Ramayana · Book IV · Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa
Ramayana, Book IV, Canto 36: Sugríva’s Speechकिष्किन्धाकाण्डम्
Ralph T. H. Griffith’s English verse (1870–74), beside the Sanskrit of sarga 4.36.
Sanskrit
मृदुस्वभावः सौमित्रिः प्रतिजग्राह तद्वचः॥ १॥
तस्मिन् प्रतिगृहीते तु वाक्ये हरिगणेश्वरः।
लक्ष्मणात् सुमहत् त्रासं वस्त्रं क्लिन्नमिवात्यजत्॥ २॥
ततः कण्ठगतं माल्यं चित्रं बहुगुणं महत्।
चिच्छेद विमदश्चासीत् सुग्रीवो वानरेश्वरः॥ ३॥
स लक्ष्मणं भीमबलं सर्ववानरसत्तमः।
अब्रवीत् प्रश्रितं वाक्यं सुग्रीवः सम्प्रहर्षयन्॥ ४॥
प्रणष्टा श्रीश्च कीर्तिश्च कपिराज्यं च शाश्वतम्।
रामप्रसादात् सौमित्रे पुनश्चाप्तमिदं मया॥ ५॥
कः शक्तस्तस्य देवस्य ख्यातस्य स्वेन कर्मणा।
तादृशं प्रतिकुर्वीत अंशेनापि नृपात्मज॥ ६॥
सीतां प्राप्स्यति धर्मात्मा वधिष्यति च रावणम्।
सहायमात्रेण मया राघवः स्वेन तेजसा॥ ७॥
सहायकृत्यं किं तस्य येन सप्त महाद्रुमाः।
गिरिश्च वसुधा चैव बाणेनैकेन दारिताः॥ ८॥
धनुर्विस्फारमाणस्य यस्य शब्देन लक्ष्मण।
सशैला कम्पिता भूमिः सहायैः किं नु तस्य वै॥ ९॥
अनुयात्रां नरेन्द्रस्य करिष्येऽहं नरर्षभ।
गच्छतो रावणं हन्तुं वैरिणं सपुरस्सरम्॥ १०॥
यदि किंचिदतिक्रान्तं विश्वासात् प्रणयेन वा।
प्रेष्यस्य क्षमितव्यं मे न कश्चिन्नापराध्यति॥ ११॥
इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः।
अभवल्लक्ष्मणः प्रीतः प्रेम्णा चेदमुवाच ह॥ १२॥
सर्वथा हि मम भ्राता सनाथो वानरेश्वर।
त्वया नाथेन सुग्रीव प्रश्रितेन विशेषतः॥ १३॥
यस्ते प्रभावः सुग्रीव यच्च ते शौचमीदृशम्।
अर्हस्त्वं कपिराज्यस्य श्रियं भोक्तुमनुत्तमाम्॥ १४॥
सहायेन च सुग्रीव त्वया रामः प्रतापवान्।
वधिष्यति रणे शत्रूनचरान्नात्र संशयः॥ १५॥
धर्मज्ञस्य कृतज्ञस्य संग्रामेष्वनिवर्तिनः।
उपपन्नं च युक्तं च सुग्रीव तव भाषितम्॥ १६॥
दोषज्ञः सति सामर्थ्ये कोऽन्यो भाषितुमर्हति।
वर्जयित्वा मम ज्येष्ठं त्वां च वानरसत्तम॥ १७॥
सदृशश्चासि रामेण विक्रमेण बलेन च।
सहायो दैवतैर्दत्तश्चिराय हरिपुंगव॥ १८॥
किं तु शीघ्रमितो वीर निष्क्रम त्वं मया सह।
सान्त्वयस्व वयस्यं च भार्याहरणदुःखितम्॥ १९॥
यच्च शोकाभिभूतस्य श्रुत्वा रामस्य भाषितम्।
मया त्वं परुषाण्युक्तस्तत् क्षमस्व सखे मम॥ २०॥
English Griffith
She ceased: and Lakshmaṇ gave assent,
Won by her gentle argument.
So Tárá’s pleading, just and mild,
His softening heart had reconciled.
His altered mood Sugríva saw,
And cast aside the fear and awe
Like raiment heavy with the rain
Which on his troubled soul had lain.
Then quickly to the ground he threw
His flowery garland, bright of hue,
Which round his royal neck he wore,
And, sobered, was himself once more.
Then turning to the princely man
In soothing words the king began:
“My glory, wealth, and royal sway
To other hands had passed away:
But Ráma to my rescue came,
And gave me back my power and fame.
O Lakshmaṇ, say, whose grateful heart
Could nurse the hope to pay in part,
By service of a life, the deed
Of Ráma sprung of heavenly seed?
His foeman Rávaṇ shall be slain,
And Sítá shall be his again.
The hero’s side I will not leave,
But he the conquest shall achieve.
What need of help has he who drew
His bow, and one great arrow flew
Through seven tall trees, a mountain rent,
And cleft the earth with force unspent?
What aid needs he who shook his bow,
And at the sound the earth below
With hill and wood and rooted rock
Quaked feverous with the thunder shock?
Yet all my legions will I bring,
And follow close the warrior king
Marching on his impetuous way
Fierce Rávaṇ and his hosts to slay.
If I be guilty of offence,
Careless through love or negligence,
Let him his loyal slave forgive;
For error cleaves to all who live.”
Thus king Sugríva, good and brave,
In humble words his answer gave,
Softened was Lakshmaṇ’s angry mood
Who thus his friendly speech renewed:
“My brother, Vánar King, will see
A champion and a friend in thee.
So strong art thou, so brave and bold,
So pure in thought, so humble-souled,
That thou deservest well to reign
And all a monarch’s bliss to gain.
Lend thou my brother aid, and all
His foes beneath his arm will fall.
Full well the words thou speakest suit
A chieftain wise and resolute.
With grateful heart that loves the right,
And foot that never yields in fight.
O come, and my sad brother cheer
Who mourns the wife he holds so dear.
O pardon, friend, my harsh address,
And Ráma’s frantic bitterness.”