Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Restraining the demons, who were boasting of their own strength, Vibhishana starts to speak words of morality and requests Ravana to restore Seetha to Rama. After hearing Vibhishana’s words, Ravana retires to his own palace. |
tato nikumbho rabhasaH suurya shatrur mahaabalaH |
suptaghno yaj~na kopaH ca mahaapaarshvo mahaauaraH || 6-9-1
agni ketuH ca durdharSo rashmi ketuH ca raakSasaH |
indrajic ca mahaatejaa balavaan raavaNa aatmajaH || 6-9-2
prahasto atha viruupa akSo vajra damSTro mahaabalaH |
dhuumra akSaH ca atikaayaH ca durmukhaH caiva raakSasaH || 6-9-3
parighaan paTTasaan praasaan shakti shuula parashvadhaan |
caapaani ca sabaaNaani khaDgaamH ca vipulaan shitaan || 6-9-4
pragR^ihya parama kruddhaaH samutpatya ca raakSasaaH |
abruvan raavaNam sarve pradiiptaa iva tejasaa || 6-9-5
1-5. tataH= then; nikumbhaH= Nikumbha; rabhasaH= Rabhasa; mahaabalaH= exceedingly strong; suurya shatruH= Suryasatru; suptaghnaH= Suptaghna; yaj~na kopaH= Yajnakopa; mahaapaarsva mahodarau= Mahaparsva and Mahodara; durdharshhaH= the unconquerable raakSasaaH= demons; agniketuH ca= Agniketu and; rashmiketuH ca= Rasmiketu; tataH= then; balavaan= pweful; mahaatejaa= and endowed with great energy; raavaNaatmajaH= son of Ravana; indrajichya= Indrajit; athaH= and; prahasthaH= Prahasta; viruupaakSaH; Virupaksha; mahaabalaH= the extraordinarily strong; vajradamSTraH= Vajradamstra; dhuumraakSashcha= Dhumraksha; atikaayashcha= Atikaya; raakSasaH= and the demon; durmukhashchaiva= named Durmukha; pragR^ihya= carrying; pathishaan= iron clubs; parighaan= sharp-edged spears; shuulaan= spikes; praasaan= darts; shaktiparashvathaan= javelins and axes; chaapaani= bows; sabaaNaani= with excellent arrows; khadgaamshcha= and swords; vipulaambubhaan= shining like a vast expanse of water; sarve= who were all; parama kruddhaaH= extremely enraged; pradiiptaaH iva= flaming as it were; tejasaaH= with glory; raakSasaaH= (those)demons; samutpatya= rose up abruvan= (and) spoke; raavaNam= to Ravana (as follows).
Then, Nikumbha, Rabhasa, the exceedingly strong Surya satru, Suptaghna, Yaj~akopa, Mahaparsva and Mahodara, the unconquerable demons Agniketu and Rasmiketu, then the powerful son of Ravana named Indrajit endowed with great energy, Prahasta and Virupaksha, Vajradamstra who was extraordinarily strong, Dhumarksha and Atikaya and the demon by name Durmukha, carrying iron clubs, sharp-edged spears, spikes, darts, javelins and axes, bows with excellent arrows and swords shining like a vast expanse of water, and who were all extremely enraged, and flaming as it were with glory, those demons rose up and spoke to Ravana (as follows).
adya raamam vadhiSyaamaH sugriivam ca salakSmaNam |
kR^ipaNam ca hanuumantam la.nkaa yena pradharSitaa || 6-9-6
6. adya= now itself; vadhiSyaamaH= we shall kill; raamam= Rama; sahalakSmaNam= along with Lakshmana; sugriivam ca= and Sugreeva; kR^ipaNam= and the pitiable; hanuumantam= Hanuma; yena= by whom; la.nkaa=Lanka; pradharSitaa= was attacked.
“Now itself, we shall kill Rama along with Lakshmana and Sugreeva as well as the pitiable Hanuma by whom Lanka was attacked.”
taan gR^ihiita aayudhaan sarvaan vaarayitvaa vibhiiSaNaH |
abraviit praanjalir vaakyam punaH pratyupaveshya taan || 6-9-7
7. vibhiiSaNaH= Vibhishana; vaarayitvaa= restraining, taan sarvaan= all those; gR^ihiita aayudhaan= who were made to seize weapons; pratyupaveshya= were made to sit again; abraviit= and spoke; vaakyam= (these) words; praanjaliH= with joined palms.
Vibhishana (Ravana’s youngest half-brother) restraining all those who were made to seize weapons, were made to sit again by saluting them with joined palms and spoke as follows:
api upaayais tribhis taata yo arthaH praaptum na shakyate |
tasya vikrama kaalaams taan yuktaan aahur maniiSiNaH || 6-9-8
8. taata= dear brother; yaH= which; arthaH= act; na shakyate= cannot; praaptum= be accomplished; tribhiH= by three; upaayais api= strategies too; tasya= that act; aahuH= is said; yuktaan= to be suitable; nikramakaalaan= occasion for displaying prowess maniiSiNaH= by wise men.
“Dear brother! That act which cannot be accomplished by three well-known strategies (viz . conciliation, gift and sowing dissention) , is only then to be accomplished by exhibiting prowess, as stated by wise men.”
pramatteSv abhiyukteSu daivena prahateSu ca |
vikramaas taata sidhyanti pariikSya vidhinaa kR^itaaH || 6-9-9
9. taata= Oh , brother; pramatteSu= in respect of indifferent people; abhiyukteShu= in those who have been attacked by an enemy; prahateSu ca= in those who were struck down; daivena= by fate; vikramaaH= the gallantries; kR^itaH= performed; vidhinaa= according to precept; pariikSya= after being examined carefully; sidhyanti= succeed.
“The gallantries performed according to the prescribed precept, after being tested, O dear brother, only succeed against those who are indifferent, who have been already attacked by an enemy or who stand struck down by fate.”
apramattam katham tam tu vijigiiSum bale sthitam |
jita roSam duraadharSam pradharSayitum icchatha || 6-9-10
10. katham= how; icchatha= do you wish; dharSayitum= to attack; tam= that famous; tam= Rama; apramattam= who is attentive; vijigiiSum= who has subdued his anger; duraadharSam= and who is difficult to be conquered.
“How do you wish to attack that famous Rama, who is always attentive, who has a will to conquer, who is established in strength, who has subdued his anger and who is difficult to be conquered.”
samudram langhayitvaa tu ghoram nada nadii patim |
kR^itam hanumataa karma duSkaram tarkayeta kaH || 6-9-11
11. kaH= who; vidyaat= can know; tarkayeta vaa= or even imagine; loke= in the world; hanumataH= Hanuma’s; gatim= speed; langhayitvaa= in crossing; ghoram= the formidable; samudram= ocean; nada nadii patim= the lord of streams and rivers?
“Who can conceive or even imagine in this world, that Hanuma’s speed in crossing the formidable ocean, which is the lord of streams and rivers?”
balaani aparimeyaani viiryaaNi ca nishaa caraaH |
pareSaam sahasaa avaj~naa na kartavyaa kathamcana || 6-9-12
12. nishaacaraaH= O, demons; balaani= the strength; viiryaaNi ca= and the abilities; pareSaam= of the enemies; aparimeyaani= are difficult to be measured; na kartavyaa= they cannot be treated; avajJNyaa= with contempt; sahasaa= hastily; kathamcana= by any means.
“O, demons! The strength and the abilities of the enemies are difficult to be measured. They cannot be treated with contempt hastily by any means.”
kim ca raakSasa raajasya raameNa apakR^itam puraa |
aajahaara jana sthaanaad yasya bhaaryaam yashasvinaH || 6-9-13
13. kim= what; apakR^itam= offence (was done); puraa= earlier; raakSasaraajasya= to the king of demons; yashashvinaH= by the illustrious; raameNa= Rama; yasya= whose; bhaaryaam= wife; aajahaara= (he) bore away; janasthaanaat= firm janasthana?”
“What offence was done earlier to the king of demons by the illustrious Rama, whose wife that he bore away from Janasthana?”
kharo yadi ativR^ittas tu raameNa nihato raNe |
avashyam praaNinaam praaNaa rakSitavyaa yathaa balam || 6-9-14
14. kharaH= Khara; ativR^ittaH= who has gone beyond his limits; nihataH yadi= was of course killed; raameNa= by Rama; raNe= in an encounter; praaNaaH= lives; avashyam= certainly; rakSitavyaaH= are to be protected; yathaa balam= according to one’s own strength; praaNinaam= by living beings.”
“Khara, who has gone beyond limits, was of course killed by Rama in an encounter. Lives are certainly to be protected, according to one’s own strength, by living beings.”
etan nimittam vaidehii bhayam naH sumahad bhavet |
aahR^itaa saa parityaajyaa kalaha arthe kRte na kim || 6-9-15
15. etan nimittam= for this reason; sumahat= a very great; vaidehii bhayam= danger because of Seetha; bhavet= will occur; naH= to us; saa= she; aahR^itaa= who was brought; parityaajyaa= is to be given up; kim= what is the use; kR^ite na= in doing anything; kalaha arthe= with an animosity as an end?.
“For this reason, a very great danger because of Seetha will occur to us. She, who was brought here, is to be given away. What is the use in doing anything, with an animosity as an end?”
na naH kSamam viiryavataa tena dharma anuvartinaa |
vairam nirarthakam kartum diiyataam asya maithilii || 6-9-16
16. na naH kSamam= It is not appropriate; kartum= to make; vairam= enmity; nirarthakam= uselessly; tena= with Rama; viiryavataa= who is valiant; dharma anuvartinaa= and who follows; righteousness= maithilii= (let) Seetha; diiyataam= be given away; asya= to him.
“It is not appropriate to make enmity uselessly with Rama, who is valiant and who follows righteousness. Let Seetha be given away to him.”
yaavan sagajaam saashvaam bahu ratna samaakulaam |
puriim daarayate baaNair diiyataam asya maithilii || 6-9-17
17. yaavan= before; puriim= the city of Lanka; sagajaam= along with elephants; saashvaam= with horses; bahu ratna samaakulaam= and filled with many riches; daarayate= are shattered; maithilii= (let) Seetha; diiyataam= be given away; asya= to him.
"Before the City of Lanka with its elephants, horses and many riches are shattered by arrows, let Seetha be given away to him.”
yaavat sughoraa mahatii durdharSaa hari vaahinii |
na avaskandati no la.nkaam taavat siitaa pradiiyataam || 6-9-18
18. na yaavat taavat= not so long as; mahatii= the huge; harivaahinii= army of monkeys; sughoraa= which is very dangerous; durdharSaa= and unconquerable; naavaskandati= attacks; naH= our; la.nkaam= Lanka; siitaa= (let) Seetha; pradiiyataam= be given away.
“Not so long as the huge army of monkeys which is very dangerous and unconquerable attacks our Lanka, let Seetha be given away.”
vinashyedd hi purii la.nkaa shuuraaH sarve ca aakSasaaH |
raamasya dayitaa patnii na svayam yadi diiyate || 6-9-19
19. dayitaa= (If) the beloved; patnii= wife; raamasya= of Rama; na diiyate yadi= is not given away; svayam= of your own accord; la.nkaa purii= the City of Lanka; vinshyet hi= will indeed; perish; sarve= all; shuuraaH= the valiant; raakSasaashca= demons too(will perish).
“If the beloved wife of Rama is not given away of your own accord, the city of Lanka will indeed perish. All our valiant demons too will Perish.”
prasaadaye tvaam bandhutvaat kuruSva vacanam mama |
hitam pathyam tv aham bruumi diiyataam asya maithilii || 6-9-20
20. prasaadaye= I am propitiating; tvaam= you; bandhutvaat= because of my relationship; kuruSva= act on; mama= my; vachanam= words; aham= I; bruumi= am telling; hitam= the beneficial; tvaham tu= and the truthful (word); maithilii= (let) Seetha; diiyataam= be given away; asya= to him.
“I am propitiating you because of my relationship. Act on my words. I am telling you beneficial as well as truthful word. Let Seetha be given away to him.”
puraa sharat suurya mariicci samnibhaan |
nava agra punkhaan sudR^iDhaan nR^ipa aatmajaH |
sR^ijati amoghaan vishikhaan vadhaaya te |
pradiiyataam daasharathaaya maithilii || 6-9-21
21. puraa= before; nR^ipa aatmajaH= Rama the prince; sR^ijati= discharges; te vadhaaya te= for your destruction; sudR^iDhaan= very strong; vishikhaan= arrows; sharat suurya mariicci samnibhaan= equal to the rays of autumnal sun; nava agra punkhaan- provided with new heads and shafts; amoghaan= which are unfailing; maithilii= (let) Seetha; pradiiyataam= be given away; daasharathaaya= to Rama.
“Before Rama the prince discharges for your destruction, very strong and unfailing arrows equal to the rays of autumnal sun and provided with new heads and shafts, let Seetha be given away to Rama.”
tyajasva kopam sukha dharma naashanam |
bhajasva dharmam rati kiirti vardhanam |
prasiida jiivema saputra baandhavaaH |
pradiiyataam daasharathaaya maithilii || 6-9-22
22. tyaja= abandon; aashu= soon; kopam= anger; sukha dharma naashanam= which destroys; happiness and piety; bhajasva= resort to; dharmam= righteousness; rati kiirti vardhanam= which augments joy and fame; prasiida= become placid; jiivema= we shall live; saputra baandhavaaH=with our sons and relatives; maithilii= (let) Seetha; pradiiyataam= be given away; daasharathaaya= to Rama.
“Abandon soon your anger, which destroys happiness and piety. Resort to righteousness, which augments joy and fame. Become placid so that we may live with our sons and relatives. Let Seetha be given away to Rama.”
vibhiiSaNavacaH shrutvaa raavaNo raakSaseshvaraH |
visarjayitvaa taan sarvaan praivesha svakam gR^iham || 6-9-23
23. shrutvaa= having; vibhiiSaNaH vachaH= Vibhishana’s words; raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSaseshvaraH= the king of demons; visarjayitvaa= left; sarvaan= all; taan= of them; pravivesha= and entered; svakam= his own; gR^iham= house.
After hearing Vibhishana’s words, Ravana the king of demons left all of them and entered his own palace.
ityaarSe shriimadraamayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe navamaH sargaH
Thus completes 9th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© June 2003, K. M. K. Murthy