समाः शिखरिणः स्निग्धाः पाण्डुरा दशनास्तव। विशाले विमले नेत्रे रक्तान्ते कृष्णतारके
Your teeth are even, smooth, and white as mountain-snow; your eyes are large and clear, with red corners and dark pupils.
विशालं जघनं पीनमूरू करिकरोपमौ। एतावुपचितौ वृत्तौ संहतौ सम्प्रगल्भितौ
Your hips are broad, your thighs full, rounded, and firm, like the trunks of young elephants, well-shaped and closely set.
पीनोन्नतमुखौ कान्तौ स्निग्धतालफलोपमौ। मणिप्रवेकाभरणौ रुचिरौ ते पयोधरौ
Your breasts are full, high, and lovely, resembling smooth palm-fruits, adorned with gems and pearls, beautiful to behold.
चारुस्मिते चारुदति चारुनेत्रे विलासिनि। मनो हरसि मे रामे नदीकूलमिवाम्भसा
O Rāma’s beloved, with charming smile, lovely teeth, and enchanting eyes, playful one, you steal my mind as water steals the riverbank.
करान्तमितमध्यासि सुकेशे संहतस्तनि। नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी
With a waist graspable by the hand, beautiful hair, and closely-set breasts, you are neither goddess, nor celestial, nor yakṣī, nor kinnarī.
नैवंरूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले। रूपमग्र्यं च लोकेषु सौकुमार्यं वयश्च ते
Never before on earth have I seen a woman of such form; your beauty, delicacy, and youth are supreme in the worlds.
इह वासश्च कान्तारे चित्तमुन्माथयन्ति मे। सा प्रतिक्राम भद्रं ते न त्वं वस्तुमिहार्हसि
Your dwelling in this lonely forest stirs my heart; so, depart, good lady, you should not remain here.
राक्षसानामयं वासो घोराणां कामरूपिणाम्। प्रासादाग्राणि रम्याणि नगरोपवनानि च
This is the abode of Rākṣasas, fierce and shape-shifting; there are splendid palaces and city gardens.
सम्पन्नानि सुगन्धीनि युक्तान्याचरितुं त्वया। वरं माल्यं वरं गन्धं वरं वस्त्रं च शोभने
They are rich, fragrant, and suitable for you to enjoy; O beautiful one, you deserve the finest garlands, perfumes, and garments.
भर्तारं च वरं मन्ये त्वद्युक्तमसितेक्षणे। का त्वं भवसि रुद्राणां मरुतां वा शुचिस्मिते
O dark-eyed one, you deserve a worthy husband; who are you, with pure smile—are you among the wives of Rudras or Maruts?
वसूनां वा वरारोहे देवता प्रतिभासि मे। नेह गच्छन्ति गन्धर्वा न देवा न च किन्नराः
O lovely-hipped, you appear to me as a goddess among the Vasus; for Gandharvas, gods, and Kinnaras do not come here.
राक्षसानामयं वासः कथं तु त्वमिहागता। इह शाखामृगाः सिंहा द्वीपिव्याघ्रमृगा वृकाः
This is the dwelling of Rākṣasas—how have you come here? Here are tree-dwelling deer, lions, island-tigers, and wolves.
ऋक्षास्तरक्षवः कङ्काः कथं तेभ्यो न बिभ्यसे। मदान्वितानां घोराणां कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्
There are bears, hyenas, cranes—how do you not fear them? And the fierce, intoxicated, swift elephants?
कथमेका महारण्ये न बिभेषि वरानने। कासि कस्य कुतश्च त्वं किं निमित्तं च दण्डकान्
How do you, alone in this great forest, O beautiful-faced one, not feel fear? Who are you, whose daughter, from where, and for what reason have you come to Daṇḍaka?
एका चरसि कल्याणि घोरान् राक्षससेवितान्। इति प्रशस्ता वैदेही रावणेन महात्मना
O lovely one, you wander alone through places frequented by fierce rākṣasas; thus Vaidehī was praised by the great-souled Rāvaṇa.
द्विजातिवेषेण हि तं दृष्ट्वा रावणमागतम्। सर्वैरतिथिसत्कारैः पूजयामास मैथिली
Seeing Rāvaṇa arrive in the guise of a twice-born, Maithilī honored him with all the courtesies due to a guest.
उपानीयासनं पूर्वं पाद्येनाभिनिमन्त्र्य च। अब्रवीत् सिद्धमित्येव तदा तं सौम्यदर्शनम्
She first brought a seat, invited him with water for washing the feet, and said, 'All is ready,' to that gentle-looking one.
द्विजातिवेषेण समीक्ष्य मैथिली समागतं पात्रकुसुम्भधारिणम्। अशक्यमुद्द्वेष्टुमुपायदर्शना- न्न्यमन्त्रयद् ब्राह्मणवत् तथागतम्
Maithilī, observing him come in the attire of a twice-born, bearing a vessel and kusumbha, found it impossible to refuse, and welcomed him as one would a brāhmaṇa.
इयं बृसी ब्राह्मण काममास्यता- मिदं च पाद्यं प्रतिगृह्यतामिति। इदं च सिद्धं वनजातमुत्तमं त्वदर्थमव्यग्रमिहोपभुज्यताम्
'Here is a seat, brāhmaṇa, please be seated; accept this water for your feet. This excellent forest fare, prepared for you, may you partake of it here without concern.'
निमन्त्र्यमाणः प्रतिपूर्णभाषिणीं नरेन्द्रपत्नीं प्रसमीक्ष्य मैथिलीम्। प्रसह्य तस्या हरणे दृढं मनः समर्पयामास वधाय रावणः
Rāvaṇa, seeing Maithilī, the queen, speaking fully and invitingly, firmly resolved in his mind to seize her by force and dedicate himself to her destruction.
ततः सुवेषं मृगयागतं पतिं प्रतीक्षमाणा सहलक्ष्मणं तदा। निरीक्षमाणा हरितं ददर्श त- न्महद् वनं नैव तु रामलक्ष्मणौ
Then, as she waited for her husband, splendidly dressed and returned from the hunt, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, she looked around and saw the vast green forest, but not Rāma or Lakṣmaṇa.
thumb|सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Let the forty-seventh chapter be heard. In the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa, the forty-seventh chapter.
रावणेन तु वैदेही तदा पृष्टा जिहीर्षुणा। परिव्राजकरूपेण शशंसात्मानमात्मना
Then, Vaidehī was questioned by Rāvaṇa, who wished to abduct her; he declared himself, disguised as a wandering ascetic.
ब्राह्मणश्चातिथिश्चैष अनुक्तो हि शपेत माम्। इति ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तं तु सीता वचनमब्रवीत्
Thinking, 'If this brāhmaṇa guest is not properly received, he may curse me,' Sītā, after a moment's reflection, spoke these words.
दुहिता जनकस्याहं मैथिलस्य महात्मनः। सीता नाम्नास्मि भद्रं ते रामस्य महिषी प्रिया
'I am the daughter of Janaka, the great king of Mithilā; my name is Sītā. Blessings to you. I am the beloved queen of Rāma.'
उषित्वा द्वादश समा इक्ष्वाकूणां निवेशने। भुञ्जाना मानुषान् भोगान् सर्वकामसमृद्धिनी
I lived for twelve years in the palace of the Ikṣvākus, enjoying human pleasures, fulfilled in all desires.
तत्र त्रयोदशे वर्षे राजाऽमन्त्रयत प्रभुः। अभिषेचयितुं रामं समेतो राजमन्त्रिभिः
In the thirteenth year, the king, together with his ministers, resolved to consecrate Rāma as ruler.
तस्मिन् सम्भ्रियमाणे तु राघवस्याभिषेचने। कैकेयी नाम भर्तारं ममार्या याचते वरम्
As preparations were made for Rāghava's consecration, my noble mother-in-law, named Kaikeyī, requested a boon from her husband.
परिगृह्य तु कैकेयी श्वशुरं सुकृतेन मे। मम प्रव्राजनं भर्तुर्भरतस्याभिषेचनम्
Kaikeyī, having won my father-in-law's favor, secured my husband's exile and Bharata's consecration.
द्वावयाचत भर्तारं सत्यसंधं नृपोत्तमम्। नाद्य भोक्ष्ये न च स्वप्स्ये न पास्ये न कदाचन
She asked the king, steadfast in truth and foremost among men, for two boons: 'I will neither eat, nor sleep, nor drink, ever.'