Srimad Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa | Araṇya Kāṇḍa ~ Sarga 60 of 75

While Rama is coming towards hermitage his lower eyelid frequently fluttered, his gait faltered, and he missed his footing. [3-60-1] .

On closely watching those inauspicious forebodings Rama indeed uttered oftentimes reflexly thus as, ‘would she be safe, in fact!’ [3-60-2] .

He quickened himself and went with an ardency to see Seetha, and then on seeing an empty home his heart is distraught. [3-60-3] .

“That bashful Seetha might be stolen by the grudging demons, or slain by the very same grisly demons, or savoured by some gruesome beasts, or else she strayed in this gauntly forest, and even she might have playfully shrouded herself in the grimly forest, or else she must be sheltering herself in this forest which will be gruelling to locate. [3-60-8] .

“Or else, she might have again gone to pick the flowers or fruits, or again gone to lotus-lake, or gone to the river for water.” Thinking thus, Rama started his search for Seetha. [3-60-9] .

Though he searched effortfully for his dear Seetha he did not get her, and as his anguish is reddening his eyes the appearance of that glorious one seems to be that of a madman. [3-60-10]

The word iva ‘as though, seems to be, alike…’ has some importance from the viewpoint of commentators, and some discussion is given in endnote on its usage. Because he is ‘like’ a madman, the translation shall also be ‘like’ a mad-translation, as long as he talks ‘like’ a madman.

Rama ran speedily from tree to shrub, from hill to hillock, from river to rivulet, and revolving around them he wailed for Seetha, as he is inundated in a sludgy ocean of woes. [3-60-11]

Whether Rama ‘really wept’ over Seetha’s absence or it the ‘playacting’ of god – is a much-debated topic. As a hero of the epic, it is ‘real’ weeping and it is necessary to arouse pathos, but should he be god or god incarnate, is ‘weeping’ manifest in the qualities of Omniscient – is the dilemma. Some points are presented in the endnote.

“Oh, Kadamba tree, seest thou someone a lady who is lover of Kadamba flowers, one with a lovable face and a love of mine, thou tellest me if thou knowest. [3-60-12] .

“Oh, Bilva tree, if thou seest someone who is drest in yellowy-ochry silks, whose skin likens to the silkiness of thine leaflets, breasts to thine rotund and silky Bilva fruits, thou tellest me… [3-60-13] .

“Otherwise, thou Arjuna tree, if thou knowest her who is a lover of thine Arjuna flowers and the ladylove of mine, thou telleth whether that slender-waisted daughter of Janaka liveth or otherwise… [3-60-14].

“As to how this Kakubha tree shineth laden with creepy-creepers, foliole-foliage and flowery-flowers, this tree knowest Maithili whose thighs can be likened to the smoothish trunk of this very Kakubha tree… [3-60-15].

“As to how this best tree among all trees heareth the chorus of honeybees that singest around it, thereby this Tilaka tree clearly knowest Maithili, a lover of Tilaka trees, as this shouldst have heard her. [3-60-16].

“Oh, Ashoka tree, an alleviator of agony, that is thine name lingually… but practically and readily name me after thine, by showing my ladylove, as my agony has marred my empathy… [3-60-17] .

“Oh, Palm tree, if thou seest that lady breasted alike ripened-palm fruits of thine, and if thine mercy is mine, thou telleth of that shapely lady Seetha… [3-60-18] .

“Oh, Rose-apple tree, if thou seest Seetha and thee knowest my ladylove with golden glitter, thou telleth me without hesitation…

Or

“Oh, Rose-apple tree, if thou seest Seetha and thou knowest my ladylove whose complexion is smoothish like thine Rose-apples, thou telleth me unhesitatingly… [3-60-19] .

“Aha! Karnikaara tree, now thou art in full bloom and blooming magnificently, if thou seest that lover of Karnikaara-flowers and an immaculate ladylove of mine, thou telleth me… [3-60-20]

Annex: ‘you all might have seen when your friend was imperilled and you might have complained, or cried out with the rustle of your leaves or gestured with the swings of your branches, as humans would do with their voice and hands… and the birds and bees nestled on you also might have chorused, sadly… but those birds and bees are unable to communicate what has happened… you trees, though you may not have rushed to rescue her, as you are pegged on ground, you indicate to me, at least with your branchy gestures, what exactly has happened….

“Or else, oh, deer, dost thou know what bechanced to that fawn-eyed Maithili, one with quick-looks like thee deer? Or else, hast she herded herself into the herd of she-deer of yours… [3-60-23]

Annex: ‘poor trees… they cannot air their expression, hence Maithili is unsaid by them… but you deer, you can voice and gesticulate, then voice it out or gesticulate, since that Maithili is an all time playmate of you deer… and you are an expert in escaping, and you might have escaped when Maithili was in danger, does not matter, it is your nature, now tell me what exactly has happened…’ [but, then that deer ran in a particular way, but Rama is now unable to decipher it… and concludes,] ‘now also you are escaping expertly… leave it at that…’ .

“Oh, elephant, thou mightst beheld her whose thighs likens to your trunk at that problematic hour, thus methinks, and that Maithili is familiar to thee, and oh, best elephant, if thou beholdest her, thou tallest me… [3-60-24]

Annex: ‘though you are a pachyderm you are keen-eyed and you can find out even a thorn in the weed, also you are around this place for a long time, thus well acquainted with all of us… hence I deem that something must have happened and somehow you might have seen… though you could not prevent it with your massive head, trunk or legs, but tell me what exactly has happened….

“Fear not, oh, tiger, hast thou seen Maithili, the moonfaced ladylove of mine, if thou hast seen speak in good faith… [3-60-25]

Annex: ‘I know that you are a master prowler and a brave one, these deer and elephants are somehow fearing to tell me, but you tell me because you’re a brave one… did you not prowl the prowler of Maithili… I also know that equal is the fear when one sees a tiger or when a tiger sees one… now you need not lift up your fore-paw and step back on seeing me… as I cause no harm now… but tell me, whether you ran after that one who caused some harm to Seetha or not, as Seetha never harmed you, when you were on the prowl hereabouts…’ But that tiger retraced its steps, because Rama is an archer with a bow and arrows, without telling him that without exception all the animals vainly ran after Ravana trying to rescue Seetha. Such as he is, an uninformed one, he starts a delirious soliloquy in imagery.

“Oh lotus-eyed lady, in fact I have seen you my dear, then why this running away and concealing yourself under trees, why do not you reply me… [3-60-26] .

“Stay…stay… oh, best lady, don’t you have mercy on me? You are not unacceptably tease-humoured! What for you ignore me? [3-60-27] .

“Oh, beautifully complexioned lady, even if you are running away your yellowy silk-sari betokens you, stay, if you have goodwill for me… [3-60-28] .

“Otherwise, she whom I have just seen me may not be Seetha, why because, it is unapt of her to avoid me who attained this wretched state, hence Seetha with cheery smiles is certainly murdered… [3-60-29] .

“Obviously the raw-flesh gorgers must have gorged that youngish lady on diving all her limbs in my absence from my dear one… [3-60-30] .

“Her face which is similar to a full-moon with pretty teeth, prettier lips, prettily nose and with prettyish earrings, might have obtained a blanched look when being devoured… [3-60-31] .

“But that exquisite and beautiful neck of that lady which shines forth in the colour of Campaka flower, befitting for any neck ornament, indeed it might be glutted down while she is bewailing… [3-60-32] .

“Her two arms which are delicate like tender leaves, ornamented with bangles and bicep-lets might have been definitely nibbled while they are wriggling with quivering fingers… [3-60-33] .

“This is as though I have forsaken this youngish Seetha really as a feast for the demons in my absence, and though Seetha has many relatives she has become as worse as a lonesome woman who is completely forsaken by her caravan who is lonesomely ready for the feast of highwaymen, and demons have feasted on her. [3-60-34] .

“Ha, Lakshmana… oh, dextrous one… have you seen my ladylove anywhere… ha, dear, where have you gone… oh, auspicious lady… ha, Seetha…” thus Rama lamented again and again in his search. [3-60-35] .

On going round the vast of great forest in that way and on searching for Maithili, his hope became intangible, but again he undertook the search for his ladylove, over-strenuously. [3-60-38] .