Aranya Kanda, Sarga 62

Meaning

Seeing the site of the hermitage desolate, the hut made of leaves deserted and the grassy seats cast away, nay, fully casting his eyes all round and yet not finding Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) there, Śrī Rāma spoke as follows to Lakṣmaṇa, calling out Sītā at the top of his voice and lifting up his charming arms : (1-2)

Meaning

“Where on earth, O Lakṣmaṇa, could Sītā, a princess of the Videha kingdom, be? Nay, to what territory has she gone from this place? Or, by whom, O darling of Sumitrā, has she been borne away or by whom has she been devoured? (3)

Meaning

(Addressing fantasy of Sītā, he continued) “If, hiding yourself behind a tree, O Sītā, you want to jest with me, have done with your jest today. Pray, betake yourself to me, sore distressed as I am. (4)

Meaning

“Bereft of you, the fearless offsprings of deer with which you used to sport, O gentle Sītā, are thoughtful, their eyes bedimmed with tears. (5)

Meaning

“Deprived of Sītā I shall certainly not survive, O Lakṣmaṇa ! My father, the late emperor, will surely find me in the other world, overwhelmed as I am with excessive grief sprung from abduction of Sītā. ‘How, having plighted your word to remain in exile in the forest for fourteen years, when charged by me to do so, have you sought my presence here without completing the stipulated period of fourteen years? Fie upon you, who are licentious, ignoble as well as a liar.’ In the foregoing words will my father reproach me without doubt in the other world. Deserting at this place me, helpless, tormented with grief, afflicted and pitiable as I am, my aspirations shattered—even as a fair name forsakes a crooked man—where are you going, O lady with charming limbs? Pray, do not, O do not leave me, O lovely Sītā ! (6—10)

Meaning

“Bereft of you I shall yield up my life.” Wailing as aforesaid, Śrī Rāma, who was longing for a sight of Sītā, felt sore stricken with agony. Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) could not, however, see Janaka’s daughter anywhere. To the said Śrī Rāma, who was given over to grief, unable as he was to find Sītā, and resembled an elephant feeling afflicted on getting stuck into a large stretch of marshy land, Lakṣmaṇa spoke as follows out of extreme solicitude for his welfare: (11—13)

Meaning

“Don’t give way to despondency, O prince possessed of great wisdom! Put forth endeavour with me. The yonder crown of mountains, O heroic prince, is adorned with many caves. (14)

Meaning

“And Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, is fond of frequenting groves and is enraptured at the sight of a forest. As such she must have penetrated deep into the forest or dived into a lotus pond abounding in lotus flowers or may have reached a river teeming with fishes and cane. Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, may be hiding somewhere in a woodland with intent to alarm us and in order to test your and mine capacity to trace her out, O jewel among men ! Hence, O glorious prince, let us both strive to search for her at once. (15—17)

Meaning

“We shall explore the whole forest where the said daughter of Janaka is likely to be, if you deem fit, O scion of Kākutstha ! Pray, do not give over your mind to grief.” (18)

Meaning

Getting composed when exhorted in these words by Lakṣmaṇa out of affection, Śrī Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) proceeded to search for Sītā. (19)

Meaning

Looking about for Sītā, the aforesaid two sons of Daśaratha fully explored forests as well as mountains, rivers and lakes too. (20)

Meaning

Nay, even while ransacking the tablelands of the Prasravaṇa mountain as well as its rocks and peaks in their entirety, they did not meet her at all. (21)

Meaning

Having searched the mountain on all sides Śrī Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa, “I do not behold, O darling of Sumitrā, the lovely Sītā (a princess of the Videha kingdom) on this mountain anywhere. (22)

Meaning

Overwhelmed with agony, while ranging the forest of Daṇḍaka, Lakṣmaṇa thereupon submitted as follows to his eldest brother, Śrī Rāma, of flaming energy: (23)

Meaning

“You will recover Sītā (a princess of Mithilā), Janaka’s daughter, O highly sagacious prince, even as the mighty-armed Lord Viṣṇu, in the form of the Divine Dwarf, got back this globe for his elder brother, Indra, after tying down Bali as a captive.” (24)

Meaning

Consoled in these words by the gallant Lakṣmaṇa, the aforesaid Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) for his part, whose understanding had been dulled by agony, replied in a piteous tone : (25)

Meaning

“The entire forest has been fully explored as well as the lotus ponds with expanded lotuses. This mountain (Prasravaṇa) too, abounding in caves and cascades, has been thoroughly searched, O highly wise brother! But I do not find Sitā (a princess of the Videha territory), who is more valuable to me even than my life.” (26)

Meaning

Wailing thus, Śrī Rāma, who looked emaciated due to agony caused by the abduction of Sītā and felt miserable, overwhelmed as he was with grief, was beside himself for a while. (27)

Meaning

Drawing hot and deep breaths, Śrī Rāma, whose all limbs had become out of control, nay, who had lost his reason and stood motionless, and who was feeling over-anxious and miserable, gave way to despondency. (28)

Meaning

Sighing again and again, the aforesaid Śrī Rāma, for his part, who had lotus-like eyes and had his voice choked through tears, repeatedly cried out : “Ah, my darling !” (29)

Meaning

Thereupon Lakṣmaṇa, though himself stricken with grief, humbly comforted with folded hands in many ways his beloved kinsman, Śrī Rāma. (30)

Meaning

Turning a deaf ear to that submission, issued from the lips of Lakṣmaṇa, which looked like a cup of tender leaves, Śrī Rāma, however, continued to cry again and again, unable as he was to see his aforesaid darling, Sītā. (31)