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||
Ngunit hindi niya nakita si Sītā—pinakamaharlikang isinilang sa angkan ng mga hari, matatag sa landas ng katuwiran—payat at marikit na gaya ng namumulaklak na baging, dalisay ang pinagmulan, na matagal na niyang inanyuan sa kanyang isipan.
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.
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.