Sloka & Translation

[Search in Vindhya --- disappointed --- troops sit in despair]

saha tārāṅgadābhyāṅ tu gatvā sa hanumānkapiḥ.

sugrīvēṇa yathōddiṣṭaṅ taṅ dēśamupacakramē৷৷4.48.1৷৷


kapiḥ monkey, hanumān Hanuman, tārāṅgadābhyāṅ saha along with Tara and Angada, gatvā sā going, sugrīvēṇa by Sugriva, yathōddiṣṭam as instructed, tam them, dēśam place, upapracakramē started.

Hanuman, the monkey accompanied by Tara and Angada proceeded as instructed by Sugriva in the (South) direction.
sa tu dūramupāgamya sarvaistai: kapisattamaiḥ.

vicinōti sma vindhyasya guhāśca gahanāni ca৷৷4.48.2৷৷

parvatāgrānnadīdurgānsarāṅsi vipulāndrumān.

vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṅśca vividhānparvatānghanapādapān৷৷4.48.3৷৷


saḥ that, sarvaiḥ taiḥ they all, kapisattamaiḥ with heroic monkeys, dūram a distant place, upāgamya having gone, tataḥ then, vindhyasya Vindhya's, guhāśca caves, gahanāni ca impenetrable, vicinōti searched, parvatāgrān on the peaks of mountains, nadīdurgān inaccessible fortress surrounded by rivers, sarāṅsi tanks, vipulāndrumān huge trees, vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṅśca collection of trees, vividhān many, parvatān mountains, ghanapādapān dense trees.

He went a long distance with other heroic monkeys, searching in the impenetrable caves of Vindhya mountain. They combed interior places, mountain peaks, fortresses surrounded by rivers, lakes, extensive groves of trees, bushes and thickets.
anvēṣamāṇāstē sarvē vānarāssarvatō diśam.

na sītāṅ dadṛśurvīrā maithilīṅ janakātmajām৷৷4.48.4৷৷


vīrāḥ heroes, tē vānarāḥ the vanaras, sarvē all, sarvatō diśam all over in that direction, anvēṣamāṇāḥ went searching, maithilīm for Maithili, janakātmajām Janaka's daughter, sītām Sita, na dadṛśuḥ they did not see.

The heroic monkeys went searching all over the direction for the daughter of Janaka, but in vain.
tē bhakṣayantō mūlāni phalāni vividhāni ca.

anvēṣamāṇā durdharṣānyavasaṅ statra tatra ha৷৷4.48.5৷৷


durdharṣāḥ unassailable, tē those, vividhāni many, mūlāni roots, phalānyapi and also fruits, bhakṣayantaḥ eating, anvēṣamāṇāḥ searching, tatra tatra here and there, nyavasan dwelt.

The unassailable monkeys ate roots and fruits and halted here and there at different places searching for Sita.
sa tu dēśō duranvēṣō guhāgahanavānmahān.

nirjalaṅ nirjanaṅ śūnyaṅ gahanaṅ rōmaharṣaṇam৷৷4.48.6৷৷


guhāgahanavān a location with impenetrable caves, mahān great, saḥ dēśaḥ that place, duranvēṣaḥ is difficult to search, nirjalam with no water, nirjanam no people, śūnyam desolate, gahanam impassable, rōmaharṣaṇam terrific.

They searched in dense forests, interior locations impassable, desolate and terrific, without water, and people.
tyaktvā tu taṅ tadā dēśaṅ sarvē vai hariyūthapāḥ.

tādṛśānyapyaraṇyāni vicitya bhṛśapīḍitāḥ৷৷4.48.7৷৷

dēśamanyaṅ durādharṣaṅ viviśu ścākutō bhayāḥ.


tādṛśāni such of those, araṇyānyapi even in the forests, vicitya having searched, bhṛśapīḍitāḥ very difficult, sarvē all, hariyūthapāḥ vanara leaders, tataḥ then, taṅ dēśam that place, tyaktvā after leaving, akutōbhayāḥ fearless warriors, durādharṣam unassailable, anyaṅ dēśam other places, viviśuḥ entered.

Having searched all over in the forests and very difficult areas, the fearless, invincible vanaras moved forward, leaving that place and entered another area-searching.
yatra vandhyaphalā vṛkṣā vipuṣpāḥ parṇavarjitāḥ৷৷4.48.8৷৷

nistōyāssaritō yatra mūlaṅ yatra sudurlabham.


yatra where, vṛkṣāḥ trees, vandhyaphalāḥ without fruits, vipuṣpāḥ without flowers, parṇavarjitāḥ without leaves, yatra where, saritaḥ rivers, nistōyāḥ without water, yatra there, mūlam root, sudurlabham very difficult to get.

As they marched forward, they entered a location where there were trees devoid of leaves, flowers and fruits and rivers without water and a place where it was difficult to get roots (for food).
na santi mahiṣā yatra na mṛgā na ca hastinaḥ৷৷4.48.9৷৷

śārdūlāḥ pakṣiṇō vāpi yē cānyē vanagōcarāḥ.


yatra where, mahiṣāḥ buffaloes, na santi not found, mṛgāḥ deer, na not, hastinaḥ elephants, śārdūlāḥ tigers, pakṣiṇō vāpi and even birds, vanagōcarāḥ forest beasts, yē those, anyē ca and other, na not,

There were no buffaloes, no deer, no elephants, tigers or even birds and other wild animals.
na yatravṛkṣā nauṣadhyō na vallyō nāpi vīrudhaḥ৷৷4.48.10৷৷

snigdhapatrāssthalē yatra padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ.

prēkṣaṇīyāssugandhāśca bhramaraiścāpivarjitāḥ৷৷4.48.11৷৷


yatra where, vṛkṣāḥ trees, na not, ōṣadhyaḥ medicinal plants, na not, vallyaḥ vines, na not, vīrudhaḥ creepers spreading on ground, na not, yatra where, snigdhapatrāḥ shining leaves, sthalē on the dry ground, padminyaḥ lotus creepers, phullapaṅkajāḥ in full bloom, prēkṣaṇīyāḥ beautiful to look, sugandhāśca fragrant ones, bhramaraiścāpivarjitāḥ devoid of bees.

There were no medicinal plants, no vines or creepers spreading on the ground.The lotus creepers on the dry ground had shining leaves,beautiful and fragrant blooms devoid of bees.
kaṇḍurnāma mahābhāgassatyavādī tapōdhanaḥ.

maharṣiḥ paramāmarṣī niyamairduṣpradharṣaṇaḥ৷৷4.48.12৷৷


satyavādī truthful, mahābhāgaḥ an eminent acsetic, tapōdhanaḥ rich in penance, paramāmarṣī choleric tempered, niyamaiḥ strict follower of austerities, duṣpradharṣaṇaḥ outrageous, kaṇḍurnāma called Kandu, maharṣiḥ sage.

There was a sage called Kandu who was truthful, outrageous and short-tempered. He observed strict austerities and was rich in penance.
tasya tasminvanē putrō bālaṣṣōḍaśavārṣikaḥ.

praṇaṣṭō jīvitāntāya kruddhastatra mahāmuniḥ৷৷4.48.13৷৷


tasmin vanē in that forest, tasya his, ṣōḍaśavārṣikaḥ sixteen years old, putraḥ son, bāla: young boy, tatra there, jīvitāntāya died, praṇaṣṭaḥ was lost, mahāmuniḥ great sage, kruddhaḥ enraged.

The great sage was enraged because he had lost his sixteen-year-old son in the forest.
tēna dharmātmanā śaptaṅ kṛtsnaṅ tatramahadvanam.

aśaraṇyaṅ durādharṣaṅ mṛgapakṣivivarjitam৷৷4.48.14৷৷


tatra there, mahat great, kṛtsnam entire, vanam forest, aśaraṇyam barren, durādharṣam unfit to harbour, mṛgapakṣivivarjitam without beasts and birds, tēna by him, dharmātmanā by the righteous sage, śaptam cursed.

Cursed by the great righteous sage the entire forest turned barren, unfit to harbour living beings and became devoid of even beasts and birds.
tasya tē kānanāntāśca girīṇāṅ kandarāṇi ca.

prabhavani nadīnāṅ ca vicinvanti samāhitāḥ৷৷4.48.15৷৷


tē those, samāhitāḥ those with concentrated attention, tasya his, kānanāntāśca forest regions, girīṇām in the mountains, kandarāṇi ca caves also, nadīnām prabhavāni ca sources of rivers also, vicinvanti searched.

The monkeys searched in the forest regions, in the mountains, rivers and sources of rivers with concentrated attention.
tatra cāpi mahātmānō nāpaśyañjanakātmajām.

hartāraṅ rāvaṇaṅ vāpi sugrīvapriyakāriṇaḥ৷৷4.48.16৷৷


mahātmānaḥ great souls, sugrīvapriyakāriṇaḥ eager to please Sugriva, tatra cāpi and there also, janakātmajām daughter of Janaka, hartāram one who has abducted, rāvaṇaṅ vāpi Ravana also, nāpaśyan could not see.

Eager to please Sugriva, the great souls searched in the forest region. Even there they could not find Janaka's daughter and also Ravana who had abducted Sita.
tē praviśyā.śu taṅ bhīmaṅ latāgulmasamāvṛtam.

daddṛśuḥ krūrakarmāṇamasuraṅ suranirbhayam৷৷4.48.17৷৷


tē they, latāgulmasamāvṛtam covered with creepers and bushes, krūram dreadful, tam that, praviśya entering, āśu immediately, krūrakarmāṇam one of wicked deeds, suranirbhayam not even afraid of gods, asuram demon, daddṛśuḥ they saw.

(Then) they noticed a place covered with creepers and bushes. As soon as they entered the dreadful forest, they saw a demon of wicked deeds, unafraid even of gods.
taṅ dṛṣṭvā vānarā ghōraṅ sthitaṅ śailamivāparam.

gāḍhaṅ parihitāssarvē dṛṣṭvā tānparvatōpamamān৷৷4.48.18৷৷


sarvē all, vānarāḥ monkeys, śailam iva like a mountain, sthitam stood, ghōram dreadful, tam they, aparam another, dṛṣṭvā saw, parvatōpamam like a huge mountain, tam him, dṛṣṭvā saw, gaḍhām firmly, parihitāḥ stood in attention.

The monkeys beheld the dreadful demon standing firmly like a huge, incomparable mountain in front of them.
sō.pi tānvānarānsarvān naṣṭā ssthētyabravīdbalī.

abhyadhāvata saṅkṛddhō muṣṭimudyamya saṅhitam৷৷4.48.19৷৷


sō.pi he also, naṣṭāḥ killed, stha you are, iti thus, tān them, sarvān all, vānarān monkeys, abravīt said, saṅkṛddhaḥ enraged, saṅhitam held, muṣṭim the fist, udyamya raising, abhyadhāvata ran towards them.

Seeing the monkeys, the infuriated demon ran towards them, raising his fist firmly, saying, 'You are all as good as dead, now that I have caught you.'
tamāpatantaṅ sahasā vāliputrō.ṅgadastadā.

rāvaṇō.yamiti jñātvā talēnābhijaghāna ha৷৷4.48.20৷৷


tadā then, vāliputraḥ Vali's son, aṅgadaḥ Angada, āpatantam pouncing, tam them, ayam this
person, rāvaṇaḥ is Ravana, iti thus, jñātvā on thinking, sahasā at once, talēna with his palm, abhijaghāna ha slapped him.

Mistaking him for Ravana, Angada, Vali's son at once pounced on him and slapped him with his palm.
sa vāliputrābhihatō vaktrācchōṇitamudvaman.

asurō.bhyapatadbhūmau paryasta iva parvataḥ৷৷4.48.21৷৷


vāliputrābhihataḥ struck by the son of Vali, saḥ asuraḥ that demon, vaktrāt from the mouth, śōṇitam blood, udvaman vomitting, paryastaḥ uprooted, parvataḥ iva like a mountain, bhūmau on the ground, abhyapatat overturned.

Struck by Vali's son, the demon vomitting blood from the mouth, fell down on the ground like a mountain, uprooted.
tē.pi tasminnirucchavāsē vānarā jitakāśinaḥ.

vyacinvanprāyaśastatra sarvaṅ tadgirigahvaram৷৷4.48.22৷৷


tasmin his, nirucchavāsē he breathed his last, jitakāśinaḥ vanaras who won him, tē they, tatra there, prāyaśaḥ probably, sarvam all over, tat that, girigahvaram mountain cave, vyacinvan searched, api also.

He breathed his last, and the monkeys who won went searching almost all over the mountain caves.
vicitaṅ tu tataḥ kṛtvā sarvē tē kānanaṅ punaḥ.

anyadēvāparaṅ ghōraṅ viviśurgirigahvaram৷৷4.48.23৷৷


sarvē all, tē they, kānanaṅ punaḥ again in the forest, vicitam searched, kṛtvā having done, tataḥ then, anyadēva a different, ghōram dreadful, aparam another, girigahvaram mountain cave, viviśuḥ entered.

Again they searched the forest and entered another dreadful mountain cave.
tē vicitya punaḥ khinnā viniṣpatya samāgatāḥ.

ēkāntē vṛkṣamūlē tu niṣēdurdīnamānasāḥ৷৷4.48.24৷৷


tē they, punaḥ again, khinnāḥ ever sad, viniṣpatya having searched, samāgatāḥ collected together, dīnamānasāḥ those dejected at heart, ēkāntē in a secluded corner, vṛkṣamūlē under a tree, niṣēduḥ sat down.

Having searched again, the disappointed monkeys collected together under a tree, dejected at heart and sat down in silence.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē valmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē aṣṭacatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends of the fortyeighth sarga in Kishkindakanda of the forst epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.