Chapter 40

Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty

VERSE 1

श्रुत्वा तु वचनम् तस्य वायु सूनोः महात्मनः
उवाच आत्म हितम् वाक्यम् सीता सुर सुत उपमा

śrutvā tu vacanam tasya vāyu sūnoḥ mahātmanaḥ
uvāca ātma hitam vākyam sītā sura suta upamā

SYNONYMS

śrutvā: hearing | vacanam: the words | tasya: of that | mahātmanaḥ: high-souled | vāyusūnoḥ: Hanuma | ṣīta: Seetha | surasutopamā: similar to the daughter of god | uvāca: spoke | vākyam: (the following) words | ātmahitam: beneficial to herself. |

TRANSLATION

Hearing the words of that high-souled Hanuma, Seetha who resembled the daughter of god, spoke the following words beneficial to herself.

VERSE 2

त्वाम् दृष्ट्वा प्रिय वक्तारम् सम्प्रहृष्यामि वानर
अर्ध सम्जात सस्य इव वृष्टिम् प्राप्य वसुम् धरा

tvām dṛṣṭvā priya vaktāram samprahṛṣyāmi vānara
ardha samjāta sasya iva vṛṣṭim prāpya vasum dharā

SYNONYMS

vānara: O Hanuma! | dṛṣṭvā: seeing | tvām: you | priyavaktāram: speaking pleasant words | samprahṛṣyāmi: I am over-joyed | vasumdharā iva: as a field | artham samjātasasyā: with half-sprouted crop of grain | prāpyeva: by receiving | vṛṣṭim: a rain. |

TRANSLATION

"O Hanuma! Seeing you speaking pleasant words, I am as overjoyed, as a field with half-sprouted crop of grain is thrilled by receiving a rain."

VERSE 3

यथा तम् पुरुष व्याघ्रम् गात्रैः शोक अभिकर्शितैः
संस्पृशेयम् सकामा अहम् तथा कुरु दयाम् मयि

yathā tam puruṣa vyāghram gātraiḥ śoka abhikarśitaiḥ
saṃspṛśeyam sakāmā aham tathā kuru dayām mayi

SYNONYMS

aham: I | gatriḥ: with my limbs | śokābhikarśitaiḥ: emaciated | sakāmā: having a desire | yathā: how | samspṛśeyam: to touch | puruṣavyāghram: that Rama the tiger among men | tathā: in that manner | kuru: oblige | dayām: your kindness | mayi: in me. |

TRANSLATION

"With my limbs emaciated with grief, I have a desire to touch that Rama the tiger among men. Show mercy on me and fulfill my desire."

VERSE 4

अभिज्ञानम् च रामस्य दत्तम् हरि गण उत्तम
क्षिप्ताम् ईषिकाम् काकस्य कोपात् एक अक्षि शातनीम्

abhijñānam ca rāmasya dattam hari gaṇa uttama
kṣiptām īṣikām kākasya kopāt eka akṣi śātanīm

SYNONYMS

harigaṇottama: O Hanuma | dadyāḥ: Present (the story of) | iṣīkām: a blade of grass | abhiñānam: as a signet | kṣiptām: hurled | kopāt: with anger | kākasya ekākṣiśātanīm: and the one eye of a crow destroyed | rāmasya: by Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"O Hanuma the excellent one among the troops of monkeys! Present the story of the blade of grass called Ishika hurled with anger and thereby one eye of the crow destroyed by Rama (as a signal remembrance)."

VERSE 5

मनः शिलायाः तिकलो गण्ड पार्श्वे निवेशितः
त्वया प्रनष्टे तिलके तम् किल स्मर्तुम् अर्हसि

manaḥ śilāyāḥ tikalo gaṇḍa pārśve niveśitaḥ
tvayā pranaṣṭe tilake tam kila smartum arhasi

SYNONYMS

tilake: While a mark on my forehead | praṇṣṭe: had got effaced | manaśiśilāyāḥ tilakaḥ: a mark on my forehead with realgar | niveśitaḥ kila: was indeed painted | tvayā: by you | gaṇḍa pārśve: on the side of my cheek | arhasi: you ought surely | smartum: to recollect | tam: it. |

TRANSLATION

"O Rama! You ought surely to recollect that while a mark on my forehead had got effaced once, another mark with realgar was indeed painted by you on the side of my cheek."

VERSE 6

स वीर्यवान् कथम् सीताम् हृताम् समनुमन्यसे
वसन्तीम् रक्षसाम् मध्ये महाइन्द्र वरुण उपम

sa vīryavān katham sītām hṛtām samanumanyase
vasantīm rakṣasām madhye mahāindra varuṇa upama

SYNONYMS

katham: How | sah: are you as such | vīryavān: the valiant one | mahendra varuṇopamaḥ: equal to Indra the Lord of celestials and Varuna the king of Universe | samanumanyase: give consent to | sītām: Seetha | hṛtām: having been taken away | vasantīm: and staying | madhye: in the middle | rakṣasām: of the demons. |

TRANSLATION

"How are you, the valiant man equal to Indra the Lord of celestials and Varuna the King of Universe, ignore Seetha who was taken away and now staying in the midst of these demons?"

VERSE 7

एष चूडा मणिः दिव्यो मया सुपरिरक्षितः
एतम् दृष्ट्वा प्रहृष्यामि व्यसने त्वाम् इव अनघ

eṣa cūḍā maṇiḥ divyo mayā suparirakṣitaḥ
etam dṛṣṭvā prahṛṣyāmi vyasane tvām iva anagha

SYNONYMS

anagha: O faultless Rama! | eṣaḥ: this | divyaḥ: wonderful | cūḍāmaṇiḥ: jewel for the head | suparirakṣitaḥ: has been protected well | mayā: by me | dṛṣṭvā: seeing this | vyasane: in my distress | prahṛṣyāmi: I have been getting delighted | tvāmiva: as though I have seen you. |

TRANSLATION

"O faultless Rama! This wonderful jewel for the head head has been protected well by me. Seeing this in my distress, I have been getting delighted, as though I have seen you."

VERSE 8

एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारि सम्भवः
अतः परम् न शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् शोक लालसा

eṣa niryātitaḥ śrīmān mayā te vāri sambhavaḥ
ataḥ param na śakṣyāmi jīvitum śoka lālasā

SYNONYMS

eṣaḥ: this jewel | śrīmān: which is splendid | vārisambhavaḥ: and produced in water | niryātitaḥ: has been sent | te: to you | śoka lālasā: absorbed in grief | na śakṣyāmi: I shall not be able | jīvitum: to survive | ataḥ param: hence forth. |

TRANSLATION

"This splendid jewel, produced in water, has been sent to you. Absorbed in grief, I shall not be able to survive henceforth."

VERSE 9

असह्यानि च दुह्खानि वाचः च हृदयच् चिदः
राक्षसीनाम् सुघोराणाम् त्वत् कृते मर्षयामि अहम्

asahyāni ca duhkhāni vācaḥ ca hṛdayac cidaḥ
rākṣasīnām sughorāṇām tvat kṛte marṣayāmi aham

SYNONYMS

tvatkṛte: for your sake | aham: I | marṣayāmi: am enduring | asahyāni: (these) unbearable | duḥkhāni: troubles | vācaśca: and the words | rākṣasīnām: of female-demons | sughorāṇām: which are very horrible | hṛdayacchidaḥ: which pierce my heart. |

TRANSLATION

"With a hope of your coming here at any time, I am enduring these unbearable hardships and also the words of horrible female demons; which pierce my heart."

VERSE 10

धारयिष्यामि मासम् तु जीवितम् शत्रु सूदन
मासात् ऊर्ध्वम् न जीविष्ये त्वया हीना नृप आत्मज

dhārayiṣyāmi māsam tu jīvitam śatru sūdana
māsāt ūrdhvam na jīviṣye tvayā hīnā nṛpa ātmaja

SYNONYMS

śatrusūdana: O annihilator of enemies | nṛpātmaja: O Rama the prince! | dhārayiṣyāmi: I shall hold | jīvitam: my life | māsamtu: only for a month | na jīviṣye: I will not survive | ūrdhvam māsāt: after a month | hīnā: left out | tvayā: by you. |

TRANSLATION

"O Rama the prince, the annihilator of enemies! I shall hold my life only for a month. I will not survive without you, after a month."

VERSE 11

घोरो राक्षस राजो अयम् दृष्टिः च न सुखा मयि
त्वाम् च श्रुत्वा विपद्यन्तम् न जीवेयम् अहम् क्षणम्

ghoro rākṣasa rājo ayam dṛṣṭiḥ ca na sukhā mayi
tvām ca śrutvā vipadyantam na jīveyam aham kṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

ayam: this | rākṣasarājaḥ: Ravana | ghoraḥ: is terrible | mayi: in my instance | dṛṣṭiḥ: his glance | na sukhā: is not pleasant | śrutvā: hearing | tvām: (that) you | viṣajjantam: are causing a delay | aham: I | na jīveyam: will not live | kṣaṇam: even for a moment. |

TRANSLATION

"This Ravana, the king of demons, is terrible. In my instance, his glance is not pleasant. Hearing that you are causing a delay, I will not survive even for a moment."

VERSE 12

वैदेह्या वचनम् श्रुत्वा करुणम् स अश्रु भाषितम्
अथ अब्रवीन् महातेजा हनुमान् मारुत आत्मजः

vaidehyā vacanam śrutvā karuṇam sa aśru bhāṣitam
atha abravīn mahātejā hanumān māruta ātmajaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrutvā: hearing | vacanam: the words | vaidehyāḥ: of Seetha | bhāṣitam: spoken | karuṇam: pitiably | sāśru: with tears | hanumān: Hanuma | mārutātmajaḥ: the son of wind-god | mahātejāḥ: having great splendour | atha: thereafter | abravīt: spoke (as follows): |

TRANSLATION

Hearing the words of Seetha, spoken pitiably with tears, Hanuma the son of wind-god, with a great splendour, spoke (as follows):

VERSE 13

त्वत् शोक विमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे
रामे शोक अभिभूते तु लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते

tvat śoka vimukho rāmo devi satyena te śape
rāme śoka abhibhūte tu lakṣmaṇaḥ paritapyate

SYNONYMS

16| devi: O Seetha | rāmaḥ: Rama | tva ccoka vimukhaḥ: has grown averse the everything else caused by grief towards you | śape: I swear | te: to you | satyena: truly | rāme: (When) Rama | duḥkhābhipanna: is overpowered by grief | lakṣmaṇaḥ ca: Lakshmana too | paritapyate: is tormented | bhāmini: O lady! | kathamcit: somehow or other | bhavati: you | dṛṣṭā: appeared (have been discovered) | na kālaḥ: this is not the time | paridevitum: to lament | drakṣyasi: you will see | antam: the end | duḥkhānām: of your sorrows | imammuhurtam: within this moment | tau ubhau rājaputrau: those two princes | puruṣa vyāghrau: the excellent among men | arindamau: and annihilator of enemies | tvaddarśanakṛtotsahau: and who are eager to see you | laṇkām bhasmī kariṣyataḥ: will reduce Lanka to ashes | viśālākṣi: O large-eyed Seetha! | hatvā: killing kruuram = the cruel | rāvaṇam: Ravana | saha bāndhavam: along with his realtives | rāghava: Rama and Lakshmana | prāpayiṣyataḥ: will take | tvām: you | svām purīm: to their own city. |

TRANSLATION

"O Seetha the princess! Rama has grown averse to everything else, caused by grief towards you. I sear it to you truly. when Rama is overpowered by grief, Lakshmana too gets tormented with grief." "O lady! Somehow or other, you have been discovered by me. This is not the time to lament. You will see the end of your sorrow shortly." "Those two princes, the excellent among men, the annihilator of enemies and who are eager to see you, will surely reduce Lanka to ashes. "O large-eyed Seetha! Killing the cruel Ravana along with his relatives, Rama and Lakshmana will take you to their own city."

VERSE 17

यत् तु रामो विजानीयात् अभिज्ञानम् अनिन्दिते
प्रीति सम्जननम् तस्य भूयः त्वम् दातुम् अर्हसि

yat tu rāmo vijānīyāt abhijñānam anindite
prīti samjananam tasya bhūyaḥ tvam dātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

anindite: O faultless Seetha! | tvam: you | arhasi: be pleased | dātum: to give | bhūyaḥ: again | yat: whichever | abhijñānam: token of remembrance | vijānīyāt: (Rama) will recognise | prīti samjanam: and which creates will pleasure | tasya: to Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"O faultless Seetha! Be pleased to give another token of remembrance, which Rama will recognise and which creates pleasure to him."

VERSE 18

सा अब्रवीत् दत्तम् एव इह मया अभिज्ञानम् उत्तमम्
एतत् एव हि रामस्य दृष्ट्वा मत् केश भूषणम्

sā abravīt dattam eva iha mayā abhijñānam uttamam
etat eva hi rāmasya dṛṣṭvā mat keśa bhūṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

: Seetha | abravīt: spoke | iti: thus | uttamam: an excellent | abhijñānam: token to remembrance | dattameva: was indeed given | māa: by me | dṛṣṭvā: etat = this | matkeśabhūṣaṇam: jewel | śrādheyam bhaviṣyati: will become trust-worthy | rāmasya: to Rama. |

TRANSLATION

Seetha said, " An excellent token of remembrance was indeed given by me. Seeing this jewel for my hair, Rama will trust your words."

VERSE 19

स तम् मणि वरम् गृह्य श्रीमान् प्लवग सत्तमः

sa tam maṇi varam gṛhya śrīmān plavaga sattamaḥ

SYNONYMS

gṛhya: taking | tam maṇivaram: that excellent jewel | saḥ: that | śrīmān: illustrious | plavagasattama: Hanuma | praṇamya: offering salutation | śirasā: by bowing his head | devīm: to Seetha | upacakrame: has set off | gamanāya: to go. |

TRANSLATION

Taking that excellent jewel, the illustrious Hanuma, the best among monkeys, offered salutation to Seetha by bowing his head and has set off to go.

VERSE 20

तम् उत्पात कृत उत्साहम् अवेक्ष्य हरि पुम्गवम्

tam utpāta kṛta utsāham avekṣya hari pumgavam

SYNONYMS

21| avekṣya: seeing | tam haripuṇgavam: that Hanuma | utpātakṛtatsāham: possessed of energy to jum up | mahāvegam: with great speed | vardhamānam: and expanding | janakātmajā: Seetha | uvāca: spoke (as follows) | girā: in a voice | bāṣpagadgadayā: choked with tears diinaa = looking miserable | aśrupūrṇa mukhī: in her face filled with tears. |

TRANSLATION

Seeing that Hanuma, the best among monkeys, possessed of energy to jump up with great speed and expanding, Seetha spoke (as follows) in her voice choked with tears and looking miserable in her face filled with tears.

VERSE 22

हनूमन् सिम्ह सम्काशौ भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ
सुग्रीवम् च सह अमात्यम् सर्वान् ब्रूया अनामयम्

hanūman simha samkāśau bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau
sugrīvam ca saha amātyam sarvān brūyā anāmayam

SYNONYMS

hanuman: O Hanuma! | brūyāḥ: enquire | anāmayam: about the health | rāmalakṣmaṇau: of Rama and Lakshmana | bhrātarau: the brothers | simhasamkāśau: bearing a resemblance to lions | sugrīvamca: and of Sugreeva | sahāmātyam: together with his ministers | sarvān: and all others. |

TRANSLATION

"O Hanuma! Enquire about the welfare of Rama and Lakshmana, the brothers looking like lions, of Sugreeva together with his ministers and of all other."

VERSE 23

यथा च स महाबाहुः माम् तारयति राघवः
अस्मात् दुह्ख अम्बु सम्रोधात् तत् समाधातुम् अर्हसि

yathā ca sa mahābāhuḥ mām tārayati rāghavaḥ
asmāt duhkha ambu samrodhāt tat samādhātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

tvam arhasi: you be pleased | samadhātum: to make | saḥ rāghavaḥ: that Rama | mahābāhuḥ: deliver (me) in whatever manner | asmāt duḥkhāmbusamrodhāt: from this ocean of sorrow. |

TRANSLATION

"Be pleased to make that long-armed Rama deliver me from this ocean of sorrow."

VERSE 24

इमम् च तीव्रम् मम शोक वेगम्
रक्षोभिः एभिः परिभर्त्सनम् च
ब्रूयाः तु रामस्य गतः समीपम्
शिवः च ते अध्वा अस्तु हरि प्रवीर

imam ca tīvram mama śoka vegam
rakṣobhiḥ ebhiḥ paribhartsanam ca
brūyāḥ tu rāmasya gataḥ samīpam
śivaḥ ca te adhvā astu hari pravīra

SYNONYMS

hari pravīra: O valiant monkey | gataḥ: having gone | rāmasya samīpam: to Rama's vicinity | brūyāḥ: appraise (him) | mama imam tīvram śokavegam: about this terrific gush of my sorrow | paribhartsanamca: and about the threatening attitude | ebhiḥ rakṣobhiḥ: of those female-demons | te adhvā: (Let) Your journey | astu: be | śivaḥ: happy. |

TRANSLATION

"O valiant monkey! After approaching Rama, appraise him of this terrific gush of my grief and also about the threatening attitude of these female-demons. Have a happy journey!"

VERSE 25

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye sundarakāṇḍe catvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

prativeditārthaḥ: having been acquainted with the matter | rājaputryā: by Seetha the princess | kṛtārthaḥ: having accomplished his object | prihṛṣṭa cetāḥ: and with his mind filled with joy | prasamīkṣya: and seeing | alpāvaśeṣam kāryam: that only a little remains to be done | kapiḥ: Hanuma | jagāma manasā: went intellectually | udīcīm diśam: towards the northern direction. |

TRANSLATION

Having been appraised of the matter by Seetha the princess, having accomplished his object, having his mind filled with joy and having perceived that only a little remained to be done, Hanuma intellectually sought the northern direction.