Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Returning to consciousness, Rama laments over the plight of Lakshmana, who was lying unconscious. The foremost of monkeys too were plunged in grief and despondency on seeing Rama lamenting as aforesaid. In the meantime, Vibhishana approaches Rama and the monkeys flee away, mistaking him as Indrajit. |
ghoreNa shara bandhena baddhau dasharatha aatmajau |
nishvasantau yathaa naagau shayaanau rudhira ukSitau || 6-49-1
sarve te vaanara shreSThaah sasugriivaa mahaa balaaH |
parivaarya mahaatmaanau tasthuh shoka pariplutaaH || 6-49-2
1, 2. baddhau= bound; ghoreNa= by that formidable; sharabandhena= net work of arrows; mahaatmanau= the high-souled; dasharaatmajau= sons of Dasaratha (Rama and lakshmana); shayaanau= lay; rudhirokSitau= bathed in blood; niHshvasantau= breething; naagau yathau= like serpants; sarve= all; te vaanarashreSThaH= those foremost of monkeys; mahaabalaah= who were exceedingly stron; sa sugriivaaH= including Sugreeva; shokapariplutaaH= plunged in grief; tasthuH= were standing; parivaarya= round; (the two illustrious warriors).
Bound by that formidable network of arrows, the two high-souled sons of dasaratha lay bathed in blood, breathing like serpants. All those foremost of monkeys who were exceedingly strong, including Sugreeva, plunged in grief, were standing around those two illustrious warriors.
etasminn antere raamah pratyabudhyata viiryavaan |
sthiratvaat sattva yogaac ca sharaih samdaanito api san || 6-49-3
3. etasmin antare= in the meanwhile; viiryavaan= the mighty; raamaH= Rama; sthiratvaat sattvayogaat cha= by virtue of his hardihood and native strength; pratyabuddhata= awoke from his sworn; samdaanito.api shaaiH= despite the shifts that held him captive.
In the meanwhile, the mighty Rama by virtue of his hardihood and native strength, awoke from his swwon, despite the shafts that held him captive.
tato dR^iSTvaa sarudhiram viSaNNam gaaDham arpitam |
bhraataram diina vadanam paryadevayad aaturaH || 6-49-4
4. tataH= then; dR^iSTvaa= beholding; bhraataram= his brother; sarudhiram= discharging blood; niSaNNam= unconcious; gaaDham= firmly; arpitam= thrown on the floor; diinavadanam= and with a melancholic face; paryadevayat= (Rama) lamented; aaturaH= full of grief (thus):
Then, beholding his brother, bleeding unconscious, firmly thrown on teh floor, and his features changed, Rama full of grief lamented thus:
kim nu me siitayaa kaaryam kim kaaryam jiivitena vaa |
shayaanam yo adya pashyaami bhraataram yudhi nirjitam || 6-49-5
5. kim nu kaaryam= of what use; siitayaa= is the recovery of Seetha; kim kaaryam vaa= or of what use; jiivitena= is even life itself; me= to me; yaH= since; pashyaami= I am seeing; bhraataram= my brother; adya= now; shayaanam= lying; nirjitam= subdued; yudhi= in the fihgt.
"Of what use to me is the recovery of Seetha or even life itself, since my brother now lying, before my eyes, has been struck down in teh fight?"
shakyaa siitaa samaa naarii praaptum loke vicinvataa |
na lakSmaNa samo bhraataa sacivah saamparaayikaH || 6-49-6
6. shakyaa= It can be possible; vichinvataa= if I were to look for her; (to find); naarii= a consort; siitaasamaa= equal to Seetha; martyaloke= in the world of mortals; na= but not; bhraataa= a brother; sachivaH= a friend; saamparaayikaH= and a comrade in a hostile war; lakSmaNaH samaH= such as Lakshmana.
"It can be possible, if I were to look for her, to find a consort equal to Seetha in this world of mortals but not a brother, a friend and a comrade in a hostile war, such as Lakshmana!"
parityakSyaamy aham praaNaan vaanaraaNaam tu pashyataam |
yadi pancatvam aapannah sumitra aananda vardhanaH || 6-49-7
7. aapannaH yadi= If he has returned; paNchatvam= to the five elements; sumitraananda vardhanaH= he, the increaser of Sumitra's joy; aham= I; parityakSyaami= will yield up; praaNaan= my life-breaths; vaanaraNaam= (while) the monkeys; pashyataam= stand looking on.
"If Lakshmana returned to the five elements, he the increaser of Sumitra's joy, I will yield up my life-breaths while the monkeys stand looking on."
kim nu vakSyaami kausalyaam maataram kim nu kaikayiim |
katham ambaam sumitraamca putra darshana laalasaam || 6-49-8
8. kim nu vakSyaami= what shall I say; maataram= to my mother; kausalyaam= Kausalya?; kim nu= what shall I tell; kaikeyiim= to Kaikeyi?' katham= and how can I talk; ambaam= to my mother; sumitraam= Sumitra; putra darshanalaalasaam= who is keenly sighing for the sight of her son.
"What shall I say to my mother, Kausalya or to Kaikeyi? How can I talk to my mother Sumitra, sighing for the sight of her son?"
vivatsaam vepamaanaam ca kroshantiim kurariim iva |
katham aashvaasayiSyaami yadi yaasyaami tam vinaa || 6-49-9
9. katham= How, aashvaasayiSyaami= shall I console; (Sumitra); vepamaanaam cha= trembling; kroshantiim= and crying out; kurariimiva= like an osprey; vivatsaam= bereft of her son, Lakshmana; yaasyaami yadi= if I return (to Ayodhya); tam vinaa= without Lakshmana.
"How shall I console Sumitra, trembling and crying out like an osprey, bereft of her son, if I return to Ayodhya without lakshmana?"
katham vakSyaami shatrughnam bharatam ca yashasvinam |
mayaa saha vanam yaato vinaa tena aagatah punaH || 6-49-10
10. katham= how; vakSyaami= shall I tell shatrughnam= Shatrughna; yashashvinam= and the illustrious, bharatam= Bharata; aham= (when) I; aagataH= return; tena vinaa= without Lakshmana; yaataH= who followed; vanam= to the forest; mayasaha= along with me?
"How shall I tell Shatrughna and the illustrious Bharata when I return without Lakshmana, who followed to the forest along with me?"
upaalambham na shakSyaami soDhum bata sumitrayaa |
iha eva deham tyakSyaami na hi jiivitum utsahe || 6-49-11
11. bata= Alas!; na shakSyaami= I should not be able; soDhum= to endure; upaalambham= the reproaches; sumitrayaa= of Sumitra; tyakSyaami= I will leave; deham= my body; ihaiva= here itself; na utsahe= I do not wish; jiivitum= to live.
"Alas! I should not be able to endure Sumitra's reproaches. I will leave my body here itself. I do not wish to continue living."
dhig maam duSkR^ita karmaaNam anaaryam yat kR^ite hy asau |
lakSmaNah patitah shete shara talpe gata asuvat || 6-49-12
12. dhik= woe; maam= unto me; duSkR^ita karmaaNam= to my wicked deed anaaryam= and to my lack of nobility; matkR^ite= through my fault; asau= this; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; paatitaH= was befallen; shete hi= and lies indeed; sharatalpe= on a bed of arrows; gataasuvat= as me who has yielded up his life!
"Woe unto me to my wicked deed and to my lack of nobility. Through my fault, Lakshmana has fallen and lies indeed on a bed of arrows as on who has yielded up his life!"
tvam nityam suviSaNNam maam aashvaasayasi lakSmaNa |
gata asur na adya shaknoSi maam aartam abhibhaaSitum || 6-49-13
13. lakSmaNa= O, Lakshmana!; tvam= you aashvaasayasi= used to console; maam= me; nityam= always; suviSaNNam= whenever I was in a great sorrow; gataasuH= you, having lost your life; naasi= are not; shaktaH= able; abhibhaaSitum= to talk; maam= to me; aartam= afflicted with grief.
"O, Lakshmana! You always used to consoe me whenever I was in a great sorrow. You, having lost your life now are not able to allay my sufferings with your words."
yena adya bahavo yuddhe raakSasaa nihataah kSitau |
tasyaam eva kSitau viirah sa shete nihatah paraiH || 6-49-14
14. tvam yena= You, who; yuddhe= in this battle; adya= today; nihataaH= struck down; bahavaH= innumerable; raakSasaaaH= demons; kSitau= to the earth; sheSe= are fallen; nihataH= pierced; sharaiH= by darts; shuuraH= like a hero; tasyaameva= on the self same field.
"You, who in this battle today, struck down inummerable demons to the earth, are fallen, pierced by darts, like a hero on the self same field."
shayaanah shara talpe asmin sva shoNita pariplutaH |
shara jaalaish cito bhaati bhaaskaro astam iva vrajan || 6-49-15
15. shayaanaH= lying; asmin sharatalpe= on this bed of arrows; shoNitapariplutaH= bathed in blood; chitaH= you are piled up; sharajaalaiH= in a heap of arrows; saH= you, as such; bhaasi= look; bhaaskaraH iva= like the sun; vrajan= setting behind; astam= the horizon.
"Lying on this bed of arrows, bathed in blood, you are piled up; sharajaalaiH= in a heap of arrows; saH= you, as such; bhaasi= look; bhaaskaraH= iva= like the sun; vrajan= setting behind; astam= the horizon.
baaNa abhihata marmatvaan na shaknoty abhiviikSitum |
rujaa ca abruvato hy asya dR^iSTi raageNa suucyate || 6-49-16
16. baaNaabhihata marmatvaat= your vital parts having been pierced with arrows; na shaknoti= you are not able even; abhibhaaSitum= to speak (now); abruvato.api= eventhough you are not speaking; asya rujaa= your agony; suuchyate= is disclosed; dR^iSTiraageNa= by the redness of your eyes.
"Your vital parts having been pierced with arrows, you are not able even to speak now. Eventhough you not speaking, your agony is disclosed by the redness of your eyes."
yathaa eva maam vanam yaantam anuyaato mahaa dyutiH |
aham apy anuyaasyaami tathaiva enam yama kSayam || 6-49-17
17. anuyaasyaami= I shall follow; enam= him; yamakSayam= to the region of Yama; yathaiva= as; mahadyutuH= that illustrious warrior anuyaataH= accompanied; maam= me; ahamapi= when I; yaantam= retired; vanam= to the forest.
"I shall follow him to the region of Yama, as that illustrious warrior accompanied me when I retired to the forest."
iSTa bandhu jano nityam maam ca nityam anuvrataH |
imaam adya gato avasthaam mama anaaryasya durnayaiH || 6-49-18
18. nityam= He who ever; iSTa bandhu janaH= loved his own kinsfolk; anuvrataH= and was filled with devotion; maam= for me; gataH= got; imaam= this; avasthaam= state; durnayaiH= to which the misdeeds; mama= of me; (have brought him); wretched that I am !
"He who loved his own kinsfolk and was filled iwth devotion for me, got this state to which my misdeeds have brought him, wretched that I am!"
suruSTena api viireNa lakSmaNenaa na samsmare |
paruSam vipriyam vaa api shraavitam na kadaacana || 6-49-19
19. na samsmare= I do not remember; shraavitam= to have heard; kadaachana= at any time; paruSam= harsh; vipriyam= and hateful words; lakSmaNena= by lakshmana; viireNa= the valiant man; suruSTenaapi= even if he is deeply provoked.
"I do not remember to have heard any harsh or hateful words from that valiant Lakshmana, even if he is deeply provoked."
visasarja eka vegena panca baaNa shataani yaH |
iSv astreSv adhikas tasmaat kaartaviiryaac ca lakSmaNaH || 6-49-20
20. yaH= he who; visasarja= was able to loose; paNcha baaNa shataani= five hundred arrows; eka vegena= in one shot; tasmaat= such; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; adhikaH= was surpassing; kaartaviiryaat cha= Kartavirya himself; iSvastreSu= in the science of archery.
"Lakshmana, who was able to loose five hundred arrows in one shot, was surpassing kartavirya himself in the science of archery."
astrair astraaNi yo hanyaat shakrasya api mahaatmanaH |
so ayam urvyaamhatah shete mahaa arha shayana ucitaH || 6-49-21
21. saH ayam= this Lakshmana; yaH= who; mahaarha shayanochitaH= was accustomed to a rich couch; astraiH= and who by his arrows; hanyaat= severe; astraanapi= the weapons even; shakrasya= of Indra; mahaatmanaH= the mighty one; shete= is lying; hataH= slain; urvyaam= on the earth.
"This Lakshmana, who was accustomed to a rich couch and who by his arrows severe the weapons the mighty Indra the Lord of celestials, is lying slain on the ground."
tac ca mithyaa pralaptam maam pradhakSyati na samshayaH |
yan mayaa na kR^ito raajaa raakSasaanaam vibhiiSaNaH || 6-49-22
22. mithyaa pralaptam= (Those) vain words; na samshayaH= without doubt; pradhakSyati= will consume; maam= me; yat tat= since; vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; na kR^itaH= was not made; rajaa= the king; raakSasaanaam= of demons; mayaa= by me.
"Those vain words uttered by me, will ndoubtedly consume me since I have not made Vibhishana the king of demons."
asmin muhuurte sugriiva pratiyaatum ito arhasi |
matvaa hiinam mayaa raajan raavaNo abhidraved balii || 6-49-23
23. sugriiva= O, Sugreeva!; arhasi= you ought; pratiyaatum= to return; asmin= this; muhuurte= moment; itaH= from here; (since); matvaa= knowing (you are); hiinam= without; mayaa= me; raavanaH= Ravana; abhibhaviSyat= will overcome (you); raajan= O, king!.
"O, Sugreeva! You ought to return at once from here since knowing that you are bereft of my support, Ravana will overcome you, O king!"
angadam tu puras kR^itya sasainyah sasuhR^ij janaH |
saagaram tara sugriiva punas tena eva setunaa || 6-49-24
24. sugriiva= O, Sugreeva!; tara= re-cross; samudram= the sea; sasainyam= with you army; puraskR^itya= keeping Angada in front; aNgadam puraskR^itya= keeping Angada in front; parichchhadam= with your followers; niilena cha= Nila; nalenacha= and Nala.
"O, Sugreeva! Recross the sea with your army, keeping Angada in front and with your followers, Nila and Nala."
kR^itam hanumataa kaaryam yad anyair duSkaram raNe |
R^ikSa raajena tuSyaami go laanguula adhipena ca || 6-49-25
25. tuSyaami= I am fully satisfied; sumahat= by the great; karma= military exploit; kR^itam hi= acccomplished indeed; R^ikSarajena= by Jambavan, the king of Bears; golaaNguuladhipena= and the general of the monkeys; yat= which; duSkaram= was impossible; anyaiH= to any other; raNe= in battle.
"I am fully satisfied by the great military exploit, done by Jambavan the king of Bears and the General of the Monkeys, which was impossible to any other in battle."
angadena kR^itam karma maindena dvividena ca |
yuddham kesariNaa samkhye ghoram sampaatinaa kR^itam || 6-49-26
26. karma= A (great) act; kR^itam= was done; aN^gadena= by Angada; maindena= Mainda; dvividena= and Dvivida; ghoram= A terrible; yuddham= combat; kR^itam= was done; kesariNaa= by Kesari; sampaatinaa= and Sampati; samkhye= in the battle-field.
"A great act was done by Angada, Mainda and Dvivida. A terrible combat was done by Kesari and Sampati in the battle-field."
gavayena gava akSeNa sharabheNa gajena ca |
anyaish ca haribhir yuddham mad aarthe tyakta jiivitaiH || 6-49-27
27. gavayena= by Gavaya, gavaakSeNa= Gavaksha; sharabheNa= Sharabha; gajena= Gaja; anyaiH= and other; haribhishcha= mokeys; tyakta jiivitaiH= who are willing to sacrifice their lives; madarthe= for me; yuddham= the battle was carried on.
"By Gavaya, Gavaksha, Sharabha, Gaja and other monkeys, who are willing to sacrifice their lives for me, the battle was carried on."
na ca atikramitum shakyam daivam sugriiva maanuSaiH |
yat tu shakyam vayasyena suhR^idaa vaa param tapa || 6-49-28
kR^itam sugriiva tat sarvam bhavataa adharma bhiiruNaa |
28. sugriiva= O, Sugreeva!; na cha shakyam= It is not possible; maanushaiH= for mortals; atikramitum= to avoid; daivam= their destiny; sugriiva= O, Sugreeva; paramtapa= the tormentator of enemies!; dharma bhiiruNaa= fearing to fail in your duty; kR^itam= it was done; tvayaa= by you; sarvam= all; tat= that; yatha= which suhR^idaa= a friend; vayasyena= and a comrade; shakyam= could do.
"O, Sugreeva! It is not possible for mortals to avoid their destiny. O, Sugreeva the tormentat of enemies! Fearing to fail in your duty, you have done all that which a friend and a comrade could do."
mitra kaaryam kR^itam idam bhavadbhir vaanara R^iSabhaaH || 6-49-29
anujnaataa mayaa sarve yathaa iSTam gantum arhatha |
29. vaanararSabhaaH= O, foremost of monkeys!; idam= this; mitra kaaryam= friendly act; kR^itam= has been done; bharadbhiH= by you; sarve= all of you; anujJNaataaH= are being permitted mayaa= by me; arhatha= you ought; gantum= to go; yatheSTam= where it seems best to you!.
"O. foremost of Monkyes! You have accomplished all this due to your friendship. I take leave of you all; go where it seems best to you!"
shushruvus tasya te sarve vaanaraah paridevitam || 6-49-30
vartayaam cakrur ashruuNi netraih kR^iSNa itara iikSaNaaH |
30. sarve= all; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; kR^iSNatarekSaNaaH= the tawny eyed one; ye= who; shushruvaH= heard; tasya= that Rama's; paridevitam= lamentation; ashruuNi vartayaam chakrire= allowed tears to fall netraiH= from their eyes.
All the tawny eyed monkeys, who heard Rama's lament thus, allowed tears to fall from their eyes.
tataH sarvaaNy aniikaani sthaapayitvaa vibhiiSaNaH || 6-49-31
aajagaama gadaa paaNis tvarito yatra raaghavaH |
31. tataH= thereafter; vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; sthaapayitvaa= having establied order; sarvaaNi= in all; a niikaani= the ranks; gadaa paaNih= mace in his land; aajagaama= come; tvaritam= quickly; yatra= where; raaghava= Rama (was then).
Meanwhile, Vibhishana having established order in all the ranks, with mace in his hand, came quickly to Rama.
tam dR^iSTvaa tvaritam yaantam niila anjana caya upamam || 6-49-32
vaanaraa dudruvuh sarve manyamaanaas tu raavaNim |
32. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tam= him; niilaaNjana chayopamam= who resembled a mass of collyrium; tvaritam yaantam= hastening; (towards them thus); sarve= all; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; manyamaanaaH= thinking; (him) raavaNim= to be Indrajit, the son of Ravana; dudruvuH= fled away.
Seeing him, who resembled a mass of collyrium, hastening towards them thus, all the monkeys thinking him to be Indrajit the son of Ravana, fled away.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe ekonapaJNchaashaH sargaH
Thus completes 49th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© Sep 2005, K. M. K. Murthy