Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Ravana summons some female demons including Trijata and instructs them to take Seetha in Pushpaka-plane to the battle-front and show Rama and Lakshmana alleged to have been killed by Indrajit. Accordingly, the female-demons take Seetha in Pushpaka-plane and show her Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on a bed of arrows in the battle-field. Imagining Rama and Lakshmana to have been dead, Seetha bursts into sobs. |
tiSmn! àitàivòe lNkam! tu k«t AweR rav[ AaTmje,
ra"vm! pirvayR AataR rr]urœ vanr \;-a>. 6£47£1
1. tasmin= (while) that; raavaNaatmaja= Indrajit; the son of Ravana; kR^itaarthe= accomplished his purpose; praviSTe= and entered; laN^kaayaam= Lanka; vaanaraSabhaaH= the leading mokeys; atha= then; parivaarya= having surrounded; raaghavam= Rama; rarakSuH= and protected him.
Indrajit, the son of Ravana having returned to Lanka, his purpose accomplished, the leading monkeys surrounded Rama in order to watch over him.
hnUman! ANgdae nIlhœ su;e[hœ k…mudae nl>,
gjae gv A]ae gvyhœ zr-ae gNx madn>. 6£47£2
jaMbvan! \;-hœ suNdae rM-hœ zt bilhœ p&wu>,
VyUF AnIkaz! c yÄaz! c Ô‚man! Aaday svRt>. 6£47£3
vI]ma[a idzhœ svaRs! ityRg! ^XvRm! c vanra>,
t&[e:v! Aip c ceòTsu ra]sa#it meinre. 6£47£4
2, 3, 4. hanuman= Hanuman; aN^gadaH= Angada; NiilaH= Nila; suSeNaH= Sushena; kumudaH= Kumuda; nalaH= Nala; gajaH= Gaja; gavaakSaH= Gavaksha; panasaH= Panasa; mahaa hariH= the mighty monkey; saanaprasthaH= Sanuprastha; jaambavaan= Jambavan; R^iSabhaH= Rishabha; sunaH= Sunda; rambhaH= Rmaba; shatabaliH= Shatabali; pR^ithuH= Prithu; vaanaraaH= (these) monkeys; aadaaya= armed with; drumaan= trees; vyuuDhaaniikaaH= reorganized their ranks; sarvataH= on all sides;yathaashcha= alert; viikSamaaNaaH= surveyed; dishaH= the quarters of the sky; uurdhvam cha= upwards; tiryak= and horizontally; sarvataH= and on every side; tR^iNeSvapi= and even if a grass; cheSTatsu= stirred; menire= (they) exclaimed; raakSasaaH iti= “It is a demon!”
Hanuman, Angada, Nila, Sushena, Kumuda, Nala, Gaja, Gavaksha, Panasa, Sanuprastha and the mighty Jambavan with Sunda, Rambha, Shatabali and Prithu all these monkeys, armed with trees, reorganized their ranks, stood alert, surveyed the quarters of the sky up and down and on every side and, even if a grass stirred, they exclaimed, “It is a demon!”
rav[z! c Aip sMùòae ivs&Jy #NÔijtm! sutm!,
Aajuhav tthœ sIta r][I ra]sIs! tda. 6£47£5
5. raavaNashchaapi= Ravana too; samhR^iSTaH= full of joy; visR^ijya= dismissed; sutam= his son; indrajitam= Indrajit; tataH= and thereafter; aajuhaava= summoned; raakSasiiH= the female-demons; siitaa raakSaNiiH= who guarded Seetha; tadaa= then.
Ravana, meanwhile, full of joy, dismissed his son Indrajit and thereafter summoned the female demons who guarded Seetha.
ra]Sys! iÇjqa c Aip zasnat! tm! %piSwta>,
ta %vac ttae ùòae ra]sI ra]s $ñr>. 6£47£6
6. shaasanaat= as per his orders; raakSasyaH= the female-demons; trijaTaa chaapi= along with Trijata; upasthitaaH= appeared; tam= before him; tataH= then; hR^iSTaH= the rejoiced; raakSasaadhipaH= Ravana; uvaacha= spoke; taaH raakSasaadhipaH= Ravana; uvaacha= spoke; taaH raakSasiiH= to those female-demons (as follows)
Following his orders, the female-demons along with Trijata appeared before him. Then, the rejoiced Ravana said to them as follows:
htav! #NÔijta AaOyat vEdeýa ram lúm[aE,
pu:pkm! c smaraePy dzRyXvm! htaE r[e. 6£47£7
7. aakhyaata= tell; vaidehyaaH= Seetha; raama lakSmaNau= that Rama and Lakshmana; hatau= have been killed; indrajitaa= by Indrajit; samaaropya= having made to ascend; tat= that; puSpakam= aeroplane, Pushpaka; darshayadhvam= show; hatau= Rama and Lakshmana, killed; raNe= in battle.
“Tell Seetha that Rama and Lakshmana have been killed by Indrajit. Take her in Pushpaka the aeroplane and show her Rama and Lakshman who were killed in battle.”
ydœ Aaïyadœ AvòBxae n #ym! mam! %pitóit,
sae ASya -taR sh æaÇa inrStae r[ mUxRin. 6£47£8
8. yadaashrayaat= on whose shelter; iyam= she; avaSTabdhaa= feels proud; na upatiSThate= and does not come near; maam= me; saH= that; asyaaH bhartaaH= her husband; nihataH= was killed; bhraatraa saha= along with his brother; raNamuurdhani= in the battle-front.
“Her husband, the one depending on whom rendered her so proud that she refused to be united with me, lies there killed with his brother in the battle-front.”
inivRzNka inéiÖ¶a inrpe]a c mEiwlI,
mam! %pSwaSyte sIta svR Aa-r[ -Ui;ta. 6£47£9
9. siitaa= Seetha; maithilii= the princess of Mithila; sarvaabharaNa bhuuSitaa= adorned herself with all kinds of ornaments; upasthaasyate= willl submit before; maam= me; nirvishankaa= without any apprehension; nirudvignaa= without grief; nirapekSaa= and without any hope of reunion.
“From now on, free from anxiety, grief and expectation of reunion, Seetha the princess of Mithila kingdom, adorned in all her jewels, will submit herself to me.”
A* kal vzm! àaÝm! r[e ramm! slúm[m!,
Aveúy ivinv&Ä Aaza n ANyam! gitm! ApZytI. 6£47£10
Anpe]a ivzala]I mamupSwSyte Svym!,
10. avekSya= beholding; raamam= Rama; salakSmaNam= with Lakshmana; gatam= having obtained; kaalavasham= the dominion of death; adya= today; saa= she; vishaalaakSii= the large-eyed woman; vinivR^ittaa= will return; upasthaasyate= and submit before; maam= me; svayam= herself; apashyatii= without finding; anyaam= any other; gatim= haven; anapekSaa= and hoping for nothing else .
“Beholding Rama and Lakshmana fallen under the sway of death on the battle-field today, finding no other haven and hoping for nothing else, the large-eyed Seetha will voluntarily seek refuge with me!”
tSy tdœ vcnm! ïuTva rav[Sy ÊraTmn>. 6£47£11
ra]Sys! tas! twa #Ty! %®va àjGmurœ yÇ pu:pkm!,
11. shrutvaa= hearing; tat vachanam= that command; tasya raavaNasya= of that Ravana; duraatmanaH= the curel demon; taaH raakSasya= those female-demons; uktvaa= having replied; tathaa iti= “so it be”; jagmuH vai= and went; yatra= there, where; puSpakam= Pushpaka-plane was there.
Hearing these words of the cruel Ravana, they all replied, “Be it so” and went to where the Pushpaka chariot was.
tt> pu:pkm! Aady ra]Syae rav[ AaJnya. 6£47£12
Azaek vinkaSwam! tam! mEiwlIm! smupanyn!,
12. tataH= thereafter; raakSasyaH= the female-demons; aadaaya= brought; puSpakam= the aerial car, Pushpaka; raamaNaajJNayaa= as per the instructions of Ravana; samupaanayan= and carried it near; taam= tat; maithiliim= Seetha; ashokavanikaa; samsthaam= who was staying in Ashoka grove.
Thereafter, the female-demons brought the aerial car, Pushpaka as per the instructions of Ravana and carried it nearer to Seetha who was staying in Ashoka-grove.
tam! Aaday tu ra]Syae -t&R zaek pray[am!. 6£47£13
sItam! Aaraepyam! Aasurœ ivmanm! pu:pkm! tda,
13. tadaa= then; raakSasyaH= the female demons; aadaaya= brought; taam siitaam= that Seetha; bhartR^ishoka paraajitaam= who was afflicted with grief for her husband; aaropayaamaasuH= and made to ascend; puSpakam vimaanam= Pushpaka –plane.
The female-demons brought Seetha who was afflicted with grief for her husband and made her to ascend Pushpaka-plane.
tt> pu:pkm! AaraePy sItam! iÇjqya sh. 6£47£14
jGmudRzRiytu< tSyE ra]Syae ramlúm[aE,
14. tataH= then; raakSasyaH= the female-demons; trijaTayaasaha= along with Trijata; aaropya siitaam= made Seetha to ascend; puSpakam= Pushpaka-plane; jagmuH= and proceeded; darshayitum= to show; tasyai= her; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana.
The female-demons along with Trijata made Seetha to ascend Pushpaka-plane and proceeded to show her Rama and Lakshmana.
rav[ae Akaryl! lNkam! ptaka Xvj mailnIm!. 6£47£15
àa"ae;yt ùòz! c lNkayam! ra]s $ñr>,
ra"vae lúm[z! cEv htav! #NÔijta r[e. 6£47£16
15, 16. raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSaseshvaraH= the king of demons; hR^iSTaH= thrilled with rapture; kaarayaamaasa= made; laN^kaam= Lanka; pataaka dhvaja maaliniim= garlanded with flags and banners; praaghoSayata= and caused a proclamation; (to be made in Lanka); announcing that; raaghavaH= Rama; lakSmaNashcha= and Lakshmana; hatau= had been slain; raNe= in battle; indrajitaa= by Indrajit.
Ravana the king of demons, thrilled with rapture, caused Lanka to be garlanded with flags and banners and arranged a proclamation to be made in Lanka announcing that Rama and Lakshmana had been slain by Indrajit in battle.
ivmanen Aip sIta tu gTva iÇjqya sh,
ddzR vanra[am! tu svRm! isNym! inpaittm!. 6£47£17
17. siitaa= Seetha; trijaTayaa saha= along with Trijata; gatvaa= went; vimaanena= by that plane; dadarsha= and saw; sarvam= all; vaanaraaNaam sainyam= the monkey-troops; nipaatitam= who had been slain.
Seetha along with Trijata, transported by that plane, saw all the monkey-troops who had been slain.
àùò mnsz! c Aip ddzR ipizt Aznan!,
vanraMz! c Aip Êhœo AataRn! ram lúm[ pañRt>. 6£47£18
18. dadarsha= (Seetha) saw; pishitaashanaan= the demons; prahR^iSTamanasaH= who were delighted at heart; vaanaraamshcha= and monkeys; atiduHkhaartaan= who were disturbed with immense grief; raamalakSmaNa paarshvataH= by the side of Rama and Lakshmana.
Seetha saw the demons who were delighted at heart and monkeys disturbed with grief, standing round Rama and Lakshmana.
tt> sIta ddzR %-aE zyanaE zt tLpyae>,
lúm[m! cEv ramm! c ivsMJnaE zr pIiftaE. 6£47£19
ivXvSt kvcaE vIraE ivàivÏ zr AasnaE,
saykEz! icÚ svR ANgaE zr StM-myaE i]taE. 6£47£20
19, 20 tataH= then; siitaa= Seetha; dadarsha= beheld; ubhau viirau= those two warriors; raamam cha= Rama; lakSmaNamchaiva= and Lakshmana; shayanau= lying; shara piiDitau= pierced with arrows; visamjJNau= unconscious; shara piiDitau= riddled with weapons; vidhvasta kavachau= their armour shattered; vipraviddha sharaasanau= their bows thrown at a distance; chhinna sarvaaN^gau= their entire body transfixed; saayakaiH= by darts; sharastambamayau= on a bed of arrows; kSitau= on the ground.
Then, Seetha beheld those two warriors Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on the ground on a bed of arrows, their limbs pierced with arrows, riddled with weapons, their armour shattered, their bows cast aside at a distance and their entire body transfixed by darts.
taE †òœva æatraE tÇ àvIraE pué; \;-aE,
zyanaE pu{frIka]aE k…maraivv pavkI. 6£47£21
zrtLpgtaE vIraE twa-UtaE nr;R-aE,
Êhœo AataR su-&zm! sIta ké[m! ivllap h. 6£47£22
21, 22. dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; tau bhraatarau= those two brothers; praviirau= who were filled with valour; puNDariikaakSau= having lotus-eyes; puruSarSabhau= the excellent of men; shayanau sharatalpagatau= lying stretched on a bed of arrows; tatra= there; tathaa bhuutau= in that wretched plight; kumaaraaviva= like the two sons; paavakii= of the fire-god (shakha and Vishakha) (lying on a bed of reeds); siitaa= Seetha; vilalaapaha= wailed; karuNam= piteously; subhR^isham duHkhartaa= stricken with a great agony.
On seeing those two brothers, who were filled with valour, having lotus-eyes, the excellent of men, lying streteched on a bed of arrows there in that wretched plight like the two sons of the fire-god (Shkha and Vishakha) lying on a bed of reeds, Seetha wailed piteously, stricken as she was with a great agony.
-taRrmnv*a¼I lúm[m! caiste][a,
àeúy paMsu;u ceòNtaE éraed jnkaTmja. 6£47£23
23. asitekSaNaa= the dark-eyed; janakaatmajaa= Seetha the daughter of Janaka; anavadyaaNgii= with faultless limbs; prekSya= beholding; bharataaram= her lord; lakSmaNam cha= and Lakshmana; cheSTantau= lying paamsuSu= in the dust; ruroda= burst into sobs.
The dark-eyed Seetha the daughter of Janaka with her faultless limbs, beholding her lord and Lakshmana lying in the dust, burst into sobs.
sa ba:p zaek Ai-hta smIúy,
taE æatraE dev sm à-avaE,
ivtkRyNtI inxnm! tyaehœ sa,
Êhœo AiNvta vaKym! #dm! jgad. 6£47£24
24. samiikSya= witnessing; tau bhraatarau= those brothers; devasuta prabhaavau= the prominent sons of god; saa= that Seetha; sabaaSpa shokaabhihataa= struck by grief with tears; vitarkayantii= believing; tayoH= their; nidhanam= death; jagaada= spoke; idam= these; vaakyam= words; duHkhaanvitaa= possessed with grief.
Witnessing those brothers, the prominent sons of god, Seetha afflicted with tearful sorrow, believing their death, spoke with grief the following words.
#Tya;eR ïImÔamay[e AaidkaVye yuÏka{fe sÝcTvairMz> sgR
Thus completes 47th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© August 2005, K. M. K. Murthy