Sita longs for rescue

प्रसक्ताश्रुमुखी त्वेवं ब्रुवती जनकात्मजा ।

prasaktāśrumukhī tvevaṃ bruvatī janakātmajā |

Speaking thus, Janaka’s young daughter, her face wet with ceaseless tears,

अधोगतमुखी बाला विलप्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥

adhogatamukhī bālā vilaptumupacakrame ||

lowered her head and began to lament.

उन्मत्तेव प्रमत्तेव भ्रान्तचित्तेव शोचती ।

unmatteva pramatteva bhrāntacitteva śocatī |

She grieved like one distraught, bewildered, or confused in mind,

उपावृत्ता किशोरीव विचेष्टन्ती महीतले ॥

upāvṛttā kiśorīva viceṣṭantī mahītale ||

struggling on the ground like a young mare fallen down.

राघवस्य प्रमत्तस्य रक्षसा कामरूपिणा ।

rāghavasya pramattasya rakṣasā kāmarūpiṇā |

“When Raghava was off his guard, the shape-changing rakshasa

रावणेन प्रमथ्याहमानीता क्रोशती बलात् ॥

rāvaṇena pramathyāhamānītā krośatī balāt ||

Ravana seized me and brought me here by force, while I cried out.

राक्षसीवशमापन्ना भर्त्स्यमाना च दारुणम् ।

rākṣasīvaśamāpannā bhartsyamānā ca dāruṇam |

Subject to the rakshasis and threatened cruelly,

चिन्तयन्ती सुदुःखार्ता नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥

cintayantī suduḥkhārtā nāhaṃ jīvitumutsahe ||

I brood in bitter sorrow and cannot bear to live.

नहि मे जीवितेनार्थो नैवार्थैर्न च भूषणैः ।

nahi me jīvitenārtho naivārthairna ca bhūṣaṇaiḥ |

Life holds no purpose for me, nor wealth, nor ornaments,

वसन्त्या राक्षसीमध्ये विना रामं महारथम् ॥

vasantyā rākṣasīmadhye vinā rāmaṃ mahāratham ||

while I live among rakshasis without Rama, the great warrior.

अश्मसारमिदं नूनमथवाप्यजरामरम् ।

aśmasāramidaṃ nūnamathavāpyajarāmaram |

Surely my heart is made of stone, or is ageless and immortal,

हृदयं मम येनेदं न दुःखेन विशीर्यते ॥

hṛdayaṃ mama yenedaṃ na duḥkhena viśīryate ||

since it does not break apart under this suffering.

धिङ्मामनार्यामसतीं याहं तेन विना कृता ।

dhiṅmāmanāryāmasatīṃ yāhaṃ tena vinā kṛtā |

Shame on me, unworthy and faithless as I am,

मुहूर्तमपि जीवामि जीवितं पापजीविका ॥

muhūrtamapi jīvāmi jīvitaṃ pāpajīvikā ||

that I live even a moment apart from him, sustaining this miserable life!

चरणेनापि सव्येन न स्पृशेयं निशाचरम् ।

caraṇenāpi savyena na spṛśeyaṃ niśācaram |

I would not touch the night-roaming Ravana even with my left foot;

रावणं किं पुनरहं कामयेयं विगर्हितम् ॥

rāvaṇaṃ kiṃ punarahaṃ kāmayeyaṃ vigarhitam ||

how then could I desire that contemptible man?

प्रत्याख्यानं न जानाति नात्मानं नात्मनः कुलम् ।

pratyākhyānaṃ na jānāti nātmānaṃ nātmanaḥ kulam |

He understands neither rejection, nor his own position, nor his family’s dignity,

यो नृशंसस्वभावेन मां प्रार्थयितुमिच्छति ॥

yo nṛśaṃsasvabhāvena māṃ prārthayitumicchati ||

when, with such cruelty, he seeks to win me.

छिन्ना भिन्ना प्रभिन्ना वा दीप्ता वाग्नौ प्रदीपिता ।

chinnā bhinnā prabhinnā vā dīptā vāgnau pradīpitā |

Though cut, wounded, mutilated, or set ablaze in fire,

रावणं नोपतिष्ठेयं किं प्रलापेन वश्चिरम् ॥

rāvaṇaṃ nopatiṣṭheyaṃ kiṃ pralāpena vaściram ||

I would never submit to Ravana. Why prolong your speeches?

ख्यातः प्राज्ञः कृतज्ञश्च सानुक्रोशश्च राघवः ।

khyātaḥ prājñaḥ kṛtajñaśca sānukrośaśca rāghavaḥ |

Raghava is renowned as wise, grateful, compassionate,

सद‍्वृत्तो निरनुक्रोशः शङ्के मद्भाग्यसंक्षयात् ॥

sadvṛtto niranukrośaḥ śaṅke madbhāgyasaṃkṣayāt ||

and upright; through my failing fortune, I fear even he has become unmerciful.

राक्षसानां जनस्थाने सहस्राणि चतुर्दश ।

rākṣasānāṃ janasthāne sahasrāṇi caturdaśa |

He alone destroyed fourteen thousand rakshasas

एकेनैव निरस्तानि स मां किं नाभिपद्यते ॥

ekenaiva nirastāni sa māṃ kiṃ nābhipadyate ||

in Janasthana; why does he not come to me?

निरुद्धा रावणेनाहमल्पवीर्येण रक्षसा ।

niruddhā rāvaṇenāhamalpavīryeṇa rakṣasā |

I am confined by Ravana, a rakshasa of little prowess;

समर्थः खलु मे भर्ता रावणं हन्तुमाहवे ॥

samarthaḥ khalu me bhartā rāvaṇaṃ hantumāhave ||

surely my husband is capable of killing Ravana in battle.

विराधो दण्डकारण्ये येन राक्षसपुंगवः ।

virādho daṇḍakāraṇye yena rākṣasapuṃgavaḥ |

Rama killed the mighty rakshasa Viradha

रणे रामेण निहतः स मां किं नाभिपद्यते ॥

raṇe rāmeṇa nihataḥ sa māṃ kiṃ nābhipadyate ||

in battle in Dandaka forest; why does he not come to me?

कामं मध्ये समुद्रस्य लङ्केयं दुष्प्रधर्षणा ।

kāmaṃ madhye samudrasya laṅkeyaṃ duṣpradharṣaṇā |

Granted, Lanka lies in the ocean and is difficult to assail;

न तु राघवबाणानां गतिरोधो भविष्यति ॥

na tu rāghavabāṇānāṃ gatirodho bhaviṣyati ||

yet that will not obstruct the flight of Raghava’s arrows.

किं नु तत् कारणं येन रामो दृढपराक्रमः ।

kiṃ nu tat kāraṇaṃ yena rāmo dṛḍhaparākramaḥ |

What reason can there be that Rama, so resolute in valour,

रक्षसापहृतां भार्यामिष्टां यो नाभिपद्यते ॥

rakṣasāpahṛtāṃ bhāryāmiṣṭāṃ yo nābhipadyate ||

does not come to his beloved wife, abducted by a rakshasa?

इहस्थां मां न जानीते शङ्के लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः ।

ihasthāṃ māṃ na jānīte śaṅke lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ |

I suspect Lakshmana’s elder brother does not know I am here;

जानन्नपि स तेजस्वी धर्षणां मर्षयिष्यति ॥

jānannapi sa tejasvī dharṣaṇāṃ marṣayiṣyati ||

if he knew, would that glorious hero endure this outrage?

हृतेति मां योऽधिगत्य राघवाय निवेदयेत् ।

hṛteti māṃ yo’dhigatya rāghavāya nivedayet |

The king of vultures, who could have learned of my abduction

गृध्रराजोऽपि स रणे रावणेन निपातितः ॥

gṛdhrarājo’pi sa raṇe rāvaṇena nipātitaḥ ||

and reported it to Raghava, was himself struck down by Ravana in battle.

कृतं कर्म महत् तेन मां तथाभ्यवपद्यता ।

kṛtaṃ karma mahat tena māṃ tathābhyavapadyatā |

The aged Jatayu performed a great deed in trying to help me,

तिष्ठता रावणवधे वृद्धेनापि जटायुषा ॥

tiṣṭhatā rāvaṇavadhe vṛddhenāpi jaṭāyuṣā ||

standing against Ravana and striving to kill him.

यदि मामिह जानीयाद् वर्तमानां हि राघवः ।

yadi māmiha jānīyād vartamānāṃ hi rāghavaḥ |

If Raghava knew that I was living here,

अद्य बाणैरभिक्रुद्धः कुर्याल्लोकमराक्षसम् ॥

adya bāṇairabhikruddhaḥ kuryāllokamarākṣasam ||

in anger he would today rid the world of rakshasas with his arrows.

निर्दहेच्च पुरीं लङ्कां निर्दहेच्च महोदधिम् ।

nirdahecca purīṃ laṅkāṃ nirdahecca mahodadhim |

He would burn Lanka, burn even the great ocean,

रावणस्य च नीचस्य कीर्तिं नाम च नाशयेत् ॥

rāvaṇasya ca nīcasya kīrtiṃ nāma ca nāśayet ||

and destroy the name and fame of vile Ravana.

ततो निहतनाथानां राक्षसीनां गृहे गृहे ।

tato nihatanāthānāṃ rākṣasīnāṃ gṛhe gṛhe |

Then in every house the rakshasis, their husbands slain,

यथाहमेवं रुदती तथा भूयो न संशयः ॥

yathāhamevaṃ rudatī tathā bhūyo na saṃśayaḥ ||

would surely weep still more, just as I weep now.

अन्विष्य रक्षसां लङ्कां कुर्याद् रामः सलक्ष्मणः ।

anviṣya rakṣasāṃ laṅkāṃ kuryād rāmaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ |

Searching Lanka, Rama together with Lakshmana would bring this about;

नहि ताभ्यां रिपुर्दृष्टो मुहूर्तमपि जीवति ॥

nahi tābhyāṃ ripurdṛṣṭo muhūrtamapi jīvati ||

an enemy seen by those two does not live even a moment.

चिताधूमाकुलपथा गृध्रमण्डलमण्डिता ।

citādhūmākulapathā gṛdhramaṇḍalamaṇḍitā |

Its roads obscured by smoke from funeral pyres and circled by vultures,

अचिरेणैव कालेन श्मशानसदृशी भवेत् ॥

acireṇaiva kālena śmaśānasadṛśī bhavet ||

Lanka would soon resemble a cremation ground.

अचिरेणैव कालेन प्राप्स्याम्येनं मनोरथम् ।

acireṇaiva kālena prāpsyāmyenaṃ manoratham |

Before long this wish of mine shall be fulfilled;

दुष्प्रस्थानोऽयमाभाति सर्वेषां वो विपर्ययः ॥

duṣprasthāno’yamābhāti sarveṣāṃ vo viparyayaḥ ||

this dreadful course seems to foretell disaster for you all.

यादृशानि तु दृश्यन्ते लङ्कायामशुभानि तु ।

yādṛśāni tu dṛśyante laṅkāyāmaśubhāni tu |

The inauspicious signs appearing in Lanka

अचिरेणैव कालेन भविष्यति हतप्रभा ॥

acireṇaiva kālena bhaviṣyati hataprabhā ||

show that before long the city will lose its splendour.

नूनं लङ्का हते पापे रावणे राक्षसाधिपे ।

nūnaṃ laṅkā hate pāpe rāvaṇe rākṣasādhipe |

Surely, when wicked Ravana, king of the rakshasas, is killed,

शोषमेष्यति दुर्धर्षा प्रमदा विधवा यथा ॥

śoṣameṣyati durdharṣā pramadā vidhavā yathā ||

impregnable Lanka will wither like a woman bereft of her husband.

पुण्योत्सवसमृद्धा च नष्टभर्त्री सराक्षसा ।

puṇyotsavasamṛddhā ca naṣṭabhartrī sarākṣasā |

Though rich in sacred festivities, Lanka and its rakshasas,

भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का नष्टभर्त्री यथांगना ॥

bhaviṣyati purī laṅkā naṣṭabhartrī yathāṃganā ||

deprived of their lord, will be like a woman who has lost her husband.

नूनं राक्षसकन्यानां रुदतीनां गृहे गृहे ।

nūnaṃ rākṣasakanyānāṃ rudatīnāṃ gṛhe gṛhe |

Surely, before long, I shall hear here the cries

श्रोष्यामि नचिरादेव दुःखार्तानामिह ध्वनिम् ॥

śroṣyāmi nacirādeva duḥkhārtānāmiha dhvanim ||

of rakshasa women weeping in anguish in every home.

सान्धकारा हतद्योता हतराक्षसपुंगवा ।

sāndhakārā hatadyotā hatarākṣasapuṃgavā |

Darkened, its brilliance gone and its foremost rakshasas slain,

भविष्यति पुरी लङ्का निर्दग्धा रामसायकैः ॥

bhaviṣyati purī laṅkā nirdagdhā rāmasāyakaiḥ ||

Lanka will be burnt by Rama’s arrows.

यदि नाम स शूरो मां रामो रक्तान्तलोचनः ।

yadi nāma sa śūro māṃ rāmo raktāntalocanaḥ |

If only brave Rama, whose eyes have reddish corners,

जानीयाद् वर्तमानां यां राक्षसस्य निवेशने ॥

jānīyād vartamānāṃ yāṃ rākṣasasya niveśane ||

knew that I was living in this rakshasa’s dwelling!

अनेन तु नृशंसेन रावणेनाधमेन मे ।

anena tu nṛśaṃsena rāvaṇenādhamena me |

The time fixed for me by this cruel,

समयो यस्तु निर्दिष्टस्तस्य कालोऽयमागतः ॥

samayo yastu nirdiṣṭastasya kālo’yamāgataḥ ||

despicable Ravana is now drawing near.

स च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुष्टेन वर्तते ।

sa ca me vihito mṛtyurasmin duṣṭena vartate |

The death that this wicked one has decreed for me hangs over me;

अकार्यं ये न जानन्ति नैर्ऋताः पापकारिणः ॥

akāryaṃ ye na jānanti nairṛtāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ ||

these sinful rakshasas do not understand what must not be done.

अधर्मात् तु महोत्पातो भविष्यति हि साम्प्रतम् ।

adharmāt tu mahotpāto bhaviṣyati hi sāmpratam |

A great catastrophe will now arise from their unrighteousness;

नैते धर्मं विजानन्ति राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः ॥

naite dharmaṃ vijānanti rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ ||

these flesh-eating rakshasas do not understand dharma.

ध्रुवं मां प्रातराशार्थं राक्षसः कल्पयिष्यति ।

dhruvaṃ māṃ prātarāśārthaṃ rākṣasaḥ kalpayiṣyati |

Surely the rakshasa will make me his morning meal.

साहं कथं करिष्यामि तं विना प्रियदर्शनम् ॥

sāhaṃ kathaṃ kariṣyāmi taṃ vinā priyadarśanam ||

What shall I do without my beloved, whose sight brings joy?

रामं रक्तान्तनयनमपश्यन्ती सुदुःखिता ।

rāmaṃ raktāntanayanamapaśyantī suduḥkhitā |

Unable to see Rama, whose eyes have reddish corners, and deeply distressed,

क्षिप्रं वैवस्वतं देवं पश्येयं पतिना विना ॥

kṣipraṃ vaivasvataṃ devaṃ paśyeyaṃ patinā vinā ||

I shall soon see Yama, son of Vivasvat, instead of my husband.

नाजानाज्जीवतीं रामः स मां भरतपूर्वजः ।

nājānājjīvatīṃ rāmaḥ sa māṃ bharatapūrvajaḥ |

Rama, Bharata’s elder brother, surely does not know I am alive;

जानन्तौ तु न कुर्यातां नोर्व्यां हि परिमार्गणम् ॥

jānantau tu na kuryātāṃ norvyāṃ hi parimārgaṇam ||

if the brothers knew, would they fail to search the earth?

नूनं ममैव शोकेन स वीरो लक्ष्मणाग्रजः ।

nūnaṃ mamaiva śokena sa vīro lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ |

Perhaps that hero, Lakshmana’s elder brother, grieving for me,

देवलोकमितो यातस्त्यक्त्वा देहं महीतले ॥

devalokamito yātastyaktvā dehaṃ mahītale ||

has left his earthly body and gone to the world of the gods.

धन्या देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः ।

dhanyā devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ |

Blessed are the gods, Gandharvas, perfected beings, and great sages

मम पश्यन्ति ये वीरं रामं राजीवलोचनम् ॥

mama paśyanti ye vīraṃ rāmaṃ rājīvalocanam ||

who behold my lotus-eyed hero Rama.

अथवा नहि तस्यार्थो धर्मकामस्य धीमतः ।

athavā nahi tasyārtho dharmakāmasya dhīmataḥ |

Or perhaps wise Rama, the royal sage devoted to righteousness,

मया रामस्य राजर्षेर्भार्यया परमात्मनः ॥

mayā rāmasya rājarṣerbhāryayā paramātmanaḥ ||

that noble soul, has no further need of me as his wife.

दृश्यमाने भवेत् प्रीतिः सौहृदं नास्त्यदृश्यतः ।

dṛśyamāne bhavet prītiḥ sauhṛdaṃ nāstyadṛśyataḥ |

Affection may grow through seeing; friendship may fade in absence.

नाशयन्ति कृतघ्नास्तु न रामो नाशयिष्यति ॥

nāśayanti kṛtaghnāstu na rāmo nāśayiṣyati ||

The ungrateful forget, but Rama will not forget.

किं वा मय्यगुणाः केचित् किं वा भाग्यक्षयो हि मे ।

kiṃ vā mayyaguṇāḥ kecit kiṃ vā bhāgyakṣayo hi me |

Is there some fault in me, or has my good fortune run out,

या हि सीता वरार्हेण हीना रामेण भामिनी ॥

yā hi sītā varārheṇa hīnā rāmeṇa bhāminī ||

that I, Sita, am separated from Rama, worthy of the highest honour?

श्रेयो मे जीवितान्मर्तुं विहीनाया महात्मना ।

śreyo me jīvitānmartuṃ vihīnāyā mahātmanā |

Death seems better than life apart from the great-souled Rama,

रामादक्लिष्टचारित्राच्छूराच्छत्रुनिबर्हणात् ॥

rāmādakliṣṭacāritrācchūrācchatrunibarhaṇāt ||

whose conduct is blameless, the brave destroyer of enemies.

अथवा न्यस्तशस्त्रौ तौ वने मूलफलाशनौ ।

athavā nyastaśastrau tau vane mūlaphalāśanau |

Or perhaps those two noble brothers have laid aside their weapons

भ्रातरौ हि नरश्रेष्ठौ चरन्तौ वनगोचरौ ॥

bhrātarau hi naraśreṣṭhau carantau vanagocarau ||

and wander in the forest, living on roots and fruits.

अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना ।

athavā rākṣasendreṇa rāvaṇena durātmanā |

Or perhaps the wicked rakshasa king Ravana

छद्मना घातितौ शूरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥

chadmanā ghātitau śūrau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||

has treacherously killed the heroic brothers Rama and Lakshmana.

साहमेवंविधे काले मर्तुमिच्छामि सर्वतः ।

sāhamevaṃvidhe kāle martumicchāmi sarvataḥ |

In such a time I wish for death in every way,

न च मे विहितो मृत्युरस्मिन् दुःखेऽतिवर्तति ॥

na ca me vihito mṛtyurasmin duḥkhe’tivartati ||

yet the death allotted to me does not come through this sorrow.

धन्याः खलु महात्मानो मुनयः सत्यसम्मताः ।

dhanyāḥ khalu mahātmāno munayaḥ satyasammatāḥ |

Blessed indeed are the great, truthful sages,

जितात्मानो महाभागा येषां न स्तः प्रियाप्रिये ॥

jitātmāno mahābhāgā yeṣāṃ na staḥ priyāpriye ||

self-controlled and fortunate, to whom nothing is dear or hateful.

प्रियान्न सम्भवेद् दुःखमप्रियादधिकं भवेत् ।

priyānna sambhaved duḥkhamapriyādadhikaṃ bhavet |

Pain does not arise from what is dear; from what is hateful it grows greater.

ताभ्यां हि ते वियुज्यन्ते नमस्तेषां महात्मनाम् ॥

tābhyāṃ hi te viyujyante namasteṣāṃ mahātmanām ||

Those sages are free from both. I bow to those great souls.

साहं त्यक्ता प्रियेणैव रामेण विदितात्मना ।

sāhaṃ tyaktā priyeṇaiva rāmeṇa viditātmanā |

Separated from my beloved, self-possessed Rama,

प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि पापस्य रावणस्य गता वशम् ॥

prāṇāṃstyakṣyāmi pāpasya rāvaṇasya gatā vaśam ||

and fallen under wicked Ravana’s power, I shall give up my life.”