Sundarakanda Sarga 36: The Presentation of the Ring (Full Text & Meaning) 

A high-definition digital rendering of Valmiki’s Sarga 36, optimized for daily parayana and deep study. 

athaḥ śrīmadvalmīki rāmāyaṇe suṃdarakāṃḍe ṣaṭtriṁśassargaḥ

Beginning of Sundarakanda from Srimad Valmiki Ramayana - 36th Sarga

aṁgulīyaka pradānam The Presentation of the Ring

Section 2: Sītā’s Praise and Enquiries (Shlokas 6–14)

tatassā hrīmatī bālā bhartṛsandēśaharṣitā | parituṣṭā priyaṅ kṛtvā praśaśaṅsa mahākapim || 6

Then, that modest young woman, Sītā, overjoyed by her husband's message, felt utterly satisfied. Expressing her profound pleasure, she began to praise the great Hanumān (6)

vikrāntastvaṅ samarthastvaṅ prājñastvaṅ vānarōttama | yēnēdaṅ rākṣasapadaṅ tvayaikēna pradharṣitam || 7

O vānarōttama (best of Vānaras), you are an incomparable hero—valiant in spirit, supremely capable, and wise in action. It is precisely because of these qualities that you were able to enter this impossible Laṅkā all by yourself (7)

śatayōjanavistīrṇa ssāgarō makarālayaḥ | vikramaślāghanīyēna kramatā gōṣpadīkṛtaḥ || 8 

na hi tvāṅ prākṛtaṅ manyē vānaraṅ vānararṣabha | yasya tē nāsti santrāsō rāvaṇānnāpi sambhramaḥ || 9 

arhasē ca kapiśrēṣṭha mayā samabhibhāṣitum | yadyasi prēṣitastēna rāmēṇa viditātmanā || 10 

prēṣayiṣyati durdharṣō rāmō na hyaparīkṣitam | parākramamavijñāya matsakāśaṅ viśēṣataḥ || 11

The ocean, which stretches for a hundred yojanas and is the domain of great sea creatures, was made no bigger than a mere cow's hoof-print (insignificant like a puddle) by your act of valorous stepping—a feat worthy of the highest praise! O vānararṣabha (bull among Vānaras), I simply do not believe you are an ordinary vānara, for you show neither fear of Rāvaṇa nor the slightest sign of confusion. O kapiśrēṣṭha, you are indeed worthy to speak with me, since you have been sent by the great-souled Rāma. For my unconquerable Rāma would surely never send an untested messenger, one whose valor he did not fully know, especially to my presence on a mission of this magnitude. (8 - 11)

diṣṭyā ca kuśalī rāmō dharmātmā satyasaṅgaraḥ | lakṣmaṇaśca mahātējāḥ sumitrānandavardhanaḥ || 12

By sheer good fortune, Rāma, the virtuous man of true vows, is well, and so is the greatly effulgent Lakṣmaṇa, the source of Sumitrā's joy. (12)

kuśalī yadi kākutsthaḥ kiṅ nu sāgaramēkhalām | mahīṅ dahati kōpēna yugāntāgnirivōtthitaḥ || 13

If Rāma is truly well, then why does he not, in his great anger, burn up the earth—encircled by the ocean—like the world-ending fire at the close of an era? (13)

athavā śaktimantau tau surāṇāmapi nigrahē | mamaiva tu na duḥkhānāmasti manyē viparyayaḥ || 14

Or, alternatively, those two (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa) are certainly powerful, even in defeating the gods. But I believe that, for me alone, there is simply no end for these sorrows. (14)

Section 4: Longing for News (Shlokas 22–31)

kausalyāyāstathā kaccitsumitrāyāstathaiva ca | abhīkṣṇaṅ śrūyatē kaccitkuśalaṅ bharatasya ca || 22

I hope that the welfare of Kausalyā Sumitrā and Bharata is heard often. (22)

mannimittēna mānārhaḥ kaccicchōkēna rāghavaḥ | kaccinnānyamanā rāmaḥ kaccinmāṅ tārayiṣyati || 23

I hope that the honorable Rāghava is neither consumed by sorrow for me nor distracted by other thoughts. Tell me, is it certain that he will still rescue me? (23)

kaccidakṣauhiṇīṅ bhīmāṅ bharatō bhrātṛvatsalaḥ | dhvajinīṅ mantribhirguptāṅ prēṣayiṣyati matkṛtē || 24

Is my affectionate brother-in-law, Bharata, who is so loyal to his elder brother, planning to dispatch a formidable Akṣauhiṇī—a massive army to assist in my rescue? (24)

vānarādhipatiśśīmān sugrīvaḥ kaccidēṣyati | matkṛtē haribhirvīraiḥ vṛtō dantanakhāyudhaiḥ || 25

Is the glorious Sugrīva, the King of the Vānaras, truly planning to come for my sake, surrounded by his heroic Vānara army whose weapons are their formidable teeth and claws? (25)

kacciccha lakṣmaṇaśśūraḥ sumitrānandavardhanaḥ | astraviccharajālēna rākṣasānvidhamiṣyati || 26

Will the valiant Lakṣmaṇa, who increases the joy of Sumitrā and an expert in divine weapons, surely scatter and destroy the Rākṣasas with his net of arrows? (26)

raudrēṇa kaccidastrēṇa jvalatā nihataṅ raṇē | drakṣyāmyalpēna kālēna rāvaṇaṅ sasuhṛjjana || 27

willI truly see Rāvaṇa, along with his friends and relatives, struck down in battle by a terrible, blazing divine weapon in a very short time? (27)

kaccinna taddhēmasamānavarṇaṅ tasyānanaṅ padmasamānagandhi | mayā vinā śuṣyati śōkadīnaṅ jalakṣayē padmamivātapēna || 28

pray that his face, which is the color of gold and has the fragrance of a lotus, is not, in my absence, becoming withered and miserable with sorrow—like a lotus flower that is dried up by the scorching sun due to the depletion of its water. (28)

dharmāpadēśāttyajataśca rājyaṅ māṅ cāpyaraṇyaṅ nayataḥ padātim | nāsīdvyathā yasya na bhīrna śōkaḥ kaccitsa dhairyaṅ hṛdayē karōti|| 29

He who, on the pretext of Dharma (duty), gave up his kingdom and led me on foot into the forest—he who felt neither mental anguish, nor fear, nor sorrow during that time—I pray that he is now maintaining that same fortitude in his heart. (29)

na cāsya mātā na pitā ca nānyaḥ snēhādviśiṣṭō.sti mayā samō vā | tāvattvahaṅ dūta jijīviṣēyaṅ yāvatpravṛttiṅ śṛṇuyāṅ priyasya || 30

There is no one—not his mother, not his father, nor any other being—whose affection for him is greater than mine, or even equal to the depth of my love. I wish to live only so long as I can continue to hear news of my beloved Lord Rāma. (30)

itīva dēvī vacanaṅ mahārthaṅ taṅ vānarēndraṅ madhurārthamuktvā | śrōtuṅ punastasya vacō.bhirāmaṅ rāmārthayuktaṅ virarāma rāmā || 31

Thus, having spoken those profound and sweet words to Hanumān, the Sītā Devi, paused. She waited, eager to hear more of his delightful and charming words concerning Rāma. (31)

Section 6: Rama’s Extreme Devotion and Sorrow (Shlokas 41–47)

na māṅsaṅ rāghavō bhuṅaktē na cā.pi madhu sēvatē | vanyaṅ suvihitaṅ nityaṅ bhaktamaśnāti pañcamam || 41

Rāma strictly adheres to his vow: he neither eats meat nor consumes honey (or any form of intoxicating drink). Instead, he subsists entirely on well-prepared food gathered from the forest, and he takes one fifth of this meal in a day (41)

naiva daṅśānna maśakānna kīṭānna sarīsṛpān | rāghavō.panayēdgātrāt tvadgatēnāntarātmanā || 42

Rāma's mind is so utterly and completely absorbed in thoughts of you that he does not even notice the physical world. He will not even brush away biting flies, mosquitoes, small insects, or any creeping creatures from his own body (42)

nityaṅ dhyānaparō rāmō nityaṅ śōkaparāyaṇaḥ | nānyaccintayatē kiñcitsa tu kāmavaśaṅ gataḥ || 43

Rāma is constantly engaged in deep contemplation and is perpetually devoted to sorrow. He does not think of anything else (43)

anidrassatataṅ rāmassuptō.pi ca narōttamaḥ | sītēti madhurāṅ vāṇīṅ vyāharanpratibudhyatē || 44

Rāma is constantly sleepless, and even when that best of men is asleep, he wakes up startled, uttering the sweet word 'Sītā.'" (44)

dṛṣṭvā phalaṅ vā puṣpaṅ vā yadvā.nyatsumanōharam | bahuśō hā priyētyēvaṅ śvasaṅstvāmabhibhāṣatē || 45

Whenever my Lord Rāma observes a beautiful fruit, a fragrant flower, or any other charming sight, he cannot help but think of you. With a sigh of deep longing, he repeatedly speaks your name, crying out, "Ah, my beloved!" (45)

sa dēvi nityaṅ paritapyamānaḥ tvāmēva sītētyabhibhāṣamāṇaḥ | **dhṛtavratō rājasutō mahātmā ** tavaiva lābhāya kṛtaprayatnaḥ || 46

O Devi , that great-souled son of the King, my Lord Rāma, is constantly immersed in sorrow, and his lips only utter your name: 'Sītā.' Having taken a solemn vow, he dedicates every single effort and action solely to achieving your recovery. (46)

**sā rāmasaṅkīrtanavītaśōkā ** rāmasya śōkēna samānaśōkā | **śaranmukhē sāmbudaśēṣacandrā ** niśēva vaidēhasutā babhūva || 47

The daughter of Videha (Sītā) became one whose personal sorrow was dispelled by the recounting of Rāma's story, yet she was now afflicted with an equal sorrow for Rāma's suffering. Her state resembled a night at the beginning of the autumn season, where the moon is partially veiled by clouds. (47)

ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde ṣaṭtriṁśassargaḥ