Sri Valmiki Ramayanam - Kishkindha Kanda (Book 4) Sarga 39 to 45

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

 

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 39

Introduction

Millions and millions of monkeys arrive with their troop-leaders to the control of Sugreeva. Rama's intent to wage war with Ravana is informed to Sugreeva. And Sugreeva who is interested for requital of the help rendered by Rama informs that all the monkeys on earth are ushered to remain in the service of Rama. While Sugreeva is informing about the arrival of monkeys, in a split-second that place is further crammed up with troops and troops of monkey-warriors

iti bruvaaNam sugriivam raamo dharmabhR^itaam varaH |
baahubhyaam sa.mpariSvajya pratyuvaaca kR^itaa.njalim || 3-39-1

1. dharma bhR^itaam varaH= probity, proponent of, the best; raamaH= Rama; iti bruvaaNam kR^itaanjalim= thus, who is speaking, with his palms-adjoined; sugriivam= to such Sugreeva; baahubhyaam= with both arms; sam pari Svajya= well embracing; prati uvaaca= in reply, spoke - replied.

Rama, the best proponent of probity, happily embraced Sugreeva with both of his arms and replied him who is speaking in this way suppliantly adjoining palms at Rama. [3-39-1]

yat indro varSate varSam na tat citram bhaviSyati |
aadityo asau sahasraa.mshuH kuryaat vitimiram nabhaH || 3-39-2
candramaa rajaniim kuryaat prabhayaa saumya nirmalaam |
tvat vidho vaa api mitraaNaam priitim kuryaat para.mtapa || 3-39-3

2, 3. parantapa= oh, enemy-flamer; saumya= oh, kind one - Sugreeva; indraH varSam= Indra, rain; yat varSate= what for, he rains - the fact that Indra gives rain through Rain-god; sahasra amshuH= thousands of, rayed one - one with umpteen sunrays; asau aadityaH= that, sun; nabhaH vi timiram= sky, without, darkness; kuryaat= makes - the fact that the sun removes darkness; candramaa prabhayaa rajaniim nirmalaam= moon, with his shine, night, shiny; kuryaat= makes - the fact of moon's illumining the night; there is no wonder in them, so also; vaa api= or, even; tvat vidhaH= your, kind of [helpful being]; mitraaNaam priitim kuryaat= to friends, gladness, makes - the fact of gladdening friends; tat= that - sort of helpful nature; na citram bhaviSyati= no, wonder, it will be.

"There is no wonder, oh, enemy-flamer, if Indra gives rain, or if that thousand-rayed sun makes the sky undark, or if the moon makes night shiny with his moonshine, so also oh, gentle one, if a true-friend of your kind gladdens his indigent-friend, there is no wonder. [3-39-2, 3]

evam tvayi tat na citram bhavet yat saumya shobhanam |
jaanaami aham tvaam sugriiva satatam priya vaadinam || 3-39-4

4. saumya= oh, nice one; sugriiva= oh, Sugreeva; evam= in this way; tvayi= [which is prevailing] in you; tat= that [helpful nature in doing good deeds]; yat shobhanam= which is, decorous; citram na bhavet= wonder, not, it will be; tvaam= you; satatam priya vaadinam= always, as affability, exponent of; aham jaanaami= I am, aware of.

"In this way, oh, nice Sugreeva, that helpful nature which is decorously prevailing in you, ushering you for organising the worthwhile, will not be a wonder but natural. I am aware that you have always been the exponent of affability. [3-39-4]

tvat sa naathaH sakhe sa.nkhye jetaa asmi sakalaan ariin |
tvam eva me suhR^it mitram saahaayyam kartum arhasi || 3-39-5

5. sakhe= oh, friend; tvat sa naathaH= with you, as, helmsman; sankhye sakalaan ariin= in war, all, enemies; jetaa asmi= triumphing, I will be; su hR^it mitram= good-hearted, friend; tvam eva= you, alone; me saahaayyam kartum arhasi= to me, helping hand, to proffer, worthy of you.

"With you as the helmsman, oh, friend, I will be triumphing over all the enemies, and you alone are worthy to proffer a helping hand to me as a good-hearted friend of mine. [3-39-5]

jahaara aatma vinaashaaya vaidehiim raakSasa adhamaH |
va.ncayitvaa tu paulomiim anuhlaado yathaa shaciim || 3-39-6

6. raakSasa adhamaH= demon, knavish; vancayitvaa vaidehiim= on deceiving, Vaidehi; anuhlaadaH= demon Anuhlaada; paulomiim= Puloma's daughter; shaciim= Sachi Devi; yathaa= as with; aatma vinaashaaya= for self, extinction; jahaara= carried off.

"That knavish demon Ravana deceitfully carried off Vaidehi for his own extinction, as demon Anuhlaada carried off Sachi Devi, the daughter of Puloma. [3-39-6]

Myth: Shaci Devi, the wife of Indra, is the daughter of a demon called Puloma, the son of Danu. One named Anuhlaada, the son of Hiranyakshyapa, on deceiving Indra abducted Shaci Devi with the consent of her father Puloma. Then Indra infuriated at Puloma, the father of Sachi Devi, for making the abduction possible, killed him. Thereby Indra got a name Pulomajit.

na ciraat tam haniSyaami raavaNam nishitaiH sharaiH |
paulomyaaH pitaram dR^iptam shata kratuH iva arihaa || 3-39-7

7. tam raavaNam= him, that Ravana; na ciraat= not, long after [as soon as possible]; ari haa= enemy, slayer; shata kratuH= hundred, ritual performer [Indra]; paulomyaaH= Paulomii [Shaci's]; dR^iptam pitaram iva= insolent, father, as with; nishitaiH sharaiH han iSyaami= with sharp, arrows, I wish to eliminate.

"As soon as possible I wish to eliminate that Ravana with sharp arrows, as has been done by the enemy slyer Indra when he eliminated the insolent father of Sachi Devi, namely Puloma." Thus Rama is about to tell other things to Sugreeva, but... [3-39-7]

etasmin antare ca eva rajaH samabhivartata |
uSNaam tiivraam sahasraa.mshoH Chaadayat gagane prabhaam || 3-39-8

8. etasmin antare= in this, meanwhile; gagane= on sky; sahasra amshoH= of thousand-rayed one [sun's]; uSNaam tiivraam prabhaam= scorching, intense, radiation; Chaadayat= covering; rajaH= dust; sam abhivartata= started - dust started to overcast sky.

In the meanwhile dust started to overcast the sky covering the intensely scorching radiation of the sun. [3-39-8]

dishaH paryaakulaaH ca aasan tamasaa tena duuSitaaH |
cacaala ca mahii sarvaa sa shaila vana kaananaa || 3-39-9

9. tena= by that; tamasaa= by darkness - [rajasaa= dust]; duuSitaaH= stained; dishaH paryaakulaaH ca aasan= directions, confound, also, became; sa shaila vana kaananaa= with, mountains, woods, forests; sarvaa mahii ca= entire, earth, also; cacaala= wobbled.

Stained with that darkness the directions are confounded, and the entire earth together with its mountains, woods, and forests has wobbled. [3-39-9]

tato nagendra sa.mkaashaiH tiikSNa danSTraiH mahaabalaiH |
kR^itsnaa sa.nChaaditaa bhuumiH asa.nkhyeyaiH plava.ngamaiH || 3-39-10
nimeSa a.ntara maatreNa tataH taiH hari yuuthapaiH |
koTii shata pariivaaraiH kaamaruupibhiH aavR^itaa || 3-39-11
naadeyaiH paar.hvateyaiH ca saamudraiH ca mahaabalaiH |
haribhiH megha nir.hhraadaiH anyaiH ca vana vaasibhiH || 3-39-12
taruNa aaditya varNaiH ca shashi gauraiH ca vaanaraiH |
padma kesara varNaiH ca shvetaiH meru kR^ita aalayaiH || 3-39-13

10, 11, 12, 13. tataH= then; naga indra samkaashaiH= monkeys who are - mountain, lofty, similar to - mountainous in size; tiikSNa danSTraiH= with excruciating, fangs; mahaabalaiH= abnormally mighty ones; a + sankhyeyaiH= in not, calculable - masses; plavangamaiH= with fly-jumpers; kR^itsnaa bhuumiH= entire, earth; nimeSa antara maatreNa= split-second, within, just; sam Chaaditaa= verily, overspread; tataH= then; hari yuuthapaiH= with monkey, commanders; koTii shata pariivaaraiH= with crores [millions,] hundreds of, legions [of monkeys]; kaama ruupibhiH= with by wish, guise-changers; who are from; naadeyaiH= pertaining to rivers; paarvateyaiH ca= pertaining to mountains, also; saamudraiH ca= pertaining to oceans, also; mahaabalaiH haribhiH= of amazing, strength, with monkeys; megha nirhraadaiH= whose blaring will be like - clouds, crashing; anyaiH= with others; vana vaasibhiH ca= forests, dwellers, also; taruNa aaditya varNaiH ca= tender, sun, in colour [complexion,] also; shashi gauraiH ca= moon, white [in complexion,] also; padma kesara varNaiH ca= lotus, fibril, with [body] colour, also; shvetaiH meru kR^ita aalayaiH= who are snow-white ones, who on Mt. Meru, made, their dwelling; with such; taiH vaanaraiH= by [such of] them, vanara-s; [bhuumiH= ground is]; aavR^itaa= enshrouded with them.

In a split-second the entire ground is then enshrouded with incalculable fly-jumpers whose size is mountainous, fangs excruciating, and might abnormal, and each monkey commander is surrounded with hundreds of millions of legions of monkeys, who by their wish can change of their guise, and these monkeys of amazing strength have come crashing war-whoops as clouds letting out thunders while they are on their way from their habitation like riversides, seashores, mountains, and some other monkeys have come from forests as they are forest dwellers, and in the vast of masses their complexion alone remained as an identity to their habitation, like the stripe of tender-sun of some monkeys is marking them from the place of rising sun, moon-white body colour of some more telling that they are from the place of nightly moon, and the colour of skin looking like lotus-fibrils of many more indicates that they are from fertile watery lands, and the snow-white complexion of yet some more indicates that the dwelling place of those monkeys is Mt. Meru. [3-39-10, 11, 12, 13]

koTii sahasraiH dashabhiH shriimaan parivR^itaH tadaa |
viiraH shatabaliH naama vaanaraH pratyadR^ishyata || 3-39-14

14. tadaa= at that time; dashabhiH koTii sahasraiH= ten, crore, thousands - ten thousand crores - a lakh of crores; pari vR^itaH= around, encircled - hemmed in; shriimaan viiraH= distinguished, valorous one; shatabaliH naama vaanaraH= brave, Shatabali, named, Vanara; pratyadR^ishyata [prati a dR^ishyata]== came into view - by Rama and others.

In the meantime the arrival of a distinguished and valorous vanara named Shatabali, hemmed in with ten thousand crores of vanara-s, came into the view of Rama and others. [3-39-14]

tataH kaa.ncana shaila aabhaH taaraayaa viiryavaan pitaa |
anekaiH bahu saahasraiH koTibhiH pratyadR^ishyata || 3-39-15

15. tataH kaancana shaila aabhaH= then, golden, mountain, in sheen; taaraayaa pitaa= Lady Tara's, father [Sushena]; viiryavaan= valorous one; bahu saahasraiH koTibhiH= many, thousands, of crores; an+ekaiH= with not one, with multitudinous monkeys; pratyadR^ishyata= appeared.

Sushena, the father of Lady Tara, a valorous one with the sheen of golden mountain then appeared with very many thousands of crores of vanara-s. [3-39-15]

tathaa apareNa koTiinaam saahasreNa samanvitaH |
pitaa rumayaaH sa.mpraaptaH sugriiva shvashuro vibhuH || 3-39-16

16. tathaa= like that; vibhuH= most efficient [vanara-chief]; rumayaaH pitaa= Ruma's, father; sugriiva shvashuraH= Sugreeva's, father-in-law; apareNa= with another; koTiinaam saahasreNa samanvitaH= of crores, a thousand, followed by - monkey troops; sampraaptaH= has bechanced - arrived.

Like that the most efficient vanara-chief Taara, the father of Ruma and Sugreeva's father-in-law, turned up with another thousand crores of vanara-s following him. [3-39-16]

padma kesara sa.mkaashaH taruNa arka nibha aananaH |
buddhimaan vaanara shreSThaH sarva vaanara sattamaH || 3-39-17
aniikaiH bahu saahasraiH vaanaraaNaam samanvitaH |
pitaa hanumataH shriimaan kesarii pratyadR^ishyata || 3-39-18

17. padma kesara samkaashaH= lotus, fibril, in gleam; taruNa arka nibha aananaH= young, sun, glittering, visage; buddhimaan= intellectual; vaanara shreSThaH= among vanara-s, the prominent one; sarva vaanara sattamaH= among all, vanara-s, graceful one; hanumataH pitaa= Hanuma's, father; shriimaan kesarii= honourable, Kesari; bahu saahasraiH= very, many, thousands of; vaanaraaNaam= of vanara-s; aniikaiH= with army; samanvitaH= associated with; pratyadR^ishyata= came into view.

Honourable Kesari, the father of Hanuma, with his bodily gleam like that of the fibrils of lotuses and visage glittering in the gleam of nascent sun, and who is an intellectual, graceful and prominent vanara among all the vanara-s, then came into view associated with thousands and thousands of armies of vanara-s. [3-39-17]

go laa.nguula mahaaraajo gavaakSo bhiima vikramaH |
vR^itaH koTi sahasreNa vaanaraaNaam adR^ishyata || 3-39-19

19. vaanaraaNaam koTi sahasreNa= vanara-s, crores, thousand; vR^itaH= encircled by; golaanguula mahaaraajaH= baboons, sovereign; bhiima vikramaH= formidably, adventurous one; gavaakSaH adR^ishyata= Gavaaksha, is seen.

Gavaaksha, the formidably adventurous sovereign of baboons is then seen encircled by a thousand crore vanara-s. [3-39-19]

R^ikSaaNaam bhiima vegaanaam dhuumraH shatru nibarhaNaH |
vR^itaH koTi sahasraabhyaam dvaabhyaam samabhivartata || 3-39-20

20. shatru nibarhaNaH= enemy, destroyer; dhuumraH= Dhuumra; bhiima vegaanaam R^ikSaaNaam= of frightful, fastness, with bears; dvaabhyaam koTi sahasraabhyaam= with two, crore, thousands; vR^itaH= surrounded by; sam abhi vartata= verily, to fore, coursed - marched forward.

Dhuumra, the enemy destroyer, marched to the fore of Rama and others surrounded with two thousand crores of bears which have frightful fastness. [3-39-20]

mahaa acala nibhaiH ghoraiH panaso naama yuuthapaH |
aajagaama mahaaviiryaH tisR^ibhiH koTibhiH vR^itaH || 3-39-21

21. panasaH naama= Panasa, named; mahaaviiryaH= highly valorous; yuuthapaH= a commander; tisR^ibhiH koTibhiH= with three, crores - of vanara-s; who are; mahaa acala nibhaiH ghoraiH= gigantic, mountain, beaming forth like, horrendous; vR^itaH= attended by; aajagaama= came up.

The highly valorous commander named Panasa has then arrived attended by a three crore legion of horrendous vanara-s who are beaming forth like gigantic mountains. [3-39-21]

niila a.njana caya aakaaro niilo naama atha yuuthapaH |
adR^ishyata mahaakaayaH koTibhiH dashabhiH vR^itaH || 3-39-22

22. atha= now; dashabhiH koTibhiH= with ten, crores - of vanara-s; vR^itaH= encircled by; niila anjana caya aakaaraH= black, mascara, mound, in shape; mahaa kaayaH= colossally, bodied; niilaH naama yuuthapaH= Niila, named, then, commander; adR^ishyata= has come into view.

Commander Niila has then come into view with his colossal and blackish mascara mound-like body encircled by ten crores of vanara-s that are selfsame to their leader. [3-39-22]

tataH kaa.ncana aabho gavayo naama yuuthapaH |
aajagaama mahaaviiryaH koTibhiH pa.ncabhiH vR^itaH || 3-39-23

23. tataH= then; kaancana [shaila] aabhaH= golden, [mountain,] in sheen; mahaaviiryaH= great-mighty one; gavayaH naama yuuthapaH= Gavaya, named, commander; pancabhiH koTibhiH vR^itaH= with five, crores - of army, surrounded by; aajagaama= came forth.

Then the great-mighty commander named Gavaya whose bodily sheen is like that of a golden mountain has come forth surrounded by five crores of vanara-s. [3-39-23]

dariimukhaH ca balavaan yuuthapo abhyaayayau tadaa |
vR^itaH koTi sahasreNa sugriivam samupasthitaH || 3-39-24

24. tadaa= then; balavaan dariimukhaH ca= mighty one, Dariimukha, also; yuuthapaH= commander; koTi sahasreNa= crores, thousand; vR^itaH= along with; abhyaayayau [abhi aa yayau]= came nigh of; sugriivam sam upa sthitaH= to Sugreeva, verily, nearby, stayed.

Dariimukha, the mighty commander then came along with a thousand crore vanara-s and he stayed nearby Sugreeva drawing nigh of him. [3-39-24]

maindaH ca dvividaH ca ubhau ashvi putrau mahaabalau |
koTi koTi sahasreNa vaanaraaNaam adR^ishyataam || 3-39-25

25. mahaa balau= great-mighty ones; ashvi putrau= Ashvani twin's, sons of; maindaH ca dvividaH ca= Mainda, also, Dvivida, also; ubhau= two of them; vaanaraaNaam= of vanara-s; koTi koTi sahasreNa= crore, crore, with thousand - each with a thousand crore vanara-s; adR^ishyataam= are seen.

Both Mainda and Dvivida, the great-mighty sons Ashvini-twin gods have then appeared, each with a thousand crore vanara-s. [3-39-25]

gajaH ca balavaan viiraH trisR^ibhiH koTibhiH vR^itaH |
aajagaama mahaatejaaH sugriivasya samiipataH || 3-39-26

26. balavaan viiraH mahaatejaaH= mighty, braving, highly resplendent one; gajaH ca= Gaja, also; trisR^ibhiH koTibhiH vR^itaH= three, corers [of vanara-s,] encompassed by; sugriivasya samiipataH aajagaama= to Sugreeva's, nearby, came forth.

The mighty, braving and highly resplendent Gaja came forth to the near of Sugreeva encompassed by three crores of vanara-s. [3-39-26]

R^iksha raajo mahaatejaa jaa.mbavaan naama naamataH |
koTibhiH dashabhiH vyaaptaH sugriivasya vashe sthitaH || 3-39-27

27. mahaatejaa= highly resplendent one; naamataH jaambavaan naama= by name, Jambavanta, renowned one; R^iksha raajaH= bears, king; dashabhiH koTibhiH= ten, crores - of bears; vyaaptaH= spreading around him; sugriivasya vashe sthitaH= Sugreeva's, under control, stayed - stood firm.

A great resplendent one who is renowned by his name Jambavanta has then come with a brigade of ten crore bears spreading around him and stood firm under the control of Sugreeva. [3-39-27]

rumaNo naama tejasvii vikraantaiH vaanaraiH vR^itaH |
aagato balavaan tuurNam koTi shata samaavR^itaH || 3-39-28

28. vi kraantaiH vaanaraiH vR^itaH= with highly, venturesome, vanara-s, surrounded by; tejasvii balavaan rumaNaH naama= blaze like, mighty one, Rumana, named; koTi shata samaavR^itaH= crore, hundred, along with; tuurNam aagataH= swiftly, came.

A blaze-like mighty vanara named Rumana came swiftly surrounded with a hundred crore legion of vanara-s who are highly venturesome. [3-39-28]

tataH koTi sahasraaNaam sahasreNa shatena ca |
pR^iSThato anugataH praapto haribhiH ga.ndhamaadanaH || 3-39-29

29. tataH koTi sahasraaNaam= then, crore, thousand; sahasreNa shatena ca= thousand, hundreds, also; haribhiH= with vanara-s; pR^iSThataH anugataH= at behind, followed by; gandha maadanaH= Gandhamaadana; praaptaH= has arrived.

Gandhamaadana has then arrived while ten thousand crores and hundred thousand crores of monkeys are following him at his behind. [3-39-29]

tataH padma sahasreNa vR^itaH shanku shatena ca |
yuva raajo a.ngadaH praaptaH pitR^i tulya paraakramaH || 3-39-30

30. tataH= then; pitR^i tulya paraakramaH= father [Vali,] matching, in valour; yuva raajaH angadaH= crown-prince, Angada; padma sahasreNa= padma-s, a thousand of; shanku shatena ca= shanku, a hundred of, also; vR^itaH= encompassed by; praaptaH= turned up;.

Angada, the crown prince of Kishkindha, who matches his father Vali in valour has then turned up with a thousand padma legions and a hundred shanku legions of vanara-s. [3-39-30]

tataH taaraa dyutiH taaro hariH bhiima paraakramaH |
pa.ncabhiH hari koTiibhiH duurataH pratyadR^ishyata || 3-39-31

31. tataH= then; taaraa dyutiH= stars, who has the sparkle of; bhiima paraakramaH= of remarkable, valour; taaraH hariH= Tara, the monkey; pancabhiH hariH koTiibhiH= with five, monkey, crores; duurataH= at a distance; pratyadR^ishyata= has appeared.

Tara, the vanara-commander, whose sparkle is as that of stars and whose valour is remarkable then appeared at a distance with five crore monkeys. [3-39-31]

indrajaanuH kapiH viiro yuuthapaH pratyadR^ishyata |
ekaadashaanaam koTiinaam iishvaraH taiH ca samvR^itaH || 3-39-32

32. ekaadashaanaam koTiinaam= for eleven, crores [of monkeys]; iishvaraH= chief of; viiraH yuuthapaH= very bold, commander; indrajaanuH kapiH= Indrajaanu, [named] monkey; taiH= with them - with such a kind of, selfsame vanara-s; samvR^itaH= encompassed by; praty adR^ishyata= appeared.

Indrajaanu, the brave monkey commander who is the chief of eleven crores of monkeys has appeared then encompassed by selfsame vanara troopers. [3-39-32]

tato ra.mbhaH tu anupraaptaH taruNa aaditya sa.nnibhaH |
aayutena vR^itaH caiva sahasreNa shatena ca || 3-39-33

33. tataH= then; taruNa aaditya sannibhaH= tender, sun, similar in shine; rambhaH= Rambha; aayutena sahasreNa= with aayuta-s, thousand of; shatena ca= plus a hundred, also; vR^itaH= surrounded by; anupraaptaH= has come.

Rambha whose bodily glow is like that of tender-sun has then come forth fenced in a thousand plus a hundred of aayuta-s of vanara legions. [3-39-33]

tato yuutha patiH viiro durmukho naama vaanaraH |
pratyadR^ishyata koTibhyaam dvaabhyaam parivR^ito balii || 3-39-34

34. tataH= then; yuutha patiH= legion, commander; viiraH= braving one; balii= powerful one; durmukhaH naama vaanaraH= Durmukha, named, vanara; dvaabhyaam koTibhyaam parivR^itaH= with two, crores [of vanara-s,] encompassed by; pratyadR^ishyata= has appeared.

A braving and powerful legion commander of vanara-s named Durmukha has then appeared encompassed with two crores of vanara-s. [3-39-34]

kailaasa shikhara aakaaraiH vaanaraiH bhiima vikramaiH |
vR^itaH koTi sahasreNa hanumaan pratyadR^ishyata || 3-39-35

35. hanumaan= Hanuma; kailaasa shikhara aakaaraiH= Mt. Kailash, summits, in shape of; bhiima vikramaiH= of formidable, bravery; koTi sahasreNa= crore, thousand; vaanaraiH= with vanara-s; vR^itaH= encompassed by; pratyadR^ishyata= appeared.

Then Hanuma appeared with a thousand crore vanara-s encompassing him who in shape are like the summits of Mt. Kailash and whose bravery is formidable. [3-39-35]

nalaH ca api mahaaviiryaH sa.mvR^ito druma vaasibhiH |
koTii shatena sa.mpraaptaH sahasreNa shatena ca || 3-39-36

36. mahaaviiryaH= highly, vigorous one; nalaH ca api= Nala, also, even; koTii shatena= crores, hundred; sahasreNa shatena ca= thousand, hundred; druma vaasibhiH= on tree, dwellers [monkeys]; samvR^itaH= surrounded with; sampraaptaH= arrived.

Highly vigorous Nala has also arrived while he is surrounded with a hundred crore one thousand and one hundred monkeys, the dwellers on trees. [3-39-36]

tato dadhimukhaH shriimaan koTibhiH dashabhiH vR^itaH |
sa.mpraapto abhinadan tasya sugriivasya mahaatmanaH || 3-39-37

37. tataH= then; shriimaan dadhimukhaH= salutary one, Dadhimukha; dashabhiH koTibhiH vR^itaH= ten, crores, encircled by; abhi nadan= highly, blaring; tasya mahaa atmanaH sugriivasya= to that, great-souled one, to Sugreeva; sampraaptaH= arrived.

Dadhimukha, the salutary vanara-chief then arrived at the near of that great-souled Sugreeva encircled by a ten crore vanara-s who are all blaring highly. [3-39-37]

sharabhaH kumudo vahniH vaanaro ra.mhaH eva ca |
ete ca anye ca bahavo vaanaraaH kaama ruupiNaH || 3-39-38
aavR^itya pR^ithiviim sarvaam parvataan ca vanaani ca |
yuuthapaaH samanupraaptaa eSaam sa.mkhyaa na vidyate || 3-39-39

38, 39. sharabhaH kumudaH= Sharabha, Kumuda; vaanaraH vahniH= vanara, Vahni; ramhaH eva ca= Ramha, even, also; ete kaama ruupiNaH= these are, by wish, guise-changers; anye ca bahavaH= others, also, many of them; eSaam sankhyaa na vidyate= whose, count, not, known; such of those; vaanaraaH= vanara-s; yuuthapaaH= their commanders; sarvaam= in entirety; pR^ithiviim= earth; parvataan ca vanaani ca= mountains, also, forests, also; aavR^itya= overspreading; samanupraaptaa= presented themselves.

Sharabha, Kumuda, Vahni, also even Ramha, these and many other vanara-s have come who by their wish are the guise-changers. And many of those other commanders who have presented themselves along with their troops, overspreading the earth inclusive of its mountains and forests, their count is unknown. [3-39-38, 39]

aagataaH ca niviSTaaH ca pR^ithivyaam sarva vaanaraaH |
aaplava.ntaH plava.ntaH ca garja.ntaH ca plava.mgamaaH |
abhyavartanta sugriivam suuryam abhra gaNaa iva || 3-39-40

40. plavamgamaaH= fly-jumpers; aaplavantaH= by swinging; plavantaH ca= by flying, also; garjantaH ca= thundering, also; pR^ithivyaam sarva vaanaraaH= on earth, all, monkeys; aagataaH ca niviSTaaH ca= arrived, also, settled down, also; suuryam abhra gaNaa iva= at sun, clouds [cramming,] number of, like; sugriivam= at Sugreeva; abhyavartanta [abhi ava vR^it= before, they moved,] presented themselves before Sugreeva.

All those fly-jumpers arrived by swinging, flying and thundering, and all of the monkeys on earth have arrived thus, presented themselves and settled down around Sugreeva as if a number of clouds are cramming the sun. [3-39-40]

kurvaaNaa bahu shabdaan ca prakR^iSTaa balashaalinaH |
shirobhiH vaanarendraaya sugriivaaya nyavedayan || 3-39-41

41. prakR^iSTaaH= outstanding ones; baahu shaalinaH= having sturdy arms, arms are the only weapons to them; bahu shabdaan kurvaaNaaH ca= many, hues and [war] cries, while making, also [while they are arriving]; shirobhiH= with [raised] heads; vaanara idraaya sugriivaaya= to vanara-king, Sugreeva; nyavedayan= submitted [themselves - informed of their arrival with raised heads.]

While arriving those monkeys made many a hue and cry of war, and those outstanding monkeys who are armed with a pair of their own arms have informed the vanara king Sugreeva about their arrival by tilting up their heads as in roll-call or in headcount. [3-39-41]

apare vaanara shreSThaaH sa.ngamya ca yathaa ucitam |
sugriiveNa samaagamya sthitaaH praa.njalayaH tadaa || 3-39-42

42. apare= some other; vaanara shreSThaaH= vanara, leaders; yathaa ucitam= as, befitting; sangamya ca= coming together, also; sugriiveNa samaagamya= with Sugreeva, on meeting; tadaa= then; praanjalayaH sthitaaH= with palms-adjoined, stayed behind.

As befitting to them the other vanara leaders have come together to meet Sugreeva, and on their meeting with Sugreeva then they stayed behind with their palms adjoined. [3-39-42]

sugriivaH tvarito raame sarvaan taan vaanararSabhaan |
nivedayitvaa dharmaj~naH sthitaH praanjaliH abraviit || 3-39-43

43. dharmaj~naH= rectitude, knower of; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; tvaritaH= promptly; praanjaliH sthitaH= with adjoined palms, staying; taan sarvaan vaanara R^iSabhaan= them, all, vanara-s, prominent ones; raame= to Rama; nivedayitvaa= having informed about them; abraviit= addressed [the monkeys that are forgathered.]

Then Sugreeva, the knower of rectitude, promptly informed about all of those paramount monkeys to Rama as to who is who, and staying with folded palms he addressed the forgathered monkey chiefs. [3-39-43]

yathaa sukham parvata nir.hjhareSu
vaneSu sarveSu ca vaanarendraaH |
niveshayitvaa vidhivat balaani
balam balaj~naH pratipattum iiSTe || 3-39-44

44. vaanara indraaH= oh, vanara-chiefs; parvata nirjhareSu= on mountains, at riversides; sarveSu vaneSu ca= everywhere, in forests, also; yathaa sukham= according, to you comfort; vidhivat= procedurally; balaani niveshayitvaa= troops, on camping if you camp the troops properly; bala j~naH= force-knower - Rama; balam= forcefulness [of your troops]; pratipattum= to infer; iiSTe= he - Rama - desires to - he expects to, as a kind of guard of honour.

"Oh, chiefs of vanara-s, on procedurally camping your forces everywhere on mountains, at riversides, and in forests according their comfort, the knower of absolute force, Rama, expects to inspect them to infer the forcefulness of your forces. [3-39-44]

The count of the monkeys who followed their leaders cannot be rendered into million, billion counts, precisely. But when all of them are put together they result into the numerals as contained in Yajur Veda taittariiya as said in Dharmaakuutam. ek˜ ca daþa þatam ca sahasram ca ayutam ca prayutam ca nyavrindam ca samudra× ca madhyam ca anta× ca par˜dha× Yajur Veda taittariiya v˜nara pramukh˜ mah˜ prabh˜v˜ daþa sahasra ko÷i b®nda khara nikharva anta madhya par˜rdha aneka par˜rdha saðkhy˜kai× aprameya par˜kramai× v˜narai× pariv®t˜ sam˜gat˜× sugrŸveõa ca yath˜ sukham viniveþit˜× ca - Dharmaakuutam - Further he goes on to quote Leelavati mathematics: lŸl˜vatŸ gaõita þ˜stre siddhanta þiromaõe -

eka daþa þata sahasra ˜yuta lakÿa prayuta ko÷ya× kramaþa× |
arbudam abdam kharva nikharvam mah˜padmam þankhava× tasm˜t ||
nidhi× ca antam madhyam par˜rdham iti daþa guõa uttaram samjñ˜× |
samkhy˜y˜× sth˜n˜n˜m vyavah˜ra artham k®t˜× p¨rvai× iti ||

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe ekona catvaari.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 39th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 40

Introduction

Sugreeva orders vanara-s to search east under the leadership of Vinata, a mighty vanara. Firstly he dedicates all the vanara forces to Rama, but Rama desired to know whether Seetha is alive or not, and if so at what place. Then Sugreeva commissioning Vinata explains the topography and geography of Eastern side of the jambuu dwiipa, 'the Indian subcontinent,' and its eastward, comprising whole of South-East Asia. This is the first chronicle ever recorded about the lands and oceans, islands and dwellers in there, as far as Ancient Indian Geography is concerned.

atha raajaa samR^iddha arthaH sugriivaH plavageshvaraH |
uvaaca narashaarduulam raamam parabalaardanam || 4-40-1

1. plavaga iishvaraH= fly-jumper's, lord; raajaa sugriivaH= king, Sugreeva; samR^iddha arthaH= abound, in means; atha= then; nara shaarduulam= to tigerly-man; para bala ardanam= enemy, might, to vanquisher; raamam uvaaca = to Rama, said.

The lord of fly-jumpers, king Sugreeva, who by now is replete with every means, then spoke to the tigerly-man and the vanquisher of enemy's might, Rama. [4-40-1]

aagataa viniviSTaaH ca balinaH kaamaruupiNaH |
vaanarendraa mahendra aabhaa ye mat viSaya vaasinaH || 4-40-2

2. ye mat viSaya vaasinaH= those, my, in province, dwellers; balinaH kaama ruupiNaH= mighty ones, at wish, guise-changers; mahendra aabhaa= like that of Mahendra, whose sheen is; vaanara indraa = vanara, chiefs; aagataaH= arrived; vi niviSTaaH ca= properly encamped, also.

"The mighty vanara chiefs who are guise-changers by their wish and who in sheen are like Mahendra, and who dwell in my province have arrived and they are properly encamped too. [4-40-2]

ta ime bahu vikraantaiH balibhiH bhiima vikramaiH |
aagataa vaanaraa ghoraa daitya daanava sa.mnibhaaH || 4-40-3

3. ghoraaH= ghastly ones; daitya daanava sannibhaaH= to monsters, ogres, matching to; ta ime [te ime = those [vanara-chiefs, these [with their soldiers]; vaanaraaH= vanara-s; bhiima vikramaiH= terribly, victorious ones; balibhiH = mighty ones; bahu vikraantaiH= diversely, triumphant ones; aagataa= arrived.

"Those ghastly vanara-chiefs who are a match to the monsters and ogres have arrived with these diversely triumphant, terribly victorious and mighty vanara-soldiers. [4-40-3]

khyaata karma apadaanaaH ca balavanto jita klamaaH |
paraakrameSu vikhyaataa vyavasaayeSu ca uttamaaH || 4-40-4
pR^ithivi a.mbu caraa raama naanaa naga nivaasinaH |
koTi oghaaH ca ime praaptaa vaanaraaH tava ki.nkaraaH || 4-40-5

4. raama= oh, Rama; khyaata karma= acclaimed, deeds; apadaanaaH ca= accomplished tasks, also; balavantaH= powerful ones; jita klamaaH= they overcame, their weariness; paraakrameSu vikhyaataa= in confrontation, renowned ones; vyavasaayeSu uttamaaH ca = in manoeuvres, also, noteworthy ones; pR^ithivi ambu caraa= on earth, on water, they travel; naanaa naga nivaasinaH= on diverse, mountains, dwellers; such as they are; ime vaanaraaH = these, vanara-s; koTi oghaaH= in crores, of clusters [millionfold]; tava kinkaraaH= as your, servants; praaptaaH= they came.

"Oh, Rama, these vanara-s are acclaimed for undertaking impossible deeds, and they will accomplish whatever task they have undertaken. They are powerful ones who have overcome weariness. They are renowned for their confrontation and noteworthy in their manoeuvres. These who are the dwellers on diverse mountains can travel either on earth or on water. Such as they are these vanara-s have come in millionfold as your servants. [4-40-4, 5]

Vividly: 'These vanara-s are acclaimed for their impossible deeds like jumping over oceans, swinging from mountains to mountains, even lifting mountainous mass etc., thus any impracticable task is assignable to them, and hitherto each and every infeasible task undertaken by them is accomplished by each of them, thus they all are dependable... these are not only powerful individually, but they also have overpowered their individual weariness, thus they pursue any task unweariedly... and these are renowned for their complicate confrontations and noteworthy manoeuvres...'

nidesha vartinaH sarve sarve guru hite sthitaaH |
abhipretam anuSThaatum tava shakSyanti ari.ndama || 4-40-6

6. arindama= oh, enemy-repressor, Rama; sarve nidesha vartinaH = all of them, in orderliness, they abide; sarve guru hite sthitaaH= all, in mentor's [king's, welfare, abide by; tava abhipretam anuSThaatum shakSyanti= at your, discretion, to discharge, they will be able to.

"All of them will conduct themselves in orderliness and all abide by the welfare of their king, and oh, Rama, the enemy-repressor, they will be able to discharge whatever task entrusted to them at your discretion. [4-40-6]

ta ime bahu saahasraiH anekaiH bahu vikramaiH |
aagataa vaanaraa ghoraa daitya daanava sa.mnibhaaH || 4-40-7

7. ghoraaH= ghastly ones; daitya daanava sannibhaaH= to monsters, ogres, matching to; ta ime [te ime = those [vanara-chiefs, these [with their soldiers]; vaanaraaH= vanara-s; bhiima vikramaiH= terribly, victorious ones; balibhiH = mighty ones; bahu vikraantaiH= diversely, triumphant ones; aagataa= arrived.

"Such of those ghastly vanara-chiefs who are a match to the monsters and ogres have arrived with these diversely triumphant, terribly victorious and mighty vanara-soldiers. [4-40-7]

This verse may appear similar to verse 3 above but differs in mood of the dialogue.

yat manyase naravyaaghra praapta kaalam tat ucyataam |
tat sainyam tvat vashe yuktam aaj~naapayitum ar.hhasi || 4-40-8

8. nara vyaaghra= oh, manly, tiger Rama; yat= whichever; praapta kaalam= chanced, according to time [seasonable]; manyase= you think fit; tat ucyataam= that, may be said; tvat vashe= under your, control; yuktam= that has joined; tat sainyam= that, military force; aaj~naapayitum arhasi= to give orders, apt of you.

"Oh, the manly-tiger Rama, whichever you think fit and seasonable that may be said. It will be apt of you to give orders to this vanara force since this has joined up under your command. [4-40-8]

kaamam eSaam idam kaaryam viditam mama tattvataH |
tathaa api tu yathaa yuktam aaj~naapayitum arhasi || 4-40-9

9. idam kaaryam= this, task - of yours; mama= to me; tattvataH= in its nature; viditam kaamam= is known, in fact; tathaa api= then, even; yathaa yuktam= as, befitting; eSaam= them; aaj~naapayitum arhasi= to give orders [to them, apt of you.

"In fact, this task of yours is known to me in its nature. Even then, it will be apt of you to give them orders as befitting." Thus Sugreeva spoke to Rama. [4-40-9]

This verse has different shades in different mms. Dharmaakuutam has this as kaamam eSaam idam kaarye viditam viira tattvataH then it means that 'I know how to use them in this task...' Some other mms have it to mean: 'Myself and these vanara-s know the task but we are waiting for formal orders from you...' anena prabhu sannidhau svena sv˜tantryam na avalambanŸyam | kintu tad uktam eva srotavyam iti s¨citam - dk 'In the presence of the supreme commander, a lower level commander cannot and should not act independently. Whatever is said by the chief is to be carried out...' This is the foremost discipline required of any army personnel.

tathaa bruvaaNam sugriivam raamo dasharathaatmajaH |
baahubhyaam sa.mpariSvajya idam vacanam abraviit || 4-40-10

10. dasharatha aatmajaH raamaH = Dasharatha's, son, Rama; tathaa bruvaaNam sugriivam= thus, who is speaking, to Sugreeva; baahubhyaam sam pariSvajya= with both arms, well [heartily hugging; idam vacanam abraviit= this, word, said.

While Sugreeva is speaking thus, Rama the son of Dasharatha heartily hugged him with both of his arms and said this word to him. [4-40-10]

j~naayataam saumya vaidehii yadi jiivati vaa na vaa |
sa ca desho mahaapraaj~na yasmin vasati raavaNaH || 4-40-11

11. mahaa praaj~na= oh, well-informed one [Sugreeva]; saumya= oh, gracious one; yadi vaidehii jiivati vaa= whether, Vaidehi, alive, either; na vaa= not, or; raavaNaH yasmin vasati= Ravana, wherein, dwells; sa deshaH ca = that, place, likewise; j~naayataam= it is to be known.

"Oh, gracious Sugreeva, whether Vaidehi is alive or not - it shall be known. Likewise, oh, well-informed one that place in which Ravana dwells - it is to be determined, at the outset. [4-40-11]

adhigamya tu vaidehiim nilayam raavaNasya ca |
praapta kaalam vidhaasyaami tasmin kaale saha tvayaa || 4-40-12

12. vaidehiim= about Vaidehi; raavaNasya nilayam ca= Ravana's, dwelling place, also; adhigamya tu= on knowing, only; tasmin kaale= at that, time; tvayaa saha= with you, in association - on deliberating with you; praapta kaalam= befitting, to time [timely action]; vidhaasyaami= I will order for.

"Only on knowing about Vaidehi, also about the dwelling place of Ravana, I will order for the timely action at that time, that too, after deliberating with you. [4-40-12]

na aham asmin prabhuH kaarye vaanarendra na lakSmaNaH |
tvam asya hetuH kaaryasya prabhuH ca plavageshvara || 4-40-13

13. plavaga iishvara= oh, fly-jumper's king; vaanarendra= vanara chief; aham asmin kaarye prabhuH na = I am, in this, task, capable [sufficient unto, master, not; lakSmaNaH na = Lakshmana, is not; tvam asya kaaryasya= you are, this, task's; hetuH prabhuH ca= catalyst, and master, also.

"Oh, chief of vanara-s, I am not the master of this task, nor Lakshmana is, but you, oh king of fly-jumpers, are the catalyst and master of this task of searching Seetha. [4-40-13]

tvam eva aaj~naapaya vibho mama kaarya vinishcayam |
tvam hi jaanaasi yat kaaryam mama viira na sa.mshayaH || 4-40-14

14. vibhoH= oh, lord [of vanara-s]; mama kaarya vi nishcayam= in my, of task, for the right determination - what is to be done in my task; tvam eva aaj~naapaya= you, alone, give orders; viira= oh, valiant one; mama yat kaaryam= my, what, task is there; tvam jaanaasi hi = you are, aware of it, isn't it; na samshayaH= need not, have doubt - about it, your giving orders is inoffensive.

"Oh, lord of vanara-s, you alone have to give orders for the right determination of my task, and what my task is, oh, valiant one, you are fully aware of it, isn't it. And it is inoffensive of you to issue orders in this regard. [4-40-14]

suhR^id dvitiiyo vikraantaH praaj~naH kaala visheSa vit |
bhavaan asmat hite yuktaH suhR^id aapto arthavittamaH || 4-40-15

15. bhavaan suhR^it = you are, kind-hearted; dvitiiyaH [viniitaH = second-best one [first one is Lakshmana, if it is vinnita = a benign one]; vikraantaH= valorous one; praaj~naH= an intellectual; kaala visheSa vit= time's, speciality [scope, knower of; asmat hite yuktaH= you, in our, welfare, join forces with; suhR^it= good-hearted [partner]; aaptaH= helpful one [patron]; artha vit tamaH= intention, knower, the best - best one among the knowers of our intentions.

"You are a kind-hearted one. To me you are the second-best one, first being Lakshmana. More so, you are a valorous vanara, an intellectual, a knower of the scope of the time and you joined forces with us in our welfare, a partner and a patron of ours, and the best one among all those who are aware of our intentions." Thus Rama said to Sugreeva. [4-40-15]

The often repeated word of Rama 'my task, my mission...' is not just regaining Seetha, but the complete elimination of demon's clan, for which Seetha is the conditional and instrumental entity. The masters have to repose absolute confidence in servants unconditionally to get things done: anena prabhuõ˜ api ˜ptatame abhijñe artha s˜dhake sv˜tantryam ˜dh˜ya k˜ryam s˜dhanŸyam iti s¨citam - dk.

evam uktaH tu sugriivo vinatam naama yuuthapam |
abraviit raama saa.mnidhye lakSmaNasya ca dhiimataH || 4-40-16
shailaabham megha nirghoSam uurjitam plavageshvaram |

16, 17a. evam uktaH tu sugriivaH= thus, said to, on his part, Sugreeva; raama saannidhye= in Rama's, presence; dhiimataH lakSmaNasya ca = the observant, of Lakshmana's [in presence, also; yuuthapam= to vanara-commander; shaila aabham= mountain, in sheen; megha nirghoSam= cloudlike, in thundering; uurjitam= mightiest; vinatam naama= to Vinata, named; plavageshvaram abraviit = to fly-jumpers, chief, spoke.

When Rama said so, Sugreeva spoke in the presence of Rama and the observant Lakshmana, to a mightiest chief of fly-jumpers, named Vinata, who is a commander of vanara army, who is like a mountain in his sheen and who thunders like a cloud. [4-40-16, 17a]

soma suurya nibhaiH saardham vaanaraiH vaanarottama || 4-40-17
desha kaala nayaiH yuktaH vij~naH kaarya vinishcaye |
vR^itaH shata sahasreNa vaanaraaNaam tarasvinaam || 4-40-18
adhigacCha disham puurvaam sa shaila vana kaananaam |

17b, 18, 19a. vaanara uttama= oh, vanara [Vinata, the best; desha kaala nayaiH yuktaH= place, time, probity, in consonance with - you are aware of; kaarya vinishcaye vij~naH = task, in determination, you are an expert; such as you are you with; soma suurya nibhaiH= who are - moon, sun, in glow; vaanaraiH saardham= vanara-s, along with; tarasvinaam vaanaraaNaam shata sahasreNa= powerful ones, with vanara-s, in hundreds, thousands; vR^itaH= accompanied with; sa shaila vana kaananaam= with, mountains, woodlands, forests; puurvaam disham adhigacCha= eastern, direction, you go over.

"Oh, Vinata, the best vanara, you are an expert in determining the tasks in consonance with time, place and probity. Hence, you along with vanara-s, whose glow shall be like the moon and sun for they shall be from the progeny of Sun and Moon, and even accompanied with a hundred thousand, say one lakh, other powerful vanara-s, shall go over Eastern direction of the earth inclusive of its mountains, woodlands and forests. [4-40-17b, 18, 19a]

In some translations the second foot's gist is also attributed to Vinata, i.e., Vinata is with the glow of sun, moon etc., but it is for the progeny of the Sun and Moon gods, who are to follow Vinata.

tatra siitaam ca vaidehiim nilayam raavaNasya ca || 4-40-19
maargadhvam giri durgeSu vaneSu ca nadiiSu ca |

19b, 20a. tatra= there; vaidehiim siitaam ca= princes from Videha kingdom, of Seetha, also; raavaNasya nilayam ca= of Ravana, residency, also; giri durgeSu= in mountains, impassable places; vaneSu ca= in forests, even; maargadhvam = shall be searched.

"There in the East, the forests, mountains and impassable places shall be searched for the princess from Videha kingdom, namely Seetha, and even for the residency of Ravana. [4-40-19b, 20a]

The eastside is not the eastside of Kishkindha, but to the East of jambuu dviipa 'Indian subcontinent... inclusive of South-East Asia...' The meridian of the Saraswati Triveni - the confluence of rivers Ila, Bharati, and Saraswati - is still the prime meridian for Indian astronomers. The first observatory Ujjain Observatory is on this meridian. uddicya pascimottara× tasy˜× þar˜vaty˜× avadhe× ya× pascimotta× - sa uddicya iti ucyate Taking Ujjain, the place where one ancient river flowed circuitously in Central India, named Sharavati, as the centre of the country, the ancient astronomers have decided the quarters. So, Sugreeva said about the absolute east of India but not about the east of his small kingdom.

nadiim bhaagiirathiim ramyaam sarayuum kaushikiim tathaa || 4-40-20
kaali.ndiim yamunaam ramyaam yaamunam ca mahaagirim |
sarasvatiim ca si.ndhum ca shoNam maNi nibha udakam || 4-40-21
mahiim kaalamahiim caiva shaila kaanana shobhitaam |
brahmamaalaan videhaan ca maalavaan kaashi kosalaan || 4-40-22
maagadhaam ca mahaagraamaan puNDraan a.ngaam tathaiva ca |
bhuumim ca koshakaaraaNaam bhuumim ca rajata aakaraam || 4-40-23

20b, 21, 22, 23. nadiim bhaagiirathiim= River, Bhaagiirathi [Ganga]; ramyaam sarayuum= delightful one, River Sarayu; tathaa kaushikiim = likewise, River Kaushiki; kaalindiim ramyaam yamunaam = river emerging from Mt. Kalinda, pleasing [river,] River Yamuna; yaamunam ca mahaa girim= the source of River Yamuna, also, great, mountain; sarasvatiim ca sindhum ca= River Saraswati, also, River Sindhu, also; maNi nibha udakam= one with - gemlike, lustrous, waters; shoNam= River Shona; mahiim= River Mahii; shaila kaanana shobhitaam= with mountains, forests, brightened by; kaalamahiim= River Kaalamahi; ca eva= also thus; brahmamaalaan= [kingdoms like Brahmamaala; videhaan ca= Videha, also; maalavaan kaashi kosalaan= Malava, Kaashi, Kosala; maagadhaam mahaa graamaan ca = pertaining to Maagadha kingdom, also, grand villages; puNDraan angaam= Pundra, Anga [kingdoms]; tathaa eva ca= like, that, only; koshakaaraaNaam bhuumim ca= of Koshakaara kings, provinces, also; rajata aakaraam= [places pertaining to silver, mines; bhuumim ca= lands [provinces, also; [maargadhvam = shall be searched.

"Search shall be conducted at the riversides of heartening rivers like River Bhaagiirathi, another name for River Ganga, and River Sarayu, like that at River Kaushiki, and at the pleasing surrounds of River Yamuna, and on Mt. Kalinda, as well at River Saraswati, River Sindhu and at the river whose waters are lustrous like gems, namely River Shona, and further at River Mahi and River Kaalamahi which rivers are brightened by mountains and forests surrounding them. And the kingdoms like Brahmamaala, Videha, Maalva, Kaashi, and Kosala, and in Maagadha, which kingdom has grand villages, and in that way, also in the kingdoms of Pundra and Anga, and in the countries of the kings called Koshakaara, and in the provinces of silver mines search is to be conducted. [4-40-20b, 21, 22, 23]

The mention of these two western rivers, Saraswati and Sindhu, at this eastern place, to where Vinata is being sent, is a disputed matter. The River Saraswati is the river of Vedic period that once coursed but later disappeared or is coursing underground. This river is 'this creative centre of Man, River Saraswati, was made by the deva-s...' Rig Veda, 3.33.4, and 'all life takes its origin from your [Saraswati womb... Rig Veda, 2-4, 9-17. Presently research work is undertaken to find out this river under the banner 'Saraswati Nadi Shodh Abhiyaan' and they are trying to find out the palaeodrainage, the buried course of this river. It is believed that this perennial river was flowing from Himalayas through Punjab, Haryana, Western Rajasthan, and through the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, and it is said that if this could be traced an abundant source of underground water could be established.

Likewise, the mention about Sindhu at this place does not relate to westerly Indus River, because any river or rivulet is generally called Sindhu: deshe nada visheSe abdau sindhurnaa sariti striyaam - amara kosha. Sugreeva separately indicates Indus river at 15th verse, chapter 42: sindhu saagarayoH caiva sangame... Hence it is taken as another easterly river called Indusa.

So also the river Mahi as said in next verse, on which Griffith says that 'The Mahii River rises in Malwa [Malwa Plateau, Madhya Pradesh, and falls in the Gulf of Cambay after a westerly course of 280 miles...' But the Ancient Geography of India says that 'the mention of this river is out of place here and is probably due to erroneous transposition of the verses...'

It is generally accepted that many verses in these episodes of Sugreeva's narrating the geography are shuffled. The River Shona is present day Shon, and Kaushiki is Koshi, and she is the sister of Vishvamitra. That sage explains about the emergence of this river in Bala Kanda.

Videha is Mithila, the kingdom from where Seetha came to Ayodhya, this and Anga kingdoms were roughly present West Bengal. Magadha is the famous post Buddhist period kingdom, ruling from present-day Bihar. Huen Tsong recorded that 'to the north of Magadha, River Ganga courses, to the west of it Kaashi province is there, and in east hiraNya parvata [Maanghir is there, and in south giraNa suvarNa [singa bhuumi is there... and its capital is kusuma pura [paaTalii putra present day Patna. Next, the word 'koshakaara is literally a silkworm or one who makes scabbards or a lexicographer. It is also referred to the kings of these clans.

sarvam ca tat vicetavyam maargayadbhiH tataH tataH |
raamasya dayitaam bhaaryaam siitaam dasharathaH snuSaam || 4-40-24

24. raamasya dayitaam bhaaryaam = Rama's, dear, wife; dasharathaH snuSaam= Dasharatha's, daughter-in-law; siitaam= such Seetha; tataH tataH= there, there - thereabout; maargayadbhiH= while you are exploring; tat sarvam vicetavyam ca = that [those places, in entirety, shall be searched, also.

"While you explore those places in their entirety, thereabout you have to search for Rama's dear wife and king Dasharatha's daughter-in-law Seetha. [4-40-24]

samudram avagaaDhaan ca parvataan pattanaani ca |
ma.ndarasya ca ye koTim sa.nshritaaH kecit aalayaaH || 4-40-25
karNa praavaraNaaH caiva tathaa ca api oSTha karNakaaH |
ghora loha mukhaaH caiva javanaaH ca eka paadakaaH || 4-40-26
akSayaa balava.ntaH ca tathaiva puruSa aadakaaH |
kiraataaH tiikshNa cuuDaaH ca hemaabhaaH priya darshanaaH || 4-40-27
aama miina ashanaaH caapi kiraataa dviipa vaasinaH |
a.ntar jala caraa ghoraa naravyaaghraa iti smR^itaaH || 4-40-28
eteSaam aashrayaaH sarve viceyaaH kaanana okasaH |
giribhir ye ca gamyante plavanena plavena ca || 4-40-29

25, 26, 27, 28, 29. kaanana okasaH= oh, forest, dwellers [vanara-s]; samudram avagaaDhaan= in ocean, [places steeped deep into; parvataan pattanaani ca= mountains, townships, also; mandarasya= of Mt. Mandara; aalayaaH [aayataam = as their dwelling [extensive beings, as in some mms, thereby unsightly beings]; koTim= on peak of; samshritaaH= harbouring; kecit= some beings; karNa pra aavaraNaaH= ears, verily, covered ones [ears covered over, i.e., with invisible ears, or without ears like snakes]; tathaa ca api= like that, also, even; oSTha karNakaaH= lips, as their ears; ghora loha mukhaaH caiva= grisly, iron, faced ones, also thus; javanaaH= very rapid beings; eka paadakaaH ca = single, footed beings, also; a + kSayaa= not, deteriorating - unkillable beings; balavantaH ca= mighty ones, also; tathaiva= also thus; puruSa aadakaaH = men, eaters; kiraataaH= [other tribals; tiikshNa cuuDaaH ca= those with towering, wisps, also; priya darshanaaH= [some more pleasant, in appearance; hema aabhaaH= golden, in shine - complexioned; aama miina ashanaaH = uncooked [raw, fish, eaters; caapi= also, even; dviipa vaasinaH= on islands, dwellers; kiraataa= [other tribals; nara vyaaghraa iti smR^itaaH= man, tiger, thus, renowned - tigers like men; antar jala caraa= inside, water, those who budge up; ghoraa= horrific beings; eteSaam sarve aashrayaaH = of these beings, all of the, dwelling places; viceyaaH= are to be searched; ye= which - which of those dwelling places; giribhiH= by [climbing mountains; plavanena= by hopping; plavena ca= by boating, also; gamyante= reachable - you have to reach them in those modes of transport.

"Oh, forest dwelling vanara-s, you shall search on the mountains and in the townships that are steeped in the ocean. And you have to search on the peak of Mt. Mandara, where some extensive and unsightly beings are harboured, and at places where some other beings live with odd physical features. Some of them have no ears, while some have their lips as their ears. Some are with grisly faces like iron-faced-beings while some beings, although they are single-footed, yet they are very rapid. While some tribals are unkillable and mighty man-eaters, some other have golden complexion, and they will be pleasant in their appearance with towering wisps. Some other tribals who live on islands budging underwater as they are raw fish eaters and they are observed upon as horrific man-tigers i.e., half-man and half-tiger, like mermaids. All of their dwellings are to be searched in jambuu dwiipa, the tableland that contains bharata varSa, namely India. And you have to go beyond this to other easterly places that are reachable either by mountaineering, or by hopping, or even by boating. [4-40-25, 26, 27, 28, 29]

yatnavanto yava dviipam sapta raajya upashobhitam |
suvarNa ruupyakam dviipam suvarNa aakara maNDitam || 4-40-30
yava dviipam atikramya shishiro naama parvataH |
divam spR^ishati shR^ingeNa deva daanava sevitaH || 4-40-31
eteSaam giri durgeSu prapaateSu vaneSu ca |
maargadhvam sahitaaH sarve raama patniim yashasviniim || 4-40-32

30, 31, 32. sapta raajya upa shobhitam= with seven, kingdoms, splendorous; yava dviipam= Yava, in island; suvarNa aakara maNDitam= with gold, mines, enwreathed; suvarNa ruupyakam dviipam= Golden, Silver, islands; yatnavantaH= you strive in there; yava dviipam atikramya= Yava, island, crossing over; shishiraH naama= Shishira, named; deva daanava sevitaH= god, demons, which is adored by; parvataH= [there is a mountain; shR^ingeNa divam spR^ishati = with its peak, heaven, which touches; sarve sahitaaH= you all, collectively; eteSaam = in these - islands; giri durgeSu= mountains, impassable [mountains]; pra paateSu= in great, falls [waterfalls]; vaneSu ca= in forests, also; yashasviniim raama patniim maargadhvam = for glorious one, Rama's, wife, you rake through.

"You strive hard in the island of Yava, which will be splendorous with seven kingdoms, like that even in Golden and Silver islands that are enwreathed with gold-mines, in and around Yava islands. On crossing over Yava Island, there is a mountain named Shishira, which touches heaven with its peak, and which gods and demons adore. You shall collectively rake through all the impassable mountains, waterfalls, and forests in these islands for the glorious wife of Rama. [4-40-30, 31, 32]

The Yava Island is taken as the present day Jawa Island, and the seven kingdoms referred may compare to Jawa, Sumatra, Bali, Indonesia etc. It is believed that around 10 to 8 millennia B.C., there used to be a continuous landmass from Burma to Central America, which is why Maya civilization has flourished there via this route. Later in time due to tectonic activity, the northern India's landmass rose up and southern sunk down. [Chronology of Ancient Bharath, by Prof. K. Srinivasa Raghavan, published by 'Sri Aurobindo Study Circle, Triplicane, Chennai, in year 1896. It is therefore presumable that the islands of Indian Archipelago are so numerous and so nearly situated. However, this splintering of islands may have happened by the time of Ramayana, since the Sage-poet of Ramayana is citing them as dwiipa, islands.

Regarding the difference between the names of Yava and Jawa the word ya in Sanskrit becomes ja in vernaculars tadbhava pada. Hence Yava became Java, as simha pruri 'lion-city' became the present day Singapore.

On this point of Yava/Java island as said in Ramayana, Sri Kedarnath Basu notes in his 'Hindu Civilization': 'The reader may note here that java dwiipa described as consisting of seven kingdoms was probably the group of islands now called the Indian Archipelago, of which Java was at that time the most powerful. The chief islands of this group are Sumatra, [say, su mitra= good friend, Java, Bali, [the benefactor; Borneo, [or varuNa, the Rain-god, and Celebes. More details are with: Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, who are publishing 'Vivekananda Kendra Patrika' an encyclopaedic journal on Ancient India.

tato rakta jalam praapya shoNa aakhyam shiighra vaahiniim |
gatvaa paaram samudrasya siddha caaraNa sevitam || 4-40-33
tasya tiir.htheSu ramyeSu vicitreSu vaneSu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-40-34

33. tataH= then; rakta jalam= that has - red, waters; shiighra vaahiniim= speedily, drifting; shoNa aakhyam [agaadham = Shona, reputed as, [or a very deep river]; praapya= on getting at; samudrasya= of ocean; siddha caaraNa sevitam= siddha-s, carana-s, adored; such a; paaram= other coast; gatvaa= having gone to; tasya ramyeSu tiirtheSu= at its [Shona river's, beautiful, ghats [declivities]; vicitreSu vaneSu ca = in amazing, forests [alongshore, also; tataH tataH= there, and there; vaidehyaaH= of Vaidehi; saha= together with - as well as; raavaNaH = Ravana; maargitavyaH= be scouted around; thnen you proceed to Plaksha Island.

"Then, having gone to the other coast of the ocean you reach River Shona, waters of which will be reddish with deep and speedy drift, and which is adored by siddha-s and carana-s. You have to scout thereabout for Vaidehi as well as for Ravana, at those beautiful ghats, say littorals of that Shona River, and in the amazing forests alongshore. Then proceed to an island called Plaksha Island. [4-40-34]

parvata prabhavaa nadyaH subhiima bahu niSkuTaaH |
maargitavyaa dariimantaH parvataaH ca vanaani ca || 4-40-35

35. su bhiima= very, vast; bahu niSkuTaaH= with many, [pleasure gardens; parvata prabhavaa nadyaH= from mountain, emerging, rivers; dariimantaH parvataaH ca= cavernous, mountains, also; vanaani ca= forests, also; maargitavyaa= are to be searched; then proceed to Ikshu island.

"On that Plaksha Island very vast rivers emerge from mountains, but alongshore they have many pleasure gardens. You have to search in those gardens and at rivers together with cavernous mountains and forests of that island, and then proceed to Ikshu Island. [4-40-35]

tataH samudra dviipaan ca subhiimaan draSTum arhatha |
uurmima.ntam mahaaraudram krosha.ntam anila uddhitam || 4-40-36

36. tataH= then; su bhiimaan samudra dviipaan ca= extremely, ghastly, ocean's, [Ikshu islands, also; mahaa raudram = terribly, furious; anila uddhitam= by wind, up-heaved - tempestuous; kroshantam= blaring; uurmimantam= tide-ripped; [ikshu samudram ca= salt ocean, also]; draSTum arhatha= to see, apt of you.

"It will be apt of you to proceed from there and see the terribly furious, tempestuous, blaring, and tide-ripped ocean called ikshu samudra, Salt Ocean, and that ocean's islands which will be extremely ghastly. [4-40-36]

tatra asuraa mahaakaayaaH Chaayaam gR^ihNanti nityashaH |
brahmaNaa samanuj~naataa diirgha kaalam bubhukSitaaH || 4-40-37
tam kaala megha pratimam mahoraga niSevitam |
abhigamya mahaanaadam tiirthena eva mahodadhim || 4-40-38

37, 38. kaala megha pratimam= dark, cloud, mirroring; mahaa uraga niSevitam= great, by serpents, hallowed by; mahaa naadam= blatantly, blaring; such a; tam mahaa udadhim = that, great, ocean; tiirthena eva= by shores [or by tact, only; abhigamya= traversing, on navigating; tatra= there; mahaa kaayaaH= colossal, bodied ones; diirgha kaalam bubhukSitaaH= for a long, time, who are in hungriness; brahmaNaa sam anuj~naataa= by Brahma, well, endued by; nityashaH Cchaayaam gR^ihNanti = always, by shadow, who capture; such; asuraa= demons; [prekSyatha= you will see.

"That ocean which mirrors a dark cloud and hallowed by great serpents, and which blares blatantly is to be traversed only by it shores or tactfully, to avoid shadow-capturing of its inhabitants. There you will see colossal bodied demons with everlasting hunger inhibiting that ocean, which demons always capture prey by the shadow of prey as endued by Brahma. [4-40-37, 38]

tato raktajalam bhiimam lohitam naama saagaram |
gatvaa prekSyatha taam caiva bR^ihatiim kuuTashaalmaliim || 4-40-39

39. tataH rakta jalam = from there, red, water; bhiimam disastrous; lohitam naama saagaram= Lohita [Red Ocean, named, ocean; gatvaa= on getting at; bR^ihatiim taam kuuTashaalmaliim= colossal, that one, Kutashalmali tree; prekSyatha= you shall see.

"From there, on going to the disastrous ocean named Lohita, Red Ocean, for its waters are red, you shall see the colossal tree Kuuta-shalmali. This island is called shaalmali dwiipa, Shaalmali Island because oif this tree. [4-40-39]

This kuuta-shalmali tree in Indian variety is Andersonia Rohitaka, and in Malayan, Malaysian variety, it is Kapok tree, [Ceiba pentandra, the seeds of which are covered with silk cotton. Because it is on Shalmali Island, one among Java, Sumatra etc., islands, it is called kuuTa shalmali tree. The Red Ocean is also called madhu samudra 'Wine Ocean.'

gR^iham ca vainateyasya naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam |
tatra kailaasa sa.nkaasham vihitam vishvakarmaNaa || 4-40-40

40. tatra= there; naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam= numerous, jewels, decorated with; kailaasa sankaasham= to Mt. Kailash, in similarity; vishvakarmaNaa vihitam= by Vishvakarma, ordered [constructed by]; vainateyasya gR^iham ca = Vinata's son [Garuda's, mansion, also; [prekSyatha= you shall see.

"On that Shalmali Island in Wine Ocean you will be seeing the mansion of Vinata's son, namely Garuda, the Eagle-vehicle of Vishnu, which is decorated with numerous jewels, and which in sheen will be like Mt. Kailash, the abode of Shiva. This mansion is a construction of Vishvakarma, the Heavenly Architect. [4-40-40]

tatra shaila nibhaa bhiimaa mandehaa naama raakSasaaH |
shaila shR^i.ngeSu la.mbante naanaa ruupaa bhayaavahaaH || 4-40-41

41. tatra= thereabout; shaila shR^ingeSu= from mountain, peaks; shaila nibhaa= mountain, similar; bhiimaa= merciless ones; naanaa ruupaaH= with various, shapes; bhaya aavahaaH= horror, bringing - horrifying beings; mandehaa naama raakSasaaH= Mandeha, named demons; lambante= will be dangling [upside down.

"Thereabout horrifying and merciless demons of various shapes and similar to mountains in size, called Mandeha-s, will be dangling upside down from mountain peaks. [4-40-41]

te patanti jale nityam suuryasya udayanam prati |
abhitaptaaH ca suuryeNa la.mbante sma punaH punaH || 4-40-42
nihataa brahma tejobhiH ahani ahani raakshasaaH |

42, 43a. te= those; raakshasaaH= demons [Mandeha-s]; ahani ahani= day, [after day; suuryasya udayanam prati = Sun's, rising, towards [at the time of]; nityam suuryeNa abhi taptaaH ca= always [every day, by Sun, verily, burnt down, also; brahma tejobhiH= by Brahma's [Gayatri hymn's, impetus; nihataa= felled; jale patanti = in water, they will be falling; punaH punaH lambante sma = again, again, dangling, they will be.

"Day after day those demons will be falling in water when sun always burns them at sunrise and when the impetus of Gayatri hymn fells them down, yet they will be resurfacing and dangling on the mountaintops day after day. [4-40-42, 43a]

Mandeha beings will try to hinder the path of the Sun daily at the time of sunrise to grasp Him. At that time, the devout Gayatri hymn chanters will be chanting Gayatri and offering water oblations to Gayatri. These watery oblations and the force of Gayatri hymn will hit the Mandeha-s out, making the Sun's path clear of any obstruction. And the Sun proceeding on his way will burn them down. But Mandeha-s regain their lives and start repeating the same obstruction of Sun's path on next morning by dangling from the peaks of mountain and they are again tossed into oceans, by water oblations and Gayatri hymn, day after day. The hymn in yajur veda taittariiya says about this: tadu ha v˜ ete brahma v˜dina× p¨rv˜ abhimukha× s˜ndhy˜y˜m g˜yatry˜ abhimantry˜ ˜pa ¨rdhvam vikÿipanti - t˜ et˜ ˜pe vajrŸ bh¨tv˜ t˜ni rakÿ˜msi mandeh˜ ˜ruõe dvŸpe prakÿipanti .

tataH paaNDura meghaabham kSiiraudam naama saagaram || 4-40-43
gatvaa drakSyatha durdharSaa muktaa haaram iva uur.hmibhiH |

43b, 44a. dur dharSaa= oh, unassailable [vanara-s - Sugreeva's addressing]; tataH gatvaa= from there, having gone; paaNDura megha aabham= whitish, cloud, similar in shine; uurmibhiH= with [swaying ripples; muktaa haaram iva= which will be like swaying - pearl, necklaces, like; kSiira udam= milk, having as waters - milk ocean; naama saagaram= with that - name, an ocean; drakSyatha= you shall see.

"Oh, unassailable vanara-s, on your going therefrom you shall see the milk ocean, which will be like a whitish cloud in its shine, and even like a pearly necklace while her ripples will be swaying. [4-40-43b, 44a]

Here some more Indian Mythological oceans like sarpi, dadhi etc., are not said. The mythological oceans are lavaNa, ikshu, suraa, sarpi, dadhi, dugdha jalaiH samam salt, sugar-cane juice, ghee [clarified butter, curds, milk - oceans. Further, some islands like Kusha, Kraunca etc., are also unsaid. Though all are not explicitly listed in the text, the vanara-s are supposed to search those unsaid oceans and islands implicitly.

tasya madhye mahaa shveto R^iSabho naama parvataH || 4-40-44
divya gandhaiH kusumitai aacitaiH ca nagaiH vR^itaH |
saraH ca raajataiH padmaiH jvalitaiH hema kesaraiH || 4-40-45
naamnaa sudarshanam naama raajaha.msaiH samaakulam |

44b, 45, 46a. tasya madhye= in its, centre [of milk ocean]; divya gandhaiH= with heavenly, fragrances; kusumitaiH= [ever flowered; aacitaiH= closely [growing]; nagaiH vR^itaH= with trees, surrounded with; R^iSabhaH naama= Rishabha, named; mahaan parvataH= colossal, mountain; shvetaH= white - mountain; jvalitaiH hema kesaraiH= with sparkling, golden fibrils; raajataiH padmaiH= with silver [like, lotuses [- which is replete with]; raaja hamsaiH samaakulam= with kingly, swans, scampered; naamnaa sudarshanam naama= by name, as Sudarshana, renowned as; saraH ca = lake, also; [assit= are there.]

"In the centre of that milk ocean there is a white mountain of colossal size, named Rishabha, surrounded with closely growing trees ever flowered with flowers of heavenly fragrance. And a lake renowned as Lake Sudarshana is also there, which is replete with silvery lotuses whose fibrils are golden in sparkle, and in which kingly swans will be scampering about. [4-40-44b, 45, 46a]

vibudhaaH caaraNaa yakSaaH kinnaraaH sa apsaro gaNaaH || 4-40-46
hR^iSTaaH samadhigacChanti naliniim taam rira.msavaH |

46b, 47a. vi budhaaH= supreme, intellectuals [gods, caaraNaa yakSaaH kinnaraaH= caarana-s, yaksha-s, kinnaraa-s; sa apsaraH gaNaaH= with, apsara, hosts of; hR^iSTaaH= gladly; riramsavaH= to enjoy frolicking - frolicsomely; taam naliniim = that, lotus-lake [Sudarshana Lake]; samadhigacChanti= they will be arriving at.

"To enjoy frolicking in that Sudarshana Lake the gods, caarana-s, yaksha-s, kinnaraa-s and hosts of apsara females will be arriving at that lotus-lake gladsomely. [4-40-46b, 47a]

kSiirodam samatikramya tato drakSyatha vaanaraaH || 4-40-47
jalodam saagaram shiighram sarva bhuuta bhayaavaham |

47b, 48a. vaanaraaH = oh, vanara-s; kSiirodam samatikramya= milky ocean, on crossing over; sarva bhuuta bhayaavaham= for all, beings, frightening; jala= sof-water; udam saagaram= as waters, ocean [ocean with soft water; tataH shiighram drakSyatha= then, immediately, you shall see.

"And on crossing over the milky ocean, oh vanara-s, then you will be immediately seeing the soft-water ocean which will be frightening to all beings. [4-40-47b, 48a]

tatra tat kopajam tejaH kR^itam hayamukham mahat || 4-40-48
asya aahuH tan mahaavegam odanam sa caraacaram |

48b, 49a. tatra= there; tat kopa jam= that, from anger, originated - originated from the anger of Aurasa; mahat= fantastic one; haya mukham = horse, face; tejaH kR^itam= by refulgent Fire, made - by the anger of Aurasa; sa cara a caram= with, mobile, not, mobile [sessile beings]; mahaa vegam= highly speedy [waves of ocean]; tat= that [water of ocean]; asya odanam aahuH= its [to the Fire,] victuals, said to be.

"There exists a fantastically refulgent Fire in the form of Horse's Face that originated from the anger of Sage Aurasa. The victuals to that Fire is said to be that highly speedy waves of the ocean, together with all of the mobile and sessile beings of the world at the close of each Era. [4-40-48b, 49a]

Aurasa derives from the word uuru, meaning 'the thigh.' The mother this sage hid him under her thigh when some kings came to kill, as such he got this name. Then with vengeance this sage started to burn the world with his yogic fire, but his manes came to him to pacify and asked him to release his yogic fire in oceanic water. When he did so, that fire remained underwater, ready to emerge from a cavity like that of a she-horse's mouth, from beneath the ocean from the South Pole. This fire is called vaDaba agni, or baDaba anala , referred here as Horse's Face. At the time of yuga anta, End of Era, that fire emerges out, and the whole creation, with all its sessile and mobile beings, becomes its fuel, as said in next verse. This episode is detailed in aadi parva , First Canto, Maha Bharata.

tatra vikroshataam naado bhuutaanaam saagara okasaam |
shruuyate ca asamarthaanaam dR^iSTvaa tat vaDavaa mukham || 4-40-49

49b, c. tatra= there; tat vaDavaa mukham dR^iSTvaa= that, Fire from Horse Mouth, on seeing [on feeling it]; a + samarthaanaam= not, capable - incapacitated beings; vi kroshataam= highly, squealing; saagara okasaam bhuutaanaam = in ocean, dwellers, of beings; naadaH shruuyate= sounds, are audible.

"There the high squealing sounds of oceanic beings dwelling undersea are audible, and although they are capable ones, they are incapacitated on feeling Fire from the Horse Mouth as such they yell. [4-40-49b, c]

svaadu udasya uttare deshe yojanaani trayodasha |
jaataruupa shilo naama sumahaan kanaka prabhaH || 4-40-50

50. svaadu udasya uttare deshe= soft, water's [ocean's northern, province; trayaH dasha yojanaani = three, ten [thirteen,] yojana-s - in spread; su mahaan= hugely, enormous; kanaka prabhaH= golden, in glitter; jaataruupa shilaH naama= Jaataruupa-shila, Golden, Rock, famed as [mountain; aasiit= is there.]

"On the northern province of that soft-water ocean there is a hugely enormous mountain named Jaataruupa-shila, Golden Rock Mountain, which glitters like gold and which spreads across thirteen yojana-s. [4-40-50]

tatra candra pratiikaasham pannagam dharaNii dharam |
padma patra vishaalaaksham tato drakshyadha vaanaraaH || 4-40-51
aasiinam parvatasya agre sarva bhuuta namaskR^itam |
sahasra shirasam devam ana.ntam niila vaasasam || 4-40-52

51, 52. vaanaraaH = oh, vanara-s; tataH= then; tatra= there; parvatasya agre aasiinam= on mountain's, top of, one who is sitting; candra pratiikaasham= moon, one reflecting like - in brilliance; padma patra vishaala aksham= lotus, petal, broad, eyed one; sarva bhuuta namas kR^itam = by all, beings, reverenced; sahasra shirasam= thousand, headed [hooded]; niila vaasasam= with black, clothing; devam= god; dharaNii dharam= earth, one who sustains on his head; anantam pannagam= Ananta, serpent; drakshyadha= you shall see.

"There you shall see then, oh, vanara-s, the lotus-petal broad-eyed thousand-hooded serpent god in black clothing, namely Ananta, sitting on the top of that mountain and sustaining the earth on his head, who will be like moon in his brilliance and whom all beings hold in reverence. [4-40-51, 52]

Ananta means infinite, the infinite Thousand-hooded serpent-god also called as aadi shSa the couch of Vishnu. This word ananta is also symbolic with the infinite space that is supporting the galaxies, planets, and stars, of which earth is but one globe.

trishiraaH kaa.ncanaH ketuH taalaH tasya mahaatmanaH |
sthaapitaH parvatasya agre viraajati sa vedikaH || 4-40-53

53. mahaa aatmanaH= great-souled one's; tasya parvatasya= that, mountain's; agre= on peak; sthaapitaH ketuH= staked, pylon of insignia is; tri shiraaH= three, headed [branched]; kaancanaH sa vedikaH= golden one, with, podium; taalaH= palm tree; viraajati= will be lustrous.

"A golden pylon resembling a palm tree with three branches as its heads is established on the peak of that mountain as the insignia of that great-souled Ananta, and it will be lustrous with a golden podium. [4-40-53]

puurvasyaam dishi nirmaaNam kR^itam tat tridasheshvaraiH |
tataH param hemamayaH shriimaan udaya parvataH || 4-40-54
tasya koTiH divam spR^iSTvaa shata yojanam aayataa |
jaataruupamayii divyaa viraajati sa vedikaa || 4-40-55

54. tat= that; nirmaaNam= construction - of golden pylon of palm tree; puurvasyaam dishi= easterly, direction; tridasha iishvaraiH= by celestial, gods kR^itam = it is done; tataH param= there, after - beyond that; hemamayaH= completely golden; shriimaan udaya parvataH= august one, Undaya [Sunrise,] Mountain; is there; tasya= its; jaataruupamayii= completely golden; divyaa= divine one; sa vedikaa= with, pedestals; shata yojanam aayataa= hundred, yojana, in height; koTiH divam spR^iSTvaa= pinnacle, heavens, touching; viraajati= greatly glitters.

"That pylon of palm tree is constructed as the easterly compass by celestials gods, and beyond that a completely golden mountain is there, namely the august Udaya Mountain, the Mt. Sunrise, beyond which it is all west. The pinnacles of Mt. Sunrise will be touching heavens for their height is hundred yojana-s and that divine mountain greatly glitters for it is completely golden, and it is pedestalled with suchlike glittering mountains. [4-40-54, 55]

William's Vishnu Purana states: 'here is an interesting reference to the physical phenomena of the apparent diurnal motion of the sun, which sets in the west [America, and reappears again in the east jambu dviipa, the central continent, Asia...'

saalaiH taalaiH tamaalaiH ca karNikaaraiH ca puSpitaiH |
jaataruupamayaiH divyaiH shobhate suurya sannibhaiH || 4-40-56

56. jaataruupamayaiH= completely golden - in hue; divyaiH= with beautiful ones; suurya sannibhaiH= sun, similar to; puSpitaiH = well flowered; saalaiH taalaiH tamaalaiH ca= with saala trees, palm trees, Tamala trees, also; karNikaaraiH ca= Karnikaara trees, also; shobhate= divine, splendorous - that Mt. Sunrise will be splendorous.

"That Mt. Sunrise will be splendorous with well flowered and beautiful saala, palm, Tamaala, and Karnikaara trees which are completely golden in hue and which will be glittering similar to sun. [4-40-56]

tatra yojana vistaaram ucChritam dasha yojanam |
shR^i.ngam saumanasam naama jaataruupamayam dhruvam || 4-40-57

57. tatra yojana vistaaram= there, yojana, width; dasha yojanam ucChritam= ten, yojana-s, with height [at apex]; jaata ruupa mayam= completely golden; dhruvam= very firm; saumanasam naama shR^ingam = Saumanasa, named, pinnacle - is there.

"On the apex of that Mt. Sunrise there is another pinnacle with one yojana width and ten yojana-s height named Saumanasa, which is completely golden and very firm. [4-40-57]

tatra puurvam padam kR^itvaa puraa viSNuH trivikrame |
dvitiiyam shikharam meroH cakaara puruSottamaH || 4-40-58

58. puruSa uttamaH= Person, Supreme; viSNuH= Vishnu; puraa trivikrame= earlier, in Trivikrama incarnation; puurvam= firstly; tatra= there - on that peak; padam kR^itvaa= foot - foothold, making; dvitiiyam= second one - foot; meroH shikharam cakaara= on Mt. Meru's, peak, he made - he placed.

"Earlier while treading the three worlds in the incarnation of Trivikrama, the Supreme Person Vishnu made His first foothold on that pinnacle Saumanasa, and the second on the pinnacle of Mt. Meru to tread the heavens. [4-40-58]

uttareNa parikramya ja.mbuu dviipam divaakaraH |
dR^ishyo bhavati bhuuyiSTham shikharam tan mahocChrayam || 4-40-59

59. divaakaraH= day-maker [Sun]; jambuu dviipam uttareNa parikramya= to Jambu Dwiipa, by north, on circling; mahat ucChrayam tat shikharam = zenithal, that, pinnacle; [praapya= on reaching]; bhuuyiSTham dR^ishyaH bhavati = by far, discernable, he will be.

"The Sun is by far discernable in Jambu Dwiipa when he rises on this zenithal pinnacle Saumanasa, after he had circled the Jambu Dwiipa in a northerly route. [4-40-59]

The sunrises in the East on the peak of this Saumanasa which is on the zenith of Udaya Mountain. Then he traverses above Jambu Dwiipa, Indian Subcontinent, including South-East Asia, and sets in the West on the mountains called asta adri, ' the Sunset Mountain.' Then he courses northerly on the other side of the globe via Mt. Meru in heavens at the other side of Jambu Dwiipa, only to rise again on this Mt. Sunrise. As Jambu Dwiipa, the subcontinent lies southerly to that heavenly Mt. Meru, and down East-South of Saumanasa, this subcontinent can happily see the First Sun, daily. This gives raise to the Indian name of India, that is Bhaarata, bhaa rataH Sun, delights...' The place where the Sun delights firstly, that is Bhaarat...'

tatra vaikhaanasaa naama vaalakhilyaa maharSayaH |
prakaashamaanaa dR^ishyante suurya varNaaH tapasvinaH || 4-40-60

60. tatra= there; suurya varNaaH= in sun's, tinge - in resplendence; tapasvinaH= ascetics; vaikhaanasaa naama= Vaikhanasa, of nomenclature; vaalakhilyaa maha rSayaH= Vaalakhilyaa-s [named,] great-sages; prakaashamaanaa= while they are luminous; dR^ishyante = they come into view.

"There the great-sages with nomenclature of Vaikhanasa-s and Vaalakhilyaa-s will come into view with an ambience of luminosity, for those ascetics will be with the resplendence of the Sun. [4-40-60]

Valakhilya-s and Vaikhaanasaa-s are two different groups of ascetics and these sages Vaalakhilyaa-s are sixty thousand in number as said in Vishnu Purana. Their account is given in the opening chapters of Aranya Kanda.

ayam sudarshano dviipaH puro yasya prakaashate |
tasmin tejaH ca cakSuH ca sarva praaNabhR^itaam api || 4-40-61

61. yasya puraH = whose, in front of - in the presence of which illumination; sarva praaNa bhR^itaam api= for all, life, sustaining beings, even; cakSuH ca= eyes, even; prakaashate= will be illuminated - enlightened; tat tejaH = that, illumination - illuminating entity of the universe, namely the Sun; yasmin= where - sun will be sojourning; ayam sudarshanaH dviipaH= this is - that one, that Sudarshana, island.

"In the presence of which resplendence the eyes of all living beings will become enlightened, and whereat that illuminating entity of universe, namely the Sun, will be sojourning, this is that Sudarshana Island, named so because it contains Sudarshana lake. [4-40-61]

shailasya tasya pR^iSTheSu ka.ndareSu vaneSu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-40-62

62. tasya shailasya pR^iSTheSu= of that, mountain's - Mt. Udaya, Mt. Sunrise top of [not at behind]; kandareSu vaneSu ca = in caves, in forests, also; tataH tataH= there, and there; raavaNaH vaidehyaa saha = Ravana, together with, Vaidehi; maargitavyaH = shall be searched.

"On the top of that Mt. Sunrise, and even in its cave and forests of that island Ravana is to be searched, together with Seetha. [4-40-62]

kaa.ncanasya ca shailasya suuryasya ca mahaatmanaH |
aaviSTaa tejasaa sa.ndhyaa puurvaa raktaa prakaashate || 4-40-63

63. kaancanasya ca shailasya= of golden [hue,] also, of mountain [Udaya, Mt. Sunrise]; suuryasya ca mahaatmanaH= of Sun, also great-souled [the beneficent one]; tejasaa aaviSTaa = with resplendence, imbricates; puurvaa sandhyaa = eastern, aurora; raktaa prakaashate= redly, glows.

"The eastern aurora glows redly because the golden hue of Mt. Sunrise imbricates the resplendence of the beneficent Sun. [4-40-63]

puurvam etat kR^itam dvaaram pR^ithivyaa bhuvanasya ca |
suuryasya udayanam caiva puurvaa hi eSaa dik ucyate || 4-40-64

64. puurvam etat= in the beginning, this one [Mt. Sunrise]; pR^ithivyaa= of earth; bhuvanasya ca = of heaven, also; dvaaram is the gateway; suuryasya udayanam caiva= Sun's, rising place, also thus; kR^itam= made [ordained by Brahma, the Creator]; as such; eSaa puurvaa dik ucyate hi = this, eastern, quarter, is said, indeed.

"In the beginning Brahma, the Creator, ordained this Mt. Sunrise to be the gateway for the earth to heaven, and even as the rising place for the Sun, as such this is verily said as the 'eastern quarter' of the compass. [4-40-64]

Dharmaakuutam says that Maha Bharata defines these quarters in detail: anena purva nirmita dvŸpa yog˜t v˜ p¨rvam s¨ryasya tatra darþan˜d v˜ iyam dik p¨rve iti ucyata iti uktam | ittham ca p¨rvasya diþa× itar˜s˜m cadiþ˜m nirvacanam udyoga parve -dk - yasm˜t udayate p¨rvam sarva loka pradŸpaka || savit˜ yatra s˜dhy˜n˜m prathamam vartate tapa× | mah˜ bh˜rata

tasya shalasya pR^iSTheSu nir.hjhareSu guhaasu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargatavyaa tataH tataH || 4-40-65

65. tasya shailasya pR^iSTheSu= of that, mountain's, on peaks; nirjhareSu guhaasu ca= in rapids, caverns, also; raavaNaH= Ravana; saha vaidehyaa= together with, Vaidehi; tataH tataH= there, there; maargatavyaa = be ransacked.

"Ransack that mountain's peak, even thereabout the rapids and caverns of that mountain for Vaidehi, and even for Ravana. [4-40-65]

tataH param agamyaa syaat dik puurvaa tridasha aavR^itaa |
rahitaa candra suuryaabhyaam adR^ishyaa timira aavR^itaa || 4-40-66

66. tataH param= from there, beyond; tridasha aavR^itaa= by gods, hemmed in - gather; candra suuryaabhyaam= without, Moon, Sun, - both of them; rahitaa= without - void of; timira aavR^itaa= by oblivion, hedged in; such a; puurvaa dik= easterly, quarter; a+ gamyaa syaat= not, passable, it will be; a +dR^ishyaa= not, discernable - it will be imperceivable.

"Beyond Mt. Sunrise the eastern quarter is impassable. It will be hemmed in with gods since it the gateway to heaven, and everything is imperceivable hedged in oblivion, since it will be void of both Sun and Moon. [4-40-66]

shaileSu teSu sarveSu ka.ndareSu vaneSu ca |
ye ca na uktaa mayoddeshaa viceyaa teSu jaanakii || 4-40-67

67. teSu shaileSu= in those, mountains; sarveSu kandareSu vaneSu ca= in all, in caverns, in forests, even; mayaa ye uddeshaaH= by me, those, that are indicated; na uktaa ca= not, said, also; teSu jaanakii viceyaa = in them, Janaki, shall be searched.

"Janaki shall be scouted out on all those mountains, caverns and forests that are indicated by me, and even at places that are not indicated by me. [4-40-67]

etaavat vaanaraiH shakyam gantum vaanara pu.ngavaaH |
abhaaskaram amaryaadam na jaaniimaH tataH param || 4-40-68

68. vaanara pungavaaH = oh, vanara-s, the best; etaavat= up to there; vaanaraiH gantum shakyam = by vanara-s, to go, it is possible; a +bhaaskaram= without, sun [sunless]; a + maryaadam= not, with boundaries [boundless realms]; about them; tataH param= there, after - that are there; na jaaniimaH= not, we know - I do not know.

"It is possible for the vanara-s to go only up to there, oh, best vanara-s, and we have no knowledge of those sunless and boundless realms available far and beyond. [4-40-68]

abhigamya tu vaidehiim nilayam raavaNasya ca |
maase puurNe nivartadhvam udayam praapya parvatam || 4-40-69

69. udayam parvatam praapya = Udaya [Sunrise,] mountain, on attaining at; vaidehiim= for Vaidehi; raavaNasya nilayam ca= of Ravana, residency, also; abhigamya= on reaching out - on finding; maase= a month; a +puurNe= without, completion [within a month]; nivartadhvam= you shall comeback.

"You shall comeback within a month on finding out Vaidehi and the residency of Ravana after your reaching Mt. Sunrise. [4-40-69]

uurdhvam maasaat na vastavyam vasan vadhyo bhaven mama |
siddha arthaaH sa.nnivartadhvam adhigamya ca maithiliim || 4-40-70

70. maasaat uurdhvam= than a month, above - after more than a month; na vastavyam= not, to stay behind; vasan= if stayed behind; mama vadhyaH bhavet = to me, killable, he becomes; the words killable, executable, eliminable, eradicable are not comfortable. Hence, 'I have to exercise coupe de grace,' because it is not sure killing, but with some options; siddha arthaaH= on becoming accomplished, of purpose; maithiliim adhigamya ca = Maithili, on reaching - exploring for her; sam nivartadhvam =[you all] verily, shall return.

"And none shall stay behind for more than a month, and if anyone stays I have to exercise coup de grace. So, you shall return with your purpose accomplished in exploring for Maithili. [4-40-70]

mahendra kaa.ntaam vana SaNDa maNDitaam
disham caritvaa nipuNena vaanaraaH |
avaapya siitaam raghu va.mshaja priyaam
tato nivR^ittaaH sukhino bhaviSyatha || 4-40-71

71. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; mahendra kaantaam= by Mahendra, cherished; vana SaNDa maNDitaam= forests, groves, circuited by - decorated by; such a; disham= quarter - eastern quarter; nipuNena caritvaa= expertly, on treading - on searching; raghu vamsha ja= Raghu's, dynasty's, born in [one who is born in Raghu's, dynasty, Rama]; priyaam= [Rama's dear [wife]; siitaam avaapya = Seetha, on getting - finding; tataH nivR^ittaaH= from there, on returning; sukhinaH bhaviSyatha= happily, livelong.

"On searching the eastern quarter expertly, which quarter is cherished by no less than Mahendra and which is circuited by the grooves of forests, and on attaining Seetha, the dear wife of the one born in Raghu's dynasty, namely Rama, and on returning from that Far East, you all may livelong happily." Thus Sugreeva addressed the vanara-s that are being sent to East under the leadership of Vinata. [4-40-71]

This is the irrefutable sugriiva aaj~na 'Sugreeva's order,' and it always annexes the wording 'you will be killed, executed, or eradicated, if you fail to accomplish...' which indicates his style as an autocratic disciplinarian of his subordinates in getting things done for his master, Rama. And he himself becomes one such subordinate before his masters, Rama and Lakshmana. This is the kainkarya 'dedication.' Rama's appreciation is winnable with such 'dedication to duty, friendship, of to given word.

Lakshmana's dedication is of the sort of daasya bhaava 'dedication in servitude...' while Sugreeva's is sevaa bhaava 'a dedication in servitorship...' and Hanuma's bhakti bhaava 'dedication in reverence...' a true devotee, and thus in whatever way one shall strive, everything culminates in one selfless entity, the Supreme Person

.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe catvaari.nshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 40th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 41

Introduction

Sugreeva sends Vanara-s to southward which troop includes Hanuma, Jambavanta, Niila and others and Angada is its leader. Sugreeva gives a vivid picture of the southern side of Jambu dviipa up to the south-most part of passable regions, next to which the abode of Yama, the Terminator is there. This troop is also given one month's time to find the whereabouts of Seetha.

tataH prasthaapya sugriivaH tan mahat vaanaram balam |
dakSiNaam preSayaamaasa vaanaraan abhilakSitaan || 4-41-1

1. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; mahat tat vaanaram balam prasthaapya= great one, that, vanara, force [to East,] on sending; tataH = then; abhi lakSitaan= well, chosen - tried and true; vaanaraan= vanara-s; dakSiNaam preSayaamaasa = to South, started to send.

On sending that great vanara force to east, Sugreeva started to send tried and true vanara-s to south. [4-41-1]

niilam agni sutam caiva hanuumantam ca vaanaram |
pitaamaha sutam caiva jaa.mbava.ntam mahojasam || 4-41-2
suhotram ca sharaarim ca sharagulmam tathaa eva ca |
gajam gavaakSam gavayam suSeNam vR^iSabham tathaa || 4-41-3
maindam ca dvividam caiva suSeNam gandhamaadanam |
ulkaamukham ana.ngam ca hutashana sutau ubhau || 4-41-4
a.ngada pramukhaan viiraan viiraH kapi gaNa iishvaraH |
vega vikrama sa.mpannaan sa.ndidesha visheSavit || 4-41-5

2, 3, 4, 5. viiraH= brave one; visheSa vit= specialities, knower of [well-informed one - Sugreeva]; kapi gaNa iishvaraH= monkey, troops, lord - Sugreeva; agni sutam niilam= Fire-god's, son, Neela; vaanaram hanuumantam ca = vanara, Hanuma, also; pitaamaha sutam= Grandfather's [Brahma's,] son; mahaa ojasam= highly vigorous one; jaambavantam caiva = Jaambavanta, also thus; suhotram ca sharaarim ca= Suhotra, also, Sharaari, also; tathaa eva ca= like, that, only; sharagulmam= Sharagulma; gajam gavaakSam gavayam suSeNam vR^iSabham tathaa= Gaja, Gavaaksha, Gavaya, Sushena, Vrishabha; maindam ca dvividam caiva= Mainda, also, Dvivida, also thus; suSeNam gandha maadanam ulkaamukham anangam ca= Sushena, Gandhamaadana, Ulkaamukha, Ananga, also; hutashana sutau ubhau= Ritual-fire's, son, two of them; angada pramukhaan= Angada, and other prominent; vega vikrama sampannaan= in dash, dare, full-fledged ones; viiraan= valorous ones; sandidesha= commissioned, beckoned.

Sugreeva, the well-informed and brave lord of monkey troops, then beckoned Angada and the other prominent vanara-s who are valorous ones with full-fledged dash and dare, like the son of Fire-god Neela, and the exceptional vanara Hanuma, the highly vigorous son of Grandparent Brahma, namely Jaambavanta, also others like Suhotra, Sharaari, Sharagulma Gaja, Gavaaksha, Gavaya, Sushena, Vrishabha, Mainda, Dvivida, Sushena, Gandhamaadana, and the two sons of Ritual-fire called Ulkaamukha, Ananga. [4-41-2, 3, 4, 5]

Sushena said in above verses is not the father of Tara. Sugreeva addresses him later when sending another direction.

teSaam agresaram caiva bR^ihad balam atha a.ngadam |
vidhaaya hari viiraaNaam aadishad dakSiNaam disham || 4-41-6

6. atha= then; teSaam hari viiraaNaam= for them, monkeys, valiant ones - search party; bR^ihat balam= formidably, mighty; angadam= Angada; agresaram vidhaaya = as chief, on making; dakSiNaam disham aadishat = southerly, direction, [Sugreeva] ordered.

Sugreeva made the formidably mighty Angada as the chief of those valiant monkeys forming search party and ordered southern direction for them. [4-41-6]

ye kecana samuddeshaaH tasyaam dishi sudurgamaaH |
kapiiishaH kapi mukhyaanaam sa teSaam samudaaharat || 4-41-7

7. tasyaam dishi= in that, direction of compass; su dur gamaaH = verily, impossible, to pass - highly impassable; ye ke cana= which of those few; sam ut deshaaH= well, intended, countries - some countries that need be explained; about them; saH kapi iishaH= he that, monkeys, king of - Sugreeva; teSaam kapi mukhyaanaam= to them, monkey, prominent ones; sam udaaharat= well, illustrated - gave a picture of.

The king of monkeys Sugreeva gave a picture about some of the highly impassable countries available in southern quarter that need an introduction to those prominent monkeys bound south. [4-41-7]

sahasra shirasam vi.ndhyam naanaa druma lataa aayutam |
narmadaam ca nadiim ramyaam mahoraga niSevitaam || 4-41-8
tato godaavariim ramyaam kR^iSNaaveNiim mahaanadiim |
varadaam ca mahaabhaagaam mahoraga niSevitaam |
mekhalaan utkalaam caiva dashaarNa nagaraaNi api || 4-41-9
abrava.ntiim ava.ntiim ca sarvam eva anupashyata |
vidarbhaan R^iSTikaan caiva ramyaan maahiSakaan api || 4-41-10

8. sahasra shirasam= thousands, of heads [crests]; naanaa druma lataa aayutam= numerous, trees, climbers, abounding in; vindhyam= Vindhya Range; mahaa uraga ni Sevitaam= great, snakes, adored by; ramyaam narmadaam nadiim ca = delightful one, Narmada, river, also; tataH= then; ramyaam godaavariim = wonderful one, River Godavari; mahaanadiim= River Mahaanadi; kR^iSNaaveNiim= River Krishnaveni, or Krishna; mahaa bhaagaam= highly, auspicious one; mahaa uraga niSevitaam= by great, snakes, adored by; varadaam ca= River Varada, also; mekhalaan utkalaam caiva= Mekhala, Utkala [in territories,] also thus; dashaarNa nagaraaNi api= Dashaarna, in cities, also; abravantiim avantiim ca= Abravanti, Avanti, also; vidarbhaan R^iSTikaan caiva= Vidarbha, Rishtika, also, thus; ramyaan maahiSakaan api= charming [kingdom,] in Maheeshaka, even; sarvam eva anu pashyata= all [everywhere,] thus, closely, see - search thoroughly.

"Search the thousand crested Vindhya mountains abounding with numerous tress and climbers, then the delightful Narmada river coursing a little southerly to that range, which is adored by great snakes, along with wonderful River Godavari, as well as River Krishnaveni and Maha Nadi, and then the greatly auspicious River Varada which is an adoration to great snakes. And the territories of Mekhala, Utkala, the cities of Dashaarna, kingdoms of Abravanti, Avanti, and Vidarbha, also thus the charming kingdom of Maheehaka, are to be searched thoroughly. [4-41-10]

If Mahaanadi is taken as a separate entity it is in Orissa, which kingdom was called earlier as Utkala or Kalinga kingdom. Otherwise Krishnaveni becomes a 'great river' by the adjectival wording mahaanadi. Mekhala territory, whose earlier name is amara kanTaka parvata, is the mountain from where the River Narmada emerges. The River Varada is now called Wardha in Maharashtra. The order of rives narrated is not according to the present day mapping, other wise Mahaanadi would have come earlier to Godavari.

Some mms contain ashvavanti 'kingdom with horses...' instead of abravanti and then the age old Avanti kingdom, which is a gateway for Arabian horses will be the famed kingdom for horses. This is the present day Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Dharmaakuutam has this as abruvantiim bruvantimm roughly forming part of the speech of Sugreeva 'spoken and unspoken areas by me...' However, these areas are in the Southwest of India, and it appears the order of positing the rivers or kingdoms, one after the other is not maintained or may be shuffled.

tathaa vangaan kalingaam ca kaushikaan ca sama.ntataH |
anviikSya daNDaka araNyam sa parvata nadii guham || 4-41-11
nadiim godaavariim caiva sarvam eva anupashyata |
tathaiva aandhraan ca puNDraan ca colaan paaNDyaan keralaan || 4-41-12

11, 12. tathaa= like that; vangaan kalingaam ca=, Vanga, Kalinga [kingdoms,] also; sam antataH= verily, at its fringes; available; kaushikaan ca= Kaushika [territories,] also; you search and then; sa parvata nadii guham daNDaka araNyam = with, mountains, rivers, Dandaka, forest, caves; anviikSya= on seeing - on searching Dandaka; godaavariim nadiim caiva= Godavari, river, also, thus; tathaiva= like that; aandhraan ca= Andhra territory; puNDraan ca colaan paaNDyaan keralaan= Pundra, Chola, Paandya, Kerala [provinces]; sarvam eva= all of them; anu pashyata= closely, see - make a through search.

"Like that Vanga, Kalinga territories shall be searched along with Kaushika territories available on their fringes, then cast about the Dandaka forest all over its mountains, rivers, and its caves, then River Godavari that courses through Dandaka forest, and then the provinces of Andhra, Pundra, Chola, Paandya, Kerala are to be searched thoroughly. [4-41-11, 12]

Some other mms have Matsya desha in this verse instead of the Vanga desha. The Vanga is the present day Bengal and this territory retained its epical name, but while pronouncing it becomes banga because the Sanskrit grammar allows to pronounce or write va as ba by the rule va ba yoH abhedaH and thus it is called Baangla or Bengal as British used to call. Kaushika in some other mms is read as kaashika. Kalinga is Orissa which touches Bengal at its north, and it is the Kie-ling-kia as said by Huet Tsang.

The Andhra is the present day Andhra Pradesh and Chola is the present Tamil Nadu, especially northern area, and Pundra is roughly in between Andhra and Chola. Paandya is south-most area where in Kanyakumari district the Cape Camorin is there, and Kerala is the present Kerala state from Gokarna to Kanyakumari. Its historical name was chera raajya and in Ashoka's time, it was called kerala putra.

ayomukhaH ca ga.ntavyaH parvato dhaatu maNDitaH |
vicitra shikharaH shriimaan citra puSpita kaananaH || 4-41-13
suca.ndana vanoddesho maargitavyo mahaagiriH |

13, 14a. dhaatu maNDitaH= with ores, crowded with; vi citra shikharaH= verily, amazing, with crests; shriimaan= prosperous [mountain]; citra puSpita kaananaH = motley, flowered, with forests; such a; ayaH mukhaH parvataH= iron, mouths, mountain - a mountain having iron-ore mines in the shape of mouths, namely Mt. Malaya]; gantavyaH= reachable - you shall go to; su candana vanaat deshaH= best, sandalwood trees, with copses, places; mahaa giriH maargitavyaH = great mountain, is to be searched.

"You shall go to the prosperous Mt. Malaya which is crowded with iron-ore mines as its vast mouths, and with amazing crests and motley flowered forests. Search shall be carried out on that great mountain in the places that are with the copses of sandalwood trees. [4-41-13, 14a]

This Mountain is also called Agastyamalai and it is in Western Ghats from which River Tamraparni emerges.

tataH taam aapagaam divyaam prasanna salilaashayaan || 4-41-14
tatra drakSyatha kaaveriim vihR^itaam apsaro gaNaiH |

14b, 15a. tataH= from there; divyaam= divine one; prasanna salila ashayaan= limpid, waters, receptacle of; apsaraH gaNaiH vihR^itaam = by apsara, throngs, make pleasure-trips; taam kaaveriim= her, Kaveri; aapa gaam= water, flowing [river]; tatra drakSyatha = there, you shall see.

"From there you shall go and see the divine River Kaaveri there, a receptacle of limpid waters, to where throngs of apsara-s will be making pleasure-trips. [4-41-14b, 15a]

The River Kaaveri is the best river in southern peninsula of India that flows from Braham Giri Mountains in Coorg of Western India to the East draining in Bay of Bengal and irrigating a major chunk of land. Many legends are associated with this river, of which one is that when Sage Agastya was bringing waters of River Ganga, they sprinkled from his kamandulau, the handy water-vessel, and flooded like Kaaveri. The original Tamil name is kakaviri where kaakam is 'crow...' viri 'spread out...' When Agastya is bringing water it sprinkled from his handy vessel and flooded the kaa 'the garden...' in Tamil, the garden of Indra. Then it is called kaaviri, but Shilpadikkaaram records its name as Kaaveri only pulavoy vazhi kaaveri... nadanthai vazhi kaaveri...

tasya aasiinam nagasya agre malayasya mahojasam || 4-41-15
drakSyatha aaditya sa.nkaasham agastyam R^iSi sattamam |

15b, 16a. mahaa ojasam= highly resplendent [mountain]; tasya malayasya nagasya agre = of that, Mt. Malaya, mountain, on the top of it; aasiinam= who is sitting; aaditya sankaasham= Sun, in similarity; R^iSi sattamam agastyam drakSyatha= Sage, the eminent, Agastya, you shall see.

"You shall see the eminent sage Agastya, whose resplendence is akin to that of the Sun, and who will be sitting on the top of that highly resplendent Mt. Malaya. [4-41-15b, 16a]

tataH tena abhyanuj~naataaH prasannena mahaatmanaa || 4-41-16
taamraparNiim graaha juSTaam tariSyatha mahaanadiim |

16b, 17a. tataH= from there; prasannena mahaa aatmanaa= when he becomes complaisant, great-soul [Agastya]; tena= by him; abhi anuj~naataaH= well permitted; graaha juSTaam taamraparNiim = capturers [crocodiles,] highly cherished by, River Taamraparni; such a; mahaa nadiim= great river; tariSyatha= you shall cross over.

"And when that great-souled Agastya complaisantly permits you, then you shall leave that mountain and cross over the great River Taamraparni, a highly cherished river of crocodiles. [4-41-16b, 17a]

saa candana vanaiH citraiH pracChannaa dviipa vaariNii || 4-41-17
kaantaa iva yuvatii kaantam samudram avagaahate |

17b, 18a. citraiH candana vanaiH = with amazing, sandalwood trees, copses; pracChannaa dviipa vaariNii= with overlapped, islands, water; saa= she [the river]; yuvatii= a young woman [Taamraparni]; kaantaa = one who is yearning for; kaantam iva= for whom she is yearning - her love, as with; samudram= to ocean; avagaahate = [she will be] rendezvousing.

"She whose water is overlapped with amazing copses of sandalwood trees and islands that River Taamrapani will be drifting for a rendezvous with her much yearned lover, namely the ocean, as with a young woman who will be coursing to have a rendezvous with her yearned lover. [4-41-17b, 18a]

The romantic touch is that the River Taamraparni has sandalwood trees alongshore and by constant rubbing of her waters, those trees that yield sandalwood paste to her. And her island-like breasts are smeared with that sandal paste supplied by the trees alongshore, while she is nearing her husband, namely the ocean.

The name of the river Taamraparni or Tamiravarani or Taamravarni derives from the words taamra 'coppery...' varNa 'colour...' 'a river with coppery riverbanks...' where those riverbanks have light coppery sandalwood trees. And she flows from Agastyamalai in Western Ghats of India, and courses through Papanaasham, a holy place. And covering Tirunalveli it drains into Bay of Bengal at the Gulf of Mannaar. There are hosts of vainavatiruppadigal 'Vaishnavaite temples...' throughout its riverbanks and this river is held holy. There are many legends about it, of which one says that Sage Agastya led the course of this river to the ocean for twenty-seven days from its source.

Down south of the River Taamraparni it is simhala desha or senga-kia-lo the present day Sri Lanka. 'This was first made known to the European world by the expedition of Alexander, as Taprobane. The true form however would appear to be Ta'mba panni or the 'red-leaved one...' from the Sanskrit T'amparni and Ptolemy calls it Salike, corrupt from Simhalaka Abu Rihaan gives the form of Singal-dip and then the Arabic name Tilaan came and that resulted into Cylone. After a long lost time they have renamed it as per the nomenclature given in Ramayana as Lanka, but adding a Sri before it. [After Ancient Geography of India.]

tato hemamayam divyam muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam || 4-41-18
yuktam kavaaTam paaNDyaanaam gataa drakSyatha vaanaraaH |

18b, 19a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tataH= from there; yuktam= joined to - braced to the wall of fortress; hemamayam divyam= full with gold, beautiful one; muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam= pearls, gemstones, decorated with; paaNDyaanaam kavaaTam= of Paandya [kingdom's,] castle-door; gataaH= having gone there; drakSyatha= you shall see; search inside that gateway.

"From there, on going to the Paandya Kingdome you shall see a fully golden castle-door bracing the compound-wall of the fortress, which is decorated with pearls and jewels, and conduct your search even in that kingdom. [4-41-18b, 19a]

tataH samudram aasaadya sa.mpradhaarya artha nishcayam || 4-41-19
agastyena antare tatra saagare viniveshitaH |
citra saanu nagaH shriimaan mahendraH parvatottamaH || 4-41-20
jaata ruupamayaH shriimaan avagaaDho mahaarNavam |

19b, 20, 21a. tataH samudram aasaadya= then, [southern] ocean, on reaching; artha nishcayam sampradhaarya = purpose's, resolve, on resolving; agastyena= by Agastya; tatra= there; saagare antare vi niveshitaH= in ocean, inside, verily, penned up [one end of mountain]; citra saanu nagaH= one with marvellous, terraces, trees; shriimaan mahendraH = glorious, Mt. Mahendra; parvata uttamaH= among mountains, best one; jaataruupamayaH= completely golden; shriimaan mahaa arNavam= august [Mt. Mahendra,] into great, ocean; avagaaDhaH= will be steeping in.

"Then on reaching the southern ocean, and on taking a resolve with regard to the purpose of your task, viz., importance of the mission undertaken vis-à-vis your individual capacities to leap the ocean, you reach the glorious Mt. Mahendra. Sage Agastya once penned its one end in the ocean, and the other end is now visible. That august and best one among all mountains will be completely golden with marvellous terraces and trees, and it will be steeping into ocean on the other side of land, and this mountain becomes the jumping-off point for you vanara-s. [4-41-19b, 20, 21a]

There are three mountains in Kanyakumari district, the southern promontories of India, at the end of Western Ghats, namely Thadaka malai, Mahendra giri, Marunthuva malai, where the word malai, giri is 'mountain...' in Tamil. The Thadakamalai is held as the forest of Tataka, the demoness, and Rama is believed to have come up to this south most part of India to eliminate Tataka in his boyhood. The Mahendragiri is the mountain from which Hanuma leaps to Lanka and the river that emerges from this mountain is named after Hanuma. The Marunthuvamalai is believed to be a mound fallen from the main Himalayan mountain which Hanuma brought while bringing sanjiivini herb, to bring Lakshmana to conscious. Even now, the local people benefit from the herbs that grow on this mountain and even the bitter leaves when cooked on this mountain will turn to sweet taste. This is being the story of this end of the ocean for Herbal Mountain, on the other end in Sri Lanka also there is a similar herbal mountain called Rhumassala Kanda, in Singhalese.

naanaa vidhaiH nagaiH phullaiH lataabhiH ca upashobhitam || 4-41-21
deva R^iSi yakSa pravaraiH apsarobhiH ca sevitam |
siddha caaraNa sa.nghaiH ca prakiirNam sumanoharam || 4-41-22
tam upaiti sahasraakSaH sadaa parvasu parvasu |

21b, 22, 23a. naanaa vidhaiH= numerous, sorts of; phullaiH nagaiH= with flowered, trees; lataabhiH ca upashobhitam= with climbers, also, glorified; deva R^iSi yakSa pravaraiH= by gods, sages, yaksha-s, important ones; apsarobhiH ca= by apsara-s, even; sevitam= adored; siddha caaraNa sanghaiH ca = by siddha-s, caarana, groups of, also; pra kiirNam= well, overspread; su manaH haram= truly, heart-stealing [for a look]; tam= it - to that mountain; sahasraakSaH= Thousand-eyed Indra; parvasu parvasu= on auspicious day, on auspicious day - on every auspicious day; sadaa = always - regularly; upaiti= he comes.

"Mt. Mahendra is glorified with numerous kinds of flowered trees and climbers. Important gods, sages, yaksha-s and even apsara-s will adore it, and it is overspread with the groups of siddha-s and caarana-s, and thus it will be heart-stealing for a look. And the Thousand-eyed Indra will always be visiting that Mt. Mahendra on every auspicious day. [4-41-21b, 22, 23a]

The auspicious day for Tamil almanac is no moon day amavaashya because of its neutrality from the wax and wane affects of lunar phases. So, it is believed that Indra will come to this mountain on every no-moon-day in the Indian month.

dviipaH tasya apare paare shata yojana visR^itaH || 4-41-23
agamyo maanuSaiH diiptaH tam maargadhvam sama.ntataH |

23b, 24a. tasya= its - Mt. Mahendra's; apare paare= on the other, shore; shata yojana visR^itaH= hundred, yojana, in breadth; maanuSaiH= by humans; a + gamyaH = not, passable; diiptaH= a dazzling; dviipaH= island - is there; tam samantataH maargadhvam = that, till its fringes, you have to search.

"There is a dazzling island on the other side of the shore of Mt. Mahendra, which is breadthwise a hundred yojana-s, and which is an impassable one for humans, and you have to search that island up to its fringes. [4-41-23b, 24a]

This island on the other shore of the ocean is Ravana's Lanka, and it is believed to be the present day Sri Lanka. That island's association with River Taamraparni is as noted above.

tatra sarva aatmanaa siitaa maargitavyaa visheSataH || 4-41-24
sa hi deshaH tu vadhyasya raavaNasya duraatmanaH |
raakSasa adhipateH vaasaH sahasraakSa samadyuteH || 4-41-25

24b, 25. tatra= there; siitaa visheSataH= Seetha, especially; sarva aatmanaa= anywise; maargitavyaa= shall be searched; saH deshaH tu= that, place, but it is; vadhyasya= killable one; dur aatmanaH= vile-minded one; raakSasa adhipateH= demon, king's; sahasra akSa sama dyuteH= Thousand-eyed Indra, equal, one in resplendence; such a; raavaNasya= Ravana's; vaasaH= dwelling.

"Anywise Seetha is searchable especially there on that island because it is the dwelling place of the king of demons Ravana, who is the coequal of Indra in his resplendence and which vile-minded demon is to be rooted out. [4-41-24b, 25]

A controversy is there regarding this statement of Sugreeva. Earlier Sugreeva said, "Not known is the domain of that sinning demon at all, nor his capabilities... or valour...or even about his sinister dynasty or lineage..." [4-7-2] And now he is specifically stating that Ravana will be on an island. Then it may be asked whether Sugreeva bluffed to Rama as at 4-7-2, for which it is said that Sugreeva being an intelligent kingly being he did not reveal the truth as an 'official secret.' Otherwise, if Sugreeva told Rama in the first instance where Ravana is, Rama goes straight to Lanka to eliminate Ravana, thereby Sugreeva's politics, i.e., the elimination of Vali or getting Kishkindha, will not work.

It is correct that Sugreeva knows that Ravana dwells in Lanka. But on abducting Seetha where is the guarantee that he is still in Lanka along with Seetha. Hence a doubtful situation cannot be stated assertively, that too, to a friend, for it ensues mitra droha 'cheating a friend...'

On the other hand, it is said that Sugreeva came to know about the details of Ravana through Tara, because Tara also explains to Lakshmana about the establishment of Ravana. But Sugreeva as the prince regent of Kishkindha and participant in all the activities of the kingdom, knowing about Ravana through Tara is an evasive statement. Hence, it is said that Sugreeva purposefully did not reveal the details about Ravana to Rama, because his own interests are to be met with firstly.

In turn it is asked as to why Sugreeva should send so many monkeys to all corners of compass when the kidnapper and his location are known, for which it is said that no thief hides his booty in his own place. Like cat changing the places of kitten, a thief too changes his own place, as well as the place of stolen thing. To justify this, it is said that throughout this and in the previous, and in the next chapters Sugreeva goes on repeating his order, 'search for Seetha and for the residency of Ravana...'

Even here, Sugreeva is not able to describe the interior of Lanka as he is not well acquainted with it. Rama, who is astounded at this geographical description of Sugreeva, does not ask Sugreeva as to why this particular place of Ravana is not indicated to him earlier. So, the denial of information earlier by Sugreeva is completely political, and now giving orders to search Seetha is for his requital.

dakSiNasya samudrasya madhye tasya tu raakSasii |
a.ngaaraka iti vikhyaataa chaayaam aakSipya bhojinii || 4-41-26

26. tasya dakSiNasya samudrasya madhye= that, southern, ocean's, in the centre; chaayaam aakSipya bhojinii= by shadow, on grabbing [prey,] a she-eater; angaaraka iti vi khyaataa= Angaaraka, thus, as well-known; raakSasii tu = demoness, but [is there.]

"But a well-known demoness named Angaaraka is there in the midst of southern ocean who eats prey by grabbing its shadow when flying overhead. [4-41-26]

This demoness is also termed as Simhika whom Hanuma tears apart in Sundara Kanda.

evam niHsa.mshayaan kR^itvaa sa.mshayaan naSTa sa.mshayaaH |
mR^igayadhvam narendrasya patniim amita ojasaH || 4-41-27

27. evam= in this way; samshayaan niH+samshayaan kR^itvaa = about doubtful [places,] without, doubt [you have to become doubtless,] on making [by thorough search]; naSTa samshayaaH= loosing, doubts [doubts when cleared]; amita ojasaH= of one with - infinite, vital power - Rama; nara indrasya patniim = people's, king's, wife - Seetha; mR^igayadhvam= shall be searched.

"In this way, you should clear your doubts about the presence of Seetha at any doubtable place by thorough searching, and you have to go on searching somewhere else for Seetha, the wife of the king of people with infinite vitality, namely Rama, only after getting rid of your doubts about her possible presence at any given place. [4-41-27]

tam atikramya lakSmiivaan samudre shata yojane |
giriH puSpitako naama siddha caaraNa sevitaH || 4-41-28

28. tam= that [isle]; ati kramya= on over, stepping [crossing over]; shata yojane samudre = hundred, yojana-s, in ocean - hundred yojana-s after that island; lakSmiivaan= an august one; siddha caaraNa sevitaH= by siddha-s, caarana-s, adored; puSpitakaH naama= Pushpitaka, named; giriH= mountain; is there.

"On crossing over that isle and after a hundred yojana-s a mountain named Pushpitaka is there in that august ocean, which is adored by the celestials like siddha-s, caarana-s. [4-41-28]

candra suurya a.mshu sa.nkaashaH saagara a.mbu samaashrayaH |
bhraajate vipulaiH shR^ingaiH ambaram vilikhan iva || 4-41-29

29. candra suurya amshu sankaashaH= moon's, sun's, rays, similar to; saagara ambu sam aashrayaH = in oceanic, waters, well, settled in; vipulaiH shR^ingaiH= with lofty, crests; ambaram vi likhan iva= on sky, verily, scribbling, as if; bhraajate= [that mountain] shines forth.

"Well-settled in oceanic waters that Mt. Pushpitaka will be shining forth with a resplendence similar to sunrays on one side and with that of moonshine on the other, and its lofty crests will look as if they are scribbling on the sky. [4-41-29]

tasya ekam kaa.ncanam shR^i.ngam sevate yam divaakaraH |
shvetam raajatam ekam ca sevate yam nishaakaraH |
na tam kR^itaghnaaH pashyanti na nR^isha.msaa na naastikaaH || 4-41-30

30. tasya= its; ekam shR^ingam kaancanam= one, summit, is golden; yam= which; divaa karaH= day-maker [Sun]; sevate = will be adoring [on his rising]; ekam shvetam raajatam ca= one, whitish, silver, also; yam= which; nishaa karaH= night-maker [Moon]; sevate = will be adoring [on his rising]; tam= it - that mountain; kR^itaghnaaH= unfaithful ones; na pashyanti= not, will be seeing; nR^ishamsaaH na = unkindly ones, no; naastikaaH na = unbelievers, no.

"One of its summit will be golden which the Sun adores, and the other will be silvery whitish which the Moon adores, and that mountain is unperceivable to the unfaithful ones, or to the unkindly ones or to unbelievers. [4-41-30]

praNamya shirasaa shailam tam vimaargatha vaanaraaH |
tam atikramya durdharSam suuryavaan naama parvataH || 4-41-31
adhvanaa dur.hvigaahena yojanaani caturdasha |

31, 32a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tam shailam= that, mountain; shirasaa= with head [bowing]; praNamya= on venerating; vi maargatha= thoroughly, search; dur dharSam= inviolable; tam atikramya = that - mountain, on going across; durvigaahena [dur vi gaahena]= by highly, impassable; adhvanaa= by route; catur dasha yojanaani= after four, ten, yojana-s; suuryavaan naama parvataH= Suuryavaan, named, mountain; is there.

"Oh, vanara-s, venerate that Mt. Pushpitaka by bowing your heads and search it thoroughly. Then on going across that inviolable mountain and taking a highly impassable route there is a mountain named Suuryavaan after fourteen yojana-s from Mt. Pushpitaka. [4-41-31, 32a]

tataH tam api atikramya vaidyuto naama parvataH || 4-41-32
sarva kaama phalaiH vR^ikSaiH sarva kaala manoharaiH |

32b, 33a. tataH= from there; tam api= that, even; atikramya= on crossing over; sarva kaama phalaiH= for all, tastes, [fulfilling] with fruits; sarva kaala manoharaiH= all, times, heart-pleasing ones; vR^ikSaiH= [with such] trees; vaidyutaH naama parvataH= Vaidyuta, named, mountain; is there.

"On crossing over even that Mt. Suuryavaan after searching, there is a mountain named Vaidyuta whose trees will be all-time heart-pleasing and they yield fruits satiating every taste. [4-41-32b, 33a]

tatra bhuktvaa vara ar.hhaaNi muulaani ca phalaani ca || 4-41-33
madhuuni piitvaa juSTaani param gacChata vaanaraaH |

33b, 34a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tatra= there - at that place, on Mt. Vaidyuta; vara arhaaNi= for chosen few, appropriate - choicest fruits and tubers; muulaani ca phalaani ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; bhuktvaa= on devouring; juSTaani madhuuni piitvaa= precious, honey, on drinking; param gacChata= farther, you proceed.

"Oh, vanara-s, you proceed farther after devouring choicest fruits and tubers growing on Mt. Vaidyuta, and even on consuming precious honey at that place. [4-41-33b, 34a]

tatra netra manaH kaa.ntaH ku.njaro naama parvataH || 4-41-34
agastya bhavanam yatra nirmitam vishvakarmaNaa |

34b, 35a. tatra= at that place; netra manaH kaantaH= to eye, heart, one that is pleasing; kunjaraH naama parvataH = Kunjara, named, mountain - is there; yatra= where - on which; vishvakarmaNaa = by Vishvakarma; agastya bhavanam nirmitam= Agastya's, mansion, is built.

"At that place a mountain named Kunjara is there which will be pleasing both to eye and heart, on which Vishvakarma built the mansion of Agastya. [4-41-34b, 35a]

tatra yojana vistaaram ucChritam dasha yojanam || 4-41-35
sharaNam kaa.ncanam divyam naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam |

35b, 36a. tatra= there - on that mountain; yojana vistaaram= a yojana, in breadth; dasha yojanam ucChritam = ten, yojana-s, in height; divyam= a beautiful one; naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam = numerous, gemstones, decorated with; kaancanam sharaNam= a golden, abode - Agastya's mansion - is there.

"There the golden abode of Agastya will be beautiful decorated with numerous gemstones, and it measures a yojana breadthwise and ten yojana-s in height. [4-41-35b, 36a]

tatra bhogavatii naama sarpaaNaam aalayaH purii || 4-41-36
vishaala rathyaa dur.hdharSaa sarvataH parirakSitaa |
rakSitaa pannagaiH ghoraiH tiiSkNa damSTraiH mahaa viSaiH || 4-41-37
sarpa raajo mahaaghoro yasyaam vasati vaasukiH |

36b, 37, 38a. tatra= there; vishaala rathyaa= with broad, roads; durdharSaa= unvanquishable - city; sarvataH parirakSitaa= everywhere, safeguarded; ghoraiH= deadly; tiiSkNa damSTraiH= with harrowing, fangs; mahaa viSaiH= having fatal, venom; pannagaiH rakSitaa= by [such] serpents, protected; sarpaaNaam aalayaH= for snakes, an abode of; bhogavatii naama purii= Bhogavati, named, city - is there; yasyaam= in which; sarpa raajaH= serpents, king; mahaa ghoraH= highly, hazardous one; vaasukiH vasati = Vasuki, will be dwelling.

"There is a city named Bhogavati which is an abode of the snakes. It has broad roads and safeguarded from everywhere, and thus it becomes an unvanquishable city. Deadly serpents with harrowing fangs and fatal venom will be protecting it, in which the highly hazardous king of serpents, namely Vasuki, will be dwelling. [4-41-36b, 37. 38a]

niryaaya maargitavyaa ca saa ca bhogavatii purii || 4-41-38
tatra ca a.ntaroddeshaa ye kecana samaavR^itaaH |

38b, 39a. saa bhogavatii purii= = she, Bhogavati, city; maargitavyaa= is to be searched; nir yaaya= out, coming [on coming out of that city]; tatra samaavR^itaaH= there, surrounding - surrounding fringes; ye kecana those, some; antaroddeshaaH = intermediate zones; [maargitavyaa = shall also be searched.]

"That Bhogavati city is to be searched for Seetha and on coming out of that city, you have to search even in the fringes surrounding that city including the intermediate zones from city to its fringes. [4-41-38b, 39a]

tam ca desham atikramya mahaan R^iSabha sa.msthitiH || 4-41-39
sarva ratnamayaH shriimaan R^iSabho naama parvataH |

39b, 40a. tam desham atikramya= that, province, on crossing over; mahaan R^iSabha samsthitiH= great, Holy Bull [like,] staying [resembling]; sarva ratnamayaH= every [kind of gem,] replete with gems; shriimaan= glorious one; R^iSabhaH naama parvataH= Rishabha, named, mountain; is there.

"On crossing over that province there will be a glorious mountain named Rishabha, as that great mountain looks like a Holy Bull, and it is replete with every kind of gemstone. [4-41-39b, 40a]

goshiirSakam padmakam ca harishyaamam ca candanam || 4-41-40
divyam utpadyate yatra tat caiva agni sama prabham |

40b, 41a. yatra= where - on which Mt. Rishabha; goshiirSakam= ochry-yellowy; padmakam ca= lotus-leaf-greenly, also; harishyaamam ca= sky-blue, [coloured]; candanam= sandalwood trees; agni sama prabham = Fire, like, in glow, also thus - sandalwood; divyam tat caiva= most attractive, that, also thus; utpadyate= will be producing.

"Whereon the sandalwood trees of ochry-yellowy, lotus-leaf-greenly, sky-blue colours, and even the most attractive sandalwood trees which will be in the glow of Fire are produced, that mountain is this Rishabha. [4-41-40b, 41a]

These nomenclatures of sandalwood trees are rendered variously in translations because these varieties of sandalwood trees are perhaps unknown. The ochry-yellow colour is given to the mountain itself in 40th verse in some, thus nominating only two varieties of sandalwood, namely greenish, and bluish varieties as extra. In some other translations the Fire-like glow of the mountain is added as another variety of sandalwood and then four varieties are counted as 1] ochry, 2] greenish, 3] bluish, and 4] fire-like sandalwood trees.

na tu tat candanam dR^iSTvaa spraSTavyam ca kadaacana || 4-41-41
rohitaa naama ga.ndharvaa ghoram rakSanti tad vanam |

41b, 42a. tat candanam dR^iSTvaa = those, sandalwood trees, on seeing; kadaacana= never; na spraSTavyam tu= not, to be touched, but; ghoram tat vanam= dangerous one, that, woodlands; rohitaa naama gandharvaa= Rohita, named, [genre of] gandharva-s; rakSanti = will be protecting.

"But never touch those sandalwood trees when you see them, as a genre of Gandharva-s called Rohita will be protecting that dangerous woodland of sandalwood trees. [4-41-41b, 42a]

tatra ga.ndharva patayaH pa.nca suurya sama prabhaaH || 4-41-42
shailuuSo graamaNiiH shikSaH shuko babhruH tathaiva ca |
ravi soma agni vapuSaa nivaasaH puNya karmaNaam || 4-41-43

42b, 43. tatra= there; shineshailuuSaH graamaNiiH shikSaH shukaH = Shailuusha, Gramani, Shiksha, Shuka,; tathaa eva= like that; babhruH ca = Bhabru, also; suurya sama prabhaaH= sun, similar, in resplendence; panca gandharva patayaH = five, gandharva, kings; will be residing there; ravi soma agni = [like] Sun, Moon, Fire; vapuSaa= with physique; puNya karmaNaam= for those beings with pious, activities; nivaasaH= it is a dwelling place.

"Five gandharva kings, namely Shailuusha, Gramani, Shiksha, Shuka, and Bhabru, whose resplendence is similar to that of Sun will be residing there. It is also the dwelling place of those who achieved ethereality by their pious activities, of whom some resemble the Sun, some Moon, and some Fire by their physique. [4-41-42b, 43]

ante pR^ithivyaa durdharSaaH tataH svarga jitaH sthitaaH |
tataH param na vaH sevyaH pitR^i lokaH sudaaruNaH || 4-41-44

44. tataH= therefrom; pR^ithivyaa ante= of earth, at terminus; durdharSaaH= invulnerable - beings; svarga jitaH= heaven, who won; sthitaaH= are there; tataH param= there, after [after the abode of beings who won heavens]; su daaruNaH= most, dreadful - netherworld; pitR^i lokaH = manes, world of [realm of Yama, the Terminator]; vaH sevyaH= by you, be adored [be regarded, you need not think of going there]; na = it is not.

"From Mt. Rishabha to the terminus of the earth the invulnerable beings who won heavens will be staying. After that, farther from earth there is the most dreadful world of manes, namely the abode of Yama, the Terminator, and you need not consider going there. [4-41-44]

raajadhaanii yamasya eSaa kaSTena tamasaa aavR^itaa |
etaavat eva yuSmaabhiH viiraa vaanara pu.ngavaaH |
shakyam vicetum gantum vaa na ato gatimataam gatiH || 4-41-45

45. viiraa vaanara pungavaaH= oh, brave, vanara-s, the best ones; eSaa yamasya raajadhaanii = this is, of Yama, capital city; kaSTena tamasaa aavR^itaa = by an alarming, darkness, it is encompassed; yuSmaabhiH= by you; etaavat eva= up to here, only; vicetum= to search; gantum vaa= to go, or; shakyam= it is possible; ataH= there after; gatimataam gatiH= for beings with motor organs [mortals,] way in; na= is not there.

"You can go or search only up to this point, oh, the best braving vanara-s, as that world of manes will be encompassed with an alarming darkness, and it is the capital city of Yama, the Terminator. After that there is no entry into the abode of Yama for the mortals. [4-41-45]

This is the Indian mythological naraka 'The Hell...' and there are various sections in this hell for various sins committed while alive or on rebirth.

sarvam etat samaalokya yat ca anyat api dR^ishyate |
gatim viditvaa vaidehyaaH sa.mnivartitam arhatha || 4-41-46

46. etat sarvam= all these [places,] in entirety; anyat= other [places]; yat ca api = which are there, also, even; dR^ishyate= which will be seen; in those places; sam aalokya= closely, on seeing - searching thoroughly; vaidehyaaH gatim viditvaa= of Vaidehi, course, on knowing; sam nivartitam= quickly, to return; arhatha= apt of you.

"It will be apt of you to return quickly on knowing the course of Vaidehi after thoroughly searching all these places in their entirety, and even in those other places you happen to see, whether I have mentioned them or not. [4-41-46]

yaH ca maasaan nivR^itto agre dR^iSTaa siita iti vakSyati |
mat tulya vibhavo bhogaiH sukham sa vihariSyati || 4-41-47

47. yaH= he [who]; maasaat agre= than a month, before; nivR^ittaH= having returned; siita dR^iSTaa= Seetha, seen; iti vakSyati= thus, says; saH= he; mat tulya vibhavaH= with me, on a par, high-living; bhogaiH= with luxuries; sukham vihariSyati= comfortable living, rides high - he enjoys.

"He who returns before a month and informs that 'Seetha is seen,' he enjoys a comfortable living on a par with me in high-living and luxuries. [4-41-47]

Hanuma speaks the same wording 'Seetha seen,' in Sundara Kanda on finding Seetha, for which commentators have given a very great value.

tataH priyataro na asti mama praaNaat visheSataH |
kR^ita aparaadho bahusho mama bandhuH bhaviSyati || 4-41-48

48. tataH= than him; priya taraH na asti= dear one, more than, not, is there; mama praaNaat visheSataH= my, than lives, particularly - he becomes a dear one; bahushaH kR^ita aparaadhaH = many times, committed, misdeeds - even if; he; mama bandhuH bhaviSyati= my, associate, he becomes.

"He who says so will be more dearer to me than anyone, rather than my own life in particular, and even if he has committed many misdeeds he becomes my confidant. [4-41-48]

amita bala paraakramaa bhavanto
vipula guNeSu kuleSu ca prasuutaaH |
manuja pati sutaam yathaa labhadhvam
tat adhiguNam puruSaartham aarabhadhvam || 4-41-49

49. bhavantaH= you all; amita bala paraakramaaH= with infinite, might, and bravery; vipula guNeSu kuleSu prasuutaaH ca = wide-ranging, attributes, in a hierarchy, born in also; manuja pati sutaam= people's, king's, daughter - Seetha; yathaa labhadhvam= as to how, to get - regain; tat adhi guNam= to that, appropriate to; puruSa artham= manly, purpose - helping other, expedient effort; aarabhadhvam= start off.

"You are with infinite might and bravery, and you are born in those hierarchies that have wide-ranging attributes viz., gust of the Air-god, gush of Rain-god, glare of Fire-god etc. Conjoining your own attributes to them that are already inherited you start off on your expedient effort, and you search appropriately with a thinking as to how to regain Seetha. [4-41-49]

All the while Sugreeva is addressing the so-called monkeys as 'vanara-s' and suddenly he concluded his addressing asking them to make puruSaartha saadhanam 'a humanly effort...' thus the monkeys or vanara-s suddenly do not become humans. For this puruSa artha saadhanam 'this man's, purpose, to achieve... start off to achieve this man's, namely Rama's purpose...' or 'to achieve the purpose of parama puruSa 'the Supreme Person...' in eradicating evil on earth...' you start on your mission.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe eka catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 41st chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 42

Inroduction

Sugreeva sends troops to west side to search for Seetha under the leadership of Sushena, the father of lady Tara. Describing the various and magnificent mountains that are situated at the northwest of India, and also the ocean down south to it, namely the present Arabian Sea and almost up to Persian provinces, he orders monkey troops to return within one month's time.

tataH prasthaapya sugriivaH taan hariin dakSiNaam disham |
abravit megha sa.nkaasham susheSaNam naama vaanaram | 4-42-1

1. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; hariin= monkeys; dakSiNaam disham prasthaapya= to southern, direction, on sending; tataH= then; saH he - Sugreeva; megha sankaasham= to [massive] cloud, one who looked like; susheSaNam naama vaanaram= Sushena, named, to vanara; abravit= spoke to.

On sending monkeys to southern direction Sugreeva spoke to a vanara named Sushena who looked like a massive cloud. [4-42-1]

taaraayaaH pitaram raajaa shvashuram bhiima vikramam |
abraviit praa.njaliH vaakyam abhigamya praNamya ca || 4-42-2

2. raajaa= king [Sugreeva]; taaraayaaH pitaram= Lady Tara's, father; shvashuram= to [his own] father-in-law; bhiima vikramam= of awesome, valour - Sushena; abhigamya praNamya ca= approached, venerated [- Sushena,] also; praanjaliH= with palms-folded; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, spoke.

On approaching and venerating that awesomely valorous Sushena, the father of Lady Tara, thereby his own father-in-law, king Sugreeva spoke this sentence while adjoining palms in supplication. [4-42-2]

maharSi putram maariicam arciSmantam mahaakapim |
vR^i^itam kapivaraiH shuuraiH mahendra sadR^i^isha dyutim || 4-42-3
buddhi vikrama sampannaan vainateya sama dyutim |
mariici putraan maariicaan arcirmaalyaan mahabalaan || 4-42-4
R^iSi putraan ca taan sarvaan pratiiciim aadishat disham |

3, 4, 5a. maharSi putram maariicam= to the great-sage's, son, Mareecha; mahaa kapim= superb, monkey; shuuraiH kapi varaiH vR^i^itam= with braving, monkeys, exceptional ones, surrounded with; mahendra sadR^i^isha dyutim= Mahendra, coequal, in resplendence; buddhi vikrama sampannaan= in brilliance, bravery, one endowed with; vainateya sama dyutim= Vinata's, son, equal, in sheen [outstanding speed]; arciSmantam= [one who is known as] Arcishman; mariici putraan= Sage Mareecha's sons,; arcirmaalyaan= [known as] Arcishmaalyaa-s; maha balaan= greatly, mighty ones; R^iSi putraan ca= sage's, sons, also; taan sarvaan maariicaan= them, all, [called as] Maareecha-s [brothers of Arcishman]; pratiiciim disham= to western, direction; aadishat= ordered.

Sugreeva ordered the superb monkey son of great-sage Mareecha, called Arcishman, to western direction, who is a surrounded with exceptional and braving monkeys, a coequal to Indra in his resplendence, endowed with brilliance and bravery and whose speed equals that of the son of Vinata, namely Garuda, the Eagle-vehicle of Vishnu. Along with him Sugreeva also ordered the greatly mighty brothers of Arcishman i.e., the other vanara sons of Sage Mareecha, known as Arcishmaalyaa-s, also called as Mareecha-s. [3, 4, 5a]

dvaabhyaam shata sahasraabhyaam kapiinaam kapi sattamaaH || 4-42-5
susheSaNa pramukhaa yuuyam vaidehiim parimaargatha |

5b, 6a. kapi sattamaaH= oh, monkeys, outstanding ones; yuuyam= you all; susheSaNa pramukhaa= Sushena, in fore, front [as leader]; kapiinaam= of monkeys; dvaabhyaam shata sahasraabhyaam= with two, hundred, thousands - two lakhs of monkeys; vaidehiim parimaargatha= let Vaidehi, be tracked down.

"Oh, outstanding monkeys, you shall search for Vaidehi proceeding with two hundred thousand monkeys, say two lakhs, and Sushena as your leader." Thus, Sugreeva started to speak to vanara troops. [4-42-5b, 6a]

sauraaSTraan saha baahliikaan ca.ndracitraan tathaiva ca || 4-42-6
sphiitaan jana padaan ramyaan vipulaani puraaNi ca |
pu.mnaaga gahanam kukSim vakula uddaalaka aakulam || 4-42-7
tathaa ketaka kha.nDaan ca maargadhvam hari pu.ngavaaH |

6b, 7, 8a. hari pungavaaH= oh, monkeys, the best; sauraaSTraan= Suraashtra province; tathaiva ca= like that, also; saha baahliikaan= along with, Baahlika province; candracitraan= Candracitra province; sphiitaan= extensive ones; ramyaan= delightful ones; jana padaan= rural, areas; vipulaani puraaNi ca= spacious, cities, also; punnaaga gahanam= in Punnaga tree, woods; vakula uddaalaka aakulam= Vakula, Uddaalaka trees, [areas] filled with; kukSim= in stomach - in interiors; tathaa= like that; ketaka khanDaan ca= in Ketaka, thickets, also; maargadhvam= be searched.

"Oh, best monkeys, conduct search in the Suraashtra, Baahlika and Candracitra provinces, including their extensive and delightful rural areas and spacious cities, as well as in their woods with Punnaaga trees, areas filled with Vakula, and Uddalaka trees and in their interiors, and even in the thickets of Ketaka trees. [4-42-6b, 7, 8a]

The province of Candracitra, the present day Mathura and is also mentioned as shuura desha 'Shuura province...' in other mms, and the Suraashtra is identified with present day Sauraashtra, a peninsula in Gujarat.

pratyak sroto vahaaH caiva nadyaH shiitajalaaH shivaaH || 4-42-8
taapasaanaam araNyaani kaa.ntaaraa girayaH ca ye |
tatra sthaliiH marupraayaa ati ucca shikharaaH shilaaH || 4-42-9
giri jaala aavR^itaam durgaam maargitvaa pashcimaam disham |
tataH pashcimam aagamya samudram draSTum arhatha || 4-42-10
timi nakra aakula jalam gatvaa drakshyatha vaanaraaH |

8b, 9, 10, 11a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; pratyak srotaH vahaaH= to west, flowing, flows - rivers flowing westward; shiita jalaaH= with cool, waters; shivaaH= blest ones; nadyaH ca eva= rivers, also thus; taapasaanaam araNyaani= of sages, forests; ye= which - are there; kaantaaraa girayaH ca= in forests, mountains, also; are there, they are to be searched; tatra= there; [ye= which of those that are]; maru praayaaH sthaliiH= waterless, virtually, lands - are there, they also; [ye= which of those that are there]; ati ucca shishiraaH shilaaH= highly, towering, chilly, mountains; [ye= which of those that are there]; giri jaala aavR^itaam= mountain, meshes of, encircled; [ye= which of those that are there]; durgaam= impassable places - are there; such a; pashcimaam disham maargitvaa= western, quarter, on searching; tataH= then; pashcimam samudram aagamya= to western, ocean, on coming; draSTum arhatha= to see, apt of you; gatvaa= having gone there - to western ocean; timi nakra aakula jalam= with sharks, crocodiles, ruffled, waters; drakshyatha= you shall see.

"Oh, vanara-s, search at the blest rivers in the west whose cool water flows westward, as well as in the forests of sages and on the mountains of those forests, and even in lands that are virtually waterless and on the highly towering mountains that are chilly. On searching such an impassable western quarter encircled with enmeshed mountains, then it will be apt of you to come and see Western Ocean. Having come to Western Ocean, you will see seawater ruffled by sharks and crocodiles. [8b, 9, 10, 11a]

tataH ketaka kha.nDeSu tamaala gahaneSu ca || 4-42-11
kapayo vihariSyanti naarikela vaneSu ca |

11b, 12a. tataH= later; kapayaH= monkeys; ketaka khanDeSu= in Ketaka plant, shrubberies of; tamaala gahaneSu ca= Tamaala plant's, copses, also; naarikela vaneSu ca= in coconut, boscages, also; vihariSyanti= may ramble.

"Later the monkeys may ramble in the shrubberies of Ketaka plants, in copses of Tamaala plants and in the boscages of coconut trees. [4-42-11b, 12a]

tatra siitaam ca maargadhvam nilayam raavaNasya ca || 4-42-12
velaatala niveSTeSu parvateSu vaneSu ca |
muracii pattanam caiva ramyam caiva jaTaa puram || 4-42-13
ava.ntiim a.ngalepaam ca tathaa ca alakSitam vanam |
raaSTraaNi ca vishaalaani pattanaani tataH tataH || 4-42-14

12b, 13, 14. tatra= there; velaa tala niveSTeSu= sea, on edge [shore,] sitting pretty; parvateSu= in mountains; vaneSu ca= forests, also; siitaam ca= Seetha, and; raavaNasya nilayam ca= of Ravana, residency, also; maargadhvam= shall be searched; muracii pattanam caiva= Muraci, city, also, thus; ramyam jaTaapuram caiva= delightful, Jaatapura city, also thus; avantiim angalepaam ca= Avanti, Angalepa, also; tathaa= like that; alakSitam vanam ca= Alakshita, forest, also; tataH tataH= there, and there; raaSTraaNi ca=[nearby] provinces, also; vishaalaani pattanaani= spacious, townships; [maargadhvam= shall be searched.]

"Seetha shall be searched along with the residency of Ravana on the mountains that are sitting pretty on the seashore, as well as in the forests on those mountains. Further, the delightful cities available alongshore like Muraci, Jaatapura, Avanti and Angalepa are to be searched together with the forest of Alakshita, including the nearby provinces and spacious townships. [4-42-12b, 13, 14]

These are said as cities with names of muralii, jaTiipuram, in other mms, and it is also said to be Maurvi. The said Avanti is not the Avanti already said to the monkeys who were sent to east. is 'un-cared-for' as the thick woods at its periphery make the interiors of forest neglected.

si.ndhu saagarayoH caiva sa.ngame tatra parvataH |
mahaan hema giriH naama shata shR^i.ngo mahaadrumaH || 4-42-15

15. sindhu saagarayoH sangame= of Sindhu, of ocean, at junction; tatra= there; hemagiriH naama= Hemagiri [or, Somagiri,] named; shata shR^ingaH= with hundreds of, summits; mahaa drumaH= with gigantic, trees; mahaan parvataH= huge, mountain; is there.

"At the junction of River Sindhu with the ocean, Mouth of Indus, there is a huge mountain named Hemagiri, Golden-Mountain, which is with hundreds of summits and gigantic trees. [4-42-15]

tatra prastheSu ramyeSu si.mhaaH pakSa gamaaH sthitaaH |
timi matsya gajaamb caiva niiDaani aaropayanti te || 4-42-16

16. tatra== there; ramyeSu prastheSu= on beautiful, mountain ridges; pakSa gamaaH simhaaH sthitaaH= with wings, going, lions, are there [flying lions]; te= they; timi matsya gajaam caiva= sharks, fish, elephants [elephant seals,] also thus; niiDaani aaropayanti= to nests [to lairs in mountains,] uplifts [winching.]

"On the beautiful ridges of that mountain flying-lions are inhibiting and they will be winching sharks, fish and elephant seals to their lairs. [4-42-16]

taani niiDaani si.mhaanaam giri shR^i.nga gataaH ca ye |
dR^iptaaH tR^iptaaH ca maata.ngaaH toyada svana niHsvanaaH || 4-42-17
vicaranti vishaale asmin toya puurNe samantataH |

17, 18a. giri shR^inga gataaH= on mountain, top, gone in [inhibiting]; toya da svana niH svanaaH= water, giver [cloud,] sound [thunder,] emitting, sound [trumpeting like thundering clouds]; dR^iptaaH= conceited ones; tR^iptaaH ca= contented ones, also; ye= which; maatangaaH= elephants - are there, they; samantataH= everywhere; toya puurNe= water, filled [water abutted area of the mountain]; asmin vishaale= in that, vast [area]; taani= at those [of flying-lions]; simhaanaam niiDaani= of flying-lions, at lairs; vicaranti= verily, move about.

"The elephants inhibiting on the top of that mountain are contended and conceited, and trumpeting like thunderous clouds they will be moving everywhere in that vast area of the mountain abutted by water and near at the lairs of flying-lions. [4-42-17, 18a]

tasya shR^i.ngam diva sparsham kaa.ncanam citra paadapam ||4-42-18
sarvam aashu vicetavyam kapibhiH kaama ruupibhiH |

18b, 19a. diva sparsham= heaven, touching; citra paadapam= having, amazing, trees; kaancanam= golden one; tasya shR^ingam= its, peak; sarvam= in entirety; kaama ruupibhiH kapibhiH= by wish, guise-changers, by monkeys; aashu vicetavyam= quickly, to be searched.

"The monkeys who can change their guise by their wish have to quickly and entirely search the golden peak of that Hemagiri which will be touching the sky and which has amazing trees on it. [4-42-18b, 19a]

koTim tatra samudre tu kaa.ncaniim shata yojanam || 4-42-19
durdarshaam paariyaatrasya gataa drakSyatha vaanaraaH |

19b, 20a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tatra gataa= there, having gone - on seagoing; samudre tu= in ocean, but [waterlogged in ocean]; paariyaatrasya= of Mt. Paariyaatra; shata yojanaam= hundred, yojana-s [in height]; kaancaniim= golden; dur darshaam= impossible, to see [because it is blindingly glittering]; koTim= mountain peak; drakSyatha= you shall see.

"On your seagoing there, oh, vanara-s, you will see the golden peak of a waterlogged mountain called Mt. Paariyaatra, which peak will be hundred yojana-s in height, and which is difficult to see as it will be blindingly glittering. [4-42-19b, 20a]

koTyaH tatra caturvimshat ga.ndharvaaNaam tarasvinaam || 4-42-20
vasanti agni nikaashaanaam ghoraaNaam kaama ruupiNaam |

20b, 21a. tatra= there - on that mountain; tarasvinaam= mighty ones; agni nikaashaanaam= fire, similar in glow; ghoraaNaam= atrocious ones; kaama ruupiNaam= by wish, guise-changers; such of those; gandharvaaNaam= of Gandharva-s; catur vimshat koTyaH= four, twenty, crores, [a host of twenty-four crores]; vasanti= are living.

"Twenty four crores of mighty and atrocious Gandharva-s whose glow is similar to the fire and who can change their guise at their wish are living there on that mountain Paariyaatra. [4-42-20b, 21a]

The Gandharva-s said here are not the celestial musicians but human Gandharva-s and the Paariyaatra Mountain may perhaps belong to one in Suleiman Range, now in Pakistan, but not the one among Vindhya Range.

paavaka arciH pratiikaashaaH samavetaaH samantataH || 4-42-21
na ati aasaadayitvaaH te vaanaraiH bhiima vikramaiH |

21b, 22a. samantataH= everywhere; samavetaaH= thronging together [if offended]; paavaka arciH pratiikaashaaH= fire, tongues of, those that are reflective of - who resemble; te= those [Gandharva-s]; bhiima vikramaiH vaanaraiH= awfully, courageous, by vanara-s; na= not; ati aasaadayitvaaH= closely, to be approached [provoked.]

"If those Gandharva-s who resemble the tongues of fire are given offence, they will be thronging together from everywhere, as such even awfully courageous vanara-s shall not provoke them. [4-42-21b, 22a]

na adeyam ca phalam tasmaat deshaat kimcit plava.ngamaiH || 4-42-22
duraasadaa hi te viiraaH sattvavanto mahaabalaaH |
phala muulaani te tatra rakSante bhiima vikramaaH || 4-42-23

22b, 23. tasmaat deshaat= from that, province; plavamgamaiH= by fly-jumpers; phalam kimcit na aadeyam ca= fruit, at least, not, to be picked, also; sattva vantaH= assiduous ones; mahaabalaaH= highly mighty ones; te viiraaH= those, valiant ones - Gandharva-s; dur aasadaa= impossible, for overtures; hi= isn't it; bhiima vikramaaH= appallingly, audacious ones; te= those - Gandharva-s; tatra= there; phala muulaani= fruits, tubers; rakSante= will be safeguarding.

"And the fly-jumpers shall not pluck at least a fruit in that province. Because those assiduous, highly mighty and valiant Gandharva-s are impossible for overtures, isn't it. Moreover, those appallingly audacious Gandharva-s will be safeguarding fruits and tubers there. [4-42-22, 23]

This area must be in and around present day Afghanistan because it is famous for dry fruits and it is the age-old practice of Kabuli Walla-s to sell most delicious dry-fruits. When they grow that kind of high-grade fruits which orchardist allows a monkey to pluck and plunder them.

tatra yatnaH ca kartavyo maargitavyaa ca jaanakii |
na hi tebhyo bhayam ki.ncit kapitvam anuvartataam || 4-42-24

24. tatra= there; yatnaH ca= put oneself in devoir, also; kartavyaH= doable - by you; jaanakii maargitavyaa ca= Janaki, is searchable, also; kapitvam= monkey-hood; anuvartataam= to those who are following it - who practise monkey tricks; tebhyaH= from them - Gandharva-s; bhayam kimcit= scare, in the least; na hi= is not there, indeed.

"There you have to put yourself in devoir and search for Janaki. In the event of your following just monkey-hood and its antics, without becoming adventuresome, there will be no scare from those Gandharva-s. Then you proceed from that Mt. Paariyaatra to Mt. Vajra. [4-42-24]

tatra vaiduurya varNaabho vajra sa.msthaana sa.msthitaH |
naanaa druma lataa aakiirNo vajraH naama mahaagiriH || 4-42-25
shriimaan samuditaH tatra yojanaanaam shatam samam |
guhaaH tatra vicetavyaaH prayatnena plava.ngamaaH || 4-42-26

25, 26. plavangamaaH= oh, fly-jumpers; tatra= there - in sea next to Mt. Paariyaatra; vaiduurya varNa abhaH= lapis gemstone, hue, similar in shine; vajra samsthaana samsthitaH= a diamond, in structure, standing - standing like a diamond in its shape; naanaa druma lataa aakiirNaH= diverse, trees, climbers, spread over; shriimaan= glorious one; vajraH naama mahaa giriH= Vajra, named, great mountain; tatra= there; yojanaanaam shatam= yojana-s, hundred; samam= squarely; samuditaH= soaring high; tatra= there on that mountain; guhaaH= caverns; prayatnena vicetavyaaH= pursuantly, are to be searched.

"Oh, fly-jumpers, there is a great mountain named Mt. Vajra in that sea beyond Mt. Paariyaatra. It will be with a shine similar to the hue of the gemstone lapis, and it will be standing like a diamond in its shape, hence it is diamondiferous. There that glorious mountain will be soaring high, squarely for a hundred yojana-s, and diverse trees and climbers will be spreading over it. There, on that mountain you have to search pursuantly including its caverns. [4-42-25, 26]

catur bhaage samudrasya cakravaan naama parvataH |
tatra cakram sahasraaram nirmitam vishvakarmaNaa || 4-42-27

27. samudrasya catur bhaage= of ocean, in fourth, quarter; cakravaan naama parvataH= Cakravaan, named, mountain - is there; tatra= there [on that mountain]; vishvakarmaNaa= by Vishvakarma; sahasra aram cakram= thousand, spoked, wheel; nirmitam= is constructed.

"In the fourth quarter of that ocean from land a mountain named Cakravaan is there. Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect, constructed a thousand-spoked wheel on it. [4-42-27]

This is not just a wheel with thousand spokes, but said to be a machine of weaponry with thousand parts or sub-weapons. The Divine Architect Vishvakarma constructs such marvellous things not only for to gods, but even to the demons coming under duress, as and when demons conquer Indra's paradise. In the following verses, a connected legend is also touched.

tatra pa.ncajanam hatvaa hayagriivam ca daanavam |
aajahaara tataH cakram sha.nkham ca puruSottamaH || 4-42-28

28. tatra= there - on mountain; puruSa uttamaH= Person, Supreme - Vishnu; hayagriivam daanavam hatvaa= Hayagreeva, demon, on slaying; tataH= from there [from him]; cakram= wheel; he took, and; pancajanam= Pancajana; [hatvaa= on slaying]; shankham ca= conch-shell, also; aajahaara= snatched away.

puraaNa/Legend: "Once upon a time in the crusades of gods-demons, Vishnu assuming the form of puroSottama 'Supreme Person' slew the horse-faced demon named Hayagreeva on that mountain, and snatched away the wheel-weapon from him. Until then, this wheel-weapon existed under the custody of that demon Hayagreeva. Purushottama also put another demon Pancajana to death on that very mountain and took away his backbone, which is a conch-shell. Thus the conch-shell handled by Vishnu is known as paancha janya shankha 'Paanchajanya conch.' Thus, this Cakravaan named mountain assumes legendary importance to search for Seetha. [4-42-28]

tasya saanuSu ramyeSu vishaalaasu guhaasu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-42-29

29. tasya= its - Mt. Cakravaan's; ramyeSu saanuSu= on delightful, cliffs; vishaalaasu guhaasu ca= spacious, caves, also; raavaNaH= Ravana; vaidehyaa saha= Vaidehi, together with; maargitavyaH= be searched; tataH tataH= there, there - here, there, and everywhere.

"Vaidehi is to be searched on the delightful cliffs of that Mt. Cakravaan and also in its spacious caves, together with Ravana, and search for her here, there, and everywhere. [4-42-29]

yojanaani catuH SaSTiH varaaho naama parvataH |
suvarNa shR^i.ngaH sumahaan agaadhe varuNa aalaye || 4-42-30

30. agaadhe= in the abyss of; varuNa aalaye= in Rain-god's, adobe - in ocean; catuH SaSTiH yojanaani= four, six [after sixty-four] yojana-s; suvarNa shR^ingaH= golden, peaked; varaahaH naama= Varaha, named; su mahaan parvataH= very, great, mountain - is there.

"After sixty-four yojana-s another very great mountain with golden peaks is there in abyss of the abode of Rain-god, namely the ocean, and it is named as Mt. Varaaha. [4-42-30]

tatra praak jyotiSam naama jaataruupamayam puram |
yasmin vasati duSTa aatmaa narako naama daanavaH || 4-42-31

31. tatra praakjyotiSam naama= there, Praagjyotisha, named; jaataruupamayam puram= completely golden, city - is there; yasmin= wherein; duSTa aatmaa= evil, minded one; narakaH naama daanavaH= Naraka, named, demon; vasati= lives.

"A city named Praagjyotisha is there which is completely golden, wherein the evil-minded demon named Naraka is living. [4-42-31]

This Praagjyotisha is held as the present Assam as has been referred by Kalidasa in his works and some say that this place should not have been referred here. The inclusion of this verse is said to be the problem with the copyist. S.M. Ali in 'The Geography of the Puranas' says: 'this was the famous janapada on the fringe of the Eastern country...' and it corresponds roughly with the middle Brahmaputra valley...' The name is derived as praak 'firstly, easterly...' jyotish 'planet, Sun,' that is to say, 'the place where the Sun shines firstly, that is in the east of India...' i.e., Assam. The said demon Naraka is not the buffalo-demon who was eliminated by Goddess Durga.

tatra saanuSu ramyeSu vishaalaasu guhaasu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-42-32

32. tatra ramyeSu saanuSu= there [on Mt. Varaaha,] on delightful, cliffs; vishaalaasu guhaasu ca= spacious, caves, also; raavaNaH= Ravana; vaidehyaa saha= Vaidehi together with; maargitavyaH tataH tataH= be searched, there, there.

"There on the delightful cliffs and spacious caves of that Mt. Varaaha, including that city Praagjyotisha, Ravana shall be searched together with Vaidehi. [4-42-32]

tam atikramya shailendram kaa.ncanaan antara darshanam |
parvataH sarva sauvarNo dhaaraa prasravaNa aayutaH || 4-42-33

33. tam= that [Mt. Varaaha]; kaancanaan antara darshanam [nirdaraam]= with gold-deposits, inlaid, appears [with golden caves]; shailendram= mountain, the best; atikramya= on ranging; dhaaraa prasravaNa aayutaH= waterfalls, rapids, containing; sarva sauvarNaH parvataH= entirely, golden, mountain - is there, called Meghavanta.

"On ranging from that best Mt. Varaaha, whose caves are inlaid with gold-deposits apparent to the naked eye, there is an entirely golden mountain containing waterfalls and rapids called Meghavanta. [4-42-33]

tam gajaaH ca varaahaaH ca si.mhaa vyaaghraaH ca sarvataH |
abhigar.hjanti satatam tena shabdena darpitaaH || 4-42-34

34. sarvataH= all around; gajaaH ca varaahaaH ca simhaa vyaaghraaH ca= elephants, also wild-boars, also, lions, tigers, also; tena shabdena= by its [mountain's,] sound [on listening the reverberating sounds of rapids and falls of that mountain]; darpitaaH= proud-heartedly; satatam= always; abhi garjanti= facing towards [mountain,] [elephants will be] roaring.

"Listening the sonorous sounds of waterfalls and rapids of that mountain, and construing them to be the roars of their opponent beasts, the elephants, wild boars, lions, and tigers will always be facing that mountain and roaring proud-heartedly all around it, by which that Mt. Meghavanta itself appears to be roaring, proud-heartedly. [4-42-34]

yasmin hari hayaH shriimaan mahendraH paakashaasanaH |
abhiSiktaH surai raajaa megho naama sa parvataH || 4-42-35

35. hari hayaH= green, horses - one who has, Indra ; shriimaan= distinguished one; paaka shaasanaH= demon Paka, controller of; mahendraH= Mahendra; yasmin= where - on which mountain; suraiH= by gods; raajaa= as king; abhiSiktaH= is anointed; saH= such a; meghaH naama parvataH= Megha, named, mountain - it is.

"On which mountain the distinguished Mahendra, whose horses are green and who is the controller of demon Paka, is anointed by gods as their king, such a mountain is this named Mt. Megha, or Mt. Meghavanta, which you have to scour. [4-42-35]

tam atikramya shailendram mahendra paripaalitam |
SaSTim giri sahasraaNi kaa.ncanaani gamiSyatha || 4-42-36
taruNa aaditya varNaani bhraajamaanaani sarvataH |
jaataruupamayaiH vR^ikSaiH shobhitaani supuSpitaiH || 4-42-37

36, 37. mahendra paripaalitam= by great Indra, ruled; tam shailendram= that, mountain the best - Mt. Meghavanta; atikramya= going further; taruNa aaditya varNaani= young, sun, in tinge with; sarvataH bhraajamaanaani= all around, radiant; su puSpitaiH= with fully flowered; jaataruupamayaiH= completely golden in hue; vR^ikSaiH= with such - trees; shobhitaani= resplendent with; kaancanaani= golden ones; SaSTim= sixty; giri sahasraaNi= mountain, thousands [a range of sixty thousand mountains]; gamiSyatha= you shall go to.

"On going further from that best mountain ruled by Mahendra, namely Mt. Meghavanta, you shall go to the range of sixty thousand golden mountains. Those mountains are radiant all around with the tinge of young Sun, and with the resplendence of fully flowered trees which are wholly golden in hue. [4-42-36, 37]

teSaam madhye sthito raajaa meruH uttama parvataH |
aadityena prasannena shailo datta varaH puraa || 4-42-38

38. teSaam madhye= their, in midst; raajaa meruH uttama parvataH= kingly, Meru, unique, mountain; sthitaH= is there; puraa= once upon a time; shailaH= that mountain; prasannena aadityena= by generous, Sun; datta varaH= accorded, boon.

"There is a unique and kingly mountain in the midst of that range of golden mountains, which is called Mt. Meru, or Saavrni Meru, to which mountain generous Sun has once given a boon. [4-42-38]

ena evam uktaH shailendraH sarva eva tvat aashrayaaH |
mat prasaadaat bhaviSyanti divaa raatrau ca kaa.ncanaaH || 4-42-39
tvayi ye ca api vatsyanti deva gandharva daanavaaH |
te bhaviSyanti bhaktaaH ca prabhayaa kaa.ncana prabhaaH || 4-42-40

39, 40. shaila indraH= unique, mountain - Mt. Saavarni Meru; tena= by him - by Sun; evam uktaH= this way, said; tvat aashrayaaH= by you, sheltered; sarva eva= all of the - [whatever trees, boulders, brooks,] thus; divaa raatrau ca= by day, by night, also; mat prasaadaat= by my, beneficence; kaancanaaH bhaviSyanti =[transmute into] golden [in hue,] they become; ye= which of those; deva gandharva daanavaaH= gods, gandharva-s, demons; tvayi= in you [on you]; vatsyanti= will be residing; te ca api= they, also, even; bhaktaaH ca= votaries [of mine, i.e., the Sun,] also; prabhayaa= by resplendence; kaancana prabhaaH= in golden, glitter; bhaviSyanti= they will become.

"The Sun said to that unique Mt. Meru Saavarni in this way, 'by my beneficence whatever that is sheltered by you, say trees, climbers, rapids, boulders, all of them will transmute into golden hue, either by day or by night. Even those that reside on you, say gods, gandharva-s, or demons, they too shall thrive as my votaries and as far as their resplendence is concerned they will be glittering like gold, i.e., in the ochry golden hue of the eventide. [4-42-39, 40]

vishvedevaaH ca vasavo marutaH ca diva okasaH |
aagatya pashcimaam sa.ndhyaam merum uttama parvatam || 4-42-41
aadityam upatiSThanti taiH ca suuryo abhipuujitaH |
adR^ishyaH sarva bhuutaanaam astam gacChati parvatam || 4-42-42

41, 42. vishvedevaaH ca= Vishvedeva-s, also; vasavaH= Vasava-s; marutaH ca= Marut-s, and; diva okasaH= heaven, dwellers - other celestials; pashcimaam sandhyaam= at vesperal time; uttama parvatam merum= unique, mountain, to Mt. Meru; aagatya= having come; aadityam= at Sun; upa tiSThanti= nearby, sit tight - as in seated worship - they will worship; suuryaH taiH abhipuujitaH= Sun, by them, well worshipped; sarva bhuutaanaam= for all, beings; a + dR^ishyaH= un, seen - sun becomes - evanishes; astam parvatam gacChati= to dusking, mountain [Astagiri,] he goes.

"On their coming to that unique mountain Mt. Meru Saavarni at vespers Vishvedeva-s, Vasava-s, Marut-s, and the other celestials will bide their time for the dusking Sun, and when they all have worshipped him, the Sun goes to the Mt. Astagiri, the Dusking Mountain, and evanishes for all beings for that day. [4-42-41, 42]

The above list may not mention others but it is construed to be inclusive of ekaadasha rudra-s, who are twenty-one in number, while the vishvedevaaH are thirteen, vasavaaH are eight, maruts are seven, aadityaa-s 'the other Suns in other galaxies...' are twelve.

yojanaanaam sahasraaNi dasha taani divaakaraH |
muhuurta ardhena tam shiighram abhiyaati shila uccayam || 4-42-43

43. divaakaraH= day, maker [Sun]; muhuurta ardhena= hour, and half; yojanaanaam= of yojana-s; taani= those; dasha sahasraaNi= ten, thousand, [ten thousand yojana-s]; shila uccayam= towards mountain, highest, [Mt. Astagiri, Mt. Dusk]; shiighram abhi yaati= quickly, towards, goes.

"The Sun courses across those ten thousand yojana-s from Mt. Meru Saavarni to Mt. Astaadri in one and half hours, and quickly reaches Mt. Astagiri, or Mt. Dusk. [4-42-43]

shR^i.nge tasya mahat divyam bhavanam suurya sa.nnibham |
praasaada gaNa sa.mbaadham vihitam vishvakarmaNaa || 4-42-44

44. tasya shR^inge= on its, pinnacle, [Mt. Astagiri's pinnacle]; praasaada gaNa sambaadham= building with stories, multi, compacted with; suurya sannibham= Sun, similar [in shine]; mahat= a supreme; divyam= a heavenly; bhavanam= manor-house; vishvakarmaNaa vihitam= by Vishvakarma, arranged - is there.

"On the pinnacle of Mt. Astagiri, or the Mt. Dusk, there is a supreme and heavenly manor-house compacted with multi-storied buildings, which in shine will be similar to Sun and which is arranged by Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect. [4-42-44]

shobhitam tarubhiH citraiH naanaa pakSi samaakulaiH |
niketam paasha hastasya varuNasya mahaatmanaH || 4-42-45

45. citraiH= with amazing ones; naanaa pakSi sam aakulaiH= with diverse, birds, well [musically,] twittering; tarubhiH shobhitam= with trees, brightened with; mahaa aatmanaH= great-souled one; paasha hastasya= tether, in hand [wielder of]; varuNasya niketam= Rain-god Varuna's, villa - is there.

"That villa is brightened by amazing trees, on which diverse birds will be twittering musically, belongs to the great-souled Varuna, the Rain-god, who wields a tether. [4-42-45]

antaraa merum astam ca taalo dasha shiraa mahaan |
jaataruupamayaH shriimaan bhraajate citra vedikaH || 4-42-46

46. merum astam ca= Mt. Meru, Mt. Astaadri [Mt. Dusk,] also; antaraa= in between; dasha shiraa= ten, headed [ten leaved]; jaataruupamayaH= completely golden; shriimaan= glorious one; citra vedikaH= with marvellous, podium; mahaan taalaH= gigantic, Date-palm-tree; bhraajate= shines forth.

"In between Mt. Meru and Mt. Astaadri there is a gigantic ten-leaved Date-palm-tree, which is completely golden and shines forth with a marvellous podium. [4-42-46]

This area must be the present day Arabian and the ancient Persian province, because the Date-palm tree is the highly respected tree at there or even throughout south East Asia. The three kinds of Dates trees are called as dry-grass-palm trees, as said in Amara Kosha. kharjuura, ketakii, talii, kharjuurii ca tR^iNa drumaa: amara kosha 'Date, Pandamus odara tissimus, Corypha Talliera and Wild Date are dry-grass-palms, and these grow in abundance around oases.

teSu sarveSu durgeSu sarassu ca saritsu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-42-47

47. sarveSu= in all of them; teSu= in those; durgeSu sarassu ca saritsu ca= mountains, lakes, also, rivers, also; tataH tataH= there, there; vaidehyaa= Vaidehi; saha raavaNaH= together with, Ravana; maargitavyaH= shall be searched.

"On all those mountains, lakesides and riversides Vaidehi shall be searched together with Ravana, far and wide. [4-42-47]

yatra tiSThati dharmaj~naH tapasaa svena bhaavitaH |
meru saavarNir iti eSa khyaato vai brahmaNaa samaH || 4-42-48

48. dharmaj~naH= virtue knower; svena tapasaa bhaavitaH= by his own, asceticism, an enlightened one; brahmaNaa samaH= to Brahma, selfsame; eSa= who is; merusaavarNiH iti= Sage Merusaavarni, thus; khyaataH= is renowned; yatra tiSThati vai= where, he abides, indeed - that place is this Mt. Meru Saavarni.

"This is where the virtue-knower, an enlightened one by his own asceticism, a selfsame personality to Brahma and one renowned as Sage Merusaavarni indeed resides. [4-42-48]

praSTavyo merusaavarNiH maharSiH suurya sa.nnibhaH |
praNamya shirasaa bhuumau pravR^ittim maithiliim prati || 4-42-49

49. suurya sannibhaH= Sun, similar in shine; maharSiH merusaavarNiH= great-sage, Merusaavarni; shirasaa bhuumau praNamya= with head-bent, onto ground, venerating - prostration yourself before him; maithiliim prati= of Maithili, about - tidings about Maithili; pravR^ittim praSTavyaH= her whereabouts, he can be asked.

"And that sage Merusaavarni who is Sun-similar in his shine can be asked, only on your prostration before him in veneration, about the tidings of Maithili, and her whereabouts. [4-42-49]

etaavat jiiva lokasya bhaaskaro rajanii kSaye |
kR^itvaa vitimiram sarvam astam gacChati parvatam || 4-42-50

50. bhaaskaraH= Illuminator - Sun; jiiva lokasya= of mortal, world; etaavat= up to here; rajanii kSaye= night, decline of - in day; vi timiram= without, darkness; kR^itvaa= on making - effacing; astam parvatam gacChati= to Astagiri, mountain [Mt. Dusk,] goes to.

"On effacing the utter darkness of all the mortal world up to here, the illuminator of mortal world and the decliner of night, namely the Sun, will go to the Mt. Astagiri, say Mt. Dusk. [4-42-50]

etaavat vaanaraiH shakyam gantum vaanara pu.ngavaaH |
abhaaskaram amaryaadam na jaaniimaH tataH param || 4-42-51

51. vaanara pungavaaH= oh, vanara-s, the best; etaavat= up to there; vaanaraiH gantum shakyam= by vanara-s, to go, it is possible; a +bhaaskaram= without, sun [sunless]; a + maryaadam= not, with boundaries [boundless realms]; about them; tataH param= there, after - far and beyond; na jaaniimaH= not, we know - I do not know.

"It is possible for the vanara-s to go only up to there, oh, best vanara-s, and we have no knowledge of those sunless and boundless realms available far and beyond. [4-42-51]

In 'The Ancient Geography of India' K. Basu records: 'the reader should notice here that Valmiki makes mention of a few places only, most of which are mountains in the west and ends with the poetic land of the setting Sun. This shows that little was known at that time of the famed nations of the west, in spite of the great antiquity claimed by Egypt, Assyria, and Greece and one might be led to the thinking that these nations had not yet risen to power in the time of Valmiki, or if they existed at all, communication was not yet opened between them and the Indian Aryans...'

The words a bhaaskaram, a + maryaadam are also taken in the sense, 'without, enlightenment; without, proper conduct, i.e., propriety...' 'Those places are with primitives who are unenlightened and with impropriety, that are incongruous with Ancient Indian principle of living...' Thus, these cultures west to Persia are held as pre-Babylonian or pre-Assyrian cultures. Moreover, it is assumed that Sugreeva has said this way: 'because Ravana is a highly educated and cultured demon, in his own way, he too despises those lowly cultures despite of his obstinacy. For sure, he will not be there with Seetha, and hence Seetha need not be searched in those countries.'

avagamya tu vaidehiim nilayam raavaNasya ca |
astam parvatam aasaadya puurNe maase nivartata || 4-42-52

52. vaidehiim= about Vaidehi; raavaNasya nilayam ca= of Ravana, residency, also; avagamya tu= on knowing, but; astam parvatam aasaadya= Dusk, mountain, on reaching; maase puurNe= month, while completing [within a month]; nivartata= you shall come back.

"You shall return within a month on knowing about Vaidehi and also about the residency of Ravana, or on your reaching Mt. Astagiri, say Mt. Dusk. [4-42-52]

uurdhvam maasaan na vastavyam vasan vadhyo bhaven mama |
saha eva shuuro yuSmaabhiH shvashuro me gamiSyati || 4-42-53

53. maasaat uurdhvam na vastavyam= than a month, above [more than,] not, to stay away; vasan= if stayed; mama vadhyaH bhavet= to me, executable, [he] becomes - I have to exercise coup de grace; yuSmaabhiH saha eva= you, along with, thus; me shuuraH shvashuraH= my, valorous, father-in-law; gamiSyati= will proceed.

"And none shall stay behind for more than a month, and if anyone stays, I have to exercise coup de grace in his respect. By the way, my valorous father-in-law, namely Sushena, is proceeding along with you. [4-42-53]

shrotavyam sarvam etasya bhavadbhiH diSTa kaaribhiH |
guruH eSa mahaabaahuH shvashuro me mahaabalaH || 4-42-54

54. diSTakaaribhiH= by the achievers ordered tasks; bhavadbhiH= by you; etasya= his [Sushena's orders]; sarvam shrotavyam= all [orders,] give ear to - give heed to; mahaabaahuH= highly dextrous; mahaabalaH= great-mighty one; eSa me shvashuraH= he is, my, father-in-law; guruH= a venerable one.

"As achievers of ordered tasks you shall give heed to all of the orders given by him. He who is highly dextrous and great mighty such a Sushena is my father-in-law, thus he is a venerable to me, as well as to you. [4-42-54]

bhavantaH ca api vikraantaaH pramaaNam sarve eva hi |
pramaaNam enam sa.msthaapya pashyadhvam pashcimaam disham || 4-42-55

55. vikraantaaH= triumphant ones; sarve bhavantaH ca api= all of, you, also, even; pramaaNam eva hi= archetypes [by yourselves,] thus, indeed; enam pramaaNam samsthaapya= him, as archetype, on instituting; pashcimaam disham pashyadhvam= western, direction, you shall see - search.

"Even all of you are triumphant ones and indeed archetypes by yourselves, but instituting him as your archetype you shall search the western direction. [4-42-55]

dR^iSTaayaam tu narendrasyaa patnyaam amita tejasaH |
kR^ita kR^ityaa bhaviSyaamaH kR^itasya pratikarmaNaa || 4-42-56

56. amita tejasaH= of unlimited, vitality; nara indrasya patnyaam= humans, king's, wife; dR^iSTaayaam= while being seen - if located; tu= only then; kR^itasya prati karmaNaa= what has been done [for us,] in turn, by doing [by reciprocating]; kR^itakR^ityaa bhaviSyaamaH= fulfilled, we all will become.]

"We all fulfil ourselves in reciprocating him who has done good to us, only if we can locate Seetha, the wife of the king of humans whose vitality is unlimited, namely Rama. [4-42-56]

ato anyat api yat kaaryam kaaryasya asya priyam bhavet |
sa.mpradhaarya bhavadbhiH ca desha kaala artha sa.mhitam || 4-42-57

57. asya kaaryasya= this, work; ataH= more than; anyat api= other one, even; yat priyam bhavet= which, conducive to, will be; desha kaala artha sam hitam= place, time, purpose, verily, which will be conducive to; that task; bhavadbhiH sampradhaarya ca= by you all, on deciding, also; kaaryam= it may be done.

"Even if any other task than this is there, that which shall be conducive to this task, and which shall also be conducive to time, place and purpose, you shall undertake that task also on deciding about it among yourselves." Sugreeva spoke thus to the monkeys going to western direction. [4-42-57]

tataH suSeNa pramukhaaH plava.ngamaaH
sugriiva vaakyam nipuNam nishamya |
aama.ntrya sarve plavagaadhipam te
jagmur disham taam varuNa abhiguptaam || 4-42-58

58. tataH= then; suSeNa pramukhaaH plavangamaaH= Sushena, [other] important, fly-jumpers; sugriiva vaakyam nipuNam nishamya= Sugreeva's, sentence, sedulously, on hearing; te sarve= they, all of them; plavaga adhipam= from fly-jumpers, king - Sugreeva; aamantrya= taking leave; varuNa abhi guptaam= by Varuna - Rain-god, verily, cloistered; taam disham jagmuH= to that [west,] direction, they proceeded.

On hearing the sentences of Sugreeva sedulously, then Sushena and the other important fly-jumpers took leave of the king of fly-jumpers, namely Sugreeva, and proceeded along with their individual troops to that western direction which is well cloistered by Varuna, the Rain-god. [4-42-58]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe dvi catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 42nd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 43

Introduction

Sugreeva sends troops to north in search of Seetha. He gives an account of the snowy regions and provinces of northern side and asks them to search in the places of Yavana, Kuru, and Darads etc., civilisations. Sugreeva specially informs them about a divine province called Uttara Kuru and a heavenly mountain called Mt. Soma on which Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva make sojourn for its sacredness.

tataH sa.ndishya sugriivaH shvashuram pash.hcimaam disham |
viiram shatabalim naama vaanaram vaanarareshvara || 4-43-1

1. vaanara iishvara sugriivaH= vanara-s', king, Sugreeva; shvashuram pashcimaam disham sandishya = father-in-law, to westerly, direction, on sending; tataH= then; shatabalim naama= Shatabali, named; viiram vaanaram= to valorous, vanara; [uvaaca= spoke to.]

On sending his father-in-law, namely Susheshana, to westerly direction then the king of Vanara-s Sugreeva, spoke to a valorous vanara named Shatabali. [4-43-1]

uvaaca raajaa sarvaj~naH sarva vaanara sattama |
vaakyam aatma hitam caiva raamasya ca hitam tadaa || || 4-43-2

2. raajaa sarva j~naH= king, all, knowing - knowledgeable - Sugreeva; sarva vaanara sattama= among all, vanara-s, powerful one [Sugreeva]; tadaa= thereafter; aatma hitam= for himself, advantageous; hitam raamasya ca= beneficial, for Rama, even; vaakyam uvaaca= words, spoke.

That knowledgeable and the powerful one among all monkeys, King Sugreeva, spoke words to Shatabala that are advantageous to himself, and beneficial to Rama as well. [4-43-2]

vR^itaH shata sahasreNa tvat vidhaanaam vana okasaam |
vaivasvata sutaiH saardham praviSTha sarva ma.ntribhiH || || 4-43-3

3. tvat vidhaanaam= your, kind of; vana okasaam= forest, dwellers [monkeys]; shata sahasreNa= with a hundred, thousand; vR^itaH= surrounded with - accompanied with; sarva mantribhiH= with all, misters; vaivasvata sutaiH saardham= Yama, Terminator's, sons, along with; praviSTha= you enter - you proceed.

"Accompanied with a hundred thousand forest-dwelling monkeys of your kind, and also with all of your ministers who the sons of Yama, the Terminator, you have to proceed. [4-43-3]

disham hi udiiciim vikraanta hima shaila avata.nsikaam |
sarvataH parimaargadhvam raama patniim yashasviniim || || 4-43-4

4. vikraanta= oh, venturesome one - Shatabala; hima shaila avatansikaam= [the north that has] snowy, mountains, as its crown; udiiciim disham= northern, quarter; yashasviniim raama patniim = glorious, Rama's, for wife; sarvataH parimaargadhvam= everywhere, scouted out.

"Oh, venturesome Shatabala, you scout out whole of the northern quarter that has snowy Himalayan mountains as its crown for the glorious wife of Rama. [4-43-4]

asmin kaarye vinivR^itte kR^ite daasharatheH priye |
R^iNaan muktaa bhaviSyaamaH kR^ita arthaa ar.hthavidaam varaaH || || 4-43-5

5. artha vidaam varaaH= purposiveness, among experts of, oh, best ones - oh, enterprising vanara-s; asmin kaarye vinivR^itte = in this, mission, on being completed; daasharatheH priye kR^ite = to Dasharatha's son - to Rama, agreeable [task,] when we effectuate; R^iNaan muktaa= from debt, freed; kR^ita arthaa= accomplished, of purpose; bhaviSyaamaH= we will become.

"Oh, enterprising vanara-s, when this mission is complete and when we can effectuate a task agreeable to Rama, we will become debt-free and accomplished of our purpose. [4-43-5]

kR^itam hi priyam asmaakam raaghaveNa mahaatmanaa |
tasya cet pratikaaro asti saphalam jiivitam bhavet || || 4-43-6

6. mahaa aatmanaa= raaghaveNa= by great-souled, Raghava; asmaakam priyam kR^itam hi = for us, cherish [a favour,] done, isn't it; tasya prati kaaraH asti cet = its [deed's,] reciprocation, is there, if; jiivitam= life sa phalam= with, fruit [fruitful]; bhavet= becomes.

"Great-souled Raghava has indeed done a favour to us, isn't it. If there is reciprocation to that kind deed, our lives will become fruitful. [4-43-6]

arthinaH kaarya nir.hvR^ittim akartum api yaH caret |
tasya syaat saphalam janma kim punaH puurva kaariNaH || || 4-43-7

7. yaH= he who; a+ kartuH api= not, doing, even - even if one does not reciprocate; arthinaH kaarya nirvR^ittim = requester, deed, completion; caret= if he does; tasya janma saphalam syaat = his, life, fruitful, becomes; puurva kaariNaH= earleir, one who has done - one who has already renedered help; kim punaH= why, again - telling.

"He who completes the deed of a requester, even though that requester has not rendered any hep earlier, his life becomes fruitful. Then what is there to say again about him who has already received help from the requester? [4-43-7]

etaam buddhim samaasthaaya dR^ishyate jaanakii yathaa |
tathaa bhavadbhiH kartavyam asmat priya hita eSibhiH || || 4-43-8

8. etaam buddhim samaasthaaya= such a, thinking, abiding by; asmat= our; priya= well-being; hita= welfare; eSibhiH= by wishers; bhavadbhiH= by you all; jaanakii = Janaki; yathaa dR^ishyate= as to how, can be seen - can be found; tathaa kartavyam= that way, it [task] may be undertaken.

"Let all of you abide by such a thinking as you are the well-wishers of our well-being and welfare, and undertake your mission in such a way as to how Seetha can be found in your search. [4-43-8]

ayam hi sarva bhuutaanaam maanyaH tu nara sattamaH |
asmaasu ca gataH priitim raamaH para puram jayaH || || 4-43-9

9. ayam nara sattamaH= this, among men, the best one - Rama; para puram jayaH= others [enemies',] cities [fastnesses,] champion of; such a; raamaH= Rama; sarva bhuutaanaam maanyaH tu= for all, beings, estimable one, on his part; asmaasu priitim gataH hi = with us, interest, he entered into, indeed - he befriended us.

"On his part this Rama, who is the best on among men and the champion of enemies' fastnesses, is the estimable one for all beings, and his interests have indeed fell in with ours. [4-43-9]

imaani bahu dur.hgaaNi nadyaH shaila a.ntaraaNi ca |
bhavantaH parimaargantu buddhi vikrama sa.mpadaa || || 4-43-10

10. bhavantaH= you all; buddhi vikrama sampadaa= wisdom, valour, with a wealth of; imaani= these; bahu durgaaNi= many, impassable - places; nadyaH shaila antaraaNi ca= rivers, mountains, canyons also; parimaargantu= rake over.

"Let all of you with your assets of wisdom and valour rake over all of these impassable places, rivers, mountains and also their canyons. [4-43-10]

tatra mlecChaan pulindaan ca shuurasenaan tathaiva ca |
prasthaalaan bharataan caiva kuruum ca saha madrakaiH || || 4-43-11
kaa.mboja yavanaan caiva shakaan pattanaani ca |
anviikshya daradaan caiva himavantam vicinvatha || 4-43-12

11, 12. tatra= there - in north; mlecChaan pulindaan ca= Mleccha-s, Pulinda-s - provinces of; tathaiva= like that; shuurasenaan ca= Shurashena, also; prasthaalaan bharataan caiva= Prasthala, Bharata, also, thus; madrakaiH saha = Madraka, along with; kuruum ca= Kuru, also; kaamboja yavanaan caiva= Kaambhoja, Yavana [countries,] also, thus; shakaan pattanaani ca= of Shaka, cities, also; daradaan caiva= Darada, also, thus; anviikshya= on scrutinizing; himavantam vicinvatha= at Himavanta [Himalayas,] search out.

"There in the north, the provinces of Mleccha-s, Pulinda-s, that way Shurashena - Prasthala - Bharata - Kuru - Madraka - Kaambhoja - Yavana shall be scrutinized along with the cities of Shaka and Darada, and then search in Himalayas. [4-43-11,12]

The Mleccha is the province of the then India to the North-West and it is defined as: prati anto mleccha sy˜t - amara koþa - go m˜Õsa bhakÿako yastu viruddham bahu bh˜ÿate sarva ˜c˜ra vihŸna× ca mleccha itiu abhidŸyate - bodh˜yana 'at the end of the country there is Mleccha province... amarakosha, 'eaters of beef, talkers of odd languages, devoid of all ethics [with reference to Indian scriptural ethics, especially marriage as an institution, immoralities etc.,] and they are called Mleccha-s...' Bodhaayana aphorisms. Some hold the view that Ramayana was written more lately to Greek's invasion on India on seeing the names like this Yavana, Shaka etc. for this please see the endnote for some more information

lodhra padmaka khaNDeSu devadaaru vaneSu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaa tataH tataH || || 4-43-13

13. lodhra padmaka khaNDeSu= in Lodhra, Padmaka tree, stands; devadaaru vaneSu ca= Devadaru trees, woods, also; raavaNaH= Ravana; tataH tataH= there, there; vaidehyaa saha= Videhi, together with; maargitavyaa= be searched.

"In the stands of Lodhra trees, Padmaka trees and in the woods of Devadaru, or Deodar trees, Ravana is to be searched there and there, together with Seetha. [4-43-13]

Lodhra trees are of Tymplocos racemosa, and Devadaru tree is of Uvaria longifolia, commonly called as Deodar trees.

tataH soma aashramam gatvaa deva gandharva sevitam |
kaalam naama mahaasaanum parvatam tam gamiSyatha || 4-43-14

14. tataH= then; deva gandharva sevitam= gods, gandharva-s, adored by; soma aashramam gatvaa= to Soma, hermitage, on going; mahaa saanum= great, peaked; kaalam naama= Kala, named; tam parvatam gamiSyatha= to that, mountain, you go.

"You to Soma hermitage, which is adored by the gods and gandharva-s, and then you go to that great-peaked mountain named Mt. Kala. [4-43-14]

mahatsu tasya shaileSu parvateSu guhaasu ca |
vicinvata mahaabhaagaam raama patniim aninditaam || 4-43-15

15. tasya mahatsu shaileSu= its, on grand, cliffs; parvateSu= = on mountainsides; guhaasu ca= in caves, also; mahaa bhaagaam= highly, fortunate one; a + ninditaam= not, peccable one - impeccable Seetha; raama patniim= Rama's, wife; vicinvata= shall be searched.

"On its cliffs, mountainsides and in caves the highly fortunate and impeccable wife of Rama shall be searched. [4-43-15]

tam atikramya shailendram hema garbham mahaagirim |
tataH sudarshanam naama parvatam gantum arhatha || 4-43-16

16. hema garbham= gold, impregnated with; shaila indram= mountain, lordly; tam mahaa girim= that, great-mountain; atikramya= on going across; tataH= afterwards; sudarshanam naama parvatam= to Sudarshan, named, mountain; gantum arhatha= to go, apt of you.

"On going across that lordly mountain Kala, which great-mountain is impregnated with gold, it will be apt of you to go to the mountain named Sudarshana afterwards. [4-43-16]

tato devasakho naama parvataH pataga aalaya |
naanaa pakshi samaakiirNo vividha druma bhuuSitaH || 4-43-17

17. tataH= latter; pataga aalaya= birds, a sanctuary of; naanaa pakshi sam aakiirNaH= with diverse, birds, verily, overspread; vividha druma bhuuSitaH = varied, trees, adorned with; devasakhaH naama parvataH= Devasakha, named, mountain - will be there.

"Latter there will be a mountain overspread with various birds and adorned with varied trees named Devasakha which is a sanctuary for birds. [4-43-17]

tasya kaanana khaNDeSu nir.hjhareSu guhaasu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-43-18

18. tasya= in its - mountain's; kaanana khaNDeSu= woods, in segments; nirjhareSu [nirdareSu] guhaasu ca= in waterfalls, [in valleys,] in caverns, even; raavaNaH= Ravana vaidehyaa saha= Vaidehi, together with; tataH tataH maargitavyaH = there, there, quested for.

"Let Ravana be quested after in the segments of woods, at waterfalls, and even in caverns of that mountain, together with Vaidehi. [4-43-18]

tam atikramya ca aakaasham sarvataH shata yojanam |
aparvata nadii vR^ikSam sarva sattva vivarjitam || 4-43-19

19. tam= that - Mt. Devasakha; atikramya ca= on crossing, even; a + parvata = devoid of, mountains; nadii vR^ ikSam= rivers, trees; sarva sattva vi varjitam= by all, beings, verily, discarded; sarvataH shata yojanam = all around, hundred, yojana-s; aakaasham = sky - void land; is there.

"On crossing Mt. Devasakha, there is a vacant land to a span of hundred yojana-s all around, which is devoid of mountains, rivers and even trees, and discarded by all beings. [4-43-19]

tat tu shiighram atikramya kaa.ntaaram roma harSaNam |
kailaasam paaNDuram praapya hR^iSTaa yuuyam bhaviSyatha || 4-43-20

20. kaantaaram= wilds; roma harSaNam = hair, raising one; tat tu= that, on its part; shiighram atikramya= quickly, on traversing; paaNDuram kailaasam praapya= whitish, Mt. Kailash, on attaining; yuuyam= you all; hR^iSTaa bhaviSyatha= overjoyed, you will be.

"But you all will be overjoyed on traversing that hair-raising wasteland quickly and on attaining Mt. Kailash. [4-43-20]

'The Kailash mountain believed to be the abode of Shiva, the tutelary god of the Snowy Range of Central Asia and the wealth god Kubera, was to the north of Himalayas. It would appear to correspond with the Kwenlun Range, which extends northwards and connects with the Altai chain. The route indicated must have been by the south skirts of the desert towards the west, to pass by the Kailash Range...' Ancient Geography. This is presently in Tibet.

tatra paaNDura meghaabham jaambuunada pariSkR^itam |
kubera bhavanam ramyam nirmitam vishvakarmaNaa || 4-43-21

21. tatra = there; vishva karmaNaa nirmitam = by Vishvakarma [the Divine Architect,] constructed; paaNDura megha aabham= white, cloudlike, in shine; jaambuunada pariSkR^itam= gold, processed with; ramyam= delightful one; kubera bhavanam = Kubera's, mansion; is there.

"There is the delightful mansion of Kubera, which in shine will be like a silver cloud and processed with gold, and the Divine Architect Vishvakarma has constructed it. [4-43-21]

vishaalaa nalinii yatra prabhuuta kamalotpalaa |
ha.msa kaaraNDava aakiirNaa apsaro gaNa sevitaa || 4-43-22

22. yatra= where; prabhuuta kamala utpalaa= replete with, lotuses, costuses; hamsa kaaraNDava aakiirNaa= swans, partridges, overrun by; apsaraH gaNa sevitaa= apsara, throngs, adored by; vishaalaa nalinii= expansive, lotus-lake; is there that is the place of Kubera.

"Where an expansive lake is there, which is replete with lotuses and costuses, overrun by swans and partridges, and adored by throngs of apsara-s, that is the place of Kubera, Deity for Wealth-Management. [4-43-22]

tatra vaishravaNo raajaa sarva bhuuta namaskR^itaH |
dhanado ramate shriimaan guhyakaiH saha yakSa raaT || 4-43-23

23. tatra= there - at that place; vaishravaNaH = son of Vaishravana; sarva bhuuta namaskR^itaH= by all, beings, reverenced; yakSa raaT= yaksha-s, king; shriimaan dhanadaH= fortunate one, Money-giver [Kubera]; raajaa= king; guhyakaiH saha= with Guhyaka-s [yaksha-s,] with; ramate = he rejoices.

"The son of Sage Vaishravana and king of yaksha-s, who is reverenced by all beings for he is the money giver, that fortunate king will be rejoicing there along with guhyaka-s, viz., yaksha-s. [4-43-23]

tasya candra nikasheSu par.hvateSu guhaasu ca |
raavaNaH saha vaidehyaa maargitavyaH tataH tataH || 4-43-24

24. tasya= its [Mt. Kailash's]; candra nikasheSu= moon, similar in shine; parvateSu guhaasu ca= in [nearby] mountains, in their caves, even; tataHtataH= there, there; raavaNaH= Ravana; maargitavyaH = shall be searched; vaidehyaa saha= Vaidehi, together with.

"Ravana shall be searched on Mt. Kailash, and even in the caves of nearby mountains which will be shining like moon, together with Vaidehi. [4-43-24]

Ravana is a brother of Kubera and the aircraft of Kubera, namely Pushpaka, is seized from this very Kubera. Thus, there is every chance to hide Seetha at Kubera's place bringing Kubera under duress.

krauncam tu girim aasaadya bilam tasya sudurgamam |
apramattaiH praveSTavyam duSpravesham hi tat smR^itam || 4-43-25

25. krauncam tu girim aasaadya= Kraunca, but, mountain, on reaching [thereafter]; su dur gamam= highly, not, passable one; tasya bilam = its, tunnel; a + pramattaiH= without, incautiously [cautiously]; praveSTavyam= is to be entered; tat= that - tunnel; duS pravesham = un, enterable; smR^itam hi= known to be, indeed - they say.

"Thereafter on reaching Mt. Kraunca you shall cautiously enter into a highly impassable tunnel of that mountain to search Seetha. That tunnel, they say, is an un-enterable one. [4-43-25]

Kumara or Skanda, the son of Shiva-Parvati-Ganga made this bore by using His shakti prayoga 'Divine power.' This is his birthplace, and the legend of His birth and growth are detailed in Bala Kanda.

vasanti hi mahaatmaanaH tatra suurya sama prabhaaH |
devaiH abhyarthitaaH samyak deva ruupaa maharSayaH || 4-43-26

26. tatra= in there - in that tunnel; suurya sama prabhaaH= Sun, similar, in resplendence; devaiH abhyarthitaaH= by gods, requested; deva ruupaa= godly, in mien; mahaatmaanaH= great-souled ones; such; maharSayaH= great-sages; samyak vasanti = very well, living - in that tunnel.

"In that tunnel great-souled sages reside at the request of gods, and those great-sages are similar to Sun in their resplendence and godly in their mien. Even then, you search for Ravana therein that tunnel. [4-43-26]

krauncasya tu guhaaH ca anyaaH saanuuni shikharaaNi ca |
nirdaraaH ca nita.mbaaH ca vicetavyaaH tataH tataH || 4-43-27

27. krauncasya tu= Mt. Kraunca, but [besides the main peak of Mt. Kraunca]; anyaaH= other; guhaaH ca= caves, also; saanuuni shikharaaNi ca = terraces, peaks, also; nirdaraaH ca [dardaraaH ca]= crevices, also; nitambaaH ca= buttocks [of mountain, midriffs,] also; tataH tataH= there, there; vicetavyaaH = shall be searched.

"Besides the main peak of Mt. Kraunca, its other peaks, terraces, crevices and midriffs shall be searched, far and wide. [4-43-27]

avR^ikSam kaama shailam ca maanasam vihaga aalayam |
na gatiH tatra bhuutaanaam devaanaam na ca rakSasaam || 4-43-28

28. a +vR^ikSam= without, trees; vihaga aalayam= birds, abode; maanasam= Mt. Maanasa; kaama shailam ca= Kaama, mountain, also; are to be searched; tatra= there; bhuutaanaam gatiH na = for beings, inlet, no; devaanaam ca rakSasaam= for gods, even, for demons; [gatiH= inlet]; na = no.

"The treeless Mt. Kaama and the abode of birds Mt. Maanasa are also to be searched, and there is no inlet for any being, let alone gods or demons. [4-43-28]

These mountains Maanasa and Kaama are said differently in other translations, like 'the wish-endower Kaama and the bird-less Maanasa Mountains.' That is to say, 'even birds cannot enter there then where is the question of entry to other beings...' If that place is un-enterable even for birds or gods how these few monkeys can enter, is the question that ensues. Sugreeva gives the answer to Rama at the start of this exodus of monkeys, saying that these monkeys can do any undoable task, which is peculiar to these genera.

sa ca sarvaiH vicetavyaH sa saanu prastha bhuudharaH |
krauncam girim atikramya mainaako naama parvataH || 4-43-29

29. sa saanu prastha bhuu dharaH= with, mountainsides, grades, fringe, mountains; saH= that Kraunca mountain; sarvaiH vicetavyaH= by you all, is to be searched; krauncam girim atikramya= from Kraunca, mountain, moving away; mainaakaH naama parvataH= Mainaaka, named, mountain - is there.

"You all have to search Mt. Kraunca inclusive of its mountainsides, grades, and its fringe mountains, and on moving away from that Mt. Kraunca, a mountain named Mainaaka is there. [4-43-29]

This Mainaaka is different from the one that wanted to give hospitality to Hanuma during his flight across ocean in Sundara Kanda.

mayasya bhavanam tatra daanavasya svayam kR^itam |
mainaakaH tu vicetavyaH sa saanu prastha ka.ndaraH || 4-43-30
striiNaam ashva mukhiinaam ca niketaaH tatra tatra tu |

30, 31a. tatra= there; daanavasya mayasya= demon, Maya's; svayam kR^itam= himself, made [built]; bhavanam= mansion - is there; sa saanu prastha kandaraH= with, crests, grades, caves; mainaakaH tu vicetavyaH= Mt. Mainaaka, but, searched out; tatra tatra tu = there, there - thereabout; ashva mukhiinaam striiNaam ca= horse, faced ones, of females, also - of kimpurusha females; niketaaH = dwelling - is there.

"The mansion of the demon Maya is there which is built by himself and that Mt. Mainaaka is to be searched out, inclusive of its crests, grades and caves. Thereabout the dwellings of horse-faced females, namely KimpuruSa-s, are there and you have to search them also. [4-43-30, 31a]

The word ashvamukhi is taken as one word to explain the genera of kimpuruSa , a kind of sylvan beings like yaksha-s, caarana-s and the like, whereas some take it as horse-faced beings.

tam desham samatikramya aashramam siddha sevitam || 4-43-31
siddhaa vaikhaanasaaH tatra vaalakhilyaaH ca taapasaaH |

31b, 32a. tam desham sam atikramya= that, province, verily, over crossing; siddha sevitam aashramam = by siddha-s [resolved-souls,] adored by, hermitage - is there; tatra= there; siddhaa vaikhaanasaaH = siddha-s, vaikhaanasa-s, vaalakhilyaaH ca taapasaaH= vaalakhilyaa-s, also, sages.

"On crossing over that province there is the hermitage adored by siddha-s, the resolved-souls. There the sages, namely siddha-s, vaikhaanasa-s, and vaalakhilyaa-s will be there. [4-43-31b, 32a]

vanditavyaaH tataH siddhaaH taapasaa viita kalmaSaaH || 4-43-32
praSTavyaaH ca api siitaayaaH pravR^ittim vinaya anvitaiH |

32b, 33a. tataH= then; taapasaa viita kalmaSaaH= by asceticism, those who are relieved of, blemishes; siddhaaH= accomplished souls; vanditavyaaH= are to be reverenced; vinaya anvitaiH= humbleness, having; by you; siitaayaaH pravR^ittim= of Seetha, course [whereabouts]; praSTavyaaH ca api= [they may be] asked after, also, even.

"Then you venerate those sages with accomplished souls, whose asceticism alone has effaced their blemishes, and you may even humbly ask them after Seetha's whereabouts. [4-43-32b, 33a]

hema puSkara sa.nChannam tatra vaikhaanasam saraH || 4-43-33
taruNa aaditya sa.nkaashaiH ha.msaiH vicaritam shubhaiH |

33b, 34a. tatra= there; hema puSkara sanChannam= golden, lotuses, overspread with; taruNa aaditya sankaashaiH= tender, sun, similar in resplendence; shubhaiH hamsaiH = with prosperous, swans; vi caritam= verily, moving about; vaikhaanasam= pertaining to Vaikaanasa sages; saraH= lake - is there.

"There is the lake belonging to Vaikhaanasa sages, overspread with golden lotuses, and overrun with prosperous swans whose resplendence will be similar to the tender sun. [4-43-33b, 34a]

aupavaahyaH kuberasya sarvabhauma iti smR^itaH || 4-43-34
gajaH par.hyeti tam desham sadaa saha kareNubhiH |

34b, 35a. sarvabhauma iti smR^itaH= Saarvabhauma, thus, known as - in legends; kuberasya aupavaahyaH gajaH = of Kubera, carrier, elephant; kareNubhiH saha = she-elephants, along with; sadaa= always; tam desham= to that, place; pari eti = goes over - will be visiting.

"The carrier elephant of Kubera known as Saarvabhauma will always be visiting that place along with she-elephants. [4-43-34b, 35a]

tat saaraH samatikramya naSTa candra divaakaram |
anakSatra gaNam vyoma niSpayodam anaaaditam || 4-43-35

35b, c. tat saaraH samatikramya= that, lake, on passing over; naSTa candra divaakaram= devoid of, moon, sun; a+ nakSatra gaNam= without, star, clusters; niS payodam= without, clouds; a+ naaaditam= less of, noise [noiseless]; vyoma= sky - is there.

"Passing that lake there will be just sky which will be devoid of moon, or sun, or the clusters of stars, and it will be cloudless and noiseless. [4-43-35b, c]

gabhastibhiH iva arkasya sa tu deshaH prakaashate |
vishraamyadbhiH tapaH siddhaiH deva kalpaiH svaya.mprabhaiH || 4-43-36

36. deva kalpaiH= gods, like; svayam prabhaiH= self, resplendent ones; vishraamyadbhiH= who are taking rest; tapaH siddhaiH= in asceticism, accomplished ones; sa deshaH= that, place; arkasya gabhastibhiH iva= sun's, [innumerable] sunrays, as with; prakaashate= [that place will be] luminescent.

"That place will be luminescent with the self-resplendence of godlike sages who have accomplished their asceticism and who are taking rest at that place, as if illuminated with innumerable rays of the sun. [4-43-36]

tam tu desham atikramya shailodaa naama nimnagaa |
ubhayoH tiirayoH tasyaaH kiicakaa naama veNavaH || 4-43-37
te naya.nti param tiiram siddhaan pratyaanayanti ca |

37, 38a. tam desham atikramya= that, province, on crossing over; shailodaa naama= Shailoda, named; nimna gaa = deep, going - flowing river - is there; tasyaaH ubhayoH tiirayoH = on its, both, banks; kiicakaa naama veNavaH= Keecaka, named, bamboo - brakes - are there; te= they [bamboos]; siddhaan= siddha-s; param tiiram nayanti= to other, bank, they take; prati aanayant ca= in turn, bring back, also

"On crossing over that province there is a deep flowing river named Shailoda. On both of its riverbanks bamboo brakes called as Keecaka-s will be there. Those bamboos will be enabling the movement of siddha-s, accomplished souls, from one bank to the other. [4-43-37, 38a]

Keecaka is the term to denote that 'when air is puffed in the bamboo, whistles or fluting can be done...' and this variety of bamboos is used to make the transverse flutes in India in contrast to the present day metal flutes, where the diameter and wall-thickness of each bamboo stick is carefully selected to produce a desired tone and pitch. The travel to the other bank is by the entwined bamboo-sticks-bridges across the river, and these monkeys shall make use of those bridges because anyone/anything falling in that river will be petrified, say frozen to petrifaction.

uttaraaH kuravaH tatra kR^ita puNya pratishriyaaH || 4-43-38
tataH kaa.ncana padmaabhiH padminiibhiH kR^itodakaaH |
niila vaiduurya patraaDhyaa nadyaH tatra sahasrashaH || 4-43-39
raktotpala vanaiH ca atra maNDitaaH ca hiraNmayaiH |

38b, 39, 40a. tatra= there; kR^ita puNya pratishriyaaH= achieved, divine merit, dwelling; uttaraaH kuravaH= northern, Kuru - is there; tataH tatra= then, there; kaancana padmaabhiH= with golden, lotuses; padminiibhiH= lotus-leaf-stalks - runners of lotuses; kR^itaH udakaaH= made [mingled,] waters [from other lakes]; niila vaiduurya patra aaDhyaa= blue, lapis [Lapis Lazuli Blue-like,] leaves, filled with; nadyaH= rivers; sahasrashaH= in thousands - are there; atra= here - at this place; hiraNmayaiH= golden in hue; rakta utpala vanaiH= with red, Costuses, thickets; maNDitaaH ca = decorated with, also.

"Then there is the North Kuru, the dwelling of those who have achieved divine merit in their previous births and now born in that country to enjoy the fruits of that divine merit, thus that country itself is earmarked for meritorious beings. At that place, the lotuses in the rivers will be golden in hue. The runners and stalks of lotus plants bear lotus-leaves that are bluish like the bluishness of lapis lazuli. There will be thousands of such rivers filled with such plants in water, and with waters mingled with the waters of other lakes, and decorated with the thickets of red Costuses alongshore. [4-43-38b, 39, 40a]

The Costus is a lotus-like plant grwoing on land, like Kashmir's Saussurea hypoleuca, Latinised from Greek 'kostos'.

taruNa aaditya sa.nkaashaa bhaanti tatra jalaashayaaH || 4-43-40
mahaaarha maNi patraiH ca kaa.ncana prabha kesaraiH |
niilotpala vanaiH citraiH sa deshaH sarvato vR^itaH || 4-43-41

40b, 41. sa deshaH= that, province; sarvataH= everywhere; mahaa arha maNi patraiH [ratnaiH] ca= with highly, valuable, sapphirine [in hue,] leaves [gemstones,] also; kaancana prabha kesaraiH= golden, in shine, with fibrils; citraiH= amazing ones; niila utpala vanaiH= blue, costuses, with thickets of; taruNa aaditya sankaashaa jala aashayaaH = tender, Sun, similar, with water, receptacles [lakes]; vR^itaH= surrounded with; tatra bhaanti = there, shines forth.

"Everywhere that province shines forth with highly valuable leaves which will be in the hue of sapphires, with fibrils in the hue of gold, and with amazing thickets of blue costuses around lakes, which lakes will be surrounding that province with a resplendence similar to sun. [4-43-40b, 41]

nistulaabhiH ca muktaabhiH maNibhiH ca mahaadhanaiH |
udbhuuta pulinaaH tatra jaataruupaiH ca nimnagaaH || 4-43-42

42. tatra= there; niH tulaabhiH ca muktaabhiH= un, weighable [incomparable,] also, with pearls; mahaa dhanaiH maNibhiH ca = with highly, valuable, jewels; nimnagaaH= deep flowing rivers; jaataruupaiH= with gold; udbhuuta pulinaaH= mixed, sand dunes - will be there.

"There the sand dunes of deep flowing rivers are lumped together with incomparable pearls, highly valuable jewels and gold. [4-43-42]

sarva ratnamayaiH citraiH avagaaDhaa nagottamaiH |
jaataruupamayaiH ca api hutaashana sama prabhaiH || 4-43-43

43. citraiH= amazing ones [mountains]; sarva ratnamayaiH= all, jewels filled with; jaataruupamayaiH ca api= golden in aspect also; hutaashana sama prabhaiH= to Ritual-fire, similar, in splendour; naga uttamaiH= with mountain, lofty ones; avagaaDhaa= intercalated - into rivers.

"That province is with amazing mountains that are replete with every kind of jewel, golden in hue, splendorous like Ritual-fire, and they are intercalated into the deep flowing rivers. [4-43-43]

Perhaps these poetic accounts of golden, jewelled riverbanks and golden lotuses etc. might have attracted the then invaders towards India, presuming that the loot is over there on the riverbanks like sand. However mythical these accounts might be, they portray that the lands and rivers are self-contained and self-sufficient.

nitya puSpa phalaaH tatra nagaaH patraratha aakulaaH |
divya gandha rasa sparshaaH sarva kaamaan sravanti ca || 4-43-44
naanaa aakaaraaNi vaasaa.nsi phalanti anye nagottamaaH |

44, 45a. tatra nagaaH= there, trees are; nitya puSpa phalaaH= with eternal, flowers, fruits; patra ratha [nitya] aakulaaH= by wings, charioting [birds,] [endlessly] squawking; divya gandha rasa sparshaaH= divine, for smell, for taste, for touch; sarva kaamaan sravanti ca= for all, desires [delicacies,] spill forth their yield, also; anye naga uttamaaH= other, trees, best ones; naanaa aakaaraaNi vaasaansi= numerous, shapes, of clothing; phalanti bear fruits - they yield.

"There the trees will be eternally flowering and fruiting on which birds will be endlessly squawking. Their yield will be spilling forth meeting every delicacy with a divine smell, taste and touch. Some other best trees will yield clothing in numerous shapes. [4-43-44, 45a]

muktaa vaiduurya citraaNi bhuuSaNaani tathaiva ca |
striiNaam yaani anuruupaaNi puruSaaNaam tathaiva ca || 4-43-45
sarva R^itu sukha sevyaani phalanti anye nagottamaaH |
mahaa arhaaNi maNi citraaNi phalanti anye nagottamaaH || 4-43-46

45, 46. anye naga uttamaaH= yet other, best, trees; yaani= which of those - adornments; striiNaam= for females; tathaiva ca= like that, also; puruSaaNaam anuruupaaNi= for males, are befitting to; muktaa vaiduurya citraaNi= pearly, lapis gems like, wondrous ones; tathaiva ca= like that, also; sarva R^itu sukha sevyaani= in all, seasons, happily, wear; bhuuSaNaani= adornments; phalanti= will be fruiting - yielding; anye naga uttamaaH= other, trees, best ones; mahaa arhaaNi= highly people, applicable to [to noblesse]; maNi citraaNi [aabharaNaani]= gemlike, marvellous [ornaments]; phalanti= will be producing.

"Some of the best trees will be yielding such of those adornments which will be vying with ornament made with pearls or with lapis gemstones, and suitable both for women and men. Like that, they can be worn happily in all seasons. Some other best trees will be yielding gemlike marvellous decorations applicable to noblesse. [4-43-45, 46]

shayanaani prasuuyante citra aastaaraNavanti ca |
manaH kaantaani maalyaani phalanti atra apare drumaaH || 4-43-47
paanaani ca mahaa ar.hhaaNi bhakSyaaNi vividhaani ca |

47, 48a. atra apare drumaaH= there, other, trees; citra aastaaraNavanti ca= astonishing, with upholsteries, also; shayanaani= [wooden-] beds; prasuuyante= will be producing; manaH kaantaani maalyaani= heart, longing [attracting,] garlands; phalanti= they yield; mahaa arhaaNi paanaani ca = for highly, choicest ones, juices, also; vividhaani bhakSyaaNica= diverse, foodstuffs, also.

"There are other trees that produce wooden-beds with astonishing upholsteries, and even garlands that will be attractively heartening, while some other trees will be yielding juices and foodstuffs that are relevant to highly choicest consumers. [4-43-47]

striyaH ca guNa sa.mpannaa ruupa yauvana lakSitaaH || 4-43-48
gandharvaaH ki.nnaraa siddhaa naagaa vidyaadharaaH tathaa |
ramante sahitaaH tatra naariibhiH bhaasvara prabhaaH || 4-43-49

48b, 49. guNa sampannaaH= attributes, enriched with; ruupa yauvana lakSitaaH= handsomeness, youthfulness, along with - having; striyaH ca= females, also; that Uttaara Kuru has; bhaasvara prabhaaH = radiantly, bright; gandharvaaH kinnaraa siddhaa naagaa= gandharva-s, kinnaraa-s, siddha-s; tathaa vidyaadharaaH= likewise, vidyaadharaa-s; tatra= there; naariibhiH sahitaaH ramante= females, along with, delight in.

"The females of Uttara Kuru province will be handsome and youthful and they are rich by their attributes. There the radiantly bright celestials like gandharva-s, kinnaraa-s, siddha-s, vidyaadharaa-s will be delighting along with their own females. [4-43-48b, 49]

Some say that the females are also born out of the very same trees by adding the word prasuuyante to these compounds of trees. Nevertheless, it is better taken as 'daughters of soil.'

sarve sukR^ita karmaaNaH sarve rati paraayaNaaH |
sarve kaama artha sahitaa vasa.nti saha yoSitaH || 4-43-50

50. sarve= all of them - inhabitants of Uttara Kuru; sukR^ita karmaaNaH= good deeds, carried through; sarve rati paraayaNaaH= all of them, in passion, engaged; sarve kaama artha sahitaa= all of them, pleasures, prosperity, having; saha yoSitaH= with, youthful females; vasanti = they will be dwelling - there.

"All the inhabitants of North Kuru have carried out good deeds in earlier births, hence they are accorded with paradisiacal pleasures now. All are engaged in passion, all of them live in pleasure and prosperity along with their youthful females. [4-43-50]

giita vaaditra nirghoSaH sa utkR^iSTa hasita svanaH |
shruuyate satatam tatra sarva bhuuta manoramaH || 4-43-51

51. sa utkR^iSTa hasita svanaH= with, heightened [vivacious,] laughing, sounds - mixed with vivacious peels of laughter; sarva bhuuta manoramaH= for all, beings, heart-stealing; giita vaaditra nir ghoSaH= vocal, instrumental [musical notes,] out flowing, sound; tatra satatam shruuyate = there, always, comes to ears.

"The notes of vocal and instrumental music will be flowing out mixed with the peals of vivacious laughter, which will always come to ears in a heart-stealing manner for all beings. [4-43-51]

tatra na amuditaH kashcin na atra kashcit asat priyaH |
ahani ahani vardhante guNaaH tatra manoramaaH || 4-43-52

52. tatra= there; a +muditaH= not, felicitous one; kashcit na = someone, none; a +sat +priyaH= not, truth, loving ones, - friendly to untruthful ones; atra= there; kashcit na= someone, none; tatra= in that province; ahani ahani= day, by day; manaH ramaaH guNaaH= heart, pleasing, attributes; vardhante= will be enhancing.

"There is none who is infelicitous and there is none who is friendly to untruthful ones, and in that province these heart-pleasing attributes of those blessed souls like rejoicing, festivity etc. will be enriching day by day. [4-43-52]

tam atikramya shailendram uttaraH paysaam nidhiH |
tatra soma girir naama madhye hemamayo mahaan || 4-43-53

53. tam shailendram atikramya = that, mountain, the best, on passing beyond; uttaraH paysaam nidhiH= north, waters, treasure trove of - vast of Northern Ocean is there; tatra madhye= in its, midst; hema mayaH= completely golden one; mahaan= a gigantic one; soma giriH naama= Soma, mountain, named; mountain is there.

"On passing beyond that mountain in Uttara Kuru, there is a treasure trove of waters, namely vast of Northern Ocean, in the mid of which there is gigantic golden mountain named Mt. Soma. [4-43-53]

The north of Himalayas is referred as the northern ocean. It is held that Himalayas have emerged from an ocean to where Vali used to leap everyday in the early hours to offer water oblation to the Sun.

indra loka gataa ye ca brahma loka gataaH ca ye |
devaaH tam samavekSante giri raajam divam gataaH || 4-43-54

54. ye= those; indra loka gataa = Indra's, in world, are there; ye brahma loka gataaH ca = Brahma's, world, have gone, also; such of those; devaaH= gods; divam gataaH= sky, on attaining - from the sky; tam giri raajam = at it, mountain, lordly; sam avekSante= they will be clearly seeing.

"Those who have gone to the sphere of Indra, and those who have gone to the sphere of Brahma can clearly see that lordly Mt. Soma, situated in the vast of ocean from the vast of heavens. [4-43-54]

sa tu desho visuuryo api tasya bhaasaa prakaashate |
suurya lakSmyaa abhivij~neyaH tapataa iva vivasvataa || 4-43-55

55. saH deshaH= that, place; vi suuryaH api= without, sun, even though; suurya lakSmyaa= with Sun's, resplendence; abhi vi j~neyaH= comprehensible; tapataa vivasvataa iva= irradiated, by Sun, as though; tasya bhaasaa prakaashate = its own [mountain's,] resplendence, illuminated with.

"Even though that place is sunless it is comprehensible as if with sunshine, since it is illuminated with the resplendence of Mt. Soma itself, which will be irradiating that place as if with the resplendence of the Sun. [4-43-55]

bhagavaan tatra vishvaatmaa shambhuH ekaadasha aatmakaH |
brahmaa vasati devesho brahma R^iSi parivaaritaH || 4-43-56

56. tatra= there; bhagavaan vishva aatmaa= God, Cosmic-Soul - Vishnu; eka dasha aatmakaH shambhuH = one, ten [an embodiment of eleven selfsame] Souls [eleven Rudra-s, or, eleven souled god,] Shiva; brahma R^iSi parivaaritaH= Brahma-Sages, surrounded by; deva iishaH brahmaa = gods, god, Brahma; vasati= sojourn - there on Mt. Soma.

"The God and Cosmic-Souled Vishnu and Shambhu or Shiva, an embodiment of eleven selfsame Souls, called ekaadasha rudra-s , and the god of gods Brahma who is surrounded by Brahma-Sages, will be sojourning on that Mt. Soma. [4-43-56]

Here the Cosmic-Souled God is said as Vishnu, because He alone has shown His vishva ruupa 'cosmic aspect...' in Maha Bharata, and He has the attributes of SaDguNa sampatti 'the six-ingredients...' and also by bringing the saying from Nrisimha Puraana: evam eva mah˜n þabdo maitreya bhagav˜n iti | parama brahma bh¨tasya v˜sudevasya na anyaga× || n®simha pur˜õa 'the bhagavaan is the term for vaasu deva, naaraayaNa, Vishnu and there is no other course than to accept otherwise...' The ekaadasha rudra-s are 1. aja 2. ekapaada 3. ahirbudhni 4. hara 5. shambhu 6. tryambaka 7. aparaajita 8. iishaana 9. tribhuvana 10. twaSTa 11. rudra These are called the brain-children of Rudra and at times of Brahma. Then the Trinity is said to be there, without exception.

na katha.ncana ga.ntavyam kuruuNaam uttareNa vaH |
anyeSaam api bhuutaanaam na anukraamati vai gatiH || 4-43-57

57. kuruuNaam uttareNa= from Kuru, to north of; kathancana= under any circumstances; vaH na gantavyam= you, not, to go; anyeSaam bhuutaanaam api = to other, beings, even; gatiH= a course, passage; na anukraamati = not, follows - no course is there; vai= indeed.

"Under any circumstances you shall not go to the north of Kuru province as there is no other way out to follow, even for other beings like daitya, daanava, yaksha, gandharva-s, though they possess some extraordinary capabilities. [4-43-57]

'Here we have a glimpse of the Arctic region with the Aurora Borealis to the north of the Uttara Kuru realms. The Uttara Kurus, it should be remembered, may have been a real people, as they mentioned in the aitareya braahmaNa viii-14 wherefore the several nations who dwell in this northern quarter beyond the Himalayas, the Uttara Kurus and the Uttara Madras are consecrated to glorious dominion and people term them glorious...' Mouris, Sanskrit Series, Vol. I

saa hi soma giriH naama devaanaam api durgamaH |
tam aalokya tataH kSipram upaavartitum arhatha || 4-43-58

58. soma giriH naama= Soma, mountain, named; saa hi= that, indeed; devaanaam api durgamaH= to gods, even, impassable; tam aalokya= that, on seeing; tataH= from there; kSipram= quickly; upa aa vartitum= to return; arhatha= apt of you.

"That mountain named Soma is an impassable one even for gods, and it will be apt of you to quickly return from there on seeing that mountain. [4-43-58]

etaavat vaanaraiH shakyam ga.ntum vaanara pu.ngavaaH |
abhaaskaram amaryaadam na jaaniimaH tataH param || 4-43-59

59. vaanara pungavaaH= oh, vanara-s, the best; etaavat= up to there; vaanaraiH gantum shakyam= by vanara-s, to go, it is possible; a +bhaaskaram= without, sun [sunless]; a + maryaadam= not, with boundaries [boundless realms]; about them; tataH param= there, after - far and beyond; na jaaniimaH= not, we know - I do not know.

" It is possible for the vanara-s to go only up to there, oh, best vanara-s, and we have no knowledge of those sunless and boundless realms available far and beyond. [4-43-59]

sarvam etat vicetavyam yan mayaa parikiirtitam |
yat anyat api na uktam ca tatra api kriyataam matiH || 4-43-60

60. mayaa yat parikiirtitam= by me, which [province,] is extolled - explained; etat sarvam vicetavyam= all these [provinces,] in entirety, are to be searched; anyat api= others, even; yat na uktam ca= which, not, spoken of [by me,] also; tatra api= in them, even; for searching; matiH kriyataam = your mind, you make up.

"You shall thoroughly search in all those provinces that are explained by me, and you have to make up your mind for searching in other places that are not referred by me. [4-43-60]

tataH kR^itam daasharatheH mahat priyam
mahattaram ca api tato mama priyam |
kR^itam bhaviSyati aniloanaloupamaa
videhajaa darshanajena karmaNaa || 4-43-61

61. anila anala upamaa= oh, Air-god, Wind-god, similar vanara-s; tataH= thereby; videha jaa= in Videha kingdom, born in [Vaidehi's]; darshana jena= by seeing her; karmaNaa= by that task; daasharatheH= to Dasharatha's son [to Rama]; mahat priyam= extremely, desirable [deed]; kR^itam= [considered as] done; tataH= thereby; api mama ca= even, to me, also; mahat taram= higher, still; priyam kR^itam bhaviSyati= propitious, accomplishment, it becomes.

"Thereby, oh, Air-godlike and Wind-godlike vanara-s, on your seeing the princess born in Videha kingdom, namely Vaidehi, an extremely desirable task for the sake of Dasharatha's son Rama is considered as done. Thereby it becomes a still privileged accomplishment even for me achieved through your efforts. [4-43-61]

tataH kR^itaarthaaH sahitaaH sabaandhavaa
mayaa arcitaaH sarva guNaiH mano ramaiH |
cariSyatha ur.hviim pratishaanta shatravaaaH
saha priyaa bhuuta dharaaH plava.ngamaaH || 4-43-62

62. plavangamaaH= oh, fly-jumpers; tataH= latter; kR^ita arthaaH= purpose, accomplished; sa hitaaH sa baandhavaa= with, friends, with, relatives; mayaa= by me; manaH ramaiH= heart, pleasing; sarva guNaiH= with all, attributes [concessions]; arcitaaH= adored; shaanta shatravaaaH= with silenced, enemies; saha priyaa= with, beloveds ones; bhuuta dharaaH= beings, sustaining [fostering progeny]; urviim [prati ] cariSyatha = on earth, over, rove - rove over.

"Thereafter, oh, fly-jumpers, when you with accomplished purpose and adored by me with heart-pleasing concessions, and when your enemies are silenced, you will rove over the earth with your friends and relatives and with your beloveds, also fostering your progeny." Thus Sugreeva said to the monkeys going to North. [4-43-62]

.

The Problem of Mapping and Dating Ramayana

On seeing the names like this Yavana, Shaka etc., some hold the view that Ramayana was written more later to Greek's invasion on India. Max Muller in his 'What Can India Teach Us?' says: 'If I call the invasion which is generally called the invasion of the Shakas, or the Scythians, or the Indo-Scythians, or Turushkas, the Turanian invasion... who took possession of India, from about first century BC to the third century BC.' Again classifying Sanskrit literature he says, 'we divide the whole of the Sanskrit literature into there two periods, one anterior to the great Turanian invasion, the other posterior to it, we may call the former period as ancient and natural, that of the later modern and artificial.' Thus, Ramayana belonged to the modern and artificial literary period and Veda-s to ancient. According to Indians the Turushkas are not the Scythians but Turkish, and the Yavanas, are clearly the Greek. Michelson in his 'Linguistic Archaisms of the Ramayana...'adds another phase called Epical period. Thus, there are three, Vedic, Epical, and the rest of it is modern and artificial. At the same time Max Muller says: 'At the time of Solomon, there was a channel of communication open between India and Syria and Palestine is established beyond doubt, I believe, by certain Sanskrit words which occur in the Bible such as ivory, apes, peacock, and sandalwood, which, taken together, could not have been exported from any country but India...' So Solomon, Bible, Turanian invasion, Ramayana... all occasioned at one time, i.e., around 0 BC. So many professors, so many researchers have not said a date agreeable to Indians as well as to the world.

At one place, it is said that there was a rapport among these places India-Syria-Palestine and even up to Egypt, but at other place, the Indian thought, that the Indian had Greeks and Greeks had Indians, is dismissed. What prevents to agree that both hold up mirror to almost the same culture, though diverse in its practise, right from the belief of Greeks, viz., 'the sense of many gods are there near at hand' to various gods, to their names, to the epical literature, and also to myths and legends and dramas etc, is unknown. But when it comes to dating and mapping 'the earliest date known for certain in Indian history is the invasion of Alexander in 326 BC...' and 'The chronology has been built up form the identification of Sandracrottus of Greek writers with Chandragupta Maurya... yet it is said 'In the seventh century BC India was divided into sixteen Mahajanapada-s...' as per 'An Historical Atlas of Indian Peninsula", Oxford. Peculiarly those sixteen Janapada-s did not contain the names of Yavana, Shaka provinces in atlases.

'The Greeks, evidently descended from tribes who had come westwards from the early home of Indo-Europeans in South-Central-Asia, first settled in the land which we know as Greece about 2000 B.C....' according to The Encyclopaedia of Myths and Legends of All Nations, Kaye & Ward Ltd., London. Their history about Ion, the king of Helice, and his war with Elsenians, the confederacy of Lonia in Asia Minor etc., speaks about their origin and shuffling, i.e., from east to west and again from west to east. It is they who have adopted Vedic Rain-god Mitra as their Mithras and many a temple was built all over Europe for Mithras. Even Goddess Lakshmi has Her counterpart in Greece 'Pallas Athene' known as early as 2 B.C., and the comedies of Strattis, like Fragmenta Comic of Greece has Indian fables as early as 400 B.C. Hence, if these Theories of Borrowing are negated with the Theories of Commonality, it would suffice to say that Ramayana is antecedent to the settlement of Greeks in Greece itself.

Without lingering on these carbon-testing for the verses of Ramayana that contain Yavana and Shaka named provinces, if the astronomical data available in Ramayana itself is believed, it throws some light on dating. If anybody would care to see the book Vastav Ramayan, by Dr.P.V.Vartak, in Marathi, Vedvidnyana Mandal, Pune, and a web site is available about this, Astronomical Dating of the Ramayana where another approach can be seen, which just does not revolve around one or two names of places. It is said there; 'Therefore, Ramayana 'must have' occurred 9600 years ago, which is 7600 B.C. approximately...' which again is disputable because this is going against the Yuga and Kalpa Theory of Puraana-s, as Ramayana is said to be the legend of Treta Yuga.

The provinces Shuurasena, Bharata, Kuru are the downlands of Himalayas. The Kaambhoja is the province northwest to India, where the Russia touches India, as mapped by 'An Historical Atlas of the Indian Peninsula' of Oxford University. Then the Yavana and Shaka should be around there, prior to their migration to the presently known Greece, because Greeks originated from so called 'South-Central-Asia' as called by the historians, and perhaps the historians might be hesitating to call it as 'Himalayan region of India'. They were originally called Ionians, a corrupt or generic name from Indian naming of Yavana or Javana. The word Æoni can be cleaved as a + yoni; [ayogya ] yonim gata 'unbefitting, uterus, obtained birth...' 'one who is born to an unbefitting mother... say, a bastard...' That is what Œdepus Rex proved later. The ethics of these Yavana and Shaka cultures are clearly explained in Karna-Shalya samvaada 'the debate of Karna and Shalya...' in Karna parva, Maha Bharata.

The Shakas are again the nomadic tribes inhibiting Central Asia, and they are the Scythes of Greeks and the Indo-Scythians of Ptolemy, inhibited in the Hindu Kush Range of Himalayas. Both of these are categorised under Mleccha people by Ramayana because their ethics do not conform to the Vedic stipulations of living, even though they lived together.

'The Varadas - The Bengali recension has Daradas instead. They are said to be Dards whose name is still retained in modern Durdstan along the course of the Indus, above the Himalayas, just before it descends to India...' Griffith, Ancient Geography.

It may be noticed that Ramayana did not refute any other religion, or sects, or the divergent philosophies of Hinduism itself, but it has agreed that Mleccha-s are there and there is no bother from them. Gods of Ramayana are purely Vedic, unlike the later time, rather modern or artificial literary period's poetry of Kalidasa et al, and their puranic deities like Kali, Uma, and Kumara etc. The literary style of Ramayana is mostly un-Paninian. It has the episodes like Rama-Jaabaali samvaada, where Sage Jaabaali being a nihilist starts preaching nihilism to Rama. When this epic could accommodate information about nihilists' preaching nihilism to Rama, it can as well afford a few lines of information about other philosophies, religions, if they were to be there. Then the present day's Unity in Diversity is not apparent and thus it is being assigned to a post-Vedic period, where Veda-s themselves are not written by some good old sages with white beards, sitting under banyan trees, at any one particular time.

Because the ancient history of Greeks came to light firstly, thereby India history is chronicled, and the epic Ramayana is known subsequently, relegating the history of Ramayana later to the Greek's invasion on India, may not be appropriate. History has its own black-ages.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe tri catvaarinshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 43rd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 44

Introduction

Rama gives ring to Hanuma as a memorabilia enabling Seetha to recognise Hanuma without dismay. Sugreeva holds Hanuma's capabilities very high and reposes full confidence in him for locating Seetha. On seeing Sugreeva assigning the task to Hanuma, Rama perceives that Hanuma alone can achieve results and thus hands over his ring to Hanuma. Then Hanuma starts on the expedition with others.

visheSeNa tu sugriivo hanuumati artham uktavaan |
sa hi tasmin hari shreSThe nishcitaartho artha saadhane || 4-44-1

1. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; visheSeNa tu= expressly, on its part; hanuumati= with Hanuma; artham= [this] topic; uktavaan= has broached; saH= he - Sugreeva; artha saadhane= purpose, in achieving; tasmin hari shreSThe= in that, monkey, the best - Hanuma; nishcita arthaH hi= decidedly, determined, indeed.

Sugreeva expressly broached the topic of searching Seetha with Hanuma, as Sugreeva is decidedly determined about Hanuma, because that best one among monkeys, namely Hanuma, alone is decidedly the achiever of purpose. [4-44-1]

By the word visheSeNa it is observed that Sugreeva purposefully instructed Hanuma that Rama is Vishnu's in human form as said at: v˜yu putra samŸpam tu gatv˜ tam v˜kyam abravŸt | þ®õu mat vacanam vŸra hanum˜n m˜ruta ˜tmaja | ayam ikÿv˜ku d˜y˜do r˜j˜ r˜ma× prat˜pav˜n | sarva ˜tm˜ sarva lokeþo viþõu× m˜nuÿa r¨pa dh®t | - n®simha pur˜õa 'on nearing Air-god's son Sugreeva spoke, 'oh, Hanuma listen to my saying, he this Rama, the valorous scion of Ikshvaku, is the Cosmic Soul and Vishnu in human form...' Nrisimha Puraana.

abraviit ca hanuuma.ntam vikra.ntam anila aatmajam |
sugriivaH parama priitaH prabhuH sarva vana okasaam || 4-44-2

2. sarva vana okasaam prabhuH= of all, forest, residents - monkeys, king of; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; parama priitaH= well, pleased; vikrantam anila aatmajam= venturesome, to Air-god's, son; hanuumantam= to Hanuma; abraviit ca= spoke to, also.

The king of all the residents of forest Sugreeva is well pleased to pick and choose Hanuma for the purpose, and spoke to the venturesome son of Air-god, Hanuma. [4-44-2]

na bhuumau na a.ntarikSe vaa na a.mbare na amara aalaye |
na apsu vaa gati sa.ngam te pashyaami hari pumgava || 4-44-3

3. hari pungava= oh, monkey, the foremost; bhuumau te gati sangam= on earth, to your, transit, impediment; na pashyaami= not, I foresee; antarikSe vaa na= in wild blue yonder, either, no; ambare na= in high skies, no; amara aalaye na= in immortals, abode of, no; apsu vaa na= in waters, or; no.

"Oh, foremost monkey, Hanuma, I do not foresee any impediment in your transit on land where homogenous enemies will usually obstruct one another, or in high skies where there is no foothold, thus only birds and clouds hover there, or in the wild blue yonder where celestial bodies alone gravitate at random, nor in waters where there is no underwater movement for earthly beings, nor in the heaven, the abodes of immortals, where those immortals will not allow mortals like us to meander as we like. [4-44-3]

sa asuraaH saha ga.ndharvaaH sa naaga nara devataaH |
viditaaH sarva lokaaH te sa saagara dharaa dharaaH || 4-44-4

4. sa asuraaH= with, demons; saha gandharvaaH sa naaga nara devataaH= with, gandharva-s, with, naaga-s, humans, gods; sa saagara dharaa dharaaH= with, oceans, earth, sustained by [that are sustained by earth, namely, mountains]; sarva lokaaH= all, worlds; te viditaaH= to you, known.

"All the worlds that contain demons, gandharva-s, naaga-s, humans, gods, and the oceans and mountains therein are known to you. [4-44-4]

gatiH vegaH ca tejaH ca laaghavam ca mahaakape |
pituH te sadR^isham viira maarutasya mahaa ojasaH || 4-44-5

5. viira= oh, valiant one; mahaa kape= oh, marvellous, monkey; te gatiH= your, mobility; vegaH ca tejaH ca laaghavam ca= celerity, also, vivacity, also, ability, also; pituH= [your] father; mahaa ojasaH= of marvelling, dynamism; maarutasya= of Air-god; sadR^isham= identical to.

"With your unusual mobility, unstoppable celerity, unremitting vivacity, and untold ability you are identical to your father Maaruti, the Air-god of marvelling dynamism. [4-44-5]

tejasaa vaa api te bhuutam na samam bhuvi vidyate |
tat yathaa labhyate siitaa tat tvam eva anuci.ntaya || 4-44-6

6. tejasaa vaa api= by radiancy, or, even; te samam bhuutam= your, a coequal, being; bhuvi na vidyate= on earth, not, evident; tat= for that reason; siitaa yathaa labhyate= Seetha, as to how, accessible; tat= that - process; tvam eva anucintaya= you, alone, have to think about.

"Or even by your radiancy none on earth is coming to mind who can be a coequal of yours, thereby you alone shall think about that process as to how to access Seetha. [4-44-6]

tvayi eva hanuman asti balam buddhiH paraakramaH |
desha kaala anuvR^ittiH ca nayaH ca naya paNDita || 4-44-7

7. naya paNDita= in ethics, oh, scholar - ethicist; hanuman= oh, Hanuma; balam buddhiH paraakramaH= brawniness, astuteness, venturesomeness; desha kaala anuvR^ittiH ca= place, time, you conduct yourself - in abidance with; nayaH ca= ethicality, also; tvayi eva asti= in you, alone, are there.

"Oh, Hanuma, in you alone there are brawniness, astuteness and venturesomeness, and oh, ethicist, you conduct yourself in abidance with time, place and ethicality." Thus Sugreeva said to Hanuma. [4-44-7]

tataH kaarya samaasa.ngam avagamya hanuumati |
viditvaa hanumantam ca cintayaamaasa raaghavaH || 4-44-8

8. tataH= then; raaghavaH= Raghava; hanuumati= in Hanuma; kaarya= task's; sam aasangam [aasan~njana, aasajjana]= entrustment of - onus of the task; avagamya= on cognising; hanumantam ca viditvaa= about Hanuma, also, on comprehending; cintayaamaasa= started pondaration.

Raghava started pondaration when he is cognisant of the entrustment of the task to Hanuma and on cognising Hanuma as an efficient cause. [4-44-8]

sarvathaa nishcita artho ayam hanuumati hari iishvaraH |
nishcita arthataraH ca api hanuumaan kaarya saadhane || 4-44-9

9. ayam= this [Sugreeva]; hari iishvaraH= monkeys, king [Sugreeva]; sarvathaa= anywise; hanuumati= [reposed] in Hanuma; nishcita arthaH= definitive, in resolve; kaarya saadhane= task, in achieving; hanuumaan= Hanuma; nishcita artha taraH ca api= definite, resolute, highly, also, even

"This king of monkeys, Sugreeva, is anywise definitive in his resolve reposed in Hanuma, and Hanuma is definitely resolute in achieving the task. [4-44-9]

tat evam prasthitasya asya parij~naatasya kar.hmabhiH |
bhartraa parigR^ihiitasya dhruvaH kaarya phalodayaH || 4-44-10

10. tat= by that reason; evam prasthitasya= in this way, who started out - Hanuma; karmabhiH= by [his earlier] tasks; parij~naatasya= one who is well-known - has good track record; bhartraa= by husband [preserver, king]; pari gR^ihiitasya= well-received, well chosen one; asya= his / of this task; kaarya phala udayaH= task, fruit, dawn - fruition of task; dhruvaH= is certain.

"By that reason Hanuma must have good track record of the tasks he accomplished earlier, besides, he is specifically chosen by his king. As such, this Hanuma will certainly bring task to fruition.

Or

"This Sugreeva is well-aware of each individual's accomplishments and hence he specifically chose Hanuma, and Hanuma who is now transiting must be individually well-known for accomplishment of any task assigned to him. Hence the fruition of the task is certain." Thus, Rama pondered. [4-44-10]

tam samiikSya mahaatejaa vyavasaayottaram harim |
kR^itaartha iva sa.mhR^iSTaH prahR^iSTa indriya maanasaH || 4-44-11

11. mahaatejaaH= highly resplendent [Rama]; vyavasaayaat taram= by his endeavours, ablest one; tam harim= at that, monkey - Hanuma; samiikSya= on perusing; prahR^iSTa indriya maanasaH= with gladdened, senses, heart; kR^itaartha iva= archived, purpose, as if; sam hR^iSTaH= highly, delighted - Rama.

On perusing Hanuma who is the ablest one in his endeavours, the highly resplendent Rama is immensely delighted, and his heart and senses are elated as if his purpose has been achieved. [4-44-11]

dadau tasya tataH priitaH sva naamaa.nka upashobhitam |
a.nguliiyam abhij~naanam raajaputryaaH para.ntapaH || 4-44-12

12. tataH= then; parantapaH= enemy-inflamer [Rama]; priitaH= happily; sva naama anka upa shobhitam= his own [Rama's,] with name, sign, shining forth; anguliiyam= ring; raaja putryaaH= for king's daughter - for princess Seetha; abhij~naanam= as a remembrancer; tasya= to him [to Hanuma]; dadau= gave.

Then that enemy-inflamer Rama happily gave his ring that is shining forth with his own name engraved as sign to Hanuma, as a remembrancer for princess Seetha. [4-44-12]

When Rama shed all his regalia while coming to forests how he kept a ring on his finger, and when Angada is there as troop leader why this ring is given to Hanuma - are the debated topics. Please refer to the endnote.

anena tvaam harishreSTha cihnena janakaaatmajaa |
mat sakaashaat anupraaptam anudvignaa anupashyati || 4-44-13

13. harishreSTha= oh, best monkey; anena cihnena= by this, emblematic [ring]; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter [Seetha]; tvaam= you; mat sakaashaat anupraaptam= from my, proximity, has arrived; an +udvignaa= without, apprehension; anupashyati= she identifies.

"By this emblematic ring, oh, best monkey, Janaka's daughter Seetha identifies you to have reached her from my proximity, without apprehension. [4-44-13]

vyavasaayaH ca te viira sattva yuktaH ca vikramaH |
sugriivasya ca sa.ndeshaH siddhim kathayati iva me || 4-44-14

14. viira= oh, brave one; vyavasaayaH= enthusiasm; sattva yuktaH vikramaH ca= vital-force, combined with, venturesomeness, also; sugriivasya sandeshaH ca= Sugreeva's, message, also; me siddhim= to me, achievement; kathayati iva= heralding, as if.

"Oh, brave one, your enthusiasm, vital-force combined with your venturesomeness, and also the message of Sugreeva to you, are as if heralding achievement to me." Thus, Rama spoke to Hanuma while giving his ring. [4-44-14]

sa tat gR^ihya harishreSThaH sthaapya muur.hdhni kR^itaa.njaliH |
vanditvaa caraNau caiva prasthitaH plavagarSabhaH || 4-44-15

15. plavagarSabhaH= monkey, foremost one; saH harishreSThaH= he that, monkey, noteworthy one - Hanuma; tat gR^ihya= that [ring,] on taking; muurdhni sthaapya= on head, placing it; kR^ita anjaliH= making, palm-fold; caraNau caiva vanditvaa= at two feet, having reverenced - Rama; prasthitaH= started off.

On taking the ring that foremost monkey Hanuma kept it on his own head, and making palm-fold he reverenced the feet of Rama, and then that noteworthy monkey started off. [4-44-15]

sa tat prakarSan hariNaam mahat balam
babhuuva viiraH pavanaatmajaH kapiH |
gata a.mbude vyomni vishuddha maNDalaH
shashii iva nakSatra gaNopashobhitaH || 4-44-16

16. hariNaam mahat tat balam= of monkeys, massive, that, force; prakarSan= dragging along - like a dragoon without coercion - leading monkey; viiraH= brave one; pavana aatmajaH saH kapiH= Air-god's, son, he, that monkey - Hanuma; gata ambude vyomni= gone, clouds, on sky - on a cloudless sky; vi shuddha maNDalaH= with very, clear, sphere; nakSatra gaNa upashobhitaH= stars, with clusters, brightened by; shashii iva= moon, like; babhuuva= he became - appeared to be.

That brave monkey-son of Air-god leapt to sky along with that massive force of monkeys as if he is hauling them up, and he who is brightened by monkeys around him on the skyscape appeared like the moon in a very clear lunar sphere on a cloudless sky brightened by clusters of stars around. [4-44-16]

atibala balam aashritaH tava aham
hari vara vikrama vikramaiH analpaiH |
pavana suta yathaa adhigamyate saa
janaka sutaa hanuman tathaa kuruSva || 4-44-17

17. ati bala= oh, highly, powerful one [Hanuma]; hari vara vikrama= monkey, the best, venturesome one [or, lion, the best, charging, i.e., a best lion charging - this synonym of hari as lion is not taken here]; pavana suta= oh, Air-god's, son; hanuman= oh, Hanumaan; aham tava balam aashritaH= I [Rama,] on your, vivacity, relying upon; an + alpaiH= not, with inconsequential; vikramaiH= by adventures; saa janaka sutaa= she, that Janaka's, daughter; yathaa adhigamyate= as to how, she can be accessed; tathaa kuruSva= in that way, you do - you make happen.

"Oh, highly powerful Hanuma, I rely upon your vivacity, being the best venturesome monkey, oh, son of Air-god, showing your adventures that are not inconsequential you make happen as to how access can be gained to Janaka's daughter, Seetha." Thus, Rama shouted at Hanuma flying in the sky. [4-44-17]

.

Rama's Ring

The ring of Rama assumes a great importance in the course of Ramayana. Though Valmiki says nothing extraordinary, commentators attach many good reasons and attributes to this episode. After the two foots of verse 4-4-12 the following foot is traditionally read, in affection.

suvarõasya su varõasya su-varnasya aðgulŸyakam

That is to say suvarNasya 'golden ring...' su varNasya 'greatly glittering...' su-varNasya 'good lettered...' 'That ring is golden, that too highly glittering, [rather high in carats, maybe 48 carats,] and has very good letters on it...' That ring has one jewel on upper side and two jewels below that. The upper jewel has a carving of the letter shri and lower two raa, ma... so goes the tradition.
When Rama abdicated everything and no other jewellery is evident on his body, though his bow and arrows have golden finishing. Then why this lone ring is still there with him - is the debatable question. This indicates the custom of exchanging rings in marriage. This is the ring got prepared by Seetha in her kingdom Mithila and she herself put it on Rama's finger in their marriage as vara varaNa 'selecting the wooer...' When Hanuma gives this ring to Seetha in Sundara Kanda the reaction of Seetha is: g®hŸtv˜ prekÿam˜õ˜ s˜ bhart® kara vibh¨ÿaõam | 'on taking the adornment of her husband's hand she looked at it...' at 5-36-4. This ring to men is almost like the mangala suutra 'the sacred marriage-time pendant...' to Hindu ladies. Thus, none can ask a man to remove his wedding ring as long as his wife is alive and attached.
Next, 'in giving such ring to Hanuma, bypassing the troop leader Angada, Rama slighted the imperial protocol...' and 'Sugreeva being a king why eulogise Hanuma this much, a simple minister? Is it to deify Hanuma? This is another objection. For this Dharmaakuutam gives a vivid and extensive commentary, saying it is not at all a violation of protocol. The objection is: na anvatra yuvar˜je bala adhyakÿe aðgade sati hanumata× svatantratay˜ purask˜ra× abijñ˜na pradan˜dikam ca anucitam 'when prince regent Angada is there, entrusting some work to Hanuma independently, that too after eulogising him, is unbefitting...' This is countered by the commentator saying that: evam ca aviþvasanŸyam angadam apah˜ya viþvasanŸyo hanumati biþÿyua purask˜r˜dikam yuktam eva | 'still Angada has not gained the confidence of the king, though he is anointed as prince regent, thus entrusting a piece of work to Hanuma by Sugreeva is reasonable...' Then the counter-question is 'why Angada is anointed as prince regent, at all...' for this it is said: tath˜ ca angadasya jñ˜titv˜t aviþvasanŸyatv˜t aparity˜gena rakÿaõŸyatv˜dvinŸtam vidh˜ya yauva r˜jye abhiÿecanŸyatv˜t ca rakÿaõa yauvar˜jya abhiÿecana k˜rya niyojan˜dikam - mantiõa× ca hanumata× sakala k˜ryeÿu viþvasanŸyasya sv˜tnatreõa purask˜r˜dikam yuktam eva | 'a blood relation is to be anointed as a prince regent to look after the affairs of the kingdom, and here too, Angada is nominated as the troop leader of the expedition to look after the safety of this particular troop, and it does not preclude the king to entrust certain work to some of his true believable adherents...' This being so, Angada also expresses his resentment against Sugreeva and openly criticises Sugreeva at the end of this canto on similar lines, when they are unable to leap the ocean.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe catuH catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 44th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 45

Introduction

The war cries of monkey soldiers in their enthusiasm to conquer Ravana are uttered in the audience of Sugreeva, when all of them started to their designated directions. This suggests the sugriiva aaj~na 'the inviolable order of Sugreeva.'

sarvaaH ca aahuuya sugriivaH plavagaan plavagarSabhaH |
samastaan ca abraviit raajaa raama kaaryaartha siddhaye || 4-45-1
evam etat vicetavyam bhavadbhiH vaanarottamaiH |

1, 2a. plavaga rSabhaH= of fly-jumper, the best one; raajaa sugriivaH= king [of monkeys,] Sugreeva; sarvaaH plavagaan aahuuya= all of them, fly-jumpers, calling forth; raama kaarya artha siddhaye= Rama's, task, purpose, to achieve; samastaan= to all of them; abraviit= spoke to; vaanara uttamaiH= vanara-s, best ones; bhavadbhiH= by you; evam etat= in this way [as I detailed,] all this [earth]; vicetavyam= shall be searched.

On calling forth all the fly-jumpers for achieving the purpose of Rama's task the best fly-jumper and the king of monkeys Sugreeva spoke to all of them, "oh, best vanara-s, you shall search all of this earth as I have detailed." Sugreeva said so to all monkeys. [4-45-1, 2a]

tat ugra shaasanam bhartur vij~naaya hari pu.ngavaaH || 4-45-2
shalabhaa iva sa.mChaadya mediniim sa.mpratasthire |

2, 3a. hari pungavaaH= monkey, best ones; bhartuH= of husband [king of vanara-s]; tat ugra shaasanam= that, arduous, order; vij~naaya= on understanding; mediniim shalabhaaH iva= earth, grasshoppers, as with; samChaadya= covering over; sam pra tasthire= well started out.

Understanding that arduous order of the king of monkeys Sugreeva those best monkeys started out covering the earth like grasshoppers. [4-45-2, 3a]

raamaH prasravaNe tasmin nyavasat saha lakSmaNaH || 4-45-3
pratiikSamaaNaH tam maasam yaH siitaa adhigame kR^itaH |

3b, 4a. raamaH= Rama; saha lakSmaNaH= with, Lakshmana; yaH siitaa adhigame kR^itaH= which, for Seetha's, reaching out, made - marked for locating Seetha; tam maasam= that, month; prati iikSamaaNaH= forward, looking to; tasmin prasravaNe nyavasat= on that, Prasrvana [mountain,] he dwelled - remained.

Rama remained on that Mt. Prasravana along with Lakshmana looking forward to that month which is marked for locating Seetha. [4-45-3b, 4a]

uttaraam tu disham ramyaam giri raaja samaavR^itaam || 4-45-4
pratasthe sahasaa viiro hariH shatabaliH tadaa |

4b, 5a. tadaa= then; shatabaliH viiraH hariH= Shatabali, brave, monkey; giri raaja sam aavR^itaam= by mountain, king - Himalayas, encompassed by; ramyaam uttaraam disham= to beautiful, northern, direction; sahasaa pratasthe= swiftly, transited.

Then the brave monkey Shatabali swiftly started towards the beautiful northern quarter that is encompassed by the king of mountains, namely Himavanta. [4-45-4b, 5a]

puurvaam disham prati yayau vinato hari yuuthapaH || 4-45-5
taaraa a.ngadaadi sahitaH plavagaH pavanaatmajaH |
agastya caritaam aashaam dakSiNaam hari yuuthapaH || 4-45-6

5b, 6. hari yuuthapaH vinataH= monkey, troop-commander, Vinata; puurvaam disham prati yayau= to eastern, direction, towards, journeyed; hari yuuthapaH= monkey, leader; pavana aatmajaH= Air-god's, son; plavagaH= fly-jumper - Hanuma; taaraa angada aadi sahitaH= Tara, Angada, others, along with; agastya caritaam= by Agastya, trodden; dakSiNaam aashaam= direction, southerly; [yayau= travelled to.

The monkey-troop commander Vinata journeyed towards the eastern direction, and the fly-jumper, leader of monkeys and Air-god's son Hanuma travelled towards southerly quarter that is once trodden by Sage Agastya, along with Lt. Tara, Prince-regent Angada, and others. [4-45-5b, 6]

pashcimaam tu disham ghoraam suSeNaH plavageshvaraH |
pratasthe hari shaarduulo disham varuNa paalitaam || 4-45-7

7. plavaga iishvaraH= fly-jumper's, commander; hari shaarduulaH= monkey, tigerly one; suSeNaH= Sushena; varuNa paalitaam disham= by Rain-god, ruled, direction; ghoraam pashcimaam disham= horrifying, western, direction; pratasthe= started out.

The commander of fly-jumpers and a tigerly monkey Sushena started out towards the horrifying western direction that is ruled by Varuna, the Rain-god. [4-45-7]

tataH sarvaa disho raajaa codayitvaa yathaa tatham |
kapi senaa patiin viiro mumoda sukhitaH sukham || 4-45-8

8. tataH= latter; viiraH raajaa= valorous, king - Sugreeva; kapi senaa patiin= monkey, army, commanders; yathaa tatham= according to their capabilities; sarvaa dishaH codayitvaa= to all, directions, having sent; sukhitaH= is contented; sukham mumoda= contentedly [to his heart's content,] gladdened.

Then on disposing the commanders of monkey army to all directions according to their capabilities, that valorous king Sugreeva who is contented earlier by way of gaining his kingdom through Rama, is now gladdened to his heart's content for sending monkey troops to all directions as a requital to Rama's help. [4-45-8]

evam sa.mcoditaaH sarve raaj~naa vaanara yuuthapaaH |
svaam svaam disham abhipretya tvaritaaH sa.mpratasthire || 4-45-9

9. raaj~naa evam sam coditaaH= by king [Sugreeva,] in this way, who are sent; sarve vaanara yuuthapaaH= all of the, vanara, lieutenants; svaam svaam disham= his own, his own, direction; abhi pretya= readying to go; tvaritaaH sampratasthire= expeditiously, started out.

In this way when despatched by their king Sugreeva all the vanara lieutenants expeditiously started towards one's own direction. [4-45-9]

nadantaH ca unnadantaH ca garjantaH ca plava.ngamaaH |
kSvelanto dhaavamaanaaH ca vinadanto mahaabalaaH || 4-45-10

10. mahaabalaaH plavan gamaaH= great mighty, fly-jumpers; nadantaH ca= bawling, also; ud nadantaH ca= highly, blaring, also; garjantaH ca= thundering, also; kSvelantaH [or, kshhveDantaH]= roaring like lions; vi [vicitra naada] nadantaH= oddly, bellowing; dhaava maanaaH= they started to dash off.

When those great mighty fly-jumpers have started to dash off some are bawling, some highly blaring, some more thundering, and some more oddly bellowing, while some more are roaring like lions. [4-45-10]

evam sa.mcoditaaH sarve raaj~naa vaanara yuuthapaaH |
aanayiSyaamahe siitaam haniSyaamaH ca raavaNam || 4-45-11

11. raaj~naa= by king - Sugreeva; evam samcoditaaH= this way, well-motivated; sarve vaanara yuuthapaaH= all of the, vanara, lieutenants; aanayiSyaamahe siitaam= we will lead forth, Seetha; raavaNam haniSyaamaH ca= Ravana, we wish to kill, also; [vacanam uucuH ca= words, boasted, also.]

Well-motivated this way by the king Sugreeva those vanara lieutenants put their fortitude into boastful words and said, "we lead forth Seetha, we wish to kill Ravana." [4-45-11]

aham eko vadhiSyaami praaptam raavaNam aahave |
tataH ca unmathya sahasaa hariSye janaka aatmajaam || 4-45-12

12. aham ekaH= I, single-handedly; aahave praaptam raavaNam= on battlefield, chanced, vadhiSyaami= I wish to kill; tataH ca= then, also; unmathya= on drubbing; [itara raakshasaan= other, demons]; sahasaa janaka aatmajaam aahariSye= quickly, daughter, Seetha, I bring back.

"I will kill Ravana single-handedly if he chances on battlefield, and then on drubbing the other demons I will quickly bring back Janaka's daughter, Seetha." Another monkey soldier said so. [4-45-12]

vepamaanam shrameNa adya bhavadbhiH sthiiyataam iti |
eka eva aahariSyaami paataalaat api jaanakiim || 4-45-13

13. vepamaanam shrameNa adya= shivering [Seetha,] by enervation; jaanakiim= Janaki; paataalaat api= from netherworld, even; eka eva= by myself; aahariSyaami= I will bring back; adya= now; bhavadbhiH sthiiyataam= by you [monkey colleagues,] stay back; iti= thus - one more monkey said.

"I alone will bring back Janaki even from netherworlds, who might be shivering owing to enervation, and you my monkey-soldier colleagues, you all may stay behind now." Thus another monkey-hero said. [4-45-13]

vidhamiSyaami aham vR^ikSaan daarayiSyaami aham giriin |
dharaNiim daarayiSyaami kSobhayiSyaami saagaraan || 4-45-14

14. aham= I will; vR^ikSaan= trees; vidhamiSyaami [vi dham iSyaami]= can completely, shatter; aham giriin daara yiSyaami= I will, mountains, shred; dharaNiim daarayiSyaami= earth, I wish to split; saagaraan kSobha yiSyaami= oceans, I wish to storm.

"I will completely shatter the trees, shred the mountains, split the earth and storm the oceans." Thus another monkey gave war cry. [4-45-14]

aham yojana sa.nkhyaayaaH plavitaa na atra sa.nshayaH |
shatam yojana sa.nkhyaayaaH shatam samadhikam hi aham || 4-45-15

15. aham yojana sankhyaayaaH shatam= I will, yojana numbers, a hundred, - hundred yojana-s in number; plavitaa atra na sanshayaH= can fly-jump, there is, no, doubt; aham= I; [plavitaa= can leap]; shatam yojana sankhyaayaaH= hundred, yojana, in number; sam adhikam= even, more; hi= for sure; [I will fly-jump.]

"I can fly-jump a hundred yojana-s, undoubtedly," said one monkey while the other said, "I can jump even more than a hundred yojana-s, for sure." [4-45-15]

bhuu tale saagare vaa api shaileSu ca vaneSu ca |
paataalasya api vaa madhye na mama aacChidyate gatiH || 4-45-16

16. bhuu tale= on earth's, plane; saagare vaa api= in ocean, or, even; shaileSu ca vaneSu ca= in mountains, also, in forests, also; paataalasya api vaa madhye= in netherworld, even, or, in the core of; mama gatiH= my, transit; na aacChidyate= not, thwarted.

"My transit cannot be thwarted either on the plane of earth, or in the ocean, or on mountains or in forests, or in the netherworld, or in its core." This is the slogan of another monkey-warrior. [4-45-16]

iti ekaikaH tadaa tatra vaanaraa bala darpitaaH |
uucuH ca vacanam tasya hari raajasya sannidhau || 4-45-17

17. tadaa= then; vaanaraa= vanara-s; bala darpitaaH= by might, in proper pride; tatra= there; tasya hari raajasya sannidhau= that, monkey, king's, in audience; eka ekaH= one by one; iti= in this way; vacanam uucuH= words [war whoops,] uttered - and departed.

Thus each individual vanara gave war-whoops with the proper proud of his might in the audience of monkeys king Sugreeva and departed. [4-45-17]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe pa.nca catvaarinshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 45th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection