Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
After encouraging Sugreeva to challenge Vali for a second time duly wearing a flower garland as a mark of identification between the two brothers, Rama and others proceed to Kishkindha. On their way they chance to see a divine hermitage called sapta jana aashrama 'Hermitage of Seven Sages.' On worshipping it they proceed to Kishkindha. |
R^ishyamuukaat sa dharmaatmaa kiSkindhaam lakSmaNa agrajaH |
jagaama saha sugriivo vaali vikrama paalitaam || 4-13-1
samudyamya mahat caapam raamaH kaa.ncana bhuuSitam |
sharaam ca aaditya sa.mkaashaan gR^ihiitvaa raNa saadhakaan || 4-13-2
1, 2. dharmaatmaa saH lakSmaNa agrajaH= righteous one, he, Lakshmana's, elder; raamaH= Rama; sam udyamya= on readying; kaancana bhuuSitam= in gold, decorated; mahat caapam= great, bow; aaditya samkaashaan= blazing sun, similar; raNa saadhakaan= in war, victorious; sharaam ca= arrows, also; gR^ihiitvaa= on taking; saha sugriivaH= with, Sugreeva; R^ishyamuukaat= from Rishyamuka; vaali vikrama paalitaam= by Vali's, valour, ruled; kiSkindhaam jagaama= to Kishkindha, proceeded.
That righteous Rama readying his great bow decorated with gold, and on taking blazing sun similar arrows that are victory-oriented in wars, proceeded from Rishyamuka along with Sugreeva to the city ruled by the valour of Vali, namely Kishkindha. [4-13-1, 2]
agrataH tu yayau tasya raaghavasya mahaatmanaH |
sugriivaH sa.mhata griivo lakSmaNaH ca mahaabalaH || 4-13-3
3. mahaatmanaH tasya raaghavasya= great soul, of that, Raghava; agrataH= ahead; samhata griivaH sugriivaH= stern, necked one, Sugreeva; mahaabalaH lakSmaNaH ca= great mighty one, Lakshmana, also; yayau= storde.
Stern-necked Sugreeva and the great mighty Lakshmana strode ahead of that great soul Rama. [4-13-3]
pR^iSThato hanumaan viiro nalo niilaH ca viiryavaan |
taaraH caiva mahaatejaa hari yuuthapa yuuthapaaH || 4-13-4
4. pR^iSThataH viiraH hanumaan= rearward, brave one Hanuma; viiryavaan nalaH niilaH ca= dauntless ones, Nala, Neela, also; mahaatejaa hari yuuthapa yuuthapaaH taaraH= of great energy, monkeys, captain of, captains Tara. [yayau= proceeded.]
The brave Hanuma, dauntless Nala and Neela, and the captain of monkey's captains Tara of great energy followed them rearward. [4-13-4]
te viikSamaaNaa vR^ikSaam ca puSpa bhaara avalambinaH |
prasanna a.mbuvahaaH caiva saritaH saagaram gamaaH || 4-13-5
5. te= they; puSpa bhaara avalambinaH vR^ikSaam= by flowers, weight, drooping, trees; prasanna ambu vahaaH= pleasant, water, carrying; saagaram gamaaH= to ocean, coursing; saritaH rivers; viikSamaaNaa= [yayau]= looking at, they moved on.
They moved on looking at the trees that are drooping with the weight of their flowers, and at he rivers that are carrying pleasant water while themselves are coursing towards ocean. [4-13-5]
kandaraaNi ca shailaam ca nirdaraaNi guhaaH tathaa |
shikharaaNi ca mukhyaani dariiH ca priya darshanaaH || 4-13-6
6. kandaraaNi= [house-like] caverns; shailaam= crags; nirdaraaNi guhaaH tathaa= ravines, caves, like that; shikharaaNi ca mukhyaani= peaks, also, monumental ones; dariiH ca priya darshanaaH= valleys, of pleasant, sight.
They on seeing house-like caverns, crags, ravines and caves, and monumental peaks, cavities that are pleasant for sight have moved on. [4-13-6]
The words kandara , and guha have different meanings. kandar˜õi= mandira ˜k˜ra parvata vivar˜õi house-like mountain cavities; nirdar˜õi= þaila vivar˜õi - guh˜×= deva kh˜ta giri bilv˜ni deep mountain caves made by divinities - Rama Tilaka.
vaiduurya vimalaiH toyaiH padmaiH ca aakosha kuDmalaiH |
shobhitaan sajalaan maarge taTaakaan ca avalokayan || 4-13-7
7. maarge= on way; taTaakaan= lakes; vaiduurya vimalaiH toyaiH= cat's eye-like [gem-like,] without, slime, waters; padmaiH ca aakosha kuDmalaiH= lotuses, to their orifices, buds; shobhitaan sa jalaan= glistening, with, waters; avalokayan= on observing; yayau= they went.
On their way they observed lakes that are glistening forth with gem-like waters without slime, and with lotus buds in budding stage. [4-13-7]
The word aakoshakuDmalaiH has other renderings. One is as above, saying the lotuses in lakes are still in the budding stage and they have not started to bloom. The other is that they are neither large not tiny in size. Another is that the stem is having all buds from below to its end, if the compound is separated as aa kosha kuDmalaiH .
Secondly the usage of vaiduurya vimala udaka is an often-repeated expression, which may not be construed that the waters are just like cats-eye or Lapis Lazule, the precocious gem in nava ratna / nine-gem combination. In fine composition it is smaraNa alankaara , a metaphorical memorabilia. If it is said that the water is like vaiduurya or cat's-eye or Lapis, it reminds us of all other eight gems including a diamond. As such the waters are crystalline and pellucid in their look like priceless gems, for water is the invaluable gem-like gift of nature and flowing waters are the priceless possessions for livelihood as well.
The following two verses contain the foots in one samaasa/ one compound which if read in a spell will be rhythmic. The first foot of verse nine is one samaasa / one compound only. Both the unbroken compound and segregated word order are given below for reading pleasure.
kaaraNDaissaarasai.rhamsai.rva~njulai.rjalakukkuTaiH |
cakravaakaisthaacaanyaishshakunai.rpratinaaditaan || - yadvaa -
kaaraNDaiH saarasaiH ha.msaiH va.njulaiH jala kukkuTaiH |
cakravaakaiH tathaa ca anyaiH shakunaiH pratinaaditaan || 4-13-8
8. kaaraNDaiH saarasaiH hamsaiH vanjulaiH jala kukkuTaiH= Karandava, Saarasa, Swans, Vanjula water, fowls; cakravaakaiH= Chakravaaka; tathaa ca= like that, also; anyaiH shakunaiH= with other, birds; prati naaditaan= in reverb, sounding [reverberant.]
Those lakes are reverberant with Karandava-s, Saarasa-s, Swans, Vanjula-s and other waterfowls, also like that with Chakravaaka-s and other birds. [4-13-8]
mR^idushaSpaa~Nkuraaahaaraannirbhayaanvanagocaraan |
carataa.msarvatopashyansthaliiSu hariNaansthitaan || - yadvaa -
mR^idu shaSpa a.nkura aahaaraan nirbhayaan vana gocaraan |
carataam sarvato apashyan sthaliiSu hariNaan sthitaan || 4-13-9
9. mR^idu shaSpa ankura aahaaraan= soft, grass, blade, feeding on; nir bhayaan vana gocaraan= without, fear, forest, movers; sthaliiSu= at places; sarvataH= everywhere; carataam sthitaan= moving, standing; apashyan hariNaan= have seen, deer.
They have seen fearless deer feeding on soft grass blades everywhere, somewhere moving here and there in the forest, and else where standing. [4-13-9]
taTaaka vairiNaH ca api shukla danta vibhuuSitaan |
ghoraan ekacaraan vanyaan dviradaan kuula ghaatinaH || 4-13-10
10. ghoraan=dangerous; taTaaka vairiNaH= lake, enemies; shukla danta vibhuuSitaan= white, tusks, ornamented with; eka caraan= elephantine, in oneness, moving; kuula ghaatinaH= lakebeds, destroyers; vanyaan dviradaan= forest, elephants; [they saw.]
They have also seen the forest elephants that have white tusks for their ornaments and that are moving in herds, and which are the dangerous enemies of lakes as they destroy lakebeds. [4-13-10]
mattan giri taTa udghuSTaan parvataan iva ja.ngamaan |
vaanaraan dvirada prakhyaan mahii reNu samukshitaan || 4-13-11
11. mattan vaanaraan= vigorous monkeys; giri taTa udghuSTaan= on mountain's, ridges, making noisy; jangamaan parvataan iva= mobile, mountains, like; dvirada prakhyaan= elephantine, in aspect; mahii reNu samukshitaan= earth's, dust, covered [on bodies.]
Also seen are the vigorous and elephantine monkeys that are like mobile mountains, begrimed with dust, and bellowing on mountain ridges. [4-13-11]
If the first foot mattaan giri taTa udghuSTaan is connected with verse 10, it can also be said in respect of elephants like 'the elephants in rut are moving like mobile mountains and noisy on the mountain crags.'
vane vana caraam ca anyaan khecaraam ca viha.mgamaan |
pashyantaH tvaritaa jagmuH sugriiva vasha vartinaH || 4-13-12
12. sugriiva vasha vartinaH= Sugreeva's, under control, that move – followers of Sugreeva; vane= in forest; anyaan vana caraam ca =other, forest movers, also; khe caraam viham gamaan= aloft, movers, sky, flyers; pashyantaH= on seeing; tvaritaa jagmuH= quickly, moved.
On seeing other forest beings in that forest and birds moving aloft in sky, those followers of Sugreeva quickly moved on. [4-13-12]
The two words vihangama and khecara mean a bird. But the vihangama is the cognate word and khecara is its adjective, as observed by Dr. Satya Vrat in his: The Ramayana - A Linguist Study.
teSaam tu gacChataam tatra tvaritam raghuna.ndanaH |
druma SaNDa vanam dR^iSTvaa raamaH sugriivam abraviit || 4-13-13
13. teSaam tvaritam gacChataam= they, while quickly, going; raghu nandanaH raamaH= Raghu's, delight of, Rama; tatra= there; druma SaNDa vanam= tree, clump, forest; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; sugriivam abraviit= to Sugreeva, said.
While they are quickly going, Rama, the delight of Raghu's dynasty, saw there a clump of forest trees and he asked Sugreeva like this. [4-13-13]
eSa megha iva aakaashe vR^ikSa SaNDaH prakaashate |
megha sa.nghaata vipulaH paryanta kadalii vR^itaH || 4-13-14
14. eSa vR^ikSa= SaNDaH= this, trees, cluster of; megha sanghaata vipulaH= like clouds, accumulation, extensive - thick; pari aanta= all, around; kadalii vR^itaH= plantain trees, surrounded by; aakaashe megha iva prakaashate= in sky, cloud [cloudscape,] like, shining forth.
"This cluster of trees surrounded with plantain trees is like an accumulation of thick clouds, and this is shining forth like a cloudscape in sky. [4-13-14]
kim etat j~naatum icChaami sakhe kautuuhalam mama |
kautuuhala apanayanam kartum icChaami aham tvayaa || 4-13-15
15. sakhe= oh, friend; kim etat= what, this; j~naatum icChaami= to know, I wish to; kautuuhalam mama= inquisitive, of mine; kautuuhala apanayanam kartum aham icChaami tvayaa= inquisitiveness, to be clear, be made, I, wish to, by you.
"What is this? I wish to know and oh, friend, I wish you to clear this inquisitiveness of mine. [4-13-15]
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa raaghavasya mahaatmanaH |
gacChann eva aacacakSe atha sugriivaH tat mahad vanam || 4-13-16
16. mahaatmanaH tasya raaghavasya= great-soul, that, Raghava's; tat vacanam shrutvaa= that, sentence, on hearing; tataH= then; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; gacChann eva= while proceeding, only; tat mahat vanam aacacakSe= that, significance, of forest, described.
On hearing that sentence of that great soul Raghava, then Sugreeva described about the significance of that forest while proceeding on the way. [4-13-16]
etad raaghava vistiirNam aashramam shrama naashanam |
udyaana vana sa.mpannam svaadu muula phala udakam || 4-13-17
17. raaghava= Raghava; udyaana vana sampannam= pleasure, gardens, abundant in; svaadu muula phala udakam= having dainty, tubers, fruits, water; vistiirNam= spacious; etat shrama naashanam aashramam= this, weary, removing, hermitage
"Raghava, this spacious hermitage with abundant gardens and dainty tubers, fruits and water is a weary remover." Thus Sugreeva started telling Rama. [4-13-17]
atra saptajanaa naama munayaH sa.mshita vrataaH |
sapta eva aasan adhaH shiirSaa niyatam jala shaayinaH || 4-13-18
18. atra= in there; samshita vrataaH= dourly, vowed ones; niyatam= scrupulously; adhaH shiirSaa= downward, with heads; jala shaayinaH= always, in water reclining; saptajanaa naama= sapta jana [Seven Persons,] named; sapta eva= seven, thus; munayaH aasan= hermits, were there.
"There were hermits named sapta jana, Seven Persons, who were dourly vowed with their heads pendulous downward and legs up, as in shiirSa aasana , the upside-down yogic body posture, and who always reclined in water. [4-13-18]
sapta raatre kR^ita aahaaraa vaayunaa acala vaasinaH |
divam varSa shataiH yaataaH saptabhiH sakalevaraaH || 4-13-19
19. sapta raatre= for seven, nights [and days]; vaayunaa= on air; kR^ita aahaaraa= making, diet; a+cala vaasinaH= not, waveringly, they were living; saptabhiH varSa shataiH= seven years, hundred – for seven hundred years [of their ascesis]; sa kalevaraaH divam yaataaH= with, bodies, to heaven, they went.
"They were making diet on air alone that too once in seven days, and living unwaveringly in that way they practised their asceticism for seven hundred years and went to heavens with their bodies. [4-13-19]
teSaam etat prabhaaveNa druma praakaara sa.mvR^itam |
aashramam suduraadharSam api sa indraiH sura asuraiH || 4-13-20
20. druma praakaara samvR^itam= trees, compound wall, encircled with; etat aashramam= this, hermitage; teSaam prabhaaveNa= by their, influence; sa indraiH sura asuraiH api= with, Indra, by gods, by demons, even; su duraadharSam= highly, unassailable.
"This hermitage that has encircling trees for its compound wall has become highly unassailable even for Indra together with all gods and demons. [4-13-20]
pakSiNo varjayanti etat tathaa anye vanacaariNaH |
vishanti mohaad ye api atra na nivartante te punaH || 4-13-21
21. pakSiNaH= birds; tathaa anye vana caariNaH= thus, other, forest movers [animals]; etat varjayanti= this hermitage, they forbear; ye mohaat atra vishanti= those, unknowingly, in there, enter; te punaH na nivartante= they, again, not, returning.
"Birds and other forest moving animals forbear this hermitage and those that unknowingly enter in there they do not return. [4-13-21]
vibhuuSaNa ravaaaH ca atra shruuya.nte sakalaakSaraaH |
tuurya giita svanaaaH ca api gandho divyaH ca raaghava || 4-13-22
22. Raaghava= Raghava; atra= there; sakala= sa+kala+akSaraaH= with, artistically, worded; vibhuuSaNa ravaaH ca= ornament's, sounds, also; tuurya giita svanaaaH ca api= instrumental, lyrical, tunes; shruuyante= are audible; gandhaH divyaH= ca fragrance, divine, also – you can smell.
"From there artistically worded lyrical and instrumental tunes, and even the sounds of ornaments are audible, and oh, Raghava, one can sense a divine fragrance too. [4-13-22]
tretaagnayo api diipyante dhuumo hi eSa pradR^ishyate |
veSTayan iva vR^ikSa agraan kapota a.nga aruNo ghanaH || 4-13-23
23. tretaagnayaH api diipyante= triadic, ritual-fires, even, glow; vR^ikSa agraan= tree, tops; veSTayan iva= muffling, as though; kapota anga aruNaH= pigeon, body's, ochre-coloured [unlike those of white or grey Columba livia species]; ghanaH= thick; eSa dhuumaH pradR^ishyate hi= this, smoke, is apparent, indeed.
"Even the triadic ritual-fires glow there, and their thick and ochry coloured smoke like that of a reddish-brown pigeon is apparent muffling the treetops. [4-13-23]
ete vR^ikshaaH prakaashante dhuuma sa.msak{}ta mastakaaH |
megha jaala praticChannaa vaiduurya girayo yathaa || 4-13-24
24. dhuuma samsakta mastakaaH= smoke, mantled, with heads – at treetops; ete vR^ikshaaH= these, trees; megha jaala praticChannaaH= clouds, cluster of, overlaid; vaiduurya girayaH yathaa= lapis', mountains [gem-mountains,] as with; prakaashante= they beam forth.
"When that smoke is mantling their tops these trees are beaming forth like mountains of gems overlaid with clusters of clouds. [4-13-24]
kuru praNaamam dharmaatman teSaam uddishya raaghavaH |
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa prayataH sa.myata a.njaliH || 4-13-25
25. dharmaatman= oh, righteous one; raaghavaH= Raghava; teSaam uddishya= them [the sages,] addressing; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha= brother, along with, Lakshmana; prayataH= determinedly; samyata anjaliH= adjoining, palms; kuru praNaamam= offer, salutation.
"Offer salutations determinedly and adjoining palms addressing the sages called Seven Persons, oh Raghava, along with brother Lakshmana [4-13-25]
praNamanti hi ye teSaam R^iSiiNaam bhaavita aatmanaam |
na teSaam ashubham ki.mcit shariire raama dR^ishyate || 4-13-26
26. raama= Rama; bhaavita aatmanaam teSaam R^iSiiNaam= contemplated souls, at them, those sages; ye praNamanti= those, who offer salutations; teSaam shariire= to them, in bodies [bodily]; kimcit= in the least; a+shubham= not, auspicious – trauma; na vidyate= not, found.
"Those that offer salutations to those sages with contemplated souls will evince no bodily trauma in the least." Thus said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-13-26]
tato raamaH saha bhraatraa lakSmaNena kR^itaa.njaliH |
samuddishya mahaatmaanaH taan R^iSiin abhyavaadayat || 4-13-27
27. tataH raamaH saha bhraatraa lakSmaNena= then, Rama, with, brother, Lakshmana; kR^ita anjaliH= adjoining, palms; mahaatmaanaH taan R^iSiin samuddishya= great souled ones, them the sages, on addressing; abhyavaadayat= offered salutations.
Then Rama along with brother Lakshmana adjoined palms, addressed himself to the great-souled sages known as Seven Persons, and offered salutations to them. [4-13-27]
abhivaadya ca dharmaatmaa raamo bhraataa ca lakSmaNaH |
sugriivo vaanaraaaH caiva jagmuH sa.mhR^iSTa maanasaaH | 4-13-28
28. dharmaatmaa= righteous one; raamaH bhraataa lakSmaNaH sugriivaH vaanaraaaH caiva= Rama, brother, Lakshmana, Sugreeva, monkeys, also thus; abhivaadya= on worshipping; jagmuH sam hR^iSTa maanasaaH= proceeded, well, pleased, at heart.
That righteous Rama along with brother Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other monkeys having worshipped those sages proceeded to Kishkindha well-pleased at heart. [4-13-28]
te gatvaa duuram adhvaanam tasmaat sapta jana aashramaat |
dadR^ishuH taam duraadharSaam kiSkindhaam vaali paalitaam || 4-13-29
29. te tasmaat saptajana aashramaat= they, from that, Saptajana, hermitage; duuram adhvaanam gatvaa= long, on way, on going; vaali paalitaam duraadharSaam taam kiSkindhaam dadR^ishuH= by Vali, ruled, unassailable one, her, that Kishkindha, they saw.
Having gone a long way from that hermitage of Seven Persons they have seen that unassailable and Vali ruled city namely Kishkindha. [4-13-29]
tatastu raamaanuja raama vaanaraaH
pragR^ihya shastraaNi udita ugra tejasaa |
puriim suresha aatmaja viirya paalitaam
vadhaaya shatroH punar aagataaH iha || 4-13-30
30. tataH= then; udita ugra tejasaa= up surged, fiery, with flare of; raama anuja= Rama's, [younger] brother – Lakshmana; raamaH= Rama; vaanaraaH= monkeys; shastraaNi pragR^ihya= weapons, on taking, wielding; shatroH vadhaaya= enemy, to eliminate; suresha aatmaja= gods, lord – Indra's, son - Vali; viirya paalitaam= by his brawn, ruled; puriim= to city; punaH iha aagataaH= again, to here, they came.
Then Rama's bother Lakshmana, Rama, and other monkeys wielding their weapons and flaring with their upsurged fiery again came to eliminate that enemy Vali to the city that is ruled by the brawn of the same Vali, the son of Indra. [4-13-30]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe trayodashaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 13th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 2001, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : April 04]