Valmiki's Ramayana

by Vālmīki,Sattar, Arshia

  Rāma, still tormented with grief over the separation from Sītā, gave orders for the monkey army to make camp. The huge army of monkeys seemed like a second ocean of honey-coloured water on the shore. They camped in the forest and watched the waves rise and fall with great delight. They looked out over the endless waters that teemed with fish and sea monsters and serpents with glittering bodies. The ocean was particularly terrifying at twilight and seemed to ebb and swell with the moon.

  The ocean had submarine mountain ranges and its unplumbed depths were as dangerous as the realm of the asuras. The waves rose and fell with the wind, filled with the fish and serpents that lived in the waters. Drops of water gleamed like sparks from a fire. The waters were like the sky and the sky like the waters. You could not tell one from the other. Sky and water mingled, the only difference being that one was filled with stars, the other with precious gems. Waves filled the sea as clouds fill the sky and the waves crashed against each other, making a noise like drums on the battlefield. The monkeys watched in wonder as the waters were tossed by the wind and seemed to fill the sky.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Meanwhile, Rāvaṇa had seen the terrible destruction Hanumān had wrought upon Lankā, so devastating that only a being that was Indra’s equal could have done it. Somewhat disturbed, the king of the rākṣasas said, ‘My impregnable and unassailable city was entered and attacked by a mere monkey. He even managed to see Sītā. The monkey destroyed our buildings and killed a number of rākṣasas and threw the entire city into a panic.

  ‘What shall I do now? What is the appropriate course of action?’ he asked his advisors. ‘You must tell me what is the right thing to do as well as what we are capable of doing. Great men who are known for their courage have said that consultation and advice are the roots of victory. I would like to discuss this problem with you. You are wise and circumspect. Consider the matter carefully and decide what we should do. I will do exactly as you say. Rāma will soon be here with an army of hundreds of millions of monkeys to lay siege to our city. He will find some way of crossing the ocean. Briefly, this is the situation we find ourselves in. Think about the welfare of our city and our army.’

  The heroic rākṣasas joined their palms in respect and said, ‘Our army is vast and has all kinds of weapons. What is there to worry about? Kubera lived on Mount Kailāsa surrounded by hordes of yakṣas. You defeated them all and made them subordinate to you, even though Kubera had Śiva for a friend and thought very highly of himself. He was a guardian of the quarters but in your anger, you defeated him in combat. You wrought havoc among the yakṣas and stopped their advance from Kailāsa. You even got the wondrous Puṣpaka for yourself!

  ‘The king of the dānavas, Māya, sought an alliance with you out of fear and gave you his daughter in marriage. You even brought the dānava Madhu, renowned for his strength and courage, under your control! You went to the underworld and conquered the nāgas. After a battle that lasted a whole year, you subdued many dānavas and learned the magic arts. You defeated Varuṇa’s sons in battle even though they were backed by a massive four-divisioned army.

  ‘Long ago, the earth was full of kṣatriyas who rivalled Indra in their heroism. They were as numerous as trees. And you killed them all even though they were invincible to others. Rāma has neither their skills nor their courage in battle. Do not be disturbed by this challenge from such mediocre beings. You are bound to kill Rāma!’

  Various mighty rākṣasa warriors leapt up from their seats and began to shout. ‘We shall kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and Sugrīva today! And that wretched Hanumān, who caused so much trouble in Lankā!’

  They grabbed their weapons, ready to fight, but Vibhīṣaṇa made them all sit down again. He placed his palms together and said, ‘Wise men say that war should be sought only after the first three options have been tried and have failed. My child, force will only succeed if it is used correctly after proper deliberation, according to the rules, or if the enemy is destined to die, or if he is engaged with other enemies, or if he is unaware. How can you think of attacking someone who is vigilant, who is supported by a huge army, who is determined to win, who has conquered his temper and is invincible?

  ‘Who would have ever imagined that Hanumān would be able to leap across the ocean and do what he did? Do not underestimate the enemy! They are brave and have limitless forces. Besides that, what has Rāma ever done to Rāvaṇa that would justify the abduction of Sītā from Janasthāna? It was Khara’s behaviour that made Rāma kill him in combat. All beings are entitled to defend their lives.

  ‘Sītā should be given back. What do we gain by incurring their enmity? It is not right to unnecessarily incur the wrath of a righteous man who holds to dharma. Let us give Sītā back! If we do not volunteer to return Rāma’s beloved wife, this lovely city and these brave rākṣasas will definitely be destroyed. I beg you as a brother, listen to me! Do as I say! My advice is based on righteousness and it is for your good. Return Sītā! Give her back before Rāma shoots you dead with an endless stream of arrows that sting like the rays of the sun and never miss their mark! Renounce this anger which destroys happiness and virtue. Follow the path of righteousness that leads to fame and joy. Have pity on us! Let us live in peace with our children and our families. Give Sītā back to Rāma!’

  Rāvaṇa listened to his brother’s well-intentioned words, but impelled by his fate, he replied harshly, ‘One can live with a rival or with a poisonous snake but one cannot live with someone who claims friendship and then serves the interests of the enemy. I know how family members feel—they rejoice in the misfortunes of their kin. If a person is the best in his family, if he is capable, learned and righteous, they do not respect him. Instead, they try to bring him down. Of all the dangers in the world, the danger from your family is the worst! We know that cows yield with abundance, that brahmins exercise self-control and that women are fickle. So, too, it is evident that one’s family is dangerous! The fact that I am respected by the world does not sit well with you! Neither does my power and majesty. If anyone else had spoken to me like this, Vibhīṣaṇa, he would be dead! Damn you! You are a disgrace to the family!’

  Honourable Vibhīṣaṇa leapt up from his seat, holding his mace, along with four other rākṣasas. Enraged, he stepped into the air and said to his brother, ‘You are my brother, great king. You can say whatever you like. But I will not forgive you for these cruel words and for your unrighteousness! Those who are doomed to die do not listen to good advice from their well wishers. It is easy to find companions who will tell you what you want to hear. It is hard to find those who will speak the unpleasant truth. It is harder still to find those who will listen to it.

  ‘I cannot stand by and watch you place your head in death’s noose any more than I can stand and watch a house on fire. I do not want to see you killed by golden arrows that are like tongues of flame. Even men who are strong and brave and who have performed great feats in battle crumble like walls of sand when they are in death’s grasp. Protect this city and all the rākṣasas! I wish you well! I am leaving now. I hope you will be happy without me!’

  Vibhīṣaṇa left almost immediately to find Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. The monkeys who were on the ground with Sugrīva saw Vibhīṣaṇa coming through the air. He was as large as Mount Meru and he shone like lightning. Sugrīva thought for a moment and then said to Hanumān and the others, ‘Look at this rākṣasa fully armed! I have no doubt he has come here with his four companions to kill us!’

  The monkeys armed themselves with trees and rocks and said, ‘Give the word, king, and we shall kill them and drop them to ground in an instant!’

  As they were talking amongst themselves, Vibhīṣaṇa reached the northern shore of the ocean and stood there calmly. He noticed Sugrīva and the others and addressed them in a loud voice. ‘I am Vibhīṣaṇa, the younger brother of Rāvaṇa, the wicked king of the rākṣasas! He is the one who abducted
Sītā from Janasthāna and killed Jaṭāyu. Sītā is constantly guarded by rākṣasīs and she is helpless and miserable. I have argued with Rāvaṇa again and again and given him many reasons why he should return Sītā to Rāma. But he is trapped by his fate and refuses to take my advice, as a man who wants to die refuses medication. He has insulted me and treated me like a slave. So I have renounced my wife and children and have come to Rāma for refuge. Rāma is the refuge of all creatures in the world. Tell him that Vibhīṣaṇa has come to see him!’

  Sugrīva went hurriedly to Rāma, greatly agitated and, in front of Lakṣmaṇa, he said, ‘Rāvaṇa’s brother Vibhīṣaṇa has come here with four other rākṣasas to take refuge with you. I am sure he has been sent here by Rāvaṇa as a spy. We must imprison him. He will gain our confidence and then he will kill you, Rāma! I think we should be ruthless with Vibhīṣaṇa and his companions. Remember, he is vile Rāvaṇa’s brother!’

  Rāma understood what Sugrīva was trying to tell him, and, after he had finished speaking, Rāma addressed Hanumān and the other monkey leaders who were standing nearby. ‘You have heard what the king of the monkeys has to say about Rāvaṇa’s brother. He has spoken clearly and to the point. When a problem like this has to be resolved, all one’s intelligent and capable companions should express their opinions.’

  They all spoke eagerly but courteously. Angada was the first to speak and suggested that Vibhīṣaṇa’s loyalty be tested. Vibhīṣaṇa is our enemy. It is appropriate that we be suspicious of him first. We cannot just assume that he is worthy of our trust. Deceitful people hide their intentions and move amongst the enemy and then they strike when the time is right. That would be a disaster for us. Let us test him before we take him into our confidence. If he proves to be virtuous, we shall take him and if not, we must drop him.’

  Śarabha, who was very practical, said, ‘Let us put a spy on him as soon as possible. Once he has been watched and investigated by someone with a keen intelligence, we can decide what to do next.’

  Jāmbavan was learned in the traditional texts of kingship and he considered the matter in that context. ‘Vibhīṣaṇa comes from our sworn enemy, the wicked king of the rākṣasas. He has not acted appropriately and we must be suspicious of him because of that.’

  Mainda, who knew the difference between right and wrong and who was very eloquent, said, ‘Let us question Vibhīṣaṇa gently and without hostility about Rāvaṇa’s plans. We will be able to assess his real intentions and decide whether he is good or evil.’

  Then Hanumān, who was the finest of all the councillors, rich in learning and wisdom and familiar with the rules of conduct, said, ‘The strategies suggested by the others, that we assess Vibhīṣaṇa’s merits, seem flawed to me. I cannot see how such a scheme would work. It would be all right if we could conceive of some huge test for him. At the same time, we cannot simply take a stranger into our midst like this.

  ‘The suggestion that we have him spied upon is also faulty. The circumstances are not suitable for something like that. The idea that Vibhīṣaṇa has come to us at the wrong time and in the wrong place is also incorrect. In fact, I feel it is just the opposite. I think he has come to the right place at the right time. He saw how wicked Rāvaṇa is and how great and powerful Rāma is. He made the right choice by deciding to come here.

  ‘The idea that we should question him is based on faulty logic. Any intelligent person who is questioned like this would become suspicious and we run the risk of alienating someone who has approached us in genuine friendship. One can never get to the real intentions of another by questioning him.

  ‘He never showed any indications of deceit or lies when he was speaking. His face and manner were open and friendly. I am sure he is sincere. There is no hint of unrighteousness in anything he has said. He has observed your actions and seen Rāvaṇa’s deeds. He has heard about the killing of Vālī and Sugrīva’s coronation. I think he has come here because he wants a kingdom. Keeping all this in mind, I think it would be all right to take him as an ally!’

  Rāma listened with interest and delight to Hanumān’s intelligent response. ‘I, too, have something to say on the subject of Vibhīṣaṇa,’ he said. ‘Listen to it, for you have my interests at heart. You should never turn away anyone who comes to you in friendship, even if he has evil intentions. A good person would never do that.’

  Sugrīva was moved by what Rāma said and his love and respect for Rāma swelled. ‘There is nothing surprising in this! You are the lord of the world and you are honourable. You know dharma and you do and say the right thing all the time. I know in my heart that Vibhīṣaṇa is a good man. That is the only conclusion anyone would come to if they observed him carefully. Let Vibhīṣaṇa be made equal with all of us, Rāma. Take him as an ally!’

  ‘What difference does it make if this rākṣasa is good or wicked,’ said Rāma. ‘Nobody can hurt me in the slightest way. I could destroy all the piśācas, the dānavas, the yakṣas and the rākṣasas in the world with my little finger if I wanted to! Even at the cost of his own life, a righteous man must protect a fugitive from the enemy, no matter if he be arrogant or in abject misery. I give him my protection, whether it is Vibhīṣaṇa or Rāvaṇa himself. Bring him here, monkeys!’

  Vibhīṣaṇa was relieved that Rāma had accepted him and fell at his feet along with his companions. ‘I am Rāvaṇa’s brother. But he has dismissed me and so I have come to you, the refuge of all creatures!’ he said. ‘I have renounced Lankā, my friends and all my wealth. Now my hopes for a kingdom, life and happiness lie with you. I will do all I can to help you destroy the rākṣasas and conquer Lankā. I will even infiltrate the enemy army!’

  Rāma embraced Vibhīṣaṇa and told Lakṣmaṇa to fetch water from the ocean. ‘Use this water to consecrate Vibhīṣaṇa king of the rākṣasas so that he knows how pleased I am with him!’ he said. Lakṣmaṇa did as he was told and Vibhīṣaṇa was crowned in the presence of all the monkeys who shouted ‘Well done! Excellent!’ at this sign of favour from Rāma.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Then Sugrīva asked Vibhīṣaṇa, ‘How shall we cross this boundless ocean? We cannot think of a way to get across with the entire monkey army.’

  ‘Rāma should ask the ocean for help!’ replied Vibhīṣaṇa. ‘This ocean was dug up by Sagara and he will use all his resources to help Rāma!’

  Vibhīṣaṇa’s plan was simple and practical and it appealed to Rāma. ‘I like this idea, Lakṣmaṇa’ said Rāma. ‘Tell me, do you and Sugrīva approve? You are both experienced advisors. Consider the plan and tell me what you think.’

  Sugrīva and Lakṣmaṇa replied together, ‘How could Vibhīṣaṇa’s idea not appeal to us? It is timely and practical. We cannot cross the immense ocean without building a bridge. Even an army of the gods and asuras led by Indra could not reach Lankā any other way! Let us put Vibhīṣaṇa’s plan into action immediately. We have wasted enough time already!’

  Rāma sat down on a bed of kuśa grass on the ocean shore, blazing like the sacrificial fire. He sat there beside the ocean for three days and three nights in constant vigil, adhering strictly to his vows. But the ocean, the lord of the rivers, did not appear before Rāma, who was doing this to propitiate him. Rāma’s eyes turned red with anger and he said to Lakṣmaṇa, who stood beside him, ‘Look, Lakṣmaṇa! The ocean does not present himself despite the honour I do him! He is so arrogant that he will not show himself!

  ‘The virtues of good men, like calmness, patience, honesty and sweet speech bear no results. They are seen as signs of weakness. The world respects only those men who are wicked and cunning, who dole out punishments in all directions and who constantly praise themselves. One cannot achieve fame and success in the world without violence, just as one cannot achieve victory in battle without it.

  ‘Today you shall watch as the ocean overflows with fish pierced by my arro
ws, Lakṣmaṇa! You shall see the carcasses of sea creatures shredded by my arrows! Today I shall declare war on this mighty ocean, filled with shells and fish, and I shall dry up his waters! The ocean thinks I am weak because I have been patient. What is the use of patience with someone like this? Bring me my bow, Lakṣmaṇa, and my arrows which are like poisonous snakes. I am going to agitate this calm ocean. Even though it never transgresses its bounds, I shall cause such huge waves that the ocean will overflow!’

  His eyes dilated with anger, Rāma grabbed his bow and he blazed like the doomsday fire. He held his mighty bow in the middle and made the earth tremble as he released a storm of arrows as Indra would release his thunderbolt. The arrows shone with splendour and they forced themselves into the ocean, causing great fear among the sea creatures. A huge wind arose and mighty waves crashed to the shore, carrying fish and sea serpents with them. The ocean was terribly agitated and threw up vast quantities of shells and filled the air with spray from its swiftly receding waters. The serpents and dānavas who lived in submarine worlds were terrified and their eyes blazed like fire. Thousands of waves as high as mountains rose from the ocean and the waters were filled with floating fish and other creatures.

  Then, the ocean himself rose from the middle of the waters, like the sun rising over the peaks of Mount Meru. He made himself manifest, surrounded by sea serpents with flaming jaws. He was as smooth as emerald and was adorned with gold. He wore red clothes and a garland of red flowers and his eyes were like lotus petals.

  He joined his palms in respect and said to Rāma, who was still holding his arrows, ‘Rāma, the earth, the wind, sky, water and fire are all bound by their essential nature. I, too, have my own nature which makes me impossible to cross and impossible to swim. It would be completely unnatural for me to let you cross over. There is nothing, not desire, not greed nor fear, that can make these waters still. The only thing I can grant you is something that I, too, can endure; and that is that the sea monsters will not prey on you until the army has crossed the waters.