Sita tells her story

सोऽवतीर्य द्रुमात् तस्माद् विद्रुमप्रतिमाननः ।

so’vatīrya drumāt tasmād vidrumapratimānanaḥ |

Descending from the tree, his face coral-red,

विनीतवेषः कृपणः प्रणिपत्योपसृत्य च ॥

vinītaveṣaḥ kṛpaṇaḥ praṇipatyopasṛtya ca ||

he approached in a humble manner, bowed, and stood compassionately before her.

तामब्रवीन्महातेजा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ।

tāmabravīnmahātejā hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ |

Glorious Hanuman, the Wind’s son, spoke to Sita

शिरस्यञ्जलिमाधाय सीतां मधुरया गिरा ॥

śirasyañjalimādhāya sītāṃ madhurayā girā ||

in a gentle voice, raising his joined palms above his head.

का नु पद्मपलाशाक्षि क्लिष्टकौशेयवासिनि ।

kā nu padmapalāśākṣi kliṣṭakauśeyavāsini |

“Who are you, blameless lady with lotus-petal eyes and worn silk garments,

द्रुमस्य शाखामालम्ब्य तिष्ठसि त्वमनिन्दिते ॥

drumasya śākhāmālambya tiṣṭhasi tvamanindite ||

standing here holding a tree’s branch?

किमर्थं तव नेत्राभ्यां वारि स्रवति शोकजम् ।

kimarthaṃ tava netrābhyāṃ vāri sravati śokajam |

Why do tears born of sorrow flow from your eyes,

पुण्डरीकपलाशाभ्यां विप्रकीर्णमिवोदकम् ॥

puṇḍarīkapalāśābhyāṃ viprakīrṇamivodakam ||

like water scattered from white lotus petals?

सुराणामसुराणां च नागगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् ।

surāṇāmasurāṇāṃ ca nāgagandharvarakṣasām |

Beautiful lady, do you belong among gods, asuras,

यक्षाणां किंनराणां च का त्वं भवसि शोभने ॥

yakṣāṇāṃ kiṃnarāṇāṃ ca kā tvaṃ bhavasi śobhane ||

Nagas, Gandharvas, rakshasas, Yakshas, or Kinnaras?

का त्वं भवसि रुद्राणां मरुतां वा वरानने ।

kā tvaṃ bhavasi rudrāṇāṃ marutāṃ vā varānane |

Lovely-faced one, are you among the Rudras, Maruts,

वसूनां वा वरारोहे देवता प्रतिभासि मे ॥

vasūnāṃ vā varārohe devatā pratibhāsi me ||

or Vasus? Graceful lady, you appear a goddess to me.

किं नु चन्द्रमसा हीना पतिता विबुधालयात् ।

kiṃ nu candramasā hīnā patitā vibudhālayāt |

Are you Rohini, foremost of stars, excellent in every virtue,

रोहिणी ज्योतिषां श्रेष्ठा श्रेष्ठा सर्वगुणाधिका ॥

rohiṇī jyotiṣāṃ śreṣṭhā śreṣṭhā sarvaguṇādhikā ||

fallen from heaven and separated from the moon?

कोपाद् वा यदि वा मोहाद् भर्तारमसितेक्षणे ।

kopād vā yadi vā mohād bhartāramasitekṣaṇe |

Or, dark-eyed and auspicious one, are you Arundhati,

वसिष्ठं कोपयित्वा त्वं वासि कल्याण्यरुन्धती ॥

vasiṣṭhaṃ kopayitvā tvaṃ vāsi kalyāṇyarundhatī ||

having angered your husband Vasistha through anger or confusion?

को नु पुत्रः पिता भ्राता भर्ता वा ते सुमध्यमे ।

ko nu putraḥ pitā bhrātā bhartā vā te sumadhyame |

Which son, father, brother or husband, graceful lady,

अस्माल्लोकादमुं लोकं गतं त्वमनुशोचसि ॥

asmāllokādamuṃ lokaṃ gataṃ tvamanuśocasi ||

has gone from this world to the next, leaving you to mourn?

रोदनादतिनिःश्वासाद् भूमिसंस्पर्शनादपि ।

rodanādatiniḥśvāsād bhūmisaṃsparśanādapi |

Yet from your weeping, deep sighs, and contact with the earth,

न त्वां देवीमहं मन्ये राज्ञः संज्ञावधारणात् ॥

na tvāṃ devīmahaṃ manye rājñaḥ saṃjñāvadhāraṇāt ||

and your utterance of a king’s name, I do not think you a goddess.

व्यञ्जनानि हि ते यानि लक्षणानि च लक्षये ।

vyañjanāni hi te yāni lakṣaṇāni ca lakṣaye |

The bodily signs and auspicious marks I observe in you

महिषी भूमिपालस्य राजकन्या च मे मता ॥

mahiṣī bhūmipālasya rājakanyā ca me matā ||

suggest a king’s queen and a king’s daughter.

रावणेन जनस्थानाद् बलात् प्रमथिता यदि ।

rāvaṇena janasthānād balāt pramathitā yadi |

If you are Sita, forcibly carried from Janasthana by Ravana,

सीता त्वमसि भद्रं ते तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥

sītā tvamasi bhadraṃ te tanmamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ ||

tell me, who asks you; may good attend you.

यथा हि तव वै दैन्यं रूपं चाप्यतिमानुषम् ।

yathā hi tava vai dainyaṃ rūpaṃ cāpyatimānuṣam |

Your misery, your more-than-human beauty,

तपसा चान्वितो वेषस्त्वं राममहिषी ध्रुवम् ॥

tapasā cānvito veṣastvaṃ rāmamahiṣī dhruvam ||

and your ascetic dress make me certain you are Rama’s queen.”

सा तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा रामकीर्तनहर्षिता ।

sā tasya vacanaṃ śrutvā rāmakīrtanaharṣitā |

Hearing his words, Vaidehi rejoiced at Rama’s name

उवाच वाक्यं वैदेही हनूमन्तं द्रुमाश्रितम् ॥

uvāca vākyaṃ vaidehī hanūmantaṃ drumāśritam ||

and spoke to Hanuman beside the tree.

पृथिव्यां राजसिंहानां मुख्यस्य विदितात्मनः ।

pṛthivyāṃ rājasiṃhānāṃ mukhyasya viditātmanaḥ |

“I am the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha,

स्नुषा दशरथस्याहं शत्रुसैन्यप्रणाशिनः ॥

snuṣā daśarathasyāhaṃ śatrusainyapraṇāśinaḥ ||

self-possessed, foremost of earth’s lion-like kings, destroyer of enemy armies.

दुहिता जनकस्याहं वैदेहस्य महात्मनः ।

duhitā janakasyāhaṃ vaidehasya mahātmanaḥ |

I am the daughter of great-souled Janaka of Videha.

सीतेति नाम्ना चोक्ताहं भार्या रामस्य धीमतः ॥

sīteti nāmnā coktāhaṃ bhāryā rāmasya dhīmataḥ ||

My name is Sita; I am the wife of wise Rama.

समा द्वादश तत्राहं राघवस्य निवेशने ।

samā dvādaśa tatrāhaṃ rāghavasya niveśane |

For twelve years I lived there in Raghava’s house,

भुञ्जाना मानुषान् भोगान् सर्वकामसमृद्धिनी ॥

bhuñjānā mānuṣān bhogān sarvakāmasamṛddhinī ||

enjoying human comforts with every wish fulfilled.

ततस्त्रयोदशे वर्षे राज्ये चेक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम् ।

tatastrayodaśe varṣe rājye cekṣvākunandanam |

Then in the thirteenth year, the king, together with his preceptor,

अभिषेचयितुं राजा सोपाध्यायः प्रचक्रमे ॥

abhiṣecayituṃ rājā sopādhyāyaḥ pracakrame ||

began preparations to consecrate Ikshvaku’s descendant as ruler.

तस्मिन् सम्भ्रियमाणे तु राघवस्याभिषेचने ।

tasmin sambhriyamāṇe tu rāghavasyābhiṣecane |

While preparations for Raghava’s consecration were being made,

कैकेयी नाम भर्तारमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

kaikeyī nāma bhartāramidaṃ vacanamabravīt ||

Kaikeyi spoke these words to her husband:

न पिबेयं न खादेयं प्रत्यहं मम भोजनम् ।

na pibeyaṃ na khādeyaṃ pratyahaṃ mama bhojanam |

‘I shall neither drink nor eat my daily food;

एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते ॥

eṣa me jīvitasyānto rāmo yadyabhiṣicyate ||

my life will end if Rama is consecrated.

यत् तदुक्तं त्वया वाक्यं प्रीत्या नृपतिसत्तम ।

yat taduktaṃ tvayā vākyaṃ prītyā nṛpatisattama |

If the promise you lovingly made me, foremost of kings,

तच्चेन्न वितथं कार्यं वनं गच्छतु राघवः ॥

taccenna vitathaṃ kāryaṃ vanaṃ gacchatu rāghavaḥ ||

must not prove false, let Raghava go to the forest.’

स राजा सत्यवाग् देव्या वरदानमनुस्मरन् ।

sa rājā satyavāg devyā varadānamanusmaran |

The truthful king, recalling his gift of boons to the queen,

मुमोह वचनं श्रुत्वा कैकेय्याः क्रूरमप्रियम् ॥

mumoha vacanaṃ śrutvā kaikeyyāḥ krūramapriyam ||

fainted on hearing Kaikeyi’s cruel, unwelcome words.

ततस्तं स्थविरो राजा सत्यधर्मे व्यवस्थितः ।

tatastaṃ sthaviro rājā satyadharme vyavasthitaḥ |

Then the aged king, steadfast in truth and dharma,

ज्येष्ठं यशस्विनं पुत्रं रुदन् राज्यमयाचत ॥

jyeṣṭhaṃ yaśasvinaṃ putraṃ rudan rājyamayācata ||

wept and asked his renowned eldest son to relinquish the kingdom.

स पितुर्वचनं श्रीमानभिषेकात् परं प्रियम् ।

sa piturvacanaṃ śrīmānabhiṣekāt paraṃ priyam |

Glorious Rama first accepted his father’s command in his heart,

मनसा पूर्वमासाद्य वाचा प्रतिगृहीतवान् ॥

manasā pūrvamāsādya vācā pratigṛhītavān ||

dearer to him than consecration, and then assented aloud.

दद्यान्न प्रतिगृह्णीयात् सत्यं ब्रूयान्न चानृतम् ।

dadyānna pratigṛhṇīyāt satyaṃ brūyānna cānṛtam |

Rama, whose courage is true, would give rather than take,

अपि जीवितहेतोर्हि रामः सत्यपराक्रमः ॥

api jīvitahetorhi rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ ||

and speak truth rather than falsehood, even to save his life.

स विहायोत्तरीयाणि महार्हाणि महायशाः ।

sa vihāyottarīyāṇi mahārhāṇi mahāyaśāḥ |

Casting aside his costly outer garments, the greatly renowned one

विसृज्य मनसा राज्यं जनन्यै मां समादिशत् ॥

visṛjya manasā rājyaṃ jananyai māṃ samādiśat ||

renounced the kingdom inwardly and entrusted me to his mother.

साहं तस्याग्रतस्तूर्णं प्रस्थिता वनचारिणी ।

sāhaṃ tasyāgratastūrṇaṃ prasthitā vanacāriṇī |

But I quickly went before him, ready for forest life;

नहि मे तेन हीनाया वासः स्वर्गेऽपि रोचते ॥

nahi me tena hīnāyā vāsaḥ svarge’pi rocate ||

without him, even dwelling in heaven would not please me.

प्रागेव तु महाभागः सौमित्रिर्मित्रनन्दनः ।

prāgeva tu mahābhāgaḥ saumitrirmitranandanaḥ |

Even earlier, noble Saumitri, delighting his friends,

पूर्वजस्यानुयात्रार्थे कुशचीरैरलंकृतः ॥

pūrvajasyānuyātrārthe kuśacīrairalaṃkṛtaḥ ||

had clothed himself in kuśa and bark to follow his elder brother.

ते वयं भर्तुरादेशं बहुमान्य दृढव्रताः ।

te vayaṃ bharturādeśaṃ bahumānya dṛḍhavratāḥ |

Resolute in our vows and honouring our lord’s command,

प्रविष्टाः स्म पुरादृष्टं वनं गम्भीरदर्शनम् ॥

praviṣṭāḥ sma purādṛṣṭaṃ vanaṃ gambhīradarśanam ||

we entered the deep-looking forest we had never seen before.

वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तस्याहममितौजसः ।

vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tasyāhamamitaujasaḥ |

While that hero of boundless strength lived in Dandaka forest,

रक्षसापहृता भार्या रावणेन दुरात्मना ॥

rakṣasāpahṛtā bhāryā rāvaṇena durātmanā ||

I, his wife, was abducted by the wicked rakshasa Ravana.

द्वौ मासौ तेन मे कालो जीवितानुग्रहः कृतः ।

dvau māsau tena me kālo jīvitānugrahaḥ kṛtaḥ |

He has granted me two months as the limit of my life;

ऊर्ध्वं द्वाभ्यां तु मासाभ्यां ततस्त्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम् ॥

ūrdhvaṃ dvābhyāṃ tu māsābhyāṃ tatastyakṣyāmi jīvitam ||

after those two months I shall lose my life.”