Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Angada proposes fast unto death as this troop of monkeys failed to find Seetha, and the timeframe fixed by Sugreeva has also lapsed, and if they return to Kishkindha, it is sure that Sugreeva takes them to task. As they are caught between the devil and the deep sea, Sugreeva and southern Indian Ocean, they resort to lay their lives by fasting unto death. |
tataH te dadR^ishuH ghoram saagaram varuNa aalayam |
apaaram abhigarjantam ghoraiH uurmibhiH aakulam || 4-53-1
1. tataH te= then, they; ghoram= inexorable; varuNa aalayam= Rain-god's, realm; a +paaram= without, [visible other] shore; abhi garjantam= out, roaring; ghoraiH uurmibhiH aakulam= implacable, with waves, tumultuous; saagaram= ocean; dadR^ishuH= saw.
Then they saw an inexorable ocean, the realm of Rain-god, tumultuous with out-roaring and implacable waves, and shoreless otherwhere. [4-53-1]
mayasya maayaa vihitam giri durgam vicinvataam |
teSaam maaso vyatikraanto yo raaj~naa samayaH kR^itaH || 4-53-2
2. teSaam= for them; mayasya maayaa vihitam= demon Maya's, by wizardry, arranged [concocted cavity]; giri durgam= mountains, impassable areas; vicinvataam= while searching out; yaH raaj~naa samayaH kR^itaH= which [month,] by king, time, made [timeframe,] set; [saH= that]; maasaH vyatikraantaH= month, passed off.
Which month is set as timeframe for the monkeys by king Sugreeva that month passed off while the monkeys are searching mountains, impassable areas and within the cavity concocted by the wizardry of demon Maya. [4-53-2]
vindhyasya tu gireH paade sa.mprapuSpita paadape |
upavishya mahaatmaanaH cintaam aapedire tadaa || 4-53-3
3. tadaa= then; mahaatmaanaH= virtue-souled ones; sam pra puSpita paadape= very, well, flowered, with trees; vindhyasya gireH paade= of Mt. Vindhya, mountain's, at foot - foothill; upavishya= seated; cintaam aapedire= desperation, they obtained.
Sitting on a foothill of Mt. Vindhya which is with fully flowered trees those virtue-souled monkeys are then driven in desperation. [4-53-3]
This is the southwest quarter of India as said at: himavat vindhya þail˜bhy˜m pr˜yo vy˜pt˜ vasundhar˜ - bheÿaja kalpa 'the Vindhya range spans from Himalayas to [southern ocean, for India...]
tataH puSpaatibhaaraagraa.NlltaashatasamaavR^itaan -yadvaa -
tataH puSpa atibhaara agraan lataa shata samaavR^itaan |
drumaan vaasantikaan dR^iSTvaa babhuuvuH bhaya shankitaaH || 4-53-4
4. tataH= then; puSpa ati bhaara agraan= with flowers, much, weighty, tops; lataa shata sam aavR^itaan= vines, hundreds of, well, enshrouded; vaasantikaan drumaan= of spring-season, trees; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; bhaya shankitaaH babhuuvuH= by fright, incredulous, they became.
Then on seeing the treetops of spring season, weighty with flowers and enshrouded with hundreds of vines, they became incredulous with the fright of failing Sugreeva's timeframe. [4-53-4]
te vasa.ntam anupraaptam prativedya parasparam |
naSTa sa.ndesha kaala arthaa nipetur dharaNii tale || 4-53-5
5. te= they; vasantam anu praaptam= spring season, towards, bechanced; paraH param= each, to the other; prati vedya= in turn, on knowing [on discussing]; naSTa sandesha kaala arthaa= lost, message, timely, purpose of; nipetuH dharaNii tale= plumped down, on earth's, surface.
On discussing among themselves they found that spring season has arrived, and they also found the purpose of timely messaging about Seetha to Sugreeva is lost, thus they plumped down onto the surface of earth. [4-53-5]
The trees like mangos etc flower in shashira cold season, Feb - Apr., and yield in vasanta spring season, Apr. - June. On seeing the blossom of flowers they are dismayed for chanced is springtime. Sugreeva called for armies in maargashira month, nearly Jan., after the completion of sharat 'post-rainy season' Oct. - Dec., and fixed puSya month, nearly Feb., as their timeframe. That puSya month is lapsed while they were searching at other places in south and the next maagha month, nearly March, they spent in the Dark Hole. Hence this must be phaalguna nearly April, and in their overstaying for two months they are frightened of Sugreeva.
tataH taan kapi vR^iddhaan ca shiSTaan caiva vanaukasaH |
vaacaa madhurayaa abhaaSya yathaavat anumaanya ca || 4-53-6
sa tu si.mha R^iSabha ska.ndhaH piina aayata bhujaH kapiH |
yuvaraajo mahaapraaj~na a.ngado vaakyam abraviit || 4-53-7
6, 7. tataH= then; simha R^iSabha skandhaH= leonine [lion-like,] bull-like, one having such a nape of the neck; piina aayata bhujaH kapiH= sturdy, lengthy, one having such arms; yuvaraajaH mahaa praaj~naH= crown prince, great, foreseer; saH kapiH angadaH= he that, monkey, Angada; taan kapi vR^iddhaan ca= to those, monkey, elder ones; shiSTaan vana okasaH caiva= to other, forest, dwellers, also thus; madhurayaa vaacaa= melodiously [modestly,] with words; abhaaSya= on greeting; yathaavat anumaanya ca= as usual, respecting, also; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, spoke.
The crown prince and a great foreseer Angada, the monkey, whose nape of neck is leonine and bullish, arms lengthy and sturdy, then as usual paying respects to elderly monkeys greeted all of the forest dwellers and spoke this sentence in a modest voice. [4-53-6, 7]
shaasanaat kapi raajasya vayam sarve vinirgataaH |
maasaH puurNo bilasthaanaam harayaH kim na budhyate || 4-53-8
8. harayaH= oh, monkeys; vayam sarve= we, all; kapi raajasya shaasanaat= monkey, king's, by command of; vi nir gataaH= verily, out, came [came out, started]; bila sthaanaam= in black-hole, while we were; maasaH puurNaH= month, zeroed out; kim na budhyate= why, not, be sensible of it - are you aware of it?
"Oh, monkeys, we all have started at the command of the king of monkeys, and the month fixed by him is zeroed out while we were in Black Cavity. Are you aware of it?" Thus Angada started to speak his mind. [4-53-8]
vayam aashvayuje maasi kaala sa.nkhyaa vyavasthitaaH |
prasthitaaH so api ca atiitaH kim ataH kaaryam uttaram || 4-53-9
9. vayam= we; kaala sankhyaa vyavasthitaaH= time, calculation, scheduled to; aashvayuje maasi= in aashviiyuja, month; prasthitaaH= sent out; saH api atiitaH ca= that, even, lapsed, also; ataH= thereby; uttaram kaaryam kim= next, to be done, what.
"We were sent out scheduling time calculating from the month of aashviiyuja nearly October. Even that time fixed for us has also lapsed. Thereby, what is to be done next? [4-53-9]
Vividly: 'we the monkey forces were summoned in aashviiyuja month, within a fifteen days of notice, as suggested by Hanuma. Then again when Lakshmana was furious we were summoned in maargashira month, with a ten day notice period. Then the full month of puSyami is the timeframe fixed by Sugreeva to search for Seetha. Thus, when we are scheduled meticulously by days and months we are not supposed to be unaware of the time factor.'
The Indian months are twelve caitra -vaiþ˜kha - jyeÿ÷a -˜þ˜ýha - þr˜vaõa - bh˜drapada - ˜þvŸuja - k˜rtŸa margaþŸrþa - pouÿa - m˜gha - ph˜lguõa - The year cycle as per these months is given at the endnote of Bala 12th chapter. Some take this aashviiuja maase as kaartiika maasa by deciphering this maasi as saamiipya suuchaka adhikaraNa saptami 'because of the proximity it is taken in seventh case...' and thus say this as the end part of kaartiika maasa and Sugreeva ordered maarga shira maasa for searching Seetha, and one intervening month puSya is lapsed in cavity, thus this is phalguNa maasa. This analogy is based on the analogy used when Rama said to Sugreeva kaartiike samanupraapte tvam raavaNam dheyata "On the advent of kaartika month [October, post-rainy season,] you shall try for the elimination of Ravana... this is our accord... hence oh, gentle one, enter your mansion for now..." at 4-26-17.
bhavanta pratyayam praaptaa niiti maarga vishaaradaaH |
hiteSu abhirataa bharttuH nisR^iSTaaH sarva karmasu || 4-53-10
10. bhavanta pratyayam praaptaa= you all, credibility, notched up; niiti maarga vishaaradaaH= principles, pathways, pioneers; bharttuH hiteSu abhi rataa= in lord's [Sugreeva's,] in well-being, well, disposed; sarva karmasu= in all [any,] exploits; niH sR^iSTaaH= out, drawn - unsheathed, contrivers of.
"You all the pioneers in the pathway of principles, you have notched up the credibility of your king, you are all well-disposed in the well-being of your king, and you are the contrivers of any exploit. [4-53-10]
karmasu apratimaaH sarve dikshu vishruta pauruSaaH |
maam puraskR^itya niryaataaH pin.hgaaksha praticoditaaH || 4-53-11
11. sarve= all of you ['all' is now ellipted to all attributes]; karmasu a +pratimaaH= in tasks, not, paralleled ones; dikshu vishruta pauruSaaH= in directions, renowned, asperity; pinga aksha praticoditaaH= ochreish, eyed [Sugreeva,] impelled by; maam puraskR^itya niryaataaH= me, keeping afore - as helmsman, started out.
"All of you are unparalleled in all tasks, all your asperity is renowned in all directions, and all of you have come impelled by that ochreish eyed Sugreeva keeping me as your helmsman. [4-53-11]
idaaniim akR^ita arthaanaam martavyam na atra sa.nshayaH |
hari raajasya sa.ndesham akR^itvaa kaH sukhii bhavet || 4-53-12
12. idaaniim= as of now; a + kR^ita arthaanaam= not, done [completed,] purpose - our mission is incomplete; hence; martavyam= we have to die [at the hand of Sugreeva]; atra sanshayaH na= in this matter, doubt, is not there; hari raajasya sandesham= monkeys, king's, directive; a+ kR^itvaa= by not, doing - keeping it incomplete; kaH sukhii bhavet= who, complacent, can be.
"As of now our mission is incomplete hence we are scheduled to die, and there is no doubt about it. Who can be complacent by keeping the directive of monkey's king incomplete? [4-53-12]
aasmin atiite kaale tu sugriiveNa kR^ite svayam |
praayopaveshanam yuktam sarveSaam ca vana okasaam || 4-53-13
13. sugriiveNa kR^ite= by Sugreeva, made [set]; aasmin kaale= this, time [timeframe]; atiite= when lapsed; sarveSaam vana okasaam= for all of [us,] forest, dwellers; svayam praayopaveshanam yuktam= personally - voluntarily, fast unto deaths, is appropriate.
"But in this matter of course, as the time set by Sugreeva is lapsed, it is appropriate for all of us forest dwelling monkeys to voluntarily undertake fasting unto death. [4-53-13]
tiikSNaH prakR^ityaa sugriivaH svaami bhaave vyavasthitaH |
na kSamiSyati naH sarvaan aparaadha kR^ito gataan || 4-53-14
14. sugriivaH prakR^ityaa tiikSNaH= Sugreeva, instinctively, is a tormentor; svaami bhaave vyavasthitaH= in lord's, poise [in lordship, he is now] institutionalised; gataan= those who return; aparaadha kR^itaH transgression, done; naH= us; sarvaan na kSamiSyati= all [any of us,] not, condones.
"Instinctively Sugreeva is a tormentor and now he is institutionalised in lordship, thus he will not condone any of us as we will be as good as transgressors if we were to return. [4-53-14]
apravR^ittau ca siitaayaaH paapam eva kariSyati |
tasmaat kSamam iha adya eva ga.ntum praayopavishanam || 4-53-15
tyak.htvaa putran ca daaraan ca dhanaani ca gR^ihaaNi ca |
15, 16a. siitaayaaH= about Seetha; a + pravR^ittau= without, tidings - not knowing tidings; paapam eva kariSyati= sinning [of killing us,] alone, he does [Sugreeva commits]; tasmaat= therefore; putran ca daaraan ca dhanaani ca gR^ihaaNi ca= sons, also, wives, also, riches, also, house and homes, too; tyaktvaa= on leaving off; iha adya eva= here, now, only; praayopa vishanam= fasting unto death - by sprawling; gantum kSamam= to enter upon, it is pertinent.
"Sugreeva commits sin alone in our respect by killing all of us as we failed in the facts about Seetha, therefore it is pertinent to enter upon fasting unto, leaving off our sons, wives, riches and houses and homes, too. [4-53-15, 16a]
dhruvam naH hi.nsate raajaa sarvaan pratigataan itaH || 4-53-16
vadhena apratiruupeNa shreyaan mR^ityuH iha eva naH |
16b, c. raajaa= king; itaH prati gataan= from here, back, on going; naH sarvaan= us, all; a +prati ruupeNa= un, mirrored, in shape [in a freakish manner]; vadhena= by slaying; dhruvam hinsate= definitely, will torture; naH iha eva= for us, here, only; mR^ityuH shreyaan= death [suicide,] worthwhile [justifiable.]
"That king Sugreeva definitely and freakishly tortures all of us on our going back futilely, hence suicide at this place is justifiable for all us. [4-53-16b, c]
na ca aham yauvaraajyena sugriiveNa abhiSecitaH || 4-53-17
narendreNa abhiSikto asmi raameNa akliSTa karmaNaa |
17, 18a. aham= I am; sugriiveNa yauvaraajyena= by Sugreeva, to crown-princedom; na abhiSecitaH= not, anointed; a +kliSTa karmaNaa= not, with difficulty, does tasks [indefatigable Rama, or, one whose deeds are unbigoted]; narendreNa raameNa= by people's king, by Rama; abhiSiktaH asmi= anointed, I am.
"I am not anointed to crown-princedom by Sugreeva, but I am anointed by the unbigoted Rama, the king of people. [4-53-17b, 18a]
sa puurvam baddha vairo maam raajaa dR^iSTvaa vyatikramam || 4-53-18
ghaatayiSyati daNDena tiikSNena kR^ita nishcayaH |
18b, 19a. puurvam baddha vairaH= earlier [already,] bound up in, animosity; saH raajaa= he [Sugreeva,] king; vytikramama [vi ati kramam]= transgressing [his directive]; dR^iSTvaa= on observing; kR^ita nishcayaH= on making, decision [decisively]; maam= me; tiikSNena daNDena= with tyrannous, victimisation; ghaata yiSyati= wish to liquidate.
"That king Sugreeva who is already bound up in animosity with my father, and thus with me too, now on observing me transgressing his directive will decisively wish to liquidate me by a tyrannous victimisation. [4-53-18a, 19a]
kim me suhR^idbhiH vyasanam pashyadbhiH jiivitaa.ntare |
iha eva praayam aasiSye puNye saagara rodhasi ||| 4-53-19
19b, c. jiivita antare= life, in midst of; me vyasanam pashyadbhiH= me, torturing, on witnessing; su hR^idbhiH= by good, hearted [kith and kin of mine]; kim= what [use]; iha eva= here, alone; puNye saagara rodhasi= sacred, ocean's, at blockade [of ocean, seashore]; praayam aasiSye, fast unto death, sit out [outwait.]
"Of what use is the witnessing of my kith and kin at me when I am tortured in the prime of my life, hence here on this sacred seashore alone I will outwait my death fasting unto it." Thus Angada said to all the monkeys. [4-53-19b, c]
etat shrutvaa kumaareNa yuva raajena bhaaSitam |
sarve te vaanara shreSThaaH karuNam vaakyam abruvan || 4-53-20
20. yuva raajena kumaareNa= by crown, prince, by youngish [Angada]; bhaaSitam etat shrutvaa= uttered, all that, on hearing; sarve te vaanara shreSThaaH= all, those, Vanara, prominent ones; karuNam vaakyam abruvan= sympathetically, words, spoke.
On hearing all that uttered by that youngish Angada, the crown prince, all of those prominent Vanara-s sympathetically spoke these words. [4-53-20]
tiikSNaH prakR^ityaa sugriivaH priyaa raktaH ca raaghavaH |
samiikshya akR^ita kaaryaan tu tasmin ca samaye gate || 4-53-21
adR^iSTaayaam ca vaidehyaam dR^iSTvaa caiva samaagataan |
raaghava priya kaamaaya ghaatayiSyati asa.nshayam || 4-53-22
21, 22. sugriivaH prakR^ityaa tiikSNaH= Sugreeva, instinctively, hot-tempered one; raaghavaH ca priyaa raktaH= Raghava, is also, in beloved [wife,] interested; vaidehyaam a + dR^iSTaayaam= Vaidehi, not, seen when she is not spotted; tasmin samaye gate= that, time, lapsed; sam aagataan= returnees; a + kR^ita kaaryaan= not, performed, deed - those who have not completed assignment; samiikshya= on seeing - us; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing - on thinking; raaghava priya kaamaaya= to Raghava, likeable, [doing] desirous of - to satisfy Raghava; a + sanshayam= without, doubt; ghaatayiSyati= he wishes to liquidate.
"Instinctively Sugreeva is a hot-tempered vanara and Raghava is interested in his beloved wife. The timeframe is lapsed and Vaidehi is unspotted. If we go back to Kishkindha now, on seeing us returning without completing our assignment, and with a thinking to satisfy Rama Sugreeva wishes to liquidate us without any doubt. [4-53-21, 22]
na kSamam ca aparaaddhaanaam gamanam svaami paarshvataH |
pradhaanabuutaaH ca vayam sugriivasya samaagataaH || 4-53-23
23. aparaaddhaanaam= for culprits - like us; svaami paarshvataH gamanam= lord, at the side of, going; na kSamam= not, tolerable - inexcusable; sugriivasya= of Sugreeva; pradhaanabuutaaH ca= being chieftains, also; vayam samaagataaH= we, are co-ordinated [and sent here.]
"It will be inexcusable for the culprits to pass at the sideways of lords, then where is the question of their coming into king's audience, and we should be barefaced to return because we are all the chieftains of Sugreeva who are coordinated and sent here. [4-53-23]
iha eva siitaam anviikshya pravR^ittim upalabhya vaa |
naH cet gacChaama tam viiram gamiSyaamo yama kshayam || 4-53-24
24. iha eva siitaam anviikshya= here, only, Seetha, we search out; pravR^ittim upalabhya vaa= tidings, we educe, or; tam viiram= to him, champion Sugreeva; naH gacChaama cet= we, approach, not - if we do not go with information; yama kshayam gamiSyaamaH= Yama, the Terminator's, realm, we will to go.
"If we do not return to that champion Sugreeva on searching somewhere here for Seetha, or on our educing some information about her, we will rather enter the realm of Yama, the Terminator." Thus the other monkeys discussed among themselves. [4-53-24]
plava.ngamaanaam tu bhaya arditaanaam
shrutvaa vacaH taara idam babhaaSe |
alam viSaadena bilam pravishya
vasaama sarve yadi rocate vaH || 4-53-25
25. taaraH= Lt. Tara; bhaya arditaanaam plavangamaanaam= by fear, tormented by, of fly-jumpers; vacaH shrutvaa= words, on hearing; idam babhaaSe= this, spoke; viSaadena alam= desperation, enough; vaH rocate yadi= you, interested, if; sarve bilam pravishya vasaama= we all, cavity, on entering, we live [therein.]
On hearing the words of fly-jumpers, who are tormented by fear of Sugreeva, Lt. Tara spoke this to them, "enough is your desperation, if you all are interested let us enter that cave again where we can live. [4-53-25]
idam hi maayaa vihitam sudurgamam
prabhuuta vR^ikSa udaka bhojya peyam |
iha asti naH na eva bhayam pura.ndaraat
na raaghavaat vaanara raajato api vaa || 4-53-26
26. maayaa vihitam= by demon Maya, contrived; prabhuuta vR^ikSa udaka bhojya peyam= abundant with, trees, water, eatables, potables; idam= this - cavity; su durgamam hi= highly, impassable [cavity,] isn't it; iha naH= here, to us; purandaraat bhayam na eva asti= from Indra, fear, not, even, is there; raaghavaat na= from Raghava, no [fear]; vaanara raajataH api vaa= from monkeys, king, either.
"That highly impassable cavity is contrived by the demon Maya and it is abundant with trees, water, eatables and potables, and there is no fear even from Indra in that cavity, nor from Raghava, nor from Sugreeva, the king of monkeys." So said Lt. Tara to all. [4-53-26]
shrutvaa a.ngadasya api vaco anukuulam
uucuH ca sarve harayaH pratiitaaH |
yathaa na hanyema tathaa vidhaanam
asaktam adya eva vidhiiyataam naH || 4-53-27
27. angadasya vacaH shrutvaa= Angada's, words, on hearing; sarve harayaH pratiitaaH= all, monkeys, having believability - in his and Tara's words; anukuulam uucuH= compliantly, said; yathaa na hanyema= in which way, we are not, killed; tathaa= in that way; naH= for us; adya eva= now, only; vidhaanam= a method; asaktam vidhiiyataam= promptly, make happen.
On hearing Angada's words, as well as the words of Lt. Tara that are trended to Angada's words, all the monkeys compliantly spoke with believability, "in which way we all will not be killed that way may be waymarked, and promptly make it happen now only." So said all the monkeys to Angada. [4-53-27]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe tri pa.ncaashaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 53rd chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Dec, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]