Aranya Kanda · Sarga 60 of 76 · 38 verses
Rama Asks the Trees
As he hurries on, Rama’s left eye throbs below; Rama stumbles, and a trembling comes over him. Noticing bad omens again and again, he says, “Is all well with Sita?” Hurrying, longing to see Sita, he goes on; seeing the empty dwelling, his mind is shaken. Whirling as if with speed, tossing his arms, the delight of the Raghus looks all round the site of the hut here and there, and sees the leaf hut without Sita, bereft of beauty, ruined, like a lotus pool in winter. The place seems to weep with its trees, its flowers, beasts and birds faded, without beauty, ruined, abandoned by the forest deities. Seeing the hut empty, the deerskins and kusha scattered, the grass mats thrown about, he laments again and again: “She must have been carried off, or died, or been lost, or eaten. Or the timid one is hiding, or has gone into the forest, or gone to gather flowers or fruit, or gone to the lotus pool, or to the river for water.” Searching with effort, he does not find his beloved in the forest. His eyes red with grief, the glorious one looks like a madman. Running from tree to tree, over mountains and to river after river, Rama wanders, lamenting, sunk in an ocean of the mud of grief:
“Have you seen her, kadamba, my beloved, who loved the kadamba? If you know, tell me of Sita of the lovely face. Bilva, if you have seen her, like glossy young leaves, wearing yellow silk, with breasts like bilva fruit, tell me. Or arjuna, tell me of my beloved, who loved the arjuna: is Janaka’s slender daughter alive or not? This kakubha clearly knows Maithili, whose thighs were like the kakubha; for this lord of the forest shines, rich in creepers, shoots and flowers. And you are the best of trees, sung to by bees; this tilaka surely knows her who loved the tilaka. Ashoka, remover of sorrow, quickly make me, whose mind is struck by sorrow, true to your name by showing me my beloved. Palmyra, if you have seen her, with breasts like ripe palm fruits, tell me of the lovely-hipped one, if you have pity on me. Jambu, if you have seen her, radiant as river gold, tell me without hesitation, if you know my beloved. Ah, karnikara, in flower today you shine greatly; tell me if you have seen my beloved, the good one who loved the karnikara.” Going to mango, nipa and great sala trees, jackfruit, kurava and dhava, pomegranates, bakula, punnaga, sandal and ketaka, and asking them, glorious Rama, wandering in the forest, looks like a madman. “Or, deer, do you know Maithili with the eyes of a fawn? My beloved, with the glance of a doe, may be with the does. Elephant, if you have seen her, whose thighs were like an elephant’s trunk, I think she is known to you; tell me, best of elephants. Tiger, if you have seen my beloved Maithili, her face like the moon, tell me confidently; you have nothing to fear. Why do you run, beloved? Surely I have seen you, lotus-eyed one. Hiding yourself behind the trees, why do you not answer me? Stay, stay, lovely-hipped one; have you no pity for me? You were not so given to joking; why do you ignore me? You are betrayed by your yellow silk, fair one; I have seen you running. Stay, if you have any love. Surely it is not she; or the lovely-laughing one has been harmed. She would surely not ignore me like this when I have fallen into hardship. Clearly the girl has been eaten by flesh-eating rakshasas, my beloved, separated from me, all her limbs divided. Surely that face with its lovely teeth and lips, its fine nose and lovely earrings, like the full moon, has been swallowed and lost its light. That soft, lovely neck of my darling, the colour of campaka, fit for necklaces, has been eaten as she lamented. Surely those two arms, soft as young shoots, tossing, their tips trembling, with their bracelets and armlets, have been eaten. The girl, left by me, was left to be eaten by rakshasas, like one abandoned by a caravan, eaten though she had many kin. Ha Lakshmana, mighty-armed, do you see my beloved anywhere? Ha beloved, where have you gone, good one? Ha Sita!” Lamenting so again and again, running from forest to forest, Rama sometimes whirls about with speed, sometimes staggers with force, sometimes seems like a madman, intent on searching for his beloved; restless, he wanders swiftly through forests, rivers, mountains, mountain springs and woods. Having gone over that wide, great forest, all round, in search of Maithili, his hope not ended, he again makes the greatest effort in searching for his beloved.
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भृशमाव्रजमानस्य तस्याधो वामलोचनम् । प्रास्फुरच्चास्खलद् रामो वेपथुश्चास्य जायते ॥ १ ॥
As he came very fast, his left eye throbbed below, and Rama stumbled, and a trembling arose in him.
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Rama Asks the Trees 1 min read.
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उपालक्ष्य निमित्तानि सोऽशुभानि मुहुर्मुहुः । अपि क्षेमं तु सीताया इति वै व्याजहार ह ॥ २ ॥
Noticing inauspicious omens again and again, he said, “Is all well with Sita?”
त्वरमाणो जगामाथ सीतादर्शनलालसः । शून्यमावसथं दृष्ट्वा बभूवोद्विग्नमानसः ॥ ३ ॥
Then, hurrying, longing to see Sita, he went; and seeing the dwelling empty, he became troubled in mind.
उद्भ्रमन्निव वेगेन विक्षिपन् रघुनन्दनः । तत्र तत्रोटजस्थानमभिवीक्ष्य समन्ततः ॥ ४ ॥
Whirling about as if with speed, tossing his arms, the delight of the Raghus, looking all round at the site of the hut here and there,
ददर्श पर्णशालां च सीतया रहितां तदा । श्रिया विरहितां ध्वस्तां हेमन्ते पद्मिनीमिव ॥ ५ ॥
saw the leaf hut then without Sita, bereft of beauty, ruined, like a lotus pool in winter,
रुदन्तमिव वृक्षैश्च ग्लानपुष्पमृगद्विजम् । श्रिया विहीनं विध्वस्तं संत्यक्तं वनदैवतैः ॥ ६ ॥
as if weeping with its trees, its flowers, beasts and birds withered, bereft of beauty, destroyed, abandoned by the forest deities.
विप्रकीर्णाजिनकुशं विप्रविद्धबृसीकटम् । दृष्ट्वा शून्योटजस्थानं विललाप पुनः पुनः ॥ ७ ॥
Seeing the site of the hut empty, its deerskins and kusha scattered, its grass mats thrown about, he lamented again and again:
हृता मृता वा नष्टा वा भक्षिता वा भविष्यति । निलीनाप्यथवा भीरुरथवा वनमाश्रिता ॥ ८ ॥
“She will have been carried off, or died, or been lost, or eaten. Or the timid one is hidden, or has gone into the forest,
गता विचेतुं पुष्पाणि फलान्यपि च वा पुनः । अथवा पद्मिनीं याता जलार्थं वा नदीं गता ॥ ९ ॥
“or gone to gather flowers or fruits again, or gone to the lotus pool, or gone to the river for water.”
यत्नान्मृगयमाणस्तु नाससाद वने प्रियाम् । शोकरक्तेक्षणः श्रीमानुन्मत्त इव लक्ष्यते ॥ १० ॥
Searching with effort, he did not find his beloved in the forest. His eyes red with grief, the glorious one is seen like a madman.
वृक्षाद् वृक्षं प्रधावन् स गिरींश्चापि नदीनदम् । बभ्राम विलपन् रामः शोकपङ्कार्णवप्लुतः ॥ ११ ॥
Running from tree to tree, to mountains and from river to river, Rama wandered, lamenting, flooded in an ocean of the mire of grief:
अस्ति कच्चित्त्वया दृष्टा सा कदम्बप्रिया प्रिया । कदम्ब यदि जानीषे शंस सीतां शुभाननाम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Have you seen her, kadamba, my beloved who loved the kadamba? Kadamba, if you know, tell me of Sita of lovely face.
स्निग्धपल्लवसंकाशां पीतकौशेयवासिनीम् । शंसस्व यदि सा दृष्टा बिल्व बिल्वोपमस्तनी ॥ १३ ॥
“Like glossy young leaves, wearing yellow silk: tell me, if she has been seen, bilva, she whose breasts are like bilva fruit.
अथवार्जुन शंस त्वं प्रियां तामर्जुनप्रियाम् । जनकस्य सुता तन्वी यदि जीवति वा न वा ॥ १४ ॥
“Or, arjuna, tell me of that beloved who loved the arjuna: is Janaka’s slender daughter alive or not?
ककुभः ककुभोरुं तां व्यक्तं जानाति मैथिलीम् । लतापल्लवपुष्पाढ्यो भाति ह्येष वनस्पतिः ॥ १५ ॥
“The kakubha clearly knows that Maithili whose thighs were like the kakubha; for this lord of the forest shines, rich in creepers, shoots and flowers.
भ्रमरैरुपगीतश्च यथा द्रुमवरो ह्यसि । एष व्यक्तं विजानाति तिलकस्तिलकप्रियाम् ॥ १६ ॥
“And as you are the best of trees, sung to by bees, this tilaka clearly knows her who loved the tilaka.
अशोक शोकापनुद शोकोपहतचेतनम् । त्वन्नामानं कुरु क्षिप्रं प्रियासंदर्शनेन माम् ॥ १७ ॥
“Ashoka, remover of sorrow, quickly make me, my mind struck by sorrow, bearing your name, by the sight of my beloved.
यदि ताल त्वया दृष्टा पक्वतालोपमस्तनी । कथयस्व वरारोहां कारुण्यं यदि ते मयि ॥ १८ ॥
“If she has been seen by you, palmyra, with breasts like ripe palmyra fruits, tell me of the lovely-hipped one, if you have compassion for me.
यदि दृष्टा त्वया जम्बो जाम्बूनदसमप्रभा । प्रियां यदि विजानासि निःशङ्क कथयस्व मे ॥ १९ ॥
“If she has been seen by you, jambu, with radiance like river gold, if you know my beloved, tell me without hesitation.
अहो त्वं कर्णिकाराद्य पुष्पितः शोभसे भृशम् । कर्णिकारप्रियां साध्वीं शंस दृष्टा यदि प्रिया ॥ २० ॥
“Ah, karnikara, in flower today you shine greatly; tell me if you have seen my beloved, the good one who loved the karnikara.”
चूतनीपमहासालान् पनसान् कुरवान् धवान् । दाडिमानपि तान् गत्वा दृष्ट्वा रामो महायशाः ॥ २१ ॥
Going to mango, nipa and great sala trees, jackfruits, kuravas and dhavas, and pomegranates too, glorious Rama, having seen them,
बकुलानथ पुन्नागांश्चन्दनान् केतकांस्तथा । पृच्छन् रामो वने भ्रान्त उन्मत्त इव लक्ष्यते ॥ २२ ॥
bakulas, then punnagas, sandal trees and ketakas, asking, Rama, wandering in the forest, is seen like a madman.
अथवा मृगशावाक्षीं मृग जानासि मैथिलीम् । मृगविप्रेक्षणी कान्ता मृगीभिः सहिता भवेत् ॥ २३ ॥
“Or, deer, do you know Maithili with eyes like a fawn’s? My beloved, with the glance of a deer, may be together with the does.
गज सा गजनासोरुर्यदि दृष्टा त्वया भवेत् । तां मन्ये विदितां तुभ्यमाख्याहि वरवारण ॥ २४ ॥
“Elephant, if she has been seen by you, with thighs like an elephant’s trunk, I think she is known to you; tell me, best of elephants.
शार्दूल यदि सा दृष्टा प्रिया चन्द्रनिभानना । मैथिली मम विस्रब्धः कथयस्व न ते भयम् ॥ २५ ॥
“Tiger, if she has been seen, my beloved with face like the moon, Maithili, tell me confidently; there is no fear for you.
किं धावसि प्रिये नूनं दृष्टासि कमलेक्षणे । वृक्षैराच्छाद्य चात्मानं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे ॥ २६ ॥
“Why do you run, beloved? Surely you have been seen, lotus-eyed one. Having hidden yourself with the trees, why do you not answer me?
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ वरारोहे न तेऽस्ति करुणा मयि । नात्यर्थं हास्यशीलासि किमर्थं मामुपेक्षसे ॥ २७ ॥
“Stay, stay, lovely-hipped one; have you no compassion for me? You were not overmuch given to laughter; why do you ignore me?
पीतकौशेयकेनासि सूचिता वरवर्णिनि । धावन्त्यपि मया दृष्टा तिष्ठ यद्यस्ति सौहृदम् ॥ २८ ॥
“You are betrayed by your yellow silk, fair one; you have been seen by me even as you run. Stay, if there is love.
नैव सा नूनमथवा हिंसिता चारुहासिनी । कृच्छ्रं प्राप्तं न मां नूनं यथोपेक्षितुमर्हति ॥ २९ ॥
“Surely it is not she; or else the lovely-laughing one has been harmed. Surely she would not ignore me so, fallen into hardship.
व्यक्तं सा भक्षिता बाला राक्षसैः पिशिताशनैः । विभज्याङ्गानि सर्वाणि मया विरहिता प्रिया ॥ ३० ॥
“Clearly the girl has been eaten by flesh-eating rakshasas, my beloved, separated from me, all her limbs divided.
नूनं तच्छुभदन्तोष्ठं सुनासं शुभकुण्डलम् । पूर्णचन्द्रनिभं ग्रस्तं मुखं निष्प्रभतां गतम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Surely that face with lovely teeth and lips, fine nose and lovely earrings, like the full moon, swallowed, has gone lightless.
सा हि चम्पकवर्णाभा ग्रीवा ग्रैवेयकोचिता । कोमला विलपन्त्यास्तु कान्ताया भक्षिता शुभा ॥ ३२ ॥
“For that neck of my darling, with the colour of campaka, fit for necklaces, soft, lovely, as she lamented, has been eaten.
नूनं विक्षिप्यमाणौ तौ बाहू पल्लवकोमलौ । भक्षितौ वेपमानाग्रौ सहस्ताभरणाङ्गदौ ॥ ३३ ॥
“Surely those two arms, soft as young shoots, being tossed about, their tips trembling, with hand-ornaments and armlets, have been eaten.
मया विरहिता बाला रक्षसां भक्षणाय वै । सार्थेनेव परित्यक्ता भक्षिता बहुबान्धवा ॥ ३४ ॥
“The girl, left by me to be eaten by rakshasas, like one abandoned by a caravan, has been eaten though having many kin.
हा लक्ष्मण महाबाहो पश्यसे त्वं प्रियां क्वचित् । हा प्रिये क्व गता भद्रे हा सीतेति पुनः पुनः ॥ ३५ ॥
“Ha Lakshmana, mighty-armed, do you see my beloved anywhere? Ha beloved, where have you gone, good one? Ha Sita!” again and again.
इत्येवं विलपन् रामः परिधावन् वनाद् वनम् । क्वचिदुद्भ्रमते वेगात् क्वचिद् विभ्रमते बलात् ॥ ३६ ॥
Lamenting so, Rama, running from forest to forest, sometimes whirls about with speed, sometimes staggers with force,
क्वचिन्मत्त इवाभाति कान्तान्वेषणतत्परः । स वनानि नदीः शैलान् गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च । काननानि च वेगेन भ्रमत्यपरिसंस्थितः ॥ ३७ ॥
sometimes seems like a madman, intent on searching for his beloved. Through forests, rivers, mountains and mountain springs, and woods, he wanders with speed, unsettled.
तदा स गत्वा विपुलं महद् वनं परीत्य सर्वं त्वथ मैथिलीं प्रति । अनिष्ठिताशः स चकार मार्गणे पुनः प्रियायाः परमं परिश्रमम् ॥ ३८ ॥
Then, having gone over that wide, great forest, having gone all round for Maithili, his hope not ended, he again made the greatest effort in searching for his beloved.