Hanuman's Counsel to Angada

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.54.1)

तथा ब्रुवति तारे तु ताराधिपतिवर्चसि । अथ मेने हृतं राज्यं हनूमानङ्गदेन तत् ॥ 54.1 ॥

tathā bruvati tāre tu tārādhipativarcasi | atha mene hṛtaṃ rājyaṃ hanūmānaṅgadena tat || 54.1 ||

While Tara, radiant as the lord of the stars, was speaking thus, Hanuman concluded that the kingdom had, as it were, been usurped by Angada.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.54.2)

बुद्ध्या ह्यष्टाङ्गया युक्तं चतुर्बलसमन्वितम् । चतुर्दशगुणं मेने हनूमान् वालिनः सुतम् ॥ 54.2 ॥

buda‍dhyā hyaṣṭāṅgayā yuktaṃ caturbalasamanvitam | caturdaśaguṇaṃ mene hanūmān vālinaḥ sutam || 54.2 ||

Hanuman considered Vali's son to be endowed with the eightfold intellect, possessed of the fourfold might, and gifted with all fourteen royal qualities.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.54.3)

आपूर्यमाणं शश्वच्च तेजोबलपराक्रमैः । शशिनं शुक्लपक्षादौ वर्धमानमिव श्रिया ॥ 54.3 ॥

āpūryamāṇaṃ śaśvacca tejobalaparākramaiḥ | śaśinaṃ śuklapakṣādau vardhamānamiva śriyā || 54.3 ||

—ever waxing in splendour, might and valour, like the moon growing in glory through the bright fortnight.

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.54.4)

बृहस्पतिसमं बुद्ध्या विक्रमे सदृशं पितुः । शुश्रूषमाणं तारस्य शुक्रस्येव पुरंदरम् ॥ 54.4 ॥

bṛhaspatisamaṃ buddhyā vikrame sadṛśaṃ pituḥ | śuśrūṣamāṇaṃ tārasya śukrasyeva puraṃdaram || 54.4 ||

—equal to Brihaspati in intellect, equal to his father in valour, attending upon Tara as Indra would upon Shukra.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.54.5)

भर्तुरर्थे परिश्रान्तं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः । अभिसंधातुमारेभे हनूमानङ्गदं ततः ॥ 54.5 ॥

bharturarthe pariśrāntaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ | abhisaṃdhātumārebhe hanūmānaṅgadaṃ tataḥ || 54.5 ||

—one wearied in the service of his lord's cause. Then Hanuman, versed in all the scriptures, began to work upon Angada with strategy.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.54.6)

स चतुर्णामुपायानां तृतीयमुपवर्णयन् । भेदयामास तान् सर्वान् वानरान् वाक्यसम्पदा ॥ 54.6 ॥

sa caturṇāmupāyānāṃ tṛtīyamupavarṇayan | bhedayāmāsa tān sarvān vānarān vākyasampadā || 54.6 ||

Applying the third of the four expedients, that of sowing dissension, he, by the power of his eloquence, divided all those vanaras among themselves.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.54.7)

तेषु सर्वेषु भिन्नेषु ततोऽभीषयदङ्गदम् । भीषणैर्विविधैर्वाक्यैः कोपोपायसमन्वितैः ॥ 54.7 ॥

teṣu sarveṣu bhinneṣu tato'bhīṣayadaṅgadam | bhīṣaṇairvividhairvākyaiḥ kopopāyasamanvitaiḥ || 54.7 ||

When all of them had thus been divided, he then set about frightening Angada with various dreadful words meant to provoke his anger.

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.54.8)

त्वं समर्थतरः पित्रा युद्धे तारेय वै ध्रुवम् । दृढं धारयितुं शक्तः कपिराज्यं यथा पिता ॥ 54.8 ॥

tvaṃ samarthataraḥ pitrā yuddhe tāreya vai dhruvam | dṛḍhaṃ dhārayituṃ śaktaḥ kapirājyaṃ yathā pitā || 54.8 ||

'O son of Tara, you are surely mightier in battle than even your father was, and quite capable of holding the monkey-kingdom firmly, just as your father did.'

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.54.9)

नित्यमस्थिरचित्ता हि कपयो हरिपुंगव । नाज्ञाप्यं विषहिष्यन्ति पुत्रदारं विना त्वया ॥ 54.9 ॥

nityamasthiracittā hi kapayo haripuṃgava | nājñāpyaṃ viṣahiṣyanti putradāraṃ vinā tvayā || 54.9 ||

'The vanaras, O foremost of monkeys, are ever fickle-minded; without you they will not endure being kept from their sons and wives against their will.'

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.54.10)

त्वां नैते ह्यनुयुञ्जेयुः प्रत्यक्षं प्रवदामि ते । यथायं जाम्बवान् नीलः सुहोत्रश्च महाकपिः ॥ 54.10 ॥

tvāṃ naite hyanuyuñjeyuḥ pratyakṣaṃ pravadāmi te | yathāyaṃ jāmbavān nīlaḥ suhotraśca mahākapiḥ || 54.10 ||

'These will not, in truth, attach themselves to you — I tell you this to your face — no more than would this Jambavan, Nila, or the great monkey Suhotra.'

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.54.11)

नह्यहं ते इमे सर्वे सामदानादिभिर्गुणैः । दण्डेन न त्वया शक्याः सुग्रीवादपकर्षितुम् ॥ 54.11 ॥

nahyahaṃ te ime sarve sāmadānādibhirguṇaiḥ | daṇḍena na tvayā śakyāḥ sugrīvādapakarṣitum || 54.11 ||

'For indeed, none of these can be drawn away from Sugreeva by you, neither through conciliation, gifts and the like, nor through force.'

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.54.12)

विगृह्यासनमप्याहुर्दुर्बलेन बलीयसा । आत्मरक्षाकरस्तस्मान्न विगृह्णीत दुर्बलः ॥ 54.12 ॥

vigṛhyāsanamapyāhurdurbalena balīyasā | ātmarakṣākarastasmānna vigṛhṇīta durbalaḥ || 54.12 ||

'It is said that even a position seized through hostility by a weaker one against a stronger proves harmful; therefore, one who is weak, seeking to protect himself, should not offer resistance.'

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.54.13)

यां चेमां मन्यसे धात्रीमेतद् बिलमिति श्रुतम् । एतल्लक्ष्मणबाणानामीषत् कार्यं विदारणम् ॥ 54.13 ॥

yāṃ cemāṃ manyase dhātrīmetad bilamiti śrutam | etallakṣmaṇabāṇānāmīṣat kāryaṃ vidāraṇam || 54.13 ||

'And this place, which you take for a secure refuge called a cave — for Lakshmana's arrows, to split it open would be but a trifling task.'

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.54.14)

स्वल्पं हि कृतमिन्द्रेण क्षिपता ह्यशनिं पुरा । लक्ष्मणो निशितैर्बाणैर्भिन्द्यात् पत्रपुटं यथा ॥ 54.14 ॥

svalpaṃ hi kṛtamindreṇa kṣipatā hyaśaniṃ purā | lakṣmaṇo niśitairbāṇairbhindyāt patrapuṭaṃ yathā || 54.14 ||

'Indeed, what Indra once did by hurling his thunderbolt was but a small feat; Lakshmana would split this apart with his sharp arrows as easily as one tears a leaf-cup.'

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.54.15)

लक्ष्मणस्य च नाराचा बहवः सन्ति तद्विधाः । वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शा गिरीणामपि दारकाः ॥ 54.15 ॥

lakṣmaṇasya ca nārācā bahavaḥ santi tadvidhāḥ | vajrāśanisamasparśā girīṇāmapi dārakāḥ || 54.15 ||

'And Lakshmana possesses many iron arrows of that kind, whose touch is like the thunderbolt's, capable even of splitting mountains.'

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.54.16)

अवस्थानं यदैव त्वमासिष्यसि परंतप । तदैव हरयः सर्वे त्यक्ष्यन्ति कृतनिश्चयाः ॥ 54.16 ॥

avasthānaṃ yadaiva tvamāsiṣyasi paraṃtapa | tadaiva harayaḥ sarve tyakṣyanti kṛtaniścayāḥ || 54.16 ||

'The very moment you resolve, O scorcher of foes, to settle down here for good, that very moment all the vanaras, having made up their minds, will forsake you.'

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.54.17)

स्मरन्तः पुत्रदाराणां नित्योद्विग्ना बुभुक्षिताः । खेदिता दुःखशय्याभिस्त्वां करिष्यन्ति पृष्ठतः ॥ 54.17 ॥

smarantaḥ putradārāṇāṃ nityodvignā bubhukṣitāḥ | kheditā duḥkhaśayyābhistvāṃ kariṣyanti pṛṣṭhataḥ || 54.17 ||

'Remembering their sons and wives, ever anxious and hungry, wearied by beds of misery, they will leave you behind.'

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.54.18)

स त्वं हीनः सुहृद्भिश्च हितकामैश्च बन्धुभिः । तृणादपि भृशोद्विग्नः स्पन्दमानाद् भविष्यसि ॥ 54.18 ॥

sa tvaṃ hīnaḥ suhṛdbhiśca hitakāmaiśca bandhubhiḥ | tṛṇādapi bhṛśodvignaḥ spandamānād bhaviṣyasi || 54.18 ||

'Then you, bereft of friends and well-wishing kinsmen, will become terrified even at the mere stirring of a blade of grass.'

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.54.19)

अत्युग्रवेगा निशिता घोरा लक्ष्मणसायकाः । अपवृत्तं जिघांसन्तो महावेगा दुरासदाः ॥ 54.19 ॥

atyugravegā niśitā ghorā lakṣmaṇasāyakāḥ | apavṛttaṃ jighāṃsanto mahāvegā durāsadāḥ || 54.19 ||

'Exceedingly fierce in speed, sharp and terrible are Lakshmana's arrows — of tremendous force and unassailable, ever seeking to slay the renegade.'

Shloka 20 (kishkindha.54.20)

अस्माभिस्तु गतं सार्धं विनीतवदुपस्थितम् । आनुपूर्व्यात्तु सुग्रीवो राज्ये त्वां स्थापयिष्यति ॥ 54.20 ॥

asmābhistu gataṃ sārdhaṃ vinītavadupasthitam | ānupūrvyāttu sugrīvo rājye tvāṃ sthāpayiṣyati || 54.20 ||

'But if you go along with us and present yourself humbly, then, in due course, Sugreeva will establish you in the kingdom.'

Shloka 21 (kishkindha.54.21)

धर्मराजः पितृव्यस्ते प्रीतिकामो दृढव्रतः । शुचिः सत्यप्रतिज्ञश्च स त्वां जातु न नाशयेत् ॥ 54.21 ॥

dharmarājaḥ pitṛvyaste prītikāmo dṛḍhavrataḥ | śuciḥ satyapratijñaśca sa tvāṃ jātu na nāśayet || 54.21 ||

'Your uncle is righteous, desirous of your affection, firm in his vows, pure, and true to his word; he would never destroy you.'

Shloka 22 (kishkindha.54.22)

प्रियकामश्च ते मातुस्तदर्थं चास्य जीवितम् । तस्यापत्यं च नास्त्यन्यत् तस्मादङ्गद गम्यताम् ॥ 54.22 ॥

priyakāmaśca te mātustadarthaṃ cāsya jīvitam | tasyāpatyaṃ ca nāstyanyat tasmādaṅgada gamyatām || 54.22 ||

'He desires to please your mother too, and his very life is devoted to that end; nor has he any other child but you. Therefore, O Angada, let us depart.'