As the search for Sita continued, the wise leader addressed the monkeys, guiding them toward the western lands. “You must journey through the forests where ascetics dwell and traverse the wild mountain ranges that rise from the plains—lands that are mostly desert, scattered with stones, towering and cold to the touch. When you have searched the western direction, covered with chains of mountains and difficult terrain, proceed onward until you reach the western ocean. There, O monkeys, you will behold waters alive with whales and crocodiles. Along the shore, in thickets of screw-pine and dense groves of tamala trees, you must search carefully. Roam freely in the coconut groves as well, seeking Sita and any sign of Ravana’s dwelling. Search the mountains and forests along the shore, and do not neglect the city of Muravipattana or the enchanting city of Jatapura. Let your search extend to Avanti, Angalepa, and the unmarked forests, as well as the vast kingdoms and cities that lie scattered in these regions. At the sacred confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean, there stands the great Somagiri mountain, crowned with a hundred peaks and clothed in mighty trees. On its lovely plateaus, winged lions make their nests, gathering whales, fish, and elephants as their food. These nests, perched high on the peaks, are also inhabited by proud and contented elephants, whose thunderous calls echo like storm clouds. These mighty creatures roam everywhere in this water-filled expanse, whose golden peak, adorned with many trees, seems to touch the sky itself. All of this must be searched swiftly by you monkeys, who possess the power to assume any form at will. There you will find the golden promontory of the ocean, stretching a hundred yojanas in length. As you press on, you will reach the difficult-to-see boundary of Pariyatra. There, O monkeys, dwell twenty-four crores of swift Gandharvas—fierce, shape-shifting beings, blazing like fire, gathered everywhere like living flames. Beware: even the mightiest among you should not approach them, nor should you take any fruit from their realm. These formidable heroes, full of courage and terrible strength, guard the fruits and roots with unwavering might. Still, your search for Sita must continue there. For those who follow the conduct of monkeys, there is no cause for fear from these guardians. Next, you will come to the great mountain called Vajra, gleaming like beryl and shaped like a diamond, its slopes covered with many trees and winding creepers. This glorious region stretches for a full hundred yojanas. Be thorough as you search the caves that lie within. At a quarter of the ocean’s expanse stands Mount Cakravān, where the divine craftsman Viśvakarman once fashioned a thousand-spoked wheel. Here, after slaying the demons Pañcajana and Hayagrīva, the Supreme Person took up the wheel and the conch. On the delightful slopes and within the vast caves of this mountain, search everywhere for Ravana and Sita. Sixty-four yojanas further on, you will find the great Varāha mountain, with golden peaks, immense and deep within the domain of Varuṇa. There lies the city of Prāgjyotiṣa, built entirely of gold, where the evil demon Naraka resides. On the gentle slopes and in the vast caves of this mountain, continue your search for Ravana and Sita. Beyond this lordly mountain, whose interior glows with gold, is another mountain made entirely of gold, with countless streams cascading down its sides. There, elephants, boars, lions, and tigers roar in every direction, exulting in their own mighty voices. On this mountain, the illustrious Indra—lord of the gods and slayer of Vṛtra—was anointed king by the gods themselves. This mountain is known as Megha. Beyond this, protected by Mahendra, you will come to sixty thousand golden mountains, radiant on all sides with the color of the rising sun and adorned with blossoming trees made entirely of gold. In their midst stands King Meru, the supreme mountain, who long ago received a boon from the gracious Sun. The Sun declared to Meru, ‘All who depend on you will, by my grace, be golden both by day and by night.’ The gods, gandharvas, and demons who dwell upon Meru became devoted and radiant, glowing with golden light. The Viśvedevas, Vasus, Maruts, and other celestial beings, having come to the western twilight, approach Meru, the supreme mountain. The sun, swift in its course, traverses ten thousand yojanas to reach the mountain’s peak in half a muhūrta. At the summit stands a great and divine palace, radiant like the sun itself, crowded with mansions, all constructed by Viśvakarman. This splendid abode, adorned with many trees and alive with countless birds, is the dwelling of the great-souled Varuṇa, who holds the noose. Between Mount Meru and the place of the setting sun stands a magnificent palm tree with ten trunks, resplendent and made of pure gold, with a wondrously decorated platform. In all these fortresses, lakes, and rivers, you must search for Ravana and Vaidehī, Sita, in every direction. There dwells the sage Merusāvarṇi, a knower of righteousness, purified by his own austerity and renowned as equal to Brahmā himself. When you reach him, bow your heads to the ground and respectfully ask Merusāvarṇi, the great sage radiant like the sun, for any news concerning Maithilī, Sita.