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.
मन्त्रिणो ये च रामस्य सुग्रीवस्य च सम्मताः। ये पूर्वमभिवर्तन्ते ये च शूराः प्लवंगमाः
Find out who are the counselors favored by Rama and Sugriva, who are advancing at the front, and who among the monkeys are the heroes.
स च सेतुर्यथा बद्धः सागरे सलिलार्णवे। निवेशं च यथा तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम्
And how that bridge was built across the ocean, the vast expanse of water, and the encampment of those great-souled monkeys—
रामस्य व्यवसायं च वीर्यं प्रहरणानि च। लक्ष्मणस्य च वीरस्य तत्त्वतो ज्ञातुमर्हथः
You should also learn accurately about Rāma’s resolve, his strength, his weapons, and about the valor of Lakṣmaṇa.
कश्च सेनापतिस्तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम्। तच्च ज्ञात्वा यथातत्त्वं शीघ्रमागन्तुमर्हथः
Who is the commander of those great-souled monkeys? Having learned all this in detail, you must return quickly.
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टौ राक्षसौ शुकसारणौ। हरिरूपधरौ वीरौ प्रविष्टौ वानरं बलम्
Thus instructed, the two Rākṣasas, Śuka and Sāraṇa, heroic and disguised in monkey form, entered the army of monkeys.
ततस्तद् वानरं सैन्यमचिन्त्यं लोमहर्षणम्। संख्यातुं नाध्यगच्छेतां तदा तौ शुकसारणौ
Then, Śuka and Sāraṇa could not estimate that monkey army, which was immeasurable and terrifying to behold.
तत् स्थितं पर्वताग्रेषु निर्झरेषु गुहासु च। समुद्रस्य च तीरेषु वनेषूपवनेषु च। तरमाणं च तीर्णं च तर्तुकामं च सर्वशः
They saw it stationed on mountain peaks, at waterfalls, in caves, on the shores of the ocean, in forests and groves, crossing, crossed, and eager to cross everywhere.
निविष्टं निविशच्चैव भीमनादं महाबलम्। तद्बलार्णवमक्षोभ्यं ददृशाते निशाचरौ
They saw that mighty army, settled and settling, roaring fearfully, unshakable like an ocean of power.
तौ ददर्श महातेजाः प्रतिच्छन्नौ विभीषणः। आचचक्षे स रामाय गृहीत्वा शुकसारणौ
Vibhīṣaṇa, of great brilliance, saw those two concealed, and, seizing Śuka and Sāraṇa, reported them to Rāma.
तस्यैतौ राक्षसेन्द्रस्य मन्त्रिणौ शुकसारणौ। लङ्कायाः समनुप्राप्तौ चारौ परपुरंजय
These two, Śuka and Sāraṇa, are ministers of the king of the Rākṣasas, who have entered Laṅkā as spies, O conqueror of enemy cities.
तौ दृष्ट्वा व्यथितौ रामं निराशौ जीविते तथा। कृताञ्जलिपुटौ भीतौ वचनं चेदमूचतुः
Seeing Rāma, the two became distressed, despairing for their lives; with hands joined in supplication, frightened, they spoke these words:
आवामिहागतौ सौम्य रावणप्रहितावुभौ। परिज्ञातुं बलं सर्वं तदिदं रघुनन्दन
O gentle one, we both have come here, sent by Rāvaṇa, to ascertain all this army, O delight of the Raghu lineage.
तयोस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा रामो दशरथात्मजः। अब्रवीत् प्रहसन् वाक्यं सर्वभूतहिते रतः
Hearing their words, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, devoted to the welfare of all beings, spoke with a smile:
यदि दृष्टं बलं सर्वं वयं वा सुसमाहिताः। यथोक्तं वा कृतं कार्यं छन्दतः प्रतिगम्यताम्
If you have seen the entire army and us, composed as we are, or if your task is done as instructed, you may return as you wish.
अथ किंचिददृष्टं वा भूयस्तद् द्रष्टुमर्हथः। विभीषणो वा कात्स्र्न्येन पुनः संदर्शयिष्यति
Or if there is anything yet unseen, you may see it further; or Vibhīṣaṇa will show you everything again in full.
न चेदं ग्रहणं प्राप्य भेतव्यं जीवितं प्रति। न्यस्तशस्त्रौ गृहीतौ च न दूतौ वधमर्हथः
And having been captured, you need not fear for your lives; with your weapons laid down and taken as envoys, you do not deserve death.
प्रच्छन्नौ च विमुञ्चेमौ चारौ रात्रिंचरावुभौ। शत्रुपक्षस्य सततं विभीषण विकर्षिणौ
Let these two spies, the night-roaming Rākṣasas, who have been caught in disguise and always harm the enemy’s side, be released, O Vibhīṣaṇa.
प्रविश्य महतीं लङ्कां भवद्भ्यां धनदानुजः। वक्तव्यो रक्षसां राजा यथोक्तं वचनं मम
Entering great Laṅkā, you both must tell the king of the Rākṣasas, the younger brother of the Lord of Wealth, my message as spoken.
यद् बलं त्वं समाश्रित्य सीतां मे हृतवानसि। तद् दर्शय यथाकामं ससैन्यश्च सबान्धवः
Whatever strength you relied on to abduct Sītā from me, show it now as you wish, with your army and your kin.
श्वः काल्ये नगरीं लङ्कां सप्राकारां सतोरणाम्। रक्षसां च बलं पश्य शरैर्विध्वंसितं मया
Tomorrow morning, behold the city of Lanka with its ramparts and gateways, and see the army of the rakshasas shattered by my arrows.