Sundara Kanda 20

Chapter 20

In this chapter Ravana entices Seetha with wealth, gems, sovereignty over all wives of Ravana.

sa taam parivR^itaaM diinaaM niraanandaaM tapasviniim |
saakaarai: madhurai: vaakyai: nyadarshayata raavaNaH || 5-20-1

Ravana conveyed his feelings to mother Seetha ,  who was surrounded by ogresses, wretched,  without happiness, looking pitiable and in pensive mood thinking of Rama.

maaM dR^iSTvaa naaganaasoru guuhamaanaa stanodaram |
adarshanamivaatmaanaM bhayaannetuM tvamichchasi || 5-20-2

kaamaye tvaam vishaalaakshi bahumanyasva maaM priye |
sarvaaN^gaguNasampanne sarvalokamanohare || 5-20-3

neha kechinmanuSyaa vaa raakshasaaH kaamaruupiNaH |
vyapasarpatu te siite bhayam mattaH samutthitam || 5-20-4

O lovable one!  Due to fear of looking at me, you are covering your trunk and belly. "O wide eyed one! You are endowed with bodily excellencies, pleasing to all people. I desire you. respect me. O Seetha! Here there are no humans or ogres with ability to change form. Let your fear caused due to me be removed."

From these statements of Ravana, we should understand how our mind tries to entangle us by cheating our conscience by showing several preys.

We fear to see or talk those things which we are not supposed to see or talk out of fear that some one dear to us or known to us observes that and dislike us. However, we never hesitate to do such things when no one observes us.

Those  who does not believe in God, and does not see God in all and surroundings, thinks that there is no one to notice our deeds and we can do anything we want,   Indicating this Ravana,  questioned mother Seetha,  “Why do you fear.. no one is here.”

svadharmo rakshasaaM bhiiru sarvathaiva na samshayaH |
gamanaM vaa parastriiNaam haraNam sampramathya vaa || 5-20-5

"O one with fear! Obtaining women belonging to others or abducting by force is the righteous deed for ogres by all means. There is no doubt in this."

                                                                                                            

The mind incites the atma (soul) that belongs to the Paramaatma, and makes them dance according to its whims. This is the nature of our mind. By nature Soul is pure. However, due to karmic deeds it bows to the mind when it enters in the physical body.  Al lsouls are like women belonging to others as they belong to God and are borne by Him. Ravana’s words indicate that the nature of the mind is to take control of souls and direct it according to its ideas.

evaM caitadakaamaaM tu na tvaaM sprakshyaami maithili |
kaamam kaamaH shariire me athaakaamaM praartataam || 5-20-6

"O Seetha! Though it is righteous to demons to abduct other’s woman, I will not touch you without your desire."

devi neha bhayam kaaryam mayi vishvasihi priye |
praNayasva cha tatvaena maivam bhuuH shikalaalasaa || 5-20-7

"O queen of my heart! Don’t be fearful. O love! Believe in me. Truly become mine with love. Do not become absorbed in sorrow like this."

We should take note of the Ravanas words – evaM caitadakaamaaM tu na tvaaM sprakshyaami maithili | - Though it is righteous to demons to abduct other’s woman, I will not touch you without your desire.

This reveals the secret behind the mind abducting the soul. Though it is the nature of the mind to abduct the souls, it will not do that to those souls that have no desire to act according to its directions. Thus, the desire is the cause of the bondage of souls with the physical body and the mind embedded in it. It is because of the desire of mother Seetha to have the golden deer (inspite of being in presence of God),  Ravana could capture Her. However, as She is thinking now only of RAMA and she does not want none else, Ravana could not touch her.

evaM caitadakaamaaM ….. (20.6)

“Akaama” word has two meanings. One is WITHOUT DESIRE and the other is ONE WITH DESIRE ON VISHNU (since “A” means Vishnu as Lord Krishna revealed in Bhagavadgita). Those souls which meditates on Vishnu and do not want anything other than Vishnu shall not be entangled by mind or mundane pleasures.

Ravana continued to say further,

ekaveNii dharaashayyaa dhyaanaM malinamambaram |
asthaane.apyupavaasashcha naitaanyaupayikaani te || 5-20-8

"Single plait, the bed of ground,mediation,dirty cloth,fasting at an inappropriate time - all these are not useful to you."

vichitraaNi cha maalyaani chandanaanyagaruuNi cha |
vividhaani cha vaasaaMsi dvyaanyaabharaNaani cha || 5-20-9
mahaarhaNi cha paanaani shayanaanyaasanaani cha |
giitam nR^ittaM cha vaadyaM cha labha maM praapya maithili || 5-20-10

"O Seetha! Please accept and enjoy wonderful garlands, sandals, Agallochums, a variety of cloths and best ornaments, the best drinks, beds and seats, song and dance and musical instrument."

striiratnamasi maivam bhuuH kuru gaatreSu bhuuSaNam |
maaM praapya hi katham nu syaastvamanarhaa suvigrahe || 5-20-11

"You are a gem among women. Do not be like this. Make decoration on your limbs. O one with a good body! Getting me how will you become unsuited for luxuries?"

idam te chaaru samjaatam yauvanam vyativartate |
yadatiitaM punarnaiti srotaH shiighramapaamiva || 5-20-12

"This your youth born beautifully is passing away. Like the flow of water, whichever youth is quickly passing away will not come back again."

tvaaM kR^itvoparato manye ruupakartaa sa vishvasR^ik |
na hi ruupopamaa tvanyaa tavaasti shubhadarshane || 5-20-13

"O one with auspicious appearance! The creator of form, that creator of the world, Lord Brahma has made you and stopped - I think thus. There is not another who is equal to your appearance."

Our mind also advice us in the same way as Ravana did to mother Sita. When we are in the path of self realization, to divert attention our mind does make us contemplate … Why the long hair? Why the meditation? Why saffron robes? Why the penance? Why the prayers? Why to fast? Why the dirty clothes? ….When we are in the stage to enjoy  mundane pleasures, why to ignore them? If so at this time, can we enjoy them at a later stage? ….

Those who think the soul is nothing but physical body, would think that this human birth is to enjoy all we come across. Like Ravana , these are worried that the youth is getting wasted or running out without much enjoyment. Human birth is like the youth stage in soul’s journey. Before it passes away, one should realize the true nature of soul and its relation to God. This is the  secret behind saying that all God’s are ever youthful. Those who have undissociated  thought on Paramatma are Gods. That is the real youth.

Ravana continues to say …..

tvaam samaaasaadya vaidehi ruupayauvanashaaliniim |
kaH pumaanativarteta saakshaadapi pitaamahaH || 5-20-14

"O Seetha! Obtaining you endowed with beauty and youth, which man even if he is Lord Brahma himself will disregard (leave) you."

yadyatpashyaami te gaatram shiitaamshusadR^ishaanane |
tasmimstasmin pR^idhushroNi cakshurmama nibadhyate || 5-20-15

"O one with face like that of moon! O one with broad hips! Your whichever limb I see, my eye is getting tied in that that limb."

bhava maithili bhaayaa me mohamenam visarjaya |
bahviinaamuttamastriiNaamaahR^itaanaamitastataH || 5-20-16
sarvaapaameva bhadraM te mamaagramahiSii bhava |

"O Seetha! Become my wife. Leave this ignorance. In all my many best women brought from here and there, become foremost consort. Let there be auspicious to you."

lokebho yaani ratnaani sampramathyaahR^itaani vai || 5-20-17
taani me bhiiru sarvaaNi raajyam chaitadahaM cha te |

"O timid one! Whatever gems that have been brought by force, all those, my  this kingdom and also myself belong to you."

vijitya pR^ithiviiM sarvaaM naanaanagaramaaliniim || 5-20-18
janakaaya pradaasyaami tava hetorvilaasini |

"O charmful lady! Conquering the entire earth together with chain of various cities for your sake, I can give to king Janaka.

neha pashyaami loke.anyam yo me pratibalo bhavet || 5-20-19
pashya me sumahadviiryamapratidvandvamaahave |

"In this world I do not see another one who is equally matched to me. See my very great power."

asakR^itsamyuge bhagnaa mayaa vimR^iditadhvajaaH || 5-20-20
ashaktaaH pratyaniikeSu sthaatuM mama suraasuraaH |

"Suras and Asuras defeated with broken flags by me in war many times are powerless to stand in an army against me."

ichchha maaM kriyataamadya pratikarma tavottamam || 5-20-21
saprabhaaNyavasajyantaaM tavaaMge bhuuSaNaani cha |
saadhu pashyaami te ruupam samyuktaM pratikarmaNaa || 5-20-22

"Desire me! Now let your best decoration be made. On your body let ornaments also with great brilliance be fit. I will see well your form together with decoration."

pratikarmaabhisamyuktaa daakshiNyena varaanane |
bhumkSva bhogaanyathaakaamaM piba bhiiru ramasva cha || 5-20-23

"O one with best face! O timid one! With consideration enjoy luxuries according to your desire together with decoration. Drink. Rejoice."

yathechchham cha prayachchha tvaM pR^ithiviim vaa dhanaani cha |
lalasva mayi visrabdhaa dhR^iSTamaajJNaapayasva cha || 5-20-24

"You donate land and wealth according to your wish. With confidence behave freely in my matter. Fearlessly order also."

matrpasaadaallalantyaashcha lalantaaM baandhavaastava |
buddhiM mamaanupashya tvam shriyam bhadre yashashcha me || 5-20-25

" By my grace with your sporting, tour relatives will also sport. O auspicious one! You see my wealth and my fame."

kiM kariSyasi raameNa subhage chiiravaasasaa |
nikSiptavijayo raamo gatashriirvanagocharaH || 5-20-26
vratii sthaNDilashaayii cha shaN^ke jiivati vaa na vaa |

"O beautiful one! What can you do with Rama clad in tatters, with lost hope of victory, with gone fortune. Roaming in forests, observing austerities and also sleeping on floor, I doubt if Rama is alive or not."

na hi vaidehi raamstvaaM draSTuM vaa pyupalassyate || 5-20-27
purobalaakairasitairme ghorjyotsnaamivaavR^itaam |

"O Seetha, Rama indeed does not get opportunity even to see you like moonlight covered by dark clouds with cranes at the front."

na chaapi mama hastaattvaaM praaptumarhati raaghavaH || 5-20-28
hiraNyakashipuH kiirtimindrahastagataamiva |

"Like Keerthi got by Hiranyakasipu from Indra's hand, Rama is not suited to get you from my hands."

chaarusmite chaarudati chaarunetre vilaasini || 5-20-29
mano harasi me bhiiru suparNaH panngaM yathaa |

"O one with a beautiful smile! O one with beautiful teeth!O one with beautiful eyes! O charmful one! O timid one! You are stealing my heart like a serpent stolen by Garuda.

kliSTakausheyavasanaam tanviimapyanalamkR^itaam || 5-20-30
tvaaM dR^iSTvaa sveSu daareSu ratiM nopalabhaamyaham |

"You are Wearing a silk cloth in a bad condition. You are emaciated. Even though you have not decorated, seeing you I am not getting happiness in my wives."

antH puravinaasinyaH striyaH sarvaguNaanvitaaH || 5-20-31
yaavantyo mama sarvaasaamaishvaram kuru jaanaki |

"O Seetha!  have sovereignty on all of  women living in gynaeceum endowed with all virtues,."

mama hyasitakeshaante trailokyapravaraaH striyaH || 5-20-32
taastvaaM parichariSyanti shriyamapsaraso yathaa |

"O one with black hair! My those women who are the best among the three worlds will serve you like the  apsarasas serve goddess of wealth."

yaani vaishravaNe subhru ratnaani cha dhanaani cha || 5-20-33
taani lokaamshcha sushroNi maaM cha bhumkSva yathaasukham |

"O one with beautiful hips! O one with beuatiful eyebrows! Enjoy according to your comfort whatever gems and wealth belonging to Kubera, all those three worlds and me."

na raamastapasaa devi na balena vikramaiH || 5-20-34
na dhanena mayaa tulyastejasaa yashasaapi vaa |

"O Seetha! Rama is not equal to me by austerity, not equal by might; not equal by strength, not equal by wealth or by brilliance and by fame."

These are the thoughts and words of the jives who think that body is soul. This is the behavior of the egoistic mind. It leads to a thought of “I am greater than God”. This takes us away from the God by enticing us to wealth, luxuries and other mundane pleasures. Let us see the last words of Ravana, which are similar to what our mind advice, us every day.

piba vihara ramasva bhuMkSva bhogaan |
dhananichauam pradishaami mediniim cha |
mayi lala lalane yathaasukham tvam |
tvayi cha sametya lalantu baandhavvaste || 5-20-35

"O playful one! I will give hordes of wealth and land. You drink. Roam freely and play. Enjoy luxuries. Sport  according to comfort in me. Your relatives may sport together in you."

Reading this verse one feels as if it is like the wayward walk of a drunkard. This is the bad advice given by our mind everyday.   It says as if it the only means and ends of the birth in the human form. Ravana advised the same.

kanakavimalahaarabhuuSitaaN^gii |
vihara mayaa saha bhiiru kaananaani || 5-20-36

"O timid one! With body decorated with gold colored, pure garlands, roam with me in forests born at sea shore filled with groups of flowered trees and with humble bees."

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe vimShaH sargaH

Thus completes 20th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.