Rāmāyana |Kiṣkindha Kaṇḍa| Chapter 65

65. Capacity of Different Monkeys

[All monkeys tell how much they can jump. But it is less than one hundred yojanas. Angada said that he can jump hundred yojanas but not confidant whether he can jump back. Jambhavan says that he is their leader and so he should not do this task and points at Hanuman.]

After hearing these words of Angada, all those bull like monkeys told in a serial order their capacity to leap distances. This was told by Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha, Gandhamādana, Mainda, Dwividha, Suṣeṇa and Jambhavan. 65.1-65.2

Then afterwards Gaja told that he can leap ten yojanas and Gavaksha told that he can leap twenty yojanas. 65.3

Then Gavaya said to the other monkeys 'I can reach thirty yojanas; Sarabha said to the monkeys 'I can leap forty yojanas'; Bright Gandhamādana said 'I can leap and cover a distance of fifty yojanas without any doubt'; Mainda said 'I can leap more than sixty yojanas'; highly brilliant Dvivida said in turn 'I can no doubt leap over seventy yojanas'; Brilliant and best of the monkeys Suṣeṇa declared 'I can leap over eighty yojanas'. 65.4-65.9

When they were all reporting about their individual capacities, then the very old Jambhavan told like this. 65.10

"Once upon a time I was also greatly capable like these but becoming old like many of us, I cannot reach the other shore." 65.11

"But under the present circumstance we cannot neglect this job as the king of the monkeys as well as Rāma have determined that this should be done." 65.12

"Even at this present age due to the change of time, you may please know my capacity for without any doubt I can leap ninety Yojanas.," 65.13

To all those monkey lords Jambhavan again told "my valour and power was not limited to that extent when I was young earlier." 65.14

"Earlier when Mahabali was carrying out the fire sacrifice and when the birth less Vishnu took the form of Trivikrama, I had gone round him." 65.15

"Now I am an old monkey and have only slow valour but in my youth I had matchless valour and power." 65.16

"At this time, I guess that my power to go has come down and I would not be able to succeed in a job of this extent." 65.17

Then the very wise and great monkey Angada addressed the great and lofty Jambhavan and told him about his capacity." 65.18

"I have got the power to cover this great distance of hundred yojanas but I am not very sure whether I have the capacity to return from there." 65.19

The Great monkey Jambhavan, who was an expert in using words, "Oh best among the monkeys and bears, your capacity to cover this distance are well known." 65.20

"If you desire you jump hundred or even a thousand yojanas and also energy to return but it is not proper to entrust you with that duty." 65.21

"Oh Lad, the one who orders and is the boss is never deputed to a job but only servant is deputed as Oh great monkey, all the monkeys here are meant to serve you." 65.22

"Oh scorcher of enemies, Oh Angada, in this group you are our lord and so we are bound to protect you like our wife." 65.23

"Oh destroyer of enemies, for the job that we have now undertaken, you are like the root and so we are bound to protect you like our wife." 65.24

"A statesman protects the root of a matter with care because only when it is intact we can get fruits as well as flowers." 65.25

"Oh truthfully courageous one, oh destroyer of enemies, you are the real means by which we can achieve our task as you are endowed with valour and wisdom." 65.26

Oh best among the monkeys, you are the son of our elder as well as the elder and only by depending on you, we can achieve our objective." 65.27

When the great monkey who was very wise told these appropriate words, Angada, the son of Vali replied by these words. 65.28

"If I do not go and no other monkey goes, oh great monkey, then again all of us to give away our life by fasting." 65.29

"If I do not fulfil the duty assigned by the great king of the monkeys, then I do not see I can keep our life after going there." 65.30

"The monkey can show us a pleased or an angry face but if we do not fulfil the task we will all face total destruction." 65.31

"You are the only among us who can show us the final path in this job and so it is only proper to think about it deeply and suggest a proper means." 65.32

That bull among the monkeys Jambhavan, having heard Angada told these words to him. 65.33

"Oh valorous one, no one would find fault with you for not getting this task done for I will motivate the one person who can do this task." 65.34

Then that monkey chief pointed out to Hanuman, who is a chief monkey who was sitting happily and quietly without bothering about and started motivating him. 65.35

This is the end of Sixty Fifth Sarga of Kiṣkindha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.