Kishkindhakand

In the fourth sopan of the Ramcharitmanas, Rama goes on ahead, and the mountain Rishyamuka comes near. Sugriva lives there with his ministers. Seeing two men coming, he is very afraid, and he tells Hanuman to go to them in a young brahmin student’s form. Hanuman knows his Lord and, with fire as witness, joins Rama and Sugriva in love. Until now two brothers have been walking the forest. From here on an army gathers, and it begins with a friend. Sugriva’s own brother, Vali, beat him very hard, as an enemy, and in fear of Vali he has wandered all the worlds. Rama’s arrow strikes Vali in the heart. Vali asks for what fault he was killed, and gives up his body. Tara laments, and Rama gives her knowledge. Lakshmana gives Sugriva the kingdom, and to Angada the crown prince’s place. Rama settles on Mount Pravarshana and tells Lakshmana the rains and autumn with likenesses. The rains are gone, and no news of Sita has been found. Rama tells Lakshmana to bring Sugriva, showing him fear. The troops are told to go to every side, and Hanuman goes with the ring from Rama’s hand. With no water to be found, Hanuman beholds a cave in the ground. At the word of the ascetic inside, the searchers shut their eyes, and when they look again they stand on the shore of the sea. There an old vulture, Sampati, tells them where Sita stays, and Jambavan asks Hanuman why he has kept silent. Then comes a forecast that Rama will bring Sita, and the fourth sopan closes.

Each of the five episodes has a page of its own. There Tulsi’s chaupais, dohas, sorthas and chhands, read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary, are told as a story in English prose.

Read it episode by episode

1. The Friendship of Rama and Sugrivadoha 1 to 6
   Rama comes near Rishyamuka, and a frightened Sugriva tells Hanuman to go to the two men. Hanuman knows his Lord, and with fire as witness he joins Rama and Sugriva in love. Sugriva tells his story, and Rama vows to kill Vali with one arrow.
2. A Friend’s Duty, and the Killing of Validoha 7 to 10
   Rama tells Sugriva who is called a friend and brings down Dundubhi’s bones and the tal palms without effort. His arrow strikes Vali in the heart. Vali asks his question, refuses the life Rama offers, and asks Rama to take his son Angada.
3. Tara’s Lament, the Coronation, and the Rainsdoha 11 to 17
   Tara laments, and Rama gives her knowledge. Sugriva is given the kingdom and Angada the crown prince’s place. On Mount Pravarshana Rama tells Lakshmana the rains and autumn with likenesses.
4. Lakshmana’s Anger, and the Search Beginsdoha 18 to 23
   The rains are gone with no news of Sita, and Rama tells Lakshmana to bring Sugriva, showing him fear. Angada, Tara, and Hanuman come between, the troops go to every side, and Hanuman goes with the ring from Rama’s hand.
5. The Ascetic in the Cave, Sampati, and the Seashoredoha 24 to sortha 30 (b)
   With no water to be found, Hanuman beholds a cave in the ground. Its ascetic tells the searchers to shut their eyes, and when they look again they stand on the shore of the sea. An old vulture tells them where Sita stays, and Jambavan asks Hanuman why he has kept silent.

Tulsidas’s Rama story

The ground of every episode here is Tulsidas’s Awadhi Ramcharitmanas, written in the sixteenth century. Valmiki’s Sanskrit Ramayana, written long before it, can be read whole, in its own right. Many episodes are in both poems, and their color, their order and sometimes their detail differ. What is told here is what the Manas tells.

Source: the Gita Press edition of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas, the fourth sopan (Kishkindhakand), read with Hanuman Prasad Poddar’s Hindi commentary.