भूयिष्ठं लोलिता लंका रामस्य चरता प्रियम्। न हि पश्यामि वैदेहीं सीतां सर्वांगशोभनाम्
Lankā has been searched thoroughly by me, seeking Rāma’s beloved; yet I do not see Vaidehī, Sītā, she who is adorned in every limb.
पल्वलानि तटाकानि सरांसि सरितस्तथा। नद्योऽनूपवनान्ताश्च दुर्गाश्च धरणीधराः
Lakes, ponds, pools, rivers, and also streams, marshy groves, and mountain strongholds—
लोलिता वसुधा सर्वा न च पश्यामि जानकीम्। इह सम्पातिना सीता रावणस्य निवेशने। आख्याता गृध्रराजेन न च सा दृश्यते न किम्
All the earth has been searched, yet I do not see Jānakī. Here, Sītā was said by Sampāti, the king of vultures, to be in Rāvaṇa’s residence, but she is not seen—why is that?
किं नु सीताथ वैदेही मैथिली जनकात्मजा। उपतिष्ठेत विवशा रावणेन हृता बलात्
Could it be that Sītā, Vaidehī, the daughter of Janaka, helpless and seized by force by Rāvaṇa, has perished?
क्षिप्रमुत्पततो मन्ये सीतामादाय रक्षसः। बिभ्यतो रामबाणानामन्तरा पतिता भवेत्
Perhaps, as the demon swiftly carried her off, frightened by Rāma’s arrows, she fell to the ground in between.
अथवा ह्रियमाणायाः पथि सिद्धनिषेविते। मन्ये पतितमार्याया हृदयं प्रेक्ष्य सागरम्
Or perhaps, as she was being carried away along the path frequented by the perfected beings, the noble lady, seeing the ocean, her heart failed and she fell.
रावणस्योरुवेगेन भुजाभ्यां पीडितेन च। तया मन्ये विशालाक्ष्या त्यक्तं जीवितमार्यया
By Rāvaṇa’s great force, crushed in his arms, I think that noble, wide-eyed lady may have given up her life.
उपर्युपरि सा नूनं सागरं क्रमतस्तदा। विचेष्टमाना पतिता समुद्रे जनकात्मजा
Surely, as she was carried over the ocean, the daughter of Janaka, struggling, fell into the sea.
आहो क्षुद्रेण चानेन रक्षन्ती शीलमात्मनः। अबन्धुर्भक्षिता सीता रावणेन तपस्विनी
Or perhaps, this low creature, Rāvaṇa, devoured Sītā, the ascetic lady, who was protecting her virtue, though she had no protector.
अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य पत्नीभिरसितेक्षणा। अदुष्टा दुष्टभावाभिर्भक्षिता सा भविष्यति
Or perhaps, the dark-eyed wives of the lord of the rākṣasas, though themselves wicked in intent, have devoured her, who was innocent.
हा राम लक्ष्मणेत्येवं हायोध्ये चेति मैथिली। विलप्य बहु वैदेही न्यस्तदेहा भविष्यति
Crying out, 'O Rāma! O Lakṣmaṇa! O Ayodhyā!' in many ways, Vaidehī, the daughter of Mithilā, may have abandoned her body.
अथवा निहिता मन्ये रावणस्य निवेशने। भृशं लालप्यते बाला पञ्जरस्थेव सारिका
Or perhaps, she is confined somewhere in Rāvaṇa’s residence, lamenting greatly like a young mynah bird in a cage.
जनकस्य कुले जाता रामपत्नी सुमध्यमा। कथमुत्पलपत्राक्षी रावणस्य वशं व्रजेत्
Born in Janaka’s line, the slender-waisted wife of Rāma—how could she, with eyes like lotus petals, fall under Rāvaṇa’s power?
विनष्टा वा प्रणष्टा वा मृता वा जनकात्मजा। रामस्य प्रियभार्यस्य न निवेदयितुं क्षमम्
Whether lost, destroyed, or dead, the daughter of Janaka, beloved wife of Rāma, it is not proper to report this.
निवेद्यमाने दोषः स्याद् दोषः स्यादनिवेदने। कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यं विषमं प्रतिभाति मे
If I report it, it will be a fault; if I do not report it, that too will be a fault. What indeed should be done? This dilemma appears before me.
अस्मिन् नेवंगते कार्ये प्राप्तकालं क्षमं च किम्। भवेदिति मतिं भूयो हनुमान् प्रविचारयन्
As the matter stands thus, Hanuman again considered carefully what would be timely and appropriate to do now.
यदि सीतामदृष्ट्वाहं वानरेन्द्रपुरीमितः। गमिष्यामि ततः को मे पुरुषार्थो भविष्यति
If I return from here to the city of the monkey king without having seen Sita, then what purpose of mine will be fulfilled?
ममेदं लङ्घनं व्यर्थं सागरस्य भविष्यति। प्रवेशश्चैव लंकायां राक्षसानां च दर्शनम्
My crossing of the ocean will have been in vain, as well as my entry into Lanka and my sight of the rakshasas.
किं वा वक्ष्यति सुग्रीवो हरयो वापि संगताः। किष्किन्धामनुसम्प्राप्तं तौ वा दशरथात्मजौ
What will Sugriva say, or the assembled monkeys, or those two sons of Dasaratha, when I return to Kishkindha?
गत्वा तु यदि काकुत्स्थं वक्ष्यामि परुषं वचः। न दृष्टेति मया सीता ततस्त्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्
If I go and speak harsh words to Kakutstha, saying, 'I have not seen Sita,' then he will give up his life.
परुषं दारुणं तीक्ष्णं क्रूरमिन्द्रियतापनम्। सीतानिमित्तं दुर्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा स न भविष्यति
Hearing such harsh, cruel, piercing, and grievous words, painful to the senses, about Sita, he will not survive.
तं तु कृच्छ्रगतं दृष्ट्वा पञ्चत्वगतमानसम्। भृशानुरक्तमेधावी न भविष्यति लक्ष्मणः
Seeing him in such distress, his mind overcome by death, the devoted and wise Lakshmana too will not survive.
विनष्टौ भ्रातरौ श्रुत्वा भरतोऽपि मरिष्यति। भरतं च मृतं दृष्ट्वा शत्रुघ्नो न भविष्यति
Hearing that both his brothers are lost, Bharata too will die; and seeing Bharata dead, Shatrughna will not survive.
पुत्रान् मृतान् समीक्ष्याथ न भविष्यन्ति मातरः। कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च कैकेयी च न संशयः
Seeing their sons dead, the mothers—Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi—will not survive; there is no doubt.
कृतज्ञः सत्यसंधश्च सुग्रीवः प्लवगाधिपः। रामं तथागतं दृष्ट्वा ततस्त्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्
Sugriva, the grateful and truthful lord of the monkeys, seeing Rama in such a state, will then give up his life.
दुर्मना व्यथिता दीना निरानन्दा तपस्विनी। पीडिता भर्तृशोकेन रुमा त्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्
Rumā, afflicted by her husband's grief, distressed, sorrowful, and joyless, devoted to austerity, will give up her life.
वालिजेन तु दुःखेन पीडिता शोककर्शिता। पञ्चत्वमागता राज्ञी तारापि न भविष्यति
Tara, the queen, worn down by grief over Vali and consumed by sorrow, will also not survive.
मातापित्रोर्विनाशेन सुग्रीवव्यसनेन च। कुमारोऽप्यंगदस्तस्माद् विजहिष्यति जीवितम्
With the loss of his parents and Sugriva's calamity, the prince Angada too will abandon his life.
भर्तृजेन तु दुःखेन अभिभूता वनौकसः। शिरांस्यभिहनिष्यन्ति तलैर्मुष्टिभिरेव च
Overcome by grief for their lord, the forest-dwelling monkeys will strike their heads with their palms and fists.
सान्त्वेनानुप्रदानेन मानेन च यशस्विना। लालिताः कपिनाथेन प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यन्ति वानराः
Cherished by the glorious lord of the monkeys with kindness, gifts, and honor, the monkeys will give up their lives.