Sundara Kanda, Sarga 62

Meaning

Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys and a veritable jewel among them, spoke to them as follows: “With an undisturbed mind enjoy you the honey, O monkeys ! (1)

Meaning

“I shall ward off those who hinder you.” Delighted at heart to hear the exhortation of Hanumān, Aṅgada, the most eminent of monkeys, echoed his words as follows : “Let the monkeys drink honey. The direction of Hanumān, who has accomplished his errand, must be followed by me even if it is not worth following, much more an advice of this type which is worth following, O dear ones !” Highly rejoiced to hear the compliment coming from the lips of Aṅgada, the monkeys, who were the foremost of their class, approved it, saying “Excellent ! Bravo !!” Applauding Aṅgada, the foremost of monkeys, all the monkeys proceeded once more to the site where Madhuvana was, even as the strong current of a river would rush towards a tree standing on its bank. Having penetrated deep into Madhuvana after overpowering the guards by dint of their superior might, all the monkeys—who felt exceptionally strong due to the permission granted by Aṅgada to enjoy the produce of the grove and because Hanumān had seen Sītā, princess of Mithilā, and others had heard of her being present in Laṅkā, drank honey on that happy occasion and gathered the delicious fruits to enjoy them. (2—7)

Meaning

Jumping up and thrashing the guards of the grove, who had come together to hinder them, all the monkeys then became engaged in hundreds in gathering the fruit etc., in Madhuvana on that occasion. (8)

Meaning

Holding with their arms honeycombs weighing a Droṇa (approx. 30 Kg.) each, some monkeys in that grove quaffed the honey in groups to their heart’s content. (9)

Meaning

All the monkeys, who were reddish brown like honey, broke the honeycombs together, while others partook of the honey contained in those combs, while still others threw away the combs after drinking the honey. (10)

Meaning

Others, who were intoxicated, pelted one another with balls of wax, while still others stood rooted at the foot of trees, seizing the boughs. (11)

Meaning

Feeling utterly languid through inebriety, monkeys, who were drunk with honey and possessed the impetuosity of a madman, lay down, full of joy, spreading leaves on the ground. (12)

Meaning

Others, likewise, insulted one another, while others stumbled down. Some roared like lions, while others, full of joy, whistled like birds. (13)

Meaning

Drunk with honey, some monkeys lay down to repose on the earth’s surface, while other impudent monkeys laughed, while still others did the reverse, i.e., wept. (14)

Meaning

Having done one thing, some monkeys pretended to have done something else, while still others construed their acts in a different way. (15)

Meaning

Hindered in their duty by those terrible monkeys, even the aforesaid servants of Dadhimukha, who for their part guarded the honey in this grove, fled in all directions. Nay, they were dragged by their knees and, further seized by their feet, were tossed up in the air. (16)

Meaning

Approaching Dadhimukha, greatly alarmed as they were, they submitted as follows : “Madhuvana has been forcibly laid waste by the monkeys, who had been granted by Hanumān, the privilege to enjoy the fruits etc., of the grove. Nay, we too were dragged by the knees and, seized by the feet, tossed up in the air.” (17)

Meaning

Incensed to hear of Madhuvana having been devastated by the monkeys, Dadhimukha, whose duty it was to guard the grove, consoled the reporting monkeys on that occasion as follows : “Come along, come away; let us approach the highly arrogant monkeys. I shall forcibly ward off the monkeys feasting on the excellent honey.” (18-19)

Meaning

Hearing this assurance of Dadhimukha, the aforesaid heroic jewels among monkeys retraced their steps to Madhuvana, accompanied by Dadhimukha himself. (20)

Meaning

Nay, uprooting and firmly seizing a huge tree, Dadhimukha took up his position in their midst. And all the aforesaid monkeys ran with all speed in the direction of Madhuvana. (21)

Meaning

Seizing rocks and trees as well as slabs of stone, those monkeys arrived, full of rage, at the place where those elephants among monkeys were. (22)

Meaning

Forcibly hindering the monkeys, nay, biting their lips in rage and threatening them again and again, the monkeys came near them. (23)

Meaning

Seeing Dadhimukha enraged, the aforesaid bulls among monkeys, headed by Hanumān, forthwith ran with all speed to meet them on that occasion. (24)

Meaning

Full of rage, Aṅgada clasped tightly by his arms the mighty-armed Dadhimukha, who was endowed with extraordinary might and was rushing with all speed, tree in hand. (25)

Meaning

Blinded with intoxication, he did not show any mercy to him on the score of his being his granduncle. Nay, causing him at once to fall down, he began to rub him against the ground with vehemence. (26)

Meaning

Having completely lost control over himself, nay, bathed in blood, his arms, thighs and face broken, that elephant among monkeys, an eminent hero, fainted away for a moment. (27)

Meaning

Withdrawing to a secluded corner when let go somehow by those monkeys, that jewel among monkeys spoke as follows to his subordinates, who had come very near: (28)

Meaning

“Come along, come away; we shall proceed to where the thick-necked monkey, Sugrīva, our master, is staying with Śrī Rāma. (29)

Meaning

“Nay, we shall make known to the king all the misconduct of Aṅgada. Full of indignation he will cause the offending monkeys to be put to death on hearing our complaint. (30)

Meaning

“For, this wonderful Madhuvana, which has been inherited by him from his forefathers and is difficult to approach even for gods, is dear to the high-souled Sugrīva. (31)

Meaning

“The celebrated Sugrīva will cause to be killed by way of punishment all these monkeys—avid for honey, whose sands of life have already run out—alongwith their near and dear ones. (32)

Meaning

“These evil-minded monkeys, deserve to be killed because they have flouted the royal command. Born of indignation, my wrath will bear fruit only then.” (33)

Meaning

Having spoken as aforesaid to the guards of the grove, and springing up all at once, Dadhimukha, who was endowed with extraordinary might, departed for Kiṣkindhā, duly accompanied by the guards of the grove. (34)

Meaning

In the mere twinkling of an eye the aforesaid monkey actually reached the place where the sagacious monkey, Sugrīva, son of the sun god, was. (35)

Meaning

Beholding from a distance Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa too, as well as Sugrīva, he descended to a level ground from the airspace: so the tradition goes. (36)

Meaning

Coming down, surrounded by all the aforesaid guards, nay, wearing a miserable aspect and placing his joined palms over his head, that monkey, Dadhimukha, the paramount leader of those guards, who was a great hero, forthwith pressed the well-known feet of Sugrīva with his head. (37-38)