--- title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 51" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-51" lang: "en" --- # Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 51 > तेषां तु तुमुलं शब्दं वानराणां महौजसाम्। > नर्दतां राक्षसैः सार्धं तदा शुश्राव रावणः॥ १॥ Accompanied by ogres, Rāvaṇa for his part heard at that moment the tumultuous noise of those roaring monkeys, who were endowed with extraordinary energy. (1) > स्निग्धगम्भीरनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा तं निनदं भृशम्। > सचिवानां ततस्तेषां मध्ये वचनमब्रवीत्॥ २॥ Hearing that loud noise, producing a merry and deep sound, Rāvaṇa then spoke as follows in the midst of the aforesaid counsellors: (2) > यथासौ सम्प्रहृष्टानां वानराणामुपस्थितः। > बहूनां सुमहान् नादो मेघानामिव गर्जताम्॥ ३॥ > सुव्यक्तं महती प्रीतिरेतेषां नात्र संशयः। > तथाहि विपुलैर्नादैश्चुक्षुभे लवणार्णवः॥ ४॥ “From the way in which that very great uproar, resembling the thunder of rumbling clouds, has arisen from the innumerable overjoyed monkeys, it is sufficiently evident that their joy is great: there is no doubt about it. That is how the salt sea has been agitated by their mighty shouts. (3-4) > तौ तु बद्धौ शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। > अयं च सुमहान् नादः शङ्कां जनयतीव मे॥ ५॥ “While those two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, lie bound with sharp arrows, this tremendous outcry gives rise to a suspicion in my mind that the two brothers have been freed from their bondage.” (5) > एवं च वचनं चोक्त्वा मन्त्रिणो राक्षसेश्वरः। > उवाच नैर्ऋतांस्तत्र समीपपरिवर्तिनः॥ ६॥ Having addressed the foregoing words to his counsellors, Rāvaṇa (the lord of ogres) spoke as follows to the ogres standing near him on that spot: (6) > ज्ञायतां तूर्णमेतेषां सर्वेषां च वनौकसाम्। > शोककाले समुत्पन्ने हर्षकारणमुत्थितम्॥ ७॥ “Let the cause of rejoicing that has sprung up for all these monkeys (lit., denizens of the woods) when an occasion for grief had already arisen, be speedily found out.” (7) > तथोक्तास्ते सुसम्भ्रान्ताः प्राकारमधिरुह्य च। > ददृशुः पालितां सेनां सुग्रीवेण महात्मना॥ ८॥ Scaling the defensive wall, when commanded as above by Rāvaṇa, the ogres, who felt somewhat depressed, beheld the army protected by the high-souled Sugrīva. (8) > तौ च मुक्तौ सुघोरेण शरबन्धेन राघवौ। > समुत्थितौ महाभागौ विषेदुः सर्वराक्षसाः॥ ९॥ Nay, all the ogres felt despondent on seeing those two highly fortunate scions of Raghu, viz., Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa fully active, freed, as they were, from their most formidable bondage wrought with arrows. (9) > संत्रस्तहृदयाः सर्वे प्राकारादवरुह्य ते। > विवर्णा राक्षसा घोरा राक्षसेन्द्रमुपस्थिताः॥ १०॥ Descending from the defensive wall, all those fierce ogres, who looked pale, greatly frightened as they were at heart, approached Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres. (10) > तदप्रियं दीनमुखा रावणस्य च राक्षसाः। > कृत्स्नं निवेदयामासुर्यथावद् वाक्यकोविदाः॥ ११॥ Nay, with downcast mien the ogres, who were skilled in speech, faithfully communicated to Rāvaṇa the whole unpleasant tidings in the following words:(11) > यौ ताविन्द्रजिता युद्धे भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। > निबद्धौ शरबन्धेन निष्प्रकम्पभुजौ कृतौ॥ १२॥ > विमुक्तौ शरबन्धेन दृश्येते तौ रणाजिरे। > पाशानिव गजौ छित्त्वा गजेन्द्रसमविक्रमौ॥ १३॥ “Those two celebrated brothers, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, who are powerful like two lordly elephants, nay, who had been tightly bound by Indrajit with bonds of arrows and whose arms had been pinioned (i.e. unshakeable), are seen on the field of battle, freed from their bonds of arrows like a pair of elephants that have snapped their fetters.” (12-13) > तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां राक्षसेन्द्रो महाबलः। > चिन्ताशोकसमाक्रान्तो विवर्णवदनोऽभवत्॥ १४॥ Hearing the aforesaid report of those ogres, Rāvaṇa (the lord of ogres), who was endowed with extraordinary might, lost the colour of his face, overwhelmed as he was with anxiety and grief. (14) > घोरैर्दत्तवरैर्बद्धौ शरैराशीविषोपमैः। > अमोघैः सूर्यसंकाशैः प्रमथ्येन्द्रजिता युधि॥ १५॥ > तदस्त्रबन्धमासाद्य यदि मुक्तौ रिपू मम। > संशयस्थमिदं सर्वमनुपश्याम्यहं बलम्॥ १६॥ He said to himself: “If my adversaries (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa)—who had been tightly bound in combat by Indrajit with formidable and infallible arrows, which had been conferred on him as boons, which resembled serpents and shone brightly like the sun—have been liberated even on getting bound with missiles, I perceive my entire army in jeopardy. (15-16) > निष्फलाः खलु संवृत्ताः शराः पावकतेजसः। > आदत्तं यैस्तु संग्रामे रिपूणां जीवितं मम॥ १७॥ “My darts, bright as fire, by which the life of my adversaries was unmistakably taken away in combat, have surely turned infructuous.” (17) > एवमुक्त्वा तु संक्रुद्धो निःश्वसन्नुरगो यथा। > अब्रवीद् रक्षसां मध्ये धूम्राक्षं नाम राक्षसम्॥ १८॥ Having spoken as aforesaid to himself and hissing like a serpent, infuriated as he was, Rāvaṇa commanded the ogre, Dhūmrākṣa by name, in the midst of other ogres as follows : (18) > बलेन महता युक्तो रक्षसां भीमविक्रम। > त्वं वधायाशु निर्याहि रामस्य सह वानरैः॥ १९॥ “Sally you forth at once with a huge army of ogres for the destruction of Rāma with the monkeys, O ogre of redoubtable prowess !” (19) > एवमुक्तस्तु धूम्राक्षो राक्षसेन्द्रेण धीमता। > परिक्रम्य ततः शीघ्रं निर्जगाम नृपालयात्॥ २०॥ Walking round him when commanded as above by the crafty Rāvaṇa (the ruler of ogres), Dhūmrākṣa for his part sallied forth without delay from that palace. (20) > अभिनिष्क्रम्य तद् द्वारं बलाध्यक्षमुवाच ह। > त्वरयस्व बलं शीघ्रं किं चिरेण युयुत्सतः॥ २१॥ Issuing from the gate of that palace, he spoke as follows to the Commander-in-Chief of the army: “Mobilize the army speedily; what need is there for delay to a man courting war?” (21) > धूम्राक्षवचनं श्रुत्वा बलाध्यक्षो बलानुगः। > बलमुद्योजयामास रावणस्याज्ञया भृशम्॥ २२॥ Hearing the call of Dhūmrākṣa, the Commander-in-Chief, who was followed by a large contingent, quickly mobilized a battalion in obedience to the command of Rāvaṇa. (22) > ते बद्धघण्टा बलिनो घोररूपा निशाचराः। > विनद्यमानाः संहृष्टा धूम्राक्षं पर्यवारयन्॥ २३॥ Roaring exultantly, those mighty ogres of terrible aspet with girdles of bells fastened round their waist, ranged round Dhūmrākṣa. (23) > विविधायुधहस्ताश्च शूलमुद्गरपाणयः। > गदाभिः पट्टिशैर्दण्डैरायसैर्मुसलैरपि॥ २४॥ > परिघैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च भल्लैः पाशैः परश्वधैः। > निर्ययू राक्षसा घोरा नर्दन्तो जलदा यथा॥ २५॥ Carrying weapons of every description such as pikes and mallets in their hands and armed with maces, sharp-edged spears, iron cudgels as well as with clubs, iron bars, Bhindipālas (a kind of sling for forcefully throwing stones), lances, nooses and axes, the redoubtable ogres sallied forth, thundering like clouds. (24-25) > रथैः कवचिनस्त्वन्ये ध्वजैश्च समलंकृतैः। > सुवर्णजालविहितैः खरैश्च विविधाननैः॥ २६॥ > हयैः परमशीघ्रैश्च गजैश्चैव मदोत्कटैः। > निर्ययुर्नैर्ऋतव्याघ्रा व्याघ्रा इव दुरासदाः॥ २७॥ Clad in mail, other tigers among ogres issued forth, like tigers which are difficult to approach, in chariots magnificently dressed with flags and covered with a lattice-work of gold as well as on the back of donkeys with heads of every description as also exceedingly fleet horses and elephants maddened with ichor. (26-27) > वृकसिंहमुखैर्युक्तं खरैः कनकभूषितैः। > आरुरोह रथं दिव्यं धूम्राक्षः खरनिःस्वनः॥ २८॥ Dhūmrākṣa, whose voice resembled the braying of a donkey, mounted a wonderful chariot driven by donkeys with harness of gold and heads resembling those of a wolf and a lion. (28) > स निर्यातो महावीर्यो धूम्राक्षो राक्षसैर्वृतः। > हसन् वै पश्चिमद्वाराद्धनूमान् यत्र तिष्ठति॥ २९॥ Surrounded by ogres, the notorious Dhūmrākṣa, who was endowed with extraordinary prowess, actually set forth laughing through the western gate, where Hanumān had taken up his stand. (29) > रथप्रवरमास्थाय खरयुक्तं खरस्वनम्। > प्रयान्तं तु महाघोरं राक्षसं भीमदर्शनम्॥ ३०॥ > अन्तरिक्षगताः क्रूराः शकुनाः प्रत्यषेधयन्। > रथशीर्षे महाभीमो गृध्रश्च निपपात ह॥ ३१॥ Ferocious birds appearing in the air for their part deterred that exceedingly formidable ogre of terrible aspect, whose voice resembled the braying of a donkey, while he was sallying forth taking his seat in a highly excellent chariot driven by donkeys. Nay, an exceedingly terrible vulture alighted on the top of his chariot; so the tradition goes. (30-31) > ध्वजाग्रे ग्रथिताश्चैव निपेतुः कुणपाशनाः। > रुधिरार्द्रो महान् श्वेतः कबन्धः पतितो भुवि॥ ३२॥ Birds feasting on dead bodies and interlocked with one another in combat also descended on the point of his standard. A huge headless lurid trunk, wet with blood, also fell on the ground before him. (32) > विस्वरं चोत्सृजन्नादान् धूम्राक्षस्य निपातितः। > ववर्ष रुधिरं देवः संचचाल च मेदिनी॥ ३३॥ The trunk hurled by someone in front of Dhūmrākṣa lay emitting cries discordantly. The rain-god poured down blood and the earth shook. (33) > प्रतिलोमं ववौ वायुर्निर्घातसमनिःस्वनः। > तिमिरौघावृतास्तत्र दिशश्च न चकाशिरे॥ ३४॥ The wind blew adversely with a thunder-like roar. And shrouded, as they were, with a mass of darkness, the quarters could not be discerned. (34) > स तूत्पातांस्ततो दृष्ट्वा राक्षसानां भयावहान्। > प्रादुर्भूतान् सुघोरांश्च धूम्राक्षो व्यथितोऽभवत्। > मुमुहू राक्षसाः सर्वे धूम्राक्षस्य पुरःसराः॥ ३५॥ Dhūmrākṣa for his part felt perturbed at that time to behold most terrible portents, boding danger to the ogres, which had come to light before him. Nay, all the ogres marching in front of Dhūmrākṣa fainted.(35) > ततः सुभीमो बहुभिर्निशाचरै- > र्वृतोऽभिनिष्क्रम्य रणोत्सुको बली। > ददर्श तां राघवबाहुपालितां > महौघकल्पां बहु वानरीं चमूम्॥ ३६॥ Sallying forth in front of his adversaries accompanied as he was by numerous ogres, the mighty and most redoubtable general, who was eager for a fight, beheld that army consisting of innumerable monkeys, nay, looking like the ocean at the time of universal dissolution and protected by the arms of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). (36) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. 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