का त्वं भवसि रुद्राणां मरुतां वा वरानने। वसूनां वा वरारोहे देवता प्रतिभासि मे
Are you one among the Rudras, or the Maruts, O lovely-faced one? Or among the Vasus, O graceful lady? You appear to me as a goddess.
किं नु चन्द्रमसा हीना पतिता विबुधालयात्। रोहिणी ज्योतिषां श्रेष्ठा श्रेष्ठा सर्वगुणाधिका
Are you Rohiṇī, the best among stars and endowed with all virtues, fallen from the abode of the gods, separated from the moon?
कोपाद् वा यदि वा मोहाद् भर्तारमसितेक्षणे। वसिष्ठं कोपयित्वा त्वं वासि कल्याण्यरुन्धती
Or, O dark-eyed one, are you Arundhatī, the virtuous, who, out of anger or delusion, has left her husband Vasiṣṭha after offending him?
को नु पुत्रः पिता भ्राता भर्ता वा ते सुमध्यमे। अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं गतं त्वमनुशोचसि
O slender-waisted one, who is your son, father, brother, or husband, for whose sake you grieve, having passed from this world to the next?
रोदनादतिनिःश्वासाद् भूमिसंस्पर्शनादपि। न त्वां देवीमहं मन्ये राज्ञः संज्ञावधारणात्
From your weeping, deep sighs, and even from touching the ground, I do not think you are a goddess, for you show the signs of a king's wife.
व्यञ्जनानि हि ते यानि लक्षणानि च लक्षये। महिषी भूमिपालस्य राजकन्या च मे मता
For I observe in you the marks and signs of royalty; I believe you are the queen of a king, or a royal princess.
रावणेन जनस्थानाद् बलात् प्रमथिता यदि। सीता त्वमसि भद्रं ते तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः
If you are Sītā, who was seized by Rāvaṇa by force from Janasthāna, may all be well with you—please tell me, for I ask.
यथा हि तव वै दैन्यं रूपं चाप्यतिमानुषम्। तपसा चान्वितो वेषस्त्वं राममहिषी ध्रुवम्
Surely, by your humility and your extraordinary appearance, and the ascetic garb you wear, you must indeed be Rama's queen.
सा तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा रामकीर्तनहर्षिता। उवाच वाक्यं वैदेही हनूमन्तं द्रुमाश्रितम्
Hearing his words, delighted by the mention of Rama, Vaidehi spoke to Hanuman, who was perched in the tree.
पृथिव्यां राजसिंहानां मुख्यस्य विदितात्मनः। स्नुषा दशरथस्याहं शत्रुसैन्यप्रणाशिनः
I am the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, the destroyer of enemy armies, the foremost among lion-like kings on earth, and one who knows his own self.
दुहिता जनकस्याहं वैदेहस्य महात्मनः। सीतेति नाम्ना चोक्ताहं भार्या रामस्य धीमतः
I am the daughter of Janaka, the great-souled king of Videha; I am called Sita by name, the wife of wise Rama.
समा द्वादश तत्राहं राघवस्य निवेशने। भुञ्जाना मानुषान् भोगान् सर्वकामसमृद्धिनी
For twelve years I dwelled in Rama's house, enjoying human pleasures, fulfilled in every desire.
ततस्त्रयोदशे वर्षे राज्ये चेक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम्। अभिषेचयितुं राजा सोपाध्यायः प्रचक्रमे
Then, in the thirteenth year, the king, together with his priests, began preparations to install Ikshvaku's descendant as king.
तस्मिन् सम्भ्रियमाणे तु राघवस्याभिषेचने। कैकेयी नाम भर्तारमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
While the consecration of Rama was being arranged, Kaikeyi spoke these words to her husband:
न पिबेयं न खादेयं प्रत्यहं मम भोजनम्। एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते
'I will neither drink nor eat any food each day; this is the end of my life if Rama is anointed.'
यत् तदुक्तं त्वया वाक्यं प्रीत्या नृपतिसत्तम। तच्चेन्न वितथं कार्यं वनं गच्छतु राघवः
'That promise you made to me out of affection, O best of kings—if it is not to be in vain, let Rama go to the forest.'
स राजा सत्यवाग् देव्या वरदानमनुस्मरन्। मुमोह वचनं श्रुत्वा कैकेय्याः क्रूरमप्रियम्
Then the king, steadfast in truth, recalling the boon he had granted the queen, was overcome with grief on hearing Kaikeyi's cruel and harsh words.
ततस्तं स्थविरो राजा सत्यधर्मे व्यवस्थितः। ज्येष्ठं यशस्विनं पुत्रं रुदन् राज्यमयाचत
Then that aged king, established in the law of truth, weeping, asked his illustrious eldest son to give up the kingdom.
स पितुर्वचनं श्रीमानभिषेकात् परं प्रियम्। मनसा पूर्वमासाद्य वाचा प्रतिगृहीतवान्
He, the glorious one, having already accepted in his heart his father's command, which was dearer than the consecration, then accepted it in words.
दद्यान्न प्रतिगृह्णीयात् सत्यं ब्रूयान्न चानृतम्। अपि जीवितहेतोर्हि रामः सत्यपराक्रमः
Rama, whose valor is in truth, would give but not accept, would speak the truth and never falsehood, even for the sake of his own life.
स विहायोत्तरीयाणि महार्हाणि महायशाः। विसृज्य मनसा राज्यं जनन्यै मां समादिशत्
He, of great fame, set aside his costly upper garments, renounced the kingdom in his heart, and entrusted me to his mother.
साहं तस्याग्रतस्तूर्णं प्रस्थिता वनचारिणी। नहि मे तेन हीनाया वासः स्वर्गेऽपि रोचते
I quickly set out before him as a dweller of the forest, for even residence in heaven does not please me if separated from him.
प्रागेव तु महाभागः सौमित्रिर्मित्रनन्दनः। पूर्वजस्यानुयात्रार्थे कुशचीरैरलंकृतः
But even before that, the illustrious Saumitri, delight of his friends, adorned with grass and bark, had set out to accompany his elder brother.
ते वयं भर्तुरादेशं बहुमान्य दृढव्रताः। प्रविष्टाः स्म पुरादृष्टं वनं गम्भीरदर्शनम्
We, honoring our husband's command and firm in our vows, entered the deep and awe-inspiring forest, unseen before by us.
वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तस्याहममितौजसः। रक्षसापहृता भार्या रावणेन दुरात्मना
While dwelling in the Dandaka forest with that mighty one, I, his wife, was carried off by Ravana, the wicked rakshasa.
द्वौ मासौ तेन मे कालो जीवितानुग्रहः कृतः। ऊर्ध्वं द्वाभ्यां तु मासाभ्यां ततस्त्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम्
He has granted me a period of two months to preserve my life; after those two months, I will give up my life.
thumb|चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः ॥५-
Let the thirty-fourth chapter be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Sundara Kāṇḍa.
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हनूमान् हरिपुंगवः। दुःखाद् दुःखाभिभूतायाः सान्त्वमुत्तरमब्रवीत्
Hearing her words, Hanumān, the foremost of the monkeys, spoke words of comfort in reply to her, who was overwhelmed by sorrow.
अहं रामस्य संदेशाद् देवि दूतस्तवागतः। वैदेहि कुशली रामः स त्वां कौशलमब्रवीत्
O lady, I have come to you as a messenger on Rāma's behalf; Vaidehī, Rāma is well, and he has enquired about your welfare.
यो ब्राह्ममस्त्रं वेदांश्च वेद वेदविदां वरः। स त्वां दाशरथी रामो देवि कौशलमब्रवीत्
He who knows the Brahma weapon and the Vedas, the best among those who know the Vedas, that son of Daśaratha, Rāma, O lady, has enquired about your welfare.