Sundarakanda Sarga 21: Ravana's Contempt (Full Text & Meaning) 

Summary of Sarga 21

| Detail | Total Shlokas: 34 | Primary Character: Sita Devi & Ravana | Key Events: Tṛṇīkaraṇam (Contempt using a Blade of Grass), Sītā-Bōdhanam (Sita's Advice to Ravana), Rāma-Bāṇa-Varṇanam (Description of Rama's Fierce Arrows) | Location: Ashoka Vatika, Lanka | 

Section 1: The Blade of Grass (Shlokas 1–7)

tasminnēva tataḥ kālē rājaputrī tvaninditā | rūpayauvanasampannaṅ bhūṣaṇōttamabhūṣitam || 1

Upon hearing the words of the fierce Rākṣasa, the distressed Sita, in her pitiable state, offered a soft and low-voiced reply. (1)

duḥkhārtā rudatī sītā vēpamānā tapasvinī | cintayantī varārōhā patimēva pativratā || 2 tṛṇamantarataḥ kṛtvā pratyuvāca śucismitā |

Distressed, weeping, trembling, and living as an ascetic, the chaste Sita, her thoughts fixed solely on her husband, first placed a blade of grass between herself and Ravana as a sign of utter contempt. She then replied with a pleasant face: (2 - 3)

nivartaya manō mattaḥ svajanē kriyatāṅ manaḥ || 3 

na māṅ prārthayituṅ yuktaṅ suakāryaṅ na mayā | kāryamēkapatnyā vigarhitam৷৷siddhimiva pāpakṛt || 4 

kulaṅ samprāptayā puṇyaṅ kulē mahati jātayā |

"Withdraw your mind from me, and turn your desires toward your own people! As a sinner cannot achieve success, it is impossible for you to desire me. I was born in the supreme dynasty of Janaka, married into the meritorious Raghu dynasty, and am the wife of Sri Rama, who is committed to eka patni vrata (the vow of having only one wife). I am a pativrata (a woman devoted to her husband)!" (3 - 4)

ēvamuktvā tu vaidēhī rāvaṇaṅ taṅ yaśasvinī || 5 

rākṣasaṅ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā bhūyō vacanamabravīt | nāhamaupayikī bhāryā parabhāryā satī tava || 5 

sādhu dharmamavēkṣasva sādhu sādhuvrataṅ cara | yathā tava tathānyēṣāṅ dārā rakṣyā niśācara | ātmānamupamāṅ kṛtvā svēṣu dārēṣu ramyatām || 7

The virtuous Vaidehi then spoke again, completely disregarding the powerful Rākṣasa Ravana:

"I am a pativrata and the wife of Sri Ramachandra; I can never be your wife. O Night-Wanderer (Nishachara), truly consider your dharma and practice righteousness. The wives of others must be protected, just as you protect your own. Measure all others by your own standards, and find your joy only with your own wives." (5 - 7)

Section 3: The Sun and the Light (Shlokas 13–17)

svakṛtaiḥ hanyamānasya rāvaṇādīrghadarśinaḥ | abhinandanti bhūtāni vināśē pāpakarmaṇaḥ || 13 

ēvaṅ tvāṅ pāpakarmāṇaṅ vakṣyanti nikṛtā janāḥ | diṣṭyaitadvyasanaṅ prāptō raudra ityēva harṣitāḥ || 14

"Ravana, you lack foresight! As you are destroyed by your own wicked deeds, all beings will rejoice in the downfall of a sinner. And those people whom you have oppressed will speak with delight: 'We are fortunate that this fierce one has finally met his ruin!'" (13 - 14)

śakyā lōbhayituṅ nāhamaiśvaryēṇa dhanēna vā | ananyā rāghavēṇāhaṅ bhāskarēṇa prabhā yathā || 15

I can never be tempted by offers of empire or boundless wealth. I am inseparable from Raghava, just as light can never be separated from the Sun. (15)

upadhāya bhujaṅ tasya lōkanāthasya satkṛtam | kathaṅ nāmōpadhāsyāmi bhujamanyasya kasya cit || 16

"I am fortunate to have rested my head on the revered arm of that Lord of the Worlds (Rama); having had that honor, how could I possibly rest it on the arm of any other man?" (16)

ahamaupayikī bhāryā tasyaiva vasudhāpatēḥ | vratasnātasya viprasya vidyēva viditātmanaḥ || 17

I am the only appropriate wife for that Ruler of the Earth (Rama), just as sacred knowledge is the sole, fitting possession for a pure-minded, dedicated sage. (17)

Section 5: The Inevitable Fury of Rama (Shlokas 23–34)

varjayēdvajramutsṛṣṭaṅ varjayēdantakaściram | tvadvidhaṅ tu na saṅkṛddhō lōkanāthaḥ sa rāghavaḥ || 23

You might even evade the thunderbolt hurled by Indra, and you might long put off Yama himself. But a man like you will certainly not escape the full fury of the King of the Worlds, Raghava (Rama). (23)

rāmasya dhanuṣaḥ śabdaṅ śrōṣyasi tvaṅ mahāsvanam | śatakratuvisṛṣṭasya nirghōṣamaśanēriva || 24

You will soon hear the mighty, terrifying sound of Rama's bow—a crash as thunderous and inescapable as the divine thunderbolt hurled by Śatakratu (Indra) himself. (24)

iha śīghraṅ suparvāṇō jvalitāsyā ivōragāḥ | iṣavō nipatiṣyanti rāmalakṣmaṇalakṣaṇāḥ || 25

"Mark my words: the arrows bearing the mark of Rama and Lakshmana will swiftly fall right here. They will strike true and unstoppable, like hooded serpents with mouths ablaze." (25)

akṣāṅsi parinighnantaḥ puryāmasyāṅ samantataḥ | asaṅpātaṅ kariṣyanti patantaḥ kaṅkavāsasaḥ || 26

"Those arrows, feathered like vultures, will strike without fail, descending upon every corner of this city and utterly destroying all of its defenses." (26)

rākṣasēndramahāsarpān sa rāmagaruḍō mahān | uddhariṣyati vēgēna vainatēya ivōragān || 27

That great Rama, who is like the mighty Garuda, will swiftly uproot the Rākṣasa chiefs, who are like great serpents, just as Vainateya (Garuda) decisively seizes and removes all serpents. (27)

apanēṣyati māṅ bhartā tvattaḥ śīghramarindamaḥ | asurēbhyaḥ śriyaṅ dīptāṅ viṣṇustribhiriva kramaiḥ || 28

My husband, the destroyer of enemies, will very soon take me away from you, just as Sri Mahavishnu, in His Trivikrama form, with three great strides, carried off all the prosperity of the Asuras. (28)

janasthānē hatasthānē nihatē rakṣasāṅ balē | aśaktēna tvayā rakṣaḥ kṛtamētadasādhu vai || 29

O Ravana, after Rama destroyed the Rākṣasa army of Khara and Dushana—fourteen thousand strong—at Janasthana, you lost your hold on that region. Because you were unable to face or fight Rama directly on the battlefield, you resorted to this deceitful and wicked act. (29)

āśramaṅ tu tayōḥ śūnyaṅ praviśya narasiṅhayōḥ | gōcaraṅ gatayōrbhrātrōrapanītā tvayādhama || 30

You, wretch, committed this act by entering the empty hermitage only after those two lion-like men, the brothers (Rama and Lakshmana), had gone out, and then you stole me away. (30)

na hi gandhamupāghrāya rāmalakṣmaṇayōstvayā | śakyaṅ saṅdarśanē sthātuṅ śunā śārdūlayōriva || 31

A dog, merely by sensing the presence of majestic tigers, will not stand its ground and flee—just as you could not even endure the scent of Rama and Lakshmana. Knowing that, what hope do you have of standing before them now?(31)

tasya tē vigrahē tābhyāṅ yugagrahaṇamasthiram | vṛtrasyēvēndrabāhubhyāṅ bāhōrēkasya vigrahē || 32

Your struggle to hold your ground against those two (Rama and Lakshmana) is utterly precarious and unstable, just as Vritra's solitary resistance was against the two mighty arms of Indra in battle. (32)

kṣipraṅ tava sa nāthō mē rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha | tōyamalpamivādityaḥ prāṇānādāsyatē śaraiḥ || 33

Just as the blazing sun quickly and completely dries up a small pool of water, that Lord of mine, Rama, along with Saumitri (Lakshmana), will swiftly come, and with his arrows, he will take away your life. (33)

giriṅ kubērasya gatō.padhaya vā sabhāṅ gatō vā varuṇasya rājñaḥ | asaṅśayaṅ dāśarathērna mōkṣyasē mahādrumaḥ kālahatō.śanēriva || 34

Just as a mighty tree, struck by a thunderbolt, is utterly destroyed by Time (Kala), you will surely not escape the son of Dasaratha (Rama), even if you hide on Kubera's mountain or take refuge in the court of King Varuna - this is the truth (34)

ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde ēkaviṁśassargaḥ