The Rakshasis Urge Sita to Accept Ravana

Shloka 1 (sundara.23.1)

इत्युक्त्वा मैथिलीं राजा रावणः शत्रुरावणः । संदिश्य च ततः सर्वा राक्षसीर्निर्जगाम ह ॥ १ ॥

ityuktvā maithilīṃ rājā rāvaṇaḥ śatrurāvaṇaḥ | saṃdiśya ca tataḥ sarvā rākṣasīrnirjagāma ha || 1 ||

Having spoken thus to Maithili, King Ravana, that scourge of his foes, gave his command and then departed, together with all the rakshasis.

Shloka 2 (sundara.23.2)

निष्क्रान्ते राक्षसेन्द्रे तु पुनरन्तःपुरं गते । राक्षस्यो भीमरूपास्ताः सीतां समभिदुद्रुवुः ॥ २ ॥

niṣkrānte rākṣasendre tu punarantaḥpuraṃ gate | rākṣasyo bhīmarūpāstāḥ sītāṃ samabhidudruvuḥ || 2 ||

When the lord of the rakshasas had gone, withdrawing back into the inner apartments, those hideous rakshasi women rushed at Sita from every side.

Shloka 3 (sundara.23.3)

ततः सीतामुपागम्य राक्षस्यः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः । परं परुषया वाचा वैदेहीमिदमब्रुवन् ॥ ३ ॥

tataḥ sītāmupāgamya rākṣasyaḥ krodhamūrcchitāḥ | paraṃ paruṣayā vācā vaidehīmidamabruvan || 3 ||

Then, closing in upon Sita, the rakshasis, swooning with rage, spoke these words to Vaidehi in the harshest of voices:

Shloka 4 (sundara.23.4)

पौलस्त्यस्य वरिष्ठस्य रावणस्य महात्मनः । दशग्रीवस्य भार्यात्वं सीते न बहु मन्यसे ॥ ४ ॥

paulastyasya variṣṭhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ | daśagrīvasya bhāryātvaṃ sīte na bahu manyase || 4 ||

"O Sita, you do not sufficiently esteem becoming the wife of Ravana, the ten-necked one, foremost of Pulastya's line, that great soul."

Shloka 5 (sundara.23.5)

ततस्त्वेकजटा नाम राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत् । आमन्त्र्य क्रोधताम्राक्षी सीतां करतलोदरीम् ॥ ५ ॥

tatastvekajaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt | āmantrya krodhatāmrākṣī sītāṃ karatalodarīm || 5 ||

Then a rakshasi named Ekajata, her eyes red with fury, addressing hollow-palmed Sita, spoke these words:

Shloka 6 (sundara.23.6)

प्रजापतीनां षण्णां तु चतुर्थोऽयं प्रजापतिः । मानसो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः पुलस्त्य इति विश्रुतः ॥ ६ ॥

prajāpatīnāṃ ṣaṇṇāṃ tu caturtho'yaṃ prajāpatiḥ | mānaso brahmaṇaḥ putraḥ pulastya iti viśrutaḥ || 6 ||

"Of the six Prajapatis, this one is the fourth: Pulastya, born of Brahma's mind, renowned by that name."

Shloka 7 (sundara.23.7)

पुलस्त्यस्य तु तेजस्वी महर्षिर्मानसः सुतः । नाम्ना स विश्रवा नाम प्रजापतिसमप्रभः ॥ ७ ॥

pulastyasya tu tejasvī maharṣirmānasaḥ sutaḥ | nāmnā sa viśravā nāma prajāpatisamaprabhaḥ || 7 ||

"From Pulastya was born a radiant great sage, mind-born, named Vishrava, equal in splendor to a Prajapati himself."

Shloka 8 (sundara.23.8)

तस्य पुत्रो विशालाक्षि रावणः शत्रुरावणः । तस्य त्वं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य भार्या भवितुमर्हसि । मयोक्तं चारुसर्वाङ्गि वाक्यं किं नानुमन्यसे ॥ ८ ॥

tasya putro viśālākṣi rāvaṇaḥ śatrurāvaṇaḥ | tasya tvaṃ rākṣasendrasya bhāryā bhavitumarhasi | mayoktaṃ cārusarvāṅgi vākyaṃ kiṃ nānumanyase || 8 ||

"His son, O wide-eyed one, is Ravana, the scourge of his enemies; you deserve to become the wife of that lord of the rakshasas. Why, O lovely-limbed one, do you not agree to these words that I have spoken to you?"

Shloka 9 (sundara.23.9)

ततो हरिजटा नाम राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत् । विवृत्य नयने कोपान्मार्जारसदृशेक्षणा ॥ ९ ॥

tato harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt | vivṛtya nayane kopānmārjārasadṛśekṣaṇā || 9 ||

Then a rakshasi named Harijata, her eyes like a cat's, rolling her eyes in anger, spoke these words:

Shloka 10 (sundara.23.10)

येन देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशद् देवराजश्च निर्जिताः । तस्य त्वं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य भार्या भवितुमर्हसि ॥ १० ॥

yena devāstrayastriṃśad devarājaśca nirjitāḥ | tasya tvaṃ rākṣasendrasya bhāryā bhavitumarhasi || 10 ||

"By whom the thirty-three gods and even their king were once conquered — you deserve to become the wife of that lord of the rakshasas."

Shloka 11 (sundara.23.11)

ततस्तु प्रघसा नाम राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्छिता । भर्त्सयन्ती तदा घोरमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ११ ॥

tatastu praghasā nāma rākṣasī krodhamūrchitā | bhartsayantī tadā ghoramidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 11 ||

Then a rakshasi named Praghasa, swooning with rage, threatening Sita, spoke this terrible word:

Shloka 12 (sundara.23.12)

वीर्योत्सिक्तस्य शूरस्य संग्रामे न निवर्तिनः । बलिनो वीर्ययुक्तस्य भार्यात्वं किं न लप्स्यसे ॥ १२ ॥

vīryotsiktasya śūrasya saṃgrāme na nivartinaḥ | balino vīryayuktasya bhāryātvaṃ kiṃ na lapsyase || 12 ||

"Why will you not obtain the wifehood of one so proud of his valor, a hero who never turns back in battle, mighty and full of might?"

Shloka 13 (sundara.23.13)

प्रियां बहुमतां भार्यां त्यक्त्वा राजा महाबलः । सर्वासां च महाभागां त्वामुपैष्यति रावणः ॥ १३ ॥

priyāṃ bahumatāṃ bhāryāṃ tyaktvā rājā mahābalaḥ | sarvāsāṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ || 13 ||

"Leaving behind his dear and honored wife, most fortunate among all his wives, the mighty king Ravana will come to you."

Shloka 14 (sundara.23.14)

समृद्धं स्त्रीसहस्रेण नानारत्नोपशोभितम् । अन्तःपुरं समुत्सृज्य त्वामुपैष्यति रावणः ॥ १४ ॥

samṛddhaṃ strīsahasreṇa nānāratnopaśobhitam | antaḥpuraṃ samutsṛjya tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ || 14 ||

"Abandoning his gynaeceum, filled with a thousand women and adorned with every kind of jewel, Ravana will come to you."

Shloka 15 (sundara.23.15)

अन्या तु विकटा नाम राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १५ ॥

anyā tu vikaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt || 15 ||

Then another rakshasi named Vikata spoke these words:

Shloka 16 (sundara.23.16)

असकृद्देवता युद्धे नागगन्धर्वदानवाः । निर्जिताः समरे येन स ते पार्श्वमुपागतः ॥ १६ ॥

asakṛddevatā yuddhe nāgagandharvadānavāḥ | nirjitāḥ samare yena sa te pārśvamupāgataḥ || 16 ||

"By whom, again and again in battle, the gods, nagas, gandharvas, and danavas have all been conquered — that very lord now stands at your side."

Shloka 17 (sundara.23.17)

तस्य सर्वसमृद्धस्य रावणस्य महात्मनः । किमद्य राक्षसेन्द्रस्य भार्यात्वं नेच्छसेऽधमे ॥ १७ ॥

tasya sarvasamṛddhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ | kimadya rākṣasendrasya bhāryātvaṃ necchase'dhame || 17 ||

"Why, O vile one, do you not now desire to become the wife of that Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, that great soul who has everything in abundance?"

Shloka 18 (sundara.23.18)

ततस्तु दुर्मुखी नाम राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत् । यस्य सूर्यो न तपति भीतो यस्य च मारुतः । न वाति स्मायतापाङ्गे किं त्वं तस्य न तिष्ठसि ॥ १८ ॥

tatastu durmukhī nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt | yasya sūryo na tapati bhīto yasya ca mārutaḥ | na vāti smāyatāpāṅge kiṃ tvaṃ tasya na tiṣṭhasi || 18 ||

Then a rakshasi named Durmukhi spoke these words: "He of whom, out of fear, the sun does not scorch, and of whom the wind itself does not dare to blow — why, O wide-eyed one, do you not stay devoted to him?"

Shloka 19 (sundara.23.19)

पुष्पवृष्टिं च तरवो मुमुचुर्यस्य वै भयात् । शैलाश्च सुस्रुवुः पानीयं जलदाश्च यदेच्छति ॥ १९ ॥

puṣpavṛṣṭiṃ ca taravo mumucuryasya vai bhayāt | śailāśca susruvuḥ pānīyaṃ jaladāśca yadecchati || 19 ||

"Out of fear of whom the very trees shed a shower of blossoms, and mountains and clouds pour forth water whenever he so wishes —"

Shloka 20 (sundara.23.20)

तस्य नैरृतराजस्य राजराजस्य भामिनि । किं त्वं न कुरुषे बुद्धिं भार्यार्थे रावणस्य हि ॥ २० ॥

tasya nairṛtarājasya rājarājasya bhāmini | kiṃ tvaṃ na kuruṣe buddhiṃ bhāryārthe rāvaṇasya hi || 20 ||

"why do you not resolve, O radiant one, to become the wife of that lord of the rakshasas, king of kings?"

Shloka 21 (sundara.23.21)

साधु ते तत्त्वतो देवि कथितं साधु भामिनि । गृहाण सुस्मिते वाक्यमन्यथा न भविष्यसि ॥ २१ ॥

sādhu te tattvato devi kathitaṃ sādhu bhāmini | gṛhāṇa susmite vākyamanyathā na bhaviṣyasi || 21 ||

"Well indeed, O queen, has this truth been well spoken to you; accept these words, O sweetly-smiling one, or else it will not go well for you."