Sundarakanda Sarga 62: Dadhimukha’s Humiliation (Full Text & Meaning) 

Summary of Sarga 62

| Detail | Total Shlokas: 40 | Primary Characters: Aṅgada, Hanumān, & Dadhimukha | Key Events: Madhuvana-Vidhvaṁsaḥ (Destruction of Madhuvana), Dadhimukha-Parājayaḥ (Dadhimukha's defeat), Sugrīva-Darśanam (Meeting Sugriva) | Location: Madhuvana and Kishkindha | 

Section 1: The Vānaras’ Revelry and Overpowering the Guards (Shlokas 1–17)

tānuvāca hariśrēṣṭhō hanumānvānararṣabhaḥ | avyagramanasō yūyaṅ madhu sēvata vānarāḥ | ahamāvārayiṣyāmi yuṣmākaṅ paripanthinaḥ || 1

Hanumān, the best and chief of the Vānaras, said to them: "O Vanaras, enjoy the honey with carefree minds. I will keep your adversaries away." (1)

śrutvā hanumatō vākyaṅ harīṇāṅ pravarō.ṅgadaḥ | pratyuvāca prasannātmā pibantu harayō madhu || 2 

avaśyaṅ kṛtakāryasya vākyaṅ hanumatō mayā | akāryamapi kartavyaṅ kimaṅga punarīdṛśam || 3

Hearing Hanumān’s words, Angada, the foremost of the Vanaras, was filled with joy and replied: "Let the Vanaras drink the honey! Since Hanumān has surely accomplished his great mission, I must follow his command, even if it meant doing something improper; how much more so for a request as simple as this!" (2 - 3)

aṅgadasya mukhācchrutvāvacanaṅ vānararṣabhāḥ | sādhusādhviti saṅhṛṣṭā vānarāḥ pratyapūjayan || 4

Having heard the speech from the mouth of Angada, the foremost of the Vanaras, the joyous Vanaras praised him, exclaiming, "Excellent! Excellent!" (4)

pūjayitvāṅgadaṅ sarvē vānarā vānararṣabham | jagmurmadhuvanaṅ yatra nadīvēga iva drumam || 5

All the Vanaras, having honored Angada, the chief of the Vanaras, rushed towards the Madhuvana like the swift current of a river against a tree. (5)

tē praviṣṭā madhuvanaṅ pālānākramya vīryataḥ || 6 atisargācca paṭavō dṛṣṭvā śrutvā ca maithilīm | papussarvē madhu tadā rasavatphalamādaduḥ || 7

Vanaras entered the Madhuvana, overcoming the guards by their might, and having been emboldened by the permission and the news of seeing and hearing about Maithilī. They all then drank the honey and ate the sweet, juicy fruits. (6 - 7)

utpatya ca tatassarvē vanapālān samāgatān | tāḍayanti sma śataśa ssaktānmadhuvanē tadā || 8

And then all of them, leaping up, began to beat the forest guards who had assembled there, striking them by the hundreds while they were still clinging to the Madhuvana. (8)

madhūni drōṇamātrāṇi bāhubhiḥ parigṛhya tē | pibanti sahitā ssarvē nighnanti sma tathāparē || 9

Clutching honey that measured a droṇa with their arms, all of them drank it together, while others continued to beat the guards. (9)

kēcit pītvā pravidhyanti madhūni madhupiṅgalāḥ | madhūcchiṣṭēna kēcicca jagmuranyōnyamutkaṭāḥ || 10

Some, their bodies stained honey-gold from drinking, leap and frolic around the honey, while others smear one another with the sticky remnants of the honey. (10)

aparē vṛkṣamūlē tu śākhāṅ gṛhya vyavasthitāḥ | atyarthaṅ ca madaglānāḥ parṇānyāstīrya śēratē || 11

Others remained settled at the foot of trees, holding onto a branch. And those who were utterly exhausted from the intoxication spread out leaves and lay down to sleep. (11)

unmattabhūtāḥ plavagā madhumattāśca hṛṣṭavat | kṣipanti ca tathānyōnyaṅ skhalanti ca tathā.parē || 12

The Vanaras, transformed into mad, frenzied beings, were joyous and utterly drunk on the honey. Some were pushing one another, while others were stumbling down. (12)

kēcit kṣvēlāṅ prakurvanti kēcit kūjanti hṛṣṭavat | harayōmadhunā mattāḥ kēcitsuptā mahītalē || 13

Some are making loud war cries, and some are cooing or chirping joyfully. The Vānaras, thoroughly intoxicated by the honey, some are sleeping on the ground. (13)

kṛtvā kēciddhasantyanyē kēcitkurvanti cētarat | kṛtvā kēcidvadantyanyē kēcidbudhyanti cētarat || 14

Some perform an action while others laugh; some perform an action while others do something else entirely. Some speak in one way, while others respond something completely different. (14)

yē.pyatra madhupālā ssyuḥ prēṣyā dadhimukhasya tu | tē.pi tairvānarairbhīmaiḥ pratiṣiddhā diśō gatāḥ || 15

Even the guards stationed there, who were the servants of Dadhimukha, were repulsed by those fierce Vanaras and fled in all directions. (15)

jānubhistu prakṛṣṭāśca dēvamārgaṅ pradarśitāḥ | abruvan paramōdvignā gatvā dadhimukhaṅ vacaḥ || 16 hanūmatā dattavarairhataṅ madhuvanaṅ balāt | vayaṅ ca jānubhiḥ kṛṣṭā dēvamārgaṅ ca darśitāḥ || 17

Having been dragged down to their knees and violently thrown into the sky, they went to Dadhimukha and delivered the message that Madhuvana had been violently destroyed. (16 - 17)

Section 3: Dadhimukha Reports the Transgression to Sugrīva (Shlokas 31–40)

ētē tiṣṭhantu gacchāmō bhartā nō yatra vānaraḥ | sugrīvō vipulagrīvaḥ saha rāmēṇa tiṣṭhat || 31

"Let them stay here; we shall go to where our master Sugrīva is staying with Rāma." (31)

sarvaṅ caivāṅgadē dōṣaṅ śrāvayiṣyāmi pārthivē | amarṣī vacanaṅ śrutvā ghātayiṣyati vānarān || 32

"And I shall certainly report the entire offense of Angada to the King, who will surely punish those Vanaras." (32)

iṣṭaṅ madhuvanaṅ hyētatpārthivasya mahātmanaḥ | pitṛpaitāmahaṅ divyaṅ dēvairapi durāsadam || 33

"This Madhuvana is beloved by the King, a divine possession inherited from his ancestors and difficult for even the gods to approach." (33)

sa vānarānimān sarvān madhulubdhān gatāyuṣaḥ | ghātayiṣyati daṇḍēna sugrīvassasuhṛjjanān || 34

"Sugrīva will surely punish all these Vānaras who are greedy for honey along with their companions." (34)

vadhyā hyētē durātmānō nṛpājñāparibhāvinaḥ | amarṣaprabhavō rōṣassaphalō nō bhaviṣyati || 35

"These wicked ones have ignored the King's command and deserve to be killed." (35)

ēvamuktvā dadhimukhō vanapālānmahābalaḥ | jagāma sahasōtpatya vanapālaissamanvitaḥ || 36

Having spoken thus, the powerful Dadhimukha took a leap and went, accompanied by the forest-guards. (36)

nimēṣāntaramātrēṇa sa hi prāptō vanālayaḥ | sahasrāṅśusutō dhīmān sugrīvō yatra vānaraḥ || 37 

rāmaṅ ca lakṣmaṇaṅ caiva dṛṣṭvā sugrīvamēva ca | samapratiṣṭhāṅ jagatīmākāśānnipapāta ha || 38

In a moment's time, he reached Kishkindha, where Sugrīva was staying, and descended from the sky. (37 - 38)

sannipatya mahāvīryassarvaistai: parivāritaḥ | harirdadhimukhaḥ pālaiḥ pālānāṅ paramēśvaraḥ || 39 

sa dīnavadanō bhūtvā kṛtvā śirasi cāñjalim | sugrīvasya śubhau mūrdhnā caraṇau patyapīḍayat || 40

Surrounded by all his guards and assuming a distressed countenance, Dadhimukha bowed down and touched Sugrīva's feet with his head. (39 - 40)

ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde dviṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ