||Sundarakanda ||

|| Sarga 23||( Slokas in English Script)

 

Sanskrit Sloka text in Devanagari, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu , and English

||om tat sat||

suṁdarakāṁḍa.
atha trayōviṁśassargaḥ

ityuktvā maithilīṁ rājā rāvaṇaḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ|
saṁdiśya ca tataḥ sarvā rākṣasīrnirjagāma ha||1||
niṣkrāṁtē rākṣasēṁdrē tu punaraṁtaḥpuraṁ gatē|
rākṣasyō bhīmarūpāḥ tāḥ sītāṁ samabhidudruvuḥ||2||

sa|| maidhilīṁ ityuktvā rāvaṇāḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ tataḥ sarvān rākṣasīḥ saṁdiśya ca tataḥ rājā nirjagāma|| rākṣasēṁdrē punaḥ aṁtaḥpuraṁ gatē niṣkrāṁtē tu bhīmarūpāḥ rākṣasyaḥ tāṁ sītāṁ samabhidudruvuḥ||

Thus having told Maithili, Ravana, the tormentor of enemies, commanded all the Rakshasa women too and then left ( for his palace). After the king of Rakshasas left for the inner harem, the fearsome Rakshasa women surrounded Sita.

tatassītāṁ upāgamya rakṣasyaḥ krōthamūrcitāḥ|
paraṁ paruṣayā vācā vaidēhīṁ idamabruvan ||3||
paulastasya variṣṭhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ|
daśagrīvasya bhāryā tvaṁ sītē na bahumanyasē||4||

sa|| tataḥ rakṣasyaḥ krōdhamūrchitāḥ sītāṁ vaidēhīṁ upāgamya paraṁ paruṣayā vācā idaṁ abruvan || sītē mahātmanaḥ paulastasya variṣṭhasya daśagrīvasya bhāryā tvaṁ na bahumanyasē ||

Then the Rakshasa women having lost their senses in anger, approached Sita and said the following angry words. 'Oh Sita ! Don't you think that it is a privilege to be the wife of the great soul, son of Pulastya, the ten headed Ravana'.

tatastvēkajaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyama bravīt|
āmaṁtrya krōdhatāmrākṣī sītāṁ karatalōdarīm||5||
prajāpatīnāṁ ṣaṇṇāṁ tu caturthō yaḥ prajāpatiḥ|
mānasō brahmaṇaḥ puttraḥ pulastya iti viśrutaḥ||6||
pulastasya tu tējasvī maharṣirmānasaḥ sutaḥ|
nāmnā sa viśravā nāma prajāpati samaprabhaḥ||7||
tasya puttrō viśālākṣī rāvaṇa śśatru rāvaṇaḥ|
tasya tvaṁ rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā bhavitumarhasi||8||
mayōktaṁ cāru sarvāṁgī vākyaṁ kiṁ nānumanyasē|

sa|| tataḥ ēkajaṭā nāma rākṣasī āmaṁtrya krōdhatāmrākṣī karatalōdarīṁ sītāṁ (idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt | ṣaṇṇāṁ prajāpatīnāṁ caturthō prajāpati pulastyaḥ yaḥ brahmaṇaḥ mānasaputraḥ iti viśrutaḥ tu || tējasvī pulastasya mānasaḥ sutaḥ maharṣiḥ viśravāḥ nāmaḥ saḥ prajāpati samaprabhaḥ || viśālākṣī rāvaṇaḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ tasya puttraḥ | tasya rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā bhavitu tvaṁ arhasi||cāru sarvāṁgī mayōktaṁ vākyaṁ kiṁ na anumanyase?||

Then one Rakshasi by name Ekajataa who had eyes red with anger, told Sita with a belly of the size of a palm, the following words. ' Pulastya, the fourth among six Prajapatis, is known as the son born out of the thought of Brahma. The glorious Pulastya's son born out of thinking , equal in splendor to Prajapatis is great Rishi Visravasa. Oh Wide eyed one ! Ravana, the tormentor of enemies is his son. You deserve to be his wife. Oh Lady of beautiful limbs ! Why do you not follow the words spoken by me?'

tatō harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt||9||
vivartya nayanē kōpāt mārjāra sadr̥śēkṣaṇā|
yēna dēvāḥ trayastriṁśat dēvarājaśca nirjitāḥ||10||
tasya tvaṁ rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā bhavitu marhasi|

sa|| tataḥ mārjāra sadr̥sēkṣaṇā harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī vivr̥tya nayanaḥ kōpāt (idaṁ) vacanaṁ abravīt || yēna trayatriṁśat dēvāḥ dēvarājaśca nirjitāḥ tasya rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā bhavituṁ arhasi||

Then a cat eyed Rakshasi by name Harijata who had eyes rolling in anger, said the following words. 'You deserve to be the wife of that king of Rakshasas who defeated thirty three crore gods including the king of Devas'.

tatastu praghasā nāma rākṣasī krōdhamūrcitā||11||
bhartyayaṁtī tadā ghōram idaṁ vacanamabravīt |
vīryōtsiktasya śūrasya saṁgrāmēṣvanivartinaḥ||12||
balinō vīryayuktasya bhāryā kiṁ tvaṁ na lapsyasē|
priyāṁ bahumatāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā rājā mahābalaḥ||13||
sarvāsāṁ ca mahābhāgāṁ tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ|
samuddhaṁ strī sahasrēṇa nānāratnōpaśōbhitam||14||
aṁtaḥ puraṁ samutsr̥jya tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ|

sa|| tataḥ krōdhamūrchitā ghōraṁ bhartsayaṁtī praghasā nāma rākṣasī idaṁ ghōraṁ vacanaṁ abravīt|| vīryōtsiktasya śūrasya saṁgrāmēṣu anivartinaḥ balinaḥ vīryayuktasya bhāryā tvaṁ kiṁ na lapsyasē||rāvaṇaḥ mahābalaḥ sarvāsāṁ ca mahābhāgāṁ bahumatāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā rājā tvāṁ upaiṣyati || rāvaṇaḥ strīsahasrēṇa samr̥ddhaṁ nānāratnōpaśōbhitaṁ aṁtaḥ puraṁ samāsādya tvāṁ upaiṣyati ||

Then a Rakshasi who lost her senses in anger, spoke these terrible words deriding Sita.' Why are you not wishing to be the wife of the mighty valiant one, who never retreats in battle. The most powerful Ravana rejecting all the highly respectable ladies including his dear favorite lady, is desiring you. Ravana abandoning thousand wives in his harem provided with all kinds of gems , is desiring you'.

anyātu vikaṭānāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt||15||
asakr̥ddēvatā yuddē nāgagaṁdharva dānavāḥ|
nirjitāḥ samarē yēna sa tē pārśvamupāgataḥ||16||
tasya sarvasamr̥ddhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ|
kimadya rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā tvaṁ nēcchasēsdhamē ||17||

sa|| vikaṭā nāma anyā rākṣasī (idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt | yēna asakr̥t yuddhē dēvatāḥ nāga gaṁdharva dānavāḥ yuddhē samarē nirjitāḥ saḥ tē pārśvaṁ upāgataḥ|| athamē tasya sarvasamr̥ddhasya mahātmanaḥ rāvaṇasya rākṣsēṁdrasya bhāryā kiṁ na icchasē|

Then a Rakshasi by name Vikata said the following words. ' He who has often defeated Devas , Nagas, Gandharvas , Danavas in battle wants to be by your side. Oh Foolish woman! Why do you not wish to be the wife of the great soul Ravana who has abundance of wealth ?

tatastu durmukhī nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt|
yasya sūryō na tapati bhītō yasya ca mārutaḥ||18||
na vāti smāyatāpāṁgē kiṁ tvaṁ tasya na tiṣṭhasi|

sa|| tataḥ durmukhī nāma rākṣasī (idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt | āyatāpāṁgē yasya bhītaḥ sūryaḥ na tapati yasya ca mārutaḥ na vāti sma tasya tvaṁ kiṁ na tiṣṭhasi ||

Then a Rakshasi by name Durmukhi spoke the following words.' O Lady of long side glances ! Why don't you stand by that one afraid of whom the Sun does not shine brightly and the wind does not blow?'

puṣpavr̥ṣṭiṁ ca taravō mumucurasya vai bhayāt||19||
tatastu subhru pānīyaṁ jalādāśca yadēcchati|
tasya nairr̥tarājasya rājarājasya bhāminī||20||
kiṁ tvaṁ na kuruṣē buddhiṁ bhāryārthē rāvaṇasya hi|

sa|| subhru bhāmini yasya bhayāt taravaḥ puṣpavr̥ṣṭhiṁ mumucuḥ yadā icchati śailāśca jaladāśca pānīyaṁ nairrutarājasya rājarājasya tasya rāvaṇasya bhāryārthē buddhiṁ tvaṁ na kuruṣē?||

'Oh Lady with beautiful eyebrows ! Why not you make up your mind to be the wife of Ravana , the king of kings, king of Southwest, afraid of whom the trees shower flowers, the mountains and clouds release water ?'

sādhutē tattvatō dēvi kathitaṁ sādhu bhāmini||21||
gr̥hāṇa susmitē vākyaṁ anyathā na bhaviṣyasi|

sa|| susmitē bhāmini dēvi tattvataḥ sādhu tē kathitaṁ vākyaṁ gr̥hāṇa anyathā na bhaviṣyasi ||

"Oh Lady with gentle smile ! Accept these words spoken truly in your interest , otherwise you will not be alive".

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē trayōviṁśassargaḥ||

Thus ends the twenty third Sarga of Sundarakanda in Ramayana the first poem in Sanskrit composed by the first poet sage Valmiki

||om tat sat||