Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 49 of 67 · 22 verses
Angada Rallies the Searchers
Then Angada, very wise, though weary himself, comforts all the monkeys and speaks slowly: “Forests, mountains, rivers, strongholds and thickets, ravines and mountain caves have all been searched to the end. Here and there, Janaki is not seen by us, nor the rakshasa, the evil-doer who carried off Sita. A long time has passed for us, and Sugriva’s commands are fierce. So all of you together, search on every side. Give up sloth, grief and the sleep that has come over you; search for Sita so that we may see Janaka’s daughter. Persistence, skill and an unconquered mind are said to bring success in work; that is why I say this. Let the forest-dwellers search this hard forest again even today; giving up weariness, let us search the whole forest again. Those who act will surely see the fruit of their work; having fallen into utter despondency, it is not right not to open our eyes. Sugriva is an angry king, sharp in punishment, monkeys; we must always fear him and great-souled Rama. I have said this for your good; do it if you like. Or tell me, monkeys, what is fitting for all of us.” Hearing Angada’s words, Gandhamadana speaks in a clear voice, weary with thirst and fatigue: “What Angada has said is fitting for you, good and favourable; let his words be done. Let us search again the mountains, caves, rocks, empty forests and mountain springs, all those great-souled Sugriva named; let us all search the forest and the mountain strongholds together.” Then the very mighty monkeys rise again and roam the southern direction, crowded with Vindhya forests. Climbing a glorious silver mountain like an autumn cloud, with peaks and ravines, searching the lovely lodhra forest and the saptaparna woods, longing to see Sita, the best of monkeys of great valour, tired, reach its top, but do not see Vaidehi, Rama’s beloved queen. Seeing that mountain with many caves within their sight, they climb it, looking around on every side. Then, coming down to the ground, tired, their minds dazed, they stay a moment there at the foot of a tree. Comforted for a moment, their weariness a little broken, they rise again to search the whole southern direction. Led by Hanuman, the bulls among the leapers set out, beginning again with the Vindhya, and roam on every side.
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अथाङ्गदस्तदा सर्वान् वानरानिदमब्रवीत् । परिश्रान्तो महाप्राज्ञः समाश्वास्य शनैर्वचः ॥ १ ॥
Then Angada, very wise, tired, having comforted them, slowly spoke these words to all the monkeys:
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Angada Rallies the Searchers 1 min read.
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वनानि गिरयो नद्यो दुर्गाणि गहनानि च । दरी गिरिगुहाश्चैव विचिताः सर्वमन्ततः ॥ २ ॥
“Forests, mountains, rivers, strongholds and thickets, ravines and mountain caves have been searched, all to the end.
तत्र तत्र सहास्माभिर्जानकी न च दृश्यते । तथा रक्षोऽपहर्ता च सीतायाश्चैव दुष्कृती ॥ ३ ॥
“Here and there Janaki is not seen with us, nor the rakshasa, the evil-doer, the abductor of Sita.
कालश्च नो महान् यातः सुग्रीवश्चोग्रशासनः । तस्माद् भवन्तः सहिता विचिन्वन्तु समन्ततः ॥ ४ ॥
“And a great time has gone for us, and Sugriva is fierce in command. So let you together search on every side.
विहाय तन्द्रीं शोकं च निद्रां चैव समुत्थिताम् । विचिनुध्वं तथा सीतां पश्यामो जनकात्मजाम् ॥ ५ ॥
“Giving up sloth and grief and the sleep that has risen, search so for Sita that we may see Janaka’s daughter.
अनिर्वेदं च दाक्ष्यं च मनसश्चापराजयम् । कार्यसिद्धिकराण्याहुस्तस्मादेतद् ब्रवीम्यहम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Persistence and skill and the unconquered state of mind, they say, bring about the success of a task; therefore I say this.
अद्यापीदं वनं दुर्गं विचिन्वन्तु वनौकसः । खेदं त्यक्त्वा पुनः सर्वं वनमेव विचिन्वताम् ॥ ७ ॥
“Even today let the forest-dwellers search this hard forest. Giving up weariness, let all search the forest again.
अवश्यं कुर्वतां तस्य दृश्यते कर्मणः फलम् । परं निर्वेदमागम्य नहि नोन्मीलनं क्षमम् ॥ ८ ॥
“For those who act, the fruit of the act is surely seen. Having come to utter despondency, not opening our eyes is not fitting.
सुग्रीवः क्रोधनो राजा तीक्ष्णदण्डश्च वानराः । भेतव्यं तस्य सततं रामस्य च महात्मनः ॥ ९ ॥
“Sugriva is an angry king, sharp in punishment, monkeys. He is always to be feared, and great-souled Rama.
हितार्थमेतदुक्तं वः क्रियतां यदि रोचते । उच्यतां हि क्षमं यत् तत् सर्वेषामेव वानराः ॥ १० ॥
“This was said by me for your good; let it be done if it pleases. Or let what is fitting for all of us be said, monkeys.”
अङ्गदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा वचनं गन्धमादनः । उवाच व्यक्तया वाचा पिपासाश्रमखिन्नया ॥ ११ ॥
Hearing Angada’s words, Gandhamadana spoke words with a clear voice, weary with thirst and fatigue:
सदृशं खलु वो वाक्यमङ्गदो यदुवाच ह । हितं चैवानुकूलं च क्रियतामस्य भाषितम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Fitting for you indeed are the words that Angada spoke, good and favourable; let what he has said be done.
पुनर्मार्गामहे शैलान् कन्दरांश्च शिलांस्तथा । काननानि च शून्यानि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च ॥ १३ ॥
“Let us search again the mountains and caves and rocks too, and the empty forests and the mountain springs,
यथोद्दिष्टानि सर्वाणि सुग्रीवेण महात्मना । विचिन्वन्तु वनं सर्वे गिरिदुर्गाणि संगताः ॥ १४ ॥
“all as they were directed by great-souled Sugriva. Let all search the forest and mountain strongholds together.”
ततः समुत्थाय पुनर्वानरास्ते महाबलाः । विन्ध्यकाननसंकीर्णां विचेरुर्दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ १५ ॥
Then, rising again, those very mighty monkeys roamed the southern direction, crowded with Vindhya forests.
ते शारदाभ्रप्रतिमं श्रीमद्रजतपर्वतम् । शृङ्गवन्तं दरीवन्तमधिरुह्य च वानराः ॥ १६ ॥
Climbing that glorious silver mountain like an autumn cloud, with peaks and ravines, the monkeys,
तत्र लोध्रवनं रम्यं सप्तपर्णवनानि च । विचिन्वन्तो हरिवराः सीतादर्शनकांक्षिणः ॥ १७ ॥
searching the lovely lodhra forest there and the saptaparna forests, the best of monkeys, longing to see Sita,
तस्याग्रमधिरूढास्ते श्रान्ता विपुलविक्रमाः । न पश्यन्ति स्म वैदेहीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम् ॥ १८ ॥
having climbed to its top, tired, of great valour, did not see Vaidehi, Rama’s beloved queen.
ते तु दृष्टिगतं दृष्ट्वा तं शैलं बहुकन्दरम् । अध्यारोहन्त हरयो वीक्षमाणाः समन्ततः ॥ १९ ॥
And seeing that mountain with many caves gone into their sight, the monkeys climbed it, looking all round.
अवरुह्य ततो भूमिं श्रान्ता विगतचेतसः । स्थिता मुहूर्तं तत्राथ वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रिताः ॥ २० ॥
Then, coming down to the ground, tired, dazed, they stayed a moment there, resting at the foot of a tree.
ते मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्ताः किंचिद्भग्नपरिश्रमाः । पुनरेवोद्यताः कृत्स्नां मार्गितुं दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ २१ ॥
Comforted for a moment, their weariness a little broken, they rose again to search the whole southern direction.
हनुमत्प्रमुखास्तावत् प्रस्थिताः प्लवगर्षभाः । विन्ध्यमेवादितः कृत्वा विचेरुश्च समन्ततः ॥ २२ ॥
Led by Hanuman, the bulls among leapers set out then, and making the Vindhya itself the beginning, roamed on every side.