Hanuman Beholds Ravana

Shloka 1 (sundara.49.1)

ततः स कर्मणा तस्य विस्मितो भीमविक्रमः। हनूमान् क्रोधताम्राक्षो रक्षोऽधिपमवैक्षत ॥ 49.1 ॥

tataḥ sa karmaṇā tasya vismito bhīmavikramaḥ| hanūmān krodhatāmrākṣo rakṣo'dhipamavaikṣata || 49.1 ||

Then that one of terrible prowess, Hanuman, astonished at his deeds, his eyes red with anger, looked upon the lord of the rakshasas —

Shloka 2 (sundara.49.2)

भ्राजमानं महार्हेण काञ्चनेन विराजता। मुक्ताजालवृतेनाथ मुकुटेन महाद्युतिम् ॥ 49.2 ॥

bhrājamānaṃ mahārheṇa kāñcanena virājatā| muktājālavṛtenātha mukuṭena mahādyutim || 49.2 ||

shining, of great splendour, resplendent with a priceless golden crown, encircled with a network of pearls,

Shloka 3 (sundara.49.3)

वज्रसंयोगसंयुक्तैर्महार्हमणिविग्रहैः। हैमैराभरणैश्चित्रैर्मनसेव प्रकल्पितैः ॥ 49.3 ॥

vajrasaṃyogasaṃyuktairmahārhamaṇivigrahaiḥ| haimairābharaṇaiścitrairmanaseva prakalpitaiḥ || 49.3 ||

adorned with wondrous golden ornaments set with diamonds and priceless gems, as though fashioned by thought itself,

Shloka 4 (sundara.49.4)

महार्हक्षौमसंवीतं रक्तचन्दनरूषितम्। स्वनुलिप्तं विचित्राभिर्विविधाभिश्च भक्तिभिः ॥ 49.4 ॥

mahārhakṣaumasaṃvītaṃ raktacandanarūṣitam| svanuliptaṃ vicitrābhirvividhābhiśca bhaktibhiḥ || 49.4 ||

clad in a costly silken garment, anointed with red sandalwood paste, well-smeared with various wondrous markings,

Shloka 5 (sundara.49.5)

विचित्रं दर्शनीयैश्च रक्ताक्षैर्भीमदर्शनैः। दीप्ततीक्ष्णमहादंष्ट्रं प्रलम्बं दशनच्छदैः ॥ 49.5 ॥

vicitraṃ darśanīyaiśca raktākṣairbhīmadarśanaiḥ| dīptatīkṣṇamahādaṃṣṭraṃ pralambaṃ daśanacchadaiḥ || 49.5 ||

wondrous to behold, with red, fearsome-looking eyes, blazing sharp great fangs, and lips hanging low over its teeth,

Shloka 6 (sundara.49.6)

शिरोभिर्दशभिर्वीरो भ्राजमानं महौजसम्। नानाव्यालसमाकीर्णैः शिखरैरिव मन्दरम् ॥ 49.6 ॥

śirobhirdaśabhirvīro bhrājamānaṃ mahaujasam| nānāvyālasamākīrṇaiḥ śikharairiva mandaram || 49.6 ||

that hero beheld him shining with his ten heads, of vast might, like Mount Mandara covered with its many peaks teeming with various serpents,

Shloka 7 (sundara.49.7)

नीलाञ्जनचयप्रख्यं हारेणोरसि राजता। पूर्णचन्द्राभवक्त्रेण सबालार्कमिवाम्बुदम् ॥ 49.7 ॥

nīlāñjanacayaprakhyaṃ hāreṇorasi rājatā| pūrṇacandrābhavaktreṇa sabālārkamivāmbudam || 49.7 ||

dark as a mass of collyrium, resplendent with a necklace upon his chest, his face bright as the full moon, like a rain-cloud together with the young sun,

Shloka 8 (sundara.49.8)

बाहुभिर्बद्धकेयूरैश्चन्दनोत्तमरूषितैः। भ्राजमानाङ्गदैर्भीमैः पञ्चशीर्षैरिवोरगैः ॥ 49.8 ॥

bāhubhirbaddhakeyūraiścandanottamarūṣitaiḥ| bhrājamānāṅgadairbhīmaiḥ pañcaśīrṣairivoragaiḥ || 49.8 ||

his arms bound with armlets and smeared with the finest sandal-paste, shining with bracelets, terrible, like five-headed serpents,

Shloka 9 (sundara.49.9)

महति स्फाटिके चित्रे रत्नसंयोगचित्रिते। उत्तमास्तरणास्तीर्णे सूपविष्टं वरासने ॥ 49.9 ॥

mahati sphāṭike citre ratnasaṃyogacitrite| uttamāstaraṇāstīrṇe sūpaviṣṭaṃ varāsane || 49.9 ||

seated well upon a great, splendid crystal throne, adorned with a rich mosaic of gems and spread with the finest coverings,

Shloka 10 (sundara.49.10)

अलंकृताभिरत्यर्थं प्रमदाभिः समन्ततः। वालव्यजनहस्ताभिरारात्समुपसेवितम् ॥ 49.10 ॥

alaṃkṛtābhiratyarthaṃ pramadābhiḥ samantataḥ| vālavyajanahastābhirārātsamupasevitam || 49.10 ||

attended nearby on every side by richly adorned women holding yak-tail fly-whisks in their hands,

Shloka 11 (sundara.49.11)

दुर्धरेण प्रहस्तेन महापार्श्वेन रक्षसा। मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रतत्त्वज्ञैर्निकुम्भेन च मन्त्रिणा ॥ 49.11 ॥

durdhareṇa prahastena mahāpārśvena rakṣasā| mantribhirmantratattvajñairnikumbhena ca mantriṇā || 49.11 ||

attended by Durdhara, Prahasta, the rakshasa Mahaparshva, by counsellors versed in the true art of counsel, and by the minister Nikumbha,

Shloka 12 (sundara.49.12)

उपोपविष्टं रक्षोभिश्चतुर्भिर्बलदर्पितम्। कृत्स्नं परिवृतं लोकं चतुर्भिरिव सागरैः ॥ 49.12 ॥

upopaviṣṭaṃ rakṣobhiścaturbhirbaladarpitam| kṛtsnaṃ parivṛtaṃ lokaṃ caturbhiriva sāgaraiḥ || 49.12 ||

seated close by those four rakshasas, proud in their strength, like the whole world encircled by the four oceans,

Shloka 13 (sundara.49.13)

मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रतत्त्वज्ञैरन्यैश्च शुभदर्शिभिः। आश्वास्यमानं सचिवैः सुरैरिव सुरेश्वरम् ॥ 49.13 ॥

mantribhirmantratattvajñairanyaiśca śubhadarśibhiḥ| āśvāsyamānaṃ sacivaiḥ surairiva sureśvaram || 49.13 ||

reassured also by other ministers versed in the true art of counsel, of auspicious foresight, as the lord of the gods is reassured by the gods —

Shloka 14 (sundara.49.14)

अपश्यद् राक्षसपतिं हनूमानतितेजसम्। वेष्टितं मेरुशिखरे सतोयमिव तोयदम् ॥ 49.14 ॥

apaśyad rākṣasapatiṃ hanūmānatitejasam| veṣṭitaṃ meruśikhare satoyamiva toyadam || 49.14 ||

Hanuman beheld that exceedingly resplendent lord of the rakshasas, thus surrounded, like a water-laden cloud encircling the peak of Mount Meru.

Shloka 15 (sundara.49.15)

स तैः सम्पीड्यमानोऽपि रक्षोभिर्भीमविक्रमैः। विस्मयं परमं गत्वा रक्षोऽधिपमवैक्षत ॥ 49.15 ॥

sa taiḥ sampīḍyamāno'pi rakṣobhirbhīmavikramaiḥ| vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatvā rakṣo'dhipamavaikṣata || 49.15 ||

He, though being roughly handled by those fierce-valoured rakshasas, filled with the utmost astonishment, gazed upon the lord of the rakshasas.

Shloka 16 (sundara.49.16)

भ्राजमानं ततो दृष्ट्वा हनुमान् राक्षसेश्वरम्। मनसा चिन्तयामास तेजसा तस्य मोहितः ॥ 49.16 ॥

bhrājamānaṃ tato dṛṣṭvā hanumān rākṣaseśvaram| manasā cintayāmāsa tejasā tasya mohitaḥ || 49.16 ||

Then, seeing that shining lord of the rakshasas, Hanuman, bewildered by his splendour, reflected within his mind:

Shloka 17 (sundara.49.17)

अहो रूपमहो धैर्यमहो सत्त्वमहो द्युतिः। अहो राक्षसराजस्य सर्वलक्षणयुक्तता ॥ 49.17 ॥

aho rūpamaho dhairyamaho sattvamaho dyutiḥ| aho rākṣasarājasya sarvalakṣaṇayuktatā || 49.17 ||

"Ah, what beauty! Ah, what steadfastness! Ah, what majesty! Ah, what splendour! Ah, how this king of rakshasas is endowed with every auspicious mark!"

Shloka 18 (sundara.49.18)

यद्यधर्मो न बलवान् स्यादयं राक्षसेश्वरः। स्यादयं सुरलोकस्य सशक्रस्यापि रक्षिता ॥ 49.18 ॥

yadyadharmo na balavān syādayaṃ rākṣaseśvaraḥ| syādayaṃ suralokasya saśakrasyāpi rakṣitā || 49.18 ||

"If unrighteousness were not so powerful in him, this lord of the rakshasas could well be the guardian even of the world of the gods, together with Indra himself."

Shloka 19 (sundara.49.19)

अस्य क्रूरैर्नृशंसैश्च कर्मभिर्लोककुत्सितैः। सर्वे बिभ्यति खल्वस्माल्लोकाः सामरदानवाः ॥ 49.19 ॥

asya krūrairnṛśaṃsaiśca karmabhirlokakutsitaiḥ| sarve bibhyati khalvasmāllokāḥ sāmaradānavāḥ || 49.19 ||

"Because of his cruel and pitiless deeds, condemned by the world, all beings indeed fear him — the worlds together with the gods and the danavas."

Shloka 20 (sundara.49.20)

अयं ह्युत्सहते क्रुद्धः कर्तुमेकार्णवं जगत्। इति चिन्तां बहुविधामकरोन्मतिमान् कपिः। दृष्ट्वा राक्षसराजस्य प्रभावममितौजसः ॥ 49.20 ॥

ayaṃ hyutsahate kruddhaḥ kartumekārṇavaṃ jagat| iti cintāṃ bahuvidhāmakaronmatimān kapiḥ| dṛṣṭvā rākṣasarājasya prabhāvamamitaujasaḥ || 49.20 ||

"This one, when enraged, is capable of turning the whole world into a single ocean." Thus that wise monkey pondered in many ways, having seen the might of the lord of the rakshasas, whose energy was boundless.