Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 19 of 128 · 41 verses
Vibhishana Crowned; Counsel about the Ocean
Granted safety, Vibhishana comes down from the sky with his four followers and falls at Rama’s feet. “I am Ravana’s younger brother, insulted by him. I have come to you, the refuge of all beings. I have left Lanka, my friends and my wealth; my kingdom, my life and my happiness now depend on you.” Rama comforts him, drinking him in with his eyes, and asks him to describe the rakshasas’ strength. Vibhishana tells him: Ravana cannot be killed by gods, gandharvas, serpents or birds, through Brahma’s boon. Next comes Kumbhakarna, Indra’s equal in battle; then Prahasta, the commander, who defeated Manibhadra on Kailasa; then Indrajit, who, wearing iguana-skin finger guards and invincible armour, becomes invisible in battle after offering to the fire; then the generals Mahodara, Mahaparshva and Akampana, like the guardians of the world; and ten thousand crores of flesh-eating rakshasas in Lanka, with whom Ravana defeated the world-guardians and the gods.
Rama answers: I know all his deeds. I will kill Ten-necked with Prahasta and his sons and make you king; let him enter the underworld or go to Brahma, he will not escape me alive. I swear by my three brothers: I will not enter Ayodhya without killing Ravana with his sons and kin. Vibhishana bows and promises to help to the limit of his life in killing the rakshasas and storming Lanka. Rama embraces him and tells Lakshmana to bring sea water and consecrate him king of the rakshasas then and there; and Lakshmana does so among the monkey chiefs, who cheer.
Hanuman and Sugriva ask Vibhishana how the army can cross the ocean. He advises that Rama seek refuge with the Ocean itself: the ocean was dug by Sagara, Rama’s ancestor, and should help his kinsman. Sugriva brings this to Rama and Lakshmana; Rama likes it, and Lakshmana and Sugriva agree: without a bridge, not even the gods could reach Lanka. So Rama lies down on a bed of kusha grass on the shore, like a fire on an altar.
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राघवेणाभये दत्ते संनतो रावणानुजः । विभीषणो महाप्राज्ञो भूमिं समवलोकयत् ॥ १ ॥
When safety had been granted by Raghava, Ravana’s younger brother, the very wise Vibhishana, bowing, looked down at the earth.
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Vibhishana Crowned; Counsel about the Ocean 1 min read.
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खात् पपातावनिं हृष्टो भक्तैरनुचरैः सह । स तु रामस्य धर्मात्मा निपपात विभीषणः ॥ २ ॥
Delighted, he came down from the sky to the ground with his devoted followers; and righteous Vibhishana fell before Rama,
पादयोर्निपपाताथ चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः । अब्रवीच्च तदा वाक्यं रामं प्रति विभीषणः ॥ ३ ॥
fell at his feet with his four rakshasas. Then Vibhishana spoke to Rama
धर्मयुक्तं च युक्तं च साम्प्रतं सम्प्रहर्षणम् । अनुजो रावणस्याहं तेन चास्म्यवमानितः ॥ ४ ॥
words full of dharma, fitting, timely and gladdening: “I am Ravana’s younger brother, and I have been insulted by him.
भवन्तं सर्वभूतानां शरण्यं शरणं गतः । परित्यक्ता मया लङ्का मित्राणि च धनानि च ॥ ५ ॥
“I have come for refuge to you, the refuge of all beings. I have given up Lanka, my friends and my wealth.
भवद्गतं हि मे राज्यं जीवितं च सुखानि च । तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा रामो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ६ ॥
“My kingdom, my life and my happiness now rest on you.” Hearing his words, Rama spoke,
वचसा सान्त्वयित्वैनं लोचनाभ्यां पिबन्निव । आख्याहि मम तत्त्वेन राक्षसानां बलाबलम् ॥ ७ ॥
comforting him with words, as if drinking him in with his eyes: “Tell me truly the strength and weakness of the rakshasas.”
एवमुक्तं तदा रक्षो रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । रावणस्य बलं सर्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ ८ ॥
Spoken to so then by Rama of untiring deeds, the rakshasa began to describe all Ravana’s strength:
अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां गन्धर्वोरगपक्षिणाम् । राजपुत्र दशग्रीवो वरदानात् स्वयम्भुवः ॥ ९ ॥
“Prince, Ten-necked cannot be killed by any beings, by gandharvas, serpents or birds, through the boon granted by the Self-born.
रावणानन्तरो भ्राता मम ज्येष्ठश्च वीर्यवान् । कुम्भकर्णो महातेजाः शक्रप्रतिबलो युधि ॥ १० ॥
“My brother next after Ravana, my elder, valiant, radiant Kumbhakarna, is Shakra’s match in battle.
राम सेनापतिस्तस्य प्रहस्तो यदि ते श्रुतः । कैलासे येन समरे मणिभद्रः पराजितः ॥ ११ ॥
“Rama, his commander is Prahasta, if you have heard of him, by whom Manibhadra was defeated in battle on Kailasa.
बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणस्त्ववध्यकवचो युधि । धनुरादाय यस्तिष्ठन्नदृश्यो भवतीन्द्रजित् ॥ १२ ॥
“Indrajit, with finger guards of iguana skin bound on and armour that cannot be pierced in battle, standing with his bow, becomes invisible.
संग्रामे सुमहद्व्यूहे तर्पयित्वा हुताशनम् । अन्तर्धानगतः श्रीमानिन्द्रजिद्धन्ति राघव ॥ १३ ॥
“In battle, in a great array, having satisfied the fire, glorious Indrajit, become invisible, kills, Raghava.
महोदरमहापार्श्वौ राक्षसश्चाप्यकम्पनः । अनीकपास्तु तस्यैते लोकपालसमा युधि ॥ १४ ॥
“Mahodara, Mahaparshva and the rakshasa Akampana are his army commanders, equal to the world-guardians in battle.
दशकोटिसहस्राणि रक्षसां कामरूपिणाम् । मांसशोणितभक्ष्याणां लङ्कापुरनिवासिनाम् ॥ १५ ॥
“Ten thousand crores of rakshasas who take any form they like, eaters of flesh and blood, live in the city of Lanka.
स तैस्तु सहितो राजा लोकपालानयोधयत् । सह देवैस्तु ते भग्ना रावणेन दुरात्मना ॥ १६ ॥
“With them the king fought the world-guardians; they, with the gods, were broken by evil-souled Ravana.”
विभीषणस्य तु वचस्तच्छ्रुत्वा रघुसत्तमः । अन्वीक्ष्य मनसा सर्वमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १७ ॥
Hearing Vibhishana’s words, the best of the Raghus, having considered everything in his mind, said this:
यानि कर्मापदानानि रावणस्य विभीषण । आख्यातानि च तत्त्वेन ह्यवगच्छामि तान्यहम् ॥ १८ ॥
“The deeds and exploits of Ravana that you have truly told, Vibhishana, I know.
अहं हत्वा दशग्रीवं सप्रहस्तं सहात्मजम् । राजानं त्वां करिष्यामि सत्यमेतच्छृणोतु मे ॥ १९ ॥
“Having killed Ten-necked with Prahasta and his son, I will make you king: hear this truth from me.
रसातलं वा प्रविशेत् पातालं वापि रावणः । पितामहसकाशं वा न मे जीवन् विमोक्ष्यते ॥ २० ॥
“Whether Ravana enters Rasatala or Patala, or goes to the Grandsire, he will not escape me alive.
अहत्वा रावणं संख्ये सपुत्रजनबान्धवम् । अयोध्यां न प्रवेक्ष्यामि त्रिभिस्तैर्भ्रातृभिः शपे ॥ २१ ॥
“Without killing Ravana in battle with his sons, people and kin, I will not enter Ayodhya: I swear by my three brothers.”
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । शिरसाऽऽवन्द्य धर्मात्मा वक्तुमेवं प्रचक्रमे ॥ २२ ॥
Hearing those words of Rama of untiring deeds, the righteous one bowed his head and began to speak:
राक्षसानां वधे साह्यं लङ्कायाश्च प्रधर्षणे । करिष्यामि यथाप्राणं प्रवेक्ष्यामि च वाहिनीम् ॥ २३ ॥
“In the killing of the rakshasas and the storming of Lanka I will give help as far as my life allows, and I will enter their army.”
इति ब्रुवाणं रामस्तु परिष्वज्य विभीषणम् । अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं प्रीतः समुद्राज्जलमानय ॥ २४ ॥
As he spoke so, Rama embraced Vibhishana and, pleased, said to Lakshmana: “Bring water from the ocean,
तेन चेमं महाप्राज्ञमभिषिञ्च विभीषणम् । राजानं रक्षसां क्षिप्रं प्रसन्ने मयि मानद ॥ २५ ॥
“and with it consecrate this very wise Vibhishana king of the rakshasas at once, since I am pleased, giver of honour.”
एवमुक्तस्तु सौमित्रिरभ्यषिञ्चद् विभीषणम् । मध्ये वानरमुख्यानां राजानं राजशासनात् ॥ २६ ॥
Spoken to so, Saumitri consecrated Vibhishana as king in the midst of the monkey chiefs, at the king’s command.
तं प्रसादं तु रामस्य दृष्ट्वा सद्यः प्लवङ्गमाः । प्रचुक्रुशुर्महात्मानं साधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवन् ॥ २७ ॥
Seeing that grace of Rama, the leapers at once shouted and cried to the great soul, “Well done! Well done!”
अब्रवीच्च हनूमांश्च सुग्रीवश्च विभीषणम् । कथं सागरमक्षोभ्यं तराम वरुणालयम् । सैन्यैः परिवृताः सर्वे वानराणां महौजसाम् ॥ २८ ॥
And Hanuman and Sugriva said to Vibhishana: “How shall we cross the unshakeable ocean, Varuna’s home, all of us, surrounded by armies of monkeys of great energy?
उपायैरभिगच्छाम यथा नदनदीपतिम् । तराम तरसा सर्वे ससैन्या वरुणालयम् ॥ २९ ॥
“By what means may we approach the lord of rivers and streams, so that we all cross Varuna’s home swiftly with our armies?”
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा प्रत्युवाच विभीषणः । समुद्रं राघवो राजा शरणं गन्तुमर्हति ॥ ३० ॥
Spoken to so, righteous Vibhishana replied: “King Raghava should go to the Ocean for refuge.
खानितः सगरेणायमप्रमेयो महोदधिः । कर्तुमर्हति रामस्य ज्ञातेः कार्यं महोदधिः ॥ ३१ ॥
“This immeasurable great ocean was dug by Sagara; the great ocean ought to do the work of Rama, his kinsman.”
एवं विभीषणेनोक्तो राक्षसेन विपश्चिता । आजगामाथ सुग्रीवो यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः ॥ ३२ ॥
Told so by the wise rakshasa Vibhishana, Sugriva then came to where Rama was with Lakshmana.
ततश्चाख्यातुमारेभे विभीषणवचः शुभम् । सुग्रीवो विपुलग्रीवः सागरस्योपवेशनम् ॥ ३३ ॥
Then broad-necked Sugriva began to tell Vibhishana’s good advice, about sitting in supplication before the ocean.
प्रकृत्या धर्मशीलस्य रामस्यास्याप्यरोचत । सलक्ष्मणं महातेजाः सुग्रीवं च हरीश्वरम् ॥ ३४ ॥
It pleased Rama too, righteous by nature. The radiant one, skilled in action, said with a smile, to honour Lakshmana and Sugriva, lord of the monkeys:
सत्क्रियार्थं क्रियादक्षं स्मितपूर्वमभाषत । विभीषणस्य मन्त्रोऽयं मम लक्ष्मण रोचते ॥ ३५ ॥
“This counsel of Vibhishana’s pleases me, Lakshmana.
सुग्रीवः पण्डितो नित्यं भवान् मन्त्रविचक्षणः । उभाभ्यां सम्प्रधार्यार्थं रोचते यत् तदुच्यताम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“Sugriva is always wise, and you are skilled in counsel. Having both considered the matter, say what pleases you.”
एवमुक्तौ ततो वीरावुभौ सुग्रीवलक्ष्मणौ । समुदाचारसंयुक्तमिदं वचनमूचतुः ॥ ३७ ॥
Spoken to so, the two heroes, Sugriva and Lakshmana, said these words with due courtesy:
किमर्थं नौ नरव्याघ्र न रोचिष्यति राघव । विभीषणेन यत् तूक्तमस्मिन् काले सुखावहम् ॥ ३८ ॥
“Why should it not please us, tiger among men, Raghava, what Vibhishana has said, bringing happiness at this time?
अबद्ध्वा सागरे सेतुं घोरेऽस्मिन् वरुणालये । लङ्का नासादितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः ॥ ३९ ॥
“Without building a bridge in this terrible ocean, Varuna’s home, Lanka cannot be reached even by the gods and asuras with Indra.
विभीषणस्य शूरस्य यथार्थं क्रियतां वचः । अलं कालात्ययं कृत्वा सागरोऽयं नियुज्यताम् । यथा सैन्येन गच्छाम पुरीं रावणपालिताम् ॥ ४० ॥
“Let the words of heroic Vibhishana be acted on as they are. Enough of letting time pass; let this ocean be enlisted, so that we may go with the army to the city guarded by Ravana.”
एवमुक्तः कुशास्तीर्णे तीरे नदनदीपतेः । संविवेश तदा रामो वेद्यामिव हुताशनः ॥ ४१ ॥
Spoken to so, Rama lay down then on the shore of the lord of rivers and streams, spread with kusha grass, like a fire on an altar.