Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Seeing Kumbhakarna coming with his colossal body and emitting a tremendous roar, the monkeys scare away. Angada reassures the monkeys, who then return to the battle field to resume fight. When the monkeys start attacking Kumbhakarna, the latter crushes some monkeys with rage. Then again, the monkeys get frightened and run away in different directions. Angada then restores the monkeys to confidence once more and all the monkeys stand awaiting the command of Angada. |
sa laN^ghaayitvaa praakaaram girikuuTopamo mahaan |
niryayau nigaraattuutNam kumbhakarNo mahaabalaH || 6-66-1
1. saH mahaabalaH= that mighty; kumbhakarNaH= Kumbhakarna; mahaan= with a colossal body; girikuuTopamaH= resembling the peak of a mountain; laN^ghayitvaa= crossing; praakaaram= the rampart; tuurNam= quickly; niryayau= sallied forth; nagaraat= from the city.
That mighty Kumbhakarna, with his colossal body resembling the peak of a mountain, having crossed the rampart, sallied forth from the city.
nanaada cha mahaanaadam samudramabhinaadayan |
vijayanniva nirghaataanvidhamanniva parvataan || 6-66-2
2. nanaada= (Kumbhakarna) emitted a roar; abhinaadayan samudram= making the sea to reverberate; parvataan vidhaman iva= causing the mountains to quake; vijayanniva nirghaataan= and drowning the thunder-claps, as it were.
Kumbhakarna emitted a roar, making the sea to reverberate, causing the mountains to quake and drowning the thunder-claps, as it were.
tamavadhyaM maghavatA yamena varuNena cha |
prekShya bhImAkShamAyAnta.n vAnarA vipradudruvuH || 6-66-3
3. prekSya= seeing; tam= that demon; bhiimaakSam= of terrific eyes; avadhyam= who could not be destroyed; maghavataa= by Indra, the lord of celestials; yamena= or by Yama the lord of death; varuNena= or by Varuna the lord of death; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; vipradudruvuH= ran away.
Seeing that demons of terrific eyes who could not be destroyed either by Indra the lord of celestials or by Yama the lord of death or by Varuna the god of water, the monkeys ran away.
tA.nstu vidravato dR^iShTvA vAliputro.a~Ngado.abravIt |
nalaM nIla.n gavAkShaM cha kumudaM cha mahAbalam || 6-66-4
4. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; taan= them; vipradrutaan= running away; angadaH= Angada; raajaputraH= the prince; abraviit= spoke to; nalam= Nala; neelam= Neela; gavaakSam cha= Gavaksha; mahaabalam= the mighty; kumudam= Kumuda; (as follows):
Seeing them running away, Angada the prince spoke to Nala, Neela, Gavaksha and the mighty Kumuda as follows:
AtmAnamatra vismR^itya vIryANyabhijanAni cha |
kva gachchhata bhayatrastAH prAkR^itA harayo yathA || 6-66-5
5. vismR^itya= forgetting; aatmanaH= your own; taani= those; viiryaani= dignities; abhijanaanicha= and nobilities of bhaja trastaaH= and trembling with fear; praakR^itaaH harayaH yatha= like common monkeys; kva= where; gachchhata= do you go?.
“Where do you go, forgetting your own dignities as also nobilities of birth and trembling with fear like common monkeys?”
sAdhu saumyA nivartadhva.n kiM prANAnparirakShatha |
nAla.n yuddhAya vai rakSho mahatIyaM vibhIShikAH || 6-66-6
6. saumyaaH= O auspicious monkeys!; nivartadhvam= return; saadhu= well; kim= why; parirakSatha= do you completely guard; praaNaan= your lives?; rakSaH= (This) demons; naalam= is not competent; yuddhaaya= for a combat; iyam= this; mahatii= is a great; vibhiiSikaa= object of terror (toy).
“O auspicious monkeys! Please return! Why do you so fully guard your lives? This demon is not competent for a combat. He is merely a great toy of terror.”
mahatImutthitAmenA.n rAkShasAnAM vibhIShikAm |
vikramAdvidhamiShyAmo nivartadhvaM plava~NgamAH || 6-66-7
7. plavaN^gamaaH= O monkeys!; vikramaat= by our prowess; vidhamiSyaamaH= we shall destroy; enaam mahatiim vibhiiSikaam= this giant toy; utthitaam= produced; raakSasaanaam= by demons; nivartadhvam= come back.
“O monkeys! By our prowess, we shall destroy this giant toy produced by demons. Come back!”
kR^ichchhreNa tu samAshvAsya sa~Ngamya cha tatastataH |
vR^ikShAdrihastA harayaH sampratasthU raNAjiram || 6-66-8
8. samaashvasya= reconciling themselves; kR^ichchhreNa= with difficulty; harayaH= the monkeys; samgamya= assembled together at a place; tatstataH= from all sides; gR^ihiitvaa= and snatching; vR^ikSaan= the trees; sampratasthuH= and proceeded towards; raNaajiram= the battle field.
Reconciling themselves with some difficulty, the monkeys, from all sides, assembled together at a place and snatching some trees, the monkeys for their part, towards the battle-field.
te nivR^itya tu sa~NkruddhAH kumbhakarNa.n vanaukasaH |
nijaghnuH paramakruddhAH samadA iva ku~njarAH || 6-66-9
9. te= those; vanaukasaH= monkeys; samadaaH= kuNjaraaH iva= like elephants in rut; nivR^itya= having come back; samrabdhaaH= hurriedly; nirjaghnuH= assaulted; kumbhakarNam= Kumbhakarna; paramakruddhaaH= very much enraged.
Like elephants in rut, those monkeys, having came back, hurriedly hit Kumbhakarna, very much enraged as they were.
prAMshubhirgirishR^i~Ngaishcha shilAbhishcha mahAbalAH |
pAdapaiH puShpitAgraishcha hanyamAno na kampate || 6-66-10
10. mahaabalaH= the mighty Kumbhakarna hanyamaanaH= (though) assaulted; praamshubhiH girishR^iN^gaishcha= with lofty mountain-tops; shilaabhishcha= rocks; puSpitaagraiH paadapaiH= and trees having blossoms at their ends; na kampate= was unshaken.
The mighty Kumbhakarna, though assaulted with lofty mountain-tops, rocks and trees with blossoms at their ends, stood unshaken.
tasya gAtreShu patitA bhidyante shatashaH shilAH |
pAdapAH puShpitAgrAshcha bhagnAH peturmahItale || 6-66-11
11. bahavaH shilaaH= many rocks; patitaaH= fallen; tasya gaatreSu= on his limbs; bhidyante= got burst into pieces; paadapaaH= the trees; puSpitaagraah= with blossoms at their ends; bhagnaaH= were broken; petuH= fell; mahiitale= on the ground.
Many rocks, fallen on his limbs, got burst into pieces. The trees, with blossoms at their ends, were broken and fell shattered on the floor.
so.api sainyAni sa~Nkruddho vAnarANAM mahaujasAm |
mamantha paramAyatto vanAnyagnirivotthitaH || 6-66-12
12. saH api= Kumbhakarna too; samkruddhaH= very much enraged; mamantha= crushed; sainyaani= the armies; mahanjasaam vaanaraaNaam= of the ranks of monkeys though there were greatly energetic; paramaayattaH= with his extreme exertion utthitaH agniH vanaaniiva= even as a rising fire would consume the woods.
Kumbhakarna too, very much enraged, crushed the ranks of monkeys though they were greatly energetic, with his extreme exertion even as a rising fire would consume the woods.
lohitArdrAstu bahavaH sherate vAnararShabhAH |
nirastAH patitA bhUmau tAmrapuShpA iva drumAH || 6-66-13
13. bahavaH= many; vaanararSabhaaH= of the foremost among the monkeys; nirastaaH= lay on the ground; lohitaardraaH= bathed in blood; sherate= laid on the ground; drumaaH yathaa= like the trees; patitaaH= fallen; bhuumau= on the ground; taamrapuSpaaH= with crimson flowers.
Many of the foremost among the monkeys lay on the ground, bathed in blood as they were, fallen like trees with crimson flowers, when tossed up by the demon.
la~NghayantaH pradhAvanto vAnarA nAvalokayan |
ke chitsamudre patitAH ke chidgaganamAshritAH || 6-66-14
14. vaanaraaH= (some) monkeys; laN^ghayamtaH= while jumping; pradhaavantaH= and running away; naavalokyan= did not look back; kechit= some; patitaaH= fell; samudre= in the ocean; kechit= some; aasthitaaH= inhabited gaganam= the sky.
Some monkeys, while jumping and running away, did not look back. Some fell in the ocean. Some inhabited the sky.
vadhyamAnAstu te vIrA rAkShasena balIyasA |
sAgara.n yena te tIrNAH pathA tenaiva dudruvuH || 6-66-15
15. te viiraaH= (While) those warriors (of monkeys); vadhyamaanaaH= were being killed; raakSasena= by the demon; liilayaa= playfully; (some other monkeys); dudruvuH= ran away; tenaiva= by the same route; yena pathaa= by which route; tiirNaaH= they crossed; saagaram= the ocean.
While that demon was killing some warriors of monkeys playfully, some others ran away by the same route, by which they earlier crossed the ocean.
te sthalAni tathA nimna.n viShaNNavadanA bhayAt |
R^ikShA vR^ikShAnsamArUDhAH ke chitparvatamAshritAH || 6-66-16
16. te= those monkeys; tadaa= them; vivarNa vadanaaH= becoming pale-faced; bhayaat= due to fear; (inhabited); sthalaani= mounds; nimnam= and low grounds; kechit= some; aashritaaH= inhabited; parvatam= a hill; R^ikSaaH= bears; samaaruuDhaaH= ascended; vR^ikSaan= the trees.
While some monkeys becoming pale-faced due to fear, inhabited the mounds and the low grounds, some bears ascended the trees. Some escaped to a hill.
mamajjurarNave ke chidguhAH ke chitsamAshritAH |
niSheduH plavagAH ke chitke chinnaivAvatasthire || 6-66-17
kechidbhuumau nipatitaaH kechitsuptaa mR^itaa iva |
17. kechit= some; mamajjuH= were drowned; aarNave= in the ocean; kechit= some; samaashritaaH= dwelled; guhaaH= in the caves; apare kechit= some others; nipetuH= escaped; kechit= some; naive.
Some were drowned in the ocean. Some had recourse into the caves. Some others escaped. Some could not even stand stable on the ground. Some fell down. Some lied down, as though they were dead.
tAnsamIkShyA~Ngado bha~NgAnvAnarAnidamabravIt || 6-66-18
avatiShThata yudhyAmo nivartadhvaM plava~NgamAH |
18. samikSya= seeing; taan vaanaraan= those monkeys; bhagnaan= retreated disorderly; aN^gadaH= Angada; abraviit= spoke; idam= these words; pravaNgamaaH= O monkeys!; avatiSThata= stay; yuddhyaamaH= we shall carry on the battle; nivartadhvam= come back.
Seeing those monkeys disorderly retreated, Angada spoke these words, "Stay. We shall carry on the battle. Come back."
bhagnAnA.n vo na pashyAmi parigamya mahImimAm || 6-66-19
sthAna.n sarve nivartadhva.n kiM prANAnparirakShatha |
19. na pashyaami= I do not catch sight of; sthaanam= a place; vaH= for you; bhagnaanaam= who have retreated; parikramya= (even if) you roam iverl unaan naguun= this earth; sarve= (Let) (of you); nivartadhvam= come back; kim= why; parirakSatha= do you safeguard; praaNaan= your lives?
"I do not catch sight of any place for you, who have retreated, even if you roam over the entire earth. Let all of you come back. Why do you safeguard your lives?"
nirAyudhAnA.n dravatAmasa~NgagatipauruShAH || 6-66-20
dArA hyapahasiShyanti sa vai ghAtastu jIvitAm |
20. asamgagatipauruSaaH= O valiant monkeys, moving without hindrances; daaraaH= your wives; dravataam= (seeing you) running away; niraayudhaanaam= without weapons; upahasiSyanti= will mock at you; saH= It; ghaataH yai= is indeed a death; sujiivataam= for those who lives well.
"O valiant monkeys, moving without hindrances! Your wives, seeing you running away leaving your weapos aside, will mock at you. It is indeed a death for those who lived well."
kuleShu jAtAH sarve sma vistIrNeShu mahatsu cha || 6-66-21
kva gachchhata bhayatrastaaH praakR^itaa harayo yathaa |
anAryAH khalu yadbhItAstyaktvA vIryaM pradhAvata || 6-66-22
21, 22. sarve= all of us; jaataaH sma= are born; mahatsu cha kuleSu= in distinguished races; vistiirNeSu= which are well-developed; praakR^itaaH harayaH yathaa= like common monkeys; kva= where; gachchhata= do you go; bhayatrastaaH= trembling with fear?; yat pradhaavat= as you are running away; bhiitaaH= frighted; tvyaktvaa= leaving; viiryam= your valour; anaaryaah khalu= you are indeed not worthy of honour.
"All of us are born in distinguished races; which are well developed. Where to you go frightened, like ordinary monkeys? As you are running away with fear, leaving all your valour, you are indeed unworthy of honour."
vikatthanAni vo yAni yadA vai janasa.nsadi |
tAni vaH kva cha yatAni sodagrANi mahAnti cha || 6-66-23
23. kva= where; taani vaH= did those wordes of you; yaani vikatthanaani= which were boasting; vaH sodagraaNi= projecting yourself highly; janasamsadi= in assemblies of people; tadaa= at that time (before coming for the battle)?; gataani= melt away?
"Where did those boasting words of you melt away, in which you highly projected yourself in front of the people just before coming for the battle?
bhIrupravAdAH shrUyante yastu jIvati dhikkR^itaH |
mArgaH satpuruShairjuShTaH sevyatA.n tyajyatAM bhayam || 6-66-24
24. yaH= who; dhikR^itaH= even if reproached; jiivati= survive; pravaadaaH= the slanders; bhiiroH= of such cowards; shruuyante= are being heard; maargaH= (Let) path; juSTaH= set out; satpuruSaiH= by good people; sevyataam= be followed; bhayam= (Let) fear; tyajyataam= be abandoned.
"The cowards, who survive even after being reproached, have to hear slanders from the people. Let the path trodden by the good people be followed. Let your fear be abandoned."
shayAmahe vA nihatAH pR^ithivyAmalpajIvitAH |
praapnuyaamo brahmalokam duSprapam cha kuyodhibhiH || 6-66-25
25. shayaamahe vaa= we shall lie down; nihataaH= killed by the enemies; pR^ithivyaam= on the earth; alpajiivitaaH= if we are short-lived; praapmyaamaH cha= we shall reach; brahmalokam= the realm of Brahma (residence of pious spirits); duSpraapam= difficult to be attained; kuyodhibhiH= by bad warriors.
"If our longevity is short, we shall lie down, being killed by the enemies, on the earth and reach the realm of Brahma (residence of pious spirits), which is difficult to be attained by bad warriors."
avaapnuyaamaH kiirtim vaa nihatvaa shatrumaahave |
nihataa viiralokasya bhokSyaamo vasu vaanaraaH || 6-66-26
26. vaanaraaH= O monkeys!; avaapnuyaamaH= we shall obtain, kiirtim= glory; nihatvaa= by killing; shatrum= the enemies; aahave= in battle; vaa= or; nihataaH= if killed; bhokSyaamaH= we shall enjoy; vasu= a good thing; viiralokasya= of the world attained by warriors.
"O monkeys! We shall obtain glory by killing our enemies in battle or if killed on the other hand, we shall enjoy the heaven, attained by the warriors."
na kumbhakarNaH kAkutstha.n dR^iShTvA jIvangamiShyati |
dIpyamAnamivAsAdya pata~Ngo jvalana.n yathA || 6-66-27
27. dR^iSTvaa= coming face to face with; kakutthsam= Rama; kumbhakarNaH= Kumbhakarna; na gachchhati= will not go back; jiivan= alive; pataN^gaH iva= any more than a moth; aasaadya= meeting; diipyamaanam jvalanam= a blazing fire.
"Coming face to face with Rama, Kumbhakarna will not go back alive, any more than a moth meeting a blazing fire."
palAyanena choddiShTAH prANAnrakShAmahe vayam |
ekena bahavo bhagnA yasho nAsha.n gamiShyati || 6-66-28
28. vayam= (If) we; bahavaH= in large numbers; uddiSTaaH= intended (to fight); bhagnaaH= are conquered; ekena= by one person alone; rakSaamahi= and protect; praaNaan= and lives; palayanena= by an escape; yashaH= our glory; gamiSyati= will undergo; naasham= a damage.
"If we, in large numbers, who are intended to fight, are conquered by one person alone and if we protect our lives by running away, our glory will undergo a damage."
evaM bruvANa.n ta.n shUrama~NgadaM kanakA~Ngadam |
dravamANAstato vAkyamUchuH shUravigarhitam || 6-66-29
29. tataH= then; dravamaaNaaH= those fleeing monkeys; uuchuH= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words; shuura vigarhitam= which were contemptible y warriors; tam shuuram aN^gadam= to that valiant Angada; kanakaaNgadam= to that valiant Angada; kanakaaNgadam= who was adorned with golden armlets; evam= thus; bruvaaNam= speaking.
Then, those fleeing monkeys spoke the following words, which were contemptible by the warriors, to that valiant Angada, who was adorneed with golden armlets.
kR^itaM naH kadana.n ghoraM kumbhakarNena rakShasA |
na sthAnakAlo gachchhAmo dayita.n jIvita.n hi naH || 6-66-30
30. kR^itam= It is enough; ghoram yuddham= of the terrific battle; rakSasaa kumbhakarNena= with Kumbhakarna the demon; naH= for us; na sthaanakaalaH= it is not the proper time to stay; gachchhaamaH naH= to us; jivitam= life; dayitam hi= is indeed dear.
"For us, it is enough of this terrific battle with Kumbhakarna, the demon. It is not the proper time to stay back but it is to time to go away. Life is indeed dear to us."
etAvaduktvA vachana.n sarve te bhejire dishaH |
bhImaM bhImAkShamAyAnta.n dR^iShTvA vAnarayUthapAH || 6-66-31
31. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; bhiimam= that terrific Kumbhakarna; aayaantam= coming; bhiimaakSam= with his dreadful eyes; sarve te= all those; vaanarayuuthapaaH= commanders monkey-troops; uktvaa= speaking; etaavat vachanam= words only thus far; bhajire= scattered; dishaH= in all directions.
Seeing that terrific Kumbhakarna coming with his dreadful eyes, all those commanders of monkey-troops, speaking words only thus far, scattered in all directions.
dravamANAstu te vIrA a~Ngadena valImukhAH |
sAntvaishcha bahumAnaishcha tataH sarve nivartitAH || 6-66-32
32. sarve= all; te= those; dravamaaNaaH= fleeing; viiraaH= commanders; valiimukhaaH= of monkeys; tataH= thereafter; saantvanaishcha= with the coaxing words; aN^gadena= by Angada; nivartitaa= were turned back; anumaanaishcha= by giving inferential arguments.
Thereafter, with the coaxing words and inferential arguments by Angada, all those fleeing commanders of monkeys turned back.
praharSamupaniitaashcha vaaliputreNa dhiimataa |
aajJNaapratiikSaastusthushcha sarve vaanarayuuthapaaH || 6-66-33
33. upaniitaaH= having been obtained, praharSam= cheerfulness; dhiimataa vaaliputreNa= by the intellectual Angada; sarve= all; vaanara yuuthapaaH= those commanders of the army-troops; tasthuH cha= stood; aajJNaapratiikSaaH= awaiting his command.
Having been cheered up by the intellectual Angada, all those commanders of the army-troops stood awaiting his command.
R^iShabhasharabhamaindadhUmranIlAH |
kumudasuSheNagavAkSharambhatArAH|
dvividapanasavAyuputramukhyAs |
tvaritatarAbhimukha.n raNaM prayAtAH || 6-66-34
34. R^iSabhasharabha mainda dhuumra niilaaH= Rishabha, Mainda, Dhumra, Neela; kumuda suSeNa gavaakSarambha taaraaH= Kumuda, Sushena, Gavaksha, Rambha, Tara, dvipadapanasa vaayuputra mukhyaaH and particularly Dvipada, Panasa and Hanuma; prayaataaH= marched; tvarita taraabhimukham= very quickly with their faces turned towards; raNam= the battle.
Rishabha, Sharabha, Mainda, Dhumra, Neela, Kumuda, sushena, Gavaksha, Rambha, Tara and more particularly Dvipada, Panasa and hanuma marched ahead very quickly, with their faces turned towards the battle.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe SaTSaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus completes 66th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© January 2007, K. M. K. Murthy