50. RAVANA'S SOLICITATION :

TO SITA, plunged in a sea of sorrow
and clinging to dharma and to the thought
of her lord, Ravana spoke these words:



"O beautiful one! Why do you shrink
from me? Do you not see how much I care
for you? Though it is lawful for a
Rakshasa to take another's wife and
possess her by force, I am a beggar for
your love. There is no need to fear me. I
shall never touch you till your heart turns
towards me. Do not be afraid. My one
wish is that you should care for me as I do
for you. You must accept me with
affection. Why do you make your body a
prey to unavailing sorrow? O beautiful
one! There is none like you in loveliness,
none in all the world. It is not right for
you to reject beautiful jewels, and clothes,
to sleep on the ground and leave your hair
unkempt. O gem among women, do not
thus waste your youth and beauty. Now
you have come under my protection, you
should lack nothing. All pleasures are
suitors for your selection. I cannot take
my eyes away from your face bright like
the full moon. Wherever on your body I
set my eyes, there they remain fixed and
immovable. Why should one with so
much beauty suffer so much sorrow?
Accept me and enjoy all the pleasures of
the world. I will conquer the world and
give it to Janaka for your sake. What will
I not do for you? You will be my
sovereign consort. All the queens and
women in the palace will be ruled by you.
My wealth, my kingdom, all shall be
yours to enjoy. Lanka and myself, why,
the whole earth, shall belong to you. My
strength and courage are known to the
Devas and Asuras. Vanquished by me,
they stand with bowed heads. With
jewels and garments fit for you my
handmaidens will adorn you. I long to see
you splendidly decked. And you will be
free to give away generous gifts in
charity. Your authority will extend over
all mankind. My subjects and kinsfolk
will deem it a joy to serve you. Why do
you waste your thoughts on wretched
Rama, wandering in the forest? How can
you love, how can you trust one who has
been deprived of his rights and driven out
of his kingdom and is roaming about clad
in bark garments? What can this helpless
fellow do? The Goddess of Wealth, she
that presides over power and she who
rules over success have all abandoned
him, and you know it. It is even doubtful
whether he is alive today. Anyhow, you
may take it, he will never set eyes on you
again, much less come near you. Like
Garuda seizing a serpent, you have
captivated my heart. I am unable to
escape. Even in your present state, devoid
of jewels or good clothes, you have drawn
me away from my other wives. What can I
do now? In my apartments are
innumerable lovely women. But after
seeing you, I can bear the sight of none of
them. You will be Queen over all of them
and receive their humble service. In what
sense can Rama equal me? Do you not see
that in severe austerities gone through, in
strength, wealth and glory, in every way I
am superior to him? Shake off your fear.
We shall wander over the whole world,
happy in each other's company. With me
you will enjoy limitless wealth and
pleasure. Life will be one continuous joy.
O beautiful one, have pity on me. Let us
sport together in the parks and groves by
the sea. Only say 'yes'."



Thus Ravana uttered his impassioned
appeal for love and pity. When Ravana
had finished speaking, Sita plucked a little
blade of grass and, placing it between
them, laughed in derision and gently
spoke:



"Ravana, lay aside all such vain
thoughts concerning me. It is altogether
improper for you to desire me. Turn your
heart to your wives. Never can I agree to
what you say. Think of the family I was
born in. Think of the family I was married
into. How can you ever hope to persuade
me? Do not give room for such foolish
and impossible desires and make sorrow
for yourself!"



Then she turned her face away and
continued:



"How can I become your wife, when I
am the wife of another? Do not violate
dharma. Do not tread the path of sin.
Listen to me. Think how carefully you
watch over your wives to keep them safe
from the touch of others. Would not other
husbands do the same by their wives?
Remember other men are like you. Do not
cast your eyes on another's wife. To be
happy with your own is the way of true
happiness. But if you allow your mind to
dwell on another's wife, sorrow and
dishonor will be your portion. Is there
none in the world to advise you aright?
Why do you do evil and bring destruction
on yourself and on your people? When a
king loses self-control, his kingdom and
wealth will all be destroyed. Be sure, this
Lanka and its great wealth will be utterly
destroyed if you persist in your sin and the
foes whom you have conquered and
humiliated will rejoice. I have no use for
the wealth and the pleasures that you
promise. They do not tempt me. I have
married Rama and I cannot take my mind
and heart away from him. I, who held his
hand, can never touch another, never. I am
his, the prince's, entirely and forever. I
belong to him, as the Veda belongs to one
who has reverently mastered it. It is not
right for anyone else to look on me with
longing eyes. Listen to me who speaks for
your good. Beg Rama humbly for
forgiveness and escape from his anger. Do
not go in search of your own ruin. Rama
is generous and will surely forgive you if
you seek his mercy. Seek forgiveness and
safety. Do not seek death and destruction.
There, I hear even now the twang of
Rama's bow. You cannot escape. Yama
stands very near, ready to carry you away.
The arrows of Rama and Lakshmana will
soon be here in Lanka and your city will
be in flames. Did not Rama utterly destroy
the Rakshasas at Janasthana? Did you not,
knowing his strength, come like a thief to
our hut, when Rama and Lakshmana were
away, to steal me? Can you for a moment
stand before them face to face? Can a dog
approach a tiger? Will it not flee from the
very scent? As the sun sucks up moisture
from the wet earth, Rama and Lakshmana
will drink your life. Will you run to hide
yourself among the mountains? Will you
try to escape under the sea? Even then, as
at the appointed hour the tree is struck by
lightning, so will you perish at their
hands. You cannot escape."



Thus Sita ended with a stern warning.
Ravana controlled his anger and spoke:
"O Sita, doting on this spurious ascetic
Rama, you talk foolishly and repay my
loving words with insult and contumely.
Because of my love for you, I have
refrained, else you would be dead by now.
Of the time I had allowed you, two
months more remain. Change your mind
won many battles and vanquished many
foes. How foolish to slight him!"



"Let not pride ruin you," said another.
"Ravana is the son of rishi Visravas. Do
not think he is a nobody. Accept him and
be happy."



"The king of the Rakshasas, who
defeated in battle and put to flight the
gods of heaven, invites you to be his
wife," said another. "You must yield, poor
girl, or you must die."



"Slighting all his other wives," said
another, "Ravana wants you and promises
to make you chief among his queens.
Forsaking all his noble wives, the King,
bewitched by your beauty, begs for your
love and offers to make you first among
his consorts. Why are you foolishly
obstinate?"



"None in all the world can equal Lord
Ravana," said another. "Good fortune
comes seeking you and you spurn it. How
foolish!"



"The Sun and the Wind gods are afraid
of the Rakshasa king. And he comes
seeking you and wants to make you his
favorite wife! Do not let your pride betray
you. Do not reject the fortune that comes
to you unsought."


And another concluded: "We have
given you good advice. We have done our
best and we leave the rest to you. If you
reject his offer, you must surely die."


NEXT : 51. FIRST AMONG THE ASTUTE

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