SECTION LX.
Hearing his words, Vāli's son Angada spoke, saying,— "These two monkeys, the sons of Asvi, are very powerful and gifted with great velocity and are specially proud in consequence of the boon conferred on them by the Great Grand-father. Formerly to honor Asvi the Grand-father, of all the worlds, made these two monkeys incapable of being slain by any. And crushing the mighty host of the celestials, these two heroes gifted with great prowess, and maddened with haughtiness in consequence of the boon, drank up nectar. And these two, if worked up with ire, are capable of destroying the whole city of Lankā with her horses, chariots and elephants. What of other monkeys, I, myself, am capable of destroying soon the city along with the Rākshasas and the mighty Rāvana! And there is not the least wonder about it if I am aided by powerful monkey heroes like you, having control over themselves, well armed, capable and desirous of winning victory. I have heard, that, by Wind-god's son alone Lankā was burnt. Ye are all famed for your manliness, it doth not behove you to speak before Rāma. 'We have seen the worshipful dame but have not been able to bring her.' Ye foremost of monkeys, there is none amongst the celestials or Aauras who can equal you either in leaping or in prowess. And therefore winning Lankā, slaying Rāvana along with his Rākshasa host in conflict and taking Sitā, let us go, delighted and having our ends accomplished. What else is there for us to perform than bringing the daughter of the king Janaka when the Rākshasa crew shall be slain by Hanumān? And we shall place Janaka's daughter between Rāma and Lakshmana. What is the use of putting the other residents of Kishkinda into trouble? It therefore behoveth us alone to go to Lankā and after slaying the best of the Rākshasas, to see Sugriva, Rāma and Lakshmana." Thereupon Jambavāna, the foremost of the monkeys, greatly delighted spoke unto Angada, who was thus resolved, the following pregnant words, —"O great monkey, O thou of best understanding, what thou hast spoken, is, (I think) not proper, for we have been despatched by them to ransack the southern quarter, but we have not been commanded by the king of the monkeys and the highly intelligent Rāma to bring her. And it shall not please him even if we rescue her. And mentioning his own lineage, that best of the kings, Rāghava, promised before all the leading monkeys, that he would himself rescue Sitā. How would he now falsify his own saying? What is the use of undertaking this work for nothing which shall not conduce to his pleasure? And useless shall be the display of your prowess, O ye, foremost of the monkeys. Let us therefore proceed where Rāma with Lakshmana, and the highly effulgent Sugriva is, and relate unto them our proposed work. What thou hast judged, O prince, is liked by us. And still you should look to Rāma's resolution and bring about his end.
SECTION LXI.
All the heroic monkeys, headed by Angada and the great monkey Hanumān, approved highly of the words of Jambavān. And these leading monkeys headed by the Wind-god's son proceeded leaping from the summit of the Mount Mahendra. And these highly powerful ones, having huge persons, resembling the Mount Mandara, covered the welkin as if like so many mad elephants. They carried, as it were with their own looks, the highly powerful Hanumān, gifted with great velocity, having control over his own self, and adored by the Siddhas. They were resolved upon satisfying Rāma's end and acquiring glory for themselves. Their desires were satisfied and mind elevated in consequence of their beholding Sitā and burning down Lankā. All of them were anxious to communicate this pleasant news, to enter into conflict and were resolved upon bringing about Rāma's wellbeing. And leaping and ascending the sky they got at the Madhuvana,[429] preserved by Sugriva, resembling the celestial garden, covered with many trees, picturesque and incapable of being devastated by any. And the monkey-chief Sugriva's maternal uncle, the heroic and high-souled Dadhimukha always guardeth that picturesque and spacious garden of the lord of monkeys. They were greatly worked up with anxiety. And beholding thdt large orchard, those yellow-coIouted monkeys were greatly delighted and begged honey of the prince: And the prince respectfully allowed these elderly monkeys headed by Jambavān to drink honey. And being thus commanded by the intelligent prince—Vāli's son, those monkeys ascended the trees infested with bees and feasting on fragrant fruits and roots, were greatly delighted and intoxicated. And thereupon those monkeys, beside themselves with joy for being allowed to drink honey began to dance hither and thither. Some sang, some laughed, some danced, some bowed down, some read, some walked hither and thither, some leaped and some talked at random. Some sprang upon one another, some quarrelled with one another, some leaped from one tree to another, and some jumped down on the earth from the tops of the trees. Some rose up with great velocity from the earth to the tops of the huge trees—some sang, others approached them laughing—some wept and others approached them weeping. Some were stricking with their nails and others struck them in return. And thus the entire monkey host were bewildered with intoxication. There was none amongst them who was not drunk and none who was not excited with pride. Thereupon beholding all the fruits eaten up and the trees divested of leaves and flowers, the monkey Dadhimukha was worked up with ire and attempted to prevent them. And that heroic, elderly monkey, the guard of the garden, was in return remonstrated with by them who were greatly intoxicated. Thereat the highly spirited monkey again made up his mind to protect the garden from their devastations. He used harsh words, undauntedly towards some, struck the weak with his palm, quarrelled with some, and consoled others with soothing words. They were greatly excited with drink, and being prevented forcibly by Dadhimukha, they giving up all fear, began to pull him. And striking him with their nails, biting him with teeth, crushing him with their palms and feet, they, being drunk, almost reduced him to death and devastated the mangoe forest.
SECTION LXII.
Thereupon Hanumān, the foremost of the monkeys, spoke unto them, saying—"O monkeys, do ye undisturbed drink honey. I shall myself thwart them who will obstruct you." Hearing his words, Angada, the best of the monkeys, delighted, said—'Drink honey, O monkeys, we must follow Hanumān's advice, who hath already been crowned with success. We must follow him even if he leadeth us to an unworthy action, what of this which is most becoming?" Hearing these words from Angada, the leading monkeys attained to an excess of delight and eulogized him again and again. And adoring Angada—their prince, those monkeys proceeded by the way leading to the Madhuvana like unto trees carried by a stream. And entering that orchard they forcibly attacked the waiters there. Hanumān saw Maithilee, and others heard of her from him—and those monkeys, renouncing all fear in consequence and obtaining permission, drank honey and feasted on various sweet fruits. And they, given to the drinking of honey, attacking the guards who were approaching by hundreds, gave them a sound beating. Some monkeys,collecting honey with their hands measuring a Drona,[430] drank it; others collecting themselves delightedly into a band spoiled it; while other yellow-coloured monkeys drank and sprinkled it. And some, being beside themselves with intoxication, struck others with the remaining quantity, while others waited at the foot of the trees, holding their boughs. And some, being exhausted with drinking, spread leaves and laid themselves thereon—and some being drunk and delighted struck others down in mad fury. And some lost their steps. Some roared and some delightedly set up the music of the birds. Some of the monkeys, inebriete with honey, slept on the earth; some laughed at others impudently and some cried aloud. Some spoke contrary to what they had done—and others put a different construction thereon. And all the waiters of the garden and the servants of Dadhimukha, were repressed by those terrible monkeys with censure and thrown up in the sky by their knee-joints. And terrified, they fled to different directions. And being worked up with anxiety, they approached Dadhimukha and said—'Commanded by Hanumān the monkeys have forcibly devastated the Madhuvana and we were thrown high up by them in the sky." Hearing of the destruction of the orchard, Dadhimukha, being greatly enraged, consoled all the monkeys. "Proceed ye before, I shall soon follow you and repress by force all those monkeys, greatly excited with pride and the drinking of the excellent honey." Hearing these words from Dadhimukha those leading and heroic monkeys proceeded with him towards Madhuvana. And Dadhimukha proceeded with great velocity in their midst taking up a huge tree in his hand. And all his attendants, taking trees, mountain crags, proceeded, wroth, where those leading monkeys were. And biting their lips in wrath and remonstrating with them again and again, those monkeys began to suppress them by force. And beholding Dadhimukha greatly enraged, all the monkeys, headed by Hanumān, approached him with great vehemence. And as the mighty Dadhimukha of huge arms, was proceeding towards them vehemently with a huge tree, Angada, wroth, caught him by the hand. He was beside himself with intoxication and therefore did not show him the least mercy, albeit he (Dadhimukha) was worshipful unto him. And accordingly with great vehemence he ground him to the dust. His arms and thighs were broken and his countenance was disfigured and that great heroe, the foremost of the monkeys, bathed in a pool of blood, remained senseless for sometime. And thereupon releasing himself from them by some device that leading monkey, proceeded to a nook, and addressed his attendants, saying—"Let us all proceed there where our lord, the spacious-necked Sugriva liveth with Rāma. I shall relate unto him all the unfair dealings of Angada and forsooth shall that wrathful king punish all these monkeys. The picturesque Madhuvana is the most favourite orchard of the high-souled Sugriva. It was enjoyed by his forefathers and is not even approached by the celestials. And meting out punishment unto these monkeys, eager to drink honey and almost half dead, Sugriva shall slay them as well as their friends and relatives. Those vicious-souled ones are worthy of being slain since they have transgressed the royal mandate. And then shall my wrath, arising out of impatience, bear fruits." Having thus spoken unto the guards of the forest the highly powerful Dadhimukha leaped high up in the welkin and went away with them. And in no time he reached where the highly intelligent monkey Sugriva, the offspring of the sun, was. And beholding Rāma, Lakshmana, and Sugriva and the level ground he descended from the sky. And descending from the sky that great and heroic Dadhimukha, lord over all the monkeys engaged in protecting the forest, placing his folded palms on his forehead and with a poorly countenance, laid low his crown at Sugriva's feet.
SECTION LXIII.
And beholding that monkey place his crown at his feet the monkey-chief, with an anxious mind, accosted him, saying—"Rise up, rise up, why hast thou lain thyself at my feet? I declare thou hast no fear, speak out the truth, From whose fear hast thou come here? It behoveth thee to suggest the becoming proceedure. Is it all well with my orchard Madhuvana? I long to know everything, O monkey." Being thus addressed hopefully by the high-souled Sugriva, Dadhimukha, gifted with an intelligence of a very high order, rose up and spoke—"Neither thyself, nor Vāli, the lord of the monkeys, O king, allowed that orchard to be freely used by the monkeys—but that hath been now laid waste by them. I prevented them along with these attendants, but disregarding me, they drank and feasted there at their pleasure. They were prevented, O lord, in their act of devastation, by these guards, but those monkeys, without caring for me the least, feasted there. Some of them went beyond the pale of good conduct, others ate at their pleasure, and all frowned (at us). And when these attendents, being insulted by them, were greatly wroth, they were driven out of the garden, by those powerful and enraged monkeys. And they were greatly assailed by those many thousand heroic monkeys, worked up with ire and having reddened eyes. Some had their arms broken, some had their knee-joints crushed and some of them were thrown up in the sky. Thyself their lord living, these heroes are beaten, and the entire Madhuvana is being freely enjoyed by them." The highly intelligent Lakshmana, the slayer of foes, addressed Sugriva, the foremost of the monkeys, while he was thus being informed, saying,—"O king, why hath this monkey, the guard over the forest, come to thee, and what sorrow hath led him to give vent to these expressions?" Being thus addressed by the high-souled Lakshmana, Sugriva, skilled in the art of speech, replied,—"O worshipful Lakshmana, the heroic monkey Dadhimukha speaks that the war-like monkeys headed by Angada have drunk honey. They would not have engaged in such an unfair proceeding had they been unsuccessful in their mission. They have surely achieved success while they have thus been bent upon devastating the orchard. For this the warders were struck on their knee-joints for obstructing their revelry and for this they went so far as to disregard the powerful monkey Dadhimukha. I myself appointed this monkey the lord of my orchard. Forsooth hath Hanumān espied the worshipful Sitā and none else. There is none else but Hanumān who is the instrumental of this work, for that best of monkeys hath in him a high intellect, knoweth the art of success, is gifted with courage, strength and prowess and is conversant with Sastras. That work is sure to succeed whose leading spirits are the mighty Jambavāna and Angada, and worker is Hanumān. Forsooth that orchard hath been laid waste by these heroes headed by Angada. And ransacking the southern quarter, those leading monkeys have come back and delightedly entered the Madhuvana. And the whole orchard has been explored and enjoyed by those monkeys and the attendants beaten and wounded on their knee-joints. To communicate unto me this intelligence, this monkey of known prowess, and sweet accents, named Dhadimukha, hath come here. O thou of mighty arms, O son of Sumitrā, forsooth they have beheld Sitā, since the monkeys, just on their return, have engaged in drinking honey. O best of men, they are all well-known monkeys and without espying Vaidehi they would not have engaged in the destruction of that orchard conferred on us as a gift by the celestials." Hearing these words from Sugriva, pleasant unto ears, the virtuous-souled Lakshmana along with Rāghava, was greatly pleased. And hearing this from Dadhimukha, Sugriva, greatly gratified, addressed that lord of the forest, again, saying,—"Greatly pleased I am, since, they, being successful, have explored this forest. And the insulting procedure of the successful is also pardonable. Do thou soon go there and protect that orchard, and send here all those monkeys headed by Hanumān. Along with these two descendants of Raghu, I long to know soon from these monkeys headed by Hanumān, and proud like lions, what they have settled for the regaining of Sitā. And beholding these two princes greatly delighted and their eyes expanded with joy, the king of the monkeys, thought that the accomplishment of the great wort was near at hand, and was accordingly greatly delighted.
SECTION LXIV.
Being thus addressed by Sugriva, the monkey Dadhimukha, delighted, bowed unto him, Rāghava and Lakshmana. And adoring Sugriva and the highly powerful descendants of Raghu, he along with other heroic monkeys, leaped up in the sky. He went away with the same speed with which he came and leaping down on the earth from the sky, entered the orchard. And entering that forest he beheld all the leaders of the monkeys spending the hours delightedly, having passed urine, the outcome of honey. And approaching them, the heroe, with folded hands and delighted, addressed Angada, with the following words—"O gentle one, do thou not take offence, for these monkeys, protecting the garden enraged, unweetingly prevented thee. O thou of great strength, thou art worn out with thy long journey, do thou drink thy own honey, thou art our prince and the master of this garden. It behoveth thee to forgive us for our wrath arising out of ignorance. Like unto thy sire before, thyself and Sugriva are the lords of these monkey hosts, O thou foremost of them, and none else. O innocent prince, I have related all about this unto thy uncle. When I described unto him, the arrival of all these forest rangers, as well as of thine accompanied by them, and the destruction of this garden by you all, he was not the least offended, rather delighted. And worked up with joy thy uncle Sugriva, the lord of earth and monkeys, said "Send them all here speedily." Hearing those words from Dadhimukha, Angada, the foremost of the monkeys and skilled in speech, addressed them all, saying—"O ye leaders of the monkey hosts, I fear, Rāma hath heard all about this. Dadhimukha relates everything joyfully and hence I infer this. And our work finished, O slayer of foes, it doth not behove us to remain here (any longer). You have all drunk honey at your pleasure and there is nothing left and you should now go where the monkey king Sugriva is. O leading monkeys, I shall follow what you will in a band desire me to do. In actions I am surbordinate unto you all. I am not justified to command although I am a prince. You are all of accomplished actions, it is not proper to repress you forcibly. " Hearing those sweet words of the prince Angada, the monkeys delightedly replied, saying—"O king, O foremost of monkeys, who else can speak thus being a master? Any one else, we think, is proud of his wealth. Such like words become thee only and none else. Thy humility speaks of thy future greatness. We are all anxious to go there, where Sugriva, the king of the monkeys, is. Verily we speak unto thee, O foremost of monkeys, that without thy permission, none amongst us, is capable of advancing a single step." They addressing him thus, Angada replied—"All right, let us all go." Saying this he leaped up in the sky and was followed by all those monkeys, clouding the welkin as if with stones thrown up by a tool. And placing before them Angada and Hanumān, the monkeys leaping vehemently up in the sky roared like unto clouds driven by the wind. And Angada nearing, Sugriva, the lord of the monkeys, spoke unto the lotus-eyed Rāma, stricken with grief, saying—"May good betide thee. Do thou console thyself. The worshipful dame has been found out; there is not the least doubt about it. Or else they would not have come as the time is already past. I (further more) infer this from Angada's joy, O thou of auspicious presence. Without being successful in his mission, the large-armed prince, Angada, the foremost of the monkeys, would not have come to me. If the monkeys had engaged in such an unfair proceeding without being successful in their mission, Angada would have looked poorly and his mind would have been over-whelmed with grief and forgetfulness. And without beholding the daughter of the king Janaka they would not have dared to destroy Madhuvana obtained and preserved by my forefathers. Do thou console thyself, O Rāma, by whom Kauçalyā hath become the mother of a good son. O thou, rigidly observing any religious vow or obligation, forsooth hath Hanumān beheld the worshipful dame and none else. No other wight is so qualified an instrument in encompassing this end. O thou of excellent intellect, Hanumān knoweth the art of success, is gifted with intellect, perseverance and courage and is versed in Sastras. That work cannot fail, which is worked out by Jambavān and Angada and presided over by Hanumān. Be not laden with anxiety, O thou of unmitigated prowess. These monkeys have come here excited with pride and drink. They would not have come with such a grandeur had they been but unsuccessful. From their breaking down the orchard and drinking honey I inferred so. Thereupon he heard in the sky the joyous sounds of the monkeys proud on account of Hanumān's work, proceeding towards Kishkindhā and as if announcing their success. Thereupon hearing the noise of these monkeys, Sugriva, their chief, being greatly delighted, uplifted his tail. And placing Angada and Hanumān before them those monkeys proceeded to behold Rāma. And those heroes headed by Angada, delighted and intoxicated, descended before Rāghava and the lord of the monkeys. And the mighty-armed Hanumān, lowering his head, related unto Rāghava, Sitā's spiritual and physical well-being. And hearing from Hanumān the sweet words that he had beheld Sitā, Rāma and Lakshmana were greatly delighted. And being confirmed thus by the Wind-god's son, Lakshmana, greatly pleased, respectfully looked towards Sugriva. And Rāghava too, the slayer of foes, worked up with joy, cast respectful looks towards Hanumān.