Summary
Ravana summons some female demons including Trijata and instructs them to take Seetha in Pushpaka-plane to the battle-front and show Rama and Lakshmana alleged to have been killed by Indrajit. Accordingly, the female-demons take Seetha in Pushpaka-plane and show her Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on a bed of arrows in the battle-field. Imagining Rama and Lakshmana to have been dead, Seetha bursts into sobs.
Chapter [Sarga] 47 in Detail
tasmin pratipraviste lankaam tu krita arthe raavana aatmaje |
raaghavam parivaarya aartaa raraksur vaanara risabhaah || 6-47-1
Indrajit, the son of Ravana having returned to Lanka, his purpose accomplished, the leading monkeys surrounded Rama in order to watch over him.
hanuumaan angado niilah susenah kumudo nalah |
gajo gava akso gavayah sharabho gandha maadanah || 6-47-2
jaambavaan risabhah sundo rambhah shata balih prithuh |
vyuudha aniikaash ca yattaash ca drumaan aadaaya sarvatah || 6-47-3
viiksamaanaa dishah sarvaas tiryag uurdhvam ca vaanaraah |
trinesv api ca cestatsu raaksasaa;iti menire || 6-47-4
Hanuman, Angada, Nila, Sushena, Kumuda, Nala, Gaja, Gavaaksha, Panasa, Sanuprastha and the mighty Jambavan with Sunda, Rambha, Shatabali and Prithu all these monkeys, armed with trees, reorganized their ranks, stood alert, surveyed the quarters of the sky up and down and on every side and, even if a grass stirred, they exclaimed, “It is a demon!”
raavanash ca api samhristo visrijya indrajitam sutam |
aajuhaava tatah siitaa raksanii raaksasiis tadaa || 6-47-5
Ravana, meanwhile, full of joy, dismissed his son Indrajit and thereafter summoned the female demons who guarded Seetha.
raaksasyas trijataa ca api shaasanaat tam upasthitaah |
taa uvaaca tato hristo raaksasii raaksasa iishvarah || 6-47-6
Following his orders, the female-demons along with Trijata appeared before him. Then, the rejoiced Ravana said to them as follows:
hataav indrajitaa aakhyaata vaidehyaa raama laksmanau |
puspakam ca samaaropya darshayadhvam hatau rane || 6-47-7
“Tell Seetha that Rama and Lakshmana have been killed by Indrajit. Take her in Pushpaka the airplane and show her Rama and Lakshmana who were killed in battle.”
yad aashrayaad avastabdho na iyam maam upatisthati |
so asyaa bhartaa saha bhraatraa nirasto rana muurdhani || 6-47-8
“Her husband, the one depending on whom rendered her so proud that she refused to be united with me, lies there killed with his brother in the battle-front.”
nirvishankaa nirudvignaa nirapeksaa ca maithilii |
maam upasthaasyate siitaa sarva aabharana bhuusitaa || 6-47-9
“From now on, free from anxiety, grief and expectation of reunion, Seetha the princess of Mithila kingdom, adorned in all her jewels, will submit herself to me.”
adya kaala vasham praaptam rane raamam salaksmanam |
aveksya vinivritta aashaa na anyaam gatim apashyatii || 6-47-10
anapeksaa vishaalaaksii maamupasthasyate svayam |
“Beholding Rama and Lakshmana fallen under the sway of death on the battle-field today, finding no other haven and hoping for nothing else, the large-eyed Seetha will voluntarily seek refuge with me!”
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa raavanasya duraatmanah || 6-47-11
raaksasyas taas tathaa ity uktvaa prajagmur yatra puspakam |
Hearing these words of the cruel Ravana, they all replied, “Be it so” and went to where the Pushpaka chariot was.
tatah puspakam aadaya raaksasyo raavana aajnayaa || 6-47-12
ashoka vanikaasthaam taam maithiliim samupaanayan |
Thereafter, the female-demons brought the aerial car, Pushpaka as per the instructions of Ravana and carried it nearer to Seetha who was staying in Ashoka-grove.
taam aadaaya tu raaksasyo bhartri shoka paraayanaam || 6-47-13
siitaam aaropayaam aasur vimaanam puspakam tadaa |
The female-demons brought Seetha who was afflicted with grief for her husband and made her to ascend Pushpaka-plane.
tatah puspakam aaropya siitaam trijatayaa saha || 6-47-14
jagmurdarshayitum tasyai raaksasyo raamalaksmanau |
The female-demons along with Trijata made Seetha to ascend Pushpaka-plane and proceeded to show her Rama and Lakshmana.
raavano akaarayal lankaam pataakaa dhvaja maaliniim || 6-47-15
praaghosayata hristash ca lankaayaam raaksasa iishvarah |
raaghavo laksmanash caiva hataav indrajitaa rane || 6-47-16
Ravana the king of demons, thrilled with rapture, caused Lanka to be garlanded with flags and banners and arranged a proclamation to be made in Lanka announcing that Rama and Lakshmana had been slain by Indrajit in battle.
vimaanena api siitaa tu gatvaa trijatayaa saha |
dadarsha vaanaraanaam tu sarvam sinyam nipaatitam || 6-47-17
Seetha along with Trijata, transported by that plane, saw all the monkey-troops who had been slain.
prahrista manasash ca api dadarsha pishita ashanaan |
vaanaraamsh ca api duhkha aartaan raama laksmana paarshvatah || 6-47-18
Seetha saw the demons who were delighted at heart and monkeys disturbed with grief, standing round Rama and Lakshmana.
tatah siitaa dadarsha ubhau shayaanau shata talpayoh |
laksmanam caiva raamam ca visamjnau shara piiditau || 6-47-19
vidhvasta kavacau viirau vipraviddha shara aasanau |
saayakaish chinna sarva angau shara stambhamayau ksitau || 6-47-20
Then, Seetha beheld those two warriors Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on the ground on a bed of arrows, their limbs pierced with arrows, riddled with weapons, their armor shattered, their bows cast aside at a distance and their entire body transfixed by darts.
tau dristvaa bhraatarau tatra praviirau purusa risabhau |
shayaanau pundariikaaksau kumaaraaviva paavakii || 6-47-21
sharatalpagatau viirau tathaabhuutau nararsabhau |
duhkha aartaa subhrisham siitaa karunam vilalaapa ha || 6-47-22
On seeing those two brothers, who were filled with valor, having lotus-eyes, the excellent of men, lying stretched on a bed of arrows there in that wretched plight like the two sons of the fire-god (Shaka and Vishakha) lying on a bed of reeds, Seetha wailed piteously, stricken as she was with a great agony.
bhartaaramanavadyaangii laksmanam chaasiteksanaa |
preksya paamsusu chestantau ruroda janakaatmajaa || 6-47-23
The dark-eyed Seetha the daughter of Janaka with her faultless limbs, beholding her lord and Lakshmana lying in the dust, burst into sobs.
saa baaspa shoka abhihataa samiiksya |
tau bhraatarau deva sama prabhaavau |
vitarkayantii nidhanam tayoh saa |
duhkha anvitaa vaakyam idam jagaada || 6-47-24
Witnessing those brothers, the prominent sons of god, Seetha afflicted with tearful sorrow, believing their death, spoke with grief the following words.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande saptachatvaarimshah sargah
Thus completes 47th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate