स सौष्ठवोपेतमदीनवादिनः कपेर्निशम्याप्रतिमोऽप्रियं वचः। दशाननः कोपविवृत्तलोचनः समादिशत् तस्य वधं महाकपेः
Hearing the unyielding, harsh words of the monkey, who spoke with skill and without fear, the ten-headed one, his eyes wide with anger, ordered the great monkey's death.
thumb|द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥५-
In the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the Sundara Kāṇḍa, the fifty-second chapter.
स तस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः। आज्ञापयद् वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
Having heard the words of the great-souled monkey, Rāvaṇa, overcome with anger, ordered his execution.
तं रक्षोऽधिपतिं क्रुद्धं तच्च कार्यमुपस्थितम्। विदित्वा चिन्तयामास कार्यं कार्यविधौ स्थितः
Recognizing the wrathful lord of the rākṣasas and the matter at hand, one skilled in action began to ponder the course of action.
निश्चितार्थस्ततः साम्ना पूज्यं शत्रुजिदग्रजम्। उवाच हितमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः
Resolute in purpose, he addressed the elder, renowned for conquering enemies, with words of great benefit, skillfully spoken and respectful.
क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र प्रसीद मे वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व। वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः
Forgive your anger, O king of rākṣasas; be gracious and listen to my words. Those who know what is proper and improper, the noble rulers of earth, do not kill messengers.
राजन् धर्मविरुद्धं च लोकवृत्तेश्च गर्हितम्। तव चासदृशं वीर कपेरस्य प्रमापणम्
O king, the slaying of the monkey is against righteousness and condemned by the ways of the world; it is unworthy of you, O hero.
धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च राजधर्मविशारदः। परावरज्ञो भूतानां त्वमेव परमार्थवित्
You alone are wise in righteousness, grateful, skilled in royal duties, and know the highest and lowest among beings; you are the knower of ultimate truth.
गृह्यन्ते यदि रोषेण त्वादृशोऽपि विचक्षणाः। ततः शास्त्रविपश्चित्त्वं श्रम एव हि केवलम्
If even those as discerning as you are seized by anger, then mastery of the scriptures is mere toil and nothing more.
तस्मात् प्रसीद शत्रुघ्न राक्षसेन्द्र दुरासद। युक्तायुक्तं विनिश्चित्य दूतदण्डो विधीयताम्
Therefore, be gracious, O slayer of foes, O king of rākṣasas, difficult to overcome; having determined what is proper and improper, let the punishment of the messenger be decided.
विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। कोपेन महताऽऽविष्टो वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवीत्
Hearing Vibhīṣaṇa's words, Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas, overwhelmed by great anger, spoke a reply.
न पापानां वधे पापं विद्यते शत्रुसूदन। तस्मादिमं वधिष्यामि वानरं पापकारिणम्
There is no sin in killing the wicked, O slayer of enemies; therefore, I will kill this monkey who has committed evil.
अधर्ममूलं बहुदोषयुक्त- मनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य। उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः
Hearing these words, rooted in unrighteousness, full of many faults, and unworthy of noble men, Vibhīṣaṇa, foremost among the wise, spoke words of ultimate truth.
प्रसीद लङ्केश्वर राक्षसेन्द्र धर्मार्थतत्त्वं वचनं शृणुष्व। दूता न वध्याः समयेषु राजन् सर्वेषु सर्वत्र वदन्ति सन्तः
Be gracious, O lord of Lanka, O king of rākṣasas; listen to words of righteousness and truth. Messengers are not to be killed at any time, O king; the virtuous declare this everywhere.
असंशयं शत्रुरयं प्रवृद्धः कृतं ह्यनेनाप्रियमप्रमेयम्। न दूतवध्यां प्रवदन्ति सन्तो दूतस्य दृष्टा बहवो हि दण्डाः
Without doubt, this enemy has grown powerful and has done immeasurable harm; yet the virtuous do not declare the killing of a messenger. Many punishments for messengers are indeed known.
वैरूप्यमङ्गेषु कशाभिघातो मौण्ड्यं तथा लक्षणसंनिपातः। एतान् हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान् वधस्तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतोऽस्ति
Disfigurement of limbs, whipping, shaving of the head, and marking with signs—these are punishments prescribed for messengers; but we have never heard of the killing of a messenger.
कथं च धर्मार्थविनीतबुद्धिः परावरप्रत्ययनिश्चितार्थः। भवद्विधः कोपवशे हि तिष्ठेत् कोपं न गच्छन्ति हि सत्त्ववन्तः
How could one such as you, trained in righteousness and profit, certain of the highest and lowest, be ruled by anger? Those possessed of virtue do not succumb to wrath.
न धर्मवादे न च लोकवृत्ते न शास्त्रबुद्धिग्रहणेषु वापि। विद्येत कश्चित्तव वीर तुल्य- स्त्वं ह्युत्तमः सर्वसुरासुराणाम्
In the discourse of righteousness, in worldly conduct, or in the grasp of scriptural wisdom, there is none equal to you, O hero; you are supreme among all gods and demons.
पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वयाप्रमेयेण सुरेन्द्रसङ्घा जिताश्च युद्धेष्वसकृन्नरेन्द्राः
By your immeasurable valor and enthusiasm, even the gods and demons, difficult to conquer, have been defeated; and in battle, the hosts of Indra and many kings have been vanquished by you more than once.
इत्थंविधस्यामरदैत्यशत्रोः शूरस्य वीरस्य तवाजितस्य। कुर्वन्ति वीरा मनसाप्यलीकं प्राणैर्विमुक्ता न तु भोः पुरा ते
O slayer of gods and demons, O heroic and unconquered one, warriors like you, steadfast and true, never act falsely even in thought; they would sooner give up their lives than, O sir, ever do so.
न चाप्यस्य कपेर्घाते कंचित् पश्याम्यहं गुणम्। तेष्वयं पात्यतां दण्डो यैरयं प्रेषितः कपिः
Nor do I see any merit in killing this monkey; let punishment be given instead to those who sent him here.
साधुर्वा यदि वासाधुः परैरेष समर्पितः। ब्रुवन् परार्थं परवान् न दूतो वधमर्हति
Whether he is good or wicked, he has been sent by others; speaking for another's cause, he is a messenger, and a messenger does not deserve death.
अपि चास्मिन् हते नान्यं राजन् पश्यामि खेचरम्। इह यः पुनरागच्छेत् परं पारं महोदधेः
Moreover, O king, if he is killed, I see no one else among the sky-dwellers who could again cross this vast ocean and return here.
तस्मान्नास्य वधे यत्नः कार्यः परपुरंजय। भवान् सेन्द्रेषु देवेषु यत्नमास्थातुमर्हति
Therefore, O conqueror of enemy cities, no effort should be made to kill him; you, together with the gods and Indra, should prepare for what must be done.
अस्मिन् विनष्टे नहि भूतमन्यं पश्यामि यस्तौ नरराजपुत्रौ। युद्धाय युद्धप्रिय दुर्विनीता- वुद्योजयेद् वै भवता विरुद्धौ
If he is destroyed, I see no other being who could incite those two unruly, battle-loving sons of the king of men, your adversaries, to war against you.
पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वया मनोनन्दन नैर्ऋतानां युद्धाय निर्नाशयितुं न युक्तम्
O delight of the minds of the Rākṣasas, even among the gods and demons, who are valiant and spirited, you are unconquerable; it is not fitting for you to seek to destroy the Rākṣasas in battle.
हिताश्च शूराश्च समाहिताश्च कुलेषु जाताश्च महागुणेषु। मनस्विनः शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठाः कोपप्रशस्ताः सुभृताश्च योधाः
There are heroes, wise and resolute, born in noble families and endowed with great virtues; they are the best among warriors, skilled in arms, praised for their restraint in anger, and well cared for.
तदेकदेशेन बलस्य तावत् केचित् तवादेशकृतोऽद्य यान्तु। तौ राजपुत्रावुपगृह्य मूढौ परेषु ते भावयितुं प्रभावम्
Therefore, let some portion of your army, following your command, go today; let them seize those two foolish princes, so that your power may be displayed to others.
निशाचराणामधिपोऽनुजस्य विभीषणस्योत्तमवाक्यमिष्टम्। जग्राह बुद्ध्या सुरलोकशत्रु- र्महाबलो राक्षसराजमुख्यः
The lord of the night-walkers, the mighty chief of the Rākṣasas and enemy of the gods, accepted with understanding this excellent speech of his younger brother Vibhīṣaṇa.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥ ५.
Thus ends the fifty-second sarga in the Sundara Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem.