Chapter [Sarga] 54

Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

Chapter [Sarga] 54

Introduction

Hanuma advises Angada to not to desert the mainstream kingdom to establish a separate one, which will definitely attract the fury of Sugreeva. Hanuma uses political tactics in pacifying Angada, who is utterly terrorised of Sugreeva in the event of the failure of the task under his leadership.

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tathaa bruvati taare tu taaraa adhipati var.hcasi |
atha mene hR^itam raajyam hanumaan a.ngadena tat || 4-54-1

1. taaraa adhipati varcasi= stars, lord [moon, similar in] shine; taare tathaa bruvati= by Lt. Tara, that way, has spoken; atha= then; hanumaan= Hanuma; angadena tat raajyam hR^itam= by Angada that, kingdom, stolen [laying siege to]; [iti] mene= [thus,] deemed.

When Lt Tara whose resplendence is similar to moonshine has spoken that way, then Hanuma deemed that Angada is laying siege to that kingdom of Vanara-s. [4-54-1]

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buddhyaa hi aSTa a.ngayaa yuktam catur bala samanvitam |
catur dasha guNam mene hanumaan vaalinaH sutam || 4-54-2

2. hanumaan= Hanuma; vaalinaH sutam= of Vali's, son; aSTa angayaa buddhyaa yuktam hi= with eight, parts [eightfold,] intelligence, having, indeed; catuH bala sam anvitam= four, capabilities[tactics,] having; catuH dasha guNam= [having] four, ten [fourteen,] traits; mene= considered as.

Hanuma considered Vali's son Angada indeed as having eightfold intelligence, fourfold tactics, fourteen traits. [4-54-2]

The IQ of an average person is eightfold is said as:þuþr¨ÿa þavaõam caiva grahaõam dh˜raõam tath˜ | ¨ha apoha artha vijñ˜nam tattva jñ˜nam ca dhŸ guõ˜×

shushruuSa assiduously polite - 1] attentivenessshravaNam ardently listening - 2] heedfulness grahanaminstantly grasping - 3] receptiveness dhaaraNam continually remembering - 4] retentiveness uuha discrimination of pros and cons - 5] speculativeness apoha indecisiveness about the undesirables and receiving the worthwhile - 6] fastidiousness artha vij~naanam substance's, comprehensive knowledge - 7] omniscience, tattva j~naanam quintessence's, profundity - 8] acumen.

The fourfold tactics or abilities are saama, daana, bheda, danDa 1] placation, 2] presentation, 3] partition, 4] persecution. The other way these four are four abilities mano bala, baahu bala, upaaya bala, bandhu bala self-assuring strengths of self-opinion, self-shoulders, self-ideation and self-consistent supporters.

deþa k˜lajñata d˜rýhyam sarva kleþa sahiÿõut˜ | sarva vijñ˜nit˜ d˜kÿyam ¨rja× samv®ta mantrat˜ | avisamvidit˜ þauryam þaktijñatvam k®tajñat˜ | þaraõa ˜gata vatslyam amarÿatvam ac˜lana | 1] knowledge of place and time, 2] sturdiness, 3] enduring troubles, 4] knowing all possible, 5] skilfulness, 6] self-defence, 7] maintaining confidentiality of strategies, 8] avoiding unwanted debates [or, not uttering lies, 9] courageousness, 10] recognising strengths and weaknesses of one's own and of others also, 11] faithfulness, 12] sheltering the seekers of shelter, 13] showing anger at appropriate times, 14] unwavering in opinions or actions.

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aapuuryamaaNam shashvat ca tejo bala paraakramaiH |
shashinam shukla pakSa aadau vardhamaanam iva shriyaa || 4-54-3
bR^ihaspati samam buddhyaa vikrame sadR^isham pituH |
shushruuSamaaNam taarasya shukrasya iva pura.ndaram || 4-54-4
bhartuH arthe parishraantam sarva shaastra vishaaradaH |
abhisa.ndhaatum aarebhe hanumaan a.ngadam tataH || 4-54-5

3, 4, 5. shashvat= steadily; tejaH bala paraakramaiH= with spiritedness, mightiness, valorousness; aapuuryamaaNam= he who is brimming over; shukla pakSa aadau= white, fortnight, starting from; shashinam iva= moon, as with; shriyaa vardhamaanam [ angadam]= with grandeur, being broadened, [at Angada]; buddhyaa= by sagacity; bR^ihaspati samam= Brihaspati [Jupiter,] one who is comparable to; vikrame pituH sadR^isham= in intrepidity, father, who mirrors up; shukrasya purandaram iva= for Shukraacaarya, Indra, as with; taarasya= of Lt. Tara - his advices; shushruuSamaaNam= one who is assiduously attentive; bhartuH arthe pari shraantam= in husbander's [king's, Sugreeva's] in concern, overly enervated [Angada]; angadam= to [such ] Angada; sarva shaastra vishaaradaH= in all, scriptures, scholarly - Hanuma; or, sarva shaastra vidaam varam= in all, scripture, knowers, best one i.e., to Angada]; hanumaan= Hanuma; tataH= then; abhisamdhaatum [abhi sam dhaatum]= to confederate - with Sugreeva; aarebhe= started to.

Angada who is steadily brimming over with his spiritedness, mightiness, valorousness, and waxing like the moon starting from day one of White Fortnight of a month, who is comparable to Brihaspati, the Jupiter, in sagacity, who mirrors up his father Vali in intrepidity, but who is now assiduously attentive to the rebellious teachings of Lt. Tara, like Indra who once listened to the un-listenable teachings of demon's mentor, namely Shukraacaarya, as that Angada is overly enervated to fulfil the concerns of the king Sugreeva. Then Hanuma who is the scholar in all scriptures started to confederate the confidence of Angada with the present regime of Sugreeva. [4-54-3, 4, 5]

Indian categorisation of a month does not directly jump to weeks, but firstly into two fortnights, later into weeks and then to days: 1] paurNami, poorNima White Fortnight - where the moon will be waxing from new-moon-day; 2] amaavaasya Black Fortnight - where the moon will be waning to no-moon-day.

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sa caturNaam upaayaanaam tR^itiiyam upavarNayan |
bhedayaamaasa taan sarvaan vaanaraan vaakya sa.mpadaa || 4-54-6

6. saH= he - Hanuma; caturNaam upaayaanaam= among four, ideations; tR^itiiyam upavarNayan= third one, while exemplifying; taan sarvaan vaanaraan= them, all, vanara-s; vaakya sampadaa= by words', wealth, [rhetorically]; bhedayaamaasa= schismatically started to secede.

Hanuma then rhetorically started to the schismatic secession of all those vanara-s, who are desirous of avoiding Sugreeva and desiring a hideout, exemplifying the third ideation, namely the partition, among the four political ideations, viz., placation, presentation, partition, persecution. [4-54-6]

The four ideations are saama, daana, bheda, daNDa upaayaaH The ideations for placation, presentation, partition, persecution, in connection with a political adversary.

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teSu sarveSu bhinneSu tato abhiiSaya a.ngadam |
bhiiSaNaiH vividhaiH vaakyaiH kopa upaaya samanvitaiH || 4-54-7

7. teSu sarveSu bhinneSu= in them, in all, in defection [from Angada's idea of defecting from Sugreeva]; tataH= then; kopa upaaya samanvitaiH= anger [persecutory,] ideation, containing; bhiiSaNaiH vividhaiH vaakyaiH= with awesome, diverse, sentences [orations]; angadam abhiiSayat= Angada, is overawed - by Hanuma.

When Hanuma made all of the vanara-s to defect from Angada's idea of defecting Sugreeva, then Hanuma further overawed Angada with diverse and awesome orations containing the fourth ideation, namely the persecutory measures, employable by Sugreeva on defectors. [4-54-7]

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tvam samartha taraH pitraa yuddhe taareya vai dhruvam |
dR^iDham dhaarayitum shaktaH kapi raajyam yathaa pitaa || 4-54-8

8. taareya= oh, Lady Tara's son - Angada; tvam yuddhe= you, in warfare; pitraa samartha taraH= with your father, able, more [abler than]; dhruvam= undeniably; pitaa yathaa= your father, as with; kapi raajyam dR^iDham dhaarayitum shaktaH= monkey, kingdom, unquestionably, to sustain, capable.

"As with your father you are undeniably abler in warfare, oh, the son of Lady Tara, and as with your father you are unquestionably capable enough to sustain the monkey kingdom." Thus Hanuma started to address Angada. [4-54-8]

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nityam asthira cittaa hi kapayo hari pu.ngava |
na aaj~naapyam viSahiSyanti putra daaraan vinaa tvayaa || 4-54-9

9. hari pungava= oh, monkey, the best; kapayaH nityam a+sthira cittaa hi= monkeys, always, not, consistent, at will, isn't it; putra daaraan vinaa= sons, wives, without - separated from them; tvayaa= by you; aaj~naapyam= to be ordered - to remain under your control; na vi SahiSyanti= not, verily, tolerate - they will not abide.

"Oh, best monkey, Angada, monkeys will be inconsistent at their will, isn't it! Separated from their sons and wives they cannot tolerate to remain under your control for a long. [4-54-9]

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tvaam na ete hi anuyu.njeyuH pratyakSam pravadaami te |
yathaa ayam jaa.mbavaan niilaH suhotraH ca mahaakapiH || 4-54-10
na hi aham te ime sarve saama daana aadibhiH guNaiH |
daNDena na tvayaa shakyaaH sugriivaat apakarSitum || 4-54-11

10, 11. pratyakSam te yathaa pra vadaami= obviously, to you, as how, I am telling - I am plainly telling what is obvious; ayam jaambavaan= this, Jambavanta; niilaH= Niila; mahaa kapiH suhotraH ca= great, monkey, Suhotra, also; ete= all these [monkeys]; tvaam= [after] you; na anu yunjeyuH hi= not, at heel, join, isn't it - they won't tagalong you; [tathaa= likewise]; aham na hi= I [too,] will not, definitely, [tagalong you]; te ime= those, these - such as they are they, or, we are; sarve= all of [us]; saama daana aadibhiH guNaiH= placation, presentation, and the like, by tactics; daNDena= [even] by persecution; tvayaa sugriivaat= by you, from Sugreeva; apa karSitum= away, pull - to sidetrack; na shakyaaH= not, possible.

"I plainly tell you what is obvious. This Jambavanta, these monkeys like Niila, and great monkey Suhotra and others do not definitely tagalong you, isn't it. Likewise I too do not definitely tagalong you. Such as we are, it will be impossible for you to sidetrack us from Sugreeva using tactics like placation, presentation or even persecution, isn't so! [4-54-10, 11]

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vigR^ihya aasanam api aahuH dur.hbalena baliiyasaa |
aatma rakSaa karaH tasmaat na vigR^ihNiita durbalaH || 4-54-12

12. baliiyasaa dur balena= with mighty, less, mighty; vi gR^ihya= verily, antagonising [at odds with]; aasanam api aahuH= to linger on, even if, [so to] speak; tasmaat aatma rakSaa karaH= therefore, yourself, safeguard, do [guard yourself]; durbalaH na vigR^ihNiita= less mighty [mediocre mighty, mediocrities] not, will be at odds.

"Even if a mightless is at odds with the mighty he can linger on, so to speak, therefore guard yourself, for no mediocrity will be at odds... [4-54-12]

Vividly: 'though moralists say that the mighty shall not fall afoul of the mightless, but their relations will always be in estrangement... and the foulness of mightless with the mighty will run the relations afoul... thus, purchasing the wrath of the mighty by the mightless is futile... and such as you are, you seek asylum in such a cavity as counselled haphazardly by all these fickly monkeys... thus, beware that the mightless is the one who shall strive for self-guarding against the mighty, but not contrariwise...

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yaam ca imaam manyase dhaatriim etat bilam iti shrutam |
etat lakSmaNa baaNaanaam iiSat kaaryam vidaaraNe || 4-54-13

13. yaam imaam dhaatriim= of which, this one, of earth [going underground]; manyase= you suppose; etat bilam iti shrutam= this one, cavity [Black Hole,] thus, heard [by you from Lt. Tara]; lakSmaNa baaNaanaam= for Lakshmana's, arrows; etat vi daaraNe= all this [Black Hole] by far, to split apart; iiSat kaaryam= is a trifling, deed.

"This matter of going underground into that Black Hole which you suppose as a hideout from Sugreeva, as you heard from Lt. Tara and others, but it is a deed of trifle to Lakshmana's arrows, not necessarily for Rama's arrows, in splitting apart whole of that Black Hole in a trice. [4-54-13]

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svalpam hi kR^itam indreNa kSipataa hi ashanim puraa |
lakSmaNo nishitaiH baaNaiH bhindyaat patra puTam yathaa || 4-54-14

14. puraa ashanim kSipataa hi= once, Thunderbolt, thudded, indeed; indreNa svalpam kR^itam hi= by Indra, trivial [deed,] done, indeed; lakSmaNaH nishitaiH baaNaiH= Lakshmana, with acute, arrows; patra puTam yathaa= leafy, bowl, as if [it is a]; bhindyaat= will splinter.

"Indeed, once Indra thudded his Thunderbolt on this very underground illusory place, but that act was indeed a trivial deed for that Thunderbolt made a single demon-sized aperture to eliminate a single demon, Maya, which we now call Riksha bila, Black Hole, nevertheless Lakshmana will splinter whole of this Black Hole with his acute arrows, as if it is leafy bowl. [4-54-14]

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lakSmaNasya ca naaraacaa bahavaH santi tat vidhaaH |
vajra ashani sama sparshaa giriiNaam api daarakaaH || 4-54-15

15. vajra ashani sama sparshaa= Thunderbolt, Lightning Flash, equal, in touch [punch]; giriiNaam api daarakaaH= mountains, even, splitters of; tat vidhaaH= that, type of - Thunderbolt-like; bahavaH lakSmaNasya naaraacaa santi= numerous, Lakshmana's, iron-arrows, are there.

"There are numerous iron-arrows with Lakshmana that are kindred to Thunderbolt of Indra, whose punch will be equalling that of Thunderbolt and Lightning Flashes, and which are the splitters of mountains. [4-54-15]

Annex: 'of which you all may have heard, but a few of us like Jaambavanta, Nala, Neea, Lt. Tara and myself bear witness, personally... on piercing the seven sturdy trees Rama's arrow penetrated into the nethermost terrain of earth and resurfaced... then, Lakshmana's arrow can pulverise mountains, isn't so...'

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avasthaane yadaa eva tvam aasiSyasi para.ntapa |
tadaa eva harayaH sarve tyakSyanti kR^ita nishcayaaH || 4-54-16

16. parantapa= oh, enemy-burner - Angada; tvam yadaa eva= you, as and when; ava sthaane= down, place [underground, or, an unworthy place for a crown prince]; aasiSyasi= you settle down; tadaa eva= then, only; sarve harayaH= all, monkeys; kR^ita nishcayaaH= on making, resolve; tyakSyanti= will desert [you.]

"As and when you settle down in that underground, more so, an unbefitting place for a crown prince, oh, enemy-burner Angada, then and there all the monkeys will desert you resolvedly. [4-54-16]

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smara.ntaH putra daaraaNaam nitya udvignaa bubhukSitaaH |
kheditaa duHkha shayyaabhiH tvaam kariSyanti pR^iSThataH || 4-54-17

17. putra daaraaNaam smarantaH= sons, wives, reminiscing; nitya udvignaa= always, sulking; bubhukSitaaH= hungered [for palatability]; duHkha shayyaabhiH= on lament, beds; kheditaaH= made to lament; tvaam pR^iSThataH kariSyanti= you, backwards, they render - they push you back.

"Always sulking and reminiscing on their sons and wives, and hungered for the proximity of their kinfolk and hungered for diverse palatability as any monkey would cherish, even so, lamenting on the beds of lament they push you backwards. [4-54-17]

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sa tvam hiinaH suhR^idbhiH ca hita kaamaiH ca ba.ndhubhiH |
tR^iNaat api bhR^isha udvignaH spa.ndamaanaat bhaviSyasi || 4-54-18

18. su hR^idbhiH ca= with good, hearted ones; hita kaamaiH bandhubhiH ca= well, wishers, with relatives, also; hiinaH= devoid of; saH tvam= he, you - such as you are; spandamaanaat tR^iNaat api= shaking, than a straw-blade, even; bhR^isha udvignaH= muchly, sullen [highly frightened]; bhaviSyasi= you will become [end up.]

"Devoid of good-hearted friends and well-wishing relatives, you will become highly sullen in solitariness. Such as you are you will end up as a highly frightened monkey, even from the shaking of a piece of straw.

Or

"Devoid of good-hearted friends and well-wishing relatives, you will become highly sullen in solitariness. Such as you are you will end up as a highly frightened monkey and you will end up much the same as a seamy shaky piece of straw. [4-54-18]

He will become 'a crown prince of straw...' anena parijanai× pari tyakta× t®õ˜t api laghu taro bhavati iti s¨citam - dk if he discards his own people.

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ati ugra vegaa nishitaa ghoraa lakSmaNa saayakaaH |
apavR^ittam jighaa.msanto mahaavegaa duraasadaaH || 4-54-19

19. lakSmaNa saayakaaH= Lakshmana's, arrows; ati ugra vegaa= by far, fiercely, speeded [frantic]; nishitaaH= twingeing; ghoraaH= terrifyingly; apa aavR^ittam= to side, going - sidestepping, you; jighaamsantaH= intended to kill - if targeted to kill you; mahaa vegaa duraasadaaH= highly, speedy [fierily frenetic arrows,] unassailable [here, irreversible.]

"By far, those fiercely frantic arrows of Lakshmana if targeted to kill you, in case you become a sidestepper from loyalties, will be terrifyingly twingeing. Further, those fierily frenetic arrows are irreversible. [4-54-19]

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asmaabhiH tu gatam saardham viniitavat upasthitam |
aanupuurvyaat tu sugriivo raajye tvaam sthaapayiSyati || 4-54-20

20. tu= but; asmaabhiH saa ardham gatam= us, along with, resolute [resolutely,] if gone [if returning to Kishkindha]; viniitavat= like an obedient one; upa sthitam= nearby, staying [staying at his side, flanker]; tvaam= you; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; raajye= in kingdom; aanupuurvyaat= as before, only; sthaapayiSyati= establishes.

"But, if you return to Kishkindha along with us, and if you obediently become Sugreeva's flanker, he establishes you only in kingdom as before. [4-54-20]

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dharma raajaH pitR^ivyaH te priiti kaamo dR^iDha vrataH |
shuciH satya pratij~naH ca sa tvaam jaatu na naashayet || 4-54-21

21. te pitR^ivyaH= your, paternal-uncle - Sugreeva; dharma raajaH= with probity, he gleams - he gleams with probity; priiti kaamaH= affection, desirer of; dR^iDha vrataH= staunchly, dedicated; shuciH= clean [exonerative]; satya pratij~naH ca= to principles, pledged, also; saH tvaam jaatu= he, you, in no way; na naashayet= not, liquidates.

"Your paternal-uncle Sugreeva's gleam is his honesty as he is free of dishonesty, his desire is affection as he is free of aversion, his dedication is staunch as he is free of prevarication, and he himself is exoneration as he is free from exploitation, thus in no way he liquidates you. [4-54-21]

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priya kaamaH ca te maatuH tat artham ca asya jiivitam |
tasya apatyam ca na asti anyat tasmaat a.ngada gamyataam || 4-54-22

22. te maatuH priya kaamaH ca= you, mother's, well, wisher, also; asya jiivitam tat artham ca= his [Sugreeva's, strife of] life, for that, reason [for the sake of Lady Tara]; tasya anyat apatyam ca na asti= to him [to Sugreeva,] other, posterity, also, not, is there; angada= oh, Angada; tasmaat gamyataam= oh, Angada, therefore, begone [to Kishkindha.]

"He is your mother's well-wisher, the strife of Sugreeva's life is for her only, more so, there is no other posterity to him than you. Oh, Angada, therefore go back to Kishkindha, rather than deflecting, deviating and deserting your own kingdom. [4-54-22]

By these words of advise Hanuma is said to have used all the four tactics of saama, daana, bheda, daNDa upaayaaH'political ideations of 1] placation, 2] presentation, 3] partition, 4] persecution. This is how that is explained: atra - tvam samartha tara× pitr˜ - 4-54-8 - iti anena s˜ma uktam | - nityam asthira citt˜ - 4-54-9 - iti anena bheda ukta× | - tv˜m j˜tu na n˜þayet - 4-54-21 - anena daõda ukta× | - asm˜bhi× tu gatam s˜rdham - anena d˜nam uktam | evam bhedo api hanumat˜ s˜ma d˜na danõýa p¨rvaka eva k®ta× | tena bhedan˜ angado api bivhŸÿita× | - dk As these references are already there, they are not reiterated here.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe catuH pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 54th chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.