Sanskrit Text in Telugu , Kannada, Gujarati, Devanagari, English

|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 19
(with word meanings and summary)

Sarga 19 is all about Sita in separation from Rama. The poet uses many ways to describe her sorrow.
All of these descriptions have a parallel. That parallel is a Jivatma awaiting the union with Paramatma. The inner meaning as well as the external story merge into one in this Sarga.

The nineteenth Sarga may be summarized as follows..

Seeing that Rakshasa king Ravana, endowed with beauty and youth, adorned with best of ornaments , entering the Ashoka grove, Sita the blameless princess , was shaken like a banana plant by a strong wind.

Seated on bare ground, covered with dust yet looking colorful, without any ornaments though deserving ornaments, she was like a lotus stem dipped in mud not shining yet shining. Emaciated, and sorrowing she was meditating on Rama and only Rama.Yet she is not seeing the end of that sorrow. That state of Sita was described with a torrent of similes by the poet.

Sitting coiled around, she was like the wife of Serpent King. She was like the star Rohini overpowered by the smoking red planet. Though born in a righteous and traditionally virtuous family, and married into an equally famous family she was looking like one born in a family of lower strata. She was like the fame lowered by false scandals. She was like the unused Vedic knowledge. She was like the education that is rusted. She was like great fame which was dimmed, like a faith that was slighted, like a worship that was impeded, like a hope that was dashed. She was like a prospect that was destroyed, like an order that was disobeyed, like a direction set aflame at the time of catastrophe. She was like creeper destroyed, like an army with its warriors killed, like radiant light blocked by darkness, like a stream that is dry. She was like the altar of worship that was defiled, like the blazing flame that was contained, like the night of full moon eclipsed by Rahu.

That Sita was desired by Ravana, who tries to win her over with deceitful words. It was as though he was inviting fate by his actions in pursuit of his desire.

Now we go through the Slokas.

||Sloka 19.01, 02||

तस्मिन्नेव ततः काले राजपुत्त्री त्वनन्दिता।
रूपयौवनसंपन्नं भूषणोत्तम भूषितम्॥19.01||
ततो दृष्ट्वैव वैदेही रावणं राक्षसाधिपं।
प्रावेपत वरारोहा प्रवाते कदळी यथा॥19.02||

स॥ ततः तस्मिन् एव काले भूषणोत्तमभूषितं रूपयौव्वन संपन्नं राक्षसाधिपं रावणं दृष्ट्वैव राजपुत्री अनिंदिता रूपयौव्वन संपन्नं भूषणोत्तमभूषितं वरारोहा वैदेही प्रवाते कदळी यथा प्रावेपत॥

Govindaraja Tika says - 'भूषणोत्तमभूषितं रूपयौव्वन संपन्नं राक्षसाधिपं रावणं';

॥Sloka meanings||

ततः तस्मिन् एव काले - at the same time
रूपयौव्वन संपन्नं - endowed with youth and beauty
भूषणोत्तमभूषितं - adorned with best of ornaments
राक्षसाधिपं रावणं दृष्ट्वैव - just by seeing Ravana, the king of Rakshasas
राजपुत्री अनिंदिता - blameless princess
वरारोहा वैदेही - Vaidehi of slender waist
प्रवाते कदळी यथा प्रावेपत - shaken like a Banana plant in strong wind

||Sloka summary||

"Then at that time just by seeing Ravana, the king of Rakshasas, endowed with beauty and youth, adorned with best of ornaments ( entering the Ashoka grove) the blameless princess of slender waist, Sita was shaken like a banana plant by a strong wind." ||19.01-02||

||Sloka 19.03||

अच्चाद्योदरमूरुभ्यां बाहुभ्यां च पयोधरौ।
उपविष्टा विशालाक्षी रुदन्ती वरवर्णिनी॥19.03||

स॥विशालाक्षी वरवर्णिनी ऊरुभ्यां उदरं बाहूभ्यां पयोधरौ अच्छाद्य रुदन्ती उपविष्टा॥

॥Sloka meanings||

विशालाक्षी वरवर्णिनी - large eyed, fair complexioned one
ऊरुभ्यां उदरं - belly with her thighs
बाहूभ्यां पयोधरौ अच्छाद्य - covering her breasts with both arms
रुदन्ती उपविष्टा - sat crying .

||Sloka summary||

"The large eyed, fair complexioned Sita withdrawing her thighs to cover her belly and arms to cover her breasts sat there crying." ||19.03||

"आ उत्तममैन वर्णमु कल विशालाक्षि तन तॊडलतो उदरमुनु, बाहुवुलतो स्तनमुलनु कप्पुकॊनि कूर्चुनि विलपिंपसागॆनु."||19.03||

||Sloka 19.04||

दशग्रीवस्तु वैदेहीं रक्षितां राक्षसीगणैः।
ददर्श सीतां दुःखार्तां नावं सन्नामिवार्णवे ||19.04||

स॥ दशग्रीवस्तु राक्षसीगणैः रक्षिताम् दुःखार्ताम् आर्णवे सन्नां नावमिव वैदेहीं सीतां ददर्श॥

॥Sloka meanings||

दशग्रीवस्तु - the ten headed Ravana
राक्षसीगणैः रक्षिताम् - one protected by legions of Rakshasa women
दुःखार्ताम् - one immersed in grief
आर्णवे सन्नां नावमिव - like a boat in high seas
वैदेहीं सीतां ददर्श - saw Sita, the daughter of Videha king

||Sloka summary||

"The ten headed Ravana saw Sita , the daughter of Videha king, protected by legions of Rakshasa women and immersed in grief looking like a boat in high seas." ||19.04||

||Sloka 19.05||

असंवृतायां मासीनां धरण्यां संशितव्रतां
छिन्नां प्रपतितां भूमौ शाखामिव वनस्पतेः॥19.05||

स॥ असंवृतां धरण्यां आसीनाम् छिन्नां भूमौ प्रपतिताम् वनस्पतेः शाखामिव ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

असंवृतां धरण्यां आसीनाम् - sitting on a bare ground
छिन्नां भूमौ प्रपतिताम् - cut and fallen down on the ground
वनस्पतेः शाखामिव - like a branch of tree

||Sloka summary||

"Seated on bare ground, she was like a branch of tree cut and fallen down on the ground." ||19.05||

||Sloka 19.06||

मलमण्डिन चित्राङ्गीं मंडनार्हां अमण्डिताम्।
मृणाळी पञ्कदिग्धेव विभाति न विभाति च॥19.06||

स॥ मलमण्डन चित्राङ्गीं मण्डनार्हां अमण्डिताम् पञ्कदिग्धा मृणाली इव भाति न विभाति च॥

॥Sloka meanings||

मलमण्डन चित्राङ्गीं -
Covered with dust yet looking colorful
मण्डनार्हां अमण्डिताम् -
without any ornaments though deserving ornaments
पञ्कदिग्धा मृणाली इव -
like a lotus stem dipped in mud
भाति न विभाति च -
not shining yet shining

||Sloka summary||

"Covered with dust yet looking colorful, without any ornaments though deserving ornaments, she is like a lotus stem dipped in mud not shining yet shining." ||19.06||

||Sloka 19.07||

समीपं राजसिंहस्य रामस्य विदितात्मनः।
सङ्कल्पहयसंयुक्तैः यान्तीमिव मनोरथैः॥19.07||

स॥ संकल्पहयसंयुक्तैः मनोरथैः विदितात्मनः राजसिंहस्य रामस्य समीपं गच्छन्तीमिव ।

॥Sloka meanings||

संकल्पहयसंयुक्तैः -
yoked to the horses of her conviction
मनोरथैः -
with the chariot of mind
विदितात्मनः राजसिंहस्य -
the lion among kings and the one who has realized self
रामस्य समीपं गच्छन्तीमिव -
as if racing to be near Rama

||Sloka summary||

"She was as if racing to the Rama, the lion among kings and the one who has realized self, yoked to the horses of her conviction with the chariot of mind." ||19.07||

||Sloka 19.08||

शुष्यन्तीं रुदतीं एकां ध्यानशोकपरायणाम्।
दुःख स्यान्तं अपश्यन्तीं रामां रामं अनुव्रताम्॥19.08||

स॥ शुष्यंतीं रुदतीं एकां ध्यानपरायणाम् दुःखस्य अंतं अपश्यंतीं रामां रामम् अनुव्रताम् ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

शुष्यंतीं रुदतीं - emaciated and crying
एकां ध्यानपरायणाम् - alone and meditating
दुःखस्य अंतं अपश्यंतीं - not seeing the end of sorrow
रामां रामम् अनुव्रताम् - meditating on Rama and only Rama

||Sloka summary||

"Emaciated, crying, alone, meditating , not seeing the end of sorrow, she was meditating on Rama and only Rama" ||19.08||

||Sloka 19.09||

वेष्टमानां तथऽऽविष्टां पन्नगेन्द्रवधूमिव।
धूप्यमानां ग्रहेणेव रोहिणीं धूमकेतुना॥19.09||

स॥ तथा अविष्टां वेष्टमानां पन्नगेंद्र वधूमिव धूमकेतुना ग्रहेण धूप्यमानाम् रोहिणीं इव ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

तथा अविष्टां - thus sitting ( Sita)
वेष्टमानां पन्नगेंद्र वधूमिव -
like a coiled serpent queen
धूमकेतुना ग्रहेण धूप्यमानाम् रोहिणीं इव -
like the star Rohini overpowered by the smoking planet.

||Sloka summary||

"Sitting coiled around, she is like the wife of Serpent King, like the star Rohini overpowered by the smoking planet." ||19.09||

||Sloka 19.10||

वृत्तशीलकुलेजातां आचारवति धार्मिके।
पुनस्संस्कारमापन्नां जाता मिव दुष्कुले॥19.10||

स॥ जातां धार्मिके आचारवती वृत्तशीलकुले संस्कारं आपन्नां दुष्कुले पुनः जातां इव ॥

Govindaraja Tika says - " वृत्तं दृढं शीलं स्वभावो यस्य तत्, तच्चतत् कुलं तस्मिन् आचारवती समयाचारवती धार्मिके यज्ञादि धर्म प्रधाने एवं भूते कुले जाताम्, संस्कारमापन्नाम् विवाहरूप संस्कारमापन्नाम्तः संस्कारद्वारा दुष्कुले पुनर्जातां इव स्थिताम् , कुमारानां उपनयनमिव कुमारीणां द्वितीयं जन्म, "वैवाहिको विधिः स्त्रीणामौपनायनिकः स्मृतः', इति स्मृतेः॥

॥Sloka meanings||

जातां धार्मिके आचारवती - born in a righteous and traditional family
वृत्तशीलकुले संस्कारं आपन्नां - attained a traditional virtuous family ,
दुष्कुले पुनः जातां इव - as if again born in a family of no tradition

||Sloka summary||

"Born in a righteous and traditional line, by marriage attained a traditional virtuous family, and traditionally virtuous family, as if again born in a family of no tradition."||19.10||

||Sloka 19.11||

अभूतेनापवादेन कीर्तिं निपतिता मिव।
अम्नायानां अयोगेन विद्यां प्रशिथिलामिव॥19.11||

स॥ अभूतेन अपवादेन निपातितां कीर्तिमिव आम्नायतानाम् अयोगेन प्रशिथिलाम् विद्यां इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

अभूतेन अपवादेन - by false scandals
निपातितां कीर्तिमिव - like a fame lowered
आम्नायतानाम् अयोगेन - by unused Vedic knowledge
प्रशिथिलाम् विद्यां इव - like education that is rusted

||Sloka summary||

"She is like the fame lowered by false scandals, like an education that is rusted by unused Vedic knowledge." ||19.11||

||Sloka 19.12||

सन्नामिव महाकीर्तिं श्रद्धामिव विमानिताम्।
पूजामिव परिक्षीणां आशां प्रतिहतामिव॥19.12||

स॥ सन्नाम् महाकीर्तिं इव विमानितां श्रद्धां इव परिक्षिणां पूजां इव प्रतिहतां आशां इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

सन्नाम् महाकीर्तिं इव - like great fame which is dimmed
विमानितां श्रद्धां इव - , like faith that is slighted,
परिक्षिणां पूजां इव - like worship that is impeded
प्रतिहतां आशां इव - like hope that is dashed

||Sloka summary||

"She was like great fame which is dimmed, faith that is slighted, worship that is impeded, like hope that is dashed."||19.12||

||Sloka 19.13||

अयतीमिव विध्वस्तां आज्ञां प्रतिहतामिव |
दीप्तामिव दिशं काले पूजां अपहृता मिव॥19.13||

स॥ विध्वस्तां अयतीं इव प्रतिहतां आज्ञां इव काले दीप्तितां दिशमिव अपहृतां पूजां इव॥

Govindaraja Tika says- 'अत्र पूजाशब्देन पूजा द्रव्यमुच्यते'; Here the word, 'पूज' worship is explained as material for worship.

||Sloka meanings||

विध्वस्तां अयतीं इव - like a prospect that is destroyed
प्रतिहतां आज्ञां इव - like an order that is disobeyed
काले दीप्तितां दिशमिव - like a direction set aflame at the time of catastrophe
अपहृतां पूजां इव - like a worship that was abducted ( by evil doers)

||Sloka summary||

"She was like a prospect that is destroyed , like an order that is disobeyed, like a direction set aflame at the time of catastrophe. She was like a worship that was abducted ( by evil doers)". ||19.13||

||Sloka 19.14||

पद्मिनीमिव विध्वस्तां हतशूरां चमूमिव।
प्रभामिव तमोध्वस्तां उपक्षीणामिवापगाम्॥19.14||

स॥ विध्वस्तां पद्मिनीं इव हतशूरं चमूं इव तमोध्वस्तां प्रभां इव उपक्षीणाम् अपगां इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

विध्वस्तां पद्मिनीं इव - like a creeper that was destroyed
हतशूरं चमूं इव - like an army with its warriors killed
तमोध्वस्तां प्रभां इव - like radiant light blocked by darkness
उपक्षीणाम् अपगां इव - like a stream that is dried

||Sloka summary||

"She was like creeper destroyed, like an army with its warriors killed, like radiant light blocked by darkness, like a stream that is dried." ||19.14||

||Sloka 19.15||

वेदीमिव परामृष्टां शान्तां अग्निशिखामिव।
पौर्णमासी मिव निशां राहुग्रस्तेन्दुमण्डलाम् ||19.15||

स॥ परामृष्टां वेदीं इव शांतां अग्निशिखां इव राहुग्रस्तेन्दुमण्डलां पौर्णमासीं निशां इव ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

परामृष्टां वेदीं इव - like the altar of worship that is defiled
शांतां अग्निशिखां इव - like the blazing flame that is contained
पौर्णमासीं निशां इव - like the night of full moon
राहुग्रस्तेन्दुमण्डलां - with moon eclipsed by Rahu

||Sloka summary||

"She was like the altar of worship that is defiled, like the blazing flame that is contained, like the night of full moon with moon eclipsed by Rahu" .||19.15||

||Sloka 19.16||

उत्कृष्णपर्णकमलां वित्रासित विहङ्गमां।
हस्ति हस्तपरामृष्टां आकुलां पद्मिनीमिव॥19.16||

स॥ हस्तिहस्तपरामृष्टाम् उत्कृष्टपर्णकमलाम् वित्रासित विहङ्गमां आकुलाम् पद्मिनीं इव ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

हस्तिहस्तपरामृष्टाम् - destroyed by the trunks of the elephants
उत्कृष्टपर्णकमलाम् - with excellent leaves and lotuses
वित्रासित विहङ्गमां - with frightened birds
आकुलाम् पद्मिनीं इव - like a pond कलुषमैन सरस्सु वलॆ

॥Sloka summary||

"She is like the disturbed lotus pond with frightened birds, with excellent lotuses and leaves destroyed by the trunks of the elephants." ||19.16||

||Sloka 19.17||

पतिशोकतुरां शुष्कां नदीं विस्रावितामिव।
परया मृजया हीनां कृष्णपक्ष निशामिव॥19.17||

स॥ पतिशोकतुरां विस्रावितां शुष्कां नदीं इव परया मृजया हीनाम् कृष्णपक्षनिशां इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

पतिशोकतुरां - stricken with grief created by separation from her husband
विस्रावितां शुष्कां नदीं इव - like river dried with its water diverted
परया मृजया हीनाम् - not fit for ablutions
कृष्णपक्षनिशां इव - like the night of a dark fortnight

||Sloka summary||

"Stricken with grief created by separation from her husband, she is like river dried with its water grown thin not fit for ablution , like night during the dark fortnight."||19.17||

||Sloka 19.18||

सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं रत्नगर्भगृहोचिताम्।
तप्यमानामिवोष्णेन मृणाळी मचिरोद्धृताम् ||19.18||

स॥ सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं रत्नगर्भगृहोचितां तप्यमानां अचिरोद्धताम् मृणालीं इव ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं -
delicate lady with beautiful limbs
रत्नगर्भगृहोचितां -
one who deserves to be in a house whose interiors are decorated with gems
तप्यमानां अचिरोद्धताम् -
plucked out and scorched
मृणालीं इव - like a lotus

||Sloka summary||

"The delicate lady with beautiful limbs, who deserves to be in a house whose interiors are decorated with gems, was like a lotus plucked out and scorched by heat." ||19.18||

||Sloka 19.19||

गृहीता माळितां स्तम्भे यूधपेन विना कृतां।
निश्श्वसन्तीं सुदुःखार्तां गजराजवधूमिव ||19.19||

स॥ निःश्वसंतीं सुदुःखार्तां गृहीतां स्तंभे आलितां यूथपेन विना कृताम् गजराजवधूं इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

गजराजवधूं इव - like a royal elephant king's consort
गृहीतां स्तंभे आलितां - held and tied to a pillar,
यूथपेन विना कृताम् - separated from her lord
निःश्वसंतीं सुदुःखार्तां - sighing heavily with intense grief

||Sloka summary||

"Like a royal elephant king's consort separated from her lord, held and tied to a pillar, she was sighing heavily with intense grief." ||19.19||

||Sloka 19.20||

एकया दीर्घया वेण्या शोभमानां अयत्नतः।
नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव॥19.20||

स॥ दीर्घया एकया वेण्या अयत्नतः शोभमानाम् नीरदापाये नीलया वनराज्या महीं इव॥

॥Sloka meanings||

दीर्घया एकया वेण्या - with a long single plait of hair
अयत्नतः शोभमानाम् -carelessly made yet beautiful
नीरदापाये - at the end of rainy season
महीं इव - like the earth
नीलया वनराज्या - with a dark row of trees

||Sloka summary||

"Looking beautiful with a long single plait of hair carelessly made, she is like a dark row of trees at the end of rainy season on the land." ||19.20||

||Sloka 19.21||

उपवासेन शोकेन ध्यानेन च भयेन च।
परीक्षीणां कृशां दीनां अल्पाहारां तपोधनाम्॥19.21||

स॥ उपवासेन शोकेन ध्यानेन भयेन च परिक्षीणां कृशां दीनां अल्पहारां तपोधनाम् ॥

॥Sloka meanings||

उपवासेन शोकेन - by fasting and grief
ध्यानेन भयेन च दीनां -
depressed due to brooding and threats
परिक्षीणां कृशां अल्पहारां -
wasted and emaciated due to very little food
तपोधनाम् - rich with austerities.

||Sloka summary||

"Thin and emaciated through fasting and grief, depressed due to brooding, she is rich with austerities." ||19.21||

||Sloka 19.22||

अयाचमानां दुःखार्तां प्राञ्जलिं देवतामिव।
भावेन रघुमुख्यस्य दशग्रीव पराभवम्॥19.22||

स॥ देवतां इव दुःखार्तां भावेन रघुमुख्यस्य दशग्रीव पराभवम् प्रांजलिं अयाचमानाम्॥

॥Sloka meanings||

दुःखार्तां देवतां इव -
like a goddess tormented with grief
भावेन अयाचमानाम् रघुमुख्यस्य
mentally supplicating to the the chief of Raghu's clan
दशग्रीव पराभवम् -
defeat of the ten headed one
प्रांजलिं - with folded hands

||Sloka summary||

"She was like a goddess tormented with grief, with folded hands mentally supplicating Rama the foremost of Raghu line to protect her from the insults of Ravana." ||19.22||

||Sloka 19.23||

समीक्षमाणां रुदतीमनिन्दितां
सुपक्ष्म ताम्रायत शुक्ललोचनाम्।
अनुव्रतां राममतीव मैथिलीं
प्रलोभयामास वधाय रावणः ||19.23||

स॥। समीक्षमानाम् रुदतीं अनिंदितां सुपक्ष्म ताम्रायत शुक्ललोचनाम् अतीव रामं अनुव्रताम् मैथिलीं रावणः वधाय प्रलोभयामास॥

॥Sloka meanings||

समीक्षमानाम् रुदतीं अनिंदितां -
blameless Mythili crying and casting glances
सुपक्ष्म ताम्रायत शुक्ललोचनाम् -
with attractive eyelashes and broad bright eyes
अतीव रामं अनुव्रताम् मैथिलीं- always devoted to Rama
रावणः वधाय प्रलोभयामास -
Ravana was trying to allure Sita, desiring his own death

||Sloka summary||

"As if desiring his own death, Ravana tries to allure the blameless Mythili with large eyes and with attractive eyelashes and large bright eyes devoted very much to Rama who was crying." ||19.23||

With this Sloka Sarga nineteen comes to an end

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये वाल्मीकीये
चतुर्विंशत् सहस्रिकायां संहितायाम्
श्रीमत्सुंदरकांडे एकोनविंशस्सर्गः॥

||om tat sat||