Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 29 of 67 · 33 verses
Hanuman Reminds Sugriva
The son of the wind sees the clear sky, free of lightning and clouds, echoing with flocks of cranes, smeared with lovely moonlight. He sees Sugriva, rich in wealth but slack in gathering dharma and interest, his mind turned too much to the path of the wicked and to private pleasures, his tasks finished, his aims achieved, always delighting in women, having gained every wish he had: his own beloved wife, and Tara too, whom he desired, enjoying himself day and night, satisfied, his fever gone, playing like the lord of the gods with hosts of gandharvas and apsarases, his affairs left to his ministers and the ministers unsupervised, his doubts about the kingdom cut off, living as he pleases. Hanuman, certain of his purpose, knowing the truth of affairs and the particulars of time and duty, skilled in speech, first wins over the lord of the monkeys, who knows the essence of words, with many reasoned, charming words, and then goes to him and speaks good, true, wholesome words, joined with conciliation, dharma, interest and policy, with affection and love, decided in confidence: “You have won the kingdom and fame, and the family fortune has grown. What remains is the gathering of friends; you should do that. One who always behaves well toward his friends and knows the right time sees his kingdom, fame and power grow. The king for whom treasury, army, friends and self are all held equal enjoys a great kingdom. So you, rich in good conduct, standing on the safe path, should do properly what has been undertaken for your friend’s sake. One who does not abandon all other tasks to work for a friend, his zeal spoiled by haste, is beset by misfortunes. One who does a friend’s work after its time has passed gains no credit with his friend, even if he accomplishes great things. This work for our friend has passed its time, tamer of foes. Let it be done for Raghava: the search for Vaidehi. Rama, who knows time, does not tell you that the time has passed, though he is in a hurry; that wise one is obedient to you, king. Raghava is the cause of a prosperous family, a lasting kinsman, of immeasurable power, himself matchless in virtues. Do his work, since he did yours first. Lord of the monkeys, order the best of the monkeys. The time will not have passed so long as no one urges you; but if the work has to be urged, the time will have been exceeded. You would do work even for one who had done you no service, lord of the monkeys; how much more for him who repaid you with the kingdom and with the killing of your enemy? You are powerful and very valiant, lord of the hosts of monkeys and bears; why do you hesitate to order what will please the son of Dasharatha? Dasharatha’s son could subdue gods, asuras and great serpents with his arrows if he wished, but he waits for your promise. Fearless of giving up his life, he did you a great kindness; let us search for Vaidehi on the earth and in the sky. Gods, danavas, gandharvas, asuras with the hosts of the Maruts, and yakshas could not make him afraid; how much less the rakshasas? So you, tawny lord, should do with all your heart what pleases Rama, so powerful, who has already repaid you. None of us, lord of monkeys, will be stopped going below the earth, in the waters, or above in the sky, at your command. So order who should go where, and from where, and for what; your monkeys, unassailable, number more than ten million, sinless one.” Hearing those words, well judged and timely, Sugriva, full of strength, makes an excellent decision. Very wise, he orders Nila, always active, to gather all the armies from all the directions: “Act so that my whole army and all the troop-leaders come together without delay, with the chiefs of the army. Let the swift, resolute monkeys who guard the frontiers bring them quickly, hurrying at my command; and you yourself see to what must be done next. Any monkey who arrives here after fifteen nights will be punished with death; there is to be no question about it. Go with Angada to the elder monkeys, taking my command as settled.” Having made these arrangements, the mighty lord of the bulls among the monkeys enters his house.
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समीक्ष्य विमलं व्योम गतविद्युद्बलाहकम् । सारसाकुलसंघुष्टं रम्यज्योत्स्नानुलेपनम् ॥ १ ॥
Seeing the clear sky, with lightning and clouds gone, echoing with flocks of cranes, smeared with lovely moonlight,
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Hanuman Reminds Sugriva 1 min read.
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समृद्धार्थं च सुग्रीवं मन्दधर्मार्थसंग्रहम् । अत्यर्थं चासतां मार्गमेकान्तगतमानसम् ॥ २ ॥
and Sugriva, rich in wealth, but slack in gathering dharma and interest, his mind gone very much to the path of the wicked, to solitude,
निवृत्तकार्यं सिद्धार्थं प्रमदाभिरतं सदा । प्राप्तवन्तमभिप्रेतान् सर्वानेव मनोरथान् ॥ ३ ॥
his tasks finished, his aims achieved, always delighting in women, having obtained all the wishes he desired,
स्वां च पत्नीमभिप्रेतां तारां चापि समीप्सिताम् । विहरन्तमहोरात्रं कृतार्थं विगतज्वरम् ॥ ४ ॥
his own desired wife and Tara too, whom he longed for, enjoying himself day and night, his purpose done, his fever gone,
क्रीडन्तमिव देवेशं गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणैः । मन्त्रिषु न्यस्तकार्यं च मन्त्रिणामनवेक्षकम् ॥ ५ ॥
playing like the lord of the gods with hosts of gandharvas and apsarases, his affairs placed with his ministers and not overseeing the ministers,
उच्छिन्नराज्यसंदेहं कामवृत्तमिव स्थितम् । निश्चितार्थोऽर्थतत्त्वज्ञः कालधर्मविशेषवित् ॥ ६ ॥
his doubts about the kingdom cut off, standing as if acting at will: the son of the wind, certain of purpose, knowing the truth of affairs, knowing the particulars of time and duty,
प्रसाद्य वाक्यैर्विविधैर्हेतुमद्भिर्मनोरमैः । वाक्यविद् वाक्यतत्त्वज्ञं हरीशं मारुतात्मजः ॥ ७ ॥
having won over with various reasoned, charming words the lord of monkeys, knower of the essence of words, the knower of words,
हितं तथ्यं च पथ्यं च सामधर्मार्थनीतिमत् । प्रणयप्रीतिसंयुक्तं विश्वासकृतनिश्चयम् ॥ ८ ॥
good, true and wholesome, with conciliation, dharma, interest and policy, joined with affection and love, decided in confidence,
हरीश्वरमुपागम्य हनूमान् वाक्यमब्रवीत् । राज्यं प्राप्तं यशश्चैव कौली श्रीरभिवर्धिता ॥ ९ ॥
Hanuman, approaching the lord of the monkeys, spoke these words: “The kingdom has been won, and fame, and the family fortune increased.
मित्राणां संग्रहः शेषस्तद् भवान् कर्तुमर्हति । यो हि मित्रेषु कालज्ञः सततं साधु वर्तते ॥ १० ॥
“The gathering of friends remains; you should do that. For one who, knowing the time, always behaves well toward friends,
तस्य राज्यं च कीर्तिश्च प्रतापश्चापि वर्धते । यस्य कोशश्च दण्डश्च मित्राण्यात्मा च भूमिप । समान्येतानि सर्वाणि स राज्यं महदश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥
“his kingdom and fame and power grow. He for whom treasury and army, friends and self, lord of the earth, are all equal enjoys a great kingdom.
तद् भवान् वृत्तसम्पन्नः स्थितः पथि निरत्यये । मित्रार्थमभिनीतार्थं यथावत् कर्तुमर्हति ॥ १२ ॥
“So you, rich in conduct, standing on the path free from danger, should properly do the purpose undertaken for your friend’s sake.
संत्यज्य सर्वकर्माणि मित्रार्थे यो न वर्तते । सम्भ्रमाद् विकृतोत्साहः सोऽनर्थैर्नावरुध्यते ॥ १३ ॥
“He who, abandoning all tasks, does not act for a friend’s purpose, his zeal spoiled by haste, is not kept from misfortunes.
यो हि कालव्यतीतेषु मित्रकार्येषु वर्तते । स कृत्वा महतोऽप्यर्थान्न मित्रार्थेन युज्यते ॥ १४ ॥
“He who acts in a friend’s affairs when their time has passed, though he does great things, is not joined with a friend’s gratitude.
तदिदं मित्रकार्यं नः कालातीतमरिंदम । क्रियतां राघवस्यैतद् वैदेह्याः परिमार्गणम् ॥ १५ ॥
“This work of our friend has passed its time, tamer of foes. Let this be done for Raghava: the search for Vaidehi.
न च कालमतीतं ते निवेदयति कालवित् । त्वरमाणोऽपि स प्राज्ञस्तव राजन् वशानुगः ॥ १६ ॥
“And the knower of time does not tell you that the time has passed; though hurrying, that wise one is obedient to you, king.
कुलस्य हेतुः स्फीतस्य दीर्घबन्धुश्च राघवः । अप्रमेयप्रभावश्च स्वयं चाप्रतिमो गुणैः ॥ १७ ॥
“Raghava is the cause of a prosperous family and a lasting kinsman, of immeasurable power, and himself matchless in virtues.
तस्य त्वं कुरु वै कार्यं पूर्वं तेन कृतं तव । हरीश्वर कपिश्रेष्ठानाज्ञापयितुमर्हसि ॥ १८ ॥
“Do his work indeed; your work was done by him first. Lord of monkeys, you should order the best of the monkeys.
नहि तावद् भवेत् कालो व्यतीतश्चोदनादृते । चोदितस्य हि कार्यस्य भवेत् कालव्यतिक्रमः ॥ १९ ॥
“For the time would not have passed without urging; but for work that must be urged, there would be a passing of time.
अकर्तुरपि कार्यस्य भवान् कर्ता हरीश्वर । किं पुनः प्रतिकर्तुस्ते राज्येन च वधेन च ॥ २० ॥
“You would be the doer of work even for one who had done none, lord of monkeys; how much more for your repayer, with the kingdom and the killing?
शक्तिमानतिविक्रान्तो वानरर्क्षगणेश्वर । कर्तुं दाशरथेः प्रीतिमाज्ञायां किं नु सज्जसे ॥ २१ ॥
“Powerful, very valiant, lord of the hosts of monkeys and bears, why do you hesitate in commanding what pleases Dasharatha’s son?
कामं खलु शरैः शक्तः सुरासुरमहोरगान् । वशे दाशरथिः कर्तुं त्वत्प्रतिज्ञामवेक्षते ॥ २२ ॥
“Surely Dasharatha’s son is able to bring gods, asuras and great serpents into his power with arrows; he waits for your promise.
प्राणत्यागाविशंकेन कृतं तेन महत् प्रियम् । तस्य मार्गाम वैदेहीं पृथिव्यामपि चाम्बरे ॥ २३ ॥
“A great kindness was done by him, unafraid of giving up life. Let us search for Vaidehi on the earth and in the sky.
देवदानवगन्धर्वा असुराः समरुद्गणाः । न च यक्षा भयं तस्य कुर्युः किमिव राक्षसाः ॥ २४ ॥
“Gods, danavas and gandharvas, asuras with the hosts of Maruts, and yakshas could not make him afraid; how much less the rakshasas?
तदेवं शक्तियुक्तस्य पूर्वं प्रतिकृतस्तथा । रामस्यार्हसि पिङ्गेश कर्तुं सर्वात्मना प्रियम् ॥ २५ ॥
“So you, tawny lord, should do with all your self what pleases Rama, endowed with such power, by whom you were repaid before.
नाधस्तादवनौ नाप्सु गतिर्नोपरि चाम्बरे । कस्यचित् सज्जतेऽस्माकं कपीश्वर तवाज्ञया ॥ २६ ॥
“Not below on the earth, nor in the waters, nor above in the sky, is the going of any of us stopped, lord of monkeys, at your command.
तदाज्ञापय कः किं ते कुतो वापि व्यवस्यतु । हरयो ह्यप्रधृष्यास्ते सन्ति कोट्यग्रतोऽनघ ॥ २७ ॥
“So command who should undertake what for you, and from where. For your monkeys, unassailable, number more than ten million, sinless one.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा काले साधु निरूपितम् । सुग्रीवः सत्त्वसम्पन्नश्चकार मतिमुत्तमाम् ॥ २८ ॥
Hearing those words of his, well judged at the right time, Sugriva, endowed with strength, made an excellent decision.
संदिदेशातिमतिमान् नीलं नित्यकृतोद्यमम् । दिक्षु सर्वासु सर्वेषां सैन्यानामुपसंग्रहे ॥ २९ ॥
Very wise, he ordered Nila, always active, to gather all the armies from all the directions:
यथा सेना समग्रा मे यूथपालाश्च सर्वशः । समागच्छन्त्यसङ्गेन सेनाग्र्ये ण तथा कुरु ॥ ३० ॥
“Act so that my whole army and the troop-leaders on every side come together without delay, with the chiefs of the army.
ये त्वन्तपालाः प्लवगाः शीघ्रगा व्यवसायिनः । समानयन्तु ते शीघ्रं त्वरिताः शासनान्मम । स्वयं चानन्तरं कार्यं भवानेवानुपश्यतु ॥ ३१ ॥
“Let the monkeys who guard the frontiers, swift and resolute, bring them quickly, hurrying, at my command; and you yourself see to what must be done next.
त्रिपञ्चरात्रादूर्ध्वं यः प्राप्नुयादिह वानरः । तस्य प्राणान्तिको दण्डो नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३२ ॥
“The monkey who arrives here after three times five nights: for him the punishment is death; no deliberation is to be made here.
हरींश्च वृद्धानुपयातु साङ्गदो भवान् ममाज्ञामधिकृत्य निश्चितम् । इति व्यवस्थां हरिपुङ्गवेश्वरो विधाय वेश्म प्रविवेश वीर्यवान् ॥ ३३ ॥
“Go with Angada to the elder monkeys, taking my command as settled.” Having made this arrangement, the mighty lord of the bulls among the monkeys entered his house.