It was seen in last post that Hanuman could finally locate Sita in Ashoka grove which is a starting point for all the future occurrences. He immediately identified her to be Sita looking at the lonely state, strictly guarded by demonesses and relating to her ornaments hanging from a nearby tree. It was a moment of victory on one hand for finding Sita and sadness on the other hand looking at her helpless condition waiting desperately for help. The most beautiful consort of Rama lay here pain-stricken, fear-stricken and fiercely opposing Ravana for any of his advances towards her. The strength of her purity gives her the strength to endure and live along looking for Rama and his men to reach her. The mesmerizing messenger, Hanuman, the devout devotee of Rama has arrived and stationed right above her overlooking the happenings beneath. Meanwhile, Ravana comes to the place of Sita and boasts of his prowess while awaiting her nod in acceptance patiently. He speaks gently and persuades her to become the queen of Lanka, giving up her sad state for matchless riches. We can see the stern reply from Sita, further conversation and the demons descending upon her in spirit and action in the following chapters.
In chapter 21, Sita replies to Ravana saying that he should seek friendship with Rama and return Her back to Rama.
Pale with fear and grieved at Ravana's words, Sita placed a blade of grass between them, deeming it unfit to talk to Ravana directly. "Forget me Ravana", She said, "go back to your wives. Desiring me is like a sinner desiring heaven. It shall never happen. Born of a noble race and married into another noble one, famed for my purity will I ever defile myself with shameful deeds, that the world will condemn? Turning away and sitting with her back to him, Sita continued to chastise Ravana, "Be noble Ravana, never depart from it. Follow the path of the virtuous. Why do you, who wish your wives to be chaste not think alike about the wives of other men? Give up your lawless love Rakshasa. Think how you would react if other men consorted with your wives and realize that they too would react in the same way. The wealth and life of him who is discontent with his wife and betrayed by his senses seeks the company of other's wives will soon perish. Are there no wise men in Lanka to give you good advice? Or do you in your arrogance pretend to humbly listen to them with no intention of ever heeding them? Perhaps as prelude to the destruction of the entire rakshasa race you turn a deaf ear to their counsel. Ruled by a wicked, and unwise king, the most prosperous of kingdoms can fall to ruin and so will Lanka for the blame of you. Your lack of foresight will lead to your destruction and the people of the earth will rejoice in your downfall. Neither power nor wealth tempts me. Just as light cannot be separated from the Sun, I too cannot be separated from Rama. How can I, having embraced Rama, lord of the universe even think of you who are nobody?.”
"Ravana, unite me with Rama if you wish to live. Cease this enmity with him for he is noble. Renowned as the knower of every virtue, ever compassionate to all those who seek refuge in him, Rama will forgive you and set you free. I too shall plead for you. Your arrogance may delude you into believing that Indra's Vajra may spare you and Yama's noose may wait forever to claim you, but never will Rama let the wicked like you live. The arrows of Rama and Lakshmana will soon fill Lanka and in that fiery deluge Lanka will perish. Unable to retaliate the carnage at Janasthana you resorted to stealth and abducted me. If only you had even a whiff of Rama's presence you would have fled like a dog, fleeing from tigers. Just as the blazing rays of the sun vaporize a puddle, so shall Rama wipe you off from the face of the earth. Your time is running out and it bodes you ill. You would not otherwise be tormenting me so. Just as a tree cannot escape the lightning about to strike it, you too cannot escape Rama's inexorable arrows.”
In chapter 22, Ravana gives Sita two months to marry him. He orders ogres to frighten Sita and bring Her to his control. Ravana then goes back to his own house with his consorts.
Displeased with Sita's angry words, Ravana plunged head long into a harsh tirade "The more a man cajoles a woman, the more he falls into her clutches and courts her disdain. I am trying to control my fury against you just as a master charioteer tries to rein in his wayward horses racing off track. Bound by passion, man unable to go against the wishes of his beloved even condones her acts that ought to be condemned. Death is what you deserve Sita. But my love for you prevent me from killing you, who defy me, thinking of Rama that hypocrite who pretends ascetism. In two months, ends the time I had given you to yield to my wishes and then shall you share my bed. If you still refuse to accept me as your husband, you will be cooked and served as my first meal of that day.
Beholding Sita being threatened and bullied by Ravana, the celestial ladies who had accompanied him wept while some made signs of sympathy with their eyes and lips. Consoled by their gesture, brushing aside her grief, and with a courage born out of her purity, Sita voiced her anger and agony, "There seem to be none here, concerned enough in your welfare to tell you that, 'Such a thing is not done'" None in the three worlds would covet me, who am the consort of Rama, as his wife, except you. To which world do you think you can run to escape this transgression of yours? You will die the moment Rama sees you. How dare you Ravana, look at me with such lust? Why do your fearful flaming eyes not fall out of your head, why does not your tongue that utters the unmentionable fall to the ground? Though you deserve to be reduced to ashes, I desist from it for I do not have Rama's approval, and also it will mitigate the merits of my penance. If I were with Rama, you could never have touched me. For your death alone destiny has decreed you to steal me. When you boast so much of your might, why did you lure Rama away and abduct me?"
Ravana who was dark as a rain cloud, large as a mountain and strong as a lion, was furious. His red eyes spewed fire, his breath came out like the hiss of a serpent, and his crown wobbled with the tremors of his rage. "Thinking of Rama, that pauper who treads the path of evil, do you Sita, spurn me? I shall destroy you this instant like the Sun destroys the dark of pre-dawn," swore Ravana. He then commanded the hideous monsters guarding Sita to make her think of him with love. "Cajole her or threaten her if need be" he insisted. It was then that Ravana's first wife Dhyanamalini embraced him saying, "Desiring her who has no love for you will only bring you sorrow my lord. Choose me, for I love you and can make you happy. It is not her fault that Sita refuses to take you as her husband, for Brahma himself has deemed her unfit to share your immense wealth and your incomparable splendor. Why do you crave this strange hued mortal woman. Come revel with me." Leaving behind the noble princess quaking with fear, Ravana's feet pounded the earth as he strode into the brilliance of his palace, dazzling like the midday sun.
In chapter 23, the ogre women speak to Sita about her marrying Ravana.
Having delivered his ultimatum to Sita, Ravana left and the coarse ruthless, creatures to whom, she was handed over milled around her dainty form. Unwilling to believe that she had turned down their master, the ten headed crown jewel of the Paulastya dynasty and son of Visravas whose glory equalled that of Brahma, shocked and angry at her audacity, their raucous voices berated Sita's foolishness. The rakshasa women Ekajata, Vikata and Durmukhi sang praise of Ravana and goaded Sita to yield to him, for whom the sun shone subdued, and the winds blew gently. Durmukhi's final warning was, "Say yes to Ravana as he is not only the king of rakshasas, but the king of kings. How can you even think of not accepting him, for your refusal will only bring you death."
In chapter 24, Sita cites the examples of Sachi, Arundhati, Rohini etc. on their devotion towards their husbands. Ogre women threaten to kill Sita and eat her.
In that beautiful grove in Lanka where Sita was held captive, the dreaded rakshasa forces of Ravana spewed evil and venom as they tried to threaten her into submission. Milling around her dainty form they demanded "What makes you refuse living in the palace, a luxury that no one would deny? Because you are mortal you consider that being the wife of another mortal Rama to be the ultimate. Forget Rama. Never again will you be with him or be his wife. Being a woman, you still crave Rama who has neither kingdom nor the means to satisfy any wish of his."
The jarring pitiless banter went on and Sita said, "You utter such unpardonable words, so against the norms of the world, do you not think it a transgression to do so? Rama may be a homeless wanderer, but he is my lord and my very life." From his shelter in the boughs, Hanuman watched the torment of Sita and the mounting fury of the fiends.
Licking their ugly pendulous lips and brandishing their axes, the raucous lot declared Sita to be unfit as Ravana's wife. The rakshasa woman Vinata, her eyes flashing with anger said, "As a human and a woman, you have displayed your love for Rama, your profound purity and chastity. I am pleased. But anything practiced with such rigid intensity is harmful. It only leads to grief and not joy. For your welfare I counsel you to be Ravana's queen? Give up Rama, who because of his enmity with Ravana, has not long to live. None can cross the seas over which you were brought, none can enter the unassailable palace of Ravana, and none can escape our guard, youth is transient, Sita, accept Ravana and revel with him before that youth deserts you. Seven thousand apasara like women will serve you and the king of all the rakshasas will be your lord. Heed me Sita or be devoured." Soon as Vinata pronounced her final threat, another like her, Chandodari spoke of more impending terror if Sita chose to remain stubborn. She said, "ever since I saw this woman from across the seas who looks like a startled deer, I have had a great urge to devour her flesh and feast on her heart." Another demon Praghasa, unleashed her displeasure saying, "let us kill this woman and tell Ravana that the mortal woman Sita is dead, and he will surely say, "Devour her." Ajamukhi, part of the grisly tribe advised that Sita's body be divided into equal parts so that there would be no cause for squabbles." Surpanakha then asked for wine to be brought, to go with the food upon which they were soon going to feast. Sita, the exquisitely beautiful consort of Rama robbed of all courage wept.
In chapter 25, Sita calls out Rama and others and bursts into a wail not being able to endure the threats of ogre women.
Frightened at the jarring banter of the demon guard, choking with grief, Sita vented her anguish, "A mortal woman can never be the wife of a rakshasa. Devour me if you want, for I shall not yield to your threats." Calling upon Rama, Lakshmana, Kausalya and Sumitra, she lamented, "Separated from Rama, and unable to die, I still live. As the learned say, without the will of Iswara death claims no man or woman before their time, perhaps? Like a lone ship at sea, battered by the tempestuous winds sinks, so will I perish like an orphan? Only the fortunate and not I, who am unfortunate, will ever again see Rama, the compassionate lord of the universe. What transgressions of mine warrant this torment that haunts me? Death alone will probably relieve me of this great sorrow, but it does not come when wished for. I can never escape these rakshasa women, nor can I end my life for I do not have Rama's consent to do so. There is no worse curse than being born human and being dependent on others. "Blinded by lust, Ravana abducted me, commanded by him his demon squad guard me and persecute me. I can no longer endure this life. Separated from Rama how can I live among these fiends? Devour me you monsters, I shall not touch Ravana even with my left foot, let alone love him. Never."
This concludes chapters 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 of Sundara Kanda where we had seen the harsh words flew between Sita and Ravana. Never acceding to his insinuations, Sita reprimands him in no mean terms and asks him to return her to Rama immediately for the time elapsed cannot be taken back and the impending destruction of Ravana cannot be stopped. Enraged by the truth and the boldness of a mere mortal woman, Ravana gives her two months to change her mind and marry him. Else he would devour her the next moment. Never backing down, Sita asks him to seek wise counsel and criticizes him in all terms for resorting to the meanest act of abducting her and asks him to end the dangerous lust. Ravana hissed like a serpent, swears to end her that instant and after getting back senses ask the demon guards to cajole or threaten to make her think of him with love. From that time, the ogre women guards resort to all means of persuading her into marrying Ravana and threaten to devour her like a pack of hungry wolves surrounding a delicate prey. Sita cannot resist this and bursts into a wail unable to endure the threats of demon women. How she was further broken to give up life, goes through the time limit and also experience some good omens to shed some forthcoming light can be seen in subsequent chapters.
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