They went forth searching every wood, river, lake, and mountain cave, with their soul so absorbed in Rama's concerns that they forgot all about their own bodily wants.
Wherever it might be that they came across a demon, they took his life with a single blow. They looked into every recess of forest and hill, and if they met any hermit they all surrounded him. Overcome by thirst they were dreadfully distressed, and losing their way in the dense jungle, could find no water. Hanumân thought to himself, “Without water to drink we shall all die.” He climbed a mountain peak and, looking all round about, spied a strange opening in the ground, with geese, herons and swans on the wing and all kinds of birds making their way into it. Then Hanumân came down from the mountain and took them all and showed them this cavern, and with him to lead the way they lost no time, but entered the chasm.
Dohâ 24.
A fair and beautiful lake came in sight with many flowering lotuses and a magnificent temple where a holy woman was sitting.
Chaupâî
From a distance they all bowed the head before her and made enquiry and explained their circumstances. She then said: “Take water to drink and eat at will of this luscious and beautiful fruit.” They bathed and ate of the sweet fruit and then all came and drew near to her, and told her all their adventures. “I will now go to Raghunâth; close your eyes and so leave the cave; you will recover Sita, do not fear.” The warriors closed their eyes, and when they again opened them they were all standing on the shore of the ocean. But she went to Raghunâth and came and bowed her head at His lotus feet, and made much supplication. The Lord bestowed upon her imperishable faith.
Wherever it might be that they came across a demon, they took his life with a single blow. They looked into every recess of forest and hill, and if they met any hermit they all surrounded him. Overcome by thirst they were dreadfully distressed, and losing their way in the dense jungle, could find no water. Hanumân thought to himself, “Without water to drink we shall all die.” He climbed a mountain peak and, looking all round about, spied a strange opening in the ground, with geese, herons and swans on the wing and all kinds of birds making their way into it. Then Hanumân came down from the mountain and took them all and showed them this cavern, and with him to lead the way they lost no time, but entered the chasm.
Dohâ 24.
A fair and beautiful lake came in sight with many flowering lotuses and a magnificent temple where a holy woman was sitting.
Chaupâî
From a distance they all bowed the head before her and made enquiry and explained their circumstances. She then said: “Take water to drink and eat at will of this luscious and beautiful fruit.” They bathed and ate of the sweet fruit and then all came and drew near to her, and told her all their adventures. “I will now go to Raghunâth; close your eyes and so leave the cave; you will recover Sita, do not fear.” The warriors closed their eyes, and when they again opened them they were all standing on the shore of the ocean. But she went to Raghunâth and came and bowed her head at His lotus feet, and made much supplication. The Lord bestowed upon her imperishable faith.
Dohâ 25.
In obedience to the Lord’s commands she went to the Badri forest, cherishing in her heart Râma’s feet, the adoration of the eternal Siva.
Chaupâî
Now the monkeys were thinking to themselves: “The appointed time has passed and nothing has been done.” So they all came together and asked one another, “There is no news, brother; what are we to do?” Angad’s eyes were full of tears as he replied: “It is death for us either way. Here we have failed to get tidings of Sita, and if we go home our king will slay us. After my father’s death he would have killed me, had not Râma protected me, no thanks to him.” Again and again Angad told them all: “It is a case of death without a doubt.” When the monkey chiefs heard Angad’s words, they could make no answer; tears streamed from their eyes. For a moment they were overwhelmed with despair, but at last they all spoke and said, “Unless we get news of Sita we will not return, O sagacious prince.” So saying the monkeys all went to the seashore, where they spread beds of kusa grass and sat down. But Jâmbavân, seeing Angad’s distress, addressed him with a discourse of appropriate admonition: “My son, do not imagine Râma to be a man; know that He is the invisible god, unconquerable and from everlasting. All we who are His servants are most highly blessed in our love for the eternal God thus made incarnate.
In obedience to the Lord’s commands she went to the Badri forest, cherishing in her heart Râma’s feet, the adoration of the eternal Siva.
Chaupâî
Now the monkeys were thinking to themselves: “The appointed time has passed and nothing has been done.” So they all came together and asked one another, “There is no news, brother; what are we to do?” Angad’s eyes were full of tears as he replied: “It is death for us either way. Here we have failed to get tidings of Sita, and if we go home our king will slay us. After my father’s death he would have killed me, had not Râma protected me, no thanks to him.” Again and again Angad told them all: “It is a case of death without a doubt.” When the monkey chiefs heard Angad’s words, they could make no answer; tears streamed from their eyes. For a moment they were overwhelmed with despair, but at last they all spoke and said, “Unless we get news of Sita we will not return, O sagacious prince.” So saying the monkeys all went to the seashore, where they spread beds of kusa grass and sat down. But Jâmbavân, seeing Angad’s distress, addressed him with a discourse of appropriate admonition: “My son, do not imagine Râma to be a man; know that He is the invisible god, unconquerable and from everlasting. All we who are His servants are most highly blessed in our love for the eternal God thus made incarnate.
Dohâ 26.
Of his own free will the Lord has manifested himself on behalf of gods, Brâhmans, cows and Earth, and remains in bodily form among his worshippers, having abandoned all the joys of heaven.”
Chaupâî
He exhorted him in this wise at great length, and Sampâti from his cave in the mountain heard him. When he came out and saw the multitude of monkeys, he cried: “God has provided me with a feast! I will eat them all up at once; I am dying for want of a meal these many days past. I have never yet had a good bellyful, but today God has supplied me for once and all.” The monkeys trembled to hear the vulture’s words: “We were right in saying today we must die.” At the sight of him they all rose up, and Jâmbavân was mightily disturbed at heart; but Angad, after thinking to himself, exclaimed: “Glory to Jatâyu, there is none like him, who gave up his life in Râma’s service and, blessed beyond measure, has been translated to Hari’s sphere in heaven.” When the bird heard these words of mingled joy and sadness, he drew near to the monkeys in alarm and, after assuring them of safety, began to question them. They told him the whole history. When Sampâti heard of his brother’s doings, he gave great glory to Raghupati.
Of his own free will the Lord has manifested himself on behalf of gods, Brâhmans, cows and Earth, and remains in bodily form among his worshippers, having abandoned all the joys of heaven.”
Chaupâî
He exhorted him in this wise at great length, and Sampâti from his cave in the mountain heard him. When he came out and saw the multitude of monkeys, he cried: “God has provided me with a feast! I will eat them all up at once; I am dying for want of a meal these many days past. I have never yet had a good bellyful, but today God has supplied me for once and all.” The monkeys trembled to hear the vulture’s words: “We were right in saying today we must die.” At the sight of him they all rose up, and Jâmbavân was mightily disturbed at heart; but Angad, after thinking to himself, exclaimed: “Glory to Jatâyu, there is none like him, who gave up his life in Râma’s service and, blessed beyond measure, has been translated to Hari’s sphere in heaven.” When the bird heard these words of mingled joy and sadness, he drew near to the monkeys in alarm and, after assuring them of safety, began to question them. They told him the whole history. When Sampâti heard of his brother’s doings, he gave great glory to Raghupati.
Dohâ 27.
“Take me to the seashore and make him an offering of sesamum seed; with the help of my instructions you shall recover her whom you seek.”
Chaupâî
Angad said: “I will leap across; but I am rather doubtful about getting back again.” Then said Jambavan: “You are quite competent; but why should we send our leader? Hearken, Hanuman,” added the king of the bears, “why is our champion so silent? You are the son of the wind and strong as your sire, a storehouse of good sense, discretion and knowledge; in all the world what undertaking is there so difficult that you, my son, cannot accomplish it? And it is on Rama’s account that you have come down upon earth.”
On hearing this he swelled to the size of a mountain, with a body of golden hue and of dazzling splendour, as though a very monarch of mountains, and roaring again and again as it were a lion, he cried: “I can easily spring across the salt abyss, and slay Ravan with all his army, and uproot Trikut and bring it here. But I ask you, Jambavan, what I ought to do; give me proper instructions.”
“All that you have to do, my son, is to go and see Sita and come back with the news. Then the lotus-eyed, by the might of his own arm, taking with him merely for a show his hosts of monkeys,
“Take me to the seashore and make him an offering of sesamum seed; with the help of my instructions you shall recover her whom you seek.”
Chaupâî
Angad said: “I will leap across; but I am rather doubtful about getting back again.” Then said Jambavan: “You are quite competent; but why should we send our leader? Hearken, Hanuman,” added the king of the bears, “why is our champion so silent? You are the son of the wind and strong as your sire, a storehouse of good sense, discretion and knowledge; in all the world what undertaking is there so difficult that you, my son, cannot accomplish it? And it is on Rama’s account that you have come down upon earth.”
On hearing this he swelled to the size of a mountain, with a body of golden hue and of dazzling splendour, as though a very monarch of mountains, and roaring again and again as it were a lion, he cried: “I can easily spring across the salt abyss, and slay Ravan with all his army, and uproot Trikut and bring it here. But I ask you, Jambavan, what I ought to do; give me proper instructions.”
“All that you have to do, my son, is to go and see Sita and come back with the news. Then the lotus-eyed, by the might of his own arm, taking with him merely for a show his hosts of monkeys,
Chhand.
With his hosts of monkeys Rama will destroy the demons and recover Sita; and gods and saints and Narad and all will declare His glory, that sanctifies the three spheres.” Any man attains the highest beatitude who hears, sings, tells or meditates upon the feet of Raghubir, lotus flowers which, like the bee, Tulsi Das is ever singing.
Dohâ 30.
If any man or woman will study the glories of Raghunath, the panacea for all the ills of life, Siva will make him to prosper in everything that he desires.
Sorathâ 2.
Hearken then to His praises, with his body dark of hue as the lotus, with more than all the beauty of a myriad Loves, the fowler who sweeps into his net all kinds of sin as it were so many birds.
With his hosts of monkeys Rama will destroy the demons and recover Sita; and gods and saints and Narad and all will declare His glory, that sanctifies the three spheres.” Any man attains the highest beatitude who hears, sings, tells or meditates upon the feet of Raghubir, lotus flowers which, like the bee, Tulsi Das is ever singing.
Dohâ 30.
If any man or woman will study the glories of Raghunath, the panacea for all the ills of life, Siva will make him to prosper in everything that he desires.
Sorathâ 2.
Hearken then to His praises, with his body dark of hue as the lotus, with more than all the beauty of a myriad Loves, the fowler who sweeps into his net all kinds of sin as it were so many birds.