Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Vibhishana, the half-brother of Ravana, lists out bad omens occurring in the city and in the gynaeceum and advises Ravana to restore Seetha to Rama as an atonement t these evil forces. Ravana turns a deaf ear to Vibhishana’s counsel and sends him away. |
tataH pratyuSasi praapte praaptadharmaarthanishchayaH |
raakSasaadhipaterveshma bhiimakarmaa vibhiiSaNaH || 6-10-1
1. tataH= thereafter; vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; praapta dharmaartha nishcayaH= who arrived at a settlement about virtue, pleasure and wealth; bhiimakarmaa= and who was terrible in his act; praapte= on arrival of; pratyuSasi= the dawn; veshma= (entered) the palace; raakSasaadhipateH= of Ravana.
Vibhishana, who always arrived at a settlement in matters of virtue, pleasure and wealth and who was terrible in his act, on arrival of the dawn, entered the palace of Ravana.
shailaagracayasamkaasham shailashR^ij~gamivonnatam |
suvibhaktamahaakakSam mahaajanaparigraham || 6-10-2
2. shailaagracayasankaasham= looking like a multitude of mountain-tops; unnatam= elevated; shaila shR^ingamiva= like a mountain-peak; suvibhakta mahaakakSam= well-divided into large apartments mahaajana parigraham= occupied by eminent men.
Ravana’s palace was looking like a mass of rocks, elevated like a mountain-peak, well-divided into spacious apartments and occupied by eminent men.
matimadbhirmahaamaatrairanurakairadhiSThitam |
raakSasairaaptaparyaaptaih sarvataH parirakSitam || 6-10-3
3. adhiSThitam= It was inhabited; mahaamatraiH= by prime ministers; matimadbhiH= who were intelligent; anuraktaiH= and beloved; parirakSitam= It was guarded; sarvataH= on all sides; raakSasaiH= by demons; aapta paryaaptaiH= who were trust-worthy and efficient.
It was inhabited by prime ministers, who were intelligent and beloved. It was guarded on all sides by demons, who were trust worthy and efficient.
mattamaataj~ganiHshvaasairvyaakuliikR^itamaarutam |
shaj~khaghoSamahaaghoSam tuuryasambaadhanaaditam || 6-10-4
4. matta maatamga niHshvaasaiH= by the sighing breaths of elephants in rut; vyaakuliikR^ita maarutam= the air was filled; shaNkha ghoSa mahaaghoSam= with a tumultuous noise produced by the sounds of couches; tuurya sambaadha naaditaam= made to resound, by a set of musical instruments.
The air was filled with the sighing breaths of elephants in rut, with tumultuous noise produced by the blowing of conches and made to resound by an ensemble of musical instruments.
pramadaajanasambaadham prajalpitamahaapatham |
taptakaaJNcananiryuuham bhuuSaNottamabhuuSitam || 6-10-5
5 pramadaajana sambaadhaam= filled with women-folk; prajalpita mahaapatham= with principal pasaages having spoken words; taptakaaNcana niryuuham= with turrets made of pure gold; bhuuSaNottama bhuuSitam= adorned with excellent decorations.
The palace was filled with a number of women-folk. It was having principal passages in which spoken words were heard. It was having turrets made of pure gold and adorned with excellent decors.
gandharvaaNaamivaavaasamaalayam marutaamiva |
ratnasamcayasambaadham bhavanam bhoginaamiva || 6-10-6
6 aavaasam iva= It was like an abode; gandharvaaNaam= of Gandharvas; aalayam iva= like a palace marutaam= of Marus; ratna samhaya sambaadhaam= filled with a collection of jewels; bhavanam iva= resembling a house; bhoginaam= of serpents.
The palace was like an abode of Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and of Maruts (strom-gods) filled with a collection of jewels resembling a house of Nagas (serpent-gods).
tam mahaabhramivaaditya stejovistR^itarashmimaan |
agrajasyaalayam viiraH pravivesha mahaadyutiH || 6-10-7
7. viiraH= the valiant Vbhishana; mahaadyutiH= with great splendour; pravivesha= entered; tam aalayam= that mansion; agrajasya= of his elder brother, Ravana, mahaabhramiva= like a large cloud; aadityaH= by Sun; tejovistR^ita rashmimaan= with rays outstretched with splendour.
The valiant Vibhishana with great splendour entered that mansion of his elder brother, Ravana, like the sun with rays outstretched with splendour entering a big cloud.
puNyaan puNyaahaghoSaamshcha vedividbhirudaahR^itaan |
shushraava sumahaatejaa bhraaturvijayasamshritaan || 6-10-8
8. sumahaatejaaH= Vibhishana, with very great radiance; shushraava ca= heard; puNyaan= the auspicious; puNyaaha ghoSaan= sounds of felicitous recital of prayers; udaahR^itaam= uttered; vedavidbhiH= by the knowers of Veda; vijaya samshritaan= relating to victory; bhraatuH= of his brother.
Vibhishana with great radiance, heard the auspicious sounds of felicitous recital of prayers uttered by the knowers of Vedas (scriptural texts), wishing for the victory of his brother.
puujitaan dadhipaatraishca sarpirbhiH sumanokSataiH |
mantravedavido vipraan dadarsha sa mahaabalaH || 6-10-9
9. saH= he; mahaabalaH= with great strength; dadarsha= saw; vipraan= Brahmins; mantra veda vidaH= who knew Mantras (sacred texts) and Brahmanas; puujitaan= respected and offered with; dadhipaatraishca= pots filled with curd; sarpirbhiH= with clarified butter; sumanokSataiH= with flowers and unbroken grains of rice.
Vibhishana of great strength, saw Brahmins who know Mantras (sacred texts) and Brahmanas, respected and offered with pots filled of curd, clarified butter as well as with flowers and unbroken rice.
sa puujyamaano rakSobhiddiipyamaanam svatejasaa |
asavastham mahaabaahurvavande dhanadaanujam || 6-10-10
10. mahaabaahuH= the mighty armed; saH= Vibhishana; puujyamaanaH= being adored; rakSobhiH= by demons; diipyamaanam= and shining; svategasaa= by his own splendour; vavande= offered salutation; dhanadaanuham= to Ravana the younger brother Kubera (Lord of riches), aasanastham= who was on the throne.
The mighty armed Vibhishana, being adored by the deomons and shining by his own splendour, offered salutation to Ravana the younger brother of Kubera (the lord of riches), who occupied the throne.
sa raajadR^iSTisampannamaasanam hemabhuuSitam |
jagaama samudaacaaram prayujyaacaarakovidaH || 6-10-11
11. prayujya= employing; samudaacaaram= customary formalities; saH= Vibhishana; aachara kovidaH= who knew the code of conduct; jagaama= obtained; aasanam= a seat; hemabhuuSitam= adorned with gold; raaja dR^iSTi sampannam= endowed to him by a glance of the king.
Practicing customary formalities, Vibhishana who knew the code of conduct, obtained a seat adorned with gold, as endowed to him by a glance of the king.
sa raavaNam mahaatmaanam vijane mantrisamnidhau |
uvaaca hitamatyartham vacanam hetunishchitam || 6-10-12
12. mantra samnidhau= in the presence of ministers, vijane= and in privation; saH= Vibhishana; uvaacha= spoke; raavaNam= to Ravana; mahaatmaanam= the powerful; vachanam= the words; hetunishcitam= convinced of reason; atyartham= and very much; hitam= beneficial.
In the presence of ministers and in privation, Vibhishana spoke to powerful Ravana the words convinced of reason and which were very much beneficial.
prasaadya bhraataram jyeSTham saantvenopasthitakramaH |
deshakaalaarthasamvaadi dR^iSTalokaparaavaH || 6-10-13
13. dR^iSTa lokaparaaparaH= Vibhishana, who could behold good and evil things in the world; prasaadya= having sought the favour; jyeSTham bhraataram= from his elder (half-) brother, saantvenaa= by means of soothing words; upasthita kramaH= arranged in order; deshakaalartha samvaadi= spoke in consonance with place, time and purpose.
Vibhishana, who could discriminate between good and evil things in the world, having sought the favour from his eldest (half-) brother by means of soothing words arranged in an order, spoke in consonance with place, time and purpose.
yadaa prabhR^iti vaidehii sampraapteha paratapa |
tadaa prabhR^iti dR^ishyante nimittaanyashubhaani naH || 6-10-14
14. paramtapa= O, annihilator of enemies; yadaa prabhR^iti= since when; vaidehii= Seetha; sampraaptaa= came; iha= here; tadaa prabhR^iti= since then; ashubhaani= inauspicious; nimittaani= omnes; dR^ishyante= are being seen; naH= by us.
“O, annihilator of enemies! We are seeing inauspicious omens, since Seetha arrived here.”
sasphulij~gaH sadhuumaarcih sadhuumakaluSodayaH |
mantrasamghahuto.apyagnirna samyagabhivardhate || 6-10-15
15. mantra samghahutaH api= even if the sacrificial fire is fed with oblations while uttering a set of proper Mantras (scared texts); agniH= the fire; naabhivardhate= is not flaring up; samyak= well; sasphuliN^gaH= with rising sparks; sadhuumaarahiH= with flames containing smoke; sadhuumakaluSodayaH= cming forth polluted with soot.
“Even if the sacrificial fire is fed with oblations while uttering a proper set of Mantras (Spiritual texts), the fire is not flaring up well, emitting sparks, its flames are enveloped in smoke and are coming forth, polluted with soot.”
agniSTheSvagnishaalaasu tathaa brahmasthaliiSu ca |
pariipR^ipaaNi dR^ishyante havyeSu ca pipiilikaaH || 6-10-16
16. sariisR^ipaaNi= serpents; dR^ishyanti= are seen; agniSTheSu= at the corner of the sacrificial post which is nearest the fires; agnishaalaasu= in houses keeping sacrificial fire; tathaa= and; brahma sthaliiSu ca= in places where sacred studies are made; pipiilikaaH= ants (are seen); havyeSu= in things to be offered as oblations.
“Serpents are seen at the corner of the sacrificial post which is nearest the fire, also in houses keeping sacrificial fire and in places where sacred studies are made. Ants are seen in things to be offered as oblations.”
gavaam payaamsi skannaani vimadaa varakuJNjaraaH |
diinamashvaaH praheSante na ca graasaabhinandinaH || 6-10-17
17. payaamsi= milk; gavaam= of cows; skannaani= is getting curdled; varakuNjaraaH= excellent elephants; vimadaaH= are bereft of rut; ashraaH=horses; praheSante= are neighing, diinam= miserably; na ca= and not; graasaabhinanditaH= rejoicing at grass.
“Cow’s milk is getting curdled. Excellent elephants are bereft of rut. Horses are neighing miserably and are not rejoiced in eating grass.”
kharoSTraashvataraa raajanbhinnromaaH sravanti ca |
na svabhaave.avatiSThante vidhaanairapi cintataaH || 6-10-18
18. raajan= O, king; kharoSTraashvataraaH= donkeys, camels and mules; sravantica= shed tears; bhinna romaaH= losing their hair; chintitaaH.api= and even if treated vidhaanaiH= as per medical procedures; na avatiSThante= do not stand; svabhaave= to their nature.
“O, king! Donkeys, camels and mules shed tears, losing their hair and even if treated asper medical procedures are not getting cured.”
vaayasaaH saghashaH kruuraa vyaaharanti samantataH |
samavetaashca dR^ishyante vimaanaagreSu samghashaH || 6-10-19
19.kruuraaH vaayasaaH= crows; samghashaH= in flocks; vyaaharanti= are crying; kruuraaH= crudly; samastataH= from all sides; dR^shyante= are being seen; samghashaH= in crowds; samavetaaH= assembled together; vimanaagreSu= on house-tops.
“Crows in flocks are crying cruelly from all sides and are seen in crowds assembled together on house-tops.”
gR^idhraashca pariliiyante puriimupari piNDitaaH |
upapannaashca samdhye dve vyaaharantyashivam shivaaH || 6-10-20
20. gR^idhraashca= vultures; pariliiyante= fly to and from paripiNDitaaH= in circles; puriimupari= over the city; shivaaH= jackals; vyaaharanti= are crying; ashivam= inauspiciously; upasannaaH= at the approach; dve sandhye= of both dawn and dusk.
“Vultures fly to and fro in circles over the city. Jackals are crying inauspiciously at the approach of both dawn and the dusk.”
kravyaadaanaam mR^igaaNaam ca puriidvaareSu saj~ghashaH |
shruuyante vipulaa ghoSaaH savisphuurjitaniHsvanaaH || 6-10-21
21. puriidvaareSu= at city-gates; shruuyante= are heard; vipulaaH= loud; ghoSaaH= cries; kravyaadaanaam= of carnivorons; mR^igaaNaam= animals; saNghashaH= gathered in groups; savisphuurjita niHsvanaaH= with thundering noise.
“At city-gates are heard loud cries of carnivorous animals gathered in groups, with thundering noise.”
tadevam prastute kaarte praayashcittamidam kSamam |
rocaye viira vaidehii raaghavaaya pradiiyataam || 6-10-22
22. viira= O, brave man; tat= hence; kaarye= (when) the actions of evil forces; prastute= are happening; evam= in this way; idam= this; praayashcittam= atonement; kSama= is appropriate; rocaye= I like it; vaidehi= (that) Seetha; pradiiyataam= be given away; raaghavaaya= to Rama.
“O, brave man! Hence, when the actions of evil forces are happening in this way, this atonement is appropriate that Seetha be given away to Rama and I like it.”
idam ca yadi vaamohaallobhaadvaa vyaahR^itam mayaa |
tatraap ca mahaaraaja na doSam kartumarhasi || 6-10-23
23. mahaaraja= O, emperor; mayaa vyahR^itam yadi= if I am speaking; idam= this; mohaadvaa= because of infatuation; lobhaadvaa= or greed; tatraapi= in that case also; naarhasi= you ought not; kartum= to find; doSam= fault (with me).
“O, emperor! If I am speaking this because of infatuation or greed, in that case also, you ought not to find fault with me.”
ayam hi doSaH sarvasya janasyaapyopalakSyate |
rakSasaam raakSasiinaam ca purasyaantaH purasya ca || 6-10-24
24. ayam= these; doSaH= bad omens; upalakSyate hi= are being seeing indeed; rakSasaam= by demons; raakSasiinaamca= by lady-demons; purasya= of the city; antaHpuraasya= and of the gynaeceum; sarvasya= and all; asya= these; janasya= people.
“These bad omens are being seen indeed by demons and lady-demons of the city and of the gynaeceum as well as all these people here.”
praapaNe caasya mantrasya nivR^ittaaH sarvamantriNaH |
avashyam ca mayaa vaacyam yaddR^iSTamathavaa shrutam || 6-10-25
samvidhaaya yathaanyaayam tadbhavaan kartumarhati |
25. sarva mantriNaH= all the ministers; nivR^ittaaH= have abstained; praapaNe= to pass; asya= this; mantrasya= counsel; yat= whatever; dR^iSTam= is seen; athavaa= or; shrutam= heard (it); vaacyam= is to be told; avashyam= surely; mayaa= by me; tat= hence, bhavaan= you; arhati= ought; kartum= to do; yathaanyaayam= according to fitness of things; samvidhaaya= for the occasion.
“All your ministers have abstained to pass this counsel to you. Whatever is seen or heard, it is to be told certainly by me. Hence, you ought to do according to a justification of things for the occasion.”
iti svamantriNaam madhye bhraataa bhraataramuucivaan || 6-10-26
raavaNam rakSasaam shreSTham pathyametadvibhiiSaNaH |
26. vibhishaNaH= Vibhishana; bhraataa= (the half-)brother; uucivaan= spoke; iti= these; pathyam= beneficial; etat= words; raavaNam= to Ravana; rakSasaam shreSTham= the best among demons; svamantriNaam= in the midst of ministers; bhraataram= of his (half-) brother
Vibhishana, the half- bother spoke these beneficial words to Ravana, the best among demons in the midst of his half-brother’s ministers.
hitam mahaartham maR^idu hetusamhitam |
vyatiitakaalaayatisampratikSamam |
nishamya tadvaakyamupasthitajvaraH |
prasaj~gavaanuttarameta dabraviit || 6-10-27
27. prasaNgavaan= Ravana, who had evil inclination; nishamya= heard; tat= those; vaakyam= words; hitam= which were beneficial; mahaartam= very well-meaning; mR^idu= soft; hetusamhitam= conformable to reason; vyatiitakaalaayati sampratikSamam= and suitable for the past future and the present times, upasthitajvaraH= got enraged; abraviit= uttered; etat= this; uttaram= reply.
Ravana, who had evil inclination, heard those words, which were beneficial very well-meant, soft, conformable to reason and suitable for the past future and present times, got enraged and uttered this reply.
bhayam na pashyaami kutashcidapyaham |
na raaghavaH praapsyati jaatu maithiliim |
suraiH sahendrairapi samgare katham |
mamaagrataH sthaasyati lakSmaNaagrajaH || 6-10-28
28. na pashyaami= I do not see; bhayam= fear; bhayam= fear; kutashchidapi= from whom so ever; raamaH= Rama; napraapsyati= cannot obtain; maithiliim= Seetha; jaatu= by any means; katham= how; lakshmaNaagrajaH= Rama; sthaasyati= can stand; agrataH= before me; sangare= in battle; shendraiH= even along with Indra; surairapi= together with celestials also?
“I do not see any fear from whom so ever. Rama cannot obtain Seetha by any means. How Rama even along with Indra and the celestials can stand before me in battle?”
ityevamukrvaa surasainyanaashano |
mahaabalaH samyati caNDavikramaH |
dashaanano bhraataramaaptavaadinam |
visarjayaamaasa tadaa vibhiiSaNam || 6-10-29
29. dasgaababaH= Ravana; surasainya raashanaH= who annihilates the army of celestials; mahaabalaH= (and) very powerful; chaNDavikramaH= with an impetuous valour; ityevam= thus; uktvaa= spoke; tadaa= then; visarjayaamaasa= sent away; vibhiiSaNam= Vibhishana; aaptavaadinam= who spoke honestly.
Ravana, who annihilated the army of celestials and who was very powerful with an impetuous valour, thus spoke and then sent away Vibhishana, who had spoken honestly.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe dashamaH sargaH
Thus completes 10th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© June 2003, K. M. K. Murthy