Hari Om.
Let us begin the forty eighth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The jubilation in lanka was in stark contrast to the devastation in the vAnara camp. The vAnaras kept vigil amidst great uncertainty about the outcome of the war. They were skeptical of the tricks of the demons and suspected even the movement of a blade of grass to be caused by the tricks of the demons. As they nervously kept vigil, rAvaNa was ecstatic and began to daydream. He ordered that sItA be taken to the battlefield on the pushpaka vimAna and shown that her heroes and hopes have fallen. He thought she would certainly court him after she sees the fallen hero by herself. He was fantasizing, but alas she had to undergo this difficult situation. Onwards…
Beholding her husband and the mighty lakshmaNa fallen thus on the battlefield, sItA wailed unconsolably and said –
“Those wise soothsayers who said I will never be a widow and will bear many children have today turned out to be liars, now that rAma has fallen.
ऊचुर्लक्षणिका ये माम् पुत्रिण्यविधवेति च ।
तेऽद्य सर्वे हते रामे ज्ञानिनोऽनृतवादिनः ॥
Those wise men who perform yajnas and attested that I shall be the consort of one who will perform many yajnas have today turned out to be liars, now that rAma has fallen.
Those wise twice-born astrologers who foretold that I embody auspiciousness have today turned out to be liars, now that rAma has fallen.
Those wise men who told me that I am the fortunate wife of a valorous king have today turned out to be liars, now that rAma has fallen.
Don’t they say, those women with marks of lotus on their feet will be consecrated along with their husband? The marks on the body of the unfortunate women which suggest widhowhood for them are not to be found in me. The lotus marks on women which are said to be auspicious have turned out otherwise today with the fall of rAma.
My hair is fine, uniform and black, my eye brows are distinct, my calves are hairless and teeth are unseparated.
शङ्खे नेत्रे करौ पादौ गुल्फावूरू च मे चितौ ।
अनुवृत्तनखाः स्निग्धाः समाश्चाङ्गुलयो मम ॥
My temples, eyes, hands, feet, ankles and thighs are symmetrical. My nails are well curved, bright and my fingers and toes are proportional. My breasts are supple, nipples are normal, navel is deep and side ribs are symmetrical. My complexion is bright like that of a gem, the hair on my limbs is soft and when I touch the feet with my ground, I leave twelve marks that is said to auspicious (ten toes and two insteps).
The wise who are experts in studying marks of young children had foretold that My fingers and toes are well formed without any gaps, my complexion is bright and that I have a smiling countenance and hence I would be consecrated along with my husband to rule over the kingdom. Today all those prophecies have been negated.
Alas, the brothers had searched for me all over the janasthAna, found my where abouts, crossed the impossible ocean and today fell in a small puddle of the size a cow hoof!
शोधयित्वाजनस्थानंप्रवृततिमुपलभ्यच ।
तीर्त्वासागरमक्षोभ्यंभ्रातरौगोष्पदेहतौ ।।
Alas, the valiant brothers with indra-like prowess who wielded sacred weapons like the vAruNa, AgnEya, aindra, vAyavya, brahmaSira fell to the assault of the invisible warrior rendering me an orphan. Even the enemy who can travel with the speed of mind can escape the aim of rAma alive once he is in the line of sight.
न हि दृष्टिपथं प्राप्य राघवस्य रणे रिपुः ।
जीवन् प्रतिनिवर्तेत यद्यपि स्यान्मनोजवः ॥
Seeing rAma along with his brother fallen on the battlefield it feels there is nothing time cannot bear and that death is invincible. I do not grieve so much for rAma, lakshmaNa, myself or even my mother as much as my pious mother-in-law who would be eagerly waiting thinking that the duration of the exile is coming to an end and when she will behold rAma, lakshmaNa and sItA”.
As sItA grieved thus, the demoness trijaTa said –
“O dEvi, grieve not, your husband is alive.
परिदेवयमानां ताम् राक्षसी त्रिजटाऽब्रवीत् ॥
मा विषादं कृथा देवि भर्ताऽयं तव जीवति ।
कारणानि च वक्ष्यामि महान्ति सदृशानि च ।
यथेमौ जीवतो देवि भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥
I shall narrate to you why I say so and substantiate why rAma and lakshmaNa are alive. The warriors in the battle won’t be excited or enthusiastic if their lord has fallen in the battle. One the lord falls, the army will scatter hopelessly and will be seized with inaction tossing around like a ship in the ocean that has lost its sails. But look at these vAnaras they are neither agitated nor anxious. They are carefully protecting the duo. Further, this pushpaka vimAna is magical and won’t take off with you in it if they had lost their lives. I am substantiating all this out of deep affection for you. Please be rid of doubts and relax. Take it from me that the duo are not slain.
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन ।
चारित्रसुखशीलत्वात् प्रविष्टाऽसि मनो मम ॥
I have never uttered a lie before nor will ever do. The greatness of your conduct has established you in my mind. To win over this duo is impossible even for indra, the gods and the demons. O Maithili, look at this important sign carefully, although unconscious both of their countenances look auspicious and pleasant. Generally men whose time is over or who are dead will have a certain crookedness about their countenance.
O daughter of janka, please discard this grief and illusion, it is impossible for rAma and lakshmaNa to be not alive today”.
Hearing the words of trijaTa, the goddess like sItA folded her hands and simply said , “may it be so”. With that the pushpaka that could move with the speed and will of the mind flew back to the aSOkA grove along with trijaTa and an upset sItA. Alighting the vimAna, she went back to her place in the grove that was the pleasure grove of the demon king. The visuals of the fallen princes flashed before her eyes repeatedly and she was terribly upset.
Here we conclude the forty eighth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 6.049. Despair in the camp
Previous: 6.047. The demon king day-dreams
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
