Sundara Kanda 21

Chapter 21

In this chapter Seetha replies to Ravana saying that He should seek friendship with Rama and return Her back to Rama.

tasya tadvachanam shrutvaa siitaa raudrasya rakSasaH |
aartaa diinasvaraa diinam pratyuvaacha tataH shanaiH || 5-21-1

Seetha listening to that horrible ogre's word, being tormented spoke in reply with a pitiable voice, pitifully and slowly.

duHkhaartaa rudatii siitaa vepamaanaa tapasvinii |
chintayantii varaaroha patimeva pativrataa || 5-21-2
tR^iNamantarataH kR^itvaa pratyuvaacha shuchismitaa |

Being tormented by grief, in a pitiful state, with excellent limbs, devoted to husband, thinking about husband alone, with pleasant smiles Seetha was sobbing, shivering and placing a straw in between herself and Ravana spoke thus in reply with a smile.

Mother Seetha placed the straw in between her and Ravana to indicate

-          that she is not supposed to talk to him directly

-          straw is eligible to talk to her but not Ravana

-          like the dried straw, Ravana is also ready to be burnt

-          if Rama becomes angry, Ravana also will meet with the same fate as the Crow which ran through the three worlds, to save his life,  with a  dried straw following it everywhere

Seetha is the incarnation of Sri Maha Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu. When a son speaks angrily, mother out of compassion speaks with affection and smile. Similarly, Seetha had not got angry over Ravana. She pitied Ravana and thought that he is asking for the one which he is not supposed to and continued to say with a laugh on Her face ….

nivartaya mano mattaH svajane kriyataaM manaH || 5-21-3
na maaM praarthayituM yuktaM susiddhimiva paapakR^it |

"Turn your mind back from me. Let your mind be made on your own wives. Like best emancipation for a sinner, it is not appropriate to you to pray me."

Here mother Seetha is giving advice to those who think badly about other’s spouses and also to all Jivas who think that the soul (which belongs to God)  is body and is independent. The nature and the living souls belong to the God.

The ideas “I” and “Mine” are caused by mind.

Mind is like a tortoise. Like a tortoise, it gets killed if one makes it fall on its back. Similarly, the sound /word “Mana: ” becomes “Nama: ” if we reverse it. If we contemplate on this, we can get rid of the thought of enacting soul as per the wish of the mind.

Ma: = Mine    Na=Not     Na ma: = Not mine.  If one acts with this thought, it becomes renunciation and mind can not rule such individuals. Hence, Seetha advised Ravana to turn away his mind from Her.

akaaryam na mayaa kaaryamekapatnyaa vigarhitam || 5-21-4
kulam sampraaptayaa puNyam kule mahati jaatayaa |

"I was born in a great family lineage and is appropriate to have one husband. I can not do any blameashable act. "

evamuktvaa tu vaidehii raavaNam tam yashasvinii || 5-21-5
raavaNam pR^iSThataH kR^itvaa bhuuyo vachanambraviit |

Seetha, the renown, thus speaking to that Ravana, turned back and spoke words again.

vaahamaupayikii bhaaryaa parabhaaryaa satii tava || 5-21-6
saadhu dharmamavekshasva saadhu saadhuvratam chara |

"I  am wife of another and devoted to husband, and am not suitable wife to you. Observe righteousness. Follow the right path of conduct of virtuous."

yathaa tava tathaanyeSaaM daaraa rakSyaa vishaachara || 5-21-7
aatmaanamupamaaM kR^itvaa sveSu daareSu ramyataam |

"O Ogre! How your wives are to be protected, in the same way others' wives are to be protected. Making yourself as an example enjoy your own wives."

atuSTaM sveSu daareSu chapalam chalitendriyam || 5-21-8
nayanti nikR^itiprajJNaM paradaaraaH paraabhavam |

"One who is not satisfied in own wives, a fickle-minded one with disturbed senses, mean minded one, will be humiliated by other’s wives."

iha santo na vaa santi sato vaa naanuvartase || 5-21-9
tathaahi vipariitaa te buddhiraachaaravarjitaa |

"Are there not good people here? Or are you not following those who are good? Your behavior indicates the perverted nature of yours."

vacho mithyaapraNiitaatmaa pathyamuktaM vichakSaNaiH || 5-21-10
raakshasaanaamabhaavaaya tvam vaa na vratipadyase |

"You who is being led by mind towards unreal is not taking the advise of righteous elders and is leading in the path which would lead to destruction of ogres."

aakR^itaatmaanamaasaadya raajaanamanaye ratam || 5-21-11
samR^iddhaani vinashyanti raaSTraaNi nagaraaNi cha |
tatheyam tvaam samaasaadya laN^kaa ratnaughasamkulaa || 5-21-12
aparaadhaattavaikasya vachiraadvinashiSyati |

"After getting a king who has uncontrolled mind, interested in a bad path, wealthy states and cities also will be destroyed.  Having a king like those in you,  Lanka which is filled with best things, in a short while will be destroyed due to your sin."

svakR^itairhanyamaanasya aavaNaadiirghadarshinaH || 5-21-13
abhinandanti bhuutaani vinaashe paapakarmaNaH |

"O Ravana! living beings will be happy when a sinner like you is destroyed by your own short sighted sin.

evaM tvaaM paapakarmaaNam vakSyanti nikR^itaa janaaH || 5-21-14
diSTyaitad vyasanaM praapto raudra ityeva harSitaaH |

"People who have been humiliated by you will be happy the day you are killed and being happy will speak thus: 'The cruel Ravana by God's grace has got this danger' ".

shakyaa lobhayituM naahamaishvaryeNa dhanena vaa || 5-21-15
ananyaa raaghaveNaahaM bhaaskareNa prabhaa yathaa |

"I will not be tempted by wealth or by money. I am not separate with Raghava like the sun-shine with the sun."

Godess Lakshmi remains with Lord Vishnu in all places and all conditions. Mother Seeta is indicating here that  she is Godess Lakshmi.

upadhaaya bhujam tasya lokanaathasya satkR^itam || 5-21-16
katham naamopadhaasyaami bhujamanyasya kasya chit |

"I have surrender to the Lord of the World,  whom all the Jivas asks for boons, and took the protection from His shoulder as pillow. How can I make as pillow some other one's shoulder?"

ahamaupayiikii bhaaryaa tasyaiva vasudhaapateH || 5-21-17
vratasnaatasya viprasya vidyeva viditaatmanaH |

"Like the education of a brahmin with a famous mind, initiated in religious vow, I am suitable wife to that Rama alone the lord of earth."

saadhu raavaNa raameNa maaM samaanaya duHkhitaam || 5-21-18
vane vaashitayaa saartham kareNveva gajaadhipam |

"O Ravana! Let me meet together with Rama like a female elephant with a male elephant in a forest."

Mother Seeta is suggesting to all those who seek self realization to not to, once again, get enticed by mundane pleasures.  Every moment should be spent in meditation on Him and also thoughts should be filled with He as Protector.

Since there is no one to advice Ravana, mother Seeta is advising him further ….

mitramaupayikam kartum raamaH sthaanam pariipsataa || 5-21-19
vadham chaanichchhataa ghoraM tvayaasau puruSarSabhaH |

Those who desire continuous existence and not desired to be slayed should make friendship with Rama, who is the best amongst the men.

viditaH sa hi dharmajJNaH sharaNaagatavatsalaH || 5-21-20
tena maitrii bhavatu te yadi jiivitumicchasi |

"Rama, the righteous one, is indeed known as one who loves those who seek His protection. If you desire to live, let there be friendship between you and Rama."

Ravana is egoistic. If he is asked to surrender, he may refuse. Hence, mother Seeta suggesting to Ravana to make friendship with Rama. Mother Seeta thought that Ravana might agree for friendship, since friendship indicates that two are equal.

Further, She said, that “If you desire to live, let there be friendship between you and Rama.". The existence and identity of all the living and non-living objects are dependent on the Supreme God. If one wants to fell a branch of tree, he/she is supposed to make that branch of tree as base and break it. Similarly, those who want to steal those belonging to Him should surrender /make friendship with Him to protect his existence or identity.

Mothere Seeta making it clear to Ravana that for happy living  in this world with this physical form (body) and to leave this form, one needs His grace, and without His grace one will not get peaceful death. (Because of this truth, Ravana lost all his worriers, relatives, friends, brothers, sons, all his heads and finally met with a pitiable death).

Here is a specific indication in saying  “tena maitrii bhavatu te yadi jiivitumicchasi |” –  “If you desire to live, let there be friendship between you and Rama." All of us think that the movement or motion of this physical body indicates one is alive or dead. However, it is not true. Like the soul to the physical body, God is to the soul (the life/existence of soul is dependent on Paramatma).  Thus,  living together with God is  real life/existence of the soul.

Ravana ! do not think Rama may not pardon you as you have made a mistake. Rama is well known for his compassion and as protector of those who seek him. He never minds the mistakes of those who seek His protection.

We all do many mistakes which make god angry. There is no excuse for the mistakes and not all yagna can get rid of the fruits of mistakes. The only way to come out of the karmic fruits of such deeds is to believe in His compassion and His noble quality to protect all those who seek Him and thus love Him and seek His affection.

prasaadayasva tvaM chanaM sharaNaagatavatsalam || 5-21-21
maaM chaasmai niyato bhuutvaa niryaatayitumarhasi |

"You seek graciousness of this Rama who loves those who seek protection. Becoming piously disposed, you are suited to return me to this Rama."

evam hi te bhavetsvasti sampradaaya raghuuttame || 5-21-22
anyathaa tvam hi kurvaNo vadham praapsyasi raavaNa |

"In this way giving me to Rama will become fortunate to you. O Ravana! If you do in a different way, you will get slayed."

This advise of mother Seeta is the advise to all of us,  who are in this worldly affairs. All of us who enjoy His creations as ours,  need to realize that all those surrounding us belong to Him and enjoy only those which we are supposed to (as described in Veda and other scriptures) that too only after offering it to Him who is dwelling in all of us.

varjayedvajramutsR^iSTaM varjayedantakashchiram || 5-21-23
tvadvidham tu na sa kruddho lokanaathaH sa raaghavaH |

"Drawn out Vajrayudha, the weapon of Indra may spare some one like you. Lord of death may spare you for a long time. That Rama the lord of worlds greatly enraged will not spare you."

raamasya dhanuSaH shabdaM shroSyasi tvaM mahaasvanam || 5-21-24
shatakratuvisR^iSTasya nirghoSamashaneriva |

"Like the great sound of Vajrayudha hurled by Indra, you will hear a loud sound which is sonorous of Rama's bow."

iha shiigraM suparvaaNo jvalitaasya ivoragaaH || 5-21-25
iSavo nipatiSyanti raamalakSmaNalakSaNaaH |

"Arrows with good nodes, with blazing tips, like snakes, with characteristic signs of Rama and Lakshmana will fall down soon here in Lanka."

rakSaaMsi parinighnastaH puryaamasyaaM samantataH || 5-21-26
asampaataM kariSyanti patantaH kaN^kavaasasaH |

"Arrows tied with the plumes of an eagle will hit ogres everywhere in this city and will cover the city without space."

raakshasendramahaasarpaan sa raamagaruDo mahaan || 5-21-27
uddhariSyati vegena vainateya ivoragaan |

"That Garuda called Rama speedily will pluck the great serpants called ogres like Vainateya plucking the serpants."

apaneSyati maaM bhartaa tvattaH shiighramarindamaH || 5-21-28
asurebhyaH shriyaM diiptaaM viSNustribhiriva kramaiH |

"My husband who is a destroyer of foes will take me away from you like Lord Vishnu with three steps taking away the brilliant prosperity from Asuras."

janasthaane hatasthaane nihate rakSasaaM bale || 5-21-29
ashaktena tvayaa rakSaH kR^itametadasaadhu vai |

"O ogre! While the army of ogres was being killed at Janasthana which became the land of dead, this bad deed has been done by you being powerless."

ashramam tu tayoH shuunyaM pravishya narasimhayoH || 5-21-30
gocharaM gatayorrbhaatrorapaniitaa tvayaadhama |

"O lowest one! When those brothers were gone out, entering hermitage without them, I have been abducted by you."

na hi gandhamupaaghraaya raamalakSmaNayostvayaa || 5-21-31
shakyaM samdarshane sthaatuM shunaa shaarduulayoriva |

"Like tiger by dog, smelling the scent of Rama and Lakshmana it is indeed not possible by you to stand in their view."

tasya te vigrahe taabhyaaM yugagrahaNamasthiram || 5-21-32
vR^itrasyevendrabaahubhyaaM baahorekasya vigrahe |

"To you like that, enmity with those two is like the enmity of one hand of Vruttasura with two hands of Indra and it is not persevering for you to be an opponent with them."

kShipraM tava sa naatho me raamaH saumitriNaa saha || 5-21-33
toyamalpamivaadityaH praanaanaadaasyate sharaiH |

"My husband that Rama together with Lakshmana will take away with His arrows your life quickly like the sun drying up shallow water."

giriM kuberasya gato.athavaalayam |
sabhaaM gato vaa varuNasya raajJNaH |
asaMshayaM daasharatherna mokSyase |
mahaadrumaH kaalahato.ashaneriva || 5-21-34

"Killed by time even if you go to the mountain of Kubera or to his house or if you go to the assembly of King Varuna, without doubt you will not be relased from Rama like a great tree from thunderbolt."

 ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe ekaviMshaH sargaH

Thus completes 21st Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.