Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty first sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The pouring monsoon rains forced rAma to stay in the cave near kishkindhA and wait for the rains to subside and sugrIva to initiate the quest. The rains subsided, autumn came, still there was no news of sugrIva. The caution that hanumAn served [4.29. Timely advice from the able minister] was indeed timely. But sugrIva was too busy in pleasure living to inform rAma about it. The autumn was here, it was time for expeditions. But sugrIva was nowhere to be seen. rAma lamented his obligation to sugrIva and his irresponsiveness. The bottled up frustration of rAma came out, albeit only a bit. He asked lakshmaNa to head to kishkindhA and serve a stern warning to sugrIva. His message was well worded and stern – the path taken by vAlI has not closed yet, don’t plan to venture down the same road, for this time you will not be alone but will be accompanied by family and friends! Onwards…
As rAma asked lakshmaNa thus to goto sugrIva with a stern warning, the prince lakshmaNa said to his elder brother who was smitten by love, capable yet dejected, grief stricken and seething with anger – “This vAnara doesn’t stay in the righteous path and doesn’t know what that will result in. He has not conducted himself in our favor and won’t enjoy his kingdom for long. He is out of his mind and indulgent in vulgar joys and has not committed himself to repay the favor that was done by you to him. A kingdom shall not be given to such an unfit person. I won’t be holding this anger and will kill him right away. Let him go and meet his deceased elder brother. Let angada along with other vAnara warriors go in search of sItA”.
rAma, the vanquisher of warrior foes spoke explaining his point of view to lakshmaNa who flew into a rage that is seen only on a battle field and wielded his bow and arrow ready to charge – “No way people like you should commit such a sin. The one who conquers his anger is the best among men. O lakshmaNa, by good conduct this should not be acceptable to you to harm him rather, recollecting the earlier favors done by sugrIva and the hand of friendship that he extended, deal with him lovingly. Discarding harsh words, in a conciliatory tone tell sugrIva about the time that has lapsed”.
नेदमत्र त्वया ग्राह्यं साधुवृत्तेन लक्ष्मण।
तां प्रीतिमनुवर्तस्व पूर्ववृत्तं च सङ्गतम् 4.31.7।।
The best among men, lakshmaNa was advised thus by his elder brother and as per his words, the tormentor of enemies entered kishkindhA. Ever devoted to the welfare of his elder brother, endowed with pure intellect, the intelligent lakshmaNa set off for the palace of the vAnara. Visualizing the discussion with sugrIva, the questions and the answers, being optimistic, carrying the intellect equal to that of bRhaspati (guru of the gods), with an arrow like thunder and the bow resembling verily the god of death, he entered the cave which was majestic like the mount mandara. Encompassed by the anger of his elder brother, like an unwelcome and unpleasing tornado.
सालतालाश्वकर्णांश्च तरसा पातयन्बहून्।
पर्यस्यन्गिरिकूटानि द्रुमानन्यांश्च वेगतः 4.31.14।।
शिलाश्च शकलीकुर्वन्पद्भ्यां गज इवाशुगः।
दूरामेकपदं त्यक्त्वा ययौ कार्यवशाद्द्रुतम् 4.31.15।।
Cutting across the mountain, leaving aside the regular path, lakshmaNa swiftly moved with firm feet, rendering the boulders into powder, cutting off the branches of sAla, tAla and aSvakarNa trees on the way. The lionlike scion of the ikshvAkus beheld the city of kishkindhA nestled in the middle of the inaccessible hills, being guarded by hundreds of vAnara warriors. His lips were trembling with anger at the thought of sugrIva and finding him charging at kishkindhA in a not so friendly manner, the guarding vAnaras stood ready with trees and boulders in their hands as weapons. Seeing them in that manner, lakshmaNa flew into twice the rage just like a raging fire supplied with even more fuel.
तान्गृहीतप्रहरणान्सर्वान्दृष्ट्वा तु लक्ष्मणः 4.31.19।।
बभूव द्विगुणं क्रुद्धो बह्विन्धन इवानलः।
Sensing the seething anger of lakshmaNa, the vAnara warriors were terrified and ran away in hundreds to different quarters, entered the palace of sugrIva and let them know about the angry advent of lakshmaNa. Indulgent in the company of tAra, the lusty sugrIva didn’t pay heed to the message brought by the vAnara warriors. Those warriors with elephantine strength, some bearing strength of ten elephants, and some more than that and yet others with the might of a thousand elephants, shining with the brilliance, having informed the ministers about lakshmaNa’s arrival went to the city gates wielding tree trunks. They were terrible to look at, capable of weaponizing their nails and teeth. They all came out of the fort and stood in attention.
The best among men, lakshmaNa seeing the casualness of sugrIva and remembering the desperation of his elder brother, once again flew into fury, sighed heavily like the five hooded serpent with his own brilliance as the poison. angada took the courage to approach the raging inferno with anxiety. Seeing him, lakshmaNa said – “O dear, tell sugrIva about my advent. Tell him ‘Deeply pained by the piteous state of his elder brother, lakshmaNa awaits you at the threshold. If you care, do as he says’. Convey this much and come back immediately”.
Prince angada’s throat parched upon hearing lakshmaNa’s stern words. Trembling he hurried to sugrIva’s chamber where he was lying in an inebriated state. angada prostrated to sugrIva and then to queen ruma who was there. He conveyed the message of lakshmaNa to them. But sugrIva was too high on the drinks and too indulgent in passion to pay heed to what angada said!
On the other side where lakshmaNa ws the vAnaras tried their best to engage him by making various noises – some mimicked the thunder while others roared like lions and the cacophony was just too loud. This managed to wake sugrIva up from his slumber and the passionate vAnara jumped up and his garlands had all gone into disarray. In the meanwhile angada employed two ministers plaksha and prabhAva who were permitted to the inner chambers and meet the queen to go and present the matter and its seriousness to sugrIva. The two ministers went to sugrIva, made him comfortable and took positions by his side like the maruts sit near lord indra and began to counsel him apprising him of th crisis at hand –
सत्यसन्धौ महाभागौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।
वयस्यभावं सम्प्राप्तौ राज्यार्हौ राज्यदायिनौ4.31.45।।
“The great and benevolent brothers rAma and lakshmaNa who are ever truthful and deserve to rule over the land have conferred this kingdom on you and extended their friendship to you. One among the two, lakshmaNa is now at the entrance wielding his bow and terrified of him the vAnaras are making unbearable noises. We have been pressed into your service by prince angada. He tells us that lakshmaNa upon the command of rAma has arrived as the instrument to further the interest of rAma. He is so livind with anger that it appears he will burn the vAnaras down with his death glare.
सोऽयं रोषपरीताक्षो द्वारि तिष्ठति वीर्यवान्।
वानरान्वानरपते चक्षुषा प्रदहन्निव4.31.49।।
O king, go at once and prostrate down at him along with your family and friends. Calm his anger down. With a clear determination, follow the command of the dhArmic rAma. O king, honor the promise that you have made to him.
यदाह रामो धर्मात्मा तत्कुरुष्व समाहितः।
राजं स्तिष्ठस्व समये भव सत्यप्रतिश्रवाः4.31.51।।
Here we conclude the thirty first 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: 4.32. hanumAn says, take it on the chin!
Previous: 4.30. Rains recede, autumn arrives
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
