Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 18 of 128 · 39 verses
Rama’s Vow of Refuge
Pleased with Hanuman’s words, Rama gives his own view: he will never reject one who comes in friendship, even if he has faults; the good do not condemn this. Sugriva objects: whether this rakshasa is good or bad, what kind of man abandons his brother in such trouble? Whom would he not abandon? Rama, smiling a little at Lakshmana, answers that such a remark shows Sugriva has not studied the treatises or served the elders. There is a subtler point: in all royal houses, enemies arise among kinsmen and neighbours and strike in times of trouble; that is why Vibhishana has come. The good among kinsmen honour their own, but a worthy kinsman is generally suspected by kings. As for the danger of accepting an enemy’s forces: we are not of his family, and he wants the kingdom; so he should be accepted. The rakshasas, seeing him with us, will be divided by fear. Not all brothers are like Bharata, nor all sons like me, nor all friends like you.
Sugriva, with Lakshmana, bows and insists: this is Ravana’s agent; he means to strike when you, I or Lakshmana trust him; let him be killed with his ministers. Rama, after reflecting, answers with even finer words: good or bad, what harm could this night-wanderer do me? I could kill all the pishachas, danavas, yakshas and rakshasas on earth with the tip of my finger. We hear that a dove once received with honour the hunter who had taken his mate, when he came for shelter, and offered him his own flesh; how much more should one like me. The sage Kandu sang: an enemy who comes with joined palms, wretched, asking for refuge, must not be killed; one must protect him even at the cost of one’s own life, whether he comes in distress or in pride. If one fails to protect him out of fear, folly or desire, it is a sin condemned by the world; the refugee who perishes before his protector’s eyes takes away all his merit. “Whoever comes to me even once and says ‘I am yours’, I give him safety from all beings: that is my vow. Bring him here, best of monkeys; I have granted him safety, whether it is Vibhishana, Sugriva, or Ravana himself.”
Sugriva, moved, replies: what wonder that you, crest-jewel of the world’s protectors, speak so nobly? My own heart, too, knows Vibhishana to be pure. Let him be our equal and our friend. And Rama goes to meet Vibhishana, as Indra met the king of birds.
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अथ रामः प्रसन्नात्मा श्रुत्वा वायुसुतस्य ह । प्रत्यभाषत दुर्धर्षः श्रुतवानात्मनि स्थितम् ॥ १ ॥
Then Rama, his heart pleased, having heard the son of the Wind, unassailable, learned, replied with what was in his heart:
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ममापि च विवक्षास्ति काचित् प्रति विभीषणम् । श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत् सर्वं भवद्भिः श्रेयसि स्थितैः ॥ २ ॥
“I too have something to say about Vibhishana. I want you, who stand for my welfare, to hear it all.
मित्रभावेन सम्प्राप्तं न त्यजेयं कथंचन । दोषो यद्यपि तस्य स्यात् सतामेतदगर्हितम् ॥ ३ ॥
“I would never in any way abandon one who has come in friendship, even if there were a fault in him; the good do not condemn this.”
सुग्रीवस्त्वथ तद्वाक्यमाभाष्य च विमृश्य च । ततः शुभतरं वाक्यमुवाच हरिपुङ्गवः ॥ ४ ॥
Then Sugriva, having spoken on those words and reflected, the bull among monkeys spoke these better words:
स दुष्टो वाप्यदुष्टो वा किमेष रजनीचरः । ईदृशं व्यसनं प्राप्तं भ्रातरं यः परित्यजेत् ॥ ५ ॥
“Whether this night-wanderer is bad or not bad, what of it? One who would abandon his brother when he has come to such trouble:
को नाम स भवेत् तस्य यमेष न परित्यजेत् । वानराधिपतेर्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा सर्वानुदीक्ष्य तु ॥ ६ ॥
“who is there whom he would not abandon?” Hearing the words of the lord of the monkeys and looking at them all,
ईषदुत्स्मयमानस्तु लक्ष्मणं पुण्यलक्षणम् । इति होवाच काकुत्स्थो वाक्यं सत्यपराक्रमः ॥ ७ ॥
smiling a little at Lakshmana of auspicious marks, Kakutstha, of true valour, said:
अनधीत्य च शास्त्राणि वृद्धाननुपसेव्य च । न शक्यमीदृशं वक्तुं यदुवाच हरीश्वरः ॥ ८ ॥
“Without studying the treatises and without serving the elders, one could not say such a thing as the lord of monkeys has said.
अस्ति सूक्ष्मतरं किंचिद् यथात्र प्रतिभाति मा । प्रत्यक्षं लौकिकं चापि वर्तते सर्वराजसु ॥ ९ ॥
“There is something subtler, as it appears to me here, evident and common in all kings:
अमित्रास्तत्कुलीनाश्च प्रातिदेश्याश्च कीर्तिताः । व्यसनेषु प्रहर्तारस्तस्मादयमिहागतः ॥ १० ॥
“enemies are said to be those of the same family and neighbouring rulers, who strike in misfortunes; therefore he has come here.
अपापास्तत्कुलीनाश्च मानयन्ति स्वकान् हितान् । एष प्रायो नरेन्द्राणां शङ्कनीयस्तु शोभनः ॥ ११ ॥
“Kinsmen who are not wicked honour their own who wish them well; but a worthy kinsman is generally to be suspected by kings.
यस्तु दोषस्त्वया प्रोक्तो ह्यादानेऽरिबलस्य च । तत्र ते कीर्तयिष्यामि यथाशास्त्रमिदं शृणु ॥ १२ ॥
“As for the fault you mention in accepting the enemy’s forces, I will tell you about it according to the treatises; listen.
न वयं तत्कुलीनाश्च राज्यकाङ्क्षी च राक्षसः । पण्डिता हि भविष्यन्ति तस्माद् ग्राह्यो विभीषणः ॥ १३ ॥
“We are not of his family, and the rakshasa wants the kingdom; and they will be wise; so Vibhishana should be accepted.
अव्यग्राश्च प्रहृष्टाश्च ते भविष्यन्ति संगताः । प्रणादश्च महानेषोऽन्योन्यस्य भयमागतम् । इति भेदं गमिष्यन्ति तस्माद् ग्राह्यो विभीषणः ॥ १४ ॥
“Untroubled and joyful, they will be united; and this great outcry, fear of each other, has arisen: so they will be divided. Therefore Vibhishana should be accepted.
न सर्वे भ्रातरस्तात भवन्ति भरतोपमाः । मद्विधा वा पितुः पुत्राः सुहृदो वा भवद्विधाः ॥ १५ ॥
“Not all brothers, my friend, are like Bharata, nor all sons of a father like me, nor all friends like you.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सुग्रीवः सहलक्ष्मणः । उत्थायेदं महाप्राज्ञः प्रणतो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १६ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, the very wise Sugriva, with Lakshmana, rose, bowed and said:
रावणेन प्रणिहितं तमवेहि निशाचरम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये क्षमं क्षमवतां वर ॥ १७ ॥
“Know that night-wanderer to have been sent by Ravana. I think it right to restrain him, best of the forbearing.
राक्षसो जिह्मया बुद्ध्या संदिष्टोऽयमिहागतः । प्रहर्तुं त्वयि विश्वस्ते विश्वस्ते मयि वानघ ॥ १८ ॥
“The rakshasa has come here instructed with crooked intent, to strike when you trust him, or when I trust him, sinless one,
लक्ष्मणे वा महाबाहो स वध्यः सचिवैः सह । रावणस्य नृशंसस्य भ्राता ह्येष विभीषणः ॥ १९ ॥
“or Lakshmana, mighty-armed one. He should be killed with his ministers; for this Vibhishana is the brother of cruel Ravana.”
एवमुक्त्वा रघुश्रेष्ठं सुग्रीवो वाहिनीपतिः । वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकुशलं ततो मौनमुपागमत् ॥ २० ॥
Having said this to the best of the Raghus, Sugriva, the commander of the army, skilled in speech, fell silent before him who was skilled in speech.
स सुग्रीवस्य तद् वाक्यं रामः श्रुत्वा विमृश्य च । ततः शुभतरं वाक्यमुवाच हरिपुङ्गवम् ॥ २१ ॥
Hearing those words of Sugriva and reflecting, Rama then spoke even better words to the bull among monkeys:
स दुष्टो वाप्यदुष्टो वा किमेष रजनीचरः । सूक्ष्ममप्यहितं कर्तुं मम शक्तः कथंचन ॥ २२ ॥
“Whether this night-wanderer is bad or not bad, could he in any way do me even the slightest harm?
पिशाचान् दानवान् यक्षान् पृथिव्यां चैव राक्षसान् । अङ्गुल्यग्रेण तान् हन्यामिच्छन् हरिगणेश्वर ॥ २३ ॥
“Pishachas, danavas, yakshas and the rakshasas on the earth, I could kill with the tip of a finger if I wished, lord of the monkey hosts.
श्रूयते हि कपोतेन शत्रुः शरणमागतः । अर्चितश्च यथान्यायं स्वैश्च मांसैर्निमन्त्रितः ॥ २४ ॥
“We hear that an enemy who came for refuge was honoured by a dove as was proper, and invited to his own flesh.
स हि तं प्रतिजग्राह भार्याहर्तारमागतम् । कपोतो वानरश्रेष्ठ किं पुनर्मद्विधो जनः ॥ २५ ॥
“That dove received him, the very one who had carried off his mate, when he came, best of monkeys; how much more should one like me.
ऋषेः कण्वस्य पुत्रोण कण्डुना परमर्षिणा । शृणु गाथा पुरा गीता धर्मिष्ठा सत्यवादिना ॥ २६ ॥
“Hear the verse sung long ago by Kandu, the great sage, son of the sage Kanva, most righteous, a speaker of truth:
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटं दीनं याचन्तं शरणागतम् । न हन्यादानृशंस्यार्थमपि शत्रुं परंतप ॥ २७ ॥
“’One who comes with joined palms, wretched, begging, come for refuge, one should not kill, even an enemy, for the sake of kindness, scorcher of foes.
आर्तो वा यदि वा दृप्तः परेषां शरणं गतः । अरिः प्राणान् परित्यज्य रक्षितव्यः कृतात्मना ॥ २८ ॥
“’Whether in distress or proud, an enemy who has come for refuge to others must be protected by the self-controlled even at the cost of their own lives.
स चेद् भयाद् वा मोहाद् वा कामाद् वापि न रक्षति । स्वया शक्त्या यथान्यायं तत् पापं लोकगर्हितम् ॥ २९ ॥
“’If out of fear, folly or desire one does not protect him with one’s own strength as is right, that is a sin condemned by the world.
विनष्टः पश्यतस्तस्य रक्षिणः शरणं गतः । आनाय सुकृतं तस्य सर्वं गच्छेदरक्षितः ॥ ३० ॥
“’If one who has come for refuge perishes before the eyes of his protector, unprotected, he takes away all his merit and goes.’
एवं दोषो महानत्र प्रपन्नानामरक्षणे । अस्वर्ग्यं चायशस्यं च बलवीर्यविनाशनम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“So there is great fault in not protecting those who have surrendered: it does not lead to heaven, brings no fame, and destroys strength and valour.
करिष्यामि यथार्थं तु कण्डोर्वचनमुत्तमम् । धर्मिष्ठं च यशस्यं च स्वर्ग्यं स्यात् तु फलोदये ॥ ३२ ॥
“I will act on the excellent words of Kandu, which are true, most righteous, glorious, and lead to heaven in their fruit.
सकृदेव प्रपन्नाय तवास्मीति च याचते । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो ददाम्येतद् व्रतं मम ॥ ३३ ॥
“To one who comes to me even once and begs, saying ‘I am yours’, I grant safety from all beings: this is my vow.
आनयैनं हरिश्रेष्ठ दत्तमस्याभयं मया । विभीषणो वा सुग्रीव यदि वा रावणः स्वयम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“Bring him, best of monkeys; I have given him safety, whether he is Vibhishana, Sugriva, or Ravana himself.”
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवः प्लवगेश्वरः । प्रत्यभाषत काकुत्स्थं सौहार्देनाभिपूरितः ॥ ३५ ॥
Hearing Rama’s words, Sugriva, lord of the leapers, filled with affection, replied to Kakutstha:
किमत्र चित्रं धर्मज्ञ लोकनाथशिखामणे । यत् त्वमार्यं प्रभाषेथाः सत्त्ववान् सत्पथे स्थितः ॥ ३६ ॥
“What wonder is there in this, knower of dharma, crest-jewel of the lords of the world, that you, full of courage, standing on the path of the good, should speak so nobly?
मम चाप्यन्तरात्मायं शुद्धं वेत्ति विभीषणम् । अनुमानाच्च भावाच्च सर्वतः सुपरीक्षितः ॥ ३७ ॥
“My own inner self too knows this Vibhishana to be pure; he has been well examined on every side, by inference and by his bearing.
तस्मात् क्षिप्रं सहास्माभिस्तुल्यो भवतु राघव । विभीषणो महाप्राज्ञः सखित्वं चाभ्युपैतु नः ॥ ३८ ॥
“So quickly let very wise Vibhishana be our equal, Raghava, and come into friendship with us.”
ततस्तु सुग्रीववचो निशम्य त- द्धरीश्वरेणाभिहितं नरेश्वरः । विभीषणेनाशु जगाम संगमं पतत्त्रिराजेन यथा पुरंदरः ॥ ३९ ॥
Then, hearing those words of Sugriva, spoken by the lord of the monkeys, the lord of men quickly went to meet Vibhishana, as Purandara met the king of birds.