Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Led by Hanuma, the monkeys fight with the demons in battle with trees and rocks. On seeing his army seriously hurt, Indrajit releases a number of arrows and kills some monkeys. Hanuma destroys some terrible demons with trees and rocks. Later, Hanuma along with his army returns to the presence of Rama. Indrajit pours oblations into the sacred fire at the santuary of Nikumbhila. |
shrutvaa taM bhiimanirhraadaM shakraashanisamasvanam |
viikShamaaNaa dishaH sarvaa dudruvurvaanararShabhaaH || 6-82-1
1. shrutvaa= hearing; bhiimanirhraadam= that terrific roar; shakraashanisamasvanam= equal to the sound of Indra's thunderbolt; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; viikShamaaNaaH= looking (hither and thither); dudruvuH= ran away; bhR^isham= very much; sarvaaH dishaH= towards all directions.
Hearing that terrific roar, similar to the sound of Indra's thunderbolt, the monkeys looking hither and thither, ran away in all directions.
taanuvaacha tataH sarvaanhanuumaanmaarutaatmajaH |
viShaNNavadanaandiinaaMstrastaanvidravataH pR^ithak || 6-82-2
2. tataH= then; hanumaan= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of wind-god; uvaacha= spoke; taan sarvaan= to all those monkeys; vidravat= who were running away; pR^ithak= widely apart; viShaNNavadanaan= looking dejected; diinaan= miserable; traptaan= and frightened.
Then, Hanuma the son of wind-god spoke (as follows) to all those monkeys, who were running away widely apart, looking dejected, miserable and frightened.
kasmaadviShaNNavadanaa vidravadhvaM plava~NgamaaH |
tyaktayuddhasamutsaahaaH shuuratvaM kva nu vo gatam || 6-82-3
3. plavaN^gamaaH= O monkeys!; kasmaat= why; vidravadhvam= are you running away; viShaNNavadanaaH= looking dejected; tyakta yuddha samutsaahaaH= and leaving your zeal to fight?; kva= where; vaH shuuratram= has your valour; gatam= gone?
"O, monkeys! Why are you running away, looking dejected and leaving your zeal to fight? Where has your valour gone?"
pR^iShThato.anuvrajadhvaM maamagrato yaantamaahave |
shuurairabhijanopetairayuktaM hi nivartitum || 6-82-4
4. anuvrajadhvam= come along closely; pR^iShThataH= behind; maam= me; yaantam= while I am marching ahead; agrataH= in front; aahave= in the battle; shuuraiH= for the valiant; abhijanopetaiH= who have betaken themselves in a good family; ayuktam hi= it is indeed not proper; nivartitum= to shrink back.
"Come along closely behind me, while I am marching ahead in the battle. For the valiant who are born in a good family, it is not indeed proper to shrink back from the battle."
evamuktaaH susa~Nkruddhaa vaayuputreNa dhiimataa |
shailashR^i~NgaandrumaaMshchaiva jagR^ihurhR^iShTamaanasaaH || 6-82-5
5. evam= thus; uktaaH= spoken; dhiimataa vaayuputreNa= by the wise Hanuma; hR^iShTa maanasaaH= the monkeys in a cheerful mood; jagR^ihuH= took hold; shailashR^iN^gaan= of mountain-peaks; drumaan chaiva= and trees; snsamkruddhaaH= in a great fury together.
Hearing the words of that wise Hanuma, the monkeys in a cheerful mood, took hold of mountain-peaks and trees in a great fury.
abhipetushcha garjanto raakShasaanvaanararShabhaaH |
parivaarya hanuumantamanvayushcha mahaahave || 6-82-6
6. vaanara rShabhaaH= the foremost of monkeys; garjantaH= while roaring; abhipetuH= rushed towards; raakShasaan= the demons; anvayuH= they followed; parivaarya= by surrounding; hanuumantam= Hanuma; mahaahave= in that great battle.
The foremost of monkeys, while roaring, rushed towards the demons. They followed him, by surrounding Hanuma on all sides, in that great battle.
sa tairvaanaramukhyaistu hanuumaansarvato vR^itaH |
hutaashana ivaarchiShmaanadahachchhatruvaahiniim || 6-82-7
7. saH hanumaan= that Hanuma; vR^itaH= being surrounded; sarvataH= on all sides; taiH vaanaramukhyaiH= by those monkey-chiefs; adahat= scorched; shatruvaahinim= that army of adversaries; archiShmaan hutaashanaH iva= like a flaming fire.
That Hanuma, being surrounded by those monkey-chiefs on all sides, began to consume that army of adversaries as a flaming fire.
sa raakShasaanaaM kadanaM chakaara sumahaakapiH |
vR^ito vaanarasainyena kaalaantakayamopamaH || 6-82-8
8. saH mahaakapiH= that Hanuma; vR^itaH= accompanied; vaanara sainyena= by his army of monkeys; chakre= brought about; kadanam= the destroyal; raakShasaanaam= of demons; kaalaantaka yamopamaH= like Yama the lord of death does at the time of universal dissolution.
That Hanuma, accompanied by his army of monkeys, brought about the destruction of demons, as Yama the lord of death does at the time of universal dissolution.
sa tu shokena chaaviShTaH krodhena cha mahaakapiH |
hanuumaanraavaNi rathe mahatiiM paatayachchhilaam || 6-82-9
9. saH hanumaan= that Hanuma; mahaa kapiH= the great monkey; mahaa shokena= with inordinate grief; aaviShTaH= and filled with; kopena cha= rage; paatayat= threw; mahatiim= a large; shilaam= rock; raavaNii rate= on Indrajit's chariot.
Filled with inordinate grief and rage, that Hanuma the monkey-chief, threw a large rock on Indrajit's chariot.
taamaapatantiiM dR^iShTvaiva rathaH saarathinaa tadaa |
vidheyaashva samaayuktaH suduuramapavaahitaH || 6-82-10
10. tadaa= then; dR^iShTvaiva= on seeing; taam= that rock; aapatantiim= rushing upon; rathaH= that chariot; vidheyaashva samaayuktaH= yoked to obedient horses; apavaahitaH= was carried off; vidduram= to a far distance.
On seeing that rock rushing towards them, the obedient horses, yoked to that chariot, carried the chariot off to a far-distance.
tamindrajitamapraapya rathathaM sahasaarathim |
vivesha dharaNiiM bhittvaa saa shilaavyarthamudyataa || 6-82-11
11. saa shilaa= that rock; udyataa= stretched out; vyartham= in vain; apraapya= without reaching; tam indrajitam= that Indrajit; saha saarathim= along with his charioteer; rathastham= sitting in the chariot; vivesha= penetrated dharaNiim= the ground; bhittvaa= splitting itself into bits.
That rock employed in vain, without reaching that Indrajit and his charioteer sitting in the chariot, split itself into fragments and penetrated the ground.
patitaayaaM shilaayaaM tu rakShasaaM vyathitaa chamuuH |
nipatantyaa cha shilayaa raakShasaa mathitaa bhR^isham || 6-82-12
12. shilayaa= by the rock; nipatntyaa= falling down; raakShasaaH= the demons; bhR^isham mathitaaH= were very much bruised; chamuuH= the army; raakShasaam= of demons; vyathitaa= was perturbed; nipatantyaa shilayaa= over the rock thus falling.
The demons were very much bruised by the falling fragments of the rock. That army of demons was perturbed over the rock thus falling upon them.
tamabhyadhaava~nshatasho nadantaH kaananaukasaH |
te drumaaMshcha mahaakaayaa girishR^i~NgaaNi chodyataaH || 6-82-13
13. te vanaukasaH= those monkeys; shatashaH= in hundreds; mahaakaayaaH= with collossal bodies; udyataaH= lifting up; drumaamshcha= trees; girishR^iN^gaashcha= and mountain-peaks; nadantaH= and roaring; abhyadhaavan= rushed headlong; tam= towards that Indrajit.
Hundreds of monkeys with their colossal bodies, lifting up trees and mountain-peaks, rushed roaring towards Indrajit.
chikShipurdviShataaM madhye vaanaraa bhiimavikramaaH |
pR^ikShashailamahaavarShaM visR^ijantaH plavaN^gamaaH || 6-82-14
shatruuNaaM kadanaM chakrurnedushcha vividhaiH svanaiH |
14. vaanaraaH= those monkeys; bhiima vikramaaH= of terrible prowess; kShipanti= threw trees and mountain-peaks; indrajitam= towards Indrajit; samkhye= in battle; visR^ijantaH= while shooting; vR^ikShashaila mahaavarSham= a great deluge of trees and rocks; plavaNgamaaH= the monkeys; chakruH= caused; kadanam= destruction; shatruuNaam= their enemies; nedushcha= and roared; vividhaiH svanaiH= in various high tones.
Those monkeys of terrible prowess, threw trees and mountain-peaks towards Indrajit in battle. While shooting a large deluge of trees and rocks, the monkeys caused destruction of their enemies. They roared in various high tones.
vaanarairtairmahaaviiryairghoraruupaa nishaacharaaH || 6-8-15
viiryaadabhihataa vR^ikShairvyaveShTanta raNakShitau |
15. abhihataaH= struck; vR^ikShaiH= with trees; viiryaat= and with prowess; taiH mahaabhiimaiH= by those highly terrible; vaanaraiH= monkeys; nishaacharaaH the demons; ghora ruupaaH= of frightful appearance; vyacheShTanta= rolled about restlessly raNakShitau= in the battle-field.
Beaten forcibly with trees, by those highly terrible monkeys, those demons of frightful appearance, rolled about restlessly in the battle-field.
svasainyamabhiviikShyaatha vaanaraarditamindrajit || 6-82-16
pragR^ihiitaayudhaH kruddhaH paraanabhimukho yayau |
16. abhiviikShya= on seeing; sainyam= his army; vaanaraarditam= tormented by the monkeys; saH indrajit= that Indrajit; kruddhaH= enraged; atha= thereupon; pragR^ihaayudhaH= taking hold of his weapons; yayau= sallied forth; abhimukhaH= facing towards; paraan= his enemies.
On seeing his army tormented by the monkeys, that enraged Indrajit, taking hold of his weapons, sallied forth, facing towards his enemies.
sa sharaughaanavasR^ijansvasainyenaabhisaMvR^itaH || 6-82-17
jaghaana kapishaarduulaansubahuundR^iShTavikramaH |
17. saH= that Indrajit; dR^iDha vikramaH= of firm fortitude; abhisamvR^itaH svasainyena= accompanied by his army; avasR^ijan= releasing; sharaughaan= a multitude of arrows; jaghaana= killed; subahuun= very many number of; kapishaarduulaan= excellent monkeys.
That Indrajit, of firm fortitude, accompanied by his army, by releasing a multitude of arrows, killed a very many number of monkeys.
shuulairashanibhiH khaDgaiH paTTasaiH kuuTamudgaraiH || 6-82-18
te chaapyanucharaaMstasya vaanaraa jaghnuraahave |
18. aahave= in the battle; tasya te anucharaaH api= his followers too; jaghnuH= killed; vaanaraan= the monkeys; shuulaiH= with spikes; ashanibhiH= tips of missiles; khaDGaiH= swords; paTTishaiH= sharp-edged spears; kuuTamudgaraiH= and concealed weapons similar to mallets.
In the battle, Indrajit's soldiers too killed the monkeys with spikes tips of missiles, swords, sharp-edged spears and concealed weapons similar to mallets.
saskandhaviTapaiH saalaiH shilaabhishcha mahaabalaiH || 6-82-19
hanuumaankadanaM chakre rakShasaaM bhiimakarmaNaam |
19. mahaabalaH= the mighty; hanuumaan= Hanuma; kadanam chakre= played a havoc; rakShasaam= of demons; bhiimakarmaNaam= who had terrible deeds; shaalaiH= with Shala trees; suskandhaviTapaiH= distinguished by excellent trunks and branches; shilaabhishcha= as with rocks.
The mighty Hanuma played a havoc among demons of terrible deeds, with Shala trees, distinguished by excellent trunks and branches as with rocks.
sa nivaarya paraaniikamabraviittaanvanaukasaH || 6-82-20
hanuumaansaMnivartadhvaM na naH saadhyamidaM balam |
20. nivaarya paraaniikam= keeping the hostile army back; saH hanumaan= that Hanuma; abraviit= spoke; taan vanaukasaH= to those monkeys (as follows); samvivartadhvam= retreat!; idam= this; balam= army; na saadhyam= need not be conquered any more; naH= by us.
Keeping the hostile army back, that Hanuma spoke to those monkeys as follows: "Retreat! This army need not be conquered any more by us."
tyaktvaa praaNaanvicheShTanto raama priyachikiirShavaH || 6-82-21
yannimittaM hi yudhyaamo hataa saa janakaatmajaa |
21. yannimittam= for whose sake; yudhyaamaH= we have fought; raama priya chikiirShavaH= with a wish to do what is pleasing to Rama; vicheShTantaH= and making a special effort; tyaktvaa= risking; praaNaan= our lives; saa janakaatmajaa= that Seetha; hataa= has been killed.
"That Seetha for whose sake we have fought so far, with a wish to do what is pleasing to Rama, making a special effort to win, risking our lives has been killed."
imamarthaM hi vijJNaapya raamaM sugriivameva cha || 6-82-22
tau yatpratividhaasyete tatkariShyaamahe vayam |
22. viJNaapya= informing; raamam= Rama; sugriivameva cha= and even Sugreeva; imam= about this; artham= matter; vayam= we; kariShyaamahe= shall do; yat tat= that which; tau= both of them; pratividhaasyete= are prepared to do in return.
"Informing Rama and even Sugreeva about this matter, we shall do that which both of them are prepared to do in return."
ityuktvaa vaanarashreShTho vaarayansarvavaanaraan || 6-82-23
shanaiH shanairasantrastaH sabalaH sa nyavartata |
23. iti uktvaa= thus speaking; vaarayan= and keeping back; sarva vaanaraan= all the monkeys; vaanara shreShThaH= Hanuma the chief of monkeys; asamtrastaH= with absence of fear; sabalaH= along with his army; samnyavartata= turned back; shanaiH shanaiH= slowly as slowly.
Thus speaking and keeping back all the monkeys, Hanuma the chief of monkeys, with absence of fear, along with his army, gradually turned back.
tataH prekShya hanuumantaM vrajantaM yatra raaghavaH || 6-82-24
sa hotukaamo duShTaatmaa gatashchaitaM nikumbhilaam |
24. tataH= then; prekShya= seeing; hanuumantam= Hanuma; vrajantam= withdrawing; yatra= to the place where; raaghavaH= Rama was; duShTaatmaa= the evil-minded; saH= Indrajit; gataH= went; chaityam= to a sanctuary; nikumbhilaam= called Nikumbhila; hotu kaamaH= seeking to pour oblations into the sacred fire.
Seeing Hanuma with drawing to the place where Rama was, the evil-minded Indrajit went to a sanctuary called Nikumbhila, seeking to pour oblations into the sacred fire.
nikumbhilaamadhiShThaaya paavakaM juhuve ndrajit || 6-82-25
yajJNabhuumyaaM tu vidhivatpaavakastena rakShasaa |
huuyamaanaH prajajvaala homashoNitabhuktadaa || 6-82-26
25, 26. adhiShThaaya= arriving at; nikumbhilaam= Nikumbhila; indrajit= Indrajit; juhaava paavakam= poured oblations into the sacred fire; tataH= thereupon; huuyamaanaH= while being propitiated; tena raakShasaa= by that demons; gattvaa= on reaching; yaJNa bhuumyaam= the sacrificial ground; paavakaH= the sacricifial fire; prajajvaala= blazed up; maamsa shoNita bhuk= on consuming the oblations of flesh and blood; tadaa= on that occasion.
Arriving at Nikumbhila, Indrajit poured oblations into the sacred fire. Thereupon, while being propitiated by that demon on reaching sacrificial ground, the sacrificial fire then blazed up on consuming the oblations of flesh and blood.
so.archiH pinaddho dadR^ishe homashoNitatarpitaH |
sandhyaagata ivaadityaH sa tiivraagniH samutthitaH || 6-82-27
27. samutthitaH= swollen up; homashoNita tarpitaH= when propitiated with oblations of blood; sutivraH= the highly intense; agniH= fire; sandhyaagata aadityaH iva= like the evening sun; dadR^ishe= appeared; archiH pinaddhaH= wrapped in flames.
Swollen up when propitiated with oblations of blood, the highly intense fire, like the evening sun, appeared wrapped in flames.
athendrajidraakShasabhuutaye tu |
juhaava havyaM vidhinaa vidhaanavat |
dR^iShTvaa vyatiShThanta cha raakShasaaste |
mahaasamuuheShu nayaanayajJNaaH || 6-82-28
28. atha= then; indrajit= Indrajit; vidhaanavit= knowing the performance of rites; raakShasabhuutaye= for the prosperity of the demons; juhaava havyam= poured oblations; vidhinaa= according to the scriptural ordinance; dR^iShTvaa= seeing this; te raakShasaaH= those demons; nayaanayaJNaaH= who knew what was prudent course and evil course in major battles; vyatiShThanta= stood firm; mahaasamuuheShu= in large poles.
Then, Indrajit, well-versed with the technique of performance of rites for the prosperity of the demons, poured oblations according to the scriptural precepts. Seeing this, those demons, who knew what was prudent and evil in major battles, stood firm in big piles (by Indrajit’s side).
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe vaalmiikiiye aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe dvyashiititamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 82nd chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© October 2008, K. M. K. Murthy