Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Lady Tara is entered here. She is the granddaughter of Brihaspati, the Jupiter and wife of Vali and she is one of the exemplary females in this epic. She is entered only thrice in the vast of this epic, presently here, next at the fall of Vali and later to pacify the ire of Lakshmana. But her personality for analytical intelligence does not exit from the minds of readers. Here she advises Vali not to confront Sugreeva, as long as Rama stands guard to him. Further she says after a logical discourse and reasons, why not Sugreeva be made the Prince Regent of Kishkindha, even at this juncture, where she foresees a calamity to Vali. But Vali, maddened in his intellect by his brawny might slights her far fetching advice. |
atha tasya ninaadam tam sugriivasya mahaatmanaH |
shushraava antaHpura gato vaalii bhraatur amarSaNaH || 4-15-1
1. tataH= then; mahaatmanaH bhraatuH tasya sugriivasya= great-souled [plain-spoken] one, brother's, his, Sugreeva's; tam ninaadam= that, outcry; antaHpura gataH= to palace chambers, one who is in; amarSaNaH= illiberal one; vaalii shushraava= Vali, clearly heard.
Then the illiberal Vali has clearly heard that outcry of his plain-spoken brother Sugreeva from his palace chambers. [4-15-1]
shrutvaa tu tasya ninadam sarvabhuuta praka.mpanam |
madaH ca ekapade naSTaH krodhaH ca aapaadito mahaan || 4-15-2
2. tasya= his [Sugreeva's]; sarva bhuuta pra kampanam= all, beings, highly, shuddering; ninadam shrutvaa= outcry, on hearing; eka pade= in a trice; madaH ca naSTaH= [Vali's,] insolence, is diminished; mahaan krodhaH aapaaditaH ca= high, furore, superimposed, also.
On hearing Sugreeva's outcry that is shuddering all beings Vali's insolence is diminished as high furore superimposed on it. [4-15-2]
tato roSa pariita a.ngo vaalii sa kanaka prabhaH |
uparak{}ta iva aadityaH sadyo niSprabhataam gataH || 4-15-3
3. tataH= then; roSa pariita angaH= embitterment, overspreading, on limbs; saH vaalii= he, that Vali; kanaka prabhaH= one in golden, hue; uparakta aadityaH iva= eclipsed / after sunset, sun, like; sadyaH niS prabhataam gataH= immediately, without, luminosity, went into [rendered as.]
Then, embitterment overspreading on all his limbs Vali with golden-hue is immediately rendered non-luminous like the eclipsed sun. [4-15-3]
vaalii da.mSTraa karaalaH tu krodhaad diipta agni locanaH |
bhaati utpatita padmaabhaH samR^iNaala iva hradaH || 4-15-4
4. damSTraa karaalaH= with teeth, asymmetrical; krodhaat= by fury; diipta agni locanaH= burning, fire like, eyed; vaalii= Vali; ut patita padma aabhaH= [like] up, rooted, lotuses, in shine; sa mR^iNaala hradaH iva= with, stalks, lake, like bhaati= he shone forth.
With asymmetrical teeth and with burning fireball like eyes Vali is reflective of a lake whose red-lotuses are uprooted leaving stalks afloat. [4-15-4]
Vali's aspect is like a lake into which an elephant on its entry creates turmoil and uproots its red-lotuses, thus leaving the pond with their stalks afloat and its clear water turning reddish due to the elephant's heaving of the slushy red-mud. Maheshvara Tiirtha.
shabdam durmarSaNam shrutvaa niSpapaata tato hariH |
vegena ca pada nyaasair daarayan iva mediniim || 4-15-5
5. tataH= then; hariH= monkey Vali; shrutvaa dur marSaNam shabdam= on hearing, not, tolerable, noise; vegena pada nyaasaiH= speedily, by foot, placing [thumping feet]; mediniim daarayan iva= earth, shattering, as though; niSpapaata= bolted out.
That monkey Vali then on hearing that intolerable noise bolted out of palace chambers thumping his feet as though to shatter the earth. [4-15-5]
tam tu taaraa pariSvajya snehaad darshita sauhR^idaa |
uvaaca trasta sa.mbhraa.ntaa hita udarkam idam vacaH || 4-15-6
6. taaraa= Lady Tara; tam snehaat pariSvajya= him, in amity, on hugging; darshita sauhR^idaa= one who has shown, good will; trasta sambhraantaa= in fear, bewildered; hita udarkam idam vacaH= beneficial, futurity, this, word; uvaaca= said.
His wife Tara stepped in and showing goodwill and amity hugged him, for she is in fear and bewilderment, and said this word that is beneficial in its futurity if Vali heeds it. [4-15-6]
saadhu krodham imam viira nadii vegam iva aagatam |
shayanaad utthitaH kaalyam tyaja bhuk{}taam iva srajam || 4-15-7
7. viira= oh, brave one; nadii vegam iva aagatam= river's, speediness [gush,] like, that came; imam krodham= this, anger; kaalyam= in early hours; shayanaat utthitaH= from bed, on getting up; bhuktaam srajam iva= enjoyed, chaplet, like; saadhu tyaja= gently, leave off.
"Oh brave one, you better gently leave off this anger that is coming on like a gushing river as is done with an enjoyed chaplet on getting up from bed in early hours. [4-15-7]
kaalyam etena sa.mgraamam kariSyasi ca vaanara |
viira te shatru baahulyam phalgutaa vaa na vidyate || 4-15-8
8. vaanara= oh, monkey; etena kaalyam samgraamam kariSyasi= with him, in early hours / or at appropriate time, fighting, you can do; viira= oh brave one; te shatru baahulyam= to you, enemies, divers; phalgutaa vaa na vidyate= [your valour] trivialised, or, not, evident.
"Oh, monkey, you can fight with him in early hours of tomorrow, oh, brave one, evidently you neither have divers enemies nor your valour is trivialised."
Or
"You can fight with him at appropriate time, thereby your enemy is neither glorified nor you are trivialised evidently, for you are a braving one. [4-15-8]
Fighting on next day morning means that Sugreeva has come in the evening time. This is not accepted by some and they give meaning to the word kaalyam differently.
sahasaa tava niSkraamo mama taavat na rocate |
shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami yan nimittam nivaaryate || 4-15-9
9. sahasaa tava niSkraamaH= quickly, your, exiting; mama na rocate taavat= for me, not, pleasing - disagreeable; yan nimittam nivaaryate= by what, reason, you are dissuaded; shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami= let it be heard, I will tell.
"Your quick exiting is disagreeable for me, and what for you are dissuaded that may be listened as I tell. [4-15-9]
puurvam aapatitaH krodhaat sa tvaam aahvayate yudhi |
niSpatya ca nirastaH te hanyamaano disho gataH || 4-15-10
10. puurvam krodhaat aa patitaH= earlier, in anger came, falling on – came assaulting; tvaam yudhi aahvayate= you, for fight, he is inviting; te= to you [by you]; niS patya= on going out; nirastaH= defeated – made a nonentity; hanyamaanH dishaH gataH= by you, being battered, into directions, fled.
"Earlier Sugreeva came assaulting and inviting you for a combat, and you also have gone out and rendered him as a nonentity, and being battered by you he fled in all directions. [4-15-10]
tvayaa tasya nirastasya piiDitasya visheSataH |
iha etya punar aahvaanam sha.nkaam janayati iva me || 4-15-11
11. tvayaa= by you; nirastasya= who is undone; visheSataH piiDitasya= especially, tortured; tasya= such a one; iha punaH etya= to here, again, on coming,; aahvaanam= inviting you – for duel; me shankaam janayati iva= to me, doubt, causing, like that.
"He who is undone earlier by you, particularly after torturing by you, his coming here again and inviting you for a duel is causing a doubt in me. [4-15-11]
darpaH ca vyavasaayaH ca yaadR^ishaH tasya nardataH |
ninaadasya ca sa.mra.mbho na etat alpam hi kaaraNam || 4-15-12
12. nardataH= one who is shouting; tasya darpaH ca= his, arrogance, also; vyavasaayaH ca= endeavour, also; ninaadasya ca samrambhaH= furore's, also, rampage; etat alpam kaaraNam na hi= all this, with trivial, reason, not, isn't it.
"The arrogance and endeavour of the shouter, and even the rampage of his furore, all these will not have a trivial reason, isn't it. [4-15-12]
na asahaayam aham manye sugriivam tam iha aagatam |
avaSTabdha sahaayaH ca yam aashritya eSa ga.rjati || 4-15-13
13. iha aagatam tam sugriivam= to here, who came, that, Sugreeva is; a + sahaayam aham= not, assisted; na manye= not, I think; avaSTabdha sahaayaH ca= foregathering [unflinching,] support, also; yam aashritya eSaH garjati= whom, depending on, he is [Sugreeva is,] roaring.
"I do not think that Sugreeva has come here unaccompanied, and on whom he is dependant must be an unflinching support foregathered by Sugreeva. [4-15-13]
prakR^ityaa nipuNaH caiva buddhimaan caiva vaanaraH |
na apariikSita viiryeNa sugriivaH sakhyam eSyati || 4-15-14
14. prakR^ityaa nipuNaH caiva= by nature, [Sugreeva is] an expert, also thus; buddhimaan= clever one; vaanaraH= that monkey [Sugreeva]; a + pariikSita viiryeNa= without, examining, mettle; sugriivaH sakhyam= Sugreeva, friendship; na eSyati= will not, engage [in friendship.]
"By his nature Sugreeva is an expert and even so a clever one, and he does not enter into friendship with anyone without examining his mettle. [4-15-14]
puurvam eva mayaa viira shrutam kathayato vacaH |
a.ngadasya kumaarasya vakSyaami adya hitam vacaH || 4-15-15
15. viira= oh, brave one; puurvam eva kathayataH= already, only, [to me] told - briefed; kumaarasya angadasya vacaH= [our] son by Angada's, word - information; maya shrutam= by me, heard; hitam vacaH adya vakSyaami= helpful, word, now, I will tell.
"I am already briefed by our son Angada's information, and what I have heard I will now relate that helpful word to you. [4-15-15]
a.ngadaH tu kumaro ayam vanaa.ntam upanirgataH |
pravR^ittiH tena kathitaa caaraiH asiit niveditaa || 4-15-16
16. kumaraH ayam angadaH tu= son, this, Angada, but; vana antam upanirgataH= in forest, interior, [went and] came out of; tena pravR^ittiH kathitaa= by him, an account, is said; caaraiH niveditaa asiit= by spies, reported, it is.
"Son Angada said this account when he returned from forests, and to him spies are said to have reported this. [4-15-16]
ayodhya adhipateH putrau shuurau samara durjayau |
ikshvaakuuNaam kule jaatau prathitau raama lakshmaNau || 4-15-17
sugriiva priya kaamaartham praaptau tatra duraasadau |
17, 18a. ikshvaakuuNaam kule jaatau= Ikshvaku, dynasty, born in; ayodhya adhipateH putrau= Ayodhya's, king's, two sons; shuurau= valiant ones; samara dur jayau= in war, not, conquerable ones; raama lakshmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; prathitau= are available [and moving in this country]; dur aasadau= those two being not, assailable ones; sugriiva priya kaama artham= Sugreeva's, longing, desire, to fulfil; tatra praaptau= there [at Sugreeva's place Rishyamuka,] arrived.
"Those that are born in Ikshvaku dynasty, sons of the king of Ayodhya, valiant and unconquerable ones in war, called Rama and Lakshmana are there in this country. These two unassailable ones have chanced there at Sugreeva's place to fulfil the longing desire of Sugreeva. [4-15-17, 18a]
sa te bhraatur hi vikhyaataH sahaayo raNa ka.rmaNi || 4-15-18
raamaH para balamardii yugaanta agniH iva utthitaH |
18b, 19a. raNa karmaNi vikhyaataH= in war, works, acclaimed one; utthitaH yuga anta agniH iva= flared up, era, end of, fire, like; para bala mardii= other's [enemy's,] strength, shatterer of; saH raamaH= that, Rama; te bhraatuH sahaayaH hi= your, brother's, helpmate, they say so.
"He is an acclaimed one for his warfare, and like the fire flaring up at the end of era he shatters the strength of enemies, and he is Rama your brother's helpmate, they say so. [4-15-18b, 19a]
nivaasa vR^ikSaH saadhuunaam aapannaanaam paraa gatiH | 4-15-19
aartaanaam sa.mshrayaH caiva yashasaH ca eka bhaajanam |
19b, 20a. saadhuunaam nivaasa vR^ikSaH= for the polite, a habitable, tree; aapannaanaam paraa gatiH= for woebegone, ultimate, course; aartaanaam sam shrayaH caiva= for agonised, a good, hospice; yashasaH ca eka bhaajanam= for grace, also, the only, abode.
"And he is said to the habitable tree for the polite, the ultimate course for the woebegone, a hospice for the agonised, and for grace Rama is the only abode. [4-15-19b, 20a]
j~naana vij~naana sa.mpanno nidesho nirataH pituH || 4-15-20
dhaatuunaam iva shailendro guNaanaam aakaro mahaan |
20b, 21. j~naana vi j~naana sampannaH= knowledge [of mundane things,] knowledge [of ultra-mundane things,] endowed with; pituH nideshaH nirataH [sthitaH= abides]= in father's, directive, always involved, [or, one who abides]; =; dhaatuunaam iva shaila indraH= for elements, like, mountain, the great –Himalayas; guNaanaam mahaan aakaraH= for merits, greatest, mine.
"He is endowed with the knowledge of mundane and ultra-mundane things, he always abides in the directives of his father, and as with Mt. Himalayas for all natural elements he is the greatest mine of merits. [4-15-20b, 21a]
tat kSamo na virodhaH te saha tena mahaatmanaa || 4-15-21
durjayena aprameyeNa raameNa raNa karmasu |
21b, 22a. tat= by that reason; mahaatmanaa= with great souled one; raNa karmasu durjayena= in conflicts, unconquerable one; a + prameyeNa= not, estimable - imponderable one; saha tena raameNa= with that, Rama; te virodhaH na kSamaH= your, enmity, not, admissible – inadmissible, inappropriate, inapposite.
"By that reason, with that unconquerable on in conflicts, an imponderable one and a great-soul Rama, your enmity is inapposite. [4-15-21b, 22a]
For the above three stanzas very lengthy commentary is rendered of which some points are detailed here. Lady Tara is elucidating the whole being of Rama as gathered by her from her son Angada. The second foot of verse 19 starts with the words nivaasa vR^iksha a habitable tree; if it be asked why Rama is compared with a tree, then it is said that tree requires no formalities like 'may I come in...' or 'rights of admission reserved...' etc., as with any other house or habitation, for taking hold of its shade. A tree first gives its shade to the traveller who seeks it and then affords its fruits or flowers satisfying the basic needs of the needy. So Rama is such a tree that protects and nourishes, should anybody seek his grace.
Next is saadhuunaam for polite supplicants he is the ultimate course. Tara is saying indirectly that Vali is not at all polite in treating Sugreeva either as crown prince of Kishkindha or as his own younger brother. As such Vali cannot supplicate to Rama at this stage for his impoliteness to Sugreeva and to Ruma, wife of Sugreeva, which is intolerable to Rama, and hence Vali shall not confront Rama. aartaanaam for earnest and anguished supplicants Rama is the ultimate recourse. This is what later said in Bhagavat Gita at 9-22, yoga skhemam vahamyaham... Vali may dismiss this idea saying that 'if Rama is the ultimate course for the polite supplicants, I have my recourse to other supreme lords, i.e., none other than Indra, my father...' And for this Tara is supplementing her thought in saying, yashasaH ca eka bhaajanaH the grace Rama is the only ultimate abode, where Indra and others are but penultimate. Hence as long as Rama is standing guard to Sugreeva, Sugreeva cannot be trivialised and this again as said in Bhagavad Gita, na me bhaktaH praNashyati... at 9-31.
Alternately, it is again as said later in Gita at 7-16 that chaturvidhaa bhajante maam... 'four kinds of devotees worship me...' Those four are, one who is seeking knowledge saadhuunaam; those that are interested in salvation, kaivalya kaamuka; like King Priikshit. One seeking of material gains aapannaanaam; those that seek the material gains that were not there previously to them, also called artha ardhii; like Sugreeva, Dhruva. One who is distraught aartaanaam; those that are in anguish like Gajendra, the Elephant caught in lake by crocodile in gajendra moksha. And the fourthly one who is a wise person yashasaH j~naani; gloriously enlightened one, like Shuka, Sanaka, Naarada, Bhiishma, Prahlada. And this wise one is impossible to exist and if he is there 'he is my soul j~naanii tu aatmaiva me matam...' Gita 7-18.For all these four kinds Rama is ...eka bhaajanam..., the only recourse.
Next is j~naana, vij~naana sampatti In that j~naana is privy to the materialistic, worldly, kingly affairs. vij~naana is the knowledge derived from the scriptures, providentially profound. Or, through karmadhaaraya, j~naanaH ca asau vij~naa sampannaH ca... corporeally he is the knowledge, and spiritually he is gnostic as well. Hence he is the phenomenon of the Supreme Being in maintaining dharma. In order to maintain that dharma Rama is now observant of his father's orders pituH nideshe nirataH. This pursuit of father's orders is but one of the many other attributes of his dharma, and that alone is said here as secondary attribute, upa lakshaNa. Hence in pursuing his dharma Rama may eradicate adharma of Vali, insofar as Vali's misdemeanours towards Sugreeva and his wife Ruma are concerned. guNaanaam aakaraH; with his auspicious merits he is a Great Mine. Usually these guNa-s, attributs of Vishnu are six as per Vaishnavaite classification, con solidating them as ShaDguNa sampatti , which are aishvarya, viirya, yashas, shrii, j~naana, vairaagya. And there are many more in the depth of the soul of Rama hitherto unexcavated. As such, there are innumerable and auspicious elements, or merits, in him dhaatuunaam shailendraH. These elements neither subdivide nor shake him off his Himalayan personality, in the pursuit to establish dharma.
shuura vakSyaami te ki.mcin na ca icChaami abhyasuuyitum || 4-15-22
shruuyataam kriyataam caiva tava vakSyaami yad hitam |
22b, 23a. shuura= oh, dauntless one; te kimcit vakSyaami= to you, a little, I will say; abhyasuuyitum= you to find fault in good merits, you to become overcritical; na ca icChaami= not, also, I wish; tava hitam yat vaksyaami= to you, what that is beneficial, that, I am saying; shruuyataam= be heard; kriyataam caiva= be done, also.
"Oh dauntless one, I tell you this much that you shall not become overcritical of him, and what I say is beneficial to you that may now be listened and even implemented. [4-15-22b, 23a]
yauvaraajyena sugriivam tuurNam saadhu abhiSecaya || 4-15-23
vigraham maa kR^ithaa viira bhraatraa raajan yaviiyasaa |
23b, 24a. viira=oh, resolute one; raajan= oh, king; tuurNam= quickly; sugriivam= Sugreeva be; yauvaraajyena= as prince regent; saadhu abhiSecaya= gently - decorously, anoint; yaviiyasaa bhraatraa= with younger, brother; vigraham maa kR^ithaa= hostility, not, be made.
"Oh, king, let Sugreeva be decorously and quickly anointed as prince regent, and oh, resolute one, let there be no hostility to your own younger brother. [4-15-23b, 24a]
aham hi te kSamam manye tena raameNa sauhR^idam || 4-15-24
sugriiveNa ca sa.mpriitim vairam utsR^ijya duurataH |
24b, 25a. vairam duurataH utsR^ijya= enmity, far away, discard; sugriiveNa sampriitim= with Sugreeva, harmony - unanimity; tena raameNa sauhR^idam= with him, Rama, solidarity; te kSamam aham manye hi= to you, appropriate, I, deem, in effect.
"Achieving unanimity with Sugreeva and solidarity with Rama by discarding enmity, in effect is appropriate for you, thus I deem. [4-15-24b, 25a]
laalaniiyo hi te bhraataa yaviiyaan eSa vaanaraH || 4-15-25
tatra vaa sannihastho vaa sarvathaa bandhuH eva te |
25b, 26a. yaviiyaan bhraataa= younger, brother; eSa vaanaraH= this, monkey Sugreeva; te laalaniiyaH hi= to you, to be keen about him, isn't it; tatra san vaa= there, he is, either; iha sthaH vaa= here, he is there, or; sarvathaa te bandhuH eva= in any way, kinsman, just, of yours.
"This Sugreeva is your younger brother and you should be keen about him, isn't it... and whether he is here or there in Rishyamuka he is just your brother. [4-15-25b, 26a]
nahi tena samam bandhum bhuvi pashyaami ki.mcana || 4-15-26
daana maanaadi satkarraiH kuruSva pratyanantaram |
vairam etat sam ut.hsrR^ijya tava paarshve sa tiSThatu || 4-15-27
26b, 27. tena samam bandhum= his, coequal, kindred spirit; kimcana= anyone; bhuvi na pashyaami hi= on earth, not, I see, indeed; etat vairam samutsrR^ijya= all this, enmity, completely leaving off; daana maana aadi satkarraiH= with bestowals, felicitations, and the like, honours; prati anantaram= like one who is very close / like one who is your legatee; kuruSva= you make; saH tava paarshve tiSThatu= him, by your, side, be kept.
"Indeed, I do not see anyone on earth a coequal to him in kindred spirit, hence leave off this enmity and honour him with bestowals and felicitations as an insider, and retain him at your side. [4-15-26b, 27]
sugriivo vipula griivo mahaabandhuH mataH tava |
bhraatR^i sauhR^idam aala.mbya na anyaa gati iha asti te || 4-15-28
28. vipula griivaH= broad, throated – boisterously, voiced; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; tava mahaa bandhuH mataH= your, an excellent, kinsman, accepted as – indisputable kinsman; bhraatR^i sauhR^idam aalambya= brother's, fondness, brace yourself; te iha anyaa gati na asti= to you, now, another, way out, is not, there.
"That boisterously voiced Sugreeva is indisputably an excellent kinsman of yours, and hence brace yourself with the fondness of brotherhood, as there is no other way out to you. [4-15-28]
yadi te mat priyam kaaryam yadi ca avaiSi maam hitaam |
yaacyamaanaH priyatvena saadhu vaakyam kuruSva me || 4-15-29
29. te mat priyam kaaryam [aveSi] yadi= to you, to me, dear, deed [if you consider,] if; maam hitaam avaiSi yadi ca= me, as expedient, means of attaining an end, [if you] believe, if; priyatvena= in loving attachment; yaacyamaanaH= you are being begged; me vaakyam saadhu kuruSva= my, word [of advise,] simply, you make happen.
"If you look upon to do my favoured deed, and if you look upon me as an expedient one, I beg of you in our loving attachment that my gentle word of advise be done. [4-15-29]
prasiida pathyam shruNu jalpitam hi me
na roSam eva anuvidhaatum arhasi |
kshamo hi te koshala raaja suununaa
na vigrahaH shakra sama tejasaa || 4-15-30
30. prasiida= be graceful; shruNu me pathyam jalpitam= listen, to my, expedient, small talk; roSam eva= rancour, alone; anuvidhaatum na arhasi= to follow up, not, becoming of you; shakra sama tejasaa= with Indra, equal, in dynamism; koshala raaja suununaa= with Kosala, king's, son; te vigrahaH na kshamaH hi= to you, confrontation, not, pardonable, indeed.
"Be graceful and it behove you to listen to my small but expedient talk, and following up rancour alone is unbecoming of you, thereby your confrontation with the Prince of Kosala will be unpardonable for his dynamism equals that of Indra." Thus Tara spoke to her husband Vali. [4-15-30]
tadaa hi taaraa hitam eva vaakyam
tam vaalinam pathyam idam babhaaSe |
na rocate tad vacanam hi tasya
kaala abhipannasya vinaasha kaale || 4-15-31
31. tadaa hi taaraa= then, indeed, Tara; tam vaalinam= to him, Vali; hitam pathyam= beneficial, advisable [though]; idam vaakyam babhaaSe= this, sentence, spoke; kaala abhipannasya= by fatality, impounded; tasya= to him to Vali; vinaasha kale= at doom, time; tat vacanam na rocate= that, word, is not, impressive.
Then, though Tara spoke beneficial and advisable words they are unimpressive to Vali for he is impounded by fatality and driven by time to his doom. [4-15-31]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe pa.ncadashaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 15th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 2001, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [ Revised : April 04]