---
title: "Sundara Kanda, Sarga 50"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/sundara-kanda/sarga-50"
lang: "en"
---

# Sundara Kanda, Sarga 50

> तमुद्वीक्ष्य महाबाहुः पिङ्गाक्षं पुरतः स्थितम्।  
> रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टो रावणो लोकरावणः॥ १॥

The mighty-armed Rāvaṇa, who made people cry in distress wherever he went, was seized with violent rage to behold that monkey (lit., a tawny-eyed one) before him. (1)

> शङ्काहतात्मा दध्यौ स कपीन्द्रं तेजसा वृतम्।  
> किमेष भगवान् नन्दी भवेत् साक्षादिहागतः॥ २॥  
> येन शप्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया प्रहसिते पुरा।  
> सोऽयं वानरमूर्तिः स्यात्किंस्विद् बाणोऽपि वासुरः॥ ३॥

His mind overcome with apprehension, he speculated as follows with regard to Hanumān (a leader of monkeys), who was invested with glory: “Is it the glorious Nandī, a leader of the attendants of Lord Śiva, who has come here in person, by whom I was formerly cursed on Mount Kailāśa, the abode of Lord Śiva, when he was mocked by me? Or, perhaps he may even be the celebrated demon Bāṇa, son of Bali, in the guise of a monkey.” (2-3)

> स राजा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रहस्तं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्।  
> कालयुक्तमुवाचेदं वचो विपुलमर्थवत्॥ ४॥

His eyes bloodshot through anger, the aforesaid king Rāvaṇa spoke to Prahasta, the foremost of his ministers, the following opportune, solemn and significant words : (4)

> दुरात्मा पृच्छ्यतामेष कुतः किं वास्य कारणम्।  
> वनभङ्गे च कोऽस्यार्थो राक्षसानां च तर्जने॥ ५॥

“Let this evil-minded fellow be asked where he has come from, what is his motive in coming here, nay, what was his object in destroying the grove as well as in threatening the ogres. (5)

> मत्पुरीमप्रधृष्यां वै गमने किं प्रयोजनम्।  
> आयोधने वा किं कार्यं पृच्छ्यतामेष दुर्मतिः॥ ६॥

“Let this perverse fellow be asked what really is his purpose in actually coming over to my city, which cannot be taken by storm or what is his object in seeking an encounter with our people.” (6)

> रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्तो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।  
> समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे॥ ७॥

Hearing the command of Rāvaṇa, Prahasta spoke to Hanumān as follows: “Take heart, O monkey ! May good betide you. No fear need be entertained by you. (7)

> यदि तावत् त्वमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो रावणालयम्।  
> तत्त्वमाख्याहि मा ते भूद् भयं वानर मोक्ष्यसे॥ ८॥

“If for that matter you have been sent to the abode of Rāvaṇa by Indra, pray, speak the truth, O monkey ! Let no fear haunt you. You shall be liberated. (8)

> यदि वैश्रवणस्य त्वं यमस्य वरुणस्य च।  
> चारुरूपमिदं कृत्वा प्रविष्टो नः पुरीमिमाम्॥ ९॥

“Tell us if you are a messenger of the god of riches, Kubera, (a son of Sage Viśravā), Yama (the god of retribution) or Varuṇa (the god of water) and have deeply penetrated into this city of ours, having assumed the disguise of a spy. (9)

> विष्णुना प्रेषितो वापि दूतो विजयकाङ्क्षिणा।  
> नहि ते वानरं तेजो रूपमात्रं तु वानरम्॥ १०॥

“Or, tell me if you are an envoy dispatched by Viṣṇu, who is longing for conquest. Surely your prowess is not like that of a monkey; your form alone, for that matter, is that of a monkey. (10)

> तत्त्वतः कथयस्वाद्य ततो वानर मोक्ष्यसे।  
> अनृतं वदतश्चापि दुर्लभं तव जीवितम्॥ ११॥

“Correctly communicate this today. Then you shall be set free, O monkey ! On the other hand, it will be difficult for you to survive if you tell a lie. (11)

> अथवा यन्निमित्तस्ते प्रवेशो रावणालये।  
> एवमुक्तो हरिवरस्तदा रक्षोगणेश्वरम्॥ १२॥  
> अब्रवीन्नास्मि शक्रस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च।  
> धनदेन न मे सख्यं विष्णुना नास्मि चोदितः॥ १३॥

“Or, simply let us know the motive of your penetrating deep into the abode of Rāvaṇa.” Interrogated in the foregoing words on that occasion, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, submitted as follows to Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogre hordes: “I am neither a messenger of Indra (the ruler of gods) nor of Yama, nor of Varuṇa, nor does my friendship exist with Kubera (the bestower of riches) nor have I been dispatched by Viṣṇu. (12-13)

> जातिरेव मम त्वेषा वानरोऽहमिहागतः।  
> दर्शने राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तदिदं दुर्लभं मया॥ १४॥  
> वनं राक्षसराजस्य दर्शनार्थं विनाशितम्।  
> ततस्ते राक्षसाः प्राप्ता बलिनो युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः॥ १५॥  
> रक्षणार्थं च देहस्य प्रतियुद्धा मया रणे।  
> अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि॥ १६॥

“I am a monkey by my very birth and as a monkey alone have I come here for a sight of the king of ogres. Nay, this well-known and rare grove of the king of ogres has been laid waste by me merely for the sake of obtaining a sight of Rāvaṇa, the king of ogres. Thereupon came those mighty ogres longing for an encounter, and in self-defence they were met by me on the field of battle. I am incapable of being bound with missiles and nooses by gods and demons. (14—16)

> पितामहादेष वरो ममापि हि समागतः।  
> राजानं द्रष्टुकामेन मयास्त्रमनुवर्तितम्॥ १७॥

“A boon to this effect has actually been won even by me from Brahmā (the progenitor even of the lords of creation). The missile was respected by me only because I longed to see the king. (17)

> विमुक्तोऽप्यहमस्त्रेण राक्षसैस्त्वभिवेदितः।  
> केनचिद् रामकार्येण आगतोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम्॥ १८॥

“Though completely set free by the missile, I have been brought and announced to you as if I were still bound with the missile. Spurred on by some mission of Śrī Rāma, have I sought your presence. (18)

> दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञाय राघवस्यामितौजसः।  
> श्रूयतामेव वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो॥ १९॥

“Recognizing the fact that I am an envoy of Śrī Rāma, who is endowed with limitless energy, let this salutary advice of mine be definitely listened to, O lord ! (19)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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