अथ तेषु ब्रुवाणेषु रावणावरजोऽब्रवीत्। वाक्यमग्राम्यपदवत् पुष्कलार्थं विभीषणः
Then, as they were speaking, Vibhīṣaṇa, Rāvaṇa's younger brother, addressed them with words clear and full of meaning.
अनलः पनसश्चैव सम्पातिः प्रमतिस्तथा। गत्वा लङ्कां ममामात्याः पुरीं पुनरिहागताः
Anala, Panasa, Sampati, and Pramati—my ministers—went to Lanka, entered the city, and have now returned here.
भूत्वा शकुनयः सर्वे प्रविष्टाश्च रिपोर्बलम्। विधानं विहितं यच्च तद् दृष्ट्वा समुपस्थिताः
All of them took the form of birds, entered the enemy’s forces, observed the arrangements that were made, and have come back after seeing everything.
संविधानं यथाहुस्ते रावणस्य दुरात्मनः। राम तद् ब्रुवतः सर्वं याथातथ्येन मे शृणु
Hear from me, O Rama, exactly as they described, the deployment of Ravana the evil-minded, as they reported it in detail.
पूर्वं प्रहस्तः सबलो द्वारमासाद्य तिष्ठति। दक्षिणं च महावीर्यौ महापार्श्वमहोदरौ
First, Prahasta with his army stands at the eastern gate, and at the southern gate are the mighty Mahaparshva and Mahodara.
इन्द्रजित् पश्चिमं द्वारं राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्वृतः। पट्टिशासिधनुष्मद्भिः शूलमुद्गरपाणिभिः
Indrajit, surrounded by many rakshasas armed with spears, swords, bows, tridents, and maces, guards the western gate.
नानाप्रहरणैः शूरैरावृतो रावणात्मजः। राक्षसानां सहस्रैस्तु बहुभिः शस्त्रपाणिभिः
The son of Ravana is encircled by thousands of rakshasas, many of whom wield weapons, and are valiant, equipped with various arms.
युक्तः परमसंविग्नो राक्षसैः सह मन्त्रवित्। उत्तरं नगरद्वारं रावणः स्वयमास्थितः
Ravana himself, skilled in counsel and extremely anxious, has taken position with rakshasas at the northern city gate.
विरूपाक्षस्तु महता शूलखड्गधनुष्मता। बलेन राक्षसैः सार्धं मध्यमं गुल्ममाश्रितः
Virupaksha, with a great force of rakshasas armed with spears, swords, and bows, has taken up the central post.
एतानेवं विधान् गुल्माँल्लङ्कायां समुदीक्ष्य ते। मामका मन्त्रिणः सर्वे शीघ्रं पुनरिहागताः
Having carefully observed these divisions stationed in Lanka, all my ministers quickly returned here.
गजानां दशसाहस्रं रथानामयुतं तथा। हयानामयुते द्वे च साग्रकोटिश्च रक्षसाम्
There are ten thousand elephants, a hundred thousand chariots, two hundred thousand horses, and over a crore of rakshasas.
विक्रान्ता बलवन्तश्च संयुगेष्वाततायिनः। इष्टा राक्षसराजस्य नित्यमेते निशाचराः
These night-wandering rakshasas, always dear to the rakshasa king, are valiant, powerful, and skilled in battle.
एकैकस्यात्र युद्धार्थे राक्षसस्य विशाम्पते। परीवारः सहस्राणां सहस्रमुपतिष्ठते
For each rakshasa here, O lord of men, a retinue of a thousand thousands stands ready for battle.
एतां प्रवृत्तिं लङ्कायां मन्त्रिप्रोक्तां विभीषणः। एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहू राक्षसांस्तानदर्शयत्
Vibhishana, having spoken this information about Lanka as told by the ministers, then showed those rakshasas.
लङ्कायां सचिवैः सर्वं रामाय प्रत्यवेदयत्। रामं कमलपत्राक्षमिदमुत्तरमब्रवीत्
He reported everything about Lanka to Rama with his counselors, and then addressed Rama, whose eyes are like lotus petals, with these further words.
रावणावरजः श्रीमान् रामप्रियचिकीर्षया। कुबेरं तु यदा राम रावणः प्रतियुद्ध्यति
The illustrious younger brother of Ravana, wishing to do what pleases you, O Rama, told this: When Ravana fought against Kubera—
षष्टिः शतसहस्राणि तदा निर्यान्ति राक्षसाः। पराक्रमेण वीर्येण तेजसा सत्त्वगौरवात्। सदृशा ह्यत्र दर्पेण रावणस्य दुरात्मनः
At that time, sixty hundred thousand rakshasas went forth, equal to Ravana in prowess, strength, energy, and pride.
अत्र मन्युर्न कर्तव्यः कोपये त्वां न भीषये। समर्थो ह्यसि वीर्येण सुराणामपि निग्रहे
You should not be angry or feel threatened by this; I do not wish to frighten you. By your strength, you are capable even of subduing the gods.
तद्भवांश्चतुरङ्गेण बलेन महता वृतम्। व्यूह्येदं वानरानीकं निर्मथिष्यसि रावणम्
Therefore, surrounded by your great fourfold army, arrange this host of vanaras and you will crush Ravana.
रावणावरजे वाक्यमेवं ब्रुवति राघवः। शत्रूणां प्रतिघातार्थमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
As the younger brother of Rāvaṇa spoke these words, Rāghava replied with this statement, intending to strike down the enemies.
पूर्वद्वारं तु लङ्काया नीलो वानरपुङ्गवः। प्रहस्तं प्रतियोद्धा स्याद् वानरैर्बहुभिर्वृतः
At the eastern gate of Laṅkā, Nīla, the foremost of the monkeys, should confront Prahasta, surrounded by many monkeys.
अङ्गदो वालिपुत्रस्तु बलेन महता वृतः। दक्षिणे बाधतां द्वारे महापार्श्वमहोदरौ
Aṅgada, son of Vāli, accompanied by a great force, should attack the southern gate against Mahāpārśva and Mahodara.
हनूमान् पश्चिमद्वारं निष्पीड्य पवनात्मजः। प्रविशत्वप्रमेयात्मा बहुभिः कपिभिर्वृतः
Hanumān, the son of the wind, possessing immeasurable strength, should press upon the western gate and enter, surrounded by many monkeys.
दैत्यदानवसङ्घानामृषीणां च महात्मनाम्। विप्रकारप्रियः क्षुद्रो वरदानबलान्वितः
He who delights in harming the hosts of Daityas, Dānavas, and great sages, who is petty though endowed with the power of boons—
परिक्रमति यः सर्वान् लोकान् संतापयन् प्रजाः। तस्याहं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य स्वयमेव वधे धृतः
He who circles all the worlds, tormenting the people—against that king of the rākṣasas, I myself am resolved to bring about his death.
उत्तरं नगरद्वारमहं सौमित्रिणा सह। निपीड्याभिप्रवेक्ष्यामि सबलो यत्र रावणः
I, together with Saumitri, will press upon and enter the northern city gate with my army, where Rāvaṇa is.
वानरेन्द्रश्च बलवानृक्षराजश्च वीर्यवान्। राक्षसेन्द्रानुजश्चैव गुल्मे भवतु मध्यमे
Let the mighty king of the monkeys, the valiant king of the bears, and the younger brother of the king of the rākṣasas be stationed in the central division.
न चैव मानुषं रूपं कार्यं हरिभिराहवे। एषा भवतु नः संज्ञा युद्धेऽस्मिन् वानरे बले
Let the monkeys not assume human form in battle; this shall be our sign in this war among the monkey forces.
वानरा एव नश्चिह्नं स्वजनेऽस्मिन् भविष्यति। वयं तु मानुषेणैव सप्त योत्स्यामहे परान्
Our only mark among our own in this battle will be that we are monkeys; but we seven will fight the enemy in human form.
अहमेव सह भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणेन महौजसा। आत्मना पञ्चमश्चायं सखा मम विभीषणः
I myself, together with my highly powerful brother Lakṣmaṇa, and this Vibhīṣaṇa, my friend, as the fifth by his own right—