ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनामीश्वरं प्रकृतेः परम् । जन्मान्तरे च भर्तारं प्राप्स्यसि त्वं वरानने
The lord of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and others, transcending nature; in another birth, O beautiful-faced one, you will obtain him as your husband.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा ब्रह्म च जगाम स्वालयं मुदा । देहं तत्याज सा वह्नो सा च कुब्जा बभूव ह
Thus speaking, Brahmā joyfully went to his own abode; she abandoned her body in fire and became Kubjā.
अथ शूर्पणखा वाक्यात्कोपात्कम्पितविग्रहः । जहार मायया सीतां मायावी राक्षसेश्वरः
Then, because of Śūrpaṇakhā's words, trembling with anger, the lord of the rākṣasas, skilled in illusion, abducted Sītā by magic.
सीतां न दृष्ट्वा रामश्च मूर्च्छां प्राप चिरं मुने । चेतनां कारयामास भ्राता चऽऽध्यात्मिकेन च
Not seeing Sītā, Rāma fell into a long swoon, O sage; his brother revived him with spiritual means.
ततो बभ्राम गहनं शैलं च कंदरं नदम् । अहर्निशं च शोकार्तो मुनीनामाश्रमं मुने
Then he wandered through forest, mountain, cave, and river, day and night, afflicted by grief, to the hermitages of sages, O sage.
चिरमन्वेषणं कृत्वा न दृष्ट्वा जानकीं विभुः । चकार मित्रतां रामः सुग्रीवेण स्वयं प्रभुः
After searching for a long time and not seeing Jānakī, the lord Rāma himself made friendship with Sugrīva.
निहत्य वालिनं बाणैर्ददौ राज्यं च लीलया । सुग्रीवाय च मित्राय स्वीकारपालनाय वै
Having slain Vāli with arrows, he easily gave the kingdom to Sugrīva, his friend, for acceptance and protection.
दूतान्प्रस्थापयामास सर्वत्र वानरेश्वाः । तस्थौ सुग्रीवभवने श्रीरामश्च सलक्ष्मणः
He sent messengers everywhere among the chiefs of the monkeys; Śrī Rāma, with Lakṣmaṇa, remained in Sugrīva's house.
हनूमते वरं दत्तवा रम्यं रत्नाङ्गुलीयकम् । सीतायै शुभसंदेशं प्राणधारणकारणम्
He gave Hanumān a boon, a beautiful jeweled ring; a auspicious message for Sītā, for the purpose of sustaining her life.
तं च प्रस्थापयामास दक्षिणां दिशमुत्तमाम् । सुप्रीत्याऽऽलिङ्गनं दत्त्वा पादरेणून्सुदुर्लभान्
He sent him to the excellent southern direction; with great affection, he embraced him and gave him the dust of his feet, which is very rare.
हनुमान्पययौ लङ्कां सीतान्वेषणहेतवे । रामादधीतसंदेशो ययौ रुद्रकलोद्भवः
Hanuman went to Lanka for the purpose of searching for Sita, bearing Rama’s message, he who was born from the essence of Rudra.
अशोककानने सीतां ददर्श शोककर्शिताम् । निराहारामतिकृशां कुह्वां चन्द्रकलामिव
In the Ashoka grove, he saw Sita, emaciated by grief, fasting and extremely thin, concealed like the crescent moon.
सततं राम रामेति जपन्तीं भक्तिबूर्वकम् । बिभ्रतीं च जटाभारं तप्तकाञ्चनसंनिभाम्
Constantly repeating 'Rama, Rama' with deep devotion, she bore matted locks shining like molten gold.
ध्यायमानां पदाब्जं च श्रीरामस्य दिपानिशम् । शुद्धाशयां सुशीलां च सुव्रतां च पतिव्रताम्
Meditating day and night upon the lotus feet of Shri Rama, pure in intention, of noble conduct, steadfast in her vows, and devoted to her husband.
महालक्ष्मीलक्ष्मयुक्तां प्रज्वलन्तीं स्वतेजसा । पुण्यदां सर्वतीर्थानां दृष्ट्वा भुवनपावतीम्
Endowed with the marks of Mahalakshmi, radiant with her own splendor, bestower of merit, purifier of the worlds by her sight, surpassing all sacred waters.
प्रणम्य मातरं दृष्ट्वा रुदतीं वायुनन्दनः । रत्नाङ्गुलीयं रामस्य ददौ तस्यै मुदाऽन्वितः
Seeing her, the son of the Wind, weeping, bowed to the Mother; joyfully he gave her Rama’s jeweled ring.
रुरोद धर्मी तां दृष्ट्वा धृत्वा तच्चरणाम्बुजम् । उवाच रामसंदेशं सीताजीवनरक्षणम्
The righteous Hanuman, seeing her, wept and took hold of her lotus feet; he spoke Rama’s message, the means of preserving Sita’s life.
हनुमानुवाच पारेसमुद्रं श्रीरामः संनद्धश्च सलक्ष्मणः । बभूव राममित्रं च सुग्रीवो बलवान्कपिः
Hanuman said: 'On the far shore of the ocean, Shri Rama stands ready with Lakshmana; Sugriva, the mighty monkey, has become Rama’s ally.'
रामश्च वालिनं हत्वा राज्यं निष्कण्टकं ददौ । सुग्रीवाय च मित्राय तद्भार्यं वालिना हृताम्
Rama, having slain Vali, gave the kingdom, now free of thorns, to his friend Sugriva, and restored to him his wife who had been taken by Vali.
सुग्रीवश्च तवोद्धारं स्वीचकार च धर्मतः । वानराश्च ययुः सर्वे तवान्वेषणकारणात्
Sugriva, by righteousness, undertook your rescue; and all the monkeys set out for the purpose of searching for you.
प्राप्य मङ्गलवार्तां च मत्तो राजीवलोचनः । गम्भीरं सागरं बद्ध्वा सोऽचिरेणाऽऽगमिष्यति
Having received auspicious news from me, lotus-eyed Rama will soon arrive, crossing the deep ocean.
निहत्य रावणं पापं सपुत्रं च सबान्धवम् । करिष्यत्यचिरेणैव हे मातस्तव मोक्षणम्
Slaying the sinful Ravana, along with his sons and kin, he will swiftly accomplish your liberation, O Mother.
अद्य रत्नमयीं लङ्कां निःशङ्कस्त्वतप्रसादतः । भस्मीभूतां करिष्यामि मातः पश्य च सस्मितम्
Today, by your grace, I shall make jeweled Lanka, without fear, reduced to ashes—Mother, behold this with a smile.
मर्कटीडिम्भतुल्यां च लङ्कां पश्यामि सुव्रते । मूत्रतुल्यं समुद्रं च शरावमिव भूतलम्
O virtuous one, I see Lanka as small as a monkey’s playground, the ocean like mere urine, and the earth like a dish.
पिपीलिकासंघमिव ससैन्यं रावणं तथा । संहर्तुं च समर्थोंऽहं मुहूर्तार्धेन लीलया
Ravana with his army appears like a swarm of ants; I am able to destroy them playfully in half a moment.
रामप्रतिज्ञारक्षार्थं न हनिष्यामि सांप्रतम् । स्वस्था भव महाभागे त्यज भीतिं मदीश्वरि
But for the sake of upholding Rama’s vow, I will not kill them now; be at ease, O greatly fortunate one, abandon fear, my lady.
पानरस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रुरोदोच्चैर्मुहुर्मुहुः । उवाच वचनं भीता रामपतिव्रता
Hearing the monkey’s words, she wept aloud again and again; frightened, the devoted wife of Rama spoke these words.
सीतोवाच अये जीवति मे रामो मच्छोकार्णवदारुणात्
Sita said: 'Ah, is my Rama still alive, after the terrible ocean of my sorrow?'
अपि मे कुशली नाथः कौसल्यानन्दनः प्रभु । कीदृशश्च कृशाङ्गश्च जानकीजीवनोऽधुना
Is my lord, the delight of Kausalya, well? What is his condition now—has he grown thin, he who is the very life of Janaki?
किमाहारश्च किं भुङ्क्ते मम प्रणाधिकः प्रियः । अपि पारे समुद्रस्य सत्यं सीतापतिः स्वयम्
What does he eat, what food sustains my beloved, dearer to me than life? Is it true that Sita’s lord himself is across the ocean?