Sita's Refusal of Ravana

Shloka 1 (sundara.21.1)

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा सीता रौद्रस्य रक्षसः । आर्ता दीनस्वरा दीनं प्रत्युवाच ततः शनैः ॥ १ ॥

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā sītā raudrasya rakṣasaḥ | ārtā dīnasvarā dīnaṃ pratyuvāca tataḥ śanaiḥ || 1 ||

Hearing that terrible demon's words, Sita, tormented, replied slowly, in a faint and grief-stricken voice.

Shloka 2 (sundara.21.2)

दुःखार्ता रुदती सीता वेपमाना तपस्विनी । चिन्तयन्ती वरारोहा पतिमेव पतिव्रता ॥ २ ॥

duḥkhārtā rudatī sītā vepamānā tapasvinī | cintayantī varārohā patimeva pativratā || 2 ||

Sita, wracked with sorrow, weeping and trembling, that devoted wife of noble form thought only of her husband.

Shloka 3 (sundara.21.3)

तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता । निवर्तय मनो मत्तः स्वजने प्रीयतां मनः ॥ ३ ॥

tṛṇamantarataḥ kṛtvā pratyuvāca śucismitā | nivartaya mano mattaḥ svajane prīyatāṃ manaḥ || 3 ||

Setting a blade of grass between herself and him, the pure-smiling Sita replied: "Turn your mind away from me; let it find delight among your own kind."

Shloka 4 (sundara.21.4)

न मां प्रार्थयितुं युक्तस्त्वं सिद्धिमिव पापकृत् । अकार्यं न मया कार्यमेकपत्न्या विगर्हितम् ॥ ४ ॥

na māṃ prārthayituṃ yuktastvaṃ siddhimiva pāpakṛt | akāryaṃ na mayā kāryamekapatnyā vigarhitam || 4 ||

"It is no more fitting for you to court me than for a sinner to seek beatitude; I am devoted to a single husband, and I will never do this reprehensible, forbidden deed."

Shloka 5 (sundara.21.5)

कुलं सम्प्राप्तया पुण्यं कुले महति जातया । एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही रावणं तं यशस्विनी ॥ ५ ॥

kulaṃ samprāptayā puṇyaṃ kule mahati jātayā | evamuktvā tu vaidehī rāvaṇaṃ taṃ yaśasvinī || 5 ||

"Born into a great and holy lineage, wedded into another such — how could I, famed as I am, do this?" So spoke Vaidehi to Ravana,

Shloka 6 (sundara.21.6)

रावणं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा भूयो वचनमब्रवीत् । नाहमौपयिकी भार्या परभार्या सती तव ॥ ६ ॥

rāvaṇaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā bhūyo vacanamabravīt | nāhamaupayikī bhāryā parabhāryā satī tava || 6 ||

turning her back on him, and again she said: "I am not a fit wife for you, being another's wife and devoted to him."

Shloka 7 (sundara.21.7)

साधु धर्ममवेक्षस्व साधु साधुव्रतं चर । यथा तव तथान्येषां रक्ष्या दारा निशाचर ॥ ७ ॥

sādhu dharmamavekṣasva sādhu sādhuvrataṃ cara | yathā tava tathānyeṣāṃ rakṣyā dārā niśācara || 7 ||

"Look well to righteousness, follow well the way of the virtuous; just as your own wives deserve protection, O night-wanderer, so do the wives of others."

Shloka 8 (sundara.21.8)

आत्मानमुपमां कृत्वा स्वेषु दारेषु रम्यताम् । अतुष्टं स्वेषु दारेषु चपलं चपलेन्द्रियम् । नयन्ति निकृतिप्रज्ञं परदाराः पराभवम् ॥ ८ ॥

ātmānamupamāṃ kṛtvā sveṣu dāreṣu ramyatām | atuṣṭaṃ sveṣu dāreṣu capalaṃ capalendriyam | nayanti nikṛtiprajñaṃ paradārāḥ parābhavam || 8 ||

"Taking your own self as the measure, delight in your own wives. A man unsatisfied with his own wives, fickle and unsteady of senses and mean of understanding — other men's wives lead such a man only to ruin."

Shloka 9 (sundara.21.9)

इह सन्तो न वा सन्ति सतो वा नानुवर्तसे । यथा हि विपरीता ते बुद्धिराचारवर्जिता ॥ ९ ॥

iha santo na vā santi sato vā nānuvartase | yathā hi viparītā te buddhirācāravarjitā || 9 ||

"Are there no good people here, or do you simply not follow the good? Truly your understanding must be perverse and empty of proper conduct,"

Shloka 10 (sundara.21.10)

वचो मिथ्याप्रणीतात्मा पथ्यमुक्तं विचक्षणैः । राक्षसानामभावाय त्वं वा न प्रतिपद्यसे ॥ १० ॥

vaco mithyāpraṇītātmā pathyamuktaṃ vicakṣaṇaiḥ | rākṣasānāmabhāvāya tvaṃ vā na pratipadyase || 10 ||

"since you do not accept the wholesome counsel spoken by the wise, though it be for the very preservation of the rakshasas."

Shloka 11 (sundara.21.11)

अकृतात्मानमासाद्य राजानमनये रतम् । समृद्धानि विनश्यन्ति राष्ट्राणि नगराणि च ॥ ११ ॥

akṛtātmānamāsādya rājānamanaye ratam | samṛddhāni vinaśyanti rāṣṭrāṇi nagarāṇi ca || 11 ||

"When a king of uncontrolled mind, bent on a wrong course, is obtained, prosperous kingdoms and cities perish;"

Shloka 12 (sundara.21.12)

तथैव त्वां समासाद्य लंका रत्नौघसंकुला । अपराधात् तवैकस्य नचिराद् विनशिष्यति ॥ १२ ॥

tathaiva tvāṃ samāsādya laṃkā ratnaughasaṃkulā | aparādhāt tavaikasya nacirād vinaśiṣyati || 12 ||

"so too, having obtained you, this Lanka, teeming with heaps of jewels, will before long be destroyed on account of your single offense."

Shloka 13 (sundara.21.13)

स्वकृतैर्हन्यमानस्य रावणादीर्घदर्शिनः । अभिनन्दन्ति भूतानि विनाशे पापकर्मणः ॥ १३ ॥

svakṛtairhanyamānasya rāvaṇādīrghadarśinaḥ | abhinandanti bhūtāni vināśe pāpakarmaṇaḥ || 13 ||

"When a short-sighted, sinful man is struck down by his own deeds, all beings rejoice at his destruction."

Shloka 14 (sundara.21.14)

एवं त्वां पापकर्माणं वक्ष्यन्ति निकृता जनाः । दिष्ट्यैतद् व्यसनं प्राप्तो रौद्र इत्येव हर्षिताः ॥ १४ ॥

evaṃ tvāṃ pāpakarmāṇaṃ vakṣyanti nikṛtā janāḥ | diṣṭyaitad vyasanaṃ prāpto raudra ityeva harṣitāḥ || 14 ||

"So will the wronged people speak of you, the sinner, being destroyed thus, rejoicing and saying: 'By providence this cruel one has met with calamity.'"

Shloka 15 (sundara.21.15)

शक्या लोभयितुं नाहमैश्वर्येण धनेन वा । अनन्या राघवेणाहं भास्करेण यथा प्रभा ॥ १५ ॥

śakyā lobhayituṃ nāhamaiśvaryeṇa dhanena vā | ananyā rāghaveṇāhaṃ bhāskareṇa yathā prabhā || 15 ||

"I cannot be tempted by lordship or by wealth; I am inseparable from Raghava, as sunlight is from the sun."

Shloka 16 (sundara.21.16)

उपधाय भुजं तस्य लोकनाथस्य सत्कृतम् । कथं नामोपधास्यामि भुजमन्यस्य कस्य चित् ॥ १६ ॥

upadhāya bhujaṃ tasya lokanāthasya satkṛtam | kathaṃ nāmopadhāsyāmi bhujamanyasya kasya cit || 16 ||

"Having rested my head upon that honored arm of the lord of the world, how could I ever rest it upon the arm of any other?"

Shloka 17 (sundara.21.17)

अहमौपयिकी भार्या तस्यैव वसुधापतेः । व्रतस्नातस्य विद्येव विप्रस्य विदितात्मनः ॥ १७ ॥

ahamaupayikī bhāryā tasyaiva vasudhāpateḥ | vratasnātasya vidyeva viprasya viditātmanaḥ || 17 ||

"I am the fitting wife of that lord of the earth alone, as the sacred learning belongs to a wise brahmin who has bathed after his vow."

Shloka 18 (sundara.21.18)

साधु रावण रामेण मां समानय दुःखिताम् । वने वाशितया सार्धं करेण्वेव गजाधिपम् ॥ १८ ॥

sādhu rāvaṇa rāmeṇa māṃ samānaya duḥkhitām | vane vāśitayā sārdhaṃ kareṇveva gajādhipam || 18 ||

"O Ravana, do well: reunite me, sorrowing as I am, with Rama — as a lone female elephant, longing, is reunited with the lord of elephants in the forest."

Shloka 19 (sundara.21.19)

मित्रमौपयिकं कर्तुं रामः स्थानं परीप्सता । वधं चानिच्छता घोरं त्वयासौ पुरुषर्षभः ॥ १९ ॥

mitramaupayikaṃ kartuṃ rāmaḥ sthānaṃ parīpsatā | vadhaṃ cānicchatā ghoraṃ tvayāsau puruṣarṣabhaḥ || 19 ||

"It would be fitting for you, if you desire to survive and do not wish for a terrible death, to make Rama, that bull among men, your friend."

Shloka 20 (sundara.21.20)

विदितः सर्वधर्मज्ञः शरणागतवत्सलः । तेन मैत्री भवतु ते यदि जीवितुमिच्छसि ॥ २० ॥

viditaḥ sarvadharmajñaḥ śaraṇāgatavatsalaḥ | tena maitrī bhavatu te yadi jīvitumicchasi || 20 ||

"He is known to be righteous in every way and affectionate toward those who seek refuge; if you wish to live, let there be friendship between you and him."

Shloka 21 (sundara.21.21)

प्रसादयस्व त्वं चैनं शरणागतवत्सलम् । मां चास्मै प्रयतो भूत्वा निर्यातयितुमर्हसि ॥ २१ ॥

prasādayasva tvaṃ cainaṃ śaraṇāgatavatsalam | māṃ cāsmai prayato bhūtvā niryātayitumarhasi || 21 ||

"Seek the favor of this Rama who loves those who take refuge with him, and, becoming pure of intent, you ought to return me to him."

Shloka 22 (sundara.21.22)

एवं हि ते भवेत् स्वस्ति संप्रदाय रघूत्तमे । अन्यथा त्वं हि कुर्वाणो वधं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस ॥ २२ ॥

evaṃ hi te bhavet svasti saṃpradāya raghūttame | anyathā tvaṃ hi kurvāṇo vadhaṃ prāpsyasi rākṣasa || 22 ||

"Doing so, by giving me back to the best of the Raghus, good fortune shall be yours; but acting otherwise, O rakshasa, you will meet your death."

Shloka 23 (sundara.21.23)

वर्जयेद् वज्रमुत्सृष्टं वर्जयेदन्तकश्चिरम् । त्वद्विधं न तु संक्रुद्धो लोकनाथः स राघवः ॥ २३ ॥

varjayed vajramutsṛṣṭaṃ varjayedantakaściram | tvadvidhaṃ na tu saṃkruddho lokanāthaḥ sa rāghavaḥ || 23 ||

"The hurled thunderbolt may spare its target, and death may delay long — but when enraged, that lord of the world, Raghava, will not spare one such as you."

Shloka 24 (sundara.21.24)

रामस्य धनुषः शब्दं श्रोष्यसि त्वं महास्वनम् । शतक्रतुविसृष्टस्य निर्घोषमशनेरिव ॥ २४ ॥

rāmasya dhanuṣaḥ śabdaṃ śroṣyasi tvaṃ mahāsvanam | śatakratuvisṛṣṭasya nirghoṣamaśaneriva || 24 ||

"You will hear the tremendous twang of Rama's bow, like the roar of the thunderbolt hurled by Indra of a hundred sacrifices."

Shloka 25 (sundara.21.25)

इह शीघ्रं सुपर्वाणो ज्वलितास्या इवोरगाः । इषवो निपतिष्यन्ति रामलक्ष्मणलक्षणाः ॥ २५ ॥

iha śīghraṃ suparvāṇo jvalitāsyā ivoragāḥ | iṣavo nipatiṣyanti rāmalakṣmaṇalakṣaṇāḥ || 25 ||

"Here, swiftly, arrows well-jointed, blazing at their tips like serpents, bearing the mark of Rama and Lakshmana, will fall."

Shloka 26 (sundara.21.26)

रक्षांसि परिनिघ्नन्तः पुर्यामस्यां समन्ततः । असंपातं करिष्यन्ति पतन्तः कंकवाससः ॥ २६ ॥

rakṣāṃsi parinighnantaḥ puryāmasyāṃ samantataḥ | asaṃpātaṃ kariṣyanti patantaḥ kaṃkavāsasaḥ || 26 ||

"Cutting down the rakshasas on every side of this city, those arrows fledged with heron feathers will fill it, leaving no space untouched."

Shloka 27 (sundara.21.27)

राक्षसेन्द्रमहासर्पान् स रामगरुडो महान् । उद्धरिष्यति वेगेन वैनतेय इवोरगान् ॥ २७ ॥

rākṣasendramahāsarpān sa rāmagaruḍo mahān | uddhariṣyati vegena vainateya ivoragān || 27 ||

"That great Garuda who is Rama will swiftly pluck out the great serpents who are the lords of the rakshasas, as Vainateya plucks out serpents."

Shloka 28 (sundara.21.28)

अपनेष्यति मां भर्ता त्वत्तः शीघ्रमरिंदमः । असुरेभ्यः श्रियं दीप्तां विष्णुस्त्रिभिरिव क्रमैः ॥ २८ ॥

apaneṣyati māṃ bhartā tvattaḥ śīghramariṃdamaḥ | asurebhyaḥ śriyaṃ dīptāṃ viṣṇustribhiriva kramaiḥ || 28 ||

"My husband, the tamer of foes, will soon take me away from you, as Vishnu with his three strides took away the blazing glory from the Asuras."

Shloka 29 (sundara.21.29)

जनस्थाने हतस्थाने निहते रक्षसां बले । अशक्तेन त्वया रक्षः कृतमेतदसाधु वै ॥ २९ ॥

janasthāne hatasthāne nihate rakṣasāṃ bale | aśaktena tvayā rakṣaḥ kṛtametadasādhu vai || 29 ||

"When the rakshasa army was slain and Janasthana turned into a place of the dead, this base deed was done by you only because you were powerless before them."

Shloka 30 (sundara.21.30)

आश्रमं तत् ततो शून्यं प्रविश्य नरसिंहयोः । गोचरं गतयोर्भ्रात्रोरपनीता त्वयाधम ॥ ३० ॥

āśramaṃ tat tato śūnyaṃ praviśya narasiṃhayoḥ | gocaraṃ gatayorbhrātrorapanītā tvayādhama || 30 ||

"Entering the empty hermitage while those two lion-like brothers were away, out of their sight, you carried me off, O vilest of beings."

Shloka 31 (sundara.21.31)

नहि गन्धमुपाघ्राय रामलक्ष्मणयोस्त्वया । शक्यं संदर्शने स्थातुं शुना शार्दूलयोरिव ॥ ३१ ॥

nahi gandhamupāghrāya rāmalakṣmaṇayostvayā | śakyaṃ saṃdarśane sthātuṃ śunā śārdūlayoriva || 31 ||

"Truly, having caught the scent of Rama and Lakshmana, you cannot possibly stand before their gaze, as a dog cannot stand before two tigers."

Shloka 32 (sundara.21.32)

तस्य ते विग्रहे ताभ्यां युगग्रहणमस्थिरम् । वृत्रस्येवेन्द्रबाहुभ्यां बाहोरेकस्य विग्रहे ॥ ३२ ॥

tasya te vigrahe tābhyāṃ yugagrahaṇamasthiram | vṛtrasyevendrabāhubhyāṃ bāhorekasya vigrahe || 32 ||

"Your enmity toward those two together is as unsteady as Vritra's contest of one arm against both arms of Indra."

Shloka 33 (sundara.21.33)

क्षिप्रं तव स नाथो मे रामः सौमित्रिणा सह । तोयमल्पमिवादित्यः प्राणानादास्यते शरैः ॥ ३३ ॥

kṣipraṃ tava sa nātho me rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha | toyamalpamivādityaḥ prāṇānādāsyate śaraiḥ || 33 ||

"Soon your protector Rama, together with Lakshmana's son Saumitri, will with his arrows take your life, as the sun swiftly dries up a little water."

Shloka 34 (sundara.21.34)

गिरिं कुबेरस्य गतोऽथवाऽऽलयं सभां गतो वा वरुणस्य राज्ञः । असंशयं दाशरथेर्विमोक्ष्यसे महाद्रुमः कालहतोऽशनेरिव ॥ ३४ ॥

giriṃ kuberasya gato'thavā''layaṃ sabhāṃ gato vā varuṇasya rājñaḥ | asaṃśayaṃ dāśarathervimokṣyase mahādrumaḥ kālahato'śaneriva || 34 ||

"Whether you go to Kubera's mountain or to his very home, or to the assembly hall of King Varuna, you will surely not escape the son of Dasharatha — like a great tree struck down by a thunderbolt sent by time."