अगाधश्चाप्रमेयश्च द्वितीय इव सागरः। पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
'Immeasurable and unfathomable, like a second ocean, are these two sons of Dasharatha, the brothers Rama and Lakshmana.'
उत्तमौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सीतायाः पदमागतौ। एतौ सागरमासाद्य संनिविष्टौ महाद्युते
'Excellent in form and appearance, they have come to the place of Sita. These two, of great splendor, have reached the ocean and encamped.'
बलं चाकाशमावृत्य सर्वतो दशयोजनम्। तत्त्वभूतं महाराज क्षिप्रं वेदितुमर्हसि
'Their army covers the sky on all sides for ten yojanas. O great king, you must quickly know the true situation.'
तव दूता महाराज क्षिप्रमर्हन्ति वेदितुम्। उपप्रदानं सान्त्वं वा भेदो वात्र प्रयुज्यताम्
'Your messengers, O great king, must quickly ascertain whether to offer gifts, conciliation, or sow division in this matter.'
शार्दूलस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। उवाच सहसा व्यग्रः सम्प्रधार्यार्थमात्मनः। शुकं साधु तदा रक्षो वाक्यमर्थविदां वरम्
Hearing Shardula's words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, suddenly agitated, pondered his course, and then spoke to Shuka, the foremost among those skilled in meaning.
सुग्रीवं ब्रूहि गत्वाऽऽशु राजानं वचनान्मम। यथासंदेशमक्लीबं श्लक्ष्णया परया गिरा
Go quickly to Sugriva, the king, and speak to him on my behalf, conveying my message with utmost gentleness and firmness, without any weakness.
त्वं वै महाराजकुलप्रसूतो महाबलश्चर्क्षरजःसुतश्च। न कश्चनार्थस्तव नास्त्यनर्थ- स्तथापि मे भ्रातृसमो हरीश
You are born into a great royal lineage, mighty in strength, and the son of Riksharaja; there is no lack or misfortune for you, and yet, O lord of the monkeys, you are as dear to me as a brother.
अहं यद्यहरं भार्यां राजपुत्रस्य धीमतः। किं तत्र तव सुग्रीव किष्किन्धां प्रति गम्यताम्
If I have taken the wife of the wise prince, what concern is that of yours, Sugriva? Return to Kishkindha.
नहीयं हरिभिर्लङ्का प्राप्तुं शक्या कथंचन। देवैरपि सगन्धर्वैः किं पुनर्नरवानरैः
Lanka cannot be reached by monkeys in any way; not even by gods or Gandharvas—how much less by men or monkeys.
स तदा राक्षसेन्द्रेण संदिष्टो रजनीचरः। शुको विहंगमो भूत्वा तूर्णमाप्लुत्य चाम्बरम्
Then, instructed by the king of the rakshasas, the night-wanderer Shuka took the form of a bird and swiftly soared into the sky.
स गत्वा दूरमध्वानमुपर्युपरि सागरम्। संस्थितो ह्यम्बरे वाक्यं सुग्रीवमिदमब्रवीत्
Having traveled a great distance, flying high above the ocean, he stood in the air and spoke these words to Sugriva.
सर्वमुक्तं यथाऽऽदिष्टं रावणेन दुरात्मना। तत् प्रापयन्तं वचनं तूर्णमाप्लुत्य वानराः
Everything was spoken as ordered by the wicked Ravana; delivering that message, the monkeys quickly leapt forward.
प्रापद्यन्त तदा क्षिप्रं लोप्तुं हन्तुं च मुष्टिभिः। सर्वैः प्लवंगैः प्रसभं निगृहीतो निशाचरः
Then, all the monkeys rushed at him swiftly to seize and strike him with their fists; the night-wanderer was forcefully captured by them.
गगनाद् भूतले चाशु प्रतिगृह्यावतारितः। वानरैः पीड्यमानस्तु शुको वचनमब्रवीत्
Quickly pulled down from the sky to the ground by the monkeys, Shuka, suffering under their blows, spoke these words.
न दूतान् घ्नन्ति काकुत्स्थ वार्यन्तां साधु वानराः। यस्तु हित्वा मतं भर्तुः स्वमतं सम्प्रधारयेत्। अनुक्तवादी दूतः सन् स दूतो वधमर्हति
O descendant of Kakutstha, messengers are not to be killed; restrain yourselves, O monkeys. But if a messenger abandons his master's intent and pursues his own, or speaks what was not instructed, then such a messenger deserves death.
शुकस्य वचनं रामः श्रुत्वा तु परिदेवितम्। उवाच मावधिष्टेति घ्नतः शाखामृगर्षभान्
Hearing Shuka's words and his lament, Rama said, 'Do not kill him,' to the monkeys who were striking him.
सुग्रीव सत्त्वसम्पन्न महाबलपराक्रम। किं मया खलु वक्तव्यो रावणो लोकरावणः
Sugriva, endowed with courage and great strength, what need is there for me to speak to Ravana, the tormentor of the world?
स एवमुक्तः प्लवगाधिपस्तदा प्लवंगमानामृषभो महाबलः। उवाच वाक्यं रजनीचरस्य चारं शुकं शुद्धमदीनसत्त्वः
Thus addressed, the mighty leader of the monkeys, the foremost among them, spoke words to the night-wanderer Shuka, pure and untroubled in spirit.
न मेऽसि मित्रं न तथानुकम्प्यो न चोपकर्तासि न मे प्रियोऽसि। अरिश्च रामस्य सहानुबन्ध- स्ततोऽसि वालीव वधार्ह वध्यः
You are not my friend, nor worthy of compassion, nor a benefactor, nor dear to me; you are an enemy of Rama, allied with his foes—therefore, like Vali, you deserve to be slain.
निहन्म्यहं त्वां ससुतं सबन्धुं सज्ञातिवर्गं रजनीचरेश। लङ्कां च सर्वां महता बलेन सर्वैः करिष्यामि समेत्य भस्म
I will kill you, along with your sons, relatives, and kin, O lord of the night-wanderers; and with my great army, I will reduce all of Lanka to ashes.
न मोक्ष्यसे रावण राघवस्य सुरैः सहेन्द्रैरपि मूढ गुप्तः। अन्तर्हितः सूर्यपथं गतोऽपि तथैव पातालमनुप्रविष्टः। गिरीशपादाम्बुजसंगतो वा हतोऽसि रामेण सहानुजस्त्वम्
You will not escape, Ravana, from Raghava, even if protected by the gods and Indra; even if you hide, go to the path of the sun, or enter the netherworld, or cling to the lotus feet of Shiva—you and your brother will be slain by Rama.
तस्य ते त्रिषु लोकेषु न पिशाचं न राक्षसम्। त्रातारं नानुपश्यामि न गन्धर्वं न चासुरम्
In all three worlds, I see no protector for you—not a goblin, not a rakshasa, not a Gandharva, nor an asura.
अवधीस्त्वं जरावृद्धं गृध्रराजं जटायुषम्। किं नु ते रामसांनिध्ये सकाशे लक्ष्मणस्य च। हृता सीता विशालाक्षी यां त्वं गृह्य न बुध्यसे
You killed the aged king of vultures, Jatayu; but what will you do now, with Rama and Lakshmana present? You have abducted Sita, the wide-eyed one, yet you do not realize whom you have taken.
महाबलं महात्मानं दुराधर्षं सुरैरपि। न बुध्यसे रघुश्रेष्ठं यस्ते प्राणान् हरिष्यति
You do not recognize the mighty, great-souled one, unconquerable even by the gods, O best of the Raghu lineage, who will take your life.
ततोऽब्रवीद् वालिसुतोऽप्यङ्गदो हरिसत्तमः। नायं दूतो महाराज चारकः प्रतिभाति मे
Then Angada, son of Vali and foremost among monkeys, spoke: 'O great king, this is not a messenger or a spy, as he appears to me.'
तुलितं हि बलं सर्वमनेन तव तिष्ठता। गृह्यतां मागमल्लङ्कामेतद्धि मम रोचते
Indeed, all his strength has been weighed against yours as he stands here; let him be seized, O mighty one, for this pleases me.
ततो राज्ञा समादिष्टाः समुत्पत्य वलीमुखाः। जगृहुश्च बबन्धुश्च विलपन्तमनाथवत्
Then, as ordered by the king, the leaders of the troops sprang up, seized him, and bound him, as he lamented like one without support.
शुकस्तु वानरैश्चण्डैस्तत्र तैः सम्प्रपीडितः। व्याचुक्रोश महात्मानं रामं दशरथात्मजम्। लुप्येते मे बलात् पक्षौ भिद्येते मे तथाक्षिणी
Shuka, tormented there by those fierce monkeys, cried out to Rama, son of Dasharatha: 'My wings are being torn by force, my eyes are being injured as well.'
यां च रात्रिं मरिष्यामि जाये रात्रिं च यामहम्। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे काले यन्मया ह्यशुभं कृतम्। सर्वं तदुपपद्येथा जह्यां चेद् यदि जीवितम्
The night in which I shall die, and the night in which I was born—whatever evil I have done in this interval, let all that come upon me, if I must lose my life.
नाघातयत् तदा रामः श्रुत्वा तत्परिदेवितम्। वानरानब्रवीद् रामो मुच्यतां दूत आगतः
Rama did not have him struck, hearing that lamentation; he spoke to the monkeys: 'Release the messenger who has come.'