सुविभक्तमहाव्यूहा महावानररक्षिता। अनीकिनी सा विबभौ यथा द्यौः साभ्रसम्प्लवा
That army, well arrayed in great formations and guarded by mighty monkeys, shone like the sky covered with masses of clouds.
प्रगृह्य गिरिशृङ्गाणि महतश्च महीरुहान्। आसेदुर्वानरा लङ्कां मिमर्दयिषवो रणे
Grasping mountain peaks and great trees, the monkeys approached Lanka, eager to crush it in battle.
शिखरैर्विकिरामैनां लङ्कां मुष्टिभिरेव वा। इति स्म दधिरे सर्वे मनांसि हरिपुङ्गवाः
All the foremost monkeys resolved in their minds: 'We will shatter Lanka with peaks or even with our fists.'
ततो रामो महातेजाः सुग्रीवमिदमब्रवीत्। सुविभक्तानि सैन्यानि शुक एष विमुच्यताम्
Then Rama, of great splendor, said to Sugriva: 'The armies are well arrayed; let this Shuka be released.'
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा वानरेन्द्रो महाबलः। मोचयामास तं दूतं शुकं रामस्य शासनात्
Hearing Rama's words, the mighty monkey king released that messenger Shuka, as commanded by Rama.
रावणः प्रहसन्नेव शुकं वाक्यमुवाच ह। किमिमौ ते सितौ पक्षौ लूनपक्षश्च दृश्यसे
Ravana, laughing, spoke to Shuka: 'Why do your wings appear white, and yet you look as if your wings have been plucked?'
कच्चिन्नानेकचित्तानां तेषां त्वं वशमागतः। ततः स भयसंविग्नस्तेन राज्ञाभिचोदितः। वचनं प्रत्युवाचेदं राक्षसाधिपमुत्तमम्
Surely you have not fallen under the control of those many-minded ones? Then, frightened and urged by that king, he replied these words to the foremost of rakshasas.
सागरस्योत्तरे तीरेऽब्रुवं ते वचनं तथा। यथा संदेशमक्लिष्टं सान्त्वयन् श्लक्ष्णया गिरा
On the northern shore of the ocean, I spoke your message just as it was, gently and soothingly, as instructed.
क्रुद्धैस्तैरहमुत्प्लुत्य दृष्टमात्रः प्लवंगमैः। गृहीतोऽस्म्यपि चारब्धो हन्तुं लोप्तुं च मुष्टिभिः
But as soon as I was seen by those angry monkeys, I leapt up, was seized, and they began to strike and pummel me with their fists.
न ते संभाषितुं शक्याः सम्प्रश्नोऽत्र न विद्यते। प्रकृत्या कोपनास्तीक्ष्णा वानरा राक्षसाधिप
It is not possible to converse with them, nor is there any questioning there; by nature, O lord of rakshasas, the monkeys are irascible and fierce.
स च हन्ता विराधस्य कबन्धस्य खरस्य च। सुग्रीवसहितो रामः सीतायाः पदमागतः
That Rama, together with Sugriva, who slew Viradha, Kabandha, and Khara, has reached Sita's abode.
स कृत्वा सागरे सेतुं तीर्त्वा च लवणोदधिम्। एष रक्षांसि निर्धूय धन्वी तिष्ठति राघवः
Having built a bridge across the ocean and crossed the salty sea, this Raghava, bow in hand, stands here after driving away the rakshasas.
ऋक्षवानरसङ्घानामनीकानि सहस्रशः। गिरिमेघनिकाशानां छादयन्ति वसुंधराम्
Thousands of divisions of bears and monkeys, resembling mountains and clouds, cover the earth.
राक्षसानां बलौघस्य वानरेन्द्रबलस्य च। नैतयोर्विद्यते संधिर्देवदानवयोरिव
There can be no alliance between the hordes of rakshasas and the army of the monkey king, just as there is none between gods and demons.
पुरा प्राकारमायान्ति क्षिप्रमेकतरं कुरु। सीतां चास्मै प्रयच्छाशु युद्धं वापि प्रदीयताम्
Before they reach the rampart, quickly decide: either hand over Sita to him at once, or grant him battle.
शुकस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा रावणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। रोषसंरक्तनयनो निर्दहन्निव चक्षुषा
Hearing Shuka's words, Ravana, his eyes red with anger as if burning with his gaze, spoke.
यदि मां प्रति युद्धेरन् देवगन्धर्वदानवाः। नैव सीतां प्रदास्यामि सर्वलोकभयादपि
Even if gods, gandharvas, and demons were to fight against me, I would not give up Sita, not even out of fear of all the worlds.
कदा समभिधावन्त मामका राघवं शराः। वसन्ते पुष्पितं मत्ता भ्रमरा इव पादपम्
When will my arrows rush at Raghava like intoxicated bees swarming a blossoming tree in spring?
कदा शोणितदिग्धाङ्गं दीप्तैः कार्मुकविच्युतैः। शरैरादीपयिष्यामि उल्काभिरिव कुञ्जरम्
When will I set him ablaze with flaming arrows, staining his body with blood, like meteors striking an elephant?
तच्चास्य बलमादास्ये बलेन महता वृतः। ज्योतिषामिव सर्वेषां प्रभामुद्यन् दिवाकरः
I will seize his strength, surrounded by my great power, as the sun takes away the brilliance of all the stars.
सागरस्येव मे वेगो मारुतस्येव मे बलम्। न च दाशरथिर्वेद तेन मां योद्धुमिच्छति
My speed is like the ocean, my strength like the wind; but the son of Dasharatha does not know this, and so he wishes to fight me.
न मे तूणीशयान् बाणान् सविषानिव पन्नगान्। रामः पश्यति संग्रामे तेन मां योद्धुमिच्छति
Rama has not seen the arrows in my quiver, like serpents filled with venom; that is why he wishes to fight me.
न जानाति पुरा वीर्यं मम युद्धे स राघवः। मम चापमयीं वीणां शरकोणैः प्रवादिताम्
Raghava does not yet know my valor in battle, nor my bow, which is like a lute played with the tips of arrows.
ज्याशब्दतुमुलां घोरामार्तगीतमहास्वनाम्। नाराचतलसंनादां नदीमहितवाहिनीम्। अवगाह्य महारङ्गं वादयिष्याम्यहं रणे
With its dreadful, thunderous twang, resounding with the cries of the distressed, echoing with the clang of iron arrows, and flowing like a mighty river, I will play it upon the great battlefield.
न वासवेनापि सहस्रचक्षुषा युद्धेऽस्मि शक्यो वरुणेन वा स्वयम्। यमेन वा धर्षयितुं शराग्निना महाहवे वैश्रवणेन वा पुनः
Not even Indra with a thousand eyes, nor Varuna himself, nor Yama with his fiery arrows, nor even Kubera, can withstand me in great battle.
thumb|पञ्चविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे पञ्चविंशः सर्गः ॥६-
Listen to the twenty-fifth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa.
सबले सागरं तीर्णे रामे दशरथात्मजे। अमात्यौ रावणः श्रीमानब्रवीच्छुकसारणौ
When Rama, son of Dasharatha, had crossed the ocean with his army, the illustrious Ravana spoke to his ministers Shuka and Sarana.
समग्रं सागरं तीर्णं दुस्तरं वानरं बलम्। अभूतपूर्वं रामेण सागरे सेतुबन्धनम्
Rama has crossed the entire, impassable ocean with his monkey army; the building of a bridge over the sea by him is unprecedented.
सागरे सेतुबन्धं तं न श्रद्दध्यां कथंचन। अवश्यं चापि संख्येयं तन्मया वानरं बलम्
I could never have believed that a bridge could be built over the sea; yet I must certainly assess the strength of the monkey army.
भवन्तौ वानरं सैन्यं प्रविश्यानुपलक्षितौ। परिमाणं च वीर्यं च ये च मुख्याः प्लवंगमाः
You two must enter the monkey army unnoticed, and determine its size, its strength, and who among the monkeys are the chiefs.