Sundarakanda Sarga 25: Sītā's Lamentation (Full Text & Meaning)
Sundarakanda Sarga 25: Sītā's Lamentation (Full Text & Meaning)
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Read Sundarakanda Sarga 25 with full Sanskrit Shlokas and English meanings. In this profoundly emotional chapter, Sītā Devi laments her state of captivity under the Simsupa tree. Besieged by the cruel threats of the Rākṣasī guards, she contemplates the true nature of suffering, the difficulty of obtaining an untimely death, and her absolute, poison-like agony in being separated from her beloved Śrī Rāma. Download PDF for convinience or read along online at Kalady.org
| Detail | Total Shlokas: 20 | Primary Character: Sītā Devi | Key Events: Sītā-Vilāpaḥ (Sītā's Lamentation), Akāla-Mṛtyu-Viniścam (Thoughts on Untimely Death), Sītā-Karūṇam (Sītā's Pitiable State) | Location: Ashoka Vatika, Lanka |
athaḥ śrīmadvalmīki rāmāyaṇe suṃdarakāṃḍe paṁcaviṁśassargaḥ Beginning of Sundarakanda from Srimad Valmiki Ramayana - 25th Sarga
sītānirvēdana Sītā's Lamentation
atha tāsāṅ vadantīnāṅ paruṣaṅ dāruṇaṅ bahu | rākṣasīnāmāsaumyānāṅ rurōda janakātmajā || 1
Then, while those unpleasant Rākṣasīs were speaking many cruel and harsh words, the daughter of Janaka (Sītā) wept. (1)
ēvamuktā tu vaidēhī rākṣasībhirmanasvinī | uvāca paramatrastā bhāṣpagdgadayā girā || 2 Vaidēhī (Sītā), the noble-minded one, having been spoken to thus by the Rākṣasīs, was extremely terrified. She spoke with a voice choked with tears: (2)
na mānuṣī rākṣasasya bhāryā bhavitumarhati | kāmaṅ khādata māṅ sarvā na kariṣyāmi vō vacaḥ || 3
"A human woman is not fit to be the wife of a Rākṣasa! You may all eat me as you wish, but I will never carry out your words." (3)
sā rākṣasīmadhyagatā sītā surasutōpamā | na śarma lēbhē duḥkhārtā rāvaṇēna ca tarjitā || 4
That Sītā, who was like a celestial woman, found no peace as she was afflicted by sorrow, confined in the midst of the Rākṣasīs, and repeatedly threatened by Rāvaṇa. (4)
vēpatē smādhikaṅ sītā viśantī vāṅgamātmanaḥ | vanē yūthaparibhraṣṭā mṛgī kōkairivārditā || 5
Sītā trembled intensely, bringing her body closer together by drawing her limbs inward, just like a doe separated from its herd in the forest and tormented by wolves. (5)
sā tvaśōkasya vipulāṅ śākhāmālambya puṣpitām | cintayāmāsa śōkēna bhartāraṅ bhagnamānasā || 6
With a heart shattered by sorrow, she took hold of a broad, flowering branch of the Aśoka tree and stood there, contemplating her husband with deep grief. (6)
sā snāpayantī vipulau stanau nētrajalasravaiḥ | cintayantī na śōkasya tadāntamadhigacchati || 7
She was so lost in her contemplation and so overwhelmed by grief that, even as her tears flowed down, bathing her full bosom, she could find no end to her sorrow. (7)
sā vēpamānā patitā pravātē kadalī yathā | rākṣasīnāṅ bhayatrastā vivarṇavadanābhavat || 8
That Sītā, trembling and terrified by the Rākṣasīs, became pale-faced and fell down, just like a plantain tree struck by a strong wind. (8)
tasyāḥ sā dīrghavipulā vēpantyā sītayā tadā | dadṛśē kampinī vēṇī vyālīva parisarpatī || 9
That long and thick braid of Sītā, who was trembling at that time, was seen shaking and moving as though it were a serpent gliding around her. (9)
sā niḥśvasantī duḥkhārtā śōkōpahatacētanā | ārtā vyasṛjadaśrūṇi maithilī vilalāpa ha || 10
Afflicted by sorrow and with her senses dulled by grief, as the cruel words of the Rākṣasīs wounding her spirit like spears, that Maithilī sighed deeply, shed tears in her distress, and began to lament. (10)
hā rāmēti ca duḥkhārtā hā punarlakṣmaṇēti ca | hā śvaśru mama kausalyē hā sumitrēti bhāminī || 11
Afflicted by sorrow, that noble lady (Sītā) cried out, "Hā Rāma! Hā Lakṣmaṇa, again and again! Hā my mother-in-law, Kausalyā! Hā Sumitrā!" (11)
lōkapravādaḥ satyō.yaṅ paṇḍitaiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ | akālē durlabhō mṛtyuḥ striyā vā puruṣasya vā || 12
The common saying spoken by the wise is indeed true: that death, out of its due season, is difficult to obtain for any person, whether man or woman. (12)
yadahamēvaṅ krūrābhī rākṣasībhirihārditā | jīvāmi hīnā rāmēṇa muhūrtamapi duḥkhitā || 13
If that were not so, I, tormented by these cruel Rākṣasīs and agonizingly separated from Rāma, would not be surviving even for a single moment in this state of grief. (13)
bhartāraṅ tamapaśyantī rākṣasīvaśamāgatā | sīdāmi khalu śōkēna kūlaṅ tōyahataṅ yathā || 14
I, the unfortunate and miserable one, will certainly perish without a protector, just as a fully laden ship in the middle of the ocean is utterly destroyed when struck by a fierce gale. (14)
bhartāraṅ tamapaśyantī rākṣasīvaśamāgatā | sīdāmi khalu śōkēna kūlaṅ tōyahataṅ yathā || 15
Not seeing Rāma, and having fallen under the power of the Rākṣasīs, I am indeed sinking with grief, just like a riverbank that is destroyed by the forceful currents of the water. (15)
taṅ padmadalapatrākṣaṅ siṅhavikrāntagāminam | dhanyāḥ paśyanti mē nāthaṅ kṛtajñaṅ priyavādinam || 16
Blessed are those who behold my Lord, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus, whose gait is as majestic as a lion's, and who is grateful and speaks with kindness. (16)
sarvathā tēna hīnāyā rāmēṇa viditātmanā | tīkṣṇaṅ viṣamivāsvādya durlabhaṅ mama jīvitam || 17
Utterly separated from that noble-souled Rāma, my life is impossible to sustain; it is as difficult to bear as having swallowed a deadly poison. (17)
kīdṛśaṅ tu mahāpāpaṅ mayā janmāntarē kṛtam | yanēdaṅ prāpyatē duḥkhaṅ mayā ghōraṅ sudāruṇam || 18
What great sin must have been committed by me in a previous life, that I am now experiencing this fierce and terrible grief? (18)
jīvitaṅ tyaktumicchāmi śōkēna mahatā vṛtā | rākṣasībhiśca rakṣantyā rāmō nāsādyatē mayā || 19
Overwhelmed by this immense grief, I desire to abandon my life. Because I am constantly guarded by these Rākṣasīs, I cannot reach Rāma. (19)
dhigastu khalu mānuṣyaṅ dhigastu paravaśyatām | na śakyaṅ yatparityaktumātmacchandēna jīvitam || 20
Alas for this human existence, and alas for this captivity! My life is not my own to relinquish; it is a trust held by Rāma, and because of that sacred dependence, I am unable to abandon it by my own will. (20)
ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde paṁcaviṁśassargaḥ
Thus ends the twenty fifth sarga of the Sundarakanda, which is a part of Srimad Ramayana, the epic poem (Adikavya) authored by sage Valmiki.
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