हृता मृता वा नष्टा वा भक्षिता वा भविष्यति।
निलीनाप्यथवा भीरुरथवा वनमाश्रिता॥
hṛtā mṛtā vā naṣṭā vā bhakṣitā vā bhaviṣyati
nilīnāpy atha vā bhīrur atha vā vanam āśritā
hṛtā = she might have been abducted; mṛtā = she might have died; vā = or; naṣṭā vā = perhaps she has just vanished from sight; bhakṣitā = have been eaten up; vā = or; bhaviṣyati = she might; nilīnā api = she has hidden herself in sport; atha vā = may be; bhīruḥ = frightened of being alone; atha vā = or; vanam = to the forest; āśritā = she might have gone.
She might have been abducted or she might have died. Perhaps she has just vanished from sight!1 Or she might have been eaten up! May be she has hidden herself in sport or, frightened of being alone, she might have gone to the forest.
1 She might have used her intrinsic mystic powers and disappeared. Possible, because, as we learn from the Purāṇas, Sītā-Rāma were well aware of their identities and capabilities. Technical note: naṣṭā adarśanaṁ gatā. sva-yoga-śaktyā punar alabhya-darśanā jāteti tātparyam.