Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Gods reach Lanka in aerial cars and approach Rama. They ask Rama why he ignores Seetha, when she is entering into the fire. Rama appeals them to describe in reality who he is. Brahma (the creator) proclaims his divinity and eulogizes him with hymns. |
tato hi durmanaa raamaH shrutvaivam vadataaM giraH |
dadhyau muhuurtaM dharmaatmaa baaShpavyaakulalochanaH || 6-117-1
1. shrutvaa= hearing; giraH= the cries; vadataam= of those who were wailing; evam= in that way; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous minded; raamaH= Rama; tataH= then; dadhyau= became thoughtfu; muuurtam= for a while; durmanaaH= afflicted as he was in melancholy; baaShpa vyaakula lochanoH= his eyes filled with tears.
Hearing the cries of these who were thus wailing, the virtuous minded Rama then became thoughtful for a while, afflicted as he was with melancholy, his eyes filled with tears.
tato vaishravaNo raajaa yamashcha pR^ibhiH saha |
sahasraakShashcha devesho varuNashcha jaleshvaraH || 6-117-2
ShaDrdhanayanaH shriimaan mahaadevo vR^iShadhvajaH |
kartaa sarvasya lokasya brahmaa brahmavidaaM varaH || 6-117-3
ete sarve samaagamya vimaanaiH suuryasaMnibhaiH |
aagamya nagariiM laN^kaamabhijagmushcha raaghavam || 6-117-4
2-4. tataH= thereupon; vaishravaNaH= Kubera; raajaa= the king of Yakshas; yamashcha= Yama the lord of death; pitR^ibhiH saha= along with the deceased ancestors; sahasraakShaH= Indra; deveshaH= the lord of celestials; varuNashcha= Varuna; jaleshwaraH= the lord of waters; shriimaan mahaa devaH= the illustrious Shiva the great deity; shaDardhanayanaH= having three eyes; brahmaa= brahma; kartaa= the creator; sarvasya lokasya= of all the worlds; brahmavidaam varaH= and the best among the knowers of sacred knowledge; sarve= all; ete= these; samaagamya= together; aagamya= reaching; laN^kaam nagariim= the City of Lanka; suurya samnibhaiH vimaanaiH= in aerial cars, shining like sun; abhijagmuH= and approached; raaghavam= Rama.
Thereupon, Kubera the King of Yakshas, Yama the lord of death together with the deceased ancestors, Indra the lord of celestials Varuna the lord of waters, the illustrious Shiva the great deity who bears the device of a bull as his banner and having three eyes, Brahma the creator of all the worlds and the best among the knowers of sacred knowledge all these together reaching the City of Lanka in aerial cars, shining like the sun approached Rama.
tataH sahastaabharaNaan pragR^ihya vipulaan bhujaan |
abruvaMstridashashreShThaa raaghavaM praaJNjaliM sthitam || 6-117-5
5. tataH= thereupon; tridasha shreShThaaH= those excellent gods; pragR^ihya= lifting; vipulaan bhujaan= their long arms; shastaabharaNaam= their hands decked with ornaments (as follows); abruvan= spoke; raaghavam= to Rama; sthitam= who stood (there); sahastaabharaNaan= making a respectful salutation with folded hands.
Lifting their long arms, their hands decked with ornaments, those excellent gods thereupon, spoke (as follows) to Rama who stood there, making a respectful salutation to them with his folded hands.
kartaa sarvasya lokasya shreShTho jJNaanavataaM prabhuH |
upekShase kathaM siitaaM patantiiM havyavaahane || 6-117-6
kathaM devagaNashreShThamaatmaanaM naavabuddhyase |
6. katham= how; upekShase= are you looking at; siitaam= Seetha; patantiim= who is falling; havyavaahane= into the fire; samsta lokasya kartaa= (you) who are the maker of the entire cosmons; jJNaanavataam shreShThaH= and the foremost among those endowed with knowledge; prabhuH= and an all-capable person; katham= how; naavabuddhyase= do you not know; aatmaanam= yourself; devagaNashreShTham= as the foremost among the troop of gods.
"How do you, the maker of the entire cosmos, the foremost among those endowed with knowledge and an all-capable person, ignore Seetha who is falling into the fire? How do you not recognize yourself to be the foremost of the troop of gods?"
R^itadhaamaa vasuH puurvaM vasuunaaM cha prajaapatiH || 6-117-7
trayaaNaamapi lokaanaamaadikartaa svayaM prabhuH |
7. vasuunaam= among the Vasus (a class of gods, eight in number); vasuH= you are the Vasu; R^itadhaama= R^itadhaama (one whose abode is Truth or the Divine law); puurvam= who was formerly; svayam prabhuH= self-constituted ruler; aadikartaa= the first creator; trayaaNaamapi= lokaanaam= of all the three worlds; prajaapatiH= and the lord of creatures.
"Among the Vasus (a class of gods, eight in number), you are the Vasu, named R^itadhama (one whose abode is Truth or the Divine Law) who was formerly the self-constituted ruler, the first creator of all the three worlds and the lord of creatures."
rudraaNaamaShTamo rudraH saadhyaanaamapi paJNchamaH || 6-117-8
ashvinau chaapi karNau te suuryaachandraamasau dR^ishau |
8. aShTamaH rudraH= you are the eight Rudra; rudraaNaam= among (eleven) Rudras; paN^chamaH= and the fifth (viryavaan by name) saadhyaanaam api= among the Sadhyas (a particular class of celestial beings belonging to Gana Devata); ashvinau= the twin= Aswinis (the physicians of gods); te karNau= are your ears; suurya chandrau= the sun and the moon; dR^ishau= constitute your eyes.
"You are the eighth Rudra among (eleven) Rudras and the fifth (Viryavan by name) among the Sadhyas (a particular class of celestials belonging to Gana Devata). The twin Aswinis are your ears. The sun and the moon constitute your eyes."
ante chaadau cha lokaanaaM dR^ishyase cha paraMtapa || 6-117-9
upekShase cha vaidehiiM maanuShaH praakR^ito yathaa |
9. paramtapa= O the destroyer of adversaries!; dR^ishyase= you are seen; aadau= at the beginning; ante cha= and at the end; lokaanaam= of the created beings; praakR^itaH maanuSho yathaa= just like a common man; upekShase= you are ignoring; vaidehiim= Seetha.
"O the destroyer of the adversaries. You are seen (to exist) at the beginning and at the end of creation. Yet, you ignore Seetha, just like a common man."
ityukto lokapaalaistaiH svaamii lokasya raaghavaH || 6-117-10
abravittridashashreShThaan raamo dharmabhR^itaaM varaH |
10. iti uktaH= thus spoken; taiH lokapaalaiH= by those guardians; raamaH= Rama; lokasya svaamii= the lord of creation; raaghavaH= who was born in Raghu dynasty; dharma bhR^itaam varaH= and the foremost one among the protectors of righteousness; abraviit= spoke; tridashashreShThaan= to those god-chiefs (as follows)
Hearing the words of those guardians of the world, Rama, the lord of creation, who was born in Raghu dynasty and the foremost one among protectors of righteousness, spoke to those god-chiefs as follows:
aatmaanaM maanuShaM manye raamaM dasharathaatmajam || 6-117-11
so.ahaM yasya yatashchaahaM bhagavaMstadbraviitu me |
11. manye= I think; aatmaanam= of myself; maanuSham= to be a human being; raamam= called Rama; dasharathaatmajam= the son of Dasaratha; bhagavaan= you, as a gracious Divinity; braviitu= tell; me= me; tat= that; saH aham yasya= which I as such really am; aham yashcha= and why I am like this.
"I think of myself to be a human being, by name Rama, the son of Dasaratha. You, as a gracious Divinity, tell me that which I as such really am like this."
iti bruvaaNaM kaakutthsaM brahmaa brahmavidaaM varaH || 6-117-12
abraviichchhR^iNu me vaakyaM satyaM satyaparaakrama |
12. kaakutthsam= to Rama; iti bruvaaNaam= thus speaking; brahmaa= Brahma; varaH= the foremost; brahma vidaam= among the knowers of Brahma the Absolute; abraviit= spoke (as follows); shruNu= listen; me satyam vaakyam= to my true word; satyaparaakrama= O the truly brave lord!"
Hearing the words of Rama, Brahma (the creator), the foremost among the knowers of Brahma the Absolute, spoke as follows: "Listen to my true word, O the truly brave lord!"
bhavaannaaraayaNo devaH shriimaaMshchakraayudhaH prabhuH || 6-117-13
ekashR^iN^go varaahastvaM bhuutabhavyasapatnajit |
13. bhavaan= you; prabhuH naaraayaNaH= are the Lord Narayaa himself; shriimaan devaH= the glorious god; chakraayudhaH= who wields the discus; tvam= you; varaahaH= are the divine Boar; eka shR^iN^gaH= with a single tusk; bhuuta bhavya sapatnajit= the conqueror of your past and future enemies.
"You are the Lord Narayana himself the glorious god, who wields the discus. You are the Divine Boar with a single tusk, the conqueror of your past and future enemies."
akSharaM brahma satyaM cha madhye chaante cha raaghava || 6-117-14
lokaanaaM tvaM paro dharmo viShvaksenashchaturbhajaH |
14. brahma= (you are) Brahma; akSharam= the imperishable; satyamcha= and the Truth; madhye cha antyecha= in the Middle and at the end; tvam= you are paraH dharmaH= the Supreme righteousness; lokaanaam= of people; viShvaksenaH= whose pwers go everywhere; chaturbhujaH= and the four-armed one.
"You are Brahma, the imperishable, the Truth abiding in the middle as well as at the end of the universe. You are the supreme righteousness of people, whose powers go everywhere. You are the four-armed."
shaarN^gadhanvaa hR^iShiikeshaH puruShaH puruShottamaH || 6-117-15
ajitaH khaDgadhR^igviShNuH kR^iShNashchaiva mahaabalaH |
15. shaarN^gadhanvaa= you are the wielder of a bow, called Sharnga hR^ishiikeshaH= the lord of the senses; puruShaH= the supreme soul of the universe; puruShottamaH= the best of men; ajitaH= the invincible; khaDgadhR^ik= the wielder of a sword named Nandaka; viShNuH= the all-pervader; kR^iShNashchaiva= the bestower of happiness to the earth; mahaabalaH= and endowed with great might.
"You are the wielder of a bow called Sarnga, the lord of the senses, the supreme soul of the universe, the best of men, the invincible, the wielder of a sword named Nandaka, the all-pervader, the bestower of happiness to the earth and endowed with great might."
senaaniirgraamaNiishcha tvaM tvaM buddhi stvaM kShamaa damaH || 6-117-16
prabhavashchaapyayashcha tvamupendro madhusuudanaH |
16. tvam= you; senaaniiH= are the leader of the army; graamaNiishcha= and the village headman; tvam= you; buddhiH= are the intellect; tvam= you; kShamaa= are the endurance; damaH= the subduer of the senses; tvam= you; prabhavaH= are the origin; apyayashcha= and the dissolution; upendraH= the Divine Dwarf (the younger brother of Indra); madhusuudanaH= and the destroyer of Madhu, the demon.
"You are the leader of the army and the village headman. You are the intellect. You are the endurance and the subduer of the senses. You are the origin and the dissolution of all, Upendra the Divine Dwarf and (the younger brother of Indra) as also the destroyer Madhu, the demon."
indrakarmaa mahendrastvaM padmanaabho raNaantakR^it || 6-117-17
sharaNyaM sharaNam cha tvaamahurdivyaa maharShayaH |
17. tvam= you; indrakarmaa= perform action for Indra the lord of celestials; mahendraH= the Supreme Ruler; padmanaabhaH= and the one having a lotus in one's navel; raNaantakR^it= and who puts an end to all in battle; divyaaH maharShayaH= the divine sages; aahuH= pronounce; tvaam= you; sharaNyam= to be fit to afford protection toa ll; sharaNam= and the refuge (for all).
"You perform action for Indra the lord of celestials, the Supreme Ruler, the one having a lotus in one's navel and who puts an end to all in battle. The divine sages pronounce you to be fit to afford protection to all and the refuge for all."
sahasrashR^iN^go vedaatmaa shatashiirSho maharShabhaH || 6-117-18
tvaM trayaaNaaM hi lokaanaamaadikartaa svayaMprabhuH |
siddhaanaamapi saadhyaanaamaashrayashchaasi puurvajaH || 6-117-19
18-19. vedaatmaa= In the form of the Vedas; maharShabhaH= you are the great bull; shatashiirShaH= with hundred heads (rules); sahasra shR^iNgaH= and thousand horns (precepts); tvam= you; aadikartaa= are the first creator of all; trayaaNaam lokaam= three worlds; svayamprabhuH= the self constituted Lord of all; asi= you are; aashrayaH cha= the refuge; puurvajaH= and the for bear; siddhaanaam= of Siddhas (a class of demi-gods endowed with mystic powers by virtue of their very birth) and Sadhyas (a class of celestial beings).
"In the form of the Vedas, you are the great Bull with hundred heads (rules) and thousand horns (precepts). You are the first creator of all, the three worlds, and the self constituted Lord of all. You are the refuge and the forbear of Siddhas (a class of demi-gods endowed with mystic powers by virtue of their very birth) and Sadhyas (a class of celestial beings.)"
tvaM yajJNstvaM vaShaTkaarastvamoMkaaraH paraatparaH || 6-117-20
prabhavaM nidhanaM vaa te no viduH ko bhavaaniti |
20. tvam= you; yajJNaH= are the sacrificial performance; tvam= you; vaShaTkaaraH= are the sacred syllable 'Vasat' (on hearing which the Adhvaryu priest casts the oblation to a deity into the sacrificial fire); tvam= you are; omkaaraH= the mysitic syllable "OM'; paraH= and higher; paraat= than the highest; nor your origin; na bhavaan kaH iti= nor who you are in reality.
"You are the sacrificial performance. You are the sacred syllable 'Vashat' (on hearing which the Adhvaryu priest casts the oblation to a deity into the sacrificial fire). You are the mystic syllable 'OM'. You are higher than the highest. People neither know your end nor your origin nor who you are in reality."
dR^ishyase sarvabhuuteShu goShu cha braahmaNeShu cha || 6-117-21
dikShu sarvaasu gagane parvateShu nadiiShu cha |
21. dR^ishyase= you appear; sarvabhuuteShu= in all created beings; goShucha= in the cattle; braahmaNeShu cha= in brahmanas; sarvaasu dikShu in all quarters; gagane= in the sky; parvateShu= in mountains; nadiiShu cha= and in rivers.
"You appear in all created beings in the cattle and in brahmanas. You exist in all quarters, in the sky, in mountains and in rivers."
sahasracharaNaH shriimaan shatashiirShaH sahasradR^ik || 6-117-22
tvaM dhaarayasi bhuutaani pR^ithiviiM cha saparvataam |
22. sahasracharaNaH= with thousand feet; shriimaan= along with Lakshmi the goddess of wealth; shata shiirShaH= with hundred heads; sahasra dR^ik= and with thousand eyes; tvam dhaarayasi= you bear; pR^ithiviimcha= the earth; bhuutaani= with all its created beings; saparvataam= along with the mountains.
"With thousand feet, with hundred heads and with thousand eyes along with Lakshmi the goddess of wealth, you bear the earth with all its created beings along with its mountains."
ante pR^ithivyaaH salile dR^ishyase tvaM mahoragaH || 6-117-23
triin lokaan dhaarayan raama devagandharvadaanavaan |
23. raama= O Rama!; tvam= you; dR^ishyase= appear; mahoragaH= as Sesha, a large serpent; salile= in water; ante pR^ithivyaaH= at the earth's bottom; dhaarayan= bearing; triin lokaan= the three worlds; devagandharva daanavaan= gods, Gandarvas the celestial musicians and the demons.
"O Rama! You appear as Sesha, a large serpent in water, at the earth's bottom, bearing the three worlds, gods, Gandharvas, the celestial musicians and the demons."
ahaM te hR^idayaM raama jihvaa devii sarasvatii || 6-117-24
devaa romaaNi gaatreShu brahmaNaa nirmitaaH prabho |
24. raama= O Rama!; aham= I (Brahma); te hR^idayam= am your heart; sarasvatii= Sarasvathi; devii= the goddess (of learning); jihvaa= is your tongue; prabho= O Lord!; sarvagaatreShu= In all your limbs; devaaH= the gods; nirmitaaH= have been created; brahmaNaa= by me, the Brahma; romaaNi= int eh form of hair.
"O Rama! I (brahma) am your heart. Saraswathi, the goddess (of learning) is your tongue. O lord! The gods created by Brahma are the hair on all your limbs."
nimeShaste smR^itaa raatrirunmeSho divasastathaa || 6-117-25
saMskaaraastvabhavanvedaa naitadasti tvayaa vinaa |
25. raatriH= Night; smR^itaa= has been recognized; te nimeShaH= as the closing of your eye-lids; tathaa= and; divasaH= the day; unmeShaH= as the opening of your eye-lids; tva samskaaraaH= the correct usages of your words; vedaaH= are the Vedas; tvayaa vinaa= bereft of you; etat= this (the visible universe); naasti bhavan= does not exist.
"Night has been recognized as the closing of your eye-lids and the day, as the opening of eye-lids. The correct usages of your words are the Vedas. Bereft of you, this visible universe does not exist."
jagatsarvaM shariiraM te sthairyaM te vasudhaatalam || 6-117-26
agniH kopaH prasaadaste somaH shriivatsalakShaNaH |
26. sarvam jagat= the entire cosmos; te shariiram= is your body; vasudhaatalam= the earth; te sthairyam= constitutes your firmness; agniH= fire; kopaH= is your anger; somaH= the moon (constitutes) te prasaadaH= your placidity; shriivatsa lakShmaNaH= you are Lord Vishnu (who bears the mark Srivatsa= a curl of white hair on his breast).
"The entire cosmos is your body. The earth constitutes your firmness. Fire is your anger. The moon constitutes your placidity. You are Lord Vishnu (who bears the mark Srivatsa - a curl of white hair on his breast)."
tvayaa lokaastrayaH kraantaaH puraa svairvikramaistribhiH || 6-117-27
mahendrashcha kR^ito raajaa baliM baddhvaa sudaaruNam |
27. puraa= in the past; trayaH= the three; lokaaH= worlds; kraantaaH= were occupied; tvayaa= by you; svaiH tribhiH vikramaiH= in your three strides; baddhvaa= after binding; sudaaruNam= the exceptionally formidable; balim= Bali; mahendraH= and Indra; kR^itaH raajaa= was made king.
"In the past, the three worlds were occupied by you in your three strides, after binding the exceptionally formidable Bali (the ruler of the three worlds) and Indra was made the king (by you)."
siitaa lakShmiirbhavaan viShNurdevaH kR^iShNaH prajaapatiH || 6-117-28
vadhaarthaM raavaNasyeha praviShTo maanuShiiM tanum |
28. siitaa= Seetha; lakShmii= is (no other than) Goddess Lakshmi (the divine consort of Lord Vishnu); bhavaan= (while) you are; viShNuH= Lord Vishnu; bhavaan= you; kR^iShNaH= are having a dark blue hue; devaH= and a shining one; prajaapatiH= you are the Lord of created beings; raavaNasya vadhaartham= for the destruction of Ravana; praviShTaH= you entered; maanuShaM tanum= a human body; iha= here (on this earth).
"Seetha is no other than Goddess Lakshmi (the divine consort of Lord Vishnu), while you are Lord Vishnu. You are having a shining dark-blue hue. You are the Lord of created beings. For the destruction of Ravana, you entered a human body here, on this earth."
tadidaM nastvayaa kaaryaM kR^itaM dharmabhR^itaaM vara || 6-117-29
nihato raavaNo raama prahR^iShTo divamaakrama |
29. raama= O Rama; vara= the foremost; dharmabhR^itaam= among the supporters of righteousness!; tat= that; idam= this; naH kaaryam= purpose of ours; kR^itam= has been fulfilled; raavaNaH= Ravana; nihataH= has been killed; aakrama= approach; divam= your divine abode; prahR^iShTaH= with a rejoice.
"O Rama, the foremost among the supporters of righteousness! The aforesaid purpose of ours has been fulfilled. Ravana has been killed. Return to your divine abode, with a rejoice."
amoghaM deva viiryaM te na te moghaaH paraakramaaH || 6-117-30
amoghaM darshanaM raama amoghastava saMstavaH |
30. deva= O Lord!; amogham= unerring; viiryam= is your valour; te= your; paraakramaaH= exploits; na moghaaH= are never in vain; raama= O Rama!; darshanam= your blessed sight; amogham= is powerful; tava samstvaH= the songs, in praise you; amoghaH= never go in vain.
"O Lord! Unerring is your valour. Your exploits are never in vain. O Rama! Your blessed sight is powerful. The songs in praise of you never go in vain."
amoghaaste bhaviShyanti bhaktimanto naraa bhuvi || 6-117-31
ye tvaaM devam dhruvaM bhaktaaH puraaNaM puruShottamam |
praapnuvanti sadaa kaamaaniha loke paatra cha || 6-117-32
31-32. bhuvi= On this earth; naraaH= the humans; te bhaktimantaH= with devotion towards you; bhavanti= will; amoghaaH= never be unsuccessful; ye= those who; bhaktaaH= are devoted; tvaam= to you; devam= the preimeval Lord; dhruvam= and the eternal; puraaNam= who belongs to ancient times; puruShottamam= and the Supreme person; (they); sadaa praapnuvanti= will forever attain kaamaam= their desired objects; iha loke= in this world; paratra cha= and in the next world.
"Those humans who are full of devotion to you will never be unsuccessful on this earth. Those who are devoted to you, the primeval and the eternal lord, belonging to ancient times and the Supreme Person, will forever attain their desired objects here as well as hereafter."
imamaarSham stavaM divyamitihaasaM puraatanam || 6-117-33
ye naraaH kiirtayiShyanti naasti teShaaM paraabhavaH |
33. paraabhavaH= Humiliation; naasti= will never be the plight; teShaam ye naraaH= of those humans; kiirtayiShyanti= who will recite; imam stavam= this hymn; divyam= divine; puraatanam= ancient; itihaasam= history; aarSham= sung by Brahma, the foremost seer.
"Humiliation will never be the plight of those humans who will recite this hymn in a divine ancient history, sung by Brahma, the foremost seer."
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe saptadashaadhikashtatamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 117th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© August 2009, K. M. K. Murthy