Śrī Rāma’s meeting with Hanumān and the conclusion of an alliance between Śrī Rāma and Sugrīva

Chaupais

āgēṃ calē bahuri raghurāyā. riṣyamūka paravata niarāyā..

tahaom raha saciva sahita sugrīvā. āvata dēkhi atula bala sīṃvā.. [4-0-1]

ati sabhīta kaha sunu hanumānā. puruṣa jugala bala rūpa nidhānā..

dhari baṭu rūpa dēkhu taiṃ jāī. kahēsu jāni jiyaom sayana bujhāī.. [4-0-2]

paṭhaē bāli hōhiṃ mana mailā. bhāgauṃ turata tajauṃ yaha sailā..

bipra rūpa dhari kapi tahaom gayaū. mātha nāi pūchata asa bhayaū.. [4-0-3]

kō tumha syāmala gaura sarīrā. chatrī rūpa phirahu bana bīrā..

kaṭhina bhūmi kōmala pada gāmī. kavana hētu bicarahu bana svāmī.. [4-0-4]

mṛdula manōhara suṃdara gātā. sahata dusaha bana ātapa bātā..

kī tumha tīni dēva mahaom kōū. nara nārāyana kī tumha dōū.. [4-0-5]

The Lord of Raghus proceeded still further and approached the §Rsyamuka hill. There dwelt Sugrīva (a monkey chief*) with his counsellors. When he saw the two brothers, the highest embodiments of immeasurable strength, he was exceedingly alarmed and said (to one of his ministers), “Listen, Hanumān: those two men are repositories of strength and beauty. Disguised as a Brāhmaṇa student go and see them and perceiving their intention in your mind inform me accordingly by means of signs. If they have been despatched by the malicious Vāli, I must leave this hill and flee away at once.” Taking the form of a Brāhmaṇa the monkey (Hanumān) went up to the two brothers and bowing his head accosted them thus: “Who are you, heroes-one of dark hue, the other fair-that roam the woods disguised as Kṣatriyas? Treading the hard ground with your tender feet, wherefore are you wandering in the forest, my masters? Though possessed of delicate, charming and beautiful limbs, how is it that you have exposed yourself to the scorching sun and stormy wind of these wild regions? Do you count in the Trinity (viz., Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the three worlds) or are you the twin divine sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa?

• * Though monkeys to all appearance, Sugrīva and others were as good as highly civilized men and were incarnations of gods. They could change their form at will and were not only endowed with human speech but were proficient in the arts and sciences. They walked straight, even though they could easily climb up to tree-tops and mountain-summits. They can thus be easily classed as a human tribe or clan.

Dohas

jaga kārana tārana bhava bhaṃjana dharanī bhāra.

kī tumha akila bhuvana pati līnha manuja avatāra..1.. [4-1]

Or are you the Prime Cause of the world and the Lord of all the spheres, manifested in human form to bridge the ocean of mundane existence and relieve the burden of the earth?”

Chaupais

kōsalēsa dasaratha kē jāē . hama pitu bacana māni bana āē..

nāma rāma lachimana dauu bhāī. saṃga nāri sukumāri suhāī.. [4-1-1]

ihāom hari nisicara baidēhī. bipra phirahiṃ hama khōjata tēhī..

āpana carita kahā hama gāī. kahahu bipra nija kathā bujhāī.. [4-1-2]

prabhu pahicāni parēu gahi caranā. sō sukha umā nahiṃ baranā..

pulakita tana mukha āva na bacanā. dēkhata rucira bēṣa kai racanā.. [4-1-3]

puni dhīraju dhari astuti kīnhī. haraṣa hṛdayaom nija nāthahi cīnhī..

mōra nyāu maiṃ pūchā sāīṃ. tumha pūchahu kasa nara kī nāīṃ.. [4-1-4]

tava māyā basa phirau bhulānā. tā tē maiṃ nahiṃ prabhu pahicānā.. [4-1-5]

“We are sons of King Daśaratha, the lord of Kosala, and have come to the forest in obedience to our father’s command. We two brothers are called by the names of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. We had with us a pretty and delicate girl, the daughter of King Videha, who has been carried away by some demon here. It is in quest of her that we are moving about, O holy Brāhmaṇa. We have furnished you with our account in some detail; now tell us your story in a comprehensive manner, O good Brāhmaṇa.” Now Hanumān recognized his lord and falling to the ground clasped His feet. That joy, Umā, was more than could be described. A thrill ran through his body and no words came to his lips as he gazed on the lovely style of their dress. Then recovering himself he sang His praises and was glad at heart to have found his master. ” It was quite in the fitness of things that I questioned my lord; but how is it that You ask me like a mortal ? I have been roving in error under the spell of Your Māyā ( deluding potency); it was for this reason that I failed to recognize my lord.”

Dohas

ēku maiṃ maṃda mōhabasa kuṭila hṛdaya agyāna.

puni prabhu mōhi bisārēu dīnabaṃdhu bhagavāna..2.. [4-2]

“In the first place I am dull-witted and deluded, wicked at heart and ignorant; to crown all, my master, who is a befriender of the humble and is no other than the almighty Lord Himself, had forgotten me.”

Chaupais

jadapi nātha bahu avaguna mōrēṃ. sēvaka prabhuhi parai jani bhōrēṃ..

nātha jīva tava māyāom mōhā. sō nistarai tumhārēhiṃ chōhā.. [4-2-1]

tā para maiṃ raghubīra dōhāī. jānau nahiṃ kachu bhajana upāī..

sēvaka suta pati mātu bharōsēṃ. rahai asōca banai prabhu pōsēṃ.. [4-2-2]

asa kahi parēu carana akulāī. nija tanu pragaṭi prīti ura chāī..

taba raghupati uṭhāi ura lāvā. nija lōcana jala sīṃci juḍaāvā.. [4-2-3]

sunu kapi jiyaom mānasi jani ūnā. taiṃ mama priya lachimana tē dūnā..

samadarasī mōhi kaha saba kōū. sēvaka priya ananyagati sōū.. [4-2-4]

Although, my lord, I have many faults, let not the servant be cast into oblivion by the master. The Jīva (ego), O Lord, is deluded by Your Māyā and can be redeemed only by Your grace. On top of it, I swear by the Hero of Raghu’s line, I know neither adoration nor any other means (of pleasing You). A servant depends on his master and a child on its mother and both remain free from anxiety; for a master needs must take care of his servant.” So saying he fell at the Lord’s feet much agitated; his heart was overwhelmed with love and he manifested his own (monkey) form. The Lord of Raghus then lifted and clasped him to His bosom and soothed him by wetting him with the tears of His eyes. “Listen, O Hanumān: be not depressed at heart; you are twice as dear to Me as Lakṣmaṇa. Everyone says that I look upon all with the same eye; but a devotee is particularly dear to Me because he too depends on none but Me.”

Dohas

sō ananya jākēṃ asi mati na ṭarai hanumaṃta.

maiṃ sēvaka sacarācara rūpa svāmi bhagavaṃta..3.. [4-3]

And he alone, Hanumān, is exclusively devoted to Me, who is steadfast in his conviction that he is the servant and that the Lord manifested in the form of the whole animate and inanimate creation is his master.”

Chaupais

dēkhi pavana suta pati anukūlā. hṛdayaom haraṣa bītī saba sūlā..

nātha saila para kapipati rahaī. sō sugrīva dāsa tava ahaī.. [4-3-1]

tēhi sana nātha mayatrī kījē. dīna jāni tēhi abhaya karījē..

sō sītā kara khōja karāihi. jahaom tahaom marakaṭa kōṭi paṭhāihi.. [4-3-2]

ēhi bidhi sakala kathā samujhāī. liē duau jana pīṭhi caḍhaāī..

jaba sugrīvaom rāma kahu dēkhā. atisaya janma dhanya kari lēkhā.. [4-3-3]

sādara milēu nāi pada māthā. bhaiṃṭēu anuja sahita raghunāthā..

kapi kara mana bicāra ēhi rītī. karihahiṃ bidhi mō sana ē prītī.. [4-3-4]

When Hanumān, the son of the wind-god, found his master so gracious to him he rejoiced at heart and all his agony disappeared. “My Lord, on the summit of this hill dwells Sugrīva, the chief of the monkeys; he is a servant of Yours. Make friends with him, my lord; knowing him to be in affliction rid him of all fear. He will have Sītā tracked by drafting millions of monkeys in every direction (in search of Her).” Having thus explained to Him everything, he lifted both the brothers on his back (and took them to the place where Sugrīva was). When Sugrīva saw Śrī Rāma, he accounted his birth as highly blessed. He reverently advanced to meet Him and bowed his head at His feet; while the Lord of Raghus and His younger brother embraced him in return. The monkey chief pondered thus within himself, “Will they, good heavens, make friends with me?”