Brahma’s address to the deities to create their descendants 1.17.2-20
Brahma said: “The monkeys should be comparable to their respective fathers in valour. Or, they should be capable of defeating the enemies who rival them in bravery. Or, let them have valour enhancing the prestige of their race, which would identify them as the representatives of their generation”.
Indra produced Valin, the master of monkeys, resembling his father. Valin was enormous like the mountain Mahendra. The most radiant Sun produced Sugriva. Though Valin was not Rama’s direct ally, he made friends with Rama indirectly by imperilling Sugriva’s safety, which ultimately resulted in the alliance of Rama, Sugriva, Valin’s son, etc. Rama benefited from Valin’s birth. Valin’s enmity with Sugriva helped Rama form an alliance with the monkeys.
Brhaspati created Tara, the great monkey, the brilliant one who led the leaders of the prominent groups of the monkeys. Endowed with ample glory, the monkey Gandhamadana by name was born to Kubera, while Visvakarman produced Nala, the monkey of huge stature. Possessed of everlasting beauty, Nila, son of Agni, was equal in lustre. He glowed with radiance more than ever. Being endowed with exceeding beauty and a prestigious personality, the Asvins brought into being Mainda and Dvivida. The particle eva excludes mother, father, etc causing their sons’ births. It implies their creation through mind.
Varuna and his favourite god Parjanya gave birth to Susena and Sarabha, respectively. With body capable of destroying thunderbolt by mere touch, the monkey Hanuman was born of Vayu. He equalled Garuda, Vinata’s son, in speed. Endowed with supreme brilliance, he was the mightiest of them all. The mightiest rksas vanaras, and gopucchas, with enormous bodies resembling the mountains Meru and Mandara came into being. Among them the rksas, i.e. bhallukas or bears, and gopucchas were born with tails resembling cows’ tails.
Prowess of the species created 1.17.25-36
The poet describes the prowess of the species created. The monkeys were vigorous like lions and tigers. Expert in employing stone-weapons, they could use nails and teeth as weapons. Furthermore, they were skilled in fighting on mountains.
They were capable of uprooting mountains. They could cut off deep-rooted trees and make ocean the lord of rivers, restless by their impetuous speed. They were able to dig the earth by their feet and leap over the great ocean. They could furiously fly in the sky and catch hold of the clouds there. They could pounce upon the elephants wandering in the rut in the forests and could, by their roar, fell the birds soaring up high in the sky. ‘Calayeyuh’, Here the root cal is used in the sense ‘to throw’.
The earth was, thus, covered with the chiefs of the monkey-troops, with their bodies enormous like the mass of clouds, and the peaks of mountains. There is an apparent controversy in this canto which states Gandhamadana as a son of Kubera, Susena of Varuna, and Sarabha of Parjanya (cf. 1 .17 .12 .15). On the other hand, in the Yuddhakanda (30.22, 30.25) Sardula, the spy of Ravana, reporting about Rama’s army to Ravana, speaks of Susena as the son of Dharma, and Sarabha and Gandhamadana as those of Vaivasvata, the Surya.
Virtually, Sardula, his body bleeding and battered, his senses disturbed, speaks these words. His statement, therefore, is not reliable. Or, presuming his words as authentic, we may take dharma in the sense of virtuous with reference to Kubera. Further, we may presume two monkeys as Susena by name.
Brahma’s address to the deities to create their descendants 1.17.2-20
Brahma said: “The monkeys should be comparable to their respective fathers in valour. Or, they should be capable of defeating the enemies who rival them in bravery. Or, let them have valour enhancing the prestige of their race, which would identify them as the representatives of their generation”.
Indra produced Valin, the master of monkeys, resembling his father. Valin was enormous like the mountain Mahendra. The most radiant Sun produced Sugriva. Though Valin was not Rama’s direct ally, he made friends with Rama indirectly by imperilling Sugriva’s safety, which ultimately resulted in the alliance of Rama, Sugriva, Valin’s son, etc. Rama benefited from Valin’s birth. Valin’s enmity with Sugriva helped Rama form an alliance with the monkeys.
Brhaspati created Tara, the great monkey, the brilliant one who led the leaders of the prominent groups of the monkeys. Endowed with ample glory, the monkey Gandhamadana by name was born to Kubera, while Visvakarman produced Nala, the monkey of huge stature. Possessed of everlasting beauty, Nila, son of Agni, was equal in lustre. He glowed with radiance more than ever. Being endowed with exceeding beauty and a prestigious personality, the Asvins brought into being Mainda and Dvivida. The particle eva excludes mother, father, etc causing their sons’ births. It implies their creation through mind.
Varuna and his favourite god Parjanya gave birth to Susena and Sarabha, respectively. With body capable of destroying thunderbolt by mere touch, the monkey Hanuman was born of Vayu. He equalled Garuda, Vinata’s son, in speed. Endowed with supreme brilliance, he was the mightiest of them all. The mightiest rksas vanaras, and gopucchas, with enormous bodies resembling the mountains Meru and Mandara came into being. Among them the rksas, i.e. bhallukas or bears, and gopucchas were born with tails resembling cows’ tails.
Prowess of the species created 1.17.25-36
The poet describes the prowess of the species created. The monkeys were vigorous like lions and tigers. Expert in employing stone-weapons, they could use nails and teeth as weapons. Furthermore, they were skilled in fighting on mountains.
They were capable of uprooting mountains. They could cut off deep-rooted trees and make ocean the lord of rivers, restless by their impetuous speed. They were able to dig the earth by their feet and leap over the great ocean. They could furiously fly in the sky and catch hold of the clouds there. They could pounce upon the elephants wandering in the rut in the forests and could, by their roar, fell the birds soaring up high in the sky. ‘Calayeyuh’, Here the root cal is used in the sense ‘to throw’.
The earth was, thus, covered with the chiefs of the monkey-troops, with their bodies enormous like the mass of clouds, and the peaks of mountains. There is an apparent controversy in this canto which states Gandhamadana as a son of Kubera, Susena of Varuna, and Sarabha of Parjanya (cf. 1 .17 .12 .15). On the other hand, in the Yuddhakanda (30.22, 30.25) Sardula, the spy of Ravana, reporting about Rama’s army to Ravana, speaks of Susena as the son of Dharma, and Sarabha and Gandhamadana as those of Vaivasvata, the Surya.
Virtually, Sardula, his body bleeding and battered, his senses disturbed, speaks these words. His statement, therefore, is not reliable. Or, presuming his words as authentic, we may take dharma in the sense of virtuous with reference to Kubera. Further, we may presume two monkeys as Susena by name.