Sundara Kanda: Chapter 65

ततः प्रस्रवणं शैलं ते गत्वा चित्रकाननम्। प्रणम्य शिरसा राम लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥ युवराजं पुरस्कृत्य सुग्रीवमभिवाद्य च। प्रवृत्तिमथ सीतायाः प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमुः॥
Thereupon getting at the Mount Prasravana surrounded by a variegated forest, lowering their heads to the mighty Rāma and Lakşmaņa, placing before them their prince (Angada) and bowing to Sugrīva, the monkeys began to relate the story of Sītā.

रावणान्तःपुरे रोधं राक्षसीभिश्च तर्जनम्। रामे समनुरागं च यथा च नियमः कृतः।।३। एतदाख्याय ते सर्वं हरयो रामसंनिधौ। वैदेहीमक्षतां श्रुत्वा रामस्तूत्तरमब्रवीत्॥
And they described to Ráma, the confinement of Sītā in Rāvana's seraglio, the remonstrances of the she-demons, her unflinching attachment in her lord and the time appointed (by the Rākṣasa for her destruction). And hearing of Vaidehi's well-being Rāma said.

क्व सीता वर्तते देवी कथं च मयि वर्तते। एतन्मे सर्वमाख्यात वैदेहीं प्रति वानराः॥
O monkeys where live the worshipful Sītā? And how is her attachment to me? Do you relate everything to me.

रामस्य गदितं श्रुत्वा हरयो रामसंनिधौ। चोदयन्ति हनूमन्तं सीतावृत्तान्तकोविदम्॥
Hearing those painful words of Răma, the monkeys desired Hanumān, conversant with the whereabouts of Sītā, to describe every thing to him.

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। प्रणम्य शिरसा देव्यै सीतायै तां दिशं प्रति॥
Hearing their words, Hanuman, the Windgod's son, versed in the art of speech, lowering his head in Sītā's name and towards the southern direction (where she lives) began to relate how he succeeded in beholding Sītā.

उवाच वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञः सीताया दर्शनं यथा। तं मणिं काञ्चनं दिव्यं दीप्यमानं स्वेतजसा ॥ दत्त्वा रामाय हनुमांस्ततः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्। समुद्रं लवयित्वाहं शतयोजनमायतम्॥ अगच्छं जानकी सीतां मार्गमाणो दिक्षया। तत्र लङ्केति नगरी रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥ दक्षिणस्य समुस्य तीरे वसति दक्षिणे।
Conferring on (Rāma) the heavenly jewel set on a golden leaf and burning with its own effulgence, Hanumān, with folded hands, began-Anxious to behold Sītā, the daughter of the king Janaka, I ploughing over the main extending over a hundred Yojana, wended my way and by and by reached Lankā, the capital of the vicious-souled Rāvaņa. Lankā is situated on the southern bank of the southern ocean,

तत्र सीता मया दृष्टा रावणान्तः पुरे सती॥ त्वयि संन्यस्य जीवन्ती रामा राम मनोरथम्। दृष्टा मे राक्षसीमध्ये तय॑माना मुहुर्मुहुः॥ राक्षसीभिर्विरूपाभी रक्षिता प्रमदावने।
And I saw there Sītā, in the inner appartment of Ravana. Centring all her thoughts in you, breathes that damsel, O Rama. I saw her reviled by the she demons again and again. She is being guarded in that garden by the grim-visaged Raksasis.

दुःखमापद्यते देवी त्वया वीर सुखोचिता ॥ रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता। एकवेणीधरा दीना त्वयि चिन्तापरायणा ॥
And that worshipful came, O hero, ever used to happiness, is now stricken with grief in your absence. Confined in Ravana's inner apartment, well protected by those she-demons, wearing a single braid of hair and poorly, she is engaged only in thoughts touching you.

अधःशय्या विवर्णाङ्गी पद्मिनीव हिमागमे। रावणाद् विनिवृत्तार्था मर्तव्यकृतनिश्चया॥
She in lying on earth, shorn of all grace like to a lotus on the appearance of the winter. She has not the least attachment for Rāvana and is resolved upon putting an end to her existence.

देवी कथंचित् काकुत्स्थ त्वन्मना मार्गिता मया। इक्ष्वाकुवंशविख्यातिं शनैः कीर्तयतानघ ॥ सा मया नरशार्दूल शनैर्विश्वासिता तदा। ततः सम्भाषिता देवी सर्वमर्थं च दर्शिता॥
O Kākutstha, O innocent prince, after enquiring for sometime, I found that worshipful dame devoted to you, and narrating the glories of the Ikşvāku race, O foremost of men, I created her confidence by and by, and addressing her I related everything.

रामसुग्रीवसख्यं च श्रुत्वा हर्षमुपागता। नियतः समुदाचारो भक्तिश्चास्याः सदा त्वयि॥
Hearing of the friendship between you and Sugrīva she was greatly delighted. And she has her respect for you unshaken and all her actions are for you.

एवं मया महाभाग दृष्टा जनकनन्दिनी। उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता त्वद्भक्त्या पुरुषर्षभ॥
O great man, O you best of men, I beheld the daughter of Janaka in this plight, engaged in hard austerities and ever devoted to you.

अभिज्ञानं च मे दत्तं यथावृतं तवान्तिके। चित्रकूटे महाप्राज्ञ वायसं प्रति राघव ॥
O you of great intelligence, O Raghava, offering me (this jewel) as a token, she wanted me to relate to you, the occurrence at the mount Citrakūța regarding the crow.

विज्ञाप्यः पुनरप्येष रामो वायुसुत त्वया। अखिलेन यथा दृष्टमिति मामाह जानकी॥ अयं चास्मै प्रदातव्यो यत्नात् सुपरिरक्षितः।
And Jānakī addressing me said'O Windgod's son, do you describe everything of what you have seen here, to Rāma. And relating everything before Sugrīva, do you present him with this jewel which has been preserved by me with great care.

ब्रुवता वचनान्येवं सुग्रीवस्योपशृण्वतः॥ एष चूडामणिः श्रीमान् मया ते यत्नरक्षितः। मनःशिलायास्तिलकं तत् स्मरस्वेति चाब्रवीत्॥ एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारिसम्भवः। एनं दृष्ट्वा प्रमोदिष्ये व्यसने त्वामिवानघ ॥
I have kept with great care this excellent jewel of great effulgence. Do you remind him of the mark which he made on my forehead with red arsenic. O innocent monkey, greatly delighted am I on beholding the brilliant jewel which he has sent through you.

जीवितं धारयिष्यामि मासं दशरथात्मज। ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न जीवेयं रक्षसां वशमागता॥
Breathe shall I only for a month, beyond that I shall never live, subject as I am to the demons.'

इति मामब्रवीत् सीता कृशाङ्गी धर्मचारिणी। रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा मृगीवोत्फुल्ललोचना॥
Thus was I accosted by Sītā, reduced to a skeleton, observing pious observances, shut up in Rāvana's inner apartment and having eyes like those of a hind.

एतदेव मयाऽऽख्यातं सर्वं राघव यद् यथा। सर्वथा सागरजले संतारः प्रविधीयताम्॥
I have described to you everything, O Rāghava, do you make arrangements for bridging over the ocean.

तौ जाताश्वासौ राजपुत्रौ विदित्वा तच्चाभिज्ञानं राघवाय प्रदाय। देव्या चाख्यातं सर्वमेवानुपूर्व्याद् वाचा सम्पूर्णं वायुपुत्रः शशंस॥
And considering those two princes greatly consoled, the Wind-god's son handed over that token to Rāghava and described everything from the beginning to the end.