September 27 - Sargas 47 and 48 of Kishkindha Kanda.
The search parties return empty-handed from the north, east, and west within the time limit of one month.
The southward party of Hanuman and others encounter strange experiences, but there is no sign of Sita anywhere.
***
The vanaras despatched northward, eastward, and westward searched most diligently every city, mountain, cave, and forest for Sita. They used to fan out at daybreak and exert themselves all day, only to retire at night very tired and hungry. They found fruit-laden trees and managed to eat whatever they could, at night.
विचित्य दिवसं सर्वे सीताधिगमने ़धृताः ।
आसाद्य रजनीं शय्यां चक्रुः सर्वेष्वहःसु ते ॥
"They spent every day making a thorough search in every nook and corner for Sita, resting only at nightfall on the bare earth wherever they found spots. "
तदहः प्रथमं कृत्वा मासे प्रस्रवणं गताः ।
कपिराजेन संगम्य निराशाः कपिकुञ्जराः ॥
"On the day that the one-month period ended, all the vanaras from the three directions returned to Prasravana mountain and reported to their lord Sugriva their disappointing news that they could not gather any information on Sita's whereabouts."
The vanara chiefs were apprehensive of Sugriva's anger on account of their failure. Yet, they went up to him.
Valmiki narrates how Sushena, Shatabali, Vinata, recounted all their adventures in crossing mountains and rivers, searching everywhere, even in intractable forests and deep caves, but in vain.
But all of them held out the same hope as Sugriva. Sugriva had seen that Sita was being carried off southward towards his Lankapuri by Ravana. Now that the ablest one of all, Hanuman himself, had been sent southward, he would be able to get good news about Sita.
***
Hanuman, along with the vanara chiefs Tara and Angada, thoroughly combed the Vindhyas, looking in every cave. They all travelled to many forts and cities and relentlessly looked for Sri Rama's queen Sita. They managed with whatever forest fare was available and were very conscious of the lapse of time. But no sign of Sita.
Once they entered a strange forest with tree stumps shorn of all greenery, the whole region water-less and desolate with even no insects in sight. This was a region cursed by a rishi by the name of Kandu whose sixteen-year-old son had died there. In his anger, the rishi had turned the place into a lifeless land. Finding the going very tough, Hanuman and the rest of vanaras moved to the next region which was full of creepers and bushes.
There a huge demon appeared all of a sudden, ready to kill the vanaras. He rushed towards them, ready to devour them. Angada was quick to act.
तमापतन्तं सहसा वालिपुत्रोऽङ्गदस्तदा ।
रावणोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा तलेनाभिजघान ह ॥
"Thinking that the demon attacking them was none other than Ravana, Vali's brave son Angada at once leapt at him and struck a powerful blow with his palm."
Struck by Angada, the demon fell to the ground, vomiting blood and lay dead. Then the hopeful vanaras enthusiastically searched everywhere around for Sita, in the nearby forests and deep caves. But alas, there was no Sita.
Finally, all the vanaras collected under a tree, looking jaded and dejected after meeting with no success at all in their search for Sita.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
