Kishkinda Kanda: Chapter 3

वचो विज्ञाय हनुमान् सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः। पर्वतादृष्यमूकात् तु पुप्लुवे यत्र राघवौ ॥
Understanding the words of the high-souled Sugrīva, Hanumān, proceeded, springing, from the mount Rsyamūka, towards the descendants of Raghu.

कपिरूपं परित्यज्य हनुमान् मारुतात्मजः। भिक्षुरूपं ततो भेजे शठबुद्धितया कपिः॥
Thereupon renouncing his monkey shape the son of Māruta, not confiding in them, assumed the semblance of a mendicant.

ततश्च हनुमान् वाचा श्लक्ष्णया सुमनोज्ञया। विनीतवदुपागम्य राघवौ प्रणिपत्य च॥ आबभाषे च तौ वीरौ यथावत् प्रशशंस च । सम्पूज्य विधिवद् वीरौ हनुमान् वानरोत्तमः॥ उवाच कामतो वाक्यं मृदु सत्यपराक्रमौ। राजर्षिदेवप्रतिमौ तापसौ संशितव्रतौ॥ देशं कथमिमं पाप्तौ भवन्तौ वरवर्णिनौ । त्रासयन्तौ मृगगणानन्यांश्च वनचारिणः॥ पम्पातीररुहान् वृक्षान् वीक्षमाणौ समन्ततः। इमां नदी शुभजलां शोभयन्तौ तरस्विनौ॥ धैर्यवन्तौ सुवर्णाभौ कौ युवां चीरवाससौ । निःश्वसन्तौ वरभुजौ पीडयन्ताविमाः प्रजाः॥ सिंहविप्रेक्षितौ वीरौ महाबलपराक्रमौ। चक्रचापनिभे चापे गृहीत्वा शत्रुनाशनौ॥ श्रीमन्तौ रूपसम्पन्नौ वृषभश्रेष्ठविक्रमौ । हस्तिहस्तोपमभुजौ द्युतिमन्तौ नरर्षभौ ॥ प्रभया पर्वतेन्द्रोऽसौ युवयोरवभासितः। राज्याविमरप्रख्यौ कथं देशमिहागतौ॥
Approaching them humbly, Hanumān paid obeisance to them. And he eulogized them truly in words, sweet and pleasant. Greeting duly those two heroes, having truth for their prowess, that best of monkeys addressed them in sweet accents in consonance with Sugriva's instructions. You are ascetics of celebrated austerities, resembling the Rājarșis and celestials and best of Brahmacaris, why have you come here causing fear to these deer and other wild animals of the forest? Surveying around the trees grown on the banks of Pampā, you have enhanced the beauty of this lake of auspicious water. Who are you two youthful figures of mighty arms, wearing bark, patient, sighing and troubling these wild animals? Heroic, of leonine looks, gifted with mighty strength and prowess, slayers of foes, and holding a bow like to that of Sakra; graceful, of a pleasant countenance, of prowess like to a mighty bull, having hands resembling the trunks of elephants, effulgent, great among men, youthful, beautifying this chief of mountains with the effulgence of your persons, worthy of having kingdoms, and like to celestials, why have you come here?

पद्मपत्रेक्षणौ वीरौ जटामण्डलधारिणौ। अन्योन्यसदृशौ वीरौ देवलोकादिहागतौ ॥
Having eyes resembling lotus-petals, heroic, wearing matted locks, resembling each other, have you come here from the celestial region?

यदृच्छयेव सम्प्राप्तौ चन्द्रसूर्यौ वसुंधराम्। विशालवक्षसौ वीरौ मानुषौ देवरूपिणौ ॥ सिंहस्कन्धौ महोत्साहौ समदाविव गोवृषौ। आयताश्च सुवृत्ताश्च बाहवः परिघोपमाः॥ सर्वभूषणभूषार्हाः किमर्थं न विभूषिताः। उभौ योग्यावहं मन्ये रक्षितुं पृथिवीमिमाम्॥ ससागरवनां कृत्स्नां विन्ध्यमेरुविभूषिताम्।
Of a spacious breast, heroic, you two men possess the exterior of gods. It appears as the Sun and the Moon have come down to the earth of their own accord. Having leonine shoulders, gifted with high energy, stout like to plump bulls and human albeit looking like celestials, why are not your long, round arms, resembling Parighas and deserving all ornaments adorned? Methinks you two are perfectly able to protect this entire earth, filled with forests and oceans, and intersected by the mountains Vindhya and Meru.

इमे च धनुषी चित्रे श्लक्ष्णे चित्रानुलेपने॥ प्रकाशेते यथेन्द्रस्य वजे हेमविभूषिते।
These your painted and smooth bows appear like to the thunder-bolts of Indra adorned with gold.

सम्पूर्णाश्च शितैर्बाणैस्तूणाश्च शुभदर्शनाः॥ जीवितान्तकरै।रैवलद्भिरिव पन्नगैः।
And these beautiful quivers are filled to the brim with sharpened and deadly shafts like to flaming fire and serpents.

महाप्रमाणौ विपुलौ तप्तहाटकभूषणौ॥ खगावेतौ विराजेते निर्मुक्तभुजगाविव।
And these two daggers, of mighty proportions, furnished with burning gold, appear like to serpents, let loose.

एवं मां परिभाषन्तं कस्माद् वै नाभिभाषतः॥ सुग्रीवा नाम धर्मात्मा कश्चिद् वानरपुङ्गवः। वीरो विनिकृतो भ्रात्रा जगद् भ्रमति दुःखितः॥
Why do you not answer me accosting you thus? A certain heroic and virtuous monkeychief, by name Sugrīva, has been journeying on this carth, distressed at heart, being driven away by his brother.

प्राप्तोऽहं प्रेषितस्तेन सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। राज्ञा वानरमुख्यानां हनुमान् नाम वानरः॥
I have come here being despatched by that high-souled Sugriva-my name is Hanuman, the foremost of monkeys.

प्राप्तोऽहं स हि धर्मात्मा सुग्रीवः सख्यमिच्छति। तस्य मां सचिवं वित्तं वानरं पवनात्मजम्॥ भिक्षुरूपप्रतिच्छन्नं सुग्रीवपियकारणात्। ऋष्यमूकादिह प्राप्तं कामगं कामचारिणम्॥
That virtuous souled Sugrīva desires to make friends with you. And know me to be his counsellor-a monkey, the son of Pavana, ranging every where at my will, coming here, under the guise of a mendicant, from the mount Rsymuka, for the welfare of Sugriva.

एवमुक्त्वा तु हनूमांस्तौ वीरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकुशल: पुनर्नोवाच किंचन॥
Having addressed thus those two heroes-Rama and Laksmana, Hanuman, conversant with words and skilled in speech, did not speak again.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्। प्रहृष्टवदनः श्रीमान् भ्रातरं पार्श्वतः स्थितम्॥
Hearing those words, the effulgent Rāma, with a delighted countenance, spoke to his younger brother, Laksmana-~-sitting by him.

सचिवोऽयं कपीन्द्रस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः। तमेव काश्माणस्य ममान्तिकमिहागतः॥
He is the counsellor of the high-souled Sugriva, the lord of monkeys and has approached me, soliciting my friendship in his (Sugriva's) favour.

तमभ्यभाष सौमित्रे सुग्रीवसचिवं कपिम्। वाक्यज्ञं मधुरैर्वाक्यैः स्नेहयुक्तमरिन्दमम्॥
Do you welcome, with pleasant words, O Saumitri, this monkey-Sugrīva's minister, the subduer of foes, affectionate and skilled in speech.

जानृग्वेदविनीतस्य नायजुर्वेदधारिणः। नासामवेदविदुषः शक्यमेवं विभाषतुिम्॥
None can speak thus who has not mastered the Rgveda, borne well the Yajurveda and acquainted himself thoroughly with the ſāyamveda.

नूनं व्याकरणं कृत्स्नमनेन बहुधा श्रुतम्। बहु व्याहरतानेन न किंचिदपशब्दितम्॥
Forsooth he has studied well all the Grammars, for he has not used a single in elegant word though he has addressed me with a number of them.

न मुखे नेत्रयोश्चापि ललाटे च भ्रुवोस्तथा। अन्येष्वपि च सर्वेषु दोषः संविदितः क्वचित्॥
And no defect was perceived on his countenance, eyes, forehead, eyebrows or on any of his limbs.

अविस्तरमसंदिग्धमविलम्बितमव्यथम्। उर:स्थं कण्ठगं वाक्यं वर्तते मध्यमस्वरम्॥
His words,-few, beyond all suspicion, pleasant, and uttered in a mild tone, came out readily of his throat and breast.

संस्कारक्रमसम्पन्नामद्भुतामविलम्बिताम्। उच्चारयति कल्याणी वाचं हृदयहर्षिणीम्॥
He has uttered accents, which was wonderful, ready, accomplished, auspicious and captivating.

अनया चित्रया वाचा त्रिस्थानव्यञ्जनस्थया। कस्य नाराध्यते चित्तमुद्यतासेररेरपि॥
Whose heart is not moved by these wonderful words, proceeding (from heart, throat and brain)? Even an enemy, who has his sword uplifted, (is moved).

एवंविधो यस्य दूतो न भवेत् पार्थिवस्य तु। सिद्ध्यन्ति हि कथं तस्य कार्याणां गतयोऽनघ॥
O sinless one, how does that monarch accomplish his objects who has not got such a messenger?

एवंगुणगणैर्युक्ता यस्य स्युः कार्यसाधकाः। तस्य सिद्ध्यन्ति सर्वेऽर्था दूतवाक्यप्रचोदिताः॥
Indeed whose emissaries are so accomplished, all his missions are fulfilled only by virtue of their words.

सुग्रीवसचिवं कपिम्। अभ्यभाषत वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यज्ञं पवनात्मजम्॥
Thus addressed, Saumitri, skilled in speech, welcomed that monkey-Sugrīva's counsellor and son of Pavana.

विदिता नौ गुणा विद्वन् सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः। तमेव चावां मार्गावः सुग्रीवं प्लवगेश्वरम्॥
O learned one! We knew well the accomplishments of the high-souled Sugrīva. We shall find out that king of monkey herds.

यथा ब्रवीषि हनुमन् सुग्रीववचनादिह। तत्तथा हि करिष्यावो वचनात्तव सत्तम॥
O Hanumān, O best of monkeys, we shall go by whatever you shall say, under the instructions of Sugriva.

तत् तस्य वाक्यं निपुणं निशम्य प्रहृष्टरूपः पवनात्मजः कपिः। एवमुक्तस्तु सौमित्रिः मनः समाधाय जयोपपत्तौ सख्यं तदा कर्तुमियेष ताभ्याम्॥
Hearing these skilful words, that son of Pavana, delighted, revolving within him the means for Sugrīva's conquest, purposed to bring about a friendly union between them.