Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 23 of 128 · 16 verses
Omens before Battle
Rama, who knows omens, embraces Lakshmana and says: let us secure cool water and fruitful woods, divide the army and stand in battle array. I see a terrible danger coming that will destroy the world, a slaughter of heroes among bears, monkeys and rakshasas. The winds blow murky, the earth shakes, mountain peaks tremble and trees fall; harsh clouds like flesh-eaters rain blood; the twilight is red as sandal; a ball of fire falls from the sun; beasts and birds cry miserably toward the sun; the moon at night burns without light, edged with black and red; a small, harsh, red halo surrounds the sun and a dark mark is seen on it; dust hides the stars. Crows, hawks and vultures circle, jackals howl. The ground will be covered with rocks, spears and swords, a mire of flesh and blood. Let us march on Ravana’s city at once. So saying, Rama sets out at the front, bow in hand, toward Lanka; the monkey chiefs with Vibhishana and Sugriva follow, roaring, and Rama is pleased with their eagerness.
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निमित्तानि निमित्तज्ञो दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः । सौमित्रिं सम्परिष्वज्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Seeing the omens, Lakshmana’s elder brother, who knew omens, embraced Saumitri and said this:
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परिगृह्योदकं शीतं वनानि फलवन्ति च । बलौघं संविभज्येमं व्यूह्य तिष्ठेम लक्ष्मण ॥ २ ॥
“Securing cool water and fruitful woods, and dividing this mass of troops, let us stand in array, Lakshmana.
लोकक्षयकरं भीमं भयं पश्याम्युपस्थितम् । प्रबर्हणं प्रवीराणामृक्षवानररक्षसाम् ॥ ३ ॥
“I see a terrible danger at hand that will bring the destruction of the world, a slaughter of the heroes of the bears, monkeys and rakshasas.
वाताश्च कलुषा वान्ति कम्पते च वसुंधरा । पर्वताग्राणि वेपन्ते पतन्ति च महीरुहाः ॥ ४ ॥
“Murky winds blow and the earth trembles; the mountain tops shake and trees fall.
मेघाः क्रव्यादसंकाशाः परुषाः परुषस्वनाः । क्रूराः क्रूरं प्रवर्षन्ति मिश्रं शोणितबिन्दुभिः ॥ ५ ॥
“Harsh clouds like flesh-eaters, with harsh sounds, cruel, rain cruelly, mixed with drops of blood.
रक्तचन्दनसंकाशा संध्या परमदारुणा । ज्वलतः प्रपतत्येतदादित्यादग्निमण्डलम् ॥ ६ ॥
“The twilight is like red sandal, most dreadful; from the blazing sun a ball of fire falls.
दीना दीनस्वराः क्रूराः सर्वतो मृगपक्षिणः । प्रत्यादित्यं विनर्दन्ति जनयन्तो महद्भयम् ॥ ७ ॥
“Wretched beasts and birds, cruel, with miserable cries, cry out on every side toward the sun, creating great fear.
रजन्यामप्रकाशस्तु संतापयति चन्द्रमाः । कृष्णरक्तांशुपर्यन्तो लोकक्षय इवोदितः ॥ ८ ॥
“At night the moon, lightless, torments, its rays edged black and red, risen as if at the destruction of the world.
ह्रस्वो रूक्षोऽप्रशस्तश्च परिवेषस्तु लोहितः । आदित्ये विमले नीलं लक्ष्म लक्ष्मण दृश्यते ॥ ९ ॥
“A small, harsh, inauspicious, red halo, and on the spotless sun a dark mark is seen, Lakshmana.
रजसा महता चापि नक्षत्राणि हतानि च । युगान्तमिव लोकानां पश्य शंसन्ति लक्ष्मण ॥ १० ॥
“And the stars are blotted out by a great dust. See, Lakshmana: they proclaim as it were the end of an age for the worlds.
काकाः श्येनास्तथा नीचा गृध्राः परिपतन्ति च । शिवाश्चाप्यशुभान् नादान् नदन्ति सुमहाभयान् ॥ ११ ॥
“Crows, hawks and low vultures circle, and jackals howl inauspicious, very fearful cries.
शैलैः शूलैश्च खड्गैश्च विमुक्तैः कपिराक्षसैः । भविष्यत्यावृता भूमिर्मांसशोणितकर्दमा ॥ १२ ॥
“With rocks, spears and swords loosed by monkeys and rakshasas the earth will be covered, a mire of flesh and blood.
क्षिप्रमद्यैव दुर्धर्षां पुरीं रावणपालिताम् । अभियाम जवेनैव सर्वैर्हरिभिरावृताः ॥ १३ ॥
“Quickly, this very day, let us march swiftly on the unassailable city guarded by Ravana, surrounded by all the monkeys.”
इत्येवमुक्त्वा धन्वी स रामः संग्रामधर्षणः । प्रतस्थे पुरतो रामो लङ्कामभिमुखो विभुः ॥ १४ ॥
Having said this, Rama, bow in hand, crusher in battle, the lord, set out in front, facing Lanka.
सविभीषणसुग्रीवाः सर्वे ते वानरर्षभाः । प्रतस्थिरे विनर्दन्तो धृतानां द्विषतां वधे ॥ १५ ॥
With Vibhishana and Sugriva, all those bulls among monkeys set out, roaring, for the killing of the enemies they faced.
राघवस्य प्रियार्थं तु सुतरां वीर्यशालिनाम् । हरीणां कर्मचेष्टाभिस्तुतोष रघुनन्दनः ॥ १६ ॥
And by the deeds and efforts of the monkeys, so full of valour, for Raghava’s sake, the delight of the Raghus was pleased.