Yuddha Kanda/Yuddha Kanda Sarga 20
Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Yuddha Kanda Sarga 20 in English
Chapter [Sarga] 20 - Ravana sends Shuka to Sugreeva as an ambassador
Introduction - As per the advice of Sardula, Ravana sends Shuka to Sugriva as an ambassador. The Vanaras harass him, who came to their place as a spy. But because of Rama’s gracefulness, Shuka comes out of danger. Sugriva gives a fitting reply to Ravana’s message sent through Shuka. When Vanaras again try to bind him and harass him, Rama prevents them from killing him.
1. Thereafter, an energetic demon named Shardula came and saw the army, commanded by Sugriva, which was drawn up in a battle array.
2. That demon, the spy of Ravana the evil natured king of ogres, coolly observed that army from all sides, speedily returned to Lanka and spoke to their king as follows:
3. Boundless and immeasurable like another ocean, this multitude of Vanaras and bears is approaching Lanka.
4, 5. These brothers Rama and Lakshmana, the sons of Dasaratha, the excellent and the most dignified men endowed with beauty have arrived in the cause of Sita and settled in a camp after reaching the sea shore.
6. O, monarch! Their army is employed around a radius of ten yojanas (eighty miles) on all sides. You have to ascertain this truth quickly.
7. O, monarch! Your other spies also ought to ascertain the fact quickly. Under such circumstances, either conciliation or an act of giving away or sowing dissention (in the enemy’s ranks) may be employed.
8. Hearing Shardula’s words Ravana the lord of demons was perturbed and immediately determined his cause of action. Then he spoke the following words to a demon by name, Shuka the foremost among those who know their duty.
9. Going quickly, speak fearlessly to king Sugriva on my behalf, according to my command, in an excellent and gentle voice, as follows:
10. O, great king! You are indeed born in a noble family, possessor of a great strength and are a son of Riksharaja. No gain whatsoever or any harm will accrue to you (from this battle) .O, lord of Vanaras ! Nevertheless, you are like a brother to me.
11. What does it matter to you, if I have embezzled the wife of a wise prince? (Therefore) return to Kishkindha.
12. This Lanka cannot be reached by Vanaras in any way. It cannot be acquired even by celestials and Gandharvas (celestial musicians), why to talk about men and Vanaras?
13. Then Shuka the demon heralded by Ravana turned himself into the form of a bird and quickly flew into the sky.
14. Proceeding in the sky for a distance continuously over the ocean, Shuka then stood up in the sky itself and spoke these words to Sugriva:
15. Shuka repeated all the words the wicked Ravana had told him to say to Sugriva. As he was still speaking, the Vanaras bounded into the air to reach him at that moment quickly to tear off his wings and to smite him by their fists.
16. The demon thus attacked was forcibly seized by all the Vanaras and immediately brought down to the ground from the sky.
17. Shuka being harassed by Vanaras spoke the following words: “O, Rama! Messengers are not to be killed. Let your Vanaras be restrained properly.”
18. That messenger, who by abandoning the opinion of his king will speak about his own opinion though he being a messenger and he who on the other hand speaks that which was not told to him, that messenger is indeed fit to be killed.
19. Hearing Shuka’s complaining words, Rama spoke to the foremost of Vanaras, who were beating him as aforesaid, saying “Do not kill him”
20. Perceiving no fear from Vanaras, Shuka became light winged, virtually standing in the sky and spoke again the following words.
21. O, Sugriva, rich in courage and possessing great strength and valor! What am I to tell Ravana, whose nature is to cause world to cry?
22. Hearing the aforesaid words, the mightily strong Sugriva the king of Vanaras and the foremost among them, with a merciless mind then spoke to the blame less Shuka, Ravana’s spy, as follows:
23. O, Ravana, worthy of killing! You are not my companion. You are not worthy of sympathy. You are not the person who helped me in any way. I do not like you, as you are Rama’s enemy. Hence, You are worthy to be killed like Vali, along with your associates.
24. O, the king of demons! I am killing you along with your sons, relatives and other kinsfolk. Arriving with a great army, I will reduce the entire Lanka and all of you to ashes.
25, 26. O, stupid Ravana! You along with your younger brother will not be left unkilled by Rama, even if you are protected by all including Indra (the lord of celestials) or even if you have disappeared (by virtue of conjuring trick) or obtained, the solar orbit or entered the nethermost subterranean region or even if approached the lotus feet of Shiva (the lord of Kailasa mountain).
27. I do not see any protector to you as such in the three worlds, nor do I see any devilish being or a demon or a Gandharva (celestial musician) or an ogre coming forward to protect you.
28. You killed Jatayu, the king of vultures and who was senior to you in old age. Why the wide-eyed Sita was not taken away in the presence of Rama and Lakshmana? Having made her captive, you do not recognize her for what she is.
29. You are unaware how strong, high soled and irresistible even to celestials, is this Rama the excellent man of Raghu dynasty, who shall deprive you of your life.
30. Thereafter, Angada the son of Vali and the foremost of the Vanaras spoke as follows: “O, Sugriva the highly intelligent! He is not an ambassador. He appears to me as a spy.
31. All our army has been indeed evaluated by him, standing here. Let him be made captive. Let him not return to Lanka. This indeed finds favor with me.
32. Commanded then by the king Sugriva, the Vanaras jumped up, seized and bound him, who without defence, wailed loudly.
33. Harassed by those Vanaras there, Shuka on his part cried loudly towards Rama, the high soled son of Dasaratha as follows:
34,35. My wings are being pulled out forcibly. My eyes are being pierced. If I die, all the sins incurred by me between my birth and my death would fall to your share.
36. Hearing that lamentation of Shuka, Rama did not allow his killing by the Vanaras. Rama ordered Vanaras to release him, as he came as an ambassador.
श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः ॥६-२०॥
ततो निविष्टाम् ध्वजिनीम् सुग्रीवेणाभिपालिताम् । ददर्श राक्षसोऽभ्येत्य शार्दूलो नाम वीर्यवान् ॥६-२०-१॥
चारो राक्षसराजस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः । ताम् दृष्ट्वा सर्वतोऽव्यग्रम् प्रतिगम्य स राक्षसः ॥६-२०-२॥
आविश्य लङ्काम् वेगेन राजानमिदमब्रवीत् । एष वै वानरर्क्षघो लङ्काम् समभिवर्तते ॥६-२०-३॥
अगाधश्चाप्रमेयश्च द्वितीय इव सागरः । पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥६-२०-४॥
उत्तमौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सीतायाः पदमागतौ । एतौ सागरमासाद्य सम्निविष्टौ महाद्युती ॥६-२०-५॥
बलम् चाकाशमावृत्य सर्वतो दशयोजनम् । तत्त्वभूतम् महारज क्षिप्रम् वेदितुमर्हसि ॥६-२०-६॥
तव दूता महाराज क्षिप्रमर्हन्ति वेदितुम् । उपप्रदानम् सान्त्वम् वा भेदो वात्र प्रयुज्यताम् ॥६-२०-७॥
शार्दूलस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । उवाच सहसा व्यग्रः सम्प्रधार्यार्थमात्मनः ॥६-२०-८॥
शुकम् नाम तदा रक्षो वाक्यमर्थविदाम् वरम् । सुग्रीवम् ब्रूहि गत्वाशु राजानम् वचनान्मनु ॥६-२०-९॥
यथासम्देशमक्लीबम् शल्क्स्णया परया गिरा । त्वम् वै महारज कुलप्रसूतो । महाबलश्चर्क्षरजःसुतश्च । न कश्चनार्थस्तव वास्त्यनर्थ । स्तथापि मे भ्रातृसमो हरीश ॥६-२०-१०॥
अहम् यद्यहरम् भार्याम् राजपुत्रस्य धीमतः । किम् तत्र तव सुग्रीव किश्किन्धाम् प्रति गम्यताम् ॥६-२०-११॥
न हीयम् हरिभिर्लङ्का प्राप्तुम् शक्या कथम् चन । देवैरपि सगन्धर्वैः किम् पुनर्नरवानरैः ॥६-२०-१२॥
स तदा राक्षसेन्द्रेण सम्दिष्टो रजनीचरः । शुको विहम्गमो भूत्वा तूर्णमाप्लुत्य चाम्बरम् ॥६-२०-१३॥
स गत्वा दूरमध्वानमुपर्युपरि सागरम् । सम्स्थितो ह्यम्बरे वाक्यम् सुग्रीव मदिमब्रवीत् ॥६-२०-१४॥
सर्वमुक्तम् यथादिष्टम् रावणेन दुरात्मना । तत्प्रपयन्तम् वचनम् तूर्णमाप्लुत्य वानराः ॥६-२०-१५॥
प्रापद्यन्त तदा क्षिप्रम् लोप्तुम् हन्तुम् च मुष्टिभिः । सर्वैः प्लवण्गैः प्रसभम् निगृहीतो निशाचरह् ॥६-२०-१६॥
गगनाद्भूतले चाशु प्रतिगृह्यावतारितः । वानरैः पीड्यमानस्तु शुको वचनमब्रवीत् ॥६-२०-१७॥
न दूतान् घ्नन्ति काकुत्थ्स वार्यन्ताम् साधु वानराः । यस्तु हित्वा मतम् भर्तुः स्वमतम् सम्प्रभाषते ॥६-२०-१८॥
अनुक्तवादी दूतः सन्न् स दूतो वधमर्हति । शुकस्य वचनम् रामः श्रुत्वा तु परिदेवितम् ॥६-२०-१९॥
उवाच मा वधिस्टेति घ्नतः शाखामृगर्षभान् । स च पत्रलघुद्भूत्वा हरिभिर्दर्शितेऽभये ॥६-२०-२०॥
अन्तरिक्षे स्थितो भूत्वा पुनर्वचन मब्रवीत् । सुग्रीव सत्त्वसम्पन्न महाबलपराक्रम ॥६-२०-२१॥
किम् मया खलु नक्तव्यो रावणो लोकरावणः । स एवमुक्तः प्लवगाधिपस्तदा । प्लवङ्गमानामृषभो महाबलः । उवाच वाक्यम् रजनीचरस्य । चारम् शुकम् शुद्ध मदीनसत्त्वः ॥६-२०-२२॥
स मेऽसि मित्रम् व तथानुकम्प्यो । न चोपकर्तासि न मे प्रियोऽपि । अरिश्च रामस्य सहानुबन्ध । स्ततोऽसि वालीव वधार्ह वध्यः ॥६-२०-२३॥
निहन्म्यहम् त्वाम् ससुतम् सबन्धुम् । सज्ञातिवर्गम् रजनीचरेश । लङ्काम् च सर्वाम् महता बलेन । सर्वैः करिष्यामि समेत्य भस्म ॥६-२०-२४॥
न मोक्ष्यसे रावण राघवस्य । सर्वैः सहेन्द्रैदपि मूढ गुप्तः । अन्तर्हतः सूर्यपथम् गतोऽपि। तथैव पातालमनुप्रविष्टः ॥६-२०-२५॥
गिरीशपादम्बुजसम्गतो वा । हतोऽसि रामेण शानुजस्त्वम् ॥६-२०-२६॥
तस्य ते त्रिषु लोकेषु न पिशाचम् न राक्षसम् । त्रातारमनुपश्यामि न गन्धर्वम् न चासुरम् ॥६-२०-२७॥
अवधीस्त्वम् जरावृद्धम् गृध्राराजम् जटायुषम् । किम् मते रामसाम्निध्ये सकाशे लक्ष्मणस्य च ॥६-२०-२८॥
हृता सीता विशालाक्षि याम् त्वम् गृह्य न बुध्यसे । महाबलम् महात्मानम् दुराधर्षम् सुरैरपि ॥६-२०-२९॥
न बुध्यसे रघुश्रेष्ठम् यस्ते प्राणान् हरिष्यति । ततोऽब्रवीद्वालिसुतोऽप्यङ्गदो हरिसत्तमः ॥६-२०-३०॥
वायम् दूतो महाप्राज्ञ चारकः प्रतिभाति मे । तुलितम् हि बलम् सर्वमनेन तव तिष्ठता ॥६-२०-३१॥
गृह्यताम् मागमल्लङ्का मेतद्धि मम रोचते । ततो राज्ञा समादिष्टाः समुत्पत्य वलीमुखाः ॥६-२०-३२॥
जगृहुश्च बबन्धुश्च विलपन्तमनाथवत् । शुकस्तु वानरैश्च ण्डैस्तत्र तैः सम्प्रपीडितः ॥६-२०-३३॥
व्याचुक्रोश महात्मानम् रामम् दशरथात्मजम् । लुप्येते मे बलात्पक्षौ भिद्येते मे तथाक्षिणी ॥६-२०-३४॥
याम् च रात्रिम् मरिष्यामि जाये रात्रिम् च यामहम् । एतस्मिन्नन्त्रे काले मन्मया चाशुभम् कृतम् ॥६-२०-३५॥
सर्वम् तदुपपद्येथा जह्यम् चेद्यदि जीवितम् । नाघातयत्तदा रामः श्रुत्वा तत्परिदेवितम् ॥६-२०-३६॥ वानरानब्रवीद्रामो मुच्यताम् दूत आगतः । इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये युद्धकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः ॥६-२०॥