Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Seetha, on beholding Rama and Lakshmana, was absorbed in various thoughts like, "The sooth sayers had prophesied that I should never be widowed and would bear sons. How could their prediction become untrue?" However, Trijata reassures her, stating good reasons for Rama and Lakshman to be still alive and cheering her up, takes her back to Ashoka grove. |
bhartaaram nihatam dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNam ca mahaa balam |
vilalaapa bhR^isham siitaa karuNam shoka karshitaa || 6-48-1
1. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; nihatam= the slain; bhartaaram= husband; mahaabalam= and the exceedingly strong; lakshmaNamcha= Lakshmana; siitaa= Seetha; shoka karshitaa= was emaciated with grief; bhR^isham= very much; vilalaapa= and lamented; karuNtam= pitiably.
Seeing her husband and the mighty Lakshmana having been killed, Seetha was very much emaiated through grief and lamented pitiably (as follows):
uucur lakSaNikaa ye maam putriNy avidhavaa iti ca |
te asya sarve hate raame ajnaanino anR^ita vaadinaH || 6-48-2
2. ye= which; laakSaNikaaH= interpretors of marks or signs ( the sooth-sayers); uuchuH= predicted; maam= me; putriNii= to be having children; avidhaveti cha= and without widowhood; te= those; jJNaaninaH= knowledgeable persons; adya= now; anR^itavaadinaH= (are proved to be) liers; raame= (since) Rama; hate= has been killled.
"The sooth sayers, reading the marks and signs on my body, prophesized that I shall bear sons and never be widowed. Now that Rama has been slain, their words have proved to be untrue."
yajvano mahiSiim ye maam uucuh patniim ca satriNaH |
te adya sarve hate raame ajnaanino anR^ita vaadinaH || 6-48-3
3. raame= Since Rama; hate= is slain; sarve= all; te jJNaaninaH= those astrologers; ye= who; uuchuH= predicted; maam patniim= that I should be the companion; sattriNaH= of a sattra sacrifice; mahiSiim= and the consort; yajvanaH= of the performer of great sacrifices; adya= now; anR^itavaadinaH= have become utterers of falsehood.
"Since Rama is slian, all those astrologers, who predicted that I shold be the companio of a sattra sacrifice and the consort of the performer of great sacrifices, now have proved to be utteres of falsehood."
viira paarthiva patnii tvam ye dhanyaa iti ca maam viduH |
te adya sarve hate raame ajnaanino anR^ita vaadinaH || 6-48-4
4. adya= now; raame= that Rama; hate= has been slain; sarve= all; te= those; jNaaninaH= sooth-sayers; ye= who; viduH= predicted; bhartR^ipuujitaam= that I should be honoured by my husbaned; viirapaarthiva patniinaam= and by the wives of warriors and kings; anR^ita vaadinaH= are proved not to have spoken truly.
"Now that Rama has been slain, all those sooth-sayers who predicted that I should be honoured by my husband as well as the wives of warriors and kings, are proved to be liars."
uucuH samshravaNe ye maam dvijaah kaartaantikaah shubhaam |
te adya sarve hate raame ajnaanino anR^ita vaadinaH || 6-48-5
5. adya= now; raame= that Rama; hate= has beeen slain; sarve= all; te= those; jJNaaninaH= astrologers; kaartaanikaaH dvijaaH= among the wise brahmins; ye= who; samshravaNe= openly; uuchuH= foretold; shubham= happiness; maami= for me; anR^itavaadinaH= are proved to have spoken falsely!;
"Now that Rama has been slain, all those astrologers among the wise brahmins. Who openly foretold that I should remain happy with my husband are proved to have spoken falsely!"
imaani khalu padmaani paadayor yaih kila striyaH |
adhiraajye abhiSicyante nara indraih patibhih saha || 6-48-6
6. padmaani khalu= by the marks of lotus indeed; imaani= on these; paadayoH= my feet; yaiH= by which; kulastriyaH= hight-born women; abhiSichyante= are consecreated; aadhiraajye= for an empire; patibhiH saha= with their husbands; narendraH= and kings.
"Yet I bear the marks of lotus on my soles by virtue of which high-born women are consecrated on an imperial throne with their husbands and lords."
vaidhavyam yaanti yair naaryo alakSaNair bhaagya durlabhaaH |
na aatmanas taani pashyaami pashyantii hata lakSaNaa || 6-48-7
7. na pashyaami= I do not find; taani= tohse; alakSaNaiH= marks of ill-fortune; yaiH= which; yaanti= betoken; vaidhavyam- widowhood; naaryaH= in women; bhaagya durlabhaaH= who are ill-starred; pashyantii= and as I examine; hata lakSaNaa= all the auspicious signs appear to be rendered void; aatmanaH= for me.
"I do not find those marks of ill-fortune which betoken widowhood in women who are ill-starred and as I examine, all the auspicious signs appear to be rendered void for me."
satyaani imaani padmaani striiNaam uktvaani lakSaNe |
taany adya nihate raame vitathaani bhavanti me || 6-48-8
8. lakSaNaiH= (These) marks; padmaani= of the lotus; uktaani= said to be; satyanaamaani= good angury; striiNaam= for women; (by the wise men); taani= those marks; me= of mine; bhavanti= have become; vitathaani= meaningless; adya= now; raame= that Rama; nihate= is slain.
"Those marks of the lotus said to be good angury for women by wise men, have become meaningless, now that Rama is slain."
keshaah suukSmaah samaa niilaa bhruvau ca asamgate mama |
vR^itte ca alomashe janghe dantaash ca aviralaa mama || 6-48-9
9. mam= my; keshaaH= hair; suukSmaaH= is fine; niilaaH= black in clour; samaaH= and smooth; bruvoucha= my eye-brows too; asamhate= are dis-united; mama= my; jaN^ghe= shanks; vR^itte= are well-rounded; aromake= and hair-less; dantaashcha= my teeth; aviralaaH= are contiguous.
"My hair is fine, black in colour and smooth. My eye-brows are disunited. My shanks are hair-less and well rounded. My teeth are contiguous, without any gaps between them."
shankhe netre karau paadau gulphaav uuruu ca me citau |
anuvR^ittaa nakhaah snigdhaah samaash ca angulayo mama || 6-48-10
10. mama= My; shaNkhe= temples, netre= eyes; karau= arms; paadau= feet; gulphau= ankles; uuru= thighs; samau= are homogenous; chitau= and wll-proportioned; aNgulayaH= the fingers; anuvR^ittanakhaaH= have well-rounded nails; snigdhaaH= which are glossy; samaashcha= and having a right length.
"My temples, eyes, arms, feet, ankles and thights are homogenous and well-proportioned. My fingers have well-rounded and glossy nails, having a right lenght."
stanau ca aviralau piinau mama imau magna cuucukau |
magnaa ca utsanginii naabhih paarshva uraskam ca me citam || 6-48-11
11. maamakau= my; stanau= breasts; aviralau= are close to each other; piinau= fully developed; magna chuuchukau= and have depressed nipples; naabhiH= my navel; magnaa= is deeply; utsedhinii= indented; me= my; paarshvoraskamcha= flanks and bossom; chitam= are well-formed.
"My breasts are close to each other, fully developed and have depressed nipples. My navel is deeply idented. My flanks and bossom are well-formed."
mama varNo maNi nibho mR^iduuny anga ruhaaNi ca |
pratiSThitaam dvadashabhir maam uucuh shubha lakSaNaam || 6-48-12
12. mama= my; varNaH= complexion; maNinibhaH= has the sheen of a pearl; aNga ruhaaNicha= the hair on my skin; mR^iduuni= are soft; uuchuH= It is said; maam= of me; as endowed with auspicious signs; pratiSThitaam= in that I touched the ground; dvaadashabhiH= with my twelve limbs ( vix. the ten toes and two soles).
"My complexion has the sheen of a pearl. The hair on my skin are soft. It is said of me as endowed with auspicious signs, in that I touched the ground with my twelve limbs (viz. the ten toes and two soles).
samagra yavam acchidram paaNi paadam ca varNavat |
manda smitaa ity eva ca maam kanyaa lakSaNikaa viduH || 6-48-13
13. kanyaalakSaNikaaH= those who interpret the marks of youthful maidens; viduH= spoke; maam= of me; iti= that; paaNipaadamcha= my hands and feet; varNavat= are rosy; samagrayavam= fully provided with marks resembling a barley-corn; achchhidram= devoid of space between the fingers and toes; mandasnitaa= and my smile is gentle.
"Those who interpret the marks of youthful maidens spoke of me that my hands and feet are rosy, fully provided with marks each resembling a barley corn, devoid of space between my fingers and toes and that my smile is gentle."
adhiraajye abhiSeko me braahmaNaih patinaa saha |
kR^ita anta kushalair uktam tat sarvam vitathii kR^itam || 6-48-14
14. tat sarvam= all that; uktam= was told; braahmaNaiH= by brahmins; kR^itaanta kushalaiH= who were skilled in sooth-saying; me= of me; aadhi raajyaabhiSekaH= that I should be conscrated on the imperial throne; patinaa saha= along with my husband; vitathiikR^itam= proved to be in vain.
"All that was told by brahmins well-versed in sooth-saying, of me that- I should be consecrated on the imperial throne along with my husband -proved to be in vain."
shodhayitvaa jana sthaanam pravR^ittim upalabhya ca |
tiirtvaa saagaram akSobhyam bhraatarau goSpade hatau || 6-48-15
15. shodayitvaa= having searched; janasthaanam= all the resorts of men; upalabhyacha= received; pravR^ittim= the tidings of my fate; tiirtvaa= and crossed; akSobhyam= the impassable; saagaram= ocean; bhraataram= those two brothers; hatau= have perished; goSpade= in the imprint of a cows hoof (a small brothers)
"Having searched all the resorts of men, received the tidings of my fate, and crossed the impassable ocean, those two brothers have perishe din the imprint of a cow's hoof ( a small puddle)."
nanu vaaruNam aagneyam aindram vaayavyam eva ca |
astram brahma shirash caiva raaghavau pratyapadyataam || 6-48-16
16. raaghavau= Rama and Lakshmana; pratya padyataam nanu= surely knew the use of; vaaruNam= the arrows of Varuna; aagneyam= Agni; aindram= Indra; vaayavyameva cha= and Vayu; brahmashiraH astram cha= as also the Brahmashira weapon.
"Rama and Lakshmana surely knew the use of the arrows of Varuna, Agni, Indra and Vayu, as also the Brahmashira weapon."
adR^ishyamaanena raNe maayayaa vaasava upamau |
mama naathaav anaathaayaa nihatau raama lakSmaNau || 6-48-17
17. maayayaa= by means of magic arts; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; mama= my; naathau= protectors; vaasavopamau= who are equal to Indra; nihatau= have been slain; adR^ishya maanena= by an invisible foe; raNe= in battle; anaathaayaaH= and I am now bereft of any support.
"By means of magic arts, an invisible foe has slain Rama and Lakshmana, my protectors, who are equal to Indra in battle and I am now bereft of any support."
na hi dR^iSTi patham praapya raaghavasya raNe ripuH |
jiivan pratinivarteta yady api syaan mano javaH || 6-48-18
18. praapya= having reached; dR^iSTipatham= the range of sight; raaghavasya= of Rama; raNe= in a combat; na ripuH= no enemy; pratinivartate hi= could return; jiivam= alive; syaadyadyapi= even though; manojavaH= (he were endowed with) the swiftness of thought.
"Having reached the range of sight of Rama in a combat, no enemy could return alive, eventhough he were endowed with the swiftness of thought."
na kaalasya atibhaaro asti kR^ita antash ca sudurjayaH |
yatra raamah saha bhraatraa shete yudhi nipaathitaH || 6-48-19
19. naasti= there is no; atibhaaraH= great burden; kaalasya= for death; yatra= as; raamaH= Rama; bhraatraa saha= along wtih his brother; shete= are lying; nipaatitaH= struck down; yudhi= on the battle-field; kR^itaantashcha= fate; sudurjayaH= is inexorable.
There is no burden too heavy for death to shoulder, as Rama along with his brother are lying struck down on the battle-field. Fate is inexorable."
na aham shocaami bhartaaram nihatam na ca lakSmaNam |
na aatmaanam jananii ca api yathaa shvashruum tapasviniim || 6-48-20
20. na shochaami= I do not repent; raama= for Rama; lakSmaNam cha= or Lakshmana; mahaaratham= the great chariot-wariior; na= nor; aatmaanam= for myself; na= nr; jananiim chaapi= my mother even; yathaa tathaa= by so much; shashruum= as my mother-iin-law; tapasviniim= the unfortunate one.
"I do not repent so much for Rama and Lakshmana or for myself or even my mother but for my unfortunate mother-in-law, Kausalya."
saa hi cintayate nityam samaapta vratam aagatam |
kadaa drakSyaami siitaam ca raamam ca saha lakSmaNam || 6-48-21
21. saa tu= Kausalya for her part; nityam= forever; chintayate= remains absorbed in the thought; kadaa= when; drakSyaami= shall I see; lakSmaNamcha= Lakshmana; siitaamcha= and Seetha; saraaghavam= with Rama; aagatam= returned (to Ayodhya); samapta vratam= having completed his vow ( of remaining in exile in the forest for fourteen years)?
"Kausalya for her part, forever remains absorbed in the thought 'When shall I see Lakshmana and Seetha with Rama returned (to Ayodhya) having completed his vow (of remaining in exile in the forest for fourteen years)?"
paridevayamaanaam taam raakSasii trijaTaa abraviit |
maa viSaadam kR^ithaa devi bhartaa ayam tava jiivati || 6-48-22
22. trijaTaa= Trijata; raakSasii= the demoness; abraviit= spoke; taam= to that Seetha; paridevayamaanaam= who was thus lamenting (as follows); devi= O, god-like lady!; maa kR^ithaaH= do not; viSaadam= despair; tava= your; bhartaa= husband; ayam= this Rama; jiivati= is living.
The demoness Trijata spoke to that lamenting Seetha as follows : "O, the god-like lady! Do not despair. Your husband, Rama is still living."
kaaraNaani ca vakSyaami mahaanti sadR^ishaani ca |
yathaa imau jiivato devi bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau || 6-48-23
23. devii= O godlike lady!; vakSyaami= I will tell; mahaanti= mighty; sadR^ishaani= and cogent; kaaraNaanicha= reasons; yathaa= how; imau= these; bhraatarau= two brothers; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; jiivataH= are living.
"O, godlike lady! I will tell you mighty and cogent reasons, how these two brothers Rama and Lakshmana are living."
na hi kopa pariitaani harSa paryutsukaani ca |
bhavanti yudhi yodhaanaam mukhaani nihate patau || 6-48-24
24. patau= The leader; nihate= having been lost; mukhaani= the faces; yodhaanaam= of the soldiers; yudhi= on the field of battle; na bhavanti hi= are never seized; kopapariitaani= by anger; harSapryutsukaani= (nor are they) animated with joy.
"The leader having been lost, the faces of the soldiers on the field of battle are never seized by anger nor are they animated with joy."
idam vimaanam vaidehi puSpakam naama naamataH |
divyam tvaam dhaarayen na idam yady etau gaja jiivitau || 6-48-25
25. vaidehi= O, Seetha!; idam vimaanam= this aerial car; divyam= celestial as it is; puSpakam naama called Pushpaka; naamataH= by name; na dhaarayat= would not have brought; tvaam= you; (here); yadi etau= if those two heroes; gata jiivitau= have lost their lives.
"O, Seetha! This aerial car called Pushpaka by name, celestial as it is, would not have brought you here, if those two heroes have lost their lives."
hata viira pradhaanaa hi hata utsaahaa nirudyamaa |
senaa bhramati samkhyeSu hata karNaa iva naur jale || 6-48-26
26. senaa= an army; hata viira pradhaanaa= that sees its valiant commander fall; gatotsaahaa= is bereft of courage; bhramati= and wanders; nirudyamaa= aimlessly about; samkhyeSu= on the battle field; nauH iva= like a ship; hata karNaa= which has broken its rudder; jale= in water.
"An army that sees its valiant commander falll, is bereft of courage and wanders aimlessly about on the battle field, like a ship which has broken its rudder in water."
iyam punar asambhraantaa nirudvignaa tarasvinii |
senaa rakSati kaakutsthau maayayaa nirjitau raNe || 6-48-27
27. iyam= this; senaa punaH= army for its part; asambhraantaa= is neither confused; nirudvignaa= nr perturbed; rakSati= and is guarding; kaakutsthsau= the two scious of kakutstha, Rama and Lakshmana; niveditau= this is being pointed out; mayaa= by me; priityaa= on account of my affection for you; tapasvini= O lady given to austerities!.
"This army for its part is neither confused nor perturbed and is guarding Rama and Lakshman. I am pointing this out to you on account of my affection for you, O lady given to austerities!"
saa tvam bhava suvisrabdhaa;anumaanaih sukha udayaiH |
ahatau pashya kaakutsthau snehaad etad braviimi te || 6-48-28
28. bhava= be; savisrabdhaa= reassured; sukhodayaiH= by these auspicious; anumaanaiH= omens; pashya= behold; kaakutsthau= Rama and Lakshmana the scions of kakutstha; ahatau= who are not dead; braviimi= I am telling; te= you; etad= this; snehaat= on account of my affection for you.
"You as such, be reassured by these auspicious omens. Behold Rama and Lakshman who are not dead. I am telling you this, on account of my affection for you."
anR^itam na ukta puurvam me na ca vakSye kadaacana |
caaritra sukha shiilatvaat praviSTaa asi mano mama || 6-48-29
29. maithili= O, Seetha!; anR^itam= falsehood; na ukta puurvam= has not been uttered before; me= by me; nacha rakSyami= nor do I utter too now; praviSTaa asi= you have entered; mam= my; mamaH= mind; chaaritrasukha shiilatvaat= by your conduct and natural gaiety.
"O, Seetha! I have not spoken falsehood before, nor shall I ever do so. By your conduct and natural gaiety, you have found a place in my heart!"
na imau shakyau raNe jetum sa indrair api sura asuraiH |
etayor aananam dR^iSTvaa mayaa ca aaveditam tava || 6-48-30
30. suraasurairapi= even celestials and demons; sendraiH= along with Indra; na shakyau= are unable; jetum= to defeat; imau= these two heroes; raNe= in battle; dR^iSTvaa= having observed; taadR^ishan= such; darshanam= a sight; aaveditam= it was communicated; tava= to you; mayaa= by me.
"Even celestials and demons along with Indra cannot vanquish there two heroes in battle. This is what I have observed and communicated to you."
idam ca sumahac cihnam shanaih pashyasva maithili |
nihsamjnaav apy ubhaav etau na eva lakSmiir viyujyate || 6-48-31
31. maithili= O Seetha!; pashyasva= see; idam= this; sumahat= a very great; chitram= marvel!; (see how); patitau= fallen; sharaiH= (under those) shafts; visamjN^au= and deprived of their senss; lakSmiiH= their beauty; naiva muNehati= has not desrted; etau= them.
"O Seetha!; See this, a great marvel !; See how, fallen under those shafts and deprived of their senses, thier beauty has not deserted them."
praayeNa gata sattvaanaam puruSaaNaam gata aayuSaam |
dR^ishyamaaneSu vaktreSu param bhavati vaikR^itam || 6-48-32
32. praayeNa= generally; vaktreSu= the faces; puruSaaNaam= of men; gata sattvaanaam= who lost their lives; gataayuSaam= and whose vital power has vanished; bhavati= with be; dR^ishyamaaieeSu= appearing; param= with an appalling; vaikR^itam= alteration.
"Generally, the faces of those who lost their lives and whose vital power has vanished, will be appearing with an appalling alteration".
tyaja shokam ca duhkham ca moham ca janaka aatmaje |
raama lakSmaNayor arthe na adya shakyam ajiivitum || 6-48-33
33. janakaatmaje= O, Seetha!; tyaja= Banish; shokam= your grief; duHkham cha= pain; mohamcha= and ignorance; raamalakSmaNayoH arthe= on account of Rama and Lakshman; na shakyam= It is impossible; adya= now 9with the splendour in their faces); (they) ajiivitum= do not live.
"O, Seetha! Banish your grief, pain and ignorance on account of Rama and Lakshmana. It is impossible, now with the splendour seen in their faces, for Rama and Lakshmana to die."
shrutvaa tu vacanam tasyaah siitaa sura sutaa upamaa |
kR^ita anjalir uvaaca idam evam astv iti maithilii || 6-48-34
34. shrutvaa= hearing; tasyaaH= her; vachanam= words; siita= Seetha; surasutopamaa= who resembled a daughter of gods; maithilii= but the daughter of Mithila kingdom; kR^itaaNjaliH= with joined palms; uvaacha= exclaimed; iti emaam= in this way; evam astu= may it be so."
Hearing her words, Seetha, the daughter of Mithila kingdom resembling a daughter of gods, with joined palms exclaimed, "May it be so."
vimaanam puSpakam tat tu samivartya mano javam |
diinaa trijaTayaa siitaa lankaam eva praveshitaa || 6-48-35
35. samnivartya= after duly sending back; tat= that; puSpakam vimaanam= aerial car, Pushpaka; manojavam= sorrowfu; siitaa= Seetha; pravashitaa= was caused to enter; laN^kaameva= Lanka once more; tirjaTayaa= by Trijata.
After sending back that aerial car, Pushpaka which was as swift as the thought, the sorrowful Seetha was caused by Trijata to enter Lanka once more.
tatas trijaTayaa saardham puSpakaad avaruhya saa |
ashoka vanikaam eva rakSasiibhih praveshitaa || 6-48-36
36. tataH= thereafter; saa= Seetha; trijaTayaa saardham= along with Trijata; avaruhya= who descended; puSpakaat= from Pushpaka the aerial car; praveshitaaa= were caused to enter; ashokavanikaameva= Ashoka grove again; raakSasiibhiH= by the female demons.
Thereafter, Seetha along with Trijata who descended from Pshpaka the aerial car, were caused by the female demons, to enter the Ashoka grove again.
pravishya siitaa bahu vR^ikSa SaNDaam |
taam raakSasa indrasya vihaara bhuumim |samprekSya samcintya ca raaja putrau |
param viSaadam samupaajagaama || 6-48-37
37. pravishya= entering; taam= that Ashoka grove; bahuvR^ikSaNDaam= planted with a multitude of trees; vihaara bhuumim= the sporting ground; raakSasendrasya= of Ravana; samchintya cha= recalling; raajaputrau= the two princes; samprakSya= who she had just seen; siitaa= Seetha; upaaja= gave way; param viSaadam= to extreme grief.
Entering that Ashoka grove, planted with a multitude of trees, sporting ground of Ravana and recalling the two princes who she had just seen, Seetha gave way to extreme grief.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe aSTachatvaarimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 48th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© August 2005, K. M. K. Murthy