एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही परुषं रोमहर्षणम्। राघवेण सरोषेण श्रुत्वा प्रव्यथिताभवत्॥
Being thus addressed by Rāghava, enraged, with those harsh words Sīta was greatly pained.
सा तदाश्रुतपूर्वं हि जने महति मैथिली। श्रुत्वा भर्तुर्वचो घोरं लज्जयावनताभवत्॥
Hearing those words of her lord, unheard of, before the great assembly Maithili was greatly humiliated with shame.
प्रविशन्तीव गात्राणि स्वानि सा जनकात्मजा। वाक्शरैस्तैः सशल्येव भृशमश्रूण्यवर्तयत्॥
As if entering to her own person (with shame) and greatly pained with these arrow like words the daughter of king Janaka began to shed tears.
ततो बाष्पपरिक्लिनं प्रमार्जन्ती स्वमाननम्। शनैर्गद्गदया वाचा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon wiping the tears off her countenance, she with sorrowful words, addressed her husband.
किं मामसदृशं वाक्यमीदृशं श्रोत्रदारुणम्। रुक्षं श्रावयसे वीर प्राकृतः प्राकृतामिव ॥
Why did you, O hero, like a common man addressing an ordinary woman, make me hear these, harsh and unbecoming words painful to ears?
न तथास्मि महाबाहो यथा मामवगच्छसि। प्रत्ययं गच्छ मे स्वेन चारित्रेणैव ते शपे॥
O you of long arms, I am not what you have taken me to be. Do you believe me-I do swear by my own character.
पृथक्स्त्रीणां प्रचारेण जाति त्वं परिशङ्कसे। परित्यजैनां शङ्कां तु यदि तेऽहं परीक्षिता॥
Seeing the ordinary women you are distrusting the whole sex. Do you renounce this suspicion since you have tried me.
यदहं गात्रसंस्पर्श गतास्मि विवशा प्रभो। कामकारो न मे तत्र दैवं तत्रापराध्यति॥
O lord, though my person was touched by another-but it was not in my power; nor was it an wilful act (of mine); accident is to blame in this.
मदधीनं तु यत्तन्मे हृदयं त्वयि वर्तते। पराधीनेषु गात्रेषु किं करिष्याम्यनीश्वरी॥
My heart is under my control and that is in you;-and what could I do of my body which was subject to another and of which I was not the mistress.
सह संवृद्धभावेन संसर्गेण च मानद। यदि तेऽहं न विज्ञाता हता तेनास्मि शाश्वतम्॥
O you the conferrer of honour-our affection towards one another was increased by our living continually for a long time; even then if you have not been able to understand me I am ruined for ever.
प्रेषितस्ते महावीरो हनुमानवलोककः। लङ्कास्थाहं त्वया राजन्कि तदा न विसर्जिता॥
O king, when the great hero Hanumān was despatched by you of Lankā to see me why did you not renounce me then?
प्रत्यक्षं वानरस्यास्य तद्वाक्यसमनन्तरम्। त्वया संत्यक्तया वीर त्यक्तं स्याज्जीवितं मया॥
Had you deputed the monkey with that message I would have renounced my life there and then, O hero.
न वृथा ते श्रमोऽयं स्यात्संशये न्यस्य जीवितम्। सुहृज्जनपरिक्लेशो न चायं विफलस्तव॥
You would not have been required to undergo this toil at the risk of your own life and giving unnecessary trouble to your friends.
त्वया तु नृपशार्दूल रोषमेवानुवर्तता। लघुनेव मनुष्येण स्त्रीत्वमेव पुरस्कृतम्॥
O foremost of kings, being subject to ire-you did not perceive anything but womanhood in me, like an ordinary man.
अपदेशो मे जनकानोत्पत्तिर्वसुधातलात्। मम वृत्तं च वृत्तज्ञ बहु तेन पुरस्कृतम्॥
Although I am known to have a father but in fact I am born of the earth. You did not sufficiently honour my character, O you conversant with character. are
न प्रमाणीकृतः पाणिर्बाल्ये मम निपीडितः। मम भक्तिश्च शीलं च सर्वं ते पृष्ठतः कृतम्॥
Your marriage with me in boyhood shall be disproved and you not sufficiently considering all my devotion and good conduct to you.
इति ब्रुवन्ती रुदती बाष्पगद्गदभाषिणी। उवाच लक्ष्मणं सीता दीनं ध्यानपरायणम्॥
Saying thus with accents choked in tears and weeping Sītā spoke to Lakşmaņa, poorly and engaged in meditation.
चितां मे कुरु सौमित्रे व्यसनस्यास्य भेषजम्। मिथ्यापवादोपहता नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे॥
Make a funeral pyre for me, O Saumitri, that is the only remedy for this disaster. Being thus branded with an unfounded stigma I do not like to keep my life.
अप्रीतेन गुणैर्भा त्यक्ताया जनसंसदि। या क्षमा मे गतिर्गन्तुं प्रवेक्ष्ये हव्यवाहनम्॥
To adopt the proper course for me who had been renounced before this assembly by my disaffected husband I shall enter this.
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा। अमर्षवशमापन्नो राघवं समुदैक्षत॥
Being thus addressed by Vaidehī, Lakşmaņa, the slayer of enemies, being possessed by anger, looked towards Rāghava.
स विज्ञाय मनश्छन्दं रामस्याकारसूचितम्। चितां चकार सौमित्रिमते रामस्य वीर्यवान्॥
And understanding Rāmas intention by gestures and at his command the powerful Saumitri prepared a funeral pyre.
नहि रामं तदा कश्चित्कालान्तकयमोपमम्। अनुनेतुमथो वक्तुं द्रष्टुं वाप्यशकत्सुहृत्॥
None dared there request, speak with or even look at Rāma like to Death, at the time of dissolution.
अधोमुखं स्थितं रामं ततः कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम्। उपावर्तत वैदेही दीप्यमानं हुताशनम्॥
Thereupon circumambulating Rāma, standing with his head down, Vaidehi approached the burning fire.
ददृशुस्तां त्रयो लोका देवगन्धर्वदानवाः। शप्तां पतन्ती निरये त्रिदिवाद्देवतामिव ॥
The three worlds-the celestials, Gandharvas and Dänavas saw her fallen like to a celestial from the heaven when imprecated.
तस्यामग्नि विशन्त्यां तु हाहेति विपुलः स्वनः। रक्षसां वानराणां च संबभूवाद्भुतोपमः॥
She having entered the fire, lamentations, unheard of before, rose from all sides from the Rākşasas and monkeys.
प्रणम्य दैवतेभ्यश्च ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मैथिली। बद्धांजलिपुटा चेदमुवाचाग्निसमीपतः॥
Bowing to the celestials and Brāhmaṇas, Maithilī, with folded hands, spoke before the fire.
यथा मे हृदयं नित्यं नापसर्पति राघवात्। तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः॥
As my heart has never gone away from Rāghava, may you protect me, O fire, the witness of the people.
यथा मां शुद्धचारित्रां दुष्टां जानाति राघवः। तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः॥
As Rāghava consider me vile, who have got a pure character, may fire, the witness of the people, protect me on all sides.
एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही परिक्रम्य हुताशनम्। विवेश ज्वलनं दीप्तं निःशङ्केनान्तरात्मना॥
Saying this and going round the fire, Vaidehi, with undaunted heart, entered the flaming fire.
जनश्च सुमहांस्तत्र बालवृद्धसमाकुलः। ददर्श मैथिली दीप्तां प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम्॥
The great assembly there, young and old, overwhelmed with grief, saw Maithili enter the flaming fire.
सा तप्तनवहेमाभा तप्तकांचनभूषणा। पपात ज्वलनं दीप्तं सर्वलोकस्य संनिधौ॥ ददृशुस्तां विशालाक्षीं पतन्ती हव्यवाहनम्। सीतां सर्वाणि रूपाणि रुकमवेदिनिभां तदा॥
And (Sītā) resembling the burning gold entered the flaming fire in the presence of all people. All beheld Sita, having expansive eyes, enter fire like to a golden altar.
ददृशुस्तां महाभागां प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम्। ऋषयो देवगन्धर्वा यज्ञे पूर्णाहुतीमिव ॥
The ascetics, celestials and Gandharvas saw that great damsel enter fire like to a full oblation in the sacrifice.
प्रचुक्रुशुः स्त्रियः सर्वास्तां दृष्ट्वा हव्यवाहने। पतन्तीं संस्कृतां मन्त्रैर्वसोर्धारामिवाध्वरे॥
Beholding her fallen into the fire like to Vasudhārā, sanctified by Mantras in a sacrifice, all the females began to weep.
ददृशुस्तां त्रयो लोका देवगन्धर्वदानवाः। शप्तां पतन्ती निरये त्रिदिवाद्देवतामिव ॥
The three worlds-the celestials, Gandharvas and Dänavas saw her fallen like to a celestial from the heaven when imprecated.
तस्यामग्नि विशन्त्यां तु हाहेति विपुलः स्वनः। रक्षसां वानराणां च संबभूवाद्भुतोपमः॥
She having entered the fire, lamentations, unheard of before, rose from all sides from the Rākşasas and monkeys.
प्रणम्य दैवतेभ्यश्च ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मैथिली। बद्धांजलिपुटा चेदमुवाचाग्निसमीपतः॥
Bowing to the celestials and Brāhmaṇas, Maithilī, with folded hands, spoke before the fire.
यथा मे हृदयं नित्यं नापसर्पति राघवात्। तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः॥
As my heart has never gone away from Rāghava, may you protect me, O fire, the witness of the people.
यथा मां शुद्धचारित्रां दुष्टां जानाति राघवः। तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः॥
As Rāghava consider me vile, who have got a pure character, may fire, the witness of the people, protect me on all sides.
एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही परिक्रम्य हुताशनम्। विवेश ज्वलनं दीप्तं निःशङ्केनान्तरात्मना॥
Saying this and going round the fire, Vaidehi, with undaunted heart, entered the flaming fire.
जनश्च सुमहांस्तत्र बालवृद्धसमाकुलः। ददर्श मैथिली दीप्तां प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम्॥
The great assembly there, young and old, overwhelmed with grief, saw Maithili enter the flaming fire.
सा तप्तनवहेमाभा तप्तकांचनभूषणा। पपात ज्वलनं दीप्तं सर्वलोकस्य संनिधौ॥ ददृशुस्तां विशालाक्षीं पतन्ती हव्यवाहनम्। सीतां सर्वाणि रूपाणि रुकमवेदिनिभां तदा॥
And (Sītā) resembling the burning gold entered the flaming fire in the presence of all people. All beheld Sita, having expansive eyes, enter fire like to a golden altar.
ददृशुस्तां महाभागां प्रविशन्तीं हुताशनम्। ऋषयो देवगन्धर्वा यज्ञे पूर्णाहुतीमिव ॥
The ascetics, celestials and Gandharvas saw that great damsel enter fire like to a full oblation in the sacrifice.
प्रचुक्रुशुः स्त्रियः सर्वास्तां दृष्ट्वा हव्यवाहने। पतन्तीं संस्कृतां मन्त्रैर्वसोर्धारामिवाध्वरे॥
Beholding her fallen into the fire like to Vasudhārā, sanctified by Mantras in a sacrifice, all the females began to weep.