Avoiding of death of an emissary (Chapter 52)

Contents

1 Read Next
2 Seeing of good omens (Chapter 29)
3 Crashing of hopes of Hanuman (Chapter 13)
4 Searching inside the Asoka forest (Chapter 14)
5 The arrival of Ravana (18th Chapter)
6 Sundara Kandam-An introduction
7 Further news about the consolation of Sita (Chapter 68)
8 Telling of the memento news and giving of the hair brooch (Chapter 65)
9 Seeking clarifications of the message of Sita (Chapter 66)
10 Informing the message of Sita (Chapter 67)
11 Hurting of the security staff of the forest (Chapter 62)
12 Return of Hanuman and other monkeys (Chapter 64)
13 Informing about the destruction of the honey forest (Chapter 63)
14 Words of Angadha (Chapter 60)
15 Destruction of Honey forest (Chapter 61)
16 Telling the happenings of Lanka
17 Thinking about future action (Chapter 59)
18 The crossing of the sea from Lanka (Chapter 56)
19 Fear of the monkey (Chapter 55)
20 Reaching the northern shore of the sea (Chapter 57)
21 Sunderkand: Burning of the city of Lanka (Chapter 54)
- 21.1 Related

This article is part of “Sundara Kandam of Sage Valmiki”

Fifty second Chapter

Avoiding of death of an emissary

(Vibishana with soft words of logic and justice advises Ravana that Hanuman should not be killed but can be punished in other ways)

Vibishana thought it is wrong to sentence an emissary who has brought the message of someone else to death by the bad soul Ravana. 1

(During ancient times, it was thought that an emissary who is only delivering the message of some one else should not be punished. This theme occurs in several Puranas.)

He who always takes action when it should be done, seeing that his brother was very angry and bent upon on carrying out his words, thought as to what he should do.

Then he who was capable of serious thought, he who had an expert in his language and he who had decided as to what he should do, addressed his elder brother by good humble words and told him that which was good for him. 3

He king of Rakshasas, leave out this anger, become pleased and hear my words. Great kings who know the tradition do not sentence an emissary to death 4

Hey valorous one, death sentence to this monkey is against law, against hoary traditions of the world and not proper. 5

You, yourself are an expert in the knowledge of justice, who observes tradition, an expert on kingly justice, an expert on tradition, and one who knows the secrets of this world. 6

Suppose even wise people like you are caught in the grips of anger, then getting knowledge of science of life is an useless effort. 7

Hey chief of Rakshasas who cannot be opposed by any one and who can kill his enemies, therefore leave out this anger and calm down, Let the emissary be punished after deciding as to what is proper and what is improper. 8-9

Ravana, the king of Rakshasas hearing the words of Vibhishana became very angry and told him the following reply. 10

Hey, killer of his enemies, there is no injustice in giving sentence of death to sinners. I am going to get this monkey who took sinful actions killed. 11

That Vibhishana who was the foremost of intelligent ones, hearing these words which were the root of injustice, which had many flaws and which was suitable to unjust people, again told words which were the essence of just action. 12

Hey king of Lanka, please calm down and be pleased to hear wise words of justice, Hey king, learned and just people think that emissaries do not merit punishment of death no where and at no time. 13

There is no doubt this is a very great enemy. This has done several unpleasant things. It is seen that emissaries are given several type of punishments but nowhere it is told that emissaries can be put to death. 14

It is told that emissary can be punished by disfiguring him or giving lashes by a whip or by shaving off his head or by marking his organs in an untraceable manner. But it is never heard that emissary has been put to death. 15

How can you, who is very wise and just, who is an expert on good and bad of traditional wisdom, come under the control of anger. People who do not swerve from Dharma(just action) do avoid anger. 16

Hey valorous one, there is none equal to you in the knowledge of Dharma(just action) nor in worldly duties and nor in deep knowledge of the science of life. You are the greatest among all devas and asuras. 17

Not only that, I do not find any merit in killing this monkey for this punishment should be given to them who sent this monkey. 18

This may be a just one or unjust but is an emissary who is in the control of others who has been sent by them and is telling what is told by them. And so it does not merit punishment by death. 19

Hey king who conquers the forts of other cities, if this is killed who can come again to this place which is far-far away from the ocean. I do not see any one else who is capable of traveling in the sky and so please do not try to kill him. It is necessary for you to show this type of wisdom to your enemies including Indra. 20-21

Hey, King who likes war, suppose this dies, I do not find any other emissary who can send those two sons of a king of men, who are both bad people and who are far away. 22

If this chieftain of monkeys is killed, good people will tell lot of bad things about us. I do not see them saying good words and words of fame about us All the world will only find fault with us. 23

Not only that, hey king who travels in darkness, we should try fast to take action for the destruction and death of those people, who are bad natured, who are very proud of themselves, who are not intelligent and who have sent this monkey. 24

Hey enemy of Devendra, immediately take efforts to enforce justice among Devas who include Indra and Daithyas which include Dhanavas. 25

Hey, king of Rakshasas, approve by your mind my words, take firm action with utmost care, get killed those two princes and make victory thine. 26

Hey king who creates happiness in the mind of Rakshasas, it is not proper for you, who has qualities like valour, courage and enthusiasm and who cannot be won over by even devas and Rakshasas, to stop the forthcoming war. 27

Under you control you have crores of heroes who do good to you, who are great warriors, who desire only your good, who have won in several good events, who are enthusiastic, who are the greatest among those who carry weapons and who are good servants. 28

So let few people along with a part of your army start now itself to fulfill your orders, to kill these two princes and to prove your power against your enemies. 29

That very strong king of Rakshasas, who was the chief among Rakshasa kings and who was the enemy of the world of devas, hearing the good words of his younger brother Vibhishana understood them and decided that they should be agreed upon. 30

That king of Rakshasas thought in various ways like, There is no doubt that this definitely is the power of Vishnu which has taken the shape of a monkey to destroy me. This warrior monkey is the essence of the power of Vishnu who is deva among devas which is the very greatest, and very intolerable power, which is the root of everything. Or is this the Para Brahma (the ultimate essence of god) and again became very angry. 31-32

But the king of Rakshasas who is a great soul, controlling the anger in his mind which was raging like fire, recognizing Vibhishana who was the greatest among those who carry weapons and respecting the words of Vibhishana told as follows. 33

Thus ends the fifty-second chapter of Sundara Kanda which is in the Ramayana which is the first epic written by Valmiki.

Seeing of good omens (Chapter 29)

This article is part of “Sundara Kandam of Sage Valmiki” Twenty-ninth (29th) Chapter Seeing of good omens (Good omens occurred to Sita who was consoled by those omens and gained more confidence) Good omens approached her who is faultless; who does forever good, who was mentally perturbed and who because of lack of happiness was terribly…

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