Thereupon Hanuman, the foremost of the monkeys, spoke unto them,
saying--"O monkeys, do ye undisturbed drink honey. I shall myself thwart
them who will obstruct you." Hearing his words, Angada, the best of the
monkeys, delighted, said--'Drink honey, O monkeys, we must follow
Hanuman's advice, who hath already been crowned with success. We must
follow him even if he leadeth us to an unworthy action, what of this
which is most becoming?" Hearing these words from Angada, the leading
monkeys attained to an excess of delight and eulogized him again and
again. And adoring Angada--their prince, those monkeys proceeded by the
way leading to the _Madhuvana_ like unto trees carried by a stream. And
entering that orchard they forcibly attacked the waiters there. Hanuman
saw Maithilee, and others heard of her from him--and those monkeys,
renouncing all fear in consequence and obtaining permission, drank honey
and feasted on various sweet fruits. And they, given to the drinking of
honey, attacking the guards who were approaching by hundreds, gave them
a sound beating. Some monkeys,collecting honey with their hands
measuring a _Drona_,[430] drank it; others collecting themselves
delightedly into a band spoiled it; while other yellow-coloured monkeys
drank and sprinkled it. And some, being beside themselves with
intoxication, struck others with the remaining quantity, while others
waited at the foot of the trees, holding their boughs. And some, being
exhausted with drinking, spread leaves and laid themselves thereon--and
some being drunk and delighted struck others down in mad fury. And some
lost their steps. Some roared and some delightedly set up the music of
the birds. Some of the monkeys, inebriete with honey, slept on the
earth; some laughed at others impudently and some cried aloud. Some
spoke contrary to what they had done--and others put a different
construction thereon. And all the waiters of the garden and the servants
of Dadhimukha, were repressed by those terrible monkeys with censure and
thrown up in the sky by their knee-joints. And terrified, they fled to
different directions. And being worked up with anxiety, they approached
Dadhimukha and said--'Commanded by Hanuman the monkeys have forcibly
devastated the _Madhuvana_ and we were thrown high up by them in the
sky." Hearing of the destruction of the orchard, Dadhimukha, being
greatly enraged, consoled all the monkeys. "Proceed ye before, I shall
soon follow you and repress by force all those monkeys, greatly excited
with pride and the drinking of the excellent honey." Hearing these words
from Dadhimukha those leading and heroic monkeys proceeded with him
towards _Madhuvana_. And Dadhimukha proceeded with great velocity in
their midst taking up a huge tree in his hand. And all his attendants,
taking trees, mountain crags, proceeded, wroth, where those leading
monkeys were. And biting their lips in wrath and remonstrating with them
again and again, those monkeys began to suppress them by force. And
beholding Dadhimukha greatly enraged, all the monkeys, headed by
Hanuman, approached him with great vehemence. And as the mighty
Dadhimukha of huge arms, was proceeding towards them vehemently with a
huge tree, Angada, wroth, caught him by the hand. He was beside himself
with intoxication and therefore did not show him the least mercy, albeit
he (Dadhimukha) was worshipful unto him. And accordingly with great
vehemence he ground him to the dust. His arms and thighs were broken and
his countenance was disfigured and that great heroe, the foremost of the
monkeys, bathed in a pool of blood, remained senseless for sometime. And
thereupon releasing himself from them by some device that leading
monkey, proceeded to a nook, and addressed his attendants, saying--"Let
us all proceed there where our lord, the spacious-necked Sugriva liveth
with Rama. I shall relate unto him all the unfair dealings of Angada and
forsooth shall that wrathful king punish all these monkeys. The
picturesque _Madhuvana_ is the most favourite orchard of the high-souled
Sugriva. It was enjoyed by his forefathers and is not even approached by
the celestials. And meting out punishment unto these monkeys, eager to
drink honey and almost half dead, Sugriva shall slay them as well as
their friends and relatives. Those vicious-souled ones are worthy of
being slain since they have transgressed the royal mandate. And then
shall my wrath, arising out of impatience, bear fruits." Having thus
spoken unto the guards of the forest the highly powerful Dadhimukha
leaped high up in the welkin and went away with them. And in no time he
reached where the highly intelligent monkey Sugriva, the offspring of
the sun, was. And beholding Rama, Lakshmana, and Sugriva and the level
ground he descended from the sky. And descending from the sky that great
and heroic Dadhimukha, lord over all the monkeys engaged in protecting
the forest, placing his folded palms on his forehead and with a poorly
countenance, laid low his crown at Sugriva's feet.
[430] In common use a measure of thirty-two seers or rather more than
sixty-four lbs. quadrupeds.--T.