Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 2

तौ तु दृष्ट्वा महात्मानौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। वरायुधधरौ वीरौ सुग्रीवः शङ्कितोऽभवत्॥
Beholding those two high-souled brothers Rāma and Lakşmaņa, heroic and with great scimitars in their hands, Sugrīva became terrified.

उद्विग्नहृदयः सर्वा दिशः समवलोकयन्। न व्यतिष्ठत कस्मिंश्चिद् देशे वानरपुंगवः॥
That best of monkeys, of a disturbed mind, cast his looks around and could not stand (patiently) at any place.

नैव चक्रे मनः स्थातुं वीक्षमाणौ महाबलौ। कपेः परमभीतस्य चित्तं व्यवससाद ह ॥
Beholding those two of great prowess he could not make up his mind to remain there and the heart of that terrified monkey, sank.

चिन्तयित्वा स धर्मात्मा विमृश्य गुरुलाघवम्। सुग्रीवः परमोद्विग्नः सर्वैस्तैर्वानरैः सह ॥
Pondering over what is more and what is less important the virtuous-souled Sugrīva became highly anxious along with that monkey-herd.

ततः स सचिवेभ्यस्तु सुग्रीवः प्लवगाधिपः। शशंस परमोद्विग्नः पश्यंस्तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥
Beholding Rāma and Laksmana, Sugriva, the king of monkeys, greatly exercised with anxiety spoke to his counsellors, saying.

एतौ वनमिदं दुर्ग वालिप्रणिहितौ ध्रुवम्। छद्मना चीरवसनौ प्रचरन्ताविहागतौ॥
Forsooth, these two heroes, in false guises and wearing bark, despatched by Vāli, have come here traversing the forest stronghold.

ततः सुग्रीवसचिवा दृष्ट्वा परमधन्विनौ। जन्मुर्गिरितटा तस्मादन्यच्छिखरमुत्तमम्॥
Beholding these two mighty archers the counsellors of Sugriva, quitting that mountainous expanse proceeded to another best of hills.

ते क्षिप्रमभिगम्याथ यूथपा यूथपर्षभम्। हरयो वानरश्रेष्ठं परिवार्योपतस्थिरे॥
Thereupon proceeding quickly the commanders of various monkey herds stood encircling the king of monkeys and the chief of · leaders.

एवमेकायनगताः प्लवमाना गिरेगिरिम्। प्रकम्पयन्तो वेगेन गिरीणां शिखराणि च॥ ततः शाखामृगाः सर्वे प्लवमाना महाबलाः। बभञ्जुश्च नगांस्तत्र पुष्पितान् दुर्गमाश्रितान्॥
The monkeys thus sharing in the misery and happiness (of their chief) proceeded jumping from hill to hill shaking the summits thereof, with the velocity (of their persons). Thereupon those mighty monkeys, jumping, broke down the flowery trees of that stronghold.

आप्लवन्तो हरिवराः सर्वतस्तं महागिरिम्। मृगमार्जारशार्दूलांस्त्रासयन्तो ययुस्तदा॥
Those best of monkeys, springing all around that mighty hill, proceeded terrifying the deer, the wild cats and the tigers.

ततः सुग्रीवसचिवाः पर्वतेन्द्रे समाहिताः। संगम्य कपिमुख्येन सर्वे प्राञ्जलयः स्थिताः॥
Stationed on that best of mountains the ministers of Sugrīva, coming in the front of that monkey-chief, stood with clasped palms.

ततस्तु भयसंत्रस्तं वालिकिल्विषशङ्कितम्। उवाच हनुमान् वाक्यं सुग्रीवं वाक्यकोविदः॥
Thereupon Hanumān, skilled in speech, spoke to Sugrīva, terrified and afraid of Vāli's wicked wiles.

सम्भ्रमस्त्यज्यतामेष सर्वैर्वालिकृते महान्। मलयोऽयं गिरिवरो भयं नेहास्ति वालिनः॥
Let all the monkeys renounce Vāli's fear; in this best of mountains, Malaya-there is no fear of him.

यस्मादुद्विग्नचेतास्त्वं विद्रुतो हरिपुङ्गव। तं क्रूरदर्शनं क्रूरं नेह पश्यामि वालिनम्॥
I do not behold, O best of monkeys, that wicked Vāli of terrible looks, afraid of whom you had fled away and for whom you are anxious.

यस्मात् तव भयं सौम्यं पूर्वजात् पापकर्मणः। स नेह वाली दुष्टात्मा न ते पश्याम्यहं भयम्॥
I do not observe here, O gentle one, the wicked-souled Väli your elder brother of impious actions and whom you do fear and I do not perceive any terror proceeding from him.

अहो शाखामृगत्वं ते व्यक्तमेव प्लवङ्गम। लघुचित्ततयात्मानं न स्थापयसि यो मतौ।। ।॥
O monkey-chief, truly manifest is your monkey-hood and it is through your lightheartedness that you are incapable of fixing your soul.

बुद्धिविज्ञानसम्पन्न इङ्गितैः सर्वमाचर। नह्यबुद्धिं गतो राजा सर्वभूतानि शास्ति हि ॥
Gifted with intellect and knowledge do you perforin all by means of gestures. A king void of sense cannot govern all creatures.

सुग्रीवस्तु शुभं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा सर्वं हनूमतः। ततः शुभतरं वाक्यं हनूमन्तमुवाच ह ॥
Hearing those pregnant words of Hanumār in its entirety, Sugrīva addressed to Hanumān in better accents.

दीर्घबाहू विशालाक्षौ शरश्चापासिधारिणौ। कस्य स स्याद् भयं दृष्ट्वा ह्येतौ सुरसुतोपमौ ॥
Who is not terrified beholding those two mighty armed heroes, having expansive eyes, with bows, arrow, and daggers in their hands like to two sons of a celestial?

वालिप्रणिहितावेव शङ्केऽहं पुरुषोत्तमौ। राजानो बहुमित्राश्च विश्वासो नात्र हि क्षमः॥
Methinks these two best of men have been despatched by Vali. Kings have many friends. And it is not proper for me to place confidence in them.

अरयश्च मनुष्येण विज्ञेयाश्छद्मचारिणः। विश्वस्तानामविश्वस्ताश्छिद्रेषु प्रहरन्त्यपि॥
People should know that enemies, always treacherous by nature, range under false guises. And those foes, availing of their credulity, bring about their destruction whenever opportunity presents itself.

कृत्येषु वाली मेधावी राजानो बहुदर्शिनः। भवन्ति परहन्तारस्ते ज्ञेयाः प्राकृतैनरैः॥
Vāli is eminently expert in despatching business. Monarchs, cognizant of many a wily expedient, bring about others' destruction. It is proper to discern them by means of disguised spies.

तौ त्वया प्राकृतेनेव गत्वा ज्ञेयौ प्लवङ्गम। इङ्गितानां प्रकारैश्च रूपव्याभाषणेन च॥
O monkey, do you proceed under a false guise and come by their intentions, examining them aright by their countenances, gestures and words.

लक्षयस्व तयोर्भावं प्रहृष्टमनसौ यदि। विश्वासयन् प्रशंसाभिरिङ्गितैश्च पुनः पुनः॥
Do you ascertain their intention. If do you find them delighted, secure their confidence in my favour by eulogising me again and again and giving out to them my views.

ममैवाभिमुखं स्थित्वा पृच्छ त्वं हरिपुङ्गव। प्रयोजनं प्रवेशस्य वनस्यास्य धनुर्धरौ॥
O best of monkeys, do you ask them why they have entered this forest, if you do perceive that these two archers are pure souled.

शुद्धात्मानौ यदि त्वेतौ जानीहि त्वं प्लवङ्गम। व्याभाषितैर्वा रूपैर्वा विज्ञेया दुष्टताऽनयोः॥
O monkey, if you determine the fairness and unfairness of their purpose, their wickedness should be discovered by means of their gestures and conversation.

इत्येवं कपिराजेन संदिष्टो मारुतात्मजः। चकार गमने बुद्धिं यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥
Being commanded by that chief of monkeys, the son of Maruta purposed to approach Rāma and Laksmana.

तथेति सम्पूज्य वचस्तु तस्य कपेः सुभीतस्य दुरासदस्य। महानुभावो हनुमान् ययौ तदा स यत्र रामोऽतिबली सलक्ष्मणः॥
Assenting to the words of the terrified and unconquerable Sugriva and saying 'Be it so, Hanumān, the high-souled monkey proceeded where the heroic Râma was with Lakşmaņa.