सुन्दर-काण्ड > वनरो का मधु उपभोग व वन रक्षक घसीटना



Leaving Mount Mahendra and leaping ahead towards Kishkindha, the monkeys on their way halt at Madhuvana, a protected grove abounded in honey which was dear to Sugreeva and guarded by the monkey, Dahimukha. When the monkeys started to enjoy drinking of honey in the grove with the permission of Prince Angada, Dahimukha hinders in their way. The monkeys bruise Dadhimukha with their nails and teeth.
ततो जाम्बवतो वाक्यम् अगृह्णन्त वन ओकसः |
अन्गद प्रमुखा वीरा हनूमान् च महाकपिः || ५-६१-१
Thereupon, the heroic monkeys like Angada and others as also Hanuma, the great one among the monkeys accepted the words of Jambavan.
प्रीतिमन्तः ततः सर्वे वायु पुत्र पुरः सराः |
महाइन्द्र अग्रम् परित्यज्य पुप्लुवुः प्लवग ऋषभाः || ५-६१-२
मेरु मन्दर सम्काशा मत्ता इव महागजाः |
चादयन्त इव आकाशम् महाकाया महाबलाः || ५-६१-३
सभाज्यमानम् भूतैः तम् आत्मवन्तम् महाबलम् |
हनूमन्तम् महावेगम् वहन्त इव दृष्टिभिः || ५-६१-४
राघवे च अर्थ निर्वृत्तिम् भर्तुः च परमम् यशः |
समाधाय समृद्ध अर्थाः कर्म सिद्धिभिः उन्नताः || ५-६१-५
प्रिय आख्यान उन्मुखाः सर्वे सर्वे युद्ध अभिनन्दिनः |
सर्वे राम प्रतीकारे निश्चित अर्था मनस्विनः || ५-६१-६
Then, the excellent monkeys, resembling Meru and Mandara mountains, like elephants in rut, as if covering the sky, having huge bodies and colossal strength, keeping Hanuma in their front, leaving Mount Mahendra, went ahead leaping delightfully. They looked as though conducted by the mind's eyes of Hanuma, who is adored by living beings as having good stupendous swiftness, they having resolved to fulfill the purpose of Rama and to attain a great glory, having accomplished the purpose and duly determined to complete the task. All of them were looking up at narrating the previous pleasant tidings and taking delight in war. All of them, in high spirits, were judging rightly the vengeance of Rama against the evil-minded Ravana.
प्लवमानाः खम् आप्लुत्य ततः ते कानन ओक्सकः |
नन्दन उपमम् आसेदुः वनम् द्रुम लता युतम् || ५-६१-७
Then, those monkeys, leaping into the sky and floating in the air, reached a garden looking like Nandanavana the divine grove filled with trees and creepers.
यत् तन् मधु वनम् नाम सुग्रीवस्य अभिरक्षितम् |
अधृष्यम् सर्व भूतानाम् सर्व भूत मनो हरम् || ५-६१-८
They reached, that Madhuvana by name, the garden abounded with honey, which was protected grove, unapproachable for all and looking fascinated to the soul of all beings.
यत् रक्षति महावीर्यः सदा दधि मुखः कपिः |
मातुलः कपि मुख्यस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः || ५-६१-९
A very powerful monkey called Dadhimukha, who was a high-souled eminent monkey and the maternal uncle of Sugreeva always protected that garden.
ते तत् वनम् उपागम्य बभूवुः परम उत्कटाः |
वानरा वानर इन्द्रस्य मनः कान्ततमम् महत् || ५-६१-१०
Reaching that huge grove, which was very dear to the heart of Sugreeva, those monkeys became highly excessive in their behaviour.
ततः ते वानरा हृष्टा दृष्ट्वा मधु वनम् महत् |
कुमारम् अभ्ययाचन्त मधूनि मधु पिन्गलाः || ५-६१-११
Then, seeing that large Madhuvana, the garden abounded in honey, those monkeys, whose colour was as yellow as honey, were delighted and solicited Angada the prince for permission to taste the honey.
ततः कुमारः तान् वृद्धान् जाम्बवत् प्रमुखान् कपीन् |
अनुमान्य ददौ तेषाम् निसर्गम् मधु भक्षणे || ५-६१-१२
Thereupon, Angada the prince, taking approval from those elders like Jambavan and others, gave the monkeys a liberty to drink honey there.
ततः च अनुमताः सर्वे सम्प्रहृष्टा वन ओकसः |
मुदिताः च ततः ते च प्रनृत्यन्ति ततः ततः || ५-६१-१३
Thereafter, all those monkeys, thus permitted to drink honey, were exceedingly pleased. Then, those excited monkeys felt glad and began dancing.
गायन्ति केचित् प्रणमन्ति केचिन् |
नृत्यन्ति केचित् प्रहसन्ति केचित् |
पतन्ति केचित् विचरन्ति केचित् |
प्लवन्ति केचित् प्रलपन्ति केचित् || ५-६१-१४
Some were singing. Some were offering salutations. Some were dancing. Some were laughing loudly. Some were falling down. Some were moving in different directions. Some were jumping up. Some were talking incoherently.
परस्परम् केचित् उपाश्रयन्ते |
परस्परम् केचित् अतिब्रुवन्ते |
परस्परम् केचिदुपब्रुवन्ते |
परस्परम् केचिदुपारमन्ते || ५-६१-१५
Some were leaning against one another. Some were falling upon one another. Some were disputing with one another. Some were playing with one another.
द्रुमात् द्रुमम् केचित् अभिप्लवन्ते |
क्षितौ नग अग्रान् निपतन्ति केचित् |
मही तलात् केचित् उदीर्ण वेगा |
महाद्रुम अग्राणि अभिसम्पतन्ते || ५-६१-१६
Some were running from one tree to another. Some were falling down to the ground from the tree-tops. Some, with a missile-like speed, were flying towards the tops of gigantic trees from the ground.
गायन्तम् अन्यः प्रहसन्न् उपैति |
हसन्तम् अन्यः प्रहसन्न् उपैति |
रुदन्तम् अन्यः प्ररुदन्न् उपैति |
नुदन्तम् अन्यः प्रणुदन्न् उपैति || ५-६१-१७
While one was singing, another approached him laughing. While one was laughing, another approached him weeping. While one was weeping, another approached him pushing. While one was pushing, another approached him roaring.
समाकुलम् तत् कपि सैन्यम् आसीन् |
मधु प्रपान उत्कट सत्त्व चेष्टम् |
न च अत्र कश्चिन् न बभूव मत्तो |
न च अत्र कश्चिन् न बभूव तृप्तो || ५-६१-१८
That army of monkeys, moving in excessively honey-drunken state, became highly excited. None in that army was not drunk. None in that army was not satiated.
ततो वनम् तत् परिभक्ष्यमाणम् |
द्रुमान् च विध्वंसित पत्र पुष्पान् |
समीक्ष्य कोपात् दधि वक्त्र नामा |
निवारयामास कपिः कपीन् तान् || ५-६१-१९
Seeing that grove, being consumed and the trees stripped off their leaves and flowers the monkey named Dadhimukha (who was incharge of the grove) then angrily interrupted those monkeys.
स तैः प्रवृद्धैः परिभर्त्स्यमानो |
वनस्य गोप्ता हरि वीर वृद्धः |
चकार भूयो मतिम् उग्र तेजा |
वनस्य रक्षाम् प्रति वानरेभ्यः || ५-६१-२०
Threatened by those monkeys who were behaving excessively, Dadhimukha who was endowed with a terrible energy, the care-taker of the grove and an elderly hero of the monkeys further contemplated the means to protect that grove from the monkeys.
उवाच कांश्चित् परुषाणि धृष्टम् |
असक्तम् अन्यान् च तलैः जघान |
समेत्य कैश्चित् कलहम् चकार |
तथैव साम्ना उपजगाम कांश्चित् || ५-६१-२१
He spoke harsh words with some and courageously struck some others with his palms uninterruptedly, created a quarrel by coming into collusion with some, and approached some in a conciliatory manner.
स तैः मदाच् च अप्रतिवार्य वेगैः |
बलाच् च तेन अप्रतिवार्यमाणैः |
प्रधर्षितः त्यक्त भयैः समेत्य |
प्रकृष्यते च अपि अनवेक्ष्य दोषम् || ५-६१-२२
That Dadhimukha was dragged, after coming into collusion with him by those monkeys, who were being forcibly hindered by him, eventhough those monkeys overpowered him with unrestrained emotion arising out of their intoxication, those who had abandoned their fear disregarding any bad consequence of their act.
नखैः तुदन्तो दशनैः दशन्तः |
तलैः च पादैः च समाप्नुवन्तः |
मदात् कपिम् तम् कपयः समग्रा |
महावनम् निर्विषयम् च चक्रुः || ५-६१-२३
Bruising with their nails, biting with their teeth on account of their inebriety and making short work of that Dadhimukha with their palms and feet, all those moneys made that large grove, divested of its flowers, fruits and honey.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे एकषष्टितमः सर्गः