Sita questions the strange visitor

ततः शाखान्तरे लीनं दृष्ट्वा चलितमानसा ।

tataḥ śākhāntare līnaṃ dṛṣṭvā calitamānasā |

Then, seeing him concealed among the branches, her mind was stirred:

वेष्टितार्जुनवस्त्रं तं विद्युत्संघातपिंगलम् ॥

veṣṭitārjunavastraṃ taṃ vidyutsaṃghātapiṃgalam ||

he wore a white cloth and shone tawny like a cluster of lightning.

सा ददर्श कपिं तत्र प्रश्रितं प्रियवादिनम् ।

sā dadarśa kapiṃ tatra praśritaṃ priyavādinam |

She saw the vanara there, humble and gentle in speech,

फुल्लाशोकोत्कराभासं तप्तचामीकरेक्षणम् ॥

phullāśokotkarābhāsaṃ taptacāmīkarekṣaṇam ||

glowing like a mass of flowering ashoka, his eyes like molten gold.

साथ दृष्ट्वा हरिश्रेष्ठं विनीतवदवस्थितम् ।

sātha dṛṣṭvā hariśreṣṭhaṃ vinītavadavasthitam |

Seeing that foremost vanara standing modestly,

मैथिली चिन्तयामास विस्मयं परमं गता ॥

maithilī cintayāmāsa vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatā ||

the princess of Mithila pondered in great astonishment.

अहो भीममिदं सत्त्वं वानरस्य दुरासदम् ।

aho bhīmamidaṃ sattvaṃ vānarasya durāsadam |

“Ah, this vanara’s form is formidable and hard to approach!”

दुर्निरीक्ष्यमिदं मत्वा पुनरेव मुमोह सा ॥

durnirīkṣyamidaṃ matvā punareva mumoha sā ||

Thinking the sight difficult to bear, she again became bewildered.

विललाप भृशं सीता करुणं भयमोहिता ।

vilalāpa bhṛśaṃ sītā karuṇaṃ bhayamohitā |

Sita lamented deeply and piteously, confused by fear;

राम रामेति दुःखार्ता लक्ष्मणेति च भामिनी ॥

rāma rāmeti duḥkhārtā lakṣmaṇeti ca bhāminī ||

in anguish the lady called, “Rama, Rama! Lakshmana!”

रुरोद सहसा सीता मन्दमन्दस्वरा सती ।

ruroda sahasā sītā mandamandasvarā satī |

Sita suddenly wept, her voice faint and faltering.

साथ दृष्ट्वा हरिवरं विनीतवदुपागतम् ।

sātha dṛṣṭvā harivaraṃ vinītavadupāgatam |

Then, seeing the noble vanara approach humbly,

मैथिली चिन्तयामास स्वप्नोऽयमिति भामिनी ॥

maithilī cintayāmāsa svapno’yamiti bhāminī ||

the princess of Mithila thought, “This is a dream.”

सा वीक्षमाणा पृथुभुग्नवक्त्रं

sā vīkṣamāṇā pṛthubhugnavaktraṃ

Looking at the broad, curved face

शाखामृगेन्द्रस्य यथोक्तकारम् ।

śākhāmṛgendrasya yathoktakāram |

of the one who carried out the vanara king’s command,

ददर्श पिंगप्रवरं महार्हं

dadarśa piṃgapravaraṃ mahārhaṃ

she saw the worthy foremost tawny vanara,

वातात्मजं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् ॥

vātātmajaṃ buddhimatāṃ variṣṭham ||

the Wind’s son, foremost among the intelligent.

सा तं समीक्ष्यैव भृशं विपन्ना

sā taṃ samīkṣyaiva bhṛśaṃ vipannā

At the sight of him Sita became deeply distressed,

गतासुकल्पेव बभूव सीता ।

gatāsukalpeva babhūva sītā |

as though life had nearly left her.

चिरेण संज्ञां प्रतिलभ्य चैवं

cireṇa saṃjñāṃ pratilabhya caivaṃ

After a long time she recovered her awareness,

विचिन्तयामास विशालनेत्रा ॥

vicintayāmāsa viśālanetrā ||

and the wide-eyed lady thought thus:

स्वप्नो मयायं विकृतोऽद्य दृष्टः

svapno mayāyaṃ vikṛto’dya dṛṣṭaḥ

“Today I have seen a strange dream:

शाखामृगः शास्त्रगणैर्निषिद्धः ।

śākhāmṛgaḥ śāstragaṇairniṣiddhaḥ |

a vanara, a sight disapproved of in books on dreams.

स्वस्त्यस्तु रामाय सलक्ष्मणाय

svastyastu rāmāya salakṣmaṇāya

May all be well with Rama and Lakshmana,

तथा पितुर्मे जनकस्य राज्ञः ॥

tathā piturme janakasya rājñaḥ ||

and with my father, King Janaka.

स्वप्नो हि नायं नहि मेऽस्ति निद्रा

svapno hi nāyaṃ nahi me’sti nidrā

But this is no dream, for I have no sleep,

शोकेन दुःखेन च पीडितायाः ।

śokena duḥkhena ca pīḍitāyāḥ |

oppressed as I am by grief and pain.

सुखं हि मे नास्ति यतो विहीना

sukhaṃ hi me nāsti yato vihīnā

I have known no happiness since being separated

तेनेन्दुपूर्णप्रतिमाननेन ॥

tenendupūrṇapratimānanena ||

from him whose face is like the full moon.

रामेति रामेति सदैव बुद्ध्या

rāmeti rāmeti sadaiva buddhyā

Always thinking ‘Rama, Rama’ in my mind

विचिन्त्य वाचा ब्रुवती तमेव ।

vicintya vācā bruvatī tameva |

and speaking only of him,

तस्यानुरूपं च कथां तदर्था-

tasyānurūpaṃ ca kathāṃ tadarthā-

I see and hear a story

मेवं प्रपश्यामि तथा शृणोमि ॥

mevaṃ prapaśyāmi tathā śṛṇomi ||

suited to him and concerning his purpose.

अहं हि तस्याद्य मनोभवेन

ahaṃ hi tasyādya manobhavena

Today I am oppressed by longing for him,

सम्पीडिता तद‍्गतसर्वभावा ।

sampīḍitā tadgatasarvabhāvā |

all my feelings turned towards him;

विचिन्तयन्ती सततं तमेव

vicintayantī satataṃ tameva

thinking of him continually,

तथैव पश्यामि तथा शृणोमि ॥

tathaiva paśyāmi tathā śṛṇomi ||

I seem to see and hear accordingly.

मनोरथः स्यादिति चिन्तयामि

manorathaḥ syāditi cintayāmi

Perhaps it is a wishful imagining, I think;

तथापि बुद्ध्यापि वितर्कयामि ।

tathāpi buddhyāpi vitarkayāmi |

yet I reason about it again.

किं कारणं तस्य हि नास्ति रूपं

kiṃ kāraṇaṃ tasya hi nāsti rūpaṃ

Such an imagining has no visible body,

सुव्यक्तरूपश्च वदत्ययं माम् ॥

suvyaktarūpaśca vadatyayaṃ mām ||

but this being has a clear form and speaks to me.

नमोऽस्तु वाचस्पतये सवज्रिणे

namo’stu vācaspataye savajriṇe

Homage to the lord of speech, and to the wielder of the thunderbolt,

स्वयम्भुवे चैव हुताशनाय ।

svayambhuve caiva hutāśanāya |

to the Self-born, and to Fire.

अनेन चोक्तं यदिदं ममाग्रतो

anena coktaṃ yadidaṃ mamāgrato

May what this forest-dweller has spoken before me

वनौकसा तच्च तथास्तु नान्यथा ॥

vanaukasā tacca tathāstu nānyathā ||

be exactly so, and not otherwise.”