Shuka, Ravana's Envoy

Shloka 1 (yuddha.20.1)

ततो निविष्टां ध्वजिनीं सुग्रीवेणाभिपालिताम्। ददर्श राक्षसोऽभ्येत्य शार्दूलो नाम वीर्यवान् ॥ 20.1 ॥

tato niviṣṭāṃ dhvajinīṃ sugrīveṇābhipālitām| dadarśa rākṣaso'bhyetya śārdūlo nāma vīryavān || 20.1 ||

Then a valiant rakshasa named Shardula came near and saw the army, encamped and guarded by Sugriva.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.20.2)

चारो राक्षसराजस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः। तां दृष्ट्वा सर्वतोऽव्यग्रां प्रतिगम्य स राक्षसः ॥ 20.2 ॥

cāro rākṣasarājasya rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ| tāṃ dṛṣṭvā sarvato'vyagrāṃ pratigamya sa rākṣasaḥ || 20.2 ||

That rakshasa, a spy of the evil-minded Ravana, king of the rakshasas, having calmly surveyed it on every side, then returned -

Shloka 3 (yuddha.20.3)

आविश्य लङ्कां वेगेन राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। एष वै वानरर्क्षौघो लङ्कां समभिवर्तते ॥ 20.3 ॥

āviśya laṅkāṃ vegena rājānamidamabravīt| eṣa vai vānararkṣaugho laṅkāṃ samabhivartate || 20.3 ||

- and entering Lanka swiftly, spoke thus to the king: “This vast host of monkeys and bears advances upon Lanka.”

Shloka 4 (yuddha.20.4)

अगाधश्चाप्रमेयश्च द्वितीय इव सागरः। पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ 20.4 ॥

agādhaścāprameyaśca dvitīya iva sāgaraḥ| putrau daśarathasyemau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau || 20.4 ||

“Fathomless and immeasurable, like a second ocean. These two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, sons of Dasharatha,”

Shloka 5 (yuddha.20.5)

उत्तमौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सीतायाः पदमागतौ। एतौ सागरमासाद्य संनिविष्टौ महाद्युते ॥ 20.5 ॥

uttamau rūpasampannau sītāyāḥ padamāgatau| etau sāgaramāsādya saṃniviṣṭau mahādyute || 20.5 ||

“- most excellent, endowed with beauty, having come here in search of Sita's trail - O radiant one, these two have reached the ocean and made camp.”

Shloka 6 (yuddha.20.6)

बलं चाकाशमावृत्य सर्वतो दशयोजनम्। तत्त्वभूतं महाराज क्षिप्रं वेदितुमर्हसि ॥ 20.6 ॥

balaṃ cākāśamāvṛtya sarvato daśayojanam| tattvabhūtaṃ mahārāja kṣipraṃ veditumarhasi || 20.6 ||

“Their army covers the very sky, spreading ten yojanas on every side. O great king, you should swiftly learn the truth of this matter.”

Shloka 7 (yuddha.20.7)

तव दूता महाराज क्षिप्रमर्हन्ति वेदितुम्। उपप्रदानं सान्त्वं वा भेदो वात्र प्रयुज्यताम् ॥ 20.7 ॥

tava dūtā mahārāja kṣipramarhanti veditum| upapradānaṃ sāntvaṃ vā bhedo vātra prayujyatām || 20.7 ||

“O great king, your envoys ought quickly to learn more of it; and here let gifts, or conciliation, or the sowing of discord be employed.”

Shloka 8 (yuddha.20.8)

शार्दूलस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। उवाच सहसा व्यग्रः सम्प्रधार्यार्थमात्मनः। शुकं साधु तदा रक्षो वाक्यमर्थविदां वरम् ॥ 20.8 ॥

śārdūlasya vacaḥ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ| uvāca sahasā vyagraḥ sampradhāryārthamātmanaḥ| śukaṃ sādhu tadā rakṣo vākyamarthavidāṃ varam || 20.8 ||

Hearing Shardula's words, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, suddenly agitated, having weighed his own course of action, spoke well-chosen words to Shuka, foremost among those who understand affairs.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.20.9)

सुग्रीवं ब्रूहि गत्वाऽऽशु राजानं वचनान्मम। यथासंदेशमक्लीबं श्लक्ष्णया परया गिरा ॥ 20.9 ॥

sugrīvaṃ brūhi gatvā''śu rājānaṃ vacanānmama| yathāsaṃdeśamaklībaṃ ślakṣṇayā parayā girā || 20.9 ||

“Go quickly and speak to King Sugriva on my behalf, boldly, exactly as I instruct, in the most gentle and polished voice.”

Shloka 10 (yuddha.20.10)

त्वं वै महाराजकुलप्रसूतो महाबलश्चर्क्षरजःसुतश्च। न कश्चनार्थस्तव नास्त्यनर्थ- स्तथापि मे भ्रातृसमो हरीश ॥ 20.10 ॥

tvaṃ vai mahārājakulaprasūto mahābalaścarkṣarajaḥsutaśca| na kaścanārthastava nāstyanartha- stathāpi me bhrātṛsamo harīśa || 20.10 ||

“You indeed are born of a great royal line, mighty, and the son of Riksharajas; you have nothing to gain nor to lose here - yet, O lord of monkeys, you are like a brother to me.”

Shloka 11 (yuddha.20.11)

अहं यद्यहरं भार्यां राजपुत्रस्य धीमतः। किं तत्र तव सुग्रीव किष्किन्धां प्रति गम्यताम् ॥ 20.11 ॥

ahaṃ yadyaharaṃ bhāryāṃ rājaputrasya dhīmataḥ| kiṃ tatra tava sugrīva kiṣkindhāṃ prati gamyatām || 20.11 ||

“If I have carried off the wife of that wise prince, what is that to you, O Sugriva? Return, rather, to Kishkindha.”

Shloka 12 (yuddha.20.12)

नहीयं हरिभिर्लङ्का प्राप्तुं शक्या कथंचन। देवैरपि सगन्धर्वैः किं पुनर्नरवानरैः ॥ 20.12 ॥

nahīyaṃ haribhirlaṅkā prāptuṃ śakyā kathaṃcana| devairapi sagandharvaiḥ kiṃ punarnaravānaraiḥ || 20.12 ||

“This Lanka cannot possibly be won by monkeys - not even by the gods together with the gandharvas, let alone by men and monkeys.”

Shloka 13 (yuddha.20.13)

स तदा राक्षसेन्द्रेण संदिष्टो रजनीचरः। शुको विहंगमो भूत्वा तूर्णमाप्लुत्य चाम्बरम् ॥ 20.13 ॥

sa tadā rākṣasendreṇa saṃdiṣṭo rajanīcaraḥ| śuko vihaṃgamo bhūtvā tūrṇamāplutya cāmbaram || 20.13 ||

Then that night-wanderer Shuka, so commanded by the lord of the rakshasas, turned himself into a bird and swiftly soared into the sky.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.20.14)

स गत्वा दूरमध्वानमुपर्युपरि सागरम्। संस्थितो ह्यम्बरे वाक्यं सुग्रीवमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 20.14 ॥

sa gatvā dūramadhvānamuparyupari sāgaram| saṃsthito hyambare vākyaṃ sugrīvamidamabravīt || 20.14 ||

Having traveled far, high above the ocean, he came to a halt in the sky and spoke these words to Sugriva.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.20.15)

सर्वमुक्तं यथाऽऽदिष्टं रावणेन दुरात्मना। तत् प्रापयन्तं वचनं तूर्णमाप्लुत्य वानराः ॥ 20.15 ॥

sarvamuktaṃ yathā''diṣṭaṃ rāvaṇena durātmanā| tat prāpayantaṃ vacanaṃ tūrṇamāplutya vānarāḥ || 20.15 ||

He repeated in full all that the wicked Ravana had commanded him; and while he was still delivering that message, the monkeys leapt up swiftly -

Shloka 16 (yuddha.20.16)

प्रापद्यन्त तदा क्षिप्रं लोप्तुं हन्तुं च मुष्टिभिः। सर्वैः प्लवंगैः प्रसभं निगृहीतो निशाचरः ॥ 20.16 ॥

prāpadyanta tadā kṣipraṃ loptuṃ hantuṃ ca muṣṭibhiḥ| sarvaiḥ plavaṃgaiḥ prasabhaṃ nigṛhīto niśācaraḥ || 20.16 ||

- reaching him quickly to tear at him and strike him with their fists; and that night-wanderer was forcibly seized by all the monkeys together.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.20.17)

गगनाद् भूतले चाशु प्रतिगृह्यावतारितः। वानरैः पीड्यमानस्तु शुको वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 20.17 ॥

gaganād bhūtale cāśu pratigṛhyāvatāritaḥ| vānaraiḥ pīḍyamānastu śuko vacanamabravīt || 20.17 ||

Seized, he was swiftly brought down from the sky to the ground; and Shuka, thus tormented by the monkeys, spoke these words.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.20.18)

न दूतान् घ्नन्ति काकुत्स्थ वार्यन्तां साधु वानराः। यस्तु हित्वा मतं भर्तुः स्वमतं सम्प्रधारयेत्। अनुक्तवादी दूतः सन् स दूतो वधमर्हति ॥ 20.18 ॥

na dūtān ghnanti kākutstha vāryantāṃ sādhu vānarāḥ| yastu hitvā mataṃ bhartuḥ svamataṃ sampradhārayet| anuktavādī dūtaḥ san sa dūto vadhamarhati || 20.18 ||

“O Kakutstha, envoys are not to be killed - let your monkeys be properly restrained. Only that envoy who abandons his master's word for his own opinion, and speaks what was never told to him, that envoy alone deserves death.”

Shloka 19 (yuddha.20.19)

शुकस्य वचनं रामः श्रुत्वा तु परिदेवितम्। उवाच मावधिष्टेति घ्नतः शाखामृगर्षभान् ॥ 20.19 ॥

śukasya vacanaṃ rāmaḥ śrutvā tu paridevitam| uvāca māvadhiṣṭeti ghnataḥ śākhāmṛgarṣabhān || 20.19 ||

Rama, hearing Shuka's piteous plea, spoke to the foremost of the monkeys who were beating him: “Do not kill him.”

Shloka 20 (yuddha.20.20)

स च पत्रलघुर्भूत्वा हरिभिर्दर्शितेऽभये। अन्तरिक्षे स्थितो भूत्वा पुनर्वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 20.20 ॥

sa ca patralaghurbhūtvā haribhirdarśite'bhaye| antarikṣe sthito bhūtvā punarvacanamabravīt || 20.20 ||

Then, granted safety by the monkeys, he made himself light of wing once more, and, standing in the sky, spoke again.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.20.21)

सुग्रीव सत्त्वसम्पन्न महाबलपराक्रम। किं मया खलु वक्तव्यो रावणो लोकरावणः ॥ 20.21 ॥

sugrīva sattvasampanna mahābalaparākrama| kiṃ mayā khalu vaktavyo rāvaṇo lokarāvaṇaḥ || 20.21 ||

“O Sugriva, endowed with courage, of great strength and prowess - what indeed am I now to say to Ravana, the terror of all the worlds?”

Shloka 22 (yuddha.20.22)

स एवमुक्तः प्लवगाधिपस्तदा प्लवंगमानामृषभो महाबलः। उवाच वाक्यं रजनीचरस्य चारं शुकं शुद्धमदीनसत्त्वः ॥ 20.22 ॥

sa evamuktaḥ plavagādhipastadā plavaṃgamānāmṛṣabho mahābalaḥ| uvāca vākyaṃ rajanīcarasya cāraṃ śukaṃ śuddhamadīnasattvaḥ || 20.22 ||

Thus addressed, Sugriva, lord and foremost bull of the monkeys, mighty and undaunted in spirit, then spoke these words to Shuka, that unblemished spy of the night-wanderer.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.20.23)

न मेऽसि मित्रं न तथानुकम्प्यो न चोपकर्तासि न मे प्रियोऽसि। अरिश्च रामस्य सहानुबन्ध- स्ततोऽसि वालीव वधार्ह वध्यः ॥ 20.23 ॥

na me'si mitraṃ na tathānukampyo na copakartāsi na me priyo'si| ariśca rāmasya sahānubandha- stato'si vālīva vadhārha vadhyaḥ || 20.23 ||

“You are no friend of mine, nor one deserving of pity; you have done me no service, nor are you dear to me. You are Rama's enemy, together with all who follow you - and so, like Vali, you deserve death, and death you shall have.”

Shloka 24 (yuddha.20.24)

निहन्म्यहं त्वां ससुतं सबन्धुं सज्ञातिवर्गं रजनीचरेश। लङ्कां च सर्वां महता बलेन सर्वैः करिष्यामि समेत्य भस्म ॥ 20.24 ॥

nihanmyahaṃ tvāṃ sasutaṃ sabandhuṃ sajñātivargaṃ rajanīcareśa| laṅkāṃ ca sarvāṃ mahatā balena sarvaiḥ kariṣyāmi sametya bhasma || 20.24 ||

“O lord of the night-wanderers, I shall slay you along with your sons, your kinsmen, and your entire clan; and gathering all my mighty forces, I shall reduce the whole of Lanka to ashes.”

Shloka 25 (yuddha.20.25)

न मोक्ष्यसे रावण राघवस्य सुरैः सहेन्द्रैरपि मूढ गुप्तः। अन्तर्हितः सूर्यपथं गतोऽपि तथैव पातालमनुप्रविष्टः। गिरीशपादाम्बुजसंगतो वा हतोऽसि रामेण सहानुजस्त्वम् ॥ 20.25 ॥

na mokṣyase rāvaṇa rāghavasya suraiḥ sahendrairapi mūḍha guptaḥ| antarhitaḥ sūryapathaṃ gato'pi tathaiva pātālamanupraviṣṭaḥ| girīśapādāmbujasaṃgato vā hato'si rāmeṇa sahānujastvam || 20.25 ||

“O deluded Ravana, you shall not escape Raghava, even guarded by Indra and all the gods - whether you vanish from sight, or reach the very path of the sun, or plunge into Patala itself, or take refuge at the very lotus feet of Shiva. You and your brother are as good as slain by Rama already.”

Shloka 26 (yuddha.20.26)

तस्य ते त्रिषु लोकेषु न पिशाचं न राक्षसम्। त्रातारं नानुपश्यामि न गन्धर्वं न चासुरम् ॥ 20.26 ॥

tasya te triṣu lokeṣu na piśācaṃ na rākṣasam| trātāraṃ nānupaśyāmi na gandharvaṃ na cāsuram || 20.26 ||

“I see for you, in the three worlds, no rescuer - be it pishacha, rakshasa, gandharva, or asura.”

Shloka 27 (yuddha.20.27)

अवधीस्त्वं जरावृद्धं गृध्रराजं जटायुषम्। किं नु ते रामसांनिध्ये सकाशे लक्ष्मणस्य च। हृता सीता विशालाक्षी यां त्वं गृह्य न बुध्यसे ॥ 20.27 ॥

avadhīstvaṃ jarāvṛddhaṃ gṛdhrarājaṃ jaṭāyuṣam| kiṃ nu te rāmasāṃnidhye sakāśe lakṣmaṇasya ca| hṛtā sītā viśālākṣī yāṃ tvaṃ gṛhya na budhyase || 20.27 ||

“You slew Jatayu, the aged king of vultures - and you carried off wide-eyed Sita, seizing her without even realizing what you had done. Could you do so now, in the very presence of Rama and Lakshmana?”

Shloka 28 (yuddha.20.28)

महाबलं महात्मानं दुराधर्षं सुरैरपि। न बुध्यसे रघुश्रेष्ठं यस्ते प्राणान् हरिष्यति ॥ 20.28 ॥

mahābalaṃ mahātmānaṃ durādharṣaṃ surairapi| na budhyase raghuśreṣṭhaṃ yaste prāṇān hariṣyati || 20.28 ||

“You do not realize how mighty, how great of soul, how unassailable even to the gods, is this best of the Raghus, who shall now take your very life.”

Shloka 29 (yuddha.20.29)

ततोऽब्रवीद् वालिसुतोऽप्यङ्गदो हरिसत्तमः। नायं दूतो महाराज चारकः प्रतिभाति मे ॥ 20.29 ॥

tato'bravīd vālisuto'pyaṅgado harisattamaḥ| nāyaṃ dūto mahārāja cārakaḥ pratibhāti me || 20.29 ||

Then Angada, son of Vali and foremost among the monkeys, spoke: “O great king, this one does not seem to me an envoy at all - he seems a spy.”

Shloka 30 (yuddha.20.30)

तुलितं हि बलं सर्वमनेन तव तिष्ठता। गृह्यतां मागमल्लङ्कामेतद्धि मम रोचते ॥ 20.30 ॥

tulitaṃ hi balaṃ sarvamanena tava tiṣṭhatā| gṛhyatāṃ māgamallaṅkāmetaddhi mama rocate || 20.30 ||

“Standing here, he has weighed the whole of our army. Let him be seized - let him not return to Lanka; this is what seems right to me.”

Shloka 31 (yuddha.20.31)

ततो राज्ञा समादिष्टाः समुत्पत्य वलीमुखाः। जगृहुश्च बबन्धुश्च विलपन्तमनाथवत् ॥ 20.31 ॥

tato rājñā samādiṣṭāḥ samutpatya valīmukhāḥ| jagṛhuśca babandhuśca vilapantamanāthavat || 20.31 ||

Then, commanded by the king, the monkeys leapt up and seized him, and bound him as he wailed helplessly.

Shloka 32 (yuddha.20.32)

शुकस्तु वानरैश्चण्डैस्तत्र तैः सम्प्रपीडितः। व्याचुक्रोश महात्मानं रामं दशरथात्मजम्। लुप्येते मे बलात् पक्षौ भिद्येते मे तथाक्षिणी ॥ 20.32 ॥

śukastu vānaraiścaṇḍaistatra taiḥ samprapīḍitaḥ| vyācukrośa mahātmānaṃ rāmaṃ daśarathātmajam| lupyete me balāt pakṣau bhidyete me tathākṣiṇī || 20.32 ||

Shuka, sorely tormented there by those fierce monkeys, cried out loudly to the great-souled Rama, son of Dasharatha: “My wings are being forcibly torn away, and my eyes too are being gouged out!”

Shloka 33 (yuddha.20.33)

यां च रात्रिं मरिष्यामि जाये रात्रिं च यामहम्। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे काले यन्मया ह्यशुभं कृतम्। सर्वं तदुपपद्येथा जह्यां चेद् यदि जीवितम् ॥ 20.33 ॥

yāṃ ca rātriṃ mariṣyāmi jāye rātriṃ ca yāmaham| etasminnantare kāle yanmayā hyaśubhaṃ kṛtam| sarvaṃ tadupapadyethā jahyāṃ ced yadi jīvitam || 20.33 ||

“By the night on which I was born, and the night on which I am to die - whatever sin I have committed in the time between, should I now lose my life, let it all fall upon you.”

Shloka 34 (yuddha.20.34)

नाघातयत् तदा रामः श्रुत्वा तत्परिदेवितम्। वानरानब्रवीद् रामो मुच्यतां दूत आगतः ॥ 20.34 ॥

nāghātayat tadā rāmaḥ śrutvā tatparidevitam| vānarānabravīd rāmo mucyatāṃ dūta āgataḥ || 20.34 ||

Hearing that lament, Rama did not allow him to be killed. Rama said to the monkeys, “Let him go free - he came here as an envoy.”