Sri Rama Charita Manasa - Shri Sita Ram Foundation, USA

12 *
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›R∫ RÅMACARITAMÅNASA *
wicked occasionally perform a noble deed due to their good association, although their
evil nature, which is unchangeable, cannot be obliterated. Even those who are impostors
are respected on account of their garb, as the world is taken in by their attractive
appearance. But they are eventually exposed, and cannot keep up their false appearance
till the end, as was the case with Kålanemi*, Råvaƒa† and Råhu.‡ The good are
honoured notwithstanding their mean appearance, even as Jåmbavån (a general of
Sugr∂vaís army, who was endowed with the form of a bear and possessed miraculous
strength) and Hanumån (the monkey-god) won honour in this world. Bad association is
harmful, while good company is an asset in itself: this is true in the world as well as in
the eyes of the Vedas, and is known to all.Through contact with the wind dust ascends
to the sky, while it is assimilated with mud when united with low-lying waters. Parrots
and Mainås nurtured in the house of the virtuous and the wicked repeat the name of
Råma and pour a volley of abuses respectively. Smoke coming in contact with an evil
(earthy)§ substance turns into soot; the same is used as a material for copying the
Puråƒas with when converted into beautiful ink. Again, in conjunction with water, fire and
air it is transformed into a cloud and brings life to the world. (1ó6)
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Œapplefl ŒŸÈ¡ Ÿ⁄U ŸÊª πª ¬˝appleà Á¬Ã⁄U ª¢œ’¸–
’¢Œ©°U ®∑§Ÿ⁄U ⁄U¡ÁŸø⁄U ∑Χ¬Ê ∑§⁄U„ÈU •’ ‚’¸H 7 (ÉÊ)H
Do.: graha bheaja jala pavana pa¢a påi kujoga sujoga,
hohiÚ kubastu subastu jaga lakhahiÚ sulacchana loga.7(A).
* Kålanemi was a demon chief, who was a contemporary of Råvaƒa, the mighty king of La∆kå. In the
La∆kå-K僌a (Book VI. 56ó58) of this very work we are told how he assumed the false appearance of an
ascetic and tried to deceive Hanumån, the devoted servant of the divine ›r∂ Råma, but was ultimately detected
and killed by Hanumån.
† We read in the Araƒyak僌a (Book III. 27. 4ó7) how Råvaƒa appeared before S∂tå in the garb of a
mendicant but could not keep up his false appearance for long and had to throw off his mask at last.
‡ In the Puråƒas we are told how at the beginning of creation nectar was churned out of the ocean of
milk conjointly by the gods and the demons. When the same was being served to the gods by God Viƒu
Himself (who had assumed the form of a charming damsel in order to put the demons off the scent), the demon
Råhu disguised himself as a god and took his seat in the celestial row to participate in the feast. He was,
however, soon detected by the sun-god and the moon-god, who exposed his real character.
§ There is a pun on the compound word ëKusa∆gatií in the original. ëKuí is both a noun and an
indeclinable prefixed to nouns. As an indeclinable it means bad or evil, while as a noun it is a synonym for the
earth. Here it is used in both the senses and has been translated accordingly.