Celebration in Madhuvana

ततो जाम्बवतो वाक्यमगृह्णन्त वनौकसः ।

tato jāmbavato vākyamagṛhṇanta vanaukasaḥ |

The forest-dwellers accepted Jambavan's words—

अङ्गदप्रमुखा वीरा हनूमांश्च महाकपिः ॥

aṅgadapramukhā vīrā hanūmāṃśca mahākapiḥ ||

the heroes led by Angada, and the great Hanuman.

प्रीतिमन्तस्ततः सर्वे वायुपुत्रपुरःसराः ।

prītimantastataḥ sarve vāyuputrapuraḥsarāḥ |

Delighted, with the Wind's son at their head,

महेन्द्राग्रात् समुत्पत्य पुप्लुवुः प्लवगर्षभाः ॥

mahendrāgrāt samutpatya pupluvuḥ plavagarṣabhāḥ ||

the foremost vanaras leapt from Mahendra's summit and travelled onward.

मेरुमन्दरसंकाशा मत्ता इव महागजाः ।

merumandarasaṃkāśā mattā iva mahāgajāḥ |

Huge and powerful, like Meru and Mandara,

छादयन्त इवाकाशं महाकाया महाबलाः ॥

chādayanta ivākāśaṃ mahākāyā mahābalāḥ ||

like excited great elephants, they seemed to cover the sky.

सभाज्यमानं भूतैस्तमात्मवन्तं महाबलम् ।

sabhājyamānaṃ bhūtaistamātmavantaṃ mahābalam |

Their eyes rested upon swift, mighty and self-controlled Hanuman,

हनूमन्तं महावेगं वहन्त इव दृष्टिभिः ॥

hanūmantaṃ mahāvegaṃ vahanta iva dṛṣṭibhiḥ ||

honoured by other beings, as though bearing him along with their gaze.

राघवे चार्थनिर्वृत्तिं कर्तुं च परमं यशः ।

rāghave cārthanirvṛttiṃ kartuṃ ca paramaṃ yaśaḥ |

Their task fulfilled and spirits lifted by success,

समाधाय समृद्धार्थाः कर्मसिद्धिभिरुन्नताः ॥

samādhāya samṛddhārthāḥ karmasiddhibhirunnatāḥ ||

they resolved to accomplish Raghava's purpose and win great honour.

प्रियाख्यानोन्मुखाः सर्वे सर्वे युद्धाभिनन्दिनः ।

priyākhyānonmukhāḥ sarve sarve yuddhābhinandinaḥ |

All wished to tell the welcome news and all welcomed battle;

सर्वे रामप्रतीकारे निश्चितार्था मनस्विनः ॥

sarve rāmapratīkāre niścitārthā manasvinaḥ ||

resolute and high-minded, they were determined to serve Rama.

प्लवमानाः खमाप्लुत्य ततस्ते काननौकसः ।

plavamānāḥ khamāplutya tataste kānanaukasaḥ |

Leaping through the sky, the forest-dwellers

नन्दनोपममासेदुर्वनं द्रुमशतायुतम् ॥

nandanopamamāsedurvanaṃ drumaśatāyutam ||

reached a grove with thousands of trees, resembling Nandana.

यत् तन्मधुवनं नाम सुग्रीवस्याभिरक्षितम् ।

yat tanmadhuvanaṃ nāma sugrīvasyābhirakṣitam |

It was named Madhuvana, carefully protected by Sugriva,

अधृष्यं सर्वभूतानां सर्वभूतमनोहरम् ॥

adhṛṣyaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ sarvabhūtamanoharam ||

forbidden to other beings and delightful to all who saw it.

यद् रक्षति महावीरः सदा दधिमुखः कपिः ।

yad rakṣati mahāvīraḥ sadā dadhimukhaḥ kapiḥ |

The mighty vanara Dadhimukha always guarded it;

मातुलः कपिमुख्यस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः ॥

mātulaḥ kapimukhyasya sugrīvasya mahātmanaḥ ||

he was the maternal uncle of noble Sugriva, chief of the vanaras.

ते तद् वनमुपागम्य बभूवुः परमोत्कटाः ।

te tad vanamupāgamya babhūvuḥ paramotkaṭāḥ |

Reaching that great grove, so dear to their king,

वानरा वानरेन्द्रस्य मनःकान्तं महावनम् ॥

vānarā vānarendrasya manaḥkāntaṃ mahāvanam ||

the vanaras became exceedingly excited.

ततस्ते वानरा हृष्टा दृष्ट्वा मधुवनं महत् ।

tataste vānarā hṛṣṭā dṛṣṭvā madhuvanaṃ mahat |

Delighted to see the great honey-grove,

कुमारमभ्ययाचन्त मधूनि मधुपिङ्गलाः ॥

kumāramabhyayācanta madhūni madhupiṅgalāḥ ||

the tawny vanaras asked the prince for permission to take its honey.

ततः कुमारस्तान् वृद्धाञ्जाम्बवत्प्रमुखान् कपीन् ।

tataḥ kumārastān vṛddhāñjāmbavatpramukhān kapīn |

After obtaining the approval of the elders led by Jambavan,

अनुमान्य ददौ तेषां निसर्गं मधुभक्षणे ॥

anumānya dadau teṣāṃ nisargaṃ madhubhakṣaṇe ||

the prince gave them leave to consume the honey.

ते निसृष्टाः कुमारेण धीमता वालिसूनुना ।

te nisṛṣṭāḥ kumāreṇa dhīmatā vālisūnunā |

Permitted by Vali's wise son,

हरयः समपद्यन्त द्रुमान् मधुकराकुलान् ॥

harayaḥ samapadyanta drumān madhukarākulān ||

the vanaras rushed towards trees crowded with honeybees.

भक्षयन्तः सुगन्धीनि मूलानि च फलानि च ।

bhakṣayantaḥ sugandhīni mūlāni ca phalāni ca |

Eating fragrant roots and fruits,

जग्मुः प्रहर्षं ते सर्वे बभूवुश्च मदोत्कटाः ॥

jagmuḥ praharṣaṃ te sarve babhūvuśca madotkaṭāḥ ||

all became delighted and increasingly intoxicated.

ततश्चानुमताः सर्वे सुसंहृष्टा वनौकसः ।

tataścānumatāḥ sarve susaṃhṛṣṭā vanaukasaḥ |

With permission granted, all the forest-dwellers were overjoyed;

मुदिताश्च ततस्ते च प्रनृत्यन्ति ततस्ततः ॥

muditāśca tataste ca pranṛtyanti tatastataḥ ||

in delight they began dancing here and there.

गायन्ति केचित् प्रहसन्ति केचि-

gāyanti kecit prahasanti keci-

Some sang, some laughed,

न्नृत्यन्ति केचित् प्रणमन्ति केचित् ।

nnṛtyanti kecit praṇamanti kecit |

some danced and some bowed.

पतन्ति केचित् प्रचरन्ति केचित्

patanti kecit pracaranti kecit

Some fell, some wandered,

प्लवन्ति केचित् प्रलपन्ति केचित् ॥

plavanti kecit pralapanti kecit ||

some leapt and some babbled.

परस्परं केचिदुपाश्रयन्ति

parasparaṃ kecidupāśrayanti

Some leaned upon one another,

परस्परं केचिदतिब्रुवन्ति ।

parasparaṃ kecidatibruvanti |

some shouted over one another.

द्रुमाद् द्रुमं केचिदभिद्रवन्ति

drumād drumaṃ kecidabhidravanti

Some rushed from tree to tree,

क्षितौ नगाग्रान्निपतन्ति केचित् ॥

kṣitau nagāgrānnipatanti kecit ||

and some fell from tree-tops to the ground.

महीतलात् केचिदुदीर्णवेगा

mahītalāt kecidudīrṇavegā

Some sprang vigorously from the ground

महाद्रुमाग्राण्यभिसम्पतन्ति ।

mahādrumāgrāṇyabhisampatanti |

to the tops of great trees.

गायन्तमन्यः प्रहसन्नुपैति

gāyantamanyaḥ prahasannupaiti

One approached a singer laughing;

हसन्तमन्यः प्ररुदन्नुपैति ॥

hasantamanyaḥ prarudannupaiti ||

another approached someone laughing while himself weeping.

तुदन्तमन्यः प्रणदन्नुपैति

tudantamanyaḥ praṇadannupaiti

Another approached someone striking out while roaring;

समाकुलं तत् कपिसैन्यमासीत् ।

samākulaṃ tat kapisainyamāsīt |

the vanara army was in complete confusion.

न चात्र कश्चिन्न बभूव मत्तो

na cātra kaścinna babhūva matto

Not one there was free of intoxication,

न चात्र कश्चिन्न बभूव दृप्तः ॥

na cātra kaścinna babhūva dṛptaḥ ||

and not one was free of exuberant pride.

ततो वनं तत् परिभक्ष्यमाणं

tato vanaṃ tat paribhakṣyamāṇaṃ

Seeing the grove being consumed

द्रुमांश्च विध्वंसितपत्रपुष्पान् ।

drumāṃśca vidhvaṃsitapatrapuṣpān |

and the trees stripped of leaves and flowers,

समीक्ष्य कोपाद् दधिवक्त्रनामा

samīkṣya kopād dadhivaktranāmā

the vanara called Dadhivaktra grew angry

निवारयामास कपिः कपींस्तान् ॥

nivārayāmāsa kapiḥ kapīṃstān ||

and tried to restrain the vanaras.

स तैः प्रवृद्धैः परिभर्त्स्यमानो

sa taiḥ pravṛddhaiḥ paribhartsyamāno

Threatened by the increasingly unruly vanaras,

वनस्य गोप्ता हरिवृद्धवीरः ।

vanasya goptā harivṛddhavīraḥ |

the grove's guardian, a senior vanara hero,

चकार भूयो मतिमुग्रतेजा

cakāra bhūyo matimugratejā

once more formed a stern resolve

वनस्य रक्षां प्रति वानरेभ्यः ॥

vanasya rakṣāṃ prati vānarebhyaḥ ||

to protect the grove from them.

उवाच कांश्चित् परुषाण्यभीत-

uvāca kāṃścit paruṣāṇyabhīta-

Fearlessly he spoke harshly to some,

मसक्तमन्यांश्च तलैर्जघान ।

masaktamanyāṃśca talairjaghāna |

struck others repeatedly with his palms,

समेत्य कैश्चित् कलहं चकार

sametya kaiścit kalahaṃ cakāra

quarrelled directly with a few,

तथैव साम्नोपजगाम कांश्चित् ॥

tathaiva sāmnopajagāma kāṃścit ||

and approached others with conciliatory words.

स तैर्मदादप्रतिवार्यवेगै-

sa tairmadādaprativāryavegai-

Those whose intoxication made their rush irresistible,

र्बलाच्च तेन प्रतिवार्यमाणैः ।

rbalācca tena prativāryamāṇaiḥ |

although forcibly checked by him,

प्रधर्षणे त्यक्तभयैः समेत्य

pradharṣaṇe tyaktabhayaiḥ sametya

lost their fear of assaulting him, gathered around,

प्रकृष्यते चाप्यनवेक्ष्य दोषम् ॥

prakṛṣyate cāpyanavekṣya doṣam ||

and dragged him without considering their wrongdoing.

नखैस्तुदन्तो दशनैर्दशन्त-

nakhaistudanto daśanairdaśanta-

Scratching with nails and biting with teeth,

स्तलैश्च पादैश्च समापयन्तः ।

stalaiśca pādaiśca samāpayantaḥ |

striking him with hands and feet,

मदात् कपिं ते कपयः समन्ता-

madāt kapiṃ te kapayaḥ samantā-

the vanaras crowded around him in their intoxication

न्महावनं निर्विषयं च चक्रुः ॥

nmahāvanaṃ nirviṣayaṃ ca cakruḥ ||

and left the great grove without effective protection.