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.
ततो दाशरथी राम उवाच च शिलोच्चयम्। मम बाणाग्निनिर्दग्धो भस्मीभूतो भविष्यसि
Then Rāma, son of Daśaratha, spoke to the rocky mass: 'Burned by the fire of my arrows, you will be reduced to ashes.'
असेव्यः सर्वतश्चैव निस्तृणद्रुमपल्लवः। इमां वा सरितं चाद्य शोषयिष्यामि लक्ष्मण
'You will be unapproachable everywhere, devoid of grass, trees, and leaves; or today, Lakṣmaṇa, I will dry up this river.'
यदि नाख्याति मे सीतामद्य चन्द्रनिभाननाम्। एवं प्ररुषितो रामो दिधक्षन्निव चक्षुषा
'If you do not tell me today of Sītā, whose face is like the moon.' Thus, enraged, Rāma seemed to burn with his gaze.
ददर्श भूमौ निष्क्रान्तं राक्षसस्य पदं महत्। त्रस्ताया रामकांक्षिण्याः प्रधावन्त्या इतस्ततः
He saw on the ground the great footprint of a rākṣasa, left by the terrified Sītā, longing for Rāma, as she ran here and there.
राक्षसेनानुसृप्ताया वैदेह्याश्च पदानि तु। स समीक्ष्य परिक्रान्तं सीताया राक्षसस्य च
He saw the tracks of Vaidehī, pursued by the rākṣasa; observing the scattered footprints of Sītā and the rākṣasa.
भग्नं धनुश्च तूणी च विकीर्णं बहुधा रथम्। सम्भ्रान्तहृदयो रामः शशंस भ्रातरं प्रियम्
A broken bow, a quiver, and a chariot shattered in many pieces; Rāma, his heart alarmed, told his beloved brother.
पश्य लक्ष्मण वैदेह्या कीर्णाः कनकबिन्दवः। भूषणानां हि सौमित्रे माल्यानि विविधानि च
'See, Lakṣmaṇa, the golden drops of Vaidehī's ornaments scattered, and various garlands, O Saumitri.'
तप्तबिन्दुनिकाशैश्च चित्रैः क्षतजबिन्दुभिः। आवृतं पश्य सौमित्रे सर्वतो धरणीतलम्
'See, Saumitri, the earth everywhere is covered with bright drops like molten gold, and strange drops of blood.'
मन्ये लक्ष्मण वैदेही राक्षसैः कामरूपिभिः। भित्त्वा भित्त्वा विभक्ता वा भक्षिता वा भविष्यति
'I think, Lakṣmaṇa, that Vaidehī has been struck, torn apart, or perhaps even eaten by rākṣasas who can assume any form.'
तस्या निमित्तं सीताया द्वयोर्विवदमानयोः। बभूव युद्धं सौमित्रे घोरं राक्षसयोरिह
Because of Sītā, O son of Sumitrā, a fierce battle took place here between the two quarrelling Rākṣasas.