Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 29 of 128 · 29 verses
Ravana Dismisses the Spies
Seeing the chiefs Shuka has pointed out, Lakshmana, Rama’s right arm, Vibhishana beside Rama, Sugriva, Angada grandson of Indra, Hanuman, Jambavan, Sushena, Kumuda, Nila, Nala, Gaja, Gavaksha, Sharabha, Mainda and Dvivida, Ravana grows uneasy and angry, and berates Shuka and Sarana, who stand with heads bowed. It is unfitting for ministers who live on the king’s bounty to say unwelcome things and praise the enemy without being asked. They have served their teachers in vain if they have not grasped the essence of statecraft; it is a wonder he still rules with such fools for counsellors. Do they not fear death, speaking harshly to him, whose tongue decides good and bad? Trees may survive a forest fire, but offenders touched by the king’s rod do not. He would kill these two traitors, if his anger were not softened by their past services. Let them go, out of his sight; they are as good as dead, ungrateful and without love for him.
Ashamed, the two hail him with “Victory!” and leave. Ravana has Mahodara summon spies, and sends brave, steady, fearless ones to learn Rama’s intentions: who his close counsellors are, how he sleeps and wakes, what he will do today. An enemy known through spies can be overcome in battle with little effort. The spies, led by Shardula, circle him and go to where Rama is camped near Mount Suvela with Lakshmana, Sugriva and Vibhishana. Seeing the army, they are struck with fear. Righteous Vibhishana catches them; Shardula is singled out as an evildoer and beaten by the monkeys, but Rama has him released, and out of kindness releases the others too. Battered by the swift monkeys, breathless and dazed, they return to Lanka and report to Ten-necked that Rama’s army is camped near Mount Suvela.
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शुकेन तु समादिष्टान् दृष्ट्वा स हरियूथपान् । लक्ष्मणं च महावीर्यं भुजं रामस्य दक्षिणम् ॥ १ ॥
Seeing the leaders of the monkey troops pointed out by Shuka, and mighty Lakshmana, Rama’s right arm,
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समीपस्थं च रामस्य भ्रातरं च विभीषणम् । सर्ववानरराजं च सुग्रीवं भीमविक्रमम् ॥ २ ॥
and his brother Vibhishana standing near Rama, and Sugriva, king of all the monkeys, of terrible valour,
अङ्गदं चापि बलिनं वज्रहस्तात्मजात्मजम् । हनूमन्तं च विक्रान्तं जाम्बवन्तं च दुर्जयम् ॥ ३ ॥
and mighty Angada, grandson of the thunderbolt-wielder, valiant Hanuman, and unconquerable Jambavan,
सुषेणं कुमुदं नीलं नलं च प्लवगर्षभम् । गजं गवाक्षं शरभं मैन्दं च द्विविदं तथा ॥ ४ ॥
Sushena, Kumuda, Nila and Nala, bull among leapers, Gaja, Gavaksha, Sharabha, Mainda and Dvivida,
किंचिदाविग्नहृदयो जातक्रोधश्च रावणः । भर्त्सयामास तौ वीरौ कथान्ते शुकसारणौ ॥ ५ ॥
Ravana, his heart somewhat agitated and his anger roused, rebuked those two heroes Shuka and Sarana at the end of their account.
अधोमुखौ तौ प्रणतावब्रवीच्छुकसारणौ । रोषगद्गदया वाचा संरब्धं परुषं तथा ॥ ६ ॥
To Shuka and Sarana, their faces downcast and bowed, he spoke, in a voice choked with anger, harsh, agitated words:
न तावत् सदृशं नाम सचिवैरुपजीविभिः । विप्रियं नृपतेर्वक्तुं निग्रहे प्रग्रहे प्रभोः ॥ ७ ॥
“It is surely not fitting for ministers who live on the king’s bounty to speak what is unwelcome to their king, who has power to punish and to favour.
रिपूणां प्रतिकूलानां युद्धार्थमभिवर्तताम् । उभाभ्यां सदृशं नाम वक्तुमप्रस्तवे स्तवम् ॥ ८ ॥
“Is it fitting for you both to praise, unasked, enemies who are hostile and are coming to make war?
आचार्या गुरवो वृद्धा वृथा वां पर्युपासिताः । सारं यद् राजशास्त्राणामनुजीव्यं न गृह्यते ॥ ९ ॥
“Your teachers, elders and old men have been served in vain, since you have not grasped the essence of the treatises on kingship, which one should live by.
गृहीतो वा न विज्ञातो भारोऽज्ञानस्य वाह्यते । ईदृशैः सचिवैर्युक्तो मूर्खैर्दिष्ट्या धराम्यहम् ॥ १० ॥
“Or if grasped, it is not understood; the burden of ignorance is carried. By good fortune I hold on, with such foolish ministers.
किं नु मृत्योर्भयं नास्ति मां वक्तुं परुषं वचः । यस्य मे शासतो जिह्वा प्रयच्छति शुभाशुभम् ॥ ११ ॥
“Is there no fear of death for you, that you speak harsh words to me, whose tongue, as I rule, dispenses good and ill?
अप्येव दहनं स्पृष्ट्वा वने तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः । राजदण्डपरामृष्टास्तिष्ठन्ते नापराधिनः ॥ १२ ॥
“Trees may stand in the forest even after touching fire, but offenders touched by the king’s rod do not stand.
हन्यामहं त्विमौ पापौ शत्रुपक्षप्रशंसिनौ । यदि पूर्वोपकारैर्मे क्रोधो न मृदुतां व्रजेत् ॥ १३ ॥
“I would kill these two sinners who praise the enemy’s side, if my anger were not softened by your past services.
अपध्वंसत नश्यध्वं संनिकर्षादितो मम । नहि वां हन्तुमिच्छामि स्मराम्युपकृतानि वाम् । हतावेव कृतघ्नौ द्वौ मयि स्नेहपराङ्मुखौ ॥ १४ ॥
“Get away; vanish from my presence. I do not want to kill you; I remember your services. You two are as good as dead, ungrateful, turned away from love for me.”
एवमुक्तौ तु सव्रीडौ तौ दृष्ट्वा शुकसारणौ । रावणं जयशब्देन प्रतिनन्द्याभिनिःसृतौ ॥ १५ ॥
Spoken to so, Shuka and Sarana, ashamed, seeing him, hailed Ravana with the cry of “Victory!” and went out.
अब्रवीच्च दशग्रीवः समीपस्थं महोदरम् । उपस्थापय मे शीघ्रं चारानिति निशाचरः । महोदरस्तथोक्तस्तु शीघ्रमाज्ञापयच्चरान् ॥ १६ ॥
And Ten-necked said to Mahodara, standing near: “Bring spies to me quickly.” So told, Mahodara quickly summoned spies.
ततश्चाराः संत्वरिताः प्राप्ताः पार्थिवशासनात् । उपस्थिताः प्राञ्जलयो वर्धयित्वा जयाशिषः ॥ १७ ॥
Then the spies came quickly at the king’s command and stood with joined palms, having wished him victory and blessings.
तानब्रवीत् ततो वाक्यं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः । चारान् प्रत्यायिकान् शूरान् धीरान् विगतसाध्वसान् ॥ १८ ॥
Then Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, spoke to those trustworthy spies, brave, steady and free of fear:
इतो गच्छत रामस्य व्यवसायं परीक्षितुम् । मन्त्रेष्वभ्यन्तरा येऽस्य प्रीत्या तेन समागताः ॥ १९ ॥
“Go from here to examine Rama’s resolve, and who are his inner counsellors, who have joined him out of affection.
कथं स्वपिति जागर्ति किमद्य च करिष्यति । विज्ञाय निपुणं सर्वमागन्तव्यमशेषतः ॥ २० ॥
“How does he sleep, how does he wake, and what will he do today? Learn everything skilfully and come back with all of it.
चारेण विदितः शत्रुः पण्डितैर्वसुधाधिपैः । युद्धे स्वल्पेन यत्नेन समासाद्य निरस्यते ॥ २१ ॥
“An enemy known through spies is approached by wise kings and driven off in battle with little effort.”
चारास्तु ते तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रहृष्टा राक्षसेश्वरम् । शार्दूलमग्रतः कृत्वा ततश्चक्रुः प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ २२ ॥
The spies, saying “So be it” to the lord of the rakshasas, delighted, putting Shardula in front, walked round him keeping him on their right.
ततस्तं तु महात्मानं चारा राक्षससत्तमम् । कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं जग्मुर्यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः ॥ २३ ॥
Then, having circled that great-souled best of rakshasas, the spies went to where Rama was with Lakshmana.
ते सुवेलस्य शैलस्य समीपे रामलक्ष्मणौ । प्रच्छन्ना ददृशुर्गत्वा ससुग्रीवविभीषणौ ॥ २४ ॥
Going in disguise, they saw Rama and Lakshmana near Mount Suvela, with Sugriva and Vibhishana.
प्रेक्षमाणाश्चमूं तां च बभूवुर्भयविह्वलाः । ते तु धर्मात्मना दृष्टा राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसाः ॥ २५ ॥
Looking at that army, they were overcome with fear. Those rakshasas were seen by the righteous king of the rakshasas,
विभीषणेन तत्रस्था निगृहीता यदृच्छया । शार्दूलो ग्राहितस्त्वेकः पापोऽयमिति राक्षसः ॥ २६ ॥
Vibhishana, staying there, and were caught by chance. Shardula alone was singled out: “This rakshasa is wicked.”
मोचितः सोऽपि रामेण वध्यमानः प्लवंगमैः । आनृशंस्येन रामेण मोचिता राक्षसाः परे ॥ २७ ॥
He too, being beaten by the leapers, was released by Rama; and the other rakshasas were released by Rama out of kindness.
वानरैरर्दितास्ते तु विक्रान्तैर्लघुविक्रमैः । पुनर्लङ्कामनुप्राप्ताः श्वसन्तो नष्टचेतसः ॥ २८ ॥
Harassed by the valiant, quick-moving monkeys, they came back to Lanka, panting, their wits gone.
ततो दशग्रीवमुपस्थितास्ते चारा बहिर्नित्यचरा निशाचराः । गिरेः सुवेलस्य समीपवासिनं न्यवेदयन् रामबलं महाबलाः ॥ २९ ॥
Then those spies, mighty night-wanderers who always roam outside, came to Ten-necked and reported Rama’s army camped near Mount Suvela.