The strength to continue

स तस्य मध्ये भवनस्य संस्थितो

sa tasya madhye bhavanasya saṃsthito

Standing within that residence,

लतागृहांश्चित्रगृहान् निशागृहान् ।

latāgṛhāṃścitragṛhān niśāgṛhān |

he went through vine-bowers, picture-halls, and sleeping chambers,

जगाम सीतां प्रतिदर्शनोत्सुको

jagāma sītāṃ pratidarśanotsuko

eager to see Sita,

न चैव तां पश्यति चारुदर्शनाम् ॥

na caiva tāṃ paśyati cārudarśanām ||

but could not find her lovely form.

स चिन्तयामास ततो महाकपिः

sa cintayāmāsa tato mahākapiḥ

Then the great vanara thought,

प्रियामपश्यन् रघुनन्दनस्य ताम् ।

priyāmapaśyan raghunandanasya tām |

unable to see the beloved of Raghu's descendant:

ध्रुवं न सीता ध्रियते यथा न मे

dhruvaṃ na sītā dhriyate yathā na me

'Surely Sita is no longer alive,

विचिन्वतो दर्शनमेति मैथिली ॥

vicinvato darśanameti maithilī ||

since the princess of Mithila does not appear despite my search.'

सा राक्षसानां प्रवरेण जानकी

sā rākṣasānāṃ pravareṇa jānakī

'Janaki was intent upon preserving her conduct,

स्वशीलसंरक्षणतत्परा सती ।

svaśīlasaṃrakṣaṇatatparā satī |

firmly established upon the highest noble path.

अनेन नूनं प्रति दुष्टकर्मणा

anena nūnaṃ prati duṣṭakarmaṇā

Surely this wicked lord of rakshasas

हता भवेदार्यपथे परे स्थिता ॥

hatā bhavedāryapathe pare sthitā ||

may have killed her for remaining steadfast.'

विरूपरूपा विकृता विवर्चसो

virūparūpā vikṛtā vivarcaso

'Seeing the rakshasa king's women, distorted in form and lacking beauty,

महानना दीर्घविरूपदर्शनाः ।

mahānanā dīrghavirūpadarśanāḥ |

with great mouths and long, frightening shapes,

समीक्ष्य ता राक्षसराजयोषितो

samīkṣya tā rākṣasarājayoṣito

the daughter of King Janaka

भयाद् विनष्टा जनकेश्वरात्मजा ॥

bhayād vinaṣṭā janakeśvarātmajā ||

may have perished from fear.'

सीतामदृष्ट्वा ह्यनवाप्य पौरुषं

sītāmadṛṣṭvā hyanavāpya pauruṣaṃ

'Without seeing Sita or accomplishing this feat,

विहृत्य कालं सह वानरैश्चिरम् ।

vihṛtya kālaṃ saha vānaraiściram |

after spending so long with the vanaras,

न मेऽस्ति सुग्रीवसमीपगा गतिः

na me’sti sugrīvasamīpagā gatiḥ

I have no way to return to Sugriva;

सुतीक्ष्णदण्डो बलवांश्च वानरः ॥

sutīkṣṇadaṇḍo balavāṃśca vānaraḥ ||

that powerful vanara imposes a very severe punishment.'

दृष्टमन्तःपुरं सर्वं दृष्टा रावणयोषितः ।

dṛṣṭamantaḥpuraṃ sarvaṃ dṛṣṭā rāvaṇayoṣitaḥ |

'I have seen the entire inner palace and Ravana's women,

न सीता दृश्यते साध्वी वृथा जातो मम श्रमः ॥

na sītā dṛśyate sādhvī vṛthā jāto mama śramaḥ ||

but virtuous Sita is unseen; my effort seems wasted.'

किं नु मां वानराः सर्वे गतं वक्ष्यन्ति संगताः ।

kiṃ nu māṃ vānarāḥ sarve gataṃ vakṣyanti saṃgatāḥ |

'What will all the assembled vanaras say when I return?

गत्वा तत्र त्वया वीर किं कृतं तद् वदस्व नः ॥

gatvā tatra tvayā vīra kiṃ kṛtaṃ tad vadasva naḥ ||

“Hero, tell us what you accomplished after going there.”'

अदृष्ट्वा किं प्रवक्ष्यामि तामहं जनकात्मजाम् ।

adṛṣṭvā kiṃ pravakṣyāmi tāmahaṃ janakātmajām |

'What can I say when I have not seen Janaka's daughter?

ध्रुवं प्रायमुपासिष्ये कालस्य व्यतिवर्तने ॥

dhruvaṃ prāyamupāsiṣye kālasya vyativartane ||

With the allotted time passed, I may have to undertake a fast unto death.'

किं वा वक्ष्यति वृद्धश्च जाम्बवानंगदश्च सः ।

kiṃ vā vakṣyati vṛddhaśca jāmbavānaṃgadaśca saḥ |

'What will aged Jambavan, Angada, and the gathered vanaras say

गतं पारं समुद्रस्य वानराश्च समागताः ॥

gataṃ pāraṃ samudrasya vānarāśca samāgatāḥ ||

to one who has crossed to the far shore of the sea?'

अनिर्वेदः श्रियो मूलमनिर्वेदः परं सुखम् ।

anirvedaḥ śriyo mūlamanirvedaḥ paraṃ sukham |

'Not giving way to despair is the root of prosperity and the highest happiness.

भूयस्तत्र विचेष्यामि न यत्र विचयः कृतः ॥

bhūyastatra viceṣyāmi na yatra vicayaḥ kṛtaḥ ||

I will search again where I have not yet looked.'

अनिर्वेदो हि सततं सर्वार्थेषु प्रवर्तकः ।

anirvedo hi satataṃ sarvārtheṣu pravartakaḥ |

'Steadfastness always sets every undertaking in motion

करोति सफलं जन्तोः कर्म यच्च करोति सः ॥

karoti saphalaṃ jantoḥ karma yacca karoti saḥ ||

and makes a person's work successful.'

तस्मादनिर्वेदकरं यत्नं चेष्टेऽहमुत्तमम् ।

tasmādanirvedakaraṃ yatnaṃ ceṣṭe’hamuttamam |

'Therefore I shall make the finest effort without yielding to discouragement,

अदृष्टांश्च विचेष्यामि देशान् रावणपालितान् ॥

adṛṣṭāṃśca viceṣyāmi deśān rāvaṇapālitān ||

and examine the unseen regions protected by Ravana.'

आपानशाला विचितास्तथा पुष्पगृहाणि च ।

āpānaśālā vicitāstathā puṣpagṛhāṇi ca |

'The drinking halls and flower houses have been searched,

चित्रशालाश्च विचिता भूयः क्रीडागृहाणि च ॥

citraśālāśca vicitā bhūyaḥ krīḍāgṛhāṇi ca ||

the picture-galleries and pleasure chambers have been searched again—'

निष्कुटान्तररथ्याश्च विमानानि च सर्वशः ।

niṣkuṭāntararathyāśca vimānāni ca sarvaśaḥ |

'the inner gardens, lanes, and lofty mansions on every side.'

इति संचिन्त्य भूयोऽपि विचेतुमुपचक्रमे ॥

iti saṃcintya bhūyo’pi vicetumupacakrame ||

Thinking thus, he began to search once more.

भूमीगृहांश्चैत्यगृहान् गृहातिगृहकानपि ।

bhūmīgṛhāṃścaityagṛhān gṛhātigṛhakānapi |

He searched underground rooms, sacred halls, and rooms within rooms,

उत्पतन् निपतंश्चापि तिष्ठन् गच्छन् पुनः क्वचित् ॥

utpatan nipataṃścāpi tiṣṭhan gacchan punaḥ kvacit ||

leaping up, descending, pausing, and moving on again.

अपवृण्वंश्च द्वाराणि कपाटान्यवघट्टयन् ।

apavṛṇvaṃśca dvārāṇi kapāṭānyavaghaṭṭayan |

He opened doors and pushed against shutters,

प्रविशन् निष्पतंश्चापि प्रपतन्नुत्पतन्निव ॥

praviśan niṣpataṃścāpi prapatannutpatanniva ||

entered and emerged, dropped down and sprang up.

सर्वमप्यवकाशं स विचचार महाकपिः ।

sarvamapyavakāśaṃ sa vicacāra mahākapiḥ |

The great vanara passed through every available space;

चतुरंगुलमात्रोऽपि नावकाशः स विद्यते ।

caturaṃgulamātro’pi nāvakāśaḥ sa vidyate |

there was not even a gap four fingers wide

रावणान्तःपुरे तस्मिन् यं कपिर्न जगाम सः ॥

rāvaṇāntaḥpure tasmin yaṃ kapirna jagāma saḥ ||

in Ravana's inner palace that he had not reached.

प्राकारान्तरवीथ्यश्च वेदिकाश्चैत्यसंश्रयाः ।

prākārāntaravīthyaśca vedikāścaityasaṃśrayāḥ |

Passages between walls, platforms, places beside shrines,

श्वभ्राश्च पुष्करिण्यश्च सर्वं तेनावलोकितम् ॥

śvabhrāśca puṣkariṇyaśca sarvaṃ tenāvalokitam ||

hollows, and lotus ponds were all examined by him.

राक्षस्यो विविधाकारा विरूपा विकृतास्तथा ।

rākṣasyo vividhākārā virūpā vikṛtāstathā |

Hanuman saw female rakshasas of many forms,

दृष्टा हनुमता तत्र न तु सा जनकात्मजा ॥

dṛṣṭā hanumatā tatra na tu sā janakātmajā ||

strange and distorted, but not Janaka's daughter.

रूपेणाप्रतिमा लोके परा विद्याधरस्त्रियः ।

rūpeṇāpratimā loke parā vidyādharastriyaḥ |

Hanuman saw other vidyadhara women

दृष्टा हनुमता तत्र न तु राघवनन्दिनी ॥

dṛṣṭā hanumatā tatra na tu rāghavanandinī ||

whose beauty was unmatched, but not Raghava's beloved.

नागकन्या वरारोहाः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाः ।

nāgakanyā varārohāḥ pūrṇacandranibhānanāḥ |

He saw lovely naga maidens with faces like the full moon,

दृष्टा हनुमता तत्र न तु सा जनकात्मजा ॥

dṛṣṭā hanumatā tatra na tu sā janakātmajā ||

but still not the daughter of Janaka.

प्रमथ्य राक्षसेन्द्रेण नागकन्या बलाद‍्धृताः ।

pramathya rākṣasendreṇa nāgakanyā balāddhṛtāḥ |

He saw naga maidens whom the rakshasa king

दृष्टा हनुमता तत्र न सा जनकनन्दिनी ॥

dṛṣṭā hanumatā tatra na sā janakanandinī ||

had seized and carried away by force, but not Janaka's daughter.

सोऽपश्यंस्तां महाबाहुः पश्यंश्चान्या वरस्त्रियः ।

so’paśyaṃstāṃ mahābāhuḥ paśyaṃścānyā varastriyaḥ |

Seeing other fine women but not her,

विषसाद महाबाहुर्हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ॥

viṣasāda mahābāhurhanūmān mārutātmajaḥ ||

mighty-armed Hanuman, the son of the Wind, became dejected.

उद्योगं वानरेन्द्राणां प्लवनं सागरस्य च ।

udyogaṃ vānarendrāṇāṃ plavanaṃ sāgarasya ca |

Seeing the vanara leaders' enterprise and his ocean crossing as fruitless,

व्यर्थं वीक्ष्यानिलसुतश्चिन्तां पुनरुपागतः ॥

vyarthaṃ vīkṣyānilasutaścintāṃ punarupāgataḥ ||

the son of the Wind again fell into anxious reflection.

अवतीर्य विमानाच्च हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ।

avatīrya vimānācca hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ |

Descending from the aerial palace, Hanuman, son of the Wind,

चिन्तामुपजगामाथ शोकोपहतचेतनः ॥

cintāmupajagāmātha śokopahatacetanaḥ ||

became absorbed in thought, his mind overcome by grief.