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.
सत्यं बतेदं प्रवदन्ति लोके नाकालमृत्युर्भवतीति सन्तः। यत्राहमेवं परिभर्त्स्यमाना जीवामि यस्मात् क्षणमप्यपुण्या
Truly, what people say in the world is right: 'There is no untimely death for the virtuous.' For though I am so harshly abused, I, so unworthy, still live even for a moment.
सुखाद् विहीनं बहुदुःखपूर्ण- मिदं तु नूनं हृदयं स्थिरं मे। विदीर्यते यन्न सहस्रधाद्य वज्राहतं शृंगमिवाचलस्य
Surely my heart is firm indeed, deprived of happiness and filled with much sorrow, for it does not shatter into a thousand pieces today, like the peak of a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.
नैवास्ति नूनं मम दोषमत्र वध्याहमस्याप्रियदर्शनस्य। भावं न चास्याहमनुप्रदातु- मलं द्विजो मन्त्रमिवाद्विजाय
Surely there is no fault of mine in this matter, yet I am to be killed by him who finds me displeasing to his sight. Nor am I able to reveal my true feelings to him, just as a twice-born cannot impart a mantra to one uninitiated.
तस्मिन्ननागच्छति लोकनाथे गर्भस्थजन्तोरिव शल्यकृन्तः। नूनं ममांगान्यचिरादनार्यः शस्त्रैः शितैश्छेत्स्यति राक्षसेन्द्रः
Since the lord of the world does not come, surely soon the king of rākṣasas will cruelly cut my limbs with sharp weapons, like the pain of a thorn in the womb of an unborn creature.
दुःखं बतेदं ननु दुःखिताया मासौ चिरायाभिगमिष्यतो द्वौ। बद्धस्य वध्यस्य यथा निशान्ते राजोपरोधादिव तस्करस्य
Indeed, this is suffering for one already afflicted, as two months will pass before he comes. It is like the night for a bound and condemned thief, awaiting execution by the king.
हा राम हा लक्ष्मण हा सुमित्रे हा राममातः सह मे जनन्यः। एषा विपद्याम्यहमल्पभाग्या महार्णवे नौरिव मूढवाता
O Rāma! O Lakṣmaṇa! O Sumitrā! O mother of Rāma, together with my own mother! I, of little fortune, am perishing like a ship lost in the great ocean, caught in a bewildering wind.
तरस्विनौ धारयता मृगस्य सत्त्वेन रूपं मनुजेन्द्रपुत्रौ। नूनं विशस्तौ मम कारणात् तौ सिंहर्षभौ द्वाविव वैद्युतेन
Surely, the two sons of the king of men, sustaining the form of a deer by its power, have been slain on my account—those two, like a pair of lions, struck down by a thunderbolt.
नूनं स कालो मृगरूपधारी मामल्पभाग्यां लुलुभे तदानीम्। यत्रार्यपुत्रौ विससर्ज मूढा रामानुजं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं च
Surely, that Time itself, assuming the form of a deer, deceived me, so unfortunate, when I, in my folly, sent away those noble brothers—Rāma and his younger brother Lakṣmaṇa.
हा राम सत्यव्रत दीर्घबाहो हा पूर्णचन्द्रप्रतिमानवक्त्र। हा जीवलोकस्य हितः प्रियश्च वध्यां न मां वेत्सि हि राक्षसानाम्
O Rāma, true to your vow, long-armed! O you whose face resembles the full moon! O benefactor and beloved of all living beings! You do not know that I am condemned to death by the rākṣasas.
अनन्यदेवत्वमियं क्षमा च भूमौ च शय्या नियमश्च धर्मे। पतिव्रतात्वं विफलं ममेदं कृतं कृतघ्नेष्विव मानुषाणाम्
This devotion to none but you, this forbearance, this bed upon the ground, this observance of righteousness—my fidelity as a wife has become fruitless, like kindness shown to the ungrateful among men.
मोघो हि धर्मश्चरितो ममायं तथैकपत्नीत्वमिदं निरर्थकम्। या त्वां न पश्यामि कृशा विवर्णा हीना त्वया संगमने निराशा
Indeed, my practice of righteousness has been in vain, and so too this vow of being devoted to one husband is meaningless, since I do not see you—emaciated, discolored, deprived of hope for union with you.
पितुर्निदेशं नियमेन कृत्वा वनान्निवृत्तश्चरितव्रतश्च। स्त्रीभिस्तु मन्ये विपुलेक्षणाभिः संरंस्यसे वीतभयः कृतार्थः
Having strictly fulfilled your father's command and returned from the forest, your vows observed, I think you, fearless and accomplished, will delight in women with wide eyes.
अहं तु राम त्वयि जातकामा चिरं विनाशाय निबद्धभावा। मोघं चरित्वाथ तपो व्रतं च त्यक्ष्यामि धिग्जीवितमल्पभाग्याम्
But I, O Rama, who have set my heart upon you and have long been bound to destruction, having performed austerity and vows in vain, shall abandon this wretched life of little fortune.
संजीवितं क्षिप्रमहं त्यजेयं विषेण शस्त्रेण शितेन वापि। विषस्य दाता न तु मेऽस्ति कश्चि- च्छस्त्रस्य वा वेश्मनि राक्षसस्य
I could quickly give up this revived life by poison or by a sharp weapon, but there is no one here in the house of the rakshasa to give me poison or a weapon.
शोकाभितप्ता बहुधा विचिन्त्य सीताथ वेणीग्रथनं गृहीत्वा। उद्बद्ध्य वेण्युद्ग्रथनेन शीघ्र- महं गमिष्यामि यमस्य मूलम्
Tormented by grief and pondering in many ways, Sita then took her braid in hand, and resolved, 'With this braid, I shall swiftly go to the abode of Yama.'
उपस्थिता सा मृदुसर्वगात्री शाखां गृहीत्वा च नगस्य तस्य। तस्यास्तु रामं परिचिन्तयन्त्या रामानुजं स्वं च कुलं शुभांग्याः
She, whose whole body was soft, approached and grasped a branch of that tree; as she, of auspicious limbs, thought of Rama, his brother, and her own family.
तस्या विशोकानि तदा बहूनि धैर्यार्जितानि प्रवराणि लोके। प्रादुर्निमित्तानि तदा बभूवुः पुरापि सिद्धान्युपलक्षितानि
Then, many auspicious omens, renowned in the world and attained through steadfastness, appeared to her—signs that had been observed even before by the accomplished.
thumb|एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः ॥५-
Hear now the twenty-ninth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Sundara Kāṇḍa.
तथागतां तां व्यथितामनिन्दितां व्यतीतहर्षां परिदीनमानसाम्। शुभां निमित्तानि शुभानि भेजिरे नरं श्रिया जुष्टमिवोपसेविनः
To her, thus arrived, afflicted, blameless, bereft of joy, with a mind overcome by sorrow, auspicious omens appeared, as they do to a man endowed with fortune.
तस्याः शुभं वाममरालपक्ष्म- राज्यावृतं कृष्णविशालशुक्लम्। प्रास्पन्दतैकं नयनं सुकेश्या मीनाहतं पद्ममिवाभिताम्रम्
Of her, the beautiful one, the left eye, with long lashes, encircled by dark and wide white, began to twitch—like a red lotus struck by a fish.