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|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 31

This Sarga starts with the line , "saṁśravē madhuraṁ vākyaṁ vaidēhyā vyājahāra ha !" . Here "ha" means "wow" an expression of wonder. What is it that made the poet add that expression of wonder? It is the scene of Hanuman singing the song of Rama to a soul pining for Rama.

So this Sarga is about the story of Rama as sung by Hanuman.

||Sloka 31.01||

ēvaṁ bahuvidhāṁ ciṁtāṁ ciṁtayitvā mahākapiḥ|
saṁśravē madhuraṁ vākyaṁ vaidēhyā vyājahāra ha||31.01||

sa||mahākapiḥ ēvaṁ bahuvidhāṁ ciṁtāṁ ciṁtayitvā vaidēhyāmadhuraṁ vākyaṁ saṁśravē vyājahāra ha||

||Sloka meanings||

ēvaṁ bahuvidhāṁ - thus in many ways
ciṁtāṁ ciṁtayitvā - having thought deeply
vaidēhyā madhuraṁ vākyaṁ saṁśravē - to make Vaidehi hear sweet words
mahākapiḥ vyājahāra ha - the great Vanara spoke

||Sloka summary||

"That great Vanara having thought deeply in many ways to make daughter of Videha hear, spoke these sweet words."

gōvindarājulavāri ṭīkālō- yadvā pāṭhyē gēyēca madhuramiti saṁśravē madhuraṁ jñāna prasāraṇa dvārā indriyēbhyō nisr̥tya viṣayān gr̥hītvā tadantaraṁ hi rasō jāyatē lōkē; atra na tathā; yatra śabda saṁsargō jāyatē tatra rasa jāyata ityatiśayōktiḥ | madhuraṁ jñānamapi tadvārā rasajanakaṁ vākyaṁ pūrvāpara nirūpaṇaṁ vinā svayaṁ rasajanakaṁ vaidēhyāḥ vaidēhī nimittaṁ | kulānurōdhēna dēhē nispr̥hāyāḥ dēhamapi dattvā rasavahatvaṁcyatē||

This Sarga starts with the line,"saṁśravē madhuraṁ vākyaṁ vaidēhyā vyājahāra ha !" Here "ha" implies wonder and delight. What is the cause of that delight? To start with it is about "madhuraṁ vākyaṁ". That is wonderfully sweet lines. The wonderful sweet lines are about the story of Rama. The great Vanara sang the story of Rama, addressing, "vaidēhyā" , meaning the daughter of Videha king . It also means one who is free from the body - 'Deha'.

In the twenty eighth Sarga we hear from Sita. ,"śīghraṁ gamiṣyāmi yamasya mūlaṁ",
meaning that she is ready to go to the abode of Yama, the Lord of death.
That Sita who lost her desire to live, has been given a life by this story of Rama.

Sita, who is also known as "vaidēhyā", the one without a longing for body,
has given up the longing for the body, That Sita is again made to look forward for reunion. That is power of the story of Rama. About Rama's story it is also said, "mr̥tasaṁjīvanaṁ rāma caritaṁ"; Meaning that the Rama's story is like nectar for a dying person.

The joy and sorrow come with prompting of the mind. Normally the story is heard, the pros and cons are weighed in the mind, then the mind prompts the body to experience the joy or sorrow. Govindaraja in his Tika says, that the story of Rama, generates joy by simply listening ,
without waiting for prompting of the mind. That is the power of the story of Rama.

In the Sarga sixteen we hear that "naiṣā paśyati rākṣasyaḥ.. "(16.25);
"She does not see the Rakshasas"; That is the description of Sita by the poet. He says Sita's mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Rama. So much so that she does 'not see the Rakshasas in front of her. Nor does see the beautiful flowers and trees.

Hanuman sang the song , "vyājahāra", to Sita, who is already preoccupied with thoughts of Rama, so that she may hear about Rama. The word "vyājahara" has a root " ajahāra" too. "ajahāra" means "brought' something? What is it that Hanuman brought to Sita ? For the one who gave up 'longing' for the body, Hanuman brought back longing. That is the other meaning of "ajahāra" .

The Story of Rama brings back joy to Sita who gave up longing for the body. Valmiki visualizing the scene of Hanuman singing such a song of power, embraces the feelings of delight and wonder and utters "ha".

||Sloka 31.02||

rājā daśarathō nāma ratha kuṁjira vājimān|
puṇyaśīlō mahākīrti ikṣvākūṇāṁ mahayaśāḥ||31.02||

sa|| daśarathaḥ nāma rājā rathakuṁjiravyājimān puṇyaśīlaḥ mahākīrtiḥ ikṣvākūṇāṁ mahāyaśāḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

daśarathaḥ nāma rājā - a king by name Dasaratha
rathakuṁjira vyājimān - has many chariots elephants and horses,
puṇyaśīlaḥ mahākīrtiḥ - steeped in merits, has great fame
ikṣvākūṇāṁ mahāyaśāḥ - illustrious among all Ikshavakus.

||Sloka summary||

"There was a king by name Dasaratha who has many chariots elephants and horses, who is steeped in merits, who has great fame , who is illustrious among all Ikshavakus.

||Sloka 31.03||

rājarṣīṇāṁ guṇaśrēṣṭhaḥ tapasā carṣibhissamaḥ|
cakravartikulē jātaḥ puraṁdarasamō balē||31.03||

sa|| (saḥ) rājarṣīṇāṁ guṇaśrēṣṭhaḥ tapasā r̥ṣibhiḥ samaḥ ca balē puraṁdara samaḥ cakravartikulē jātaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

rājarṣīṇāṁ guṇaśrēṣṭhaḥ - most virtuous one among sage like kings
tapasā r̥ṣibhiḥ samaḥ ca - equal to Rishis in performing penance.
balē puraṁdara samaḥ - equal in strength to Indra
cakravartikulē jātaḥ - born in the dynasty of emperors.

||Sloka summary||

He is the most virtuous one among sage like kings. He is equal to Rishis in performing penance. He is equal in strength to Indra and is born in the dynasty of emperors.

||Sloka 31.04||

ahiṁsārati rakṣudrō ghr̥ṇī satyaparākramaḥ|
mukhyaśca ikṣvākuvaṁśasya lakṣmīvān lakṣmivardhanaḥ||31.04||

sa|| (saḥ) ahiṁsā rati akṣudraḥ ghr̥ṇī satyaparākramaḥ ikṣvākuvaṁśaśca mukhyaḥ ca lakṣmīvān lakṣmivardhanaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

ahiṁsā rati -
committed to non-violence
akṣudraḥ ghr̥ṇī satyaparākramaḥ -
magnanimous, compassionate, one whose strength is truth.
ikṣvākuvaṁśaśca mukhyaḥ ca-
chief among Ikshavakus,
lakṣmīvān lakṣmivardhanaḥ -
an embodiment of wealth and is grower of wealth

||Sloka summary||

"He is committed to nonviolence, magnanimous, compassionate. He is one whose strength is truth. Chief among Ikshavakus, he is an embodiment of wealth and is grower of wealth." ||31.04|

||Sloka 31.05||

pārthivavyaṁjanairyuktaḥ pr̥thuśrīḥ pārthivarṣabhaḥ|
pr̥thivyāṁ caturaṁtāyāṁ viśruta ssukhadaḥ sukhī||31.05||

sa|| (saḥ) pārthivavyaṁjanaiḥ yuktaḥ pr̥thuśrīḥ pārthivarṣabhaḥ caturaṁtāyāṁ pr̥thivyāṁ viśrutaḥ sukhadaḥ sukhī ca||

||Sloka meanings||

pārthivavyaṁjanaiḥ yuktaḥ -
endowed with signs of kingship
pr̥thuśrīḥ pārthivarṣabhaḥ -
with vast wealth, a bull among rulers
caturaṁtāyāṁ pr̥thivyāṁ viśrutaḥ -
known on the earth surrounded by the four oceans
sukhadaḥ sukhī ca -
provider of happiness and is himself happy

||Sloka summary||

"Endowed with signs of kingship, with vast wealth, a bull among rulers, known on the earth surrounded by the four oceans, provider of happiness and is himself happy".

||Sloka 31.06||

tasya puttraḥ priyōjyēṣṭhaḥ tārādhipanibhānanaḥ|
rāmō nāma viśēṣajñaḥ śrēṣṭhaḥ sarvadhanuṣmatām||31.06||

sa|| tasya jyēṣṭha putraḥ priyaḥ rāmaḥ nāmaḥ tārādhipanibhānanaḥ viśēṣajñaḥ sarvadhanuṣmatāṁ śrēṣṭhaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

tasya jyēṣṭha putraḥ priyaḥ-
His eldest son and a dear one
rāmaḥ nāmaḥ -
one named Rama is on
tārādhipanibhānanaḥ viśēṣajñaḥ -
one with the face like that of a moon, scholar of all knowledge
sarvadhanuṣmatāṁ śrēṣṭhaḥ -
best among all the wielders of bow

||Sloka summary||

"His eldest son and a dear one named Rama, is one with the face like that of a moon, a scholar of all knowledge, best among all the wielders of bow.

||Sloka 31.07||

rakṣitā svasya dharmasya svajanasya ca rakṣitā|
rakṣitā jīvalōkasya dharmasya ca paraṁtapaḥ||31.07||

sa|| (saḥ) paraṁtapaḥ svasya dharmasya rakṣitā svajanasya rakṣitā jīvalōkasya dharmasya ca rakṣitā ||

||Sloka meanings||

paraṁtapaḥ - destroyer of all enemies
svasya dharmasya rakṣitā -
protector of righteousness
svajanasya rakṣitā -
protector of his people
jīvalōkasya dharmasya ca rakṣitā -
protector of all beings and the righteousness

||Sloka summary||

"The destroyer of all enemies, he is a protector of righteousness, protector of his people, protector of all beings and the righteousness."||31.07||

As a king, Rama is a protector. As a protector he has many responsibilities. First protection of his own duty.
Second, he protects his own people. Protection means removing the obstacles and fulfilling their needs.
This is the duty of the protector.

Third part of this characteristic is that he is also protector of all life. He looks after the well-being of all. Protecting his own and neglecting other is not the creed .

Fourth part of his duty is ensuring that people are free to perform their duties.

Thus Ram was seen as providing fourfold protection.

The first sound of Sanskrit alphabet is 'a' ; 'a' is also another name for the Supreme Being. By the dictum, "avarakṣaṇē", what we understand is that , "a' is for protection.

'a' is the first sound of the Sanskrit alphabet .It is the starting point of all Sanskrit literature. It is the other word for the Supreme Being.

This sloka is an elaboration of the universal characteristic of the Supreme being. While singing the story of Rama Hanuman makes it a point to speak of Rama as a protector. Hailing Rama as the protector of all beings in the universe, Hanuman is telling Sita that she too will be saved from the sea of sorrows.

Hanuman continues the song of Rama's story.

||Sloka 31.08||

tasya satyābhisaṁdhasya vr̥ddhasya vacanāt pituḥ|
sabhāryaḥ saha ca bhrātrā vīraḥ pravrājitō vanam||31.08||

sa|| tasya satyābhisaṁdasya vr̥ddhasya pituḥ vacanāt vīraḥ sa bhāryaḥ sa bhrātrā ca vanaṁ pravrājitaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

satyābhisaṁdasya - of one who is ever steadfast in truth
tasya vr̥ddhasya pituḥ vacanāt - following the words of his old father
vīraḥ sa bhāryaḥ sa bhrātrā ca - that hero with his wife and brother
vanaṁ pravrājitaḥ - went to the forest as a wanderer

||Sloka summary||

"Honoring the word of his father who is ever steadfast in truth, he went to the forest along with his wife and his brother as a wanderer". ||31.08||

||Sloka 31.09||

tēna tatra mahāraṇyē mr̥gayāṁ paridhāvatā|
rākṣasā nihatāśśūrā bahavaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ||31.09||

|| tatra mahāraṇyē mr̥gayāṁ paridhāvatā bahavaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ śūrāḥ rākṣasāḥ nihatāḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

tatra mahāraṇyē - there in that great forest
mr̥gayāṁ paridhāvatā - chasing animals
bahavaḥ śūrāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ - many powerful who can take any form
rākṣasāḥ nihatāḥ- Rakshasas were killed

||Sloka summary||

"There in that great forest chasing animals, he killed many powerful Rakshasas who can take any form."

||Sloka 31.10||

janasthāna vadhaṁ śrutvā hatau ca kharadūṣaṇau|
tata stvamarṣāpahr̥tā jānakī rāvaṇēna tu||31.10||
vaṁcayitvā vanē rāmaṁ mr̥garūpēṇa māyayā|

||sa|| sa tataḥ janasthānavadhaṁ ca kharadūṣaṇau hataḥ śrutvā vanē mr̥garūpēṇa māyayā rāmaṁ vaṁcayitvā rāvaṇēna jānakī amarṣā apahr̥tā||

||Sloka meanings||

sa tataḥ janasthānavadhaṁ ca -
then hearing about the killings in Janasthana
kharadūṣaṇau hataḥ śrutvā -
killing of Khara and Dushana
vanē mr̥garūpēṇa māyayā -
in the forest under the guise of a deer
rāmaṁ vaṁcayitvā -
deceiving Rama
rāvaṇēna jānakī amarṣā apahr̥tā -
Sita was abducted by Ravana Sita out of anger,

||Sloka summary||

" Then hearing about the killings in Janasthana as well as the killing of Khara and Dushana, Ravana abducted Sita out of anger, having deceived Rama in the guise of a deer".

||Sloka 31.11||

samārgamāṇastāṁ dēvīṁ rāmaḥ sītāmaniṁditām||31.11||
asasāda vanē mitraṁ sugrīvaṁ nāma vānaraṁ |

sa|| saḥ rāmaḥ sītāṁ aniṁditāṁ dēvīṁ vanē mārgamāṇaḥ sugrīvaṁ nāma vānaraṁ mitraṁ asasāda||

||Sloka meanings||

saḥ rāmaḥ - That Rama
aniṁditāṁ dēvīṁ sītāṁ - blemish less goddess like Sita
vanē mārgamāṇaḥ - searching in the forest
sugrīvaṁ nāma vānaraṁ - a Vanara by name Sugriva
mitraṁ asasāda - found a friend

||Sloka summary||

That Rama in search of blemish less goddess like Sita found a friend by name Sugriva who is a Vanara.||31.11||

||Sloka 31.12||

tataḥ sa vālinaṁ hatvā rāmaḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ||31.12||
prāyacchat kapirājyaṁ tatsugrīvāya mahābalaḥ|

sa||tataḥ saḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ mahābalaḥ rāmaḥ vālinaṁ hatvā kapirājyaṁ tat sugrīvāya prāyacchat||

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ saḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ -
then the destroyer of foes
mahābalaḥ rāmaḥ -
powerful Rama
vālinaṁ hatvā kapirājyaṁ -
after killing Vali
kapirājyaṁ tat sugrīvāya prāyacchat -
gave the kingdom of Vanaras to Sugriva

||Sloka summary||

"Then the destroyer of foes and powerful Rama, gave the kingdom of Vanaras to Sugriva after killing Vali." ||31.12||

||Sloka 31.13||

sugrīvēṇāpi saṁdiṣṭā harayaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ||31.13||
dikṣu sarvāsu tāṁ dēvīṁ vicinvaṁtī sahasraśaḥ|

sa|| sugrīvēṇa saṁdiṣṭāḥ sahasraśaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ harayaḥ sarvāsu dikṣuḥ tāṁ dēvīṁ vicinvaṁtī ||

||Sloka meanings||

sugrīvēṇa saṁdiṣṭāḥ - ordered by Sugriva
sahasraśaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ harayaḥ -
thousands of Vanaras who are capable of assuming any form
sarvāsu dikṣuḥ -
in all directions
tāṁ dēvīṁ vicinvaṁtī -
searching for that Devi

||Sloka summary||

"On the orders of Sugriva thousands of Vanaras who are capable of assuming any form went in search of Sita in all directions".||31.13||

||Sloka 31.14||

ahaṁ saṁpāti vacanāt śatayōjanamāyatam||31.14||
asyā hētau rviśālākṣyāḥ sāgaraṁ vēgavān plutaḥ|

sa|| asya viśālākṣyāḥ hētōḥ saṁpāti vacanāt ahaṁ śatayōjanaṁ āyataṁ sāgaraṁ plutaḥ ||

||Sloka meanings||

asya viśālākṣyāḥ hētōḥ - in search of that wide eyed one
saṁpāti vacanāt - based on the words of Sampati
ahaṁ śatayōjanaṁ āyataṁ - the hundred yojanas wide.
sāgaraṁ plutaḥ - I have crossed the sea

||Sloka summary||

"In search of that wide eyed one, based on the words of Sampati, I have crossed the sea which is hundred yojanas wide." ||31.14||

||Sloka 31.15||

yathārūpaṁ yathāvarṇāṁ yathālakṣmīṁ ca niścitām||31.15||
aśrauṣaṁ rāghavasyāhaṁ sēya māsāditā mayā|

sa|| aham rāghavasya tāṁ yathārūpaṁ yathāvarṇaṁ yathālakṣmīṁ aśrauṣaṁ sā iyaṁ mayā āsāditā||

||Sloka meanings||

rāghavasya aśrauṣaṁ - as described by Raghava
tāṁ yathārūpaṁ yathāvarṇaṁ yathālakṣmīṁ -
of similar form, similar complexion, similar glow
sā iyaṁ - that lady
mayā āsāditā - seen by me here

||Sloka summary||

"I have seen here a lady of similar form, similar complexion, similar glow as described by Raghava". ||31.15||

||Sloka 31.16||

virarāmaiva muktvāsau vācaṁ vānarapuṁgavaḥ|
jānakī cāpi tat śrutvā paraṁ vismayamāgatā||31.16||

sa|| asau vānarapuṁgavaḥ ēvaṁ uktvā virarāma|| tat śrutvā jānakī ca paraṁ vismayaṁ āgatā api||

||Sloka meanings||

asau vānarapuṁgavaḥ - that Vanara
ēvaṁ uktvā virarāma- stopped having said this
tat śrutvā jānakī ca - hearing that Janaki too
paraṁ vismayaṁ āgatā api- was also struck with wonder.

||Sloka summary||

"Having said this that Vanara stopped. Hearing that Janaki was also struck with wonder." ||31.18||

||Sloka 31.17,18||

tataḥ sā vakrakēśāṁtā sukēśī kēśasaṁvr̥tam||31.17||
unnamya vadanaṁ bhīru śśiṁśupāvr̥kṣa maikṣata||31.18||

sa|| tataḥ vakrakēśāṁtā bhīruḥ klēśasaṁvr̥taṁ sā vadanaṁ unnamya śiṁśupāvr̥kṣaṁ ēkṣata|| '

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ vakrakēśāṁtā bhīruḥ -
then the timid lady with hair curled up at its ends
klēśasaṁvr̥taṁ sā vadanaṁ -
with her face covered with black hair
unnamya śiṁśupāvr̥kṣaṁ ēkṣata -
lifted her face and looked at the Simsupa tree

||Sloka summary||

"Then the timid lady with her face covered with black hair lifted her face and looked at the Simsupa tree." ||31.17,18||

||Sloka 31.19||

niśamya sītā vacanaṁ kapēśca diśaśca sarvāḥ pradiśaścavīkṣya|
svayaṁ praharṣaṁ paramaṁ jagāma sarvātmanā rāma manusmaraṁtī||31.19||

sa|| sītā kapēḥ vacanaṁ niśamya sarvāḥ diśaḥ ca pradiśaḥ ca vīkṣyā svayaṁ sarvātmanā rāmaṁ anusmaraṁtī paramaṁ praharṣaṁ jagāma||

||Sloka meanings||
sītā kapēḥ vacanaṁ niśamya -
hearing those words of the Vanara
sarvāḥ diśaḥ ca pradiśaḥ ca vīkṣyā-
looked in all directions and quarters
svayaṁ sarvātmanā rāmaṁ anusmaraṁtī -
herself contemplating on Rama, the self of all
paramaṁ praharṣaṁ jagāma-
experienced supreme joy.

||Sloka summary||

"Hearing those words of the Vanara, Sita looked in all directions and quarters while contemplating on Rama, the self of all and she experienced supreme joy." ||31.19||

||Sloka 31.20||

sātiryagūrdhvaṁ ca tathā pyadhastān
nirīkṣamāṇā taṁ aciṁtya buddhim|
dadarśa piṁgādhipatēramātyam
vātātmajaṁ sūrya mivōdayastham||31.20||

sa|| sā tiryak ūrdhvaṁ ca tathāpi athastāt nirīkṣamāṇā acintyabuddhiṁ piṁgādhipatēḥ amātyaṁ udayasthaṁ sūryaṁ iva taṁ vātātmajaṁ dadarśa||

||Sloka meanings||

tiryak ūrdhvaṁ ca tathāpi athastāt nirīkṣamāṇā-
looked up and down obliquely
acintyabuddhiṁ piṁgādhipatēḥ amātyaṁ -
of unimaginable intelligence, also the minister of the Vanara King
udayasthaṁ sūryaṁ iva taṁ -
him, who looked like a rising Sun.
sā vātātmajaṁ dadarśa - she saw Hanuman

||Sloka summary||

"She looked up and down obliquely and saw Hanuman who is of unimaginable intelligence, who is also the minister of the Vanara King. He is the son of the wind god , and looked like a rising Sun." ||31.20||

Thus having told the story of Rama, Hanuman becomes silent.

Hanuman's strategy can be seen. Hanuman first narrates the part too familiar to Sita
and then adds the friendship of Vanaras, the search for Sita etc which she is unaware of.
Thus increasing the credibility of the unknown story.

Hearing that story of Rama, Janaki was also struck with wonder. Looking all around, meditating on Rama , Sita was delighted. Rama Katha makes one delighted.

This is the story related by the best of Vanaras in the thirty first Sarga.

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē ēkatriṁśassargaḥ||

Thus ends Sarga Thirty-one of Sundarakanda in Ramayana the first ever poem composed in Sanskrit by the first poet sage Valmiki

||om tat sat||