Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/441

Rh Then Sugríva with Angad and the other monkeys went forth with joy, preceded by Lakshman, and arrived in Ráma's presence.

With folded hands he bowed his head at his feet and cried: "My lord, it has been no fault of mine. Your delusive power, sire, is so strong that only Ráma's favour can disperse it. Gods and men, saints and kings are mastered by their senses; and I am but a poor brute beast, a monkey, one of the most libidinous of animals. A man who is invulnerable by the arrow of a woman's eye, who remains wakeful through the dark night of angry passion, and whose neck has never been bound by the halter of covetousness, is your equal, O Raghurái. It is a virtue not attainable by any religious observances; it is only by your grace that one here and one there can accomplish it." Then Raghupati smiled and said: "You are as dear to me as my own brother Bharat. Now take thought and make an effort to get tidings of Sita."

While they were yet thus speaking, the troops of monkeys arrived, of all colours and from all parts of the world, a monkey host marvellous to behold.

I, Uma, saw this army of monkeys; only a fool would try to count them. They came and bowed the head at Ráma's feet and gazing upon his face found in him their true lord. In the whole host there was not a single monkey to whom Ráma did not give separate greeting. This is no great miracle for the lord Raghurái, who is omnipresent and all-pervading. They all stood as they were told, rank after rank, while Sugríva thus spoke and instructed them: "In Ráma's behoof and at my request go forth ye monkey hosts in every direction. Make search for Janak's daughter, my brethren, and return within a month. Whoever comes back, at the end of the time without any news shall die at my hands."

No sooner had they heard this speech than all the monkeys started at once in every direction. Sugríva then called Angad, Nila and Hanumán:

"Hearken, Nila, Angad and Hanumún, and you, O staunch and sagacious Jámbaván; go ye together, all ye gallant warriors, to the south and ask every