Summary
Seetha asks Hanuma to remind Rama of how he threw a blade of grass at the crow and destroyed its right eye thereby, as a token of remembrance. She also asks to remind Rama of his having once marked on her cheek with realgar [Kumkum], when a mark on her forehead was defaced, as a further token of Hanuma having met her. Seetha also requests Hanuma to appraise Rama of her wretched plight and finally greets him to have a happy journey ahead.
Chapter [Sarga] 40 in Detail
shrutvaa tu vacanam tasya vaayu suunoh mahaatmanah |
uvaaca aatma hitam vaakyam siitaa sura suta upamaa || 5-40-1
Hearing the words of that high-souled Hanuma, Seetha who resembled the daughter of god, spoke the following words beneficial to herself.
tvaam drishtvaa priya vaktaaram samprahrishyaami vaanara |
ardha samjaata sasya iva vrishtim praapya vasum dharaa || 5-40-2
"O Hanuma! Seeing you speaking pleasant words, I am as overjoyed, as a field with half-sprouted crop of grain is thrilled by receiving a rain."
yathaa tam purusha vyaaghram gaatraih shoka abhikarshitaih |
samsprisheyam sakaamaa aham tathaa kuru dayaam mayi || 5-40-3
"With my limbs emaciated with grief, I have a desire to touch that Rama the tiger among men. Show mercy on me and fulfill my desire."
abhijnaanam ca raamasya dattam hari gana uttama |
kshiptaam iishikaam kaakasya kopaat eka akshi shaataniim || 5-40-4
"O Hanuma the excellent one among the troops of monkeys! Present the story of the blade of grass called Ishiika hurled with anger and thereby one eye of the crow destroyed by Rama (as a signal remembrance)."
manah shilaayaah tikalo ganda paarshve niveshitah |
tvayaa pranashte tilake tam kila smartum arhasi || 5-40-5
"O Rama! You ought surely to recollect that while a mark on my forehead had got effaced once, another mark with realgar was indeed painted by you on the side of my cheek."
sa viiryavaan katham siitaam hritaam samanumanyase |
vasantiim rakshasaam madhye mahaaindra varuna upama || 5-40-6
"How are you, the valiant man equal to Indra the Lord of celestials and Varuna the King of Universe, ignoring Seetha who was taken away and now staying in the midst of these demons?"
esha cuudaa manih divyo mayaa suparirakshitah |
etam drishtvaa prahrishyaami vyasane tvaam iva anagha || 5-40-7
"O faultless Rama! This wonderful jewel for the head has been protected well by me. Seeing this in my distress, I have been getting delighted, as though I have seen you."
esha niryaatitah shriimaan mayaa te vaari sambhavah |
atah param na shakshyaami jiivitum shoka laalasaa || 5-40-8
"This splendid jewel, produced in water, has been sent to you. Absorbed in grief, I shall not be able to survive henceforth."
asahyaani ca duhkhaani vaacah ca hridayac chidah |
raakshasiinaam sughoraanaam tvat krite marshayaami aham || 5-40-9
"With a hope of your coming here at any time, I am enduring these unbearable hardships and also the words of horrible female demons; which pierce my heart."
dhaarayishyaami maasam tu jiivitam shatru suudana |
maasaat uurdhvam na jiivishye tvayaa hiinaa nripa aatmaja || 5-40-10
"O Rama the prince, the annihilator of enemies! I shall hold my life only for a month. I will not survive without you, after a month."
ghoro raakshasa raajo ayam drishtih ca na sukhaa mayi |
tvaam ca shrutvaa vipadyantam na jiiveyam aham kshanam || 5-40-11
"This Ravana, the king of demons, is terrible. In my instance, his glance is not pleasant. Hearing that you are causing a delay, I will not survive even for a moment."
vaidehyaa vacanam shrutvaa karunam sa ashru bhaashitam |
atha abraviin mahaatejaa hanumaan maaruta aatmajah || 5-40-12
Hearing the words of Seetha, spoken pitiably with tears, Hanuma the son of wind-god, with a great splendor, spoke (as follows):
tvat shoka vimukho raamo devi satyena te shape |
raame shoka abhibhuute tu lakshmanah paritapyate || 5-40-13
kathamcit bhavatii drishtaa na kaalah parishocitum |
imam muhuurtam duhkhaanaam antam drakshyasi bhaamini || 5-40-14
taav ubhau purusha vyaaghrau raaja putraav aninditau |
tvat darshana krita utsaahau lankaam bhasmii karishyatah || 5-40-15
hatvaa tu samare kruuram raavanam saha baandhavam |
raaghavau tvaam vishaala akshi svaam puriim praapayishyatah || 5-40-16
"O Seetha the princess! Rama has grown averse to everything else, caused by grief towards you. I sear it to you truly. When Rama is overpowered by grief, Lakshmana too gets tormented with grief." "O lady! Somehow or other, you have been discovered by me. This is not the time to lament. You will see the end of your sorrow shortly." "Those two princes, the excellent among men, the annihilator of enemies and who are eager to see you will surely reduce Lanka to ashes.”O large-eyed Seetha! Killing the cruel Ravana along with his relatives, Rama and Lakshmana will take you to their own city."
yat tu raamo vijaaniiyaat abhijnaanam anindite |
priiti samjananam tasya bhuuyah tvam daatum arhasi || 5-40-17
"O faultless Seetha! Be pleased to give another token of remembrance, which Rama will recognize and which creates pleasure to him."
saa abraviit dattam eva iha mayaa abhijnaanam uttamam |
etat eva hi raamasya drishtvaa mat kesha bhuushanam || 5-40-18
shraddheyam hanuman vaakyam tava viira bhavishyati |
Seetha said, “An excellent token of remembrance was indeed given by me. Seeing this jewel for my hair, Rama will trust your words."
sa tam mani varam grihya shriimaan plavaga sattamah || 5-40-19
pranamya shirasaa deviim gamanaaya upacakrame |
Taking that excellent jewel, the illustrious Hanuma, the best among monkeys, offered salutation to Seetha by bowing his head and has set off to go.
tam utpaata krita utsaaham avekshya hari pumgavam || 5-40-20
vardhamaanam mahaavegam uvaaca janaka aatmajaa |
ashru puurna mukhii diinaa baashpa gadgadayaa giraa || 5-40-21
Seeing that Hanuma, the best among monkeys, possessed of energy to jump up with great speed and expanding, Seetha spoke (as follows) in her voice choked with tears and looking miserable in her face filled with tears.
hanuuman simha samkaashau bhraatarau raama lakshmanau |
sugriivam ca saha amaatyam sarvaan bruuyaa anaamayam || 5-40-22
"O Hanuma! Enquire about the welfare of Rama and Lakshmana, the brothers looking like lions, of Sugreeva together with his ministers and of all other."
yathaa ca sa mahaabaahuh maam taarayati raaghavah |
asmaat duhkha ambu samrodhaat tat samaadhaatum arhasi || 5-40-23
"Be pleased to make that long-armed Rama deliver me from this ocean of sorrow."
imam ca tiivram mama shoka vegam |
rakshobhih ebhih paribhartsanam ca |
bruuyaah tu raamasya gatah samiipam |
shivah ca te adhvaa astu hari praviira || 5-40-24
"O valiant monkey! After approaching Rama, appraise him of this terrific gush of my grief and also about the threatening attitude of these female-demons. Have a happy journey!"
sa raaja putryaa prativedita arthah |
kapih krita arthah parihrishta cetaah |
tat alpa shesham prasamiikshya kaaryam |
disham hi udiiciim manasaa jagaama || 5-40-25
Having been appraised of the matter by Seetha the princess, having accomplished his object, having his mind filled with joy and having perceived that only a little remained to be done, Hanuma intellectually sought the northern direction.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande chatvaarimshah sargah
Thus completes 40th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate