Introduction

Search for Seetha failed in east, north, and west directions. The monkey chiefs who went there have come back to inform that she is not found and they all hoped Hanuma to find her out, because he is pursuing the direction in which Seetha was taken away.

Verse 1

दर्शनार्थम् तु वैदेह्याः सर्वतः कपि कुंजराः |
व्यादिष्टाः कपि राजेन यथा उक्तम् जग्मुर् अंजसा || ४-४७-१

As commanded by the king of monkeys Sugreeva all of the elephantine monkeys essayed everywhere with post-hast for a glimpse of Vaidehi. [4-47-1]

1. kapi raajena vyaadiSTaaH [vi aa dish] = by monkeys, king, commanded; kapi kunjaraaH = monkeys, elephantine; yathaa uktam = as, said [true to command]; vaidehyaaH darshanaartham = of Vaidehi, for a glimpse; anjasaa = with post-haste; sarvataH jagmuH = everywhere, essayed at.

Verse 2

ते सरांसि सरित् कक्षान् आकाशम् नगराणि च |
नदी दुर्गान् तथा शैलान् विचिन्वन्ति समन्ततः || ४-४७-२

Those monkeys have thoroughly searched at lakes, in the pens of creepers on riverbanks, in vacant lands and in crowded cities and at impassable places with rivers and mountains. [4-47-2]

2. te = those – monkeys; saraamsi saritaH kakSaan = at lakes, river’s [on riverbanks,] chambers, [creeper-pens]; aakaasham nagaraaNi ca = sky [empty space, unpeopled lands,] cities, also; tathaa = thus; nadii dur gaan shailaan = with rivers, not, passable places, mountains; samantataH vi cinvanti = everywhere, thoroughly, searched out.

Verse 3

सुग्रीवेण समाख्याताः सर्वे वानर यूथपाः |
तत्र देशान् प्रविचिन्वन्ति स शैल वन काननान् || ४-४७-३

All the monkey commanders explicitly commanded by Sugreeva, very carefully searched all the provinces inclusive of mountains, woodlands, and thick forests of those provinces. [4-47-3]

3. sugriiveNa sam aakhyaataaH = by Sugreeva, well-said [explicitly, commanded]; sarve vaanara yuuthapaaH = all, monkey’s, commanders; tatra = in that matter; pra sa shaila vana kaananaan = inclusive of, mountains, woodlands, thick forests; [sarvaan = all of the]; deshaan = provinces; vi cinvanti = carefully, searched.

Verse 4

विचिन्त्य दिवसम् सर्वे सीता अधिगमने धृताः |
समायान्ति स्म मेदिन्याम् निशा कालेषु वानराः || ४-४७-४

All the Vanara-s firmed up in finding Seetha have searched nooks and corners of earth by day, and at nighttimes they used to come together onto earth at scheduled places. [4-47-4]

4. sarve vaanaraaH = all of the, monkeys; siitaa adhigamane dhR^itaaH = in Seetha’s, attaining, firmed up; divasam vicintya = by day, on searching; nishaa kaaleSu = at night, time; medinyaam = onto earth; sam aayaanti sma = well [together,] come, they are.

Verse 5

सर्व ऋतुकान् च देशेषु वानराः स फलान् द्रुमान् |
आसाद्य रजनीम् शय्याम् चक्रुः सर्वेषु अहस्सु ते || ४-४७-५

In all those days those Vanara-s used to come to trees which have fruits of all seasons, to make those trees as their beds at bedtime. [4-47-5]

5. te vaanaraaH = those, Vanara-s; sarveSu ahassu [ te] = in all [those,] days; sarva R^itukaan ca = all, seasonal, also; sa phalaan drumaan = with, fruits, trees; desheSu aasaadya = in [those and those] provinces, on getting at; rajaniim shayyaam cakruH = at nights [at bedtime,] bed, made.

Verse 6

तत् अहः प्रथमम् कृत्वा मासे प्रस्रवणम् गताः |
कपि राजेन संगम्य निराशाः कपि कुंजराः || ४-४७-६

Counting the day of their starting as day one, those elephantine monkeys returned to Mt. Prasavana within one month, hopeless of Seetha, and met Sugreeva, the king of monkeys, who is with Rama awaiting the return of monkeys. [4-47-6]

6. tat ahaH prathamam kR^itvaa = that, day [of their starting,] first, on making [counting]; maase = in month; kapi kunjaraaH = monkey, elephants; nir aashaaH = without, hope; prasravaNam gataaH = , Mt. Prasavana, went [returned]; kapi raajena sangamya = with monkey, king, joined – met with Sugreeva.

Verse 7

विचित्य तु दिशम् पूर्वाम् यथा उक्ताम् सचिवैः सह |
अदृष्ट्वा विनतः सीताम् आजगाम महाबलः || ४-४७-७

Cmdr. Vinata, the great-mighty vanara, came back after searching eastern quarter as Sugreeva had advised, but without finding Seetha there. [4-47-7]

7. mahaabalaH = great-mighty one; vinataH = Cmdr. Vinata; sacivaiH saha = 1] ministers, 2] colleagues, together with; yathaa uktaam = as, said [as advised by Sugreeva]; puurvaam disham vicitya = eastern, quarter, on searching; siitaam a dR^iSTvaa = Seetha, not, seeing [finding]; aa jagaama = came back.

Verse 8

दिशम् अपि उत्तराम् सर्वाम् विविच्य स महाकपिः |
आगतः सह सैन्येन वीरः शतबलिः तदा || ४-४७-८

Even the valiant and matchless monkey Shatabali explored whole of the northern direction along with his army, but he too came back as Seetha is undiscovered there. [4-47-8]

8. tadaa = then; viiraH mahaa kapiH shatabaliH = valiant one, matchless, monkey, Shatabali; sainyena saha = army, along with; sarvaam uttaraam disham api = whole of, northern, direction, even; vi vicya = = explored; [siitaam a dR^iSTvaa = Seetha, without seeing]; saH = such as he is; aagataH = he came back.

Verse 9

सुषेणः पश्चिमाम् आशाम् विविच्य सह वानरैः |
समेत्य मासे पूर्णे तु सुग्रीवम् उपचक्रमे || ४-४७-९

Sushena, the father-in-law of Sugreeva, searching whole of western quarter along with vanara-s, but not finding Seetha there, he came back when one month is completed, and approached Sugreeva. [4-47-9]

9. suSeNaH vaanaraiH saha = Sushena [father-in-law of Sugreeva,] vanara-s, along with; pashcimaam aashaam vivicya = in western, direction, on searching; maase puurNe tu = a month, on completion, but; [a dR^iSTvaa siitaam = without seeing, Seetha]; sametya = came back; sugriivam upacakrame = to Sugreeva, nearby arrived.

Verse 10

तम् प्रस्रवण पृष्ठस्थम् समासाद्य अभिवाद्य च |
आसीनम् सह रामेण सुग्रीवम् इदम् अब्रुवन् || ४-४७-१०

All of the expeditionists have reached and venerated Sugreeva who is sitting along with Rama on the peak of Mt. Prasavana and spoke this to him. [4-47-10]

10. raameNa saha aasiinam = Rama, along with, one who is seated; prasravaNa pR^iSThastham = Mt. Prasavana, on peak of; tam sugriivam = him, Sugreeva; sam aasaadya = on reaching; abhivaadya ca = on revering, also; idam abruvan = this, [all the expeditionists] spoke.

Verse 11

विचिताः पर्वताः सर्वे वनानि गहनानि च |
निम्नगाः सागर अन्ताः च सर्वे जनपदाः तथा || ४-४७-११

“All of the mountains, all of the serried forests, all of the riversides up to the edge of oceans, likewise, all of the inhabitations have been searched. [4-47-11]

11. sarve parvataaH vicitaaH = all, mountains, are searched; gahanaani vanaani ca = serried, forests, also; nimn agaaH = low, going [flowing, rivers that slope down]; saagara antaaH ca = ocean’s, edge of [or, along the rivers that slope down into oceans]; tathaa = likewise; sarve jana padaaH = all, people’s, places [inhabitations – are thoroughly searched.]

Verse 12

गुहाः च विचिताः सर्वा याः च ते परिकीर्तिताः |
विचिताः च महागुल्मा लता वितत संतताः || ४-४७-१२

“Those caves that were explicitly extolled by you, they are all thoroughly searched, and immense shrubby hutches that are thickly entwined with climber plants have also been rummaged. [4-47-12]

12. sarvaaH = all; te pari kiirtitaaH = by you, explicitly, extolled; yaaH = which of those; guhaaH = caves are there; they too; vicitaaH = thoroughly searched; lataa vitata santataaH = climbers, entwined with, thickly; mahaa gulmaaH = immense, shrubby hutches; vicitaaH ca = rummaged, also.

Verse 13

गहनेषु च देशेषु दुर्गेषु विषमेषु च |
सत्त्वानि अतिप्रमाणानि विचितानि हतानि च |
ये चैव गहना देशा विचिताः ते पुनः पुनः || ४-४७-१३

“Search is conducted in the compacted, lopsided, and impenetrable provinces, and colossal beings are hunted out and killed presuming that Ravana might have assumed those odd shapes, and the impassable provinces are searched high and low, time and again. [4-47-13]

13. gahaneSu = in compacted places; dur geSu = impenetrable areas; viSameSu ca = asymmetrical, [lopsided lands]; desheSu = in such provinces; ati pramaaNaani = too much, in size [colossal beings]; sattvaani = living beings [creatures]; vicitaani = are hunted out; hataani ca = are killed [by us,] also; gahanaaH ye deshaaH = impassable ones, which of those, provinces are there; te = they are; punaH punaH vicitaaH = again, again, searched high and low.

Verse 14

उदार सत्त्व अभिजनो हनूमान्
स मैथिलीम् ज्ञास्यसि वानरेन्द्र |
दिशम् तु याम् एव गता तु सीता
ताम् आस्थितो वायु सुतो हनूमान् || ४-४७-१४

“Hanuma is high-born and exceptionally mighty, oh, Sugreeva, the king of vanara-s, he will ascertain about Maithili, because the son of Air-god, Hanuma, resorted to the direction in which Seetha is taken away.” Thus, monkey chiefs reported to their king Sugreeva. [4-47-14]

14. vaanarendra = oh, Vanara king; udaara sattva abhijanaH = exceptionally, mighty, high-born one; saH hanuumaan = he that, Hanuma; maithiliim j~naasyasi = about Maithili, he ascertains; siitaa yaam eva disham gataa = Seetha, in which, direction, alone, has gone [taken away]; taam = that direction; vaayu sutaH hanuumaan = Air-god’s, son, Hanuma; aasthitaH = resorted to.