45. ANGER AND RECONCILIATION :

THE rainy season began. Sugriva and
his companions spent the time in
Kishkindha in enjoyment but Rama and
Lakshmana spent the weary days waiting
in a cave nearby. The forest paths were
flooded and became rushing torrents,
impossible to traverse. The search for
Sita, therefore, had to be suspended. Rama
brooded over Sita's predicament and was
plunged in sorrow. Lakshmana counselled
him to bear with the delay till the rainy
season ended. And Rama held his soul in
patience.


The edge of the keenest sorrow wears
with time and perhaps Heaven's kindest
gifts to men are sleep for the fleeting cares
of the day and forgetfulness for the deepseated
injuries of the heart. Kishkindha
mourned her Vali for a time, and then
rejoiced in Sugriva and the survivors.


Sugriva forgot the privations of his exile
and the remorse for his brother's death. He
enjoyed to the full his present prosperity
and even Tara reconciled and adapted
herself to altered circumstances in the
interests of her son.


The royal palace of Kishkindha was
full of joy and drinking, and the gloomy
months of rain, which the Raghu brothers
spent in leaden repining, sped with
golden-winged enjoyment for Sugriva and
his household. Only Hanuman felt
anxious. He could not forget Rama's
business. He was looking out for an
opportunity to remind the king of his
pledge to Rama.


At last, the rains ceased and the sky
was cleared of cloud and lightning. The
air was sweet with the perfumes of
flowers and the songs of birds and joy
came to life in the forest again. The
intelligent and high virtuous Hanuman
now approached his king. Sugriva had
entrusted all official duties to the
ministers and was absorbed in pleasure.
Hanuman knew that the wisest and best of
men neglect their promises in such
circumstances and addressed the king with
great politeness:


"You have regained the kingdom of
your ancestors and are in secure
possession and enjoyment of it. But
something yet remains to be done. You
must fulfil your promise to your allies and
so increase your fame and strengthen your
power. Even at the sacrifice of one's own
interests and pleasure, one should carry
out the business of one's friends according
to one's promise. Only so can a king's
authority and reputation grow. It will be
best to fulfil one's promise before the due
date. In any case delay should be avoided.
Fulfilment after the promised date is
worse than useless. One should not wait to
be reminded by one's friends of what had
been promised to them. All this you know
without my telling you. Remembering
what Rama had done for us. We must take
steps to fulfil our promise without waiting
to be reminded by him. The rainy season
is over. There is no ground for further
delay. We can no longer postpone the task
of searching for Sita. Rama may be very
patient, but that does not justify any
further delay on our part. Did not Rama
kill your foe promptly, not minding the
danger or the blame involved? We should
fulfil our promise with equal promptness."
Thus politely did Maruti convey his
advice to Sugriva. The latter accepted it
and, thanking Hanuman, ordered Nila to
mobilise the Vanara army. "All the world
must be searched and Sita found," he said.
"Order therefore the most powerful
Vanaras to come and join up at once.
Those who fail will be summarily
punished." Having said this, Sugriva went
back into private apartments.


Rama and Lakshmana spent the time in
their cave waiting for the end of the rainy
season and the fulfilment by Sugriva of
his promise. But when the rains were over
and the forest and its creatures shone with
renewed beauty, Rama grieved intensely
at the thought of Sita suffering at the
hands of the Rakshasas.


"The world is full of life and joy," said
Rama. "But Sita is in agony somewhere.
And I sit still here, awaiting the favor of
this ungrateful Vanara king. Alas, she
walked cheerfully through the Dandaka
forest, as if it were a palace-park. She did
not mind the stony ground and the thorns
in the path. What must be her suffering
now? But this king, drowned in his cups
and revelling in the company of his
women, has forgotten his promise to me.
Lakshmana! Go at once to Kishkindha
and tell this base king: 'Remember! Know
that the path still yawns open whereby the
slaughtered Vali went to his doom. Do not
follow him, but fulfil your promise to me.
Ruin awaits him who forgets kindness
and, neglects friends. Beware of Rama's
arrows. The four months of the rainy
season are over. These four months were
like four ages to Rama, but to you,
steeped in pleasures, they have perhaps
sped like minutes! By delay you incur
Rama's wrath and seek your destruction.'
Go, Lakshmana, and tell him this."
This was the angry and impatient
message Rama wanted Lakshmana to take
to Sugriva.


Carrying this weight of his brother's
grief and anger, Lakshmana was about to
leave. Then Rama thought again. He knew
Lakshmana's nature and feared danger
from his rashness. So he called him back
and said to him: "In conveying my
complaint to Sugriva, do not be harsh.
Whatever his faults, he is our friend. Point
out his faults to him, but say nothing
harsh."


Lakshmana agreed, but he found it
hard to control his own anger as he
approached the gates of Kishkindha.
Noting the severe face of Lakshmana
who was fully armed, the Vanara sentry
became alert and made ready to guard the
fortress. This enraged Lakshmana still
further.


Some Vanaras ran to the inner
apartments and reported to Sugriva:
"Lakshmana, furious with anger, is
coming here bow in hand. We could not
stop him."


But the Vanara king was tipsy and
surrounded by women and he took no
notice. The king's servants ordered the
sentry at the gates to stand firm and
prevent the entry of any one. Lakshmana's
anger became quite uncontrollable.


Lakshmana forced his way in. There he
met young Angada, the thought of whose
youth and misfortunes took away
something of the edge of his wrath. "My
child go and tell the Vanara king," he said,
"that Lakshmana is waiting at the palace
gate to have audience of him on behalf of
his grief stricken brother."


Angada went accordingly to the king's
apartment and informed him of
Lakshmana's visit. But Sugriva was in no
condition to understand. Angada saw this
and took counsel with the ministers as to
what should be done. Hanuman and some
of the fellow ministers gently explained
what was happening and Sugriva was at
last roused from his tipsy condition.
Sugriva said: "I am not at fault, am I?
Why should my friends Rama and
Lakshmana be angry with me? Some
enemy must have carried tales and set
them up against me."


Hanuman answered: "It is my duty, O
king, to say these things and I say them.
Do not be angry with me. We have
delayed in carrying out our promise to
Rama. We have forgotten Rama's grief. It
is late, but not too late. Hence let us do
quickly what we should. Let us seek
forgiveness from Lakshmana. Let us,
without further delay, take steps to fulfil
our promise to Rama."
Then Sugriva agreed to receive
Lakshmana.


As Lakshmana went into the Vanara
town, he marvelled at its beauty and the
culture of Kishkindha. Passing through
beautiful streets, he stood outside the
king's palace. Hearing the sounds of
revelry, of dance and song, proceeding
from within, he saw that the Vanaras had
forgotten their promise and were lost in
enjoyment. He could hardly control his
anger. Still he held back from entering the
women's chamber and, standing in a
corner, outside, he twanged his bowstring.


The sound filled all Kishkindha with
fear and trembling. Sugriva, hearing it,
realised that the prince was, indeed, angry.
He saw the danger and asked Tara to go
and pacify the prince. "A chivalrous man
like Lakshmana will find his anger slip
from him, when he speaks to a lady and it
will be impossible for him to continue
wrathful." said the king, shrewd even in
his tipsy condition.



Tara advanced towards Lakshmana. In
looks, in knowledge of the world and skill
in speech, Tara was unrivalled She said to
Lakshmana: "After enduring for a long
time poverty and persecution, Sugriva is
enjoying the pleasures and the prosperity
you have secured for him. This enjoyment
has gone to his head and he has lost his
senses. I know his fault, but you should
forgive him. The high souled that knows
the foibles and imperfections of our
common nature should temper their
censure with compassion. So be not too
harsh in judging of King Sugriva's
surrender to temptations of the flesh,
especially after his long trials and
privations. But I can assure you, he has
never lost sight of his debt or his duty to
you. He has already issued orders for
mobilising the Vanara warriors from all
quarters. Today or tomorrow they will all
be here. Then the search for Sita and the
war against Ravana will begin. Have no
doubts. And now, pray come in and see
the King."


Lakshmana, now no longer angry,
entered the apartment. Sugriva,
descending from his seat, welcomed
Lakshmana.


"Forgive my faults," he said. "With
Rama's friendship and help I am King
today. How can I ever forget what I owe
to the valorous and good Rama? He can
destroy his foes without any help from
me. I, with my armies, can only follow
him. That is all. Surely Ravana will
perish. The search for Sita will soon
begin. Do forgive the delay of which I am
guilty."


Lakshmana was pleased. "Rama is
your equal in honor and prowess, none
else," he said. "Come with me to
Rishyamuka and give him words of
comfort in his grief."


Sugriva and Lakshmana went in a litter
to Rama and, explaining the arrangements
already made, satisfied him.
Rama was pleased. He said: "You
indeed are a real friend. Like the clouds
yielding rain, the sun destroying darkness
and the moon pleasing human hearts, a
good friend comes to one's help
spontaneously. I am happy in your
friendship. Now the end of Ravana and
his race is certain."


Even as Rama was expressing his
gratitude and joy, great multitudes of
Vanaras under their respective leaders
arrived and assembled. They came from
distant forests, mountains and coasts. The
dust they raised darkened the sky.
Millions of monkeys and bears in a
variety of shapes and colors were there.


Sugriva addressed this enormous army
and showed them their appointed camping
places. Later, he divided the host into
eight divisions and sent each under its
commander, thoroughly to search in the
eight directions for Sita.


One point is worth noting here. The
Tamil poet Kamban describes Tara as a
chaste widow living a life of discipline
and privations. It is different in Valmiki,
who includes Tara and the other women
as part of the inheritance Sugriva won
from Vali, in fact, as an appendage of the
throne. When Sugriva lost himself in
bodily pleasures and forgot his duty to
Rama, Tara shared his revels and is
described as being flushed and unsteady
with wine when she went out at her lord's
command to allay Lakshmana's
resentment.


In ancient times, when an elder brother
died leaving a wife, there was a custom in
royal and other noble families for the
younger brother to take the widow as wife
and protect her. It is difficult for people of
one age to judge the customs of another
age. Imagination and great flexibility of
mind are needed to assess the merits and
defects of usage's with which we are not
familiar.


Next : 46. THE SEARCH BEGINS


Continues....