्यजरामरम्। हृदयं मम येनेदं न दुःखेन विशीर्यते
Surely, my heart must be made of stone, or perhaps it is undecaying and immortal, since it does not shatter from this sorrow.
धिङ्मामनार्यामसतीं याहं तेन विना कृता। मुहूर्तमपि जीवामि जीवितं पापजीविका
Shame on me, unworthy and unfaithful, that I am still alive even for a moment, having been separated from him; my life is a sinful existence.
चरणेनापि सव्येन न स्पृशेयं निशाचरम्। रावणं किं पुनरहं कामयेयं विगर्हितम्
I would not touch that night-dweller, Rāvaṇa, even with my left foot; how then could I ever desire one so despicable?
प्रत्याख्यानं न जानाति नात्मानं नात्मनः कुलम्। यो नृशंसस्वभावेन मां प्रार्थयितुमिच्छति
He does not understand rejection, nor himself, nor his own lineage—he who, by his cruel nature, seeks to court me.
छिन्ना भिन्ना प्रभिन्ना वा दीप्ता वाग्नौ प्रदीपिता। रावणं नोपतिष्ठेयं किं प्रलापेन वश्चिरम्
Even if I were cut, broken, shattered, or set ablaze in a blazing fire, I would not submit to Rāvaṇa; why prolong this useless talk?
ख्यातः प्राज्ञः कृतज्ञश्च सानुक्रोशश्च राघवः। सद्वृत्तो निरनुक्रोशः शङ्के मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात्
Rāghava is renowned as wise, grateful, and compassionate, always righteous; yet, I fear, due to my misfortune, he shows no compassion now.
राक्षसानां जनस्थाने सहस्राणि चतुर्दश। एकेनैव निरस्तानि स मां किं नाभिपद्यते
In Janasthāna, fourteen thousand rākṣasas were defeated by him alone; why then does he not come for me?
निरुद्धा रावणेनाहमल्पवीर्येण रक्षसा। समर्थः खलु मे भर्ता रावणं हन्तुमाहवे
I have been seized by Rāvaṇa, a weak demon; yet my husband is surely capable of slaying Rāvaṇa in battle.
विराधो दण्डकारण्ये येन राक्षसपुंगवः। रणे रामेण निहतः स मां किं नाभिपद्यते
Virādha, the foremost of rākṣasas in Daṇḍaka forest, was slain in battle by Rāma; why then does he not come for me?
कामं मध्ये समुद्रस्य लङ्केयं दुष्प्रधर्षणा। न तु राघवबाणानां गतिरोधो भविष्यति
Indeed, this Laṅkā is hard to assail, situated in the midst of the ocean; but there will be no hindrance to Rāghava's arrows.
किं नु तत् कारणं येन रामो दृढपराक्रमः। रक्षसापहृतां भार्यामिष्टां यो नाभिपद्यते
What could be the reason that Rāma, so steadfast in valor, does not come for his beloved wife, who has been taken by a demon?
इहस्थां मां न जानीते शङ्के लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः। जानन्नपि स तेजस्वी धर्षणां मर्षयिष्यति
Perhaps the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa does not know I am here; or, even knowing, that illustrious one endures this outrage.
हृतेति मां योऽधिगत्य राघवाय निवेदयेत्। गृध्रराजोऽपि स रणे रावणेन निपातितः
Even the king of vultures, who learned I was taken and tried to inform Rāghava, was struck down by Rāvaṇa in battle.
कृतं कर्म महत् तेन मां तथाभ्यवपद्यता। तिष्ठता रावणवधे वृद्धेनापि जटायुषा
A great deed was done by that aged Jaṭāyu, who confronted Rāvaṇa and stood firm, seeking to kill him for my sake.
यदि मामिह जानीयाद् वर्तमानां हि राघवः। अद्य बाणैरभिक्रुद्धः कुर्याल्लोकमराक्षसम्
If Rāghava knew I was here, even now, enraged, he would make the world free of rākṣasas with his arrows.
निर्दहेच्च पुरीं लङ्कां निर्दहेच्च महोदधिम्। रावणस्य च नीचस्य कीर्तिं नाम च नाशयेत्
He would burn the city of Laṅkā, and even the great ocean, and destroy the reputation and very name of vile Rāvaṇa.
ततो निहतनाथानां राक्षसीनां गृहे गृहे। यथाहमेवं रुदती तथा भूयो न संशयः
Then, in every house of the rākṣasīs whose lord has been slain, just as I now weep, so would they—of this there is no doubt.
अन्विष्य रक्षसां लङ्कां कुर्याद् रामः सलक्ष्मणः। नहि ताभ्यां रिपुर्दृष्टो मुहूर्तमपि जीवति
Having searched out Laṅkā of the rākṣasas, Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa would destroy it; for no enemy seen by those two survives even for a moment.
चिताधूमाकुलपथा गृध्रमण्डलमण्डिता। अचिरेणैव कालेन श्मशानसदृशी भवेत्
Soon, this place will resemble a cremation ground, its paths filled with funeral smoke and strewn with vulture circles.
अचिरेणैव कालेन प्राप्स्याम्येनं मनोरथम्। दुष्प्रस्थानोऽयमाभाति सर्वेषां वो विपर्ययः
Very soon I shall attain this cherished desire; this departure seems difficult, and for all of you, a reversal of fortune appears imminent.