Aranya Kanda: Chapter 52

सा तु ताराधिपमुखी रावणेन निरीक्ष्य तम्। गृध्रराजं विनिहतं विललाप सुदुःखिता॥
Beholding the king of vultures slain by Rāvana, that one possessed of a face fair as the moon, stricken with grief, broke out into lamentations.

निमित्तं लक्षणं स्वप्नं शकुनिस्वरदर्शनम्। अवश्यं सुखदुःखेषु नराणां परिदृश्यते॥
Throbbings of the eyes or other parts of the body, dreams, seeing birds or hearing their voice, are found to augur happiness or misery to men.

न नूनं राम जानासि महद्व्यसनमात्मनः। धावन्ति नूनं काकुत्स्थ मदर्थं मृगपक्षिणः॥
And, O Rāma, although birds and beasts are scampering away before you on my account, you under-stand not the mighty mishap that has befallen you.

अयं हि कृपया राम मां त्रातुमिह संगतः। शेते विनिहतो भूमौ ममाभाग्याद् विहंगमः॥
O Rāma, this bird, who, moved by kindness, had come to rescue me, owing to my (ill) luck, lies slain on the ground.

त्राहि मामद्य काकुत्स्थ लक्ष्मणेति वराङ्गना। सुसंत्रस्ता समाक्रन्दच्छृण्वतां तु यथान्तिके ॥
O Kākutstha, O Laksmana, save me! Thus did that best of females, afflicted with fear, bewail; and those near (her) heard her lamentations.

तां क्लिष्टमाल्याभरणां विलपन्तीमनाथवत्। अभ्यधावत वैदेहीं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः॥
Thereat, that lord of the Rākşasas, Rāvana, darted towards Vaidehi, who, with a faded wreath for her ornament, was bewailing in forlorn guise.

तां लतामिव वेष्टन्तीमालिङ्गन्तीं महाद्रुमान्। मुञ्च मुञ्चेति बहुशः प्राप तां राक्षसाधिपः॥
Exclaiming repeatedly, Leave off! Leave off, the lord of the Rākşasas got at her, as she was clasping a mighty trees as if it were a creeper.

क्रोशन्ती राम रामेति रामेण रहितां वने। जीवितान्ताय केशेषु जग्राहान्तकसंनिभः॥ प्रधर्षितायां वैदेह्यां बभूव सचराचरम्। जगत् सर्वममर्यादं तमसान्धेन संवृतम्॥
And as she, bereft of the company of Răma in the wilderness, was wailing, saying, O Rāma, O Rāma, that one resembling the Destroyer himself, with the view of compassing his own end, seized her by her hair. On Vaidehi being thus outraged, this entire world consisting of mobile and immobile objects, had its nature altered. A dense darkness enveloped (everything).

न वाति मारुतस्तत्र निष्प्रभोऽभूद् दिवाकरः। दृष्ट्वा सीतां परामृष्टां देवो दिव्येन चक्षुषा ॥ कृतं कार्यमिति श्रीमान् व्याजहार पितामहः।
And the air did not breathe there; and the sun grew dim. Espying with his divine vision that Sītā was overcome, that Deity, the graceful Great-father exclaimed, Our work is accomplished.

प्रहष्टा व्यथिताश्चासन् सर्वे ते परमर्षयः॥ दृष्ट्वा सीतां परामृष्टां दण्डकारण्यवासिनः। रावणस्य विनाशं च प्राप्तं बुद्ध्वा यदृच्छया॥
And seeing Sītā overpowered, the supreme saints inhabiting the Dandaka forest, concluding the destruction of Rāvaņa to be as good as accomplished without much ado, became at once delighted and aggrieved.

स तु तां राम रामेति रुदती लक्ष्मणेति च । जगामादाय चाकाशं रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः॥
As she went on weeping with ( Rāma, O Lakşmaņa, Rāvana-lord of Rākşasas—taking her, coursed through the sky.

तप्ताभरणवर्णाङ्गी पीतकौशेयवासिनी। रराज राजपुत्री तु विद्युत्सौदामनी यथा॥
And then the king's daughter hued like molten gold, clad in a yellow silken cloth, looked exceedingly beautiful like to lighting.

उद्धृतेन च वस्त्रेण तस्याः पीतेन रावणः। अधिकं परिबभ्राज गिरिर्दीप्त इवाग्निना॥
And on her yellow cloth streaming up, Rāvaņa looked surpassingly graceful like a hill aflame with fire.

तस्याः परमकल्याण्यास्ताम्राणि सुरभीणि च। पद्मपत्राणि वैदेह्या अभ्यकीर्यन्त रावणम्॥
And coppery fragrant lotus-leaves belonging to the eminently auspicious Vaidehī showered upon Ravana.

तस्याः कौशेयमुद्धृतमाकाशे कनकप्रभम्। बभौ चादित्यरागेण ताम्रमभ्रमिवातपे॥
And her gold-glowing silken cloth, flying in the air, appeared like clouds coloured by the sunken sun.

तस्यास्तद् विमलं वक्त्रमाकाशे रावणाङ्कगम्। न रराज विना रामं विनालमिव पङ्कजम्॥
And her blameless countenance on Rāvana's lap in the sky did not appear beauteous without Rāma, like a lotus without its stalk;

बभूव जलदं नीलं भित्त्वा चन्द्र इवोदितः। सुललाटं सुकेशान्तं पद्मगर्भाभमव्रणम्॥ शुक्लैः सुविमलैर्दन्तैः प्रभावद्भिरलंकृतम्। तस्याः सुनयनं वक्त्रमाकाशे रावणाङ्कगम्॥ रुदितं व्यपमृष्टास्रं चन्द्रवत् प्रियदर्शनम्। सुनासं चारुताम्रोष्टमाकाशे हाटकप्रभम्॥ राक्षसेन्द्रसमाधूतं तस्यास्तद् वदनं शुभम्। शुशुभे न विना रामं दिवा चन्द्र इवोदितः॥
It appeared like the moon risen tearing away dark clouds. And in the aerial regions her countenance on Rāvana's lap furnished with a fair forehead and graceful hair glowing like the interior of a lotus, without scars, graced with white, shining, stainless teeth, having excellent eyes, lovely like the moon, having a shapely nose, a rubeous upper lip, wearing the splendour of gold in the sky, that captivating countenance of hers in consequence of her weeping, and of being stained with tears, as also owing to the violence it had undergone at the hands of the lord of Rākşasas,-did not appear beautiful without Rāma' like the moon risen during the day.

सा हेमवर्णां नीलाङ्ग मैथिली राक्षसाधिपम्। शुशुभे काञ्चनी काञ्ची नीलं गजमिवाश्रिता ॥
And furnished with the hue of gold, Mithila's daughter beside the dark-bodied lord of the Rākşasas, looked like a golden girth round a sable elephant.

सा पद्मपीता हेमाभा रावणं जनकात्मजा। विद्युद् घनमिवाविश्य शुशुभे तप्तभूषणा॥
Janaka's daughter, yellow-hued like lotus, having the lustre of gold-and adorned with shining ornaments, coming in contact with Rāvana, appeared like lightning embosomed among clouds.

तस्या भूषणघोषेण वैदेह्या राक्षसेश्वरः। बभूव विमलो नीलः सघोष इव तोयदः॥
And in consequence of Vaidehi's ornaments sending sounds, the lord of Rākşasas resembled an entirely dark rumbling cloud.

उत्तमाङ्गच्युता तस्याः पुष्पवृष्टिः समन्ततः। सीताया ह्रियमाणायाः पपात धरणीतले॥
As Sītā was being borne away, showers of blossoms, falling off from her head, were scattered all around on the earth beneath.

सा तु रावणवेगेन पुष्पवृष्टिः समन्ततः। समाधूता दशग्रीवं पुनरेवाभ्यवर्तत ॥
And that blossoms shower all around, drawn up by the vehemence of the ten-headed Rāvana, again alighted beside him.

अभ्यवर्तत पुष्पाणां धारा वैश्रवणानुजम्। नक्षत्रमाला विमला मेरुं नगमिवोत्तमम् ॥
And the showers of blossoms scattered around Vaisravana's younger brother, looked like rows of burning stars round the foremost of mountains*. Sumerus

चरणान्नूपुरं भ्रष्टं वैदेह्या रत्नभूषितम्। विद्युन्मण्डलसंकाशं पपात धरणीतले॥
And the bangles studded with gems, loosened . from Vaidehi's feet, fell on the earth, like the lighting circle. Instead of On the earth-some texts have [bangles] sweet-sounding.

तरुप्रवालरक्ता सा नीलाङ्गं राक्षसेश्वरम्। प्रशोभयत् वैदेही गजं कक्ष्येव काञ्चनी॥
O hue like the light red of tender twigs, Vaidehi set off the dark-bodied lord of Rākşasas, as does a golden cover an elephant.

तां महोल्कामिवाकाशे दीप्यमानां स्वतेजसा। जहाराकाशमाविश्य सीतां वैश्रवणानुजः॥
Vaisravana's younger brother carried away Sītā, who, like a mighty meteor, filled the heavens with her splendour.

तस्यास्तान्यग्निवर्णानि भूषणानि महीतले। सघोषाण्यवशीर्यन्त क्षीणास्तारा इवाम्बरात्॥
And like stars of exhausted religious merit dropping down from the sky, her fiery ornaments began to fall to the earth with sounds.

तस्याः स्तनान्तराद् भ्रष्टो हारस्ताराधिपद्युतिः। वैदेह्या निपतन् भाति गङ्गेव गगनच्युता॥
And the chain of the splendour of the moon, removed from Vaidehi's breast, falling down, shone like the Gangā dropping from the sky.

उत्पातवाताभिरता नानाद्विजगणायुक्ताः। मा भैरीति विधूताग्रा व्याजह्वरिव पादपाः॥
The trees filled with various fowls, with their tops waving because of the wind blowing on high and swaying them, seemed to say, No fear, [to Sita.]

नलिन्यो ध्वस्तकमलास्त्रस्तंमीनजलेचराः। सखीमिव गतोत्साहां शोचन्तीव स्म मैथिलीम्॥
And the pools with their lotuses faded and their fishes agitated, seemed to sorrow for the desponding daughter of Mithilā as for their friend.

समन्तादभिसम्पत्य सिंहव्याघ्रगद्विजाः। अन्वधावंस्तदा रोषाद् सीताच्छायानुगामिनः॥
And following Sītā's shadow, lions, and tigers, and other beasts and birds, rushed from all sides in wrath.

जलप्रपातास्रमुखाः शृङ्गैरुच्छ्रितबाहुभिः। सीतायां ह्वियमाणायां विक्रोशन्तीव पर्वताः॥
And the mountains, with their faces washed with water-falls representing tears, and their summits resembling uplifted arms, seemed to lament for Sītă, as she was being carried away.

ह्वियमाणां तु वैदेही दृष्ट्वा दीनो दिवाकरः। प्रविध्वस्तप्रभः श्रीमानासीत् पाण्डुर मण्डलः॥
And beholding Vaidehỉ carried away, the glorious Sun, oppressed with sadness, had his rays dimmed and his disc darkened.

नास्ति धर्मः कुतः सत्यं नार्जवं नानृशंसता। यत्र रामस्य वैदेही सीतां हरति रावणः॥ इता भूतानि सर्वाणि गणशः पर्यदेवयन्। वित्रस्तका दीनमुखा रूरुदुर्मुगपोतकाः॥
Virtue is not; and where is truth? And there is neither sincerity nor kindness, in a case in which Rāvana is carrying away Rāma's Vaidehī; thus did all creatures lament in numbers. And the young of deer, afflicted with fear, wept with woe-began faces.

उद्वीक्ष्योतीक्ष्य नयनैर्भयादिव विलक्षणैः। सुप्रवेपितगात्राश्च बभूवुर्वनदेवताः॥ विक्रोशन्तीं दृषं सीतां दृष्ट्वा दुःशं तता गताम्।
And the sylvan deities, looking up now and again with eyes betokening fear, had their persons all in a tremble.

तां तु लक्ष्मण रामेति क्रोशन्तीं मधुरस्वराम्।॥ अवेक्षमाणां बहुशो वैदहीं धरणीतलम्। स तामाकुलकेशान्तां विप्रमृष्टविशेषकाम्। जहारात्मविनाशाय दशग्रीरो मनस्विनीम्॥
headed one carried away the intelligent Vaidehī, bewailing bitterly, Sītā, who had come by such misfortune, sweet-voiced, crying, O Lakşmaņa O Rāma, and casting glances on the ground many time and oft, the ends of her hair waving and her tilika wiped out.

ततस्तु सा चारुदती शुचिस्मिता विनाकृता बन्धुजनेन मैथिली। अपश्यती राधवलक्ष्मणाबुभौ विवर्षक्त्रा फयभारपीडिता॥
Then oppressed with the load of fear, Sītā of luminous smiles, Mithila's daughter, bereft of her friends-not beholding either Rāma or Lakşmaņa, became pale of countenance.