पदातिबलसम्पन्नान् प्रेषयामास रावणः। परिघेणैव तान् सर्वान् नयामि यमसादनम्
Ravana sent forth those sons of his ministers, strong and well-equipped with infantry; with my iron club I sent them all to the abode of Yama.
मन्त्रिपुत्रान् हतान् श्रुत्वा समरे लघुविक्रमान्। पञ्च सेनाग्रगान् शूरान् प्रेषयामास रावणः
Hearing that the sons of his ministers, swift in battle, had been slain, Ravana then sent five heroic commanders of his army.
तानहं सहसैन्यान् वै सर्वानेवाभ्यसूदयम्। ततः पुनर्दशग्रीवः पुत्रमक्षं महाबलम्
I destroyed all of them together with their armies; then again the ten-headed Ravana sent his mighty son Aksha.
बहुभी राक्षसैः सार्धं प्रेषयामास संयुगे। तं तु मन्दोदरीपुत्रं कुमारं रणपण्डितम्
He sent him into battle, accompanied by many demons; that prince, the son of Mandodari, skilled in warfare—
सहसा खं समुद्यन्तं पादयोश्च गृहीतवान्। तमासीनं शतगुणं भ्रामयित्वा व्यपेषयम्
As he suddenly rose into the sky, I seized him by the feet, whirled him a hundred times, and dashed him down.
तमक्षमागतं भग्नं निशम्य स दशाननः। ततश्चेन्द्रजितं नाम द्वितीयं रावणः सुतम्
When the ten-headed one heard that Aksha had come and been slain, then Ravana, enraged, sent his second son, named Indrajit.
व्यादिदेश सुसंक्रुद्धो बलिनं युद्धदुर्मदम्। तच्चाप्यहं बलं सर्वं तं च राक्षसपुङ्गवम्
Greatly enraged, he dispatched Indrajit, powerful and proud in battle; and I faced that entire force and that foremost of demons.
नष्टौजसं रणे कृत्वा परं हर्षमुपागतः। महतापि महाबाहुः प्रत्ययेन महाबलः
Having depleted his energy in battle, he attained great joy; even so, the mighty-armed one, possessing immense strength, was confident.
प्रहितो रावणेनैष सह वीरैर्मदोद्धतैः। सोऽविषह्यं हि मां बुद्ध्वा स्वसैन्यं चावमर्दितम्
Sent by Ravana, together with warriors intoxicated by pride, he, realizing that I am unconquerable and that his own army was crushed, acted thus.
ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्रेण स तु मां प्रबद्ध्वा चातिवेगिनः। रज्जुभिश्चापि बध्नन्ति ततो मां तत्र राक्षसाः
He bound me with the weapon of Brahma, swift as the wind, and then the rakshasas tied me with ropes.
रावणस्य समीपं च गृहीत्वा मामुपागमन्। दृष्ट्वा सम्भाषितश्चाहं रावणेन दुरात्मना
Taking me, they brought me before Ravana; seeing me, the wicked Ravana spoke to me.
पृष्टश्च लङ्कागमनं राक्षसानां च तं वधम्। तत्सर्वं च रणे तत्र सीतार्थमुपजल्पितम्
He questioned me about my arrival in Lanka and the slaughter of the rakshasas; all that was spoken in battle for the sake of Sita.
तस्यास्तु दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी प्राप्तस्त्वद्भवनं विभो। मारुतस्यौरसः पुत्रो वानरो हनुमानहम्
Desiring her audience, I have come to your dwelling, O lord; I am Hanuman, the son of the Wind, a vanara by birth.
रामदूतं च मां विद्धि सुग्रीवसचिवं कपिम्। सोऽहं दौत्येन रामस्य त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः
Know me as Rama’s messenger, the monkey and counselor of Sugriva; I have come to you here in service of Rama.
शृणु चापि समादेशं यदहं प्रब्रवीमि ते। राक्षसेश हरीशस्त्वां वाक्यमाह समाहितम्
Hear also the command I speak to you; the lord of the rakshasas and the lord of the monkeys sends you this message.
सुग्रीवश्च महाभागः स त्वां कौशलमब्रवीत्। धर्मार्थकामसहितं हितं पथ्यमुवाच ह
Sugriva, the illustrious one, spoke to you words of well-being, accompanied by righteousness, wealth, and desire; he spoke what is beneficial and proper.
वसतो ऋष्यमूके मे पर्वते विपुलद्रुमे। राघवो रणविक्रान्तो मित्रत्वं समुपागतः
While I dwelt on Rishyamuka mountain, amidst great trees, the valorous Raghava approached me in friendship.
तेन मे कथितं राजन् भार्या मे रक्षसा हृता। तत्र साहाय्यहेतोर्मे समयं कर्तुमर्हसि
He told me, ‘O king, my wife has been abducted by a rakshasa; for the sake of assistance, you ought to make an agreement with me.’
वालिना हृतराज्येन सुग्रीवेण सह प्रभुः। चक्रेऽग्निसाक्षिकं सख्यं राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः
With Sugriva, whose kingdom was taken by Vali, the lord Raghava, together with Lakshmana, made a pact of friendship witnessed by fire.
तेन वालिनमाहत्य शरेणैकेन संयुगे। वानराणां महाराजः कृतः सम्प्लवतां प्रभुः
By striking Vali with a single arrow in battle, he made Sugriva the king of the monkeys, the lord of those who leap.
तस्य साहाय्यमस्माभिः कार्यं सर्वात्मना त्विह। तेन प्रस्थापितस्तुभ्यं समीपमिह धर्मतः
It is our duty to assist him here with all our might; by his command, I have come to you, in accordance with righteousness.
क्षिप्रमानीयतां सीता दीयतां राघवस्य च। यावन्न हरयो वीरा विधमन्ति बलं तव
Let Sita be brought quickly and given to Raghava, before the heroic monkeys destroy your forces.
वानराणां प्रभावोऽयं न केन विदितः पुरा। देवतानां सकाशं च ये गच्छन्ति निमन्त्रिताः
The power of the monkeys was never known before by anyone; those who are invited go even to the presence of the gods.
इति वानरराजस्त्वामाहेत्यभिहितो मया। मामैक्षत ततो रुष्टश्चक्षुषा प्रदहन्निव
Thus, the monkey king spoke to you, as conveyed by me; then he looked at me, enraged, as if burning with his gaze.
तेन वध्योऽहमाज्ञप्तो रक्षसा रौद्रकर्मणा। मत्प्रभावमविज्ञाय रावणेन दुरात्मना
By him, the rakshasa of cruel deeds, I was ordered to be killed, not knowing my power, by the wicked Ravana.
ततो विभीषणो नाम तस्य भ्राता महामतिः। तेन राक्षसराजश्च याचितो मम कारणात्
Then, Vibhīṣaṇa by name, his brother of great intelligence, pleaded with the king of the Rākṣasas on my behalf.
नैवं राक्षसशार्दूल त्यज्यतामेष निश्चयः। राजशास्त्रव्यपेतो हि मार्गः संलक्ष्यते त्वया
"Do not persist in this decision, O tiger among Rākṣasas; for you, a path contrary to royal law is being considered."
दूतवध्या न दृष्टा हि राजशास्त्रेषु राक्षस। दूतेन वेदितव्यं च यथाभिहितवादिना
"The killing of a messenger is not sanctioned in royal treatises, O Rākṣasa; what is to be learned from a messenger must be learned according to his words."
सुमहत्यपराधेऽपि दूतस्यातुलविक्रम। विरूपकरणं दृष्टं न वधोऽस्ति हि शास्त्रतः
"Even in the case of a messenger guilty of a great offense, of incomparable valor, only disfigurement is prescribed, not death, according to the law."
विभीषणेनैवमुक्तो रावणः संदिदेश तान्। राक्षसानेतदेवाद्य लाङ्गूलं दह्यतामिति
Thus addressed by Vibhīṣaṇa, Rāvaṇa ordered those Rākṣasas, "Let his tail be burned today!"