Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 4 of 67 · 35 verses
Lakshmana Tells Their Story; Hanuman Carries Them
Hearing those words, “he has a purpose”, and their sweetness, Hanuman is delighted and turns his thoughts to Sugriva: “Great-souled Sugriva will surely regain his kingdom, since this one has come with a purpose of his own, and this work has come to us.” Overjoyed, Hanuman, best of leapers, master of speech, answers Rama: “Why have you and your younger brother come into this terrible, hard forest adorned by the Pampa’s woods, full of many beasts of prey?” Hearing him, Lakshmana, urged by Rama, tells him about great-souled Rama, son of Dasharatha: “There was a radiant king named Dasharatha, devoted to dharma, who always protected the four social orders each in its own dharma. No one hated him, and he hated no one; to all beings he was like a second Grandfather. He performed the agnishtoma and other sacrifices with ample gifts. This is his eldest son, known among people as Rama, refuge of all beings, who carries out his father’s command to the end, the most virtuous of Dasharatha’s sons, bearing the marks of a king, endowed with royal fortune. Fallen from the kingdom, he has come here to live in the forest with me, followed by his wife Sita, fortunate one, self-controlled, of great splendour, like the sun at the end of day with its radiance. I am his younger brother, Lakshmana by name, who has come to serve him because of his virtues, for he is grateful and learned. While he, deserving happiness, deserving high honour, devoted to the good of all beings, deprived of power, was living contentedly in the forest, his wife was carried off in a lonely place by a rakshasa who takes any form at will; and we do not know the rakshasa who carried off his wife. A son of Diti named Danu, who had become a rakshasa by a curse, told us of Sugriva, the able lord of the monkeys: ‘He, very mighty, will know who carried off your wife.’ Saying this, Danu went shining to heaven. I have told you all this truly, as you asked. Rama and I have come to Sugriva for refuge. This one, who gave away wealth and won the highest fame, who was once the protector of the world, now wishes for Sugriva as his protector. The son of him whose daughter-in-law was Sita, who was a refuge and devoted to dharma, that son, himself a refuge, has come to Sugriva for refuge. He who was once the righteous refuge of the whole world, Raghava my teacher, has come to Sugriva for refuge. Rama, by whose favour these people would always be glad, now longs for the favour of the lord of the monkeys. The eldest son of King Dasharatha, who always honoured all the virtuous kings of the earth, famous in the three worlds, Rama, has come to Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, for refuge. With Rama overcome by grief, stricken, come for refuge, Sugriva and his troop-leaders should show him favour.”
As Saumitri says this piteously, shedding tears, Hanuman, master of speech, replies: “The lord of the monkeys should see such people, endowed with understanding, who have conquered anger and their senses; by good fortune they have come to see him. He too has fallen from his kingdom and become Valin’s enemy; his wife taken, he lives in fear in the forest, deeply wronged by his brother. Sugriva, son of the sun, will help you, with us, in searching for Sita.” Having said this smoothly and sweetly, Hanuman says to Raghava: “Come, let us go to Sugriva.” As he speaks, righteous Lakshmana honours him properly and says to Raghava: “This monkey, son of the wind, speaks gladly; he too has come with a purpose. Your purpose is achieved, Raghava. His face is clear and he speaks plainly with joy; the hero Hanuman, son of the wind, will not speak falsely.” Then very wise Hanuman, son of the wind, takes the two heroes, the Raghavas, to the king of the monkeys. Giving up his mendicant’s form and taking his monkey form, the elephant among monkeys sets the two heroes on his back and goes. That foremost monkey hero of wide fame, son of the wind, of great stride, good-minded, delighted as one whose task is done, goes to the best of mountains with Rama and Lakshmana.
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ततः प्रहृष्टो हनुमान् कृत्यवानिति तद्वचः । श्रुत्वा मधुरभावं च सुग्रीवं मनसा गतः ॥ १ ॥
Then Hanuman, hearing those words, “he has a purpose”, and their sweetness, was delighted and went in his mind to Sugriva:
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Lakshmana Tells Their Story; Hanuman Carries Them 1 min read.
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भाव्यो राज्यागमस्तस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः । यदयं कृत्यवान् प्राप्तः कृत्यं चैतदुपागतम् ॥ २ ॥
“The coming of the kingdom to that great-souled Sugriva is to be expected, since this one has come having a purpose, and this task has come to us.”
ततः परमसंहृष्टो हनूमान् प्लवगोत्तमः । प्रत्युवाच ततो वाक्यं रामं वाक्यविशारदः ॥ ३ ॥
Then Hanuman, best of leapers, overjoyed, master of speech, replied with these words to Rama:
किमर्थं त्वं वनं घोरं पम्पाकाननमण्डितम् । आगतः सानुजो दुर्गं नानाव्यालमृगायुतम् ॥ ४ ॥
“Why have you, with your younger brother, come into this terrible, hard forest, adorned by the Pampa’s woods, full of many beasts of prey?”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणो रामचोदितः । आचचक्षे महात्मानं रामं दशरथात्मजम् ॥ ५ ॥
Hearing those words of his, Lakshmana, urged by Rama, told him about great-souled Rama, son of Dasharatha:
राजा दशरथो नाम द्युतिमान् धर्मवत्सलः । चातुर्वर्ण्यं स्वधर्मेण नित्यमेवाभिपालयन् ॥ ६ ॥
“There was a king named Dasharatha, radiant, devoted to dharma, always protecting the four orders each by its own dharma.
न द्वेष्टा विद्यते तस्य स तु द्वेष्टि न कंचन । स तु सर्वेषु भूतेषु पितामह इवापरः ॥ ७ ॥
“There was no one who hated him, and he hated no one; to all beings he was like another Grandfather.
अग्निष्टोमादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्टवानाप्तदक्षिणैः । तस्यायं पूर्वजः पुत्रो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः ॥ ८ ॥
“He sacrificed with the agnishtoma and other sacrifices, with ample gifts. This is his eldest son, known among people by the name of Rama,
शरण्यः सर्वभूतानां पितुर्निर्देशपारगः । ज्येष्ठो दशरथस्यायं पुत्राणां गुणवत्तरः ॥ ९ ॥
“refuge of all beings, who carries his father’s command to the end. This is the eldest of Dasharatha’s sons, the most virtuous,
राजलक्षणसंयुक्तः संयुक्तो राज्यसम्पदा । राज्याद् भ्रष्टो मया वस्तुं वने सार्धमिहागतः ॥ १० ॥
“joined with the marks of kingship, joined with royal fortune. Fallen from the kingdom, he has come here to live in the forest with me,
भार्यया च महाभाग सीतयानुगतो वशी । दिनक्षये महातेजाः प्रभयेव दिवाकरः ॥ ११ ॥
“and followed by his wife Sita, fortunate one, self-controlled, of great splendour, like the sun with its radiance at the end of day.
अहमस्यावरो भ्राता गुणैर्दास्यमुपागतः । कृतज्ञस्य बहुज्ञस्य लक्ष्मणो नाम नामतः ॥ १२ ॥
“I am his younger brother, come to servitude through his virtues, grateful and learned as he is, Lakshmana by name.
सुखार्हस्य महार्हस्य सर्वभूतहितात्मनः । ऐश्वर्येण विहीनस्य वनवासे रतस्य च ॥ १३ ॥
“Of him, deserving happiness, deserving great honour, his heart on the good of all beings, deprived of power, delighting in forest life,
रक्षसापहृता भार्या रहिते कामरूपिणा । तच्च न ज्ञायते रक्षः पत्नी येनास्य वा हृता ॥ १४ ॥
“the wife was carried off in a lonely place by a rakshasa who takes forms at will; and that rakshasa by whom his wife was carried off is not known.
दनुर्नाम दितेः पुत्रः शापाद् राक्षसतां गतः । आख्यातस्तेन सुग्रीवः समर्थो वानराधिपः ॥ १५ ॥
“A son of Diti named Danu, who had become a rakshasa through a curse, told of Sugriva, the able lord of the monkeys:
स ज्ञास्यति महावीर्यस्तव भार्यापहारिणम् । एवमुक्त्वा दनुः स्वर्गं भ्राजमानो दिवं गतः ॥ १६ ॥
“’He, very mighty, will know the one who carried off your wife.’ Having said this, Danu went shining to heaven.
एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं याथातथ्येन पृच्छतः । अहं चैव च रामश्च सुग्रीवं शरणं गतौ ॥ १७ ॥
“All this has been told to you truly, as you asked. Both I and Rama have come to Sugriva for refuge.
एष दत्त्वा च वित्तानि प्राप्य चानुत्तमं यशः । लोकनाथः पुरा भूत्वा सुग्रीवं नाथमिच्छति ॥ १८ ॥
“This one, having given away wealth and won unsurpassed fame, having once been protector of the world, wishes for Sugriva as protector.
सीता यस्य स्नुषा चासीच्छरण्यो धर्मवत्सलः । तस्य पुत्रः शरण्यश्च सुग्रीवं शरणं गतः ॥ १९ ॥
“The son of him whose daughter-in-law Sita was, a refuge, devoted to dharma, that son, himself a refuge, has come to Sugriva for refuge.
सर्वलोकस्य धर्मात्मा शरण्यः शरणं पुरा । गुरुर्मे राघवः सोऽयं सुग्रीवं शरणं गतः ॥ २० ॥
“He who was once the righteous refuge of the whole world, this Raghava, my teacher, has come to Sugriva for refuge.
यस्य प्रसादे सततं प्रसीदेयुरिमाः प्रजाः । स रामो वानरेन्द्रस्य प्रसादमभिकांक्षते ॥ २१ ॥
“Rama, in whose favour these people would always be content, longs for the favour of the lord of the monkeys.
येन सर्वगुणोपेताः पृथिव्यां सर्वपार्थिवाः । मानिताः सततं राज्ञा सदा दशरथेन वै ॥ २२ ॥
“He by whom all the kings on earth, endowed with every virtue, were always honoured, King Dasharatha,
तस्यायं पूर्वजः पुत्रस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । सुग्रीवं वानरेन्द्रं तु रामः शरणमागतः ॥ २३ ॥
“this is his eldest son, famed in the three worlds: Rama has come to Sugriva, lord of the monkeys, for refuge.
शोकाभिभूते रामे तु शोकार्ते शरणं गते । कर्तुमर्हति सुग्रीवः प्रसादं सह यूथपैः ॥ २४ ॥
“With Rama overcome by grief, stricken with grief, come for refuge, Sugriva with his troop-leaders should show favour.”
एवं ब्रुवाणं सौमित्रिं करुणं साश्रुपातनम् । हनूमान् प्रत्युवाचेदं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः ॥ २५ ॥
To Saumitri, speaking so piteously, shedding tears, Hanuman, master of speech, replied with these words:
ईदृशा बुद्धिसम्पन्ना जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः । द्रष्टव्या वानरेन्द्रेण दिष्ट्या दर्शनमागताः ॥ २६ ॥
“Such ones, endowed with understanding, who have conquered anger and the senses, should be seen by the lord of the monkeys; by good fortune they have come to be seen.
स हि राज्याश्च विभ्रष्टः कृतवैरश्च वालिना । हृतदारो वने त्रस्तो भ्रात्रा विनिकृतो भृशम् ॥ २७ ॥
“For he too has fallen from his kingdom, and made an enemy of Valin; his wife taken, terrified in the forest, deeply cheated by his brother.
करिष्यति स साहाय्यं युवयोर्भास्करात्मजः । सुग्रीवः सह चास्माभिः सीतायाः परिमार्गणे ॥ २८ ॥
“Sugriva, son of the sun, will give help to you both, with us, in searching for Sita.”
इत्येवमुक्त्वा हनुमान् श्लक्ष्णं मधुरया गिरा । बभाषे साधु गच्छामः सुग्रीवमिति राघवम् ॥ २९ ॥
Having said this smoothly with sweet speech, Hanuman said to Raghava: “Good; let us go to Sugriva.”
एवं ब्रुवन्तं धर्मात्मा हनूमन्तं स लक्ष्मणः । प्रतिपूज्य यथान्यायमिदं प्रोवाच राघवम् ॥ ३० ॥
To Hanuman speaking so, righteous Lakshmana, honouring him properly, said this to Raghava:
कपिः कथयते हृष्टो यथायं मारुतात्मजः । कृत्यवान् सोऽपि सम्प्राप्तः कृतकृत्योऽसि राघव ॥ ३१ ॥
“This monkey, son of the wind, speaks as one delighted; he too has come with a purpose. Your purpose is achieved, Raghava.
प्रसन्नमुखवर्णश्च व्यक्तं हृष्टश्च भाषते । नानृतं वक्ष्यते वीरो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ॥ ३२ ॥
“The colour of his face is clear, and he plainly speaks with joy. The hero Hanuman, son of the wind, will not speak falsely.”
ततः स सुमहाप्राज्ञो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः । जगामादाय तौ वीरौ हरिराजाय राघवौ ॥ ३३ ॥
Then that very wise Hanuman, son of the wind, went, taking those two heroes, the Raghavas, to the king of the monkeys.
भिक्षुरूपं परित्यज्य वानरं रूपमास्थितः । पृष्ठमारोप्य तौ वीरौ जगाम कपिकुञ्जरः ॥ ३४ ॥
Giving up his mendicant’s form and taking on his monkey form, putting the two heroes on his back, the elephant among monkeys went.
स तु विपुलयशाः कपिप्रवीरः पवनसुतः कृतकृत्यवत् प्रहृष्टः । गिरिवरमुरुविक्रमः प्रयातः स शुभमतिः सह रामलक्ष्मणाभ्याम् ॥ ३५ ॥
That foremost monkey hero of wide fame, son of the wind, delighted as one whose task was done, of great stride, of good mind, went to the best of mountains with Rama and Lakshmana.