The Lament of Ravana's Wives

Shloka 1 (yuddha.110.1)

रावणं निहतं श्रुत्वा राघवेण महात्मना। अन्तःपुराद् विनिष्पेतू राक्षस्यः शोककर्शिताः॥॥ 110.1 ॥

rāvaṇaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā rāghaveṇa mahātmanā| antaḥpurād viniṣpetū rākṣasyaḥ śokakarśitāḥ|||| 110.1 ||

Hearing that Ravana had been slain by the great-souled Rama, the demon-women, wasted with grief, rushed out from the inner chambers.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.110.2)

वार्यमाणाः सुबहुशो वेष्टन्त्यः क्षितिपांसुषु। विमुक्तकेश्यः शोकार्ता गावो वत्सहता इव॥॥ 110.2 ॥

vāryamāṇāḥ subahuśo veṣṭantyaḥ kṣitipāṃsuṣu| vimuktakeśyaḥ śokārtā gāvo vatsahatā iva|||| 110.2 ||

Though restrained again and again, they rolled about in the dust of the streets, their hair unbound, tormented with grief, like cows that have lost their calves.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.110.3)

उत्तरेण विनिष्क्रम्य द्वारेण सह राक्षसैः। प्रविश्यायोधनं घोरं विचिन्वन्त्यो हतं पतिम्॥॥ 110.3 ॥

uttareṇa viniṣkramya dvāreṇa saha rākṣasaiḥ| praviśyāyodhanaṃ ghoraṃ vicinvantyo hataṃ patim|||| 110.3 ||

Issuing out through the northern gate along with the demons, and entering that dreadful battlefield, searching for their slain husband,

Shloka 4 (yuddha.110.4)

आर्यपुत्रेति वादिन्यो हा नाथेति च सर्वशः। परिपेतुः कबन्धाङ्कां महीं शोणितकर्दमाम्॥॥ 110.4 ॥

āryaputreti vādinyo hā nātheti ca sarvaśaḥ| paripetuḥ kabandhāṅkāṃ mahīṃ śoṇitakardamām|||| 110.4 ||

crying out on every side, "Ah, my noble lord! Ah, my protector!" they ran hither and thither over that ground strewn with headless trunks and turned to mud with blood.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.110.5)

ता बाष्पपरिपूर्णाक्ष्यो भर्तृशोकपराजिताः। करेण्व इव नर्दन्त्यो विनेदुर्हतयूथपाः॥॥ 110.5 ॥

tā bāṣpaparipūrṇākṣyo bhartṛśokaparājitāḥ| kareṇva iva nardantyo vinedurhatayūthapāḥ|||| 110.5 ||

Those women, their eyes brimming with tears, overcome by grief for their husband, wailed aloud like female elephants roaring for the herd-leader they had lost.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.110.6)

ददृशुस्ता महाकायं महावीर्यं महाद्युतिम्। रावणं निहतं भूमौ नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम्॥॥ 110.6 ॥

dadṛśustā mahākāyaṃ mahāvīryaṃ mahādyutim| rāvaṇaṃ nihataṃ bhūmau nīlāñjanacayopamam|||| 110.6 ||

They saw him there — Ravana, of gigantic frame, of great valour, of great splendour — lying slain upon the ground, like a heap of dark collyrium.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.110.7)

ताः पतिं सहसा दृष्ट्वा शयानं रणपांसुषु। निपेतुस्तस्य गात्रेषु च्छिन्ना वनलता इव॥॥ 110.7 ॥

tāḥ patiṃ sahasā dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ raṇapāṃsuṣu| nipetustasya gātreṣu cchinnā vanalatā iva|||| 110.7 ||

Suddenly seeing their husband lying in the dust of the battlefield, they fell upon his limbs, like wild creepers cut down at the root.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.110.8)

बहुमानात् परिष्वज्य काचिदेनं रुरोद ह। चरणौ काचिदालम्ब्य काचित् कण्ठेऽवलम्ब्य च॥॥ 110.8 ॥

bahumānāt pariṣvajya kācidenaṃ ruroda ha| caraṇau kācidālambya kācit kaṇṭhe'valambya ca|||| 110.8 ||

One, embracing him with deep devotion, wept aloud; another clung to his feet; another clasped his neck;

Shloka 9 (yuddha.110.9)

उत्क्षिप्य च भुजौ काचिद् भूमौ सुपरिवर्तते। हतस्य वदनं दृष्ट्वा काचिन्मोहमुपागमत्॥॥ 110.9 ॥

utkṣipya ca bhujau kācid bhūmau suparivartate| hatasya vadanaṃ dṛṣṭvā kācinmohamupāgamat|||| 110.9 ||

one, throwing up her arms, rolled upon the ground; another, seeing the face of her slain husband, fell into a swoon;

Shloka 10 (yuddha.110.10)

काचिदङ्के शिरः कृत्वा रुरोद मुखमीक्षती। स्नापयन्ती मुखं बाष्पैस्तुषारैरिव पङ्कजम्॥॥ 110.10 ॥

kācidaṅke śiraḥ kṛtvā ruroda mukhamīkṣatī| snāpayantī mukhaṃ bāṣpaistuṣārairiva paṅkajam|||| 110.10 ||

and another, taking his head into her lap, wept as she gazed upon his face, bathing it with her tears as dew bathes a lotus.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.110.11)

एवमार्ताः पतिं दृष्ट्वा रावणं निहतं भुवि। चुक्रुशुर्बहुधा शोकाद् भूयस्ताः पर्यदेवयन्॥॥ 110.11 ॥

evamārtāḥ patiṃ dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇaṃ nihataṃ bhuvi| cukruśurbahudhā śokād bhūyastāḥ paryadevayan|||| 110.11 ||

Thus, stricken with grief on seeing their husband Ravana lying slain upon the earth, they cried out in many ways, and lamented again and yet again:

Shloka 12 (yuddha.110.12)

येन वित्रासितः शक्रो येन वित्रासितो यमः। येन वैश्रवणो राजा पुष्पकेण वियोजितः॥॥ 110.12 ॥

yena vitrāsitaḥ śakro yena vitrāsito yamaḥ| yena vaiśravaṇo rājā puṣpakeṇa viyojitaḥ|||| 110.12 ||

"He by whom Indra was struck with terror, he by whom Yama himself was made afraid, he by whom King Vaishravana was stripped of the Pushpaka —

Shloka 13 (yuddha.110.13)

गन्धर्वाणामृषीणां च सुराणां च महात्मनाम्। भयं येन रणे दत्तं सोऽयं शेते रणे हतः॥॥ 110.13 ॥

gandharvāṇāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca surāṇāṃ ca mahātmanām| bhayaṃ yena raṇe dattaṃ so'yaṃ śete raṇe hataḥ|||| 110.13 ||

he who struck fear in battle into the Gandharvas, the sages and the great-souled gods — that very one now lies slain upon the battlefield!

Shloka 14 (yuddha.110.14)

असुरेभ्यः सुरेभ्यो वा पन्नगेभ्योऽपि वा तथा। भयं यो न विजानाति तस्येदं मानुषाद् भयम्॥॥ 110.14 ॥

asurebhyaḥ surebhyo vā pannagebhyo'pi vā tathā| bhayaṃ yo na vijānāti tasyedaṃ mānuṣād bhayam|||| 110.14 ||

He who knew no fear from the asuras, or from the gods, or even from the serpents — this peril has now come to him from a mere mortal!

Shloka 15 (yuddha.110.15)

अवध्यो देवतानां यस्तथा दानवरक्षसाम्। हतः सोऽयं रणे शेते मानुषेण पदातिना॥॥ 110.15 ॥

avadhyo devatānāṃ yastathā dānavarakṣasām| hataḥ so'yaṃ raṇe śete mānuṣeṇa padātinā|||| 110.15 ||

He who could not be slain by the gods, nor by the danavas or demons — that very one now lies slain in battle, felled by a mortal fighting on foot!

Shloka 16 (yuddha.110.16)

यो न शक्यः सुरैर्हन्तुं न यक्षैर्नासुरैस्तथा। सोऽयं कश्चिदिवासत्त्वो मृत्युं मर्त्येन लम्भितः॥॥ 110.16 ॥

yo na śakyaḥ surairhantuṃ na yakṣairnāsuraistathā| so'yaṃ kaścidivāsattvo mṛtyuṃ martyena lambhitaḥ|||| 110.16 ||

He whom the gods could not kill, nor the Yakshas, nor likewise the asuras — he has now met his death at the hands of a mere mortal, as though he were some creature devoid of all power!"

Shloka 17 (yuddha.110.17)

एवं वदन्त्यो रुरुदुस्तस्य ता दुःखिताः स्त्रियः। भूय एव च दुःखार्ता विलेपुश्च पुनः पुनः॥॥ 110.17 ॥

evaṃ vadantyo rurudustasya tā duḥkhitāḥ striyaḥ| bhūya eva ca duḥkhārtā vilepuśca punaḥ punaḥ|||| 110.17 ||

Speaking thus, those sorrowing women of his burst into tears; and, stricken with grief, they lamented again and yet again:

Shloka 18 (yuddha.110.18)

अशृण्वता तु सुहृदां सततं हितवादिनाम्। मरणायाहृता सीता राक्षसाश्च निपातिताः। एताः सममिदानीं ते वयमात्मा च पातितः॥॥ 110.18 ॥

aśṛṇvatā tu suhṛdāṃ satataṃ hitavādinām| maraṇāyāhṛtā sītā rākṣasāśca nipātitāḥ| etāḥ samamidānīṃ te vayamātmā ca pātitaḥ|||| 110.18 ||

"You, who never listened to your well-wishers who always counselled what was good for you, carried off Sita only to bring about your own death; the demons have been struck down; and now we, your consorts, together with your own self, have all been laid low alike.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.110.19)

ब्रुवाणोऽपि हितं वाक्यमिष्टो भ्राता विभीषणः। धृष्टं परुषितो मोहात् त्वयाऽऽत्मवधकांक्षिणा॥॥ 110.19 ॥

bruvāṇo'pi hitaṃ vākyamiṣṭo bhrātā vibhīṣaṇaḥ| dhṛṣṭaṃ paruṣito mohāt tvayā''tmavadhakāṃkṣiṇā|||| 110.19 ||

Even Vibhishana, your own beloved brother, though he offered you salutary counsel, was harshly and rudely rebuked by you, out of the delusion that sought your own destruction.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.110.20)

यदि निर्यातिता ते स्यात् सीता रामाय मैथिली। न नः स्याद् व्यसनं घोरमिदं मूलहरं महत्॥॥ 110.20 ॥

yadi niryātitā te syāt sītā rāmāya maithilī| na naḥ syād vyasanaṃ ghoramidaṃ mūlaharaṃ mahat|||| 110.20 ||

Had you but restored Sita, the princess of Mithila, to Rama, this terrible and overwhelming calamity, which has uprooted us to the very root, would never have befallen us.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.110.21)

वृत्तकामो भवेद् भ्राता रामो मित्रकुलं भवेत्। वयं चाविधवाः सर्वाः सकामा न च शत्रवः॥॥ 110.21 ॥

vṛttakāmo bhaved bhrātā rāmo mitrakulaṃ bhavet| vayaṃ cāvidhavāḥ sarvāḥ sakāmā na ca śatravaḥ|||| 110.21 ||

Your brother's wish would have been fulfilled, Rama would have become the head of an allied house, all of us would have remained free of widowhood and content, and our enemies would not have gained their desire.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.110.22)

त्वया पुनर्नृशंसेन सीतां संरुन्धता बलात्। राक्षसा वयमात्मा च त्रयं तुल्यं निपातितम्॥॥ 110.22 ॥

tvayā punarnṛśaṃsena sītāṃ saṃrundhatā balāt| rākṣasā vayamātmā ca trayaṃ tulyaṃ nipātitam|||| 110.22 ||

But you, cruel as you were, having forcibly confined Sita, have brought down alike, in one stroke, the demons, us, and your own self — all three together.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.110.23)

न कामकारः कामं वा तव राक्षसपुंगव। दैवं चेष्टयते सर्वं हतं दैवेन हन्यते॥॥ 110.23 ॥

na kāmakāraḥ kāmaṃ vā tava rākṣasapuṃgava| daivaṃ ceṣṭayate sarvaṃ hataṃ daivena hanyate|||| 110.23 ||

Yet, O bull among demons, perhaps this was not truly the working of your own free will after all — for it is fate that governs all things; what is struck down is struck down by fate.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.110.24)

वानराणां विनाशोऽयं राक्षसानां च ते रणे। तव चैव महाबाहो दैवयोगादुपागतः॥॥ 110.24 ॥

vānarāṇāṃ vināśo'yaṃ rākṣasānāṃ ca te raṇe| tava caiva mahābāho daivayogādupāgataḥ|||| 110.24 ||

O mighty-armed one, this destruction of the monkeys, of your demons, and of your very self in this war, has come about only through the working of fate.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.110.25)

नैवार्थेन च कामेन विक्रमेण न चाज्ञया। शक्या दैवगतिर्लोके निवर्तयितुमुद्यता॥॥ 110.25 ॥

naivārthena ca kāmena vikrameṇa na cājñayā| śakyā daivagatirloke nivartayitumudyatā|||| 110.25 ||

Neither by wealth, nor by desire, nor by valour, nor even by command can the course of fate, once set in motion, ever be turned back in this world.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.110.26)

विलेपुरेवं दीनास्ता राक्षसाधिपयोषितः। कुरर्य इव दुःखार्ता बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणाः॥॥ 110.26 ॥

vilepurevaṃ dīnāstā rākṣasādhipayoṣitaḥ| kurarya iva duḥkhārtā bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇāḥ|||| 110.26 ||

Thus lamented those wretched consorts of the demon-king, stricken with grief, their eyes brimming and clouded with tears, like ospreys crying in sorrow."