सा सीता तच्छिरो दृष्ट्वा तच्च कार्मुकमुत्तमम्। सुग्रीवप्रतिसंसर्गमाख्यातं च हनूमता॥ नयने मुखवर्णं च भर्तुस्तत्सदृशं मुखम्। केशान्केशान्तदेशं च तं च चूडामणिं शुभम्॥ एतैः सर्वैरभिज्ञानैरभिज्ञाय सुदुःखिता। विजगहेऽत्र कैकेयों क्रोशन्ती कुररी यथा॥
Seeing that head and that excellent bow, and (remembering) the union of (Rama) and Sugriva related by Hanumãn, and (seeing) those eyes, and the complexion of that face, and that countenance like to that of her lord, and that hair and that forehead; and that beautiful jewel forming the crest; and recognizing (Rāma) by all these tokens combined, (Sītā), exceedingly aggrieved, rebuked Kaikeyī, lamenting like a female osprey.
सकामा भव कैकेयि हतोऽयं कुलनन्दनः। कुलमुत्सादितं सर्वं त्वया कलहशीलया॥
O Kaikeyſ, have your wishes attained. Slain has been the son of the race; and the entire race is exterminated by you, partial to dissension.
आर्येण किं नु कैकेय्याः कृतं रामेण विप्रियम्। यन्मया चीरवसनं दत्वा प्रवाजितो वनम्॥
What evil had been done to Kaikeyi by the revered Rāma, that along with me, he had been banished into the woods, with rags given him (for his covering)?
एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही वेपमाना तपस्विनी। जगाम जगतीं बाला छिन्ना तु कदली यथा॥
Having said this, Vaidehi, forlorm and trembling (all over), dropped to the earth, like a plantain cut off.
सा मुहुर्तात्समाश्वस्य परिलभ्याथ चेतनाम्। तच्छिरः समुपस्थाय विललापायतेक्षणा॥
Then, recovering after a while, and having regained her consciousness, the large-eyed one, placing the head in her front, gave way to grief.
हा हतास्मि महाबाहो वीरव्रतमनुव्रत। इमां ते पश्चिमावस्थां गतास्मि विधवा कृता ॥
Ah! I am undone, O mighty-armed one! ) you that did follow stern vows! From your (death), I have come by this final plight, having been rendered a widow.
प्रथमं मरणं नार्या भर्तुर्वैगुण्यमुच्यते। सुवृत्तः साधुवृत्तायाः संवृत्तस्त्वं ममाग्रतः॥ महदुःखं प्रपन्नाया मग्नायाः शोकसागरे।
The greatest calamity (that can befall a woman), is said to be the death of her husband. And, possessor of an excellent character, you have departed before me, who have ever trod the path of the righteous; but who have come by a mighty grief and am plunged in a sea of sorrow.
यो हि मामुद्यतस्त्रातुं सोऽपि त्वं विनिपातितः।।१० सा श्वश्रूर्मम कौसल्या त्वया पुत्रेण राघव। वत्सला ते यथा धेनुर्विवत्सा वत्सला कृता ॥
And you, who was engaged in delivering me, have yourself fallen! And my mother-in-law, Kausalyā, attached (to you), through the death of you, her son, at the hands of Raksasas, has been reduced to the condition of a cow that has been deprived of her calf.
उद्दिष्टं दीर्घमायुस्ते दैवज्ञैरपि राघव। अनृतं वचनं तेषामल्यायुरसि राघव ॥
O Rāghava, even the astrologers had predicted long life for you. But their words are false, you, O Rāghava, wast short-lived. me
अथवा नश्यति प्रज्ञा प्राज्ञस्यापि सतस्तव। पचत्येनं तथा कालो भूतानां प्रभवो ह्ययम्॥
Or did your wisdom, wise and good as you were, come to naught? For God, who is the origin of all beings, make (every one) reap the fruit of his own acts.
अदृष्टं मृत्युमापन्नः कस्मात्त्वं नयशास्त्रवित्। व्यसनानामुपायज्ञः कुशलो ह्यसि वर्जने॥
And why, versed in polity as you wast, did you come by death, unforeseen? You were acquainted with the means of warding off misfortune, and skilled in doing so.
तथा त्वं संपरिष्वज्य रौद्रयातिनृशंसया। कालरात्र्या मयाच्छिद्य हतः कमललोचनः॥ इह शेषे महाबाहो मां विहाय तपस्विनीम्। प्रियामिव यथा नारी पृथिवीं पुरुषर्षभ ॥
Having been brought hither by representing the Fatal Night, fierce and fell, after (being) embraced, and by force, the lotus-eyed one has met with his death. Here lie you, O longarmed one, leaving me lone, and embracing the Earth like your beloved fair.
अचितं सततं यत्नाद्गन्धमाल्यैर्मया तव। इदं ते मत्प्रियं वीर धनुः काञ्चनभूषितम्॥
Ever carefully worshipped with perfumed wreaths, this bow of your, O hero, embellished with gold, is dear to me.
पित्रा दशरथेन त्वं श्वशुरेण ममानघ। सर्वैश्च पितृभिः सार्धं नूनं स्वर्गे समागतः॥
O sinless one, you have surely gone to heaven, and (are there) in the company of your sire and my father-in-law, Dasaratha, and all your ancestors.
दिवि नक्षत्रभूतं च महत्कर्म कृतं तथा। पुण्यं राजर्षिवंशं त्वमात्मनः समुपेक्षसे॥
You have become a star of the firmament as the fruit of your great act.* You have disregarded your righteous race of Rājarşis. *The carrying out the command of your sire.
किं मां न प्रेक्षसे राजन्कि वा न प्रतिभाषसे। बालां बालेन संप्राप्तां भायां मां सहचारिणीम्॥
O king, why do you not look at me? And why is it that you do not answer me, who am a girl, hardly arrived at youth, and who am your wife and companion?
संश्रुतं गृह्णता पाणिं चरिष्यामिति यत्त्वया। स्मर तन्नाम काकुत्स्थ नय मामपि दुःखिताम्॥
That you at the time of your espousing my hand had vowed, I will practise (righteousness) with you, do you, O Kakutstha, recollect the same, and take me, who am overwhelmed with distrees.
कस्मान्मामपहाय त्वं गतो गतिमतां वर। अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं त्यक्त्वा मामपि दुःखिताम्।।
Why, O best of goers, have you gone from this world to that other, leaving behind me, overwhelmed with distress?
कल्याणै रुचिरं गात्रं परिष्वक्तं मयैव तु। क्रव्यादैस्तच्छरीरं ते नूनं विपरिकृष्यते॥
That person of your which, decked out with auspicious things, I used to embrace, beasts of prey will for certain tear the same.
अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्टवानाप्तदक्षिणैः। अग्निहोत्रेण संस्कार केन त्वं न तु लप्स्यसे॥
Having performed the Agnishtoma and other sacrifices with Dakşinăs (dispensed, why had not you attained purity by means of the sacrificial fire?
प्रव्रज्यामुपपन्नानां त्रयाणामेकमागतम्। परिप्रेक्ष्यति कौसल्या लक्ष्मणं शोकलालसा ॥
Kaucalya, over-whelmed with sorrow, shall only behold one of the three that had gone away to distant lands, come (back)-Laksmana.
म तस्याः परिपृच्छन्त्या वधं मित्रबलस्य ते। तव चाख्यास्यते नूनं निशायां राक्षसैर्वधम्॥
On being asked by her, he shall relate your as well as the deaths of your friend's troops over night at the hands of the Rākṣasas.
सा त्वां सुप्तं हतं ज्ञात्वा मां च रक्षोगृहं गताम्। हृदयेनावदीर्णेन न भविष्यति राघव॥
O Raghava, hearing you slain while asleep, and me staying in the abode of the Rākşasa, she with her heart cleft (in twain), shall cease to exist.
मम हेतोरनार्याया अनघः पार्थिवात्मजः। रामः सागरमुत्तीर्य वीर्यवान्गोष्पदे हतः॥
And for the sake of me, abject that I am, that sinless son of the king, Rāma, possessed of prowess, having crossed the ocean, has been slain in the footprint of a cow.
अहं दाशरथेनोढा मोहात्स्वकुलपांसनी। आर्यपुत्रस्य रामस्य भार्या मृत्युरजायत ॥
I, the befouler of my line, who had been wedded by Dasaratha's son through want of discretion, becoming the wife of the revered Rāma, was (in reality) his Death.
नूनमन्यां मया जाति' वारितं दानमुत्तमम्। याहमद्यैव शोचामि भार्या सर्वातिथेरिह॥
Without doubt, in another birth I had abstained from choice gifts, and therefore it is that I sorrow today, albeit being the wife of one that (ever dear) to guests.
साधु घातय मां क्षिप्रं रामस्योपरि रावण। समानय पति पत्न्या कुरु कल्याणमुत्ततमम्॥
Do you, O Ravana, speedily slay me upon Rāma; and, bringing the wife to the husband, compass my best benefit.
शिरसा मे शिरश्चास्य कायं कायेन योजय। रावणानुगमिष्यामि गतिं भर्तुर्महात्मनः॥
Do you join my head to his and my body to his body. I will, O Rāvana, follow the way of my high-souled lord.
इतीव दुःखसंतप्ता विललापायतेक्षणा। भर्तुः शिरो धनुश्चैव ददर्श जनकात्मजा ॥
Thus, burning in grief, did that large-eyed one indulge in lamentations; and Janaka's daughter kept fast gazing at the head and bow of her lord.
एवं लालप्यमानायां सीतायां तत्र राक्षसः। अभिचक्राम भर्तारमनीकस्थः कृताञ्जलिः॥
As the Rāksasa was by while Sītā was thus bewailing, there appeared before his lord, with joined hands, the warder, saying.
विजयस्वार्यपुत्रेति सोऽभिवाद्य प्रसाद्य च। न्यवेदयदनुप्राप्तं प्रहस्तं वाहिनीपतिम्॥
May the worshipful one be victorious! And saluting and propitiating him, (Ravana), he told him that Prahasta, general of the forces, had arrived.
अमात्यैः सहितः सर्वैः प्रहस्तस्त्वामुपस्थितः। तेन दर्शनकामन अहं प्रस्थापितः प्रभो॥
Prahasta has come to you, surrounded by all the courtiers. And, O lord, I was despatched by him, desirous of seeing you.
नूनमस्ति महाराज राजभावात्क्षमान्वित। किंचिदात्ययिकं कार्य तेषां त्वं दर्शनं कुरु॥
O mighty monarch, surely there is and you are forgiving from your regal sentiment some work which is momentous; and do you see them.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा दशग्रीवो राक्षसप्रतिवेदितम्। अशोकवनिकां त्यक्त्वा मन्त्रिणां दर्शनं ययौ॥
Hearing these words of the Rākşasa, the Tennecked one, leaving the Asoka wood, went to see the counsellors.
स तु सर्वं समयँव मन्त्रिभिः कृत्यमात्मनः। सभां प्रविश्य विदधे विदित्वा रामविक्रमम्॥
Having decided his entire course of action in consultation with his competent advisers, (Ravana), entering his court, well knowing Rāma's prowess, set about his work.
अन्तर्धानं तु तच्छीर्षं तच्च कार्मुकमुत्तमम्। जगाम रावणस्यैव निर्याणसमनन्तरम्॥ राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तैः सार्ध मन्त्रिभिर्भीमविक्रमैः। समर्थयामास तदा रामकार्यविनिश्चयम्॥
As soon as Rāvaņa left that place, that head and that bow vanished. And in company with the councillors of dreadful power, (Ravana) decided his course with reference to Rāma.
अविदूरस्थितान्सर्वान्बलाध्याक्षान्हितैषिणः। अब्रवीत्कालसदृशो रावणो राक्षसाधिपः॥
Then the lord of Raksasas, Ravana, resembling the day of doom, addressed his generals, all well-wishers-staying hard by, saying.
शीघ्रं भेरीनिनादेन स्फुटं कोणाहतेन मे। समानयध्वं सैन्यानि वक्तव्यं च न कारणम्॥
Do you speedily summon my forces with the beat of drums—not do you give out the reason (of the summons).
ततस्तथेति प्रतिगृह्य तद्वचस्तदैव दूताः सहसा महद्बलम्। समानयंश्चैव समागतं च न्यवेदयन्भर्तरि युद्धकाङ्क्षिणि।
Then assenting to his speech with So be it, the envoys immediately summoned that mighty force; and, when in had arrived, they informed their master, eager for conflict, of its arrival.