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|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 25

"...rurōda janakātmajā |" (25.1)
" ... hearing those words Janaka's daughter cried."
That is how the Sarga starts.

In this Sarga Sita goes through a churning, wondering why she is in this sorrowful condition. Knowing Sita is none other than Lakshmi , consort of Vishnu, there will be others too wondering why she is in that sorrowful condition.

For them the Tilaka Tika in its commentary has the following notes.- "ayaṁ sarvaḥ sītāpralāpō gr̥hīta manuṣya śarīratayā naṭavadanukaraṇarūpa iti bōddhavyaṁ"||

"Having taken the form of a human being, all these words of Sita are to be understood as words of an actor, who has taken on the form of a human being." Again Rama and Sita go through life as any common man would do. There-in lies the richness of Ramayana.

Continuing the text of Valmiki we now go through all Slokas with meanings and summary

||Sloka 25.01||

tathā tāsāṁ vadantīnāṁ paruṣaṁ dāruṇaṁ bahu|
rākṣasīnāṁ asaumyānāṁ rurōda janakātmajā||25.01||

sa|| atha asaumyānāṁ rākṣasīnāṁ bahu dāruṇaṁ paruṣaṁ vadantīnāṁ ( śrutvā) janakātmajā rurōda||

||Sloka meanings||

atha asaumyānāṁ rākṣasīnāṁ -
of the unpleasant Rakshasis
bahu dāruṇaṁ paruṣaṁ vadantīnāṁ ( śrutvā) - hearing the many harsh words of
bahu dāruṇamaina paruṣavākyamulanu māṭlāḍutunna
janakātmajā rurōda - the daughter of Janaka wept

||Sloka summary||

"Then hearing the many harsh words of the unpleasant Rakshasis the daughter of Janaka wept." ||25.01||

||Sloka 25.02||

ēvamuktvātu vaidēhī rākṣasībhirmanasvinī
uvāca paramatrastā bhāṣpagadgadayā girā||25.02||

sa|| ēvaṁ uktvā tu rākṣasībhiḥ manasvinī vaidēhī parama trastā bhāṣpagadgadayā girā uvāca||

||Sloka meanings||

ēvaṁ uktvā tu rākṣasībhiḥ -
having been told thus by the Rakshasa women
manasvinī vaidēhī parama trastā -
very much afraid Vaidehi
bhāṣpagadgadayā girā uvāca -
with a voice choking with tears spoke

||Sloka summary||

"Having been told thus by the Rakshasa women, very much afraid Vaidehi with a voice choking with tears spoke thus." ||25.02||

||Sloka 25.03||

na mānuṣī rākṣasasya bhāryābhavitumarhati|
kāmaṁ khādata māṁ sarvā na kariṣyāmi vō vacaḥ||25.03||

sa|| mānuṣī rākṣasasya bhāryā bhavituṁ na arhati māṁ sarvā kāmaṁ khādata vō vacaḥ na kariṣyāmi ||

||Sloka meanings||

mānuṣī - a human being
rākṣasasya bhāryā - wife of a Rakshasa
bhavituṁ na arhati - not possible
māṁ sarvā kāmaṁ khādata - you can all freely eat me
vō vacaḥ na kariṣyāmi - I will not do what you say'

||Sloka summary||

"A human being cannot be the wife of a Rakshasa. You can all freely eat me. I will not do what you say".||25.03||

||Sloka 25.04||

sā rākṣasīmadhyagatā sītā surasutōpamā|
na śarma lēbhē duḥkhārtā rāvaṇēna tarjitā||25.04||

sa|| rākṣasī madhyagatā rāvaṇēna tarjitā surasutōpamā sā sītā duḥkhārtā śarma na lēbhē ||

||Sloka meanings||

rākṣasī madhyagatā -
surrounded by the Rakshasa women
rāvaṇēna tarjitā -
threatened by Ravana
surasutōpamā sā sītā -
Sita, who is like the daughter of Gods
duḥkhārtā śarma na lēbhē -
could not get solace

||Sloka summary||

"Surrounded by the Rakshasa women, threatened by Ravana, Sita, who is like the daughter of Gods could not get solace." ||25.04||

||Sloka 25.05||

vēpatēsmādhikaṁ sītā viśantīvāṅga mātmanaḥ|
vanē yūdhaparibhraṣṭā mr̥gī kōkai rivārditā ||25.05||

sa|| vanē yūdhaparibhraṣṭā kōkaiḥ ārditā mr̥gī iva ātmanā aṅgaṁ viśantiḥ adhikaṁ vēpatē sma||

||Sloka meanings||

vanē yūdhaparibhraṣṭā -
separated from its herd
kōkaiḥ ārditā mr̥gī iva -
like a deer chased by the wolves
ātmanā aṅgaṁ viśantiḥ -
withdrew her limbs into herself
adhikaṁ vēpatē sma -
trembling excessively

||Sloka summary||

"Like the deer separated from its herd and chased by the wolves in the forest, Sita trembling excessively withdrew her limbs into herself." ||25.05||

||Sloka 25.06||

sā tvaśōkasya vipulāṁ śākhā mālambya puṣpitām|
cintayāmāsa śōkēna bhartāraṁ bhagnamānasā||25.06||

sa|| śōkēna bhagnamānasya sā aśōkasya puṣpitāṁ vipulaṁ śākhām ālambya bhartāraṁ cintayāmāsa||

||Sloka meanings||

śōkēna bhagnamānasya -
with a broken heart and in sorrow
sā aśōkasya puṣpitāṁ -
of the flowering Ashoka tree's
vipulaṁ śākhām - large branch
ālambya - holding
bhartāraṁ cintayāmāsa -
started thinking about her husband

||Sloka summary||

"With a broken heart and in sorrow, she held on to the flowering branches of that Ashoka tree and started thinking about her husband." ||25.06||

||Sloka 25.07||

sā snāpayantī vipulau stanau nētrajalasravaiḥ|
cintayantī na śōkasya tadānta madhigaccati||25.07||

sa|| tadā sā nētrajalasravaiḥ vipulau stanau snāpayaṁtī ciṁtayaṁtī sōkasya aṁtaṁ na adhigacchati ||

||Sloka meanings||

tadā sā nētrajalasravaiḥ -
with that flow of tears
vipulau stanau snāpayaṁtī -
bathing her large breasts
ciṁtayaṁtī - brooding
śōkasya aṁtaṁ na adhigacchati -
could not reach the other end of sorrow.

||Sloka summary||

"Then brooding and with the flow of tears bathing her breasts she could not reach the other end of the sea of sorrow." ||25.07||

||Sloka 25.08||

sā vēpamānā patitā pravātē kadaḷī yathā|
rākṣasīnāṁ bhayatrastā vivarṇavadanā'bhavat||25.08||

sa|| sā pravātē patitā vēpamānā kadaḷī yathā rākṣasīnāṁ bhayatrastā vivarṇavadanā abhavat ||

||Sloka meanings||

sā pravātē patitā kadaḷī yathā -
trembling like a fallen banana tree in stormy winds
rākṣasīnāṁ bhayatrastā -
frightened of the Rakshasa women
vēpamānā vivarṇavadanā abhavat -
crying she looked very pale

||Sloka summary||

"Trembling like a fallen banana tree in stormy winds , frightened of the Rakshasa women she looked very pale." ||25.08||

||Sloka 25.09||

tasyā ssā dīrghavipulā vēpantyā sītayā tadā|
dadr̥śē kampinī vēṇī vyāḷīva parisarpatī||25.09||

sa|| vēpaṁtyāḥ tasyāḥ dīrghavipulā kaṁpinī sā sītayā vēṇī vyālīva parisarpatī dadr̥śē||

||Sloka meanings||

vēpaṁtyāḥ sītayā -
by Sita who was trembling
tasyāḥ dīrghavipulā kaṁpinī vēṇī -
her long shaking braid
sā vyālīva parisarpatī dadr̥śē -
it was like a moving serpent

||Sloka summary||

The long luxuriant moving braid of Sita who was trembling looked like a moving serpent.||25.09||

||Sloka 25.10||

sā niśśvasantī duḥkhārtā śōkōpahatacētanā|
artā vyasr̥ja daśrūṇī maithilī vilalāpa ha||25.10||

sa|| duḥkhārtā śōkōpahatacētanā ārtā sā maithilī niḥśvasaṁtī aśrūṇi vyasr̥ja vilalāpa ha ||

||Sloka meanings||

duḥkhārtā śōkōpahatacētanā -
distressed and consciousness drowned in sorrow
ārtā sā maithilī -
afflicted Maithili
niḥśvasaṁtī -
breathing heavily
aśrūṇi vyasr̥ja vilalāpa ha -
cried shedding tears

||Sloka summary||

"The distressed and afflicted Mythili with her consciousness drowned in sorrow, breathing heavily cried shedding tears." ||25.10||

||Sloka 25.11||

hārāmēti ca duḥkhārtā hā punarlakṣmaṇēti ca|
hā śvaśru mama kausalyē hā sumitrēti bhāminī||25.11||

sa|| duḥkhārtā hā rāma iti punaḥ hā lakṣmaṇa iti hā mamaśvaśru kausalyē hāsumitrē iti ( vilalāpa ha)||

||Sloka meanings||

duḥkhārtā hā rāma iti -
afflicted and saying , 'O Rama'
punaḥ hā lakṣmaṇa iti -
again saying, 'O Lakshmana'
hā mamaśvaśru kausalyē -
O my mother-in-law Kausalya
hā sumitrē iti ( vilalāpa ha) -
'O Sumitra' so saying( she cried)

||Sloka summary||

"The afflicted lady cried saying 'Oh Rama, Oh Lakshmana, my mother in law O Kausalya, Oh Sumitra" .||25.11||

||Sloka 25.12||

lōka pravādaḥ satyō'yaṁ paṇḍitaissamudāhr̥taḥ|
akālē durlabhō mr̥tyu sstriyā vā puruṣasyavā||25.12||

||Sloka 25.13||
yatrāha mēvaṁ krūrābhī rākṣasībhi rihārditā|
jīvāmi hīnā rāmēṇa muhūrtamapi duḥkhitā||25.13||

sa|| yatra ahaṁ ēvaṁ krūrābhiḥ rākṣasībhiḥ ārditā iha rāmēṇa hīnā duḥkhārtā yadā muhūrtaṁ api jīvāmi (tadā) striyāvā puruṣasya vā akālē mr̥tyuḥ durlabhaḥ paṁḍitaḥ samudāhr̥taḥ (iti) ayaṁ lōkapravādaḥ satyaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

yatra ahaṁ - as I am
ēvaṁ krūrābhiḥ rākṣasībhiḥ ārditā -
tormented by the cruel Rakshasis
iha rāmēṇa hīnā duḥkhārtā -
drowning in sorrow separated from Rama
yadā muhūrtaṁ api jīvāmi -
if I am living even for a moment
striyāvā puruṣasya vā -
for a man or woman
akālē mr̥tyuḥ durlabhaḥ -
untimely death is difficult
paṁḍitaḥ samudāhr̥taḥ (iti) -
quoted by learned
ayaṁ lōkapravādaḥ satyaḥ -
this saying is true

||Sloka summary||

"As I am tormented by the cruel Rakshasis here , drowning in sorrow and separated from Rama, if I am living even for a moment, means that the often quoted saying of the learned that for a man or woman untimely death is difficult is true". ||25.12,13||

||Sloka 25.14||

ēṣa'lpapuṇyā kr̥paṇā vinaśiṣyāṁ anāthavat|
samudramadhyē nauḥ pūrṇā vāyuvēgai rivāhatā||25.14||

sa|| alpapuṇyayā kr̥paṇā ēṣā anāthavat samudramadhyē vāyuvēgaiḥ āhatā pūrṇā nauḥ iva vinaśiṣyāmi||

||Sloka meanings||

ēṣā alpapuṇyayā kr̥paṇā -
this lowly wretched woman
anāthavat - like an orphan
samudramadhyē -
in the middle of the ocean
vāyuvēgaiḥ āhatā pūrṇā nauḥ iva -
like full boat hit by stormy winds
vinaśiṣyāmi - destroyed

||Sloka summary||

"This lowly wretched woman who is like an orphan that I am , I will be destroyed like the full boat hit by stormy winds in the middle of the sea." ||25.14||

||Sloka 25.15||

bhartāraṁ taṁ apaśyantī rākṣasīvaśa māgatā|
sīdāmi khalu śōkēna kūlaṁ tōyahataṁ yathā||25.15||

sa|| bhartāraṁ taṁ apaśyaṁtī rākṣasī vaśaṁ āgatā tōyahataṁ tīraṁ yathā śōkēna sīdāmi khalu||

||Sloka meanings||

bhartāraṁ taṁ apaśyaṁtī -
unable to see that husband
rākṣasī vaśaṁ āgatā -
being in the control of the Rakshasis
tōyahataṁ tīraṁ yathā -
like the bank of a river hit by the water currents
śōkēna sīdāmi khalu -
collapsing in sorrow

||Sloka summary||

"Unable to see that husband, being in the control of the Rakshasis, I am collapsing in sorrow like the bank of a river hit by the water currents." ||25.15||

||Sloka 25.16||

taṁ padmadaḷapatrākṣaṁ siṁhavikrānta gāminam|
dhanyāḥ paśyanti mē nāthaṁ kr̥tajñaṁ priyavādinam||25.16||

sa|| padmadalapatrākṣaṁ siṁha vikrāṁta gāminaṁ kr̥tajñaṁ priyavādinaṁ mē nāthaṁ pasyaṁti (tē) dhanyāḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

padmadalapatrākṣaṁ -
one who has eyes like that of a lotus petal
siṁha vikrāṁta gāminaṁ -
one who walks with the majesty of a lion
kr̥tajñaṁ priyavādinaṁ -
who is ever grateful, who is sweet in his talk.
mē nāthaṁ paśyanti (tē) dhanyāḥ -
those who can see my husband are blessed

||Sloka summary||

"Those who can see that husband of mine who has eyes like that of a lotus petal, who walks with the majesty of a lion, who is ever grateful, they are indeed blessed." ||25.16||

||Sloka 25.17||

sarvathā tēna hīnayā rāmēṇa viditātmanā|
tīkṣṇaṁ viṣamivā''svādya durlabhaṁ mama jīvanam||25.17||

sa|| viditātmanā tēna rāmēṇa hīnāyāḥ mama tīkṣṇaṁ viṣaṁ āsvādyēva jīvitaṁ sarvathā durlabham||

||Sloka meanings||

viditātmanā tēna -
by him who has realized self
rāmēṇa hīnāyāḥ mama -
for me separated from Rama
jīvitaṁ sarvathā durlabham -
life is impossible in all ways
tīkṣṇaṁ viṣaṁ āsvādyēva -
like that one who drank venom

||Sloka summary||

"Separated from Rama the one who has realized self, my life is impossible like that of one who drank venom." ||25.17||

||Sloka 25.18||

kīdr̥śaṁ tu mahāpāpaṁ purā janmāntarē kr̥tam|
yēnēdaṁ prāpyatē duḥkhaṁ mayā ghōraṁ sudāruṇam||25.18||

sa|| yēna mayā ghōraṁ sudāruṇaṁ idaṁ duḥkhaṁ prāpyatē kīdr̥śaṁ mahāpāpaṁ (mayā) purā janmāṁtarē kr̥taṁ||

||Sloka meanings||

yēna mayā -
by which I am subject to
idaṁ ghōraṁ sudāruṇaṁ -
this terrible cruel
duḥkhaṁ prāpyatē -
obtain this sorrow
kīdr̥śaṁ mahāpāpaṁ (mayā) -
what kind of great sin (I might have)
purā janmāṁtarē kr̥taṁ -
committed in my previous birth ?

||Sloka summary||

"That I am subject to this terrible cruel sorrow, means what kind of great sin I might have committed in my previous birth ? ||25.18||

||Sloka 25.19||

jīvitaṁ tyaktu micchāmi śōkēna mahatā vr̥tā|
rākṣasībhiśca rakṣyantyā rāmō nāsādyatē mayā||25.19||

sa|| mahatā śōkēna āvr̥tā jīvitaṁ tyaktuṁ icchāmi | rāmaḥ mayā āsādyatē na (yadā ahaṁ) rākṣasībhiḥ surakṣitā||

||Sloka meanings||

mahatā śōkēna āvr̥tā -
filled with this great sorrow
jīvitaṁ tyaktuṁ icchāmi -
I want to give up my life
rāmaḥ mayā āsādyatē na -
Rama cannot get me
(yadā ahaṁ) rākṣasībhiḥ surakṣitā-
(while I am) protected by these Rakshasis

||Sloka summary||

"Filled with this great sorrow I want to give up my life. Rama cannot get me , while I am protected by these Rakshasis". ||25.19||

||Sloka 25.20||

dhi gastu khalu mānuṣyaṁ dhigastu paravaśyatām|
na śakyaṁ yatparityaktu mātmacchandēna jīvitam||25.20||

sa|| mānuṣyaṁ dhik astu | paravaśyatāṁ dhik astu | yat ātmachaṁdēna jivitaṁ parityaktuṁ (api) na śakyaṁ khalu ||

||Sloka meanings||

mānuṣyaṁ dhik astu -
fie upon human life
paravaśyatāṁ dhik astu -
fie upon dependence
yat ātmachaṁdēna jivitaṁ parityaktuṁ (api) -
though I wish to give up life
na śakyaṁ khalu -
I am unable to

||Sloka summary||

" Fie upon human life. Fie upon dependence. Though I wish to give up life I am unable to'. ||25.20||

Thinking that she alone is responsible for her pitiable state, Sita says " What kind of great sin I might have committed in my previous birth ? Filled with this great sorrow I want to give up my life. Rama cannot get me , while I am protected by these Rakshasis.
Fie upon human life. Fie upon dependence. Though I wish to give up life I am unable to".

When the Tamo and Rajo Gunas of Prakruti are in ascendancy , he one in distress blames everybody else for his misfortune. Only when they are in control and in the ascendency of Sattva one may look inwards to see why of the distress. In Sita's distress that is what we learn .

Thus we see Sita was lamenting about her fate in the Ashoka grove in Sarga twenty-five.

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē paṁcaviṁśassargaḥ||

Thus ends Sarga twenty-five of Sundarakanda in Ramayana , the first ever poem composed in Sanskrit by the first poet sage Valmiki.

॥om tat sat||
||ओम् तत् सत्॥