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VĀLMĪKI RĀMĀYAṆA · CHAPTER 67
सुन्दरकाण्डम् · सर्गः 67
Hanuman recounts Sita’s private memory of the crow at Chitrakuta, her questions about rescue, and the farewell message entrusted to him.
An edition-specific reading with original English meanings. Source & reading notes
SCENE 01 · VERSES 1–44
A private event known to Rama and Sita gives weight to the messenger’s account and her urgent appeal.
एवमुक्तस्तु हनुमान् राघवेण महात्मना ।
evamuktastu hanumān rāghaveṇa mahātmanā |
Addressed thus by noble Raghava, Hanuman
सीताया भाषितं सर्वं न्यवेदयत राघवे ॥
sītāyā bhāṣitaṃ sarvaṃ nyavedayata rāghave ||
related to him everything Sita had said.
इदमुक्तवती देवी जानकी पुरुषर्षभ ।
idamuktavatī devī jānakī puruṣarṣabha |
'Foremost man, the lady Janaki told this
पूर्ववृत्तमभिज्ञानं चित्रकूटे यथातथम् ॥
pūrvavṛttamabhijñānaṃ citrakūṭe yathātatham ||
past event at Chitrakuta exactly as a private sign.
सुखसुप्ता त्वया सार्धं जानकी पूर्वमुत्थिता ।
sukhasuptā tvayā sārdhaṃ jānakī pūrvamutthitā |
Janaki had slept happily beside you and risen first;
वायसः सहसोत्पत्य विददार स्तनान्तरम् ॥
vāyasaḥ sahasotpatya vidadāra stanāntaram ||
suddenly a crow flew up and wounded the space between her breasts.
पर्यायेण च सुप्तस्त्वं देव्यङ्के भरताग्रज ।
paryāyeṇa ca suptastvaṃ devyaṅke bharatāgraja |
Later, elder brother of Bharata, you slept in the lady's lap;
पुनश्च किल पक्षी स देव्या जनयति व्यथा ॥
punaśca kila pakṣī sa devyā janayati vyathā ||
that bird again caused her pain.
ततः पुनरुपागम्य विददार भृशं किल ।
tataḥ punarupāgamya vidadāra bhṛśaṃ kila |
Coming again, it wounded her severely;
ततस्त्वं बोधितस्तस्याः शोणितेन समुक्षितः ॥
tatastvaṃ bodhitastasyāḥ śoṇitena samukṣitaḥ ||
then she awakened you, and her blood had fallen upon you.
वायसेन च तेनैवं सततं बाध्यमानया ।
vāyasena ca tenaivaṃ satataṃ bādhyamānayā |
Constantly troubled in this way by the crow,
बोधितः किल देव्या त्वं सुखसुप्तः परंतप ॥
bodhitaḥ kila devyā tvaṃ sukhasuptaḥ paraṃtapa ||
the lady woke you from pleasant sleep, enemy-subduer.
तां च दृष्ट्वा महाबाहो दारितां च स्तनान्तरे ।
tāṃ ca dṛṣṭvā mahābāho dāritāṃ ca stanāntare |
Seeing her wounded between the breasts, strong-armed one,
आशीविष इव क्रुद्धस्ततो वाक्यं त्वमूचिवान् ॥
āśīviṣa iva kruddhastato vākyaṃ tvamūcivān ||
you grew angry like a venomous serpent and spoke.
नखाग्रैः केन ते भीरु दारितं वै स्तनान्तरम् ।
nakhāgraiḥ kena te bhīru dāritaṃ vai stanāntaram |
"Gentle lady, who has torn your breast with sharp claws?
कः क्रीडति सरोषेण पञ्चवक्त्रेण भोगिना ॥
kaḥ krīḍati saroṣeṇa pañcavaktreṇa bhoginā ||
Who is playing with an angry five-headed serpent?"
निरीक्षमाणः सहसा वायसं समुदैक्षथाः ।
nirīkṣamāṇaḥ sahasā vāyasaṃ samudaikṣathāḥ |
Looking around, you suddenly saw the crow
नखैः सरुधिरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तामेवाभिमुखं स्थितम् ॥
nakhaiḥ sarudhiraistīkṣṇaistāmevābhimukhaṃ sthitam ||
standing towards her with sharp, blood-stained claws.
सुतः किल स शक्रस्य वायसः पततां वरः ।
sutaḥ kila sa śakrasya vāyasaḥ patatāṃ varaḥ |
That crow, foremost flyer, was said to be Indra's son,
धरान्तरगतः शीघ्रं पवनस्य गतौ समः ॥
dharāntaragataḥ śīghraṃ pavanasya gatau samaḥ ||
moving swiftly over the earth with speed equal to the wind.
ततस्तस्मिन् महाबाहो कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः ।
tatastasmin mahābāho kopasaṃvartitekṣaṇaḥ |
Then, strong-armed and foremost wise one, your eyes turning with anger,
वायसे त्वं व्यधाः क्रूरां मतिं मतिमतां वर ॥
vāyase tvaṃ vyadhāḥ krūrāṃ matiṃ matimatāṃ vara ||
you formed a stern resolve against that crow.
स दर्भसंस्तराद् गृह्य ब्रह्मास्त्रेण न्ययोजयः ।
sa darbhasaṃstarād gṛhya brahmāstreṇa nyayojayaḥ |
Taking a blade from the darbha-grass bed, you empowered it with Brahma's weapon;
स दीप्त इव कालाग्निर्जज्वालाभिमुखं खगम् ॥
sa dīpta iva kālāgnirjajvālābhimukhaṃ khagam ||
it blazed like the fire of Time towards the bird.
स त्वं प्रदीप्तं चिक्षेप दर्भं तं वायसं प्रति ।
sa tvaṃ pradīptaṃ cikṣepa darbhaṃ taṃ vāyasaṃ prati |
You cast that blazing grass at the crow;
ततस्तु वायसं दीप्तः स दर्भोऽनुजगाम ह ॥
tatastu vāyasaṃ dīptaḥ sa darbho’nujagāma ha ||
the burning blade then pursued it.
भीतैश्च सम्परित्यक्तः सुरैः सर्वैश्च वायसः ।
bhītaiśca samparityaktaḥ suraiḥ sarvaiśca vāyasaḥ |
The frightened gods all abandoned the crow;
त्रीँल्लोकान् सम्परिक्रम्य त्रातारं नाधिगच्छति ॥
trīm̐llokān samparikramya trātāraṃ nādhigacchati ||
after travelling through the three worlds, it found no protector.
पुनरप्यागतस्तत्र त्वत्सकाशमरिंदम ।
punarapyāgatastatra tvatsakāśamariṃdama |
It came back into your presence, enemy-subduer.
त्वं तं निपतितं भूमौ शरण्यः शरणागतम् ॥
tvaṃ taṃ nipatitaṃ bhūmau śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇāgatam ||
You, refuge of those seeking shelter, saw it fallen upon the ground in surrender—
वधार्हमपि काकुत्स्थ कृपया परिपालयः ।
vadhārhamapi kākutstha kṛpayā paripālayaḥ |
and, though it deserved death, Kakutstha, compassion made you protect it.
मोघमस्त्रं न शक्यं तु कर्तुमित्येव राघव ॥
moghamastraṃ na śakyaṃ tu kartumityeva rāghava ||
Yet, Raghava, the divine weapon could not be made fruitless—
भवांस्तस्याक्षि काकस्य हिनस्ति स्म स दक्षिणम् ।
bhavāṃstasyākṣi kākasya hinasti sma sa dakṣiṇam |
so you destroyed the crow's right eye.
राम त्वां स नमस्कृत्य राज्ञो दशरथस्य च ॥
rāma tvāṃ sa namaskṛtya rājño daśarathasya ca ||
Rama, it bowed to you and to King Dasharatha—
विसृष्टस्तु तदा काकः प्रतिपेदे स्वमालयम् ।
visṛṣṭastu tadā kākaḥ pratipede svamālayam |
and, released, returned to its own dwelling.
एवमस्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठः सत्त्ववाञ्छीलवानपि ॥
evamastravidāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sattvavāñchīlavānapi ||
Thus you are foremost knower of weapons, resolute and virtuous—
किमर्थमस्त्रं रक्षःसु न योजयसि राघव ।
kimarthamastraṃ rakṣaḥsu na yojayasi rāghava |
'Why then, Raghava, do you not use a weapon against the rakshasas?
न दानवा न गन्धर्वा नासुरा न मरुद्गणाः ॥
na dānavā na gandharvā nāsurā na marudgaṇāḥ ||
Neither danavas nor gandharvas, neither asuras nor hosts of Maruts—
तव राम रणे शक्तास्तथा प्रतिसमासितुम् ।
tava rāma raṇe śaktāstathā pratisamāsitum |
can stand against you in battle, Rama.
तव वीर्यवतः कश्चिन्मयि यद्यस्ति सम्भ्रमः ॥
tava vīryavataḥ kaścinmayi yadyasti sambhramaḥ ||
Mighty hero, if you feel any concern for me—
क्षिप्रं सुनिशितैर्बाणैर्हन्यतां युधि रावणः ।
kṣipraṃ suniśitairbāṇairhanyatāṃ yudhi rāvaṇaḥ |
let Ravana quickly be killed in battle by sharp arrows.
भ्रातुरादेशमाज्ञाय लक्ष्मणो वा परंतपः ॥
bhrāturādeśamājñāya lakṣmaṇo vā paraṃtapaḥ ||
Or let Lakshmana, the enemy-subduer, receive his brother's command—
स किमर्थं नरवरो न मां रक्षति राघवः ।
sa kimarthaṃ naravaro na māṃ rakṣati rāghavaḥ |
why does that excellent Raghava not protect me?
शक्तौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ वाय्वग्निसमतेजसौ ॥
śaktau tau puruṣavyāghrau vāyvagnisamatejasau ||
Those two lions among men are powerful, radiant as wind and fire—
सुराणामपि दुर्धर्षौ किमर्थं मामुपेक्षतः ।
surāṇāmapi durdharṣau kimarthaṃ māmupekṣataḥ |
difficult even for the gods to assail; why do they overlook me?
ममैव दुष्कृतं किंचिन्महदस्ति न संशयः ॥
mamaiva duṣkṛtaṃ kiṃcinmahadasti na saṃśayaḥ ||
Surely some great misdeed of my own must exist—
समर्थौ सहितौ यन्मां न रक्षेते परंतपौ ।
samarthau sahitau yanmāṃ na rakṣete paraṃtapau |
since those two capable enemy-subduers together do not rescue me.'
वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा करुणं साधुभाषितम् ॥
vaidehyā vacanaṃ śrutvā karuṇaṃ sādhubhāṣitam ||
Hearing Vaidehi's sorrowful yet gentle words—
पुनरप्यहमार्यां तामिदं वचनमब्रुवम् ।
punarapyahamāryāṃ tāmidaṃ vacanamabruvam |
I again said to that noble lady,
त्वच्छोकविमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे ॥
tvacchokavimukho rāmo devi satyena te śape ||
'Lady, I swear truthfully: Rama is overwhelmed by grief for you.
रामे दुःखाभिभूते च लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते ।
rāme duḥkhābhibhūte ca lakṣmaṇaḥ paritapyate |
And while Rama is overcome by sorrow, Lakshmana also suffers.
कथंचिद् भवती दृष्टा न कालः परिशोचितुम् ॥
kathaṃcid bhavatī dṛṣṭā na kālaḥ pariśocitum ||
At last you have been found; this is no time to remain in despair.
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते दुःखानामन्तं द्रक्ष्यसि भामिनि ।
asmin muhūrte duḥkhānāmantaṃ drakṣyasi bhāmini |
Soon, beautiful lady, you will see the end of your sorrows.
तावुभौ नरशार्दूलौ राजपुत्रौ परंतपौ ॥
tāvubhau naraśārdūlau rājaputrau paraṃtapau ||
Those two princely lions among men, subduers of enemies—
त्वद्दर्शनकृतोत्साहौ लङ्कां भस्मीकरिष्यतः ।
tvaddarśanakṛtotsāhau laṅkāṃ bhasmīkariṣyataḥ |
eager to see you, will reduce Lanka to ashes.
हत्वा च समरे रौद्रं रावणं सहबान्धवम् ॥
hatvā ca samare raudraṃ rāvaṇaṃ sahabāndhavam ||
Having killed fierce Ravana in battle together with his kinsmen—
राघवस्त्वां वरारोहे स्वपुरीं नयिता ध्रुवम् ।
rāghavastvāṃ varārohe svapurīṃ nayitā dhruvam |
Raghava will certainly take you to his own city, graceful lady.
यत् तु रामो विजानीयादभिज्ञानमनिन्दिते ॥
yat tu rāmo vijānīyādabhijñānamanindite ||
Blameless one, you should give a sign that Rama will recognize—
प्रीतिसंजननं तस्य प्रदातुं तत् त्वमर्हसि ।
prītisaṃjananaṃ tasya pradātuṃ tat tvamarhasi |
something that will bring him joy.'
साभिवीक्ष्य दिशः सर्वा वेण्युद्ग्रथनमुत्तमम् ॥
sābhivīkṣya diśaḥ sarvā veṇyudgrathanamuttamam ||
Looking in every direction, she took the excellent ornament of her braid—
मुक्त्वा वस्त्राद् ददौ मह्यं मणिमेतं महाबल ।
muktvā vastrād dadau mahyaṃ maṇimetaṃ mahābala |
unwrapped it from her garment and gave me this jewel, mighty one.
प्रतिगृह्य मणिं दोर्भ्यां तव हेतो रघुप्रिय ॥
pratigṛhya maṇiṃ dorbhyāṃ tava heto raghupriya ||
For your sake, beloved of Raghu's house, I received it with both hands—
शिरसा सम्प्रणम्यैनामहमागमने त्वरे ।
śirasā sampraṇamyaināmahamāgamane tvare |
bowed my head to her, and hastened to return.
गमने च कृतोत्साहमवेक्ष्य वरवर्णिनी ॥
gamane ca kṛtotsāhamavekṣya varavarṇinī ||
Seeing me eager to depart, that beautiful lady—
विवर्धमानं च हि मामुवाच जनकात्मजा ।
vivardhamānaṃ ca hi māmuvāca janakātmajā |
Janaka's daughter spoke as I increased my size,
अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना बाष्पगद्गदभाषिणी ॥
aśrupūrṇamukhī dīnā bāṣpagadgadabhāṣiṇī ||
her face wet with tears and her words choked with weeping.
ममोत्पतनसम्भ्रान्ता शोकवेगसमाहता ।
mamotpatanasambhrāntā śokavegasamāhatā |
Disturbed at my imminent leap and struck by a surge of sorrow,
मामुवाच ततः सीता सभाग्योऽसि महाकपे ॥
māmuvāca tataḥ sītā sabhāgyo’si mahākape ||
Sita said, 'Great vanara, you are fortunate—
यद् द्रक्ष्यसि महाबाहुं रामं कमललोचनम् ।
yad drakṣyasi mahābāhuṃ rāmaṃ kamalalocanam |
for you will see strong-armed, lotus-eyed Rama,
लक्ष्मणं च महाबाहुं देवरं मे यशस्विनम् ॥
lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābāhuṃ devaraṃ me yaśasvinam ||
and mighty, illustrious Lakshmana, my husband's brother.'
सीतयाप्येवमुक्तोऽहमब्रुवं मैथिलीं तथा ।
sītayāpyevamukto’hamabruvaṃ maithilīṃ tathā |
Addressed in this way by Sita, I told Maithili,
पृष्ठमारोह मे देवि क्षिप्रं जनकनन्दनि ॥
pṛṣṭhamāroha me devi kṣipraṃ janakanandani ||
'Lady, daughter of Janaka, climb upon my back at once—
यावत्ते दर्शयाम्यद्य ससुग्रीवं सलक्ष्मणम् ।
yāvatte darśayāmyadya sasugrīvaṃ salakṣmaṇam |
so that today I may show you your husband Raghava,
राघवं च महाभागे भर्तारमसितेक्षणे ॥
rāghavaṃ ca mahābhāge bhartāramasitekṣaṇe ||
together with Sugriva and Lakshmana, fortunate dark-eyed lady.'
साब्रवीन्मां ततो देवी नैष धर्मो महाकपे ।
sābravīnmāṃ tato devī naiṣa dharmo mahākape |
Then the lady told me, 'Great vanara, this is not fitting for me:
यत्ते पृष्ठं सिषेवेऽहं स्ववशा हरिपुङ्गव ॥
yatte pṛṣṭhaṃ siṣeve’haṃ svavaśā haripuṅgava ||
I should not willingly place myself upon your back, foremost vanara.
पुरा च यदहं वीर स्पृष्टा गात्रेषु रक्षसा ।
purā ca yadahaṃ vīra spṛṣṭā gātreṣu rakṣasā |
Earlier, hero, when the rakshasa touched my body,
तत्राहं किं करिष्यामि कालेनोपनिपीडिता ॥
tatrāhaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmi kālenopanipīḍitā ||
what could I do, oppressed by circumstance?
गच्छ त्वं कपिशार्दूल यत्र तौ नृपतेः सुतौ ।
gaccha tvaṃ kapiśārdūla yatra tau nṛpateḥ sutau |
Go, foremost vanara, to where the two princes are.'
इत्येवं सा समाभाष्य भूयः संदेष्टुमास्थिता ॥
ityevaṃ sā samābhāṣya bhūyaḥ saṃdeṣṭumāsthitā ||
Having said this, she began once more to give her message.
हनूमन् सिंहसंकाशौ तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ।
hanūman siṃhasaṃkāśau tāvubhau rāmalakṣmaṇau |
Hanuman, convey my greetings to those lion-like brothers Rama and Lakshmana,
सुग्रीवं च सहामात्यं सर्वान् ब्रूया अनामयम् ॥
sugrīvaṃ ca sahāmātyaṃ sarvān brūyā anāmayam ||
to Sugriva with his ministers, and to them all.
यथा च स महाबाहुर्मां तारयति राघवः ।
yathā ca sa mahābāhurmāṃ tārayati rāghavaḥ |
Explain how strong-armed Raghava may rescue me
अस्माद्दुःखाम्बुसंरोधात् तत् त्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि ॥
asmādduḥkhāmbusaṃrodhāt tat tvamākhyātumarhasi ||
from this enclosing ocean of sorrow.
इदं च तीव्रं मम शोकवेगं
idaṃ ca tīvraṃ mama śokavegaṃ
And this fierce surge of grief within me,
रक्षोभिरेभिः परिभर्त्सनं च ।
rakṣobhirebhiḥ paribhartsanaṃ ca |
and the threats of these rakshasas—
ब्रूयास्तु रामस्य गतः समीपं
brūyāstu rāmasya gataḥ samīpaṃ
tell Rama of them when you reach his presence.
शिवश्च तेऽध्वास्तु हरिप्रवीर ॥
śivaśca te’dhvāstu haripravīra ||
May your journey be auspicious, foremost vanara.
एतत् तवार्या नृप संयता सा
etat tavāryā nṛpa saṃyatā sā
King, your noble, self-controlled Sita
सीता वचः प्राह विषादपूर्वम् ।
sītā vacaḥ prāha viṣādapūrvam |
spoke these words in sadness.
एतच्च बुद्ध्वा गदितं यथा त्वं
etacca buddhvā gaditaṃ yathā tvaṃ
Knowing her message as I have related it,
श्रद्धत्स्व सीतां कुशलां समग्राम् ॥
śraddhatsva sītāṃ kuśalāṃ samagrām ||
be assured that Sita is alive, safe and whole.'
CHAPTER 67 COMPLETE
Rama has heard Sita’s words and the identifying memory in full. Hanuman confirms that she remains alive and unharmed.
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kanda, chapter 67. This reading follows Sanskrit Wikisource revision 355622, with all 44 numbered verses. Verse divisions and wording vary between editions.
The Sanskrit is preserved with normalized display spacing and line breaks. Some sentences continue across verse boundaries; the English follows that continuity. A yojana is a traditional distance unit, retained without assigning a modern measurement. Shape-changing and celestial beings belong to the epic’s sacred narrative.
English line senses and short meanings are original AI-assisted DHIH renderings checked against this Sanskrit reading; they are not a word-for-word grammatical commentary or a claim of human scholarly certification. Roman transliteration is generated mechanically in IAST. Names may also appear in familiar English spellings.
Sanskrit transcription credit: Wikisource contributors, revision history. The adapted reading text and DHIH English on this chapter page are offered under CC BY-SA 4.0. The ancient Sanskrit work is in the public domain. Illustrations are separately commissioned AI-generated DHIH artwork.
Historical comparison: M. N. Dutt’s Ramayana, volume II, a public-domain translation, was consulted for narrative context. The English displayed here is a fresh rendering of the pinned Sanskrit, not a reproduction of that translation.
The crow episode includes injury and punishment; the later dialogue includes captivity and distress. Sita’s explanation of her choices reflects the character’s understanding within the epic’s setting. Audio will be added only when suitable recording permissions are available.