Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
Sugreeva consoles Rama soothingly and advises him to come out of his frenzy emotion at the loss of Seetha, which is not befitting to a person like Rama. Rama recovering from his emotional state, promises Sugreeva to be truthful to his word in alleviating the fear of Vali for Sugreeva. And Sugreeva also promises to make all his efforts to search for Seetha. |
evam uk{}taH tu sugriivaH raameNa aartena vaanaraH |
abraviit praa~njaliH vaakyam sabaaSpam baaSpa gadgadaH || 4-7-1
1. aartena= one in agony; raameNa= by Rama; evam uktaH tu= thus, said; Sugreeva; vaanaraH= the monkey; baaSpa gadgadaH= with tears, trembling voice; sa baaSpam= with tears;. pra anjaliH= with adjoined palms; vaakyam= sentence; abraviit= said.
Thus said by Rama in agony that monkey Sugreeva with his palms adjoined, and with tears rolling in eyes and also voice trembling with tears said this to Rama. [4-7-1]
na jaane nilayam tasya sarvathaa paapa rakSasaH |
saamarthyam vikramam vaa api dauSkuleyasya vaa kulam || 4-7-2
2. daushkuleyasya= of that sinister dynasty; tasya paapa rakshasaH= of his, of that sinning, demon's; nilayam= residence; saamarthyam= capability; vikramam= valour; vaa= either; api= even; kulam vaa= his lineage, even; sarvathaa= at all; na jaane= not, familiar.
"Unfamiliar is the residence, or capability, or valour, or lineage of that sinning demon from a sinister dynasty, in any wise... [4-7-2]
satyam tu pratijaanaami tyaja shokam arindama |
kariSyaami tathaa yatnam yathaa praapsyasi maithiliim || 4-7-3
3. arindama= oh, enemy destroyer; te satyam pratijaanaami= to you, truthfully, I am promising; maithiliim yathaa praapsyasi= Maithili, as to how, you get back; tathaa yatnam karishyaami= therefor, make effort, I strive to; tyaja shokam= discard, anguish.
"Truthfully I am promising you, oh, enemy destroyer, as to how you will get back Maithili therefor I strive to make effort, let anguish be discarded... [4-7-3]
raavaNam sagaNam hatvaa paritoSya aatma pauruSam |
tathaa asmi kartaa naciraad yathaa priito bhaviSyasi || 4-7-4
4. raavanam sa gaNam hatvaa= Ravana, with, henchmen, on killing; paritoSya= satisfying your; aatma pauruSam= self, pride; yathaa priitaH bhaviSyasi= as to how, you will be gladdened; tathaa na ciraat kartaa asmi= that way, not, before long, done, by me.
"As to how you will satisfy yourself on killing Ravana along with his henchmen, and as to how to you pride yourself thereby, I will make it happen in that way in no longer a time... [4-7-4]
alam vaiklavyam aalam.hbya dhairyam aatmagatam smara |
tvat vidhaanaam na sadR^isham iidR^isham buddhi laaghavam || 4-7-5
5. alam vaiklavyam aalambya= enough, despair, clinging on to; aatma gatam dhairyam smara= soul gone in [inherent,] courage, you recollect; tvat vidhaanaam= your like persons; iidR^isham buddhi laaghavam= this sort of, mental, ineptness; na sadR^isham= not, seemly.
"Enough is this clinging on to despair, recollect your inherent courage, and it is unseemly for persons of your sort to have this kind of mental ineptness... [4-7-5]
mayaa api vyasanam praaptam bhaaryaa virahajam mahat |
na aham evam hi shocaami dhairyam na ca parityaje || 4-7-6
6. mayaa api= by me, too; bhaaryaa= wife's; viraha jam= separation, caused by; mahat= greatly; vyasanam= yearning; praaptam= came upon; na ca aham= not, also, I; evam= this way; shocaami= despaired; na ca dhairyam= not, also, courage; parityaje= forsook.
"Upon me too this yearning caused by the separation of wife has chanced, but I did not despair this way, nor I have forsaken my courage... [4-7-6]
na aham taam anushocaami praakR^ito vaanaro api san |
mahaatmaa cha viniitaH ca kim punar dhR^itimaan mahaan || 4-7-7
7. aham praakR^itaH vaanaraH api san= I am, being primitive, monkey, even though; taam anu shochaami= of her [for distancing wife,] not, [totally] disheartening; mahaatmaa ca= great soul, also; viniitaH ca= well-read one, also; dhR^iitimaan= courageous one; bhavaan kim punaH= you are, what again [why tell about you.]
"Though I am a primitive monkey I am not totally disheartened for the distancing of wife, why tell about a great soul like you who are well read and courageous... [4-7-7]
baaSpam aapatitam dhairyaat nigrahiitum tvam arhasi |
maryaadaam sattva yuk{}taanaam dhR^itim na utsraSTum arhasi || 4-7-8
8. tvam aa patitam baashpam dhairyaat nigrahiitum arhasi= you, trickling, tears, with courage, to control, apt of you; sattva yuktaanaam= that which belonging to self-controlled ones; maryaadaam= propriety; dhR^itim= courage; na utsraSTum arhasi= not, to discard, apt of you.
"It is apt of you to control trickling tears with courage, and equally it is inapt of you to discard the courage and propriety of self-controlled people... [4-7-8]
vyasane vaa artha kR^icChre vaa bhaye vaa jiivitaantage |
vimR^ishan vai svayaa buddhyaa dhR^itimaan na avasiidati || 4-7-9
9. vyasane vaa= in a riddle, or; artha kR^icChre vaa= financial loss, or; jiivita antage= life, at end of; bhaye vaa= in fear, either; dhR^itimaan= courageous one; svayaa buddhyaa= in ones own, mind; vimR^ishan= by introspection;= verily; na avasiidati vai= not, sinks down, indeed.
"Either in a riddle, or in financial loss, or at the end of life, or in fear, a courageous one does not sink down, but indeed introspects in his own mind... [4-7-9]
baalishas tu naro nityam vaiklabyam yo.anuvartate |
sa majjati avashaH shoke bhaara aakraantaa iva nauH jale || 4-7-10
10. yaH naraH= which, man; baalisaH nityam vaiklabyam anuvartate= like stupid, always, self-pity, he who follows; saH= he; a + vasaH= not, self-controlled; bhaara aakraantaa= by weight, overpowered [overweighing]; nauH jale iva= ship, in waters, like; shoke majjati= in sadness, drowns.
"Stupid is that man who always follows self-piteous sadness unable to control himself, and he drowns down in that melancholy like a overweighing ship in waters... [4-7-10]
eSo anjaliH mayaa baddhaH praNayaat tvaam prasaadaye |
pauruSam shraya shokasya na antaram daatum arhasi || 4-7-11
11. mayaa eSaH anjaliH baddhaH= by me, this, palms, adjoined; praNayaat tvaam prasaadaye= in friendship, you, I beseech; pauruSam shraya= self-esteem, bear up; shokasya antaram daatum na arhasi= for sadness, leeway, to give, not, apt of you.
"Adjoined are my palms in this way beseeching you in friendship, kindly bear up your self-esteem and you should not give any leeway to sadness... [4-7-11]
ye shokam anuvartante na teSaam vidyate sukham |
tejaH cha kSiiyate teSaam na tvam shocitum arhasi || 4-7-12
12. ye= those; shokam anuvartante= moroseness, delve into; na teSaam= not, to them; vidyate sukham= enjoy, happiness; tejaH cha= brilliance, too; kshiiyate= dwindle; teSaam= their; na tvam shocitum arhasi= not, your, saddening, is apt.
"Those that delve deep into moroseness, to them there is no happiness, and their brilliance too dwindles, thus saddening is inapt on your part... [4-7-12]
shokena abhiprapannasya jiivite cha api sa.mshayaH |
sa shokam tyaja raajendra dhairyam aashraya kevalam || 4-7-13
13. raajendra= oh, king of kings; shokena= by sadness; abhi prapannasya= well, engulfed; jiivite cha api= of life, also, even; samshayaH= doubts; saH shokam= such as you are, sadness; tyaja= leave off; kevalam dhairyam aashraya= just, courage, hold on to.
"One well-engulfed in sadness doubts even his life, oh, king of kings, leave off that sadness and just hold on to courage...[4-7-13]
hitam vayasya bhaavena bruumi na upadishaami te |
vayasyataam puujayan me na tvam shocitum arhasi || 4-7-14
14. hitam= benefiting; vayasya bhaavena= friendly, thought; bruumi= I tell; na upadishaami te= not, instructing, you; vayasyataam= friendship; puujayan= regarding; me= of mine; na tvam shocitum arhasi= not, your, saddening, is apt.
"I am telling a benefiting and friendly thought, but not instructing you, should you regard my friendship then your saddening is inapt..." [Thus said Sugreeva to Rama.] [4-7-14]
madhuram saan.htvitaH tena sugriiveNa sa raaghavaH |
mukham ashru pari klinnam vastra antena pramaarjayat || 4-7-15
15. tena sugriivena= by that, Sugreeva; madhuram= sweetly; saantvitaH= solaced; saH raaghavaH= that Rama; ashru pari klinnam= by tears, fully covered; mukham= face; vastra antena= with cloth's, edge; pramaarjayat= dabbed.
Sweetly solaced thus by that Sugreeva Rama dabbed his face with the edge of cloth, which is covered fully with tears. [4-7-15]
prakR^itiH sthaH tu kaakutsthaH sugriiva vacanaat prabhuH |
sa.mpariSvajya sugriivam idam vacanam abraviit || 4-7-16
16. prabhuH= the lord; kaakutsthaH= Rama; Sugreeva; vacanaat= by words of; prakR^itiH sthaH tu= in his own nature, steadied himself; sugriivam= Sugreeva is; sam pariSvajya= on embracing; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, said.
Lord Rama steadied himself in his own nature by the words of Sugreeva, and on embracing him Rama said this sentence to him. [4-7-16]
kartavyam yat vayasyena snigdhena ca hitena ca |
anuruupam ca yuk.htam ca kR^itam sugriiva tat tvayaa || 4-7-17
17. Sugreeva; snigdhena hitena ca= by a friend, friendly one, also; vayasyena yat kartavyam= by friend, that which, is to be done; anuruupam ca= timely, also; yuktam ca= befitting, also; tat tvayaa= that which, by you; kR^itam= is done.
"Sugreeva, a friendly obligation that which is to be done, a benefiting, befitting and a timely one too, is what you have performed with your friendly advise... [4-7-17]
eSa ca prakR^itiH sthaH aham anuniitaH tvayaa sakhe |
durlabho hi iidR^isho bandhuH asmin kaale visheSataH || 4-7-18
18. sakhe= oh, friend; tvayaa= by you; anuniitaH= implored; eSa aham= this, I am; prakR^itiH sthaH= in my nature, I steadied myself; iidR^ishaH bandhuH durlabhaH hi= this kind of, friend, impossible to get, indeed; asmin kaale= in these times; visheshataH= especially.
"Oh, friend, I steadied myself in my own nature when implored by you... it is impossible to get this kind of friend, especially at these times... [4-7-18]
kim tu yatnaH tvayaa kaaryo maithilyaaH parimaargaNe |
raakSasasya ca raudrasya raavaNasya duraatmanaH || 4-7-19
19. kim tu= but; tvayaa maithilyaaH= by you, Maithili's; duraatmanaH raakshasasya raudrasya raavaNasya= evil-minded one, of demon's, furious, Ravana's; parimaargaNe yatnaH kaaryaH= search for, endeavour, is to be done.
"But, trying to search for Maithili and that furious, evil-minded demon Ravana, is your endeavour... [4-7-19]
mayaa ca yad anuSTheyam visrab.hdhena tat ucyataam |
varSaasu iva ca sukSetre sarvam sa.mpadyate tava || 4-7-20
20. mayaa ca yat anuSTeyam= by me, also, what, that is to be done; visrabdhena= in believability; tat ucyataam= that, be said; tava sarvam= your, all endeavour; varSaasu su kshetre iva= in rainy season, in good lands, as though [seeded crop]; sampadyate= be reaped.
"What is to done by me that be said in all believability, and all your endeavour will reap like the crops planted during rainy season in good lands... [4-7-20]
mayaa ca yadidam vaakyam abhimaanaat samiiritam |
tat tvayaa harishaarduula tat tvam iti upadhaaryataam || 4-7-21
21. hari shaarduula= oh, monkey, the tiger; mayaa= by me; abhimaanaat= in self-confidence; yat idam vaakyam samiiritam= which, this, word, is spoken; tat tvayaa= that, by you; tattvam iti= factually, thus; upadhaaryataam= they may be deemed.
"What that is spoken by me is in my self-confidence but not in any self-conceit, oh, tigerly-monkey, deem them as doubtless facts... [4-7-21]
anR^itam na uk{}ta puurvam me na ca vakSye kadaacana |
etat te pratijaanaami satyena eva shapaami aham || 4-7-22
22. me= by me; anR^itam na ukta puurvam= untruth, not, said, earlier; kadaacana na ca vakshye= anytimec[from now,] not, also, will speak; etat te pratijaanaami= this, to you, I promise; aham satyena eva shapaami= I am, by truthfulness, alone taking oath.
"Untruth is not uttered by me earlier nor will be at anytime from now, and all this I am promising you taking oath on that truthfulness alone.. [4-7-22]
tataH prahR^iSTaH sugriivaH vaanaraiH sacivaiH saha |
raaghavasya vacaH shrutvaa pratij~naatam visheSataH || 4-7-23
23. tataH= then; sacivaiH= vaanaraiH saha= with ministers, monkeys, along with; Sugreeva; raaghavasya vacaH= Rama's word; shrutvaa= on hearing; visheshataH= especially; pratijnaatam= of promise; prahR^iSTaH= is gladdened.
Then on hearing the words of Rama Sugreeva along with his monkey ministers is gladdened, especially of Rama promise. [4-7-23]
evam ekaanta sa.mpR^ik{}tau tataH tau nara vaanarau |
ubhau anyonya sadR^isham sukha duHkham abhaaStaam || 4-7-24
24. tataH= then; evam= thus; ekaanta= in privacy; sampR^iktau= met; tau= those two; nara= man; vaanarau= monkey; ubhau= both; anyonya sadR^isham= mutually befitting; sukha duHkham= pleasure and pain; abhaashtaam= discussed.
Then those two, the man and the monkey, met in privacy and both discussed in a mutually befitting manner about their pleasures and pains. [4-7-24]
mahaanubhaavasya vaco nishamya
harir nR^ipaaNaam adhipasya tasya |
kR^itam sa mene hariviira mukhyaH
tadaa ca kaaryam hR^idayena vidvaan || 4-7-25
25. vidvaan= the intellectual; saH hari viira mukhyaH= he that one, among monkey, heroes, chief; hariH= monkey - Sugreeva; mahaanubhaavasya= highly capable one's [Rama's]; tasya= of his; nR^ipaaNaam adhipasya= among kings, the best king [Rama]; vacaH= word; nishamya= on hearing; tadaa ca= then; kR^itam= accomplished; kaaryam= manoeuvre; hR^idayena= at heart; mene= he [Sugreeva], thought so.
On hearing the word of that intellectual, highly capable one and the best king among kings, namely Rama, he that Sugreeva, the chief among the monkey heroes, thought at heart that his manoeuvre to surpass his dominant brother Vali is accomplished. [4-7-25]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe saptamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 7th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana,the First Epic poem of India.
© 2000, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao, [Revised : March, '04]