Rama's Harsh Words to Sita

Shloka 1 (yuddha.115.1)

तां तु पार्श्वे स्थितां प्रह्वां रामः सम्प्रेक्ष्य मैथिलीम् । हृदयान्तर्गतं भावं व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ 115.1 ॥

tāṃ tu pārśve sthitāṃ prahvāṃ rāmaḥ samprekṣya maithilīm | hṛdayāntargataṃ bhāvaṃ vyāhartumupacakrame || 115.1 ||

Looking upon Maithili, who stood bowed at his side, Rama began to speak the feeling hidden within his heart.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.115.2)

एषासि निर्जिता भद्रे शत्रुं जित्वा रणाजिरे । पौरुषाद् यदनुष्ठेयं मयैतदुपपादितम् ॥ 115.2 ॥

eṣāsi nirjitā bhadre śatruṃ jitvā raṇājire | pauruṣād yadanuṣṭheyaṃ mayaitadupapāditam || 115.2 ||

"You are won back, gentle lady, by conquering the enemy on the battlefield. Whatever a man's valor demanded to be done, I have accomplished."

Shloka 3 (yuddha.115.3)

गतोऽस्म्यन्तममर्षस्य धर्षणा सम्प्रमार्जिता । अवमानश्च शत्रुश्च युगपन्निहतौ मया ॥ 115.3 ॥

gato'smyantamamarṣasya dharṣaṇā sampramārjitā | avamānaśca śatruśca yugapannihatau mayā || 115.3 ||

"I have reached the end of my wrath; the outrage done to me has been fully avenged. The insult and the enemy have both been destroyed by me at one stroke."

Shloka 4 (yuddha.115.4)

अद्य मे पौरुषं दृष्टमद्य मे सफलः श्रमः । अद्य तीर्णप्रतिज्ञोऽहं प्रभवाम्यद्य चात्मनः ॥ 115.4 ॥

adya me pauruṣaṃ dṛṣṭamadya me saphalaḥ śramaḥ | adya tīrṇapratijño'haṃ prabhavāmyadya cātmanaḥ || 115.4 ||

"Today my manhood has been proven; today my labor has borne fruit. Today I have fulfilled my vow, and today I am truly master of myself."

Shloka 5 (yuddha.115.5)

या त्वं विरहिता नीता चलचित्तेन रक्षसा । दैवसम्पादितो दोषो मानुषेण मया जितः ॥ 115.5 ॥

yā tvaṃ virahitā nītā calacittena rakṣasā | daivasampādito doṣo mānuṣeṇa mayā jitaḥ || 115.5 ||

"You, who were torn from me and carried off by that fickle-minded rakshasa — that wrong wrought by fate I, a mere man, have now overcome."

Shloka 6 (yuddha.115.6)

सम्प्राप्तमवमानं यस्तेजसा न प्रमार्जति । कस्तस्य पौरुषेणार्थो महताप्यल्पचेतसः ॥ 115.6 ॥

samprāptamavamānaṃ yastejasā na pramārjati | kastasya pauruṣeṇārtho mahatāpyalpacetasaḥ || 115.6 ||

"Of what use is valor, however great, to a small-hearted man who does not wipe away, by his own vigor, an insult that has befallen him?"

Shloka 7 (yuddha.115.7)

लङ्घुनं समुद्रस्य लङ्कायाश्चापि मर्दनम् । सफलं तस्य च श्लाघ्यमद्य कर्म हनूमतः ॥ 115.7 ॥

laṅghunaṃ samudrasya laṅkāyāścāpi mardanam | saphalaṃ tasya ca ślāghyamadya karma hanūmataḥ || 115.7 ||

"Hanuman's praiseworthy feat — his leap across the ocean and his devastation of Lanka — has today borne fruit."

Shloka 8 (yuddha.115.8)

युद्धे विक्रमतश्चैव हितं मन्त्रयतस्तथा । सुग्रीवस्य ससैन्यस्य सफलोऽद्य परिश्रमः ॥ 115.8 ॥

yuddhe vikramataścaiva hitaṃ mantrayatastathā | sugrīvasya sasainyasya saphalo'dya pariśramaḥ || 115.8 ||

"The effort of Sugriva, together with his army — his valor in battle and his wise counsel — is fruitful today."

Shloka 9 (yuddha.115.9)

विभीषणस्य च तथा सफलोऽद्य परिश्रमः । विगुणं भ्रातरं त्यक्त्वा यो मां स्वयमुपस्थितः ॥ 115.9 ॥

vibhīṣaṇasya ca tathā saphalo'dya pariśramaḥ | viguṇaṃ bhrātaraṃ tyaktvā yo māṃ svayamupasthitaḥ || 115.9 ||

"So too the exertion of Vibhishana bears fruit today — he who, forsaking his unworthy brother, came to me of his own will."

Shloka 10 (yuddha.115.10)

इत्येवं वदतः श्रुत्वा सीता रामस्य तद् वचः । मृगीवोत्फुल्लनयना बभूवाश्रुपरिप्लुता ॥ 115.10 ॥

ityevaṃ vadataḥ śrutvā sītā rāmasya tad vacaḥ | mṛgīvotphullanayanā babhūvāśrupariplutā || 115.10 ||

Hearing these words spoken by Rama, Sita, her eyes wide like a doe's, was overwhelmed and filled with tears.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.115.11)

पश्यतस्तां तु रामस्य समीपे हृदयप्रियाम् । जनवादभयाद् राज्ञो बभूव हृदयं द्विधा ॥ 115.11 ॥

paśyatastāṃ tu rāmasya samīpe hṛdayapriyām | janavādabhayād rājño babhūva hṛdayaṃ dvidhā || 115.11 ||

As King Rama looked upon her, the beloved of his heart, standing near him, his own heart split in two out of fear of public reproach.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.115.12)

सीतामुत्पलपत्राक्षीं नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजाम् । अवदद् वै वरारोहां मध्ये वानररक्षसाम् ॥ 115.12 ॥

sītāmutpalapatrākṣīṃ nīlakuñcitamūrdhajām | avadad vai varārohāṃ madhye vānararakṣasām || 115.12 ||

Amid the assembled vanaras and rakshasas, he spoke to Sita, whose eyes were like lotus petals, whose hair was dark and curling, and whose form was lovely.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.115.13)

यत् कर्तव्यं मनुष्येण धर्षणां प्रतिमार्जता । तत् कृतं रावणं हत्वा मयेदं मानकांक्षिणा ॥ 115.13 ॥

yat kartavyaṃ manuṣyeṇa dharṣaṇāṃ pratimārjatā | tat kṛtaṃ rāvaṇaṃ hatvā mayedaṃ mānakāṃkṣiṇā || 115.13 ||

"Whatever a man ought to do to wipe away an outrage done to him, that I, desiring my honor, have accomplished by slaying Ravana."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.115.14)

निर्जिता जीवलोकस्य तपसा भावितात्मना । अगस्त्येन दुराधर्षा मुनिना दक्षिणेव दिक् ॥ 115.14 ॥

nirjitā jīvalokasya tapasā bhāvitātmanā | agastyena durādharṣā muninā dakṣiṇeva dik || 115.14 ||

"You have been won back by me, whose soul was purified through austerity, just as the southern quarter, unapproachable to the world of mortals, was once conquered by the sage Agastya, his self refined by penance."

Shloka 15 (yuddha.115.15)

विदितश्चास्तु भद्रं ते योऽयं रणपरिश्रमः । सुतीर्णः सुहृदां वीर्यान्न त्वदर्थं मया कृतः ॥ 115.15 ॥

viditaścāstu bhadraṃ te yo'yaṃ raṇapariśramaḥ | sutīrṇaḥ suhṛdāṃ vīryānna tvadarthaṃ mayā kṛtaḥ || 115.15 ||

"Let it be known to you — may good befall you — that this ordeal of war, brought successfully to its end through the valor of my friends, was not undertaken for your sake."

Shloka 16 (yuddha.115.16)

रक्षता तु मया वृत्तमपवादं च सर्वतः । प्रख्यातस्यात्मवंशस्य न्यङ्गं च परिमार्जता ॥ 115.16 ॥

rakṣatā tu mayā vṛttamapavādaṃ ca sarvataḥ | prakhyātasyātmavaṃśasya nyaṅgaṃ ca parimārjatā || 115.16 ||

"It was done by me to safeguard my own conduct, to wipe away reproach from every quarter, and to erase the stain upon my illustrious lineage."

Shloka 17 (yuddha.115.17)

प्राप्तचारित्रसंदेहा मम प्रतिमुखे स्थिता । दीपो नेत्रातुरस्येव प्रतिकूलासि मे दृढम् ॥ 115.17 ॥

prāptacāritrasaṃdehā mama pratimukhe sthitā | dīpo netrāturasyeva pratikūlāsi me dṛḍham || 115.17 ||

"Standing before me now with your conduct fallen under suspicion, you are as intolerable to me as a lamp to eyes diseased."

Shloka 18 (yuddha.115.18)

तद्गच्छ त्वानुजानेऽद्य यथेष्टं जनकात्मजे । एता दश दिशो भद्रे कार्यमस्ति न मे त्वया ॥ 115.18 ॥

tadgaccha tvānujāne'dya yatheṣṭaṃ janakātmaje | etā daśa diśo bhadre kāryamasti na me tvayā || 115.18 ||

"Therefore go, daughter of Janaka — I give you leave this day to go wherever you please. Here are the ten directions open to you, gracious lady; I have no further use for you."

Shloka 19 (yuddha.115.19)

कः पुमांस्तु कुले जातह् स्त्रियं परगृहोषिताम् । तेजस्वी पुनरादद्यात् सुहृल्लोभेन चेतसा ॥ 115.19 ॥

kaḥ pumāṃstu kule jātah striyaṃ paragṛhoṣitām | tejasvī punarādadyāt suhṛllobhena cetasā || 115.19 ||

"What man of noble birth and spirit would take back, out of mere fondness of heart, a woman who has dwelt in another man's house?"

Shloka 20 (yuddha.115.20)

रावणाङ्कपरिक्लिष्टां दृष्टां दुष्टेन चक्षुषा । कथं त्वां पुनरादद्यां कुलं व्यपदिशन् महत् ॥ 115.20 ॥

rāvaṇāṅkaparikliṣṭāṃ dṛṣṭāṃ duṣṭena cakṣuṣā | kathaṃ tvāṃ punarādadyāṃ kulaṃ vyapadiśan mahat || 115.20 ||

"How, while claiming descent from a great lineage, could I take you back — you who were held in Ravana's embrace and looked upon by his lustful eyes?"

Shloka 21 (yuddha.115.21)

तदर्थं निर्जिता मे त्वं यशः प्रत्याहृतं मया । नास्ति मे त्वय्यभिष्वङ्गो यथेष्टं गम्यतामिति ॥ 115.21 ॥

tadarthaṃ nirjitā me tvaṃ yaśaḥ pratyāhṛtaṃ mayā | nāsti me tvayyabhiṣvaṅgo yatheṣṭaṃ gamyatāmiti || 115.21 ||

"It was to that end alone that you were won back by me — I have reclaimed my honor. I have no attachment left for you; go now wherever you wish."

Shloka 22 (yuddha.115.22)

तदद्य व्याहृतं भद्रे मयैतत् कृतबुद्धिना । लक्ष्मणे वाथ भरते कुरु बुद्धिं यथासुखम् ॥ 115.22 ॥

tadadya vyāhṛtaṃ bhadre mayaitat kṛtabuddhinā | lakṣmaṇe vātha bharate kuru buddhiṃ yathāsukham || 115.22 ||

"This, gracious lady, I have spoken today with a mind fully resolved. Turn your thoughts, as you please, to Lakshmana or to Bharata."

Shloka 23 (yuddha.115.23)

शत्रुघ्ने वाथ सुग्रीवे राक्षसे वा विभीषणे । निवेशय मनः सीते यथा वा सुखमात्मनः ॥ 115.23 ॥

śatrughne vātha sugrīve rākṣase vā vibhīṣaṇe | niveśaya manaḥ sīte yathā vā sukhamātmanaḥ || 115.23 ||

"Or, Sita, set your mind on Shatrughna, or on Sugriva, or on Vibhishana the rakshasa — or wherever else your own comfort may lead you."

Shloka 24 (yuddha.115.24)

न हि त्वां रावणो दृष्ट्वा दिव्यरूपां मनोरमाम् । मर्षयेत चिरं सीते स्वगृहे पर्यवस्थिताम् ॥ 115.24 ॥

na hi tvāṃ rāvaṇo dṛṣṭvā divyarūpāṃ manoramām | marṣayeta ciraṃ sīte svagṛhe paryavasthitām || 115.24 ||

"For surely, Sita, Ravana, seeing your divine and enchanting beauty, could not have endured for long to leave you unmolested while you dwelt in his house."

Shloka 25 (yuddha.115.25)

ततः प्रियार्हश्रवणा तदप्रियम् । प्रियादुपश्रुत्य चिरस्य मैथिली । मुमोच बाष्पं सुभृशं प्रवेपिता । गजेन्द्रहस्ताभिहतेव वल्लरी ॥ 115.25 ॥

tataḥ priyārhaśravaṇā tadapriyaṃ | priyādupaśrutya cirasya maithilī | mumoca bāṣpaṃ subhṛśaṃ pravepitā | gajendrahastābhihateva vallarī || 115.25 ||

Then Maithili, who deserved only tender words, having heard this harsh speech from her own beloved, trembled violently and, after so long, broke into tears — like a creeper struck down by an elephant's trunk.