Chapter 37 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 37

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 37.30

चलत्केसरमात्मानं कृत्वा तस्य तटे स्थितः। ददर्श तस्मिन्सरसि वक्रच्छायामथात्मनः॥ कोऽयमस्मिन्मम रिपुर्वसत्यन्त ले महान्। रूपं चान्तर्गतं तत्र वीक्ष्य तत्पश्यतो हरिः॥ क्रोधाविष्टमना होष नियतं मावमन्यते। तदस्य दुष्टभावस्य पुष्कलं कुमतेहम्॥ एवं स चिन्त्य मनसा स वै वानरचापलात्। आप्लुत्य चापतत्तस्मिन्हदे वानरसत्तमः॥ उत्प्लुत्य तस्मात्स ह्रदादुत्थितः प्लवगः पुनः। तस्मिन्नेव क्षणे राम स्त्रीत्वं प्राप स वानरः॥ मनोज्ञरूपा सा नारी लावण्यललिता शुभा। विस्तीर्णजघना सुधूर्नीलकुन्तलमूर्धजा॥ मुग्धसस्मितवक्रा च पीनस्तनतटा शुभा।

calatkesaramātmānaṃ kṛtvā tasya taṭe sthitaḥ| dadarśa tasminsarasi vakracchāyāmathātmanaḥ|| ko'yamasminmama ripurvasatyanta le mahān| rūpaṃ cāntargataṃ tatra vīkṣya tatpaśyato hariḥ|| krodhāviṣṭamanā hoṣa niyataṃ māvamanyate| tadasya duṣṭabhāvasya puṣkalaṃ kumateham|| evaṃ sa cintya manasā sa vai vānaracāpalāt| āplutya cāpatattasminhade vānarasattamaḥ|| utplutya tasmātsa hradādutthitaḥ plavagaḥ punaḥ| tasminneva kṣaṇe rāma strītvaṃ prāpa sa vānaraḥ|| manojñarūpā sā nārī lāvaṇyalalitā śubhā| vistīrṇajaghanā sudhūrnīlakuntalamūrdhajā|| mugdhasasmitavakrā ca pīnastanataṭā śubhā|

English Meaning

Having shaken his manes with a delighted heart, Rkşarāja saw his reflection in his waters. Beholding his own image there that monkey-chief, stricken with anger and anxiety thought-“What arch-enemy of mine is living in the waters? I shall destroy the excellent abode of the vicious-souled one.” Thinking thus within himself, that monkey, out of fickleness, jumped down into the lake. And he again sprang up therefrom. And at the time of rising, O Rama, that leading monkey found himself-metamorphosed into a female form, which was highly charming, graceful and beautiful. Her waist was spacious, eye-brows beautiful and hairs were black and curling; her countenance was beautiful and smiling, breast high and beauty matchless.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)