Chapter 109

Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War

VERSE 1

भ्रातरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा शयानं निर्जितं रणे
शोकवेगपरीतात्मा विललाप विभीषणः

bhrātaraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ nirjitaṃ raṇe
śokavegaparītātmā vilalāpa vibhīṣaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

dṛṣṭvā: seeing | bhrātaram: his brother | śayānam: lying down | nihatam: dead | nirjitam: after defeat | raṇe: in battle | vibhīṣaṇaḥ: Vibhishana | vilalāpa: lamented | śokavega parītātmā: with his mind filled with an outburst of sorrow. |

TRANSLATION

Seeing his brother lying down dead after defeat in battle, Vibhishana lamented, with his mind filled with an outburst of sorrow:

VERSE 2

वीर विक्रान्त विख्यात प्रवीण नयकोविद
महार्हशयनोपेत किं शेषे निहतो भुवि

vīra vikrānta vikhyāta pravīṇa nayakovida
mahārhaśayanopeta kiṃ śeṣe nihato bhuvi

SYNONYMS

kim: why | śeṣe: are you lying | nihataḥ: killed | bhuvi: on the ground? | vīra: O hero! | vikrānta: the valiant one! | vikhyāta: the celebrated one! | pravīṇa: O the skillful one | nayakovida: prudent in polity! | mahārhaśayanopeta: though the highly worthy of turning towards lofty beds. |

TRANSLATION

"Why are you lying killed on the ground, though you are highly worthy of turning towards lofty beds, O hero! The valiant one, the celebrated one, prudent in polity?"

VERSE 3

निक्षिप्य दीर्घौ निश्चेष्टौ भुजावङ्गदभूषितौ
मुकुटेनापवृत्तेन भास्कराकारवर्चसा

nikṣipya dīrghau niśceṣṭau bhujāvaṅgadabhūṣitau
mukuṭenāpavṛttena bhāskarākāravarcasā

SYNONYMS

dirghau bhuhau nikṣipya: having thrown about your two long arms | aṅgada bhūṣitau: which though decked with armlets | niśceṣṭau: are (now) motionless | mukuṭena: and with your diadem | bhāskākāra varcasā: brilliant as the sun | apavṛttena: knocked down |

TRANSLATION

"Having thrown about your two long arms which though decked wit armlets, are now motionless and with your diadem brilliant as the sun, knocked down; why are you lying killed on the ground/"

VERSE 4

तदिदं वीर संप्राप्तं यन्मया पूर्वमीरितम्
काममोहपरीतस्य यत्त्न्न रुचितं तव

tadidaṃ vīra saṃprāptaṃ yanmayā pūrvamīritam
kāmamohaparītasya yattnna rucitaṃ tava

SYNONYMS

vīra: O the valiat brother! | yat: and that | īritam: was told | mayā: by me | pūrvam: earlier | na rucitan: which was not liked | tava: by you | kāma moha parītasya: overcome as you were with sensuality and infatuation | tat idam: that very fate | prāptam: has been obtained (by you). |

TRANSLATION

"O the valiant brother! That which was told by me earlier and that which was not liked by you, as you were overcome with sensuality and infatuation; that very fate has been obtained by you."

VERSE 5

यन्न दर्पात् प्रहस्तो वा नेन्द्रजिन्नापरे जनाः
न कुम्भकर्णो।अतिरथो नातिकायो नरान्तकः

yanna darpāt prahasto vā nendrajinnāpare janāḥ
na kumbhakarṇo|atiratho nātikāyo narāntakaḥ

SYNONYMS

yat: for that which | darpāt: because of arrogance | na prahato vā: netither prahasta | indrajit na apare janāḥ: nor Indrajit and others | na kumbhakarṇaḥ: nor kumbhakarna | atirathaḥ: nor Atiratha | atikāyaḥ: nr Atikaya | na narāntakaḥ: nor Narantaka | na tvam svayam: nor you yourself | amanyethāḥ: has agreed | tasya ayan udarkaḥ: this consequence of it | āgataḥ: has come. |

TRANSLATION

"For that which, because of arrogance, neither Prahasta nor Indrajit and others, nor Kumbhakarna nor Atiratha nor Narantaka nor you yourself has agreed to my counsel, the consequence of it has come now."

VERSE 6

गतः सेतुः सुनीतीनां गतो धर्मस्य विग्रहः

gataḥ setuḥ sunītīnāṃ gato dharmasya vigrahaḥ

SYNONYMS

-7| asmin vīre: as this hero | vare: the foremost | śastra bhṛtām: among those who wield weapons | nipatite: has fallen | bhūmau: to the earth | sunītīnām: of well-conducted persons | gataḥ: has gone | vigrahaḥ: the incarnation | dharmasya: of virtue | samkṣepaḥ: the epitome | sattvasya: of strength | gatiḥ: the refuge | prastāvānām: enlogies | gatā: has gone out of sight | ādityaḥ: the sun | patitaḥ: has fallen | candramāḥ: the moon | magnaḥ: has merged | tamasi: in darkness | citrabhānuḥ: fire | praśāntārciḥ: has extinguished its flames | vyavasāyaḥ: and a strennous | nirudyamaḥ: has become inactive. |

TRANSLATION

"As this hero, the foremost of those who wield the weapons, has fallen on the ground, the established rule of well-conducted persons has gone. The incarnation of virtue has departed. The epitome of strength has gone. The refuge of enlogies has gone out of sight. The sun has fallen to the earth. The moon has merged in darkness. Fire has extinguished its flames and a strennous effort has become inactive."

VERSE 8

चित्रभानुः प्रशान्तार्चिर्व्यवसायो निरुद्यमः
अस्मिन्निपतिते वीरे भूमौ शस्त्रभृतां वरे

citrabhānuḥ praśāntārcirvyavasāyo nirudyamaḥ
asminnipatite vīre bhūmau śastrabhṛtāṃ vare

SYNONYMS

kim: what | śeṣam: is remaining | lokasya: in this world | iha: now | rākṣasaśārdūle: while Ravana the foremost among demons | samprati: is now | prasupte iva: lying fast asleep | pāmsuṣu: in the dust? |

TRANSLATION

"What is remaining in this world now, while Ravana the foremost of demons, is at present lying fast asleep in the dust?"

VERSE 9

किं शेषमिह लोकस्य गतस्त्त्वस्य संप्रति
रणे राक्षसशार्दूले प्रसुप्त इव पांसुषु

kiṃ śeṣamiha lokasya gatasttvasya saṃprati
raṇe rākṣasaśārdūle prasupta iva pāṃsuṣu

SYNONYMS

dṛtipravālaḥ: with firmness for its shoot | prasahāgryapuṣpaḥ: endurance for its excellent bloossom | tapabalaḥ: asceticism for its strength | śauryanibaddha mūlaḥ: and valour for its firm root | mahān rākṣasarāja vṛkṣaḥ: the large tree in the shape of Ravana | sammarditaḥ: has been crsuhed | raṇe: in the battle-field | rāghava mārutena: by the tempest in the shape of Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"With firmness for its shoot, endurance for its excellent blossom, asceticism for its strength, and valour for its firm root, the large tree in the shape of Ravana has been crushed in the battle-field, by the tempest in the shape of Rama."

VERSE 10

धृतिप्रवालः प्रसहाग्र्यपुष्प
स्तपोबलः शौर्यनिबद्धमूलः
रणे महान् राक्षसराजवृक्षः
संमर्दितो राघवमारुतेन

dhṛtipravālaḥ prasahāgryapuṣpa
stapobalaḥ śauryanibaddhamūlaḥ
raṇe mahān rākṣasarājavṛkṣaḥ
saṃmardito rāghavamārutena

SYNONYMS

tejoviṣaṇaḥ: with sharpness for its tusks | kula vamśavamśaḥ: the line of ancesters for its back-bone | kopa prasādāpara gātrahastaḥ: anger for its lower parts and graciousness for its proboscis | rāvaṇagandhahastī: the elephant in rut in the shape of suptaH = is lying asleep | kṣitau: on the ground | ikṣvāku simhāvagṛhīta dehaḥ: its body having been overthrown by a lion in the shape of Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"With sharpness for its tusks, the line of ancestors for its back-bone, anger for its lower parts and graciousness for its proboscis, the elephant in rut in the shape of Ravana is lying asleep on the ground, its body having been overthrown by a lion in the shape of Rama."

VERSE 11

तेजोविषाणः कुलवंशवंशः
कोपप्रसादापरगात्रहस्तः
इक्ष्वाकुसिंहावगृहीतदेहः
सुप्तः क्षितौ रावणगन्धहस्ती

tejoviṣāṇaḥ kulavaṃśavaṃśaḥ
kopaprasādāparagātrahastaḥ
ikṣvākusiṃhāvagṛhītadehaḥ
suptaḥ kṣitau rāvaṇagandhahastī

SYNONYMS

parākramotsāhavijṛbhitārciḥ: with prowess and power for its expanded flames | niḥśvāsadhūmaḥ: sighs for its smoke | svabalapratāpaḥ: and his native strength for its glowing heat | agniḥ pratāpavān: the blazing fire | rākṣasah: in the shape of Ravana | nirvāpitaḥ: has been extinguished | samyati: in the battle0field | rāmapayodhareṇa: by the rainy cloud in the shape of Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"With prowess and power for its expanded flames, sighs for its smoke and his native strength for its glowing heat, the blazing fire in the shape of Ravana the demon has been extingushed in the battle-field by the rainy cloud in the shape of Rama."

VERSE 12

पराक्रमोत्साहविजृम्भितार्चि
र्निःश्वासधूमः स्वबलप्रतापः
प्रतापवान् संयति राक्षसाग्नि
र्निर्वापितो रामपयोधरेण

parākramotsāhavijṛmbhitārci
rniḥśvāsadhūmaḥ svabalapratāpaḥ
pratāpavān saṃyati rākṣasāgni
rnirvāpito rāmapayodhareṇa

SYNONYMS

simharkṣa lāṅgūlaka kudviṣaṇaḥ: with the demons for its tail | cāpalakarṇa cakṣuḥ: and fickleness for its ears and eyes | rakṣo vṛṣabhaḥ: the bull in the shape of Ravana | parābhijit: the conqueror of its enemies | gandhanagandha vāha: which vied with the wind in energy | avasannaḥ: is lying dead | kṣitīśvaravyāghra hataḥ: struck down by a tiger in the shape of Rama |

TRANSLATION

"With the demons for its tail; hump and horn and fickleness for its ears and eyes, the bull in the shape of Ravana the demon, the conqueror of its enemies, which vied with the wind in energy, is lying dead, struck down by a tiger in the shape of Rama, the ruler of the earth."

VERSE 13

सिंहर्क्षलाङ्गूलककुद्विषाणः
पराभिजिद्गन्धनगन्धहस्ती
रक्षोवृषश्चापलकर्णचक्षुः
क्षितीश्वरव्याग्रहतो।अवसन्नः

siṃharkṣalāṅgūlakakudviṣāṇaḥ
parābhijidgandhanagandhahastī
rakṣovṛṣaścāpalakarṇacakṣuḥ
kṣitīśvaravyāgrahato|avasannaḥ

SYNONYMS

vibhīṣaṇam: to Vibhishana | vadantam: who was speaking thus | śoka samāviṣṭam: enveloped in sorrow | rāmaḥ: Rama | uvāca: spoke | iti vākyam: the following words | hetumat: full of reason | paridṛṣṭārthaniścayam: and which revealed his determined view of the matter. |

TRANSLATION

To Vibhishana, who was thus speaking; enveloped in sorrow, Rama spoke the following words, full of reason and which revealed his determined view of the matter.

VERSE 14

वदन्तं हेतुमद्वाक्यं परिदृष्टर्थनिश्चयम्
रामः शोकसमाविष्टमित्युवाच विभीषणम्

vadantaṃ hetumadvākyaṃ paridṛṣṭarthaniścayam
rāmaḥ śokasamāviṣṭamityuvāca vibhīṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

ayam: He (Ravana) | na vinaṣṭaḥ: did not die | samare: in battle | niśceṣṭaḥ: without making an effort | ayam patitaḥ: He has fallen (in combat) | caṅḍa vikramaḥ: eventhough he was endowed with terrible prowess | atyunnatamahotsāhaḥ: and exhibited extra ordinary enthusiasm of a very exalted type | aśaṇkitaḥ: and remained confident (throughout). |

TRANSLATION

"Ravana did not die in battle, without making an effort. He has fallen in combat, eventhough he was endowed with terrible prowess and exhibited extra ordinary enthusiasm of a very exalted type and remained confident throughout."

VERSE 15

नायं विनष्टो निश्चेष्टः समरे चण्डविक्रमः
अत्युन्नतमहोत्साहः पतितो।अयमशङ्कितः

nāyaṃ vinaṣṭo niśceṣṭaḥ samare caṇḍavikramaḥ
atyunnatamahotsāhaḥ patito|ayamaśaṅkitaḥ

SYNONYMS

evam na śocyante: there is no occasion to grieve | nipatanti vinaṣṭāḥ: raNaajire = for him having fallen into death in the battle-field | ye vṛddhim āśamsamānāḥ: by whom the development was wished for | kṣatra dharma vyavasthitāḥ: while remaining steadfast in the duty of kshatriya |

TRANSLATION

"There is no occasion to grieve for him having fallen into death in the battle-field and by whom the development of his country was wished for, while remaining steadfast in the duty of Kshatriya the warrior."

VERSE 16

नैवं विनष्टाः शोच्यन्ते क्षत्रधर्मव्यवस्थिताः
वृद्धिमाशंसमाना ये निपतन्ति रणाजिरे

naivaṃ vinaṣṭāḥ śocyante kṣatradharmavyavasthitāḥ
vṛddhimāśaṃsamānā ye nipatanti raṇājire

SYNONYMS

na kālaḥ: there is no occasion | pariśocitum: to grieve | tasmin kāla samāyukta: for his having been brought under the sway of death | yudhi: in battle | yena: by whom | dhīmatā: intelligent as he was | trayaḥ lokāḥ: all the three worlds | sendrāḥ: including Indra | trāsitāḥ: were frightened. |

TRANSLATION

"There is no occasion to grieve for his having been brought under the sway of death by whom intelligent as he was, all the three worlds including indra were frightened."

VERSE 17

येन सेन्द्रास्त्रयो लोकास्त्रासिता युधि धीमता
तस्मिन् कालसमायुक्ते न कालः परिशोचितुम्

yena sendrāstrayo lokāstrāsitā yudhi dhīmatā
tasmin kālasamāyukte na kālaḥ pariśocitum

SYNONYMS

bhūta pūrvaḥ: in the past | na: none | kadācana ekānta vijayaḥ: has ever been exclusively victorius | yuddhe: in a combat | vīraḥ: A hero | hanyateṇā: has either been killed | paraiḥ: by his adversaries | hanti vā: or has killed | parān: the enemies | samyuge: in battle. |

TRANSLATION

"In the past, none has ever been exclusively victorious in a combat. A hero either has been killed by his adversaries or had killed the enemies in battle."

VERSE 18

नैकान्तविजयो युद्धे भूतपूर्वः कदाचन
परैर्वा हन्यते वीरः परान्वा हन्ति संयुगे

naikāntavijayo yuddhe bhūtapūrvaḥ kadācana
parairvā hanyate vīraḥ parānvā hanti saṃyuge

SYNONYMS

iyam gatiḥ: such is the destiny | samdiṣṭā: proclaimed | pūrvaiḥ: by the ancients | kṣatriyasammatā: as highly esteemed for a warrior | kṣatriyaḥ: a warrior | nihataḥ: killed | samkhye: in battle | na śocyaḥ: does not deserve to be mourned | iti niścayaḥ: such is the ascertainment of the sacred scriptures. |

TRANSLATION

"Such is the destiny proclaimed by the ancients, as highly esteemed for a warrior. A warrior killed in battle, does not deserve to be mourned. Such is the ascertainment of the sacred scriptures."

VERSE 19

इयं हि पूर्वैः संदिष्टा गतिः क्षत्रियसंमता
क्षत्रियो निहतः संख्ये न शोच्य इति निश्चयः

iyaṃ hi pūrvaiḥ saṃdiṣṭā gatiḥ kṣatriyasaṃmatā
kṣatriyo nihataḥ saṃkhye na śocya iti niścayaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat: therefore | dṛṣṭvā: seeing | evam niścayam: this ascertainment | āsthāya tattvam: understanding the true principle | vijvaraḥ: and free from grief | iha anucintaya: think here of | yat: what | kāryam: duty | tat kalpyam: that deserves to be performed | anantaram: thereafter. |

TRANSLATION

"Therefore, seeing this ascertainment, understanding the true principle, and free from grief, think here of what duty that deserves to be performed."

VERSE 20

तदेवं निश्चयं दृष्ट्वा तत्त्वमास्थाय विज्वरः
यदिहानन्तरं कार्यं कल्प्यं तदनुचिन्तय

tadevaṃ niścayaṃ dṛṣṭvā tattvamāsthāya vijvaraḥ
yadihānantaraṃ kāryaṃ kalpyaṃ tadanucintaya

SYNONYMS

vikrāntam tam rājaputram: to that valiant prince | uktavākyam: by whom the aforesaid words were spoken | vibhīṣaṇah: Vibhishana | śoka samtaptaḥ: who was tormented with grief | uvāca: spoke | hitam: about the suitable action | anantaram: to be done next | bhrātuḥ: in relation to his brother. |

TRANSLATION

To that valiant prince (Rama) by whom the aforesaid words were spoken, Vibhishana, who was tormented with grief, spoke (as follows) about the suitable action to be done next in relation to his brother.

VERSE 21

यो।अयं विमर्देष्वविभग्नपूर्वः
सुरैः समस्तैरपि वासवेन
भवन्तमासाद्य रणे विभग्नो
वेलामिवासाद्य यथा समुद्रः

yo|ayaṃ vimardeṣvavibhagnapūrvaḥ
suraiḥ samastairapi vāsavena
bhavantamāsādya raṇe vibhagno
velāmivāsādya yathā samudraḥ

SYNONYMS

yaḥ ayam: this demon who | avibhagna pūrvaḥ: had never been conquered before | vimardeṣu: in battle | samastaiḥ surairapi: by even all the gods combined | vāsavena: or by Indra himself | vibhagnaḥ: has been conquered | āsādya: on reaching | bhavantam: you | raṇe: in the battle-field | samudraḥ yathā: as the sea | velām: the shore. |

TRANSLATION

"The demon, who had never been conquered before in battles, by even all the gods combined or by Indra himself, has been conquered, on confronting you in the battle-field, as the sea breaks up, on reaching the shore."

VERSE 22

अनेन दत्तानि वनीपकेषु
भुक्ताश्च भोगा निभृताश्च भृत्याः
धनानि मित्रेषु समर्पितानि
वैराण्यमित्रेषु निपातितानि

anena dattāni vanīpakeṣu
bhuktāśca bhogā nibhṛtāśca bhṛtyāḥ
dhanāni mitreṣu samarpitāni
vairāṇyamitreṣu nipātitāni

SYNONYMS

anena: by him | dattāni: gifts were endowed | vanīpakeṣu: to mendicants | bhogāśca: pleasures too | bhuktāḥ: were enjoyed | bhṛtyāḥ: the kings servents | nibhṛtāḥ: were fully maintained | dhānāni: riches | samarpitāni: were made over | mitreṣu: to friends | vairāṇi: grudges | amitreṣu: against enemies | nipātitāni: were revenged. |

TRANSLATION

"By him, gifts were endowed to to mendicents. Pleasures too were enjoyed. The king's servents were fully maintained. Rches were made over to friends. Grudges against enemiies were revenged."

VERSE 23

एषोहिताग्निश्च महातपाश्च
वेदन्तगः कर्मसु चाग्र्यशूरः
एतस्य यत्प्रेतगतस्य कृत्यं
तत्कर्तुमिच्छामि तव प्रसादात्

eṣohitāgniśca mahātapāśca
vedantagaḥ karmasu cāgryaśūraḥ
etasya yatpretagatasya kṛtyaṃ
tatkartumicchāmi tava prasādāt

SYNONYMS

eṣaḥ: he | hitāgniḥ: (maintained) perpetually sacred fire | mahātapāśca: He practised great religious austerities | vedāntagaḥ: He completely mastered the Vedas | agraśūraḥ: he was highly proficient | karmasuca: in even the ritual acts | icchāmi: i desire | kartum: to do | yat: that | tava prasādāt: with your graciousness which | kṛtya: is to be done | pretagatasya etasya: to him |

TRANSLATION

"He maintained a perpetually sacred fire. he practised great religious austerities. He completely mastered Vedas, the sacred scriptures. He was highly proficient even in the ritual acts. I desire to do, with you graciousness, that which is to be performed to him, who has departed to the other world."

VERSE 24

स तस्य वाक्यैः करुणैर्महात्मा
संबोधितः साधु विभीषणेन
आज्ञापयामास नरेन्द्रसूनुः
स्वर्गीयमाधानमदीनसत्त्वः

sa tasya vākyaiḥ karuṇairmahātmā
saṃbodhitaḥ sādhu vibhīṣaṇena
ājñāpayāmāsa narendrasūnuḥ
svargīyamādhānamadīnasattvaḥ

SYNONYMS

sādhu sambodhitaḥ: thus getting the personality of Ravana well acquainted | vibhiṣaṇena: by Vibhishana | tasya karuṇaiḥ vakyaiḥ: by his compassionate words | saḥ: that | narendrasūḥ: Rama | adīna sattvaḥ: possessing unimpaired goodness | āñāpayāmāsa: directed | ādhānam: to perform funeral rites | svargīyam: which were intended to lead the departed soul to heaven. |

TRANSLATION

Thus getting the personality of Ravana well-acquainted by vibhishana by his compassionate words, Rama possessing unimpaired goodness, directed Vibhishana to perfom funeral rites, which were intended to lead the departed soul to heaven:

VERSE 25

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे नवाधिकशततमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe navādhikaśatatamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

vairāni: hostilities | maraṇāntāni: end with death | naḥ: our | prayojanam: purpose | nirvṛttam: has been accomplished | asya samskāraḥ: let his funeral rites | kriyatām: be performed | eṣaḥ: he | mamāpi: is as good mine even | yathā tava: as yours. |

TRANSLATION

"Hostilities end with death. Our purpose has been accomplished. Let his funeral rites be performed. He is even as good mine, as yours."