The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Chapter 3(42)

  The descendant of the Raghu lineage instructed his brother in this way. The immensely energetic one girded the sword with a handle made out of molten gold. He grasped the bow with the three arches that marked him out.264 Fierce in his valour, he fastened the two quivers and proceeded. The deer saw that the Indra among kings was descending and sought to deceive him. Because of his terror, he disappeared and then showed himself again. With girded sword and seizing his bow, he rushed towards wherever he could see his radiant form in front of him. In the great forest, with the bow in his hand, he rushed to wherever he could be seen. Sometimes, he ran away, far from the reach of the arrow and sometimes, he tempted him. Sometimes, he seemed to be scared and leapt up and down, as if in the sky. Sometimes, he was visible in parts of the forest and sometimes, he became invisible. Sometimes, he appeared like scattered clouds around the lunar disc in the autumn. He could be seen in an instant and disappeared in an instant. Showing himself and hiding himself, he dragged Raghava away. Kakutstha was angry, confused and powerless at the same time. After some time, as if greatly exhausted, he sought out some shade amidst the grass. Surrounding himself with other wild animals, he showed himself from a distance. Having seen him, the immensely energetic Rama made up his mind to kill him. The powerful one stretched his bow, firmly and forcefully. He released a blazing and flaming weapon, that had been constructed by Brahma and dazzled like a serpent. That excellent arrow pierced the body of the one who was in the form of a deer. Like the vajra, it penetrated Maricha’s heart. Severely afflicted, he leapt up the distance of a tala tree and fell down. With a little bit of life left in him, he fell down on the ground and roared in a terrible tone. As he died, Maricha cast aside that artificial body. Knowing that his time was near, he exclaimed in a voice that was like Raghava’s, ‘Alas, Sita! Alas, Lakshmana!’ The unmatched arrow penetrated his inner organs. He abandoned the form of a deer and adopted his own form of a rakshasa. As he gave up his life, Maricha assumed that extremely gigantic form. Rama saw that the rakshasa, terrible to see, had fallen down on the ground. His crown was wonderful and he was adorned with all kinds of ornaments. He possessed large teeth and was decorated with golden garlands. The rakshasa was struck by the arrow. In his mind, he265 remembered Lakshmana’s words to Sita.266 As the rakshasa was dying, he had loudly shrieked, ‘Alas, Sita! Alas, Lakshmana!’ On hearing this, how would Sita be? What state would the mighty-armed Lakshmana be in? With his body hair standing up, Rama, with dharma in his soul, thought about this. Rama was immersed in a terrible fear and sorrow. When the rakshasa in the form of a deer had been slain, that voice had been heard. Raghava killed another spotted deer and gathered its flesh. He then quickly hurried in the direction of Janasthana.

  Chapter 3(43)

  Sita heard an afflicted voice in the forest and knew that it was like that of her husband’s. She told Lakshmana, ‘Go and find out about Raghava. The breath of life is disturbed in my heart. I have heard that terrible sound of someone screaming extremely grievously. Your brother is screaming in the forest and you should save him. Rush to your brother. He is looking towards you as refuge. He may be distressed, under the subjugation of rakshasas, like a bull amidst lions.’ Though he was addressed in this way, he abided by his brother’s instructions and did not leave. At this, Janaka’s daughter angrily told him, ‘O Soumitri! In the disguise of being a friend to your brother, you are his enemy. Even though your brother is in such a state, you are not going towards him. O Lakshmana! Because of me, you desire Rama’s destruction. I think you love the idea of his facing a difficulty. You have no affection for your brother. Therefore, you are not considering the immensely radiant one and remain here, nonchalant. Since you remain here with me, do you doubt that he is facing a difficulty? He is the leader who has brought you here. How can it be your duty to remain here?’

  Her voice choking with tears of torment, Vaidehi said this. Sita was like a terrified she-deer and Lakshmana told her, ‘O queen! In an encounter, Rama is like Vasava. Among gods, men, gandharvas, birds, rakshasas, pishachas, kinnaras, animals and terrible danavas, there is no one who can stand up to him. Rama cannot be killed in a battle. You should not speak in this way. In Raghava’s absence, I am not interested in leaving you here in this forest. His strength is invincible and he is stronger than the strongest, even if the three worlds, with the lords and the immortals, arise against him. You should cast aside the torment that is there in your heart. Having slain the supreme among deer, your husband will arrive soon. It is evident that it wasn’t his voice, or that of a divinity. The rakshasas are foremost among those who use maya, like a city of the gandharvas.267 O Vaidehi! You have been left as a trust. The great-souled Rama has left you as a trust. O beautiful lady! I am not interested in leaving you here. O fortunate one! We have performed an act of enmity against those who roam around in the night. O queen! We did that through Khara’s death and the destruction of Janasthana. In the great forest, the rakshasas speak in many kinds of voices. O Vaidehi! They find sport in violence. You should not think about this.’

  Addressed by Lakshmana in this way, her eyes turned red with rage. She spoke these harsh words to Lakshmana, who was truthful in speech. ‘O ignoble one! O one who lacks compassion! O cruel one! O worst of your lineage! I think that you love me and that is the reason you have spoken in this way. O Lakshmana! Wicked and cruel ones always act in a colourful way towards their rivals and hide their true character. Since you have alone followed Rama into the forest, you are extremely wicked. You have disguised this for my sake, or perhaps you have been engaged by Bharata. Rama is as dark as a blue lotus and his eyes are like lotuses. With such a person as my husband, how can I desire an ordinary person? O Soumitri! There is no doubt that I will give up my life in your presence. Without Rama, I will not remain alive on this earth even for an instant.’

  Sita spoke these harsh words that made the body hair stand up. Lakshmana, who had conquered his senses, joined his hands in salutation and addressed Sita. ‘I am not interested in giving you a reply. You are like a divinity to me. O Maithilee! It is not surprising that women should use such contrary words. It can be seen in the worlds that this is the innate nature of women. They are separated from dharma. They are fickle. They are fierce. Women cause dissension. All those who roam around in the forest are witnesses to what I have heard. Though I spoke to you in words that were appropriate, you addressed me harshly. Shame on you now. Since you have suspected me in this way, because of the wicked nature of women, you will be ruined. I have only followed the commands of my senior. O one with the beautiful face! May you be fortunate. I will go where Kakutstha is. O large-eyed one! Let all the divinities of the forest collectively protect you. I can see terrible portents manifesting themselves. When I return again with Rama, I hope I can see you.’

  Addressed by Lakshmana in this way, Janaka’s daughter started to weep. Her voice choking with tears, she replied in these fierce words. ‘O Lakshmana! Without Rama, I will bind myself and enter the waters of the Godavari. Or I will fling my body down from a high place. I will consume terrible poison, or I will enter the fire. Other than Raghava, I will never touch another man with my foot.’268 Sita, full of sorrow, spoke to Lakshmana in this way. Weeping and miserable, she struck her stomach with her hands. Her form was afflicted and distressed. She was crying. Soumitri glanced at the wide-eyed one. He tried to reassure her about her husband and his brother, but Sita did not say anything. Lakshmana then greeted Sita. He joined his hands in salutation and bowed down a little.269 The one who was in control of his soul glanced several times towards Maithilee and then left towards Rama.

  Chapter 3(44)

  Raghava’s younger brother was angry at these harsh words. Though he was extremely eager to see Rama, there was no hurry for that. However, he left. Dashagriva swiftly seized the opportunity and approached. Adopting the form of a wandering mendicant,270 he came towards Vaidehi. He was dressed in a soft ochre garment, with a tuft of hair on his hand. He was
clad in sandals and held an umbrella. The sacred staff was on his left shoulder and a water pot dangled from the staff. The extremely strong one approached Vaidehi in the forest in the form of a mendicant, when the two brothers were absent. It was like evening being enveloped by a great darkness when the sun and the moon are missing. He saw the young and illustrious princess, as if an extremely terrible planet was looking at Rohini when the moon was not present. On seeing the fierce perpetrator of wicked deeds, the trees of Janasthana stopped swaying and the wind ceased to blow. On seeing the one with the red eyes, the swift-flowing river Godavari was terrified and its flow became less. Dashagriva desired a weakness to get at Rama. Finding the opportunity, Ravana presented himself before Vaidehi, in the form of a mendicant. When she was sorrowing over her husband, the ignoble one approached Vaidehi in a noble form, like Saturn approaching Chitra.271 The wicked one assumed a noble form, like a well covered with grass. Stationed there, he glanced at Vaidehi, Rama’s illustrious wife. Standing there, Ravana looked at Rama’s wife. She was pure and her teeth and lips were beautiful. Her face was like the full moon. She was seated in that cottage made of leaves, tears of sorrow flowing down. The lotus-eyed one was attired in an ochre silken garment. The evil-minded roamer in the night went to Vaidehi.

  As soon as he saw her, he was struck by Manmatha’s arrows. She was alone. The lord of the rakshasas uttered hymns to the brahman and addressed her in cultured words. She was supreme in the three worlds and was like Shri272 without the lotus. Ravana praised her radiant form. ‘With the golden complexion and radiance and attired in ochre silken garments, who are you? You are like a garland made out of lotus flowers, as radiant as a lake full of lotuses. O one with the beautiful face! O beautiful one! Are you Hri, Shri, Kirti, auspicious Lakshmi, an apsara, Bhuti, Rati, or someone who acts on her own?273 The tips of your teeth are smooth and white. Your large eyes sparkle and are red at the ends. Your pupils are black. Your hips are broad. Your thighs are thick and like the trunks of elephants. Your beautiful and rounded breasts are rising up, rubbing against each other. The nipples are peaked and lovely. They are like gentle palm fruits. They are decorated with ornaments that have the best of pearls. O one with the beautiful smiles! O one with the beautiful teeth! O one with the beautiful eyes! O temptress! O beautiful one! You have stolen my heart, like water eroding the banks of a river. Your slender waist can be grasped by the hands. O one with the beautiful hair and with breasts that are close together! I have never seen such a beautiful woman on earth earlier, nor among goddesses, gandharva, yaksha or kinnara ladies. In this world, your beauty is overpowering and so are your gentleness and youth. Why are you residing in this desolate spot, agitating my consciousness? O fortunate one! Return, you should not reside here. Terrible rakshasas are here and they can assume any form at will. There are the best of places and beautiful cities and groves. They are prosperous and full of fragrances. That is where you should roam around. O beautiful one! O dark-eyed one! I think that you should have the best of garlands, the best of fragrances, the best of garments and the best of husbands. O one with the beautiful smiles! Who are you? Do you belong to the Rudras, the Maruts or the Vasus! O beautiful one! You look like a goddess to me. The rakshasas dwell here and gandharvas, gods and kinnaras do not come here. How have you come here? Monkeys,274 lions, leopards, tigers, animals, bears, hyenas and herons exist here. How come you are not terrified of them? There are terrible and spirited elephants, intoxicated by musth. O one with the beautiful face! You are alone in this great forest. Why are you not scared? Who are you? Whom do you belong to? Where have you come from? Why have you come to Dandaka? O fortunate one! You are roaming around alone in this terrible place, frequented by rakshasas.’

  The evil-souled Ravana praised Vaidehi in this way. She saw Ravana, who had arrived in the attire of a brahmana. Maithilee honoured him with everything that should be offered to a guest.275 She first offered him a seat and then invited him with padya. He was amiable in appearance and looked like a siddha. Maithilee saw the one who had arrived in the attire of a brahmana, holding a vessel meant for alms. On seeing his appearance, she saw no reason to suspect anything. Taking him to be a brahmana who had come, she invited him. She said, ‘O brahmana! Here is darbha grass, a desired seat for you. Here is padya. Please accept it. Here is excellent forest fare that has been cooked for your sake. Comfortably partake of it.’

  Maithilee, the king’s wife, invited him wholeheartedly. Ravana looked at her. Dedicated to the cause of his own destruction, he firmly made up his mind to forcibly abduct her.

  Her excellently attired husband had gone out on the hunt. She waited for him and Lakshmana. As she looked around that great forest, she only saw greenery and no Rama or Lakshmana.

  Chapter 3(45)

  Ravana wished to abduct her. However, asked by him, who was in the form of a mendicant, Vaidehi told him about herself. She reflected for an instant. ‘He is a brahmana and a guest. If I do not tell him, he will curse me.’ Therefore, Sita addressed him in these words. ‘I am the daughter of the great-souled Janaka of Mithila. O fortunate one! O supreme among brahmanas! My name is Sita and I am Rama’s wife. I spent one year in Raghava’s residence.276 I enjoyed all the desired objects of prosperity and everything that humans crave after. After one year was over, the king consulted an assembly of his ministers and honoured my husband, Rama, by deciding to instate him as the heir apparent. Arrangements were being made for Raghava’s consecration. At that time, the noble Kaikeyee sought a boon from her husband. Because of a good deed she had done for my father-in-law earlier, she sought the boon that my husband should be exiled and Bharata should be consecrated. These were the two boons she sought from her husband, the excellent king who was firm in adherence to the truth. “If Rama is consecrated, from today, I will never eat, sleep or drink, until my life comes to an end.” This is what Kaikeyee told my father-in-law, the one who deserves honours. She was asked to refrain from seeking something undesirable. But she persisted in seeking that undesirable end. My immensely energetic husband was twenty-five years old

  then.277 Rama is famous in the worlds. He possesses the qualities. He is pure and good in conduct. The large-eyed and mighty-armed one is devoted to the welfare of all creatures. When Rama approached his father for the sake of the consecration, Kaikeyee swiftly addressed my husband in these words. “O Raghava! Hear from me what your father has instructed. Without any thorns, this kingdom must be given to Bharata. O Kakutstha! To save your father from uttering a falsehood, you must indeed be exiled to the forest for fourteen years.” Rama fearlessly agreed to what Kaikeyee had said. My husband is firm in his vows and acted in accordance with her words. He gives and does not receive. He speaks the truth, not a falsehood. O brahmana! This is Rama’s excellent and unwavering vow. His valiant stepbrother is named Lakshmana. That tiger among men doesn’t leave an enemy in a battle and is Rama’s aide. The brother named Lakshmana follows dharma and is firm in his vows. With the bow in his hand, and with me, he followed him on the exile. Because of what Kaikeyee did, the three of us were dislodged from the

  kingdom. O best among brahmanas! Resorting to our energy, we are wandering around in this dense forest. You can be comfortable and stay here for some time. My husband will bring everything278 from the forest. Tell me the truth about your name and your gotra.279 O brahmana! Why are you roaming around in Dandakaranya alone?’

  Sita, Rama’s wife, spoke in this way. Thereafter, the immensely strong Ravana, lord of rakshasas, replied harshly. ‘O Sita! My name is Ravana and I am the lord of large numbers of rakshasas. I am the one who terrifies the worlds and gods, asuras and men. I saw your golden complexion and ochre garments. O unblemished one! I do not find any pleasure in my own wives. I have abducted many excellent women from here and there. O fortunate one! Among all of them, you will be my chief queen. My great city of Lanka is in the midst of the ocean. It is located on the summit of a mountain and is protected by the ocean. O Sita! With me, you will roam around in the forests th
ere. O beautiful one! Then, you will no longer desire to reside in this forest. O Sita! If you become my wife, five thousand servant maids, adorned with all the ornaments, will tend to you.’

  Addressed in this way by Ravana, Janaka’s daughter became angry. Ignoring what the rakshasa had said, the one with the unblemished limbs replied. ‘My husband is like the great Indra. Like a great mountain, he does not quake. Like the great ocean, he is not agitated. This is the Rama whom I follow. He is mighty-armed and possesses a broad chest. His stride is like that of a valiant lion. He is like a lion and is a lion among men. This is the Rama whom I follow. The brave one’s face is like the full moon. The king’s son has conquered his senses. The mighty-armed one is extensive in his deeds. This is the Rama whom I follow. You desire me, but I am extremely difficult to obtain. You are like a jackal, desiring a lioness. Like the radiance of the sun, I am incapable of being touched by you. O unfortunate one! O rakshasa! You desire Raghava’s beloved wife, as if you have seen many trees made out of gold.280 You wish to grasp something from the jaws of a hungry lion, the spirited enemy of deer, though that mouth is filled with virulent poison. You wish to seize the excellent Mount Mandara. You wish to consume lethal poison and remain safe. By approaching Raghava’s beloved wife, you desire to wipe your eyes with a needle and lick the blade of a razor with your tongue. With a boulder around your neck, you wish to swim across the ocean. Since you wish to oppress Rama’s beloved wife, you desire to seize the sun and the moon in both your hands. Since you desire to abduct Rama’s beloved wife, who is enveloped in auspicious conduct, you wish to seize a raging fire wrapped in a piece of cloth. Since you wish to approach a wife who is Rama’s equal, you desire to walk on the tips of an excellent spear. In the forest, there is a difference between a lion and a jackal. There is a difference between a stream and the ocean. There is a difference between the best of liquor and sour gruel. That is the difference between you and Dasharatha’s son. There is a difference between gold and lead or iron. There is a difference between water mixed with sandalwood and muddy water. In the forest, there is a difference between an elephant and a wildcat. That is the difference between you and Dasharatha’s son. There is a difference between a crow and Vinata’s son.281 There is a difference between a waterbird and a peacock. In the forest, there is a difference between a crane and a vulture. That is the difference between you and Dasharatha’s son. He is like the one with the one thousand eyes in his power. Even if you abduct me, you will not be able to digest me, like a fly or a diamond that has been swallowed.282 With the bow and arrow in his hands, Rama will be stationed and will kill you.’ He was wicked in his sentiments. She addressed these words to the extremely wicked one who roamed around in the night. She was distressed and her body trembled, like a delicate plantain tree swaying in the wind. He saw that Sita was trembling. Ravana, who was like Death in his powers, told her about his own self, about his lineage, strength and name. That was the reason for the fear.