Chapter [Sarga] 23

Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty

Chapter [Sarga] 23

Introduction

This chapter describes the ogre women speaking to Seetha about her marrying Ravana.

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ityuktvaa maithiliiM raajaa raavaNaH shatruraavaNaH |
saMdishya cha tataH sarvaa raakSasiirnirjagaama ha || 5-23-1

1. raajaa= the king; raavaNaH= Ravana; shatruraavaNaH= who makes enemies to cry; iti uktvaa= thus speaking; maithiliim= to Seetha; tataH= thereafter; saMdishya= also ordering; sarvaaH= all; raakshasiiH= ogre women; nirjagaama= went away.

The king Ravana who makes enemies to cry thus speaking to Seetha thereafter also ordering all ogre women went away.

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niSkrante raakSasendra tu punarantaHpuraM gate |
raakSasyo bhiimaruupaastaaH siitaaM samabhidudruvuH || 5-23-2

2. raakshasendre= Ravana; nishhkraante= leaving; gate= obtaining; punaH= again; antaHpuram= gynaeceum; taaH raakshasyaH= those ogres; bhiimaruupaaH= with horrible appearances; samabhidudruvuH= went running; siitaam= to Seetha.

After Ravana left and obtained gynaeceum, those ogres with horrible appearances went running to Seetha.

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tataH siitaamupaagamya raakSasyaH krodhamuurchitaaH |
paraM puruSayaa vaachaa vaidehiimidamabravan || 5-23-3

3. tataH= thereafter; upaagamya= reaching; siitaam= Seetha; raakshasyaH= ogre women; krodhamuurchitaaH= swooned with anger; vaachaa= (with a) speech; param= (which was) very; parushhayaa= harsh; abruvan= spoke; idam= this (word); vaidehiim= to Seetha.

Thereafter reaching Seetha ogre women swooned with anger and with a very harsh speech spoke these words to Seetha.

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paulastyasya variSThasya raavaNasya mahaatmanaH |
dashagriivasya bhaaryaatvaM siite na bahumanyase || 5-23-4

4. siite= O Seetha!; na bahumanyase= you are not respecting; bhaaryaatvam= becoming wife; raavaNAsya= of Ravana; paulastasya= born in the family of Paulastya; varidhhThasya= best among men; mahaatmanaH= a great soul; dashagrrivasya= with ten heads;

"O Seetha! You are not respscting becoming wife of Ravana born in the family of Paulastya, best among men, a great soul with ten heads."

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tatasvaekajaTaa naama raakSasii vaakyamabraviit |
amantyra krodhataamraakSii siitaaM karatalodariim || 5-23-5

5. tataH= Thereafter; raakshasii= an ogre woman; ekajaTaa naama= named Ekajata; krodhataamraakshii= with red eyes due to anger; aamantrya= calling; siitaam= Seetha; karatalodariim= with stomach that can be held by a palm of the hand; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (these) words.

Thereafter an ogre woman named Ekajata with red eyes sue to anger calling Seetha with stomach that can be held by palm of the hand, spoke these words.

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prajaapatiinaam SaNNaM tu chaturtho yaH prajaapatiH |
maanaso brahmaNaH putraH pulastya iti vishrutaH || 5-23-6

6. aNNaam prajaapatiinaam= among the six Prajapathis; yaH= whichever; putraH= son;chaturthaH prajapatiH= the fourth Prajapati; maanasaH= born by the thought; brahmaNaH= of Lord Brahma; vishrutaH= (he is) famous; pulastyaH iti= as Pulastya.

"Among th six Prajapatis, whichever son, the fourth Prajapati, born by the thought of Lord Brahma ,he is famous as Paulastya."

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pulastyasya tu tejasvii mahaarSirmaanasaH sutaH |
naamnaa sa vishravaa naama prajaapatisamaprabhaH || 5-23-7

7. naamnaa= By the name; vishravaa naama= famous as Visrava; prajaapati samaprabhaH= with a radiance equalling that of Lord Brahma; saH tejasvii maharshhiH= that glorious sage; sutaH= is the son; maanasaH= (born) from the thought; pulastasya= of Pulastya.

By the name, famous as Visrava, with a radiance equalling that of Lord Brahmathat glorious sage is the son born from the thought of Pulastya.

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tasya putro vishaalaakSi raavaNaH shatruraavaNaH |
tasya tvaM raakSasendrasya bhaaryaa bhavitumarhasi || 5-23-8
mayoktaM chaarusarvaaN^gi vaakyam kiM naamamanyase |

8. vishaakshii= O wide eyed one!; raavaNaH= Ravana; shatruraavaNaH= who makes enemies to cry; tasya= is his (Visrava's); putraH= son; tvam= you; arhasi= are suited; bhavitum= to become; tasya= Ravana's; bhaaryaa= wife; chaarusarvaaNgii= O one with all beautiful limbs!; kim=why; naanumanyase= will you not agree; vaakyam=words; uktam= spoken; mayaa= by me.

"O wide eyed one! Ravana who makes enemies to cry, is Visrava's son. You are suited to become Ravana's wife. O one with all beautiful limbs! Why will you not agree words spoken by me."

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tato harijaTaa naama raakSasii vaakyamabraviit || 5-23-9
vivartya nayane kopaanmaarjaarasadR^ishekSaNaa |

9. tataH= Thereafter;raakshasii= an ogre woman; harijaTaa naama= named Harijata; maarjaarasadR^ishekshaNaa= with eyes like those of a cat; vivartya= turned around; nayane= eyes; kopaat= due to anger; abraviit=(and) spoke; vaakyam= (these) words.

Thereafter an ogre woman named Harijata with eyes like those of a cat turned around eyes due to anger and spoke these words.

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yena devaastraayastriMshaddevaraajashcha nirjataaH || 5-23-10
tasya tvaM raakSasendrasya bhaaryaa bhavitumarhasi |

10. yena= by whom; trastriMshat= thirty three; devaaH= Devas; devaraajashcha= and the king of Devas; nirjitaaH= have been conquered; tvam= you; arhasi= are suited; bhavitum= to become; bhaaryaa= the wife; tasya raakshasendrasya= of that lord of ogres.

"By whom thirty three Devas and the king of Devas have been conquered, you are suited to become the wife of that lord of ogres.

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tatastu praghasaa naama raakSasii krodhamuurchhitaa || 5-23-11
bhartsayanii tadaa ghoramidaM vachanamabraviit |

11. tataH= Thereafter; raakshasii= an ogre woman; praghasaa naama= named Praghasa; krodhamuurchhitaa= swooning with anger; tadaa= then; bhartsayantii= frightening (Seetha) ; abraviit= spoke; idam= this; ghoram= horrible (word).

Thereafter an ogre named Praghasa swooning with anger and then frightening Seetha, spoke this horrible word.

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viiryotsiktasya shuurasya samgraame na nivartinaH || 5-23-12
balino viiryayuktasya bhaaryaatvam kiM na lapsyase |

12. kim= why; na lapsyase= (you) will not get; bharyaatvam= wife-hood (of Ravana); viiryotsiktasya= (who is) proud of his might; shuurasya= valiant; anivartinaH= who will not turn back; saMgraameshhu= in wars; balinaH= strong; viiryayuktasya= together with valour.

"Why will you not get wifehood of Ravana who is proud of his might, valiant, who will not turn back in wars, who is strong together with valour."

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priyaaM bahumataaM bhaaryaaM tyaktvaa raajaa mahaabalaH || 5-23-13
sarvaasaaM cha mahaabhaagaaM tvaamupaiSyati raavaNaH |

13. raavaNaH= Ravana; mahaabalaH= with great might; tyaktvaa= leaving;priyaam= dear; bahumataam= respectable; bhaaryaam= wife; sarvaasaam= who among all wives; mahaabhaagaam= is most fortunate; upaishhyati= can obtain; tvaam= you.

"The mighty Ravana can leave dear respectable wife who among all wives is most fortunate and can obtain you."

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samR^iddham striisahasreNa naanaaratnopashobhitam || 5-23-14
antaHpuraM samutsR^ijya tvaamupaiSyati raavaNaH |

14. raavaNaH= Ravana; samutsR^ijya = leaving; antaHpuram= gynaeceum; samR^iddham= filled; strii sahasreNa= with thousand women; naanaa ratnopashobhitam= shone by various best things; upaishhyati= can obtain; tvaam= you.

"Ravana leaving gynaeceum filled with thousand women and shone by various best things can obtain you.

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anyaa tu vikaTaa naama raakSasii vaakyamabraviit || 5-23-15
asakR^iddevataa yuddhe naagagandharvadaanavaaH |
nirjitaaH samare yena sate paarshvamupaagataH || 5-23-16

15, 16. anyaa= another; raakshasii tu= ogre woman; vikaTaa naama= named Vikata; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (these) words; yena= by whom; asakR^it= a number of times; yuddhe= in war; devataaH= Devas; samare= in war; naagagandharvadaanavaaH= Nagas, Gandharvas and Danavas; nirjiaaH= have been conquered; saH= that Ravana; aagataH= has come; te paarsvam= to your side.

Another ogre woman named Vikata spoke these words: "By whom a number of times in war Devas, in war Nagas, Gandharvas and Danavas have been conquered that Ravana has come to your side."

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tasya sarvasamR^iddhasya raavaNasya mahaatmanaH |
kimadya raakSasendrasya bhaaryaatvaM nechchha.adhame || 5-23-17

17. adhame= O vile one; kim= why; adya= now; nechchhase= are you not desring; bhaaryaatvam= wifehood; tasya raavaNasya= of such Ravana; sarvasamR^iddhasya= fulfilled in all respects; mahaatmanaH= great soul; raakshasendrasya= lord of ogres.

"O vile one! Why are you not desiring wifehood of such Ravana, fulfilled in all respects, who is a great soul and lord of ogres.

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tatastu durmukhii naama raakSasii vaakyamabraviit |
yasya suuryo na tapati bhiito yasya cha maarutaH || 5-23-18
na vaati smaayataapaaN^ge kiM tvaM tasya na tiSThasi |

18. tataH= Thereafter; raakshasii= an ogre woman; durmukhii naama= named Durmuukhi; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (these) words; aayataa paaN^ge= O one with long cornered eyes! bhiitaH= fearing; yasya= whom; suuryaH= sun; na tapati= will not consume by heat; bhiitaH= fearing; yasya= whom; maarutaH= wind; na vaati sma= will not blow; tasya= to that one; kim=why; tvam= are you; na tiShhThasi= not favourable.

Thereafter an ogre woman named Durmukhi spoke these words: " O one with long eyes! Fearing whom the sun will not comsume by heat, fearing whom the win will not blow, to that one why are you not favourable."

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puSTavR^iSTaM cha taravo mumuchuryasya vai bhayaat || 5-23-19
shailaashcha subhru paaniiyam jaladaashcha yadechchhati |
tasya nairR^itaraajasya raajaraajasya bhaamini || 5-23-20
kiM tvaM na kuruSe buddhiM bhaaryaarthe raavaNasya hi |

19, 20. subhru= O one with good eyebrows!; bhaminii= O Seetha!; bhayaat= by the fear; yasya= of whom; taravaH= trees; mumuchuH= shed; pushhpavR^ishhTim= a shower of flowers; yadaa ichchhati= whenever desired; shailaashcha= mountains; jaladaashcha= and clouds; paniiyam= (will shed) water;kim= why; tvam= you; na kurushhe= are not making; buddhim= mind; baaryaardhe= to be the wife; tasya raavaNasya= of such Ravana; nairR^ita raajasya= king of ogres; raajaraajasya= (and) king of kings;

"O one with good eyebrows! O Seetha! By the fear of whom trees shed a shower of flowers, whenever Ravana desired mountains and clouds will shed water, why you are not making mind to be the wife of such Ravana, who is the king of ogres and king of kings."

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saadhu te tattvato devi kathitaM saadhu bhaamini || 5-23-21
gR^ihaaNa susmite vaakyamanyathaa na bhaviSyasi |

21. susmite bhaaminii= O Seetha with good smile; devii= O princess! gR^ihaaNa= understand; saadhu vaakyam= kind words; te kathitam= spoken to you; saadhu= well; tattvataH= truly.

"O Seetha with a good smile! O princess! Understand kind words spoken to you well and truly."

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe trayoviMshaH sargaH

Thus completes 23rd Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.