Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
The war cries of monkey soldiers in their enthusiasm to conquer Ravana are uttered in the audience of Sugreeva, when all of them started to their designated directions. This suggests the |
sarv˜× ca ˜h¨ya sugrŸva× plavag˜n plavagarÿabha× |
samast˜n ca abravŸt r˜j˜ r˜ma k˜ry˜rtha siddhaye || 4-45-1
evam etat vicetavyam bhavadbhi× v˜narottamai× |
1, 2a. plavaga rSabhaH= of fly-jumper, the best one; raajaa sugriivaH= king [of monkeys,] Sugreeva; sarvaaH plavagaan aahuuya= all of them, fly-jumpers, calling forth; raama kaarya artha siddhaye= Rama's, task, purpose, to achieve; samastaan= to all of them; abraviit= spoke to; vaanara uttamaiH= vanara-s, best ones; bhavadbhiH= by you; evam etat= in this way [as I detailed,] all this [earth]; vicetavyam= shall be searched.
On calling forth all the fly-jumpers for achieving the purpose of Rama's task the best fly-jumper and the king of monkeys Sugreeva spoke to all of them, "oh, best vanara-s, you shall search all of this earth as I have detailed." Sugreeva said so to all monkeys. [4-45-1, 2a]
tat ugra þ˜sanam bhartur vijñ˜ya hari puðgav˜× || 4-45-2
þalabh˜ iva sañch˜dya medinŸm sampratasthire |
2, 3a. hari pungavaaH= monkey, best ones; bhartuH= of husband [king of vanara-s]; tat ugra shaasanam= that, arduous, order; vij~naaya= on understanding; mediniim shalabhaaH iva= earth, grasshoppers, as with; samChaadya= covering over; sam pra tasthire= well started out.
Understanding that arduous order of the king of monkeys Sugreeva those best monkeys started out covering the earth like grasshoppers. [4-45-2, 3a]
r˜ma× prasravaõe tasmin nyavasat saha lakÿmaõa× || 4-45-3
pratŸkÿam˜õa× tam m˜sam ya× sŸt˜ adhigame k®ta× |
3b, 4a. raamaH= Rama; saha lakSmaNaH= with, Lakshmana; yaH siitaa adhigame kR^itaH= which, for Seetha's, reaching out, made - marked for locating Seetha; tam maasam= that, month; prati iikSamaaNaH= forward, looking to; tasmin prasravaNe nyavasat= on that, Prasrvana [mountain,] he dwelled - remained.
Rama remained on that Mt. Prasravana along with Lakshmana looking forward to that month which is marked for locating Seetha. [4-45-3b, 4a]
uttar˜m tu diþam ramy˜m giri r˜ja sam˜v®t˜m || 4-45-4
pratasthe sahas˜ vŸro hari× þatabali× tad˜ |
4b, 5a. tadaa= then; shatabaliH viiraH hariH= Shatabali, brave, monkey; giri raaja sam aavR^itaam= by mountain, king - Himalayas, encompassed by; ramyaam uttaraam disham= to beautiful, northern, direction; sahasaa pratasthe= swiftly, transited.
Then the brave monkey Shatabali swiftly started towards the beautiful northern quarter that is encompassed by the king of mountains, namely Himavanta. [4-45-4b, 5a]
p¨rv˜m diþam prati yayau vinato hari y¨thapa× || 4-45-5
t˜r˜ aðgad˜di sahita× plavaga× pavan˜tmaja× |
agastya carit˜m ˜þ˜m dakÿiõ˜m hari y¨thapa× || 4-45-6
5b, 6. hari yuuthapaH vinataH= monkey, troop-commander, Vinata; puurvaam disham prati yayau= to eastern, direction, towards, journeyed; hari yuuthapaH= monkey, leader; pavana aatmajaH= Air-god's, son; plavagaH= fly-jumper - Hanuma; taaraa angada aadi sahitaH= Tara, Angada, others, along with; agastya caritaam= by Agastya, trodden; dakSiNaam aashaam= direction, southerly; [yayau= travelled to.
The monkey-troop commander Vinata journeyed towards the eastern direction, and the fly-jumper, leader of monkeys and Air-god's son Hanuma travelled towards southerly quarter that is once trodden by Sage Agastya, along with Lt. Tara, Prince-regent Angada, and others. [4-45-5b, 6]
paþcim˜m tu diþam ghor˜m suÿeõa× plavageþvara× |
pratasthe hari þ˜rd¨lo diþam varuõa p˜lit˜m || 4-45-7
7. plavaga iishvaraH= fly-jumper's, commander; hari shaarduulaH= monkey, tigerly one; suSeNaH= Sushena; varuNa paalitaam disham= by Rain-god, ruled, direction; ghoraam pashcimaam disham= horrifying, western, direction; pratasthe= started out.
The commander of fly-jumpers and a tigerly monkey Sushena started out towards the horrifying western direction that is ruled by Varuna, the Rain-god. [4-45-7]
tata× sarv˜ diþo r˜j˜ codayitv˜ yath˜ tatham |
kapi sen˜ patŸn vŸro mumoda sukhita× sukham || 4-45-8
8. tataH= latter; viiraH raajaa= valorous, king - Sugreeva; kapi senaa patiin= monkey, army, commanders; yathaa tatham= according to their capabilities; sarvaa dishaH codayitvaa= to all, directions, having sent; sukhitaH= is contented; sukham mumoda= contentedly [to his heart's content,] gladdened.
Then on disposing the commanders of monkey army to all directions according to their capabilities, that valorous king Sugreeva who is contented earlier by way of gaining his kingdom through Rama, is now gladdened to his heart's content for sending monkey troops to all directions as a requital to Rama's help. [4-45-8]
evam sañcodit˜× sarve r˜jñ˜ v˜nara y¨thap˜× |
sv˜m sv˜m diþam abhipretya tvarit˜× sampratasthire || 4-45-9
9. raaj~naa evam sam coditaaH= by king [Sugreeva,] in this way, who are sent; sarve vaanara yuuthapaaH= all of the, vanara, lieutenants; svaam svaam disham= his own, his own, direction; abhi pretya= readying to go; tvaritaaH sampratasthire= expeditiously, started out.
In this way when despatched by their king Sugreeva all the vanara lieutenants expeditiously started towards one's own direction. [4-45-9]
nadanta× ca unnadanta× ca garjanta× ca plavaðgam˜× |
kÿvelanto dh˜vam˜n˜× ca vinadanto mah˜bal˜× || 4-45-10
10. mahaabalaaH plavan gamaaH= great mighty, fly-jumpers; nadantaH ca= bawling, also; ud nadantaH ca= highly, blaring, also; garjantaH ca= thundering, also; kSvelantaH [or, kshhveDantaH]= roaring like lions; vi [vicitra naada] nadantaH= oddly, bellowing; dhaava maanaaH= they started to dash off.
When those great mighty fly-jumpers have started to dash off some are bawling, some highly blaring, some more thundering, and some more oddly bellowing, while some more are roaring like lions. [4-45-10]
evam sañcodit˜× sarve r˜jñ˜ v˜nara y¨thap˜× |
˜nayiÿy˜mahe sŸt˜m haniÿy˜ma× ca r˜vaõam || 4-45-11
11. raaj~naa= by king - Sugreeva; evam samcoditaaH= this way, well-motivated; sarve vaanara yuuthapaaH= all of the, vanara, lieutenants; aanayiSyaamahe siitaam= we will lead forth, Seetha; raavaNam haniSyaamaH ca= Ravana, we wish to kill, also; [vacanam uucuH ca= words, boasted, also.]
Well-motivated this way by the king Sugreeva those vanara lieutenants put their fortitude into boastful words and said, "we lead forth Seetha, we wish to kill Ravana." [4-45-11]
aham eko vadhiÿy˜mi pr˜ptam r˜vaõam ˜have |
tata× ca unmathya sahas˜ hariÿye janaka ˜tmaj˜m || 4-45-12
12. aham ekaH= I, single-handedly; aahave praaptam raavaNam= on battlefield, chanced, vadhiSyaami= I wish to kill; tataH ca= then, also; unmathya= on drubbing; [itara raakshasaan= other, demons]; sahasaa janaka aatmajaam aahariSye= quickly, daughter, Seetha, I bring back.
"I will kill Ravana single-handedly if he chances on battlefield, and then on drubbing the other demons I will quickly bring back Janaka's daughter, Seetha." Another monkey soldier said so. [4-45-12]
vepam˜nam þrameõa adya bhavadbhi× sthŸyat˜m iti |
eka eva ˜hariÿy˜mi p˜t˜l˜t api j˜nakŸm || 4-45-13
13. vepamaanam shrameNa adya= shivering [Seetha,] by enervation; jaanakiim= Janaki; paataalaat api= from netherworld, even; eka eva= by myself; aahariSyaami= I will bring back; adya= now; bhavadbhiH sthiiyataam= by you [monkey colleagues,] stay back; iti= thus - one more monkey said.
"I alone will bring back Janaki even from netherworlds, who might be shivering owing to enervation, and you my monkey-soldier colleagues, you all may stay behind now." Thus another monkey-hero said. [4-45-13]
vidhamiÿy˜mi aham v®kÿ˜n d˜rayiÿy˜mi aham girŸn |
dharaõŸm d˜rayiÿy˜mi kÿobhayiÿy˜mi s˜gar˜n || 4-45-14
14. aham= I will; vR^ikSaan= trees; vidhamiSyaami [vi dham iSyaami]= can completely, shatter; aham giriin daara yiSyaami= I will, mountains, shred; dharaNiim daarayiSyaami= earth, I wish to split; saagaraan kSobha yiSyaami= oceans, I wish to storm.
"I will completely shatter the trees, shred the mountains, split the earth and storm the oceans." Thus another monkey gave war cry. [4-45-14]
aham yojana saðkhy˜y˜× plavit˜ na atra saÕþaya× |
þatam yojana saðkhy˜y˜× þatam samadhikam hi aham || 4-45-15
15. aham yojana sankhyaayaaH shatam= I will, yojana numbers, a hundred, - hundred yojana-s in number; plavitaa atra na sanshayaH= can fly-jump, there is, no, doubt; aham= I; [plavitaa= can leap]; shatam yojana sankhyaayaaH= hundred, yojana, in number; sam adhikam= even, more; hi= for sure; [I will fly-jump.]
"I can fly-jump a hundred yojana-s, undoubtedly," said one monkey while the other said, "I can jump even more than a hundred yojana-s, for sure." [4-45-15]
bh¨ tale s˜gare v˜ api þaileÿu ca vaneÿu ca |
p˜t˜lasya api v˜ madhye na mama ˜cchidyate gati× || 4-45-16
16. bhuu tale= on earth's, plane; saagare vaa api= in ocean, or, even; shaileSu ca vaneSu ca= in mountains, also, in forests, also; paataalasya api vaa madhye= in netherworld, even, or, in the core of; mama gatiH= my, transit; na aacChidyate= not, thwarted.
"My transit cannot be thwarted either on the plane of earth, or in the ocean, or on mountains or in forests, or in the netherworld, or in its core." This is the slogan of another monkey-warrior. [4-45-16]
iti ekaika× tad˜ tatra v˜nar˜ bala darpit˜× |
¨cu× ca vacanam tasya hari r˜jasya sannidhau || 4-45-17
17. tadaa= then; vaanaraa= vanara-s; bala darpitaaH= by might, in proper pride; tatra= there; tasya hari raajasya sannidhau= that, monkey, king's, in audience; eka ekaH= one by one; iti= in this way; vacanam uucuH= words [war whoops,] uttered - and departed.
Thus each individual vanara gave war-whoops with the proper proud of his might in the audience of monkeys king Sugreeva and departed. [4-45-17]
iti v˜lmŸki r˜m˜yaõe ˜di k˜vye kiÿkindha k˜õýe pañca catv˜rinþa× sarga×
Thus, this is the 45th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Sept, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : November 04]