Shloka 28
सप्तदशः सर्गः
Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove
तां दृष्ट्वा हनुमान् सीतां मृगशाबनिभेक्षणाम्।मृगकन्यामिव त्रस्तां वीक्षमाणां समन्ततः।।।।दहन्तीमिव निःश्वासैर्वृक्षान् पल्लवधारिणः।संघातमिव शोकानां दुःखस्योर्मिमिवोत्थिताम्।।।।
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā hanumān sītāṃ mṛgaśābanibhekṣaṇām | mṛgakanyām iva trastāṃ vīkṣamāṇāṃ samantataḥ | dahantīm iva niḥśvāsair vṛkṣān pallavadhāriṇaḥ | saṅghātam iva śokānāṃ duḥkhasyormim ivotthitām || 5.17.28 ||
Melihat Sītā yang bermata seperti anak rusa, Hanumān menyaksikannya gemetar laksana kijang muda, memandang ke segala arah; dengan helaan napasnya ia seakan membakar pepohonan berdaun lembut—bagai gumpalan duka yang padat, bagai gelombang derita yang bangkit tinggi.
Seeing the fawneyed Sita, a frightened female deer looking all around (as if for some help) sighing hot breath, was as though burning the trees having tender leaves with her hot sighs. She looked like a collective mass of all sorrows, a high tide of suffering.
FAQs
It highlights the moral cost of adharma (abduction and intimidation): dharma protects the vulnerable, whereas tyranny produces fear and pervasive suffering.
Hanumān watches Sītā’s anxious vigilance—she scans all directions, fearing further threat—revealing the intensity of her captivity.
Sītā’s endurance under extreme distress; Hanumān’s compassion is deepened by witnessing her fear.