Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
Describing the plight of Seetha to his fellow monkeys, Hanuma expresses his feeling that it behoved them all to see Rama only after restoring Seetha from Lanka. Hanuma says that even single-handed, he is capable of destroying that City of Lanka with its troops of demons, and killing Ravana, much more so when accompanied by heroic, mighty and powerful monkeys. Then, he recounts the past heroic exploits of Jambavan, Angada, Neela, Panasa, Mainda and Dvivida. Hanuma thus incites them all to decide consciously of a war against Lanka. |  |
etat aakhyaanam tat sarvam hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
bhuuyaH samupacakraama vacanam vaktum uttaram || 5-59-1
1. aakhyaaya= after informing; sarvam= all; tat etat= this; hanuman= Hanuma; maaruta aatmajaH= the son of wind-god; samupachakraama= started; vaktum= to tell; bhuuyaH= more; uttaram vachanam= of the following words.
After informing all this, Hanuma the son of wind-god started telling more of the following words.
saphalo raaghava udyogaH sugriivasya ca sambhramaH |
shiilam aasaadya siitaayaa mama ca pravaNam manaH || 5-59-2
2. aasaadya= getting the influence; siitaayaaH shiilam= of the virtuousness of Seetha; raaghava udyogaH= Rama’s effort; sugriivasya sambhramaH cha= and Sugreeva’s zeal; saphalaH= get fulfilled; mama= my; manashcha= mind also; pravaam= is devoted (to her).
“By the power of virtuousness of Seetha, Rama’s effort and Sugreeva’s zeal are getting fulfilled. My mind too is devoted to her.”
tapasaa nirdahellokaan sruddho vaa nirdahedapi |
sarvadhaatipravR^iddho.asau raavaNo raakSasaadhipaH || 5-59-3
3. asau= this; raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSasaadhipaH= the king of demons; atipravR^iddhaH= who is strong; sarvadhaa= in all ways; nirdahet= can burn away; lokaan= the worlds; tapasaa= by his penance; kruddhovaapi= even if he is enraged; nirdahadapi= he can scorch away (his enemies).
“Ravana, the king of demons, who is strong in all ways, can burn away the three worlds by the power of his penance. Even if he is enraged, he can scorch away his adversaries.”
tasya taam spR^ishato gaatram tapasaa na vinaashitam |
na tadagnishikhaa kuryaatsamspR^iSTaa paaNinaa satii || 5-59-4
janakasya sutaa kuryaadyatkrodhakaluSiikR^itaa |
4. tasya= his; gaatram= body; spR^ishataH= which touched; taam= that Seetha; na vinaashitam= was not destroyed; tapasaa= because of his penance; agnishikhaa= even a flame; samspR^iSTaa satii= when fully touched; paaNinaa= with one’s hand; na kuryaat= cannot do; tat= that; yat= which; janakasya aatmajaa= Seetha, Janaka’s daughter (would); krodha kaluSiikR^itaa= if stirred by anger.
“His body, which touched Seetha the daughter of Janaka, was not destroyed because of his askesis. Even a flame, when fully touched with one’s hand, cannot do that which Seetha would, if stirred by anger.”
jaambavatpramukhaan sarvaananujJNaapya mahaahariin || 5-59-5
asminnevam gate kaarye bhavataam cha nivedite |
nyaayyam sma saha vaidehyaa draSTum tau paarthivaatmajau || 5-59-6
5, 6. asmin= This; kaarye= work (of mine in the form of Seetha’s discovery); nivedite= which has been informed; bharataam= to you; evam gate= in this way; nyaayyamsma= it is indeed proper; draSTum= to see; tau paarthivaatmajau= those two princess (Rama and Lakshmana); vaidehyaasaha= along with Seetha; samanuJNaapye= after taking leave; sarvaan mahaahariin= of all the great monkeys; jaambaat pramukhaan= headed by Jambavan.
“This work (of mine in the form of Seetha’s discovery) has been informed to you in this way. It is indeed proper to see those two princes (Rama and Lakshmana) along with Seetha, after taking permission from all the great monkeys headed by Jambavan.
ahameko.api paryaaptaH saraakSasagaNaam puriim |
taam laN^kaam tarasaa hantum raavaNam cha mahaabalam || 5-59-7
7. aham= I; paryaaptam= an sufficient; eko.api= even alone; hantum= to destroy; taam laN^kaam puriim= that City of Lanka; saraakSasagaNaam= together with those troops of demons; mahaabalam raavaNam cha= and the mighty Ravana; tarasaa= rapidly.
“I am sufficient, even alone; to destroy rapidly that City of Lanka together with those troops of demons as also the mighty Ravana.”
kim punaH sahito viirairbalavadbhiH kR^itaatmabhiH |
kR^itaastraiH plavagaiH shuurairbhavadbhirvijayaiSibhiH || 5-59-8
8. bhavadbhiH sahitaH= together with you; balavadbhiH= who are strong; kR^itaatmabhiH= whose spirit is disciplined; kR^itaastraiH= who are proficient in the use of arms; shuuraiH= who are valiant; vijayaiSibhiH= longing for victory; plavaN^gaiH= and who are moving by jumps; kim punaH= how much more so?
“When accompanied by you, who are strong, whose spirit is disciplined, who are proficient in the use of arms, valiant, longing for victory and moving by jumps, how much more is required?”
aham tu raavaNam yuddhe sasainyam sapuraHsaram |
sahaputram vadhiSyaami sahodarayutam yudhi || 5-59-9
9. yuddhe= in the battle; aham tu= I on my part; vadhiSyaami= will kill; raavaNam= Ravana; sa sainyam= along with his army; sa puraH saram= and forerunners; saputram= his sons; sahodarayutam= together with his brothers.
“In the battle, I on my part will kill Ravana along with his army, his forerunners, his sons and his brothers.”
brahmamaindram cha raudram cha vaayavyam vaaruNam tathaa |
yadi shakrajoto.a straNi durniriikSaaNi samyuge || 5-59-10
taanyaham vidhaSyaami haniSyaami cha raavaNam |
10. samyuge= in the battle; vidhamiSyaami= I can blow out; braahmam= missiles; presided over by Brahma the creator; aindramcha= Indra the god of celestials; missiles presided over by Indra the god of celestials; roudram cha= the missiles presided over by Rudra, the god of destruction; vaayuvyam= Vayu the wind-god; tathaa= and; taani= and those; astraaNi= missiles; durniriikSaaNiyadi= even if they are difficult to be looked at; shakrajitaH= employed by Indrajit ( Ravana’s eldest son); haniSyaami= I can kill; raakSasaan= the demons.
“In the battle, I can blow out the missiles presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, Brahma the creator, Rudra the god of destruction, Vayu the wind-god, Varuna the god of water and even those missiles even if they are difficult to be looked at, employed by Indrajit (Ravana’s eldest son).
bhavataamabhyanujJNaato vikramo me ruNaddhi tam || 5-59-11
mayaatulaa visR^iSTaa hi shailavR^iSTirnirantaraa |
devaanapi raNe hanyaatkim punastaannishaacharaan || 5-59-12
11, 12. me= my; vikramaH= prowess; abhyanuJNaataH= when permitted; bhavataam= by you; ruNaddhi= will frustrate; tam raavaNam= that Ravana; shailavR^iSTiH= the shower of rocks; atnlaa= which will be unequalled; nirantaraa= and incessant; visR^iSTaa= discharged; mayaa= by me; hanyaat= can kill; devaan api= even celestials; raNe= in battle; kim punaH= how much more; taan= those; nishaacharaan= demons?
“My prowess, when permitted by you, will frustrate that Ravana. The shower of rocks, which will be unequalled and incessant, discharged by me, can kill even celestials. How much more those demons?”
saagaro.apyatiyaadvelaam mandaraH prachaledapi |
na jaambavantam samare kampayedarivaahinii || 5-59-13
13. saagaraH= the ocean; atiyaadapi= may overflow; velaam= its shore; mandraH= Mount Mandara; prachaledapi= may more from its position; (But) samara= in battle; arivaahinii= an army of adversaries; na kampayet= cannot stagger; jaambavantam= Jambavan.
“The ocean may overflow its shore. Mount Mandara may move from its position. But, in battle, no army of adversaries can stagger Jambavan.”
sarvaraakSasasamghaanaam raakSasaa ye cha mahaatmanaH |
alameko vinaashaaya viiro vaalisutaH kapiH || 5-59-14
14. viiraH= the heroic; kapiH= Angada; vaalisutaH= the son of Vali; ekaH= alone; alam= is sufficient; vinaashaaya= to destroy; sarva raakSasa samghaanaam= all the troops of demons; ye punrvakaaH= and even the demons who were their progenitors.
“The heroic Angada, the son of Vali alone, is sufficient to destroy all the troops of demons and even the demons who were their progenitors.”
panasasyoruvegena niilasya cha mahaatmanaH |
mandaro.apyavashiiryeta kimpunaryudhi raakSasaaH || 5-59-15
15. uuruvegena= by the rapid movement of the thighs; mahaatmanaH niilasya= of the high-souled Nila; panasasya= and of Panasa; mandaro.api= even Mount Mandara; avashiiryeta= can be shattered; kim punaH= How much more; raakSasaaH= the demons; yudhi= in battle?
“By the rapid movement of the thighs of the high-souled Neela and of Panasa, even Mount Mandara can be shattered. How much more, the demons in battle?”
sadevaasurayakSeSu gandharvoragapakSiSu |
maindasya pratiyoddhaaram shamsata dvividasya vaa || 5-59-16
16. shamsata= tell (me); pratiyodhaaram= the one who can fight against; maindasya= Mainda; dvividasya vaa= or Dvivida; gandharvoraga pakSiSu= among Gandharvas the celestial singers or Uragas the snakes or Pakshis the birds; sadevaasura yakSeSu= or the celestials or demons or Yakshas the semi-divine beings.
“Tell me any one who can fight against Mainda or Dvivida, among Gandharvas the celestial singers or Uragas the serpents or Pakshis the birds or the celestials or the demons or Yakshas the semi-divine beings.”
ashviputrau mahaabhaagaavetau plavagasattamau |
etayoH pratiyoddhaaram na pashyaami raNaajire || 5-59-17
17. etau mahaabhaagau= these two illustrious Mainda and Dvivida; ashviputrau= the sons of Ashvini kumaras; plavagasattamau= are the foremost among the monkeys; raNaajire= in the battle-field; na pashyaami= I do not find; pratiyoddhaaram= any one who can fight against; etayoH= these two monkeys.
“These two illustrious sons of Ashvini Kumaras, Mainda and Dvivida are the foremost among the monkeys. In the battle-field, I do not find anyone who can fight against these two monkeys.”
pitaamahavarotsekaatparamam darpamaasthitau |
amR^itapraashanaavetau sarvavaanarasattamau || 5-59-18
18. pitaamaha varotsekaat= proud of having received boons from Brahma the creator and their grand-father; aasthitau= and abiding; paramam darpam= in a supreme pride; etau= these; sarva vaanara sattamau= two foremost among all the monkeys; amR^itapraashinau= live on Amrita the nectar.
"Proud of having received boons from Brahma the creator and their grandfather and abiding in a supreme haughtiness, these two foremost among all the monkeys live on Amrita the nectar."
ashvinormaananaartham hi sarvalokapitaamahaH |
sarvaavadhyatvamatulamanayordattavaan puraa || 5-59-19
19. puraa= long ago; sarvalokapitaamahaH= Brahma, the grandfather of all the worlds; dattavaan= gave atulam= an unequal boon; anayoH= to them; maananaartam= in honour; ashvinau= of Ashivinikumaras; sarvaavadhyatvam= regarding their inviolability.
"Long ago, Brahma the grandfather of all the worlds gave an unequal boon to them in honour of Ashvini Kumaras regarding their inviolability."
varotsekena mattau cha pramathya mahatiim chamuum |
suraaNaamamR^itam viirau piitavantau plavamgamau || 5-59-20
20.varotsekena= by the pride of the boons; viirau plavaN^gamau= these two heroic monkeys; mattoucha= excited with joy; pramathya= harassing; mahatiim chaamuum= a great army; suraaNaam= of celestials; piitavantau= drank up; amR^itam= the nectar.
"By the pride of those boons, those two heroic monkeys harassed a great army of celestials and thereupon drank up nectar, excited as they were with joy."
etaavena hi samkruddhau savaajirathakumjaraam |
laN^kaam naashayitum shaktau sarve tiSThantu vaanaraaH || 5-59-21
21. sarve= (Let) all; vaanaraH= monkyes; tiSThantu= stand apart; samkR^iddhau etaaveva= even these Mainda and Dvividva for their part; shaktau= are capable; naashayitum= to destroy; laN^kaam= the city of Lanka; savaajiratha kumjaraam= along with its horses, chariots and elephants.
"Let all the other monkeys stand aside. Even these Mainda and Dvivida on their part are capable of destroying the entire city of Lanka together with its horses, chariots and elephants."
mayaiva nihataa laN^kaa dagdhaa bhasmiikR^itaa punaH |
raajamaargeSu sarvatra naama vishraavita mayaa || 5-59-22
22. mayaiva= by me alone; nihataa= was destroyed; laN^kaa= the City of Lanka; sarvatra= in all; raajamaargeSu= the royal high-ways; naama= the name; vishavitam= was made heard; mayaa= by me (as follows).
"I alone burnt and destroyed the City of Lanka. In all its royal high-ways, the name (of Rama and others) was proclaimed by me as follows:
jayatyatibalo raamo lakSmaNashcha mahaabalaH |
raajaa jayati sugriivo raaghaveNaabhipaalitaH || 5-59-23
aham kosalaraajasya daasaH pavanasambhavaH |
hanumaaniti sarvatra naama vishraavitam mayaa || 5-59-24
23, 24. jayati= Victorious; raamaH= (is) Rama; atiblaH= the exceedingly strong; mahaabalah= and the mighty; lakSmaNashcha= and the mighty; lakSmaNashcha= Lakshmana too; jayati= victorious; raajaa sugriivaH= is King Sugreeva; abhipaalitaH= protected; raaghavaNa= by Rama; aham= I; hanumaan= am Hanuma; daasaH= a servant; kosala raajasya= of Rama; pavana sambhavaH= and the son of the wind-god; iti= in this way; naama= the name (of Rama and others); vishraavitam= was heralded; mayaa= by me; sarvatra= everywhere.
"'Victorious is Rama, the exceedingly strong and the mighty Lakshmana too! Victorious is King Sugreeva, protected by Rama. I am Hanuma, a servant of Rama and the son of wind-god'. In this way, the name (of Rama and others) was heralded by me everywhere."
ashoka vanikaa madhye raavaNasya duraatmanaH |
adhastaat shimshapaa vR^ikShe saadhvii karuNam aasthitaa || 5-59-25
raakShasiibhiH parivR^itaa shoka samtaapa karshitaa |
megha lekhaa parivR^itaa candra lekhaa iva niShprabhaa || 5-59-26
acintayantii vaidehii raavaNam bala darpitam |
25, 26. ashokavanikaamadhye= in the midst of Ashoka-garden; duraatmanaH raavaNasya= of the evil-minded Ravana; adhastaat= and underneath; shimshupaavR^ikSe= Shimshupa tree; saadhvii= the virtuous woman; vaidehii= Seetha; aasthitaa karuNam= is staying dejected; parivR^itaa= encircled; raakSabhiiH= with female-demons; shoka samtaapakarshitaa= agonised with grief and anguish; niSprabhaa= lustreless; chandralekheva= like a digit of the moon; megha lekhaa parivR^itaa= encircled by a line of clouds; achintayantii= and disregarding; baladarpitam raavaNam= Ravana who is arrogant of his strength.
"In the midst of Ashoka garden of the evil-minded Ravana and underneath a Shimshupa tree, the virtuous Seetha was seen staying dejected, encircled as she was with female-demons, agonized with grief and anguish, lusterless like a digit of the moon encircled by a line of clouds and disregarding that Ravana who is arrogant of his strength."
pati vrataa ca sushroNii avaShTabdhaa ca jaanakii || 5-59-27
anuraktaa hi vaidehii raamam sarva aatmanaa shubhaa |
ananya cittaa raame ca paulomii iva puram dare || 5-59-28
27, 28. jaanakii= Seetha; pati vrataa= a devoted and virtuous; wife; sushroNii= having beautiful hips; avaSTabdhaa= has been placed under restraint; shubhoo= the auspicious; vaidehii= Seetha; anuraktaa= who is devoted; raamam= to Rama; sarvaatmanaa= in all ways; ananya chittaa= giving her undivided thought; raame= to Rama; paulomiiva= like Shachi the goddess; puram dare= in the concern of Indra the destroyer of strong holds.
"Seetha, a devoted and virtuous wife, having charming hips, has been placed under restraint. The auspicious Seetha is devoted to Rama in all ways, giving her undivided thought to Rama like Shachi the goddess, giving her concern to Indra the destroyer of strong holds."
tat eka vaasaH samviitaa rajo dhvastaa tathaiva ca |
shoka samtaapa diina angii siitaa bhartR^i hite rataa || 5-59-29
29. siitaa= Seetha; tat eka vaasaH samviitaa= wearing that single piece of cloth; tathaiva= and even; rajo dhvastaa= covered with dust; shoka samtaapa diina aNgii= with her body looking miserable with grief and anguish; rataa= devoted as she is; bhartR^i hite= to the welfare of her husband.
"Weaving that single piece of cloth, which she had on her person even while being borne away by Ravana, and likewise covered with dust, she was seen by me in a miserable condition with her grief and anguish, devoted as she was to the welfare of her husband."
saa mayaa raakShasii madhye tarjyamaanaa muhuH muhuH |
raakShasiibhiH viruupaabhiH dR^iShTaa hi pramadaa vane || 5-59-30
eka veNii dharaa diinaa bhartR^i cintaa paraayaNaa |
adhaH shayyaa vivarNa angii padminii iva hima aagame |
raavaNaat vinivR^itta arthaa martavya kR^ita nishcayaa || 5-59-31
30, 31. tarjyamaanaa= (Seetha) was being frightened; muhuH muhuH= time and again; viruupaabhiH raakSasiibhiH= by the ugly female-demons; saa= that Seetha; eka veNii dharaa= wearing a single braid of hair; diinaa= looking depressed; bhartR^i chinta paraayaNaa= fully engaged in thinking about her lord; adhaH shayyaa= sleeping on the ground; padminiiva= and looking like a lotus; vivarNaangii= with a discoloured figure; hima agame= on the arrival of winter-season; vinivR^itta arthaa raavaNaat= having averted to the object of Ravana; martavya kR^ita nishchayaa= and having determined to die; dR^iSTaa= was seen; mayaa= by me; pramadaa vane= in a royal pleasure-garden; raakSasii madhye= amidst female-demons.
"I saw Seetha in a royal pleasure garden, amidst some female-demons. Seetha was being frightened time and again by those ugly female-demons. That Seetha, wearing a single braid of hair and looking depressed, was fully engaged in thinking about her lord. Looking like a lotus with a discoloured figure in winter, she had determined to die, utterly averting to do anything with Ravana."
kathamcin mR^iga shaava akShii vishvaasam upapaaditaa || 5-59-32
tataH sambhaaShitaa caiva sarvam artham ca darshitaa |
raama sugriiva sakhyam ca shrutvaa priitim upaagataa || 5-59-33
32, 33. mR^igashaabaakSii= Seetha, the fawn-eyed woman; upapaaditaa= was given; vishvaasam= confidence; kathamchit= with a great difficulty; tataH= thereupon; sambhaaSitaachaiva= she was conversed with; sarvam artham= and the entire thing; darshitaa= explained; upaagataa= (She) came to; priitim= delight; shrutvaa= after hearing; raamasugriiva sakhyam= the companionship between Rama and Sugreeva.
"With great difficulty, I created confidence in that fawn-eyed Seetha. Thereafter, I talked to her and explained everything to her. She was delighted to hear the companionship cropped up between Rama and Sugreeva."
niyataH samudaacaaro bhaktiH bhartari ca uttamaa |
yan na hanti dashagriivam sa mahaatmaa kR^itaagasam || 5-59-34
34. mahaatmaa saa= that high-souled Seetha; na hanti dashagriivam= does not kill Ravana; kR^itaagasam= who has committed an offence; (by subjecting him to a curse); itiyatniyataH samudaachaaraH= because she conducts herself well with restraint; uttamaa= supreme; bhaktiH= is her devotion; bhartari= to her lord.
"That high-souled Seetha does not kill Ravana who has committed an offence because she conducts herself well with restraint and since supreme is her devotion to her lord."
nimitta maatram raamaH tu vadhe tasya bhaviShyati |
saa prakR^ityaiva tanvaN^gii tadviyogaachchha karshitaa || 5-59-35
pratipatpaaaThashiilasya vidyeva tanutaam gataa |
35. raamastu= Rama, on his part; nimitta maatram bhaviSyati= will become a mere instrument; vadhe= in killing; tasya= of that Ravana; saa= that Seetha; tanvaNgii= who is a delicate-limbed woman; prakR^ityeva= just by her nature; karshitaacha= was emaciated; tadviyogaat= by the separation from her lord; gataa= has grown; tanutaam= thin; pratipatpaaTha shiilasya vidyaiva= like the learning of a scholar continuing his studies even on the first day of a lunar fortnight (which must be observed as a complete holiday, by students).
"Rama, on his part, will become mere instrument in killing that Ravana. That Seetha, who is by her own nature, on delicate-limbed woman, was emaciated because of separation from her lord. She had grown thin like the learning of a scholar continuing his studies even on the first day of lunar fortnight (which must be observed as a complete holiday by students."
evam aaste mahaabhaagaa siitaa shoka paraayaNaa || 5-59-36
yat atra pratikartavyam tat sarvam upapaadyataam |
36. evam= thus; mahaabhaagaa= the illustrious; siitaa= Seetha; shokaparaayaNaa= remains immersed in grief; atra= here; tat sarvam= let all that; upapaadyataam= be done; yat= which; prati kartavyam= requires to be counteracted by way of a relief; atra= in this matter.
"Thus, the illustrious Seetha remains immersed in grief. Let all that be done, which requires to be counteracted by way of a relief in this matter."
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe ekonaSaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus completes 59th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© August, 2006, K. M. K. Murthy