Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 26

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid truthful and intrepid submission made by Sāraṇa, King Rāvaṇa replied to Sāraṇa as follows: (1)

Meaning

“Even if the gods, Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and demons should unitedly attack me, I would not, in any case, surrender Sītā, nay, not even for fear of the whole world. (2)

Meaning

“Having been vehemently persecuted by the monkeys and, therefore, greatly alarmed, O gentle one, you, on the other hand, deem it proper to restore Sītā to Rāma this very day. (3)

Meaning

“What adversary, however, can really conquer me in war?” Having made this unkind observation, the glorious Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, who made people cry by his tyranny, thereupon presently climbed up his snow-white palace, which had the height of many Palmyra trees, with intent to survey the army of monkeys. (4—5)

Meaning

Surveying the sea as well as the mountains and forests with the aforesaid spies (Śuka and Sāraṇa), Rāvaṇa, who was excited with anger, saw the terrestrial region fully crowded with monkeys. Beholding that huge army of monkeys, which was unlimited and irresistible, King Rāvaṇa questioned Sāraṇa as follows: “Which monkeys of these are foremost? Which of them are valiant and which endowed with extraordinary might? (6—8)

Meaning

“Full of great zeal on all sides, they march in the van? To whose advice does Sugrīva listen and who are the commanders of commanders of monkey hordes? (9)

Meaning

“Nay, how powerful are the monkeys? Tell me everything, O Sāraṇa!” Hearing the questionnaire of Rāvaṇa (the king of ogres), who was questioning him as aforesaid, Sāraṇa, who knew the army chiefs, forthwith submitted as follows about the leading monkeys in that army: “The monkey who stands here roaring with his face turned towards Laṅkā and surrounded by one lakh of commanders of monkey hordes, nay, by whose powerful voice the entire Laṅkā with its defensive walls and arches and including its mountains, groves and wood-lands is repeatedly struck, and who has taken up his position at the head of the army of the lofty-minded Sugrīva, the ruler of all the monkeys, is the gallant and well-known commander of monkey hordes, Nīla by name. He who, lifting his arms, is walking on the earth with his feet, who, standing, as he does, with his face turned towards Laṅkā, yawns repeatedly in fury, who looks like the peak of a mountain in stature and resembles the filaments of a lotus in complexion, who getting highly excited, lashes his tail again and again, nay, with the swish of whose tail all the ten directions resound, is the Crown prince, Aṅgada by name, installed by Sugrīva, the king of monkeys. He challenges you to combat. (10—17)

Meaning

“A son worthy of Vāli (his father), he is ever beloved of Sugrīva (his uncle) and is ready to display his prowess in the cause of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) as Varuṇa (the god of water) in the cause of Indra, the ruler of gods. (18)

Meaning

“That Sītā, daughter of Janaka, was seen by Hanumān, who is full of speed and is a well-wisher of Rāma (a scion of Raghu), was wholly the design of Aṅgada. (19)

Meaning

“Taking with him many battalions of the foremost of monkeys, this powerful monkey is marching forward to crush you with his army. (20)

Meaning

“Also, surrounded by a large army, here stands the valiant Nala, the builder of the bridge, behind the son of Vāli, ready for a battle. (21)

Meaning

“These formidable and irate bulls among monkeys, of terrible prowess, numbering a thousand crore and eight lakhs, and difficult to resist, who, having stiffened their limbs, are roaring like lions and thundering, and who, springing up on their feet, stretch their limbs in fury, as also yonder valiant monkeys inhabiting the forest of sandalwood trees follow the lead of Nala, who also aspires to crush Laṅkā with his army. The clever, agile and brave monkey, Śweta, of terrible prowess, who is silver-like in hue, is widely known in all the three worlds. Quickly approaching Sugrīva, nay, dividing the army of monkeys and bringing great delight to the troops, he goes back. On the bank of the river Gomatī there is a mountain clothed with various trees, Saṁrocana by name. Here is a commander of monkey hordes, Kumuda by name, who in the days gone by used to roam about that lovely mountain and ruled his kingdom while living in that region. (22—27)

Meaning

“He who joyfully draws in his train hundreds of thousands of monkeys and who has very long hair—coppery, yellow, pale and white and hideous to look at, thrown about on his tail is the intrepid monkey Caṇḍa, who yearns to fight. He too aspires to crush Laṅkā with his army. (28-29)

Meaning

“He who is tawny of hue with long manes and looks, much like a lion, nay, who with an attentive mind gazes on Laṅkā as though he would consume it with his glance and who continuously dwells on the Vindhya, Kṛṣṇagiri, Sahya and Sudarśana mountains, O king, is a commander of monkey hordes, Rambha by name, surrounding whom, even as he marches, one crore and thirty bulls like monkeys, formidable, ferocious and of terrific prowess, follow in order to crush Laṅkā with their might. (30—32)

Meaning

“Look, he who dilates his ears and repeatedly yawns, who does not feel afraid of Death and does not run after an army, nay, who shakes violently through anger and also looks askance, who, lashing his tail, roars like a lion with great vigour and constantly dwells, O king, on the lovely Sālveya mountain, is a commander of monkey hordes, Śarabha by name, who is endowed with extraordinary might and is wholly devoid of fear. (33—35)

Meaning

“Under his command there are one lakh and forty commanders of monkey hordes, known by the name of Vihāras, who are all full of might. (36)

Meaning

“The gigantic monkey who for his part stands enveloping space like a cloud, in the midst of monkey heroes, as Indra in the midst of gods, nay, whose roar resembling the roll of kettle-drums is heard at this moment in the midst of leaders of monkeys who are eager to fight, and who dwells on the most excellent Pāriyātra mountain, is a commander of monkey hordes, Panasa by name, who is ever difficult to resist in combat. (37—39)

Meaning

“Troop-commanders, numbering fifty lakhs, and commanding separate units, remain at the beck and call of this leader of troop-commanders. (40)

Meaning

“He who for his part stands here like another sea, lending charm to the formidable army stationed on the sea-shore, bounding for joy, is the commander, Vinata, who resembles the Dardura mountain in size and moves about drinking the waters of the river Veṇā, the foremost of all rivers. (41-42)

Meaning

“Sixty lakh monkeys constitute the unit under his command. The monkey Krodhana, under whose command there are valiant and powerful troop-commanders even as there are distinct units under their command, is challenging you to combat. The glorious monkey, who for his part nourishes his body having an ochre-like hue for the sake of war with you and, proud, as he is, of his might, stands facing you in fury, ever holding all the other monkeys in contempt, is Gavaya by name. (43—45)

Meaning

“Seventy lakh monkeys stand at his beck and call and he too aspires to lay Laṅkā in ruins with his army. (46)

Meaning

“The afore-mentioned troop-commanders, who are the foremost among generals and who cannot be numbered, are formidable heroes. They have distinct units under their command.” (47)