Chapter 68

Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty

VERSE 1

अथ अहम् उत्तरम् देव्या पुनः उक्तः ससम्भ्रमम्
तव स्नेहान् नर व्याघ्र सौहार्यात् अनुमान्य च

atha aham uttaram devyā punaḥ uktaḥ sasambhramam
tava snehān nara vyāghra sauhāryāt anumānya ca

SYNONYMS

naravyāghra: O the excellent among men! | atha: thereafter | anumānya: having shown respect for me | tava snehāt: out of affection | sauhārdrāt: and good-heartedness | tava: for you | aham: I | sasambhramam: who was in a haste (to go) | uktaḥ: was spoken to | punaḥ: again | devyā: by Seetha the princess | uttaram: about the future. |

TRANSLATION

"O excellent among men! Having shown respect for me out of her affection and good-heartedness for you, I, who was in a haste to go, was spoken to again by Seetha the princess about the further course of action."

VERSE 2

एवम् बहु विधम् वाच्यो रामो दाशरथिः त्वया
यथा माम् आप्नुयात् शीघ्रम् हत्वा रावणम् आहवे

evam bahu vidham vācyo rāmo dāśarathiḥ tvayā
yathā mām āpnuyāt śīghram hatvā rāvaṇam āhave

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: Rama | dāśarathiḥ: the son of Dasaratha | vācyaḥ: is to be informed | evam: thus | tvayā: by you | bahuvidham: in several ways | śīghram hatvā: for quickly killing | rāvaṇam: Ravana | āhave: in battle | yathā tathā: and as to how | mām āpnuyāt: he can get me back. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama, the son of Dasaratha, is to be informed by you thus in several ways, for quickly killing Ravana in battle and also as to how he can get me back."

VERSE 3

यदि वा मन्यसे वीर वस एका अहम् अरिम् दम
कस्मिंश्चित् सम्वृते देशे विश्रान्तः श्वो गमिष्यसि

yadi vā manyase vīra vasa ekā aham arim dama
kasmiṃścit samvṛte deśe viśrāntaḥ śvo gamiṣyasi

SYNONYMS

vīra: O hero | arimdama: the annihilator of enemies! | manyase yadi: if you deem it fit | vasa: stay | ekāham: for a day | samvṛte deśe: in a secret place | gamiṣyasi: you can go | śvaḥ: tomorrow | viśrāntaḥ: after taking rest. |

TRANSLATION

" 'O hero the annihilator of enemies! If you deem it fit, stay for a day in a secret place. You can go tomorrow after taking rest'."

VERSE 4

मम च अपि अल्प भाग्यायाः साम्निध्यात् तव वानर
अस्य शोक विपाकस्य मुहूर्तम् स्यात् विमोक्षणम्

mama ca api alpa bhāgyāyāḥ sāmnidhyāt tava vānara
asya śoka vipākasya muhūrtam syāt vimokṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

vīryavan: O the valiant one! tava saamnidhyaat = because of your presence | asya mama śoka vipākasya vimokṣaṇam: the termination of my full-flown grief | syāt: may proceed | muhūrtam: for a while. |

TRANSLATION

"'O the valiant one! Because of your presence, the termination of my full-blown grief may continue for a while'."

VERSE 5

गते हि त्वयि विक्रान्ते पुनः आगमनाय वै
प्राणानाम् अपि संदेहो मम स्यान् न अत्र संशयः

gate hi tvayi vikrānte punaḥ āgamanāya vai
prāṇānām api saṃdeho mama syān na atra saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvayi: (when) you | vikrānte: the courageous one | gate: go | punarāgamanāya: for coming back | syāt: there is | sandehaḥ: an uncertainity | mama prāṇāmapi: even to my life | na sandehaḥ: there is no doubt | atra: about this. |

TRANSLATION

"'When you, the courageous one, have actually left to come back, there will be a danger even to my life. There is no doubt about this'."

VERSE 6

तव अदर्शनजः शोको भूयो माम् परितापयेत्
दुह्खात् दुह्ख पराभूताम् दुर्गताम् दुह्ख भागिनीम्

tava adarśanajaḥ śoko bhūyo mām paritāpayet
duhkhāt duhkha parābhūtām durgatām duhkha bhāginīm

SYNONYMS

parābhūtām: being overcome | duḥkhāt: from one sorrow | duḥkham: after another sorrow | durgatām: being miserable | duḥkha bhāginīm: being overcome with grief | śokaḥ: sorrow | adarśanajaḥ: born of your disappearance | paritāpayet: will torment me | bhūyaḥ: further. |

TRANSLATION

"'The sorrow born of your disappearance will further torment me, who is overtaken by one sorrow after another, miserable and doomed to grief as I am'."

VERSE 7

अयम् तु वीर संदेहः तिष्ठति इव मम अग्रतः
सुमहान् त्वत् सहायेषु हरि ऋक्षेषु असंशयः

ayam tu vīra saṃdehaḥ tiṣṭhati iva mama agrataḥ
sumahān tvat sahāyeṣu hari ṛkṣeṣu asaṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

harīśvara: O best among monkeys | vīra: the valiant one! haryR^ikSeSu = in the matter of monkeys and bears | tvatsahayeṣu: who are helpmates to you | ayam: this | sumahān: a very grave | sandeśaḥ: doubt | tiṣṭhatīva: stands | agrataḥ: before me. |

TRANSLATION

"'O best among the monkeys! O valiant one! In the matter of monkeys and bears who are your helpmates, this very grave doubt stands before me'."

VERSE 8

कथम् नु खलु दुष्पारम् तरिष्यन्ति महाउदधिम्
तानि हरि ऋक्ष सैन्यानि तौ वा नर वर आत्मजौ

katham nu khalu duṣpāram tariṣyanti mahāudadhim
tāni hari ṛkṣa sainyāni tau vā nara vara ātmajau

SYNONYMS

kathamnu: how | khalu: indeed | tāni: those | haryṛkṣasainyāni: troops of monkeys and bears | tau naravarātmajau vā: or those two princes | tariṣyanti: can cross | duṣpāram: the insurmountable | mahodadhim: great ocean? |

TRANSLATION

"'How indeed can those troops of monkeys and bears or Rama and Lakshmana can cross that great insurmountable ocean?'"

VERSE 9

त्रयाणाम् एव भूतानाम् सागरस्य अस्य लन्घने
शक्तिः स्यात् वैनतेयस्य वायोः वा तव वा अनघ

trayāṇām eva bhūtānām sāgarasya asya langhane
śaktiḥ syāt vainateyasya vāyoḥ vā tava vā anagha

SYNONYMS

trayāṇām: only three | bhūtānām: beings | vainateyasyavā: viz. Garuda the eagle | tava vā: or yourself | mārutasyavā: or the wind-god | syāt: have | śaktiḥ: the capacity | laṅghane: in crossing | asya: of this | sāgarasya: ocean. |

TRANSLATION

"'Three beings viz. Garuda the eagle, or yourself or the wind-god only have the capacity of crossing this ocean'."

VERSE 10

तत् अस्मिन् कार्य नियोगे वीर एवम् दुरतिक्रमे
किम् पश्यसि समाधानम् ब्रूहि कार्यविदाम् वर

tat asmin kārya niyoge vīra evam duratikrame
kim paśyasi samādhānam brūhi kāryavidām vara

SYNONYMS

vīra: O valiant monkey! | tat: that is why | kim: what | samādhānam: strategy | paśyasi: are you visualizing | asmin kārya niryoga: to fulfill this act | duratikrame: which is so difficult to accomplish | evam: thus? | tvam: you | varaḥ his: are indeed excellent | kāryavidām: of those who know how to accomplish any work. |

TRANSLATION

"'O valiant monkey! That is why, what strategy are you visualizing to fulfill this act, which is so difficult to accomplish thus? You are indeed excellent of those who know how to accomplish any work'."

VERSE 11

कामम् अस्य त्वम् एव एकः कार्यस्य परिसाधने

kāmam asya tvam eva ekaḥ kāryasya parisādhane

SYNONYMS

para vīraghna: O Hanuma the annihilator of strong enemies! | tvam: you | eka eva: as one alone | paryāptaḥ kāmam: are accomplisher of desires | parisādhane: of fulfilling | asya kāryasya: this task | te: your | phalodayaḥ: fulfillment of result | yaśasyaḥ: is famous. |

TRANSLATION

"O Hanuma the annihilator of hostile enemies! You, as one alone, are capable of fulfilling this task. Your act of fulfilling this task your act of fulfilling the result is well-known."

VERSE 12

बलैः समग्रैः यदि माम् हत्वा रावणम् आहवे
विजयी स्वाम् पुरीम् रामो नयेत् तत् स्यात् यशः करम्

balaiḥ samagraiḥ yadi mām hatvā rāvaṇam āhave
vijayī svām purīm rāmo nayet tat syāt yaśaḥ karam

SYNONYMS

tat: it | syāt: would | yaśaḥ karam: result in his glory | yadi rāmaḥ: if Rama | hatvā: after killing | rāvaṇam: Ravana | samagraiḥ balaiḥ: along with his entire army | vijayī: and being victorious | nayet: takes | mām: me | svām purīm: to his city. |

TRANSLATION

""It would result in his glory, if Rama, after killing Ravana along with his entire army, takes me to his city in his victory'."

VERSE 13

यथा अहम् तस्य वीरस्य वनात् उपधिना हृता
रक्षसा तत् भयात् एव तथा न अर्हति राघवः

yathā aham tasya vīrasya vanāt upadhinā hṛtā
rakṣasā tat bhayāt eva tathā na arhati rāghavaḥ

SYNONYMS

rāghavaḥ: Rama | nārhati: ought not | tadbhayādeva: by fearing that Ravana | yathā tathā: in the same manner as | aham: I | hṛtā: was taken away | vanāt: from the forest | rakṣasā: by Ravana the demon | upadhinā: by a cheating | vīrasya: of the heroic Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"'Rama ought not to take me back for fear that Ravana, in the same manner as Ravana the demon took me away from the forest in the absence of Rama by cheating that heroic Rama."

VERSE 14

बलैः तु सम्कुलाम् कृत्वा लन्काम् पर बल अर्दनः
माम् नयेत् यदि काकुत्स्थः तत् तस्य सदृशम् भवेत्

balaiḥ tu samkulām kṛtvā lankām para bala ardanaḥ
mām nayet yadi kākutsthaḥ tat tasya sadṛśam bhavet

SYNONYMS

yadi kākutsthsaḥ: If Rama | para bala ardanaḥ: the destroyer of army of adversaries | kṛtvā: making | laṅkām: Lanka | samkulām: filled | śaraiḥ: with arrows | mām nayet: takes me home | tat: that | sadṛśam bhavet: will be worthy | tasya: of him. |

TRANSLATION

If Rama, the destroyer of rival army, fills the entire Lanka with arrows and takes me home, it will be quite worthy of him."

VERSE 15

तत् यथा तस्य विक्रान्तम् अनुरूपम् महात्मनः
भवति आहव शूरस्य तथा त्वम् उपपादय

tat yathā tasya vikrāntam anurūpam mahātmanaḥ
bhavati āhava śūrasya tathā tvam upapādaya

SYNONYMS

tat: for that reason | tvam: you | upapādaya: act | yathā: in such a way | tathā: that | mahātmanaḥ: the high-souled Rama | āhava śūrasya: valiant in battle | bhavet: may exhibit | vikrāntam: the prowess | anurumpam: worthy | tasya: of him. |

TRANSLATION

"For that reason, you act in such a way, that the high-souled Rama, valiant in battle, exhibits the prowess befitting of him."

VERSE 16

तत् अर्थ उपहितम् वाक्यम् प्रश्रितम् हेतु सम्हितम्
निशम्य अहम् ततः शेषम् वाक्यम् उत्तरम् अब्रुवम्

tat artha upahitam vākyam praśritam hetu samhitam
niśamya aham tataḥ śeṣam vākyam uttaram abruvam

SYNONYMS

niśamya: hearing | tat: that | vākyam: (the following) words | arthopahitam: that was somewhat good in fits meaning | praśritam: courteous | hetu samhitam: and furnished with reasons | aham: I | abruvam: spoke | tataḥ: then | śeṣam: remaining | uttaram: as a reply. |

TRANSLATION

"Hearing that appeal (of Seetha), that was somewhat good in its meaning, courteous and duly furnished with reasons, I gave then my remaining reply (as follows):

VERSE 17

देवि हरि ऋक्ष सैन्यानाम् ईश्वरः प्लवताम् वरः
सुग्रीवः सत्त्व सम्पन्नः तव अर्थे कृत निश्चयः

devi hari ṛkṣa sainyānām īśvaraḥ plavatām varaḥ
sugrīvaḥ sattva sampannaḥ tava arthe kṛta niścayaḥ

SYNONYMS

devi: O Seetha the princess! | sugrīvaḥ: Sugreeva | īśvaraḥ: the lord | vānara bhalluka sainyānām: of the armies of monkeys and bears | plavatam varaḥ: excellent among the monkeys | sattva sampannaḥ: and endowed with strength | kṛta niścayaḥ: is firmly determined | tva arthe: in your cause. |

TRANSLATION

"'O Seetha the princess! Sugreeva, the lord of the troops of monkeys and bears, excellent among the monkeys and endowed with strength, is firmly determined to rescue you."

VERSE 18

तस्य विक्रम सम्पन्नाः सत्त्ववन्तो महाबलाः
मनः सम्कल्प सम्पाता निदेशे हरयः स्थिताः

tasya vikrama sampannāḥ sattvavanto mahābalāḥ
manaḥ samkalpa sampātā nideśe harayaḥ sthitāḥ

SYNONYMS

19| harayaḥ: the monkeys | vikrama sampannāḥ: endowed with prowess sattvavantaH = perseverance | mahābalāḥ: great strength | manaḥ samkalpa sampātāḥ: and who can rush to any place as they wish | sthitāḥ: are intensely committed | tasya: to Sugreeva's command | yeṣām: whose | gatiḥ: movement | upari: on the sky | adhastāt: or on the ground | na sajjate: has no hindrance | na: has no hindrance | tiryak: (even) horizontally | amita tejasaḥ: are not indolent | mahatsu karmasu: (to perform) great tasks. |

TRANSLATION

"So many monkeys, endowed with prowess, perseverance great strength and who can rush to any place as they wish, are intensely committed to Sugreeva's command. There is no hindrance to their movement either in the sky or the ground or in a horizontal region between the sky and the ground. Those monkeys with unlimited splendour are not indolent in performing any great task."

VERSE 20

असकृत् तैः महाभागैः वानरैः बल सम्युतैः
प्रदक्षिणी कृता भूमिः वायु मार्ग अनुसारिभिः

asakṛt taiḥ mahābhāgaiḥ vānaraiḥ bala samyutaiḥ
pradakṣiṇī kṛtā bhūmiḥ vāyu mārga anusāribhiḥ

SYNONYMS

taiḥ mahābhagaiḥ vānaraiḥ: by those illustrious monkeys | bala darpitaiḥ: proud of their strength | vāyumārgānusāribhiḥ: and who follow the path of wind | bhūmiḥ: the earth | pradakṣiṇī kṛtā: was circumambulated. |

TRANSLATION

"Those illustrious monkeys, proud of their strength and following the path of wind, circumambulated the entire earth several times."

VERSE 21

मत् विशिष्टाः च तुल्याः च सन्ति तत्र वन ओकसः
मत्तः प्रत्यवरः कश्चिन् न अस्ति सुग्रीव सम्निधौ

mat viśiṣṭāḥ ca tulyāḥ ca santi tatra vana okasaḥ
mattaḥ pratyavaraḥ kaścin na asti sugrīva samnidhau

SYNONYMS

22| tatra: in them | vana okasaḥ: (some of) the monkeys | madviśiṣṭāśca: are superior to me | tulyāśca: and some even equal to me | santi: are there | kaścit nāsti: no one | sugrīva sannidhau: in the vicinity of Sugreeva | pratyavaraḥ: is inferior | mattaḥ: to me | aham tāvat: I myself | anuprāptaḥ: has come | iha: here | kim punaḥ: why to talk | te: about them | mahābalāḥ: who are mighty? | prakṛṣṭāḥ: the superior ones | na preṣyante hi: are not sent (for errands) | itare: other | janāḥ: persons | preṣyante hi: are indeed sent. |

TRANSLATION

"'In them, some of the monkeys are superior to me and some are even equal to me. No one in the vicinity of Sugreeva is inferior to me. When I have arrived here, why to talk about those mighty ones? Generally, superior ones are not sent for errands. Only others are indeed sent'."

VERSE 23

तत् अलम् परितापेन देवि मन्युः व्यपैतु ते
एक उत्पातेन ते लन्काम् एष्यन्ति हरि यूथपाः

tat alam paritāpena devi manyuḥ vyapaitu te
eka utpātena te lankām eṣyanti hari yūthapāḥ

SYNONYMS

devi: O Seetha the princess! | tat: that is why | alam: enough | paritāpena: of your lamentation | te śokaḥ: (Let) your sorrow | vyapaitu: be removed | te: those | hari yūthapāḥ: leaders of monkeys | eṣyanti: will reach | laṅkām: Lanka | eka utpātena: by one single leap. |

TRANSLATION

"'O Seetha the princess! Enough of your lamentation. Take away your sorrow. Those leaders of monkeys will reach Lanka by one single leap'."

VERSE 24

मम पृष्ठ गतौ तौ च चन्द्र सूर्याव् इव उदितौ
त्वत् सकाशम् महाभागे नृ सिम्हाव् आगमिष्यतः

mama pṛṣṭha gatau tau ca candra sūryāv iva uditau
tvat sakāśam mahābhāge nṛ simhāv āgamiṣyataḥ

SYNONYMS

tau nṛsimhau: those two lions among men | mahāsattvau: of great strength | mama pṛṣṭha gatau: sitting on my shoulders | āgamiṣyataḥ: can come | tvat sakāśam: to you | uditau candra sūryāv iva: like the rising sun and the moon. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama and Lakshmana, those two lions among men, also of great strength, ascending on my shoulders, can come to you, like the rising sun and the moon."

VERSE 25

अरिघ्नम् सिम्ह सम्काशम् क्षिप्रम् द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम्
लक्ष्मणम् च धनुष् पाणिम् लन्का द्वारम् उपस्थितम्

arighnam simha samkāśam kṣipram drakṣyasi rāghavam
lakṣmaṇam ca dhanuṣ pāṇim lankā dvāram upasthitam

SYNONYMS

rāghavam: Rama | arighnam: the annihilator of enemies | simha samkāśam: similar to a lion | lakṣmaṇam ca: and Lakshmana | dhanuṣ pāṇim: wielding or bow in his hand | kṣipram: will soon | upāsthitam: approach | laṅkā dvāram: the entrance gate of Lanka | drakṣyasi: and you will see (them). |

TRANSLATION

"Rama, the annihilator of enemies, similar to a lion, and Lakshmana wielding a bow in his hand, will surely approach the entrance-gate of Lanka and you will see them soon."

VERSE 26

नख दम्ष्ट्र आयुधान् वीरान् सिम्ह शार्दूल विक्रमान्
वानरान् वानर इन्द्र आभान् क्षिप्रम् द्रक्ष्यसि सम्गतान्

nakha damṣṭra āyudhān vīrān simha śārdūla vikramān
vānarān vānara indra ābhān kṣipram drakṣyasi samgatān

SYNONYMS

drakṣyasi: you can see | kṣipram: soon | vīrān vānarān: the valiant monkeys | nakha damṣṭra āyudhān: with their claws and tusks as weapons | simha śārdūla vikramam: having the prowess of lions and tigers | vāraṇendra bhān: looking like lordly elephants | samgatān: coming together. |

TRANSLATION

"'You can see soon those valiant monkeys, with their claws and tusks as weapons, having the prowess of lions and tigers and looking like lordly elephants, coming here together'."

VERSE 27

शैल अम्बुदन् निकाशानाम् लन्का मलय सानुषु
नर्दताम् कपि मुख्यानाम् अचिरात् शोष्यसे स्वनम्

śaila ambudan nikāśānām lankā malaya sānuṣu
nardatām kapi mukhyānām acirāt śoṣyase svanam

SYNONYMS

śroṣyasi: you will hear | acirāt: within a short time | svanam: the sound | kapi mukhyanām: of the excellent of monkeys | nardatām: resonating | laṅkā malaya sānuṣu: on the mountain-peaks of Mount Malayaa in Lanka | śail ambudan nikāśānām: like mountains and clouds. |

TRANSLATION

"'You will hear within a short time, the clamour of the excellent of monkeys resonating like a mountains and clouds, on the peaks of Mount Malaya in Lanka'."

VERSE 28

निवृत्त वन वासम् च त्वया सार्धम् अरिम् दमम्
अभिषिक्तम् अयोध्यायाम् क्षिप्रम् द्रक्ष्यसि राघवम्

nivṛtta vana vāsam ca tvayā sārdham arim damam
abhiṣiktam ayodhyāyām kṣipram drakṣyasi rāghavam

SYNONYMS

drakṣyasi: you will see | rāghavam: Rama | arim damam: the annihilator of enemies | nivṛtta vana vāsam: returned from his exile | abhiṣiktam: and getting | ayodhyayām: in Ayodhya | tvayā saridham: along with you | kṣipram: soon. |

TRANSLATION

"'You will see Rama, the annihilator of enemies, returning from exile, and getting anointed to the crown in Ayodhya, along with you soon'."

VERSE 29

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टषष्टितमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye sundarakāṇḍe aṣṭaṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: thereafter | tava śokena api: though tormented with thought of your sorrow too | abhipīḍitā: the tormented | maithila ātmajā: Seetha | abhiprasādita: was soothened | mayā: by me | adīna bhāṣiṇī: through comforting words spoken | mama vāgbhiḥ: and by my words | śīvābhiḥ: which were well disposed | iṣṭābhiḥ: and agreeable | jagāma: obtained | śāntim: peace of mind. |

TRANSLATION

"Thereafter, soothened by me with comforting, well-disposed and agreeable words, Seetha, though tormented with thought of your grief, obtained peace of mind."