Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
Seetha asks Hanuma to remind Rama of how he threw a blade of grass at the crow and destroyed its right eye thereby, as a token of remembrance. She also asks to remind Rama of his having once marked on her cheek with realgar, when a mark on her forehead was defaced, as a further token of Hanuma having met her. Seetha also requests Hanuma to appraise Rama of her wretched plight and finally greets him to have a happy journey ahead. |  |
shrutvaa tu vacanam tasya vaayu suunoH mahaatmanaH |
uvaaca aatma hitam vaakyam siitaa sura suta upamaa || 5-40-1
1. shrutvaa= hearing; vachanam= the words; tasya= of that; mahaatmanaH= high-souled; vaayusuunoH= Hanuma; Siita= Seetha; surasutopamaa= similar to the daughter of god; uvaacha= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words; aatmahitam= beneficial to herself.
Hearing the words of that high-souled Hanuma, Seetha who resembled the daughter of god, spoke the following words beneficial to herself.
tvaam dR^iShTvaa priya vaktaaram samprahR^iShyaami vaanara |
ardha samjaata sasya iva vR^iShTim praapya vasum dharaa || 5-40-2
2. vaanara= O Hanuma!; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tvaam= you; priyavaktaaram= speaking pleasant words; samprahR^iSyaami= I am over-joyed; vasumdharaa iva= as a field; artham samjaatasasyaa= with half-sprouted crop of grain; (is over-joyed); praapyeva= by receiving; vR^iSTim= a rain.
"O Hanuma! Seeing you speaking pleasant words, I am as overjoyed, as a field with half-sprouted crop of grain is thrilled by receiving a rain."
yathaa tam puruSha vyaaghram gaatraiH shoka abhikarshitaiH |
samspR^isheyam sakaamaa aham tathaa kuru dayaam mayi || 5-40-3
3. aham= I; gatriH= with my limbs; shokaabhikarshitaiH= emaciated; sakaamaa= having a desire; yathaa= how; samspR^isheyam= to touch; puruSavyaaghram= that Rama the tiger among men; tathaa= in that manner; kuru= oblige; dayaam= your kindness; mayi= in me.
"With my limbs emaciated with grief, I have a desire to touch that Rama the tiger among men. Show mercy on me and fulfill my desire."
abhij~naanam ca raamasya dattam hari gaNa uttama |
kShiptaam iiShikaam kaakasya kopaat eka akShi shaataniim || 5-40-4
4. harigaNottama= O Hanuma, the excellent one among the troops of monkeys!; dadyaaH= Present (the story of); iSiikaam= a blade of grass; called Ishika; abhiJNaanam= as a signet; kSiptaam= hurled; kopaat= with anger; kaakasya ekaakSishaataniim= and the one eye of a crow destroyed; raamasya= by Rama.
"O Hanuma the excellent one among the troops of monkeys! Present the story of the blade of grass called Ishika hurled with anger and thereby one eye of the crow destroyed by Rama (as a signal remembrance)."
manaH shilaayaaH tikalo gaNDa paarshve niveshitaH |
tvayaa pranaShTe tilake tam kila smartum arhasi || 5-40-5
5. (O Rama!); tilake= While a mark on my forehead; praNSTe= had got effaced; manashishilaayaaH tilakaH= a mark on my forehead with realgar; niveshitaH kila= was indeed painted; tvayaa= by you; gaNDa paarshve= on the side of my cheek; arhasi= you ought surely; smartum= to recollect; tam= it.
"O Rama! You ought surely to recollect that while a mark on my forehead had got effaced once, another mark with realgar was indeed painted by you on the side of my cheek."
sa viiryavaan katham siitaam hR^itaam samanumanyase |
vasantiim rakShasaam madhye mahaaindra varuNa upama || 5-40-6
6. katham= How; sah= are you as such; viiryavaan= the valiant one; mahendra varuNopamaH= equal to Indra the Lord of celestials and Varuna the king of Universe; samanumanyase= give consent to; siitaam= Seetha; hR^itaam= having been taken away; vasantiim= and staying; madhye= in the middle; rakSasaam= of the demons.
"How are you, the valiant man equal to Indra the Lord of celestials and Varuna the King of Universe, ignore Seetha who was taken away and now staying in the midst of these demons?"
eSha cuuDaa maNiH divyo mayaa suparirakShitaH |
etam dR^iShTvaa prahR^iShyaami vyasane tvaam iva anagha || 5-40-7
7. anagha= O faultless Rama!; eSaH= this; divyaH= wonderful; chuuDaamaNiH= jewel for the head; suparirakSitaH= has been protected well; mayaa= by me; dR^iSTvaa= seeing this; vyasane= in my distress; prahR^iSyaami= I have been getting delighted; tvaamiva= as though I have seen you.
"O faultless Rama! This wonderful jewel for the head head has been protected well by me. Seeing this in my distress, I have been getting delighted, as though I have seen you."
eSha niryaatitaH shriimaan mayaa te vaari sambhavaH |
ataH param na shakShyaami jiivitum shoka laalasaa || 5-40-8
8. eSaH= this jewel; shriimaan= which is splendid; vaarisambhavaH= and produced in water; niryaatitaH= has been sent; te= to you; shoka laalasaa= absorbed in grief; na shakSyaami= I shall not be able; jiivitum= to survive; ataH param= hence forth.
"This splendid jewel, produced in water, has been sent to you. Absorbed in grief, I shall not be able to survive henceforth."
asahyaani ca duhkhaani vaacaH ca hR^idayac chidaH |
raakShasiinaam sughoraaNaam tvat kR^ite marShayaami aham || 5-40-9
9. tvatkR^ite= for your sake; aham= I; marSayaami= am enduring; asahyaani= (these) unbearable; duHkhaani= troubles; vaachashcha= and the words; raakSasiinaam= of female-demons; sughoraaNaam= which are very horrible; hR^idayachchhidaH= which pierce my heart.
"With a hope of your coming here at any time, I am enduring these unbearable hardships and also the words of horrible female demons; which pierce my heart."
dhaarayiShyaami maasam tu jiivitam shatru suudana |
maasaat uurdhvam na jiiviShye tvayaa hiinaa nR^ipa aatmaja || 5-40-10
10. shatrusuudana= O annihilator of enemies; nR^ipaatmaja= O Rama the prince!; dhaarayiSyaami= I shall hold; jiivitam= my life; maasamtu= only for a month; na jiiviSye= I will not survive; uurdhvam maasaat= after a month; hiinaa= left out; tvayaa= by you.
"O Rama the prince, the annihilator of enemies! I shall hold my life only for a month. I will not survive without you, after a month."
ghoro raakShasa raajo ayam dR^iShTiH ca na sukhaa mayi |
tvaam ca shrutvaa vipadyantam na jiiveyam aham kShaNam || 5-40-11
11. ayam= this; raakSasaraajaH= Ravana; the king of demons; ghoraH= is terrible; mayi= in my instance; dR^iSTiH= his glance; na sukhaa= is not pleasant; shrutvaa= hearing; tvaam= (that) you; viSajjantam= are causing a delay; aham= I; na jiiveyam= will not live; kSaNam= even for a moment.
"This Ravana, the king of demons, is terrible. In my instance, his glance is not pleasant. Hearing that you are causing a delay, I will not survive even for a moment."
vaidehyaa vacanam shrutvaa karuNam sa ashru bhaaShitam |
atha abraviin mahaatejaa hanumaan maaruta aatmajaH || 5-40-12
12. shrutvaa= hearing; vachanam= the words; vaidehyaaH= of Seetha; bhaaSitam= spoken; karuNam= pitiably; saashru= with tears; hanumaan= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of wind-god; mahaatejaaH= having great splendour; atha= thereafter; abraviit= spoke (as follows):
Hearing the words of Seetha, spoken pitiably with tears, Hanuma the son of wind-god, with a great splendour, spoke (as follows):
tvat shoka vimukho raamo devi satyena te shape |
raame shoka abhibhuute tu lakShmaNaH paritapyate || 5-40-13
kathamcit bhavatii dR^iShTaa na kaalaH parishocitum |
imam muhuurtam duhkhaanaam antam drakShyasi bhaamini || 5-40-14
taav ubhau puruSha vyaaghrau raaja putraav aninditau |
tvat darshana kR^ita utsaahau lankaam bhasmii kariShyataH || 5-40-15
hatvaa tu samare kruuram raavaNam saha baandhavam |
raaghavau tvaam vishaala akShi svaam puriim praapayiShyataH || 5-40-16
13, 14, 15, 16. devi= O Seetha, the princess!; raamaH= Rama; tva chchoka vimukhaH= has grown averse the everything else caused by grief towards you; shape= I swear; te= to you; satyena= truly; raame = (When) Rama; duHkhaabhipanna= is overpowered by grief; lakSmaNaH cha= Lakshmana too; paritapyate= is tormented; bhaamini= O lady!; kathamchit= somehow or other; bhavati= you; dR^iSTaa= appeared (have been discovered); na kaalaH= this is not the time; paridevitum= to lament; drakSyasi= you will see; antam= the end; duHkhaanaam= of your sorrows; imammuhurtam= within this moment; tau ubhau raajaputrau= those two princes; puruSa vyaaghrau= the excellent among men; arindamau= and annihilator of enemies; tvaddarshanakR^itotsahau= and who are eager to see you; laNkaam bhasmii kariSyataH= will reduce Lanka to ashes; vishaalaakSi= O large-eyed Seetha!; hatvaa= killing kruuram= the cruel; raavaNam= Ravana; saha baandhavam= along with his realtives; raaghava= Rama and Lakshmana; praapayiSyataH= will take; tvaam= you; svaam puriim= to their own city.
"O Seetha the princess! Rama has grown averse to everything else, caused by grief towards you. I sear it to you truly. when Rama is overpowered by grief, Lakshmana too gets tormented with grief." "O lady! Somehow or other, you have been discovered by me. This is not the time to lament. You will see the end of your sorrow shortly." "Those two princes, the excellent among men, the annihilator of enemies and who are eager to see you, will surely reduce Lanka to ashes. "O large-eyed Seetha! Killing the cruel Ravana along with his relatives, Rama and Lakshmana will take you to their own city."
yat tu raamo vijaaniiyaat abhij~naanam anindite |
priiti samjananam tasya bhuuyaH tvam daatum arhasi || 5-40-17
17. anindite= O faultless Seetha!; tvam= you; arhasi= be pleased; daatum= to give; bhuuyaH= again; yat= whichever; abhijJNaanam= token of remembrance; vijaaniiyaat= (Rama) will recognise; priiti samjanam= and which creates will pleasure; tasya= to Rama.
"O faultless Seetha! Be pleased to give another token of remembrance, which Rama will recognise and which creates pleasure to him."
saa abraviit dattam eva iha mayaa abhij~naanam uttamam |
etat eva hi raamasya dR^iShTvaa mat kesha bhuuShaNam || 5-40-18
shraddheyam hanuman vaakyam tava viira bhaviShyati |
18. saa= Seetha; abraviit= spoke; iti= thus; uttamam= an excellent; abhijJNaanam= token to remembrance; dattameva= was indeed given; maaa= by me; dR^iSTvaa= etat= this; matkeshabhuuSaNam= jewel; shraadheyam bhaviSyati= will become trust-worthy; raamasya= to Rama.
Seetha said, " An excellent token of remembrance was indeed given by me. Seeing this jewel for my hair, Rama will trust your words."
sa tam maNi varam gR^ihya shriimaan plavaga sattamaH || 5-40-19
praNamya shirasaa deviim gamanaaya upacakrame |
19. gR^ihya= taking; tam maNivaram= that excellent jewel; saH= that; shriimaan= illustrious; plavagasattama= Hanuma, the best among monkeys; praNamya= offering salutation; shirasaa= by bowing his head; deviim= to Seetha; upachakrame= has set off; gamanaaya= to go.
Taking that excellent jewel, the illustrious Hanuma, the best among monkeys, offered salutation to Seetha by bowing his head and has set off to go.
tam utpaata kR^ita utsaaham avekShya hari pumgavam || 5-40-20
vardhamaanam mahaavegam uvaaca janaka aatmajaa |
ashru puurNa mukhii diinaa baaShpa gadgadayaa giraa || 5-40-21
20, 21. avekSya= seeing; tam haripuNgavam= that Hanuma, the best among monkeys; utpaatakR^itatsaaham= possessed of energy to jum up; mahaavegam= with great speed; vardhamaanam= and expanding; janakaatmajaa= Seetha; uvaacha= spoke (as follows); giraa= in a voice; baaSpagadgadayaa= choked with tears diinaa= looking miserable; ashrupuurNa mukhii= in her face filled with tears.
Seeing that Hanuma, the best among monkeys, possessed of energy to jump up with great speed and expanding, Seetha spoke (as follows) in her voice choked with tears and looking miserable in her face filled with tears.
hanuuman simha samkaashau bhraatarau raama lakShmaNau |
sugriivam ca saha amaatyam sarvaan bruuyaa anaamayam || 5-40-22
22. hanuman= O Hanuma!; bruuyaaH= enquire; anaamayam= about the health; raamalakSmaNau= of Rama and Lakshmana; bhraatarau= the brothers; simhasamkaashau= bearing a resemblance to lions; sugriivamcha= and of Sugreeva; sahaamaatyam= together with his ministers; sarvaan= and all others.
"O Hanuma! Enquire about the welfare of Rama and Lakshmana, the brothers looking like lions, of Sugreeva together with his ministers and of all other."
yathaa ca sa mahaabaahuH maam taarayati raaghavaH |
asmaat duhkha ambu samrodhaat tat samaadhaatum arhasi || 5-40-23
23. tvam arhasi= you be pleased; samadhaatum= to make; saH raaghavaH= that Rama; mahaabaahuH= deliver (me) in whatever manner; asmaat duHkhaambusamrodhaat= from this ocean of sorrow.
"Be pleased to make that long-armed Rama deliver me from this ocean of sorrow."
imam ca tiivram mama shoka vegam |
rakShobhiH ebhiH paribhartsanam ca |
bruuyaaH tu raamasya gataH samiipam |
shivaH ca te adhvaa astu hari praviira || 5-40-24
24. hari praviira= O valiant monkey; gataH= having gone; raamasya samiipam= to Rama's vicinity; bruuyaaH= appraise (him); mama imam tiivram shokavegam= about this terrific gush of my sorrow; paribhartsanamcha= and about the threatening attitude; ebhiH rakSobhiH= of those female-demons; te adhvaa= (Let) Your journey; astu= be; shivaH= happy.
"O valiant monkey! After approaching Rama, appraise him of this terrific gush of my grief and also about the threatening attitude of these female-demons. Have a happy journey!"
sa raaja putryaa prativedita arthaH |
kapiH kR^ita arthaH parihR^iShTa cetaaH |
tat alpa sheSham prasamiikShya kaaryam |
disham hi udiiciim manasaa jagaama || 5-40-25
25. prativeditaarthaH= having been acquainted with the matter; raajaputryaa= by Seetha the princess; kR^itaarthaH= having accomplished his object; prihR^iSTa chetaaH= and with his mind filled with joy; prasamiikSya= and seeing; alpaavasheSam kaaryam= that only a little remains to be done; kapiH= Hanuma; jagaama manasaa= went intellectually; udiichiim disham= towards the northern direction.
Having been appraised of the matter by Seetha the princess, having accomplished his object, having his mind filled with joy and having perceived that only a little remained to be done, Hanuma intellectually sought the northern direction.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe chatvaarimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 40th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© February, 2005, K. M. K. Murthy