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Continued
from yesterday's instalment
 When Rama ordered that Suka be let free, the latter rose up into the sky once again, finished his message to Sugriva and asked for an answer. ‘Sugriva, the foremost of monkeys, who was undepressed in spirit answered thus,’ says the Poet. That is a new epithet that the Poet is using for Sugriva! Undepressed in spirit. All that we have seen him till now was a portraiture of depression. What we are now seeing is his second phase. The evolved soul that he was. The leader who knew whom to trust and whom to look for help and never hesitated in seeking assistance when needed. No denying the fact that even in the second phase Sugriva was a little wobbly during one or two occasions, which we will see later. However, he had the better side too. We will see his reply to Ravana and then discuss a curious point from the scene that we saw yesterday.
“You are neither my friend nor worthy of commiseration nor are you my benefactor nor beloved of me. You are (on the other hand) an enemy of Sri Rama and therefore merit death with your kinsfolk as Vali did, O ogre deserving of death! Turning up with a large army and all (others), I shall make short work of you with your sons and brothers including all your relations, O lord of ogres, and reduce the entire (city of Lanka) to ashes.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Canto XX, Sloka 23, 24)
‘I disown you. I have got nothing to do with you. You are not my benefactor, as you seem to think. My brother Vali, who made friends with you, breathed his last and you deserve to be punished in the same way,’ is what Sugriva conveys in effect. And see what he says, ‘I will kill your relations and raze down the city of Lanka.’ Then what happens to Ravana? Look at Sugriva’s answer: “You shall not be spared by Sri Rama (a scion of Raghu) even though protected by gods including Indra (their ruler), O insensate Ravana! You shall be slain by Sri Rama with your younger brother (Kumbakarna) even if you have gone out of sight (by virtue of conjuring trick) or risen to the heavens (lit., the sun’s orbit)………” (Ibid, Sloka 25)
That answer very clearly shows where the loyalty of Sugriva lies. Could this Sugriva be accused of wilful concealment of information from Rama when he asked him about the whereabouts of Ravana? Moreover, by that answer, Sugriva also conveys that he has a very clear understanding and estimation of the strength of Ravana and that of his own. He says ‘I will, with my men, destroy your relations and your city and Sri Rama will destroy you and your brothers.’ This what I would do and this is what my valiant master is going to do.
 Angada and others then requested Sri Rama to give permission to them to kill Suka, as he was not just an envoy. He has assessed the strength of Vanara forces and would go back and report to Ravana and therefore he must really be considered a spy who deserved to be killed. “This fellow, O great monarch, is no envoy; he appears to be a spy. Your entire strength has surely been gauged by him (even) while standing here. Let him therefore be arrested, let him not return to Lank; this indeed finds favour with me.” (Ibid, Sloka 29, 30) Rama defies all that is in the book - I mean books on warfare written in the period of Mahabaratha and later. His mind was not set more properly speaking on ‘warfair’ rather than ‘warfare’! Suka was allowed to go back to Ravana. Strange. But that is the quality of Rama. Such a quality is the sign of the inner-strength. A strong conviction. Though one is tempted to discuss Rama now, it surely is for a later day.
Let’s get back to the scene. There is something strange in the narration of the scene on Suka delivering his message to Sugriva, described yesterday. It is so glaring and sounds impossible. But that goes to show the good leader in Sugriva.
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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