Saying this, the daughter of the king Janaka, bathed her countenance
with tears and hanging down her head began to lament. And she began to
roll on the earth like unto a colt as if she was mad, possessed by a
devil and had lost her sense. "I, the spouse of Rama, who was drawn away
at a distance by the Rakshasa (Maricha) assuming shapes at will, was
seized and borne away by Ravana. A captive of the Rakshasas, subject to
their terrible threats and taunts, sunk in grief and anxiety,--I desire
not to keep my life. Of what avail are wealth, ornament and life unto
me, who am living in the midst of the Rakshasas and separated from Rama,
of the mighty car? Forsooth my life is made of stone, imperishable and
immortal since it is not riven asunder even by this mighty grief. Woe to
me! who am unchaste and vile and my life is vicious, since breathe I
still in the absence of my lord. What of fixing my fancy on that
night-ranger, my meaner foot even shall not touch him? That (demon) who
is courting me in this terrible way, doth not know himself, his own race
and that I loathe him so much. What more shall I speak unto you, I shall
never consent to Ravana's prayer, I might be rent from limb to limb or
burnt in fire. Raghava is grateful, true, wise and kind. I fear it is
through my ill-luck that he doth not feel pity for me. Will he not take
me back who alone slew the thousands of the Rashasas in Janasthana? I
have been captured by Ravana, a Rakshasa of feeble prowess. Forsooth my
lord is capable of slaying this Ravana in conflict. Will not that Rama
regain me, by whom was killed in the forest of Dandaka, Viradha, the
foremost of the Rakshasa crew? Although situated in the midst of the
ocean, Lanka is unapproachable by others, but Raghava's arrows shall
also reach here. (I am at a loss to ascertain) why Rama of firm prowess,
doth not regain me, his beloved spouse who have been borne away by the
Rakshasa. Methinks Rama doth not know that I am here, or else, powerful
as he is, he would not have put up with this insult. That lord of
vultures, who could have informed Raghava, of my being borne away by the
Rakshasa, was killed by Ravana in the battle. O great was the work done
by him, who, old as he was, for my sake, addressed himself to bring
about Ravana's destruction. If Raghava could know that I was here, he,
exceedingly wroth, would have cleared the earth with his arrows, of the
Rakshasas. He would have then burnt down the city of Lanka, dried up the
deep and blotted out the name and fame of Ravana. And from each ruined
home would have risen the Rakshasa widows' groans and cries like unto
those of mine. And instituting enquiries, along with Lakshmana, he shall
soon reduce Lanka to this plight. And observed by them the enemy shall
not live for a moment. And in no time, shall Lanka, assume the
appearance of a cremation ground, having all her high ways enveloped
with smoke issuing out of the funeral pyres, and filled with vultures.
And soon shall this desire of mine be fulfilled. All these words of mine
do sound improbable now but they all indicate your misfortune. Besides
from these bad omens, that are to be seen here, it appeareth, that Lanka
shall soon be shorn of her grace. The lord of the Rakshasas, the vicious
Ravana being killed, forsooth shall Lanka, divested of wealth, appear
like a widow. This Lanka, which is now full of pious ceremonies, shall,
on the death of the Rakshasas and their master, appear like a
husbandless woman. For certain, shall I soon hear the cries and groans
in every house, of the daughters of the Rakshasas worn with grief. If
that heroic Rama, having dark-blue eyes, comes to know that I am in the
abode of the Rakshasas, the city of Lanka shall be burnt down with his
arrows and shall be stricken with darkness and shorn of grace and all
the foremost of the Rakshasas shall be destroyed. The time which was
appointed by the vile and cruel Ravana, hath arrived. And that vicious
wretch hath resolved to destroy me now. There is no crime which cannot
be perpetrated by those vicious demons. Mighty is the disaster that
shall arise on account of this crime--the Rakshasas who live on flesh do
not know what virtue is. Forsooth shall the Rakshasa serve me for his
morning meal. What shall I do without my lord of comely presence?
Debarred from my husband's presence, stricken with grief and not
beholding Rama, having dark-blue eyes, I shall soon meet with death.
Rama, the elder brother of Bharata, doth not know that I am still alive
or else he and Lakshmana would have ransacked the whole world for me. Or
renouncing his body on this earth for my grief, the heroic elder brother
of Lakshmana, hath repaired to the celestial region. Blessed are the
celestials, Gandharbas, Siddhas and mighty ascetics who are beholding my
heroic lotus-eyed Rama. Or that highly intelligent royal ascetic
deairous of securing piety and freed from the troubles of life, hath no
need of a wife like me. Or people have fancy for what they see and which
disappeateth as soon as the object is out of sight. The ungrateful are
capable of renouncing their love, but not Rama. Or there might be some
folly in me. Or on the wane of my good luck have been separated irom the
excellent Rama. Death is more preferable unto me than life since I have
been separated trom the high-souled heroic Rama, of unblemished
character and the slayer of foes. Or those two brothers, the foremost of
men, laying aside their weapons, and living on fruits and roots, have
been wandering in the forest. Or those two heroic brothers Rama and
Lakshmana, have been, by treachery, put to death, by the vicious-souled
Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas. At this time of distress, I do with all
my heart long lor death,--(but alas!) even death is not approaching me
in this my misery. Oh blessed are those high-souled, great ascetics
abiding by truth and having their senses in control, who have no objects
of love or displeasure. They are not distressed with misery for their
objects of love or grief for them whom they do not love. They are freed
from them and I do bow unto those high-souled ones. Being forsaken by
the beloved Rama, knowing his ownself, and brought under the control of
Ravana, I shall renounce my life."