225. Hanuman decides to console Seetha in person.

             Hanuman was seeing and hearing everything about and around Seetha below that shimshupaa tree whereon he was perching. He did hear the dream of Trijata and the threatening words of the other female rakshashies. To him Seetha looked as a divine lady in the garden of Nandana. Hanuman felt very happy and gloating in his mind like "Which Seetha is being searched in all directions by many thousands and myriads of vanaras, the same Seetha has been found by ME and and ME only. I also achieved what my master  thoughtfully asked me  as a secret agent  to ascertain the enemy's strength. The characteristics of the rakshashas, this town and the power of the king of the rakshasas, Ravana, have also been perceived by me.

         "I now feel that it is proper for me to console the wife of Rama, desirous of seeing her husband who is compassionate towards all beings and who is of immeasurable might. I shall console this lady, whose face resembles a full moon, who is having an unforeseen affliction, who is tormented by grief and who is not attaining the end to her affliction. If I return without consoling this Seetha, the wife of Rama, whose mind is tormented by grief, my departure would certainly become blemished.

       "If I return to Kishkindha without meeting the illustrious princess Seetha, then she may give up her life. The mere knowledge that she had been found by an emissary of her dear husband will cheer her up and make her drop the idea of giving up her life. It is not proper to speak with her within the sight of these rakshasies. Then how indeed can I speak to her in peson? 
              "If I do not meet her before dawn,  she most likely will forsake her life. Rama is very likely to ask me whether I spoke to Seetha, and he will be disappointed with me if I tell him I didn't. But what can I say to Rama without speaking now to Seetha? To me returning in haste from here without carrying Seetha's message Rama will surely get irritated and burn me up with his pungent eyes.

        "Considering all the pros and cons, I feel that I must meet Seetha. Somehow I should contrive some means to meet Seetha without the knowledge of these ugly guards. I have the advantages of keeping myself small in stature, and I can speak Sanskrit, the human language, too.

        "If I speak Sanskrit language like a brahmin, Seetha will get frightened, thinking me as Ravana. Certainly, meaningful words of a human being are to be spoken by me. Otherwise, the virtuous Seetha cannot be consoled. Looking at my figure and the language, Seetha who was already frightened previously by the rakshasis, will get frightened again. Thereafter, this large-eyed Seetha, thinking me as Ravana who can assume any form at will, may shout loudly  out of fear.
        "Hearing  the shout a troop of female-rakshashis, wielding various kinds of weapons and appearing dreadful as Yama the Lord of Death, may assemble here. Then those ugly faced female-demons may encircle me from all sides and try to catch and kill me with all their might. To escape from them I have to resume my original form. Then, seeing me running hither and thither, seizing big branches, twigs and trunks of excellent trees, they may get alarmed with fear.

       "The ugly faced rakshashis will be frightened on seeing my huge figure wandering in the grove. Then those female-rakshashis may call their male counterparts.

        "Surrounded on all sides by them, I may not be able to reach the other shore of the great ocean. They may capture me. Then, Seetha may not be able to know who I was.  The violent minded rakshashis may kill this Seetha. That would be a total ruin.
      "Seetha is residing in this secret place, with a concealed access, surrounded by rakshasas and rakshasis and encircled by an ocean. If I am killed in the encounter or got captured, I do not see any one person for Rama who can do this work (of searching for Seetha). I do not see any other vanara who can go over the ocean with a breadth of one hundred yojanas, in case I am killed.

       "I am sure I will be able to overpower and kill more than a few thousands rakshashas. Afterwards I may not be left with any energy to cross over the other shore of the ocean. Considering all the pros and cons in this matter, I feel that it is not at all desirable to entangle in a tussle with the rakshashas.

          "If I do not talk with her then she (Seetha) is very likely to commit suicide. O! my God! I am unable to decide the next course of action. Please guide me."

          Then Hanuman prayed. Then he felt that his mind got cleared. He thought "If I eulogize Rama, who is unwearied in action and a good relation, I should not frighten her, whose mind is directed towards that relation. Offering auspicious and righteous words about Rama the most excellent prince of Ikshvaku dynasty who possesses a learned soul and myself speaking in a sweet voice, I shall make everything intelligible so that Seetha rightly believes everything."

           After deciding the next course of action, he (Hanuman) started to execute the same.

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224. Seetha's Suicide attempt stalled by propitious omens.

        Seetha being worried about her fate did not hear Trijata telling about her dream. She was thinking of the repulsive ultimatum of Ravana.Tormented by grief, she was frightened like a tiny female-elephant overpowered by a lion in the middle of a forest. Seetha, who was surrounded by those awful rakshashies and also threatened by Ravana with his words galore, was thinking aloud (as follows) like a young virgin who was left lonely in the midst of a forest "It seems that because I being impure am surviving up to this instance, though being threatened in this way. Devoid of happiness and frequently full of sorrow, I wish to drop dead at this instance. It seems my heart is very hard, else it would have broken into a thousand pieces like a mountain-top struck by lightning. There is no fault of mine in this matter. It seems that I am destined to be killed at the hands of these rakshashies of disagreeable perception. 
        "If Rama  does not come here, the evil Ravana, the king of rakshsas will cut off my limbs with his sharpened weapons, just like a surgeon would cut the limbs of a lifeless fetus. 

        "O Rama, O Lakshmana, O Sumitra, O Kausalya! O mother! I, with a scanty fortune, am going to be destroyed, like a ship driven out of its course by a strong hurricane in a mighty ocean. Some rakshash in the disguise of a deer,  surely killed for my sake, those two energetic sons of Dasharatha, as two excellent lions killed by a flashing thunderbolt.

            "Certainly that destiny, assuming the guise of a deer, allured me and made me a dim-witted woman at that time and to whom I, as a stupid woman, sent forth (far away) Lakshmana and the noble prince Rama the elder brother of Lakshmana. O Rama, the strictly truthful man and the long-armed, O the man whose face resembles the full-moon! You, who is well-disposed of the world of living beings, do not perhaps know me to have been sentenced to death here.

          "My strictly following the pathivritha (i.e. a woman whose God is her husband) dharma, my this patience, my reposing on the floor, my restriction in righteousness, my devotion to the husband - all these have become a waste, like a good act done by men to ungrateful men becoming waste. For me who is not seeing you, who is bereft of you, who is not hopeful of coming into contact with you, who is emaciated and pale in complexion, this righteous act being performed by me has indeed become a waste. Likewise, this state of my being only one wife to you has become useless.

            "Having fulfilled your father's command as per the orders of his words and observed your vow, you return from the forest fearlessly after having accomplished your purpose. I think you will enjoy carnally with many a large-eyed woman. O Rama! Having performed austerity and vow in vain, I for myself who has fallen in love with you, for my own destruction, I can lose my life. Woe to me for my little fortune! I as such will abandon quickly my life by poison or by some sharp weapon. To me, none is seen nor any giver of either a poison or of a sharp weapon in this place."

       Thus lamenting, Seetha was recollecting Rama in all spirits and trembling with an emaciated face, approached an excellent tree in full bloom. Seetha, who was tormented with grief, thus thinking in various ways and thereafter holding her braid of hair looking like a hanging rope told herself "I shall go to the presence of Yama the God of Death by tying my neck quickly with my braid of hair as a hanging rope."

          Thereafter Seetha with all her soft limbs stood seizing a branch of that tree. Then there appeared many omens, which seemed to mollify her grief, which procured courage in the world, which were excellent and which she had heard as thoroughly efficacious and propitious.

             Wondering what they were? She who was in such strained circumstances, who was in distress, who was irreproachable, devoid of joy and dejected but virtuous, was bestowed with auspicious omens, as a prosperous man is bestowed with dependent servants. The beautifully haired Seetha's left eye started to quiver predominantly, like a red lotus quivered by the blow of a fish. Her left shoulder, which was pretty, distinguished, beefy and round, which deserved to be applied with excellent black aloe and sandalwood paste, which had been used for long as a pillow by her most excellently beloved Rama, quickly quivered. Of her two thighs kept together, the left thigh which was beefy and well formed, which resembled the trunk of a princely elephant was predominantly quivering.
       Again, the clothing of Seetha standing there, of spotless eyes and charming limbs, having teeth resembling the buds of jasmine, which (i.e. the clothing) was of golden shade and was slightly soiled as it were with dust, glided down, which appeared auspicious (for her). Bolstered by these and some other omens which Seetha already knew that they auger well for the future. 
       After experiencing very many favourable, timely, promising, encouraging, hopeful, fortunate, propitious and felicitous omens Seetha felt that she had been given a very effective multivitamin  shot. These omens made her shed her  sorrow and her weariness. Her mental affliction alleviated and her consciousness awakened with exaltation, our esteemed heroine Seetha looked more beautiful with her countenance.

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223. Trijata's dream.

          Hearing Seetha, ogresses guarding her became very angry. Some swooned due to the fear of the punishment Ravana may inflict on them for not making Seetha agree to marry him. Some ogresses with more terrible appearance approached Seetha and shouted at her "O ignoble one! O one with a sinful resolve! O Seetha! Okay! We grant your wish. We are going to eat you presently."

         Seeing Seetha trembling with fright, an ogress named Trijata, sleeping till then, shouted at her cronies "O evil ones! Eat your selves. You will not eat Seetha who is the dear daughter of the king Janaka and the daughter-in-law of the king Dasharatha. Just now I woke up from a terrible dream which caused the hairs on my head to stand erect. The dream was about the destruction of all the rakshasas not only in Lanka but in all the worlds."

        Hearing Trijata all the ogresses were more frightened than curious and asked Trijata to tell them about her dream.
         Trijata then started telling them her unusual and  horrid, repellent, unsavoury and obnoxious dream "I saw in my dream Rama wearing white garlands and clothes coming through the sky, in a palanquin made of ivory tied with a thousand swans, landed here at Lanka with Lakshmana. I saw in the dream that Seetha too wearing white clothes was sitting on a white mountain surrounded by the ocean.

Seetha came together with Rama like the light with the Sun. Rama was also seen by me to be mounted on a great elephant with four tusks and looking like a mountain. Then Rama wandered together with Lakshmana. Thereafter shining with their own radiance, wearing white garlands and clothes, those neared Seetha.

        "Thereafter Seetha rested on the back of an elephant in the sky. Then I saw Seetha with eyes like lotuses rising up from the lap of her husband and gently touching the Moon and the Sun with her hand.
          "Then that elephant carrying those princes Rama and Lakshmana and Seetha stood on the top of Lanka. Rama together with his wife Seetha,  came here in a chariot tied with eight white bulls. Rama together with his brother Lakshmana and with Seetha ascended the wonderful Pushpaka viman which was shining like the sun, went in the northern direction. 

        "In my view it is not possible to defeat Rama by Suras or by rakshasas or by any others. At any rate Rama is  not  conquerable by sinners. Ha! I saw Ravana also standing on earth sprinkled with oil, with red clothes, with garlands tied with Oleander flowers, drinking oil and intoxicated. Then I saw Ravana with all his heads shaved and wearing black clothes falling down on to the earth from the Pushpaka viman.

        "Wearing red garlands and unguents, drinking oil, laughing, dancing, with confused minds, with agitated senses, Ravana went by a chariot tied by donkeys towards the southern direction. I then clearly saw that king of rakshasas Ravana stupefied with fear, falling down from a donkey with heads down.

      "That Ravana rising up quickly, together with perplexity, distressed with fear, excited by passion, being naked, like a mad man, prattling many bad words, entering dirt with a bad smell, which was intolerable, horrible and dark, like the hell and quickly sank in that.

          "Then I saw a black woman with red clothes,   with body smeared with dirt, tying Ravana by the throats, was pulling him in the southern direction. In that dream the rakshas Kumbhakarna also was seen thus by me. All the Ravana's sons have been seen to be sprinkled with oil. Ravana by a pig, Indrajit by a porpoise, Kumbhakarna by a camel set out in the southern direction.

       "Vibhishana was the only one who has been seen by me to be having a white umbrella, wearing white garlands and clothes and anointing his body with white unguents. Vibhishana was there adorned with the sound of conch shells and kettledrums, with dances and songs, ascended a kingly elephant looking like a mountain with the sound of a thundering cloud, with four tusks. He approached the sky together with four ministers.

      "In that dream I also saw an assembly  of rakshasas drinking oil and wearing red garlands, with red clothes, with the sound of songs and musical instruments. I saw this beautiful city of Lanka  with broken gates and fallen arches down in the ocean together with all the horses and elephants.

        "Lanka protected by Ravana was burnt by a quick Vanara who is a messenger of Rama. In Lanka horrible with ash, all rakshasas were drinking oil, laughing heartily with a great noise and also dancing a lot. I saw even Kumbhakarna and others taking a red cloth entered a hole filled with cow dung.
       "My this dream seems to indicate a warning to all of us. Go away! Or be destroyed! Rama will get Seetha. With a great anger he will have you killed together with other rakshasas.

         "Rama will not approve frightening or threatening of his dear wife who is highly valued by him and who followed him to live in the forest. For that reason, enough of cruel words. Gentle words indeed should be the order of this day as well as every day in future. Let us request Seetha.
     "O my friends! Now onward let us entreat Seetha who has been frightened. If we treat her kindly and courteously she will surely protect us from any danger.

        "I also witnessed the destruction of Ravana and victory of Rama near at hand in my dream. One left arm of this Seetha suddenly became erect and was slightly trembling. Seetha's left thigh looking like an elephant's trunk was trembling indicating Rama's standing in front of her. A bird also entering its dwelling place on a branch again and again speaking consoling words, was telling heartily welcoming words being delighted again and again, as though impelling Seetha."

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222. Seetha decides to give up her life.

               When she (Seetha) became exhausted with crying, she realized that crying would not help. She, therefore decided to try one more time to convince her guards. With a voice indistinct due to tears, Seetha told her guards "Please understand that a human woman is neither suited not slated to become a wife of an ogre. If you do not agree, all of you can eat me according to your desire. I will not agree to what you ask me."

         Noting that her appeal did not make any mark on the rakshashis guarding her, Seetha washing her wide breasts with a flow of tears from her eyes, resumed her crying. 

    Seetha was crying like a mad one. She started blabbering "While Rama was away (lured away by Mareecha), I was overpowered and brought over here  by the rakshash Ravana who can wear any desired form. Being under the control of ogresses, being frightened very horribly, thinking and being tormented by grief, I do not desire to live. Without Rama and living in the midst of these ogresses, there is no point to continue to live; not with wealth, not with ornaments. Is my heart made of iron? It appears so else it would have burst and released me from this torment.

         "Why should I live separated from my lord Rama? Without my husband Rama who is also the lord of the earth with the ocean at the end, a pleasant talker, I now have no interest in life or in comfort. I will leave this body. Let it be split into pieces or let it be eaten. I cannot  tolerate this misery any more.

        "I will not touch even with my left foot that Ravana an ogre of reprehensible conduct. What to say of desiring him. 

       "Rama the man par excellence is famous, is a wise man, is compassionate with a good conduct. By whom alone fourteen thousand ogres have been destroyed. Why that Rama has not yet come to rescue me? I am imprisoned with little strength  by that rakshash Ravana. My husband is surely capable of killing that scum Ravana. By which Rama Viradha, one of the most powerful ogres, has been killed in Dandaka forest, why  he has not yet come here?

            "This city of Lanka being in the middle of ocean may be difficult to be attacked. But there will not be any obstacle to the flying of Rama's arrows. What now is that reason by which Rama the most courageous has not yet got out of this confinement his dear wife stolen by an ogre.

        "I am sure that kind bird Jatayu must have lived to convey Rama about my abduction. A great deed has been done by that Jatayu, trying to protect me, despite his old age, fighting a duel  with Ravana. If Rama knows me to be living here, with anger he will make the world to be without any ogre with his arrows now. Rama will blow away the city of Lanka, will dry up the great ocean, will destroy the name and fame of  Ravana.

       "Thereafter just like me crying in this way, in a short time, in very house, the wives of rakshashas killed in battle by Rama will cry again and again. Rama together with Lakshmana will make the city of Lanka devoid of ogres. An enemy seen by those two will indeed not live even for a moment longer. This Lanka shortly will become a graveyard, with paths agitated with smoke of funeral pyres, crowded with groups of vultures.

         "Oh! I wonder whether that Rama the strong man with red eye corners knows me to be a captive of Ravana. These meat eating ogres do not know any virtue. An ogre will definitely eat me for breakfast.

       "Now if  someone gives me poison here, I without husband quickly will see the god Yama. Maybe Rama does not know me to be alive. If those two know me to be alive, then it cannot be said that they will not do any search for me.

       "To me who is deprived of Rama, death is good. Or those two brothers giving up weapons in the forest may have become dwellers of forest eating roots and fruits. Or Rama and Lakshmana may have been killed by that evil rakshash Ravana by deceit. Under such circumstances, I do not have any course other than taking recourse to death. But alas! even in this grief, death is not bestowed on me. Nevertheless I will somehow embrace death."  =========================================================

221. Seetha explained her stand to her guards.

               Seeing Seetha immune to the hard efforts of their mates, all the ogre women with  crooked faces and unbelievably cruel,  neared  Seetha and shouted at her  "O Seetha! Why are you not agreeing to stay in the gynaeceum pleasing to all beings together with very best beds. You, a human are thinking highly about the wifehood of a human being. Divorce such a thought from your mind from Rama. Otherwise you will not exist at all. Sport according to your comfort coming together with the king of rakshasas Ravana enjoying luxuries of the three worlds and taking him as husband. O beautiful one! O irreproachable one! But being a human you are desiring that Rama who is a human, banished from kingdom, unsuccessful and gloomy."

            That was the last straw for Seetha. Seetha decided to do something to stop this pestering. With eyes like lotuses filled with tears she said "What all of you were telling are the most despicable words for not only me but to all honest and respectable woman like me. All of you coming together and utter words which are hated in the world. And does it not seem sinful in your mind? A human woman is not slated to become the wife of an ogre.  I will not honor your loathsome words. All of you can eat me. Although wretched or without kingdom, whoever is my husband, he alone is my master. Like Suvarchala with the Sun God, I am fond of him, only him and always and forever.
       "Like the highly fortunate Sachi who waits upon Indra, like Arundhati on Vasishta, like Rohini on the Moon God, like Lopamudra on Agastya, like Sukanya on Chyavana, like Savitri on Satyavanta, like Srimati on Kapila, like Madayanti on Saudasa, like Kesini on Sagara, like Damayanti the daughter of Bhima, devoted to her husband Nala, in the same way I am devoted to my husband Rama, the most precious jewel in Ikshvaku dynasty."

       Realizing their inability to convince Seetha, all the  Ogre women incited by Ravana listening to the words of Seetha became so angry and frightened and swooned.
          All of them were a terribly angry  lot when they came back to senses. Grasping axes or whatever weapon was in the hand  they cried "This woman is not suited to have the king of rakshashas Ravana as husband. Let us kill and eat her. No, let us eat her alive."

         Hearing their demonic cry Seetha was frightened, naturally. Tears flowing from her eyes she moving from there reached that Simshupa tree where the James Bond of Ramayana was hiding. But the ogre women followed her and surrounded her and continued their shouting. Hanuman noticed that the situation was gloomy.

     After shouting their hearts' content, an ogre woman named Vinata with a more horrible appearance than others with an angry form, crooked, having a prominent belly shouted at Seetha "O Seetha! You have demonstrated your love for your husband. But you have done it more than we can tolerate. O auspicious one! Being an educated lady you should be aware that doing something excessively serves as vice. O Seetha! I am happy. Human duty has been done by you. Now come to your senses. Discard that lowly human Rama like a scum. Obtain as husband Ravana who is the lord of all ogres, bold and handsome, like Indra the lord of Devas, able one and liberal with a pleasing appearance to all.

        "Leaving Rama who is a human and miserable, seek refuge in Ravana. O Seetha! With best unguents to the body and decorated with the most lovely ornaments, become mistress of all the worlds from today. O auspicious one! Like Svaha the wife of the Fire God, like Sachi the wife of Indra become mistress of all the worlds. O Seetha! What is the use with Rama who is miserable and with gone vigour.

           "If you do not agree, all of us in this moment will eat you."
          Another ogre named Vikata with hanging breasts raising fist and roaring with anger shouted at Seetha "O Seetha with an evil mind! Your many words though unpleasant have been tolerated due to pity on you and due to our softness. You are not doing according to our word which is respected by time and wholesome. You have been brought to this bank of the ocean for giving you something not obtainable by others. You have to enter the remarkable, superb, pleasant, terrific and delightful gynaeceum of Ravana.

          "Withheld in the house of Ravana well protected by us, even Devendra himself is not capable to protect you. O Seetha! Do according to my word, which is beneficial to you. Discharge of tears is enough. Leave the worthless gloom. Embrace love and happiness. Leave this daily gloom. Sport according to comfort with the king of ogres.

       "O timid fool! You know how youth of women is not lasting. As long as your youth will not pass away, so long get comfort. You along with the king of ogres roam beautiful groves, mountains and nearby forests. Seven thousand women will be at your beck and call. Accept as husband Ravana the lord of all ogres.

     "O Seetha! If you do not do as I tell you, I will eat your heart by plucking it out."
     Another rakshashi named Chandodari came forward with anger, turning around a big spike "Hi! Seeing you with eyes like that of a deer, with moving breasts due to fear, I wanna eat the liver, the spleen, flesh above heart and heart together with the muscle and entrails and the head."

        Another rakshashi called Pragasa shouted "Squeeze the neck of this stupid but beautiful woman. Why do we delay? Thereafter let us inform the king that that human woman has died. He will then tell us to eat her body."

        Another ogre woman named Ajamukhi  cried "Let us kill this woman first. Thereafter let us share her equally."

       Another ogre woman named Surpanakha  said "I entirely agree with Ajamukhi. Liquor which is the destroyer of all sorrow be brought quickly. Eating human flesh afterwards, we will dance for propitiating Nikumbila."

     Hearing all these, Seetha became terribly frightened and not knowing what to do did the only thing she could, to wit cried and cried and cried.

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220. Seetha's guards try to persuade her.

          On reaching his palace, Ravana being very angry and irritated by the adamance of that lovely wench Seetha dismissed all the females accompanied him.

         At the Ashoka vana all the female ogres guarding Seetha started in earnest to implement the orders of their lord and king. They told Seetha in unison  "O Seetha! You are a fool for not agreeing to become the wife of Ravana born in the family of Paulastya and a great soul with ten heads."
      Then an ogre woman named Ekajata with red eyes ridiculing Seetha for her stomach that can be held by the palm of her hand, told her "In case you are not aware, let me tell you that the fourth of the six Prajapatis  is the famous  Paulastya who was  born by the thought of Lord Brahma.

          "The famous and glorious  Visrava, with a radiance like that of Brahma  is the son born from the thought of Paulastya. O wide eyed fool! Ravana who makes enemies cry and crave for mercy, is Visrava's son. You should be proud to become Ravana's wife. O one with all beautiful limbs! you must be dumb not to accede our king's request."
              Seeing that Seetha did not deem to reply, an ogre woman named Harijata with eyes like those of a cat turned angrily and told Seetha "You must be a dim witted beautiful lass  not to have jumped with joy at the request of our king by whom thirty-three Devas and the king of Devas have been conquered. It would indeed be a great honour for you to become the wife of that lord of rakshashas."
     Seeing that Seetha did not even care to listen, an ogre named Praghasa jumped with anger and with a threatening look at Seetha said  "Why don't you agree to become a wife of Ravana who is mighty, valiant, who will not turn back in wars and who is strong together with valour?"

      Another ogre woman named Vikata told Seetha "Know that our lord king Ravana has conquered a number of times in war Devas, Nagas, Gandharvas and Danavas.  That Ravana has come to your side and beg you to become his wife.

       "O vile one! Why are you not accepting  such Ravana, who is a great soul and lord of rakshasas."  
       Thereafter an ogre woman named Durmukhi said "O one with long eyes! Don't you know that both the great Sun and wind are afraid of our king. Sun will not cast excess heat on our king, and the wind will blow only mildly and pleasantly.

      "O one with good eyebrows! O Seetha! By the fear of whom trees shed a shower of flowers whenever Ravana goes near them and mountains and clouds will shed water whenever desired by him, why are you not agreeing to be the wife of such Ravana, who is the king of rakshasas and king of kings?

   "O Seetha with a good smile! O princess! Understand kind words spoken to you well and truly."
        In the above manner Seetha was being continuously pestered by her guards.

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219. The ultimatum of Ravana.

       Listening Seetha's riposte all the twenty ears of our villain started burning and his ten faces became very ugly, but in different ways. He could not control his anger. With a great effort he somehow managed to control his anger in one of his heads and spoke to Seetha from the mouth of that head. He said "No wench dared to speak to me like that you did. So far whichever beautiful woman, human, apsara, sura, asura etc. whom I desired agreed readily to my wishes. You are the first wench, that too a human who has not done so. I am very angry with you, but I accept the desire and the burning lust for you are subduing my anger like a horse running amok being subdued by a good charioteer. Desire of men is unfavourable. Don't you know that a man who  is tied up by desire,  does have a lot of compassion and fondness?
       "O! one with a beautiful face! For this reason although you well deserve to be crushed to death or at least to be humiliated, I am sparing you this time.
    "O Seetha with an wonderful complexion! As I already gave you two months time. I will abide by that. Thereafter climb my bed well before the end of of that time limit or else be prepared to be killed in my kitchen for my breakfast."

        Seeing Seetha frightened by Ravana,  the Deva and Gandharva maidens in the firmament grieved with troubled eyes. A few of the rakshashies guarding her felt sorry for Seetha. Some tried to console her by way of lips and in like manner some others with faces and eyes. Consoled by them Seetha got back her courage and retorted that king of rakshashas   "In case there is anyone who tries to prevent you from these obnoxious actions of yours, that person is definitely interested in your welfare, but there seem to be none. O vile rakshash! You will certainly be punished for your  abominable, insufferable, execrable and detestable behaviour. Like an hare challenging an elephant in rut, you are challenging my lord. O vile one! Rama is like an elephant and you are  like a hare.

       "Such as you are,  an immoral, scandalous, wicked, sordid, abject, despicable and depraved there is no wonder that you are not shameful abusing the lord of Ikshvaku dynasty, Rama. O ignoble one! I am surprised why at least any of your these eyes which are cruel, crooked, black and reddish brown, which are seeing me, have not fallen down.  I wonder why your tongues did not fall off speaking in such a vile manner about me who is the wife of Rama and the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha. O Ravana! Although you are fit to be burnt into ashes, without the mandate of Rama and preserving austerity, I am not reducing you into ashes with my glory.

       "This your act of abducting me will definitely lead to your end. There is no doubt that. Start counting your days."

        Listening Seetha's words the taste in all the ten mouths of the king of rakshasas, Ravana turned bitter. Staring Seetha with all his twenty cruel eyes Ravana looked like a black cloud, with big shoulders and neck with the strength and gait of a lion, glorious with radiant tips of tongues and eyes. He was tall with moving front portion of crown, with excellent garlands and anointment, wearing red garlands and clothes, with ornaments made of refined gold. Like the Mount Mandara tied by Vasuki for producing amruth, (see 18. The legend of churning Milk Ocean.) Ravana was well tied by a black big thread. Looking like a mountain the king of rakshashas shone with those perfect shoulders like Mount Mandara with its peaks. With the color of just risen sun, decorated by earrings, he was like a mountain with Ashoka trees with red flowers and shoots. Looking like the  Kalpavriksha he resembled the embodiment of spring season. Also looking like a funeral mound in a grave-yard he, though decorated looked horrible.

       With red eyes due to anger Ravana was looking at Seetha sighing like a serpent and spoke to Seetha "O! beautiful but a very bad mannered wench, if you do not accede to my wishes, I surely will make you my breakfast, which I hope will not be as bad as your manners."

       The king Ravana then ordered all the rakshasis women with horrible appearances "O rakshashies! I do not care how you will do it. But I want that you make this daughter of Janaka, Seetha agree to become under my control quickly. With hostile and favorable means, with kind words, with the lure of gifts and dividing words and exertion of punishment, or by any other means you deem fit, make Seetha agree to be under my possession."

      Ravana repeated his above orders with a mind full of lust and anger which made the frightened Seetha shiver like a leaf.
     Thereafter a rakshashi named Dhanyamalini rushed to Ravana, embraced him and said "O king! Sport with me. O lord of rakshshas! Of what use to you is this Seetha who is colorless and a wretched human. O king! Lord Barhma did not assign to her the wonderful luxuries earned by the might of your arms. This is definite. The body of one who desires a woman without being desired suffers pain. Good happiness will occur to one who loves a woman who desires him."

         Not wanting to be rude to her, Ravana smiled at her condescendingly and then turned back laughing. His angry departure with  bangs of his feet shaking the earth and entered his house with the luster of blazing sun shine. Deva, Gandharva and Naga maidens surrounding Ravana in all directions entered his beautiful palace, too. 

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218. Seetha gave Ravana what he deserved.

           Listening to the revolting words of that horrible rakshash, Seetha started to shiver and sob. After giving vent to her grief in this manner, placing a straw in between herself and Ravana she spat out the reply "Take away your mind from me. Let your mind mind on your own wives. For a learned king, it is not appropriate for you to pray me. I was born in a lofty family. Having born in such a family, to think of a second husband is not only unthinkable but repulsive, too."

       Seetha then turned back and said  "I who am the wife of another and devoted to my husband am not suitable wife for you. Observe righteousness well. Follow well the course of conduct of virtuous. O rakshash! Being a very highly learned person you should know that you should protect the wives of others  in the same way you protect your wives. Making yourself as an example go back pronto and enjoy your own wives. Don't you know that one who is not satisfied with his own wives, would be deemed a fickle-minded one with disturbed senses and a mean minded one, and to such a man, others' wives will lead to humiliation. Don't you have any sensible adviser? Or are you not following the advice of those such advisers? It must be like that because your mind, devoid of traditions is perverse.

        "You who is being dictated by your dirty mind towards unreal is not   taking wholesome words being said by righteous ones. Such an attitude will certainly lead to the destruction of all rakshasas including yourself. After getting a king who has uncontrolled mind, interested in a bad path, wealthy states and cities also will be destroyed. After getting you like that this Lanka filled with best things will in a short while be destroyed due to your one perversities. O Ravana! When there is a destruction of a short sighted one, a sinner, being hit by his own deeds, all living beings will be happy. About you who is a sinner thus being destroyed, people who have been humiliated by you will speak happily 'The cruel Ravana by God's grace has got this just punishment'.

      "I am not susceptible to be lured by wealth or by money. Understand that my husband and I are like the sun and sunshine. After serving as a pillow that worshiped the shoulders of that lord of the world, Rama, how can I even dream as a pillow  to some other's shoulder? Like the education of a Brahman with a famous mind, initiated in religious vow, I am made suitable wife to that Rama, the lord of earth alone.
        "O Ravana! Let me join Rama like a female elephant with a male elephant in a forest. It would be good for you that this Rama, a jewel among men, is sought by you as a friend if you desire continued existence and not desiring a horrible slaying. Rama the righteous one is indeed known as one who protects those who seek protection. If you desire to live cultivate a friendship with Rama.

      "You seek the graciousness of this Rama who protects those who seek protection. Becoming piously disposed, you will  be suited to return me to this Rama. In this way giving me to Rama will become fortunate to you. O Ravana! If you don't do it, you will get slayed. Drawn out Vajrayudha, the weapon of Indra may spare some one like you. Lord of death may spare you for a long time. That Rama the lord of worlds when greatly enraged will not spare you.

        "Like the great sound of Vajrayudha hurled by Indra, you will hear a loud sound which is sonorous of Rama's bow-string. Arrows with good nodes, with blazing tips, like snakes, with characteristic signs of Rama and Lakshmana will fall down soon here in Lanka. Arrows tied with the plumes of an eagle will hit the rakshashas everywhere in this city and will cover the city without space. That Garuda called Rama speedily will pluck the great serpents called rakshasas like the great bird Garuda plucking the serpents.

        "My husband who is a destroyer of foes will take me away from you like Lord Vishnu with three steps taking away the brilliant prosperity from Asuras.
       "O rakshash! You must be knowing that the army of rakshasas was  completely wiped out at Janasthana by my lord Rama, single-handed. O the lowest scum! Because you were were afraid of him you entered the hermitage when I was alone and abducted me.
        "Just like a dog who on smelling the smell of a tiger would run away with its tail between its legs, you would turn around with all your ten heads looking down and run away on smelling the scent of Rama and Lakshmana. You do not have the courage to stand in their view.

       "My husband Rama will squeeze out your life quickly like the sun drying up shallow water. He will not spare you even if you go and hide in the mountain of Kubera or in his house or if you go to the assembly of King Varuna."

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217. Ravana entices Seetha.

       Ravana noticed  with ample  satisfaction that Seetha surrounded by his faithful rakshasis looked wretched  and pitiable with no trace of happiness. Our ten-headed villain Ravana who was very confident that this time the beautiful lass Seetha would be very amenable to  his lusty (morbid and lewd  for moralists) suggestion started his enticement condescendingly  "Hi! beautiful! You are with thighs like the trunk of an elephant. Seeing me covering your breasts and belly, you seem to wish to disappear from me due to fear. O wide eyed one! You are bodily endowed with everything desired by any woman, pleasing to all people. I desire you. O lovable one! respect me and accept me.

           "O Seetha! Why are you scared of me? I will not eat you, unless you totally repudiate me. Dispel the thought that it was immoral of me to have abducted you. You must be very well aware that collecting women belonging to others or abducting by force is the righteous deed for rakshashas by all means. It is the way of our lives and is accepted by all. However, I will not touch you with or without lust without your concurrence.

           "O queen of my heart! O love! Believe me. Do not sink yourself in sorrow like this. Single plait, the bed of ground, meditation, dirty cloth, fasting at the drop of a hat  - all these are not going to help you.

          "O Seetha! After becoming mine (i.e. my wife) you will get wonderful garlands, sandals, agallochums, a variety of cloths, the most beautiful ornaments, the best drinks, beds and seats and musical instruments. You are a gem among women. Do not be like this. Make decorations for your limbs. 

            "This your youthful beauty, like the flow of water will run away a few years henceforth, and will not come back again. O one with auspicious appearance! It seems that the creator of forms, that creator of the world, Lord Brahma has made you and stopped. There is no another girl who is equal to your appearance.

                "O Seetha! Seeing you endowed with such beauty and youth, which man even if he is Lord Brahma himself will ignore or disregard you? O one with face like that of moon! O one with broad hips! Your whichever limb I see, my eyes are getting tied in that limb.

                "O Seetha! Become my wife. Shed this ignorance. I have many beautiful wives brought from here and there. Marry me and l will make you my foremost consort. O timid one! Whatever gems have been brought by force or other means, my this kingdom and also myself will belong to you. Conquering the entire earth together with a chain of various cities, I will, for your sake,  give to king Janaka.

               "In this world there is no one who can match me. See my very great power. Suras and Asuras defeated with broken flags by me in war many times are powerless to stand in an army against me. Desire me! Now let your whole body be decorated with beautiful attire and most brilliant ornaments. It will then be a great joy for me to look at you and keep on looking at you with all my twenty eyes.
            "O one with the most beautiful face! O timid one! It would be stupid of you to deny the luxuries together with exquisite decorations offered to you. Drink. Rejoice. You donate land and wealth as you please. Without any inhibition behave freely in my matter. Fearlessly order anything. By my grace with your sporting, tour relatives will also sport. O auspicious one! You see my wealth and my fame.

                 "O beautiful one! What do you expect from that pauper human Rama clad in tatters, with lost hope of victory, with gone fortune. Roaming in forests, observing austerities and also sleeping on floor, I doubt if Rama is alive. O Seetha, Rama indeed will not get opportunity even to see you like moonlight covered by dark clouds with cranes at the front.

                "Like Keerthi got by Hiranyakasipu from Indra's hand, Rama is not capable to get you from my hands. O one with a beautiful smile! O one with beautiful teeth! O one with beautiful eyes! O charmful one! O timid one! You are stealing my heart like a serpent stolen by Garuda.

                "You are Wearing a silk cloth in a bad condition. You are emaciated. Even though you have not decorated, after seeing you I lost interest with all my wives. O Seetha!  have sovereignty on all  my wives. O one with black hair! All my wives and apsarasas who are the best among the three worlds will serve you like the goddess of wealth.

                  "O one with beautiful hips! O one with beautiful eyebrows! Enjoy according to your pleasure whatever gems and wealth belonging to Kubera, all those three worlds and me. O Seetha! Rama is not equal to me by austerity,  might,  strength,  wealth, brilliance or fame.

             "O playful one! I will give hordes of wealth and land. You drink. Roam freely and play. Enjoy luxuries. Sport as you please with me. Your relatives may sport together with you. O timid one! With body decorated with gold and beautiful garlands, roam with me in the forests at the sea shore filled with groups of flowered trees and with bees."

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