3.55. Deed accomplished, dream unrealized

Hari Om.

Let us begin the fifty fifth sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

The tenacity of sItA even in the face of such adversity was remarkable. While she endured a huge physical and psychological being bereft of rAma and being abducted, she kept her mental faculties on the alert and kept scanning the earth for ways to communicate the news of her abduction to rAma. Her vigil didn’t go in vain as on top of a mountain near the lake pampa, she noticed five mighty vAnara (monkey) warriors and tying some of her ornaments and jewels in a piece of the cloth of her saree, she threw it down at them so that they might be able to use those to convey her news to rAma! This would prove to be an invaluable clue later. Flying past the land and then the ocean, rAvaNa reached lanka and keeping sItA as captive in his inner chambers he instructed the the guarding demonesses with terrifying faces to take care of her and not misbehave with her. He showed off his generosity and ordered them that sItA be given any jewels or riches that she asks for!!! He then summoned eight demons who were mighty and dispatched them to the janasthAna to keep an eye on rAma and finish him off! He thought he did everything right and felt accomplished, little realizing that he has picked up a fatal enmity with rAma. Onwards…

Having dispatched eight mighty demon warriors to the janasthAna, rAvaNa due to his perverse intellect felt that his task has been accomplished. Smitten by the arrows of the god of love, thinking of sItA he entered into the beautiful chambers where he had kept her. He beheld a sobbing sItA surrounded by female demons that were keeping guard in that chamber. She was tearful, pathetic, her sorrow weighed her down like the strong winds torment a boat in the middle of the high seas. She looked like a deer that slipped out of the herd and was surrounded by wild dogs. Her face was bent down in sorrow. Yet she was not in his control and he took her around his palace to show off the opulence by force.

He showed off his palatial residence and mansions in which thousands of women served. There were birds of all kind and gems and jewels studded everywhere. The walls and the pillars and the coats of gold and silver and contained costly stones and gems tastefully decorated. The blast of the trumpets and other musical instruments was in the air. The entrances and the stair case were glittering in gold. He ascended the stair case with her and from there showed the beautiful rows of the houses that were silver towers with ivory grills. Then he showed her step wells and pools and well planted trees. He showed off the best of his mansions and crystalline floors with a view to lure her with his riches and the good life that he can offer and said –

“O sItA, leaving aside the children and the aged, I lord over about twenty crore and more terrifying demons. About a thousand of me just attend on me alone! I have also married thousands of women. You shall be the lord of all these if you marry me and as such you are dearer to me than my own life. I have been tormented by your thoughts and hence, be gracious and without entertaining any other thoughts give me this sacred gift.

This lanka extending to a hundred yOjanas is an island nestled deep in the sea and can not be conquered by either gods led by indra or by demons. I am peerless not only among demons but also among the gods, gandharvas, yakshas and avian species. What would you do with that poor, banished, ascetic, short lived and lackluster rAma?

Be inclined towards me, accept me as your husband for I am the worthy suitor you must choose. Remember the youth is fleeting. Therefore enjoy with me. Give up any thoughts that you will be able to see rAma. He can’t even conceive the possibility of being here to rescue you. Just like it is impossible to catch the speeding wind in one’s hand and it is impossible to hold the blazing flames, no one in the three worlds can snatch you away from me guarded by my mighty arms. Rule over the lanka and every one including me, the gods and all beings both mobile and immobile shall be subservient to you. You have atoned the past bad karma through your difficult life at the forest. It is now time to accept me and enjoy the results of your good karma. Therefore O maithili, cleanse yourself, be adorned with these wonderful garlands, ornaments, scents and revel with me.

I have a wonderful aerial chariot which I usurped from my brother kubEra. It is large and can fly us to wherever we want. You can happily roam and revel with me in that. Look how the lotus like face has wilted due to the anxiety. This grief doesn’t befit you”.

Being spoken to thus, sItA covered her face with the edge of her saree and shed copious tears.

The sinful demon continued… “Don’t think that you are doing something against the right conduct by accepting me. Don’t be ashamed, accept it a laid down by the Rshis and take it as divinely ordained. O one of beautiful smile, woman of graceful limbs, your tender feet bear the burden of my head, I bow to you, do condescend upon me. Having spoken all this, my throat has now dried up and know that this ten-headed one never bows to any woman”.

Having spoken thus to sItA, the ten headed demon whose time was up, thought that sItA would be his.

एवमुक्त्वा दशग्रीवो मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम्।।3.55.37।।

कृतान्तवशमापन्नो ममेयमिति मन्यते।