---
title: "Sundara Kanda, Sarga 65"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/sundara-kanda/sarga-65"
lang: "en"
---

# Sundara Kanda, Sarga 65

> ततः प्रस्रवणं शैलं ते गत्वा चित्रकाननम्।  
> प्रणम्य शिरसा रामं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥ १॥  
> युवराजं पुरस्कृत्य सुग्रीवमभिवाद्य च।  
> प्रवृत्तिमथ सीतायाः प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमुः॥ २॥

Then moving to Mount Prasravana, clothed with lovely woods, making obeisance with their heads bent low to Śrī Rāma, and also Lakṣmaṇa, who was endowed with extraordinary might, nay, greeting Sugrīva, and placing Aṅgada, the Crown prince at their head, the monkeys forthwith proceeded to give information regarding Sītā as follows: (1-2)

> रावणान्तःपुरे रोधं राक्षसीभिश्च तर्जनम्।  
> रामे समनुरागं च यथा च नियमः कृतः॥ ३॥  
> एतदाख्याय ते सर्वं हरयो रामसंनिधौ।  
> वैदेहीमक्षतां श्रुत्वा रामस्तूत्तरमब्रवीत्॥ ४॥

Having related in the presence of Śrī Rāma all this, viz., Sītā’s detention in the pleasance of Rāvaṇa, she being threatened by ogresses, her unflinching devotion to Śrī Rāma and how a time limit of a couple of fortnights had been fixed for her survival by Rāvaṇa, the said monkeys kept mum. Hearing of Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, being alive, Śrī Rāma for his part asked the following question: (3-4)

> क्व सीता वर्तते देवी कथं च मयि वर्तते।  
> एतन्मे सर्वमाख्यात वैदेहीं प्रति वानराः॥ ५॥

“Where does Sītā, the godlike lady, live and how is she disposed towards me? Pray, tell me all this concerning Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) O monkeys !” (5)

> रामस्य गदितं श्रुत्वा हरयो रामसंनिधौ।  
> चोदयन्ति हनूमन्तं सीतावृत्तान्तकोविदम्॥ ६॥

Hearing the command of Śrī Rāma, the monkeys began to urge, in the presence of Śrī Rāma, Hanumān, who knew full well the facts about Sītā, to answer the question of Śrī Rāma. (6)

> श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः।  
> प्रणम्य शिरसा देव्यै सीतायै तां दिशं प्रति॥ ७॥  
> उवाच वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञः सीताया दर्शनं यथा।  
> तं मणिं काञ्चनं दिव्यं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा॥ ८॥  
> दत्त्वा रामाय हनुमांस्ततः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्।  
> समुद्रं लङ्घयित्वाहं शतयोजनमायतम्॥ ९॥  
> अगच्छं जानकीं सीतां मार्गमाणो दिदृक्षया।  
> तत्र लङ्केति नगरी रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥ १०॥  
> दक्षिणस्य समुद्रस्य तीरे वसति दक्षिणे।  
> तत्र सीता मया दृष्टा रावणान्तःपुरे सती॥ ११॥  
> त्वयि संन्यस्य जीवन्ती रामा राम मनोरथम्।  
> दृष्टा मे राक्षसीमध्ये तर्ज्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः॥ १२॥  
> राक्षसीभिर्विरूपाभी रक्षिता प्रमदावने।  
> दुःखमापद्यते देवी त्वया वीर सुखोचिता॥ १३॥  
> रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता।  
> एकवेणीधरा दीना त्वयि चिन्तापरायणा॥ १४॥

Hearing their request and offering salutations with his head bent low to the southern quarter and thereby to the godlike lady Sītā, Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god, who knew the art of expression, made the following statement describing how he was able to see Sītā. Having delivered to Śrī Rāma the wonderful golden jewel glowing in its own splendour, Hanumān then submitted with joined palms as follows: “Having leapt across the sea, a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles) wide, I reached its southern shore looking about for Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, with intent to see her. There on the southern shore of the southern sea is situated the city ruled over by the evil-minded Rāvaṇa, known by the name of Laṅkā. The virtuous and lovely Sītā was seen by me living in the pleasance of Rāvaṇa in that city, having centred her heart on you, O Rāma ! Nay, she was seen by me in the midst of ogresses, guarded in a pleasance by ugly ogresses and being threatened again and again. Detained in the pleasance of Rāvaṇa and closely guarded by ogresses, the godlike lady, who deserves to live happily with you, O valiant prince, has been reduced to straits. She wears a single pleat of hair (as a mark of desolation), is forlorn and remains absorbed in your thought alone. (7—14)

> अधःशय्या विवर्णाङ्गी पद्मिनीव हिमागमे।  
> रावणाद् विनिवृत्तार्था मर्तव्यकृतनिश्चया॥ १५॥

“She stretches herself on the bare ground, is pale of limbs like a lotus plant at the approach of winter, has utterly refused to have anything to do with Rāvaṇa, and is determined to die rather than submit to Rāvaṇa. (15)

> देवी कथंचित् काकुत्स्थ त्वन्मना मार्गिता मया।  
> इक्ष्वाकुवंशविख्यातिं शनैः कीर्तयतानघ॥ १६॥  
> सा मया नरशार्दूल शनैर्विश्वासिता तदा।  
> ततः सम्भाषिता देवी सर्वमर्थं च दर्शिता॥ १७॥

“The godlike lady, whose mind is set on you, O scion of Kakutstha, was somehow traced out by me. She was then inspired by me, by degrees with confidence, O tiger among men, by gradually recounting the glory of Ikṣwāku’s race. She was later on accosted by me and apprised of all the facts, including your alliance with Sugrīva. (16-17)

> रामसुग्रीवसख्यं च श्रुत्वा हर्षमुपागता।  
> नियतः समुदाचारो भक्तिश्चास्याः सदा त्वयि॥ १८॥

“Nay, she experienced delight on hearing of the alliance between you and king Sugrīva. Constant is her morality and abiding is her devotion to you. (18)

> एवं मया महाभाग दृष्टा जनकनन्दिनी।  
> उग्रेण तपसा युक्ता त्वद्भक्त्या पुरुषर्षभ॥ १९॥

“In this way, O highly blessed one, was the delight of Janaka, Sītā, found by me, endowed with severe asceticism and devotion to you, O jewel among men ! (19)

> अभिज्ञानं च मे दत्तं यथावृत्तं तवान्तिके।  
> चित्रकूटे महाप्राज्ञ वायसं प्रति राघव॥ २०॥

“The way in which an incident connected with a crow took place in your presence at Citrakūṭa was also related by her by way of a token, O Śrī Rāma, exceptionally sagacious scion of Raghu ! (20)

> विज्ञाप्यः पुनरप्येष रामो वायुसुत त्वया।  
> अखिलेन यथा दृष्टमिति मामाह जानकी॥ २१॥

“The daughter of Janaka said to me, ‘Śrī Rāma enshrined in my memory, O son of the wind-god, should further be told by you in every detail what has been witnessed by you here. (21)

> अयं चास्मै प्रदातव्यो यत्नात् सुपरिरक्षितः।  
> ब्रुवता वचनान्येवं सुग्रीवस्योपशृण्वतः॥ २२॥

“Nay, this jewel, which has been carefully preserved with diligence, should be handed over to Śrī Rāma after addressing the following words within the hearing of Sugrīva : (22)

> एष चूडामणिः श्रीमान् मया ते यत्नरक्षितः।  
> मनःशिलायास्तिलकं तत् स्मरस्वेति चाब्रवीत्॥ २३॥

“ ‘Here is the brilliant jewel for the head associated with you and preserved by me with diligence.’ She further said, ‘Kindly recall that sacred mark on my forehead painted by you with realgar. (23)

> एष निर्यातितः श्रीमान् मया ते वारिसम्भवः।  
> एनं दृष्ट्वा प्रमोदिष्ये व्यसने त्वामिवानघ॥ २४॥

“ ‘This brilliant jewel found in the waters is hereby being sent by me to you. Gazing on it in my adversity I used to feel highly rejoiced as on seeing you, O sinless prince ! (24)

> जीवितं धारयिष्यामि मासं दशरथात्मज।  
> ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न जीवेयं रक्षसां वशमागता॥ २५॥

“ ‘I am going to survive but for a month, O son of Daśaratha ! Fallen that I am into the clutches of ogres, I am not going to survive beyond a month.’ (25)

> इति मामब्रवीत् सीता कृशाङ्गी धर्मचारिणी।  
> रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा मृगीवोत्फुल्ललोचना॥ २६॥

“Thus spoke to me Sītā of emaciated limbs, who looked with eyes wide open (through fear) like a doe, was given to the practice of virtue, and had been detained in the pleasance of Rāvaṇa. (26)

> एतदेव मयाऽऽख्यातं सर्वं राघव यद् यथा।  
> सर्वथा सागरजले संतारः प्रविधीयताम्॥ २७॥

“This precisely is the news about Sītā, which has been narrated by me exhaustively and correctly, O scion of Raghu ! A method may now be devised to cross the sea-water at all events.” (27)

> तौ जाताश्वासौ राजपुत्रौ विदित्वा  
> तच्चाभिज्ञानं राघवाय प्रदाय।  
> देव्या चाख्यातं सर्वमेवानुपूर्व्याद्  
> वाचा सम्पूर्णं वायुपुत्रः शशंस॥ २८॥

Coming to know that the two princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, were restored to confidence, and having delivered the aforesaid token to Śrī Rāma, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, reproduced in its entirety in so many words seriatim all that was communicated by the godlike lady. (28)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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