Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 56: Sītā is Taken to Aśoka-vana
Text 3.57.20
क्रीडन्ती राजहंसेन पद्मषण्डेषु नित्यदा।
हंसी सा तृणषण्डस्थं कथं पश्येत मद्गुकम्॥
krīḍantī rāja-haṁsena padma-ṣaṇḍeṣu nityadā
haṁsī sā tṛṇa-ṣaṇḍasthaṁ kathaṁ paśyeta madgukam
krīḍantī = sporting; rāja-haṁsena = with a royal male swan; padma-ṣaṇḍeṣu = amidst lotuses; nityadā = always; haṁsī sā = a [royal] female swan; tṛṇa-ṣaṇḍastham = amidst reeds; katham = how; paśyeta = can look; madgukam = at a diver bird.
How can a [royal] female swan always sporting with a royal male swan amidst lotuses look at a diver bird amidst reeds?