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286
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
After waking up, the effulgent lord of
the Rakshasas entered, in due time, the
Asoka garden which was full of trees;
he was surrounded by choicest damsels
like the moon by stars.
 
रावणोऽयं महाबाहुरिति संचिन्त्य वानरः ।
पत्रगुल्मान्तरे सक्तो हनुमान् संवृतोऽभवत् ॥
 
Thinking he must be the mighty-armed
Ravana, Hanuman kept within a mass of
leaves and concealed himself.
 
सीतामसितकेशान्ताम् उपावर्तत रावणः ॥
Ravana approached Sita with dark tresses
स तां पतिव्रतां दीनां निरानन्दां तपस्विनीम् ।
साकारैर्मधुरैर्वायैर्न्यदर्शयत रावणः ॥
 
Then Ravana, with sweet words and
gestures, revealed himself (his desire ) to
Sita, chaste, miserable, joyless and living
the life of an ascetic.
 
कामये त्वां विशालाक्षि बहुमन्यस्व मां प्रिये ।
भव मैथिलि भार्या मे मोहमेनं विसर्जय ॥
 
O wide-eyed one, I love you ; O dear
one, honour me; O Sita, become my
wife ; leave this folly.