🌊 Sundara Kanda

Sarga 19

22 shlokas

SK-19-1-2Sundara Kanda 19.1–2 (युग्मम्)

तस्मिन्नेव ततः काले राजपुत्री त्वनिन्दिता। रूपयौवनसम्पन्नं भूषणोत्तमभूषितम्।।5.19.1।। ततो दृष्ट्वैव वैदेही रावणं राक्षसाधिपम्। प्रावेपत वरारोहा प्रवाते कदली यथा।।5.19.2।।

tasminneva tatḥ kāle rājaputrī tvaninditā| rūpayauvanasampannṃ bhūṣaṇottamabhūṣitam||5.19.1|| tato dṛṣṭvaiva vaidehī rāvaṇṃ rākṣasādhipam| prāvepata varārohā pravāte kadalī yathā||5.19.2||

Translation

ततः then, तस्मिन् काले एव at that time, राजपुत्री princess, अनिन्दिता blameless, वरारोहा of beautiful waist, वैदेही Vaidehi, रूपयौवनसम्पन्नम् endowed with beauty and youth, भूषणोत्तमभूषितम् adorned with best of ornaments, राक्षसाधिपम् lord of demons, रावणम् Ravana, दृष्ट्वैव just by seeing him, प्रवाते strong wind, कदली यथा like the banana plant, प्रावेपत was shaken.

Meaning

On just seeing Ravana, the lord of demons from a distance, adorned with the best of ornaments the charming, young, blameles princess Vaidehi of beautiful waist trembled like a banana plant shaken by a strong wind.

SK-19-3Sundara Kanda 19.3

आच्छाद्योदरमूरुभ्यां बाहुभ्यां च पयोधरौ। उपविष्टा विशालाक्षी रुदन्ती वरवर्णिनी।।5.19.3।।

ācchādyodaramūrubhyāṃ bāhubhyāṃ ca payodharau| upaviṣṭā viśālākṣī rudantī varavarṇinī||5.19.3||

Translation

विशालाक्षी largeeyed one, वरवर्णिनी a woman of fair complexion, ऊरुभ्याम् with thighs, उदरम् her belly, बाहुभ्याम् with both arms, पयोधरौ her breasts, आच्छाद्य after covering, रुदन्ती while crying, उपविष्टा was seated.

Meaning

Largeeyed, faircomplexioned Sita seated there with her belly, thighs and breasts covered with arms cried.

SK-19-4Sundara Kanda 19.4

दशग्रीवस्तु वैदेहीं रक्षितां राक्षसीगणैः। ददर्श सीतां दुःखार्तां नावं सन्नामिवार्णवे।।5.19.4।।

daśagrīvastu vaidehīṃ rakṣitāṃ rākṣasīgaṇaiḥ| dadarśa sītāṃ duḥkhārtāṃ nāvṃ sannāmivārṇave||5.19.4||

Translation

दशग्रीवस्तु even the tennecked Ravana on his part, राक्षसीगणैः by groups of shedemons, रक्षिताम् protected by, वैदेहीम् Vaidehi, दुःखार्ताम् tormented with grief, अर्णवे in the ocean, सन्नाम् drowned, नावमिव boat like, सीताम् Sita, ददर्श saw.

Meaning

The tennecked Ravana, too, on his part saw Sita, tormented with grief, guarded by the shedemons like a boat sunk in the sea.

SK-19-5Sundara Kanda 19.5

असंवृतायामासीनां धरण्यां संशितव्रताम्। छिन्नां प्रपतितां भूमौ शाखामिव वनस्पतेः।।5.19.5।।

asṃvṛtāyāmāsīnāṃ dharaṇyāṃ sṃśitavratām| chinnāṃ prapatitāṃ bhūmau śākhāmiva vanaspateḥ||5.19.5||

Translation

असंवृताम् on a bare, धरण्याम् on the ground, आसीनाम् seated, संशितव्रताम् one who is woeful, छिन्नाम् broken, भूमौ on the ground, प्रपतिताम् fallen, वनस्पतेः of a tree, शाखामिव like a branch.

Meaning

She looked woeful seated on the bare earth like the broken branch of a tree cut and fallen down on the ground.

SK-19-6Sundara Kanda 19.6

मलमण्डनचित्राङ्गीं मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम्। मृणाली पङ्कदिग्धेव विभाति न विभाति च।।5.19.6।।

malamaṇḍanacitrāṅgīṃ maṇḍanārhāmamaṇḍitām| mṛṇālī paṅkadigdheva vibhāti na vibhāti ca||5.19.6||

Translation

मलमण्डनचित्राङ्गीम् covered with colourful dust, मण्डनार्हाम् deserved adornment, अमण्डिताम् without any ornament, पङ्कदिग्धा dipped in mud, मृणालीव a lotus stem, विभाति shining न विभाति च and not shining.

Meaning

Her body looked colourful with dust. Although she deserved adornment, she had none. She was like a lotus stem in mud looking bright yet dull (with mud).

SK-19-7Sundara Kanda 19.7

समीपं राजसिंहस्य रामस्य विदितात्मनः। सङ्कल्पहयसंयुक्सैर्यान्तीमिव मनोरथैः।।5.19.7।।

samīpṃ rājasiṃhasya rāmasya viditātmanḥ| saṅkalpahayasṃyuksairyāntīmiva manorathaiḥ||5.19.7||

Translation

सङ्कल्पहयसंयुक्सैः yoked to horses of her determination, मनोरथैः with the chariot of her mind, विदितात्मनः bestowed with selfknowledge, राजसिंहस्य of the supreme king, रामस्य Rama's, समीपम् to the presence, गच्छन्तीमिव as though she was moving.

Meaning

She was as though moving towards the knower of the self, the supreme king, Rama with the horses of her resolution yoked to the chariot of her mind.

SK-19-8Sundara Kanda 19.8

शुष्यन्तीं रुदतीमेकां ध्यानशोकपरायणाम्। दुःखस्यान्तमपश्यन्तीं रामां राममनुव्रताम्।।5.19.8।।

śuṣyantīṃ rudatīmekāṃ dhyānaśokaparāyaṇām| duḥkhasyāntamapaśyantīṃ rāmāṃ rāmamanuvratām||5.19.8||

Translation

शुष्यन्तीं emaciated, रुदतीम् crying, एकाम् alone, ध्यानशोकपरायणाम् absorbed in thought and grief, दुःखस्य of grief, अन्तम् end, अपश्यन्तीम् not finding, रामाम् Rama, रामम् Rama alone, अनुव्रताम् thinking.

Meaning

She was emaciated, absorbed in thought of Rama alone and crying and unable to find the end to her grief.

SK-19-9Sundara Kanda 19.9

वेष्टमानां तथाऽविष्टां पन्नगेन्द्रवधूमिव। धूप्यमानां ग्रहेणेव रोहिणीं धूमकेतुना।।5.19.9।।

veṣṭamānāṃ tathā'viṣṭāṃ pannagendravadhūmiva| dhūpyamānāṃ graheṇeva rohiṇīṃ dhūmaketunā||5.19.9||

Translation

तथा in that way, आविष्टाम् sitting, वेष्टमानाम् coiled around, पन्नगेन्द्रवधूमिव like the queen of serpents, धूमकेतुना by comet, ग्रहेण by the planet, धूप्यमानाम् smoking, रोहिणीमिव like Rohini.

Meaning

Sitting in that manner she resembled a coiled serpent queen, the star Rohini overshadowed by a smoking comet (that is Ravana).

SK-19-10Sundara Kanda 19.10

वृत्तशीलकुले जातामाचारवति धार्मिके। पुनःसंस्कारमापन्नां जातामिव च दुष्कुले।।5.19.10।।

vṛttaśīlakule jātāmācāravati dhārmike| punḥsṃskāramāpannāṃ jātāmiva ca duṣkule||5.19.10||

Translation

धार्मिके in a righteous, आचारवति in a traditional, वृत्तशीलकुले in a traditional virtuous family, जाताम् born, संस्कारम् refinement, आपन्नाम् attained, दुष्कुले in a bad afmily, पुनः again, जातामिव च as though born into.

Meaning

Though born in a traditional righteous and virtuous family, she was as though passing through a purificatory process like a lowbred woman.

SK-19-11Sundara Kanda 19.11

अभूतेनापवादेन कीर्तिं निपतितामिव। आम्नायानामयोगेन विद्यां प्रशिथिलामिव।।5.19.11।।

abhūtenāpavādena kīrtiṃ nipatitāmiva| āmnāyānāmayogena vidyāṃ praśithilāmiva||5.19.11||

Translation

अभूतेन by false, अपवादेन scandals, निपतिताम् lowered, कीर्तिमिव like fame, आम्नायानाम् of the Vedic studies, अयोगेन by not applying, प्रशिथिलाम् let loose, विद्यामिव like education.

Meaning

She resembled reputation besmirched by scandals, like Vedic studies slackened by lack of aplication. (Knowledge is verified with a suitable statment of the Veda which is the ultimate test of ones finding. This method is adopted in all Astika sastras which accept the authority of the Veda).

SK-19-12Sundara Kanda 19.12

सन्नामिव महाकीर्तिं श्रद्धामिव विमानिताम्। पूजामिव परिक्षीणामाशां प्रतिहतामिव।।5.19.12।।

sannāmiva mahākīrtiṃ śraddhāmiva vimānitām| pūjāmiva parikṣīṇāmāśāṃ pratihatāmiva||5.19.12||

Translation

सन्नाम् grown dim, महाकीर्तिमिव like great fame, विमानिताम् slighted, श्रद्धामिव like faith, परिक्षीणाम् meddled with, पूजामिव like worship, प्रतिहताम् frustrated, आशामिव like hope.

Meaning

She was like great fame grown dim, faith slighted, worship meddled and hope frustrated. (Note: Sita's condition is being compared with abstract concepts such as fame, faith, reverence and hope which are hit by reverses in fate. She was the personification of all such suffering.)

SK-19-13Sundara Kanda 19.13

आयतीमिव विध्वस्तामाज्ञां प्रतिहतामिव। दीप्तामिव दिशं काले पूजामपहृतामिव।।5.19.13।।

āyatīmiva vidhvastāmājñāṃ pratihatāmiva| dīptāmiva diśṃ kāle pūjāmapahṛtāmiva||5.19.13||

Translation

विध्वस्ताम् blasted, आयतीमिव like the prospect, प्रतिहताम् flouted, आज्ञामिव like the command, काले at the time of catastrophe, दीप्ताम् glowing, दिशमिव like the direction, अपहृताम् abducted, पूजामिव like worship

Meaning

She was like a prospect blasted, command flouted, entire direction set on flames at the time of catastrophe and articles of worship abducted by evil forces at the sacrificial ceremony.

SK-19-14Sundara Kanda 19.14

पद्मिनीमिव विध्वस्तां हतशूरां चमूमिव। प्रभामिव तमोध्वस्तामुपक्षीणामिवापगाम्।।5.19.14।।

padminīmiva vidhvastāṃ hataśūrāṃ camūmiva| prabhāmiva tamodhvastāmupakṣīṇāmivāpagām||5.19.14||

Translation

विध्वस्ताम् blighted, पद्मिनीमिव like lotus creeper, हतशूराम् whose gallant warriors are killed, चमूमिव like the army, तमोध्वस्ताम् by darkness shadowed, प्रभामिव like radiance, उपक्षीणाम् dried, आपगामिव like the stream.

Meaning

She was like a lotuscreeper blighted, an army with its gallant warriors killed, radiance of light blocked by darkness and a stream run dry.

SK-19-15Sundara Kanda 19.15

वेदीमिव परामृष्टां शान्तामग्निशिखामिव। पौर्णमासीमिव निशां राहुग्रस्तेन्दुमण्डलाम्।।5.19.15।।

vedīmiva parāmṛṣṭāṃ śāntāmagniśikhāmiva| paurṇamāsīmiva niśāṃ rāhugrastendumaṇḍalām||5.19.15||

Translation

परामृष्टाम् defiled, वेदीमिव like the altar of worship, शान्ताम् extinguished, अग्निशिखामिव like the blazing flames, राहुग्रस्तेन्दुमण्डलाम् like the fullmoon eclipsed by Rahu, पैर्णमासीम् fullmoon, निशामिव like the night.

Meaning

(She was) like the altar of worship defiled, blazing fire extinguished, and the Moon eclipsed by Rahu in the full moon night.

SK-19-16Sundara Kanda 19.16

उत्कृष्टपर्णकमलां वित्रासितविहङ्गमाम्। हस्तिहस्तपरामृष्टामाकुलां पद्मिनीमिव।।5.19.16।।

utkṛṣṭaparṇakamalāṃ vitrāsitavihaṅgamām| hastihastaparāmṛṣṭāmākulāṃ padminīmiva||5.19.16||

Translation

हस्तिहस्तपरामृष्टाम् destroyed by the trunks of elephants, उत्कृष्टपर्णकमलाम् lotus pond with excellent leaves, वित्रासितविहङ्गमाम् with frightened birds, आकुलाम् crushed, पद्मिनीमिव like the lotus creeper.

Meaning

(She appeared) like a lotuspond the excellent leaves of whose lotuses surrounded by frightened birds are destroyed by the trunks of elephants.

SK-19-17Sundara Kanda 19.17

पतिशोकातुरां शुष्कां नदीं विस्रावितामिव। परया मृजया हीनां कृष्णपक्षनिशामिव।।5.19.17।।

patiśokāturāṃ śuṣkāṃ nadīṃ visrāvitāmiva| parayā mṛjayā hīnāṃ kṛṣṇapakṣaniśāmiva||5.19.17||

Translation

पतिशोकातुराम् stricken with grief caused by separation from her husband, विस्राविताम् with its water grown thin, शुष्काम् dried, नदीमिव like the river, परया with great, मृजया ablution, हीनाम् deprived, कृष्णपक्षनिशामिव like the night during the dark fortnight.

Meaning

Stricken with grief caused by separation from her husband, she appeared like a river gone thin and dry, not fit for ablution, like a night during dark fortnight of the month deprived of all its glow.

SK-19-18Sundara Kanda 19.18

सुकुमारीं सुजाताङ्गीं रत्नगर्भगृहोचिताम्। तप्यमानामिवोष्णेन मृणालीमचिरोद्धृताम्।।5.19.18।।

sukumārīṃ sujātāṅgīṃ ratnagarbhagṛhocitām| tapyamānāmivoṣṇena mṛṇālīmaciroddhṛtām||5.19.18||

Translation

सुकुमारीम् delicate, सुजाताङ्गीम् a lady with beautiful limbs, रत्नगर्भगृहोचिताम् who deserves to be in a gemcrusted house, तप्यमानाम् being scorched, अचिरोद्धृताम् just plucked out, मृणालीमिव like the lotus stem.

Meaning

A delicate lady with beautiful limbs who deserved to be in a gemcrusted house was (now) like a lotus stem just plucked out and scorched by the Sun's heat.

SK-19-19Sundara Kanda 19.19

गृहीतामालितां स्तम्भे यूथपेन विनाकृताम्। निःश्वसन्तीं सुदुःखार्तां गजराजवधूमिव।।5.19.19।।

gṛhītāmālitāṃ stambhe yūthapena vinākṛtām| niḥśvasantīṃ suduḥkhārtāṃ gajarājavadhūmiva||5.19.19||

Translation

गृहीताम् held, स्तम्भे to a pillar, आलिताम् tied, यूथपेन विना कृताम् separated from her lord, the leader of the herd, निःश्वन्तीम् sighing heavily, सुदुःखार्ताम् with intense grief, गजराजवधूमिव like a royal female elephant.

Meaning

She was sighing heavily in intense grief like a royal female elephant tied to a pillar and separated from her lord, the leader of the herd.

SK-19-20Sundara Kanda 19.20

एकया दीर्घया वेण्या शोभमानामयत्नतः। नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव।।5.19.20।।

ekayā dīrghayā veṇyā śobhamānāmayatnatḥ| nīlayā nīradāpāye vanarājyā mahīmiva||5.19.20||

Translation

दीर्घया with a long, एकया even with a single, वेण्या braid of hair, अयत्नतः carelessly, शोभमानाम् beautifullooking, नीरदापाये at the end of rain, नीलया with dark, वनराज्या with a row of trees, महीमिव like the land.

Meaning

She was lovely even with a single braid of unkempt hair like the earth with a single row of dark trees covering its surface at the end of the rainy season.

SK-19-21Sundara Kanda 19.21

उपवासेन शोकेन ध्यानेन च भयेन च। परिक्षीणां कृशां दीनामल्पाहारां तपोधनाम्।।5.19.21।।

upavāsena śokena dhyānena ca bhayena ca| parikṣīṇāṃ kṛśāṃ dīnāmalpāhārāṃ tapodhanām||5.19.21||

Translation

उपवासेन by fasting, शोकेन due to grief, ध्यानेन due to brooding, भयेन च and threatenings, परिक्षीणां a wasted, कृशाम् emaciated, दीनाम depressed, अल्पाहाराम् ate little, तपोधनाम् rich by austerities.

Meaning

She was wasted and emaciated through fasting and grief, depressed due to brooding and threatenings. She ate very little but was rich with austerities.

SK-19-22Sundara Kanda 19.22

आयाचमानां दुःखार्तां प्राञ्जलिं देवतामिव। भावेन रघुमुख्यस्य दशग्रीवपराभवम्।।5.19.22।।

āyācamānāṃ duḥkhārtāṃ prāñjaliṃ devatāmiva| bhāvena raghumukhyasya daśagrīvaparābhavam||5.19.22||

Translation

देवतामिव like a goddess, दुःखार्ताम् tormented with grief, भावेन mentally, रघुमुख्यस्य to the foremost of the Raghu family, Rama, दशग्रीवपराभवम् insult by Ravana, प्राञ्जलिं with folded hands, आयाचमानाम् seemed as though supplicating.

Meaning

Tormented with grief, Sita looked like a goddess begging Rama, the foremost of the Raghu family with folded hands in her mind to destroy Ravana, the tennecked demon.

SK-19-23Sundara Kanda 19.23

समीक्षमाणां रुदतीमनिन्दितां सुपक्ष्मताम्रायतशुक्ललोचनाम्। अनुव्रतां राममतीव मैथिलीं प्रलोभयामास वधाय रावणः।।5.19.23।।

samīkṣamāṇāṃ rudatīmaninditāṃ supakṣmatāmrāyataśuklalocanām| anuvratāṃ rāmamatīva maithilīṃ pralobhayāmāsa vadhāya rāvaṇḥ||5.19.23||

Translation

समीक्षमाणाम् a lady casting glances, रुदतीम् crying, अनिन्दिताम् blameless, सुपक्ष्मताम्रायतशुक्ललोचनाम् with attractive eyelashes and broad bright eyes, अतीव very much, रामम् about Rama, अनुव्रताम् devoted, मैथिलीम् Mythili, रावणः Ravana, वधाय to kill, प्रलोभयामास tried to allure.

Meaning

Blameless Mythili with clear, large eyes and beautiful eyelashes with a reddish tint at the corners was looking around, crying. Ravana tried to allure Sita who was deeply faithful to Rama and threatened to kill her (when he found her unflinching). इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे एकोनविंशस्सर्गः। Thus ends the nineteenth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

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