August 20 - Sargas 48 and 49 of Aranya Kanda.
We are reading the most wrenching scene of Ramayana. Sita, a divinely born princess of Mithila, married to the greatest man ever seen on earth, viz. Sri Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, after spending many years in the Dandaka forest subsisting on marginal comforts and suffering several dangers, is now without the protection of her husband or brother-in-law. A monster that the whole world shudders to think of has cornered her and is about to hurt her very badly.
***
Ravana wants Sita to understand better whom she is resisting.
येन वैश्रवणौ भ्राता वैमात्रः कारणान्तरे ।
द्वन्दवमासादितः क्रोधाद् रणे विक्रम्य निर्जितः ॥
मद्भयार्तः परित्यज्य स्वमधिष्ठानमृद्धिवत् ।
कैलासं पर्वतश्रेष्ठमध्यास्ते नरवाहनः ॥
अङ्गुल्या न समो रामो मम युद्धे स मानुषः ।
तव भाग्येन सम्प्राप्तं भजस्व वरवर्णिनि ॥
"Oh Sita, know me to be Ravana. The whole world shudders at my very name. My brother is Kubera, the lord of wealth who rides a human as his vehicle (an allusion to humans' surrender to the temptation of wealth). Once he chose to resist me for some reason. He was comprehensively defeated by me. He had to run away in desperation and left behind Lanka and his wealth for me. He is now hiding in Kailsasa. I also grabbed his celestial Pushpaka Vimana which is an incredible aerial vehicle that takes me anywhere in an instant.
"Fie on Rama. He is a wretched mortal and not equal even to my little finger. It is your supreme good fortune that I am now wanting you to be my wife. Accept me gladly and be happy, oh lady of exquisite complexion!"
Ravana also says Dasharatha chose Bharata as the abler son and Rama, a weakling and a stupid man, had run away from his kingdom and his people on the word of an insignificant woman. Rama had only a short life ahead and was worthless in every way. Sita dare not reject the amorous advances of someone like himself.
Sita, amidst her sobs and cries, defies Ravana.
अवश्यं विनिशिष्यन्ति सर्वे रावण राक्षसाः ।
येषां त्वं कर्कशो राजा दुर्बुद्धिरजितेनद्रियः ॥
न मादृशीं राक्षस धर्षयित्वा पीतामृतस्यापि तवास्ति मोक्षः ॥
"Certainly, Ravana, all the rakshasas are going to die soon, with their king and lord being such a harsh and terrible one like you, evil-minded and a slave to his senses.
"Having molested someone like me, know, oh Rakshasa, that there will be no salvation for you even if you drink Amruta (ambrosia that confers heaven). "
***
Ravana made his next move in terrible rage at this resistance from a piffling woman like Sita. He assumed his huge monstrous form like a huge cloud, with ten heads and twenty arms. He was so menacing that all the deities of the forest were frightened out of their wits.
वामेन सीतां पद्माक्षीं मूर्धजेषु करेण सः ।
ऊर्वोस्तु दक्षिणेनैव परिजग्राह पाणिना ॥
"Ravana violently grabbed Sita, with her lotus eyes and cascading black hair, by her hair with his left hand, and lifted her by her thighs with his right hand firmly. "
Ravana called out to his aerial vehicle. He thrust Sita violently onto the vehicle and took off.
Sita was screaming. She screamed, "Oh Rama! where are you! You are the embodiment of righteousness and the protector of all! Look how I am being molested and carried away most sinfully by this rakshasa! Don't you see me? Oh Lakshmana, please come and release me from this terrible abduction!"
"Oh dear trees, oh dear Godavari, oh birds and animals of Dandaka, please tell Rama what has happened here! Tell him and Lakshmana that Ravana has carried me off!"
***
Then Sita sees that ancient bird Jataayu perched on a tree, She cries to him:
जटायो पश्य मामार्य ह्रियमाणामनाथवत् ।
अनेन राक्षसेन्द्रेणाकरुणं पापकर्मणा ॥
नैव वारयितुं शक्यस्त्वया क्रूरो निशाचरः ।
सत्ववाञ्जितकाशी च सायुधश्चैव दुर्मतिः ॥
रामाय तु यथातत्त्वं जटायो हरणं मम ।
लक्ष्मणाय च तत् सर्वमाख्यातव्यमशेषतः ॥
"Oh revered Jataayu! See me being carried away like someone without anyone to protect her! I am being carried away by this terrible king of rakshasas, full of evil conduct and without any mercy!
"You won't be able to restrain this monster, who is extremely violent and merciless, also physically very powerful and with deadly weapons, and possessing despicable mind indeed.
"Dear Jataayu, kindly do me this favour. Please tell Sri Rama and Lakshmana in detail the exact sequence of events, and how I was abducted, leaving out no detail."
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
