सह ताराङ्गदाभ्यां तु सहसा हनुमान् कपिः। सुग्रीवेण यथोद्दिष्टं गन्तुं देशं प्रचक्रमे॥
The monkey Hanumān in company with Tārā and Angada swiftly set out for the quarter assigned by Sugrīva.
स तु दूरमुपागम्य सर्वैस्तैः कपिसत्तमैः। ततो विचित्य विन्ध्यस्य गुहाश्च गहनानि च॥ पर्वताग्रनदीदुर्गान् सरांसि विपुलदुमान्। वृक्षखण्डाश्च विविधान् पर्वतान् वनपादपान्॥ अन्वेषमाणास्ते सर्वे वानराः सर्वतोदिशम्। न सीतां ददृशुर्वीरा मैथिली जनकात्मजाम्॥
And having proceeded far along with all those foremost of monkeys, he explored the caves and woods of Vindhya; spots inaccessible in consequence of streams intervening in front of mountains; and tanks; and tracts filled with trees; and various mountains rife with wild trees. And having searched in all directions, the monkeys could not find Maithilī, Janaka's daughter Sītā.
ते भक्षयन्तो मूलानि फलानि विविधान्यपि। अन्वेषमाणा दुर्धर्षा न्यवसंस्तत्र तत्र ह ॥ स तु देशो दुरन्वेषो गुहागहनवान् महान्। निर्जलं निर्जनं शून्यं गहनं घोरदर्शनम्॥ तादृशान्यप्यरण्यानि विचित्य भृशपीडिताः। स देशश्च दुरन्वेष्यो गुहागहनवान् महान्॥ त्यक्त्वा तु तं ततो देशं सर्वे वै हरियूथपाः। देशमन्यं दुराधर्षं विविशुश्चाकुतोभयाः॥ यत्र वन्ध्यफला वृक्षा विपुष्पाः पर्णवर्जिताः। निस्तोयाः सरितो यत्र मूलं यत्र सुदुर्लभम्॥ न सन्ति महिषा यत्र न मृगा न च हस्तिनः। शार्दूलाः पक्षिणो वापि ये चान्ये वनगोचराः॥
And subsisting on various fruits and roots, they were overcome with fatigue, after searching dreadful forests, void of water, still and tenantless, as well as other forests of a similar nature. And having searched that country as well mighty forests containing caves, those leaders of monkeyherds fearlessly explored other places, difficult of access, where the trees are fruitless, and without flowers and foliage; where the streams are waterless, and where roots even are rare; where there are no buffaloes, or deer, or elephants, or tigers, or birds-or any other animals that are found in forests.
न चात्र वृक्षा नौषध्यो न वल्ल्यो नापि वीरुधः। स्निग्धपत्राः स्थले यत्र पद्मिन्यः फुल्लपङ्कजाः॥ प्रेक्षणीयाः सुगन्धाश्च भ्रमरैश्च विवर्जिताः।
And there are there neither trees, nor annual plants, nor creepers, nor herbs,-and in that place there are no pleasant pools, with cool leaves, and filled with blown lotuses, and it has been renounced by the black-bees.
कण्डुर्नाम महाभागः सत्यवादी तपोधनः॥ महर्षिः परमामर्षी नियमैर्दुष्प्रधर्षणः।
There dwelleth a Maharași, Kandu by name, an eminently pious, and truthful ascetic, irascible, and irrepressible because of his practice of self-discipline.
तस्य तस्मिन् वने पुत्रो बालको दशवार्षिकः॥ प्रणष्टो जीवितान्ताय क्रुद्धस्तेन महामुनिः।
In that wood his son, a boy of ten years, his sands having run out, breathed his last; and it is for this that the mighty ascetic has come under the influence of passion.
तेन धर्मात्मना शप्तं कृत्स्नं तत्र महद्वनम्॥ अशरण्यं दुराधर्षं मृगपक्षिविवर्जितम्।
And cursed by that high-souled one, the entire mighty forest has become unfit to harbour (any creatures); difficult of entrance; and devoid of birds and beasts.
तस्य ते काननान्तांस्तु गिरीणां कन्दराणि च ॥ प्रभवानि नदीनां च विचिन्वन्ति समाहिताः। तत्र चापि महात्मानो नापश्यञ्जनकात्मजाम्॥ हर्तारं रावणं वापि सुग्रीवप्रियकारिणः।
They carefully search the skirts of its woods, mountain-caves, and the sources of its streams. And those high-souled ones, devoted to the good of Sugrīva, did not find Janaka's daughter, or her ravisher, Rāvaņa.
ते प्रविश्य तु तं भीमं लतागुल्मसमावृतम्॥ ददृशुर्भीमकर्माणमसुरं सुरनिर्भयम्।
And entering (into a wood), they saw a terrible Asura, concealed by the shrubs and plants-of dreadful deeds, and cherishing no fear even of the gods.
तं दृष्ट्वा वानरा घोरं स्थितं शैलमिवासुरम्॥ गाढं परिहिताः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा तं पर्वतोपमम्।
And seeing that dreadful Asura, seated like a hill, and resembling a mountain, they all tightened their cloths,
सोऽपि तान्वानरान्सर्वान्नष्टाः स्थेत्यब्रवीत् बली॥ अभ्यधावत संक्रुद्धो मुष्टिमुद्यम्य संगतम्।
And that strong one also, saying to the monkeys, Destroyed are you, and uplifting his clenched fist, rushed after them in rage.
तमापतन्तं सहसा वालीपुत्रोऽङ्गदस्तदा॥ रावणोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा तलेनाभिजघान ह।
And as he darted suddenly, Angada, the son of Vali, knowing, This is Ravana, administered to him a slap.
स वालिपुत्राभिहतो वक्त्राच्छोणितमुद्वमन् ॥ असुरो न्यपतद् भूमौ पर्यस्त इव पर्वतः। ते तु तस्मिन् निरुच्छ्वासे वानरा जितकाशिनः॥ विचिन्वन् प्रायशस्तत्र सर्वे ते गिरिगह्वरम्।
Struck by Vāli's son, that Asura, his mouth vomiting blood, fell down to the earth like a hill toppled down. And on his having breathed his last, the monkeys, elated with victory, thoroughly searched that mountain cavern.
विचितं तु ततः सर्वं सर्वे ते काननौकसः॥ अन्यदेवापरं घोरं विविशुर्गिरिगह्वरम्।
And when they had satisfied themselves that the cave had been searched all through, the dwellers of the woods entered another fearful mountain cavern.
ते विचित्य पुनः खिन्ना विनिष्पत्य समागताः। एकान्ते वृक्षमूले तु निषेदुर्दीनमानसाः॥
And after having searched (that place) also, they came out fatigued; and with desponding hearts sat them down at a distance under the shade of a tree. they came out fatigued; and with desponding hearts sat them down at a distance under the shade of a tree.