SECTION XXVI.
And thereupon those foremost of monkeys waited there, surrounding Sugriva exercised with grief and wearing wetted cloth. And they all, approaching the mighty-armed Rāma of unwearied actions, stationed themselves with folded hands like unto the great ascetics around the Grand-Father (of the celestials). Thereupon Hanumān, the son of Marut, resembling a golden hill and having a countenance resembling the rising Sun, spake with folded hands, saying:—"By thy assistance, O Kākuthstha, O lord, this great ancestral kingdom of the highly powerful monkeys, having sharpened teeth, incapable of being acquired by the high-souled ones, hath been attained to (by Sugriva). Being commanded by thee, he along with his friends, entering this city, shall perform the royal duties. And being duly bathed he shall worship thee particularly, with garlands, jewels, scents and oshadhis. It behoveth thee to enter this pleasant mountain cave and satisfy these monkeys by installing (Sugriva on the throne)." Being thus accosted by Hanumān, the highly intelligent Rāghava, skilled in speech and the slayer of foes, replied:— "O gentle Hanumān, abiding by my Sire's mandate, I shall not enter a hamlet or a city for these fourteen years. Let Sugriva, the foremost of monkeys, enter this magnificent celestial cave and do ye all instal him speedily on the throne." Having thus addressed Hanumān, Rāma spake unto Sugriva, saying:—"Conversant with customs as thou art, do thou instal this generous and heroic Angada, gifted with prowess and honoring customs, as the heir-apparent of the throne. This brave and eldest son of thy elder brother— Angada, is truly worthy of the heir-apparentship. O gentle one, this month of Srābana, which is the first of those four months which make up the rainy season, hath set in and this is not the time therefore to institute any enquiry about Sitā. Do thou therefore enter thy auspicious city and I shall live in this mountain along with Lakshmana. Pleasant indeed is this mountain cave, spacious, filled with air, water and many lotuses. Thou shalt engage in endeavours to bring about the destruction of Rāvana, after Kartika sets in. This is not the proper time, O gentle one, and do thou enter thy own city. And being installed on the throne do thou enhance the joy of thy friends." Being thus commanded by Rāma, Sugriva, the foremost of monkeys entered the pleasant city of Kishkindhā, reared by Vāli. Encircling that lord of monkeys thousands of them entered the city. Beholding the lord of monkeys, the subjects bowed unto him, lowering their heads on the ground. Welcoming the subjects and raising them up, the highly powerful Sugriva entered the pleasant inner apartment of his brother. On his entering the city, his friends installed the highly powerful foremost of monkeys—Sugriva, on the throne like unto the celestials placing the thousand-eyed Deity (on the kingdom). The monkeys brought for him a copper-colored golden umbrella, white chowries, a magnificent golden staff, diverse jewels, various seeds and medicating drugs, roots and flowers of glomerous fig trees, white clothes, white sandal paste, fragrant garlands, flowers growing in water and on land, celestial sandal and various scents, fried grain, gold, Priyangu honey,[115] clarified butter, curd, tiger-skin, a pair of excellent sandals, gorochana[116] and red Arsenic. Carrying all those things there came sixteen maids, highly delighted. Thereupon those monkeys pleased the foremost of twice-born ones with jewels clothes and eatables, with a view to instal that best of monkeys. And these conversant with mantras threw clarified butter, sanctified by mantras, into flaming fire burning on a Kuça bed. And placing him on an excellent throne facing the east, uttering duly mantras in that golden room situated on the summit of the picturesque palace and beautified with magnificent coverlets and garlands, and collecting pure water from various rivers, sacred places and oceans, those foremost of monkeys kept it in golden jars. Gaya, Gabaksha, Gabaya, Sarava, Gandhamadana, Main da, Divida, Hanumān and Jambuban, installed Sugriva with auspicious horns of a bull and golden jars according to the rites prescribed by Sastras and sanctioned by the great saints like unto the celestials installing the thousand eyed Deity with pure, fragrant water. Sugriva being installed thus, these high-souled and foremost of monkeys, by hundreds and thousands, began to clatter with delight. Abiding by Rāma's words, Sugriva, the lord of monkeys, embracing Angada, conferred on him the heir-apparentship of the throne. And Angada being thus installed, those best of monkeys, highly delighted, adored the high-souled Sugriva, extolling him again and again. Angada and Sugriva being thus established, they all, greatly delighted, praised again and again the high-souled Rāma and Lakshmana. And the city of Kishkindhā, filled with stoutly built people and adorned with pennons and flags, appeared beautiful in the mountain cave. Communicating unto the high-souled Rāma the news of installation, the highly powerful lord of monkey hosts (Sugriva) getting back his wife Rumā, regained the kingdom like unto the lord of celestials.