Hari Om.
Let us begin the fifty second sarga of the sundara kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The demon king might well have divined why a certain vAnara came and destroyed his grove and army including important figures. But in a show of feigned fairness he asked prahasta to interrogate the offender and learn the reasons for his actions. As prahasta tried to put the vAnara at ease and asked him the questions of who he was and who sent him, hanumAn shrugged him off and instead addressed rAvaNa. He sledged and threatened rAvaNa in no uncertain terms! The demon king had immunity from death from almost every being except humans and vAnaras! Making this chink in his armour known to everyone, hanumAn repeatedly stressed that sugrIva was a vAnara and rAma was human. On top of that rAma was invincible no matter who stood on his way. The elder brother of sugrIva, vAlI had rAvaNa at his beck and call and treated him with disdain. hanumAn knew this and let rAvaNa know that his tormentor was killed by just one arrow of rAma!!! These psychological jabs unsettled and unnerved rAvaNa, played badly on his mind and he immediately ordered the emissary to be killed! Onwards…
The demon king was livid on hearing the counsel of the great vAnara and ordered to execute him. As rAvaNa ordered thus, (his younger brother) vibhIshana who always charted the righteous path, didn’t approve of the execution as hanumAn submitted that he was an envoy of rAma. He pondered over the course of action grasping that his elder brother, the demon king was incensed with anger. So the very articulate vibhIshaNa, having made up his mind, with sensitive words sought to provide beneficial advice to his reverential elder brother and said –
“O king of the demons, calm down, give up your anger, forgive and listen to me. The discerning and the good do not kill an envoy. It is against the tenets of diplomacy and is condemnable by the learned. The killing of this vAnara doesn’t befit you. You are righteous, grateful, knower of diplomacy, discerning and knower of the supreme truth. Being so, if you are also carried away by anger and take such decisions, then all learning is just a tiresome exercise in vain!
गृह्यन्ते यदि रोषेण त्वादृशोऽपि विचक्षणः।
तत श्शास्त्रविपश्चित्त्वं श्रम एव हि केवलम्।।5.52.8।।
Therefore calm down O unassailable slayer of enemies, think over the appropriateness of your act and award apt punishment to this emissary”.
Responding to the words of vibhIshaNa rAvaNa said angrily –
“There really is no sin in the killing of wicked sinners. Therefore, I will slay this wicked vAnara”.
Responding to the brusque reply of rAvaNa, the best among the intellectuals, vibhIshaNa persisted and said –
“This would be rooted in adharma, very wrong and not approved by the noble. Listen to my words and be pleased O king, the execution of an emissary is uniformly condemned everywhere by the learned. There is no doubt that this is an enemy and is getting out of hand having done many unpleasant deeds, however the wise propose many a punishment in place of execution of such. Among those, they suggest, removing limbs, lashing, tonsuring and disfigurement are prescribed for the emissaries and nowhere they talk of killing them.
वैरूप्यमङ्गेषु कशाभिघातो मौण्ड्यं तथा लक्षणसन्निपातः।
एतान् हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान् वधस्तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतोऽस्ति।।5.52.15।।
How can someone so well versed in the dharma and artha, knower of right and wrong, can be swayed by anger. The good control their anger. In dharma, in worldly conduct, in interpreting the scriptures, O warrior, you are best among the demons and the gods and there exists none as qualified as you. In valor and bravery, O king of demons, there is no one equal to you and you have conquered over the gods more than once.
I do not see any point in punishing this vAnara, rather you should punish those who sent him.
न चाप्यस्य कपेर्घाते कञ्चित्पश्याम्यहं गुणम्।
तेष्वयं पात्यतां दण्डो यैरयं प्रेषितः कपिः।।5.52.19।।
साधुर्वा यदि वाऽसाधुः परैरेष समर्पितः।
ब्रुवन् परार्थं परवान्न दूतो वधमर्हति।।5.52.20।।
Right or wrong, he is not independent and is dedicated to others. Hence he has parroted their words and doesn’t deserve to be killed. If you kill him, I don’t see anyone else who can reach us across the skies. And if he is killed, there is no one who can bring those two princes for war against you. You are mighty and have the ability to win even over the gods. So do not lose the opportunity to fight the princes. With your abilities and being surrounded by well-wishers, warriors, wielders of weapons, demons of high birth you should direct your ire against the gods or still better send someone to where the two princes are and capture them. Why show your might on this vAnara”?
The mighty demon king paid heed to the words of his brother vibhIshaNa.
Here we conclude the fifty second sarga of the sundara kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 5.53. What is rAma’s grace incapable of!
Previous: 5.51. hanumAn counsels, threatens and schools rAvaNa!
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
