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.'
यदि तस्यागमः कश्चिदार्या वा साथ लक्ष्यते। बाढमित्येव काकुत्स्थः प्रस्थितो दक्षिणां दिशम्
'If there is any sign of her coming, or if the noble lady is seen there—' 'Indeed,' said Kakutstha, and set out toward the south.
लक्ष्मणानुगतः श्रीमान् वीक्षमाणो वसुंधराम्। एवं सम्भाषमाणौ तावन्योन्यं भ्रातरावुभौ
Accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, the illustrious one looked upon the earth; thus, the two brothers spoke to each other.
वसुंधरायां पतितपुष्पमार्गमपश्यताम्। पुष्पवृष्टिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा रामो महीतले
As they gazed upon the path strewn with fallen flowers on the ground, Rāma saw a shower of blossoms lying on the earth.
उवाच लक्ष्मणं वीरो दुःखितो दुःखितं वचः। अभिजानामि पुष्पाणि तानीमानीह लक्ष्मण
The heroic Rāma, distressed, spoke these sorrowful words to Lakṣmaṇa, who was also troubled: 'I recognize these flowers, Lakṣmaṇa, that are here.'
अपिनद्धानि वैदेह्या मया दत्तानि कानने। मन्ये सूर्यश्च वायुश्च मेदिनी च यशस्विनी
'These were tied by Vaidehī and given by me in the forest; I think the glorious sun, wind, and earth are preserving these flowers.'
अभिरक्षन्ति पुष्पाणि प्रकुर्वन्तो मम प्रियम्। एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुर्लक्ष्मणं पुरुषर्षभम्
'They are protecting the flowers, doing what pleases me.' Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed Rāma addressed Lakṣmaṇa, the best of men.
उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा गिरिं प्रस्रवणाकुलम्। कच्चित् क्षितिभृतां नाथ दृष्टा सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी
Rāma, righteous in soul, spoke to the mountain filled with springs: 'O lord of mountains, have you seen the one whose beauty is perfect in every limb?'
रामा रम्ये वनोद्देशे मया विरहिता त्वया। क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद् गिरिं तत्र सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा
'Rāmā, separated from me by you in this lovely forest, spoke angrily to the mountain there, as a lion to a small animal.'
तां हेमवर्णां हेमाङ्गीं सीतां दर्शय पर्वत। यावत् सानूनि सर्वाणि न ते विध्वंसयाम्यहम्
'Show me Sītā, golden in hue and form, O mountain, before I destroy all your peaks.'
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण पर्वतो मैथिलीं प्रति। दर्शयन्निव तां सीतां नादर्शयत राघवे
Thus addressed by Rāma regarding Maithilī, the mountain, as if to show Sītā, did not reveal her to Rāghava.