Kishkindha Kand
Analysis
Sugriva sent his vanara commanders, along with their vast armies, in all four directions to search for Sita. He also described each of those directions to them in detail.
Rama asked Sugriva, “How do you know all the places on this earth?”
In response, Sugriva told Rama about his journey around the world:
“Once, my brother Vali entered a cave while chasing the demon Mayavi. He did not come out for a year, and I kept waiting outside. Then I saw a stream of blood flowing out of the cave. Thinking that Mayavi had killed my brother, I returned to Kishkindha. I stayed there with my friends and, at their request, began looking after the kingdom.
“Then, unexpectedly, Vali returned to Kishkindha after killing Mayavi. He saw me living comfortably and ruling the kingdom. I tried to explain what had actually happened—why I had returned from the cave and why I was looking after the kingdom. But Vali would not listen. In anger, he rushed towards me to kill me.
“To escape him, I ran east. But Vali followed me there. Then I ran south, and he continued chasing me. I ran west, hoping to find shelter, but I found no refuge there either. To protect myself from his anger, I then ran north. Even there, I could find nowhere to take shelter.
“When I had run in all four directions and found no refuge anywhere, my own adviser, Hanuman, reminded me: ‘Because of Sage Matanga’s curse, Vali cannot enter Matanga’s forest. Go there and live peacefully.’
“Following his advice, I came to Matanga’s forest and began living here happily. Because of the sage’s curse, Vali did not enter this forest.
“That is how I came to see the whole world with my own eyes.”
When Rama heard Sugriva describe the world in such detail to his commanders and armies, he wondered how Sugriva knew so much about it. Sugriva answered by explaining how he had travelled east, south, west and north while trying to escape his brother, before finally settling in Matanga’s forest.
The story itself is very short. But I see four points in it that we should understand.
The first is: What does the earth, or the world, represent?
At the spiritual level, this cannot simply mean the physical earth. So what does “earth” mean spiritually?
The second point is: What do the four directions—east, south, west and north—represent spiritually?
The third concerns the names of the vanara commanders sent in these directions. The commander sent east was called Vinata. Those sent south were Hanuman, Angada and Tara. The commander sent west was Sushena, and the one sent north was Shatabali.
What could these names mean? And how is each name connected with the direction in which that commander was sent?
For example, why was Vinata specifically sent east? Why was Shatabali sent north? There must be some relationship between the direction and the commander’s name. We will try to understand it.
The fourth point is: What does Sugriva’s journey around the world indicate?
Let us understand these four points one by one.
What does the earth represent?
At the spiritual level, the mind within the human body is called the earth, the land, or bhu.
What, then, is the earth spiritually? Our mind.
When this earth—the mind—becomes pure and clear, it acts like a mirror and reflects the Self.
The mind can be pure, and it can also be impure. When it is pure, it reflects the Self like a clean mirror.
You probably understand what it means for the mind to reflect the Self. We are all the Self, and the Self is pure, peaceful, steady, sacred and full of knowledge, love and bliss. Yet we do not experience these qualities in our lives.
Why do we not experience them? Because our mind is soiled. A soiled mind cannot reflect the Self and its qualities, just as a dirty mirror cannot properly reflect an image.
If our mind becomes completely clean and pure, it will immediately reflect the Self and its qualities. What we cannot experience today will then become readily available to our experience.
At present, this does not happen because our mind is soiled. So the mind itself is our earth.
Earlier, while studying the Ramayana, we read the account of Sita’s birth. There too, we understood that when the plough of knowledge is used to till the earth of the mind, Sita—pure thinking—is born.
So, spiritually, the earth represents our mind.
When the mind is soiled, we need to bring knowledge into it. Only by taking knowledge into the mind can we move forward spiritually. If the mind remains soiled, we cannot fully absorb or understand that knowledge.
That completes the first point: at the spiritual level, the mind is called the earth.
Now let us take the second point.
What do the four directions represent?
Sugriva sent his vanara commanders in all four directions to search for Sita. What could these directions mean spiritually?
The four directions point to four states of the earth of the mind. If the mind is the earth, its four states are the four directions.
The east represents the arising of knowledge. When knowledge begins to arise in the mind, that is the eastern direction.
In other words, the first requirement for becoming free from ignorance is that knowledge must arise within the mind.
Next, Sugriva sent his vanaras south. What does the south represent?
Spiritually, the south represents the attainment of competence or skill. At this second stage of becoming free from ignorance, skill must develop within the mind.
We have begun our journey towards knowledge. The first stage is the east. What do we need to do at the second stage? We need to develop competence within the mind.
How should we understand this competence or skill?
From my attempt to understand it, I see that many different situations arise in life. Sometimes, we need to let go. When we let go, we can handle a situation calmly, however difficult it may appear.
Sometimes, we need to face a situation. Our power to face it helps us.
Sometimes, we need to withdraw. We may have said something that another person did not like, and the situation may be getting worse. Then we withdraw. Knowing when to withdraw is also a kind of skill.
Sometimes, we accept a situation. Sometimes, we tolerate it. Sometimes, we forgive someone. Sometimes, we cooperate.
These different powers—the power to accept, tolerate, forgive, cooperate and let go—bring competence to our mind. These powers of knowledge develop skill within us.
So, when Sugriva sends his vanaras south, the indication is that Sita, or pure thinking, can be attained only when competence develops within the mind.
How will that competence develop? By putting these powers, such as acceptance, into practice in our lives.
That is the south: the state of attaining competence. And where must this competence develop? Within our mind.
The third direction is the west.
Spiritually, the west represents the reduction or ending of the fruits of karma.
Whatever we do produces karmic results. We can either stop creating new karmic results or find a way to bring the results already created to an end.
This is necessary if we want to become free from ignorance.
The first stage is to move towards knowledge. The second is to develop competence within the mind. The third is to move towards reducing or ending the fruits of karma.
How can this state arise within the mind?
It seems that we need to focus on the principle of karma. Only by continuing to focus on this principle can we reach a state in which we do not create new karmic results, and the results already accumulated within us can come to an end.
So the west is the direction of reducing or ending the fruits of karma.
The fourth direction is the north.
The north represents a state of continuously moving upwards. Our mind must keep rising to higher levels without falling back.
We have entered the path of knowledge and begun moving along it. But situations may arise in which we begin moving downwards again. The north represents continuing to rise.
In this state, the mind keeps attaining greater heights of knowledge and, one day, reaches the summit of purity—provided we continue moving upwards.
That is the spiritual meaning of the four directions.
First, we understood that the earth represents the mind. Then we understood that the four directions represent four states of the mind.
Now let us move to the third point.
What do the commanders’ names represent?
Sugriva sent Vinata east; Hanuman, Angada and Tara south; Sushena west; and Shatabali north.
Why is a particular commander associated with a particular direction?
To understand this relationship, we need to understand the commanders’ names.
Let us begin with Vinata, the commander sent east.
If we separate the word Vinata into its parts, we get vi and nata. Sanskrit offers a useful way of understanding words by separating and joining their components.
Vi is a prefix with several meanings. Here, I have taken it to mean “special” or “in a particular way.” Nata means “to bow.”
So Vinata means “to bow in a particular way.”
But there are many ways of bowing.
We bow out of courtesy. We bow to show respect. We also bow with a sense of grateful openness when we wish to receive something.
So, in what sense is “bowing” used here?
It is not simply bowing out of respect or courtesy. It is bowing in order to receive.
Whatever knowledge we can receive, from wherever we can receive it, we should bow and accept it.
As I said, the east is the mind’s first state, when we take our first step towards knowledge.
At that stage, we may seek the company of a great person or turn to a great scripture. We may associate with a person of truth or study a text of truth.
What is our first requirement then?
Whatever that person says, whatever is written there, whatever we are reading—we should receive it humbly.
Perhaps what is being said does not seem especially important. But since we have taken a step towards knowledge, we should humbly receive whatever is available to us. Even if it does not seem exceptionally valuable, we should receive what we can.
So Vinata, the commander of the east, represents the state our mind should have when we begin pursuing knowledge: a willingness to bow in order to receive it.
That is why Vinata is sent east.
See how deeply the meaning is hidden within the name, and how carefully the name is connected with the direction.
Now let us look at the south, where Hanuman, Angada and Tara were sent.
While we were reading, Jambavan’s name also appeared in one place. But that occurred only once. In many other places, the southern commanders are named as Hanuman, Angada and Tara.
Let us try to understand why these names are associated with the south.
We will begin with Hanuman.
Hanuman’s character in the story of Rama appears to represent prajna—the faculty that brings knowledge and conduct together.
Who carries out Rama’s work? Hanuman.
As we move further into the story, whose contribution is especially important in the search for Sita? Hanuman’s.
So Hanuman’s character seems to point towards this faculty of prajna within us.
But why do we use the word prajna? Why not simply say “intellect” or “mind”? There are other faculties within us. Why specifically prajna?
The faculty within a human being that combines knowledge with conduct is called prajna.
For example, I have acquired the knowledge that I should speak the truth. That is knowledge. But I also need to put this truth into practice. If I do so, that is prajna.
Prajna is the faculty within us that puts even the smallest drop of knowledge into practice.
The intellect can tell us all about knowledge, but it does not itself put that knowledge into practice. This is the difference between intellect and prajna.
Prajna alone brings each drop of knowledge into our conduct.
Suppose we are undertaking a task, perhaps a major task. When will we accomplish it? When we put knowledge into practice.
If we do not put knowledge into practice, how can the task be completed?
Take a physical example. We have prepared a building plan, using our knowledge and intellect to create a good design. But we must also apply it. Without applying the plan, we cannot build the house.
So every piece of knowledge needs to be put into practice.
When we look at Hanuman’s character in the Ramayana, we see that he puts knowledge into practice.
That brings us to this point: a task is accomplished through prajna.
Here, prajna has been connected with the south. As I said earlier, the south is the direction of attaining competence. Only when we put knowledge into practice will competence and skill develop within the mind.
That is why Hanuman is associated with the south.
We need to bring competence into our mind and skill into our life. And when will that happen? When we put knowledge into practice.
Hanuman represents prajna, and prajna alone can bring this competence into our mind and life.
There is one more thought about Hanuman that I would like to share. You may not have heard it before. I have not read it anywhere either. It is simply an idea that arose as I tried to understand Hanuman. It may be right, and it may be wrong.
When I tried to understand the derivation of the word Hanuman, I could not find anything that explained it to me.
Then I thought about something that occurs often in the Puranas: letters are changed. Sometimes an l becomes an r, and sometimes an r becomes an l. We have discussed this many times.
Since I could not find a derivation that helped me understand Hanuman, I wondered whether the part hanu could have originally been anu. When I considered it that way, the derivation seemed to fit.
If the original form were anu, there would be no difficulty in its later becoming hanu. Such changes have occurred frequently in our scriptures.
So, if we take hanu as anu, the remaining part, man, is a suffix.
We know this suffix from words such as Shriman. It means “endowed with.” In Shriman, it means “endowed with Shri.”
The prefix anu has several meanings. One is “as a result of” or “as a consequence of.” Another is “following behind.” Another is “along with.”
It seems to me that anu here could point to conduct that follows from knowledge.
If we take its meaning as “as a result of,” what follows as a result of knowledge? Conduct.
So we can understand it as conduct arising from knowledge.
If we take anu to mean “following behind,” what should follow knowledge? Conduct. That meaning also fits: knowledge should be followed by its application in our conduct.
If we take anu to mean “along with,” what must accompany knowledge? Conduct.
Knowledge alone cannot accomplish anything. Conduct must accompany it.
So all three meanings—“as a result of,” “following behind,” and “along with”—point towards conduct connected with knowledge.
And what does Hanuman represent? Prajna.
Prajna also means knowledge joined with conduct. It indicates that conduct must accompany knowledge and follow from it.
This is my own attempt to understand the derivation of the word Hanuman. We will see in the future how this understanding develops.
As far as I have encountered, no one has explained the derivation of Hanuman in this way. I tried to understand it on this basis, and this derivation seemed to fit quite well with the meaning of Hanuman as prajna.
For now, this is a new exploration.
So what is indicated by sending Hanuman south?
If we want to develop competence and skill within the mind, we need to be established in prajna. Prajna is the faculty that accomplishes our tasks. Intellect alone does not accomplish them, nor does the mind alone. Prajna does.
Next, Angada was sent south along with Hanuman.
We understood the meaning of Angada earlier, but let us look at it once again.
To attain competence, the mind must also be free from gada, or disease.
In this interpretation of Angada, a means “not,” and gada means disease or ailment. So it points to being free from disease.
Angada represents the mind. What kind of mind is required? A mind free from disease and affliction. Only then can we accomplish a task.
So Hanuman and Angada were sent south.
Then there is the name Tara.
One meaning of Tara in Sanskrit is to swim across or cross over. It comes from the Sanskrit root tṛ, meaning to cross over.
Earlier, while we were reading, the word Tara appeared in another context, where we understood it as a high or raised voice. But a word can have several meanings.
Here, in my view, Tara represents an ability that takes us forward and enables us to cross over.
The south is the direction of attaining competence. To bring competence into the mind, these three abilities are necessary.
We have understood Hanuman and Angada. Tara represents a power of knowledge that helps us cross over and move ahead, so that we do not remain stuck anywhere.
That completes the south.
Now let us move west.
The commander of the west is Sushena. Sugriva sent Sushena west to search for Sita.
Why was this particular name used?
Just as we tried to understand the other names through their derivations, let us understand Sushena.
The word is formed by joining the prefix su with sena. Su means “excellent,” and here sena is understood as “leader.”
So Sushena means an excellent leader.
What does a leader do? A leader shows us the way and guides us in the right direction.
Sushena, then, means an excellent leader or an excellent guide.
Since the west represents the reduction or ending of the fruits of karma, this state of mind needs a power of knowledge that can give us excellent guidance towards that end.
Reducing or ending karmic results is not easy. It is a very difficult task. To undertake it, we need a higher power of knowledge that can guide us well and show us what to do.
What kind of guidance could this be?
When we studied the Bhagavad Gita, we encountered many teachings about karma. Three points were especially important in relation to bringing karma to an end.
The first was the power of selflessness: whatever we do should be done selflessly.
The second was the power of non-doership: we should act while remaining in the state of not considering ourselves the doer. When we act in this state, our actions do not produce the karmic results they otherwise would.
The third was the power of non-attachment: we should remain unattached.
These three points were taught in the Gita.
So it seems to me that the excellent guidance represented here by Sushena could refer to these powers. If we act selflessly, with non-doership and without attachment, these powers can help us reduce or bring an end to the fruits of karma.
This is how I understand the relationship between Sushena and the west.
Otherwise, another name could have been used for the western commander. So we have tried to understand why Sushena was specifically named here.
Next, Sugriva sent Shatabali north.
We have already understood that the north represents continuously moving upwards. What, then, could Shatabali mean?
Let us try to understand the name.
As it is written here, Shatabali begins with the letter sha, the same letter used in the Hindi word shahar, meaning “city.”
But I understand this sha as a changed form of the sound ksha, as in kshatriya. In this reading, the form written with shais a modified form of the original word beginning with ksha. The pronunciation can become similar.
On this basis, if we separate the word, one component is kshata, which points to destruction, and the other is bali, meaning powerful or strong.
So the name points to destroying that which is very powerful—a power of knowledge that destroys bali.
What is this powerful thing within us?
There are many impurities within us, but the strongest among them is pride.
So bali represents pride. In the Bhagavata story involving King Bali and Indra, we also understand King Bali as representing pride.
Here, then, bali represents pride, and kshata points to its destruction.
We need a power of knowledge that can destroy this pride.
Now the question is: Which power of knowledge destroys pride?
We need to identify it specifically.
It seems to me that the power that destroys pride is our vision of equality, our vision of oneness, our undivided vision.
If our vision is established in equality, oneness and wholeness, it will necessarily destroy even the subtlest pride.
The north means moving upwards. As we continue gaining knowledge, we may reach great heights. Yet even at those heights, a subtle pride can remain within us.
Destroying that pride is very difficult. How can we do it?
Our scriptures say that subtle pride can be destroyed only when we establish our vision in equality and oneness.
And when can we develop that vision?
When we see everyone through the vision of the Self.
I may have begun seeing myself as the Self. That is a good state, but it is only one step.
The ego will be destroyed only when, along with myself, I try to see every other being in this world and this universe through the vision of the Self.
And it should not remain merely an effort. One day, I must actually begin seeing in this way.
Only when I see everyone through the vision of the Self can a vision of oneness and equality develop within me.
That vision of equality and oneness will then destroy the subtle pride within me.
That is why the northern commander is called Shatabali.
How meaningful this word is!
When we tried to understand the commanders’ names, and their meanings began to become clear, it was astonishing to see how much depth lies hidden in each word.
That completes our third point: why Vinata, Hanuman, Angada, Tara, Sushena and Shatabali are associated with these particular directions.
Now let us move to the fourth point.
What does Sugriva’s journey around the world indicate?
When we read about this journey, it may seem like an ordinary account, with nothing particularly significant to understand.
But if we look carefully, a very important point is being made.
Even while reading the account, we may not immediately notice it. Let me place that point before you.
A person becomes completely free from the grip of ignorance only when they enter the realm of a joyful mind.
In the story, Sugriva finally enters Sage Matanga’s territory and begins living there happily. That is the central point I am trying to explain.
When Sugriva went east, Vali followed him. Here, Vali represents ignorance. When we move east, ignorance continues to follow us.
When Sugriva went south, Vali still followed him.
When he went west, Vali did not stop chasing him.
When he ran north, Vali followed him there too.
This indicates that even as we keep moving forward in the realm of knowledge, ignorance does not necessarily leave us.
When did ignorance stop following Sugriva? When he entered Matanga’s forest.
The important point being made here is about the mind becoming joyful. Matanga’s forest—or Sage Matanga—represents a joyful mind.
As long as our mind has not become joyful, ignorance does not stop pursuing us. We must make our mind joyful.
Ordinarily, we use the word “joyful” to mean feeling pleased. We might say, “I felt very pleased when I understood this.”
But there is a deeper meaning here: a mind filled with bliss.
When does the mind become joyful? When does it become filled with bliss?
We know that the mind becomes truly joyful when it becomes pure, like a clean mirror.
As long as any kind of impurity remains in the mind, it is not joyful in the true sense.
We may keep saying, “I bought this, and it made me very happy. I bought that, and it made me very happy. I did this, and my mind felt very pleased.”
Yes, there may be some happiness. But the mind does not become completely joyful in this way.
The mind becomes completely joyful only when it becomes clean and pure, like a spotless mirror.
What happens then?
Just as a clean mirror properly reflects an image, our pure mind reflects the Self.
And what is the nature of the Self?
The Self is bliss. The Self is steadiness. The Self is joy. The Self is knowledge.
Our mind becomes completely joyful only when the Self, whose nature is bliss, begins to be reflected within it.
To put this simply, it happens when we begin experiencing bliss in our lives, when we begin experiencing true joy.
This is not the happiness that comes from buying something. It is the joy that comes from the mind becoming clean and pure.
In the first state—the east, where knowledge begins to arise—ignorance continues to pursue us. So that stage alone is not enough.
Then Sugriva runs south, and Vali follows him. This indicates that even when competence and skill develop within the mind, the work is not complete. Full joy has still not descended into the mind.
Then Sugriva runs west, but Vali still does not stop pursuing him. Even there, the person is not completely free from ignorance.
Then Sugriva runs north, and Vali follows him there too. This indicates that even after reaching great heights of knowledge, joy may not arise in the mind. We may still be unable to live happily and peacefully.
When, then, can we live happily and peacefully?
After moving in all four directions, Sugriva enters Matanga’s forest.
His entry into that forest indicates that we must make our mind pure. We must move towards purity of mind.
Only then will the mind become completely joyful, and only then will we be able to live happily and blissfully.
As the story says, when Sugriva entered Matanga’s forest, he lived happily and stayed peacefully on Rishyamukha mountain.
Vali did not enter the forest because he was under a curse that prevented him from doing so.
This means that ignorance can never make the mind truly joyful. Or, to put it another way, while we remain in ignorance, our mind cannot experience true joy.
Through Sugriva’s journey around the world, a particular indication is being given: we should continue moving along these directions of knowledge. They all have a contribution to make.
The east contributes. The south contributes. The west contributes. The north contributes.
That is why the story tells us that Sugriva travelled in all these directions.
But these directions alone do not make the mind completely pure. Their contribution includes helping us realise, after travelling through them, that this much is still not enough.
Ultimately, making the mind pure is essential.
Only then can we live at peace.
That completes the fourth point.
We have now understood all four points. This account is described in Sargas 40 to 46.