Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Vibhishana suggests Rama to send Lakshmana to kill Indrajit, even before Indrajit completes the sacrificial fire in the sanctuary of Nikumbhila. Rama then asks Lakshmana to proceed with the battle along with armies of Sugreeva, Hanuma, Jambavan and Vibhishana. Lakshmana proceeds to Nikumbhila along with Hanuma, Vibhishana and Jambavan to kill Indrajit. Lakshmana accompanied by Vibhishana, Angada and Hanuma penetrates that heterogeneous army of the enemies at the sanctuary of Nikumbhila. |
tattasya vachanaM shrutvaa raaghavaH shokakashmitaH |
nopadhaarayate vyaktaM yaduktaM tena rakShasaa || 6-85-1
1. shrutvaa= hearing; tat vachanam= those words; tasya= of Vibhishana; raaghavaH= Rama; shoka kashmitaH= agonized with grief; nopadhaarayate= could not comprehend; vyaktam= clearly, yat uktam= that which was spoken; tena rakShasaa= by that demon.
Hearing those words of Vibhishana, Rama, agonized as he was with grief, could not understand clearly what was spoken by that demon.
tato dhairyamavaShTabhya raamaH parapuraMjayaH |
vibhiiShaNamupaasiinamuvaacha kapisaMnidhau || 6-85-2
2. tataH= then; raamaH= Rama; parapuramjayaH= the conqueror of the cities of enemies; avaShTabhya= leaning upon; dhairyam= his courage; uvaacha= spoke; vibhiiShaNam= to Vibhishana; upaasiinam= sitting nearby; kapisamnidhau= and before the presence of the monkeys.
Then, Rama the conqueror of the cities of enemies, leaning upon his courage, spoke to Vibhishana who was sitting nearby and in front of the monkeys (as follows):
nairR^itaadhipate vaakyaM yaduktaM te vibhiiShaNa |
bhuuyastachchhrotumichchhaami bruuhi yatte vivakShitam || 6-85-3
3. naiR^itaadhipate= O lord of demons!; ichchhaami= I wish; shrotum= to hear; bhuuyaH= again; yat vaakyam= those words; te= of you; uktam= spoken; ichchhaami= I desire; shrotum= to hear; bhuuyaH= again; tat= that; yat= which; te vivakShitam bruuhi= you intend to tell (me).
"O lord of demons! I wish to hear again those of the words spoken by you. I desire to hear again, whatever you intend to tell me."
raaghavasya vachaH shrutvaa vaakyaM vaakyavishaaradaH |
yattatpunaridaM vaakyaM babhaaShe.atha vibhiiShaNaH || 6-85-4
4. shrutvaa= hearing; vachaH= those words; raaghavasya= of Rama; udaahR^itam= spoken; sudiinavat= very sadly; saH vibhiiShaNaH= that Vibhishana; vaakya vishaaradaH= who was skilled in expression; punaH= again; babhaaShe= spoke; idam vaakyam= the following words; yatnaat= gently.
Hearing those words of Rama, spoken very sadly, that Vibhishana who was skilled in expression, again spoke his words gently as follows:
yathaajJNaptaM mahaabaaho tvayaa gulmaniveshanam |
tattathaanuShThitaM viira tvadvaakyasamanantaram || 6-85-5
5. mahaabaaho= O the long armed!; viira= O the valiant one!; yathaa= how; gulmaniveshanam= the marshalling of the troops; aaJNaptam= was ordered; tvayaa= by you; tat= the same; anuShThitam= was done; tathaa= accordingly; tvadvaakya samanantaram= and immediately after your words.
"O the long armed hero! Immediately after your orders, the marshalling of the troops was done by me in the manner as enjoined by you."
taanyaniikaani sarvaaNi vibhaktaani samantataH |
vinyastaa yuuthapaashchaiva yathaaanyaayaM vibhaagashaH || 6-85-6
6. sarvaaNi= all; taani= those; aniikaani= armies; vibhaktaani= were divided; samantataH= and positioned at all places; yuuthapashchaiva= even the commanderes of those divisions; vinyastaaH= wee positioned; vibhaagashaH= and distributed; yathaanyaayam= as per their ranks.
"All those armies were divided and positioned at all places. Even the commanders of those divisions were arrayed and distributed according to their ranks."
bhuuyastu mama vijJNaapyaM tachchhR^iNuShva mahaaprabho |
tvayyakaaraNasamtapte samtaptahRidayaa vayam || 6-85-7
7. mahaaprabho= O great lord!; maama= to me; bhuuyaH viJNaapyam= there is more to be reported; tat shR^iNuShva= listen to it; tvayi akaaraNa samtapte= while you are lamenting causelessly are lamenting; vayam= we; samtapta hR^idayaaH= are painful at our hearts.
"O great lord! I have to report to you something further. Listen to it. While you are lamenting without any cause, we feel painful at our hearts."
tyaja raajannimaM shokaM mithyaasaMtaapamaagatam |
tadiyaM tyajyataaM chintaa shatruharShavivardhinii || 6-85-8
8. raajan= O king!; tyaja= abandon; imam= this; shokam= lamentation; mithyaa santaapam= and false grief; aagatam= which came (to you); tat= therefore; iyam chintaa= let this worry; shatruharShavivardhinii= which augments the pleasure of the adversaries; tyajyataam= be abandoned.
"O king! Abandon this lamentation and false grief which came to you. Let your worry, which augments the pleasure of your adversaries be therefore abandoned."
udyamaH kriyataaM viira harShaH samupasevyataam |
praaptavyaa yadi te siitaa hantavyaashcha nishaacharaaH || 6-85-9
9. viira= O hero!; te siitaa praaptavyaa yadi= if you want to get back Seetha; nishaacharaaH hantavyaashcha= if the demons are to be destroyed; udyamaH kriyataam= raise up for the occasion; harShaH samupasevyataam= keep yourself cheerful.
"O hero! If you want to get back Seetha and if the demons are to be destroyed, raise up for the occasion. Keep yourself cheerful."
raghunandana vakShyaami shruuyataaM me hitaM vachaH |
saadhvayaM yaatu saumitrirbalena mahataa vR^itaH || 6-85-10
nikumbhilaayaaM saMpraaptaM hantuM raavaNimaahave |
dhanurmaNDalanirmuktairaashiiviShaviShopamaiH || 6-85-11
10, 11. raghunandana= O Rama!; vakShyaami= I will tell you; me hitam vachaH= let my benign words; shruuyataam= be heard; ayam saumitriH= this Lakshmana; vR^itaH mahataa balena= together with a large army; saadhu yaatu= has to go immediately; hantum= to kill; raavaNim= Indrajit; nikumbhilaayaam sampraaptam= who reached Nikumbhila; aaShiiviShaviShopamaiH= with arrows tantamount to serpentine poison; dhanurmaN^Dala nirmuktaiH= released from a snake-like bow; aahave= in battle.
"O Rama! Listen to my benign words I tell you. This Lakshmana together with a large army should go soon to kill Indrajit, who reached Nikumbhila, with arrows as deadly as the serpentine poison released from his snake-like bow in battle."
tena viireNa tapasaa varadaanaatsvayaMbhuvaH |
astraM brahmashiraH praaptaM kaamagaashcha turaMgamaaH || 6-85-12
12. viireNa tena= by the valiant Indrajit; tapasaa= by his penance; praaptam= was obtained; astram= a weapon; brahmashiraH= called Brahmashira; varadaanaat= by way of a gift; svayambhuvaH= from Brahma; turangamaaH= and horses; kaanngaaH= coursing at his will.
"By his penance, Indrajit obtained a weapon called Brahmashira, by way of a gift from Brahma and also horses, which are coursing at his will."
sa eSha saha sainyena praaptaH kila nikumbhilaam |
yadyuttiShThetkR^itaM karma hataansarvaaMshcha viddhi naH || 6-85-13
13. saH eShaH= that Indrajit as such; sainyena saha= along with his army; praaptaH kila= is reported to have reached; nikumbhilaam= Nikumbhila; karmakR^itam= after performing his sacrificial act uttiShThedyadi= if he comes forth; viddhiH= know (that); sarvaan= all; naH= of us; hataan= as destroyed!
"That Indrajit, as such along with his army, is reported to have reached Nikumbhila. If he comes forth after completing his sacrificial act, know that all of us as killed."
nikumbhilaamasaMpraaptamahutaagniM cha yo ripuH |
tvaamaataayinaM hanyaadindrashatro sa te vadhaH || 6-85-14
varo datto mahaabaaho sarvalokeshvareNa vai |
ityevaM vihito raajanvadhastasyaiSha dhiimataH || 6-85-15
14, 15. varaH= a boon; dattaH= was given; sarva lokeshvareNa= by Brahma; tasya dhiimataH= to that intelligent demon; itvevam= thus; indrajito= O Indrajit!; yaH ripuH= which enemy; hanyaat= strikes; tvaam= you; aatataayinam= having your bow drawn; asampraaptam= before not arriving; nikumbhilaam= at Nikumbhila; ahutaagnimcha= or before offering your oblations to the sacred fire; saH= he alone; vadhaH= is the killer; te= to you; mahaabaaho= O the long armed!; eShaH= this; vadhaH= killing; vihitaH= is ordained.
"A boon was given by Brahma to that intelligent demon as follows: "O Indrajit! That enemy of yours, who strikes while you are marching with your bow drawn, and while you have not arrived at Nikumbhila, or even while you have not offered oblations to the sacred fire, will prove to be the cause of your killing."
vadhaayendrajito raama saMdishasva mahaabala |
hate tasmin hataM viddhi raavaNam sasuhR^idgaNaM || 6-85-16
16. mahaabala raama= O mighty Rama!; samdishasva= give your command; vadhaaya= for killing; indrajitaH= of Indrajit; tasmin hate= while he is killed; viddhi= know (that); raavaNam= Ravana; sa suhR^idgaNam= along with his associate-troops; hatam= as killed.
"O mighty Rama! Give your command for killing of Indrajit. When he is killed, know that Ravana along with his associate troops also as killed."
vibhiiShaNavachaH shrutvaa raamo vaakyamathaabraviit |
jaanaami tasya raudrasya maayaaM satyaparaakrama || 6-85-17
17. shrutvaa= hearing; vibhiiShaNa vachaH= the words of Indrajit; raamaH= Rama; atha= then; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (the following) words; satyaparaakrama= O Vibhishana of true prowess!; jaanaami= I know; maayaam= the conjuring trick; raudrasya tasya= of that terrific demon.
Hearing the words of Indrajit, Rama then spoke the following words:"O Vibhishana of true prowess! I know the conjuring trick of that terrific demon."
sa hi brahmastravitpraajJNo mahaamaayo mahaabalaH |
karotyasamjJNaan saMgraame devaansavaruNaanapi || 6-85-18
18. saH= that Indrajit; brahmaastravit= knows how to employ Brahma's missile; praajJNaH= intelligent; mahaamaayaH= has several conjuring tricks; mahaabalaH= mighty; karoti= he can make; asamJNaan= unconscious; devaanapi= even the celestials; savaruNaan- along with Varuna the king of gods; samgraame= in battle.
"That Indrajit is skilled in the use of the mystic missile presided over by Brahma. He is intelligent. He is a master of several conjuring tricks. He is so mighty that he can render unconscious in battle even the gods along with Varuna the king of gods."
tasyaantarikShe charataH sarathasya mahaayashaH |
na gatirjJNaayate viira suuryasyevaabhrasaMplave || 6-85-19
19. mahaayashaH viiraH= O highly illustrious hero!; tasya= his; gatiH= movement; charataH= while drifting; antarikShaH= i the sky; sarathasya= along with his chariot; na JNaayate= is not known; suryasyeva= as the movement of the sun (is not known); abhrasamplave= under a dense mass of clouds.
"O highly illustrious hero! While he drifts in the sky, ascending his chariot, his movement is not known to others, as the sun is not seen beneath a dense mass of clouds."
raaghavastu riporjJNatvaa maayaaviiryaM duraatmanaH |
lakShmaNaM kiirtisaMpannamidaM vachanamabraviit || 6-85-20
20. jJNaatvaa= having known; maayaaviiryam= the toughness of the conjuring tricks; duraatmanaH ripoH= of the evil-minded adversary; raaghavaH= Rama; abraviit= spoke; idam vachanam= these words; lakShmaNam= to Lakshmana; kiirti sampannam= endowed with glory.
Having known the toughness of the conjuring tricks of the evil-minded adversary, Rama spoke to the illustrious Lakshmana as follows:
yadvaanarendrasya balaM tena sarveNa saMvR^itaH |
hanuumatpramukhaishchaiva yuuthapaiH saha lakShmaNa || 6-85-21
jaambavenaarkShapatinaa sahasainyena saMvR^itaH |
jahi taM raakShasasutaM maayaabalasamanvitam || 6-85-22
21, 22. lakShmaNa= O Lakshmana!; samvR^itaH= accompanied; tena= by that; sarveNa= entire; vaanarendrasya yat balam= army of Sugreeva; yuuthapashchaiva saha= along with the army= leaders; hanuumatpramukhaiH= with Hanuma as their head; jaambavena samvR^itaH= and accompanied by Jambavan; R^ikShapatinaa= the lord of bears; sahasainyena= together with his army; jahi= kill; tam raakShasasutam= Indrajit, that prince of demons; maayaabalasamanvitam= rich in the power of conjuring tricks.
"O Lakshmana! You, accompanied by that entire army which stands at the disposal of Sugreeva, along with troop-commanders with Hanuma as their head; and protected by Jambavan the lord of bears, who will be accompanied by his army, kill that Indrajit the prince of demons, rich in the power of conjuring tricks."
ayaM tvaaM sachivaiH saardhaM mahaatmaa rajaniicharaH |
abhijJNastasya maayaanaaM pR^iShThato.anugamiShyati || 6-85-23
23. mahaatmaa= the great souled; ayam rajaniicharaH= Vibhishana; abhiJNaH= the knower; tasya maayaanaam= of his conjuring tricks; sachivaiH saardham= along with his counsellors; anugamiShyati= will follow; pR^iShThataH= behind; tvaam= you.
"The great souled Vibhishana, who knows all the conjuring tricks of Indrajit, along with his counsellors, will follow behind you."
raaghavasya vachaM shrutvaa lakSmaNaH savibhiiShaNaH |
jagraaha kaarmukashreShThamatyadbhutaparaakramaH || 6-85-24
24. shrutvaa= hearing; vachaH= the words; raaghavasya= of Rama; lakShmaNaH= Lakshmana; atyadbhuta paraakramaH= of highly wonderful prowess; savibhiiShaNaH= along with Vibhishana; jagraaha= took hold; kaarmuka shreShTham= of his excellent bow.
Hearing the words of Rama, Lakshmana of highly wonderful prowess, along with Vibhishana, took hold of his excellent bow.
saMnaddhaH kavachii khaDgii sasharo vaamachaapabhR^it |
raamapaadaavupaspR^ishya hR^iShTaH saumitrirabraviit || 6-85-25
25. hR^iShTaH- the rejoicing; saumitriH= Lakshmana; samnaddhaH= who was prepared for the combat; kavachii= covered with armour; khaDgii= wielding a sword; sa sharaH= and arrows; vaamachaapa bhR^it= wearing a bow in his left hand; upaspR^ishya= having touched; raamapaadau= Rama's feet; abraviit= spoke (as follows):
The rejoiced Lakshmana who was prepared for the combat, clad in an armour, wielding a sword and arrows, wearing his bow in his left hand and having touched Rama's feet in salutation, spoke as follows:
adya matkaarmukonmuktaaH sharaa nirbhidya raavaNim |
laN^kaamabhipatiShyanti haMsaaH puShkariNiimiva || 6-85-26
26. adya= today; sharaaH= the arrows; matkaarmukonmuktaaH= released from my bow; nirbhidya= piercing; raavaNim= Indrajit; abhipatiShyanti= will drop towards; laN^kaam= Lanka; hamsaaH iva= as swans; puShkariim= (descend into) a lotus-pond.
"Today, the arrows released from my bow, piercing Indrajit, will drop into the City of Lanka, as swans descend into a louts-pond.
adyeva tasya raudrasya shariiraM maamakaaH sharaaH |
vidhamiShyanti bhittvaa taM mahaachaapaguNachyutaaH || 6-85-27
27. adyaiva= now itself; maamakaaH sharaaH= my arrows; mahaachaapaguNa chyutaaH discharged from the bow-string of the great bow; bhittvaa= splitting; tasya raudrasya shariiram= his terrific body; tam vidhamiShyati= will blow him away.
"Now itself, my arrows discharged from the bow-string of this great bow, duly splitting his terrific body, will blow him away."
evamuktvaa tu vachanam dyutimaan bhraaturagrataH |
sa raavaNivadhaakaaN^kShii lakShmaNastvaritaM yayau || 6-85-28
28. evam uktvaa= thus speaking; bhraatuH agrataH= in front of his brother; saH dyutimaan lakShmaNaH= that resplendent Lakshmana; yayau= sallied forth; tvaritam= quickly; raavaNi vadhaakaaNkShii= with an intent to kill Indrajit.
Thus speaking in front of his brother, that resplendent Lakshmana, quickly marched forward, with an intent to kill Indrajit.
so.abhivaadya guroH paadau kR^itvaa chaapi pradakShiNaM |
nikumbhilaamabhiyayau chaityaM raavaNipaalitam || 6-85-29
29. abhivaadya= offering salutation; guroH paadau= to his brother's feet; kR^itvaa= and doing; pradakShiNam cha= circumambulation too; saH= that Lakshmana; abhiyayau= went; chaityam= to the sancctuary; nikumbhilaam= called Nikumbhila; raavaNipaalitaam= protected by Indrajit.
Offering salutation to the feet of his brother and doing circumambulation too, that Lakshmana went to the sanctuary named Nikumbhila, which was protected by Indrajit.
vibhiiShaNena sahito raajaputraH prataapavaan |
kR^itasvastyayano bhraatraa lakShmaNastvarito yayau || 6-85-30
30. kR^ita svastyayanaH= having obtained blessings; bhraatraa= from his brother; prataapavaan lakShmaNaH= the glorious Lakshmana; raajaputraH= the prince; tvaritaH= quickly; yayau= sallied forth; vibhiiShaNena sahitaH= along with Vibhishana.
Having obtained the blessings from his brother, the glorious Lakshmana, the prince, quickly sallied forth along with Vibhishana.
vaanaraaNaam saasraistu hanumaan bahubhirvaR^itaH |
vibhiiShaNashcha saamaatyo tadaa lakShmaNamanvagaat || 6-85-31
31. tadaa= then; hanumaan= Hanuma; vR^itaH= accompanied; bahubhiH sahasraiH= by many thousands; vaanaraaNaam= of monkeys; vibhiiShaNashcha= and Vibhishana saamaatyaH= along with his counsellors; lakShmaNam anvagaat= went behind Lakshmana.
Then, Hanuma accompanied by many a thousand of monkeys and Vibhishana along with his counsellors went behind Lakshmana.
mahataa harisainyena savegamabhisaMvR^itaH |
R^ikSharaajabalaM chaiva dadarsha pathi viShThitam || 6-85-32
32. abhisamvR^itaH= (That Lakshmana) surrounded; savegam= quickly; mahataa harisainyena= by a large army of monkeys; dadarsha= saw; R^ikSharaaja balamchaiva= also the army of Jambavan; viShThitam= stationed; pathi= in the way.
That Lakshmana, quickly surrounded by a large army of monkeys, saw the army of Jambavan also stationed in the way.
sa gatvaa duuramadhvaanaM saumitrirmitranandanaH |
raakShasendrabalaM duuraadapashyadvyuuhamaashritam || 6-85-33
33. gatvaa= going; duuram= a long; adhvaanam= distance; saH saumitriH= that Lakshmana; mitranandanaH= the delight to his friends; apashyat= saw; raakShasendrabalam= the army of Ravana; aashritam= ranged; vyuudham= in battle-array; duuraat= from a dsitance.
After covering a long distance, that Lakshmana, the delight to his friends, saw the army of Ravana, ranged in battle-array, from a distance.
sa taM praapya dhanuSpaaNirmaayaayogamariMdamaH |
tasthau brahmavidhaanena vijetuM raghunandanaH || 6-85-34
34. praapya= duly arriving at Nikumbhila; saH= raghunandanaH= that Lakshmana; arimdamaH= the foe-conqueror; tasthau= stood; dhanuShpaaNiH= bow in hand; vijetum= to conquer; tam= that Indrajit; maayaayogam= possessing conjuring tricks; brahmavidhaanena= in conformity with Brahma's ordinance.
Duly arriving at Nikumbhila, that foe-conquering Lakshmana stood, bow in hand, to conquer that Indrajit, the possessor of conjuring tricks, in conformity with Brahma's ordinance.
vibhiiShaNena sahito raajaputraH prataapavaan |
aN^gadena cha viireNa tathaanilasutena cha || 6-85-35
35. prataapavaan= the valiant; raajaputraH= Lakshmana; (tasthau= stood); sahitaH vibhiiShaNena= along with Vibhishana; viireNa aN^gadena= the heroic Angada; tathaa= and; anilasutena= Hanuma; the son of wind-god.
The valiant Lakshmana stood there along with Vibhishana, the heroic Angada and Hanuma, the son of wind-god.
vividhamamalashastrabhaasvaraM ta |
ddhvajagahanaM gahanaM mahaarathaishcha |
pratibhayatamamamprameyavegaM |
timiramiva dviShataaM balaM vivesha || 6-85-36
36. vivesha= (Lakshmana) entered; dviShataam balam= the army of enemies; vividham= which was of many kinds; amala shastra bhaasvaram= resplendent with spotless weapons; dhvajagahanam= thick with ensigns; mahaarathaishcha= and abounded with huge chariots; gahanam= exceedingly formidable; pratibhayatamam= very terrific; aprameya vegam= with unimaginable swiftness; timaramiva= even as one would enter a thick veil of darkness.
Lakshmana penetrated that heterogeneous army of enemies, resplendent with spotless weapons, thick with ensigns and abounded with huge chariots, exceedingly impenetrable, very terrific, with unimaginable swiftness, even as one would enter a thick veil of darkness.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe paJNchaashiititamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 85th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© November 2008, K. M. K. Murthy