Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
Angada, Hanuma and other monkeys approach Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva at Mount Prasravana. When monkeys start narrating the news of Seetha, Rama asks further details of Seetha. Then, the monkeys request Hanuma to explain the occurrences to Rama in detail. Then, Hanuma appraises Rama of Seetha's presence at the foot of a Simsupa tree in the midst of female-demons. After narrating the incidents related by her and delivering to Rama the jewel for the head, earlier handed-over by Seetha as a token, Hanuma conveys her message to Rama. |  |
tataH prasravaNam shailam te gatvaa citra kaananam |
praNamya shirasaa raamam lakShmaNam ca mahaabalam || 5-65-1
yuva raajam puraH kR^itya sugriivam abhivaadya ca |
pravR^ittam atha siitaayaaH pravaktum upacakramuH || 5-65-2
1, 2. puraH kR^itya yuva raajan= keeping Angada the prince, in their front; te= those monkeys; tataH= then; gatvaa= going; prasravaNam shailam= to Mount Prasravana; chitra kaananam- with forests of variegated appearance; praNamya= offering their salutation; shirasaa= by bowing their heads; raamam= to Rama; mahaabalam lakSmaNamcha= and the mighty Lakshmana; abhivaadya cha= and respectfully saluting; sugriivam= Sugreeva; atha= and then; upachakramaH= started; pravaktum= to narrate; pravR^ittim= the news; siitaayaaH= of Seetha.
Keeping Angada the prince in their forefront those monkeys, on reaching Mount Prasravana having forests of variegated appearance, offered their salutation by bowing their heads in reverence to Rama and the mighty Lakshmana, greeting Sugreeva respectfully. Then, they started narrating the news of Seetha.
raavaNa antaH pure rodham raakShasiibhiH ca tarjanam |
raame samanuraagam ca yaH ca api samayaH kR^itaH || 5-65-3
etat aakhyaanti te sarve harayo raama samnidhau |
3. sarve= all; te harayaH= those monkeys; aakhyaanti= were narrating; raame samnidhau= in the presence of Rama; etat= all this; rodham= about restraining (Seetha); raavaNa antaH pure= in Ravana's gynaecium; raakShasiibhiH= by the female-demons; tarjanam cha= frightening her; samanuraagamcha= and her complete affection; raame= towards Rama; yaH ayam samayaH kR^itaH= and the time-limit (two months) given by Ravana.
Those monkeys started to narrate, in the presence of Rama, about, the female-demons, and frightening Seetha in Ravana's gynaecium, her complete affection towards Rama and the time-limit of two months given by Ravana.
vaidehiim akShataam shrutvaa raamaH tu uttaram abraviit || 5-65-4
kva siitaa vartate devii katham ca mayi vartate |
etan me sarvam aakhyaata vaidehiim prati vaanaraaH || 5-65-5
4, 5. shrutvaa= hearing vaidehiim= of Seetha; akShataam= being alive; raamatu= Rama on his part; uttaram abraviit= replied; kva= where; vartate= is; devii siitaa= Seetha, the princess?; katham= how; vartate= is she disposed; mayi= towards me? vaanaraaH= O monkeys!; aakhyaata= tell; me= me; sarvam= all; etat= this; vaidehiim prati= about Seetha.
Hearing of Seetha being alive, Rama on his part replied, "Where is Seetha, the princess? How is she disposed towards me? O monkeys! Tell me all that about Seetha."
raamasya gaditam shrutva harayo raama samnidhau |
codayanti hanuumantam siitaa vR^itta anta kovidam || 5-65-6
6. shrutvaa= hearing; gaditam= the words; raamasya= of Rama; harayaH= the monkeys; chodayanti hanumantam= urged Hanuma to tell; raama sannidhau= in the presence of Rama; siitaa vR^itta anta kovidam= (since) Hanuma knows all the incidents about Seetha.
Hearing the words of Rama, the monkeys urged Hanuma to tell, in the presence of Rama, all the incidents because he knew them better, about Seetha.
shrutvaa tu vacanam teShaam hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
praNamya shirasaa devyai siitaayai taam disham prati || 5-65-7
uvaaca vaakyam vaakyaj~naH siitaayaa darshanam yathaa |
7. shrutvaa= hearing; teShaam vachanam= their words; vaakyajJNaH= eloquent; hanumaan= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of wind-god; praNamya= saluting; shirasaa= with his head; taam disham prati= towards that direction; devyai siitaayai= of Seetha, the princess; uvaacha= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words; yathaa siitaayaaH darshanam= how Seetha's seeing occurred.
Hearing the words of those monkeys, the eloquent Hanuma, the son of wind-god saluting towards the direction of the Seetha the princess by bowing his head, spoke the following words, explaining how he saw Seetha.
samudram langhayitvaa aham shata yojanam aayatam || 5-65-8
agacCham jaanakiim siitaam maargamaaNo didR^ikShayaa |
8. didR^ikSayaa= with a wish to see Seetha; aham= I; aagachchham= went; laN^ghayitvaa= crossing; samudram= the ocean; shata yojanam aayatam= of a width of one hundred Yojanas; maargamaaNaH= searching; siitaam= Seetha; jaanakiim= the daughter of Janaka.
"Having gone across the ocean, a hundred Yojanas wide, I reached the southern shore looking in search of Seetha, Janaka's daughter, with a wish to see her."
tatra lankaa iti nagarii raavaNasya duraatmanaH || 5-65-9
dakShiNasya samudrasya tiire vasati dakShiNe |
9. tatra= there; dakSiNa tiire= at the southern shore; dakSiNasya samudrasya= of the southern ocean; vasati= there is; nagarii= a city; laNketi= called Lanka; duraatmanaH raavaNasya= of the evil-minded Ravana.
"There at the southern shore of the southern ocean, there is city called Lanka of the evil-minded Ravana."
tatra dR^iShTaa mayaa siitaa raavaNa antaH pure satii || 5-65-10
samnyasya tvayi jiivantii raamaa raama mano ratham |
10. raama= O, Rama!; tatra= there; dR^iSTaa= it was seen; mayaa= by me; raavaNaantaH pure= in Ravana's gynaecium; siitaa= Seetha; raamaa= the lady; satii= and the virtuous wife; jiivantii= living; samnyasya= placing; mano ratham= heart's desire; tvayi= in you.
"O Rama! There, living in Ravana's gynaecium in the city, I saw the lady Seetha, your virtuous wife, centering here heart's desire in you."
dR^iShTaa me raakShasii madhye tarjyamaanaa muhuH muhuH || 5-65-11
raakShasiibhiH viruupaabhii rakShitaa pramadaa vane |
11. pramadaavane= In the pleasure-garden; (that Seetha); dR^iSTaa= was seen; me= by me; raakSasiimadhye= in the midst of female demons; rakSitaa= guarded; viruupaabhiH= by ugly-faced; raakSabhiH= female-demon; tarjyamaanaa= and threatened; muhuH muhuH= again and again (by them).
"In that pleasure garden, I saw Seetha sitting in the midst of female demons, guarded by those ugly-faced female-demons as also time and again being threatened by them."
duhkham aapadyate devii tava aduhkha ucitaa satii || 5-65-12
raavaNa antaH pure ruddhvaa raakShasiibhiH surakShitaa |
eka veNii dharaa diinaa tvayi cintaa paraayaNaa || 5-65-13
adhaH shayyaa vivarNa angii padminii iva hima aagame |
raavaNaat vinivR^itta arthaa martavya kR^ita nishcayaa || 5-65-14
devii kathamcit kaakutstha tvan manaa maargitaa mayaa |
12, 13, 14. viira= O hero!; tvayaa sukhocitaa devii= Seetha, who deserves to live happily with you; aapadyate= is obtaining; duHkham= grief; kaakutthsa= O Rama!; kathamchit= somehow; maargitaa= searched through; mayaa= by me; devii= that princess; ekveNiidharaa= wearing a single plait (as a mark of desolation); diinaa= miserable; tvayi chintaaparaayaNaa= remaining absorbed in your thought; adaH shayyaa= reposing n the floor; vivarNaaNgii= having discoloured limbs; padminiiva= like a louts; himaagame= in the winter-season; vinivR^ittaarthaa= turning back the wish; raavaNaat= from Ravana; martavyakR^ita nishchayaa= having determined to die; tvanmanaaH= and thinking of you.
"O hero! Seetha, who deserves to live happily with you, is obtaining grief. O Rama! I somehow searched that princess, Seetha wearing a single plait (as a as a mark of desolation), looking miserable, remaining absorbed in your thought, reposing on the floor, having discoloured limbs like a lotus in winter, turning back the wish from Ravana, having determined to die, but thinking of you alone."
ikShvaaku vamsha vikhyaatim shanaiH kiirtayata anagha || 5-65-15
sa mayaa nara shaarduula vishvaasam upapaaditaa |
15. anagha= O faultless; narashaarduula= tiger among men!; saa= that Seetha; upapaaditaa= was established; vishvaasam= confidence; mayaa= by me; shanaiH kiirtayataa= in slowly mentioning; ikSvaaku kula vikhyaatim= the fame of Ikshvaku dynasty.
"O faultless tiger among men! Seetha established confidence in me, after I slowly described to her the fame of Ikshvaku dynasty."
tataH sambhaaShitaa devii sarvam artham ca darshitaa || 5-65-16
raama sugriiva sakhyam ca shrutvaa priitim upaagataa |
niyataH samudaacaaro bhaktiH ca asyaaH tathaa tvayi || 5-65-17
16, 17. tataH= thereafter; devii= Seetha the princess; sambhaaSitaa= was spoken; darshitaa= and explained; sarvam artham= about all the significance (of my arrival); shrutvaa= on hearing; raama sugriivasakhyam= about the friendship between Rama and Sugreeva; upaagataa= she obtained; priitim= satisfaction; asyaaH= her; samudaachaaraH= right practice of conduct; niyataH= is constant; tathaa= and; bhaktishcha= her devotion; tvayi= in you, is also constant.
"Thereafter, I spoke and explained to Seetha, about the entire significance of my arrival there. On hearing about the alliance between Rama and Sugreeva, she was quite pleased. Her morality as well as her devotion in you are steadfast."
evam mayaa mahaabhaagaa dR^iShTaa janaka nandinii |
ugreNa tapasaa yuktaa tvat bhaktyaa puruSha R^iShabha || 5-65-18
18. puruSarSabha= O foremost of men!; mahaabhaagaa= the illustrious; janakanandinii= Seetha; dR^ShiTaa= was seen; evam= thus; mayaa= by me; (Seetha) yuktaa ugreNa tapasaa= was endowed with severe penance; tvadbhaktyaa= and devotion towards you.
"O, the foremost of men! I thus saw that illustrious Seetha, endowed with severe penance and devotion towards you."
abhij~naanam ca me dattam yathaa vR^ittam tava antike |
citra kuuTe mahaapraaj~na vaayasam prati raaghava || 5-65-19
19. raaghava= O Rama; mahaapraajJNa= of great intelligence!; abhijJNaanam= a token of remembrance; dattam= was given; me= to me; yathaa vR^ittam= a previous event; vaayasam prati= about a crow; tava antike= at your vicinity; chitrakuuTe= in Mount Chitrakuta.
"O Rama, of great intelligence! To me, she gave as a token of remembrance, a previous event of a crow occurred at your vicinity in Mount Chitrakuta."
vij~naapyaH ca nara vyaaghro raamo vaayu suta tvayaa |
akhilena iha yat dR^iShTam iti maam aaha jaanakii || 5-65-20
20. jaanakii= Seetha; saha= spoke; maam= to me; iti= saying; vaayusut= "O Hanuma!; raamaH= Rama; nara vyaaghraH= the foremost of men; vijJNaapya= is to be informed; akhilena= all; yat= of which; dR^iShTam= seen; tvayaa= by you; iha= here."
"Seetha spoke to me saying, 'O Hanuma! Inform Rama, the foremost among men, all that you have seen here."
ayam ca asmai pradaatavyam yatnaat suparirakShitam |
bruvataa vacanaani evam sugriivasya upashR^iNvataH || 5-65-21
21. sugriivasya= (while) Sugreeva; upashR^iNvataH= is hearing; bruvataa= and while you are telling; vachanaani= the words; evam= in this way; ayam cha= (let) this jewel; suparikShitaH yatnaat= well-guarded deliberately; pradaatavyaH ayam cha= be given; asmai= to this Rama.
"While Sugreeva is hearing nearby and while you are telling the words in this way, let this jewel, which is deliberately well-guarded, be given to Rama."
eSha cuuDaa maNiH shriimaan mayaa te yatna rakShitaH |
manaH shilaayaaH tikalaH tam smarasva iti ca abraviit || 5-65-22
tvayaa praaSTe timke tam kila smartumarhasi |
22. eSaH= this; shriimaan= beautiful; chuuDaa maNiH= jewel for the head; suparirakSitaH= has been well-guarded; mayaa= by me; arhasi= you ought; smartum= to recall; niveshitaH kila tilakaH= a mark indeed painted; tvayaa= by you (by a slip); gaN^Dapaarshve= on the curve of my cheek; orange-red; tilake= when my former mark on my forehead; praNaShTe= got effaced.
"This beautiful jewel for the head has been well-guarded by me. You also ought to recall a mark indeed painted by you (by slip) on the curve of my cheek with powder of an orange-red rock, when my former mark on my forehead got effaced."
eSha niryaatitaH shriimaan mayaa te vaari sambhavaH || 5-65-23
etam dR^iShTvaa pramodiShye vyasane tvaam iva anagha |
23. eSaH shriimaan= this beautiful jewel; vaari sambhavaH= which has its origin in sea-water; niryaatitaH= has been sent; te= to you; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; etam= this vyasahe= in my grief; pramodiShye= I am feeling happy; tvaaniiva= as though I am seeing you.
"This beautiful jewel, which has its origin in sea-water, has been sent to you. Seeing this in my grief, I am feeling always happy as though I am seeing you."
jiivitam dhaarayiShyaami maasam dasharatha aatmaja || 5-65-24
uurdhvam maasaan na jiiveyam rakShasaam vasham aagataa |
24. dasharaatmaja= O Rama!; dhaarayiShyaami= I shall be sustaining; jiivitam= my life; maasam= for a mouth; aagataa= having come into; vasham= the control; rakShasaam= of demons; na jiivayam= I cannot survive; uurdhvam= above; maasaat= one month.
"O Rama! I shall be sustaining my life for a month. Having come into the control of demons, I cannot survive beyond one month."
iti maam abraviit siitaa kR^isha angii dharma caariNii || 5-65-25
raavaNa antaH pure ruddhaa mR^igii iva utphulla locanaa |
25. siitaa= Seetha; kR^isha aNgii= with her emaciated body; dharma chaariNii= practising virtue; ruddhaa= confined; raavaNaantaH pure= in Ravana's gynaceium; utphulla lochanaa= with her wide-open eyes; mR^igiiva= like that of a doe; abraviit= spoke; iti= as following; maam= to me.
"Seetha, with her emaciated body, practicing virtue, confined in Ravana's gynaecium and with her wide-open eyes like that of a doe, spoke to me the following words:
etat eva mayaa aakhyaatam sarvam raaghava yat yathaa || 5-65-26
sarvathaa saagara jale samtaaraH pravidhiiyataam |
26. raaghava= O Rama!; etat= this; sarvam eva= exactly in its entirety; khyaatam= has been narrated; mayaa= by me; yat yathaa= as it occurred; samtaaraH pravidhiiyataam= let a bridge by constructed; sarvathaa= by all means; saagara jale= in the waters of the ocean.
"O Rama! I have narrated to you whatever has occurred, in its entirety. Let a bridge be constructed, by all means, across the waters of the ocean."
tau jaata aashvaasau raaja putrau viditvaa |
tac ca abhij~naanam raaghavaaya pradaaya |
devyaa ca aakhyaatam sarvam eva aanupuurvyaat |
vaacaa sampuurNam vaayu putraH shashamsa || 5-65-27
27. viditvaa= coming to know; tau raaja putrau= that the two princes, Rama and Lakshmana; jaata aashvaasau= have become confident; pradaaya= and having given; tat abhijJNaanam= that token of remembrance; raaghavaaya= to Rama; vaayu putraH= Hanuma; shashamsa= apprised; vaachaa= in words; sampuurNam= completely; anupuurvyaat= in regular succession; sarvameva= all that; aakhyaatam= was conveyed; devyaa= by Seetha the princess.
Coming to know that the two princes, Rama and Lakshmana have become confident and having given that token of remembrance to Rama, Hanuma apprised completely in so many words, in regular succession, all that was conveyed by Seetha, the princess.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe paJNchaSaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus completes 65th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© February, 2007, K. M. K. Murthy