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.
तां स्मृतीमिव संदिग्धामृद्धिं निपतितामिव। विहतामिव च श्रद्धामाशां प्रतिहतामिव
She seemed like memory, confused; like prosperity, fallen; like faith, destroyed; like hope, thwarted.
सोपसर्गां यथा सिद्धिं बुद्धिं सकलुषामिव। अभूतेनापवादेन कीर्तिं निपतितामिव
Like success beset by obstacles, like intelligence tainted, like fame fallen by false slander.
रामोपरोधव्यथितां रक्षोगणनिपीडिताम्। अबलां मृगशावाक्षीं वीक्षमाणां ततस्ततः
Afflicted by Rāma’s separation, oppressed by the host of rākṣasas, weak, with eyes like a fawn’s, she looked around here and there.
बाष्पाम्बुपरिपूर्णेन कृष्णवक्राक्षिपक्ष्मणा। वदनेनाप्रसन्नेन निःश्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः
Her face, with dark, curved eyelashes, was filled with tears; she was not cheerful, sighing again and again.
मलपङ्कधरां दीनां मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम्। प्रभां नक्षत्रराजस्य कालमेघैरिवावृताम्
Wearing dirt and mud, dejected, worthy of adornment but unadorned, she was like the radiance of the lord of stars veiled by dark clouds.
तस्य संदिदिहे बुद्धिस्तथा सीतां निरीक्ष्य च। आम्नायानामयोगेन विद्यां प्रशिथिलामिव
Seeing Sītā in such a state, his mind was troubled, as if knowledge had become slack through lack of practice.
दुःखेन बुबुधे सीतां हनुमाननलंकृताम्। संस्कारेण यथा हीनां वाचमर्थान्तरं गताम्
Through sorrow, Hanumān recognized Sītā, unadorned, as one recognizes speech deprived of refinement, which has changed its meaning.
तां समीक्ष्य विशालाक्षीं राजपुत्रीमनिन्दिताम्। तर्कयामास सीतेति कारणैरुपपादयन्
Observing her—broad-eyed, a blameless princess—he reasoned, 'This is Sītā,' supporting it with evidence.
वैदेह्या यानि चांगेषु तदा रामोऽन्वकीर्तयत्। तान्याभरणजालानि गात्रशोभीन्यलक्षयत्
And whatever ornaments were on Vaidehī’s limbs, Rāma had described at that time; he noticed those very garlands, beautifying her body.
सुकृतौ कर्णवेष्टौ च श्वदंष्ट्रौ च सुसंस्थितौ। मणिविद्रुमचित्राणि हस्तेष्वाभरणानि च
Her earrings, well-crafted and set in her ears, and her canine teeth are well-formed; in her hands are ornaments adorned with gems and coral.