Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Vanara-s deliverance from black hole is effectuated by Sainted Lady Swayamprabha. On listening to Hanuma about the plight of monkeys by which they entered this cavity in searching for Seetha, Sainted Lady Swayamprabha becomes sympathetic and offers guestship. When entreated by Hanuma for an exit from that incarceration, and as the time frame set by Sugreeva is lapsed in this very cavity, Swayamprabha uses her ascetic powers to transport the monkeys from that cave, which exit is otherwise impossible for any other intruder, in his aliveness. |
atha taan abraviit sarvaan vishraa.ntaan hari yuuthapaan |
idam vacanam ekaagraa taapasii dharma caariNii || 4-52-1
1. atha= then; dharma caariNii= she who in probity, pursuer of; eka agraa= single-mindedly concentrative; taapasii= sainted lady; vishraantaan= when relaxed; taan sarvaan hari yuuthapaan= to them, all, monkey commanders; idam vacanam abraviit= this, word, spoke.
When those monkey commanders are relaxed after refreshments, then that sainted lady, who concentrates single-mindedly and who is a pursuer of probity, spoke this word to all of them. [4-52-1]
vaanaraa yadi vaH khedaH pranaSTaH phala bhakSaNaat |
yadi ca etat mayaa shraavyam shrotum icChaami kathataam || 4-52-2
2. vaanaraaH= oh, Vanara-s; phala bhakSaNaat= fruits, by devouring; vaH khedaH= your, enervation; pranaSTaH yadi= eased off, if; etat= all that [episode of yours]; mayaa shraavyam yadi= by me, listenable, if; [taam= that]; kathataam= episode; shrotum icChaami= to listen, I wish.
"Oh, vanara-s, if your enervation is eased off by devouring fruits, and if I may listen to that episode of yours, I wish to listen to it." Thus Swayamprabha addressed the monkeys. [4-52-2]
tasyaaH tat vacanam shrutvaa hanumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
aar.hjavena yathaa tattvam aakhyaatum upacakrame || 4-52-3
3. maaruta aatmajaH hanumaan= Air-god's, son, Hanuma; tasyaaH tat vacanam shrutvaa= of hers, that, sentence, on hearing; aarjavena= sincerely; yathaa tattvam= as per, in its pithiness; aakhyaatum upacakrame= to narrate, stated.
Hanuma, the son of Air-god, sincerely started to narrate their episode in its pithiness on hearing her words. [4-52-3]
raajaa sarvasya lokasya mahendra varuNa upamaH |
raamo daasharathiH shriimaan praviSTo daNDakaa vanam || 4-52-4
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa vaidehyaa ca api bhaaryayaa |
tasya bhaaryaa janasthaanaat raavaNena hR^itaa balaat || 4-52-5
4, 5. sarvasya lokasya raajaa= of all, world, king; mahendra varuNa upamaH= Mahendra, Rain-god, who is similar to; daasharathiH= son of Dasharatha; shriimaan raamaH= illustrious one, Rama; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha= bother, Lakshmana, along with; bhaaryayaa vaidehyaa api ca= along with wife, Vaidehi, even also; daNDakaa vanam praviSTaH= Dandaka, forest, entered; tasya bhaaryaa= his, wife; raavaNena= by Ravana; janasthaanaat balaat hR^itaa= from Janasthaana, coercively, abducted.
"The king of all the world and one similar to Mahendra and Rain-god, such an illustrious Rama of Dasharatha entered Dandaka forest with his bother Lakshmana, even along with his wife Vaidehi, but Ravana coercively abducted his wife from Janasthaana. [4-52-4, 5]
viiraH tasya sakhaa raaj~naH sugriivo naama vaanaraH |
raajaa vaanara mukhyaanaam yena prasthaapitaa vayam || 4-52-6
6. viiraH= valiant one; vaanara mukhyaanaam raajaa= of Vanara-s, important ones, king; sugriivaH naama= Sugreeva, one known as; vaanaraH= a Vanara; tasya raaj~naH sakhaa= that, king's [Rama's,] friend; yena vayam prasthaapitaa= by whom, we are, expedited.
"A valiant one and the king of important vanara-s known as Sugreeva is a vanara and the friend of that kingly Rama, and that vanara king expedited us. [4-52-6]
agastya caritaam aashaam dakSiNaam yama rakSitaam |
sahaibhirvaanaraimukhyaira~Ngadapramukhairvayam - yadvaa -
saha ebhiH vaanaraiH mukhyaiH a.ngada pramukhaiH vayam || 4-52-7
raavaNam sahitaaH sarve raakSasam kaama ruupiNam |
siitayaa saha vaidehyaa maargadhvam iti coditaaH || 4-52-8
7, 8. sarve sahitaaH =[you] all, collectively; vaidehyaa siitayaa saha= for one from Videha kingdom, for Seetha, together with; kaama ruupiNam raakSasam raavaNam= by wish, guise-changer, for demon, for Ravana; maargadhvam= [you] shall search; iti= saying so; vayam= we; angada pra mukhaiH= Angada, et al; ebhiH mukhyaiH vaanaraiH saha= these, with important, vanara-s, along with; agastya caritaam= by Sage Agastya, trodden [walkabout]; yama rakSitaam= by Yama, the Death-god, watched over; dakSiNaam aashaam coditaaH= to southern, prospect [direction,] we are mobilised.
"He mobilised us along with these important vanara-s and Angada as helmsman to this southerly prospect, which is the walkabout of Sage Agastya and watched over by Yama, the Death-god, saying, 'you all shall collectively search for Seetha of Videha kingdom together with the demon Ravana, a guise-changer by his wish.' [4-52-7, 8]
vicitya tu vayam sarve samagram - samudram - dakSiNaam disham |
vayam bubhukSitaaH sarve vR^ikSa muulam upaashritaaH || 4-52-9
9. vayam sarve= we, all; samagram= in entirety; [or] samudram= at ocean - other than southern ocean; dakSiNaam disham= southerly, direction; vicitya= on searching out; bubhukSitaaH= we were hungry; vayam sarve= we, all; vR^ikSa muulam upa aashritaaH= tree, at stem, nearby, dependent on [gathered around.]
"On searching out the southerly direction in its entirety we are all hungered and we all gathered around at a tree-stem. [4-52-9]
vivarNa vadanaaH sarve sarve dhyaana paraayaNaaH |
na adhigacChaamahe paaram magnaaH cintaa mahaaar.hNave || 4-52-10
10. sarve=[we] all; vi varNa vadanaaH= without, colour faced - became whey-faced; sarve dhyaana paraayaNaaH= [we] all, in propositions, preoccupied; cintaa mahaa arNave= despair, great [depthless,] ocean [the deep of]; magnaaH= deluged; paaram= other shore [of despair ocean]; na adhi gacChaamahe= not, over, reached by us.
"All of us were whey-faced, all of us were preoccupied with propositions, thus deluged in the depthless deep of our despair we could not overreach the other shore of our oceanic despair. [4-52-10]
caarayantaH tataH cakSuH dR^iSTavanto mahad bilam |
lataa paadapa sa.nChannam timireNa samaavR^itam || 4-52-11
11. tataH= then; cakSuH caarayantaH =[our] eyes, while straggling; lataa paadapa sanChannam= with creepers, woody trees, wrapped up in; timireNa samaavR^itam= by darkling, enwrapped; mahat bilam= wide, cavity; dR^iSTavantaH= we became perceivers of - we perceived.
"Then straggling our eyes we perceived this wide cavity wrapped up with vines and woods and enwrapped in darkling. [4-52-11]
asmaat ha.msaa jala klinnaaH pakSaiH salila reNubhiH |
kuraraaH saarasaaH caiva niSpatanti patatriNaH || 4-52-12
12. asmaat= from it [cavity]; salila reNubhiH pakSaiH= with water, drops, [with such flapping] wings; jala klinnaaH= water, drenched; [sprinkling]; hamsaaH= swans; kuraraaH saarasaaH caiva= fish-hawks, saarasa waterfowls , also thus; patatriNaH= birds; niS patanti= out, falling [coming out.]
"Swans, water-hawks, saarasa-waterfowls were coming out of this cavity drenched in water and sprinkling drops of water with the flaps of their wings. [4-52-12]
saadhu atra pravishaama iti mayaa tu uktaaH plava.ngamaaH |
teSaam api hi sarveSaam anumaanam upaagatam || 4-52-13
13. atra saadhu pravishaama iti= therein, good, we enter, thus; mayaa tu plavangamaaH uktaaH= by me, on my part, fly-jumpers are, said; teSaam sarveSaam api hi= for them, all of them, even, indeed; anumaanam= inference of water; upaagatam= came about.
"I said to all of them, 'Good! Let us enter it,' while they too had some inference about the availability of water in here. [4-52-13]
asmin nipatitaaH sarve api atha kaarya tvaraanvitaaH |
tato gaaDham nipatitaa gR^ihya hastau parasparam || 4-52-14
14. atha= then; kaarya tvara anvitaaH= by task's, haste, having [hastened by our task]; sarve api= all [of us,] even; tataH ni patitaa [nipatana arthaaya]= then, down, fell [readied ourselves to fall in cavity]; parasparam= each of each; hastau gaaDham gR^ihya= hands, tightly, taking [clasping]; asmin ni patitaaH= in it, down, fell - we fell down in this cavity.
"As our task was hastening us then we all readied ourselves to fall in the cavity by tightly clasping each other's hand, and then we fell in this cavity. [4-52-14]
idam praviSTaaH sahasaa bilam timira sa.mvR^itam |
etat naH kaaryam etena kR^ityena vayam aagataaH || 4-52-15
tvaam ca eva upagataaH sarve paridyuunaa bubhukSitaaH |
15, 16a. timira samvR^itam= darkness, shrouded in - Black Cavity; idam bilam sahasaa praviSTaaH= this, cavity, readily we entered,; etat naH kaaryam= this much, our, work [here in cavity]; etena kR^ityena vayam aagataaH= by this, escapade [for water,] we all, have come; bubhukSitaaH= who are ravenous; paridyuunaa= who are retrogressive; sarve= all [of us]; tvaam upagataaH= at you, came near.
"Thus we readily entered this Black Cavity, and this much is our activity in here as we all have come here by our escapade for water, and we neared you when we were ravenous and retrogressing. [4-52-15, 16a]
aatithya dharma dattaani muulaani ca phalaani ca || 4-52-16
asmaabhiH upabhuktaani bubhukSaa paripiiDitaiH |
16b, 17a. bubhukSaa paripiiDitaiH= by hunger, overly harassed ones; asmaabhiH= by us; aatithya dharma dattaani= hospitality, by grace of, offered [by you]; muulaani ca phalaani ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; upabhuktaani= devoured.
"And we who are overly harassed by hunger have devoured the fruits and tubers you have offered with the grace of your hospitality. [4-52-16]
yat tvayaa rakSitaaH sarve mriyamaaNaa bubhukSayaa || 4-52-17
bruuhi pratyupakaara artham kim te kurvantu vaanaraaH |
17b, 18a. bubhukSayaa mriyamaaNaa= with hunger, on the verge of death; sarve= all of us; yat= by which reason; tvayaa rakSitaaH= by you, rescued; by that reason alone; vaanaraaH= vanara-s; te= to you; prati upakaara artham= in turn, favour's, sake [in requital]; kim kurvantu= what, can they do; bruuhi= you tell.
"You have rescued all of us who were on the verge of hunger-deaths, and what is to be done by vanara-s for you in requital that you may please tell." Thus Hanuma spoke to that sainted lady. [4-52-17b, 18a]
evam uktaa tu sarvaj~naa vaanaraiH taiH svaya.mprabhaa || 4-52-18
pratyuvaaca tataH sarvaan idam vaanara yuuthapaan |
18b, 19a. taiH vaanaraiH= by those, by vanara-s; evam uktaa= thus, she is spoken; sarva j~naa= omniscient; svayamprabhaa= Swayamprabha; tataH= then; sarvaan vaanara yuuthapaan= to all, monkey, commanders; idam prati uvaaca= this, in turn, said [replied.]
When she is spoken thus by those vanara-s then that omniscient Swayamprabha replied this to all of the vanara commanders. [4-52-18b, 19a]
sarveSaam parituSTaa asmi vaanaraaNaam tarasvinaam || 4-52-19
cara.ntyaa mama dharmeNa na kaaryam iha kenacit |
19b, 20a. tarasvinaam sarveSaam vaanaraaNaam= mighty ones, with all, of vanara-s; pari tuSTaa asmi= overly [very,] happy, I am; dharmeNa carantyaa= with equity, conducting myself; mama= to me; iha kenacit= now, in the least; kaaryam na= work, no - I do not need anything.
"I am very happy with all of the mighty vanara-s and what I have done to you is a part of my conduct in equity, hence nothing need be done now in my favour, in the least. [4-52-9b, 20a]
The other versions of Ramayana complete this chapter with this verse and place the following subject in a separate chapter.
evam uktaH shubham vaakyam taapasyaa dharma sa.mhitam || 4-52-20
uvaaca hanumaan vaakyam taam anindita locanaam |
20b, 21a. taapasyaa= by sainted lady; evam= that way; dharma samhitam=, propriety, agreeable to; shubham vaakyam= blessed, word; uktaH hanumaan= one who is spoken to, Hanuma; a + nindita locanaam= not, reprovable, eyed [rather, one with such discernment]; taam= to her; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, said.
When Hanuma is said that blessed word by that sainted lady in that way, that which is agreeable to propriety, then Hanuma said this sentence to her who is with an unreprovable discernment. [4-52-20b, 21a]
sharaNam tvaam prapannaaH smaH sarve vai dharmacaariNim || 4-52-21
yaH kR^itaH samayo asmaakam sugriiveNa mahaatmanaa |
sa tu kaalo vyatikraanto bile ca parivartataam || 4-52-22
21b, 22. dharma caariNim= scrupulosity, comporting yourself; tvaam= in you; sarve sharaNam prapannaaH smaH= [we] all, auspice, we obtained [we are under]; mahaatmanaa sugriiveNa= noble-souled one, by Sugreeva; asmaakam= for us; yaH samayaH kR^itaH= which, time, made [stipulated]; saH kaalaH= that, time; bile= in cavity; pari vartataam= around, while roving; yatikraanta [vi ati kraantaH= verily, over, stepped] we lapsed it.
"We are now under the auspices of your ladyship comporting yourself in scrupulosity. We lapsed the time stipulated for us by the noble-souled Sugreeva by our roving around in this cavity. [4-52-21b, 22]
saa tvam asmaat bilaat asmaan uttaarayitum ar.hhasi |
tasmaat sugriiva vacanaat atikraantaan gata aayuSaH || 4-52-23
23. saa= such as you are - a righteous lady; tvam= you; tasmaat sugriiva vacanaat atikraantaan= that, Sugreeva's, word [order, of timeframe] overextended; gata aayuSaH= lost [threatened,] with longevity; asmaan= us; asmaat bilaat uttaarayitum arhasi= from this, cavity, to crossover, apt of you.
"Such as you are, a righteous lady, it will be apt of you to cross us over this cavity, as we have overextended the timeframe fixed by Sugreeva, whereby our longevity itself is threatened. [4-52-23]
traatum ar.hhasi naH sarvaan sugriiva bhaya shankitaan |
mahat ca kaaryam asmaabhiH kartavyam dharmacaariNi || 4-52-24
tat ca api na kR^itam kaaryam asmaabhiH iha vaasibhiH |
24, 25a. dharma caariNi= oh, prudent lady; sugriiva bhaya shankitaan= from Sugreeva, fear, [we who have become] hesitaters - haunted by; naH sarvaan= us, all; traatum arhasi= to sail through, apt of you; asmaabhiH= by us; mahat kaaryam ca kartavyam= admirable, achievement, also, is achievable; iha vaasibhiH= here, living - held up; asmaabhiH= by us; tat kaaryam ca api= that, deed, also, even; na kR^itam= not, done.
"Oh, prudent lady, sail all of us through. We are rendered as hesitaters with the fear from Sugreeva. We still have to achieve an admirable achievement and that deed is also left undone as we are held-up in here." Thus Hanuma spoke to her. [4-52-24, 25a]
evam uktaa hanumataa taapasii vaakyam abraviit || 4-52-25
jiivataa duSkaram manye praviSTena nivartitum |
25b, 26a. hanumataa evam uktaa taapasii= by Hanuma, thus, she who is said, sainted lady; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, said; praviSTena= he who entered - for incomers; jiivataa nivartitum= while living, outgoing - from this cavity; duSkaram manye= impracticable, I believe.
When Hanuma said thus that sainted lady said sentence, "I believe outgoing is impracticable for the incomers in aliveness from this cavity. [4-52-25b, 26a]
tapasaH suprabhaavena niyama upaar.hjitena ca || 4-52-26
sarvaan eva bilaat asmaat taarayiSyaami vaanaraan |
26b, 27a. niyama upa arjitena= by self-restraints, acquired; tapasaH su prabhaavena= by ascesis', sublime, efficacy; sarvaan eva vaanaraan= all of the, thus, vanara-s; asmaat bilaat taarayiSyaami= from this, cavity, I wish to sail them through - make you departure from cavity.
"By the sublime efficacy of ascesis acquired through my practices of numerous self-restraints I wish to sail all of the vanara-s through the incarceration, called this cavity. [4-52-26b, 27a]
nimiilayata cakSuunSi sarve vaanara pu.ngavaaH || 4-52-27
na hi niSkramitum shakyam animiilita locanaiH |
27b, 28a. sarve vaanara pungavaaH= all of you, vanara-s, the best; cakSuunSi nimiilayata= eyes [eyelids,] close; a +nimiilita locanaiH= not, shut, with eyes; niSkramitum= trying to exit; na shakyam hi= not, possible, indeed.
"All of you best vanara-s shall close up your eyelids, for it is indeed impossible to attempt an exit with unclose eyes." Thus that sainted lady said to monkeys. [4-52-27b, 28a]
tato nimiilitaaH sarve sukumaara a.ngulaiH karaiH || 4-52-28
sahasaa pidadhuH dR^iSTim hR^iSTaa gamana kaankSiNaH |
28b, 29a. tataH= then; gamana kaankSiNaH= departure, desirers; hR^iSTaa= gladdened; sarve nimiilitaaH= all, closed [their eyes]; sahasaa= immediately; sukumaara angulaiH karaiH= with delicate, fingered, with hands; dR^iSTim pidadhuH= eyesight, lidded.
Then all of those desirers of departure are gladdened and immediately shut their eyelids, and further they lidded them with their delicately fingered hands. [4-52-28b, 29a]
vaanaraaH tu mahaatmaano hasta ruddha mukhaaH tadaa || 4-52-29
nimeSa antara maatreNa bilaat uttaaritaaH tathaa |
29b, 30a. tadaa= then; hasta ruddha mukhaaH= with hands, blocked - covered, with faces; mahaatmaanaH vaanaraaH tu= noble-souled, vanara-s, on their part; [tayaa= by her]; tathaa= that way; nimeSa antara maatreNa= a minute, within, barely; bilaat= from cavity; ut taaritaaH= up, sailed through.
She then sailed those noble souled vanara-s who covered their faces with their hands through that cavity barely within a minute. [4-52-29b. 30a]
uvaaca sarvaan taan tatra taapasii dharma caariNii || 4-52-30
niHsR^itaan viSamaat tasmaat samaashvaasya idam abraviit |
30b, 31a. dharma caariNii= in righteousness, she who is conducting herself - a virtuous lady; taapasii= sainted lady; tatra= there - at the exterior of cavity; taan sarvaan uvaaca= to them, all, spoke; viSamaat tasmaat niHsR^itaan= precarious, from that [cavity,] those who came out; samaashvaasya idam abraviit= on comforting, even this, spoke.
That virtuous and sainted lady on comforting all of the monkeys, who are taken out of that precarious cavity, spoke this to them at the exterior of cavity. [4-52-30b, 31a]
eSa vin.hdhyo giriH shriimaan naanaa druma lataa aayutaH || 4-52-31
eSa prasavaNaH shailaH saagaro ayam mahaa udadhiH |
svasti vo astu gamiSyaami bhavanam vaanararSabhaaH |
iti uktvaa tat bilam shriimat pravivesha svayamprabhaa || 4-52-32
31b, 32. eSa= this; shriimaan= magnificent one; naanaa druma lataa aayutaH= with diverse, trees, vines, surrounded by; vindhyaH giriH= is Vindhya, mountain; eSa prasavaNaH shailaH= this is, Prasravana, [named] mountain; ayam saagaraH mahaa udadhiH= this one, ocean, vast expanse, of water; vaanararSabhaaH= oh, Vanara-s, best ones; vaH svasti astu= to you, safe, may betide; bhavanam gamiSyaami= to [my] mansion, I wish to go [back]; iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; svayamprabhaa= Swayamprabha; shriimat tat bilam= ostentatious one, that, cavity; pravivesha= [re] entered.
"This one which is surrounded by diverse trees and vines is the magnificent Vindhya Mountain, this mountain is Prasravana, and this vast expanse of water is the southerly ocean. Now I wish to return to my mansion... oh, best vanara-s, let safety betide you." saying thus Swayamprabha the Sainted Lady, re-entered the ostentatious cavity, called Riksha Bila. [4-52-31b, 32]
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Luminescence vs. non-luminescence
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The episode of Swayamprabha is usually taken as a matter of fact scene, and almost un-commentated by ancient commentators, but it has some bearing on the import of the famous Vedic saying a-sato maa sat-gamaya, tamaso maa jyotir gamaya, mR^ityor maa a-mR^itam gamaya 'from unreality lead me unto reality, from darkness lead me unto light, from mortality lead me unto immortality...' Here the monkeys on duty have entered a black hole, saw an unreal world, and are on the verge of hunger-deaths, and they want release from the three, viz., darkness, unreality and death. Then a real being Swayamprabha, with her own self-luminosity appeared and gave them the real food, saved them from mortality and led them to luminance from 'their' darkness, rather than from the 'cavity's' darkness.
The entry of monkeys into a gloom is the pathless search in their duty, seeing an unreal world is deeming their search as unreal, rather meaningless, and hunger-death is not in their physical aspect, it is the hungering for finding Seetha, as Swayamprabha alone says tarasvinaH vaanaraaH ' mighty monkeys...' as such they are they can sustain for some more days or months without food, but they are mortal and their hope of finding Seetha is now subjected to mortality. In view of these facts they needed a torch, a beacon, a blind-lamp in blinding darkness, called a 'way-out for Seetha's search...'
Hanuma is not that diffident a monkey to speak very humble pleasantries as at verses 16 and 17. He addressed the sainted lady, 'as you have led us to light from darkness, also saved us from physical deaths, lead us unto reality, truth, a correct way to reach our destination and let this dying hope in search become immortal in finding Seetha...' Accordingly, Swayamprabha being a godsend transported them to the southerly side of the cavity, avoiding other directions. If they are transported to northern side they have to return to Kishkindha, only to die at the hand of Sugreeva. Why she has transported them to southern side is because, she is sarvaj~na an 'all-knower...' knower of past, present and the future course of Ramayana. On this southern side there is an ocean and whether to cross it or die on that seashore is up to the monkeys. As a torchbearer and illuminator of the gloomy thoughts of monkeys, her role-play is over and she retunes to her cavity. In the next few chapters the monkeys quarrel among themselves, but Hanuma is the only one to learn lesson from Swayamprabha's action in transporting them to this end of ocean, takes lead in future events. Hence, Swayamprabha led Hanuma to the three positives, the truth, luminescence, and liveness of their mission.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe dvi pa.ncaashaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 52nd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Dec, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]