Tara Appeases Lakshmana

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.35.1)

तथा ब्रूवाणं सौमित्रिं प्रदीप्तमिव तेजसा। अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं तारा ताराधिपनिभानना॥ 35.1 ॥

tathā brūvāṇaṃ saumitriṃ pradīptamiva tejasā| abravīllakṣmaṇaṃ tārā tārādhipanibhānanā|| 35.1 ||

To Saumitri Lakshmana, who as he spoke seemed to blaze with his own fiery brilliance, Tara, her face bright as the moon, spoke thus.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.35.2)

नैवं लक्ष्मण वक्तव्यो नायं परुषमर्हति। हरीणामीश्वरः श्रोतुं तव वक्त्राद् विशेषतः॥ 35.2 ॥

naivaṃ lakṣmaṇa vaktavyo nāyaṃ paruṣamarhati| harīṇāmīśvaraḥ śrotuṃ tava vaktrād viśeṣataḥ|| 35.2 ||

"It is not right, Lakshmana, to speak to him so. This king of monkeys does not deserve to hear such harsh words, least of all from your lips.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.35.3)

नैवाकृतज्ञः सुग्रीवो न शठो नापि दारुणः। नैवानृतकथो वीर न जिह्मश्च कपीश्वरः॥ 35.3 ॥

naivākṛtajñaḥ sugrīvo na śaṭho nāpi dāruṇaḥ| naivānṛtakatho vīra na jihmaśca kapīśvaraḥ|| 35.3 ||

Sugriva is no ingrate, brave one, nor is he deceitful or cruel; this king of monkeys is neither a teller of lies nor a man of duplicity.

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.35.4)

उपकारं कृतं वीरो नाप्ययं विस्मृतः कपिः। रामेण वीर सुग्रीवो यदन्यैर्दुष्करं रणे॥ 35.4 ॥

upakāraṃ kṛtaṃ vīro nāpyayaṃ vismṛtaḥ kapiḥ| rāmeṇa vīra sugrīvo yadanyairduṣkaraṃ raṇe|| 35.4 ||

Though he is but a monkey, brave one, Sugriva has not forgotten the favour Rama did him, a feat impossible for anyone else in that combat.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.35.5)

रामप्रसादात् कीर्तिं च कपिराज्यं च शाश्वतम्। प्राप्तवानिह सुग्रीवो रुमां मां च परंतप॥ 35.5 ॥

rāmaprasādāt kīrtiṃ ca kapirājyaṃ ca śāśvatam| prāptavāniha sugrīvo rumāṃ māṃ ca paraṃtapa|| 35.5 ||

It was by Rama's grace alone, O scorcher of foes, that Sugriva gained his fame, the enduring kingship of the monkeys, and Ruma and myself as well.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.35.6)

सुदुःखशयितः पूर्वं प्राप्येदं सुखमुत्तमम्। प्राप्तकालं न जानीते विश्वामित्रो यथा मुनिः॥ 35.6 ॥

suduḥkhaśayitaḥ pūrvaṃ prāpyedaṃ sukhamuttamam| prāptakālaṃ na jānīte viśvāmitro yathā muniḥ|| 35.6 ||

Having endured such great suffering before, and now finding himself in this supreme comfort, he has failed to keep track of the proper time — just as even the sage Vishvamitra once failed to.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.35.7)

घृताच्यां किल संसक्तो दश वर्षाणि लक्ष्मण। अहोऽमन्यत धर्मात्मा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः॥ 35.7 ॥

ghṛtācyāṃ kila saṃsakto daśa varṣāṇi lakṣmaṇa| aho'manyata dharmātmā viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ|| 35.7 ||

For, Lakshmana, it is said that the righteous great sage Vishvamitra, absorbed with the nymph Ghritachi, took ten whole years to be but a single day.

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.35.8)

स हि प्राप्तं न जानीते कालं कालविदां वरः। विश्वामित्रो महातेजाः किं पुनर्यः पृथग्जनः॥ 35.8 ॥

sa hi prāptaṃ na jānīte kālaṃ kālavidāṃ varaḥ| viśvāmitro mahātejāḥ kiṃ punaryaḥ pṛthagjanaḥ|| 35.8 ||

If Vishvamitra himself, best among those who know the reckoning of time, and mighty in his splendour, could lose track of the time that had passed, what then of an ordinary being?

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.35.9)

देहधर्मगतस्यास्य परिश्रान्तस्य लक्ष्मण। अवितृप्तस्य कामेषु रामः क्षन्तुमिहार्हति॥ 35.9 ॥

dehadharmagatasyāsya pariśrāntasya lakṣmaṇa| avitṛptasya kāmeṣu rāmaḥ kṣantumihārhati|| 35.9 ||

This Sugriva, Lakshmana, worn out and subject to the natural cravings of the body, not yet satisfied in his desires — it would be fitting for Rama to bear with him a little while yet.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.35.10)

न च रोषवशं तात गन्तुमर्हसि लक्ष्मण। निश्चयार्थमविज्ञाय सहसा प्राकृतो यथा॥ 35.10 ॥

na ca roṣavaśaṃ tāta gantumarhasi lakṣmaṇa| niścayārthamavijñāya sahasā prākṛto yathā|| 35.10 ||

Nor is it fitting, dear Lakshmana, that you should so hastily fall under the sway of anger, like a commoner, without first knowing the true state of things.

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.35.11)

सत्त्वयुक्ता हि पुरुषास्त्वद्विधाः पुरुषर्षभ। अविमृश्य न रोषस्य सहसा यान्ति वश्यताम्॥ 35.11 ॥

sattvayuktā hi puruṣāstvadvidhāḥ puruṣarṣabha| avimṛśya na roṣasya sahasā yānti vaśyatām|| 35.11 ||

O best of men, men of your own steady, virtuous character do not, without due reflection, so hastily surrender themselves to anger.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.35.12)

प्रसादये त्वां धर्मज्ञ सुग्रीवार्थं समाहिता। महान् रोषसमुत्पन्नः संरम्भस्त्यज्यतामयम्॥ 35.12 ॥

prasādaye tvāṃ dharmajña sugrīvārthaṃ samāhitā| mahān roṣasamutpannaḥ saṃrambhastyajyatāmayam|| 35.12 ||

O knower of righteousness, with a composed heart I beg your grace on Sugriva's behalf — set aside, I pray, this great fury born of your indignation.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.35.13)

रुमां मां चाङ्गदं राज्यं धनधान्यपशूनि च। रामप्रियार्थं सुग्रीवस्त्यजेदिति मतिर्मम॥ 35.13 ॥

rumāṃ māṃ cāṅgadaṃ rājyaṃ dhanadhānyapaśūni ca| rāmapriyārthaṃ sugrīvastyajediti matirmama|| 35.13 ||

It is my firm belief that, to please Rama, Sugriva would give up Ruma, myself, even Angada, and indeed his whole kingdom with all its wealth, grain, and cattle.

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.35.14)

समानेष्यति सुग्रीवः सीतया सह राघवम्। शशाङ्कमिव रोहिण्या हत्वा तं राक्षसाधमम्॥ 35.14 ॥

samāneṣyati sugrīvaḥ sītayā saha rāghavam| śaśāṅkamiva rohiṇyā hatvā taṃ rākṣasādhamam|| 35.14 ||

Once that basest of demons is slain, Sugriva will reunite Raghava with Sita, as the moon is reunited with Rohini.

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.35.15)

शतकोटिसहस्राणि लङ्कायां किल रक्षसाम्। अयुतानि च षट्त्रिंशत्सहस्राणि शतानि च॥ 35.15 ॥

śatakoṭisahasrāṇi laṅkāyāṃ kila rakṣasām| ayutāni ca ṣaṭa‍triṃśatsahasrāṇi śatāni ca|| 35.15 ||

It is said that in Lanka there are demons past counting — beyond untold millions, thirty-six thousand units of ten thousand each, and yet hundreds and thousands more besides.

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.35.16)

अहत्वा तांश्च दुर्धर्षान् राक्षसान् कामरूपिणः। न शक्यो रावणो हन्तुं येन सा मैथिली हृता॥ 35.16 ॥

ahatvā tāṃśca durdharṣān rākṣasān kāmarūpiṇaḥ| na śakyo rāvaṇo hantuṃ yena sā maithilī hṛtā|| 35.16 ||

Without first slaying those formidable, shape-shifting demons, it is not possible to kill Ravana, the very one who abducted Maithili.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.35.17)

ते न शक्या रणे हन्तुमसहायेन लक्ष्मण। रावणः क्रूरकर्मा च सुग्रीवेण विशेषतः॥ 35.17 ॥

te na śakyā raṇe hantumasahāyena lakṣmaṇa| rāvaṇaḥ krūrakarmā ca sugrīveṇa viśeṣataḥ|| 35.17 ||

Those demons, Lakshmana, and above all Ravana, so cruel in his deeds, cannot possibly be slain in battle by Sugriva without help.

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.35.18)

एवमाख्यातवान् वाली स ह्यभिज्ञो हरीश्वरः। आगमस्तु न मे व्यक्तः श्रवात् तस्य ब्रवीम्यहम्॥ 35.18 ॥

evamākhyātavān vālī sa hyabhijño harīśvaraḥ| āgamastu na me vyaktaḥ śravāt tasya bravīmyaham|| 35.18 ||

This is what Vali himself used to say, for that lord of monkeys was well informed in such matters; the manner of Ravana's mustering these hosts is not clear to me — I speak only what I once heard from Vali.

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.35.19)

त्वत्सहायनिमित्तं हि प्रेषिता हरिपुङ्गवाः। आनेतुं वानरान् युद्धे सुबहून् हरिपुङ्गवान्॥ 35.19 ॥

tvatsahāyanimittaṃ hi preṣitā haripuṅgavāḥ| ānetuṃ vānarān yuddhe subahūn haripuṅgavān|| 35.19 ||

For the sake of assisting you in this war, the finest of the monkeys have already been dispatched to muster a great host of the very best warriors among them.

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.35.20)

तांश्च प्रतीक्षमाणोऽयं विक्रान्तान् सुमहाबलान्। राघवस्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं न निर्याति हरीश्वरः॥ 35.20 ॥

tāṃśca pratīkṣamāṇo'yaṃ vikrāntān sumahābalān| rāghavasyārthasiddhyarthaṃ na niryāti harīśvaraḥ|| 35.20 ||

Determined to accomplish Raghava's purpose, this king of monkeys has simply been waiting for the return of those bold and mighty warriors, and has not yet set out himself.

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.35.21)

कृता सुसंस्था सौमित्रे सुग्रीवेण पुरा यथा। अद्य तैर्वानरैः सर्वैरागन्तव्यं महाबलैः॥ 35.21 ॥

kṛtā susaṃsthā saumitre sugrīveṇa purā yathā| adya tairvānaraiḥ sarvairāgantavyaṃ mahābalaiḥ|| 35.21 ||

O Saumitri, according to the sound arrangements Sugriva made some time ago, all those mighty monkeys are due to arrive here this very day.

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.35.22)

ऋक्षकोटिसहस्राणि गोलाङ्गूलशतानि च। अद्य त्वामुपयास्यन्ति जहि कोपमरिंदम। कोट्योऽनेकास्तु काकुत्स्थ कपीनां दीप्ततेजसाम्॥ 35.22 ॥

ṛkṣakoṭisahasrāṇi golāṅgūlaśatāni ca| adya tvāmupayāsyanti jahi kopamariṃdama| koṭyo'nekāstu kākutstha kapīnāṃ dīptatejasām|| 35.22 ||

O scion of Kakutstha, destroyer of foes, this very day countless millions of bears, hundreds of langurs, and innumerable millions of monkeys blazing with their own splendour will come and stand before you — so set your anger aside.

Shloka 23 (kishkindha.35.23)

तव हि मुखमिदं निरीक्ष्य कोपात् क्षतजसमे नयने निरीक्षमाणाः। हरिवरवनिता न यान्ति शान्तिं प्रथमभयस्य हि शङ्किताः स्म सर्वाः॥ 35.23 ॥

tava hi mukhamidaṃ nirīkṣya kopāt kṣatajasame nayane nirīkṣamāṇāḥ| harivaravanitā na yānti śāntiṃ prathamabhayasya hi śaṅkitāḥ sma sarvāḥ|| 35.23 ||

"Seeing this angry face of yours, your eyes turned red as blood, none of us women of the monkey chief's household can find any peace; still shadowed by that first fear born of Vali's death, we all remain afraid." Thus Tara pleaded with Lakshmana.