Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 26 of 128 · 47 verses
Sarana Names the Monkey Chiefs
Ravana rejects Sarana’s honest advice: even if gods, gandharvas and danavas attacked him, he would not give up Sita; Sarana is only frightened because the monkeys beat him. Who could defeat him? He climbs to the roof of a snow-white palace many palm-trees high, with the two spies, and looks out at the sea, the mountains and the woods, all full of monkeys, an army beyond measure. He asks Sarana which are the chief monkeys, the heroes, the strong, the leaders, those Sugriva listens to.
Sarana points them out. The one roaring toward Lanka, surrounded by a hundred thousand leaders, whose roar shakes Lanka’s walls and woods, is Nila, commander of Sugriva’s army. The one who walks on the earth with his arms, yawning toward Lanka in anger, like a mountain peak, the colour of lotus pollen, lashing his tail so that the ten directions resound, is the crown prince Angada, Vali’s son, equal to his father, dear to Sugriva; Hanuman found Sita for Raghava, but the plan was Angada’s. Behind him stands Nala, the builder of the bridge. The fierce ones who roar and stretch, a thousand crores and eight hundred thousand, follow the sandal-forest monkeys. Shveta, silver-coloured, clever, famous in the three worlds, comes and goes to Sugriva arranging the troops. Kumuda rules Mount Samrochana on the Gomati, with long-haired followers of every colour. Rambha, lion-like, tawny, with a long mane, lives on the Vindhya, Krishnagiri, Sahya and Sudarshana with a hundred and thirty hundred-thousands. Sharabha, fearless, swift, lives on Mount Salveya with forty hundred-thousand leaders called Viharas. Panasa, who fills the sky like a great cloud and whose followers roar like drums, lives on the Pariyatra with fifty hundred-thousand. Vinata, like Mount Dardura, drinks from the Vena with sixty hundred-thousand; Krodhana challenges you to battle; Gavaya, ochre-coloured, proud, scorns the other monkeys and advances with seventy hundred-thousand. These heroes are beyond counting, leaders of leaders, each with their troops.
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तद्वचः सत्यमक्लीबं सारणेनाभिभाषितम् । निशम्य रावणो राजा प्रत्यभाषत सारणम् ॥ १ ॥
Hearing those true and bold words spoken by Sarana, King Ravana replied to Sarana:
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यदि मामभियुञ्जीरन् देवगन्धर्वदानवाः । नैव सीतामहं दद्यां सर्वलोकभयादपि ॥ २ ॥
“If gods, gandharvas and danavas attacked me, I would not give up Sita, even for fear of all the worlds.
त्वं तु सौम्य परित्रस्तो हरिभिः पीडितो भृशम् । प्रतिप्रदानमद्यैव सीतायाः साधु मन्यसे ॥ ३ ॥
“But you, gentle one, are terrified, badly beaten by the monkeys, and think giving Sita back today is a good idea.
को हि नाम सपत्नो मां समरे जेतुमर्हति । इत्युक्त्वा परुषं वाक्यं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥ ४ ॥
“What rival could conquer me in battle?” Having spoken these harsh words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas,
आरुरोह ततः श्रीमान् प्रासादं हिमपाण्डुरम् । बहुतालसमुत्सेधं रावणोऽथ दिदृक्षया ॥ ५ ॥
then climbed, glorious, a palace white as snow, as high as many palm trees, wanting to see.
ताभ्यां चराभ्यां सहितो रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । पश्यमानः समुद्रं तं पर्वतांश्च वनानि च ॥ ६ ॥
With those two spies, Ravana, swooning with anger, looking at that ocean, the mountains and the woods,
ददर्श पृथिवीदेशं सुसम्पूर्णं प्लवंगमैः । तदपारमसह्यं च वानराणां महाबलम् ॥ ७ ॥
saw the land completely full of leapers. Looking at that great army of monkeys, endless and unbearable,
आलोक्य रावणो राजा परिपप्रच्छ सारणम् । एषां के वानरा मुख्याः के शूराः के महाबलाः ॥ ८ ॥
King Ravana asked Sarana: “Which of these monkeys are the chiefs? Which are heroes? Which are mighty?
के पूर्वमभिवर्तन्ते महोत्साहाः समन्ततः । केषां शृणोति सुग्रीवः के वा यूथपयूथपाः ॥ ९ ॥
“Which of great energy go in front on every side? Whom does Sugriva listen to? Who are the leaders of the leaders of troops?
सारणाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं किंप्रभावाः प्लवंगमाः । सारणो राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वचनं परिपृच्छतः ॥ १० ॥
“Sarana, tell me all: what is the power of the leapers?” To the king of the rakshasas as he questioned him,
आबभाषेऽथ मुख्यज्ञो मुख्यांस्तत्र वनौकसः । एष योऽभिमुखो लङ्कां नर्दंस्तिष्ठति वानरः ॥ ११ ॥
Sarana, who knew the chiefs, then described the chief forest-dwellers there: “This monkey who stands roaring, facing Lanka,
यूथपानां सहस्राणां शतेन परिवारितः । यस्य घोषेण महता सप्राकारा सतोरणा ॥ १२ ॥
“surrounded by a hundred thousand leaders of troops, by whose great roar all Lanka, with its walls and gates,
लङ्का प्रतिहता सर्वा सशैलवनकानना । सर्वशाखामृगेन्द्रस्य सुग्रीवस्य महात्मनः ॥ १३ ॥
“with its mountains, woods and groves, is shaken: of great-souled Sugriva, lord of all the monkeys,
बलाग्रे तिष्ठते वीरो नीलो नामैष यूथपः । बाहू प्रगृह्य यः पद्भ्यां महीं गच्छति वीर्यवान् ॥ १४ ॥
“at the head of the army stands this hero, the troop leader named Nila. He who, taking his arms, walks the earth on his feet, the valiant one,
लङ्कामभिमुखः कोपादभीक्ष्णं च विजृम्भते । गिरिशृङ्गप्रतीकाशः पद्मकिंजल्कसंनिभः ॥ १५ ॥
“who, facing Lanka, yawns again and again in anger, like a mountain peak, like lotus pollen in colour,
स्फोटयत्यतिसंरब्धो लाङ्गूलं च पुनः पुनः । यस्य लाङ्गूलशब्देन स्वनन्ति प्रदिशो दश ॥ १६ ॥
“who, greatly enraged, lashes his tail again and again, by the sound of whose tail the ten directions resound:
एष वानरराजेन सुग्रीवेणाभिषेचितः । युवराजोऽङ्गदो नाम त्वामाह्वयति संयुगे ॥ १७ ॥
“this one, consecrated by Sugriva, king of the monkeys, the crown prince named Angada, challenges you to battle.
वालिनः सदृशः पुत्रः सुग्रीवस्य सदा प्रियः । राघवार्थे पराक्रान्तः शक्रार्थे वरुणो यथा ॥ १८ ॥
“The son, equal to Vali, always dear to Sugriva, valiant for Raghava’s sake as Varuna for Shakra’s:
एतस्य सा मतिः सर्वा यद् दृष्टा जनकात्मजा । हनूमता वेगवता राघवस्य हितैषिणा ॥ १९ ॥
“the whole plan was his, by which Janaka’s daughter was found by swift Hanuman, who wishes Raghava well.
बहूनि वानरेन्द्राणामेष यूथानि वीर्यवान् । परिगृह्याभियाति त्वां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् ॥ २० ॥
“The valiant one, taking many troops of the monkey lords, comes against you to crush you with his own army.
अनुवालिसुतस्यापि बलेन महता वृतः । वीरस्तिष्ठति संग्रामे सेतुहेतुरयं नलः ॥ २१ ॥
“Behind Vali’s son, surrounded by a great force, stands the hero in battle, Nala, the maker of the bridge.
ये तु विष्टभ्य गात्राणि क्ष्वेडयन्ति नदन्ति च । उत्थाय च विजृम्भन्ते क्रोधेन हरिपुङ्गवाः ॥ २२ ॥
“Those bulls among monkeys who stiffen their limbs, shriek and roar, and rise and stretch in anger:
एते दुष्प्रसहा घोराश्चण्डाश्चण्डपराक्रमाः । अष्टौ शतसहस्राणि दशकोटिशतानि च । य एनमनुगच्छन्ति वीराश्चन्दनवासिनः ॥ २३ ॥
“these are hard to withstand, terrible, fierce, of fierce valour, eight hundred thousand and a thousand crores, heroes, who follow this one, sandal-forest dwellers.
एषैवाशंसते लङ्कां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् । श्वेतो रजतसंकाशश्चपलो भीमविक्रमः ॥ २४ ॥
“This one too hopes to crush Lanka with his own army: Shveta, like silver, restless, of terrible valour,
बुद्धिमान् वानरः शूरस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । तूर्णं सुग्रीवमागम्य पुनर्गच्छति वानरः ॥ २५ ॥
“an intelligent monkey, a hero famed in the three worlds; the monkey comes quickly to Sugriva and goes back again,
विभजन् वानरीं सेनामनीकानि प्रहर्षयन् । यः पुरा गोमतीतीरे रम्यं पर्येति पर्वतम् ॥ २६ ॥
“dividing the monkey army, gladdening the divisions. He who of old roams the lovely mountain on the bank of the Gomati,
नाम्ना संरोचनो नाम नानानगयुतो गिरिः । तत्र राज्यं प्रशास्त्येष कुमुदो नाम यूथपः ॥ २७ ॥
“named Samrochana, a mountain with many trees: there this troop leader named Kumuda rules a kingdom.
योऽसौ शतसहस्राणि सहर्षं परिकर्षति । यस्य वाला बहुव्यामा दीर्घलाङ्गूलमाश्रिताः ॥ २८ ॥
“He who leads hundreds of thousands joyfully, whose hairs, many fathoms long, cling to his long tail,
ताम्राः पीताः सिताः श्वेताः प्रकीर्णा घोरदर्शनाः । अदीनो वानरश्चण्डः संग्राममभिकाङ्क्षति । एषोऽप्याशंसते लङ्कां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् ॥ २९ ॥
“copper, yellow, white and pale, scattered, terrible to see: the undaunted, fierce monkey longs for battle. He too hopes to crush Lanka with his own army.
यस्त्वेष सिंहसंकाशः कपिलो दीर्घकेसरः । निभृतः प्रेक्षते लङ्कां दिधक्षन्निव चक्षुषा ॥ ३० ॥
“And this one like a lion, tawny, with a long mane, who gazes intently at Lanka as if to burn it with his eyes:
विन्ध्यं कृष्णगिरिं सह्यं पर्वतं च सुदर्शनम् । राजन् सततमध्यास्ते स रम्भो नाम यूथपः । शतं शतसहस्राणां त्रिंशच्च हरिपुङ्गवाः ॥ ३१ ॥
“he lives always on the Vindhya, Krishnagiri, Sahya and the mountain Sudarshana, king: that troop leader named Rambha. A hundred and thirty hundred-thousand bulls among monkeys,
यं यान्तं वानरा घोराश्चण्डाश्चण्डपराक्रमाः । परिवार्यानुगच्छन्ति लङ्कां मर्दितुमोजसा ॥ ३२ ॥
“terrible, fierce, of fierce valour, surround him and follow him as he goes to crush Lanka with might.
यस्तु कर्णौ विवृणुते जृम्भते च पुनः पुनः । न तु संविजते मृत्योर्न च सेनां प्रधावति ॥ ३३ ॥
“He who spreads his ears and yawns again and again, who does not flinch from death and does not run toward the army,
प्रकम्पते च रोषेण तिर्यक् च पुनरीक्षते । पश्य लाङ्गूलविक्षेपं क्ष्वेडत्येष महाबलः ॥ ३४ ॥
“who trembles with rage and looks sideways again and again: see the lashing of his tail; this mighty one shrieks.
महाजवो वीतभयो रम्यं साल्वेयपर्वतम् । राजन् सततमध्यास्ते शरभो नाम यूथपः ॥ ३५ ॥
“Very swift, fearless, he lives always on the lovely mountain Salveya, king: the troop leader named Sharabha.
एतस्य बलिनः सर्वे विहारा नाम यूथपाः । राजन् शतसहस्राणि चत्वारिंशत्तथैव च ॥ ३६ ॥
“All the leaders of this mighty one, called Viharas, king, number forty hundred-thousand.
यस्तु मेघ इवाकाशं महानावृत्य तिष्ठति । मध्ये वानरवीराणां सुराणामिव वासवः ॥ ३७ ॥
“He who stands covering the sky like a great cloud, in the midst of the monkey heroes like Vasava among the gods,
भेरीणामिव संनादो यस्यैष श्रूयते महान् । घोषः शाखामृगेन्द्राणां संग्राममभिकाङ्क्षताम् ॥ ३८ ॥
“whose great clamour is heard like the sound of kettledrums, of the monkey lords longing for battle:
एष पर्वतमध्यास्ते पारियात्रमनुत्तमम् । युद्धे दुष्प्रसहो नित्यं पनसो नाम यूथपः ॥ ३९ ॥
“he lives on the unsurpassed mountain Pariyatra, always hard to withstand in battle: the troop leader named Panasa.
एनं शतसहस्राणां शतार्धं पर्युपासते । यूथपा यूथपश्रेष्ठं येषां यूथानि भागशः ॥ ४० ॥
“Fifty hundred-thousand leaders of troops serve this best of leaders, their troops divided into parts.
यस्तु भीमां प्रवल्गन्तीं चमूं तिष्ठति शोभयन् । स्थितां तीरे समुद्रस्य द्वितीय इव सागरः ॥ ४१ ॥
“He who stands adorning the terrible, leaping army, standing on the ocean shore like a second ocean:
एष दर्दुरसंकाशो विनतो नाम यूथपः । पिबंश्चरति यो वेणां नदीनामुत्तमां नदीम् ॥ ४२ ॥
“this one like Mount Dardura is the troop leader named Vinata; he roams drinking from the Vena, best of rivers.
षष्टिः शतसहस्राणि बलमस्य प्लवंगमाः । त्वामाह्वयति युद्धाय क्रोधनो नाम वानरः ॥ ४३ ॥
“Sixty hundred-thousand leapers are his force. The monkey named Krodhana challenges you to battle;
विक्रान्ता बलवन्तश्च यथा यूथानि भागशः । यस्तु गैरिकवर्णाभं वपुः पुष्यति वानरः ॥ ४४ ॥
“valiant and mighty, with his troops in their divisions. The monkey who nourishes a body the colour of red ochre,
अवमत्य सदा सर्वान् वानरान् बलदर्पितः । गवयो नाम तेजस्वी त्वां क्रोधादभिवर्तते ॥ ४५ ॥
“always scorning all the monkeys, proud of his strength, the radiant one named Gavaya, comes against you in anger.
एनं शतसहस्राणि सप्ततिः पर्युपासते । एषैवाशंसते लङ्कां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् ॥ ४६ ॥
“Seventy hundred-thousand serve him. This one too hopes to crush Lanka with his own army.
एते दुष्प्रसहा वीरा येषां संख्या न विद्यते । यूथपा यूथपश्रेष्ठास्तेषां यूथानि भागशः ॥ ४७ ॥
“These heroes, hard to withstand, whose number cannot be counted, are leaders of troops, the best of leaders, with their troops in their divisions.”