Meditation from Sri Sita's head to her feet
49. Sita's beautiful and generous limbs possess the radiance of refined gold. Many ornaments, filled with the brilliance of precious stones, shine upon her.
मूल पाठ 49 नगन जरे छबि भरे विविध भूषण अस सोहैं । सुन्दर अंग उदार विदित चामीकर को हैं ॥४९॥
Context and commentary
The poet's gaze, having seen Rama's form adorned with many ornaments, now turns to Sri Janaki. After beholding the radiance of all her limbs, he describes her as he described the Lord, beginning with the head.
"Thus beautiful" means "exceedingly beautiful" in the vernacular idiom. From head to feet her limbs are known to be beautiful, generous, and radiant. Sri herself belongs to Sri; as the Ramayana says:
How can Sita's beauty be described? The Mother of the universe is the mine of beauty and virtue.
If one compares the fair limbs filled with Rama's rasa to gold, what standing does gold have before them? Gold is material, inert, hard, and an abode of the darkness of Kali. The comparison is only a faint pointer.
50. Glossy dark curls shimmer, and a graceful braid beautifies her back. That dark line appears to be the very boundary and consummation of beauty.
मूल पाठ 50 अलक झलकता श्याम पीठ शोभित कल वेणी । सुन्दरता की सींव किधौं राजति अलि श्रेणी ॥५०॥
Commentary
Fine curls wave beside both ears, glossy and lustrous black. A beautiful braid adorns her dark-backed silhouette. The poet offers several imagined comparisons. These three, curls, dark sheen, and braid, seem to be the very boundary of beauty. Or the two curls are the two frontiers of a kingdom formed from pure beauty. The braid upon her back resembles a row of bees upon the golden leaf of a plantain tree.
51. Her hair-parting is adorned in many ways with fine golden work. It shines magnificently, like the flowing current of the celestial Ganga.
मूल पाठ 51 सूत्र रचित सुविविध प्रकार माँग जरतार सँवारी । मनहुँ सुरसरी धार बनी शोभा अस भारी ॥५१॥
52. Along either side of the parting are strings of large, spotless pearls. Amid the dense darkness of her hair, they gleam like a host of stars.
मूल पाठ 52 पाटन की लर ओर बड़े बड़े उज्ज्वल मोती । सघन तिमिर के मध्य मनो उडुगन को जोती ॥५२॥
Commentary
The hair-parting of Janaka's greatly fortunate daughter is arranged in many ways and ornamented with fine golden work: threads of gold and tiny pearls. Their strings shine magnificently like the current of the celestial Ganga, a stream in which the elephant of Sri Raghunandana's mind continually sports.
At the root of the braid above the parting and at its end, large white pearls are threaded together with blue silk. They shine like the light of a host of stars flashing amid dense darkness.
53. A jeweled head ornament, set with precious gems, shades her head. Lovely earrings shine beside her two graceful cheeks.
मूल पाठ 53 रतन रचित मणि जटित सीस पर बेंदा छाजै । ललित कपोल सुजुगल करन ताटंक विराजैं ॥५३॥
54. Her flawless, luminous forehead possesses measureless beauty. It appears to be the supreme dwelling of marital blessedness and good fortune.
मूल पाठ 54 उज्ज्वल भाल सुचारु अमित उपमा अस सोहै । राजत परम सुहाग भाग को भवन किधौं है ॥५४॥
Commentary
Here "jewel" means gold, for whatever is foremost among its class is called a jewel, and gold is foremost among metals. A benda head ornament made of gold and set with gems of many colors shades Sri Sita's head. Her two cheeks are exceedingly lovely, and tatanka earrings, the flower-shaped earrings commonly called tarina, shine especially at her ears, with pendant earrings below.
The forehead of the Daughter of Earth is luminous, beautifully formed, and immeasurable. A fitting comparison is that it appears to be the dwelling of supreme suhaag and fortune. Suhaag means the eternal love of one's life-beloved husband; fortune means completeness of wealth, people, and family in both parental and marital homes. Her forehead is the dwelling of both auspicious signs.
55. A graceful line of gorochana forms the tilaka upon her brow. Her noble, shapely nose is adorned by a lovely nose-ring.
मूल पाठ 55 गोरोचन को तिलक ललित रेखा बनि आई । उन्नत नासा सुभग लसत बेसरि जु सुहाई ॥५५॥
56. Her brows are beautiful, her eyes are large, and her moon-gentle glance purifies the world. Her serene face appears like a lotus in full bloom.
मूल पाठ 56 भृकुटी नयन विशाल सोम चितवनि जग पावन । मानहुँ विकसित कमल वदन अस लगत सुहावन ॥५६॥
Commentary
Upon that forehead is an exceedingly lovely tilaka of gorochana; the lines of its design are beautifully formed. Gorochana is yellow, highly fragrant, and traditionally obtained from a most fortunate cow. Her high, shapely, beautiful nose bears an exceedingly light and lovely vesari nose-ring fashioned from gold, gems, and pearls.
Both brows and eyes are expansive. Her eyes' gentle glance is straightforward, cool, and filled with the nectar of compassion; it sanctifies an impure world. Her serene face appears beautiful like a fully opened lotus.
57. Beneath her red lips, the row of teeth shines enchantingly. At the center of her lovely chin, a tiny dark beauty mark reflects the hue of her dark Beloved.
मूल पाठ 57 अरुण अधर तर दसन पाँति अस लगति सुहाई । चारु चिबुक बिच तनक बिन्दु मेचक द्युति छाई ॥५७॥
58. A radiant necklace of fine pearls encircles her throat. Upon her broad heart rests a golden pendant fashioned with jewels.
मूल पाठ 58 कंठ पोति मणि जोति सुछवि मुक्ता वर माला । पदिक रचित कलधौत विराजत हृदय विशाला ॥५८॥
Commentary
Her red lips are exceedingly sweet. Beneath them the row of teeth appears most beautiful. Her chin is lovely and round, and at its center is a tiny dark dot. Dark as Sri Rama, steeped in the rasa of love, it seems that his hue has cast its reflection there.
Closely fitted around Sri Janakakishori's throat is a luminous collar of blue sapphire, whose fine radiance spreads across her neck. Here the vernacular poti, "fitted," derives from Sanskrit prikta, "joined closely." As the Sneha Prakashika says:
Upon your fair throat, Sita, the close-set necklace casts its light; it seems that the arm of your colorful Beloved has wrapped itself around you.
Upon her broad heart lies a finest garland of pearls, and at its center a pendant of gold set with gems shines especially.
59. Her fine red sari is woven with threads of gold. Beneath it, a skillfully patterned bodice shines, steeped in many colors.
मूल पाठ 59 हेम तंतु कर रचित अरुण सारी रंग भीनो । कंचुकी चित्रित चतुर विविध शोभित रंग भीनो ॥५९॥
Commentary
Her delicate red sari is woven with golden threads: borders, vines, and flower motifs are fashioned in gold. Red is the color of loving attachment, and she wears the sari that awakens love.
Her bodice is patterned in many ways through the skill of master artisans. Golden thread and minute pearls and gem-grains form its border, edging, fruits, necklaces, and many other ornamental images. It is "steeped in color," as if soaked so thoroughly that color drips from it. The bodice shines beneath the sari. Its color may be yellow and merge with her limbs, while appearing dark beside Sri Rama; or a green bodice may open beautifully beneath the red sari. The meditator may follow devotional preference.
60. Noble armlets lend beauty to her graceful arms. Colorful bangles and lovely rings exquisitely adorn her hands.
मूल पाठ 60 वर अंगद छवि देत बाँहु अस लगति सुहाई । करन चूरी रंगभरी ललित मुँदरी बनि आई ॥६०॥
61. Twin bracelets set with rubies and blue sapphires shine upon her wrists. They resemble lotus blossoms encircled by rows of dark bees.
मूल पाठ 61 पद्मराग मणि नील जटित युग कंकण राजैं । मनहुँ वनज के फूल दुरेफन पंक्ति विराजै ॥६१॥
Commentary
Excellent armlets give beauty to her arms, which therefore appear exceedingly lovely. Upon her lotus hands sparkle bangles filled with dark-colored gems, and lovely rings are perfectly arranged on the auspicious fingers. The thumb ring contains a priceless mirror, the ring beside the thumb bears a sweet portrait of Sri Raghubara, and the middle-finger ring contains her own portrait. The others are set with various gems.
Two bracelets upon each hand, set with red rubies and blue sapphires, shine gloriously. The red bracelets resemble lotus flowers, while the blue ones upon them resemble rows of bees. The comparison with lotuses concerns color alone, not shape.
62. A full, richly fashioned skirt shines beautifully around her waist. Across its red, blue, white, and yellow ground ripple waves of many colors.
मूल पाठ 62 लहँगा कटि परदेस भाँति अति शोभित गहिरी । अरुण असित सित पीत मध्य नाना रंग लहरी ॥६२॥
Commentary
Around her waist the skirt is deeply and richly fashioned with a wide, abundant flare. Its profundity is such that the movement of the mind sinks into it and can go no farther. Across it run red, blue, white, yellow, green, pink, violet, and many other waves or stripes, with brocaded vines woven between them.
63. A pair of golden anklets set with green gems shines upon her feet. Below them are tiny bells, and lovely toe-rings gleam at the tips.
मूल पाठ 63 हरित नगन कर जड़ित युगल जेहरि अस राजै । तिन पर घुँघरू और अग्र बिछिया सु विराजै ॥६३॥
Commentary
A pair of golden jehari anklets set with green gems shines greatly upon her two feet. Below them are small bells; at the front, upon toes and big toes, charming bichhiya toe-rings shine with special beauty.
64. Precious stones and clusters of delicate gems are set upon them. The soles of her lotus-feet are naturally red and effortlessly beautiful.
मूल पाठ 64 तिन पर नग जु अमोल ललित चूनी गण लाये । चरण चारु तल अरुण सहज ही लगत सुहाये ॥६४॥
Commentary
At the center of each toe-ring is set a single priceless stone, surrounded by delicate clusters of tiny gems of many colors. Her feet are beautiful and bear the forty-eight sacred marks already described together with the marks on Sri Rama's feet. Their soles are exceedingly red. Even without the application of red mahavar, they are naturally and perfectly lovely.
Kavitta on Sita's feet
Seek not such softness and redness in lac, hibiscus, bandhuka, or coral; not in fresh mango leaves colored by the quality of passion. Not in the choice flower, the young bride's body, the vandana blossom, safflower, rose, or river water. Not in the bimba fruit, the rising sun, Rati's lips, or the lovely lotus. Nowhere is found softness and redness so beautiful as in Sita's feet, says Rasrangamani.