Hanuman Sees Sita in Ashoka Grove and Ravana Threatens Her
In the Ashoka grove, Hanuman is deeply moved on seeing Sita in sorrow and separation. At that moment Ravana arrives and vainly tries to frighten and tempt her.
Sundar Kand · Episode 5 / 20
Episode Text
देखि मनहि महुँ कीन्ह प्रनामा। बैठेहिं बीति जात निसि जामा॥ कृस तनु सीस जटा एक बेनी। जपति हृदयँ रघुपति गुन श्रेनी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhi manahi mahuṃ kīnha pranāmā। baiṭhehiṃ bīti jāta nisi jāmā॥ kṛsa tanu sīsa jaṭā eka benī। japati hṛdayaṃ raghupati guna śrenī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Sita, Hanuman bowed to her in his mind. Even while sitting there, the watches of the night passed by. Her body had grown thin, her head bore a single braid of matted hair, and she kept chanting the host of virtues of Shri Raghunath in her heart.
निज पद नयन दिएँ मन राम पद कमल लीन। परम दुखी भा पवनसुत देखि जानकी दीन॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija pada nayana dieṃ mana rāma pada kamala līna। parama dukhī bhā pavanasuta dekhi jānakī dīna॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
Janaki's eyes were fixed on her own feet, while her mind was absorbed in Rama's lotus feet. Seeing Janaki so afflicted and miserable, Hanuman, son of the Wind, was deeply distressed.
तरु पल्लव महुँ रहा लुकाई। करइ बिचार करौं का भाई॥ तेहि अवसर रावनु तहँ आवा। संग नारि बहु किएँ बनावा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taru pallava mahuṃ rahā lukāī। karai bicāra karaũ kā bhāī॥ tehi avasara rāvaṇu tahaṃ āvā। saṃga nāri bahu kieṃ banāvā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hanuman hid among the leaves of a tree and thought, 'O brother, what should I do?' At that very moment, Ravana arrived there, decorated and accompanied by many women.
बहु बिधि खल सीतहि समुझावा। साम दान भय भेद देखावा॥ कह रावनु सुनु सुमुखि सयानी। मंदोदरी आदि सब रानी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bahu bidhi khala sītahi samujhāvā। sām dāna bhaya bheda dekhāvā॥ kaha rāvaṇu sunu sumukhi sayānī। mandodarī ādi saba rānī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
That villain tried to persuade Sita in many ways. He employed conciliation, gifts, fear, and division. Ravana said, 'Listen, O fair and wise one, Mandodari and all the other queens—'
तव अनुचरीं करउँ पन मोरा। एक बार बिलोकु मम ओरा॥ तृन धरि ओट कहति बैदेही। सुमिरि अवधपति परम सनेही॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tava anucarīṃ karauṃ pana morā। eka bāra biloku mama orā॥ tṛna dhari oṭa kahati baidehī। sumiri avadhapati parama sanehī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
'I shall make you my servant; that is my vow. Just look once toward me!' Remembering her beloved Lord of Ayodhya, Shri Ramachandra, Janaki, shielding herself with a blade of grass, said—
सुनु दसमुख खद्योत प्रकासा। कबहुँ कि नलिनी करइ बिकासा॥ अस मन समुझु कहति जानकी। खल सुधि नहिं रघुबीर बान की॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunu dasamukha khadyota prakāsā। kabahuṃ ki nalinī karai bikāsā॥ asa mana samujhu kahati jānakī। khala sudhi nahiṃ raghubīra bāna kī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Listen, O Ten-headed one: can the lotus bloom by the light of a firefly? Janaki then says, 'Understand this in your mind as well. O villain, you do not know the force of Shri Raghubir's arrows.'
आपुहि सुनि खद्योत सम रामहि भानु समान। परुष बचन सुनि काढ़ि असि बोला अति खिसिआन॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āpuhī suni khadyota sama rāmahi bhānu samāna। paruṣa bacana suni kāṛhi asi bolā ati khisiyāna॥ 9 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing himself compared to a firefly and Rama to the sun, and hearing Sita's harsh words, Ravana drew his sword and spoke in great anger—
सीता तैं मम कृत अपमाना। कटिहउँ तव सिर कठिन कृपाना॥ नाहिं त सपदि मानु मम बानी। सुमुखि होति न त जीवन हानी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sītā tain mama kṛta apamānā। kaṭihauṃ tava sira kaṭhina kṛpānā॥ nāhiṃ ta sapadi mānu mama bānī। sumukhi hoti na ta jīvana hānī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Sita, you have insulted me. I will cut off your head with this fierce sword. Otherwise, at once obey my words. O fair one, if not, you will lose your life.
स्याम सरोज दाम सम सुंदर। प्रभु भुज करि कर सम दसकंधर॥ सो भुज कंठ कि तव असि घोरा। सुनु सठ अस प्रवान पन मोरा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
syāma saroja dāma sama sundara। prabhu bhuja kari kara sama dasakandhara॥ so bhuja kaṇṭha ki tava asi ghorā। sunu saṭha asa pravāna pana morā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
[Sita said:] O ten-headed Ravana, the Lord's arm is beautiful like a garland of dark lotuses and strong and huge like an elephant's trunk; either that arm will rest around my neck, or your dreadful sword will. O wretch, listen: this is my true vow.
चंद्रहास हरु मम परितापं। रघुपति बिरह अनल संजातं॥ सीतल निसित बहसि बर धारा। कह सीता हरु मम दुख भारा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
candrahāsa haru mama paritāpaṃ। raghupati biraha anala sañjātaṃ॥ sītala nisita bahasi bara dhārā। kaha sītā haru mama dukha bhārā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Sita says: O Chandrahas sword, remove the great anguish born of the fire of separation from Shri Raghunath. O sword, you flow with a cool, sharp, excellent blade; take away the burden of my sorrow.
सुनत बचन पुनि मारन धावा। मयतनयाँ कहि नीति बुझावा॥ कहेसि सकल निसिचरिन्ह बोलाई। सीतहि बहु बिधि त्रासहु जाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunata bacana puni mārana dhāvā। mayatanayāṃ kahi nīti bujhāvā॥ kahesi sakala nisicarinha bolāī। sītahi bahu bidhi trāsahu jāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
As soon as he heard these words of Sita, he rushed to kill her. Then Mandodari, daughter of the demon Maya, reasoned with him and calmed him. After that, Ravana called all the female demons and told them to go and frighten Sita in many ways.
भवन गयउ दसकंधर इहाँ पिसाचिनि बृंद। सीतहि त्रास देखावहिं धरहिं रूप बहु मंद॥ १० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhavana gayau dasakandhara ihāṃ pisācini bṛnda। sītahi trāsa dekhāvahiṃ dharahiṃ rūpa bahu manda॥ 10 ॥
Meaning:
[Saying this,] Ravana returned to his palace. Here, a group of demonesses took on many ugly forms and began terrifying Sita.