# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 50 — Rāvaṇa seizes Sītā again

*He tears her from the trees and resumes the flight, flowers and ornaments fall while the landscape shares her distress*

Portion: Jaṭāyu’s resistance and Rāvaṇa’s escape · Verses: 42 · Ref format: 3.50.<verse>

## Sequence

- With Jaṭāyu lying near death, Sītā cries for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and wonders whether the disturbed animals will alert them (50.1–5)
- Rāvaṇa advances as she clings to the trees, orders her to let go, and seizes her by the hair (50.6–8)
- darkness and disorder spread through the world → Brahmā, seeing the abduction with divine sight, declares the task accomplished, while the forest munis feel both satisfaction and distress (50.9–11)
- Rāvaṇa lifts Sītā and rises again as she calls the brothers' names (50.12)
- her yellow silk and ornaments shine against his dark body during the flight (50.13–23)
- flowers scatter from her hair; an anklet, other ornaments, and a necklace fall toward the ground (50.24–31)
- trees, ponds, mountains, and the dimmed sun are described as sharing her distress, while animals run after her shadow (50.32–39)
- still crying and looking downward, Sītā is carried farther away, unable to see either brother (50.40–42).

## Verses

**3.50.1**  
tam alpajīvitaṃ bhūmau sphurantaṃ rākṣasādhipaḥ  
dadarśa gṛdhraṃ patitaṃ samīpe rāghavāśramāt  
The lord of the rākṣasas saw the vulture, its life nearly spent, quivering as it lay fallen on the ground near Rāghava's hermitage.

**3.50.2**  
sā tu tārādhipamukhī rāvaṇena samīkṣya tam  
gṛdhrarājaṃ vinihataṃ vilalāpa suduḥkhitā  
But she of the moon-like face, seeing the vulture-king struck down by Rāvaṇa, lamented in deep grief.

**3.50.3**  
nimittaṃ lakṣaṇajñānaṃ śakunisvaradarśanam  
avaśyaṃ sukhaduḥkheṣu narāṇāṃ pratidṛśyate  
An omen — the reading of signs, the observing of birds' cries — is surely perceived by men in times of joy and sorrow.

**3.50.4**  
na nūnaṃ rāma jānāsi mahad vyasanam ātmajaḥ  
dhāvanti nūnaṃ kākutstha madarthaṃ mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ  
'Surely, Rāma, you do not know the great calamity; surely, Kākutstha, the beasts and birds are running about for my sake.'

**3.50.5**  
trāhi mām adya kākutstha lakṣmaṇeti varāṅganā  
susaṃtrastā samākrandac chṛṇvatāṃ tu yathāntike  
'Save me now, Kākutstha! Lakṣmaṇa!' — so the lovely woman, terrified, cried out, as if within earshot of those who could hear.

**3.50.6**  
tāṃ kliṣṭamālyābharaṇāṃ vilapantīm anāthavat  
abhyadhāvata vaidehīṃ rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ  
Rāvaṇa, the lord of rākṣasas, rushed upon Vaidehī, her garlands and ornaments disordered, wailing like one bereft of protector.

**3.50.7**  
tāṃ latām iva veṣṭantīm āliṅgantīṃ mahādrumān  
muñca muñceti bahuśaḥ pravadan rākṣasādhipaḥ  
As she twined like a creeper and embraced the great trees, the lord of rākṣasas cried again and again, 'Let go, let go!'

**3.50.8**  
krośantīṃ rāma rāmeti rāmeṇa rahitāṃ vane  
jīvitāntāya keśeṣu jagrāhāntakasaṃnibhaḥ  
As she cried 'Rāma, Rāma!', bereft of Rāma in the forest, he—resembling Death himself—seized her by the hair to end her life.

**3.50.9**  
pradharṣitāyāṃ vaidehyāṃ babhūva sacarācaram  
jagat sarvam amaryādaṃ tamasāndhena saṃvṛtam  
When Vaidehī was assaulted, the whole world with all that moves and is unmoving fell into disorder, wrapped in blinding darkness.

**3.50.10**  
dṛṣṭvā sītāṃ parāmṛṣṭāṃ dīnāṃ divyena cakṣuṣā  
kṛtaṃ kāryam iti śrīmān vyājahāra pitāmahaḥ  
Seeing Sītā seized and wretched with his divine eye, the glorious Grandsire declared, 'The task is accomplished.'

**3.50.11**  
prahṛṣṭā vyathitāś cāsan sarve te paramarṣayaḥ  
dṛṣṭvā sītāṃ parāmṛṣṭāṃ daṇḍakāraṇyavāsinaḥ  
All those great seers dwelling in the Daṇḍaka forest were at once gladdened and troubled at seeing Sītā seized.

**3.50.12**  
sa tu tāṃ rāma rāmeti rudantīṃ lakṣmaṇeti ca  
jagāmākāśam ādāya rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ  
But Rāvaṇa, the lord of rākṣasas, taking up her who wept 'Rāma, Rāma!' and 'Lakṣmaṇa!', rose into the sky.

**3.50.13**  
taptābharaṇasarvāṅgī pītakauśeyavāsanī  
rarāja rājaputrī tu vidyut saudāmanī yathā  
Her every limb graced with gold-refined ornaments, clad in yellow silk, the princess shone like the lightning of the storm-clouds.

**3.50.14**  
uddhūtena ca vastreṇa tasyāḥ pītena rāvaṇaḥ  
adhikaṃ paribabhrāja girir dīpa ivāgninā  
By her fluttering yellow garment Rāvaṇa shone the more, like a mountain aglow as a lamp is by fire.

**3.50.15**  
tasyāḥ paramakalyāṇyās tāmrāṇi surabhīṇi ca  
padmapatrāṇi vaidehyā abhyakīryanta rāvaṇam  
The coppery, fragrant lotus-petals of that most auspicious Vaidehī were scattered down over Rāvaṇa.

**3.50.16**  
tasyāḥ kauśeyam uddhūtam ākāśe kanakaprabham  
babhau cādityarāgeṇa tāmram abhram ivātape  
Her yellow silk, tossed up in the sky, golden-hued, glowed with the sun's redness like a copper-colored cloud in the sunlight.

**3.50.17**  
tasyās tad vimalaṃ vaktram ākāśe rāvaṇāṅkagam  
na rarāja vinā rāmaṃ vinālam iva paṅkajam  
That spotless face of hers, up in the sky and resting on Rāvaṇa's lap, did not shine without Rāma, like a lotus without its stalk.

**3.50.18**  
babhūva jaladaṃ nīlaṃ bhittvā candra ivoditaḥ  
sulalāṭaṃ sukeśāntaṃ padmagarbhābham avraṇam  
śuklaiḥ suvimalair dantaiḥ prabhāvadbhir alaṃkṛtam  
Her face became like the moon risen after piercing a dark cloud—fair of brow, fair of hair, glowing like a lotus's heart, flawless, adorned with white, spotless, gleaming teeth.

**3.50.19**  
ruditaṃ vyapamṛṣṭāstraṃ candravat priyadarśanam  
sunāsaṃ cārutāmrauṣṭham ākāṣe hāṭakaprabham  
Her tear-streaked, weeping face, moon-like and lovely to behold, with fair nose and fair coppery lips, gleamed gold-bright in the sky.

**3.50.20**  
rākṣasendrasamādhūtaṃ tasyās tad vacanaṃ śubham  
śuśubhe na vinā rāmaṃ divā candra ivoditaḥ  
That fair face of hers, shaken by the lord of rākṣasas, did not shine without Rāma, like the moon risen in daytime.

**3.50.21**  
sā hemavarṇā nīlāṅgaṃ maithilī rākṣasādhipam  
śuśubhe kāñcanī kāñcī nīlaṃ maṇim ivāśritā  
Golden-hued Maithilī upon the dark-limbed lord of rākṣasas shone like a golden girdle resting on a sapphire gem.

**3.50.22**  
sā padmagaurī hemābhā rāvaṇaṃ janakātmajā  
vidyudghanam ivāviśya śuśubhe taptabhūṣaṇā  
Lotus-fair, golden-gleaming Janaka's daughter, having settled upon Rāvaṇa, shone like lightning entering a cloud, adorned with refined-gold ornaments.

**3.50.23**  
tasyā bhūṣaṇaghoṣeṇa vaidehyā rākṣasādhipaḥ  
babhūva vimalo nīlaḥ saghoṣa iva toyadaḥ  
By the jingling of Vaidehī's ornaments the dark, gleaming lord of rākṣasas became like a thundering rain-cloud.

**3.50.24**  
uttamāṅgacyutā tasyāḥ puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ samantataḥ  
sītāyā hriyamāṇāyāḥ papāta dharaṇītale  
A shower of flowers fallen from Sītā's head scattered on every side and dropped to the ground as she was carried off.

**3.50.25**  
sā tu rāvaṇavegena puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ samantataḥ  
samādhūtā daśagrīvaṃ punar evābhyavartata  
But that shower of flowers, stirred up on every side by Rāvaṇa's speed, turned back once more upon the ten-necked one.

**3.50.26**  
abhyavartata puṣpāṇāṃ dhārā vaiśravaṇānujam  
nakṣatramālāvimalā meruṃ nagam ivottamam  
The stream of flowers, spotless as a garland of stars, fell upon Kubera's younger brother as upon Meru, the best of mountains.

**3.50.27**  
caraṇān nūpuraṃ bhraṣṭaṃ vaidehyā ratnabhūṣitam  
vidyunmaṇḍalasaṃkāśaṃ papāta madhurasvanam  
An anklet, jewel-adorned, slipped from Vaidehī's foot, resembling a ring of lightning, fell down with a sweet sound.

**3.50.28**  
tarupravālaraktā sā nīlāṅgaṃ rākṣaseśvaram  
prāśobhayata vaidehī gajaṃ kaṣyeva kāñcanī  
Vaidehī, red as tender tree-shoots, graced the dark-limbed lord of rākṣasas as a golden girth-band graces an elephant.

**3.50.29**  
tāṃ maholkām ivākāśe dīpyamānāṃ svatejasā  
jahārākāśam āviśya sītāṃ vaiśravaṇānujaḥ  
Kubera's younger brother, rising into the sky, bore off Sītā, blazing with her own splendour like a great meteor in the heavens.

**3.50.30**  
tasyās tāny agnivarṇāni bhūṣaṇāni mahītale  
saghoṣāṇy avakīryanta kṣīṇās tārā ivāmbarāt  
Those fire-colored ornaments of hers scattered upon the ground with a jingling sound, like fading stars from the sky.

**3.50.31**  
tasyāḥ stanāntarād bhraṣṭo hāras tārādhipadyutiḥ  
vaidehyā nipatan bhāti gaṅgeva gaganāc cyutā  
A necklace bright as the moon, slipping from between Vaidehī's breasts, gleamed as it fell like the Gaṅgā fallen from the sky.

**3.50.32**  
utpāta vātābhihatā nānādvija gaṇāyutāḥ  
mā bhair iti vidhūtāgrā vyājahrur iva pādapāḥ  
Struck by tempest-winds, filled with flocks of many birds, the trees with their tops tossing seemed to cry, 'Do not fear!'

**3.50.33**  
nalinyo dhvastakamalās trastamīnajale carāḥ  
sakhīm iva gatotsāhāṃ śocantīva sma maithilīm  
The lotus-ponds, their lotuses destroyed, their fish and water-creatures frightened, seemed to grieve for Maithilī as for a friend bereft of spirit.

**3.50.34**  
samantād abhisaṃpatya siṃhavyāghramṛgadvijāḥ  
anvadhāvaṃs tadā roṣāt sītācchāyānugāminaḥ  
Rushing together from all sides, lions, tigers, beasts, and birds then ran after in fury, following Sītā's shadow.

**3.50.35**  
jalaprapātāsramukhāḥ śṛṅgair ucchritabāhavaḥ  
sītāyāṃ hriyamāṇāyāṃ vikrośantīva parvatāḥ  
With waterfalls for tear-streaked faces and peaks upraised like arms, the mountains seemed to cry out as Sītā was carried away.

**3.50.36**  
hriyamāṇāṃ tu vaidehīṃ dṛṣṭvā dīno divākaraḥ  
pravidhvastaprabhaḥ śrīmān āsīt pāṇḍuramaṇḍalaḥ  
Seeing Vaidehī carried off, the sun grew dejected; his radiance shattered, the glorious one became a pale disk.

**3.50.37**  
nāsti dharmaḥ kutaḥ satyaṃ nārjavaṃ nānṛśaṃsatā  
yatra rāmasya vaidehīṃ bhāryāṃ harati rāvaṇaḥ  
'There is no dharma; whence then truth? no uprightness, no mercy—when Rāvaṇa carries off Vaidehī, the wife of Rāma!'

**3.50.38**  
iti sarvāṇi bhūtāni gaṇaśaḥ paryadevayan  
vitrastakā dīnamukhā rurudur mṛgapotakāḥ  
Thus all beings lamented in throngs; terrified and woeful-faced, the young fawns wept.

**3.50.39**  
udvīkṣyodvīkṣya nayanair āsrapātāvilekṣaṇāḥ  
supravepitagātrāś ca babhūvur vanadevatāḥ  
Gazing up again and again with their eyes, their glances blurred by falling tears and their bodies trembling, so became the forest deities.

**3.50.40**  
vikrośantīṃ dṛḍhaṃ sītāṃ dṛṣṭvā duḥkhaṃ tathā gatām  
tāṃ tu lakṣmaṇa rāmeti krośantīṃ madhurasvarām  
Seeing Sītā crying out loudly, fallen into such misery, as she cried 'Lakṣmaṇa! Rāma!' in a sweet voice—

**3.50.41**  
avekṣamāṇāṃ bahuṣo vaidehīṃ dharaṇītalam  
sa tām ākulakeśāntāṃ vipramṛṣṭaviśeṣakām  
jahārātmavināśāya daśagrīvo manasvinām  
As Vaidehī gazed again and again toward the ground, the ten-necked one bore off that spirited woman, her hair-locks disheveled and her brow-mark smeared away, to his own destruction.

**3.50.42**  
tatas tu sā cārudatī śucismitā vinākṛtā bandhujanena maithilī  
apaśyatī rāghavalakṣmaṇāv ubhau vivarṇavaktrā bhayabhārapīḍitā  
Then Maithilī, with lovely teeth and a pure smile, severed from her kinfolk and seeing neither Rāghava nor Lakṣmaṇa, grew pale of face, crushed by the weight of fear.