# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 44 — Rāvaṇa’s parivrājaka disguise *He approaches Sītā with Vedic words and praise of her beauty, she receives him as a brāhmaṇa guest* Portion: Rāvaṇa’s disguise and Sītā’s abduction · Verses: 36 · Ref format: 3.44. ## Sequence - As soon as Lakṣmaṇa leaves, Rāvaṇa takes the form of a parivrājaka (wandering renunciant) and approaches the unguarded Sītā (44.1–2) - he wears an ochre robe and hair tuft and carries a parasol, sandals, staff, and water pot (44.3–5) - the forest and Godāvarī become unnaturally still at his presence (44.6–7) - concealing his intention behind the disguise, he approaches Sītā as she sits grieving in the hut (44.8–12) - he recites Vedic words, speaks humbly, and praises her beauty, asking whether she is a devī (44.13–21) - he says the dangerous forest is no place for her and that palaces, gardens, fine clothing, and a suitable husband would better match her (44.22–29) - he asks who she is and why she is alone (44.30) - believing him to be a brāhmaṇa guest, Sītā offers a grass seat, water for his feet, and prepared forest food (44.31–34) - Rāvaṇa smiles while planning the abduction → Sītā continues looking for the brothers, but neither is in sight (44.35–36). ## Verses **3.44.1** tayā paruṣam uktas tu kupito rāghavānujaḥ sa vikāṅkṣan bhṛśaṃ rāmaṃ pratasthe nacirād iva Harshly addressed by her, the younger brother of Rāghava, angered, longing greatly for Rāma, set off, as if to reach him in but a short while. **3.44.2** tadāsādya daśagrīvaḥ kṣipram antaram āsthitaḥ abhicakrāma vaidehīṃ parivrājakarūpadhṛk Then the Ten-necked one, seizing that moment quickly, taking on a wandering mendicant's form, approached Vaidehī. **3.44.3** ślakṣṇakāṣāyasaṃvītaḥ śikhī chatrī upānahī vāme cāṃse 'vasajyātha śubhe yaṣṭikamaṇḍalū parivrājakarūpeṇa vaidehīṃ samupāgamat Wrapped in a soft ochre robe, wearing a tuft of hair, bearing a parasol and sandals, and having slung upon his left shoulder the auspicious staff and water-pot, in the guise of a wandering mendicant he came up to Vaidehī. **3.44.4** tām āsasādātibalo bhrātṛbhyāṃ rahitāṃ vane rahitāṃ sūryacandrābhyāṃ saṃdhyām iva mahattamaḥ The exceedingly mighty one came upon her, bereft of the two brothers in the forest, as deep darkness comes upon the twilight bereft of sun and moon. **3.44.5** tām apaśyat tato bālāṃ rājaputrīṃ yaśasvinīm rohiṇīṃ śaśinā hīnāṃ grahavad bhṛśadāruṇaḥ Then, terrible as a malignant planet, he beheld that young and glorious princess — like the star Rohiṇī bereft of the moon. **3.44.6** tam ugraṃ pāpakarmāṇaṃ janasthānaruhā drumāḥ samīkṣya na prakampante na pravāti ca mārutaḥ Beholding him, that fierce doer of evil deeds, the trees growing in Janasthāna did not stir, and the wind did not blow. **3.44.7** śīghrasrotāś ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā vīkṣantaṃ raktalocanam stimitaṃ gantum ārebhe bhayād godāvarī nadī And seeing him, red-eyed, gazing (at Sītā), the swift-flowing Godāvarī river, out of fear, began to flow still and silent. **3.44.8** rāmasya tv antaraṃ prepsur daśagrīvas tadantare upatasthe ca vaidehīṃ bhikṣurūpeṇa rāvaṇaḥ But the Ten-necked one, seeking an opening against Rāma, in that interval — Rāvaṇa — approached Vaidehī in the guise of a beggar. **3.44.9** abhavyo bhavyarūpeṇa bhartāram anuśocatīm abhyavartata vaidehīṃ citrām iva śanaiścaraḥ The inauspicious one, in an auspicious guise, approached Vaidehī as she grieved for her husband, as Saturn approaches the star Citrā. **3.44.10** sa pāpo bhavyarūpeṇa tṛṇaiḥ kūpa ivāvṛtaḥ atiṣṭhat prekṣya vaidehīṃ rāmapatnīṃ yaśasvinīm That evil one, in an auspicious guise like a well covered over with grass, stood gazing at Vaidehī, the glorious wife of Rāma — **3.44.11** śubhāṃ ruciradantauṣṭhīṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanām āsīnāṃ parṇaśālāyāṃ bāṣpaśokābhipīḍitām lovely, with beautiful teeth and lips, her face like the full moon, seated in the leaf-hut, tormented by tears and grief. **3.44.12** sa tāṃ padmapalāśākṣīṃ pītakauśeyavāsinīm abhyagacchata vaidehīṃ duṣṭacetā niśācaraḥ That night-roamer of wicked mind approached her — Vaidehī, lotus-petal-eyed, clad in yellow silk. **3.44.13** sa manmathaśarāviṣṭo brahmaghoṣam udīrayan abravīt praśritaṃ vākyaṃ rahite rākṣasādhipaḥ Pierced by the arrows of love, uttering Vedic recitation, the lord of rākṣasas spoke humble words to her in that lonely spot. **3.44.14** tām uttamāṃ trilokānāṃ padmahīnām iva śriyam vibhrājamānāṃ vapuṣā rāvaṇaḥ praśaśaṃsa ha Rāvaṇa praised her, the finest in the three worlds, radiant in form, like Śrī (Lakṣmī) without her lotus: **3.44.15** kā tvaṃ kāñcanavarṇābhe pītakauśeyavāsini kamalānāṃ śubhāṃ mālāṃ padminīva ca bibhratī 'Who are you, golden-hued one, clad in yellow silk, bearing a lovely garland of lotuses like a lotus-pool? **3.44.16** hrīḥ śrīḥ kīrtiḥ śubhā lakṣmīr apsarā vā śubhānane bhūtir vā tvaṃ varārohe ratir vā svairacāriṇī Are you Modesty, or Prosperity, or Fame, or lovely Lakṣmī, or an apsaras, O fair-faced one? Or Fortune, O lovely one, or Rati wandering at will? **3.44.17** samāḥ śikhariṇaḥ snigdhāḥ pāṇḍurā daśanās tava viśāle vimale netre raktānte kṛṣṇatārake Your teeth are even, pointed, glossy, and white; your two eyes are wide and clear, red at the corners, with dark pupils. **3.44.18** viśālaṃ jaghanaṃ pīnam ūrū karikaropamau etāv upacitau vṛttau sahitau saṃpragalbhitau Broad and full are your loins; your thighs are like an elephant's trunk; these two (breasts) are plump, round, close-set, and swelling. **3.44.19** pīnonnatamukhau kāntau snigdhatālaphalopamau maṇipravekābharaṇau rucirau te payodharau Your breasts, lovely, with full, uplifted tips, glossy like ripe palmyra fruits, adorned with the choicest jewels, are beautiful. **3.44.20** cārusmite cārudati cārunetre vilāsini mano harasi me rāme nadīkūlam ivāmbhasā O you of lovely smile, lovely teeth, and lovely eyes, O charming one — you steal my heart, beautiful woman, as a river's water steals away its bank. **3.44.21** karāntamitamadhyāsi sukeśī saṃhatastanī naiva devī na gandharvī na yakṣī na ca kiṃnarī Your waist can be spanned by a hand, your hair is beautiful, your breasts firm-set; you are no goddess, no gandharva-woman, no yakṣī, nor kiṃnarī. **3.44.22** naivaṃrūpā mayā nārī dṛṣṭapūrvā mahītale iha vāsaś ca kāntāre cittam unmāthayanti me Never before have I seen on earth a woman of such beauty; and this — your dwelling here in the wilderness — troubles my mind. **3.44.23** sā pratikrāma bhadraṃ te na tvaṃ vastum ihārhasi rākṣasānām ayaṃ vāso ghorāṇāṃ kāmarūpiṇām So turn back — blessings on you! You ought not to dwell here; this is the abode of fearsome rākṣasas who take any form at will. **3.44.24** prāsādāgryāṇi ramyāṇi nagaropavanāni ca saṃpannāni sugandhīni yuktāny ācarituṃ tvayā Splendid palace-terraces and lovely city-groves, well-appointed and fragrant, are fit for you to frequent. **3.44.25** varaṃ mālyaṃ varaṃ pānaṃ varaṃ vastraṃ ca śobhane bhartāraṃ ca varaṃ manye tvadyuktam asitekṣaṇe The finest garland, the finest drink, the finest garment, O fair one — and a fine husband too, I think, is fit for you, O dark-eyed one. **3.44.26** kā tvaṃ bhavasi rudrāṇāṃ marutāṃ vā śucismite vasūnāṃ vā varārohe devatā pratibhāsi me Who are you? Of the Rudras, or of the Maruts, O bright-smiling one, or of the Vasus, O lovely one? You seem to me a deity. **3.44.27** neha gacchantī gandharvā na devā na ca kiṃnarāḥ rākṣasānām ayaṃ vāsaḥ kathaṃ nu tvam ihāgatā No gandharvas come here, no gods, nor kiṃnaras; this is the abode of rākṣasas — how then have you come here? [gacchantī: source form; sense as gacchanti, '(they) come'.] **3.44.28** iha śākhāmṛgāḥ siṃhā dvīpivyāghramṛgās tathā ṛkṣās tarakṣavaḥ kaṅkāḥ kathaṃ tebhyo na bibhyase Here are monkeys, lions, leopards, tigers, and (other) beasts, and bears, hyenas, and herons — how do you not fear them? **3.44.29** madānvitānāṃ ghorāṇāṃ kuñjarāṇāṃ tarasvinām katham ekā mahāraṇye na bibheṣi vanānane How, alone in the great forest, do you not fear the fearsome, powerful elephants in rut, O fair, forest-dwelling one? [vanānane: perh. for varānane, 'fair-faced'.] **3.44.30** kāsi kasya kutaś ca tvaṃ kiṃnimittaṃ ca daṇḍakān ekā carasi kalyāṇi ghorān rākṣasasevitān Who are you, whose are you, and whence? And for what reason do you wander alone, O blessed one, through the dreadful Daṇḍaka forests, haunted by rākṣasas? **3.44.31** iti praśastā vaidehī rāvaṇena durātmanā dvijātiveṣeṇa hi taṃ dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇam āgatam sarvair atithisatkāraiḥ pūjayām āsa maithilī Thus praised by the wicked Rāvaṇa — and seeing him, Rāvaṇa, come in the guise of a brahmin — Maithilī honored him with all the courtesies due a guest. **3.44.32** upānīyāsanaṃ pūrvaṃ pādyenābhinimantrya ca abravīt siddham ity eva tadā taṃ saumyadarśanam First bringing him a seat and inviting him with water for the feet, she then said to him, of gentle appearance, 'The food is ready.' **3.44.33** dvijātiveṣeṇa samīkṣya maithilī tam āgataṃ pātrakusumbhadhāriṇam aśakyam uddveṣṭum upāyadarśanān nyamantrayad brāhmaṇavad yathāgatam Seeing him come in the guise of a brahmin, bearing his begging-bowl and ochre garb, Maithilī — since decorum made it impossible to turn him away — invited him as befits a brahmin who has come. **3.44.34** iyaṃ bṛsī brāhmaṇa kāmam āsyatām idaṃ ca pādyaṃ pratigṛhyatām iti idaṃ ca siddhaṃ vanajātam uttamaṃ tvadartham avyagram ihopabhujyatām 'Here is a grass mat, brahmin — please be seated; and accept this water for the feet; and this excellent food, grown wild in the forest and made ready for you — eat it here at your ease.' **3.44.35** nimantryamāṇaḥ pratipūrṇabhāṣiṇīṃ narendrapatnīṃ prasamīkṣya maithilīm prahasya tasyā haraṇe dhṛtaṃ manaḥ samarpayām āsa vadhāya rāvaṇaḥ Being thus invited, gazing upon Maithilī, the king's wife, gracious in her speech, Rāvaṇa smiled and, his mind set upon carrying her off, thereby delivered himself up to his own destruction. **3.44.36** tataḥ suveṣaṃ mṛgayā gataṃ patiṃ pratīkṣamāṇā sahalakṣmaṇaṃ tadā nirīkṣamāṇā haritaṃ dadarśa tan mahad vanaṃ naiva tu rāmalakṣmaṇau Then, awaiting her handsome husband gone hunting together with Lakṣmaṇa, and gazing about over the greenery, she looked upon that great forest — but saw neither Rāma nor Lakṣmaṇa.