Sources

Two strangers with bows

Valmiki · Kishkindha Kanda
4.2.1–4.4.35 (CrEd 4.2.1–4.4.26)

From the crest of Rishyamukha, Sugriva sees Rama and Lakshmana coming armed and, fearing they are Vali's men, sends Hanuman to learn who they are. Hanuman goes down in a mendicant's guise and speaks so well that Rama praises his speech; Lakshmana tells him their story and that they have come to Sugriva for refuge. Glad that the work has come to them, Hanuman takes the two brothers up the hill to his king.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

Show

Part 1

Who would not be afraid?

Valmiki 4.2.1–4.3.2 (CrEd 4.2.1–4.3.3ab)

॥ 4.2.1–2 ॥

CrEd 4.2.1–2

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तौ तु दृष्ट्वा महात्मानौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ वरायुधधरौ वीरौ सुग्रीवः शङ्कितोऽभवत् उद्विग्नहृदयः सर्वा दिशः समवलोकयन् न व्यतिष्ठत कस्मिंश् चिद् देशे वानरपुंगवः ॥

tau tu dṛṣṭvā mahātmānau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau varāyudhadharau vīrau sugrīvaḥ śaṅkito 'bhavat udvignahṛdayaḥ sarvā diśaḥ samavalokayan na vyatiṣṭhata kasmiṃś cid deśe vānarapuṃgavaḥ

English

Seeing the two great-souled ones,
the brothers Rama and Lakshmana,
heroes bearing splendid weapons,
Sugriva was seized with fear.
Troubled at heart, he looked
in every direction round;
in no one place could he stand,
that bull among the monkeys.

॥ 4.2.9–11 ॥

CrEd 4.2.9–11

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एकम् एकायनगताः प्लवमाना गिरेर् गिरिम् प्रकम्पयन्तो वेगेन गिरीणां शिखराणि च ततः शाखामृगाः सर्वे प्लवमाना महाबलाः बभञ्जुश् च नगांस् तत्र पुष्पितान् दुर्गसंश्रितान् आप्लवन्तो हरिवराः सर्वतस् तं महागिरिम् मृगमार्जारशार्दूलांस् त्रासयन्तो ययुस् तदा ॥

ekam ekāyanagatāḥ plavamānā girer girim prakampayanto vegena girīṇāṃ śikharāṇi ca tataḥ śākhāmṛgāḥ sarve plavamānā mahābalāḥ babhañjuś ca nagāṃs tatra puṣpitān durgasaṃśritān āplavanto harivarāḥ sarvatas taṃ mahāgirim mṛgamārjāraśārdūlāṃs trāsayanto yayus tadā

English

One by one, along one path,
leaping from hill to hill,
shaking with their speed
the summits of the mountains,
then all the dwellers of the branches,
leaping, mighty in strength,
broke the trees in flower there
that clung to the rugged places.
Bounding, the best of the monkeys,
on every side of that great mountain,
frightening deer and wildcats and tigers,
went on their way.

॥ 4.2.8, 4.2.12 ॥

CrEd 4.2.8, 4.2.12

silent moment

॥ 4.2.13, 4.2.19 ॥

CrEd 4.2.13, 4.2.18

condensed from 4.2.13, 4.2.19

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततस् तं भयसंत्रस्तं वालिकिल्बिषशङ्कितम् उवाच हनुमान् वाक्यं सुग्रीवं वाक्यकोविदः … सुग्रीवस् तु शुभं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा सर्वं हनूमतः ततः शुभतरं वाक्यं हनूमन्तम् उवाच ह ॥

tatas taṃ bhayasaṃtrastaṃ vālikilbiṣaśaṅkitam uvāca hanumān vākyaṃ sugrīvaṃ vākyakovidaḥ … sugrīvas tu śubhaṃ vākyaṃ śrutvā sarvaṃ hanūmataḥ tataḥ śubhataraṃ vākyaṃ hanūmantam uvāca ha

English

Then to him, shaken with fear,
suspecting Vali’s treachery,
Hanuman spoke, to Sugriva,
Hanuman, the knower of words.
…
But Sugriva, having heard
all Hanuman’s good words,
then spoke words better still
to Hanuman in reply.

॥ 4.2.20 ॥

CrEd 4.2.19

Sugriva

Sanskrit

दीर्घबाहू विशालाक्षौ शरचापासिधारिणौ कस्य न स्याद् भयं दृष्ट्वा एतौ सुरसुतोपमौ ॥

dīrghabāhū viśālākṣau śaracāpāsidhāriṇau kasya na syād bhayaṃ dṛṣṭvā etau surasutopamau

English

Long of arm and wide of eye,
bearing arrows, bows and swords:
who would not fear, seeing
these two, like sons of the gods?

॥ 4.2.21 ॥

CrEd 4.2.20

Sugriva

Sanskrit

वालिप्रणिहिताव् एतौ शङ्केऽहं पुरुषोत्तमौ राजानो बहुमित्राश् च विश्वासो नात्र हि क्षमः ॥

vālipraṇihitāv etau śaṅke 'haṃ puruṣottamau rājāno bahumitrāś ca viśvāso nātra hi kṣamaḥ

English

Sent by Vali are these two,
I fear, these best of men;
for kings have many friends,
and trust is not fitting here.

॥ 4.2.22 ॥

CrEd 4.2.21

Sugriva

Sanskrit

अरयश् च मनुष्येण विज्ञेयाश् छन्नचारिणः विश्वस्तानाम् अविश्वस्ताश् छिद्रेषु प्रहरन्ति हि ॥

arayaś ca manuṣyeṇa vijñeyāś channacāriṇaḥ viśvastānām aviśvastāś chidreṣu praharanti hi

English

Enemies must be known by a man,
enemies who move disguised;
the untrusting strike the trusting
where the cracks are found.

॥ 4.2.23 ॥

CrEd 4.2.22

Sugriva

Sanskrit

कृत्येषु वाली मेधावी राजानो बहुदर्शनाः भवन्ति परहन्तारस् ते ज्ञेयाः प्राकृतैर् नरैः ॥

kṛtyeṣu vālī medhāvī rājāno bahudarśanāḥ bhavanti parahantāras te jñeyāḥ prākṛtair naraiḥ

English

Vali is shrewd in such affairs;
kings are far-seeing,
and slayers of their foes:
these are known by common men.

॥ 4.2.25 ॥

CrEd 4.2.24

Sugriva

Sanskrit

लक्षयस्व तयोर् भावं प्रहृष्टमनसौ यदि विश्वासयन् प्रशंसाभिर् इङ्गितैश् च पुनः पुनः ॥

lakṣayasva tayor bhāvaṃ prahṛṣṭamanasau yadi viśvāsayan praśaṃsābhir iṅgitaiś ca punaḥ punaḥ

English

Mark the bearing of the two,
whether they are glad at heart,
winning their trust with praises
and with gestures, again and again.

॥ 4.2.26a, 4.2.27 ॥

CrEd 4.2.25a, 4.2.26

condensed from 4.2.26a, 4.2.27

Sugriva

Sanskrit

ममैवाभिमुखं स्थित्वा … शुद्धात्मानौ यदि त्व् एतौ जानीहि त्वं प्लवंगम व्याभाषितैर् वा रूपैर् वा विज्ञेया दुष्टतानयोः ॥

mamaivābhimukhaṃ sthitvā … śuddhātmānau yadi tv etau jānīhi tvaṃ plavaṃgama vyābhāṣitair vā rūpair vā vijñeyā duṣṭatānayoḥ

English

Standing facing me,
…
whether these two are pure of heart,
do you find out, O monkey;
by their speech or by their looks
their wickedness may be known.

॥ 4.2.29a ॥

CrEd 4.2.28a

Hanuman

Sanskrit

तथेति संपूज्य वचस् तु तस्य ॥

tatheti saṃpūjya vacas tu tasya

English

“So be it,” and honouring his words,

॥ 4.2.29 ॥

CrEd 4.2.28

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तथेति संपूज्य वचस् तु तस्य कपेः सुभीतस्य दुरासदस्य महानुभावो हनुमान् ययौ तदा स यत्र रामोऽतिबलश् च लक्ष्मणः ॥

tatheti saṃpūjya vacas tu tasya kapeḥ subhītasya durāsadasya mahānubhāvo hanumān yayau tadā sa yatra rāmo 'tibalaś ca lakṣmaṇaḥ

English

“So be it,” and honouring his words,
the words of that monkey, much afraid, unassailable,
great-souled Hanuman went then
to where Rama was, and Lakshmana of mighty strength.

॥ 4.3.1 ॥

CrEd 4.3.1

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

वचो विज्ञाय हनुमान् सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः पर्वताद् ऋश्यमूकात् तु पुप्लुवे यत्र राघवौ ॥

vaco vijñāya hanumān sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ parvatād ṛśyamūkāt tu pupluve yatra rāghavau

English

Taking in the words
of great-souled Sugriva,
from the mountain Rishyamukha
Hanuman leapt to where the Raghavas were.

॥ 4.3.2 ॥

CrEd 4.3.3ab

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

स्वकं रूपं परित्यज्य भिक्षुरूपेण वानरः ॥

svakaṃ rūpaṃ parityajya bhikṣurūpeṇa vānaraḥ

English

Casting off his own form,
in a mendicant’s shape, the monkey

Part 2

Such an envoy

Valmiki 4.3.3–4.4.35 (CrEd 4.3.2–4.4.26)

॥ 4.3.3 ॥

CrEd 4.3.2

silent moment

॥ 4.3.5cd–6ab ॥

CrEd 4.3.4

Hanuman

Sanskrit

राजर्षिदेवप्रतिमौ तापसौ संशितव्रतौ देशं कथम् इमं प्राप्तौ भवन्तौ वरवर्णिनौ ॥

rājarṣidevapratimau tāpasau saṃśitavratau deśaṃ katham imaṃ prāptau bhavantau varavarṇinau

English

Like royal sages, like the gods,
ascetics firm in your vows,
how have you come to this land,
you two of radiant hue?

॥ 4.3.12–13ab ॥

CrEd 4.3.10–11ab

Hanuman

Sanskrit

पद्मपत्रेक्षणौ वीरौ जटामण्डलधारिणौ अन्योन्यसदृशौ वीरौ देवलोकाद् इवागतौ यदृच्छयेव संप्राप्तौ चन्द्रसूर्यौ वसुंधराम् ॥

padmapatrekṣaṇau vīrau jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇau anyonyasadṛśau vīrau devalokād ivāgatau yadṛcchayeva saṃprāptau candrasūryau vasuṃdharām

English

Heroes with lotus-petal eyes,
wearing crowns of matted hair,
heroes each like the other,
as if come from the world of the gods,
as if by chance had come
the moon and sun to earth.

॥ 4.3.14cd–15ab ॥

CrEd 4.3.12cd-ef

Hanuman

Sanskrit

आयताश् च सुवृत्ताश् च बाहवः परिघोत्तमाः सर्वभूषणभूषार्हाः किम् अर्थं न विभूषिताः ॥

āyatāś ca suvṛttāś ca bāhavaḥ parighottamāḥ sarvabhūṣaṇabhūṣārhāḥ kim arthaṃ na vibhūṣitāḥ

English

Long, and finely rounded,
your arms, like the best of iron bars,
worthy of every ornament:
why do they go unadorned?

॥ 4.3.24 ॥

CrEd 4.3.22

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवम् उक्त्वा तु हनुमांस् तौ वीरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ वाक्यज्ञौ वाक्यकुशलः पुनर् नोवाच किं चन ॥

evam uktvā tu hanumāṃs tau vīrau rāmalakṣmaṇau vākyajñau vākyakuśalaḥ punar novāca kiṃ cana

English

Having spoken so, Hanuman,
to the heroes Rama and Lakshmana,
knowers of speech, he skilled in speech
said nothing further.

॥ 4.3.25 ॥

CrEd 4.3.23

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एतच् छ्रुत्वा वचस् तस्य रामो लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत् प्रहृष्टवदनः श्रीमान् भ्रातरं पार्श्वतः स्थितम् ॥

etac chrutvā vacas tasya rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt prahṛṣṭavadanaḥ śrīmān bhrātaraṃ pārśvataḥ sthitam

English

Hearing these words of his,
Rama spoke to Lakshmana,
glorious, his face alight with joy,
to the brother at his side.

॥ 4.3.31 ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEd

Rama

Sanskrit

अविस्तरम् असंदिग्धम् अविलम्बितम् अव्यथम् उरःस्थं कण्ठगं वाक्यं वर्तते मध्यमे स्वरे ॥

avistaram asaṃdigdham avilambitam avyatham uraḥsthaṃ kaṇṭhagaṃ vākyaṃ vartate madhyame svare

English

Not drawn out, not doubtful,
not halting, without strain,
from the chest, through the throat, his speech
moves in the middle tone.

॥ 4.3.33 ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEd

Rama

Sanskrit

अनया चित्रया वाचा त्रिस्थानव्यञ्जनस्थया कस्य नाराध्यते चित्तम् उद्यतासेर् अरेर् अपि ॥

anayā citrayā vācā tristhānavyañjanasthayā kasya nārādhyate cittam udyatāser arer api

English

By this wondrous speech,
clear from its three seats,
whose heart would not be won,
even a foe’s, his sword upraised?

॥ 4.3.34–35 ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEd

Rama

Sanskrit

एवंविधो यस्य दूतो न भवेत् पार्थिवस्य तु सिद्ध्यन्ति हि कथं तस्य कार्याणां गतयोऽनघ एवं गुणगणैर् युक्ता यस्य स्युः कार्यसाधकाः तस्य सिद्ध्यन्ति सर्वार्था दूतवाक्यप्रचोदिताः ॥

evaṃvidho yasya dūto na bhavet pārthivasya tu siddhyanti hi kathaṃ tasya kāryāṇāṃ gatayo 'nagha evaṃ guṇagaṇair yuktā yasya syuḥ kāryasādhakāḥ tasya siddhyanti sarvārthā dūtavākyapracoditāḥ

English

The king who has no envoy
of such a kind as this,
how can the courses of his deeds
succeed, O sinless one?
But he whose agents are endowed
with such a host of virtues,
all his aims succeed,
impelled by his envoys’ words.

॥ 4.4.1–2 ॥

CrEd 4.4.1–2

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततः प्रहृष्टो हनुमान् कृत्यवान् इति तद् वचः श्रुत्वा मधुरसंभाषं सुग्रीवं मनसा गतः भव्यो राज्यागमस् तस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः यद् अयं कृत्यवान् प्राप्तः कृत्यं चैतद् उपागतम् ॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭo hanumān kṛtyavān iti tad vacaḥ śrutvā madhurasaṃbhāṣaṃ sugrīvaṃ manasā gataḥ bhavyo rājyāgamas tasya sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ yad ayaṃ kṛtyavān prāptaḥ kṛtyaṃ caitad upāgatam

English

Then Hanuman, glad, hearing
“He has a need,” those words,
that sweet address, to Sugriva
went in his mind:
“The kingdom will surely come
to great-souled Sugriva,
since this one has come in need,
and the task has come to us.”

॥ 4.4.4 ॥

CrEd 4.4.4

Hanuman

Sanskrit

किमर्थं त्वं वनं घोरं पम्पाकाननमण्डितम् आगतः सानुजो दुर्गं नानाव्यालमृगायुतम् ॥

kimarthaṃ tvaṃ vanaṃ ghoraṃ pampākānanamaṇḍitam āgataḥ sānujo durgaṃ nānāvyālamṛgāyutam

English

Why to this dreadful forest,
adorned with Pampa’s groves,
have you come with your brother, pathless,
thronged with beasts of prey?

॥ 4.4.9 ॥

CrEd 4.4.7

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

शरण्यः सर्वभूतानां पितुर् निर्देशपारगः वीरो दशरथस्यायं पुत्राणां गुणवत्तरः ॥

śaraṇyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ pitur nirdeśapāragaḥ vīro daśarathasyāyaṃ putrāṇāṃ guṇavattaraḥ

English

Refuge of all beings,
he crossed through his father’s command;
this hero, of Dasharatha’s sons,
is the richest in virtue.

॥ 4.4.12 ॥

CrEd 4.4.9

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

अहम् अस्यावरो भ्राता गुणैर् दास्यम् उपागतः कृतज्ञस्य बहुज्ञस्य लक्ष्मणो नाम नामतः ॥

aham asyāvaro bhrātā guṇair dāsyam upāgataḥ kṛtajñasya bahujñasya lakṣmaṇo nāma nāmataḥ

English

I am his younger brother,
come to serve him for his virtues,
him the grateful, him the wise:
Lakshmana is my name.

॥ 4.4.15–16 ॥

CrEd 4.4.12–13

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

दनुर् नाम श्रियः पुत्रः शापाद् राक्षसतां गतः आख्यातस् तेन सुग्रीवः समर्थो वानराधिपः स ज्ञास्यति महावीर्यस् तव भार्यापहारिणम् ॥

danur nāma śriyaḥ putraḥ śāpād rākṣasatāṃ gataḥ ākhyātas tena sugrīvaḥ samartho vānarādhipaḥ sa jñāsyati mahāvīryas tava bhāryāpahāriṇam

English

Danu by name, the son of Shri,
made a rakshasa by a curse,
named Sugriva to us,
the able lord of monkeys:
“He, mighty in valour, will know
the one who stole your wife.”

॥ 4.4.17 ॥

CrEd 4.4.14

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

एतत् ते सर्वम् आख्यातं याथातथ्येन पृच्छतः अहं चैव हि रामश् च सुग्रीवं शरणं गतौ ॥

etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yāthātathyena pṛcchataḥ ahaṃ caiva hi rāmaś ca sugrīvaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatau

English

All this I have told you,
just as it is, since you asked;
and I, and Rama too,
have come to Sugriva for refuge.

॥ 4.4.24 ॥

CrEd 4.4.16

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

शोकाभिभूते रामे तु शोकार्ते शरणं गते कर्तुम् अर्हति सुग्रीवः प्रसादं सह यूथपैः ॥

śokābhibhūte rāme tu śokārte śaraṇaṃ gate kartum arhati sugrīvaḥ prasādaṃ saha yūthapaiḥ

English

Rama, overcome with grief,
stricken by sorrow, has come for refuge:
Sugriva should show him grace,
together with his captains.

॥ 4.4.25ab ॥

CrEd 4.4.17ab

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

एवं ब्रुवाणं सौमित्रिं करुणं साश्रुपातनम् ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ saumitriṃ karuṇaṃ sāśrupātanam

English

Saumitri, speaking thus,
piteously, his tears falling,

॥ 4.4.34 ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEd

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

भिक्षुरूपं परित्यज्य वानरं रूपम् आस्थितः पृष्ठम् आरोप्य तौ वीरौ जगाम कपिकुञ्जरः ॥

bhikṣurūpaṃ parityajya vānaraṃ rūpam āsthitaḥ pṛṣṭham āropya tau vīrau jagāma kapikuñjaraḥ

English

Casting off the mendicant’s form,
taking on his monkey shape,
setting the two heroes on his back,
he went, that elephant among monkeys.

॥ 4.4.35 ॥

CrEd 4.4.26

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

स तु विपुलयशाः कपिप्रवीरः पवनसुतः कृतकृत्यवत् प्रहृष्टः गिरिवरम् उरुविक्रमः प्रयातः स शुभमतिः सह रामलक्ष्मणाभ्याम् ॥

sa tu vipulayaśāḥ kapipravīraḥ pavanasutaḥ kṛtakṛtyavat prahṛṣṭaḥ girivaram uruvikramaḥ prayātaḥ sa śubhamatiḥ saha rāmalakṣmaṇābhyām

English

And he, far-famed, the monkeys’ hero,
the Wind’s son, glad, as one whose work is done,
to the best of mountains, wide of stride, set out,
he of noble mind, with Rama and Lakshmana.