Sundara KandaSarga 2520 Verses

Sarga 25

सीताविलापः (Sita’s Lament amid Rākṣasī Threats)

सुन्दरकाण्ड

Sarga 25 presents a concentrated psychological portrait of Sītā in Aśokavatikā after hearing repeated harsh threats from the rākṣasī guards. She weeps, trembles, and physically withdraws into herself; the narration intensifies through a sequence of similes (doe beset by wolves, banana plant felled by wind, braid like a serpent) to map fear onto bodily signs. Clinging to a blossoming Aśoka branch, she broods on Rāma and breaks into lament, calling out to Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and her mothers-in-law (Kauśalyā, Sumitrā). She articulates a reflective proverb-like observation: untimely death is said to be rare or impossible, even when life feels unendurable—thereby framing captivity as a prolonged ethical trial rather than a momentary crisis. The chapter underscores her refusal to accept a rākṣasa marriage, her isolation under surveillance, and the moral steadfastness that persists despite despair and the wish to relinquish life.

Shlokas

Verse 5.25.1

अथ तासां वदन्तीनां परुषं दारुणं बहु।राक्षसीनामासौम्यानां रुरोद जनकात्मजा।।5.25.1।।

Then, as those grim rākṣasīs spoke many harsh and dreadful words, Janaka’s daughter began to weep.

Verse 5.25.2

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही राक्षसीभिर्मनस्विनी।उवाच परमत्रस्ता भाष्पग्द्गदया गिरा।।5.25.2।।

Blessed are those who can see my lord—lotus-petaled in his eyes, lion-like in his majestic stride, grateful in heart, and gentle in speech.

Verse 5.25.3

न मानुषी राक्षसस्य भार्या भवितुमर्हति। कामं खादत मां सर्वा न करिष्यामि वो वचः।।5.25.3।।

What great sin, indeed, did I commit in a former life, that I must now undergo this terrible and most cruel suffering?

Verse 5.25.4

सा राक्षसीमध्यगता सीता सुरसुतोपमा।न शर्म लेभे दुःखार्ता रावणेन च तर्जिता।।5.25.4।।

Enveloped in great grief, I long to cast away my life; yet guarded by these rākṣasīs, I cannot reach Rāma.

Verse 5.25.5

वेपते स्माधिकं सीता विशन्ती वाङ्गमात्मनः।वने यूथपरिभ्रष्टा मृगी कोकैरिवार्दिता।।5.25.5।।

Fie upon human life indeed; fie upon bondage to another’s power. For one cannot cast off life according to one’s own will.

Verse 5.25.6

सा त्वशोकस्य विपुलां शाखामालम्ब्य पुष्पिताम्।चिन्तयामास शोकेन भर्तारं भग्नमानसा।।5.25.6।।

Clinging to a large, flowering branch of the Aśoka tree, Sītā—her heart broken by grief—thought only of her husband.

Verse 5.25.7

सा स्नापयन्ती विपुलौ स्तनौ नेत्रजलस्रवैः।चिन्तयन्ती न शोकस्य तदान्तमधिगच्छति।।5.25.7।।

As tears streamed from her eyes and drenched her full breasts, she kept brooding—and could find no end to her sorrow.

Verse 5.25.8

सा वेपमाना पतिता प्रवाते कदली यथा।राक्षसीनां भयत्रस्ता विवर्णवदनाभवत्।।5.25.8।।

Trembling like a banana plant felled by a fierce wind, Sītā—terrified of the rākṣasīs—grew pale of face.

Verse 5.25.9

तस्याः सा दीर्घविपुला वेपन्त्या सीतया तदा।ददृशे कम्पिनी वेणी व्यालीव परिसर्पती।।5.25.9।।

Then, as Sītā trembled, her long, thick braid—quivering—seemed like a she-serpent crawling along.

Verse 5.25.10

सा निःश्वसन्ती दुःखार्ता शोकोपहतचेतना।आर्ता व्यसृजदश्रूणि मैथिली विललाप च।।5.25.10।।

Sighing, afflicted by sorrow, her mind struck down by grief, Maithilī in distress let her tears flow and lamented aloud.

Verse 5.25.11

हा रामेति च दुःखार्ता हा पुनर्लक्ष्मणेति च।हा श्वश्रु मम कौसल्ये हा सुमित्रेति भामिनी।।5.25.11।।

In her anguish the radiant lady cried, “Alas, Rāma!” and again, “Alas, Lakṣmaṇa!”—“Alas, my mother-in-law Kauśalyā! Alas, Sumitrā!”

Verse 5.25.12

लोकप्रवादः सत्योऽयं पण्डितैः समुदाहृतः।अकाले दुर्लभो मृत्युः स्त्रिया वा पुरुषस्य वा।।5.25.12।।यदहमेवं क्रूराभी राक्षसीभिरिहार्दिता।जीवामि हीना रामेण मुहूर्तमपि दुःखिता।।5.25.13।।

True indeed is this common saying, spoken by the learned: before its appointed time, death is hard to come by—whether for a woman or for a man.

Verse 5.25.13

And yet I live here—tormented by these cruel rākṣasīs, separated from Rāma, miserable even for a single moment.

Verse 5.25.14

एषाल्पपुण्या कृपणा विनशिष्याम्यनाथवत्।समुद्रमध्ये नौः पूर्णा वायुवेगैरिवाहता।।5.25.14।।

I—of scant merit, wretched, like one without refuge—shall be destroyed, like a fully laden boat struck by gale-forces in the midst of the sea.

Verse 5.25.15

भर्तारं तमपश्यन्ती राक्षसीवशमागता।सीदामि खलु शोकेन कूलं तोयहतं यथा।।5.25.15।।

Thus addressed by the rākṣasīs, Vaidehī—noble-minded and terribly afraid—spoke in a voice choked with tears.

Verse 5.25.16

तं पद्मदलपत्राक्षं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्।धन्याः पश्यन्ति मे नाथं कृतज्ञं प्रियवादिनम्।।5.25.16।।

A human woman is not fit to become a rākṣasa’s wife. Eat me if you wish—all of you; I will not do as you command.

Verse 5.25.17

सर्वथा तेन हीनाया रामेण विदितात्मना।तीक्ष्णं विषमिवास्वाद्य दुर्लभं मम जीवितम्।।5.25.17।।

Sītā—like a daughter of the gods—caught amid the rākṣasīs, distressed and threatened by Rāvaṇa, found no peace of mind.

Verse 5.25.18

कीदृशं तु महापापं मया जन्मान्तरे कृतम्।यनेदं प्राप्यते दुःखं मया घोरं सुदारुणम्।।5.25.18।।

Sītā trembled intensely, drawing her limbs inward—like a doe in the forest, separated from its herd and harried by wolves.

Verse 5.25.19

जीवितं त्यक्तुमिच्छामि शोकेन महता वृता।राक्षसीभिश्च रक्षन्त्या रामो नासाद्यते मया।।5.25.19।।

Not seeing my husband, and fallen under the control of these rākṣasīs, I truly sink with grief—like a riverbank worn away by rushing waters.

Verse 5.25.20

धिगस्तु खलु मानुष्यं धिगस्तु परवश्यताम्।न शक्यं यत्परित्यक्तुमात्मच्छन्देन जीवितम्।।5.25.20।।

In every way separated from Rāma—self-knowing and steadfast—my life is hard to sustain, as if I had swallowed a sharp poison.