Summary
Seetha rebukes Lakshmana for he is still here, loitering away even after listening Rama's cry for help. She goes to the extent of slandering him as having intents to woo her, at the cost of Rama's life. Lakshmana tries to pacify her but in vain, as she persists in her rash talk. Lakshmana leaves her alone and starts to reach Rama, broken-heartedly.
Chapter [Sarga] 45
aartasvaram tu tam bhartuh vijnaaya sadrisham vane |
uvaaca laksmanam siitaa gaccha jaaniihi raaghavam || 3-45-1
On identifying the grievous voice that is identifiable with her husband's voice, Seetha spoke to Lakshmana, "you go at once and check up on Raghava.' [3-45-1]
na hi me jiivitam sthaane hridayam vaa avatisthate |
kroshatah parama aartasya shrutah shabdo mayaa bhrisham || 3-45-2
aakrandamaanam tu vane bhraataram traatum arhhasi |
"I have heard the loud yelling voice of highly fretful Rama whereby my heart, or my very entity, is not abiding in its place, and it will be apt of you to protect such a brother of yours who is screaming in the forest. [3-45-2, 3a]
tam ksipram abhidhaava tvam bhraataram sharana esinam || 3-45-3
raksasaam vasham aapannam si.mhaanaam iva govrisam |
"He might have come under the subjugation of demons as with a bull coming under the seize of lions, hence, you hurry up so as to near such a brother of yours who is seeking protection." So said Seetha to Lakshmana. [3-45-3b, 4a]
na jagaama tathaa uktah tu bhraatuh aajnaaya shaasanam || 3-45-4
tam uvaaca tatah tatra kshubhitaa janaka aatmajaa |
Although she spoke a lot to him in this way, Lakshmana on his part has not moved out remembering his brother's order to stay guard to Seetha, and hence that Janaki, the daughter of Janaka, who is already agitated for Rama further spoke to him in the paradox of his not going out of hermitage. [3-45-4b, 5a]
saumitre mitra ruupena bhraatuh tvam asi shatruvat || 3-45-5
yah tvam asyaam avasthaayaam bhraataram na abhipadyase |
"You are like a foe of your brother in friend's mien, Soumitri, as you are not making a move towards a brother even if he is in an emergency. [3-45-5b, 6a]
icchasi tvam vinashyantam raamam laksmana mat krite || 3-45-6
lobhaat tu mat kritam nuunam na anugacchasi raaghavam |
"Because of me you wish Rama to be completely destroyed, and only because of your cupidity for me you are not following up on Raghava. It is definite. [3-45-6b, 7a]
vyasanam te priyam manye sneho bhraatari na asti te || 3-45-7
tena tisthasi visrabdhah tam apashyan mahaadyutim |
"'Raghava in direst strait' is the most liked thing to you, thus I deem, as you have no heart for that brother, and as you complacently stay behind even when that great-resplendent Rama is unseen. [3-45-7b, 8a]
kim hi sa.mshayam aapanne tasmin iha mayaa bhavet || 3-45-8
kartavyam iha tisthantyaa yat pradhaanah tvam aagatah |
"After which helmsman you have come here that Rama is undergoing an uncertainty of life-and-death, as such I indeed wonder what business you have here now in staying with me at this hermitage?" Seetha spoke so to Lakshmana. [3-45-8, 9a]
evam bruvaanam vaidehiim baaspa shoka samanvitam || 3-45-9
abraviit laksmanah trastaam siitaam mriga vadhuum iva |
Lakshmana spoke to Seetha, the princess from Videha kingdom, who is talking deluged under tears and anguish in that way, as she is fretful like a she-deer. [3-45-9a, 10b]
pannaga asura gandharva deva daanava raakshasaih || 3-45-10
ashakyah tava vaidehii bhartaa jetum na samshayah |
"Oh, Vaidehi, your husband is an impossible one for vinciblility [to be subdued] by Serpents, Asura-s, Gandharva-s, gods, fiends, demons, no doubt about it.
devi deva manusyesu gandharvesu patatrisu || 3-45-11
raaksasesu pishaacesu kinnaresu mrigesu ca |
daanavesu ca ghoresu na sa vidyeta shobhane || 3-45-12
yo raamam pratiyudhyeta samare vaasava upamam |
"Oh, auspicious one, unmarked is some combatant who can counterattack Rama from among gods, humans, Gandharva-s, birds, ogres, Kinnara-s, beasts, or oh, lady, even from horrendous demons, as Rama vies with Indra in any given war. [3-45-11b, 12, 13a]
avadhyah samare raamo na evam tvam vaktum ar.hhasi || 3-45-13
na tvaam asmin vane haatum utsahe raaghavam vinaa |
"It is inapt of you to talk that way as Rama is inextirpable in a given war, and as for me, I do not venture to abandon you in this forest in the absence of Raghava. [3-45-13b, 14a]
anivaaryam balam tasya balaih balavataam api || 3-45-14
tribhih lokaih samuditaih sa iishvaraih sa amaraih api |
"Let the most forceful Crowns with all their military forces, or, all of the gods together with their heads, why they, let all the three worlds put together come mutinously, whether jointly or severally, Rama's prowess is irrestrainable. [3-45, 14b, 15a]
hridayam nirhvritam te astu sa.ntaapah tyajyataam tava || 3-45-15
aagamisyati te bhartaa shiighram hatvaa mrigottamam |
"Hence, let your heart be diverted and anxiety divested, as your husband will be returning soon on killing that extraordinary deer. [3-45-15b, 16a]
na sas tasya svaro vyaktam na kashcit api daivatah || 3-45-16
gandharva nagara prakhyaa maayaa tasya ca raksasah |
"Evidently it is not the voice of Rama, nor that of any other god, but someone mimicked that voice for chicanery, and that must be the illusory voice of that demon Maareecha, similar in effect to the magical city of Gandharva-s usually created by magicians in general. [3-45-15b, 16]
nyaasa bhuutaa asi vaidehi nyastaa mayi mahaatmanaa || 3-45-17
raamena tvam varaarohe na tvaam tyaktum iha utsahe |
"And you are an entrustment, oh, best lady Vaidehi, as the great-souled Rama has entrusted you in my security, as such I do not dare to leave you off now. [3-45-17, 18a]
krita vairaah ca kalyaani vayam etaih nishaacaraih || 3-45-18
kharasya nidhane devi janasthaana vadham prati |
"Oh, gracious lady, we have become the adversaries of these night-walkers insofar as the elimination of Khara and others, and concerning the eradication of Janasthaana. [3-45-18b, 19a]
raaksasaa vividhaa vaaco vyavaharanti mahaavane || 3-45-19
hi.msaa vihaaraa vaidehi na cintayitum arhhasi |
"The demons are the swaggerers in violence in great forests and they will be employing various voices. Therefore Vaidehi, just do not bother about it." Thus Lakshmana advised Seetha. [3-45-18b, 19, 20a]
laksmanena evam uktaa tu kruddhaa sa.mrakta locanaa || 3-45-20
abraviit parusam vaakyam laksmanam satya vaadinam |
As for Seetha, she became furious on hearing Lakshmana's words of advice, and while her eyes are becoming bloodshot she spoke these rude sentences to that veracious Lakshmana. [3-45-20b, 21a]
anaarya karunaara.mbha nrisha.msa kula paa.msana || 3-45-21
aham tava priyam manye raamasya vyasanam mahat |
"You are a debased one devoid of mercy, thus a dreadful one, and a degrader of your dynasty, and I deem that you derive pleasure from fatal hardship to Rama. [3-45-21b, 22a]
raamasya vyasanm dristvaa tena etaani prabhaasase || 3-45-22
na eva citram sapatnesu paapam laksmana yat bhavet |
tvat vidhesu nrisha.msesu nityam pracchanna caarisu || 3-45-23
"You are haranguing all these sermons only on noticing hardship to Rama. It is unsurprising that the pitiless ones and rivals of your kind, who always behave in a cloak-and dagger way will tend to commit deadly sins, Lakshmana, and it is not uncommon. [3-45-22b, 23]
sudustah tvam vane raamam ekam eko anugacchasi |
mama hetoh praticchannah prayukto bharatena vaa || 3-45-24
"You are verily maleficent for you have singly and covertly followed Rama, who started to forests all alone, or instigated by Bharata, only because of me. [3-45-24]
tat na siddhyati saumitre tava api bharatasya vaa |
katham i.ndiivara shyaamam raamam padma nibheksanam || 3-45-25
upasa.mshritya bhartaaram kaamayeyam prithak janam |
"Whether this is an intrigue of yours or that of Bharata it is unachievable, Saumitri. How can I long for another commoner when I have put my faith only in the lotus-blue-complexioned and lotus-bright-eyed husband of mine, Rama? [3-45-25, 26a]
samaksam tava saumitre praanaan tyaksyaami asa.mshayam || 4-5-26
raamam vinaa ksanam api na eva jiivaami bhuu tale |
"If that comes to that, I will just discard my life in your presence, Soumitri do not mistake it. I do not eke out an existence on this earth even for a moment without Rama." Thus Seetha threatened Lakshmana. [3-45-26b, 27a]
iti uktah parusam vaakyam siitayaa romaharsanam || 3-45-27
abraviit laksmanah siitaam praa.njalih vijitendriyah |
When that self-mortified Lakshmana is addressed in this way with hair-raising and acerbic words by Seetha, he spoke to her suppliantly adjoining his palm-fold. [3-45-27b, 28a]
uttaram na utsahe vaktum daivatam bhavatii mama || 3-45-28
vaakyam apratiruupam tu na citram striisu maithili |
svabhaavah tu esa naariinaam esu lokesu drishyate || 3-45-29
"I do not venture to reply you Maithili, as you are like a deity to me. Women using words that are in a class by themselves is not at all surprising. This sort of bringing stilted words into play is the nature of women and it is obvious in the world. [3-45-28b, 29]
vimukta dharmaah capalaah tiiksnaa bhedakaraah striyah |
na sahe hi iidrisham vaakyam vaidehii janaka aatmaje || 3-45-30
shrotrayoh ubhayoh madhye tapta naaraaca sannibham |
"Women by their nature are unbound by the etiquette of decency, whimsical, cantankerous and they tend to become the artificers of vicissitudes, and oh, Vaidehi, the daughter of Janaka, indeed unbearable are this kind of words that are much the same as burnt iron arrows thrust in between my two ears. [3-45-30, 31a]
upashrinvantu me sarve saaksino hi vanecaraah || 3-45-31
nyaaya vaadii yathaa vaakyam ukto aham parusam tvayaa |
"Let all of the forest-itinerants indeed listen as to how you are addressing me with bitter words, though I am reasoning with you conscientiously, and let them become my corroborators for the sake of justice. [3-45-31b, 32a]
dhik tvaam adya pranashyantiim yan maam evam visha.nkase || 3-45-32
striitvaat dusta svabhaavena guru vaakye vyavasthitam |
"Fie upon you, you are acrimoniously tempered owing to your faminality, and by which impulsive reason you mistrust me who am presently abiding in my brother's order, may God damn you for that crotchety. [3-45-32b, 33a]
gamisye yatra kaakutsthah svasti te astu varaanane || 3-45-33
raksantu tvaam vishaalaaksi samagraa vana devataah |
"I am going there where Rama is, oh, lady with best visage, you be blest, and oh, broad-eyed one, let all of the forest deities protect you. [3-45-33b, 34a]
nimittaani hi ghoraani yaani praadur.hbhavanti me |
api tvaam saha raamena pashyeyam punaraagatah || 3-45-34
"Gauging by those dangerous forebodings that are now bidding fair, can I to see you again along with Rama on my return, or not? That I do not know." Thus Lakshmana spoke to Seetha. [3-45-34b, c]
laksmanena evam uktaa tu rudatii janakaaatmajaa |
pratyuvaaca tato vaakyam tiivram baaspa pariplutaa || 3-45-35
When Lakshmana spoke to that wailful [sorrowful] daughter of Janaka, she on her part spoke this curt sentence to him, while tears whelmed her to a fault. [3-45-35]
godaavariim praveksyaami hiinaa raamena laksmana |
aabandhisye athavaa tyaksye visame deham aatmanah || 3-45-36
"Without Rama I plunge myself in River Godavari, or else I string up myself, or discard this body of mine from heights..." Thus Seetha started to vent out her feelings. [3-45-36]
pibaami vaa visam tiiksnam praveksyaami hutaashanam |
na tu aham raaghavaat anyam kadaaapi purusam sprishe || 3-45-37
"I drink deadly poison, or I enter a flaring fire, but I will never touch another man other than Raghava. [3-45-37]
iti laksmanam aashrutya siitaa duhkha samanvitaa |
paanibhyaam rudatii duhkhaad udaram prajaghaana ha || 3-45-38
Seetha on declaring to Lakshmana in this way, she who is anguished and weeping bitterly then started to smite her belly with both of her palms in a heightened agony. [3-45-38]
taam aarta ruupaam vimanaa rudantiim
saumitrih aalokya vishaala netraam |
aashvaasayaamaasa na caiva bhartuh
tam bhraataram ki.mcit uvaaca siitaa || 3-45-39
Observing the agonized aspect of Seetha that cheerless Saumitri started to cheer her up by repeatedly informing that her husband Rama will come soon. Even then Seetha has not spoken in the least to the brother of her husband, and maintained a silence of antipathy. [3-45-39]
tatah tu siitaam abhivaadya laksmanah
krita anjalih kimcid abhipranamya |
aveksamaano bahushah sa maithiliim
jagaama raamasya samiipam aatmavaan || 3-45-40
But then, holding Seetha in usual reverence that self-respectful Lakshmana briefly came to her fore making a reverential palm-fold that briefly, and then he proceeded to the proximity of Rama, while repeatedly looking back at that lonely lady in the thick of forest. [3-45-40]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande pa.nca catvaarimshah sargah
Thus, this is the 45th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate