Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda -The Empire of
Holy Monkeys
Chapter
[Sarga] 4
Introduction
|
Lakshmana explains about Seetha's abduction and their inability to trace her whereabouts. As informed earlier by a demon freed from his curse and who became a celestial, Lakshmana says that they are searching for one Sugreeva, King of Vanmara-s, to befriend him in order to take help in searching for Seetha. Hanuma who is on a similar mission to befriend these two warriors, as instructed by Sugreeva in the earlier chapter, comes to a conclusion that the needs of both the friends would be fulfilled. Then Hanuma takes the two bothers on his back to the place where Sugreeva is hiding from Vali. |
tataH prahR^iSTo hanumaan
kR^ityavaan iti tat vacaH |
shrutvaa madhura bhaavam ca sugriivam manasaa gataH || 4-4-1
1.tataH= then; kR^ityavaan= one
who does good deeds; Hanuma; iti= thus; tat vacaH= that, words [of Lakshmana];
shrutvaa= having heard; madhura bhaavam ca= finely meaningful, also [on
knowing]; prahR^iSTaH= rejoicing; manasaa= by mind; sugriivam= about Sugreeva;
gataH= reached [recalled Sugreeva in mind.]
Then that Hanuma, who has good deeds for his credit, on hearing the words of Lakshmana, and even knowing that they are finely meaningful, he rejoicingly recalled in his mind that Sugreeva's effort is going to fructify. [4-4-1]
bhaavyo raajyaagamaH tasya
sugriivasya mahaatmanaH |
yat ayam kR^ityavaan praaptaH kR^ityam ca etat upaagatam || 4-4-2
2. mahaatmanaH= the great soul;
tasya sugriivasya= of that Sugreeva’s; raajya aagama= kingdom, coming
[retrieval of kingdom]; bhaavyaH= is conceivable; yat= because; kR^ityavaan=
purposive one ayam= he [Rama]; praaptaH= has come; etat= all this; kR^ityam
cha= deed, also [desired by Rama];’ upa aagatam= came by.
"Conceivable is the retrieval of the kingdom by that great souled Sugreeva...and for which deed, this purposive Rama has come, and that deed desired by Rama is also achievable by Sugreeva, and thus all this has came by..." thus thought Hanuma. [4-4-2]
tataH parama sa.mhR^iSTaH hanumaan
plavagottamaH |
prati uvaaca tato vaakyam raamam vaakya vishaaradaH || 4-4-3
3. tataH= then; parama
samhR^iSTaH= very, gladdened; Hanuma; plvaga uttama= flyer, the ablest; prati
uvaacha tataH= in turn, spoke, then; Ramam= to Rama; vaakya vishaaradaH=
sentence, maker [learned one.]
Then Hanuma, the ablest flyer is thus very gladdened...and in turn then spoke to that very learned one, namely Rama. [4- 4-3]
Ramayana is said to have been composed basing on the letters of Gayatri Hymn. The letter ga in plavagottama is the 10th letter in Gayatri hymn, and up to now 9,000 verses are over, out of 24,000 of the total epic.
kim artham tvam vanam ghoram
pampaa kaanana maNDitam |
aagataH saanujo durgam naanaa vyaala mR^iga aayutam || 4-4-4
4. sa anujaH= with, brother;
pampaa kaanana maNDitam= Pampa, forests, hemmed in; dur gam= impenetrable;
naanaa vyaala mR^iga aayutam= many a, serpents, animals, abound with; ghoram
vanam= perilous forest; kim artham= what, for; tvam= you; aagataH= have come.
"What for you have come into these perilous forests hemming in Pampa Lake along with your brother, for these are impenetrable forests abounding with many a serpent and animal?" Thus Hanuma asked Rama. [4-4-4]
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa
lakSmaNo raama coditaH |
aacacakSe mahaatmaanam raamam dasharathaatmajam || 4-4-5
5. tasya tat vachanam shrutvaa=
his [Hanuma's,] that, sentence, on hearing; Lakshmana; rama choditaH= by Rama,
motivated; aachachakSe= narrated; maha aatmaanam= of that great soul; raamam=
of Rama [about Rama]; dasharatha atmajam= son of Dasharatha.
On hearing the words of Hanuma, Lakshmana motivated by Rama, narrated about the great soul Rama, the son of Dasharatha. [4-4-5]
raajaa dasharatho naama dyutimaan
dharma vatsalaH |
chaatur varNyam sva dharmeNa nityam eva abhipaalayan || 4-4-6
6. raajaa dasharathaH naama= king,
Dasharatha, named; dyutimaan= resplendent one; dharma vatsala= virtue, patron
of; chaatur varNyam= four caste system [and its rectitude]; sva dharmeNa= by
his own rectitude; nityam eva= always, thus; abhipaalayan= ruling.
"The king named Dasharatha, a resplendent one and the patron of virtue was ruling the four-caste system with its, and by his own rectitude, for he is also bound within that four-caste system... [4-4-6]
na dveSTA vidyate tasya sa tu
dveSTi na ka.mchana |
sa tu sarveSu bhUteSu pitAmaha iva aparaH || 4-4-7
7. tasya dvesSTaa na vidyate= his,
despiser, not to seen; sa tu na dveSTi kancha= he, also, despised, none; saH
sarva bhuuteSu= he, but, for all, living beings; pitaamaH iva aparaH=
Grandparent Brahma, like, on earth.
There is none despising him, nor he despised any and for all the living beings he is like the Grandparent Brahma on earth... [4-4-7]
agniSTomaadibhiH yaj~naiH iSTavaan
aapta dakshiNaiH |
tasya ayam puurvajaH putro raamo naama janaiH shrutaH || 4-4-8
8. agniSToma aadibhiH= agniStoma,
and the like; yaj~naiH= with rituals; iSTavaan= performed; aapta dakshiNaiH=
given are, the charities [liberal charities are given in rituals by him];
tasya= his; ayam= this one; puurvajaH putraH= eldest, son; Rama; naama janaiH
shrutaH= by name, by people, heard [known.]
"And he, King Dasharatha who performed rituals agniSToma and the like Vedic rituals wherein he donated liberally, and this one is his eldest son, and he is renowned among people by the name of Rama... [4-4-8]
sharaNyaH sarva bhuutaanaam pituH
nirdesha paaragaH |
jyeSTo dasharathasya ayam putraaNaam guNavattaraH || 4-4-9
raaja laxaNa sa.myuktaH sa.myukto raajya sampadaa ||
raajaat bhraSTo mayaa vastum vane saardham iha aagataH || 4-4-10
9, 10. sharaNyaH= protector; sarva
bhuutaanaam= of all beings; pituH nirdesha paaragaH= father's, directives,
follower; jyeSTaH= eldest one; putraaNaam= among the sons; dasharathasya= of
Dasharatha; guNavat taraH= has high virtues; raja lakshaNa samyuktaH= king's,
qualities, possessing; samyuktaH raajya sampadaa= possessing, royal, fortune;
ayam= he is; raajyaat bhraSTaH= from kingdom, deprived; vastum vane= to live,
in forest; saardham= along with; maya= with me; iha aagataH= hither, he came.
"He is the protector of all beings and the follower of father's directives, he is the eldest one among the sons of King Dasharatha... possessor of high virtues, qualities and royal fortune befitting to a king... but he is deprived of his kingdom, and came hither to dwell in the forests... nevertheless, followed by me...[4-4-9, 10]
bhaaryayaa ca mahaabhaaga siitayaa
anugato vashii |
dina kSaye mahaatejaaH prabha eva divaakaraH || 4-4-11
11. mahaabhaagaa= oh highly
fortunate [Hanuma]; [Rama being] vashii= self-controlled one; mahaatejaa=
highly resplendent one; dina kshaye= day, abating; divaakaraH m= Sun’s;
prabhayaa eva= with resplendence / Sun’s consort Prabha, like; bhaaryaayaa cha=
with his wife, also; siitaayaa anugataH= with Seetha, following him.
"With his wife Seetha following him, oh, highly fortunate Hanuma, this self-controlled and highly resplendent Rama came to forests like the Sun followed by his consort Prabha, who vanishes when the day is abated...
Or
With his wife Seetha following him, oh, highly fortunate Hanuma, this self-controlled and highly resplendent Rama came to forests like sun with his dwindling resplendence when the day is abated... [4-4-11]
aham asya avaraH bhraataa guNaiH
daasyam upaagataH |
kR^itaj~nasya bahuj~nasya lakSmaNo naama naamataH || 4-40-12
12. aham= I am; kR^itaj~nasya
bahuj~nasya= of this faithful one, knowledgeable one; asya gunaiH= by his,
justness; daasyam upaagataH= servitude, one who obtained; avaraH bhraataa=
younger, brother; Lakshmana; naama naamathaH= named, by name.
"I am the one who obtained servitude by the justness of this faithful and knowledgeable one, and his younger brother, by name I am named as Lakshmana... [4-4-12]
sukhaarhasya mahaarhasya
sarvabhuuta hitaatmanaH |
aishvaryeNa vihiinasya vanavaase ratasya ca || 4-4-13
rakSasa apahR^itaa bhaaryaa rahite kaama ruupiNaa |
tat ca na j~naayate rakSaH patnii yena asya vaa hR^itaa || 4-4-14
13, 14. sukha arhasya= for
comforts, one who is eligible; mahaa arhasya= for respectability, one who is
eligible; sarva bhuuta hita aatmanaH= for all, beings, well-being, he who
aspires to; aishvaryeNa vi hiinasya= of prosperousness, one who is devoid of;
vana vaase ratasya cha= forests, dwelling, predisposed, also; [tasya bhaaryaa=
such as he is, his wife is]; rahite= in lonely place; kaama ruupiNaH= by
guise-changing; rakshasaa apahR^itaa bhaaryaa= by demon, abducted, is his wife;
yena vaa= by whom, either; asya patnii hR^itaa= his, wife, is stolen; tat
raksha cha= that, demon, even; na j~naayate= not, known.
"He who aspires to keep up the well-being of all the beings, and he who is merited for all comforts and respectability is now devoid of his prosperity and predisposed to forest dwelling... such as he is, his wife is abducted by a guise changing demon in a lonely place, of whom we know not... we know not which demon stole his wife... [4-4-13, 14]
The aspect of ‘helping the destitute’ is retold here. Though Rama could have rejoiced in the nearby forests bordering Ayodhya for fourteen years without a bother, and could have regained his comforts and respectability, his mission to help the piteous sages and saints, and other god-forsaken creatures had to trigger off somewhere in the deep of woods. So while in woods his wife is stolen, paving a way for him to embark on his above mission.
danuH naama diteH putraH shaapaat
raakSasataam gataH |
aakhyaataH tena sugriivaH samartho vaanaraadhipaH || 4-4-15
sa j~naasyati mahaaviiryaH tava bhaaryaa apahaariNam |
evam uktvaa danuH svargam bhraajamaano divam gataH || 4-4-16
15, 16. danuH naama= Danu, named;
diteH putraH= Diti's, son; shaapaat= by curse; raakshasataam gataH= demon-hood,
obtained; aakhyaataH tena= said, by him; Sugreeva; vaanara adhipaH= monkey's,
chief; samarthaH= is capable one; saH= he; mahaa viiryaH= that great valorous
one; j~naasyasi= can know; tava bhaaryaa= your wife's; apahaaNinam = abductor;
evam uktvaa danuH= thus, saying, Danu; bhraajamanaH svargam= while becoming
self-luminous to heavens; divam gataH= skyward, went away.
"One named Danu, son of Diti, who acquired demon-hood by curse had said that Sugreeva, the chief of monkeys, is a capable one, and he even said, "that great valorous Sugreeva can know about the abductor of your wife..." saying thus that Danu is released from the curse of his demon-hood, moved skyward and went away to heavens while becoming self-luminous... [4-4-15, 16]
etat te sarvam aakhyaatam
yaathaatathyena pR^icChataH |
aham caiva ca raamaH ca sugriivam sharaNam gatau || 4-4-17
17. etat= all this; te= to you;
sarvam aakhyaatam= all, is informed; yathaa tathaaena= as it is; pR^icChataH=
as asked; aham cha= I, and; eva RamaH cha= thus, also, Rama; sugriivam= of
Sugreeva; sharaNam gatau= recourse to, we [already] went into [upon our word.]
"All this is informed to you, as it is as you have asked...myself and Rama, we now have our recourse to Sugreeva alone... [4-4-17]
eSa dattvaa ca vittaani praapya ca
anuttamam yashaH |
lokanaathaH puraa bhuutvaa sugriivam naatham icChati || 4-4-18
18. eSaH= he, Rama; dattvaa cha
vittaani= gave away, riches; praapya cha= obtained, also; anuttamam yasha=
unequalled, renown; lokanaathaH puraa bhuutvaa= world lord, earlier, he was;
sugriivam naatham icChati= Sugreeva, ass lordship, accepts.
"He who gave away riches in charity, who obtained unequalled renown and who himself was the lord of this world earlier, now accepts the lordship of Sugreeva... [4-4-18]
siitaa yasya snuSaa ca aasIt
sharaNyo dharmavatsalaH |
tasya putraH sharaNyasya sugrIvam sharaNam gataH || 4-4-19
19. yasya dharmavatsalaH sharaNyaH
= to which, patron of dharma, shelterer; sharaNyasya asya= shelterer, such a –
namely Dasharatha’s; snuSaa siitaa aasiit= daughter-in-law, Seetha, is there; tasya
putraH= his, son; Sugreeva’s; shaNanam gataH= in shelter, take refuge.
"Who was a patron of virtue and who himself was a shelterer, to whom Seetha is the daughter-in-law, such a shelterer’s son Rama is now taking shelter under Sugreeva... [4-4-19]
sarva lokasya dharmaatmaa
sharaNyaH sharaNam puraa |
gurur me raaghavaH so.ayam sugrIvam sharaNam gataH || 4-4-20
20. sarva lokasya= of all the
world; dharmaatmaa= virtuous one; sharaNyaH= protector; sharaNam puraa= only
refuge, earlier; guruH me= mentor, mine; Raaghava; saH=he; ayam sugriivam=
that, Sugreeva; sharaNam gataH= refuge seeking.
"He who is a virtuous one and protector of all the world, and who is the only refuge for all in earlier times... such a Raaghava, my mentor, is now seeking refuge with Sugreeva... [4-4-20]
yasya prasaade satatam prasIdeyuH
imaaH prajaaH |
sa raamaH vaanarendrasya prasaadam abhikaa~Nkshate || 4-4-21
21. yasya= by whose; prasaade=
beneficence; satatam= always; prasiideyuH= delighted; imaaH prajaaH= these
people; saH raamaH= he that, Rama; vaanara indrasya= of the lord of monkeys;
prasaadam abhikaa~Nkshate= benefaction, seeking.
"By whose beneficence all these people are always delighted, he that Rama is now seeking benefaction from the lord of monkeys... [4-4-21]
yena sarva guNopetaaH pR^ithivyaam
sarva paarthivaaH |
maanitaaH satatam raaj~naa sadaa dasharathena vai || 4-4-22
tasya ayam pUrvajaH putraH triSu lokeSu vishrutaH |
sugrIvam vaanarendram tu raamaH sharaNam aagataH || 4-4-23
22, 23. raaj~naa= by that king;
yena dasharathena = by which, Dasharatha; pR^ithivyaam= on earth; sarva
guNopetaaH= all kinds of, good attributes having; sarva paarthivaaH= all, the
[other] kings are; sadaa= of all times; satatam= always; maanitaaH= esteemed;
tasya puurvajaH putraH= his [Dasharatha's,] eldest, son; triSu lokeSu
vishrutaH= in three, worlds, renowned one [for his sheltering]; ayam raamaH= this,
Rama; vaanara indram= monkeys, lord, sugriivam= of Sugreeva, sharaNam gataH=
shelter, taken.
"By which kingDasharatha, are all the kings with all possible good attributes are always, and at all the times were esteemed to be safeguarded as defensible kings, such king’s eldest son Rama, renowned in all the three worlds for his own sheltering the needy, has now taken shelter under monkeys lord Sugreeva... [4-4-22, 23]
shoka abhibhuute raame tu shoka
aarte sharaNam gate |
kartum arhati sugriivaH prasaadam saha yuuthapaiH || 4-4-24
24. shoka abhibhuute= by sadness,
one who is rebuffed; shoka aarte= by sadness, agonised; sharaNam gate= refuge,
already sought; raaame= in respect of Rama; Sugreeva; saha yuudhapaiH= along
with, other monkey commanders; prasaadam kartum arhati= favour, to do, apt of
him.
"One who is rebuffed by sadness, and even agonised by it had already sought refuge, hence it is apt of Sugreeva to do favour in Rama’s respect along with other vanara commanders..." Lakshmana said thus to Hanuma. [4-4-24]
evam bruvaaNam saumitrim karuNam
sa ashru paatanam |
hanumaan prati uvaaca idam vaakyam vaakya vishaaradaH || 4-4-25
25. karuNam= piteously; sa ashru
paatanam= with, tears, falling out; evam bruvaaNam= thus, telling; saumitrim=
to Lakshmana; vaakya vishaaradaH= lettered, eminent one; to Hanumaan; idam
vaakyam= this sentence; prati uvaacha= in return said.
To Lakshmana, who is telling that piteously with tears falling out, the eminently lettered Hanumaan said this in his return. [4-4-25]
iidR^ishaa buddhi sa.mpannaa
jitakrodhaa jiteindriyaaH |
draSTavyaa vaanareindreNa diSTyaa darshanam aagataaH || 4-4-26
26. iidR^ishaaH= this kind of;
buddhi sampannaaH= intellect, having; jita krodhaa= conquered, anger; jita
indriyaH= conquered, senses; diSTyaa= godsend; darshanam aagataaH= advent, has
come to; vanarendNena= by monkey's chief; draSTavyaa= are to be seen.
"Intellectuals of your kind, who have conquered anger and senses are to be seen by the chief of monkeys Sugreeva, for your advent is godsend... [4-4-26]
sa hi raajyaat ca vibhraSTaH
kR^ita vairaH ca vaalinaa |
hR^ita daaro vane trastaH bhraatraa vinikR^itaH bhR^isham || 4-4-27
27. valinaa= by Vaali; kR^ita
vairaH cha= rendered, as an enemy, also; bhraataraa= by his brother; hR^ita
daaraH= abducted, wife; bhR^isham= very much; vinikR^itaH= one who is insulted;
raajyaat vi bhraSTaH= from kingdom, abrogated; sa hi= he [Sugreeva], indeed;
trasthaH= fearing; vane= in forests; [bhramati= roaming about.]
"He who is made as an enemy, very muchinsulted, and abrogated from kingdom by his own brother Vali, that Sugreeva is roaming about forests fearing him alone, his own brother Vali... [4-4-27]
kariSyati sa saahaayyam yuvayoH
bhaaskaraatmajaH |
sugriivaH saha ca asmaabhiH siitaayaaH parimaargaNe || 4-4-28
28. bhaaskara aatmajaH= Sun god's,
son; Sugreeva; saha asmaabhiH= along, with us – vanara forces; siithaayaaH= of
Seetha's; parimaargaNe= searching; youvayoH kariSyati sa sahaayyam= to you two,
he will render, help.
"He that son of Sun, Sugreeva, will render help to you two, joining forces of our like Vanara-s in searching Seetha..." [4-4-28]
iti evam uktvaa hanumaan shlakSNam
madhurayaa giraa |
babhaaSe saadhu gacChaamaH sugriivam iti raaghavam || 4-4-29
29. Hanumaan; mathurayaa giraa=
with harmonious words; shlakshnam= politely; iti evam uktvaa= thus, that way,
spoke; saadhu= good; abhigacChema sugriivaH= we now, approach, Sugreeva; iti=
thus; babhaaSaH= said to; raaghavam= to Raaghava.
Thus Hanuman on speaking melodious words with politeness, also said to Raghava as, “good, we may now approach Sugreeva...." [4-4-29]
evam bruvantam dharmaatmaa
hanuumantam sa lakSmaNaH |
pratipuujya yathaa nyaayam idam provaaca raaghavam || 4-4-30
30. dharmaatmaa= virtuous one; saH
Lakshmana= that, Lakshmana; evam bruvaaNam hanumantam= thus, who is saying, to
that Hanuma; yathaa nyaayam= as per, custom; pratipuujya cha= in return, on adoring,
also; raaghavam idam provaacha= to Raaghava, this, he spoke.
Hanuma when said thus virtuous Lakshmana adored him customarily in the way befitting to an envoy, and spoke this to Rama... [4-4-30]
kapiH kathayate hR^iSTo yathaa
ayam maarutaatmajaH |
kR^ityavaan so.api sa.mpraaptaH kR^ita kR^ityo.asi raaghava || 4-4-31
31. Raaghava; maaruta aatmajaH=
Air-god's son; ayam kapiH= this, monkey; yathaa kathayate= in happiness, as to
how, he is telling; hR^ishtaH= he is happy; saH api= he, also; kR^ityavaan=
aspirant of some deed; sampraaptaH= neared us; kR^ita kR^ityaH asi= mission,
full-filled, you will be.
"Raghava, as to how this monkey seems to be happy in meeting us, by way of his narration, and he too neared us as an aspirant of some deed to be performed by us, hence joining them seems to fulfil your mission... [4-4-31]
prasanna mukha varNaH ca vyaktam
hR^iSTaH ca bhaaSate |
na anR^itam vakSyate viiro hanuumaan maarutaatmajaH || 4-4-32
32. vyaktam= lucid expression;
prasanna mukha varNaH cha= pleasing, facial, tinge, also; hR^iSTaH cha
bhaaSate= gladdened, also, he is talking; hanumaan maarutaatmajaH= Hanuma, son
of Air-god; viiraH na anR^itam vakshyate= valiant one, no, untruth, telling.
"He is talking with a lucid expression and pleasing facial tinge by which he seems to be gladdened at his heart... needless is telling untruths to such a valiant son of Air-god, Hanuma, isn’t it!" So said Laskhmana to Rama [4-4-32]
tataH sa sumahaapraaj~naH hanumaan
maarutaatmajaH |
jagaama aadaaya tau viirau hari raajaaya raaghavau || 4-4-33
33. tataH= then; mahaapraaj~naH=
very intelligent one; maaruta atmajaH= Lord Air's son; saH= he that; Hanumaan;
viirau tau aadaaya= valorous ones those two, Raghava-s, on taking; hari
raajaaya= to monkeys' king; jagaama= started to.
Then he that very intelligent son of Air-god Hanuma, took those two valorous Raghava-s to go to the king of monkeys Sugreeva. [4-4-33]
bhikshu rUpam parityajya vAnaram
rUpam AsthitaH |
pR^iSTam Aropya tau vIrau jagAma kapiku~NjaraH || 4-4-34
34. kapi kunjaraH= monkey, the
elephant like estimable one; bhikshu ruupam= ascetic's, semblance; parityajya=
on discarding; vaanara ruupam aasthitaH= monkey's, form, came to; tau viirau
pR^iSTam aaropya= those, two valiant ones, onto his back, on mounting; jagaama=
proceeded.
On discarding the ascetic's semblance that estimable monkey Hanuma obtained his own monkey's form, and mounting those two valiant ones onto his back he proceeded towards Sugreeva. [4-4-34]
sa tu vipula yashaaH kapi
praviiraH pavanasutaH kR^ita kR^ityavat prahR^iSTaH |
giri varam uruvikramaH prayaataH sa shubhamatiH saha raama lakSmaNaabhyaam ||
4-4-35
35. vipula yashaaH= extensively
renowned; kapiH pra viiraH= monkey, very, heroic; saH pavana sutaH= he, that
Air-god’s son; prahR^iSTaH kR^ita kR^itya vat= gladdened, deed accomplished
one, like; subha matiH= pious, minded; uru vikramaH= highly audacious one; saH=
he, Hanuma; saha raama lakshmanaabhyaam= along with, Rama, Lakshmana; giri
varam= mountain, the great; prayaataH= travelled to.
Hanuma, the extensively renowned heroic son of Air-god with pious mind and highly audacious nature, is then gladdened like the one whose difficult deed is just accomplished, thus he gladly travelled to that mountain where Sugreeva is abiding, along with Rama and Lakshmana. [4-4-35]
iti valmIki rAmAyaNe Adi kAvye araNya kANDe chaturthaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 4th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Verse Locator for Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda -The Empire of
Holy Monkeys : Chapter 4
@ 2001, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : March, 04