The Lord Who Knows All Hearts Asks How His Army Will Cross the Sea
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 50
Doha 50 · Movement 1 of 2
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Whoever abandons such a Lord for another refuge is compared to an animal without tail or horns, estranged even from the nature it has chosen. Rama, by contrast, recognizes Vibhishana as his own and receives him completely. The generosity delights every monkey heart.
Then the all knowing one who dwells within every heart, assumes every form, and remains detached beyond them turns to counsel. Though he already contains the answer, the guardian of righteous conduct asks Sugriva and the newly named lord of Lanka how the army should cross the profound sea.
Crocodiles, serpents, and immense fish move through unfathomable water. No ordinary passage can carry the hosts across. Vibhishana knows Rama's arrows could dry millions of oceans, yet policy asks that power first bow to courtesy. Go to the ocean, he counsels, and make a humble request.
Before commanding the ocean, limitless power pauses to honor the path of righteous counsel.
Read the passage from the Manas
अस प्रभु छाड़ि भजहिं जे आना। ते नर पसु बिनु पूँछ बिषाना।। निज जन जानि ताहि अपनावा। प्रभु सुभाव कपि कुल मन भावा।। पुनि सर्बग्य सर्ब उर बासी। सर्बरूप सब रहित उदासी।। बोले बचन नीति प्रतिपालक। कारन मनुज दनुज कुल घालक।। सुनु कपीस लंकापति बीरा। केहि बिधि तरिअ जलधि गंभीरा।। संकुल मकर उरग झष जाती। अति अगाध दुस्तर सब भाँती।। कह लंकेस सुनहु रघुनायक। कोटि सिंधु सोषक तव सायक।। जद्यपि तदपि नीति असि गाई। बिनय करिअ सागर सन जाई।।
Those who abandon such a Lord and worship lesser powers are like animals without tail or horn, neither fully human nor beast. Knowing Vibhishana as His own, the Lord accepted him, and this generous nature pleased the heart of the monkey clan. Then He who is all-knowing, who dwells in every heart, who takes all forms yet remains beyond all and detached, Spoke words that uphold righteous conduct, He whose human guise is but the means to destroy demonic clans. "Listen, O king of the monkeys, and you, brave lord of Lanka: by what means shall we cross this fathomless ocean?" "It teems with crocodiles, serpents, and hosts of fish. It is unfathomably deep and impossible to cross by any ordinary way." The lord of Lanka replied, "Hear me, O Lord of the Raghus. Your arrows can dry up millions of oceans." "Even so, tradition teaches that one should first go and make a humble request to the ocean."