Hari Om.
Let us begin the forty ninth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
With the search squads bound to the eastern, western and the northern directions returning without any news of sItA at the end of the stipulated one month period, the focus is now on the search taking place south of the vindhyA range. This was led by prince angada and the team was replete with several very experienced, mighty, courageous and brave warriors including the best of them all, hanumAn. King sugrIva himself placed his bets in favor of hanumAn and following up, rAma gave him the signet ring to be presented to sItA so as to identify himself as having been sent by rAma. The southern squad set about its task in the elongated mountain ranges of vindhyA, scanning every cave, grove and peak, not leaving an inch to chance. Suddenly there emerged a demon and the excited angada ensured the demon bit the dust hit by him assuming him to be rAvaNa. As the elaborate search was wearing on, at places where there was nothing to eat, the vAnaras felt a bit disappointed. They would search through the day and assemble at one of the trees by the night, down with disappointment. Onwards…
The leader angada, who was very intelligent, consoled his tired lot and spoke gently –
“We have thoroughly searched through the inaccessible and dense forests, rivers, mountains, caves and everywhere else. However sItA who resembles the daughter of the gods has not been found by us nor has the demon who abducted her. On the other hand, a lot of time given by king sugrIva stipulated in his stern order has elapsed. Therefore, all of you need to get together, discard stupor, disappointment, laze and carry out the quest such that we are able to find sItA. Enthusiasm, ability and not accepting defeat are the important determinants of accomplishment and hence I exhort you.
अनिर्वेदं च दाक्ष्यं च मनसश्चापराजयः।
कार्यसिद्धिकराण्याहुस्तस्मादेतद्ब्रवीम्यहम्।।4.49.6।।
All of you, please go back and search through the inaccessible forest thoroughly leaving behind the disappointment. The hard work that you put in will of course see accomplishment and so it is not wise to just close your eyes and succumb to disappointment. King sugrIva is strict and stern meting out terrible punishment. We shall be wary of him and the great rAma.
सुग्रीवः कोपनो राजा तीक्ष्णदण्डश्च वानरः।
भेतव्यं तस्य सततं रामस्य च महात्मनः।।4.49.9।।
I have spoken all this for our good. Do as I said if it is acceptable to you, or you may also propose if you have any other thoughts in your mind”.
Having heard the words of angada, the vAnara warrior gandhamAdana, tired and worn down by thirst, said –
“What angada has said is indeed in our welfare and favour and we ought to follow it. We shall, once again, search through the mountains, caves and caverns, forests and other desolate regions which have been exemplified by the great sugrIva”.
Agreeing with the pronouncement of gandhamAdana which was in accordance with angada’s suggestion, the vAnaras resumed the search in the forests to the south of the vindhyas. Eager to know the whereabouts of sItA, the vAnaras ascended the multi-peaked ranges of the silver mountain that resembled post-monsoon clouds and were white in colour. They sifted through the caves and caverns of that mountain range and reached the forests of lOdhra and saptaparNa. Having searched widely, the vAnaras still didn’t get a glimpse of vaidEhI and dejected, descended from the mountains and assembled at the foothill under a tree and were low in spirits. Still, picking themselves up, discarding disappointment, the vAnaras troubled by thirst and hunger continued the quest after resting there for a while. Led by warrior hanumAn they continued their quest in the expansive ranges of the vindhyas and further south, often repeating the quest in the regions where they had searched already.
Here we conclude the forty ninth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 4.50. vAnaras in the wonderland!
Previous: 4.48. South bound search squad at work
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
