Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 7 of 67 · 25 verses
Sugriva Consoles Rama
Spoken to so by the stricken Rama, Sugriva the monkey, with joined palms, tearful, his voice choked with tears, says: “I do not know at all the dwelling of that evil rakshasa, nor his power, his valour, or the family of that low-born one. But I promise you truly: give up grief, tamer of foes. I will make every effort so that you regain Maithili. Having killed Ravana with his followers and satisfied your own manhood, I will soon act so that you will be pleased. Enough of giving way to weakness; remember the courage that is in you. Such lightness of mind does not suit men like you. I too have met a great calamity, born of separation from my wife; yet I do not grieve like this, nor give up courage. I do not mourn for her, though I am only an ordinary monkey; how much less should one who is great-souled, disciplined, steadfast and great? You should hold back with courage the tears that have come; you should not abandon the steadiness that is the mark of strong-hearted men. In calamity, in financial hardship, in fear, or at the point of death, the steadfast man who reflects with his own understanding does not sink. But the foolish man who always gives way to weakness sinks helplessly in grief, like an overloaded boat in water. Here, I join my palms; out of affection I beg you: take refuge in your manhood; you should not give grief an opening. Those who follow grief find no happiness, and their energy wastes away; you should not grieve. For one overcome by grief, even life is in doubt. So give up grief, king of kings, and rely on courage alone. I say this as a friend, for your good; I am not lecturing you. Honouring my friendship, you should not grieve.”
Comforted sweetly by Sugriva, Raghava wipes his tear-wet face with the end of his garment. Returned to himself by Sugriva’s words, lord Kakutstha embraces Sugriva and says: “What a loving and loyal friend should do, Sugriva, you have done, fittingly and rightly. Consoled by you, friend, I am myself again; such a kinsman is hard to find, especially at a time like this. But you must make an effort to search for Maithili and for the terrible rakshasa, wicked Ravana. And tell me with confidence what I must do; everything will prosper for you, like a good field in the rains. And the words I spoke out of pride, tiger among monkeys, take them as the truth. I have never spoken a falsehood before, and I never will. I promise you this; I swear it by truth itself.” Then Sugriva, with his monkey ministers, is delighted, hearing Raghava’s words and especially his promise. So the man and the monkey, joined in private, tell each other of their joys and sorrows, which are alike. Hearing the words of that great-souled lord of kings, Sugriva, the wise chief of the monkey heroes, considers his task already done.
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एवमुक्तस्तु सुग्रीवो रामेणार्तेन वानरः । अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं सबाष्पं बाष्पगद्गदः ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to so by the stricken Rama, Sugriva the monkey, with joined palms, tearful, his voice choked with tears, spoke these words:
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न जाने निलयं तस्य सर्वथा पापरक्षसः । सामर्थ्यं विक्रमं वापि दौष्कुलेयस्य वा कुलम् ॥ २ ॥
“I do not know at all the dwelling of that evil rakshasa, nor the power or the valour, or the family, of that low-born one.
सत्यं तु प्रतिजानामि त्यज शोकमरिंदम । करिष्यामि तथा यत्नं यथा प्राप्स्यसि मैथिलीम् ॥ ३ ॥
“But I promise truly: give up grief, tamer of foes. I will make such effort that you will regain Maithili.
रावणं सगणं हत्वा परितोष्यात्मपौरुषम् । तथास्मि कर्ता नचिराद् यथा प्रीतो भविष्यसि ॥ ४ ॥
“Having killed Ravana with his hosts and satisfied your own manhood, I will soon act so that you will be pleased.
अलं वैक्लव्यमालम्ब्य धैर्यमात्मगतं स्मर । त्वद्विधानां न सदृशमीदृशं बुद्धिलाघवम् ॥ ५ ॥
“Enough of taking to weakness; remember the courage that is within you. Such lightness of mind is not fitting for those like you.
मयापि व्यसनं प्राप्तं भार्याविरहजं महत् । नाहमेवं हि शोचामि धैर्यं न च परित्यजे ॥ ६ ॥
“I too have met a great calamity born of separation from my wife. Yet I do not grieve so, nor do I abandon courage.
नाहं तामनुशोचामि प्राकृतो वानरोऽपि सन् । महात्मा च विनीतश्च किं पुनर्धृतिमान् महान् ॥ ७ ॥
“I do not mourn for her, though I am an ordinary monkey; how much more one who is great-souled, disciplined, steadfast, great?
बाष्पमापतितं धैर्यान्निग्रहीतुं त्वमर्हसि । मर्यादां सत्त्वयुक्तानां धृतिं नोत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥ ८ ॥
“You should restrain with courage the tears that have fallen. You should not abandon the steadiness that is the bound of strong-hearted men.
व्यसने वार्थकृच्छ्रे वा भये वा जीवितान्तगे । विमृशंश्च स्वयाबुद्ध्या धृतिमान् नावसीदति ॥ ९ ॥
“In calamity, or in hardship for wealth, or in fear, or at life’s end, the steadfast man, reflecting with his own understanding, does not sink.
बालिशस्तु नरो नित्यं वैक्लव्यं योऽनुवर्तते । स मज्जत्यवशः शोके भाराक्रान्तेव नौर्जले ॥ १० ॥
“But the foolish man who always follows weakness sinks helplessly in grief, like a boat overloaded in water.
एषोऽञ्जलिर्मया बद्धः प्रणयात् त्वां प्रसादये । पौरुषं श्रय शोकस्य नान्तरं दातुमर्हसि ॥ ११ ॥
“Here, I have joined my palms; out of affection I beg your favour. Take refuge in manhood; you should not give grief an opening.
ये शोकमनुवर्तन्ते न तेषां विद्यते सुखम् । तेजश्च क्षीयते तेषां न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ १२ ॥
“Those who follow grief have no happiness, and their energy wastes away. You should not grieve.
शोकेनाभिप्रपन्नस्य जीविते चापि संशयः । स शोकं त्यज राजेन्द्र धैर्यमाश्रय केवलम् ॥ १३ ॥
“For one overcome by grief there is doubt even about life. So give up grief, king of kings; rely on courage alone.
हितं वयस्यभावेन ब्रूहि नोपदिशामि ते । वयस्यतां पूजयन्मे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥ १४ ॥
“I speak for your good in the way of friendship; I do not instruct you. Honouring my friendship, you should not grieve.”
मधुरं सान्त्वितस्तेन सुग्रीवेण स राघवः । मुखमश्रुपरिक्लिन्नं वस्त्रान्तेन प्रमार्जयत् ॥ १५ ॥
Comforted sweetly by that Sugriva, that Raghava wiped his tear-wet face with the end of his garment.
प्रकृतिस्थस्तु काकुत्स्थः सुग्रीवचनात् प्रभुः । सम्परिष्वज्य सुग्रीवमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १६ ॥
Restored to his nature by Sugriva’s words, lord Kakutstha, embracing Sugriva, spoke these words:
कर्तव्यं यद् वयस्येन स्निग्धेन च हितेन च । अनुरूपं च युक्तं च कृतं सुग्रीव तत् त्वया ॥ १७ ॥
“What should be done by a friend, loving and wishing good, that has been done by you, Sugriva, fittingly and rightly.
एष च प्रकृतिस्थोऽहमनुनीतस्त्वया सखे । दुर्लभो हीदृशो बन्धुरस्मिन् काले विशेषतः ॥ १८ ॥
“And here I am, restored to my nature, consoled by you, friend. Such a kinsman is hard to find, especially at this time.
किं तु यत्नस्त्वया कार्यो मैथिल्याः परिमार्गणे । राक्षसस्य च रौद्रस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥
“But effort must be made by you in searching for Maithili, and for the terrible rakshasa, wicked Ravana.
मया च यदनुष्ठेयं विस्रब्धेन तदुच्यताम् । वर्षास्विव च सुक्षेत्रे सर्वं सम्पद्यते तव ॥ २० ॥
“And what is to be done by me, let it be told with confidence. Everything will prosper for you, as in a good field in the rains.
मया च यदिदं वाक्यमभिमानात् समीरितम् । तत्त्वया हरिशार्दूल तत्त्वमित्युपधार्यताम् ॥ २१ ॥
“And these words which I spoke out of pride, tiger among monkeys, let them be taken by you as truth.
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन । एतत्ते प्रतिजानामि सत्येनैव शपाम्यहम् ॥ २२ ॥
“No falsehood has been spoken by me before, nor will I ever speak one. This I promise you; I swear by truth itself.”
ततः प्रहृष्टः सुग्रीवो वानरैः सचिवैः सह । राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रतिज्ञातं विशेषतः ॥ २३ ॥
Then Sugriva, with his monkey ministers, was delighted, hearing Raghava’s words, and especially what was promised.
एवमेकान्तसम्पृक्तौ ततस्तौ नरवानरौ । उभावन्योन्यसदृशं सुखं दुःखमभाषताम् ॥ २४ ॥
So joined in private, the man and the monkey both then spoke to each other of joy and sorrow alike.
महानुभावस्य वचो निशम्य हरिर्नृपाणामधिपस्य तस्य । कृतं स मेने हरिवीरमुख्य- स्तदा च कार्यं हृदयेन विद्वान् ॥ २५ ॥
Hearing the words of that great-souled lord of kings, the monkey, the wise chief of the monkey heroes, then considered his task as done in his heart.