At the Shore of the Boundless Sea

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.64.1)

आख्याता गृध्रराजेन समुत्प्लुत्य प्लवङ्गमाः । संगताः प्रीतिसंयुक्ता विनेदुः सिंहविक्रमाः ॥ 64.1 ॥

ākhyātā gṛdhrarājena samutplutya plavaṅgamāḥ | saṃgatāḥ prītisaṃyuktā vineduḥ siṃhavikramāḥ || 64.1 ||

Informed by the eagle-king Sampati, the lion-valiant leaping monkeys, joined together in joy, sprang up and roared.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.64.2)

सम्पातेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा हरयो रावणक्षयम् । हृष्टाः सागरमाजग्मुः सीतादर्शनकांक्षिणः ॥ 64.2 ॥

sampātervacanaṃ śrutvā harayo rāvaṇakṣayam | hṛṣṭāḥ sāgaramājagmuḥ sītādarśanakāṃkṣiṇaḥ || 64.2 ||

Hearing Sampati's words, the monkeys, delighted, came to the ocean, longing for a sight of Sita, ready to go to the abode of Ravana's destruction.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.64.3)

अभिगम्य तु तं देशं ददृशुर्भीमविक्रमाः । कृत्स्नं लोकस्य महतः प्रतिबिम्बमवस्थितम् ॥ 64.3 ॥

abhigamya tu taṃ deśaṃ dadṛśurbhīmavikramāḥ | kṛtsnaṃ lokasya mahataḥ pratibimbamavasthitam || 64.3 ||

Advancing across that region, those monkeys of terrible prowess beheld the ocean, appearing like a great mirror-image of the whole world, lying spread before them.

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.64.4)

दक्षिणस्य समुद्रस्य समासाद्योत्तरां दिशम् । संनिवेशं ततश्चक्रुर्हरिवीरा महाबलाः ॥ 64.4 ॥

dakṣiṇasya samudrasya samāsādyottarāṃ diśam | saṃniveśaṃ tataścakrurharivīrā mahābalāḥ || 64.4 ||

Having reached the northern shore of the southern ocean, those greatly mighty best of monkeys then made their encampment.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.64.5)

प्रसुप्तमिव चान्यत्र क्रीडन्तमिव चान्यतः । क्वचित् पर्वतमात्रैश्च जलराशिभिरावृतम् ॥ 64.5 ॥

prasuptamiva cānyatra krīḍantamiva cānyataḥ | kvacit parvatamātraiśca jalarāśibhirāvṛtam || 64.5 ||

Somewhere it seemed as though asleep, elsewhere as though at play; in places it was covered with billows as high as mountains,

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.64.6)

संकुलं दानवेन्द्रैश्च पातालतलवासिभिः । रोमहर्षकरं दृष्ट्वा विषेदुः कपिकुञ्जराः ॥ 64.6 ॥

saṃkulaṃ dānavendraiśca pātālatalavāsibhiḥ | romaharṣakaraṃ dṛṣṭvā viṣeduḥ kapikuñjarāḥ || 64.6 ||

and thronged with the lords of demons, dwellers on the floor of the netherworld. Seeing it so hair-raising, the elephantine monkeys despaired.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.64.7)

आकाशमिव दुष्पारं सागरं प्रेक्ष्य वानराः । विषेदुः सहिताः सर्वे कथं कार्यमिति ब्रुवन् ॥ 64.7 ॥

ākāśamiva duṣpāraṃ sāgaraṃ prekṣya vānarāḥ | viṣeduḥ sahitāḥ sarve kathaṃ kāryamiti bruvan || 64.7 ||

Gazing on the ocean, boundless as the sky, the monkeys, all together, despaired, saying to one another, 'What is to be done now?'

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.64.8)

विषण्णां वाहिनीं दृष्ट्वा सागरस्य निरीक्षणात् । आश्वासयामास हरीन् भयार्तान् हरिसत्तमः ॥ 64.8 ॥

viṣaṇṇāṃ vāhinīṃ dṛṣṭvā sāgarasya nirīkṣaṇāt | āśvāsayāmāsa harīn bhayārtān harisattamaḥ || 64.8 ||

Seeing the army dejected from gazing at the ocean, that best of monkeys, Angada, began to console the monkeys stricken with fear.

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.64.9)

न विषादे मनः कार्यं विषादो दोषवत्तरः । विषादो हन्ति पुरुषं बालं क्रुद्ध इवोरगः ॥ 64.9 ॥

na viṣāde manaḥ kāryaṃ viṣādo doṣavattaraḥ | viṣādo hanti puruṣaṃ bālaṃ kruddha ivoragaḥ || 64.9 ||

'The mind ought not to give way to despair; despair is the greater fault. Despair destroys a man, as a maddened serpent destroys a child.'

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.64.10)

यो विषादं प्रसहते विक्रमे समुपस्थिते । तेजसा तस्य हीनस्य पुरुषार्थो न सिद्ध्यति ॥ 64.10 ॥

yo viṣādaṃ prasahate vikrame samupasthite | tejasā tasya hīnasya puruṣārtho na siddhyati || 64.10 ||

'For one devoid of vigor, who gives in to despair just when valor is called for, no personal achievement can succeed.'

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.64.11)

तस्यां रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामङ्गदो वानरैः सह । हरिवृद्धैः समागम्य पुनर्मन्त्रममन्त्रयत् ॥ 64.11 ॥

tasyāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyāmaṅgado vānaraiḥ saha | harivṛddhaiḥ samāgamya punarmantramamantrayat || 64.11 ||

When that night had passed, Angada, meeting together with the elder monkeys, again took counsel with them.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.64.12)

सा वानराणां ध्वजिनी परिवार्याङ्गदं बभौ । वासवं परिवार्येव मरुतां वाहिनी स्थिता ॥ 64.12 ॥

sā vānarāṇāṃ dhvajinī parivāryāṅgadaṃ babhau | vāsavaṃ parivāryeva marutāṃ vāhinī sthitā || 64.12 ||

That army of monkeys, surrounding Angada, shone forth like the army of the Maruts surrounding Indra.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.64.13)

कोऽन्यस्तां वानरीं सेनां शक्तः स्तम्भयितुं भवेत् । अन्यत्र वालितनयादन्यत्र च हनूमतः ॥ 64.13 ॥

ko'nyastāṃ vānarīṃ senāṃ śaktaḥ stambhayituṃ bhavet | anyatra vālitanayādanyatra ca hanūmataḥ || 64.13 ||

'Who else, other than Vali's son Angada, or Hanuman, could be capable of steadying this army of monkeys?'

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.64.14)

ततस्तान् हरिवृद्धांश्च तच्च सैन्यमरिंदमः । अनुमान्याङ्गदः श्रीमान् वाक्यमर्थवदब्रवीत् ॥ 64.14 ॥

tatastān harivṛddhāṃśca tacca sainyamariṃdamaḥ | anumānyāṅgadaḥ śrīmān vākyamarthavadabravīt || 64.14 ||

Then that vanquisher of foes, the illustrious Angada, having duly honored those elder monkeys and that whole army, spoke this meaningful speech.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.64.15)

क इदानीं महातेजा लङ्घयिष्यति सागरम् । कः करिष्यति सुग्रीवं सत्यसंधमरिंदमम् ॥ 64.15 ॥

ka idānīṃ mahātejā laṅghayiṣyati sāgaram | kaḥ kariṣyati sugrīvaṃ satyasaṃdhamariṃdamam || 64.15 ||

'Who now, of great splendor, will leap across the ocean? Who will make Sugriva, the enemy-subduer, true to his word?'

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.64.16)

को वीरो योजनशतं लङ्घयेत प्लवङ्गमः । इमांश्च यूथपान् सर्वान् मोचयेत् को महाभयात् ॥ 64.16 ॥

ko vīro yojanaśataṃ laṅghayeta plavaṅgamaḥ | imāṃśca yūthapān sarvān mocayet ko mahābhayāt || 64.16 ||

'Which hero, O leapers, shall cross a hundred yojanas? Who shall deliver all these troop-leaders from this great fear?'

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.64.17)

कस्य प्रसादाद् दारांश्च पुत्रांश्चैव गृहाणि च । इतो निवृत्ताः पश्येम सिद्धार्थाः सुखिनो वयम् ॥ 64.17 ॥

kasya prasādād dārāṃśca putrāṃścaiva gṛhāṇi ca | ito nivṛttāḥ paśyema siddhārthāḥ sukhino vayam || 64.17 ||

'By whose grace shall we, our purpose accomplished, return happily from here to see our wives, our sons, and our homes?'

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.64.18)

कस्य प्रसादाद् रामं च लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम् । अभिगच्छेम संहृष्टाः सुग्रीवं च वनौकसम् ॥ 64.18 ॥

kasya prasādād rāmaṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahābalam | abhigacchema saṃhṛṣṭāḥ sugrīvaṃ ca vanaukasam || 64.18 ||

'By whose grace shall we approach, gladly and untroubled, Rama, and mighty Lakshmana, and mighty Sugriva as well?'

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.64.19)

यदि कश्चित् समर्थो वः सागरप्लवने हरिः । स ददात्विह नः शीघ्रं पुण्यामभयदक्षिणाम् ॥ 64.19 ॥

yadi kaścit samartho vaḥ sāgaraplavane hariḥ | sa dadātviha naḥ śīghraṃ puṇyāmabhayadakṣiṇām || 64.19 ||

'If any monkey among you is capable of leaping the ocean, let him now quickly grant us this sacred boon of freedom from fear.'

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.64.20)

अङ्गदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा न कश्चित् किंचिदब्रवीत् । स्तिमितेवाभवत् सर्वा सा तत्र हरिवाहिनी ॥ 64.20 ॥

aṅgadasya vacaḥ śrutvā na kaścit kiṃcidabravīt | stimitevābhavat sarvā sā tatra harivāhinī || 64.20 ||

Hearing Angada's words, no one said anything at all; that entire army of monkeys became as though stunned into silence.

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.64.21)

पुनरेवाङ्गदः प्राह तान् हरीन् हरिसत्तमः । सर्वे बलवतां श्रेष्ठा भवन्तो दृढविक्रमाः । व्यपदेशकुले जाताः पूजिताश्चाप्यभीक्ष्णशः ॥ 64.21 ॥

punarevāṅgadaḥ prāha tān harīn harisattamaḥ | sarve balavatāṃ śreṣṭhā bhavanto dṛḍhavikramāḥ | vyapadeśakule jātāḥ pūjitāścāpyabhīkṣṇaśaḥ || 64.21 ||

Again that best of monkeys, Angada, said to those monkeys: 'All of you are the foremost among the mighty, of firm valor, born in illustrious lineages, and honored again and again.'

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.64.22)

नहि वो गमने भङ्गः कदाचित् कस्यचिद् भवेत् । ब्रुवध्वं यस्य या शक्तिः प्लवने प्लवगर्षभाः ॥ 64.22 ॥

nahi vo gamane bhaṅgaḥ kadācit kasyacid bhavet | bruvadhvaṃ yasya yā śaktiḥ plavane plavagarṣabhāḥ || 64.22 ||

'There is surely no impediment, at any time, for anyone among you; so, O best of leapers, let each declare what capability he has in leaping.'