संतानकलताभिश्च पादपैरुपशोभिताम्। दिव्यगन्धरसोपेतां सर्वतः समलंकृताम्
Adorned everywhere with trees entwined with creepers, filled with divine fragrance and flavor, it was splendid on all sides.
तां स नन्दनसंकाशां मृगपक्षिभिरावृताम्। हर्म्यप्रासादसम्बाधां कोकिलाकुलनिःस्वनाम्
He saw that place, resembling Nandana, filled with deer and birds, crowded with mansions and palaces, and echoing with the calls of cuckoos.
काञ्चनोत्पलपद्माभिर्वापीभिरुपशोभिताम्। बह्वासनकुथोपेतां बहुभूमिगृहायुताम्
Adorned with pools filled with golden lotuses and lilies, provided with many seats and couches, and furnished with multi-storied houses.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमै रम्यैः फलवद्भिश्च पादपैः। पुष्पितानामशोकानां श्रिया सूर्योदयप्रभाम्
With trees lovely in every season, bearing fruit, and with the splendor of flowering ashoka trees, it shone with the brilliance of sunrise.
प्रदीप्तामिव तत्रस्थो मारुतिः समुदैक्षत। निष्पत्रशाखां विहगैः क्रियमाणामिवासकृत्
There, Hanuman beheld it as if it were ablaze, with branches stripped of leaves, as if the birds were constantly making them bare.
विनिष्पतद्भिः शतशश्चित्रैः पुष्पावतंसकैः। समूलपुष्परचितैरशोकैः शोकनाशनैः
With hundreds of birds darting out, adorned with varied garlands of flowers, and with ashoka trees laden with blossoms that dispel sorrow.
पुष्पभारातिभारैश्च स्पृशद्भिरिव मेदिनीम्। कर्णिकारैः कुसुमितैः किंशुकैश्च सुपुष्पितैः
With the heavy weight of flowers seeming to touch the earth, with karṇikāra and kiṃśuka trees in full bloom.
स देशः प्रभया तेषां प्रदीप्त इव सर्वतः। पुंनागाः सप्तपर्णाश्च चम्पकोद्दालकास्तथा
That region, with the radiance of those trees, appeared as if illuminated on all sides; with puṃnāga, saptaparṇa, campaka, and uddālaka trees as well.
विवृद्धमूला बहवः शोभन्ते स्म सुपुष्पिताः। शातकुम्भनिभाः केचित् केचिदग्निशिखप्रभाः
Many trees with well-grown roots stood splendidly in full bloom; some shone like burnished gold, others with the glow of fire's flame.
नीलाञ्जननिभाः केचित् तत्राशोकाः सहस्रशः। नन्दनं विबुधोद्यानं चित्रं चैत्ररथं यथा
Some ashoka trees there, by the thousands, resembled dark collyrium; like the wondrous Nandana and Caitraratha gardens of the gods.
अतिवृत्तमिवाचिन्त्यं दिव्यं रम्यश्रियायुतम्। द्वितीयमिव चाकाशं पुष्पज्योतिर्गणायुतम्
It seemed extraordinary, beyond imagination, divine, endowed with delightful beauty; like a second sky, filled with clusters of floral lights.
पुष्परत्नशतैश्चित्रं पञ्चमं सागरं यथा। सर्वर्तुपुष्पैर्निचितं पादपैर्मधुगन्धिभिः
Adorned with hundreds of floral gems, like a fifth ocean; filled with trees bearing flowers of every season, fragrant with honey.
नानानिनादैरुद्यानं रम्यं मृगगणद्विजैः। अनेकगन्धप्रवहं पुण्यगन्धं मनोहरम्
A delightful garden, resounding with the varied calls of herds of deer and birds; carrying many fragrances, auspicious and captivating.
स ददर्शाविदूरस्थं चैत्यप्रासादमूर्जितम्। मध्ये स्तम्भसहस्रेण स्थितं कैलासपाण्डुरम्
He saw, not far away, a splendid sanctuary tower, standing in the center on a thousand pillars, white as Kailāsa.
प्रवालकृतसोपानं तप्तकाञ्चनवेदिकम्। मुष्णन्तमिव चक्षूंषि द्योतमानमिव श्रिया
With stairs made of coral, a platform of refined gold, dazzling the eyes, shining with radiant splendor.
निर्मलं प्रांशुभावत्वादुल्लिखन्तमिवाम्बरम्। ततो मलिनसंवीतां राक्षसीभिः समावृताम्
Spotless and lofty, seeming to touch the sky; then, he saw her, draped in soiled garments, surrounded by rākṣasī women.
उपवासकृशां दीनां निःश्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः। ददर्श शुक्लपक्षादौ चन्द्ररेखामिवामलाम्
Emaciated from fasting, dejected, sighing again and again; he saw her, pure as the crescent moon at the beginning of the bright fortnight.
मन्दप्रख्यायमानेन रूपेण रुचिरप्रभाम्। पिनद्धां धूमजालेन शिखामिव विभावसोः
With beauty dimmed, her radiance subdued, veiled as if by a shroud of smoke, like a flame wrapped in haze.
पीतेनैकेन संवीतां क्लिष्टेनोत्तमवाससा। सपङ्कामनलंकारां विपद्मामिव पद्मिनीम्
Clad in a single yellow, soiled, fine garment; without ornaments, stained, like a lotus plant bereft of its bloom.
पीडितां दुःखसंतप्तां परिक्षीणां तपस्विनीम्। ग्रहेणांगारकेणेव पीडितामिव रोहिणीम्
Afflicted, scorched by suffering, worn down, devoted to austerity; as if Rohiṇī were tormented by the planet Mars.
अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं दीनां कृशामनशनेन च। शोकध्यानपरां दीनां नित्यं दुःखपरायणाम्
Her face full of tears, dejected, emaciated from fasting; absorbed in grief and meditation, forlorn, always immersed in sorrow.
प्रियं जनमपश्यन्तीं पश्यन्तीं राक्षसीगणम्। स्वगणेन मृगीं हीनां श्वगणेनावृतामिव
Seeing her, deprived of her beloved people and surrounded by a host of rākṣasīs, like a doe separated from her herd and encircled by a pack of hounds,
नीलनागाभया वेण्या जघनं गतयैकया। नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव
Her hip was marked by a single dark braid, resembling the earth of a forest kingdom in the dry season, streaked by a river after the clouds have departed.
सुखार्हां दुःखसंतप्तां व्यसनानामकोविदाम्। तां विलोक्य विशालाक्षीमधिकं मलिनां कृशाम्
She, who deserved happiness, was scorched by sorrow, unskilled in misfortune; gazing upon her—broad-eyed, more so emaciated and unkempt—
तर्कयामास सीतेति कारणैरुपपादिभिः। ह्रियमाणा तदा तेन रक्षसा कामरूपिणा
He reasoned, 'This must be Sītā,' with supporting signs: for she had been carried off then by that rākṣasa who could assume any form.
यथारूपा हि दृष्टा सा तथारूपेयमंगना। पूर्णचन्द्राननां सुभ्रूं चारुवृत्तपयोधराम्
For just as she was seen then, so is this woman now: with a face full as the full moon, beautiful brows, and lovely rounded breasts.
कुर्वतीं प्रभया देवीं सर्वा वितिमिरा दिशः। तां नीलकण्ठीं बिम्बोष्ठीं सुमध्यां सुप्रतिष्ठिताम्
She, shining with her radiance, made all directions free of darkness, like a goddess; with a dark throat, lips red as bimba fruit, slender-waisted, firmly poised.
सीतां पद्मपलाशाक्षीं मन्मथस्य रतिं यथा। इष्टां सर्वस्य जगतः पूर्णचन्द्रप्रभामिव
Sītā, with eyes like lotus petals, was as dear to the world as Rati is to Kāma, and as radiant as the full moon.
भूमौ सुतनुमासीनां नियतामिव तापसीम्। निःश्वासबहुलां भीरुं भुजगेन्द्रवधूमिव
Seated on the ground, slender as a young moonbeam, she seemed like an ascetic woman in restraint, sighing deeply and fearful, like the wife of the serpent king.
शोकजालेन महता विततेन न राजतीम्। संसक्तां धूमजालेन शिखामिव विभावसोः
She did not shine, enveloped as she was by a great net of sorrow, like a flame covered by a mass of smoke.