Sita's Eyes Rest upon Her Feet while Her Mind Rests upon Rama's Feet
Sundara Kanda, Doha 8
Doha 8 · Movement 2 of 2
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Sita sits beneath the Ashoka tree with her gaze lowered. Her eyes do not wander among Ravana's golden gardens or search the faces of those who guard her.
They remain upon her own feet, while the mind has gone elsewhere and rests absorbed in the lotus feet of Rama. The body is confined in Lanka, but remembrance has crossed every wall.
Hanuman sees the daughter of Janaka reduced by sorrow and becomes profoundly grieved. The joy of finding her cannot be separated from the pain of seeing how she has lived. The messenger's first darshan is therefore a wound before it becomes consolation.
Sita's body sits in Lanka, her mind sits at Rama's feet, and Hanuman grieves between the two.
Read the passage from the Manas
निज पद नयन दिएँ मन राम पद कमल लीन। परम दुखी भा पवनसुत देखि जानकी दीन।।8।।
Sita kept her eyes upon her own feet, her mind absorbed in Rama's lotus feet. Seeing Janaki in such a state of distress, Pavansut became deeply sorrowful.