Part - 5 — Ancient Knowledge

Hanumān’s grief at the sight of Sītā in the Aśoka grove and Rāvaṇa’s threat to Sītā

Dohas

nija pada nayana diēom mana rāma pada kamala līna.
parama dukhī bhā pavanasuta dēkhi jānakī dīna [5-8]

She had Her eyes fixed on Her own feet, while Her mind was absorbed in the thought of Śrī Rāma’s lotus feet. The son of the wind-god felt supremely miserable to see Janaka’s Daughter sad. (8)

Chaupais

taru pallava mahuom rahā lukāī. karai bicāra karauṃ kā bhāī
tēhi avasara rāvanu tahaom āvā. saṃga nāri bahu kiēom banāvā [5-8-1]
bahu bidhi khala sītahi samujhāvā. sāma dāna bhaya bhēda dēkhāvā
kaha rāvanu sunu sumukhi sayānī. maṃdōdarī ādi saba rānī [5-8-2]
tava anucarīṃ karauom pana mōrā. ēka bāra bilōku mama ōrā
tṛna dhari ōṭa kahati baidēhī. sumiri avadhapati parama sanēhī [5-8-3]
sunu dasamukha khadyōta prakāsā. kabahuom ki nalinī karai bikāsā
asa mana samujhu kahati jānakī. khala sudhi nahiṃ raghubīra bāna kī [5-8-4]
saṭha sūnē hari ānēhi mōhi. adhama nilajja lāja nahiṃ tōhī [5-8-5]

Concealing himself among the leaves of a tree he mused within himself, “Come, sir, what should I do?” At that very moment Rāvaṇa arrived there gaily adorned and accompanied by a troop of women. The wretch tried to prevail upon Her in many ways through friendly advice, allurements, threats and estrangement. Said Rāvaṇa, “Listen, O beautiful and wise lady: I will make Mandodarī and all other queens your handmaids, I swear, provided you cast your look on me only once.” Interposing a blade of grass between Herself and Rāvaṇa and fixing Her thoughts on Her most beloved lord (Śrī Rāma), the King of Ayodhyā, Videha’s Daughter rejoined: “Listen, O ten-headed monster: can a lotus flower ever expand in the glow of a fire-fly?” “Ponder this at heart,” continued Janaka’s Daughter; “perhaps you have no idea what Śrī Rāma’s shafts are like, O wretch. You carried me off at a time when there was none by my side; yet you do not feel ashamed, O vile and impudent rogue!”

According to the Hindu etiquette a lady must not talk to a male stranger without a medium Being forced to violate the above rule at this emergency Sītā takes recourse to the aforesaid expedient.

Dohas

āpuhi suni khadyōta sama rāmahi bhānu samāna.
paruṣa bacana suni kāḍhai asi bōlā ati khisiāna [5-9]

Hearing himself likened to a glow-worm and Śrī Rāma compared to the sun, and exasperated at Her harsh words, the monster drew out his sword and said:

Chaupais

sītā taiṃ mama kṛta apamānā. kaṭihauom tava sira kaṭhina kṛpānā
nāhiṃ ta sapadi mānu mama bānī. sumukhi hōti na ta jīvana hānī [5-9-1]
syāma sarōja dāma sama suṃdara. prabhu bhuja kari kara sama dasakaṃdhara
sō bhuja kaṃṭha ki tava asi ghōrā. sunu saṭha asa pravāna pana mōrā [5-9-2]
caṃdrahāsa haru mama paritāpaṃ. raghupati biraha anala saṃjātaṃ
sītala nisita bahasi bara dhārā. kaha sītā haru mama dukha bhārā [5-9-3]
sunata bacana puni mārana dhāvā. mayatanayāom kahi nīti bujhāvā
kahēsi sakala nisicarinha bōlāī. sītahi bahu bidhi trāsahu jāī [5-9-4]
māsa divasa mahuom kahā na mānā. tau maiṃ mārabi kāḍhai kṛpānā [5-9-5]

Sītā, you have offered me an insult; I will accordingly cut off your head with my relentless sword. If not, obey my command at once; or else you lose your life, O beautiful lady." “My lord’s arm is lovely as a string of blue lotuses and shapely and long as the trunk of an elephant, O ten-headed monster. Either that arm or your dreadful sword will have my neck: hear this my solemn vow, O fool. (Turning to Rāvaṇa’s glittering scimitar) Take away, O Candrahāsa, the burning anguish of my heart caused by the fire of separation from the Lord of the Raghus. You possess a cool, sharp and good blade; therefore, relieve the burden of my sorrow,” Sītā said. On hearing these words he rushed forward to kill Her; it was Queen Mandodarī (Māyā’s daughter) who (intervened and) pacified him with words of good counsel. Summoning all the demonesses (posted there) he said, “Go and intimidate Sītā in every way. If she does not accept my advice in a month’s time I will draw my sword and behead her.”

Dohas

bhavana gayau dasakaṃdhara ihāom pisācini bṛṃda.
sītahi trāsa dēkhāvahi dharahiṃ rūpa bahu maṃda [5-10]

(Having issued these instructions) the ten headed Rāvaṇa returned to his palace; while the host of fiendesses in the Aśoka grove assumed various kinds of hideous forms and intimidated Sītā.

Chaupais

trijaṭā nāma rācchasī ēkā. rāma carana rati nipuna bibēkā
sabanhau bōli sunāēsi sapanā. sītahi sēi karahu hita apanā [5-10-1]
sapanēṃ bānara laṃkā jārī. jātudhāna sēnā saba mārī
khara ārūḍha nagana dasasīsā. muṃḍita sira khaṃḍita bhuja bīsā [5-10-2]
ēhi bidhi sō dacchina disi jāī. laṃkā manahuom bibhīṣana pāī
nagara phirī raghubīra dōhāī. taba prabhu sītā bōli paṭhāī [5-10-3]
yaha sapanā mēṃ kahauom pukārī. hōihi satya gaēom dina cārī
tāsu bacana suni tē saba ḍarīṃ. janakasutā kē carananhi parīṃ [5-10-4]

One of these demonesses, Trijaṭā by name, was devoted to Śrī Rāma’s feet and perfect in spiritual wisdom. She summoned all her companions, told them her dream and exhorted them to serve Sītā and thus bless themselves. “In my dream a monkey burnt Laṅkā and the whole demon host was killed. As for the ten-headed Rāvaṇa, I saw him mounted on a donkey, all naked, with his heads shorn and his twenty arms chopped off. In this fashion he went his way to the south; and it so appeared that Laṅkā had passed into the hands of Vibhīṣaṇa. Śrī Rāma’s victory was proclaimed (by beat of drum) throughout the city: it was then that the Lord (Śrī Rāma) sent for Sītā. This dream, I loudly proclaim, will come true a few days hence.” They were all dismayed to hear her words and fell at the feet of Janaka’s Daughter.

The abode of Yama (the god of death) is believed to be in the south. That is why journey in a dream to the south is supposed to forebode death.