Summary
Agitated to learn that Rama had arrived to Lanka and is stationed at Suvela Mountain along with his army, Ravana confers with his ministers and after dismissing them, approaches Seetha with Vidyujjuha, knower of conjuring tricks. Informing Seetha that her husband along with his army had been killed in battle, he produces before her an illusive Rama's head along with bow and arrows created with Vidyujjuha's conjuring [magical] trick. Thus, Ravana deceives Seetha about the death of Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 31 in Detail
tatastamakshobhyabalam lankaayaam nripateshcaraah |
suvele raaghavam shaile nivistam pratyavedayan || 6-31-1
The spies of king Ravana informed him that Rama with his imperturbable army was encamped at Mount Suvela in Lanka.
chaaraanaam raavanah shrutvaa praaptam raamam mahaabalam |
jaatodvego.abhavatkimchitsachivaanidamabraviit || 6-31-2
Hearing through his spies that Rama with his mighty army had arrived to Lanka, Ravana was a little agitated and spoke to his counselors as follows:
mantrinah shiighramaayaantu sarve vai su samaahitaah |
ayam no mantrakaalo hi sampraasta iti raakshasaah || 6-31-3
"The time for deliberation has come to us. Let our ministerial colleagues come quickly with their keenly attentive minds."
tasya tacchaasanam shrutvaa mantrino.abhyaagaman drutam |
tatah sa mantrayaamaasa raakshasaih sachivaih saha || 6-31-4
As per his command, the ministers came instantly. Ravana conferred with the ogres, his ministers.
mantrayitvaa tu durdharsah kshamam yattadanntaram |
visarjayitvaa sachivaan pravivesha svamaalayam || 6-31-5
The dreadful Ravana discussed about the ensuing things to be done immediately. He sent away the ministers and entered his palace.
tato raakshasamaadaaya vidyujjihvam mahaabalam |
maayaavidam mahaamaayah pravishadyatra maithilii || 6-31-6
Thereafter, Ravana the practicer of conjuring tricks, took the exceedingly strong Viddutjihva who was a great sorcerer [wizard] along with him and went to Seetha's place.
vidyujjihvam cha maayaajjnmabraviidraakshasaadhipah |
mohayisyaavahe siitaam maayayaa janakaatmajaam || 6-31-7
Ravana the lord of demons spoke to Viddutjihva, who was a knower of conjuring tricks as follows: "With your spells, create an illusion in order to deceive Seetha, daughter of Janaka."
shiro maayaamayam grihya raaghavasya vishaachara |
maam tvam samupatisthasva mahachcha sasharam dhanuh || 6-31-8
"O, demon! Produce a head resembling Rama's along with a great bow and arrows created deceptively and present yourself before me."
evamukta stathetyaaha vidyujjihvo nishaachatah |
darshayaamaasa taam maayaam suprayuktaam sa raavane || 6-31-9
tasya tusto.abhavadraajaa pradadau cha vibhuusanam |
Hearing Ravana's words, the demon Viddutjihva said, "Be it so". He showed to Ravana those things of his conjuring trick, well-performed. The king became satisfied of his work and gave him an ornament (as a gift).
ashokavanikaayaam cha siitaadarshanalaalasah || 6-31-10
nairritaanaamadhipatih samvivesha mahaabalah |
The exceedingly strong Ravana the suzerain lord of demons duly entered the Ashoka grove, eagerly longing for the sight of Seetha.
tato diinaamadainyaarhaam dadarsha dhanadaamajah || 6-31-11
adhomukhiim shokaparaamupavistaam mahiitale |
bhartaarameva dhyaayantiimashokavanikaam gataam || 6-31-12
Then, Ravana the younger brother of Kubera ( the god of riches) saw Seetha the unfortunate one, who did not deserve that fate, seated on the ground with her head bent down in the Ashoka grove plunged in grief as she was and absorbed in the thought of her husband.
upaasyamaanaam ghoraabhii raakshasiibhiraduuratah |
upasritya tatah siitaam praharsam naama kiirtayan || 6-31-13
idam cha vachanam dhristamuvaacha janakaatmajaam |
Then, approaching Seetha who was attended upon by ghastly ogresses seated not far distance from her and mentioning his own name with great delight, Ravana spoke the following audacious words to Seetha.
saantvyamaanaa mayaa bhadre yamaashritya vimanyase || 6-31-14
kharahantaa sa te bhartaa raaghavah samare hatah |
"O, Beautiful one! He in whom you trusted and repelled me when I sought to console you - that murderer of Khara, your husband Rama has been killed in battle."
chinnam te sarvathaa muulam darpashcha vihato mayaa || 6-31-15
vyasanenaatmanah siite mama bhaaryaa bhavisyasi |
"O, Seetha! Your root has been cut off in all ways by me and your pride has been slain. By your present evil predicament, you will become my wife."
visrijaitaam matim muudhe kim mritena karisyasi || 6-31-16
bhavasva bhadre bhaaryaanaam sarvaasaamiishvarii mama |
"O, Foolish one! Give up this resolution. What will you do with one dead. O, beautiful one! Become the Chief Queen over all my consorts."
alpapunye nivrittaarthe muudhe panditamaanini || 6-31-17
srinu bhartrinadham siite ghoram vritravadham yathaa |
"O, Foolish one, with scant virtue and failed purpose! You think yourself as wise! O, Seetha! Hear about the dreadful killing of your husband in battle, as the killing of the demon Vritra (at the hands of Indra)"
samaayaatah samudraantam hantum maam kila raaghavah || 6-31-18
vaanarendrapraniitena baleva mahataa vritah |
"Rama, encircled by an extensive army led forward by Sugreeva, is said to have arrived at the sea-shore, to kill me."
samnivistah samudrasya piidya tiiramathottaram || 6-31-19
balena mahataa raamo vrajatyastam divaakare |
"While sun was going to set, Rama with his mighty army was encamped there, encroaching upon the northern shore of the sea."
athaadhvani parishraantamardharaatre sthitam balam || 6-31-20
sukhasuptam samaasaadya charitam prathamam charaih |
"Their army stationed there, comfortably asleep at the middle of the night and completely fatigued in the course of the journey, was approached first and espied by our spies."
tatprahastapraniitena balena mahataa mama || 6-31-21
balamasya hatam raatrau yatra raamah salakshmanah |
"By my great army, which was led by Prahasta, Rama's army was killed in the night at the place where Rama and Lakshmana were there."
pattishaan parighaamshchakraanristiirdandaanmahaayudhaan || 6-31-22
baanajaalaani shuulaani bhaasvaraan kuutamudgaraan |
yastiishcha tomaraan praasaamshchakraani musalaani cha || 6-31-23
udyamyodyamya rakshobhirvaanaresu nipaatitaah |
The demons wielding harpoons, maces, discus, daggers, sticks, great arrows spears, shining maces with spikes, picks lances, darts, massed weapons, clubs and circular missiles, made use of them again and again in order to strike down the monkeys."
atha suptasya raamasya prahastena pramaathinaa || 6-31-24
asaktam kritahastena shirashchhinnam mahaasinaa |
"The impetuous Prahasta, with his steady hand, severed the head of Rama sleeping there, with his mighty sword without a resistance from any one."
vibhiisanah samutpatya nigrihiito yadrichchhayaa || 6-31-25
disham pravraajitah sainyairlakshmanah plavagaih saha |
"Fortunately, Vibhishana was over leaped and held captive. Lakshmana along with the monkeys were made to run away in all directions."
sugriivo griivayaa siite bhagnayaa plavagaadhipah || 6-31-26
nirastahanukah shrete hanumaan raakshasaihrhatah |
"O, Seetha! Sugreeva the king of monkeys with his neck broken and Hanuman with his jaw removed were laid down and killed by the demons."
jaambavaanatha jaanubhyaamutpatannihato yudhi || 6-31-27
pattishairbahubhishchhanno vikrittah saadapo yathaa |
"Thereafter Jambavan who was rising up on his knees was killed in the battle. His body was cut off with many sharp-edged spears, like a tree is cut off."
maindashcha dvividashchobhau tau vaanaravararsabhau || 6-31-28
nihshvasantau rudantau cha rudhirena pariivritau |
asinaa vyaayatau chinnau madhye hyarinisuudanau || 6-31-29
"Mainda and Dvivida - those two great scourgers [punishers] of their foes [enemies], the long bodied and the foremost of the monkeys, groaning and breathless, their limbs bathed in blood-were cut to pieces at the waist-level, by a sword."
anusvanati medinyaam panasah yathaa || 6-31-30
vaaraachairbahubhishchhannah shrete daryaam dariimukhah |
kumudastu mahaatejaa niskuujan saayakairhatah || 6-31-31
"Panasa, crying for help was stretched on the earth under a tree of the same name. Pierced by lying in a pit. The exceedingly valiant Kumuda on his part, shrieking [to utter a sharp shrill sound], was killed by a hail of missiles."
angado bahubhishchhnnah sharairaasaadya raakshasaih |
parito rudhirodgaarii kshitau nipatitaangadah || 6-31-32
"Angada, who was adorned with bracelets, lies fallen down, emitting blood on all sides, as he was pierced by the demons with many arrows, after approaching him."
harayo mathitaa vaagairatha jaalaistathaapare |
shayaanaa mriditaastatra vaayuvegairivaambudaah || 6-31-33
"The monkeys sleeping there were crushed by elephants and multitude of chariots, like clouds are crushed to pieces by the velocity of wind."
prasritaashca pare trastaah hanyamaanaa jaghanyatah |
anudrutaastu rakshobhih simhairiva mahaadvipaah || 6-31-34
"The enemy fled in terror, pursued by demons, while being struck on the back, like lions pursuing great elephants."
saagare patitaah kechitkechidgaganamaashritaah |
rikshaa vrikshaamapaaruudhaa vaanarairvyatimishritaah || 6-31-35
"Some monkeys fell in the sea and some sought shelter in the sky. The bears with the monkeys climbed the trees."
saagarasya cha tiiresu shailesu cha vanesu cha |
pingalaaste viruupaakshe raakshasairbahavo hataah || 6-31-36
"By the demons with monstrous eyes, were killed a multitude of monkeys, at the shores of the sea, in the mountains an in the woods."
evam tava hato bhartaa sasainyo mama sevayaa |
kshatajaardram rajodhvastamidam chaapyaahritam shirah || 6-31-37
"Thus, your husband together with his army was killed by my troops. This head, drenched in his blood and besmeared with dust has been gathered up."
tatah paramadurdharso raavano raakshaseshvarah |
siitaayaamupashrinvatyaam raakshasiimida mabraviit || 6-31-38
Thereafter, Ravana the Lord of demons who was very much difficult to be attacked, spoke the following words to an ogress, while Seetha was overhearing them.
raakshasam kruurakarmaanam vidyujjihvam samaanaya |
yena tadraghanashirah sangramaatsvayamaahritam || 6-31-39
"Bring Viddutjihva, the demon of the cruel deed, by whom himself Raghava's head was brought back from the battle-field."
vidyujjihva stadaa grihya shirastatsasharaasanam |
pranaamam shirasaa kritvaa raavanasyaagratah sthitah || 6-31-40
Holding that head along with a bow, Vidyujjihva making a respectful salute with his head bent low, stood in front of Ravana.
tamabraviittato raajaa raavano raakshasam sthitam |
vidyujjihvam mahaajihvam samiipaparivartinam || 6-31-41
Thereafter, the king Ravana spoke the following words to Viddutjihva, the demon who had a large tongue and who was standing and moving closely.
agratah kuru siitaayaah shriighram daasharatheh shirah |
avasthaam pashichamaam bhartuh kripanaa saadhu pashyatu || 6-31-42
"Keep Rama's head immediately in front of Seetha. Let the miserable Seetha see well the final condition of her husband.
evamuktam tu tadrakshah shirastatpriyadarshanam |
upanikshipya siitaayaah kshipramantaradhiiyata || 6-31-43
Hearing Ravana's words, that demon deposited the cherished head in the vicinity of Seetha and soon disappeared from the site.
raavanashcaapi chikshepa bhaasvaram kaarmukam mahat |
trisu lokesu vikhyaatam raamasyaitaditi bruvan || 6-31-44
"Here is Rama's bow famous in the three worlds!" - saying thus, Ravana threw a great shining bow in front of Seetha.
idam tattava raamasya kaarmukam jyaasamaavr6itam |
iha prahastevaaniitam tam hatvaa nishi maanusam || 6-31-45
"This is the bow with its cord stretched, belonging to Rama, that was brought back by Prahasta here, after killing that hero in the night."
sa vidyujihvena sahaiva tachchhiro |
dhamashcha bhuumau vinikiirya raavanah |
videharaajasya sutaam yashasviniim |
tato.abraviittaam bhava me vashaamugaa || 6-31-46
That Rama's head and bow on the ground in front of Seetha the illustrious daughter of Janaka, saying: "You now become submissive to my desire."
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande ekatrimshah sargah
Thus completes 31st Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate