---
title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 49"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-49"
lang: "en"
---

# Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 49

> घोरेण शरबन्धेन बद्धौ दशरथात्मजौ।  
> निःश्वसन्तौ यथा नागौ शयानौ रुधिरोक्षितौ॥ १॥  
> सर्वे ते वानरश्रेष्ठाः ससुग्रीवमहाबलाः।  
> परिवार्य महात्मानौ तस्थुः शोकपरिप्लुताः॥ २॥

All the aforesaid jewels among monkeys (mentioned in verses 2-3 of Canto XLVII above) including Sugrīva (their ruler), who were endowed with extraordinary might, stood plunged in grief surrounding the two high-souled sons of Emperor Daśaratha, who were lying bathed in blood, hissing like a pair of serpents, bound, as they were, in a formidable network of arrows. (1-2)

> एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रामः प्रत्यबुध्यत वीर्यवान्।  
> स्थिरत्वात् सत्त्वयोगाच्च शरैः संदानितोऽपि सन्॥ ३॥

In the meantime, by virtue of his hardihood and being endowed with exceptional courage, the powerful Śrī Rāma, though bound by arrows, regained his consciousness. (3)

> ततो दृष्ट्वा सरुधिरं निषण्णं गाढमर्पितम्।  
> भ्रातरं दीनवदनं पर्यदेवयदातुरः॥ ४॥

Beholding his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, lying tightly bound with arrows, bathed in blood, his face downcast, Śrī Rāma thereupon lamented as follows, distressed as he was: (4)

> किं नु मे सीतया कार्यं लब्धया जीवितेन वा।  
> शयानं योऽद्य पश्यामि भ्रातरं युधि निर्जितम्॥ ५॥

“What purpose of mine on earth will be accomplished through Sītā, if recovered, or even through my life if preserved when I perceive my younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, lying utterly vanquished in combat today? (5)

> शक्या सीतासमा नारी मर्त्यलोके विचिन्वता।  
> न लक्ष्मणसमो भ्राता सचिवः साम्परायिकः॥ ६॥

“A consort on a par with Sītā can be found in this world of mortals by me if Iwere to look for her. But a helpful and warlike brother like Lakṣmaṇa cannot be had. (6)

> परित्यक्ष्याम्यहं प्राणान् वानराणां तु पश्यताम्।  
> यदि पञ्चत्वमापन्नः सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः॥ ७॥

“I for my part shall yield up my life while the monkeys stand looking on, if Lakṣmaṇa (who enhances the joy of Sumitrā) meets with dissolution (lit. the disintegration of the five elements). (7)

> किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यां मातरं किं नु कैकयीम्।  
> कथमम्बां सुमित्रां च पुत्रदर्शनलालसाम्॥ ८॥  
> विवत्सां वेपमानां च वेपन्तीं कुररीमिव।  
> कथमाश्वासयिष्यामि यदि यास्यामि तं विना ९॥

“What on earth shall I say to mother Kausalyā and what on earth to Kaikeyī? And how, in what words shall I console mother Sumitrā, bereft of her darling, Lakṣmaṇa, nay, sighing for the sight of her son, trembling from agitation and crying like a female osprey, if I return to Ayodhyā without Laksmana? (8-9)

> कथं वक्ष्यामि शत्रुघ्नं भरतं च यशस्विनम्।  
> मया सह वनं यातो विना तेनाहमागतः॥ १०॥

“How shall I tell Śatrughna and the illustrious Bharata that I have returned without Lakṣmaṇa, who had accompanied me to the woods? (10)

> उपालम्भं न शक्ष्यामि सोढुमम्बासुमित्रया।  
> इहैव देहं त्यक्ष्यामि नहि जीवितुमुत्सहे॥ ११॥

“I shall not be able to endure the blame which will be laid on me by mother Sumitrā. As such, I shall cast my body at this very place since I am not inclined to survive. (11)

> धिङ् मां दुष्कृतकर्माणमनार्यं यत्कृते ह्यसौ।  
> लक्ष्मणः पतितः शेते शरतल्पे गतासुवत्॥ १२॥

“Woe be to me, an ignoble soul of sinful deeds, on account of whom the aforesaid Lakṣmaṇa lies fallen on a bed of arrows like one whose life has departed! (12)

> त्वं नित्यं सुविषण्णं मामाश्वासयसि लक्ष्मण।  
> गतासुर्नाद्य शक्तोऽसि मामार्तमभिभाषितुम्॥ १३॥

Turning towards Lakṣmaṇa “You always comforted me when I felt sore dejected, O Lakṣmaṇa! Your life having departed, as it were, you are, however, not able even to speak to me today, distressed as I am. (13)

> येनाद्य बहवो युद्धे निहता राक्षसाः क्षितौ।  
> तस्यामेवाद्य शूरस्त्वं शेषे विनिहतः शनैः॥ १४॥

“Gallant as you are, you lie struck down with darts today on the same ground on which numerous ogres have been killed by you in combat this very day! (14)

> शयानः शरतल्पेऽस्मिन् सशोणितपरिस्रुतः।  
> शरभूतस्ततो भासि भास्करोऽस्तमिव व्रजन्॥ १५॥

“Lying on this bed of arrows, bathed in blood, and converted into a bundle of arrows, as it were, you look like the sun sinking below the horizon with the arrows transfixed in the body appearing like its numberless rays and the blood flowing from the numerous cuts accounting for the red glow of the evening sun. (15)

> बाणाभिहतमर्मत्वान्न शक्नोषीह भाषितुम्।  
> रुजा चाब्रुवतो यस्य दृष्टिरागेण सूच्यते॥ १६॥

“Your vital parts having been pierced with arrows, you cannot even speak on this occasion. Nay, even though you are not speaking, your anguish is revealed by the redness of your eyes. (16)

> यथैव मां वनं यान्तमनुयातो महाद्युतिः।  
> अहमप्यनुयास्यामि तथैवैनं यमक्षयम्॥ १७॥

“Even as this prince, who is clothed with an extraordinary splendour, followed me while I was retiring to the woods, so I too shall follow him to the abode of Yama. (17)

> इष्टबन्धुजनो नित्यं मां च नित्यमनुव्रतः।  
> इमामद्य गतोऽवस्थां ममानार्यस्य दुर्नयैः॥ १८॥

“He who loved his kinsfolk and was ever devoted to me has reached this state through the misdeeds of my ignoble self today. (18)

> सुरुष्टेनापि वीरेण लक्ष्मणेन न संस्मरे।  
> परुषं विप्रियं चापि श्रावितं तु कदाचन॥ १९॥

“I do not recollect that a harsh and even an unpalatable word was ever uttered by the gallant Lakṣmaṇa even when he was deeply provoked. (19)

> विससर्जैकवेगेन पञ्चबाणशतानि यः।  
> इष्वस्त्रेष्वधिकस्तस्मात् कार्तवीर्याच्च लक्ष्मणः॥ २०॥

“Lakṣmaṇa, who shot five hundred arrows at a stretch, was as such superior even to Kārtavīra (who could do so only with his one thousand arms) in the art of shooting arrows. (20)

> अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि यो हन्याच्छक्रस्यापि महात्मनः।  
> सोऽयमुर्व्यां हतः शेते महार्हशयनोचितः॥ २१॥

“The same Lakṣmaṇa, who could tear asunder the missiles even of the mighty Indra, the ruler of gods, and who was deserving of reposing on a precious couch, is lying here struck down on the bare ground! (21)

> तत्तु मिथ्या प्रलप्तं मां प्रधक्ष्यति न संशयः।  
> यन्मया न कृतो राजा राक्षसानां विभीषणः॥ २२॥

“Since Vibhiṣaṇa has not been enthroned by me as the ruler of ogres, that vain pratting of mine that Vibhīṣaṇa would be installed on the throne of Laṅkā will ever consume me: there is no doubt about it.(22)

> अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सुग्रीव प्रतियातुमितोऽर्हसि।  
> मत्वा हीनं मया राजन् रावणोऽभिभविष्यति॥ २३॥

“You ought to return from this place at this very hour, O Sugrīva; for Rāvaṇa will surely overcome you, knowing you to be bereft of me, O king! (23)

> अङ्गदं तु पुरस्कृत्य ससैन्यं सपरिच्छदम्।  
> सागरं तर सुग्रीव नीलेन च नलेन च॥ २४॥

“Placing Aṅgada in the forefront alongwith your army and entourage, recross the sea alongwith Nīla and Nala too, O Sugrīva! (24)

> कृतं हि सुमहत्कर्म यदन्यैर्दुष्करं रणे।  
> ऋक्षराजेन तुष्यामि गोलाङ्गूलाधिपेन च॥ २५॥

“Indeed, a very great exploit was accomplished by you on the field of battle—an exploit which was difficult to accomplish for others. I am also satisfied with Jāmbavān (the king of bears) as well as with Gavākṣa (the suzerain lord of Golāṅgūlas). (25)

> अङ्गदेन कृतं कर्म मैन्देन द्विविदेन च।  
> युद्धं केसरिणा संख्ये घोरं सम्पातिना कृतम्॥ २६॥

“Acts of valour were performed by Aṅgada, Mainda and Dwivida too, while a formidable struggle was carried on the field of battle by Kesarī (the father of Hanumān) and Sampātī. (26)

> गवयेन गवाक्षेण शरभेण गजेन च।  
> अन्यैश्च हरिभिर्युद्धं मदर्थे त्यक्तजीवितैः॥ २७॥

“A struggle was also carried out in my cause by Gavaya, Gavākṣa, Śarabha and Gaja as also by other monkeys, sacrificing their very lives for my sake. (27)

> न चातिक्रमितुं शक्यं दैवं सुग्रीव मानुषैः।  
> यत्तु शक्यं वयस्येन सुहृदा वा परं मम॥ २८॥  
> कृतं सुग्रीव तत् सर्वं भवता धर्मभीरुणा।  
> मित्रकार्यं कृतमिदं भवद्भिर्वानरर्षभाः॥ २९॥  
> अनुज्ञाता मया सर्वे यथेष्टं गन्तुमर्हथ।  
> शुश्रुवुस्तस्य ये सर्वे वानराः परिदेवितम्॥ ३०॥  
> वर्तयांचक्रिरेऽश्रूणि नेत्रैः कृष्णेतरेक्षणाः॥ ३१॥

“Destiny cannot be over-ridden by human beings, O Sugrīva! All that could be done by my best friend or ally has been done by you, scrupulous as you are in the matter of duty, O Sugrīva! The purpose of an ally has been accomplished by you, O Jewel among monkeys! Permitted by me, you should go where you will.” All the tawny-eyed monkeys who heard his lamentation as above dropped tears from their eyes. (28—31)

> ततः सर्वाण्यनीकानि स्थापयित्वा विभीषणः।  
> आजगाम गदापाणिस्त्वरितं यत्र राघवः॥ ३२॥

Having settled all the forces, Vibhīṣaṇa hastened, mace in hand, to the place where Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) lay. (32)

> तं दृष्ट्वा त्वरितं यान्तं नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम्।  
> वानरा दुद्रुवुः सर्वे मन्यमानास्तु रावणिम्॥ ३३॥

Seeing Vibhiṣaṇa, who resembled a mass of collyrium, proceeding in haste to the presence of Śrī Rāma and taking him to be Indrajit (son of Rāvaṇa), all the monkeys took to their heels. (33)

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