Chapter 13

Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War

VERSE 1

रावणम् क्रुद्धमाज्ञाय महापार्श्वो महाबलः
मुहूर्त मनुसंचिन्त्य प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्य मब्रवीत्

rāvaṇam kruddhamājñāya mahāpārśvo mahābalaḥ
muhūrta manusaṃcintya prāñjalirvākya mabravīt

SYNONYMS

āġ^yāya: noticing | rāvaṇam: Ravana | kruddham: enraged | mahābalāḥ: a very strong | mahāpārśvaḥ: Mahaparsva | anusancintya: thought | muhūrtam: for a while | prāṇjaliḥ: and with joined palms | abravīt: spoke | vākyam: these words: |

TRANSLATION

Perceiving Ravana enraged, a very strong demon named Mahaparsva thought for a while and with joined palms, spoke as follows:

VERSE 2

यः खल्वपि वनम् प्राप्य मृगव्यालनिषेवितम्
न पिबेन्मधु सम्प्राप्य स नरो बालिशो ध्रुवम्

yaḥ khalvapi vanam prāpya mṛgavyālaniṣevitam
na pibenmadhu samprāpya sa naro bāliśo dhruvam

SYNONYMS

khaluapi: besides indeed | yaḥ naraḥ: which man | prāpya: after reaching | vanam: a forest | mṛgavyāla niṣevitam: inhabited by wild beasts and vicious elephants | samprāpya: obtained | madhu: honey | na pibet: does not drink | saḥ: he | dhruvam: surely | bāliśaḥ: is a fool." |

TRANSLATION

"That man indeed is a fool, who after reaching a forest inhabited by wild beasts and vicious elephants and having duly found honey, does not drink it."

VERSE 3

ईश्वरस्येश्वरः को।अस्ति तव शत्रुनिबर्हण
रमस्व सह वैदेह्या शत्रूनाक्रम्य मूर्धसु

īśvarasyeśvaraḥ ko|asti tava śatrunibarhaṇa
ramasva saha vaidehyā śatrūnākramya mūrdhasu

SYNONYMS

śatrunibarhaṇa: O | annihilator of enemies! k͟haḥ: who | asti: is | īśvaraḥ: a lord | tava: to you | īśvarsya: who are a lord of all? aakramya = stepping upon | mūrdhasu: the heads | śatrūn: of your enemies | ramasva: you take pleasure | vaidehyā saha: with Sita." |

TRANSLATION

"O,annihilator of enemies! Who is a lord to you, who are a lord of all? Setting your foot upon the heads of your enemies, take pleasure with Sita."

VERSE 4

बलात्कुक्कुटवृत्तेन प्रवर्तस्व महाबल
अक्रम्याक्रम्य सीताम् वै ताम् भुङिक्स्व च रमस्व च

balātkukkuṭavṛttena pravartasva mahābala
akramyākramya sītām vai tām bhuṅiksva ca ramasva ca

SYNONYMS

mahābala: O | ruler endoved vith a mighty provess! pravartasva: Behave | kukkuṭa vṛttena: in the mode of a cock | balata: using force against her | bhuṇkṣva: enjoy | tām sītām: that Sita | ākramya ākramya: charging and charging | ramasya ca: and revel with her." |

TRANSLATION

"O, ruler endowed with a mighty prowess! Act in the mode of a cock, forcibly against her. Enjoy that Sita, by charging on her again and again and revel with her."

VERSE 5

लब्धकामस्य ते पश्चादागमिष्यति किम् भयम्
प्राप्तमप्राप्तकालम् वा सर्वम् प्रतिविधास्यते

labdhakāmasya te paścādāgamiṣyati kim bhayam
prāptamaprāptakālam vā sarvam pratividhāsyate

SYNONYMS

kim bhayam: what fear | āgamiṣyati: will come | paścāt: after | labdhakāmasya: fulfilling your lust? sarvam = All | prāptum: that comes | aprāptakālam: or yet to come | pratividhānyate: will be prevented." |

TRANSLATION

"What fear will be there to you, after fulfilling your lust? All that comes or yet to come will be prevented (by us)."

VERSE 6

कुम्भकर्णः सहास्माभिरिन्द्रजिच्च महाबलः
प्रतिषेधयितुम् शक्तौ सवज्रमपि वज्रिणम्

kumbhakarṇaḥ sahāsmābhirindrajicca mahābalaḥ
pratiṣedhayitum śaktau savajramapi vajriṇam

SYNONYMS

kumbhakarṇaḥ: Kumbhakarna | indrajitca: and Indrajit | mahābalaḥ: of great might | asmābhiḥca: with us | śaktou: are capable | pratiṣedhayitum: of keeping off | vajriṇam api: even Devendra(god of celestials) | savajram: wielding the weapon of a thunderbolt". |

TRANSLATION

"Kumbhakarna and Indrajit of great might together with us are capable of keeping off even Devendra (god of celestials), wielding the weapon of a thunderbolt."

VERSE 7

उपप्रदानम् सान्त्वम् वा भेदम् वा कुशलैः कृतम्
समतिक्रम्य दण्डेन सिद्धिमर्थेषु रोचये

upapradānam sāntvam vā bhedam vā kuśalaiḥ kṛtam
samatikramya daṇḍena siddhimartheṣu rocaye

SYNONYMS

samatikramya: having overstepped | upapradānam: the method of giving away gifts | sā stvam vā: or gentle means | bhedamvā: or showing dissention | kṛtam: being done | kuśalaiḥ: by right men | rocaye: I like | siddhim: accomplishment | artheṣu: in actions | daṇḍena: through hostility." |

TRANSLATION

"Overstepping the methods of giving away gifts or conciliation or even showing dissention being followed by right men, I like accomplishment of actions through hostile means."

VERSE 8

इह प्राप्तान्वयम् सर्वान् शत्रूंस्तव महाबल
वशे शस्त्रप्रतापेन करिष्यामो न संशयः

iha prāptānvayam sarvān śatrūṃstava mahābala
vaśe śastrapratāpena kariṣyāmo na saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahābala: O | ruler endoved vith great might! Vayam: We | kariṣyāmaḥ: shall make | sarvān: all | tava: your | śatrūn: enemies | prāptān: reached | iha: here | vaśe: to surrender | śastrapratāpena: by the power of our weapons | na samśayaḥ: there is no doubt." |

TRANSLATION

"O, ruler endowed with great might! We shall make all your enemies reaching here to surrender, by the power of our weapons. There is no doubt about it."

VERSE 9

एवमुक्तस्तदा राजा महापार्श्वएन रावणः
तस्य सम्पूजयन्वाक्यमिदम् वचनमब्रवीत्

evamuktastadā rājā mahāpārśvaena rāvaṇaḥ
tasya sampūjayanvākyamidam vacanamabravīt

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | sampūjayan: appreciating | tasya: his | vākyam: words | evam: thus | uktaḥ: spoken | mahāpārśvena: by Mahaparsva | rājā: king | rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana | abravīt: spoke | idam: these | vacanam: words: |

TRANSLATION

Appreciating the words spoken thus by Mahaparsva, King Ravana spoke the following words:

VERSE 10

महापार्श्व निबोध त्वम् रहस्यम् किंचिदात्मनः
चिरवृत्तम् तदाख्यास्ये यदवाप्तम् पुरा मया

mahāpārśva nibodha tvam rahasyam kiṃcidātmanaḥ
ciravṛttam tadākhyāsye yadavāptam purā mayā

SYNONYMS

mahāpārśva: " O | nibodha: know | kimcit: a little | rahasyam: secret | ātmanaḥ: about me | ākhyāsye: I shall tell | tat: that | yat: which | avāptam: was obtained | mayā: by me | purā: previously | ciravṛttām: which occurred long ago." |

TRANSLATION

"O, Mahaparsva! Know a little secret about me. I shall tell you an incident, which occurred to me long ago."

VERSE 11

पितामहस्य भवनम् गच्चन्तीम् पुञ्जिकस्थलाम्
चञ्चूर्यमाणामद्राक्षमाकाशे।अग्निशिखामिव

pitāmahasya bhavanam gaccantīm puñjikasthalām
cañcūryamāṇāmadrākṣamākāśe|agniśikhāmiva

SYNONYMS

adrākṣam: I saw | puṇjikasthala: Punjikasthala | agniśikhāmiva: gleaming like a flame | caṇcūryamāṇām: concealing herself (for fear of me) | ākāśe: in the sky | gacchantīm: and proceeding | bhavanam: to the abode | pitāmahasya: of Brahma." |

TRANSLATION

"Once I saw a celestial nymph, Punjikasthala(by name) flashing like a flame, concealing herself in the sky and proceeding towards the abode of Brahma."

VERSE 12

सा प्रसह्य मया भुक्ता कृता विवसना ततः
स्वयम्भूभवनम् प्राप्ता लोलिता नलिनी यथा

sā prasahya mayā bhuktā kṛtā vivasanā tataḥ
svayambhūbhavanam prāptā lolitā nalinī yathā

SYNONYMS

: she | kṛtā: was made | vivasanā: unclothed | bhuktā: and was enjoyedmayaa = by me | prahasya: forcibly | tataḥ: thereafter | prāptā: she reached | svayambhū bhavanam: the abode of Brahma | nalinīyathā: like a lotus | lolitā: which was crumled." |

TRANSLATION

"She was made unclothed by me and was enjoyed forcibly. Thereafter, appearing like a crumpled lotus, she went to the abode of Brahma."

VERSE 13

तच्च तस्य तदा मन्ये ज्ञातमासीन्महात्मनः
अथ सम्कुपितो वेधा मामिदम् वाक्यमब्रवी

tacca tasya tadā manye jñātamāsīnmahātmanaḥ
atha samkupito vedhā māmidam vākyamabravī

SYNONYMS

manye: I think | tacca: it | ġ^yātam: was informed | tadā: then | tasya: to Brahma | mahātmanaḥ: the high soled | atha: and then | samkupitaḥ: the enraged | vedhāḥ: Brahama | abravīt: spoke | idam: these | vākyam: words | mām: to me." |

TRANSLATION

"I think that the matter was made known to the high soled Brahama and then the enraged Brahma spoke to me the following words:

VERSE 14

अद्यप्रभृति यामन्याम् बलान्नारीम् गमिष्यसि
तदा ते शतधा मुर्धा फलिष्यति न संशयः

adyaprabhṛti yāmanyām balānnārīm gamiṣyasi
tadā te śatadhā murdhā phaliṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

SYNONYMS

adya prabhṟ^ti: from today onwards | gamiṣyasi: if you revel with | yām anyām: any other | nārīm: woman | balān: forcibly | tadā: then | te: your | mūrthā: head | phaliṣyati: will break asunder | śatadhā: into hundred (pieces) | na samśayaḥ: there is no doubt." |

TRANSLATION

"From today onwards, if you revel with any other woman forcibly, your head then undoubtedly will break asunder into a hundred pieces."

VERSE 15

इत्यहम् तस्य शापस्य भीतः प्रसभमेव ताम्
नारोहये बलात्सीताम् वैदेहीम् शय्ने शुभे

ityaham tasya śāpasya bhītaḥ prasabhameva tām
nārohaye balātsītām vaidehīm śayne śubhe

SYNONYMS

bhītaḥ: fearing | tasya: his | śāpasya: curse | iti: in this manner | aham: I | nārohye tām sītām vaidehīm: am not making that Sita | śube: (my) beautiful | śayane: bed | prasabhameva: hurriedly." |

TRANSLATION

"Fearing the curse given in this manner by Brahama, I am not violently making Sita the daughter of Videha, to mount on my beautiful bed forcibly."

VERSE 16

सागरस्येव मे वेगो मारुतस्येव मे गतिः
नैतद्दाशरथिर्वेद ह्यापादयति तेन माम्

sāgarasyeva me vego mārutasyeva me gatiḥ
naitaddāśarathirveda hyāpādayati tena mām

SYNONYMS

me: my | vegaḥ: swiftness | sāgarasyeva: is like that of an ocean | gatiḥ: movement | mārutasyeva: is like that of wind | dāsarathiḥ: Rama = na veda = does not know | etad: this | tena: that is why | āsādayati hi: he is indeed attacking | mām: me." |

TRANSLATION

"My swiftness is like that of an ocean. My movement is like that of a wind. Rama does not know this and hence he is indeed having an encounter with me."

VERSE 17

को हि सिम्हमिवासीनम् सुप्तम् गिरिगुहाशये
क्रुद्धम् मृत्युमिवा।असीनम् सम्बोधयितुमिच्चति

ko hi simhamivāsīnam suptam giriguhāśaye
kruddham mṛtyumivā|asīnam sambodhayitumiccati

SYNONYMS

kohi: who | icchati: wants | sambodhayitum: to arouse | āsīnam: sitting | simham iva: like a lion | suptam: sleeping | giriguhāśaye: at a place in a mountain cave | mṛtyum iva: like death | kṝddham: enraged." |

TRANSLATION

"If not otherwise, who wants to arouse me (for a combat) as one would awaken a lion asleep, sitting at a place in a mountain cave or arouse into activity an enraged Death?"

VERSE 18

न मत्तो निर्गतान् बाणान् द्विजिह्वान् पन्न्गानिव
रामः पश्यति सम्ग्रामे तेन मामभिगच्चति

na matto nirgatān bāṇān dvijihvān panngāniva
rāmaḥ paśyati samgrāme tena māmabhigaccati

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: Rama | na paśyati: did not see | bāṇām: the arrows | pannagāniva: looking like serpents | dvijihvān: with two tongues | nirgatān: coming forth | mattaḥ: from me | tena: for that reason | abhigacchati: he is coming against | mām: me | samgrāme: in battle." |

TRANSLATION

"Rama did not see the arrows, looking like two tongued serpents, coming forth from me. That is why he is marching against me for a battle"

VERSE 19

क्षिप्रम् वज्रसमैर्बाणैः शतधा कार्मुकचुतैः
राममादीपयिष्यामि उल्कभिरिव कुञ्जरम्

kṣipram vajrasamairbāṇaiḥ śatadhā kārmukacutaiḥ
rāmamādīpayiṣyāmi ulkabhiriva kuñjaram

SYNONYMS

ādīpayiṣyāmi: I shall blaze up | rāmam: Rama | kṣipram: quickly | bāṇaiḥ: by arrows | vajrasamaiḥ: resembling thunderbolts | śatadhā: in hundreds | kārmukacyutaiḥ: released from my bow | kuṇjaram iva: like an elephant | ullābhiḥ: with fire brands." |

TRANSLATION

"I shall blaze up Rama swiftly with my arrows in hundreds resembling thunder bolts discharged from my bow, like tormenting an elephant with fire brands."

VERSE 20

तच्चास्य बलमादास्ये बलेन महता वृतः
उदितः सविता काले नक्षत्राणाम् प्रभामिव

taccāsya balamādāsye balena mahatā vṛtaḥ
uditaḥ savitā kāle nakṣatrāṇām prabhāmiva

SYNONYMS

vṛtaḥ: surrounded | mahatā balena: by a great army | ādasya: I shall take away | asya: his | tat: that | balam: strength | prabhāmiva: like taking away the light | nakṣatrāṇām: of the stars | uditaḥ: by a rising | savitā: sun | kāle: in dawn." |

TRANSLATION

"Surrounded by great army, I shall take away that strength of Rama, as a rising sun at dawn takes away radiance of the stars."

VERSE 21

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe trayodaśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

vāsavenāpi: even by Devendra(Lord of celestials) | sahasra cakṣuṣā: with thousand eyes | varuṇenavā: or by Varuna(king of the universe) | naśakyaḥ asmi: I am not capable of being conquered | yudhā: in a battle | purā: once | iyam purī: this city | pālitā: ruled | vaiśrevaṇena: by Kubera | nirjitā: was conquered | mayā: by me | bāhubalena: with the power of my arms." |

TRANSLATION

"Even Devendra (lord of celestials) with thousand eyes or Varuna (king of the Universe) can not conquer me in battle. Once upon a time, this city of Lanka ruled by Kubera (Lord of riches) was conquered by me with the power of my arms."