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Kishkindha Kaanda - Sarga 55
In this Sarga, Aṅgada is not convinced about the good nature of Sugreeva that Hanumān painted in the previous Sarga.
Aṅgada sees the ruthless and questionable aspects of Sugreeva, recounting how he forgot even Rāma after having received a huge favor from him. He casts aspirations on Sugreeva saying that Sugreeva ordered the search for Seetā not because of the fear of violating Dharma, but because of the fear of Lakshmaṇa. He also finds fault with Sugreeva for leaving the cave, after closing/having closed its entrance when he should have been actually guarding it.
Aṅgada concludes that fasting unto death is the best option for him rather than go to Sugreeva to get abandoned into a cell and deteriorate to death.
As Aṅgada lays himself down on the Darbha grass to fast unto death, so do all the other Vānaras.
4.55.1 அ
4.55.1 ஆ
4.55.1 இ
4.55.1 ஈ ஸ்ருத்வா ஹநுமதோ வாக்யம்
ப்ரஸ்ரிதம் தர்மஸம்ஹிதம் ।
ஸ்வாமிஸத்காரஸம்யுக்தம்
அங்கதோ வாக்யமப்ரவீத் ॥
ṡrutvā hanumatō vākyam
praṡritaṃ dharmasaṃhitam ।
svāmisatkārasaṃyuktam
aṅgadō vākyamabravīt ॥
Having heard the words of Hanumān
that exuded loyalty to the master
and adherence to Dharma,
spoken with all due deference,
Aṅgada said these words:
4.55.2 அ
4.55.2 ஆ
4.55.2 இ
4.55.2 ஈ ஸ்தைர்யமாத்மமநஸ்ஸௌசம்
ஆந்ருஸம்ஸ்யமதாऽऽர்ஜவம் ।
விக்ரமஸ்சைவ தைர்யம் ச
ஸுக்ரீவே நோபபத்யதே ॥
sthairyamātmamanaṡṡaucam
ānṛṡaṃsyamathā''rjavam ।
vikramaṡcaiva dhairyaṃ ca
sugrīvē nōpapadyatē ॥
Steadiness, purity of mind and body,
absence of cruelty, straightforwardness,
prowess and courage are qualities
that are hard to be found in Sugreeva.
4.55.3 அ
4.55.3 ஆ
4.55.3 இ
4.55.3 ஈ ப்ராதுர்ஜ்யேஷ்டஸ்ய யோ பார்யாம்
ஜீவதோ மஹிஷீம் ப்ரியாம் ।
தர்மேண மாதரம் யஸ்து
ஸ்வீகரோதி ஜுகுப்ஸித: ॥
bhrāturjyēṣṭhasya yō bhāryām
jīvatō mahiṣīṃ priyām ।
dharmēṇa mātaraṃ yastu
svīkarōti jugupsitaḥ ॥
Despicably, he has taken
the dear love and empress of
his elder brother while he was alive,
who, as a matter of Dharma,
should be considered equal to his mother. There must have been some word corruption in this Ṡlōka, because it says that Sugreeva has taken the wife of Vāli while he was alive, which is not true.
4.55.4 அ
4.55.4 ஆ
4.55.4 இ
4.55.4 ஈ கதம் ஸ தர்மம் ஜாநீதே
யேந ப்ராத்ரா துராத்மநா ।
யுத்தாயாபிநியுக்தேந
பிலஸ்ய பிஹிதம் முகம் ॥
kathaṃ sa dharmaṃ jānītē
yēna bhrātrā durātmanā ।
yuddhāyābhiniyuktēna
bilasya pihitaṃ mukham ॥
What Dharma does he, the evil one,
who closed the entrance to the cave
while he was stationed there in a battle, know? Skepticism never dies. It lives as long as the memory of the episode lives.
In Ayōdhyā Kanda, Daṡaratha sent Rāma in exile to keep the word he gave to Kaikēyee, but the skeptic’s version that he did so because of lust towards his younger wife, was recounted many times and was never lost.
Here in Kishkindhā Kanda, Sugreeva closed the entrance of the cave after losing all hope of the survival of his brother, but the skeptic’s version that he did so because of lust for the kingdom persists, as is recounted in this Ṡlōka, in the words of Aṅgada.
Later in Uttara Kanda, Rāma brings back Seetā as the queen after she lived in Rāvaṇa’s house, because he trusts her purity and is also testified by Agni, but the skeptic’s version that he did so because of his lust towards his beloved wife persists, dealing a permanent blow to his marriage.
Vālmeeki could have chosen not to mention the skeptic’s version at all, but then he wouldn’t be portraying the ways of the world as they are.
The skeptic’s version follows the main version, like a shadow at all times, and at times, to have serious consequences, like wreaking havoc in the marriage of Seetā and Rāma, the couple celebrated most for bearing the utmost fidelity to each other.
4.55.5 அ
4.55.5 ஆ
4.55.5 இ
4.55.5 ஈ ஸத்யாத்பாணிக்ருஹீதஸ்ச
க்ருதகர்மா மஹாயஸா: ।
விஸ்ம்ருதோ ராகவோ யேந
ஸ கஸ்ய ஸுக்ருதம் ஸ்மரேத் ॥
satyātpāṇigṛhītaṡca
kṛtakarmā mahāyaṡāḥ ।
vismṛtō rāghavō yēna
sa kasya sukṛtaṃ smarēt ॥
He forgot even Rāghava of great renown,
who had done a favor to him and
whose hand he held, swearing on truth.
How would he remember a favor done by anyone else?
4.55.6 அ
4.55.6 ஆ
4.55.6 இ
4.55.6 ஈ லக்ஷ்மணஸ்ய பயேநேஹ
நாதர்மபயபீருணா ।
ஆதிஷ்டா மார்கிதும் ஸீதாம்
தர்மஸ்தஸ்மிந்கதம் பவேத் ॥
lakṣmaṇasya bhayēnēha
nādharmabhayabhīruṇā ।
ādiṣṭā mārgituṃ sītām
dharmastasminkathaṃ bhavēt ॥
It is not for the fear of violating Dharma,
but certainly for the fear of Lakshmaṇa
that he ordered for the search of Seetā.
How can he be expected to stick to Dharma?
4.55.7 அ
4.55.7 ஆ
4.55.7 இ
4.55.7 ஈ தஸ்மிந்பாபே க்ருதக்நே து
ஸ்ம்ருதிஹீநே சலாத்மநி ।
ஆர்ய: கோ விஸ்வஸேஜ்ஜாது
தத்குலீநோ விஸேஷத: ॥
tasminpāpē kṛtaghnē tu
smṛtihīnē calātmani ।
āryaḥ kō viṡvasējjātu
tatkulīnō viṡēṣataḥ ॥
Why would any gentleman,
that too someone from his own lineage,
ever trust him, the sinful, the ungrateful
and the fickle-minded one
whose has a very short memory?
4.55.8 அ
4.55.8 ஆ
4.55.8 இ
4.55.8 ஈ ராஜ்யே புத்ர: ப்ரதிஷ்டாப்ய:
ஸகுணோ விகுணோऽபி வா ।
கதம் ஸத்ருகுலீநம் மாம்
ஸுக்ரீவோ ஜீவயிஷ்யதி ॥
rājyē putraḥ pratiṣṭhāpyaḥ
saguṇō viguṇō'pi vā ।
kathaṃ ṡatrukulīnaṃ mām
sugrīvō jīvayiṣyati ॥
One would like to establish one’s own son,
regardless of whether he is virtuous or not,
in the kingdom (as the successor).
Why would Sugreeva leave me,
who is a progeny of his enemy, alive?
4.55.9 அ
4.55.9 ஆ
4.55.9 இ
4.55.9 ஈ பிந்நமந்த்ரோऽபராத்தஸ்ச
ஹீநஸக்தி: கதம் ஹ்யஹம் ।
கிஷ்கிந்தாம் ப்ராப்ய ஜீவேயம்
அநாத இவ துர்பல: ॥
bhinnamantrō'parāddhaṡca
hīnaṡaktiḥ kathaṃ hyaham ।
kiṣkindhāṃ prāpya jīvēyam
anātha iva durbalaḥ ॥
With my plans gone awry, my power depleted,
how can I live like a forlorn weakling
after arriving in Kishkindhā, carrying guilt?
4.55.10 அ
4.55.10 ஆ
4.55.10 இ
4.55.10 ஈ உபாம்ஸுதண்டேந ஹி மாம்
பந்தநேநோபபாதயேத் ।
ஸட: க்ரூரோ ந்ருஸம்ஸஸ்ச
ஸுக்ரீவோ ராஜ்யகாரணாத் ॥
upāṃṡudaṇḍēna hi māṃ
bandhanēnōpapādayēt ।
ṡaṭhaḥ krūrō nṛṡaṃsaṡca
sugrīvō rājyakāraṇāt ॥
The ruthless, cruel and disingenuous Sugreeva
will certainly tie up and throw me in a dark cell
for the sake of the kingdom.
4.55.11 அ
4.55.11 ஆ
4.55.11 இ
4.55.11 ஈ பந்தநாச்சாவஸாதாந்மே
ஸ்ரேய: ப்ராயோபவேஸநம் ।
அநுஜாநந்து மாம் ஸர்வே
க்ருஹம் கச்சந்து வாநரா: ॥
bandhanāccāvasādānmē
ṡrēyaḥ prāyōpavēṡanam ।
anujānantu māṃ sarvē
gṛhaṃ gacchantu vānarāḥ ॥
O all you Vānaras, please go home
and let me fast unto death,
which is much better for me
than to deteriorate in shackles.
4.55.12 அ
4.55.12 ஆ
4.55.12 இ
4.55.12 ஈ அஹம் வ: ப்ரதிஜாநாமி
ந கமிஷ்யாம்யஹம் புரீம் ।
இஹைவ ப்ராயமாஸிஷ்யே
ஸ்ரேயோ மரணமேவ மே ॥
ahaṃ vaḥ pratijānāmi
na gamiṣyāmyahaṃ purīm ।
ihaiva prāyamāsiṣyē
ṡrēyō maraṇamēva mē ॥
Let me swear to you that I will not go to the city.
I shall fast unto death right here,
for dying is the best option for me.
To be continues