Sita's Doubt and Hanuman's Assurance

Shloka 1 (sundara.68.1)

अथाहमुत्तरं देव्या पुनरुक्तः ससम्भ्रमम्। तव स्नेहान्नरव्याघ्र सौहार्दादनुमान्य च ॥ 68.1 ॥

athāhamuttaraṃ devyā punaruktaḥ sasambhramam| tava snehānnaravyāghra sauhārdādanumānya ca || 68.1 ||

Then, O tiger among men, out of her love and affection for you, the princess, showing me courtesy, spoke to me once more, in some agitation, about what should follow.

Shloka 2 (sundara.68.2)

एवं बहुविधं वाच्यो रामो दाशरथिस्त्वया। यथा मां प्राप्नुयाच्छीघ्रं हत्वा रावणमाहवे ॥ 68.2 ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ vācyo rāmo dāśarathistvayā| yathā māṃ prāpnuyācchīghraṃ hatvā rāvaṇamāhave || 68.2 ||

"'Rama, son of Dasaratha, is to be told by you in many such ways, so that he may quickly come to me after slaying Ravana in battle.'"

Shloka 3 (sundara.68.3)

यदि वा मन्यसे वीर वसैकाहमरिंदम। कस्मिंश्चित् संवृते देशे विश्रान्तः श्वो गमिष्यसि ॥ 68.3 ॥

yadi vā manyase vīra vasaikāhamariṃdama| kasmiṃścit saṃvṛte deśe viśrāntaḥ śvo gamiṣyasi || 68.3 ||

"'Or, O hero, destroyer of foes, if you think it fit, stay a single day in some hidden place, resting, and go on tomorrow.'"

Shloka 4 (sundara.68.4)

मम चाप्यल्पभाग्यायाः सांनिध्यात् तव वानर। अस्य शोकविपाकस्य मुहूर्तं स्याद् विमोक्षणम् ॥ 68.4 ॥

mama cāpyalpabhāgyāyāḥ sāṃnidhyāt tava vānara| asya śokavipākasya muhūrtaṃ syād vimokṣaṇam || 68.4 ||

"'O monkey, by your presence, even I, so unfortunate, may find a moment's release from the full weight of this grief.'"

Shloka 5 (sundara.68.5)

गते हि त्वयि विक्रान्ते पुनरागमनाय वै। प्राणानामपि संदेहो मम स्यान्नात्र संशयः ॥ 68.5 ॥

gate hi tvayi vikrānte punarāgamanāya vai| prāṇānāmapi saṃdeho mama syānnātra saṃśayaḥ || 68.5 ||

"'For once you, so valiant, have gone to return again, there is no doubt that even my life will hang in uncertainty.'"

Shloka 6 (sundara.68.6)

तवादर्शनजः शोको भूयो मां परितापयेत्। दुखाद् दुःखपराभूतां दुर्गतां दुःखभागिनीम् ॥ 68.6 ॥

tavādarśanajaḥ śoko bhūyo māṃ paritāpayet| dukhād duḥkhaparābhūtāṃ durgatāṃ duḥkhabhāginīm || 68.6 ||

"'The grief born of not seeing you will torment me further still, wretched as I am, overcome by sorrow upon sorrow, doomed to grief.'"

Shloka 7 (sundara.68.7)

अयं च वीर संदेहस्तिष्ठतीव ममाग्रतः। सुमहांस्त्वत्सहायेषु हर्यृक्षेषु हरीश्वर ॥ 68.7 ॥

ayaṃ ca vīra saṃdehastiṣṭhatīva mamāgrataḥ| sumahāṃstvatsahāyeṣu haryṛkṣeṣu harīśvara || 68.7 ||

"'And, O hero, O lord of monkeys, this very great doubt stands as if before me, concerning the monkeys and bears who are your companions:'"

Shloka 8 (sundara.68.8)

कथं नु खलु दुष्पारं तरिष्यन्ति महोदधिम्। तानि हर्यृक्षसैन्यानि तौ वा नरवरात्मजौ ॥ 68.8 ॥

kathaṃ nu khalu duṣpāraṃ tariṣyanti mahodadhim| tāni haryṛkṣasainyāni tau vā naravarātmajau || 68.8 ||

"'How indeed will those armies of monkeys and bears, or those two sons of the best of kings, cross the vast, insurmountable ocean?'"

Shloka 9 (sundara.68.9)

त्रयाणामेव भूतानां सागरस्यास्य लङ्घने। शक्तिः स्याद् वैनतेयस्य वायोर्वा तव चानघ ॥ 68.9 ॥

trayāṇāmeva bhūtānāṃ sāgarasyāsya laṅghane| śaktiḥ syād vainateyasya vāyorvā tava cānagha || 68.9 ||

"'O sinless one, only three beings have the power to leap across this ocean — Garuda, the wind-god, or you yourself.'"

Shloka 10 (sundara.68.10)

तदस्मिन् कार्यनिर्योगे वीरैवं दुरतिक्रमे। किं पश्यसि समाधानं ब्रूहि कार्यविदां वर ॥ 68.10 ॥

tadasmin kāryaniryoge vīraivaṃ duratikrame| kiṃ paśyasi samādhānaṃ brūhi kāryavidāṃ vara || 68.10 ||

"'So, O hero, in this task so hard to accomplish, what solution do you see? Tell me, O best of those who know how to accomplish things.'"

Shloka 11 (sundara.68.11)

काममस्य त्वमेवैकः कार्यस्य परिसाधने। पर्याप्तः परवीरघ्न यशस्यस्ते बलोदयः ॥ 68.11 ॥

kāmamasya tvamevaikaḥ kāryasya parisādhane| paryāptaḥ paravīraghna yaśasyaste balodayaḥ || 68.11 ||

"'O slayer of mighty foes, indeed you alone are quite capable of accomplishing this task; the rise of your strength is itself renowned.'"

Shloka 12 (sundara.68.12)

बलैः समग्रैर्यदि मां हत्वा रावणमाहवे। विजयी स्वपुरीं रामो नयेत् तत् स्याद् यशस्करम् ॥ 68.12 ॥

balaiḥ samagrairyadi māṃ hatvā rāvaṇamāhave| vijayī svapurīṃ rāmo nayet tat syād yaśaskaram || 68.12 ||

"'Yet if Rama, victorious with his entire army, having slain Ravana in battle, takes me to his own city — that would bring him true glory.'"

Shloka 13 (sundara.68.13)

यथाहं तस्य वीरस्य वनादुपधिना हृता। रक्षसा तद्भयादेव तथा नार्हति राघवः ॥ 68.13 ॥

yathāhaṃ tasya vīrasya vanādupadhinā hṛtā| rakṣasā tadbhayādeva tathā nārhati rāghavaḥ || 68.13 ||

"'Just as I was carried off by trickery from the forest of that hero, out of that demon's fear of him — Raghava ought not to take me back in the same manner, out of fear of that same demon.'"

Shloka 14 (sundara.68.14)

बलैस्तु संकुलां कृत्वा लङ्कां परबलार्दनः। मां नयेद् यदि काकुत्स्थस्तत् तस्य सदृशं भवेत् ॥ 68.14 ॥

balaistu saṃkulāṃ kṛtvā laṅkāṃ parabalārdanaḥ| māṃ nayed yadi kākutsthastat tasya sadṛśaṃ bhavet || 68.14 ||

"'But if Kakutstha, destroyer of enemy hosts, fills Lanka with his armies and then takes me away, that would be truly worthy of him.'"

Shloka 15 (sundara.68.15)

तद् यथा तस्य विक्रान्तमनुरूपं महात्मनः। भवत्याहवशूरस्य तथा त्वमुपपादय ॥ 68.15 ॥

tad yathā tasya vikrāntamanurūpaṃ mahātmanaḥ| bhavatyāhavaśūrasya tathā tvamupapādaya || 68.15 ||

"'So act in such a way that the valour of that great-souled hero, so brave in battle, is displayed as is truly fitting for him.'"

Shloka 16 (sundara.68.16)

तदर्थोपहितं वाक्यं प्रश्रितं हेतुसंहितम्। निशम्याहं ततः शेषं वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवम् ॥ 68.16 ॥

tadarthopahitaṃ vākyaṃ praśritaṃ hetusaṃhitam| niśamyāhaṃ tataḥ śeṣaṃ vākyamuttaramabravam || 68.16 ||

Having heard that appeal of hers — meaningful, courteous, and reasoned — I then spoke to her the rest of my reply:

Shloka 17 (sundara.68.17)

देवि हर्यृक्षसैन्यानामीश्वरः प्लवतां वरः। सुग्रीवः सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्त्वदर्थे कृतनिश्चयः ॥ 68.17 ॥

devi haryṛkṣasainyānāmīśvaraḥ plavatāṃ varaḥ| sugrīvaḥ sattvasampannastvadarthe kṛtaniścayaḥ || 68.17 ||

"'O princess, Sugriva, the lord of the armies of monkeys and bears, foremost among the leaping ones, endowed with strength, has firmly resolved on your behalf.'"

Shloka 18 (sundara.68.18)

तस्य विक्रमसम्पन्नाः सत्त्ववन्तो महाबलाः। मनःसंकल्पसदृशा निदेशे हरयः स्थिताः ॥ 68.18 ॥

tasya vikramasampannāḥ sattvavanto mahābalāḥ| manaḥsaṃkalpasadṛśā nideśe harayaḥ sthitāḥ || 68.18 ||

"'His monkeys, endowed with prowess, strength, and great might, capable of moving as swiftly as thought, stand ready at his command.'"

Shloka 19 (sundara.68.19)

येषां नोपरि नाधस्तान्न तिर्यक् सज्जते गतिः। न च कर्मसु सीदन्ति महत्स्वमिततेजसः ॥ 68.19 ॥

yeṣāṃ nopari nādhastānna tiryak sajjate gatiḥ| na ca karmasu sīdanti mahatsvamitatejasaḥ || 68.19 ||

"'Neither above, nor below, nor across is their movement ever hindered; and these monkeys of measureless splendour never falter, even in the greatest of tasks.'"

Shloka 20 (sundara.68.20)

असकृत् तैर्महाभागैर्वानरैर्बलसंयुतैः। प्रदक्षिणीकृता भूमिर्वायुमार्गानुसारिभिः ॥ 68.20 ॥

asakṛt tairmahābhāgairvānarairbalasaṃyutaiḥ| pradakṣiṇīkṛtā bhūmirvāyumārgānusāribhiḥ || 68.20 ||

"'Those illustrious, mighty monkeys, following the path of the wind, have circled the whole earth many times over.'"

Shloka 21 (sundara.68.21)

मद्विशिष्टाश्च तुल्याश्च सन्ति तत्र वनौकसः। मत्तः प्रत्यवरः कश्चिन्नास्ति सुग्रीवसंनिधौ ॥ 68.21 ॥

madviśiṣṭāśca tulyāśca santi tatra vanaukasaḥ| mattaḥ pratyavaraḥ kaścinnāsti sugrīvasaṃnidhau || 68.21 ||

"'Among them, O princess, are forest-dwellers superior to me and equal to me; near Sugriva there is not a single one inferior to me.'"

Shloka 22 (sundara.68.22)

अहं तावदिह प्राप्तः किं पुनस्ते महाबलाः। नहि प्रकृष्टाः प्रेष्यन्ते प्रेष्यन्ते हीतरे जनाः ॥ 68.22 ॥

ahaṃ tāvadiha prāptaḥ kiṃ punaste mahābalāḥ| nahi prakṛṣṭāḥ preṣyante preṣyante hītare janāḥ || 68.22 ||

"'When even I, the least of them, have managed to reach here, what then of those far mightier ones? For it is not the foremost who are sent on such errands — others, lesser, are the ones sent.'"

Shloka 23 (sundara.68.23)

तदलं परितापेन देवि मन्युरपैतु ते। एकोत्पातेन ते लङ्कामेष्यन्ति हरियूथपाः ॥ 68.23 ॥

tadalaṃ paritāpena devi manyurapaitu te| ekotpātena te laṅkāmeṣyanti hariyūthapāḥ || 68.23 ||

"'So, O princess, enough of this torment — let your sorrow depart. Those chiefs of the monkey troops will reach Lanka in a single leap.'"

Shloka 24 (sundara.68.24)

मम पृष्ठगतौ तौ च चन्द्रसूर्याविवोदितौ। त्वत्सकाशं महाभागे नृसिंहावागमिष्यतः ॥ 68.24 ॥

mama pṛṣṭhagatau tau ca candrasūryāvivoditau| tvatsakāśaṃ mahābhāge nṛsiṃhāvāgamiṣyataḥ || 68.24 ||

"'And those two lions among men, mounted upon my shoulders, will come into your presence, O most fortunate one, like the risen sun and moon.'"

Shloka 25 (sundara.68.25)

अरिघ्नं सिंहसंकाशं क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम्। लक्ष्मणं च धनुष्मन्तं लङ्काद्वारमुपागतम् ॥ 68.25 ॥

arighnaṃ siṃhasaṃkāśaṃ kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi rāghavam| lakṣmaṇaṃ ca dhanuṣmantaṃ laṅkādvāramupāgatam || 68.25 ||

"'Very soon you will see Raghava, the destroyer of foes, lion-like, together with bow-bearing Lakshmana, arrived at the gates of Lanka.'"

Shloka 26 (sundara.68.26)

नखदंष्ट्रायुधान् वीरान् सिंहशार्दूलविक्रमान्। वानरान् वारणेन्द्राभान् क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि संगतान् ॥ 68.26 ॥

nakhadaṃṣṭrāyudhān vīrān siṃhaśārdūlavikramān| vānarān vāraṇendrābhān kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi saṃgatān || 68.26 ||

"'Soon you will see gathered together valiant monkeys, whose weapons are claws and fangs, whose prowess is that of lions and tigers, and who look like lordly elephants.'"

Shloka 27 (sundara.68.27)

शैलाम्बुदनिकाशानां लङ्कामलयसानुषु। नर्दतां कपिमुख्यानां नचिराच्छ्रोष्यसे स्वनम् ॥ 68.27 ॥

śailāmbudanikāśānāṃ laṅkāmalayasānuṣu| nardatāṃ kapimukhyānāṃ nacirācchroṣyase svanam || 68.27 ||

"'Before long you will hear, upon the ridges of Mount Malaya near Lanka, the roar of the foremost monkeys, resembling mountains and rain-clouds.'"

Shloka 28 (sundara.68.28)

निवृत्तवनवासं च त्वया सार्धमरिंदमम्। अभिषिक्तमयोध्यायां क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम् ॥ 68.28 ॥

nivṛttavanavāsaṃ ca tvayā sārdhamariṃdamam| abhiṣiktamayodhyāyāṃ kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi rāghavam || 68.28 ||

"'And soon you will see Raghava, the destroyer of foes, his forest exile ended, crowned in Ayodhya together with you.'"

Shloka 29 (sundara.68.29)

ततो मया वाग्भिरदीनभाषिणी शिवाभिरिष्टाभिरभिप्रसादिता। उवाह शान्तिं मम मैथिलात्मजा तवातिशोकेन तथातिपीडिता ॥ 68.29 ॥

tato mayā vāgbhiradīnabhāṣiṇī śivābhiriṣṭābhirabhiprasāditā| uvāha śāntiṃ mama maithilātmajā tavātiśokena tathātipīḍitā || 68.29 ||

Thus soothed by me with gracious, auspicious, courageous words, Mithila's daughter — though sorely afflicted with grief on your account — attained peace of mind.