Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Tara appeases Lakshmana and reasons with him about the delay, which is held as delay by Rama, but in actuality it is the preparatory time lag. She gives an account o Ravana's forces that cannot be countered without proper assistance of Vanara military. She informs Lakshmana that all the Vanara forces are mobilized and they present themselves before Rama on this very day. |
tathaa bruvaaNam saumitrim pradiiptam iva tejasaa |
abraviit lakSmaNam taaraa taaraa adhipa nibha aananaa || 4-35-1
1. tathaa bruvaaNam= then, who is speaking; tejasaa pra diiptam iva= with his resplendence, highly, blazing, as though; saumitrim= to Sumitra's son; lakSmaNam= to Lakshmana; taaraa adhipa nibha aananaa= stars', lord's [moon,] in shine, faced one; taaraa abraviit= Tara, spoke.
Tara with her visage that shines like the Lord of Stars, namely the Moon, then spoke to the son of queen Sumitra, namely Lakshmana, who while he is speaking is as though blazing with his own resplendence. [4-35-1]
na evam lakSmaNa vaktavyo na ayam paruSam arhati |
hariiNaam iishvaraH shrotum tava vak.htraat visheSataH || 4-35-2
2. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; ayam= this; hariiNaam iishvaraH= for monkeys, king - Sugreeva; evam na vaktavyaH= this way, not, speakable - addressed; visheSataH= especially; tava vaktraat= from your, mouth [tongue]; paruSam= harsh - words, tongue-lashing; shrotum na arhati= [he] to listen, not, apt - not the right one.
"Let not this king of monkeys be addressed in this way, oh, Lakshmana, and he is not warranted to listen such tongue-lashing, especially from your tongue. [4-35-2]
na eva akR^itaj~naH sugriivo na shaTho na api daaruNaH |
na eva anR^ita katho viira na jihmaH ca kapiishvaraH || 4-35-3
3. viira== oh, brave Lakshmana; kapiishvaraH sugriivaH= monkey-king, Sugreeva; a + kR^itaj~naH + na= un, thankful, he is not; shaThaH na= treacherous, not; daaruNaH api na= iniquitous one, not; a + nR^ita kathaH= un, truth, utterer; na eve= not, even; jihmaH ca na= duplicitous, also, not.
"Sugreeva is not an unthankful one, oh, brave Lakshmana, a treacherous one - no; a flagitious one - no; an utterer of untruth - no; a duplicitous one, no, this king of monkeys is not even that. [4-35-3]
upakaaram kR^itam viiro na api ayam vismR^itaH kapiH |
raameNa viira sugriivo yat anyaiH duSkaram raNe || 4-35-4
4. viira= oh, valiant Lakshmana; kapiH= monkey; ayam sugriivaH= this, Sugreeva; raNe= in combat; yat anyaiH duSkaram= which, for others, is impractical; such impractical deed is; raameNa kR^itam= by Rama, that has been done - in eliminating Vali; upakaaram= that favour; na vismR^itaH api= not, forgotten - disregarded, also.
"Although he is a monkey this Sugreeva has not dismissed from his mind even the favour Rama has done in his respect, oh, valiant Lakshmana, which in combat is impractical for others. [4-35-4]
raama prasaadaat kiirtim ca kapi raajyam ca shaashvatam |
praaptavaan iha sugriivo rumaam maam ca para.ntapa || 4-35-5
5. parantapa= oh, enemy-scorcher Lakshmana; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; iha= now; raama prasaadaat= by Rama's, beneficence; kiirtim ca= reputation, also; shaashvatam kapi raajyam ca= everlasting, monkeys, kingdom - kingship, also; rumaam ca= Ruma, also; maam ca= me, also; praaptavaan= has obtained - privileged with.
"By the beneficence of Rama, oh, the enemy-scorcher Lakshmana, now Sugreeva is privileged with reputation, everlasting kingship of monkeys, more so with Ruma and me as well. [4-35-5]
suduHkha shayitaH puurvam praapya idam sukham uttamam |
praapta kaalam na jaaniite vishvaamitro yathaa muniH || 4-35-6
6. puurvam= hitherto; su duHkha shayitaH= high, anguish, tolerated [or, reposed agonisingly]; uttamam idam sukham praapya =excellent, this, comfort [of kingship,], on getting; vishvaamitraH muniH yathaa= Vishvamitra, saint, as with; praapta kaalam= attained, time [timely action]; na jaaniite= not, aware of - not oriented himself.
"Hitherto he has tolerated high anguish and on the attainment of this high comfort of kingship he has not oriented himself to the time-oriented actions as with saint Vishvamitra. [4-35-6]
ghR^itaacyaam kila sa.nsakto dasha var.hSaaNi lakSmaNa |
aho amanyata dharmaatmaa vishvaamitro mahaamuniH || 4-35-7
7. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; dharmaatmaa mahaa muniH vishvaamitraH= virtue-souled, great-sage, Vishvamitra; dasha varSaaNi= for ten, years; ghR^itaacyaam sansaktaH= with Ghritaachi, clinging together; ahaH amanyata kila= as one day, he regarded as, forsooth.
"Oh, Lakshmana, that great-sage Vishvamitra clinging together with Ghritaachi, an angelic apsara, for a period of ten years, forsooth that virtue-souled sage regarded that period as one day. [4-35-7]
In Bala Kanda the legend of Vishvamitra is there. And there his association with Menaka is narrated. Some say the Menaka and Ghritaachi are the same apsara-s. But others say that Ghritaachi is a separate apsara. Vishvamitra gives up even his daily routines sandhya upaasana, nitya karma, required of a Vedic sage, in all the ten years of his association with Ghritaachi.
sa hi praaptam na jaaniite kaalam kaalavidaam varaH |
vishvaamitro mahaatejaaH kim punar yaH pR^ithag janaH || 4-35-8
8. kaala vidaam varaH= [among] timeliness, knowers, best one; mahaatejaaH saH vishvaamitraH= great-resplendent, he, that Vishvamitra; praaptam kaalam na jaaniite= occasioned, time, not, privy to; yaH pR^ithag janaH= who is, a common, man [commoner; about him; kim punaaH why, again - to talk of.
"When he who is a best one among the time-knowers, that great-resplendent Sage Vishvamitra himself is not privy to the occasioned time for a good many years, why talking about a commoner again. [4-35-8]
deha dharma gatasya asya parishraantasya lakSmaNa |
avitR^iptasya kaameSu raamaH kSantum iha arhati || 4-35-9
9. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; deha dharma gatasya= bodily, nature [appetites,] one who is undergoing; pari shraantasya= over, wrought [and, overtired]; kaameSu=in concupiscence; a +vi+ tR^iptasya= not, verily, satisfied - absolutely discontent; asya= his - in his respect; raamaH iha kSantum arhati= Rama, to excuse - bear with him, for a while, apt of him [Rama.]
"He who is overwrought and now undergoing natural bodily appetites, oh, Lakshmana, and who is overtired as he is absolutely discontent in the concupiscence, such as Sugreeva is, it will be apt of Rama to bear with him for a while. [4-35-9]
The ever-alive bodily appetites common for any living being are four aahaara, nidraa, maithuna, bhaya 'food, sleep, sex, and fear.'
na ca roSa vasham taata ga.ntum arhasi lakSmaNa |
nishcayaartham avij~naaya sahasaa praakR^ito yathaa || 4-35-10
10. taata lakSmaNa= oh, young man, Lakshmana; nishcaya artham a vij~naaya= decisive, reason - realities, without, knowing; praakR^itaH yathaa= commoner, as with; sahasaa roSa vasham gantum= hastily, rancour's, control, to enter; na ca arhasi= not, also, apt of you.
"Without knowing realities, oh, young man Lakshmana, it will be extraneous of you to hastily enter into the control of your rancour like a commoner. [4-35-10]
sattva yuktaa hi puruSaaH tvat vidhaaH puruSarSabha |
avimR^ishya na roSasya sahasaa yaanti vashyataam || 4-35-11
11. puruSa rSabha= oh, best of men; sattva yuktaa= conscientiousness, one who is having; tvat vidhaaH= of your, kind; puruSaaH= persons; a+ vi+ mR^ishya= not, verily, conscious of - inconsiderately; sahasaa roSasya vashyataam= hurriedly, rancour's, getting under the control of; na yaanti= will not, go - get clutched.
"Men of your kind having conscientiousness, oh, best one among men, do not hurriedly rush in and get clutched by their own rancour, unconscionably. [4-35-11]
prasaadaye tvaam dharmaj~na sugriivaarthe samaahitaa |
mahaan roSa samutpannaH sa.mra.mbhaH tyajyataam ayam || 4-35-12
12. dharmaj~na= oh, virtue-knower; samaahitaa= equably; sugriiva arthe= Sugreeva's, in the interest of; prasaadaye= I beg for you grace; roSa sam utpannaH= by indignation, verily, upshot; mahaan= great; ayam samrambhaH tyajyataam= this, [anger's] clangour, leave off - dispel.
"I beg for your grace, oh, virtue-knower, in the interest of Sugreeva with all my equability, and you may dispel this clangour upshot in high dudgeon of yours. [4-35-12]
rumaam maam ca a.ngadam raajyam dhana dhaanya pashuuni ca |
raama priyaartham sugriivaH tyajet iti matir mama || 4-35-13
13. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; raama priya artham= Rama's, pleasure, for purpose of - in honour of, if need be; rumaam= Ruma; maam ca= me, even; angadam raajyam= Angada, kingdom; dhana dhaanya pashuuni [vauuni] ca= riches, cereals, livestock [jewels,] also; tyajet= disowns; iti mama matiH= thus, my, inference.
"In the honour of Rama, Sugreeva will disown his wife Ruma, even me, even Angada, why us, he will disown whole kingdom with its riches, food grains, livestock and whatnot, as I can infer. [4-35-13]
samaaneSyati sugriivaH siitayaa saha raaghavam |
shashaa.nkam iva rohiNyaa hatvaa tam raakshasa adhamam || 4-35-14
14. sugriivaH= Sugreeva; raakshasa adhamam= demon, the worst; tam= him - Ravana; hatvaa= on eliminating; shashaankam rohiNyaa iva= to Moon, with Rohini, as with; raaghavam siitayaa saha Raghava, Seetha, along with,; samaaneSyati [sam an iSyati] to bring together - coalesces.
"On eliminating that worst demon Ravana, Sugreeva can bring Seetha together with Raghava, as with the coalescing of star Rohini with the Moon. [4-35-14]
Rohini is one of the twenty-seven stars of Indian Astrology, commencing from ashvani, bharaNi, kR^ittika, rohiNi... et al These are the daughters of Daksha Prajapati and wives of Moon. But the Moon is much interested in Rohini and used to neglect other twenty-six. Then all the twenty-six stars went to their father and complained, basing on which Daksha Prajapati issues a curse to Moon that he shall wane away. When his waning is beyond the reason, again the twenty-six stars have gone to their father and requested him to withdraw his curse. As an amendment to his curse Daksha says that the Moon shall wax for fifteen days and wane for the other fifteen days and the Moon shall take holy bath on no-moon day in one of the Holy Rivers, namely River Saraswati, now extinct, at a place called Prabhaasa. Then all the twenty-six other stars stopped interfering with the coalescence of Moon with Rohini.
shata koTi sahasraaNi la.nkaayaam kila rakSasaam |
ayutaani ca SaT tri.nshat sahasraaNi shataani ca || 4-35-15
15. lankaayaam= in Lanka; rakSasaam= demons; shata koTi sahasraaNi= hundred, ten millions, thousands [trillion]; SaT trimshat= thirty-six; ayutaani ca= a unit of ten-thousand, also; sahasraaNi shataani ca [raakshasaaH]= thousands, hundreds, [of demons,] also; kila= they say.
"It is said that the demons in Lanka are a trillion, plus thirty-six thousands of units of military, where one unit consists of a ten-thousand warriors, and hundreds and thousands of other demons are there, thus they say. [4-35-15]
This military census is interpreted variously and in the above way it comes to 'one trillion thirty-nine thousand and six hundred; 1,000,000,399,600 plus many more in hundreds and thousands (?) However, the picture we get is that Lanka is a garrison of warriors, except for some sane citizens like Vibheeshana and his family, Mandodari, Sulocana wt al. Apart from them there is an invaluable wealth amassed by Ravana. And there are many sages and women that are held captive in that island.
ahatvaa taam ca durdharSaan raakSasaan kaama ruupiNaH |
na shakyo raavaNo ha.ntum yena saa maithilii hR^itaa || 4-35-16
16. durdharSaan= unassailable ones; kaama ruupiNaH= guise-changers by wish; taam raakSasaan a + hatvaa= them, demons, without killing; yena saa maithilii hR^itaa= by whom, she, Maithili, is abducted; such; raavaNaH= Ravana; hantum= to kill; na shakyaH= not, practicable.
"Without eliminating those unassailable and guise changing demons, it is impracticable to eliminate him who has abducted Maithili, namely Ravana. [4-35-16]
te na shakyaa raNe ha.ntum asahaayena lakSmaNa |
raavaNaH kruura karmaa ca sugriiveNa visheSataH || 4-35-17
17. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; te= those - demons; and; kruura karmaa raavaNaH ca= of cruel, deeds, Ravana, also; a + sahaayena= one without, assistance - either by unassisted Rama, or by unsupported Sugreeva; raNe hantum= in war, to kill; na shakyaa= he is - not, a possible one to get killed - Ravana is an unkillable entity; sugriiveNa visheSataH= by Sugreeva, especially, more so.
"Oh, Lakshmana, it is impossible to kill those demons, or that Ravana, the evil-doer and abductor of Seetha, without any assistance, more so to Sugreeva... [4-35-17]
On this verse some commentaries are having the meaning that 'Sugreeva cannot encounter those demons or Ravana, without any assistance of his forces...' Rama never wanted Sugreeva to wage war but sought help from Sugreeva in searching Seetha. Tara is a little ahead in her thinking and narrating the military capabilities of Ravana, as heard from Vali. Thus her opinion according to Tilaka commentary is 'Sugreeva cannot eliminate Ravana single-handedly and without assistance, and when Rama needs Sugreeva's help, Sugreeva needs his military assistance consequentially, which is a possibility only after Vali's elimination.' visheSataH sugriiveNa This verse is recorded in another method: na ca þaky˜ raõe hantum asah˜yena r˜kÿas˜× | r˜meõa k²ra karmaõa× sugrŸva sahitena vai || 'Rama cannot kill these many demons without assistance, more so Sugreeva. So Sugreeva summoned all his forces to assist him. Sugreeva in turn can assist Rama along with his millions and millions of troops.' This is keeping the import of the verse 19 also in view.
evam aakhyaatavaan vaalii sa hi abhij~no hariishvaraH |
aagamaH tu na me vyaktaH shravaat tasya braviimi aham || 4-35-18
18. vaalii evam aakhyaatavaan= Vali, in this way, he was saying; saH hariishvaraH= he, the king of monkeys - Vali; abhij~naH hi= aware, isn't it; aagamaH= arrival - of these many demons under the aegis of Ravana; tu= but; me na vyaktaH= to me, not, clear; tasya= his - Vali's telling; shravaat= on hearing; aham braviimi= I am, telling.
"This way Vali was saying and that king of monkeys is well-informed in these aspects, isn't it! But how Ravana mustered up these many troops is unclear to me, and I am saying what I heard from Vali. [4-35-18]
It is also unclear as to when Vali informed Tara of this military strength. For this the commentators deduce a situation where Vali might have told Tara. When Tara said to Vali that Angada informed her about Rama's befriending Sugreeva, Vali making fun of Sugreeva might have detailed Ravana's capabilities to Tara, 'This Sugreeva by himself is a useless fellow, and Ravana has got these many capabilities, then why that helpless Rama shall befriend this hopeless Sugreeva? Rama should have sought my help, instead!' This might be the occasion for Vali to give details of Ravana's capabilities to Tara.
tvat sahaaya nimittam hi preSitaa haripu.ngavaaH |
aanetum vaanaraan yuddhe subahuun haripu.ngavaan || 4-35-19
19. tvat [tat]= for you, [or, for that reason]; yuddhe= in war; sahaaya nimittam= assistance, for the purpose of; hari pungavaan= monkey, the best ones; su bahuun= very, many; vaanaraan aanetum= monkeys, to muster up; hari pungavaaH= monkey, the best ones; preSitaa= are hastened.
"Intending that assistance to you in war, best monkeys are hastened in all directions, to muster up very many best of the best monkeys. [4-35-19]
Tara's reasoning is logical in calculating that a war is imminent and in the compund, tat yuddhe sahaaya nimittam if the word tat is used hen it will be: 'for the reason of helping that war'; and if tvat is used it will be: 'as a help to you...'. In any way, 'the war is yours, and we are here to help...' is the final output. Then the gist of her dialogue will be 'without attending to these pre-confrontation strategies what is the use of Sugreeva's or Hanuma's coming to you and sitting before you two, except to sing bhajan-s, kiirtan-s 'musical exalts and extols.' Thereby Sugreeva has done the need of the hour at the advise of Hanuma.'
taam ca pratiikSamaaNo ayam vikraa.ntaan sumahaa balaan |
raaghavasya artha siddhi artham na niryaati hari iishvaraH || 4-35-20
20. ayam hari iishvaraH= this, king of monkeys; raaghavasya artha siddhi artham= of Raghava, objective, achieving, for the purpose of - determined; vikraantaan= venturesome ones - that are sent out; su mahaa balaan= very, great, mighty ones; taam= them; pratiikSamaaNaH= while he is awaiting for them; na niryaati= not, out, started - has not come to you.
"Determined to achieve the objective of Raghava this king of monkeys Sugreeva has not bestirred himself while awaiting the return of those venturesome and very great mighty monkey-warriors who are sent out. [4-35-20]
kR^itaa susa.msthaa saumitre sugriiveNa yathaa puraa |
adya taiH vaanaraiH sarvaiH aaga.ntavyam mahaabalaiH || 4-35-21
21. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; sugriiveNa= by Sugreeva; puraa= earlier; su samsthaa= good, organised - groundwork; yathaa kR^itaa= as to how, it is made; according to it; mahaabalaiH= by great-mighty ones; sarvaiH= all of them; taiH vaanaraiH= by those, monkeys; adya aagantavyam= to day, they have to come.
"According to the well-organised groundwork earlier made by Sugreeva, oh, Saumitri, all of those great-mighty monkeys have to arrive here today itself. [4-35-21]
R^ikSa koTi sahasraaNi golaa.nguula shataani ca |
adya tvaam upayaasyanti jahi kopam arindama
koTyo anekaaH tu kaakutstha kapiinaam diipta tejasaam || 4-35-22
22. arindama= oh, enemy-repressor; kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; adya= today; R^ikSa koTi sahasraaNi= bears, two million, thousands [millions and millions]; golaanguula shataani ca= baboons, hundreds [in hundredfolds,] also; diipta tejasaam= firebrand-like, by their own flare; kapiinaam= of monkeys; an+ekaaH= not, one - innumerable; koTyaH tu= millions, but in; tvaam upa yaasyanti= to your, fore, they arrive; kopam jahi= anger, rebut.
"Only today millions and millions of bears and hundredfold millions of baboons, and innumerable monkeys who by their own flare are like firebrands will arrive in your fore, oh, Lakshmana, thereby, oh, the enemy-repressor, therefore rebut your rage. [4-35-22]
tava hi mukham idam niriikSya kopaat
kSataja same nayane niriikSamaaNaaH |
hari vara vanitaa na yaanti shaantim
prathama bhayasya hi shankitaaH sma sarvaaH || 4-35-23
23. hari vara vanitaa= monkey, chief's, females; tava idam mukham niriikSya= your, this [this sort of angry,] face, on seeing; kopaat kSataja same nayane niriikSamaaNaaH= by anger, blood, similar, [your] eyes, on their gazing; shaantim na yaanti= peace, not, they get into; sarvaaH= all of us; prathama bhayasya hi= of first, fear, indeed - fear caused by the elimination of Vali in first instance; shankitaaH sma= with premonition, we are.
"On staring at this angry face of yours, and on gazing at the angrily bloodshot eyes of yours, unsecured is the peace to the females of monkeys chief, and with the fear caused at first by Vali's elimination we are all indeed premonished about such a happening in respect of Sugreeva too. [4-35-23]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe pa.nca tri.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 35th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© July, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : August 04]