Sita's Lament and Trijata's Comfort

Shloka 1 (yuddha.48.1)

भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्। विललाप भृशं सीता करुणं शोककर्शिता ॥ 48.1 ॥

bhartāraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam| vilalāpa bhṛśaṃ sītā karuṇaṃ śokakarśitā || 48.1 ||

Seeing her husband slain, and the mighty Lakshmana too, Sita, wasted with grief, lamented piteously and long.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.48.2)

ऊचुर्लाक्षणिका ये मां पुत्रिण्यविधवेति च। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः ॥ 48.2 ॥

ūcurlākṣaṇikā ye māṃ putriṇyavidhaveti ca| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ || 48.2 ||

“Those readers of bodily signs who declared that I should bear sons and never be widowed -- all those wise men, now that Rama is slain, are proved liars.”

Shloka 3 (yuddha.48.3)

यज्वनो महिषीं ये मामूचुः पत्नीं च सत्रिणः। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः ॥ 48.3 ॥

yajvano mahiṣīṃ ye māmūcuḥ patnīṃ ca satriṇaḥ| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ || 48.3 ||

“Those who declared that I should be the crowned queen of a great sacrificer, wife of one who performs the sattra rite -- all those wise men, now that Rama is slain, are proved liars.”

Shloka 4 (yuddha.48.4)

वीरपार्थिवपत्नीनां ये विदुर्भर्तृपूजिताम्। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः ॥ 48.4 ॥

vīrapārthivapatnīnāṃ ye vidurbhartṛpūjitām| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ || 48.4 ||

“Those who knew that I should be honoured by my husband above the wives of heroic kings -- all those wise men, now that Rama is slain, are proved liars.”

Shloka 5 (yuddha.48.5)

ऊचुः संश्रवणे ये मां द्विजाः कार्तान्तिकाः शुभाम्। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः ॥ 48.5 ॥

ūcuḥ saṃśravaṇe ye māṃ dvijāḥ kārtāntikāḥ śubhām| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ || 48.5 ||

“Those brahmins, skilled in astrology, who openly proclaimed my good fortune -- all those wise men, now that Rama is slain, are proved liars.”

Shloka 6 (yuddha.48.6)

इमानि खलु पद्मानि पादयोर्वै कुलस्त्रियः। आधिराज्येऽभिषिच्यन्ते नरेन्द्रैः पतिभिः सह ॥ 48.6 ॥

imāni khalu padmāni pādayorvai kulastriyaḥ| ādhirājye'bhiṣicyante narendraiḥ patibhiḥ saha || 48.6 ||

“For it is by these very lotus-marks on the soles of their feet that high-born women are consecrated to sovereign rule, together with their royal husbands --”

Shloka 7 (yuddha.48.7)

वैधव्यं यान्ति यैर्नार्योऽलक्षणैर्भाग्यदुर्लभाः। नात्मनस्तानि पश्यामि पश्यन्ती हतलक्षणा ॥ 48.7 ॥

vaidhavyaṃ yānti yairnāryo'lakṣaṇairbhāgyadurlabhāḥ| nātmanastāni paśyāmi paśyantī hatalakṣaṇā || 48.7 ||

“-- and those inauspicious marks by which ill-starred women fall into widowhood, I do not find upon myself; yet even as I look, my good signs seem now undone.”

Shloka 8 (yuddha.48.8)

सत्यनामानि पद्मानि स्त्रीणामुक्तानि लक्षणैः। तान्यद्य निहते रामे वितथानि भवन्ति मे ॥ 48.8 ॥

satyanāmāni padmāni strīṇāmuktāni lakṣaṇaiḥ| tānyadya nihate rāme vitathāni bhavanti me || 48.8 ||

“Those lotus-marks, said by the interpreters of signs to be unfailing tokens for women -- now that Rama is slain, they have all proved false for me.”

Shloka 9 (yuddha.48.9)

केशाः सूक्ष्माः समा नीला भ्रुवौ चासंहते मम। वृत्ते चारोमके जङ्घे दन्ताश्चाविरला मम ॥ 48.9 ॥

keśāḥ sūkṣmāḥ samā nīlā bhruvau cāsaṃhate mama| vṛtte cāromake jaṅghe dantāścāviralā mama || 48.9 ||

“My hair is fine, even, and dark; my brows do not meet; my shanks are rounded and hairless; my teeth are set without a gap --”

Shloka 10 (yuddha.48.10)

शङ्खे नेत्रे करौ पादौ गुल्फावूरू समौ चितौ। अनुवृत्तनखाः स्निग्धाः समाश्चाङ्गुलयो मम ॥ 48.10 ॥

śaṅkhe netre karau pādau gulphāvūrū samau citau| anuvṛttanakhāḥ snigdhāḥ samāścāṅgulayo mama || 48.10 ||

“-- my temples, eyes, hands, feet, ankles and thighs are even and well-formed; my fingers have smooth, rounded, glossy nails, evenly set --”

Shloka 11 (yuddha.48.11)

स्तनौ चाविरलौ पीनौ मामकौ मग्नचूचुकौ। मग्ना चोत्सेधनी नाभिः पार्श्वोरस्कं च मे चितम् ॥ 48.11 ॥

stanau cāviralau pīnau māmakau magnacūcukau| magnā cotsedhanī nābhiḥ pārśvoraskaṃ ca me citam || 48.11 ||

“-- my breasts, close together and full, have their nipples set deep; my navel is deep yet raised; my flanks and bosom are well-formed --”

Shloka 12 (yuddha.48.12)

मम वर्णो मणिनिभो मृदून्यङ्गरुहाणि च। प्रतिष्ठितां द्वादशभिर्मामूचुः शुभलक्षणाम् ॥ 48.12 ॥

mama varṇo maṇinibho mṛdūnyaṅgaruhāṇi ca| pratiṣṭhitāṃ dvādaśabhirmāmūcuḥ śubhalakṣaṇām || 48.12 ||

“-- my complexion has the sheen of a jewel, and the down on my limbs is soft; they declared that I, resting evenly on twelve points of my body, bore auspicious marks --”

Shloka 13 (yuddha.48.13)

समग्रयवमच्छिद्रं पाणिपादं च वर्णवत्। मन्दस्मितेत्येव च मां कन्यालाक्षणिका विदुः ॥ 48.13 ॥

samagrayavamacchidraṃ pāṇipādaṃ ca varṇavat| mandasmitetyeva ca māṃ kanyālākṣaṇikā viduḥ || 48.13 ||

“-- my hands and feet, they said, are fully marked with the barley-grain sign, without gaps, and of good colour; and those who read the marks of maidens knew me to have a gentle smile.”

Shloka 14 (yuddha.48.14)

आधिराज्येऽभिषेको मे ब्राह्मणैः पतिना सह। कृतान्तकुशलैरुक्तं तत् सर्वं वितथीकृतम् ॥ 48.14 ॥

ādhirājye'bhiṣeko me brāhmaṇaiḥ patinā saha| kṛtāntakuśalairuktaṃ tat sarvaṃ vitathīkṛtam || 48.14 ||

“All that the brahmins skilled in judging destiny declared -- that I should be consecrated to sovereign rule together with my husband -- has now been proved false.”

Shloka 15 (yuddha.48.15)

शोधयित्वा जनस्थानं प्रवृत्तिमुपलभ्य च। तीर्त्वा सागरमक्षोभ्यं भ्रातरौ गोष्पदे हतौ ॥ 48.15 ॥

śodhayitvā janasthānaṃ pravṛttimupalabhya ca| tīrtvā sāgaramakṣobhyaṃ bhrātarau goṣpade hatau || 48.15 ||

“Having scoured Janasthana, having obtained news of me, and having crossed the unfathomable ocean, the two brothers have been slain in a puddle no deeper than a cow's hoofprint!”

Shloka 16 (yuddha.48.16)

ननु वारुणमाग्नेयमैन्द्रं वायव्यमेव च। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरश्चैव राघवौ प्रत्यपद्यत ॥ 48.16 ॥

nanu vāruṇamāgneyamaindraṃ vāyavyameva ca| astraṃ brahmaśiraścaiva rāghavau pratyapadyata || 48.16 ||

“Surely the two Raghavas had mastered the weapon of Varuna, of Agni, of Indra, of Vayu, and the Brahmashira astra itself!”

Shloka 17 (yuddha.48.17)

अदृश्यमानेन रणे मायया वासवोपमौ। मम नाथावनाथाया निहतौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ 48.17 ॥

adṛśyamānena raṇe māyayā vāsavopamau| mama nāthāvanāthāyā nihatau rāmalakṣmaṇau || 48.17 ||

“Yet by an unseen foe, through sorcery, in battle, Rama and Lakshmana -- equal to Indra -- my protectors, have been slain, and I am left without protector.”

Shloka 18 (yuddha.48.18)

नहि दृष्टिपथं प्राप्य राघवस्य रणे रिपुः। जीवन् प्रतिनिवर्तेत यद्यपि स्यान्मनोजवः ॥ 48.18 ॥

nahi dṛṣṭipathaṃ prāpya rāghavasya raṇe ripuḥ| jīvan pratinivarteta yadyapi syānmanojavaḥ || 48.18 ||

“For no enemy, having once come within Raghava's sight in battle, could ever return alive, even were he swift as thought itself.”

Shloka 19 (yuddha.48.19)

न कालस्यातिभारोऽस्ति कृतान्तश्च सुदुर्जयः। यत्र रामः सह भ्रात्रा शेते युधि निपातितः ॥ 48.19 ॥

na kālasyātibhāro'sti kṛtāntaśca sudurjayaḥ| yatra rāmaḥ saha bhrātrā śete yudhi nipātitaḥ || 48.19 ||

“Nothing is too great a burden for death; fate is truly unconquerable, since Rama, together with his brother, lies struck down in battle.”

Shloka 20 (yuddha.48.20)

न शोचामि तथा रामं लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्। नात्मानं जननीं चापि यथा श्वश्रूं तपस्विनीम् ॥ 48.20 ॥

na śocāmi tathā rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāratham| nātmānaṃ jananīṃ cāpi yathā śvaśrūṃ tapasvinīm || 48.20 ||

“I do not grieve so much for Rama, nor for the great charioteer Lakshmana, nor even for myself or my own mother, as I grieve for my ascetic mother-in-law.”

Shloka 21 (yuddha.48.21)

सा तु चिन्तयते नित्यं समाप्तव्रतमागतम्। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि सीतां च लक्ष्मणं च सराघवम् ॥ 48.21 ॥

sā tu cintayate nityaṃ samāptavratamāgatam| kadā drakṣyāmi sītāṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ ca sarāghavam || 48.21 ||

“For she forever thinks: 'When shall I see Sita, and Lakshmana, and Raghava, returning home their vow fulfilled?'”

Shloka 22 (yuddha.48.22)

परिदेवयमानां तां राक्षसी त्रिजटाब्रवीत्। मा विषादं कृथा देवि भर्तायं तव जीवति ॥ 48.22 ॥

paridevayamānāṃ tāṃ rākṣasī trijaṭābravīt| mā viṣādaṃ kṛthā devi bhartāyaṃ tava jīvati || 48.22 ||

To her, thus lamenting, the rakshasi Trijata said: “Do not despair, O queen! This husband of yours is alive.”

Shloka 23 (yuddha.48.23)

कारणनि च वक्ष्यामि महान्ति सदृशानि च। यथेमौ जीवतो देवि भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ 48.23 ॥

kāraṇani ca vakṣyāmi mahānti sadṛśāni ca| yathemau jīvato devi bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau || 48.23 ||

“I will tell you great and fitting reasons, O queen, why these two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, are indeed living.”

Shloka 24 (yuddha.48.24)

नहि कोपपरीतानि हर्षपर्युत्सुकानि च। भवन्ति युधि योधानां मुखानि निहते पतौ ॥ 48.24 ॥

nahi kopaparītāni harṣaparyutsukāni ca| bhavanti yudhi yodhānāṃ mukhāni nihate patau || 48.24 ||

“For never, when their commander has fallen, do warriors' faces in battle appear seized by anger or eager with delight, as these do.”

Shloka 25 (yuddha.48.25)

इदं विमानं वैदेहि पुष्पकं नाम नामतः। दिव्यं त्वां धारयेन् नेदं यद्येतौ गतजीवितौ ॥ 48.25 ॥

idaṃ vimānaṃ vaidehi puṣpakaṃ nāma nāmataḥ| divyaṃ tvāṃ dhārayen nedaṃ yadyetau gatajīvitau || 48.25 ||

“This celestial car, O Vaidehi, called Pushpaka by name -- it would never have borne you here, had these two lost their lives.”

Shloka 26 (yuddha.48.26)

हतवीरप्रधाना हि गतोत्साहा निरुद्यमा। सेना भ्रमति संख्येषु हतकर्णेव नौर्जले ॥ 48.26 ॥

hatavīrapradhānā hi gatotsāhā nirudyamā| senā bhramati saṃkhyeṣu hatakarṇeva naurjale || 48.26 ||

“For an army whose chief hero has fallen, its courage gone, its energy spent, wanders aimlessly on the battlefield, like a rudderless ship upon the water.”

Shloka 27 (yuddha.48.27)

इयं पुनरसम्भ्रान्ता निरुद्विग्ना तपस्विनि। सेना रक्षति काकुत्स्थौ मया प्रीत्या निवेदितौ ॥ 48.27 ॥

iyaṃ punarasambhrāntā nirudvignā tapasvini| senā rakṣati kākutsthau mayā prītyā niveditau || 48.27 ||

“But this army, O ascetic lady, is neither confused nor troubled -- it stands guarding the two Kakutsthas. This I tell you out of affection.”

Shloka 28 (yuddha.48.28)

सा त्वं भव सुविस्रब्धा अनुमानैः सुखोदयैः। अहतौ पश्य काकुत्स्थौ स्नेहादेतद् ब्रवीमि ते ॥ 48.28 ॥

sā tvaṃ bhava suvisrabdhā anumānaiḥ sukhodayaiḥ| ahatau paśya kākutsthau snehādetad bravīmi te || 48.28 ||

“So take comfort in these happy signs, and be assured; behold, the two Kakutsthas are not slain -- this I tell you out of love.”

Shloka 29 (yuddha.48.29)

अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्यामि मैथिलि। चारित्रसुखशीलत्वात् प्रविष्टासि मनो मम ॥ 48.29 ॥

anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me na ca vakṣyāmi maithili| cāritrasukhaśīlatvāt praviṣṭāsi mano mama || 48.29 ||

“I have never before spoken falsehood, nor shall I speak it now, O Maithili; through your gentle nature and virtuous conduct, you have entered into my heart.”

Shloka 30 (yuddha.48.30)

नेमौ शक्यौ रणे जेतुं सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः। तादृशं दर्शनं दृष्ट्वा मया चोदीरितं तव ॥ 48.30 ॥

nemau śakyau raṇe jetuṃ sendrairapi surāsuraiḥ| tādṛśaṃ darśanaṃ dṛṣṭvā mayā codīritaṃ tava || 48.30 ||

“Not even the gods and demons, together with Indra himself, could conquer these two in battle. Having seen such a sign, I have spoken this to you.”

Shloka 31 (yuddha.48.31)

इदं तु सुमहच्चित्रं शरैः पश्यस्व मैथिलि। विसंज्ञौ पतितावेतौ नैव लक्ष्मीर्विमुञ्चति ॥ 48.31 ॥

idaṃ tu sumahaccitraṃ śaraiḥ paśyasva maithili| visaṃjñau patitāvetau naiva lakṣmīrvimuñcati || 48.31 ||

“But see this great wonder too, O Maithili -- fallen and senseless as they are under those arrows, their radiance has not deserted them at all.”

Shloka 32 (yuddha.48.32)

प्रायेण गतसत्त्वानां पुरुषाणां गतायुषाम्। दृश्यमानेषु वक्त्रेषु परं भवति वैकृतम् ॥ 48.32 ॥

prāyeṇa gatasattvānāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ gatāyuṣām| dṛśyamāneṣu vaktreṣu paraṃ bhavati vaikṛtam || 48.32 ||

“For generally, in the faces of men whose life-breath has fled and whose span of life is spent, when one looks, a marked change for the worse appears.”

Shloka 33 (yuddha.48.33)

त्यज शोकं च दुःखं च मोहं च जनकात्मजे। रामलक्ष्मणयोरर्थे नाद्य शक्यमजीवितुम् ॥ 48.33 ॥

tyaja śokaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca mohaṃ ca janakātmaje| rāmalakṣmaṇayorarthe nādya śakyamajīvitum || 48.33 ||

“Cast off your grief, your sorrow, and your delusion, O daughter of Janaka -- it is not possible that Rama and Lakshmana should not still be living.”

Shloka 34 (yuddha.48.34)

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्याः सीता सुरसुतोपमा। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेमामेवमस्त्विति मैथिली ॥ 48.34 ॥

śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasyāḥ sītā surasutopamā| kṛtāñjaliruvācemāmevamastviti maithilī || 48.34 ||

Hearing her words, Sita, the Maithili princess who seemed a daughter of the gods, joined her palms and said, “So may it be.”

Shloka 35 (yuddha.48.35)

विमानं पुष्पकं तत्तु संनिवर्त्य मनोजवम्। दीना त्रिजटया सीता लङ्कामेव प्रवेशिता ॥ 48.35 ॥

vimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ tattu saṃnivartya manojavam| dīnā trijaṭayā sītā laṅkāmeva praveśitā || 48.35 ||

That thought-swift Pushpaka craft was then turned back, and the sorrowful Sita was brought by Trijata once more into Lanka.

Shloka 36 (yuddha.48.36)

ततस्त्रिजटया सार्धं पुष्पकादवरुह्य सा। अशोकवनिकामेव राक्षसीभिः प्रवेशिता ॥ 48.36 ॥

tatastrijaṭayā sārdhaṃ puṣpakādavaruhya sā| aśokavanikāmeva rākṣasībhiḥ praveśitā || 48.36 ||

Then, descending from the Pushpaka together with Trijata, she was brought by the rakshasi women back into the Ashoka grove.

Shloka 37 (yuddha.48.37)

प्रविश्य सीता बहुवृक्षखण्डां। तां राक्षसेन्द्रस्य विहारभूमिम्। सम्प्रेक्ष्य संचिन्त्य च राजपुत्रौ। परं विषादं समुपाजगाम ॥ 48.37 ॥

praviśya sītā bahuvṛkṣakhaṇḍāṃ| tāṃ rākṣasendrasya vihārabhūmim| samprekṣya saṃcintya ca rājaputrau| paraṃ viṣādaṃ samupājagāma || 48.37 ||

Entering that pleasure-ground of the rakshasa lord, thick with clusters of trees, and dwelling on the sight of the two princes she had seen, Sita fell into the deepest despair.