अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं दीनां शोकभारावपीडिताम्। वायुवेगैरिवाक्रान्तां मज्जन्तीं नावमर्णवे
Her face was filled with tears, she was forlorn, oppressed by the weight of grief, like a boat sinking in the ocean, overwhelmed by the force of the wind.
मृगयूथपरिभ्रष्टां मृगीं श्वभिरिवावृताम्। अधोगतमुखीं सीतां तामभ्येत्य निशाचरः
Like a doe separated from her herd, surrounded by hounds, Sītā stood with her face turned downward as the night-stalker approached her.
तां तु शोकवशाद् दीनामवशां राक्षसाधिपः। सबलाद् दर्शयामास गृहं देवगृहोपमम्
That lord of the Rākṣasas, seeing her helpless and subdued by grief, showed her his palace, which resembled the abode of the gods.
हर्म्यप्रासादसम्बाधं स्त्रीसहस्रनिषेवितम्। नानापक्षिगणैर्जुष्टं नानारत्नसमन्वितम्
He showed her halls and mansions crowded together, attended by thousands of women, filled with various flocks of birds and adorned with many kinds of jewels.
दान्तकैस्तापनीयैश्च स्फाटिकै राजतैस्तथा। वज्रवैदूर्यचित्रैश्च स्तम्भैर्दृष्टिमनोरमैः
With pillars of ivory, gold, crystal, and silver, and decorated with wondrous patterns of diamond and cat's-eye, delightful to behold.
दिव्यदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणम्। सोपानं काञ्चनं चित्रमारुरोह तया सह
Resounding with the music of celestial drums, adorned with blazing gold, he ascended the splendid golden staircase together with her.
दान्तका राजताश्चैव गवाक्षाः प्रियदर्शनाः। हेमजालावृताश्चासंस्तत्र प्रासादपङ्क्तयः
There, the rows of palaces had charming windows of ivory and silver, covered with golden lattices.
सुधामणिविचित्राणि भूमिभागानि सर्वशः। दशग्रीवः स्वभवने प्रादर्शयत मैथिलीम्
In his own house, Daśagrīva showed Maithilī all the courtyards, wondrous with lime and jewels.
दीर्घिकाः पुष्करिण्यश्च नानापुष्पसमावृताः। रावणो दर्शयामास सीतां शोकपरायणाम्
He showed her ponds and lakes covered with various flowers, though Sītā remained absorbed in sorrow.
दर्शयित्वा तु वैदेहीं कृत्स्नं तद्भवनोत्तमम्। उवाच वाक्यं पापात्मा सीतां लोभितुमिच्छया
After showing Vaidehī that entire splendid palace, the wicked-hearted one spoke words to Sītā, intending to entice her.
दश राक्षसकोट्यश्च द्वाविंशतिरथापराः। वर्जयित्वा जरावृद्धान् बालांश्च रजनीचरान्
There are ten crores of Rākṣasas and twenty-two thousand chariots, excluding the old, the very young, and the night-wanderers.
तेषां प्रभुरहं सीते सर्वेषां भीमकर्मणाम्। सहस्रमेकमेकस्य मम कार्यपुरःसरम्
O Sita, I am the lord over all these mighty warriors; for each one, I have a thousand at my command, ready to act on my behalf.
यदिदं राज्यतन्त्रं मे त्वयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। जीवितं च विशालाक्षि त्वं मे प्राणैर्गरीयसी
This entire kingdom, O wide-eyed one, rests upon you; and my life itself—dear Sita—you are dearer to me than breath.
बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणां मम योऽसौ परिग्रहः। तासां त्वमीश्वरी सीते मम भार्या भव प्रिये
Among the many noble women who are my consorts, you, Sita, are their sovereign; become my wife, beloved.
साधु किं तेऽन्यथाबुद्ध्या रोचयस्व वचो मम। भजस्व माभितप्तस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि
Why do you persist in thinking otherwise? Accept my words; grant your favor to me, who am tormented, and be gracious.
परिक्षिप्ता समुद्रेण लङ्केयं शतयोजना। नेयं धर्षयितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः
This Lanka, encircled by the sea and a hundred yojanas wide, cannot be violated even by gods with Indra, nor by demons.
न देवेषु न यक्षेषु न गन्धर्वेषु नर्षिषु। अहं पश्यामि लोकेषु यो मे वीर्यसमो भवेत्
Among gods, yakshas, gandharvas, or sages, I see no one in all the worlds who could match my strength.
राज्यभ्रष्टेन दीनेन तापसेन पदातिना। किं करिष्यसि रामेण मानुषेणाल्पतेजसा
What will you do with Rama—deprived of his kingdom, miserable, an ascetic, traveling on foot, a mere human of little power?
भजस्व सीते मामेव भर्ताहं सदृशस्तव। यौवनं त्वध्रुवं भीरु रमस्वेह मया सह
Accept me alone, Sita, as your husband, for I am your equal; youth is fleeting, timid one, so enjoy yourself here with me.
दर्शने मा कृथा बुद्धिं राघवस्य वरानने। कास्य शक्तिरिहागन्तुमपि सीते मनोरथैः
Do not set your mind, O beautiful-faced one, on seeing Raghava; who here has the power even in thought to come to you, Sita?
न शक्यो वायुराकाशे पाशैर्बद्धुं महाजवः। दीप्यमानस्य वाप्यग्नेर्ग्रहीतुं विमलाः शिखाः
Just as the swift wind in the sky cannot be bound with cords, nor can the pure flames of a blazing fire be seized—
त्रयाणामपि लोकानां न तं पश्यामि शोभने। विक्रमेण नयेद् यस्त्वां मद्बाहुपरिपालिताम्
O lovely one, in all three worlds I see no one who could, by force, take you away while you are guarded by my arms.
लङ्कायाः सुमहद्राज्यमिदं त्वमनुपालय। त्वत्प्रेष्या मद्विधाश्चैव देवाश्चापि चराचरम्
Rule this vast kingdom of Lanka; let those like me, and even the gods, moving and unmoving, be your servants.
अभिषेकजलक्लिन्ना तुष्टा च रमयस्व च। दुष्कृतं यत्पुरा कर्म वनवासेन तद्गतम्
Having been anointed with consecration water, be pleased and enjoy yourself; whatever wrong was done before by dwelling in the forest is now past.
यच्च ते सुकृतं कर्म तस्येह फलमाप्नुहि। इह सर्वाणि माल्यानि दिव्यगन्धानि मैथिलि
And whatever good deeds you have done, receive their reward here; here are all the garlands with divine fragrance, O Maithili.
भूषणानि च मुख्यानि तानि सेव मया सह। पुष्पकं नाम सुश्रोणि भ्रातुर्वैश्रवणस्य मे
And here are the finest ornaments; enjoy them with me. The Pushpaka, O beautiful-hipped one, is my brother Vaishravana’s—
विमानं सूर्यसंकाशं तरसा निर्जितं रणे। विशालं रमणीयं च तद्विमानं मनोजवम्
A chariot shining like the sun, seized by force in battle, vast and delightful, that aerial car moves as swiftly as thought.
तत्र सीते मया सार्धं विहरस्व यथासुखम्। वदनं पद्मसंकाशं विमलं चारुदर्शनम्
There, Sita, enjoy yourself with me as you please; your face, like a lotus, pure and lovely to behold—
शोकार्तं तु वरारोहे न भ्राजति वरानने। एवं वदति तस्मिन् सा वस्त्रान्तेन वराङ्गना
But, O beautiful one, your face does not shine, afflicted as you are by sorrow; as he spoke thus, she, the noble lady, with the edge of her garment—
पिधायेन्दुनिभं सीता मन्दमश्रूण्यवर्तयत्। ध्यायन्तीं तामिवास्वस्थां सीतां चिन्ताहतप्रभाम्
Sītā, her face like the moon, held back her tears with effort; lost in thought, she appeared unwell, her radiance dimmed by worry.