Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— अथ तां त्रिजटा नाम राक्षसी करुणाशया। शोकादसून्मुमुक्षन्तीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥१॥
Brahmā said: “Then the compassionate rākṣasī named Trijaṭā spoke these words to Sītā, who in her grief wished to release her life-breaths.
Passage 2
त्रिजटोवाच— अये विदेहतनये रामपत्नि सतीवरे। त्यज मोहमिमं सीते राक्षस्या घोरमायया॥२॥
Trijaṭā said: “Daughter of Videha, wife of Rāma, noblest of faithful women—Sītā, cast off this delusion produced by dreadful rākṣasa magic.
Passage 3
लङ्काधिपतिनाऽऽज्ञप्तो मायावी कोऽपि राक्षसः। इदं ते दर्शयामास त्रासार्थं मस्तकद्वयम्॥३॥
“Some magician among the rākṣasas, commanded by the lord of Laṅkā, showed you those two heads solely to terrify you.
Passage 4
न मोहेन त्यज प्राणान् सुखेन किल जीवतः। दीर्घायुषौ धृतक्षेमौ चिरं ते पतिदेवरौ॥४॥
“Do not surrender your life because of this delusion. Your husband and brother-in-law live happily; long-lived and secure, they will remain so for a long time.
Passage 5
कपिकुञ्जरसेनाभिर्महतीभिः समायुतः। लङ्काया हृदयं रुद्ध्वा स्थितस्ते पतिरूर्जितः॥५॥
“Your mighty husband stands outside with immense armies of elephant-like monkeys, having blockaded the very heart of Laṅkā.
Passage 6
तस्यानुजः स सौमित्रिः क्रोधादरुणलोचनः। आस्ते रावणवंशस्य छेदाय विहितोद्यमः॥६॥
“His younger brother, Sumitrā's son, remains there with eyes reddened by anger, resolved to cut down Rāvaṇa's lineage.
Passage 7
स्वल्पैरेव दिनैस्तौ तु सकुटुम्बं दशाननम्। यमलोकातिथिं कृत्वा यास्यतस्तव दृक्पथम्॥७॥
“Within only a few days, those two will make Daśānana and his family guests in Yama's realm and then come within your sight.
Passage 8
मा शुचः संततापाङ्गि सुखं प्राप्स्यसि नो चिरात्। आयातस्ते पतिः साध्वि रावणान्तकरोऽधुना॥८॥
“Do not grieve, woman whose limbs are consumed by sorrow. You will attain happiness before long. Faithful lady, your husband has now arrived as Rāvaṇa's destroyer.
Passage 9
इति त्रिजटया देवी शान्तिं नीता वचोऽमृतैः। उवाच तामथो रामवियोगानलतापिता॥९॥
“Thus brought some peace by the nectar of Trijaṭā's words, the goddess, still scorched by the fire of separation from Rāma, spoke to her. Sītā Blesses Trijaṭā
Passage 10
सीदामि त्रिजटे दृग्भ्यां पश्यन्ती वृत्तमीदृशम्। दह्यन्ते मे त्वचोऽङ्गानि विगलन्तीव सम्प्रति॥१०॥
Sītā said: “Trijaṭā, I am sinking after seeing such a sight with my own eyes. My skin and limbs burn and now seem to melt away.
Passage 11
सत्यं किमाह भवती मत्प्राणपरिरक्षिका। निर्मञ्छयामि ते वाचि स्वात्मानं त्रिजटेऽधुना॥११॥
“Is what you say true, protector of my life? Trijaṭā, I now offer my very self in reverence to your words.
Passage 12
राक्षसानां कुले धन्या सम्प्रजाता भवादृशी। या मां रक्षति वर्षन्ती वचःपीयूषमाननात्॥१२॥
“Blessed is the rākṣasa lineage in which someone like you was born—one who protects me by showering the nectar of speech from her mouth.
Passage 13
ददामि किमहं तेऽद्य मातर्मत्प्राणरक्षिके। ध्रुवं तव करिष्यामि प्रशंसां प्रियसन्निधौ॥१३॥
“Mother and protector of my life, what can I give you today? I shall certainly praise you in the presence of my beloved.
Passage 14
दास्यति त्वेष वीरेन्द्रस्तवाभीष्टानि भूरिशः। भैरपेता भवे मातर्भवती भास्यतेतराम्॥१४॥
“This lord of heroes will abundantly grant all you desire. Mother, become free from fear; you will shine exceedingly.
Passage 15
भूयः सौख्यं शुभं पुण्यं स्वर्गं मोक्षं तथैप्सितम्। सम्पादयिष्यतितरां रघुवंशशिरोमणिः॥१५॥
“The crest jewel of Raghu's lineage will bestow upon you abundant happiness, auspiciousness, merit, heaven, liberation, and whatever else you wish.
Passage 16
अद्य मे राक्षसीं मायां पश्यन्त्यास्त्रिजटेऽधुना। असवो निर्गतप्राया भवत्या परिरक्षिताः॥१६॥
“Trijaṭā, when I saw the rākṣasa illusion today, my life-breaths had nearly departed; you have now preserved them.
Passage 17
इयति राक्षसवर्त्मकानने त्वमभवास्त्रिदशद्रुमवल्लरी। मदसुरक्षणकर्मविचक्षणा विजयसे निरुपाधिकृपानिधिः॥१७॥
“In this vast forest of rākṣasa ways, you have become a vine from a celestial tree. Expert in the work of preserving my life, you triumph as a treasury of unconditional compassion.
Passage 18
इति प्रसादपीयूषैः संसिच्य त्रिजटां सती। तूष्णीमास तथा भूयो विमोहीकृतमानसा॥१८॥
“After bathing Trijaṭā in this nectar of grace, faithful Sītā fell silent, her mind once again overcome by bewilderment. The Roar of Battle Reaches the Grove
Passage 19
अथाश्रौषीन्महारावं रक्षोवानरसेन्ययोः। दोर्दण्डचण्डनिर्घातमन्योन्यं युद्ध्यमानयोः॥१९॥
“Then she heard the immense roar of the rākṣasa and monkey armies fighting one another, their powerful arms producing violent crashes.
Passage 20
तमाकर्ण्याब्रवीद्भूयस्त्रिजटामेव जानकी। क एष श्रूयते शब्दः कल्पान्तघनघर्घरः॥२०॥
“Hearing it, Jānakī again asked Trijaṭā: ‘What is this sound we hear, rumbling like the clouds at the end of an age?
Passage 21
मथ्यमानस्य पाथोधेरिव तूर्णमुदित्वरः। अनेन त्रिजटे घोरसंरावेण बिभेम्यहम्॥२१॥
“‘It rises swiftly like the sound of an ocean being churned. Trijaṭā, this dreadful uproar frightens me.’
Passage 22
तामुवाचाथ त्रिजटा बिभ्यतीं जनकात्मजाम्। कपिराक्षससैन्यानामेष संयुध्यतां रवः॥२२॥
“Trijaṭā answered the frightened daughter of Janaka: ‘This is the roar of the monkey and rākṣasa armies locked in battle.
Passage 23
निर्दिष्टानि दशास्येन रक्षांसि कपिकुञ्जरैः। यूथशो मुष्टिनिर्घातैर्युध्यन्ते देवि सम्प्रति॥२३॥
“‘Goddess, the rākṣasas deployed by the ten-headed king now fight in groups against the elephant-like monkeys, striking with thunderous fists.’ Sītā Asks Trijaṭā to Witness the War
Passage 24
सीतोवाच— प्रवृत्त एव त्रिजटे कलहः कपिरक्षसाम्। दशाननस्य दुर्बुद्ध्या बहुवीरक्षयंकरः॥२४॥
Sītā said: “Trijaṭā, the conflict between monkeys and rākṣasas has indeed begun. Through Daśānana's wicked judgment it will destroy many heroes.”
Passage 25
त्रिजटोवाच— नूनं प्रवृत्तः कलहः कपीनां निशाचराणां च महान् स एषः। अन्योन्यदोर्दण्डबलाभिमानाद् घ्नतामिहान्योन्यचमूभटौघान्॥२५॥
Trijaṭā said: “This immense conflict between the monkeys and the night-roamers has certainly begun. Proud of the strength in their powerful arms, they strike and destroy one another's masses of warriors.”
Passage 26
सीतोवाच— एतद्युद्धमपूर्वकौतुककरं पत्या रघूणां मम प्राणेशेन सहान्वितस्य बलिनो दुष्टस्य लङ्केशितुः। त्वं ब्रूहि त्रिजटे ममान्तिकगता दिव्यां दृशं ते ददे साक्षात्कृत्य तयोपवर्णय मम श्रोतुं स्पृहा वर्तते॥२६॥
Sītā said: “Trijaṭā, tell me of this battle, which promises wonders never seen before, between my husband—the lord of my life and ruler of the Raghus—and the mighty, wicked lord of Laṅkā. Come near me. I grant you divine sight; behold the battle with it and describe it, for I yearn to hear.
Passage 27
भर्तुर्यच्चरितं रणाङ्गणगतस्यामानुषं धन्विनः सौमित्रेरपि यद्भवेद्धनुमतः पत्युः कपीनामपि। यन्नीलस्य नलस्य वालितनयस्य रक्षेशितुश्चापि यत् तत्सर्वं सह राक्षसे रणमुखे मह्यं सखि श्रावय॥२७॥
“Friend, tell me everything that occurs at the battlefront: the superhuman deeds of my bow-bearing husband upon the field, and the deeds of Sumitrā's son, Hanumān, the lord of the monkeys, Nīla, Nala, Vāli's son, the lord of the rākṣasas, and all the rākṣasas.”