Summary
Lakshmana explains about Seetha's abduction and their inability to trace her whereabouts. As informed earlier by a demon freed from his curse and who became a celestial, Lakshmana says that they are searching for one Sugreeva, King of Vanara-s, to befriend him in order to take help in searching for Seetha. Hanuma, who is on a similar mission to befriend these two warriors, as instructed by Sugreeva in the earlier chapter, comes to a conclusion that the needs of both the friends would be fulfilled. Then Hanuma takes the two bothers on his back to the place where Sugreeva is hiding from Vali.
Chapter [Sarga] 4 in Detail
tatah prahristo hanumaan krityavaan iti tat vacah |
shrutvaa madhura bhaavam ca sugriivam manasaa gatah || 4-4-1
Then that Hanuma, who has good deeds for his credit, on hearing the words of Lakshmana, and even knowing that they are finely meaningful, he rejoicing recalled in his mind that Sugreeva's effort is going to fructify. [4-4-1]
bhaavyo raajyaagamah tasya sugriivasya mahaatmanah |
yat ayam krityavaan praaptah krityam ca etat upaagatam || 4-4-2
"Conceivable is the retrieval of the kingdom by that great souled Sugreeva...and for which deed, this purposive Rama has come, and that deed desired by Rama is also achievable by Sugreeva, and thus all this has came by..." thus thought Hanuma. [4-4-2]
tatah parama sa.mhristah hanumaan plavagottamah |
prati uvaaca tato vaakyam raamam vaakya vishaaradah || 4-4-3
Then Hanuma, the ablest flyer is thus very gladdened...and in turn then spoke to that very learned one, namely Rama. [4- 4-3]
kim artham tvam vanam ghoram pampaa kaanana manditam |
aagatah saanujo durgam naanaa vyaala mriga aayutam || 4-4-4
"What for you have come into these perilous forests hemming in Pampa Lake along with your brother, for these are impenetrable forests abounding with many a serpent and animal?" Thus Hanuma asked Rama. [4-4-4]
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa laksmano raama coditah |
aacacakse mahaatmaanam raamam dasharathaatmajam || 4-4-5
On hearing the words of Hanuma, Lakshmana motivated by Rama, narrated about the great soul Rama, the son of Dasharatha. [4-4-5]
raajaa dasharatho naama dyutimaan dharma vatsalah |
chaatur varnyam sva dharmena nityam eva abhipaalayan || 4-4-6
"The king named Dasharatha, a resplendent one and the patron of virtue was ruling the four-caste system with its, and by his own rectitude, for he is also bound within that four-caste system... [4-4-6]
na dvesta vidyate tasya sa tu dvesti na kamchana |
sa tu sarvesu bhutesu pitamaha iva aparah || 4-4-7
There is none despising him, nor he despised any and for all the living beings he is like the Grandparent Brahma on earth... [4-4-7]
agnistomaadibhih yajnaih istavaan aapta dakshinaih |
tasya ayam puurvajah putro raamo naama janaih shrutah || 4-4-8
"And he, King Dasharatha who performed rituals Agnistoma and the like Vedic rituals wherein he donated liberally, and this one is his eldest son, and he is renowned among people by the name of Rama... [4-4-8]
sharanyah sarva bhuutaanaam pituh nirdesha paaragah |
jyesto dasharathasya ayam putraanaam gunavattarah || 4-4-9
raaja laxana sa.myuktah sa.myukto raajya sampadaa ||
raajaat bhrasto mayaa vastum vane saardham iha aagatah || 4-4-10
"He is the protector of all beings and the follower of father's directives, he is the eldest one among the sons of King Dasharatha... possessor of high virtues, qualities and royal fortune befitting to a king... but he is deprived of his kingdom, and came hither to dwell in the forests... nevertheless, followed by me...[4-4-9, 10]
bhaaryayaa ca mahaabhaaga siitayaa anugato vashii |
dina ksaye mahaatejaah prabha eva divaakarah || 4-4-11
With his wife Seetha following him, oh, highly fortunate Hanuma, this self-controlled and highly resplendent Rama came to forests like sun with his dwindling resplendence when the day is abated... [4-4-11]
aham asya avarah bhraataa gunaih daasyam upaagatah |
kritajnasya bahujnasya laksmano naama naamatah || 4-40-12
"I am the one who obtained servitude by the justness of this faithful and knowledgeable one, and his younger brother, by name I am named as Lakshmana... [4-4-12]
sukhaarhasya mahaarhasya sarvabhuuta hitaatmanah |
aishvaryena vihiinasya vanavaase ratasya ca || 4-4-13
raksasa apahritaa bhaaryaa rahite kaama ruupinaa |
tat ca na jnaayate raksah patnii yena asya vaa hritaa || 4-4-14
"He who aspires to keep up the well-being of all the beings, and he who is merited for all comforts and respectability is now devoid of his prosperity and predisposed to forest dwelling... such as he is, his wife is abducted by a guise changing demon in a lonely place, of whom we know not... we know not which demon stole his wife... [4-4-13, 14]
danuh naama diteh putrah shaapaat raaksasataam gatah |
aakhyaatah tena sugriivah samartho vaanaraadhipah || 4-4-15
sa jnaasyati mahaaviiryah tava bhaaryaa apahaarinam |
evam uktvaa danuh svargam bhraajamaano divam gatah || 4-4-16
"One named Danu, son of Diti, who acquired demon-hood by curse had said that Sugreeva, the chief of monkeys, is a capable one, and he even said, "that great valorous Sugreeva can know about the abductor of your wife..." saying thus that Danu is released from the curse of his demon-hood, moved skyward and went away to heavens while becoming self-luminous... [4-4-15, 16]
etat te sarvam aakhyaatam yaathaatathyena pricchatah |
aham caiva ca raamah ca sugriivam sharanam gatau || 4-4-17
"All this is informed to you, as it is as you have asked...myself and Rama, we now have our recourse to Sugreeva alone... [4-4-17]
esa dattvaa ca vittaani praapya ca anuttamam yashah |
lokanaathah puraa bhuutvaa sugriivam naatham icchati || 4-4-18
"He who gave away riches in charity, who obtained unequalled renown and who himself was the lord of this world earlier, now accepts the lordship of Sugreeva... [4-4-18]
siitaa yasya snusaa ca aasit sharanyo dharmavatsalah |
tasya putrah sharanyasya sugrivam sharanam gatah || 4-4-19
"Who was a patron of virtue and who himself was a shelterer, to whom Seetha is the daughter-in-law, such a shelterer son Rama is now taking shelter under Sugreeva... [4-4-19]
sarva lokasya dharmaatmaa sharanyah sharanam puraa |
gurur me raaghavah so.ayam sugrivam sharanam gatah || 4-4-20
"He who is a virtuous one and protector of all the world, and who is the only refuge for all in earlier times... such a Raghava, my mentor, is now seeking refuge with Sugreeva... [4-4-20]
yasya prasaade satatam prasideyuh imaah prajaah |
sa raamah vaanarendrasya prasaadam abhikaankshate || 4-4-21
"By whose beneficence all these people are always delighted; he that Rama is now seeking benefaction from the lord of monkeys... [4-4-21]
yena sarva gunopetaah prithivyaam sarva paarthivaah |
maanitaah satatam raajnaa sadaa dasharathena vai || 4-4-22
tasya ayam purvajah putrah trisu lokesu vishrutah |
sugrivam vaanarendram tu raamah sharanam aagatah || 4-4-23
"By which king Dasharatha, are all the kings with all possible good attributes are always, and at all the times were esteemed to be safeguarded as defensible kings, such king’s eldest son Rama, renowned in all the three worlds for his own sheltering the needy, has now taken shelter under monkeys lord Sugreeva... [4-4-22, 23]
shoka abhibhuute raame tu shoka aarte sharanam gate |
kartum arhati sugriivah prasaadam saha yuuthapaih || 4-4-24
"One who is rebuffed by sadness, and even agonized by it had already sought refuge, hence it is apt of Sugreeva to do favor in Rama’s respect along with other Vanara commanders..." Lakshmana said thus to Hanuma. [4-4-24]
evam bruvaanam saumitrim karunam sa ashru paatanam |
hanumaan prati uvaaca idam vaakyam vaakya vishaaradah || 4-4-25
To Lakshmana, who is telling that piteously with tears falling out, the eminently lettered Hanuman said this in his return. [4-4-25]
iidrishaa buddhi sa.mpannaa jitakrodhaa jiteindriyaah |
drastavyaa vaanareindrena distyaa darshanam aagataah || 4-4-26
"Intellectuals of your kind, who have conquered anger and senses are to be seen by the chief of monkeys Sugreeva, for your advent is godsend... [4-4-26]
sa hi raajyaat ca vibhrastah krita vairah ca vaalinaa |
hrita daaro vane trastah bhraatraa vinikritah bhrisham || 4-4-27
"He who is made as an enemy, very much insulted, and abrogated from kingdom by his own brother Vali, that Sugreeva is roaming about forests fearing him alone, his own brother Vali... [4-4-27]
karisyati sa saahaayyam yuvayoh bhaaskaraatmajah |
sugriivah saha ca asmaabhih siitaayaah parimaargane || 4-4-28
"He that son of Sun, Sugreeva, will render help to you two, joining forces of our like Vanara-s in searching Seetha..." [4-4-28]
iti evam uktvaa hanumaan shlaksnam madhurayaa giraa |
babhaase saadhu gacchaamah sugriivam iti raaghavam || 4-4-29
Thus Hanuman on speaking melodious words with politeness, also said to Raghava as, “good, we may now approach Sugreeva...." [4-4-29]
evam bruvantam dharmaatmaa hanuumantam sa laksmanah |
pratipuujya yathaa nyaayam idam provaaca raaghavam || 4-4-30
Hanuma when said thus virtuous Lakshmana adored him customarily in the way befitting to an envoy, and spoke this to Rama... [4-4-30]
kapih kathayate hristo yathaa ayam maarutaatmajah |
krityavaan so.api sa.mpraaptah krita krityo.asi raaghava || 4-4-31
"Raghava, as to how this monkey seems to be happy in meeting us, by way of his narration, and he too neared us as an aspirant of some deed to be performed by us, hence joining them seems to fulfill your mission... [4-4-31]
prasanna mukha varnah ca vyaktam hristah ca bhaasate |
na anritam vaksyate viiro hanuumaan maarutaatmajah || 4-4-32
"He is talking with a lucid expression and pleasing facial tinge by which he seems to be gladdened at his heart... needless is telling untruths to such a valiant son of Air-god, Hanuma, isn’t it!" So said Lakshmana to Rama [4-4-32]
tatah sa sumahaapraajnah hanumaan maarutaatmajah |
jagaama aadaaya tau viirau hari raajaaya raaghavau || 4-4-33
Then he that very intelligent son of Air-god Hanuma took those two valorous Raghava-s to go to the king of monkeys Sugreeva. [4-4-33]
bhikshu rupam parityajya vanaram rupam asthitah |
pristam aropya tau virau jagama kapikunjarah || 4-4-34
On discarding the ascetic's semblance that estimable monkey Hanuma obtained his own monkey's form, and mounting those two valiant ones onto his back he proceeded towards Sugreeva. [4-4-34]
sa tu vipula yashaah kapi praviirah pavanasutah krita krityavat prahristah |
giri varam uruvikramah prayaatah sa shubhamatih saha raama laksmanaabhyaam || 4-4-35
Hanuma, the extensively renowned heroic son of Air-god with pious mind and highly audacious nature, is then gladdened like the one whose difficult deed is just accomplished, thus he gladly traveled to that mountain where Sugreeva is abiding, along with Rama and Lakshmana. [4-4-35]
iti valmiki ramayane adi kavye aranya kande chaturthah sargah
Thus, this is the 4th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate