256. The inebriated brawl at Madhuvana.

              After agreeing with the wise Jambavan that no action regarding the rescue of Seetha should be taken by them without the knowledge and the consent of Rama, the party decided to return to Kishkinda.

            Accordingly, the jubilant,  thrilled, triumphant, rejoicing, exuberant, joyous and elated  vanaras, resembling Meru and Mandara mountains, like elephants in rut, as if covering the sky, having huge bodies and colossal strength, keeping Hanuman in their front, leaving the Mount Mahendra, moved ahead leaping delightfully. They were all feeling very happy to have accomplished the task for which they were sent out. All of them, in high spirits, were judging rightly the vengeance of Rama against the evil  Ravana.

        While going happily they noticed a garden looking like Nandanavana, the divine grove, filled with plenty of trees and creepers. That garden named Madhuvana was abounded with honey. It was a protected grove, out of bounds for all outsiders.

        A very powerful vanara called Dadhimukha,  an eminent vanara and a maternal uncle of Sugreeva was in charge of that huge grove, which was very dear to the heart of Sugreeva. Our triumphant vanaras expressed a desire to stay put there for some time for rest and recreation. And the same was duly agreed by the leaders.

              Entering that large Madhuvana, the vanaras noticed that the garden was abounded in honey. Those vanaras, whose colour was as yellow as honey, were delighted and requested their leaders for permission to taste the honey. Hanuman, who was now accepted by them as one of the top leaders, told them "Cherish the honey with a cool mind. I will keep off anyone who is barring you in this regard." Angada the leader of that party endorsed Hanuman totally.
          Having got the permission, all the vanaras started to drink honey and pluck the juicy fruits. They, however were prevented by the guards. Overpowering the guards who prevented them from drinking honey and plucking the fruits, they all started to drink honey and eating the juicy fruits there.
        Every one of them drank much more than their stomach can hold to compensate what they missed from the day they left Kishkinda in search of Seetha, excepting the days they were held in that Riksha cavity. As too much of honey will cause similar effect of drinking liquor,  those excited vanaras started acting accordingly; some dancing, some singing, some offering salutations, some laughing loudly, some falling down, some moving in different directions, some jumping up, some  talking incoherently and so on and so forth.

       This sort of thing made them more excited. None in that party was not drunk. And none was  satiated. The result was they all started drinking more and more and more.........
          Dragged by their knees and tossed up in the air by the revelers, those very much depressed guards, limpingly went to Dadhimukha and complained "The vanaras, permitted by Hanuman and Angada are violently destroying the Madhuvana. We were dragged by our knees and tossed up in the air. And now we are very much hurt phyically."

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