September 22 - Sargas 37 and 38 of Kishkindha Kanda describe how Sugriva efficiently gathers his immense army of vanaras and bears from the four corners of earth before proceeding to Sri Rama with Lakshmana to report the progress.
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Often, we read headlines in the Kannada newspapers that the government has issued such a stringent order that anyone who violates the order will face severe penalties. Such an order is described as "Sugrivaajne" - "Sugriva's order." We will be reading in these and next sargas about how the vanaras and bears were quite frightened of Sugriva's punishment and their obedience was always total.
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Now Sugriva calls Hanuman. He issues stern orders that reinforce his earlier diktat to the senior vanaras to go and gather all the warriors within 2 weeks. This time he says it should be complied with in just ten days, with the penalty of death to any vanaras if they did not comply with the order and report here.
महेन्द्रहिमवद्विन्ध्यकैलासशिखरेषु च ।
मन्दरे पाण्डुशिखरे पञ्चशैलेषु ये सिथिताः ॥
तरुणादित्यवर्णेषु भ्राजमानेषु नित्यशः ।
पर्वतेषु समुद्रान्ते पश्चिमस्यां च ये दिशि ॥
तांस्तांस्त्वमानय क्षिप्रं पृथिव्यां सर्ववानरान् ।
सामदानादिभिः कल्पैर्वानरैर्वेगवत्तरैः ॥
"Oh Hanuman, from the Mahendra mountain, from the Himalayas, from Vindhyas, from the peak of Kailasa, from the white peak Mandara mountain, from the Panchashaila range, all the vanaras who reside there...
"from the mountain ranges that shine with the golden colour of the rising sun, from all over indeed, including the mountains on seashores, also from the western end of the earth,
"instruct all the vanaras of the entire planet to assemble without delay. Send for them with inducements of appeasement and praise, and stir them to act with speed. Send out your best senior vanaras, those who had already been instructed to do so, to double their efforts now and get every one of the vanaras and rikshas (bears) within ten days. "
Sugriva describes how these vanaras have divine powers, are like mountains in size and like elephants in strength, and travel so swiftly together as to cloud the sky. And all these vanaras owe their allegiance to the supreme lord, Sugriva. Therefore their absolute compliance shall be ensured by Hanuman and the senior vanara chiefs who shall fan out with a repeat instruction from Sugriva.
There is also a reference to how vanaras are prone to be lost in drink and carnal pleasures but they should be forced and induced as the case may be to comply at once and arrive in Rishyamuka.
Valmiki says that the order had its due effect and vanaras and rikshas started arriving in millions very quickly. A wide range of simians, some red in colour, some black like collyrium, some like molten gold, indeed all with impressive appearances, came in hordes. Some had tails like cows. Some had manes like lions. They fed on bananas, coconut milk, and so on, and yet they had terrific strength and fierce looks. They had mighty reputations for impossibly powerful deeds. And they were all thrilled that they had been enlisted by their king Sugriva ifor Sri Rama's service.
Enroute, the vanaras came to a place in the forest, where, under the canopy of a very large tree, a special yajna was being performed to propitiate Lord Shiva. The monkeys climbed that tree and beheld the Himalayan peaks. The vanaras then came down and partook of the special fruits and roots offered as havis to the deity. These offerings were indeed special, tasting like nectar, and they conferred on the one eating them a feeling of satiation and freedom from hunger and thirst for a whole month. The vanaras collected this prasada (holy communion) and medicinal herbs as well as divine flowers from that yajna sacred fire altar.
Thus an incalculable number of vanaras and rikshas arrived in Kishkindha's vicinity in an incredibly short time.
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The vanaras arrived and reported duly to their king Sugriva. They offered him the special yajna prasada they had brought after the worship of Lord Shiva. Sugriva was immensely pleased.
Lakshmana was very delighted by this swift and decisive progress made under Surgiva's order. He gently requested Sugriva that they should not delay going to Sri Rama now.
Sugriva instructed that a great palanquin be readied at once for him and Lakshmana. Sugriva requested Lakshmana to take his seat on it. Together with Lakshmana, Sugriva went in that special palanquin carried by terrific vanaras, along with a contigent of mighty vanaras carrying their weapons, in a procession to the mountain cave where Sri Rama was waiting. The procession with the ceremonial white umbrella, yak tail fans, and a musical band of wind and percussion instruments, made a pretty picture as the vanaras constantly cheered all the way.
Sugriva alighted and went and touched Sri Rama's feet. Sri Rama lifted him up and embraced him warmly.
Sri Rama said to Sugriva,
"Indeed he is a great king who knows when to pursue Dharma, artha and kama (righteous duty, economic pursuits, and pursuit of pleasures) respectively. A king who does not know what is the right thing to do at the right time and engages in trivia will fall from his position like a man sitting on a tree dosing off carelessly and inadvertently.
" I am glad you are now with all your mighty warriors and chiefs. Please confer and decide what is the best course of action now."
Sugriva again bowed down to Sri Rama and replied, "Oh Lord Sri Rama, it is entirely by your grace that I have secured my kingship and the leadership of this large army. There is no question of my falling from my duty.
"These powerful vanaras are all sons of divine beings and possess incredible power as well as knowledge of how to enter the most inaccessible places.
ते त्वामाभिगमिष्यन्ति राक्षसं योद्धुमाहवे ।
निहत्य रावणं सङ्ख्ये ह्यानयिष्यन्ति मैथिलीम् ॥
"These vanaras coming and reporting to you are the same who will go and kill Ravana along with his rakshasa troops and relatives and shall surely bring back Maithili Sita to you."
Hearing these words, Sri Rama looked very pleased and resembled in his radiant joy a blooming blue lotus.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
