लक्ष्मणश्च महातेजा भर्तुस्तेऽनुचरः प्रियः। कृतवाञ्छोकसंतप्तः शिरसा तेऽभिवादनम्
And Lakṣmaṇa, of great energy, your dear companion, has bowed his head to you, distressed by your sorrow.
सा तयोः कुशलं देवी निशम्य नरसिंहयोः। प्रतिसंहृष्टसर्वांगी हनूमन्तमथाब्रवीत्
Hearing of the well-being of those two lion-like men, the lady, with all her limbs delighted, then spoke to Hanumān.
कल्याणी बत गाथेयं लौकिकी प्रतिभाति मा। एति जीवन्तमानन्दो नरं वर्षशतादपि
Truly, this worldly saying appears to me auspicious: 'The joy of seeing a loved one alive surpasses even a hundred years.'
तयोः समागमे तस्मिन् प्रीतिरुत्पादिताद्भुता। परस्परेण चालापं विश्वस्तौ तौ प्रचक्रतुः
In that meeting of the two, a wonderful joy arose; and the two, trusting each other, engaged in conversation.
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। सीतायाः शोकतप्तायाः समीपमुपचक्रमे
Hearing her words, Hanumān, son of the Wind, approached the grief-stricken Sītā.
यथा यथा समीपं स हनूमानुपसर्पति। तथा तथा रावणं सा तं सीता परिशङ्कते
As Hanumān drew nearer and nearer, Sītā suspected him more and more to be Rāvaṇa in disguise.
अहो धिग् धिक्कृतमिदं कथितं हि यदस्य मे। रूपान्तरमुपागम्य स एवायं हि रावणः
Alas, shame on me for having spoken thus! For, having assumed another form, this must indeed be Rāvaṇa.
तामशोकस्य शाखां तु विमुक्त्वा शोककर्शिता। तस्यामेवानवद्याङ्गी धरण्यां समुपाविशत्
Leaving the branch of the aśoka tree, worn down by grief, she, flawless in form, sat down right there on the ground.
अवन्दत महाबाहुस्ततस्तां जनकात्मजाम्। सा चैनं भयसंत्रस्ता भूयो नैनमुदैक्षत
Then the mighty-armed one bowed to the daughter of Janaka; but she, terrified by fear, did not look at him again.
तं दृष्ट्वा वन्दमानं च सीता शशिनिभानना। अब्रवीद् दीर्घमुच्छ्वस्य वानरं मधुरस्वरा
Seeing him bowing, Sītā, whose face was like the moon, spoke to the monkey in a sweet voice, after a deep sigh.
मायां प्रविष्टो मायावी यदि त्वं रावणः स्वयम्। उत्पादयसि मे भूयः संतापं तन्न शोभनम्
If you are Rāvaṇa himself, the master of illusion, having entered into a magical form, and you cause me further distress, that is not proper.
स्वं परित्यज्य रूपं यः परिव्राजकरूपवान्। जनस्थाने मया दृष्टस्त्वं स एव हि रावणः
You, who once abandoned your own form and appeared as an ascetic in Janasthāna, you are indeed that same Rāvaṇa whom I saw.
उपवासकृशां दीनां कामरूप निशाचर। संतापयसि मां भूयः संतापं तन्न शोभनम्
O night-wanderer, who can assume forms at will, you again cause me distress, though I am emaciated by fasting and miserable; that is not proper.
अथवा नैतदेवं हि यन्मया परिशङ्कितम्। मनसो हि मम प्रीतिरुत्पन्ना तव दर्शनात्
Or perhaps it is not as I have suspected, for my heart has found joy upon seeing you.
यदि रामस्य दूतस्त्वमागतो भद्रमस्तु ते। पृच्छामि त्वां हरिश्रेष्ठ प्रिया रामकथा हि मे
If you have come as Rama’s messenger, may good fortune be yours; I ask you, O best of monkeys, for the story of Rama is dear to me.
गुणान् रामस्य कथय प्रियस्य मम वानर। चित्तं हरसि मे सौम्य नदीकूलं यथा रयः
Tell me of Rama’s virtues, O gentle monkey, for he is dear to me; you draw my heart as the current pulls the riverbank.
अहो स्वप्नस्य सुखता याहमेव चिराहृता। प्रेषितं नाम पश्यामि राघवेण वनौकसम्
Ah, how sweet is the happiness of dreams, that I, long taken away, now see one said to be sent by Raghava among the forest-dwellers.
स्वप्नेऽपि यद्यहं वीरं राघवं सहलक्ष्मणम्। पश्येयं नावसीदेयं स्वप्नोऽपि मम मत्सरी
Even if in a dream I could see the hero Raghava with Lakshmana, I would not despair; even a dream would be my ally.
नाहं स्वप्नमिमं मन्ये स्वप्ने दृष्ट्वा हि वानरम्। न शक्योऽभ्युदयः प्राप्तुं प्राप्तश्चाभ्युदयो मम
I do not think this is a dream, for seeing a monkey in a dream does not bring good fortune, yet good fortune has come to me.
किं नु स्याच्चित्तमोहोऽयं भवेद् वातगतिस्त्वियम्। उन्मादजो विकारो वा स्यादयं मृगतृष्णिका
Could this be a delusion of the mind, or perhaps a vision carried by the wind, or a disorder born of madness, or a mirage?
अथवा नायमुन्मादो मोहोऽप्युन्मादलक्षणः। सम्बुध्ये चाहमात्मानमिमं चापि वनौकसम्
But this is not madness, nor is it a delusion marked by madness; I am aware of myself, and of this forest-dweller as well.
इत्येवं बहुधा सीता सम्प्रधार्य बलाबलम्। रक्षसां कामरूपत्वान्मेने तं राक्षसाधिपम्
Thus, pondering in many ways her own strength and weakness, Sita, because of the demons’ power to change form at will, suspected him to be the lord of the rakshasas.
एतां बुद्धिं तदा कृत्वा सीता सा तनुमध्यमा। न प्रतिव्याजहाराथ वानरं जनकात्मजा
Having formed this thought, Sita of slender waist, the daughter of Janaka, did not reply to the monkey.
सीताया निश्चितं बुद्ध्वा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। श्रोत्रानुकूलैर्वचनैस्तदा तां सम्प्रहर्षयन्
Knowing Sita’s resolve, Hanuman, son of the Wind, then delighted her with words pleasing to the ear.
आदित्य इव तेजस्वी लोककान्तः शशी यथा। राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य देवो वैश्रवणो यथा
Radiant like the sun, beloved by the world like the moon, Rama is king of all people, like the god Vaisravana.
विक्रमेणोपपन्नश्च यथा विष्णुर्महायशाः। सत्यवादी मधुरवाग् देवो वाचस्पतिर्यथा
In valor he is like the renowned Vishnu; he speaks truth, his words are gentle, like the god of speech.
रूपवान् सुभगः श्रीमान् कंदर्प इव मूर्तिमान्। स्थानक्रोधे प्रहर्ता च श्रेष्ठो लोके महारथः
Handsome, charming, and prosperous, like embodied Love himself; when angered, he is a mighty warrior, the best among great charioteers in the world.
बाहुच्छायामवष्टब्धो यस्य लोको महात्मनः। अपक्रम्याश्रमपदान्मृगरूपेण राघवम्
The world is sheltered by the shade of his mighty arms; it was by luring Rama away from the hermitage in the form of a deer—
शून्ये येनापनीतासि तस्य द्रक्ष्यसि तत्फलम्। अचिराद् रावणं संख्ये यो वधिष्यति वीर्यवान्
—that you were taken in a deserted place; soon you will see the result of that, for the valiant Rama will slay Ravana in battle.
क्रोधप्रमुक्तैरिषुभिर्ज्वलद्भिरिव पावकैः। तेनाहं प्रेषितो दूतस्त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः
With arrows released in wrath, blazing like fire, he will destroy; by him I have been sent as a messenger, coming here to you.