Sarga 84

Verse 1

राममाश्वासयानेतुलक्ष्मणेभ्रातृवत्सले ।निक्षिप्यगुल्मान् स्वस्थानेतत्रागच्छद्विभीषणः ।। ।।

While brother-loving Lakṣmaṇa was consoling Rāma, Vibhīṣaṇa came there after assigning the detachments to their proper positions.

Verse 2

नानाप्रहरणैर्वीरैश्चतुर्भिस्सचिवैर्वृत: ।नीलाञ्जनचयाकारैर्मातङ्गैरिवयूथप ।।।।

Surrounded by four heroic ministers bearing various weapons—like a leader of elephants encircled by dark, collyrium-hued tuskers—Vibhīṣaṇa approached the great-souled Rāma and saw the Vānara hosts, their eyes clouded with tears.

Verse 3

राघवं च महात्मानमिक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनम् ।ददर्शमोहमापन्नंलक्ष्मणस्याङ्गमाश्रितम् ।।।।

Vibhīṣaṇa saw Rāghava—the great-souled delight of the Ikṣvāku line—fallen into delusion and distress, resting upon Lakṣmaṇa’s lap.

Verse 4

राघवं च महात्मानमिक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनम् ।ददर्शमोहमापन्नंलक्ष्मणस्याङ्गमाश्रितम् ।।6.84.3।।

Vibhīṣaṇa saw Rāghava—the great-souled pride of the Ikṣvāku line—overcome by bewilderment and distress, leaning upon Lakṣmaṇa’s lap.

Verse 5

व्रीडितंशोकसन्तप्तंदृष्टवारामंविभीषणः ।अन्तर्धुःखएनदीनात्माकिमेतदितिसोऽब्रवीत् ।।।।

Seeing Rāma—ashamed and scorched by grief—Vibhīṣaṇa, inwardly pained and downcast, asked: “What is this (distress)?”

Verse 6

विभीषणमुखंदृष्टवासुग्रीवंतांश्चवानरान् ।लक्ष्मणोवाचमन्दार्थमिदंबाष्पपरिप्लुतः ।।।।

Lakṣmaṇa—his eyes flooded with tears—looked to Vibhīṣaṇa, to Sugrīva, and to the vānaras, and spoke these words in a subdued tone.

Verse 7

हताइन्द्रजितासीताइतिश्रुत्वैवराघवः ।हनूमद्वचनात्सौम्यततोमोहमुपागतः ।।।।

“O gentle one: hearing, from Hanūmān’s words, that ‘Sītā has been slain by Indrajit,’ Rāghava at once fell into bewilderment.”

Verse 8

कथयन्तंतुसौमित्रिंसन्निवार्यविभीषणः ।पुष्कलार्थमिदंवाक्यंविसंज्ञंराममब्रवीत् ।।।।

But Vibhīṣaṇa restrained Saumitrī as he began to speak, and addressed the unconscious Rāma with these words, rich in meaning.

Verse 9

मनुजेन्द्रार्थरूपेणयदुक्ततुहनूमता ।तदयुक्तमहंमन्येसागरस्येवशोषणम् ।।।।

What Hanumān has spoken, taking it as a fact concerning the lord of men, seems to me impossible—like the drying up of the ocean.

Verse 10

अभिप्रायंतुजानामिरावणस्यदुरात्मनः ।सीतांप्रतिमहाबाहो न च घातंकरिष्यति ।।।।

O mighty-armed one, I know the intention of the wicked-souled Rāvaṇa regarding Sītā: he will not kill her.

Verse 11

याच्यमानःसुबहुशोमयाहितचिकीर्षुणा ।वैदेहीमुत्सृजस्वेति न च तत्कृतवान्वचः ।।।।

Though I repeatedly pleaded with him, wishing his welfare—‘Release Vaidehī!’—he did not act upon those words.

Verse 12

नैवसाम्ना न दानेन न भेदेनकुतोयुधा ।साद्रष्टुमपिशक्येतनैवचान्येनकेनचित् ।।।।

Not by conciliation, nor by gifts, nor by sowing division—how much less by war—could she be ‘seen’ (recovered) by any means whatsoever.

Verse 13

वानरान्मोहयित्वातुप्रतियातः स राक्षसः ।मयामयींमहाबाहोतांविद्दिजनकात्मजाम् ।।।।

That rākṣasa, having deluded the Vānaras, withdrew. O mighty-armed one, know that ‘Janaka’s daughter’ shown here is a fabrication of māyā.

Verse 14

चैत्यंनिकुम्भिलांनामप्राप्यहोमंकरिष्यति ।हुतवानुपयातोहिदेवैरपिसवासवैः ।।।।दुराधर्षोभवत्येषसङ्ग्रामेरावणात्मजः ।

Reaching the sacred shrine called Nikumbhilā, Rāvaṇa’s son will perform a fire-offering. Having completed it and returned, he becomes exceedingly hard to assail in battle—even for the gods with Vāsava (Indra).

Verse 15

तेनमोहयतानूनमेषामायाप्रयोजिता ।।।।विघ्नमन्विच्छतातत्रवानराणांपराक्रमे ।

Surely this illusion was employed by him to delude—seeking there to create an obstacle to the Vānaras’ prowess.

Verse 16

ससैन्यास्तत्रगच्छामोयावत्तन्नसमाप्यते ।।।।त्यजेमंनरशार्दूलमिथ्यासन्तापगतम् ।सीदतेहिबलंसर्वंदृष्टवात्वांशोककर्शितम् ।।।।

Let us go there with the army before that rite is completed. O tiger among men, abandon this false anguish—seeing you worn down by grief, the entire force loses heart.

Verse 17

ससैन्यास्तत्रगच्छामोयावत्तन्नसमाप्यते ।।6.84.16।।त्यजेमंनरशार्दूलमिथ्यासन्तापगतम् ।सीदतेहिबलंसर्वंदृष्टवात्वांशोककर्शितम् ।।6.84.17।।

Let us go there with the army before that rite is completed. O tiger among men, abandon this false anguish—seeing you worn down by grief, the entire force loses heart.

Verse 18

इहत्वंस्वस्थहृदयस्तिष्ठसत्त्वसमुच्छ्रितः ।लक्ष्मणंप्रेषयास्माभिस्सहसैन्यानुकर्षिभिः ।।।।

You remain here, steady at heart and raised in courage; send Lakṣmaṇa with us, along with those who will bring the forces forward.

Verse 19

एषतंनरशार्दूलोरावणिंनिशितैश्शरैः ।त्याजयिष्यतितत्कर्मततोवध्योभविष्यति ।।।।

This tiger among men will drive Rāvaṇa’s son away from that rite with sharp arrows; once he is forced to abandon it, he will then become killable.

Verse 20

तस्यैतेनिशितास्तीक्ष्णाःपत्रिपत्राङ्गवाजिनः ।पतत्रिणइवासौम्याश्शराःपास्यन्तिशोणितम् ।।।।

These whetted, razor-pointed arrows—feathered as if with the limbs of birds—will drink his blood like cruel birds.

Verse 21

सत्सन्दिशमहाबाहोलक्ष्मणंशुभलक्षणम् ।राक्षसस्यविनाशायवज्रंवज्रधरोयथा ।।।।

“O mighty-armed one, send forth Lakṣmaṇa of auspicious marks for the destruction of that rākṣasa—just as the wielder of the thunderbolt sends the vajra.”

Verse 22

मनुजवरन कालविप्रकर्षोरिपुनिधनंप्रतियत्क्षामोऽद्यकर्तुम् ।त्वमतिसृजरिपोर्वधायवाणीममररिपोर्मथनेयथामहेन्द्रः ।।।।

“O best of men, delay is not fitting now when the enemy’s destruction is at hand. Command (Lakṣmaṇa) to slay the foe, as Mahendra commanded in the crushing of the enemy of the gods.”

Verse 23

समाप्तकर्माहि स राक्षसाधिपोभवत्यदृश्यस्समरेसुरासुरैः ।युयुत्सतातेनसमाप्तकर्मणाभवेत्सुराणामपिसंशयोमहान् ।।।।

For once that lord of rākṣasas completes his rite, he becomes invisible in battle even to gods and asuras; and with him thus empowered, even the gods would face great uncertainty about engaging him in combat.