Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 8

Meaning

Much gratified at the aforesaid assurance of Śrī Rāma, Sugrīva for his part joyfully submitted as follows to the gallant eldest brother of Lakṣmaṇa : (1)

Meaning

“I am undoubtedly deserving in everyway of the grace of gods in that you, who are rich in all natural endowments and endowed with virtues, are my friend. (2)

Meaning

“With you as my ally, O sinless Rāma, it should indeed be possible for me to secure even the kingdom of gods, to say nothing of regaining my own lost sovereignty, O lord ! (3)

Meaning

“As such, O scion of Raghu, I deserve to be adored by my kinsmen and friends, in that a friend born in the line of Raghu has been secured by me with fire as a witness. (4)

Meaning

“You will gradually come to know that I too am a friend worthy of you. I am, however, not able to make known to you the virtues inhering in me. (5)

Meaning

“The love of exalted souls like you, who have mastered their Self, is of course steady and their fortitude infinite, O jewel among masters of their Self ! (6)

Meaning

“Friends look upon their own silver or gold or even shining jewels as undivided with their friends. (7)

Meaning

“Rich or even poor, nay, afflicted or even happy, and faultless as well as full of faults, a friend is the supreme asylum to a friend. (8)

Meaning

“Renunciation of wealth, renunciation of comforts and renunciation even of one’s country follow in the interests of a friend on seeing love of a category evoking such a sacrifice, O sinless one !” (9)

Meaning

In the presence of the wise Lakṣmaṇa, who vied with Indra in splendour, Śrī Rāma said to Sugrīva of pleasing aspect, “It is as you say.” (10)

Meaning

Seeing Śrī Rāma as well as Lakṣmaṇa, who was possessed of great strength, Sugrīva thereupon cast his restless eyes all around in the forest. (11)

Meaning

Sugrīva, the ruler of monkeys, presently sighted not far from that spot a sal tree of charming flowers, nay, clothed with a scanty foliage and adorned with black bees. (12)

Meaning

Breaking for the sake of Śrī Rāma one most lovely bough, thick with leaves, off that tree and laying it on the ground, Sugrīva sat on it alongwith Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). (13)

Meaning

Seeing them seated and duly tearing one more bough off the sal tree, Hanumān prevailed on the meek Lakṣmaṇa too to sit on it. (14)

Meaning

Then out of affection Sugrīva for his part most joyfully submitted in a soft and attractive tone and in words rendered indistinct through joy to Śrī Rāma, the delighter of all, comfortably seated and calm like an unruffled ocean on that jewel among the best of mountains, which was strewn with blossoms of sal. (15-16)

Meaning

“Exiled by my elder brother, Vālī, and deprived of my spouse, I range on this Ṛṣyamūka, the best of mountains, stricken with fear and sore afflicted. (17)

Meaning

“Having been exiled and antagonized by my elder brother, Vālī, O scion of Raghu, I dwell in this forest alarmed and submerged in fear, my mind being utterly confused. (18)

Meaning

“You ought to show favour to me as well, forlorn as I am and stricken with fear from Vālī, O prince ridding all people of fear !” (19)

Meaning

Requested thus by Sugrīva, the glorious Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha, for his part, who knew what is right and was fond of righteousness, replied to Sugrīva as follows, as though heartily laughing : (20)

Meaning

“Service is the fruit yielded by a friend and an enemy is known by disservice (that he renders). I will this very day dispose of Vālī, who has wrested your spouse. (21)

Meaning

“Here indeed are my winged shafts of dazzling brilliance sprung from a thicket of reeds (the birth-place of Lord Skanda), decked with gold and adorned with the feathers of buzzards, endowed with smooth joints and exceptionally sharp points, nay, resembling the great Indra’s thunderbolt and looking like angry serpents, O highly blessed one ! (22-23)

Meaning

“See your hostile brother, known by the name of Vālī, who has done you wrong, struck down with arrows like a cleft mountain.” (24)

Meaning

Sugrīva, who was the leader of an army, derived incomparable joy on hearing the assurance of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) and said, “Excellent ! Bravo !! (25)

Meaning

“I am overwhelmed with grief, while you are the refuge of those stricken with grief. I ventilate my grievance to you, knowing you as I do to be my friend. (26)

Meaning

“By offering my hand of friendship to you, we have been made friends, with fire as a witness and you are more highly esteemed than my very life. I swear by truth. (27)

Meaning

“Nay, recognizing you to be my friend, I have revealed to you in confidence the sorrow residing in my heart, which distracts my mind from day to day.” (28)

Meaning

Having spoken words to the extent noted above, his eyes bedimmed with tears, he could not speak aloud any more due to his voice getting choked with tears. (29)

Meaning

By recourse to firmness in the presence of Śrī Rāma, Sugrīva, however, controlled the stream of his tears that had precipitately welled up like a river in spate. (30)

Meaning

Restraining those tears, nay, wiping his charming eyes and drawing a deep breath, the strong-willed monkey for his part submitted to Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) once more as follows : (31)

Meaning

“In the past, O Rāma, I was deposed by Vālī from my throne (which I had ascended under his instruction and with his concurrence) and, addressing pungent words, was exiled by him, mightier as he was. (32)

Meaning

“My spouse too, who was more precious than my very life, was wrested (from me) by him and those who were my near and dear ones were bound with chains. (33)

Meaning

“Nay, that malevolent fellow is endeavouring to bring about my destruction, O scion of Raghu ! Monkeys employed by him for this purpose on many occasions have been killed by me. (34)

Meaning

“Nay, dismayed through this fear alone I could not have courage to approach you even on seeing you, O scion of Raghu; for in the face of danger all get nervous. (35)

Meaning

“These monkeys with Hanumān as their leader for their part have in fact been my only companions. Hence I am able to preserve my life today, though reduced to straits. (36)

Meaning

“These loving monkeys actually protect me on all sides. They accompany me wherever I have to go and ever remain by my side when I have to stay. (37)

Meaning

“This in brief is all my story, O Rāma! Of what use is it to give you details? Vālī, that hostile elder brother of mine, is well-known for his valour. (38)

Meaning

“My suffering can be immediately wiped out only after his destruction. My happiness, nay, my life itself hinges on his destruction. (39)

Meaning

“In this way has the means of ending my suffering been submitted by me, stricken as I am with grief, O Rāma ! Afflicted or happy, a friend alone is the refuge of a friend at any time.” (40)

Meaning

Hearing this submission, Śrī Rāma once more spoke as follows to Sugrīva : “What was the occasion for Vālī’s hostility (with you)? I wish to hear this truly. (41)

Meaning

“After duly ascertaining the relative strength and weakness of you both, on hearing the cause of this antagonism, O monkey, I shall forthwith provide relief to you (in the shape of Vālīs destruction). (42)

Meaning

“Like the onrush of water (flowing in streams) during the monsoon, my indignation, which is already strong and shakes my heart, grows hearing about your being insulted. (43)

Meaning

“Speak joyfully and with confidence till the bow is strung by me. Your adversary (Vālī) will be killed as soon as an arrow is discharged by me.” (44)

Meaning

Reassured in these words by the high-souled Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha), Sugrīva for his part derived incomparable joy alongwith the four monkeys (who accompanied him). (45)

Meaning

With his face extremely delighted, Sugrīva thereupon proceeded to relate to Śrī Rāma (the eldest brother of Lakṣmaṇa) the cause of their hostility, which constituted the reality. (46)