October 27 - Sarga 27 of Sundara Kanda.
I was tempted to cover more sargas today but was stopped by the punch-line in this sarga at the end.
***
The rakshasis are not amused by Sita's intransigence. While some go to Ravana to report that their efforts with the carrot and stick methods have failed to tame Sita, others choose to launch fresh threats of devouring her.
Just then, an old rakshasi, who had slept off through the night, wakes up. Her name is Trijata. She stops the rakshasis summarily.
आत्मानं खादतानार्या न सीतां भक्षयिष्यथ ।
जनकस्य सुतामिष्टां स्नुषां दशरथस्य च ॥
स्वप्नो ह्यद्य मया दृष्टो दारुणो रोमहर्षणः ।
राक्षसानामभावाय भर्तुरस्या भवाय च ॥
"Oh, stop, you crude rakshasis! If you wish, eat one another up. Don't even think of eating up Sita, who is the dear child of King Janaka and the daughter-in-law of the great King Dasharatha.
"Do you know that I just had a terrible, hair-raising dream!? In that, I saw the destruction of the rakshasas and the arrival and triumph of this lady's husband!"
The rakshasis are stopped mid-sentence hearing this strange caution by Trijata. They all crowd round her, asking her to recount in detail her nightmare.
गजदन्तमयीं दिव्यां शिबिकामन्तरिक्षगाम् ।
युक्तां हंसहस्रेण स्वयमास्थाय राघवः ।
शुक्लमाल्याम्बरधरो लक्ष्मणेन समागतः ॥
स्वप्ने चाद्य मया दृष्टा सीता शुक्लाम्बरावृता ।
सागरेण परिक्षिप्तं श्वेतपर्वतमास्थिता ॥
भर्त्रा परिगृहीतस्य जानकी स्कन्धमाश्रिता ।
ततस्ताभ्यां कुमाराभ्यामास्थितः स गजोत्तमः ।
सीतया च विशालाक्ष्या लङ्काया उपरि स्थितः ॥
"I saw an aerial palanquin made of ivory, travelling in the sky, carried by a thousand swans. Seated in it, wearing sparkling white robes and white garlands, was Sri Rama himself, along with his brother Lakshmana.
"Sita was seated on top of a white mountain, also clad in white robes, and the mountain rose from the middle of the ocean. I then saw Sri Rama and Lakshmana arrive on a huge divine elephant with four tusks. The two brothers, leonine in appearance, then approached where Sita was. Thereafter Sita ascended from the mountain peak onto the elephant suspended in the air, as the elephant was under the control of her husband. Sita went and sat on the lap of her husband! She playfully jumped down from his lap and caressed with her palms the sun and the moon!
"Then that elephant, carrying the two glorious brothers, along with the large-eyed Sita, appeared in the sky, suspended right above our Lanka!!!"
Trijata continues. "Then Sri Rama arrived in a chariot along with Sita drawn by eight white oxen. I can tell you that in my dream I saw Raghava Sri Rama, as magnificent as Bhagavan Vishnu himself! I am now certain that Sri Rama cannot be defeated by gods or demons, just as heaven cannot be attained ever by sinners.
"Now let me tell you something else. Our Ravana- I saw him too! He had a shaven head, wore black clothes, wore a red garland, as he dropped from the Pushpaka vimana. Then he was dragged along the ground by a woman. His body was smeared with oil, and he was intoxicated and incoherent and laughing wildly. Then I saw him seated in a chariot drawn by donkeys! Later I saw Ravana running behind the chariot of donkeys in a southerly direction! Then I saw him almost mad, naked, shouting abuses, and he went and fell straight into a cesspool of filth, and he himself had a terrible stink! Then he disappeared into a dark abyss.
"As the woman dragged Ravana along towards the south, Kumbhakarna and Indrajit and other sons of Ravana all joined him southward, their bodies also smeared in oil. Ravana was now riding a boar, Indrajit, a crocodile and Kumbhakarna, a camel.
" Only Vibhishana was different. He wore white robes, white garlands, and rode a four-tusked elephant and his ministers held a white umbrella over his head as he ascended to the sky northward.
"Lanka was full of soldiers and animals and so on, all hurtling into the ocean. I saw a vanara monkey, a messenger of Sri Rama, come to Lanka and cause mayhem! I saw Lanka burning down to ashes, while the rakshasis were all getting drunk and shouting and dancing."
***
Trijata speaks sternly, "Look, rakshasis, don't abuse Sita! Sri Rama won't like it one bit! I see that her release is imminent. Apologise to Sita! Look, look at Sita! Her left side- her left eye, her left shoulder, her left thigh, are all horripilating! There is not a sign of anything inauspicious about her. She never deserved to fall into this terrible state from her queenly condition. Her redemption is overdue. I clearly see the destruction of the rakshasa king and the triumph of Sri Rama."
***
ततः सा ह्रीमती बाला भर्तुर्विजयहर्षिता ।
अवोचद् यदि तत् तत्थ्यं भवेयं शरणं हि वः। ॥
"Then, that delicate, shy, young, queen Sita, gladdened by the thought of her husband's triumph, at once said to the rakshasis, "Indeed, if this comes to pass, fear not! I shall be your protector and take care of you all rakshasis!"
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
