Chapter CLXXIV: Section XXXII

And beholding that tawny-colored monkey like unto a mass of lightnings and wearing a white cloth, hidden on the tree, Sita's mind was greatly agitated. And she saw there the humble, sweet-speeched monkey, appearing graceful like unto a collection of full-blown _Asoka_ flowers and having eyes resembling burning gold. And observing that foremost of the monkeys, sitting humbly, that daughter of the king of Mithila, again greatly amazed, thought.--"This monkey is the most terrible of his race and therefore hard to be got at and looked at." Thinking this she again sank in fear. And stricken with grief she again bewailed in piteous accents exclaiming,--"O Rama! O Lakshmana!" And she wept silently and lowly. And then beholding that best of monkeys approach her humbly, the fair daughter of the Mithili's king, thought,--"Is this a dream mine eyes have seen?" And she again looked towards that Wind-god's son, the foremost of the monkeys, the best of those gifted with intelligence, having a huge disfigured countenance, highly accomplished and wearing a dress mentioned before. And beholding him Sita was almost out of breath with fear. And regaining soon her sense the large-eyed damsel again thought, --"I have seen a very inauspicious dream to-day--to see a monkey in a dream is reckoned inauspicious by the sages. May good betide Rama, Lakshmana and my Sire the king of Janaka. It is no dream, I have not slept, worn with grief and trouble as I am. Apart from my lord having the countenance of the full-moon, I have no happiness. Thinking of Rama always and uttering his name, each sight I see and each sound I hear brings him to my eye or ear. And therefore his form appearing in my mind is distressing me to-day, who am entirely sunk in his thoughts. And thinking of him always I see him before me and hear his words. Methinks this is but a phantom of the mind. And thinking this I still behold the same. But an imaginary object can never have a form. And I still find a distinct form addressing me. Be glory to Vachaspati, Indra, the self existent Brahma, the lord of fire and may they so grant that the creature who hath spoken before me, be real and not imaginary."