Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Vibhishana comes to Lakshmana and beholds Rama having fallen into a swoon and lying in the lap of Lakshmana. Lakshmana informs Vibhishana that on hearing the words of Hanuma saying that Seetha was killed by Indrajit, Rama fell into a swoon. Telling Rama the secret of conjuring trick practiced by Indrajit in killing an illusory image of Seetha, Vibhishana assures him of Seetha being still alive and urges him to send Lakshmana with an army to the sanctuary of Nikumbhila. |
raamamaashvaasayaane tu lakShmaNe bhraatR^ivatsale |
nikShipya gulmaansvasthaane tatraagachchhadvibhiiShaNaH || 6-84-1
1. lakShmaNe= (While) Lakshmana; bhraatR^ivatsale= who was fond of his brother; aashvaasamaane= was consoling; raamam= Rama; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; nikShipya= keeping; gulmaan= the division of his army; svasthaane= in their respective positions; aagachchhat= arrived; tatra= there.
While Lakshmana, who was so fond of his brother, was consoling Rama, Vibhishana, keeping the troops of simian army in their respective positions, arrived there.
naanaapraharaNairviiraishchaturbhiH sachivairvR^itaH |
niilaa~njanachayaakaarairmaata~Ngairiva yuuthapaH || 6-84-2
so.abhigamya mahaatmaanaM raaghavaM shokalaalasaM |
vaanaraaMshchaiva dadR^ishe baaShpaparyaakulekShaNaan || 6-84-3
2, 3. saH= that Vibhishana; abhivR^itaH= surround; chaturbhiH viiraiH= by four warriors; naanaapraharaNaiH= wielding many types of weapons; yuuthapaiH= who were chiefs of troops; niilaaNjana chaakaaraiH= who looked like heaps of black collyrium; maataN^gaiH iva= and who were appearing like elephants; abhigamya= approaching; mahaatmaanam= the great souled; raaghavam= Lakshmana; shokalaalasam= who was totally absorbed in sorrow; dadR^ishe= saw; vaanaraamshchaapi= even the monkeys; baaShpaparyaakulekShaNaan= having their eyes filled with tears.
That Vibhishana, surrounded by four warriors, wielding many types of weapons, and who were chiefs of troops, looking like heaps of black collyrium and who were appearing like elephants, approached Lakshmana who was totally engrossed in sorrow and saw the monkeys also, whose eyes were filled with tears.
raaghavaM cha mahaatmaanamikShvaakukulanandanam |
dadarsha mohamaapannaM lakShmaNasyaa~Nkamaashritam || 6-84-4
4. dadarsha cha= (Vibhishana) also saw; mahaatmaanam= the great souled Rama; ikShvaakukulanandanam= the delight of Ikshvaku dynasty; moham aapannam= fallen into a swoon; aashritam= and resting on; aN^kam= the lap; lakShmaNasya= of Lakshmana.
Vibhishana also saw the great-souled Rama, the delight of Inkshvaku dynasty fallen into a swoon and resting on the lap of Lakshmana.
vriiDitaM shokasantaptaM dR^iShTvaa raamaM vibhiiShaNaH |
antarduHkhena diinaatmaa kimetaditi so.abraviit || 6-84-5
5. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; vriiDitam= the embarrassed; raamam= Rama; shokasantaptam= tormented with grief; saH vibhiiShaNaH= that Vibhishana; diinaatmaa= distressed in spirits; duHkhena= with agony; antaH= inside; abraviit= asked him; kim etat iti= “What is this?”
On seeing the embarrassed Rama, tormented with grief, that Vibhishana, distressed as he was in spirits, with agony inside, asked him, “What is this?”
vibhiiShaNa mukhaM dR^iShTvaa sugriivaM taaMshcha vaanaraan |
uvaacha lakShmaNo vaakyamidaM baaShpapariplutaH || 6-84-6
6. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; viibhiishaNamukham= Vibhishana’s face; sugriivam= Sugreeva; taan vaanaraamshcha= and those mokeys; lakShmaNaH= Lakshmana; baaShpa pariplutaH= with tears pouring down; uvaacha= spoke; idam= thse words, mandaartham= with splendid meaning.
Fixing his gaze on Vibhishana’s face and looking at Sugreeva and those monkeys, Lakshmana with tears pouring down, spoke the following words, with a splendid meaning:
hataamindrajitaa siitaamiha shrutvaiva raaghavaH |
hanuumadvachanaatsaumya tato mohamupaagataH || 6-84-7
7. saumya= O gentle Sir!; shrutvaiva= just after hearing; hanumadvachanaat= from the words of Hanuma; iti= that; siitaa= Seetha; hataa= was killed; indrajitaa= by Indrajit; raaghavah= Rama; tataH= then; upaagataH= entered into; moham= a swoon.
“O gentle Sir! Just on hearing through the words of Hanuma, saying that Seetha was killed by Indrajit, Rama entered into a swoon.”
kathayantaM tu saumitriM saMnivaarya vibhiiShaNaH |
puShkalaarthamidaM vaakyaM visaMj~naM raamamabraviit || 6-84-8
8. samnivaarya= Intercepting; saumitram= Lakshmana; kathayantam= who was thus narrating; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; abraviit= spoke; idam= the following; puShkalaartham= amply meaningful; vaakyam= words; raamam= to Rama; visamJNjam= who was unconscious.
Intercepting the narrating Lakshmana in the middle, Vibhishana spoke the following amply meaningful words to Rama, who was in an unconscious state.
manujendraartaruupeNa yaduktastvaM hanuumataa |
tadayuktamahaM manye saagarasyeva shoShaNam || 6-84-9
9. aham= I; manye= think; yat tat= that which; tvam= you; uktaH= have been told; hanuumataa= by Hanuma; aartaruupeNa= with a sorrowful temper; manujendra= Oruler of men; ayuktam= is absurd; shoShaNam iva= as the drying up; saagarasya= of the sea.
“I hold that which you have been told by Hanuma with a sorrowful temper, O ruler of men, to be absurd as the drying up of the sea.”
abhipraayaM tu jaanaami raavaNasya duraatmanaH |
siitaaM prati mahaabaaho na cha ghaataM kariShyati || 6-84-10
10. mahaabaaho= O, the long-armed!; jaanaami= I know; abhipraayam= the design; duraatmanaH raavaNasya= of the evil-mined Ravana; siitaam prati= towards Seetha; na kariShyati= He would never do; ghaatam= the killing (of Seetha).
“O the long armed! I know the design of the evil-minded Ravana towards Seetha. He would never do the killing of Seetha.”
yaachyamaanaH subahusho mayaa hitachikiirShuNaa |
vaidehiimutsR^ijasveti na cha tatkR^itavaanvachaH || 6-84-11
11. yaachyamaanaH= eventhough begged; mayaa= by me; hitachikiirShuNaa= the well-wisher; subahushaH= several times; utsR^ijasva iti= to give up; vaidehiim= Seetha; na kR^itavaan= he did not heed; tat vachaH= that advice.
“Eventhough begged by me, the well-wisher, several times to give up Seetha, he did not heed that advice.”
naiva saamnaa na bhedena na daanena kuto yudhaa |
saa draShTumapi shakyeta naiva chaanyena kena chit || 6-84-12
12. na shakyeta= It is neither possible; draShTum api= even to see; saa= her; saamnaa= by conciliation; na daanena= nor by bestowing gifts; na bhedena= nor by sowing dissention; kutaH= how is it possible; yudhaa= by a war?; naiva= It is not possible; anyena kenachit= by any other strategy.
“It is neither possible even to see her by recourse to conciliation nor by bestowing gifts nor by sowing dissention. How is it possible then by a war? By any other strategy, it is impossible.”
vaanaraanmohayitvaa tu pratiyaataH sa raakShasaH |
maayaamayiiM mahaabaaho taaM viddhi janakaatmajaam| 6-84-13
13. saH raakShasaH= that Indrajit; pratiyaataH= retracted; mohayitvaa= by hoodwinking; vaanaraan= the monkeys; mahaabaaho= O long armed!; viddhi= know; taam jaanakaatmajaam= that Seetha (who was seemingly killed by him); maayaamayiim= as unreal.
“That Indrajit for his part retracted, by hoodwinking the monkeys. O the long armed! Know that Seetha (who was seemingly killed by him) as illusory.”
chaityaM nikumbhilaaM naama yatra homaM kariShyati |
hutavaanupayaato hi devairapi savaasavaiH || 6-84-14
duraadharSho bhavatyeSha sa~Ngraame raavaNaatmajaH |
14. praapya= after reaching; chaityam= a sanctuary; nikumbhilaamnaama= by name, Nikumbhila; eShaH raavaNaatmajaH= this Indrajit; homam kariShyati= will pour oblations into the sacred fire; hutavaan upayaataH= on returning after pouring oblations into the sacred fire (Indrajit); bhavati duraadharShaH= will prove difficult to be overcome; samgraame= in battle; devairapi= even by celestials; sa vaasavaiH= including Indra.
“After reaching a sanctuary by name Nikumbhila, this Indrajit will pour oblations into the sacred fire. On returning after pouring oblations into the sacred fire, Indrajit will prove difficult to be overcome in battle, even by celestials including Indra.”
tena mohayataa nuunameShaa maayaa prayojitaa || 6-84-15
vighnamanvichchhataa taata vaanaraaNaaM paraakrame |
15. nuuam= certainly; eShaa= this; maayaa= conjuring trick (in the form Seetha); prayojitaa= was exhibited; tena= by him; mohayataa= who was employing magical art; anvichchhataa= expecting; vighnam= interruption; paraakrame= by the prowess; vaanaraaNaam= of the monkeys; tatra= there.
“Certainly, this conjuring trick (in the form of killing an illusory living effigy of Seetha) was exhibited by him, who was employing his magical art, expecting interruption by the prowess of the monkeys there.”
sasainyaastatra gachchhaamo yaavattanna samaapyate || 6-84-16
tyajemaM narashaarduulamithyaa santaapamaagatam |
siidate hi balaM sarvaM dR^iShTvaa tvaaM shokakarshitam || 6-84-17
16, 17. yaavat= before which time; tat= that act of offering oblations in the sacred fire; na samaapyate= is not completed; (within that time); gachchhaama= we shall go; tatra= there; sasainyaaH= along with an army; narashaarduula= O the foremost of men!; tyaja= give up; enam= this; mithyaa santaapam= improper grief; aagatam= has come upon (you); dR^iShTvaa= on seeing; tvaam= you; shokakarshitam= tormented by grief; sarvam= all; balam= the army; siidatehi= is indeed sinking into despondency.
“While the sacrificial performance is not ended, we shall proceed to that place, along with an army. O the foremost of men! Give up this improper grief, which has come upon you. Seeing you tormented with grief, the entire army is sinking into despondency.”
iha tvaM svastha hR^idayastiShTha sattvasamuchchhritaH |
lakShmaNaM preShayaasmaabhiH saha sainyaanukarShibhiH || 6-84-18
18. tvam= you; tiShTha= stay; iha= here; svasthahR^idayaH= confident at heart; sattvasamuchchhritaH= and exalted in courage; preShaya= send; lakShmaNam= Lakshmana; asmaabhiH saha= with us; sainyaanukarShibhiH= who are summoning an army.
“Very exalted as you are in courage, stay you here, confident at heart, and send Lakshmana with us, who are taking an army along with us.”
eSha taM narashaarduulo raavaNiM nishitaiH sharaiH |
tyaajayiShyati tatkarma tato vadhyo bhaviShyati || 6-84-19
19. eShaH= this Lakshmana; narashaarduulaH= the eminent prince; raavaNim tyaajayiShyati= can make Indrajit abandon; tat= that; karma= act of sacrifice; nishitaiH sharaiH= by his sharp arrows; tataH= then; bhaviShyati vadhyaH= he will be susceptible to be killed.
“This Lakshmana, the eminent prince, can make Indrajit abandon that act of sacrifice, by employing his sharp arrows. Then, he will be susceptible of being killed.”
tasyaite nishitaastiikShNaaH patripatraa~NgavaajinaH |
patatriNa ivaasaumyaaH sharaaH paasyanti shoNitam || 6-84-20
20. ete sharaaH= these arrows; nishitaaH= which are sharp; tiikShaNaaH= fiery; patripatraaN^ga vaajinaH= with a speed equal to the speed of the wings of a bird; paasyanti= can drink; tasya shoNitam= his blood; asaumyaaH patatriNaH iva= like unlovely birds.
“Lakshmana’s arrows, which are sharp and fiery, with a speed equal to the wings of a bird, can drink his blood like cruel birds.”
tatsandisha mahaabaaho lakShmaNaM shubhalakShaNam |
raakShasasya vinaashaaya vajraM vajradharo yathaa || 6-84-21
21. mahaabaaho= O the long-armed one!; tat= therefore; samdisha= dispatch; lakShmaNam= Lakshmana; shubhalakShaNaH= having auspicious body-marks; vajradhvaH yathaa= as Indra the lord of celestials; vajram (employed) the thunderbolt; vinaashaaya= for the destruction; raakShasasya= of Indrajit.
“O the long-armed one! Therefore, dispatch Lakshmana having auspicious body-marks even as Indra the lord of celestials employed the thunderbolt to kill Indrajit.”
manujavara na kaalaviprakarSho |
ripunidhanaM prati yatkShamo.adya kartum |
tvamatisR^ija riporvadhaaya baaNiim |
asurapuronmathane yathaa mahendraH || 6-84-22
22. manujavara= O the best of men!; yat= for which reason; na kShamaH= it is not appropriate; kartum kaala viprakarShaH= to delay; ripunidhanam prati= the killing of the enemy; adya= at this time; (for that reason); tvam atisR^ija vaaNiim= you grant permission in your words; ripoH vadhaaya= to destroy the enemy; mahendraH yathaa= as Indra; divijaripoH madhane= (hurl his thunderbolt) to destroy the enemies of celestials.
“O the best of men! It is not appropriate to delay the killing of the enemy any further now. Therefore, grant permission to Lakshmana to destroy the enemy, as Indra would hurl his thunderbolt to destroy the enemies of celestials.”
samaaptakarmaa hi sa raakShasendro |
bhavatyadR^ishyaH samare suraasuraiH |
yuyutsataa tena samaaptakarmaNaa |
bhavetsuraaNaamapi saMshayo mahaan || 6-84-23
23. saH raakShasaR^iShabhaH= that foremost among demons; samaapta karma= having completed the sacrifice; adR^ishyaH bhavati hi= he will indeed be invisible; suraasuraiH= to celestials and demons; samara= in battle; suraaNaamapi= even the celestials; bhavet mahaa samshayaH= feel a great doubt; tena= of him; samaaptakarmaNaa= who has completed the sacrifice; yuyutsataa= and has an intent to fight.
“If that Indrajit, the foremost of demons completes the sacrifice, he would not be visible even to the celestials and the demons in battle. If he come with a desire to fight, after ending that sacrifice, the celestials also will feel a great suspicion on their own lives.”
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe chaturashiititamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 84th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© November 2008, K. M. K. Murthy