जलप्रपातास्रमुखाः शृङ्गैरुच्छ्रितबाहुभिः। सीतायां ह्रियमाणायां विक्रोशन्तीव पर्वताः
The mountains, with streams as mouths and peaks raised like arms, seemed to cry out as Sītā was being carried away.
ह्रियमाणां तु वैदेहीं दृष्ट्वा दीनो दिवाकरः। प्रविध्वस्तप्रभः श्रीमानासीत् पाण्डुरमण्डलः
Seeing Vaidehī being carried off, the sun, afflicted and glorious, lost his brilliance and appeared with a pale disk.
नास्ति धर्मः कुतः सत्यं नार्जवं नानृशंसता। यत्र रामस्य वैदेहीं सीतां हरति रावणः
Where Rāvaṇa abducts Sītā, Rāma's Vaidehī, there is no righteousness, no truth, no integrity, no compassion.
इति भूतानि सर्वाणि गणशः पर्यदेवयन्। वित्रस्तका दीनमुखा रुरुदुर्मृगपोतकाः
Thus, all the beings, in groups, lamented; terrified and with downcast faces, the young animals cried.
उद्वीक्ष्योद्वीक्ष्य नयनैर्भयादिव विलक्षणैः। सुप्रवेपितगात्राश्च बभूवुर्वनदेवताः
The forest deities, their bodies trembling greatly, gazed again and again with anxious, bewildered eyes.
विक्रोशन्तीं दृढं सीतां दृष्ट्वा दुःखं तथा गताम्। तां तु लक्ष्मण रामेति क्रोशन्तीं मधुरस्वराम्
Seeing Sītā crying out loudly, suffering so, calling 'Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa' in her sweet voice—
अवेक्षमाणां बहुशो वैदेहीं धरणीतलम्। स तामाकुलकेशान्तां विप्रमृष्टविशेषकाम्। जहारात्मविनाशाय दशग्रीवो मनस्विनीम्
He seized Vaidehī, glancing repeatedly at the earth, her hair disheveled, her ornaments disturbed, for his own destruction, that ten-headed one.
ततस्तु सा चारुदती शुचिस्मिता विनाकृता बन्धुजनेन मैथिली। अपश्यती राघवलक्ष्मणावुभौ विवर्णवक्त्रा भयभारपीडिता
Then that beautiful, pure-smiling Maithilī, deprived of her kin, looked for both Rāghava and Lakṣmaṇa, her face pale, oppressed by the weight of fear.
thumb|त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen now to the fifty-third chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
खमुत्पतन्तं तं दृष्ट्वा मैथिली जनकात्मजा। दुःखिता परमोद्विग्ना भये महति वर्तिनी
Seeing him flying through the sky, Maithilī, the daughter of Janaka, was deeply distressed, exceedingly agitated, and gripped by great fear.
रोषरोदनताम्राक्षी भीमाक्षं राक्षसाधिपम्। रुदती करुणं सीता ह्रियमाणा तमब्रवीत्
Her eyes reddened by anger and weeping, Sītā, as she was being carried away, spoke with sorrow to the terrifying-eyed lord of the Rākṣasas.
न व्यपत्रपसे नीच कर्मणानेन रावण। ज्ञात्वा विरहितां यो मां चोरयित्वा पलायसे
Do you not feel shame, vile one, for this act, Rāvaṇa, as you abduct me, knowing I am alone, and flee like a thief?
त्वयैव नूनं दुष्टात्मन् भीरुणा हर्तुमिच्छता। ममापवाहितो भर्ता मृगरूपेण मायया
Surely it was you, evil-minded coward, who, wishing to abduct me, led my husband away by deceit, taking the form of a deer.
यो हि मामुद्यतस्त्रातुं सोऽप्ययं विनिपातितः। गृध्रराजः पुराणोऽसौ श्वशुरस्य सखा मम
Even he who rose to protect me, that ancient king of vultures, my father-in-law’s friend, has now been struck down.
परमं खलु ते वीर्यं दृश्यते राक्षसाधम। विश्राव्य नामधेयं हि युद्धे नास्मि जिता त्वया
Indeed, your strength is truly seen, lowest of Rākṣasas, for though you proclaimed your name, you did not defeat me in battle.
ईदृशं गर्हितं कर्म कथं कृत्वा न लज्जसे। स्त्रियाश्चाहरणं नीच रहिते च परस्य च
How do you not feel shame after committing such a despicable deed—abducting another man’s wife, and in secret, wretch?
कथयिष्यन्ति लोकेषु पुरुषाः कर्म कुत्सितम्। सुनृशंसमधर्मिष्ठं तव शौटीर्यमानिनः
Men in the world will speak of your act as contemptible—cruel, most unrighteous, though you boast of your heroism.
धिक् ते शौर्यं च सत्त्वं च यत्त्वया कथितं तदा। कुलाक्रोशकरं लोके धिक् ते चारित्रमीदृशम्
Fie upon the valor and character you have claimed; such conduct brings disgrace to your lineage in the world—shame on you.
किं शक्यं कर्तुमेवं हि यज्जवेनैव धावसि। मुहूर्तमपि तिष्ठ त्वं न जीवन् प्रतियास्यसि
What can be done, since you flee so swiftly? Stay even for a moment—you will not return alive.
नहि चक्षुःपथं प्राप्य तयोः पार्थिवपुत्रयोः। ससैन्योऽपि समर्थस्त्वं मुहूर्तमपि जीवितुम्
Not even with your army could you survive for a moment, once within sight of those two princes.
न त्वं तयोः शरस्पर्शं सोढुं शक्तः कथंचन। वने प्रज्वलितस्येव स्पर्शमग्नेर्विहंगमः
You are in no way able to endure the touch of their arrows, just as a bird cannot bear the touch of fire blazing in the forest.
साधु कृत्वाऽऽत्मनः पथ्यं साधु मां मुञ्च रावण। मत्प्रधर्षणसंक्रुद्धो भ्रात्रा सह पतिर्मम
Do what is truly good for yourself, Rāvaṇa—release me. My husband, enraged at my violation, together with his brother, will bring about your destruction.
विधास्यति विनाशाय त्वं मां यदि न मुञ्चसि। येन त्वं व्यवसायेन बलान्मां हर्तुमिच्छसि
If you do not release me, he will ensure your ruin, for by this very resolve with which you seek to seize me by force, you will perish.
व्यवसायस्तु ते नीच भविष्यति निरर्थकः। नह्यहं तमपश्यन्ती भर्तारं विबुधोपमम्
Your resolve, wretch, will prove fruitless, for I, not seeing my husband, who is equal to the gods, cannot long endure life under the power of an enemy.
उत्सहे शत्रुवशगा प्राणान् धारयितुं चिरम्। न नूनं चात्मनः श्रेयः पथ्यं वा समवेक्षसे
I cannot, under the control of an enemy, sustain my life for long without my husband; surely you do not consider what is truly good or beneficial for yourself.
मृत्युकाले यथा मर्त्यो विपरीतानि सेवते। मुमूर्षूणां तु सर्वेषां यत् पथ्यं तन्न रोचते
Just as a man at the time of death pursues what is adverse, so too do all those about to die disregard what is truly good.
पश्यामीह हि कण्ठे त्वां कालपाशावपाशितम्। यथा चास्मिन् भयस्थाने न बिभेषि निशाचर
I see you here, already bound at the throat by the noose of death; and yet, in this perilous moment, you do not fear, night-wanderer.
व्यक्तं हिरण्मयांस्त्वं हि सम्पश्यसि महीरुहान्। नदीं वैतरणीं घोरां रुधिरौघविवाहिनीम्
Clearly, you see trees made of gold, and the dreadful river Vaitarani, carrying streams of blood.
खड्गपत्रवनं चैव भीमं पश्यसि रावण। तप्तकाञ्चनपुष्पां च वैदूर्यप्रवरच्छदाम्
You also see the terrifying forest of sword-bladed leaves, Ravana, with flowers of heated gold and coverings of finest beryl.
द्रक्ष्यसे शाल्मलीं तीक्ष्णामायसैः कण्टकैश्चिताम्। नहि त्वमीदृशं कृत्वा तस्यालीकं महात्मनः
You will see the sharp Salmali tree, studded with iron thorns; for having done such a deed to that great soul, you will not escape its consequences.