Chapter 5(19)
Sita heard the words of the terrible rakshasa. Her tone was miserable and afflicted. She replied slowly, in a miserable voice. Sita was afflicted by grief and weeping. The ascetic lady was trembling. The beautiful one, devoted in vows to her husband, thought about her husband. The one with the beautiful smiles placed a blade of grass between them and replied.129 ‘Withdraw your crazy mind from me. Turn your mind towards those who are your own. You should not crave me, like those who are the performers of wicked deeds should not aspire for success. My duty is to have a single husband. I will not perform the reprehensible task of deviating from this. I have been born in a great and auspicious lineage and have also got a noble lineage.’130 Having said this, the illustrious Vaidehi turned her back towards Ravana. Then she again spoke these words. ‘I am the wife of another person and it is inappropriate that I should be your wife. It is virtuous to have an eye towards dharma. O virtuous one! Follow the vows of the virtuous. O one who roams around in the night! The wives of others should be protected, just as you protect your own ones. Treat others like your own self and find pleasure in your own wives. A person who is not satisfied with his own wives is fickle. His senses are fickle. For someone whose wisdom is inferior in this way, the wives of others will convey him to his defeat. Are there no virtuous people here? Or do you not follow those virtuous ones! That is the reason your words and mind have turned towards what is false and do not accept the medication prescribed by the discriminating. After having obtained a king who is not cleansed in soul and is addicted to bad policy, prosperous kingdoms and cities are destroyed. In that way, Lanka, full of heaps of jewels, has obtained you. Because of the crimes of a single person, it will soon be destroyed. O Ravana! O one who lacks foresight! The creatures will rejoice at the destruction of a perpetrator of wicked deeds who has brought about his destruction because of what he himself has done. People who have been slighted by your wicked deeds will be delighted and will say, “It is good fortune that this terrible one has faced this calamity.” I am incapable of being tempted through prosperity or wealth. Like radiance cannot be separated from the sun, I cannot be separated from Raghava. He is the greatly revered protector of the worlds. After having used his arm as a pillow, how can I use the arm of another one as a pillow? I am an appropriate wife for that lord of the earth. I am his, like learning and bathing at the end of a vow belong to a brahmana who knows about his soul. O Ravana! I am miserable and it is best that you should take me to Rama, like a female elephant that lives in the forest meets with a lord of elephants. It is appropriate that you should wish to have Rama, bull among men, as your friend. That is unless you desire a terrible death for yourself. The wielder of the vajra may let you go. The Destroyer may let you go for a long time. However, when he is enraged, Raghava, the lord of the worlds, will not let someone like you escape. You will hear a great roar from the sound of Rama’s bow. It is like the thunder of the vajra, when released by Shatakratu. Marked with the signs of Rama and Lakshmana, those well-jointed and swift arrows, shafted with the feathers of herons, will soon descend here, like flaming serpents. They will slay the rakshasas and envelop everything everywhere, without leaving any space anywhere. Like Vinata’s son131 plucking out a serpent with force, Rama will be the great Garuda and the Indra among the rakshasas will be a great serpent. My husband is the destroyer of enemies and will quickly take me away from you. Like Vishnu with the three strides, he will take away the blazing prosperity from the asuras. Because of the wicked deeds you performed, the army of the rakshasas was slain in Janasthana and it became a killing field. You were incapable of protecting them. You entered the lonely hermitage when the two lions among men weren’t there. O inferior one! You abducted me when the two brothers had gone out. Like a dog smells out the scent and is incapable of remaining in a spot when there is a tiger present, you smelt out Rama and Lakshmana. In a conflict with them, you will be unable to withstand both of them together, just as in the conflict, one of Vritra’s arms was incapacitated by Indra’s arms. Swiftly, with Soumitri, the protector Rama will take away your life with his arrows, just as the sun dries up a little bit of water. Whether you go to Kubera’s mountain or his residence, or whether you go to King Varuna’s assembly hall, there is no doubt that Dasharatha’s son will free you,132 just like a great tree is uprooted by a bolt of thunder that is its destiny.’
Chapter 5(20)
The lord of the rakshasas heard Sita’s harsh words. He replied to Sita in words that were disagreeable, though they seemed to be agreeable. ‘In whatever form women are sought to be assured, that is exactly the way a person becomes subservient. A person who speaks pleasantly is rebuffed in exactly the same way.133 Because my desire for you has been awakened, I have controlled my rage. This is like an excellent charioteer controlling the horses, even when they are striding along a smooth road. Among men, desire is undesirable, since it binds them down. Among people, compassion indeed leads to affection. O one with the beautiful face! That is the reason I have not killed you. Since you are addicted to someone who is on a false exile,134 you should be slain and should not be shown respect. O Maithilee! Because of the harsh and terrible words you have spoken to me, you deserve to be killed.’ Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, spoke to Vaidehi in this way. Thereafter, full of rage and fury, he again spoke to Sita. ‘I will protect you for two months. After that, you will be killed by me. O one who is beautiful in complexion! By then, you must climb on to my bed. After those two months, if you do not desire me as your husband, you will be cooked in the great kitchen as my breakfast.’ On seeing that the Indra among the rakshasas was thus censuring Janakee, the large-eyed maidens of the gods and the gandharvas grieved. When she was censured by the rakshasa, some used their lips and others used their faces and eyes to somehow comfort her.
Reassured by them, Sita, encased in the pride and strength of her good conduct, spoke these beneficial words to Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas. ‘Your deeds are reprehensible and it is certain that there is no one who is able to restrain you from adhering to something that is not beneficial. Like Shachi is to Shachi’s lord, I am the wife of the one with dharma in his soul. In the three worlds, who other than you will desire me in his mind? O worst among rakshasas! I am the wife of the infinitely energetic Rama. Having spoken these wicked words, who will free you from your destination? This is like a proud elephant and a hare who are together in the forest. Rama is said to be the elephant and you are said to be the inferior hare. You have abused the protector of the Ikshvaku lineage and are not ashamed. You will not be able to approach his dominion, not even with your eyes. O ignoble one! These eyes of yours are cruel, malformed and black and tawny. Since you have looked at me with these, why have they not fallen down on the ground? I am the wife of the one with dharma in his soul and Dasharatha’s daughter-in-law. Since you spoke about me, why has your tongue not shrivelled away? You ought not to speak about the austerities Rama has observed. O Dashagriva! You deserve to be burnt down. Yet, I am not burning you down with my energy. I belong to the intelligent Rama and you are incapable of abducting me. There is no doubt that this has been ordained by destiny for the sake of you being killed. You used your bravery against your brother, the lord of riches,135 who possessed strength. However, for Rama, why did you resort to stealing his wife?’136
Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, heard Sita’s words. He dilated his cruel eyes and looked towards Janakee. He was like a blue cloud. His arms and head were huge. His stride possessed the spirit of a lion. He was handsome and the tips of his tongue and eyes blazed. He was attired in red garlands and garments. The ornaments on his body were made out of molten gold. With colourful garlands and pastes, he looked like a mountain covered with dust that was moving. A long dark blue shronisutra137 extended around his body. It looked like the serpent around Mandara, at the time of extracting amrita.138 He was adorned with earrings that had the complexion of the rising sun. He was like a mountain with ashoka trees that were full of red blossoms
and shoots. His eyes red with rage, he looked at Vaidehi. Like a serpent that was sighing, Ravana spoke to Sita. ‘You are pointlessly following someone who follows bad policy.139 I will destroy you today, like the sun destroys sandhya with its energy.’140
Having told Maithilee this, King Ravana, who made his enemies scream, commanded all the rakshasis, who were terrible to behold. Some had a single eye, others had a single ear. For some, the ear covered the body. There were those with ears like cows and elephants, others with long ears or no ears. There were those with feet like elephants, horses or cows, others with hair on the feet. There were those with a single eye, or a single foot. There were those with thick feet, or no feet. Some possessed gigantic heads and necks, others possessed gigantic breasts and stomachs. There were those with gigantic faces and eyes, long tongues, or no tongues. There were those without noses. There were those with mouths like those of lions, cows or pigs. ‘O rakshasis! All of you collectively act so that Sita Janakee swiftly comes under my subjugation. Act favourably and unfavourably, use sama, dana and bheda. Raise the prospect of danda and make Vaidehi comply.’ The Indra among the rakshasas repeatedly instructed his rakshasis. Overcome by desire and anger, he censured Janakee.
A rakshasi named Dhanyamalini quickly approached Dashagriva. She embraced him and spoke these words. ‘O great king! Sport with me. What use will this Sita be to you? As a vehicle for desire, if someone uses a person who is not interested in desire, that only torments his body. A greater pleasure is obtained from a person who wishes to use herself as a vehicle of desire.’ Thus addressed, the powerful one flung that rakshasi away. With a complexion like that of the blazing sun, he entered his residence. The maidens of the gods, the gandharvas and the nagas were all around him, surrounding Dashagriva as he entered that excellent house. Maithilee based herself on supreme dharma and trembled because of her fear for Ravana. Confounded by desire, he abandoned Sita and entered his own radiant residence.
Chapter 5(21)
King Ravana, who made his enemies scream, spoke to Maithilee in this way. Having instructed all the rakshasis, he departed. The Indra among the rakshasas left and went to his inner quarters again. The rakshasis, terrible in form, rushed towards Sita. The rakshasis, senseless with rage, reached Sita. They addressed Vaidehi in these extremely harsh words. ‘The great-souled Ravana is the excellent descendant of Pulastya. O Sita! However, you are showing great disrespect to the idea of being Dashagriva’s wife.’
After this, a rakshasi named Ekajata spoke these words to Sita, addressing her as one whose waist could be clasped in the hands.141 Her eyes were coppery red in anger. ‘Among the six Prajapatis, the fourth Prajapati is a son born through Brahma’s mental powers.142 He is renowned as Pulastya. Through his mental powers, the energetic maharshi Pulastya had a son. His name was Vishravasa and he was like Prajapati in his radiance. O large-eyed one! His son is Ravana, the one who makes his enemies scream. You should become the wife of that Indra among rakshasas. O one who is beautiful in her limbs! Why are you not showing due respect to the words I have spoken?’ At this, a rakshasi named Harijata spoke these words. Her eyes were like those of a cat and she widened them in her anger. ‘The thirty-three gods143 and the king of the gods have been vanquished by him. You should become the wife of that Indra among rakshasas. He is immersed in valour. He is brave. He does not retreat from the field of battle. He is strong and brave. Why don’t you wish to become his wife? The immensely strong king will give up his wives, the ones he respects the most. Ignoring all those immensely fortunate ones, Ravana will serve you. In the prosperous inner quarters, full of many kinds of jewels, there are one thousand women. Abandoning all of them, Ravana will serve you. In battles, he has disarmed the gods, the serpents, the gandharvas and the danavas. The one who has defeated them in battles has come to your side. The great-souled Ravana possesses all the riches. O wicked one! Why don’t you want to become the wife of that Indra among rakshasas? The sun does not scorch him. The wind god is terrified of him and does not blow. O long-eyed one! Why aren’t you by his side? Scared of him, the trees shower down flowers. O one with the excellent eyebrows! The mountains and clouds yield the water that he desires. O beautiful one! He is king of kings in the kingdom of the nairittas. Why don’t your thoughts turn towards becoming Ravana’s wife? O queen! O beautiful one! This is the truth and I have spoken beneficial words to you. O one with the beautiful smiles! Accept them. Otherwise, you will no longer exist.’
Chapter 5(22)
The rakshasi women, with disfigured faces, approached Sita. Harshly, those women addressed her in these disagreeable and harsh words. ‘O Sita! The inner quarters are pleasing to all creatures. It is full of expensive couches. Why don’t you show due respect to the idea of residing there? You are a human and you should not show a great deal of respect to the idea of being a human’s wife. Withdraw your mind from Rama. Otherwise, you will no longer exist. O unblemished one! He has been dislodged from his kingdom. He has failed in his objective. He is impotent.’
Sita, whose eyes were like lotuses, heard the words of the rakshasis. Her eyes overflowing with tears, she spoke these words. ‘All of you have come together and have spoken words that are condemned by the worlds. In your minds, why aren’t these words regarded as sin? A human lady should not become the wife of a rakshasa. If you want, all of you can eat me. But I will not act in accordance with your words. He may be distressed and he may have been separated from his kingdom. But he is my husband and my preceptor.’
Hearing Sita’s words, the rakshasis became senseless with rage. Goaded by Ravana, they censured her in harsh words. Hanumat was silent, hidden in the shimshapa tree. The ape heard the rakshasis censure Sita. As she trembled, they angrily surrounded her from all directions. They licked their blazing lips in a horrible way and bit their elongated teeth. Extremely angry, they quickly grabbed their battleaxes and said, ‘This one does not deserve to be the wife of Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas.’ The one with the beautiful face was censured in this terrible way by the rakshasis. Shedding tears, she approached the shimshapa tree. Near the shimshapa tree, Sita was surrounded by the rakshasis. The large-eyed one reached the spot and was overwhelmed by sorrow. She was wan and her face was distressed. The garment that she wore was faded. In every direction, those terrible rakshasis censured her.
There was a rakshasi named Vinata and she was terrible to behold. Her teeth and stomach jutted out. Assuming an angry form, she said, ‘O Sita! You have displayed enough affection towards your husband. O fortunate one! In everything, it is thought that anything in excess leads to hardship. O fortunate one! I am satisfied with you. You have followed the norms created by humans. O Maithilee! However, I speak words to you that are in the nature of medication. Act accordingly. Serve Ravana as your husband. He is the lord of all the rakshasas. He is brave and handsome. He is like Vasava, the lord of the gods. He is accomplished and is ready to renounce. He speaks pleasantly to everyone. Rama is a miserable human. Abandon him and seek refuge with Ravana. O Vaidehi! You will have celestial unguents on your limbs. You will be adorned in celestial ornaments. From today, become the mistress of all the worlds. O queen! O beautiful one! Be like Svaha144 to Agni, or Shachi to Indra. O Vaidehi! Rama is miserable and has lost his lifespan. What do you have to do with him? If you do not act in accordance with these words, in this very instant, all of us will eat you up.’
There was another one and her name was Vikata. Her breasts hung down. She roared, raised her fists and angrily spoke to Sita. ‘O extremely evil-minded one! You have uttered many words that are disagreeable in form. O Maithilee! Because of our mildness and our compassion towards you, we have tolerated them. But you are not acting according to our beneficial words, which are appropriate for the time. You have been brought to this shore of the ocean, which is extremely difficult to reach. O Maithilee! You have entered Ravana’s terrible inner quarters. You are imprisoned in Ravana’s house and are protected exceedingly well by us. Even Purandara himself will find it
impossible to save you. O Maithilee! Act in accordance with my beneficial words. There has been enough of shedding tears. Cast aside this futile grief. Serve affection and delight. Abandon this incessant misery. O Sita! As you wish, sport happily with the king of the rakshasas. O timid one! You know that the youth of women is not permanent. Until it is over, enjoy the happiness. O one with the maddening eyes! With the king of the rakshasas, roam in the beautiful gardens, mountains and groves. O beautiful one! Seven thousand women will remain under your control. Serve Ravana as your husband. He is the lord of all the rakshasas. O Maithilee! If you do not act in accordance with the words I have spoken, I will pluck out your heart and eat it.’
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 78