Hanuman Declares Himself Rama's Messenger

Shloka 1 (sundara.50.1)

तमुद्वीक्ष्य महाबाहुः पिङ्गाक्षं पुरतः स्थितम्। रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टो रावणो लोकरावणः ॥ 50.1 ॥

tamudvīkṣya mahābāhuḥ piṅgākṣaṃ purataḥ sthitam| roṣeṇa mahatā''viṣṭo rāvaṇo lokarāvaṇaḥ || 50.1 ||

Beholding that tawny-eyed one standing before him, the mighty-armed Ravana, he who makes the worlds weep, was seized with great fury.

Shloka 2 (sundara.50.2)

शङ्काहतात्मा दध्यौ स कपीन्द्रं तेजसा वृतम्। किमेष भगवान् नन्दी भवेत् साक्षादिहागतः ॥ 50.2 ॥

śaṅkāhatātmā dadhyau sa kapīndraṃ tejasā vṛtam| kimeṣa bhagavān nandī bhavet sākṣādihāgataḥ || 50.2 ||

His mind troubled by doubt, he pondered over that lord of monkeys, wrapped in splendour: "Could this be the lord Nandi himself, come here in person?"

Shloka 3 (sundara.50.3)

येन शप्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया प्रहसिते पुरा। सोऽयं वानरमूर्तिः स्यात्किंस्विद् बाणोऽपि वासुरः ॥ 50.3 ॥

yena śapto'smi kailāse mayā prahasite purā| so'yaṃ vānaramūrtiḥ syātkiṃsvid bāṇo'pi vāsuraḥ || 50.3 ||

"By whom I was once cursed on Kailasa when I laughed at him — could this be that same one, now in the form of a monkey? Or could it be Bana, or perhaps some other asura?"

Shloka 4 (sundara.50.4)

स राजा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रहस्तं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्। कालयुक्तमुवाचेदं वचो विपुलमर्थवत् ॥ 50.4 ॥

sa rājā roṣatāmrākṣaḥ prahastaṃ mantrisattamam| kālayuktamuvācedaṃ vaco vipulamarthavat || 50.4 ||

That king, his eyes red with rage, spoke these timely, weighty and meaningful words to Prahasta, foremost of his ministers:

Shloka 5 (sundara.50.5)

दुरात्मा पृच्छ्यतामेष कुतः किं वास्य कारणम्। वनभङ्गे च कोऽस्यार्थो राक्षसानां च तर्जने ॥ 50.5 ॥

durātmā pṛcchyatāmeṣa kutaḥ kiṃ vāsya kāraṇam| vanabhaṅge ca ko'syārtho rākṣasānāṃ ca tarjane || 50.5 ||

"Let this evil-minded one be questioned — from where has he come, and what is his purpose? What was his aim in destroying the grove, and in menacing the rakshasas?"

Shloka 6 (sundara.50.6)

मत्पुरीमप्रधृष्यां वै गमने किं प्रयोजनम्। आयोधने वा कं कार्यं पृच्छ्यतामेष दुर्मतिः ॥ 50.6 ॥

matpurīmapradhṛṣyāṃ vai gamane kiṃ prayojanam| āyodhane vā kaṃ kāryaṃ pṛcchyatāmeṣa durmatiḥ || 50.6 ||

"What was his purpose in entering my city, which none can violate? Or what business did he have in giving battle? Let this ill-minded one be questioned."

Shloka 7 (sundara.50.7)

रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्तो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे ॥ 50.7 ॥

rāvaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā prahasto vākyamabravīt| samāśvasihi bhadraṃ te na bhīḥ kāryā tvayā kape || 50.7 ||

Hearing Ravana's words, Prahasta spoke thus: "Take heart, may good befall you; you need have no fear, O monkey."

Shloka 8 (sundara.50.8)

यदि तावत् त्वमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो रावणालयम्। तत्त्वमाख्याहि मा ते भूद् भयं वानर मोक्ष्यसे ॥ 50.8 ॥

yadi tāvat tvamindreṇa preṣito rāvaṇālayam| tattvamākhyāhi mā te bhūd bhayaṃ vānara mokṣyase || 50.8 ||

"If you have been sent by Indra to the abode of Ravana, then tell me the truth; there will be no fear for you, O monkey — you shall be set free."

Shloka 9 (sundara.50.9)

यदि वैश्रवणस्य त्वं यमस्य वरुणस्य च। चारुरूपमिदं कृत्वा प्रविष्टो नः पुरीमिमाम् ॥ 50.9 ॥

yadi vaiśravaṇasya tvaṃ yamasya varuṇasya ca| cārurūpamidaṃ kṛtvā praviṣṭo naḥ purīmimām || 50.9 ||

"If you have entered this city of ours, sent by Vaishravana, or by Yama, or by Varuna, having assumed this pleasing form —"

Shloka 10 (sundara.50.10)

विष्णुना प्रेषितो वापि दूतो विजयकाङ्क्षिणा। नहि ते वानरं तेजो रूपमात्रं तु वानरम् ॥ 50.10 ॥

viṣṇunā preṣito vāpi dūto vijayakāṅkṣiṇā| nahi te vānaraṃ tejo rūpamātraṃ tu vānaram || 50.10 ||

"— or sent as a messenger by Vishnu, desiring victory, then tell us; for your splendour is not that of a mere monkey — only your form is that of a monkey."

Shloka 11 (sundara.50.11)

तत्त्वतः कथयस्वाद्य ततो वानर मोक्ष्यसे। अनृतं वदतश्चापि दुर्लभं तव जीवितम् ॥ 50.11 ॥

tattvataḥ kathayasvādya tato vānara mokṣyase| anṛtaṃ vadataścāpi durlabhaṃ tava jīvitam || 50.11 ||

"Tell us the truth today, and then, O monkey, you shall be freed; but for one who speaks falsely, life itself becomes hard to keep."

Shloka 12 (sundara.50.12)

अथवा यन्निमित्तस्ते प्रवेशो रावणालये। एवमुक्तो हरिवरस्तदा रक्षोगणेश्वरम् ॥ 50.12 ॥

athavā yannimittaste praveśo rāvaṇālaye| evamukto harivarastadā rakṣogaṇeśvaram || 50.12 ||

"— or else tell us the true reason for your entering the abode of Ravana." Thus addressed, that best of monkeys then spoke to the lord of the rakshasa hosts:

Shloka 13 (sundara.50.13)

अब्रवीन्नास्मि शक्रस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च। धनदेन न मे सख्यं विष्णुना नास्मि चोदितः ॥ 50.13 ॥

abravīnnāsmi śakrasya yamasya varuṇasya ca| dhanadena na me sakhyaṃ viṣṇunā nāsmi coditaḥ || 50.13 ||

"I am not the messenger of Indra, nor of Yama, nor of Varuna; I have no friendship with Kubera, nor have I been sent by Vishnu."

Shloka 14 (sundara.50.14)

जातिरेव मम त्वेषा वानरोऽहमिहागतः। दर्शने राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तदिदं दुर्लभं मया ॥ 50.14 ॥

jātireva mama tveṣā vānaro'hamihāgataḥ| darśane rākṣasendrasya tadidaṃ durlabhaṃ mayā || 50.14 ||

"This indeed is my true nature — I am a monkey, and I have come here; and this audience with the lord of the rakshasas is something I have obtained only with difficulty."

Shloka 15 (sundara.50.15)

वनं राक्षसराजस्य दर्शनार्थं विनाशितम्। ततस्ते राक्षसाः प्राप्ता बलिनो युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ 50.15 ॥

vanaṃ rākṣasarājasya darśanārthaṃ vināśitam| tataste rākṣasāḥ prāptā balino yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ || 50.15 ||

"The grove of the lord of the rakshasas was destroyed by me for the very sake of obtaining this audience; then those mighty rakshasas, eager for battle, arrived there."

Shloka 16 (sundara.50.16)

रक्षणार्थं च देहस्य प्रतियुद्धा मया रणे। अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि ॥ 50.16 ॥

rakṣaṇārthaṃ ca dehasya pratiyuddhā mayā raṇe| astrapāśairna śakyo'haṃ baddhuṃ devāsurairapi || 50.16 ||

"To protect my own body, I fought back against them in that battle. I cannot be bound by weapon-nooses even by gods or demons."

Shloka 17 (sundara.50.17)

पितामहादेष वरो ममापि हि समागतः। राजानं द्रष्टुकामेन मयास्त्रमनुवर्तितम् ॥ 50.17 ॥

pitāmahādeṣa varo mamāpi hi samāgataḥ| rājānaṃ draṣṭukāmena mayāstramanuvartitam || 50.17 ||

"This boon indeed has come to me from the Grandsire himself; but desiring to see the king, I chose to submit to the weapon's bond."

Shloka 18 (sundara.50.18)

विमुक्तोऽप्यहमस्त्रेण राक्षसैस्त्वभिवेदितः। केनचिद् रामकार्येण आगतोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् ॥ 50.18 ॥

vimukto'pyahamastreṇa rākṣasaistvabhiveditaḥ| kenacid rāmakāryeṇa āgato'smi tavāntikam || 50.18 ||

"Though already freed from the weapon, I let myself be presented by the rakshasas; I have come into your presence on a certain mission on behalf of Rama."

Shloka 19 (sundara.50.19)

दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञाय राघवस्यामितौजसः। श्रूयतामेव वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो ॥ 50.19 ॥

dūto'hamiti vijñāya rāghavasyāmitaujasaḥ| śrūyatāmeva vacanaṃ mama pathyamidaṃ prabho || 50.19 ||

"Know me to be the messenger of Raghava, of boundless splendour; hear, O lord, this beneficial word of mine."