Sundara Kanda · Sarga 18 of 68 · 32 verses
Ravana Comes to the Grove
As the night nears its end, Hanuman hears brahma-rakshasas chanting the Veda. In the palace, auspicious music wakes Ravana. His garland and clothes disordered, he thinks at once of Vaidehi; unable to hide his desire, he walks to the Ashoka grove, past its jewelled gateways and flowering trees.
About a hundred women follow him, as the wives of gods and gandharvas follow Indra: some carry golden lamps, some yak-tail and palm-leaf fans, some golden water jars, cushions, a jewelled cup of wine, a white umbrella with a golden handle. They are still heavy with sleep and wine, their hair loose, their ornaments askew, clinging to him like lightning to a cloud. Hearing their girdles and anklets, Hanuman sees Ravana arrive at the gate, lit by scented lamps, his eyes red with desire, like Kama himself who has thrown aside his bow. Hanuman recognises the king he had seen asleep in the palace, shrinks into the leaves, overpowered by the rakshasa’s splendour, and watches him approach Sita.
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तथा विप्रेक्षमाणस्य वनं पुष्पितपादपम् । विचिन्वतश्च वैदेहीं किञ्चिच्छेषा निशाभवत् ॥ १ ॥
As he looked out over the grove of flowering trees and searched for Vaidehi, the night had little left.
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षडंगवेदविदुषां क्रतुप्रवरयाजिनाम् । शुश्राव ब्रह्मघोषान् स विरात्रे ब्रह्मरक्षसाम् ॥ २ ॥
In the last part of the night he heard the sounds of Veda-chanting of brahma-rakshasas versed in the Vedas with their six limbs and performers of the finest sacrifices.
अथ मंगलवादित्रैः शब्दैः श्रोत्रमनोहरैः । प्राबोध्यत महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवो महाबलः ॥ ३ ॥
Then mighty, mighty-armed Ten-necked was woken by auspicious music, by sounds delightful to the ear and mind.
विबुध्य तु महाभागो राक्षसेन्द्रः प्रतापवान् । स्रस्तमाल्याम्बरधरो वैदेहीमन्वचिन्तयत् ॥ ४ ॥
Waking, the fortunate, powerful king of the rakshasas, his garland and garments slipping, thought of Vaidehi.
भृशं नियुक्तस्तस्यां च मदनेन मदोत्कटः । न तु तं राक्षसः कामं शशाकात्मनि गूहितुम् ॥ ५ ॥
Driven hard toward her by desire, wild with passion, the rakshasa could not hide that desire within himself.
स सर्वाभरणैर्युक्तो बिभ्रच्छ्रियमनुत्तमाम् । तां नगैर्विविधैर्जुष्टां सर्वपुष्पफलोपगैः ॥ ६ ॥
Wearing all his ornaments, bearing unsurpassed splendour, into that grove, frequented by trees of every kind bearing all flowers and fruit,
वृतां पुष्करिणीभिश्च नानापुष्पोपशोभिताम् । सदा मत्तैश्च विहगैर्विचित्रां परमाद्भुतैः ॥ ७ ॥
surrounded by lotus pools, adorned with many flowers, wonderful with birds always in joy, most marvellous,
ईहामृगैश्च विविधैर्वृतां दृष्टिमनोहरैः । वीथीः सम्प्रेक्षमाणश्च मणिकाञ्चनतोरणाम् ॥ ८ ॥
surrounded by many kinds of statues of animals delightful to the eye, looking along its avenues with their gateways of jewel and gold,
नानामृगगणाकीर्णां फलैः प्रपतितैर्वृताम् । अशोकवनिकामेव प्राविशत् संततद्रुमाम् ॥ ९ ॥
strewn with herds of many beasts, covered with fallen fruit, he entered the Ashoka grove, thick with trees.
अंगनाः शतमात्रं तु तं व्रजन्तमनुव्रजन् । महेन्द्रमिव पौलस्त्यं देवगन्धर्वयोषितः ॥ १० ॥
About a hundred women followed him as he went, as the wives of gods and gandharvas follow great Indra, the descendant of Pulastya.
दीपिकाः काञ्चनीः काश्चिज्जगृहुस्तत्र योषितः । वालव्यजनहस्ताश्च तालवृन्तानि चापराः ॥ ११ ॥
Some of the women there took golden lamps; some had yak-tail fans in their hands, and others palm-leaf fans.
काञ्चनैश्चैव भृंगारैर्जह्रुः सलिलमग्रतः । मण्डलाग्रा बृसीश्चैव गृह्यान्याः पृष्ठतो ययुः ॥ १२ ॥
With golden pitchers they carried water in front; others went behind, carrying round cushions and seats.
काचिद् रत्नमयीं पात्रीं पूर्णां पानस्य भ्राजतीम् । दक्षिणा दक्षिणेनैव तदा जग्राह पाणिना ॥ १३ ॥
One, skilful, took with her right hand a jewelled cup, gleaming, full of wine.
राजहंसप्रतीकाशं छत्रं पूर्णशशिप्रभम् । सौवर्णदण्डमपरा गृहीत्वा पृष्ठतो ययौ ॥ १४ ॥
Another went behind, holding an umbrella like a royal swan, with the light of the full moon and a golden handle.
निद्रामदपरीताक्ष्यो रावणस्योत्तमस्त्रियः । अनुजग्मुः पतिं वीरं घनं विद्युल्लता इव ॥ १५ ॥
Ravana’s finest women, their eyes heavy with sleep and wine, followed their heroic husband like streaks of lightning a cloud,
व्याविद्धहारकेयूराः समामृदितवर्णकाः । समागलितकेशान्ताः सस्वेदवदनास्तथा ॥ १६ ॥
their necklaces and armlets awry, their cosmetics smudged, their hair falling loose, their faces moist with sweat,
घूर्णन्त्यो मदशेषेण निद्रया च शुभाननाः । स्वेदक्लिष्टांगकुसुमाः समाल्याकुलमूर्धजाः ॥ १७ ॥
the lovely-faced ones swaying from the remains of drink and from sleep, the flowers on their bodies wilted with sweat, their hair tangled with garlands.
प्रयान्तं नैर्ऋतपतिं नार्यो मदिरलोचनाः । बहुमानाच्च कामाच्च प्रियभार्यास्तमन्वयुः ॥ १८ ॥
The women with intoxicating eyes, his beloved wives, followed the departing lord of the nairritas from deep regard and desire.
स च कामपराधीनः पतिस्तासां महाबलः । सीतासक्तमना मन्दो मन्दाञ्चितगतिर्बभौ ॥ १९ ॥
And he, their mighty husband, in the power of desire, his mind fixed on Sita, slow and moving with a slow, swaying gait, looked splendid.
ततः काञ्चीनिनादं च नूपुराणां च निःस्वनम् । शुश्राव परमस्त्रीणां कपिर्मारुतनन्दनः ॥ २० ॥
Then the monkey, son of the Wind, heard the sound of the girdles and the ringing of the anklets of those lovely women.
तं चाप्रतिमकर्माणमचिन्त्यबलपौरुषम् । द्वारदेशमनुप्राप्तं ददर्श हनुमान् कपिः ॥ २१ ॥
And the monkey Hanuman saw him, of incomparable deeds and unimaginable strength and manhood, arrive at the gate,
दीपिकाभिरनेकाभिः समन्तादवभासितम् । गन्धतैलावसिक्ताभिर्ध्रियमाणाभिरग्रतः ॥ २२ ॥
lit up on every side by many lamps fed with fragrant oil, held in front of him,
कामदर्पमदैर्युक्तं जिह्मताम्रायतेक्षणम् । समक्षमिव कंदर्पमपविद्धशरासनम् ॥ २३ ॥
full of desire, pride and intoxication, his eyes long, coppery and slanting, like Kandarpa in person with his bow thrown aside,
मथितामृतफेनाभमरजोवस्त्रमुत्तमम् । सपुष्पमवकर्षन्तं विमुक्तं सक्तमंगदे ॥ २४ ॥
drawing along his fine dust-free garment, like the foam of churned nectar, loosened and caught on his armlet, with flowers in it.
तं पत्रविटपे लीनः पत्रपुष्पशतावृतः । समीपमुपसंक्रान्तं विज्ञातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ २५ ॥
Hidden in the leafy branches, covered by hundreds of leaves and flowers, he set about making out the one who had come near.
अवेक्षमाणस्तु तदा ददर्श कपिकुञ्जरः । रूपयौवनसम्पन्ना रावणस्य वरस्त्रियः ॥ २६ ॥
Looking, the elephant among monkeys saw then Ravana’s fine women, rich in beauty and youth.
ताभिः परिवृतो राजा सुरूपाभिर्महायशाः । तन्मृगद्विजसंघुष्टं प्रविष्टः प्रमदावनम् ॥ २७ ॥
Surrounded by those beautiful women, the greatly glorious king entered that pleasure grove, loud with beasts and birds.
क्षीबो विचित्राभरणः शङ्कुकर्णो महाबलः । तेन विश्रवसः पुत्रः स दृष्टो राक्षसाधिपः ॥ २८ ॥
Drunk, with wonderful ornaments, ears like stakes, mighty: so he was seen, the son of Vishravas, lord of the rakshasas,
वृतः परमनारीभिस्ताराभिरिव चन्द्रमाः । तं ददर्श महातेजास्तेजोवन्तं महाकपिः ॥ २९ ॥
surrounded by the finest women as the moon by the stars. The radiant great monkey saw that radiant one,
रावणोऽयं महाबाहुरिति संचिन्त्य वानरः । सोऽयमेव पुरा शेते पुरमध्ये गृहोत्तमे । अवप्लुतो महातेजा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ॥ ३० ॥
and the monkey thought, “This is mighty-armed Ravana. This is the very one who lay before in the finest house in the middle of the city.” Radiant Hanuman, son of the Wind, leapt down.
स तथाप्युग्रतेजाः स निर्धूतस्तस्य तेजसा । पत्रे गुह्यान्तरे सक्तो मतिमान् संवृतोऽभवत् ॥ ३१ ॥
Fierce in splendour though he was, he was overpowered by the other’s splendour; the wise one stayed hidden, clinging to a leafy hollow.
स तामसितकेशान्तां सुश्रोणीं संहतस्तनीम् । दिदृक्षुरसितापांगीमुपावर्तत रावणः ॥ ३२ ॥
Eager to see that dark-haired lady, with lovely hips, close-set breasts and dark-cornered eyes, Ravana approached her.