Sundarakanda Sarga 26: Deliberation on Abandoning Life (Full Text & Meaning)
Sundarakanda Sarga 26: Deliberation on Abandoning Life (Full Text & Meaning)
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Read Sundarakanda Sarga 26 with full Sanskrit Shlokas and English meanings. In this heavy-hearted chapter, Sītā Devi's grief reaches a breaking point as she laments her captivity under Rāvaṇa. She reflects on her devotion, the tragic loss of Jaṭāyu, and the impending deadline set by the Rākṣasa king. Ultimately, she resolves that death is preferable to a life of separation from her beloved Rāma. Download PDF for convenience or read along online at Kalady.org
| Detail | Total Shlokas: 51 | Primary Character: Sītā Devi | Key Events: Sītā-Vilāpaḥ (Sītā's Lamentation), Jaṭāyu-Smaraṇam (Remembering Jatayu), Prānatyāga-Saṅkalpam (Resolution to Abandon Life) | Location: Ashoka Vatika, Lanka |
athaḥ śrīmadvalmīki rāmāyaṇe suṃdarakāṃḍe ṣaḍviṁśassargaḥ
Beginning of Sundarakanda from Srimad Valmiki Ramayana - 26th Sarga
prānatyāgasaṁpradhāraṇam Deliberation on Abandoning Life
prasaktāśrumukhītyavaṅ bruvantī janakātmajā | ādhōgatamukhī bālā vilaptumupacakramē || 1
The daughter of Janaka (Sītā), her face wet with continuous tears, having spoken thus, bowed her face downwards and began to lament. (1)
unmattēva pramattēva bhrāntacittēva śōcatī | upāvṛttā kiśōrīva vivēṣṭantī mahītalē || 2
Grieving as if she were mad, delirious, or with a disturbed mind, the young woman tossed and turned upon the ground like a young mare in distress. (2)
rāghavasya pramattasya rakṣasā kāmarūpiṇā | rāvaṇēna pramathyāhamānītā krōśatī balāt || 3
"Rāma was distracted and unaware, and I was violently seized and dragged away by the shape-shifting Rākṣasa, Rāvaṇa, while I cried out for help". (3)
rākṣasīvaśamāpannā bhartsyamānā sudāruṇam | cintayantī suduḥkhārtā nāhaṅ jīvitumutsuhē || 4
Having fallen under the power of the Rākṣasīs and being threatened so cruelly, I am afflicted by such immense sorrow that I contemplate my fate, and I have no desire to continue living. (4)
na hi mē jīvitēnārthō naivārthērna ca bhūṣaṇaiḥ | vasantyā rākṣasīmadhyē vinā rāmaṅ mahāratham || 5
"Living among the Rākṣasīs without the great warrior Rāma, I have no desire for life, nor do I care for any wealth or ornaments". (5)
aśmasāramidaṅ nūnamathavāpyajarāmaram | hṛdayaṅ mama yēnēdaṅ na duḥkhēnāvaśīryatē || 6
Surely, my heart must be made of iron, or perhaps it is immortal and ageless, since it does not break apart from this immense sorrow. (6)
dhiṅmāmanāryāmasatīṅ yāhaṅ tēnā vinā kṛtā | muhūrtamapi rakṣāmi jīvitaṅ pāpajīvitā || 7
"A Curse upon me! Shame upon me, the ignoble and wicked one, who, separated from Rāma, preserves this sinful life even for a moment!" (7)
kā ca mē jīvitē śraddhā sukhē vā taṅ priyaṅ vinā | bhartāraṅ sāgarāntāyā vasudhāyāḥ priyaṅvadam || 8
What desire for life do I have, or what wish for happiness, without my beloved husband—the eloquent one, the lord who governs the earth up to the ocean's boundaries? (8)
bhidyatāṅ bhakṣyatāṅ vāpi śarīraṅ visṛjāmyaham | na cāpyahaṅ ciraṅ duḥkhaṅ sahēyaṅ priyavarjitā || 9
"Let this body be torn apart or devoured; I shall abandon it. I cannot endure this grief for long, now that I am separated from my beloved husband". (9
caraṇēnāpi savyēna na spṛśēyaṅ niśācaram | rāvaṇaṅ kiṅ punarahaṅ kāmamēyaṅ vigarhitam || 10
I would not touch that night-wanderer, Rāvaṇa, even with my left foot. How, then, could I possibly desire such a shameful and despicable thing as him? (10)
pratyākhyātaṅ na jānāti nātmānaṅ nātmanaḥ kulam | yō nṛśaṅsasvabhāvēna māṅ prārthayitumicchati || 11
This cruel-natured Rāvaṇa understands neither rejection, nor his own true self, nor the dignity of his lineage. (11)
chinnā bhinnā vibhaktā vā dīptēvāgnau pradīpitā | rāvaṇaṅ nōpatiṣṭhēyaṅ kiṅ pralāpēna vaściram || 12
"O Rākṣasīs, even if you were to cut me, tear me apart, or throw me completely into a blazing fire, I would never submit to Rāvaṇa. It is a waste of time and utterly unsuccessful for you to continue talking like this". (12)
khyātaḥ prājñaḥ kṛtajñaśca sānukrōśaśca rāghavaḥ | sadvṛttō niranukrōśaśśaṅkē madbhāgyasaṅkṣayāt || 13
The noble Rāghava is famous for his wisdom, gratitude, compassion, and impeccable conduct. Therefore, the fact that he appears to be pitiless (by not immediately coming to my rescue) only makes me fear the complete destruction of my own good fortune. (13)
rākṣasānāṅ sahasrāṇi janasthānē caturdaśa | yēnaikēna nirastāni sa māṅ kiṅ nābhipadyatē || 14
The same one who, all by himself, destroyed fourteen thousand Rākṣasas in Janasthāna—why does he not come to rescue me now? (14)
niruddhā rāvaṇēnāhamalpavīryēṇa rakṣasā | samarthaḥ khalu mē bhartā rāvaṇaṅ hantumāhavē || 15
I am currently imprisoned by this Rākṣasa, Rāvaṇa, who is of such little power and courage. Surely, my husband is perfectly capable of killing him in battle. (15)
virādhō daṇḍakāraṇyē yēna rākṣasapuṅgavaḥ | raṇē rāmēṇa nihatassa māṅ kiṅ nābhipadyatē || 16
The one by whom Virādha, that foremost of Rākṣasas in the Daṇḍaka forest, was killed by Rāma in battle—why is it that this same hero does not come to rescue me? (16)
kāmaṅ madhyē samudrasya laṅkēyaṅ duṣpradharṣaṇā | na tu rāghavabāṇānāṅ gatirōdhō bhaviṣyati || 17
It is true that Laṅkā is hard to conquer, being protected by the vastness of the ocean. Nevertheless, the arrows of Rāghava (Rāma) will not be hindered; no distance or obstacle can stop their passage. (17)
kinnu tatkāraṇaṅ yēna rāmō dṛḍhaparākramaḥ | rakṣasāpahṛtāṅ bhāryāmiṣṭāṅ nābhyavapadyatē || 18
What, then, is the reason that Rāma, who possesses firm valor, does not come and retrieve his beloved wife, who has been abducted by the Rākṣasa? (18)
ihasthāṅ māṅ na jānītē śaṅkē lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ | jānannapi hi tējasvī dharṣaṇaṅ marṣayiṣyati || 19
I suspect that Rāma (Lakṣmaṇa's elder brother) does not know that I am held captive here. For if that glorious and mighty hero did know, he would certainly not tolerate this outrage and violation. (19)
hṛtēti yō.dhigatvā māṅ rāghavāya nivēdayēt | gṛdhrarājō.pi sa raṇē rāvaṇēna nipātitaḥ || 20
The King of the Vultures (Jaṭāyu) was the one who could have found me and reported the abduction to Rāghava, but even he was struck down by Rāvaṇa in battle. (20)
kṛtaṅ karma mahattēna māṅ tathā.bhyavapadyatā | tiṣṭhatā rāvaṇadvandvē vṛddhēnāpi jaṭāyuṣā || 21
A great and noble deed was performed by that aged Jaṭāyu, who stood against Rāvaṇa on my behalf. (21)
yadi māmiha jānīyādvartamānāṅ sa rāghavaḥ | adya bāṇairabhikruddhaḥ kuryāllōkamarākṣasam || 22
If Rāghava were only to know that I am still alive, he would be so enraged that he would take up his arrows this very day and make the world free of all Rākṣasas. (22)
vidhamēcca purīṅ laṅkāṅ śōṣayēcca mahōdadhim | rāvaṇasya ca nīcasya kīrtiṅ nāma ca nāśayēt || 23
He would destroy the city of Laṅkā, dry up the great ocean itself, and utterly wipe out the name and fame of that vile Rāvaṇa. (23)
tatō nihatanāthānāṅ rākṣasīnāṅ gṛhē gṛhē | yathāhamēvaṅ rudatī tathā bhūyō na saṅśayaḥ || 24
Just as I am weeping now, very soon, every household in Laṅkā will have Rākṣasī women weeping deeply, having been orphaned (widowed). There is no doubt about this. (24)
anviṣya rakṣasāṅ laṅkāṅ kuryādrāmassalakṣmaṇaḥ | na hi tābhyāṅ ripurdṛṣṭō muhūrtamapi jīvati || 25
Rāma, along with Lakṣmaṇa, will completely search for and find the Rākṣasas in Laṅkā and then take the necessary action. For, an enemy who is seen by those two does not live even for a moment. (25)
citādhūmākulapathā gṛdhramaṇḍalasaṅkulā | acirēṇa tu laṅkēyaṅ śmaśānasadṛśī bhavēt || 26
In a very short time, this Laṅkā, with its roads choked with the smoke of funeral pyres and swarming with flocks of vultures, will become exactly like a cremation ground. (26)
acirēṇaiva kālēna prāpsyāmyēva manōratham | duṣprasthānō.yāmākhyāti sarvēṣāṅ vō viparyayam || 27
My dearest wish will certainly be realized in a short time. Rāvaṇa's evil journey (to abduct me) foretells the complete ruin of all of you, for truly inauspicious signs are already appearing in Laṅkā. (27)
yādṛśānīha dṛśyantē laṅkāyāmaśubhāni vai | acirēṇaiva kālēna bhaviṣyati hataprabhā || 28
In a very short time, Laṅkā will lose all its splendor. (28)
nūnaṅ laṅkā hatē pāpē rāvaṇē rākṣasādhamē | śōṣaṅ yāsyati durdharṣā pramadā vidhavā yathā || 29
When that sinful, vilest of Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, is finally slain, this once unconquerable Laṅkā will surely wither away and become desolate, just like a great lady left a widow without her husband. (29)
puṇyōtsavasamutthā ca naṣṭabhartrī sarākṣasī | bhaviṣyati purī laṅkā naṣṭabhartrī yathāṅganā || 30
The city of Laṅkā, which now thrives and celebrates with joyous festivals, will soon be like a desolate widow, with all its Rākṣasī women mourning the loss of their lords. (30)
ūnaṅ rākṣasakanyānāṅ rudantīnāṅ gṛhē gṛhē | śrōṣyāmi nacirādēva duḥkhārtānāmiha dhvanim || 31
Before long, I myself shall hear the cries of the Rākṣasī women, afflicted with deep sorrow, weeping in every single house. (31)
sānthakārā hatadyōtā hatarākṣasapuṅgavā | bhaviṣyati purī laṅkā nirdagdhā rāmasāyakaiḥ || 32
The city of Laṅkā will soon be plunged into darkness, having lost all its splendor and its foremost Rākṣasas slain, as it is utterly burned down by Rāma's arrows. (32)
athavā nyastaśatrau tau vanē mūlaphalāśinau | bhrātarau hi naraśrēṣṭhau saṅvṛttau vanagōcarau || 46
Or perhaps those two brothers, the best among men, have given up the feud (with the Rākṣasas) entirely and have settled peacefully in the forest as hermits, subsisting only on roots and fruits. (46)
athavā rākṣasēndrēṇa rāvaṇēna durātmanā | chadmanā ghātitau śūrau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau || 47
Or, could it be that those two heroic brothers, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, have been killed through a wicked trick by the evil Rāvaṇa, the king of the Rākṣasas? (47)
sā.hamēvaṅgatē kālē martumicchāmi sarvathā | na ca mē vihitō mṛtyurasmin duḥkhē.pi vartatē || 48
Having reached this desperate state, I desire, by all means, to die. Yet, even in the midst of this overwhelming sorrow, death is not destined to come to me. (48)
dhanyāḥ khalu mahātmānō munayastyaktakilbiṣāḥ | jitātmanō mahābhāgā yēṣāṅ na staḥ priyāpriyē || 49
Truly blessed are those great and fortunate sages who have cast off all sin, who have conquered their own minds, and for whom there is no longer any experience of pleasure or pain, love or hate. (49)
priyānna saṅbhavēdduḥkham apriyādadhikaṅ bhayam | tābhyāṅ hi yē viyujyantē namastēṣāṅ mahātmanām || 50
True sorrow does not come from what you hold dear, nor does any greater fear come from what you hate. All honor and salutations to those great souls who have managed to detach themselves completely from both love and aversion. (50)
sāhaṅ tyaktā priyārhēṇa rāmēṇa viditātmanā | prāṇāṅstyakṣyāmi pāpasya rāvaṇasya gatā vaśam || 51
I, the beloved of the noble-souled Rāma, have been forsaken by him and am now held captive by the sinful Rāvaṇa. For this reason, I will put an end to my life. (51)
ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde ṣaḍviṁśassargaḥ Thus ends the twenty sixth sarga of the Sundarakanda, which is a part of Srimad Ramayana, the epic poem (Adikavya) authored by sage Valmiki.
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