Yuddha Kanda/Yuddha Kanda Sarga 30
Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Yuddha Kanda Sarga 30 in English
Chapter [Sarga] 30 - Ravana dispatches Sardula the demon-spy
Introduction - Dispatched by the king Ravana to ascertain the strength of the army in the opposition-camp, Shardula the demon-spy acquaints his master with the important leaders of the monkeys.
1. Thereafter, the spies informed Ravana about Rama, with his unperturbable army, having encamped on Suvela Mountain.
2. Hearing from the spies about the arrival of Rama, the exceedingly strong man, Ravana became a little perturbed and spoke to Shardula as follows:
3. O, demon! Your complexion is not so as it should be. You look miserable too. I hope that you have not fallen a victim to the enraged monkeys.”
4. Thus questioned by Ravana, Shardula afflicted with fear, then sluggishly spoke the following words to Ravana the tiger among demons:
5. O, king! Those strong, bold and excellent monkeys protected by Rama are not capable of being spied upon.
6. They are not capable of being talked with and nothing can be found in interrogating with them. The entire path is being protected by the monkeys looking like mountains.
7. I was identified when that army was merely penetrated into (by me) and began to be examined. I was seized forcibly by the demons (forming the retinue of Vibhishana), who investigated me in various ways.
8. I was beaten on all sides with knees, fists, teeth and palms by the enraged monkeys. I was also paraded round in the midst of their army.
9. Having been paraded all around thus, I was finally taken to the court of Rama. All my limbs were bleeding and Rama. All my limbs were bleeding and I was trembling, with my senses disturbed.
10. While being plagued by the monkeys and asked for protection with joined palms, I was saved fortunately by Rama, saying ‘stay!stay!’
11. Rama has filled the sea with boulders and rocks, taking up his position at the gates of Lanka and stands there, well-equipped with weapons.
12. Having released me, Rama of great splendour arranged the army in the form of Garuda (an eagle). He is encircled on all sides by the monkeys and is approaching towards Lanka.
13. Before he reaches the ramparts, do one thing or the other quickly or give away Seetha immediately or even offer him battle.
14. Having heard those words, Ravana the lord of demons reflected on it and thereafter spoke the following significant words to Shardula.
15. I will not give away Seetha even if the celestials or Gandharvas the celestial musicians or the demons were to fight against me or even under danger from all beings.
16. After uttering the aforesaid words, the heroic Ravana again spoke as follows: “Has the army been espied by you? Who are the valiant monkeys among them?”
17. O, the virtuous gentle Shardula! What radiance do the monkeys, who are difficult to be conquered possess of? what kind? Whose sons and grandsons are they? You tell me that information.
18. After knowing their strengths and weakness, I will decide in this matter accordingly. Is it not necessary to count clearly those who are really yearning to fight the battle?
19. Hearing Ravana’s words, Shardula the excellent spy then started to narrate these words for Ravana’s information:
20. Certainly, king Sugreeva, the son of Riksharajasa, is difficult to be conquered in battle. Here is the son of Gadgada, famously called as Jambavan.
21. The other one is the son of the same Gadgada. Another one is the son of Brihaspati the teacher of Indra the lord of celestials, called Kesari by whose son Hanuman the demons were destroyed.
22. O, king! Here is Sushena the son of Yama the Lord of Death who is valiant and virtuous, as well as a monkey called Dadhimukha, the cool-minded, who is the son of moon.
23. Sumukha, Durmukha and a monkey called Vegadarshi are surely the personifications of death in the form of monkeys, created by Brahma, the Lord of creation.
24. Here is Nila the army-general himself, the son of Agni the Lord of Fire. Here is the son of Vayu the Lord of Wind well- known as Hanuman.
25, 26, 27. The young Angada, Indra’s grandson, the strong and invincible one, both the mighty Mainda and Dvinda born of the two divinties of Ashvin* as well as Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha and Gandhamadhana the five sons of Yama the God of Death all of them resembling Yama at the time of dissolution of the world, the valiant ten crores of monkeys who are yearning for battle are all here. I cannot venture to tell about the remaining glorious sons of god.
The two divinities of Ashvin are said to appear in the sky before the dawn in a golden carriage drawn by horses or birds, they bring treasures to men and avert misfortune and sickness; they are considered as the physicians of heaven.
28. This young man is Rama, Dasartha’s son, who is well-built like a lion, by whom Dushana ws killed as also Khara and Trishana.
29. There is no one on earth who is equal in prowess to Rama, by whom Viradha was killed as also Kabandha who was equal to Yama.
30. No man on this earth is able to narrate the qualities of Rama, by whom all the demons staying in Janasthana were killed.
31. Here too is the virtuous Lakshamana, resembling the most excellent elephant among elephants, in the path of whose arrows, even Indra the Lord of celestials himself could not survive
32, 33. Sweta and Jyotirmukha, the sons of the sun-god, a monkey called Hemakuta, another son of Varuna, Nila the son of [[Vishvakarma] the strong and the best of monkeys, as well as that mighty and swift Durdhara the son of Vasus are all here.
34. There is the prince of demons Vibhishana, your brother, who having secured the city of Lanka (as a prospective gift from Rama) remains devoted to the good of Rama.
35. Thus, I have described about the entire army of monkeys stationed on the Mount Suvela. Now, it is for you to decide what remains to be done!”
श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे त्रिंशः सर्गः ॥६-३०॥
ततस्तमक्षोभ्य बलम् लंका अधिपतये चराः । सुवेले राघवम् शैले निविष्टम् प्रत्यवेदयन् ॥६-३०-१॥
चाराणाम् रावणः श्रुत्वा प्राप्तम् रामम् महाबलम् । जात उद्वेगो अभवत् किम्चित् शार्दूलम् वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥६-३०-२॥
अयथावच् च ते वर्णो दीनः च असि निशा चर । न असि कच्चिद् अमित्राणाम् क्रुद्धानाम् वशम् आगतः ॥६-३०-३॥
इति तेन अनुशिष्टस् तु वाचम् मन्दम् उदीरयत् । तदा राक्षस शार्दूलम् शार्दूलो भय विह्वलः ॥६-३०-४॥
न ते चारयितुम् शक्या राजन् वानर पुम्गवाः । विक्रान्ता बलवन्तः च राघवेण च रक्षिताः ॥६-३०-५॥
न अपि सम्भाषितुम् शक्याः सम्प्रश्नो अत्र न लभ्यते । सर्वतो रक्ष्यते पन्था वानरैः पर्वत उपमैः ॥६-३०-६॥
प्रविष्ट मात्रे ज्ञातो अहम् बले तस्मिन्न् अचारिते । बलाद् गृहीतो बहुभिर् बहुधा अस्मि विदारितः ॥६-३०-७॥
जानुभिर् मुष्टिभिर् दन्तैस् तलैः च अभिहतो भृशम् । परिणीतो अस्मि हरिभिर् बलवद्भिर् अमर्षणैः ॥६-३०-८॥
परिणीय च सर्वत्र नीतो अहम् राम सम्सदम् । रुधिर आदिग्ध सर्व अन्गो विह्वलः चलित इन्द्रियः ॥६-३०-९॥
हरिभिर् वध्यमानः च याचमानः कृत अन्जलिः । राघवेण परित्रातो जीवामि ह यदृच्चया ॥६-३०-१०॥
एष शैलैः शिलाभिः च पूरयित्वा महाअर्णवम् । द्वारम् आश्रित्य लंकाया रामस् तिष्ठति सायुधः ॥६-३०-११॥
गरुड व्यूहम् आस्थाय सर्वतो हरिभिर् वृतः । माम् विसृज्य महातेजा लंकाम् एव अभिवर्तते ॥६-३०-१२॥
पुरा प्राकारम् आयाति क्षिप्रम् एकतरम् कुरु । सीताम् च अस्मै प्रयच्च आशु सुयुद्धम् वा प्रदीयताम् ॥६-३०-१३॥
मनसा सम्तताप अथ तत् श्रुत्वा राक्षस अधिपः । शार्दूलस्य महद् वाक्यम् अथ उवाच स रावणः ॥६-३०-१४॥
यदि माम् प्रतियुध्येरन् देव गन्धर्व दानवाः । न एव सीताम् प्रदास्यामि सर्व लोक भयाद् अपि ॥६-३०-१५॥
एवम् उक्त्वा महातेजा रावणः पुनर् अब्रवीत् । चारिता भवता सेना के अत्र शूराः प्लवम् गमाः ॥६-३०-१६॥
कीदृशाः किम् प्रभावाः च वानरा ये दुरासदाः । कस्य पुत्राः च पौत्राः च तत्त्वम् आख्याहि राक्षस ॥६-३०-१७॥
तथात्र प्रतिपत्स्यामि ज्ञात्वा तेषाम् बल अबलम् । अवश्यम् बल सम्ख्यानम् कर्तव्यम् युद्धम् इच्चता ॥६-३०-१८॥
अथ एवम् उक्तः शार्दूलो रावणेन उत्तमः चरः । इदम् वचनम् आरेभे वक्तुम् रावण सम्निधौ ॥६-३०-१९॥
अथ ऋक्ष रजसः पुत्रो युधि राजन् सुदुर्जयः । गद्गदस्य अथ पुत्रो अत्र जाम्बवान् इति विश्रुतः ॥६-३०-२०॥
गद्गदस्य एव पुत्रो अन्यो गुरु पुत्रः शत क्रतोः । कदनम् यस्य पुत्रेण कृतम् एकेन रक्षसाम् ॥६-३०-२१॥
सुषेणः च अपि धर्म आत्मा पुत्रो धर्मस्य वीर्यवान् । सौम्यः सोम आत्मजः च अत्र राजन् दधि मुखः कपिः ॥६-३०-२२॥
सुमुखो दुर्मुखः च अत्र वेग दर्शी च वानरः । मृत्युर् वानर रूपेण नूनम् सृष्टः स्वयम्भुवा ॥६-३०-२३॥
पुत्रो हुत वहस्य अथ नीलः सेना पतिः स्वयम् । अनिलस्य च पुत्रो अत्र हनूमान् इति विश्रुतः ॥६-३०-२४॥
नप्ता शक्रस्य दुर्धर्षो बलवान् अन्गदो युवा । मैन्दः च द्विविदः च उभौ बलिनाव् अश्वि सम्भवौ ॥६-३०-२५॥
पुत्रा वैवस्वतस्य अत्र पन्च काल अन्तक उपमाः । गजो गव अक्षो गवयः शरभो गन्ध मादनः ॥६-३०-२६॥
दश वानरकोट्यश्च शूराणाम् युद्धकाङ्ग्क्षिणाम् । श्रीमताम् देवपुत्राणाम् शेषम् नाख्यातुमुत्सहे ॥६-३०-२७॥
पुत्रो दशरथस्येष सिम्हसम्हननो युवा । दूषणो निहतो येन खरश्च त्रिशिरास्तथा ॥६-३०-२८॥
नास्ति रामस्य सदृशो विक्रमे भुवि कश्चन । विराधो निहतो येन कबन्धश्चान्तकोपमः ॥६-३०-२९॥
वक्तुम् न शक्तो रामस्य गुणान् कश्चिन्नरः क्षितौ । जनस्थानगता येन तावन्तो राक्षसा हताः ॥६-३०-३०॥
लक्ष्मणश्चात्र धर्मात्मा मातङ्गवामिवर्षभः । यस्य बाणपथम् प्राप्य व जीवेदपि वासवः ॥६-३०-३१॥
श्वेतो ज्योतिर् मुखः च अत्र भास्करस्य आत्म सम्भवौ । वरुणस्य च पुत्रो अथ हेम कूटः प्लवम् गमः ॥६-३०-३२॥
विश्व कर्म सुतो वीरो नलः प्लवग सत्तमः । विक्रान्तो वेगवान् अत्र वसु पुत्रः सुदुर्धरः ॥६-३०-३३॥
राक्षसानाम् वरिष्ठः च तव भ्राता विभीषणः । परिगृह्य पुरीम् लंकाम् राघवस्य हिते रतः॥६-३०-३४॥
इति सर्वम् समाख्यातम् तव इदम् वानरम् बलम् । सुवेले अधिष्ठितम् शैले शेष कार्ये भवान् गतिः ॥६-३०-३५॥
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये युद्धकाण्डे त्रिंशः सर्गः ॥६-३०॥