Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Rama recollects the lotus-eyed Seetha and laments much about his separation from her Lakshmana consoles him and there approaches the sun-set. |
s˜ tu nŸlena vidhivat sv˜rakÿ˜ susam˜hit˜ |
s˜garasya uttare tŸre s˜dhu sen˜ vinieþit˜ || 6-5-1
1. saa= that army; saa= he famous one; vidhivat= duly; svaarakSaa= well-protected; niilena= by Neela; viniveshitaa= was kept stationed; saadhu= well; uttare tiire= at the northern shore; saagarasya= of the ocean.
That famous army, well-protected by Neela, was kept stationed nicely at the northern shore of the ocean.
mainda× ca dvividha× ca ubhau tatra v˜nara pumgavau |
viceratu× ca t˜m sen˜m rakÿ˜ artham sarvato diþam || 6-5-2
2. ubhau= both; maindaH ca= Maina; dvividashcaiva= and Divida; vaanara pumgavau= the distinguished; tatra= there monkeys; viceratuH= moved; sarvato disham= in all directions; taam senaam= in that army; rakSaa artham= for the purpose of vigilance.
Both Maina and Dvivida the distinguished monkeys there moved in all directions through that army, for the purpose of vigilance.
niviÿ÷˜y˜m tu sen˜y˜m tŸre nada nadŸ pate× |
p˜rþvastham lakÿmaõam d®ÿ÷v˜ r˜mo vacanam abravŸt || 6-5-3
3. senaayaam= (after) the army; niviSTaayaam= was settled; tiire= at the shore; nada nadii pate= of the sea; raamaH= Rama; abraviit= spoke; vachanam= these words; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; lakshmaNam= Lakshmana; paarshvastham= at his side.
After the army was settled at the sea-shore, Rama spoke to Lakshmana who was by his side (as follows):
þoka× ca kila k˜lena gaccat˜ hi apagaccati |
mama ca apaþyata× k˜nt˜m ahani ahani vardhate || 6-5-4
4. kila= It is so said; shokaH= (that) sorrow; apagachchhati= gets vanished; gachchhataaa= at the passing; kaalena= of time; mama cha= but my agony; apashyataH= of not seeing kaantaam= my beloved; vardhate= is getting increased; ahanyahani= day n and day out.
“It is so said that sorrow gets vanished at the passing of time. But my agony of not seeing my beloved is getting increased every day.”
na me duhkham priy˜ d¨re na me duhkham h®t˜ iti ca |
tad eva anuþoc˜mi vayo asy˜ hi ativartate || 6-5-5
5. na= no; duHkham= anguish; me= to me;; priyaa= (that) my beloved; duure= is at a distance; na= No; duHkham= anguish; me= to me; hR^iteti cha= tat she was taken away; asyaaH= Her; vayaH= age; ativartate hi= is indeed passing away; amshochaami= I am repenting; eetadeva= only about this.
“There is no anguish for me that my beloved is at a distance, nor that she was taken away. Her age is indeed passing away. Only about this, I am repenting.”
v˜hi v˜ta yata× kany˜ t˜m sp®ÿ÷v˜ m˜m api sp®þa |
tvayi me g˜tra samsparþa× candre d®ÿ÷i sam˜gama× || 6-5-6
6. vaata= Oh, wind!; vaahi= flow; yataH= from which side; kaantaa= is my beloved; spR^iSTvaa= touch; taam= her; spR^isha= (and) touch; maam api= me too; gaatra sparshaH= contact of her limb; me= to me; tvayi= is obtained through you; dR^iSTisamaagamaH= contact of our eyes; chandre= is through moon.”
“Oh, wind! Flow from the side of my beloved. Touch her and touch me too. It is through you that I get a contact of her limbs. It is through moon that I get a contact of her eyes.”
tan me dahati g˜tr˜õi viÿam pŸtam iva ˜þaye |
h˜ n˜tha iti priy˜ s˜ m˜m hriyam˜õ˜ yad abravŸt || 6-5-7
7. saa priyaa= that darling; hriyamaaNaa= being carried away; abraviit iti yat= might have cried; haa naathaa iti= Oh, Lord (seeking for help); tat= It; viSam iva= is like poison; piitam= gulped (by me); aashaye= and hovering in my stomach; dahati= scorching; me= my; gaatraaNi= limbs.
“That darling being carried away; might have cried “Oh, Lord!” Seeking for help. That thought is like poison gulped by me, hovering in my stomach and scorching my limbs.”
tad viyoga indhanavat˜ tac cint˜ vipula arciÿ˜ |
r˜trim divam þarŸram me dahyate madana agnin˜ || 6-5-8
8. me= My; shariiram= body; dahyate= is scorching; raatrim divam= night and day; madanaagninaa= by the fire of passion; tadviyogendhana vataa= holding fuel of my separation from her; tacchintaavimalarchiSaa= and my thoughts of her flaring up into shimmering flames.
“My body is scorching night and day, by the fire of passion, holding fuel of my separation from her and my thoughts of her flaring into shimmering flames.”
avag˜hya arõavam svapsye saumitre bhavat˜ vin˜ |
kathamcit prajvalan k˜ma× sam˜suptam jale dahet || 6-5-9
9. saumitre= OH, Lakshmana!; avagaahya= going deep into; aarNavam= the sea; bhavataa vina= without you; svapasye= I shall fall asleep; prajvalan= flaming; kaamaH= passion; na dahet= will not scorch; maam= me; evam cha= thus; suptam= sleeping; jale= in water.
“Oh, Lakshmana! Diving deep into the sea without you, I shall fall asleep. This flaming passion will not thus scorch me, lying down in water.
bahv etat k˜may˜nasya þakyam etena jŸvitum |
yad aham s˜ ca v˜ma ¨rur ek˜m dharaõim ˜þritau || 6-5-10
10. etat= this; bahu= is great thing; kaamayaanasya= for me who is passionate; iti yat= that; aham= I; saa vaamoruuH= and that Seetha, with charming thighs aashritau= are resting; ekaam= on one and the same; dharaNim= earth; shakyam= I am able; jiivitum= to survive; etena= on this fact.
“It is enough for me, who is passionate, that Seetha with charming thighs and myself are resting on one the same earth and on this fact I am able to survive.”
ked˜rasya iva ked˜ra× sa udakasya nir¨daka× |
upasnehena jŸv˜mi jŸvantŸm yat þ®õomi t˜m || 6-5-11
11. yat= that; shruNomi= I am hearing; taam= her; jiivantiim= as surviving; jiivaami= I also survive; kedaaraH iva= as a paddy-field; niruudakaH= without water (survives); upasnehena= getting wet; kedaarasya= by another paddy-field; sodakasya= under water.
“Even as a paddy-field without water survives, by getting wet from a neighboring paddy-field under water, I also survive since I am hearing her as surviving.
kad˜ tu khalu susþoõŸm þata patra ˜yata Ÿkÿaõ˜m |
vijitya þatr¨n drakÿy˜mi sŸt˜m sphŸt˜m iva þriyam || 6-5-12
12. kadaa khalu= when; drakshhyaami= shall I see; siitaam= Seetha; shushroNiim= with charming hips; shata patraayatekshhaNaam= having long lotus-like eyes; sphiitaam= flourishing; shriyamiva= as prosperity; vijitya= by conquering; shatruun= the enemies.
“When shall I behold Seetha with charming hips, having long lotus-like eyes flourishing as prosperity, by conquering the enemies?”
kad˜ nu c˜ru bimba oÿ÷ham tasy˜× padmam iva ˜nanam |
Ÿÿad unnamya p˜sy˜mi ras˜yanam iva ˜tura× || 6-5-13
13. kadaa= when; unnamya= raising; iishhat= a little; tasyaaH= her; aananam= face; padmamiva= looking like louts; suchaarudantoshhTham= with its beautiful teeth and lips; paasyaami= shall I drink; rasaayanamiva= as a sovereign drink of remedy; aaturaH= by a sick man?”
“When, gently raising her face looking like louts, with its beautiful teeth and lips, shall I drink as a sick man the sovereign drink of remedy?”
tau tasy˜× samhatau pŸnau stanau t˜la phala upamau |
kad˜ nu khalu sa utkampau hasanty˜ m˜m bhajiÿyata× || 6-5-14
14. khalu= when will; tau= those; stanau= breasts; hasantyaaH= which are delightful; sahitau= close; piinau= bulging; sotkampau= and quivering; taalaphalopamau= looking like Palmyra fruits; bhajishhyathaH nu= indeed press; maam= me?
“When will those breasts which are delightful close, bulging and quivering, looking like palmary fruits, indeed press me?”
s˜ n¨nam asita ap˜ngŸ rakÿo madhya gat˜ satŸ |
man n˜th˜ n˜tha hŸn˜ iva tr˜t˜ram na adhigaccati || 6-5-15
15. saa= she; asitaapaaN^gii= with dark-cornered eyes; rakshhomadhyagataa satii= who has fallen in the middle of ogres; mannaathaa= though I am her support; nuunam= is certainly; naadhigachchhati= not getting; traataaram= any defender; naatha hiinena= resembling an orphan.
“She, with dark-cornered eyes, who has fallen into the midst of demons, is surely not getting any defender, she resembling an orphan, though I am her support.”
kad˜ vikÿobhya rakÿ˜msi s˜ vidh¨ya utpatiÿyati |
r˜kÿasŸmadhyag˜ þete snuÿ˜ daþarathasya ca || 6-5-16
16. katham= how; janakaraajasya duhitaa= Seetha, the daughter of king Janaka; mama cha= my; priyaa= darling; dasharathasya cha= and Dasaratha’s; snushhaa= daughter-in-law; shete= is sleeping; raakshhasiimadhyagaa= in the midst of ogresses?
“How Seetha the daughter of King Janaka, my darling and Dasaratha’s daughter-in-law is sleeping among ogresses?”
avikÿobhy˜õi rakÿ˜msi s˜ vidh¨yotpatiÿyati |
vidh¨ya jalad˜n nŸl˜n þaþi lekh˜ þaratsv iva || 6-5-17
17. saa= Seetha; utpatishhyati= will come out; vidhuuya= driving away (through my force) avikshhobhyaaNi= the unassailable; rakshhaamsi= demons; vidhuuya= as driving away; niilaan= black; jaladaan= clouds; shasilekhaa= by a digit of the moon; sharat su= in autumn.
“Seetha will come out, driving away (through my force) the unassailable demons, as driving away black clouds by a digit of the moon, in autumn.”
svabh˜va tanuk˜ n¨nam þokena anaþanena ca |
bh¨yas tanutar˜ sŸt˜ deþa k˜la viparyay˜t || 6-5-18
18. siitaa= Seetha; svabhaavatanukaa= who, by nature is slender; nuunam= will undoubtedly; bhuuyaH= further; tanutaraa= become more lean; shokena= because of anguish; anashanena= abstinence from food; desha kaalaviparyayaat= and adverse position of time and place.
“Seetha, who by nature is slender, will undoubtedly become leaner further because of her anguish, her abstinence from food and her adverse position of time and place.”
kad˜ nu r˜kÿasa indrasya nidh˜ya urasi s˜yak˜n |
sŸt˜m praty˜hariÿy˜mi þokam uts®jya m˜nasam || 6-5-19
19. kadaam= when; pratyaharishhyaami= shall I bring back; siitaam= Seetha; nidhaaya= having lodged; saayakaan= arrows; raakshasendrasya= in Ravana’s urasi= chest; utsR^ijya= and having abandoned; maanasam= (this) mental; shokam= agony?
“When shall I bring back Seetha, having lodged arrows in Ravana’s chest and having abandoned this mental agony?”
kad˜ nu khalu m˜m s˜dhvŸ sŸt˜ amara sut˜ upam˜ |
sa utkaõ÷h˜ kaõ÷ham ˜lambya mokÿyati ˜nandajam jalam || 6-5-20
20. kadaa khalu= when indeed shall; siitaa= Seetha; saadhvii= the virtuous woman; surasutopamaa= similar to the child of a celestial; sotkaNThaa= with an excited longing; aalambya= embrace; me= my; kaNTham= neck; mokshhyati nu= (and) will release; jalam= tears; aanandajam= begotten of joy?
“When indeed Seetha the virtuous lady similar to the child of a celestial, with an excited longing, will embrace my neck and release tears of joy?”
kad˜ þokam imam ghoram maithilŸ viprayogajam |
sahas˜ vipramokÿy˜mi v˜sa× þukla itaram yath˜ || 6-5-21
21. kadaa= when; vipramokshhyaami nu= shall I thrillingly abandon; imam= this; ghoram= terrible; shokam= anguish; maithiliiviprayogajam= born out of my separation from; sahasaa= so Seetha soon; shukletaram vaasam yathaa= as (abandoning) a soiled clothing?
“When shall I thrillingly abandon this terrible anguish, born out of my separation from Seetha so soon, as we abandon a soiled clothing?”
evam vilapatas tasya tatra r˜masya dhŸmata× |
dina kÿay˜n manda vapur bh˜skaro astam up˜gamat || 6-5-22
22. tasya= (while) that; dhiimataH= sagacious; raamasya= Rama; vilapataH= was lamenting; tatra= there; evam-= thus; bhaaskaraH= sun; mandavapuH= sun; dinakshhayaat= due to day-decline; astam upaagataH= approached dusk.
While that sagacious Rama was lamenting thus there, the sun, the weak-rayed due to day-decline, approached the dusk.
˜þv˜sito lakÿmaõena r˜ma× samdhy˜m up˜sata |
smaran kamala patra akÿŸm sŸt˜m þoka ˜kulŸ k®ta× || 6-5-23
23. aashvaasitaH= consoled; lakshmaNena= by Lakshmana; raamaH= Rama; shokaakuliikR^itaH= made overcome by anguish; smarau= recollecting; siitaam= Seetha; kamelapatraakshhiim= the lotus-eyes; upaasataH= worshipped; sandhyaam= the evening-twilight.
Lakshmana consoled Rama who was overwhelmed with anguish, duly recollecting the lotus-eyed Seetha. Thereafter, Rama worshipped the evening-twilight.
ity˜rÿe þrŸmadr˜mayaõe ˜dik˜vye yuddhak˜õýepañcama× sarga×
Thus completes 5th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© April 2003, K. M. K. Murthy