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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 58: Rāma searches for Sītā

Summary. He finds the hut disordered, questions trees and animals and imagines her yellow clothing among the woods

Sequence

  1. Resuming the arrival at the hut, the account describes Rāma's anxious haste and the omens that trouble him (3.58.1–3)
  2. he searches in every direction and finds the hut deserted, its deerskins, grass, mat, and cushions scattered (3.58.4–7)
  3. he moves between frightening and hopeful possibilities: Sītā may have been taken or killed, but perhaps she is hiding, gathering food or flowers, or fetching water (3.58.8–9)
  4. failing to find her, he runs among trees, mountains, and rivers (3.58.10–11)
  5. he asks the trees she loved and the deer, elephant, and tiger whether they have seen her (3.58.12–22)
  6. in his distress he imagines that he sees her yellow clothing behind a tree and calls on her to stop hiding (3.58.23–25)
  7. when she does not answer, he fears again that rākṣasas have killed and eaten her (3.58.26–31)
  8. crying her name, he continues through woods, streams, hills, and groves, refusing to stop searching despite finding no sign of her. (3.58.32–35)

Verses 3.58.1–35

3.58.1

bhṛśam āvrajamānasya tasyādhovāmalocanam
prāsphurac cāskhalad rāmo vepathuś cāsya jāyate

As he came hurrying on, the lower left eye of Rāma throbbed and twitched, and a trembling came over him.

Words: bhṛśam — intensely; āvrajamānasya — of him coming on; tasyādhovāmalocanam — his lower left eye; prāsphurac — throbbed; cāskhalad — and twitched; rāmo — Rāma; vepathuś — a trembling; cāsya — and to him; jāyate — arises

3.58.2

upālakṣya nimittāni so 'śubhāni muhur muhuḥ
api kṣemaṃ tu sītāyā iti vai vyājahāra ha

Observing these inauspicious omens again and again, he said, 'Is it well, indeed, with Sītā?'

Words: upālakṣya — having observed; nimittāni — the omens; so — he; 'śubhāni — inauspicious; muhur — again; muhuḥ — and again; api — whether; kṣemaṃ — well-being; tu — indeed; sītāyā — with Sītā; iti — thus; vai — indeed; vyājahāra — he uttered; ha — surely

3.58.3

tvaramāṇo jagāmātha sītādarśanalālasaḥ
śūnyam āvasathaṃ dṛṣṭvā babhūvodvignamānasaḥ

Hastening, longing to behold Sītā, he pressed on; but seeing the dwelling empty, his mind grew distraught.

Words: tvaramāṇo — hastening; jagāmātha — then he went; sītādarśanalālasaḥ — longing for the sight of Sītā; śūnyam — empty; āvasathaṃ — the dwelling; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; babhūvodvignamānasaḥ — became troubled in mind

3.58.4

udbhramann iva vegena vikṣipan raghunandanaḥ
tatra tatroṭajasthānam abhivīkṣya samantataḥ

Whirling about as if in frenzy, casting his gaze this way and that, Raghu's delight looked around the site of the hut on every side.

Words: udbhramann — whirling about; iva — as if; vegena — with speed; vikṣipan — flinging his glances; raghunandanaḥ — the delight of the Raghus; tatra — here; tatroṭajasthānam — there the site of the hut; abhivīkṣya — having gazed at; samantataḥ — on all sides

3.58.5

dadarśa parṇaśālāṃ ca rahitāṃ sītayā tadā
śriyā virahitāṃ dhvastāṃ hemante padminīm iva

Then he beheld the leaf-hut bereft of Sītā, robbed of its beauty and ravaged, like a lotus-pond in winter.

Words: dadarśa — he saw; parṇaśālāṃ — the leaf-hut; ca — and; rahitāṃ — bereft; sītayā — of Sītā; tadā — then; śriyā — of splendour; virahitāṃ — deprived; dhvastāṃ — ravaged; hemante — in winter; padminīm — a lotus-pond; iva — like

3.58.6

rudantam iva vṛkṣaiś ca mlānapuṣpamṛgadvijam
śriyā vihīnaṃ vidhvastaṃ saṃtyaktavanadaivatam

(the place) as if weeping through its trees, its flowers withered and its beasts and birds drooping, stripped of splendour, shattered, forsaken by the forest deities;

Words: rudantam — weeping; iva — as if; vṛkṣaiś — through the trees; ca — and; mlānapuṣpamṛgadvijam — with withered flowers, beasts and birds; śriyā — of splendour; vihīnaṃ — devoid; vidhvastaṃ — shattered; saṃtyaktavanadaivatam — forsaken by the forest deities

3.58.7

viprakīrṇājinakuśaṃ vipraviddhabṛsīkaṭam
dṛṣṭvā śūnyoṭajasthānaṃ vilalāpa punaḥ punaḥ

seeing the hut-site deserted, its deer-skins and kuśa grass scattered, its grass-cushion and mat flung about, he lamented again and again.

Words: viprakīrṇājinakuśaṃ — with deer-skins and kuśa grass scattered; vipraviddhabṛsīkaṭam — with grass-cushion and mat flung about; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; śūnyoṭajasthānaṃ — the empty hut-site; vilalāpa — he lamented; punaḥ — again; punaḥ — and again

3.58.8

hṛtā mṛtā vā naṣṭā vā bhakṣitā vā bhaviṣyati
nilīnāpy atha vā bhīrur atha vā vanam āśritā

She has been carried off, or has died, or is lost, or perhaps devoured; or else the timid one has hidden herself, or gone into the forest.

Words: hṛtā — carried off; mṛtā — dead; vā — or; naṣṭā — lost; vā — or; bhakṣitā — devoured; vā — or; bhaviṣyati — she must be; nilīnāpy — or has hidden; atha — or; vā — else; bhīrur — the timid one; atha — or; vā — else; vanam — the forest; āśritā — has resorted to

3.58.9

gatā vicetuṃ puṣpāṇi phalāny api ca vā punaḥ
atha vā padminīṃ yātā jalārthaṃ vā nadīṃ gatā

Or perhaps she has gone again to gather flowers or fruits, or has gone to the lotus-pond, or to the river for water.

Words: gatā — gone; vicetuṃ — to gather; puṣpāṇi — flowers; phalāny — fruits; api — also; ca — and; vā — or; punaḥ — again; atha — or; vā — else; padminīṃ — to the lotus-pond; yātā — gone; jalārthaṃ — for the sake of water; vā — or; nadīṃ — to the river; gatā — gone

3.58.10

yatnān mṛgayamāṇas tu nāsasāda vane priyām
śokaraktekṣaṇaḥ śokād unmatta iva lakṣyate

But though he searched with effort, he did not find his beloved in the forest; his eyes red with grief, he seemed as if maddened by sorrow.

Words: yatnān — with effort; mṛgayamāṇas — searching; tu — but; nāsasāda — did not find; vane — in the forest; priyām — his beloved; śokaraktekṣaṇaḥ — with eyes red from grief; śokād — from grief; unmatta — mad; iva — like; lakṣyate — he appears

3.58.11

vṛkṣād vṛkṣaṃ pradhāvan sa girīṃś cāpi nadīn nadīm
babhūva vilapan rāmaḥ śokapaṅkārṇavaplutaḥ

Running from tree to tree, and over the mountains, and from river to river, Rāma fell to lamenting, sunk in a slough-ocean of grief.

Words: vṛkṣād — from tree; vṛkṣaṃ — to tree; pradhāvan — running; sa — he; girīṃś — to the mountains; cāpi — and also; nadīn — the rivers; nadīm — from river to river; babhūva — became; vilapan — lamenting; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śokapaṅkārṇavaplutaḥ — plunged in the mire-ocean of grief

3.58.12

asti kaccit tvayā dṛṣṭā sā kadambapriyā priyā
kadamba yadi jānīṣe śaṃsa sītāṃ śubhānanām

Has my beloved, who loved the kadamba, perhaps been seen by you? O kadamba, if you know, tell me of Sītā of the lovely face.

Words: asti — is it; kaccit — perhaps; tvayā — by you; dṛṣṭā — seen; sā — she; kadambapriyā — fond of the kadamba; priyā — the beloved; kadamba — O kadamba; yadi — if; jānīṣe — you know; śaṃsa — tell; sītāṃ — Sītā; śubhānanām — fair-faced

3.58.13

snigdhapallavasaṃkāśāṃ pītakauśeyavāsinīm
śaṃsasva yadi vā dṛṣṭā bilva bilvopamastanī

O bilva, if she—like a glossy tender shoot, clad in yellow silk, her breasts like bilva-fruits—has been seen by you, tell me.

Words: snigdhapallavasaṃkāśāṃ — resembling a glossy tender shoot; pītakauśeyavāsinīm — clad in yellow silk; śaṃsasva — tell; yadi — if; vā — or; dṛṣṭā — seen; bilva — O bilva; bilvopamastanī — with breasts like bilva-fruits

3.58.14

atha vārjuna śaṃsa tvaṃ priyāṃ tām arjunapriyām
janakasya sutā bhīrur yadi jīvati vā na vā

Or else, O arjuna, tell me of that beloved who loved the arjuna—whether Janaka's timid daughter yet lives or not.

Words: atha — or; vārjuna — else, O arjuna; śaṃsa — tell; tvaṃ — you; priyāṃ — the beloved; tām — that; arjunapriyām — fond of the arjuna; janakasya — of Janaka; sutā — the daughter; bhīrur — the timid one; yadi — whether; jīvati — she lives; vā — or; na — not; vā — or

3.58.15

kakubhaḥ kakubhoruṃ tāṃ vyaktaṃ jānāti maithilīm
latāpallavapuṣpāḍhyo bhāti hy eṣa vanaspatiḥ

The kakubha surely knows the Maithilī, whose thighs are like the kakubha; for this lord of the woods stands radiant, rich with creepers, shoots and blossoms.

Words: kakubhaḥ — the kakubha; kakubhoruṃ — with kakubha-like thighs; tāṃ — her; vyaktaṃ — clearly; jānāti — knows; maithilīm — the Maithilī; latāpallavapuṣpāḍhyo — rich with creepers, shoots and flowers; bhāti — shines; hy — indeed; eṣa — this; vanaspatiḥ — lord of the forest

3.58.16

bhramarair upagītaś ca yathā drumavaro hy ayam
eṣa vyaktaṃ vijānāti tilakas tilakapriyām

And just as this best of trees is hummed over by bees, so surely this tilaka knows her who loved the tilaka.

Words: bhramarair — by the bees; upagītaś — sung to; ca — and; yathā — as; drumavaro — the best of trees; hy — indeed; ayam — this; eṣa — this; vyaktaṃ — clearly; vijānāti — knows; tilakas — the tilaka; tilakapriyām — fond of the tilaka

3.58.17

aśokaśokāpanuda śokopahatacetasaṃ
tvannāmānaṃ kuru kṣipraṃ priyāsaṃdarśanena mām

O aśoka, dispeller of sorrow, quickly make me—whose mind is stricken with grief—true to your name by the sight of my beloved.

Words: aśokaśokāpanuda — O aśoka, dispeller of grief; śokopahatacetasaṃ — whose mind is stricken by grief; tvannāmānaṃ — bearing your name; kuru — make; kṣipraṃ — quickly; priyāsaṃdarśanena — by the sight of my beloved; mām — me

3.58.18

yadi tāla tvayā dṛṣṭā pakvatālaphalastanī
kathayasva varārohāṃ kāruṣyaṃ yadi te mayi

O palm, if you have seen her whose breasts are like ripe palm-fruits, tell me of that fair-hipped one, if you have any compassion for me.

Words: yadi — if; tāla — O palm; tvayā — by you; dṛṣṭā — seen; pakvatālaphalastanī — with breasts like ripe palm-fruit; kathayasva — tell; varārohāṃ — the fair-hipped one; kāruṣyaṃ — compassion; yadi — if; te — to you; mayi — toward me

3.58.19

yadi dṛṣṭā tvayā sītā jambujāmbūnadaprabhā
priyāṃ yadi vijānīṣe niḥśaṅkaṃ kathayasva me

O jambu, if Sītā, radiant as gold, has been seen by you—if you know my beloved—tell me without hesitation.

Words: yadi — if; dṛṣṭā — seen; tvayā — by you; sītā — Sītā; jambujāmbūnadaprabhā — O jambu, (Sītā) radiant as gold; priyāṃ — the beloved; yadi — if; vijānīṣe — you know; niḥśaṅkaṃ — without hesitation; kathayasva — tell; me — me

3.58.20

atha vā mṛgaśāvākṣīṃ mṛga jānāsi maithilīm
mṛgaviprekṣaṇī kāntā mṛgībhiḥ sahitā bhavet

Or else, O deer, do you know the fawn-eyed Maithilī? My love, of fawn-like gaze, might well be among the does.

Words: atha — or; vā — else; mṛgaśāvākṣīṃ — fawn-eyed; mṛga — O deer; jānāsi — you know; maithilīm — the Maithilī; mṛgaviprekṣaṇī — of fawn-like glances; kāntā — the beloved; mṛgībhiḥ — with the does; sahitā — together; bhavet — might be

3.58.21

gaja sā gajanāsorur yadi dṛṣṭā tvayā bhavet
tāṃ manye viditāṃ tubhyam ākhyāhi varavāraṇa

O elephant, if she whose thighs are like an elephant's trunk has been seen by you—I think she must be known to you—tell me, O best of elephants.

Words: gaja — O elephant; sā — she; gajanāsorur — with thighs like an elephant's trunk; yadi — if; dṛṣṭā — seen; tvayā — by you; bhavet — might be; tāṃ — her; manye — I think; viditāṃ — known; tubhyam — to you; ākhyāhi — tell; varavāraṇa — O best of elephants

3.58.22

śārdūla yadi sā dṛṣṭā priyā candranibhānanā
maithilī mama visrabdhaḥ kathayasva na te bhayam

O tiger, if my beloved Maithilī, her face like the moon, has been seen by you, tell me with confidence—you have nothing to fear.

Words: śārdūla — O tiger; yadi — if; sā — she; dṛṣṭā — seen; priyā — beloved; candranibhānanā — with a face like the moon; maithilī — the Maithilī; mama — my; visrabdhaḥ — confidently; kathayasva — tell; na — not; te — to you; bhayam — fear

3.58.23

kiṃ dhāvasi priye nūnaṃ dṛṣṭāsi kamalekṣaṇe
vṛkṣeṇācchādya cātmānaṃ kiṃ māṃ na pratibhāṣase

Why do you flee, beloved? Surely I have seen you, O lotus-eyed one! Hiding yourself behind a tree, why do you not answer me?

Words: kiṃ — why; dhāvasi — do you run; priye — O beloved; nūnaṃ — surely; dṛṣṭāsi — you are seen; kamalekṣaṇe — O lotus-eyed one; vṛkṣeṇācchādya — concealing yourself with a tree; cātmānaṃ — and yourself; kiṃ — why; māṃ — me; na — not; pratibhāṣase — do you answer

3.58.24

tiṣṭha tiṣṭha varārohe na te 'sti karuṇā mayi
nātyarthaṃ hāsyaśīlāsi kimarthaṃ mām upekṣase

Stay, stay, O fair-hipped one! Have you no pity for me? You were never one so given to jesting—why do you neglect me?

Words: tiṣṭha — stay; tiṣṭha — stay; varārohe — O fair-hipped one; na — not; te — to you; 'sti — is; karuṇā — compassion; mayi — for me; nātyarthaṃ — not overmuch; hāsyaśīlāsi — are you of a jesting nature; kimarthaṃ — why; mām — me; upekṣase — do you neglect

3.58.25

pītakauśeyakenāsi sūcitā varavarṇini
dhāvanty api mayā dṛṣṭā tiṣṭha yady asti sauhṛdam

You are betrayed by your yellow silk, O lovely-hued one; even as you flee you are seen by me. Stop, if you have any affection.

Words: pītakauśeyakenāsi — you are (betrayed) by your yellow silk; sūcitā — revealed; varavarṇini — O one of fair complexion; dhāvanty — running; api — even; mayā — by me; dṛṣṭā — seen; tiṣṭha — stop; yady — if; asti — there is; sauhṛdam — affection

3.58.26

naiva sā nūnam atha vā hiṃsitā cāruhāsinī
kṛcchraṃ prāptaṃ hi māṃ nūnaṃ yathopekṣitum arhati

Surely she is not here—or else the sweet-smiling one has been slain; for otherwise she would never so neglect me who am fallen into such distress.

Words: naiva — surely not; sā — she; nūnam — surely; atha — or; vā — else; hiṃsitā — slain; cāruhāsinī — the sweet-smiling one; kṛcchraṃ — distress; prāptaṃ — fallen into; hi — for; māṃ — me; nūnaṃ — surely; yathopekṣitum — so as to neglect; arhati — she would deserve

3.58.27

vyaktaṃ sā bhakṣitā bālā rākṣasaiḥ piśitāśanaiḥ
vibhajyāṅgāni sarvāṇi mayā virahitā priyā

Clearly the young girl has been devoured by the flesh-eating rākṣasas, who tore apart all her limbs—my beloved, now torn from me.

Words: vyaktaṃ — clearly; sā — she; bhakṣitā — devoured; bālā — the young girl; rākṣasaiḥ — by the rākṣasas; piśitāśanaiḥ — flesh-eating; vibhajyāṅgāni — having divided the limbs; sarvāṇi — all; mayā — from me; virahitā — parted; priyā — the beloved

3.58.28

nūnaṃ tac chubhadantauṣṭhaṃ mukhaṃ niṣprabhatāṃ gatam
sā hi campakavarṇābhā grīvā graiveya śobhitā

Surely that face, with its fair teeth and lips, has lost its lustre; that neck, glowing like the campaka blossom, once graced with a necklace—

Words: nūnaṃ — surely; tac — that; chubhadantauṣṭhaṃ — with fair teeth and lips; mukhaṃ — face; niṣprabhatāṃ — lustrelessness; gatam — has gone to; sā — that; hi — indeed; campakavarṇābhā — of campaka-flower complexion; grīvā — the neck; graiveya — with a necklace; śobhitā — adorned

3.58.29

komalā vilapantyās tu kāntāyā bhakṣitā śubhā
nūnaṃ vikṣipyamāṇau tau bāhū pallavakomalau

the tender, fair neck of my lamenting beloved has been devoured; and surely those two arms, soft as tender shoots, flung about—

Words: komalā — tender; vilapantyās — of her lamenting; tu — indeed; kāntāyā — of the beloved; bhakṣitā — devoured; śubhā — the fair (neck); nūnaṃ — surely; vikṣipyamāṇau — the two flung about; tau — those two; bāhū — arms; pallavakomalau — tender as shoots

3.58.30

bhakṣitau vepamānāgrau sahastābharaṇāṅgadau
mayā virahitā bālā rakṣasāṃ bhakṣaṇāya vai

those two arms, their tips still quivering, with their bracelets and armlets, have been devoured—the young girl, parted from me, given over to be the rākṣasas' meal.

Words: bhakṣitau — the two devoured; vepamānāgrau — with trembling tips; sahastābharaṇāṅgadau — with hand-ornaments and armlets; mayā — from me; virahitā — parted; bālā — the girl; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; bhakṣaṇāya — for the devouring; vai — indeed

3.58.31

sārtheneva parityaktā bhakṣitā bahubāndhavā
hā lakṣmaṇa mahābāho paśyasi tvaṃ priyāṃ kva cit

Like one abandoned by her caravan, she of many kinsmen has been forsaken and devoured. Alas, mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa, do you see my beloved anywhere?

Words: sārtheneva — as if by a caravan; parityaktā — forsaken; bhakṣitā — devoured; bahubāndhavā — she of many kinsmen; hā — alas; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; mahābāho — O mighty-armed; paśyasi — do you see; tvaṃ — you; priyāṃ — the beloved; kva — anywhere; cit — at all

3.58.32

hā priye kva gatā bhadre hā sīteti punaḥ punaḥ
ity evaṃ vilapan rāmaḥ paridhāvan vanād vanam

'Alas, my love, where have you gone, gentle one? Alas, Sītā!'—thus, again and again, lamenting, Rāma ran from wood to wood.

Words: hā — alas; priye — O beloved; kva — where; gatā — gone; bhadre — O gentle one; hā — alas; sīteti — 'O Sītā' thus; punaḥ — again; punaḥ — and again; ity — thus; evaṃ — so; vilapan — lamenting; rāmaḥ — Rāma; paridhāvan — running; vanād — from forest; vanam — to forest

3.58.33

kva cid udbhramate vegāt kva cid vibhramate balāt
kva cin matta ivābhāti kāntān veṣaṇatatparaḥ

Now he whirls up with speed, now he reels as though by force, now he seems like one drunk—bent wholly on the search for his beloved.

Words: kva cid — sometimes; udbhramate — he whirls up; vegāt — with speed; kva cid — sometimes; vibhramate — he reels; balāt — by force; kva cin — sometimes; matta — drunk; ivābhāti — appears as if; kāntān veṣaṇatatparaḥ — intent on the search for his beloved

3.58.34

sa vanāni nadīḥ śailān giriprasravaṇāni ca
kānanāni ca vegena bhramaty aparisaṃsthitaḥ

Restless and never halting, he roamed swiftly over forests, rivers, mountains, mountain-cascades and groves.

Words: sa — he; vanāni — forests; nadīḥ — rivers; śailān — mountains; giriprasravaṇāni — mountain-cascades; ca — and; kānanāni — groves; ca — and; vegena — swiftly; bhramaty — wanders; aparisaṃsthitaḥ — without ceasing

3.58.35

tathā sa gatvā vipulaṃ mahad vanaṃ parītya sarvaṃ tv atha maithilīṃ prati
aniṣṭhitāśaḥ sa cakāra mārgaṇe punaḥ priyāyāḥ paramaṃ pariśramam

So, having ranged that vast great forest and roamed it all in search of the Maithilī, his hopes still unfulfilled, he yet again exerted himself to the utmost in seeking his beloved.

Words: tathā — so; sa — he; gatvā — having gone; vipulaṃ — vast; mahad — great; vanaṃ — forest; parītya — having roamed round; sarvaṃ — the whole; tv — indeed; atha — then; maithilīṃ — the Maithilī; prati — toward; aniṣṭhitāśaḥ — with hopes unfulfilled; sa — he; cakāra — made; mārgaṇe — in the search; punaḥ — again; priyāyāḥ — for his beloved; paramaṃ — supreme; pariśramam — toil

← 3.57 Lakṣmaṇa explains his departure · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.59 Lakṣmaṇa renews the search →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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