न दानेन न यज्ञेन नाल्पेन तपसा ह्यहम् । सुलभोऽस्मि महावेग तस्मात्प्रार्थय मे वरम्
'Not by charity, nor by sacrifice, nor by slight austerity am I easily attained, O mighty one; therefore, ask a boon from me.'
शेष उवाच। एवं ब्रुवंतं तं दृष्ट्वा हनूमान्निजगाद तम् । प्रहसन्निर्भिया वाण्या महेशानं सुतोषितम्
Shesha said: Seeing him speak thus, Hanuman, smiling and without fear, addressed the greatly pleased Maheshana with these words.
हनूमानुवाच। रघुनाथप्रसादेन सर्वं मेऽस्ति महेश्वर । तथापि याचे हि वरं त्वत्तः समरतोषितात्
Hanuman said: By the grace of Rama, I possess everything, O great Lord; yet I ask you for a boon, since you are pleased by valor in battle.
एष पुष्कलसंज्ञो नः समरे पतितो हतः । तथैव रामावरजः शत्रुघ्नो मूर्च्छितो रणे
This one, named Pushkala, has fallen and been slain in battle; likewise, Shatrughna, Rama's younger brother, lies unconscious on the field.
अन्ये च वीरा बहवः पतिताः शरविक्षताः । मूर्च्छिताः पतिताः केचित्तान्रक्षस्व गणैः सह
Many other heroes too have fallen, wounded by arrows; some are unconscious, some have collapsed—protect them along with their troops.
यथा चैतान्महाभूता वेतालाश्च पिशाचकाः । न हरंति न खादंति श्वशृगालादयस्तथा
And ensure that mighty spirits, vetalas, and goblins, as well as dogs, jackals, and others, neither carry them away nor devour them.
एतेषां वपुषो भेदो न भवेत्त्वं तथाचर । यावदिंद्रगणं जित्वा न यामि द्रोणपर्वतम्
Let there be no harm to their bodies; act thus until, having defeated the hosts of Indra, I return from Drona Mountain.
तत्रस्था औषधीर्वापि नीत्वा संस्थापितान्भटान् । जीवयामि बलात्सर्वांस्तावत्त्वं रक्ष सर्वशः
There, after bringing the herbs and reviving the fallen warriors, I will restore them all by force; meanwhile, protect them completely.
एष गच्छामि तं नेतुं द्रोणं पर्वतसत्तमम् । यस्मिन्वसंत्योषधयः प्राणिसंजीवनंकराः
Now I go to fetch that supreme mountain, Drona, where the herbs reside that grant life to living beings.
एतद्वचः समाकर्ण्य तथेति निजगाद तम् । याहि शीघ्रं नगं तं तु रक्षामि त्वद्भटान्मृतान्
Hearing these words, he replied, 'So be it.' He said to him, 'Go quickly to that mountain; I will protect your fallen warriors.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यमीशस्य जगाम द्रोणपर्वतम् । द्वीपान्सर्वानतिक्रम्य जगाम क्षीरसागरम्
Hearing the Lord's command, he went to Drona Mountain, crossing all islands and reaching the ocean of milk.
अत्र तु स्वगणैश्चायं रक्षति स्म शिवो महान् । श्मशानं तद्गणैः स्वीयैर्महाबलपराक्रमैः
There, the great Shiva guarded the cremation ground with his own hosts, mighty and powerful.
हनूमान्द्रोणमासाद्य द्रोणंनाम महागिरिम् । लांगूले तं निधायाशु प्रतस्थे रणमंडलम्
Hanuman, reaching Drona—the great mountain named Drona—placed it swiftly on his tail and proceeded to the battlefield.
तं नेतुमुद्यते विप्र चकंपे स च पर्वतः । कंपमानं तु तं दृष्ट्वा तत्पाला देवतागणाः
When Hanuman began to lift it, O sage, the mountain trembled; seeing it shake, the guardian deities of the mountain,
हाहेति कृत्वा प्रोचुस्ते किमिदं भविता गिरौ । को ह्येनं नयते वीरो महाबलपराक्रमः
Crying 'Alas!' they exclaimed, 'What is happening to the mountain? Who is this mighty hero carrying it away?'
एवं कृत्वा सुराः सर्वे संहता ददृशुः कपिम् । मुंचैनमिति तं प्रोच्य जघ्नुः शस्त्रास्त्रकोटिभिः
Thus, all the gods gathered and saw the monkey; saying, 'Release him,' they attacked him with countless weapons and missiles.
तान्सर्वान्निघ्नतो दृष्ट्वा हनूमान्कुपितो भृशम् । जघान तान्क्षणाद्वीरः शक्रः सर्वासुरान्यथा
Seeing them all attacking, Hanuman became greatly enraged; in an instant, the hero struck them down, as Indra did to all the demons.
केचित्पदाहतास्तत्र केचित्करविमर्दिताः । लांगूलेन हताः केचित्केचिच्छृंगेण चाहताः
Some were struck by his feet, some crushed by his hands; some were hit by his tail, and others struck by his horn.
सर्वे ते नाशमापन्नाः क्षणात्कीशेन ताडिताः । केचिन्निपतिता भूमौ रुधिरेण परिप्लुताः
All of them met destruction in an instant, struck by the monkey; some fell to the ground, drenched in blood.
केचित्कीशभयात्त्रस्ता जग्मुः शक्रं सुराधिपम् । क्षतेन च परिप्लुष्टा रुधिरक्षतदेहिनः
Some, terrified by the monkey, fled to Indra, lord of the gods; wounded and soaked in blood, their bodies were battered.
तान्दृष्ट्वा भयसंविग्नान्रुधिरेण परिप्लुतान् । सुराञ्जगाद विमनाः शक्रः सर्वसुरोत्तमः
Seeing them, frightened and drenched in blood, Indra, the foremost among all gods, spoke with a troubled mind.
कथं यूयं भयत्रस्ताः कथं रुधिरविप्लुताः । केन दैत्येन निहता राक्षसेनाधमेन वा
How is it that you are terrified and covered in blood? By which demon or vile rakshasa have you been struck down?
सर्वं शंसत मे तथ्यं यथा ज्ञात्वा व्रजामि तम् । निहत्य बद्ध्वा चायामि युष्मद्घातकमुन्मदम्
Tell me everything truthfully, so that, knowing it, I may go to him, defeat and bind him, and bring back the one who has slain you.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य तुरासाहं सुरोत्तमाः । जगदुर्दीनया वाचा सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्
Hearing these words, the best of the gods, though fearful, spoke with a sorrowful voice, honoring both gods and demons.
देवा ऊचुः। इहागत्य न जानीमः कश्चिद्वानररूपधृक् । नेतुं द्रोणं समुद्युक्तो लांगूले वेष्ट्य तं गिरिम्
The gods said: Having come here, we do not know who it is; someone in the form of a monkey was intent on taking Drona, wrapping the mountain with his tail.
गंतुं कृतमतिस्तावद्वयं सर्वे सुसंहताः । युद्धं चक्रुः सुसंनद्धाः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षिणः
Determined to go, we all gathered together, fully armed, and fought, releasing every kind of weapon and missile.
तेन सर्वे वयं युद्धे निर्जिता बलशालिना । अनेके निहतास्तत्र भूमौ पेतुः सुरोत्तमाः
In battle, all of us were defeated by him, strong in power; many were slain there, and the best of the gods fell to the ground.
वयं तु बहुभिः पुण्यैर्जीविता इह चागताः । शोणितेन सुसिक्तांगाः क्षतपीडासमन्विताः
But we, by many merits, survived and have come here, our bodies soaked in blood and afflicted by wounds.
एतद्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य सुराणां स पुरंदरः । आदिदेश सुरान्सर्वान्महाबलसमन्वितान्
Hearing these words from the gods, Purandara commanded all the gods, endowed with great strength.
यात महाद्रोणगिरिं कपिं बद्धुं महाबलम् । बद्ध्वा नयत यूयं वै सुराणां रणपातकम्
Go to the great Drona mountain and bind the mighty monkey; having bound him, bring back the cause of the gods' defeat in battle.