Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 41 of 67 · 49 verses
The Search Party Sent South
Having sent off that great monkey army, Sugriva sends chosen monkeys to the south: Nila, son of Agni, the monkey Hanuman, Jambavan of great might, son of the Grandfather, Suhotra, Sharari and Sharagulma, Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sushena and Vrishabha, Mainda and Dvivida, Sushena and Gandhamadana, Ulkamukha and Ananga, the two sons of the fire-god. The heroic lord of the monkey hosts, who knows each one’s special strength, commands the heroes led by Angada, rich in speed and valour. Making mighty Angada their leader, he directs those monkey heroes to the south. The lord of the monkeys tells the chief monkeys of whatever regions in that direction are hard to reach: “The thousand-peaked Vindhya with many kinds of trees and creepers; the lovely river Narmada, frequented by great serpents; then the lovely Godavari, the great river Krishnaveni, and the very fortunate Varada, frequented by great serpents; the Mekhalas and Utkalas, the cities of Dasharna, Abravanti and Avanti: look at all of it. The Vidarbhas, Rishtikas and lovely Mahishakas, the Vangas, Kalingas and Kaushikas all around; searching the Dandaka forest with its mountains, rivers and caves, and the river Godavari, look at all of it. And so the Andhras, Pundras, Colas, Pandyas and Keralas. You must go to Mount Ayomukha, adorned with minerals, with wonderful peaks, glorious, with woods in many-coloured flower; that great mountain with its regions of fine sandalwood forest must be searched. Then you will see the divine river Kaveri, its waters clear, where hosts of apsarases play. Seated on the top of that mountain, Malaya, of great might, you will see Agastya, best of seers, like the sun. Then, given leave by that great soul when he is pleased, you will cross the great river Tamraparni, haunted by crocodiles; with its islands and waters hidden by wonderful sandal forests, she enters the ocean like a young woman going to her beloved. Then, monkeys, you will see the golden, divine gate of the Pandyas, set with pearls and jewels. Then, reaching the ocean and settling on your plan: placed by Agastya there in the middle of the ocean is Mahendra, best of mountains, glorious, with many-coloured ridges, golden, plunged into the great ocean, adorned with flowering trees of many kinds and creepers, beautiful with the best of gods, seers and yakshas and with apsarases, strewn with hosts of siddhas and charanas, very lovely. The thousand-eyed one always comes to it at every festival. On the far side of it is an island a hundred yojanas wide, blazing, which men cannot reach; search it on every side. There above all Sita must be searched for with all your might, for that country is the dwelling of the wicked Ravana, who is to be killed, lord of the rakshasas, of splendour equal to the thousand-eyed one’s. In the middle of that southern ocean lives a rakshasi known as Angaraka, who eats by catching shadows. So, making the doubtful places free of doubt, search, without doubt, for the wife of the king of boundless splendour.
“Beyond it, in the ocean, a hundred yojanas off, is a glorious mountain named Pushpitaka, frequented by siddhas and charanas, like the rays of the moon and sun, resting on the ocean’s waters, shining with vast peaks as if scratching the sky. One golden peak of it the sun frequents, and one white silver peak the moon frequents; the ungrateful, the cruel and unbelievers do not see it. Bowing your heads to that mountain, monkeys, search it. Beyond that unassailable one is a mountain named Suryavan, fourteen yojanas away by a road hard to traverse. Beyond that is a mountain named Vaidyuta, with trees bearing fruit for every wish, charming in every season; eat the choicest roots and fruits there, drink the honey, and go on, monkeys. There is a mountain named Kunjara, delightful to eyes and mind, where Agastya’s dwelling was built by Vishvakarman, a yojana wide and ten yojanas high, a golden, divine shelter adorned with many jewels. There is Bhogavati, the city of serpents, with wide streets, unassailable, guarded on every side by terrible, sharp-fanged, very venomous snakes, where the very terrible king of serpents Vasuki lives; go out and search that city Bhogavati, and whatever regions are closed off near it. Passing that country, there is the glorious mountain named Rishabha, shaped like a great bull, made of all jewels, where divine sandalwood grows, goshirshaka, padmaka and harishyama, shining like fire; but having seen that sandalwood you must never touch it. Gandharvas named Rohitas guard that terrible forest; there are five lords of the gandharvas, radiant as the sun: Shailusha, Gramani, Shiksha, Shuka and Babhru. At the end of the earth is the dwelling of those of holy deeds, with bodies of sun, moon and fire, unassailable, who have won heaven. Beyond that you must not go: the very terrible world of the ancestors, the capital of Yama, covered in painful darkness. Only so far, heroic bulls among monkeys, can you search or go; beyond is no path for those who move. Having looked at all this, and whatever else is seen, and having learned where Vaidehi has gone, you should return. Whoever returns within the month and says first, ‘Sita has been seen,’ will enjoy himself happily with pleasures, his wealth equal to mine. No one will be dearer to me than he, especially more than my life; even if he has offended many times, he will be my kinsman. You are of boundless strength and valour, born in families of great virtue; undertake a manly effort even greater than this, so that you may find the king’s daughter.”
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ततः प्रस्थाप्य सुग्रीवस्तन्महद्वानरं बलम् । दक्षिणां प्रेषयामास वानरानभिलक्षितान् ॥ १ ॥
Then, having sent off that great monkey army, Sugriva sent to the south chosen monkeys:
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The Search Party Sent South 1 min read.
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नीलमग्निसुतं चैव हनूमन्तं च वानरम् । पितामहसुतं चैव जाम्बवन्तं महौजसम् ॥ २ ॥
Nila, son of Agni, and Hanuman the monkey, and Jambavan of great might, son of the Grandfather,
सुहोत्रं च शरारिं च शरगुल्मं तथैव च । गजं गवाक्षं गवयं सुषेणं वृषभं तथा ॥ ३ ॥
and Suhotra and Sharari and Sharagulma too, Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sushena and Vrishabha too,
मैन्दं च द्विविदं चैव सुषेणं गन्धमादनम् । उल्कामुखमनङ्गं च हुताशनसुतावुभौ ॥ ४ ॥
and Mainda and Dvivida, Sushena and Gandhamadana, Ulkamukha and Ananga, the two sons of the eater of oblations.
अङ्गदप्रमुखान् वीरान् वीरः कपिगणेश्वरः । वेगविक्रमसम्पन्नान् संदिदेश विशेषवित् ॥ ५ ॥
The heroes led by Angada, rich in speed and valour, the heroic lord of the monkey hosts, knower of distinctions, commanded.
तेषामग्रेसरं चैव बृहद्बलमथाङ्गदम् । विधाय हरिवीराणामादिशद् दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ ६ ॥
And making very mighty Angada the leader of those monkey heroes, he directed them to the southern direction.
ये केचन समुद्देशास्तस्यां दिशि सुदुर्गमाः । कपीशः कपिमुख्यानां स तेषां समुदाहरत् ॥ ७ ॥
Whatever regions in that direction were very hard to reach, the lord of monkeys declared them to those chief monkeys:
सहस्रशिरसं विन्ध्यं नानाद्रुमलतायुतम् । नर्मदां च नदीं रम्यां महोरगनिषेविताम् ॥ ८ ॥
“The thousand-peaked Vindhya, joined with many kinds of trees and creepers, and the lovely river Narmada, frequented by great serpents,
ततो गोदावरीं रम्यां कृष्णवेणीं महानदीम् । वरदां च महाभागां महोरगनिषेविताम् । मेखलानुत्कलांश्चैव दशार्णनगराण्यपि ॥ ९ ॥
“then the lovely Godavari, the great river Krishnaveni, and the very fortunate Varada, frequented by great serpents, and the Mekhalas and Utkalas, and the cities of Dasharna,
आब्रवन्तीमवन्तीं च सर्वमेवानुपश्यत । विदर्भानृष्टिकांश्चैव रम्यान् माहिषकानपि ॥ १० ॥
“Abravanti and Avanti: look at all of it. The Vidarbhas and Rishtikas and lovely Mahishakas too,
तथा वङ्गान् कलिङ्गांश्च कौशिकांश्च समन्ततः । अन्वीक्ष्य दण्डकारण्यं सपर्वतनदीगुहम् ॥ ११ ॥
“likewise the Vangas and Kalingas and Kaushikas all round; having searched the Dandaka forest with its mountains, rivers and caves,
नदीं गोदावरीं चैव सर्वमेवानुपश्यत । तथैवान्ध्रांश्च पुण्ड्रांश्च चोलान् पाण्ड्यांश्च केरलान् ॥ १२ ॥
“and the river Godavari, look at all of it. So too the Andhras and Pundras, the Colas, Pandyas and Keralas.
अयोमुखश्च गन्तव्यः पर्वतो धातुमण्डितः । विचित्रशिखरः श्रीमांश्चित्रपुष्पितकाननः ॥ १३ ॥
“And Mount Ayomukha is to be gone to, adorned with minerals, with wonderful peaks, glorious, with woods in many-coloured flower.
सुचन्दनवनोद्देशो मार्गितव्यो महागिरिः । ततस्तामापगां दिव्यां प्रसन्नसलिलाशयाम् ॥ १४ ॥
“With regions of fine sandal forest, the great mountain is to be searched. Then that divine river, with clear waters,
तत्र द्रक्ष्यथ कावेरीं विहृतामप्सरोगणैः । तस्यासीनं नगस्याग्रे मलयस्य महौजसम् ॥ १५ ॥
“there you will see, the Kaveri, sported in by hosts of apsarases. Seated on the top of that mountain Malaya, of great might,
द्रक्ष्यथादित्यसंकाशमगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम् । ततस्तेनाभ्यनुज्ञाताः प्रसन्नेन महात्मना ॥ १६ ॥
“you will see Agastya, best of seers, like the sun. Then, permitted by that great soul, pleased,
ताम्रपर्णीं ग्राहजुष्टां तरिष्यथ महानदीम् । सा चन्दनवनैश्चित्रैः प्रच्छन्नद्वीपवारिणी ॥ १७ ॥
“you will cross the great river Tamraparni, haunted by crocodiles. She, her islands and waters hidden by wonderful sandal forests,
कान्तेव युवती कान्तं समुद्रमवगाहते । ततो हेममयं दिव्यं मुक्तामणिविभूषितम् ॥ १८ ॥
“like a young beloved woman her beloved, enters the ocean. Then the golden, divine, adorned with pearls and jewels,
युक्तं कवाटं पाण्ड्यानां गता द्रक्ष्यथ वानराः । ततः समुद्रमासाद्य सम्प्रधार्यार्थनिश्चयम् ॥ १९ ॥
“fitted gate of the Pandyas, having gone, you will see, monkeys. Then, reaching the ocean, having settled the decision of your purpose,
अगस्त्येनान्तरे तत्र सागरे विनिवेशितः । चित्रसानुनगः श्रीमान् महेन्द्रः पर्वतोत्तमः ॥ २० ॥
“placed by Agastya there in the middle of the ocean, with many-coloured ridges and trees, glorious, is Mahendra, best of mountains,
जातरूपमयः श्रीमानवगाढो महार्णवम् । नानाविधैर्नगैः फुल्लैर्लताभिश्चोपशोभितम् ॥ २१ ॥
“golden, glorious, plunged into the great ocean, adorned with flowering trees of many kinds and with creepers,
देवर्षियक्षप्रवरैरप्सरोभिश्च शोभितम् । सिद्धचारणसङ्घैश्च प्रकीर्णं सुमनोरमम् ॥ २२ ॥
“beautiful with the best of gods, seers and yakshas, and with apsarases, strewn with hosts of siddhas and charanas, very lovely.
तमुपैति सहस्राक्षः सदा पर्वसु पर्वसु । द्वीपस्तस्यापरे पारे शतयोजनविस्तृतः ॥ २३ ॥
“The thousand-eyed one comes to it always at every festival. On its far side is an island, a hundred yojanas wide,
अगम्यो मानुषैर्दीप्तस्तं मार्गध्वं समन्ततः । तत्र सर्वात्मना सीता मार्गितव्या विशेषतः ॥ २४ ॥
“unreachable by men, blazing; search it on every side. There Sita is to be searched for with all your self, especially.
स हि देशस्तु वध्यस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः । राक्षसाधिपतेर्वासः सहस्राक्षसमद्युतेः ॥ २५ ॥
“For that country is the dwelling of the wicked Ravana, who is to be killed, lord of the rakshasas, of splendour equal to the thousand-eyed one’s.
दक्षिणस्य समुद्रस्य मध्ये तस्य तु राक्षसी । अङ्गारकेति विख्याता छायामाक्षिप्य भोजिनी ॥ २६ ॥
“In the middle of that southern ocean is a rakshasi known as Angaraka, who eats by seizing shadows.
एवं निःसंशयान् कृत्वा संशयान्नष्टसंशयाः । मृगयध्वं नरेन्द्रस्य पत्नीममिततेजसः ॥ २७ ॥
“So, making the doubtful places free of doubt, your doubts gone, search for the wife of the king of boundless splendour.
तमतिक्रम्य लक्ष्मीवान् समुद्रे शतयोजने । गिरिः पुष्पितको नाम सिद्धचारणसेवितः ॥ २८ ॥
“Beyond it, in the ocean, a hundred yojanas off, is a glorious mountain named Pushpitaka, frequented by siddhas and charanas,
चन्द्रसूर्यांशुसंकाशः सागराम्बुसमाश्रयः । भ्राजते विपुलैः शृङ्गैरम्बरं विलिखन्निव ॥ २९ ॥
“like the rays of moon and sun, resting on the ocean’s water; it shines with vast peaks, as if scratching the sky.
तस्यैकं काञ्चनं शृङ्गं सेवते यं दिवाकरः । श्वेतं राजतमेकं च सेवते यन्निशाकरः । न तं कृतघ्नाः पश्यन्ति न नृशंसा न नास्तिकाः ॥ ३० ॥
“One golden peak of it the sun frequents, and one white silver one the moon frequents. The ungrateful do not see it, nor the cruel, nor unbelievers.
प्रणम्य शिरसा शैलं तं विमार्गथ वानराः । तमतिक्रम्य दुर्धर्षं सूर्यवान्नाम पर्वतः ॥ ३१ ॥
“Bowing with your heads to that mountain, search it, monkeys. Beyond that unassailable one is a mountain named Suryavan,
अध्वना दुर्विगाहेन योजनानि चतुर्दश । ततस्तमप्यतिक्रम्य वैद्युतो नाम पर्वतः ॥ ३२ ॥
“by a road hard to traverse, fourteen yojanas. Then, passing that too, is a mountain named Vaidyuta,
सर्वकामफलैर्वृक्षैः सर्वकालमनोहरैः । तत्र भुक्त्वा वरार्हाणि मूलानि च फलानि च ॥ ३३ ॥
“with trees bearing fruit for every wish, charming at all times. There, having eaten the choicest roots and fruits,
मधूनि पीत्वा जुष्टानि परं गच्छत वानराः । तत्र नेत्रमनःकान्तः कुञ्जरो नाम पर्वतः ॥ ३४ ॥
“and having drunk the honey, go beyond, monkeys. There is a mountain named Kunjara, delightful to eyes and mind,
अगस्त्यभवनं यत्र निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा । तत्र योजनविस्तारमुच्छ्रितं दशयोजनम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“where Agastya’s dwelling was built by Vishvakarman, a yojana wide there, ten yojanas high,
शरणं काञ्चनं दिव्यं नानारत्नविभूषितम् । तत्र भोगवती नाम सर्पाणामालयः पुरी ॥ ३६ ॥
“a golden, divine shelter, adorned with many jewels. There is the city named Bhogavati, the dwelling of the serpents,
विशालरथ्या दुर्धर्षा सर्वतः परिरक्षिता । रक्षिता पन्नगैर्घोरैस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रैर्महाविषैः ॥ ३७ ॥
“with wide streets, unassailable, guarded on every side, guarded by terrible, sharp-fanged, very venomous serpents,
सर्पराजो महाघोरो यस्यां वसति वासुकिः । निर्याय मार्गितव्या च सा च भोगवती पुरी ॥ ३८ ॥
“in which lives the very terrible king of serpents, Vasuki. Going out, that city Bhogavati is to be searched,
तत्र चानन्तरोद्देशा ये केचन समावृताः । तं च देशमतिक्रम्य महानृषभसंस्थितिः ॥ ३९ ॥
“and whatever regions near it are covered. And passing that country, standing like a great bull,
सर्वरत्नमयः श्रीमानृषभो नाम पर्वतः । गोशीर्षकं पद्मकं च हरिश्यामं च चन्दनम् ॥ ४० ॥
“is a glorious mountain named Rishabha, made of all jewels, where goshirshaka, padmaka and harishyama sandal,
दिव्यमुत्पद्यते यत्र तच्चैवाग्निसमप्रभम् । न तु तच्चन्दनं दृष्ट्वा स्प्रष्टव्यं तु कदाचन ॥ ४१ ॥
“divine, grows, shining like fire. But having seen that sandal, it is never to be touched.
रोहिता नाम गन्धर्वा घोरं रक्षन्ति तद्वनम् । तत्र गन्धर्वपतयः पञ्च सूर्यसमप्रभाः ॥ ४२ ॥
“Gandharvas named Rohitas guard that terrible forest. There are five lords of the gandharvas, of radiance equal to the sun:
शैलूषो ग्रामणीः शिक्षः शुको बभ्रुस्तथैव च । रविसोमाग्निवपुषां निवासः पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥ ४३ ॥
“Shailusha, Gramani, Shiksha, Shuka and Babhru too. The dwelling of those of holy deeds, with bodies of sun, moon and fire,
अन्ते पृथिव्या दुर्धर्षास्ततः स्वर्गजितः स्थिताः । ततः परं न वः सेव्यः पितृलोकः सुदारुणः ॥ ४४ ॥
“at the end of the earth, unassailable; there stand those who have won heaven. Beyond that the very terrible world of the ancestors must not be resorted to by you.
राजधानी यमस्यैषा कष्टेन तमसाऽऽवृता । एतावदेव युष्माभिर्वीरा वानरपुंगवाः । शक्यं विचेतुं गन्तुं वा नातो गतिमतां गतिः ॥ ४५ ॥
“This is the capital of Yama, covered with painful darkness. Only so far, heroic bulls among monkeys, can it be searched or gone by you; beyond this is no path for those who go.
सर्वमेतत् समालोक्य यच्चान्यदपि दृश्यते । गतिं विदित्वा वैदेह्याः संनिवर्तितुमर्हथ ॥ ४६ ॥
“Having looked at all this, and whatever else is seen, having learned the course of Vaidehi, you should return.
यश्च मासान्निवृत्तोऽग्रे दृष्टा सीतेति वक्ष्यति । मत्तुल्यविभवो भोगैः सुखं स विहरिष्यति ॥ ४७ ॥
“And he who, returned within the month, first says, ‘Sita has been seen,’ with wealth equal to mine, will enjoy himself happily with pleasures.
ततः प्रियतरो नास्ति मम प्राणाद् विशेषतः । कृतापराधो बहुशो मम बन्धुर्भविष्यति ॥ ४८ ॥
“Than him none will be dearer to me, especially more than my life; even having offended many times, he will be my kinsman.
अमितबलपराक्रमा भवन्तो विपुलगुणेषु कुलेषु च प्रसूताः । मनुजपतिसुतां यथा लभध्वं तदधिगुणं पुरुषार्थमारभध्वम् ॥ ४९ ॥
“You are of boundless strength and valour, born in families of great virtue. As you may find the daughter of the lord of men, so undertake a manly effort greater than that.”