Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Placing an illusory live image of Seetha in his chariot, Indrajit along with his army enters the battle-field. Hanuma with his army of monkeys march in front to face Indrajit in battle. While Hanuma and his army are watching, Indrajit pulls Seetha by her hair and unsheathed his sword. Indrajit kills the illusory living image of Seetha, with his sharp sword. |
vijJNaaya tu manastasya raaghavasya mahaatmanaH |
saMnivR^ityaahavaattasmaatpravivesha puraM tataH || 2-81-1
1. viJNaaya= knowing; manaH= the mind; tasya mahaatmanaH raaghavasya= of that great-souled Rama; saH= Indrajit; tataH= then; nivR^itya= turning away from; tasmaat aahavaat= that battle; praviesha= entered; puram= the city.
Guessing the mind of that great-souled Rama, Indrajit turning away from that battle, entered the City.
so.anusmR^itya vadhaM teShaaM raakShasaanaaM tarasvinaam |
krodhataamrekShaNaH shuuro nirjagaama mahaadyutiH || 2-81-2
2. atha= thereafter; saH shuuraH= that valiant; raavaNiH= Indrajit; anusmR^itya= recalling; vadham= the killing; teShaam= of those; tarasvinaam= energetic; raakShasaanaam= demons (like Kumbhakarna and others); nirjagaama= sallied forth (for the fight); krodhataamrekShaNaH= with red-hot eyes in anger.
Then, recalling the killing of those energetic demons like Kumbhakarna and others, that valiant Indrajit sallied forth (for the fight) with red-hot eyes in anger.
sa pashchimena dvaareNa niryayau raakShasairvR^itaH |
indrajittu mahaaviiryaH paulastyo devakaNTakaH || 2-81-3
3. saH indrajit= that Indrajit; sumahaaviiryaH= of very great prowess; devakaN^TakaH= the adversary of gods; poulastyaH= and who was born in Pulastya-dynasty; vR^itaH= surrouded; raakShasaiH= by demons; niryayau= came forth; pashchimena dvareNa= from the western gate.
That Indrajit, of very great prowess, the adversary of gods and who was born in Sage Pulstya's dynasty, accompanied by an army of demons, came forth from the western gate.
indrajittu tato dR^iShTvaa bhraatarau raamalakShmaNau |
raNaayaabhyudyatau viirau maayaaM praaduShkarottadaa || 2-81-4
4. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; viirau bhraatarau= the two valiant brothers; raamalakShmaNau= Rama and lakshmana; abhyudyatau= who were prepared; raNaaya= for the battle; indrajit tu= Indrajit for his part; tadaa= then; praaduShkarot= demonstrated; maayaam= his conjuring tricks.
Seeing the two valiant brothers, Rama and Lakshamana, who were prepared for the encounter, Indrajit for his part, then started to demonstrate his conjuring tricks.
indrajittu rathe sthaapya suutaaM maayaamayiiM tadaa |
balena mahataavR^itya tasyaa vadhamarochayat || 2-81-5
5. sthaapya= placing; maayaamayiim siitaam= an illusory image of Seetha; rathe= on his chariot; indrajit tu= Indrajit for his part; mahataa= and a huge; balena aavR^itya= army surrounding it; tadaa= then; aarochayat= intended; tasyaaH vadham= to kill her.
Placing an illusory image of Seetha on his chariot and a large army surrounding the chariot, Indrajit intended to kill her.
mohanaarthaM tu sarveShaaM buddhiM kR^itvaa sudurmatiH |
hantuM siitaaM vyavasito vaanaraabhimukho yayau || 2-81-6
6. sudurmatiH= the exceedingly evil-minded Indrajit; buddhim kR^itvaa= making up his mind; sarveShaam mohanaartham= to purposefully confuse all; vyavasitaH= by playing a trick; hantum= to kill; siitaam= Seetha; yayau= sallied forth; vaanaraabhimukhaH= in the direction of the monkeys.
Making up his mind to purposefully confuse all, by playing a trick to kill Seetha's illusory image, the exceedingly evil-minded Indrajit sallied forth towards the direction of the monkeys.
taM dR^iShTvaa tvabhiniryaantaM nagaryaaH kaananaukasaH |
utpeturabhisa~NkruddhaaH shilaahastaa yuyutsavaH || 2-81-7
7. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; tam= him; abhiniryaantam= coming forth towards their direction; sarve te= all those; kaananaukasaH= monkeys; abhisamkruddhaaH= were enraged; utpetuH= bounced towards him; shilaahastaaH= with rocks in their hands; yuyutsavaH= and with an intent to fight.
Seeing him coming forth towards their direction, all those monkeys were enraged and bounced towards him, with rocks in their hands and with an intent to fight.
hanuumaanpuratasteShaaM jagaama kapiku~njaraH |
pragR^ihya sumahachchhR^i~NgaM parvatasya duraasadam || 2-81-8
8. hanuumaan= Hanuma; kapikuN^jaraH= the foremost among the monkeys; pragR^ihya= taking; sumahat= a very large; parvatasya shR^iNgam= mountain-peak; suduraasadam= which was dangerous to be reached by others; jagaama= went; purataH teShshaam= in front of them.
Hanuma, the foremost among the monkeys, taking hold of a very large mountain-peak, which was difficult to be reached by others, marched in front.
sa dadarsha hataanandaaM siitaam indrajito rathe |
ekaveNiidharaaM diinaamupavaasakR^ishaananaam || 2-81-9
parikliShTaikavasanaamamR^ijaaM raaghavapriyaam |
rajomalaabhyaamaaliptaiH sarvagaatrairvarastriyam || 2-81-10
9. saH= that Hanuma; dadarsha= saw; siitaam= Seetha; raaghava priyaam= the wife of Rama; vara striyam= the best among women; hataanandaam= bereft of joy; eka veNiidharaam= wearing only a single braid of hair; diinaam= looking miserable; upavaasakR^ishaananaam= with her face emaciated due to fasting; parikliShTaika vasanaam= wearing a single worn-out clothing; amR^ijaam= unadorned; sarvagaatraiH= and with all her limbs; aaliptaiH= covered; rajomalaabhyaam= with dust and dirt; indrajitaH= in Indrajit's rahte= chariot.
That Hanuma saw Seetha, the wife of Rama, the best among women, bereft of joy, wearing only a single braid of hair, looking miserable, with her face emaciated due to fasting, dressed in a single worn-out clothing, unadorned and with all her limbs covered with dust and dirt; in the chaiot of Indrajit.
taaM niriikShya muhuurtaM tu maithiliim adhyavasya cha |
baaShpaparyaakulamukho hanuumaanvyathito.abhavat || 2-81-11
11. niriikShya= on seeing; taam= her; muhuurtam= for a moment; adhyavasya cha= (Hanuma) ascertained her; maithiliim= as Seetha; babhuuva (viShaNNaH)= and became dejected; saa= that; janakaatmajaa= Seetha; achiradR^iShTaa his= was indeed seen not long ago; tena= by him.
On seeing her for a moment, Hanuma ascertained her as Seetha and became dejected. That Seetha was indeed seen by him, not long ago.
abraviittaaM tu shokaartaaM niraanandaaM tapasvinaam |
dR^iShTvaa rathe stitaaM siitaaM raakShasendrasutaashritaam || 2-81-12
kiM samarthitamasyeti chintayansa mahaakapiH |
saha tairvaanarashreShThairabhyadhaavata raavaNim || 2-81-13
12, 13. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; taam= her; shokaartaam= stricken with grief; niraandaam= bereft of joy; tapasviniim= looking distressed; diinaam= and miserable; raakShasendrasutashritaam= sitting beside Indrajit; mahaakapiH= Hanuma; abraviit= wondered; kim samarthitam iti= as to what his intention might be; chintayan= thus thinking; taiH vaanarashreShThaiH saha= (he) along with those leaders of monkeys; abhyadaavata= rushed; raavaNim= towards Indrajit.
Seeing her stricken with grief bereft of joy, looking distreseed, miserable and sitting under the sway of Indrajit, Hanuma wondered as to what his intention might be. Thus thinking, he along with those leaders of mnkeys, rushed towards Indrajit.
tadvaanarabalaM dR^iShTvaa raavaNiH krodhamuurchhitaH |
kR^itvaa vishokaM nistriMshaM muurdhni siitaaM paraamR^ishat || 2-81-14
14. dR^iShTvaa= beholding; tat vaanarabalam= that army of monkeys; raavaNiH= Indrajit; krodha muurchhitaH= was excited with anger; kR^itvaa= and making; nistrimsham= his sword; vikosham= sheathless; aakarShayat= and pulled; siitaam= Seetha; muurdhni= (by the hair) on her head.
Beholding that army of monkeys, Indrajit was excited with anger, pulled Seetha by the hair on her head and unsheathed his sword.
taM striyaM pashyataaM teShaaM taaDayaamaasa raavaNiH |
kroshantiiM raama raameti maayayaa yojitaaM rathe || 2-81-15
15. teShaam pashyataam= while those monkeys were seeing; raakShasaH= the demon; taaDayaamaasa= began to strike; taam striyam= that woman; yojitaam= who was placed; rathe= in the chariot; maayayaa= by the dint of his conjuring trick; kroshantiim= and was crying; raama raameti= "Rama! Rama!".
While those monkeys were seeing, demon began to strike that woman who was placed in the chariot by the dint of his conjuring trick and who was crying "Rama! Rama!"
gR^ihiitamuurdhajaaM dR^iShTvaa hanuumaandainyamaagataH |
duHkhajaM vaarinetraabhyaamutsR^ijanmaarutaatmajaH || 2-81-16
16. dR^iShTvaa= on seeing; gR^ihiita muurdhajaam= her seized by the hair (by Indrajit); hanuumaan= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of wind-god; dainyam aagataH= was confounded with misery; utsR^ijat= and shed; vaari= tears; netraabhyaam= from his eyes; duHkhajam= in agony.
On seeing her seized by the hair Hanuma the son of wind-god was confounded with affliction and shed tears, in agony from his eyes.
taam dR^iSTvaa chaarusarvaaN^giiM raamasya mahiShiiM priyaam |
abraviitparuShaM vaakyaM krodhaadrakShodhipaatmajam || 2-81-17
17. dR^iShTvaa= on seeing; taam= her; priyaam= the beloved; mahiShiim= wife; raamasya= of Rama; chaaru sarvaaN^giim= with all her charming limbs; krodhaat= (Hanuma) angrily; abraviit= addressed; paruSham vaakyam= the following harsh words; raakShodhipaatmajam= to Indrajit.
On seeing Seetha with all her charming limbs, the beloved wife of Rama, Hanuma angrily addressed the foolowing harsh words to Indrajit:
duraatmannaatmanaashaaya keshapakShe paraamR^ishaH |
brahmarShiiNaaM kule jaato raakShasiiM yonimaashritaH || 2-81-18
18. duraatman= O, evil-minded one!; jaataH= born; brahmarShiiNaam kule= in a dynasty of Brahmanical sages; aashritaH yonim= but belonging to the race; raakShasiim= of demons; paraamR^ishaH= you touched; keshapakShe= a lock of her hair; aatmanaashaaya= for your own ruin.
"O evil minded one! Born in a dynasty of Brahmanical sages, but belonging to demoniacal race, you touched a lock of her hair, for your hair, for your own ruin."
dhiktvaaM paapasamaachaaraM yasya te matiriidR^ishii |
nR^ishaMsaanaarya durvR^itta kShudra paapaparaakrama || 2-81-19
anaaryasyedR^ishaM karma ghR^iNaa te naasti nirghR^iNa |
19. nR^ishamsa= O cruel one!; anaarya= O vulgar one!; durvR^itta= O mean fellow!; kShudra= O wicked demon!; paapaparaakrama= having sinful prowess!; nirghR^iNa= O pitiless one!; tvaam dhik= woe be to you; paapa samaacharam= of sinful conduct!; yasya iidR^ishii= in whom such; matiH= a resolve; te= of you; iidR^isham karma= such an act; anaaryasya= is worthy of a barbarian; gR^iNaaa te naasti= there is no pity in you!.
"O cruel, vulgar and mean fellow! O wicked demon of sinful prowess! O pitiless fellow! Woe be to you, of sinful conduct, in whom such a resolve has taken place. Such an act is worthy of a barbarian. There is no pity in you."
chyutaa gR^ihaachcha raajyaachcha raamahastaachcha maithilii || 2-81-20
kiM tavaiShaaparaaddhaa hi yadenaaM himsi nirdaya |
20. nirdaya= O pitiless one!; maithilii= Seetha; chyutaa= came away; gR^ihaachcha= from her house; raajyaachcha= from her kingdom; raama hastaachcha= and from the protection of Rama; hamsi yat enaam= you are killing her; kim aparaaddhaahi= what wrong; eShaa= has Seetha; tava= (done) to you?
"O pitiless one! Seetha came away from her house, from her kingdom and from her huband's (Rama's) protection. What wrong has Seetha done to you, that you are killing her?"
siitaaM cha hatvaa na chiraM jiiviShyasi kathaM chana || 2-81-21
vadhArhakarmaNAnena mama hastagato hyasi |
21. hatvaa= by killing; siitaam= Seetha; na jiiviShyasi= you will not survive; chiram= for long; kathamchana= in any way; vadhaarha= O demon, deserving of death!; tena karmeNa= by your act; mama hastagataH asi hi= you indeed fell into my hands.
"By killing Seetha, you will not survivie for long in any way. O demon, desrving of death! By your act, you indeed fell into my hands."
ye cha striighaatinaaM lokaa lokavadhyaishcha kutsitaaH || 2-81-22
iha jiivitamutsR^ijya pretya taanpratilapsyase |
22. utsR^ijya= abandoning; jiivitam= your life; iha= in this world; pretya= after death; prati lapsyase= you shall descend; ye aan lokaaH= to those worlds; striighaatinaam= which are the lot of the killers of women; kutsitaaH lika vadhyeShu= and are condemned even by thse who deserved to be killed by the peple.
"Abandoning your life in this world, you shall, after death, descend to those worlds which are the lot of the killers of women and are condemned even by those who deserved to be killed by the people."
iti bruvaaNo hanumaansaayudhairharibhirvR^itaH || 2-81-23
abhyadhaavata sa~Nkruddho raakShasendrasutaM prati |
23. hanumaan= Hanuma; iti= thus; bruvaaNaH= speaking; vR^itaH= surrounded; haribhiH= by monkeys; saayudhaiH= with their weapons; susamkruddhaH= and very much enraged; abhyadhaavat= rushed; raakShasendrasutamprati= towards Indrajit.
Thus speaking, Hanuma surrounded as he was by monkeys with their weapons and very much enraged, rushed headlong towards Indrajit.
aapatantaM mahaaviiryaM tadaniikaM vanaukasaam || 2-81-24
rakShasaaM bhiimavegaanaamaniikena nyavaarayat |
24. aniikam= the army; bhiima kopaanaam= of terrible rage; rakShasaam= of demons; nyavaarayat= intercepted tam aniikam= that army; vanaukasaam= of monkeys; mahaaviiryam= possessing a high prowess; aapatantam= and advancing towars them.
The army of demons of terrible rage intercepted that army of mokeys possessing a high prowess and advancing towards them.
sa taaM baaNasahasreNa vikShobhya harivaahiniim || 2-81-25
harishreShThaM hanuumantamindrajitpratyuvaacha ha |
25. vikShobhya= stirring up; taam hari vaahiniim= that army of monkeys; baaNa sahasreNa= with a multitude of his arrows; saH indrajit= that Indrajit; pratyuvaacha ha= replied; hanumantam= to Hanuma; harishreShTham= the foremost of monkeys (as follows).
Stirring up that army of mokeys with a multitude of his arrows, Indrajit replied to Hanuma, the foremost of mokeys as follows:
sugriivastvaM cha raamashcha yannimittamihaagataaH || 2-81-26
taaM haniShyaami vaidehiimadyaiva tava pashyataH |
26. yannimittam= for whose sake; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; tvam cha= yourself; raamashcha= and Rama; aagataaH= came; iha= here; vadhiShyaami= I am going to kill; vaidehiim= Seetha; adyaiva= now itself; tava pashyataH= while you stand looking on.
"For whose sake, Sugreeva, yourself and Rama came here, I am going to kill Seetha now itself, while you stand looking on."
imaaM hatvaa tato raamaM lakShmaNaM tvaaM cha vaanara || 2-81-27
sugriivaM cha vadhiShyaami taM chaanaaryaM vibhiiShaNam |
27. vaanara= O monkey!; hatvaa imaam= after killing her; vadhiShyaami= I will make a short work of; raamam= Rama; lakShmaNamcha= Lakshmana; tvaam cha= yourself too; sugriivamcha= Sugreeva; anaaryam tam vibhiiShaNam cha= and that vulgar Vibhishana; tataH= thereafter.
"O monkey! After killing her, I will make a short work of Rama, Lakshmana, yourself too, Sugreeva and that vulgar Vibhishana thereafter."
na hantavyaaH striyashcheti yadbraviiShi plava~Ngama || 2-81-28
piiDaa karamamitraaNaaM yatsyaatkartavyameta tat |
28. plavamgama= O monkey!; yat= (for) what; braviiShi= you have said; iti= that; striyaH= women; na hantavyaaH= are not to be killed; (hear my reply); yat= that which; piiDaakaramsyaat= causes tormentation; amitraaNaam= to te enemies; tat= that; kartavyameva= indeed needs to be done.
"O monkey! What you have said just now viz. that women are not to be killed, is correct. But that which causes tormentation to the enemies indeed needs to be done."
tamevamuktvaa rudatiiM siitaaM maayaamayiiM tataH || 2-81-29
shitadhaareNa khaDgena nijaghaanendrajitsvayam |
29. evam= thus; uktvaa= having spoken; tam= to Hanuma; indrajit= Indrajit; svayam= personally; nijaghaana= killed; taam maayaamayiim siitaam= that illusory Seetha; rudatiim= who had been sobbing (all the while); shitadhaareNa= with sharp-edged; khaDgena= sword.
Having spoken thus to Hanuma, Indrajit personally killed that illusory Seetha, who ahd been sobbing all the while, with his sharp-edged sword.
yajJNopaviitamaargeNa chhinnaa tena tapasvinii || 2-81-30
saa pR^ithivyaaM pR^ithushroNii papaata priyadarshanaa |
30. chchhinnaa= Split asunder; tena= by him; yaJNopaviita maargeNa= diagonally (as the way of wearing a sacred thread over the left shoulder and hanging down under the right by the three twice-born castes); saa tapasvinii= that miserable lady; pR^ithushreNii= of broad hips; priyadarshanaa= and pleasant to the sight; papaata= fell down; pR^ithivyaam= on the ground.
Split asunder by him diagonally, that miserable lady of broad hips and pleasant to the sight, fell down on the ground.
taamindrajitstriyaM hatvaa hanuumantamuvaacha ha || 2-81-31
mayaa raamasya pashyemaaM kopena cha niShuuditaam |
eShaa vishastaa vaidehii niShphalo vaH parishramaH || 2-81-32
31, 32. hatvaa= after killing; taam= that; striyam= woman; indrajit= Indrajit; uvaacha ha= told; hanumantam= Hanuma (as follows); pashya= see; imaam= this; raamasya priyaam= wife of Rama; shastraniShuuditaam= has been killed with a weapon; mayaa= by me; eShaa= this; vaidehii= Seetha; vishastaa= has been killed; vaH= your; parishramaH= labour; niShphalaH= is in vain.
After killing that woman, Indrajit told Hanuma as follows: "See, I killed Rama's wife with my weapon. This Seetha is dead and all your labour is in vain."
tataH khaDgena mahataa hatvaa taam indrajitsvayam |
hR^iShTaH sa rathamaasthaaya vinanaada mahaasvanam || 2-81-33
33. hatvaa= after killing; taam= her; svayam= personally; mahataakhaDgena= with a large sword; saH indrajit= that Indrajit; tataH= then; aasthaaya= sitting on; ratham= his chariot; hR^iShThaH= pleasurefully; nanaada cha= roared; mahaasvanam= with a high sound.
After killing her with a large sword personally, that Indrajit then sitting on his chariot, pleasurefully roared loudly.
vaanaraaH shushruvuH shabdamaduure pratyavasthitaaH |
vyaaditaasyasya nadatastaddurgaM saMshritasya tu || 2-81-34
34. vaanaraaH= the monkeys; pratyavasthitaah= standing; aduure= in vicinity; shushruvuH= heard; shabdam= his roar; nadataH= even as he shouted; vyaaditaasyasya= with his mouth wide open; samshritya= while comfortably sitting; tat durgam= in that tower of the aerial chariot; which was actually difficult of access for others.
The monkeys standing in vicinity heard his roar, even as he shouted with his mouth wide open, while comfortable sitting in that tower of the aerial chriot, which was actually difficult of access for others.
tathaa tu siitaaM vinihatya durmatiH |
prahR^iShTachetaaH sa babhuuva raavaNiH |
taM hR^iShTaruupaM samudiikShya vaanaraa |
viShaNNaruupaaH samabhipradudruvuH || 2-81-35
35. vinihatya= killing; siitaam= Seetha; tathaa= in that way; sah= that; durmatiH= evil-minded; raavaNiH= Indrajit; babhuuva= became; prahR^iShTa chetaaH= exceedingly glad; samudiikShya= seeing; tam= him; hR^iShTa ruupam= exceedinly plesed; vaanaraaH= the mokeys; viShaNNaruupaaH= looked dejected; sahasaa= and suddenly; abhidudruvuH= ran away.
After killing Seetha in that way, the evil-minded Indrajit became exceedingly glad. Seeing him exceedingly pleased, the monkeys looked dejected and suddenly ran away.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe vaamiikiiye aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe ekaashiititamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 81st chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© October 2008, K. M. K. Murthy