Thursday 8 May 2014

166. Hanuman's advice to the delinquent Sugreeva.

                   At last the incessant rains came to an end. The sky became clear. Now there was no trace of the black clouds and electric charges. Happy Saarasa birds were vibrantly bustling. The moonshine was delightful to see.
                  The most important person (for Rama) at this time to wit, Sugreeva was immersed in a heavenly bliss. Now his riches were abundant. He seemed to have been affected by some sort of amnesia which had made him to slow down in accumulating probity and prosperity from the viewpoint of rectitude. The sudden release from tension and the embrace of the sensual bliss seemed to have made him a highly engrossed profligate.
                Now that he got what he wanted, he wanted to enjoy and enjoy and consequently turned away from other pursuits of a ruler.  Now he had regained his dear wife, and as a bonus gained the tantalizing Tara,too. Now he was indulging with females, merrymaking day in and day out on a par with Indra. He did not want to be bothered with the activities of his kingdom and hence consigned them to his ministers. He was not checking whether the ministers were performing with rectitude. He assumed that they would, for the reason that the kingdom was being looked after by the very same able ministers, who were performing the same duties under the kingship of Vali. He was therefore, merrily wallowing in promiscuity.
                 Hanuman was pained to see Sugreeva acting in this manner. He felt that it was his duty to try to make his master i.e. Sugreeva realize what he was doing was not proper. He therefore, sought an audience with his monarch, which was of course was duly granted.
                After the usual formalities Hanuman  got down to brass tacks. He said "Now you got much more than what you lost. I feel that now you have compensated much more than what you suffered. 
             "I am sure that you are quite aware that the king who really conducts himself punctually and amicably with friends, will see his kingdom flourish with glory and valour.
            "Matchless kingdom would be his who keeps his treasury, army, friends and his own sovereignty in equiponderance. Therefore, start attending to the obligatory duties of a monarch. That apart, you have an important additional duty. Rama has fulfilled his promise to you. But you are yet to start your part of the deal. One who comports himself with over enthusiasm only in self-indulgences, and who does not expeditiously strive for the sake of his friend, leaving off all other activities of self-indulgence will eventually get into innumerable problems.
             "Delay in fulfilling the promise to a friend is worse than declining to fulfill it. One who belatedly functions for the promised mission of his friend, he will indeed be disassociated with that mission, despite the fact that he has once performed great deeds in respect of the same friend. Hence, the task of our friend is delayed. Searching for Vaidehi is Raghava's mission and nothing in this regard has been initiated by you. 
              "Certainly you have to carry through his mission as he has carried out your mission without any delay. It is high time for you to summon worthy vanaras for searching Seetha. As long as Rama is not going to prod us for action, deem that there is no time lapse, but the minute he does, deem it as lapsed.
               "You are a helpful one even to those who were unhelpful to you.  Then why this procrastination in respect of Rama who helped you so greatly.
               "It is well known that you are a highly adventurous and powerful vanara. And being the lord of multitudes of vanaras and bears, why are you temporizing in issuing orders to fulfill the cherish of Rama. You are well aware that if need be Rama is undoubtedly capable of keeping gods, rakshashas and great-vipers under his control with his arrows. When such a person is waiting for the fulfillment of your promise, your reticence will be construed as an affront by him. He fulfilled an exceptional cherish of yours without any delay whatsoever. It is, therefore, highly incumbent on you to organize a search for his wife Vaidehi, immediately.
            "It is very well known that Gods, gandharvas, asuras or yakshas will not dare to cause any dismay to him. Oh, lord of vanaras, though Rama is energetic to exert himself, he is honouring you by waiting for you to fulfill your part of the agreement. It will be highly befitting of you to requite him appropriately.
             "It is your prerogative to order any of us, your most ardent followers as well as any of your other subjects who have, like us, the unhampered impetus. Therefore, choose, oh, lord, from the over ten million unchallengeable vanaras under your command, as to who should start from where and for which purpose, towards which direction and as to how one should exert himself." 
               On hearing the timely sermon cum advice cum appeal of the most discerning, knowledgeable and astute Hanuman, Sugreeva became ashamed and came to his senses. After pondering for a while, Sugreeva directed Nila, one of the commanders of vanara army, to foregather all of the vanara forces available in all the directions. He also directed him "You have to organise it in such a way that my army in its entirety and from all over, together with corps commanders, is to be marshaled to stay in the cutting edge of the army. 
              "Pass on my this order to every one that all those who are ordered to assemble, should do so immediately. And, the vanara who arrives here after fifteen nights, will be punished with death. And no excuse in this regard will be accepted.
              "Angada will be associated with you for this. I, hereby command you to approach elderly vanaras like Jambavanta and others for advice and suggestions in this regard."
              Then Sugreeva re-entered his palace chambers for some more happy sensual days.
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