---
title: "Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/sundara-kanda/sarga-52"
lang: "en"
---

# Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52

> स तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः।  
> आज्ञापयद् वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥ १॥

Overcome with wrath on hearing the reply of that high-souled Hanumān, Rāvaṇa ordered his killing. (1)

> वधे तस्य समाज्ञप्ते रावणेन दुरात्मना।  
> निवेदितवतो दौत्यं नानुमेने विभीषणः॥ २॥

Vibhīṣaṇa, however, did not signify his approval of the death of Hanumān, who had made known his being an envoy of Śrī Rāma, ordered by the evil-minded Rāvaṇa. (2)

> तं रक्षोऽधिपतिं क्रुद्धं तच्च कार्यमुपस्थितम्।  
> विदित्वा चिन्तयामास कार्यं कार्यविधौ स्थितः॥ ३॥

Seeing the aforesaid king of ogres angry, and looking to that affair viz., the death of an envoy which was imminent, Vibhīṣaṇa, who had his mind fixed on propriety of action, pondered over his duty in the circumstances. (3)

> निश्चितार्थस्ततः साम्ना पूज्यं शत्रुजिदग्रजम्।  
> उवाच हितमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः॥ ४॥

Having determined his duty, Vibhīṣaṇa, who was a master of expression, thereupon addressed to his elder brother, who was worthy of adoration to him, the following appeal, which was exceedingly wholesome: (4)

> क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र  
> प्रसीद मे वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व।  
> वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा  
> दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः॥ ५॥

“Pray, forgive me, and cast off anger, O ruler of ogres ! Be propitiated and listen to this appeal of mine. Virtuous and exalted rulers of the earth, who know what is noble and what is low, do not take the life of a messenger. (5)

> राजन् धर्मविरुद्धं च लोकवृत्तेश्च गर्हितम्।  
> तव चासदृशं वीर कपेरस्य प्रमापणम्॥ ६॥

“To consign this monkey to death, O king, is contrary to righteousness, nay deprecable from the point of worldly usage and as such unbecoming of you, O Lord ! (6)

> धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च राजधर्मविशारदः।  
> परावरज्ञो भूतानां त्वमेव परमार्थवित्॥ ७॥

“You know what is right; you recognize a service done to you, and are conversant with the duties of a king; you can distinguish between high and low among created beings and you alone know the ultimate purpose of life. (7)

> गृह्यन्ते यदि रोषेण त्वादृशोऽपि विचक्षणाः।  
> ततः शास्त्रविपश्चित्त्वं श्रम एव हि केवलम्॥ ८॥

“If even those who are learned like you are seized with anger, then the mastery of the scriptures is indeed mere fruitless labour. (8)

> तस्मात् प्रसीद शत्रुघ्न राक्षसेन्द्र दुरासद।  
> युक्तायुक्तं विनिश्चित्य दूतदण्डो विधीयताम्॥ ९॥

“Be propitiated, therefore, O destroyer of foes, O ruler of ogres, who are difficult to approach ! Let punishment be meted out to a messenger only after carefully determining what is meet and what is improper.” (9)

> विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः।  
> कोपेन महताऽऽविष्टो वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवीत्॥ १०॥

Filled with violent anger on hearing the submission of Vibhīṣaṇa, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, spoke in reply as follows: (10)

> न पापानां वधे पापं विद्यते शत्रुसूदन।  
> तस्मादिमं वधिष्यामि वानरं पापकारिणम्॥ ११॥

“No sin lies in the act of killing the sinful, O destroyer of foes ! I shall, therefore, make an end of this monkey, a perpetrator of sin.” (11)

> अधर्ममूलं बहुदोषयुक्त-  
> मनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य।  
> उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं  
> विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः॥ १२॥

Hearing the aforesaid reply of Rāvaṇa, which was rooted in unrighteousness, full of many faults and unbecoming of noble souls, Vibhīṣaṇa, the foremost of those endowed with wisdom, made the following submission, which enabled one to ascertain the highest truth: (12)

> प्रसीद लङ्केश्वर राक्षसेन्द्र  
> धर्मार्थतत्त्वं वचनं शृणुष्व।  
> दूता न वध्याः समयेषु राजन्  
> सर्वेषु सर्वत्र वदन्ति सन्तः॥ १३॥

“Be propitiated, O lord of Laṅkā, O ruler of ogres ! Pray, listen to my appeal embodying the essence of righteousness and worldly fortune. Messengers, O king, are undeserving of death at all times and at all places—so declare the virtuous. (13)

> असंशयं शत्रुरयं प्रवृद्धः  
> कृतं ह्यनेनाप्रियमप्रमेयम्।  
> न दूतवध्यां प्रवदन्ति सन्तो  
> दूतस्य दृष्टा बहवो हि दण्डाः॥ १४॥

“Undoubtedly this monkey is a formidable adversary. Indeed incalculable harm has been done by him. Nevertheless the wise do not sanction the killing of a messenger; for numerous other punishments are found recommended in the scriptures with regard to a messenger. (14)

> वैरूप्यमङ्गेषु कशाभिघातो  
> मौण्ड्यं तथा लक्षणसंनिपातः।  
> एतान् हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान्  
> वधस्तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतोऽस्ति॥ १५॥

“Mutilation of any of his limbs, flogging, shaving of the head and branding—indeed the wise recommend any of these punishments with regard to a messenger; the killing of a messenger has, however, never been heard of by us. (15)

> कथं च धर्मार्थविनीतबुद्धिः  
> परावरप्रत्ययनिश्चितार्थः।  
> भवद्विधः कोपवशे हि तिष्ठेत्  
> कोपं न गच्छन्ति हि सत्त्ववन्तः॥ १६॥

“And indeed how can one like you, whose mind has penetrated into the realms of righteousness and worldly prosperity and who has determined his duty by discriminating between what is noble and what is ignoble, remain swayed by anger? For, the powerful never give way to anger. (16)

> न धर्मवादे न च लोकवृत्ते  
> न शास्त्रबुद्धिग्रहणेषु वापि।  
> विद्येत कश्चित्तव वीर तुल्य-  
> स्त्वं ह्युत्तमः सर्वसुरासुराणाम्॥ १७॥

“No one is your equal in discussing virtue, nor in observing the worldly usage, nor even in grasping the import of scriptures by means of your intellect, O hero! Indeed you are the foremost of the gods and the demons. (17)

> पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च  
> सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन।  
> त्वयाप्रमेयेण सुरेन्द्रसङ्घा  
> जिताश्च युद्धेष्वसकृन्नरेन्द्राः॥ १८॥

“Nay, by you, who are difficult to conquer even for high-minded gods and demons endowed with prowess and martial ardour and are immeasurable in strength etc., hosts of leaders of gods and rulers of men have been conquered in combats more than once. (18)

> इत्थंविधस्यामरदैत्यशत्रोः  
> शूरस्य वीरस्य तवाजितस्य।  
> कुर्वन्ति वीरा मनसाप्यलीकं  
> प्राणैर्विमुक्ता न तु भोः पुरा ते॥ १९॥

“In the past heroes have never given offence even with their mind to you, who are so valiant and heroic and inimical even to gods and demons and have never been conquered by anyone, O King ! Those who raised their head, were immediately deprived of their life. (19)

> न चाप्यस्य कपेर्घाते कंचित् पश्याम्यहं गुणम्।  
> तेष्वयं पात्यतां दण्डो यैरयं प्रेषितः कपिः॥ २०॥

“Nor do I perceive any good whatsoever in taking the life of this monkey. Let this punishment in the form of death descend on them by whom this monkey has been sent. (20)

> साधुर्वा यदि वासाधुः परैरेष समर्पितः।  
> ब्रुवन् परार्थं परवान् न दूतो वधमर्हति॥ २१॥

“Whether he is good or bad, he has been sent by our enemies. Advocating others’ interests, dependent as he is on them, an envoy does not merit death. (21)

> अपि चास्मिन् हते नान्यं राजन् पश्यामि खेचरम्।  
> इह यः पुनरागच्छेत् परं पारं महोदधेः॥ २२॥

“Moreover, once this monkey is killed, O king, I see no other sky-ranger who can come once more to the opposite shore of the vast sea on this side. (22)

> तस्मान्नास्य वधे यत्नः कार्यः परपुरंजय।  
> भवान् सेन्द्रेषु देवेषु यत्नमास्थातुमर्हति॥ २३॥

“Therefore, O conqueror of hostile citadels, no attempt should be made to take the life of this monkey. On the other hand, you should direct your efforts against the gods including Indra, their ruler. (23)

> अस्मिन् विनष्टे नहि भूतमन्यं  
> पश्यामि यस्तौ नरराजपुत्रौ।  
> युद्धाय युद्धप्रिय दुर्विनीता-  
> वुद्योजयेद् वै भवता विरुद्धौ॥ २४॥

“If this monkey is put to death, I do not really perceive any other created being who can incite those two insolent human princes, who are hostile to you, to wage war against you, O bellicose king ! (24)

> पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च  
> सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन।  
> त्वया मनोनन्दन नैर्ऋतानां  
> युद्धाय निर्नाशयितुं न युक्तम्॥ २५॥

“For you, who are difficult to conquer even for high-minded gods and demons endowed with prowess and martial ardour, O delight of ogres, it is not meet to crush the ardour of those ogres (the progeny of Nirrti) for war. (25)

> हिताश्च शूराश्च समाहिताश्च  
> कुलेषु जाताश्च महागुणेषु।  
> मनस्विनः शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठाः  
> कोपप्रशस्ताः सुभृताश्च योधाः॥ २६॥  
> तदेकदेशेन बलस्य तावत्  
> केचित् तवादेशकृतोऽद्य यान्तु।  
> तौ राजपुत्रावुपगृह्य मूढौ  
> परेषु ते भावयितुं प्रभावम्॥ २७॥

“Therefore, in order to make your greatness known to the enemies, let a few warriors, who are well-disposed and valiant, nay, devoted and born in families noted for their great qualities, high-minded, foremost among armed soldiers, renowned for their burning ardour, handsomely paid and obedient to your commands, proceed today with a section of your army and return after capturing the two princes, distracted as they are through agony caused by separation from Sītā.” (26-27)

> निशाचराणामधिपोऽनुजस्य  
> विभीषणस्योत्तमवाक्यमिष्टम्।  
> जग्राह बुद्ध्या सुरलोकशत्रु-  
> र्महाबलो राक्षसराजमुख्यः॥ २८॥

Rāvaṇa, the foremost of the rulers of ogres, the suzerain lord of the rangers of the night and an enemy of the celestial realm, who was endowed with extraordinary might, accepted with his mind the sound and palatable advice of his younger brother, Vibhīṣaṇa. (28)

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