Aranya Kanda: Chapter 46

तया परुषमुक्तस्तु कुपितो राघवानुजः। स विकाङ्क्षन् भृशं रामं प्रतस्थे नचिरादिव॥
Having been addressed with those harsh words the younger brother of Rāghava, enraged, proceeded at once, being anxious to see Rāma.

तदासाद्य दशग्रीवः क्षिप्रमन्तरमास्थितः। अभिचक्राम वैदेही परिव्राजकरूपधृक् ॥
Thereupon the ten-necked one, availing of this opportunity came before Vaidehī assuming the semblance of a mendicant.

श्लक्ष्णकाषायसंवीतः शिखी छत्री उपानही। वामे चांसेऽवसज्याथ शुभे यष्टिकमण्डलू॥ परिव्राजकरूपेण वैदेहीमन्ववर्तत। तामाससादातिबलो भ्रातृभ्यां रहितां वने॥
Wearing a soft silken cloth, with a lock of hair on his head with an umbrella and shoes and having on his left shoulder a rod and kamandalu the highly powerful one assuming the appearance of a wandering devotee carrying three long bamboo staves appeared before Vaidehi in the forest when there was none of the brothers by her.

रहितां सूर्यचन्द्राभ्यां संध्यामिव महत्तमः। तामपश्यत् ततो बालां राजपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्॥ रोहिणी शशिना हीनां ग्रहवद् भृशदारुणः।
He saw there the young and pious daughter of the king like to an evening void of both sun and moon and as the highly terrible Rahu eyes Rohini forsaken by Moon.

तमुग्रं पापकर्माणं जनस्थानगता द्रुमाः॥ संदृश्य न प्रकम्पन्ते न प्रवाति च मारुतः। शीघ्रस्रोताश्च तं दृष्ट्वा वीक्षन्तं रक्तलोचनम्॥ स्तिमितं गन्तुमारेभे भयाद् गोदावरी नदी।
Seeing that terrible one the doer of evil deeds, the trees of Janasthāna did not move nor the wind did blow. Seeing him eye Sītā with his blood-red eyes, the fast streaming river Godāverī even slackened its course out of fear.

रामस्य त्वन्तरं प्रेप्सुर्दशग्रीवस्तदन्तरे॥ उपतस्थे च वैदेही भिक्षुरूपेण रावणः।
In the mean time the Ten-necked Rävana, enquiring about Rāma's weak points appeared before Vaidehī in the guise of a mendicant.

अभव्यो भव्यरूपेण भर्तारमनुशोचतीम्॥ अभ्यवर्तत वैदेहीं चित्रामिव शनैश्चरः।
Like to Sani approaching citră, that impious one, assuming the appearance of a pious man like a well covered with grass, approached Vaidehī who was bewailing her husband.

सहसा भव्यरूपेण तृणैः कूप इवावृतः॥ अतिष्ठत्प्रेक्ष्य वैदेहीं रामपत्नी यशस्विनीम्।
And seeing that pious spouse of Rāma-Vaidehi, Ravana stood before her.

तिष्ठन् सम्प्रेक्ष्य च तदा पत्नी रामस्य रावणः॥ शुभां रुचिरदन्तोष्ठी पूर्णचन्दनिभाननाम्। आसीनां पर्णशालायां बाष्पशोकाभिपीडिताम्॥
Her lips and teeth were extremely fine, her face resembled the full moon and her eyes were like lotus-petals. She had a yellow siiken cloth on and sat in the thatched cottage, overwhelmed with grief and bathed in tears.

स तां पद्मपलाशाक्षीं पातकौशेयवासिनीम्। अभ्यगच्छत वैदेहीं हृष्टचेता निशाचरः॥
And that ranger of the night with a pleased heart approached Vaidehī.

दृष्ट्वा कामशराविद्धो ब्रह्मघोषमुदीरयन्। अब्रवीत् प्रश्रितं वाक्यं रहिते राक्षसधिपः॥ तामुत्तमां त्रिलोकानां पद्महीनामिव श्रियम्। विभ्राजमानां वपुषा रावणः प्रशशंस ह॥
Seeing her that lord of Rākṣasas was pierced with the shafts of passion. And speaking highly of her, surpassing in beauty the three worlds and resembling by the excellence of her own person the very goddess of wealth herself Rāvana uttering the name of God spake to her,

रौप्यकाञ्चनवर्णाभे पीतकौशेयवासिनि। कमलानां शुभां मालां पद्मिनीव च बिभ्रती ॥
O you having the colour of gold and silver, O you wearing silken cloth, O you appearing like a lotus wearing a garland of lotus-petals, O you of beautiful countenance!

ह्रीः श्रीः कीर्तिः शुभा लक्ष्मीरप्सरा वा शुभानने। भूतिर्वा त्वं वरारोहे रतिर्वा स्वैरचारिणी॥
Are you Bashfulness, Beauty, Fame, Wealth, Apsarā, Dignity or Rati herself who is ranging at will in this forest?

समाः शिखरिणः स्निग्धाः पाण्डुरा दशनास्तव। विशाले विमले नेत्रे रक्तान्ते कृष्णतारके॥ विशालं जघनं पीनमूरू करिकरोपमौ।
All your teeth are equal having their tops like to the buds of Kunda flower, beautiful and yellow. Your eyes are expansive, clear, of bloody hue, and having black pupils. Your hip is fleshy and spacious. Your thighs are like those of elephants, round, fleshy and perfectly strong.

एतावुपचितौ वृत्तौ संहतौ सम्प्रगल्भितौ॥ पीनोन्नतमुखौ कान्तौ स्निग्धतालफलोपमौ। मणिप्रवेकाभरणौ रुचिरौ ते पयोधरौ॥
Your nipples are bulky, pointed, highly captivating like cold palm fruits, beautiful and ornamented with diverse jewels.

चारुस्मिते चारुदति चारुनेत्रे विलासिनि। मनो हरसि मे रामे नदीकूलमिवाम्भसा ॥
O you of beautiful smile! O you of beautiful teeth! O you of beautiful eyes! O fine damsel, you did carry away my heart like to a river carrying away its banks by its stream.

करान्तमितमध्यासि सुकेशे संहतस्तनि। नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी ॥
The lock of your hair is exquisitely fine, your breast very close and your waist is so thin that they may be got round even by fingers. There is none so beautiful like you-a Goddess, a Gandharvi, a Yaksi or a Kinnari.

नैवंरूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले। रूपमग्यं च लोकेषु सौकुमार्यं वयश्च ते॥ इह वासश्च कान्तारे चित्तमुन्माथयन्ति मे। सा प्रतिकाम भद्रं ते न त्वं वस्तुमिहार्हसि ॥
I had never seen before on this earth a damsel so beautiful as you. This your beauty the best on earth, your youth, your grace and your abode in the forest do agitate my mind. So it is well for you to come (with me); it does not behove you to remain here.

राक्षसानामयं वासो घोराणां कामरूपिणाम्। प्रासादाग्राणि रम्याणि नगरोपवनानि च॥ सम्पन्नानि सुगन्धीनि युक्तान्याचरितुं त्वया।
This is the abode of terrible Rākşasas wearing shapes at will. Picturesque palaces, prosperous cities and sweet-smelling gardens are worthy of your abode.

वरं माल्यं वरं गन्धं वरं वस्त्रं च शोभने॥ भर्तारं च वरं मन्ये त्वद्युक्तमसितेक्षणे।
O you of dark-blue eyes, fine is your garland, fine is the sinell of your person and fine is your apparel-me-thinks fine is your husband too.

का त्वं भवसि रुद्राणां मरुतां वा शुचिस्मिते॥ वसूनां वा वरारोहे देवता प्रतिभासि मे।
O you of pure smile! whom do you belong to?-Rudras, Marutas, or Vasus-Meseems, O fine damsel you are a very gooddes.

नेह गच्छन्ति गन्धर्वा ते देव स च किन्नराः॥ राक्षसानामयं वासः कथं तु त्वमिहागता।
No one comes here—the Gandharvas, the celestials or Kinnaras; this is an abode of the Rākşasa how do you come here.

इह शाखामृगाः सिंहा द्वीपिव्याघ्रमृगा वृकाः॥ ऋक्षास्तरक्षवः कङ्काः कथं तेभ्यो न बिभ्यसे।
Are you not afraid of these monkeys, lions, tigers, wolves bears, herons and hyenas?

मदान्वितानां घोराणां कुञ्जराणां तरस्विनाम्॥ कथमेका महारण्ये न विभेषि वरानने।
Alone in this forest, are you not afraid of these terrible elephants of fierce motion and maddened with the exuding of their temporal juice?

कासि कस्य कुतश्च त्वं किं निमित्तं च दण्डकान्।।३१ एका चरसि कल्याणि घोरान् राक्षससेवितान्।
Who are you? Whose wife? What for do you range alone in this forest of Dandaka frequented by terrible Rākşasas?

इति प्रशस्तः वैदेही रावणेन महात्मना ॥ द्विजातिवेषेण हि तं दृष्ट्वा रावणमागतम्। सर्वैरतिथिसत्कारैः पूजयामास मैथिली॥
Thus addressed was Vaidehĩ by the vicious souled Rāvana. Seeing him come under the guise of a twice-born one, Maithelee worshipped him with diverse articles necessary for serving a guest.

उपानीयासनं पूर्वं पायेनाभिनिमन्त्र्य च। अब्रवीत् सिद्धमित्येव तदा तं सौम्यदर्शनम्॥
Offering him a seat first and afterwards inviting him to wash his feet she said to that one of placid look cooked rice is ready.

द्विजातिवेषेण समीक्ष्य मैथिली समागतं पात्रकुसुम्भधारिणम्। न्यमन्त्रयद्ब्राह्मणवत् तथागतम्॥
Seeing Rāvaņa approach with Kamandalu and wearing a red cloth under the guise of a Brāhmana, Maithelee could not pass by him any way, and considering him a twice-born one by various signs invited him as if a Brāhmana ,

मिदं च पाद्यं प्रतिगृह्यतामिति। इदं च सिद्धं वनजातमुत्तमं त्वदर्थमव्यग्रमिहोपभुज्यताम्॥
O Brāhmana, do you sit on this seat facing the right; do you take this water to wash your feet); do you enjoy these well-cooked eatables growing in the forest and intended for you.

निमन्त्र्यमाणः प्रतिपूर्णभाषिणीं नरेन्द्रपत्नी प्रसमीक्ष्य मैथिलीम्। प्रसह्य तस्या हरणे दृढं मनः समर्पयामास वधाय रावणः॥
Jānakí the wife of Lord of men inviting him thus, Ravana, casting a look upon her, addressed himself for his own destruction, to carry her away.

ततः सुवेषं मृगयागतं पति प्रतीक्षमाणा सहलक्ष्मणं तदा। निरीक्षमाणा हरितं ददर्श तन्महद्वनं नैव तु रामलक्ष्मणौ॥
She was anxiously expecting the return of Rāma who had gone a-hunting with Lakşmaņa; she looked around and beheld but on all sides the spacious yellow forest-land-~-there was neither Rāma nor Lakşmaņa.