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.
नूनं लङ्का हते पापे रावणे राक्षसाधिपे। शोषमेष्यति दुर्धर्षा प्रमदा विधवा यथा
Surely, when the sinful Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas, is slain, unconquerable Laṅkā will wither like a widow bereft of her husband.
पुण्योत्सवसमृद्धा च नष्टभर्त्री सराक्षसा। भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का नष्टभर्त्री यथांगना
Laṅkā, the city once flourishing with auspicious festivals and filled with rākṣasas, will become like a woman bereft of her husband.
नूनं राक्षसकन्यानां रुदतीनां गृहे गृहे। श्रोष्यामि नचिरादेव दुःखार्तानामिह ध्वनिम्
Surely, before long, I shall hear in every house here the wailing of rākṣasa maidens, stricken with grief.
सान्धकारा हतद्योता हतराक्षसपुंगवा। भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का निर्दग्धा रामसायकैः
Laṅkā, shrouded in darkness, her brilliance destroyed, her foremost rākṣasas slain, will be burned down by Rāma's arrows.
यदि नाम स शूरो मां रामो रक्तान्तलोचनः। जानीयाद् वर्तमानां यां राक्षसस्य निवेशने
If only that hero Rāma, with blood-red eyes, would know that I am here, dwelling in the house of the rākṣasa.
अनेन तु नृशंसेन रावणेनाधमेन मे। समयो यस्तु निर्दिष्टस्तस्य कालोऽयमागतः
But the time appointed by this cruel, base Rāvaṇa has now arrived for me.
स च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुष्टेन वर्तते। अकार्यं ये न जानन्ति नैर्ऋताः पापकारिणः
And the death ordained for me by this wicked one is now at hand; those evil-doing night-dwellers know not what is right.
अधर्मात् तु महोत्पातो भविष्यति हि साम्प्रतम्। नैते धर्मं विजानन्ति राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः
Indeed, a great calamity will now arise from unrighteousness; these flesh-eating rākṣasas do not understand righteousness.
ध्रुवं मां प्रातराशार्थं राक्षसः कल्पयिष्यति। साहं कथं करिष्यामि तं विना प्रियदर्शनम्
Surely, the rākṣasa will appoint me as his morning meal; how shall I endure, deprived of the sight of my beloved?
रामं रक्तान्तनयनमपश्यन्ती सुदुःखिता। क्षिप्रं वैवस्वतं देवं पश्येयं पतिना विना
Tormented with grief, unable to see Rāma with blood-reddened eyes, I shall soon behold the god Vaivasvata, parted from my husband.
नाजानाज्जीवतीं रामः स मां भरतपूर्वजः। जानन्तौ तु न कुर्यातां नोर्व्यां हि परिमार्गणम्
If Rāma, the elder brother of Bharata, does not know that I am alive, then even if he and Lakṣmaṇa do know, they would not search the earth for me.
नूनं ममैव शोकेन स वीरो लक्ष्मणाग्रजः। देवलोकमितो यातस्त्यक्त्वा देहं महीतले
Surely, through grief for me, that hero, elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa, has left his body on earth and gone to the world of the gods.
धन्या देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। मम पश्यन्ति ये वीरं रामं राजीवलोचनम्
Blessed are the gods, the gandharvas, the siddhas, and the great sages who see my heroic Rāma, lotus-eyed.
अथवा नहि तस्यार्थो धर्मकामस्य धीमतः। मया रामस्य राजर्षेर्भार्यया परमात्मनः
Or perhaps, for that wise and righteous king Rāma, there is no purpose in having me as his wife.
दृश्यमाने भवेत् प्रीतिः सौहृदं नास्त्यदृश्यतः। नाशयन्ति कृतघ्नास्तु न रामो नाशयिष्यति
When one is seen, there is joy; when unseen, there is no friendship. The ungrateful destroy, but Rāma will not destroy.
किं वा मय्यगुणाः केचित् किं वा भाग्यक्षयो हि मे। या हि सीता वरार्हेण हीना रामेण भामिनी
Is it that I lack virtues, or is it the decline of my fortune, that I, Sītā, worthy of the best, am separated from the illustrious Rāma?
श्रेयो मे जीवितान्मर्तुं विहीनाया महात्मना। रामादक्लिष्टचारित्राच्छूराच्छत्रुनिबर्हणात्
It is better for me to die than to live, bereft of the great-souled Rāma, whose conduct is blameless, who is heroic and destroyer of foes.
अथवा न्यस्तशस्त्रौ तौ वने मूलफलाशनौ। भ्रातरौ हि नरश्रेष्ठौ चरन्तौ वनगोचरौ
Or perhaps, having laid down their weapons, those two noble brothers, best among men, are living in the forest, subsisting on roots and fruits, wandering through the woods.
अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना। छद्मना घातितौ शूरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
Or perhaps, the valiant brothers Rama and Lakshmana have been treacherously slain by the evil-minded king of the rakshasas, Ravana.
साहमेवंविधे काले मर्तुमिच्छामि सर्वतः। न च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुःखेऽतिवर्तति
Thus, in such a time, I wish to die in every way; yet death, ordained for me, does not come to relieve me from this overwhelming sorrow.