Kishkindha Kaanda - Sarga 48
In this Sarga Aṅgada, Tāra, Hanumān and others go in the southerly direction searching for Seetā. They search the Vindhya Mountains and its caves. They go further and come across an area where there are no people, birds or beasts, no water in the rivers , no trees and no flower or fruit on the trees, because of the curse laid by a great Muni by name Kaṇḍu. Then they come across an Asura who Aṅgada kills by hitting with his open palm. Then they continue the search and finally become tired and dejected.
4.48.1 ஸஹ தாராங்கதாப்யாம் து
ஸஹஸா ஹநுமாந்கபி: ।
ஸுக்ரீவேண யதோத்திஷ்டம்
கந்தும் தேஸம் ப்ரசக்ரமே ॥
saha tārāṅgadābhyāṃ tu
sahasā hanumānkapiḥ ।
sugrīvēṇa yathōddiṣṭam
gantuṃ dēṡaṃ pracakramē ॥
Hanumān immediately started to the region
he was assigned along with Tāra and Aṅgada.
4.48.2-3 ஸ து தூரமுபாகம்ய
ஸர்வைஸ்தை: கபிஸத்தமை: ।
ததோ விசித்ய விந்த்யஸ்ய
குஹாஸ்ச கஹநாநி ச ।
பர்வதாக்ராந்நதீதுர்காந்
ஸராம்ஸி விபுலாந்த்ருமாந் ।
வ்ருக்ஷஷண்டாம்ஸ்ச விவிதாந்
பர்வதாந்கநபாதபாந் ॥
sa tu dūramupāgamya
sarvaistaiḥ kapisattamaiḥ ।
tatō vicitya vindhyasya
guhāṡca gahanāni ca ।
parvatāgrānnadīdurgān
sarāṃsi vipulāndrumān ।
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṃṡca vividhān
parvatānghanapādapān ॥
Going a long distance along with those great Vānaras,
he searched the caves and thickets of the Vindhyas,
the mountains, the mountain crests, the rivers
the huge trees, groves of trees, wild trees
and places that were difficult to access.
4.48.4 அந்வேஷமாணாஸ்தே ஸர்வே
வாநராஸ்ஸர்வதோ திஸம் ।
ந ஸீதாம் தத்ருஸுர்வீரா
மைதிலீம் ஜநகாத்மஜாம் ॥
anvēṣamāṇāstē sarvē
vānarāssarvatō diṡam ।
na sītāṃ dadṛṡurvīrā
maithilīṃ janakātmajām ॥
The Vānaras, those Veeras, search
as they did in every direction,
failed to find the princess of
Mithila, the daughter of Janaka.
4.48.5 தே பக்ஷயந்தோ மூலாநி
பலாநி விவிதாந்யபி ।
அந்வேஷமாணா துர்தர்ஷா
ந்யவஸம் ஸ்தத்ர தத்ர ஹ ॥
tē bhakṣayantō mūlāni
phalāni vividhānyapi ।
anvēṣamāṇā durdharṣā
nyavasaṃ statra tatra ha ॥
Feeding themselves on roots and
various kinds of fruits, those
invincible (Vānaras) went on searching
taking rest here and there.
4.48.6 ஸ து தேஸோ துரந்வேஷோ
குஹாகஹநவாந்மஹாந் ।
நிர்ஜலம் நிர்ஜநம் ஸூந்யம்
கஹநம் கோரதர்ஸநம் ॥
sa tu dēṡō duranvēṣō
guhāgahanavānmahān ।
nirjalaṃ nirjanaṃ ṡūnyam
gahanaṃ ghōradarṡanam ॥
That region was very difficult to search
with huge caves and thickets
that were difficult to access.
It was a desolate, impenetrable and frightful
place, with no people and no water.
4.48.7 தாத்ருஸாந்யப்யரண்யாநி
விசித்ய ப்ருஸபீடிதா: ।
ஸ தேஸஸ்ச துரந்வேஷ்யோ
குஹாகஹநவாந்மஹாந் ॥
tādṛṡānyapyaraṇyāni
vicitya bhṛṡapīḍitāḥ ।
sa dēṡaṡca duranvēṣyō
guhāgahanavānmahān ॥
Searching those kinds of forests
and places that were difficult to search,
full of huge caves and inaccessible places,
they felt quite beaten.
4.48.8 த்யக்த்வா து தம் ததா தேஸம்
ஸர்வே வை ஹரியூதபா: ।
தேஸமந்யம் துராதர்ஷம்
விவிஸுஸ்சாகுதோ பயா: ।
tyaktvā tu taṃ tadā dēṡam
sarvē vai hariyūthapāḥ ।
dēṡamanyaṃ durādharṣam
viviṡuṡcākutō bhayāḥ ।
Then, leaving that region behind,
the Vānara captains, who knew no fear,
moved on to another impenetrable area.
4.48.9 யத்ர வந்த்யபலா வ்ருக்ஷா
விபுஷ்பா: பர்ணவர்ஜிதா: ॥
நிஸ்தோயாஸ்ஸரிதோ யத்ர
மூலம் யத்ர ஸுதுர்லபம் ।
yatra vandhyaphalā vṛkṣā
vipuṣpāḥ parṇavarjitāḥ ॥
nistōyāssaritō yatra
mūlaṃ yatra sudurlabham ।
The trees there bore no fruit.
They did not have any flower or leaves.
There was no water in the rivers
and even roots were hard to be found.
4.48.10 ந ஸந்தி மஹிஷா யத்ர
ந ம்ருகா ந ச ஹஸ்திந: ॥
ஸார்தூலா: பக்ஷிணோ வாபி
யே சாந்யே வநகோசரா: ।
na santi mahiṣā yatra
na mṛgā na ca hastinaḥ ॥
ṡārdūlāḥ pakṣiṇō vāpi
yē cānyē vanagōcarāḥ ।
No buffalos, no deer, no elephants,
no tigers, no birds and no other
wild creatures were to be found there.
4.48.11 ந யத்ரவ்ருக்ஷா நௌஷத்யோ
ந வல்ல்யோ நாபி வீருத: ।
ஸ்நிக்தபத்ராஸ்ஸ்தலே யத்ர
பத்மிந்ய: புல்லபங்கஜா: ।
ப்ரேக்ஷணீயாஸ்ஸுகந்தாஸ்ச
ப்ரமரைஸ்சாபிவர்ஜிதா: ॥
na yatravṛkṣā nauṣadhyō
na vallyō nāpi vīrudhaḥ ।
snigdhapatrāssthalē yatra
padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ ।
prēkṣaṇīyāssugandhāṡca
bhramaraiṡcāpivarjitāḥ ॥
No trees, no shrubs, no vines and
no creepers were there in that place.
There were no lotus vines with
tender leaves and lotuses in bloom
to attract the eye or to give fragrance,
nor were there any bees.
4.48.12 கண்டுர்நாம மஹாபாக:
ஸத்யவாதீ தபோதந: ।
மஹர்ஷி: பரமாமர்ஷீ
நியமைர்துஷ்ப்ரதர்ஷண: ॥
kaṇḍurnāma mahābhāgaḥ
satyavādī tapōdhanaḥ ।
maharṣiḥ paramāmarṣī
niyamairduṣpradharṣaṇaḥ ॥
There was a truly blessed
Maharshi by name Kaṇḍu, who was
rich with Tapa, who stood by Truth,
who was invincible by virtue of his vows
and who was easily irascible.
4.48.13 தஸ்ய தஸ்மிந்வநே புத்ரோ
பாலகோ தஸவார்ஷிக: ।
ப்ரணஷ்டோ ஜீவிதாந்தாய
க்ருத்தஸ்தேந மஹாமுநி: ॥
tasya tasminvanē putrō
bālakō daṡavārṣikaḥ ।
praṇaṣṭō jīvitāntāya
kruddhastēna mahāmuniḥ ॥
That great Muni became angry when
his son met with his end
upon entering that Vana.
4.48.14 தேந தர்மாத்மநா ஸப்தம்
க்ருத்ஸ்நம் தத்ரமஹத்வநம் ।
அஸரண்யம் துராதர்ஷம்
ம்ருகபக்ஷிவிவர்ஜிதம் ॥
tēna dharmātmanā ṡaptam
kṛtsnaṃ tatramahadvanam ।
aṡaraṇyaṃ durādharṣam
mṛgapakṣivivarjitam ॥
Then, with a curse laid by that Dharmātma,
the vast Vana in its entirety became inaccessible,
and it could afford no shelter (to any creature),
with no bird or beast living in it.
4.48.15 தஸ்ய தே காநநாந்தாம்ஸ்து
கிரீணாம் கந்தராணி ச ।
ப்ரபவாநி நதீநாம் ச
விசிந்வந்தி ஸமாஹிதா: ॥
tasya tē kānanāntāṃstu
girīṇāṃ kandarāṇi ca ।
prabhavāni nadīnāṃ ca
vicinvanti samāhitāḥ ॥
Then they searched, with more attention,
the forests, hills, canyons and the
the places where the rivers were born.
4.48.16 தத்ர சாபி மஹாத்மாநோ
நாபஸ்யஞ்ஜநகாத்மஜாம் ।
ஹர்தாரம் ராவணம் வாபி
ஸுக்ரீவப்ரியகாரிண: ॥
tatra cāpi mahātmānō
nāpaṡyañjanakātmajām ।
hartāraṃ rāvaṇaṃ vāpi
sugrīvapriyakāriṇaḥ ॥
Those Mahātmas, as eager as
they were to please Sugreeva,
could not find the daughter of Janaka,
nor Rāvaṇa, her abductor.
4.48.17 தே ப்ரவிஸ்யா து தம் பீமம்
லதாகுல்மஸமாவ்ருதம் ।
தத்த்ருஸுர்பீமகர்மாணம்
அஸுரம் ஸுரநிர்பயம் ॥
tē praviṡyā tu taṃ bhīmam
latāgulmasamāvṛtam ।
daddṛṡurbhīmakarmāṇam
asuraṃ suranirbhayam ॥
Entering another frightful region
covered by creepers and thickets,
they saw an Asura of terrifying deeds,
who had no fear of Suras.
4.48.18 தம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா வாநரா கோரம்
ஸ்திதம் ஸைலமிவாஸுரம் ।
காடம் பரிஹிதாஸ்ஸர்வே
த்ருஷ்ட்வா தம் பர்வதோபமம் ॥
taṃ dṛṣṭvā vānarā ghōram
sthitaṃ ṡailamivāsuram ।
gāḍhaṃ parihitāssarvē
dṛṣṭvā taṃ parvatōpamam ॥
Seeing that horrid Asura
standing there like a mountain,
all of those Vānaras
(became ready to confront him),
drawing their clothes around their waists.
4.48.19 ஸோऽபி தாந்வாநராந்ஸர்வாந்
நஷ்டாஸ்ஸ்தேத்யப்ரவீத்பலீ ।
அப்யதாவத ஸங்க்ருத்தோ
முஷ்டிமுத்யம்ய ஸங்கதம் ॥
sō'pi tānvānarānsarvān
naṣṭāssthētyabravīdbalī ।
abhyadhāvata saṅkṛddhō
muṣṭimudyamya saṅgatam ॥
He, the strong one also, in his rage,
ran towards them lifting
his clenched fist and saying
to all of those Vānaras, ‘Dead you are!’
4.48.20 தமாபதந்தம் ஸஹஸா
வாலிபுத்ரோऽங்கதஸ்ததா ।
ராவணோऽயமிதி ஜ்ஞாத்வா
தலேநாபிஜகாந ஹ ॥
tamāpatantaṃ sahasā
vāliputrō'ṅgadastadā ।
rāvaṇō'yamiti jñātvā
talēnābhijaghāna ha ॥
As he swiftly bore down upon them,
Aṅgada, the son of Vāli, took him for Rāvaṇa
and hit him with his open palm.
4.48.21 ஸ வாலிபுத்ராபிஹதோ
வக்த்ராச்சோணிதமுத்வமந் ।
அஸுரோ ந்யபதத்பூமௌ
பர்யஸ்த இவ பர்வத: ॥
sa vāliputrābhihatō
vaktrācchōṇitamudvaman ।
asurō nyapatadbhūmau
paryasta iva parvataḥ ॥
Struck by Vāli’s son, the Asura
fell upside down on the ground
like a mountain, vomiting blood.
4.48.22 தே து தஸ்மிந்நிருச்ச்வாஸே
வாநரா ஜிதகாஸிந: ।
விசிந்வந்ப்ராயஸஸ்தத்ர
ஸர்வம் தத்கிரிகஹ்வரம் ॥
tē tu tasminnirucchvāsē
vānarā jitakāṡinaḥ ।
vicinvanprāyaṡastatra
sarvaṃ tadgirigahvaram ॥
With the Asura breathing his last,
the Vānaras, elated with the victory,
searched almost all of the mountain cave.
4.48.23 விசிதம் து தத: க்ருத்வா
ஸர்வே தே காநநௌகஸ: ।
அந்யதேவாபரம் கோரம்
விவிஸுர்கிரிகஹ்வரம் ॥
vicitaṃ tu tataḥ kṛtvā
sarvē tē kānanaukasaḥ ।
anyadēvāparaṃ ghōram
viviṡurgirigahvaram ॥
Then those forest dwellers,
making sure that that cave had been searched,
went on to another frightful mountain cave.
4.48.24 தே விசித்ய புந: கிந்நா
விநிஷ்பத்ய ஸமாகதா: ।
ஏகாந்தே வ்ருக்ஷமூலே து
நிஷேதுர்தீநமாநஸா: ॥
tē vicitya punaḥ khinnā
viniṣpatya samāgatāḥ ।
ēkāntē vṛkṣamūlē tu
niṣēdurdīnamānasāḥ ॥
They searched it again and came out tired and
got together at the base of a tree, feeling dejected.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
கிஷ்கிந்தாகாண்டே அஷ்டசத்வாரிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
kiṣkindhākāṇḍē aṣṭacatvāriṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty eighth Sarga
in Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.