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
tayaa parusam uktah tu kupito raaghava anujah |
sa vikaa.nksan bhrisham raamam pratasthe na ciraat iva || 3-46-1
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]
tadaa aasaadya dashagriivah ksipram a.ntaram aasthitah |
abhicakraama vaidehiim parivraajaka ruupa dhrik || 3-46-2
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]
shlaksna kaasaaya sa.mviitah shikhii chatrii upaanahii |
vaame ca amse avasajya atha shubhe yasti kamandaluu || 3-46-3
parivraajaka ruupena vaidehiim anvavartata |
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]
taam aasasaada atibalo bhraatribhyaam rahitaam vane || 3-46-4
rahitaam suurya candraabhyaam sa.ndhyaam iva mahat tamah |
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]
taam apashyat tato baalaam raaja putriim yashasviniim || 3-46-5
rohiniim shashinaa hiinaam grahavat bhrisha daarunah |
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]
tam ugram paapa karmaanam janasthaana gataa drumaah || 3-46-6
sa.mdrishya na praka.mpante na pravaati ca maarutah |
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]
shiighra srotaah ca tam dristvaa viiksa.ntam rakta locanam || 3-46-7
stimitam ga.ntum aarebhe bhayaat godaavarii nadii |
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]
raamasya tu a.ntaram prepsuh dashagriivah tat a.ntare || 3-46-8
upatasthe ca vaidehiim bhiksu ruupena raavanah |
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]
abhavyo bhavya ruupena bhartaaram anushocatiim || 3-46-9
abhyavartata vaidehiim citraam iva shanaishcarah |
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]
sahasaa bhavya ruupena trinaih kuupa iva aavritah || 3-46-10
atisthat preksya vaidehiim raama patniim yashasviniim |
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]
tistan samprekshya ca tadaa patniim raamasya raavana || 3-46-11
shubhaam rucira danta osthiim puurna candra nibha aananaam |
aasiinaam parnashaalaayaam baaspa shoka abhipiiditaam || 3-46-12
sa taam padma palaasha aksiim piita kausheya vaasiniim |
abhyagacchata vaidehiim hrista cetaa nishaa carah || 3-46-13
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]
dristvaa kaama shara aaviddho brahma ghosam udiirayan |
abraviit prashritam vaakyam rahite raaksasa adhipah || 3-46-14
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]
taam uttamaam trilokaanaam padma hiinaam iva shriyam |
vibhraajamaanaam vapusaa raavanah prashashamsa ha || 3-46-15
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]
kaa tvam kaa.ncana varna aabhe piita kausheya vaasini |
kamalaanaam shubhaam maalaam padminii iva ca bibhratii || 3-46-16
"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]
hriih shriih kiirtih shubhaa laksmiih apsaraa vaa shubha aanane |
bhuutir vaa tvam varaaarohe ratir vaa svaira caarinii || 3-46-17
"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]
samaah shikharinah snigdhaah paanduraa dashanaah tava |
vishaale vimale netre raktaante krisna taarake || 3-46-18
"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]
vishaalam jaghanam piinam uuruu kari kara upamau |
etau upacitau vrittau sa.mhatau sa.mpragalbhitau || 3-46-19
piina unnata mukhau kaantau snigdha taala phala upamau |
mani praveka aabharanau rucirau te payo dharau || 3-46-20
"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]
caaru smite caaru dati caaru netre vilaasini |
mano harasi me raame nadii kuulam iva ambhasaa || 3-46-21
karaantamita madhyaa asi sukeshii samhata stanii |
"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]
na eva devii na gandharhvii na yaksii na ca ki.mnarii || 3-46-22
na evam ruupaa mayaa naarii drista puurvaa mahii tale |
"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]
ruupam agryam ca lokesu saukumaaryam vayah ca te || 3-46-23
iha vaasah ca kaa.ntaare cittam unmathayanti me |
"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]
saa pratikraama bhadram te na tvam vastum iha ar.hhasi || 3-46-24
raaksasaanaam ayam vaaso ghoraanaam kaama ruupinaam |
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]
praasaada agraani ramyaani nagara upavanaani ca || 3-46-25
sampannaani sugandhiini yuktaani aacaritum tvayaa |
"Delightful rooftops of skyscrapers, flourishing and richly fragranced pleasure-gardens of cities alone are ideal to you to saunter [stroll]. [3-46-25b, 26a]
varam maalyam varam ga.ndham varam vastram ca shobhane || 3-46-26
bhartaaram ca varam manye tvat yuktam asiteksane |
"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]
kaa tvam bhavasi rudraanaam marutaam vaa shucismite || 3-46-27
vasuunaam vaa varaaarohe devataa pratibhaasi me |
"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]
na iha gaccha.nti ga.ndharvaa na devaa na ca kinnaraah || 3-46-28
raaksasaanaam ayam vaasah katham tu tvam iha aagataa |
"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]
iha shaakhaamrigaah si.mhaa dviipi vyaaghra mrigaah tathaa || 3-46-29
riksaah taraksavah ka.nkaah katham tebhyo na bibhyase |
"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]
mada anvitaanaam ghoraanaam ku.njaraanaam tarasvinaam || 3-46-30
katham ekaa mahaaranye na bibhesi varaaanane |
"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]
kaa asi kasya kutah ca tvam kim nimittam ca dandakaan || 3-46-31
ekaa carasi kalyaani ghoraan raaksasa sevitaan |
"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]
iti prashastaa vaidehii raavanena duraatmanaa - mahaatmanaa- || 3-46-32
dvijaati vesena hi tam dristvaa raavanam aagatam |
sarvaih atithi satkaaraih puujayaamaasa maithilii || 3-46-33
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]
upaaniiya aasanam puurvam paadyena abhinima.ntrya ca |
abraviit siddham iti eva tadaa tam saumya darshanam || 3-46-34
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]
dvijaati vesena samiiksya maithilii
tam aagatam paatra kusu.mbha dhaarinam |
ashakyam uddvestum upaaya darshanaan
nyama.ntrayat braahmanavat yathaa aagatam || 3-46-35
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]
iyam brisii braahmana kaamam aasyataam
idam ca paadyam pratigrihyataam iti |
idam ca siddham vana jaatam uttamam
tvat artham avyagram iha upabhujyataam 3-46-36
"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]
nimantryamaanah pratipuurna bhaasiniim
narendra patniim prasamiiksya maithiliim |
prasahya tasyaa harane dhridham manah
samarpayaamaasa aatma vadhaaya raavanah || 3-46-37
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]
tatah suvesam mrigayaa gatam patim
pratiiksamaanaa saha laksmanam tadaa |
niriiksamaanaa haritam dadarsha tat
mahad vanam na eva tu raama laksmanau || 3-46-38
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]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande sat catvaarinshah sargah
Thus, this is the 46th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate