After hearing Hanuman, Seetha, was inclined to believe that he was what he claimed to be. She could not however, forget the way by which Ravana in the guise of a sanyasi cheated her. While she was thinking in this manner, our clever Hanuman guessed her mind said "O illustrious lady! I am a vanara and a messenger of your dear hubby Rama.....", taking the signet ring given to him by Rama he continued "O princess! Look at this ring, marked with Rama's name. This was given to me by your husband himself. He told me if I show this to you you will believe me for what I am. Happiness to you! Now get rid o your grief. Now, I am sure you will believe what I claim to be."
Seeing that ring the countenance of that large-eyed Seetha turned like the bright moon the king of stars liberated by Rahu. With a clear mind she said "O Hanuman! You have singly sneaked into this place infested by rakshasas! You are valiant. You are competent. You are intelligent. You, with an acclaimed gallantry, crossed the ocean, an asylum of crocodiles, and of one hundred Yojanas wide, like one would a small puddle. O excellent vanara! For you there is no fear nor even bewilderment from Ravana. Hence, I do not consider you as an ordinary vanara.
"O Hanuman! If you are sent by that Rama, who knows the nature of his self, you are well worthy of talking to me. The indomitable Rama would not have sent you to me without knowing your enterprise and without judging you in advance. I am very much relieved to know that Rama the righteous man who is true to his promise and Lakshmana of great splendour who enriches the joy of Sumitra are blissfully safe.
Seeing that ring the countenance of that large-eyed Seetha turned like the bright moon the king of stars liberated by Rahu. With a clear mind she said "O Hanuman! You have singly sneaked into this place infested by rakshasas! You are valiant. You are competent. You are intelligent. You, with an acclaimed gallantry, crossed the ocean, an asylum of crocodiles, and of one hundred Yojanas wide, like one would a small puddle. O excellent vanara! For you there is no fear nor even bewilderment from Ravana. Hence, I do not consider you as an ordinary vanara.
"O Hanuman! If you are sent by that Rama, who knows the nature of his self, you are well worthy of talking to me. The indomitable Rama would not have sent you to me without knowing your enterprise and without judging you in advance. I am very much relieved to know that Rama the righteous man who is true to his promise and Lakshmana of great splendour who enriches the joy of Sumitra are blissfully safe.
"If Rama is safe, and Rama and Lakshmana being capable of holding down even the celestials with their anger, I wonder why are they not scorching the earth with ocean as its belt, like rising fire at the end of the world? But I wonder when my troubles would end. Please tell me whether Rama is still continues to be serene without any perturbation. Is he tormented with grief? Is Rama the man par excellence now doing the right acts of the annihilation of his enemies? Is Rama the prince, miserable and confused? Is he mistaken in his actions? I hope he is doing all acts which are possible by human effort.
"Is Rama quite clear and composed in mind and attitude? Is he, when necessary resorting to the two strategies viz., conciliatory and partaking approaches and the three strategies viz., partaking, sowing dissension and open assault? Is he still kind-hearted towards friends? Is he getting new friends? Has he been approached for friendship? I hope he is having good friends and honored by them. Is Rama the prince wishing the grace of the gods? Is he equally aware of the role of human endeavour and the role of fate?
"Is Rama quite clear and composed in mind and attitude? Is he, when necessary resorting to the two strategies viz., conciliatory and partaking approaches and the three strategies viz., partaking, sowing dissension and open assault? Is he still kind-hearted towards friends? Is he getting new friends? Has he been approached for friendship? I hope he is having good friends and honored by them. Is Rama the prince wishing the grace of the gods? Is he equally aware of the role of human endeavour and the role of fate?
"O Hanuman! Is Rama not losing affection in me because of my staying away from home? Will he release me from this evil predicament? Is Rama, who is habituated always to pleasures and not habituated to pains, sinking into despondency by now getting this great pain? Are you constantly hearing the news of safety of Kausalya, Sumitra and Bharata?
"Is Rama suffering from pain just because of me? Will he liberate me from my sorrow, without fixing his mind on something else? I hope Bharata, having a brotherly affection, will send for my sake, an army furnished with banners, guarded by the ministers, consisting of ten anikinis (21870 elephants, 21870 chariots, 65610 horses and 109350 foot soldiers) which would be terrific in appearance.
"Within a short time, I hope to see Ravana killed along with his companions in the battle-field by terrific weapons burning brightly. That golden face of Rama with the fragrance of a lotus may be looking miserable without me and getting dehydrated too. I hope it is not parched by the sun, like a lotus. I hope that Rama who left the kingdom as an indication of his righteousness and to whom there was neither disturbance nor fear nor sorrow even while taking me to the forest by foot, continues to be the same in maintaining boldness in his heart. To Rama, in the matter of affection, neither his mother nor his father nor any body else is equal to or more than me. O Hanuman the messenger! I wish to survive only as long as I hear the activities of my beloved."
After saying and asking whatever she wanted to say and know, Seetha fell silent expecting a reply from Hanuman.
The clairvoyant Hanuman keeping his joined palms on his head, replied "O Seetha having lotus eyes! Rama does not know that you are here. For that reason, he did not take you back so far, as Indra the destroyer of strong holds did not take back Sachi, his wife. Soon after seeing me, Rama will come here in haste, drawing forth a large army, consisting of a multitude of vanaras and bears.
"Rama will paralyze the imperturbable ocean with his flood of arrows and make the City of Lanka extinguished of all rakshashas. If the goddess of Death and the celestials along with the rakshashas stand firmly in the way of Rama at that time, he will kill them, too. O noble lady! Being full of grief caused by your non-appearance, that Rama is not at all happy, like an elephant tormented by a lion.
"O Seetha the princess! I swear and tell you by the mountains Malaya, Vindhya, Meru and Dardura as well as by our staple food of roots and fruits, that you will soon see Rama's face, having good eyes, handsome, having lips with the colour of a bright-red gourd (fruit of Momordica monodelpha) and with its charming look like a rising full moon.
"O Seetha! You will see soon Rama on the Prasravana mountain, like Indra the Lord of celestials seated on the back of Airavata, the chief of elephants. Rama is not eating meat, nor indulging even in spirituous liquor. Everyday, in the evening, he is eating the food existing in the forest, well arranged for him.
"With his mind wholly devoted to you, Rama is not even driving away forest-flies from his body, nor mosquitoes nor insects nor reptiles from his body. Rama always cogitates on something or the other. He is forever engaged in sorrow. He is enamoured with the god of love and thinks of nothing else.
"Rama mostly does not have any sleep. Even if that paragon among men sleeps, he keeps uttering sweet words like "lo! behold! Seetha!". When he happens to see a fruit or a flower or any other beautiful object, he recollects you and says 'O beloved!' many times and breathes a sigh.
"O Seetha the princess! Rama the magnanimous prince is always lamenting, speaking just about you, recollecting 'Seetha, Seetha!'. Being firm in his vow, he makes all efforts to find you."
Seetha, who had the same amount of grief as that of Rama, became worn out upon hearing the adoration of Rama, like a night with the moon obscured by the remnant clouds at the commencement of autumn.
Seetha, who had the same amount of grief as that of Rama, became worn out upon hearing the adoration of Rama, like a night with the moon obscured by the remnant clouds at the commencement of autumn.
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