Chapter 7

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

एवम् उक्तः तु सुग्रीवः रामेण आर्तेन वानरः
अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिः वाक्यम् सबाष्पम् बाष्प गद्गदः

evam uktaḥ tu sugrīvaḥ rāmeṇa ārtena vānaraḥ
abravīt prāñjaliḥ vākyam sabāṣpam bāṣpa gadgadaḥ

SYNONYMS

ārtena: one in agony | rāmeṇa: by Rama | evam uktaḥ tu: thus, said | vānaraḥ: the monkey | bāṣpa gadgadaḥ: with tears, trembling voice | sa bāṣpam: with tears | | pra anjaliḥ: with adjoined palms | vākyam: sentence | abravīt: said. |

TRANSLATION

Thus said by Rama in agony that monkey Sugreeva with his palms adjoined, and with tears rolling in eyes and also voice trembling with tears said this to Rama. [4-7-1]

VERSE 2

न जाने निलयम् तस्य सर्वथा पाप रक्षसः
सामर्थ्यम् विक्रमम् वा अपि दौष्कुलेयस्य वा कुलम्

na jāne nilayam tasya sarvathā pāpa rakṣasaḥ
sāmarthyam vikramam vā api dauṣkuleyasya vā kulam

SYNONYMS

dauśkuleyasya: of that sinister dynasty | tasya pāpa rakśasaḥ: of his, of that sinning, demon's | nilayam: residence | sāmarthyam: capability | vikramam: valour | : either | api: even | kulam vā: his lineage, even | sarvathā: at all | na jāne: not, familiar. |

TRANSLATION

"Unfamiliar is the residence, or capability, or valour, or lineage of that sinning demon from a sinister dynasty, in any wise... [4-7-2]

VERSE 3

सत्यम् तु प्रतिजानामि त्यज शोकम् अरिन्दम
करिष्यामि तथा यत्नम् यथा प्राप्स्यसि मैथिलीम्

satyam tu pratijānāmi tyaja śokam arindama
kariṣyāmi tathā yatnam yathā prāpsyasi maithilīm

SYNONYMS

arindama: oh, enemy destroyer | te satyam pratijānāmi: to you, truthfully, I am promising | maithilīm yathā prāpsyasi: Maithili, as to how, you get back | tathā yatnam kariśyāmi: therefor, make effort, I strive to | tyaja śokam: discard, anguish. |

TRANSLATION

"Truthfully I am promising you, oh, enemy destroyer, as to how you will get back Maithili therefor I strive to make effort, let anguish be discarded... [4-7-3]

VERSE 4

रावणम् सगणम् हत्वा परितोष्य आत्म पौरुषम्
तथा अस्मि कर्ता नचिराद् यथा प्रीतो भविष्यसि

rāvaṇam sagaṇam hatvā paritoṣya ātma pauruṣam
tathā asmi kartā nacirād yathā prīto bhaviṣyasi

SYNONYMS

rāvanam sa gaṇam hatvā: Ravana, with, henchmen, on killing | paritoṣya: satisfying your | ātma pauruṣam: self, pride | yathā prītaḥ bhaviṣyasi: as to how, you will be gladdened | tathā na cirāt kartā asmi: that way, not, before long, done, by me. |

TRANSLATION

"As to how you will satisfy yourself on killing Ravana along with his henchmen, and as to how to you pride yourself thereby, I will make it happen in that way in no longer a time... [4-7-4]

VERSE 5

अलम् वैक्लव्यम् आलम्ब्य धैर्यम् आत्मगतम् स्मर
त्वत् विधानाम् न सदृशम् ईदृशम् बुद्धि लाघवम्

alam vaiklavyam ālambya dhairyam ātmagatam smara
tvat vidhānām na sadṛśam īdṛśam buddhi lāghavam

SYNONYMS

alam vaiklavyam ālambya: enough, despair, clinging on to | ātma gatam dhairyam smara: soul gone in [inherent,] courage, you recollect | tvat vidhānām: your like persons | īdṛśam buddhi lāghavam: this sort of, mental, ineptness | na sadṛśam: not, seemly. |

TRANSLATION

"Enough is this clinging on to despair, recollect your inherent courage, and it is unseemly for persons of your sort to have this kind of mental ineptness... [4-7-5]

VERSE 6

मया अपि व्यसनम् प्राप्तम् भार्या विरहजम् महत्
न अहम् एवम् हि शोचामि धैर्यम् न च परित्यजे

mayā api vyasanam prāptam bhāryā virahajam mahat
na aham evam hi śocāmi dhairyam na ca parityaje

SYNONYMS

mayā api: by me, too | bhāryā: wife's | viraha jam: separation, caused by | mahat: greatly | vyasanam: yearning | prāptam: came upon | na ca aham: not, also, I | evam: this way | śocāmi: despaired | na ca dhairyam: not, also, courage | parityaje: forsook. |

TRANSLATION

"Upon me too this yearning caused by the separation of wife has chanced, but I did not despair this way, nor I have forsaken my courage... [4-7-6]

VERSE 7

न अहम् ताम् अनुशोचामि प्राकृतो वानरो अपि सन्
महात्मा च विनीतः च किम् पुनर् धृतिमान् महान्

na aham tām anuśocāmi prākṛto vānaro api san
mahātmā ca vinītaḥ ca kim punar dhṛtimān mahān

SYNONYMS

aham prākṛtaḥ vānaraḥ api san: I am, being primitive, monkey, even though | tām anu śocāmi: of her [for distancing wife,] not, [totally] disheartening | mahātmā ca: great soul, also | vinītaḥ ca: well-read one, also | dhṛitimān: courageous one | bhavān kim punaḥ: you are, what again [why tell about you.] |

TRANSLATION

"Though I am a primitive monkey I am not totally disheartened for the distancing of wife, why tell about a great soul like you who are well read and courageous... [4-7-7]

VERSE 8

बाष्पम् आपतितम् धैर्यात् निग्रहीतुम् त्वम् अर्हसि
मर्यादाम् सत्त्व युक्तानाम् धृतिम् न उत्स्रष्टुम् अर्हसि

bāṣpam āpatitam dhairyāt nigrahītum tvam arhasi
maryādām sattva yuktānām dhṛtim na utsraṣṭum arhasi

SYNONYMS

tvam ā patitam bāśpam dhairyāt nigrahītum arhasi: you, trickling, tears, with courage, to control, apt of you | sattva yuktānām: that which belonging to self-controlled ones | maryādām: propriety | dhṛtim: courage | na utsraṣṭum arhasi: not, to discard, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"It is apt of you to control trickling tears with courage, and equally it is inapt of you to discard the courage and propriety of self-controlled people... [4-7-8]

VERSE 9

व्यसने वा अर्थ कृच्छ्रे वा भये वा जीवितान्तगे
विमृशन् वै स्वया बुद्ध्या धृतिमान् न अवसीदति

vyasane vā artha kṛcchre vā bhaye vā jīvitāntage
vimṛśan vai svayā buddhyā dhṛtimān na avasīdati

SYNONYMS

vyasane vā: in a riddle, or | artha kṛcchre vā: financial loss, or | jīvita antage: life, at end of | bhaye vā: in fear, either | dhṛtimān: courageous one | svayā buddhyā: in ones own, mind | vimṛśan: by introspection | na avasīdati vai: not, sinks down, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Either in a riddle, or in financial loss, or at the end of life, or in fear, a courageous one does not sink down, but indeed introspects in his own mind... [4-7-9]

VERSE 10

बालिशस् तु नरो नित्यम् वैक्लब्यम् यो।अनुवर्तते
स मज्जति अवशः शोके भार आक्रान्ता इव नौः जले

bāliśas tu naro nityam vaiklabyam yo|anuvartate
sa majjati avaśaḥ śoke bhāra ākrāntā iva nauḥ jale

SYNONYMS

yaḥ naraḥ: which, man | bālisaḥ nityam vaiklabyam anuvartate: like stupid, always, self-pity, he who follows | saḥ: he | a vasaḥ: not, self-controlled | bhāra ākrāntā: by weight, overpowered [overweighing] | nauḥ jale iva: ship, in waters, like | śoke majjati: in sadness, drowns. |

TRANSLATION

"Stupid is that man who always follows self-piteous sadness unable to control himself, and he drowns down in that melancholy like a overweighing ship in waters... [4-7-10]

VERSE 11

एषो अन्जलिः मया बद्धः प्रणयात् त्वाम् प्रसादये
पौरुषम् श्रय शोकस्य न अन्तरम् दातुम् अर्हसि

eṣo anjaliḥ mayā baddhaḥ praṇayāt tvām prasādaye
pauruṣam śraya śokasya na antaram dātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

mayā eṣaḥ anjaliḥ baddhaḥ: by me, this, palms, adjoined | praṇayāt tvām prasādaye: in friendship, you, I beseech | pauruṣam śraya: self-esteem, bear up | śokasya antaram dātum na arhasi: for sadness, leeway, to give, not, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"Adjoined are my palms in this way beseeching you in friendship, kindly bear up your self-esteem and you should not give any leeway to sadness... [4-7-11]

VERSE 12

ये शोकम् अनुवर्तन्ते न तेषाम् विद्यते सुखम्
तेजः च क्षीयते तेषाम् न त्वम् शोचितुम् अर्हसि

ye śokam anuvartante na teṣām vidyate sukham
tejaḥ ca kṣīyate teṣām na tvam śocitum arhasi

SYNONYMS

ye: those | śokam anuvartante: moroseness, delve into | na teṣām: not, to them | vidyate sukham: enjoy, happiness | tejaḥ ca: brilliance, too | kśīyate: dwindle | teṣām: their | na tvam śocitum arhasi: not, your, saddening, is apt. |

TRANSLATION

"Those that delve deep into moroseness, to them there is no happiness, and their brilliance too dwindles, thus saddening is inapt on your part... [4-7-12]

VERSE 13

शोकेन अभिप्रपन्नस्य जीविते च अपि संशयः
स शोकम् त्यज राजेन्द्र धैर्यम् आश्रय केवलम्

śokena abhiprapannasya jīvite ca api saṃśayaḥ
sa śokam tyaja rājendra dhairyam āśraya kevalam

SYNONYMS

rājendra: oh, king of kings | śokena: by sadness | abhi prapannasya: well, engulfed | jīvite ca api: of life, also, even | samśayaḥ: doubts | saḥ śokam: such as you are, sadness | tyaja: leave off | kevalam dhairyam āśraya: just, courage, hold on to. |

TRANSLATION

"One well-engulfed in sadness doubts even his life, oh, king of kings, leave off that sadness and just hold on to courage...[4-7-13]

VERSE 14

हितम् वयस्य भावेन ब्रूमि न उपदिशामि ते
वयस्यताम् पूजयन् मे न त्वम् शोचितुम् अर्हसि

hitam vayasya bhāvena brūmi na upadiśāmi te
vayasyatām pūjayan me na tvam śocitum arhasi

SYNONYMS

hitam: benefiting | vayasya bhāvena: friendly, thought | brūmi: I tell | na upadiśāmi te: not, instructing, you | vayasyatām: friendship | pūjayan: regarding | me: of mine | na tvam śocitum arhasi: not, your, saddening, is apt. |

TRANSLATION

"I am telling a benefiting and friendly thought, but not instructing you, should you regard my friendship then your saddening is inapt..." [Thus said Sugreeva to Rama.] [4-7-14]

VERSE 15

मधुरम् सान्त्वितः तेन सुग्रीवेण स राघवः
मुखम् अश्रु परि क्लिन्नम् वस्त्र अन्तेन प्रमार्जयत्

madhuram sāntvitaḥ tena sugrīveṇa sa rāghavaḥ
mukham aśru pari klinnam vastra antena pramārjayat

SYNONYMS

tena sugrīvena: by that, Sugreeva | madhuram: sweetly | sāntvitaḥ: solaced | saḥ rāghavaḥ: that Rama | aśru pari klinnam: by tears, fully covered | mukham: face | vastra antena: with cloth's, edge | pramārjayat: dabbed. |

TRANSLATION

Sweetly solaced thus by that Sugreeva Rama dabbed his face with the edge of cloth, which is covered fully with tears. [4-7-15]

VERSE 16

प्रकृतिः स्थः तु काकुत्स्थः सुग्रीव वचनात् प्रभुः
संपरिष्वज्य सुग्रीवम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

prakṛtiḥ sthaḥ tu kākutsthaḥ sugrīva vacanāt prabhuḥ
saṃpariṣvajya sugrīvam idam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

prabhuḥ: the lord | kākutsthaḥ: Rama | vacanāt: by words of | prakṛtiḥ sthaḥ tu: in his own nature, steadied himself | sugrīvam: Sugreeva is | sam pariṣvajya: on embracing | idam vacanam abravīt: this, sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

Lord Rama steadied himself in his own nature by the words of Sugreeva, and on embracing him Rama said this sentence to him. [4-7-16]

VERSE 17

कर्तव्यम् यत् वयस्येन स्निग्धेन च हितेन च
अनुरूपम् च युक्तम् च कृतम् सुग्रीव तत् त्वया

kartavyam yat vayasyena snigdhena ca hitena ca
anurūpam ca yuktam ca kṛtam sugrīva tat tvayā

SYNONYMS

snigdhena hitena ca: by a friend, friendly one, also | vayasyena yat kartavyam: by friend, that which, is to be done | anurūpam ca: timely, also | yuktam ca: befitting, also | tat tvayā: that which, by you | kṛtam: is done. |

TRANSLATION

"Sugreeva, a friendly obligation that which is to be done, a benefiting, befitting and a timely one too, is what you have performed with your friendly advise... [4-7-17]

VERSE 18

एष च प्रकृतिः स्थः अहम् अनुनीतः त्वया सखे
दुर्लभो हि ईदृशो बन्धुः अस्मिन् काले विशेषतः

eṣa ca prakṛtiḥ sthaḥ aham anunītaḥ tvayā sakhe
durlabho hi īdṛśo bandhuḥ asmin kāle viśeṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

sakhe: oh, friend | tvayā: by you | anunītaḥ: implored | eṣa aham: this, I am | prakṛtiḥ sthaḥ: in my nature, I steadied myself | īdṛśaḥ bandhuḥ durlabhaḥ hi: this kind of, friend, impossible to get, indeed | asmin kāle: in these times | viśeśataḥ: especially. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, friend, I steadied myself in my own nature when implored by you... it is impossible to get this kind of friend, especially at these times... [4-7-18]

VERSE 19

किम् तु यत्नः त्वया कार्यो मैथिल्याः परिमार्गणे
राक्षसस्य च रौद्रस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः

kim tu yatnaḥ tvayā kāryo maithilyāḥ parimārgaṇe
rākṣasasya ca raudrasya rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

kim tu: but | tvayā maithilyāḥ: by you, Maithili's | durātmanaḥ rākśasasya raudrasya rāvaṇasya: evil-minded one, of demon's, furious, Ravana's | parimārgaṇe yatnaḥ kāryaḥ: search for, endeavour, is to be done. |

TRANSLATION

"But, trying to search for Maithili and that furious, evil-minded demon Ravana, is your endeavour... [4-7-19]

VERSE 20

मया च यद् अनुष्ठेयम् विस्रब्धेन तत् उच्यताम्
वर्षासु इव च सुक्षेत्रे सर्वम् संपद्यते तव

mayā ca yad anuṣṭheyam visrabdhena tat ucyatām
varṣāsu iva ca sukṣetre sarvam saṃpadyate tava

SYNONYMS

mayā ca yat anuṣṭeyam: by me, also, what, that is to be done | visrabdhena: in believability | tat ucyatām: that, be said | tava sarvam: your, all endeavour | varṣāsu su kśetre iva: in rainy season, in good lands, as though [seeded crop] | sampadyate: be reaped. |

TRANSLATION

"What is to done by me that be said in all believability, and all your endeavour will reap like the crops planted during rainy season in good lands... [4-7-20]

VERSE 21

मया च यदिदम् वाक्यम् अभिमानात् समीरितम्
तत् त्वया हरिशार्दूल तत् त्वम् इति उपधार्यताम्

mayā ca yadidam vākyam abhimānāt samīritam
tat tvayā hariśārdūla tat tvam iti upadhāryatām

SYNONYMS

hari śārdūla: oh, monkey, the tiger | mayā: by me | abhimānāt: in self-confidence | yat idam vākyam samīritam: which, this, word, is spoken | tat tvayā: that, by you | tattvam iti: factually, thus | upadhāryatām: they may be deemed. |

TRANSLATION

"What that is spoken by me is in my self-confidence but not in any self-conceit, oh, tigerly-monkey, deem them as doubtless facts... [4-7-21]

VERSE 22

अनृतम् न उक्त पूर्वम् मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन
एतत् ते प्रतिजानामि सत्येन एव शपामि अहम्

anṛtam na ukta pūrvam me na ca vakṣye kadācana
etat te pratijānāmi satyena eva śapāmi aham

SYNONYMS

me: by me | anṛtam na ukta pūrvam: untruth, not, said, earlier | kadācana na ca vakśye: anytimec[from now,] not, also, will speak | etat te pratijānāmi: this, to you, I promise | aham satyena eva śapāmi: I am, by truthfulness, alone taking oath. |

TRANSLATION

"Untruth is not uttered by me earlier nor will be at anytime from now, and all this I am promising you taking oath on that truthfulness alone.. [4-7-22]

VERSE 23

ततः प्रहृष्टः सुग्रीवः वानरैः सचिवैः सह
राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रतिज्ञातम् विशेषतः

tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ sugrīvaḥ vānaraiḥ sacivaiḥ saha
rāghavasya vacaḥ śrutvā pratijñātam viśeṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | sacivaiḥ: vaanaraiH saha = with ministers, monkeys, along with | rāghavasya vacaḥ: Rama's word | śrutvā: on hearing | viśeśataḥ: especially | pratijnātam: of promise | prahṛṣṭaḥ: is gladdened. |

TRANSLATION

Then on hearing the words of Rama Sugreeva along with his monkey ministers is gladdened, especially of Rama promise. [4-7-23]

VERSE 24

एवम् एकान्त संपृक्तौ ततः तौ नर वानरौ
उभौ अन्योन्य सदृशम् सुख दुःखम् अभाष्ताम्

evam ekānta saṃpṛktau tataḥ tau nara vānarau
ubhau anyonya sadṛśam sukha duḥkham abhāṣtām

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | evam: thus | ekānta: in privacy | sampṛktau: met | tau: those two | nara: man | vānarau: monkey | ubhau: both | anyonya sadṛśam: mutually befitting | sukha duḥkham: pleasure and pain | abhāśtām: discussed. |

TRANSLATION

Then those two, the man and the monkey, met in privacy and both discussed in a mutually befitting manner about their pleasures and pains. [4-7-24]

VERSE 25

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे सप्तमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe saptamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

vidvān: the intellectual | saḥ hari vīra mukhyaḥ: he that one, among monkey, heroes, chief | hariḥ = monkey: Sugreeva | mahānubhāvasya: highly capable one's [Rama's] | tasya: of his | nṛpāṇām adhipasya: among kings, the best king [Rama] | vacaḥ: word | niśamya: on hearing | tadā ca: then | kṛtam: accomplished | kāryam: manoeuvre | hṛdayena: at heart | mene: he [Sugreeva], thought so. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing the word of that intellectual, highly capable one and the best king among kings, namely Rama, he that Sugreeva, the chief among the monkey heroes, thought at heart that his manoeuvre to surpass his dominant brother Vali is accomplished. [4-7-25]