Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Sugreeva's knowledge of physical world is acquired when Vali put him to flight. Rama enquires with Sugreeva as to how Sugreeva has many details of lands, countries, rivers, and mountains. In reply, Sugreeva says that when repulsed by Vali he was on the run to pillar to post, until he finally settled on Mt. Rishyamuka. During such a plighted flight, Sugreeva says, he acquired a direct and personal knowledge of earth. |
gateSu vaanarendreSu raamaH sugriivam abraviit |
katham bhavaan vijaaniite sarvam vai maNDalam bhuvaH || 4-46-1
1. vaanara indreSu gateSu= monkey-troop, chiefs of, when gone; raamaH sugriivam abraviit= Rama, to Sugreeva, spoke; bhavaan= you; bhuvaH sarvam maNDalam= of earth, in entirety, globe; katham vi jaaniite vai= how, very-well know, indeed.
When the chiefs of monkey-troops are on their way Rama spoke to Sugreeva, "Indeed, how do you know very-well about the globe of earth in its entirety?" [4-46-1]
sugriivaH ca tato raamam uvaaca praNata aatmavaan |
shruuyataam sarvam aakhyaasye vistareNa vaco mama || 4-46-2
2. tataH= then; sugriivaH praNata aatmavaan= Sugreeva, bowing down, himself; raamam uvaaca= to Rama, spoke; sarvam vistareNa aakhyaasye= all, vividly, I will narrate; mama vacaH shruuyataam= my, words, may be heard.
Then Sugreeva bowing down before Rama said, "I will narrate all vividly, and let my words be heard." [4-46-2]
yadaa tu du.ndubhim naama daanavam mahiSa aakR^itim |
parikaalayate vaalii malayam prati parvatam || 4-46-3
tadaa vivesha mahiSo malayasya guhaam prati |
vivesha vaalii tatra api malayam tat jighaa.msayaa || 4-46-4
3. vaalii= Vali; mahiSa aakR^itim= in buffalo's, shape; dundubhim naama= Dundubhi [Dundubhi's son Maayaavi,] named; daanavam= demon; yadaa= when; malayam parvatam prati= Mt. Malaya, mountain, towards; parikaalayate= repulsed; tadaa mahiSaH= then, buffalo-demon; malayasya guhaam prati vivesha= Mt. Malaya's, cave, towards [into,][ entered; vaalii= Vali; tat jighaamsayaa= that [buffalo,] wishing to kill; tatra api malayam vivesha= even, there, Mt. Malaya's [cave,] entered.
"When Vali repulsed the buffalo-shaped demon Dundubhi towards Malaya mountain, then that buffalo entered the cave of Mt. Malaya, and even Vali entered therein wishing to kill that buffalo. [4-46-3, 4]
This buffalo-demon Dundubhi was killed by Vali in Kishkindha and its carcass was hurled into the precincts of Sage Matanga's hermitage. While that demon was killed there, Sugreeva is now telling that this demon was killed in a cave. The demon killed in cave was Maayaavi, as said in Ch. 9 of this canto. Maayaavi and Dundubhi are brothers and sons of Maya. Maheshvara Tiirtha says because Dundubhi is the son of buffalo-demon Maya, i.e., Dundubhi Sr., thus he can be called as Dundubhi. And Govindaraja says: dundubhe× p¨rvaja× agraja× suta× mayasya iti seÿa× vakÿyatu uttara k˜õýe maya× - m˜y˜vŸ prathama× st˜t dundubhi× tat anantaram iti 'Maayaavi is the first son and the second one is Dundubhi- as said by Maya in Uttara Kanda...' Then it is assumed that both Maayaavi and Dundubhi have come in the first instance for a fight with Vali. But on seeing Vali and Sugreeva, Dundubhi might have entered into the cave with Maayaavi and somehow escaped from there, and thus only Maayaavi is killed by Vali. Later Dundubhi came at the gate of Kishkindha and was killed by Vali. Hence, Sugreeva's referring to Dundubhi here includes both Maayaavi and Dundubhi.
tato aham tatra nikSipto guhaa dvaari viniitavat |
na ca niSkramate vaalii tadaa sa.mvatsare gate || 4-46-5
5. tataH= then; viniitavat= as an amenable [brother]; aham tatra guhaa dvaari= I, there, at cave's, mouth; nikSiptaH= I was kept at [by Vali]; tadaa samvatsare gate= then, a year, lapsed; vaalii na niS kramate= Vali, not, out, coming - exiting from cave.
"Vali then kept me at the mouth of the cave as I was an amenable brother, but Vali did not exit from cave even after one full year. [4-46-5]
tataH kSataja vegena aapupuure tadaa bilam |
tat aham vismito dR^iSTvaa bhraatuH shoka viSa arditaH || 4-46-6
6. tataH= then; bilam= cavity; kSata ja= from gash, that emerges - blood; vegena= by its rush; aapu puure= fully filled; tadaa aham tat dR^iSTvaa= ten, I, that, having seen; vismitaH= dumbfounded; bhraatuH shoka viSa arditaH= for brother's [loss,] anguish, by venom, I was agonised.
"I was dumbfounded to see that cave is then fully filled with blood, and then a venom like anguish called the loss of my brother agonised me. [4-46-6]
atha aham gata buddhiH tu suvyaktam nihato guruH |
shilaa parvata sa.nkaashaa bila dvaari mayaa kR^itaa || 4-46-7
ashaknuvan niS.hkramitum mahiSo vinashiSyati |
7, 8a. atha= then; guruH= brother; su vyaktam nihataH= very, clearly [unmistakably,] killed; thus; aham gata buddhiH tu= I, acquired, mind [concluded,] on my part; mahiSaH= buffalo; niS kramitum= out, to go - to exit; a + shaknuvan= not, possible; vi nashiSyati= completely, gets destroyed [in cave]; thinking so; mayaa= by me; parvata sankaashaa shilaa= mountain, similar, boulder; bila dvaari kR^itaa= cavity, in mouth, made [fixed];
"Then I concluded that 'my brother is unmistakably killed,' and then I fixed a mountain similar boulder in the mouth of that cavity with a thinking that it will be impossible for that buffalo to exit and it will get destroyed within that cave itself. [4-46-7, 8a]
tato aham aagaam kiSki.ndhaam niraashaH tasya jiivite || 4-46-8
raajyam ca sumahat praapya taaraam ca rumayaa saha |
mitraiH ca sahitaH tatra vasaami vigata jvaraH || 4-46-9
8b, 9. tataH= then; aham= I; tasya jiivite= in his [Vali's,] aliveness; nir aashaH= without, hope; kiSkindhaam aagaam= to Kishkindha, I came; su mahat raajyam ca= very magnificent, kingdom, also; rumayaa saha taaraam ca= Ruma, along with Lady Tara, also; praapya= on getting; mitraiH sahitaH ca= friends, along with, also; vigata jvaraH= without, febrility [disquiet, owing to brother's loss, i.e., peaceably]; tatra vasaami= there [in Kishkindha,] I was staying.
"Unhopeful of Vali's aliveness then I arrived in Kishkindha, and on getting the very magnificent kingdom of Kishkindha, and also Ruma along with Tara, I was peaceably staying there with friends. [4-46-8, 9]
aajagaama tato vaalii hatvaa tam daanavarSabhaH |
tato aham adadaam raajyam gauravaat bhaya ya.ntritaH || 4-46-10
10. tataH= then; tam daanava R^iSabhaH [R^iSabham] hatvaa= him, demon, great one, on killing; vaalii aajagaama= Vali, came back; tataH aham= then, I; bhaya yantritaH= by fear, spellbound; gauravaat raajyam adadaam= owing to deference, kingdom, gave back.
"Vali then came back to Kishkindha on killing that great demon, and then I was spellbound in fear of Vali's killing me, and I gave back the kingdom to Vali owing to my deference to him. [4-46-10]
sa maam jighaa.nsuH duSTaatmaa vaalii pravyathita indriyaH |
parikaalayate krodhaat dhaava.ntam sacivaiH saha || 4-46-11
11. duSTa aatmaa saH vaalii= evil, minded one, he that, Vali; pra vyathita indriyaH= highly, perturbed, at senses; sacivaiH saha maam dhaavantam= ministers, along with, me, while I was running away; jighaansuH= wishing to kill - me; krodhaat pari kaalayate= furiously, further repulsed.
"That evil-minded Vali becoming highly perturbed at his senses furiously repulsed me further and further away, even though I was running away from him with my ministers, as he wished to kill me. [4-46-11]
tato aham vaalinaa tena saanubandhaH pradhaavitaH |
nadiiH ca vividhaaH pashyan vanaani nagaraaNi ca || 4-46-12
12. tataH= then; tena vaalinaa anubandhaH= by him, by Vali, pursued - chased; saH aham= such as I was; vividhaaH= diverse; nadiiH vanaani nagaraaNi ca= rivers, forest, cities, also; pashyan= on seeing; pra dhaavitaH= rapidly, made to run away - chased away.
"Such as I was, who is repulsed by Vali, I was made to run away rapidly, and during that fleeing I went on seeing diverse rivers, forests and cities. [4-46-12]
aadarsha tala sa.nkaashaa tato vai pR^ithivii mayaa |
alaata cakra pratimaa dR^iSTaa goSpadavat tadaa - kR^itaa || 4-46-13
13. tataH= then; mayaa= by me; pR^ithivii= earth; aadarsha tala sankaashaa= mirror's, surface [reflection on the surface of a mirror,] like; alaata cakra pratimaa= fireball, circle, akin to; dR^iSTaa= seen [by me]; tadaa goSpadavat [kR^itaa] vai= then, analogous to cow-hoof-print, [made as,] indeed.
"I have then really seen the earth as in the reflection on the surface of a mirror, where the mirror shows all the objects in exactness, and the earth is like the circle of a fireball, where it is encircled with fire-like reddish, brownish, ochreish minerals and ores, and it appeared to me in my high flight like a cow-hoof-print in the mirror, called my perception. [4-46-13]
puurvam dishaam tato gatvaa pashyaami vividhaan drumaan |
parvataan sa dariin ramyaan saraa.msi vividhaani ca || 4-46-14
14. tataH= then; puurvam dishaam gatvaa= eastern, to direction, on going; vividhaan drumaan= various, trees; sa dariin ramyaan parvataan= with, caves, enchanting, mountains; vividhaani saraamsi ca= numerous, lakes, also; pashyaami= I saw.
"Then on going to eastern direction I saw various trees, enchanting mountains with caves, and also numerous lakes. [4-46-14]
udayam tatra pashyaami parvatam dhaatu maNDitam |
kshiirodam saagaram caiva nityam apsara aalayam || 4-46-15
15. tatra= there; dhaatu maNDitam= with ores, wreathed in; udayam parvatam= Udaya - Sun-Rise, mountain; nityam apsara aalayam= forever, apsara-s, an abode of; kshiira udam saagaram caiva= Milk Water, oceans, also thus; pashyaami= I saw.
"There I saw the mountain wreathed in with ores, namely Mt. Udaya, the Sun-Rise, and I have also seen the Milk Water Oceans which is forever an abode for apsara-s. [4-46-15]
parikaalyamaanaH tadaa vaalinaa abhidrutaH hi aham |
punaH aavR^itya sahasaa prasthito aham tadaa vibho || 4-46-16
16. vibho= oh, lord Rama; vaalinaa parikaalyamaanaH= by Vali, being repulsed; aham tadaa abhidrutaH= I was, then, fleeing speedily; tadaa= then; punaH aavR^itya= again, returned; aham= I; sahasaa= quickly; vaalinaa [punaH] prasthitaH= by Vali, [again,] made to travel - chased to flee.
"I fled speedily when Vali repulsed me, but oh, lord Rama, when I returned he again made me to flee forthwith. [4-46-16]
dishaH tasyaaH tato bhuuyaH prasthito dakshiNam disham |
vindhya paadapa sa.mkiirNaam candana druma shobhitaam || 4-46-17
17. tataH= then; tasyaaH dishaH bhuuyaH= from that [east,] direction, again; vindhya paadapa samkiirNaam= [both] Vindhya Range mountains, trees, thick with; candana druma shobhitaam= with sandalwood, trees, enriched; dakshiNam disham prasthitaH= to southern, direction, I was fled.
"Then from that eastern direction I fled to southern direction, which is thick with Vindhya Range mountains and diverse trees, especially with sandalwood trees. [4-46-17]
druma shaila antare pashyan bhuuyo dakshiNato aparaaam |
aparaam ca disham praapto vaalinaa samabhidrutaH || 4-46-18
18. druma shaila antare= trees, mountains, in interiors; dakshiNataH aparaaam= from south, another [direction]; pashyan= while I was seeing; bhuuyaH vaalinaa samabhidrutaH= again, by Vali, made to run; [samabhidrutaH= having fled]; aparaam disham praaptaH= western, direction, I reached. [Here aparaam means doubly 1. another, 2. west quarter.]
"While I was seeing the interiors of forest and mountains again I was made to run by Vali, who was setting upon me from within the interiors of those forests and mountains, and then I reached the western direction. [4-46-18]
sa pashyan vividhaan deshaan astam ca giri sattamam |
praapya ca astam giri shreSTham uttaram sa.mpradhaavitaH || 4-46-19
19. saH= such as I was; vividhaan deshaan= diverse, countries; giri sattamam= mountain, best one; astam ca= Asta, Dusk, also, [Astagiri, Mt. Dusk]; pashyan= on seeing; giri shreSTham astam ca= mountain, excellent one, Mt. Dusk, also; praapya= on reaching; uttaram= to north; sam pra dhaavitaH= very, much [by a long way,] ran [took to my heels.]
"Such as I was, on seeing diverse cities and the best mountain Astagiri, Mt. Dusk, I reached that excellent Mt. Dusk also, and since Vali is at my heel, I took to my heels, by a long way to north. [4-46-19]
himava.ntam ca merum ca samudram ca tathaa uttaram |
yadaa na vinde sharaNam vaalinaa samabhidrutaH || 4-46-20
tato maam buddhi sa.mpanno hanumaan vaakyam abraviit |
20. himavantam ca merum ca= Himalayas, also, Meru, also; tathaa= likewise; uttaram samudram ca= to northern, ocean, also; I ran towards; vaalinaa sam+abhi+drutaH= by Vali, driven back [even from north]; yadaa= when; sharaNam= shelter [or clemency from Vali, or, foothold on earth;] na vinde= not, known - I could not see, or get; tataH= then; buddhi sampannaH hanumaan= wisdom, his prosperity, Hanuma; maam vaakyam abraviit= to me, word, said.
"Even at Himalayas, Mt. Meru, like that at the Northern Ocean, Vali drove me back, and when the clemency from Vali, or a shelter, or even a foothold on earth was indeterminable, then Hanuma, whose prosperity is his wisdom, said a word to me. [4-46-20, 21a]
idaaniim me smR^itam raajan yathaa vaalii hariishvaraH || 4-46-21
mata.ngena tadaa shapto hi asmin aashrama maNDale |
pravishet yadi vai vaalii muurdhaa asya shatadhaa bhavet || 4-46-22
tatra vaasaH sukho asmaakam nir.hudvigno bhaviSyati |
21b, 22, 23a. raajan= oh, king Sugreeva; hari iishvaraH vaalii= monkeys, king, Vali; tadaa= at that time; matangena yathaa shaptaH hi= by Sage Matanga, as to how, cursed, indeed; [tat= that topic]; me idaaniim smR^itam= to me, now, came to remembrance; vaalii asmin aashrama maNDale= Vali, in that [Matanga's,] hermitage, in fringes; pravishet yadi vai= enters, if, really; asya muurdhaa shatadhaa bhavet= his [Vali's,] head, in hundred ways, becomes [splinters - Vali's head gets splintered]; tatra asmaakam vaasaH sukhaH= there, for us, dwelling, peaceful; nir udvignaH= without, high tension [imperturbable]; bhaviSyati= it will be.
" 'Oh, king Sugreeva, now I remember how Sage Matanga cursed the king of monkeys Vali at that time. If Vali really enters the fringes of the hermitage of Sage Matanga, Vali's head gets splintered in hundred ways. Hence dwelling in sage Matanga's hermitage will be peaceful and imperturbable for us.' Thus Hanuma spoke to me. [4-46-21b, 22, 23a]
tataH parvatam aasaadya R^ishyamuukam nR^ipaatmaja || 4-46-23
na vivesha tadaa vaalii mata.ngasya bhayaat tadaa |
evam mayaa tadaa raajan pratyakSam upalakSitam |
pR^ithivii maNDalam sarvam guhaam asmi aagataH tataH || 4-46-24
23b, 24. nR^ipaatmaja= oh, prince Rama; tataH= then; R^ishyamuukam parvatam aasaadya= Rishyamuka, mountain, on reaching; vaalii= Vali; matangasya bhayaat= of Sage Matanga, fearing from; tadaa na vivesha= then, not, entered - came to mountain; raajan= oh, king Rama; evam= in this way; tadaa= at that time; sarvam pR^ithivii maNDalam= entire, earth, globe; tadaa= in that way; pratyakSam mayaa upalakSitam= apparently, by me, closely seen; tataH= then; guhaam aagataH asmi= to cave, came, I am - I have come to the cave of Rishyamuka.
"Oh, prince Rama, then Vali though reached Mt. Rishyamuka, he did not enter into its precincts at that time fearing Sage Matanga and his curse, oh, king Rama, thus this globe of earth is apparently and closely sighted by me in its entirety, and then I came into the cave of Rishyamuka and did not stir out." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-46-23b, 24]
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The Praise of Globe
This and last few chapters that describe the topography and geography of earth may seem redundant or a wasteful narration. No purpose is apparently solved in narrating at such a length and in such vividness, when the main purpose is searching Seetha. Sugreeva might have simply said 'go and search everywhere...' This is as inquired by the commentator of Dharmaakuutam. na anvatra janaka tanaya gaveÿaõ˜ya prasthit˜n v˜nar˜n prati pr˜cy˜di dikÿu gavesaõŸya pradeþa viþeÿaõ˜n˜m viþiÿya kathanam na prayojanavat
For this it is replied that at the outset of undertaking a high-risk task like the elimination of Ravana, some pious deeds of seeing, hearing, or telling about the pious lands, mountains, rivers, and sages that dwell thereabout, are to be undertaken. A laudatory salutation to Mother Earth is a sacred act. So Sugreeva has earned some merit in eulogising places and sending his troops to all places as a kind of tiirtha yaatra 'a pilgrimage...' as said by the commentator: s˜m˜nya ukty˜ preÿaõa sambhav˜t iti cet ucyate - prablatara þatru vadha˜di mah˜ k˜ryam s˜dhayat˜ prathamata× tasm˜t ardha d˜yakam tapa× caraõa puõya tŸrtha kÿetra deva brahma r˜ja ®ÿaya samkŸrtana þravaõa darþana smaraõ˜diÿu puõyatameÿu yat kimcit kartavyam | sugrŸveõa api kimcit puõyam karma kartavyam - puõya deþa tŸrtha maharÿiõ˜m tat upeta bh¨ golasya ca samkŸrtana þravaõ˜dikam praþastam | This is the same situation when Rama and Lakshmana venerated sapta jana aashrama 'the Seven-Sage's hermitage...' when Sugreeva proceeded with them for attacking Vali, in the second instance, in Kishkindha Ch. 13. Rama was not successful in the first round of attacking Vali, as he venerated none such tutelary in first round.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe SaT catvaarinshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 46th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Oct, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : November 04]