Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 37

एवमुक्तस्तु सुग्रीवो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना। हनूमन्तं स्थितं पार्श्वे वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥
Thus addressed by the magnanimous Lakşmana Sugrīva said to Hanumān, staying beside him,

महेन्द्रहिमवद्विन्ध्यकैलासशिखरेषु च। मन्दरे पाण्डुशिखरे पञ्चशैलेषु ये स्थिताः॥ तरुणादित्यवर्णेषु भ्राजमानेषु नित्यशः। पर्वतेषु समुद्रान्ते पश्चिमस्यां तु ये दिशि॥ आदित्यभवने चैव गिरौ संध्याभ्रसंनिभे। पद्माचलवनं भीमाः संश्रिता हरिपुंगवाः॥ अञ्जनाम्बुदसंकाशाः कुञ्जरेन्द्रमहौजसः। अञ्जने पर्वते चैव ये वसन्ति प्लवङ्गमाः॥ महाशैलगुहावासा वानराः कनकप्रभाः। मेरुपार्श्वगताश्चैव ये च धूम्रगिरिं श्रिताः॥ तरुणादित्यवर्णाश्च पर्वते ये महारुणे। पिबन्तो मधु मैरेयं भीमवेगा: प्लवङ्गमाः॥ वनेषु च सुरम्येषु सुगन्धिषु महत्सु च। तापसाश्रमरम्येषु वनान्तेषु समन्ततः॥ तांस्तांस्त्वमानय क्षिप्रं पृथिव्यां सर्ववानरान्। सामदानादिभिः कल्पैर्वानरैर्वेगवत्तरैः॥
Those that dwell on the summits of Mahendra, Himavat, Vindhya and Kailāsa; on Mandara, the peaks of Pāndu and the five hills; on mountains wearing the hue of the infant sun, and ever bright; and those inhabiting the West, beyond the sea; On mountains in the mansions of the sun, looking like the evening sky, and those dreadful foremost of monkeys that inhabit Padmachala, those monkeys that, resembling collyrium-like clouds, and having the strength of the lord of elephants, dwell in the Añjana hill; monkeys, possessing the splendour of gold, inhabiting the caverns of Mahāsaila; those resorting to the sides of Meru, as well as those dwelling in the Dhūmra mountains; and those, having the hues of the infant sun, dwelling in the Mahāruna mountain, drinking the Maireya wine; and those dwelling in mighty fair and fragrant forests and romantic hermitages all round, lying on the skirts of woods,-do you at once bring all these-all the foremost monkeys of the world, by means of gifts and conciliation, and through the agency of more than usually fleet monkeys.

प्रेषिताः प्रथमं ये च मयाऽऽज्ञाता महाजवाः। त्वरणार्थं तु भूयस्त्वं सम्प्रेषय हरीश्वरान्॥
I know those monkeys that I have first despatched, to be gifted with great velocity*, yet, for urging speed upon them, do you send other foremost of monkeys. *The commentator slips the sense here. According to him, the meaning is, Those monkeys whom I have first sent, are known to me.

ये प्रसक्ताश्च कामेषु दीर्घसूत्राश्च वानराः। इहानयस्व ताशीघ्रं सर्वानेव कपीश्वरान् ॥
Do you directly bring up here those monkeychiefs that are given up to lust or are dilatory.

अहोभिर्दशभिर्ये च नागच्छन्ति ममाज्ञया। हन्तव्यास्ते दुरात्मानो राजशासनदूषकाः॥
Those wicked ones, that finding fault with the royal mandate, do not (come in) at my command within ten days, must be slain.

शतान्यथ सहस्राणि कोट्यश्च मम शासनात्। प्रयान्तु कपिसिंहानां निदेशे मम ये स्थिताः॥
Let those hundreds and thousands and kotis of leonine monkeys that abide by my mandate, hie (hence) at my behest.

मेघपर्वतसंकाशाश्छादयन्त इवाम्बरम्। घोररूपाः कपिश्रेष्ठा यान्तु म मच्छासनादितः दितः॥
Let (monkey) resembling clouds or mountains, cover up the sky; and let the foremost monkeys of dreadful forms march hence at my command.

ते गतिज्ञा गतिं गत्वा पृथिव्यां सर्ववानराः। आनयन्तु हरीन् सर्वांस्त्वरिताः शासनान्मम॥
Let all the monkeys on earth, acquainted with motion lying themselves and summoning speed at my command, bring all the monkeys.

तस्य वानरराजस्य श्रुत्वा वायुसुतो वचः। दिक्षु सर्वासु विक्रान्तान् प्रेषयामास वानरान्॥
Hearing the words of the monkey-king, the son of the Wind-god despatched powerful monkeys in all directions.

ते पदं विष्णुविक्रान्तं पतत्रिज्योतिरध्वगाः। प्रयाताः प्रहिता राज्ञा हरयस्तु क्षणेन वै॥
Despatched by the king, the monkeys, ranging the sphere of birds and stars, immediately went through the welkin.

ते समुद्रेषु गिरिषु वनेषु च सरस्सु च। वानरा वानरान् सर्वान् रामहेतोरचोदयन्॥
And on oceans and mountains, in forests and tanks, the monkeys began to send away all the apes on behalf of Rāma.

मृत्युकालोपमस्याज्ञां राजराजस्य वानराः। सुग्रीवस्याययुः श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवभयशङ्किताः॥
Hearing the mandate of that king of kings, Sugriva, resembling the Hour of death, the monkeys, conceiving fear for Sugrīva, set out.

ततस्तेऽञ्जनसंकाशा गिरेस्तस्मान्महाबलाः। तिस्रः कोट्यः प्लवङ्गानां निर्ययुर्यत्र राघवः॥
And monkeys resembling collyrium (in hue), numbering three kotis, endued with huge might, set out from the Añjana hill for the place where Rāghava was.

अस्तं गच्छति यत्रार्कस्तस्मिन् गिरिवरे रताः। संतप्तहेमवर्णाभास्तस्मात् कोट्यो दश च्युताः॥
And ten koțis having the splendour of molten gold inhabiting the mountain where the sun sets, set out.

कैलासशिखरेभ्यश्च सिंहकेसरवर्चसाम्। ततः कोटिसहस्राणि वानराणां समागमन्॥
And a thousand kotis, hued like the lion's mane, came from the peaks of Kailāsa.

फलमूलेन जीवन्तो हिमवन्तमुपाश्रिताः। तेषां कोटिसहस्राणां सहस्रं समवर्तत॥
And of those dwelling in Himālaya, subsisting on fruits and roots, numbering a thousand and kotis, a thousand appeared.

अङ्गारकसमानानां भीमानां भीमकर्मणाम्। विन्ध्याद् वानरकोटीनां सहस्राण्यपतन् द्रुतम्॥
And thousands of dreadful monkeys of terrible deeds, hued like charcoal, numbering kot is, rushed suddenly from Vindhya.

क्षीरोदवेलानिलयास्तमालवनवासिनः। नारिकेलासनाश्चैव तेषां संख्या न विद्यते॥
And there exists no record of the number of those inhabiting the shores of the ocean of milk, and the dwellers in the Tamāla forests, as well as those subsisting on coconuts.

वनेभ्यो गह्वरेभ्यश्च सरिद्भ्यश्च महाबलाः। आगच्छद् वानरी सेना पिबन्तीव दिवाकरम्॥
And, as if drinking up the sun, the mighty monkey host came from forests and caves and rivers.

ये तु त्वरयितुं याता वानराः सर्ववानरान्। ते वीरा हिमवच्छैले ददृशुस्तं महादुमम्॥
And it came to pass that those heroic monkeys that had gone away to spur others on, found a mighty tree on Himayat.

तस्मिन् गिरिवरे पुण्ये यज्ञो माहेश्वरः पुरा। सर्वदेवमनस्तोषो बभूव सुमनोरमः॥
On that sacred mount in days of yore there took place a pleasing Maheswara* sacrifice. *The celestial horse-sacrifice.

अन्ननिस्यन्दजातानि मूलानि च फलानि च। अमृतस्वादुकल्पानि ददृशुस्तत्र वानराः॥
There the monkeys found grateful fruits and roots sprung from the streams of sacrificial oblations, and resembling ambrosia.

तदनसम्भवं दिव्यं फलमूलं मनोहरम्। यः कश्चित् सकृदश्नाति मासं भवति तर्पितः॥
He that partakes of those excellent fruits and roots sprung from the sacrificial ingredients, does not experience hunger for a month.

तानि मूलानि दिव्यानि फलानि च फलाशनाः। औषधानि च दिव्यानि जगृहुर्हरिपुंगवाः॥
Those prime monkeys, feeding on fruits, gathered those sapid fruits and roots and medicinal herbs.

तस्माच्च यज्ञायतनात् पुष्पाणि सुरभीणि च। आनिन्युनिरा गत्वा सुग्रीवप्रियकारणात्॥
And for compassing the good of Sugrīva, repairing thither, the monkeys brought ordorous blossoms from the sacrificial ground.

ते तु सर्वे हरिवराः पृथिव्यां सर्ववानरान्। संचोदयित्वा त्वरितं यूथानां जग्मुरग्रतः॥
And all those foremost of monkeys, taking all the monkeys of the earth, hastily set off in the van of the herds.

ते तु तेन मुहूर्तेन कपयः शीघ्रचारिणः। किष्किन्धां त्वरया प्राप्ताः सुग्रीवो यत्र वानरः॥
And in a short while, those fast-fleeting apes speedily reached Kişkindhā, where the monkey Sugriva was.

ते गृहीत्वौषधीः सर्वा फलमूलं च वानराः। तं प्रतिग्राहयामासुर्वचनं चेदमब्रुवन्॥
And taking the healing herbs and the fruits and roots, the monkeys made them over to Sugrīva, and said,

सर्वे परिसृताः शैलाः सरितश्च वनानि च। पृथिव्यां वानराः सर्वे शासनादुपयान्ति ते॥
Having traversed mountains, rivers and forests, all the monkeys of the earth bend their steps towards you in obedience to your command.

एवं श्रुत्वा ततो हृष्टः सुग्रीवः प्लवगाधिपः। प्रतिजग्राह च प्रीतस्तेषां सर्वमुपायनम्॥
Hearing this, Sugriva-lord of monkeys-was well pleased, and with a glad heart accepted all those present.