Sundarakanda Sarga 28: Sita's Resolve to Die (Full Text & Meaning)
Sundarakanda Sarga 28: Sita's Resolve to Die (Full Text & Meaning)
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Read Sundarakanda Sarga 28 with full Sanskrit Shlokas and English meanings. In this heartbreaking sarga, Sita Devi reaches the absolute depth of her despair. Convinced that Rama and Lakshmana have perished and facing an impossible deadline from Ravana, she resolves to end her life using her own braid under the Simsupa tree. However, at the very moment of her darkest resolve, ancient and powerful auspicious omens begin to appear, signaling a turning point in her fate.. Download PDF for convinience or read along online at Kalady.org
| Detail | Total Shlokas: 20 | Primary Character: Sita Devi | Key Events: Sītā-Nirvēdaḥ (Sita's Despair), Udbhaṁdhana-Saṅkalpam (Resolve to Hang Herself), Śubha-Nimitta-Prādurbhāvaḥ (Appearance of Auspicious Omens) | Location: Simsupa Tree, Ashoka Vatika |
athaḥ śrīmadvalmīki rāmāyaṇe suṃdarakāṃḍe aṣṭāviṁśassargaḥ
Beginning of Sundarakanda from Srimad Valmiki Ramayana - 28th Sarga
udbhaṁdhana vyavasāyaḥ Sita's Resolve to Die
sā rākṣasēndrasya vacō niśamy tadrāvaṇasyāpriyamapriyārtā | sītā vitatrāsa yathā vanāntē siṅhābhipannā gajarājakanyā || 1
Sītā, already greatly distressed, having heard the harsh and unwelcome words of Rāvaṇa, the king of the Rākṣasas, trembled in fear, just like a royal female elephant seized by a lion in the depths of the forest. (1)
sā rākṣasīmadhyagatā ca bhīru rvāgbhirbhṛśaṅ rāvaṇatarjitā ca | kāntāramadhyē vijanē visṛṣṭā bālēva kanyā vilalāpa sītā || 2
That fearful Sītā, surrounded by the Rākṣasīs and subjected to Rāvaṇa's harsh threats, wept like a young girl left utterly alone in a desolate wilderness. (2)
satyaṅ batēdaṅ pravadanti lōkē nākālamṛtyurbhavatīti santaḥ | yatrāhamēvaṅ paribhartsyamānā jīvāmi dīnā kṣaṇamapyapuṇyā || 3
The wise of this world truly declare that a person does not die before their destined time. This must be the truth, for here I am, miserable, unfortunate, and constantly being threatened, yet I continue to live even for a moment. (3)
sukhādvihīnaṅ bahuduḥkhapūrṇam idaṅ tu nūnaṅ hṛdayaṅ sthiraṅ mē | viśīryatē yanna sahasradhā.dya vajrāhataṅ śṛṅgamivācalasya || 4
Truly, this heart of mine, which is devoid of happiness and overflowing with sorrow, must be hardened like a stone. For it does not shatter into a thousand pieces today, like the peak of a mountain struck by a vajrayudham. (4)
naivāsti dōṣō mama nūnamatra vadhyāhamasyāpriyadarśanasya | bhāvaṅ na cāsyāhamanupradātum alaṅ dvijō mantramivādvijāya || 5
This hateful creature, Rāvaṇa, will surely kill me. Given this reality, if I choose to end my life now, it will be entirely without sin. My resolve is firm: just as a Brahmin would never reveal a sacred mantra to the undeserving, I will never, ever yield to him. (5)
nūnaṅ mamāṅgānyacirādanāryaḥ śastraiśśitaiśchētsyati rākṣasēndraḥ | tasminanāgacchati lōkanāthē garbhasthajantōriva śalyakṛntaḥ || 6
If the Lord of the Worlds (Rāma) does not arrive in time, the ignoble King of the Rākṣasas will surely soon slice my body with sharp weapons, just as a surgeon cruelly cuts a lifeless fetus inside the womb. (6)
duḥkhaṅ batēdaṅ mama duḥkhitāyā māsau cirāyādhigamiṣyatō dvau | baddhasya vadhyasya tathā niśāntē rājāparādhādiva taskarasya || 7
Alas! Despite my long and enduring suffering, these final two months (of the deadline) will quickly pass. My state is like that of a bound prisoner, condemned to execution for a crime, waiting for the brief final night to end. (7)
hā rāma hā lakṣmaṇa hā sumitr hā rāmamātaḥ saha mē jananyā | ēṣā vipadyāmyahamalpabhāgyā mahārṇavē nauriva mūḍhavātā || 8
O Rāma! O Lakshmaṇa! O Sumitrā! O Mother of Rāma! O my own mother! I, the unfortunate one, am perishing here, like a ship with a broken rudder lost in the vast ocean. (8)
tarasvinau dhārayatā mṛgasya sattvēna rūpaṅ manujēndraputrau | nūnaṅ viśastau mama kāraṇāttau siṅharṣabhau dvāviva vaidyutēna || 9
The two valiant sons of the King (Rāma and Lakshmaṇa)—who were pursuing the being that took the form of the powerful deer—were surely destroyed because of me, like two foremost lions struck down by a thunderbolt. (9)
nūnaṅ sa kālō mṛgarūpadhārī māmalpabhāgyāṅ lulubhē tadānīm | yatrāryaputraṅ visasarja mūḍhā || 10 rāmānujaṅ lakṣmaṇapūrvajaṅ ca
Indeed, it must have been that Destiny (in the form of the deer) deluded me, the unfortunate one, at that time, causing me, foolishly, to send away my husband, Rāma and later, Lakshmaṇa. (10)
hā rāma satyavrata dīrghabāhō hā pūrṇacandrapratimānavaktra | hā jīvalōkasya hitaḥ priyaśca vadhyāṅ na māṅ vētsi hi rākṣasānām || 11
O Rāma—upholder of truth, the long-armed hero, whose face shines like the full moon, and who is benevolent and dear to all the living world—do you not know that I am about to be killed by the Rākṣasas? (11)
ananya daivatvamiyaṅ kṣamā ca bhūmau ca śayyā niyamaśca dharmē | pativratātvaṅ viphalaṅ mamēdaṅ kṛtaṅ kṛtaghnēṣviva mānuṣāṇām || 12
My sole devotion to my husband, my patience, my sleeping on the bare ground, and my strict adherence to dharma, has become fruitless, like good deeds performed for ungrateful men. (12)
mōghō hi dharmaścaritō mayāyaṅ tathaikapatnītvāmidaṅ nirartham | yā tvāṅ na paśyāmi kṛśā vivarṇā hīnā tvayā saṅgamanē nirāśā || 13
Indeed, all the virtue I have practiced is now futile, and my pativratyam has become meaningless. Separated from you (Rāma), I am thin, pale, and have lost all hope of ever being reunited with you. (13)
piturnidēśaṅ niyamēna kṛtvā vanānnivṛttaścaritavrataśca | strībhistu manyē vipulēkṣaṇābhiḥ tvaṅ raṅsyasē vītabhayaḥ kṛtārthaḥ || 14
After you fulfill your father's command, return from the forest, and complete your vow, I suppose that you, free from fear and having accomplished your purpose, will enjoy yourself with beautiful women. (14)
ahaṅ tu rāma tvayi jātakāmā ciraṅ vināśāya nibaddhabhāvā | mōghaṅ caritvātha tapō vratañ ca tyakṣyāmi dhigjīvitamalpabhāgyām || 15
As for me, Rāma, who is filled with love for you. Since the penance and vows I have practiced have been entirely in vain, I shall now abandon my life. Shame upon the life of this unfortunate woman. (15)
sā jīvitaṅ kṣipramahaṅ tyajēyaṅ viṣēṇa śastrēṇa śitēna vāpi | viṣasya dātā na hi mē.sti kaści cchastrasya vā vēśmani rākṣasasya || 16
I wish I could quickly end this life with poison or a sharp weapon. But tragically, there is no one here to give me poison, nor is there a weapon to be found in this Rākṣasa’s palace. (16)
itīva dēvī bahudhā vilapya sarvātmanā rāmamanusmarantī | pravēpamānā pariśuṣkavaktrā nagōttamaṅ puṣpitamāsasāda || 17
Thus, having lamented in many ways and remembering Rāma with her entire being, Sītā, trembling greatly and with a withered face, approached a beautiful, flowering simsupa tree. (17)
sā śōkataptā bahudhā vicintya sītā.tha vēṇyudgrathanaṅ gṛhītvā | udbudhya vēṇyudgrathanēna śīghramahaṅ gamiṣyāmi yamasya mūlam || 18
She, Sītā, burning with sorrow, and having considered all possibilities, then took hold of her knotted braid, resolving: 'I shall quickly go to the abode of Yama (the God of Death) by hanging myself with this very braid. (18)
upasthitā sā mṛdusarvagātrī śākhāṅ gṛhatvā.dha nagasya tasya | tasyāstu rāmaṅ pravicintayantyā rāmānujaṅ svaṅ ca kulaṅ śubhāṅgyā || 19
That supremely beautiful lady, whose entire body was delicate, stood ready and took hold of a branch of that tree. (19)
śēkānimittāni tathā bahūni dhairyārjitāni pravarāṇi lōkē | prādurnimittāni tadā babhūvuḥ purāpi siddhānyupalakṣitāni || 20
As she intensely contemplated Rāma, Rāma’s younger brother (Lakshmana), and her own noble family, many powerful and auspicious signs that were hinting at good fortune reappeared. (19-20)
ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde aṣṭāviṁśassargaḥ
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