Summary
Leaving Mount Mahendra and leaping ahead towards Kishkindha, the monkeys on their way halt at Madhuvana, a protected grove abounded in honey which was dear to Sugreeva and guarded by the monkey, Dahimukha. When the monkeys started to enjoy drinking of honey in the grove with the permission of Prince Angada, Dahimukha hinders in their way. The monkeys bruise Dadhimukha with their nails and teeth.
Chapter [Sarga] 61 in Detail
tato jaambavato vaakyam agrihnanta vana okasah |
angada pramukhaa viiraa hanuumaan ca mahaakapih || 5-61-1
Thereupon, the heroic monkeys like Angada and others as also Hanuma, the great one among the monkeys accepted the words of Jambavan.
priitimantah tatah sarve vaayu putra purah saraah |
mahaaindra agram parityajya pupluvuh plavaga rishabhaah || 5-61-2
meru mandara samkaashaa mattaa iva mahaagajaah |
chaadayanta iva aakaasham mahaakaayaa mahaabalaah || 5-61-3
sabhaajyamaanam bhuutaih tam aatmavantam mahaabalam |
hanuumantam mahaavegam vahanta iva drishtibhih || 5-61-4
raaghave ca artha nirvrittim bhartuh ca paramam yashah |
samaadhaaya samriddha arthaah karma siddhibhih unnataah || 5-61-5
priya aakhyaana unmukhaah sarve sarve yuddha abhinandinah |
sarve raama pratiikaare nishcita arthaa manasvinah || 5-61-6
Then, the excellent monkeys, resembling Meru and Mandara mountains, like elephants in rut, as if covering the sky, having huge bodies and colossal strength, keeping Hanuma in their front, leaving Mount Mahendra, went ahead leaping delightfully. They looked as though conducted by the mind's eyes of Hanuma, who is adored by living beings as having good stupendous swiftness, they having resolved to fulfill the purpose of Rama and to attain a great glory, having accomplished the purpose and duly determined to complete the task. All of them were looking up at narrating the previous pleasant tidings and taking delight in war. All of them, in high spirits, were judging rightly the vengeance of Rama against the evil-minded Ravana.
plavamaanaah kham aaplutya tatah te kaanana oksakah |
nandana upamam aaseduh vanam druma lataa yutam || 5-61-7
Then, those monkeys, leaping into the sky and floating in the air, reached a garden looking like Nandanavana the divine grove filled with trees and creepers.
yat tan madhu vanam naama sugriivasya abhirakshitam |
adhrishyam sarva bhuutaanaam sarva bhuuta mano haram || 5-61-8
They reached, that Madhuvana by name, the garden abounded with honey, which was protected grove, unapproachable for all and looking fascinated to the soul of all beings.
yat rakshati mahaaviiryah sadaa dadhi mukhah kapih |
maatulah kapi mukhyasya sugriivasya mahaatmanah || 5-61-9
A very powerful monkey called Dadhimukha, who was a high-souled eminent monkey and the maternal uncle of Sugreeva always protected that garden.
te tat vanam upaagamya babhuuvuh parama utkataah |
vaanaraa vaanara indrasya manah kaantatamam mahat || 5-61-10
Reaching that huge grove, which was very dear to the heart of Sugreeva, those monkeys became highly excessive in their behavior.
tatah te vaanaraa hrishtaa drishtvaa madhu vanam mahat |
kumaaram abhyayaacanta madhuuni madhu pingalaah || 5-61-11
Then, seeing that large Madhuvana, the garden abounded in honey, those monkeys, whose color was as yellow as honey, were delighted and solicited Angada the prince for permission to taste the honey.
tatah kumaarah taan vriddhaan jaambavat pramukhaan kapiin |
anumaanya dadau teshaam nisargam madhu bhakshane || 5-61-12
Thereupon, Angada the prince, taking approval from those elders like Jambavan and others, gave the monkeys a liberty to drink honey there.
tatah ca anumataah sarve samprahrishtaa vana okasah |
muditaah ca tatah te ca pranrityanti tatah tatah || 5-61-13
Thereafter, all those monkeys, thus permitted to drink honey, were exceedingly pleased. Then, those excited monkeys felt glad and began dancing.
gaayanti kecit pranamanti kecin |
nrityanti kecit prahasanti kecit |
patanti kecit vicaranti kecit |
plavanti kecit pralapanti kecit || 5-61-14
Some were singing. Some were offering salutations. Some were dancing. Some were laughing loudly. Some were falling down. Some were moving in different directions. Some were jumping up. Some were talking incoherently.
parasparam kecit upaashrayante |
parasparam kecit atibruvante |
parasparam kechidupabruvante |
parasparam kechidupaaramante || 5-61-15
Some were leaning against one another. Some were falling upon one another. Some were disputing with one another. Some were playing with one another.
drumaat drumam kecit abhiplavante |
kshitau naga agraan nipatanti kecit |
mahii talaat kecit udiirna vegaa |
mahaadruma agraani abhisampatante || 5-61-16
Some were running from one tree to another. Some were falling down to the ground from the tree-tops. Some, with a missile-like speed, were flying towards the tops of gigantic trees from the ground.
gaayantam anyah prahasann upaiti |
hasantam anyah prahasann upaiti |
rudantam anyah prarudann upaiti |
nudantam anyah pranudann upaiti || 5-61-17
While one was singing, another approached him laughing. While one was laughing, another approached him weeping. While one was weeping, another approached him pushing. While one was pushing, another approached him roaring.
samaakulam tat kapi sainyam aasiin |
madhu prapaana utkata sattva ceshtam |
na ca atra kashcin na babhuuva matto |
na ca atra kashcin na babhuuva tripto || 5-61-18
That army of monkeys, moving in excessively honey-drunken state, became highly excited. None in that army was not drunk. None in that army was not satiated.
tato vanam tat paribhakshyamaanam |
drumaan ca vidhvamsita patra pushpaan |
samiikshya kopaat dadhi vaktra naamaa |
nivaarayaamaasa kapih kapiin taan || 5-61-19
Seeing that grove, being consumed and the trees stripped off their leaves and flowers the monkey named Dadhimukha (who was in charge of the grove) then angrily interrupted those monkeys.
sa taih pravriddhaih paribhartsyamaano |
vanasya goptaa hari viira vriddhah |
cakaara bhuuyo matim ugra tejaa |
vanasya rakshaam prati vaanarebhyah || 5-61-20
Threatened by those monkeys who were behaving excessively, Dadhimukha who was endowed with a terrible energy, the care-taker of the grove and an elderly hero of the monkeys further contemplated the means to protect that grove from the monkeys.
uvaaca kaamshcit parushaani dhrishtam |
asaktam anyaan ca talaih jaghaana |
sametya kaishcit kalaham cakaara |
tathaiva saamnaa upajagaama kaamshcit || 5-61-21
He spoke harsh words with some and courageously struck some others with his palms uninterruptedly, created a quarrel by coming into collusion with some, and approached some in a conciliatory manner.
sa taih madaac ca aprativaarya vegaih |
balaac ca tena aprativaaryamaanaih |
pradharshitah tyakta bhayaih sametya |
prakrishyate ca api anavekshya dosham || 5-61-22
That Dadhimukha was dragged, after coming into collusion with him by those monkeys, who were being forcibly hindered by him, even though those monkeys overpowered him with unrestrained emotion arising out of their intoxication, those who had abandoned their fear disregarding any bad consequence of their act.
nakhaih tudanto dashanaih dashantah |
talaih ca paadaih ca samaapnuvantah |
madaat kapim tam kapayah samagraa |
mahaavanam nirvishayam ca cakruh || 5-61-23
Bruising with their nails, biting with their teeth on account of their inebriety and making short work of that Dadhimukha with their palms and feet, all those moneys made that large grove, divested of its flowers, fruits and honey.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande ekasastitamah sargah
Thus completes 61st Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate