Summary
Sugreeva's knowledge of physical world is acquired when Vali put him to flight. Rama enquires with Sugreeva as to how Sugreeva has many details of lands, countries, rivers, and mountains. In reply, Sugreeva says that when repulsed by Vali he was on the run to pillar to post, until he finally settled on Mt. Rishyamuka. During such a plighted flight, Sugreeva says, he acquired a direct and personal knowledge of earth.
Chapter [Sarga] 46 in Detail
gatesu vaanarendresu raamah sugriivam abraviit |
katham bhavaan vijaaniite sarvam vai mandalam bhuvah || 4-46-1
When the chiefs of monkey-troops are on their way Rama spoke to Sugreeva, "Indeed, how do you know very-well about the globe of earth in its entirety?" [4-46-1]
sugriivah ca tato raamam uvaaca pranata aatmavaan |
shruuyataam sarvam aakhyaasye vistarena vaco mama || 4-46-2
Then Sugreeva bowing down before Rama said, "I will narrate all vividly, and let my words be heard." [4-46-2]
yadaa tu du.ndubhim naama daanavam mahisa aakritim |
parikaalayate vaalii malayam prati parvatam || 4-46-3
tadaa vivesha mahiso malayasya guhaam prati |
vivesha vaalii tatra api malayam tat jighaa.msayaa || 4-46-4
"When Vali repulsed the buffalo-shaped demon Dundubhi towards Malaya Mountain, then that buffalo entered the cave of Mt. Malaya, and even Vali entered therein wishing to kill that buffalo. [4-46-3, 4]
tato aham tatra niksipto guhaa dvaari viniitavat |
na ca niskramate vaalii tadaa sa.mvatsare gate || 4-46-5
"Vali then kept me at the mouth of the cave as I was an amenable brother, but Vali did not exit from cave even after one full year. [4-46-5]
tatah ksataja vegena aapupuure tadaa bilam |
tat aham vismito dristvaa bhraatuh shoka visa arditah || 4-46-6
"I was dumbfounded to see that cave is then fully filled with blood, and then a venom like anguish called the loss of my brother agonized me. [4-46-6]
atha aham gata buddhih tu suvyaktam nihato guruh |
shilaa parvata sa.nkaashaa bila dvaari mayaa kritaa || 4-46-7
ashaknuvan nis.hkramitum mahiso vinashisyati |
"Then I concluded that 'my brother is unmistakably killed,' and then I fixed a mountain similar boulder in the mouth of that cavity with a thinking that it will be impossible for that buffalo to exit and it will get destroyed within that cave itself. [4-46-7, 8a]
tato aham aagaam kiski.ndhaam niraashah tasya jiivite || 4-46-8
raajyam ca sumahat praapya taaraam ca rumayaa saha |
mitraih ca sahitah tatra vasaami vigata jvarah || 4-46-9
"Unhopeful of Vali's aliveness then I arrived in Kishkindha, and on getting the very magnificent kingdom of Kishkindha, and also Ruma along with Tara, I was peaceably staying there with friends. [4-46-8, 9]
aajagaama tato vaalii hatvaa tam daanavarsabhah |
tato aham adadaam raajyam gauravaat bhaya ya.ntritah || 4-46-10
"Vali then came back to Kishkindha on killing that great demon, and then I was spellbound in fear of Vali's killing me, and I gave back the kingdom to Vali owing to my deference to him. [4-46-10]
sa maam jighaa.nsuh dustaatmaa vaalii pravyathita indriyah |
parikaalayate krodhaat dhaava.ntam sacivaih saha || 4-46-11
"That evil-minded Vali becoming highly perturbed at his senses furiously repulsed me further and further away, even though I was running away from him with my ministers, as he wished to kill me. [4-46-11]
tato aham vaalinaa tena saanubandhah pradhaavitah |
nadiih ca vividhaah pashyan vanaani nagaraani ca || 4-46-12
"Such as I was, who is repulsed by Vali, I was made to run away rapidly, and during that fleeing I went on seeing diverse rivers, forests and cities. [4-46-12]
aadarsha tala sa.nkaashaa tato vai prithivii mayaa |
alaata cakra pratimaa dristaa gospadavat tadaa - kritaa || 4-46-13
"I have then really seen the earth as in the reflection on the surface of a mirror, where the mirror shows all the objects in exactness, and the earth is like the circle of a fireball, where it is encircled with fire-like reddish, brownish, ocherish [red or yellow] minerals and ores, and it appeared to me in my high flight like a cow-hoof-print in the mirror, called my perception. [4-46-13]
puurvam dishaam tato gatvaa pashyaami vividhaan drumaan |
parvataan sa dariin ramyaan saraa.msi vividhaani ca || 4-46-14
"Then on going to eastern direction I saw various trees, enchanting mountains with caves, and also numerous lakes. [4-46-14]
udayam tatra pashyaami parvatam dhaatu manditam |
kshiirodam saagaram caiva nityam apsara aalayam || 4-46-15
"There I saw the mountain wreathed in with ores, namely Mt. Udaya, the Sun-Rise, and I have also seen the Milk Water Oceans which is forever an abode for apsara-s. [4-46-15]
parikaalyamaanah tadaa vaalinaa abhidrutah hi aham |
punah aavritya sahasaa prasthito aham tadaa vibho || 4-46-16
"I fled speedily when Vali repulsed me, but oh, lord Rama, when I returned he again made me to flee forthwith. [4-46-16]
dishah tasyaah tato bhuuyah prasthito dakshinam disham |
vindhya paadapa sa.mkiirnaam candana druma shobhitaam || 4-46-17
"Then from that eastern direction I fled to southern direction, which is thick with Vindhya Range Mountains and diverse trees, especially with sandalwood trees. [4-46-17]
druma shaila antare pashyan bhuuyo dakshinato aparaaam |
aparaam ca disham praapto vaalinaa samabhidrutah || 4-46-18
"While I was seeing the interiors of forest and mountains again I was made to run by Vali, who was setting upon me from within the interiors of those forests and mountains, and then I reached the western direction. [4-46-18]
sa pashyan vividhaan deshaan astam ca giri sattamam |
praapya ca astam giri shrestham uttaram sa.mpradhaavitah || 4-46-19
"Such as I was, on seeing diverse cities and the best mountain Astagiri, Mt. Dusk, I reached that excellent Mt. Dusk also, and since Vali is at my heel, I took to my heels, by a long way to north. [4-46-19]
himava.ntam ca merum ca samudram ca tathaa uttaram |
yadaa na vinde sharanam vaalinaa samabhidrutah || 4-46-20
tato maam buddhi sa.mpanno hanumaan vaakyam abraviit |
"Even at Himalayas, Mt. Meru, like that at the Northern Ocean, Vali drove me back, and when the clemency from Vali, or a shelter, or even a foothold on earth was indeterminable, then Hanuma, whose prosperity is his wisdom, said a word to me. [4-46-20, 21a]
idaaniim me smritam raajan yathaa vaalii hariishvarah || 4-46-21
matangena tadaa shapto hi asmin aashrama mandale |
pravishet yadi vai vaalii muurdhaa asya shatadhaa bhavet || 4-46-22
tatra vaasah sukho asmaakam nir.hudvigno bhavisyati |
“‘Oh, king Sugreeva, now I remember how Sage Matanga cursed the king of monkeys Vali at that time. If Vali really enters the fringes of the hermitage of Sage Matanga, Vali's head gets splintered in hundred ways. Hence dwelling in sage Matanga's hermitage will be peaceful and imperturbable for us.' Thus Hanuma spoke to me. [4-46-21b, 22, 23a]
tatah parvatam aasaadya rishyamuukam nripaatmaja || 4-46-23
na vivesha tadaa vaalii mata.ngasya bhayaat tadaa |
evam mayaa tadaa raajan pratyaksam upalaksitam |
prithivii mandalam sarvam guhaam asmi aagatah tatah || 4-46-24
"Oh, prince Rama, then Vali though reached Mt. Rishyamuka, he did not enter into its precincts at that time fearing Sage Matanga and his curse, oh, king Rama, thus this globe of earth is apparently and closely sighted by me in its entirety, and then I came into the cave of Rishyamuka and did not stir out." So said Sugreeva to Rama. [4-46-25b, 24]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye kiskindha kaande sat catvaarinshah sargah
Thus, this is the 46th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate