Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Rama prepares to leave for Ayodhya. Even though Vibhishana requests Rama to remain at Lanka for some more time and receive his hospitality, Rama gently refuses to do so, adding that he needs to proceed to Ayodhya quickly, to see his mothers, brothers and people there. Vibhishana arranges the aerial car, Pushpaka to transport Rama and others to Ayodhya. |
taaM raatrimuShitaM raamaM sukhoditamariMdamam |
abraviit praaJNjalirvaakyaM jayam pR^iShTvaa vibhiiShaNaH || 6-121-1
1. vibhishanaH= Vibhishana; pR^iShTvaa= wishing; jayan= victory; raamam= to Rama; arimdamam= the destroyer of adversaries; uShitam taam raatrim= who having reposed during the previous night; sukhoditam= had risen fresh; abraviit= spoke; (to him); vaakyam= the following words; praaN^jalim= with joined palms.
Vibhishana, wishing victory to Rama, (the destroyer of adversaries) who having reposed during the previous night and had risen fresh, spoke to him with joined palms, the following words:
snaanaani chaaN^gaaraagaaNi vastraaNyaabharaNaani cha |
chandanaani cha maalyaani divyaani vividhaani cha || 6-121-2
alaMkaaravidashchaitaa naaryaH padmanibhekShaNaaH |
upasthitaastvaaM vidhivat snaapayiShyanti raaghava || 6-121-3
2-3. etaaH naaryaH= these women; padmanibhekShaNaaH= with lotus-like eyes; alamkaara vidaH= who are skilled in the art of decoration; upasthitaaH= came; snaanaani= with bathing accessories; aN^garaagaaNi= (like) cosmetics; vastraaNi= garments; chandanaani cha= sandal-pastels; divyaani vividhaani maalyaani cha= and beautiful garlands of various kinds; vidhivat tvaam snaapayiShyanti= they will duly assist you in bathing; raaghava= O Rama!
“These women with lotus-like eyes, who are skilled in the art of decoration, came with bathing accessories like garments, ornaments, sandal-pastes and beautiful garlands of various kinds. They will assist you in bathing O Rama!”
evamuktastu kaakutsthaH pratyuvaacha vibhiiShaNam |
hariin sugriivamukhyaaMstvaM snaanenopanimantraya || 6-121-4
4. evam= thus; uktaiH= spoken; kaakutthsa= Rama; pratyuvaacha= replied; vibhiiShaNam= To Vibhishana (as follows); tvam= you; upanimantraya= invite; hariin= the monkeys; sugriiva pramukhaan= headed by Sugreeva; snaanena= for the bath.
Hearing the words of Vibhishana, Rama replied as follows: “You invite the monkeys headed by Sugreeva for the bath.”
sat u taamyati dharmaatmaa mama hetoH sukhochitaH |
sukumaaro mahaabaahurbharataH satyasaMsrayaH || 6-121-5
5. saH bharataH= that Bharata; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous man; sukhochitaH= who was accustomed to comfort; sukumaaraH= a delicate youth; mahaabaahuH= the great-armed; saty samshrayaH= and the one consistent with the Truth; taamyati= is suffering; mama hetoH= on my account.
“That Bharata, the virtuous man, who was accustomed to comfort, a delicate youth, the great-armed and the one consistent with the truth is suffering on my account.”
taM vinaa kaikayiiputram bharataM dharmachaariNam |
na me snaanaM bahumataM vastraaNyaani cha || 6-121-6
6. tam bharatam vinaa= In the absence of that Bharata; kaikayiiputram= the son of Kaikeyi; dharmachaariNam= who is practicing virtue; snaanam= (ritual) bathing; na bahumatam= is not a liking; me= to me; vastraaNi= (nor) the garments; aabharaaNi cha= (nor) the jewels.
In the absence of Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, who is practicing virtue, ritual bathing, garments and jewels are not to my liking.”
etat pashya yathaa kShipraM pratigachchhaama taam puriim |
ayodhyaam gachchhato hyeSha panthaah paramadurgamaH || 6-121-7
7. pashya= see; yathaa= how; etat= this (we may); pratigachchhaama= return; taam puriim= to that City of Ayodhya; eShaH panthaah= this path; parama durgamaH hi= is indeed very difficult to be travelled over; gachchhataH= (for anyone) proceeding; ayodhyaam= to Ayodhya City.
“See how we may return to that City of Ayodhya soon. It is indeed very difficult to travel over this path to reach Ayodhya City, so soon.”
evamuktastu kaakutsthaM pratyuvaacha vibhiiShaNaH |
ahnaa tvaaM praapayiShyaami taam puriiM paarthivaatmaja || 6-121-8
8. evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; pratyuvaacha= replied; kaakutthsam= to Rama (as follows):; paarthivaatmaja= O prince!; praapayiShyaami= I will get; tvaam= you; taam puriim= to that City; aahanaa= in a day.
Hearing the words of Rama, Vibhishana replied : “O prince! I will get you t that City in a day.”
puShpakaM naama bhadraM te vimaanaM suuryasamnibham |
mama bhraatuH kuberasya raavaNena baliiyasaa || 6-121-9
hR^itaM nirjitya samgraame kaamagaM divyamuttamam |
tvadarthaM paalitaM chedaM tiShThatyatulavikrama || 6-121-10
9-10. atula vikrama= O Rama of unequalled prowess!; vimaanam= the aerial car; suuryasamnibham= shining like the sun, kaamagam= which moves as one pleases; divyam= wonderful; uttamam= and excellent; puShpakam naama= called Pushpaka; kuberasya= of Kubera; mama bhraataa= my brother; hR^itam= was robbed; baaliiyasaa raavanena= by the mighty Ravana;nirjatya= after conquering Kubera; samgraame= in battle; te bhadram= may prosperity attend you!; idam= it; tiShThati= is there; paalitam= retained; tvadartham= for you sake.
“O Rama of unequalled prowess! The aerial car shining like the sun, which moves as one pleases, wonderful and excellent, named Pushpaka of Kubera my brother was robbed by the mighty Ravana after conquering Kubera in battle. May prosperity attend you! It is retained there for your sake.”
tadidaM meghasaMkaashaM vimaanamiha tiShThati |
yena yaasyasi yaanena tvamayodhyaaM gatajvaraH || 6-121-11
11. tat idam vimaanam= she yonder aerial car; meghasamkaasham= looking like a cloud; iha tiShThati= sands here; yena yaanena= by which transport; tvam= you; yaasyasi= can reach ayodhyaam= to Ayodhya; vigatajvaraH= without any trouble.
“The yonder aerial car, looking like a cloud, stands here and by which transport, you can reach Ayodhya without any trouble.”
aham te yadyanugraahyo yadi smarasi me guNaan |
vasa taavadiha praajJNa yadyasti mayi sauhR^idam || 6-121-12
12. praajJNa= O sagacious prince!; aham yadi anugraahyaH= if I deserve to be treated with kindness; te= by you; smarasi yadi me gunaan- if you think of any virtue in me; sauhR^idam mayi asti yadi= if you have any affection in me; vasataavat= remain; iha= here (for some more time).
“O sagacious prince! If I deserve to be treated with kindness by you, if you think of any virtue in me and if you think of any virtue in me and if you have any affection in me, stay here for some more time.”
lakShmaNena saha bhraatraa vaidehyaa bhaaryayaa saha |
architah sarvakaamaistvaM tato raama gamiShyasi || 6-121-13
13. raama= O Rama!; architaH= having been offered with reverence; sarva kaamaiH= all the entertainments tvam= you; bhraatraa lakShmaNena saha= along with Lakshmana your brother; bhaaryayaa vaidehyaa saha= and together with Seetha, your consort; tataH gamiShyasi= you may go, thereafter.
“O Rama! When you have been offered with reference all the entertainments, you along with Lakshmana, your brother and Seetha your consort, shall then depart.”
priitiyuktasya vihitaaM sasainyaH sasuhR^idgaNaH |
satkriyaaM raama me taavadgR^ihaaNa tvaM mayodyataam || 6-121-14
14. raama= O Rama!; gR^ihaaNa taavat= accept; tvam= you; sa sainyaH= along with the army; sasuhR^idgaNaH= and assemblage of friends; me satkriyaam= my hospitality; priitiyuktasya= endowed with affection; vihitaam= fixed; udyataam= and arranged; mayaa= by me.
“O Rama! In the meantime, accept you, with your entire army and assemblage of friends, my hospitality which has been fixed and arranged by me, full of affection as I am.”
praNayaadbahumaanaachcha sauhaardena cha raaghava |
prasaadayaami preShyo.ahaM na khalvaajJNaapayaami te || 6-121-15
15. raaghava= O Rama!; prasaadayaami= I entreat you; praNayaat= with affection; bahumaanaachcha= with honour; sauhaardena= and with friendship; aham= I am; preShyaH= your servent; naajJNaapayaami khalu= I am not indeed commanding; te= you (to do so).
“O Rama! I entreat you with affection, respect and friendship I am your servant. I am not in any way commanding you to do so.”
evamuktastato raamah pratyuvaacha vibhiiShaNam |
rakShasaaM vaanaraaNaaM cha sarveShameva shR^iNvataam || 6-121-16
16. evam uktaH= thus spoken; raamaH= Rama; tataH= then; pratyuvaacha= replied; vibhiiShaNam= to Vibhishana; sarveShaam rakShasaam= while all the demons; vaanaraaNaam cha= and the monkeys; shR^iN^vataam= listened.
Hearing those words, Rama replied to Vibhishana as follows, while all the demons and the monkeys present there, listened:
puujito.asmi tvayaa viira saachivyena paraMtapa |
sarvatmanaa cha cheShTaabhiH sauhaardena pareNa cha || 6-121-17
17. paramtapa= O destroyer of enemies!; viira= O hero!; saachivyena= by your valued counsel; cheShTaabhiH= by your efforts put forth; sarvaatmanaa= with your whole soul; pareNa= and more so; sauhaardena= by your friendship; puujitaH asmi= I stand honoured; tvayaa= by you.
“O destroyer of enemies! O hero! I stand honoured by you by your valued counsel, your efforts put forth with your whole soul and more so by your friendship.
na khalvetanna kuryaam te vachanaM raakShaseshvara |
taM tu me bhraataraM draShTum bharataM tvarate manaH || 6-121-18
18. raakShaseshvara= O the king of demons!; na kuryaamiti na khalu= It is not that I am not carrying out; etat vachanam= these words; te= of yours; tu= but; manaH= my heart; tvarate= is hastening; draShTum= to see; tam bharatam= that Bharata; bhraataram= my brother.
“O king of demons! It is not that I am not carrying out your words. But, my heart is hastening to see that Bharata, my brother.”
maaM nivartayituM yo.asau chitrakuuTamupaagataH |
shirasaa yaachato yasya vachanam na kR^itaM mayaa || 6-121-19
kausalyaaM cha sumitraam cha kaikeyiiM cha yashasviniim |
guham cha suhR^idaM chaiva pauraan janapadaiH saha || 6-121-20
19-20. (My heart is hastening to see); yaH asau= that Bharata; upaagataH= who came; chitrakuuTam= all the way to Mount Chitrakuta; mama nivartayitum= to take me back (to Ayodhya); yasya vachanam= yet whose appeal; na kR^itam= was not executed; mayaa= by me; yaachataH shirasaa= eventhough he requested me with his head bent low; kausalyaam cha= and Kausalya my mother; simitraam cha= as also Sumitra; yashsviniim kaikeyiimcha= and the illustrious Kaikeyi (my step-mothers); guham cha= and Guha; suhR^idan= my friend; pauraan= as well as citizens of Ayodhya; jaanapadaiH saha= and the inhabitants of the country-side.
“My heart is hastening to see that Bharata, who came all the way to Mount Chitrakuta to take me back to Ayodhya, yet whose appeal was not executed by me, even though he requested me with his head bent low and Kausalya my mother as also Sumitra and the illustrious Kaikeyi (my step-mothers) as also Guha my friend, as well as the citizens of Ayodhya and the inhabitants of the country-side.”
anujaaniihi maaM saumya puujito.asmi vibhiiShaNa |
manyurna khalu kartavyaH sakhe tvaaM chaanumaanaye || 6-121-21
21. saumya vibhiiShaaNa= O gentle Vibhishana!; anujaaniihi= allow; maam= me (to go); puujitaH asmi= I am honoured; sakhe= O friend!; manyuH na kartavyaH= you need not be disappointed; anumaanayecha= I entreat; tvaam= you.
“O gentle Vibhishana! Allow me to go. I am honoured. O friend! You need not be disappointed, I entreat you.”
upasthaapaya me shiighraM vimaanaM raakShaseshvara |
kR^itakaaryasya me vaasah katham syaadiha saMmataH || 6-121-22
22. raakShaseshvara= O the king of demons!; upasthaapaya= fetch; vimaanam= the aerial car; shiighram= immediately; katham= how; sammataH syaat= is it advisable; vaasaH= for a stay; iha= here; me= for me; kR^itakaaryasya= that my task has been accomplished.
“O the king of demons! Fetch the aerial car immediately. How is it advisable for my continued stay here, now that my task has been accomplished?”
evamuktastu raameNa raakShasendro vibhiiShanaH |
vimaanaM suuryasamkaashamaajuhaava tvaraanvitaH || 6-121-23
tataH kaaJNchatraaN^gaM vaiduuryamaNivedikam |
kaaJNchanaM kaaJNchanairharmyairhemapadmavibhuuShitaiH || 6-121-24
paaNDuraabhih pataakaabhirdhvajaishcha samalaMkR^itam |
kaaJNchanaM kaaJNchanairharmyairhemapadmavibbuuShitaiH || 6-121-25
prakiirNaM kiN^kiNiijaalairmuktaamaNigavaakShakam |
ghaNTaajaalaiH parikShiptam sarvato madhurasvanam || 6-121-26
taM merushikharaakaaraM nirmitam vishvakarmaNaa |
bR^ihadbirbhuuShitaM harmyormuktaarajatashobhitaiH || 6-121-27
talaih sphaTikachitraaN^garvaiduuryaishcha varaasanaiH |
mahaarhastaraNopetairupapannaM mahaadhanaiH || 6-121-28
23-28. evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; raameNa= by Rama; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; raakShasendraH= the king of demons; tataH= then; tvaraanvitaH= hastily; aajuhaava= invoked (the presence); tam vimaanam= of that aerial car; suuryasamkaasham= shining like the sun; kaaNchana chitraaN^gam= with colourful parts made of gold; vaiDuuryamaNi vedikam= with platform made of cat’s-eye gems; kuuTaagaaraiH= which was full of attics; sarvataH parikliptam rajataprabham= shone like silver on all sides; samalamkR^itam= decorated well; paaN^DuraabhiH= with white; pataakaabhiH= flags; dhvajaishcha= and flag-staffs; vibhuuShitaiH= decked; kaaNchanam= with gold; hema padma= and golden lotuses; kaaNchanaiH harmaiH= graced with golden mansions; prakiirNam= hung all over; kiNkiNiijaalaiH= with net works of tiny bells; muktaa maNi gavaakShakam= containing eye holes set; madhura svanam= giving forth a melodious sound; sarvataH= on all sides; meru shikharaakaaram= resembling a summit of Mount Meru; nimitam= built; vishvakarmaNaa= by Vishvakarma; shobhitaiH= which was graced; bR^ihadbhiH harmyaiH= graced with stately palaces; muktaa rajita shobhitaiH= decked with pearls and silver; talaiH= provided with pavements; sphaTika chitraN^gaiH= inlaid with crystal; upetam varaasanaiH= furnished with excellent seats; vaiDuuryaishcha= of cats eye gems; mahaadhanaiH= of great value; mahaarhaastaraNopetaiH= and upholstered with highly; nivedayitvaa= informing; raamaaya= Rama; tat vimaanam= that the said aerial car; anaadhR^iShyam= and was swift as thought; upasthitam= had arrived; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; tasthau= stood; tatra= there.
Hearing the words of Rama, Vibhishana the king of demons then hastily invoked the presence of that aerial car shining like the sun, with colourful parts made of gold, with the platform made of cat’s-eye gems, which was full of attics, shone like silver on all sides, decorated well with white flags and flag-staff, decked with gold and golden lotuses, graced with golden mansions, hung all over with networks of tiny bells, giving forth a melodious sound on all sides, resembling a summit of Mount Meru, built by Vishvakarma, which was graced with stately palaces decked with pearls and silver, provided with pavements inlaid with crystal, furnished with excellent seats of cat’s eye gems of great value and upholstered with highly valuable coverings.
upasthitamanaadhR^iShyaM tadvimaanaM manojavam |
nivedayitvaa raamaayatasthau tatra vibhiiShaNaH || 6-121-29
29. nivedayitvaa= informing; raamaaya= Rama; tat vimaanam= that the said aerial car; anaadhR^iShyam= which could not be assailed; manojavam= and was swift as thought; upasthitam= had arrived; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; tasthau= stood; tatra= there.
Informing Rama that the said aerial car which could not be assailed and was as swift as though- had arrived, Vibhishana stood there.
tatpuShpakam kaamagamaM vimaana |
mupasthitam bhuudharasaMnikaasham |
dR^iShTvaa tadaa vismayamaajagaama |
raamaH sasaumitrirudaarasttvaH || 6-121-30
30. udaarasattvaH= the generous minded; raamaH= Rama; sasaumitriH= along with Lakshmana; aajagaama= got; vismayam= a surprise; dR^iShTvaa= in seeing; tat= that; vimaanam= aerial car; puShpakam= called Pushpaka; bhuudhara samnikaasham= which resembled a mountain; kaamagamam= and which could travel everywhere at will, arrived on that occasion.
The generous minded Rama along with Lakshmana felt amazed to see the aforesaid aerial car, Pushpaka, which resembled a mountain and which could travel everywhere at will, arrived on that occasion.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe ekaviMshatyadhikashatatamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 121st chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© October 2009, K. M. K. Murthy