“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 Sugriva Sends Hanuman, Nila & Angada to the South Summary 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 Dwiipa 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. Chapter [Sarga] 41 in Detail tatah prasthaapya sugriivah tan mahat vaanaram balam | daksinaam presayaamaasa vaanaraan abhilaksitaan || 4-41-1 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 vrisabham 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 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 Jambavanta, also others like Suhotra, Sharaari, Sharagulma Gaja, Page 1 of 11 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 Gavaaksha, Gavaya, Sushena, Vrishabha, Mainda, Dvivida, Sushena, Gandhamaadana, and the two sons of Ritual-fire called Ulkaamukha, Ananga. [4-41-2, 3, 4, 5] tesaam agresaram caiva brihad balam atha a.ngadam | vidhaaya hari viiraanaam aadishad daksinaam disham || 4-41-6 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 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 vindhyam naanaa druma lataa aayutam | narmadaam ca nadiim ramyaam mahoraga nisevitaam || 4-41-8 tato godaavariim ramyaam krisnaaveniim mahaanadiim | varadaam ca mahaabhaagaam mahoraga nisevitaam | mekhalaan utkalaam caiva dashaarna nagaraani api || 4-41-9 abrava.ntiim ava.ntiim ca sarvam eva anupashyata | vidarbhaan ristikaan caiva ramyaan maahisakaan api || 4-41-10 "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] Page 2 of 11 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 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 "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] ayomukhah ca ga.ntavyah parvato dhaatu manditah | vicitra shikharah shriimaan citra puspita kaananah || 4-41-13 suca.ndana vanoddesho maargitavyo mahaagirih | "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] tatah taam aapagaam divyaam prasanna salilaashayaan || 4-41-14 tatra draksyatha kaaveriim vihritaam apsaro ganaih | "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] tasya aasiinam nagasya agre malayasya mahojasam || 4-41-15 draksyatha aaditya sa.nkaasham agastyam risi sattamam | "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] Page 3 of 11 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 tatah tena abhyanujnaataah prasannena mahaatmanaa || 4-41-16 taamraparniim graaha justaam tarisyatha mahaanadiim | "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 | "She whose water is overlapped with amazing copses of sandalwood trees and islands that River Taamraparni 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] tato hemamayam divyam muktaa mani vibhuusitam || 4-41-18 yuktam kavaatam paandyaanaam gataa draksyatha vaanaraah | "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 | "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 marvelous 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] Page 4 of 11 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 naanaa vidhaih nagaih phullaih lataabhih ca upashobhitam || 4-41-21 deva risi yaksa pravaraih apsarobhih ca sevitam | siddha caarana sa.nghaih ca prakiirnam sumanoharam || 4-41-22 tam upaiti sahasraaksah sadaa parvasu parvasu | "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] dviipah tasya apare paare shata yojana visritah || 4-41-23 agamyo maanusaih diiptah tam maargadhvam sama.ntatah | "There is a dazzling island on the other side of the shore of Mt. Mahendra, which is breadth wise a hundred yojana-s, and which is an impassable one for humans, and you have to search that island up to its fringes. [4-41-25b, 24a] tatra sarva aatmanaa siitaa maargitavyaa vishesatah || 4-41-24 sa hi deshah tu vadhyasya raavanasya duraatmanah | raaksasa adhipateh vaasah sahasraaksa samadyuteh || 4-41-25 "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] daksinasya samudrasya madhye tasya tu raaksasii | a.ngaaraka iti vikhyaataa chaayaam aaksipya bhojinii || 4-41-26 "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] Page 5 of 11 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Kishkinda Kanda – Chapter 41 evam nihsa.mshayaan kritvaa sa.mshayaan nasta sa.mshayaah | mrigayadhvam narendrasya patniim amita ojasah || 4-41-27 "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 "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 amshu sa.nkaashah saagara a.mbu samaashrayah | bhraajate vipulaih shringaih ambaram vilikhan iva || 4-41-29 "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.