The Illusory Death of Sita

Shloka 1 (yuddha.81.1)

विज्ञाय तु मनस्तस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः। स निवृत्याहवात्तस्मात्प्रविवेश पुरं ततः॥ 81.1 ॥

vijñāya tu manastasya rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ | sa nivṛtyāhavāttasmātpraviveśa puraṃ tataḥ || 81.1 ||

Sensing the mind of the great-souled Raghava, Indrajit then turned back from that battle and entered the city.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.81.2)

सोऽनुस्मृत्य वधं तेषां राक्षसानां तरस्विनाम्। क्रोधताम्रेक्षणः शूरो निर्जगामाथ रावणिः॥ 81.2 ॥

so'nusmṛtya vadhaṃ teṣāṃ rākṣasānāṃ tarasvinām | krodhatāmrekṣaṇaḥ śūro nirjagāmātha rāvaṇiḥ || 81.2 ||

Then, recalling the slaying of those swift and mighty rakshasas, the valiant son of Ravana, his eyes red with fury, sallied forth again.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.81.3)

स पश्चिमेन द्वारेण निर्ययौ राक्षसैर्वृतः। इन्द्रजित् सुमहावीर्यः पौलस्त्यो देवकण्टकः॥ 81.3 ॥

sa paścimena dvāreṇa niryayau rākṣasairvṛtaḥ | indrajit sumahāvīryaḥ paulastyo devakaṇṭakaḥ || 81.3 ||

That Indrajit, of immense might, born in the line of Pulastya, the thorn in the side of the gods, went forth through the western gate, surrounded by rakshasas.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.81.4)

इन्द्रजित्तु ततो दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। रणायाभ्युद्यतौ वीरौ मायां प्रादुष्करोत्तदा॥ 81.4 ॥

indrajittu tato dṛṣṭvā bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau | raṇāyābhyudyatau vīrau māyāṃ prāduṣkarottadā || 81.4 ||

Then Indrajit, seeing the two valiant brothers Rama and Lakshmana standing ready for battle, brought forth his power of illusion.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.81.5)

इन्द्रजित्तु रथे स्थाप्य सीतां मायामयीं तदा। बलेन महतावृत्य तस्या वधमरोचयत्॥ 81.5 ॥

indrajittu rathe sthāpya sītāṃ māyāmayīṃ tadā | balena mahatāvṛtya tasyā vadhamarocayat || 81.5 ||

Placing an illusory Sita upon his chariot and surrounding her with a great army, Indrajit resolved to kill her.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.81.6)

मोहनार्थं तु सर्वेषां बुद्धिं कृत्वा सुदुर्मतिः। हन्तुं सीतां व्यवसितो वानराभिमुखो ययौ॥ 81.6 ॥

mohanārthaṃ tu sarveṣāṃ buddhiṃ kṛtvā sudurmatiḥ | hantuṃ sītāṃ vyavasito vānarābhimukho yayau || 81.6 ||

That evil-minded one, resolved to bewilder them all and determined to kill Sita, advanced toward the monkeys.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.81.7)

तं दृष्ट्वा त्वभिनिर्यान्तं सर्वे ते काननौकसः। उत्पेतुरभिसंक्रुद्धाः शिलाहस्ता युयुत्सवः॥ 81.7 ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā tvabhiniryāntaṃ sarve te kānanaukasaḥ | utpeturabhisaṃkruddhāḥ śilāhastā yuyutsavaḥ || 81.7 ||

Seeing him advancing, all those forest-dwelling monkeys, greatly enraged and eager to fight, sprang up with rocks in their hands.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.81.8)

हनूमान् पुरतस्तेषां जगाम कपिकुञ्जरः। प्रगृह्य सुमहच्छृङ्गं पर्वतस्य दुरासदम्॥ 81.8 ॥

hanūmān puratasteṣāṃ jagāma kapikuñjaraḥ | pragṛhya sumahacchṛṅgaṃ parvatasya durāsadam || 81.8 ||

Hanuman, foremost of the monkeys, taking up a huge, forbidding mountain-peak, marched in front of them all.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.81.9)

स ददर्श हतानन्दां सीतामिन्द्रजितो रथे। एकवेणीधरां दीनामुपवासकृशाननाम्॥ 81.9 ॥

sa dadarśa hatānandāṃ sītāmindrajito rathe | ekaveṇīdharāṃ dīnāmupavāsakṛśānanām || 81.9 ||

He saw, on Indrajit's chariot, Sita bereft of all joy, wearing a single braid, wretched, her face wasted by fasting.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.81.10)

परिक्लिष्टैकवसनाममृजां राघवप्रियाम्। रजोमलाभ्यामालिप्तैः सर्वगात्रैर्वरस्त्रियम्॥ 81.10 ॥

parikliṣṭaikavasanāmamṛjāṃ rāghavapriyām | rajomalābhyāmāliptaiḥ sarvagātrairvarastriyam || 81.10 ||

Rama's beloved, that best of women, clad in a single soiled garment, unadorned, her whole body covered with dust and grime.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.81.11)

तां निरीक्ष्य मुहूर्तं तु मैथिलीमध्यवस्य च। बभूवाचिरदृष्टा हि तेन सा जनकात्मजा॥ 81.11 ॥

tāṃ nirīkṣya muhūrtaṃ tu maithilīmadhyavasya ca | babhūvāciradṛṣṭā hi tena sā janakātmajā || 81.11 ||

Gazing at her a moment and recognizing her as Maithili, Hanuman realized that this daughter of Janaka was one he had seen not long before.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.81.12)

अब्रवीत् तां तु शोकार्तां निरानन्दां तपस्विनीम्। दृष्ट्वा रथस्थितां दीनां राक्षसेन्द्रसुतश्रिताम्॥ 81.12 ॥

abravīt tāṃ tu śokārtāṃ nirānandāṃ tapasvinīm | dṛṣṭvā rathasthitāṃ dīnāṃ rākṣasendrasutaśritām || 81.12 ||

Seeing her seated on the chariot, wretched, grief-stricken, joyless, and under the power of the demon-prince, the great monkey wondered—

Shloka 13 (yuddha.81.13)

किं समर्थितमस्येति चिन्तयन्स महाकपिः। सह तैर्वानरश्रेष्ठैरभ्यधावत रावणिम्॥ 81.13 ॥

kiṃ samarthitamasyeti cintayansa mahākapiḥ | saha tairvānaraśreṣṭhairabhyadhāvata rāvaṇim || 81.13 ||

"What can be his purpose?" And so thinking, that great monkey, together with the foremost of the monkeys, rushed toward Ravani.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.81.14)

तद् वानरबलं दृष्ट्वा रावणिः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। कृत्वा विकोशं निस्त्रिंशं मूर्ध्नि सीतामकर्षयत्॥ 81.14 ॥

tad vānarabalaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇiḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | kṛtvā vikośaṃ nistriṃśaṃ mūrdhni sītāmakarṣayat || 81.14 ||

Seeing that army of monkeys, Ravani, overcome with fury, drew his sword from its sheath and seized Sita by the hair of her head.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.81.15)

तां स्त्रियं पश्यतां तेषां ताडयामास राक्षसः। क्रोशन्तीं राम रामेति मायया योजितां रथे॥ 81.15 ॥

tāṃ striyaṃ paśyatāṃ teṣāṃ tāḍayāmāsa rākṣasaḥ | krośantīṃ rāma rāmeti māyayā yojitāṃ rathe || 81.15 ||

As they all looked on, the demon struck that woman, conjured by his illusion and set upon the chariot, while she cried out, "Rama! Rama!"

Shloka 16 (yuddha.81.16)

गृहीतमूर्धजां दृष्ट्वा हनूमान् दैन्यमागतः। दुःखजं वारि नेत्राभ्यामुत्सृजन् मारुतात्मजः॥ 81.16 ॥

gṛhītamūrdhajāṃ dṛṣṭvā hanūmān dainyamāgataḥ | duḥkhajaṃ vāri netrābhyāmutsṛjan mārutātmajaḥ || 81.16 ||

Seeing her seized by the hair, Hanuman, the son of the Wind, was overcome with anguish, tears of grief falling from his eyes.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.81.17)

तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं क्रोधाद् रक्षोधिपात्मजम्॥ 81.17 ॥

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā cārusarvāṅgīṃ rāmasya mahiṣīṃ priyām | abravīt paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ krodhād rakṣodhipātmajam || 81.17 ||

Seeing her of lovely limbs, Rama's beloved queen, Hanuman, in fury, addressed harsh words to the son of the demon-king.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.81.18)

दुरात्मन्नात्मनाशाय केशपक्षे परामृशः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां कुले जातो राक्षसीं योनिमाश्रितः॥ 81.18 ॥

durātmannātmanāśāya keśapakṣe parāmṛśaḥ | brahmarṣīṇāṃ kule jāto rākṣasīṃ yonimāśritaḥ || 81.18 ||

"O evil-souled one! Though born in the line of Brahmarshis, you have taken on the nature of a rakshasa — you have laid hold of her hair only to bring about your own ruin.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.81.19)

धिक् त्वां पापसमाचारं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी। नृशंसानार्य दुर्वृत्त क्षुद्र पापपराक्रम। अनार्यस्येदृशं कर्म घृणा ते नास्ति निर्घृण॥ 81.19 ॥

dhik tvāṃ pāpasamācāraṃ yasya te matirīdṛśī | nṛśaṃsānārya durvṛtta kṣudra pāpaparākrama | anāryasyedṛśaṃ karma ghṛṇā te nāsti nirghṛṇa || 81.19 ||

Shame on you, of sinful conduct, whose mind holds such a resolve! O cruel, ignoble, vile wretch of wicked deeds — such an act befits only a barbarian; you, merciless one, are without any pity.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.81.20)

च्युता गृहाच्च राज्याच्च रामहस्ताच्च मैथिली। किं तवैषापराद्धा हि यदेनां हंसि निर्दय॥ 81.20 ॥

cyutā gṛhācca rājyācca rāmahastācca maithilī | kiṃ tavaiṣāparāddhā hi yadenāṃ haṃsi nirdaya || 81.20 ||

This Maithili has already lost her home, her kingdom, and the protection of Rama's arms — what wrong has she done you, O pitiless one, that you should slay her?

Shloka 21 (yuddha.81.21)

सीतां हत्वा तु न चिरं जीविष्यसि कथंचन। वधार्ह कर्मणा तेन मम हस्तगतो ह्यसि॥ 81.21 ॥

sītāṃ hatvā tu na ciraṃ jīviṣyasi kathaṃcana | vadhārha karmaṇā tena mama hastagato hyasi || 81.21 ||

Having killed Sita, you shall not live long by any means; by that very deed, deserving of death, you have already fallen into my hands.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.81.22)

ये च स्त्रीघातिनां लोका लोकवध्यैश्च कुत्सिताः। इह जीवितमुत्सृज्य प्रेत्य तान् प्रति लप्स्यसे॥ 81.22 ॥

ye ca strīghātināṃ lokā lokavadhyaiśca kutsitāḥ | iha jīvitamutsṛjya pretya tān prati lapsyase || 81.22 ||

Those worlds that await killers of women — despised even by those condemned to die by the hands of others — leaving this life, you shall reach them after death.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.81.23)

इति ब्रुवाणो हनुमान् सायुधैर्हरिभिर्वृतः। अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धो राक्षसेन्द्रसुतं प्रति॥ 81.23 ॥

iti bruvāṇo hanumān sāyudhairharibhirvṛtaḥ | abhyadhāvat susaṃkruddho rākṣasendrasutaṃ prati || 81.23 ||

Speaking thus, Hanuman, surrounded by armed monkeys, charged in towering fury toward the son of the demon-king.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.81.24)

आपतन्तं महावीर्यं तदनीकं वनौकसाम्। रक्षसां भीमकोपानामनीकेन न्यवारयत्॥ 81.24 ॥

āpatantaṃ mahāvīryaṃ tadanīkaṃ vanaukasām | rakṣasāṃ bhīmakopānāmanīkena nyavārayat || 81.24 ||

The demons, terrible in their fury, blocked with their own ranks that mighty onrushing army of forest-dwellers.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.81.25)

स तां बाणसहस्रेण विक्षोभ्य हरिवाहिनीम्। हनूमन्तं हरिश्रेष्ठमिन्द्रजित् प्रत्युवाच ह॥ 81.25 ॥

sa tāṃ bāṇasahasreṇa vikṣobhya harivāhinīm | hanūmantaṃ hariśreṣṭhamindrajit pratyuvāca ha || 81.25 ||

Throwing that monkey-army into confusion with a thousand arrows, Indrajit then spoke to Hanuman, foremost of monkeys.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.81.26)

सुग्रीवस्त्वं च रामश्च यन्निमित्तमिहागताः। तां वधिष्यामि वैदेहीमद्यैव तव पश्यतः॥ 81.26 ॥

sugrīvastvaṃ ca rāmaśca yannimittamihāgatāḥ | tāṃ vadhiṣyāmi vaidehīmadyaiva tava paśyataḥ || 81.26 ||

"That Vaidehi for whose sake Sugriva, you, and Rama have come here — her I shall kill this very moment, before your eyes."

Shloka 27 (yuddha.81.27)

इमां हत्वा ततो रामं लक्ष्मणं त्वां च वानर। सुग्रीवं च वधिष्यामि तं चानार्यं विभीषणम्॥ 81.27 ॥

imāṃ hatvā tato rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ tvāṃ ca vānara | sugrīvaṃ ca vadhiṣyāmi taṃ cānāryaṃ vibhīṣaṇam || 81.27 ||

"O monkey, after killing her, I shall then kill Rama, Lakshmana, you, Sugriva, and that base traitor Vibhishana."

Shloka 28 (yuddha.81.28)

न हन्तव्याः स्त्रियश्चेति यद् ब्रवीषि प्लवंगम। पीडाकरममित्राणां यच्च कर्तव्यमेव तत्॥ 81.28 ॥

na hantavyāḥ striyaśceti yad bravīṣi plavaṃgama | pīḍākaramamitrāṇāṃ yacca kartavyameva tat || 81.28 ||

"As for your saying, O monkey, that women ought not be killed — whatever causes torment to one's enemies, that alone must be done."

Shloka 29 (yuddha.81.29)

तमेवमुक्त्वा रुदतीं सीतां मायामयीं च ताम्। शितधारेण खड्गेन निजघानेन्द्रजित् स्वयम्॥ 81.29 ॥

tamevamuktvā rudatīṃ sītāṃ māyāmayīṃ ca tām | śitadhāreṇa khaḍgena nijaghānendrajit svayam || 81.29 ||

Having spoken thus to him, Indrajit himself struck down that weeping, illusory Sita with his sharp-edged sword.

Shloka 30 (yuddha.81.30)

यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेण छिन्ना तेन तपस्विनी। सा पृथिव्यां पृथुश्रोणी पपात प्रियदर्शना॥ 81.30 ॥

yajñopavītamārgeṇa chinnā tena tapasvinī | sā pṛthivyāṃ pṛthuśroṇī papāta priyadarśanā || 81.30 ||

Cut diagonally along the line of the sacred thread, that hapless, broad-hipped, lovely woman fell to the ground.

Shloka 31 (yuddha.81.31)

तामिन्द्रजित्स्त्रियं हत्वा हनूमन्तमुवाच ह॥ 81.31 ॥

tāmindrajitstriyaṃ hatvā hanūmantamuvāca ha || 81.31 ||

Having slain that woman, Indrajit then said to Hanuman:

Shloka 32 (yuddha.81.32)

मया रामस्य पश्येमां प्रियां शस्त्रनिषूदिताम्। एषा विशस्ता वैदेही निष्फलो वः परिश्रमः॥ 81.32 ॥

mayā rāmasya paśyemāṃ priyāṃ śastraniṣūditām | eṣā viśastā vaidehī niṣphalo vaḥ pariśramaḥ || 81.32 ||

"Behold this beloved of Rama, slain by my weapon! This Vaidehi has been struck down — all your toil has been in vain."

Shloka 33 (yuddha.81.33)

ततः खड्गेन महता हत्वा तामिन्द्रजित्स्वयम्। हृष्टः स रथमास्थाय ननाद च महास्वनम्॥ 81.33 ॥

tataḥ khaḍgena mahatā hatvā tāmindrajitsvayam | hṛṣṭaḥ sa rathamāsthāya nanāda ca mahāsvanam || 81.33 ||

Then, having killed her himself with his great sword, Indrajit, filled with delight, mounted his chariot and roared aloud.

Shloka 34 (yuddha.81.34)

वानराः शुश्रुवुः शब्दमदूरे प्रत्यवस्थिताः। व्यादितास्यस्य नदतस्तद्दुर्गं संश्रितस्य तु॥ 81.34 ॥

vānarāḥ śuśruvuḥ śabdamadūre pratyavasthitāḥ | vyāditāsyasya nadatastaddurgaṃ saṃśritasya tu || 81.34 ||

The monkeys standing not far off heard that sound, as he roared with mouth wide open, seated within that impregnable tower of his chariot.

Shloka 35 (yuddha.81.35)

तथा तु सीतां विनिहत्य दुर्मतिः प्रहृष्टचेताः स बभूव रावणिः। तं हृष्टरूपं समुदीक्ष्य वानरा विषण्णरूपाः समभिप्रदुद्रुवुः॥ 81.35 ॥

tathā tu sītāṃ vinihatya durmatiḥ prahṛṣṭacetāḥ sa babhūva rāvaṇiḥ | taṃ hṛṣṭarūpaṃ samudīkṣya vānarā viṣaṇṇarūpāḥ samabhipradudruvuḥ || 81.35 ||

Having thus struck down Sita, that evil-minded Ravani was filled with delight; and seeing him so exultant, the monkeys, their faces fallen, turned and fled.