Chapter 20 - Ravana sends Shuka to Sugriva

Now the titan, Shardula by name, who had gone out to reconnoitre, beheld the army encamped under Sugriva’s command, and that spy belonging to the wicked Ravana, King of the Titans, having inspected those troops, returned and, regaining Lanka with all speed, said to his sovereign:—

“Behold a multitude of monkeys and bears, immeasurable and boundless as the sea, approaching Lanka. The sons of Dasaratha, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana, who are illustrious and endowed with beauty, have come to search for Sita. Having reached the shores of the sea, they have encamped there, O Illustrious Prince. These forces cover ten leagues in extent in every direction! O Great King, it behoves you to inform thyself of the true state of affairs immediately! Let thine emissaries enquire into the matter speedily; restitution, conciliation or sowing dissension are involved here.”

Hearing Shardula’s words, Ravana, the Lord of the Titans became perturbed and, reflecting on the matter, instantly gave orders to Shuka, the most skilled of negotiators, saying:—

“Go and seek out Sugriva on my behalf and say to that prince in persuasive and ingratiating tones:—

‘Assuredly you, the offspring of a race of great monarchs, the mighty son of the King of the Bears, art exceedingly powerful! You have nothing to fear; you are to me as a brother, O Lord of the Monkeys. If I bore away the consort of that crafty prince, what is it to you? Do you return to Kishkindha; Lanka cannot be conquered by these monkeys by any means nor by the united efforts of the Gods with the Gandharvas, how much less by men or apes?’”

At this command of the King of the Titans, that Nightranger Shuka, rising into the air, rapidly passed through space and, having journeyed for some time high over the waters, halted and, standing in the sky, repeated all he had been told by the wicked Ravana to say to Sugriva. As he was still speaking, the monkeys bounded into the air and, smiting him with their fists, prepared to tear him to pieces and fling him to the ground.

Thus maltreated by the monkeys, Shuka spoke in this wise:—

“One does not assault an ambassador, O Kakutstha, therefore send away these monkeys. He who withholds the message of his master and gives voice to that which he has not been authorized to utter, merits death.”

Hearing Shuka’s complaints, Rama issued a command to those monkeys, who were assaulting that titan, saying:—“Do not slay him!” and Shuka having received immunity from the attacks of the monkeys, steadying himself in the air with his wings, spoke again, saying:—

“O Sugriva, You who art endowed with magnanimity, O Hero, who art full of energy and valour, what shall I say to you on the part of Ravana, the Scourge of the World?”

Being thus addressed, that mighty King of the Monkeys, the foremost of all the apes, interrupted that Ranger of the Night, Shuka, and made the following proud reply, characteristic of his nature:—

“You are not my friend nor art you worthy of my pity, you are neither my benefactor nor dost you find favour with me! You and your kinsfolk are the enemies of Rama, you shalt perish like Bali and you meritest death! I shall annihilate you, your sons, your relatives as also Lanka to which I shall lay siege at the head of my great army and reduce it to ashes!

“Nay, you insensate Ravana, you shalt never escape Raghava even if you were protected by the Gods themselves with their leaders. Were you to make thyself invisible in the sun’s path or enter into hell or take refuge at the lotus feet of the King of the Mountains, you with your followers will succumb to Rama’s blows. In the Three Worlds, I see none whether be it Pisaca, Rakshasa, Gandharva, or Asura, who is able to protect you! You have slain the aged King of the Vultures and carried off the large-eyed Sita in the presence of Rama and Lakshmana and, having made her captive, dost not recognize her for what she is! You are unaware how strong, powerful and irresistible to the Gods themselves is this Prince of the Race of Raghu, who shall deprive you of your life.”

Thereafter the foremost of monkeys, the son of Bali, Angada, took up the discourse and said:—

“O Virtuous King, this is no ambassador, he has the appearance of a spy; he is only here to count our forces, let him be arrested, do not allow him to return to Lanka. Such is my opinion.”

Thereupon at a sign from the king, the monkeys flung themselves on that titan, whom they seized and bound, whilst he, without defence, wailed loudly.

Ill-treated by those furious monkeys, Shuka began to cry upon the magnanimous Rama, born of Dasaratha, saying:—

“They are tearing out my wings ruthlessly and putting out my eyes, may the consequences of all the evil deeds that I have done since the day I was born till the night I die, fall on you if I lose my life!”

Hearing his cries, Rama would not sanction his death and ordered the monkeys to release him.