Sloka & Translation

[Rama wails -- doubts Sita's existence-blames Lakshmana -- looks out for Sita around the cottage.]

sa dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇaṅ dīnaṅ śūnyē daśarathātmajaḥ.

paryapṛcchata dharmātmā vaidēhīmāgataṅ vinā৷৷3.58.1৷৷


dharmātmā righteous self, saḥ daśarathātmajaḥ that son of Dasaratha, śūnyē downcast, vaidēhīṅ vinā without Vaidehi, āgatam who came, dīnam depressed, lakṣmaṇam Lakshmana, dṛṣṭvā seeing, paryapṛcchata questioned.

Rama, son of Dasaratha, the righteous self, saw Lakshmana downcast and dejected. Seeing him without Sita, Rama enquired:
prasthitaṅ daṇḍakāraṇyaṅ yā māmanujagāma ha.

kva sā lakṣmaṇa vaidēhī yāṅ hitvā tvamihāgataḥ৷৷3.58.2৷৷


lakṣmaṇa Lakshmna, daṇḍakāraṇyam to Dandakaranyam, prasthitam entered, mām me, yā who, anujagāma ha followed, yām whom, hitvā having left, tvam you, iha here, āgataḥ came, sā vaidēhī that Vaidehi, kva where is she?

Where is that princess from Videha who accompanied me when I entered Dandaka forest ? Why have you come here leaving her behind ?
rājyabhraṣṭasya dīnasya daṇḍakānparidhāvataḥ.

kva sā duḥkhasahāyā mē vaidēhī tanumadhyamā৷৷3.58.3৷৷


rājyabhraṣṭasya forsaking the kingdom, daṇḍakān Dandaka, paridhāvataḥ running about, dīnasya of a dejected, mē mine, duḥkhasahāyā a sharer of my sorrow, tanumadhyamā lady of slender waist, sā vaidēhī that Vaidehi, kva where is she?

Where is that princess from Videha, a sharer of my sorrows, Sita of slender waist who followed this hapless prince disloged from the kingdom into the Dandaka forest?
yāṅ vinā nōtsahē vīra muhūrtamapi jīvitum.

kva sā prāṇasahāyā mē sītā surasutōpamā৷৷3.58.4৷৷


vīra O Warrior, yāṅ vinā without whom, muhūrtamapi even for a moment, jīvitum to live, nōtsahē I have no interest, sā she, surasutōpamā who resembles the daughter of a god, mē my, prāṇasahāyā sustainer of my life, sītā Sita, kva Where is she?

O warrior Lakshmana! where is that Sita without whom I have no interest to live for a moment, who was like the daughter of a god and a sustainer of my life?
patitvamamarāṇāṅ vā pṛthivyāścāpi lakṣmaṇa.

tāṅ vinā tapanīyābhāṅ nēcchēyaṅ janakātmajām৷৷3.58.5৷৷


lakṣmaṇa Lakshmana, tapanīyābhām golden-hued lady, tām she, janakātmajāṅ vinā without Janaka's daughter, amarāṇām of gods, patitvam lordship, pṛthivyāśca of the earth, nēcchēyam do not desire.

O Lakshmana! I desire no lordship of the gods or of the entire earth without that daughter of Janaka, that lady of golden complexion.
kaccijjīvati vaidēhi prāṇaiḥ priyatarā mama.

kaccitpravrājanaṅ saumya na mē mithyā bhaviṣyati৷৷3.58.6৷৷


saumya O gentle, mama my, prāṇaiḥ than life, priyatarā dearer, vaidēhī Vaidehi, jīvati kaccit will she be alive, mē my, pravrājanam banishment from kingdom, mithyā prove to be false, na bhaviṣyati kaccit shall not become.

O gentle Lakshmana! I wonder if Vaidehi, who is dearer to me than my life is still alive!
I hope my banishment from the kingdom is not going to prove false.
sītānimittaṅ saumitrē mṛtē mayi gatē tvayi.

kaccitsakāmā sukhitā kaikēyī sā bhaviṣyati৷৷3.58.7৷৷


saumitrē Saumitri, sītānimittam on account of Sita, mayi when I will be, mṛtē dead, tvayi when you, gatē will be gone, sā kaikēyī that Kaikeyi, sakāmā with her desire fulfilled, sukhitā a happy soul, bhaviṣyati kaccit will be indeed.

O Saumitri! when I am dead on account of Sita, and you are back, Kaikeyi with her desire fulfilled will be happy, indeed.
saputrarājyāṅ siddhārthāṅ mṛtaputrā tapasvinī.

upasthāsyatikausalyā kaccitsaumya na kēkayīm৷৷3.58.8৷৷


saumya O handsome one, mṛtaputrā with her son dead, tapasvinī a lady of renunciation, kausalyā Kausalya, saputrarājyām who enjoys the company of a son and power of the throne, siddhārthām accomplished her desire, kaikayīm Kaikeyi, na upasthāsyati kaccit cease to serve indeed.

O handsome one ! I wonder if that lady of renunciation, Kausalya with her son dead, will have to serve Kaikeyi whose desire would be fulfilled, and who will enjoy the power of the throne in the company of her son!
yadi jīvati vaidēhī gamiṣyāmyāśramaṅ punaḥ.

suvṛttā yadi vṛttā prāṇāṅstyakṣyāmi lakṣmaṇa৷৷3.58.9৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, vaidēhī Vaidehi, jīvati yadi if she is living only, punaḥ again, āśramam to the cottage, gamiṣyāmi will go, yadi vā or else, suvṛttā virtuous, vṛttā dead, prāṇān life, tyakṣyāmi I will give up.

O Lakshmana, only if Vaidehi is alive will I enter the cottage again or else I will give up
my life if that virtuous lady is no more.
yadi māmāśramagataṅ vaidēhī nābhibhāṣatē.

punaḥ prahasitā sītā vinaśiṣyāmi lakṣmaṇa৷৷3.58.10৷৷


lakṣmaṇa Lakshmana, āśramagatam when I return to the cottage, mām me, vaidēhī Vaidehi, sītā Sita, prahasitā with her sweet smile, punaḥ again, nābhibhāṣatē yadi if she does not speak to me, vinaśiṣyāmi I will die.

I will die if Sita, princess from Videha, is not there to speak to me with her sweet smile when I return to the cottage, O Lakshmana !
brūhi lakṣmaṇa vaidēhī yadi jīvati vā na vā.

tvayi pramattē rakṣōbhirbhakṣitā vā tapasvinī৷৷3.58.11৷৷


lakṣmaṇa Lakshmana, vaidēhī Vaidehi, jīvati vā alive or, na vā not, tvayi you, pramattē were not alert, tapasvinī lady of renunciation, rakṣōbhiḥ by the demons, bhakṣitā vā have they eaten, brūhi tell me.

Tell me, O Lakshmana ! if Sita is alive or not, whether she was eaten up by demons when you were off your guard.
sukumārī ca bālā ca nityaṅ cāduḥkhadarśinī.

madviyōgēna vaidēhī vyaktaṅ śōcati durmanāḥ৷৷3.58.12৷৷


sukumārī ca a delicate, bālā ca young also, nityam always, aduḥkhadarśinī never experienced sorrow, vaidēhī Vaidehi, durmanāḥ troubled mind, madviyōgēna by separation from me, śōcati thinking of, vyaktam it is true.

Vaidehi is delicate, young and she has never faced any sorrow.She will be certainly disheartened due to separation from me.
sarvadā rakṣasā tēna jihmēna sudurātmanā.

vadatā lakṣmaṇētyuccaistavāpi janitaṅ bhayam৷৷3.58.13৷৷


jihmēna by the wicked, sudurātmanā by the evil-minded, lakṣmaṇa iti saying Lakshmana thus, uccaiḥ loudly, vadatā calling out, tēna by him, rakṣasā demon, sarvathā by all means, tavāpi for you also, bhayam fear, janitam is created.

The evil-minded, wicked demon calling out loudly 'O Lakshmana' must have by all means instilled fear in your mind.
śrutastu śaṅkē vaidēhyā sa svarassadṛśō mama.

trastayā prēṣitastvaṅ ca draṣṭuṅ māṅ śīghramāgataḥ৷৷3.58.14৷৷


vaidēhyā by Vaidehi, mama of me, sadṛśaḥ similar, saḥ that, svaraḥ voice, śrutaḥ was heard, śaṅkē I doubt, trastayā by a frightened lady, prēṣitaḥ sent, tvaṅ ca you too, mām me, draṣṭum to see, śīghram quickly, āgataḥ came.

I am afraid, Vaidehi, frightened by hearing the voice which was like mine sent you to see me, and you came all at once.
sarvathā tu kṛtaṅ kaṣṭaṅ sītāmutsṛjatā vanē.

pratikartuṅ nṛśaṅsānāṅ rakṣasāṅ dattamantaraṅ৷৷3.58.15৷৷


sītām Sita, vanē in the forest, utsṛjatā leaving alone, sarvathā by all means, kaṣṭam difficult, kṛtam done, pratikartum to take revenge, nṛśaṅsānām of the cruel, rakṣasām of demons, antaram chance, dattam is given.

You have definitely done a great mistake by leaving Sita alone in the forest. This has given a chance to the cruel demons to wreak revenge.
duḥkhitāḥ kharaghātēna rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ.

taissītā nihatā ghōrairbhaviṣyati na saṅśayaḥ.3.58.16৷৷


piśitāśanāḥ flesh-eaters, rākṣasāḥ demons, kharaghātēna by the death of Khara, duḥkhitāḥ are aggrieved, ghōraiḥ dreadful, taiḥ by them, sītā Sita, nihatā killed, bhaviṣyati may be, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na no.

The dreadful, carnivorous demons aggrieved over my murder of Khara must have undoubtedly killed Sita.
ahō.smin vyasanē magnassarvathā śatrusūdana.

kiṅ nvidānīṅ kariṣyāmi śaṅkē prāptavyamīdṛśam৷৷3.58.17৷৷


śatrusūdana O destroyer of enemies, sarvathā in all respects, asmin in this, vyasanē in sorrow, magnaḥ I am drowned, idānīm at this time, kiṅ nu kariṣyāmi what can I do?, īdṛśam such, prāptavyam destined, śaṅkē I fear, ahō alas !

O destroyer of enemies ! I am completely drowned in sorrow. What can I do at this moment. Alas, I am destined to suffer.
iti sītāṅ varārōhāṅ cintayannēva rāghavaḥ.

ājagāma janasthānaṅ tvarayā saha lakṣmaṇaḥ৷৷3.58.18৷৷


rāghavaḥ Raghava, iti thus, varārōhām beautiful, sītām Sita, cintayannēva while brooding over only, saha lakṣmaṇaḥ along with Lakshmana, tvarayā quickly, janasthānam Janasthanam, ājagāma he went.

While thus brooding over the beautiful Sita, the scion of the Raghus along with Lakshmana hurried towards Janasthana.
vigarhamāṇō.nujamārtarūpaṅ kṣudhā śramāccaiva pipāsayā ca.

viniśśvasan śuṣkamukhō vivarṇaḥ pratiśrayaṅ prāpya samīkṣya śūnyam৷৷3.58.19৷৷

svamāśramaṅ sampravigāhya vīrō vihāradēśānanusṛtya kāṅścit.

ētattadityēva nivāsabhūmau prahṛṣṭarōmā vyathitō babhūva৷৷3.58.20৷৷


vīraḥ hero, ārtarūpam dejected, anujam brother, vigarhamāṇaḥ blaming him, kṣudhā hunger, śramāccaiva due to exhaustion, pipāsayā and thirsty, viniḥśvasan sighing deeply, śuṣkamukhaḥ face dried up, vivarṇaḥ turned pale, pratiśrayam resting-place, prāpya reaching, śūnyam empty, samīkṣya seeing, svam his, āśramam hermitage, sampravigāhya searching thoroughly, kāṅścit some of the places, vihāradēśān places where she was moving about, anusṛtya after following her, nivāsabhūmau in the dwelling place, ētat all that, tadēva iti this itself, prahṛṣṭarōmā with horripilation, vyathitaḥ pained, babhūva became.

Thus blaming his dejected brother, the valiant Rama entered the hermitage, sighing deeply, his face pale and his throat dried up with hunger, exhaustion and thirst. Reaching his dwelling-place, he found it empty. He thoroughly searched the hermitage and the places where she used to move about on the premises. And 'so it has happened', he sadly said to himself, his hair raised on end.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē aṣṭapañcāśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fiftyeighth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.