Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
Making out that the whole of Lanka is reduced to ashes and conjecturing that Seetha too thus might have lost her life, Hanuma begins to reproach himself for his unrestrained exhibition of anger. Hanuma regrets that if Seetha dies now in this fire of Lanka, Rama and his brothers on hearing that report will not survive. While reflecting thus, Hanuma sees some good omens and asserts himself that Seetha can survive from the harsh forces of fire by her virtues of penance and devotion to Rama. In the meantime, he hears of her safety from the lips of Charanas (celestial bards) and feels consoled. Hanuma makes up his mind to return only after seeing her again. |  |
samdiipyamaanaam vidhvastaam trasta rakSho gaNaam puriim |
avekShya haanumaaml lankaam cintayaamaasa vaanaraH || 5-55-1
1. aavekSya= seeing; laN^kaam purrim= the city of Lanka; samdiipyamaanaam= blazing; vitrastaam= and frightened; trasta rakSogaNaam= with its troops of demons getting alarmed; hanumaan= Hanuma; vaanaraH= the monkey; chintayaamaasa= became thoughtful.
Seeing the city of Lanka blazing, and frightened with its multitude of demons getting alarmed, Hanuma the monkey became thoughtful.
tasya abhuut sumahaan traasaH kutsaa ca aatmani ajaayata |
lankaam pradahataa karma kimsvit kR^itam idam mayaa || 5-55-2
2. sumahaan= a great; traasaH= anxiety; abhuut= occurred; tasya= to him; kutasacha= an expression of contempt also; ajaayata= was taken; aatmani= on himself; kimsmit= I wonder why; idam= this; karma= act; pradahataa= of burning; laN^kaam= Lanka; kR^itam= has been done; mayaa= by me.
A great anxiety entered his mind and there arose in him a feeling of self-contempt. He said to himself "What an admonitory act has bee done by me in burning Lanka."
dhanyaaH te puruSha shreShTha ye buddhyaa kopam utthitam |
nirundhanti mahaatmaano diiptam agnim iva ambhasaa || 5-55-3
3. diiptam agnim iva= as a burning fire; ambhasaa= is extinguished with water; te= those; mahaatmanaH= great-souled; puruSa shreSThaaH= excellent men; yet= who; nirundhati= restrain; utthitam kopam= their elevated anger; buddhyaa= by their wisdom; dhanyaaH= are fortunate.
"As a burning fire is extinguished with water, blessed indeed are those great-souled men of excellence, who in their wisdom, restrain their elevated fury."
kruddhaH paapam na kuryaatkaH kruddho hanyaadguruunapi |
kruddhaH paruSayaa vaachaa naraH saadhuunadhikSipet || 5-55-4
4. kaH= which; kruddhaH= enraged man; na kuryaat= would not incur; paapam= sin?; kruddhaH= an enraged man; hanyaat= kills; guruunapi= even elders; druddhaH= an enraged; naraH= man; adhikSipet= insults; saadhuun= virtuous men; paruSayaa vaachaa= with harsh words.
"Which enraged man would not incur a sinful act? An enraged person may even kill his elders. An enraged person may insult virtuous men with harsh words."
vaachyaavaachyam prakupito na vijaanaati karhichit |
naakaaryamasti kruddhasya naavaachyam vidyate kvachit || 5-55-5
5. prakupitaH= an agitated person; karhichit na vijaanaati= does not ever know; vaachyaavaachyam= fit words and forbidden words; kruddhasya= for an enraged person; na asti= there is no; akaaryam= improper at; na vidyate= nor is there; kvachit= ever; avaachyam= an improper word to be uttered.
"An agitated person ever does not know which appropriate words are and which are forbidden words to be uttered. For enraged persons, there is neither an improper act nor ever an improper word to be spoken."
yaH samutpatitam krodham kSamayaiva nirasyati |
yathoragastvacham jiirNaam sa vai puruSa uchyate || 5-55-6
6. uragaH yathaa= as a serpent; jiirNaam tvacha= its slough; yaH= whoever; nirasyati= casts aside; samutpatitam krodham= an intense anger sprung up suddenly; kSamayaiva= by endurance alone; saH vai= he verily; uchyate= is said; puruSaH= to be an excellent man
"As a serpent casts off its slough, whoever casts aside an intense anger sprung up in him suddenly by virtue of his endurance, he verily is said to be an excellent man."
dhigastu maam sudurbhaddhim nirlajjam paapakR^ittamam |
achintayitvaa taam siitaamagnidam svaamighaatakam || 5-55-7
7. maam dhik astu= shame be upon me; paapakR^ittamam= the greatest sinner; sudurbiddhim= with utter foolishness; nrlajjam= and impudence; agnidam= who became of fire-brand; achintayitvaa= without giving thought; taam siitaam= to that Seetha; svaami ghaatukam= and became hurtful to me master.
"Shame be upon me, the greatest sinner with utter foolishness and impudence, who became a fire-brand without giving thought to that Seetha and became hurtful to my master."
yadi dagdhaa tu iyam lankaa nuunam aaryaa api jaanakii |
dagdhaa tena mayaa bhartuH hatam kaaryam ajaanataa || 5-55-8
8. iyam laN^kaa dagdhaayadi= if this Lanka has been burnt; aaryaa= the venerable; jaanakyapi= Seetha also; nuunam dagdhaa= has surely been burnt; tena= in this manner; ajaanataa= inadvertently; bhartuH= the lord's; kaaryam= purpose; hatam= has been spoilt; mayaa= by me.
"If this whole Lanka for its part has been burnt, the worshipful Seetha too has surely been burnt. Thus, I have spolt the purpose of my lord inadvertently."
yat artham ayam aarambhaH tat kaaryam avasaaditam |
mayaa hi dahataa lankaam na siitaa parirakShitaa || 5-55-9
9. yadartham= for which purpose; ayam= is its; aarambhaH= effort; tat kaaryam= the purpose; avasaaditam= has been spoilt; mayaa= by me; dahataa= who has been burning; laN^kaam= Lanka; siitaa= Seetha; na parirakSitaa hi= has not been saved indeed.
"That purpose for which all this effort was taken, has been spoilt. At the time of burning the city, I have not saved Seetha indeed."
iiShat kaaryam idam kaaryam kR^itam aasiin na samshayaH |
tasya krodha abhibhuutena mayaa muula kShayaH kR^itaH || 5-55-10
10. idam= this; kaaryam= task; aasiit= became; kR^itam= fulfilled; iiSatkaaryam= and was completed with only a small effort; mayaa= by me; krodhaabhibhuutena= due to overpowering of my anger; tasya muulakSayaH= the destruction of its root; kR^itaH= has been done; na samshayaH= there is no doubt.
"This task (of burning Lanka) has been fulfilled by me and it has been completed only with a small effort. Overpowered as I was with anger, the very root of that fulfillment has been destroyed by me. There is no doubt."
vinaShTaa jaanakii vyaktam na hi adagdhaH pradR^ishyate |
lankaayaaH kashcit uddeshaH sarvaa bhasmii kR^itaa purii || 5-55-11
11. laN^kaayaam= In Lanka; na uddeshaH= no place; kashchit= whatsoever; pradR^ishyate= is seen indeed; adagdhaH= not being burnt; sarvaa= the entire; purii= city; bhasmiikR^itaaa= has been reduced to ashes; janakii= Seetha; nuunam= surely; vinaSTaa= has been lost.
"The entire Lanka has been reduced to ashes. No place is seen unburnt in this City. Therefore, Seetha also must have been surely lost.”
yadi tat vihatam kaaryam mayaa praj~naa viparyayaat |
iha eva praaNa samnyaaso mama api hi atirocate || 5-55-12
12. vihatam yadi tat kaaryam= If that act has been spoiled; mama prajJNaaviparyayaat= due to my perverted intelligence; rochate= it is appropriate; mamaapi= even to me; adya= now; ihaiva= and here itself; praaNa samnyaasah= to give up my life.
"If this task has been spoiled due to my perverted intelligence, it is appropriate even for me, here and now itself, to give up my life."
kim agnau nipataami adya aahosvit vaDavaa mukhe |
shariiram aaho sattvaanaam dadmi saagara vaasinaam || 5-55-13
13. nipataami= shall I jump; agnau= into fire; adya= now?; aahosvit= or else; baDabaamukhe= into the mouth of a submarine fire?; aaho= or; dadmi= shall I give up; shariiram= my body; sattvaanaam= to the animals; saagaravaasinaam= dwelling in the sea?
"Shall I jump into fire now or into the mouth of a submarine fire? Or shall I give up my body as a feed to the marine animals?"
katham hi jiivataa shakyo mayaa draShTum hari iishvaraH |
tau vaa puruSha shaarduulau kaarya sarva sva ghaatinaa || 5-55-14
14. mayaa= by me; kaarya sarva svaghaatinaa= who has spoiled the entire task; katham vaa= how; shakyaH= can I; jiivataa= surviving; draSTum= see; hariishvaraH= Sugreeva; tau vaa= or even those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana; puruSa shaarduulau= the best among men?
"By me who has ruined the entire task, how can I, even while remaining alive, see Sugreeva the Lord of monkeys or Rama and Lakshmana the best of men?"
mayaa khalu tat eva idam roSha doShaat pradarshitam |
prathitam triShu lokeShu kapitam anavasthitam || 5-55-15
15. roSadoSaat= due to culpability of my anger; idam= this; kaptvam= apishness; tat= that; prathitam= is famous; anavasthitam= for instability; pradarshitam khalu= was indeed shown; mayaa= by me.
"Due to culpability of my anger, I have indeed shown this apishness that is famous for instability in the three worlds."
dhig astu raajasam bhaavam aniisham anavasthitam |
iishvareNa api yat raagaan mayaa siitaa na rakShitaa || 5-55-16
16. dhik astu= Let there be shame upon; raajasam bhaavam= the passionate way of thinking; aniisham= which is helplessness; anavasthtam= and instability; yat= for; iishvareNaapi= eventhough capable; siitaa= Seetha; na rakSitaa= could not be saved; mayaa= by me; raagaat= due to my exciting passion of anger.
"Let there be shame upon the passionate way of my thinking, which breeds helplessness and instability. fir, eventhough capable as I am, Seetha could not be saved by me due to my exciting passion of anger."
vinaShTaayaam tu siitaayaam taav ubhau vinashiShyataH |
tayoH vinaashe sugriivaH sabandhuH vinashiShyati || 5-55-17
17. siitaayaam vinaSTaayaam= If Seetha dies; tau ubhau= those two princes, Rama and Lakshmana; vinashiSyataH= will die; tayoH vinaashe= If their death happens; sugrrivaH= Sugreeva; sabandhuH= along with his associates; vinashiSyati= will die.
"If Seetha dies, those two princes, Rama and Lakshmana will die. If their death occurs, Sugreeva along with his associates will also die."
etat eva vacaH shrutvaa bharato bhraatR^i vatsalaH |
dharma aatmaa saha shatrughnaH katham shakShyati jiivitum || 5-55-18
18. katham= how; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous; bharataH= Bharata; sahashatrughnaH= together with Shatrughna; bhaatR^ivatsalaH= who are affectionate to his brother; shakSyat= will be able; jiivitum= to survive shrutvaa= after hearing; etadeva= this; vachaH= news?
"How can the virtuous Bharata together with Shatrughna, who are affectionate to his brother, survive after hearing this news?"
ikShvaaku vamshe dharmiShThe gate naasham asamshayam |
bhaviShyanti prajaaH sarvaaH shoka samtaapa piiDitaaH || 5-55-19
19. dharmiSThe= ikSvaaku vamshe= (when) the virtuous Ikshvaku dynasty; naasham= perishes; sarvaaH= all; prajaaH= the people; asamshayam= undoubtedly; bhaviSyanti= will become; shokasamtaapa piiDitaaH= tormented by anguish and affliction.
"When the virtuous Ikshvaku dynasty perishes, all the people will undoubtedly be tormented with anguish and affliction."
tat aham bhaagya rahito lupta dharma artha samgrahaH |
roga doSha pariita aatmaa vyaktam loka vinaashanaH || 5-55-20
20. tat= therefore; aham= I; bhaagyarahitaH= the unfortunate; luptadharmaartha samgrahaH= deprived of the values of duty and interest; roSadoSa pariitaatmaa= having my mind filled with culpability of anger; vyaktam= clearly; lokavinaashanaH= became the destroyer of the world.
"Therefore, I, the unfortunate being, deprived of the values of duty and interest, with my mind filled with culpability of anger, clearly became the destroyer of the world."
iti cintayataH tasya nimittaani upapedire |
puuram api upalabdhaani saakShaat punaH acintayat || 5-55-21
21. tasya= that Hanuma; iti= thus; chintayataH= thinking; nimittaani= the omens; upalabdhaani= as obtained; puurvamapi= even before; upapedire= came; saakSaat= clearly; punah= and again; achintayat= thought (as follows)
While thinking thus, Hanuma clearly saw some omens, whose welcome-results had already been directly experienced by him and again thought (as follows);
athavaa caaru sarva angii rakShitaa svena tejasaa |
na nashiShyati kalyaaNii na agniH agnau pravartate || 5-55-22
22. athavaa= or else; kalyaaNii= Seetha the auspicious lady; chaarusarvaaNgii= having completely charming limbs; rakSitaa= protected svena tejasaa= by her own effulgence; na nashiSyati= does not get destroyed; agniH= fire; na pravartate= doe no do injury agnau= into fire.
"Or else, Seetha the auspicious lady, who is completely charming of her limbs and protected by her own effulgence, does not get destroyed. Fire does not indeed destroy fire!"
na hi dharmaat manaH tasya bhaaryaam amita tejasaH |
sva caaritra abhiguptaam taam spraShTum arhati paavakaH || 5-55-23
23. paavakaH= fire; naarhati hi= is not entitled indeed; spraSTum= to touch; taam= her; bhaaryaam= the wife; tasya= of that Rama; dharmaatmanaH= the virtuous man; amita tejasaH= having unlimited splendour; svachaaritraabhiguptaam= and protected by her own good conduct.
"Fire is not indeed entitled to touch; Seetha, the wife of that Rama the virtuous man having unlimited splendour and duly protected by her own good conduct."
nuunam raama prabhaavena vaidehyaaH sukR^itena ca |
yan maam dahana karmaa ayam na adahadt havya vaahanaH || 5-55-24
24. yat= that; iyam= this; havyavaahanaH= fire; dahanakarmaa= having burning as its act; naadahati= is not igniting; maam= me; nuunam= surely (it is due to); raama prabhaavaNa= the power of Rama; sukrutena= benevolence; vaidehyaaH= of Seetha.
"If this fire with its burning nature is not igniting me, it is surely due to the power of Rama and the benevolence of Seetha."
trayaaNaam bharata aadiinaam bhraatR^iR^iNaam devataa ca yaa |
raamasya ca manaH kaantaa saa katham vinashiShyati || 5-55-25
25. katham= how; saa= that Seetha; yaa= who; devataacha= is a godhead; trayaaNaam= for the three; bharataadiinaam= beginning with Bharata; manaH kaantaa= and dear to the heart; raamasya= of Rama; vinashiSyati= can perish?
"How should that Seetha, who is a godhead for the three brothers (of Rama) starting with Bharata and who is dear to the heart of Rama perish?"
yat vaa dahana karmaa ayam sarvatra prabhuH avyayaH |
na me dahati laanguulam katham aaryaam pradhakShyati || 5-55-26
26. yadvaa= or; iyam dahana karmaa= this fire; sarvatra prabhuH= which is a spread everywhere; avyayaH= and imperishable; nadahati= is not burning; me laaNguulam= my tail; katham= how; pradhakSyati= can it burn; aaryaam= the venerable Seetha?
"This fire, which spreads everywhere without any hindrance, is not burning my tail. How can it burn the venerable Seetha?"
punashchaachintayattatra hanumaanvismitastadaa |
hiraNyanaabhasya girerjalamadhye pradarshanam || 5-55-27
27. hanumaan= Hanuma; tadaa= then; achintayat= recalled; punaH= again; vismitaH= with wonder; pradarshanam= the sight; hiraNyanaabhasya gireH= of Mount Mainaka (having gold in its cavities); jala madhye= in the midst of sea-water; tatra= there.
Hanuma then recalled with wonder the sight of Mount Mainaka (having gold in its cavities) in the midst of sea-water there.
tapasaa satya vaakyena ananyatvaac ca bhartari |
api saa nirdahet agnim na taam agniH pradhakShyati || 5-55-28
28. saa= that Seetha; nirdahet api= can even burn away; agnim= the fire; tapasaa= by her penance; satyavaakyena= by her true speech; ananyatvaachacha= and by her undivided attention; bhartari= towards her husband; agniH= fire; na pradhakSyati= does not ignite; taam= her.
"That Seetha can even burn away the fire by her penance, true utterances and undivided devotion towards her husband. Fire does not ignite her."
sa tathaa cintayan tatra devyaa dharma parigraham |
shushraava hanumaan vaakyam caaraNaanaam mahaatmanaam || 5-55-29
29. saH hanumaan= that Hanuma; chintayan= who was thinking; tatra= there; tathaa= in that way; dharma parigraham= about the overpowering virtue; devyaaH= of Seetha; shushraava= heard; vaakyam= the words; mahaatmanaam= of the high-souled; chaaraNaanaam= charanas (heavenly bards).
Hanuma, who was thus thinking there about the overpowering virtue of Seetha, happened to hear the words of the high-souled charanas (heavenly bards).
aho khalu kR^itam karma durviShahyam hanuumataa |
agnim visR^ijataa abhiikShNam bhiimam raakShasa sadmani || 5-55-30
30. aho= Alas!; hanumataa= by Hanuma; visR^ijataa= who hurled; abhiikSNam= very; bhiimam= terrific; agnim= fire; raakSasaveshmani= into Ravana's house; kR^itam khalu= has been done indeed; duSkaram karma= a difficult act.
"Alas! Hanuma, who hurled a very terrific fire into Ravana's house, has indeed done a difficult act."
prapalaayitarakSaH striibaala vR^iddhasamaakulaa |
janakolaahalaadhmaataa krandantiivaadrikandaraiH ||31
31. prapalaayita rakSah striibaala vR^iddha samaakulaa= (the city of Lanka) full of demons, their wives, children and elders running (hither and thither); janakolaahalaadhamaataa= and filled with an uproar of people; krandanniva= appears like weeping adrikandaraiH= through its mountain-caves.
"The city of Lanka, full of demons their wives, children and elders running hither and thither, as also filled with an uproar of people, appears as if it weeping through its mountain-caves."
dagdhaa iyam nagarii lankaa saaTTa praakaara toraNaa |
jaanakii na ca dagdhaa iti vismayo adbhuta eva naH || 5-55-32
32. vismayaH eva= it is just so surprising; adbhutaH= a marvel; naH= to us; iti= that; iyam= this; sarvaa= entire; nagarii= city; saaTTa praakaaratoraNaa= with its market-places, ramparts and arched door-ways; dagdhaa= was burnt; jaanakiicha= but Seetha alone; na dagdhaa= was not burnt.
"It is just so surprising a marvel to us that the entire City with its market-places, ramparts and arched door-ways, was burnt, but Seetha alone was not burnt."
sa nimittaiH ca dR^iShTa arthaiH kaaraNaiH ca mahaaguNaiH |
R^iShi vaakyaiH ca hanumaan abhavat priita maanasaH || 5-55-33
33. saH hanumaan= that Hanuma; abhavat= became; priita maanasa= delighted in his mind; nimittaiH= by the omens; dR^iSThaarthaiH= with their apparent advantages; mahaagnNaiH= with very high qualities; kaaraNaishcha= of their origins; R^iSivaakyaishcha= and by the words of the sages.
That Hanuma became delighted in his mind, by seeing the omens, with their apparent advantages in them and very high qualities of their origin as also the words of those sages.
tataH kapiH praapta mano ratha arthaH |
taam akShataam raaja sutaam viditvaa |
pratyakShataH taam punaH eva dR^iShTvaa |
pratiprayaaNaaya matim cakaara || 5-55-34
34. tataH= then; kapiH= Hanuma; praapta manorathaarthaH= having fulfilled his object of desire; viditvaa= by learning taam raajasutaam= that Seetha the princess; akSataam= remains uninjured; matim chakaara= made up his mind; pratiprayaaNaaya= to return; dR^iSTvaa= after seeing; taam= her; pratyakSataH= personally; punareva= yet again.
Then, Hanuma, having fulfilled his object of desire by learning that Seetha the princess remains uninjured, made up his mind to return only after seeing her personally yet again.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe paJNchapaJNchaashaH sargaH
Thus completes 55th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© May, 2006, K. M. K. Murthy