Continued from Withered Flower - Sundara Kãnda

If Mahabharata's Bhagvad-Gita is taken as a philosophical guide, Ramayana's Sundara Kãnda is sought for spiritual solace. What is more, many believe that reading Sundara Kãnda or hearing it recited would remove all hurdles and usher in good tidings!

Canto 21 - Steadfast in Love

Hurt by Ravan’s words Seetha
Spoke to him thus in smooth tone.

How thou belittle my Lord Ram!
Doth it behove a learned man?

Blinded by thy lust Ravan
Fail thou see the God in Ram.

Having lovely wives in scores
Why eye me Ram’s only wife?

How come thou think Rama’s wife
Would ever bed with another man!

Pray thee divert from me lust
Engage all thy women in want.

Want as thou thy wives loyal 
Let me be bound to my man.

Lust if thou for another’s wife
Won’t thou know that mars thy life?

That thee take the righteous path
Won’t’ thou have a right counsel?  

Wonder how thee fail to see
Lanka by thine act would rue.

History all know bears witness
Ruined are kingdoms ruled by vile.

If thou wish thy Lanka well
Better bear that in mind O king.

Well O Ravan wicked as thee
Sure thou die like some street dog.

Hear as all those by thee hurt
Sure they feel good at thy death.

Sever as its rays never from sun
Never I would wean from my Ram.

Had I Rama’s arm for rest
Is there better for thee to give?

Gain as wisdom read who Vedas 
It’s my Lord who gained my hand.

Help as might a gamekeeper
Beast on heat to find its mate
Let me lovelorn meet my man.

Why thou want to ruin thyself
Why not fences mend with Ram. 

My Lord I tell is large hearted
Treats he kindly those penitent. 

Take O Ravan my counsel
So thou could live for so long.

Plead I would thy case with Ram
Though thou hurt my cause no end.

Scare thou might the death even
Escape there none from his wrath.

Comes when Rama with war cry
Thou then shiver in thine own shoes. 

Leave my Lord the king archer
Can thou stand up to Lakshman? 

Come their arrows thick and fast
Where thee find some place to hide?

Know it won’t be beyond my man
Lakshman being there with him
To hunt down thee all to last man.

It’s no big deal for my man
To take me back by slaying thee. 

Having known thy limitations
To confront my man in person
Don’t I know that thou contrived
That golden deer to keep him out.

Shame on thee O low Ravan
With that golden deer as ruse
The way thou snared me to Lanka.

It’s one thing to trick me then
When my man was not at home
As thou face Ram ’n Lakshman
Ball game it would be different. 

Canst thou hold their little fingers 
How can then thou fight them both?

Scorch as sun-rays ponds there all
Sharp their arrows sieve thy frame.

Earned as thee, wrath of Ram
Know thine end is so near end.

Canto 22 -  Deadline to Death

Hurt as he by Seetha’s taunts
Spoke thus Ravan in harsh tone.

Wonder the way women all tend
Tends as enamoured man of them,
As though his stock fell so low
Tend they all to belittle him.

If not for my love for thee
Rein in how could my anger!

It’s but fondness for thee mine 
Makes me spare the day for thee.

But for the fact thou won me
Head thine would have rolled by now.

Know the way thee rubbished me
Should’ve earned thee third degree.

Afflicted though by his lust
Couldn’t take Ravan Seetha’s snub.

Months two more is all I give
For thee to choose death or me.

Fail if thou to bed with me
Make thy flesh then my breakfast.

Feared all angels having heard
Threat that Ravan’s to Seetha.

Concern theirs for Seetha then
Made them signal her welfare.

Assured thus of angelic grace
Spoketh Seetha thus assured:

To put the right into thy head
Sad O Ravan thee have none.

Knowing that I’m Rama’s wife
Thinks fit none to day-dream me.

For the sin of snaring me
Escape there none thee from death.

Bid in thine to kidnap me
If not for thy fear of Ram
Why thee contrived his absence?

What to make of thy valour
Boast thou as from safe distance
From my Lord thou fear to face?

Ogle as thee Rama’s wife
Wonder how thou turned not blind ?

Abused as thou my Lord Ram
How come thou not turned yet dumb!

Given if Rama me the nod
Power I have to burn thee now.

It’s no joke to dupe my man
Ruse it’s but of thine own fate
Helped thee thus to hijack me
So that my Lord sees thy end.

For that cowardly act of thine
Boasts of thine all sound hollow. 

Enraged by her words Ravan
Stared at her in seething rage.

Shook he as in burning wrath
Stilted sideways his gold crown. 

Turned as his, eyes blood red
Peeled off sandal paste on him.

Turned to lumps of coal at once
Diamonds of his waist-band then.

On his arms with gold epaulets
Hair his stood all in straight lines. 

Ear-rings his of bright corals 
Matched they both the rising sun. 

In his rage did Ravan seem
Like the funeral pyre on fire.

Hissed then Ravan in anger
Spoke to her thus in despair.

But for lack of common sense
How can someone fall for Ram!
Looks like I have lost patience
Time I end thy rein on life.

Having spoken to Ram’s wife
Addressed Ravan his own folk.

Know I lost my heart to her
Kept I whom as thy captive.

For the possession of this lass
Passion mine is ever on raise.

Until she takes me in arms
I can’t have the peace of mind.

If she were to turn my queen
Make her see the life in store.

Pander her to my embrace
Pamper would I her in bed.

Fails if she to fall in line
Torture all the way to hell.

Came at that an ardent dame
Spoke she then in passion thus:

Make me thine in heat Ravan
What thou get from this cold fish?

Brahma seems to have deprived 
Her the chance to bed with thee.

Requites not if lass his love
Won’t she turn a pain in neck?

Mounts if man a dame in want
Takes she would him to his cum,
Having said that lass on heat
Forced then Ravan fence across. 

Turned as ground their makeshift bed
Seemed as though the earth had quaked.

Came as he back from that jaunt
Led Ravan his women all home. 

Went as he thus to Pushpak
Left was Seetha in panic.

Canto 23 - Guards that Pander

To see Ravan off the grove
Followed suit then guards all there.

At the bidding of their king
Trooped they all back to Seetha. 

Felt they disgust for Seetha
That she rubbished Ravan thus. 

Sang they praises of Ravan
Sense they tried to put in her.

In time lost a guard temper
And then spoke to Seetha thus:

Great grandad of king Ravan
Is none other than Lord Brahma.

Ravan’s father Visravas
Was the son of Pulasthyu.

Looks thy wits have gone astray
To snub Brahma’s great grandson.

To give Seetha more of lead
Harijata took the baton then. 

Don’t thee know that Ravan’s might
Made all demigods turn their backs?

To make Ravan thine own man
Wonder how thou take so long?  

To entice Seetha for their Lord
Praised then Praghasa thus Ravan: 

Loves no less his queen Ravan
Looks whose make thee pale even
That’s why it’s all seem so strange
That our king should take to thee.

Harem his filled to the brim
With beauties of rarest kind 
Who would rival thee no less. 

Taunting Seetha as her wont
Took-off then an amorous one.

Dames all die to climb his bed
Craves he but to bed with thee
Seem thou fail to well perceive 
What’s it like his lovemaking?

Sun said another in same vein
Looks so pale at Ravan’s glow. 

Why thou fail to bask thyself
In the embrace of such man?

At thy feet is king of kings
Wonder how thee shun him thus.

Well be thou in Ravan’s bed
Why thee opt for then deathbed.

Canto 24 - Carrot and Stick

Finding Seetha still unmoved
Thought the better of guards all then
Brought they dreamland close to her.

Said they all in one tone then
None there ever a Pushpak like
In which Ravan keeps his queens.

For thy man the Lankan gates
Out of bounds by Ravan made 
Stop thy lament for lost cause
Make the best as Lankan queen.

Know Ravan is Fortune One
Takes thee as his beloved one
Grant he would thine every wish.

Even one-night stand with him
Make thee forget thy man’s want
Lost who throne ’n failed thee too.

For all they said to pander her
Hurt was Seetha’s aggrieved soul
Take she could no more of that.

Stop thy tirade of my man
Know it’s sin to belittle him
And to pander his spouse thus. 

Prefer I die as Rama’s wife
Than to live as Ravan’s queen.

Though he lost the crown of his
Sits he yet on my heart’s throne.

What if he lacks worldly wealth
Makes me rich his manly worth. 

Apart though are our bodies
Milk and water make our souls.

It’s thy foolishness to think
My man can’t ever make it here,
In the palanquin of my heart
Didn’t I bring him so long back?

Raged as were they by her sneer
Enraged they mobbed all her then.

Saw as he the scene Hanuman
Feared he then for Seetha’s life.

Frightful as all made themselves
Shivered then Seetha in her shoes.

Picked up they all pick-axes
Poked they Seetha with stick’s end.  

At that Hanuman saw Seetha
Run for cover to where he was.

Chased all Seetha all the way
Nail they could her in the end.

Worked all single minded then
To make Seetha change her mind.

To floor Seetha for their Lord
Took then fiendish Vinatha floor. 

It’s as well thee stood by Ram
It’s time that thee shift thy base.

For thy steadfastness to Ram
Looks like gods all granted thee
Fortune that’s rare for fair sex
That of becoming Ravan’s queen.

Why to speak in equal terms
Can Ram match his little finger?

Block thy past as Rama’s wife
Gloat thyself as Ravan’s queen.

Why not take thee Ravan’s hand
And turn toast of all three worlds?

In time thy man in despair
Wander would he to deathbed.

Were thou fail to heed our words
Won’t we make a meal of thee?

With her sagging breasts that swing
Venomous Vikata came forward.

Spoketh as thee words such rash
It’s our goodness that spared thee.

Brought thee Ravan to this shore
Forget that Ram comes this far.

Dares none ever to eye Lanka 
Scope there none for thy escape.

Invoke and see Lord Indra
How he fears our king Ravan.

What’s the sense in thy crying
It’s time that thee jump for joy.

Surely thou pass prime in time
What would be then left of thee?
As the favoured of Ravan
Why not make the best of prime? 

In the garden of thy bloom
It’s all joy rides with Ravan.

At the beck and call we all
Come to serve thee all the time.

Fail if thee take Ravan’s hand
Fail we not to sever thy head.

Chandodari then put her mace 
On breasts daunting of Seetha.

Is it not to enjoy these
Assets ample of snow white
Brought thee Ravan all the way?

As thou let not Ravan lay
Hands his eager on thy breasts
Make I would them food for me. 

At that Praghasa spoken thus:

Why to waste our breath on her
Why not stuff out breath of hers. 

As she failed to lay with him
Learns as Ravan of her death
Won’t he let us feast her flesh? 

Set the pyre to roast her well 
And fetch I arrack in barrels. 

Surpanakha thus spoketh then. 

Find I tiring all this grind
Guarding Seetha round the clock
High time it’s all brought to end
In grand orgy with her flesh.

Put they thus the fear of death
In Seetha who then liked to live 
For the sake of Ram she loved.

Canto 25 - Hapless Soul    

Guards as gave her no respite
Broke down Seetha in despair. 

Seetha in time pulled herself
And thus explained her position.

It’s no custom for humans
To get wed to the demonic folk.
Stick I would to our tradition
Leave the rest to thy decision.

Having stated her position
Sulked then Seetha in distress.

Cornered as would deer hunted
Crouched there Seetha in dismay.

Like a withered leaf on floor
Lovelorn Seetha thus there lay.

Tears those profuse as she shed
Passed her valley in thick streams.

In her fright then her frail frame 
Looked like banana plant in storm.

In her fear as shivered Seetha 
Snake like shrivelled then her black plait.

Ceased as Seetha not to sigh
Blouse her wet then turned all dry.

In her pain then Seetha wailed
‘Oh my Rama where art thou’!

Why not thou me give consent
Now to die though love to live
To spend the rest of life with thee. 

Won’t it prove the words of wise
One can’t time his death himself? 

Takes as leaking boat its time
To sink down to the ocean bed
What if my grief kills me slow?

Seems my sorrow cuts my heart
Erode as floods the banks there all.

What else it’s but misfortune
To lose such a good husband.

Suffer I like the one who took
Arsenic on one’s way to death.

Looks like I am paying price
For the misdeeds of last birth.

See none escape route to Ram
Better I draw the curtains now
On the accursed life of mine.
 
How I forgot as his wife
Until he doth give his nod
Right none have I to take life!

Canto 26 - Wandering Thoughts

Sense of respect for her man
Made her position all the worse. 

Having lost her nerve in time
Cried she like a hapless child. 

With the intent to snare me
Cruel Ravan lured my man
With that golden deer I craved.

That thy canny Ravan made
Me the captive of thee folk
Taunt as thou by sadist pranks
Intent have I none to live.

Of what avail is my life now
Useless since it’s to my Lord.

Seems my heart is made of steel
Or else grief mine sundered same.

Sans Ram life is leper like
Since I nurse it nonetheless
What a worthless woman am I?

What a man is my Lord Ram
Sans him what doth life portend?

How I wish thou kill me now
Bear I can this pain no more.

Not even with mile long pole
Touch I would that wretched Ravan.

Scorned by me as all the way
What a shameless man is he
So to crave for hand of mine?

No way I would turn to him
Why thou waste thy time on me?

Wonder how my wondrous man
Came to spare this beastly man! 

On his own did slay my Lord
Demons fourteen thousand once. 

What threat Ravan would then pose
To my Lord who killed those fiends?

He who slain Viradha then 
Would he fail to save me now?

True it’s no mean task to come
To Ravan’s land in midst of seas
But can one ever stop my man?

Still I wonder why Rama 
Fails to come to my rescue!

Looks like my Lord is clueless
Where his beloved wife is held,
If not for that wouldn’t he chase 
Ravan all the way to hell?

When he took him in mid-air
Clipped as Jataayu’s wings Ravan
Who then Rama makes privy 
It was Ravan that snared me!

How I owe my gratitude
To that noble bird so old
Who fought Ravan for my sake. 

Should Rama get wind of me
Won’t he descend on this land
Whirlwind like to suck Ravan?

Won’t he turn on his wrath then
On the demonic Ravan’s force? 

Won’t thus Lankan women all get
Measure for measure of my pain then?

One and all of Ravan’s men
Would find too hot to handle 
Ram in battle with Lakshman.

Won’t all funeral pyres redden
Skies of Lanka for days on? 

It’s all Ravan’s mindlessness
Brings which Lanka to the brink. 

Won’t I see omens portend
Lanka’s fall in near future?

Bites as Ravan battle dust
Brings that Lanka to nadir.

As thy men all go to hell
Won’t thee then all pine for them?   

With no male to caress thee
Wail all thee in every hearth.

Comes all this true when Rama
Learns here Ravan confines me. 

Lands as Ram in hot pursuit
Ravan would have no respite.

Naïve is Ravan for he gloats
That he kept me on death row.

Won’t he shortly come to know
That he himself dug his grave? 

Deserve demons no more now
Graves than mass in barren lands.

Having put a brave face thus
Gripped was Seetha yet by doubts!

Can I come to see my Ram
Should vile Ravan keeps his word
And gets served me for breakfast?

Might my Lord have thought I died
Or else wouldn’t he scan all earth?

Taking me for dead and gone
Man mine would have given up life.

Won’t he gladden gods all there
Stay with his in heaven of theirs? 

Would a godly man like Ram
Need to keep his woman in mind?

Out of sight is out of mind
Maybe norm with all humans,
With his sense of fairness Ram
Won’t he cherish his life with me?

Wonder how I met this fate
Being wife of such great soul!

Turned as void for his loss
Why hanker for life I now?

Having lost the will to fight
What if Ram ’n Lakshman too
Penance to taken in despair!

Who knows wily Ravan didn’t
Contrive death of Ram and him. 

See I no end of misery
Carry why now more of it?

Come I nowhere near yogis
For whom joys and sorrows
Meaning have none of their own.

But the rest all gloat fortune
And get shaken by hard times.

Ram as is not there to guide 
Why not I take my own life?

Continued to "Dream of a Nightmare" - Sundara Kãnda