Chapter 104
Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
स तु मोहात्सुसङ्क्रुद्धः कृतान्तबलचोदितः
क्रोधसन्रक्तनयनो रावणो सूतमब्रवीत्
sa tu mohātsusaṅkruddhaḥ kṛtāntabalacoditaḥ
krodhasanraktanayano rāvaṇo sūtamabravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Impelled by force of Destiny and with his red-blood eyes through anger due to infatuation, that Ravana spoke to his charioteer as follows:
हीनवीर्यमिवाशक्तं पौरुषेण विवर्जितम्
भीरुन् लघुमिवासत्त्वं विहीनमिव तेजसा
hīnavīryamivāśaktaṃ pauruṣeṇa vivarjitam
bhīrun laghumivāsattvaṃ vihīnamiva tejasā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O evil-minded fellow! Despising me as though I were bereft of manliness, incapable, deficient in prowess, cowardly, petty-minded, devoid of energy, bereft of brilliance, deserted of conjuring tricks and abandoned by mystic missiles, you are acting as per your discretion!"
किमर्थं मामवज्ञाय मच्छन्दमनवेक्ष्य च
त्वया शत्रुसमक्षं मे रथोअयमपवाहितः
kimarthaṃ māmavajñāya macchandamanavekṣya ca
tvayā śatrusamakṣaṃ me rathoayamapavāhitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Why have you carried away this chariot of mine, thus humiliating me in the presence of my enemies and overlooking my will?"
त्वयाद्य हि ममानार्य चिरकालसमार्जितम्
यशो वीर्यन् च तेजश्च प्रत्ययश्च विनाशिथ
tvayādya hi mamānārya cirakālasamārjitam
yaśo vīryan ca tejaśca pratyayaśca vināśitha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O vulgar fellow! You have destroyed my fame which was earned through a long period, prowess, vital power and the trust of people today."
शत्रोः प्रख्यातवीर्यस्य रञ्जनीयस्य विक्रमैः
पश्यतो युद्धलुब्धोअहन् कृतः कापुरुषस्त्वया
śatroḥ prakhyātavīryasya rañjanīyasya vikramaiḥ
paśyato yuddhalubdhoahan kṛtaḥ kāpuruṣastvayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"While my adversary, having an illustrious prowess and making others delightful through feats of his valour, stood looking on, myself, who has an ardent desire for fighting and who was made contemptible by you!"
यस्त्वन् रथमिमं मोहान्न चोद्वहसि दुर्मते
सत्योअयं प्रतितर्को मे परेण त्वमुपस्कृतः
yastvan rathamimaṃ mohānna codvahasi durmate
satyoayaṃ pratitarko me pareṇa tvamupaskṛtaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O evil-minded fellow! In case you do not, by perversity, carry away this chariot at any event, this expectation of mine that you stand corrupted by the enemy, will be a fact."
न हीदन् विद्यते कर्म सुहृदो हितकाङ्क्षिणः
रिपूणान् सदृशन् चैतन्न त्वयैतत्स्वनुष्ठितम्
na hīdan vidyate karma suhṛdo hitakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
ripūṇān sadṛśan caitanna tvayaitatsvanuṣṭhitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This act, which has been done by you, is only befitting of enemies. This is indeed not the work of a friend, who wishes me well."
निवर्तय रथन् शीघ्रं यावन्नापैति मे रिपुः
यदि वाप्युषितोअसि त्वन् स्मर्यन्ते यदि वा गुणाः
nivartaya rathan śīghraṃ yāvannāpaiti me ripuḥ
yadi vāpyuṣitoasi tvan smaryante yadi vā guṇāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"If you inhabited with me in Lanka for a long time and if you remember my merit, drive back the chariot swiftly till my enemy does not withdraw."
एवं परुषमुक्तस्तु हितबुद्धिरबुद्धिना
अब्रवीद्रावणन् सूतो हितं सानुनयं वचः
evaṃ paruṣamuktastu hitabuddhirabuddhinā
abravīdrāvaṇan sūto hitaṃ sānunayaṃ vacaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing those harsh words of the foolish Ravana, the friendly-minded charioteer spoke the following conciliatory words of Ravana:
न भीतोअस्मि न मूढोअस्मि नोपजप्तोअस्मि शत्रुभिः
न प्रमत्तो न निःस्नेहो विस्मृता न च सत्क्रिया
na bhītoasmi na mūḍhoasmi nopajaptoasmi śatrubhiḥ
na pramatto na niḥsneho vismṛtā na ca satkriyā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I was neither frightened nor I was stupid. I was not bribed by the enemies, nor was I a blunderer. I was not disloyal to you. I have not forgotten the benefits conferred by you."
मया तु हितकामेन यशश्च परिरक्षता
स्नेहप्रस्कन्नमनसा प्रियमित्यप्रियन् कृतम्
mayā tu hitakāmena yaśaśca parirakṣatā
snehapraskannamanasā priyamityapriyan kṛtam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"An act which was not to your taste was done by me as something conducive to your interest, by wishing well of you, for protecting your honour and with mind affectionately disposed towards you through attachment."
नास्मिन्नर्थे महाराज त्वं मां प्रियहिते रतम्
कश्चिल्लघुरिवानार्यो दोषतो गन्तुमर्हसि
nāsminnarthe mahārāja tvaṃ māṃ priyahite ratam
kaścillaghurivānāryo doṣato gantumarhasi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O monarch! Like somebody who is petty-minded and unworthy, you ought not to hold me, devoted as I am to your pleasure and good, quilty in this matter."
श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि यन्निमित्तं मया रथः
नदीवेग इवाम्भोभिः सन्युगे विनिवर्तितः
śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi yannimittaṃ mayā rathaḥ
nadīvega ivāmbhobhiḥ sanyuge vinivartitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O monarch! Like somebody who is petty-minded and unworthy, you ought not to hold me, devoted as I am to your pleasure and good, guilty in this matter."
श्रमन् तवावगच्छामि महता रणकर्मणा
न हि ते वीर सौमुख्यं प्रहर्षन् वोपधारये
śraman tavāvagacchāmi mahatā raṇakarmaṇā
na hi te vīra saumukhyaṃ praharṣan vopadhāraye
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I understand your exhaustion, due to your strenuous fighting in the great battle. I am not reflecting on the inclination of your valour or on your superiority over your enemy."
रथोद्वहनखिन्नाश्च त इमे रथवाजिनः
दीना घर्मपरिश्रान्ता गावो वर्षहता इव
rathodvahanakhinnāśca ta ime rathavājinaḥ
dīnā gharmapariśrāntā gāvo varṣahatā iva
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The horses of my chariot were broken down and were exhausted by drawing the chariot. They became miserable and thoroughly fatigued, like the cows lashed by heavy rain."
निमित्तानि च भूयिष्ठन् यानि प्रादुर्भवन्ति नः
तेषु तेष्वभिपन्नेषु लक्षयाम्यप्रदक्षिणम्
nimittāni ca bhūyiṣṭhan yāni prādurbhavanti naḥ
teṣu teṣvabhipanneṣu lakṣayāmyapradakṣiṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am seeing inauspiciousness in all the portents, which appear to us in large numbers and duly examined by me."
देशकालौ च विज्ञेयौ लक्ष्मणानीङ्गितानि च
दैन्यन् हर्षश्च खेदश्च रथिनश्च बलाबलम्
deśakālau ca vijñeyau lakṣmaṇānīṅgitāni ca
dainyan harṣaśca khedaśca rathinaśca balābalam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"(Propitious and unpropitious) time and place, (good and bad) omens, facial as also the strength and weakness of the warrior occupying the chariot must be ascertained (by a charioteer)."
स्थलनिम्नानि भूमेश्च समानि विषमाणि च
युद्धकालश्च विज्ञेयः परस्यान्तरदर्शनम्
sthalanimnāni bhūmeśca samāni viṣamāṇi ca
yuddhakālaśca vijñeyaḥ parasyāntaradarśanam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The eminences and depressions of the ground as well as the parts which are level and rugged, the time appropriate for the combat and the visible weak points of the enemy must be known (by a charioteer)."
उपयानापयाने च स्थानं प्रत्यपसर्पणम्
सर्वमेतद्रथस्थेन ज्ञेयन् रथकुटुम्बिना
upayānāpayāne ca sthānaṃ pratyapasarpaṇam
sarvametadrathasthena jñeyan rathakuṭumbinā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"How to arrive and retreat, how to hold one's position and to recede all this must be known by a charioteer, seated in the chariot."
तव विश्रामहेतोस्तु तथैषान् रथवाजिनाम्
रौद्रन् वर्जयता खेदन् क्षमं कृतमिदं मया
tava viśrāmahetostu tathaiṣān rathavājinām
raudran varjayatā khedan kṣamaṃ kṛtamidaṃ mayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This action appropriate was taken by me in order to give rest to you and to these horses of the chariot as also to relieve your terrible fatigue."
न मया स्वेच्छया वीर रथोअयमपवाहितः
भर्तृस्नेहपरीतेन मयेदन् यत्कृतं विभो
na mayā svecchayā vīra rathoayamapavāhitaḥ
bhartṛsnehaparītena mayedan yatkṛtaṃ vibho
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O the valiant lord! This chariot was not removed by me arbitrarily. That which was done by me was because I was overwhelmed with affection for my master."
आज्ञापय यथातत्त्वन् वक्ष्यस्यरिनिषूदन
तत्करिष्याम्यहन् वीरन् गतानृण्येन चेतसा
ājñāpaya yathātattvan vakṣyasyariniṣūdana
tatkariṣyāmyahan vīran gatānṛṇyena cetasā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O annihilator of enemies! O hero! Give me a command! I will do that which you will enjoin me to do, with due attention and with a mind which feels relieved of all that is due."
सन्तुष्टस्तेन वाक्येन रावणस्तस्य सारथेः
प्रशस्यैनं बहुविधन् युद्धलुब्धोअब्रवीदिदम्
santuṣṭastena vākyena rāvaṇastasya sāratheḥ
praśasyainaṃ bahuvidhan yuddhalubdhoabravīdidam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Satisfied with the explanation given by his charioteer and applauding him in many ways, Ravana who was avaricious of fighting, spoke the following words:
रथन् शीघ्रमिमं सूत राघवाभिमुखन् कुरु
नाहत्वा समरे शत्रून्निवर्तिष्यति रावणः
rathan śīghramimaṃ sūta rāghavābhimukhan kuru
nāhatvā samare śatrūnnivartiṣyati rāvaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O charioteer! Take this chariot quickly towards Rama. Ravana does not turn back in battle, without killing his enemies."
एवमुक्त्वा ततस्तुष्टो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः
ददौ तस्य शुभन् ह्येकं हस्ताभरणमुत्तमम्
evamuktvā tatastuṣṭo rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ
dadau tasya śubhan hyekaṃ hastābharaṇamuttamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus speaking Ravna the lord of demons was pleased and then presented a beautiful and excellent ornament for the hand to him. That charioteer, after hearing Ravana's instruction,s drove the chariot back to the battle-field.
इत्यर्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे चतुरधिकशततमः सर्गः
ityarṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe caturadhikaśatatamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Impelled by Ravana's command, that charioteer thereupon quickly drove the horses forward. Then, that chariot of Ravana stood within a moment, before Rama's chariot on the battle-field.