Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 49

अथाङ्गदस्तदा सर्वान् वानरानिदमब्रवीत्। परिश्रान्तो महाप्राज्ञः समाश्वास्य शनैर्वचः॥
Then the eminently wise Angada, fatigued, spoke to all the monkeys, cheering them.

वनानि गिरयो नद्यो दुर्गाणि गहनानि च। दरी गिरिगुहाश्चैव विचिताः सर्वमन्ततः॥ तत्र तत्र सहास्माभिर्जानकी न च दृश्यते। तथा रक्षोऽपहर्ता च सीतायाश्चैव दुष्कृती॥
Woods, and mountains, and rivers, and impenetrable wilds, and valleys, and mountain caverns have been thoroughly searched. But Jānakī we have failed to find anywhere,—or that wicked wight, the Rākṣasa that has ravished Sītā.

कालश्च नो महान् यातः सुग्रीवश्चोग्रशासनः। तस्माद् भवन्तः सहिता विचिन्वन्तु समन्ततः॥
We have spent a great part of the term that had been assigned by Sugrīva of stern commands. Therefore, banishing languor, sadness, and invading drowsiness, do you together search all round.

विहाय तन्द्रीं शोकं च निद्रां चैव समुत्थिताम्। विचिनुध्वं तथा सीतां पश्यामो जनकात्मजाम्॥ अनिर्वेदं च दाक्ष्यं च मनसश्चापराजयम्। कार्यसिद्धिकराण्याहुस्तस्मादेतद् ब्रवीम्यहम्॥
Do you so search Sītā, that she may be found out (by us). High spirits, ability and forwardness in action, are said to conduce to success. Therefore it is that I speak thus to you.

अद्यापीदं वनं दुर्गं विचिन्वन्तु वनौकसः। खेदं त्यक्त्वा पुनः सर्वं वनमेव विचन्वताम्॥
You dwellers of the wood, do you to day rummage this impenetrable wood; renouncing grief, do you again search through this forest.

अवश्यं कुर्वतां तस्य दृश्यते कर्मणः फलम्। परं निर्वेदमागम्य नहि नोन्मीलनं क्षमम्॥
Those who act, for certain behold the fruit of their endeavours; but if people once give way to grief, they cannot again attain vigour.

सुग्रीवः क्रोधनो राजा तीक्ष्णदण्डश्च वानराः। भेतव्यं तस्य सततं रामस्य च महात्मनः॥
You monkeys, king Sugrīva is irascible; and inflicteth sharp punishments. He should be always feared, as also the magnanimous Rāma.

हितार्थमेतदुक्तं वः क्रियतां यदि रोचते। उच्यतां हि क्षमं यत् तत् सर्वेषामेव वानराः॥
I tell you this for your good. Act accordingly, if you list. And do you also express what else you are capable of.

अङ्गदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा वचनं गन्धमादनः। उवाच व्यक्तया वाचा पिपासाश्रमखिन्नया॥
Hearing Angada's words Gandhamādana said in candid words faint from thirst and fatigue,

सदृशं खलु वो वाक्यमङ्गदो यदुवाच ह। हितं चैवानुकूलं च क्रियतामस्य भाषितम्॥
What Angada has said to us is worthy of him, and is beneficial and good. Do you follow his speech.

पुनर्मार्गामहे शैलान् कन्दरांश्च शिलास्तथा। काननानि च शून्यानि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च॥ यथोद्दिष्टानि सर्वाणि सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। विचिन्वन्तु वनं सर्वे गिरिदुर्गाणि संगताः॥
Let us afresh search hills, caves and rocks, vacant forests and mountain cascades,-in accordance with what the high-souled Sugrīva has laid down. Let all in a body rummage the wood, and the mountain caverns.

ततः समुत्थाय पुनर्वानरास्ते महाबलाः। विन्ध्यकाननसंकीर्णां विरुदक्षिणां दिशम्॥
There rising up, the mighty monkeys again began to range the South close with forests belonging to Vindhya.

ते शारदाभ्रप्रतिमं श्रीमद्रजतपर्वतम्। शृङ्गवन्तं दरीवन्तमधिरुह्य च वानराः॥
And the monkeys ascended the Silvern Hill resembling the autumnal welkin, graceful, and furnished with summits and valleys.

तत्र लोध्रवनं रम्यं सप्तपर्णवनानि च। विचिन्वन्तो हरिवराः सीतादर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः॥
And eager to behold Sītā, those excellent monkeys began to search the Lodhra wood, and the Saptaparņa forests.

तस्याग्रमधिरूढास्ते श्रान्ता विपुलविक्रमाः। न पश्यन्तु स्म वैदेहीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम् ॥
And ascending its top*, those ones endued with immense prowess, experiencing fatigue, could not find Vaidehi, the beloved spouse of Rama. *i.e. the top of the Silvern Hill.

ते तु दृष्टिगतं दृष्ट्वा तं शैलं बहुकन्दरम्। अध्यारोहन्त हरयो वीक्षमाणाः समन्ततः॥
And having surveyed that hill having many a grot, so far as the eye could range, the monkeys looking all round, descended (the eminence).

अवरुह्य ततो भूमिं श्रान्ता विगतचेतसः। स्थिता मुहूर्तं तत्राथ वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रिताः॥
And having descended to the earth, the monkeys, bewildered, and losing their consciousness, rested for a while at the foot of a tree.

ते मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्ताः किंचिद्भग्नपरिश्रमाः। पुनरेवोद्यताः कृत्स्नां मार्गितुं दक्षिणां दिशम्॥
And their fatigue having gone off a little, the monkeys, having been refreshed for a while, again prepared to explore the whole South.

हनुमत्प्रमुखास्तावत् प्रस्थिताः प्लवगर्षभाः। विन्ध्यमेवादितः कृत्वा विचेरुश्च समन्ततः॥
And the monkey chiefs, headed by Hanumān, having set out (on the search), began to range all through Vindhya.