Summary
Seetha drops her ornaments at Sugreeva and other monkeys available on a mountaintop during the course of her abduction. Ravana does not take notice of this as he is hurrying as though haunted by Rama. On crossing the southerly ocean, his jitteriness in stealing Seetha ceases and he hypocritically feels elated in gaining both Seetha and an animosity with Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 54 in Detail
hriyamaanaa tu vaidehii ka.mcit naatham apashyatii |
dadarsha giri shringasthaan pa.nca vaanara pu.ngavaan || 3-54-1
Vaidehi has not seen any rescuer while she is abducted, but she has seen five prominent Vanara-s staying on a mountaintop. [3-54-1]
tesaam madhye vishaalaaksii kausheyam kanaka prabham |
uttariiyam varaarohaa shubhaani aabharanaani ca || 3-54-2
mumoca yadi raamaaya sha.mseyuh iti bhaaminii |
That broad-eyed and curvaceous lady with resentment Seetha, enwrapping [covering] her auspicious ornaments in the upper-fringe of her sari, dropped in the midmost of those five Vanara-s with a thinking that 'these creatures may perhaps indicate them to Rama.' [3-54-2, 3a]
vastram utsrijya tan madhye viniksiptam sa bhuusanam || 3-54-3
sa.mbhramaat tu dashagriivah tat karma na ca buddhvaan |
On his part that Decahedron Ravana has not noticed her action in whipping up her silky upper-cloth and ornaments, their bundling and stowing away at five Vanara-s, owing to his own hurry. [3-54-3]
pingaaksaah taam vishaalaaksiim netraih animisaih iva || 3-54-4
vikroshantiim tadaa siitaam dadrishuh vaanara risabhaah |
Those ocherish-eyed [red or yellow color eyed] best Vanara-s with their un-winking eyes have observed the broad-eyed Seetha, who at that time is verily wailing. [3-54-4b, 5a]
sa ca pa.mpaam atikramya la.nkaam abhimukhah puriim || 3-54-5
jagaama rudatiim grihya maithiliim raaksasa iishvarah |
The chief of demons Ravana captivating Maithili, who is still wailing, has crossed the Pampa region down underneath and advanced facing the City of Lanka. [3-54-5b, 6a]
taam jahaara susa.mhristo raavano mrityum aatmanah || 3-54-6
utsa.ngena eva bhujagiim tiiksna da.nstraam mahaavisaam |
Ravana is jubilantly happy in stealing his own death alias Seetha, as one would carry a stingingly fanged and lethally venomous she-snake in his own lap. [3-54-6b, 7a]
vanaani saritah shailaan saraamsi ca vihaayasaa || 3-54-7
sa ksipram samatiiyaaya sharah caapaat iva cyutah |
He bolted out in skyway up above the woodlands, waterways, pools, and mountains at the double, as with an arrow bolting from a bow. [3-4-7b, 8a]
timi nakra niketam tu varuna aalayam aksayam || 3-54-8
saritaam sharanam gatvaa samatiiyaaya saagaram |
On reaching the ocean, a housing for sharks, alligators, a home of Rain-god, a never-draining deep and an ultimate course of the rivers, he hastily crossed it over. [3-54-8b, 9a]
sambhramaat parivritta uurmii ruddha miina mahoragah || 3-54-9
vaidehyaam hriyamaanaayaam babhuuva varuna aalayah |
That ocean being the abode of Rain-god is highly flustered when Vaidehi is being abducted over it, and its waves became topsy-turvy and its fishes and great marine-reptiles remained shilly-shally. [3-54-9b, 10a]
antariksa gataa vaacah sasrijuh caaranaah tadaa || 3-54-10
etat anto dashagriiva iti siddhaah tadaa abruvan |
Then the Siddha-s and Caarana-s available in airspace averred saying, "this alone is the end of Decahedron Ravana." [3-54-10b, 11a]
sa tu siitaam vicestantiim a.nkena aadaaya raavanah || 3-54-11
pravivesha puriim lankaam ruupiniim mrityum aatmanah |
Ravana entered the city of Lanka transporting Seetha, while she wriggling in his flank, who appeared like the personified death of Ravana wriggling its way into his Lanka. [3-54-11b, 12a]
sah abhigamya puriim la.nkaam suvibhakta mahaapathaam || 3-54-12
sa.mruudha kaksyaa bahulam svam a.ntah puram aavishat |
On going towards the city Lanka that has well-symmetrized roadways, he then entered his own palace chambers in which royal servants are thronging at many doorways as that palace has very many chambers. [3-54-12b, 13a]
tatra taam asita apaa.ngaam shoka moha paraayanaam || 3-54-13
nidadhe raavanah siitaam mayo maayaam iva aasuriim |
Ravana placed down Seetha whose eyelashes are blackish and who is deep in bewilderment caused by whimpering, therein his palace chambers, as demon Maya had once kept al his demonic scriptures duly usurping them from his own mentor, namely Shukracaarya, at an unknown illusory place. [3-54-13b, 14a]
abraviit ca dashagriivah pishaaciih ghora darshanaah || 3-54-14
yathaa na enaam pumaan strii vaa siitaam pashyati asammatah |
That Decahedron Ravana also instructed the bogey-sight bogeywomen, "your watch and ward shall be in such a way that neither a female nor a male can see Seetha impermissibly." [3-54-14b, 15a]
muktaa mani suvar.hnaani vastraani aabharanaani ca || 3-54-15
yat yat icchet tat eva asyaa deyam mat ccha.ndato yathaa |
"Whatever she wishes to have, gold, jewels, pearls, apparels or adornments, they all be given to her as you would give me according to my whimsies. [3-54-15b, 16a]
yaa ca vaksyati vaidehiim vacanam ki.mcit apriyam || 3-54-16
ajnaanaat yadi vaa jnaanaan na tasyaa jiivitam priyam |
"Whosoever speaks unpleasant words to Vaidehi in the least, either unknowingly or knowingly, her life becomes unpleasant for herself." Thus Ravana ordered the chamber-demoness. [3-54-16b, 17a]
tathaa uktvaa raaksasiih taah tu raaksasendrah prataapavaan || 3-54-17
niskramya antah puraat tasmaat kim krityam iti ci.ntayan |
dadarsha astau mahaaviiryaan raaksasaan pishita ashanaan || 3-54-18
On speaking to those demoness thus that chief of demons exited from that palace chamber, and giving a thought to what is to be done in sequel, then he gave audience to eight highly vigorous demons, the feasters on raw-flesh. [3-54-17b, 18]
sa taan dristvaa mahaaviiryo vara daanena mohitah |
uvaaca taan idam vaakyam prashasya bala viiryatah || 3-54-19
He who is egocentric by the boon awarded by Brahma for his invincibleness, that Ravana on giving an audience to those eight demons spoke this sentence to them praiseful of their might and valor. [3-54-19]
naanaa praharanaah ksipram ito gacchata satvaraah |
janasthaanam hata sthaanam bhuuta puurvam khara aalayam || 3-54-20
"You immediately take up multiple assaultive weaponry and begone from here to Janasthaana speedily; a place now deadpanned for demons, which earlier was the placement of Khara. [3-54-20]
tatra usyataam janasthaane shuunye nihata raaksase |
paurusam balam aashritya traasam utsrijya duuratah || 3-54-21
"Throwaway your fright faraway and you stay in that Janasthaana which fell void as the demons are voided by someone called Rama, and there you shall stay self-assuredly and self-confidently. [3-54-21]
bahu sainyam mahaaviiryam janasthaane niveshitam |
sa duusana kharam yuddhe nihatam raama saayakaih || 3-54-22
"Though highly forceful forces are deployed in Janasthaana, Rama's arrows have utterly destroyed them, together with Khara and Duushana. [3-54-22]
tatah krodho mama apuurvo dhairyasya upari var.hdhate |
vairam ca sumahat jaatam raamam prati sudaarunam || 3-54-23
"Thereby an unprecedented fury is escalating over and above my courage, and an unhindered and unforgivable animosity towards that Rama is evoked in me. [3-54-23]
niryaatayitum icchaami tat ca vairam aham ripoh |
na hi lapsyaami aham nidraam ahatvaa sa.nyuge ripum || 3-54-24
"I wish to cast out my begrudging against my enemy who bears a grudge against me, and indeed, to me 'sleep' is not the word for it, until my enemy is undone in a war. [3-54-24]
tam tu idaaniim aham hatvaa khara duusana ghaatinam |
raamam sharma upalapsyaami dhanam labdhvaa iva nirdhanah || 3-54-25
"I for myself will be comfortable only on eliminating him who has eliminated Khara and Duushana as with a pauper acquiring riches. [3-54-25]
janasthaane vasadbhih tu bhavadbhih raamam aashritaa |
pravrittih upanetavyaa kim karoti iti tattvatah || 3-54-26
"While you remain in Janasthaana you have to accurately bring me the information about Rama's activities and deportment. [3-54-26]
apramaadaat ca ga.ntavyam sarvaih eva nishaacaraih |
kartavyah ca sadaa yatno raaghavasya vadham prati || 3-54-27
"Do not go heedlessly, you all night-walkers, for that Rama appears to be too dangerous, and on your going there heedfully, you have to continually try for the elimination of that Raghava. [3-54-27]
yusmaakam tu balam jnaatam bahusho rana muurdhani |
atah tu asmin janasthaane mayaa yuuyam niyojitaah || 3-54-28
"I am aware of your might in battle fronts for a number of times, as such I have commissioned you all in that Janasthaana." Thus Ravana spoke to those eight demons. [3-54-28]
tatah priyam vaakyam upetya raaksasaa
mahaaartham astau abhivaadya raavanam |
vihaaya la.nkaam sahitaah pratasthire
yato janasthaanam alaksya darshanaah || 3-54-29
Then on picking up those words amiable to all intents and purposes of Ravana, those eight demons departed from Lanka on hailing Ravana, and they collectively journeyed in the direction of Janasthaana with their unperceivable appearances. [3-54-29]
tatah tu siitaam upalabhya raavanah
susa.mprahristah parigrihya maithiliim |
prasajya raamena ca vairam uttamam
babhuuva mohaat muditah sa raaksasah || 3-54-30
Ravana is then highly gladdened well and truly on gaining over Seetha, and even for holding sway over that Maithili, and equally for the well-wrought and archly animosity with Rama, whereby that demon Ravana is hypocritically amused. [3-54-30]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande catuh pa.ncaashah sargah
Thus, this is the 54th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate