रामस्य पुरुषव्याघ्रः सहायः समरेऽरिहा। स भ्राता लक्ष्मणो नाम ब्रह्मचारी दृढव्रतः
Lakṣmaṇa, tiger among men, is Rāma’s companion and destroyer of foes in battle; that brother, named Lakṣmaṇa, is a devoted celibate, firm in his vows.
अन्वगच्छद् धनुष्पाणिः प्रव्रजन्तं मया सह। जटी तापसरूपेण मया सह सहानुजः
Armed with a bow, he followed Rāma as he departed, together with me; wearing matted hair, in the guise of ascetics, he and his younger brother accompanied me.
प्रविष्टो दण्डकारण्यं धर्मनित्यो दृढव्रतः। ते वयं प्रच्युता राज्यात् कैकेय्यास्तु कृते त्रयः
Constant in righteousness and steadfast in his vows, he entered the Daṇḍaka forest; thus, we three were cast out from the kingdom because of Kaikeyī.
विचराम द्विजश्रेष्ठ वनं गम्भीरमोजसा। समाश्वस मुहूर्तं तु शक्यं वस्तुमिह त्वया
O best of Brāhmaṇas, with vigor we wander this deep forest; you may stay here for a moment and rest if you wish.
आगमिष्यति मे भर्ता वन्यमादाय पुष्कलम्। रुरून् गोधान् वराहांश्च हत्वाऽऽदायामिषं बहु
My husband will return, bringing abundant forest fare—having slain deer, iguanas, and boars, he will bring much meat.
स त्वं नाम च गोत्रं च कुलमाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः। एकश्च दण्डकारण्ये किमर्थं चरसि द्विज
So, tell me truly your name, lineage, and family; and, O Brāhmaṇa, for what purpose do you wander alone in the Daṇḍaka forest?
एवं ब्रुवत्यां सीतायां रामपत्न्यां महाबलः। प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं तीव्रं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः
As Sītā, wife of Rāma, was speaking thus, the mighty lord of the Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, gave her a harsh reply.
येन वित्रासिता लोकाः सदेवासुरमानुषाः। अहं स रावणो नाम सीते रक्षोगणेश्वरः
I am that Rāvaṇa, by whom the worlds—together with gods, asuras, and humans—have been terrified, O Sītā, lord of the Rākṣasas.
त्वां तु काञ्चनवर्णाभां दृष्ट्वा कौशेयवासिनीम्। रतिं स्वकेषु दारेषु नाधिगच्छाम्यनिन्दिते
Seeing you, faultless one, with golden complexion and clad in silk, I find no pleasure in my own wives.
बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणामाहृतानामितस्ततः। सर्वासामेव भद्रं ते ममाग्रमहिषी भव
Among the many excellent women I have brought from here and there, let all be well with you—become my chief queen.
लङ्का नाम समुद्रस्य मध्ये मम महापुरी। सागरेण परिक्षिप्ता निविष्टा गिरिमूर्धनि
Lanka is the name of my great city, situated in the midst of the ocean, encircled by the sea and established atop a mountain.
तत्र सीते मया सार्धं वनेषु विचरिष्यसि। न चास्य वनवासस्य स्पृहयिष्यसि भामिनि
There, O Sita, you will wander with me through the forests, and you will not yearn for this forest exile, O beautiful one.
पञ्च दास्यः सहस्राणि सर्वाभरणभूषिताः। सीते परिचरिष्यन्ति भार्या भवसि मे यदि
Five thousand maidservants adorned with every ornament will attend upon you, Sita, if you become my wife.
रावणेनैवमुक्ता तु कुपिता जनकात्मजा। प्रत्युवाचानवद्याङ्गी तमनादृत्य राक्षसम्
But when Ravana spoke thus, Janaka’s daughter, flawless in form, became angry and replied to that rakshasa, disregarding him.
महागिरिमिवाकम्प्यं महेन्द्रसदृशं पतिम्। महोदधिमिवाक्षोभ्यमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, who is unshakable like a great mountain, majestic as Mahendra, and unfathomable as the vast ocean.
सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नं न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलम्। सत्यसंधं महाभागमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, who possesses all auspicious marks, whose form is like a banyan tree, who is steadfast in truth and noble in character.
महाबाहुं महोरस्कं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्। नृसिंहं सिंहसंकाशमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, whose arms are mighty, whose chest is broad, who strides with the gait of a lion, a lion among men, and whose appearance is like a lion’s.
पूर्णचन्द्राननं रामं राजवत्सं जितेन्द्रियम्। पृथुकीर्तिं महाबाहुमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, whose face is like the full moon, who is a royal scion, who has mastered his senses, whose fame is widespread, and whose arms are powerful.
त्वं पुनर्जम्बुकः सिंहीं मामिहेच्छसि दुर्लभाम्। नाहं शक्या त्वया स्प्रष्टुमादित्यस्य प्रभा यथा
You are like a jackal desiring a lioness, which is unattainable; you cannot touch me, just as one cannot grasp the radiance of the sun.
पादपान् काञ्चनान् नूनं बहून् पश्यसि मन्दभाक्। राघवस्य प्रियां भार्यां यस्त्वमिच्छसि राक्षस
You must surely see many golden trees, O fool, since you desire the beloved wife of Raghava, O rakshasa.
क्षुधितस्य च सिंहस्य मृगशत्रोस्तरस्विनः। आशीविषस्य वदनाद् दंष्ट्रामादातुमिच्छसि
You wish to snatch the fangs from the mouth of a hungry lion, the swift enemy of deer, or to seize the jaws of a venomous serpent.
मन्दरं पर्वतश्रेष्ठं पाणिना हर्तुमिच्छसि। कालकूटं विषं पीत्वा स्वस्तिमान् गन्तुमिच्छसि
You wish to lift Mandara, the foremost mountain, with your hand, or to drink deadly poison and go forth unharmed.
अक्षि सूच्या प्रमृजसि जिह्वया लेढि च क्षुरम्। राघवस्य प्रियां भार्यामधिगन्तुं त्वमिच्छसि
You rub your eye with a needle and lick a razor with your tongue, for you desire to attain the beloved wife of Raghava.
अवसज्य शिलां कण्ठे समुद्रं तर्तुमिच्छसि। सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ चोभौ पाणिभ्यां हर्तुमिच्छसि
You wish to swim across the ocean with a stone tied to your neck, or to seize the sun and moon with your hands.
यो रामस्य प्रियां भार्यां प्रधर्षयितुमिच्छसि। अग्निं प्रज्वलितं दृष्ट्वा वस्त्रेणाहर्तुमिच्छसि
You who wish to violate Rama’s beloved wife, desire to snatch blazing fire with a cloth upon seeing it.
कल्याणवृत्तां यो भार्यां रामस्याहर्तुमिच्छसि। अयोमुखानां शूलानामग्रे चरितुमिच्छसि। रामस्य सदृशीं भार्यां योऽधिगन्तुं त्वमिच्छसि
You who wish to seize Rama’s virtuous wife, desire to walk upon the tips of iron spears, for you wish to attain a wife equal to Rama.
यदन्तरं सिंहसृगालयोर्वने यदन्तरं स्यन्दनिकासमुद्रयोः। सुराग्र्यसौवीरकयोर्यदन्तरं तदन्तरं दाशरथेस्तवैव च
The distance between a lion and a jackal in the forest, between a river and the ocean, between the finest wine and ordinary liquor—that is the distance between Dasharatha’s son and you.
यदन्तरं काञ्चनसीसलोहयो- र्यदन्तरं चन्दनवारिपङ्कयोः। यदन्तरं हस्तिबिडालयोर्वने तदन्तरं दाशरथेस्तवैव च
The distance between gold, lead, and iron, between sandalwood, water, and mud, between elephants and donkeys in the forest—that is the distance between Dasharatha’s son and you.
तस्मिन् सहस्राक्षसमप्रभावे रामे स्थिते कार्मुकबाणपाणौ। हृतापि तेऽहं न जरां गमिष्ये आज्यं यथा मक्षिकयावगीर्णम्
While Rāma, radiant as the thousand-eyed Indra, stood with bow and arrow in hand, even though I have been taken from you, I shall not succumb to old age—just as clarified butter, when swallowed by a fly, is not diminished.
इतीव तद्वाक्यमदुष्टभावा सुदुष्टमुक्त्वा रजनीचरं तम्। गात्रप्रकम्पाद् व्यथिता बभूव वातोद्धता सा कदलीव तन्वी
Thus, with pure intent, she spoke those words to the night-wandering demon, though he was wicked; trembling in her limbs, she became distressed, slender as a banana plant shaken by the wind.