Sita Calls Hanuman Her Boat upon the Ocean of Separation
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 14
Doha 14 · Movement 1 of 2
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Knowing Hanuman as Hari's servant, Sita's love becomes intensely deep. Tears fill her eyes and sacred thrills rise across her body. She had been drowning in the ocean of separation, and this beloved child has become the boat that reached her within it.
She asks after Rama and Lakshmana. Why has the tender-hearted Lord become hard? Does the speech that gives servants happiness ever remember her? Will her eyes ever be cooled by the sight of his gentle dark body? Words fail, tears overflow, and the fear escapes her mouth: my Lord has completely forgotten me.
Hanuman answers softly. Rama and his younger brother are well, but the abode of compassion suffers through Sita's suffering. Do not let the heart feel diminished. Rama's love for her is twice her love for him. The messenger turns apparent abandonment into the revelation of a grief even greater on the far shore.
Sita thought herself forgotten, and Hanuman reveals a Rama grieving with twice her love.
Read the passage from the Manas
हरिजन जानि प्रीति अति गाढ़ी। सजल नयन पुलकावलि बाढ़ी।। बूड़त बिरह जलधि हनुमाना। भयउ तात मों कहुँ जलजाना।। अब कहु कुसल जाउँ बलिहारी। अनुज सहित सुख भवन खरारी।। कोमलचित कृपाल रघुराई। कपि केहि हेतु धरी निठुराई।। सहज बानि सेवक सुख दायक। कबहुँक सुरति करत रघुनायक।। कबहुँ नयन मम सीतल ताता। होइहहि निरखि स्याम मृदु गाता।। बचनु न आव नयन भरे बारी। अहह नाथ हौं निपट बिसारी।। देखि परम बिरहाकुल सीता। बोला कपि मृदु बचन बिनीता।। मातु कुसल प्रभु अनुज समेता। तव दुख दुखी सुकृपा निकेता।। जनि जननी मानहु जियँ ऊना। तुम्ह ते प्रेमु राम कें दूना।।
Recognizing him as a devotee of Hari, her love grew intensely deep. Her eyes brimmed with tears and waves of pulaka, sacred thrills, rippled across her body. O Hanuman, I was drowning in the ocean of viraha. You became, dear child, a vessel to carry me across. Now tell me, I offer myself in gratitude: is the slayer of Khara well, together with his younger brother, in their abode of joy? The tender-hearted, compassionate Raghurai: O monkey, for what reason has he taken on such hardness? By nature his very speech gives happiness to his servants. Does Raghunayak ever remember me? Will my eyes ever be cooled, dear one, by beholding his dark and gentle form? Words would not come; her eyes overflowed with tears. Alas, my Lord, I have been utterly forgotten. Seeing Sita torn apart by viraha, the monkey spoke soft and humble words. Mother, the Lord is well, along with his younger brother. He who is the very abode of compassion grieves because of your grief. Do not feel diminished in your heart, O Mother. Rama's love for you is twice what yours is for him.