Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Seetha asks Sarama to go secretly to Ravana and get to know what he is doing as well as report to her back about Ravana’s decision about the matter of releasing her or continuing to keep her captive. Sarama secretly hears the conversation of Ravana with his ministers and reports to Seetha that Ravana is not inclined to set her free. Sarama consoles Seetha, saying that Rama with his sharp arrows will kill Ravana and take her back to Ayodhya. |
atha taam jaata samtaapaam tena vaakyena moditaam |
saramaa hlaadayaam aasa mahiiM dagdhaamivaambhasaa || 6-34-1
1. atha=then; taam= to that Seetha; jaataa samtaapam= who was overwhelmed with anguish;moditaam= was made delighted;tena vaakyena= by those words;saramaa= Sarama; samaahlaadayaamaasa= conferred delight;ambhasaa iva= like by rain;dagdhaam= the parched; mahiim= earth.
Seetha, who was overwhelmed with anguish on hearing Ravana’s words, was comforted and rendered happy by Sarama, as parched earth is solaced by rain.
tatas tasyaa hitam sakhyaash cikiirSantii sakhii vacaH |
uvaaca kaale kaalajnaa smita puurva abhibhaaSiNii || 6-34-2
2. tataH= there after; chikiirshhanti= wishing to be; hitam(of further) service; tasyaaH= to that Seetha; sakhyaaH= her friend; sakhii= the affectionate Sarama; kaalajNaa= skilled in the knowledge of time; smita puurva bhaashhiNii= who smiled before talking; uvaacha= spoke; vachaH= (the following ) words; kaale= at the proper time.
Desiring to be of further service to her friend Seetha, the affectionate Sarama, skilled in the knowledge of time, smiling while talking, spoke the following words at that appropriate time.
utsaheyam aham gatvaa tvad vaakyam asita iikSaNe |
nivedya kushalam raame praticchannaa nivartitum || 6-34-3
3. asitekshhaNe= O, black eyed lady!; aham utsaheyam= I am able; nivedya= to carry a message; kushalam= of good will; tvadvaakyam= and your words; raame= to Rama; gatvaa= by going to him; pratichchhannaa= secretly; nivartitum= and to return.
“O, black eyed lady! I am capable of carrying a message of your words and good will to Rama and to return secretly.”
na hi me kramamaaNaayaa niraalambe vihaayasi |
samartho gatim anvetum pavano garuDo api vaa || 6-34-4
4. kramamaaNaayaaH= when I am journeying; vihaayasi= in the sky; niraalambe= self-supported; pavanaH= the god of wind; garuDo api vaa= or even Garuda the eagle; na samarthaH = is not capable; anvetum= to follow; me= my; gatim= movement
“When I am journeying in the sky self -supported, neither the god of wind nor Garuda the eagle can follow my movement.”
evam bruvaaNaam taam siitaa saramaam punar abraviit |
madhuram shlakSNayaa vaacaa puurva shoka abhipannayaa || 6-34-5
5. taam saramaam= to Sarama; bruvaaNaam= who was speaking; evam= as aforesaid; siitaa= Seetha; vaachaa= her voice; puurvashokaabhi pannayaa= no longer charged with grief; abraviit= replied; idam= in these words; shlakshhNayaa= gently; madhuram= and sweetly (as follows):
To Sarama, who was speaking as aforesaid, Seetha her voice no longer charged with grief, gently and sweetly replied in the following words:
samarthaa gaganam gantum api vaa tvam rasaa talam |
avagacchaamy akartavyam kartavyam te mad antare || 6-34-6
6. tvam= you; samarthaa= are able; gantum= to go; gaganam= to heaven; apicha= and ; rasaatalam= to the penultimate subterranean region; avagachchha= know (from me); adya= today; kartavyam= duty; kartavyam= that has got to be performed; te= by you; medantare= for my sake.
“You are capable of going to heaven or to the penultimate subterranean region. Know from me today the duty that has got to be performed by you for my sake.”
mat priyam yadi kartavyam yadi buddhiH sthiraa tava |
jnaatum icchaami tam gatvaa kim karoti iti raavaNaH || 6-34-7
7. yadi= If; tava= your; buddhiH= intention; kartavyam= is to act; matpriyam= kindly towards me; tava= and your resolve; sthiraa yadi= is fixed; ichchhaami= I wish(you); gattvaa= to go; jN^aatum= and to know; kim= what; raavaNaH= Ravana; karotiiti= is doing.
“If your intention is to act kindly towards me and your resolve is firm , I wish you to go and know what Ravana is doing now.”
sa hi maayaa balaH kruuro raavaNaH shatru raavaNaH |
maam mohayati duSTa aatmaa piita maatraa iva vaaruNii || 6-34-8
8. saH= raavaNaH= that Ravana; maayaabalaH = equipped with strength in the shape of conjuring tricks; shatru raavaNaH= who makes his enemies cry; kruuraH= is cruel; dushhTaatmaa= and evil minded; mohayati= has bemused; maam= me; vaaruNiiva= as spirituous liquor(bemuses one); piita maatraa= the moment it is imbibed.
“That cruel and evil minded Ravana, equipped with strength in the shape of conjuring tricks, who makes his enemies cry has bemused me, as spirituous liquor bemuses one, the moment it is imbibed.”
tarjaapayati maam nityam bhartsaapayati ca asakrt |
raakSasiibhiH sughoraabhir yaa maam rakSanti nityashaH || 6-34-9
9. bhartsaapayati= he causes me to be threatened by words; nityam= all the time; sughoraabhiH=by the most frightful; raakshhasiibhiH=ogresses; yaaH= who; nityashaH= always; rakshhanti= surround me; tarjaapayati= insult me by their acts; asakR^it=repeatedly.
“He causes me to be threatened by words all the time by the most frightful ogresses, who always surround me and insult me by their act repeatedly.”
udvignaa shankitaa ca asmi na ca svastham mano mama |
tad bhayaac ca aham udvignaa;ashoka vanikaam gataaH || 6-34-10
10. aham= I; asmi= am; udvignaa= depressed in mind; shaN^kitaacha= and distrustful; mama= My; manaH= mind; na svastham= is not in its natural state; gataa= being in; ashoka vanakaam= Ashoka grove; aham= I; udvignaa= am distressed ; tadbhayaat= because of his fear.
“I am depressed in mind and distrustful. My mind is not in its natural state. Staying in Ashoka grove, I am distressed because of his fear.”
yadi naama kathaa tasya nishcitam vaa api yad bhavet |
nivedayethaaH sarvam tat paro me syaad anugrahaH ||6-34-11
11. nivedayathaaH= if you inform; tat sarvam= all that; yat= which; bhavet= becomes; nishchitam vaapi= decision; (or) tasya= his; kathaa= talk; yadinaama= if ever; tat= it; syaat= will be; paraH =a great; anugrahaH= service; me= to me.
“Report to me, all that is decided by him during his talk going on with his ministers about the matter of releasing me or keeping me captive. It will be of great service to me.”
saapyevam bruvatiim siitaam saramaa valgu bhaaSiNii |
uvaaca vacanam tasyaaH spR^ishantii baaSpa viklavam || 6-34-12
12. saa= that; saramaapi= Sarama also; mR^idu bhaashiNii= who speaks kindly words; spR^ishantii= touching (wiping); tasyaaH= her; vadanam= face; bashhpaviklabam= which got moist with tears; uvaacha= replied; siitaam= to Seetha; bruuvatiim= who was speaking; evam= as aforesaid:
The soft spoken Sarama, wiping her face, which got moist with tears, replied as follows to Seetha who was speaking as aforesaid:
eSa te yady abhipraayas tasmaad gacchaami jaanaki |
gR^ihya shatror abhipraayam upaavrttaam ca pashya maam || 6-34-13
13. yadi= if; te= your; abhipraayah= opinion; eshhaH= is this; gachchhaami= I shall go; tasmaat= on that account; jaanaki= O, Seetha !; gR^ihya= having grasped; abhipraayam= the feeling; shatroH= of the enemies; upaavartaami= I shall return; maithili= O, Seetha!
“If your opinion is like this, I shall go on that account, O, Seetha! Having grasped the feeling of the enemies, I shall return O, Seetha!”
evam uktvaa tato gatvaa samiipam tasya rakSasaH |
shushraava kathitam tasya raavaNasya samantriNaH || 6-34-14
14. uktvaa= speaking; evam= thus; gatvaa= (she); went; tataH= thereafter; samiipam= to the vicinity; tasya rakshhasaH= of that demon; shushraava= and heard; kathitam= the conversation; tasya= of that; raavaNasya= Ravana; samantriNaH= who was with his ministers.
Speaking thus, Surama thereafter went to the vicinity of that demon and heard the conversation of Ravana who was with his ministers.
saa shrutvaa nishcayam tasya nishcayajnaa duraatmanaH |
punar eva agamat kSipram ashoka vanikaam tadaa || 6-34-15
15. saa= she; nishchayajNaa= who knew how to investigate; shrutvaa= having heard; duraatmanaH= the wicked; tasya= Ravana’s; nishchayam= resolve; kshhipram= soon; aagamat= came; punareva= again; shubhaam= to the beautiful; ashokavanikaam= Ashoka grove.
Sarama, who knew how to investigate could hear the wicked Ravana’s resolve and soon returned to Ashoka grove.
saa praviSTaa punas tatra dadarsha janaka aatmajaam |
pratiikSamaaNaam svaam eva bhraSTa padmaam iva shriyam || 6-34-16
16. saa= she; pravishhTaa= who entered; tatra= there; dadarsha=saw; tataH= then; janakaatmajam= Seetha; shriyam iva= who looked like Lakshmi ,the goddess of prosperity; bhrashhTa padmaam= bereft of the lotus; pratiikshhamaaNaam= who was waiting; svaameva= for her alone.
Sarama, who entered the Ashoka grove, saw Seetha who looked like Lakshmi the goddess of prosperity (and the wife of Vishnu); bereft of the lotus and waiting for her only.
taam tu siitaa punaH praaptaam saramaam valgu bhaaSiNiim |
pariSvajya ca susnigdham dadau ca svayam aasanam || 6-34-17
17. siitaa= Seetha; susnigdham= affectionately; parishhvajya= embraced; priyabhaashhiNiim= the kindly speaking; saramaam= Sarama; punaH praaptaam= who returned ; dadou= and offered; svayam= personally; aasanam= a seat(to her).
Seetha affectionately embraced the kindly speaking Surama who returned there and offered personally a seat to her.
iha aasiinaa sukham sarvam aakhyaahi mama tattvataH |
kruurasya nishcayam tasya raavaNasya duraatmanaH || 6-34-18
18. aasiinaa= sitting; iha= here; sukham= comfortably; aakhyaahi= tell; mama= me; tattvataH= really; sarvam= about all; nishchayam= the design; tasya raavaNasya= of that Ravana; kruurasya= the cruel; duraatmanaH= and the wicked demon.
“Sitting here comfortably, tell me about the real design of that cruel and wicked Ravana”
evam uktaa tu saramaa siitayaa vepamaanayaa |
kathitam sarvam aacaSta raavaNasya samantriNaH || 6-34-19
19. saramaa= (while) Sarama;uktaa= was enquired; evam= thus; siitasya= by Seetha; vepamaanayaa= tremblingwith fear; aachashTa= narrated; sarvam= all; kathitam= the conversation; raavaNasya= of Ravana; samantriNaH= together with his ministers.
When Seetha trembling with fear enquired thus, Sarama narrated all the conversation of Ravana together with his ministers.
jananyaa raakSasa indro vai tvan mokSa artham bR^ihad vacaH |
aviddhena ca vaidehi mantri vR^iddhena bodhitaH || 6-34-20
20. vaidehi= O,Seetha!; jananyaa= by the mother; raakshhasendraH= of Ravana; aviddhena= and by Aviddha; mantri vR^iddhena= his aged minister; bR^ihat= excellent; vachaH= words; uditaH= were spoken; tvanmokshhaartham= with the aim of your release.
“Excellent words were spoken by Kaikasi, the mother of Ravana as well as Aviddha the aged minister asking for your release, O Seetha!”
diiyataam abhisatkrtya manuja indraaya maithilii |
nidarshanam te paryaaptam jana sthaane yad adbhutam || 6-34-21
21. maithilii= (let) Seetha; diiyataam= be restored; abhisatkR^itya= honorably; manujendraaya= to Rama the lord of men; adbhutam= the wonderful thing; yat= which; (happened) janasthaane= in Janasthana; paryaaptam= is an enough; midarsham= eye opener; te= to you.
“Let Seetha, be restored honorably to Rama the Lord of men. That wonderful** thing happened in Janasthana is an enough eye- opener to you.”
** Rama exterminated fourteen thousand demons led by such great warriors as Khara and Dushana at Janastana.
langhanam ca samudrasya darshanam ca hanuumataH |
vadham ca rakSasaam yuddhe kaH kuryaan maanuSo bhuvi || 6-34-22
22. kaH= what; maanushhaH= mortal; kuryaat=could accomplish; laN^ghanam= the crossing; samudrasya= of the ocean; hanuumataH= by Hanuman; vadhamcha= and the carnage; rakshhasaam= of the demons; yuddhe= in combat; bhuvi= on the earth?
“Which mortal would accomplish the crossing of the ocean, the discovery of Seetha by Hanuman, and the carnage of the demons in combat on this earth?”
evam sa mantri vR^iddhaishca maatraa ca bahu bhaaSitaH |
na tvaam utsahate moktum artahm artha paro yathaa || 6-34-23
23. bodhitaH= though admonished; bahu= in many ways; evam= thus; mantrivR^iddhaishcha= by the aged ministers; maatraacha= and by his mother; saH= he; na utsahate= does not want; moktum= to release; tvaam= you; arthamiva= as with riches; arthaparaH= by a miser.
“Though admonished in many ways by the aged ministers and his mother he is not inclined to set you free, any more than a miser would leave his hold on his riches.
na utsahaty amrto moktum yuddhe tvaam iti maithili |
saamaatyasya nR^ishamsasya nishcayo hy eSa vartate || 6-34-24
24. maithili= O,Seetha!; notsahati= he does not want; moktum= to release; tvaam= you; amR^itaH= without dying; yuddho= in battle; iti= in this manner; eshhaH= this; vartate= is; nishchayaH= the resolve; nR^ishamsasya= of the cruel Ravana; saamaatyasya= along with his ministers.
"O, Seetha! He does not want to release you, without dying himself in a battle. This is the resolve of the cruel Ravana along with his ministers."
tad eSaa susthiraa buddhirmR^ityu lobhaad upasthitaa |
bhayaan na shaktas tvaam moktum anirastas tu samyuge || 6-34-25
raakSasaanaam ca sarveSaam aatmanash ca vadhena hi |
25. -"Thereafter, due to infatuation caused by his impending death, his aforesaid determination is very firm .He is not in a position to release you, not through sheer fear, but until he is actually defeated in battle through the carnage of all the demons and of himself."
-"Thereafter, due to infatuation caused by his impending death, his aforesaid determination is very firm .He is not in a position to release you, not through sheer fear, but until he is actually defeated in battle through the carnage of all the demons and of himself."
nihatya raavaNam samkhye sarvathaa nishitaiH sharaiH || 6-34-26
pratineSyati raamas tvaam ayodhyaam asita iikSaNe |
26. asitekshhaNe= O, dark eyed Seetha!; nihatya= killing; raavaNam= Ravana; nishitaiH= by his sharp; sharaiH= arrows; samkhye= in combat; raamaH= Rama; tvaam prati neshhyati= will take you back; ayodhyaam= to Ayodhya; sarvathaa=by all means.
"O, dark eyed Seetha! Killing Ravana by his sharp arrows in combat, Rama will take you back to Ayodhya by all means."
etasminn antare shabdo bherii shankha samaakulaH || 6-34-27
shruto vai sarva sainyaanaam kampayan dharaNii talam |
27. In the meantime was heard the sound of all the monkey troops blended with the sound of kettle drums, causing earth to shake. w.w.m-etasmin antare= in the mean time; shrutovai= was heard; shabdoH= the sound; sarva sainyaanaam= of all the monkey troops; bheriishabda samaakulaH= blended with the sound of kettle drums; dharaNiitalam= causing earth; kampayam= to shake.
In the meantime was heard the sound of all the monkey troops blended with the sound of kettle drums, causing earth to shake.
shrutvaa tu tam vaanara sainya shabdam |
lankaa gataa raakSasa raaja bhrtyaaH |
naSTa ojaso dainya pariita ceSTaaH |
shreyo na pashyanti nrpasya doSaiH || 6-34-28
28. Hearing that sound of that monkey troops, the servants of Ravana stationed in Lanka were lack- luster with their movements, overcome by depression. They did not see anything salutary in it, owing to the fault of their king. w.m-shrutvaa= hearing; tvam= that; vaanara sainya naadam= sound of the monkey troops; raakshhasa raajabhR^ityaaH= the servants of Ravana; laN^kaagataaH= employed in Lanka; hatoujasaH= were bereft of luster; dainyapariitacheshhTaaH= with their movements overcome by depression; na pashyanti= they did not see; shreyaH= anything salutary; doshhaat= owing to the fault; nR^ipashya= of their king.
Hearing that sound of that monkey troops, the servants of Ravana stationed in Lanka were lack- luster with their movements, overcome by depression. They did not see anything salutary in it, owing to the fault of their king.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe chatustrimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 34th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© September 2004, K. M. K. Murthy