बाढमित्येव तां वाणीं प्रत्यगृह्णामहं ततः। आस्यप्रमाणादधिकं तस्याः कायमपूरयम्
I replied, "So be it," and then I filled her body, which was larger than her mouth could contain.
तस्याश्चास्यं महद् भीमं वर्धते मम भक्षणे। न तु मां सा नु बुबुधे मम वा विकृतं कृतम्
As I was being devoured, her huge and dreadful mouth kept growing, but she did not perceive me, nor did she notice my altered form.
ततोऽहं विपुलं रूपं संक्षिप्य निमिषान्तरात्। तस्या हृदयमादाय प्रपतामि नभःस्थलम्
Then, in a moment, I contracted my vast form, seized her heart, and leapt into the sky.
सा विसृष्टभुजा भीमा पपात लवणाम्भसि। मया पर्वतसंकाशा निकृत्तहृदया सती
That dreadful one, her arms flung out, fell into the salty sea, her heart torn out by me, resembling a mountain.
शृणोमि खगतानां च वाचः सौम्या महात्मनाम्। राक्षसी सिंहिका भीमा क्षिप्रं हनुमता हता
I heard the gentle voices of the great beings moving through the sky: 'The terrible rākṣasī Siṃhikā has swiftly been slain by Hanuman.'
तां हत्वा पुनरेवाहं कृत्यमात्ययिकं स्मरन्। गत्वा च महदध्वानं पश्यामि नगमण्डितम्
Having slain her, I remembered my urgent task, and, after traversing a great distance, I saw a city adorned with mountains.
दक्षिणं तीरमुदधेर्लङ्का यत्र गता पुरी। अस्तं दिनकरे याते रक्षसां निलयं पुरीम्
On the southern shore of the ocean, I reached the city of Lanka, the abode of the rākṣasas, as the sun was setting.
प्रविष्टोऽहमविज्ञातो रक्षोभिर्भीमविक्रमैः। तत्र प्रविशतश्चापि कल्पान्तघनसप्रभा
I entered unnoticed by the rākṣasas of terrible might; and as I entered there, a woman appeared, radiant as a dense cloud at the end of an age.
अट्टहासं विमुञ्चन्ती नारी काप्युत्थिता पुरः। जिघांसन्तीं ततस्तां तु ज्वलदग्निशिरोरुहाम्
A certain woman, letting out a loud, mocking laugh, stood before me, her hair blazing like fire, intent on killing me.
सव्यमुष्टिप्रहारेण पराजित्य सुभैरवाम्। प्रदोषकाले प्रविशं भीतयाहं तयोदितः
With a blow of my left fist, I overcame that fearsome one; and as I entered at dusk, she, frightened, spoke to me.
अहं लङ्कापुरी वीर निर्जिता विक्रमेण ते। यस्मात् तस्माद् विजेतासि सर्वरक्षांस्यशेषतः
"O hero, by your valor, the city of Lanka has been conquered by you; therefore, you will surely defeat all the rākṣasas without exception."
तत्राहं सर्वरात्रं तु विचरञ्जनकात्मजाम्। रावणान्तःपुरगतो न चापश्यं सुमध्यमाम्
There, I wandered the whole night searching for Janaka's daughter, and though I entered Ravana's inner chambers, I did not see the slender-waisted one.
ततः सीतामपश्यंस्तु रावणस्य निवेशने। शोकसागरमासाद्य न पारमुपलक्षये
Then, not seeing Sita in Ravana's palace, I was overcome by a sea of sorrow, unable to perceive its far shore.
शोचता च मया दृष्टं प्राकारेणाभिसंवृतम्। काञ्चनेन विकृष्टेन गृहोपवनमुत्तमम्
As I grieved, I saw an excellent house-garden, surrounded by a golden wall.
सप्राकारमवप्लुत्य पश्यामि बहुपादपम्। अशोकवनिकामध्ये शिंशपापादपो महान्
Leaping over the wall, I saw, amidst many trees, a great śiṃśapā tree in the center of the Ashoka grove.
तमारुह्य च पश्यामि काञ्चनं कदलीवनम्। अदूराच्छिंशपावृक्षात् पश्यामि वरवर्णिनीम्
Climbing up there, I see a golden grove of plantains; not far from the śiṃśapā tree, I see a woman of splendid complexion.
श्यामां कमलपत्राक्षीमुपवासकृशाननाम्। तदेकवासःसंवीतां रजोध्वस्तशिरोरुहाम्
Dark-skinned, with eyes like lotus petals, her face thinned by fasting, clad in a single garment, her hair dust-stained.
मांसशोणितभक्ष्याभिर्व्याघ्रीभिर्हरिणीं यथा। सा मया राक्षसीमध्ये तर्ज्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः
Surrounded by flesh- and blood-eating she-demons, as a doe among tigresses, she was repeatedly threatened by them in my sight.
एकवेणीधरा दीना भर्तृचिन्तापरायणा। भूमिशय्या विवर्णाङ्गी पद्मिनीव हिमागमे
Wearing her hair in a single braid, dejected, her mind fixed on her husband, lying on the ground, her body faded, like a lotus at the onset of winter.
रावणाद् विनिवृत्तार्था मर्तव्ये कृतनिश्चया। कथंचिन्मृगशावाक्षी तूर्णमासादिता मया
Having lost all hope from Rāvaṇa, resolved to die, somehow, with fawn-like eyes, she was swiftly found by me.
तां दृष्ट्वा तादृशीं नारीं रामपत्नीं यशस्विनीम्। तत्रैव शिंशपावृक्षे पश्यन्नहमवस्थितः
Seeing such a woman, the illustrious wife of Rāma, I remained there on the śiṃśapā tree, watching.
ततो हलहलाशब्दं काञ्चीनूपुरमिश्रितम्। शृणोम्यधिकगम्भीरं रावणस्य निवेशने
Then I heard a clamor, mingled with the sound of girdles and anklets, deep and resounding, from Rāvaṇa’s palace.
ततोऽहं परमोद्विग्नः स्वरूपं प्रत्यसंहरम्। अहं च शिंशपावृक्षे पक्षीव गहने स्थितः
Then, extremely anxious, I withdrew my true form, and remained in the dense foliage of the śiṃśapā tree like a bird.
ततो रावणदाराश्च रावणश्च महाबलः। तं देशमनुसम्प्राप्तो यत्र सीताभवत् स्थिता
Then Rāvaṇa’s wives and mighty Rāvaṇa himself arrived at that place where Sītā was staying.
तं दृष्ट्वाथ वरारोहा सीता रक्षोगणेश्वरम्। संकुच्योरू स्तनौ पीनौ बाहुभ्यां परिरभ्य च
Seeing the lord of the rākṣasas, Sītā, of lovely form, drew in her thighs and covered her full breasts with her arms.
वित्रस्तां परमोद्विग्नां वीक्ष्यमाणामितस्ततः। त्राणं कंचिदपश्यन्तीं वेपमानां तपस्विनीम्
Terrified, deeply distressed, glancing about, seeing no one to protect her, trembling, devoted to austerity.
तामुवाच दशग्रीवः सीतां परमदुःखिताम्। अवाक्शिराः प्रपतितो बहुमन्यस्व मामिति
Daśagrīva spoke to Sītā, overwhelmed with sorrow: 'With head bowed, I fall before you—regard me with favor.'
यदि चेत्त्वं तु मां दर्पान्नाभिनन्दसि गर्विते। द्विमासानन्तरं सीते पास्यामि रुधिरं तव
'But if, out of pride, you do not welcome me, O proud one, then after two months, Sītā, I shall drink your blood.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः। उवाच परमक्रुद्धा सीता वचनमुत्तमम्
Hearing these words of Rāvaṇa, the wicked-souled, Sītā, greatly enraged, spoke these excellent words.
राक्षसाधम रामस्य भार्याममिततेजसः। इक्ष्वाकुवंशनाथस्य स्नुषां दशरथस्य च
'Vile rākṣasa! I am the wife of Rāma, of boundless splendor, daughter-in-law of Daśaratha, lord of the Ikṣvāku line.'