सर्वान् भोगान् परित्यज्य भर्तृस्नेहबलात् कृता। अचिन्तयित्वा कष्टानि प्रविष्टा निर्जनं वनम्
Abandoning all enjoyments, compelled by her love for her husband, she entered the lonely forest, not considering the hardships.
संतुष्टा फलमूलेन भर्तृशुश्रूषणापरा। या परां भजते प्रीतिं वनेऽपि भवने यथा
Content with fruits and roots, devoted to serving her husband, she finds supreme joy in the forest as she would in a palace.
सेयं कनकवर्णांगी नित्यं सुस्मितभाषिणी। सहते यातनामेतामनर्थानामभागिनी
This golden-limbed woman, ever smiling and gentle in speech, endures this suffering, though undeserving of misfortune.
इमां तु शीलसम्पन्नां द्रष्टुमिच्छति राघवः। रावणेन प्रमथितां प्रपामिव पिपासितः
Rāghava longs to see this virtuous woman, tormented by Rāvaṇa, as a thirsty man longs for a wayside pool.
अस्या नूनं पुनर्लाभाद् राघवः प्रीतिमेष्यति। राजा राज्यपरिभ्रष्टः पुनः प्राप्येव मेदिनीम्
Surely, upon regaining her, Rāghava will find joy again, as a king restored to his lost kingdom.
कामभोगैः परित्यक्ता हीना बन्धुजनेन च। धारयत्यात्मनो देहं तत्समागमकाङ्क्षिणी
She has renounced sensual pleasures and is deprived of her kin; she sustains her body only out of longing for reunion with him.
नैषा पश्यति राक्षस्यो नेमान् पुष्पफलद्रुमान्। एकस्थहृदया नूनं राममेवानुपश्यति
She does not look at the rākṣasī women, nor at these trees with flowers and fruits; surely, her heart is fixed solely on Rāma.
भर्ता नाम परं नार्याः शोभनं भूषणादपि। एषा हि रहिता तेन शोभनार्हा न शोभते
For a husband is, for a woman, the highest ornament, more splendid than any jewel; separated from him, though worthy of beauty, she does not shine.
दुष्करं कुरुते रामो हीनो यदनया प्रभुः। धारयत्यात्मनो देहं न दुःखेनावसीदति
Rāma performs a difficult feat, for though deprived of her, the lord endures, sustaining his own body and not sinking under sorrow.
इमामसितकेशान्तां शतपत्रनिभेक्षणाम्। सुखार्हां दुःखितां ज्ञात्वा ममापि व्यथितं मनः
Seeing her, with dark hair and eyes like lotus petals, deserving of happiness yet afflicted with grief, my own heart too is troubled.
क्षितिक्षमा पुष्करसंनिभेक्षणा या रक्षिता राघवलक्ष्मणाभ्याम्। सा राक्षसीभिर्विकृतेक्षणाभिः संरक्ष्यते सम्प्रति वृक्षमूले
She, patient as the earth, with eyes like blue lotuses, once protected by Rāghava and Lakṣmaṇa, is now guarded at the foot of a tree by rākṣasī women with distorted gazes.
हिमहतनलिनीव नष्टशोभा व्यसनपरम्परया निपीड्यमाना। सहचररहितेव चक्रवाकी जनकसुता कृपणां दशां प्रपन्ना
Like a lotus struck by frost, her beauty lost, crushed by a succession of misfortunes, like a cakravāka bird bereft of her mate, Janaka's daughter has fallen into a pitiable state.
अस्या हि पुष्पावनताग्रशाखाः शोकं दृढं वै जनयन्त्यशोकाः। हिमव्यपायेन च शीतरश्मि- रभ्युत्थितो नैकसहस्ररश्मिः
For these aśoka trees, with their flower-laden, drooping branches, only deepen her sorrow; and as the cold-rayed sun rises with the departure of winter, so does the thousand-rayed sun ascend.
इत्येवमर्थं कपिरन्ववेक्ष्य सीतेयमित्येव तु जातबुद्धिः। संश्रित्य तस्मिन् निषसाद वृक्षे बली हरीणामृषभस्तरस्वी
Thus reflecting on these matters, the monkey, now certain that this is Sītā, took his seat in that tree, relying on its shelter, strong and swift as the foremost of the monkeys.
thumb|सप्तदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे सप्तदशः सर्गः ॥५-
Let the seventeenth chapter be heard.
ततः कुमुदखण्डाभो निर्मलं निर्मलोदयः। प्रजगाम नभश्चन्द्रो हंसो नीलमिवोदकम्
Then, the moon, pure and bright as a cluster of white lotuses, rose clear in the sky, resembling a swan in blue water.
साचिव्यमिव कुर्वन् स प्रभया निर्मलप्रभः। चन्द्रमा रश्मिभिः शीतैः सिषेवे पवनात्मजम्
That moon, radiant and pure, as if offering companionship with its cool rays, attended upon the wind-god's son.
स ददर्श ततः सीतां पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्। शोकभारैरिव न्यस्तां भारैर्नावमिवाम्भसि
Then he saw Sītā, her face like the full moon, weighed down by heavy sorrows, like a boat burdened in the water.
दिदृक्षमाणो वैदेहीं हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। स ददर्शाविदूरस्था राक्षसीर्घोरदर्शनाः
Desiring to see Vaidehī, Hanumān, son of the wind, saw nearby the rākṣasī women, terrifying in appearance.
एकाक्षीमेककर्णां च कर्णप्रावरणां तथा। अकर्णां शङ्कुकर्णां च मस्तकोच्छ्वासनासिकाम्
He saw one with a single eye, one with a single ear, one with ears covered, one earless, one with conch-shaped ears, and one whose nostrils rose to the crown of her head.
अतिकायोत्तमांगीं च तनुदीर्घशिरोधराम्। ध्वस्तकेशीं तथाकेशीं केशकम्बलधारिणीम्
He saw one with an enormous body and prominent limbs, one with a thin, long neck, one with disheveled hair, one with abundant hair, and one wearing a mass of hair like a cloak.
लम्बकर्णललाटां च लम्बोदरपयोधराम्। लम्बोष्ठीं चिबुकोष्ठीं च लम्बास्यां लम्बजानुकाम्
He saw one with drooping ears and forehead, one with a hanging belly and breasts, one with large lips and chin, one with a gaping mouth, and one with sagging knees.
ह्रस्वां दीर्घां च कुब्जां च विकटां वामनां तथा। करालां भुग्नवक्त्रां च पिंगाक्षीं विकृताननाम्
He saw short and tall ones, hunchbacked and misshapen, dwarfish, fierce, with twisted faces, tawny-eyed, and deformed features.
विकृताः पिंगलाः कालीः क्रोधनाः कलहप्रियाः। कालायसमहाशूलकूटमुद्गरधारिणीः
Distorted, tawny, dark, angry, fond of quarrels; bearing black iron spikes and maces.
वराहमृगशार्दूलमहिषाजशिवामुखाः। गजोष्ट्रहयपादाश्च निखातशिरसोऽपराः
With faces of boar, deer, tiger, buffalo, goat; some with elephant, camel, horse feet, and others with heads buried.
एकहस्तैकपादाश्च खरकर्ण्यश्वकर्णिकाः। गोकर्णीर्हस्तिकर्णीश्च हरिकर्णीस्तथापराः
Some with one hand, one foot; with donkey ears, horse ears, cow ears, elephant ears, and monkey ears, and others.
अतिनासाश्च काश्चिच्च तिर्यङ्नासा अनासिकाः। गजसंनिभनासाश्च ललाटोच्छ्वासनासिकाः
Some with excessively large noses, slanted noses, or no noses; some with elephant-like noses, and some breathing through their foreheads.
हस्तिपादा महापादा गोपादाः पादचूलिकाः। अतिमात्रशिरोग्रीवा अतिमात्रकुचोदरीः
With elephant feet, huge feet, cow feet, and feet like pads; with excessively large heads and necks, and overly large breasts and bellies.
अतिमात्रास्यनेत्राश्च दीर्घजिह्वाननास्तथा। अजामुखीर्हस्तिमुखीर्गोमुखीः सूकरीमुखीः
With oversized mouths and eyes, long tongues and faces; with goat faces, elephant faces, cow faces, and pig faces.
हयोष्ट्रखरवक्त्राश्च राक्षसीर्घोरदर्शनाः। शूलमुद्गरहस्ताश्च क्रोधनाः कलहप्रियाः
With faces of horse, camel, and donkey, the terrifying rākṣasīs; holding spikes and maces, angry and fond of quarrels.