The promise of reunion

अथाहमुत्तरं देव्या पुनरुक्तः ससम्भ्रमम् ।

athāhamuttaraṃ devyā punaruktaḥ sasambhramam |

'Then the lady addressed me again with urgency,

तव स्नेहान्नरव्याघ्र सौहार्दादनुमान्य च ॥

tava snehānnaravyāghra sauhārdādanumānya ca ||

respectfully, out of affection and love for you, lion among men.

एवं बहुविधं वाच्यो रामो दाशरथिस्त्वया ।

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ vācyo rāmo dāśarathistvayā |

"You must speak to Rama, Dasharatha's son, in many such ways,

यथा मां प्राप्नुयाच्छीघ्रं हत्वा रावणमाहवे ॥

yathā māṃ prāpnuyācchīghraṃ hatvā rāvaṇamāhave ||

so that he quickly reaches me after killing Ravana in battle.

यदि वा मन्यसे वीर वसैकाहमरिंदम ।

yadi vā manyase vīra vasaikāhamariṃdama |

Or, hero and enemy-subduer, if you think it right, remain here for one day

कस्मिंश्चित् संवृते देशे विश्रान्तः श्वो गमिष्यसि ॥

kasmiṃścit saṃvṛte deśe viśrāntaḥ śvo gamiṣyasi ||

in a secluded place; after resting, you may leave tomorrow.

मम चाप्यल्पभाग्यायाः सांनिध्यात् तव वानर ।

mama cāpyalpabhāgyāyāḥ sāṃnidhyāt tava vānara |

Through your company, vanara, even unfortunate I

अस्य शोकविपाकस्य मुहूर्तं स्याद् विमोक्षणम् ॥

asya śokavipākasya muhūrtaṃ syād vimokṣaṇam ||

might find a brief release from this ripened burden of grief.

गते हि त्वयि विक्रान्ते पुनरागमनाय वै ।

gate hi tvayi vikrānte punarāgamanāya vai |

When you have departed, brave one, until you return,

प्राणानामपि संदेहो मम स्यान्नात्र संशयः ॥

prāṇānāmapi saṃdeho mama syānnātra saṃśayaḥ ||

even my hold upon life will be uncertain; of this there is no doubt.

तवादर्शनजः शोको भूयो मां परितापयेत् ।

tavādarśanajaḥ śoko bhūyo māṃ paritāpayet |

Grief at not seeing you will trouble me further,

दुखाद् दुःखपराभूतां दुर्गतां दुःखभागिनीम् ॥

dukhād duḥkhaparābhūtāṃ durgatāṃ duḥkhabhāginīm ||

already overcome by sorrow upon sorrow and trapped in misfortune.

अयं च वीर संदेहस्तिष्ठतीव ममाग्रतः ।

ayaṃ ca vīra saṃdehastiṣṭhatīva mamāgrataḥ |

Hero and vanara lord, a very great doubt stands before me

सुमहांस्त्वत्सहायेषु हर्यृक्षेषु हरीश्वर ॥

sumahāṃstvatsahāyeṣu haryṛkṣeṣu harīśvara ||

concerning your companions, the vanaras and bears.

कथं नु खलु दुष्पारं तरिष्यन्ति महोदधिम् ।

kathaṃ nu khalu duṣpāraṃ tariṣyanti mahodadhim |

How will those armies of vanaras and bears,

तानि हर्यृक्षसैन्यानि तौ वा नरवरात्मजौ ॥

tāni haryṛkṣasainyāni tau vā naravarātmajau ||

or the two noble princes, cross this difficult great ocean?

त्रयाणामेव भूतानां सागरस्यास्य लङ्घने ।

trayāṇāmeva bhūtānāṃ sāgarasyāsya laṅghane |

Only three beings seem capable of crossing this ocean:

शक्तिः स्याद् वैनतेयस्य वायोर्वा तव चानघ ॥

śaktiḥ syād vainateyasya vāyorvā tava cānagha ||

Garuda, the Wind and you, blameless one.

तदस्मिन् कार्यनिर्योगे वीरैवं दुरतिक्रमे ।

tadasmin kāryaniryoge vīraivaṃ duratikrame |

Hero, when the undertaking presents such an impassable difficulty,

किं पश्यसि समाधानं ब्रूहि कार्यविदां वर ॥

kiṃ paśyasi samādhānaṃ brūhi kāryavidāṃ vara ||

what solution do you see? Tell me, foremost expert in action.

काममस्य त्वमेवैकः कार्यस्य परिसाधने ।

kāmamasya tvamevaikaḥ kāryasya parisādhane |

You alone are certainly sufficient to accomplish this task,

पर्याप्तः परवीरघ्न यशस्यस्ते बलोदयः ॥

paryāptaḥ paravīraghna yaśasyaste balodayaḥ ||

destroyer of enemy heroes, and your display of strength would win honour.

बलैः समग्रैर्यदि मां हत्वा रावणमाहवे ।

balaiḥ samagrairyadi māṃ hatvā rāvaṇamāhave |

But if victorious Rama came with his full forces, killed Ravana in battle

विजयी स्वपुरीं रामो नयेत् तत् स्याद् यशस्करम् ॥

vijayī svapurīṃ rāmo nayet tat syād yaśaskaram ||

and took me to his own city, that would bring lasting glory.

यथाहं तस्य वीरस्य वनादुपधिना हृता ।

yathāhaṃ tasya vīrasya vanādupadhinā hṛtā |

As the rakshasa stole me from the forest by deception

रक्षसा तद्भयादेव तथा नार्हति राघवः ॥

rakṣasā tadbhayādeva tathā nārhati rāghavaḥ ||

because he feared that hero, Raghava should not act in the same way.

बलैस्तु संकुलां कृत्वा लङ्कां परबलार्दनः ।

balaistu saṃkulāṃ kṛtvā laṅkāṃ parabalārdanaḥ |

If Kakutstha overwhelmed Lanka with his forces, defeated the enemy

मां नयेद् यदि काकुत्स्थस्तत् तस्य सदृशं भवेत् ॥

māṃ nayed yadi kākutsthastat tasya sadṛśaṃ bhavet ||

and took me away, that would be worthy of him.

तद् यथा तस्य विक्रान्तमनुरूपं महात्मनः ।

tad yathā tasya vikrāntamanurūpaṃ mahātmanaḥ |

Arrange matters so that the achievement fits

भवत्याहवशूरस्य तथा त्वमुपपादय ॥

bhavatyāhavaśūrasya tathā tvamupapādaya ||

that noble warrior's prowess and courage in battle."

तदर्थोपहितं वाक्यं प्रश्रितं हेतुसंहितम् ।

tadarthopahitaṃ vākyaṃ praśritaṃ hetusaṃhitam |

Hearing those purposeful, modest and well-reasoned words,

निशम्याहं ततः शेषं वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवम् ॥

niśamyāhaṃ tataḥ śeṣaṃ vākyamuttaramabravam ||

I answered with these further words.

देवि हर्यृक्षसैन्यानामीश्वरः प्लवतां वरः ।

devi haryṛkṣasainyānāmīśvaraḥ plavatāṃ varaḥ |

"Lady, Sugriva, foremost leaper and lord of the vanara and bear armies,

सुग्रीवः सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्त्वदर्थे कृतनिश्चयः ॥

sugrīvaḥ sattvasampannastvadarthe kṛtaniścayaḥ ||

is resolute and has firmly committed himself to your cause.

तस्य विक्रमसम्पन्नाः सत्त्ववन्तो महाबलाः ।

tasya vikramasampannāḥ sattvavanto mahābalāḥ |

Valiant, steadfast and immensely strong vanaras,

मनःसंकल्पसदृशा निदेशे हरयः स्थिताः ॥

manaḥsaṃkalpasadṛśā nideśe harayaḥ sthitāḥ ||

swift as the mind's resolve, stand ready at his command.

येषां नोपरि नाधस्तान्न तिर्यक् सज्जते गतिः ।

yeṣāṃ nopari nādhastānna tiryak sajjate gatiḥ |

Their movement is obstructed neither above, below nor across;

न च कर्मसु सीदन्ति महत्स्वमिततेजसः ॥

na ca karmasu sīdanti mahatsvamitatejasaḥ ||

these boundlessly radiant ones do not falter in mighty undertakings.

असकृत् तैर्महाभागैर्वानरैर्बलसंयुतैः ।

asakṛt tairmahābhāgairvānarairbalasaṃyutaiḥ |

Those noble and powerful vanaras

प्रदक्षिणीकृता भूमिर्वायुमार्गानुसारिभिः ॥

pradakṣiṇīkṛtā bhūmirvāyumārgānusāribhiḥ ||

have repeatedly circled the earth along the pathways of the wind.

मद्विशिष्टाश्च तुल्याश्च सन्ति तत्र वनौकसः ।

madviśiṣṭāśca tulyāśca santi tatra vanaukasaḥ |

Among them are forest-dwellers greater than me and equal to me;

मत्तः प्रत्यवरः कश्चिन्नास्ति सुग्रीवसंनिधौ ॥

mattaḥ pratyavaraḥ kaścinnāsti sugrīvasaṃnidhau ||

in Sugriva's company there is no one inferior to me.

अहं तावदिह प्राप्तः किं पुनस्ते महाबलाः ।

ahaṃ tāvadiha prāptaḥ kiṃ punaste mahābalāḥ |

If I have reached this place, how much more can those mighty ones?

नहि प्रकृष्टाः प्रेष्यन्ते प्रेष्यन्ते हीतरे जनाः ॥

nahi prakṛṣṭāḥ preṣyante preṣyante hītare janāḥ ||

The very greatest are not sent as messengers; others are sent.

तदलं परितापेन देवि मन्युरपैतु ते ।

tadalaṃ paritāpena devi manyurapaitu te |

Enough of anguish, lady; let your grief depart.

एकोत्पातेन ते लङ्कामेष्यन्ति हरियूथपाः ॥

ekotpātena te laṅkāmeṣyanti hariyūthapāḥ ||

Those vanara leaders will reach Lanka in a single leap.

मम पृष्ठगतौ तौ च चन्द्रसूर्याविवोदितौ ।

mama pṛṣṭhagatau tau ca candrasūryāvivoditau |

With both brothers upon my back, like the rising Moon and Sun,

त्वत्सकाशं महाभागे नृसिंहावागमिष्यतः ॥

tvatsakāśaṃ mahābhāge nṛsiṃhāvāgamiṣyataḥ ||

those two lions among men will come to you, fortunate lady.

अरिघ्नं सिंहसंकाशं क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम् ।

arighnaṃ siṃhasaṃkāśaṃ kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi rāghavam |

Soon you will see lionlike Raghava, destroyer of enemies,

लक्ष्मणं च धनुष्मन्तं लङ्काद्वारमुपागतम् ॥

lakṣmaṇaṃ ca dhanuṣmantaṃ laṅkādvāramupāgatam ||

and bow-bearing Lakshmana approaching Lanka's gateway.

नखदंष्ट्रायुधान् वीरान् सिंहशार्दूलविक्रमान् ।

nakhadaṃṣṭrāyudhān vīrān siṃhaśārdūlavikramān |

Heroes armed with claws and teeth, as valiant as lions and tigers—

वानरान् वारणेन्द्राभान् क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि संगतान् ॥

vānarān vāraṇendrābhān kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi saṃgatān ||

soon you will see those vanaras assembled, mighty as great elephants.

शैलाम्बुदनिकाशानां लङ्कामलयसानुषु ।

śailāmbudanikāśānāṃ laṅkāmalayasānuṣu |

Before long you will hear the roars of foremost vanaras,

नर्दतां कपिमुख्यानां नचिराच्छ्रोष्यसे स्वनम् ॥

nardatāṃ kapimukhyānāṃ nacirācchroṣyase svanam ||

like mountains and clouds, upon Lanka's Malaya slopes.

निवृत्तवनवासं च त्वया सार्धमरिंदमम् ।

nivṛttavanavāsaṃ ca tvayā sārdhamariṃdamam |

With his forest exile ended and together with you, that conqueror of enemies—

अभिषिक्तमयोध्यायां क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम् ॥

abhiṣiktamayodhyāyāṃ kṣipraṃ drakṣyasi rāghavam ||

Raghava—you will soon see crowned in Ayodhya.

ततो मया वाग्भिरदीनभाषिणी

tato mayā vāgbhiradīnabhāṣiṇī

Then with auspicious and welcome words

शिवाभिरिष्टाभिरभिप्रसादिता ।

śivābhiriṣṭābhirabhiprasāditā |

I comforted that lady whose speech remained courageous.

उवाह शान्तिं मम मैथिलात्मजा

uvāha śāntiṃ mama maithilātmajā

Janaka's daughter found peace through my words,

तवातिशोकेन तथातिपीडिता ॥

tavātiśokena tathātipīḍitā ||

though still deeply afflicted by sorrow for you.'