Sundara Kanda, Sarga 32

Meaning

Then, beholding Hanumān, clad in white and tawny like a series of flashes of lightning, concealed under cover of boughs, Sītā felt disturbed in mind. (1)

Meaning

She noticed there a monkey, meek and kind in speech, shining like a cluster of expanded Aśoka flowers and with eyes bright as refined gold. (2)

Meaning

Struck with extreme wonder to see Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, sitting in a humble posture, the aforesaid princess of Mithilā now reflected as follows: (3)

Meaning

‘Ah, how terrible is this being of the monkey family !’ Nay, regarding it as difficult to approach and hideous to behold, she fainted once more suspecting it to be illusory. (4)

Meaning

Distracted with fear and stricken with agony, the lovely Sītā piteously cried again and again: “Rāma ! O Rāma ! O Lakṣmaṇa !” (5)

Meaning

Nay, the virtuous Sītā fell a-sobbing all at once in faint accents. Seeing Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, come near in a humble mien in the meantime, the lovely Sītā thought that it must be a dream (6)

Meaning

Looking round, in order to make sure that the ogresses were not looking at her or at the monkey, she beheld Hanumān, son of the wind-god, a jewel among the monkeys, adored even by the great, the foremost of the wise, who was obedient to Sugrīva (the ruler of monkeys) and who had big jaws, one of which had been broken by means of the thunderbolt hurled by Indra to arrest his progress towards the sun to devour the solar orb. (7)

Meaning

Getting utterly unconscious at the very sight of Hanumān, the aforesaid Sītā became like one lifeless. Nay, regaining consciousness after a long time, the large-eyed lady began to reflect as follows : (8)

Meaning

‘This hideous dream has been seen by me today. The vision of a monkey has been condemned by the scriptures. May good luck attend on Śrī Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa as well as on my father, King Janaka. (9)

Meaning

‘Surely this cannot be a dream; for sleep does not come to me, stricken as I am with grief and sorrow. Nor indeed is there any joy for me, separated as I am from that prince whose countenance resembles the full moon (10)

Meaning

‘Pondering with my mind at all times on the concept conveyed by the word ‘Rāma’ and speaking of the same Rāma with my tongue, I hear as well a talk corresponding to the same thought and likewise visualize the talk heard by me in conformity with the same theme. (11)

Meaning

‘Constantly thinking as I do of him alone, tormented as I am by a longing for him, my whole affection being fastened on him, I likewise behold him and hear of him alone. (12)

Meaning

‘I speculate that what I am seeing may be a mere image; yet I reflect with my mind as to what can be the cause of this apparition; for a conceptual image has no concrete form, while this monkey appearing before me has a distinct form and is also talking to me. (13)

Meaning

‘Let my salutation be to Sage Bṛhaspati (the master of speech) alongwith Indra (who is armed with a thunderbolt), to Brahmā (the self-born creator) as well as to the god of fire (the deity presiding over the organ of speech) ! May all that which has been uttered now in my presence by this monkey (lit., a denizen of the forest) prove true and not otherwise.’ (14)