Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 41 of 128 · 99 verses
The Siege; Angada’s Embassy
Seeing the marks of the fight on Sugriva, Rama embraces him and gently rebukes him: this rash act was done without consulting me; kings do not act like this. You put me, this army and Vibhishana in danger. If anything had happened to you, what use would Sita, Bharata, Lakshmana, Shatrughna or my own body be to me? I had resolved that if you did not return, I would kill Ravana, crown Vibhishana, give the kingdom to Bharata and give up my life. Sugriva replies: seeing the man who stole your wife, how could I hold back, knowing my own strength? Rama praises him, and, reading the omens again (harsh winds, trembling earth, clouds raining blood, a fiery ball falling from the sun, a dark mark on the sun, howling jackals), tells Lakshmana they must march on Lanka at once.
They descend Suvela, and Rama leads the army, bow in hand, to Lanka, with Vibhishana, Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan, Nala, Nila and Lakshmana; the monkeys carry mountain peaks and trees. They surround the city as planned: Rama and Lakshmana at the northern gate, where Ravana is; Nila with Mainda and Dvivida at the east; Angada with Rishabha, Gavaksha, Gaja and Gavaya at the south; Hanuman with Pramathi and Praghasa at the west; Sugriva in the centre with thirty-six crores of famous leaders; Sushena and Jambavan nearby; Lakshmana and Vibhishana post a crore at each gate. The sky and earth seem full of monkeys, of every strength; Lanka is so closely hemmed in that not even the wind could enter, and its walls shake with the noise.
Then Rama, mindful of the duty of kings and with Vibhishana’s approval, sends Angada as envoy: tell Ravana that the punishment for his sins against sages, gods, gandharvas, apsarases, nagas, yakshas and kings has come; Rama, the bearer of the rod, stands at his gate. Let him show the strength with which he stole Sita by trickery, or come out and seek refuge, bringing Maithili; otherwise Rama will clear the world of rakshasas. Vibhishana will surely rule Lanka. Fight, then; purified by my arrows, you will find peace. Even if you fly through the three worlds as a bird, once in my sight you will not go back alive. Perform your own funeral rites; take a last good look at Lanka; your life is in my hands.
Angada flies like a living fire to Ravana’s palace, lands before him and his ministers, names himself as Rama’s envoy, son of Vali, and repeats the message exactly. Furious, Ravana orders him seized and killed. Four rakshasas grab him; Angada lets himself be held, then leaps up onto the palace roof carrying them like birds, shakes them off so they fall at Ravana’s feet, smashes the roof peak with his tread as Indra’s thunderbolt split a Himalayan peak, proclaims his name with a great roar and flies back to Rama, distressing the rakshasas and delighting the monkeys. Ravana, enraged, sighs, foreseeing his own destruction. Sushena patrols the gates like the moon among the stars. Seeing a hundred akshauhinis of monkeys around Lanka, the rakshasas are amazed, some terrified, some eager; seeing the walls themselves turned into monkeys, they cry out in alarm, and Ravana’s warriors seize their great weapons and rush about like the winds at the end of an age.
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अथ तस्मिन् निमित्तानि दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः । सुग्रीवं सम्परिष्वज्य रामो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Then, seeing the signs on him, Lakshmana’s elder brother, Rama, embraced Sugriva and said:
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असम्मन्त्र्य मया सार्धं तदिदं साहसं कृतम् । एवं साहसयुक्तानि न कुर्वन्ति जनेश्वराः ॥ २ ॥
“Without consulting me, you did this rash thing. Lords of men do not do such rash things.
संशये स्थाप्य मां चेदं बलं चेमं विभीषणम् । कष्टं कृतमिदं वीर साहसं साहसप्रिय ॥ ३ ॥
“Putting me in doubt, and this army, and this Vibhishana, you did a grievous rash thing, hero, lover of rashness.
इदानीं मा कृथा वीर एवंविधमरिंदम । त्वयि किंचित्समापन्ने किं कार्यं सीतया मम ॥ ४ ॥
“Do not now do anything like this, hero, tamer of enemies. If anything had befallen you, what use would Sita be to me,
भरतेन महाबाहो लक्ष्मणेन यवीयसा । शत्रुघ्नेन च शत्रुघ्न स्वशरीरेण वा पुनः ॥ ५ ॥
“or Bharata, mighty-armed one, or my younger brother Lakshmana, or Shatrughna, slayer of enemies, or my own body?
त्वयि चानागते पूर्वमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः । जानतश्चापि ते वीर्यं महेन्द्रवरुणोपम ॥ ६ ॥
“And had you not come back, this was my settled decision, though I know your valour, you who are like Mahendra and Varuna:
हत्वाहं रावणं युद्धे सपुत्रबलवाहनम् । अभिषिच्य च लङ्कायां विभीषणमथापि च ॥ ७ ॥
“having killed Ravana in battle with his sons, army and mounts, and having consecrated Vibhishana in Lanka,
भरते राज्यमारोप्य त्यक्ष्ये देहं महाबल । तमेवं वादिनं रामं सुग्रीवः प्रत्यभाषत ॥ ८ ॥
“and placed the kingdom on Bharata, I would have given up my body, mighty one.” To Rama speaking so, Sugriva replied:
तव भार्यापहर्तारं दृष्ट्वा राघव रावणम् । मर्षयामि कथं वीर जानन् विक्रममात्मनः ॥ ९ ॥
“Seeing Ravana, the stealer of your wife, Raghava, how could I bear it, hero, knowing my own valour?”
इत्येवं वादिनं वीरमभिनन्द्य च राघवः । लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिसम्पन्नमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १० ॥
Applauding the hero speaking so, Raghava said this to glorious Lakshmana:
परिगृह्योदकं शीतं वनानि फलवन्ति च । बलौघं संविभज्येमं व्यूह्य तिष्ठाम लक्ष्मण ॥ ११ ॥
“Securing cool water and fruitful woods, and dividing this mass of troops, let us stand in array, Lakshmana.
लोकक्षयकरं भीमं भयं पश्याम्युपस्थितम् । निबर्हणं प्रवीराणामृक्षवानररक्षसाम् ॥ १२ ॥
“I see a terrible danger at hand, bringing destruction to the world, the slaughter of heroes of bears, monkeys and rakshasas.
वाता हि परुषं वान्ति कम्पते च वसुंधरा । पर्वताग्राणि वेपन्ते नदन्ति धरणीधराः ॥ १३ ॥
“The winds blow harshly and the earth trembles; the mountain tops shake and the mountains roar.
मेघाः क्रव्यादसंकाशाः परुषाः परुषस्वराः । क्रूराः क्रूरं प्रवर्षन्ते मिश्रं शोणितबिन्दुभिः ॥ १४ ॥
“Clouds like flesh-eaters, harsh, harsh-voiced, cruel, rain cruelly, mixed with drops of blood.
रक्तचन्दनसंकाशा संध्या परमदारुणा । ज्वलच्च निपतत्येतदादित्यादग्निमण्डलम् ॥ १५ ॥
“The twilight is like red sandal, most dreadful; and a blazing ball of fire falls from the sun.
आदित्यमभिवाश्यन्ति जनयन्तो महद्भयम् । दीना दीनस्वरा घोरा अप्रशस्ता मृगद्विजाः ॥ १६ ॥
“Wretched beasts and birds with wretched cries, terrible, inauspicious, howl toward the sun, causing great fear.
रजन्यामप्रकाशश्च संतापयति चन्द्रमाः । कृष्णरक्तांशुपर्यन्तो यथा लोकस्य संक्षये ॥ १७ ॥
“At night the moon, without light, torments, its rays edged black and red, as at the destruction of the world.
ह्रस्वो रूक्षोऽप्रशस्तश्च परिवेषः सुलोहितः । आदित्यमण्डले नीलं लक्ष्म लक्ष्मण दृश्यते ॥ १८ ॥
“A small, harsh, inauspicious, very red halo, and in the sun’s disc a dark mark is seen, Lakshmana.
दृश्यन्ते न यथावच्च नक्षत्राण्यभिवर्तते । युगान्तमिव लोकस्य पश्य लक्ष्मण शंसति ॥ १९ ॥
“The stars are not seen as they should be; see, Lakshmana, it proclaims as it were the end of the age for the world.
काकाः श्येनास्तथा गृध्रा नीचैः परिपतन्ति च । शिवाश्चाप्यशुभा वाचः प्रवदन्ति महास्वनाः ॥ २० ॥
“Crows, hawks and vultures circle low, and jackals utter inauspicious cries with loud voices.
शैलैः शूलैश्च खड्गैश्च विमुक्तैः कपिराक्षसैः । भविष्यत्यावृता भूमिर्मांसशोणितकर्दमा ॥ २१ ॥
“With rocks, spears and swords loosed by monkeys and rakshasas, the earth will be covered, a mire of flesh and blood.
क्षिप्रमद्य दुराधर्षां पुरीं रावणपालिताम् । अभियाम जवेनैव सर्वतो हरिभिर्वृताः ॥ २२ ॥
“Quickly, today, let us march swiftly on the unassailable city guarded by Ravana, surrounded on all sides by monkeys.”
इत्येवं तु वदन् वीरो लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मणाग्रजः । तस्मादवातरच्छीघ्रं पर्वताग्रान्महाबलः ॥ २३ ॥
Saying this to Lakshmana, the hero, Lakshmana’s elder brother, mighty, quickly came down from that mountain top.
अवतीर्य तु धर्मात्मा तस्माच्छैलात् स राघवः । परैः परमदुर्धर्षं ददर्श बलमात्मनः ॥ २४ ॥
Having come down from that mountain, righteous Raghava saw his own army, most unassailable by enemies.
संनह्य तु ससुग्रीवः कपिराजबलं महत् । कालज्ञो राघवः काले संयुगायाभ्यचोदयत् ॥ २५ ॥
Having had the great army of the king of monkeys equipped with Sugriva, Raghava, who knew the time, urged it to battle at the right time.
ततः काले महाबाहुर्बलेन महता वृतः । प्रस्थितः पुरतो धन्वी लङ्कामभिमुखः पुरीम् ॥ २६ ॥
Then at the right time the mighty-armed one, surrounded by a great army, set out in front, bow in hand, facing the city of Lanka.
तं विभीषणसुग्रीवौ हनूमाञ्जाम्बवान् नलः । ऋक्षराजस्तथा नीलो लक्ष्मणश्चान्वयुस्तदा ॥ २७ ॥
Vibhishana and Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan, Nala, the king of the bears, Nila and Lakshmana followed him then.
ततः पश्चात् सुमहती पृतनर्क्षवनौकसाम् । प्रच्छाद्य महतीं भूमिमनुयाति स्म राघवम् ॥ २८ ॥
Then behind, the very great army of bears and forest-dwellers, covering a great expanse of land, followed Raghava.
शैलशृङ्गाणि शतशः प्रवृद्धांश्च महीरुहान् । जगृहुः कुञ्जरप्रख्या वानराः परवारणाः ॥ २९ ॥
The monkeys, like elephants, warding off enemies, seized mountain peaks by the hundred and huge trees.
तौ त्वदीर्घेण कालेन भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । रावणस्य पुरीं लङ्कामासेदतुररिंदमौ ॥ ३० ॥
In no long time those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, tamers of enemies, reached Ravana’s city, Lanka,
पताकामालिनीं रम्यामुद्यानवनशोभिताम् । चित्रवप्रां सुदुष्प्रापामुच्चैः प्राकारतोरणाम् ॥ ३१ ॥
garlanded with banners, lovely, adorned with gardens and woods, with wonderful ramparts, very hard to reach, with lofty walls and gates.
तां सुरैरपि दुर्धर्षां रामवाक्यप्रचोदिताः । यथानिदेशं सम्पीड्य न्यविशन्त वनौकसः ॥ ३२ ॥
That city, unassailable even by gods, the forest-dwellers, urged by Rama’s words, pressed and besieged as ordered.
लङ्कायास्तूत्तरद्वारं शैलशृङ्गमिवोन्नतम् । रामः सहानुजो धन्वी जुगोप च रुरोध च ॥ ३३ ॥
The northern gate of Lanka, lofty as a mountain peak, Rama with his younger brother, bow in hand, guarded and blockaded.
लङ्कामुपनिविष्टस्तु रामो दशरथात्मजः । लक्ष्मणानुचरो वीरः पुरीं रावणपालिताम् ॥ ३४ ॥
Rama, son of Dasharatha, the hero followed by Lakshmana, having camped before Lanka, the city guarded by Ravana,
उत्तरद्वारमासाद्य यत्र तिष्ठति रावणः । नान्यो रामाद्धि तद् द्वारं समर्थः परिरक्षितुम् ॥ ३५ ॥
reached the northern gate where Ravana stood; for no one but Rama was able to guard that gate,
रावणाधिष्ठितं भीमं वरुणेनेव सागरम् । सायुधै राक्षसैर्भीमैरभिगुप्तं समन्ततः ॥ ३६ ॥
terrible, occupied by Ravana, like the ocean by Varuna, guarded on every side by terrible armed rakshasas,
लघूनां त्रासजननं पातालमिव दानवैः । विन्यस्तानि च योधानां बहूनि विविधानि च ॥ ३७ ॥
frightening to the weak, like the underworld by the danavas. And he saw, set out for the warriors, many kinds
ददर्शायुधजालानि तथैव कवचानि च । पूर्वं तु द्वारमासाद्य नीलो हरिचमूपतिः ॥ ३८ ॥
of masses of weapons and of armour. Nila, commander of the monkey army, reaching the eastern gate,
अतिष्ठत् सह मैन्देन द्विविदेन च वीर्यवान् । अङ्गदो दक्षिणद्वारं जग्राह सुमहाबलः ॥ ३९ ॥
stood there, the valiant one, with Mainda and Dvivida. Very mighty Angada took the southern gate,
ऋषभेण गवाक्षेण गजेन गवयेन च । हनूमान् पश्चिमद्वारं ररक्ष बलवान् कपिः ॥ ४० ॥
with Rishabha, Gavaksha, Gaja and Gavaya. The mighty monkey Hanuman guarded the western gate,
प्रमाथिप्रघसाभ्यां च वीरैरन्यैश्च संगतः । मध्यमे च स्वयं गुल्मे सुग्रीवः समतिष्ठत ॥ ४१ ॥
joined with Pramathi, Praghasa and other heroes. In the central camp Sugriva himself stood,
सह सर्वैर्हरिश्रेष्ठैः सुपर्णपवनोपमैः । वानराणां तु षट्त्रिंशत्कोट्यः प्रख्यातयूथपाः ॥ ४२ ॥
with all the best of monkeys, like Suparna and the Wind. Thirty-six crores of famous monkey leaders
निपीड्योपनिविष्टाश्च सुग्रीवो यत्र वानरः । शासनेन तु रामस्य लक्ष्मणः सविभीषणः ॥ ४३ ॥
camped, pressing, where the monkey Sugriva was. At Rama’s command Lakshmana with Vibhishana
द्वारे द्वारे हरीणां तु कोटिं कोटीर्न्यवेशयत् । पश्चिमेन तु रामस्य सुषेणः सहजाम्बवान् ॥ ४४ ॥
posted crore after crore of monkeys at each gate. To the west of Rama, Sushena with Jambavan
अदूरान्मध्यमे गुल्मे तस्थौ बहुबलानुगः । ते तु वानरशार्दूलाः शार्दूला इव दंष्ट्रिणः । गृहीत्वा द्रुमशैलाग्रान् हृष्टा युद्धाय तस्थिरे ॥ ४५ ॥
stood not far off at the central camp, followed by a large force. Those tigers among monkeys, with fangs like tigers, seizing trees and mountain peaks, stood joyfully ready for battle.
सर्वे विकृतलाङ्गूलाः सर्वे दंष्ट्रानखायुधाः । सर्वे विकृतचित्राङ्गाः सर्वे च विकृताननाः ॥ ४६ ॥
All with strange tails, all with teeth and nails for weapons, all with strange and many-coloured limbs, all with strange faces;
दशनागबलाः केचित् केचिद् दशगुणोत्तराः । केचिन्नागसहस्रस्य बभूवुस्तुल्यविक्रमाः ॥ ४७ ॥
some had the strength of ten elephants, some ten times more, some were equal in valour to a thousand elephants;
सन्ति चौघबलाः केचित् केचिच्छतगुणोत्तराः । अप्रमेयबलाश्चान्ये तत्रासन् हरियूथपाः ॥ ४८ ॥
some had the strength of a flood, some a hundred times more, and other leaders of monkey troops there were of immeasurable strength.
अद्भुतश्च विचित्रश्च तेषामासीत् समागमः । तत्र वानरसैन्यानां शलभानामिवोद्गमः ॥ ४९ ॥
Wonderful and strange was their gathering there; there was a rising of the monkey armies like locusts.
परिपूर्णमिवाकाशं सम्पूर्णेव च मेदिनी । लङ्कामुपनिविष्टैश्च सम्पतद्भिश्च वानरैः ॥ ५० ॥
The sky seemed full and the earth quite filled with the monkeys camped before Lanka and the monkeys rushing up.
शतं शतसहस्राणां पृतनर्क्षवनौकसाम् । लङ्काद्वाराण्युपाजग्मुरन्ये योद्धुं समन्ततः ॥ ५१ ॥
A hundred hundred-thousands of the hosts of bears and forest-dwellers came up to the gates of Lanka, others on every side to fight.
आवृतः स गिरिः सर्वैस्तैः समन्तात् प्लवङ्गमैः । अयुतानां सहस्रं च पुरीं तामभ्यवर्तत ॥ ५२ ॥
That mountain was covered all round by all those leapers; a thousand ten-thousands advanced on that city.
वानरैर्बलवद्भिश्च बभूव द्रुमपाणिभिः । सर्वतः संवृता लङ्का दुष्प्रवेशापि वायुना ॥ ५३ ॥
Lanka was hemmed in on every side by mighty monkeys with trees in their hands, hard to enter even for the wind.
राक्षसा विस्मयं जग्मुः सहसाभिनिपीडिताः । वानरैर्मेघसंकाशैः शक्रतुल्यपराक्रमैः ॥ ५४ ॥
The rakshasas, suddenly pressed hard by monkeys like clouds, of valour equal to Shakra’s, were filled with amazement.
महाञ्छब्दोऽभवत् तत्र बलौघस्याभिवर्ततः । सागरस्येव भिन्नस्य यथा स्यात् सलिलस्वनः ॥ ५५ ॥
A great sound arose there from the advancing mass of troops, like the sound of water when the ocean bursts.
तेन शब्देन महता सप्राकारा सतोरणा । लङ्का प्रचलिता सर्वा सशैलवनकानना ॥ ५६ ॥
With that great sound the whole of Lanka shook, with its walls and gates, its hills, woods and groves.
रामलक्ष्मणगुप्ता सा सुग्रीवेण च वाहिनी । बभूव दुर्धर्षतरा सर्वैरपि सुरासुरैः ॥ ५७ ॥
Guarded by Rama and Lakshmana and by Sugriva, that army became harder to assail than by all the gods and asuras.
राघवः संनिवेश्यैवं स्वसैन्यं रक्षसां वधे । सम्मन्त्र्य मन्त्रिभिः सार्धं निश्चित्य च पुनः पुनः ॥ ५८ ॥
Having deployed his army so for the killing of the rakshasas, Raghava, having consulted with his ministers and decided again and again,
आनन्तर्यमभिप्रेप्सुः क्रमयोगार्थतत्त्ववित् । विभीषणस्यानुमते राजधर्ममनुस्मरन् ॥ ५९ ॥
wanting the proper sequence, knowing the true purpose of the order of the means, with Vibhishana’s approval, remembering the duty of kings,
अङ्गदं वालितनयं समाहूयेदमब्रवीत् । गत्वा सौम्य दशग्रीवं ब्रूहि मद्वचनात् कपे ॥ ६० ॥
summoned Angada, son of Vali, and said: “Go, gentle one, and tell Ten-necked on my behalf, monkey,
लङ्घयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कां भयं त्यक्त्वा गतव्यथः । भ्रष्टश्रीकं गतैश्वर्यं मुमूर्षानष्टचेतनम् ॥ ६१ ॥
“crossing into the city of Lanka, putting fear aside, untroubled: ‘You whose fortune is lost, whose lordship is gone, who wish to die, whose senses are lost,
ऋषीणां देवतानां च गन्धर्वाप्सरसां तथा । नागानामथ यक्षाणां राज्ञां च रजनीचर ॥ ६२ ॥
“’the evil you have done out of delusion and arrogance to sages and gods, to gandharvas and apsarases, to nagas and yakshas and to kings, night-wanderer,
यच्च पापं कृतं मोहादवलिप्तेन राक्षस । नूनं ते विगतो दर्पः स्वयंभूवरदानजः । तस्य पापस्य सम्प्राप्ता व्युष्टिरद्य दुरासदा ॥ ६३ ॥
“’rakshasa: surely your pride born of the Self-born’s boon is gone. The fruit of that evil has come today, hard to escape.
यस्य दण्डधरस्तेऽहं दाराहरणकर्शितः । दण्डं धारयमाणस्तु लङ्काद्वारे व्यवस्थितः ॥ ६४ ॥
“’I, the bearer of the rod for you, worn by the abduction of my wife, stand at Lanka’s gate holding the rod.
पदवीं देवतानां च महर्षीणां च राक्षस । राजर्षीणां च सर्वेषां गमिष्यसि युधि स्थिरः ॥ ६५ ॥
“’You will go the way of the gods, the great sages and all the royal sages, rakshasa, standing firm in battle.
बलेन येन वै सीतां मायया राक्षसाधम । मामतिक्रमयित्वा त्वं हृतवांस्तन्निदर्शय ॥ ६६ ॥
“’The strength with which you carried off Sita by magic, vilest of rakshasas, after luring me away: show it.
अराक्षसमिमं लोकं कर्तास्मि निशितैः शरैः । न चेच्छरणमभ्येषि तामादाय तु मैथिलीम् ॥ ६७ ॥
“’I will make this world empty of rakshasas with sharp arrows, unless you come for refuge, bringing Maithili.
धर्मात्मा राक्षसश्रेष्ठः सम्प्राप्तोऽयं विभीषणः । लङ्कैश्वर्यमिदं श्रीमान् ध्रुवं प्राप्नोत्यकण्टकम् ॥ ६८ ॥
“’This righteous Vibhishana, best of rakshasas, has come to me; the glorious one will surely obtain this lordship of Lanka without a rival.
नहि राज्यमधर्मेण भोक्तुं क्षणमपि त्वया । शक्यं मूर्खसहायेन पापेनाविदितात्मना ॥ ६९ ॥
“’For you cannot enjoy the kingdom by adharma even for a moment, sinner, with fools for helpers, not knowing yourself.
युध्यस्व मा धृतिं कृत्वा शौर्यमालम्ब्य राक्षस । मच्छरैस्त्वं रणे शान्तस्ततः पूतो भविष्यसि ॥ ७० ॥
“’Fight, rakshasa, taking courage, relying on your valour. Calmed by my arrows in battle, you will then be purified.
यद्याविशसि लोकांस्त्रीन् पक्षीभूतो निशाचर । मम चक्षुःपथं प्राप्य न जीवन् प्रतियास्यसि ॥ ७१ ॥
“’Even if you enter the three worlds, night-wanderer, becoming a bird, having come into the path of my eyes you will not go back alive.
ब्रवीमि त्वां हितं वाक्यं क्रियतामौर्ध्वदेहिकम् । सुदृष्टा क्रियतां लङ्का जीवितं ते मयि स्थितम् ॥ ७२ ॥
“’I tell you a word for your good: let your funeral rites be performed; let Lanka be looked at well; your life rests with me.’”
इत्युक्तः स तु तारेयो रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । जगामाकाशमाविश्य मूर्तिमानिव हव्यवाट् ॥ ७३ ॥
Told so by Rama of untiring deeds, Tara’s son went, entering the sky, like the bearer of oblations in bodily form.
सोऽतिपत्य मुहूर्तेन श्रीमान् रावणमन्दिरम् । ददर्शासीनमव्यग्रं रावणं सचिवैः सह ॥ ७४ ॥
Flying over in a moment, the glorious one reached Ravana’s palace and saw Ravana seated untroubled with his ministers.
ततस्तस्याविदूरेण निपत्य हरिपुंगवः । दीप्ताग्निसदृशस्तस्थावङ्गदः कनकाङ्गदः ॥ ७५ ॥
Then, coming down not far from him, the bull among monkeys stood, like a blazing fire, Angada with golden armlets.
तद् रामवचनं सर्वमन्यूनाधिकमुत्तमम् । सामात्यं श्रावयामास निवेद्यात्मानमात्मना ॥ ७६ ॥
He made him and his ministers hear all those excellent words of Rama, neither less nor more, announcing himself:
दूतोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । वालिपुत्रोऽङ्गदो नाम यदि ते श्रोत्रमागतः ॥ ७७ ॥
“I am the messenger of Rama, lord of Kosala, of untiring deeds, Vali’s son named Angada, if you have heard of me.
आह त्वां राघवो रामः कौसल्यानन्दवर्धनः । निष्पत्य प्रतियुध्यस्व नृशंस पुरुषो भव ॥ ७८ ॥
“Rama Raghava, who increases Kausalya’s joy, says to you: ‘Come out and fight, cruel one; be a man.
हन्तास्मि त्वां सहामात्यं सपुत्रज्ञातिबान्धवम् । निरुद्विग्नास्त्रयो लोका भविष्यन्ति हते त्वयि ॥ ७९ ॥
“’I will kill you with your ministers, sons, relatives and kin; when you are killed, the three worlds will be free of fear.
देवदानवयक्षाणां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् । शत्रुमद्योद्धरिष्यामि त्वामृषीणां च कण्टकम् ॥ ८० ॥
“’Today I will pull out the enemy of gods, danavas and yakshas, of gandharvas, serpents and rakshasas: you, the thorn of the sages.
विभीषणस्य चैश्वर्यं भविष्यति हते त्वयि । न चेत् सत्कृत्य वैदेहीं प्रणिपत्य प्रदास्यसि ॥ ८१ ॥
“’When you are killed, the lordship will be Vibhishana’s, unless you honour Vaidehi, bow down and give her back.’”
इत्येवं परुषं वाक्यं ब्रुवाणे हरिपुङ्गवे । अमर्षवशमापन्नो निशाचरगणेश्वरः ॥ ८२ ॥
As the bull among monkeys spoke such harsh words, the lord of the hosts of night-wanderers fell under the power of rage.
ततः स रोषमापन्नः शशास सचिवांस्तदा । गृह्यतामिति दुर्मेधा वध्यतामिति चासकृत् ॥ ८३ ॥
Then, filled with fury, he ordered his ministers again and again: “Seize this fool!” and “Kill him!”
रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दीप्ताग्निमिव तेजसा । जगृहुस्तं ततो घोराश्चत्वारो रजनीचराः ॥ ८४ ॥
Hearing Ravana’s words, four terrible night-wanderers then seized him, blazing like a fire with splendour.
ग्राहयामास तारेयः स्वयमात्मानमात्मवान् । बलं दर्शयितुं वीरो यातुधानगणे तदा ॥ ८५ ॥
Tara’s son, self-possessed, let himself be seized, the hero, to show his strength among the band of yatudhanas.
स तान् बाहुद्वयासक्तानादाय पतगानिव । प्रासादं शैलसंकाशमुत्पपाताङ्गदस्तदा ॥ ८६ ॥
Taking them, clinging to his two arms, like birds, Angada then leapt up onto the palace, which was like a mountain.
तस्योत्पतनवेगेन निर्धूतास्तत्र राक्षसाः । भूमौ निपतिताः सर्वे राक्षसेन्द्रस्य पश्यतः ॥ ८७ ॥
By the force of his leap the rakshasas were shaken off there and all fell to the ground as the king of the rakshasas looked on.
ततः प्रासादशिखरं शैलशृङ्गमिवोन्नतम् । चक्राम राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वालिपुत्रः प्रतापवान् ॥ ८८ ॥
Then the powerful son of Vali strode onto the peak of the palace of the king of the rakshasas, lofty as a mountain peak.
पफाल च तदाक्रान्तं दशग्रीवस्य पश्यतः । पुरा हिमवतः शृङ्गं वज्रेणेव विदारितम् ॥ ८९ ॥
And trodden on, it split while Ten-necked watched, as long ago a peak of Himavat was split by the thunderbolt.
भङ्क्त्वा प्रासादशिखरं नाम विश्राव्य चात्मनः । विनद्य सुमहानादमुत्पपात विहायसा ॥ ९० ॥
Having broken the palace peak and proclaimed his own name, roaring a very great roar, he flew up through the sky,
व्यथयन् राक्षसान् सर्वान् हर्षयंश्चापि वानरान् । स वानराणां मध्ये तु रामपार्श्वमुपागतः ॥ ९१ ॥
distressing all the rakshasas and delighting the monkeys; and he came into the midst of the monkeys, to Rama’s side.
रावणस्तु परं चक्रे क्रोधं प्रासादधर्षणात् । विनाशं चात्मनः पश्यन् निःश्वासपरमोऽभवत् ॥ ९२ ॥
Ravana felt the greatest anger at the violation of his palace and, foreseeing his own destruction, became full of sighs.
रामस्तु बहुभिर्हृष्टैर्विनदद्भिः प्लवङ्गमैः । वृतो रिपुवधाकाङ्क्षी युद्धायैवाभ्यवर्तत ॥ ९३ ॥
And Rama, surrounded by many delighted, roaring leapers, eager to kill the enemy, advanced for battle.
सुषेणस्तु महावीर्यो गिरिकूटोपमो हरिः । बहुभिः संवृतस्तत्र वानरैः कामरूपिभिः ॥ ९४ ॥
And Sushena, the very valiant monkey, like a mountain peak, surrounded there by many monkeys who take any form,
स तु द्वाराणि संयम्य सुग्रीववचनात् कपिः । पर्यक्रामत दुर्धर्षो नक्षत्राणीव चन्द्रमाः ॥ ९५ ॥
having secured the gates at Sugriva’s word, the unassailable monkey went round like the moon among the stars.
तेषामक्षौहिणिशतं समवेक्ष्य वनौकसाम् । लङ्कामुपनिविष्टानां सागरं चाभिवर्तताम् ॥ ९६ ॥
Seeing a hundred akshauhinis of those forest-dwellers camped before Lanka and advancing toward the sea,
राक्षसा विस्मयं जग्मुस्त्रासं जग्मुस्तथापरे । अपरे समरे हर्षाद्धर्षमेवोपपेदिरे ॥ ९७ ॥
the rakshasas were amazed; others were terrified; others, in the battle, from joy found only joy.
कृत्स्नं हि कपिभिर्व्याप्तं प्राकारपरिखान्तरम् । ददृशू राक्षसा दीनाः प्राकारं वानरीकृतम् । हाहाकारमकुर्वन्त राक्षसा भयमागताः ॥ ९८ ॥
Seeing the whole space between the wall and the moat filled with monkeys, the wretched rakshasas saw the wall turned into monkeys; the rakshasas, struck with fear, cried out in dismay.
तस्मिन् महाभीषणके प्रवृत्ते कोलाहले राक्षसराजयोधाः । प्रगृह्य रक्षांसि महायुधानि युगान्तवाता इव संविचेरुः ॥ ९९ ॥
When that very terrible uproar began, the warriors of the king of the rakshasas, seizing their great weapons, rushed about like the winds at the end of an age.