Aranya Kanda — Sarga 61

दृष्ट्वाऽऽश्रमपदं शून्यं रामो दशरथात्मजः। रहितां पर्णशालां च प्रविद्धान्यासनानि च॥ अदृष्ट्वा तत्र वेदेही संनिरीक्ष्य च सर्वशः। उवाच रामः प्राक्रुश्य प्रगृह्य रुचिरौ भुजौ॥

Beholding the hermitage and cottage desolate and the seats strewn here and there, Rāma the son of Dasaratha looked around. And finding Sītā nowhere he raised up his beautiful arm and broke out into lamentations.

Aranya Kanda 61.1

क्व नु लक्ष्मण वैदेही कं वा देशमितो गता। केनाहृता वा सौमित्रे भक्षिता केन वा प्रिया॥

O Laksmana where is Sītā? Where has she gone hence? O Saumitri, who has carried away my dear one or who has devoured her?

Aranya Kanda 61.2

वृक्षणावार्य यदि मां सीते हसितुमिच्छसि। अलं ते हसितेनाद्य मां भजस्व सुदुःखितम्॥

O Sītā, if wish you to mock me, hiding yourself behind the tree, enough-~-enough it is-console me who am exercised with grief.

Aranya Kanda 61.3

यैः परिक्रीडसे सीते विश्वस्तैमूंगपोतकैः। एते हीनास्त्वया सौम्ये ध्यायन्त्यस्राविलेक्षणाः॥

O pleasant Sītā, without you these faithful little deer have engaged in meditation being bathed in tears.

Aranya Kanda 61.4

सीतया रहितोऽहं वै नहि जीवामि लक्ष्मण। वृतं शोकेन महता सीताहरणजेन माम् ॥ परलोके महाराजो नूनं द्रक्ष्यति मे पिता। कथं प्रतिज्ञां संश्रुत्य मया त्वमभियोजितः॥ अपूरयित्वा तं कालं मत्सकाशमिहागतः।

Without Sita I shall not breathe, O Laksmana. A mighty grief has overtaken me in consequence of her being carried away. My father the monarch shall surely behold me in the next world and ask me 'I engaged you in the observance of a vow; without fulfilling that, why have you come here?

Aranya Kanda 61.5

कामवृत्तमनार्यं वा मृषावादिनमेव च॥ धिक् त्वामिति परे लोके व्यक्तं वक्ष्यति मे पिता।

O shame on you!' For certain shall my father address me with these words relating to my passionate, false and base conduct.

Aranya Kanda 61.6

विवशं शोकसंतप्तं दीनं भग्नमनोरथम्॥ मामिहोत्सृज्य करुणं कीर्तिनरमिवानृजुम्। क्व गच्छसि वरारोहे मा मोत्सृज सुमध्यमे॥

All my desires have now been baffled and I have lost all control over myself and have been exercised with grief. O fine damsel, O you of slender waist, where do you repair leaving me behind like to fame renouncing a person of vicious nature?

Aranya Kanda 61.7

त्वया विरहितश्चाहं त्यक्ष्ये जीवितमात्मनः। इतीव विलपन् रामः सीतादर्शनलालसः॥ न ददर्श सुदुःखार्तो राघवो जनकात्मजाम्।

Without you I shall renounce my own life. Being desirous of seeing Sītā, Rāma afflicted with grief began to bewail in this strain, but did not behold the daughter of Janaka.

Aranya Kanda 61.8

अनासादयमानं तं सीतां शोकपरायणम्॥ पङ्कमासाद्य विपुलं सीदन्तमिव कुञ्जरम्। लक्ष्मणो राममत्यर्थमुवाच हितकाम्यया॥

Being sunk in grief on Sītā's account he became worn out like to an elephant fallen in mud.' Thereat for his well being, Laksmana spoke to him.

Aranya Kanda 61.9

मा विषादं महाबुद्धे कुरु यत् मया सह। इदं गिरिवरं वीर बहुकन्दरशोभितम्॥ प्रियकाननसंचारा वनोन्मत्ता च मैथिली। सा वनं वा प्रविष्टा स्यान्नलिनी वा सुपुष्पिताम्॥ सरितं वापि सम्प्राप्ता मीनवजुलसेविताम्। वित्रासयितुकामा वा लीना स्यात्कानने क्वचित् ॥ जिज्ञासमाना वैदेही त्वां मां च पुरुषर्षभ। तस्या ह्यन्वेषणे श्रीमान् क्षिप्रमेव यतावहे ॥ वनं सर्वं विचिनुवो यत्र सा जनकात्मजा।

O you of mighty intellect-do not grieve. Do you put forth your endeavours along with me. There is that high hill, O hero, containing many a cave. Maithilī who is fond of ranging the forest and ever delight in beholding the flowery woods, must have entered therein or have gone to the watering-place blooming with flowers and lot''ses. She Las gone to the river abounding in fish and Vañjulas or has hidden herself somewhere in the forest to frighten us and to know, O best of men, how we can search her out. O you of great beauty, let us soon engage in quest of her.

Aranya Kanda 61.10

मन्यसे यदि काकुत्स्थ मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः।।१८ एवमुक्तः स सौहार्दाल्लक्ष्मणेन समाहितः। सह सौमित्रिणा रामो विचेतुमुपचक्रमे॥

O Kākutstha, if think you that she is somewhere in this forest, we shall leave no quarter untried. Do you not grieve. After Laks maņa had spoken thus out of fraternal affection, Rāma, with a composed heart, set out along with him in quest of Sītā.

Aranya Kanda 61.11

तौ वनानि गिरीश्चैव सरितश्च सरांसि च। निखिलेन विचिन्वन्तौ सीतां दशरथात्मजौ॥ तस्य शैलस्य सानूनि शिलाश्च शिखराणि च। निखिलेन विचिन्वन्तौ नैव तामभिजग्मतुः॥ विचित्य सर्वतः शैलं रामो लक्ष्मणब्रवीत्। . नेह पश्यामि सौमित्रे वैदेही पर्वते शुभाम्।।२२।

And searching every nook and corner of the mountains, rivers, ponds, table-lands, hills and summits they found Sītā nowhere. And searching thus all the mountains Rāma spoke to Lakşmaņa saying Behold not I the auspicious Vaidehī on this mountain, O Saumitrī.

Aranya Kanda 61.12

ततो दुःखाभिसंतप्तो लक्ष्मणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। विचरन् दण्डकारण्यं भ्रातरं दीप्ततेजसम्॥

Ranging the entire forest of Dandaka, Laks mana, sore distressed, spoke to his brother of flaming energy.

Aranya Kanda 61.13

प्राप्स्यसे त्वं महाप्राज्ञ मैथिली जनकात्मजाम्। यथा विष्णुर्महाबाहुर्बलिं बद्ध्वा महीमिमाम्॥

Surely shall you come by Maithilī the daughter of Janaka like to the mighty armed Viş ņu obtaining this earth after having bound Vāli.

Aranya Kanda 61.14

एवमुक्तस्तु वीरेण लक्ष्मणेन स राघवः। उवाच दीनया वाचा दुःखाभिहतचेतनः॥

Being thus addressed by the heroic Lakşmaņa, Rāghava, greatly afflicted with sorrow, replied in piteous accents .

Aranya Kanda 61.15

वनं सुविचितं सर्वं पद्मिन्यः फुल्लपङ्कजाः। गिरिश्चायं महाप्राज्ञ बहुकन्दरनिर्झरः। नहि पश्यामि वेदेही प्राणेभ्योऽपि गरीयसीम्॥

O you of mighty intellect I have searched every nook of this forest, this pool abounding in blown lotuses, and this mountain containing many a cave and fountain; but nowhere have I seen Vaidehi dearer than my life.

Aranya Kanda 61.16

एवं स विलपन् रामः सीताहरणकर्षितः। दीनः शोकसमाविष्टो मुहूर्तं विह्वलोऽभवत्॥

Thus bewailing Rāma, racked with sorrow consequent on Sītā being carried away, became poorly and afflicted with grief and swooned away for sometime.

Aranya Kanda 61.17

स विह्वलितसर्वाङ्गो गतबुद्धिर्विचेतनः। विषसादातुरो दीनो निःश्वस्याशीतमायतम्॥

He lost his sense and his whole frame was worked with grief. Being greatly anxious and breathless he sighed hot and fast and began to lament.

Aranya Kanda 61.18

बहुशः स तु निःश्वस्य रामो राजीवलोचनः। हा प्रियेति विचुक्रोश बहुशो वाष्पगद्गदः॥

And sobbing again and again the lotus-eyed Rāma bewailed with his voice choked with the vapour of grief, exclaiming “Ah Sītā!”

Aranya Kanda 61.19

तं सान्त्वयामास ततो लक्ष्मणः प्रियवान्धवम्। बहुप्रकारं शोकार्तः प्रश्रितः प्रश्रिताञ्जलिः॥

Thereat his dear brother Lakşmaņa, aggrieved, consoled him with joined hands.

Aranya Kanda 61.20

अनादृत्य तु तद् वाक्यं लक्ष्मणोष्ठपुटच्युतम्। अपश्यंस्तां प्रियां सीतां प्राक्रोशत् स पुनः पुनः॥

But passing by the words dropping from Laks mana's lips Rāma again and again bewailed not beholding his dear Sītā.

Aranya Kanda 61.21