Sundara Kanda, Sarga 31

एवं बहुविधां चिन्तां चिन्तयित्वा महाकपिः। संश्रवे मधुरं वाक्यं वैदेह्या व्याजहार ह।।5.31.1।।

evaṃ bahuvidhāṃ cintāṃ cintayitvā mahākapiḥ| saṃśrave madhuraṃ vākyaṃ vaidehyā vyājahāra ha

After deliberating in several ways the great Hanuman spoke these sweet words to Vaidehi:

राजा दशरथो नाम रथकुञ्जरवाजिमान्। पुण्यशीलो महाकीर्तिरिक्ष्वाकूणां महायशाः।।5.31.2।।

rājā daśaratho nāma rathakuñjaravājimān| puṇyaśīlo mahākīrtirikṣvākūṇāṃ mahāyaśāḥ

"There was an illustrious king called Dasaratha in Ikshvaku race, a master of chariots, elephants and horses. He was highly meritorious and renowned.

राजर्षीणां गुणश्रेष्ठस्तपसा चर्षिभि स्समः। चक्रवर्तिकुले जातः पुरन्दरसमो बले।।5.31.3।।

rājarṣīṇāṃ guṇaśreṣṭhastapasā carṣibhi ssamaḥ| cakravartikule jātaḥ purandarasamo bale

"He was the most virtuous among royal sages, equal to sages in austerity, born in the race of emperors and equal to Indra in might.

अहिंसारतिरक्षुद्रो घृणी सत्यपराक्रमः। मुख्यश्चेक्ष्वाकुवंशस्य लक्ष्मीवान् लक्ष्मिवर्धनः।।5.31.4।।

ahiṃsāratirakṣudro ghṛṇī satyaparākramaḥ| mukhyaścekṣvākuvaṃśasya lakṣmīvān lakṣmivardhanaḥ

"He was committed to nonviolence, magnanimous, compassionate and one whose strength was truth. He was not only a prosperous king of Ikshvaku family but also a promoter of prosperity of others too.

पार्थिवव्यञ्जनैर्युक्तः पृथुश्रीः पार्थिवर्षभः। पृथिव्यां चतुरन्तायां विश्रुतस्सुखदस्सुखी।।5.31.5।।

pārthivavyañjanairyuktaḥ pṛthuśrīḥ pārthivarṣabhaḥ| pṛthivyāṃ caturantāyāṃ viśrutassukhadassukhī

"Endowed with signs of kingship and vast wealth, he was a bull among rulers of the vast earth, surrounded by the sea. A happy king himself, he was wellknown as a provider of happiness.

तस्य पुत्रः प्रियो ज्येष्ठस्ताराधिपनिभाननः। रामो नाम विशेषज्ञः श्रेष्ठ स्सर्वधनुष्मताम्।।5.31.6।।

tasya putraḥ priyo jyeṣṭhastārādhipanibhānanaḥ| rāmo nāma viśeṣajñaḥ śreṣṭha ssarvadhanuṣmatām

"His beloved eldest son Rama, whose countenance is like the full moon, is a scholar of all branches of knowledge and is foremost among the bowmen on earth.

रक्षिता स्वस्य धर्मस्य स्वजनस्य च रक्षिता। रक्षिता जीवलोकस्य धर्मस्य च परन्तपः।।5.31.7।।

rakṣitā svasya dharmasya svajanasya ca rakṣitā| rakṣitā jīvalokasya dharmasya ca parantapaḥ

"The scourage of enemies, he is a protector of righteousness and of his kins and all living creatures. He is an embodiment of righteousness.

तस्य सत्याभिसन्धस्य वृद्धस्य वचनात्पितुः। सभार्यस्सह च भ्रात्रा वीरः प्रव्राजितो वनम्।।5.31.8।।

tasya satyābhisandhasya vṛddhasya vacanātpituḥ| sabhāryassaha ca bhrātrā vīraḥ pravrājito vanam

"Honouring the word of his aged father who was ever steadfast in truth, Rama left for the forest along with his wife and brother.

तेन तत्र महारण्ये मृगयां परिधावता। राक्षसा निहताश्शूरा बहवः कामरूपिणः।।5.31.9।।

tena tatra mahāraṇye mṛgayāṃ paridhāvatā| rākṣasā nihatāśśūrā bahavaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ

"In the deep forest he went round hunting animals and killing the demon warriors who assumed any form at their free will.

जनस्थानवधं श्रुत्वा हतौ च खरदूषणौ। ततस्त्वमर्षापहृता जानकी रावणेन तु।।5.31.10।। वञ्चयित्वा वने रामं मृगरूपेण मायया।

janasthānavadhaṃ śrutvā hatau ca kharadūṣaṇau| tatastvamarṣāpahṛtā jānakī rāvaṇena tu vañcayitvā vane rāmaṃ mṛgarūpeṇa māyayā|

"Ravana having heard about the killing of all demons at Janasthana including Khara and Dooshana in the forest, deceived Rama in the guise of a deer and abducted Janaki in anger.

स मार्गमाणस्तां देवीं रामस्सीतामनिन्दिताम्।।5.31.11।। आससाद वने मित्रं सुग्रीवं नाम वानरम्।

sa mārgamāṇastāṃ devīṃ rāmassītāmaninditām āsasāda vane mitraṃ sugrīvaṃ nāma vānaram|

"While looking for the goddesslike lady, the sinless Sita in the forest, Rama met a monkey called Sugriva and made friendship with him

तत स्स वालिनं हत्वा रामः परपुरञ्जयः।।5.31.12।। प्रायच्छत्कपिराज्यं तत्सुग्रीवाय महाबलः।

tata ssa vālinaṃ hatvā rāmaḥ parapurañjayaḥ prāyacchatkapirājyaṃ tatsugrīvāya mahābalaḥ|

"Rama, a powerful king, who can win enemy forts killed Vali and offered the monkey kingdom to Sugriva.

सुग्रीवेणापि सन्दिष्टा हरयः कामरूपिणः।।5.31.13।। दिक्षु सर्वासु तां देवीं विचिन्वन्ति सहस्रशः।

sugrīveṇāpi sandiṣṭā harayaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ dikṣu sarvāsu tāṃ devīṃ vicinvanti sahasraśaḥ|

"Having received Sugriva's orders thousands of monkeys who can assume any form went searching for that divine queen in all directions.

अहं सम्पातिवचनाच्छतयोजनमायतम्।।5.31.14।। अस्या हेतोर्विशालाक्ष्याः सागरं वेगवान्प्लुतः।

ahaṃ sampātivacanācchatayojanamāyatam asyā hetorviśālākṣyāḥ sāgaraṃ vegavānplutaḥ|

"On hearing the words of Sampati I leaped the wide ocean swiftly crossing a hundred yojanas in quest of the largeeyed Sita.

यथारूपां यथावर्णां यथालक्ष्मीवतीं च निश्चिताम्।।5.31.15।। अश्रौषं राघवस्याहं सेयमासादिता मया।

yathārūpāṃ yathāvarṇāṃ yathālakṣmīvatīṃ ca niścitām aśrauṣaṃ rāghavasyāhaṃ seyamāsāditā mayā|

"Surely I have seen here a lady of similar body, of similar complexion, of similar glow and beauty as described by Rama".

विररामैवमुक्त्वासौ वाचं वानरपुङ्गवः।।5.31.16।। जानकी चापि तच्छ्रुत्वा परं विस्मयमागता।

virarāmaivamuktvāsau vācaṃ vānarapuṅgavaḥ jānakī cāpi tacchrutvā paraṃ vismayamāgatā|

Having spoken thus, the great vanara stopped speaking after that. Janaki was wonderstruck by the words of the vanara.

ततस्सा वक्रकेशान्ता सुकेशी केशसंवृतम्।।5.31.17।। उन्नम्य वदनं भीरुश्शिंशुपावृक्षमैक्षत।

tatassā vakrakeśāntā sukeśī keśasaṃvṛtam unnamya vadanaṃ bhīruśśiṃśupāvṛkṣamaikṣata|

Then Sita looked up at the Simsupa tree timidly, her face covered with beautiful curly hair.

निशम्य सीता वचनं कपेश्च दिशश्च सर्वाः प्रदिशश्च वीक्ष्य। स्वयं प्रहर्षं परमं जगाम सर्वात्मना राममनुस्मरन्ती ।।5.31.18।।

niśamya sītā vacanaṃ kapeśca diśaśca sarvāḥ pradiśaśca vīkṣya| svayaṃ praharṣaṃ paramaṃ jagāma sarvātmanā rāmamanusmarantī

On hearing Hanuman's words Sita looked at all directions and quarters while quietly contemplating on Rama, the self of all and experienced supreme joy.

सा तिर्यगूर्ध्वं च तथाप्यधस्तान्निरीक्षमाणा तमचिन्त्यबुद्धिम्। ददर्श पिङ्गाधिपतेरमात्यं वातात्मजं सूर्यमिवोदयस्थम्।।5.31.19।।

sā tiryagūrdhvaṃ ca tathāpyadhastānnirīkṣamāṇā tamacintyabuddhim| dadarśa piṅgādhipateramātyaṃ vātātmajaṃ sūryamivodayastham

She looked obliquely, up, and down and saw Hanuman of unimaginable intelligence, the minister of the monkey lord, son of the Windgod, who looked like the rising Sun. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे एकत्रिंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the thirtyfirst sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.