Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 3

Meaning

Hearing the appeal of Sugrīva, which was full of reason and exposition of the real truth, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) accepted it and spoke to Hanumān as follows: (1)

Meaning

“I am capable in everyway of crossing this sea, either by strength of will acquired by virtue of my asceticism, or by throwing a bridge across it or even by drying up the sea by use of mystic missiles. (2)

Meaning

“How many fortifications are there in Laṅkā, which is so difficult of access? Please point it out to me. I wish to know all that as through sight, O Hanumān! (3)

Meaning

“You have seen according to your convenience the strength of the army as also the process by which the entrances have been rendered difficult of access, nay, the way in which Laṅkā is guarded, as well as the mansions of the ogres. Please relate everything in accordance with factual situation; for you are clever in everyway.” (4-5)

Meaning

Hearing the command of Śrī Rāma, Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god and the foremost among those adept in the art of expression, forthwith made the following submission to Śrī Rāma once more: (6)

Meaning

“Please listen, my Lord! I shall relate to you everything—how the city of Laṅkā has been defended according to the technique of fortification and how it has been protected by troops and how the ogres are devoted to their king, and shall also describe the extreme prosperity of Laṅkā occasioned by Rāvaṇa’s glory, the dreadfulness of the sea, the division of the body of his forces into regiments and the strength of the animals carrying his forces other than the infantry.” Saying so, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, who knew the facts about Laṅkā, began as follows: (7—9)

Meaning

“The extensive city of Laṅkā is gay and in raptures and remains crowded with elephants in rut; nay, it is packed with chariots and is inhabited by hordes of ogres. (10)

Meaning

“There are four extensive and huge gates in it, which have been provided with strong doors closed with massive bars. (11)

Meaning

“Powerful and enormous catapults discharging darts and stones have been attached to them; by them a hostile army arrived there is repulsed at the very gates. (12)

Meaning

“Formidable sharp-edged steel clubs, known by the name of Śataghnīs*, which are four cubits long and bristle with iron spikes and are so-called because they are supposed to kill hundreds at a time, forged by the heroic hordes of ogres, have been kept in readiness in hundreds at the gates. (13)

Meaning

“A high protective wall of gold—which is difficult to assail by force and is inlaid at intervals with gems, corals, cat’s-eyes and pearls—encircles it. (14)

Meaning

“Most formidable, fathomless moats, filled with cold water and fraught with great evil to the enemy, nay, infested with alligators and inhabited by fishes, are in existence all round the city. (15)

Meaning

“In front of the gateways there are four very extensive drawbridges across the moats, which are equipped with numerous engines and strengthened by many rows of stately buildings built on the protective wall and meant for those entrusted with the duty of guarding the entrances. (16)

Meaning

“On the arrival of hostile forces near them the drawbridges are defended by the aforesaid engines and the forces are flung into the moats on every side. (17)

Meaning

“The principal (central) drawbridge before the northern gate, which is unshakable, strongly garrisoned and extremely strong, is embellished with numerous gold pillars and pedestals. (18)

Meaning

“The bellicose Rāvaṇa, O Rāma, is himself self-possessed, and remains active and alert in reviewing his forces. (19)

Meaning

“Laṅkā again, offers no base for invasion, is difficult of access even for gods and inspires terror in the invader. It has a fourfold defence, consisting of (i) a river (which encircles it on all sides), (ii) a mountain, viz., the Trikūṭa mountain, on whose summit it stands, (iii) a belt of forests surrounding it and (iv) an artificial fortification in the form of an enclosing wall and moats. (20)

Meaning

“Standing as it does beyond the sea with a distant shore, it offers no passage for vessels either and the sea is undivided too on all sides, O scion of Raghu! (21)

Meaning

“Built on a mountain peak, the aforesaid city of Laṅkā is difficult of access and vies with a celestial city, is packed with horses and elephants and is, therefore, most difficult to conquer. (22)

Meaning

“Moats and Śataghnīs too as well as engines of various kinds adorn Laṅkā, the city of the evil-minded Rāvaṇa. (23)

Meaning

“A myriad ogres, all carrying darts in their hands, and contending with swords in the van of battle, nay, difficult to assail, are garrisoned at the eastern gate of this city. (24)

Meaning

“A lakh of ogres, with a complete army of four limbs, viz., horses, foot soldiers, elephants and chariots, are garrisoned at the southern gate of this city. Warriors unsurpassed by others stand comprised in that army. (25)

Meaning

“A million of ogres, all carrying shields and swords and proficient in the use of all mystic missiles, are garrisoned at the western gate of this city. (26)

Meaning

“A hundred million of ogres, consisting of car-warriors and horse-soldiers, sons of noble families and greatly honoured for their skill in warfare are garrisoned at the northern gate. (27)

Meaning

“Again, ogres, hundreds of thousands in number, difficult to assail, and totalling one and a quarter of a crore of ogres, are garrisoned at the central military station. (28)

Meaning

“The aforesaid drawbridges were broken by me and the moats filled up with the wreckage. Nay, the city of Laṅkā was burnt, the defensive walls pulled down and a part of the army of the gigantic ogres destroyed. (29)

Meaning

“Let us by any means whatsoever positively cross the sea, the abode of Varuṇa, the god of water. The city of Laṅkā should then be taken as destroyed by the monkeys. (30)

Meaning

“Aṅgada, Dvivida, Mainda, Jāmbavān, Panasa and Nala and Nīla, the Commander-in-Chief, alone will be able to storm Laṅkā and recover Sītā. What will be gained by the rest of your forces being taken across the sea? (31)

Meaning

“Reaching the great city of Rāvaṇa, leaping and demolishing it with its mountains and woods, moats and archways, protective walls and buildings, they will bring back Sītā, O scion of Raghu! (32)

Meaning

“Command the aforesaid generals accordingly without delay, if the latter course finds favour with you, or, if you would take the whole army across the sea, order them all to get accumulated, and be inclined to march at an opportune hour.” (33)