विज्ञाय तु मनस्तस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः। स निवृत्याहवात्तस्मात्प्रविवेश पुरं ततः॥
Having read the intention of that high-souled Raghava, he retired from the battle-field and entered into the city of Lankā.
सोऽनुस्मृत्य वधं तेषां राक्षसानां तरस्विनाम्। क्रोधताप्रेक्षणः शूरो निर्जगामाथ रावणिः॥
And remembering the destruction of many a। quick-paced Raksasa, his eyes were rendered coppery with ire; and that hero, the son of Ravana, issued out of the city again.
स पश्चिमेन द्वारेण निर्ययौ राक्षसैर्वृतः। इन्द्रजित्सुमहावीर्य: पौलस्त्यो देवकण्टकः॥
That highly powerful, Indrajit, a descendant of Pulasta and an enemy of the celestials, issued out, encircled by the Rākşasas, by the western gate.
इन्द्रजित्तु ततो दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। रणायात्युद्धतौ वीरौ मायां प्रादुष्करोत्तदा॥
Then beholding the heroic brothers Rāma and Lakşmaņa prepared for fight, Indrajit spread illusions.
इन्द्रजित्तु रथे स्थाप्य सीतां मायामयीं तदा। बलेन महतावृत्य तस्या वधमरोचयत्॥
Placing an illusory figure of Sītā on the car, encircled by a huge army he began to make arrangements for her destruction.
मोहनार्थं तु सर्वेषां बुद्धिं कृत्वा सुदुर्मतिः। हन्तुं सीतां व्यवसितो वानराभिमुखो ययौ॥
Desiring to charm all with his illusions, that one of wicked intent, preparing himself to slay Sītā, proceeded towards the monkeys.
तं दृष्ट्वा त्वभिनिर्यान्तं सर्वे ते काननौकसः। उत्पेतुरभिसंक्रुद्धाः शिलाहस्ता युयुत्सवः॥
Beholding him thus proceed, the monkeys, inflamed with ire, desirous of fighting and with crags in their hands, moved on.
हनूमान्पुरतस्तेषां जगाम कपिकुञ्जरः। प्रगृह्य सुमहच्छ्रङ्ग पर्वतस्य दुरासदम्।।।।
And preceded them all, Hanuman, the foremost of the monkeys, with a huge mountaintop in his hand.
स ददर्श हतानन्दां सीतामिन्द्रजितो रथे। एकवेणिधरां दीनामुपवासकृशाननाम्॥
He beheld there, on Indrajit's car, Sita, deprived of all joy, poorly, greatly reduced with fasts and wearing a single braid.
परिक्लिष्टैकवसनाममृजां राघवप्रियाम्। रजोमलाभ्यामालिप्तैः सर्वगात्रैर्वरस्त्रियम्॥
Rāghava's beloved spouse wore a piece of soiled cloth, and though highly beautiful, the grace of her person was greatly spoiled with dirt.
तां निरीक्ष्य मुहूर्तं तु मैथिलीमध्यवस्य च। बभूवाचिरदृष्टा हि तेन सा जनकात्मजा॥
That daughter of Janaka, was not seen by him for a long time. And beholding her and deciding instantly that she is the daughter of Mithilā, (he became greatly sorry).
अब्रवीचां तु शोकाता निरानन्द तपस्विनीम्। दृष्ट्वा रथस्थितां दीनां राक्षसेन्द्रसुतश्रिताम् ॥ किं समर्थितमस्येति चिन्तयन्स महाकपिः। सह तैर्वानरश्रेष्ठैरभ्यधावत रावणिम्॥
Seeing her on the car, innocent, poor, deprived of joy and brought under the influence of the son of the lord Rākşasas that great monkey thought within himself— 'What must be the intention of Indrajit?' and accompanied by heroic monkeys advanced towards the son of Ravana.
तद्वानरबलं दृष्ट्वा रावणिः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। कृत्वा विकोशं निस्त्रिंशं मूर्ध्नि सीतामकर्षयत्॥
Beholding that monkey host, Ravana's son became beside himself with ire and unsheathing his weapon Nistrinsha, caught her by the hair.
तां स्त्रियं पश्यतां तेषां ताडयामास राक्षसः। क्रोशन्ती रामरामेति मायया योजितां रथे॥
The Räkşasa addressed himself to strike her in the presence of all those monkeys and that illusory figure of Sītā began to bewail saying, “O Rāma! O Rāma!”
गृहीतमूर्धजां दृष्ट्वा हनूमान्दैन्यमागतः। दुःखजं वारि नेत्राभ्यामुत्सृजन्मारुतात्मजः॥
Seeing her thus caught by the head, Hanumān, the son of Maruta, greatly sorry, began to shed tears.
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गी रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्। अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यं क्रोधाद्रक्षोधिपात्मजम्॥
Beholding that beloved spouse of Räma, having a tender and beautiful person, he addressed angrily the son of the lord of Rākşasas with harsh words.
दुरात्मनात्मनाशाय केशपक्षे परामृशः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां कुले जातो राक्षसी योनिमाश्रितः॥
It is for your destruction, O Vicious-souled one! that you have touched her hair. Being descended from that great Brahmă ascetic you are born as a Rākşasa.
धिक्त्वां पापसमाचारं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी। नृशंसानार्य दुर्वृत्त क्षुद्र पापपराक्रम। अनार्यस्येदृशं कर्म घृणा ते नास्ति निघृण ॥
O! cursed are you, since you have cherished such a desire and engaged in such a vicious deed. O vile! O wicked! O! cruel and dishonourable wight! O you having vice for your prowess!
च्युता गृहाच्च राज्याच्च रामहस्ताच्च मैथिली। किं तवैषापराद्धा हि यदेनां हंसि निर्दय॥
O shameless! Are you not ashamed of perpetrating such an inhuman deed. What has Maithili done by you, O cruel one! that you are ready to slay her—She has been banished from her home, territory and has been separated from her lord.
सीतां हत्वा तु न चिरं जीविष्यसि कथंचन। वधाहकर्मणा तेन मम हस्तगतो ह्यसि॥
O you worthy of being slain, destroying Sītā, you shall not live long as you have been brought under me.
ये च स्त्रीघातिनां लोका लोकवध्यैश्च कुत्सिताः। इह जीवितमुत्सृज्य प्रेत्य तान्प्रति लप्स्यसे॥
You shall after the death reach the place which is occupied by those who murder women, a place which is avoided even by those who commit every sort of crime punishable by law.
इति ब्रुवाणो हनुमान्सायुधैर्हरिभिर्वृतः। अभ्यधावत्सुसंक्रुद्धो राक्षसेन्द्रसुतं प्रति॥
Saying this Hanuman, accompanied by monkeys armed with weapons, and excited with ire, proceeded towards the son of the lord or Raksasas.
आपतन्तं महावीर्य तदनीकं वनौकसाम्। रक्षसां भीमकोपानामनीकेन न्यवारयत्॥
Beholding the highly powerful monkeys advance thus the Rākṣasas, inflamed with wrath, obstructed them.
स तां बाणसहस्रेण विक्षोभ्य हरिवाहिनीम्। हनूमन्तं हरिश्रेष्ठमिन्द्रिजित्प्रत्युवाच ह॥
Assailing the monkey-hosts with thousands of arrows, Indrajit spoke to that foremost of monkeys, Hanumān, saying.
सुग्रीवस्त्वं च रामश्च यनिमित्तमिहागताः। तां वधिष्यामि वैदेहीमद्यैव तव पश्यतः॥ इमां हत्वा ततो राम लक्ष्मणं त्वां च वानर। सुग्रीवं च वधिष्यामि तं चानार्य विभीषणम्।२७॥
Today I shall slay before you all Vaidehī, for whom you, Sugriva and Rama have come. Slaying her, O monkey, I shall afterwards kill you, Rama, Laksmana and Sugriva and the dishonourable Vibhişaņa.
न हन्तव्याः स्त्रियश्चेति यद्ब्रवीषि प्लवङ्गम। पीडाकरममित्राणां यच्च कर्तव्यमेव तत्॥
O monkey, about not destroying women, of which you were speaking (I might say) that we must always do what pains our enemies."* *There is one śloka intervening according to some texts, but it has been omitted by many. The reasons for this omission are best known to them. The purport is:-"Why did Rama slay Taraka before? And I shall therefore slay his spouse the daughter of king Janaka.” Hear in Indrajit attempts to justify himself and wants to prove that Räma is equally blameable for this.)
तमेवमुक्त्वा रुदती सीतां मायामयीं च ताम्। शितधारेण खङ्गेन निजघानेन्द्रजित्स्वयम्॥
Saying this, Indrajit with a sharp sword, himself killed the illusory Sitā thus bewailing.
यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेण छिन्ना तेन तपस्विनी। सा पृथिव्यां पृथुश्रोणी पपात प्रियदर्शना॥
Being sundered by him obliquely in a way in which a sacred thread lies on one's own person, the innocent (Sitā) having beautiful countenance fell down on the earth.
तामिन्द्रजित्त्रियं हत्वा हनूमन्तमुवाच ह। मया रामस्य पश्येमां प्रियां शस्त्रनिषूदिताम्।। एषा विशस्ता वैदेही निष्फलो वः परिश्रमः॥
Slaying her Indrajit spoke to Hanumān,“Behold I have slain (before you) with my sword Rāma's beloved. And Vaidehi being thus slain, all your labours have been rendered useless."
ततः खङ्गेन महता हत्वा तामिन्द्रजित्स्वयम्। हृष्टः स रथमास्थाय ननाद च महास्वनम्॥
a Destroying her with his own hand by means of a huge sword, Indrajit, greatly pleased ascended his car and began to emit dreadful roars.
वानराः शुश्रुवुः शब्दमदूरे प्रत्यवस्थिताः। व्यादितास्यस्य नदतस्तदुर्ग संश्रितस्य तु॥
The monkeys stationed near heard that terrible roar and saw him enter the castel.* *The castle built by Indrajit by means of his illusory power in the air.
तथा तु सीतां विनिहत्य दुर्मतिः प्रहष्टचेताः स बभूव रावणिः। तं हृष्टरूपं समुदीक्ष्य वानरा विषण्णरूपाः समभिप्रदुद्रुवुः॥
And slaying Sītā that wicked-minded son of Rāvana became greatly pleased. And beholding him thus delighted the monkeys being greatly sorry fled away.