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|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 23

In Sarga twenty-two, Ravana tells Maithili that she has a time limit of two months. He also commands the Rakshasa women guarding her, to win over Sita to using all modes of persuasion. Then Ravana, the tormentor of enemies leaves for his palace.

We now hear the subsequent events.

The Slokas of twenty third Sarga follow with meanings and summary.

||Sloka 23.01||

ityuktvā maithilīṁ rājā rāvaṇaḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ|
saṁdiśya ca tataḥ sarvā rākṣasīrnirjagāma ha ||23.01||

sa|| maidhilīṁ ityuktvā rāvaṇaḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ tataḥ sarvān rākṣasīḥ saṁdiśya ca tataḥ rājā nirjagāma||

||Sloka meanings||

maidhilīṁ ityuktvā -
thus having told Maithili
rāvaṇaḥ śatru rāvaṇaḥ -
Ravana, the tormentor of enemies
sarvān rākṣasīḥ saṁdiśya ca -
commanded all the Rakshasa women too
tataḥ rājā nirjagāma -
then the king left

||ślōka tātparyamu||

"Thus having told Maithili , Ravana, the tormentor of enemies, commanded all the Rakshasa women too and then left ( for his palace)". ||23.01||

Tilaka Tika says - śatr̥̄n rāvayati hāhākāraśabdaṁ kārayati, saḥ śatr̥rāvaṇaḥ - makes enemies cry in distress hence he is called, śatr̥rāvaṇaḥ.

||Sloka 23.02||

niṣkrāntē rākṣasēndrē tu punarantaḥpuraṁ gatē|
rākṣasyō bhīmarūpāḥ sītāṁ samabhidudruvuḥ||23.02||

sa|| rākṣasēṁdrē punaḥ aṁtaḥpuraṁ gatē niṣkrāntē tu bhīmarūpāḥ rākṣasyaḥ tāṁ sītāṁ samabhidudruvuḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

rākṣasēṁdrē niṣkrāntē -
after the king of Rakshasas left that place
punaḥ aṁtaḥpuraṁ gatē tu -
and again went to his harem
bhīmarūpāḥ rākṣasyaḥ -
the fearsome Rakshasa women
tāṁ sītāṁ samabhidudruvuḥ -
surrounded Sita

||Sloka summary||

"After the king of Rakshasas left for the inner harem, the fearsome Rakshasa women surrounded Sita." ||23.02||

||Sloka 23.03||

tatassītāṁ upāgamya rakṣasyaḥ krōthamūrcitāḥ|
paraṁ paruṣayā vācā vaidēhīṁ idamabruvan ||23.03||

sa|| tataḥ rakṣasyaḥ krōdhamūrchitāḥ sītāṁ vaidēhīṁ upāgamya paraṁ paruṣayā vācā idaṁ abruvan ||

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ rakṣasyaḥ krōdhamūrchitāḥ -
then the Rakshasa women having lost their senses in anger
sītāṁ vaidēhīṁ upāgamya - approached Sita
paraṁ paruṣayā vācā - with harsh words
idaṁ abruvan - spoke thus.

||Sloka summary||

"Then the Rakshasa women having lost their senses in anger, approached Sita and said the following angry words." ||23.03||

||Sloka 23.04||

paulastasya variṣṭhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ|
daśagrīvasya bhāryā tvaṁ sītē na bahumanyasē||23.04||

sa|| sītē mahātmanaḥ paulastasya variṣṭhasya daśagrīvasya bhāryā tvaṁ na bahumanyasē ||

||Sloka meanings||.

sītē mahātmanaḥ paulastasya -
of the son of Pulastya, the great soul
variṣṭhasya daśagrīvasya bhāryā -
wife of distinguished , ten headed one's
tvaṁ na bahumanyasē -
you think is not a privilege

||Sloka summary||

"Oh Sita, don't you think that it is a privilege to be the wife of the great soul, son of Pulastya, the distinguished ten headed Ravana".||23.04||

||Sloka 23.05||

tatastvēkajaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyama bravīt|
āmantrya krōdhatāmrākṣī sītāṁ karatalōdarīm||23.05||

sa|| tataḥ ēkajaṭā nāma rākṣasī āmantrya krōdhatāmrākṣī karatalōdarīṁ sītāṁ (idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt |

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ ēkajaṭā nāma rākṣasī -
then one Rakshasi by name Ekajata
āmantrya krōdhatāmrākṣī -
who had eyes red with anger, having been called
karatalōdarīṁ sītāṁ -
Sita who is with a belly of the size of a palm
(idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt -
said the following words

||Sloka summary||Ó

"Then one Rakshasi by name Ekajata, who had eyes red with anger having been called , told Sita with a belly of the size of a palm, the following words." ||23.05||

||Sloka 23.06||

prajāpatīnāṁ ṣaṇṇāṁ tu caturthō yaḥ prajāpatiḥ|
mānasō brahmaṇaḥ puttraḥ pulastya iti viśrutaḥ||23.06||

sa|| ṣaṇṇāṁ prajāpatīnāṁ caturthō prajāpati pulastyaḥ yaḥ brahmaṇaḥ mānasaputraḥ iti viśrutaḥ tu ||

||Sloka meanings||

ṣaṇṇāṁ prajāpatīnāṁ -
among six Prajapatis
caturthō prajāpati pulastyaḥ -
fourth Prajapatis is Pulastya
yaḥ brahmaṇaḥ mānasaputraḥ -
the son born out of the thought of Brahma
iti viśrutaḥ tu -
known to be so

||Sloka summary||

"Pulastya, the fourth among six Prajapatis, is known as the son born out of the thought of Brahma." ||23.06||

||Sloka 23.07||

pulastasya tu tējasvī maharṣirmānasaḥ sutaḥ|
nāmnā sa viśravā nāma prajāpati samaprabhaḥ ||23.07||

sa|| tējasvī pulastasya mānasaḥ sutaḥ maharṣiḥ viśravāḥ nāmaḥ saḥ prajāpati samaprabhaḥ ||

||Sloka meanings||

tējasvī pulastasya mānasaḥ sutaḥ -
glorious Pulastya's son born out of his thoughts
maharṣiḥ viśravāḥ nāmaḥ -
named great seer Visravas
saḥ prajāpati samaprabhaḥ -
he is equal in splendor to Prajapatis

||Sloka summary||

"The glorious Pulastya's son born out of thinking , equal in splendor to Prajapatis is great Rishi Visravasa." ||23.07||

||Sloka 23.08||

tasya puttrō viśālākṣī rāvaṇaśśatru rāvaṇaḥ|
tasya tvaṁ rākṣasēndrasya bhāryā bhavitumarhasi||23.08||
mayōktaṁ cāru sarvāṅgi vākyaṁ kiṁ nānumanyasē|

sa|| viśālākṣī tasya putraḥ rāvaṇaśśatru rāvaṇaḥ ||tasya rākṣasēṁdrasya bhāryā bhavitu tvaṁ arhasi || cāru sarvāṅgi mayōktaṁ vākyaṁ kiṁ na anumanyasē?||

||Sloka meanings||

viśālākṣī tasya putraḥ - Oh Wide eyed one ! his son
rāvaṇaśśatru rāvaṇaḥ - Ravana, the tormentor of enemies
tasya rākṣasēṁdrasya - of that king of Rakshasas
bhāryā bhavitu tvaṁ arhasi - you deserve to be wife
cāru sarvāṅgi - Oh Lady of beautiful limbs
mayōktaṁ vākyaṁ - the words spoken by me
kiṁ na anumanyasē? - Why do you not follow ?

||Sloka summary||

"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?" ||23.08||

" After the King of Rakshasas left ..."

The fearsome Rakshasa women surrounded Sita. Their job was clear. That is to persuade Sita to accept Ravana. They approach Sita with words of persuasion, words of praise for Ravana, and the words of fear about Ravana come at the end.

"daśagrīvasya bhāryātvaṁ sītē na bahu manyasē".

"Oh Sita ! Don't you think that it is a privilege to be the wife of the great soul ,Ravana".

They start with extolling Ravana's impressive lineage.

" Pulastya is the fourth among six Prajapatis. He is known as the son born out of mind of Brahma. The glorious Pulastya's son born out of mind , equal in splendor to Prajapatis is great Rishi Visrava.
Oh wide eyed one ! Ravana, the tormentor of enemies is his son".

That is the lineage of Ravana.

They take turns in praising Ravana. They are on their job of persuasion.

||Sloka 23.09||

tatō harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt||9||
vivartya nayanē kōpāt mārjāra sadr̥śēkṣaṇā|

sa|| tataḥ mārjāra sadr̥sēkṣaṇā harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī vivr̥tya nayanaḥ kōpāt (idaṁ) vacanaṁ abravīt ||

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ mārjāra sadr̥sēkṣaṇā -
then a cat eyed Rakshasi
harijaṭā nāma rākṣasī -
by name Harijata
kōpāt vivr̥tya nayanaḥ -
with eyes rolling in anger
(idaṁ) vacanaṁ abravīt -
said the following words

||Sloka summary||

"Then a cat eyed Rakshasi by name Harijata who had eyes rolling in anger, said the following words." ||23.09||

||Sloka 23.10||

yēna dēvāḥ trayastriṁśat dēvarājaśca nirjitāḥ||23.10||
tasya tvaṁ rākṣasēndrasya bhāryā bhavitu marhasi|

||Sloka meanings||

yēna trayatriṁśat dēvāḥ -
by whom thirty-three crore gods
dēvarājaśca nirjitāḥ -
king of Devas too was defeated
tasya rākṣasēndrasya -
of that king of Rakshasas
bhāryā bhavituṁ arhasi -
deserve to be the wife

||Sloka summary||

sa|| yēna trayatriṁśat dēvāḥ dēvarājaśca nirjitāḥ tasya rākṣasēndrasya bhāryā bhavituṁ arhasi||

"You deserve to be the wife of that king of Rakshasas who defeated thirty-three crore gods including the king of Devas". ||23.10||

Now the Rakshasa women take turns to praise Ravana .

"yēna dēvā trayatriṁśat dēvarājaśca vijitāḥ' |
" by whom the leader of the thirty three crore Devas was defeated".

For the Rakshasas that is high qualification

Saying that she is fit to be his wife, in their ignorance the Rakshasa women think that is a compliment. That is the level of knowledge of the people schooled in ignorance.

||Sloka 23.11||

tatastu praghasā nāma rākṣasī krōdhamūrcitā||23.11||
bhartyayantī tadā ghōram idaṁ vacanamabravīt |

sa|| tataḥ krōdhamūrchitā bhartsayaṁtī praghasā nāma rākṣasī idaṁ ghōraṁ vacanaṁ abravīt||

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ krōdhamūrchitā -
one who lost her senses in anger
bhartsayaṁtī - deriding
praghasā nāma rākṣasī -
a Rakshasi by name Praghasa
idaṁ ghōraṁ vacanaṁ abravīt -
said these terrible words

||Sloka summary||

Then a Rakshasi who lost her senses in anger, spoke these terrible words deriding Sita

||Sloka 23.12||

vīryōtsiktasya śūrasya saṁgrāmēṣvanivartinaḥ||23.12||
balinō vīryayuktasya bhāryā kiṁ tvaṁ na lapsyasē|

sa|| vīryōtsiktasya śūrasya saṁgrāmēṣu anivartinaḥ balinaḥ vīryayuktasya bhāryā tvaṁ kiṁ na lapsyasē||

||Sloka meanings||

vīryōtsiktasya śūrasya -
of valiant warrior
saṁgrāmēṣu anivartinaḥ -
one who never retreats in battle.
balinaḥ vīryayuktasya bhāryā -
wife of a powerful and mighty one
tvaṁ kiṁ na lapsyasē -
why you do not wish to be

||Sloka summary||

"Why are you not wishing to be the wife of the mighty valiant one, who never retreats in battle."

||Sloka 23.13||

priyāṁ bahumatāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā rājā mahābalaḥ||23.13||
sarvāsāṁ ca mahābhāgāṁ tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ|

sa|| rāvaṇaḥ mahābalaḥ sarvāsāṁ ca mahābhāgāṁ bahumatāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā rājā tvāṁ upaiṣyati ||

||Sloka meanings||

rāvaṇaḥ mahābalaḥ -
most powerful Ravana
sarvāsāṁ ca bahumatāṁ -
favorite lady among all
mahābhāgāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā -
leaving highly respectable wife
rājā tvāṁ upaiṣyati -
the king is desiring you

||Sloka summary||

" The most powerful Ravana rejecting all the highly respectable ladies including his dear favorite lady, is desiring you." ||23.13||

The Rakshasa women roll a number of praises for Ravana .

"śūrasya saṁgrāmēṣvanivartinaḥ"
"Mighty valiant one, who never retreats in battle"

"priyāṁ bahumatāṁ bhāryāṁ tyaktvā"
"Rejecting all the highly respectable ladies including his dear favorite lady,
Ravana is desiring you".

That he is desiring Sita, wife of another, which is against normal cannons of law, is presented as a qualification for Ravana.

||Sloka 23.14||

samuddhaṁ strī sahasrēṇa nānāratnōpaśōbhitam||23.14||
aṁtaḥ puraṁ samutsr̥jya tvāmupaiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ|

sa|| rāvaṇaḥ strīsahasrēṇa samr̥ddhaṁ nānāratnōpaśōbhitaṁ aṁtaḥ puraṁ samutsr̥jya tvāṁ upaiṣyati ||

||Sloka meanings||

nānāratnōpaśōbhitaṁ -
shining with all kinds of gems
strīsahasrēṇa samr̥ddhaṁ -
filled with thousand wives
aṁtaḥ puraṁ samutsr̥jya -
abandoning his harem
rāvaṇaḥ tvāṁ upaiṣyati -
Ravana is desiring you'.

||Sloka summary||

"Ravana abandoning thousand wives in his harem provided with all kinds of gems , is desiring you".||23.14||

||Sloka 23.15,16||

anyātu vikaṭānāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt||23.15||
asakr̥ddēvatā yuddē nāgagandharva dānavāḥ|
nirjitāḥ samarē yēna sa tē pārśvamupāgataḥ||23.16||

sa|| vikaṭā nāma anyā rākṣasī (idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt | yēna asakr̥t yuddhē dēvatāḥ nāga gaṁdharva dānavāḥ yuddhē samarē nirjitāḥ saḥ tē pārśvaṁ upāgataḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

vikaṭā nāma anyā rākṣasī -
then a Rakshasi by name Vikata
(idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt -
said the following words
yēna asakr̥t - who has often
dēvatāḥ nāga gaṁdharva dānavāḥ -
Devas , Nagas, Gandharvas , Danavas
yuddhē samarē nirjitāḥ - defeated in the war
saḥ tē pārśvaṁ upāgataḥ -
he wants to be by your side

||Sloka summary||

"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." ||23.15,16||

||Sloka 23.17||

tasya sarvasamr̥ddhasya rāvaṇasya mahātmanaḥ|
kimadya rākṣasēndrasya bhāryā tvaṁ nēcchasē'dhamē ||23.17||

sa|| athamē tasya sarvasamr̥ddhasya mahātmanaḥ rāvaṇasya rākṣsēṁdrasya bhāryā kiṁ na icchasē

||Sloka meanings||

tasya sarvasamr̥ddhasya -
one of abundance of wealth
mahātmanaḥ rākṣsēṁdrasya -
great soul and King of Rakshasas
rāvaṇasya bhāryā - Ravana's wife
athamē kiṁ na icchasē -
Oh Foolish woman, why do you not wish
adhamurālā aguṭaku eṁduku iṣṭapaḍavu

||Sloka summary||

"Oh Foolish woman! Why do you not wish to be the wife of the great soul Ravana who has abundance of wealth ?" ||23.17||

Having said how powerful Ravana is, they tell Sita she is fit enough to be his wife, "bhāryā bhavituṁ arhasi", "You are worthy of becoming his wife"; Describing her as being worthy of Ravana shows their ignorance.

They are not aware of the antecedents of Sita, nor that Rama won her by lifting Siva's bow, which the king of Rakshasas failed to lift.


||Sloka 23.18||

tatastu durmukhī nāma rākṣasī vākyamabravīt|
yasya sūryō na tapati bhītō yasya ca mārutaḥ||23.18||
na vāti smāyatāpāṅgē kiṁ tvaṁ tasya na tiṣṭhasi|

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

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ durmukhī nāma rākṣasī -
then a Rakshasi by name Durmukhi
(idaṁ) vākyaṁ abravīt -
spoke the following words
āyatāpāṅgē yasya bhītaḥ -
O Lady of long side glances , afraid of whom
sūryaḥ na tapati -
Sun does not shine brightly
yasya ca mārutaḥ na vāti sma -
the wind does not blow?
tasya tvaṁ kiṁ na tiṣṭhasi -
why don't you stand by that one?

||Sloka summary||

"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?" ||23.18||

Having talked about his greatness, the Rakshasa women describe how he is feared by others.

"yasya sūryō na tapati bhītō yasya ca mārutaḥ"
"Afraid of whom Sun does not shine and wind does not blow",

"puṣpavr̥ṣṭiṁca taravō mumucuryasya vai bhayāt|"
"Afraid of whom the trees shower flowers",

"Afraid of whom mountains and clouds release water, that is Ravana !

This represents the power that Ravana has on the nature. In another sense the ability to control the nature is a great asset , if only it is used for benefit in a self-less way. But Ravana is on a destructive path.

||Sloka 23.19, 20||

puṣpavr̥ṣṭiṁ ca taravō mumucurasya vai bhayāt||23.19||
tatastu subhru pānīyaṁ jalādāśca yadēcchati|

tasya nairr̥tarājasya rājarājasya bhāminī||23.20||
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?||

||Sloka meanings||

subhru bhāmini -
Oh Lady with beautiful eyebrows
yasya bhayāt taravaḥ puṣpavr̥ṣṭhiṁ mumucuḥ -
afraid of whom the trees shower flowers
yadā icchati śailāśca -
on whose wish the mountains
jaladāśca pānīyaṁ -
clouds share water
nairrutarājasya -
of the king of Southwest
rājarājasya tasya rāvaṇasya -
of the king of kings, of that Ravana
bhāryārthē buddhiṁ tvaṁ na kuruṣē -
to be his why not you make up your mind

||Sloka summary||

'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 ?' ||23.19,20||

||Sloka 23.21||

sādhutē tattvatō dēvi kathitaṁ sādhu bhāmini|
gr̥hāṇa susmitē vākyaṁ anyathā na bhaviṣyasi ||23.21||

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

||Sloka meanings||

susmitē bhāmini dēvi -
Oh Lady with gentle smile
tattvataḥ sādhu tē kathitaṁ vākyaṁ -
these words spoken truly in your interest
gr̥hāṇa anyathā na bhaviṣyasi -
Accept otherwise you will not be alive

||Sloka summary||

"Oh Lady with gentle smile ! Accept these words spoken truly in your interest , otherwise you will not be alive". ||23.21||

Having praised Ravana in many ways ,
the Rakshasis now employ the last method of fear.

"gr̥hāṇa susmitē vākyaṁ anyathā na bhaviṣyasi" (23.20)
"Accept these words spoken truly in your interest , otherwise you will not be alive".

So the Rakshasa women use all their tricks of persuasion including threats to convince Sita with no effect.

When one is in search of "Self" or realization of Self, there will be many obstacles. One will have occasion to see many a "throne' which could be his. Being the wife of a great person is one such throne. The "mumukshu" does not fall for such attractions. He also should not fall for such attractions.

A mumukshu may face obstacles, but he also gets aid from people supportive of his goals.

While fear of Ravana is described, as a cause for the behavior or Sun, moon, wind and trees, we also heard earlier how the same come forward to help Hanuma.

In the first Sarga we hear about Sun and wind gods. "tatāpa na hi taṁ sūryaṁ" ; "śiṣēvē ca tathāvāyuḥ"; There the Sun and Vayu were in a helpful mode. Sun does not shine too brightly lest he tire out Hanuma. Vayu blows gently to make it easy for Hanuma.

Similarly in the second Sarga, Moon comes to the aid Hanuma." caṁdrōpi sācivya mivāsya kurvan" |

Moon helps in the search. The trees in Ashokvan shower flowers on Hanuma, as he enters the grove in search of Sita.

In pursuing good deeds , the helpers appear on the horizon. This is because of the selfless nature of the deed. That is the result of Nishkama karma. Many people come forward when there no "selfish motive"

That is what we hear in this Sarga.

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

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē trayōviṁśassargaḥ||

||om tat sat||
||ōm tat sat||