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?
अपि सत्यं क संनद्धो न शोकेन हतः प्रभुः । अपि स्मरति मां पापां स्वामिनो दुःखरूपिणीम्
Is it true that the lord remains steadfast, not destroyed by grief? Does he remember me, the sinful one, who has brought him only sorrow?
मदर्थे कति दुःखं वा संप्राप स मदीश्वरः । हारो नाऽऽरोर्पितः कण्ठे पुरा व्यवहितो रतौ
For my sake, how much suffering has my lord endured? The necklace once placed on my neck, now lies apart since our union was broken.
अधुनैवाऽऽवयोर्मध्ये समुद्रः शतयोजनः । अपि द्रक्ष्यामि तं रामं करुणासागरं प्रभुम्
Now, between us, a hundred yojanas of ocean lie. Will I see that Rama, ocean of compassion, my lord, again?
कान्तं शान्तं नितान्तं च धर्मिष्ठं धर्मकर्मणि । अपि सेवां करिष्यामि पादपद्मे पुनः प्रभोः
My beloved, serene and utterly righteous in his deeds—will I again serve at the lotus feet of my lord?
पतिसेवाविहीनाया मूढाया जीवनं दृथा । अपि मे धर्मपुत्रश्च सत्यं जीवति लक्ष्मणः
For one so foolish as I, deprived of serving my husband, life is in vain. Is it true that my righteous brother-in-law, Lakshmana, still lives?
मच्छोकसागरे मग्नो भग्नदर्पो मया विना । वीराणां प्रवरो धर्मी देवकल्पश्च देवरः
Immersed in the ocean of my sorrow, his pride broken in my absence, that foremost of heroes, righteous and godlike, my brother-in-law—
अपि सत्यं ससंन्नद्धो सत्प्रभोरनुजः सदा । अपि द्रक्ष्यामि सत्यं तं लक्ष्मणं धर्मलक्षणम्
Is it true that the ever-noble younger brother of the lord remains steadfast? Will I truly see Lakshmana, the very mark of righteousness?
इत्येवं वचनं श्रुत्वा दत्त्वा प्रत्युत्तरं शुभम् । भस्मीभूतां च तां लङ्कां चकार लीलया मुने
Hearing these words, and giving a fitting reply, the son of the Wind, O sage, by his play reduced Lanka to ashes.
पुनः प्रबोधं तस्यै च दत्तवा वायुसुतः कपिः । प्रययौ लीलया वेगाद्यत्र राजीवलोचनः
Again, the monkey son of the Wind gave her comfort, and by his speed and playfulness, departed to where the lotus-eyed one was.
सर्वं तत्कथायामास वृत्तान्तं मातुरेव च । सीतामङ्गलवृत्तान्तं श्रुत्वा रामो रुरोद च
He recounted everything to Rama and his mother—the whole story. Hearing the auspicious news of Sita, Rama wept.