Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.22
॥
Devanāgarī
सप्त सालान्विभिद्याशु मोदते राघवस्तदा । तेन हृष्टः कपीन्द्रोऽसौ सरामस्तस्य पत्तनम्
Transliteration (IAST)
sapta sālānvibhidyāśu modate rāghavastadā | tena hṛṣṭaḥ kapīndro'sau sarāmastasya pattanam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सप्त सालान् विभिद्य आशुsapta sālān vibhidya āśuhaving swiftly pierced the seven sāl trees; quickly shooting through seven sāl trunks
मोदते राघवः तदाmodate rāghavaḥ tadāthen Rāghava rejoices; and Rāghava was glad
तेन हृष्टः कपीन्द्रः असौtena hṛṣṭaḥ kapīndraḥ asaugladdened by that, the lord of monkeys; the monkey king exulted at it
सरामः तस्य पत्तनम्sarāmaḥ tasya pattanamwith Rāma — to his city; together with Rāma to the capital
Translation
Swiftly piercing the seven sāl trees, Rāghava rejoiced; and the lord of the monkeys, gladdened by that, went with Rāma to his city.
Version
91e8b8e4c223 · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The proof is given: one arrow pierced seven trees in a row.
But what is remarkable in the verse is not this, but the verb modate — “he rejoices”. It is Rāma who rejoices.
Let us ask ourselves at what. Not at what the monkey rejoiced at — not the strength displayed: the strength is His own and cannot surprise Him. His joy is that the doubter believed.
And next of Sugrīva it is said hṛṣṭaḥ — “gladdened”. Two words of joy in one verse, for both. Here distrust ends and alliance begins.
Note the order: first Rāma rejoiced, then the monkey. The Lord's joy at trust precedes the joy of the one who trusted.
On this the Vaiṣṇava books stand: it is not man who reaches out first — He waits and rejoices when someone has reached. The Gopāla-tāpanī spoke of the same with the promise “I shall give thee Myself”, spoken before it was asked.
And further — the shared road: “with Rāma to his city”. They go to Kiṣkindhā, where Vālin sits.