The Good News

The Good News

A few days later, walking quickly, they arrived in their territory. Not far away, there was a privately owned forest that belonged to Sugriva where no one had ever been able to enter. There were numerous guards outside commanded by Dadhimukha, Sugriva’s uncle. Angada, full of enthusiasm for the mission’s success, wanted to celebrate by guzzling with the excellent honey that abounded there. Sure that he would not be punished, the young Angada authorized his Vanaras to enter even by force to take the honey.

Greedy for sweets and transformed by intense joy at the finding of Sita, the Vanaras invaded Madhuvana, caring neither for Dadhimukha nor for his guardians. Dadhimukha believed he had to prevent what he believed was a serious insubordination and, after unnecessarily threatening them, he tried to use force. But the enthusiasm of Angada’s Vanaras was uncontainable and Dadhimukha and his guardians were defeated and forced to flee.

 Dadhimukha went to Kiskindha and told Sugriva what had happened. However, Sugriva did not get angry.

“This behavior of Angada,” he reflected, “and of the others is out of normal. They know how much that forest is dear to me, and if they have violated it without any fear it means that they have been transported by a great joy, that they want to celebrate something great. And then they arrived quite late and show no fear of punishment. Maybe they bring us good news. Maybe they found Sita. Get them to come here right away.”

Dadhimukha rushed to Madhuvana and asked for Angada’s forgiveness. He relayed Sugriva’s message to him. In the presence of Rama, Hanuman told the whole story, including that of the crow of Citrakuta to reassure him that everything corresponded to the truth. Then he gave him the jewel that Sita had entrusted to him. Seeing the jewel he had once given to Sita and hearing that intimate story, Rama cried; he wanted to hear the message Sita had sent him again. Hanuman repeated it all once more.