“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34
Sarama Discloses Ravana’s Plans to Sita
Summary
Seetha asks Sarama to go secretly to Ravana and get to know what he is doing as well as report to her back about Ravana’s decision about the matter of releasing her or continuing to keep her captive. Sarama secretly hears the conversation of Ravana with his ministers and reports to Seetha that Ravana is not inclined to set her free. Sarama consoles Seetha, saying that Rama with his sharp arrows will kill Ravana and take her back to Ayodhya.
Chapter [Sarga] 34 in Detail
atha taam jaata samtaapaam tena vaakyena moditaam |
saramaa hlaadayaam aasa mahiim dagdhaamivaambhasaa || 6-34-1
Seetha, who was overwhelmed with anguish on hearing Ravana’s words, was comforted and rendered happy by Sarama, as parched earth is solaced by rain.
tatas tasyaa hitam sakhyaash cikiirsantii sakhii vacah |
uvaaca kaale kaalajnaa smita puurva abhibhaasinii || 6-34-2
Desiring to be of further service to her friend Seetha, the affectionate Sarama, skilled in the knowledge of time, smiling while talking, spoke the following words at that appropriate time.
utsaheyam aham gatvaa tvad vaakyam asita iiksane |
nivedya kushalam raame praticchannaa nivartitum || 6-34-3
“O, black eyed lady! I am capable of carrying a message of your words and good will to Rama and to return secretly.”
Page 1 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 na hi me kramamaanaayaa niraalambe vihaayasi |
samartho gatim anvetum pavano garudo api vaa || 6-34-4
“When I am journeying in the sky self -supported, neither the god of wind nor Garuda the eagle can follow my movement.”
evam bruvaanaam taam siitaa saramaam punar abraviit |
madhuram shlaksnayaa vaacaa puurva shoka abhipannayaa || 6-34-5
To Sarama, who was speaking as aforesaid, Seetha her voice no longer charged with grief, gently and sweetly replied in the following words:
samarthaa gaganam gantum api vaa tvam rasaa talam |
avagacchaamy akartavyam kartavyam te mad antare || 6-34-6
“You are capable of going to heaven or to the penultimate subterranean region. Know from me today the duty that has got to be performed by you for my sake.”
mat priyam yadi kartavyam yadi buddhih sthiraa tava |
jnaatum icchaami tam gatvaa kim karoti iti raavanah || 6-34-7
“If your intention is to act kindly towards me and your resolve is firm, I wish you to go and know what Ravana is doing now.”
sa hi maayaa balah kruuro raavanah shatru raavanah |
maam mohayati dusta aatmaa piita maatraa iva vaarunii || 6-34-8
“That cruel and evil minded Ravana, equipped with strength in the shape of conjuring tricks, who makes his enemies cry has bemused me, as spirituous liquor bemuses one, the moment it is imbibed.”
Page 2 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 tarjaapayati maam nityam bhartsaapayati ca asakrt |
raaksasiibhih sughoraabhir yaa maam raksanti nityashah || 6-34-9
“He causes me to be threatened by words all the time by the most frightful ogresses, who always surround me and insult me by their act repeatedly.”
udvignaa shankitaa ca asmi na ca svastham mano mama |
tad bhayaac ca aham udvignaa;ashoka vanikaam gataah || 6-34-10
“I am depressed in mind and distrustful. My mind is not in its natural state. Staying in Ashoka grove, I am distressed because of his fear.”
yadi naama kathaa tasya nishcitam vaa api yad bhavet |
nivedayethaah sarvam tat paro me syaad anugrahah ||6-34-11
“Report to me, all that is decided by him during his talk going on with his ministers about the matter of releasing me or keeping me captive. It will be of great service to me.”
saapyevam bruvatiim siitaam saramaa valgu bhaasinii |
uvaaca vacanam tasyaah sprishantii baaspa viklavam || 6-34-12
The soft spoken Sarama, wiping her face, which got moist with tears, replied as follows to Seetha who was speaking as aforesaid:
esa te yady abhipraayas tasmaad gacchaami jaanaki |
grihya shatror abhipraayam upaavrttaam ca pashya maam || 6-34-13
“If your opinion is like this, I shall go on that account, O, Seetha! Having grasped the feeling of the enemies, I shall return O, Seetha!”
Page 3 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 evam uktvaa tato gatvaa samiipam tasya raksasah |
shushraava kathitam tasya raavanasya samantrinah || 6-34-14
Speaking thus, Sarama thereafter went to the vicinity of that demon and heard the conversation of Ravana who was with his ministers.
saa shrutvaa nishcayam tasya nishcayajnaa duraatmanah |
punar eva agamat ksipram ashoka vanikaam tadaa || 6-34-15
Sarama, who knew how to investigate could hear the wicked Ravana’s resolve and soon returned to Ashoka grove.
saa pravistaa punas tatra dadarsha janaka aatmajaam |
pratiiksamaanaam svaam eva bhrasta padmaam iva shriyam || 6-34-16
Sarama, who entered the Ashoka grove, saw Seetha who looked like Lakshmi the goddess of prosperity (and the wife of Vishnu); bereft of the lotus and waiting for her only.
taam tu siitaa punah praaptaam saramaam valgu bhaasiniim |
parisvajya ca susnigdham dadau ca svayam aasanam || 6-34-17
Seetha affectionately embraced the kindly speaking Sarama who returned there and offered personally a seat to her.
iha aasiinaa sukham sarvam aakhyaahi mama tattvatah |
kruurasya nishcayam tasya raavanasya duraatmanah || 6-34-18
“Sitting here comfortably, tell me about the real design of that cruel and wicked Ravana”
evam uktaa tu saramaa siitayaa vepamaanayaa |
kathitam sarvam aacasta raavanasya samantrinah || 6-34-19
When Seetha trembling with fear enquired thus, Sarama narrated all the conversation of Ravana together with his ministers.
Page 4 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 jananyaa raaksasa indro vai tvan moksa artham brihad vacah |
aviddhena ca vaidehi mantri vriddhena bodhitah || 6-34-20
“Excellent words were spoken by Kaikasi, the mother of Ravana as well as Aviddha the aged minister asking for your release, O Seetha!”
diiyataam abhisatkrtya manuja indraaya maithilii |
nidarshanam te paryaaptam jana sthaane yad adbhutam || 6-34-21
“Let Seetha, be restored honorably to Rama the Lord of men. That wonderful thing happened in Janasthaana is an enough eye- opener to you.”
langhanam ca samudrasya darshanam ca hanuumatah |
vadham ca raksasaam yuddhe kah kuryaan maanuso bhuvi || 6-34-22
“Which mortal would accomplish the crossing of the ocean, the discovery of Seetha by Hanuman, and the carnage of the demons in combat on this earth?”
evam sa mantri vriddhaishca maatraa ca bahu bhaasitah |
na tvaam utsahate moktum artahm artha paro yathaa || 6-34-23
“Though admonished in many ways by the aged ministers and his mother he is not inclined to set you free, any more than a miser would leave his hold on his riches.
na utsahaty amrto moktum yuddhe tvaam iti maithili |
saamaatyasya nrishamsasya nishcayo hy esa vartate || 6-34-24
"O, Seetha! He does not want to release you, without dying himself in a battle. This is the resolve of the cruel Ravana along with his ministers."
Page 5 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 tad esaa susthiraa buddhirmrityu lobhaad upasthitaa |
bhayaan na shaktas tvaam moktum anirastas tu samyuge || 6-34-25
raaksasaanaam ca sarvesaam aatmanash ca vadhena hi |
"Thereafter, due to infatuation caused by his impending death, his aforesaid determination is very firm .He is not in a position to release you, not through sheer fear, but until he is actually defeated in battle through the carnage of all the demons and of himself."
nihatya raavanam samkhye sarvathaa nishitaih sharaih || 6-34-26
pratinesyati raamas tvaam ayodhyaam asita iiksane |
"O, dark eyed Seetha! Killing Ravana by his sharp arrows in combat, Rama will take you back to Ayodhya by all means."
etasminn antare shabdo bherii shankha samaakulah || 6-34-27
shruto vai sarva sainyaanaam kampayan dharanii talam |
In the meantime was heard the sound of all the monkey troops blended with the sound of kettle drums, causing earth to shake.
shrutvaa tu tam vaanara sainya shabdam |
lankaa gataa raaksasa raaja bhrtyaah |
nasta ojaso dainya pariita cestaah |
shreyo na pashyanti nrpasya dosaih || 6-34-28
Hearing that sound of that monkey troops, the servants of Ravana stationed in Lanka were lack- luster with their movements, overcome by depression. They did not see anything salutary in it, owing to the fault of their king.
Page 6 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 34 ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande chatustrimshah sargah
Thus completes 34th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
K. M. K. Murthy. (2002). Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
Page 7 of 7