Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
While Rama crossed over to the other shore of the sea, Ravana instructs his ministers, Suka and Sarana to enter the enemy's army in disguise and to bring all the required information about them. When Suka and Sarana entered the enemy's ranks, Vibhishana recognises and captures them. But Rama sets them free. Going back to Ravana, they explain the might strength of the enemy's ranks and exhort him to restore Seetha to Rama. |
sabale saagaram tiirNe raame dasharatha aatmaje |
amaatyau raavaNaH shriimaan abraviit shuka saaraNau || 6-25-1
1. raame= (While) Rama; dasharathaatmaje= the son of Dasaratha; tiirNe= crossed; saagaram= the ocean; sabale= along; with his army; shriimaan= the illustrious; raavaNaH= Ravana; abraviit= spoke; shukasaaraNau= to Shuka and sarana; amaatyau= his ministers (as follows)
While Rama, the son of Dasaratha, crossed the ocean along with his army, the illustrious Ravana spoke to Shuka and Sarana, his ministers as follows:
samagram saagaram tiirNam dustaram vaanaram balam |
abhuuta puurvam raameNa saagare setu bandhanam || 6-25-2
2. samagram= the entire; bala= army; vaanaram= of monkeys; tiiraNam= crossed; dustaram= the impassable; saagaram= ocean; abhuutapurvam= the unprecedented; setubandhanam= construction of the bridge; saagare= across the ocean (was done); raameNa= by Rama.
"The entire army of monkeys crossed the impassable ocean. The construction of the bridge, unprecedented, across the ocean was executed by Rama."
saagare setu bandham tu na shraddadhyaam kathamcana |
avashyam ca api samkhyeyam tan mayaa vaanaram balam || 6-25-3
3. na shraddhadhyaam= I am not able to believe; kathamchana= under any circumstances; tam= that; setubandham= construction of the bridge; saagare= across the ocean; avashyam= certainly; tat= that; vaanaram balam= army of monkeys; samkhyeyamcha= is worth to be conduted (carried weight); mayaa= by me.
"I am not able to believe under any circumstances that a pass-way has been constructed across the ocean. Certainly, that army of monkeys is worth to be counted (carried weight) by me."
bhavantau vaanaram sainyam pravishya anupalakSitau |
parimaaNam ca viiryam ca ye ca mukhyaaH plavam gamaaH || 6-25-4
mantriNo ye ca raamasya sugriivasya ca sammataaH |
ye puurvam abhivartante ye ca shuuraaH plavam gamaaH || 6-25-5
sa ca setur yathaa baddhaH saagare salila arNave |
niveshaH ca yathaa teSaam vaanaraaNaam mahaatmanaam || 6-25-6
raamasya vyavasaayam ca viiryam praharaNaani ca |
lakSmaNasya ca viirasya tattvato j~naatum arhatha || 6-25-7
4, 5, 6, 7. bhavantau= both of you; anupalakShitau= unperceived (to others); pravishya= enter; sainyam= the army; vaanaram= of monkeys; arhathaH= and ought; N^aatum= to know; tattvataH= actually; parimaaNamcha= the quantum of the army; viiryamcha= their prowess; ye= as to which; plavaN^gamaaH= monkeys; mukhyaaH= are important ones; ye= which; mantriNaH= ministers; raamasya= of Rama; sugriivasya cha= and of Sugreeva; sangataaH= have come together; ye= which; abhivartante= are abiding; puurvam= in front; ye= which; plavaNgamaa= monkeys; shuuraaH= are valiant; yathaa= how; saH= that; setuH= bridge; baddhaH= was constructed; saagare= across the ocean; salilaarNave= full of water; yathaa= how; nivesham= the encamping (is done); teSaam vaanaraaNaam= for those monkeys; mahaatmaanaam= the great souled; vyavasaayamcha= the determination; viiryam= the strength; praharaNaanicha= and the striking senses; raamasya= of Rama; viirasya= and of the heroic; lakshmaNasya= Lakshmana.
"Become unrecognisable to others, enter the army of monkeys and make out the real quantum of their army, their prowess, as to which monkeys are important among them, which ministers of Rama and Sugreeva have come together, which monkeys are abiding in front, which monkeys are valiant, how that bridge was constructed across the ocean full of water, how the encamping is done for those great-souled monkeys; the determination, strength and the striking senses of Rama and of the heroic Lakshmana."
kaH ca senaa patis teSaam vaanaraaNaam mahaaojasaam |
etaj j~naatvaa yathaa tattvam shiighram agantum arhathaH || 6-25-8
8. kaH= who; senaapatiH= is the chief of army; teSaam= of those; mahaatmanaam= high-souled; vaanaraaNaam= monkeys; N^aatvaa= knowing; tatcha= that also; yathaatattvam= actually; shiighram= and quickly; arhathaH= you ought; aagantum= to come.
"Knowing also accurately who the Chief of Army of those high-souled monkeys is, you have to come back quickly."
iti pratisamaadiSTau raakSasau shuka saaraNau |
hari ruupa dharau viirau praviSTau vaanaram balam || 6-25-9
9. pratipamaadiSTau= having thus been commanded; viirau= the valiant; raakSasau= demons; shukasaaraNau= Shuka and Sarana; hariruupadhaarau= both possessing the form of monkeys; praviSTau= entered; bala= (that) army; vaanaram= of monkeys.
Having thus been commanded by Ravana, the valiant demons Shuka and Sarana , both in the disguise of monkeys, entered that army of monkeys.
tatas tad vaanaram sainyam acintyam loma harSaNam |
samkhyaatum na adhyagacchetaam tadaa tau shuka saaraNau || 6-25-10
10. tataH= thereafter; tau= those; shuka saaraNau= Shuka and Sarana; tadaa= then; naadhyagachchhetaam= were not able; samkhyaatum= to count; sainyam= the army; tat= of those; vaanaram= monkeys; achintyam= which was inconceivable; lomaharSaNam= and causing their hair to stand erect.
Shuka and Sarana were not able to count then that inconeviable army of monkeys, causing their hair to stand on end.
tat sthitam parvata agreSu nirdareSu guhaasu ca |
samudrasya ca tiireSu vaneSu upavaneSu ca || 6-25-11
taramaaNam ca tiirNam ca tartu kaamam ca sarvashaH |
niviSTam nivishac caiva bhiima naadam mahaabalam || 6-25-12
tadbalaarNavamakshobhyam dadR^ishaate nishaacarau |
11, 12. tat= that army; sthitam= was stationed; parvataagreSu= on the tops of mountains; nirjhareSu= round about the water-falls; guhaasucha= in the caves; tiireSu= on the shores; samudrasya= of the ocean; vaneSu= in the woodlands; upavaneSu= and in the gardens; taramaaNam= (It was either in) the process of crossing the ocen; tiirNam cha= or had crossed it; tartukaamamcha= or was intending to cross it; sarvashaH= in its entirety; niviSTam= (It had either) encamped; nivishachchaiva= or was still encamping; bhiima naadam= making a terrible noise; nishaacharau= the two demons; dadR^iSaate= saw; mahaabalam= that very stong; akSobhyam= and impeterbable; tadbalaarNavam= sea of army.
That army was stationed on the tops of mountains, round about the waterfalls, in the caves, on the sea-shores, in the woodlands and in the gardens. It was either in the process of crossing the ocean, or was intending to cross it in its entirety. It had either encamped or was still encamping, making a terrible noise. The two demons saw that very strong and imperturbable sea of army.
tau dadarsha mahaatejaaH pracchannau ca vibhiiSaNaH || 6-25-13
aacacakSe atha raamaaya gR^ihiitvaa shuka saaraNau |
13. vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; mahaatejaaH= with great splendour; dadarshau= beheld; tau= both of them; praticchannau= in disguise; saH= He; gR^ihiitva= laid hold of; shuka saaraNau= Shuka and Sarana; aacacakSe= and said; raamaaya= to Rama (as follows)
Vibhishana with great splendour beheld both of them in disguise. He caught hold of Shuka and Sarana and told Rama as follows:
tasyaitau raakshasendrasya mantriNau shuksaaraNau || 6-25-14
la.nkaayaaH samanupraaptau caarau para puram jayau |
14. parapuramjaya= O, Rama the conqueror of hostile citadels!; etau= these; shukasaaraNau= Shuka and Sarana; mantriNau= the two miisters; tasya raakSasendrasya= of that Ravana; samanupraaptau= and came; caarau= as spies; laNkaayaaH= from Lanka.
"O, Rama the conqueror of hostile citadels! These two demons are Shuka and Sarana, the ministers of Ravana and they came here as spies from Lanka."
tau dR^iSTvaa vyathitau raamam niraashau jiivite tadaa || 6-25-15
kR^ita anjali puTau bhiitau vacanam ca idam uucatuH |
15. tau= both of the them; dR^iSTvaa= having seen; vaamam= Rama; vyathitau= were trembled; tathaa= and ; niraashau= were without hope; jiivite= for their lives; bhiitau= were frightened; chedam= and; uuchatu= spoke; idam= these; vachanam= words; kR^itaaN^jalipuTau= having joined their palms.
Both of them, having seen Rama, were trembled with fear, without any hope for their lives and having joined their palms, spoke the following words:
aavaam iha aagatau saumya raavaNa prahitaav ubhau || 6-25-16
parij~naatum balam kR^itsnam tava idam raghu nandana |
16. raghunandana= O, Rama! Saumya= O, excellent man! aavaam ubhau= we both; raavaNaprahitau= as sent by Ravana; aagatau= came; iha= here; parijJNaatum= to know; idam= this; tat= and that; sarvam= entire; balam= army.
"O, excellent man! O, Rama! We both of us, as sent by Ravana, came here together to know everything about your entire army."
tayos tad vacanam shrutvaa raamo dasharatha aatmajaH || 6-25-17
abraviit prahasan vaakyam sarva bhuuta hite rataH |
17. raamaH= Rama; dasharathaatmajaH= the son of Dasaratha; rataH= who was interested; sarvabhuutahite= in the welfare of all being; shrutvaa= after hearing; tat= those; vachanam= words; tayoH= of them both; prahasan= simingly; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words.
Hearing their aforesaid words, Rama the son of Dasaratha who was interested in the welfare of all beings, smilingly spoke the following words:
yadi dR^iSTam balam kR^itsnam vayam vaa susamiikSitaaH || 6-25-18
yathaa uktam vaa kR^itam kaaryam chandataH pratigamyataam |
18. sarvam= (Has) the entire; balam= army; dR^iSTam= yadi= been seen? vayam susamiikSitaH vaa= have we been seen well? kaaryam kR^itam vaa= has the operation been accomplished; yathoktam= as instructed? pratigamyataam= you may go back; chandataH= according to your own wish.
"Has the entire army been observed by you? Have you observed us well? Have you accomplished the task, as entrusted to you? If so, you may go back now according to your free will."
atha kimcidadR^iSTam vaa bhuuyastaddraSTumarhathaH || 6-25-19
vibhiiSano vaa kaartsnyena punaH samdarshayiSyati |
19. atha= or; adR^iSTam vaa= even if you have not seen; kimchit= something; arhathaH= you ought; draSTum= to see; tat= that; bhuuyaH= also; vaa= otherwise; vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; samdarSayati= will show you; punaH= again; kaartsnyena= entirely.
"Even if you have not seen something you may see it now also. Otherwise, Vibhishana will show it to you again entirely."
na chedam graham Nam prapya bhetavyam jiivitam prati || 6-25-20
vyastashastrau gR^ihiitau ca na duutau vadhamarhataH |
20. praapya= having obtained; idam= this; grahaNam= seizure; nabhetavyam= you need not fear; jivitam prati= about your life; gR^ihiitau= the seized; ddutau= messengers; nyastashastrau= without weapons; arhataH= deserve; na vadham= no killing.
"You, having been caught, need not fear about your life. The captured messengers holding no weapons indeed deserve no killing."
pracchannau ca vimuJNcaemau caarau raatrimca raavubhau || 6-25-21
shatrupakshasya satatam vibhiiSaNa vikarSiNau |
21. vibhiSaNa= O, Vibhishana! satatam= always; vikarSaNau= draw; a bow-string; shatrupakSasya= on the opponents; vimuJNca= set free; ubhau= the two; raatrimaharau= deomns; chaarau= who are spies; pracchanau= in disguise.
"O, Vibhishana! Always try to draw a bow-string on the opponents and not on these two demons. Set them both, who are spies in disguise, free."
pravishya nagariim la.nkaam bhavadbhyaam dhanada anujaH || 6-25-22
vaktavyo rakSasaam raajaa yathaa uktam vacanam mama |
22. pravishya= after entering; laN^kaam nagariim= the city of Lanka; dhanadaanujaH= Ravana the younger half-brother of Kubera the god of riches; raajaa= and the king; rakSasaam= of demons; vaktavyaH= be told; bhavadbhyaam= by you; yathoktam= as told; mama vachanam= in my words.
"When you return to the city of Lanka, repeat my words faithfully to Ravana the younger half-brother of Kubera and the king of demons."
yad balam ca samaashritya siitaam me hR^itavaan asi || 6-25-23
tad darshaya yathaa kaamam sasainyaH saha baandhavaH |
23. yat= that; balam= force; samaashritya= on which you relied; hR^itavaan asi= when you were taking away; siitaam= Seetha; darshaya= display; yathaakaamam= at your will; tat= that force; sasainyaiH= along with your troops; sahabaandhavaH= and with your allies.
"That force on which you relied when you were taking away Seetha from me, display that force at your will along with your troops and allies."
shvaH kaale nagariim la.nkaam sapraakaaraam satoraNaam || 6-25-24
raakSasam ca balam pashya sharair vidhvamsitam mayaa |
24. shvaH= tomorrow; kaalye= at break of day; pashya= you will see; laN^kaa nagariim= the city of Lanka; sapraakaaraam- with its ramparts; satoraNaam= and arches; balam= (as well as) the army; rakSasaam= of demons; vidhavamsitaam= demolised; mayaa= by me; shariaH= by my arrows.
"Tomorrow, at break of day, you will see my arrows demolish the city of Lanka with its ramparts and arches as well as the army of demons."
khodham bhiimamaham mokSye balam dhaaraya raavaNa || 6-25-25
shvaH kaale vajravaan vajram daanaveSv iva vaasavaH |
25. raavaNa= O, Ravana! shvaH= tomorrow, kaalye= at break of day; aham= I; mokSyaami= shall cast; bhiimam= my terrific; krodham= andger; tvayi= on you; sasainye= with your army; vajram iva= as casting a thunderbolt; daanaveSu= on demons; vaasavaH= Indra the Lord of Celestials; vajravaan= wielding the thunder-bolt.
"O, Ravana! Tomorrow, at break of day I will cast my dreadful anger on you and your army as Indra the Lord of celestials wielding a thunderbolt casts the thunderbolt on demons."
iti pratisamaadiSTau raakSasau shuka saaraNau || 6-25-26
jayeti pratinandyainam raaghavam dharmavatsalam |
aagamya nagariim la.nkaam abruutaam raakSasa adhipam || 6-25-27
26, 27. iti= thus; pratisamaadiSTau= commanded; shuka saaraNau= Shuka and Sarana; raakSasau= the demons; pratinandya= admired; iti= that; jaya= "May you be Victorious!" enam= on this; raaghavam= Rama; dharmavatsalam= who was intent on righteousness; aagamya= reached; laN^kaam nagariim= the city of Lanka; abruutaam= and spoke; raakSasaadhipam= to Ravana.
Receiving this command, the two demons, Shuka and Sarana, admiring his justice, cried out: "May you be victorious!", reached the city of Lanka and spoke to Ravana as follows:
vibhiiSaNa gR^ihiitau tu vadha arhau raakSasa iishvara |
dR^iSTvaa dharma aatmanaa muktau raameNa amita tejasaa || 6-25-28
28. raakSaseshvara= O, king of demons! vibhiSaNagR^ihiitau= we were seized by Vibhishana; vadhaartham= with the intention of killing us; raameNa= but by Rama; dharmaatmanaa= the pious minded; amita tejasaa= whose valour is immeasureable; muktau= we were released; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing.
"O, king of demons! We were seized by Vibhishana with the intention of killing us. But, Rama, the pious minded wose valour is immeasurable, seeing us, set us free."
eka sthaana gataa yatra catvaaraH puruSa R^iSabhaaH |
loka paala upamaaH shuuraaH kR^ita astraa dR^iDha vikramaaH || 6-25-29
raamo daasharathiH shriimaaml lakshmaNaH ca vibhiiSaNaH |
sugriivaH ca mahaatejaa mahaaindra sama vikramaH || 6-25-30
ete shaktaaH puriim la.nkaam sapraakaaraam satoraNaam |
utpaaTya samkraamayitum sarve tiSThantu vaanaraaH || 6-25-31
29, 20, 31. yatra= where; chatvaaraH= the four; puruSarSabhaaH= eminent persons; lokapaalasamaaH= who are equal to the protector of the worlds; shuuraaH= the valiant ones; kR^itaastraaH= skilled in the use of weapons; dR^iDhavikramaaH= and of proven prowess; raamaH= Rama; daasharathiH= son of Dasartha; shriimaan= the illustrious; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; mahaatejaH= the great resplendent; vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; sugriivashca= and Sugreeva; mahendra samavikramaH= whose valour is equal to that of Indra the Lord of celestials; ekasthaanagataaH= are stationed at the same place; ete= they; utpaaTya= having plucked up; laN^kaampuriim= the city of Lanka; sapraakaaraam= with its ramparts; satoraNaam= and arches; shaktaaH= are able; samkraamayitum= to transplant it elswhere; sarve= (even if) all; vaanaraaH= (the) monkeys; tiSThantu= keep aloof.
"Where the four eminent persons who are equal to the protector of the worlds, the valiant ones skilled in the use of weapons and of proven prowess namely Rama the son of Dasaratha, the illustrious Lakshmana, the great resplendent Vibhishana and Sgreeva whose valour is equal to Indra the Lord of celestials, arestationed at the same place, they can pluck up the city of Lanka with its ramparts and arches and transplant it elswhere, even if all the monkeys keep aloof."
yaadR^isham tasya raamasya ruupam praharaNaani ca |
vadhiSyati puriim la.nkaam ekas tiSThantu te trayaH || 6-25-32
32. tat= such; raamasya= is Rama's; ruupam= from; yaadR^iSham= and such; praharaNaanicha= are his weapons; ekaH= that he can alone; vadhiSyati= overthrow; laN^kaampurim= the city of Lanka; te trayaH= his three companions; tiSThantu= standing by.
"Such is Rama's form and such are his weapons, that he can alone overthrow the city of Lanka, his three other companious standing by."
raama lakSmaNa guptaa saa sugriiveNa ca vaahinii |
babhuuva durdharSataraa sarvair api sura asuraiH || 6-25-33
33. saa vaahinii= that army; raamalakSmaNaguptaa= protected by Rama and Lakshmana; sugreeveNaca= as well as by sugreeva; babhuuva= are; durdharSataraa= exceedingly unconquerable; sarvaiH= by all; suraasuraiH api= the gods and demons even.
"That army protected by Rama and Lakshmana as well as Sugreeva, are exceedingly unconquerable even by all the gods and demons."
prahR^iSTa ruupaa dhvajinii vana okasaam |
vanaukasaam samprati yoddhum icchataam |
alam virodhena shamo vidhiiyataam |
pradiiyataam daasharathaaya maithilii || 6-25-34
34. samprati= now; dhvajinii= the army; vanaukasaam= of the monkeys; mahaatmanaam= the minghty ones; icchataam= who are inclined; yoddhum= to fight; prahR^iSTayodhaaH= has cheerful warriors; alaim= enough; virodhena= of hte enmity; shamaH= (Let) peace; vidhiiyataam= be made; pradiiyataam= restore; maithilii= Seetha; daasharathaaya= to Rama.
"Now, the army of the mighty monkeys, who are readily inclined to fight, consists of cheerful warriors. Mae peace, insted of enmity with them. Restore Seetha to Rama."
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe paJNcavimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 25th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© March 2004, K. M. K. Murthy