40. LEFT EYELIDS THROB :

IN face of the unexpected difficulties
that overtook them one after another,
Rama and Lakshmana often lost heart.
Their fortitude yielded place sometimes to
great despair. But they managed to
encourage each other and proceeded on
their way.


Passing through the forest, the two
princes were suddenly caught by a
tremendously big Rakshasa of ugly form
without head or feet. His mouth was in his
great belly and he had two enormous arms
which, without moving from his place, he
would stretch out and clutch tiger, bear or
any other living thing within reach, and
swallow them.


He had only one eye which was placed
in his chest but which was terrible to
behold.


Caught by this monster, the princes
were, for a while, bewildered and did not
know what to do.


Then Rama told Lakshmana: "Let us
not be confused. You will cut off one arm,
I shall cut off the other."
And so they did. The name of the
monster was Kabandha, which means the
barrel-shaped one. Once his arms were
severed, he was helpless and began to
explain:


"On account of my evil deeds I was
cursed by Indra to bear this form and this
name. I believe you are Rama and
Lakshmana. Indra promised me freedom
from the curse when you two should come
and cut off my arms and commit this body
of mine to the flames."


The princes set fire to his body as
desired by the unfortunate monster and
there arose from the flames a lovely being
which entered a heavenly chariot and
ascended to the celestial world.


Before going, he said to Rama: "You
will assuredly regain Sita. Go to the
beautiful banks of the Pampa and seek the
help of Sugriva living there on the
Rishyamuka hill. Driven out of the
kingdom by his brother Vali, he lives in
constant fear and danger. Gain his
friendship, and you will succeed in your
attempt." Saying this Kabandha
disappeared.


Rama and Lakshmana now set forward
in the direction of the Pampa. In that
lovely region they visited the ashrama of
the aged sanyasini, Sabari, the disciple of
Rishi Matanga, and accepted her
hospitality. Sabari was a woman of a
forest tribe and a faithful serving sister in
the ashrama of the old saint Matanga.
When he departed this life, she wanted to
die too. But he said the time was not yet
and she should await the arrival of Rama,
an incarnation of Vishnu, for the bliss of
his darshan was in store for her.


So the old and wrinkled woman lived
her saintly life, looking faithfully after the
ashrama as of old and keeping it sweet to
receive the promised guest.


When the princes came, she produced
the fruits she had gathered and kept for
them, and described and showed to them
the wonders of the Matanga ashrama.


Then with their leave, she kindled a fire
and entering it ascended to heaven.
The meeting with this saintly woman
and the waters of the river Pampa gave
strength of mind to the princes. They
thought over what should be done next.
Said Rama: "Lakshmana, I am
beginning to think that we shall succeed.
Let us search the forest for Sugriva whose
help we should obtain."


They went all over the Pampa area.
The place was lovely, but the loveliness of
the spot and the animals, birds, trees and
creepers only increased Rama's grief.
Every beautiful object wrung his heart
and made him think: "How much would
Sita have enjoyed this?" Try as he might,
he could not control the human sorrow
which by his incarnation he had
undertaken to endure.


Lakshmana tried to revive his spirit. He
said: "Even if Sita is kept hidden in the
womb of Aditi, the mother of the gods, we
will discover her. Ravana cannot escape.
It is certain we shall kill him and redeem
Sita. It is not proper that you should thus
despair. How can you let anxiety or
weakness come over you? If we lose a
precious thing, we should work for its
recovery with perseverance. Sometimes
our very affection becomes our enemy.


Too much love brings on grief and grief
weakens effort. What need is there for me
to tell you all this? You know it all. Let us
not lose hope. Let us forget the grief
brought on by love and bend our mind and
body to exertion. Be brave. Be hopeful.
We shall succeed. Get rid of your sorrow,
brother!"


The younger brother thus advised
Rama. Commentators look upon
Lakshmana as Adisesha. Adisesha, the
serpent, is said to be ever the protecting
spirit of Vishnu. So Lakshmana ever tried
to give Rama fresh energy and
enthusiasm.


The fugitive Vanara prince Sugriva and
his faithful adherents with the watchful
vigilance of fear saw Rama and
Lakshmana roving in the forests and were
troubled with doubts. Having been ejected
from his kingdom by Vali, Sugriva chose
this mountainous spot because he believed
that it was made by the curse of a rishi
inaccessible to Vali. And now he feared
that here, too, Vali in disguise was
following him in order to kill him.
Or else, he feared, some Kshatriya
warriors taking the side of Vali were there
to kill him. The other Vanaras ran hither
and thither in panic.


Hanuman was Sugriva's chief minister.
He reassured Sugriva, saying: "This is not
Vali, nor are they friends of Vali, it seems
to me. There is no ground for fear. I shall
go and talk to them and find out the truth."


Sugriva was pleased and said: "Do it,
but be careful. Go, find out the truth and
come back. Use all your skill. I am full of
suspicion. They behave as if they are
searching for someone. Could it not be
that it is me they seek?"


Taking the form of a brahmana,
Hanuman approached Rama and
Lakshmana. As he went and stood in front
of them, a confident feeling possessed his
heart. Straight away he started speaking
out frankly.


Hanuman went forward to learn the
truth without discovering himself. But as
he went on speaking, he threw all caution
away and told in detail all about himself
and the Vanara King.
Looking on Rama and Lakshmana, he
was beside himself as a devotee in the
presence of the Lord, and praised them.
He said that he was a Vanara and had
come there in disguise as desired by his
King.


"Royal saints," he said, "your presence
here fills my heart with joy. There is an
aura round you as if you were gods. I take
it, you are here in the forest for doing
tapas. But why have you come to this
inaccessible spot? Please tell me who you
are. This river and this forest are made
lovelier by your presence. Your faces and
forms are radiantly beautiful. The
creatures in the forest look on you with
reverence and awe. Your strength and
courage are manifest. Who are you? From
which country do you come? It is clear
you are entitled by birth to rule some
mighty kingdom and yet you are dressed
like ascetics. With matted hair and bark
garments you carry also bows and arrows.


Why are you silent? Here Sugriva, the
Vanara King, driven out of his kingdom
by his brother Vali, is in hiding. He is full
of grief. I am his minister. My name is
Hanuman. I am the son of Vayu. As
ordered by my king, I put on the
appearance of a brahmachari and am now
here before you."


Listening to these courteous words of
Hanuman, Rama said to Lakshmana:
"Brother, this speech of Hanuman has
inspired me with confidence. I trust him
absolutely. Did you notice the beauty of
his language and how correct and
rhythmic his enunciation is? He speaks
like one who has mastered the Vedas and
the science of grammar. An ideal
messenger he is. Fortunate is the king who
has such a messenger. He whom we are
searching for is himself in search of us.
We came here to see Sugriva and he has
sent this messenger to us. Let us welcome
him."


Then they began to talk freely to one
another. Rama and Lakshmana on the one
hand and Hanuman on the other related
their history, their joys and sorrows, hopes
and fears.


As a result of this talk, Lakshmana
conceived a great affection for Hanuman.
He said to Hanuman: "My brother,
born to great wealth, the eldest son of an
emperor, has left his kingdom and come
to the forest. Here his wife, dearer to him
than life itself, was abducted by Ravana,
who had by a fraudulent trick inveigled us
far away from the hermitage where she
was. We seek Sugriva's help to rescue her
and recover her, for a daitya, who under a
curse took on the form of a Rakshasa, told
us: 'If you secure the help of Sugriva, the
Vanara King, you will regain the princess
stolen by the Rakshasa.' And so we are
here. We seek the friendship of your
king."


Hanuman answered: "Sugriva too has
been persecuted by Vali and deprived of
his kingdom and his wife. It is now certain
that he will regain both. My king will gain
much by your friendship and with his help
you will also succeed in your efforts."
Then the three went to Sugriva. The
way was such that only a Vanara could
traverse it. Hanuman resumed his natural
shape and carried both the princes on his
back.


The hearts of good men meet and
instantly come together. As the Kural
says, the spontaneous mutual attraction of
two hearts and not long acquaintance
creates friendship and this friendship was
part of the divine dispensation. It was
predestined that Hanuman's sublime
devotion should be at Rama's service for
the fulfilment of the purpose of the
incarnation. And so there was acceptance
at first sight.


His carrying the two princes on his
shoulder was an outward symbol of
inward union. As friends and lovers
embrace each other, Hanuman, the loving
servant, rejoiced in carrying his Lord on
his shoulders.


Ascending the Malaya hill, Hanuman
went in advance to Sugriva and,
announcing the visit of Rama and
Lakshmana, said:


"Rama is a prince full of wisdom and
virtue. He is the eldest son of the famous
Emperor Dasaratha. To fulfil his father's
promise, he left Ayodhya with his brother
and wife and came to the forest. King
Dasaratha was compelled by his younger
wife, in fulfilment of an undefined
promise given long ago, to banish Rama.


In the forest, taking advantage of the
princes' absence, Ravana carried away the
wife of Rama. Rama has come here,
seeking your help in finding her. The
princes are worthy of your friendship.
You too will gain greatly from friend ship
with such heroes."


Sugriva assumed the form of a
handsome man and had a long and heartto-
heart talk with the princes. Stretching
forth his hand to Rama, he said:


"Princes, if you care for the friendship
of a Vanara, here is my hand, accept it.
Hanuman has told me all about your
virtue and greatness."


Rama clasped his hand and embraced
him. Soon Hanuman got together some
faggots and kindled a fire.


Circumambulating the flames Rama and
Sugriva swore mutual friendship: "Let us
share our joys and sorrows." They vowed:
"Let our friendship be eternal."


They cut down the branch of a tree and
sitting on it, Rama and Sugriva were
engaged in cheerful talk and so, too, were
Hanuman and Lakshmana seated on
another. Sugriva narrated the story of his
life. How greatly he and his elder brother,
the mighty Vali, were once devoted to one
another, and how malignant fate had
through no fault of Sugriva's made deadly
enemies of them.


It had comes about this way. Once a
Rakshasa named Mayavi came at
midnight to the gate of Kishkindha, their
capital, and vauntingly challenged Vali to
instant combat in pursuance of an ancient
feud.


Vali, who never refused a fight, rushed
forth impetuously, followed by Sugriva;
and seeing them, the Rakshasa fled.


Pursuing him they saw him disappear into
a great cave the mouth of which was
overgrown with brushwood. Vali bade
Sugriva, exacting an oath from him, to
wait at the entrance for him and plunged
into the darkness of the cave after the foe.


Sugriva waited long, but Vali did not
come out. As he stood racked with doubt,
indistinct shouts and groans, which
seemed to his horror-struck ears his
brother's, issued from the cave. Presently
there gushed out of it foaming blood
which made him sure that Vali had
perished in the struggle.


To make sure that the victorious
Rakshasa would not rush out in the elation
of triumph and destroy Kishkindha,
Sugriva blocked the entrance of the cave
with a huge rock and returned to
Kishkindha with his tale of Vali's death.


As a rulerless state invites disaster, he was
persuaded by the ministers and elders to
occupy the vacant throne.


While he was enjoying the sweets of
power, like a bolt from the blue, Vali
burst on them. Haggard with wrath and
wounds, and accusing him of treason and
unnatural conduct towards one who was at
once his brother and his king, Vali drove
him out with scorn and contumely as a
wretch too vile to live, but whom he
forebore to slay only because he was
unfortunately also his brother.


So by a cruel fate he had been deprived
of his home, throne, and all, including
even his wife, and had to seek asylum in
the forest with a few faithful friends. Here
at least he was safe, for Vali had been
forbidden by a rishi from entering the
precincts on pain of instant death.


This incident between Vali and Sugriva
is a good example of the moral teaching
conveyed in the Puranas. There was
nothing terribly wrong in the conduct
either of Vali or of Sugriva. Anger
confuses the mind. One who yields to
anger loses the capacity to see the truth.


That way lies destruction. Vali's anger led
to his end. Sugriva humbly confessed the
truth, but Vali would not listen.
He was beside himself with rage.


Sugriva too, was guilty of imprudent
haste. He concluded too quickly that his
brother had died. He was afraid that the
Asura who was victorious would come
out and kill him also. So he closed the
entrance of the cave and returned home.
At first he was not keen on becoming king
and yet he allowed himself to be
persuaded by the people.


He yielded to a subconscious desire
without sufficient thought. So difficulties
came upon him. Thoughtless action leads
to unhappiness. This is what we learn
from the story of Sugriva. One should not
desire what belongs to another. One has to
exercise great care, and control one's
desires.


In contrast to Sugriva, when the
ministers and subjects in Ayodhya pressed
Bharata to accept the crown, he was firm
in his refusal. Bharata's strength of
character was great. But Sugriva was
different. He was weak, and suffered in
consequence. Bharata had the courage to
refuse and his name lives forever.


In every episode of the Ramayana
some lesson which we should learn for
our daily life is taught. The meaning is in
some places plain; in others it may lie
hidden. If we read with reverence and
think deeply, we can always see the
moral.


Sugriva concluded his story with a
piteous appeal to Rama. "For fear of Vali I
am a wanderer in the forest. I live
concealing myself here. Could you, will
you, kill Vali and restore to me my
kingdom and my wife?"
Rama answered: "Certainly I will. Vali
cannot escape this now. Be assured."


As Sugriva and Rama were talking
thus, in the Asoka grove far away, the left
eyelids of Sita throbbed, which is a good
omen for women. At the same time, the
left eyelids of the Rakshasa king also
throbbed as an evil sign.


Next : -41. HE SEES HER JEWELS

Continues...