कराला धूम्रकेशिन्यो राक्षसीर्विकृताननाः। पिबन्ति सततं पानं सुरामांससदाप्रियाः
Fierce, with smoky hair, rākṣasīs with distorted faces; constantly drinking liquor, always fond of meat.
स्कन्धवन्तमुपासीनाः परिवार्य वनस्पतिम्। तस्याधस्ताच्च तां देवीं राजपुत्रीमनिन्दिताम्
Seated around the tree with broad shoulders, and beneath it, the blameless royal princess.
लक्षयामास लक्ष्मीवान् हनूमाञ्जनकात्मजाम्। निष्प्रभां शोकसंतप्तां मलसंकुलमूर्धजाम्
Hanuman, full of splendor, observed Janaka's daughter: dimmed, scorched by sorrow, her hair tangled with dirt.
क्षीणपुण्यां च्युतां भूमौ तारां निपतितामिव। चारित्रव्यपदेशाढ्यां भर्तृदर्शनदुर्गताम्
Her merit depleted, fallen to earth like a star dropped; rich in virtue, suffering from separation from her husband.
भूषणैरुत्तमैर्हीनां भर्तृवात्सल्यभूषिताम्। राक्षसाधिपसंरुद्धां बन्धुभिश्च विनाकृताम्
Deprived of fine ornaments, adorned by her husband's affection; confined by the rākṣasa chief, separated from her kin.
वियूथां सिंहसंरुद्धां बद्धां गजवधूमिव। चन्द्ररेखां पयोदान्ते शारदाभ्रैरिवावृताम्
Surrounded by troops, hemmed in like an elephant cow; like a crescent moon at the edge of clouds, veiled by autumn mists.
क्लिष्टरूपामसंस्पर्शादयुक्तामिव वल्लकीम्। स तां भर्तृहिते युक्तामयुक्तां रक्षसां वशे
With a distressed form, untouched, like a lute out of tune; devoted to her husband's welfare, yet subject to the rākṣasīs.
अशोकवनिकामध्ये शोकसागरमाप्लुताम्। ताभिः परिवृतां तत्र सग्रहामिव रोहिणीम्
In the midst of the Ashoka grove, plunged in an ocean of sorrow; surrounded there by those women, like Rohini with the stars.
ददर्श हनुमांस्तत्र लतामकुसुमामिव। सा मलेन च दिग्धांगी वपुषा चाप्यलंकृता। मृणाली पङ्कदिग्धेव विभाति च न भाति च
Hanuman saw her there, like a creeper without flowers; her body smeared with dirt, yet adorned with beauty; like a lotus stalk smeared with mud, shining yet not shining.
मलिनेन तु वस्त्रेण परिक्लिष्टेन भामिनीम्। संवृतां मृगशावाक्षीं ददर्श हनुमान् कपिः
With soiled, worn clothing, the radiant one; Hanuman the monkey saw her, with eyes like a fawn, covered.
तां देवीं दीनवदनामदीनां भर्तृतेजसा। रक्षितां स्वेन शीलेन सीतामसितलोचनाम्
That goddess, with a sorrowful face yet undaunted, protected by her own virtue, Sita with dark eyes, radiant by her husband's glory.
तां दृष्ट्वा हनुमान् सीतां मृगशावनिभेक्षणाम्। मृगकन्यामिव त्रस्तां वीक्षमाणां समन्ततः
Hanuman, seeing Sita with eyes like those of a deer, frightened like a young doe, looking all around—
दहन्तीमिव निःश्वासैर्वृक्षान् पल्लवधारिणः। संघातमिव शोकानां दुःखस्योर्मिमिवोत्थिताम्
As if burning the leafy trees with her sighs, as if a mass of sorrows, as if a wave of suffering had arisen—
तां क्षमां सुविभक्तांगीं विनाभरणशोभिनीम्। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मारुतिः प्रेक्ष्य मैथिलीम्
Seeing her, whose limbs were well-formed, whose beauty was undiminished without ornaments, Maruti felt incomparable joy upon beholding the princess of Mithila.
हर्षजानि च सोऽश्रूणि तां दृष्ट्वा मदिरेक्षणाम्। मुमोच हनुमांस्तत्र नमश्चक्रे च राघवम्
Hanuman shed tears of joy upon seeing her with intoxicating eyes, and there he offered his salutations to Rama.
नमस्कृत्वाथ रामाय लक्ष्मणाय च वीर्यवान्। सीतादर्शनसंहृष्टो हनुमान् संवृतोऽभवत्
Then, having bowed to Rama and to Lakshmana, the mighty Hanuman, delighted at seeing Sita, concealed himself.
thumb|अष्टादशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टादशः सर्गः ॥५-
Hear now the eighteenth chapter. In the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, eighteenth chapter.
तथा विप्रेक्षमाणस्य वनं पुष्पितपादपम्। विचिन्वतश्च वैदेहीं किञ्चिच्छेषा निशाभवत्
As he was observing the forest with blossoming trees and searching for Vaidehi, the night was nearly spent.
षडंगवेदविदुषां क्रतुप्रवरयाजिनाम्। शुश्राव ब्रह्मघोषान् स विरात्रे ब्रह्मरक्षसाम्
He heard the chanting of the Vedas and the sounds of sacrificial rites performed by those learned in the six branches of the Veda, by Brahmarākṣasas, during the night.
अथ मंगलवादित्रैः शब्दैः श्रोत्रमनोहरैः। प्राबोध्यत महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवो महाबलः
Then, with auspicious musical instruments and sounds delightful to the ear, the mighty ten-headed Ravana was awakened.
विबुध्य तु महाभागो राक्षसेन्द्रः प्रतापवान्। स्रस्तमाल्याम्बरधरो वैदेहीमन्वचिन्तयत्
Awakened, the illustrious and powerful king of the Rakshasas, wearing drooping garlands and garments, began to think of Vaidehi.
भृशं नियुक्तस्तस्यां च मदनेन मदोत्कटः। न तु तं राक्षसः कामं शशाकात्मनि गूहितुम्
Intensely driven by passion for her, overwhelmed by desire, the Rakshasa could not conceal his longing within himself.
स सर्वाभरणैर्युक्तो बिभ्रच्छ्रियमनुत्तमाम्। तां नगैर्विविधैर्जुष्टां सर्वपुष्पफलोपगैः
Adorned with all ornaments, bearing unsurpassed splendor, he entered that grove filled with various trees bearing all kinds of flowers and fruits.
वृतां पुष्करिणीभिश्च नानापुष्पोपशोभिताम्। सदा मत्तैश्च विहगैर्विचित्रां परमाद्भुतैः
Surrounded by lotus ponds, adorned with diverse flowers, always filled with intoxicated and wondrous birds.
ईहामृगैश्च विविधैर्वृतां दृष्टिमनोहरैः। वीथीः सम्प्रेक्षमाणश्च मणिकाञ्चनतोरणाम्
Encircled by various delightful animals, captivating to the eye, he gazed at avenues with jeweled and golden arches.
नानामृगगणाकीर्णां फलैः प्रपतितैर्वृताम्। अशोकवनिकामेव प्राविशत् संततद्रुमाम्
Crowded with groups of various animals, strewn with fallen fruits, he entered the Ashoka grove, dense with trees.
अंगनाः शतमात्रं तु तं व्रजन्तमनुव्रजन्। महेन्द्रमिव पौलस्त्यं देवगन्धर्वयोषितः
A hundred women followed him as he walked, like divine Gandharva maidens following Mahendra, the descendant of Pulastya.
दीपिकाः काञ्चनीः काश्चिज्जगृहुस्तत्र योषितः। वालव्यजनहस्ताश्च तालवृन्तानि चापराः
Some women there took golden lamps, others held fly-whisks made of hair, and some carried palm fans.
काञ्चनैश्चैव भृंगारैर्जह्रुः सलिलमग्रतः। मण्डलाग्रा बृसीश्चैव गृह्यान्याः पृष्ठतो ययुः
Others took water in golden vessels ahead, while some, holding circular fans, followed behind.
काचिद् रत्नमयीं पात्रीं पूर्णां पानस्य भ्राजतीम्। दक्षिणा दक्षिणेनैव तदा जग्राह पाणिना
One woman took up, with her right hand, a radiant drinking vessel made of gems, filled to the brim.