October 19 - Sarga 15 of Sundara Kanda.
Hanuman sees Sita!
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प्रदीप्तमिव तत्रस्थो मारुतिः समुदैक्षत ।
निष्पत्रशाखां विहगैः क्रियमाणामिवासकृत् ॥
"Hanuman, hiding in that Shimshupa tree, repeatedly surveyed that wonderful garden splendid in many dimensions, most importantly full of so many trees that were laden with so much fruit and flower and attracted such a multitude of birds and bees etc. that it was as if it was no longer having any leaves (i.e. their presence became insignificant)."
सर्वर्तुपुष्पैः नानानिनादैः उद्यानं रम्यं मृगगणैः द्विजैः पुण्यगन्धं नन्दनं चैत्ररथं इव श्रिया कृतम् "Hanuman surveyed that Ashoka Vana which equalled, nay, surpassed, Indra's Nandana and Kubera's Chaitraratha gardens with its all-season flowers, melodious calls of so many birds and the wind whistling through it. Attractive with so many animals, emitting a heady, heavenly, fragrance, simply overflowing with the grace of the goddess of prosperity..."
ततो मलिनसंवीतां राक्षसीभिः समावृताम् ।
उपवासकृशां दीनां निःश्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः ॥
"Casting his glance around and seeing a thousand pillared divine hall, Hanuman moved his gaze and then suddenly beheld the sight of a lady in soiled clothes. surrounded by ugly rakshasis, emaciated through much fasting, looking wretched in every sense, and sighing repeatedly in distress."
Valmiki describes that lady by comparing her sighting to the sighting of the crescent moon at the beginning of the bright cycle of the moon. She had a loveliness and a hidden radiance like a smouldering fire. She wore a single yellow cloth. She was bashful, her withered look exemplified torment and dejection. She looked like the star Rohini when oppressed by Mars. She looked like a doe separated from her dear ones and frightened out of her wits as she was surrounded by attacking, wild, dogs.
The lady had her hair in a long single plait that reached below her waist. She looked very much out of place in Lanka.
Hanuman put two and two together. This had to be Sita!
He remembered the lady faintly from the scene in the sky when they had seen her being abducted by a rakshasa. She was beautiful in every part of her body and resembled Rati, wife of Manmatha (Cupid). She was sitting on the bare ground like an ascetic. Hanuman thought of a scripture that had been thrown away and disrespected. Or a faith betrayed somehow.
Hanuman now recalled her appearance as seen in the sky then, much like someone recalls a forgotten, obscure, scripture.
"This has to be Sita. She is wearing beautiful ornaments of the kind Sri Rama described, although they look soiled. The ornaments Sita had dropped en route are now not on her person. That yellow cloth matches the cloth we found bundling the ornaments. She looks a perfect match in her innate glory to Sri Rama. Sri Rama and Sita have been able to survive this separation purely because of their constant dedication and meditation on each other through love."
Hanuman was full of worshipful praise for Sri Rama and Sita.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
