Sundara Kanda · Sarga 42 of 68 · 44 verses
The Kimkaras
The noise of birds and breaking trees terrifies Lanka. The rakshasis wake to find the grove wrecked and a huge monkey standing there; Hanuman grows even bigger to frighten them. They ask Sita who he is and why he spoke with her. Sita answers that she cannot tell the shape-shifting rakshasas apart: a snake knows a snake’s tracks. She too is frightened, and supposes he is some rakshasa in disguise.
Some of the rakshasis run to Ravana: a monkey of terrible form has talked with Sita and destroyed the grove, all except the shimshapa tree where Sita sits, which he protected. He may be a messenger of Indra or Kubera, or of Rama. Whoever talked with Sita and smashed the grove deserves fierce punishment. Ravana blazes like a funeral fire; tears of rage fall from his eyes like burning drops of oil from lamps. He sends the Kimkaras, eighty thousand rakshasas as mighty as himself, to seize Hanuman.
They rush at the monkey on the gateway like moths at a flame, with maces, iron bars, arrows, hammers, spears and lances. Hanuman lashes his tail on the ground and roars, filling Lanka with sound, and proclaims: “Victory to Rama of great strength, and to mighty Lakshmana! Victory to King Sugriva, protected by Raghava! I am the servant of the lord of Kosala, Rama of untiring deeds: Hanuman, son of the Wind, destroyer of enemy armies. A thousand Ravanas could not match me in battle. I will crush Lanka, bow to Maithili, and go, my purpose achieved, while all the rakshasas watch.” Seizing an iron bar from the gateway, he kills the Kimkaras as Garuda kills snakes, and takes his stand on the gateway again. The survivors report to Ravana, who orders Prahasta’s son into battle.
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ततः पक्षिनिनादेन वृक्षभङ्गस्वनेन च । बभूवुस्त्राससम्भ्रान्ताः सर्वे लङ्कानिवासिनः ॥ १ ॥
Then, at the cries of the birds and the sound of breaking trees, all who lived in Lanka were alarmed with fear.
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विद्रुताश्च भयत्रस्ता विनेदुर्मृगपक्षिणः । रक्षसां च निमित्तानि क्रूराणि प्रतिपेदिरे ॥ २ ॥
Beasts and birds fled in terror and cried out, and cruel omens appeared to the rakshasas.
ततो गतायां निद्रायां राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः । तद् वनं ददृशुर्भग्नं तं च वीरं महाकपिम् ॥ ३ ॥
Then, their sleep gone, the rakshasis with hideous faces saw that grove broken, and that heroic great monkey.
स ता दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुर्महासत्त्वो महाबलः । चकार सुमहद्रूपं राक्षसीनां भयावहम् ॥ ४ ॥
Seeing them, the mighty-armed one, of great courage and great strength, made his form very large, frightening to the rakshasis.
ततस्तु गिरिसंकाशमतिकायं महाबलम् । राक्षस्यो वानरं दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुर्जनकात्मजाम् ॥ ५ ॥
Then, seeing the monkey like a mountain, of huge body and great strength, the rakshasis asked Janaka’s daughter:
कोऽयं कस्य कुतो वायं किंनिमित्तमिहागतः । कथं त्वया सहानेन संवादः कृत इत्युत ॥ ६ ॥
“Who is this? Whose is he? Where is he from? Why has he come here? And how did he come to talk with you?
आचक्ष्व नो विशालाक्षि मा भूत्ते सुभगे भयम् । संवादमसितापाङ्गि त्वया किं कृतवानयम् ॥ ७ ॥
“Tell us, large-eyed one; do not be afraid, fortunate one. What conversation did he have with you, dark-eyed one?”
अथाब्रवीत् तदा साध्वी सीता सर्वाङ्गशोभना । रक्षसां कामरूपाणां विज्ञाने का गतिर्मम ॥ ८ ॥
Then the virtuous Sita, lovely in every limb, said: “What means have I of knowing rakshasas who take any form they like?
यूयमेवास्य जानीत योऽयं यद् वा करिष्यति । अहिरेव ह्यहेः पादान् विजानाति न संशयः ॥ ९ ॥
“You yourselves know who he is and what he will do. Only a snake knows a snake’s tracks, no doubt of it.
अहमप्यतिभीतास्मि नैव जानामि को ह्ययम् । वेद्मि राक्षसमेवैनं कामरूपिणमागतम् ॥ १० ॥
“I too am very frightened; I do not know at all who this is. I take him to be a rakshasa, come in a form of his choosing.”
वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षस्यो विद्रुता द्रुतम् । स्थिताः काश्चिद्गताः काश्चिद् रावणाय निवेदितुम् ॥ ११ ॥
Hearing Vaidehi’s words, the rakshasis ran off quickly; some stayed, some went to tell Ravana.
रावणस्य समीपे तु राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः । विरूपं वानरं भीमं रावणाय न्यवेदिषुः ॥ १२ ॥
In Ravana’s presence the rakshasis with hideous faces told Ravana about the misshapen, terrible monkey:
अशोकवनिकामध्ये राजन् भीमवपुः कपिः । सीतया कृतसंवादस्तिष्ठत्यमितविक्रमः ॥ १३ ॥
“In the middle of the Ashoka grove, king, a monkey of terrible body, of boundless valour, stands, having talked with Sita.
न च तं जानकी सीता हरिं हरिणलोचना । अस्माभिर्बहुधा पृष्टा निवेदयितुमिच्छति ॥ १४ ॥
“And Sita, Janaka’s fawn-eyed daughter, though asked by us in many ways, will not tell us about that monkey.
वासवस्य भवेद् दूतो दूतो वैश्रवणस्य वा । प्रेषितो वापि रामेण सीतान्वेषणकाङ्क्षया ॥ १५ ॥
“He may be a messenger of Vasava, or a messenger of Vaishravana, or sent by Rama in his wish to search for Sita.
तेनैवाद्भुतरूपेण यत्तत्तव मनोहरम् । नानामृगगणाकीर्णं प्रमृष्टं प्रमदावनम् ॥ १६ ॥
“By that one of wondrous form your delightful pleasure grove, full of many herds of animals, has been wiped out.
न तत्र कश्चिदुद्देशो यस्तेन न विनाशितः । यत्र सा जानकी देवी स तेन न विनाशितः ॥ १७ ॥
“There is no part of it that he has not destroyed, except where the lady Janaki is; that he has not destroyed.
जानकीरक्षणार्थं वा श्रमाद् वा नोपलक्ष्यते । अथवा कः श्रमस्तस्य सैव तेनाभिरक्षिता ॥ १८ ॥
“Whether to protect Janaki or from weariness, it cannot be told; or what weariness could he have? It was she he was protecting.
चारुपल्लवपत्राढ्यं यं सीता स्वयमास्थिता । प्रवृद्धः शिंशपावृक्षः स च तेनाभिरक्षितः ॥ १९ ॥
“The great shimshapa tree, rich with lovely shoots and leaves, where Sita herself is sitting: that he has protected.
तस्योग्ररूपस्योग्रं त्वं दण्डमाज्ञातुमर्हसि । सीता सम्भाषिता येन वनं तेन विनाशितम् ॥ २० ॥
“You should order a fierce punishment for that fierce one, by whom Sita was spoken to and the grove destroyed.
मनःपरिगृहीतां तां तव रक्षोगणेश्वर । कः सीतामभिभाषेत यो न स्यात् त्यक्तजीवितः ॥ २१ ॥
“Who would speak to Sita, whom you have taken in your heart, lord of the rakshasa hosts, unless he had given up his life?”
राक्षसीनां वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । चिताग्निरिव जज्वाल कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः ॥ २२ ॥
Hearing the rakshasis’ words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, blazed like a funeral fire, his eyes rolling with anger.
तस्य क्रुद्धस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः । दीप्ताभ्यामिव दीपाभ्यां सार्चिषः स्नेहबिन्दवः ॥ २३ ॥
From the eyes of that angry one fell drops of tears, like drops of oil, flaming, from two burning lamps.
आत्मनः सदृशान् वीरान् किंकरान्नाम राक्षसान् । व्यादिदेश महातेजा निग्रहार्थं हनूमतः ॥ २४ ॥
The radiant one ordered the rakshasas called Kimkaras, heroes like himself, to seize Hanuman.
तेषामशीतिसाहस्रं किंकराणां तरस्विनाम् । निर्ययुर्भवनात् तस्मात् कूटमुद्गरपाणयः ॥ २५ ॥
Eighty thousand of those swift Kimkaras went out of that palace, with hammers and clubs in their hands,
महोदरा महादंष्ट्रा घोररूपा महाबलाः । युद्धाभिमनसः सर्वे हनूमद्ग्रहणोन्मुखाः ॥ २६ ॥
big-bellied, big-tusked, terrible in form, mighty, all eager for battle, intent on seizing Hanuman.
ते कपिं तं समासाद्य तोरणस्थमवस्थितम् । अभिपेतुर्महावेगाः पतंगा इव पावकम् ॥ २७ ॥
Reaching the monkey standing on the gateway, they rushed at him with great speed, like moths at a fire.
ते गदाभिर्विचित्राभिः परिघैः काञ्चनाङ्गदैः । आजग्मुर्वानरश्रेष्ठं शरैरादित्यसंनिभैः ॥ २८ ॥
They attacked the best of monkeys with wonderful maces, with iron bars bound with gold, and with arrows like the sun.
मुद्गरैः पट्टिशैः शूलैः प्रासतोमरपाणयः । परिवार्य हनूमन्तं सहसा तस्थुरग्रतः ॥ २९ ॥
With hammers, spears, tridents, darts and lances in their hands, they suddenly surrounded Hanuman and stood before him.
हनूमानपि तेजस्वी श्रीमान् पर्वतसंनिभः । क्षितावाविद्ध्य लाङ्गूलं ननाद च महाध्वनिम् ॥ ३० ॥
Radiant Hanuman, glorious, like a mountain, lashed his tail on the ground and roared with a great noise.
स भूत्वा तु महाकायो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः । पुच्छमास्फोटयामास लङ्कां शब्देन पूरयन् ॥ ३१ ॥
Becoming huge in body, Hanuman son of the Wind slapped his tail, filling Lanka with the sound.
तस्यास्फोटितशब्देन महता चानुनादिना । पेतुर्विहङ्गा गगनादुच्चैश्चेदमघोषयत् ॥ ३२ ॥
At the great, echoing sound of that slap, birds fell from the sky, and he proclaimed aloud:
जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः । राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः ॥ ३३ ॥
“Victory to Rama of great strength, and to mighty Lakshmana! Victory to King Sugriva, protected by Raghava!
दासोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । हनूमान् शत्रुसैन्यानां निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः ॥ ३४ ॥
“I am the servant of the lord of Kosala, Rama of untiring deeds: Hanuman, son of the Wind, slayer of enemy armies.
न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत् । शिलाभिश्च प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः ॥ ३५ ॥
“A thousand Ravanas would not be a match for me in battle, as I strike with rocks and trees by the thousand.
अर्दयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम् । समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“Having harried the city of Lanka and bowed to Maithili, I will go, my purpose achieved, while all the rakshasas look on.”
तस्य संनादशब्देन तेऽभवन् भयशङ्किताः । ददृशुश्च हनूमन्तं संध्यामेघमिवोन्नतम् ॥ ३७ ॥
At the sound of his roaring they became frightened, and they saw Hanuman towering like an evening cloud.
स्वामिसंदेशनिःशङ्कास्ततस्ते राक्षसाः कपिम् । चित्रैः प्रहरणैर्भीमैरभिपेतुस्ततस्ततः ॥ ३८ ॥
Then, made fearless by their master’s orders, the rakshasas rushed at the monkey from every side with wonderful, terrible weapons.
स तैः परिवृतः शूरैः सर्वतः स महाबलः । आससादायसं भीमं परिघं तोरणाश्रितम् ॥ ३९ ॥
Surrounded on every side by those heroes, the mighty one reached for a terrible iron bar fixed in the gateway.
स तं परिघमादाय जघान रजनीचरान् । सपन्नगमिवादाय स्फुरन्तं विनतासुतः ॥ ४० ॥
Taking that bar, he struck the night-wanderers, as Vinata’s son seizes a writhing serpent.
विचचाराम्बरे वीरः परिगृह्य च मारुतिः । सूदयामास वज्रेण दैत्यानिव सहस्रदृक् ॥ ४१ ॥
Holding it, the hero, son of the Wind, ranged through the sky and slaughtered them, as the thousand-eyed one slaughters the daityas with the thunderbolt.
स हत्वा राक्षसान् वीरः किंकरान् मारुतात्मजः । युद्धाकाङ्क्षी महावीरस्तोरणं समवस्थितः ॥ ४२ ॥
Having killed the Kimkara rakshasas, the hero, son of the Wind, the great hero, eager for battle, took his stand on the gateway.
ततस्तस्माद् भयान्मुक्ताः कतिचित्तत्र राक्षसाः । निहतान् किंकरान् सर्वान् रावणाय न्यवेदयन् ॥ ४३ ॥
Then some rakshasas there, freed from that terror, told Ravana that all the Kimkaras had been killed.
स राक्षसानां निहतं महाबलं निशम्य राजा परिवृत्तलोचनः । समादिदेशाप्रतिमं पराक्रमे प्रहस्तपुत्रं समरे सुदुर्जयम् ॥ ४४ ॥
Hearing that the mighty army of rakshasas had been killed, the king, his eyes rolling, ordered Prahasta’s son, of matchless valour, very hard to defeat in battle.