Shloka 3
गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्
The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī
तां लक्ष्मणस्तीर्थवती विचित्वा राममब्रवीत्।।।।नैनां पश्यामि तीर्थेषु क्रोशतो न शृणोति मे।
tāṁ lakṣmaṇas tīrthavatīṁ vicitvā rāmam abravīt |
naināṁ paśyāmi tīrtheṣu krośato na śṛṇoti me ||
ತೀರ್ಥಗಳಿರುವ ಸ್ಥಳಗಳನ್ನು ಹುಡುಕಿ ನೋಡಿದ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನು ರಾಮನಿಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದನು: “ಈ ತೀರ್ಥಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅವಳನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ನಾನು ಕೂಗಿದರೂ ಯಾರೂ ನನ್ನ ಧ್ವನಿಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.”
O king of the mountains! have you seen a lady with beautiful limbs separated from me in this forest tract ?
FAQs
Dharma here appears as dutiful service and truthful reporting: Lakṣmaṇa diligently searches and then honestly communicates the result to Rāma without exaggeration.
After Sītā’s disappearance, Lakṣmaṇa checks the river-fords/landings and reports to Rāma that he cannot find her and receives no response to his calls.
Lakṣmaṇa’s loyalty and responsibility—careful effort followed by transparent, factual speech (satya).