उवाच वचनं वीरो रावणो रजनीचरः। अलं व्रीडेन वैदेहि धर्मलोपकृतेन ते
Then Rāvaṇa, the night-stalker, spoke these words: 'Enough of this shame, Vaidehī, brought on by your breach of duty.'
आर्षोऽयं देवि निष्पन्दो यस्त्वामभिभविष्यति। एतौ पादौ मया स्निग्धौ शिरोभिः परिपीडितौ
'O lady, this lack of movement that will overpower you is a sage's curse. My feet, gentle towards you, are pressed down by my head.'
प्रसादं कुरु मे क्षिप्रं वश्यो दासोऽहमस्मि ते। इमाः शून्या मया वाचः शुष्यमाणेन भाषिताः
'Grant me your favor quickly; I am your obedient servant. These words I speak are empty, dried up within me.'
न चापि रावणः कांचिन्मूर्ध्ना स्त्रीं प्रणमेत ह। एवमुक्त्वा दशग्रीवो मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम्। कृतान्तवशमापन्नो ममेयमिति मन्यते
'Nor would Rāvaṇa ever bow his head to any woman.' Having spoken thus to Maithilī, daughter of Janaka, the ten-headed one, seized by fate, thought, 'She is mine.'
thumb|षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the fifty-sixth sarga.
सा तथोक्ता तु वैदेही निर्भया शोककर्शिता। तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा रावणं प्रत्यभाषत
Thus addressed, Vaidehī, though tormented by grief, became fearless; placing a blade of grass between herself and Rāvaṇa, she replied to him.
राजा दशरथो नाम धर्मसेतुरिवाचलः। सत्यसंधः परिज्ञातो यस्य पुत्रः स राघवः
'There is a king named Daśaratha, steadfast in truth, a pillar of righteousness like a mountain; his son is that Rāghava.'
रामो नाम स धर्मात्मा त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः। दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षो दैवतं स पतिर्मम
'That righteous Rāma, renowned in the three worlds, long-armed and broad-eyed, is my husband, like a god to me.'
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः सिंहस्कन्धो महाद्युतिः। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा यस्ते प्राणान् वधिष्यति
'Born in the Ikṣvāku line, lion-shouldered and radiant, he, together with his brother Lakṣmaṇa, will take your life.'
प्रत्यक्षं यद्यहं तस्य त्वया वै धर्षिता बलात्। शयिता त्वं हतः संख्ये जनस्थाने यथा खरः
'If, before his eyes, you were to violate me by force, you would lie slain in battle at Janasthāna, just as Khara did.'
य एते राक्षसाः प्रोक्ता घोररूपा महाबलाः। राघवे निर्विषाः सर्वे सुपर्णे पन्नगा यथा
'All these Rākṣasas you boast of, fierce and mighty, are powerless before Rāghava, as serpents are before Garuḍa.'
तस्य ज्याविप्रमुक्तास्ते शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः। शरीरं विधमिष्यन्ति गङ्गाकूलमिवोर्मयः
'His arrows, released from the bowstring and adorned with gold, will strike your body like waves striking the bank of the Gaṅgā.'
असुरैर्वा सुरैर्वा त्वं यद्यवध्योऽसि रावण। उत्पाद्य सुमहद् वैरं जीवंस्तस्य न मोक्ष्यसे
'Even if you are invulnerable to gods or demons, Rāvaṇa, after provoking such great enmity, you will not escape alive from him.'
स ते जीवितशेषस्य राघवोऽन्तकरो बली। पशोर्यूपगतस्येव जीवितं तव दुर्लभम्
'That mighty Rāghava will be the end of your remaining life; your survival is as unlikely as that of a beast led to the sacrificial post.'
यदि पश्येत् स रामस्त्वां रोषदीप्तेन चक्षुषा। रक्षस्त्वमद्य निर्दग्धो यथा रुद्रेण मन्मथः
'If Rāma were to see you with eyes blazing in anger, you, demon, would be burned up today as Kāmadeva was by Rudra.'
यश्चन्द्रं नभसो भूमौ पातयेन्नाशयेत वा। सागरं शोषयेद् वापि स सीतां मोचयेदिह
'He who could cast down the moon from the sky, destroy it, or dry up the ocean—only he could free Sītā here.'
गतासुस्त्वं गतश्रीको गतसत्त्वो गतेन्द्रियः। लङ्का वैधव्यसंयुक्ता त्वत्कृतेन भविष्यति
'You are as good as dead, your glory gone, your strength and senses lost; because of you, Laṅkā will be left widowed.'
न ते पापमिदं कर्म सुखोदर्कं भविष्यति। याहं नीता विनाभावं पतिपार्श्वात् त्वया बलात्
This wicked deed of yours will not bring you happiness; you have taken me by force from my husband's side, separating me from him.
स हि देवरसंयुक्तो मम भर्ता महाद्युतिः। निर्भयो वीर्यमाश्रित्य शून्ये वसति दण्डके
My husband, radiant and mighty, endowed with divine strength, dwells fearlessly in the desolate Dandaka forest, relying on his valor.
स ते वीर्यं बलं दर्पमुत्सेकं च तथाविधम्। अपनेष्यति गात्रेभ्यः शरवर्षेण संयुगे
He will strip you of your strength, power, arrogance, and pride in battle, with a rain of arrows upon your body.
यदा विनाशो भूतानां दृश्यते कालचोदितः। तदा कार्ये प्रमाद्यन्ति नराः कालवशं गताः
When destruction comes upon beings, driven by time, then people, subject to fate, become careless in their actions.
मां प्रधृष्य स ते कालः प्राप्तोऽयं राक्षसाधम। आत्मनो राक्षसानां च वधायान्तःपुरस्य च
By assaulting me, your time has arrived, O vile Rakshasa, for the destruction of yourself, the Rakshasas, and your inner palace.
न शक्या यज्ञमध्यस्था वेदिः स्रुग्भाण्डमण्डिता। द्विजातिमन्त्रसम्पूता चण्डालेनावमर्दितुम्
An altar adorned with vessels and ladles, sanctified by the mantras of the twice-born, cannot be desecrated by a Chandala, even if placed in the midst of a sacrifice.
तथाहं धर्मनित्यस्य धर्मपत्नी दृढव्रता। त्वया स्प्रष्टुं न शक्याहं राक्षसाधम पापिना
So too, as the devoted wife of a righteous man, firm in my vows, I cannot be touched by you, O wicked Rakshasa.
क्रीडन्ती राजहंसेन पद्मषण्डेषु नित्यशः। हंसी सा तृणमध्यस्थं कथं द्रक्ष्येत मद्गुकम्
Just as a swan, always playing among lotuses, would never notice a mud-hen hidden among the reeds, so too am I beyond your reach.
इदं शरीरं निःसंज्ञं बन्ध वा घातयस्व वा। नेदं शरीरं रक्ष्यं मे जीवितं वापि राक्षस
This body is insensible; bind it or kill it as you wish. Neither my body nor my life is to be protected, O Rakshasa.
न तु शक्यमपक्रोशं पृथिव्यां दातुमात्मनः। एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही क्रोधात् सुपरुषं वचः
But it is not possible for me to give up my honor on this earth. Having spoken thus, Vaidehi uttered harsh words in anger.
रावणं जानकी तत्र पुनर्नोवाच किंचन। सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा परुषं रोमहर्षणम्
There, Janaki said nothing further to Ravana, having spoken words that were harsh and hair-raising.
प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां भयसंदर्शनं वचः। शृणु मैथिलि मद्वाक्यं मासान् द्वादश भामिनि
Then Ravana replied to Sita with words meant to inspire fear: 'Listen, Maithili, to my words, O beautiful one, for twelve months.'
कालेनानेन नाभ्येषि यदि मां चारुहासिनि। ततस्त्वां प्रातराशार्थं सूदाश्छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः
If, within this time, you do not approach me, O lovely-smiling one, then my cooks will cut you into pieces for breakfast.