Aranya Kanda, Sarga 48

एवं बृवन्त्यां सीतायां संरब्दः परुषं वचः। ललाटे भृकुटीं कृत्वा रावणः प्रत्युवाच ह।।3.48.1।।

evaṃ bṛvantyāṃ sītāyāṃ saṃrabdaḥ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ| lalāṭe bhṛkuṭīṃ kṛtvā rāvaṇaḥ pratyuvāca ha

Addressed thus by Sita, Ravana, his anger roused, knitted his eyebrows with a frown on his forehead and replied to her harshly:

भ्राता वैश्रवणस्याहं सापत्न्यो वरवर्णिनि। रावणो नाम भद्रं ते दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान्।।3.48.2।।

bhrātā vaiśravaṇasyāhaṃ sāpatnyo varavarṇini| rāvaṇo nāma bhadraṃ te daśagrīvaḥ pratāpavān

O paragon of beauty I am the halfbrother of Kubera, born of his stepmother. I am known as the tenheaded, powerful Ravana. Be blessed

यस्य देवास्सगन्धर्वाः पिशाचपतगोरगाः। विद्रवन्ति भयाद्भीता मृत्योरिव सदा प्रजाः।।3.48.3।।

yasya devāssagandharvāḥ piśācapatagoragāḥ| vidravanti bhayādbhītā mṛtyoriva sadā prajāḥ

Just as people get scared of death, all (creatures) including gandharvas, gods, evil spirits, birds and snakes run away from me.

येन वैश्रवणो राजा द्वैमात्रः कारणान्तरे। द्वन्द्वमासादितः क्रोधाद्रणे विक्रम्य निर्जितः।।3.48.4।।

yena vaiśravaṇo rājā dvaimātraḥ kāraṇāntare| dvandvamāsāditaḥ krodhādraṇe vikramya nirjitaḥ

For some reason or other a duel took place between me and king Kubera. With my prowess, I defeated him in the duel.

यद्भयार्तः परित्यज्य स्वमधिष्ठानमृद्धिमत्। कैलासं पर्वतश्रेष्ठमध्यास्ते नरवाहनः।।3.48.5।।

yadbhayārtaḥ parityajya svamadhiṣṭhānamṛddhimat| kailāsaṃ parvataśreṣṭhamadhyāste naravāhanaḥ

Out of fear for me, Kubera is residing on the mighty mount Kailasa, leaving his own earlier prosperous place of residence.

यस्य तत्पुष्पकं नाम विमानं कामगं शुभम्। वीर्यादेवार्जितं भद्रे येन यामि विहायसम्।।3.48.6।।

yasya tatpuṣpakaṃ nāma vimānaṃ kāmagaṃ śubham| vīryādevārjitaṃ bhadre yena yāmi vihāyasam

O noble lady with my valour I gained over from Kubera the aerial chariot 'Pushpaka', which can go wherever one desires and in which I move about in the sky.

मम सञ्जातरोषस्य मुखं दृष्ट्वैव मैथिलि। विद्रवन्ति परित्रस्तास्सुराश्शक्रपुरोगमाः।।3.48.7।।

mama sañjātaroṣasya mukhaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva maithili| vidravanti paritrastāssurāśśakrapurogamāḥ

O Princess from Mithila, seeing my angry face even gods led by Indra take to their heels in fear.

यत्र तिष्ठाम्यहं तत्र मारुतो वाति शङ्कितः। तीव्रांशुश्शिशिरांशुश्च भयात्सम्पद्यते रविः।।3.48.8।।

yatra tiṣṭhāmyahaṃ tatra māruto vāti śaṅkitaḥ| tīvrāṃśuśśiśirāṃśuśca bhayātsampadyate raviḥ

Wherever I am, the Windgod blows with hesitation. So are the Sun and the Moon afraid of me. Afraid of me the Sun duly discharges his duties.

निष्कम्पपत्रास्तरवो नद्यश्च स्तिमितोदकाः। भवन्ति यत्र यत्राहं तिष्ठामि विचरामि च।।3.48.9।।

niṣkampapatrāstaravo nadyaśca stimitodakāḥ| bhavanti yatra yatrāhaṃ tiṣṭhāmi vicarāmi ca

Wherever I stay or move about, the leaves of trees do not shake, and the waters in rivers remain still.

मम पारे समुद्रस्य लङ्का नाम पुरी शुभा। सम्पूर्णा राक्षसैर्घोरैर्यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती।।3.48.10।।

mama pāre samudrasya laṅkā nāma purī śubhā| sampūrṇā rākṣasairghorairyathendrasyāmarāvatī

My city known as Lanka, teeming with terrific demons, is on the other side of the sea. It is beautiful like the city of Indra's Amaravati.

प्राकारेण परिक्षिप्ता पाण्डुरेण विराजता। हेमकक्ष्या पुरी रम्या वैढूर्यमयतोरणा।।3.48.11।।

prākāreṇa parikṣiptā pāṇḍureṇa virājatā| hemakakṣyā purī ramyā vaiḍhūryamayatoraṇā

The beautiful city of Lanka shines with its pale white ramparts and golden interiors. The entrance gates are encrusted with vaidurya (cat'seye).

हस्त्यश्वरथसम्बाधा तूर्यनादविनादिता। सर्वकालफलैर्वृक्षैस्सङ्कुलोद्द्यानशोभिता।।3.48.12।।

hastyaśvarathasambādhā tūryanādavināditā| sarvakālaphalairvṛkṣaissaṅkuloddyānaśobhitā

It is crowded with elephants, horses and chariots. It resounds with the music of trumpets. The trees in the delightful pleasuregardens yield fruits in all seasons.

तत्र त्वं वसती सीते राजपुत्रि मया सह। न स्मरिष्यसि नारीणां मानुषीणां मनस्विनि।।3.48.13।।

tatra tvaṃ vasatī sīte rājaputri mayā saha| na smariṣyasi nārīṇāṃ mānuṣīṇāṃ manasvini

O highminded princess, O Sita while living with me, you will not even think of other women.

भुञ्जाना मानुषान्भोगान्दिव्यांश्च वरवर्णिनि। न स्मरिष्यसि रामस्य मानुषस्य गतायुषः।।3.48.14।।

bhuñjānā mānuṣānbhogāndivyāṃśca varavarṇini| na smariṣyasi rāmasya mānuṣasya gatāyuṣaḥ

O blessed lady of fine complexion, while enjoying both human and heavenly pleasures with me there, you will not remember Rama who is a mortal of short lifespan.

स्थापयित्वा प्रियं पुत्रं राज्ञा दशरथेन यः। मन्दवीर्यस्सुतो ज्येष्ठस्ततः प्रस्थापितो वनम्।।3.48.15।।

sthāpayitvā priyaṃ putraṃ rājñā daśarathena yaḥ| mandavīryassuto jyeṣṭhastataḥ prasthāpito vanam

Considering the eldest son a weakling, king Dasaratha has sent him away to the forest so that he could consecrate his dear son(Bharata).

तेन किं भ्रष्टराज्येन रामेण गतचेतसा। करिष्यसि विशालाक्षि तापसेन तपस्विना।।3.48.16।।

tena kiṃ bhraṣṭarājyena rāmeṇa gatacetasā| kariṣyasi viśālākṣi tāpasena tapasvinā

O largeeyed Sita dislodged from the kingdom, Rama has lost his capacity to think. He is doing penance, assuming an ascetic role. What can he do (for you)?

सर्वराक्षसभर्तारं कामात्स्वयमिहागतम्। न मन्मथशराविष्टं प्रत्याख्यातुं त्वमर्हसि।।3.48.17।।

sarvarākṣasabhartāraṃ kāmātsvayamihāgatam| na manmathaśarāviṣṭaṃ pratyākhyātuṃ tvamarhasi

I am lord of all the demons. You should not reject me I am here (only because I am) overcome by the arrows of the god of love.

प्रत्याख्याय हि मां भीरु परितापं गमिष्यसि। चरणेनाभिहत्येव पुरूरवसमूर्वशी।।3.48.18।।

pratyākhyāya hi māṃ bhīru paritāpaṃ gamiṣyasi| caraṇenābhihatyeva purūravasamūrvaśī

O timid lady if you reject me, you will regret like Urvasi who kicked Pururava and regretted later.

अङ्गुल्या न समो रामो मम युद्धे स मानुषः। तव भाग्येन सम्प्राप्तं भजस्व वरवर्णिनि।।3.48.19।।

aṅgulyā na samo rāmo mama yuddhe sa mānuṣaḥ| tava bhāgyena samprāptaṃ bhajasva varavarṇini

O lady of fine complexion, Rama is a (mere) mortal. In war he is no match (even) for my finger. It is your good fortune that you have got me here. Take refuge in me.

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही क्रुद्धा संरक्तलोचना। अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यं रहिते राक्षसाधिपम्।।3.48.20।।

evamuktā tu vaidehī kruddhā saṃraktalocanā| abravītparuṣaṃ vākyaṃ rahite rākṣasādhipam

Thus addressed, Sita was enraged and her eyes turned red. She replied in harsh words to the chief of the demons in that solitary place:.

कथं वैश्रवणं देवं सर्वभूतनमस्कृतम्। भ्रातरं व्यपदिश्य त्वमशुभं कर्तुमिच्छसि।।3.48.21।।

kathaṃ vaiśravaṇaṃ devaṃ sarvabhūtanamaskṛtam| bhrātaraṃ vyapadiśya tvamaśubhaṃ kartumicchasi

Why do you wish to do something inauspicious by calling Lord Kubera who is worshipped by all beings your brother ?

अवश्यं विनशिष्यन्ति सर्वे रावण राक्षसाः। येषां त्वं कर्कशो राजा दुर्बुद्धिरजितेन्द्रियः।।3.48.22।।

avaśyaṃ vinaśiṣyanti sarve rāvaṇa rākṣasāḥ| yeṣāṃ tvaṃ karkaśo rājā durbuddhirajitendriyaḥ

O Ravana ,you are cruel and evilminded. You have no control over your senses. (And yet) you are the ruler of your breed. Surely they are going to be destroyed.

अपहृत्य शचीं भार्यां शक्यमिन्द्रस्य जीवितुम्। न च रामस्य भार्यां मामपनीयास्ति जीवितम्।।3.48.23।।

apahṛtya śacīṃ bhāryāṃ śakyamindrasya jīvitum| na ca rāmasya bhāryāṃ māmapanīyāsti jīvitam

It may be possible (for some one) to live after abducting Indra's wife, Sachi, but it is not possible for any one to live after kidnapping the wife of Rama.

जीवेच्चिरं वज्रधरस्य हस्ताच्छचीं प्रधृष्याप्रतिरूपरूपाम्। न मादृशीं राक्षस दूशयित्वा पीतामृतस्यापि तवास्ति मोक्षः।।3.48.24।।

jīvecciraṃ vajradharasya hastācchacīṃ pradhṛṣyāpratirūparūpām| na mādṛśīṃ rākṣasa dūśayitvā pītāmṛtasyāpi tavāsti mokṣaḥ

O demon, you may live long after forcibly snatching the most beautiful Sachi, from the hands of Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, but after abusing a woman like me, you will not be released from death even if you drink nectar. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे अष्टचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fortyeighty sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.