Sundara Kanda: Chapter 42

ततः पक्षिनिनादेन वृक्षभङ्गस्वनेन च। बभूवुस्वाससम्भ्रान्ताः सर्वे लङ्कानिवासिनः॥
Then on account of the cries of birds and the sounds of breaking trees, all the denizons of Lankā were seized with trepidation in consequence of fright.

विद्वताश्च भयत्रस्ता विनेदुर्मुगपक्षिणः। रक्षसां च निमित्तानि क्रूराणि प्रतिपेदिरे॥
And agitated with fear, birds and beasts hurried (on all sides); and omens boding evil to the, Raksasas, began to appear (everywhere).

ततो गतायां निद्रायां राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः। तद् वनं ददृशुर्भग्नं तं च वीरं महाकपिम्॥
And grim-visaged Rākṣasīs, awaking from their sleep, saw that wood devastated, and that heroic mighty monkey.

स ता दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुर्महासत्त्वो महाबलः। चकार सुमहदूपं राक्षसीनां भयावहम्॥
And observing them, that mighty-armed and powerful monkey endowed with immense strength, magnified his dimension, capable of striking terror into the Rākşasas.

ततस्तु गिरिसंकाशमतिकायं महाबलम्। राक्षस्यो वानरं दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुर्जनकात्मजाम्॥
Beholding that exceedingly strong monkey resembling a mountain, the Räkşasīs asked Janaka's daughter, saying.

कोऽयं कस्य कुतो वायं किंनिमित्तमिहागतः। कथं त्वया सहानेन संवादः कृत इत्युत॥ आचक्ष्व नो विशालाक्षि मा भूत्ते सुभगे भयम्। संवादमसितापाङ्गि त्वया किं कृतवानयम्॥
Who is this? And whence, and wherefore has he come here? And why did he carry on converse with you? Tell us this, you of expansive eyes. O lucky one, entertain no fear. And, O you having eyes with dark outer corners, what is the talk that this one has held with you?

अथाब्रवीत् तदा साध्वी सीता सर्वाङ्गशोभना। रक्षसां कामरूपाणां विज्ञाने का गतिर्मम॥
Thereat, the chaste Sītā, having all her parts perfect, answered, “What is my power to read Rākṣasas capable of wearing forms at will? ”

यूयमेवास्य जानीत योऽयं यद् वा करिष्यति। अहिरेव अहे: पादान्विजानाति न संशयः॥
You know who he is and what he does. Serpents, without doubt, know the way of serpents.

अहमप्यतिभीतास्मि नैव जानामि को ह्यहम्। वेद्मि राक्षसमेवैनं कामरूपिणमागतम्॥
And, furthermore, I am very much frightened, nor know I who that one is. I take him to be a Rākşasa, who has come here through his capacity to put on any shape.

वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षस्यो विदूता दुतम्। स्थिताः काश्चिद्गताः काश्चिद् रावणाय निवेदितुम्॥
Hearing Vaidehi's words, the Raksasis swiftly took to their heels. Some remained, and some departed to inform Rāvana of the matter.

रावणस्य समीपे तु राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः। विरूपं वानरं भीमं रावणाय न्यवेदिषुः॥
And before Rāvana, the Rākṣasīs of deformed visage informed him of the hideous and dreadful monkey.

अशोकवनिकामध्ये राजन् भीमवपुः कपिः। सीतया कृतसंवादस्तिष्ठत्यमितविक्रमः॥
O king, in the heart of the aśoka wood there is a monkey of a terrific body, who, possessed of immeasurable might, stay, after having carried on a conversation with Jānakī.

न च तं जानकी सीता हरि हरिणलोचना। अस्माभिर्बहुधा पृष्टा निवेदयितुमिच्छति॥
Nor, albeit questioned by us many a time and oft, dose Janaka's daughter, Sītā, having the eyes of a deer, intend to tell us who the monkey is.

वासवस्य भवेद् दूतो वैश्रवणस्य वा। प्रेषितो वापि रामेण सीतान्वेषणकाझ्या॥
He may be the emissary of Vāsava, or of Vaiśravaņa; or he may have been sent by Rāma himself from eagerness to get at the whereabouts of Sita.

तेनैवाद्भुतरूपेण यत्तत्तव मनोहरम्। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं प्रमृष्टं प्रमदावनम्॥ न तत्र कश्चिदुद्देशो यस्तेन न विनाशितः। यत्र सा जानकी देवी स तेन न विनाशितः॥
And he it is that, wearing a wonderful form, has destroyed your charming arbour of the interior, filled with beasts of various kinds-And quarter there is none which has not been destroyer by him; and only that place where the exalted Jänakī is, remain uninjured by him.

जानकीरक्षणार्थं वा श्रमाद् वा नोपलक्ष्यते। अथवा कः श्रमस्तस्य सैव तेनाभिरक्षिता॥
Whether for preserving Jānakī, or from fatigue—it dose not appear. But what is his fatigue? She it is that has been preserved by him.

चारुपल्लवपत्राढ्यं यं सीता स्वयमास्थिता। प्रवृद्धः शिंशपावृक्षः स च तेनाभिरक्षितः॥
And that overgrown Sinsapă tree, affluent with elegant foliage, under which Sītā herself has (always rested), has been spared by him.

तस्योग्ररूपस्योग्रं त्वं दण्डमाज्ञातुमर्हसि। सीता सम्भाषिता येन वनं तेन विनाशितम्॥ मनः परिगृहीतां तां तव रक्षोगणेश्वर। कः सीतामभिभाषेत यो न स्यात् त्यक्तजीवितः॥
It behove you to order sharp chastisement to be inflicted on that one of a fierce form, who, having carried on converse with Sītā, has laid your wood waste. Who, O Sovereign of the Rākşasas, that has not his life served from him, converse with Sītā, who has captivated your heart?"

राक्षसीनां वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। चिताग्निरिव जज्वाल कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः॥
Hearing the speeches of the Rākṣasīs, Rāvaņa, lord of Raksasas, with his eyes rolling in rage, flamed up like the fire of a funeral pyre.

तस्य क्रुद्धस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः। दीप्ताभ्यामिव दीपाभ्यां सार्चिषः स्नेहबिन्दवः॥
As fall drops of lighted oil from a flaming lamp, fell drops of tears from the eyes of the enraged Ravana.

आत्मनः सदृशान् वीरान् किंकरानाम राक्षसान्। व्यादिदेश महातेजा निग्रहार्थं हनुमतः॥
And that highly energetic one ordered his heroic servants, resembling himself, to punish Hanuman.

तेषामशीतिसाहस्रं किंकराणां तरस्विनाम्। निर्ययुर्भवनात्तस्मात्कूटमुद्गरपाणयः॥
And from that mansion speedily issued eighty thousand of those retainers, carrying in their hands maces and mallets. (Kūța-hammer. The commentator, however, says that it means a weapon resembling a hammer.)

महोदरा महादंष्ट्रा घोररूपा महाबलाः। युद्धाभिमनसः सर्वे हनूमद्ग्रहणोन्मुखाः॥
Having huge bellies, and large teeth, of dreadful form, and possessed of unwieldy strength, all eager to engage in the conflict and take Hanuman.

ते कपि तं समासाद्य तोरणस्थमवस्थितम्। अभिपेतुर्महावेगाः पतङ्गा इव पावकम्॥
Having come near that monkey staying at the main entrance, those swelling spirits rushed on, even as insects rush into a flame.

ते गदाभिर्विचित्राभिः परिषैः काञ्चनाङ्गदैः। आजग्मुर्वानरश्रेष्ठं शरैरादित्यसंनिभैः॥
And equipped with variegated maces, and bludgeons, and golden Angadas, (A bracelet worn on the upper arm) and arrows resembling the Sun, they approached that foremost of monkeys.

मुद्गरैः पट्टिशैः शूलैः प्रासतोमरपाणयः। परिवार्य हनूमन्तं सहसा तस्थुरग्रतः॥
And accoutred in maces, axes, and javelins, and bearing bearded darts and lances in their hands, they suddenly surrounded Hanuman and remained before him.

हनूमानपि तेजस्वी श्रीमान् पर्वतसंनिभः। क्षितावाविद्ध्य लालं ननाद च महाध्वनिम्॥
And the graceful and energetic Hanumān also, resembling a hill, flourishing his tail over the ground, sent up tremendous roars.

स भूत्वा तु महाकायो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। पुच्छमास्फोटयामास लङ्कां शब्देन पूरयन्॥
And attaining mighty proportions, Hanumān, son to the Wind-god, brandished his tail, filling Lankā with sounds.

तस्यास्फोटितशब्देन महता चानुनादिना। पेतुर्विहङ्गा गगनादुच्चैश्चेदमघोषयत्॥
At the sounds of his flourishing, as well as with those resounding ones set up by himself, birds began to drop down from the sky.

जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः। राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः॥ दासोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः। हनूमाञ्शत्रुसैन्यानां निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः॥ न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत्। शिलाभिश्च प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः॥ अर्दयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम्। समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम्॥
He loudly proclaimed, “Victory to the exceedingly strong Rāma and to the mighty Lakşmaņa! And victory to king Sugrīva, protected of Rāghava! I am the servant of the Sovereign of Kosala, Rāma of untiring deeds, (I am) Hanuman, the destroyer of hostile hosts, offspring of the Wind-god. And a thousand Rāvana's cannot cope with me in conflict, when I shall hurl crags and trees by thousands. In the very presence of all the Rākşasa, shall I, having desolated the city of Lankā and paid my reverence to Maithli, go away, my end being compassed."

तस्य संनादशब्देन ते तेऽभवन् भयशङ्किताः। ददृशुश्च हनूमन्तं संध्यामेघमिवोन्नतम्॥
They were struck with affright at his roars; and they beheld Hanumān elevated as an evening cloud.

स्वामिसंदेशनिःशङ्कास्ततस्ते राक्षसाः कपिम्। चित्रैः प्रहरणैर्भीमैरभिपेतुस्ततस्ततः॥
And now knowing for certain that the monkey had been despatched by his master, the Rākṣasas commenced assailing him with various kinds of dire arms.

स तैः परिवृतः शूरैः सर्वतः स महाबलः। आससादायसं भीमं परिघं तोरणाश्रितम्॥
Environed on all sides by those heroes, that exceedingly powerful one, staying by the main entrance, look up a terrific bolt.

स तं परिघमादाय जघान रजनीचरान्। सपन्नगमिवादाय स्फुरन्तं विनतासुतः॥
And taking that bolt, like Vinatā's offspring handing a darting serpent, he slew those rangers of the night.

विचचाराम्बरे वीरः परिगृह्य च मारुतिः। सूदयामास वज्रेण दैत्यानिव सहस्रदृक् ॥
And grasping (the bolt), the Wind-god' son began to range the welkin and destroy (the Rākşasas) like the thousand-eyed (deity) slaughtering Daityas with his thunder-bold.

स हत्वा राक्षसान् वीरः किंकरान् मारुतात्मजः। युद्धाकाङ्क्षी महावीरस्तोरणं समवस्थितः।॥
And having slain those Rākṣasas, who where the retainers of Rāvaņa, the heroic offspring of the Wind-god-foremost of heroes-desirous of fight, stood at the gate.

ततस्तस्माद्भयान्मुक्ताः कतिचित्तत्र राक्षसाः। निहतान्किंकरान्सर्वान्रावणाय न्यवेदयन्।॥
Then certain Räkşasas, getting off from the field in fear, informed Rāvana of the destruction of all his servants.

स राक्षसानां निहतं महाबलं निशम्य राजा परिवृत्तलोचनः। समादिदेशाप्रतिमं पराक्रमे प्रहस्तपुत्रं समरे सुदुर्जयम्॥
Hearing that a mighty host of the Rākṣasas had been slain, the king, with his eyes whirling in ire, ordered Prahasta's son of incomparable prowess, and invincible in battle.