---
title: "Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 53"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/kishkindha-kanda/sarga-53"
lang: "en"
---

# Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 53

> ततस्ते ददृशुर्घोरं सागरं वरुणालयम्।  
> अपारमभिगर्जन्तं घोरैरूर्मिभिराकुलम्॥ १॥

“Then the monkeys beheld the shoreless ocean, the abode of Varuṇa (the god of waters), terribly roaring and wild with angry billows. (1)

> मयस्य मायाविहितं गिरिदुर्गं विचिन्वताम्।  
> तेषां मासो व्यतिक्रान्तो यो राज्ञा समयः कृतः॥ २॥

While they were busy ransacking the mountain fastness brought into existence by recourse to a miraculous craftsmanship by the demon, Maya, the period of one month, which had been fixed as the time-limit for the search of Sītā by Sugrīva, the king, slipped away. (2)

> विन्ध्यस्य तु गिरेः पादे सम्प्रपुष्पितपादपे।  
> उपविश्य महात्मानश्चिन्तामापेदिरे तदा॥ ३॥

Sitting down on a hill adjacent to the Vindhyan range, seeing the trees which had fully blossomed, the high-minded monkeys for their part fell a prey to anxious thought at that juncture. (3)

> ततः पुष्पातिभाराग्राँल्लताशतसमावृतान्।  
> द्रुमान् वासन्तिकान् दृष्ट्वा बभूवुर्भयशङ्किताः॥ ४॥

They now felt alarmed through fear of Sugrīva to perceive the mango and other vernal trees with their extremities bending under the overwhelming weight of blossom and covered with hundreds of climbers.(4)

> ते वसन्तमनुप्राप्तं प्रतिवेद्य परस्परम्।  
> नष्टसंदेशकालार्था निपेतुर्धरणीतले॥ ५॥

Apprising one another of spring having approached, they sank to the ground, the task which had been entrusted to them for being completed within the appointed time having been utterly destroyed. (5)

> ततस्तान् कपिवृद्धांश्च शिष्टांश्चैव वनौकसः।  
> वाचा मधुरयाऽऽभाष्य यथावदनुमान्य च॥ ६॥  
> स तु सिंहवृषस्कन्धः पीनायतभुजः कपिः।  
> युवराजो महाप्राज्ञ अङ्गदो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ ७॥

Addressing in a sweet tone and duly honouring the aforesaid elderly monkeys as well as the other monkeys, that highly intelligent monkey, Aṅgada, the Prince Regent of Kiṣkindhā, for his part, who had shoulders like those of a lion or a bull with stout and long arms, spoke as follows : (6-7)

> शासनात् कपिराजस्य वयं सर्वे विनिर्गताः।  
> मासः पूर्णो बिलस्थानां हरयः किं न बुध्यत॥ ८॥

“We all set out in obedience to the command of Sugrīva (the lord of monkeys), O monkeys ! Don’t you know that a full month elapsed even while we were tarrying in the cave? (8)

> वयमाश्वयुजे मासि कालसंख्याव्यवस्थिताः।  
> प्रस्थिताः सोऽपि चातीतः किमतः कार्यमुत्तरम्॥ ९॥

“Bound by a time-limit we sallied forth in the month of Āświna (roughly corresponding to September of the Gregorian calendar). That month too has passed. What should be done after this? (9)

> भवन्तः प्रत्ययं प्राप्ता नीतिमार्गविशारदाः।  
> हितेष्वभिरता भर्तुर्निसृष्टाः सर्वकर्मसु॥ १०॥

“You have earned the confidence of your master, are adept in the ways of propriety and devoted to his best interests and have been detailed by him on all sorts of errands. (10)

> कर्मस्वप्रतिमाः सर्वे दिक्षु विश्रुतपौरुषाः।  
> मां पुरस्कृत्य निर्याताः पिङ्गाक्षप्रतिचोदिताः॥ ११॥

“You are incomparable in every work, your virility is well-known in every quarter. Commanded by Sugrīva (who is distinguished by his reddish brown eyes) you came away on this expedition placing me at your head. (11)

> इदानीमकृतार्थानां मर्तव्यं नात्र संशयः।  
> हरिराजस्य संदेशमकृत्वा कः सुखी भवेत्॥ १२॥

“Now death is sure to befall us, who have failed to accomplish our purpose: there is no doubt about it. Having failed to execute the instructions of Sugrīva, the lord of monkeys, who can hope to be happy? (12)

> अस्मिन्नतीते काले तु सुग्रीवेण कृते स्वयम्।  
> प्रायोपवेशनं युक्तं सर्वेषां च वनौकसाम्॥ १३॥

“The time-limit fixed by Sugrīva himself having expired now, it is but proper for us, all the monkeys, to sit down without food awaiting death. (13)

> तीक्ष्णः प्रकृत्या सुग्रीवः स्वामिभावे व्यवस्थितः।  
> न क्षमिष्यति नः सर्वानपराधकृतो गतान्॥ १४॥

“Vehement by nature and now established in authority, Sugrīva would never forgive us all if we approach him as offenders. (14)

> अप्रवृत्तौ च सीतायाः पापमेव करिष्यति।  
> तस्मात् क्षममिहाद्यैव गन्तुं प्रायोपवेशनम्॥ १५॥  
> त्यक्त्वा पुत्रांश्च दारांश्च धनानि च गृहाणि च।  
> ध्रुवं नो हिंसते राजा सर्वान् प्रतिगतानितः॥ १६॥

“And in default of any news about Sītā he will surely make short work of us. Therefore, it is desirable for us to have recourse to fasting for death this very day, bidding adieu to our progeny and wife and also our wealth and homes. The king will undoubtedly kill us all when returned from this place (without any news about Sītā). (15-16)

> वधेनाप्रतिरूपेण श्रेयान् मृत्युरिहैव नः।  
> न चाहं यौवराज्येन सुग्रीवेणाभिषेचितः॥ १७॥

“Our death at this very place is preferable to an unbecoming death at the hands of Sugrīva. Moreover, I was not invested with the office of Prince Regent of Kiṣkindhā by Sugrīva. (17)

> नरेन्द्रेणाभिषिक्तोऽस्मि रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।  
> स पूर्वं बद्धवैरो मां राजा दृष्ट्वा व्यतिक्रमम्॥ १८॥  
> घातयिष्यति दण्डेन तीक्ष्णेन कृतनिश्चयः।  
> किं मे सुहृद्भिर्व्यसनं पश्यद्भिर्जीवितान्तरे।  
> इहैव प्रायमासिष्ये पुण्ये सागररोधसि॥ १९॥

“I was so invested by Śrī Rāma, the ruler of men, of unwearied action. Perceiving my transgression, the aforesaid king Sugrīva, who nursed a grudge against me in the former days (when he was robbed of his kingdom and wife by Vālī, my father) and has, therefore, made up his mind to dispose me of, will surely cause me to be killed by recourse to a cruel punishment. What shall I do with my near and dear ones witnessing my being killed in cold blood? I shall accordingly sit down for a fast awaiting death on this holy sea shore itself.” (18-19)

> एतच्छ्रुत्वा कुमारेण युवराजेन भाषितम्।  
> सर्वे ते वानरश्रेष्ठाः करुणं वाक्यमब्रुवन्॥ २०॥

Hearing this statement made by Aṅgada, the Prince Regent of Kiṣkindhā, all the aforesaid monkey leaders gave the following pathetic reply : (20)

> तीक्ष्णः प्रकृत्या सुग्रीवः प्रियारक्तश्च राघवः।  
> समीक्ष्याकृतकार्यांस्तु तस्मिंश्च समये गते॥ २१॥  
> अदृष्टायां च वैदेह्यां दृष्ट्वा चैव समागतान्।  
> राघवप्रियकामाय घातयिष्यत्यसंशयम्॥ २२॥

“Vehement by nature is Sugrīva, while Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) is fond of his consort and therefore too unconcerned to interfere with the cruelty of Sugrīva). Already concluding, on the time-limit appointed for the search having expired, that we had failed to accomplish our end, and futher seeing us returned without Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) being found out, Sugrīva will without doubt have us killed in his eagerness to do what is pleasing to Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). (21-22)

> न क्षमं चापराद्धानां गमनं स्वामिपार्श्वतः।  
> प्रधानभूताश्च वयं सुग्रीवस्य समागताः॥ २३॥

“It is not advisable for offenders to seek the presence of their master. Nay, we are the principal servants of Sugrīva arrived here at his command. (23)

> इहैव सीतामन्वीक्ष्य प्रवृत्तिमुपलभ्य वा।  
> नो चेद् गच्छाम तं वीरं गमिष्यामो यमक्षयम्॥ २४॥

“Let us return to the said hero, Sugrīva, only after we have found out Sītā or obtained information concerning her in this very region; if not, we shall seek the abode of Yama, the god of death.” (24)

> प्लवङ्गमानां तु भयार्दितानां  
> श्रुत्वा वचस्तार इदं बभाषे।  
> अलं विषादेन बिलं प्रविश्य  
> वसाम सर्वे यदि रोचते वः॥ २५॥

Hearing the reply of the monkeys stricken with fear (of meeting their death at the hands of Sugrīva), Tāra for his part made the following submission : “Away with despondency. Re-entering the cave, let us all take up our abode there if it meets with your approval. (25)

> इदं हि मायाविहितं सुदुर्गमं  
> प्रभूतपुष्पोदकभोज्यपेयम्।  
> इहास्ति नो नैव भयं पुरंदरा-  
> न्न राघवाद् वानरराजतोऽपि वा॥ २६॥

“Having been brought into existence by dint of a wonderful craftsmanship, this cave is indeed exceedingly difficult of access and has at the same time a rich stock of flowers, water, foods and drinks. Here there will be no cause whatsoever for fear to us from Indra (the destroyer of strongholds), much less from Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) and still less from Sugrīva (the ruler of monkeys).” (26)

> श्रुत्वाङ्गदस्यापि वचोऽनुकूल-  
> मूचुश्च सर्वे हरयः प्रतीताः।  
> यथा न हन्येम तथा विधान-  
> मसक्तमद्यैव विधीयतां नः॥ २७॥

Restored to confidence on hearing the favourable utterance of Aṅgada as also of Tāra, all the monkeys cried in one voice : “Let us without loss of time take recourse this very day to an expedient by adopting which we may not be killed by Sugrīva.” (27)

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