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.
श्यामानि चिरयुक्तत्वात् तथा संस्थानवन्ति च। तान्येवैतानि मन्येऽहं यानि रामोऽन्वकीर्तयत्
These are dark in color from long use and well-shaped; I believe these are exactly the ones that Rāma described.
तत्र यान्यवहीनानि तान्यहं नोपलक्षये। यान्यस्या नावहीनानि तानीमानि न संशयः
Those that are missing here, I do not see; those that are not missing from her, these are indeed those, without doubt.
पीतं कनकपट्टाभं स्रस्तं तद्वसनं शुभम्। उत्तरीयं नगासक्तं तदा दृष्टं प्लवंगमैः
Her upper garment, yellow and bordered with gold, has slipped down; that fine cloth was seen caught in the trees by the monkeys.
भूषणानि च मुख्यानि दृष्टानि धरणीतले। अनयैवापविद्धानि स्वनवन्ति महान्ति च
Her principal ornaments were seen on the ground, cast off by her, resounding and large.
इदं चिरगृहीतत्वाद् वसनं क्लिष्टवत्तरम्। तथाप्यनूनं तद्वर्णं तथा श्रीमद्यथेतरत्
This garment, worn for a long time, is more soiled; yet its color is not diminished, and it remains splendid as before.
इयं कनकवर्णांगी रामस्य महिषी प्रिया। प्रणष्टापि सती यस्य मनसो न प्रणश्यति
This golden-complexioned lady is Rāma’s beloved queen; though lost, she does not depart from his heart.
इयं सा यत्कृते रामश्चतुर्भिरिह तप्यते। कारुण्येनानृशंस्येन शोकेन मदनेन च
She is the one for whose sake Rāma suffers here in four ways: with compassion, with kindness, with grief, and with love.
स्त्री प्रणष्टेति कारुण्यादाश्रितेत्यानृशंस्यतः। पत्नी नष्टेति शोकेन प्रियेति मदनेन च
He calls her 'lost woman' out of compassion, 'one who has sought refuge' out of kindness, 'lost wife' out of grief, and 'beloved' out of love.
अस्या देव्या यथारूपमंगप्रत्यंगसौष्ठवम्। रामस्य च यथारूपं तस्येयमसितेक्षणा
As is the beauty and grace of this lady’s limbs and features, so is Rāma’s form; she of dark eyes is his.
अस्या देव्या मनस्तस्मिंस्तस्य चास्यां प्रतिष्ठितम्। तेनेयं स च धर्मात्मा मुहूर्तमपि जीवति
This lady’s mind is fixed on him, and his on her; because of this, that righteous one and she live even for a moment.