इत्युक्त्वा परुषं वाक्यं रावणं रावणानुजः। आजगाम मुहूर्तेन यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः
Having spoken harsh words, Rāvaṇa's younger brother went at once to where Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were.
तं मेरुशिखराकारं दीप्तामिव शतह्रदाम्। गगनस्थं महीस्थास्ते ददृशुर्वानराधिपाः
The monkey chiefs saw him, towering like the peak of Mount Meru, radiant like a hundred-rayed sun, standing in the sky and on the earth.
ते चाप्यनुचरास्तस्य चत्वारो भीमविक्रमाः। तेऽपि वर्मायुधोपेता भूषणोत्तमभूषिताः
And his four attendants, of terrifying valor, were also there—equipped with armor and weapons, adorned with the finest ornaments.
स च मेघाचलप्रख्यो वज्रायुधसमप्रभः। वरायुधधरो वीरो दिव्याभरणभूषितः
He himself, resembling a thundercloud and shining like a thunderbolt, wielded excellent weapons and was adorned with divine ornaments.
तमात्मपञ्चमं दृष्ट्वा सुग्रीवो वानराधिपः। वानरैः सह दुर्धर्षश्चिन्तयामास बुद्धिमान्
Seeing him as the fifth among them, Sugrīva, lord of the monkeys, wise and unassailable, began to ponder along with the monkeys.
चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तं तु वानरांस्तानुवाच ह। हनुमत्प्रमुखान् सर्वानिदं वचनमुत्तमम्
After thinking for a moment, he addressed all those monkeys, with Hanumān at their head, with these excellent words.
एष सर्वायुधोपेतश्चतुर्भिः सह राक्षसैः। राक्षसोभ्येति पश्यध्वमस्मान् हन्तुं न संशयः
This rākṣasa, equipped with all weapons and accompanied by four others, is approaching us—see, there is no doubt he comes to destroy us.
सुग्रीवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वे ते वानरोत्तमाः। सालानुद्यम्य शैलांश्च इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Hearing Sugrīva's words, all those foremost monkeys, lifting up trees and rocks, spoke these words.
शीघ्रं व्यादिश नो राजन् वधायैषां दुरात्मनाम्। निपतन्ति हता यावद् धरण्यामल्पचेतनाः
Command us quickly, O King, to slay these evil-minded ones, before they fall to the ground, slain and barely conscious.
तेषां सम्भाषमाणानामन्योन्यं स विभीषणः। उत्तरं तीरमासाद्य खस्थ एव व्यतिष्ठत
As they were conversing with one another, Vibhīṣaṇa, remaining in the sky, reached the northern shore.
स उवाच महाप्राज्ञः स्वरेण महता महान्। सुग्रीवं तांश्च सम्प्रेक्ष्य खस्थ एव विभीषणः
That great and wise Vibhīṣaṇa, still standing in the sky, addressed Sugrīva and the others in a loud voice.
रावणो नाम दुर्वृत्तो राक्षसो राक्षसेश्वरः। तस्याहमनुजो भ्राता विभीषण इति श्रुतः
There is a wicked rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas; I am his younger brother, known as Vibhīṣaṇa.
तेन सीता जनस्थानाद् हृता हत्वा जटायुषम्। रुद्धा च विवशा दीना राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता
By him, Sītā was taken from Janasthāna after killing Jaṭāyu; she is held captive, helpless and distressed, guarded securely by rākṣasīs.
तमहं हेतुभिर्वाक्यैर्विविधैश्च न्यदर्शयम्। साधु निर्यात्यतां सीता रामायेति पुनः पुनः
I repeatedly advised him with many reasonable words: 'Let Sītā be returned to Rāma, this is right.'
स च न प्रतिजग्राह रावणः कालचोदितः। उच्यमानं हितं वाक्यं विपरीत इवौषधम्
But Rāvaṇa, impelled by fate, did not accept the beneficial words spoken to him, just as a wrong medicine is not accepted.
सोऽहं परुषितस्तेन दासवच्चावमानितः। त्यक्त्वा पुत्रांश्च दारांश्च राघवं शरणं गतः
Thus, insulted by him and treated like a servant, I abandoned my sons and wife and have come to seek refuge with Rāghava.
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा सुग्रीवो लघुविक्रमः। लक्ष्मणस्याग्रतो रामं संरब्धमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words, Sugrīva, swift in action, spoke these agitated words to Rāma in Lakṣmaṇa’s presence.
प्रविष्टः शत्रुसैन्यं हि प्राप्तः शत्रुरतर्कितः। निहन्यादन्तरं लब्ध्वा उलूको वायसानिव
Indeed, an enemy has entered the enemy’s army, arriving unsuspected; if he finds an opening, he may strike, like an owl among crows.
मन्त्रे व्यूहे नये चारे युक्तो भवितुमर्हसि। वानराणां च भद्रं ते परेषां च परंतप
You must be vigilant in counsel, formation, strategy, and intelligence; may there be safety for the vānaras and for you, scorcher of foes.
अन्तर्धानगता ह्येते राक्षसाः कामरूपिणः। शूराश्च निकृतिज्ञाश्च तेषां जातु न विश्वसेत्
These rākṣasas can vanish and assume forms at will; they are brave and skilled in deceit—one should never trust them.
प्रणिधी राक्षसेन्द्रस्य रावणस्य भवेदयम्। अनुप्रविश्य सोऽस्मासु भेदं कुर्यान्न संशयः
This one may be a spy of Rāvaṇa, king of the rākṣasas; having entered among us, he would certainly sow division.
अथ वा स्वयमेवैष छिद्रमासाद्य बुद्धिमान्। अनुप्रविश्य विश्वस्ते कदाचित् प्रहरेदपि
Or else, this intelligent one himself, having found a weakness, might enter when trusted and perhaps attack at some point.
मित्राटविबलं चैव मौलभृत्यबलं तथा। सर्वमेतद् बलं ग्राह्यं वर्जयित्वा द्विषद्बलम्
One should accept the strength of friends, forest-dwellers, and loyal servants, but always exclude the strength of enemies.
प्रकृत्या राक्षसो ह्येष भ्रातामित्रस्य वै प्रभो। आगतश्च रिपुः साक्षात् कथमस्मिंश्च विश्वसेत्
By nature, he is a rākṣasa and the brother of your enemy, O lord; and he has come as an enemy in person—how can one trust him here?
रावणस्यानुजो भ्राता विभीषण इति श्रुतः। चतुर्भिः सह रक्षोभिर्भवन्तं शरणं गतः
It is said that Vibhīṣaṇa is Rāvaṇa’s younger brother; with four rākṣasas, he has come to seek your protection.
रावणेन प्रणीतं हि तमवेहि विभीषणम्। तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये क्षमं क्षमवतां वर
Know this Vibhīṣaṇa as sent by Rāvaṇa; I think restraining him is proper, O best of the forbearing.
राक्षसो जिह्मया बुद्ध्या संदिष्टोऽयमिहागतः। प्रहर्तुं मायया छन्नो विश्वस्ते त्वयि चानघ
This rākṣasa, instructed with crooked intent, has come here, concealed by illusion, to strike when you, O faultless one, trust him.
वध्यतामेष तीव्रेण दण्डेन सचिवैः सह। रावणस्य नृशंसस्य भ्राता ह्येष विभीषणः
Let this Vibhīṣaṇa, brother of cruel Rāvaṇa, be punished with severe penalty along with his counselors.
एवमुक्त्वा तु तं रामं संरब्धो वाहिनीपतिः। वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकुशलं ततो मौनमुपागमत्
Having spoken thus to Rāma, the agitated commander of the army, skilled in speech, then became silent.
सुग्रीवस्य तु तद् वाक्यं श्रुत्वा रामो महाबलः। समीपस्थानुवाचेदं हनुमत्प्रमुखान् कपीन्
Hearing those words of Sugrīva, Rāma, mighty in strength, addressed the monkeys standing nearby, with Hanumān at their head.