The Vanara Armies Set Forth

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.45.1)

सर्वांश्चाहूय सुग्रीवः प्लवगान् प्लवगर्षभः । समस्तांश्चाब्रवीद् राजा रामकार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥ 45.1 ॥

sarvāṃścāhūya sugrīvaḥ plavagān plavagarṣabhaḥ | samastāṃścābravīd rājā rāmakāryārthasiddhaye || 45.1 ||

Sugreeva, that bull among vanaras and their king, summoned all the vanaras and spoke to them all, for the fulfilment of Rama's task —

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.45.2)

एवमेतद् विचेतव्यं भवद्भिर्वानरोत्तमैः । तदुग्रशासनं भर्तुर्विज्ञाय हरिपुंगवाः ॥ 45.2 ॥

evametad vicetavyaṃ bhavadbhirvānarottamaiḥ | tadugraśāsanaṃ bharturvijñāya haripuṃgavāḥ || 45.2 ||

"In this way must all of you, best of vanaras, conduct your search." Understanding their lord's stern command, those bulls among vanaras —

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.45.3)

शलभा इव संछाद्य मेदिनीं सम्प्रतस्थिरे । रामः प्रस्रवणे तस्मिन् न्यवसत् सहलक्ष्मणः ॥ 45.3 ॥

śalabhā iva saṃchādya medinīṃ sampratasthire | rāmaḥ prasravaṇe tasmin nyavasat sahalakṣmaṇaḥ || 45.3 ||

set out, covering the earth like swarms of locusts. Rama remained on that Mount Prasravana together with Lakshmana,

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.45.4)

प्रतीक्षमाणस्तं मासं सीताधिगमने कृतः । उत्तरां तु दिशं रम्यां गिरिराजसमावृताम् ॥ 45.4 ॥

pratīkṣamāṇastaṃ māsaṃ sītādhigamane kṛtaḥ | uttarāṃ tu diśaṃ ramyāṃ girirājasamāvṛtām || 45.4 ||

awaiting that month set for finding Sita. Toward that lovely northern quarter, ringed by the king of mountains,

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.45.5)

प्रतस्थे सहसा वीरो हरिः शतबलिस्तदा । पूर्वां दिशं प्रतिययौ विनतो हरियूथपः ॥ 45.5 ॥

pratasthe sahasā vīro hariḥ śatabalistadā | pūrvāṃ diśaṃ pratiyayau vinato hariyūthapaḥ || 45.5 ||

the valiant vanara Shatabali at once set forth. The vanara chief Vinata went toward the eastern quarter,

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.45.6)

ताराङ्गदादिसहितः प्लवगः पवनात्मजः । अगस्त्याचरितामाशां दक्षिणां हरियूथपः ॥ 45.6 ॥

tārāṅgadādisahitaḥ plavagaḥ pavanātmajaḥ | agastyācaritāmāśāṃ dakṣiṇāṃ hariyūthapaḥ || 45.6 ||

and the vanara chief, the Wind-god's son, accompanied by Tara, Angada, and the rest, went toward that southern quarter once traversed by Agastya,

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.45.7)

पश्चिमां च दिशं घोरां सुषेणः प्लवगेश्वरः । प्रतस्थे हरिशार्दूलो दिशं वरुणपालिताम् ॥ 45.7 ॥

paścimāṃ ca diśaṃ ghorāṃ suṣeṇaḥ plavageśvaraḥ | pratasthe hariśārdūlo diśaṃ varuṇapālitām || 45.7 ||

while the tiger among vanaras, the vanara lord Sushena, set out toward that terrible western quarter, ruled over by Varuna.

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.45.8)

ततः सर्वा दिशो राजा चोदयित्वा यथातथम् । कपिसेनापतिर्वीरो मुमोद सुखितः सुखम् ॥ 45.8 ॥

tataḥ sarvā diśo rājā codayitvā yathātatham | kapisenāpatirvīro mumoda sukhitaḥ sukham || 45.8 ||

Then, having thus dispatched troops to every quarter as was fitting, that valiant commander of the vanara army, content, rejoiced happily.

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.45.9)

एवं संचोदिताः सर्वे राज्ञा वानरयूथपाः । स्वां स्वां दिशमभिप्रेत्य त्वरिताः सम्प्रतस्थिरे ॥ 45.9 ॥

evaṃ saṃcoditāḥ sarve rājñā vānarayūthapāḥ | svāṃ svāṃ diśamabhipretya tvaritāḥ sampratasthire || 45.9 ||

Thus urged on by the king, all the vanara chiefs, each intent upon his own quarter, set forth swiftly and without delay.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.45.10)

नदन्तश्चोन्नदन्तश्च गर्जन्तश्च प्लवंगमाः । क्ष्वेडन्तो धावमानाश्च विनदन्तो महाबलाः ॥ 45.10 ॥

nadantaśconnadantaśca garjantaśca plavaṃgamāḥ | kṣveḍanto dhāvamānāśca vinadanto mahābalāḥ || 45.10 ||

Those mighty vanaras went shouting, crying aloud, roaring, giving battle-cries, running, and bellowing.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.45.11)

एवं संचोदिताः सर्वे राज्ञा वानरयूथपाः । आनयिष्यामहे सीतां हनिष्यामश्च रावणम् ॥ 45.11 ॥

evaṃ saṃcoditāḥ sarve rājñā vānarayūthapāḥ | ānayiṣyāmahe sītāṃ haniṣyāmaśca rāvaṇam || 45.11 ||

Thus urged by the king, all the vanara chiefs cried, "We shall bring Sita back and slay Ravana!"

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.45.12)

अहमेको वधिष्यामि प्राप्तं रावणमाहवे । ततश्चोन्मथ्य सहसा हरिष्ये जनकात्मजाम् ॥ 45.12 ॥

ahameko vadhiṣyāmi prāptaṃ rāvaṇamāhave | tataśconmathya sahasā hariṣye janakātmajām || 45.12 ||

"I alone shall slay Ravana should he appear in battle, and then, uprooting him at once, I shall carry off Janaka's daughter."

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.45.13)

वेपमानां श्रमेणाद्य भवद्भिः स्थीयतामिति । एक एवाहरिष्यामि पातालादपि जानकीम् ॥ 45.13 ॥

vepamānāṃ śrameṇādya bhavadbhiḥ sthīyatāmiti | eka evāhariṣyāmi pātālādapi jānakīm || 45.13 ||

"Trembling and worn with weariness though she may be — you all stay right here — I alone shall bring back Janaki, even were she in the netherworld."

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.45.14)

विधमिष्याम्यहं वृक्षान् दारयिष्याम्यहं गिरीन् । धरणीं दारयिष्यामि क्षोभयिष्यामि सागरान् ॥ 45.14 ॥

vidhamiṣyāmyahaṃ vṛkṣān dārayiṣyāmyahaṃ girīn | dharaṇīṃ dārayiṣyāmi kṣobhayiṣyāmi sāgarān || 45.14 ||

"I shall tear up trees, split open mountains, rend the very earth, and churn up the oceans."

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.45.15)

अहं योजनसंख्यायाः प्लवेयं नात्र संशयः । शतयोजनसंख्यायाः शतं समधिकं ह्यहम् ॥ 45.15 ॥

ahaṃ yojanasaṃkhyāyāḥ plaveyaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ | śatayojanasaṃkhyāyāḥ śataṃ samadhikaṃ hyaham || 45.15 ||

"I can leap any number of yojanas — of this there is no doubt; I could clear a hundred times a hundred yojanas."

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.45.16)

भूतले सागरे वापि शैलेषु च वनेषु च । पातालस्यापि वा मध्ये न ममाच्छिद्यते गतिः ॥ 45.16 ॥

bhūtale sāgare vāpi śaileṣu ca vaneṣu ca | pātālasyāpi vā madhye na mamācchidyate gatiḥ || 45.16 ||

"On the surface of the earth, or in the ocean, on mountains or in forests, or even in the depths of the netherworld — my passage is never obstructed."

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.45.17)

इत्येकैकस्तदा तत्र वानरा बलदर्पिताः । ऊचुश्च वचनं तस्य हरिराजस्य संनिधौ ॥ 45.17 ॥

ityekaikastadā tatra vānarā baladarpitāḥ | ūcuśca vacanaṃ tasya harirājasya saṃnidhau || 45.17 ||

Thus, each in turn, those vanaras there, exulting in their strength, spoke these words in the presence of that lord of the vanaras.