Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 60: Rāma Searches for Sītā
Text 3.60.16
भ्रमरैरुपगीतश्च यथा द्रुमवरो ह्ययम्।
एष व्यक्तं विजानाति तिलकस्तिलकप्रियाम्॥
bhramarair upagītaś ca yathā druma-varo hy ayam
eṣa vyaktaṁ vijānāti tilakas tilaka-priyām
bhramaraiḥ = bees; upagītaḥ ca = melodiously buzz near it; yathā = because; druma-varaḥ hi = excellent tree; ayam eṣaḥ = this; vyaktam = evidently; vijānāti = knows [about her]; tilakaḥ = tilaka; tilaka-priyām = who was fond of the tilaka tree.
This excellent tilaka tree evidently knows [about her] who was fond of the tilaka tree because bees melodiously buzz near it.
The bees’ melodious buzz near [the tilaka tree] suggests that they were reciting Vedic hymns.