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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 46
In this Sarga, Lakshmaṇa leaves to find Rāma. Immediately, without losing any time, Rāvaṇa approaches Seetā in the form of a Parivrājaka reciting Vedas. He praises Seetā and her beauty. He says that he has never seen a beautiful woman like her among humans, Gandharvas, Dēvas or Kinnaras.
He asks why she is alone in the forest, which is frequented by Rākshasas and full of wild and terrifying beasts. He says that she deserves to live in a palace in a city, enjoying good food and garlands, with a good husband.
Taking him to be none other than a Brāhmaṇa, Seetā honors him in a customary manner and serves him food. Then she looks around the greenery of the Vana, but does not find Rāma or Lakshmaṇa coming back.
3.46.1 தயா பருஷமுக்தஸ்து
குபிதோ ராகவாநுஜ: ।
ஸ விகாங்க்ஷந்ப்ருஸம் ராமம்
ப்ரதஸ்தே நசிராதிவ ॥
tayā paruṣamuktastu
kupitō rāghavānujaḥ ।
sa vikāṅkṣanbhṛṡaṃ rāmam
pratasthē nacirādiva ॥
Rāghava’s younger brother,
angered by her harsh words,
started instantly in earnest (to meet Rāma).
3.46.2 ததாஸாத்ய தஸக்ரீவ:
க்ஷிப்ரமந்தரமாஸ்தித: ।
அபிசக்ராம வைதேஹீம்
பரிவ்ராஜகரூபத்ருத் ॥
tadāsādya daṡagrīvaḥ
kṣipramantaramāsthitaḥ ।
abhicakrāma vaidēhīm
parivrājakarūpadhṛt ॥
Daṡagreeva, quickly seizing the
opportunity for which he had been waiting,
went to Vaidēhi, disguised as a Parivrājaka.
Parivrājaka is the same as Samnyāsi,
one who has renounced the world.
3.46.3-4a ஸ்லக்ஷ்ணகாஷாயஸம்வீத:
ஸிகீ சத்ரீ உபாநஹீ ।
வாமே சாம்ஸேऽவஸஜ்யாத
ஸுபே யஷ்டிகமண்டலூ ।
பரிவ்ராஜகரூபேண
வைதேஹீமந்வபத்யத ॥
ṡlakṣṇakāṣāyasaṃvītaḥ
ṡikhī chatrī upānahī ।
vāmē cāṃsē'vasajyātha
ṡubhē yaṣṭikamaṇḍalū ।
parivrājakarūpēṇa
vaidēhīmanvapadyata ॥
Wrapped in soft saffron robes,
wearing a top-knot, with sandals on his feet,
carrying an umbrella and
holding Daṇḍa and Kamaṇḍala in his left hand
he approached Vaidēhi in
the guise of a Parivrājaka.
3.46.4b-5a தாமாஸஸாதாதிபலோ
ப்ராத்ருப்யாம் ரஹிதாம் வநே ।
ரஹிதாம் சந்த்ரஸூர்யாப்யாம்
ஸந்த்யாமிவ மஹத்தம: ॥
tāmāsasādātibalō
bhrātṛbhyāṃ rahitāṃ vanē ।
rahitāṃ candrasūryābhyām
sandhyāmiva mahattamaḥ ॥
He of immense strength
approached her in the Vana
in the absence of the brothers
like the great darkness
descending at dusk when there is no sun or moon.
3.46.5b-6a தாமபஸ்யத்ததோ பாலாம்
ராமபத்நீம் யஸஸ்விநீம் ।
ரோஹிணீம் ஸஸிநா ஹீநாம்
க்ரஹவத்ப்ருஸதாருண: ॥
tāmapaṡyattatō bālām
rāmapatnīṃ yaṡasvinīm ।
rōhiṇīṃ ṡaṡinā hīnām
grahavadbhṛṡadāruṇaḥ ॥
He, the terribly cruel one,
looked at the young and renowned wife of Rāma,
like a baleful planet looking at
Rōhiṇee when the moon is not present.
3.46.6b-7a தமுக்ரதேஜ:கர்மாணம்
ஜநஸ்தாநரூஹா த்ருமா: ।
ஸமீக்ஷ்ய ஸம்ப்ரகம்பந்தே
ந ப்ரவாதி ச மாருத: ॥
tamugratējaḥkarmāṇam
janasthānarūhā drumāḥ ।
samīkṣya samprakampantē
na pravāti ca mārutaḥ ॥
Seeing him, of terrible strength and deeds,
the trees of Janasthāna shivered
and the wind froze.
3.46.7b-8a ஸீக்ரஸ்ரோதாஸ்ச தம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
வீக்ஷந்தம் ரக்தலோசநம் ।
ஸ்திமிதம் கந்துமாரேபே
பயாத்கோதாவரீ நதீ ॥
ṡīghrasrōtāṡca taṃ dṛṣṭvā
vīkṣantaṃ raktalōcanam ।
stimitaṃ gantumārēbhē
bhayādgōdāvarī nadī ॥
Upon seeing him cast
a glance with his blood-red eyes,
the swift-flowing Gōdāvarī
slowed down with fear.
3.46.8b-9a ராமஸ்ய த்வந்தரப்ரேப்ஸு:
தஸக்ரீவஸ்ததந்தரே ।
உபதஸ்தே ச வைதேஹீம்
பிக்ஷுரூபேண ராவண: ॥
rāmasya tvantaraprēpsuḥ
daṡagrīvastadantarē ।
upatasthē ca vaidēhīm
bhikṣurūpēṇa rāvaṇaḥ ॥
Rāvaṇa of ten necks, who
had been waiting for the absence of Rāma,
took that opportunity and
approached Vaidēhi, disguised as a mendicant.
3.46.9b-10a அபவ்யோ பவ்யரூபேண
பர்தாரமநுஸோசதீம் ।
அப்யவர்தத வைதேஹீம்
சித்ராமிவ ஸநைஸ்சர: ॥
abhavyō bhavyarūpēṇa
bhartāramanuṡōcatīm ।
abhyavartata vaidēhīm
citrāmiva ṡanaiṡcaraḥ ॥
The sinner garbed as a saint
approached Vaidēhi who was
worried about her husband,
like planet Saturn approaching star Citra. The repetition in Ṡlōkas 9 through 12 is poetic in nature. As we have noted several times earlier, Rāmāyaṇa should be sung and heard, rather than read. Repetition enhances the beauty of the song, as we well know.
3.46.10b-11a ஸ பாபோ பவ்யரூபேண
த்ருணை: கூப இவாவ்ருத: ।
அதிஷ்டத்ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய வைதேஹீம்
ராமபத்நீம் யஸஸ்விநீம் ॥
sa pāpō bhavyarūpēṇa
tṛṇaiḥ kūpa ivāvṛtaḥ ।
atiṣṭhatprēkṣya vaidēhīm
rāmapatnīṃ yaṡasvinīm ॥
That sinner in the form of a saint,
like a well covered with grass
stood there looking at Vaidēhi,
the wife of Rāma, of great repute.
3.46.11b-13a ஸுபாம் ருசிரதந்தோஷ்டீம்
பூர்ணசந்த்ரநிபாநநாம் ।
ஆஸீநாம் பர்ணஸாலாயாம்
பாஷ்பஸோகாபிபீடிதாம் ।
ஸ தாம் பத்மபலாஸாக்ஷீம்
பீதகௌஸேயவாஸிநீம் ।
அப்யகச்சத வைதேஹீம்
துஷ்டசேதா நிஸாசர: ॥
ṡubhāṃ ruciradantōṣṭhīm
pūrṇacandranibhānanām ।
āsīnāṃ parṇaṡālāyām
bāṣpaṡōkābhipīḍitām ।
sa tāṃ padmapalāṡākṣīm
pītakauṡēyavāsinīm ।
abhyagacchata vaidēhīm
duṣṭacētā niṡācaraḥ ॥
The night-rover with evil intentions
approached the good lady Vaidēhi,
of lovely teeth and lips,
eyes resembling lotus petals,
face like the full moon,
clad in a yellow silk garment,
who sat by the leafy cottage
in tears, crushed by grief.
3.46.13b-14a ஸ மந்மதஸராவிஷ்டோ
ப்ரஹ்மகோஷமுதீரயந் ।
அப்ரவீத்ப்ரஸ்ரிதம் வாக்யம்
ரஹிதே ராக்ஷஸாதிப: ॥
sa manmathaṡarāviṣṭō
brahmaghōṣamudīrayan ।
abravītpraṡritaṃ vākyam
rahitē rākṣasādhipaḥ ॥
The lord of Rākshasas who was
struck by the darts of Manmatha,
said these words in a pleasing manner,
while chanting Vedas aloud,
with no one else present:
3.46.14b-15a தாமுத்தமாம் ஸ்த்ரியம் லோகே
பத்மஹீநாமிவ ஸ்ரியம் ।
விப்ராஜமாநாம் வபுஷா
ராவண: ப்ரஸஸம்ஸ ஹ ॥
tāmuttamāṃ striyaṃ lōkē
padmahīnāmiva ṡriyam ।
vibhrājamānāṃ vapuṣā
rāvaṇaḥ praṡaṡaṃsa ha ॥
Rāvaṇa then praised her,
who was the paragon of womankind,
whose body was dazzling and
who looked like goddess Lakshmi
except for the lotus.
3.46.15b-16a கா த்வம் காஞ்சநவர்ணாபே
பீதகௌஸேயவாஸிநி ।
கமலாநாம் ஸுபாம் மாலாம்
பத்மிநீவ ஹி பிப்ரதீ ॥
kā tvaṃ kāńcanavarṇābhē
pītakauṡēyavāsini ।
kamalānāṃ ṡubhāṃ mālām
padminīva hi bibhratī ॥
Who are you, of golden complexion,
clad in yellow silks and wearing
the beautiful garland of lotus flowers,
looking like the lotus pool itself?
3.46.16b-17a ஹ்ரீ: கீர்தி: ஸ்ரீஸ்ஸுபா லக்ஷ்மீ:
அப்ஸரா வா ஸுபாநநே ।
பூதிர்வா த்வம் வராரோஹே
ரதிர்வா ஸ்வைரசாரிணீ ॥
hrīḥ kīrtiḥ ṡrīṡṡubhā lakṣmīḥ
apsarā vā ṡubhānanē ।
bhūtirvā tvaṃ varārōhē
ratirvā svairacāriṇī ॥
O you of beautiful
countenance and excellent Kaṭee!
Are you by any chance
the goddess of modesty
or the goddess of fame
or the blessing goddess of prosperity
or the goddess of wealth,
or a nymph of heaven,
or Ratee on her carefree strolls!
3.46.17b-18a ஸமாஸ்ஸிகரிணஸ்ஸ்நிக்தா:
பாண்டுரா தஸநாஸ்தவ ।
விஸாலே விமலே நேத்ரே
ரக்தாந்தே க்ருஷ்ணதாரகே ॥
samāṡṡikhariṇassnigdhāḥ
pāṇḍurā daṡanāstava ।
viṡālē vimalē nētrē
raktāntē kṛṣṇatārakē ॥
Your teeth are even, rounded, shiny and white.
your eyes are crystal clear and wide,
with black pupils and corners showing a red tinge.
3.46.18b-20a விஸாலம் ஜகநம் பீநம்
ஊரூ கரிகரோபமௌ ।
ஏதாவுபசிதௌ வ்ருத்தௌ
ஸம்ஹதௌ ஸம்ப்ரவல்கிதௌ ।
பீநோந்நதமுகௌ காந்தௌ
ஸ்நிக்தௌ தாலபலோபமௌ ।
மணிப்ரவேகாபரணௌ
ருசிரௌ தே பயோதரௌ ॥
viṡālaṃ jaghanaṃ pīnam
ūrū karikarōpamau ।
ētāvupacitau vṛttau
saṃhatau sampravalgitau ।
pīnōnnatamukhau kāntau
snigdhau tālaphalōpamau ।
maṇipravēkābharaṇau
rucirau tē payōdharau ॥
Your hips are wide and plump.
Your thighs resemble the trunk of the elephant.
Your breasts, well developed, high and round,
snuggled up to each other and swaying,
with the nipples firm and erect,
looking like the fruit of the date palm and
covered with ornaments set with rare gems,
are beautiful, shining and attractive.
To be continued