Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek
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When Rama incinerates Kabandha he resurrects as a celestial being and detailing about Sugreeva he urges Rama to befriend him. He informs Rama that Sugreeva is also in a similar condition and he needs some one to rely upon, in order to overcome his problems, and thus Kabandha asks Rama to help Sugreeva, and get help as requital from Sugreeva. |
evam uktau tu tau viirau kabandhena nara iishvarau |
giri pradaram aasaadya paavakam visasarjatuH || 3-72-1
1. kabandhena= by Kabandha; evam uktau= that way, those two who are said; nara iishvarau= people's, lords; tau viirau= those, brave men; giri pradaram aasaadya= mountain, cleft, on getting at [throwing the body of Kabandha in it]; paavakam visasarjatuH= fire [firewood,] bestrewn [embedded it.]
When Kabandha said that way, both those brave men and lords of people, on throwing the body of Kabandha into a mountain cleft and then embedded it with firewood. [3-72-1]
lakSmaNaH tu mahaa ulkaabhiH jvalitaabhiH samantataH |
citaam aadiipayaamaasa saa prajajvaala sarvataH || 3-72-2
2. lakSmaNaH tu= Lakshmana, on his part; jvalitaabhiH= with blazing; mahaa ulkaabhiH= with highly, sparkling torches; samantataH= all over; citaam= pyre; aadiipayaamaasa= started to torch; saa= that - pyre; sarvataH= on all sides; prajajvaala [pra ja jvaaala]= suddenly, blazingly, blazed.
On his part Lakshmana started to torch that pyre with highly sparkling torches from all over, and even that pyre too suddenly blazed with blazes from all over. [3-72-2]
tat shariiram kabandhasya ghR^ita piNDa upamam mahat |
medasaa pacyamaanasya mandam dahati paavakaH || 3-72-3
3. medasaa= [full] with fat; pacyamaanasya= while being cooked - being burnt in fire; kabandhasya= Kabandha's; mahat= massy; ghR^ita piNDa upamam= ghee, gob, in simile; tat shariiram= that, body; paavakaH mandam dahati= fire, tardily, burnt it [stewed the body.]
That massy body of Kabandha is full with fat and while it is being cooked, it is in simile with a massy gob of ghee. But the Fire had to stew that body tardily, though that stewed meat is Fire's favourite dish, because of that body's massiveness. [3-72-3]
sa vidhuuya citaam aashu vidhuumo agnir iva utthitaH |
araje vaasasii bibhrat maalaam divyaam mahaabalaH || 3-72-4
4. mahaabalaH= highly, dynamic; saH= he [Kabandha]; a+ raje= un, tarnished [lily-white]; vaasasii= vestments; divyaam maalaam= angelic, garlands; bibhrat= attired in; citaam vidhuuya= pyre, on shoving off; aashu= in a trice; vi dhuumaH agniH iva utthitaH= without, fumes, fire, alike [looks like,] zoomed.
In a trice that highly dynamic Kabandha zoomed up shoving off that pyre, and he is now attired in lily-white vestments and angelic garlands, and appeared like a fumeless fire. [3-72-4]
tataH citaayaa vegena bhaasvaro viraja a.mbaraH |
utpapaata aashu sa.mhR^iSTaH sarva pratya.nga bhuuSaNaH || 3-72-5
5. tataH= then; bhaasvaraH= irradiant Kabandha; vi+raja ambaraH= with not, sullied, clothing; samhR^iSTaH= highly gladdened; sarva prati anga bhuuSaNaH= on all, every, limb, with fineries; aashu vegena= with quick, speed; citaayaa ut papaata= from pyre, up, jumped [onto sky.]
Then highly gladdened Kabandha jumped up onto sky from the pyre, and there he is irradiant with unsullied clothing, and fineries decorated on every limb. [3-72-5]
vimaane bhaasvare tiSThan ha.msa yukte yashas kare |
prabhayaa ca mahaatejaa disho dasha viraajayan || 3-72-6
so antarikSa gato vaakyam kabandho raamam abraviit |
6, 7a. saH kabandhaH he, that Kabandha; antarikSa gataH= to firmament, on going; hamsa yukte= with swans, yoked; yashas kare= renown, endowing; bhaasvare= dazzling; vimaane tiSThan= in aircraft, seated; mahaatejaa= with great glimmer [his own appearance]; prabhayaa ca= glitter also [additional self-refulgence, added now by the sacred incineration by Rama, or by the glitter of heavenly aircraft]; dasha dishaH= ten, quarters; viraajayan= beaming forth; raamam vaakyam abraviit= to Rama, sentence, said.
On going to firmament Kabandha is now seated in a dazzling celestial aircraft yoked with swans, which endows renown because it takes the occupants to the realms of Brahma, and sitting in that celestial aircraft he said this sentence to Rama, while his own great glimmer and glitter beamed forth in all ten quarters. [3-72-6, 7]
shR^iNu raaghava tattvena yathaa siimaam avaapsyasi ||
3-72-7
raama SaD yuktayo loke yaabhiH sarvam vimR^ishyate |
parimR^iSTo dasha antena dasha aabhaagena sevyate || 3-72-8
7b, 8. raaghava= oh, Raghava; siimaam= Seetha; yathaa avaapsyasi= how, you will regain; tattvena shR^iNu= in essence, listen; raama= oh, Rama; yaabhiH= by which [analyses]; sarvam =everything; vimR^ishyate= will be analysed; SaT yuktayaH= six, ideations; loke= in world [available]; dasha antenna= spell, at end [at nemesis]; parimR^iSTaH= on who is touched down [with such nemesis]; dasha aabhaagena= spell, one deprived of [under the spell of nemesis]; sevyate= adorable.
"Oh, Raghava, how you will regain Seetha, that you listen from me in its essence... oh, Rama, by which and which analyses everything will be analysed, six of such ideations are available in this world... and when a person is touched down by a spell of nemeses, he shall adore one who is equally in such spell of nemesis... [3-72-7b, 8]
The six ideations employed by kings in kingship are 1] sandhi a covenant with adverse kings; 2] vigraha continuing hostilities; 3] yaana waging war; 4] aasana sit out for proper time; 5] dvaidhii bhaava creating factions and vicissitudes in enemy groups; 6] samaashraya taking shelter under a coequal.
dasha aabhaaga gato hiinaH tvam raama saha lakSmaNaH |
yat kR^ite vyasanam praaptam tvayaa daara pradharSaNam || 3-72-9
9. raama= oh, Rama; saha lakSmaNaH= with, Lakshmana; tvam= you are; dasha aabhaaga gataH= spell, of nemesis, went into; hiinaH= underprivileged [of kingdom, kingly comforts]; yat kR^ite= by which, doing [reason, that spell has done this]; tvayaa= by you; daara= wife; pradharSaNam= dishonouring [in the form of abducting]; vyasanam praaptam= dire straits, obtained.
"Oh, Rama, you along with Lakshmana went into a spell of nemesis, and thus you have become an underprivileged one, and that spell alone has obtained you this dire straits, in the form of abducting your wife... [3-72-9]
tat avashyam tvayaa kaaryaH sa suhR^it suhR^idaam vara |
akR^itvaa na hi te siddhim aham pashyaami cintayan || 3-72-10
10. suhR^idaam vara= among kind-hearted ones, the best; tat= thereby; saH= such a soul [in similar dire straits]; tvayaa= by you; avashyam= certainly; suhR^it kaaryaH= friendship, is to be done [befriended]; a+ kR^itvaa= without, doing [if unbefriended]; te= your; siddhim= accomplishment; aham cintayan= I, on thinking; na pashyaami hi= not, perceiving, indeed.
"Oh, best among kind-hearted ones, thereby you have to certainly befriend such a soul in similar dire straits... however deeply I may think, I am not able to perceive your accomplishment if you do not befriended with such a soul... [3-72-10]
shruuyataam raama vakSyaami sugriivo naama vaanaraH |
bhraatraa nirastaH kruddhena vaalinaa shakra suununaa || 3-72-11
11. raama vakSyaami shruuyataam= oh, Rama, I tell, that may be listened; shakra suununaa= by Indra's, son; bhraatraa kruddhena= by brother, furiously [vengefully]; vaalinaa nirastaH= by Vali, reneged; sugriivaH naama vaanaraH= Sugreeva, named, vanara [is there.]
"Oh, Rama, listen what I tell... a vanara is there by name Sugreeva, who is vengefully reneged by his brother Vali, the son of Indra... [3-72-11]
R^iSyamuuke giri vare pa.mpaa paryanta shobhite |
nivasati aatmavaan viiraH caturbhiH saha vaanaraiH || 3-72-12
12. aatmavaan= self-respecting one - Sugreeva; viiraH= valiant one; pampaa pari anta shobhite= Pampa Lake, over, end [fringes,] lambent; R^iSyamuuke= in Mt. Rishyamuka; giri vare= mountain, best; caturbhiH vaanaraiH saha= with four, [other] vanara-s, along with nivasati= is living.
"That self-respectful valiant Sugreeva is living on the Mt. Rishyamuka, a best mountain available in the lambent fringes of Pampa Lake, along with four other vanara-s. [3-72-12]
vaanarendro mahaaviiryaH tejovaan amita prabhaH |
satya sa.ndho viniitaH ca dhR^itimaan matimaan mahaan || 3-72-13
13. vaanarendraH= among vanara-s, masterful; mahaaviiryaH= highly mettlesome; tejovaan= self-resplendent; a mita prabhaH= ill, limitable, in self-irradiance; satya sandhah= truth bound; viniitaH ca= culture-bound, also; dhR^itimaan= taskmaster; matimaan= mastermind; mahaan= master-hand.
"He that Sugreeva is a masterful one among vanara-s, highly mettlesome, self-resplendent, and illimitable is his self-radiance... and he is also truth-bound and culture-bound... a mastermind, master-hand and a taskmaster... [3-72-13]
dakshaH pragalbho dyutimaan mahaa bala paraakramaH |
bhraataa vivaasito viira raajya heto mahaatmanaa || 3-72-14
14. dakshaH= capable [adventurer]; pragalbhaH= courageous [exploiter]; dyutimaan= coruscating [in personality]; viira= brave one; mahaa bala paraakramaH= incomparably intrepid, incursive - such Sugreeva; raajya hetuH= kingdom, for reason of; mahaatmanaa= by great souled [self-conceited, Vali]; bhraataa= by [such] brother; vi vaasitaH= he is banished.
"He is a capable adventurer, a courageous exploiter and incomparable one in intrepidity and a brave one in incursions, and his personality will be coruscating ever and anon, for he is the son of Sun-god... but he is banished by his self-conceited brother owing to the reasons of kingdom... [3-72-14]
sa te sahaayo mitram ca siitaayaaH parimaargaNe |
bhaviSyati hi te raama maa ca shoke manaH kR^idhaaH || 3-72-15
15. raama= oh, Rama; saH te mitram ca= he, to you, associate, also; siitaayaaH parimaargaNe sahaayaH= of Seetha, in searching, aid; hite bhaviSyati= [in your] wellbeing, he conducts himself; shoke manaH maa kR^idhaaH= in agony, heart, do not, do [yield.]
"Oh, Rama, he will be your associate and an aid in searching for Seetha, and he conducts himself in your wellbeing, hence let not your heart yield to agony... [3-72-15]
bhavitavyam hi yat ca api na tat shakyam iha anyathaa |
kartum ikshvaaku shaarduula kaalo hi durrakramaH ||3-72-16
16. ikshvaaku shaarduula= oh, Ikshvaaku, tigerly; yat ca api= what, also, even; iha bhavitavyam hi= now / here in mortal world, ineluctable, indeed; tat anyathaa kartum= that, otherwise, to do [to be countermanded]; na shakyam= not, possible; kaalaH dur ati kramaH= Time, impossible, to over, step [countervail against]; hi= isn't it.
"Oh, tigerly Ikshvaaku, further nothing can be countermanded in this world which is indeed ineluctable, and it is impossible to countervail against Time, isn't it... [3-72-16]
gacCha shiighram ito viira sugriivam tam mahaabalam |
vayasyam tam kuru kSipram ito gatvaa adya raaghava || 3-72-17
adrohaaya samaagamya diipyamaane vibhaavasau |
17, 18a. viira= oh, bold one - Rama; itaH= from here; shiighram= quickly; mahaabalam tam sugriivam gacCha= to him, great, mighty, Sugreeva, you go; Raaghava= oh, Raghava; adya itaH kSipram gatvaa= now, from here, promptly, on going; samaagamya= on fraternising with him; a + drohaaya= un, friendliness - for genuineness; vibhaavasau diipyamaane= fire, while it is blazing; tam vayasyam kuru= him, as a friend, you make.
"Oh, bold one, you go straight from here to that great mighty Sugreeva, and oh, Raghava, on going from here now and promptly you fraternise with Sugreeva... and to not to bode any ill of unfriendliness among you two, you make him a friend before blazing Fire, making that Fire as an Attestor of your friendship... [3-72-17, 18a]
na ca te so avamantavyaH sugriivo vaanara adhipaH || 3-72-18
kR^itaj~naH kaama ruupii ca sahaaya arthii ca viiryavaan |
18b, 19a. vaanara adhipaH= monkeys, lord of; [other mms vaanaraH api san= even if he is a monkey]; saH sugriivaH= he, Sugreeva; te= by you; na ava mantavyaH= not, to be disregarded; kR^itaj~naH= faithful one; kaama ruupii ca= by wish, guise-changer [wizard], also; sahaaya arthii ca= of help, seeker, also; viiryavaan= valiant one.
"You shall not look down on that lord of monkeys taking him as a lowly simian, why because that Sugreeva is a valiant one, a guise changing wizard and presently he is in the need of a bolsterer, and if you render help he will be obligated to you for ever... [3-72-18b, 19]
shaktau hi adya yuvaam kartum kaaryam tasya cikiirSitam ||
3-72-19
kR^itaartho vaa akR^itaartho vaa tava kR^ityam kariSyati |
19b, 20a. yuvaam= you two; adya= now; tasya= his [of Sugreeva]; cikiirSitam kaaryam= desired, task; kartum= to effectuate; shaktau hi= capable enough, indeed; kR^ita arthaH vaa= achieved, his purpose, whether - Sugreeva is; a+ kR^ita arthaH vaa= not, achieved, his purpose, or not; tava kR^ityam kariSyati= your, task, he effectuates.
"Now you two are capable enough to effectuate the desired task of Sugreeva, isn't it... whether his own purpose is achieved through you or not, he will effectuate your task... [3-72-19b, 20a]
sa R^ikSarajasaH putraH pa.mpaam aTati shankitaH || 3-72-20
bhaaskarasya aurasaH putro vaalinaa kR^ita kilbiSaH |
20b, 21a. R^ikSarajasaH putraH= Riksharaja, son of; bhaaskarasya aurasaH putraH= Sun's, direct, son; saH= he, that Sugreeva; vaalinaa= by Vali; kR^ita kilbiSaH= made, sinned [trespassed against]; shankitaH= wary of [Vali's onslaughts]; pampaam aTati= around Pampa, he is wandering.
"Sugreeva is the son of Riksharaja, and the direct son of the Sun, but Vali trespassed against him. Wary of Vali's onslaughts Sugreeva is wandering around Pampa... [3-72-20b, 21a]
sa.mnidhaaya aayudham kSipram R^iSyamuuka aalayam kapim ||
3-72-21
kuru raaghava satyena vayasyam vana caariNam |
21b-22a. raaghava= oh, Raghava; aayudham= weapon; samnidhaaya= readying / keeping aside / taking oath on it; vana caariNam= in forest, wanderer; R^iSyamuuka aalayam= Mt. Rishyamuka, residing [taking shelter on]; kapim= with monkey - Sugreeva; satyena= candidly; kSipram= right away; vayasyam= as a friend; kuru= you make.
"Oh, Raghava, right away and candidly you make that monkey Sugreeva, a wanderer in the forest, sheltering himself on Mt. Rishyamuka, as a friend of yours taking an oath on your weapon besides the Fire-witness... [3-72-21b, 22a]
The compound aayudham sam ni dhaaya can mean in the three possible ways as said above. Any one, or three meanings can be obtained, as intensifiers.
sa hi sthaanaani sar.hvaaNi kaar.htsnyena kapi ku.njaraH ||
3-72-22
nara maa.msa ashinaam loke naipuNyaat adhigacChati |
22b, 23a. kapi kunjaraH= monkey, elephantine - straightforward one among monkeys; saH= he that Sugreeva; loke= in world; nara maamsa ashinaam= of human, flesh, eaters [anthropophagite demons]; sarvaaNi sthaanaani= all of, strongholds; kaartsnyena= in entirety; naipuNyaat= with his expertise; adhi gacChati hi= conversant with, indeed.
"With his expertise that straightforward monkey Sugreeva is indeed conversant with all of the strongholds of anthropophagite demons in the world in their entirety... [3-72-22b, 23a]
na tasya aviditam loke ki.ncit asti hi raaghava || 3-72-23
yaavat suuryaH pratapati sahasraa.mshuH arindama |
23b, 24a. arindama= oh, enemy-subjugator; raaghava= oh, Raghava; sahasra amshuH suuryaH= thousand, rayed, sun; yaavat=as long as; pra tapati= verily, burns - manifestly irradiates; [taavat= so long]; loke= in world; tasya= to him - sun; a+ viditam= not, familiar; kincit= in the least; na asti= not, is there; hi= isn't it.
"Oh, enemy-subjugator Rama, as far as the thousand rayed sun manifestly irradiates the world, oh, Raghava, thus far, nothing in the least is unfamiliar to him, isn't it... [3-72-23b, 24a]
sa nadiiH vipulaan shailaan giri dur.hgaaNi ka.ndaraan ||
3-72-24
anviSya vaanaraiH saardham patniim te adhigamiSyati |
24b, 25a. saH vaanaraiH saardham= he that Sugreeva, with vanara-s, purposefully; vipulaan= extensive; nadiiH= rivers; shailaan= [extensive] mountains; giri durgaaNi kandaraan= mountains, cliffs, caves; anviSya= on raking over; te patniim adhigamiSyati= your, wife, he comes to know.
"He makes the monkeys to purposefully rake over the expansive rivers, extensive mountains and their impassable cliffs and caves in locating your wife... [3-72-24b, 25a]
vaanaraan ca mahaakaayaan preSayiSyati raaghava || 3-72-25
disho vicetum taam siitaam tvat viyogena shocayatiim |
anveSyati varaarohaam maithiliim raavaNa aalaye || 3-72-26
25b, 26. raaghava= oh, Raghava; tvat= by your; viyogena= parting; shocayatiim= made to agony [agonised]; taam siitaam= that, Seetha; vicetum= to search; mahaakaayaan= giant bodied; vaanaraan ca= monkeys, also; dishaH preSayiSyati= to [all] directions, he expedites; raavaNa aalaye= in Ravana's, residence; varaarohaam= for comely lady; maithiliim anveSyati= Maithili, quests for.
"Oh, Raghava, he expedites giant bodied monkeys in all directions to search for her, who is agonised by your parting, and he quests after the residence of Ravana for that comely lady Maithili... [3-72-25b, 26]
sa meru shR^i.nga agra gataam ani.nditaam
pravishya paataala tale api vaa aashritaam |
plava.ngamaanaam R^iSabhaH tava priyaam
nihatya rakSaamsi punaH pradaasyati || 3-72-27
27. plavangamaanaam= among fly-jumpers; R^iSabhaH= bullish [defiant one]; saH= he [Sugreeva]; a+ ninditaam= un, reprovable one - Seetha; tava priyaam= your, ladylove; meru shR^inga agra gataam= Mt. Meru's, peak's, top, gone onto [located]; paataala tale aashritaam= nadir of earth, on planes, abiding; vaa api= or else; pravishya= on entering; nihatya rakSaamsi= annihilating, demons; punaH pradaasyati= again he will, bestow [Seetha to you.]
"Whether that unreprovable ladylove of yours, Seetha, is located on the tops of Mt. Meru's peaks, or abiding on the planes of nadir of the earth, he that defiant one among fly-jumpers, Sugreeva, on entering there and annihilating the demons, he again bestows Seetha to you..." So Kabandha continued his advise to Rama regarding Sugreeva. [3-72-27]
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The Suggestion of Kabandha - right or wrong
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Kabandha's suggestion that 'a bewailer shall befriend another bewailer...' is apparently a meaningless suggestion, keeping mythical imports aside, for a while. Though Kabandha is unaware about Ravana and his activities, he is aware of Vali and Sugreeva, according to his present narration. He should have advised Rama to befriend Vali, who is in power and a powerful one too, instead of Sugreeva. It is not so, is the reply from the viewpoint of dharma. This Kabandha has suffered his best in taking wrong routes and just now, he resurrected after making many amends, and he is supposed to advise Rama to go on a right path and to a right personality as Vali is already established as a pursuer of wrong path. But Vali when talking to Rama at his death time says that 'I would have brought Maithili in a single day, I would have roped Ravana and brought him like an animal tide with roe around its neck...' etc. But they are all his expressions at death-time-wisdom. He did not care for Tara's advices nor bothered to talk to Rama, as to why Sugreeva is instigated upon him. This being so, when immortal wisdom has dawned on Kabandha, he cannot ask Rama to tread a wrong path to get his task done. This is what the viewpoint of Dharmaakuutam. Though untranslated verbatim the above is the gist of the following.
k˜rya siddi artham samprati bh˜tru m˜tra sah˜yyasya durdaþa ˜rambaham pr˜ptasya r˜mabhadrasya d®ÿ÷a balena daiva balena ca upeta durdaþ˜y˜× sam˜pti pr˜ptena sugrŸveõa sandhi k˜rama eva samucitam iti kabandhena uktam | tat anupapannam | yato valŸ sugrŸv˜t adhika bala× - sakala v˜nara sen˜ pari v®ta× - sva r˜jye supratiÿ÷ito - r˜ma k®ta prati upak˜ra nirapekÿo - r˜vaõa nigraha catura bhuja vŸrya upapatteh ca | m˜m eva yadi p¨rvam tvam etad artham acodaya× | maithilim aham eka ˜hn˜ tava ca ˜nŸtav˜n bhave× || 1-17-49 | r˜kÿasam ca dur˜tm˜n˜m tava bh˜rya apah˜riõam | kaõ÷he baddhv˜ pradady˜m te anihatam r˜vaõam raõe || 3-17-50 - iti jŸva gr˜ham g®hŸtv˜ raõe v˜ tan nihatya - - et˜d®þa s˜marthyam avagamane sva k˜rya s˜dhaka× ca | ata eva v˜linam apah˜ya at˜d®þa× sugrŸva× katham upadiÿ÷a iti cet na | satya api s˜mardhye d®ptav˜n - r˜vaõa mitratv˜t r˜jya sthitatv˜t - r˜ma k®ta upak˜ra nirapekÿatv˜t ca r˜ma pr˜thito v˜lŸ sakhyam na angŸkury˜d eva | ˜sanna m®tun˜ v˜lin˜ sakhya karaõam niÿphalam ca || - - - satyapi s˜mardhye sŸt˜m ˜nŸya d˜sy˜mi iti et˜d®þa buddhe× þikÿaõa anantara bhavitvena sakhya asakhy˜y˜m asambhav˜t | sva par˜krameõa vin˜ anyena s˜dhita artha angŸkaraõasya kÿatriy˜õ˜m adharmyatv˜t |This is to say that dharma is far beyond mere politics, whether monarchical or otherwise. To uphold that dharma, one has to undergo certain painful processes, that may be you, or we, or may they be godlike or godsend Rama or Lakshmana.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi saptatitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 72nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© May, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : January 05]