Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 25 of 128 · 33 verses
The Spies Shuka and Sarana
Hearing that Rama has crossed the ocean with his army by an unheard-of bridge, Ravana can hardly believe it. He sends his ministers Shuka and Sarana, disguised as monkeys, into the enemy army to count it and learn its strength, its chief monkeys, its commanders and counsellors, how the bridge was built and how they are camped, and Rama’s and Lakshmana’s resolve, valour and weapons. The two spies enter the army but cannot count it: it covers the mountain tops, springs, caves, shores, woods and groves, some crossing, some crossed, some about to cross, a vast unshakeable ocean of troops.
Vibhishana sees through their disguise, seizes them and brings them to Rama: these are the spies of the king of the rakshasas. Terrified, hopeless of life, they confess with joined palms that Ravana sent them to learn the army’s strength. Rama, devoted to the good of all beings, laughs: if you have seen everything, go back as you please; if anything is unseen, look again, or Vibhishana will show you all of it. Do not fear for your lives; unarmed messengers who are captured do not deserve death. Release them, Vibhishana. And tell Ravana from me: show the strength you relied on when you stole my Sita, with your army and kin; tomorrow at dawn you will see Lanka with its walls and gates, and the rakshasa army, destroyed by my arrows; I will loose my terrible anger on you, as Indra looses his thunderbolt on the danavas.
The spies return and tell Ravana: we were caught by Vibhishana to be killed and freed by righteous Rama. In one place stand four bulls among men, Rama, Lakshmana, Vibhishana and Sugriva, equal to the world-guardians. They alone could uproot Lanka and carry it off, without the monkeys; Rama alone, with his form and weapons, could destroy it. That army, guarded by Rama, Lakshmana and Sugriva, cannot be defeated even by gods and asuras. “Enough of hostility; make peace. Give Maithili to Dasharatha’s son.”
Press › to begin with verse 1.
सबले सागरं तीर्णे रामे दशरथात्मजे । अमात्यौ रावणः श्रीमानब्रवीच्छुकसारणौ ॥ १ ॥
When Rama, son of Dasharatha, had crossed the ocean with his army, glorious Ravana said to his two ministers, Shuka and Sarana:
Commentary on the whole sarga
The Spies Shuka and Sarana 1 min read.
Read the commentary
समग्रं सागरं तीर्णं दुस्तरं वानरं बलम् । अभूतपूर्वं रामेण सागरे सेतुबन्धनम् ॥ २ ॥
“The whole monkey army has crossed the ocean, so hard to cross: a bridge-building in the ocean by Rama that never happened before.
सागरे सेतुबन्धं तं न श्रद्दध्यां कथंचन । अवश्यं चापि संख्येयं तन्मया वानरं बलम् ॥ ३ ॥
“I could not in any way believe in that bridge-building in the ocean; but that monkey army must certainly be counted by me.
भवन्तौ वानरं सैन्यं प्रविश्यानुपलक्षितौ । परिमाणं च वीर्यं च ये च मुख्याः प्लवंगमाः ॥ ४ ॥
“You two, entering the monkey army unnoticed, find out its size and valour, and who are the chief leapers,
मन्त्रिणो ये च रामस्य सुग्रीवस्य च सम्मताः । ये पूर्वमभिवर्तन्ते ये च शूराः प्लवंगमाः ॥ ५ ॥
“who are the counsellors of Rama and Sugriva, and who are respected; who go in front, and who are the heroic leapers;
स च सेतुर्यथा बद्धः सागरे सलिलार्णवे । निवेशं च यथा तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम् ॥ ६ ॥
“how that bridge was built in the ocean, the sea of water, and how those great-souled monkeys are camped;
रामस्य व्यवसायं च वीर्यं प्रहरणानि च । लक्ष्मणस्य च वीरस्य तत्त्वतो ज्ञातुमर्हथः ॥ ७ ॥
“the resolve, valour and weapons of Rama and of heroic Lakshmana: you should learn them truly,
कश्च सेनापतिस्तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम् । तच्च ज्ञात्वा यथातत्त्वं शीघ्रमागन्तुमर्हथः ॥ ८ ॥
“and who is the commander of those great-souled monkeys. Having learned that accurately, you should come back quickly.”
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टौ राक्षसौ शुकसारणौ । हरिरूपधरौ वीरौ प्रविष्टौ वानरं बलम् ॥ ९ ॥
So instructed, the two rakshasas Shuka and Sarana, taking the form of monkeys, the heroes, entered the monkey army.
ततस्तद् वानरं सैन्यमचिन्त्यं लोमहर्षणम् । संख्यातुं नाध्यगच्छेतां तदा तौ शुकसारणौ ॥ १० ॥
Then Shuka and Sarana could not count that monkey army, unthinkable, hair-raising.
तत् स्थितं पर्वताग्रेषु निर्झरेषु गुहासु च । समुद्रस्य च तीरेषु वनेषूपवनेषु च । तरमाणं च तीर्णं च तर्तुकामं च सर्वशः ॥ ११ ॥
It stood on the mountain tops, at the springs and in the caves, on the shores of the ocean, in the woods and groves; crossing, crossed, and wanting to cross, everywhere;
निविष्टं निविशच्चैव भीमनादं महाबलम् । तद्बलार्णवमक्षोभ्यं ददृशाते निशाचरौ ॥ १२ ॥
camped and camping, with a terrible roar, of great strength: the two night-wanderers saw that unshakeable ocean of troops.
तौ ददर्श महातेजाः प्रतिच्छन्नौ विभीषणः । आचचक्षे स रामाय गृहीत्वा शुकसारणौ ॥ १३ ॥
Radiant Vibhishana saw them in disguise; he seized Shuka and Sarana and told Rama:
तस्यैतौ राक्षसेन्द्रस्य मन्त्रिणौ शुकसारणौ । लङ्कायाः समनुप्राप्तौ चारौ परपुरंजय ॥ १४ ॥
“These two, Shuka and Sarana, ministers of that king of the rakshasas, have come from Lanka as spies, conqueror of enemy cities.”
तौ दृष्ट्वा व्यथितौ रामं निराशौ जीविते तथा । कृताञ्जलिपुटौ भीतौ वचनं चेदमूचतुः ॥ १५ ॥
Seeing Rama, the two, distressed and without hope of life, frightened, with joined palms, said this:
आवामिहागतौ सौम्य रावणप्रहितावुभौ । परिज्ञातुं बलं सर्वं तदिदं रघुनन्दन ॥ १६ ॥
“We two have come here, gentle one, both sent by Ravana, to find out this whole army, delight of the Raghus.”
तयोस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा रामो दशरथात्मजः । अब्रवीत् प्रहसन् वाक्यं सर्वभूतहिते रतः ॥ १७ ॥
Hearing their words, Rama, son of Dasharatha, devoted to the good of all beings, said with a laugh:
यदि दृष्टं बलं सर्वं वयं वा सुसमाहिताः । यथोक्तं वा कृतं कार्यं छन्दतः प्रतिगम्यताम् ॥ १८ ॥
“If you have seen the whole army, and us so well arranged, or done the task as you were told, go back as you please.
अथ किंचिददृष्टं वा भूयस्तद् द्रष्टुमर्हथः । विभीषणो वा कात्स्र्न्येन पुनः संदर्शयिष्यति ॥ १९ ॥
“Or if something is unseen, you should see it again; or Vibhishana will show you all of it again.
न चेदं ग्रहणं प्राप्य भेतव्यं जीवितं प्रति । न्यस्तशस्त्रौ गृहीतौ च न दूतौ वधमर्हथः ॥ २० ॥
“And having come to capture, you need not fear for your lives; disarmed and captured, you as messengers do not deserve death.
प्रच्छन्नौ च विमुञ्चेमौ चारौ रात्रिंचरावुभौ । शत्रुपक्षस्य सततं विभीषण विकर्षिणौ ॥ २१ ॥
“Release these two, Vibhishana, the disguised spies, the night-wanderers, who always drag down the enemy’s side.
प्रविश्य महतीं लङ्कां भवद्भ्यां धनदानुजः । वक्तव्यो रक्षसां राजा यथोक्तं वचनं मम ॥ २२ ॥
“Having entered great Lanka, you two must tell the king of the rakshasas, Kubera’s younger brother, my words just as spoken:
यद् बलं त्वं समाश्रित्य सीतां मे हृतवानसि । तद् दर्शय यथाकामं ससैन्यश्च सबान्धवः ॥ २३ ॥
“’The strength on which you relied when you carried off my Sita, show it as you wish, with your army and your kin.
श्वः काल्ये नगरीं लङ्कां सप्राकारां सतोरणाम् । रक्षसां च बलं पश्य शरैर्विध्वंसितं मया ॥ २४ ॥
“’Tomorrow at dawn see the city of Lanka with its walls and gates, and the army of the rakshasas, destroyed by my arrows.
क्रोधं भीममहं मोक्ष्ये ससैन्ये त्वयि रावण । श्वः काल्ये वज्रवान् वज्रं दानवेष्विव वासवः ॥ २५ ॥
“’I will release my terrible anger on you and your army, Ravana, tomorrow at dawn, as Vasava, wielder of the thunderbolt, releases the thunderbolt on the danavas.’”
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टौ राक्षसौ शुकसारणौ । जयेति प्रतिनन्द्यैनं राघवं धर्मवत्सलम् ॥ २६ ॥
So instructed, the two rakshasas Shuka and Sarana, hailing Raghava, who loves dharma, with “Victory!”,
आगम्य नगरीं लङ्कामब्रूतां राक्षसाधिपम् । विभीषणगृहीतौ तु वधार्थं राक्षसेश्वर ॥ २७ ॥
came to the city of Lanka and said to the lord of the rakshasas: “Captured by Vibhishana to be killed, lord of the rakshasas,
दृष्ट्वा धर्मात्मना मुक्तौ रामेणामिततेजसा । एकस्थानगता यत्र चत्वारः पुरुषर्षभाः ॥ २८ ॥
“and seen, we were released by righteous Rama of boundless splendour. Where four bulls among men stand together in one place,
लोकपालसमाः शूराः कृतास्त्रा दृढविक्रमाः । रामो दाशरथिः श्रीमाल्ँलक्ष्मणश्च विभीषणः ॥ २९ ॥
“equal to the world-guardians, heroes, skilled in weapons, firm in valour: Rama, son of Dasharatha, glorious Lakshmana, Vibhishana,
सुग्रीवश्च महातेजा महेन्द्रसमविक्रमः । एते शक्ताः पुरीं लङ्कां सप्राकारां सतोरणाम् ॥ ३० ॥
“and radiant Sugriva, of valour equal to great Indra: these are able to tear up the city of Lanka with its walls and gates
उत्पाट्य संक्रामयितुं सर्वे तिष्ठन्तु वानराः । यादृशं तद्धि रामस्य रूपं प्रहरणानि च ॥ ३१ ॥
“and carry it away; let all the monkeys stand by. For such is Rama’s form, and such his weapons,
वधिष्यति पुरीं लङ्कामेकस्तिष्ठन्तु ते त्रयः । रामलक्ष्मणगुप्ता सा सुग्रीवेण च वाहिनी । बभूव दुर्धर्षतरा सर्वैरपि सुरासुरैः ॥ ३२ ॥
“that he alone will destroy the city of Lanka; let those three stand by. That army, guarded by Rama and Lakshmana and by Sugriva, has become harder to assail than by all the gods and asuras.
प्रहृष्टयोधा ध्वजिनी महात्मनां वनौकसां सम्प्रति योद्धुमिच्छताम् । अलं विरोधेन शमो विधीयतां प्रदीयतां दाशरथाय मैथिली ॥ ३३ ॥
“The army of those great-souled forest-dwellers, its warriors delighted, wants to fight now. Enough of hostility; let peace be made. Let Maithili be given to Dasharatha’s son.”