Book Iv. Canto Liv. Hanum'an's Speech
Canto Liv.: Hanumn'S Speech.
But Hanumn, while Tra, best
Of splendid chiefs his thought expressed,
Perceived that Bli's princely son
A kingdom for himself had won. 1b
His keen eye marked in him combined
The warrior's arm, the ruler's mind,
And every noble gift should grace
The happy sovereign of his race:
Marked how he grew with ripening age
More glorious and bold and sage,--
Like the young moon that night by night
Shines on with ever waxing light,--
Brave as his royal father, wise
As he who counsels in the skies: 2b
Marked how, forwearied with the quest,
He heeded not his liege's hest,
But Tra's every word obeyed
Like Indra still by Sukra 3b swayed.
Then with his prudent speech he tried
To better thoughts the prince to guide,
And by division's skilful art
The Vnars and the youth to part:
'Illustrious Angad, thou in fight
Hast far surpassed thy father's might,
Most worthy, like thy sire of old,
The empire of our race to hold.
The Vnars' fickle people range
From wish to wish and welcome change.
Their wives and babes they will not leave
And to their new-made sovereign cleave.
No art, no gifts will draw away
The Vnars from Sugrva's sway,
Through hope of wealth, through fear of pain
Still faithful will they all remain.
Thou fondly hopest in this cave
The vengeance of the foe to brave.
But Lakshman's arm a shower will send
Of deadly shafts those walls to rend.
Like Indra's bolts his shafts have power
To cleave the mountain like a flower.
O Angad, mark my counsel well:
If in this cave thou choose to dwell,
p. 385
Footnotes
384:1b Perceived that Angad had secured, through the love of the Vnars, the reversion of Sugrva's kingdom; or, as another commentator explains it, perceived that Angad had obtained a new kingdom in the enchanted cave which the Vnars, through love of him, would consent to occupy.
384:2b Vchaspati, Lord of Speech, the Preceptor of the Gods.
384:3b Sukra is the regent of the planet Venus, and the preceptor of the Datyas.
But Hanumn, while Tra, best
Of splendid chiefs his thought expressed,
Perceived that Bli's princely son
A kingdom for himself had won. 1b
His keen eye marked in him combined
The warrior's arm, the ruler's mind,
And every noble gift should grace
The happy sovereign of his race:
Marked how he grew with ripening age
More glorious and bold and sage,--
Like the young moon that night by night
Shines on with ever waxing light,--
Brave as his royal father, wise
As he who counsels in the skies: 2b
Marked how, forwearied with the quest,
He heeded not his liege's hest,
But Tra's every word obeyed
Like Indra still by Sukra 3b swayed.
Then with his prudent speech he tried
To better thoughts the prince to guide,
And by division's skilful art
The Vnars and the youth to part:
'Illustrious Angad, thou in fight
Hast far surpassed thy father's might,
Most worthy, like thy sire of old,
The empire of our race to hold.
The Vnars' fickle people range
From wish to wish and welcome change.
Their wives and babes they will not leave
And to their new-made sovereign cleave.
No art, no gifts will draw away
The Vnars from Sugrva's sway,
Through hope of wealth, through fear of pain
Still faithful will they all remain.
Thou fondly hopest in this cave
The vengeance of the foe to brave.
But Lakshman's arm a shower will send
Of deadly shafts those walls to rend.
Like Indra's bolts his shafts have power
To cleave the mountain like a flower.
O Angad, mark my counsel well:
If in this cave thou choose to dwell,
p. 385
Footnotes
384:1b Perceived that Angad had secured, through the love of the Vnars, the reversion of Sugrva's kingdom; or, as another commentator explains it, perceived that Angad had obtained a new kingdom in the enchanted cave which the Vnars, through love of him, would consent to occupy.
384:2b Vchaspati, Lord of Speech, the Preceptor of the Gods.
384:3b Sukra is the regent of the planet Venus, and the preceptor of the Datyas.
