Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
With the sound of kettle drums and couches, Rama arrives to Lanka with his army. Ravana hears those sounds and calls his ministers to chalk out his further course of action. Malyavan, Ravana's maternal grandfather advises Ravana to conclude peace with Rama and restore Seetha to him as he is perceiving adverse omens. |
tena shankha vimishreNa bherii shabdena raaghavaH |
upayato mahaa baahuu raamah para puram jayaH || 6-35-1
1. raamaH= Rama; mahaa baahuH= the mighty-armed; parapuranjayaH= conqueror of oppnents cities; upayaati= was sallied forth; tena= there; naadinaa= with a resonant; bheriishabdena= roll of kattle drums; shaN^kha vimishreNa= mingled with the blast of couches.
The mighty armed Rama, the conqueror of hostile cities sallied forth with the resonant roll of kettle drums, mingled with the blast of couches.
tam ninaadam nishamya atha raavaNo raakSasa iishvaraH |
muhuurtam dhyaanam aasthaaya sacivaan abhyudaikSata ||6-35-2
2. nishamya= hearing; atha= thereafter; tam= that; ninaadam= sound; raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSaseshvaraH= the lord of demons; aasthaaya= resorting to dhyaanam= meditation; muhuurtam= for a moment; abhyudaikSata= looked towards; sachivaan= his ministers.
Hearing that sound, Ravana the Lord of demons, paused for a moment to reflect and looked towards his ministers.
atha taan sacivaams tatra sarvaan aabhaaSya raavaNaH |
sabhaam samnaadayan sarvaam ity uvaaca mahaa balaH || 6-35-3
jagatpamtaapanaH kruurogarhayan raakshaseshvaraH |
3. atha= then; raavaNaH= Ravan; mahaabalaH= of great strength; jagat samtaapanaH= the tormentor of the world; kruuraH= a cruel demon; raakSaseshvaraH= and the lord of demons; tatra= these; aabhaaSya= addressed; sarvaam= the entire; sabhaam= hall; uvaacha= spoke; iti= as follows; agarhayan= accusing none.
Ravana of great strength the tormentor of the world, and a cruel lord of demons then addressed all his ministers in a voice that resounded the entire hall as follows, accusing none.
taraNam saagarasya api vikramam bala samcayam || 6-35-4
yad uktavanto raamasya bhavantas tan mayaa shrutam |
4. shrutam= It was heard; mayaa= by me; tat= that; yat= which; uktavantaH= was told; bhavantaH= by you; raamasya= of Rama's; taraNam= crossing; asya saagarasya= of this ocean; vikramam= his prowess; balapauruSam= strength and heroism.
"I have heard what you told me about Rama's crossing the ocean, his prowess, strength and heroism."
bhavatashcaapyaham vedmi yuddhe satyaparaakramaan || 6-35-5
tuuSNiikaaniikshatonyonyam viditvaam raamavikramam |
5. aham= I; vedmi= know; satya paraakramaan= you are truly brave; yuddhe= in the field of battle; viditvaa= yet on being aware; raamavikramam= of that valour of Rama; bhavatashchaapi= you too; iikSataH= look; anyonyam= on each other; tuuSNiikaan= in silence.
"I know that you are truly brave in the battle-field, yet, on beholding that valiant Rama, you too look on each other in silence."
tatas tu sumahaa praajno maalyavaan naama raakSasaH || 6-35-6
raavaNasya vacaH shrutvaa maatuH paitaamaho abraviit |
6. shrutvaa= hearing; vachaH= the words; raavaNasya= of Ravana; raakSasaH= a demon; maalyavaan naama= called Malyavan; maataamahaH= his maternal grandfather; sumahaapraajJNaH= the highly intelligent; tataH= then; abraviit= answered; iti= as follows:
Hearing those word of Ravana whose maternal grandfather he was, the highly intelligent demon called Malyavan, answered him thus:
vidyaasvabhiviniito yo raajaa raajan naya anugaH || 6-35-7
sa shaasti ciram aishvaryam ariimshca kurute vashe |
7. raajam= O, king! saH= He; yaH= who; abhiviniitaH= is well trained; vidyaasu= in (fourteen) sciences; nayaanugaH= and follows the path prudence; shaasti= enjoys; aishvaryam= sovereignty; chiram= for a long time; kurute= compels; ariimshcha= his enemies too; vashe= into sbujugation.
"O, king! He who is well-versed in (fourteen)* sciences and follows the path of prudence, enjoys sovereignty for a long time and compels his enemies too into subjugation."
Four Vedas, six Vedaangas, the Puranas, the Mimamsa, Nyaya and Dharma together constitute fourteen sciences.
samdadhaano hi kaalena vigR^ihNamsH caaribhiH saha || 6-35-8
sva pakSa vardhanam kurvan mahad aishvaryam ashnute ||
8. (He who); samdadhaanaH= his indded concludes peace; aribhiH saha= even with enemies; vigR^ihNancha= or wages war; kaalena= at a fitting tiem; kurvan vardhanam= strengthens svapakSe= his own party; ashnute= and attains; mahat= a great; aishvaryam= power.
"He who concludes peace even with enemies or wages war at a fitting time strengthens his own party and attains a great power."
hiiyamaanena kartavyo raajnaa samdhiH samena ca || 6-35-9
na shatrum avamanyeta jyaayaan kurviita vigraham |
9. samdhiH= A treaty of peace; kartavyaH= should be reached; raajN^aaH= by a king; hiiyamaanena= who is weaker; samena cha= or equal; na avamanyeta= He should not under rate; shatrum= that enemy; jyaayaan= (A king who is) stronger; kurrviita= should make; vigraham= war.
"A treaty of peace should be reached by a king who is weaker or equal to an enemy. The king should never underrate that enemy. If the king is more powerful, he should make war on the enemy."
tanmahyam rocate samdhiH saha raameNa raavaNa || 6-35-10
yad artham abhiyuktaaH sma siitaa tasmai pradiiyataam |
10. raavaNa= O, Ravana!; tat= for that reason; samdhiH= alliance; raameNa saha= with Rama; rochate= finds favour; mahyam= with me; siitaa= (let) Seetha; yadartham= for whose sake; abhiyuktaH asi= you have been attacked by him; pradiiyataam= be restored; tasmai= to him.
"O, Ravana! For that reason, alliance with Rama finds favour with me. Let Seetha, for whose sake you are being attacked, be restored to him."
tasya deva R^iSayaH sarve gandharvaasH ca jaya eSiNaH || 6-35-11
virodham maa gamas tena samdhis te tena rocataam |
11. sarve= all; devarSayaH= the celestials, sages; gandharvaashcha= and Gandharvas the celestial musicians; jayaiSiNaH= wish for victory; tasya= of that Rama; maagamaH- do not get; virodham- enmity; tena= with them; samdhiH= (Let) alliance; tena= with him; rochataam= be agreable; te= to you.
"All the celestials, sages and Gandharvas the celestial musicians are wishing for victory of Rama. Do not get an enmity with them. Let alliance with him be acceptable to you."
asR^ijad bhagavaan pakSau dvaav eva hi pitaamahaH || 6-35-12
suraaNaam asuraaNaam ca dharma adharmau tad aashrayau |
12. pitaamahaH= Brahma; bhagavaan= the Lord (of creation); aasR^ijat= created; dvau eva= only two pakSau= classes of beings; suraaNaamcha= the celestials; asuraaNaamcha= and the demons; dharmaadharmau= righteousness and unrighteousness; tadaashrayau= take refuge in them respectively.
"Brahma, the lord of creation, created only two classes of beings, the celestials and the demons. Celestials take refuge in righteousness and demons in unrighteousness."
dharmo hi shruuyate pakSaH suraaNaam ca mahaatmanaam || 6-35-13
adharmo rakSasaam pakSohya asuraaNaam ca raavaNa |
13. raakSasa= O, Ravana!; dharmaH= righteousness; shruuyate= is said to be; pakSaH= on the side; mahaatmaanaam= of the hight-souled; asuraaNaam= celestials; adharmaH hi= unrighteiousness is indeed; pakSaH= on the side; rakSasaam= of ogres; asuraaNaam cha= and demons.
"O, Ravana! Righteous is said to be on the side of the high-souled celestials. Unrighteousness is indeed on the side of ogres and demons."
dharmo vai grasate adharmam tataH kR^itam abhuud yugam || 6-35-14
adharmo grasate dharmam tatas tiSyaH pravartate |
14. yadaa= when; dharmaH= rightoeusness; grastae= swallows; adharmam- unrighteousness; abhuut= it becomes; kR^itam yugam= Kruta Yuga a golden age; adharmaH= (when) unrigheousness; grasate\ swallows; dharmam= righteousness; tadaa= then; pravartate= it stimulates; tiSyaH= Kali Yuga the fourth age.
"When righteousness swallows unrighteousness, it becomes kR^ita Yuga, a golden age. When unrighteousness swallows righteousness, it incites Kali Yuga the fourth age."
tat tvayaa carataa lokaan dharmo vinihato mahaan || 6-35-15
adharmaH pragR^ihiitasH ca tena asmad balinaH pare |
15. tat= therefore; charataa= who were wandering; lokaan= in the worlds; tvayaa= by you; mahaan= great; dharmo.api= righteousness even; nihataH= was destroyed; adharmaH= (and) unrighteousness; pragR^ihiitashcha= was favoured too; tena= for that reason; pare= the enemies; balinaH= are stronger; asmat= than us.
"Therefore, while you were wandering in the worlds, even the great righteousness was destroyed and unrighteousness favoured by you. So, the enemies are stronger than us."
sa pramaadaad vivR^iddhas te adharmo ahir grasate hi naH || 6-35-16
vivardhayati pakSam ca suraaNaam sura bhaavanaH |
16. pramaadaat= due to negligence; te= of you; saH= that; pravR^iddhaH= well-grown; adharmaH= unrighteousness; grahate hi= is indded swallowing; naH= us; sura bhaavanaH= being favourable to demons; pakSam= the sect; suraaNaam= of demons; vivardhayati cha= is getting augmented.
"Due to your negligence, that well nourished unrighteousness is swallowing us. Being favourable to demons, the sect of demons is thereby getting augmented."
viSayeSu prasaktena yat kimcit kaariNaa tvayaa || 6-35-17
RSiiNaam agni kalpaanaam udvego janito mahaan |
17. mahaan= A great; udvegaH= fear; janitaH= has been generated; R^iSiNaam= in the sages; agnikalpaanaam= having the nature of fire; prasaktena= who are interested; viSayeSu= in sensual enjoyments; yatkinchitkaariNaa= doing whatever you like.
"You, who are interested in sensual enjoyments, doing whatever you like, have created a great alarm in the sages, having the nature of fire."
teSaam prabhaavo durdharSaH pradiipta;iva paavakaH || 6-35-18
tapasaa bhaavita aatmaano dharmasya anugrahe rataaH |
mukhyair yajnair yajanty ete nityam tais tair dvijaatayaH || 6-35-19
juhvaty agniimsH ca vidhivad vedaamsH ca uccair adhiiyate |
abhibhuuya ca rakSaamsi brahma ghoSaan udairayan || 6-35-20
disho vipradrutaaH sarve stanayitnur iva uSNage |
18, 19, 20. prabhaavah= the power; teSaam= of those sages; durdarSah= is insurmountable; pradiiptaH iva= like an igniting; paavakaH= fire; bhaavitaatmaanaH= their minds purified; tapasaa= by penance; rataaH= interested; anugrahe= in promotion; dharmasya= of righteousness; ete= these; dvijaayataH= Brahmanas; yat= for which reason; yajanti= they worship the gods; taistaiH= throught different; mukhyaiH= principal; yaN^aiH= sacrifices; juhvati= pour oblations; agniimshcha= into sacrificial fires; vidhivat= in due ceremonies; adhiiyate= and read; vedaan= the Vedas (sacred texts); uchchaiH= in a loud voice; abhibhuuya= and having subdued; rakSaamsi= the demons; udairayan= they continued to chant; brahmaghoSaan= the sacred texts; (on hearing which); sarve= all demons; vipradrutaaH= scattered; dishaH= in all directions; stanayitnuH= as thundering clouds; uSNage= in a hot season.nt; brahmaghoSaan= the sacred texts; (on hearing which); sarve= all demons; ipradrutaaH= scattered; dishaH= in all directions; stanayitnuH= as thundering clouds; uSNage= in a hot season.
"The power of those sages is insurmountable like an igniting fire. Having purified their minds through penance, they are intent on promotion of righteousness, in as much as these Brahamans worship the gods through different principal sacrifices, also pour oblations into the sacred fires with due ceremony and read the Vedas (Sacred texts) in a loud voice. Having subdued the demons, they continued to chant the sacred text, on hearing which all the demons scattered in all directions, as thundering clouds in a hot season."
R^iSiiNaam agni kalpaanaam agni hotra samutthitaH || 6-35-21
aadatte rakSasaam tejo dhuumo vyaapya disho dasha |
21. dhuumaH= The smoke; agnihotra samutthitaH= coming forth from the sacred fire; R^iSiiNaam= of the sages; agnikalpaanaam= who resemble the fire ( in brilliance); vyaapya= enveloping; dasha- the ten; dishaH= directions; aadatte= takes away; tejaH= the magical power; rakSasaam= of the demons.
"The smoke coming forth from the sacred fire of the sage who resemble the fire (in brilliance), enveloping the ten directions, takes away the magical power of the demons."
teSu teSu ca desheSu puNyeSu ca dR^iDha vrataiH || 6-35-22
caryamaaNam tapas tiivram samtaapayati raakSasaan |
22. tiivram= the severe; tapaH= austerity; charyamaaNaam= practised; puNyeSTyavadhR^ita vrataiH= by the sages, firm of resolve; teSu teSu= in different; desheSu= countries; samtaapayati= torment; raakSasaan= the demons.
"The severe austerity practised by the sages, firm of resolve, in different countries torment the demons."
devadaanavayakshebho gR^ihiitashcha varastvayaa || 6-35-23
manuSyaa vaanaraa R^ikshaa golaaN^guulaa mahaabalaaH |
balavanta ihaagamya garjanti dR^iDhavikramaaH ||6-35-24
23, 24. varaH= a boon, (of invincibility); gR^ihiitaH= was recived; tvayaa= by you; deva daanavayakSebhyaH= from celestials, demons and semi-divine beings; (but these are); manuSyaaH= men; R^ikSaaH= bears; golaaNguulaaaH= and monkeys; balavantaH= who are powerful; dR^iDha vikramaaH= having stron prowess; mahaabalaaH= and very efficacious; aagamya= are coming; iha= hither; garjanti= roaring like lions.
"You received a boon of invincibility from celestials, demons and semi-divine beings, but then are men, bears as well as powerful and very efficacious having strong prowess who are coming hither, roaring like lions."
utpaataan vividhaan dR^iSTvaa ghoraan bahu vidhaams tathaa |
vinaasham anupashyaami sarveSaam rakSasaam aham || 6-35-25
25. dR^iSTvaa= by seeing, vividhaan= various kinds; utpaataan= of unexpected events (portents); tathaa= and; bahuvidhaan= many types; ghoraan= of terrible things; aham= I; anupashyaami= am perceiving; vinaasham= destruction; sarveSaam= of all; rakSasaam= the demons.
"By seeing various kinds of unexpected events (portents) and many types of terrific things, I am perceiving a destruction of all the demons."
kharaabhis tanitaa ghoraa meghaah pratibhayam karaH |
shoNitena abhivarSanti lankaam uSNena sarvataH || 6-35-26
26. ghoraaH= terrific; pratibhayankaraaH= and monstrous; maghaaH= clouds; kharaabhistanitaaH= having harsh thundering sound; abhivarSanti= are raining; uSNena= hot; shoNitena= blood; sarvataH= throughtout; laN^kaan= Lanka.
"With terrifying clamour, monstrous clouds, inspiring horror, rain hot blood on Lanka on every side."
rudataam vaahanaanaam ca prapatanty asra bindavaH |
dhvajaa dhvastaa vivarNaasH ca na prabhaanti yathaa puram || 6-35-27
27. ashrubindavaH= drops of tears; prapatanti= fall; rudataam= from weeping; vaahanaanaam= elephnts, horses etc., vivarNaaH= which became discoloured; rajodhvastaaH= due to covering by dust; na prabhaanti= and are not shining; yathaapuram= as before.
"Drops of tears drop from the weeping elephants, horses etc., whose skins became discoloured, covered with dust and are not shining as before."
vyaalaa gomaayavo gR^ idhraa vaashanti ca subhairavam |
pravishya lankaam anisham samavaayaamsH ca kurvate || 6-35-28
28. vyaalaaH= flesh-eating animals; gomaayavaH= jackals; gR^idhraaH= eagles; vaashyanti= are howling; subhairavam= horribly; pravishya= and entering; laN^kaam= Lanka; kurvate= they are forming; samavaayaan cha= into groups; aaraame= in groves.
"Flesh-eating animals, jackals and eagles and howling horribly. Entering Lanka, they are in the groves, forming into groups."
kaalikaaH paaNDurair dantaiH prahasanty agrataH sthitaaH |
striyaH svapneSu muSNantyo gR^ihaaNi pratibhaaSya ca || 6-35-29
29. kaalikaaH= black; striyaH= women; pratibhaaSya= talking adversely; svapneSu= in dreams; muSNantyaH= robbing; gR^ihaaNi= the houses; sthitaaH= stand; agrataH= in front; prahasanti= laughing; paaNDuraiH= with their white; dantaiH= teeth.
"Black women, chattering incoherently in dreams and robbing different houses stand in front, laughing loudly with their white teeth."
gR^ihaaNaam bali karmaaNi shvaanaH paryupabhunjate |
kharaa goSu prajaayante muuSikaa nakulaiH saha || 6-35-30
30. shvaanaH= dogs; paryupabhuN^jate= devour; balikarmaaNi= the sacred offerings; gR^ihaaNi= in homes; kharaaH= donkeys; prajaayante= are born; goSu= of cows; muuSakaaH cha= and rats; nakuleSu= of mongoose.
"Dogs devour the sacred offerings offered in homes. Donkeys are born of cows and rats of mongoose."
maarjaaraa dviipibhiH saardham suukaraaH shunakaiH saha |
kimnaraa raakSasaisH ca api sameyur maanuSaiH saha || 6-35-31
31. maarjaaraaH= cats; sameyuH= mate; dviipibhiH saardham= with tigers; suukaraaH= pigs; shunakaiH saha= with dogs; kimnaraaH= Kinnaras (a species of demi-gods with the human figure and the head of a horse or with a horse's body with the head of a man); raakSasaishchaapi= with demons; maanuSaiH saha= and men.
"Cats mate with tigers, pigs with dogs, Kinnaras (a species of demi-gods with the human figure and the head of a horse or with a horse's body and the head of a man) with demons and men."
paaNDuraa rakta paadaasH ca vihagaaH kaala coditaaH |
raakSasaanaam vinaashaaya kapotaa vicaranti ca || 6-35-32
32. rakta paadaashcha= red-footed and; paaNDuraaH= white; kapotaaH= pigeons; kaala choditaaH= messengers of death; vicharanti= move in different directions; (foretelling); vinaashaaya= the extermination; raakSasaam= of demons.
"Red-footed and white pigeons, messengers of death, move in different directions, foretelling the extermination of demons."
viiciikuuciiti vaashantyaH shaarikaa veshmasu sthitaaH |
patanti grathitaasH ca api nirjitaaH kalaha eSiNaH || 6-35-33
33. veshmasu sthitaaH= Domesticated; shaarikaaH= minas; vaashantya= making; chiichiikuuchi iti= a chirping sound; nirjitaaH- defeated; kalahaiSibhiH= by other bellicose birds; patanti= drop down; gratjotaasjcjaa[o= being twined together in groups.
"Domesticated minas (a kind of birds) making a chirping sound, defeated by other bellicose birds drop down, being twined together in groups."
pakshiNashcha mR^igaaH sarve pratyaadityam rudanti te |
karaalo vikaTo muNDaH puruSaH kR^iSNa pingalaH || 6-35-34
kaalo gR^ihaaNi sarveSaam kaale kaale anvavekSate |
etaany anyaani duSTaani nimittaany utpatanti ca || 6-35-35
34, 35. pakSiNaH= birds; te sarve= and all those; mR^igaaH= wild animals; pratyaadityam= turning towards the sun; rudanti= cryout; kaalaH= death; karaalaH= (in the from of) frightful; vikaTaH= monstrous; paruSaH= and cruel; kR^iSNa priN^galaH= blackish fellow; muNDaH= with a shaven head; anvavekSate= casts his eyes; gR^ihaaNi= on the dwellings; sarveSaaNi= of all of us; kaale kaale= both morning and eening; etaani= these; anyaani= and other; duSTaani nimittaani cha= sinister omens; utpatanti= appear.
"Birds and wild animals, facing towards the sun, cry out. Death, in the form of a frightful, monstrous and cruel blackish fellow with a shaven head casts his eyes on all our dwellings, both morning and evening. These and such other sinister omens appear."
viSNum manyaamahe raamam maanuSam deham aasthitam |
na hi maanuSa maatro asau raaghavo dR^iDha vikramaH || 6-35-36
yena baddhaH samudrasya sa setuH parama adbhutaH |
kuruSva nara raajena samdhim raameNa raavaNa || 6-35-37
jJNaatvaavadhaarya karmaaNi kriyataamaayatikshamam |
36, 37. manyaamahe= I deem; raamam= Rama; dR^iDhavikramaH= of firm fortitude; viSNum= as Vishnu; aasthitam= dwelling; maanuSam= in human; ruupam= form; asau= this; raaghavaH= Rama; na hi= is not indeed; maanuSa maatraH= a mere human being; yena= he by whom; saH= that paramaadbhutaH= most wonderful; setuH= bridge; baddhaH= was built; samudre= across the sea; raavaNa= O, Ravana!; kuruSva= conclude; samdhim= peace; raameNa= with Rama; nara raajena= who is the king of men; jJNaatvaa= having come to know; karmaaNi= of his acts; aayatikSamam= let that which is good for the future; kriyataam= be done; avadhaarya= after a mature understanding.
"I deem Rama of firm fortitude as Vishnu dwelling in human form. This Rama is not a mere human being, he by whom that most wonderful bridge was built across the sea. O, Ravana! Conclude peace with Rama, who is the king of men. Having come to know of his acts, let that which is good for the future be done after a mature understanding."
idam vacas tatra nigadya maalyavan |
pariikSya rakSo adhipater manaH punaH |
anuttameSu uttama pauruSo balii |
babhuuva tuuSNiim samavekSya raavaNam || 6-35-38
nigadya= having spoken; idam vachaH= these words; maalyavaan= Malyavan; balii= the mighty; uttama pauruSaH= who was foremost in valour; anuttameSu= among the bravest warriors; pariikSya= aware of what was passing; rakSadhipate= in Ravana's manaH= mind; punaH= and again; samavekSya= eyeing him; babhuuva= became; tuuSNiim= silent.
Having spoken thus, the mighty Malyavan, who was foremost in valour among the bravest warriors, being aware of what was passing in Ravana's mind, eyeing him, became silent.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe paJNchatrimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 35th 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