Sugriva's Counsel with Rama and the Vanaras' Search for Sita
Sugriva humbly meets Rama and arranges the next course of action. Great hosts of vanaras are then dispatched in all directions to search for Sita.
Kishkindha Kand · Episode 10 / 14
Episode Text
नाइ चरन सिरु कह कर जोरी। नाथ मोहि कछु नाहिन खोरी॥ अतिसय प्रबल देव तव माया। छूटइ राम करहु जौं दाया॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nāi carana siru kaha kara joṛī। nātha mohi kachu nāhina khorī॥ atisaya prabala deva tava māyā। chūṭai rāma karahu jauṃ dāyā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Bowling his head at Rama's feet and joining his hands, Sugriva said, "O Lord, I have no fault at all. O God, your illusion is exceedingly powerful. O Rama, only when you show mercy does one escape it."
बिषय बस्य सुर नर मुनि स्वामी। मैं पावँर पसु कपि अति कामी॥ नारि नयन सर जाहि न लागा। घोर क्रोध तम निसि जो जागा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
biṣaya basya sura nara muni svāmī। maiṃ pāvaṃra pasu kapi ati kāmī॥ nāri nayana sara jāhi na lāgā। ghora krodha tama nisi jo jāgā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, gods, men, and sages are all under the sway of sense-objects. Then I am only a wretched beast, and among beasts I am an exceedingly lustful monkey. He who has not been pierced by the arrow of a woman's eyes, and who remains awake even in the dark night of terrible anger.
लोभ पाँस जेहिं गर न बँधाया। सो नर तुम्ह समान रघुराया॥ यह गुन साधन तें नहिं होई। तुम्हरी कृपाँ पाव कोइ कोई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
lobha pāṃsa jehiṃ gara na baṃdhāyā। so nara tumha samāna raghurāyā॥ yaha guna sādhana teṃ nahiṃ hoī। tumharī kṛpāṃ pāva koi koī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
And whoever has not bound his own neck with the noose of greed, O Raghuraya, is like you. These virtues are not attained by practice. Only a few obtain them by your grace.
तब रघुपति बोले मुसुकाई। तुम्ह प्रिय मोहि भरत जिमि भाई॥ अब सोइ जतनु करहु मन लाई। जेहि बिधि सीता कै सुधि पाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba raghupati bole musukāī। tumha priya mohi bharata jimi bhāī॥ aba soi jatanu karahu mana lāī। jehi bidhi sītā kai sudhi pāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then Raghupati smiled and said, "O brother, you are dear to me as Bharata is. Now apply your mind and do the very means by which news of Sita may be found."
एहि बिधि होत बतकही आए बानर जूथ। नाना बरन सकल दिसि देखिअ कीस बरूथ॥ २१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi hota batakahī āe bānara jūtha। nānā barana sakala disi dekhia kīsa barūtha॥ 21 ॥
Meaning:
While this conversation was going on, troops of monkeys arrived. Monkeys of many different colors could be seen in all directions.
बानर कटक उमा मैं देखा। सो मूरुख जो करन चह लेखा॥ आइ राम पद नावहिं माथा। निरखि बदनु सब होहिं सनाथा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bānara kaṭaka umā maiṃ dekhā। so mūrukha jo karana caha lekhā॥ āi rāma pada nāvahiṃ mūthā। nirkhi badanu saba hohiṃ sanāthā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva says, "O Uma, I saw that army of monkeys. Whoever tries to count it is a great fool. All the monkeys come and bow their heads at Rama's feet, and by beholding his face they become fulfilled."
अस कपि एक न सेना माहीं। राम कुसल जेहि पूछी नाहीं॥ यह कछु नहिं प्रभु कइ अधिकाई। बिस्वरूप ब्यापक रघुराई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa kapi eka na senā māhīṃ। rāma kusala jehi pūchī nāhīṃ॥ yaha kachu nahiṃ prabhu kai adhikāī। bisvarūpa byāpaka raghurāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
There was not a single monkey in the army whom Rama did not ask after his well-being. This is no great matter for the Lord, because Raghuraya is of universal form and all-pervading.
ठाढ़े जहँ तहँ आयसु पाई। कह सुग्रीव सबहि समुझाई॥ राम काजु अरु मोर निहोरा। बानर जूथ जाहु चहुँ ओरा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ṭhāṛhe jahaṃ tahaṃ āyasu pāī। kaha sugrīva sabahi samujhāī॥ rāma kāju aru mora nihorā। bānara jūtha jāhu cahuṃ orā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
When they received the order, they stood where they were. Then Sugriva explained to all, saying, "This is Rama's task and my request; go in all four directions, O troops of monkeys."
जनकसुता कहुँ खोजहु जाई। मास दिवस महँ आएहु भाई॥ अवधि मेटि जो बिनु सुधि पाएँ। आवइ बनिहि सो मोहि मराएँ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
janakasutā kahuṃ khojahu jāī। māsa divasa mahaṃ āehu bhāī॥ avadhi meṭi jo binu sudhi pāeṃ। āvai banihi so mohi marāeṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Go and search for Janakasuta, Sita. O brothers, return within a month. Whoever comes back without finding any news after the time limit will surely have to be put to death by my order.
बचन सुनत सब बानर जहँ तहँ चले तुरंत। तब सुग्रीवँ बोलाए अंगद नल हनुमंत॥ २२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bacana sunata saba bānara jahaṃ tahaṃ cale turanta। taba sugrīvaṃ bolāe aṅgada nala hanumanta॥ 22 ॥
Meaning:
As soon as Sugriva's words were heard, all the monkeys immediately set off in different directions. Then Sugriva summoned Angada, Nala, Hanuman, and the other chief warriors.
सुनहु नील अंगद हनुमाना। जामवंत मतिधीर सुजाना॥ सकल सुभट मिलि दच्छिन जाहू। सीता सुधि पूँछेहु सब काहू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunahu nīla aṅgada hanumānā। jāmavanta matidhīra sujānā॥ sakala subhaṭa mili dacchina jāhū। sītā sudhi pūṃchehu saba kāhū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O wise and capable Nila, Angada, Jambavan, and Hanuman, let all the valiant warriors go together to the southern direction and ask everyone for news of Sita.
मन क्रम बचन सो जतन बिचारेहु। रामचंद्र कर काजु सँवारेहु॥ भानु पीठि सेइअ उर आगी। स्वामिहि सर्ब भाव छल त्यागी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mana krama bacana so jatana bicārehu। rāmacandra kara kāju saṃvārehu॥ bhānu pīṭhi seia ura āgī। svāmihi sarba bhāva chala tyāgī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Think of the means with mind, speech, and body, and accomplish Rama's work. One may serve the sun with one's back and the fire with one's heart, but the Lord must be served with every feeling, while abandoning all deceit.
तजि माया सेइअ परलोका। मिटहिं सकल भवसंभव सोका॥ देह धरे कर यह फलु भाई। भजिअ राम सब काम बिहाई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taji māyā seia paralokā। miṭahiṃ sakala bhavasambhava sokā॥ deha dhare kara yaha phalu bhāī। bhajia rāma saba kāma bihāī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Abandoning illusion, one should seek the other world; then all sorrows born of worldly existence will vanish. O brother, the fruit of taking a body is this alone: leaving aside all desires, one should worship Rama.
सोइ गुनग्य सोई बड़भागी। जो रघुबीर चरन अनुरागी॥ आयसु मागि चरन सिरु नाई। चले हरषि सुमिरत रघुराई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
soi gunagya soī baṛabhāgī। jo raghubīra carana anurāgī॥ āyasu māgi carana siru nāī। cale haraṣi sumirata raghurāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
He alone is truly wise and truly fortunate who is devoted to the feet of Raghubir. After asking permission and bowing their heads at his feet, they departed in joy, remembering Raghuraya.
पाछें पवन तनय सिरु नावा। जानि काज प्रभु निकट बोलावा॥ परसा सीस सरोरुह पानी। करमुद्रिका दीन्हि जन जानी॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pāchẽ pavana tanaya siru nāvā। jāni kāja prabhu nikaṭa bolāvā॥ parasā sīsa saroruha pānī। karamudrikā dīnhi jana jānī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
After all the others, the son of the wind-god, Hanumanji, bowed his head. Seeing the need of the task, the Lord called him near. He touched his head with his lotus hand and, recognizing him as his servant, gave him his signet ring.
बहु प्रकार सीतहि समुझाएहु। कहि बल बिरह बेगि तुम्ह आएहु॥ हनुमत जन्म सुफल करि माना। चलेउ हृदयँ धरि कृपानिधाना॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bahu prakāra sītahi samujhāehu। kahi bala biraha begi tumha āehu॥ hanumata janma suphala kari mānā। caleu hṛdayaṃ dhari kṛpānidhānā॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Explain everything to Sita in many ways, and tell her of my strength and longing; then return quickly. Hanumanji considered his birth fulfilled, and, bearing the treasure of mercy in his heart, he set out.
जद्यपि प्रभु जानत सब बाता। राजनीति राखत सुरत्राता॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jadyapi prabhu jānata saba bātā। rājanīti rākhata suratrātā॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
Although the Lord, protector of the gods, knows everything, still he upholds the discipline of policy and conduct. To preserve propriety, he sends the monkeys everywhere to search for Sita.
चले सकल बन खोजत सरिता सर गिरि खोह। राम काज लयलीन मन बिसरा तन कर छोह॥ २३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
cale sakala bana khojata saritā sara giri khoha। rāma kāja layalīna mana bisarā tana kara choha॥ 23 ॥
Meaning:
All the monkeys went on searching through forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, and mountain caves. Their minds are absorbed in Rama's work; even attachment to the body is forgotten.
कतहुँ होइ निसिचर सैं भेंटा। प्रान लेहिं एक एक चपेटा॥ बहु प्रकार गिरि कानन हेरहिं। कोउ मुनि मिलइ ताहि सब घेरहिं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
katahuṃ hoi nisichara saiṃ bheṃṭā। prāna lehīṃ eka eka capeṭā॥ bahu prakāra giri kānana herahiṃ। kou muni milai tāhi saba gherahiṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
If they happen to meet a demon somewhere, they kill him with a single slap. They search mountains and forests in many ways. If they meet a sage, they surround him all at once to ask for news.
लागि तृषा अतिसय अकुलाने। मिलइ न जल घन गहन भुलाने॥ मन हनुमान कीन्ह अनुमाना। मरन चहत सब बिनु जल पाना॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
lāgi tṛṣā atisaya akulāne। milai na jala ghana gahana bhulāne॥ mana hanumāna kīnha anumānā। marana cahata saba binu jala pānā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Then all of them became extremely thirsty and very distressed. Yet no water could be found, and they were lost in the dense forest. Hanuman inferred in his mind that everyone was ready to die without water.
चढ़ि गिरि सिखर चहूँ दिसि देखा। भूमि बिबर एक कौतुक पेखा॥ चक्रबाक बक हंस उड़ाहीं। बहुतक खग प्रबिसहिं तेहि माहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
caṛhi giri sikhara cahuṃ disi dekhā। bhūmi bibara eka kautuka pekhā॥ cakrabāka baka haṃsa uṛāhīṃ। bahutaka khaga prabisahiṃ tehi māhīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Climbing to the mountain peak, they looked in all directions and saw a strange sight in a cave within the earth. Above it, chakravaka birds, cranes, and swans were flying, and many birds were entering into it.
गिरि ते उतरि पवनसुत आवा। सब कहुँ लै सोइ बिबर देखावा॥ आगें कै हनुमंतहि लीन्हा। पैठे बिबर बिलंबु न कीन्हा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
giri te utari pavanasuta āvā। saba kahuṃ lai soi bibara dekhāvā॥ āgẽ kai hanumantahi līnhā। paiṭhe bibara bilambu na kīnhā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hanuman, the son of the wind, came down from the mountain and led them all to show that cave. They placed Hanumanji in front and entered the cave without delay.
दीख जाइ उपबन बर सर बिगसित बहु कंज। मंदिर एक रुचिर तहँ बैठि नारि तप पुंज॥ २४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dīkh jāi upabana bara sara bigasita bahu kaṃja। mandira eka rucira tahaṃ baiṭhi nāri tapa puṃja॥ 24 ॥
Meaning:
Going inside, they saw a beautiful grove and a pond full of blooming lotuses. There was also a lovely temple there, and within it sat a woman who was a very embodiment of penance.