The Ramcharitmanas 3
Page 4
‘A younger brother’s wife, a sister, a son’s wife and a daughter—
Hear me, you blockhead, these four are all alike.
There is no sin in killing him
Who looks upon them with a wicked eye.
You fool, you have too much pride,
Your wife tried to warn you, but you did not listen to her.
You knew that Sugriv was protected by the might of my arm,
But you, wicked and arrogant, you still wished to kill him!’
‘Hear me, Ram—my cunning
Is of no use against my master.
But am I still a sinner, Lord,
Even though I have found refuge in you in my dying hour?’
(9)
Upon hearing these most gentle words, Ram
Touched Baali’s head with his own hands and said,
‘I make your body immortal—retain your life’s breathe.’
But Baali replied, ‘Listen to me, abode of compassion,
Munis strive birth after birth,
Yet at the last moment, they fail to utter the name of “Ram”.
He, on the strength of whose name Shankar bestows
Salvation in Kashi upon all,
That same Ram has appeared before me, visible to my eyes—
Lord, will I ever get such a chance again?
He has appeared before my eyes, he whose qualities
The Vedas ever praise as “Not this, not this”,
Whom the munis scarcely glimpse even in deep meditation despite
Controlling breath and mind, and freeing their senses from passion.
Knowing me to be in the grip of excessive pride,
The Lord said to me, “Keep your body”,
But who is such a fool as to insist upon cutting down
The celestial Kalpataru, and planting a fence of babul3 instead?
Now, Lord, look upon me with compassion,
And grant me the boon I ask.
In the grip of karma, whatever the womb in which I be born,
May I ever be devoted to the feet of Ram.
My son Angad is equal to me in humility and strength—
O bestower of blessedness, my divine Lord, take him,
And, holding him by the arm, O Lord of gods and men,
Make him your own servant.’
Showing intense love for Ram’s feet,
Baali gave up his body
As a garland of flowers falls from an elephant’s neck
Without its knowing it.
(10)
Ram sent Baali to his own ultimate abode.
The townsfolk rushed out, distraught,
And Tara—her hair loose, and barely able to hold herself upright—
Wailed and lamented.
Seeing Tara distracted with grief, Raghurai
Gave her wisdom and took away delusion.
‘This vile and wretched body has been fashioned
From earth, water, fire, sky and air.
It is that body that lies asleep before you,
While the soul is eternal—so for whom do you weep?’
Then wisdom sprang up in her mind and she fell at Ram’s feet,
And asked for the boon of supreme devotion.
Uma, Ram the master makes everyone dance
Like wooden puppets!
Then Ram gave Sugriv the command,
And he performed all his funeral rites as prescribed.
Ram then instructed Lakshman and said,
‘Go, give Sugriv the kingdom.’
Bowing their heads at Raghupati’s feet,
All set forth as commanded by Raghunath.
Lakshman at once summoned
The townsfolk and the Brahmans,
And gave Sugriv the crown,
And Angad the title of crown-prince.
(11)
Uma, there is no benefactor like Ram in this world,
Not guru, father, mother, brother, or master.
Whether gods, men or munis, it is the natural disposition of all
To make friends for selfish reasons.
Sugriv, who trembled day and night in fear of Baali,
Whose body was covered with sores, and whose heart burnt with anxiety—
That same Sugriv was made king of the monkeys!
Raghubir’s disposition is generous indeed!
Those who, knowing this, abandon such a Lord,
Deserve to be caught in a net of troubles.
He then summoned Sugriv,
And instructed him in the principles of statecraft.
Said the Lord, ‘Listen, Sugriv, lord of the monkeys,
I may not enter a town for four and ten years.
But summer is spent and the season of rains has arrived,
So I will encamp upon this mountain close by.
Rule your kingdom with Angad,
And ever keep my purpose in your heart.’
When Sugriv returned to his own home,
Ram made his abode on the Pravarshana mountain.
The gods had already made and kept ready
A beautiful mountain cave
Knowing that Ram, abode of compassion,
Would come and live there for a few days.
(12)
The lovely forest was resplendent with flowers,
Swarms of honeybees hummed in their greed for honey,
And ever since the Lord arrived there,
Beautiful bulbs, roots, fruits and leaves grew in profusion.
Seeing the incomparably enchanting mountain,
The Lord of the gods dwelt there with his brother.
Assuming the forms of bees, birds and deer,
Gods, Siddhas and munis served the Lord.
From the moment that Ramaa’s lord made it his home,
The forest took on the form of joy itself.
There, upon a brightly shining crystal rock,
The two brothers sat at ease,
And Ram discoursed to his younger brother
On bhakti, dispassion, statecraft and spiritual wisdom.
As it was the season of rains, clouds covered the sky—
Their rumbling was exceedingly pleasing.
‘Lakshman, look! See how the peacocks
Dance upon seeing the clouds—
Like a householder devoted to dispassion would rejoice
Upon seeing a devotee of Vishnu somewhere!
(13)
Dark clouds gather in the sky, rumbling and thundering,
But without my beloved, my heart is afraid.
Lightning flashes fitfully amidst the clouds
As fickle as a villain’s affection.
The pouring clouds descend close to the ground
As, upon gaining wisdom, the wise bow down.
The mountain endures the buffeting of the raindrops
As a holy man endures the taunts of the vile.
Little rivulets overflow and rush forth breaking their banks,
Like rogues who strut and swagger with a little wealth.
The water becomes muddy as soon as it falls upon the ground,
Like the soul that becomes wrapped in maya as soon as it is born.
Drop by drop the rainwater gathers and fills the pond,
Like good qualities gather in a good man.
The water of the river flows into the ocean
And becomes still, like the soul when it finds Hari.
The earth is green and covered with grass,
So paths can no longer be discerned,
Like holy books obscured
By discourses on false doctrine.
(14)
In all directions is the croaking of frogs, as pleasing
As the chanting of the Vedas by a group of students.
The many trees have put forth new leaves,
Like the minds of aspirants upon acquiring spiritual wisdom.
The ark and javas are without their leaves
As in a well-governed kingdom the efforts of the wicked come t
o nothing.
Dust cannot be found even upon searching,
Just as wrath does away with righteousness.
The earth, rich with grain, looks as lovely
As a philanthropist’s estate.
In the deep darkness of the night fireflies gather,
Arrogant in their belief that they can dispel it.
The banks of the fields have broken with the heavy rain
In the same way that women go astray with freedom.
Wise farmers weed their fields
Like the wise discard attachment, passion, and pride.
Chakravaks are nowhere to be seen,
Just as righteousness disappears in the age of Kali.
It rains upon barren land, but not a blade of grass takes root there,
Just as lust never grows in the heart of a servant of Hari.
The bright earth teems with creatures of every kind,
Just as, under good government, a kingdom’s population grows.
Here and there rest many weary travellers,
Like the senses when spiritual wisdom comes.
Sometimes a strong wind blows
And scatters the clouds here and there,
Like the birth of a wicked and immoral son
Destroys the family virtues.
(15A)
Sometimes there is deep darkness in the daytime,
Sometimes the sun comes out,
Just as wisdom is obscured in bad company,
But appears in the company of the good.
(15B)
The season of rains has gone and autumn has arrived.
Look Lakshman, it is the most beautiful season of all.
The kash is in flower and covers the whole earth
As though the rainy season has revealed its decrepitude.4
Agastya5 has risen and dried up the water on the paths
In the same way that contentment dries up greed.
The clear water of rivers and lakes shines
Like the heart of a holy man free of pride and attachment.
The water of the streams and ponds is drying up drop by drop,
Just as a wise man gradually gives up possessiveness and attachment.
Knowing that it is autumn, the wagtails have appeared,
Just as the fruits of our good deeds appear at their appointed time.
There is neither mud nor dust, and the earth looks as clean
As the actions of a king skilled in statecraft.
With the shrinking of the waters, the fish are as distraught
As a foolish householder without money.
The cloudless, clear sky is as bright
As a devotee of Hari who has given up all worldly desires.
Here and there fall light autumn showers,
Like the few who attain bhakti in me.
Now kings and ascetics, merchants and mendicants,
Rejoicing, leave the city
In the same way that men in all the four stages of life
Give up striving as soon as they attain faith in Hari.
(16)
The fish in deep water are happy,
Like those taking refuge in Hari have not a single worry.
The lake with its flowering lotuses is as beautiful
As the immaterial Absolute upon taking material form.
Countless swarms of honeybees hum,
And beautiful birds call and sing in many tones.
The chakravak, upon beholding the night, is as sorrowful
As a bad man at the sight of another’s wealth.
The chatak calls again and again that it is very thirsty,
Like one hostile to Shankar never finding bliss.
The moon at night takes away the heat of the autumn sun,
Just as the sight of a holy man drives away sin.
At the sight of the moon, the flocks of chakors
Gaze at it as unblinkingly as Hari’s worshippers upon Hari.
Gnats and mosquitoes have been destroyed by the fear of winter,
Just as hostility to Brahmans brings ruin upon a family.
The creatures that had thronged the earth in the rains,
Disappeared with the coming of autumn,
Just as doubts and errors disappear
Upon finding a true guru.
(17)
The rains have gone, autumn with its clear skies has come,
But, dear brother, we have received no news of Sita.
If I could, even once, somehow get news of her,
I would bring her back in an instant, even from death itself.
Wherever she may be, if she be still alive,
I would, dear brother, make every effort and bring her back.
Sugriv has forgotten all about me,
Now that he has got a kingdom, a treasury, a city, a wife.
I will slay that fool tomorrow
With the same arrow with which I killed Baali!’
He, whose grace sets one free from pride and attachment,
Can he ever be angry, Uma, even in dream?
Enlightened munis who have attached themselves to Raghubir’s feet
Alone understand the mystery of this act.
Lakshman, believing the Lord to be angry,
Strung his bow and picked up his arrows.
Then Raghupati, the pinnacle of compassion,
Explained to his younger brother,
‘Sugriv is our ally, dear brother,
So merely scare him and bring him here.’
(18)
Meanwhile in Kishkindha, the Wind god’s son reflected,
‘Sugriv has forgotten about Ram’s work.’
So, going up to Sugriv, he bowed his head at his feet,
And, using all the four methods of persuasion, reminded him of his promise.
Sugriv grew terribly afraid upon hearing Hanuman’s words.
‘The pleasures of the senses have robbed me of my wisdom!
Now, son of the Wind, send out messengers
To wherever there be monkey bands,
And let it be proclaimed that anyone who does not come here to me within a fortnight,
Shall meet his death at my hands.’
Then Hanuman summoned the messengers,
And received them with great courtesy.
Using intimidation, graciousness and statesmanship, he impressed upon them their task.
Bowing their heads at his feet, the messengers all set forth.
At that very moment, Lakshman entered the city,
And the monkeys, seeing his anger, scattered in all directions.
Lakshman then strung his bow and said,
‘I will burn this city to ashes!’
Then, seeing the city distraught,
Baali’s son, Angad, came.
(19)
Bowing his head at Lakshman’s feet, he pleaded with him,
At which Lakshman assured him of his protection.
When the king of the monkeys heard of Lakshman’s wrath,
He said, distracted with fear,
‘Listen, Hanuman, take Tara with you,
And, with humble supplications, placate the prince.’
Hanuman then took Tara with him,
And, bowing at Lakshman’s feet, recounted the Lord’s glory.
Pleading with him, he led him to the palace,
And, washing his feet, seated him upon a couch.
Then the king of the monkeys bowed his head,
And Lakshman took him by the arm and embraced him.
‘Lord, there is no intoxication like sensual pleasures,
They delude even the minds of munis in an instant.’
Lakshman was pleased to hear this humble apology,
And instructed and reassured him in many ways.
The Wind’s son told him all that had been done,
And how the many messengers had already left.
Then, rejoicing, Sugriv set forth
With Angad and the other monkeys,
And, with Lakshman leading the way,
Came to where Raghunath was.
(20)
Bowing his head at his feet, and folding his hands, he said,
‘Master, it is not my fault.
Exceedingly powerful, divine Lord, is your maya—
It may be shaken off only when you, Ram, show your grace.
Gods, men and munis are all under the sway of sensual pleasure,
And I am but a wretched animal, a monkey most dissolute and debauched.
He who is not wounded by the arrow of a woman’s eyes,
Who can see even in the dark night of anger,
Who has not let his neck be caught in the noose of greed—
That man is your equal, Raghurai.
These qualities cannot be attained by practice or endeavour—
It is only through your favour that a very few receive them.’
Then Raghupati, smiling, said,
‘You are as dear to me as Bharat, brother.
Now apply your mind and so contrive
That we get some news of Sita.’
While they were thus talking,
The monkey bands arrived,
So that in every direction could be seen
Crowds of monkeys of every colour.
(21)
I saw that army of monkeys, Uma—
Only a fool would have tried to count them!
They came and bowed their heads at Ram’s feet,
And gazing upon his face, they all found in him their true Lord.
In that army there was not one monkey
About whose well-being Ram did not inquire.
This was no great miracle for my Lord,
For Raghurai exists in every form and pervades all.
They stood as ordered all about,
And Sugriv instructed them all,
‘For Ram’s work, and at my request,
Go forth, monkey bands, in all four directions.
Search for Janak’s daughter
And return within a month, my brothers.
Whoever returns at the end of that time without any news,
Shall meet his death at my hands.’
At his words, all the monkeys
Immediately set forth in every direction.
Then Sugriv called
Angad, Nal and Hanuman.
(22)
‘Listen to me, Nil, Angad, Hanuman
And Jamvant, of resolute minds and wise—
Go all you valiant warriors together to the south,