Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Vibhishana takes Lakshmana to the place where indrajit is performing the sacrificial rite. He advises Lakshmana to destroy Indrajit even before he finishes the sacrificial rite at a banyan tree. Indrajit sees Vibhishana there and starts talking harsh words to him, saying that he has ditched him by bringing Lakshmana to that place. Vibhishana replies that because of Ravana's vices, he has left him and joined Rama's side. He further adds that Indrajit and his army will not survive under the range of Lakshmana's arrows. |
evamuktvaa tu saumitri.n jaataharSho vibhiiShaNaH |
dhanuShpaaNinamaadaaya tvaramaaNo jagaama saH || 6-87-1
1. evam= thus; uktvaa= speaking; saumitrim= to lakshmana; saH vibhiShaNaH= that Vibhishana; tam dhanuShpaaNim aadaaya= taking him who held a bow in his hand; jagaama= went; jaata harShaH= rejoiced; tvaramaaNaH= hurriedly.
After speaking to him as aforesaid, Vibhishana taking Lakshmana, who held a bow in his hand, felt rejoiced and hastened away.
aviduura.n tato gatvaa pravishya cha mahadvanam |
darshayaamaasa tatkarma lakShmaNaaya vibhiiShaNaH || 6-87-2
2. gatvaa= going; aviduuram= not very distant; tataH= from there; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; pravishya= having entered; mahat vanam= an extensive thicket; adarshayata= showed; lakShmaNaaya= to Lakshmana; tat karma= that place where Indrajit was going to pour oblations into the sacred fire.
Moving not very distant from there and entering an extensive thicket, Vibhishana showed to Lakshmana, the place where Indrajit was going to pour oblations into the sacred fire.
niilajiimuutasa~NkaashaM nyagrodhaM bhiimadarshanam |
tejasvii raavaNabhraataa lakShmaNaaya nyavedayat || 6-87-3
3. tejasvii= the glorious; raavaNa bhraataa= Vibhishana; nyavedayat= showed; bhiimadarshanam= a terribly looking; nyagrodham= banyan tree; niilajiimuutasamkaasham= looking like a black cloud.
The glorious Vibhishana showed a terribly looking banyan tree, appearing like a blace cloud (and spoke as follows).
ihopahaaraM bhuutaanaaM balavaanraavaNaatajaH |
upahR^itya tataH pashchaatsa~Ngraamamabhivartate || 6-87-4
4. upahR^itya= after offering; upahaaram= oblations; bhuutaanaam= to the spirits; iha= here; balavaan= the mighty; raavaNaatmajaH= Indrajit; abhivartate= proceeds; samgraamam= to the battle; pashchaat= afterwards.
"After offering oblations to the spirits at this place, the mighty Indrajit proceeds to the battle afterwards."
adR^ishyaH sarvabhuutaanaa.n tato bhavati raakShasaH |
nihanti samare shatruunbadhnaati cha sharottamaiH || 6-87-5
5. tataH= thereupon; raakShasaH= (this) demon; bhavati= becomes; adR^ishyaH= invisible; sarva bhuutaanaam= to all the beings; nihanti= kills; shatruun= the enemies; samare= in battle; badhnaati= and binds; sharottamaiH= with excellent arrows.
"Thereupon, this demon becomes invisible to any one, kills some enemies in battle and binds some with his excellent arrows."
tamapraviShTaM nyagrodhaM balina.n raavaNaatmajam |
vidhva.nsaya sharaistiikShNaiH saratha.n saashvasaarathim || 6-87-6
6. vidhvamsaya= destroy; tam= that; balinam raavaNaatmajam= mighty Indrajit; saratham= with his chariot; saashvasaarathim= along with its horses and charioteer; diiptaiH sharaiH= by your blazing arrows; apraviShTam= while he has not reached; nyagrodham= the banyan tree.
"Destroy that mighty Indrajit, along with his chariot, horses and charioteer, by releasing your blazing arrows, even while he has not reached the banyan tree."
tathetyuktvaa mahaatejaaH saumitrirmitranandanaH |
babhuuvaavasthitastatra chitra.n visphaarayandhanuH || 6-87-7
7. mahaatejaaH= the greatly brilliant; saumitriH= Lakshmana; mitranandanaH= a delight of his friends; tatheti= saying 'So be it'; babhuuva avasthitaH= took his stand; tatra= there chitram dhanuH visphaarayan= twanging his wonderful bow at full length.
That greatly brilliant Lakshmana, a delight of his fiends, saying 'So be it' took his stand there, twanging his bow at full length.
sa rathenaagnivarNena balavaanraavaNaatmajaH |
indrajitkavachii khaDgii sadhvajaH pratyadR^ishyata || 6-87-8
8. saH balavaan indrajit= that mighty Indrajit; raavaNaatmajah= the son of Ravana; kavachii= wearing an armour; khaDgii= and a sword; sadhvajaH= distinguished by his ensign; pratyadR^ishyata= appeared; rathena in his chariot; agnivarNena= having a colour of fire.
That Indrajit, the son of Ravana, clad in armour, armed with a sword, and distinguished by his ensign, appeared in a fire-coloured chariot.
tamuvaacha mahaatejaaH paulastyamaparaajitam |
samaahvaye tvaa.n samare samyagyuddhaM prayachchha me || 6-87-9
9. mahaatejaaH= that highly splendid Lakshmana; uvaacha= spoke; tam= to that; paulastya= Indrajit the scion of sage Pulastya; aparaajitam= who had never been conquered before (as follows):;samaahvaye= I am inviting; tvaam= you; samare= for a fight; prayachchha= give; yuddham= battle; me= to me; samyak= in a right manner.
That highly splendid Lakshmana spoke to that Indrajit, the scion of Sage Paulastya, who had never been conquered before (as follows); "I am inviting you for a fight. Give battle to me in a right manner."
evamukto mahaatejaa manasvii raavaNaatmajaH |
abraviitparuSha.n vaakya.n tatra dR^iShTvaa vibhiiShaNam || 6-87-10
10. evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; (by Lakshmana); raavaNaatmajaH= Indrajit; mahaatejaaH= with a great brilliance; manasvii= and high mindedness; dR^iShTvaa= seeing; vibhiiShaNam= Vibhishana; tatra= there; abraviit= spoke; paruSham= (the following) harsh; vaakyam= word.
Thus spoken by Lakshmana, Indrajit with a great brilliance and high mindedness, seeing Vibhishana there, spoke the following harsh words to him:
iha tva.n jaatasa.nvR^iddhaH saakShaadbhraataa piturmama |
katha.n druhyasi putrasya pitR^ivyo mama raakShasa || 6-87-11
11. raakShasa= O demon!; tvam= you; jaata samvR^iddhaH= are born and brought up; iha= here; saakShaat= directly; bhraataa= a brother; mama pituH= to my father; pitR^ivyaH= and an uncle; mama= to me; katham= how; druhyati= can you be hostile; putrasya= to a son?.
"O demon! You are born and brought up here. You are a direct brother to my father and a paternal uncle to me. How can you be hostile to a son?
na GYaatitvaM na sauhaardaM na jaatistava durmate |
pramaaNaM na cha sodaryaM na dharmo dharmaduuShaNa || 6-87-12
12. durmati= O perverted fellow!; dharmaduuShaNa= an abuser of righteousness!; JNaatitvam= consanguinity; na pramaaNam= is not a norm; tava= to you; na sauhaardram= nor friendliness; na jaatiH= nor pride of birth; na saudaryam= nor brotherly feeling; na dharmaH= nor a right conduct.
"O perverted fellow, an abuser of righteousness! Consanguinity is not a norm for you, nor friendliness, nor pride of birth, nor a brotherly feeling nor a right conduct."
shochyastvamasi durbuddhe nindaniiyashcha saadhubhiH |
yastva.n svajanamutsR^ijya parabhR^ityatvamaagataH || 6-87-13
13. durbuddhe= O evil-minded one!; tvam= you; asi= are; shochyaH= pitiable; nindaniiyashcha= and deserve to be reproached; saadhubhiH= by the virtuous; yaH utsR^ijya= (in that) having abandoned; svajanam= your own kind; tvam aagataH= you have entered into; parabhR^ityatvam= the service of our enemy.
"O evil-minded one! You are pitiable and deserve to be reproached by the virtuous, in that having abandoned your onw kind, you have entered into the service of our enemy."
naitachchhithilayaa buddhyaa tva.n vetsi mahadantaram |
kva cha svajanasa.nvaasaH kva cha niichaparaashrayaH || 6-87-14
14. tvam= you; na vatsi= are not recognising; mahat= the great; antaram= difference; shithilayaa buddhyaa= with your feeble mind; etat= in this manner; kva cha= where; svajana samvaasaH= is living together with one's own kindred; kvacha= and where; niicha paraashrayaH= is taking refuge iwth low kind of enemies?
"You are not recognizing the great difference because of your feeble mind. Where is living together with one's own kindred and where is taking refuge with low kind of enemies?
guNavaanvaa parajanaH svajano nirguNo.api vaa |
nirguNaH svajanaH shreyaanyaH paraH para eva saH || 6-87-15
15. parajanaH= opponents; guNavaanvaa= may be virtuous; svajanaH= one's own kindred; nirguNo.api= may not be virtuous; nirguNaH svajanaH= the unvirtuous kindred; shreyaan= is preferable; yaH paraH= he who is an enemy; saH= he; para eva hi= is indeed just an enemy.
"Opponents may be virtuous. One's own kindred may not be virtuous. But, a relation, though bereft of merit is preferable. An enemy is, indeed, ever an enemy."
yaH svapakShaM parityajya parapakShaM niShevate |
sa svapakShe kShayaM praapte pashchaattaireva hanyate || 6-87-16
16. yaH= he who; parityajya= having abandoned; svapakSham= his onw side; niShevate= and serves; parapakSham= the side of an adversary; saH= he; praapte= having obtained; kShayam= the destruction; svapakShe= of his own side; hanyate= would be killed; pashchaat= thereafter; taireva= only be them.
"He who, abandoning his own side, takes sides with adversary, is killed, after his own knsmen are destroyed just by those people of the other side."
niranukroshataa cheya.n yaadR^ishii te nishaachara |
svajanena tvayaa shakyaM paruSha.n raavaNaanuja || 6-87-17
17. raavaNaanuja= O Indrajit; nishaachara= the demon! niranukroshataa= the ruthlessness; iyam yaadR^ishii te= thus shown by you; pauruSham= and the manliness exhibited by you (in bringing Lakshmana here); shakyam could be possible; tvayam= only by you; svajanena= our own kindred.
"O Indrajit, the demon! The ruthlessness thus shown by you and the manliness exhibited by you (in bringing Lakshmana here) could be possible only by you, our own kindred."
ityukto bhraatR^iputreNa pratyuvaacha vibhiiShaNaH |
ajaananniva machchhiila.n ki.n raakShasa vikatthase || 6-87-18
18. iti= thus; uktaH= spoken; bhraatR^iputreNa= by his brother's son; vibhiiShaNaH= Vibhishana; pratyuvaacha= replied; raakShasa= O demon!; kim= why; vikatthase= do you speak perversely; ajaananniva= as though you do not know; machchhiilam= my nature.
Hearing the words of Indrajit, his brother's son, Vibhishana replied: "O demon! Why do you speak perversely, as though you are not aware of my nature."
raakShasendrasutaasaadho paaruShya.n tyaja gauravaat |
kule yadyapyaha.n jaato rakShasaaM kruurakarmaNaam || 6-87-19
guNo.ayaM prathamo nR^iiNaa.n tanme shiilamaraakShasaM |
19. asaadho= O the wicked one!; raakShasendrasuta= O Indrajit!; gauravaat= out of respect; tyaja= abandon; pauruShyam= the harshness; aham jaataH yadyapi= even if I am born; rakShasaam kulam= in a demoniac race; kruura karmaNaam= doing cruel acts; me shiilam= my nature (of goodness); yaH prathamaH guNaH nR^iiNaam= which is the prime virtue of human beings; tat= that; araakShasam= is not demoniacal.
"O Indrajit the wicked one! Atleast out of respect for the elders, abandon your harshness. Even if I am born in a demoniac race, which does cruel acts, my nature is goodness, which is prime virtue of human beings and it is not demoniacal."
na rame daaruNenaahaM na chaadharmeNa vai rame || 6-87-20
bhraatraa viShamashiilena kathaM bhraataa nirasyate |
20. aham= I; na rame= do not delight; daarunena= in cruel acts; na rame vai= nor rejoice; adharmeNa cha= in virtuous acts; katham= how; bhraataa= can a brother; nirasyate= be driven away; bhraatraa= by his brother; viShamashilo.api= even if the former's nature is different.
"I neither delight in cruel acts, nor rejoice in unvirtuous acts. How can a brother be driven away by his brother, even if the former's nature is different?"
dharmaatprachyutashiilaM hi puruShaM paapanishchayam || 6-87-21
tvaktvaa sukhamavaapnoti hastaadaashiiviShaM yathaa |
21. tyaktvaa= renouncing; puruSham= a man; paapanishschayam= of sinful resolve; prachyuta shiilam= whose conduct has deviated; dharmaat= from righeousness; avaapnoti= one attains; sukham= happiness; ashiivisham yathaa= as (one shakes off) a venomous serpent; hastaat= from his hand.
"Renouncing a man of sinful resolve hose conduct has deviated from righteousness, one attains happiness, as one shakes off a venomous serpent from his hand."
parasvaharaNe yuktaM paradaaraabhimarshaam || 6-87-22
tyaajyamaahurduraatmaanaM veshma prajvalitaM yathaa |
22. aahuH= (the wise men) say that duraatmanam= an evil-natured fellow; yuktam= who is intent; para svaharaNe= on taking away other's property; paradaaraabhimarshakm= and lustfully touches another's wife; tyaajyam= is worth shunning; prajvalitam veshmayathaa= as one abandons a house in flames.
"The wise men say that an evil-natured fellow, who is intent on taking away other's property and lustfully touches another's wife, is worth shunning, as one abandons a house in flames."
parasvaanaa.n cha haraNaM paradaaraabhimarshanam || 6-87-23
suhR^idaamatisha~Nkaa.n cha trayo doShaaH kShayaavahaaH |
23. trayaH= three; doShaaH= faults; kShayaavahaaH= produce destruction; parasvaanaamharaNam= taking away other's property; para daaraabhi marshanam= lustfully touching another's wife; suhR^idaam atishaN^kaacha= and excessive distrust with one's friends.
"Three faults produce destruction. Taking away other's property, lustfully touching another's wife and excessive distrust with one's friends."
maharShiiNaa.n vadho ghoraH sarvadevaishcha vigrahaH || 6-87-24
abhimaanashcha kopashcha vairitvaM pratikuulataa |
ete doShaa mama bhraaturjiivitaishvaryanaashanaaH || 6-87-25
guNaanprachchhaadayaamaasuH parvataaniva toyadaaH |
24-25. ete doShaaH= these faults; jiivitaishvaryanaashanaaH= which destroy one's life and lordship; ghoraH vadhaH maharShiiNaam= terribly killing the great sages; sarvadevaiH vigrahaH cha= waging war against all celestials; abhimaanashcha= arrogance; roShaH cha= becoming angry very easily; vairitvam cha= quarrelsomeness; pratikuulataa= ill-will; prachchhaadayaamaasaH= have concealed; guNaan= the good qualities; mama bhraatuH= of my elder brother; toyadaaH iva= as clouds (conceal); parvataaniva= (the view of) mountains.
"These faults which destroy one's life and lordship killing great sages terribly, waging war against all celestials, arrogance, becoming angry very easily, quarrelsomeness, ill-will have concealed the good qualities of my elder brother, as the clouds conceal the view of mountains."
doShairetaiH parityakto mayaa bhraataa pitaa tava || 6-87-26
neyamasti purii la~Nkaa na cha tvaM na cha te pitaa |
26. etaiH doShaiH= because of these faults; tava pitaa= your father; bhraataa= and my brother; parityaktaH= has been abandoned; mayaa= by me; na= neither will; iyam laN^kaa purii= this City of Lanka; asti= will exist (any longer); na tvam cha= nor you; na te pitaacha= nor your father.
"Because of these vices, Ravana, your father and my brother, has been abandoned by me. Neither will this City of Lanka will exist any longer nor you nor your father."
atimaanii cha baalashcha durviniitashcha raakShasa |
baddhastva.n kaalapaashena bruuhi maa.n yadyadichchhasi || 6-87-27
27. raakShasa= O demon!; tvam= you; maam bruuhi= can talk to me; yat yat ichchhasi= as you like; atimaanashcha= you are highly arrogant; baalashcha= foolish; durviniitashcha= and indisciplined; kaalapaashena baddhaH= and caught, as you are, in the noose of Death.
"O demon! You can talk to me as you like, since you are arrogant, foolish, indisciplined and caught, as you are, in the noose of Death."
adya te vyasanaM praapta.n kimiha tvaM tu vakShyasi |
praveShTuM na tvayaa shakyo nyagrodho raakShasaadhama || 6-87-28
28. raakShasaadhama= O the worst of demons!; yat= for which reason; uktavaan= you spoke; paruSham= harsha words; maam= about me; adya= today; praaptam= you got; vyasanam= a calamity; iha= here; na shakyam= it is not possible; tvayaa= for you; pravaShTum= to enter; nyagrodham= the banyan tree.
"O the worst of demons! You got this calamity here because you spoke harsh words to me today. You cannot reach the banyan-tree any longer."
dharShayitvaa tu kaakutsthau na shakya.n jiivituM tvayaa |
yudhyasva naradevena lakShmaNena raNe saha || 6-87-29
hatastva.n devataa kaaryaM kariShyasi yamakShaye |
29. na shakyam= It is not possible; tvayaa= for you; jiivitum= to survive; dharShayitvaa= on attacking; kaakutthsam= Lakshmana; yuddhyasva= you fight; lakShmaNena saha= with Lakshmana; naradevana= the lord of men; raNe= in the battle; hataH= being killed; tvam= you; kariShyasi= will do; devataakaaryam= sacred work; yamakShaya= in the abode of Yama, the god of Death.
"It is not possible for you to survive, on attacking Lakshmana. You fight with Lakshmana, the lord of men, in the battle-field. After being killed, you will do sacred work in the abode of Yama, the god of Death."
nidarshayasvaatmabala.n samudyataM |
kuruShva sarvaayudhasaayakavyayam |
na lakShmaNasyaitya hi baaNagocharaM |
tvamadya jIvansabalo gamiShyasi || 6-87-30
30. kuruShva= do; sarvaayudhasaayaka vyayam= spend all your weapons and arrows; nidarshayitvaa= by showing; samudyatam aatmabalam= your own augmented strength; etya= reaching; baaNa gocharam= the range of arrows; lakShmaNasya= of Lakshmana; tvam nagammiSyasihi= you will not indeed go; jiivan= alive; adya= today; sabalaH= along with your army.
"Do spend away all your weapons and arrows, by showing your own augmented strength. Reaching the range of Lakshmana's arrows, you will not indeed return alive with your army today."
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe saptaashiiritamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 87th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© September 2009, K. M. K. Murthy