Hari Om.
Let us begin the twenty eighth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Assuming the kingship of kishkindhA, sugrIva and the vAnaras as per the command of rAma stayed put in the capital city through the rainy season. After years of uncertain and hard life away from family, sugrIva reveled with his wives in the inner chambers. In the meantime, rAma and lakshmaNa identified a spacious and well ventilated cave on a mountain top and lived there in the sylvan surroundings. The cave was upraised on the wester side and opened up on the north-eastern side with a slope. This setting of the cave was pretty vAstu-compliant as it is practised even today! There were trees of every kind, birds, beasts and all the natural beauty and yet rAma found no joy there. He constantly brooded over sItA and felt miserable. The more beautiful the sight was, the more miserable he would get. Brother lakshmaNa tried to cheer him up. He gave him friendly advice appropriate to the time and lifted his spirits. Exhorted by lakshmaNa, rAma gathered himself and resovled to bide by the rainy season and await autumn to launch the quest of sItA. The rains continued. Onwards…
rAma, having vanquished vAlI and consecrated sugrIva as the king, dwelt on the mount mAlayavAn and spoke to lakshmaNa –
“The rainy season is here, lakshmaNa. The sky is filled with dense clouds resembling mountains. The womb of the sky is bearing the water that it has drank from the ocean by the rays of the Sun for nine months and is showering elixir.
नवमासधृतं गर्भं भास्करस्य गभस्तिभिः।
पीत्वा रसं समुद्राणां द्यौः प्रसूते रसायनम्4.28.3।।
शक्यमम्बरमारुह्य मेघसोपानपङ्क्तिभिः।
कुटजार्जुनमालाभिरलङ्कर्तुं दिवाकरम्4.28.4।।
It seems plausible to climb through the clouds like steps unto the Sun and garland him with arjuna flowers! The copper color of the twilight with scattered white clouds appears like a wound has been bandaged with tinge of red in the middle and the white cloth away from it! The sky with the ash colored clouds with tinge of the setting sun and gentle breeze across looks like a lover suffering pangs. The earth, scorched by the sun, and now soaked by the rains looks like sItA who is shedding tears (The hot earth on receiving the first showers emits heat, that is referenced here). It appears like the cool breeze emanating from the clouds and carrying the fragrance of the kEtaki flowers can be cupped in the palms and partaken. This pouring rain on this mountain replete with fully bloomed arjuna trees appears like sugrIva who is being consecrated after having quietened his enemy. The mountain looks like a student practicing the study of vEdas – the black clouds being his clothes, the pouring stream of water its scared thread and the wind filled caves producing sounds its lungs.
मेघकृष्णाजिनधरा: धारायज्ञोपवीतिनः।
मारुतापूरितगुहाः प्राधीता इव पर्वताः4.28.10।।
The lightning followed by the thunder looks as though the sky has been whipped with golden lash and is crying out in pain. The lightning on the black cloud looks to me as if the pious sItA is struggling in the lap of the demon rAvaNa. The moon is known to fan the pangs of separation. As the clouds cover the stars and the moon, it looks as if this is a favourable season for lovers. The kuTaja flowers that withered the heat are now welcoming the fresh showers and are lighting the passion in the grief-stricken me. With travelers returning to their homes, the expeditions of the kings ceased for now, carts not hitting the muddy roads, the dust has settled and the misty wind has taken over. Those desirous of going to the mAnasa lake have set forth and the chakravAka birds have united with their mates.
The sky is bright at places and dull at others. It looks like a calm ocean with mountains dotted here and there. The water streams swiftly over the mountains and carries the sarja and kadamba flowers and many a mineral with it. The peacock screams in the mountains. The juicy blue berry resembles a bumble bee and people eat it heartily. The mangoes have assumed various colors depending on the degree of ripening and hit by the winds have fallen from the trees.
The thundering clouds look like mighty elephants in the battle with the thunder as their roar, the lightning as the banner and the cranes flying in flock as the garland. As the afternoon comes, the clouds have emptied their waters on the earth, the grass shines brightly and the peacocks break into ecstatic dance. The rain bearing clouds, heavy with water, rest on the peaks of the mountains and resume their journey. The flock of cranes looks like a lotus garland hanging from the sky.
समुद्वहन्त स्सलिलातिभारं
बलाकिनो वारिधरा नदन्तः।
महत्सु शृङ्गेषु महीधराणां
विश्रम्य विश्रम्य पुनः प्रयान्ति4.28.22।।
Fresh grass has sprung up on the earth. With the cochineal insect on the grass, the earth looks like a damsel covered in a parrot green dress with a red lac dye.
निद्रा शनैः केशवमभ्युपैति
द्रुतं नदी सागरमभ्युपैति।
हृष्टा बलाका घनमभ्युपैति
कान्ता सकामा प्रियमभ्युपैति4.28.25।।
The sleep approaches lord viSNU (kESava, the EkadaSI during the rainy season is Sayana EkAdaSI when lord vishNU is said to goto sleep), the swift river approaches the ocean, the joyous crane approaches the cloud and the desirous lover approaches her beloved. The forests are lit up with the dance of the peacocks, the kadamba tree is in full bloom, the bull longs for union with the cows and the earth is delightfully full of crop and forests.
वहन्ति वर्षन्ति नदन्ति भान्ति
ध्यायन्ति नृत्यन्ति समाश्वसन्ति।
नद्यो घना मत्तगजा वनान्ताः
प्रियाविहीनाश्शिखिनः प्लवङ्गमाः4.28.27।।
In the rainy season, the rivers flow, clouds shower, elephants trumpet, forests light up in brightness, those bereft of their beloved brood over them, peacocks dance and monkeys are quiet. Delighted by inhaling the fragrance of the kEtaki flowers and the screams of the peacocks, thud of the waterfalls, the elephants let out a shrill trumpet. The showers are hard on the honeybees. Their delight of having collected honey is but momentary as the waters wash away their collection and the joy fades away as they cling on to the kadamba flowers. As colony of bees cling on to the juicy blue berries, they appear like burning charcoal.
The black clouds with majestic thunder are decorated with lightning and sound like the elephants that are out trumpeting on a battle field. The intoxicated elephants that are out on a stroll on the hills, hear this thunder and mistaking it to be the clarion call of the tusker turn back to go for the battle.
क्वचित्प्रगीता इव षट्पदौघैः
क्वचित्प्रनृत्ता इव नीलकण्ठैः।
क्वचित्प्रमत्ता इव वारणेन्द्रै
र्विभान्त्यनेकाश्रयिणो वनान्ताः4.28.33।।
At places, the bees buzz, at other places peacocks dance. At other places wild elephants sport. The forest dwellers are having a gala time. With kadamba, arjuna and sarja trees in full bloom, hinterlands of forests filled fresh waters, the dancing peacocks look like damsels dancing in a tavern. The water droplets on the leaves shine like pearls. The thirsty birds are drinking this pristine water given by the lord indra and their wings are getting wet by this water, changing their shade lightly.
षट्पादतन्त्रीमधुराभिधानं
प्लवङ्गमोदीरितकण्ठतालम्।
आविष्कृतं मेघमृदङ्गनादै
र्वनेषु सङ्गीतमिव प्रवृत्तम्4.28.36।।
It looks as if a musical concert has started in the forest with the buzzing of bees as the string instrument, the frogs keeping time (tALa) with their croaking, the clouds playing the mRdangam (drums) through the thunder. At places the peacocks are dancing, at another the peacock is perched on a lofty place and at yet another, the peacocks are on tree tops enjoying the musical concert of the forest. The frogs of various hues and sizes having left their hibernation due to thunder and water are croaking. The swollen rivers are running away rapidly to meet their lord, the ocean and taking the chakravAka birds along with its current as if to show off their new gifts. The black clouds are lying close to each other like the stones gone black in the forest fire and lying together.
The elephants are roaming the forests where the peacocks are dancing joyously and the cochineal insects are merrying on grasslands. Due to the downpour, the filaments of the lotuses are broken and hence the bees have deserted the lotuses and happily feasting on the kadamba flower that has its filaments intact!
मत्ता गजेन्द्रा मुदिता गवेन्द्रा
वनेषु विश्रान्ततरा मृगेन्द्रा।
रम्या नगेन्द्रा निभृता नरेन्द्राः
प्रक्रीडितो वारिधरैस्सुरेन्द्रः4.28.43।।
As the rains lash and lord indra plays with the clouds, the elephants are excited, the bulls are joyous, the lions are quiet and resting, the hills are delightful and the kings have withdrawn from expeditions. The sound of the lashing waves of the sea have lost to the sound of the thunder of the clouds as they pour and fill the rivers, lakes, ponds, wells and flood the earth. Due to the impact of the downpour, the river banks are damaged and the swift flowing rivers change course often.
नरैर्नरेन्द्रा इव पर्वतेन्द्रा
स्सुरेन्द्रदत्तै: पवनोपनीतैः।
घनाम्बुकुम्भैरभिषिच्यमाना
रूपं श्रियं स्वामिव दर्शयन्ति4.28.46।।
Just like the kings who are consecrated with pots of water show off their glory, the mountains, consecrated by the waters given by lord indra through the clouds show off their breathtaking glorious form and prosperity. With the earth enveloped by the clouds neither stars nor the sun are visible. The earth is enveloped by darkness and it is hard to tell the directions. The crystal clear downpour over the hills looks as if pearls are hanging from the skies, the water falls over the mountains that flow through the caves look like scattered chains of pearls. The pouring streams of water also look like the broken pearl necklaces of the celestial nymphs during their sport.
निलीयमानैर्विहगैर्निमीलद्भिश्च पङ्कजैः।
विकसन्त्या च मालत्या गतोऽस्तं ज्ञायते रविः4.28.52।।
As birds head home and disappear, as lotuses close and jasmines bloom, it is known that the sun has set! The enmity between states ceases as the ways are flooded and the army withdraws to its home base.
मासि प्रोष्ठपदे ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणानां विवक्षताम्।
अयमध्यायसमयस्सामगानामुपस्थितः4.28.54।।
The month of bhAdrapada is indeed laid down as the month to do swAdhyAya and those desirous of reciting the sAma vEda have begun the recitations. I am sure, bharata, the king of kOsala would have gathered grains and other requirements before the commencement of the month of AshADha. The river sarayu must be swelling just how the denizens of ayOdhyA will swell in joy upon seeing me return.
In these rains, the extensively meritorious sugrIva, having won over his enemy and reunited with his wives must be living in luxury. On the other hand, O lakshmaNa, alas, my wife has been abducted and I am banished from the kingdom, therefore I am caving in like the banks of a river under floods! Given my expansive grief and the unceasing rains that do not allow to proceed further, it appears to me that the great enemy rAvaNa cannot be reached. Looking at the ways unfit for travel, I have not instructed sugrIva about what to do even if he is at my beck and call. Further, considering that the job at hand is quite a difficult one and also sugrIva, after prolonged hardships has reunited with his wives, I have kept quiet. I have no doubt that after resting enough, sugrIva will know about the right time to do the favor. Therefore O lakshmaNa, I am waiting for the time when I will receive the grace of sugrIva and the rivers (which subside and give way). A warrior certainly returns the favor that he has received. The ungrateful do not return the favor and hurt good men”.
Having heard the lament of rAma, lakshmaNa expressed his opinion to the delightful rAma demonstrating his own grace –
“O rAma, all that you desire and have said will be done by the lord of vAnaras not before long. Until the torrential downpours subside and the autumn descends, please be patient and stay determined to vanquish your enemy.
Here we conclude the twenty eighth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 4.29. Timely advice from the able minister
Previous: 4.27. An ode to fraternal love
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 