वानरांस्तु महातेजा अब्रवीद् गन्धमादनः। योजनानां गमिष्यामि पञ्चाशत्तु न संशयः
Then Gandhamādana, of great energy, said to the monkeys: 'I will go fifty yojanas, without doubt.'
मैन्दस्तु वानरस्तत्र वानरांस्तानुवाच ह। योजनानां परं षष्टिमहं प्लवितुमुत्सहे
There, Mainda the monkey said to those monkeys: 'I am able to leap sixty yojanas.'
ततस्तत्र महातेजा द्विविदः प्रत्यभाषत। गमिष्यामि न संदेहः सप्ततिं योजनान्यहम्
Then, the mighty Dvivida spoke there: 'I will go seventy yojanas, without doubt.'
सुषेणस्तु महातेजाः सत्त्ववान् कपिसत्तमः। अशीतिं प्रतिजानेऽहं योजनानां पराक्रमे
And Suṣeṇa, the most valiant and virtuous among monkeys, declared: 'I promise to go eighty yojanas with my strength.'
तेषां कथयतां तत्र सर्वांस्ताननुमान्य च। ततो वृद्धतमस्तेषां जाम्बवान् प्रत्यभाषत
As they all spoke thus, and after acknowledging them all, the eldest among them, Jāmbavān, then spoke.
पूर्वमस्माकमप्यासीत् कश्चिद् गतिपराक्रमः। ते वयं वयसः पारमनुप्राप्ताः स्म साम्प्रतम्
In the past, we too possessed some prowess in speed, but now we have reached the limit of our age.
किं तु नैवं गते शक्यमिदं कार्यमुपेक्षितुम्। यदर्थं कपिराजश्च रामश्च कृतनिश्चयौ
Yet, even so, this task cannot be neglected, for which both the monkey king and Rāma are firmly resolved.
साम्प्रतं कालमस्माकं या गतिस्तां निबोधत। नवतिं योजनानां तु गमिष्यामि न संशयः
Now, hear what speed remains to us at this time: I will go ninety yojanas, without doubt.
तांश्च सर्वान् हरिश्रेष्ठाञ्जाम्बवानिदमब्रवीत्। न खल्वेतावदेवासीद् गमने मे पराक्रमः
To all those best of monkeys, Jāmbavān said: 'This was not the extent of my prowess in travel.'
मया वैरोचने यज्ञे प्रभविष्णुः सनातनः। प्रदक्षिणीकृतः पूर्वं क्रममाणस्त्रिविक्रमम्
In the sacrifice of Vairocana, I once circumambulated the eternal, all-powerful Viṣṇu, as he took his three strides.
स इदानीमहं वृद्धः प्लवने मन्दविक्रमः। यौवने च तदासीन्मे बलमप्रतिमं परम्
Now I am old, and my vigor in leaping is slow; but in my youth, my strength was truly incomparable and supreme.
सम्प्रत्येतावदेवाद्य शक्यं मे गमने स्वतः। नैतावता च संसिद्धिः कार्यस्यास्य भविष्यति
At present, today, I am only able to go this far on my own; but with just this, the success of this task will not be achieved.
अथोत्तरमुदारार्थमब्रवीदङ्गदस्तदा। अनुमान्य तदा प्राज्ञो जाम्बवन्तं महाकपिः
Then, for the sake of a noble purpose, Angada spoke further, having first taken counsel with the wise Jāmbavān, the great monkey.
अहमेतद् गमिष्यामि योजनानां शतं महत्। निवर्तने तु मे शक्तिः स्यान्न वेति न निश्चितम्
I myself will go this great distance of a hundred yojanas; but whether I have the strength to return or not, that is not certain.
तमुवाच हरिश्रेष्ठं जाम्बवान् वाक्यकोविदः। ज्ञायते गमने शक्तिस्तव हर्यृक्षसत्तम
To him, the foremost of monkeys, Jāmbavān, skilled in speech, replied: 'Your strength for the journey is known, O best of the monkey and bear heroes.'
कामं शतसहस्रं वा नह्येष विधिरुच्यते। योजनानां भवान् शक्तो गन्तुं प्रतिनिवर्तितुम्
Indeed, you are able to go and return even a hundred thousand yojanas; but this is not the proper order of things.
नहि प्रेषयिता तात स्वामी प्रेष्यः कथंचन। भवतायं जनः सर्वः प्रेष्यः प्लवगसत्तम
For, dear one, a master is never to be sent as a messenger; all these people, O best of monkeys, are to be sent by you.
भवान् कलत्रमस्माकं स्वामिभावे व्यवस्थितः। स्वामी कलत्रं सैन्यस्य गतिरेषा परंतप
You are like a spouse to us, established in the role of master; the master is the spouse of the army, and its guide, O subduer of enemies.
अपि वै तस्य कार्यस्य भवान् मूलमरिंदम। तस्मात् कलत्रवत् तात प्रतिपाल्यः सदा भवान्
Indeed, you are the root of this task, O destroyer of foes; therefore, dear one, you must always be protected as one would a spouse.
मूलमर्थस्य संरक्ष्यमेष कार्यविदां नयः। मूले हि सति सिध्यन्ति गुणाः सर्वे फलोदयाः
The root of a purpose must be protected; this is the policy of those who know how to accomplish tasks. When the root is secure, all virtues and the fruits of action are attained.
तद् भवानस्य कार्यस्य साधनं सत्यविक्रम। वुद्धिविक्रमसम्पन्नो हेतुरत्र परंतप
Therefore, you are the means for the accomplishment of this task, steadfast in truth and valor; endowed with wisdom and courage, you are the chief cause here, O subduer of enemies.
गुरुश्च गुरुपुत्रश्च त्वं हि नः कपिसत्तम। भवन्तमाश्रित्य वयं समर्था ह्यर्थसाधने
You are both our elder and the son of our elder, O best of monkeys; relying on you, we are indeed capable of accomplishing our purpose.
उक्तवाक्यं महाप्राज्ञं जाम्बवन्तं महाकपिः। प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं वाक्यं वालिसूनुरथाङ्गदः
To the wise Jāmbavān, who had spoken thus, the great monkey Angada, son of Vāli, replied with these further words:
यदि नाहं गमिष्यामि नान्यो वानरपुङ्गवः। पुनः खल्विदमस्माभिः कार्यं प्रायोपवेशनम्
If I do not go, nor any other foremost monkey, then for us, the only course left for this task is to undertake a fast unto death.
नह्यकृत्वा हरिपतेः संदेशं तस्य धीमतः। तत्रापि गत्वा प्राणानां न पश्ये परिरक्षणम्
For, without carrying out the command of the wise lord of the monkeys, even if we go there, I do not see any way to preserve our lives.
स हि प्रसादे चात्यर्थकोपे च हरिरीश्वरः। अतीत्य तस्य संदेशं विनाशो गमने भवेत्
For, whether pleased or greatly angered, the lord of the monkeys is supreme; if his command is disregarded, destruction will follow the journey.
तत्तथा ह्यस्य कार्यस्य न भवत्यन्यथा गतिः। तद् भवानेव दृष्टार्थः संचिन्तयितुमर्हति
Thus, for this task, there is truly no other way; therefore, you alone, who understand the matter, should consider what is to be done.
सोऽङ्गदेन तदा वीरः प्रत्युक्तः प्लवगर्षभः। जाम्बवानुत्तमं वाक्यं प्रोवाचेदं ततोऽङ्गदम्
Then, addressed by Angada, the heroic bull among monkeys, Jāmbavān spoke these excellent words to Angada:
तस्य ते वीर कार्यस्य न किंचित् परिहास्यते। एष संचोदयाम्येनं यः कार्यं साधयिष्यति
For this task of yours, O hero, nothing at all should be neglected; I will now urge him who will accomplish the task.
ततः प्रतीतं प्लवतां वरिष्ठ- मेकान्तमाश्रित्य सुखोपविष्टम्। संचोदयामास हरिप्रवीरो हरिप्रवीरं हनुमन्तमेव
Then, the foremost among the monkeys, seated comfortably in a secluded spot, was encouraged by the heroic leader of the monkeys—he urged Hanuman, the best of the monkey warriors.