Seeing that head and that excellent bow, and (remembering) the union of
(Rama) and Sugriva related by Hanuman,--and (seeing) those eyes, and the
complexion of that face, and that countenance like unto that of her
lord,--and that hair and that forehead; and that beautiful jewel forming
the crest; and recognizing (Rama) by all these tokens combined,--
(Sita), exceedingly aggrieved, rebuked Kaikeyi, lamenting like a female
osprey,--"O Kaikeyi, have thy wishes attained. Slain hath been the son
of the race; and the entire race is exterminated by thee, partial to
dissension. And what evil had been done unto Kaikeyi by the revered
Rama, that along with me, he hadst been banished into the woods, with
rags given him (for his covering)?" Having said this, Vaidehi, forlorn
and trembling (all over), dropped to the earth, like a plantain cut off.
Then, recovering after a while, and having regained her consciousness,
the large-eyed one, placing the head in her front, gave way to grief.
"Ah! I am undone, O mighty-armed one! O thou that didst follow stern
vows! From thy (death), I have come by this final plight, having been
rendered a widow. The greatest calamity (that can befall a woman), is
said to be the death of her husband. And, possessor of an excellent
character, thou hast departed before me, who have ever trod the path of
the righteous; but who have come by a mighty grief and am plunged in a
sea of sorrow. And thou, who was engaged in delivering me, hast thyself
fallen! And my mother-in-law, Kaucalya, attached (to thee), through the
death of thee, her son, at the hands of Rakshasas, hath been reduced to
the condition of a cow that hath been deprived of her calf. O Raghava,
even the astrologers had predicted long life for thee. But their words
are false,--thou, O Raghava, wast short-lived. Or didst thy wisdom, wise
and good as thou wert, come to naught? For God, who is the origin of all
beings, maketh (every one) reap the fruit of his own acts. And why,
versed in polity as thou wast, didst thou come by death, unforeseen?
Thou wast acquainted with the means of warding off misfortune, and
skilled in doing so. And having been brought hither by me, representing
the Fatal Night, fierce and fell,--after (being) embraced, and by
force,--the lotus-eyed one hath met with his death. Here liest thou, O
long-armed one, leaving me lone,--and embracing the Earth like thy
beloved fair. Ever carefully worshipped with perfumed wreaths, this bow
of thine, O hero, embellished with gold, is dear unto me. O sinless one,
thou hast surely gone to heaven, and (art there) in the company of thy
sire and my father-in-law, Dacaratha, and all thy ancestors. Thou hast
become a star of the firmament as the fruit of thy great act.[88] Thou
hast disregarded thy righteous race of Rajarshis. O king, why dost thou
not look at me? And why is it that thou dost not answer me, who am a
girl, hardly arrived at youth,--and who am thy wife and companion? That
thou at the time of thy espousing my hand hadst vowed--I will practise
(righteousness) with thee--do thou, O Kakutstha, recollect the same, and
take me, who am overwhelmed with distress. Why, O best of goers, hast
thou gone from this world to that other, leaving behind me, overwhelmed
with distress? That person of thine which, decked out with auspicious
things, I used to embrace, beasts of prey will for certain tear the
same. Having performed the Agnishtoma and other sacrifices with
_Dakshinas_ (dispensed),--why hadst not thou attained purity by means of
the sacrificial fire? Kaucalya, overwhelmed with sorrow, shall only
behold one of the three that had gone away to distant lands,--come
(back)--Lakshmana. And, on being asked by her, he shall relate thine as
well as the deaths of thy friend's troops over night at the hands of the
Rakshasas. And, O Raghava, hearing thee slain while asleep, and me
staying in the abode of the Raksha, she with her heart cleft (in twain),
shall cease to exist. And for the sake of me, abject that I am, that
sinless son of the king, Rama, possessed of prowess, having crossed the
ocean, hath been slain in the footprint of a cow. I, the befouler of my
line, who had been wedded by Dacaratha's son through want of discretion,
becoming the wife of the revered Rama, was (in reality) his Death.
Without doubt, in another birth I had abstained from choice gifts,--and
therefore it is that I sorrow to-day, albeit being the wife of one that
was (ever dear) unto guests. Do thou, O Ravana, speedily slay me upon
Rama; and, bringing the wife to the husband, compass my best benefit. Do
thou join my head to his and my body to his body. I will, O Ravana,
follow the way of my high-souled lord". Thus, burning in grief, did that
large-eyed one indulge in lamentations; and Janaka's daughter kept fast
gazing at the head and bow of her lord. And as the Rakshasa was by while
Sita was thus bewailing, there appeared before his lord, with joined
hands, the warder, saying,--"May the worshipful one be victorious!" And
saluting and propitiating him, (Ravana), he told him that Prahasta,
general of the forces, had arrived. "Prahasta hath come to thee,
surrounded by all the courtiers. And, O lord, I was despatched by him,
desirous of seeing thee. O mighty monarch, surely there is--and thou art
forgiving from thy regal sentiment[89]--some work which is momentous;
and do thou see them". Hearing these words of the Rakshasa, the
Ten-necked one, leaving the acoka wood, went to see the counselors. And,
having decided his entire course of action in consultation with his
competent advisers, (Ravana), entering his court,--well knowing Rama's
prowess, set about his work. And as soon as Ravana left that place, that
head and that bow vanished. And in company with the councilors of
dreadful power, (Ravana) decided his course with reference to Rama. And
then the lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, resembling the day of doom,
addressed his generals,--all well-wishers--staying hard by, saying,--"Do
ye speedily summon my forces with the beat of drums--nor do ye give out
the reason (of the summons)". Then assenting to his speech with "So be
it," the envoys immediately summoned that mighty force; and, when it had
arrived, they informed their master, eager for conflict, of its arrival.
[88] _The carrying out the command of thy sire.--T._
[89] This dislocated period insinuates that Ravana, possessed of royal
nature, should forgive this untimely intrusion.--T.