Sita's Left Eye Trembles at Dawn While Ravana Returns to War
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 100
Doha 100 · Movement 1 of 3
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Trijata consoles Sita and returns home. Alone again, Vaidehi remembers Rama's nature and separation burns through her with renewed force. She reproaches the night and moon while every hour stretches into an age that refuses to end.
When the fire in her heart becomes unbearable, her left eye and arm begin to tremble. Sita reads the signs as auspicious and steadies herself. Compassionate Raghuvira will meet her now. Hope enters not because the night has shortened, but because the body itself has begun to whisper reunion.
At midnight Ravana wakes and rages at the charioteer who carried him from battle. The servant holds his feet and explains until dawn. Then Ravana mounts the chariot and rushes out again. The vanara host hears him coming, uproots mountains and trees, and moves forward with teeth clenched. One dawn carries Sita's omen of meeting and Ravana's return toward death.
Before sunrise, Sita's body foretells reunion while Ravana's chariot carries him toward the same appointed meeting.
Read the passage from the Manas
अस कहि बहुत भाँति समुझाई। पुनि त्रिजटा निज भवन सिधाई।। राम सुभाउ सुमिरि बैदेही। उपजी बिरह बिथा अति तेही।। निसिहि ससिहि निंदति बहु भाँती। जुग सम भई सिराति न राती।। करति बिलाप मनहिं मन भारी। राम बिरहँ जानकी दुखारी।। जब अति भयउ बिरह उर दाहू। फरकेउ बाम नयन अरु बाहू।। सगुन बिचारि धरी मन धीरा। अब मिलिहहिं कृपाल रघुबीरा।। इहाँ अर्धनिसि रावनु जागा। निज सारथि सन खीझन लागा।। सठ रनभूमि छड़ाइसि मोही। धिग धिग अधम मंदमति तोही।। तेहिं पद गहि बहु बिधि समुझावा। भौरु भएँ रथ चढ़ि पुनि धावा।। सुनि आगवनु दसानन केरा। कपि दल खरभर भयउ घनेरा।। जहँ तहँ भूधर बिटप उपारी। धाए कटकटाइ भट भारी।।
Saying this and consoling Sita in many ways, Trijata then departed to her own dwelling. Remembering Rama's noble nature, Vaidehi (Sita) was overcome with intense pangs of separation. She blamed the night and moon in many ways, as the night seemed like an age and would not pass. Janaki, tormented by separation from Rama, lamented heavily in her heart. When the burning pain of separation became too intense in her heart, her left eye and arm began to throb. Considering these auspicious omens, she steadied her mind, thinking that the compassionate Raghubira would now meet her. Here at midnight, Ravana awoke and began to rage at his charioteer. "Fool! You made me flee from the battlefield. Shame, shame on you, wicked and foolish one!" The charioteer grasped his feet and explained in many ways, and when dawn broke, Ravana mounted his chariot and rushed forth again. Hearing of the ten-headed one's approach, the monkey army became greatly agitated and ready for battle. Here and there, mighty warriors rushed forward, uprooting mountains and trees with fierce roars.