---
title: "Sundara Kanda, Sarga 40"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/sundara-kanda/sarga-40"
lang: "en"
---

# Sundara Kanda, Sarga 40

> श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य वायुसूनोर्महात्मनः।  
> उवाचात्महितं वाक्यं सीता सुरसुतोपमा॥ १॥

Hearing the assurance of that high-souled son of the wind-god, Sītā, who resembled the daughter of a god, made for her part, the following reply, which was calculated to advance her own interests : (1)

> त्वां दृष्ट्वा प्रियवक्तारं सम्प्रहृष्यामि वानर।  
> अर्धसंजातसस्येव वृष्टिं प्राप्य वसुंधरा॥ २॥

“I feel thrilled to see you speaking kind words, O Hanumān, even as the earth with its crops half ripe is enlivened on having a shower. (2)

> यथा तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं गात्रैः शोकाभिकर्शितैः।  
> संस्पृशेयं सकामाहं तथा कुरु दयां मयि॥ ३॥

“Show compassion to me by manipulating things in such a way that, full of longing, I may be able to embrace that tiger among men with my limbs utterly emaciated through grief. (3)

> अभिज्ञानं च रामस्य दद्या हरिगणोत्तम।  
> क्षिप्तामिषीकां काकस्य कोपादेकाक्षिशातनीम्॥ ४॥

“Again, remind Śrī Rāma, O jewel among hordes of monkeys, as a token of your having met me, of the reed hurled by him in anger, which destroyed one eye of the son of Indra, who came disguised as a crow. (4)

> मनःशिलायास्तिलको गण्डपार्श्वे निवेशितः।  
> त्वया प्रणष्टे तिलके तं किल स्मर्तुमर्हसि॥ ५॥

“Further say to him, ‘You ought surely to recall the decoration which was painted by you on my (Sītā’s) cheek with realgar when my former decoration had got effaced. (5)

> स वीर्यवान् कथं सीतां हृतां समनुमन्यसे।  
> वसन्तीं रक्षसां मध्ये महेन्द्रवरुणोपम॥ ६॥

“ ‘Though powerful, how do you wink at Sītā (myself) having been borne away and living in the midst of ogres, O lord vying with Indra, the ruler of gods, and Varuṇa, the god of waters? (6)

> एष चूडामणिर्दिव्यो मया सुपरिरक्षितः।  
> एतं दृष्ट्वा प्रहृष्यामि व्यसने त्वामिवानघ॥ ७॥

“ ‘This celestial jewel for the head was preserved by me with special care, I used to feel overjoyed in adversity to see it as I did on seeing you, O sinless one ! (7)

> एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारिसम्भवः।  
> अतः परं न शक्ष्यामि जीवितुं शोकलालसा॥ ८॥

“ ‘This splendid jewel, having its origin in sea-water, has been sent by me to you (Śrī Rāma). Absorbed in grief that I am, I shall no longer be able to survive beyond a month. (8)

> असह्यानि च दुःखानि वाचश्च हृदयच्छिदः।  
> राक्षसैः सह संवासं त्वत्कृते मर्षयाम्यहम्॥ ९॥

“ ‘Only for your sake have I endured so long unbearable woes, words which pierced my heart and living surrounded by ogresses. (9)

> धारयिष्यामि मासं तु जीवितं शत्रुसूदन।  
> मासादूर्ध्वं न जीविष्ये त्वया हीना नृपात्मज॥ १०॥

“ ‘Anyhow I shall continue to live for a month more, O destroyer of foes ! Beyond a month, of course, I am not going to survive in your absence, O prince ! (10)

> घोरो राक्षसराजोऽयं दृष्टिश्च न सुखा मयि।  
> त्वां च श्रुत्वा विषज्जन्तं न जीवेयमपि क्षणम्॥ ११॥

“ ‘Frightful is this ruler of ogres; his attitude towards me is also not favourable. On hearing of you (Śrī Rāma) tarrying, on top of all this, I may not survive even a moment longer.’ ” (11)

> वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा करुणं साश्रुभाषितम्।  
> अथाब्रवीन्महातेजा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः॥ १२॥

Hearing the aforesaid plaintive message of Sītā, uttered with tears in her eyes, Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, forthwith submitted as follows : (12)

> त्वच्छोकविमुखो रामो देवि सत्येन ते शपे।  
> रामे शोकाभिभूते तु लक्ष्मणः परितप्यते॥ १३॥

“I swear to you by truth, O godlike lady, that Śrī Rāma has grown averse to everything else through grief caused by your absence. And Lakṣmaṇa too suffers agony due to Śrī Rāma being overwhelmed with sorrow. (13)

> दृष्टा कथंचिद् भवती न कालः परिदेवितुम्।  
> इमं मुहूर्तं दुःखानामन्तं द्रक्ष्यसि भामिनि॥ १४॥

“Somehow you have been discovered by me; hence this is not the time for grieving. From this very hour you will see the end of your woes drawing near, O noble lady ! (14)

> तावुभौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रावनिन्दितौ।  
> त्वद्दर्शनकृतोत्साहौ लङ्कां भस्मीकरिष्यतः॥ १५॥

“Both the aforesaid princes, who are tigers among men and are beyond reproach and who are determined to see you, will reduce Laṅkā to ashes. (15)

> हत्वा तु समरे रक्षो रावणं सहबान्धवैः।  
> राघवौ त्वां विशालाक्षि स्वां पुरीं प्रति नेष्यतः॥ १६॥

“Nay, killing in combat the ogre Rāvaṇa, alongwith his kinsfolk, the two scions of Raghu, O large-eyed lady, will take you back to their own capital. (16)

> यत्तु रामो विजानीयादभिज्ञानमनिन्दिते।  
> प्रीतिसंजननं भूयस्तस्य त्वं दातुमर्हसि॥ १७॥

“You ought further to give me a token which Śrī Rāma alone may be able to recognize and which may cause him delight, O irreproachable lady !” (17)

> साब्रवीद् दत्तमेवाहो मयाभिज्ञानमुत्तमम्।  
> एतदेव हि रामस्य दृष्ट्वा यत्नेन भूषणम्॥ १८॥  
> श्रद्धेयं हनुमन् वाक्यं तव वीर भविष्यति।  
> स तं मणिवरं गृह्य श्रीमान् प्लवगसत्तमः॥ १९॥  
> प्रणम्य शिरसा देवीं गमनायोपचक्रमे।  
> तमुत्पातकृतोत्साहमवेक्ष्य हरियूथपम्॥ २०॥  
> वर्धमानं महावेगमुवाच जनकात्मजा।  
> अश्रुपूर्णमुखी दीना बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा॥ २१॥

She replied, “An excellent token has already been handed over to you by me, O Hanumān ! On his having carefully seen this jewel alone, your statement, O gallant Hanumān, will actually prove worthy of credence to Śrī Rāma.” Having taken that excellent jewel and made respectful obeisance to the godlike lady with his head bent low, the glorious Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, prepared to depart. Observing that leader of monkey hordes, who was possessed of great impetuosity, expanding and striving to leap across the sea, Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, spoke as follows in a voice choked with sobs, her face bathed in tears, distressed as she was: (18—21)

> हनूमन् सिंहसंकाशौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।  
> सुग्रीवं च सहामात्यं सर्वान् ब्रूया अनामयम्॥ २२॥

“Pray, apprise, O Hanumān, all, viz., the two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, who resemble a pair of lions, as well as Sugrīva and his ministers, of my welfare.(22)

> यथा च स महाबाहुर्मां तारयति राघवः।  
> अस्माद् दुःखाम्बुसंरोधात् त्वं समाधातुमर्हसि॥ २३॥

“You ought to make efforts to see that that mighty-armed scion of Raghu delivers me from this ocean of sorrow. (23)

> इदं च तीव्रं मम शोकवेगं  
> रक्षोभिरेभिः परिभर्त्सनं च।  
> ब्रूयास्तु रामस्य गतः समीपं  
> शिवश्च तेऽध्वास्तु हरिप्रवीर॥ २४॥

“Arrived in the presence of Śrī Rāma, speak to him of the acute vehemence of my grief as well as of the threats of these ogres and let your journey be happy, O great hero among the monkeys !” (24)

> स राजपुत्र्या प्रतिवेदितार्थः  
> कपिः कृतार्थः परिहृष्टचेताः।  
> तदल्पशेषं प्रसमीक्ष्य कार्यं  
> दिशं ह्युदीचीं मनसा जगाम॥ २५॥

Apprised by the princess, Sītā, of her object, nay, greatly delighted at heart on his purpose of visiting Sītā having been accomplished and thinking that only a small fraction of his duty remained to be performed, he mentally sought the northern direction. (25)

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