Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 60: Rāma Searches for Sītā
Text 3.60.23
अथवा मृगशावाक्षीं मृग जानासि मैथिलीम्।
मृगविप्रेक्षणी कान्ता मृगीभिः सहिता भवेत्॥
atha vā mṛga-śāvākṣīṁ mṛga jānāsi maithilīm
mṛga-viprekṣaṇī kāntā mṛgībhiḥ sahitā bhavet
atha vā = or else; mṛga-śāva-akṣīm = whose eyes resemble those of a fawn; mṛga = O deer; jānāsi = do you know; maithilīm = Maithilī; mṛga-viprekṣaṇī = and who glances like the deer; kāntā = My beloved; mṛgībhiḥ = the female deer; sahitā = with; bhavet = if is.
Or else, O deer, do you know if My beloved Maithilī, whose eyes resemble those of a fawn and who glances like the deer, is with the female deer?1
1 Literally, “Or else, O deer, do you know if My beloved Maithilī . . . would be with the female deer?” Technical note: bhavet kim iti śeṣaḥ.
Having inquired from the trees, He now inquires from the deer. “Or else” indicates that He thought, “Let the trees not tell [Me anything]. Nevertheless, you should tell [Me about her].”
The second line indicates that, according to Rāmacandra, the deer are qualified to know about Sītā.