Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Rama and the monkeys see the charming gardens and groves located in Lanka, viewing them from the top of Suvela mountain. Some of the monkeys, thrilling with rapture, enter the gardens and enjoy their beauty of flowers and birds. Some others went towards Lanka; located on the apex of Trikuta mountain. They see the city with its large mansions and seven storied buildings, including the thousand-pillared mansion of Ravana with a height almost touching the skies. |
taam raatrim uSitaas tatra suvele hari pumgavaaH |
lankaayaam dadR^ishur viiraa vanaany upavanaani ca || 6-39-1
1. viiraaH= the valiant; hariyuuthapaaH= chief of the army of monkeys; uSitaaH= stayed; taam= that; raatrim=night; suvela= Suvela Mountain; dadR^ishaH=and saw; vanaani upavanaanicha= the gardens andgroves; laN^kaayaam= in Lanka
The valiant army-chiefs of monkeys stayed on Suvela mountain for that night and saw the garden and groves in Lanka.
sama saumyaani ramyaaNi vishaalaany aayataani ca |
dR^iSTi ramyaaNi te dR^iSTvaa babhuuvur jaata vismayaaH || 6-39-2
2. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; (the gardens); samasaumyaani= which were levelled; beautiful;vishaalaani= spacious; dR^iSTiramyaaNi= and charming to look at; te= they; babhuuvuH= became; jaata vismayaaaH= astonished.
Seeing those gardens which were levelled, beautiful, spacious, majestic and enchanting to look at, they became astonished.
campaka ashoka pumnaaga saala taala samaakulaa |
tamaala vana samchannaa naaga maalaa samaavR^itaa || 6-39-3
hintaalair arjunair niipaiH sapta parNaish ca puSpitaiH |
tilakaiH karNikaaraish ca paTaalaish ca samantataH || 6-39-4
shushubhe puSpita agraish ca lataa parigatair drumaiH |
lankaa bahu vidhair divyair yathaa indrasya amaraavatii || 6-39-5
vicitra kusuma upetai rakta komala pallavaiH |
shaadvalaish ca tathaa niilaish citraabhir vana raajibhiH || 6-39-6
3, 4, 5, 6. champakaashoka vakula shaalataala samaakulaa= thick with champaka, Ashoka, Vakula, sal and palmyra trees; tamaala panasachchhannaa= covered with groves of Tamala and Panasa trees; naagamaalaasamaavR^itaa= surrounded with rows of Naga kesara trees laN^ka= Lanka; shushubhe= looked splendid; samastataH= on all sides; amaraavatii yathaa= like the city of Amaravati indrasya= reigned by Indra the god of celestials; niilaiH= with green; shaadvalaiH= lawns; chitraabhiH= and variegated; vana raajibhiH= avenues; tathaa= and; divyaiH= with beautiful; bahuvidhaiH= trees of various kinds; hintaalaiH= like Hintala; arjunaiH= Arjuna; niipaiH= Nipa; saptaparNaiH= and saptaparna; supuSpitaih= full flowering; tilakaiH= Tilaka; karNikaarnaisheha= Karnikara; tilakaiH= tilaka; karNikaaraishcha= karnikara; paaTalaiH= and Patala; puSipitaagraiH= whose crests were laden with flowers; lataa parigata drumaiH= and which were intertwined with climbers; vichitra kusumopetaiH= which were laden with multi-coloured flowers; raktakomala pallavaiH= and red tender leaves.
Thick with Champaka, Ashoka, Vakula Sala and palmyra trees, covered with groves of Tamala and Panasa trees, surrounded with rows of Nagakesara trees, Lanka looked splended on all sides like the city of Amaravati reigned by Indra the god of celestials, with green lawns and variegated avenues and with beautiful trees of various kinds like Hintala, Arjuna, Nipa Saptaparna in full flowering, Tilaka, Karnikara and Patal whose crests were laden with flowers and which were intertwined with climbers laden with multi-coloured flowers and red tender leaves.
gandha aaDhyaany abhiramyaaNi puSpaaNi ca phalaani ca |
dhaarayanty agamaas tatra bhuuSaNaani iva maanavaaH || 6-39-7
7. agamaaH= the trees; tatra= there; dharayanti= were laden; gandhaaDhyaani= with fragrant; atiramyaaNi= and very much enchanting; puSpaaNicha= flowers; phaaanicha= and fruits; maanavaaH iva= as human beings; bhuuSaNaani= the ornaments;
The trees there were laden with fragrant and greatly enchanting flowers and fruits, as human beings were laden with ornaments.
tac caitra ratha samkaasham manojnam nandana upamam |
vanam sarva R^itukam ramyam shushubhe SaTpada aayutam || 6-39-8
8. tat= that; vanam= garden; sarvartukam= which bore flowers and fruits in relation to all seasons; SaTpadaayutam= and full of bees; chaitrarathasamkaasham= like chaitraratha (the garden of Kubera the god of riches); shushubhe= was quite charming; nandanopamam= resembling Nandana (the garden of Indra the Lord of celestials)
That garden, which bore flowers and fruits in relation to all seasons and with full of bees, like chaitraratha (garden of Kubera, the god of riches), was quite charming, like Nandana (garden of Indra the Lord of celestials)
natyuuha koyaSTi bhakair nR^ityamaanaish ca barhibhiH |
rutam para bhR^itaanaam ca shushruve vana nirjhare || 6-39-9
9. vana nirjhare= In that garden abounding in cascades; rutamcha= the songs; daatyuuha koyaSTibhakaiH= of gallinules and lapwings (small white cranes); nR^ityamaanaiH= and of dancing; barhiNaiH= pea-cocks; parabhiR^itaanaam= and cuckoos; shushruve= were heard.
In that garden abounding in cascades, the songs of birds like gallinules, lapwings(small white cranes), dancing peacocks and cuckoos were heard.
nitya matta vihamgaani bhramara aacaritaani ca |
kokila aakula SaNDaani vihaga abhirutaani ca || 6-39-10
bhR^inga raaja abhigiitaani bhramaraiH sevitaani ca |
koNaalaka vighuSTaani saarasa abhirutaani ca || 6-39-11
vivishus te tatas taani vanaany upavanaani ca |
hR^iSTaah pramuditaa viiraa harayaH kaama ruupiNaH || 6-39-12
10,11, 12. tataH= then; te= those; harayaH= monkeys; hR^iSTaaH= thrilling with rapture; pramuditaaH= delighted; viiraaH= brave; kaamaruupiNaH= and assuming any shape at will; vivushuH= entered; taani= those; vanaani= groves; upavanaanicha= and gardens; nityamattavihangaani= with birds ever excited with joy; bhramaraacharitaanicha= wandered by bees; kokulaa kula khaNDaani= with clusters of trees occupied by Cuckoos; vihangaabhirutaanicha= having variegated sounds of birds; bhR^inga raajaadhigiitaani= with singing by the large bees; kura rasva nitaanicha= abounding with sounds of ospreys; koNaalakavighuSTaani= with the musical sounds of wag tails; saarasaabhirutaani= and cries of cranes.
Then, those monkeys, thrilling with rapture, delighted, brave and assuming any shape at will, entered the aforesaid groves and gardens, with birds ever excited with joy, wandered by bees, with clusters of trees occupied by cuckoos, having variegated sounds of birds and song of the large bees, abounding with sounds of ospreys, with the music of wagtails and cries of canes.
teSaam pravishataam tatra vaanaraaNaam mahaa ojasaam |
puSpa samsarga surabhir vavau ghraaNa sukho anilaH || 6-39-13
13. (While); teSaam= those; mahaujasaam= mighty and splendid; vaanarvaaNaam= monkeys; pravishataam= were entering; tatra= there; anilaH= a breeze; puSpasamsarga surabhiH= sweet smelling due to contact with flowers; ghraaNasukhaH= delightful to the nose; vavau= blew.
While those mighty and splendid monkeys were entering the groves a breeze with flowery fragrance, delightful to the nose, blew.
anye tu hari viiraaNaam yuuthaan niSkramya yuuthapaaH |
sugriiveNa abhyanujnaataa lankaam jagmuH pataakiniim || 6-39-14
14. anye= some other; yuuthapaaH tu= of the troop-leaders; hariviiraaNaam= of the valiant monkeys; niSkranya= come out; yuuthaat= of their troops; abhyanujNaataaH= duly permitted; sugriiveNa= by Sgureeva; jagmu= and went; laN^kaam= towards Lanka; pataakiniim= adorned with flags.
Some other troop-leaders of the valiant monkeys came out of their troops with due permission from sugreeva and went towards Lanka, the city adorned with flags
vitraasayanto vihagaams traasayanto mR^iga dvipaan |
kampayantash ca taam lankaam naadaiH svair nadataam varaaH || 6-39-15
15. (Those monkeys) nadataam varaaH= great in making noises; vihagaan vitraasayantoH= causing the birds to frighten; glaapayantaH= and displeaseing; mR^iga dvipaan= to the animals and elephants; (went) ; taam laN^kaam kampayantashcha= causing that Lanka to tremble; svaiH= by their; naadaiH= sounds.
Those monkeys, great in making noises causing the birds to frighten and displeasing to the animals and elephants, went, causing that Lanka to tremble, by their noises.
kurvantas te mahaa vegaa mahiim caaraNa piiDitaam |
ajash ca sahasaa eva uurdhvam jagaama caraNa uddhatam || 6-39-16
16. te= those monkesy; mahaavegaaH= with great speed; kurvantaH= making; mahiim= the earth; charaNa piiDitaam= flattened by their feet; rajashcha= and the dust; charaNotthitam= raised by their feet; jagaama= went up; sahasaiva= instantaneously.
Those monkeys with great speed marched ahead, making the earth flattened by their feet and the dust thus raised by their feet went up instant aneously.
R^ikSaaH simhaa varaahaash ca mahiSaa vaaraNaa mR^igaaH |
tena shabdena vitrastaa jagmur bhiitaa disho dasha || 6-39-17
17. vitrastaaH= frightened; tena shabdena= by that sound; R^ikSaaH= bears; simhaashcha= lions; mahiSaaH= buffales; vaaraNaashcha= elephants; mR^igaaH= deer; khagaaH= birds; vitrastaaH= were trembled; bhiitaaH= terrified; jagmuH= and hastened toward; dasha dishaH= ten directions.
Frightened by that sound, bears lions buffaloes elephants, deers and birds were trembled and terrified and hastened towards ten different directions.
shikharam tu trikuuTasya praamshu ca ekam divi spR^isham |
samantaat puSpa samchannam mahaa rajata samnibham || 6-39-18
shata yojana vistiirNam vimalam caaru darshanam |
shlakSNam shriiman mahac caiva duSpraapam shakunair api || 6-39-19
manasaa api duraaroham kim punaH karmaNaa janaiH |
18,19. ekam= the solitary; trikuuTasya Shikharam= peak of Trikuta mountain; praamshu= which is so high; divispR^isham= as touching the sky; puSpasamchhannam= enveloped by flowers; samantaat= all oer; mahaarajata samnibham= resembling gold; shatayojana vistiirNam= to an extent of hundred yojanas(eight hundred miles); vimalam= bright; chaarudarshanam= charming to look at; shlakSTam= beautiful; shriimat= glorious; mahachchaiva= magestic; duSpraapam= inaccessible; shakunairapi= even by birds; duraaroham= hard to be asecended; janaiH= by the mind; kim punaH= how much more; karmaNaa= by an act of walking.
The solitary peak of Trikuta mountain, which is so high as if touching the sky, all over covered with flowers entirely, resembling gold; to an extent of eight hundred miles; bright; charming to look at, beautiful, glorious, majestic, inaccessible even by birds, hard to be ascended by people may, even by the mind-how much more by an act of walking?
niviSTaa tatra shikhare lankaa raavaNa paalitaa || 6-39-20
dashayojanavistiirNaa vimshadyojanamaayataa |
20. laN^kaa= Lanka; raavaNa paalitaa= ruled by Ravana; dashayogana istiirNaa= with a breadth of ten yojanas (eight miles); aayataa vimshadyojanam= and a lenght of twenty yojanas (one hundred sixty miles); niviSTaa= was located; shikhare= on the apex of the mountain; tatra= there.
Lanka, ruled by Ravana, with a breadth of eighty mile and a length of one hundred sixty miles, was located on the apex of the mountain there.
The length and breadth of the city given here varies from that given elsewhere - which is a hundred Yojanas wide and thirty yojanas long. This anomaly is reconciled by commentators by explaining the present verse as referring to the length and breadth of Lanka proper, which comprised the residence of Ravana.
saa purii gopurair uccaiH paaNDura ambuda samnibhaiH |
kaancanena ca saalena raajatena ca shobhitaa || 6-39-21
21. saa= that; purii= city; shobhate= looked beautiful; uchchaiH gopuraiH= with its towering City-gates; paaNDuraambuda samnibhaiH= resembling white clouds; kaaNchanena= and with golden; raajatena= and silver shaalena= ramparts
The city of Lanka looked beautiful with its towering City-gates resembling white clouds as well as with golden and silver ramparts.
praasaadaish ca vimaanaish ca lankaa parama bhuuSitaa |
ghanair iva aatapa apaaye madhyamam vaiSNavam padam || 6-39-22
22. laN^kaa= the city of Lanka; parama bhuuSitaa= greatly adorned by; praasaadaishcha= palaces; vimaanaishcha= and seven-storied mansions; ghanaiH iva= as clouds; aatapaapaaye= at the end of a summer; vaiSNava padam= are to the region of Vishnu the god of preservation; madhyamam= between (earth and heaven)
The city of Lanka, greatly adorned by palaces and seven storied mansions, looked like the sky with clouds at the end of a summer and as a region of Vishnu (the god of preservation) between earth and heaven.
tasyaam stambha sahasreNa praasaadaH samalamkR^itaH |
kailaasa shikhara aakaaro dR^ishyate kham iva ullikhan || 6-39-23
caityaH sa raakSasa indrasya babhuuva pura bhuuSaNam |
shatena rakSasaam nityam yaH samagreNa rakSyate || 6-39-24
23, 24. chaitya praasaadaH= A palace; samalaNkR^itaH= duly graced; stambha sahasreNa= with a thousand pillars; kailaasa shikharaakaaraH= which looked like a peak of Mount Kailasa; yasyaam= in the city of Lanka; yaH= which was; rakSyate= protected by; nityam= always; samagreNa= a complete; balena= army; rakSasaam= of demons; ullikhanniva= which seemed to lick; kham= the sky; dR^ishyate= was to be seen; saH= that; babhuuva= remained; purabhuuSaNam= as an ornament of the city; raaakSasendra= of Ravana.
A palace, duly graced with a thousand pillars, which looked like a peak of Mount Kailasa was three in the City of Lanka, which was always the City of Lanka, which was always protected by a complete army of demons. The palace seemed to be scraping the skies and was to be seen as an ornament to the City of Ravana.
manojJNaam kaaJNcanavatiim sarvatairupashobhitaam |
naanaadhaatuvichitraishca udyaanairupashobhitaam || 6-39-25
naanaavihagasamghaSTaam naanaamR^iganiSevitaam |
naanaakusumasaMpannaam naanaaraakshasasevitaam || 6-39-26
taam samR^iddhaam samR^iddha artho lakSmiivaaml lakSmaNa agrajaH |
raavaNasya puriim raamo dadarsha saha vaanaraiH || 6-39-27
25, 26, 27. lakshmiivaan= the glorious; lakSmaNaagrajaH= Rama the elder brother of Lakshmana; raamai saha= along with monkeys; dadarsha= saw; taam= that; manojJNaam= charming; kaaNchanavatiim= golden; raavaNasya puriim= city of Ravana; parvataiH= mountains; naanaa dhaatu vichitraiH= Picturesque with various minerals; upashobhitaam= splendid; udyaanaiH= with gardens; naanaa vihagasamghuSTaam= re-echoing with songs of birds of every kind; naanaa mR^iga niSevitaam= frequented by varieties of deer; naanaakusumasampannaam= richly endowed with various kinds of flowers; naanaa rakSasa sevitaam= inhabited by demons of every degree; samR^iddhaam= duly flourishing; samR^iddhaam= duly flourishing; samR^iddhaam= duly flourishing; samR^iddhaarthaam= having increased its wealth.
The glorious Rama the elder brother of Lakshmana along with monkeys saw that charming golden city of Ravana, graced with mountains picturesque with various minerals, splendid with gardens reechoing with songs of birds of every kind, frequented by varieties of deer, richly endowed with various kinds of flowers, inhabited by demons of every degree and duly flourishing, having increased its wealth.
taam mahaagR^ihasambaadhaaM dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNapuurvajaH |
nagariiM tridivaprakhyaaM vismayaM praapa viiryavaan 6-39-28
28. dR^iSTvaa= beholding; taam= that; nagariim= city; tridivaprakhyaam= which looks like heaven; mahaagR^iha sambaadhaam= and crammed with huge palaces; lakSmaNa puurvajaH= Rama, the elder brother of Lakshmana; praapa= was seized; vismayam= with astonishment.
Beholding that City, which looks like heaven and crammed with huge palaces, the valiant Rama the elder brother of Lakshmana was seized with astonishment.
taam ratna puurNaam bahu samvidhaanaam |
praasaada maalaabhir alamkR^itaam ca |
puriim mahaa yantra kavaaTa mukhyaam |
dadarsha raamo mahataa balena || 6-39-29
29. raamaH= Rama; mahataa balena= with the great army; dadarsha= saw; taam= that; puriim= city; ratna puurNaam= full of precious gems; bahusamvidhaanaam= having various kinds of facilities; alamkR^itaamcha= adorned with; praasaada maalaabhiH= rows of mansions; mayaayantrakavaaTa= mukhyaam= having excellent doors with huge mechanical appliances; mahataa= and with a large; balena= armed forces (protecting the city)
Rama with his great army saw that City, full of precious gems, having all kinds of facilities, adorned with rows of mansions, having excellent doors with huge mechanical appliances and with a large armed forces protecting the City.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe ekonacatvaariMshaH sargaH
Thus completes 39th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© January 2005, K. M. K. Murthy