Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 30

Meaning

The spies thereupon reported to Rāvaṇa (the sovereign of Laṅkā) about Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) having encamped with his unshakable army on the Suvela mountain. (1)

Meaning

Hearing from the mouth of his spies about Śrī Rāma, who was endowed with extraordinary might, having arrived at the very door of Laṅkā, Rāvaṇa felt a bit perturbed and spoke to Śārdūla as follows: (2)

Meaning

“Your colour is not as it should be; nay, you look wretched, too, O ranger of the night! I hope you did not fall into the sway of enraged enemies.” (3)

Meaning

Questioned in these words by Rāvaṇa, Śārdūla for his part, who had been unnerved by fear, then replied to Rāvaṇa (a tiger among the ogres) in faint accents as follows: (4)

Meaning

“Those bulls among the monkeys are not liable to being spied upon, O king, valiant and mighty and protected by Rāma (a scion of Raghu) as they are. (5)

Meaning

“They are not capable even of being talked with nor is there any scope for a question being put to them: for access to them is guarded on all sides by monkeys looking like mountains. (6)

Meaning

“The aforesaid army was barely penetrated into by me and began to be examined when I was detected and forcibly seized by the ogres forming the retinue of Vibhīṣaṇa and was made to march hither and thither in various gaits. (7)

Meaning

“I was severely belaboured on all sides with knees, fists, teeth and palms by the indignant monkeys and paraded all through in the army. (8)

Meaning

“After parading me everywhere I was led into the court of Rāma, unnerved as I was, my limbs bleeding and afflicted, and my senses perturbed. (9)

Meaning

“While being smitten by the monkeys and asking for protection with joined palms, I was unexpectedly delivered by Rāma saying “Stay! Stay!!” (10)

Meaning

“Having filled the extensive sea with rocks of mountains and taking up his position at the very gate of Laṅkā, Rāma stands there duly equipped with weapons. (11)

Meaning

“Having disposed his army in the form of Garuḍa (an eagle) and surrounded as he was on all sides by monkeys, nay, setting me free, Rāma, who is endowed with extraordinary energy, is advancing towards Laṅkā itself. (12)

Meaning

“Before he reaches the defensive wall do one thing or the other with all speed: either return Sītā immediately or battle may be given to him.” (13)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid submission and reviewing it in his mind then and there, the celebrated Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, now addressed the following highly momentous reply to Śārdūla: (14)

Meaning

“Even if gods, Gandharvas (the musicians of heaven) and demons were to fight against me, I shall under no circumstance restore Sītā even under stress of peril from all the worlds.” (15)

Meaning

Having replied as aforesaid, Rāvaṇa, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, spoke again as follows: “The army stands explored by you. Who are the gallant monkeys in it? (16)

Meaning

“Of what description are the monkeys who are difficult to approach, O gentle one, and how powerful are they? Nay, whose sons and grandsons are they? Speak the bare truth, O ogre! (17)

Meaning

“Having known their strength and weakness, I shall take my decision on the matter accordingly. Indeed a calculation need must be made of one’s own army as well as of the hostile ranks by him who courts war.” (18)

Meaning

Interrogated thus by Rāvaṇa, Śārdūla, the foremost spy, forthwith proceeded to speak as follows in the presence of the former: (19)

Meaning

First, there is King Sugrīva (son of Ṛkṣarajā), who is very difficult to conquer in an encounter, O king! And here is a son of Gadgada*, widely known by the name of Jāmbavān. (20)

Meaning

“Here is also another son, Dhūmra by name of Gadgada. Further, there is Kesarī (son of Sage Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of Indra—who is believed to have performed a hundred horse-sacrifices as a condition precedent to his attaining the position of Indra), by whose son, Hanumān, alone a holocaust of ogres was brought about. (21)

Meaning

“And here is the valiant son of Dharma (the deity presiding over righteousness), Suṣeṇa, whose mind is set on virtue. Again, here is the placid monkey Dadhimukha, sprung from the loins of Soma, the moon-god. (22)

Meaning

“Here are Sumukha and Durmukha as well as the monkey Vegadarśī. Undoubtedly they are no other than Death, evolved in the form of monkeys by Brahmā, the self-born creator. (23)

Meaning

“Here is Nīla himself, the commander-in-chief, a son of the god of fire (the bearer of sacrificial offerings). And here is the son of the wind-god, widely known as Hanumān. (24)

Meaning

“The mighty and youthful Aṅgada is a grandson of Indra and difficult to overpower. Again, the mighty Mainda and Dwivida are both offsprings of Aświns (the twingods who are the physicians of gods). (25)

Meaning

Again, Gaja, Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Śarabha and Gandhamādana, who vie with Kāla (the Time-Spirit) and Death, are the five sons of Yama (the god of retribution, a son of the sun-god) (26)

Meaning

“Moreover, there are as many as ten crores of such monkeys, who are all valiant, bellicose, glorious and sons of gods. The rest I am not able to count. (27)

Meaning

“The yonder youth, who is well-built like a lion, is Rāma (son of Daśaratha), by whom was killed Dūṣaṇa as well as Khara as also Triśirā. (28)

Meaning

“No one on earth can compare in prowess with Rāma, by whom was killed Virādha as well as Kabandha, who vied with Death. (29)

Meaning

“No human being on earth is able to recount the excellences of Rāma, by whom as many ogres as were present in Janasthāna were dispatched. (30)

Meaning

“Here is Lakṣmaṇa too, whose mind is set on virtue, who resembles the foremost of elephants, and falling within the range of whose arrows even Indra would not survive. (31)

Meaning

“Here are Śweta and Jyotirmukha, sprung from the loins of the sun-god. And further there is the monkey, Hemakūṭa, son of Varuṇa, the god of water. (32)

Meaning

“Nala, the foremost of monkeys is the gallant son of Viśwakarmā, the architect of gods. And here is the valiant and impetuous son of Vasu, the celebrated Durdhara. (33)

Meaning

“Besides, there is your younger half-brother, Vibhīṣaṇa, the prince of ogres, who having secured the city of Laṅkā as a prospective gift from Rāma, remains devoted to the good of Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (34)

Meaning

“Thus has the entire army of monkeys, encamped near the Suvela mountain, been actually described at length by me in the way I have done. Now, you are the competent authority to decide what remains to be done”*. (35)