# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 53 — Rāvaṇa’s offer to Sītā

*He displays his palace, promises wealth and authority over his wives, claims rescue is impossible and bows at her feet*

Portion: Sītā’s resistance and confinement in Laṅkā · Verses: 35 · Ref format: 3.53.<verse>

## Sequence

- After dispatching the eight agents, Rāvaṇa returns to Sītā, whom he finds grieving among her guards (53.1–5)
- he forcibly leads her through his residence to display its mansions, jeweled pillars, golden stairs, ivory and silver windows, decorated floors, and lotus pools (53.6–12)
- he boasts of the number of rākṣasas under his command and says that his Kingdom and life are now at her disposal (53.13–16)
- he offers her authority over his other wives and urges her to accept him (53.17–18)
- he claims that Laṅkā's ocean defenses and his own strength make rescue impossible, belittling Rāma's power (53.19–25)
- he offers royal installation, divine ornaments, and travel with him in Puṣpaka (53.26–30)
- he dismisses her concern about violating dharma and portrays acceptance as her destined good fortune (53.31–32)
- calling himself her obedient servant, he bows his heads at her feet and says he has never bowed to another woman → he wrongly assumes that she is already his (53.33–35).

## Verses

**3.53.1**  
saṃdiśya rākṣasān ghorān rāvaṇo 'ṣṭau mahābalān  
ātmānaṃ buddhivaiklavyāt kṛtakṛtyam amanyata  
Having dispatched the eight terrible, mighty rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, in his confusion of mind, thought himself to have accomplished his aim.

**3.53.2**  
sa cintayāno vaidehīṃ kāmabāṇasamarpitaḥ  
praviveśa gṛhaṃ ramyaṃ sītāṃ draṣṭum abhitvaran  
Brooding on Vaidehī, pierced by the arrow of love, he entered his lovely house, hastening to see Sītā.

**3.53.3**  
sa praviśya tu tadveśma rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ  
apaśyad rākṣasīmadhye sītāṃ śokaparāyaṇam  
Entering that dwelling, Rāvaṇa, the lord of rākṣasas, saw Sītā, given over to grief, in the midst of the rākṣasa-women.

**3.53.4**  
aśrupūrṇamukhīṃ dīnāṃ śokabhārāvapīḍitām  
vāyuvegair ivākrāntāṃ majjantīṃ nāvam arṇave  
her face brimming with tears, wretched, crushed under the weight of grief, like a boat overwhelmed by gusts of wind and sinking in the sea;

**3.53.5**  
mṛgayūthaparibhraṣṭāṃ mṛgīṃ śvabhir ivāvṛtām  
adhomukhamukhīṃ dīnām abhyetya ca niśācaraḥ  
like a doe strayed from the herd and hemmed in by hounds, her face downcast and wretched—and the night-ranger, approaching her,

**3.53.6**  
tāṃ tu śokavaśāṃ dīnām avaśāṃ rākṣasādhipaḥ  
sa balād darśayām āsa gṛhaṃ devagṛhopamam  
that wretched, helpless woman, in the grip of grief, the lord of rākṣasas forcibly led about to show her his house, like the house of a god:

**3.53.7**  
harmyaprāsādasaṃbadhaṃ strīsahasraniṣevitam  
nānāpakṣigaṇair juṣṭaṃ nānāratnasamanvitam  
crowded with mansions and palaces, thronged by thousands of women, frequented by flocks of many birds, and furnished with jewels of every kind;

**3.53.8**  
kāñcanais tāpanīyaiś ca sphāṭikai rājatais tathā  
vajravaidūryacitraiś ca stambhair dṛṣṭimanoharaiḥ  
with pillars of gold and refined gold, of crystal and of silver, inlaid with diamond and beryl, ravishing to the eye;

**3.53.9**  
divyadundubhinirhrādaṃ taptakāñcanatoraṇam  
sopānaṃ kāñcanaṃ citram āruroha tayā saha  
resounding with divine drums, its archway of refined gold; and he ascended the wondrous golden staircase along with her.

**3.53.10**  
dāntakā rājatāś caiva gavākṣāḥ priyadarśanāḥ  
hemajālāvṛtāś cāsaṃs tatra prāsādapaṅktayaḥ  
There the rows of palaces had lovely lattice-windows of ivory and of silver, veiled with golden network.

**3.53.11**  
sudhāmaṇivicitrāṇi bhūmibhāgāni sarvaśaḥ  
daśagrīvaḥ svabhavane prādarśayata maithilīm  
The ten-necked one showed Maithilī, in his own palace, the floor-spaces on every side, variegated with stucco and gems.

**3.53.12**  
dīrghikāḥ puṣkariṇyaś ca nānāpuṣpasamāvṛtāḥ  
rāvaṇo darśayām āsa sītāṃ śokaparāyaṇām  
Rāvaṇa showed grief-stricken Sītā the oblong ponds and lotus-pools covered with flowers of every kind.

**3.53.13**  
darśayitvā tu vaidehīṃ kṛtsnaṃ tad bhavanottamam  
uvāca vākyaṃ pāpātmā rāvaṇo janakātmajām  
Having shown Vaidehī that whole excellent mansion, the evil-souled Rāvaṇa spoke these words to Janaka's daughter:

**3.53.14**  
daśarākṣasakoṭyaś ca dvāviṃśatir athāparāḥ  
varjayitvā jarā vṛddhān bālāṃś ca rajanīcarān  
'Ten crore of rākṣasas, and twenty-two more, excluding those infirm with age and the young among the night-rangers—

**3.53.15**  
teṣāṃ prabhur ahaṃ sīte sarveṣāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām  
sahasram ekam ekasya mama kāryapuraḥsaram  
of all those of dreadful deeds I am the lord, Sītā; for me a thousand attend upon each single one, going before in my service.

**3.53.16**  
yad idaṃ rājyatantraṃ me tvayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam  
jīvitaṃ ca viśālākṣi tvaṃ me prāṇair garīyasī  
This whole machinery of my kingdom rests upon you; and my life too, wide-eyed one—you are dearer to me than my very breaths.

**3.53.17**  
bahūnāṃ strīsahasrāṇāṃ mama yo 'sau parigrahaḥ  
tāsāṃ tvam īśvarī sīte mama bhāryā bhava priye  
Of the many thousands of women who are my consorts, you shall be the mistress, Sītā; become my wife, beloved.

**3.53.18**  
sādhu kiṃ te 'nyayā buddhyā rocayasva vaco mama  
bhajasva mābhitaptasya prasādaṃ kartum arhasi  
Come, what use to you is any other thought? Delight in my words. Love me; you ought to be gracious to one so tormented (with love).

**3.53.19**  
parikṣiptā samudreṇa laṅkeyaṃ śatayojanā  
neyaṃ dharṣayituṃ śakyā sendrair api surāsuraiḥ  
This Laṅkā, a hundred yojanas wide, is girdled by the ocean; it cannot be assailed even by the gods and asuras together with Indra.

**3.53.20**  
na deveṣu na yakṣeṣu na gandharveṣu narṣiṣu  
ahaṃ paśyāmi lokeṣu yo me vīryasamo bhavet  
Neither among gods, nor yakṣas, nor gandharvas, nor seers do I see anyone in the worlds who could be my equal in valour.

**3.53.21**  
rājyabhraṣṭena dīnena tāpasena gatāyuṣā  
kiṃ kariṣyasi rāmeṇa mānuṣeṇālpatejasā  
What will you do with Rāma—fallen from his kingdom, wretched, an ascetic whose days are spent, a mere man of scant power?

**3.53.22**  
bhajasva sīte mām eva bhartāhaṃ sadṛśas tava  
yauvanaṃ hy adhruvaṃ bhīru ramasveha mayā saha  
Love me alone, Sītā; I am a husband befitting you. Youth is fleeting, timid one—take your pleasure here with me.

**3.53.23**  
darśane mā kṛthā buddhiṃ rāghavasya varānane  
kāsya śaktir ihāgantum api sīte manorathaiḥ  
Set not your mind on seeing Rāghava, fair-faced one; what power has he to come here, Sītā, even in his fancies?

**3.53.24**  
na śakyo vāyur ākāśe pāśair baddhaṃ mahājavaḥ  
dīpyamānasya vāpy agner grahītuṃ vimalāṃ śikhām  
The mighty-swift wind in the sky cannot be bound with nooses, nor can the bright flame of blazing fire be seized.

**3.53.25**  
trayāṇām api lokānāṃ na taṃ paśyāmi śobhane  
vikrameṇa nayed yas tvāṃ madbāhuparipālitām  
In all the three worlds, lovely one, I do not see him who could by valour carry you off, guarded as you are by my arms.

**3.53.26**  
laṅkāyāṃ sumahad rājyam idaṃ tvam anupālaya  
abhiṣekodakaklinnā tuṣṭā ca ramayasva mām  
Rule over this great kingdom in Laṅkā; anointed with the water of consecration and content, delight me.

**3.53.27**  
duṣkṛtaṃ yat purā karma vanavāsena tad gatam  
yaś ca te sukṛto dharmas tasyeha phalam āpnuhi  
Whatever evil deed you did before is wiped away by your forest-dwelling; and reap here the fruit of the good, righteous merit that is yours.

**3.53.28**  
iha sarvāṇi mālyāni divyagandhāni maithili  
bhūṣaṇāni ca mukhyāni tāni seva mayā saha  
Here, Maithilī, are all garlands of divine fragrance and choicest ornaments—enjoy them together with me.

**3.53.29**  
puṣpakaṃ nāma suśroṇi bhrātur vaiśravaṇasya me  
vimānaṃ ramaṇīyaṃ ca tad vimānaṃ manojavam  
There is a car named Puṣpaka, fair-hipped one, belonging to my brother Vaiśravaṇa—a lovely aerial car, and that car is swift as thought.

**3.53.30**  
tatra sīte mayā sārdhaṃ viharasva yathāsukham  
vadanaṃ padmasaṃkāśaṃ vimalaṃ cārudarśanam  
There, Sītā, disport with me at your pleasure. Your face, resembling a lotus, spotless and lovely to behold,

**3.53.31**  
śokārtaṃ tu varārohe na bhrājati varānane  
alaṃ vrīḍena vaidehi dharmalopa kṛtena te  
stricken with grief, fair-hipped one, does not shine, O fair-faced. Enough, Vaidehī, of the shame that arises in you from (fear of) a lapse of dharma!

**3.53.32**  
ārṣo 'yaṃ daivaniṣyando yas tvām abhigamiṣyati  
etau pādau mayā snigdhau śirobhiḥ paripīḍitau  
This that comes to you is a sanctioned course, a working of fate. These two tender feet of yours are pressed by me with my heads (in homage).

**3.53.33**  
prasādaṃ kuru me kṣipraṃ vaśyo dāso 'ham asmi te  
nemāḥ śūnyā mayā vācaḥ śuṣyamāṇena bhāṣitāḥ  
Show me your favour quickly; I am your obedient slave. These words, spoken by me as I pine away, are not empty.

**3.53.34**  
na cāpi rāvaṇaḥ kāṃ cin mūrdhnā strīṃ praṇameta ha  
evam uktvā daśagrīvo maithilīṃ janakātmajām  
'And never has Rāvaṇa bowed his head to any woman!' Having thus spoken to Maithilī, Janaka's daughter, the ten-necked one,

**3.53.35**  
kṛtāntavaśam āpanno mameyam iti manyate  
fallen under the sway of Death, thought, 'She is mine.'