श्रीमद्रामयणे सुन्दरकाण्डे सुभाषितानि
सदाशिव समारम्भम् शन्कराचार्य मध्यमम्
अस्मद् आचार्य पर्यन्तम् वन्दे गुरु परम्परम्
यस्य त्वेतानि चत्वारि वानरेन्द्र यथा तव
धृतिः दृष्टिः मतिः दाक्ष्य स कर्मसु न सीदति
यस्य त्व एतानि चत्वारि Many of These four (virtues)
यथा तव where like you
स to him कर्मसु न सीदति no faltering in action
धृतिः endurance दृष्टिः sees all implications मतिः intellect दाक्ष्य ability
O Chief of Monkeys, one like you who has these four qualities- endurance, farsightedness, intellect, and ability- does not falter in action
Context: Lord Hanuman travels from top of the Mahendra Giri (having control over indriyas or senses) to the Trikuta mountain (the three kutas - rajasic, tamasic and Satva gunas). During the forward journey HE encounters three different obstacles: one a friendly obstacle from the mainaka mountain followed by a test by devas through Surasa, and followed by an attempt by the rajasic being Simhika to kill the lord. The three obstacles could be interpreted by tests from the three gunas cited above. The verse from 1st Sarga is given after he emerges triumphant. The verse shows importance of the four virtues to prosecute any action whether secular or spiritual.
Sarga 2:
भूताश्चार्था विनश्यन्ति देशकालविरोधिताः
विक्लवम् दूतमासाद्य तमः सूर्योदये यथा
आसाद्य obtainable भूताश्चार्था existing matters विनश्यन्ति get obstructed देशकालविरोधिताः adverse nature of place and time
विक्लवम् agitation दूतम् to ambassador
तमः सूर्योदये यथा like darkness due to sunlight
If an ambassador gets agitated due to adverse nature of place and time, then obtainable matters get obstructed just as darkness gets obstructed due to dawn.
अर्थानर्थान्तरे बुध्दिः निश्चितापि न शोभते
घातयन्तीह कार्याणि दुताः पण्डिताम् आनिनः
आनी nearing destination
घातयन्ति cause to be killed
निश्चित बुध्दिः sure intellect
अर्थानर्थान्तरे in favorable and unfavorable matters
कार्याणि works
इह in this world
The intellect even when sure may not be right in favorable and unfavorable matters. Even learned ambassadors, while being close to completing assigned works, can destroy such works.
Context: Having arrived at the plateau of the Trikuta mountain, the lord looks at the vast city and is not sure where to look. He is perplexed about his next step: is charity (दान) to be applied, is division of society (भेद) appropriate, is war (युध्द)?. The verses are given to indicate that caution is needed so that all his accomplished (so far) may be in vain, if he is not careful and gets caught. The lord enters the city at night time so that he can search for the mother.
Sarga 11:
मनो हि हेतुः सर्वेषाम् इन्द्रियाणाम् प्रवर्तने
शुभाशुभासु अवस्थासु तत् च मे सुव्यवस्थितम्
Mind alone is cause (lord) of conduct of sense organs. Hence keep mind in check whether an external work is pleasant or unpleasant and keep the mind standing on what is good.
Context: Lord has entered many buildings and looked for the mother. In the process he sees the wives of others sleeping and lying in various states. He is not pleased about this. But this verse says that his mind is pure and his senses are not affected.
Sarga 12:
अनिर्वेदः हि सततं श्रियः मूलमनिर्वेदः परं सुखं ।
भूयस्तत्र विचेष्यामि न यत्र विचय कृतः ॥
विचेष्यामि चि seek (class 3) वि upa-sarga ;
future tense; will/shall seek अनिर्वेदः self confidence, positive disposition, lack of dejection
श्रियः good fortune
सुखं good space (happiness)
सततं always
To achieve good fortune and happiness, action driven by 'self confidence and lack of dejection' is root cause. I shall search (work) leaving no place un-searched (doing everything I can)
अनिर्वेदो हि सततं सर्वार्थेषु प्रवर्तकः
करोति सफलं जन्तोः कर्म यत् च करोति सः
सततं for sure
हि indeed
अनिर्वेद: self-confidence & positive outlook
प्रवर्तकः one who behaves as such (from root वृत्)
कर्म यत् च करोति सः who does work like this
करोति सफलं जन्तोः out of that person success comes
(अपादान of जन्तु ablative case for person जन्तोः)
One who works with self-confidence and positive outlook, out of the one's such effort the work becomes successful.
तस्माद् अनिर्वेदकरं यत्नं उत्तमम्
therefore effort with positive outlook is appropriate.
Context: Lord is not successful in finding the mother. He mistakes Mondodari as the mother and becomes very happy. He realizes that this to be wrong and feels dejected. He considers killing himself or exiling himself since he could not find the mother. He examines implications of him not finding the mother and becomes sad. This verse is an attempt to brace for more work that lies ahead and to do it cheerfully.
Sarga 55:
धन्याः खलु महात्मनः ये बुध्द्या कोपमुत्थितम्
निरुन्धन्ति महात्मनः दीप्तमग्निम् इवाम्भसा
उत्थितम् उत् + स्था + क्त: aroused, produced
कोपम् anger
ये बुध्द्या निरुन्धन्ति who control by the intellect
धन्याः blessed
दीप्तमग्निम् इवाम्भसा like illuminating fire controlled by water
महात्मनः great souls
Blessed are the great souls who can control their arising anger by the intellect like water controls the illuminating fire.
क्रुध्दः पापं न कुर्यात् कः क्रुध्दः हन्याद् गुरुनपि
क्रुध्दः परुषया वाचा नरः साधूनधिक्षिपेत्
What kind of injustice can't be done with anger. Worshipful ones may be killed. The pious ones may be riled with harsh words.
यः समुत्पतितं क्रोधं क्षमयैव निरस्यति
यथा उरगस्त्वचं जीर्णा स वै पुरुष उच्यते
He is the proper person who can subdue his anger with forgiveness as a serpent leaves worn skin.
Context: Lord torches city of Lanka. Many people were killed. Lord becomes remorseful for the death and the destruction. He blames his anger.
The story of Ramayana is an allegory for the process of the spiritual evolution. In the story of Ramayana, Lord Hanuman and the Vanara army represent human mind and intellect; In the Geeta, Lord Kishna says that intellect needs control over mind and senses to emerge victorious. The various thoughts, doubts and tribulations ascribed to the Lord Hanuman are what we as human beings think/ go through in our daily life. Lord shows through his example of detached seva for Lord Rama on how to accomplish any task by providing a template. The poet says that on his return journey, Lord flies from the mountain "Arista अरिष्ट" indicating that misfortune/neglect has been controlled. Victory is waiting.
ॐ नमः शिवाय
