Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 9 of 128 · 23 verses
Vibhishana’s First Counsel
The rakshasa chiefs, among them Nikumbha, Rabhasa, Suryashatru, Mahaparshva, Mahodara, Indrajit, Prahasta, Virupaksha, Vajradamshtra, Dhumraksha, Atikaya and Durmukha, leap up with their weapons, blazing, and declare they will kill Rama, Sugriva, Lakshmana and wretched Hanuman today.
Vibhishana stops them, makes them sit, and speaks with joined palms. The wise say force is for when the three peaceful means have failed, and it succeeds against an enemy who is careless, already engaged, or struck by fate. How can they attack Rama, who is alert, set on victory, strong, master of his anger? Who could have imagined Hanuman crossing the ocean? The enemy’s strength is beyond measure; never despise it. And what wrong did Rama ever do to the king, that the king stole his glorious wife from Janasthana? Khara overstepped, and Rama killed him in battle; every creature must defend its life. Because of Vaidehi a great danger has come; she was taken to make a quarrel, and should be given back. It is not wise to make a pointless enmity with a man so mighty and so devoted to dharma. Give Maithili back before his arrows shatter the city with its elephants, horses and jewels, before the monkey army storms Lanka; otherwise the city and all its heroes will perish. “I plead with you as your brother: give Maithili to Dasharatha’s son before he looses his unfailing arrows. Give up the anger that destroys happiness and dharma; take up dharma, which increases joy and fame. Be gracious, so that we may live with our sons and kin.” Hearing Vibhishana, Ravana dismisses the council and goes into his palace.
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ततो निकुम्भो रभसः सूर्यशत्रुर्महाबलः । सुप्तघ्नो यज्ञकोपश्च महापार्श्वमहोदरौ ॥ १ ॥
Then Nikumbha, Rabhasa, mighty Suryashatru, Suptaghna and Yajnakopa, Mahaparshva and Mahodara,
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अग्निकेतुश्च दुर्धर्षो रश्मिकेतुश्च राक्षसः । इन्द्रजिच्च महातेजा बलवान् रावणात्मजः ॥ २ ॥
unassailable Agniketu and the rakshasa Rashmiketu, and radiant, mighty Indrajit, Ravana’s son,
प्रहस्तोऽथ विरूपाक्षो वज्रदंष्ट्रो महाबलः । धूम्राक्षश्चातिकायश्च दुर्मुखश्चैव राक्षसः ॥ ३ ॥
Prahasta, Virupaksha, mighty Vajradamshtra, Dhumraksha, Atikaya and the rakshasa Durmukha,
परिघान् पट्टिशान् शूलान् प्रासान् शक्तिपरश्वधान् । चापानि च सुबाणानि खड्गांश्च विपुलाम्बुभान् ॥ ४ ॥
taking iron bars, spears, tridents, lances, darts and axes, bows with fine arrows and broad swords like water,
प्रगृह्य परमक्रुद्धाः समुत्पत्य च राक्षसाः । अब्रुवन् रावणं सर्वे प्रदीप्ता इव तेजसा ॥ ५ ॥
in the height of anger, the rakshasas sprang up and all said to Ravana, as if blazing with energy:
अद्य रामं वधिष्यामः सुग्रीवं च सलक्ष्मणम् । कृपणं च हनूमन्तं लङ्का येन प्रधर्षिता ॥ ६ ॥
“Today we will kill Rama, and Sugriva with Lakshmana, and the wretched Hanuman, by whom Lanka was violated.”
तान् गृहीतायुधान् सर्वान् वारयित्वा विभीषणः । अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं पुनः प्रत्युपवेश्य तान् ॥ ७ ॥
Holding back all of them with their weapons taken up, Vibhishana made them sit down again, and spoke with joined palms:
अप्युपायैस्त्रिभिस्तात योऽर्थः प्राप्तुं न शक्यते । तस्य विक्रमकालांस्तान् युक्तानाहुर्मनीषिणः ॥ ८ ॥
“When an object cannot be gained even by the three means, my friend, the wise say that is the proper time for valour.
प्रमत्तेष्वभियुक्तेषु दैवेन प्रहतेषु च । विक्रमास्तात सिद्ध्यन्ति परीक्ष्य विधिना कृताः ॥ ९ ॥
“Against those who are careless, already engaged, or struck by fate, acts of valour succeed, friend, when undertaken after due examination.
अप्रमत्तं कथं तं तु विजिगीषुं बले स्थितम् । जितरोषं दुराधर्षं तं धर्षयितुमिच्छथ ॥ १० ॥
“But how can you want to assail one who is alert, eager for victory, firm in strength, who has conquered anger, who is hard to assail?
समुद्रं लङ्घयित्वा तु घोरं नदनदीपतिम् । गतिं हनूमतो लोके को विद्यात् तर्कयेत वा ॥ ११ ॥
“Who in the world would know, or even guess, the course of Hanuman, who leapt across the terrible ocean, lord of rivers and streams?
बलान्यपरिमेयानि वीर्याणि च निशाचराः । परेषां सहसावज्ञा न कर्तव्या कथंचन ॥ १२ ॥
“The forces and valour of the enemy are beyond measure, night-wanderers; they must never be rashly despised in any way.
किं च राक्षसराजस्य रामेणापकृतं पुरा । आजहार जनस्थानाद् यस्य भार्यां यशस्विनः ॥ १३ ॥
“And what wrong did Rama do before to the king of the rakshasas, that he carried off that glorious man’s wife from Janasthana?
खरो यद्यतिवृत्तस्तु स रामेण हतो रणे । अवश्यं प्राणिनां प्राणा रक्षितव्या यथाबलम् ॥ १४ ॥
“If Khara overstepped and was killed by Rama in battle: living beings must certainly protect their lives as best they can.
एतन्निमित्तं वैदेही भयं नः सुमहद् भवेत् । आहृता सा परित्याज्या कलहार्थे कृते नु किम् ॥ १५ ॥
“Because of this, Vaidehi will be a very great danger to us. She who was carried off should be given up; what is gained by making a quarrel?
न तु क्षमं वीर्यवता तेन धर्मानुवर्तिना । वैरं निरर्थकं कर्तुं दीयतामस्य मैथिली ॥ १६ ॥
“It is not right to make a pointless enmity with that mighty one who follows dharma. Let Maithili be given back to him.
यावन्न सगजां साश्वां बहुरत्नसमाकुलाम् । पुरीं दारयते बाणैर्दीयतामस्य मैथिली ॥ १७ ॥
“Before he tears apart with his arrows the city with its elephants and horses, full of many jewels, let Maithili be given back to him.
यावत् सुघोरा महती दुर्धर्षा हरिवाहिनी । नावस्कन्दति नो लङ्कां तावत् सीता प्रदीयताम् ॥ १८ ॥
“Before the very terrible, great, unassailable monkey army storms our Lanka, let Sita be given back.
विनश्येद्धि पुरी लङ्का शूराः सर्वे च राक्षसाः । रामस्य दयिता पत्नी न स्वयं यदि दीयते ॥ १९ ॥
“For the city of Lanka will perish, and all the heroic rakshasas, if Rama’s beloved wife is not given back of our own accord.
प्रसादये त्वां बन्धुत्वात् कुरुष्व वचनं मम । हितं तथ्यं त्वहं ब्रूमि दीयतामस्य मैथिली ॥ २० ॥
“I plead with you because we are kin: do as I say. I speak what is good and true. Let Maithili be given back to him.
पुरा शरत्सूर्यमरीचिसंनिभान् नवाग्रपुङ्खान् सुदृढान् नृपात्मजः । सृजत्यमोघान् विशिखान् वधाय ते प्रदीयतां दाशरथाय मैथिली ॥ २१ ॥
“Before the prince looses for your death his unfailing arrows, like the rays of the autumn sun, with new heads and feathers, very strong, let Maithili be given to Dasharatha’s son.
त्यजाशु कोपं सुखधर्मनाशनं भजस्व धर्मं रतिकीर्तिवर्धनम् । प्रसीद जीवेम सपुत्रबान्धवाः प्रदीयतां दाशरथाय मैथिली ॥ २२ ॥
“Quickly give up anger, which destroys happiness and dharma; take up dharma, which increases joy and fame. Be gracious, that we may live with our sons and kin. Let Maithili be given to Dasharatha’s son.”
विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । विसर्जयित्वा तान् सर्वान् प्रविवेश स्वकं गृहम् ॥ २३ ॥
Hearing Vibhishana’s words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, dismissed them all and entered his own house.