Hanuman Beholds Sita

Shloka 1 (sundara.15.1)

स वीक्षमाणस्तत्रस्थो मार्गमाणश्च मैथिलीम् । अवेक्षमाणश्च महीं सर्वां तामन्ववैक्षत ॥ 15.1 ॥

sa vīkṣamāṇastatrastho mārgamāṇaśca maithilīm | avekṣamāṇaśca mahīṃ sarvāṃ tāmanvavaikṣata || 15.1 ||

Watching from where he sat, and searching for the Maithili princess, he surveyed and closely observed all that ground.

Shloka 2 (sundara.15.2)

संतानकलताभिश्च पादपैरुपशोभिताम् । दिव्यगन्धरसोपेतां सर्वतः समलंकृताम् ॥ 15.2 ॥

saṃtānakalatābhiśca pādapairupaśobhitām | divyagandharasopetāṃ sarvataḥ samalaṃkṛtām || 15.2 ||

He beheld the grove, adorned with santanaka creepers and with trees, filled with divine fragrance, decorated on every side,

Shloka 3 (sundara.15.3)

तां स नन्दनसंकाशां मृगपक्षिभिरावृताम् । हर्म्यप्रासादसम्बाधां कोकिलाकुलनिःस्वनाम् ॥ 15.3 ॥

tāṃ sa nandanasaṃkāśāṃ mṛgapakṣibhirāvṛtām | harmyaprāsādasambādhāṃ kokilākulaniḥsvanām || 15.3 ||

resembling Nandana, thronged with deer and birds, crowded with mansions and palaces, resounding with the calls of flocks of cuckoos,

Shloka 4 (sundara.15.4)

काञ्चनोत्पलपद्माभिर्वापीभिरुपशोभिताम् । बह्वासनकुथोपेतां बहुभूमिगृहायुताम् ॥ 15.4 ॥

kāñcanotpalapadmābhirvāpībhirupaśobhitām | bahvāsanakuthopetāṃ bahubhūmigṛhāyutām || 15.4 ||

beautified by pools of golden lotuses and water-lilies, furnished with many seats and coverings, filled with many underground chambers,

Shloka 5 (sundara.15.5)

सर्वर्तुकुसुमै रम्यैः फलवद्भिश्च पादपैः । पुष्पितानामशोकानां श्रिया सूर्योदयप्रभाम् ॥ 15.5 ॥

sarvartukusumai ramyaiḥ phalavadbhiśca pādapaiḥ | puṣpitānāmaśokānāṃ śriyā sūryodayaprabhām || 15.5 ||

lovely with the flowers of every season and with fruit-laden trees — that place Maruti gazed upon, seeming ablaze with the splendour of the flowering ashoka trees, like the glow of sunrise,

Shloka 6 (sundara.15.6)

प्रदीप्तामिव तत्रस्थो मारुतिः समुदैक्षत । निष्पत्रशाखां विहगैः क्रियमाणामिवासकृत् ॥ 15.6 ॥

pradīptāmiva tatrastho mārutiḥ samudaikṣata | niṣpatraśākhāṃ vihagaiḥ kriyamāṇāmivāsakṛt || 15.6 ||

as if its leafless branches were being made to blaze, again and again, by the birds flitting among them.

Shloka 7 (sundara.15.7)

विनिष्पतद्भिः शतशश्चित्रैः पुष्पावतंसकैः । समूलपुष्परचितैरशोकैः शोकनाशनैः ॥ 15.7 ॥

viniṣpatadbhiḥ śataśaścitraiḥ puṣpāvataṃsakaiḥ | samūlapuṣparacitairaśokaiḥ śokanāśanaiḥ || 15.7 ||

With hundreds of wondrous flower-crowns bursting forth, the ashoka trees, whose very roots were arrayed with blossoms, seemed to destroy sorrow;

Shloka 8 (sundara.15.8)

पुष्पभारातिभारैश्च स्पृशद्भिरिव मेदिनीम् । कर्णिकारैः कुसुमितैः किंशुकैश्च सुपुष्पितैः ॥ 15.8 ॥

puṣpabhārātibhāraiśca spṛśadbhiriva medinīm | karṇikāraiḥ kusumitaiḥ kiṃśukaiśca supuṣpitaiḥ || 15.8 ||

with the immense weight of their flowers, they seemed almost to touch the earth; and with karnikara trees in bloom and kimshuka trees richly flowered,

Shloka 9 (sundara.15.9)

स देशः प्रभया तेषां प्रदीप्त इव सर्वतः । पुंनागाः सप्तपर्णाश्च चम्पकोद्दालकास्तथा ॥ 15.9 ॥

sa deśaḥ prabhayā teṣāṃ pradīpta iva sarvataḥ | puṃnāgāḥ saptaparṇāśca campakoddālakāstathā || 15.9 ||

that whole region seemed ablaze on every side with their radiance. Punnaga trees, saptaparna trees, and champaka and uddalaka trees as well,

Shloka 10 (sundara.15.10)

विवृद्धमूला बहवः शोभन्ते स्म सुपुष्पिताः । शातकुम्भनिभाः केचित् केचिदग्निशिखप्रभाः ॥ 15.10 ॥

vivṛddhamūlā bahavaḥ śobhante sma supuṣpitāḥ | śātakumbhanibhāḥ kecit kecidagniśikhaprabhāḥ || 15.10 ||

many of them deep-rooted, richly flowering, shone there — some the colour of pure gold, some radiant like the flame of fire,

Shloka 11 (sundara.15.11)

नीलाञ्जननिभाः केचित् तत्राशोकाः सहस्रशः । नन्दनं विबुधोद्यानं चित्रं चैत्ररथं यथा ॥ 15.11 ॥

nīlāñjananibhāḥ kecit tatrāśokāḥ sahasraśaḥ | nandanaṃ vibudhodyānaṃ citraṃ caitrarathaṃ yathā || 15.11 ||

and some dark as collyrium — thousands of ashoka trees stood there, making the grove like Nandana, the garden of the gods, or like the wondrous Chaitraratha,

Shloka 12 (sundara.15.12)

अतिवृत्तमिवाचिन्त्यं दिव्यं रम्यश्रियायुतम् । द्वितीयमिव चाकाशं पुष्पज्योतिर्गणायुतम् ॥ 15.12 ॥

ativṛttamivācintyaṃ divyaṃ ramyaśriyāyutam | dvitīyamiva cākāśaṃ puṣpajyotirgaṇāyutam || 15.12 ||

surpassing all bounds, beyond thought, divine, endowed with lovely splendour — like a second sky, filled with hosts of flower-stars,

Shloka 13 (sundara.15.13)

पुष्परत्नशतैश्चित्रं पञ्चमं सागरं यथा । सर्वर्तुपुष्पैर्निचितं पादपैर्मधुगन्धिभिः ॥ 15.13 ॥

puṣparatnaśataiścitraṃ pañcamaṃ sāgaraṃ yathā | sarvartupuṣpairnicitaṃ pādapairmadhugandhibhiḥ || 15.13 ||

wondrous with hundreds of flower-jewels, like a fifth ocean, filled with trees flowering in every season, fragrant with honey,

Shloka 14 (sundara.15.14)

नानानिनादैरुद्यानं रम्यं मृगगणद्विजैः । अनेकगन्धप्रवहं पुण्यगन्धं मनोहरम् ॥ 15.14 ॥

nānāninādairudyānaṃ ramyaṃ mṛgagaṇadvijaiḥ | anekagandhapravahaṃ puṇyagandhaṃ manoharam || 15.14 ||

that lovely garden, resounding with the many cries of herds of deer and flocks of birds, wafting many fragrances, its scent sacred and its beauty enchanting —

Shloka 15 (sundara.15.15)

शैलेन्द्रमिव गन्धाढ्यं द्वितीयं गन्धमादनम् । अशोकवनिकायां तु तस्यां वानरपुंगवः ॥ 15.15 ॥

śailendramiva gandhāḍhyaṃ dvitīyaṃ gandhamādanam | aśokavanikāyāṃ tu tasyāṃ vānarapuṃgavaḥ || 15.15 ||

rich in fragrance like a second Gandhamadana, the lord of mountains. And there, in that Ashoka grove, the foremost of monkeys,

Shloka 16 (sundara.15.16)

स ददर्शाविदूरस्थं चैत्यप्रासादमूर्जितम् । मध्ये स्तम्भसहस्रेण स्थितं कैलासपाण्डुरम् ॥ 15.16 ॥

sa dadarśāvidūrasthaṃ caityaprāsādamūrjitam | madhye stambhasahasreṇa sthitaṃ kailāsapāṇḍuram || 15.16 ||

not far off, saw a mighty shrine-palace, standing upon a thousand pillars in its midst, white as Mount Kailasa,

Shloka 17 (sundara.15.17)

प्रवालकृतसोपानं तप्तकाञ्चनवेदिकम् । मुष्णन्तमिव चक्षूंषि द्योतमानमिव श्रिया ॥ 15.17 ॥

pravālakṛtasopānaṃ taptakāñcanavedikam | muṣṇantamiva cakṣūṃṣi dyotamānamiva śriyā || 15.17 ||

its stairways made of coral, its platforms of molten gold, seeming almost to steal away the eyes with its shimmering splendour,

Shloka 18 (sundara.15.18)

निर्मलं प्रांशुभावत्वादुल्लिखन्तमिवाम्बरम् । ततो मलिनसंवीतां राक्षसीभिः समावृताम् ॥ 15.18 ॥

nirmalaṃ prāṃśubhāvatvādullikhantamivāmbaram | tato malinasaṃvītāṃ rākṣasībhiḥ samāvṛtām || 15.18 ||

spotless, so lofty that it seemed almost to scratch the sky. And then he saw, clad in soiled garments, surrounded by rakshasa women,

Shloka 19 (sundara.15.19)

उपवासकृशां दीनां निःश्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः । ददर्श शुक्लपक्षादौ चन्द्ररेखामिवामलाम् ॥ 15.19 ॥

upavāsakṛśāṃ dīnāṃ niḥśvasantīṃ punaḥ punaḥ | dadarśa śuklapakṣādau candrarekhāmivāmalām || 15.19 ||

a woman wasted by fasting, wretched, sighing again and again — he saw her, like a pure crescent moon at the very start of the bright fortnight,

Shloka 20 (sundara.15.20)

मन्दप्रख्यायमानेन रूपेण रुचिरप्रभाम् । पिनद्धां धूमजालेन शिखामिव विभावसोः ॥ 15.20 ॥

mandaprakhyāyamānena rūpeṇa ruciraprabhām | pinaddhāṃ dhūmajālena śikhāmiva vibhāvasoḥ || 15.20 ||

her lovely radiance now faintly showing, like the flame of fire wrapped in a web of smoke;

Shloka 21 (sundara.15.21)

पीतेनैकेन संवीतां क्लिष्टेनोत्तमवाससा । सपङ्कामनलंकारां विपद्मामिव पद्मिनीम् ॥ 15.21 ॥

pītenaikena saṃvītāṃ kliṣṭenottamavāsasā | sapaṅkāmanalaṃkārāṃ vipadmāmiva padminīm || 15.21 ||

clad in a single yellow, faded, though once excellent garment, unadorned, mud-spattered, like a lotus-pond stripped of its lotuses;

Shloka 22 (sundara.15.22)

पीडितां दुःखसंतप्तां परिक्षीणां तपस्विनीम् । ग्रहेणांगारकेणेव पीडितामिव रोहिणीम् ॥ 15.22 ॥

pīḍitāṃ duḥkhasaṃtaptāṃ parikṣīṇāṃ tapasvinīm | graheṇāṃgārakeṇeva pīḍitāmiva rohiṇīm || 15.22 ||

afflicted, tormented by sorrow, utterly wasted, ascetic-like, as if oppressed, like Rohini afflicted by the planet Mars;

Shloka 23 (sundara.15.23)

अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं दीनां कृशामनशनेन च । शोकध्यानपरां दीनां नित्यं दुःखपरायणाम् ॥ 15.23 ॥

aśrupūrṇamukhīṃ dīnāṃ kṛśāmanaśanena ca | śokadhyānaparāṃ dīnāṃ nityaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇām || 15.23 ||

her face full of tears, wretched, thin from fasting, absorbed in sorrowful brooding, wretched, forever given over to grief;

Shloka 24 (sundara.15.24)

प्रियं जनमपश्यन्तीं पश्यन्तीं राक्षसीगणम् । स्वगणेन मृगीं हीनां श्वगणेनावृतामिव ॥ 15.24 ॥

priyaṃ janamapaśyantīṃ paśyantīṃ rākṣasīgaṇam | svagaṇena mṛgīṃ hīnāṃ śvagaṇenāvṛtāmiva || 15.24 ||

not seeing those dear to her, seeing only the throng of rakshasa women — like a doe separated from her own herd and surrounded instead by a pack of dogs;

Shloka 25 (sundara.15.25)

नीलनागाभया वेण्या जघनं गतयैकया । नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव ॥ 15.25 ॥

nīlanāgābhayā veṇyā jaghanaṃ gatayaikayā | nīlayā nīradāpāye vanarājyā mahīmiva || 15.25 ||

her single braid, dark as a great serpent, falling to her hip — making her look like the earth after the rains have passed, marked by a single dark line of forest;

Shloka 26 (sundara.15.26)

सुखार्हां दुःखसंतप्तां व्यसनानामकोविदाम् । तां विलोक्य विशालाक्षीमधिकं मलिनां कृशाम् ॥ 15.26 ॥

sukhārhāṃ duḥkhasaṃtaptāṃ vyasanānāmakovidām | tāṃ vilokya viśālākṣīmadhikaṃ malināṃ kṛśām || 15.26 ||

one deserving of happiness, tormented instead by sorrow, unschooled in misfortune — beholding her, that wide-eyed one, exceedingly wan and wasted,

Shloka 27 (sundara.15.27)

तर्कयामास सीतेति कारणैरुपपादिभिः । ह्रियमाणा तदा तेन रक्षसा कामरूपिणा ॥ 15.27 ॥

tarkayāmāsa sīteti kāraṇairupapādibhiḥ | hriyamāṇā tadā tena rakṣasā kāmarūpiṇā || 15.27 ||

he reasoned, by well-founded signs, 'this must be Sita' — she who had then been carried off by that shape-shifting rakshasa;

Shloka 28 (sundara.15.28)

यथारूपा हि दृष्टा सा तथारूपेयमंगना । पूर्णचन्द्राननां सुभ्रूं चारुवृत्तपयोधराम् ॥ 15.28 ॥

yathārūpā hi dṛṣṭā sā tathārūpeyamaṃganā | pūrṇacandrānanāṃ subhrūṃ cāruvṛttapayodharām || 15.28 ||

'for exactly as she was described to me is this woman's form' — her face like the full moon, her brows lovely, her breasts round and beautiful,

Shloka 29 (sundara.15.29)

कुर्वतीं प्रभया देवीं सर्वा वितिमिरा दिशः । तां नीलकण्ठीं बिम्बोष्ठीं सुमध्यां सुप्रतिष्ठिताम् ॥ 15.29 ॥

kurvatīṃ prabhayā devīṃ sarvā vitimirā diśaḥ | tāṃ nīlakaṇṭhīṃ bimboṣṭhīṃ sumadhyāṃ supratiṣṭhitām || 15.29 ||

that queen whose very radiance seemed to banish darkness from every direction — her throat dark and lovely, her lips red as the bimba fruit, her waist slender, her form well-proportioned,

Shloka 30 (sundara.15.30)

सीतां पद्मपलाशाक्षीं मन्मथस्य रतिं यथा । इष्टां सर्वस्य जगतः पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभामिव ॥ 15.30 ॥

sītāṃ padmapalāśākṣīṃ manmathasya ratiṃ yathā | iṣṭāṃ sarvasya jagataḥ pūrṇacandraprabhāmiva || 15.30 ||

that Sita, her eyes like lotus-petals, like Rati, the beloved of the god of love, dear to the whole world, like the very radiance of the full moon;

Shloka 31 (sundara.15.31)

भूमौ सुतनुमासीनां नियतामिव तापसीम् । निःश्वासबहुलां भीरुं भुजगेन्द्रवधूमिव ॥ 15.31 ॥

bhūmau sutanumāsīnāṃ niyatāmiva tāpasīm | niḥśvāsabahulāṃ bhīruṃ bhujagendravadhūmiva || 15.31 ||

that lovely-bodied one seated upon the ground, like a disciplined ascetic woman, sighing incessantly, timid, like the bride of the king of serpents;

Shloka 32 (sundara.15.32)

शोकजालेन महता विततेन न राजतीम् । संसक्तां धूमजालेन शिखामिव विभावसोः ॥ 15.32 ॥

śokajālena mahatā vitatena na rājatīm | saṃsaktāṃ dhūmajālena śikhāmiva vibhāvasoḥ || 15.32 ||

not shining forth, wrapped as she was in a vast web of sorrow, like the flame of fire clinging to a web of smoke;

Shloka 33 (sundara.15.33)

तां स्मृतीमिव संदिग्धामृद्धिं निपतितामिव । विहतामिव च श्रद्धामाशां प्रतिहतामिव ॥ 15.33 ॥

tāṃ smṛtīmiva saṃdigdhāmṛddhiṃ nipatitāmiva | vihatāmiva ca śraddhāmāśāṃ pratihatāmiva || 15.33 ||

like memory grown uncertain, like fortune fallen away, like faith destroyed, like hope thwarted;

Shloka 34 (sundara.15.34)

सोपसर्गां यथा सिद्धिं बुद्धिं सकलुषामिव । अभूतेनापवादेन कीर्तिं निपतितामिव ॥ 15.34 ॥

sopasargāṃ yathā siddhiṃ buddhiṃ sakaluṣāmiva | abhūtenāpavādena kīrtiṃ nipatitāmiva || 15.34 ||

like spiritual attainment beset by obstacles, like a mind clouded with confusion, like fame brought low by a false accusation;

Shloka 35 (sundara.15.35)

रामोपरोधव्यथितां रक्षोगणनिपीडिताम् । अबलां मृगशावाक्षीं वीक्षमाणां ततस्ततः ॥ 15.35 ॥

rāmoparodhavyathitāṃ rakṣogaṇanipīḍitām | abalāṃ mṛgaśāvākṣīṃ vīkṣamāṇāṃ tatastataḥ || 15.35 ||

grieving from separation from Rama, oppressed by the throng of rakshasa women, that helpless, fawn-eyed one, gazing about here and there,

Shloka 36 (sundara.15.36)

बाष्पाम्बुपरिपूर्णेन कृष्णवक्राक्षिपक्ष्मणा । वदनेनाप्रसन्नेन निःश्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः ॥ 15.36 ॥

bāṣpāmbuparipūrṇena kṛṣṇavakrākṣipakṣmaṇā | vadanenāprasannena niḥśvasantīṃ punaḥ punaḥ || 15.36 ||

her face brimming with tears, her dark, curved eyelashes wet, her countenance joyless, sighing again and again;

Shloka 37 (sundara.15.37)

मलपङ्कधरां दीनां मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम् । प्रभां नक्षत्रराजस्य कालमेघैरिवावृताम् ॥ 15.37 ॥

malapaṅkadharāṃ dīnāṃ maṇḍanārhāmamaṇḍitām | prabhāṃ nakṣatrarājasya kālameghairivāvṛtām || 15.37 ||

wretched, covered with the grime of neglect, though worthy of every ornament, yet unadorned — like the radiance of the moon, lord of the stars, veiled by dark storm-clouds.

Shloka 38 (sundara.15.38)

तस्य संदिदिहे बुद्धिस्तथा सीतां निरीक्ष्य च । आम्नायानामयोगेन विद्यां प्रशिथिलामिव ॥ 15.38 ॥

tasya saṃdidihe buddhistathā sītāṃ nirīkṣya ca | āmnāyānāmayogena vidyāṃ praśithilāmiva || 15.38 ||

Seeing Sita in that state, his mind fell into doubt, as when a sacred text, through neglect of its proper recitation, grows faint and uncertain;

Shloka 39 (sundara.15.39)

दुःखेन बुबुधे सीतां हनुमाननलंकृताम् । संस्कारेण यथा हीनां वाचमर्थान्तरं गताम् ॥ 15.39 ॥

duḥkhena bubudhe sītāṃ hanumānanalaṃkṛtām | saṃskāreṇa yathā hīnāṃ vācamarthāntaraṃ gatām || 15.39 ||

only with difficulty did Hanuman recognize her, unadorned as she was — as one recognizes, only with difficulty, a word deprived of its proper grammatical form and thereby altered in sense.

Shloka 40 (sundara.15.40)

तां समीक्ष्य विशालाक्षीं राजपुत्रीमनिन्दिताम् । तर्कयामास सीतेति कारणैरुपपादयन् ॥ 15.40 ॥

tāṃ samīkṣya viśālākṣīṃ rājaputrīmaninditām | tarkayāmāsa sīteti kāraṇairupapādayan || 15.40 ||

Beholding that wide-eyed, blameless princess, he reasoned, establishing it by proofs, "This is indeed Sita."

Shloka 41 (sundara.15.41)

वैदेह्या यानि चांगेषु तदा रामोऽन्वकीर्तयत् । तान्याभरणजालानि गात्रशोभीन्यलक्षयत् ॥ 15.41 ॥

vaidehyā yāni cāṃgeṣu tadā rāmo'nvakīrtayat | tānyābharaṇajālāni gātraśobhīnyalakṣayat || 15.41 ||

He recognized, worn on her limbs, those very ornaments adorning her body which Rama had at that time described to him one by one.

Shloka 42 (sundara.15.42)

सुकृतौ कर्णवेष्टौ च श्वदंष्ट्रौ च सुसंस्थितौ । मणिविद्रुमचित्राणि हस्तेष्वाभरणानि च ॥ 15.42 ॥

sukṛtau karṇaveṣṭau ca śvadaṃṣṭrau ca susaṃsthitau | maṇividrumacitrāṇi hasteṣvābharaṇāni ca || 15.42 ||

The well-made earrings, and the two shvadamshtra ornaments, well set, and the bracelets on her wrists, wondrous with jewels and coral —

Shloka 43 (sundara.15.43)

श्यामानि चिरयुक्तत्वात् तथा संस्थानवन्ति च । तान्येवैतानि मन्येऽहं यानि रामोऽन्वकीर्तयत् ॥ 15.43 ॥

śyāmāni cirayuktatvāt tathā saṃsthānavanti ca | tānyevaitāni manye'haṃ yāni rāmo'nvakīrtayat || 15.43 ||

grown dark from long wear, yet still of the same form — 'these are indeed the very ones,' I think, 'that Rama described.'

Shloka 44 (sundara.15.44)

तत्र यान्यवहीनानि तान्यहं नोपलक्षये । यान्यस्या नावहीनानि तानीमानि न संशयः ॥ 15.44 ॥

tatra yānyavahīnāni tānyahaṃ nopalakṣaye | yānyasyā nāvahīnāni tānīmāni na saṃśayaḥ || 15.44 ||

'Whatever ornaments are missing there from her body now, those I do not see here; whatever are not missing on her — these are indeed the very ones, without doubt.'

Shloka 45 (sundara.15.45)

पीतं कनकपट्टाभं स्रस्तं तद्वसनं शुभम् । उत्तरीयं नगासक्तं तदा दृष्टं प्लवंगमैः ॥ 15.45 ॥

pītaṃ kanakapaṭṭābhaṃ srastaṃ tadvasanaṃ śubham | uttarīyaṃ nagāsaktaṃ tadā dṛṣṭaṃ plavaṃgamaiḥ || 15.45 ||

That auspicious yellow garment, gleaming like a strip of gold, which had slipped and caught upon a tree — that upper garment had, at that time, been seen by the monkeys.

Shloka 46 (sundara.15.46)

भूषणानि च मुख्यानि दृष्टानि धरणीतले । अनयैवापविद्धानि स्वनवन्ति महान्ति च ॥ 15.46 ॥

bhūṣaṇāni ca mukhyāni dṛṣṭāni dharaṇītale | anayaivāpaviddhāni svanavanti mahānti ca || 15.46 ||

And the principal ornaments too had been seen scattered upon the ground — great, jingling ornaments, flung down by her alone.

Shloka 47 (sundara.15.47)

इदं चिरगृहीतत्वाद् वसनं क्लिष्टवत्तरम् । तथाप्यनूनं तद्वर्णं तथा श्रीमद्यथेतरत् ॥ 15.47 ॥

idaṃ ciragṛhītatvād vasanaṃ kliṣṭavattaram | tathāpyanūnaṃ tadvarṇaṃ tathā śrīmadyathetarat || 15.47 ||

This garment, though more faded from having been long worn, is yet, in its colour, not inferior — as splendid as any other.

Shloka 48 (sundara.15.48)

इयं कनकवर्णांगी रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । प्रणष्टापि सती यस्य मनसो न प्रणश्यति ॥ 15.48 ॥

iyaṃ kanakavarṇāṃgī rāmasya mahiṣī priyā | praṇaṣṭāpi satī yasya manaso na praṇaśyati || 15.48 ||

This golden-limbed woman is Rama's beloved queen — she who, though lost to him, has never once vanished from his mind.

Shloka 49 (sundara.15.49)

इयं सा यत्कृते रामश्चतुर्भिरिह तप्यते । कारुण्येनानृशंस्येन शोकेन मदनेन च ॥ 15.49 ॥

iyaṃ sā yatkṛte rāmaścaturbhiriha tapyate | kāruṇyenānṛśaṃsyena śokena madanena ca || 15.49 ||

This is she, for whose sake Rama here is tormented by four things at once: by compassion, by tenderness, by grief, and by desire —

Shloka 50 (sundara.15.50)

स्त्री प्रणष्टेति कारुण्यादाश्रितेत्यानृशंस्यतः । पत्नी नष्टेति शोकेन प्रियेति मदनेन च ॥ 15.50 ॥

strī praṇaṣṭeti kāruṇyādāśritetyānṛśaṃsyataḥ | patnī naṣṭeti śokena priyeti madanena ca || 15.50 ||

by compassion, thinking 'a woman is lost'; by tenderness, thinking 'one who depended on me is lost'; by grief, thinking 'my wife is lost'; and by desire, thinking 'my beloved is lost.'

Shloka 51 (sundara.15.51)

अस्या देव्या यथारूपमंगप्रत्यंगसौष्ठवम् । रामस्य च यथारूपं तस्येयमसितेक्षणा ॥ 15.51 ॥

asyā devyā yathārūpamaṃgapratyaṃgasauṣṭhavam | rāmasya ca yathārūpaṃ tasyeyamasitekṣaṇā || 15.51 ||

Such as is the beauty of this queen's every limb and every feature, and such as is Rama's own form — this dark-eyed woman is truly his equal.

Shloka 52 (sundara.15.52)

अस्या देव्या मनस्तस्मिंस्तस्य चास्यां प्रतिष्ठितम् । तेनेयं स च धर्मात्मा मुहूर्तमपि जीवति ॥ 15.52 ॥

asyā devyā manastasmiṃstasya cāsyāṃ pratiṣṭhitam | teneyaṃ sa ca dharmātmā muhūrtamapi jīvati || 15.52 ||

This queen's heart is fixed upon him, and his upon her; it is for this reason alone that she, and that righteous-souled one, are able to live even a single moment apart.

Shloka 53 (sundara.15.53)

दुष्करं कुरुते रामो इमां मत्तकाशिनीम् । सीतां विना महाबाहुर्मुहूर्तमपि यो जीवति ॥ 15.53 ॥

duṣkaraṃ kurute rāmo imāṃ mattakāśinīm | sītāṃ vinā mahābāhurmuhūrtamapi yo jīvati || 15.53 ||

Rama performs a truly impossible feat: mighty-armed as he is, that he lives even a single moment without this radiantly beautiful Sita.

Shloka 54 (sundara.15.54)

एवं सीतां तथा दृष्ट्वा हृष्टः पवनसम्भवः । जगाम मनसा रामं प्रशशंस च तं प्रभुम् ॥ 15.54 ॥

evaṃ sītāṃ tathā dṛṣṭvā hṛṣṭaḥ pavanasambhavaḥ | jagāma manasā rāmaṃ praśaśaṃsa ca taṃ prabhum || 15.54 ||

Having thus beheld Sita, the son of the Wind-god, filled with joy, turned in his mind to Rama, and praised that lord.