सीताविलापः (Sita’s Lament and Resolve under Threat)
उपस्थिता सा मृदुसर्वगात्री शाखां गृहत्वाऽध नगस्य तस्य।तस्यास्तु रामं प्रविचिन्तयन्त्या रामानुजं स्वं च कुलं शुभाङ्ग्या:।।5.28.19।।शेकानिमित्तानि तथा बहूनिधैर्यार्जितानि प्रवराणि लोके।प्रादुर्निमित्तानि तदा बभूवुः पुरापि सिद्धान्युपलक्षितानि।।5.28.20।।
upasthitā sā mṛdu-sarva-gātrī śākhāṁ gṛhītvā adha nagasya tasya |
tasyās tu rāmaṁ pravicintayantyā rāmānujam svaṁ ca kulaṁ śubhāṅgyāḥ ||5.28.19||
śokānimittāni tathā bahūni dhairyārjitāni pravarāṇi loke |
prādur-nimittāni tadā babhūvuḥ purāpi siddhāny upalakṣitāni ||5.28.20||
That gentle-limbed lady approached the śiṃśupā tree and, holding a branch of it, stood there. As the fair-bodied Sītā thought of Rāma, of Rāma’s younger brother, and of her own noble family, many auspicious omens appeared—signs known in the world as dispellers of grief and bringers of courage, proven true even from ancient times.
Sita of delicate limbs approached the Simsupa tree and held on to a branch and stood. While she was thinking of Rama and Lakshmana and their noble family many omens of proven results appeared on her auspicious charming body. These omens were dispellers of grief, and harbingers of courage in the world as declared fromancient times. (Now) they manifested themselves.ઇત્યાર્ષે શ્રીમદ્રામાયણે વાલ્મીકીય આદિકાવ્યે સુન્દરકાણ્ડે અષ્ટાવિંશસ્સર્ગઃ।।Thus ends the twentyeigth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
The ‘nimitta’ (omens) are described as ‘siddhāni’—already proven true from ancient times—signaling that truth ultimately asserts itself: Sītā’s fidelity and Rāma’s righteous cause are aligned with a truthful moral order that will bear fruit.
In distress, Sītā anchors her mind in dharma—loyalty to her husband, respect for righteous allies (Lakṣmaṇa), and remembrance of her lineage’s values—showing inner discipline and moral clarity rather than despair.