Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Rama orders ten of the monkey-generals to search for the whereabouts of Indrajit. But Indrajit arrested the approach of those monkeys, by means of his arrows. Both Rama and Lakshmana were transfixed by Indrajit with a net work of serpentine arrows into the vital parts of Rama and Lakshmana and they fall down on the battle-ground in a bath of blood. Seeing those two scions of Raghu in that state, the monkeys give way to utter despondence. |
sa tasya gatim anvicchan raaja putrah prataapavaan |
didesha atibalo raamo dasha vaanara yuuthapaan || 6-45-1
1. saH raamaH= that Rama; raja putraH= the son of Dasaratha; prataapavaan= the powerful man; ati balaH= and a very strong man; didesha= directed; dasha= ten; vaanarayuthapaan= monkey-generals; anvichchhan= to search; tasya= his; gatim= course of movement.
That very strong and powerful Rama the son of Dasaratha ordered ten monkey-generals to search for the whereabouts of Indrajit.
dvau suSeNasya daayaadau niilam ca plavaga R^iSabham |
angadam vaali putram ca sharabham ca tarasvinam || 6-45-2
dvinatam jaambavantam ca saanuprastham mahaa balam |
R^iSabham ca R^iSabha skandham aadidesha param tapaH || 6-45-3
2, 3. paramtapaH= Rama, who torments his enemies; aadidesha= ordered; dvau= both; daayaadau= the sons; suSeNasya= of Sushena; niilamcha= Nila; plavagaadhipam= the chief of monkeys; aNgadam= Andaga; vaaliputram= the son of Vali; tarasvinam= the strong; sharabhamcha= Sharabha; dvividam cha= Divivda; hanuumantam= Hanuman; mahaabalam= the very strong; saanuprastham= Samprastha; R^iSabham cha= Rishabha; R^iSabha skandham= and Rishabhaskandha.
Rama the scourger of his enemies ordered both the sons of Sushena, Nila the chief of monkeys, Angada the son of Vali, the stron Sharabha, Dvivida, Hanuman, the very strong Sanuprastha, Rishabha and Rishabha skandha.
te samprahR^iSTaa harayo bhiimaan udyamya paadapaan |
aakaasham vivishuh sarve maargaamaaNaa disho dasha || 6-45-4
4. te sarve harayaH= all those monkeys; samprahR^iSTaaH= thrilled with enthusiasm; udyamya= lifted; bhiimaan= terrific; paadapaan= trees; maargamaaNaaH= searching; dasha= in ten; dishaH= directions; vivishuH= entered; aakaasham= the air.
All those monkeys, thrilled with enthusiasm, flung into the air brandishing huge trunks of trees in order to explore the ten regions.
teSaam vegavataam vegam iSubhir vegavattaraiH |
astravit parama astreNa vaarayaam aasa raavaNiH || 6-45-5
5. raavaNiH= Indrajit, the son of Ravana; astravit= who was skilled in the use of magic weapons; iSubhiH= by means of his arrows; vegavattaraiH= with great speed (released) parama astraiH= from the most excellent of bows; vaarayaamaasa= arrested; teSaam= their; vegavataam= impetuous; vegam= outbreak.
Indrajit, the son of Ravana, who was skilled in the use of magic weapons, by means of his arrows with great speed, released from his most excellent of bows, arrested the impetuous outbreak of the monkeys.
tam bhiima vegaa harayo naaraacaih kSata vikSataaH |
andha kaare na dadR^ishur meghaih suuryam iva aavR^itam || 6-45-6
6. harayaH= the monkeys; bhiimavegaaH= of terrific bound naaraachaiH kSata vigrahaaH= whose bodies were cruelly pierced by those shafts; na dadR^ishaH= were unable to see; tam= Indrajit; andhakaare= in the darkness; suuryamiva= as the sun; (is obscured); aavR^itam= when veiled; meghaiH= in clouds.
Those monkeys of terrific bound, whose bodes were cruelly pierced by those shafts, were unable to see Indrajit in the darkness, as the sun is obscured when veiled in clouds.
raama lakSmaNayor eva sarva marma bhidah sharaan |
bhR^isham aaveshayaam aasa raavaNih samitim jayaH || 6-45-7
7. raavaNiH= Indrajit, the son of Ravana; samitimjayaH= victorious in battle; aaveshayaamaasa= caused to enter; sharaan= the arrows; sarva dehabhidaH= which split up the flesh; bhR^isham= in great measure; raama lakSmaNayoreva= into Rama and Lakshmana exactly.
Indrajit, the victorious in battle, transfixed Rama and Lakshmana with those arrows that lacerated their flesh in great measure.
nirantara shariirau tu bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau |
kruddhena indrajotaa viirau pannagaih sharataam gataiH || 6-45-8
8. indrajitaa= by Indrajit; kruddhena= the enraged demon; ubhau= both; tau= those; viirau= warriors; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; nirantara shariirau= whose bodies were densely transfixed with arrows; pannagaiH= by serpants; gataiH= which obtained; sharataam= the form of arrows.
The bodies of both those warriors, Rama and Lakshmana were densely transfixed with serpentine arrows by the enraged Indrajit.
tayoh kSataja maargeNa susraava rudhiram bahu |
taav ubhau ca prakaashete puSpitaav iva kimshukau || 6-45-9
9. rudhiram= blood; susraava= flowed; bahu= profusely; tayoH= from their; kSata maargeNa= wound-marks; ubhau= both; tau= of them; prakaashitau= shone; kimshukau iva= like Kimshuka trees; puSpitau= in following.
Blood flowed from the wound-marks of both Rama and Lakshmana and both of them shone like Kimshuka trees in flowring.
tataH paryanta rakta akSo bhinna anjana caya upamaH |
raavaNir bhraatarau vaakyam antardhaana gato abraviit || 6-45-10
10. tataH= at that instant; paryanta raktaakSaH= his eyes inflamed; raavaNiH= Indrajit, Ravana’s son; bhiinnaN^jana chayopamaH= which resembled a mass of collyrium mixed with oil; antardhaana gataH= though still invisible; abraviit= spoke; vaakeyam= the following words; bhraatarau= those two brothers.
At that instant, though still invisible, Indrajit, Ravana’s son, with his inflamed eyes, which resembled a mass of collyrium mixed with oil, spoke the following words to those two brothers.
yudhyamaanam anaalakSyam shakro api tridasha iishvaraH |
draSTum aasaaditum vaa api na shaktah kim punar yuvaam || 6-45-11
11. yudhyamaanam= when I enter into combat; anaalakSyam= making myself invisible; shakro.api= even Indra; tridasheshvaraH= the lord of celestials; na shaktaH= is not bale; draSTum= to see; aasaaditum vaapi= or approach (me); kim punaH= how much less; yuvaam= you two!.
“When I enter into combat, making myself invisible, even Indra the lord of celestials is not able to see or approach me. How much less, you two!”
praavR^itaav iSu jaalena raaghavaukanka patriNaa |
eSa roSa pariita aatmaa nayaami yama saadanam || 6-45-12
12. raaghavau= O, Descendents of Raghu!; praavR^itau= having imprisoned you; aviSujaalena= in this net work of arrows; kaN^kapatriNaa= furnished with heron’s feathers; eSaH= this I; roSa pariitaatmaa= yielding myself up to the violence of my wrath; nayaami= am about to dispatch you; yamasaadanam= to the region of Yama the Lord of Death.
“O, Descendents of Raghu! Having imprisoned you in this net work of arrows furnished with heron’s feathers, I, yielding myself up to the violence of my wrath, am about to dispatch you to the region of Yama the Lord of Death.”
evam uktvaa tu dharmajnau bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau |
nirbibheda shitair baaNaih prajaharSa nanaada ca || 6-45-13
13. uktvaa= speaking; evam= thus; bhraatarau= to the brothers; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; dharmajJNau= who wee aware of righteousness; (Indrajit); nirbibheda= pierced (them); shitaiH= with pointed; baaNaiH= arrows; nanaadacha= and shouted too; prajaharSa= exultantly.
Speaking thus to the brothers Rama and Lakshmana, who were aware of righteousness, Indrajit pierced them with pointed arrows and shouted too exultantly.
bhinna anjana caya shyaamo visphaarya vipulam dhanuH |
bhuuyo bhuuyah sharaan ghoraan visasarja mahaa mR^idhe || 6-45-14
14. bhinnaaN^jana chaya shyaamaH= Indrajit, who was as black as a heap of shattered collyrium; visphaarya= stretching; vipulam= his immense dhanuH= now; visasarja= discharged; ghoraan= formidable; sharaan= arrows; bhuuya eva= even once more; mahaa mR^idhe= in that great fight.
Indrajit, who was as black as a heap of shattered collyrium, stretching his immense bow, discharged formidable arrows even once more, in that great fight.
tato marmasu marmajno majjayan nishitaan sharaan |
raama lakSmaNayor viiro nanaada ca muhur muhuH || 6-45-15
15. viiraH= that warrior, Indrajit; marma jJNaH= who was aware of the vital parts; muhurmuhuH= set up a continual; nanaada cha= shouting; majjayan= digging; nishitaan= sharp; sharaan= arrows; raamalakSmaNayoH= marmasu= into the vital parts of Rama and Lakshmana.
That warrior, Indrajit, who was aware of their vital parts, set up a continual shouting, digging sharp arrows into the vital parts of Rama and Lakshmana.
baddhau tu shara bandhena taav ubhau raNa muurdhani |
nimeSa antara maatreNa na shekatur udiikSitum || 6-45-16
16. tau ubhau= those two princes; raNamuurdhaani= in the forefront of battle; baddhau tu shara bandhena= bounded by the net of arrows; nimeSaantara maatreNa= in the twinkling of an eye; na shekatuH= became incapable; avekSitum= of even looking up.
Those two princes, in the forefront of battle, bounded by that net work of arrows in the twinkling of an eye, became incapable of even looking up.
tato vibhinna sarva angau shara shalya aacitaav ubhau |
dhvajaav iva mahaa indrasya rajju muktau prakampitau || 6-45-17
tau sampracalitau viirau marma bhedena karshitau |
nipetatur mahaa iSvaasau jagatyaam jagatii patii || 6-45-18
17, 18. marma bhedena= pierced in their vital parts; karshitau= exhausted; kR^itau= made; sharashalya achitau= covered by heads of arrows; vibhinna sarvaaN^gau= all over the different limbs; tau= those two; maheSvaasau= wielding mighty arches; jagatii patii= who were the lords of the earth; nipetutuH= fell; jagatyaam= to the earth; samprachalitau= shaking violently; mahendrasya dhvajaamiva= like a pair of flag-staffs raised in honour of Indra the Lord of celestials; rajju muktau= and freed from their chords.
Pierced in their vital parts, exhausted, and covered all over with heads of arrows, those two mighty and courageous archers fell to the earth, they who were the lords of the earth, shaking violently like a pair of flag-staffs in honour of Indra the Lord celestials and freed from their raised of chords.
tau viira shayane viirau shayaanau rudhira ukSitau |
shara veSTita sarva angaav aartau parama piiDitau || 6-45-19
19. tau viirau= those warriors; shayanau= lying; viira shayane= on that heroes’ bed; rudhirokSitau= bathed in blood; sharaveSTita sarvaaaN^gau= all their limbs bristling with arrows; parama piiDitau= and extremely injured; aartau= felt distress.
Those warriors, Rama and Lakshmana, lying on that heroes’ bed (on the battle-ground), bathed in blood, all their limbs bristling with arrows and extremely injured, felt distressed.
na hy aviddham tayor gaatram babhuuva angulam antaram |
na anirbhinnam na ca astabdham aa kara agraad ajihmagaiH || 6-45-20
20. na babhuuva= there was not; aN^gula maatram= a finger’s breadth; antaram= of space; tayoH= on their; gaatre= bodies; aakaaraagraat= from the tips of their fingers to the end of their feet; anirbhinnam= that was not lacerated; na= nor; astabdham= not implanted; aviddham= and not pierced; ajihmagaiH= by those arrows.
There was not a finger’s breadth on their bodies form the tips of their fingers to the end of their feet that was not lacerated, implanted and pierced by those arrows.
tau tu kruureNa nihatau rakSasaa kaama ruupiNaa |
asR^ik susruvatus tiivram jalam prasravaNaav iva || 6-45-21
21. nihatau= struck down; kruureNa= by that ferocious; rakSasaa= demon; kaama ruupiNaa= able to change his shape at will; tiivram= the hot; asR^ik= blood; susruvatuH= gushed forth; tau= from both Rama and Lakshmana; jalam iva= as water; prasravaNau= from a spring.
Struck down by that ferocious demon, who was able to change his shape at will, the hot blood gushed forth from both Rama and Lashmana, as water from a spring.
papaata prathamam raamo viddho marmasu maargaNaiH |
krodhaad indrajitaa yena puraa shakro vinirjitaH || 6-45-22
22. raamaH= Rama; papaata= fell; prathamam= first; marmasu= his vital parts; viddhaH= pierced; maargaNaiH= by arrows; krodhaat= of the wrathful; indrajitaa= Indrajit; yena= by whom; shakraH= Indra the Lord of celestials; puraa= had been formerly; vinirjitaH= vanquished.
Rama fell first, his vital parts pierced by arrows of the wrathful Indrajit, who had formerly vanquished Indra the Lord of celestials.
rukmapuN^kheH prasannaagrairadhogatibhiraashugaiH |
naaracair ardha naaraacair bhallair anjalikair api || 6-45-23
vivyaadha vatsa dantaish ca simha damSTraih kSurais tathaa |
23. (Indrajit); vivyaadha= pierced; (Rama) (by arrows); rukma puN^khaiH= with golden shafts; prasanna agraiH= with sharp points; adhogatibhiH= which had downward movement; aashugaiH= which go fast; naarachaiH= Narachas; ardha naaraachaiH= Demi-naraches; bhallaiH= Bhallas (with wide tips); aNjalikairapi= Anjalis; vatsa dantaishcha= Vatsadantas; simha damSTraiH= Simhadantas; tathaa= and; kSuraiH= those shafts like unto razors.
Indrajit pierced Rama by arrows with golden shafts, with sharp points, which had downward movement, which go fast, Narchas, Demi-narachas, Bhallas (with wide tips), Anjalis, Vatsa dantas, Simha dantas and those shafts like unto razors.
sa viira shayane shishye vijyam aadaaya kaarmukam || 6-45-24
bhinna muSTi pariiNaaham triNatam rukma bhuuSitam |
24. aavidhya= throwing asunder; kaarmukam= his bow; vijyam= string-less; bhinna muSTipariiNaaham= detached from the hold of his fist; trinatam= and which was bent at three places; rukma bhuuSitam= adorned with gold; saH= that Rama; shishye= lied down; viirashayane= on heroes bed (on the battle-ground).
Throwing asunder his bow bent at three places, adorned with gold, with its string loosened away and detached from the hold of his fist, Rama lied down on the battle-ground.
baaNa paata antare raamam patitam puruSa R^iSabham || 6-45-25
sa tatra lakSmaNo dR^iSTvaa niraasho jiivite abhavat |
25. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; puruSarSabham= Rama the excellent among men; patitam= fallen; tatra= there; baaNa paataantare= at a distance of a range of an arrow; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; abhavat= became; niraashaH= the one without any hope; jiivite= in life.
Seeing Rama the excellent man fallen, at a distance of an arrows range, Lakshman became hopeless about his own life.
raamam kamalapatraakSaM sharabandhaparikSatam || 6-45-26
shushocha bhraataraM dR^iSTvaa patitam dharaNiitale |
26. dR^iSTvaa= seeing bhraataram= his elder brother; raamam= Rama; kamala patraakSam= with his eyes resembling lotus-leaves; patitam= having fallen; dharaNiitale= on the ground; sharabandha parikSatam= wounded by a net work of arrows; (Lakshmana); shushocha= lamented.
Seeing his elder brother Rama, with his eyes resembling lotus-leaves, having fallen on the ground, wounded as he was by a net work of arrows, Lakshmana felt sad.
harayashchaapi tam dR^iSTvaa samtaapam paramaM gataaH || 6-45-27
shokaartaashchukrushurghoramashrupuuritalochanaaH |
27. dR^iSTvaa= beholding; tam= that Rama; harayashchaapi= the monkeys also; gataaH= obtained; paramam= great; samtaapam= grief; ashrupuurita lochanaaH= with their eyes filled in tears; shokaartaaH= afflicted by sorrow; ghoram= and terribly; chakmshuH= wept.
Beholding that Rama, the monkeys too were in great grief and wept terribly, with their eyes filled in tears, being afflicted as they were by sorrow.
baddhau tu viirau patitau shayaanau |
tau vaanaraah samparivaarya tasthuh |
samaagataa vaayu suta pramukhyaa |
viSadam aartaah paramam ca jagmuh || 6-45-28
28. te vaanaraaH= Those monkeys; vaayusuta pramukhyaaH= with Hanuman in first place; samaagataaH= gathered at one place; tasthuH= and stood; samparivaarya= surrounding; tau= both those Rama and Lakshman; baddhau= bound by a net work of arrows lying down; viirashayane= on the battle-ground; jagmuH cha= (they) aartaaH= were disturbed; jagmuH cha= and obtained; paramam= a great; viSaadam= grief.
Those monkeys with Hanuman in first place gathered at a place and stood surrounding Rama and Lakshmana, who wee bound by a net work of arrows and lying down on the battle ground. They were disturbed and afflicted sorrow.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe paJNchachatvaarimshaH sargaH
Thus completes 45th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© June 2005, K. M. K. Murthy