Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— स ददर्श दशास्यस्य वनं सुविपुलं ततः। अन्वेषयत् जनकजां तत्र तत्र तरौ तरौ॥१॥
Brahmā said: He then beheld ten-headed Rāvaṇa's exceedingly vast garden and searched for Janaka's daughter in every place and upon every tree.
Passage 2
दृष्ट्वा वनस्य शोभां स प्रहृष्टहृदयोऽभवत्। जगाह च वनं कृत्स्नं गह्वरं तरुवल्लिभिः॥२॥
Seeing the garden's beauty, his heart became delighted. He entered the whole woodland, dense with trees and vines.
Passage 3
नानाजातिलतारूढतुङ्गवृक्षसहस्रकम्। पुष्पसौरभ्यभरितं वहत्त्रिविधमारुतम्॥३॥
Thousands of lofty trees were climbed by vines of many kinds. It was filled with floral fragrance, and three kinds of wind moved through it.
Passage 4
सुवेलाद्रिगुहागेहविरूढमलयद्रुमैः। सर्वतः सौरभव्याप्तलतामण्डपगह्वरम्॥४॥
Malaya sandalwood trees grew around cave-like dwellings of Mount Suvela, and the deep vine pavilions were pervaded everywhere by fragrance.
Passage 5
त्रिकूटशैलनिपतन्निर्झरानिलशीतलम्। पुष्पाकरमिवोत्फुल्लनानाजातिलताद्रुमम्॥५॥
It was cooled by the wind from waterfalls descending Mount Trikūṭa. With vines and trees of many kinds in full bloom, it resembled a mine of flowers.
Passage 6
चन्दनामोदमधुरं पङ्कजामोदिमारुतम्। हेमरत्नसमाबद्धसरोवापीमनोरमम्॥६॥
It was sweet with sandalwood perfume and with breezes fragrant with lotuses. Its lakes and stepped pools, constructed with gold and jewels, were delightful.
Passage 7
अनेकजातिविहगनिक्वाणसुनिनादितम्। हंसश्रेणीघनरवप्रतिशब्दसमाकुलम्॥७॥
The calls of many species of birds filled it with beautiful sound, while the deep cries of rows of swans crowded it with echoes.
Passage 8
गायद्गन्धर्वनिकरं भ्रमरौघकृतस्वनम्। प्रमत्तकोकिलालापकोलाहलकुलस्वरम्॥८॥
Hosts of gandharvas sang there and swarms of bees made their hum. The cries of intoxicated cuckoos mingled in a tumult of voices.
Passage 9
रसालमञ्जरीपुञ्जधूलीधारान्धकारितैः। प्रावृतं लवलीजालैर्माधवीवलिमण्डपैः॥९॥
It was covered by networks of lavalī vines and bowers of mādhavī creepers, darkened by streams of pollen-dust from masses of mango blossoms.
Passage 10
प्रतिस्थलं राजमानं नवपल्लवशालिभिः। अनेकुहैररुणितं संध्यातपमिवान्तरम्॥१०॥
At every place it shone with abundant new leaves. Its interior was reddened in many ways, like the glow of evening twilight.
Passage 11
क्वचित्पीतं च चाम्पेयैस्तमालैर्मेचकप्रभम्। विचित्रवर्णकुसुमकर्बुरीकृतमन्तरा॥११॥
In places campaka flowers made it yellow, while tamāla trees gave a dark-blue luster. Within, flowers of varied colors made it richly mottled.
Passage 12
नानाजातिपशुव्रातनिवासं भूरिभूरुहम्॥१२॥
It was the dwelling of herds of many species of animals and was filled with abundant trees. The Aśoka Grove
Passage 13
तस्मिन् वने ददर्शाथ कङ्केलितरुवाटिकाम्। वृक्षैर्मञ्जरितैर्युक्तां समन्तादरुणप्रभाम्॥१३॥
Within that garden he then saw a grove of kankeli trees, filled with trees in blossom and glowing red on every side.
Passage 14
हेमप्राकारकलितां लीलाभूमिं मनोभुवः। चित्तस्य क्षोभजनिकां दर्शनात्तत्क्षणेन च॥१४॥
Enclosed by a golden wall, it was a playground of the love-god, capable of agitating the mind the very instant it was seen.
Passage 15
सुरम्यनिलसंव्याप्तां निर्झरानिलशीतलाम्। सुवर्णवेदिकारत्नबद्धपद्यां मनोहराम्॥१५॥
Delightful breezes pervaded it, and waterfall winds cooled it. Its golden terraces and jewel-built pathways were captivating. Sītā Beneath the Flowering Tree
Passage 16
तत्रैकतमकङ्केलितरुमूलमुपाश्रिताम्। प्रलपन्तीं रामनाम वियोगविकलाशयाम्॥१६॥
There, sheltering beneath one kankeli tree, was Sītā, murmuring Rāma's name while her heart was overwhelmed by separation.
Passage 17
उन्मुक्तमूर्धजां वक्षः सिञ्चतीमश्रुबिन्दुभिः। अनुतापशते मग्नां संतापग्लपिताशयाम्॥१७॥
Her hair hung loose, and drops of tears drenched her breast. Immersed in hundreds of regrets, her heart was withered by anguish.
Passage 18
अधोमुखीं मुद्रिताक्षीं दुष्प्रेक्ष्यदशयान्विताम्। विरहाख्यतमःस्पर्शादभिभूतैरिवानिशम्॥१८॥
Her face was lowered and her eyes closed; she had fallen into a condition painful to behold, as though perpetually overcome by contact with the darkness called separation.
Passage 19
तनुप्रकाशसंदोहैर्भासिताशेषकाननाम्। अशोकवाटिकावेदिसुस्थिरां चपलामिव॥१९॥
The gathered light of her body illumined the whole grove. Motionless upon a terrace of the Aśoka garden, she appeared like lightning made still.
Passage 20
ज्योत्स्नामिव तमोग्रस्तां घनैः सूर्यप्रभामिव। दीपिकामिव लोकस्य कालरात्रितमोवृताम्॥२०॥
She resembled moonlight seized by darkness, sunlight covered by clouds, and the lamp of the world surrounded by the gloom of the night of dissolution.
Passage 21
धूमसंदोहमलिनां दीप्तां वह्निशिखामिव। कषाणदृषदुल्लीढामिव सद्रत्नमञ्जरीम्॥२१॥
She was like a radiant tongue of fire made dim by masses of smoke, or a cluster of precious gems abraded upon a touchstone.
Passage 22
द्यामिवानुदितेन्दुप्रभामलिनविग्रहाम्। महीमिव तपस्तिग्मसूर्यदीधितितापिताम्॥२२॥
She was like the sky grown dark before the moon has risen, or the earth scorched by the fierce rays of the blazing sun.
Passage 23
सरसीमिव चात्यर्थं ग्रीष्मार्ककरशोषिताम्। लतामिव परिष्वष्टां वनपावककीलया॥२३॥
She was like a lake utterly dried by the summer sun, or a vine embraced by a tongue of forest fire.
Passage 24
वनीमिव परिम्लानां वारिसेकविनाकृताम्। परिभ्रष्टतनुद्योतां परिम्लानमुखश्रियम्॥२४॥
She was like a woodland withered for want of watering. Her body's radiance had fallen away, and the beauty of her face had faded.
Passage 25
सुरश्रेणीमिवानेकदानवौघनिपीडिताम्। गृहश्रियमिवापुत्रां सद्विद्यामिव शूद्रगाम्॥२५॥
She resembled a host of gods oppressed by many bands of demons, the fortune of a household without a son, or sacred learning fallen into unworthy hands. Hanumān Recognizes and Approaches Her
Passage 26
त्रिजटाराक्षसीवक्त्रोत्थितरामकथामृतैः। शनैरीषत्सिच्यमानां सुस्थीकृतहृदं च ताम्॥२६॥
The nectar of Rāma's story arising from the rākṣasī Trijaṭā's mouth gently sprinkled Sītā little by little and brought some steadiness to her heart.
Passage 27
ददर्श हनुमान् सीतामार्योदन्तं च तां मुहुः। पृच्छन्तीं विरहव्याधिशमनं श्रवणेन वै॥२७॥
Hanumān saw Sītā repeatedly asking for news of her noble lord, which through hearing would soothe the disease of separation.
Passage 28
रामनामगुणाख्यानैर्निश्चिकाय मरुत्सुतः। जनकेन्द्रसुतां धीरामसह्यविरहां सतीम्॥२८॥
From her utterances of Rāma's name and virtues, the Wind's son became certain that she was the steadfast and faithful daughter of King Janaka, enduring unbearable separation.
Passage 29
दृष्ट्वा रहःस्थां जनकेन्द्रपुत्रीमुत्तीर्य कङ्केलितरौ हनूमान्। कृत्वा प्रणामं शिरसा पुरोऽस्या बद्धाञ्जलिर्भक्तिभरेण तस्थौ॥२९॥
Seeing Janaka's daughter alone, Hanumān descended from the kankeli tree, bowed his head before her, and stood with joined palms, filled with devotion.