Hari Om.
Let us begin the twenty ninth sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Exiled into the forest, sItA abducted, rains unleashing their fury, dark clouds thundering down menacingly, biding time in a cave… surely the situation was not cutout for mere mortals. rAma however had a beautiful way of looking at nature and he has the added skill of felicity to describe that. The result, rAma’s hearty take on the rains is sure to touch many a chord and leave one spellbound. Concepts like north-east sloping down and south west being elevated in a home are very much relevant to the vAstu Sastra as it is followed even today. It was ingenuity to understand the sun had set looking around and inferring from events that are dependent on the solar clock! In all, the previous sarga has outstanding poetry, invokes scriptures, analyzes situations and has all the ingredients to thrill. As much he wanted to enjoy the rains, the more scorched did rAma feel bereft of sItA. Once again lakshmaNa reminded him to be patient and bide the rainy season after which sugrIva would surely initiate the quest. Would he? Onwards…
The rains were subsiding. The sky had become clear and moon light spread on the earth. The cackling of cranes could be heard. sugrIva had become prosperous and had lost focus on dharma and acquiring the means. He was focused on selfish and sensual desires and neglecting his duties always spent his time in the company of women. He had accomplished what he desired – reunion with his wives and additionally he begot tArA of her own volition. He roamed the gardens with his wives and sported with them like lord indra would do with the apsaras. He felt very accomplished and carefree. He delegated all his work to the ministers and didn’t even bother to keep a watch over them. Grasping the situation of sugrIva, the articulate and intelligent son of the wind god, hanumAn, well aware of the situation and time, approached sugrIva and spoke meaningful words sweetly, delightfully and convincingly with love and affection –
“You have attained the kingdom, fame and a prosperous family. What remains to be done is to earn friends and that should your focus now. He who conducts appropriately with friends with awareness of appropriate time, his kingdom, fame and glory multiplies.
यो हि मित्रेषु कालज्ञस्सततं साधु वर्तते4.29.10।।
तस्य राज्यं च कीर्तिश्च प्रतापश्चाभि वर्धते।
यस्य कोशश्च दण्डश्च मित्राण्यात्मा च भूमिप4.29.11।।
समवेतानि सर्वाणि स राज्यं महदश्नुते।
O king, he who is equally disposed towards his exchequer, sceptre of authority, allies and himself enjoys an expansive kingdom. You are endowed with right conduct and devoted to the right path. So you ought to do what is right for your allies at the right time. He who selflessly contributes to the cause of his allies enthusiastically doesn’t come to any harm. However, one who doesn’t put efforts to help his allies at the right time, even if he puts much larger effort later, doesn’t succeed.
O brave warrior, right now our duty is to do the work of rAma – start the quest for vaidEhI. We are already late. Even if it is already late, rAma, even if restless, is unlikely to remind you, since he is obliged to you. However, the very capable rAma endowed with peerless virtues is the cause of the prosperity of your family and kingdom and therefore an ally for a long time to come. Therefore, O king, you ought to repay the favor that he did to you. Order the vAnara warriors, the best of them about what is to be done.
न हि तावद्भवेत्कालो व्यतीतश्चोदनादृते।
चोदितस्य हि कार्यस्य भवेत्कालव्यतिक्रमः4.29.20।।
If a job is undertaken without being asked, even if it takes long, time is not deemed to be wasted. However an action performed under order always puts pressure and spills over the timelines. O lord of vAnaras, you tend to help someone who has not even favored you. Then what to talk of returning the favor to one who has blessed you with kingdom and prosperity. Although rAma is all powerful and valorous, capable of even subduing gods with his arrows, due to the word given by you, he is looking for your help. So why don’t you order the vAnara warriors about the course of action?
rAma came to your rescue putting his own life and reputation on line. So why don’t we repay our favour by launching the quest for vaidEhI and finding her? rAma cannot be repressed by the gods, demi gods, yakshas or maruts. As such what can the demons do to him? Therefore, by all means and by all your abilities you should extend your help to rAma who has done you good in the past. O lord, by your command we can raid the forests, oceans, skies or the netherworlds. We are unstoppable. There a crore of invincible vAnaras awaiting your orders. Please order us appropriately as to who should do what. We are at your command”.
Having heard the timely submission of hanumAn, the good natured sugrIva made up his mind. He sent word for nIla who was ever engaged in his work to summon the cadre of vAnaras from various quarters –
” O chief of army, ensure that all the group leaders of the vAnara army are here immediately. By my order, those swift footed vAnara chiefs who are determined be summoned here immediately. You can assign the appropriate duties to them. Those who are not here within three to five nights may be killed without much thought. Go along with other elder vAnaras and angada and tell them about my order”.
Having passed his order thus, the chief of vAnaras, sugrIva entered his palace.
Here we conclude the twenty ninth 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: 4.30. Rains recede, autumn arrives
Previous: 4.28. rAma’s hearty take on the rains
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 