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?'
सर्वं व्यपानयच्छोकं वैदेही क्व नु सा गता। ज्ञातिवर्गविहीनस्य वैदेहीमप्यपश्यतः
'Vaidehī, who removed all my sorrow—where has she gone? Now, deprived of my kin, I do not see even Vaidehī.'
मन्ये दीर्घा भविष्यन्ति रात्रयो मम जाग्रतः। मन्दाकिनीं जनस्थानमिमं प्रस्रवणं गिरिम्
'I think the nights will be long for me as I lie awake, looking at the Mandākinī, Janasthāna, this spring, and the mountain.'
सर्वाण्यनुचरिष्यामि यदि सीता हि लभ्यते। एते महामृगा वीर मामीक्षन्ते पुनः पुनः
'I will search everywhere if Sītā can be found; these great animals, O hero, keep looking at me again and again.'
वक्तुकामा इह हि मे इङ्गितान्युपलक्षये। तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा नरव्याघ्रो राघवः प्रत्युवाच ह
'Here I notice their gestures as if they wish to speak to me.' Seeing them, the tiger among men, Rāghava, addressed them.
क्व सीतेति निरीक्षन् वै बाष्पसंरुद्धया गिरा। एवमुक्ता नरेन्द्रेण ते मृगाः सहसोत्थिताः
Looking around, his voice choked with tears, he said, 'Where is Sītā?' Thus addressed by the king of men, the animals suddenly rose up.
दक्षिणाभिमुखाः सर्वे दर्शयन्तो नभःस्थलम्। मैथिली ह्रियमाणा सा दिशं यामभ्यपद्यत
All of them, facing south, pointed to the sky—the direction in which Maithilī was carried away.
तेन मार्गेण गच्छन्तो निरीक्षन्ते नराधिपम्। येन मार्गं च भूमिं च निरीक्षन्ते स्म ते मृगाः
Going along that path, they looked back at the lord of men; those animals kept glancing at the path and the ground.
पुनर्नदन्तो गच्छन्ति लक्ष्मणेनोपलक्षिताः। तेषां वचनसर्वस्वं लक्षयामास चेङ्गितम्
Again, making sounds as they went, observed by Lakṣmaṇa, he noticed all their gestures and meanings.
उवाच लक्ष्मणो धीमान् ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरमार्तवत्। क्व सीतेति त्वया पृष्टा यथेमे सहसोत्थिताः
Lakṣmaṇa, wise and compassionate, spoke to his elder brother: 'When you asked, "Where is Sītā?", these animals suddenly rose up.'
दर्शयन्ति क्षितिं चैव दक्षिणां च दिशं मृगाः। साधु गच्छावहे देव दिशमेतां च नैर्ऋतीम्
'The animals are showing the ground and the southern direction; let us go, lord, toward this southwestern quarter.'