Hearing those words of that terrible Rakshasa, Sita, stricken with grief
and of feeble voice, slowly replied-- Racked with grief, engaged in
asceticism and weeping, Sita began to tremble. And that excellent
damsel, devoted unto her husband, began to think of him. Placing a twig
before, that one, of beautiful smile, said--"Do thou take back thy mind
from me and place it in thy own wives. Like unto a sinner unworthy of
praying for final emancipation, it doth not behove thee to expect to
come by me. Devoted unto one husband I shall never perpetrate such an
iniquitious act. I am born in a high and have been married in a pious
family." Having accosted Ravana thus, the well-known Vaidehi, turning
her back, again spake unto him, saying-- "I should not live with thee
since I am another's wife and chaste. Have thy eyes always on religion
and do thou follow in the track of piety. Like unto thine own wives,
others' are worthy of being protected by thee, O ranger of the night.
Making an example of thee, do thou enjoy with thy own wives. Forsooth
those vicious-minded, those of agitated senses, who are not satisfied
with their own wives, are brought to misery by others' wives. (Methinks)
there are no pious men here and even if there be any thou dost not
follow him since thou hast such an adverse understanding, against human
practice and usage. Or the considerate people have spoken the truth, but
thou, for the destruction of the race of the Rakshasas, considering that
false, hast not followed it. Wealth, kingdom and cities--all are brought
to naught when they are placed at the hands of a vicious and illiterate
king. Obtaining thee, (therefore) as her king and for thy folly only,
this city of Lanka, abounding in jewels, shall soon be ruined. O Ravana,
every one delighteth in the destruction of that inconsiderate being, who
bringeth about his own destruction and is engaged in the perpetration of
evil deeds. And in this way, thyself, the perpetrator of vicious acts,
meeting with thy end, those persons who had been tyranized by thee,
shall, delightedly, say--"Oh! blessed are we since this terrible
(Rakshasa) hath met with his end. With wealth or riches thou shalt not
be able to tempt me. As the rays of the sun belong to him, so I am
Raghava's only. Having laid my head on the beautiful arms of that lord
of men, how shall I place it again on another's? Like unto the knowledge
of one God monopolized by the Brahmanas only, I am the spouse of that
lord of earth only, cognisant of higher truths and marrying me according
to the pious ceremonials. May good betide thee, O Ravana. Do thou take
me unto Rama, stricken with grief as I am, like unto a she-elephant
anxiously waiting in the forest brought to the lord of elephants. It
behoveth thee to make friends with Rama, that best of men, if dost thou
desire to maintain thy empire and dost not wish to bring about thy own
destruction. It is known to the world, that Rama knoweth well the
sanctions of religion and is kind unto them who seek his shelter. Do
thou seek his friendship, if dost thou wish to maintain thy life. Do
thou propitiate him therefore who is kind to his dependents and it
becometh thee to take me respectfully unto him. Thou shalt meet with thy
well-being if dost thou in this wise confer me on that best of Raghus.
And mighty is the disaster that shall befall thee, if dost thou follow
any other procedure. Thunderbolt, even, when hurled, may leave thee,
Death himself may overlook thee--but there is no safety for thee, if
Raghava. the lord of men is enraged. Thou shalt hear the terrible sound
of the twang of Rama's bow, like unto the sound of the thunderbolt
hurled by Indra. Soon shall arrows, bearing the names of Rama and
Lakshmana and having fiery heads like those of snakes, alight here. And
covered with _kanka_ leaves they shall undoubtedly cover the whole city
and devastate it by destroying all the Rakshasas. Like unto Garuda
pulling up the snakes, the Garuda-like Rama shall pull up thy snake-like
Rakshasas. And like unto Vishnu recovering the effulgent Sree (the
Goddess of wealth) from the Asuras, by crossing over the three worlds
with three foot-steps, my husband, the conqueror of foes, shall recover
me from thee. Janasthana hath been devastated, the host of Rakshasas
hath been killed, and thou hast been disabled. Truly thou hast
perpetrated an impious deed. O Rakshasa, those two lions among men going
out to enquire about the illusive deer, I was ravished by thee, entering
the empty hermitage, O vile wight. And like unto a dog incapable of
standing before a tiger, it would have been impossible for thee, to wait
there in the presence of Rama and Lakshmana. If dost thou engage in
conflict with them, thy wealth and friends shall be of no avail unto
thee (and thou shalt be dis-comfitted) like unto one-handed Asura Vitra
by the two handed Indra.[324] Soon shall my husband, with the assistance
of Lakshmana, draw out thy life with arrows, like unto the sun drying
up, by his rays, shallow water. Whether dost thou repair to the abode of
Kuvera, or whether dost thou, terrified, take refuge unto the assembly
of Varuna, thou shalt, for certain, be destroyed by the son of
Dacaratha, like unto a mighty tree broken down by thunderbolt.
[324] The allusion is--the mighty Asura Vitra fought with Indra for a
long time even after he had his one hand chopped off.--T.