Summary
Rama laments for Seetha and becomes despondent. But at the advice of Lakshmana both of them start a search for Seetha, presuming that she might be available in the proximity. Later they embark on a thorough search in the entire forest and its mountains and at lakesides, but Seetha is unseen.
From here, until Rama meets Hanuma in next book Kishkindha, Rama's lamentation is continually portrayed. This may not be taken as a mere 'weeping' or 'bemoaning' of the principal character of the epic, but this has many poetics and romantics of epical poetry imbibed in it. An epic, basically, requires a hero to have his romantic attributes; naayaka lakshanaah and these 'wailings' will portray all of them. There are various, numerous and voluminous derivatives, meanings and commentaries, which cannot possibly be included in here, at this stage, except for passing references on them. Hence, this lengthy lamentation has lengthier romanticism.
Chapter [Sarga] 61 in Detail
dristvaa aashrama padam shuunyam raamo dasharatha aatmajah |
rahitaam parnashaalaam ca praviddhaani aasanaani ca || 3-61-1
adristvaa tatra vaidehiim sa.mniriiksya ca sarvashah |
uvaaca raamah praakrushya pragrihya rucirau bhujau || 3-61-2
On seeing the vacant threshold of the hermitage and empty cottage of straw, also at the leaf-mat-seats that are utterly shattered, and not finding Vaidehi even on watchfully eyeing everywhere Rama shrieked loudly, and then on clasping the winning shoulders of Lakshmana he said this to him. [3-61-1, 2]
kva nu laksmana vaidehii kam vaa desham ito gataa |
kena aahritaa vaa saumitre bhaksitaa kena vaa priyaa || 3-61-3
"Oh, Lakshmana, possibly where can be Vaidehi? Or, to which place she has gone from here? Or, Soumitri, who stole her away? Or, who has gorged up my ladylove? [3-61-3]
vrikshena aavaarya yadi maam siite hasitum icchasi |
alam te hasitena adya maam bhajasva suduhkhitam || 3-61-4
"Oh, Seetha, if you have concealed yourself under trees wishing to poke fun at me, enough is your fun and games, get in touch with me now, as I am highly anguished... [3-61-4]
yaih saha kriidase siite vishvastaih mriga potakaih |
ete hiinaah tvayaa saumye dhyaayanti asra aavila iiksanaah || 3-61-5
"Oh, meek Seetha, with which meekly young deer you were playing, all these are now broody with tearfully fluttery looks, without you... [3-61-5]
siitaayaa rahito aham vai na hi jiivaami lakshmana |
vritam shokena mahataa siitaa haranajena maam || 3-61-6
para loke mahaaraajo nuunam draksyati me pitaa |
"Really Lakshmana, I will not live long without Seetha, indeed I am enveloped in high anguish caused by the abduction of Seetha, and this alone will become a murderer, and on my going to other world when murdered by my own agony my father and that great king Dasharatha will definitely observe me in the other world... [3-61-6, 7a]
katham pratijnaam sa.mshrutya mayaa tvam abhiyojitah || 3-61-7
apuurayitvaa tam kaalam mat sakaasham iha aagatah |
kaama vrittam anaaryam maam mrisaa vaadinam eva ca || 3-61-8
dhik tvaam iti pare loke vyaktam vaksyati me pitaa |
"When I go to other world after my death our father Dasharatha who is already staying there will deride [ridicule] me saying, 'when I have directed you for a fourteen year exile, and when you too have assuredly agreed and promised me for that term, how you have to my presence in this ultramundane [common] world without completing that term of fourteen year exile, besides breaking your own word of honor... thus you have become a willful disobedient, despicable [worthless] and dishonest person, such as you are, fie [shame] on you...' [3-61-7b, 8, 9a]
vivasham shoka sa.mtaptam diinam bhagna manoratham || 3-61-9
maam iha utsrijya karunam kiirtih naram iva an.hrijum |
kva gacchasi varaarohe maa motsrijya - maa maa utsrijya - sumadhyame || 3-61-10
tvayaa virahitah ca aham tyaksye jiivitam aatmanah |
"Anguish seared and bewildered me and I am woebegone with broken down buoyancy, and oh, beautiful lady, jilting such an woeful one as I am, where you are going now, as with prestige jilting a prevaricator? And if you shun me I will have to shun my life..." Thus Rama bewailed imaging her right in his front and running away. [3-61-9b, 10, 11a]
iti iva vilapan raamah siitaa darshana laalasah || 3-61-11
na dadarsha suduhkha aarto raaghavo janaka aatmajaam |
Though that legatee of Raghu is desperate for seeing Seetha, though he is highly anguished and agonized, though he bewailed this way, that Rama has not found Janaka's daughter, Seetha. [3-61-10b, 11a]
anaasaadayamaanam tam siitaam shokaparaayanam || 3-61-12
pa.nkam aasaadya vipulam siidantam iva ku.njaram |
laksmano raamam atyartham uvaaca hita kaamyayaa || 3-61-13
To him who is unable to find Seetha, and who is sinking in sadness as with an elephant sinking in a chasmal mud, Lakshmana spoke to such a Rama in a positive manner desiring his wellbeing. [3-61-11b, 13]
maa visaadam mahaabuddhe kuru yatnam mayaa saha |
idam giri varam viira bahu kandara shobhitam || 3-61-14
"Oh, well-informed one, do not get into desperation, you make efforts along with me, and oh, brave one, this best mountain is beaming forth with many caves, she may be there somewhere. [3-61-14]
priya kaanana sa.ncaaraa vana unmattaa ca maithilii |
saa vanam vaa pravistaa syaat naliniim vaa supuspitaam || 3-61-15
saritam vaa api sa.mpraaptaa miina va.njula sevitaam |
"Maithili is a fascinated saunterer [stroller] in woodlands so she might have entered the forest, she is even infatuated with waters, so she might have gone to the fully bloomed lotus-lake, or to the river that is adorned by fishes and cane-breaks. [3-61-15]
vitraasayitu kaamaa vaa liinaa syaat kaanane kvacit || 3-61-16
jijnaasamaanaa vaidehii tvaam maam ca purusarsabha |
tasyaa hi anvesane shriiman ksipram eva yataavahe || 3-61-17
"Or, wishing to know our reaction when she scares us with her prank, Maithili might have squirreled away into forest. Oh, honorable brother, let us endeavor [work] quickly to search her. [3-61-16]
vanam sarvam vicinuvo yatra saa janaka aatmajaa |
manyase yadi kaakutstha maa sma shoke manah krithaah || 3-61-18
"Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, if you consider that we shall search the forest in its entirety to locate where she that Janaka's daughter might be, let us quickly do so. But do not engulf your heart in sadness." Thus Lakshmana advised Rama. [3-61-18]
evam uktah tu sauhaardaat laksmanena samaahitah |
saha saumitrinaa raamo vicetum upacakrame || 3-61-19
When Lakshmana good-heartedly spoke this way, Rama self-collectedly made a headway for the search of Seetha along with Soumitri. [3-61-19]
tau vanaani giriin caiva saritah ca saraa.msi ca |
nikhilena vicinvantau siitaam dasharatha aatmajau || 3-61-20
Those two sons of Dasharatha have started a thorough search for Seetha in forests, on mountains, also thus at rivers and lakes. [3-61-20]
tasya shailasya saanuuni shilaah ca shikharaani ca |
nikhilena vicinvantau na eva taam abhijagmatuh || 3-61-21
On searching whole of mountainsides of that Mt. Chitrakuta, where their hermitage is there, even in its caves, crags, and mountain peaks they have not found Seetha. [3-61-21]
vicitya sarvatah shailam raamo laksmanam abraviit |
na iha pashyaami saumitre vaidehiim par.hvate shubhaam || 3-61-22
On exploring everywhere on that mountain Rama said to Lakshmana, "oh, Soumitri, here on this mountain I do not descry auspicious Vaidehi." [3-61-22]
tato duhkha abhisa.ntapto laksmano vaakyam abraviit |
vicaran dandaka aranyam bhraataram diipta tejasam || 3-61-23
While roving searchingly in Dandaka forest Lakshmana who is tormented by anguish said a sentence to his greatly resplendent brother Rama. [3-61-23]
praapsyasi tvam mahaapraajna maithiliim janaka aatmajaam |
yathaa visnuh mahaabaahuh balim baddhvaa mahiim imaam || 3-61-24
"Oh, insightful brother, you will reacquire Janaka's daughter Maithili, as Vishnu once subjugated Emperor Bali and reacquired this earth." [3-61-24]
evam uktah tu viirena laksmanena sa raaghavah |
uvaaca diinayaa vaacaa duhkha abhihata cetanah || 3-61-25
But when the valiant Lakshmana addressed him in that way, Raghava whose thinking is marred by poignancy [feelings] spoke these pathetic words. [3-61-25]
vanam suvicitam sarvam padminyah phulla pa.nkajaah |
girih ca ayam mahaapraajna bahu kandara nir.hjharah |
na hi pashyaami vaidehiim praanebhyo api gariiyasiim || 3-61-26
"This forest in its entirety, these lotus-lakes with their blossomed lotuses, and this mountain with its many caves and mountain-rapids, all are evidently searched. But, oh, sensible brother, I do not descry Vaidehi who is loftier than my lives." [3-61-27]
evam sa vilapan raamah siitaa harana karshitah |
diinah shoka samaavisto muhuurtam vihvalo abhavat || 3-61-27
Lamenting in this way Rama languished owing to the abduction of Seetha and became a pitiable one, and while sadness besieging him he is perturbed for a moment. [3-61-28]
sa vihvalita sarva a.ngo gata buddhih vicetanah |
nisasaada aaturo diino nihshvasya ashiitam aayatam || 3-61-28
All the limbs of Rama are fluttered, his faculty has become functionless, his fervour is frozen, he is forlorn and flustered, and such as he is he sank down suspiring swelteringly and lengthily. [3-61-29]
bahushah sa tu nihshvasya raamo raajiiva locanah |
haa priye ti vicukrosha bahusho baaspa gadgadah || 3-61-29
Suspiring repeatedly he that lotus-eyed Rama shrieked repeatedly and loudly thus as, 'ha, Seetha...' with tears stifling his throat. [3-61-30]
tam saantvayaamaasa tato laksmanah priya baandhavam |
bahu prakaaram shoka aartah prashritah prashrita a.njalih || 3-61-30
Though Rama has many kinsfolk who hold him dear he is now left with a single one, namely Lakshmana, and that obedient brother Lakshmana who is already anguished for Rama's sadness, then adjoining his palms obediently started to pacify Rama with divers methods. [3-61-31]
anaadritya tu tat vaakyam laksmana ostha puta cyutam |
apashyan taam priyaam siitaam praakroshat sa punah punah || 3-61-31
But disavowing [disclaiming] the word of advice that fell out from the cupped lips of Lakshmana, Rama stridently [loudly] yelled again and again when his dear Seetha has become un-seeable. [3-61-32]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande eka sastitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 61st chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate