SECTION XLII.
Having despatched those monkeys in a southern direction, Sugriva spoke unto the monkey named Sushena, resembling a mass of clouds. Approaching his father-in-law, Tārā's father, possessed of dreadful prowess, the king, bowing and with joined hands, spoke unto him. And Sugriva commanded the Maharshi's son, Māricha, and the mighty ape, Archishmat, surrounded hy the heroic foremost of monkeys,— possessing the splendour of Mahendra, gifted with sense and vigor; and resembling the offspring himself of Vinatā in brightness; and Marichi's son,—the Mārichas—the mighty Archirmālyas,—all these sons of the saint[145] —(to march) towards the West, saying,—"Ye monkey-chiefs, let twice hundred thousand monkeys led by Sushena (set out) to search Vaidehi. Ye foremost of monkeys, do ye explore the Saurāshtras, the Bāhlikas, the Chandrachitras, and (other) populous and fair provinces and spacious cities, and Kukshi, dense with Punnāgas,[146] and filled with Vakulas and Uddalakas; as well as the tracts covered with Ketaka trees; and auspicious streams bearing their cool waters westward; and the forests of ascetics; and mountains embosoming woods. There having explored tracts resembling deserts, and cold cliffs towering high, and the West, covered with mountain ranges, and extremely difficult of access,—and proceeding at a little more to the west, it behoves you to have a view of the sea. And proceeding on, ye monkeys, ye shall see (the ocean), whose waters abound in whales and alligators, ye monkeys.[147] Then the apes shall sport in tracts covered by Ketakas, and dense with Tomālas and woods of cocoanuts. There shall ye look for Sitā and the mansion of Rāvana, in hills and woods on the shores of the sea; and (explore) Murachipattana, and the delightful Jatāpura, and Avanti, and Angalapā, as well as in the wood (called) Alakshita, and spacious monarchies, and emporiums. There is a mighty mountain where the Sindhu falls into the sea, Somagiri by name; having an hundred summits and tall trees. In its plateaus there are certain birds (called) Sinhas. These lift up to their nests whales and elephants. The proud elephants carried to the nests and remaining on the summits of the mountain, possessing the roar of clouds,having been gratified (with food), range around this extensive table-land filled with water. The monkeys, capable of wearing shapes at will, should swiftly search its golden summit towering to the sky and filled with graceful trees. Proceeding further, the monkeys shall behold the golden summit of Pāriyātra rising from the sea and extending over an hundred yojanas. There dwell all around in a body four and twenty kotis of ascetic Gandharbas, resembling fire, dreadful, practicising impiety, and like unto flames of fire. The monkeys of dreadful prowess should not present themselves before those, nor should they take any fruits from that country. Those heroes are hard to approach; and they are truthful and possessed of great might. And there they of dreadful prowess stow away their fruits and roots. There ye should needfully search for Jānaki. Ye have no fear whatever from them; do ye only follow your native nature as monkeys. There, in hue like lapises, abounding in various kinds of trees and plants, is a mighty hill of an adamantine basis, called Vajra; beautiful, famous, and measuring an hundred yojanas in height and area. There let the monkeys carefully explore the caves. On the fourth side of the Ocean is a mountain named Chakravān. There Viçwakarmā forged the discus (called) Sahasrāra. There, slaying Panchajana and the Dānava, Hayagriva,[148] the Best of male beings obtained the discus as well as the conch. In those beautiful plateaus and huge caves, ye should everywhere search for Rāvana with Videha's daughter. Sunk in the depths of the sea, is a very great mountain named Varāha, having golden peaks and measuring four and sixty yojanas. In it is a city named Prāgjyotisha, all of gold. There dwells the wicked Dānava named Naraka.[149] There do ye everywhere search for Rāvana along with Vaidehi in the beautiful plateaus and huge caves. Passing beyond that foremost of mountains, whose sight betrays the secret of its bowels being freighted with gold, (ye shall come upon) the mountain Sarvasauvarna, furnished with fountains and cascades. Coming to it, elephants, and boars, and lions, and tigers, on all sides roar ceaselessly, wrought up by the echoes their own cries have produced. This is the mountain named Megha, where the graceful green-horsed vanquisher of Pāka, Mahendra, was installed king by the gods. Having passed by that mountain protected by Mahendra, ye shall repair to sixty thousand hills of gold; in hue like the infant sun, and blazing on all sides and embellished by blossoming golden trees. In the midst of them is established as king, Meru, best of mountains. Formerly the Sun being well pleased, conferred a boon on this mountain, and he addressed the mountain, saying,—'By my grace all the hills that are under thy protection, shall be golden day and night; and also those gods Gandharbas and Dānavas that shall dwell in thee, shall be filled with reverence for me and to the boot attain a golden glory.' Coming to the excellent mountain Meru, Viçwadevas, the Vasus, the Maruts and the celestials, adore the Sun in the western twilight. Adored by them, the Sun, becoming invisible, repaireth to the Setting hill.[150] In half a muhurta, the Sun swiftly passes over this (mountain), measuring, as it does, ten thousand yojanas. On its peak rises an edifice; resembling the sun (in splendour); consisting of palatial mansions built by Viçwakarmā; and graced by goodly trees rife with various birds,—the residence of the high-souled Varuna, bearing the noose in his hand. Between Meru and the Setting hill, towers a tall palm having ten heads. Golden and graceful, it shineth on a variegated dais. In all these, difficult of access, as also in rivers and tanks, ye should thoroughly search for Rāvana along with Vaidehi. There dwells there the righteous and famous Merusāvarni, sanctified by virtue of his own asceticism, and like unto Brahmā, himself.[151] Bowing down your heads to the earth, ye should ask the Maharshi Merusāvarni, resembling the sun, touching Mithilā's daughter. On the departure of night, the sun dispells the darkness of the world to this extent, and then enters the Setting hill. Ye foremost of monkeys, the monkeys are able to proceed thus far. Beyond this, of what is sunless and boundless I know nothing. Having come to Vaidehi and Rāvana's mansions, and arrived at the Setting-hill, do ye return on the month being complete. Ye must not stay above a month; and if ye do, ye must be slain by me. And along with you goeth that hero, my father-in-law. Ye, abiding by his orders, should listen to all that he sayeth. My mighty-armed father- in-law. gifted with great strength, is my spiritual preceptor. All of you possessed of prowess, yourselves certainly constitute the measure whereby to ascertain the wisdom or otherwise of a course. Making this one also into a measure, survey the western quarter. Having requited the good that hath been done to us, we shall attain our end. De ye also determine what else is agreeable (unto Rāma), and in consonance with place, season and profit, should be performed by you in the matter of this business." Then those monkeys— the monkey chiefs headed by Sushena, having heard Sugriva's deft speech, set out for the quarter protected by Varuna.