Sundara Kanda · Sarga 67 of 68 · 44 verses
Sita’s Words Retold
At Rama’s request, Hanuman repeats everything Sita said. First the token she gave: the story of the crow at Chitrakuta, how it tore at her breast while Rama slept in her lap, how he woke wet with her blood, saw Indra’s son with bloody claws, charged a blade of darbha grass with the Brahma weapon, and, when the crow had circled the three worlds and come back to him for refuge, spared its life and took only its right eye. Then her reproach: “Best of those who know weapons, why do you not use your weapons on the rakshasas? If you have any concern for me, let Ravana be killed quickly; or let Lakshmana rescue me at his brother’s command. Why do those two, unassailable even by gods, neglect me? It must be some great wrong of mine.”
Hanuman tells how he swore to her that Rama had turned from everything in his grief, and that the two princes would burn Lanka and take her home; how she looked in every direction, untied the jewel from her garment and gave it to him; how, as he grew to leave, she wept and said: “You are fortunate, great monkey, to be going to see lotus-eyed Rama and my glorious brother-in-law Lakshmana.” He offered to carry her on his back, but she replied that it would not be right for her to touch his body of her own will; Ravana had touched her by force, when she was helpless. She sent greetings to Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and his ministers, asked that Rama rescue her from this flood of sorrow, and told Hanuman to describe her grief and the rakshasis’ threats. “This is what your noble, self-controlled Sita said, king, in sorrow. Knowing it as it was said, believe that Sita is safe and whole.”
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एवमुक्तस्तु हनुमान् राघवेण महात्मना । सीताया भाषितं सर्वं न्यवेदयत राघवे ॥ १ ॥
Asked so by great-souled Raghava, Hanuman told Raghava everything Sita had said:
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इदमुक्तवती देवी जानकी पुरुषर्षभ । पूर्ववृत्तमभिज्ञानं चित्रकूटे यथातथम् ॥ २ ॥
“This is what the queen Janaki said, bull among men: a token from the past, of what happened at Chitrakuta, just as it was.
सुखसुप्ता त्वया सार्धं जानकी पूर्वमुत्थिता । वायसः सहसोत्पत्य विददार स्तनान्तरम् ॥ ३ ॥
“Janaki, sleeping happily with you, woke first; a crow suddenly flew up and tore her between the breasts.
पर्यायेण च सुप्तस्त्वं देव्यङ्के भरताग्रज । पुनश्च किल पक्षी स देव्या जनयति व्यथा ॥ ४ ॥
“In turn you slept in the queen’s lap, Bharata’s elder brother; and again, it seems, that bird caused the queen pain.
ततः पुनरुपागम्य विददार भृशं किल । ततस्त्वं बोधितस्तस्याः शोणितेन समुक्षितः ॥ ५ ॥
“Then it came again and tore at her badly, it seems. Then you were woken, sprinkled with her blood.
वायसेन च तेनैवं सततं बाध्यमानया । बोधितः किल देव्या त्वं सुखसुप्तः परंतप ॥ ६ ॥
“Tormented constantly by that crow, the queen woke you, they say, as you slept happily, scorcher of foes.
तां च दृष्ट्वा महाबाहो दारितां च स्तनान्तरे । आशीविष इव क्रुद्धस्ततो वाक्यं त्वमूचिवान् ॥ ७ ॥
“Seeing her torn between the breasts, mighty-armed one, angry like a poisonous snake, you then said:
नखाग्रैः केन ते भीरु दारितं वै स्तनान्तरम् । कः क्रीडति सरोषेण पञ्चवक्त्रेण भोगिना ॥ ८ ॥
“’Who has torn the place between your breasts with the tips of his claws, timid one? Who plays with an angry five-headed serpent?’
निरीक्षमाणः सहसा वायसं समुदैक्षथाः । नखैः सरुधिरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तामेवाभिमुखं स्थितम् ॥ ९ ॥
“Looking about, you suddenly saw the crow, its sharp claws bloody, facing her.
सुतः किल स शक्रस्य वायसः पततां वरः । धरान्तरगतः शीघ्रं पवनस्य गतौ समः ॥ १० ॥
“That crow, best of birds, was said to be Shakra’s son; it had come down to earth, swift, equal to the wind in its course.
ततस्तस्मिन् महाबाहो कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः । वायसे त्वं व्यधाः क्रूरां मतिं मतिमतां वर ॥ ११ ॥
“Then, mighty-armed one, your eyes rolling with anger, you set a cruel purpose against that crow, best of the wise.
स दर्भसंस्तराद् गृह्य ब्रह्मास्त्रेण न्ययोजयः । स दीप्त इव कालाग्निर्जज्वालाभिमुखं खगम् ॥ १२ ॥
“You took a blade of darbha from the grass bed and joined it with the Brahma weapon; blazing like the fire of the end of time, it flamed, facing the bird.
स त्वं प्रदीप्तं चिक्षेप दर्भं तं वायसं प्रति । ततस्तु वायसं दीप्तः स दर्भोऽनुजगाम ह ॥ १३ ॥
“You hurled that blazing darbha at the crow, and the blazing darbha pursued the crow.
भीतैश्च सम्परित्यक्तः सुरैः सर्वैश्च वायसः । त्रीँल्लोकान् सम्परिक्रम्य त्रातारं नाधिगच्छति ॥ १४ ॥
“Abandoned by all the gods in their fear, the crow, having gone round the three worlds, found no protector.
पुनरप्यागतस्तत्र त्वत्सकाशमरिंदम । त्वं तं निपतितं भूमौ शरण्यः शरणागतम् ॥ १५ ॥
“It came back there into your presence, tamer of enemies; you, the refuge, protected it, fallen on the ground, come for refuge,
वधार्हमपि काकुत्स्थ कृपया परिपालयः । मोघमस्त्रं न शक्यं तु कर्तुमित्येव राघव ॥ १६ ॥
“though it deserved death, out of compassion, Kakutstha. But because the weapon could not be made vain, Raghava,
भवांस्तस्याक्षि काकस्य हिनस्ति स्म स दक्षिणम् । राम त्वां स नमस्कृत्य राज्ञो दशरथस्य च ॥ १७ ॥
“you struck that crow’s right eye. Bowing to you, Rama, and to King Dasharatha,
विसृष्टस्तु तदा काकः प्रतिपेदे स्वमालयम् । एवमस्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठः सत्त्ववाञ्छीलवानपि ॥ १८ ॥
“dismissed then, the crow went to its own home. ‘So, best of those who know weapons, strong and of good character as you are,
किमर्थमस्त्रं रक्षःसु न योजयसि राघव । न दानवा न गन्धर्वा नासुरा न मरुद्गणाः ॥ १९ ॥
“’why do you not use your weapons on the rakshasas, Raghava? Neither danavas nor gandharvas, neither asuras nor the hosts of Maruts
तव राम रणे शक्तास्तथा प्रतिसमासितुम् । तव वीर्यवतः कश्चिन्मयि यद्यस्ति सम्भ्रमः ॥ २० ॥
“’can withstand you in battle, Rama. If you, so valiant, have any concern for me,
क्षिप्रं सुनिशितैर्बाणैर्हन्यतां युधि रावणः । भ्रातुरादेशमाज्ञाय लक्ष्मणो वा परंतपः ॥ २१ ॥
“’let Ravana be killed quickly in battle with very sharp arrows. Or Lakshmana, scorcher of foes, taking his brother’s command:
स किमर्थं नरवरो न मां रक्षति राघवः । शक्तौ तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ वाय्वग्निसमतेजसौ ॥ २२ ॥
“’why does that best of men, Raghava’s brother, not protect me? Those two tigers among men are able, with the splendour of wind and fire,
सुराणामपि दुर्धर्षौ किमर्थं मामुपेक्षतः । ममैव दुष्कृतं किंचिन्महदस्ति न संशयः ॥ २३ ॥
“’unassailable even by the gods; why do they neglect me? There must be some great wrong of mine, no doubt of it,
समर्थौ सहितौ यन्मां न रक्षेते परंतपौ । वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा करुणं साधुभाषितम् ॥ २४ ॥
“’since those two scorchers of foes, able and together, do not protect me.’ Hearing Vaidehi’s piteous words, well spoken,
पुनरप्यहमार्यां तामिदं वचनमब्रुवम् । त्वच्छोकविमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे ॥ २५ ॥
“I again said this to the noble lady: ‘Rama has turned away from everything in grief for you, queen; I swear it to you by the truth.
रामे दुःखाभिभूते च लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते । कथंचिद् भवती दृष्टा न कालः परिशोचितुम् ॥ २६ ॥
“’And while Rama is overwhelmed with sorrow, Lakshmana suffers. Somehow you have been found; this is no time to grieve.
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते दुःखानामन्तं द्रक्ष्यसि भामिनि । तावुभौ नरशार्दूलौ राजपुत्रौ परंतपौ ॥ २७ ॥
“’In this very hour you will see the end of your sorrows, lovely lady. Those two tigers among men, the princes, scorchers of foes,
त्वद्दर्शनकृतोत्साहौ लङ्कां भस्मीकरिष्यतः । हत्वा च समरे रौद्रं रावणं सहबान्धवम् ॥ २८ ॥
“’roused by the hope of seeing you, will turn Lanka to ash. And having killed fierce Ravana in battle with his kin,
राघवस्त्वां वरारोहे स्वपुरीं नयिता ध्रुवम् । यत् तु रामो विजानीयादभिज्ञानमनिन्दिते ॥ २९ ॥
“’Raghava will surely take you to his own city, lovely one. And a token that Rama would recognise, blameless one,
प्रीतिसंजननं तस्य प्रदातुं तत् त्वमर्हसि । साभिवीक्ष्य दिशः सर्वा वेण्युद्ग्रथनमुत्तमम् ॥ ३० ॥
“’something to bring him joy, you should give.’ Looking round in all directions, from the fine binding of her braid
मुक्त्वा वस्त्राद् ददौ मह्यं मणिमेतं महाबल । प्रतिगृह्य मणिं दोर्भ्यां तव हेतो रघुप्रिय ॥ ३१ ॥
“she untied this jewel from her garment and gave it to me, mighty one. Receiving the jewel with both hands for your sake, beloved of the Raghus,
शिरसा सम्प्रणम्यैनामहमागमने त्वरे । गमने च कृतोत्साहमवेक्ष्य वरवर्णिनी ॥ ३२ ॥
“bowing my head to her, I hastened to come back. And seeing me eager to go, the lovely lady,
विवर्धमानं च हि मामुवाच जनकात्मजा । अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना बाष्पगद्गदभाषिणी ॥ ३३ ॥
“as I grew, Janaka’s daughter said to me, her face full of tears, wretched, speaking in a voice choked with weeping,
ममोत्पतनसम्भ्रान्ता शोकवेगसमाहता । मामुवाच ततः सीता सभाग्योऽसि महाकपे ॥ ३४ ॥
“alarmed at my leaping up, struck by the force of grief; then Sita said to me: ‘You are fortunate, great monkey,
यद् द्रक्ष्यसि महाबाहुं रामं कमललोचनम् । लक्ष्मणं च महाबाहुं देवरं मे यशस्विनम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“’since you will see mighty-armed, lotus-eyed Rama, and mighty-armed Lakshmana, my glorious brother-in-law.’
सीतयाप्येवमुक्तोऽहमब्रुवं मैथिलीं तथा । पृष्ठमारोह मे देवि क्षिप्रं जनकनन्दनि ॥ ३६ ॥
“Spoken to so by Sita, I said to Maithili: ‘Climb on my back, queen, quickly, daughter of Janaka,
यावत्ते दर्शयाम्यद्य ससुग्रीवं सलक्ष्मणम् । राघवं च महाभागे भर्तारमसितेक्षणे ॥ ३७ ॥
“’and I will show you today, with Sugriva and Lakshmana, Raghava, your husband, fortunate, dark-eyed one.’
साब्रवीन्मां ततो देवी नैष धर्मो महाकपे । यत्ते पृष्ठं सिषेवेऽहं स्ववशा हरिपुङ्गव ॥ ३८ ॥
“Then the queen said to me: ‘This is not dharma, great monkey, that I should of my own will ride on your back, bull among monkeys.
पुरा च यदहं वीर स्पृष्टा गात्रेषु रक्षसा । तत्राहं किं करिष्यामि कालेनोपनिपीडिता ॥ ३९ ॥
“’And as for my being touched on the body by the rakshasa before, hero: what could I do there, overpowered by time?
गच्छ त्वं कपिशार्दूल यत्र तौ नृपतेः सुतौ । इत्येवं सा समाभाष्य भूयः संदेष्टुमास्थिता ॥ ४० ॥
“’Go, tiger among monkeys, to where those two sons of the king are.’ Having said this, she went on to give a further message:
हनूमन् सिंहसंकाशौ तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । सुग्रीवं च सहामात्यं सर्वान् ब्रूया अनामयम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“’Hanuman, tell those two lion-like ones, Rama and Lakshmana, and Sugriva with his ministers, all of them, that I am well.
यथा च स महाबाहुर्मां तारयति राघवः । अस्माद्दुःखाम्बुसंरोधात् तत् त्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ ४२ ॥
“’And you must tell it so that mighty-armed Raghava rescues me from this flood of sorrow.
इदं च तीव्रं मम शोकवेगं रक्षोभिरेभिः परिभर्त्सनं च । ब्रूयास्तु रामस्य गतः समीपं शिवश्च तेऽध्वास्तु हरिप्रवीर ॥ ४३ ॥
“’And tell Rama, when you have reached him, this fierce rush of my grief and these rakshasas’ threats. May your road be safe, hero among monkeys.’
एतत् तवार्या नृप संयता सा सीता वचः प्राह विषादपूर्वम् । एतच्च बुद्ध्वा गदितं यथा त्वं श्रद्धत्स्व सीतां कुशलां समग्राम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“These are the words your noble, self-controlled Sita spoke, king, out of her sorrow. Knowing what was said, just as it was, believe that Sita is safe and whole.”