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CHAPTER SIX
door-keepers, he arrived at Sugrīva's house. Hearing that Lakşmaņa had come, the king of Vānaras left the women's apartments hastily and approached him, trembling from fear. Lakşmaņa said angrily:
"Have you performed your duties that you remain comfortable, fearless, surrounded by your queens, Vānara ? Do you not know that your master, seated under a tree, passes days like years, and that your promise has been forgotten? Arise now to bring news of Sītā. Do not go Sāhasagati's path. It the road) is not closed." Falling at his feet Sugriva said, "Be gracious. Pardon my negligence alone since you are the lord." Conciliating Saumitri thus and putting him in front, the lord of Vānaras went quickly to Rāmabhadra and bowed with devotion. He instructed his own soldiers, "Listen! All of you who have arms, search everywhere for Maithilī, unstumbling." Thus ordered by him, the soldiers went to islands, mountains, rivers, chasms in the earth, and elsewhere in great haste. Then Bhāmaņdala heard of the kidnaping of Sītā, came to Rāma, and remained, exceedingly grieved like him. Viradha came with soldiers, pained by his master's trouble, and remained there like a footman of long-standing, wishing to serve.
Sugrīva himself reached Kambudvipa in his traveling and Ratnajațin, having seen him from afar, reflected: "Has Sugriva, the lord of Vānaras, powerful, been sent to kill me by Daśamaulin who has remembered some fault of mine? Before, my vidyā was taken away by Daśāsya, powerful, and now Sugrīva, the lord of Haris 166 will take away my life." As he was absorbed in these reflections, Sugrīva came to him quickly and said, “Why have you not come to meet me in an aerial car? Why are you indolent?” He replied, "My vidyā was destroyed entirely by Daśāsya, for I was present at the fight when he kidnaped Jānaki.”
186 198. I.e. monkey = Vānara.
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