Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 81
विज्ञाय तु मनस्तस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः। स निवृत्याहवात् तस्मात् प्रविवेश पुरं ततः॥ १॥
Meaning
Withdrawing from that encounter on divining the intention of that high-souled scion of Raghu, Indrajit for his part thereupon re-entered the city. (1)
सोऽनुस्मृत्य वधं तेषां राक्षसानां तरस्विनाम्। क्रोधताम्रेक्षणः शूरो निर्जगामाथ रावणिः॥ २॥
Meaning
Recalling the destruction of those mighty ogres, the heroic son of Rāvaṇa sallied forth for an encounter immediately, his eyes blood-shot through anger. (2)
स पश्चिमेन द्वारेण निर्ययौ राक्षसैर्वृतः। इन्द्रजित् सुमहावीर्यः पौलस्त्यो देवकण्टकः॥ ३॥
Meaning
Surrounded by other ogres, the notorious Indrajit, a scion of Sage Pulastya (one of the nine mind-born sons of Brahmā entrusted with the duty of creating the world) and a thorn in the side of gods, who was endowed with exceptional prowess, issued through the western gate. (3)
इन्द्रजित्तु ततो दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। रणायाभ्युद्यतौ वीरौ मायां प्रादुष्करोत् तदा॥ ४॥
Meaning
Seeing the two gallant brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, prepared for an encounter in everyway, Indrajit for his part thereupon revealed on that occasion his proficiency in conjuring tricks. (4)
इन्द्रजित्तु रथे स्थाप्य सीतां मायामयीं तदा। बलेन महतावृत्य तस्या वधमरोचयत्॥ ५॥
Meaning
Placing an illusory living image of Sītā on his chariot and with a huge army surrounding it, he intended to kill her. (5)
मोहनार्थं तु सर्वेषां बुद्धिं कृत्वा सुदुर्मतिः। हन्तुं सीतां व्यवसितो वानराभिमुखो ययौ॥ ६॥
Meaning
Making up his mind to hoodwink all who were present there, and resolved to kill ‘Sītā’, the exceptionally evil-minded ogre for his part advanced to meet the monkeys. (6)
तं दृष्ट्वा त्वभिनिर्यान्तं सर्वे ते काननौकसः। उत्पेतुरभिसंक्रुद्धाः शिलाहस्ता युयुत्सवः॥ ७॥
Meaning
Infuriated to see him sallying forth for an encounter, all those denizens of the forest rushed towards him with rocks in their hands, agitated as they were to fight. (7)
हनूमान् पुरतस्तेषां जगाम कपिकुञ्जरः। प्रगृह्य सुमहच्छृङ्गं पर्वतस्य दुरासदम्॥ ८॥
Meaning
Seizing hold of an enormous mountain peak, which was difficult even to reach for others, Hanumān, an elephant among the monkeys, marched at their head. (8)
स ददर्श हतानन्दां सीतामिन्द्रजितो रथे। एकवेणीधरां दीनामुपवासकृशाननाम्॥ ९॥ परिक्लिष्टैकवसनाममृजां राघवप्रियाम्। रजोमलाभ्यामालिप्तैः सर्वगात्रैर्वरस्त्रियम्॥ १०॥
Meaning
He beheld in the chariot of Indrajit the cheerless and wretched ‘Sītā’, the darling of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), a lovely lady, wearing a single tress, clad in a single soiled garment and unadorned, all her limbs covered with dust and mud and her face emaciated through fasts. (9-10)
तां निरीक्ष्य मुहूर्तं तु मैथिलीमध्यवस्य च। बभूवाचिरदृष्टा हि तेन सा जनकात्मजा॥ ११॥
Meaning
Gazing on her awhile and concluding her to be no other than Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, Hanumān for his part became melancholy. He took no time in recognizing her inasmuch as Sītā, daughter of Janaka, had been seen by him before long. (11)
अब्रवीत् तां तु शोकार्तां निरानन्दां तपस्विनीम्। दृष्ट्वा रथस्थितां दीनां राक्षसेन्द्रसुतश्रिताम्॥ १२॥ किं समर्थितमस्येति चिन्तयन् स महाकपिः। सह तैर्वानरश्रेष्ठैरभ्यधावत रावणिम्॥ १३॥
Meaning
Seeing that joyless and miserable ascetic woman seated in the chariot stricken with grief, under the sway of Indrajit (son of the ruler of ogres), and wondering what his intention might be in bringing her in his chariot to the battlefield, that great monkey for his part spoke about it to the leaders of monkeys and rushed towards the son of Rāvaṇa with those monkey leaders. (12-13)
तद् वानरबलं दृष्ट्वा रावणिः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। कृत्वा विकोशं निस्त्रिंशं मूर्ध्नि सीतामकर्षयत्॥ १४॥
Meaning
Filled with rage on seeing that simian army rushing towards him and unsheathing his sword, Indrajit (son of Rāvaṇa) pulled ‘Sītā’ by the hair on her head. (14)
तां स्त्रियं पश्यतां तेषां ताडयामास राक्षसः। क्रोशन्तीं राम रामेति मायया योजितां रथे॥ १५॥
Meaning
The ogre began to strike that woman, who had been placed in the chariot by dint of legerdemain, and was crying “Rāma! O Rāma”, while the monkeys stood looking on. (15)
गृहीतमूर्धजां दृष्ट्वा हनूमान् दैन्यमागतः। दुःखजं वारि नेत्राभ्यामुत्सृजन् मारुतात्मजः॥ १६॥
Meaning
Dropping tears of agony from his eyes on perceiving her seized by the hair, Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, gave way to affliction. (16)
तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं क्रोधाद् रक्षोधिपात्मजम्॥ १७॥
Meaning
Beholding that cherished consort of Śrī Rāma, who was lovely of all limbs, he angrily addressed the following harsh rebuke to Indrajit (son of the suzerain lord of ogres): (17)
दुरात्मन्नात्मनाशाय केशपक्षे परामृशः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां कुले जातो राक्षसीं योनिमाश्रितः॥ १८॥
Meaning
“It is to your own destruction, O evil-minded one, that you have seized her by the hair on her head. Though descended in the line of Brāhmaṇa Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras), you have lived in the womb of an ogress. (18)
धिक् त्वां पापसमाचारं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी। नृशंसानार्य दुर्वृत्त क्षुद्र पापपराक्रम। अनार्यस्येदृशं कर्म घृणा ते नास्ति निर्घृण॥ १९॥
Meaning
“Woe be to you of sinful conduct, in whom such a resolve has taken place. O cruel, ignoble and mean scoundrel of sinful prowess, such an act is worthy of a barbarian alone. Obviously there is no pity in you, O ruthless one! (19)
च्युता गृहाच्च राज्याच्च रामहस्ताच्च मैथिली। किं तवैषापराद्धा हि यदेनां हंसि निर्दय॥ २०॥
Meaning
“Torn from her home, and her kingdom too as well as from the protection of Śrī Rāma, what wrong has this princess of Mithilā done to you that you are killing her, O pitiless one? (20)
सीतां हत्वा तु न चिरं जीविष्यसि कथंचन। वधार्ह कर्मणा तेन मम हस्तगतो ह्यसि॥ २१॥
Meaning
“After dispatching Sītā you shall undoubtedly not survive long in any case. It is due to such a deed that you have actually fallen into my hands, O creature deserving of death! (21)
ये च स्त्रीघातिनां लोका लोकवध्यैश्च कुत्सिताः। इह जीवितमुत्सृज्य प्रेत्य तान् प्रति लप्स्यसे॥ २२॥
Meaning
“Yielding up your life in this world, you shall after death descend to those worlds which are the lot of killers of women and are condemned even by those who deserve to be killed by the people.” (22)
इति ब्रुवाणो हनुमान् सायुधैर्हरिभिर्वृतः। अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धो राक्षसेन्द्रसुतं प्रति॥ २३॥
Meaning
Speaking thus and attended by monkeys equipped with weapons of destruction such as trees and rocks, Hanumān rushed in great fury towards Indrajit, son of the ruler of ogres. (23)
आपतन्तं महावीर्यं तदनीकं वनौकसाम्। रक्षसां भीमकोपानामनीकेन न्यवारयत्॥ २४॥
Meaning
With an army of ogres of redoubtable fury Indrajit intercepted that army of the monkeys (lit., dwellers in the woods), which was endowed with extraordinary prowess and was advancing towards him. (24)
स तां बाणसहस्रेण विक्षोभ्य हरिवाहिनीम्। हनूमन्तं हरिश्रेष्ठमिन्द्रजित् प्रत्युवाच ह॥ २५॥
Meaning
Having caused a stir in that simian army with his thousand arrows, the aforesaid Indrajit, they say, replied as follows to Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys: (25)
सुग्रीवस्त्वं च रामश्च यन्निमित्तमिहागताः। तां वधिष्यामि वैदेहीमद्यैव तव पश्यतः॥ २६॥
Meaning
“I am going to make short work this very day, while you stand looking on, of that Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), for whose sake Sugrīva as well as you and Rāma have come hither. (26)
इमां हत्वा ततो रामं लक्ष्मणं त्वां च वानर। सुग्रीवं च वधिष्यामि तं चानार्यं विभीषणम्॥ २७॥
Meaning
“Having disposed her of, I shall then make short work of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and yourself, O monkey, as also of Sugrīva as well as of that unworthy, Vibhīṣaṇa. (27)
न हन्तव्याः स्त्रियश्चेति यद् ब्रवीषि प्लवंगम। पीडाकरममित्राणां यच्च कर्तव्यमेव तत्॥ २८॥
Meaning
“Nay, what you have said just now, viz., that women should not be killed, is quite correct, O monkey! But that which causes annoyance to one’s enemies need must be done.” (28)
तमेवमुक्त्वा रुदतीं सीतां मायामयीं च ताम्। शितधारेण खड्गेन निजघानेन्द्रजित् स्वयम्॥ २९॥
Meaning
Nay, having spoken as aforesaid to Hanumān, Indrajit personally made short work with his sharp-edged sword, of that illusory Sītā, who had been sobbing all the while. (29)
यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेण छिन्ना तेन तपस्विनी। सा पृथिव्यां पृथुश्रोणी पपात प्रियदर्शना॥ ३०॥
Meaning
Split asunder by him diagonally that poor lady of broad hips and pleasing aspect sank on the ground. (30)
तामिन्द्रजित् स्त्रियं हत्वा हनूमन्तमुवाच ह। मया रामस्य पश्येमां प्रियां शस्त्रनिषूदिताम्। एषा विशस्ता वैदेही निष्फलो वः परिश्रमः॥ ३१॥
Meaning
Having killed that illusory woman, Indrajit spoke as follows to Hanūmān: “Behold this darling of Rāma destroyed by me with a weapon. Here is Sītā, a princess of Videha territory killed. Now vain is your exertion to secure her.” (31)
ततः खड्गेन महता हत्वा तामिन्द्रजित्स्वयम्। हृष्टः स रथमास्थाय ननाद च महास्वनम्॥ ३२॥
Meaning
Nay, mounting his chariot after he had personally done ‘her’ to death with his mighty sword, Indrajit joyfully raised a loud shout. (32)
वानराः शुश्रुवुः शब्दमदूरे प्रत्यवस्थिताः। व्यादितास्यस्य नदतस्तद्दुर्गं संश्रितस्य तु॥ ३३॥
Meaning
Arrayed not far from him, the monkeys heard his roar even as he shouted with his mouth wide open while comfortably seated in that aerial chariot, which was actually difficult of access for otherss. (33)
तथा तु सीतां विनिहत्य दुर्मतिः प्रहृष्टचेताः स बभूव रावणिः। तं हृष्टरूपं समुदीक्ष्य वानरा विषण्णरूपाः समभिप्रदुद्रुवुः॥ ३४॥
Meaning
Having disposed of Sītā as aforesaid, that evil-minded son of Rāvaṇa for his part felt greatly rejoiced in mind. Assuming a melancholy air on seeing him cheerful of aspect, the monkeys fled en masse precipitately. (34)
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