Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Monkeys on arriving at seashore are awestruck to have a glimpse of unnavigable ocean, which is tumultuous with many sea-creatures. Angada noticing the baffle of monkeys pacifies them and elicits information about each monkey's capability to jump over the ocean. |
aakhyaataa gR^idhra raajena samut.hplutya plava.ngamaaH |
sa.ngataaH priiti sa.myuktaa vineduH si.mha vikramaaH || 4-64-1
1. gR^idhra raajena aakhyaataa= by eagle, king, those who are informed - monkeys; simha vikramaaH- lion [like,] courageous [lion-hearted]; plavan gamaaH= fly-jumpers; sangataaH= in league; priiti samyuktaa= gladness, associated with - gladly; samutplutya [sam ut plutya]= jumped [and loped]; vineduH= screamed.
Those lion-hearted fly-jumpers who are informed thus by the kingly eagle Sampaati have gladly jumped and loped and screamed in league [4-64-1]
sa.mpaateH vacanam shrutvaa harayo raavaNa kSayam |
hR^iSTaaH saagaram aajagmuH siitaa darshana kaankSiNaH || 4-64-2
2. harayaH= monkeys; sampaateH vacanam shrutvaa= Sampaati's, words, on hearing; hR^iSTaaH= becoming delighted; siitaa darshana kaankSiNaH= Seetha, a glimpse of, longing for; raavaNa kSayam= [to go to] Ravana's, residence; saagaram= to ocean; aa jagmuH= come, and went - they have arrived.
On hearing the words of Sampaati, the monkeys have delightedly come to the ocean to go to the residence of Ravana, longing for a glimpse of Seetha. [4-64-2]
abhikramya tu tam desham dadR^ishur bhiima vikramaaH |
kR^itsnam lokasya mahataH pratibi.mbam iva sthitam || 4-64-3
3. bhiima vikramaaH= superbly, venturesome ones; tam desham abhikramya= that, province, passing across; mahataH lokasya= of great, world; kR^itsnam= entire; prati bimbam iva sthitam [samudram]= great, mirror-image, like [appearing to be,] available [ocean]; dadR^ishuH= they saw.
Passing across that province those superbly venturesome monkeys have seen the ocean available there, appearing like a great mirror image of the world in it entirety. [4-64-3]
Here the word pratibimba is taken as entire ocean with its shores, and the ocean is said as a mirror, 'a mirror framed by it shores.' Thus, the ocean is said to contain all the items of entire world and it is becoming a world by itself, together with its own paraphernalia, from fishes to sharks, pebble to diamonds etc. This is according to Govindaraja.
dakSiNasya samudrasya samaasaadya uttaraam disham |
sa.mnivesham tataH cakruH sahitaa vaanara uttamaaH || 4-64-4
4. vaanara uttamaaH= among monkeys, the best ones; dakSiNasya samudrasya= southern, ocean's; uttaraam disham= northern, side; samaasaadya= on reaching; tataH= then; sahitaaH samnivesham cakruH= collectively, camp, they made.
On reaching the northern side of southern ocean those best monkeys have collectively made a camp there. [4-64-4]
Here in this mms of Gorakhpur one verse is not given which is available in other versions. That verse is given here for an easy comprehension of the later verses.
sattvair mahadbhir vik®tai× krŸýadbhir vividhair jale |
vy˜tta ˜syai× sumah˜ k˜yair ¨rmibhi× ca sam˜kulam || extra verse
sattvaiH= with beings; mahadbhiH= gigantic ones; vikR^itaiH= misshapen ones; kriiDadbhiH= sporting; vividhaiH jale= divers, in water; vyaatta aasaiH= with largely opened, mouths; su mahaa kaayaiH= with very large bodied ones; uurmibhiH ca samaakulam= with tides, also, uproarious.
That ocean is uproarious with its tides, and with its gigantic and misshapen beings that are sporting in water with their wide-opened mouths.
prasuptam iva ca anyatra kriiDantam iva ca anyataH |
kvacit parvata maatraiH ca jala raashibhiH aavR^itam || 4-64-5
sa.mkulam daanava indraiH ca paataala tala vaasibhiH |
roma harSa karam dR^iSTvaa viSeduH kapiku.njaraaH || 4-64-6
5, 6. anyatra= somewhere; the ocean is; pra suptam iva= well, slept, as though; anyataH= somewhere else; kriiDantam iva= sporting, as though; kvacit= elsewhere; parvata maatraiH= mountain, as high as; jala raashibhiH aavR^itam= by water, heaps [tidewater,] overspread; paataala tala vaasibhiH= of netherworld, on surface, residents; daanava indraiH= with demonic, best being - demons living in paatala; samkulam= tumultuous with; roma harSa karam= hair, grin [raising,] causer of; [samudram= ocean]; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; kapi kunjaraaH= monkey, elephants; viSeduH= despaired.
Somewhere that ocean is as though sleeping well, and somewhere else it is as though sporting, elsewhere it is overspread with tidewaters as high as mountains, somewhere else it is tumultuous with the best demonic beings who are the residents on the plane of netherworld, and the elephantine monkeys despaired on seeing such a hair-raising ocean.. [4-64-5, 6]
aakaasham iva duSpaaram saagaram prekSya vaanaraaH |
viSeduH sahitaa sarve katham kaaryam iti bruvan || 4-64-7
7. sahitaa sarve vaanaraaH= collectively [each to each,] all, vanara-s; aakaasham iva duS paaram= sky [endless,] like, impossible, to navigate [shoreless, hence unnavigable]; saagaram prekSya= ocean, on seeing; viSeduH= despaired; katham kaaryam= how, to do [vault]; iti bruvan=thus, saying.
On seeing the shoreless ocean that is like an endless sky, hence unnavigable, the vanara-s are despaired and said each to each, "how to vault this ocean?" [4-64-7]
viSaNNaam vaahiniim dR^iSTvaa saagarasya niriikSaNaat |
aashvaasayaamaasa hariin bhaya aartaan hari sattamaH || 4-64-8
8. hari sattamaH= monkey, the best [Angada]; saagarasya nir iikSaNaat= at ocean, gazing; viSaNNaam vaahiniim dR^iSTvaa= despaired, army [of monkeys,] on seeing; bhaya aartaan hariin= by fear, anguished, monkeys; aashvaasayaamaasa= started to inspirit.
Then the best one among monkeys, Angada, started to inspirit the army of monkeys who are anguished by fear on their gazing at the ocean. [4-64-8]
na viSaade manaH kaaryam viSaado doSavattaraH |
viSaado hanti puruSam baalam kruddha iva uragaH || 4-64-9
9. viSaade manaH= to dismay, heart [loosing]; na kaaryam= not, workable; viSaadaH doSavattaraH= dismaying, is detrimental; kruddha uragaH baalam iva [hanti]= vicious, viper, [innocent] child, like, [ruins - a vicious viper unnecessarily ruins an innocent child]; puruSam viSaadaH hanti= person, dismay, ruins.
"Loosing heart to dismay is an unworkability, because dismaying itself is detrimental, and dismay alone ruins a person, as a vicious viper unworkably ruins an innocent child... [4-64-9]
yo viSaado prasahate vikrame samupasthite |
tejasaa tasya hiinasya puruSa artho na siddhyati || 4-64-10
10. vikrame sam upasthite= [time for] venturesomeness, when verges on; yaH viSaadaH prasahate= who, despair, readily tolerates [readily braces himself]; tejasaa hiinasya tasya= by vitality, one who is lacking, to him; puruSa arthaH= personal, purpose [individual achievement]; na siddhyati= not, achievable.
"Individual achievement will be unachievable to him who readily braces himself with despair when the time for venturesomeness verges on, because of the lacking of his own vitality..." So said Angada and then the nightfall has occurred. [4-64-10]
These two sayings of Angada, and suchlike at other places, become precedent for the sayings of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, esp., in the Ch. of arjuna viSaadayoga 'Arjuna's Despair'.
tasyaam raatryaam vyatiitaayaam a.ngado vaanaraiH saha |
hari vR^iddhaiH samaagamya punar ma.ntram ama.ntrayat || 4-64-11
11. tasyaam raatryaam vyatiitaayaam= that, night, while elapsing; angadaH= Angada; hari vR^iddhaiH vaanaraiH saha= old, monkeys [golden-agers,] along with; samaagamya= meeting with; punaH mantram amantrayat= again, deliberations, deliberated.
While that night is elapsing into the wee hours of next day, Angada met all the golden-ager monkeys, and again deliberated with them. [4-64-11]
saa vaanaraaNaam dhvajinii parivaarya a.ngadam babhau |
vaasavam parivaarya iva marutaam vaahinii sthitaa || 4-64-12
12. vaanaraaNaam= monkey's; saa= she [that]; dhvajinii= the hoister of army-flag [army troops]; angadam= around Angada; parivaarya= encircling; sthitaa= staying - stood around; vaasavam parivaarya= Indra, encircling; marutaam vaahinii iva= gods', army, like; babhau= beamed forth.
When those troops of monkey army stood encircling Angada, it beamed forth like the army of gods encircling Indra. [4-64-12]
ko anyaH taam vaanariim senaam shaktaH sta.mbhayitum bhavet |
anyatra vaali tanayaat anyatra ca hanuumataH || 4-64-13
13. vaali tanayaat anyatra= than Vali's, son, differently - other than; hanuumataH anyatra= than Hanuma, other than; anyaH= the other; kaH= who; taam vaanariim senaam= that, monkey's, army; stambhayitum shaktaH bhavet= to consolidate, capable, he will be.
Who can capably consolidate that army of monkeys, other than Vali's son Angada, or, other than Hanuma? None. Because that army itself is an army of fickly, tickly monkeys. [4-64-13]
Angada is the crown prince and Hanuma is [non-commissioned] commander-in-chief of monkey forces. It is usual in the military etiquette not to use high rankers in the first instance itself. Here also the same protocol is being followed. In this way, Duryodhana requests Bhishma to become his commander-in-chief: anena sena pati× prabala× kartavyam iti s¨citam | tath˜ ca udyoge bh˜rate - bhŸÿmam prati duryodhana× - bhav˜nuþanas˜ tulyo hita eÿŸ ca sad˜ mama | asamh˜rya× sthito dharme sa na× sen˜pati× bhava || dk Now, excepting Angada and Hanuma, some other vaulter is needed.
tataH taan hari vR^iddhaan ca tat ca sainyam arindamaH |
anumaanya a.ngadaH shriimaan vaakyam arthavat abraviit || 4-64-14
14. tataH= then; arindamaH= enemy-subjugator; shriimaan angadaH= illustrious, Angada; taan hari vR^iddhaan ca= them, monkey, old-agers, also; tat sainyam ca= that, army, even; anumaanya= on revering =- paying respects; arthavat vaakyam abraviit= meaningful, sentence, spoke.
Then that enemy-subjugator and illustrious Angada, on revering the old-ager monkeys and paying due respects to the army of monkeys, spoke this meaningful sentence. [4-64-14]
ka idaaniim mahaatejaa la.nghayiSyati saagaram |
kaH kariSyati sugriivam satya sandham arindamam || 4-64-15
15. idaaniim= now; mahaatejaa= great-resplendent one; kaH= who; saagaram langhayiSyati= ocean, vaults over; kaH= who; arindamam sugriivam= enemy-repressor, Sugreeva; satya sandham= truth [truthful word,] bounden; kariSyati, makes [facilitates.]
"Now, who is that great-resplendent one who can vault over the ocean and who is he who can facilitate the enemy-repressor Sugreeva to become truthful to his word... [4-64-15]
ko viiro yojana shatam la.nghayeta plava.ngamaaH |
imaan ca yuuthapaan sarvaan mocayet ko mahaabhayaat || 4-64-16
16. plavangamaaH= oh, fly-jumpers; viiraH= a brave one [hurdler]; kaH= who; yojana shatam langhayeta= yojana-s [distance,] hundred, hurdles over; imaan yuuthapaan sarvaan= these, [monkeys] commanders, all of them; mahaa bhayaat= from great fear [of Sugreeva]; kaH mocayet= who will, emancipate.
"Who is that brave hurdler who can hurdle over a hundred yojana distance, oh, fly-jumpers, who is he who can even emancipate all these monkey commanders from the great fear of Sugreeva... [4-64-16]
kasya prasaadaat daaraan ca putraan caiva gR^ihaaNi ca |
ito nivR^ittaaH pashyema siddha arthaaH sukhino vayam || 4-64-17
17. vayam= we; kasya prasaadaat= by whose, benignancy; siddha arthaaH= on achieving, purpose; sukhinaH= as rejoicers; itaH= from here; nivR^ittaaH= on going back; daaraan ca putraan caiva= wives, also, sons, also thus; gR^ihaaNi ca= houses [and homes,] even; pashyema= we can see.
"By whose benignancy we can rejoicingly see our wives, sons, houses and homes on going back from here after achieving the purpose of our task... [4-64-17]
kasya prasaadaat raamam ca lakSmaNam ca mahaabalam |
abhigacChema sa.mhR^iSTaaH sugriivam ca mahaabalam || 4-64-18
18. kasya prasaadaat= by whose, benevolence; samhR^iSTaaH= gladly [trouble-free, unworriedly]; raamam ca= to Rama, also; mahaa balam lakSmaNam ca= great-mighty one [irascible,] to Lakshmana, also; mahaabalam sugriivam ca= great-mighty one [here, ruthless one,] to Sugreeva, as well; abhigacChema= we can approach.
"By whose benevolence we can unworriedly approach Rama, or even that irascible Lakshmana, or ruthless Sugreeva, as well... [4-64-18]
yadi kashcit samartho vaH saagara plavane hariH |
sa dadaatu iha naH shiighram puNyaam abhaya dakSiNaam || 4-64-19
19. vaH= among you; kashcit hariH= someone, a monkey; saagara plavane= ocean, to jump over; samarthaH yadi= competent enough, if; saH= he; iha= now; naH= to us; shiighram= quickly; puNyaam= solemn; a+ bhaya= not, fear [impunity]; dakSiNaam= munificence; dadaatu= let him give.
"If someone among you is competent enough to jump over the ocean, that monkey may now quickly give us all, a munificence, called a solemn impunity from Sugreeva..." Angada addressed monkeys in this way. [4-64-19]
a.ngadasya vacaH shrutvaa na kashcit ki.mcit abraviit |
stimitaa iva abhavat sarvaa saa tatra hari vaahinii || 4-64-20
20. angadasya vacaH shrutvaa= Angada's, words, on hearing; kashcit kimcit= someone, something; na abraviit= not, said; tatra= there [in the matter]; sarvaa saa hari vaahinii= all, that, monkey, troop; stimitaa iva abhavat= standstill [dumbfounded,] as though, became.
On hearing Angada's words there is none someone to say something in that matter, as the entire monkey troop is as though dumbfounded. [4-64-20]
punar eva a.ngadaH praaha taan hariin hari sattamaH |
sarve balavataam shreSThaa bhavanto dR^iDha vikramaaH |
vyapadeshya kule jaataaH puujitaaH ca api abhiikSNashaH || 4-64-21
21. hari sattamaH= monkey, the best; angadaH= Angada; taan hariin= to those, monkeys; punaH eva praaha= again, thus, clearly said; bhavantaH sarve balavataam shreSThaa= you, all of you, among the powerful, the best; dR^iDha vikramaaH= determinedly, venturesome; vyapadesha [vi apa desha] kule jaataaH= flawless, family, born in; abhiikSNashaH puujitaaH ca api= again and again, adored ones [for your adventures,] also, even.
Again that best one among monkeys Angada clearly said to those monkeys thus, "all of you are the best ones among powerful monkeys, you all are determinedly venturesome, born in flawless families and even adored again and again for your adventures... [4-64-21]
na hi vo gamane sa.ngaH kadaacit api kasyacit bhavet |
bruvadhvam yasya yaa shaktiH plavane plavagarSabhaaH || 4-64-22
22. vaH= among you; kasyacit= to whomsoever; kadaacit= whensoever; gamane sangaH na bhavet hi= in going [jumping,] barrier, not, will be there, isn't it; plavagarSabhaaH= oh, best fly-jumpers; plavane= in jumping - jump-leaping ocean; yasya yaa shaktiH= whose, what, capability - is there, that; bruvadhvam= let it be said.
"There will be no barrier to whomsoever, whensoever he wanted essay wheresoever, isn't it! Hence, oh, best fly-jumpers, each one you may give an account as to which one has got which capability in jump-leaping the ocean. [4-64-22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe catuH SaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 64th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Mar, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]