रामप्रियार्थं प्राणानां दयां न कुरुते हरिः। गजो गवाक्षो गवयो नलो नीलश्च वानरः
For the sake of pleasing Rāma, this monkey shows no mercy even for his own life; Gaja, Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Nala, and Nīla are also monkeys—
एकैकमेव योधानां कोटिभिर्दशभिर्वृतः। तथान्ये वानरश्रेष्ठा विन्ध्यपर्वतवासिनः। न शक्यन्ते बहुत्वात् तु संख्यातुं लघुविक्रमाः
Each one of these warriors is surrounded by ten crores; likewise, other foremost monkeys dwelling on Mount Vindhya—because of their great numbers and swift prowess, they cannot be easily counted—
सर्वे महाराज महाप्रभावाः सर्वे महाशैलनिकाशकायाः। सर्वे समर्थाः पृथिवीं क्षणेन कर्तुं प्रविध्वस्तविकीर्णशैलाम्
All, O great king, are of immense power; all have bodies like great mountains; all are capable, in a moment, of making the earth shattered and strewn with broken mountains.
thumb|अष्टाविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे अष्टाविंशः सर्गः ॥६-
Hear now the twenty-eighth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa.
सारणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रावणं राक्षसाधिपम्। बलमादिश्य तत् सर्वं शुको वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्
Hearing Sāraṇa’s words, Śuka then spoke to Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas, having described all that army—
स्थितान् पश्यसि यानेतान् मत्तानिव महाद्विपान्। न्यग्रोधानिव गाङ्गेयान् सालान् हैमवतानिव
Do you see those who stand there, like intoxicated great elephants, like banyan trees of the Ganges, like sāla trees, or like those of the Himalayas?
एते दुष्प्रसहा राजन् बलिनः कामरूपिणः। दैत्यदानवसंकाशा युद्धे देवपराक्रमाः
These, O King, are hard to overcome, powerful, able to assume any form at will; resembling daityas and dānavas, and in battle, possessing the valor of the gods.
एषां कोटिसहस्राणि नव पञ्च च सप्त च। तथा शङ्कुसहस्राणि तथा वृन्दशतानि च
Of these, there are thousands of crores—nine, five, and seven; likewise, thousands of pikes, and hundreds of groups as well.
एते सुग्रीवसचिवाः किष्किन्धानिलयाः सदा। हरयो देवगन्धर्वैरुत्पन्नाः कामरूपिणः
These are Sugriva’s ministers, always residing in Kishkindha; they are monkeys born from gods and gandharvas, possessing the power to assume any form at will.
यौ तौ पश्यसि तिष्ठन्तौ कुमारौ देवरूपिणौ। मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चैव ताभ्यां नास्ति समो युधि
Those two youths whom you see standing, resembling gods in form, are Mainda and Dvivida; in battle, none are equal to them.
ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातावमृतप्राशिनावुभौ। आशंसेते यथा लङ्कामेतौ मर्दितुमोजसा
Both were permitted by Brahma and have partaken of ambrosia; it is believed that these two could crush Lanka with their strength.
यं तु पश्यसि तिष्ठन्तं प्रभिन्नमिव कुञ्जरम्। यो बलात् क्षोभयेत् क्रुद्धः समुद्रमपि वानरः
The one you see standing, like a broken elephant, is the monkey who, when angered, could stir even the ocean by force.
एषोऽभिगन्ता लङ्कायां वैदेह्यास्तव च प्रभो। एनं पश्य पुरा दृष्टं वानरं पुनरागतम्
He is the one who will enter Lanka, O lord, for Vaidehi and for you; look upon him, the monkey you saw before, now returned.
ज्येष्ठः केसरिणः पुत्रो वातात्मज इति श्रुतः। हनूमानिति विख्यातो लङ्घितो येन सागरः
He is the eldest son of Kesari, known as the son of the wind; famed as Hanuman, who crossed the ocean.
कामरूपो हरिश्रेष्ठो बलरूपसमन्वितः। अनिवार्यगतिश्चैव यथा सततगः प्रभुः
He is the foremost among monkeys, able to assume any form, endowed with strength and power, and his movement cannot be obstructed, just as the lord who always goes forth.
उद्यन्तं भास्करं दृष्ट्वा बालः किल बुभुक्षितः। त्रियोजनसहस्रं तु अध्वानमवतीर्य हि
Once, as a child, seeing the rising sun and feeling hungry, he descended a distance of three thousand yojanas.
आदित्यमाहरिष्यामि न मे क्षुत् प्रतियास्यति। इति निश्चित्य मनसा पुप्लुवे बलदर्पितः
He resolved in his mind, 'I will seize the sun; my hunger will not be appeased otherwise,' and leapt forth, filled with pride in his strength.
अनाधृष्यतमं देवमपि देवर्षिराक्षसैः। अनासाद्यैव पतितो भास्करोदयने गिरौ
Even the most unassailable god, whom neither sages nor demons could approach, he failed to reach and fell upon the mountain at sunrise.
पतितस्य कपेरस्य हनुरेका शिलातले। किंचिद् भिन्ना दृढहनुर्हनूमानेष तेन वै
When the monkey fell, one of his jaws was slightly injured upon the rock; thus, he is called Hanuman, the one with a strong jaw.
सत्यमागमयोगेन ममैष विदितो हरिः। नास्य शक्यं बलं रूपं प्रभावो वानुभाषितुम्
By the truth of my coming, this monkey is known to me; his strength, form, and power cannot be adequately described.
एष आशंसते लङ्कामेको मथितुमोजसा। येन जाज्वल्यतेऽसौ वै धूमकेतुस्तवाद्य वै। लङ्कायां निहितश्चापि कथं विस्मरसे कपिम्
He alone intends to crush Lanka with his strength; by whom your banner now blazes, and who is placed in Lanka—how can you forget this monkey?
यश्चैषोऽनन्तरः शूरः श्यामः पद्मनिभेक्षणः। इक्ष्वाकूणामतिरथो लोके विश्रुतपौरुषः
And this next hero, dark-complexioned with lotus-like eyes, is a mighty charioteer of the Ikshvaku lineage, renowned in the world for his valor.
यस्मिन् न चलते धर्मो यो धर्मं नातिवर्तते। यो ब्राह्ममस्त्रं वेदांश्च वेद वेदविदां वरः
In whom righteousness does not waver, who never transgresses dharma; who knows the Brahma weapon and the Vedas, and is foremost among those learned in the Vedas.
यो भिन्द्याद् गगनं बाणैर्मेदिनीं वापि दारयेत्। यस्य मृत्योरिव क्रोधः शक्रस्येव पराक्रमः
He who could pierce the sky with arrows, or even split the earth; whose anger is like death, and whose prowess is like Indra’s.
यस्य भार्या जनस्थानात् सीता चापि हृता त्वया। स एष रामस्त्वां राजन् योद्धुं समभिवर्तते
Whose wife, Sita, was abducted by you from Janasthana; this is Rama, O king, who now approaches to fight you.
यस्यैष दक्षिणे पार्श्वे शुद्धजाम्बूनदप्रभः। विशालवक्षास्ताम्राक्षो नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजः
He who stands at his right side, radiant like pure gold, broad-chested, with coppery eyes and dark, curling hair—
एषो हि लक्ष्मणो नाम भ्रातुः प्रियहिते रतः। नये युद्धे च कुशलः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः
This is Lakṣmaṇa by name, devoted to his brother's welfare and happiness, skilled in governance and battle, foremost among all wielders of weapons.
अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तश्च जयी बली। रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः
He is unyielding, unconquerable, a victorious hero, mighty in strength; he is Rāma’s right arm, ever his vital force moving outward.
नह्येष राघवस्यार्थे जीवितं परिरक्षति। एषैवाशंसते युद्धे निहन्तुं सर्वराक्षसान्
Indeed, for Rāghava’s sake, he does not hold his own life dear; he alone hopes in battle to destroy all the rākṣasas.
यस्तु सव्यमसौ पक्षं रामस्याश्रित्य तिष्ठति। रक्षोगणपरिक्षिप्तो राजा ह्येष विभीषणः
And he who stands on Rāma’s left side, surrounded by hosts of rākṣasas—this is King Vibhīṣaṇa.