Chapter 29
Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
शुकेन तु समाख्यातांस् तान् दृष्ट्वा हरि यूथपान्
लक्ष्मणम् च महावीर्यम् भुजम् रामस्य दक्षिणम्
śukena tu samākhyātāṃs tān dṛṣṭvā hari yūthapān
lakṣmaṇam ca mahāvīryam bhujam rāmasya dakṣiṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Beholding those foremost of monkey leaders pointed out by Shuka- the most valiant Lakshmana; Rama's right arm, his own brother Vibhishana standing close to Rama, the terribly powerful Sugreeva the king of all monkeys, the strong Angada grandson of Indra the wielder of thunderbolt, the powerful Hanuman, the imincible Jambavan, Sushena, Kumuda, Nila, Nala the excellent of monkeys, Gaja, Gavaksha, Sharabha, Mainda and Dvivida- that Ravana - his heart became agitated a little, was enraged and then abused those two heroes Shuka and Sarana who had completed their report.
अधो मुखौ तौ प्रणताव् अब्रवीत् शुक सारणौ
रोष गद्गदया वाचा सम्रब्धः परुषम् वचः
adho mukhau tau praṇatāv abravīt śuka sāraṇau
roṣa gadgadayā vācā samrabdhaḥ paruṣam vacaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Ravana spoke (the following) excited and harsh words, in a voice choked in anger to Shuka and Sarana who stood saluting with their faces bent down.
न तावत् सदृशम् नाम सचिवैर् उपजीविभिः
विप्रियम् नृपतेर् वक्तुम् निग्रह प्रग्रहे विभोः
na tāvat sadṛśam nāma sacivair upajīvibhiḥ
vipriyam nṛpater vaktum nigraha pragrahe vibhoḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"It is not befitting to utter unpleasant words by dependent ministers to their king who has the power to mete out any punishment or reward."
रिपूणाम् प्रतिकूलानाम् युद्ध अर्थम् अभिवर्तताम्
उभाभ्याम् सदृशम् नाम वक्तुम् अप्रस्तवे स्तवम्
ripūṇām pratikūlānām yuddha artham abhivartatām
ubhābhyām sadṛśam nāma vaktum aprastave stavam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Is it proper for both of you to shower irrelevant praise on our enemies who are adverse to us and are approaching for a war?"
आचार्या गुरवो वृद्धा वृथा वाम् पर्युपासिताः
सारम् यद् राज शास्त्राणाम् अनुजीव्यम् न गृह्यते
ācāryā guravo vṛddhā vṛthā vām paryupāsitāḥ
sāram yad rāja śāstrāṇām anujīvyam na gṛhyate
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In vain have you sat at the feet of your elders, your preceptors and the aged, since the essence to be followed from political sciences has not been grasped by both of you."
गृहीतो वा न विज्ञातो भारो ज्ञानस्य वा उच्यते
ईदृशैः सचिवैर् युक्तो मूर्खैर् दिष्ट्या धरामि अहम्
gṛhīto vā na vijñāto bhāro jñānasya vā ucyate
īdṛśaiḥ sacivair yukto mūrkhair diṣṭyā dharāmi aham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Or if you have imbibed them, you have not remembered them. You are over-burdened with ignorance! Being associated with such foolish ministers, it is a miracle that I am still able to retain my sovereignty."
किम् नु मृत्योर् भयम् न अस्ति माम् वक्तुम् परुषम् वचः
यस्य मे शासतो जिह्वा प्रयच्चति शुभ अशुभम्
kim nu mṛtyor bhayam na asti mām vaktum paruṣam vacaḥ
yasya me śāsato jihvā prayaccati śubha aśubham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Have you no fear of death that you dare address me thus rudely, I whose tongue that you dare tongue dispenses good and evil?"
अपि एव दहनम् स्पृष्ट्वा वने तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः
राज दोष परामृष्टास् तिष्ठन्ते न अपराधिनः
api eva dahanam spṛṣṭvā vane tiṣṭhanti pādapāḥ
rāja doṣa parāmṛṣṭās tiṣṭhante na aparādhinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Trees may survive in the forest, even if disturbed by fire. But the guilty cannot survive, if touched by the royal scepter."
हन्याम् अहम् इमौ पापौ शत्रु पक्ष प्रशंसकौ
यदि पूर्व उपकारैर् मे न क्रोधो मृदुताम् व्रजेत्
hanyām aham imau pāpau śatru pakṣa praśaṃsakau
yadi pūrva upakārair me na krodho mṛdutām vrajet
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"If my anger is not softened by the services they rendered earlier, I would have killed thse two miscreants who are praising the band of enemies."
अपध्वंसत गच्चध्वम् सम्निकर्षाद् इतो मम
न हि वाम् हन्तुम् इच्चामि स्मरन्न् उपकृतानि वाम्
apadhvaṃsata gaccadhvam samnikarṣād ito mama
na hi vām hantum iccāmi smarann upakṛtāni vām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Keep away from my neighbourhood. Do not be seen anywhere here. I am recollecting your past services and hence do not wish to kill you. Both of you, who are ungrateful and unfaithful towards me, are just as dead to me."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing Ravana's words, Shuka and Sarana felt ashamed to see Ravana paid obeisance to him saying, "Be thou victorious!" and went away.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The demon Ravana spoke to Mahodara who was standing nearby as follows: "Bring me the spies here quickly."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing those words, Mahodara immediately ordered for the spies. The spies came hurriedly as per the orders of the king, paid obeisance to him by joining their palms and approached him, having made a complement expressing their desire to see him victorious.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then, Ravana the king of demons spoke the following words to those spies, who were faithful, brave, energetic and free from fear:
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You go from here to investigate about the first impression concerning Rama, as regards who are his intimate friends and in respect of those who joined on his side with a liking towards him."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Find out what are his hours of sleeping and waking and what he intends to do next. You ought to come here, after acquainting with all this information completely and skillfully."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"An enemy in battle, got known through spies by kings, will be defeated with only a little of effort."
चारास् तु ते तथा इति उक्त्वा प्रहृष्टा राक्षस ईश्वरम्
cārās tu te tathā iti uktvā prahṛṣṭā rākṣasa īśvaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those spies on their part delightfully replied, "May it be so", kept Shardula in their front and made their circumambulation clockwise around Ravana.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having thus made circumambulation to Ravana the excellent and the distinguished demon, the spies went to the place where Rama along with Lakshmana were there.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having gone in a disguised manner, those spies saw Rama and Lakshman together with Sugreeva and Vibhishana in the neighbourhood of Mountain Suvela.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Seeing that army, those demons became overwhelmed with fear. However, they were observed by the high-souled Vibhishana the Lord of demons.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Accidentally, the deomons there were caught by Vibhishana, who said that the demon Shardula among them was wicked and got him alone seized.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That Shardula also, who was going to be killed by the monkeys, was got released by Rama. The other demons also were got released by Rama, the kind man.
वानरैर् अर्दितास् ते तु विक्रान्तैर् लघु विक्रमैः
vānarair arditās te tu vikrāntair laghu vikramaiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those demons, harassed by the courageous and the quick-paced monkeys, became insensible, heaved a sigh and reached back Lanka.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe ekonatriṃśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those spies, who always wander outside and who were valiant rangers of the night, thereafter approached Ravana and informed him that Rama's army was camping in the vicinity of the Suvela mountain.
