पूर्वं मया नूनमभीप्सितानि पापानि कर्माण्यसकृत्कृतानि। तत्रायमद्यापतितो विपाको दुःखेन दुःखं यदहं विशामि
Surely, I must have repeatedly committed sinful acts in the past; and now, as a result, I have fallen into this suffering, entering misery upon misery.
राज्यप्रणाशः स्वजनैर्वियोगः पितुर्विनाशो जननीवियोगः। सर्वाणि मे लक्ष्मण शोकवेग- मापूरयन्ति प्रविचिन्तितानि
The loss of the kingdom, separation from my kin, my father's death, and separation from my mother—all these, when considered, Lakshmana, fill me with waves of grief.
सर्वं तु दुःखं मम लक्ष्मणेदं शान्तं शरीरे वनमेत्य क्लेशम्। सीतावियोगात् पुनरप्युदीर्णं काष्ठैरिवाग्निः सहसोपदीप्तः
But all this sorrow, O Lakshmana, had subsided in my body after enduring hardship in the forest; yet now, due to Sita's separation, it has flared up again, like fire suddenly kindled among dry wood.
सा नूनमार्या मम राक्षसेन ह्यभ्याहृता खं समुपेत्य भीरुः। अपस्वरं सुस्वरविप्रलापा भयेन विक्रन्दितवत्यभीक्ष्णम्
Surely, that noble lady, frightened, was carried off by a demon, having come near the sky; her sweet voice distorted by fear, she must have cried out repeatedly in terror.
तौ लोहितस्य प्रियदर्शनस्य सदोचितावुत्तमचन्दनस्य। वृत्तौ स्तनौ शोणितपङ्कदिग्धौ नूनं प्रियाया मम नाभिपातः
Those two breasts of my beloved, beautiful and always adorned with the finest sandalwood, must now, in their rounded form, be smeared with blood and mud—surely, my dear has fallen to such a fate.
तच्छ्लक्ष्णसुव्यक्तमृदुप्रलापं तस्या मुखं कुञ्चितकेशभारम्। रक्षोवशं नूनमुपागताया न भ्राजते राहुमुखे यथेन्दुः
That face, with its delicate, clear, gentle speech and the mass of curling hair, now subdued by the demon's power, does not shine—like the moon obscured by Rāhu.
तां हारपाशस्य सदोचितान्तां ग्रीवां प्रियाया मम सुव्रतायाः। रक्षांसि नूनं परिपीतवन्ति शून्ये हि भित्त्वा रुधिराशनानि
The neck of my virtuous beloved, adorned with the necklace, which always suited her, has surely been bitten by the demons, who, in this desolate place, break through and feed on blood.
मया विहीना विजने वने सा रक्षोभिराहृत्य विकृष्यमाणा। नूनं विनादं कुररीव दीना सा मुक्तवत्यायतकान्तनेत्रा
Deprived of me, in the lonely forest, she was seized and dragged away by demons; surely, she cried out in distress like a forlorn curlew, her long, lovely eyes wide as she was released.
अस्मिन् मया सार्धमुदारशीला शिलातले पूर्वमुपोपविष्टा। कान्तस्मिता लक्ष्मण जातहासा त्वामाह सीता बहुवाक्यजातम्
Here, together with me, she once sat on the stone slab, noble in conduct; smiling sweetly, Lakṣmaṇa, laughing aloud, Sītā spoke to you with many words.
गोदावरीयं सरितां वरिष्ठा प्रिया प्रियाया मम नित्यकालम्। अप्यत्र गच्छेदिति चिन्तयामि नैकाकिनी याति हि सा कदाचित्
This Godāvarī, foremost among rivers, was always dear to my beloved; I wonder if she went there, yet she never goes alone.
पद्मानना पद्मपलाशनेत्रा पद्मानि वानेतुमभिप्रयाता। तदप्ययुक्तं नहि सा कदाचि- न्मया विना गच्छति पङ्कजानि
With a lotus-like face and eyes like lotus petals, she would go to gather lotuses; but even that is unlikely, for she never goes to the pond without me.
कामं त्विदं पुष्पितवृक्षषण्डं नानाविधैः पक्षिगणैरुपेतम्। वनं प्रयाता नु तदप्ययुक्त- मेकाकिनी सातिबिभेति भीरुः
Indeed, this grove of blossoming trees, filled with many kinds of birds, she might have entered; yet even that is unlikely, for the timid one fears to go alone.
आदित्य भो लोककृताकृतज्ञ लोकस्य सत्यानृतकर्मसाक्षिन्। मम प्रिया सा क्व गता हृता वा शंसस्व मे शोकहतस्य सर्वम्
O Sun, creator and knower of the world, witness of truth and falsehood in all deeds, tell me where my beloved has gone or if she has been taken—reveal everything to me, who am struck by grief.
लोकेषु सर्वेषु न नास्ति किंचिद् यत् ते न नित्यं विदितं भवेत् तत्। शंसस्व वायो कुलपालिनीं तां मृता हृता वा पथि वर्तते वा
In all the worlds, there is nothing unknown to you; tell me, O Wind, about her who guarded our lineage—whether she is dead, abducted, or wandering the path.
इतीव तं शोकविधेयदेहं रामं विसंज्ञं विलपन्तमेव। उवाच सौमित्रिरदीनसत्त्वो न्याय्ये स्थितः कालयुतं च वाक्यम्
Thus, as Rāma, his body governed by grief, unconscious and lamenting, spoke, Saumitri, steadfast in spirit, addressed him with timely and proper words.
शोकं विसृज्याद्य धृतिं भजस्व सोत्साहता चास्तु विमार्गणेऽस्याः। उत्साहवन्तो हि नरा न लोके सीदन्ति कर्मस्वतिदुष्करेषु
Cast off sorrow now and embrace courage; let there be resolve in searching for her. For men of determination do not falter in the world, even in the most difficult tasks.
इतीव सौमित्रिमुदग्रपौरुषं ब्रुवन्तमार्तो रघुवंशवर्धनः। न चिन्तयामास धृतिं विमुक्तवान् पुनश्च दुःखं महदभ्युपागमत्
Though Saumitri spoke with bold resolve, the afflicted scion of Raghu did not heed courage, abandoned composure, and again was overtaken by great sorrow.
thumb|चतुःषष्ठितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे चतुःषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the sixty-fourth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
स दीनो दीनया वाचा लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। शीघ्रं लक्ष्मण जानीहि गत्वा गोदावरीं नदीम्
He, dejected, spoke to Lakṣmaṇa in a sorrowful voice: 'Quickly, Lakṣmaṇa, go and find out by visiting the Godāvarī river.'
अपि गोदावरीं सीता पद्मान्यानयितुं गता। एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः पुनरेव हि
'Perhaps Sītā went to the Godāvarī to gather lotuses.' Thus addressed by Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa once again,
नदीं गोदावरीं रम्यां जगाम लघुविक्रमः। तां लक्ष्मणस्तीर्थवतीं विचित्वा राममब्रवीत्
Lakṣmaṇa, swift in movement, went to the beautiful Godāvarī river; having searched its bathing places, he returned and spoke to Rāma.
नैनां पश्यामि तीर्थेषु क्रोशतो न शृणोति मे। कं नु सा देशमापन्ना वैदेही क्लेशनाशिनी
'I do not see her at the bathing places, nor does she respond to my calls; in what place has Vaidehī, the remover of distress, arrived?'
नहि तं वेद्मि वै राम यत्र सा तनुमध्यमा। लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दीनः संतापमोहितः
'I do not know, Rāma, where she is, the slender-waisted one.' Hearing Lakṣmaṇa's words, he became dejected, overwhelmed by grief and confusion.
रामः समभिचक्राम स्वयं गोदावरीं नदीम्। स तामुपस्थितो रामः क्व सीतेत्येवमब्रवीत्
Rāma himself approached the Godāvarī river; having come to her, Rāma said, 'Where is Sītā?'
भूतानि राक्षसेन्द्रेण वधार्हेण हृतामपि। न तां शशंसू रामाय तथा गोदावरी नदी
Though Sītā had been taken by the king of Rākṣasas, destined for death, the beings and the Godāvarī river did not tell Rāma.
ततः प्रचोदिता भूतैः शंस चास्मै प्रियामिति। न च सा ह्यवदत् सीतां पृष्टा रामेण शोचता
Then, urged by the beings, 'Tell him about his beloved,' even when asked by the grieving Rāma, the river did not speak of Sītā.
रावणस्य च तद्रूपं कर्मापि च दुरात्मनः। ध्यात्वा भयात् तु वैदेहीं सा नदी न शशंस ह
Thinking of Rāvaṇa's form and the deed of that wicked one, out of fear, the river did not reveal Vaidehī.
निराशस्तु तया नद्या सीताया दर्शने कृतः। उवाच रामः सौमित्रिं सीतादर्शनकर्शितः
Made hopeless by the river in seeing Sītā, Rāma, tormented by not seeing Sītā, spoke to Saumitri.
एषा गोदावरी सौम्य किंचिन्न प्रतिभाषते। किं नु लक्ष्मण वक्ष्यामि समेत्य जनकं वचः
'This Godāvarī, dear one, does not answer at all; what shall I say to Janaka when I meet him, O Lakṣmaṇa?'
मातरं चैव वैदेह्या विना तामहमप्रियम्। या मे राज्यविहीनस्य वने वन्येन जीवतः
'And to Sītā's mother, without her, what painful words shall I say—she who was dear to me, living in the forest, deprived of the kingdom?'