Sita’s jewel and message

ततः प्रस्रवणं शैलं ते गत्वा चित्रकाननम् ।

tataḥ prasravaṇaṃ śailaṃ te gatvā citrakānanam |

They reached Mount Prasravana with its varied forests

प्रणम्य शिरसा रामं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम् ॥

praṇamya śirasā rāmaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam ||

and bowed their heads to Rama and mighty Lakshmana.

युवराजं पुरस्कृत्य सुग्रीवमभिवाद्य च ।

yuvarājaṃ puraskṛtya sugrīvamabhivādya ca |

With the crown prince foremost, they saluted Sugriva

प्रवृत्तिमथ सीतायाः प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमुः ॥

pravṛttimatha sītāyāḥ pravaktumupacakramuḥ ||

and began to relate the news of Sita.

रावणान्तःपुरे रोधं राक्षसीभिश्च तर्जनम् ।

rāvaṇāntaḥpure rodhaṃ rākṣasībhiśca tarjanam |

They described her confinement in Ravana's inner domain and the rakshasis' threats,

रामे समनुरागं च यथा च नियमः कृतः ॥

rāme samanurāgaṃ ca yathā ca niyamaḥ kṛtaḥ ||

her unwavering love for Rama and the restraint she maintained.

एतदाख्याय ते सर्वं हरयो रामसंनिधौ ।

etadākhyāya te sarvaṃ harayo rāmasaṃnidhau |

The vanaras told all this in Rama's presence.

वैदेहीमक्षतां श्रुत्वा रामस्तूत्तरमब्रवीत् ॥

vaidehīmakṣatāṃ śrutvā rāmastūttaramabravīt ||

Hearing that Vaidehi was unharmed, Rama replied.

क्व सीता वर्तते देवी कथं च मयि वर्तते ।

kva sītā vartate devī kathaṃ ca mayi vartate |

'Where is the lady Sita staying, and how does she think of me?

एतन्मे सर्वमाख्यात वैदेहीं प्रति वानराः ॥

etanme sarvamākhyāta vaidehīṃ prati vānarāḥ ||

Vanaras, tell me everything about Vaidehi.'

रामस्य गदितं श्रुत्वा हरयो रामसंनिधौ ।

rāmasya gaditaṃ śrutvā harayo rāmasaṃnidhau |

Hearing Rama speak, the vanaras before him

चोदयन्ति हनूमन्तं सीतावृत्तान्तकोविदम् ॥

codayanti hanūmantaṃ sītāvṛttāntakovidam ||

urged Hanuman, who knew Sita's circumstances, to answer.

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ।

śrutvā tu vacanaṃ teṣāṃ hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ |

Hearing their request, Hanuman, the Wind's son,

प्रणम्य शिरसा देव्यै सीतायै तां दिशं प्रति ॥

praṇamya śirasā devyai sītāyai tāṃ diśaṃ prati ||

bowed his head towards the direction where the lady Sita remained.

उवाच वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञः सीताया दर्शनं यथा ।

uvāca vākyaṃ vākyajñaḥ sītāyā darśanaṃ yathā |

That skilled speaker began describing how he had seen Sita.

तं मणिं काञ्चनं दिव्यं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा ॥

taṃ maṇiṃ kāñcanaṃ divyaṃ dīpyamānaṃ svatejasā ||

Taking the divine golden jewel, shining with its own radiance—

दत्त्वा रामाय हनुमांस्ततः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् ।

dattvā rāmāya hanumāṃstataḥ prāñjalirabravīt |

Hanuman gave it to Rama and spoke with folded hands:

समुद्रं लङ्घयित्वाहं शतयोजनमायतम् ॥

samudraṃ laṅghayitvāhaṃ śatayojanamāyatam ||

'After crossing the ocean, a hundred yojanas wide—

अगच्छं जानकीं सीतां मार्गमाणो दिदृक्षया ।

agacchaṃ jānakīṃ sītāṃ mārgamāṇo didṛkṣayā |

I went searching for Janaki Sita, longing to see her.

तत्र लङ्केति नगरी रावणस्य दुरात्मनः ॥

tatra laṅketi nagarī rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ ||

There is a city named Lanka, belonging to wicked Ravana—

दक्षिणस्य समुद्रस्य तीरे वसति दक्षिणे ।

dakṣiṇasya samudrasya tīre vasati dakṣiṇe |

standing on the southern shore of the southern ocean.

तत्र सीता मया दृष्टा रावणान्तःपुरे सती ॥

tatra sītā mayā dṛṣṭā rāvaṇāntaḥpure satī ||

There I saw the virtuous Sita within Ravana's inner domain.

त्वयि संन्यस्य जीवन्ती रामा राम मनोरथम् ।

tvayi saṃnyasya jīvantī rāmā rāma manoratham |

Rama, she lives with all her hopes fixed upon you.

दृष्टा मे राक्षसीमध्ये तर्ज्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः ॥

dṛṣṭā me rākṣasīmadhye tarjyamānā muhurmuhuḥ ||

I saw her among rakshasis, repeatedly threatened—

राक्षसीभिर्विरूपाभी रक्षिता प्रमदावने ।

rākṣasībhirvirūpābhī rakṣitā pramadāvane |

guarded in the pleasure grove by misshapen rakshasis.

दुःखमापद्यते देवी त्वया वीर सुखोचिता ॥

duḥkhamāpadyate devī tvayā vīra sukhocitā ||

Hero, the lady who deserved happiness with you now endures suffering.

रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता ।

rāvaṇāntaḥpure ruddhā rākṣasībhiḥ surakṣitā |

Confined in Ravana's domain and closely guarded by rakshasis,

एकवेणीधरा दीना त्वयि चिन्तापरायणा ॥

ekaveṇīdharā dīnā tvayi cintāparāyaṇā ||

wearing a single braid, she remains miserable and absorbed in thoughts of you.

अधःशय्या विवर्णाङ्गी पद्मिनीव हिमागमे ।

adhaḥśayyā vivarṇāṅgī padminīva himāgame |

Sleeping upon the ground, faded like a lotus when frost arrives,

रावणाद् विनिवृत्तार्था मर्तव्यकृतनिश्चया ॥

rāvaṇād vinivṛttārthā martavyakṛtaniścayā ||

she has rejected Ravana and resolved on death rather than yielding.

देवी कथंचित् काकुत्स्थ त्वन्मना मार्गिता मया ।

devī kathaṃcit kākutstha tvanmanā mārgitā mayā |

Kakutstha, I found the lady with her mind devoted to you,

इक्ष्वाकुवंशविख्यातिं शनैः कीर्तयतानघ ॥

ikṣvākuvaṃśavikhyātiṃ śanaiḥ kīrtayatānagha ||

blameless one, by softly recounting the fame of the Ikshvaku lineage.

सा मया नरशार्दूल शनैर्विश्वासिता तदा ।

sā mayā naraśārdūla śanairviśvāsitā tadā |

Lion among men, little by little I won her confidence.

ततः सम्भाषिता देवी सर्वमर्थं च दर्शिता ॥

tataḥ sambhāṣitā devī sarvamarthaṃ ca darśitā ||

Then I spoke with the lady and explained the whole purpose.

रामसुग्रीवसख्यं च श्रुत्वा हर्षमुपागता ।

rāmasugrīvasakhyaṃ ca śrutvā harṣamupāgatā |

Hearing of Rama's friendship with Sugriva, she became joyful.

नियतः समुदाचारो भक्तिश्चास्याः सदा त्वयि ॥

niyataḥ samudācāro bhaktiścāsyāḥ sadā tvayi ||

Her behaviour remains disciplined and her devotion to you constant.

एवं मया महाभाग दृष्टा जनकनन्दिनी ।

evaṃ mayā mahābhāga dṛṣṭā janakanandinī |

Fortunate and foremost man, thus I saw Janaka's daughter,

उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता त्वद्भक्त्या पुरुषर्षभ ॥

ugreṇa tapasā yuktā tvadbhaktyā puruṣarṣabha ||

engaged in severe austerity through her devotion to you.

अभिज्ञानं च मे दत्तं यथावृत्तं तवान्तिके ।

abhijñānaṃ ca me dattaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ tavāntike |

She gave me a private sign: the event involving the crow

चित्रकूटे महाप्राज्ञ वायसं प्रति राघव ॥

citrakūṭe mahāprājña vāyasaṃ prati rāghava ||

that occurred near you at Chitrakuta, wise Raghava.

विज्ञाप्यः पुनरप्येष रामो वायुसुत त्वया ।

vijñāpyaḥ punarapyeṣa rāmo vāyusuta tvayā |

Janaki told me, 'Wind's son, once more you must inform Rama

अखिलेन यथा दृष्टमिति मामाह जानकी ॥

akhilena yathā dṛṣṭamiti māmāha jānakī ||

fully of everything exactly as you have seen it.

अयं चास्मै प्रदातव्यो यत्नात् सुपरिरक्षितः ।

ayaṃ cāsmai pradātavyo yatnāt suparirakṣitaḥ |

This carefully preserved jewel must also be given to him.'

ब्रुवता वचनान्येवं सुग्रीवस्योपशृण्वतः ॥

bruvatā vacanānyevaṃ sugrīvasyopaśṛṇvataḥ ||

As these words were related with Sugriva listening—

एष चूडामणिः श्रीमान् मया ते यत्नरक्षितः ।

eṣa cūḍāmaṇiḥ śrīmān mayā te yatnarakṣitaḥ |

she also said, 'I have carefully kept this splendid crest-jewel for you.

मनःशिलायास्तिलकं तत् स्मरस्वेति चाब्रवीत् ॥

manaḥśilāyāstilakaṃ tat smarasveti cābravīt ||

Remember the mark of red mineral pigment you once placed upon my forehead.

एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारिसम्भवः ।

eṣa niryātitaḥ śrīmān mayā te vārisambhavaḥ |

I have sent this beautiful jewel, born from water, to you.

एनं दृष्ट्वा प्रमोदिष्ये व्यसने त्वामिवानघ ॥

enaṃ dṛṣṭvā pramodiṣye vyasane tvāmivānagha ||

In distress its sight gives me joy as though I were seeing you, blameless one.

जीवितं धारयिष्यामि मासं दशरथात्मज ।

jīvitaṃ dhārayiṣyāmi māsaṃ daśarathātmaja |

Son of Dasharatha, I shall sustain my life for one month.

ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न जीवेयं रक्षसां वशमागता ॥

ūrdhvaṃ māsānna jīveyaṃ rakṣasāṃ vaśamāgatā ||

Beyond that month I cannot live, held in the rakshasas' power.'

इति मामब्रवीत् सीता कृशाङ्गी धर्मचारिणी ।

iti māmabravīt sītā kṛśāṅgī dharmacāriṇī |

Thus the thin, righteous Sita spoke to me,

रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा मृगीवोत्फुल्ललोचना ॥

rāvaṇāntaḥpure ruddhā mṛgīvotphullalocanā ||

confined in Ravana's domain, her eyes wide like a frightened doe's.

एतदेव मयाऽऽख्यातं सर्वं राघव यद् यथा ।

etadeva mayā’’khyātaṃ sarvaṃ rāghava yad yathā |

Raghava, I have told you everything exactly as it occurred.

सर्वथा सागरजले संतारः प्रविधीयताम् ॥

sarvathā sāgarajale saṃtāraḥ pravidhīyatām ||

By every possible means, arrange to cross the ocean's waters.'

तौ जाताश्वासौ राजपुत्रौ विदित्वा

tau jātāśvāsau rājaputrau viditvā

Seeing that both princes had gained reassurance,

तच्चाभिज्ञानं राघवाय प्रदाय ।

taccābhijñānaṃ rāghavāya pradāya |

and having given Raghava the identifying token,

देव्या चाख्यातं सर्वमेवानुपूर्व्याद्

devyā cākhyātaṃ sarvamevānupūrvyād

the Wind's son related in full and proper order

वाचा सम्पूर्णं वायुपुत्रः शशंस ॥

vācā sampūrṇaṃ vāyuputraḥ śaśaṃsa ||

everything the lady had told him.