Driven from his own kingdom by his brother Vali, all because of a woman, Sugriva wandered with great power but deep sorrow. In those days, Rama, flawless in his deeds, was afflicted by grief born from your loss, O noble lady. Lakshmana, Rama’s devoted brother, approached Sugriva, the king of monkeys, and spoke to him about Rama’s plight. Sugriva listened carefully to Lakshmana’s words, but at that moment he was utterly dispirited, like the sun eclipsed by a planet. Then, adorned with your ornaments—those precious garlands and jewels taken by the demon and dropped upon the earth—the leaders of the monkey troops gathered them and brought them to Rama. Joyful, they presented the ornaments to Rama, though none knew the path you had taken. I myself brought them, eager to help. Amidst the tumult and confusion, Rama’s mind was distressed. He placed those beautiful ornaments in his lap and gazed upon them again and again, turning them over in his hands, seeking some sign of you. With divine radiance, as if touched by the gods, Rama lamented deeply. He wept as he looked upon your ornaments, suffering repeatedly from the pain of separation. At that moment, the son of Dasharatha kindled the fire of grief within himself. Overwhelmed by sorrow, he lay for a long time, his great soul weighed down. With difficulty, I tried to console him, speaking many comforting words to raise him up again. Having seen those precious ornaments and showing them to Lakshmana again and again, Rama, together with Saumitri, entrusted them to Sugriva. Yet, because he could not see you, O noble lady, Raghava was tormented, burning with a great fire of longing, like a mountain ablaze. Sleeplessness, grief, and anxiety afflicted Rama for your sake, O queen, like flames in a house of fire. The sorrow of not seeing you shook him, as a mighty earthquake shakes a great mountain. Even as he roamed through delightful forests and river springs, he found no pleasure, for you were not there, O princess. But that tiger among men, Raghava, will soon reach you, O daughter of Janaka, after slaying Ravana with the help of his friends and kinsmen. Then, Rama and Sugriva forged an agreement: to kill Vali and to search for you together. Afterward, the lord of the monkeys, Sugriva, accompanied by Rama and Lakshmana, approached Kishkindha. There, Vali was slain in battle. Rama, having swiftly killed Vali, made Sugriva the lord of all the troops of monkeys and bears. Thus, O queen, the alliance between Rama and Sugriva was formed. Know me, Hanuman, as the messenger who has come on their behalf. Having regained his kingdom, Sugriva summoned the great monkeys and sent mighty ones in all ten directions to search for you. Commanded by the powerful king Sugriva, those monkeys, who resembled mountains, set out everywhere across the earth. Following Sugriva’s command, we and other monkeys, eager to fulfill his words, searched the entire earth. Among us was Angada, the illustrious and mighty son of Vali, a tiger among monkeys, who set out accompanied by a third of the army’s strength. For us, lost and overwhelmed by grief, many days and nights passed on the best of mountains, the Vindhya. Despairing of our task as time slipped away, and out of fear of the monkey king, we were ready to give up our lives. Having searched the mountain strongholds and river sources, and not finding any trace of you, O queen, we resolved to give up our lives. Then, on the summit of that mountain, we undertook a fast unto death, seeing all the foremost monkeys seated for the same purpose. Immersed in a sea of sorrow, Angada lamented deeply—over your loss, O Vaidehi, and also over the death of Vali. Our resolve was to fast unto death, just as Jatayu had died; for us, hopeless and wishing to die, this was the command of our lord. Then, for the sake of our mission, there came a great and mighty bird, Sampati by name, the heroic king of vultures and brother of the vulture king. Hearing of his brother’s death, Sampati spoke in anger: “By whom was my younger brother killed, and where did he fall?” He wished to hear this from us, and Angada told him of the great killing at Janasthana. Hearing of Jatayu’s death at the hands of a fearsome demon, for your sake and exactly as it happened, Sampati, son of Aruna, was filled with grief. He spoke to you, O lady of beautiful form, as you dwelt in Ravana’s abode; hearing those words brought great joy to Sampati. Then, under Angada’s leadership, we were all sent forth. Rising from the Vindhya mountains, we reached the excellent shore of the ocean. Eager for your sight, delighted and strengthened, all the monkeys led by Angada arrived at the edge of the shore. But, longing to see you, they again fell into great anxiety. Then I, seeing the monkey army sitting by the ocean, cast aside intense fear and leapt a hundred yojanas. At night, I entered Lanka, crowded with rakshasas. There, I saw Ravana and you, afflicted by sorrow. O faultless one, all this I have told you exactly as it happened. Now, speak to me, O lady, for I am the messenger of Dasharatha’s son. It is for your sake that Rama has made this great effort, and I have come here.