Sources

The honey garden

Valmiki · Sundara Kanda
5.61.1–5.62.36 (CrEd 5.59.1–5.60.33)

Back from Lanka, Hanuman, Angada and the vanaras leap from Mahendra and come down on Madhuvana, Sugriva's guarded honey grove; with Angada's leave, given at Hanuman's word, they drink and run riot. Its old keeper Dadhimukha, Sugriva's maternal uncle, tries to stop them and is beaten off, and Angada, blind with drink, throws him to the ground. Dadhimukha leaves them be and sets off to tell Sugriva.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

Show

Part 1

Honey for the heroes

Valmiki 5.61.1–5.62.12 (CrEd 5.59.1–5.60.11)

॥ 5.61.2–9 ॥

CrEd 5.59.2–9

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

प्रीतिमन्तस् ततः सर्वे वायुपुत्रपुरःसराः ।
महेन्द्राग्रं परित्यज्य पुप्लुवुः प्लवगर्षभाः ।
मेरुमन्दरसंकाशा मत्ता इव महागजाः ।
छादयन्त इवाकाशं महाकाया महाबलाः ।
सभाज्यमानं भूतैस् तम् आत्मवन्तं महाबलम् ।
हनूमन्तं महावेगं वहन्त इव दृष्टिभिः ।
राघवे चार्थनिर्वृत्तिं भर्तुश् च परमं यशः ।
समाधाय समृद्धार्थाः कर्मसिद्धिभिर् उन्नताः ।
प्रियाख्यानोन्मुखाः सर्वे सर्वे युद्धाभिनन्दिनः ।
सर्वे रामप्रतीकारे निश्चितार्था मनस्विनः ।
प्लवमानाः खम् आप्लुत्य ततस् ते काननौकसः ।
नन्दनोपमम् आसेदुर् वनं द्रुमलतायुतम् ।
यत् तन् मधुवनं नाम सुग्रीवस्याभिरक्षितम् ।
अधृष्यं सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतमनोहरम् ।
यद् रक्षति महावीर्यः सदा दधिमुखः कपिः ।
मातुलः कपिमुख्यस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः ॥

prītimantas tataḥ sarve vāyuputrapuraḥsarāḥ
mahendrāgraṃ parityajya pupluvuḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ
merumandarasaṃkāśā mattā iva mahāgajāḥ
chādayanta ivākāśaṃ mahākāyā mahābalāḥ
sabhājyamānaṃ bhūtais tam ātmavantaṃ mahābalam
hanūmantaṃ mahāvegaṃ vahanta iva dṛṣṭibhiḥ
rāghave cārthanirvṛttiṃ bhartuś ca paramaṃ yaśaḥ
samādhāya samṛddhārthāḥ karmasiddhibhir unnatāḥ
priyākhyānonmukhāḥ sarve sarve yuddhābhinandinaḥ
sarve rāmapratīkāre niścitārthā manasvinaḥ
plavamānāḥ kham āplutya tatas te kānanaukasaḥ
nandanopamam āsedur vanaṃ drumalatāyutam
yat tan madhuvanaṃ nāma sugrīvasyābhirakṣitam
adhṛṣyaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvabhūtamanoharam
yad rakṣati mahāvīryaḥ sadā dadhimukhaḥ kapiḥ
mātulaḥ kapimukhyasya sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ

English

Then all of them, glad,
with the Wind’s son at their head,
leaving the peak of Mahendra,
leapt up, those bulls among leapers,
like Meru and Mandara,
like great elephants in rut,
as if they hid the sky,
huge of body, great of strength;
him whom all beings honoured,
self-possessed, great of strength,
Hanuman of mighty speed,
they seemed to carry with their eyes.
Set on Raghava’s purpose achieved
and their master’s highest glory,
their aim fulfilled, lifted high
by the triumph of their task,
all eager to tell glad tidings,
all rejoicing in battle,
all firm on Rama’s redress,
the high-minded ones,
leaping, springing into the sky,
then those forest-dwellers
came down on a grove like Nandana,
thick with trees and creepers:
the grove they call Madhuvana,
kept in guard for Sugriva,
not to be violated by any being,
charming the hearts of all beings,
which ever is kept by the vanara
Dadhimukha, of mighty valour,
maternal uncle of the vanaras’ chief,
great-souled Sugriva.

॥ 5.61.10 ॥

CrEd 5.59.10

silent moment

॥ 5.61.11 ॥

CrEd 5.59.11

Revellers

Sanskrit

ततस् ते वानरा हृष्टा दृष्ट्वा मधुवनं महत् कुमारम् अभ्ययाचन्त मधूनि मधुपिङ्गलाः ॥

tatas te vānarā hṛṣṭā dṛṣṭvā madhuvanaṃ mahat kumāram abhyayācanta madhūni madhupiṅgalāḥ

English

Then those vanaras, glad,
seeing great Madhuvana,
begged of the prince
the honey, they, honey-tawny.

॥ 5.61.12 ॥

CrEd 5.59.12

silent moment

॥ 5.61.13–18 ॥

CrEd 5.59.13–17

silent moment

॥ 5.61.19–21 ॥

CrEd 5.59.18–20

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततो वनं तत् परिभक्ष्यमाणं द्रुमांश् च विध्वंसितपत्रपुष्पान् ।
समीक्ष्य कोपाद् दधिवक्त्रनामा निवारयाम् आस कपिः कपींस् तान् ।
स तैः प्रवृद्धैः परिभर्त्स्यमानो वनस्य गोप्ता हरिवीरवृद्धः ।
चकार भूयो मतिम् उग्रतेजा वनस्य रक्षां प्रति वानरेभ्यः ।
उवाच कांश् चित् परुषाणि धृष्टम् असक्तम् अन्यांश् च तलैर् जघान ।
समेत्य कैश् चित् कलहं चकार तथैव साम्नोपजगाम कांश् चित् ॥

tato vanaṃ tat paribhakṣyamāṇaṃ drumāṃś ca vidhvaṃsitapatrapuṣpān
samīkṣya kopād dadhivaktranāmā nivārayām āsa kapiḥ kapīṃs tān
sa taiḥ pravṛddhaiḥ paribhartsyamāno vanasya goptā harivīravṛddhaḥ
cakāra bhūyo matim ugratejā vanasya rakṣāṃ prati vānarebhyaḥ
uvāca kāṃś cit paruṣāṇi dhṛṣṭam asaktam anyāṃś ca talair jaghāna
sametya kaiś cit kalahaṃ cakāra tathaiva sāmnopajagāma kāṃś cit

English

Then, seeing that grove being eaten,
its trees stripped of leaf and flower,
the vanara named Dadhimukha, in anger,
tried to hold those vanaras back.
Menaced by them, grown bold,
the grove’s keeper, elder of vanara heroes,
fierce in his power, set his mind once more
on guarding the grove from the vanaras.
To some he spoke harsh words, bold, unchecked;
others he struck with his palms;
with some he closed and quarrelled;
some, likewise, he approached with soothing words.

॥ 5.61.22–23 ॥

CrEd 5.59.21–22

silent moment

॥ 5.62.1 ॥

CrEd 5.60.1

Hanuman

Sanskrit

अव्यग्रमनसो यूयं मधु सेवत वानराः ॥

avyagramanaso yūyaṃ madhu sevata vānarāḥ

English

With minds untroubled, all of you,
enjoy the honey, vanaras.

॥ 5.62.3–4 ॥

CrEd 5.60.2–3

Angada

Sanskrit

पिबन्तु हरयो मधु अवश्यं कृतकार्यस्य वाक्यं हनुमतो मया अकार्यम् अपि कर्तव्यं किम् अङ्ग पुनर् ईदृशम् ॥

pibantu harayo madhu avaśyaṃ kṛtakāryasya vākyaṃ hanumato mayā akāryam api kartavyaṃ kim aṅga punar īdṛśam

English

Let the vanaras drink the honey.
Surely, of Hanuman, his task done,
the word must be kept by me:
even a deed not to be done I must do;
how much more a thing like this!

॥ 5.62.4–5 ॥

CrEd 5.60.4

Revellers

Sanskrit

साधु साध्व् इति ॥

sādhu sādhv iti

English

“Well done, well done!”…

॥ 5.62.5–7 ॥

CrEd 5.60.5–6

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

पूजयित्वाङ्गदं सर्वे वानरा वानरर्षभम् ।
जग्मुर् मधुवनं यत्र नदीवेग इव द्रुतम् ।
ते प्रहृष्टा मधुवनं पालान् आक्रम्य वीर्यतः ।
अतिसर्गाच् च पटवो दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा च मैथिलीम् ॥

pūjayitvāṅgadaṃ sarve vānarā vānararṣabham
jagmur madhuvanaṃ yatra nadīvega iva drutam
te prahṛṣṭā madhuvanaṃ pālān ākramya vīryataḥ
atisargāc ca paṭavo dṛṣṭvā śrutvā ca maithilīm

English

Having honoured Angada,
the bull among vanaras, they all
went to Madhuvana,
swift as a river’s rush.
Overjoyed, on Madhuvana’s keepers
they fell with all their might,
bold from the leave, and having seen
and heard of Maithili.

॥ 5.62.8–12 ॥

CrEd 5.60.7–11

silent moment

Part 2

The keeper's charge

Valmiki 5.62.13–36 (CrEd 5.60.12–33)

॥ 5.62.13 ॥

CrEd 5.60.12

silent moment

॥ 5.62.15–16 ॥

CrEd 5.60.13–14

silent moment

॥ 5.62.17 ॥

CrEd 5.60.15ab

Madhupalas

Sanskrit

हनूमता दत्तवरैर् हतं मधुवनं बलात् ।
वयं च जानुभिः कृष्टा देवमार्गं च दर्शिताः ॥

hanūmatā dattavarair hataṃ madhuvanaṃ balāt
vayaṃ ca jānubhiḥ kṛṣṭā devamārgaṃ ca darśitāḥ

English

Given leave by Hanuman, they
have laid Madhuvana waste by force;
and we were dragged by the knees
and shown the path of the gods.

॥ 5.62.17 ॥

CrEd 5.60.15cd

Madhupalas

Sanskrit

हनूमता दत्तवरैर् हतं मधुवनं बलात् ।
वयं च जानुभिः कृष्टा देवमार्गं च दर्शिताः ॥

hanūmatā dattavarair hataṃ madhuvanaṃ balāt
vayaṃ ca jānubhiḥ kṛṣṭā devamārgaṃ ca darśitāḥ

English

Given leave by Hanuman, they
have laid Madhuvana waste by force;
and we were dragged by the knees
and shown the path of the gods.

॥ 5.62.19 ॥

CrEd 5.60.17

Dadhimukha

Sanskrit

एतागच्छत गच्छामो वानरान् अतिदर्पितान् बलेनावारयिष्यामो मधु भक्षयतो वयम् ॥

etāgacchata gacchāmo vānarān atidarpitān balenāvārayiṣyāmo madhu bhakṣayato vayam

English

Come, all of you, let us go!
Those vanaras, over-proud,
by force we will hold them back,
eating the honey as they are.

॥ 5.62.20–25 ॥

CrEd 5.60.18–23

silent moment

॥ 5.62.26–28 ॥

CrEd 5.60.24–26

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

तं सवृक्षं महाबाहुम् आपतन्तं महाबलम् ।
आर्यकं प्राहरत् तत्र बाहुभ्यां कुपितोऽङ्गदः ।
मदान्धश् च न वेदैनम् आर्यकोऽयं ममेति सः ।
अथैनं निष्पिपेषाशु वेगवद् वसुधातले ।
स भग्नबाहुर् विमुखो विह्वलः शोणितोक्षितः ।
मुमोह सहसा वीरो मुहूर्तं कपिकुञ्जरः ॥

taṃ savṛkṣaṃ mahābāhum āpatantaṃ mahābalam
āryakaṃ prāharat tatra bāhubhyāṃ kupito 'ṅgadaḥ
madāndhaś ca na vedainam āryako 'yaṃ mameti saḥ
athainaṃ niṣpipeṣāśu vegavad vasudhātale
sa bhagnabāhur vimukho vihvalaḥ śoṇitokṣitaḥ
mumoha sahasā vīro muhūrtaṃ kapikuñjaraḥ

English

Him, strong-armed, tree in hand,
rushing on him, mighty one,
his own elder, there he struck,
with both arms, Angada in anger.
Blind with drink, he did not know him:
‘This is my elder.’
Swiftly then he crushed him down,
hard upon the ground.
His arm broken, turned away,
reeling, drenched in blood,
the hero swooned of a sudden,
a moment, that elephant among vanaras.

॥ 5.62.30 ॥

CrEd 5.60.27

silent moment

॥ 5.62.31 ॥

CrEd 5.60.28

Dadhimukha

Sanskrit

एते तिष्ठन्तु गच्छामो भर्ता नो यत्र वानरः सुग्रीवो विपुलग्रीवः सह रामेण तिष्ठति ॥

ete tiṣṭhantu gacchāmo bhartā no yatra vānaraḥ sugrīvo vipulagrīvaḥ saha rāmeṇa tiṣṭhati

English

Let these be; let us go
where our master, the vanara
Sugriva, broad of neck,
stays with Rama.

॥ 5.62.32 ॥

CrEd 5.60.29

Dadhimukha

Sanskrit

सर्वं चैवाङ्गदे दोषं श्रावयिष्यामि पार्थिव अमर्षी वचनं श्रुत्वा घातयिष्यति वानरान् ॥

sarvaṃ caivāṅgade doṣaṃ śrāvayiṣyāmi pārthiva amarṣī vacanaṃ śrutvā ghātayiṣyati vānarān

English

And all of Angada’s fault
I will make the king hear;
hearing the words, the wrathful one
will have the vanaras slain.

॥ 5.62.33 ॥

CrEd 5.60.30

Dadhimukha

Sanskrit

इष्टं मधुवनं ह्य् एतत् सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः पितृपैतामहं दिव्यं देवैर् अपि दुरासदम् ॥

iṣṭaṃ madhuvanaṃ hy etat sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ pitṛpaitāmahaṃ divyaṃ devair api durāsadam

English

For this Madhuvana is dear
to great-souled Sugriva,
his fathers’ and forefathers’, heavenly,
hard even for the gods to approach.

॥ 5.62.35 ॥

CrEd 5.60.32

Dadhimukha

Sanskrit

वध्या ह्य् एते दुरात्मानो नृपाज्ञापरिभाविनः ।
अमर्षप्रभवो रोषः सफलो नो भविष्यति ॥

vadhyā hy ete durātmāno nṛpājñāparibhāvinaḥ
amarṣaprabhavo roṣaḥ saphalo no bhaviṣyati

English

For these wicked ones deserve death,
who flout the king’s command;
our wrath, born of outrage,
shall bear its fruit.

॥ 5.62.36 ॥

CrEd 5.60.33

silent moment