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Baie thus addressed by the high-souled Raghava, Hanuman, related unto him all of what Sita had said,—‘O foremost of men, the worshipful Janaki, related as a token, all the incidents at the Mount Chitrakuta from the beginning tothe end. Sleeping happily with thee, Janaki one day awoke before, and in the meantime, a crow wounded her breast with its beaks. O Rama, thou wert then asleep on Sita’s lap and that crow again afflicted the worshipful dame. And it again wounded her. And being bathed in blood and

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suffering terrible pangs, that worshipful dame aroused thee. O slayer of foes, O thou of mighty-arms, seeing her breast wounded, thou, wroth like a serpent, didst speak saying— ‘O timid damsel, who, with his nails, hath wounded thy breast ?. Who hath played with an angry serpent having five faces’ And casting thy looks around thou didst behold a crow facing the worshipful dame with sharpened nails besmeared with blood. That crow, the best of the birds, was Sakra’s son. And it entered speedily into the earth with the velocity of the wind. Thereupon, thy eyes rolling with ire, thou, O mighty armed hero, O foremost of the intelligent, didst resolve to destroy that crow. And taking a 4uga off thy seat thou didst set it on Brahma weapon. And it flamed like unto the fire of dessolution befure that crow. And thou didst let off that burning £u¢ga towards that bird. And thereupon that burning £u¢a followed the crow. And being forsaken even by the celestials, who were terrified, and ransacking the three worlds it did not get a refuge. Thereupon it again came to you, O subduer of foes. And seeking thy shelter it laid itself low on the ground. And O K&kutstha, thou didst save it albeit it was worthy of being slain. And thinking it improper to baffle the aim of the weapon, thou didst, O Raghava, destroy the right eye of the crow. Thereupon bowing unto thee and the king Dagaratha, that crow, bidding adieu, went to its quarter. O R&ghava, thou art the foremost of those skilled in the use of weapons, powerful and gifted with an excellent character, why dost thou not discharge weapons towards the Rakshasas? The celestials, the Gandharvas, the Asuras, the Marutas—none of them is qualified, O Rama, to equal thee in conflict.” ‘If thou, gifted with great prowess, hast any affection for me, do thou speedily, with well-armed shafts, destroy Ravana in conflict. And obtaining the behests of his brother, why doth not Lakshmana, the subduer of foes and best of men, protect me, O R&ghava? ‘Those two best of men, gifted with the

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effulgence of Wind and Fire,and incapable of being reptessed even by the celestials, are disregarding me. Forsooth have I perpetrated a mighty iniquity since those two slayers of foes, being capable, do not protect me.’ Hearing those sweet and piteous accents of Vaidehi I again spoke unto that worshipful dame, saying—‘Forsooth can I swear by thee, O worshipful dame, that R&ma is sorely stricken with grief in thy absence. And Lakshmana too relenteth heavily beholding him laden with sorrow. It doth not behove thee to relent any more as I have succeeded in finding thee out. Thou shalt at this very moment behold the end of thy grief. And those two princes, the foremost of men and slayers of foes, actuated with energy on hearing that I have seen thee, shall reduce Lank& to ashes. And slaying in conflict the terrible Ravana, with his kith and kin, Raghava, in sooth, O excellent damsel, shall take thee back to his own city. O thou of a blameless person, do thou confer on me such a token, as might be recognized by Rama and conduce to his pleasure.’ Thereat, casting her looks around, she took out an excellent jewel from her cloth, worthy of being set on her braid and conferred it on me, O thou of great strength. And O thou, the most favourite of the Raghu race, taking for thee that gem with my hands and bowing unto her, I addressed myself speedily for departure. And thereupon ‘beholding me ready to depart and increase in bulk and about to leap up in the welkin, Sita, the daughter of the king Janaka, poorly, bathed in tears, overwhelmed with sorrow and having her voice choked with grief, spake, saying—‘Blessed art thou O great monkey, since thou shalt behold the large-armed and the lotus-eyed R&ma and the highly famed Lakshmana, my lord’s younger brother.’ And being thus accosted by Maithili, I said—'Do thou speedily place thyself on my back, O worshipful dame, O thou the daughter of king Janaka, and I shall soon show thee, O great dame, O thou having dark blue eyes, thy lord along with

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Sugriva and Lakshmana.’ Whereto she replied—‘This is’ not the pious course, O great monkey, O thou the foremost of thy race, that I shall, of my own accord, place myself on thy back. And although before this I was touched by the demon, O hero, it was because I could not help otherwise subject as I was to circumstances. Do thou thyself repair, O foremost of monkeys, where those two princes are.’ Addressing me with these words she again said—‘O Hanum§&n, do thou relate my well-being unto Rima and Lakshmana of leonine prowess, and Sugriva accompanied by his followers. Do thou so describe as the large-armed R&ghava may save me from this ocean of grief. Do thou narrate unto Rama this my terrible sorrow and the affliction by the she-demons. May good betide thee, on thy way, O foremost of the monkeys.’ Thus the worshipful Sita gave vent to these piteous accents. Hearing these words do thou believe that it is all well with her.” wos