Chapter 34

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

तम् अप्रतिहतम् क्रुद्धम् प्रविष्टम् पुरुषर्षभम्
सुग्रीवो लक्ष्मणम् दृष्ट्वा बभूव व्यथित इन्द्रियः

tam apratihatam kruddham praviṣṭam puruṣarṣabham
sugrīvo lakṣmaṇam dṛṣṭvā babhūva vyathita indriyaḥ

SYNONYMS

sugrīvaḥ: Sugreeva | a prati hatam: unimpededly | praviṣṭam: he who entered | kruddham: infuriated one | puruṣar ṣabham: illustrious one | tam lakṣmaṇam dṛṣṭvā: him, Lakshmana, on seeing | vyathita indriyaḥ: with agitated, senses | babhūva: became. |

TRANSLATION

On seeing the illustrious Lakshmana who entered unimpededly and infuriately, Sugreeva became one with agitated senses. [4-34-1]

VERSE 2

क्रुद्धम् निःश्वसमानम् तम् प्रदीप्तम् इव तेजसा
भ्रातुर् व्यसन संतप्तम् दृष्ट्वा दशरथ आत्मजम्

kruddham niḥśvasamānam tam pradīptam iva tejasā
bhrātur vyasana saṃtaptam dṛṣṭvā daśaratha ātmajam

SYNONYMS

kruddham niḥśvasamānam = one vho is: exasperated, exhaling [heavily] | tejasā pra dīptam iva: by flare, verily, fiery [firestorm,] as with | bhrātuḥ vyasana santaptam: in brother's [Rama's,] anguish, searing with | tam daśaratha ātmajam: at him, Dasharatha's, son | dṛṣṭvā: having seen | hariśreṣṭhaḥ = monkey, the best: Sugreeva | sauvarṇam āsanam hitvā: golden, seat, discarding | mahendrasya: Mahendra's | svalankṛta mahān dhvajaḥ iva: highly decorated, lofty, flagstaff, like | ut papāta = hopped up, got dovn: tottered. |

TRANSLATION

On seeing Lakshmana, the son of Dasharatha, who is exasperated and exhaling heavily, and who searing in the anguish of his brother is flaring up like a firestorm, Sugreeva hopped up from his golden seat and tottered like the highly decorated flagstaff of Indra, which will be wobbly before it is thrown to ground after the ritual. [4-34-2, 3]

VERSE 4

उत्पतंतम् अनूत्पेतू रुमा प्रभृतयः स्त्रियः
सुग्रीवम् गगने पूर्णम् चंद्रम् तारा गणा इव

utpataṃtam anūtpetū rumā prabhṛtayaḥ striyaḥ
sugrīvam gagane pūrṇam caṃdram tārā gaṇā iva

SYNONYMS

rumā prabhṛtayaḥ striyaḥ: Ruma, et al, females | ut patantam = up, falling: jumping up | sugrīvam: with Sugreeva | gagane pūrṇam candram: = in sky, with full, moon | tārā gaṇā iva: stars, cluster, as with | anu utpetū: following, jumped up. |

TRANSLATION

While Sugreeva is jumping up stumblingly, stumbled with him are Ruma and the other females in tow, who are so far clinging to him, like the clusters of stars that spring up on the emergence of full moon in sky. [4-34-4]

VERSE 5

संरक्त नयनः श्रीमान् संचचार कृतांजलिः
बभूव अवस्थितः तत्र कल्प वृक्षो महान् इव

saṃrakta nayanaḥ śrīmān saṃcacāra kṛtāṃjaliḥ
babhūva avasthitaḥ tatra kalpa vṛkṣo mahān iva

SYNONYMS

sam rakta nayanaḥ śrīmān: bloodshot, eyed, fortunate [Sugreeva] | kṛta anjaliḥ: making, palms-adjoined | samcacāra [sam ca cāra]: verily, flurried towards [Lakshmana] | mahān kalpa vṛkṣaḥ iva: lofty, wish-fulfilling, tree, as with | tatra avasthitaḥ babhūva: there, remained standing, he became. |

TRANSLATION

That fortunate Sugreeva whose eyes are bloodshot with drinking flurried towards Lakshmana adjoining palms in supplication, and became standstill at his nearby, like a lofty kalpa vriksha wish-fulfilling tree. [4-34-5]

PURPORT

This kalpa vR^iksha is a mythological tree that fulfils any expectation of its devotee and it fetches from pin to elephant, if sought in earnest. There is another of this kind called kaama dhenu 'wish-fulfilling cow' which does the same function for which many mythological wars were waged. This attribute, all-endower, is sometimes given to Lakshmana in this verse, but here Sugreeva is the giver and Lakshmana is the taker, so this belongs to Sugreeva now.
VERSE 6

रुमा द्वितीयम् सुग्रीवम् नारी मध्य गतम् स्थितम्
अब्रवीत् लक्ष्मणः क्रुद्धः स तारम् शशिनम् यथा

rumā dvitīyam sugrīvam nārī madhya gatam sthitam
abravīt lakṣmaṇaḥ kruddhaḥ sa tāram śaśinam yathā

SYNONYMS

sa tāram: with, stars | śaśinam yathā: moon, as with | rumā dvitīyam = ṟuma, as second one: at side | nārī madhya gatam: females, amid, one who is | sthitam: staying | sugrīvam: to Sugreeva | kruddhaḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ abravīt: infuriated, Lakshmana, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

Infuriate Lakshmana spoke to Sugreeva who like the star clustered moon is standing with his wife Ruma at his side amid other vanara females. [4-34-6]

VERSE 7

सत्त्व अभिजन संपन्नः स अनुक्रोशो जितेन्द्रियः
कृतज्ञः सत्य वादी च राजा लोके महीयते

sattva abhijana saṃpannaḥ sa anukrośo jitendriyaḥ
kṛtajñaḥ satya vādī ca rājā loke mahīyate

SYNONYMS

sattva: having force dynamic | abhi jana sampannaḥ: having close, people [best troopers, or best lineage,] abounding with | sa anukrośaḥ: with, sympathy | jita indriyaḥ: with conquered, senses | kṛta jñaḥ: faithful one | satya vādī ca: truth, advocate of, also | rājā: king | loke mahīyate: in world, thrives. |

TRANSLATION

"One who is dynamic, abounding with best troopers, sympathetic, senses conquered, a faithful one and an advocate of truth, he alone thrives as a king in the world. [4-34-7]

VERSE 8

यस्तु राजा स्थितो अधर्मे मित्राणाम् उपकारिणाम्
मिथ्या प्रतिज्ञाम् कुरुते को नृशंस तरः ततः

yastu rājā sthito adharme mitrāṇām upakāriṇām
mithyā pratijñām kurute ko nṛśaṃsa taraḥ tataḥ

SYNONYMS

yaḥ rājā tu: which, king, but | a dharme sthitaḥ: in dishonesty, abiding | [yaḥ sthitaḥ rājā tu a dharme sthitaḥ: he who, is enthroned, as king, but, anchored himself, to dishonesty] | upakāriṇām mitrāṇām: to helpful, friends | mithyā pratijñām kurute: fake, assurance, makes | tataḥ: than him | nṛśamsa taraḥ = ruthless, higher in degrī: more than | kaḥ: who is there. |

TRANSLATION

"He who is enthroned as a king but anchored himself to dishonesty and makes fake assurances to helpful friends, who can be more ruthless than him? [4-34-8]

VERSE 9

शतम् अश्व अनृते हन्ति सहस्रम् तु गव अनृते
आत्मानम् स्व जनम् हन्ति पुरुषः पुरुष अनृते

śatam aśva anṛte hanti sahasram tu gava anṛte
ātmānam sva janam hanti puruṣaḥ puruṣa anṛte

SYNONYMS

puruṣaḥ: a person | aśva a nṛte = horse, un, truth: becomes untruthful in respect of a horse, and its donation | śatam hanti: hundred, killing | gava anṛte: cows, in belying | sahasram = a thousand: in the case of belied hope of donating a cow he is killing a thousand | puruṣa anṛte = a man, in belying: in the case of belying to a man to help | ātmānam sva janam hanti: himself, own, people [kith and kin,] he kills. |

TRANSLATION

"A person gets attached to the sin of killing of a hundred of his manes, deified souls of his own ancestors, if he promises to gift one horse but fails to do so, and in promising to gift one cow but failing in it he gets the sin of killing a thousand manes, and if he promises to a person to do the needful help and fails in rendering that help, then he gets the sin of suicide along with the sin of killing his own kith and kin. [4-34-9]

PURPORT

The above verse will be generally translated as 'A person gets attached to the sin of killing of a hundred horses if he promises to gift one horse but fails to do so, and in promising to gift one cow but failing in it he gets the sin of killing a thousand cows, and if he belies to a person to do the needful help, he then gets the sin of killing himself along with his own kith and kin...' But, it is not the sin of killing hundred horses or thousand cows, but it the sin of killing those many numbers of killer's manes, the deified souls of one's own dead ancestors. This is as per Manu dharma and it is detailed in Dharmaakuutam as: atra ashva viShaye anR^itam vaktaa sva puurva puruShaaNaam shatam hanti - svargaat pracyavya narakam tiryak yonim vaa praapayati - gava anR^ite sahasram sva puurva puruShaam tathaa karoti - puruSha viShaye anR^ite sa baandhavaH svayam eva narakam tiryak yoni vaa praapnoti iti uktam - - maanave - - yaavato baandhavaan asmin hanti saakShe anR^itam vadan - - panca pashva anR^itam hanti dasha hanti gava anR^ite - - dk & and he goes on quoting Prahlaada and Dudhanva discussion in Maha Bharata, Udyoga parva. Killing the already dead souls is lesser sin than the killing of living beings and committing suicide.
VERSE 10

पूर्वम् कृतार्थो मित्राणाम् न तत् प्रति करोति यः
कृतघ्नः सर्व भूतानाम् स वध्यः प्लवगेश्वर

pūrvam kṛtārtho mitrāṇām na tat prati karoti yaḥ
kṛtaghnaḥ sarva bhūtānām sa vadhyaḥ plavageśvara

SYNONYMS

plavageśvara: oh, monkey's, king | pūrvam: earlier | kṛta arthaḥ = fulfilled, purposes: whose purposes are fulfilled | yaḥ: he who is | mitrāṇām: to friends | tat = for that: for that helpful deed | na prati karoti = not, in return, does: will not requite | kṛtaghnaḥ = suc a: unfaithful - treacherous one | saḥ: he is | sarva bhūtānām: for all, beings | vadhyaḥ: killable. |

TRANSLATION

"He who gets his means fulfilled earlier through his friends but does not requite them, oh, king of monkeys, such a treacherous one is eliminable for all beings. [4-34-10]

VERSE 11

गीतो अयम् ब्रह्मणा श्लोकः सर्व लोक नमस्कृतः
दृष्ट्वा कृतघ्नम् क्रुद्धेन तम् निबोध प्लवम्गम

gīto ayam brahmaṇā ślokaḥ sarva loka namaskṛtaḥ
dṛṣṭvā kṛtaghnam kruddhena tam nibodha plavamgama

SYNONYMS

plavamgama: oh, fly-jumper | kṛtaghnam dṛṣṭvā: perfidious one, on observing | sarva loka namaskṛtaḥ: by all, worlds, reverenced | kruddhena brahmaṇā: ireful, by Brahma | ayam ślokaḥ: this, verse | gītaḥ = sung: declared | tam nibodha: that, you be informed. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing such perfidious soul, oh, fly-jumper, Brahma irefully declared this verse which is reverenced by all the worlds, you too may know it. [4-34-11]

PURPORT

Here Brahma may either be the Four-faced creator of worlds or His brainchild Svayambhu Manu who constructed the manu dharma shaastra 'the moral and social code for humans.'
VERSE 12

गो घ्ने च एव सुरापे च चौरे भग्न व्रते तथा
निष्कृतिर् विहिता सद्भिः कृतघ्ने न अस्ति निष्कृतिः

go ghne ca eva surāpe ca caure bhagna vrate tathā
niṣkṛtir vihitā sadbhiḥ kṛtaghne na asti niṣkṛtiḥ

SYNONYMS

go ghne = in respect of: cow, slayers | surāpe ca eva: liquor-drinkers, also, thus | caure: for thieves | tathā: likewise | bhagna vrate: infringers, of solemnity | sadbhiḥ niṣkṛtiḥ vihitā: by savants, atonement, ordained | kṛta ghne niṣkṛtiḥ na asti: for treacherous one, atonement, not, available. |

TRANSLATION

" 'The savants have ordained atonement for slayers of cows, for drinkers of liquors, thus for thieves and infringers of solemnity, but no atonement is available to a treacherous person. [4-34-12]

VERSE 13

अनार्य त्वम् कृतघ्नः च मिथ्या वादी च वानर
पूर्वम् कृतार्थो रामस्य न तत् प्रतिकरोषि यत्

anārya tvam kṛtaghnaḥ ca mithyā vādī ca vānara
pūrvam kṛtārtho rāmasya na tat pratikaroṣi yat

SYNONYMS

vānara: oh, vanara | pūrvam kṛta arthaḥ: firstly, fulfilled are, your means | tvam: you | yat: by which reason | rāmasya na pratikaroṣi: for Rama, not, reciprocating | tat: thereby | an ārya = you are: un, cultured | kṛtaghnaḥ ca: unfriendly | mithyā vādī ca: illusive, of you word, also. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Vanara, firstly you have got your purpose fulfilled and by that reason you are not reciprocating help to Rama, thereby you are an uncultured and unfriendly one, and illusive is your word of honour. [4-34-13]

VERSE 14

ननु नाम कृतार्थेन त्वया रामस्य वानर
सीताया मार्गणे यत्नः कर्तव्यः कृतम् इच्छता

nanu nāma kṛtārthena tvayā rāmasya vānara
sītāyā mārgaṇe yatnaḥ kartavyaḥ kṛtam icchatā

SYNONYMS

vānara: oh, Vanara | rāmasya kṛtam: by Rama, done [kaaryam = favour] | icchatā: wishing [to fulfil] | tvayā: such as you are, by you | sītāyāḥ mārgaṇe: Seetha, in quest of | yatnaḥ: endeavour | nanu nāma kartavyaḥ = is it not, ī vonder, doable: duty. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Vanara, you achieved your means through Rama, and Rama is wishing for his endeavour through you, and I wonder whether the search for Seetha is not your duty? [4-34-14]

VERSE 15

स त्वम् ग्राम्येषु भोगेषु सक्तो मिथ्या प्रतिश्रवः
न त्वाम् रामो विजानीते सर्पम् मण्डूक राविणम्

sa tvam grāmyeṣu bhogeṣu sakto mithyā pratiśravaḥ
na tvām rāmo vijānīte sarpam maṇḍūka rāviṇam

SYNONYMS

mithyā pratiśravaḥ = one vho made: illusive, promise | saḥ tvam: such as you are | grāmyeṣu bhogeṣu saktaḥ = in curliś, pleasures, conjugated: basking in | rāmaḥ: Rama | tvām: you | maṇḍūka rāviṇam sarpam = vith frog's, sounding: croaking, as a serpent | na vijānīte: not, realized. |

TRANSLATION

"An illusive promisor basking in churlish pleasures, such as you are, Rama has not realised that you are a serpent with the croaking of a frog. [4-34-15]

VERSE 16

महाभागेन रामेण पापः करुण वेदिना
हरीणाम् प्रापितो राज्यम् त्वम् दुरात्मा महात्मना

mahābhāgena rāmeṇa pāpaḥ karuṇa vedinā
harīṇām prāpito rājyam tvam durātmā mahātmanā

SYNONYMS

mahā bhāgena: highly, prudent | maha ātmanā: from noble-souled one | karuṇa vedinā: compassion, knower of [compassionate Rama] | rāmeṇa: by Rama | pāpaḥ: sinner [Sugreeva] | dur ātmā: evil-souled one | tvam: you | harīṇām rājyam prāpitaḥ = monkey's, kingdom, made as gained: you got kingdom indirectly. |

TRANSLATION

"By the highly prudent and compassionate Rama, you the sinner got the kingdom of monkeys, and it is a gain of an evil-soul from a noble-soul. [4-34-16]

VERSE 17

कृतम् चेत् न अभिजानीषे राघवस्य महात्मनः
सद्यः त्वम् निशितैर् बाणैर् हतो द्रक्ष्यसि वालिनम्

kṛtam cet na abhijānīṣe rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ
sadyaḥ tvam niśitair bāṇair hato drakṣyasi vālinam

SYNONYMS

tvam: you | mahātmanaḥ rāghavasya kṛtam: by the noble-souled one, by Raghava, what is done | na abhijānīṣe yadi cet: not, you recognise, if | sadyaḥ: = instantly | niśitaiḥ bāṇaiḥ hataḥ: with incisive, arrows, when killed | vālinam drakṣyasi: Vali, you will see. |

TRANSLATION

"If you do not recognise what the noble-souled Raghava has done to you, you will be instantly killed with incisive arrows enabling you to see Vali. [4-34-17]

VERSE 18

न च संकुचितः पन्था येन वाली हतो गतः
समये तिष्ठ सुग्रीव मा वालि पथम् अन्वगाः

na ca saṃkucitaḥ panthā yena vālī hato gataḥ
samaye tiṣṭha sugrīva mā vāli patham anvagāḥ

SYNONYMS

sugrīva: oh, Sugreeva | samaye tiṣṭha: by commitment, you abide | hataḥ vālī: killed, Vali | yena = by vhic: path | gataḥ: has gone | pamthāḥ: that path | na sa samkucitaḥ: not, that path, tapered off | vāli patham mā anvagāḥ: Vali's, path, do not, follow. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Sugreeva, abide by your commitment. The path by which slain Vali has gone that path is not tapered off, as such do not tread Vali's path. [4-34-18]

PURPORT

This verse is the same as the one at 4-30-81 in Rama's words and Lakshmana is reproducing the same.
VERSE 19

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे चतुर् त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe catur triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

nūnam: definitely | ikṣvāku varasya: Ikshvaku dynasty, best one from | kārmukāt: from bow | vajra sannibhān: Thunderbolt, similar | tān śarān ca: them, arrows, even | na paśyasi: not, you see | tataḥ: thereby | sukhī: joyously | sukham vi ṣevase [ni ṣevase] nāma: luxuries, you are enjoying, probably | manasā api: at heart, even | rāma kāryam: about Rama's, mission | na avekṣase = not, envisaging: giving a thought to it. |

TRANSLATION

"Definitely you are not envisaging the Thunderbolt similar arrows from the bow of the best one from Ikshvaku dynasty, Rama, thereby you are enjoying luxuries joyously without giving a thought to Rama's mission even at your heart. [4-34-19]