Sundara Kanda · Sarga 42
The Slaying of the Kinkaras
Shloka 1 (sundara.42.1)
ततः पक्षिनिनादेन वृक्षभङ्गस्वनेन च। बभूवुस्त्राससम्भ्रान्ताः सर्वे लङ्कानिवासिनः ॥ 42.1 ॥
tataḥ pakṣininādena vṛkṣabhaṅgasvanena ca| babhūvustrāsasambhrāntāḥ sarve laṅkānivāsinaḥ || 42.1 ||
Then, at the screeching of birds and the crash of breaking trees, all the dwellers of Lanka became bewildered with terror.
Shloka 2 (sundara.42.2)
विद्रुताश्च भयत्रस्ता विनेदुर्मृगपक्षिणः। रक्षसां च निमित्तानि क्रूराणि प्रतिपेदिरे ॥ 42.2 ॥
vidrutāśca bhayatrastā vinedurmṛgapakṣiṇaḥ| rakṣasāṃ ca nimittāni krūrāṇi pratipedire || 42.2 ||
Deer and birds fled about in fright and cried out; and cruel omens began to present themselves to the demons.
Shloka 3 (sundara.42.3)
ततो गतायां निद्रायां राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः। तद् वनं ददृशुर्भग्नं तं च वीरं महाकपिम् ॥ 42.3 ॥
tato gatāyāṃ nidrāyāṃ rākṣasyo vikṛtānanāḥ| tad vanaṃ dadṛśurbhagnaṃ taṃ ca vīraṃ mahākapim || 42.3 ||
Then, their sleep having fled, the misshapen-faced rakshasa women saw that the grove lay broken, and saw too that heroic great monkey.
Shloka 4 (sundara.42.4)
स ता दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुर्महासत्त्वो महाबलः। चकार सुमहद्रूपं राक्षसीनां भयावहम् ॥ 42.4 ॥
sa tā dṛṣṭvā mahābāhurmahāsattvo mahābalaḥ| cakāra sumahadrūpaṃ rākṣasīnāṃ bhayāvaham || 42.4 ||
That great-armed, great-souled and mighty one, seeing them, assumed a vast form terrifying to the rakshasa women.
Shloka 5 (sundara.42.5)
ततस्तु गिरिसंकाशमतिकायं महाबलम्। राक्षस्यो वानरं दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुर्जनकात्मजाम् ॥ 42.5 ॥
tatastu girisaṃkāśamatikāyaṃ mahābalam| rākṣasyo vānaraṃ dṛṣṭvā papracchurjanakātmajām || 42.5 ||
Then, seeing that monkey, huge as a mountain, of vast body and great strength, the rakshasa women questioned Janaka's daughter:
Shloka 6 (sundara.42.6)
कोऽयं कस्य कुतो वायं किंनिमित्तमिहागतः। कथं त्वया सहानेन संवादः कृत इत्युत ॥ 42.6 ॥
ko'yaṃ kasya kuto vāyaṃ kiṃnimittamihāgataḥ| kathaṃ tvayā sahānena saṃvādaḥ kṛta ityuta || 42.6 ||
"Who is this? Whose is he? Whence has he come, and for what purpose? How was this converse held between you and him?"
Shloka 7 (sundara.42.7)
आचक्ष्व नो विशालाक्षि मा भूत्ते सुभगे भयम्। संवादमसितापाङ्गि त्वया किं कृतवानयम् ॥ 42.7 ॥
ācakṣva no viśālākṣi mā bhūtte subhage bhayam| saṃvādamasitāpāṅgi tvayā kiṃ kṛtavānayam || 42.7 ||
"Tell us, O wide-eyed one — let there be no fear for you, O fortunate one. What converse, O dark-lashed one, has this one held with you?"
Shloka 8 (sundara.42.8)
अथाब्रवीत् तदा साध्वी सीता सर्वाङ्गशोभना। रक्षसां कामरूपाणां विज्ञाने का गतिर्मम ॥ 42.8 ॥
athābravīt tadā sādhvī sītā sarvāṅgaśobhanā| rakṣasāṃ kāmarūpāṇāṃ vijñāne kā gatirmama || 42.8 ||
Then that virtuous, altogether lovely Sita spoke: "What means have I of knowing anything of these demons who take what form they will?"
Shloka 9 (sundara.42.9)
यूयमेवास्य जानीत योऽयं यद् वा करिष्यति। अहिरेव ह्यहेः पादान् विजानाति न संशयः ॥ 42.9 ॥
yūyamevāsya jānīta yo'yaṃ yad vā kariṣyati| ahireva hyaheḥ pādān vijānāti na saṃśayaḥ || 42.9 ||
"You yourselves alone can know who this is and what he will do; a serpent alone, without doubt, knows the tracks of another serpent."
Shloka 10 (sundara.42.10)
अहमप्यतिभीतास्मि नैव जानामि को ह्ययम्। वेद्मि राक्षसमेवैनं कामरूपिणमागतम् ॥ 42.10 ॥
ahamapyatibhītāsmi naiva jānāmi ko hyayam| vedmi rākṣasamevainaṃ kāmarūpiṇamāgatam || 42.10 ||
"I too am greatly frightened; I truly do not know who this is. I know only that he has come as some rakshasa who takes what form he wills."
Shloka 11 (sundara.42.11)
वैदेह्या वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षस्यो विद्रुता द्रुतम्। स्थिताः काश्चिद्गताः काश्चिद् रावणाय निवेदितुम् ॥ 42.11 ॥
vaidehyā vacanaṃ śrutvā rākṣasyo vidrutā drutam| sthitāḥ kāścidagatāḥ kāścid rāvaṇāya niveditum || 42.11 ||
Hearing Vaidehi's words, the rakshasa women scattered swiftly — some stood their ground, some fled, and some went to report to Ravana.
Shloka 12 (sundara.42.12)
रावणस्य समीपे तु राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः। विरूपं वानरं भीमं रावणाय न्यवेदिषुः ॥ 42.12 ॥
rāvaṇasya samīpe tu rākṣasyo vikṛtānanāḥ| virūpaṃ vānaraṃ bhīmaṃ rāvaṇāya nyavediṣuḥ || 42.12 ||
Then, near to Ravana, those misshapen-faced rakshasa women reported to him of the fearsome and monstrous monkey.
Shloka 13 (sundara.42.13)
अशोकवनिकामध्ये राजन् भीमवपुः कपिः। सीतया कृतसंवादस्तिष्ठत्यमितविक्रमः ॥ 42.13 ॥
aśokavanikāmadhye rājan bhīmavapuḥ kapiḥ| sītayā kṛtasaṃvādastiṣṭhatyamitavikramaḥ || 42.13 ||
"O king, a monkey of terrible form and boundless prowess stands in the midst of the Ashoka grove, having held converse with Sita."
Shloka 14 (sundara.42.14)
न च तं जानकी सीता हरिं हरिणलोचना। अस्माभिर्बहुधा पृष्टा निवेदयितुमिच्छति ॥ 42.14 ॥
na ca taṃ jānakī sītā hariṃ hariṇalocanā| asmābhirbahudhā pṛṣṭā nivedayitumicchati || 42.14 ||
"But Janaki Sita, the doe-eyed one, though questioned by us in many ways, is unwilling to tell us anything of him."
Shloka 15 (sundara.42.15)
वासवस्य भवेद् दूतो दूतो वैश्रवणस्य वा। प्रेषितो वापि रामेण सीतान्वेषणकाङ्क्षया ॥ 42.15 ॥
vāsavasya bhaved dūto dūto vaiśravaṇasya vā| preṣito vāpi rāmeṇa sītānveṣaṇakāṅkṣayā || 42.15 ||
"He may be a messenger of Vasava, or a messenger of Vaishravana, or else one sent by Rama himself in his quest for Sita."
Shloka 16 (sundara.42.16)
तेनैवाद्भुतरूपेण यत्तत्तव मनोहरम्। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं प्रमृष्टं प्रमदावनम् ॥ 42.16 ॥
tenaivādbhutarūpeṇa yattattava manoharam| nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ pramṛṣṭaṃ pramadāvanam || 42.16 ||
"By that same one of wondrous form has your pleasure-grove, delightful and thronging with every kind of creature, been utterly stripped bare."
Shloka 17 (sundara.42.17)
न तत्र कश्चिदुद्देशो यस्तेन न विनाशितः। यत्र सा जानकी देवी स तेन न विनाशितः ॥ 42.17 ॥
na tatra kaściduddeśo yastena na vināśitaḥ| yatra sā jānakī devī sa tena na vināśitaḥ || 42.17 ||
"There is no spot there that he has not destroyed — save only the place where the divine Janaki sits, that alone he has not destroyed."
Shloka 18 (sundara.42.18)
जानकीरक्षणार्थं वा श्रमाद् वा नोपलक्ष्यते। अथवा कः श्रमस्तस्य सैव तेनाभिरक्षिता ॥ 42.18 ॥
jānakīrakṣaṇārthaṃ vā śramād vā nopalakṣyate| athavā kaḥ śramastasya saiva tenābhirakṣitā || 42.18 ||
"Whether for Janaki's protection, or from weariness, it is not known — or indeed what weariness could touch him? It is only that she herself has been guarded by him."
Shloka 19 (sundara.42.19)
चारुपल्लवपत्राढ्यं यं सीता स्वयमास्थिता। प्रवृद्धः शिंशपावृक्षः स च तेनाभिरक्षितः ॥ 42.19 ॥
cārupallavapatrāḍhyaṃ yaṃ sītā svayamāsthitā| pravṛddhaḥ śiṃśapāvṛkṣaḥ sa ca tenābhirakṣitaḥ || 42.19 ||
"That flourishing simsupa tree, rich with lovely young shoots and leaves, beneath which Sita herself sits, that too has been spared by him."
Shloka 20 (sundara.42.20)
तस्योग्ररूपस्योग्रं त्वं दण्डमाज्ञातुमर्हसि। सीता सम्भाषिता येन वनं तेन विनाशितम् ॥ 42.20 ॥
tasyograrūpasyograṃ tvaṃ daṇḍamājñātumarhasi| sītā sambhāṣitā yena vanaṃ tena vināśitam || 42.20 ||
"You should decree a fitting punishment, fierce as his own fierce form, upon him by whom Sita was addressed and the grove destroyed."
Shloka 21 (sundara.42.21)
मनःपरिगृहीतां तां तव रक्षोगणेश्वर। कः सीतामभिभाषेत यो न स्यात् त्यक्तजीवितः ॥ 42.21 ॥
manaḥparigṛhītāṃ tāṃ tava rakṣogaṇeśvara| kaḥ sītāmabhibhāṣeta yo na syāt tyaktajīvitaḥ || 42.21 ||
"O lord of the rakshasa hosts, who would dare address that Sita, held fast within your heart, save one who has already renounced his own life?"
Shloka 22 (sundara.42.22)
राक्षसीनां वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। चिताग्निरिव जज्वाल कोपसंवर्तितेक्षणः ॥ 42.22 ॥
rākṣasīnāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ| citāgniriva jajvāla kopasaṃvartitekṣaṇaḥ || 42.22 ||
Hearing the rakshasa women's words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, blazed up like a funeral fire, his eyes rolling in fury.
Shloka 23 (sundara.42.23)
तस्य क्रुद्धस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः। दीप्ताभ्यामिव दीपाभ्यां सार्चिषः स्नेहबिन्दवः ॥ 42.23 ॥
tasya kruddhasya netrābhyāṃ prāpatannaśrubindavaḥ| dīptābhyāmiva dīpābhyāṃ sārciṣaḥ snehabindavaḥ || 42.23 ||
From the eyes of that enraged one fell drops of tears, as drops of oil fall, mixed with flame, from two blazing lamps.
Shloka 24 (sundara.42.24)
आत्मनः सदृशान् वीरान् किंकरान्नाम राक्षसान्। व्यादिदेश महातेजा निग्रहार्थं हनूमतः ॥ 42.24 ॥
ātmanaḥ sadṛśān vīrān kiṃkarānnāma rākṣasān| vyādideśa mahātejā nigrahārthaṃ hanūmataḥ || 42.24 ||
That greatly resplendent one then dispatched, to seize Hanuman, valiant rakshasas equal to himself, called the Kinkaras.
Shloka 25 (sundara.42.25)
तेषामशीतिसाहस्रं किंकराणां तरस्विनाम्। निर्ययुर्भवनात् तस्मात् कूटमुद्गरपाणयः ॥ 42.25 ॥
teṣāmaśītisāhasraṃ kiṃkarāṇāṃ tarasvinām| niryayurbhavanāt tasmāt kūṭamudagarapāṇayaḥ || 42.25 ||
Eighty thousand of those swift Kinkaras, iron mallets in hand,
Shloka 26 (sundara.42.26)
महोदरा महादंष्ट्रा घोररूपा महाबलाः। युद्धाभिमनसः सर्वे हनूमद्ग्रहणोन्मुखाः ॥ 42.26 ॥
mahodarā mahādaṃṣṭrā ghorarūpā mahābalāḥ| yuddhābhimanasaḥ sarve hanūmadgrahaṇonmukhāḥ || 42.26 ||
great-bellied, great-tusked, terrible of form and mighty, all bent on battle, eager to seize Hanuman, marched out from that palace.
Shloka 27 (sundara.42.27)
ते कपिं तं समासाद्य तोरणस्थमवस्थितम्। अभिपेतुर्महावेगाः पतंगा इव पावकम् ॥ 42.27 ॥
te kapiṃ taṃ samāsādya toraṇasthamavasthitam| abhipeturmahāvegāḥ pataṃgā iva pāvakam || 42.27 ||
Approaching that monkey standing upon the archway, they rushed upon him with tremendous speed, as moths rush upon a flame.
Shloka 28 (sundara.42.28)
ते गदाभिर्विचित्राभिः परिघैः काञ्चनाङ्गदैः। आजग्मुर्वानरश्रेष्ठं शरैरादित्यसंनिभैः ॥ 42.28 ॥
te gadābhirvicitrābhiḥ parighaiḥ kāñcanāṅgadaiḥ| ājagmurvānaraśreṣṭhaṃ śarairādityasaṃnibhaiḥ || 42.28 ||
With strange maces, with iron bars ringed in gold, they assailed that foremost of monkeys, and with arrows bright as the sun.
Shloka 29 (sundara.42.29)
मुद्गरैः पट्टिशैः शूलैः प्रासतोमरपाणयः। परिवार्य हनूमन्तं सहसा तस्थुरग्रतः ॥ 42.29 ॥
mudagaraiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlaiḥ prāsatomarapāṇayaḥ| parivārya hanūmantaṃ sahasā tasthuragrataḥ || 42.29 ||
With mallets, spiked clubs, spears, javelins and lances in hand, they surrounded Hanuman and stood suddenly before him.
Shloka 30 (sundara.42.30)
हनूमानपि तेजस्वी श्रीमान् पर्वतसंनिभः। क्षितावाविद्ध्य लाङ्गूलं ननाद च महाध्वनिम् ॥ 42.30 ॥
hanūmānapi tejasvī śrīmān parvatasaṃnibhaḥ| kṣitāvāviddhya lāṅgūlaṃ nanāda ca mahādhvanim || 42.30 ||
Hanuman too, splendid and glorious, huge as a mountain, lashed his tail upon the ground and roared with a mighty sound.
Shloka 31 (sundara.42.31)
स भूत्वा तु महाकायो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। पुच्छमास्फोटयामास लङ्कां शब्देन पूरयन् ॥ 42.31 ॥
sa bhūtvā tu mahākāyo hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ| pucchamāsphoṭayāmāsa laṅkāṃ śabdena pūrayan || 42.31 ||
Then that Hanuman, son of the wind-god, having made his body immense, clapped his tail resoundingly, filling Lanka with the sound.
Shloka 32 (sundara.42.32)
तस्यास्फोटितशब्देन महता चानुनादिना। पेतुर्विहङ्गा गगनादुच्चैश्चेदमघोषयत् ॥ 42.32 ॥
tasyāsphoṭitaśabdena mahatā cānunādinā| peturvihaṅgā gaganāduccaiścedamaghoṣayat || 42.32 ||
At that great echoing sound of the clap, birds fell from the sky; and then he cried out this word aloud:
Shloka 33 (sundara.42.33)
जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः। राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः ॥ 42.33 ॥
jayatyatibalo rāmo lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ| rājā jayati sugrīvo rāghaveṇābhipālitaḥ || 42.33 ||
"Victorious is the exceedingly mighty Rama, and victorious is the greatly powerful Lakshmana! Victorious is King Sugriva, protected by Raghava!"
Shloka 34 (sundara.42.34)
दासोऽहं कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः। हनूमान् शत्रुसैन्यानां निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः ॥ 42.34 ॥
dāso'haṃ kosalendrasya rāmasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ| hanūmān śatrusainyānāṃ nihantā mārutātmajaḥ || 42.34 ||
"I am the servant of Rama, lord of Kosala, whose deeds are unwearied — Hanuman, son of the wind-god, the destroyer of the armies of the foe."
Shloka 35 (sundara.42.35)
न रावणसहस्रं मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत्। शिलाभिश्च प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः ॥ 42.35 ॥
na rāvaṇasahasraṃ me yuddhe pratibalaṃ bhavet| śilābhiśca praharataḥ pādapaiśca sahasraśaḥ || 42.35 ||
"A thousand Ravanas would be no match for me in battle, striking as I do with boulders and with trees by the thousand."
Shloka 36 (sundara.42.36)
अर्दयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम्। समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम् ॥ 42.36 ॥
ardayitvā purīṃ laṅkāmabhivādya ca maithilīm| samṛddhārtho gamiṣyāmi miṣatāṃ sarvarakṣasām || 42.36 ||
"Having laid waste this city of Lanka, and having paid homage to Maithili, I shall go forth successful in my purpose, before the very eyes of all the rakshasas."
Shloka 37 (sundara.42.37)
तस्य संनादशब्देन तेऽभवन् भयशङ्किताः। ददृशुश्च हनूमन्तं संध्यामेघमिवोन्नतम् ॥ 42.37 ॥
tasya saṃnādaśabdena te'bhavan bhayaśaṅkitāḥ| dadṛśuśca hanūmantaṃ saṃdhyāmeghamivonnatam || 42.37 ||
At the sound of his mighty roar those demons grew fearful, and beheld Hanuman towering like an evening raincloud.
Shloka 38 (sundara.42.38)
स्वामिसंदेशनिःशङ्कास्ततस्ते राक्षसाः कपिम्। चित्रैः प्रहरणैर्भीमैरभिपेतुस्ततस्ततः ॥ 42.38 ॥
svāmisaṃdeśaniḥśaṅkāstataste rākṣasāḥ kapim| citraiḥ praharaṇairbhīmairabhipetustatastataḥ || 42.38 ||
Then those rakshasas, undaunted by their lord's own command, rushed at the monkey from every side with fearsome and varied weapons.
Shloka 39 (sundara.42.39)
स तैः परिवृतः शूरैः सर्वतः स महाबलः। आससादायसं भीमं परिघं तोरणाश्रितम् ॥ 42.39 ॥
sa taiḥ parivṛtaḥ śūraiḥ sarvataḥ sa mahābalaḥ| āsasādāyasaṃ bhīmaṃ parighaṃ toraṇāśritam || 42.39 ||
Surrounded on all sides by those valiant ones, that mighty Hanuman seized hold of a terrible iron bar resting against the archway.
Shloka 40 (sundara.42.40)
स तं परिघमादाय जघान रजनीचरान्। सपन्नगमिवादाय स्फुरन्तं विनतासुतः ॥ 42.40 ॥
sa taṃ parighamādāya jaghāna rajanīcarān| sapannagamivādāya sphurantaṃ vinatāsutaḥ || 42.40 ||
Taking up that bar, that son of Vinata's kin struck down the night-roamers, wielding it as one grasping a writhing serpent.
Shloka 41 (sundara.42.41)
विचचाराम्बरे वीरः परिगृह्य च मारुतिः। सूदयामास वज्रेण दैत्यानिव सहस्रदृक् ॥ 42.41 ॥
vicacārāmbare vīraḥ parigṛhya ca mārutiḥ| sūdayāmāsa vajreṇa daityāniva sahasradṛk || 42.41 ||
That hero Maruti, grasping it, ranged through the sky and slaughtered them with that bar, as the thousand-eyed one slays the daityas with the thunderbolt.
Shloka 42 (sundara.42.42)
स हत्वा राक्षसान् वीरः किंकरान् मारुतात्मजः। युद्धाकाङ्क्षी महावीरस्तोरणं समवस्थितः ॥ 42.42 ॥
sa hatvā rākṣasān vīraḥ kiṃkarān mārutātmajaḥ| yuddhākāṅkṣī mahāvīrastoraṇaṃ samavasthitaḥ || 42.42 ||
That hero, son of the wind-god, having slain those rakshasa Kinkaras, still eager for battle, stood firm again upon the archway.
Shloka 43 (sundara.42.43)
ततस्तस्माद् भयान्मुक्ताः कतिचित्तत्र राक्षसाः। निहतान् किंकरान् सर्वान् रावणाय न्यवेदयन् ॥ 42.43 ॥
tatastasmād bhayānmuktāḥ katicittatra rākṣasāḥ| nihatān kiṃkarān sarvān rāvaṇāya nyavedayan || 42.43 ||
Then some few rakshasas there, freed from that terror, went and reported to Ravana that all the Kinkaras had been slain.
Shloka 44 (sundara.42.44)
स राक्षसानां निहतं महाबलं निशम्य राजा परिवृत्तलोचनः। समादिदेशाप्रतिमं पराक्रमे प्रहस्तपुत्रं समरे सुदुर्जयम् ॥ 42.44 ॥
sa rākṣasānāṃ nihataṃ mahābalaṃ niśamya rājā parivṛttalocanaḥ| samādideśāpratimaṃ parākrame prahastaputraṃ samare sudurjayam || 42.44 ||
Hearing that his mighty host of rakshasas had been slain, the king, his eyes rolling in rage, then commanded Prahasta's son, of matchless valor and unconquerable in battle.