Chapter 12 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 12

Valmiki Ramayana — Sundara Kanda

Verse 12.2

न चिन्तयामास ततो महाकपिः प्रियामपश्यन् रघुनन्दनस्य ताम्। ध्रुवं न सीता ध्रियते यथा न मे विचिन्वतो दर्शनमेति मैथिली॥

na cintayāmāsa tato mahākapiḥ priyāmapaśyan raghunandanasya tām| dhruvaṃ na sītā dhriyate yathā na me vicinvato darśanameti maithilī||

English Meaning

And not finding the beloved (spouse) of Raghu's son that mighty monkey reflected, “Surely Sītā is not alive, for although I have searched (through and through), yet Mithila's daughter I have failed to find."

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)