Sundara Kanda: Chapter 40

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य वायुसूनोर्महात्मनः। उवाचात्महितं वाक्यं सीता सुरसुतोपमा॥
Hearing the speech of the high-souled offspring of the Wind-god, Sītā resembling a daughter of the celestials, said in words fraught with her welfare.

त्वां दृष्ट्वा प्रियवक्तारं सम्प्रहृष्यामि वानर। अर्धसंजातसस्येव वृष्टिं प्राप्य वसुंधरा ॥
Even as the Earth with corn half-way towards harvest is gladdened on receipt of showers, have I, O monkey, been gladdened on seeing you that speakest sweetly.

यथा तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं गात्रैः शोकाभिकर्शितैः। संस्पृशेयं सकामाहं तथा कुरु दयां मयि ॥
Do you so dispense your kindness to me that, with my desire attained, I may touch that tigerlike one with my body reduced by grief.

अभिज्ञानं च रामस्य दद्या हरिगुणोत्तम। क्षिप्तामिषीकां काकस्य कोपादेकाक्षिशातनीम्॥
O foremost of monkeys, present this sign to Rāma, and tell him also for a sign that he had in ire hurled the dart which destroyed a single eye of the crow.

मनः शिलायास्तिलको गण्डपार्श्वे निवेशितः। त्वया प्रणष्टे तिलके तं किल स्मर्तुमर्हसि ॥
And tell him also, (Sītă wishes Hanuman to use her own language to Rama) 'On my (first) tilaka having been wiped out, you didst paint beside my cheek another cheek another made of red arsenic—this you You remember.

स वीर्यवान् कथं सीतां हृतां समनुमन्यसे। वसन्ती रक्षसां मध्ये महेन्द्रवरुणोपम॥
Why, O you endowed with prowess, resembling Indra the Great or Varuņa, do you disregard the ravished Sītā, sitting in the midst of Raksasa?

एष चूडामणिर्दिव्यो मया सुपरिरक्षितः। एतं दृष्ट्वा प्रहृष्यामि व्यसने त्वामिवानघ॥
This jewel for the head I had preserved with care. In my misfortune, O sinless one, I used to inspire cheerfulness by a sight a sight of this, resembling yourself.

एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारिसम्भवः। अतः परं न शक्ष्यामि जीवितुं शोकलालसा ॥
This graceful water-sprung (gem) I part from. Hereafter, overwhelmed with grief, I shall not be able to live.

असह्यानि च दुःखानि वाचश्च हृदयच्छिदः। राक्षसैः सह संवासं त्वत्कृते मर्षयाम्यहम्॥
For you only do I bear insufferable miseries, heart-cleaving speech, and companionship with Raksasas.

धारयिष्यामि मासं तु जीवितं शत्रुसूदन । मासादूर्ध्वं न जीविष्ये त्वया हीना नृपात्मज॥
O destroyer of enemies, for a month longer will I maintain being. Beyond that, О king's son, bereft of you, I will not live.

घोरो राक्षसराजोऽयं दृष्टिश्च न सुखा मयि। त्वां च श्रुत्वा विषज्जन्तं न जीवेयमपि क्षणम्॥
This Raksasa king is dreadful. (This being so), if I hear you tarrying, I would not live for a moment.

वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा करुणं साश्रुभाषितम्। अथाब्रवीन्महातेजा हनूमान्मारुतात्मजः॥
Hearing Vaidehi's speech pathetic and uttered with tears, the highly energetic Hanumān, son to the Wind-god, said.

त्वच्छोकविमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे। रामे शोकाभिभूते तु लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते॥
My revered one, I swear to you by truth itself that Rāma neglect every business because of grief for you. And Rāma being over-whelmed with woe, Laksmana burn in grief.

दृष्टा कथंचिद् भवती न कालः परिदेवितुम्। इमं मूहूर्तं दुःखानामन्तं द्रक्ष्यसि भामिनि॥
Now that I have succeeded in seeing you after no end of ado, this is no time for lamentation. O fair one, this very moment you shall witness the end of your woe.

तावुभौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रावनिन्दितौ। त्वद्दर्शनकृतोत्साही लङ्कां भस्मीकरिष्यतः॥
Those blameless princes-foremost of men, gathering courage from my sight of you shall reduce Lankā to ashes.

हत्वा तु समरे रक्षो रावणं सहबान्धवैः। राघवौ त्वां विशालाक्षि स्वां पुरी प्रति नेष्यतः॥
O you of expansive eyes, slaying in battle Rāvana along with his friends, Raghu's, sons shall take you back to their own palace.

यत्तु रामो विजानीयादभिज्ञानमनिन्दिते। प्रीतिसंजननं भूयस्तस्य त्वं दातुमर्हसि॥
Now, O faultless lady, you ought to give me such a sign as Rāma shall certainly recognise, and as shall more please him by far.

साब्रवीद् दत्तमेवाहो मयाभिज्ञानमुत्तमम्। एतदेव हि रामस्य दृष्ट्वा यत्नेन भूषणम्॥ श्रद्धेयं हनुमन् वाक्यं तव वीर भविष्यति।
“Ah!” (answered Sītā), "I have already furnished you with an excellent sign. This ornament, . Hanuman, when carefully examined by Rāma, O hero, shall render your words credible."

स तं मणिवरं गृह्य श्रीमान् प्लवगसत्तमः॥ प्रणम्य शिरसा देवीं गमनायोपचक्रमे।
Thereupon, taking that best of gems, that graceful foremost of monkeys, bowing down the head to that exalted one, prepared to depart.

तमुत्पातकृतोत्साहमवेक्ष्य हरियूथपम्॥ वर्धमानं महावेगमुवाच जनकात्मजा। अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा॥
Seeing that monkey-leader intent upon leaping up, and surcharged with energy, with his person enlarged, Janaka's daughter, with a tearful countenance, spake in woe-begone guise, her accents choked with the vapour of grief,

हनूमन् सिंहसंकाशौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। सुग्रीवं च सहामात्यं सर्वान् ब्रूया अनामयम्॥
O Hanumān, communicate tidings of my good health to those lion-like brothers, Rāma and Laksmana, to' Sugriva along with his counsellors, and to all (the monkeys).

यथा च स महाबाहुर्ले तारयति राघवः। अस्माद् दुःखाम्बुसंरोधात् त्वं समाधातुमर्हसि ॥
And it behove you so to compass things that the mighty-armed Rāghava may rescue me from this sea of sorrow.

इदं च तीव्र मम शोकवेगं रक्षोभिरेभिः परिभर्त्सनं च। ब्रूयास्तु रामस्य गतः समीपं शिवश्च तेऽध्वास्तु हरिप्रवीर॥
Do you, going to Rāma, make known to him the fierce current of my grief, as well as the railing of these Rākşasas. Good fortune be your portion, you exceedingly heroic monkey!

स राजपुत्र्या प्रतिवेदितार्थः कपिः कृतार्थः परिहृष्टचेताः। तदल्पशेष प्रसमीक्ष्य कार्य दिशं धुंदीची मनसा जगाम॥
Thus furnished with the intentions of the princess, the monkey, having gained his object, and, growing exceedingly exhilarated in his heart, reviewed the small work that yet remained for him, became bent upon proceeding to the north.