Sarga 64

Verse 4.64.1

आख्याता गृध्रराजेन समुत्प्लुत्य प्लवङ्गमाः।सङ्गताः प्रीतिसंयुक्ता विनेदुर्भीमविक्रमाः।।।।

Directed by the king of vultures, the mighty plavaṅgamas gathered together; leaping up in delight, those of fearsome prowess cried out with joy.

Verse 4.64.2

सम्पातेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा हरयो रावणक्षयम्।हृष्टास्सागरमाजग्मुस्सीतादर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः।।।।

“By whose power and efficacy shall we succeed and return from here, so that we may happily see again our wives, our sons, and our homes?”

Verse 4.64.3

अभिक्रम्य तु तं देशं ददृशुर्भीमविक्रमाः।कृत्स्नं लोकस्य महतः प्रतिबिम्बमिव स्थितम्।।।।

Beholding the ocean—hard to cross, like the very sky—all the vānaras at once sank into dejection, saying, “How can this task be accomplished?”

Verse 4.64.4

दक्षिणस्य समुद्रस्य समासाद्योत्तरां दिशम्।सन्निवेशं ततश्चक्रुर्हरिवीरा महाबलाः।।।।

Seeing the host downcast from gazing upon the ocean, Angada—the foremost of the vānaras—encouraged the troops who were distressed by fear.

Verse 4.64.5

सत्त्वैर्महद्भिर्विकृतैः क्रीडद्भिर्विविधैर्जले।व्यात्तास्यैस्सुमहाकायैरूर्मिभिश्च समाकुलम्।।।।प्रसुप्तमिव चान्यत्र क्रीडन्तमिव चान्यतः।क्वचित्पर्वतमात्रैश्च जलराशिभिरावृतम्।।।।सङ्कुलं दानवेन्द्रैश्च पातालतलवासिभिः।रोमहर्षकरं दृष्ट्वा विषेदु: कपिकुञ्जराः।।।।

Hearing Angada’s words, no one replied even in the least; there the entire vānaras’ host fell silent, as though stilled into motionlessness.

Verse 4.64.6

सत्त्वैर्महद्भिर्विकृतैः क्रीडद्भिर्विविधैर्जले।व्यात्तास्यैस्सुमहाकायैरूर्मिभिश्च समाकुलम्।।4.64.5।।प्रसुप्तमिव चान्यत्र क्रीडन्तमिव चान्यतः।क्वचित्पर्वतमात्रैश्च जलराशिभिरावृतम्।।4.64.6।।सङ्कुलं दानवेन्द्रैश्च पातालतलवासिभिः।रोमहर्षकरं दृष्ट्वा विषेदु: कपिकुञ्जराः।।4.64.7।।

Then Angada, best among the vānaras, addressed them again: “All of you are foremost among the strong, steadfast in valor—born in renowned lineages, and time and again honored for your deeds.”

Verse 4.64.7

सत्त्वैर्महद्भिर्विकृतैः क्रीडद्भिर्विविधैर्जले।व्यात्तास्यैस्सुमहाकायैरूर्मिभिश्च समाकुलम्।।4.64.5।।प्रसुप्तमिव चान्यत्र क्रीडन्तमिव चान्यतः।क्वचित्पर्वतमात्रैश्च जलराशिभिरावृतम्।।4.64.6।।सङ्कुलं दानवेन्द्रैश्च पातालतलवासिभिः।रोमहर्षकरं दृष्ट्वा विषेदु: कपिकुञ्जराः।।4.64.7।।

“For none of you has ever met with any hindrance in going forth to act, at any time or in any place. So speak, O bulls among the vānaras: who has what power in leaping—and how far?”

Verse 4.64.8

आकाशमिव दुष्पारं सागरं प्रेक्षय वानराः।विषेदु स्सहसासर्वे कथं कार्यमिति ब्रुवन्।।।।

Seeing the ocean—impassable like the sky—the monkeys all at once fell into dejection, saying, “How can this task be accomplished?”

Verse 4.64.9

विषण्णां वाहिनीं दृष्ट्वा सागरस्य निरीक्षणात्।आश्वासयामास हरीन्भयार्तान् हरिसत्तमः।।।।

Seeing the army despondent from merely gazing at the vast ocean, the best among monkeys comforted the frightened troops.

Verse 4.64.10

तान्विषादेन महता विषण्णान्वानरर्षभान्।उवाच मतिमान्काले वालिसूनुर्महाबलः।।।।

Then the wise and mighty Aṅgada, Vāli’s son, spoke at the proper moment to those bull-like leaders of monkeys who were weighed down by great despondency.

Verse 4.64.11

न विषादे मनः कार्यं विषादो दोषवत्तमः।विषादो हन्ति पुरुषं बालं क्रुद्ध इवोरगः।।।।

Let not the mind fall into despair; despair is the gravest fault. Despair destroys a man, as an angry serpent kills a child.

Verse 4.64.12

यो विषादं प्रसहते विक्रमे पर्युपस्थिते।तेजसा तस्य हीनस्य पुरुषार्थो न सिध्यति।।।।

Whoever yields to despair when the moment for valor has arrived loses his inner radiance; deprived of that strength, he cannot accomplish his rightful aims.

Verse 4.64.13

तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामङ्गदो वानरैस्सह।हरिवृद्धैस्समागम्य पुनर्मन्त्रममन्त्रयत्।।।।

Hearing Sampāti’s words about Rāvaṇa’s downfall, the vānaras rejoiced and, longing to behold Sītā, came to the ocean—the passage leading toward Rāvaṇa’s abode.

Verse 4.64.14

सा वानराणां ध्वजिनी परिवार्याङ्गदं बभौ।वासवं परिवार्येव मरुतां वाहिनी स्थिता।।।।

When that night had passed, Aṅgada, together with the vānaras, gathered again with the elders among them and once more sought counsel.

Verse 4.64.15

कोऽन्यस्तां वानरीं सेनां शक्त:स्तम्भयितुं भवेत्।अन्यत्र वालितनयादन्यत्र च हनूमतः।।।।

The monkey host stood encircling Aṅgada, shining forth like the troop of the Maruts gathered around Vāsava (Indra).

Verse 4.64.16

ततस्तान्हरिवृद्धांश्च तच्च सैन्यमरिन्दमः।अनुमान्याङ्गदश्श्रीमान्वाक्यमर्थवदब्रवीत्।।।।

Who else could restrain and steady this vānara host—save Vāli’s son and Hanūmān?

Verse 4.64.17

क इदानीं महातेजा लङ्घयिष्यति सागरम्।कः करिष्यति सुग्रीवं सत्यसन्धमरिन्दमम्।।।।

Then the illustrious Aṅgada—subduer of foes—having won the confidence of the elder vānara leaders and the host, spoke words full of purpose.

Verse 4.64.18

को वीरो योजनशतं लङ्घयेत प्लवङ्गमाः।इमांश्च यूथपान् सर्वान्मोक्षयेत्को महाभयात्।।।।

“Who now, possessed of great splendor and strength, will cross the ocean? Who will vindicate Sugrīva—the foe-subduer, true to his pledge?”

Verse 4.64.19

कस्य प्रभावाद्धारांश्च पुत्रांश्चैव गृहाणि च।इतो निवृत्ताः पश्येम सिद्धार्थास्सुखिनो वयम्।।।।

“O plavaṅgamas, who is the hero that can leap a hundred yojanas? Who will free all these troop-leaders from the great fear?”

Verse 4.64.20

कस्य प्रसादाद्रामं च लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्।अभिगच्छेम संहृष्टास्सुग्रीवं च वनौकसम्।।।।

By whose grace shall we joyfully approach Rāma and mighty Lakṣmaṇa—and also Sugrīva, the forest-dweller—as though our task were fulfilled?

Verse 4.64.21

यदि कश्चित्समर्थो वस्सागरप्लवने हरिः।स ददा त्विह न शशीघ्रं पुण्यामभयदक्षिणाम्।।।।

If any vānara among you is able to leap across the ocean, let him here and now swiftly grant us the sacred gift of fearlessness—assurance of safety through success.

Verse 4.64.22

अङ्गदस्य वच श्शृत्वा न कश्चित् किञ्चिदब्रवीत्।स्तिमिते वा भवत्सर्वा सा तत्र हरिवाहिनी।।।।

Having reached that region, the monkeys of fearsome prowess beheld the ocean—vast, as though it stood there like a reflection of the great world itself.

Verse 4.64.23

पुनरेवाङ्गदः प्राह तान्हरीन्हरिसत्तमः।सर्वे बलवतां श्रेष्ठा भवन्तो दृढविक्रमाः।।।।व्यपदेश्य कुले जाताः पूजिताश्चाप्यभीक्ष्णशः।

Reaching the northern shore of the southern ocean, those mighty monkey-heroes then made their encampment there.

Verse 4.64.24

न हि वो गमने सङ्गः कदाचित्कस्यचित्क्वचित्।ब्रुवध्वं यस्य या शक्तिः प्लवने प्लवगर्षभाः।।।।

They beheld the ocean, turbulent with waves and thronged in its waters by many kinds of vast and fearsome creatures, their mouths agape as they sported. In one place it seemed asleep, in another it seemed at play; and somewhere it was covered by mountain-like masses of water. Crowded too with mighty lords among the Dānavas who dwell in the depths of Pātāla, it was a sight that made the hair stand on end; and the foremost of the monkeys, seeing it, grew anxious.