The Reckoning of Leaps

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.65.1)

अथाङ्गदवचः श्रुत्वा ते सर्वे वानरर्षभाः । स्वं स्वं गतौ समुत्साहमूचुस्तत्र यथाक्रमम् ॥ 65.1 ॥

athāṅgadavacaḥ śrutvā te sarve vānararṣabhāḥ | svaṃ svaṃ gatau samutsāhamūcustatra yathākramam || 65.1 ||

Then, having heard Angada's words, all those best of monkeys spoke, each in his turn, of his own energy for the leap.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.65.2)

गजो गवाक्षो गवयः शरभो गन्धमादनः । मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चैव सुषेणो जाम्बवांस्तथा ॥ 65.2 ॥

gajo gavākṣo gavayaḥ śarabho gandhamādanaḥ | maindaśca dvividaścaiva suṣeṇo jāmbavāṃstathā || 65.2 ||

Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha, Gandhamadana, Mainda and Dvivida, and likewise Sushena and Jambavan spoke in turn.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.65.3)

आबभाषे गजस्तत्र प्लवेयं दशयोजनम् । गवाक्षो योजनान्याह गमिष्यामीति विंशतिम् ॥ 65.3 ॥

ābabhāṣe gajastatra plaveyaṃ daśayojanam | gavākṣo yojanānyāha gamiṣyāmīti viṃśatim || 65.3 ||

There Gaja declared, 'I can leap ten yojanas'; Gavaksha said, 'I shall go twenty yojanas.'

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.65.4)

शरभो वानरस्तत्र वानरांस्तानुवाच ह । त्रिंशतं तु गमिष्यामि योजनानां प्लवङ्गमाः ॥ 65.4 ॥

śarabho vānarastatra vānarāṃstānuvāca ha | triṃśataṃ tu gamiṣyāmi yojanānāṃ plavaṅgamāḥ || 65.4 ||

The monkey Sharabha there said to those monkeys, 'O leapers, I shall go thirty yojanas.'

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.65.5)

ऋषभो वानरस्तत्र वानरांस्तानुवाच ह । चत्वारिंशद् गमिष्यामि योजनानां न संशयः ॥ 65.5 ॥

ṛṣabho vānarastatra vānarāṃstānuvāca ha | catvāriṃśad gamiṣyāmi yojanānāṃ na saṃśayaḥ || 65.5 ||

The monkey Rishabha there said to those monkeys, 'I shall go forty yojanas, without doubt.'

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.65.6)

वानरांस्तु महातेजा अब्रवीद् गन्धमादनः । योजनानां गमिष्यामि पञ्चाशत्तु न संशयः ॥ 65.6 ॥

vānarāṃstu mahātejā abravīd gandhamādanaḥ | yojanānāṃ gamiṣyāmi pañcāśattu na saṃśayaḥ || 65.6 ||

The greatly resplendent Gandhamadana said to the monkeys, 'I shall go fifty yojanas, without doubt.'

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.65.7)

मैन्दस्तु वानरस्तत्र वानरांस्तानुवाच ह । योजनानां परं षष्टिमहं प्लवितुमुत्सहे ॥ 65.7 ॥

maindastu vānarastatra vānarāṃstānuvāca ha | yojanānāṃ paraṃ ṣaṣṭimahaṃ plavitumutsahe || 65.7 ||

The monkey Mainda there said to those monkeys, 'I venture to leap a full sixty yojanas.'

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.65.8)

ततस्तत्र महातेजा द्विविदः प्रत्यभाषत । गमिष्यामि न संदेहः सप्ततिं योजनान्यहम् ॥ 65.8 ॥

tatastatra mahātejā dvividaḥ pratyabhāṣata | gamiṣyāmi na saṃdehaḥ saptatiṃ yojanānyaham || 65.8 ||

Then the greatly resplendent Dvivida there answered, 'I shall go seventy yojanas, no doubt.'

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.65.9)

सुषेणस्तु महातेजाः सत्त्ववान् कपिसत्तमः । अशीतिं प्रतिजानेऽहं योजनानां पराक्रमे ॥ 65.9 ॥

suṣeṇastu mahātejāḥ sattvavān kapisattamaḥ | aśītiṃ pratijāne'haṃ yojanānāṃ parākrame || 65.9 ||

But the greatly resplendent, mighty Sushena, best of monkeys, said: 'I promise eighty yojanas in this venture.'

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.65.10)

तेषां कथयतां तत्र सर्वांस्ताननुमान्य च । ततो वृद्धतमस्तेषां जाम्बवान् प्रत्यभाषत ॥ 65.10 ॥

teṣāṃ kathayatāṃ tatra sarvāṃstānanumānya ca | tato vṛddhatamasteṣāṃ jāmbavān pratyabhāṣata || 65.10 ||

Then, having appreciated all of them as they spoke there, Jambavan, the eldest among them, replied.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.65.11)

पूर्वमस्माकमप्यासीत् कश्चिद् गतिपराक्रमः । ते वयं वयसः पारमनुप्राप्ताः स्म साम्प्रतम् ॥ 65.11 ॥

pūrvamasmākamapyāsīt kaścid gatiparākramaḥ | te vayaṃ vayasaḥ pāramanuprāptāḥ sma sāmpratam || 65.11 ||

'Formerly there was, for us too, some capacity for travel and valor; but we have now reached the far shore of our age.'

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.65.12)

किं तु नैवं गते शक्यमिदं कार्यमुपेक्षितुम् । यदर्थं कपिराजश्च रामश्च कृतनिश्चयौ ॥ 65.12 ॥

kiṃ tu naivaṃ gate śakyamidaṃ kāryamupekṣitum | yadarthaṃ kapirājaśca rāmaśca kṛtaniścayau || 65.12 ||

'Yet, this being so, it is not possible to neglect this task, for which the monkey-king and Rama himself are resolved.'

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.65.13)

साम्प्रतं कालमस्माकं या गतिस्तां निबोधत । नवतिं योजनानां तु गमिष्यामि न संशयः ॥ 65.13 ॥

sāmprataṃ kālamasmākaṃ yā gatistāṃ nibodhata | navatiṃ yojanānāṃ tu gamiṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ || 65.13 ||

'Know now what course remains for us at this present time: I can go ninety yojanas, without doubt.'

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.65.14)

तांश्च सर्वान् हरिश्रेष्ठाञ्जाम्बवानिदमब्रवीत् । न खल्वेतावदेवासीद् गमने मे पराक्रमः ॥ 65.14 ॥

tāṃśca sarvān hariśreṣṭhāñjāmbavānidamabravīt | na khalvetāvadevāsīd gamane me parākramaḥ || 65.14 ||

Jambavan further said this to all those best monkeys: 'My capacity in going was surely not confined to just that much.'

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.65.15)

मया वैरोचने यज्ञे प्रभविष्णुः सनातनः । प्रदक्षिणीकृतः पूर्वं क्रममाणस्त्रिविक्रमम् ॥ 65.15 ॥

mayā vairocane yajñe prabhaviṣṇuḥ sanātanaḥ | pradakṣiṇīkṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ kramamāṇastrivikramam || 65.15 ||

'Once, at the sacrifice of Virochana's son, Bali, I circled about the eternal, all-pervading Vishnu as he strode forth in his three great steps.'

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.65.16)

स इदानीमहं वृद्धः प्लवने मन्दविक्रमः । यौवने च तदासीन्मे बलमप्रतिमं परम् ॥ 65.16 ॥

sa idānīmahaṃ vṛddhaḥ plavane mandavikramaḥ | yauvane ca tadāsīnme balamapratimaṃ param || 65.16 ||

'Such was I; now I am old, of feeble prowess in leaping; but then, in my youth, my strength was unmatched and supreme.'

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.65.17)

सम्प्रत्येतावदेवाद्य शक्यं मे गमने स्वतः । नैतावता च संसिद्धिः कार्यस्यास्य भविष्यति ॥ 65.17 ॥

sampratyetāvadevādya śakyaṃ me gamane svataḥ | naitāvatā ca saṃsiddhiḥ kāryasyāsya bhaviṣyati || 65.17 ||

'Now, at present, this much alone is possible for me on my own in going; and by that much the success of this task will not come about.'

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.65.18)

अथोत्तरमुदारार्थमब्रवीदङ्गदस्तदा । अनुमान्य तदा प्राज्ञो जाम्बवन्तं महाकपिः ॥ 65.18 ॥

athottaramudārārthamabravīdaṅgadastadā | anumānya tadā prājño jāmbavantaṃ mahākapiḥ || 65.18 ||

Then, having shown due regard to the great monkey Jambavan, the highly wise Angada spoke this answer, noble in meaning.

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.65.19)

अहमेतद् गमिष्यामि योजनानां शतं महत् । निवर्तने तु मे शक्तिः स्यान्न वेति न निश्चितम् ॥ 65.19 ॥

ahametad gamiṣyāmi yojanānāṃ śataṃ mahat | nivartane tu me śaktiḥ syānna veti na niścitam || 65.19 ||

'I can go this great distance of a hundred yojanas; but whether I would have the strength to return, that is not certain.'

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.65.20)

तमुवाच हरिश्रेष्ठं जाम्बवान् वाक्यकोविदः । ज्ञायते गमने शक्तिस्तव हर्यृक्षसत्तम ॥ 65.20 ॥

tamuvāca hariśreṣṭhaṃ jāmbavān vākyakovidaḥ | jñāyate gamane śaktistava haryṛkṣasattama || 65.20 ||

Jambavan, that best of monkeys, skilled in speech, said to him: 'O best of monkeys, your capacity for going is well known.'

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.65.21)

कामं शतसहस्रं वा नह्येष विधिरुच्यते । योजनानां भवान् शक्तो गन्तुं प्रतिनिवर्तितुम् ॥ 65.21 ॥

kāmaṃ śatasahasraṃ vā nahyeṣa vidhirucyate | yojanānāṃ bhavān śakto gantuṃ pratinivartitum || 65.21 ||

'Indeed, you would be capable of going a hundred thousand yojanas and returning, if need be; but this is not the proper way.'

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.65.22)

नहि प्रेषयिता तात स्वामी प्रेष्यः कथंचन । भवतायं जनः सर्वः प्रेष्यः प्लवगसत्तम ॥ 65.22 ॥

nahi preṣayitā tāta svāmī preṣyaḥ kathaṃcana | bhavatāyaṃ janaḥ sarvaḥ preṣyaḥ plavagasattama || 65.22 ||

'For, dear one, a lord who sends others is never one to be sent himself; O best of leapers, all these people here are yours to send.'

Shloka 23 (kishkindha.65.23)

भवान् कलत्रमस्माकं स्वामिभावे व्यवस्थितः । स्वामी कलत्रं सैन्यस्य गतिरेषा परंतप ॥ 65.23 ॥

bhavān kalatramasmākaṃ svāmibhāve vyavasthitaḥ | svāmī kalatraṃ sainyasya gatireṣā paraṃtapa || 65.23 ||

'You stand established among us in the position of a lord, one to be shielded, as a wife is shielded; O scorcher of foes, this indeed is the proper course for an army and its lord.'

Shloka 24 (kishkindha.65.24)

अपि वै तस्य कार्यस्य भवान् मूलमरिंदम । तस्मात् कलत्रवत् तात प्रतिपाल्यः सदा भवान् ॥ 65.24 ॥

api vai tasya kāryasya bhavān mūlamariṃdama | tasmāt kalatravat tāta pratipālyaḥ sadā bhavān || 65.24 ||

'Indeed, O subduer of foes, you are the very root of this undertaking; therefore, dear one, you must always be guarded like a cherished wife.'

Shloka 25 (kishkindha.65.25)

मूलमर्थस्य संरक्ष्यमेष कार्यविदां नयः । मूले हि सति सिध्यन्ति गुणाः सर्वे फलोदयाः ॥ 65.25 ॥

mūlamarthasya saṃrakṣyameṣa kāryavidāṃ nayaḥ | mūle hi sati sidhyanti guṇāḥ sarve phalodayāḥ || 65.25 ||

'The root of any purpose must be safeguarded — this is the maxim of those skilled in undertakings; for only when the root endures do all its virtues ripen into fruit.'

Shloka 26 (kishkindha.65.26)

तद् भवानस्य कार्यस्य साधनं सत्यविक्रम । वुद्धिविक्रमसम्पन्नो हेतुरत्र परंतप ॥ 65.26 ॥

tad bhavānasya kāryasya sādhanaṃ satyavikrama | vuddhivikramasampanno heturatra paraṃtapa || 65.26 ||

'Therefore, O truly valiant one, you are the very means of this undertaking; endowed with wisdom and valor, O scorcher of foes, you are the foundation here.'

Shloka 27 (kishkindha.65.27)

गुरुश्च गुरुपुत्रश्च त्वं हि नः कपिसत्तम । भवन्तमाश्रित्य वयं समर्था ह्यर्थसाधने ॥ 65.27 ॥

guruśca guruputraśca tvaṃ hi naḥ kapisattama | bhavantamāśritya vayaṃ samarthā hyarthasādhane || 65.27 ||

'You are our elder, and the son of our elder as well, O best of monkeys; sheltered by you, we are indeed capable of accomplishing our purpose.'

Shloka 28 (kishkindha.65.28)

उक्तवाक्यं महाप्राज्ञं जाम्बवन्तं महाकपिः । प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं वाक्यं वालिसूनुरथाङ्गदः ॥ 65.28 ॥

uktavākyaṃ mahāprājñaṃ jāmbavantaṃ mahākapiḥ | pratyuvācottaraṃ vākyaṃ vālisūnurathāṅgadaḥ || 65.28 ||

When the greatly wise Jambavan had spoken these words, the great monkey Angada, son of Vali, replied to him with this answer.

Shloka 29 (kishkindha.65.29)

यदि नाहं गमिष्यामि नान्यो वानरपुङ्गवः । पुनः खल्विदमस्माभिः कार्यं प्रायोपवेशनम् ॥ 65.29 ॥

yadi nāhaṃ gamiṣyāmi nānyo vānarapuṅgavaḥ | punaḥ khalvidamasmābhiḥ kāryaṃ prāyopaveśanam || 65.29 ||

'If I do not go, and no other of the foremost monkeys goes either, then a fast unto death is once more the task before us.'

Shloka 30 (kishkindha.65.30)

नह्यकृत्वा हरिपतेः संदेशं तस्य धीमतः । तत्रापि गत्वा प्राणानां न पश्ये परिरक्षणम् ॥ 65.30 ॥

nahyakṛtvā haripateḥ saṃdeśaṃ tasya dhīmataḥ | tatrāpi gatvā prāṇānāṃ na paśye parirakṣaṇam || 65.30 ||

'For without carrying out the command of that wise lord of monkeys, I see no secure protection of our lives even should we go back there.'

Shloka 31 (kishkindha.65.31)

स हि प्रसादे चात्यर्थकोपे च हरिरीश्वरः । अतीत्य तस्य संदेशं विनाशो गमने भवेत् ॥ 65.31 ॥

sa hi prasāde cātyarthakope ca harirīśvaraḥ | atītya tasya saṃdeśaṃ vināśo gamane bhavet || 65.31 ||

'For that lord of monkeys is one of extreme favor and extreme wrath alike; to transgress his command and go back would be as good as walking into ruin.'

Shloka 32 (kishkindha.65.32)

तत्तथा ह्यस्य कार्यस्य न भवत्यन्यथा गतिः । तद् भवानेव दृष्टार्थः संचिन्तयितुमर्हति ॥ 65.32 ॥

tattathā hyasya kāryasya na bhavatyanyathā gatiḥ | tad bhavāneva dṛṣṭārthaḥ saṃcintayitumarhati || 65.32 ||

'It will indeed be so, for this matter can turn out no other way; therefore it is fitting that you yourself, who can see its true meaning, should ponder it deeply.'

Shloka 33 (kishkindha.65.33)

सोऽङ्गदेन तदा वीरः प्रत्युक्तः प्लवगर्षभः । जाम्बवानुत्तमं वाक्यं प्रोवाचेदं ततोऽङ्गदम् ॥ 65.33 ॥

so'ṅgadena tadā vīraḥ pratyuktaḥ plavagarṣabhaḥ | jāmbavānuttamaṃ vākyaṃ provācedaṃ tato'ṅgadam || 65.33 ||

When that valiant Angada, best of leapers, had thus answered him, Jambavan then spoke this excellent word to Angada.

Shloka 34 (kishkindha.65.34)

तस्य ते वीर कार्यस्य न किंचित् परिहास्यते । एष संचोदयाम्येनं यः कार्यं साधयिष्यति ॥ 65.34 ॥

tasya te vīra kāryasya na kiṃcit parihāsyate | eṣa saṃcodayāmyenaṃ yaḥ kāryaṃ sādhayiṣyati || 65.34 ||

'O hero, this task of yours shall not be thwarted in the least; I shall now urge on him who is able to accomplish it.'

Shloka 35 (kishkindha.65.35)

ततः प्रतीतं प्लवतां वरिष्ठमेकान्तमाश्रित्य सुखोपविष्टम् । संचोदयामास हरिप्रवीरो हरिप्रवीरं हनुमन्तमेव ॥ 65.35 ॥

tataḥ pratītaṃ plavatāṃ variṣṭhamekāntamāśritya sukhopaviṣṭam | saṃcodayāmāsa haripravīro haripravīraṃ hanumantameva || 65.35 ||

Then that outstanding one among monkeys urged on the most eminent of leapers, who sat comfortably, resorting to a place apart — that outstanding monkey, Hanuman himself.