Chapter 15 - Hanuman sees Sita

Seated in the tree, glancing round in quest of Sita, Hanuman surveyed the entire grove filled with trees intertwined with creepers and redolent with celestial odours. Manifesting every aspect of beauty, possessing the splendour of the Nandana Gardens, it was inhabited by various animals and birds, embellished by palaces and temples and re-echoed to the call of the cuckoo. Adorned with pools filled with golden lotuses and silvery waterlilies, furnished with seats and cushions, buildings and courtyards, with its ravishing trees laden with fruit and flowers in every season and the blossoming Ashoka trees, it resembled the effulgence of the rising sun.

Seated there, Maruti never wearied of gazing on those lovely woods, whose foliage was almost concealed by hundreds of birds disporting themselves there and the beauty of those Ashoka trees, bending under the weight of their flowers, so that their blossoming seemed to extend to their very roots, dispelled all sorrow. The entire region seemed ablaze with the brilliance of the Karnikara and Kimshuka trees in flower; the giant-rooted Punnaga, Saptapama, Champaka and Udda-laka blazed forth in blossom and there were thousands of Ashoka trees some of a golden colour, some like flames of fire and some as dark as collyrium so that the whole place resembled the Garden of Nandana or the enchanting domain of Caitaratha or even surpassed them. This celestial unimaginably beautiful region was like a second heaven, having flowers for its constellations or a fifth ocean, its pearls being the blossom scattered there. Planted with trees, which bloomed in every season, emitting honeyed scents, that garden was filled with the cries of birds and beasts and redolent with exquisite scents, a delicious spot, equal to that King of Mountains, a second Gandhamadana.

Now, in that Ashoka Grove, that lion among monkeys observed, at a short distance, a splendid temple as white as Mount Kailasha, flawless, supported by a thousand pillars, its steps of coral, its floors of refined gold, dazzlingly beautiful, blinding to the eyes and of such a height that it seemed to kiss the sky.

Then, all at once, he beheld a woman, in soiled raiment, surrounded by female titans and she was emaciated through fasting, sorrowful, heaving frequent sighs, immaculate as the moon’s disc in its first quarter, resplendent with a radiance which now shone but dimly so that she seemed like a flame wreathed in smoke.

Clad in a soiled robe of yellow silk, divested of every ornament, she resembled a lotus pool stripped of its flowers. Oppressed, racked with grief and tormented, she was like unto Rohini pursued by Ketu. Her face bathed in tears, distressed, worn out by privation, plunged in anxiety and separated from her kith and kin, no longer able to behold Rama and Lakshmana but only the titans, she appeared like a gazelle surrounded by a pack of hounds.

With her long hair resembling a black serpent, hanging down her back, she looked like the earth with its dark blue forests in the rainy season. That large-eyed lady, worthy of happiness, not having known adversity till that hour, sunk in woe and emaciated was attired in soiled raiment.

Then Hanuman, beholding her, for many reasons deduced that it was Sita and reflected:—“That princess, borne away by the titan, able to change his shape at will, must be this woman before me.”

Her face shone like the full moon and she possessed beautiful brows and gracefully rounded breasts; by her radiance she dispelled the darkness in all regions; her neck was of a bluish tint, her lips like the Bimba fruit, her waist slender and her carriage full of dignity, her eyes, resembling lotus petals equalled those of Rati, the beloved spouse of Manmatha, lovely as the moon, adored by all.

Now that youthful woman of graceful form was seated on the ground practising austerity like a female ascetic and that timid lady was heaving frequent sighs like the consort of the Serpent King.

Entangled in a mighty web of sorrow, her beauty was veiled like a flame enveloped in smoke or a traditional text obscured by dubious interpretation or wealth that is melting away or faith that is languishing or hope that is almost extinguished or perfection unattained on account of obstacles or an intellect which is darkened or fame tarnished by calumny.

Distracted by her separation from Rama, tormented by the presence of the female titans, her eyes, like a young doe’s ranged here and there searching everywhere in her distress. Tears streamed from her eyes with their arched brows and dark lashes and, her features altered, she sighed again and again. That unfortunate one, worthy of every decoration, now bereft of all, covered with stains, resembled the King of the Stars obscured by heavy cloud. Beholding Sita in that pitiable state, Hanuman was perplexed as one whose learning is lost for lack of sustained endeavour and, seeing her without ornaments, he recognised her with difficulty as a text that is wrongly construed. Beholding that large-eyed and irreproachable princess, Hanuman concluded from her many distinctive characteristics that it must indeed be Sita.

Perceiving on her person such ornaments as had been described by Rama at the time of his departure, such as the Svadangstras and jewelled armlets, which were now darkened by dust and neglect, nevertheless, they appeared to Hanuman to be those mentioned to him and he reflected:—“Those which were cast off by Sita on the way, I do not see but those she preserved are certainly here.

“The rich silken mantle shining like Kanaka gold, which she let fall, was found by the monkeys caught in a tree and the valuable ornaments cast off by her fell on the earth with a tinkling sound. The robe she now wears is exceedingly worn but its colour remains and resembles her own radiance. Here is the one for whom Rama has suffered torment through affection, pity, grief and love: through affection in consequence of his beloved spouse being borne away; through pity, by his inability to protect her who is dependent on him; through grief, at her loss, and through love by his separation from her. Verily from the grace of her person and her beauty, that resembles his, this lady of dark eyes must be his spouse.

She has her mind fixed on him, and he on her, it is on account of this that they are able to survive. Indeed the Lord Rama has achieved a great feat by still existing separated from her and not yielding up his life in grief.”

Having beheld Sita, the Son of Pavana allowed his thoughts to fly to Rama, to whom he silently offered obeisance, and to that princess also.