Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 23
चन्द्रप्रकाशे लङ्कानिरीक्षणम्
Moonlit Survey of Lanka and the Unfound Sita
न त्वेव सीतां परमाभिजातां पथि स्थिते राजकुले प्रजाताम्।लतां प्रपुल्लामिव साधु जातां ददर्श तन्वीं मनसाभिजाताम्।।5.5.23।।
na tv eva sītāṃ paramābhijātāṃ pathi sthite rāja-kule prajātām | latāṃ prapullām iva sādhu-jātāṃ dadarśa tanvīṃ manasābhijātām ||5.5.23||
Namun dia tidak melihat Sītā—yang luhur kelahirannya dari keturunan diraja, teguh di jalan dharma; ramping bagaikan sulur yang sedang mekar, suci asal-usulnya, yang selalu terbayang dalam benaknya.
Hanuman could not find Sita anywhere, an excellent lady born in a noble royal family, adopting the right path, a lady delicate like a blossoming creeper of good breed, or so he imagined.
FAQs
Sītā is defined by dharma: noble birth is paired with ‘abiding on the right path,’ presenting righteousness and integrity as her essential identity beyond physical description.
After seeing many women in Laṅkā, Hanumān still does not find Sītā and reflects on her ideal qualities.
Sītā’s steadfast righteousness (dharma-niṣṭhā), implied through her ‘right-path’ conduct and purity.