Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 48

सह ताराङ्गदाभ्यां तु गत्वा स हनुमान्कपिः। सुग्रीवेण यथोद्दिष्टं तं देशमुपचक्रमे।।4.48.1।।

saha tārāṅgadābhyāṃ tu gatvā sa hanumānkapiḥ| sugrīveṇa yathoddiṣṭaṃ taṃ deśamupacakrame

Hanuman, the monkey accompanied by Tara and Angada proceeded as instructed by Sugriva in the (South) direction.

स तु दूरमुपागम्य सर्वैस्तै: कपिसत्तमैः। विचिनोति स्म विन्ध्यस्य गुहाश्च गहनानि च।।4.48.2।। पर्वताग्रान्नदीदुर्गान्सरांसि विपुलान्द्रुमान्। वृक्षषण्डांश्च विविधान्पर्वतान्घनपादपान्।।4.48.3।।

sa tu dūramupāgamya sarvaistai: kapisattamaiḥ| vicinoti sma vindhyasya guhāśca gahanāni ca parvatāgrānnadīdurgānsarāṃsi vipulāndrumān| vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṃśca vividhānparvatānghanapādapān

He went a long distance with other heroic monkeys, searching in the impenetrable caves of Vindhya mountain. They combed interior places, mountain peaks, fortresses surrounded by rivers, lakes, extensive groves of trees, bushes and thickets.

स तु दूरमुपागम्य सर्वैस्तै: कपिसत्तमैः। विचिनोति स्म विन्ध्यस्य गुहाश्च गहनानि च।।4.48.2।। पर्वताग्रान्नदीदुर्गान्सरांसि विपुलान्द्रुमान्। वृक्षषण्डांश्च विविधान्पर्वतान्घनपादपान्।।4.48.3।।

sa tu dūramupāgamya sarvaistai: kapisattamaiḥ| vicinoti sma vindhyasya guhāśca gahanāni ca parvatāgrānnadīdurgānsarāṃsi vipulāndrumān| vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṃśca vividhānparvatānghanapādapān

He went a long distance with other heroic monkeys, searching in the impenetrable caves of Vindhya mountain. They combed interior places, mountain peaks, fortresses surrounded by rivers, lakes, extensive groves of trees, bushes and thickets.

अन्वेषमाणास्ते सर्वे वानरास्सर्वतो दिशम्। न सीतां ददृशुर्वीरा मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम्।।4.48.4।।

anveṣamāṇāste sarve vānarāssarvato diśam| na sītāṃ dadṛśurvīrā maithilīṃ janakātmajām

The heroic monkeys went searching all over the direction for the daughter of Janaka, but in vain.

ते भक्षयन्तो मूलानि फलानि विविधानि च। अन्वेषमाणा दुर्धर्षान्यवसं स्तत्र तत्र ह।।4.48.5।।

te bhakṣayanto mūlāni phalāni vividhāni ca| anveṣamāṇā durdharṣānyavasaṃ statra tatra ha

The unassailable monkeys ate roots and fruits and halted here and there at different places searching for Sita.

स तु देशो दुरन्वेषो गुहागहनवान्महान्। निर्जलं निर्जनं शून्यं गहनं रोमहर्षणम्।।4.48.6।।

sa tu deśo duranveṣo guhāgahanavānmahān| nirjalaṃ nirjanaṃ śūnyaṃ gahanaṃ romaharṣaṇam

They searched in dense forests, interior locations impassable, desolate and terrific, without water, and people.

त्यक्त्वा तु तं तदा देशं सर्वे वै हरियूथपाः। तादृशान्यप्यरण्यानि विचित्य भृशपीडिताः।।4.48.7।। देशमन्यं दुराधर्षं विविशु श्चाकुतो भयाः।

tyaktvā tu taṃ tadā deśaṃ sarve vai hariyūthapāḥ| tādṛśānyapyaraṇyāni vicitya bhṛśapīḍitāḥ deśamanyaṃ durādharṣaṃ viviśu ścākuto bhayāḥ|

Having searched all over in the forests and very difficult areas, the fearless, invincible vanaras moved forward, leaving that place and entered another areasearching.

यत्र वन्ध्यफला वृक्षा विपुष्पाः पर्णवर्जिताः।।4.48.8।। निस्तोयास्सरितो यत्र मूलं यत्र सुदुर्लभम्।

yatra vandhyaphalā vṛkṣā vipuṣpāḥ parṇavarjitāḥ nistoyāssarito yatra mūlaṃ yatra sudurlabham|

As they marched forward, they entered a location where there were trees devoid of leaves, flowers and fruits and rivers without water and a place where it was difficult to get roots (for food).

न सन्ति महिषा यत्र न मृगा न च हस्तिनः।।4.48.9।। शार्दूलाः पक्षिणो वापि ये चान्ये वनगोचराः।

na santi mahiṣā yatra na mṛgā na ca hastinaḥ śārdūlāḥ pakṣiṇo vāpi ye cānye vanagocarāḥ|

There were no buffaloes, no deer, no elephants, tigers or even birds and other wild animals.

न यत्रवृक्षा नौषध्यो न वल्ल्यो नापि वीरुधः।।4.48.10।। स्निग्धपत्रास्स्थले यत्र पद्मिन्यः फुल्लपङ्कजाः। प्रेक्षणीयास्सुगन्धाश्च भ्रमरैश्चापिवर्जिताः।।4.48.11।।

na yatravṛkṣā nauṣadhyo na vallyo nāpi vīrudhaḥ snigdhapatrāssthale yatra padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ| prekṣaṇīyāssugandhāśca bhramaraiścāpivarjitāḥ

There were no medicinal plants, no vines or creepers spreading on the ground.The lotus creepers on the dry ground had shining leaves,beautiful and fragrant blooms devoid of bees.

न यत्रवृक्षा नौषध्यो न वल्ल्यो नापि वीरुधः।।4.48.10।। स्निग्धपत्रास्स्थले यत्र पद्मिन्यः फुल्लपङ्कजाः। प्रेक्षणीयास्सुगन्धाश्च भ्रमरैश्चापिवर्जिताः।।4.48.11।।

na yatravṛkṣā nauṣadhyo na vallyo nāpi vīrudhaḥ snigdhapatrāssthale yatra padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ| prekṣaṇīyāssugandhāśca bhramaraiścāpivarjitāḥ

There were no medicinal plants, no vines or creepers spreading on the ground.The lotus creepers on the dry ground had shining leaves,beautiful and fragrant blooms devoid of bees.

कण्डुर्नाम महाभागस्सत्यवादी तपोधनः। महर्षिः परमामर्षी नियमैर्दुष्प्रधर्षणः।।4.48.12।।

kaṇḍurnāma mahābhāgassatyavādī tapodhanaḥ| maharṣiḥ paramāmarṣī niyamairduṣpradharṣaṇaḥ

There was a sage called Kandu who was truthful, outrageous and shorttempered. He observed strict austerities and was rich in penance.

तस्य तस्मिन्वने पुत्रो बालष्षोडशवार्षिकः। प्रणष्टो जीवितान्ताय क्रुद्धस्तत्र महामुनिः।।4.48.13।।

tasya tasminvane putro bālaṣṣoḍaśavārṣikaḥ| praṇaṣṭo jīvitāntāya kruddhastatra mahāmuniḥ

The great sage was enraged because he had lost his sixteenyearold son in the forest.

तेन धर्मात्मना शप्तं कृत्स्नं तत्रमहद्वनम्। अशरण्यं दुराधर्षं मृगपक्षिविवर्जितम्।।4.48.14।।

tena dharmātmanā śaptaṃ kṛtsnaṃ tatramahadvanam| aśaraṇyaṃ durādharṣaṃ mṛgapakṣivivarjitam

Cursed by the great righteous sage the entire forest turned barren, unfit to harbour living beings and became devoid of even beasts and birds.

तस्य ते काननान्ताश्च गिरीणां कन्दराणि च। प्रभवनि नदीनां च विचिन्वन्ति समाहिताः।।4.48.15।।

tasya te kānanāntāśca girīṇāṃ kandarāṇi ca| prabhavani nadīnāṃ ca vicinvanti samāhitāḥ

The monkeys searched in the forest regions, in the mountains, rivers and sources of rivers with concentrated attention.

तत्र चापि महात्मानो नापश्यञ्जनकात्मजाम्। हर्तारं रावणं वापि सुग्रीवप्रियकारिणः।।4.48.16।।

tatra cāpi mahātmāno nāpaśyañjanakātmajām| hartāraṃ rāvaṇaṃ vāpi sugrīvapriyakāriṇaḥ

Eager to please Sugriva, the great souls searched in the forest region. Even there they could not find Janaka's daughter and also Ravana who had abducted Sita.

ते प्रविश्याऽशु तं भीमं लतागुल्मसमावृतम्। दद्दृशुः क्रूरकर्माणमसुरं सुरनिर्भयम्।।4.48.17।।

te praviśyā'śu taṃ bhīmaṃ latāgulmasamāvṛtam| daddṛśuḥ krūrakarmāṇamasuraṃ suranirbhayam

(Then) they noticed a place covered with creepers and bushes. As soon as they entered the dreadful forest, they saw a demon of wicked deeds, unafraid even of gods.

तं दृष्ट्वा वानरा घोरं स्थितं शैलमिवापरम्। गाढं परिहितास्सर्वे दृष्ट्वा तान्पर्वतोपममान्।।4.48.18।।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā vānarā ghoraṃ sthitaṃ śailamivāparam| gāḍhaṃ parihitāssarve dṛṣṭvā tānparvatopamamān

The monkeys beheld the dreadful demon standing firmly like a huge, incomparable mountain in front of them.

सोऽपि तान्वानरान्सर्वान् नष्टा स्स्थेत्यब्रवीद्बली। अभ्यधावत सङ्कृद्धो मुष्टिमुद्यम्य संहितम्।।4.48.19।।

so'pi tānvānarānsarvān naṣṭā ssthetyabravīdbalī| abhyadhāvata saṅkṛddho muṣṭimudyamya saṃhitam

Seeing the monkeys, the infuriated demon ran towards them, raising his fist firmly, saying, 'You are all as good as dead, now that I have caught you.'

तमापतन्तं सहसा वालिपुत्रोऽङ्गदस्तदा। रावणोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा तलेनाभिजघान ह।।4.48.20।।

tamāpatantaṃ sahasā vāliputro'ṅgadastadā| rāvaṇo'yamiti jñātvā talenābhijaghāna ha

Mistaking him for Ravana, Angada, Vali's son at once pounced on him and slapped him with his palm.

स वालिपुत्राभिहतो वक्त्राच्छोणितमुद्वमन्। असुरोऽभ्यपतद्भूमौ पर्यस्त इव पर्वतः।।4.48.21।।

sa vāliputrābhihato vaktrācchoṇitamudvaman| asuro'bhyapatadbhūmau paryasta iva parvataḥ

Struck by Vali's son, the demon vomitting blood from the mouth, fell down on the ground like a mountain, uprooted.

तेऽपि तस्मिन्निरुच्छवासे वानरा जितकाशिनः। व्यचिन्वन्प्रायशस्तत्र सर्वं तद्गिरिगह्वरम्।।4.48.22।।

te'pi tasminnirucchavāse vānarā jitakāśinaḥ| vyacinvanprāyaśastatra sarvaṃ tadgirigahvaram

He breathed his last, and the monkeys who won went searching almost all over the mountain caves.

विचितं तु ततः कृत्वा सर्वे ते काननं पुनः। अन्यदेवापरं घोरं विविशुर्गिरिगह्वरम्।।4.48.23।।

vicitaṃ tu tataḥ kṛtvā sarve te kānanaṃ punaḥ| anyadevāparaṃ ghoraṃ viviśurgirigahvaram

Again they searched the forest and entered another dreadful mountain cave.