Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 60: Rāma Searches for Sītā
Text 3.60.15
ककुभः ककुभोरूं तां व्यक्तं जानाति मैथिलीम्।
यथा पल्लवपुष्पाढ्यो भाति ह्येष वनस्पतिः॥
kakubhaḥ kakubhorūṁ tāṁ vyaktaṁ jānāti maithilīm
yathā pallava-puṣpāḍhyo bhāti hy eṣa vanaspatiḥ
kakubhaḥ = kakubha; kakubha-ūrūm tām = whose thighs resemble the kakubha; vyaktam = obviously; jānāti = knows; maithilīm = about Maithilī; yathā = because; pallava-puṣpa-āḍhyaḥ = to be enriched with shoots and flowers; bhāti hi = it appears; eṣaḥ = this; vanaspatiḥ = tree.
This kakubha tree obviously knows about Maithilī whose thighs resemble the kakubha because it appears to be enriched with shoots and flowers.
The kakubha is a variety of the arjuna tree.
Some read karabhoruṁ [instead of kakubhoruṁ, but] that contradicts the style [of Lord Rāma’s expressions] here because He has mentioned kadamba-priyā with kadamba and bilvopama-stanī with bilva [in the previous verses].
It is obvious that Lord Rāmacandra wondered, “Why didn’t the tree reply to Me [despite] knowing [about Sītā’s whereabouts]?” This is the case with text 17 also.