दुर्गन्धं दुःसहं घोरं तिमिरं नरकोपमम्। मलपङ्कं प्रविश्याशु मग्नस्तत्र स रावणः
Entering a foul, unbearable, dreadful darkness, like hell, filled with filth and mud, there Ravana was quickly submerged.
प्रस्थितो दक्षिणामाशां प्रविष्टोऽकर्दमं ह्रदम्। कण्ठे बद्ध्वा दशग्रीवं प्रमदा रक्तवासिनी
Setting out toward the southern quarter, he entered a muddy pool; a woman in red garments bound ten-headed Ravana by the neck.
काली कर्दमलिप्तांगी दिशं याम्यां प्रकर्षति। एवं तत्र मया दृष्टः कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः
Kali, her body smeared with mud, dragged him toward the southern direction; thus there I saw the mighty Kumbhakarna.
रावणस्य सुताः सर्वे मुण्डास्तैलसमुक्षिताः। वराहेण दशग्रीवः शिशुमारेण चेन्द्रजित्
All the sons of Ravana, their heads anointed with oil, are present; the ten-headed Ravana rides a boar, and Indrajit rides a dolphin.
उष्ट्रेण कुम्भकर्णश्च प्रयातो दक्षिणां दिशम्। एकस्तत्र मया दृष्टः श्वेतच्छत्रो विभीषणः
Kumbhakarna rides a camel, heading south; and there I saw one alone, Vibhishana, with a white parasol.
शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरः शुक्लगन्धानुलेपनः। शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषैर्नृत्तगीतैरलंकृतः
He wore white garlands and garments, was smeared with white fragrance, and was adorned with the sounds of conch shells and drums, with dance and song.
आरुह्य शैलसंकाशं मेघस्तनितनिःस्वनम्। चतुर्दन्तं गजं दिव्यमास्ते तत्र विभीषणः
Ascending a divine elephant, four-tusked and mountain-like, whose roar resembled thunderclouds, Vibhishana sat there.
चतुर्भिः सचिवैः सार्धं वैहायसमुपस्थितः
He was accompanied by four ministers, arriving through the sky.
समाजश्च महान् वृत्तो गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनः। पिबतां रक्तमाल्यानां रक्षसां रक्तवाससाम्
A great assembly was formed, resounding with songs and musical instruments, as the rakshasas in red garlands and red garments drank blood.
लङ्का चेयं पुरी रम्या सवाजिरथकुञ्जरा। सागरे पतिता दृष्टा भग्नगोपुरतोरणा
This beautiful city of Lanka, with horses, chariots, and elephants, was seen fallen into the ocean, its towers and gateways shattered.
लङ्का दृष्टा मया स्वप्ने रावणेनाभिरक्षिता। दग्धा रामस्य दूतेन वानरेण तरस्विना
I saw Lanka in my dream, guarded by Ravana, burned by Rama's swift messenger, the monkey.
पीत्वा तैलं प्रमत्ताश्च प्रहसन्त्यो महास्वनाः। लङ्कायां भस्मरूक्षायां सर्वा राक्षसयोषितः
Having drunk oil, intoxicated and laughing loudly, all the rakshasa women in Lanka, rough with ashes, were seen.
कुम्भकर्णादयश्चेमे सर्वे राक्षसपुंगवाः। रक्तं निवसनं गृह्य प्रविष्टा गोमयह्रदम्
These, including Kumbhakarna and other foremost rakshasas, took red garments and entered a pond of cow dung.
अपगच्छत पश्यध्वं सीतामाप्नोति राघवः। घातयेत् परमामर्षी युष्मान् सार्धं हि राक्षसैः
Go away, see for yourselves—Raghava will obtain Sita; he, full of wrath, will destroy you together with the rakshasas.
प्रियां बहुमतां भार्यां वनवासमनुव्रताम्। भर्त्सितां तर्जितां वापि नानुमंस्यति राघवः
He will not tolerate his beloved, esteemed wife, devoted to forest life, being insulted or threatened.
तदलं क्रूरवाक्यैश्च सान्त्वमेवाभिधीयताम्। अभियाचाम वैदेहीमेतद्धि मम रोचते
Enough of harsh words; let only gentle speech be spoken. Let us beseech Vaidehi—this is what pleases me.
यस्या ह्येवंविधः स्वप्नो दुःखितायाः प्रदृश्यते। सा दुःखैर्बहुभिर्मुक्ता प्रियं प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमम्
For one whose dream appears thus, while suffering, she will be freed from many sorrows and attain her most beloved.
भर्त्सितामपि याचध्वं राक्षस्यः किं विवक्षया। राघवाद्धि भयं घोरं राक्षसानामुपस्थितम्
Even if she has been insulted, beseech her, rakshasis—what is the point of further talk? Terrible fear from Raghava has come upon the rakshasas.
प्रणिपातप्रसन्ना हि मैथिली जनकात्मजा। अलमेषा परित्रातुं राक्षस्यो महतो भयात्
Maithili, daughter of Janaka, is easily pleased by humility; she alone is enough to save the rakshasis from great danger.
अपि चास्या विशालाक्ष्या न किंचिदुपलक्षये। विरूपमपि चांगेषु सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षणम्
Moreover, in this wide-eyed woman, I do not observe any deformity, not even the slightest mark on her limbs.
छायावैगुण्यमात्रं तु शङ्के दुःखमुपस्थितम्। अदुःखार्हामिमां देवीं वैहायसमुपस्थिताम्
I suspect only a slight defect in her shadow; suffering has come upon this goddess, who has arrived through the sky, though she is undeserving of sorrow.
अर्थसिद्धिं तु वैदेह्याः पश्याम्यहमुपस्थिताम्। राक्षसेन्द्रविनाशं च विजयं राघवस्य च
I see that the attainment of her purpose is now at hand for Vaidehī, as well as the destruction of the lord of the rākṣasas and the victory of Rāghava.
निमित्तभूतमेतत् तु श्रोतुमस्या महत् प्रियम्। दृश्यते च स्फुरच्चक्षुः पद्मपत्रमिवायतम्
This, indeed, is an omen: to hear such a great and pleasing thing for her; and her wide, lotus-petal-like eyes are seen to be trembling.
ईषद्धि हृषितो वास्या दक्षिणाया ह्यदक्षिणः। अकस्मादेव वैदेह्या बाहुरेकः प्रकम्पते
Indeed, her right arm, though usually calm, now trembles slightly without cause, and only one arm of Vaidehī is shaking.
करेणुहस्तप्रतिमः सव्यश्चोरुरनुत्तमः। वेपन् कथयतीवास्या राघवं पुरतः स्थितम्
Her excellent left thigh, resembling the trunk of a young elephant, is trembling, as if declaring that Rāghava stands before her.
पक्षी च शाखानिलयं प्रविष्टः पुनः पुनश्चोत्तमसान्त्ववादी। सुस्वागतां वाचमुदीरयाणः पुनः पुनश्चोदयतीव हृष्टः
And a bird, having entered its nest among the branches, repeatedly utters auspicious and comforting words, as if joyfully urging her on again and again.
ततः सा ह्रीमती बाला भर्तुर्विजयहर्षिता। अवोचद् यदि तत् तथ्यं भवेयं शरणं हि वः
Then that modest young woman, delighted by her husband's impending victory, spoke: 'If this is true, may I indeed become your refuge.'
thumb|अष्टाविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टाविंशः सर्गः ॥५-
Let the twenty-eighth chapter now be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Sundara Kāṇḍa.
सा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वचो निशम्य तद् रावणस्याप्रियमप्रियार्ता। सीता वितत्रास यथा वनान्ते सिंहाभिपन्ना गजराजकन्या
Hearing the words of the king of rākṣasas—those harsh words of Rāvaṇa, which brought her pain—Sītā was seized with fear, like the daughter of an elephant king attacked by a lion at the edge of the forest.
सा राक्षसीमध्यगता च भीरु- र्वाग्भिर्भृशं रावणतर्जिता च। कान्तारमध्ये विजने विसृष्टा बालेव कन्या विललाप सीता
Surrounded by rākṣasī women, that fearful Sītā, harshly threatened by Rāvaṇa's words, lamented like a young girl abandoned alone in a desolate wilderness.