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-_——:0:0:—— Auitcutine from the car, Hanuman possessed of vigorous activity,—leader of monkey-bands—nearing the wall, looked like lightning within a mass of clouds.* And having gone round the mansions of RAvana, and not seeing Janaki, the monkey Hanuman said,—‘Striving after Rama’s welfare, I have again searched through Lanka; but I do not see Videha’s daughter, Janaki, having all her limbs endeued with loveliness. And I have explored pools, and watery expanses, and tanks, and rivers, and streams, and marshes, and woods, and citadels, and mountains, yea,—all this earth ; but Janaki I do not find. ‘The vulture-king Sampati had told that Sita was in the mansion of Ravana. But why do I not see her (here) ? Or doth Maithili Sita, danghter unto Janaka,t sprung in the Videha line, forcibly carried off (by Ravana), and completely in his power, abide by the mandate (of that monarch) ? I conceive that while taking Sita, the Raksha darted upward, he being influenced by fear of Rama’s shafts ; (and accordingly losing control over his movements), she fell off by the way. Or I fancy that while that noble lady was being carried away along the way ranged by Siddhas, she lost her life on beholding the ocean. Or I think that on account of the vehement speed assumed by Ravana, and also oppressed with his arms, that large-eyed noble lady hath been bereft of her life. For certain, while (Ravana) was soaring higher and higher, Janaka’s daughter, rolling (on the car), dropped down into the sea. Alas! trying to preserve her chastity, the forlorn Sité, practising self-mortification, hath been devoured by this abject-minded Ravana. Or that dark- * The ccmmentator remarks : By this the author _insinuates that the wall was of entire sapphire.—T. + Knowing Brakma, remarks Ramanuja.—T

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eyed innocent one, hath been eaten up by the wives of the Rakshasa chief, actuated by wicked motives.* (Ever) contemplating . Rama's countenance, resembling the full Moon, with eyes like lotus-leaves, she, exercised with sorrow, hath breathed her last. Bewailing much with exclamations of. ‘Oh Rama and Lakshmana! ‘Ah Ayodhya! that lady Vaidehi hath renounced her body. Or secretly kept in Ravana’s mansion, that girl, like a female parrot in a cage, is weeping bitterly. How can the slender-waisted wife of Rama, born in the race of Janaka, furnished with eyes resembling lotus petals, come under the sway of Ravana? I shall not be able to say of Rama’s beloved wife that she hath been sullied,t or that I have seen her, or yet that she is dead. To say this is censurable; not to say it is also such. What is my course ? I find myself in a false position. Things having drifted to this pass, what should I say, now that the time hath come?’ Thus thinking, Hanum4n again reflected,—"If without secing Sita, I repair to the abode of the lord of monkeys, what then shall I gain as the object of my exertions ? This my bounding over the main comes to nought; as also my entry into Lank4 and the sight of the Rakshasas. And what shall Sugriva say ? Or the assembled monkeys ; or those twin sons of Dacaratha; to me when I shall have come to Kishkindha ? And _ if going there, I should say a harsh speech unto Kakutstha—‘I have not seea Sita’—he shall renounce his life. Hearing harsh, terrible, unsufferable, fierce and foul words concerning Sit&, calculated to set the senses on fire, he shall not exist. And seeing him come under misery, with his mind expiring, the intelligent Lakshmana, firmly attached (unto Rama), shall also cease to exist. And hearing that his two brothers are dead, Bharata also shall give up existence. And seeing Bharata dead, * Jealousy, according to the commentator.—T, + This is evidently the sense, having regard to the preceding sleba, although the commentator gives the apparent meaning of vinastha perished.—T.

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Satrughna shall also renounce his life. And beholding their sons dead, their mothers, Kaugalya, Sumitré and Kaikayi, shall, certainly, resign their lives. And seeing Rama in that plight, the lord of the monkeys, Sugriva, grateful and having his heart fast fixed in truth, shall give up his life. And Uma, aggrieved, heart-wrung, distressed and bereft of happiness, and assuming the garb of a female ascetic, because of grief for her husband, shall resign her existence. And oppressed with grief arising from V4li, and weighed down by sorrow, the queen Tard, also, resolving on death shall cease to exist. And in consequence of the death of his father and mother and the calamity befalling Sugriva, the prince Angada also shall next forego his existence. And the dwellers of the woods overwhelmed with grief got of (the decease of) their master, shall strike at their heads with their clenched fists and hands. And the monkeys affectionately cherished by the famous lord of the monkeys with soothing words gifts and regard, shall resign there lives. And no more in woods, and rocks, or secret spots, shall the foremost monkeys, assembled together, indulge in sports. And they, along with their sons and wives, and counsellors, distressed on account the disaster that hath overtaken their master,—shall fall from the tops of mountains down to places even or uneven. And the monkeys shall take poison, or hang themselves, or enter into flaming fire, or fast, or fall on their own weapons. I fancy that a loud wailing shall arise on my return (to that place) ; and the race of Ikshw4ku as well as the rangers of the woods shall meet with destruction. Therefore I will not repair hence to the city of Kishkindha ; nor can I see Sugriva without Mithil&’s daughter. On my not going there and staying here,those righteous-souled Mahirathas as well as the fastfleeting monkeys, shall preserve their lives through hope (of hearing tidings concerning Sita.) And not having seen Janaka’s daughter, I will lead the Vdnaprastha mode of life, partaking (of fruits) falling into my hands or mouth, restrainr17

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ing my senses, and staying at the foot of trees. Preparing a funereal pile on a tract bordering on the sea, abounding in fruits, and flowers, and water, I will euter into flaming fire. And as I sit to fast, and for effecting the separation of self from my body and centering my identity in the spirit crows and beasts of prey shall feed on my body. And I think the sages have enjoyed another way of exit. I shall, failing to see Janaki, enter into water. My illustrious and exalted garland of fame, begot of excellent acts, hath perished for good in consequence of my not seeing Siti.* Or restraining myself, I shall become an ascetic living underneath trees; but return I will not, without obtaining a sight of that dark-eyed damsel. If I return without seeing Siti, all the monkeys with Angada shall cease to exist. Iucalculable are the ills of my putting a period to my existence; (on the other hand) if I live, I may come by good. Therefore my life I will maintain. If I live, it may conduce to happiness.” Having thus indulged in a variety of harassing thoughts in his mind,that foremost of monkeys could not cross over to the other shore (of the sea of distress). Then summoning energy, that elephantine monkey endeued with fortitude reflected,— “Or I shall slay the Ten-necked R&vana possessed of great strength. Sita hath been carried off; but by this I shall avenge myself. Or throwing him repeatedly into the sea, I (shall take him) and present him to Rama, even as one presents a beast unto Pagupat.’t Reflecting thus,the monkey, not finding Sits, —agitated with sorrow and anxiety, thought,—So long as I do not find the illustrious spouse of Rama, Sit&, I will explore the city of Lanka again and again. If in consonance with Sampat’s speech, I bring Rama hither, Raghava, not seeing * Tirtha reads chiraratriyam for chirardtrya. Then the senseis. This illustrious live-long fair-rooted and auspicious night crowned with a gariaed of fame, hath borne no fruit, in consequence of my not seeing Sité. The commen tator, I presume, refines a little too much.—T. + An appellation of Siva—lit. Jord of beasts—in allusion to animal sacrifices to Siva.—T.

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his wife, shall burn all the monkeys. (Therefore) even here I shall stay, restraining my fare and mortifying my senses. All those principal monkeys ought not to lose their lives because of any act to which I may commit myself. This is the asoka wood, extensive and containing mighty trees. This I shall explore,’ as it hath not yet been searched by me. And saluting the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the twin Agwins, (and Rama and Lakshmana), | enhancing the sorrow of the Rakhas, shall go into it. Having vanquished the Rakshas, I will bestow on Rama the lady of the Ikshwaku’ race like the fruit of asceticisn: conferred on an ascetic.” Having thus reflected for a space, the mighty-armed offspring of the Wind-god, his senses agitated with anxiety, arose. “I bow unto Rama with Lakshmana, and unto the revered daughter of Janaka, I bow unto Rudra, and Indra, and Yama, and Wind-god, and I bow unto the Moon, unto Fire and unto the Maruts.” Having bowed unto them all, as also unto Sugriva, the offspring of the Wind-god, surveying all the cardinal points, mentally entered the Asoka wood. Having mentally entered the Asoka wood, that monkey, son unto the Wind-god, reflected as to what he should do next. The sacred Asoka wood, sanctified with every purifying rite and abounding in woods, needs must be full of Rakshas. And warders, directed there to, forsooth, protect the trees; and that worshipful Soul of the universe* does not breathe here vigorously. I contract my person in the interests of Rama, and in order that Ravana may notseeme. May all the deities along with the saints confer success on me. And may the revered self-create Brahma, and the deities, and the ascetics, and Fire, and wind, and the much invoked bearer of the Vajra,t and the noose-handed Varuna, and the Moon and the Sun, the high-souled Agwinis, and all the Maruts—(confer) success (on me)! And all beings, and the * The wind.—T. + Indra.—T.

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lord of them all,* and others that, albeit not specified in the scriptures, are yet visible in the way,—will confer success on me. When shall I behold the blameless face of that noble Jady,—with its protruding nose; having luminous smiles, having eyes resembling lotus-petals ; and bright as the complacent lord of stars? Ah ! to-day how shall feeble forlorn one that hath been borne down by the force of the mean, abject and grim-visaged (RAvana), fierce yet wearing (at the time of the rape), a dress tending to inspire confidence,— come in my sight ?”