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Valmiki Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda · Chapter 48

Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 48

युद्धकाण्डः सर्गः 48

34 verses

भर्तारं निहतं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्। विललाप भृशं सीता करुणं शोककर्शिता॥

bhartāraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam| vilalāpa bhṛśaṃ sītā karuṇaṃ śokakarśitā||

Seeing her husband, well the exceedingly powerful Laksmana, slain, Srta, afflicted with grief, burst into bitter lamentation.

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ऊचुर्लाक्षणिका ये मां पुत्रिण्यविधवेति च। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः॥

ūcurlākṣaṇikā ye māṃ putriṇyavidhaveti ca| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ||

The soothsayers had said that I should have sons, and should never be a widow. But on Råma being slain, it sees now that those ones, possessed of knowledge, had spoken untruthfully.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)

यज्वनो महिषीं मामूचुः पत्नी च सत्रिणः। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः॥

yajvano mahiṣīṃ māmūcuḥ patnī ca satriṇaḥ| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ||

Those also, who having celebrated sacrifices and rites, had said that I should become the queen (of Rama), on Rāma being slain, seems today to have spoken a falsehood, although they are possessed of knowledge.

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वीरपार्थिवपत्नीनां ये विदुर्भर्तृपूजिताम्। तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः॥

vīrapārthivapatnīnāṃ ye vidurbhartṛpūjitām| te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ||

They also asserted that I should be honoured of the wives of heroic kings as well as of my lord, but on Rāma being slain, they seem to have spoken a falsehood, although possessed of knowledge.

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ऊचुः संश्रवणे ये मां द्विजाः कान्तिकाः शुभाम्। । तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः॥

ūcuḥ saṃśravaṇe ye māṃ dvijāḥ kāntikāḥ śubhām| | te'dya sarve hate rāme jñānino'nṛtavādinaḥ||

Those twice-born ones that in any hearing had said auspicious words, on Rāma being slain, seem today to have spoken a falsehood although they were possessed of knowledge.

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इमानि खलु पद्मानि पादयोर्वै कुलस्त्रियः। आधिराज्येऽभिषिच्यन्ते नरेन्द्रैः पतिभिः सह॥

imāni khalu padmāni pādayorvai kulastriyaḥ| ādhirājye'bhiṣicyante narendraiḥ patibhiḥ saha||

These lotus-marks on the feet, betokening to gentlewomen possessing them, that they are to be installed in the kingdom in company with their husbands-who are kings-are on me.

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वैधव्यं यान्ति यैर्नार्योऽलक्षणैर्भाग्यदुर्लभाः। नात्मनस्तानि पश्यामि पश्यन्ती हतलक्षणा।७।।

vaidhavyaṃ yānti yairnāryo'lakṣaṇairbhāgyadurlabhāḥ| nātmanastāni paśyāmi paśyantī hatalakṣaṇā|7||

Those marks find I none on me by which women of rare fortune come by widowhood, but I find that in me these good tokens are nullified.

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सत्यनामानि पद्मानि स्त्रीणामुक्तानि लक्षणैः। तान्यद्य निहते रामे वितथानि भवन्ति मे॥

satyanāmāni padmāni strīṇāmuktāni lakṣaṇaiḥ| tānyadya nihate rāme vitathāni bhavanti me||

Those marks that are pronounced infallible by those versed in such knowledge, on Rama being slain, are nullified in me.

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केशाः सूक्ष्माः समा नीला ध्रुवौ चासंहते मम। वृत्ते चारोमके जो दन्ताश्चाविरला मम।।।।

keśāḥ sūkṣmāḥ samā nīlā dhruvau cāsaṃhate mama| vṛtte cāromake jo dantāścāviralā mama||||

My hairs are fine, equal, and blue; my eyebrows touch each other; my hips are devoid of down and round; and my teeth are close.

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शो नेत्रे करौ पादौ गुल्फावूरू समौ चितौ। अनुवृत्तनखाः स्निग्धाः समाश्चाङ्गुलयो मम॥

śo netre karau pādau gulphāvūrū samau citau| anuvṛttanakhāḥ snigdhāḥ samāścāṅgulayo mama||

My temples, and eyes hands, feet, ankles, and thighs are equal. And my fingers are furnished with round nails, and are plump and even in the middle.

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स्तनौ चाविरलौ पीनौ मामको मग्नचूचुकौ। मग्ना चोत्सेधनी नाभिः पार्थोरस्कं च मे चितम्॥

stanau cāviralau pīnau māmako magnacūcukau| magnā cotsedhanī nābhiḥ pārthoraskaṃ ca me citam||

And my breasts are close and firm and developed, and have their nipples sunk. And my navel is depressed, with high sides. And my chest is swelling.

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मम वर्णो मणिनिभौ मृदून्यङ्गरुहाणि च। प्रतिष्ठितां द्वादशभिरमामूचुः शुभलक्षणाम्॥

mama varṇo maṇinibhau mṛdūnyaṅgaruhāṇi ca| pratiṣṭhitāṃ dvādaśabhiramāmūcuḥ śubhalakṣaṇām||

My complexion is like the hue of gems, and my down soft. And they said that I was furnished with twelve auspicious signs.

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समग्रयवमच्छिद्रं पाणिपादं च वर्णवत्। मन्दस्मितेत्येव च मां कन्यालाक्षणिका विदुः॥

samagrayavamacchidraṃ pāṇipādaṃ ca varṇavat| mandasmitetyeva ca māṃ kanyālākṣaṇikā viduḥ||

And my hands in the middle parts of my fingers contain wheat-marks, and in the spaces between the fingers, have no uneven corners. And my feet also partake of the general complexion. And my laugh is a gentle smile. And those versed in marks of women knew that I was possessed of such marks.

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आधिराज्येऽभिषेको मे ब्राह्मणैः पतिना सह। कृतान्तकुशलैरुक्तं तत्सर्वं वितथीकृतम्॥१४॥

ādhirājye'bhiṣeko me brāhmaṇaiḥ patinā saha| kṛtāntakuśalairuktaṃ tatsarvaṃ vitathīkṛtam||14||

Those Brähmaņas skilled in telling fortune said that I should be installed in the kingdom along with my husband; but all that has been falsified.

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शोधयित्वा जनस्थानं प्रवृत्तिमुपलभ्य च। तीर्वा सागरमक्षोभ्यं भ्रातरौ गोष्पदे हतौ॥

śodhayitvā janasthānaṃ pravṛttimupalabhya ca| tīrvā sāgaramakṣobhyaṃ bhrātarau goṣpade hatau||

Having purified Janasthana (of Raksasas), obtained tidings of me, and crossed the Ocean* incapable of being agitated, those brothers have been slain in the footprint of a cow! *The commentator assigns a metaphorical sense to ocean-but this is hardly necessary.

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ननु वारुणाग्नेयमैन्द्रं वायव्यमेव च। अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरश्चैव राघवौ प्रत्यपद्यत॥

nanu vāruṇāgneyamaindraṃ vāyavyameva ca| astraṃ brahmaśiraścaiva rāghavau pratyapadyata||

The descendants of Raghu had obtained Väruņa and Āgneya and Aindra and Vāyavya and Brahmasira weapons.* * And did they not remember this now? completes the sense.

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अदृश्यमानेन रणे भायया वासवोपमौ। मम नाथावनाथाया निहतौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥

adṛśyamānena raṇe bhāyayā vāsavopamau| mama nāthāvanāthāyā nihatau rāmalakṣmaṇau||

Through illusion have those lords of me, who am forlorn. Rāma and Lakşmaņa, resembling Vasava himself in battle, been slain.

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नहि दृष्टिपथं प्राप्य राघवस्य रणे रिपुः। जीवन्प्रतिनिवर्तेत यद्यपि स्यान्मनोजवः॥

nahi dṛṣṭipathaṃ prāpya rāghavasya raṇe ripuḥ| jīvanpratinivarteta yadyapi syānmanojavaḥ||

Coming in battle within ken of Raghava, a foe, even if he be endowed with the fleetness of thought, does not go back living.

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न कालस्यातिभारोऽस्ति कृतान्तश्च सुदुर्जयः। यत्र रामः सह भ्रात्रा शेते युधि निपातितः॥

na kālasyātibhāro'sti kṛtāntaśca sudurjayaḥ| yatra rāmaḥ saha bhrātrā śete yudhi nipātitaḥ||

There is nothing which is too hard for Time; and the Destroyer is incapable of being overcome; inasmuch as Rāma along with his brother Lakşmaņa has fallen in fight.

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न शोचामि तथा राम लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्। नात्मानं जननीं चापि यथा श्वश्रू तपस्विनीम्॥ सा तु चिन्तयते नित्यं समाप्तव्रतमागतम्। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि सीतां च लक्ष्मणं च सराघवम्॥

na śocāmi tathā rāma lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāratham| nātmānaṃ jananīṃ cāpi yathā śvaśrū tapasvinīm|| sā tu cintayate nityaṃ samāptavratamāgatam| kadā drakṣyāmi sītāṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ ca sarāghavam||

I do not so much mourn Rāma or the mighty car-warrior-Laksmana-or, for that matter, self, as I do the wretched mother-in-law of mine. She ever think of the period of the promise. "When shall I behold Sītā and Lakşmaņa with Rāghava?

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परिदेवयमानां तां राक्षसी त्रिजटाब्रवीत्। मा विषादं कृथा देवि भर्तायं तव जीवति॥

paridevayamānāṃ tāṃ rākṣasī trijaṭābravīt| mā viṣādaṃ kṛthā devi bhartāyaṃ tava jīvati||

As she was thus lamenting, the Rākṣasai, said, O exalted lady, do not weep thus, your lord live.

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कारणानि च वक्ष्यामि महान्ति सदृशानि च। यथेमौ जीवतो देवि भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥

kāraṇāni ca vakṣyāmi mahānti sadṛśāni ca| yathemau jīvato devi bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau||

O dignified one, I shall unfold to you potent and probable reasons why the brothers Rāma and Laksmana live.

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नहि कोपपरीतानि हर्षपर्युत्सुकानि च। भवन्ति युधि योधानां मुखानि निहते पतौ॥

nahi kopaparītāni harṣaparyutsukāni ca| bhavanti yudhi yodhānāṃ mukhāni nihate patau||

When their leader fall, the countenances of the warriors in battle are not overspread with passion, or display cheerfulness and vivacity.

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इदं विमानं वैदेहि पुष्पकं नाम नामतः। दिव्यं त्वां धारयेनेदं यद्येतौ गतजीवितौ ॥

idaṃ vimānaṃ vaidehi puṣpakaṃ nāma nāmataḥ| divyaṃ tvāṃ dhārayenedaṃ yadyetau gatajīvitau ||

O Vaidehi, if those had lost their lives, this celestial chariot, named Puspaka, would not have held you.

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हतवीरप्रधाना हि गतोत्साहा निरुद्यमा। सेना भ्रमति संख्येषु हतकणेव नौ ले॥ इयं पुनरसंभ्रान्ता निरुद्विग्ना तपस्विनि। सेना रक्षति काकुत्स्थौ मया प्रीत्या निवेदितौ ॥

hatavīrapradhānā hi gatotsāhā nirudyamā| senā bhramati saṃkhyeṣu hatakaṇeva nau le|| iyaṃ punarasaṃbhrāntā nirudvignā tapasvini| senā rakṣati kākutsthau mayā prītyā niveditau ||

An army that has its heroes and chiefs slainbecoming dispirited and drooping, range the field, like a vessel on water that has losi its helmsman. But, O lorm one, these troops, be trying neither agitation nor anxiety, are guarding the Kākutsthas, This I tell you of them out of affection.

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सा त्वं भव सुविस्रब्धा अनुमानैः सुखोदयैः। अहतौ पश्य काकुत्स्थौ स्नेहादेतद्ब्रवीमि ते॥

sā tvaṃ bhava suvisrabdhā anumānaiḥ sukhodayaiḥ| ahatau paśya kākutsthau snehādetadbravīmi te||

Do you, at this conclusion bringing in joy, take comfort; and behold the Kākutsthas unslain. This I tell you from affection.

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अनृतं नोक्तपूर्व मे न च वक्ष्यामि मैथिलि। चारित्रसुखशीलत्वात्प्रविष्टासि मनो मम ॥

anṛtaṃ noktapūrva me na ca vakṣyāmi maithili| cāritrasukhaśīlatvātpraviṣṭāsi mano mama ||

I never told you untruths heretofore; nor, O Mithila's daughter, will I tell them to you now. You by virtue of your character conducive to delight, have found an access into my heart.

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नेमौ शक्यौ रणे जेतुं सेन्ट्रैरपि सुरासुरैः। तादृशं दर्शनं दृष्ट्वा मया चोदीरितं तव॥

nemau śakyau raṇe jetuṃ senṭrairapi surāsuraiḥ| tādṛśaṃ darśanaṃ dṛṣṭvā mayā codīritaṃ tava||

These even the celestials and Asuras with Indra (at their head) are incompetent to quell. Seeing such sight, I speak to you as to their being alive.

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इदं तु सुमहच्चित्रं शरैः पश्यस्व मैथिलि। विसंज्ञौ पतितावेतौ नैव लक्ष्मीर्विमुञ्चति ॥

idaṃ tu sumahaccitraṃ śaraiḥ paśyasva maithili| visaṃjñau patitāvetau naiva lakṣmīrvimuñcati ||

And behold O Maithili, this mighty wonder! These are lying insensible with arrows; but of these Grace has not taken leave.

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प्रायेण गतसत्वानां पुरुषाणां गतायुषाम्। दृश्यमानेषु वक्रेषु परं भवति वैकृतम्॥ त्यज शोकं च दुःखं च मोहं च जनकात्मजे। रामलक्ष्मणयोरर्थे नाद्य शक्यमजीवितुम्॥

prāyeṇa gatasatvānāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ gatāyuṣām| dṛśyamāneṣu vakreṣu paraṃ bhavati vaikṛtam|| tyaja śokaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca mohaṃ ca janakātmaje| rāmalakṣmaṇayorarthe nādya śakyamajīvitum||

It generally happens that the faces of persons dead and gone, are unsightly to a degree. Therefore, O Janka's daughter, leave off grief and sorrow and stupor. For the sake of Rāma and Lakşmaņa you can not today put a period to your existence.

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श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्याः सीता सुरसुतोपमा। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेमामेवमस्त्विति मैथिली॥

śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasyāḥ sītā surasutopamā| kṛtāñjaliruvācemāmevamastviti maithilī||

Hearing her words, Mithila's daughter-Sītāresembling the daughter of a celestial, with hands joined, said, "May this be so!

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विमानं पुष्पकं तत्तु संनिवर्त्य मनोजवम्। दीना त्रिजटया सीता लङ्कामेव प्रवेशिता॥

vimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ tattu saṃnivartya manojavam| dīnā trijaṭayā sītā laṅkāmeva praveśitā||

Then turning away the car Puşpaka fleet as the mind, the distressed Sītā entered Lankā along with Trijata.

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ततस्त्रिजटया सार्धं पुष्पकादवरुह्य सा। अशोकवनिकामेव राक्षसीभिः प्रवेशिता॥

tatastrijaṭayā sārdhaṃ puṣpakādavaruhya sā| aśokavanikāmeva rākṣasībhiḥ praveśitā||

Then in company with Trijatā alighting from Puşpaka, she along with the Rākşasis entered the asoka wood.

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प्रविश्य सीता बहुवृक्षखण्डां तां राक्षसेन्द्रस्य विहारभूमिम्। संप्रेक्ष्य संचिन्त्य च राजपुत्रौ परं विषादं समुपाजगाम्॥

praviśya sītā bahuvṛkṣakhaṇḍāṃ tāṃ rākṣasendrasya vihārabhūmim| saṃprekṣya saṃcintya ca rājaputrau paraṃ viṣādaṃ samupājagām||

Entering that sporting-ground of the Raksasa lord abounding in woody tracts, Sītā, having beheld those princes and reflected on them, became subject to a mighty grief.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)