Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 62 of 128 · 24 verses
Ravana Asks Kumbhakarna for Help
Still heavy with sleep and drink, Kumbhakarna walks along the splendid royal road, surrounded by thousands of rakshasas, showered with flowers from the houses. He enters his brother’s golden palace like the sun entering a mass of cloud and sees his elder brother seated, anxious, in the Pushpaka, like Indra seeing Brahma. Ravana springs up delighted and brings him near; Kumbhakarna bows at his feet and asks what is to be done; Ravana embraces him, and Kumbhakarna takes a fine seat. Eyes red with anger, he asks: why have you woken me with such respect, king? Tell me what you fear; who is to become a ghost?
Ravana, eyes rolling with anger, says: you have slept a very long time, mighty one, and do not know the fear Rama has brought me. This glorious son of Dasharatha, with Sugriva, has leapt the ocean and is cutting away our root. See how, having come easily by a bridge, he has turned Lanka’s woods and groves into one ocean of monkeys. Our chief rakshasas have been killed by monkeys in battle; I see no way to destroy the monkeys, and they have never been defeated. Save us from this danger, mighty one; destroy them today; that is why you were woken. My treasury is exhausted; protect this city of Lanka, left with children and old men. Do this very hard thing for your brother’s sake; I have never spoken so to any brother before. I have love for you and the highest esteem. Many times in the wars of gods and asuras you arrayed against the gods and defeated them, and the asuras too. Summon all your valour; there is no one like you among all beings. Do this supreme thing that I love and need, you who love battle and love your kin; with your own splendour, scatter the enemy army as a great wind scatters autumn clouds.
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स तु राक्षसशार्दूलो निद्रामदसमाकुलः । राजमार्गं श्रिया जुष्टं ययौ विपुलविक्रमः ॥ १ ॥
That tiger among rakshasas, still heavy with sleep and drink, went along the royal road, rich with splendour, of vast valour,
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Ravana Asks Kumbhakarna for Help 1 min read.
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राक्षसानां सहस्रैश्च वृतः परमदुर्जयः । गृहेभ्यः पुष्पवर्षेण कीर्यमाणस्तदा ययौ ॥ २ ॥
surrounded by thousands of rakshasas, most unconquerable, showered with rains of flowers from the houses as he went.
स हेमजालविततं भानुभास्वरदर्शनम् । ददर्श विपुलं रम्यं राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनम् ॥ ३ ॥
He saw the great, lovely palace of the king of the rakshasas, covered with nets of gold, shining like the sun to look at.
स तत्तदा सूर्य इवाभ्रजालं प्रविश्य रक्षोधिपतेर्निवेशनम् । ददर्श दूरेऽग्रजमासनस्थं स्वयंभुवं शक्र इवासनस्थम् ॥ ४ ॥
Entering then the palace of the lord of the rakshasas, like the sun entering a mass of cloud, he saw from afar his elder brother seated, as Shakra sees the Self-born seated.
भ्रातुः स भवनं गच्छन् रक्षोगणसमन्वितः । कुम्भकर्णः पदन्यासैरकम्पयत मेदिनीम् ॥ ५ ॥
Going to his brother’s palace, joined with hosts of rakshasas, Kumbhakarna made the earth tremble with his footsteps.
सोऽभिगम्य गृहं भ्रातुः कक्ष्यामभिविगाह्य च । ददर्शोद्विग्नमासीनं विमाने पुष्पके गुरुम् ॥ ६ ॥
Reaching his brother’s house and plunging into the inner court, he saw his elder seated, anxious, in the Pushpaka chariot.
अथ दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवः कुम्भकर्णमुपस्थितम् । तूर्णमुत्थाय संहृष्टः संनिकर्षमुपानयत् ॥ ७ ॥
Then, seeing Kumbhakarna arrived, Ten-necked rose quickly, delighted, and brought him near.
अथासीनस्य पर्यङ्के कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः । भ्रातुर्ववन्दे चरणौ किं कृत्यमिति चाब्रवीत् ॥ ८ ॥
Then mighty Kumbhakarna bowed at the feet of his brother seated on the couch, and said, “What is to be done?”
उत्पत्य चैनं मुदितो रावणः परिषस्वजे । स भ्रात्रा सम्परिष्वक्तो यथावच्चाभिनन्दितः ॥ ९ ॥
Springing up, delighted, Ravana embraced him; embraced by his brother and properly welcomed,
कुम्भकर्णः शुभं दिव्यं प्रतिपेदे वरासनम् । स तदासनमाश्रित्य कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः ॥ १० ॥
Kumbhakarna took a fine, heavenly, excellent seat. Seated on that seat, mighty Kumbhakarna,
संरक्तनयनः क्रोधाद् रावणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किमर्थमहमादृत्य त्वया राजन् प्रबोधितः ॥ ११ ॥
his eyes red with anger, said to Ravana: “Why have I been woken by you with such respect, king?
शंस कस्माद् भयं तेऽत्र को वा प्रेतो भविष्यति । भ्रातरं रावणः क्रुद्धं कुम्भकर्णमवस्थितम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Tell me, from where does your fear come here, or who will become a ghost?” To his angry brother Kumbhakarna standing there,
रोषेण परिवृत्ताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां वाक्यमब्रवीत् । अद्य ते सुमहान् कालः शयानस्य महाबल ॥ १३ ॥
Ravana said, with eyes rolling with anger: “A very long time has passed for you today, sleeping, mighty one.
सुषुप्तस्त्वं न जानीषे मम रामकृतं भयम् । एष दाशरथिः श्रीमान् सुग्रीवसहितो बली ॥ १४ ॥
“Fast asleep, you do not know the fear Rama has caused me. This glorious son of Dasharatha, mighty, together with Sugriva,
समुद्रं लङ्घयित्वा तु मूलं नः परिकृन्तति । हन्त पश्यस्व लङ्कायां वनान्युपवनानि च ॥ १५ ॥
“having leapt the ocean, is cutting away our root. Alas, see in Lanka the woods and groves:
सेतुना सुखमागत्य वानरैकार्णवं कृतम् । ये राक्षसा मुख्यतमा हतास्ते वानरैर्युधि ॥ १६ ॥
“having come easily by a bridge, he has made them one ocean of monkeys. Those rakshasas who were foremost have been killed by the monkeys in battle.
वानराणां क्षयं युद्धे न पश्यामि कथंचन । न चापि वानरा युद्धे जितपूर्वाः कदाचन ॥ १७ ॥
“I see no way at all of destroying the monkeys in battle; and the monkeys have never before been defeated in battle.
तदेतद् भयमुत्पन्नं त्रायस्वेह महाबल । नाशय त्वमिमानद्य तदर्थं बोधितो भवान् ॥ १८ ॥
“So save us here from this danger that has arisen, mighty one; destroy these today; that is why you were woken.
सर्वक्षपितकोशं च स त्वमभ्युपपद्य माम् । त्रायस्वेमां पुरीं लङ्कां बालवृद्धावशेषिताम् ॥ १९ ॥
“My treasury is all spent; come to my aid and save this city of Lanka, left with only children and old men.
भ्रातुरर्थे महाबाहो कुरु कर्म सुदुष्करम् । मयैवं नोक्तपूर्वो हि भ्राता कश्चित् परंतप ॥ २० ॥
“Do a very hard deed for your brother’s sake, mighty-armed one; I have never before spoken so to any brother, scorcher of foes.
त्वय्यस्ति मम च स्नेहः परा सम्भावना च मे । देवासुरेषु युद्धेषु बहुशो राक्षसर्षभ ॥ २१ ॥
“I have love for you and the highest esteem. Many times in the wars of gods and asuras, bull among rakshasas,
त्वया देवाः प्रतिव्यूह्य निर्जिताश्चासुरा युधि ॥ २२ ॥
“arrayed against the gods, you defeated them, and the asuras, in battle.
तदेतत् सर्वमातिष्ठ वीर्यं भीमपराक्रम । नहि ते सर्वभूतेषु दृश्यते सदृशो बली ॥ २३ ॥
“So summon all this valour, you of terrible prowess; for no one equal to you in strength is seen among all beings.
कुरुष्व मे प्रियहितमेतदुत्तमं यथाप्रियं प्रियरण बान्धवप्रिय । स्वतेजसा व्यथय सपत्नवाहिनीं शरद्घनं पवन इवोद्यतो महान् ॥ २४ ॥
“Do this supreme thing that is dear and good to me, as you love it, you who love battle and love your kin. With your own splendour scatter the enemy army, as a great rising wind scatters autumn clouds.”