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.
धारितुं शक्ष्यसि चिरं विषं पीत्वेव निर्घृण। बद्धस्त्वं कालपाशेन दुर्निवारेण रावण
You will not be able to endure for long, as if having drunk poison, pitiless one; you are bound by the noose of Time, Ravana, which cannot be resisted.
क्व गतो लप्स्यसे शर्म मम भर्तुर्महात्मनः। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण विना भ्रातरमाहवे
Where will you go to find peace, apart from my husband, the great soul, even for the blink of an eye, without your brother in battle?
राक्षसा निहता येन सहस्राणि चतुर्दश। कथं स राघवो वीरः सर्वास्त्रकुशलो बली
By whom fourteen thousand rakshasas were slain; how can that heroic descendant of Raghu, skilled in all weapons and mighty, fail?
न त्वां हन्याच्छरैस्तीक्ष्णैरिष्टभार्यापहारिणम्। एतच्चान्यच्च परुषं वैदेही रावणाङ्कगा। भयशोकसमाविष्टा करुणं विललाप ह
He would not kill you with sharp arrows, even though you have stolen his beloved wife; and this, and other harsh words, Vaidehi, seated on Ravana’s lap, overwhelmed by fear and grief, lamented pitifully.
तदा भृशार्तां बहु चैव भाषिणीं विलापपूर्वं करुणं च भामिनीम्। जहार पापस्तरुणीं विचेष्टतीं नृपात्मजामागतगात्रवेपथुः
Then, greatly distressed and speaking many words, the radiant maiden, lamenting pitifully, was seized by the wicked Ravana, though she struggled, the princess trembling in her limbs.
thumb|चतुःपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे चतुःपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen: the fifty-fourth sarga in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, Aranyakanda.
ह्रियमाणा तु वैदेही कंचिन्नाथमपश्यती। ददर्श गिरिशृङ्गस्थान् पञ्च वानरपुङ्गवान्
As Vaidehi was being carried away, seeing no protector, she noticed five foremost monkeys standing on a mountain peak.
तेषां मध्ये विशालाक्षी कौशेयं कनकप्रभम्। उत्तरीयं वरारोहा शुभान्याभरणानि च
Among them, the wide-eyed lady, of excellent form, wearing a silk upper garment shining like gold, and adorned with auspicious ornaments.
मुमोच यदि रामाय शंसेयुरिति भामिनी। वस्त्रमुत्सृज्य तन्मध्ये निक्षिप्तं सहभूषणम्
She let go her garment, thinking they might inform Rama; she dropped it among them, along with her ornaments.
सम्भ्रमात् तु दशग्रीवस्तत्कर्म च न बुद्धवान्। पिङ्गाक्षास्तां विशालाक्षीं नेत्रैरनिमिषैरिव
Out of agitation, the ten-headed Ravana did not notice this act; the wide-eyed Sita was watched by those tawny-eyed monkeys, their gaze unblinking.
विक्रोशन्तीं तदा सीतां ददृशुर्वानरोत्तमाः। स च पम्पामतिक्रम्य लङ्कामभिमुखः पुरीम्
Then, the best of monkeys saw Sita crying out; and Ravana, crossing the Pampa lake, headed toward the city of Lanka.
जगाम मैथिलीं गृह्य रुदतीं राक्षसेश्वरः। तां जहार सुसंहृष्टो रावणो मृत्युमात्मनः
The king of the rakshasas, taking Maithili who was weeping, proceeded; Ravana, delighted, carried her off, though it meant his own death.
उत्सङ्गेनैव भुजगीं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रां महाविषाम्। वनानि सरितः शैलान् सरांसि च विहायसा
Holding her in his lap, like a serpent with sharp fangs and deadly venom, he flew over forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes.
स क्षिप्रं समतीयाय शरश्चापादिव च्युतः। तिमिनक्रनिकेतं तु वरुणालयमक्षयम्
He quickly crossed over, as an arrow shot from a bow, to the abode of Varuna, the inexhaustible home of whales and crocodiles.
सरितां शरणं गत्वा समतीयाय सागरम्। सम्भ्रमात् परिवृत्तोर्मी रुद्धमीनमहोरगः
Having reached the refuge of rivers, he crossed the ocean; in his agitation, the waves turned back, blocking fish and great serpents.
वैदेह्यां ह्रियमाणायां बभूव वरुणालयः। अन्तरिक्षगता वाचः ससृजुश्चारणास्तदा
As Vaidehī was being carried away, the abode of Varuṇa appeared, and voices arose in the sky, uttered by the celestial bards.
एतदन्तो दशग्रीव इति सिद्धास्तथाब्रुवन्। स तु सीतां विचेष्टन्तीमङ्केनादाय रावणः
The perfected beings said, 'This is the end of the ten-headed one.' Meanwhile, Rāvaṇa took the struggling Sītā onto his lap.
प्रविवेश पुरीं लङ्कां रूपिणीं मृत्युमात्मनः। सोऽभिगम्य पुरीं लङ्कां सुविभक्तमहापथाम्
He entered the city of Laṅkā, which was the very form of death for himself. Approaching Laṅkā, with its well-laid great roads,
संरूढकक्ष्यां बहुलां स्वमन्तःपुरमाविशत्। तत्र तामसितापाङ्गीं शोकमोहसमन्विताम्
He entered his own inner palace, which had secure enclosures and was vast. There, he placed Sītā, whose eyes were dark and who was filled with grief and confusion.
निदधे रावणः सीतां मयो मायामिवासुरीम्। अब्रवीच्च दशग्रीवः पिशाचीर्घोरदर्शनाः
Rāvaṇa confined Sītā there, as Maya once did with his illusory demoness. Then the ten-headed one spoke to the terrifying, ghastly-looking demonesses:
यथा नैनां पुमान् स्त्री वा सीतां पश्यत्यसम्मतः। मुक्तामणिसुवर्णानि वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च
"Let no man or woman, unless approved, see Sītā. Pearls, jewels, gold, garments, and ornaments—
यद् यदिच्छेत् तदैवास्या देयं मच्छन्दतो यथा। या च वक्ष्यति वैदेहीं वचनं किंचिदप्रियम्
Whatever she desires, let it be given to her at my command. But if anyone speaks even a single unpleasant word to Vaidehī—
अज्ञानाद् यदि वा ज्ञानान्न तस्या जीवितं प्रियम्। तथोक्त्वा राक्षसीस्तास्तु राक्षसेन्द्रः प्रतापवान्
Whether out of ignorance or knowledge, her life will not be dear to me." Having thus spoken to those demonesses, the powerful king of the Rākṣasas
निष्क्रम्यान्तःपुरात् तस्मात् किं कृत्यमिति चिन्तयन्। ददर्शाष्टौ महावीर्यान् राक्षसान् पिशिताशनान्
Left the inner palace, pondering what should be done. He saw eight mighty Rākṣasas, eaters of flesh.
स तान् दृष्ट्वा महावीर्यो वरदानेन मोहितः। उवाच तानिदं वाक्यं प्रशस्य बलवीर्यतः
Seeing them, the mighty one, deluded by the boon he had received, addressed them with these words, praising their strength and valor: