Summary
Hanuma narrates the story of Rama, who on command from his father, went on exile to Dandaka forest along with Seetha, who was later borne away by Ravana through the sky over Rishyamuka Mountain. Hanuma adds that Rama, while searching for Seetha at Mount Rishyamuka, happened to meet Sugreeva and made friendship with him. Hanuma also tells the story about Rama installing Sugreeva in the throne, after killing Vali and about Sugreeva promising Rama to get Seetha searched. Celebrating the glory of Rama, Hanuma points out to Ravana that if he wished to survive he should give back Seetha to Rama and that he should be prepared for the worst if on the other hand he refuses to do so.
Chapter [Sarga] 51 in Detail
tam samiikshya mahaasattvam sattvavaan haari sattamah |
vaakyam arthavat avyagrah tam uvaaca dasha aananam || 5-51-1
Seeing that highly energetic Ravana, the courageous Hanuma coolly spoke to him the following meaningful words:
aham sugriiva samdeshaat iha praaptah tava aalayam |
raakshasa indra hari iishah tvaam bhraataa kushalam abraviit || 5-51-2
"O king of demons! By the command of Sugreeva, I came here to your abode. Sugreeva, the Lord of monkeys, your brother, asked me to enquire about your welfare.
bhraatuh shrinu samaadesham sugriivasya mahaatmanah |
dharma artha upahitam vaakyam iha ca amutra ca kshamam || 5-51-3
"Hear the righteous and meaningful words, as a following advice, of the high-souled Sugreeva, your brother, conducive to good in the world as well as in the other world."
raajaa dasharatho naama ratha kunjara vaajimaan |
pitaa iva bandhuh lokasya sura iishvara sama dyutih || 5-51-4
"There was a king named Dasaratha, having chariots, elephants and horses, like a father to the people and endowed with a splendor equal to that of Indra the lord of celestials."
jyeshthah tasya mahaabaahuh putrah priya karah prabhuh |
pituh nideshaan nishkraantah pravishto dandakaa vanam || 5-51-5
lakshmanena saha bhraatraa siitayaa ca api bhaaryayaa |
raamo naama mahaatejaa dharmyam panthaanam aashritah || 5-51-6
"His eldest son named Rama, having mighty arms, a bestower of affection and our lord, by the command of his father, abiding in a righteous path, went out on exile and entered a forest called Dandaka along with Lakshmana his brother and Seetha his wife."
tasya bhaaryaa vane nashtaa siitaa patim anuvrataa |
vaidehasya sutaa raajno janakasya mahaatmanah || 5-51-7
"Seetha, wife of Rama, devoted to her husband and daughter of the high-souled king, named Janaka, the head of Videha kingdom, got lost in the forest."
sa maargamaanah taam deviim raaja putrah saha anujah |
rishyamuukam anupraaptah sugriivena ca samgatah || 5-51-8
"That prince, Rama together with his brother, searching that lady, reached Mount Rishyamuka and happened to meet Sugreeva."
tasya tena pratijnaatam siitaayaah parimaarganam |
sugriivasya api raamena hari raajyam niveditam || 5-51-9
"While Sugreeva promised Rama to get Seetha searched, Rama too promised to get the kingdom of monkeys to Sugreeva."
tatah tena mridhe hatvaa raaja putrena vaalinam |
sugriivah sthaapito raajye hari rikshaanaam gana iishvarah || 5-51-10
"Thereafter, killing Vali in a combat, Rama installed Sugreeva on the throne as a lord of that troop monkeys and bears."
tvayaa vijjnaatapuurvashcha vaalii vaanarapungavah |
raamena nihatah samkhye sharenaikena vaanarah || 5-51-11
"You may indeed know Vali, the foremost among monkeys, previously. Rama killed that Vali with a single arrow in battle."
sa siitaa maargane vyagrah sugriivah satya samgarah |
hariin sampreshayaamaasa dishah sarvaa hari iishvarah || 5-51-12
"Sugreeva, the lord of monkeys, true to his promise, was intent on searching for Seetha and sent his monkeys to all directions."
taam hariinaam sahasraani shataani niyutaani ca |
dikshu sarvaasu maargante adhah ca upari ca ambare || 5-51-13
"Hundreds, thousands and lakhs of monkeys are searching for her in all quarters, as also below and above in the sky."
vainateya samaah kecit kecit tatra anila upamaah |
asamga gatayah shiighraa hari viiraa mahaabalaah || 5-51-14
"Among those monkeys, some mighty and virile monkeys are similar to Garuda the eagle. Some are like wind, swiftly going with an unhindered movement."
aham tu hanumaan naama maarutasya aurasah sutah |
siitaayaah tu krite tuurnam shata yojanam aayatam || 5-51-15
samudram langhayitvaa eva taam didrikshuh iha aagatah |
“I am, however, an own son of wind-god and named as Hanuma. I came here even by crossing quickly the ocean, which is a hundred yojanas (or eight hundred miles) wide for the sake of Seetha and wishing to see her."
bhramataa cha mayaa dristaa grihe te janakaatmajaa || 5-51-16
tat bhavaan drishta dharma arthah tapah krita parigrahah |
para daaraan mahaapraajna na uparoddhum tvam arhasi || 5-51-17
"While strolling around in the city of Lanka, I found Seetha in your abode. You know about religious merit and wealth. You performed and mastered the austerities. That is why, you ought not besiege the wife of another, O great intellectual!"
na hi dharma viruddheshu bahv apaayeshu karmasu |
muula ghaatishu sajjante buddhimanto bhavat vidhaah || 5-51-18
"Intellectuals like you indeed are not engrossed in acts, which are antagonistic to righteousness, which are attended with many dangers and which even ruin the doer at the roots."
kah ca lakshmana muktaanaam raama kopa anuvartinaam |
sharaanaam agratah sthaatum shakto deva asureshv api || 5-51-19
"Who is capable even among celestials and demons, to withstand the arrows discharged by Lakshmana, in the wake of the fury of Rama?
na ca api trishu lokeshu raajan vidyeta kashcana |
raaghavasya vyaliikam yah kritvaa sukham avaapnuyaat || 5-51-20
"O king! No one is known in the three worlds, who have gained happiness, by doing harm to Rama."
tat trikaala hitam vaakyam dharmyam artha anubandhi ca |
manyasva nara devaaya jaanakii pratidiiyataam || 5-51-21
"That is why, accede to my words, which are beneficial for all the three divisions of time (viz. the past, present and future), resulting in affluence and respectability as well. Let Seetha be restored to Rama."
drishtaa hi iyam mayaa devii labdham yat iha durlabham |
uttaram karma yat shesham nimittam tatra raaghavah || 5-51-22
"I beheld Seetha, the princess. The audience of Seetha is difficult to be achieved and it is obtained here. It is for Rama there to decide his remaining task of future consequence."
lakshitaa iyam mayaa siitaa tathaa shoka paraayanaa |
grihya yaam na abhijaanaasi panca aasyaam iva pannagiim || 5-51-23
"Capturing Seetha, whom you do not recognize as a five-hooded female serpent in your abode, has been found by me in that manner, and wholly given over to sorrow."
na iyam jarayitum shakyaa saasuraih amaraih api |
visha samsrishtam atyartham bhuktam annam iva ojasaa || 5-51-24
"She is incapable of being devoured with one's might even by celestials and demons, any more than food mixed with abundant poison could be digested with one's digestive power, if consumed."
tapah samtaapa labdhah te yo ayam dharma parigrahah |
na sa naashayitum nyaayya aatma praana parigrahah || 5-51-25
"It is not proper for you to lose your exceptional longevity and that fortune which is an outcome of your virtue, both of which have been acquired by you through the practice of austerities."
avadhyataam tapobhih yaam bhavaan samanupashyati |
aatmanah saasuraih devaih hetuh tatra api ayam mahaan || 5-51-26
"You may be thinking that you are immune from death from demons and celestials, because of your austerities. But your opinion in that matter is not correct, on account of the following reason.
sugriivo na hi devo ayam na asuro na ca maanushah |
na daanavo na gandharvo na yakso na cha pannagah || 5-51-27
tasmaat praana paritraanam katham raajan karishyasi |
"This Sugreeva is indeed neither a god, nor Asura the chief of evil spirits nor a demon nor a child of Danu the demon, nor Gandharva the celestial musician nor Yaksha the semi-divine being nor Pannaga the serpent-demon. O King! How do you protect your life from him?"
na tu dharma upasamhaaram adharma phala samhitam || 5-51-28
tat eva phalam anveti dharmah ca adharma naashanah |
"The fruit of righteousness does not exist together with the result of unrighteousness (even though he practices virtue). That consequence of unrighteousness alone follows him. Righteousness in abundance destroys unrighteousness."
praaptam dharma phalam taavat bhavataa na atra samshayah || 5-51-29
phalam asya api adharmasya kshipram eva prapatsyase |
"You already obtained the fruit of virtue till now. There is no doubt about it. In no time, you will obtain the fruit of unrighteousness also."
jana sthaana vadham buddhvaa buddhvaa vaali vadham tathaa || 5-51-30
raama sugriiva sakhyam ca budhyasva hitam aatmanah |
"Recognizing the killing of demons in the forest of Janasthaana, about the killing of Vali and about the friendship between Rama and Sugreeva, realize your own interest."
kaamam khalv aham api ekah savaaji ratha kunjaraam || 5-51-31
lankaam naashayitum shaktah tasya esha tu vinishcayah |
"I am indeed, even alone, undoubtedly, destroying Lanka, along with its horses, chariots and elephants. However, this is not in accordance with the resolution of Rama."
raamena hi pratijnaatam hari riksha gana samnidhau || 5-51-32
utsaadanam amitraanaam siitaa yaih tu pradharshitaa |
"For, Rama, indeed, promised in the presence of troops of monkeys and bears, about the extermination of enemies, by whom Seetha was actually laid violent hands upon."
apakurvan hi raamasya saakshaat api puram darah || 5-51-33
na sukham praapnuyaat anyah kim punah tvat vidho janah |
"Even Indra the Lord of celestials, in person, cannot attain happiness if he does any harm to Rama. How much move to another person like you?"
yaam siitaa iti abhijaanaasi yaa iyam tishthati te vashe || 5-51-34
kaala raatrii iti taam viddhi sarva lankaa vinaashiniim |
"Know her, whom you recognize as Seetha and who stays in your captivity, to be none else than Kalaratri (the goddess presiding over and responsible for death), who can destroy the entire Lanka."
tat alam kaala paashena siitaa vigraha ruupinaa || 5-51-35
svayam skandha avasaktena kshamam aatmani cintyataam |
"Therefore, have it enough of this noose of death, in the form of Seetha's personality, which has been placed by yourself around your neck. Think well of your safety."
siitaayaah tejasaa dagdhaam raama kopa prapiiditaam || 5-51-36
dahyamanaam imaam pashya puriim saatta pratolikaam |
"See; (in the immediate future), this city of Lanka, burnt away by the effulgence of Seetha and the City too being scorched with its markets and main streets, afflicted by the wrath of Rama."
svaani mitraani mantriimshcha jjnaatiin bhraatrin sutaan hitaan || 5-51-37
bhogaan daaraamshcha lankaam cha maa vinaashamupaanaya |
"Do not lead to extermination your own friends, counselors, kinsmen, brothers, sons, well-wishers, enjoyments, wives and Lanka."
satyam raaksasaraajendra shrinusva vachanam mama || 5-51-38
raamadaasasya duutasya vaanarasya vishesatah |
"O king of demons! Listen to my truthful words coming as it is from the lips of this servant of Rama, his messenger and particularly of this monkey."
sarvaan lokaan susamhritya sabhuutaan sacharaacharaan || 5-51-39
punareva tathaa srastum shakto raamo mahaayashaah |
"The renowned Rama is capable of totally destroying all the worlds together with its five elements, along with its animate and inanimate things and also to create yet again all the worlds in like manner as before."
devaasuranarendresu yaksaraksoganesu cha || 5-51-40
vidyaadharesu sarvesu gandharvesuuragesu cha |
siddhesu kinnarendresu patatrisu cha sarvatah || 5-51-41
sarvabhuutesu sarvatra sarvakaalesu naasti sah |
yoraamam pratiyudhyeta visnutulyaparaakramam || 5-51-42
"The renowned Rama, who is equal in prowess to Vishnu the lord of the preservation and among celestials, demons or the foremost of men, or among hordes of Yakshas the semi-divine beings or ogres or among all Vidyadharas, a king of super-natural beings or among Gandharvas the celestials musicians or among Uragas the semi-divine serpents or among Siddhas the holy personages having super-natural powers or among excellent Kinnaras the mythical beings with human figure and head of a horse or among all types of birds or among all living beings at all places and at all times."
sarvalokeshvarasyaivam kritvaa vipriyamuttamam |
raamasya raajasimhasya durlabham tava jiivitam || 5-51-43
"After doing a great harm in this manner to Rama the lord of all worlds as well as the lion among kings, your survival will be difficult."
devaashcha daityaashcha nishaacharendra |
gandharvavidyaadharanaagayaksaah |
raamasya lokatrayanaayakasya |
sthaatum na shaktaah samaresu sarve || 5-51-44
"O king of demons! Either celestials or demons or Gandharvas the celestial musicians or Vidyadharas a king of super-natural beings or Nagas the semi-divine serpents or Yakshas the semi divine beings-all of them are not able to stand before Rama the lord of the three worlds."
brahma svayamubhuushcha turaanano vaa |
rudrastrinetrastripuraantako vaa |
indro mahendrah suranaayako vaa |
traatum na shaktaa yudhi raamavadhyam || 5-51-45
"Either Brahma the self-existing god with four faces or Rudra with three eyes and the destroyer of Tripura (the city built of gold, silver and iron in the sky, air and earth, by Maya for the demons and burnt by Shiva), or Mahendra the god of atmosphere and sky as also the lord of celestials would not be able to protect the one to be killed by Rama in battle."
sa saushthava upetam adiina vaadinah |
kapeh nishamya apratimo apriyam vacah |
dasha aananah kopa vivritta locanah |
samaadishat tasya vadham mahaakapeh || 5-51-46
Hearing those unpleasant words endowed with extreme skillfulness and which were spoken without fear from Hanuma, tat unequalled Ravana ordered for the killing of that Hanuma.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande ekapanchashah sargah
Thus completes 51st Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate