thumb|त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे सुन्दरकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥५-
Hear now the fifty-third sarga in the Sundara Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दशग्रीवो महात्मनः। देशकालहितं वाक्यं भ्रातुरुत्तरमब्रवीत्
Hearing those words, Rāvaṇa, ten-headed and great-souled, replied to his brother with words appropriate to time and place.
सम्यगुक्तं हि भवता दूतवध्या विगर्हिता। अवश्यं तु वधायान्यः क्रियतामस्य निग्रहः
What you have said is right: the killing of a messenger is condemned; but certainly, some other punishment must be imposed on him.
कपीनां किल लाङ्गूलमिष्टं भवति भूषणम्। तदस्य दीप्यतां शीघ्रं तेन दग्धेन गच्छतु
It is said that the tail is the ornament of monkeys; let it be set on fire at once, and let him go with it burned.
ततः पश्यन्त्वमुं दीनमङ्गवैरूप्यकर्शितम्। सुमित्रज्ञातयः सर्वे बान्धवाः ससुहृज्जनाः
Then let all his relatives, friends, and the entire clan see him, wretched and disfigured, his body emaciated and deformed.
आज्ञापयद् राक्षसेन्द्रः पुरं सर्वं सचत्वरम्। लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन रक्षोभिः परिणीयताम्
The lord of the Rākṣasas commanded that the whole city, with its crossroads, should see him paraded by the demons with his tail set aflame.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसाः कोपकर्कशाः। वेष्टन्ते तस्य लाङ्गूलं जीर्णैः कार्पासिकैः पटैः
Hearing these words, the Rākṣasas, harsh in their anger, wrapped his tail with old cotton rags.
संवेष्ट्यमाने लाङ्गूले व्यवर्धत महाकपिः। शुष्कमिन्धनमासाद्य वनेष्विव हुताशनम्
As his tail was being wrapped, the great monkey grew in size, like a fire in the forest fed by dry fuel.
तैलेन परिषिच्याथ तेऽग्निं तत्रोपपादयन्। लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन राक्षसांस्तानताडयत्
Then, after pouring oil, they kindled a fire there; with his blazing tail, he struck those rākṣasas.
रोषामर्षपरीतात्मा बालसूर्यसमाननः। स भूयः संगतैः क्रूरै राक्षसैर्हरिपुङ्गवः
Filled with anger and indignation, his face like the rising sun, that foremost of monkeys was again surrounded by fierce rākṣasas.
सहस्त्रीबालवृद्धाश्च जग्मुः प्रीतिं निशाचराः। निबद्धः कृतवान् वीरस्तत्कालसदृशीं मतिम्
The night-dwellers, along with women, children, and elders, rejoiced; the heroic one, though bound, resolved on a course of action suited to the moment.
कामं खलु न मे शक्ता निबद्धस्यापि राक्षसाः। छित्त्वा पाशान् समुत्पत्य हन्यामहमिमान् पुनः
Indeed, even bound, these rākṣasas are not truly able to restrain me; breaking these bonds and leaping up, I could slay them all again.
यदि भर्तृहितार्थाय चरन्तं भर्तृशासनात्। निबध्नन्ते दुरात्मानो न तु मे निष्कृतिः कृता
If these wicked ones bind me, who act for my lord’s welfare and by his command, still, I have not yet fulfilled my purpose.
सर्वेषामेव पर्याप्तो राक्षसानामहं युधि। किं तु रामस्य प्रीत्यर्थं विषहिष्येऽहमीदृशम्
I alone am sufficient to defeat all the rākṣasas in battle; but for Rāma’s sake, I will endure this situation.
लङ्का चारयितव्या मे पुनरेव भवेदिति। रात्रौ नहि सुदृष्टा मे दुर्गकर्मविधानतः
I must search through Laṅkā once more, for at night I could not clearly see the arrangements of its fortifications.
अवश्यमेव द्रष्टव्या मया लङ्का निशाक्षये। कामं बध्नन्तु मे भूयः पुच्छस्योद्दीपनेन च
Certainly, I must see Laṅkā at the end of the night; let them bind my tail again and set it alight if they wish.
पीडां कुर्वन्ति रक्षांसि न मेऽस्ति मनसः श्रमः। ततस्ते संवृताकारं सत्त्ववन्तं महाकपिम्
The rākṣasas cause me pain, but my mind does not grow weary; thus they led the mighty monkey, whose form was concealed, but whose spirit was strong.
परिगृह्य ययुर्हृष्टा राक्षसाः कपिकुञ्जरम्। शङ्खभेरीनिनादैश्च घोषयन्तः स्वकर्मभिः
Seizing the elephant among monkeys, the delighted rākṣasas led him away, proclaiming their deed with the sound of conches and drums.
राक्षसाः क्रूरकर्माणश्चारयन्ति स्म तां पुरीम्। अन्वीयमानो रक्षोभिर्ययौ सुखमिरंदमः
The rākṣasas, cruel in their actions, paraded him through the city; followed by the demons, the unconquerable one moved along at ease.
हनूमांश्चारयामास राक्षसानां महापुरीम्। अथापश्यद् विमानानि विचित्राणि महाकपिः
Hanumān was paraded through the great city of the rākṣasas; then the great monkey saw the wondrous palaces.
संवृतान् भूमिभागांश्च सुविभक्तांश्च चत्वरान्। रथ्याश्च गृहसम्बाधाः कपिः शृङ्गाटकानि च
He saw enclosed plots of land, well-divided squares, streets crowded with houses, and market-places.
तथा रथ्योपरथ्याश्च तथैव च गृहान्तरान्। चत्वरेषु चतुष्केषु राजमार्गे तथैव च
He likewise saw main streets and side streets, as well as the interiors of houses, and the crossroads at the royal road.
घोषयन्ति कपिं सर्वे चार इत्येव राक्षसाः। स्त्रीबालवृद्धा निर्जग्मुस्तत्र तत्र कुतूहलात्
All the rākṣasas proclaimed, 'This is the spy monkey!' and women, children, and elders came out here and there, curious.
तं प्रदीपितलाङ्गूलं हनूमन्तं दिदृक्षवः। दीप्यमाने ततस्तस्य लाङ्गूलाग्रे हनूमतः
Eager to see Hanumān with his blazing tail, as the tip of Hanumān’s tail burned brightly—
राक्षस्यस्ता विरूपाक्ष्यः शंसुर्देव्यास्तदप्रियम्। यस्त्वया कृतसंवादः सीते ताम्रमुखः कपिः
The rākṣasī women with misshapen eyes told the queen of that misfortune: 'Sītā, the copper-faced monkey with whom you spoke—'
लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन स एष परिणीयते। श्रुत्वा तद् वचनं क्रूरमात्मापहरणोपमम्
With his tail set aflame, he is being led around; hearing those cruel words, which were like a threat to his very life—
वैदेही शोकसंतप्ता हुताशनमुपागमत्। मङ्गलाभिमुखी तस्य सा तदासीन्महाकपेः
Vaidehī, scorched by grief, turned toward the sacred fire, seeking auspiciousness for that great monkey.
उपतस्थे विशालाक्षी प्रयता हव्यवाहनम्। यद्यस्ति पतिशुश्रूषा यद्यस्ति चरितं तपः। यदि वा त्वेकपत्नीत्वं शीतो भव हनूमतः
The wide-eyed lady, pure in intent, approached the fire-god and prayed: 'If I have served my husband, if I have practiced virtue, if I am truly devoted to one man, let Hanuman be cool.'
यदि किंचिदनुक्रोशस्तस्य मय्यस्ति धीमतः। यदि वा भाग्यशेषो मे शीतो भव हनूमतः
'If there is any compassion in that wise one for me, if any fortune remains for me, let Hanuman be cool.'
यदि मां वृत्तसम्पन्नां तत्समागमलालसाम्। स विजानाति धर्मात्मा शीतो भव हनूमतः
'If that righteous one knows me to be virtuous and longing for reunion with him, let Hanuman be cool.'