Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 28

Meaning

Śuka now spoke as follows to Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, when he had listened to the submission of Sāraṇa, who stood silent after describing the entire army of monkeys as mentioned above: (1)

Meaning

“These monkeys, whom you see ranged like huge elephants in rut, like banian trees standing on the banks of the Gaṅgā or like sal trees growing on the Himālayas, O king, are difficult to resist, mighty and able to change their form at will. They look like Daityas and Dānavas and are endowed with the prowess of gods in war. (2-3)

Meaning

“There are twenty-one thousand crore (or two hundred and ten thousand millions), of these monkeys. (4)

Meaning

“These latter, who are the allies of Sugrīva and ever dwell in Kiṣkindhā itself, were begotten by gods and Gandharvas and are capable of changing their forms at will. (5)

Meaning

“The two monkeys whom you see standing over there, who resemble each other and are endowed with the appearance of gods, are Mainda and Dwivida by name; there is none equal to them in combat.(6)

Meaning

“Duly permitted by Brahmā, the creator, both have quaffed the drink of immortality. These two monkeys too aspire duly to demolish Laṅkā by their own might. (7)

Meaning

“The monkey whom you actually see standing here like an elephant in rut and who when enraged would violently churn up the sea itself went all the way to Laṅkā in search of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) as well as of yourself, O lord. Behold this monkey seen (by you) before and come for a second time. (8-9)

Meaning

“The eldest son of Kesarī, he is also known as an offspring of the wind-god and is widely known as Hanumān, by whom the sea was crossed. (10)

Meaning

“This prince of monkeys is able to change his form at will, is richly endowed with might and physical charm and cannot be stayed in his course any more than the powerful wind, which constantly blows. (11)

Meaning

“Seeing the rising sun when yet a child, feeling hungry, and resolving in his mind that ‘I shall eat up the sun inasmuch as my hunger will not be appeased otherwise,’ nay, actually bounding to a distance of three thousand Yojanas (or twenty-four thousand miles), they say, he leapt up in the sky, proud as he was of his own might.(12-13)

Meaning

“Unable as he was to reach the sun-god, who is most unassailable even to gods, Ṛṣis and ogres, he, however, fell on the eastern mountain on which the sun rises. (14)

Meaning

“Even as the monkey fell on the surface of a rock, one of his jaws got slightly fractured; nevertheless it became all the more solid. Hence he actually came to be known as Hanumān. (15)

Meaning

“Through association with the monkeys who came in contact with me, this monkey is known to me in reality. His strength, physical charm or glory is not capable of being described. (16)

Meaning

“He aspires to destroy Laṅkā single-handed by his own might. How can you actually forget today the monkey by whom fire, which had been deprived of its lustre by your glory, was lighted on his tail at that time and also scattered in Laṅkā? (17)

Meaning

“Again, this valiant prince—who stands close by, nay, who is dark-brown of complexion and has lotus-like eyes, is a great car-warrior among the scions of Ikṣwāku, whose heroism is well-known in the world, in whom virtue never wavers, who never transgresses righteousness, who knows the use of the (mystic) missile presided over by Brahmā (the creator) as also the Vedas, nay, who is the foremost of the knowers of the Vedas, who can split the vault of heaven with his arrows and even rend the earth, whose wrath is like the wrath of Death and whose prowess is similar to that of Indra (the ruler of gods), and whose consort, Sītā, was borne away by you from Janasthāna. The selfsame Rāma is advancing to wage war on you, O king! (18—21)

Meaning

“He who actually stands here on the right side of Rāma, radiant as refined gold, with a broad chest, coppery eyes and dark curly locks, is Lakṣmaṇa by name. He is devoted to his eldest brother’s pleasure and interests, skilled in statecraft as well as in warfare and the foremost among all wielders of weapons. (22-23)

Meaning

“He is unforgiving towards the enemies of Rāma, difficult to conquer, victorious, brave, conquering and mighty. He has always been the right arm of Rāma, nay, his very external life-breath. (24)

Meaning

“Surely he does not spare his own self for the sake of Rāma (a scion of Raghu). He too aspires to exterminate all the ogres in battle. (25)

Meaning

“He who for his part stands over there sticking to the left flank of Rāma and surrounded by a party of ogres is King Vibhīṣaṇa indeed. (26)

Meaning

“Having been consecrated as a sovereign of Laṅkā by the glorious Rāma (the king of kings) and filled with rage, he is marching towards you for an encounter. (27)

Meaning

“Sugrīva, whom indeed you see standing immovable like a rock in the centre, the lord of all monkey chiefs, endowed with immeasurable energy, who outshines all the monkeys in glory, renown, intelligence, might and pedigree, even as the Himālaya mountain outshines other mountains; who comfortably dwells with the principal monkey leaders in Kiṣkindhā, a cave with thickly growing trees and difficult of access, which cannot further be easily reached because of mountains; about whose neck shines a chain of gold wrought with a hundred lotuses and coveted by gods and men alike, in which Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, stands firmly installed—the same Sugrīva was granted this chain as well as Tārā (the consort of his elder brother Vāli) as also the lasting rulership of monkeys by Rāma after the latter had killed Vāli. (28—32)

Meaning

“The wise speak of a hundred thousand multiplied by hundred as a crore, while a lakh of such crores is called a Śaṅku. (33)

Meaning

“A lakh of Śaṅkus is known as a Mahāśaṅku. A lakh of Mahāśaṅkus is spoken of as a Vṛnda in this context. (34)

Meaning

“A lakh of Vṛndas is known as a Mahāvṛnda. A lakh of Mahāvṛndas is spoken of in this context as a Padma. (35)

Meaning

“A lakh of Padmas is known as a Mahāpadma. A lakh of Mahāpadmas is spoken of in this context as a Kharva. (36)

Meaning

A lakh of Kharvas is known as a Mahākharva. A lakh of Mahākharvas is called a Samudra. A lakh of Samudras is called an Ogha. (37)

Meaning

“A lakh of Oghas is popularly known as a Mahaugha. Surrounded according to this computation by a thousand crore and one hundred Śaṅkus and a thousand Mahāśaṅkus and likewise by a hundred Vṛndas, even so, by a thousand Mahāvṛndas and a hundred Padmas, in the same manner by a thousand Mahāpadmas and a hundred Kharvas, nay, by a hundred Samudras and similarly by a hundred Mahaughas and by a hundred crore Mahaughas of monkey warriors, as well as by the gallant Vibhīṣaṇa and his own ministers. Sugrīva, the ruler of monkeys, is following you for waging war—Sugrīva, who is thus surrounded by a huge army and ever endowed with extraordinary might and prowess. (38—41)

Meaning

“Carefully observing, O great king, this army ranged like a blazing planet, a supreme effort may now be put forth so that your victory may be ensured and no discomfiture may follow at the hands of the enemies.” (42)