Sugreeva sending Vanaras for searching Devi Sita in the four directions

Kishkindha: Sugreeva sending Vanaras for searching Devi Sita in the four directions:

(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 37 to 47)

► वानरदूतप्रेषक राम् (Vaanara-Duuta-Pressaka Raam): Who sent the troops of monkeys as messengers in search of Devi Sita.

• Meditation: I meditate on Sri Rama sending Vanaras for searching Devi Sita in the four directions (through Sugreeva).

• Sugreeva ordering to gather all the vanaras: Sugreeva ordered Hanuman to gather all the vanaras from different mountains like Mahendra, Himalaya, Vindhya, Kailash, Mandara, Anjana and Meru; and also from other places. The vanaras started assembling there when Lakshmana was still with him. Some vanaras brought divine fruits and flowers from Himalayas as gifts to Sugreeva.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 37)

• Sugreeva going to Sri Rama: Sugreeva then went to Sri Rama with Lakshmana. Sri Rama told Sugreeva that a king should divide his time in the practice of Dharma, Artha and Kama (Righteousness, Prosperity and Pleasure) and not engross himself in Kama alone. Sugreeva informed Sri Rama that the vanaras are assembling there from all directions. Sri Rama became glad. In the meantime several vanara chiefs started gathering there along with their armies. They are Shatabali, the father of Tara (Sushena), the father of Ruma, Kesari the father of Hanuman, Gavaksha, Dhumra, Panasa, Nila, Gavaya, Darimukha, Mainda, Dwivida, Gaja, Risharaja Jambavanta, Rumana, Gandhamadana, Angada, Tara, Indrajanu, Rambha, Durmukha, Hanuman, Nala, Dadhimukha, Sharabha, Kumuda, Vahani and others.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 38 to 39)

• Sugreeva ordering the eastern search: Then with the permission of Sri Rama Sugreeva sent vanaras under the leadership of Vinata for the eastern search. He asked them to search:
- River-sides of Bhagarathi, Sarayu, Kaushiki, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu, Shona, Mahi and Kalamahi
- Provinces of Brahmamala, Videha, Malava, Kashi, Koshala, Magadha, Pundra, Anga and Koshakara
- Mount Mandara where some horrible-looking creatures stay
- Yava island and the Shishira mountain
- Cross various oceans and islands and come to Lohita ocean having a huge Kuta-Shalmali tree
- Island surrounded by the Kshira ocean; the island having the white mountain Rishabha and lake Sudarshana
- Island surrounded by the sweet-water ocean, where there is a fire in the form of a horse-mouth created by the anger of sage Aurasa; and a golden mountain called Jatarupa on the top of which the thousand-hooded Ananta is bearing the Earth
- Udaya mountain with Shala, Tala, Tamala and Karnikara trees and having a peak named Saumanasa, where the Trivikrama Avatara placed his first foot (and his second foot at mount Meru). There abides the sages Vaikhanasa and Valakhilyas. That is the Sudarshana island. The Udaya mountain is the eastern-most limit of search and is the gateway from Earth to Heaven from where the Sun rises.
Sugreeva allotted a month's time for the eastern search.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 40)

• Sugreeva ordering the southern search: Then Sugreeva sent vanaras under the leadership of Angada for the southern search. He asked them to search:
- The Vindhya mountains
- River banks of Narmada, Godavari, Krishnaveni, Mahanadi and Varada
- Provinces of Mekhala, Utkala, Dasharna, Avanti, Vidharbha and Mahisha
- Provinces of Vanga, Kalinga and Kaushika
- Dandaka forest and provinces of Andhra, Pundra, Chola, Pandhya and Kerala
- Mount Malaya, river Kaveri and river Tamrapani
- Southern ocean and mount Mahendra, and then the island where Ravana stays
- Mountains Pushpitaka beyond the island, and then mountain Suryavan, mountain Vaidyuta, mountain Kunjara (with abode of sage Agastya), city Bhogavati (abode of snakes) and mountain Rishabha
- Beyond mountain Rishabha is the terminus of the Earth and the abode of Yama (which is not to be searched)
Sugreeva alloted a month's time for the southern search.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 41)

• Sugreeva ordering the western search: Then Sugreeva sent vanaras under the leadership of Sushena (father of Tara and son of sage Mareecha) for the western search. He asked them to search:
- The provinces of Saurashtra, Bahlika, Chandrachitra
- Western Ocean seashore having cities like Muraci, Jatapura, Avanti, Angalepa and forest of Alakshita
- Mountain Hemagiri on the confluence of river Sindhu and the Ocean
- Mountain Pariyatra within the Ocean
- Mountain Vajra within the Ocean
- Mountain Chakravana within the Ocean
- Mountain Varaha within the Ocean with the city Pragjyotisha
- Mountain Meghavanta
- A range of sixty-thousand mountains having Mount Meru
- Mountain Ashtagiri
Sugreeva alloted a month's time for the southern search.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 42)

• Sugreeva ordering the northern search: Then Sugreeva sent vanaras under the leadership of Shatabali for the northern search. He asked them to search:
- The provinces of Mleccha, Pulinda, Surashena, Prasthala, Bharata, Kuru, Madraka, Kambhoja, Yavana and Darada
- The Himalayan region
- Hermitage of Soma and mountain Kala
- Mountain Sudarshana
- Mountain Devashakha
- Mount Kailasha after crossing a vacant stretch of land and the lake there
- Mount Krauncha
- Mount Kama and Mount Manasa
- Mount Mainaka
- Hermitages of Siddhas, Vaikhanasas and Valakhilyas
- River Shailoda
- Uttara Kuru
- Northern Ocean and Mount Soma within it (where the Trinity resides)
(Sugreeva alloted a month's time for the northern search).
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 43)

• Sri Rama giving his ring to Hanuman: Sri Rama gave his ring to Hanuman (to enable Hanuman to identify himself as the messenger of Sri Rama when he met Devi Sita).
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 44)

• The vanaras starting their search: The vanaras after receiving the orders of Sugreeva started their search for Devi Sita filled with enthusiasm. Sri Rama stayed on at mount Prasravana waiting for their return.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 45)

• Sri Rama enquiring Sugreeva about his knowledge of the Earth: Sri Rama enquired Sugreeva how he attained the knowledge of the whole geography of the Earth. Sugreeva replied that when he was chased by Vali he fled in all the directions and therefore had intimate knowledge of the Earth.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 46)

• Vanara chiefs returning from East, North and West: The vanara chiefs returned from East, North and West within a month and informed Sugreeva that Devi Sita was not found in those directions. They hopefully waited for Hanuman since Hanuman went in the direction where Devi Sita was taken during abduction.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkindha Kanda - 47)

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