Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 27 of 128 · 48 verses
More Monkey Chiefs
Sarana continues naming the leaders who will not spare their lives for Raghava. Hara, whose long, glossy hairs of copper, yellow and white trail on the ground, is followed by hundreds and thousands carrying trees, eager to climb Lanka. The countless bears dark as collyrium, from the mountains, lands and rivers, are led by Dhumra, lord of all bears, who lives on Mount Rikshavat and drinks from the Narmada; his younger brother, like a mountain, greater in valour, is Jambavan, calm, obedient to elders, fierce in battle, who helped Indra in the war of gods and asuras and won many boons. His shaggy troops hurl rocks from mountain tops and do not fear death. Dambha attends on the thousand-eyed Indra. Samnadana, grandfather of the monkeys, so tall that walking he brushes a mountain a league off with his side, fought Indra himself without defeat. Krathana, born of a gandharva woman by the Fire, who fought for the gods, lives where King Vaishravana, your brother, enjoys the jambu tree, and never boasts in battle; he leads a thousand crores.
Pramathi, who roams the Ganga frightening the elephant herds out of the old enmity between elephants and monkeys, lives on Mount Mandara by the Himalayan river, leading a hundred million. Gavaksha leads a hundred hundred-thousand black-faced golangulas who roar to crush Lanka. Kesari, chief of chiefs, lives on the lovely golden mountain, sought by great sages, whose trees bear every fruit always, which the sun circles, and whose light turns beasts and birds golden. Among sixty thousand golden mountains, the last is home to tawny, white and honey-coloured monkeys with sharp teeth, like lions and tigers, like blazing fire and venomous snakes; their lord is Shatabali, who worships the sun daily for victory, ready to give his life for Rama. Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Nala and Nila each lead ten crores; the swift monkeys of the Vindhya cannot even be counted. All of them, great king, are mighty, as huge as great mountains, able in a moment to scatter the earth’s mountains.
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तांस्तु ते सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रेक्षमाणस्य यूथपान् । राघवार्थे पराक्रान्ता ये न रक्षन्ति जीवितम् ॥ १ ॥
“I will tell you about those leaders as you look, who are valiant for Raghava’s sake and do not guard their lives.
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स्निग्धा यस्य बहुव्यामा दीर्घलाङ्गूलमाश्रिताः । ताम्राः पीताः सिताः श्वेताः प्रकीर्णा घोरकर्मणः ॥ २ ॥
“He whose glossy hairs, many fathoms long, cling to his long tail, copper, yellow, white and pale, scattered, the one of terrible deeds,
प्रगृहीताः प्रकाशन्ते सूर्यस्येव मरीचयः । पृथिव्यां चानुकृष्यन्ते हरो नामैष वानरः ॥ ३ ॥
“held up, shining like the rays of the sun, and trailing on the ground: this monkey is named Hara.
यं पृष्ठतोऽनुगच्छन्ति शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । वृक्षानुद्यम्य सहसा लङ्कारोहणतत्पराः ॥ ४ ॥
“He whom hundreds and thousands follow behind, suddenly raising trees, intent on climbing Lanka,
यूथपा हरिराजस्य किंकराः समुपस्थिताः । नीलानिव महामेघांस्तिष्ठतो यांस्तु पश्यसि ॥ ५ ॥
“the troop leaders, servants of the king of monkeys, stand ready. Those you see standing like great dark clouds,
असिताञ्जनसंकाशान् युद्धे सत्यपराक्रमान् । असंख्येयाननिर्देशान् परं पारमिवोदधेः ॥ ६ ॥
“like black collyrium, of true valour in battle, countless, indescribable, like the far shore of the ocean,
पर्वतेषु च ये केचिद् विषयेषु नदीषु च । एते त्वामभिवर्तन्ते राजन्नृक्षाः सुदारुणाः ॥ ७ ॥
“those in the mountains, in the lands and on the rivers: these very fearsome bears, king, are advancing on you.
एषां मध्ये स्थितो राजन् भीमाक्षो भीमदर्शनः । पर्जन्य इव जीमूतैः समन्तात् परिवारितः ॥ ८ ॥
“In their midst stands, king, one with terrible eyes, terrible to see, surrounded on all sides like the rain god by clouds:
ऋक्षवन्तं गिरिश्रेष्ठमध्यास्ते नर्मदां पिबन् । सर्वर्क्षाणामधिपतिर्धूम्रो नामैष यूथपः ॥ ९ ॥
“he lives on Rikshavat, best of mountains, drinking from the Narmada, lord of all the bears: this troop leader is named Dhumra.
यवीयानस्य तु भ्राता पश्यैनं पर्वतोपमम् । भ्रात्रा समानो रूपेण विशिष्टस्तु पराक्रमे ॥ १० ॥
“His younger brother: see him, like a mountain, equal to his brother in form but superior in valour:
स एष जाम्बवान् नाम महायूथपयूथपः । प्रशान्तो गुरुवर्ती च सम्प्रहारेष्वमर्षणः ॥ ११ ॥
“this is the one named Jambavan, leader of the great leaders of troops, calm, obedient to his elders, impatient in fighting.
एतेन साह्यं तु महत् कृतं शक्रस्य धीमता । दैवासुरे जाम्बवता लब्धाश्च बहवो वराः ॥ १२ ॥
“Great help was given to Shakra by this wise Jambavan in the war of gods and asuras, and many boons were gained.
आरुह्य पर्वताग्रेभ्यो महाभ्रविपुलाः शिलाः । मुञ्चन्ति विपुलाकारा न मृत्योरुद्विजन्ति च ॥ १३ ॥
“Climbing up, they hurl from the mountain tops rocks as big as great clouds; huge in form, they do not shrink from death.
राक्षसानां च सदृशाः पिशाचानां च रोमशाः । एतस्य सैन्या बहवो विचरन्त्यमितौजसः ॥ १४ ॥
“Like rakshasas and pishachas, shaggy, many troops of his, of boundless energy, roam about.
य एनमभिसंरब्धं प्लवमानमवस्थितम् । प्रेक्षन्ते वानराः सर्वे स्थिता यूथपयूथपम् ॥ १५ ॥
“He whom all the monkeys look at, standing enraged, now leaping, now standing still, the leader of leaders of troops:
एष राजन् सहस्राक्षं पर्युपास्ते हरीश्वरः । बलेन बलसंयुक्तो दम्भो नामैष यूथपः ॥ १६ ॥
“this lord of monkeys, king, attends on the thousand-eyed one; endowed with strength upon strength, this troop leader is named Dambha.
यः स्थितं योजने शैलं गच्छन् पार्श्वेन सेवते । ऊर्ध्वं तथैव कायेन गतः प्राप्नोति योजनम् ॥ १७ ॥
“He who, walking, brushes with his side a mountain standing a league away, and likewise, going upward with his body, reaches a league:
यस्मात् तु परमं रूपं चतुष्पात्सु न विद्यते । श्रुतः संनादनो नाम वानराणां पितामहः ॥ १८ ॥
“than whom there is no finer form among the four-footed, famous as Samnadana, the grandfather of the monkeys,
येन युद्धं तदा दत्तं रणे शक्रस्य धीमता । पराजयश्च न प्राप्तः सोऽयं यूथपयूथपः ॥ १९ ॥
“by whom battle was once given in war to wise Shakra and who met no defeat: this is that leader of leaders of troops.
यस्य विक्रममाणस्य शक्रस्येव पराक्रमः । एष गन्धर्वकन्यायामुत्पन्नः कृष्णवर्त्मना ॥ २० ॥
“He, whose valour as he strides is like Shakra’s, was born of a gandharva maiden by the Black-pathed Fire
तदा देवासुरे युद्धे साह्यार्थं त्रिदिवौकसाम् । यत्र वैश्रवणो राजा जम्बूमुपनिषेवते ॥ २१ ॥
“for the help of the heaven-dwellers in the war of gods and asuras. Where King Vaishravana enjoys the jambu tree,
यो राजा पर्वतेन्द्राणां बहुकिंनरसेविनाम् । विहारसुखदो नित्यं भ्रातुस्ते राक्षसाधिप ॥ २२ ॥
“who is king of the lords of mountains frequented by many kinnaras, always giving pleasure in play to your brother, lord of the rakshasas:
तत्रैष रमते श्रीमान् बलवान् वानरोत्तमः । युद्धेष्वकत्थनो नित्यं क्रथनो नाम यूथपः ॥ २३ ॥
“there this glorious, mighty best of monkeys takes his delight, never boasting in battles: the troop leader named Krathana.
वृतः कोटिसहस्रेण हरीणां समवस्थितः । एषैवाशंसते लङ्कां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् ॥ २४ ॥
“He stands surrounded by a thousand crores of monkeys. He too hopes to crush Lanka with his own army.
यो गङ्गामनुपर्येति त्रासयन् गजयूथपान् । हस्तिनां वानराणां च पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् ॥ २५ ॥
“He who roams along the Ganga, frightening the leaders of the elephant herds, remembering the old enmity of elephants and monkeys:
एष यूथपतिर्नेता गर्जन् गिरिगुहाशयः । गजान् रोधयते वन्यानारुजंश्च महीरुहान् ॥ २६ ॥
“this lord of troops, the leader, roaring, who lives in mountain caves, stops the wild elephants and breaks the trees.
हरीणां वाहिनीमुख्यो नदीं हैमवतीमनु । उशीरबीजमाश्रित्य मन्दरं पर्वतोत्तमम् ॥ २७ ॥
“The chief of the monkey armies, along the Himalayan river, resorting to Ushirabija and to Mandara, best of mountains,
रमते वानरश्रेष्ठो दिवि शक्र इव स्वयम् । एनं शतसहस्राणां सहस्रमभिवर्तते ॥ २८ ॥
“the best of monkeys takes his pleasure like Shakra himself in heaven. A thousand hundred-thousands follow him,
वीर्यविक्रमदृप्तानां नर्दतां बाहुशालिनाम् । स एष नेता चैतेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम् ॥ २९ ॥
“proud of their strength and valour, roaring, mighty in arms; he is the leader of these great-souled monkeys.
स एष दुर्धरो राजन् प्रमाथी नाम यूथपः । वातेनेवोद्धतं मेघं यमेनमनुपश्यसि ॥ ३० ॥
“He is hard to withstand, king: the troop leader named Pramathi. He whom you see like a cloud tossed up by the wind,
अनीकमपि संरब्धं वानराणां तरस्विनाम् । उद्धूतमरुणाभासं पवनेन समन्ततः ॥ ३१ ॥
“the army too of the swift monkeys, enraged, stirred up, red in hue, blown about on all sides by the wind,
विवर्तमानं बहुशो यत्रैतद्बहुलं रजः । एतेऽसितमुखा घोरा गोलाङ्गूला महाबलाः ॥ ३२ ॥
“where this thick dust whirls about in many ways: these terrible, black-faced, mighty golangulas,
शतं शतसहस्राणि दृष्ट्वा वै सेतुबन्धनम् । गोलाङ्गूलं महाराज गवाक्षं नाम यूथपम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“a hundred hundred-thousand, having seen the bridge-building, great king, surrounding the golangula troop leader named Gavaksha,
परिवार्याभिनर्दन्ते लङ्कां मर्दितुमोजसा । भ्रमराचरिता यत्र सर्वकालफलद्रुमाः ॥ ३४ ॥
“roar to crush Lanka with might. Where trees bearing fruit in every season are frequented by bees,
यं सूर्यस्तुल्यवर्णाभमनुपर्येति पर्वतम् । यस्य भासा सदा भान्ति तद्वर्णा मृगपक्षिणः ॥ ३५ ॥
“the mountain that the sun, of like colour, circles, by whose light beasts and birds always shine with its colour,
यस्य प्रस्थं महात्मानो न त्यजन्ति महर्षयः । सर्वकामफला वृक्षाः सदा फलसमन्विताः ॥ ३६ ॥
“whose slopes great-souled great sages never leave, where the trees yield every desire and always bear fruit,
मधूनि च महार्हाणि यस्मिन् पर्वतसत्तमे । तत्रैष रमते राजन् रम्ये काञ्चनपर्वते ॥ ३७ ॥
“and costly honeys, on that best of mountains: there, king, on the lovely golden mountain, this one takes his delight,
मुख्यो वानरमुख्यानां केसरी नाम यूथपः । षष्टिर्गिरिसहस्राणि रम्याः काञ्चनपर्वताः ॥ ३८ ॥
“the chief of the chief monkeys, the troop leader named Kesari. There are sixty thousand lovely golden mountains;
तेषां मध्ये गिरिवरस्त्वमिवानघ रक्षसाम् । तत्रैके कपिलाः श्वेतास्ताम्रास्या मधुपिङ्गलाः ॥ ३९ ॥
“among them is the best mountain, as you, sinless one, are among the rakshasas. There live some tawny, white, copper-faced, honey-coloured ones,
निवसन्त्यन्तिमगिरौ तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रा नखायुधाः । सिंहा इव चतुर्दंष्ट्रा व्याघ्रा इव दुरासदाः ॥ ४० ॥
“on that last mountain, with sharp teeth and nails for weapons, four-tusked like lions, hard to approach like tigers,
सर्वे वैश्वानरसमा ज्वलदाशीविषोपमाः । सुदीर्घाञ्चितलाङ्गूला मत्तमातङ्गसंनिभाः ॥ ४१ ॥
“all like Vaishvanara, like blazing venomous snakes, with very long curved tails, like rutting elephants,
महापर्वतसंकाशा महाजीमूतनिःस्वनाः । वृत्तपिङ्गलनेत्रा हि महाभीमगतिस्वनाः ॥ ४२ ॥
“like great mountains, roaring like great clouds, with round yellow eyes, with very terrible gait and sound:
मर्दयन्तीव ते सर्वे तस्थुर्लङ्कां समीक्ष्य ते । एष चैषामधिपतिर्मध्ये तिष्ठति वीर्यवान् ॥ ४३ ॥
“all of them stood looking at Lanka as if to crush it. And this is their lord, standing in the middle, the valiant one
जयार्थी नित्यमादित्यमुपतिष्ठति वीर्यवान् । नाम्ना पृथिव्यां विख्यातो राजन् शतबलीति यः ॥ ४४ ॥
“who always worships the sun, wanting victory, the valiant one known on earth, king, by the name Shatabali.
एषैवाशंसते लङ्कां स्वेनानीकेन मर्दितुम् । विक्रान्तो बलवान् शूरः पौरुषे स्वे व्यवस्थितः ॥ ४५ ॥
“He too hopes to crush Lanka with his own army: valiant, mighty, heroic, standing firm in his own manliness.
रामप्रियार्थं प्राणानां दयां न कुरुते हरिः । गजो गवाक्षो गवयो नलो नीलश्च वानरः ॥ ४६ ॥
“For the sake of what pleases Rama, the monkey has no pity for his own life. Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Nala and the monkey Nila:
एकैकमेव योधानां कोटिभिर्दशभिर्वृतः । तथान्ये वानरश्रेष्ठा विन्ध्यपर्वतवासिनः । न शक्यन्ते बहुत्वात् तु संख्यातुं लघुविक्रमाः ॥ ४७ ॥
“each of these warriors is surrounded by ten crores. And so too other best of monkeys who live on the Vindhya mountain, quick in valour, cannot be counted because of their great number.
सर्वे महाराज महाप्रभावाः सर्वे महाशैलनिकाशकायाः । सर्वे समर्थाः पृथिवीं क्षणेन कर्तुं प्रविध्वस्तविकीर्णशैलाम् ॥ ४८ ॥
“All of them, great king, are of great power, all with bodies like great mountains, all able in a moment to make the earth one of scattered and shattered mountains.”