Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 49

अथाङ्गदस्तदा सर्वान्वानरानिदमब्रवीत्। परिश्रान्तो महाप्राज्ञस्समाश्वास्य शनैर्वचः।।4.49.1।।

athāṅgadastadā sarvānvānarānidamabravīt| pariśrānto mahāprājñassamāśvāsya śanairvacaḥ

Wise Angada, exhausted after the search, collected the monkeys, and consoling them, said slowly:

वनानि गिरयो नद्यो दुर्गाणि गहनानि च। दर्यो गिरिगुहाश्चैव विचितानि समन्ततः।।4.49.2।। तत्र तत्र सहास्माभिर्जानकी न च दृश्यते। तद्वा रक्षो हृता येन सीता सुरसुतोपमा।।4.49.3।।

vanāni girayo nadyo durgāṇi gahanāni ca| daryo giriguhāścaiva vicitāni samantataḥ tatra tatra sahāsmābhirjānakī na ca dṛśyate| tadvā rakṣo hṛtā yena sītā surasutopamā

'We have searched here, there, everywhere, in dense forests, hills, forts, impenetrable caverns and mountain ranges. But we could find neither Janaki who is like a goddess nor the demon who abducted her.

वनानि गिरयो नद्यो दुर्गाणि गहनानि च। दर्यो गिरिगुहाश्चैव विचितानि समन्ततः।।4.49.2।। तत्र तत्र सहास्माभिर्जानकी न च दृश्यते। तद्वा रक्षो हृता येन सीता सुरसुतोपमा।।4.49.3।।

vanāni girayo nadyo durgāṇi gahanāni ca| daryo giriguhāścaiva vicitāni samantataḥ tatra tatra sahāsmābhirjānakī na ca dṛśyate| tadvā rakṣo hṛtā yena sītā surasutopamā

'We have searched here, there, everywhere, in dense forests, hills, forts, impenetrable caverns and mountain ranges. But we could find neither Janaki who is like a goddess nor the demon who abducted her.

कालश्च नो महान्यातस्सुग्रीवश्चोग्रशासनः। तस्माद्भवन्तस्सहिता विचिन्वन्तु समन्ततः।।4.49.4।।

kālaśca no mahānyātassugrīvaścograśāsanaḥ| tasmādbhavantassahitā vicinvantu samantataḥ

Much time has elapsed for us and Sugriva is strict in his rule; therefore let all of you together search everywhere.

विहाय तन्द्रीं शोकं च निद्रां चैव समुत्थिताम्। विचिनुध्वं यथा सीतां पश्यामो जनकात्मजाम्।।4.49.5।।

vihāya tandrīṃ śokaṃ ca nidrāṃ caiva samutthitām| vicinudhvaṃ yathā sītāṃ paśyāmo janakātmajām

'You should keep searching on till we see Sita, Janaka's daughter, giving up laziness and sorrow and sleep that is overpowering us.

अनिर्वेदं च दाक्ष्यं च मनसश्चापराजयः। कार्यसिद्धिकराण्याहुस्तस्मादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्।।4.49.6।।

anirvedaṃ ca dākṣyaṃ ca manasaścāparājayaḥ| kāryasiddhikarāṇyāhustasmādetadbravīmyaham

'It is said, zeal, capability, and fortitude can overcome defeat and lead to success. Therefore I am saying this.

अद्यापि तद्वनं दुर्गं विचिन्वन्तु वनौकसः। खेदं त्यक्त्वा पुनस्सर्वैर्वनमेतद्विचीयताम्।।4.49.7।।

adyāpi tadvanaṃ durgaṃ vicinvantu vanaukasaḥ| khedaṃ tyaktvā punassarvairvanametadvicīyatām

'Search this impenetrable forest even now, O you denizens of this forest Give up grief, let us all once again ransack this forest.

अवश्यं क्रियमाणस्य दृश्यते कर्मणः फलम्। अलं निर्वेदमागम्य न हि नो मीलनं क्षमम्।।4.49.8।।

avaśyaṃ kriyamāṇasya dṛśyate karmaṇaḥ phalam| alaṃ nirvedamāgamya na hi no mīlanaṃ kṣamam

The fruit of a deed duly performed is surely seen; enough of yielding to despair—for us to close our eyes idly is not proper.

सुग्रीवः कोपनो राजा तीक्ष्णदण्डश्च वानरः। भेतव्यं तस्य सततं रामस्य च महात्मनः।।4.49.9।।

sugrīvaḥ kopano rājā tīkṣṇadaṇḍaśca vānaraḥ| bhetavyaṃ tasya satataṃ rāmasya ca mahātmanaḥ

'Sugriva, the monkey king, is wrathful and awards severe punishment. We should ever bear in mind the (purpose of the) great self, Rama.

हितार्थमेतदुक्तं वः क्रियतां यदि रोचते। उच्यतां वा क्षमं यन्नस्सर्वेषामेव वानराः।।4.49.10।।

hitārthametaduktaṃ vaḥ kriyatāṃ yadi rocate| ucyatāṃ vā kṣamaṃ yannassarveṣāmeva vānarāḥ

'I have said all this for your good. You may carry it out, if it pleases you. Speak freely if there is any other course left for all of us, O monkeys'

अङ्गदस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा वचनं गन्धमादनः। उवाचाव्यक्तया वाचा पिपासाश्रमखिन्नया।।4.49.11।।

aṅgadasya vacaśśrutvā vacanaṃ gandhamādanaḥ| uvācāvyaktayā vācā pipāsāśramakhinnayā

Having heard Angada, Gandhamadana worn out by thirst and exhaustion, replied in a feeble tone:

सदृशं खलु वो वाक्यमङ्गदो यदुवाच ह। हितं चैवानुकूलं च क्रियतामस्य भाषितम्।।4.49.12।।

sadṛśaṃ khalu vo vākyamaṅgado yaduvāca ha| hitaṃ caivānukūlaṃ ca kriyatāmasya bhāṣitam

'What Angada says is appropriate, beneficial and also favourable. Carry out his command.

पुनर्मार्गामहै शैलान्कन्दरांश्च दरीस्तथा। काननानि च शून्यानि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च।।4.49.13।।

punarmārgāmahai śailānkandarāṃśca darīstathā| kānanāni ca śūnyāni giriprasravaṇāni ca

'Once again let us explore the mountains, caverns, forests, desolate places and mountain streams.

यथोद्दिष्टानि सर्वाणि सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। विचिन्वन्तु वनं सर्वे गिरिदुर्गाणि सर्वशः।।4.49.14।।

yathoddiṣṭāni sarvāṇi sugrīveṇa mahātmanā| vicinvantu vanaṃ sarve giridurgāṇi sarvaśaḥ

Let all of you search the forest and the mountain fastnesses everywhere, in all the places pointed out by the great Sugriva.

ततस्समुत्थाय पुनर्वानरास्ते महाबलाः। विन्ध्यकाननसङ्कीर्णां विचेरुर्दक्षिणां दिशम्।।4.49.15।।

tatassamutthāya punarvānarāste mahābalāḥ| vindhyakānanasaṅkīrṇāṃ vicerurdakṣiṇāṃ diśam

Once again the monkeys rose up and started exploring the mountain ranges of Vindhya and the forests surrounding the southern side.

ते शारदाभ्रप्रतिमं श्रीमद्रजतपर्वतम्। शृङ्गवन्तं दरीमन्तमधिरुह्य च वानराः।।4.49.16।। तत्र लोध्रवनं रम्यं सप्तपर्णवनानि च। व्यचिन्वंस्ते हरिवरास्सीता दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः।।4.49.17।।

te śāradābhrapratimaṃ śrīmadrajataparvatam| śṛṅgavantaṃ darīmantamadhiruhya ca vānarāḥ tatra lodhravanaṃ ramyaṃ saptaparṇavanāni ca| vyacinvaṃste harivarāssītā darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Eager to find Sita, the best of monkeys climbed the silver mountain rich with peaks and caverns resembling the autumnal clouds. And looked out into the Lodhra grove and the garden of seven leaves (banara plantations).

ते शारदाभ्रप्रतिमं श्रीमद्रजतपर्वतम्। शृङ्गवन्तं दरीमन्तमधिरुह्य च वानराः।।4.49.16।। तत्र लोध्रवनं रम्यं सप्तपर्णवनानि च। व्यचिन्वंस्ते हरिवरास्सीता दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः।।4.49.17।।

te śāradābhrapratimaṃ śrīmadrajataparvatam| śṛṅgavantaṃ darīmantamadhiruhya ca vānarāḥ tatra lodhravanaṃ ramyaṃ saptaparṇavanāni ca| vyacinvaṃste harivarāssītā darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Eager to find Sita, the best of monkeys climbed the silver mountain rich with peaks and caverns resembling the autumnal clouds. And looked out into the Lodhra grove and the garden of seven leaves (banara plantations).

तस्याग्रमधिरूढास्ते श्रान्ता विपुलविक्रमाः। न पश्यन्ति स्म वैदेहीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्।।4.49.18।।

tasyāgramadhirūḍhāste śrāntā vipulavikramāḥ| na paśyanti sma vaidehīṃ rāmasya mahiṣīṃ priyām

Even after scaling up the peak, the exhausted, heroic monkeys could not find Vaidehi, the dear queen of Rama.

ते तु दृष्टिगतं कृत्वा तं शैलं बहुकन्दरम्। अवारोहन्त हरयो वीक्षमाणास्समन्ततः।।4.49.19।।

te tu dṛṣṭigataṃ kṛtvā taṃ śailaṃ bahukandaram| avārohanta harayo vīkṣamāṇāssamantataḥ

Having looked all over the mountain and many caverns, those monkeys got down from the mountain.

अवरुह्य ततो भूमिं श्रान्ता विगतचेतसः। स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं तत्राथ वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रिताः।।4.49.20।।

avaruhya tato bhūmiṃ śrāntā vigatacetasaḥ| sthitvā muhūrtaṃ tatrātha vṛkṣamūlamupāśritāḥ

Descending to the foothills, the exhausted monkeys became quiet. Fatigued and disheartened, they assembled under a tree, stood for a moment and then lay down.

ते मुहूर्तं समाश्वस्ताः किञ्चिद्भग्नपरिश्रमाः। पुनरेवोद्यताः कृत्स्नां मार्गितुं दक्षिणां दिशम्।।4.49.21।।

te muhūrtaṃ samāśvastāḥ kiñcidbhagnapariśramāḥ| punarevodyatāḥ kṛtsnāṃ mārgituṃ dakṣiṇāṃ diśam

Resting for a while, the frustrated monkeys resumed their search throughout the southern direction.

हनुमत्प्रमुखास्ते तु प्रस्थिताः प्लवगर्षभाः। विन्ध्यमेवादितस्तावद्विचेरुस्ते समन्ततः।।4.49.22।।

hanumatpramukhāste tu prasthitāḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ| vindhyamevāditastāvadviceruste samantataḥ

The bulls among vanaras and Hanuman, the chief of the group again started exploring everywhere in the Vindhya range starting from the beginning. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये किष्किन्धाकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fortyninth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.