Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 60: Rāma Searches for Sītā
Text 3.60.12
अपि कच्चित्त्वया दृष्टा सा कदम्बप्रिया प्रिया।
कदम्ब यदि जानीषे शंस सीतां शुभाननाम्॥
api kaccit tvayā dṛṣṭā sā kadamba-priyā priyā
kadamba yadi jānīṣe śaṁsa sītāṁ śubhānanām
api kaccit = have; tvayā = you; dṛṣṭā = seen; sā = her; kadamba-priyā = is fond of kadamba fruits; priyā = My beloved; kadamba = O kadamba tree; yadi = if; jānīṣe = you know; śaṁsa = tell [Me]; sītām = about Sītā; śubha-ānanām = whose face is beautiful.
O kadamba tree, My beloved is fond of kadamba fruits. Have you seen her? If you know, tell [Me] about Sītā whose face is beautiful.
After speaking the first line of this verse, Lord Rāma thought that [the kadamba tree] didn’t respond to Him out of disrespect. He then spoke the second line. Śubhānanām (“whose face is beautiful”) describes an identifiable characteristic [of Sītā-devī]. Kadamba-priyā (“is fond of kadamba fruits”) indicates that it was possible [for the kadamba tree] to have seen [Mother Sītā].