Summary
Ravana praises Seetha's beauty by extolling every limb of hers, though he enters like a Brahman Sanyaasi, a friar. He indulges in a most untoward laudation that is unbefitting for a saintly and elderly almsman. Unable to refute him, because he is in such a pious garb, she had to invite him as an untimely guest.
Chapter [Sarga] 46
Raghava's younger brother Lakshmana is very much infuriated at Seetha who spoke to him rudely; as such he journeyed towards Rama at once as though he is yearning to see Rama immediately, albeit his heart wanted him to stand guard to Seetha. [3-46-1]
Quickly taking hold of intervallic time then the ten-headed Ravana approached Vaidehi adopting an aspect of a Sanyaasi, a meandering Brahman friar. [3-46-2]
That Sanyaasi is now cloaked in smooth silky saffron, his head-hair is neatly tufted, sandals are wooden, umbrella is on right shoulder, and on his left shoulder a shaft of Sanyaasi is shouldered, onto which his handy water vessel is hooked, and he proceeded towards Vaidehi in a mien of meandering Sanyaasi. [3-46-3, 4a]
As with a pitchiest [full of black or dark viscous substance] gloom overcoming the sunless and moonless lively eventide, that great-mighty Ravana came over to Vaidehi in that forest, when she is without two of the brothers, namely Rama and Lakshmana. [3-46-4b, 5a]
As a sinister planet looks over Star Rohini when she is devoid of Moon, that extremely sinister Ravana then looked over the glorious and youthful princess Seetha. [3-46-5b, 6a]
On observing ferocious Ravana whose activities are iniquitous, the trees of Janasthaana are not in full sway, nor is the wind in full swing. [3-46-6b, 7a]
On seeing him who is seeing with his bloodshot eyes, River Godavari too is frightened and started to rush off quietly, whose onrush will be rapid otherwise. [3-46-7b, 8a]
In the meanwhile the Decahedron demon Ravana, who is all the while waiting for some lapse of Rama, neared Vaidehi in the getup of a Sanyaasi. [3-46-8b, 9a]
That disgraceful Ravana made advances in a graceful mien of Brahman almsman to Vaidehi who is thinking over her husband, like the slow moving Saturn making advance to Star Citra which will be ominous. [3-46-9b, 10a]
Like a wellspring shrouded by grass, enshrouded in a decent getup of a Brahman friar, in a trice Ravana leeringly stood before of Vaidehi, the admirable wife of Rama. [3-46-10b, 11a]
While standing before her then Ravana eyed at the auspicious wife of Rama, whose lips and teeth are fine, visage is shiny like a full moon, and who is presently tortured by her tearful lamentation and sitting in the straw-cottage, and he approached that lotus-petal eyed Vaidehi who is dressed in ochry silks, as that night-walker is gladdened at his heart for her solitude. [3-46-11b, 12,13]
He who is hit by the arrows of Love-god that king of demons Ravana, on seeing Seetha entered resonating the resonances of Vedic-hymns as precursory in seeking alms, and spoke these well-mannered sentences to her who is in solitariness. [3-46-14]
Ravana really acclaimed her who is an excellent one in all the three worlds, beaming forth with the beauty of her body, and who is like Goddess Lakshmi but for Divine-lotus as Her settle, for Seetha is devoid of her settling, namely Rama. [3-46-15]
"Glittering like the glitter of gold, silkened in ochry silks, you are like a lotus-tendril garlanded with divine lotuses as your ensemble, who are you?" Thus Ravana started addressing Seetha [3-46-16]
"Oh, rosy faced one, are you the personified numen [a spiritual force] of Respect, Renown or Resplendence, or the Felicitous Lakshmi herself, or oh, curvaceous one, are you a nymphal [beautiful maidens dwelling in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters] Apsara, or the numen of Benefactress, or a self-motivated woman, or Rati Devi, the consort of Manmatha, the Love God. [3-46-17]
"Your teeth are evenly, smooth and their tips are like jasmine buds, and your whitish broad eyes are spotless, reddish at ends, and pupils are black. [3-46-18]
"Your hips are beamy, thighs burly akin to elephant's trunks, and these two breasts of yours that are ornamented with best jewelry are rotund, rubbing and bumping each other, and they are swinging up and up, their nipples are brawny and jutting out, and they are smooth like palm-fruits, thus they are covetable for they are beautiful. [3-46-19, 20]
"Oh, allurer, your smile is alluring, teeth are alluring, and your eyes allure, oh, beauty, your waist is palmful, your hair velvety, your breasts are jostling, and you rob my soul as a spate robs riverbank. [3-46-21, 22a]
"I have not hitherto seen any earthly female with this kind of features on the face of earth; or, a goddess - no; a Gandharva female - no; Yaksha female - no; Kinnara female - no, none whosoever! [3-46-22b, 23a]
"I marvel why an excellent one in all the three worlds by her features, more so, fragile and youthful as you should be living here in the thick of forest. [3-46-23b, 24, 25a]
Such as you are you go back, let safety betide you, as you are unsuited to live in here, for this forest is the dwelling for ghastly demons who by their wish will be changing their guise. [3-46-24b, 25a]
"Delightful rooftops of skyscrapers, flourishing and richly fragranced pleasure-gardens of cities alone are ideal to you to saunter [stroll]. [3-46-25b, 26a]
"Getting at you, the garlands, scents, foodstuffs, or clothing, they all become the best, because you are the best beauteous one, as such, he alone becomes a best person who gets you as his wife, and it is meet and right to you to choose such a husband, [aside: me alone.] [3-46-26b, 27a]
"Oh, curvaceous lady, who are you? Oh, one with an impeccable smile, do you belong to Rudra-gods, or Marut-gods, or to Vasu-s? To me you are beaming forth like a goddess. [3-46-27b, 28a]
"This is the dwelling-place of demons, and no goddess, nor a Gandharva, nor a Kinnara can arrive here, but how you have come here? [3-46-28b, 29a]
"Here, simians, lions, leopards, tigers, likewise other predators, bears, tigers, vultures will be moving. How you are not frightened from them? [3-46-29b, 30a]
"Being alone in this forest, oh, lady with a lovely face, how you are unafraid of horrendous and mighty elephants possessed of rut? [3-46-30b, 31a]
"Oh, auspicious lady, who are you? Whose are you? Also from where are you? And being lonely, what for you are moving in dreadful Dandaka forest that is adored by demons?" Thus Ravana spoke to Seetha. [3-46-31, 32b]
When the wicked minded Ravana praised her in this way, Vaidehi the princess from Mithila has seen him who has arrived in the getup of Brahman and started to revere him with all the respects affordable to a casual guest. [3-46-32b, 33]
She firstly fetched a seat him, then invited him with water for feet-wash, and then said to him who looked gracious in his bearing, 'alms are ready.' [3-46-34]
Maithili explored him who arrived with the features of a Brahman, with a saffron-robe and alms-bowl, and as he came with an unimperilling [pleasing] appearance of a Brahman, she invited him as she would ordinarily invite a real Brahman. [3-46-35]
"Oh, Brahman, this is the Darbha-grass-seat and you be seated comfortably, here is water, receive it for hand and feet wash, here is the forest grown victuals [food usable by people ] for your sake... dine on them relaxed..." Thus Seetha said to Ravana. [3-46-36]
Ravana thoroughly observed that wife of the king, Maithili, when she invited him talking civilities contextual in inviting a guest, that too Brahman Sanyaasi, and he firmed up his mind to abduct her even forcibly, and started to dedicate himself for destruction. [3-46-37]
Then she looked forward for her shapely husband who has gone on a hunting game, and who must be returning along with Lakshmana, and though she looked intently she could only see the green backdrop of that great forest, but not Rama or Lakshmana. [3-46-38]
Thus, this is the 46th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
