Chapter 23

Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War

VERSE 1

निमित्तानि निमित्तज्ञो दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः
सौमित्रिम् सम्परिष्वज्य इदम् वचनम्ब्रवीत्

nimittāni nimittajño dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ
saumitrim sampariṣvajya idam vacanambravīt

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇa pūrvajaḥ: Rama | nimittaj^ṇaḥ: who was acquainted with omens | dṝṣṭṇā: on seeing | nimittāni: the omens | sampariṣvajya: embraced | soumitrim: Lakshmana | abravīt: and spoke | idam: these | vacanam: words. |

TRANSLATION

Rama, who was well acquainted with portents, on seeing the portents around, embraced Lakshmana and spoke as follows:

VERSE 2

परिगृह्योदकम् शीतम् वनानि फलवन्ति च
बलौ घम् सम्विभज्येमम् व्यूह्य तिष्ठेम लक्ष्मण

parigṛhyodakam śītam vanāni phalavanti ca
balau gham samvibhajyemam vyūhya tiṣṭhema lakṣmaṇa

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇa: O | parigṛhya: acquiring (this region provided with) | śītam: cold | udakam: water | vanānica: and woods | phalavanti: abounding in fruit | samvibhajya: let us speedily divide | idam: this | balougham: multitude of forces | vyūhya: and drawing it up in battle array | tiṣṭhema: we shall remain stand at attention. |

TRANSLATION

"O, Lakshmana! Acquiring this region endowed with cold water and woods abounding in fruits, let us speedily divide this multitude of forces into battalions and drawing it up in battle array, we shall stand attentive."

VERSE 3

लोकक्षयकरम् भीमम् भयम् पश्याम्युपस्थितम्
प्रबर्हणम् प्रवीराणामृक्षवानररक्षसाम्

lokakṣayakaram bhīmam bhayam paśyāmyupasthitam
prabarhaṇam pravīrāṇāmṛkṣavānararakṣasām

SYNONYMS

paśyāmi: I see | upasthitam: an impending | bhayam: danger | bhīmam: which is terrific | lokakṣayakaram: causing destruction to the world | prabarhaṇam: and torture | pravīrāṇām: the eminent heroes | ṛkṣa vānara rākṣasām: among bears |

TRANSLATION

"I perceive an impending danger which will be terrific, causing destruction to the world, and torture to the eminent heroes among bears monkeys and demons."

VERSE 4

वाताश्च कलुषा वान्ति कम्पते च वसुन्धरा
पर्वताग्राणि वेपन्ते पतन्ति च महीरुःआः

vātāśca kaluṣā vānti kampate ca vasundharā
parvatāgrāṇi vepante patanti ca mahīruḥāḥ

SYNONYMS

vātāḥ: winds | vānti: are blowing | kaluṣaḥ: with dust | vasundharāca: and earth | kampate: is trembling | parvatāgrāṇi: mountain-tops | vepanti: are quivering | mahīruhāḥ: trees | patantica: are falling down. |

TRANSLATION

"Winds are blowing with dust and earth is trembling. Mountain- tops are quivering and trees are falling down."

VERSE 5

मेघाः क्रव्यादसम्काशाः परुषाः परुषस्वनाः
क्रूराः क्रूरम् प्रवर्षन्ति मिश्रम् शोणितबिन्दुभिः

meghāḥ kravyādasamkāśāḥ paruṣāḥ paruṣasvanāḥ
krūrāḥ krūram pravarṣanti miśram śoṇitabindubhiḥ

SYNONYMS

krūraḥ: ferocious | meghāḥ: clouds | kravyāda samkāśaḥ: resembling wild beasts | paruṣāḥ: dirty colored | paruṣa svanāḥ: with harsh sound | pravarṣanti: are raining | krūram: cruelly | miśram: mixed | śoṇitabindubhiḥ: with drops of blood. |

TRANSLATION

"Ferocious clouds resembling wild beasts were dirty colored and emit a terrific roaring and let loose dreadful showers mingled with drops of blood."

VERSE 6

रक्तचन्दनसम्काशा संध्या परमदारुणा
ज्वलतः प्रपतत्येतदादित्यादग्निमण्डलम्

raktacandanasamkāśā saṃdhyā paramadāruṇā
jvalataḥ prapatatyetadādityādagnimaṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

samdhyā: evening twilight | raktacandana samkāśāh: resembling red sandalwood | paramadāruṇā: is very much dreadful | jvalatah: from the blazing | ādityāt: sun | etat: this | agnimaṅḍalam: ball of fire | patantica: falls. |

TRANSLATION

"Evening twilight resembling red sandal wood is very much dreadful. From the blazing sun, balls of fire fall."

VERSE 7

दीना दीनस्वराः क्रूराः सर्वतो मृगपक्षिणः
प्रत्यादित्यम् विनर्दन्ति जनयन्तो महद्भयम्

dīnā dīnasvarāḥ krūrāḥ sarvato mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ
pratyādityam vinardanti janayanto mahadbhayam

SYNONYMS

krūra mṛga pakṣiṇaḥ: wild animals and birds | vinardanti: are roaring | dīnāḥ: pitiably | dīnasvarāḥ: with melancholic sound | pratyādityam: facing towards the sun | mahat: in great | bhayam: fear. |

TRANSLATION

"Wild animals and birds from all sides are roaring pitiably with melancholic sound, facing towards the sun in great fear."

VERSE 8

रजन्यामप्रकाशस्तु सम्तापयति चन्द्रमाः
कृष्णरक्तांशुपर्यन्तो लोकक्षय इवोदितः

rajanyāmaprakāśastu samtāpayati candramāḥ
kṛṣṇaraktāṃśuparyanto lokakṣaya ivoditaḥ

SYNONYMS

candramāh: the moon | uditaiva: as though rising | lokakṣaye: at the time of universal dissolution | kṛṣṇa raktāmśu paryantaḥ: invested with a black and red halo | samtāpayati: is tormenting(the mind) | aprakāśaḥ: splendourless | rajanyām: at night. |

TRANSLATION

"The splendorous moon as though rising at the time of universal dissolution, invested with a black and red halo is tormenting the mind this night."

VERSE 9

ह्रस्वो रूक्षो।अप्रशस्तश्च परिवेषस्तु लोहितः
आदित्ये विमले वीलम् लक्ष्म लक्ष्मण दृश्यते

hrasvo rūkṣo|apraśastaśca pariveṣastu lohitaḥ
āditye vimale vīlam lakṣma lakṣmaṇa dṛśyate

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇa: O | ḻakśmana! ṇīlam: a dark | lakṣma: stain | dṛśyate: appears | vimale āditye pariveṣaḥ: on the colorless solar disc | hrasvaḥ: which is diminished | rūkṣaḥ: dreary | apraśastah: inauspicious | lohitaḥ: and coppery. |

TRANSLATION

"O, Lakshmana! A dark stain appears on the cloudless solar disc, which is diminished, dreary, inauspicious and coppery."

VERSE 10

रजसा महता चापि नक्षत्राणि हतानि च
युगान्तमिव लोकानाम् पश्य शसन्ति लक्ष्मण

rajasā mahatā cāpi nakṣatrāṇi hatāni ca
yugāntamiva lokānām paśya śasanti lakṣmaṇa

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇa: O | ḻakśmana! Paśya: look! Nakshhatraani = stars | hatāni: enveloped | mohatā: in enormous | rajasā: dust | śamsantīva: appear to announce | yugāntam: a dissolution | lokānām: of the worlds. |

TRANSLATION

"O, Lakshmana! Look! Stars enveloped in enormous dust, appear to announce a dissolution of the world."

VERSE 11

काकाः श्येनास्तथा नीचा गृध्राः परिपतन्ति च
शिवाश्चाप्यशुभान्नादान्नदन्ति सुमहाभयान्

kākāḥ śyenāstathā nīcā gṛdhrāḥ paripatanti ca
śivāścāpyaśubhānnādānnadanti sumahābhayān

SYNONYMS

kākāḥ: crows | śyenāḥ: eagles | tathā: and | gṛddhāḥ: vultures | paripatanti: are flying | nīcāḥ: low | śivāścāpi: jackals also | nadanti: are howling | sumahābhayān: very dreadful | aśubhān: and inauspicious | nādān: sounds. |

TRANSLATION

"Crows, eagles and vultures are flying low. Jackals too are howling very dreadful and inauspicious sounds."

VERSE 12

शैलैः शूलैश्च खड्गैश्च विमुकैः कपिराक्षसैः
भविष्यत्यावृता भूमिर्मांसशोणितकर्दमा

śailaiḥ śūlaiśca khaḍgaiśca vimukaiḥ kapirākṣasaiḥ
bhaviṣyatyāvṛtā bhūmirmāṃsaśoṇitakardamā

SYNONYMS

bhūmiḥ: earth | bhaviṣyati: will become | āvṛtāḥ: covered by | śailaiḥ: rocks | śūlaiḥ: spears | khadgaiśca: and swords | vimuktaiḥ: hurled | kapirākṣsaiḥ: by monkeys and demons | māmsa śoṇita kardamā: and a quagmire of flesh and blood. |

TRANSLATION

"Earth will become a quagmire of flesh and blood, covered with rocks spears and swords hurled by monkeys and demons."

VERSE 13

क्षिप्रमद्यैव दुर्धर्षाम् पुरीम् रावणपालिताम्
अभियाम जवेनैव सर्वैर्हरिभिरावृताः

kṣipramadyaiva durdharṣām purīm rāvaṇapālitām
abhiyāma javenaiva sarvairharibhirāvṛtāḥ

SYNONYMS

āvṛtāḥ: abounding with | sarvaiḥ: all | haribhiḥ: monkeys | abhiyāma: we shall attack | purīm: the city | rāvaṇaḥpālitām: ruled by Ravana | adyaiva: now itself | kṣipram: quickly | javenaiva: with a speed. |

TRANSLATION

"Abounding with all the monkeys we shall attack the city ruled by Ravana, now itself at a quick pace."

VERSE 14

इत्येवमुक्त्वा धन्वी स रामः सम्ग्रामधर्षणः
प्रतस्थे पुरतो रामो लङ्कामभिमुखो विभुः

ityevamuktvā dhanvī sa rāmaḥ samgrāmadharṣaṇaḥ
pratasthe purato rāmo laṅkāmabhimukho vibhuḥ

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: and a charming man | vibhuḥ: the Lord | samgrāma dharṣaṇaḥ: the conqueror of enemies in battle | ityevam: thus | uktvā: speaking | dhanvī: wielding a bow | pratasthe: and traveled | purataḥ: in front | abhimukhaḥ: facing | laṇkām: towards Lanka. |

TRANSLATION

Rama the lord, the conqueror of enemies and a charming man thus speaking, wielded a bow and sallied forth in front, facing towards Lanka.

VERSE 15

सविभीषणसुग्रीवाः सर्वे ते वानरर्षभाः
प्रतस्थिरे विनर्दन्तो धृतानाम् द्विषताम् वधे

savibhīṣaṇasugrīvāḥ sarve te vānararṣabhāḥ
pratasthire vinardanto dhṛtānām dviṣatām vadhe

SYNONYMS

sarve-: all | te: those | vānarṣabhāḥ: excellent monkeys | savibhīṣaṇasugrivāḥ: together with Vibhishana and Sugriva | vinardantaḥ: making roaring sounds | pratasthire: surged forth | vadhe: for thedestruction | dviṣatām: of enemies | dhṛtānām: the audacious. |

TRANSLATION

All those excellent monkeys, together with Vibhishana and Sugriva making roaring sounds surged forth for the destruction of the audacious enemies.

VERSE 16

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे त्रयोविंशः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe trayoviṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

raghunandanaḥ: Rama | tutoṣa: was pleased | karmaceṣṭābhiḥ: by the acts and gestures | sutarām: of very | vīrya śālinām: strong | harīṇām: monkeys | priyārtham: for the sake of their beloved | rāghavasya: Rama. |

TRANSLATION

Rama on his part was pleased by the act and gestures of those very strong monkeys, with their intention to gratify him.