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.
दुष्करं कृतवान् रामो हीनो यदनया प्रभुः। धारयत्यात्मनो देहं न शोकेनावसीदति
Rāma has done what is difficult: though deprived of her, the lord sustains his own body and does not sink under grief.
एवं सीतां तथा दृष्ट्वा हृष्टः पवनसम्भवः। जगाम मनसा रामं प्रशशंस च तं प्रभुम्
Thus, seeing Sītā in this way, the son of the wind, delighted, turned his mind to Rāma and praised that lord.
thumb|षोडशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे षोडशः सर्गः ॥५-
Let the sixteenth chapter be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Sundara Kāṇḍa.
प्रशस्य तु प्रशस्तव्यां सीतां तां हरिपुंगवः। गुणाभिरामं रामं च पुनश्चिन्तापरोऽभवत्
Having praised that praiseworthy Sītā, the foremost of monkeys again became absorbed in thought about the virtuous Rāma.
स मुहूर्तमिव ध्यात्वा बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणः। सीतामाश्रित्य तेजस्वी हनूमान् विललाप ह
After meditating for a moment, his eyes filled with tears, the radiant Hanumān, thinking of Sītā, lamented.
मान्या गुरुविनीतस्य लक्ष्मणस्य गुरुप्रिया। यदि सीता हि दुःखार्ता कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः
She is honored, devoted to her elders, and dear to Lakṣmaṇa, who is respectful to his elders; if Sītā, afflicted by sorrow, is lost, truly time is insurmountable.
रामस्य व्यवसायज्ञा लक्ष्मणस्य च धीमतः। नात्यर्थं क्षुभ्यते देवी गंगेव जलदागमे
The lady, knowing Rāma’s resolve and Lakṣmaṇa’s wisdom, is not overly disturbed, like the Gaṅgā at the onset of the rains.
तुल्यशीलवयोवृत्तां तुल्याभिजनलक्षणाम्। राघवोऽर्हति वैदेहीं तं चेयमसितेक्षणा
Rāghava deserves Vaidehī, who matches him in character, age, conduct, family, and marks; and this dark-eyed woman deserves him as well.
तां दृष्ट्वा नवहेमाभां लोककान्तामिव श्रियम्। जगाम मनसा रामं वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Seeing her, shining like new gold, beautiful as Fortune beloved by the world, he turned his mind to Rāma and spoke these words:
अस्या हेतोर्विशालाक्ष्या हतो वाली महाबलः। रावणप्रतिमो वीर्ये कबन्धश्च निपातितः
For the sake of this wide-eyed woman, the mighty Vāli, equal to Rāvaṇa in strength, was slain, and Kabandha too was brought down.