Shurpanakha Goes to Ravana, Sita's Entry into Fire, and Maya Sita
Shurpanakha goes to Ravana and describes Sita's beauty, awakening his wicked desire. In this sequence comes the mysterious episode of Sita's entry into the fire and the manifestation of Maya Sita.
Aranya Kand · Episode 10 / 18
Episode Text
धुआँ देखि खरदूषन केरा। जाइ सुपनखाँ रावन प्रेरा॥ बोली बचन क्रोध करि भारी। देस कोस कै सुरति बिसारी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhuāṃ dekhi kharadūṣana kerā। jāi supanakhāṃ rāvana prerā॥ bolī bacana krodha kari bhārī। desa kosa kai surati bisārī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the destruction of Khara and Dushana, Shurpanakha went and stirred up Ravana. In great anger she spoke: 'You have forgotten all thought of your kingdom and treasure.'
करसि पान सोवसि दिनु राती। सुधि नहिं तव सिर पर आराती॥ राज नीति बिनु धन बिनु धर्मा। हरिहि समर्पे बिनु सतकर्मा॥ बिद्या बिनु बिबेक उपजाएँ। श्रम फल पढ़ें किएँ अरु पाएँ॥ संग तें जती कुमंत्र ते राजा। मान ते ग्यान पान तें लाजा॥ ४-५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karasi pāna sovasi dinu rātī। sudhi nahiṃ tava sira para ārātī॥ rāja nīti binu dhana binu dharmā। harihi samarpe binu satakarmā॥ bidyā binu bibeka upajāeṃ। śrama phala paṛheṃ kieṃ aru pāeṃ॥ saṃga teṃ jatī kumaṃtra te rājā। māna te gyāna pāna teṃ lājā॥ 4-5 ॥
Meaning:
You drink and sleep day and night. Do you not know that your enemy stands over your head? Without statecraft there is no kingdom, without wealth there is no dharma, without offering oneself to Hari there are no good deeds, and without the growth of discernment there is no wisdom. From study, effort, and attainment there comes only toil. Company corrupts an ascetic, bad counsel a king; pride ruins knowledge, and drinking brings shame.
रिपु रुज पावक पाप प्रभु अहि गनिअ न छोट करि। अस कहि बिबिध बिलाप करि लागी रोदन करन॥ २१ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ripu ruja pāvaka pāpa prabhu ahi ganiya na choṭa kari। asa kahi bibidha bilāpa kari lāgī rodana karana॥ 21 (a) ॥
Meaning:
One should not take enemy, disease, fire, sin, a master, or a serpent lightly. Saying this, Shurpanakha began to lament and weep in many ways.
सभा माझ परि ब्याकुल बहु प्रकार कह रोइ। तोहि जिअत दसकंधर मोरि कि असि गति होइ॥ २१ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sabhā mājha pari byākula bahu prakāra kaha roi। tohi jiata dasakandhara mori ki asi gati hoi॥ 21 (b) ॥
Meaning:
In the midst of the assembly, she lies there distraught, weeping in many ways and saying, 'O Dashakanthar, while you are alive, is this to be my fate?'
सुनत सभासद उठे अकुलाई। समुझाई गहि बाँह उठाई॥ कह लंकेस कहसि निज बाता। केइँ तव नासा कान निपाता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunata sabhāsada uṭhe akulāī। samujhāī gahi bām̐ha uṭhāī॥ kaha laṃkesa kahasi nija bātā। keĩ tava nāsā kāna nipātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing her words, the councilors grew agitated. They grasped her arm, lifted her up, and tried to calm her. Then the Lord of Lanka said, “Tell me your story—who has cut off your nose and ears?”
अवध नृपति दसरथ के जाए। पुरुष सिंघ बन खेलन आए॥ समुझि परी मोहि उन्ह कै करनी। रहित निसाचर करिहहिं धरनी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
avadha nṛpati dasaratha ke jāe। puruṣa siṃgha bana khelana āe॥ samujhi parī mohi unha kai karanī। rahita nisācara karihahiṃ dharanī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
[She said:] The sons of Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya, who are like lions among men, have come to play in the forest. From what I can understand of their deeds, they will make the earth free of demons.
जिन्ह कर भुजबल पाइ दसानन। अभय भए बिचरत मुनि कानन॥ देखत बालक काल समाना। परम धीर धन्वी गुन नाना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jinha kara bhujabala pāi dasānana। abhaya bhae bicharata muni kānana॥ dekhat bālaka kāla samānā। parama dhīra dhanvī guna nānā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Through the strength of whose arms, O ten-headed one, the sages have begun to roam fearlessly in the forest! Though they look like boys, they are like Death itself. They are supremely steadfast, skilled archers, and endowed with many virtues.
अतुलित बल प्रताप द्वौ भ्राता। खल बध रत सुर मुनि सुखदाता॥ सोभा धाम राम अस नामा। तिन्ह के संग नारि एक स्यामा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
atulita bala pratāpa dvau bhrātā। khala badha rata sura muni sukhadātā॥ sobhā dhāma rāma asa nāmā। tinha ke saṃga nāri eka syāmā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The strength and splendor of those two brothers are incomparable. They are devoted to slaying the wicked and bring joy to gods and sages. They are abodes of beauty; their name is Rama. With them is one dark-hued woman.
रूप रासि बिधि नारि सँवारी। रति सत कोटि तासु बलिहारी॥ तासु अनुज काटे श्रुति नासा। सुनि तव भगिनि करहिं परिहासा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rūpa rāsi bidhi nāri saṃvārī। rati sata koṭi tāsu balihārī॥ tāsu anuja kāṭe śruti nāsā। suni tava bhagini karahiṃ parihāsā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
The Creator fashioned that woman as a treasury of beauty; hundreds of millions of Ratis would be willing to sacrifice themselves to her. His younger brother cut off my nose and ears. Hearing this, they mocked me, saying, “your sister.”
खर दूषन सुनि लगे पुकारा। छन महुँ सकल कटक उन्ह मारा॥ खर दूषन तिसिरा कर घाता। सुनि दससीस जरे सब गाता॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
khara dūṣana suni lage pukārā। chana mahuṃ sakala kaṭaka unha mārā॥ khara dūṣana tisirā kara ghātā। suni dasasīsa jare saba gātā॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing my cry, Khara and Dushana came to help. But in a moment they destroyed the entire army. When Ravana heard of the slaying of Khara, Dushana, and Trishira, all his body burned with rage.
सूपनखहि समुझाइ करि बल बोलेसि बहु भाँति। गयउ भवन अति सोचबस नीद परइ नहिं राति॥ २२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sūpanakhahi samujhāi kari bala bolesi bahu bhām̐ti। gayau bhavana ati socabasa nīda parai nahiṃ rāti॥ 22 ॥
Meaning:
After pacifying Shurpanakha, he boasted in many ways of his strength. Then he went to his palace, overwhelmed with anxiety; that night, sleep would not come.
सुर नर असुर नाग खग माहीं। मोरे अनुचर कहँ कोउ नाहीं॥ खर दूषन मोहि सम बलवंता। तिन्हहि को मारइ बिनु भगवंता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sura nara asura nāga khaga māhīṃ। more anucara kahaṃ kou nāhīṃ॥ khara dūṣana mohi sama balavantā। tinhahi ko mārai bina bhagavantā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
[He reflected to himself:] Among gods, humans, demons, serpents, and birds, there is no one who can match even my servant. Khara and Dushana were as powerful as I am. Who but the Lord could kill them?
सुर रंजन भंजन महि भारा। जौं भगवंत लीन्ह अवतारा॥ तौ मैं जाइ बैरु हठि करऊँ। प्रभु सर प्रान तजें भव तरऊँ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sura rañjana bhañjana mahi bhārā। jauṃ bhagavanta līhna avatārā॥ tau maiṃ jāi bairu haṭhi karauṃ। prabhu sara prāna tajẽ bhava tarauṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
If it is indeed the Lord who has taken incarnation to delight the gods and relieve the burden of the earth, then I shall go and stubbornly wage war against Him, and by the Lord’s arrows I shall give up my life and cross the world-ocean.
होइहि भजनु न तामस देहा। मन क्रम बचन मंत्र दृढ़ एहा॥ जौं नररूप भूपसुत कोऊ। हरिहउँ नारि जीति रन दोऊ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hoihi bhajanu na tāmasa dehā। mana karama bacana maṃtra dṛḍha ehā॥ jauṃ nararūpa bhūpasuta koū। harihauṃ nāri jīti rana doū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
This darkened body cannot attain devotion; still, by mind, deed, and speech this firm resolve is set. And if they are any human prince, I shall defeat both of them in battle and carry off the woman.
चला अकेल जान चढ़ि तहवाँ। बस मारीच सिंधु तट जहवाँ॥ इहाँ राम जसि जुगुति बनाई। सुनहु उमा सो कथा सुहाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
calā akela jāna caṛhi tahavām̐। basa mārīca sindhu taṭa jahavām̐॥ ihām̐ rāma jasi juguti banāī। sunahu umā so kathā suhāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Thinking thus, Ravana rode off alone in his chariot to the place where Maricha lived on the seashore. [And Shiva says:] O Uma, listen to the lovely story of the strategy that Rama devised here.
लछिमन गए बनहिं जब लेन मूल फल कंद। जनकसुता सन बोले बिहसि कृपा सुख बृंद॥ २३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
lachimana gae banahiṃ jaba lena mūla phala kanda। janakasutā sana bole bihiṃsi kṛpā sukha bṛnda॥ 23 ॥
Meaning:
When Lakshmana had gone into the forest to gather roots, fruits, and bulbs, then Lord Rama, the abode of grace and joy, smiled and spoke to Janaki.
सुनहु प्रिया ब्रत रुचिर सुसीला। मैं कछु करबि ललित नरलीला॥ तुम्ह पावक महुँ करहु निवासा। जौ लगि करौं निसाचर नासा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunahu priyā vrata rucira susīlā। maiṃ kachu karabi lalita naralīlā॥ tumha pāvaka mahuṃ karahu nivāsā। jau lagi karauṃ nisācara nāsā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Listen, my beloved, fair and virtuous in vows. I shall now perform a beautiful human play. Therefore, dwell in the fire until I destroy the demons.
जबहिं राम सब कहा बखानी। प्रभु पद धरि हियँ अनल समानी॥ निज प्रतिबिंब राखि तहँ सीता। तैसइ सील रूप सुबिनीता॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jabahiṃ rāma saba kahā bakhānī। prabhu pada dhari hiyaṃ anala samānī॥ nija pratibiṃba rākhī tahaṃ sītā। taisai sīla rūpa subinītā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
As soon as Rama had explained everything, Sri Sita, holding the Lord’s feet in her heart, entered the fire. Sita left there her own reflected image, exactly like her in conduct, form, and gentle modesty.