Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 67 of 67 · 49 verses
Hanuman Grows and Climbs Mahendra
Seeing the best of monkeys stretching himself to stride a hundred yojanas, suddenly filling with speed, the monkeys at once give up their grief and, full of joy, roar and praise mighty Hanuman. Delighted and amazed, they look on from all sides, as creatures looked on Narayana when he undertook the three strides. Praised, mighty Hanuman grows; lashing his tail in joy, he gathers his strength. As he is praised by the elder bulls among monkeys and fills with splendour, his form becomes unsurpassed. As a lion stretches in an open mountain cave, so the Wind’s own son stretches now. The face of the wise one, stretching, shines like a blazing pan, like a smokeless fire. Rising from among the monkeys, his hair bristling with joy, Hanuman salutes the elder monkeys and says: “Mighty and immeasurable is the Wind, friend of fire, moving in the sky, who breaks the tops of mountains. I am the own son of that swift, swift-moving great soul, the Wind, and equal to him in leaping. I could circle Mount Meru, wide, as if scratching the sky, a thousand times without stopping. With the ocean driven by the force of my arms I could flood the world with its mountains, rivers and lakes. By the force of my thighs and shanks the ocean, home of Varuna, will rise with its great crocodiles. I could circle Vainateya, eater of serpents, attended by birds, a thousand times as he flies in the sky. I could go to the sun, blazing, garlanded with rays, setting out from the sunrise mountain, before it sets, and then come back without touching the ground, with terrible, great speed, bulls among leapers. I could pass all who move in the sky; I will dry up the oceans and split the earth; leaping, I will crush the mountains to powder; leaping, I will carry off the great ocean with the force of my thighs. Today the many flowers of creepers and trees will follow me everywhere as I leap through the air. My path will be like the path of Svati in the sky. All beings will see me moving through the terrible sky, flying up and coming down, monkeys; you will see me like great Meru, going, covering heaven, as if swallowing the sky. Leaping, intent, I will scatter the clouds, shake the mountains and dry up the ocean. The power of Vainateya, or mine, or the Wind’s: apart from the king of the Suparnas or the mighty Wind, I see no being who could follow me as I leap. In the space of a blink I will suddenly fall through the unsupported sky, like lightning risen from a cloud. My form, as I leap the ocean, will be like Vishnu’s when he strode his three strides. I see with my understanding, and my mind and actions agree: I will see Vaidehi; rejoice, leapers. Equal to the Wind in speed and to Garuda in swiftness, I think I could go ten thousand yojanas. I could suddenly take the nectar by force from the hand of Vasava with his thunderbolt, or of self-born Brahma, and bring it here. I think I could even lift Lanka up and go.” As the best of monkeys, of boundless radiance, roars so, the monkeys look on, delighted and amazed. Hearing his words, which destroy the grief of his kin, Jambavan, lord of the leapers, overjoyed, says: “Hero, son of Kesari, swift son of the wind, you have destroyed the great grief of your kin, dear one. The chief monkeys, wishing you well, have gathered; attentive, they will perform rites of good fortune for the success of the task. By the grace of the seers, with the consent of the elder monkeys and by the grace of your elders, leap the great ocean. We will stand on one foot until you come back. The lives of all the forest-dwellers depend on you.” Then the tiger among monkeys says to the forest-dwellers: “No one in the world will bear my speed in leaping. These peaks of Mahendra, of this mountain rich in rocky crags, firm and great, on which I will gather my speed: these great peaks of Mahendra, strewn with many kinds of trees, shining with streams of minerals, will bear my speed as I leap a hundred yojanas from here.” Then the monkey son of the wind, like the wind, crusher of enemies, climbs Mahendra, best of mountains. The mighty one, best of monkeys, with valour like great Indra’s, wanders over Mahendra, raised high with great peaks, covered with many kinds of flowers, its meadows frequented by deer, crowded with flowering creepers, its trees always in flower and fruit, with lions and tigers, frequented by rutting elephants, echoing with flocks of maddened birds, full of gushing water. Pressed by the great soul’s feet, the great mountain cries out like a great rutting elephant struck by a lion. It pours out jets of water, its rock masses scattered, its deer and elephants terrified, its great trees shaking. Abandoned on its great ridges by many pairs of gandharvas rough with drinking, by flying birds and by hosts of vidyadharas, its great serpents hiding, the great mountain becomes a fall of peaks and rocks. With those serpents half-emerged, hissing, the mountain looks as if it had banners. Abandoned by seers confused with fear, the mountain sinks like a traveller without companions in a great wilderness. The swift one, his mind gathered for the leap, the foremost monkey hero, slayer of enemy heroes, of great power, high-minded, fixing his mind, goes to Lanka in thought.
Press › to begin with verse 1.
तं दृष्ट्वा जृम्भमाणं ते क्रमितुं शतयोजनम् । वेगेनापूर्यमाणं च सहसा वानरोत्तमम् ॥ १ ॥
Seeing him stretching himself to stride a hundred yojanas, and suddenly filling with speed, the best of monkeys,
Commentary on the whole sarga
Hanuman Grows and Climbs Mahendra 1 min read.
Read the commentary
सहसा शोकमुत्सृज्य प्रहर्षेण समन्विताः । विनेदुस्तुष्टुवुश्चापि हनूमन्तं महाबलम् ॥ २ ॥
suddenly giving up grief, joined with joy, they roared and praised very mighty Hanuman.
प्रहृष्टा विस्मिताश्चापि ते वीक्षन्ते समन्ततः । त्रिविक्रमं कृतोत्साहं नारायणमिव प्रजाः ॥ ३ ॥
Delighted and amazed, they look on every side, as creatures at Narayana, having undertaken the three strides.
संस्तूयमानो हनुमान् व्यवर्धत महाबलः । समाविद्ध्य च लाङ्गूलं हर्षाद् बलमुपेयिवान् ॥ ४ ॥
Being praised, very mighty Hanuman grew; and lashing his tail with joy, he reached his strength.
तस्य संस्तूयमानस्य वृद्धैर्वानरपुङ्गवैः । तेजसाऽऽपूर्यमाणस्य रूपमासीदनुत्तमम् ॥ ५ ॥
Of him being praised by the elder bulls among monkeys, filling with splendour, the form was unsurpassed.
यथा विजृम्भते सिंहो विवृते गिरिगह्वरे । मारुतस्यौरसः पुत्रस्तथा सम्प्रति जृम्भते ॥ ६ ॥
As a lion stretches in an open mountain cave, so the own son of the Wind now stretches.
अशोभत मुखं तस्य जृम्भमाणस्य धीमतः । अम्बरीषोपमं दीप्तं विधूम इव पावकः ॥ ७ ॥
The face of the wise one stretching shone, blazing like a pan, like a smokeless fire.
हरीणामुत्थितो मध्यात् सम्प्रहृष्टतनूरुहः । अभिवाद्य हरीन् वृद्धान् हनूमानिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ८ ॥
Risen from the midst of the monkeys, his body hair bristling with joy, having saluted the elder monkeys, Hanuman said this:
आरुजन् पर्वताग्राणि हुताशनसखोऽनिलः । बलवानप्रमेयश्च वायुराकाशगोचरः ॥ ९ ॥
“Breaking the tops of mountains, the friend of fire, the Wind, is mighty and immeasurable, the wind moving in the sky.
तस्याहं शीघ्रवेगस्य शीघ्रगस्य महात्मनः । मारुतस्यौरसः पुत्रः प्लवनेनास्मि तत्समः ॥ १० ॥
“Of that swift-speeded, swift-going great soul, the Wind, I am the own son, equal to him in leaping.
उत्सहेयं हि विस्तीर्णमालिखन्तमिवाम्बरम् । मेरुं गिरिमसङ्गेन परिगन्तुं सहस्रशः ॥ ११ ॥
“For I could circle wide Mount Meru, as if scratching the sky, without stopping, a thousand times.
बाहुवेगप्रणुन्नेन सागरेणाहमुत्सहे । समाप्लावयितुं लोकं सपर्वतनदीह्रदम् ॥ १२ ॥
“With the ocean driven by the force of my arms, I could flood the world with its mountains, rivers and lakes.
ममोरुजङ्घावेगेन भविष्यति समुत्थितः । समुत्थितमहाग्राहः समुद्रो वरुणालयः ॥ १३ ॥
“By the force of my thighs and shanks the ocean, home of Varuna, will be risen, with its great crocodiles risen.
पन्नगाशनमाकाशे पतन्तं पक्षिसेवितम् । वैनतेयमहं शक्तः परिगन्तुं सहस्रशः ॥ १४ ॥
“I am able to circle Vainateya, eater of serpents, flying in the sky, attended by birds, a thousand times.
उदयात् प्रस्थितं वापि ज्वलन्तं रश्मिमालिनम् । अनस्तमितमादित्यमहं गन्तुं समुत्सहे ॥ १५ ॥
“Or I am able to go to the sun, set out from the rising, blazing, garlanded with rays, before it has set,
ततो भूमिमसंस्पृष्ट्वा पुनरागन्तुमुत्सहे । प्रवेगेनैव महता भीमेन प्लवगर्षभाः ॥ १६ ॥
“and then, without touching the ground, to come back again, with great, terrible speed alone, bulls among leapers.
उत्सहेयमतिक्रान्तुं सर्वानाकाशगोचरान् । सागरान् शोषयिष्यामि दारयिष्यामि मेदिनीम् ॥ १७ ॥
“I could pass all those who move in the sky. I will dry up the oceans; I will split the earth;
पर्वतांश्चूर्णयिष्यामि प्लवमानः प्लवङ्गमः । हरिष्याम्युरुवेगेन प्लवमानो महार्णवम् ॥ १८ ॥
“leaping, the leaper, I will crush the mountains; leaping, I will carry off the great ocean with the force of my thighs.
लतानां विविधं पुष्पं पादपानां च सर्वशः । अनुयास्यति मामद्य प्लवमानं विहायसा ॥ १९ ॥
“The many flowers of creepers and of trees on every side will follow me today, leaping through the sky.
भविष्यति हि मे पन्थाः स्वातेः पन्था इवाम्बरे । चरन्तं घोरमाकाशमुत्पतिष्यन्तमेव च ॥ २० ॥
“My path will be like the path of Svati in the sky. Moving through the terrible sky, and flying up,
द्रक्ष्यन्ति निपतन्तं च सर्वभूतानि वानराः । महामेरुप्रतीकाशं मां द्रक्ष्यध्वं प्लवङ्गमाः ॥ २१ ॥
“and coming down, all beings will see me, monkeys. You will see me like great Meru, leapers,
दिवमावृत्य गच्छन्तं ग्रसमानमिवाम्बरम् । विधमिष्यामि जीमूतान् कम्पयिष्यामि पर्वतान् । सागरं शोषयिष्यामि प्लवमानः समाहितः ॥ २२ ॥
“going, covering heaven, as if swallowing the sky. I will scatter the clouds; I will shake the mountains; leaping, intent, I will dry up the ocean.
वैनतेयस्य वा शक्तिर्मम वा मारुतस्य वा । ऋते सुपर्णराजानं मारुतं वा महाबलम् । न तद् भूतं प्रपश्यामि यन्मां प्लुतमनुव्रजेत् ॥ २३ ॥
“The power of Vainateya, or mine, or of the Wind: apart from the king of the Suparnas or the very mighty Wind, I see no being that could follow me leaping.
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण निरालम्बनमम्बरम् । सहसा निपतिष्यामि घनाद् विद्युदिवोत्थिता ॥ २४ ॥
“In the space of a blink, into the unsupported sky, I will suddenly fall, like lightning risen from a cloud.
भविष्यति हि मे रूपं प्लवमानस्य सागरम् । विष्णोः प्रक्रममाणस्य तदा त्रीन् विक्रमानिव ॥ २५ ॥
“My form, as I leap the ocean, will be like Vishnu’s then, as he strode his three strides.
बुद्ध्या चाहं प्रपश्यामि मनश्चेष्टा च मे तथा । अहं द्रक्ष्यामि वैदेहीं प्रमोदध्वं प्लवङ्गमाः ॥ २६ ॥
“And I see with understanding, and my mind and action are so: I will see Vaidehi; rejoice, leapers.
मारुतस्य समो वेगे गरुडस्य समो जवे । अयुतं योजनानां तु गमिष्यामीति मे मतिः ॥ २७ ॥
“Equal to the Wind in speed, equal to Garuda in swiftness, I think I will go ten thousand yojanas.
वासवस्य सवज्रस्य ब्रह्मणो वा स्वयम्भुवः । विक्रम्य सहसा हस्तादमृतं तदिहानये ॥ २८ ॥
“From the hand of Vasava with his thunderbolt, or of self-born Brahma, having used valour, I could suddenly bring that nectar here.
लङ्कां वापि समुत्क्षिप्य गच्छेयमिति मे मतिः । तमेवं वानरश्रेष्ठं गर्जन्तममितप्रभम् ॥ २९ ॥
“Or I think I could go having lifted up Lanka.” As that best of monkeys of boundless radiance was roaring so,
प्रहृष्टा हरयस्तत्र समुदैक्षन्त विस्मिताः । तच्चास्य वचनं श्रुत्वा ज्ञातीनां शोकनाशनम् ॥ ३० ॥
the delighted monkeys there looked on amazed. And hearing those words of his, the destroyers of the grief of his kin,
उवाच परिसंहृष्टो जाम्बवान् प्लवगेश्वरः । वीर केसरिणः पुत्र वेगवन् मारुतात्मज ॥ ३१ ॥
Jambavan, lord of the leapers, overjoyed, said: “Hero, son of Kesari, swift one, son of the wind,
ज्ञातीनां विपुलः शोकस्त्वया तात प्रणाशितः । तव कल्याणरुचयः कपिमुख्याः समागताः ॥ ३२ ॥
“the great grief of your kin has been destroyed by you, dear one. The chief monkeys, delighting in your welfare, have gathered;
मङ्गलान्यर्थसिद्ध्यर्थं करिष्यन्ति समाहिताः । ऋषीणां च प्रसादेन कपिवृद्धमतेन च ॥ ३३ ॥
“attentive, they will perform rites of good fortune for the success of the purpose. By the grace of the seers and the opinion of the elder monkeys,
गुरूणां च प्रसादेन सम्प्लव त्वं महार्णवम् । स्थास्यामश्चैकपादेन यावदागमनं तव ॥ ३४ ॥
“and by the grace of the elders, leap the great ocean. And we will stand on one foot until your coming back.
त्वद्गतानि च सर्वेषां जीवनानि वनौकसाम् । ततश्च हरिशार्दूलस्तानुवाच वनौकसः ॥ ३५ ॥
“For the lives of all the forest-dwellers have gone to you.” Then the tiger among monkeys said to those forest-dwellers:
कोऽपि लोके न मे वेगं प्लवने धारयिष्यति । एतानीह नगस्यास्य शिलासंकटशालिनः ॥ ३६ ॥
“No one in the world will bear my speed in leaping. These peaks of this mountain, rich in rocky crags,
शिखराणि महेन्द्रस्य स्थिराणि च महान्ति च । येषु वेगं गमिष्यामि महेन्द्रशिखरेष्वहम् ॥ ३७ ॥
“of Mahendra, firm and great, on which, on the peaks of Mahendra, I will go to speed;
नानाद्रुमविकीर्णेषु धातुनिष्पन्दशोभिषु । एतानि मम वेगं हि शिखराणि महान्ति च ॥ ३८ ॥
“strewn with many kinds of trees, shining with streams of minerals: these great peaks
प्लवतो धारयिष्यन्ति योजनानामितः शतम् । ततस्तु मारुतप्रख्यः स हरिर्मारुतात्मजः । आरुरोह नगश्रेष्ठं महेन्द्रमरिमर्दनः ॥ ३९ ॥
“will bear my speed as I leap a hundred yojanas from here.” Then that monkey, like the wind, son of the wind, crusher of enemies, climbed Mahendra, best of mountains,
वृतं नानाविधैः पुष्पैर्मृगसेवितशाद्वलम् । लताकुसुमसम्बाधं नित्यपुष्पफलद्रुमम् ॥ ४० ॥
surrounded by many kinds of flowers, with meadows frequented by deer, crowded with creeper flowers, with trees always in flower and fruit,
सिंहशार्दूलसहितं मत्तमातङ्गसेवितम् । मत्तद्विजगणोद्घुष्टं सलिलोत्पीडसंकुलम् ॥ ४१ ॥
joined with lions and tigers, frequented by rutting elephants, resounding with flocks of maddened birds, full of gushing water,
महद्भिरुच्छ्रितं शृङ्गैर्महेन्द्रं स महाबलः । विचचार हरिश्रेष्ठो महेन्द्रसमविक्रमः ॥ ४२ ॥
raised with great peaks: on Mahendra the very mighty one, best of monkeys, of valour equal to great Indra’s, roamed.
पादाभ्यां पीडितस्तेन महाशैलो महात्मना । ररास सिंहाभिहतो महान् मत्त इव द्विपः ॥ ४३ ॥
Pressed by the feet of that great soul, the great mountain cried out like a great rutting elephant struck by a lion.
मुमोच सलिलोत्पीडान् विप्रकीर्णशिलोच्चयः । वित्रस्तमृगमातङ्गः प्रकम्पितमहाद्रुमः ॥ ४४ ॥
It released gushes of water, its rock masses scattered, its deer and elephants terrified, its great trees shaken.
नानागन्धर्वमिथुनैः पानसंसर्गकर्कशैः । उत्पतद्भिर्विहंगैश्च विद्याधरगणैरपि ॥ ४५ ॥
With many pairs of gandharvas, rough with drinking together, with flying birds, and with hosts of vidyadharas too,
त्यज्यमानमहासानुः संनिलीनमहोरगः । शैलशृङ्गशिलोत्पातस्तदाभूत् स महागिरिः ॥ ४६ ॥
its great ridges being abandoned, its great serpents hidden, that great mountain then became a falling of peaks and rocks.
निःश्वसद्भिस्तदा तैस्तु भुजगैरर्धनिःसृतैः । सपताक इवाभाति स तदा धरणीधरः ॥ ४७ ॥
With those serpents half emerged, breathing, the mountain then shone as if with banners.
ऋषिभिस्त्राससम्भ्रान्तैस्त्यज्यमानः शिलोच्चयः । सीदन् महति कान्तारे सार्थहीन इवाध्वगः ॥ ४८ ॥
Being abandoned by seers confused with fear, the mass of rock sank, like a traveller without companions in a great wilderness.
स वेगवान् वेगसमाहितात्मा हरिप्रवीरः परवीरहन्ता । मनः समाधाय महानुभावो जगाम लङ्कां मनसा मनस्वी ॥ ४९ ॥
That swift one, his self gathered for speed, the foremost monkey hero, slayer of enemy heroes, of great power, high-minded, fixing his mind, went to Lanka in thought.