Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda in Prose Sarga 47

Indrajit, the son of Ravana having returned to Lanka, his purpose accomplished, the leading monkeys surrounded Rama in order to watch over him. Hanuman, Angada, Nila, Sushena, Kumuda, Nala, Gaja, Gavaksha, 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!” Ravana, meanwhile, full of joy, dismissed his son Indrajit and thereafter summoned the female demons who guarded Seetha.

Following his orders, the female-demons along with Trijata appeared before him. Then, the rejoiced Ravana said to them as follows:

“Tell Seetha that Rama and Lakshmana have been killed by Indrajit. Take her in Pushpaka the aeroplane and show her Rama and Lakshmana who were killed in battle. 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. 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. 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!”

Hearing these words of the cruel Ravana, they all replied, “Be it so” and went to where the Pushpaka chariot was. 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.

The female-demons brought Seetha who was afflicted with grief for her husband and made her to ascend Pushpaka-plane. The female-demons along with Trijata made Seetha to ascend Pushpaka-plane and proceeded to show her Rama and Lakshmana. 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.

Seetha along with Trijata, transported by that plane, saw all the monkey-troops who had been slain. Seetha saw the demons who were delighted at heart and monkeys disturbed with grief, standing round Rama and Lakshmana. 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 armour shattered, their bows cast aside at a distance and their entire body transfixed by darts.

On seeing those two brothers, who were filled with valour, 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 (Shakha and Vishakha) lying on a bed of reeds, Seetha wailed piteously, stricken as she was with a great agony. The dark-eyed Seetha the daughter of Janaka with her faultless limbs, beholding her lord and Lakshmana lying in the dust, burst into sobs. Witnessing those brothers, the prominent sons of god, Seetha afflicted with tearful sorrow, believing their death, spoke with grief the following words.

Thus completes 47th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.