तरुणादित्यवर्णानि भ्राजमानानि सर्वतः। जातरूपमयैर्वृक्षैः शोभितानि सुपुष्पितैः
Radiant on all sides with the color of the rising sun, they are adorned with blossoming trees made entirely of gold.
तेषां मध्ये स्थितो राजा मेरुरुत्तमपर्वतः। आदित्येन प्रसन्नेन शैलो दत्तवरः पुरा
In the midst of them stands king Meru, the supreme mountain, who long ago received a boon from the gracious Sun.
तेनैवमुक्तः शैलेन्द्रः सर्व एव त्वदाश्रयाः। मत्प्रसादाद् भविष्यन्ति दिवा रात्रौ च काञ्चनाः
Thus addressed by the Sun, the lord of mountains was told: 'All who depend on you will, by my grace, be golden both by day and by night.'
त्वयि ये चापि वत्स्यन्ति देवगन्धर्वदानवाः। ते भविष्यन्ति भक्ताश्च प्रभया काञ्चनप्रभाः
And those gods, gandharvas, and demons who dwell upon you will become devoted and radiant with a golden glow.
विश्वेदेवाश्च वसवो मरुतश्च दिवौकसः। आगत्य पश्चिमां संध्यां मेरुमुत्तमपर्वतम्
The Viśvedevas, Vasus, Maruts, and the celestial beings, having come to the western twilight, approach Meru, the supreme mountain.
योजनानां सहस्राणि दश तानि दिवाकरः। मुहूर्तार्धेन तं शीघ्रमभियाति शिलोच्चयम्
The sun swiftly traverses those ten thousand yojanas to that mountain peak in half a muhūrta.
शृङ्गे तस्य महद्दिव्यं भवनं सूर्यसंनिभम्। प्रासादगणसम्बाधं विहितं विश्वकर्मणा
On its summit is a great and divine palace, radiant like the sun, crowded with mansions, constructed by Viśvakarman.
शोभितं तरुभिश्चित्रैर्नानापक्षिसमाकुलैः। निकेतं पाशहस्तस्य वरुणस्य महात्मनः
Adorned with various trees, teeming with many kinds of birds, is the splendid abode of the great-souled Varuṇa, who holds the noose.
अन्तरा मेरुमस्तं च तालो दशशिरा महान्। जातरूपमयः श्रीमान् भ्राजते चित्रवेदिकः
Between Mount Meru and the setting place stands a great palm tree with ten trunks, resplendent, made of pure gold, with a wondrously decorated platform.
तेषु सर्वेषु दुर्गेषु सरस्सु च सरित्सु च। रावणः सह वैदेह्या मार्गितव्यस्ततस्ततः
In all those fortresses, lakes, and rivers, Rāvaṇa together with Vaidehī must be searched for, here and there.
यत्र तिष्ठति धर्मज्ञस्तपसा स्वेन भावितः। मेरुसावर्णिरित्येष ख्यातो वै ब्रह्मणा समः
There dwells the knower of righteousness, purified by his own austerity, renowned as Merusāvarṇi, equal to Brahmā.
प्रष्टव्यो मेरुसावर्णिर्महर्षिः सूर्यसंनिभः। प्रणम्य शिरसा भूमौ प्रवृत्तिं मैथिलीं प्रति
You should respectfully ask Merusāvarṇi, the great sage radiant like the sun, bowing your heads to the ground, for news concerning Maithilī.
एतावज्जीवलोकस्य भास्करो रजनीक्षये। कृत्वा वितिमिरं सर्वमस्तं गच्छति पर्वतम्
Up to this point, the sun, at the end of the night, after dispelling all darkness, sets upon the mountain at the boundary of the world of living beings.
एतावद् वानरैः शक्यं गन्तुं वानरपुङ्गवाः। अभास्करममर्यादं न जानीमस्ततः परम्
Up to this place, O foremost of monkeys, it is possible for you to go; beyond this, which is sunless and without bounds, we do not know.
अवगम्य तु वैदेहीं निलयं रावणस्य च। अस्तं पर्वतमासाद्य पूर्णे मासे निवर्तत
Having ascertained the whereabouts of Vaidehī and the dwelling of Rāvaṇa, and reaching the setting mountain, return within a full month.
ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न वस्तव्यं वसन् वध्यो भवेन्मम। सहैव शूरो युष्माभिः श्वशुरो मे गमिष्यति
Beyond a month you must not stay; if you remain, you will incur my punishment. Along with you, my valiant father-in-law will also depart.
श्रोतव्यं सर्वमेतस्य भवद्भिर्दिष्टकारिभिः। गुरुरेष महाबाहुः श्वशुरो मे महाबलः
All this must be listened to by you, who act as instructed; this mighty-armed one is your teacher, my father-in-law of great strength.
भवन्तश्चापि विक्रान्ताः प्रमाणं सर्व एव हि। प्रमाणमेनं संस्थाप्य पश्यध्वं पश्चिमां दिशम्
And you too are all valiant and reliable in every way; having established him as your measure, look towards the western direction.
दृष्टायां तु नरेन्द्रस्य पत्न्याममिततेजसः। कृतकृत्या भविष्यामः कृतस्य प्रतिकर्मणा
When the wife of the king of immeasurable splendor has been found, we shall have accomplished our task by fulfilling what was undertaken.
अतोऽन्यदपि यत्कार्यं कार्यस्यास्य प्रियं भवेत्। सम्प्रधार्य भवद्भिश्च देशकालार्थसंहितम्
If there is any other action that would be pleasing for this task, you should consider it, taking into account place, time, and purpose.
ततः सुषेणप्रमुखाः प्लवङ्गाः सुग्रीववाक्यं निपुणं निशम्य। आमन्त्र्य सर्वे प्लवगाधिपं ते जग्मुर्दिशं तां वरुणाभिगुप्ताम्
Then the monkeys, led by Suṣeṇa, having attentively heard Sugrīva’s careful words, saluted the lord of monkeys and set out for that region protected by Varuṇa.
thumb|त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे किष्किन्धाकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥४-
Let the forty-third chapter be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa.
ततः संदिश्य सुग्रीवः श्वशुरं पश्चिमां दिशम्। वीरं शतबलिं नाम वानरं वानरेश्वरः
Then Sugrīva, having instructed his father-in-law, sent the heroic monkey named Śatabali towards the western direction.
उवाच राजा सर्वज्ञः सर्ववानरसत्तमः। वाक्यमात्महितं चैव रामस्य च हितं तदा
The king, all-knowing and foremost among all monkeys, spoke words beneficial to himself and to Rāma at that time.
वृतः शतसहस्रेण त्वद्विधानां वनौकसाम्। वैवस्वतसुतैः सार्धं प्रविष्टः सर्वमन्त्रिभिः
Accompanied by a hundred thousand forest-dwelling monkeys like yourself, and together with the sons of Vaivasvata, he entered with all his ministers.
दिशं ह्युदीचीं विक्रान्तां हिमशैलावतंसिकाम्। सर्वतः परिमार्गध्वं रामपत्नीं यशस्विनीम्
Search in every direction the mighty northern quarter, adorned with the Himalayan mountains, for Rama's illustrious wife.
अस्मिन् कार्ये विनिर्वृत्ते कृते दाशरथेः प्रिये। ऋणान्मुक्ता भविष्यामः कृतार्थार्थविदां वराः
When this task is accomplished and the beloved of Dasharatha's son is found, we shall be freed from our debts and be foremost among those who fulfill their purpose.
कृतं हि प्रियमस्माकं राघवेण महात्मना। तस्य चेत्प्रतिकारोऽस्ति सफलं जीवितं भवेत्
For the great-souled Raghava has done us a great favor; if we can repay him, our lives will have borne fruit.
अर्थिनः कार्यनिर्वृत्तिमकर्तुरपि यश्चरेत्। तस्य स्यात् सफलं जन्म किं पुनः पूर्वकारिणः
If one fulfills the wish of a supplicant, even if that person has done nothing for him, his birth is fruitful—how much more so when repaying a previous benefactor.
एतां बुद्धिं समास्थाय दृश्यते जानकी यथा। तथा भवद्भिः कर्तव्यमस्मत्प्रियहितैषिभिः
Holding firmly to this resolve, you who seek what is dear and beneficial to us must act so that Janaki may be found.