# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 59 — Lakṣmaṇa renews the search *He urges Rāma to inspect caves, rivers and groves before assuming Sītā’s death, their fruitless search returns Rāma to grief* Portion: The empty hut and the search for Sītā · Verses: 29 · Ref format: 3.59. ## Sequence - At the empty, disordered hermitage, Rāma again calls for Sītā and wonders whether she is hiding nearby (59.1–5) - he imagines dying of grief and meeting Daśaratha before completing the promised exile, only to be reproached for failing his word (59.6–8) - he calls after Sītā and says he cannot live without her (59.9–11) - Lakṣmaṇa urges him to keep searching instead of assuming the worst: she may be in a cave, by a river or lotus pond, or exploring the woods (59.12–16) - steadied for a time, Rāma joins him in searching the forests, mountain ridges, caves, rivers, and lakes (59.17–19) - they still find nothing → Lakṣmaṇa insists that Rāma will recover her, comparing the recovery to Viṣṇu regaining the earth (59.20–22) - Rāma recalls all the places already searched, collapses in renewed grief, and repeatedly cries for her despite his brother's efforts to comfort him (59.23–29). ## Verses **3.59.1** dṛṣṭāśramapadaṃ śūnyaṃ rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ rahitāṃ parṇaśālāṃ ca vidhvastāny āsanāni ca Rāma, son of Daśaratha, having seen the hermitage-ground empty, the leaf-hut deserted, and the seats overturned— **3.59.2** adṛṣṭvā tatra vaidehīṃ saṃnirīkṣya ca sarvaśaḥ uvāca rāmaḥ prākruśya pragṛhya rucirau bhujau Not seeing Vaidehī there, and looking about in every direction, Rāma cried out and, raising his lovely arms, spoke: **3.59.3** kva nu lakṣmaṇa vaidehī kaṃ vā deśam ito gatā kenāhṛtā vā saumitre bhakṣitā kena vā priyā Where, pray, is Vaidehī, Lakṣmaṇa, or to what region has she gone from here? By whom has my beloved been carried off, Saumitri, or by whom devoured? **3.59.4** vṛṣkeṇāvārya yadi māṃ sīte hasitum icchasi alaṃ te hasitenādya māṃ bhajasva suduḥkhitam If, screening yourself behind a tree, Sītā, you wish to laugh at me—enough of your laughter now; come to me, who am so sorely grieved. **3.59.5** yaiḥ saha krīḍase sīte viśvastair mṛgapotakaiḥ ete hīnās tvayā saumye dhyāyanty asrāvilekṣaṇāḥ The trusting fawns with which you used to play, Sītā—these, deprived of you, O gentle one, stand brooding with eyes clouded by tears. **3.59.6** mṛtaṃ śokena mahatā sītāharaṇajena mām paraloke mahārājo nūnaṃ drakṣyati me pitā My father, the great king, will surely see me in the other world, dead from the great grief born of Sītā's abduction. **3.59.7** kathaṃ pratijñāṃ saṃśrutya mayā tvam abhiyojitaḥ apūrayitvā taṃ kālaṃ matsakāśam ihāgataḥ How is it that, having agreed to the promise to which you were charged by me, without completing that period you have come here into my presence? **3.59.8** kāmavṛttam anāryaṃ māṃ mṛṣāvādinam eva ca dhik tvām iti pare loke vyaktaṃ vakṣyati me pitā 'Shame on you!'—so, plainly, will my father say to me in the other world, calling me self-willed, ignoble, and a speaker of falsehood. **3.59.9** vivaśaṃ śokasaṃtaptaṃ dīnaṃ bhagnamanoratham mām ihotsṛjya karuṇaṃ kīrtir naram ivānṛjum (You have left) me here helpless, scorched with grief, wretched, my hopes shattered, and pitiable—as glory forsakes a crooked man. **3.59.10** kva gacchasi varārohe mām utsṛjya sumadhyame tvayā virahitaś cāhaṃ mokṣye jīvitam ātmanaḥ Where are you going, fair-hipped one, abandoning me, O slender-waisted one? Parted from you, I shall give up my own life. **3.59.11** itīva vilapan rāmaḥ sītādarśanalālasaḥ na dadarśa suduḥkhārto rāghavo janakātmajām Thus lamenting, Rāma, longing for the sight of Sītā and sorely afflicted, that Rāghava did not see Janaka's daughter. **3.59.12** anāsādayamānaṃ taṃ sītāṃ daśarathātmajam paṅkam āsādya vipulaṃ sīdantam iva kuñjaram lakṣmaṇo rāmam atyartham uvāca hitakāmyayā To that son of Daśaratha, who was failing to find Sītā and sinking like an elephant that has floundered into a vast mire, Lakṣmaṇa, desiring his welfare, spoke earnestly: **3.59.13** mā viṣādaṃ mahābāho kuru yatnaṃ mayā saha idaṃ ca hi vanaṃ śūra bahukandaraśobhitam Do not despair, mighty-armed one; make effort together with me. For this forest, O hero, is adorned with many caverns. **3.59.14** priyakānanasaṃcārā vanonmattā ca maithilī sā vanaṃ vā praviṣṭā syān nalinīṃ vā supuṣpitām Maithilī loves to roam the woods and is enraptured by the forest; she may have entered the forest, or a lotus-pond in full bloom. **3.59.15** saritaṃ vāpi saṃprāptā mīnavañjurasevitām vitrāsayitukāmā vā līnā syāt kānane kva cit jijñāsamānā vaidehī tvāṃ māṃ ca puruṣarṣabha Or she may have reached a river frequented by fish and vañju-birds, or, wishing to startle us, she may be hiding somewhere in the wood—Vaidehī putting you and me to the test, O bull among men. **3.59.16** tasyā hy anveṣaṇe śrīman kṣipram eva yatāvahe vanaṃ sarvaṃ vicinuvo yatra sā janakātmajā manyase yadi kākutstha mā sma śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ Illustrious one, let us two swiftly exert ourselves in searching for her; let us scour the whole forest, wherever Janaka's daughter may be. If you agree, Kākutstha, do not set your mind on grief. **3.59.17** evam uktas tu sauhārdāl lakṣmaṇena samāhitaḥ saha saumitriṇā rāmo vicetum upacakrame tau vanāni girīṃś caiva saritaś ca sarāṃsi ca Thus addressed out of affection by Lakṣmaṇa and steadied, Rāma, together with Saumitri, set about searching; the two (searched) forests and mountains and rivers and lakes. **3.59.18** nikhilena vicinvantau sītāṃ daśarathātmajau tasya śailasya sānūni guhāś ca śikharāṇi ca The two sons of Daśaratha, searching thoroughly for Sītā—the ridges of that mountain and its caves and peaks— **3.59.19** nikhilena vicinvantau naiva tām abhijagmatuḥ vicitya sarvataḥ śailaṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt —searching them thoroughly, the two did not find her at all. Having searched the mountain on every side, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: **3.59.20** neha paśyāmi saumitre vaidehīṃ parvate śubhe tato duḥkhābhisaṃtapto lakṣmaṇo vākyam abravīt 'I do not see Vaidehī here on this fair mountain, Saumitri.' Then Lakṣmaṇa, scorched with grief, spoke these words: **3.59.21** vicaran daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ bhrātaraṃ dīptatejasaṃ prāpsyasi tvaṃ mahāprājña maithilīṃ janakātmajām Roaming the Daṇḍaka forest, O most wise one of blazing splendour, you will find Maithilī, Janaka's daughter— **3.59.22** yathā viṣṇur mahābāhur baliṃ baddhvā mahīm imām evam uktas tu vīreṇa lakṣmaṇena sa rāghavaḥ just as the mighty-armed Viṣṇu (won back) this earth by binding Bali. Thus addressed by the heroic Lakṣmaṇa, that Rāghava **3.59.23** uvāca dīnayā vācā duḥkhābhihatacetanaḥ vanaṃ sarvaṃ suvicitaṃ padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ spoke in a piteous voice, his mind stricken with grief: 'The whole forest has been thoroughly searched, and the lotus-ponds with their blossoming lotuses,' **3.59.24** giriś cāyaṃ mahāprājña bahukandaranirjharaḥ na hi paśyāmi vaidehīṃ prāṇebhyo 'pi garīyasīm 'and this mountain too, O most wise one, with its many caverns and cascades; yet I do not see Vaidehī, dearer to me than my very life.' **3.59.25** evaṃ sa vilapan rāmaḥ sītāharaṇakarśitaḥ dīnaḥ śokasamāviṣṭo muhūrtaṃ vihvalo 'bhavat Thus lamenting, Rāma, wasted by the abduction of Sītā, wretched and overwhelmed with grief, became distraught for a while. **3.59.26** sa vihvalitasarvāṅgo gatabuddhir vicetanaḥ viṣasādāturo dīno niḥśvasyāśītam āyatam With all his limbs trembling, his wits gone and senseless, he sank down afflicted and wretched, sighing a hot, long breath. **3.59.27** bahuśaḥ sa tu niḥśvasya rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ hā priyeti vicukrośa bahuśo bāṣpagadgadaḥ Sighing again and again, the lotus-eyed Rāma cried out over and over, 'Ah, beloved!', choked with tears. **3.59.28** taṃ sāntvayām āsa tato lakṣmaṇaḥ priyabāndhavaḥ bahuprakāraṃ dharmajñaḥ praśritaḥ praśritāñjaliḥ Then Lakṣmaṇa, his dear kinsman and knower of dharma, humble and with palms joined in reverence, comforted him in many ways. **3.59.29** anādṛtya tu tad vākyaṃ lakṣmaṇauṣṭhapuṭacyutam apaśyaṃs tāṃ priyāṃ sītāṃ prākrośat sa punaḥ punaḥ But disregarding that speech fallen from the lips of Lakṣmaṇa, and not seeing his beloved Sītā, he cried out again and again.