Book V : Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
Hanuma narrates at length an incident connected with a crow that occured during the sojourn of Seetha with Rama at Chitrakuta, which was related by Seetha by way of a token of remembrance. Seetha then describes her miserable state to Hanuma and requests him to ask Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva to came to Lanka to destroy Ravana together with his army. Hanuma consoles Seetha, saying that Rama and Lakshmana would reduce Lanka to ashes and take her back to Ayodhya. When Hanuma further requests Seetha to give a token of remembrance to be handed over to Rama, she gives him a jewel for the head as a token. |  |
evam uktaH tu hanumaan raaghaveNa mahaatmanaa |
siitaayaa bhaaShitam sarvam nyavedayata raaghave || 5-67-1
1. evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; mahaatmanaa= by the high-souled; raaghaveNa= Rama; hanumaan= Hanuma; nyavedayata= reported; raaghave= to Rama; sarvam= all; bhaaSitam= the words; siitaayaaH= of Seetha.
Hearing the words of the high-souled Rama, Hanuma reported to Rama, all the words spoken by Seetha.
evam uktavatii devii jaanakii puruSha R^iShabha |
puurva vR^ittam abhij~naanam citra kuuTe yathaa tatham || 5-67-2
2. puruSarSabha= O Rama the foremost of men!; jaanakii= Seetha; devii= the princess; uktavatii= spoke; yathaa tatham= a detailed account of an event; puurvavR^ittam= that occured previously; chitrakuuTe= in Mount chitrakuta; abhiJNaanam= as a token of recollection.
"O Rama the foremost of men! Seetha, the princess, spoke a detailed account of an event which occurred long ago in Mount Chitrakuta, as a token of recollection."
sukha suptaa tvayaa saardham jaanakii puurvam utthitaa |
vaayasaH sahasaa utpatya viraraada stana antare || 5-67-3
3. jaanakii= Seetha; sukha suptaa= who slept happily; tvayaa saartham= with you; utthitaa= got up; puurvam= before you; vaayasaH= a crow; utpatya= coming down; sahasaa= quickly; vidadaara= tore the flesh; stanaantare= at an area in the midst of her breasts (with its beak).
"Seetha, who slept happily by your side (at one instance) got up before you. A crow coming down quickly, tore her flesh at an area in the midst of her breasts (with its beak)."
paryaayeNa ca suptaH tvam devi anke bharata agraja |
punaH ca kila pakShii sa devyaa janayati vyathaam || 5-67-4
4. bharata agraja= O Rama!; tvam= you; suptaH= slept; paryaayeNa= in your turn; devi anke= on the lap of the princes; saH pakSii= that crow; punaH ca= again; janayati kila vyathaam= began to torment; devyaaH= the princess.
"O Rama! You slept in your turn on the lap of the princess. That crow again began to torment the princess."
punaH punarupaagamya viraraada bhR^isham kila |
tataH tvam bodhitaH tasyaaH shoNitena samukShitaH || 5-67-5
5. upaagamya= coming near; punaH punaH= again and again; vidadaarakila= it tore (her breast); bhR^isham= severely; tataH= thereafter; samukSitah= dampened; tasyaaH shoNitena= by her blood; tvam= you; bodhitaH kila= were awakened (by her).
"Coming near again and again, it tore her breast severely. Dampened by her blood, you then were awakened by her."
vaayasena ca tena eva satatam baadhyamaanayaa |
bodhitaH kila devyaaH tvam sukha suptaH param tapa || 5-67-6
6. param tapa= O tormentator of enemies!; devyaa= by Seetha the princess; baadhyamaanayaa= who was being tormented; satatam= ceaselessly; te vaayasenaiva= by that crow; tvam= you; sukhasuptaH= who were sleeping happily; bodhitaH kila= were awakened.
"O tormentator of enemies! Though lying happily asleep, you were awakened by Seetha the princess, who was being ceaselessly tormented by the crow."
taam tu dR^iShTvaa mahaabaaho raaditaam ca stana antare |
aashii viSha iva kruddho nihshvasann abhyabhaaShathaaH || 5-67-7
7. mahaabaaho= O Rama with long arms! dR^iSTvaa= seeing; taam= her; daaritaam= who was lacerated; stana antare= at the midst of her breasts; kruddhaH= you were enraged; nishvasann aashii visha iva= like a hissing snake; abhyabhaaSathaaH= spoke (to her as follows):
"O long-armed Rama! Seeing her, who was lacerated at the midst of her breasts, you were enraged like a hissing snake and spoke to her as follows."
nakha agraiH kena te bhiiru daaritam tu stana antaram |
kaH kriiDati saroSheNa panca vaktreNa bhoginaa || 5-67-8
8. bhiiru= O bashful one!; kena= by whom; te stana antaram= was your mid-area of your breasts; daaritam= lacerated; nakha agraiH= with nail-points?; kaH kriiDati= who is playing; saroSeNa= with an angry; pancha vaktreNa= five-hooded; bhoginaa= serpent?
" 'O bashful Seetha! By whom was the middle of your breasts lacerated with nail-points? Who is playing with an angry five-hooded serpent?"
niriikShamaaNaH sahasaa vaayasam samavaikShataaH |
nakhaiH sarudhiraiH tiikShNaiH maam eva abhimukham sthitam || 5-67-9
9. niriikSamaaNaH= looking around; samavaikShataaH= you saw; sahasaa= suddenly; vaayasam= a crew; sthitam= which perched; taameva abhimukham= in front of her; tiikSNaiH nakhaiH= with its sharp nails; sarudhiraiH= stained with blood.
"Looking around, you suddenly saw a crow, which perched in front of Seetha, with its sharp nails stained with blood."
sutaH kila sa shakrasya vaayasaH patataam varaH |
dharaa antara caraH shiighram pavanasya gatau samaH || 5-67-10
10. saH vaayasaH= that crow; varaH= the foremost; patataam= among the birds; shakrasya putraH kila= was indeed the son of Indra the lord of celestials; dhara antara caraH= dwelling in the middle of the mountains; samaH= and equal; shiighram gatau= in speed; pavanasya= to wind.
"That crow, foremost of the birds was indeed the son of Indra the lord of celestials; dwelling in the middle of the mountains and equal in speed to the wind."
tataH tasmin mahaabaaho kopa samvartita iikShaNaH |
vaayase tvam kR^itvaaH kruuraam matim matimataam vara || 5-67-11
11. mahaabaaho= O great armed one!; matimataam vara= O excellent among the wise! Kopa samvarta iikShaNaH= with your eyes rolling with anger; tvam= you; tataH= then; kR^ithaaH= harboured; kruuraam= a cruel; matim= intention; tasmin vaayase= against that crow.
"O great armed Rama, the excellent among the wise! With your eyes rolling with anger, you then harboured a cruel intention against that crow."
sa darbham samstaraat gR^ihya brahma astreNa nyayojayaH |
pradiipta iva kaala agniH jajvaala abhimukhaH khagam || 5-67-12
12. gR^ihya= taking; darbham= a blade of grass; samstaraat= from you bed of the sacred grass; ayojayaH= you charged it; braahma astreNa= with the potency of Brahma missile; saH diiptaH= that flaming blade; jajvaala= blazed forth; kaala agniH iva= like the fire of universal dissolution; khagam abhimukhaH= with its end facing that bird.
"Taking a blade of grass from your bed of the sacred grass, you charged it with the potency of Brahma missile. That flaming blade blazed forth like the fire of universal dissolution, with its end facing the bird."
kSiptavaamstvam pradiiptam darbham tam vaayasam prati |
tataH tu vaayasam diiptaH sa darbho anujagaama ha || 5-67-13
13. tvam= you; kSiptavaan= hurled; tam pradiiptam darbham= that flaming blade of grass; vaayasam prati= towards the crow; tataH= then; saH diiptaH darbhaH= that flaming blade of grass; anujagaama= followed; vaayasam= the crow.
"You hurled that flaming blade of grass towards the crow. Then that flaming blade of grass for its part followed the crow."
sa pitraa ca parityaktaH suraiH sarvaiH maharShibhiH |
triin lokaan samparikramya traataaram na adhigacChati || 5-67-14
14. partiyaktaH= forsaken; suraisH ca= by all the celestials; pitraa ca= its father, Indra; sa maharSibhiH= and the sages also; saH= (that crows) na adhigacchati= did not find; traataaram= a protector; samparikramya= after going round; triin lokaan= the three worlds (heave, earth and the lower regions).
"Forsaken by all the celestials, Indra, its father and the sages too, that crow did not find a protector even after going round all the three worlds (heaven, earth and the lower regions)."
punarevaagatastrastastvatsakaashamarimdama |
sa tam nipatitam bhuumau sharaNyaH sharaNaa gatam || 5-67-15
vadha arham api kaakutstha kR^ipayaa paripaalayaH |
15. arindama= O destroyer of enemies!; trastaH= frightened; (the crow); aagataH= came; tvatsakaasham= to your presence; punareva= once again; vadhaarham api= though fit to be killed; saH kaakutthsaH= that Rama; sharaNyaH= affording shelter; paryapaalayaH= protected; kR^ipanaa= with mercy; tam= to that crow; nipatitam= which had fallen; bhuumau= flat on the ground; sharaNaagatam= and who sought your protection.
"O destroyer of enemies! Being frightened the crow came to your presence once again and sough your protection. Though fit to be killed, you on your part, affording shelter, in mercy to the crow, protected that crow which had fallen flat on the ground."
mogham astram na shakyam tu kartum iti eva raaghava || 5-67-16
bhavaamstasyakSi kaakasya hinasti sma sa dakSiNam |
16. raaghava= O Rama!; ityeva= because; na shakyam= it is not possible; kartum= to make; astram= the missile; mogham= a waste; bhavaan= you; hinanti sma= destroyed; dakSinam akSi= the right eye; kaakasya= of the cow.
'O Rama! Since it is not possible to make the missile a waste, you destroyed the right eye of the crow."
raama tvaam sa namaH kR^itvaa raaj~no dasharathasya ca || 5-67-17
visR^iShTaH tu tadaa kaakaH pratipede kham aalayam |
14. partiyaktaH= forsaken; suraisH ca= by all the celestials; pitraa ca= its father, Indra; sa maharSibhiH= and the sages also; saH= (that crows) na adhigacchati= did not find; traataaram= a protector; samparikramya= after going round; triin lokaan= the three worlds (heave, earth and the lower regions).
"O Rama! Then, that crow, having been discharged by you, went back to its own habitation, after offering salutation to you and to king Dasaratha."
evam astravidaam shreShThaH sattvavaan shiilavaan api || 5-67-18
kim artham astram rakShahsu na yojayasi raaghava |
18. raaghava= O Rama!; kim artham= why; na yojayasi= are you not employing; astram= the missile; evam= thus; rakShassu= on the demons; shreSThaH api= though foremost; astravidaam= among the wielders courageous; shiilavaan= and possessed of good disposition.
"O Rama! Why are you not employing the same type of a missile on the demons, though you are the foremost among the wielders of missiles, though courageous and possessed of good disposition?"
na naagaa na api gandharvaa na asuraa na marut gaNaaH || 5-67-19
na cha sarve raNe shaktaa raamam pratisamaasitum |
19. naagaaH= Nagas the celestials serpents; na shaktaaH= are not capable; na gandharvaaH api= Nor even Gandharvas the celestial musicians; na marut gaNaaH= nor the troops of maruts, the na sarve= nor all of them put together; pratisamaasitum= of fighting; raamam prati= against Rama; raNe= in battle.
"Neither the Nagas the celestials serpents nor even Gandharvas the celestial musicians nor the demons nor the troop of Maruts the host of gods, nor all of them joined together are capable of fighting with Rama."
tasya viiryavataH kaccin mayi yadi asti sambhramaH || 5-67-20
kShipram sunishitaiH baaNaiH hanyataam yudhi raavaNaH |
20. yadi= If; viiryavataH tasya= to that powerful Rama; sambhramaH asti= there is eagerness; mayi= in my matter; hanyataam raavaNaH= let Ravana, be killed; yudhi= in battle; kShipram= quickly; sunishitaiH baaNaiH= with very sharp arrows.
"If that powerful Rama is eager to save me, let him kill Ravana in battle quickly with his exceptionally sharp arrows."
bhraatuH aadesham aadaaya lakShmaNo vaa param tapaH || 5-67-21
sa kim artham nara varo na maam rakShati raaghavaH |
21. kim artham= why; saH lakSmaNo vaa= even that Lakshmana; param tapaH= the annihilator of adversaries; naravaraH= the foremost among men; raaghavaH= born in Raghu dynasty; na rakShati= is not saving; maam= me; aaJNaaya= with permission; aadesham= (by way of) an order; bhraatuH= of Rama his brother?
"Why even that Lakshmana, the annihilator of adversaries and the foremost of men born in Raghu dynasty is not saving me, by taking orders from Rama his brother?"
shaktau tau puruSha vyaaghrau vaayv agni sama tejasau || 5-67-22
suraaNaam api durdharShau kim artham maam upekShataH |
22. kim artham= wherefore; tau shaktau= those two competent brothers, Rama and Lakshmana; vaayv agni sama tejasau= having their splendour similar to that of wind and fire; puruSa vyaaghrau= and the excellent among men; durdharSau.api= even though they can conquer; suraaNaam= the celestials; upekSataH= are ignoring; maam= me?
"Wherefore those two competent brothers Rama and Lakshmana, with their splendour equal to that of air and fire, and excellent among men, even though they can conquer the celestials, are ignoring me?"
mama eva duShkR^itam kimcin mahat asti na samshayaH || 5-67-23
samarthau sahitau yan maam na apekShete param tapau |
23. kimchit= some; mahat= great; duSkR^itam= impure act; asti= was there; mamaiva= on my part; na samshayaH= there is no doubt; yat= for which reason; tau= those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana; param tapau= who torment the enemies; samarthaavapi= eventhough capable; na avekSate= are not paying attention; maam= to me.
"There is no doubt that I had done some big impure act, for which reason those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana, who torment the enemies, even though capable, are not paying attention to me."
vaidehyaa vacanam shrutvaa karuNam saashru bhaaShitam || 5-67-24
punaH api aham aaryaam taam idam vacanam abruvam |
24. shrutvaa= hearing; karuNam= the miserable; vachanam= words; vaidehyaaH= of Seetha; saashru bhaaSitam= spoken with tears; aham= I; punaH api= again; abruvam= spoke; taam aaryaam= to that venerable Seetha; idam vachanam= the following words:
Hearing the miserable words of Seetha spoken with tears, I again spoke to that venerable Seetha the following words:
tvat shoka vimukho raamo devi satyena te shape || 5-67-25
raame duhkha abhibhuute ca lakShmaNaH paritapyate |
25. devi= O Seetha the princess!; raamaH= Rama; tvat shoka vimukhaH= has grown indifferent because of grief born of separation from you; shape= I swear; te= to you; satyena= truly; raame= Rama; duhkha abhibhuute= being overcome with grief; lakSmaNaH cha= Lakshmana too; paritapyate= is feeling pain.
" 'O Seetha the princess! Rama has grown indifferent because of grief born of separation from you. I swear it to you truly. Rama, being overwhelmed with grief, Lakshmana too is feeling pain."
kathamcit bhavatii dR^iShTaa na kaalaH parishocitum || 5-67-26
asminmuhuurtam duhkhaanaam antam drakShyasi bhaamini |
26. anindite= O faultless one!; bhavatii= you dR^iSTaa= have been seen; kathamchit= somehow; na kaalam= this is not time; devitum= to lament; drakSyasi= you will see; antam= the end; duhkhaanaam= of your sorrows; imam muhuurtam= during this very moment.
" 'O faultless one! You can give now, a token of recollection, which Rama can recognize and which can beget happiness to him."
taav ubhau nara shaarduulau raaja putraav arim damau || 5-67-27
tvat darshana kR^ita utsaahau lankaam bhasmii kariShyataH |
27. ubhau tau raja putrau= those two princes; nara shaarduulau= the foremost among men; aninditau= and the faultless ones; tavat darshana kR^ita utsaahau= who are eager to see you; laN^kaam bhasmii kariSyataH= can reduce Lanka to ashes.
" 'Those two princes, the foremost among men and the faultless ones are eager to see you. They can reduce Lanka to ashes'."
hatvaa ca samare raudram raavaNam saha baandhavam || 5-67-28
raaghavaH tvaam mahaabaahuH svaam puriim nayate dhruvam |
28. varaarohe= O lady with charming hips!; hatvaa cha= killing; rondram= the terrific; raavaNam= Ravana; saha baandhavam= together with his relatives; samare= in battle; raaghavaH= Rama; nayate= will take; tvaam= you; svaam puriim= to his City of Ayodhya; dhruvam= It is certain.
" 'O lady with charming hips! Killing the terrific Ravana together with his relatives in battle, Rama will certainly take you to his City of Ayodhya'."
yat tu raamo vijaaniiyaat abhij~naanam anindite || 5-67-29
priiti samjananam tasya pradaatum tattvam arhasi |
29. anindite= O faultless one!; tvam= you; arhasi= ought; daatum= to give; iha= now; abhiJNaanam= a token of recollection; yat= which; raamaH= Rama; vijaaniiyaat= can recognize; priiti samjananam= and which can beget happiness; tasya= to him.
" 'O faultless one! You can give now, a token of recollection, which Rama can recognize and which can beget happiness to him."
saa abhiviikShya dishaH sarvaa veNi udgrathanam uttamam || 5-67-30
muktvaa vastraat dadau mahyam maNim etam mahaabala |
30. mahaabala= O mighty Rama!; abhiviikSya= having surveyed; sarvaaH= all; dishaH= the directions; muktvaa= and untying; vastraat= from the end of her garment; etam uttamam maNim= this excellent jewel; veNudgrathitam= which was being strung together in her hair; saa= the Seetha; dadau= gave it; mahyam= to me.
"O mighty Rama! Having surveyed all the directions and having untied from the end of her garment, this excellent jewel which was being strung together in her hair that Seetha gave it to me."
pratigR^ihya maNim divyam tava heto raghu uttama || 5-67-31
shirasaa sampraNamya enaam aham aagamane tvare |
31. raghuudvaha= O Rama!; pratigR^ihya= taking; divyam maNim= that wonderful jewel; tava hetoH= for your sake; praNamya= and offering my salutation; shirasaa= by bowing my head; aaryaam taam= to that venerable Seetha; aham= I; tvare= was seized with a haste; aagamane= to come back.
"O Rama! Taking that wonderful jewel for your sake from her, and offering my salutation by bowing my head to that venerable Seetha, I was seized with a haste to come back."
gamane ca kR^ita utsaaham avekShya vara varNinii || 5-67-32
vivardhamaanam ca hi maam uvaaca janaka aatmajaa |
32. avekSya= seeing; maam= me; kR^ita utsaaham= who was in a hurry; gamane= to come back; vivardhamaanam cha= and augmenting my body abundantly; jaanaka atmajaa= Seetha; varavarNinii= having a beautiful complexion; uvaacha= spoke.
"Seeing me who was in a hurry to come back and augmenting my body abundantly, Seetha having a beautiful complexion spoke to me."
ashru puurNa mukhii diinaa baaShpa samdigdha bhaaShiNii || 5-67-33
mamotpatanasambraantaa shokavegasamaahataa |
33. ashru puurNa mukhii= with her eyes filled with tears; diinaa= looking miserable; baSpa samdigdha bhaaSiNii= with ambiguous words coming out of her choked throat; mama utpatana sambhraantaa= bewildered as she was that I was going to fly away; (she spoke to me as follows); shokavega samaahataa= afflicted with a gush a grief.
"With her eyes filled with tears, looking miserable, with her words ambiguously coming out of her coked throat, bewildered as she was, at the though of my flying away and afflicted with a gush of grief; (she spoke to me as follows):
hanuman simha samkaashau taav ubhau raama lakShmaNau || 5-67-34
sugriivam ca saha amaatyam sarvaan bruuyaa anaamayam |
34. hanumaan= O Hanuma!; bruuyaaH= ask; tau ubhau raama lakSmaNau= those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana; sugriivam cha= Sugreeva; saha amaatyam= together with his ministers; sarvaan= and all others; anaamayam= about their well-being.
"O Hanuma! Inquire those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana looking like lions, Sugreeva together with his ministers and all others about their welfare."
yathaa ca sa mahaabaahuH maam taarayati raaghavaH |
asmaat duhkha ambu samrodhaat tat samaadhaatum arhasi || 5-67-35
imam ca tiivram mama shoka vegam |
rakShobhiH ebhiH paribhartsanam ca |
bruuyaaH tu raamasya gataH samiipam |
shivaH ca te adhvaa astu hari praviira || 5-67-36
etat tava aaryaa nR^ipa raaja simha |
siitaa vacaH praaha viShaada puurvam |
etac ca buddhvaa gaditam mayaa tvam |
shraddhatsva siitaam kushalaam samagraam || 5-67-37
35. tvam= you; arhasi= ought; samaadhaatum= to clear up difficulties; saH mahaabaahuH ramaH= for that mighty armed Rama; yathaa taarayati= so that he can help me to cross; asmaat= this; duHkhaambusamrodhaat= ocean of sorrow; haripraviira= O best of heroes among monkeys!; gataH= having one; raamasya samiipam= to the vicinity of Rama; bruuyaaH= tell; mama= my; imam= this; tiivram= horrible; shokavegam= gush of grief; paribhartsanamcha= and the threatening; ebhiH rakSobhiH= by these female-demons; adhvaa= (let) your trave; astu= be; shivaH= happy; nR^iparaaja simha= O illustrious prince, the protector of men!; aaryaa= the venerable; siitaa= Seetha; viSaadapuurvam= filled with sorrow; aaha= spoke; tava= to you; etatvachaH= these words; buddhvaa= understanding; etat= this matter; yatitam= spoken mayaa by me; shraddhatsva= believe; siitaam= Seetha; samagraam= is completely; kushalaam= safe.
" 'You ought to clear up difficulties for that mighty armed Rama, so that he can help me to cross this ocean of sorrow. O best of heroes among monkeys! Approaching Rama, tell this horrible gush of my grief and the threats of these female-demons. Have a happy journey!' "O illustrious princes, the protector of men! The venerable Seetha filled with sorrow spoke these words to be conveyed to you. Comprehending this matter spoken by me, believe that Seetha is completely safe."
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye sumdarakaaNDe sptaSaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus completes 67th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© April, 2007, K. M. K. Murthy