Shuka Completes the Roll of the Vanara Chiefs

Shloka 1 (yuddha.28.1)

सारणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा रावणं राक्षसाधिपम् । बलमादिश्य तत्सर्वं शुको वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ॥ ६-२८-१ ॥

sāraṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā rāvaṇaṃ rākṣasādhipam | balam ādiśya tat sarvaṃ śuko vākyam athābravīt || 6-28-1 ||

Having heard Sarana's words, Shuka, pointing out that entire army to Ravana the lord of rakshasas, then spoke as follows.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.28.2)

स्थितान् पश्यसि यानेतान् मत्तानिव महाद्विपान् । न्यग्रोधानिव गाङ्गेयान् सालान् हैमवतानिव ॥ ६-२८-२ ॥

sthitān paśyasi yān etān mattān iva mahādvipān | nyagrodhān iva gāṅgeyān sālān haimavatān iva || 6-28-2 ||

Those you see standing there are like elephants in rut, like banyan trees on the banks of the Ganga, like sala trees upon the Himalayas.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.28.3)

एते दुष्प्रसहा राजन् बलिनः कामरूपिणः । दैत्यदानवसंकाशा युद्धे देवपराक्रमाः ॥ ६-२८-३ ॥

ete duṣprasahā rājan balinaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ | daityadānavasaṃkāśā yuddhe devaparākramāḥ || 6-28-3 ||

O king, these mighty ones are irresistible, able to change their form at will; equal in splendour to daityas and danavas, and in battle they possess the valour of the gods.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.28.4)

एषां कोटिसहस्राणि नव पञ्च च सप्त च । तथा शङ्कुसहस्राणि तथा वृन्दशतानि च ॥ ६-२८-४ ॥

eṣāṃ koṭisahasrāṇi nava pañca ca sapta ca | tathā śaṅkusahasrāṇi tathā vṛndaśatāni ca || 6-28-4 ||

Of these there are twenty-one thousand crores, along with a thousand shankus and a hundred vrindas.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.28.5)

एते सुग्रीवसचिवाः किष्किन्धानिलयाः सदा । हरयो देवगन्धर्वैरुत्पन्नाः कामरूपिणः ॥ ६-२८-५ ॥

ete sugrīvasacivāḥ kiṣkindhānilayāḥ sadā | harayo devagandharvair utpannāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ || 6-28-5 ||

These monkeys, counsellors of Sugreeva, ever dwelling in Kishkindha, were born of celestials and gandharvas and can change their form at will.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.28.6)

यौ तौ पश्यसि तिष्ठन्तौ कुमारौ देवरूपिणौ । मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चैव ताभ्यां नास्ति समो युधि ॥ ६-२८-६ ॥

yau tau paśyasi tiṣṭhantau kumārau devarūpiṇau | maindaś ca dvividaś caiva tābhyāṃ nāsti samo yudhi || 6-28-6 ||

Those two youths you see standing there, of celestial form, are Mainda and Dvivida; in battle none is their equal.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.28.7)

ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातावमृतप्राशिनावुभौ । आशंसेते यथा लङ्कामेतौ मर्दितुमोजसा ॥ ६-२८-७ ॥

brahmaṇā samanujñātāv amṛtaprāśināv ubhau | āśaṃsete yathā laṅkām etau marditum ojasā || 6-28-7 ||

Both, having tasted ambrosia with Brahma's own sanction, now hope to crush Lanka by their sheer power.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.28.8)

यं तु पश्यसि तिष्ठन्तं प्रभिन्नमिव कुञ्जरम् । यो बलात् क्षोभयेत् क्रुद्धः समुद्रमपि वानरः ॥ ६-२८-८ ॥

yaṃ tu paśyasi tiṣṭhantaṃ prabhinnam iva kuñjaram | yo balāt kṣobhayet kruddhaḥ samudram api vānaraḥ || 6-28-8 ||

And that monkey whom you see standing there, resembling an elephant in rut, who in fury could by his strength churn up even the ocean itself,

Shloka 9 (yuddha.28.9)

एषोऽभिगन्ता लङ्कायां वैदेह्यास्तव च प्रभो । एनं पश्य पुरा दृष्टं वानरं पुनरागतम् ॥ ६-२८-९ ॥

eṣo'bhigantā laṅkāyāṃ vaidehyās tava ca prabho | enaṃ paśya purā dṛṣṭaṃ vānaraṃ punar āgatam || 6-28-9 ||

he it was, O lord, who came before into Lanka to seek Videha's daughter and to spy on you. See, that monkey seen once before has come again.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.28.10)

ज्येष्ठः केसरिणः पुत्रो वातात्मज इति श्रुतः । हनूमानिति विख्यातो लङ्घितो येन सागरः ॥ ६-२८-१० ॥

jyeṣṭhaḥ kesariṇaḥ putro vātātmaja iti śrutaḥ | hanūmān iti vikhyāto laṅghito yena sāgaraḥ || 6-28-10 ||

He is the eldest son of Kesari, known as the son of the wind-god, famed as Hanuman, by whom the ocean was leapt across.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.28.11)

कामरूपो हरिश्रेष्ठो बलरूपसमन्वितः । अनिवार्यगतिश्चैव यथा सततगः प्रभुः ॥ ६-२८-११ ॥

kāmarūpo hariśreṣṭho balarūpasamanvitaḥ | anivāryagatiś caiva yathā satatagaḥ prabhuḥ || 6-28-11 ||

This foremost of monkeys can assume any form at will, is endowed with strength and beauty, and moves with an unhindered course, like the wind-god himself, ever in motion.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.28.12)

उद्यन्तं भास्करं दृष्ट्वा बालः किल बुभुक्षितः । त्रियोजनसहस्रं तु अध्वानमवतीर्य हि ॥ ६-२८-१२ ॥

udyantaṃ bhāskaraṃ dṛṣṭvā bālaḥ kila bubhukṣitaḥ | triyojanasahasraṃ tu adhvānam avatīrya hi || 6-28-12 ||

As a child, they say, hungry, seeing the sun rise, he took to the sky across a distance of three thousand yojanas,

Shloka 13 (yuddha.28.13)

आदित्यमाहरिष्यामि न मे क्षुत् प्रतियास्यति । इति निश्चित्य मनसा पुप्लुवे बलदर्पितः ॥ ६-२८-१३ ॥

ādityam āhariṣyāmi na me kṣut pratiyāsyati | iti niścitya manasā pupluve baladarpitaḥ || 6-28-13 ||

resolving in his mind, 'I shall seize the sun itself, or else my hunger will not depart' -- and, intoxicated with his own strength, he leapt up.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.28.14)

अनाधृष्यतमं देवमपि देवर्षिराक्षसैः । अनासाद्यैव पतितो भास्करोदयने गिरौ ॥ ६-२८-१४ ॥

anādhṛṣyatamaṃ devam api devarṣirākṣasaiḥ | anāsādyaiva patito bhāskarodayane girau || 6-28-14 ||

Without even reaching that sun, unassailable even by gods, sages, or demons, he fell upon the mountain of sunrise.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.28.15)

पतितस्य कपेरस्य हनुरेका शिलातले । किंचिद् भिन्ना दृढहनुर्हनूमानेष तेन वै ॥ ६-२८-१५ ॥

patitasya kapeḥ asya hanur ekā śilātale | kiṃcid bhinnā dṛḍhahanur hanūmān eṣa tena vai || 6-28-15 ||

In his fall, one jaw of this monkey struck a rocky slab and was somewhat fractured; for that reason this strong-jawed one is named Hanuman.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.28.16)

सत्यमागमयोगेन ममैष विदितो हरिः । नास्य शक्यं बलं रूपं प्रभावो वानुभाषितुम् ॥ ६-२८-१६ ॥

satyam āgamayogena mamaiṣa vidito hariḥ | nāsya śakyaṃ balaṃ rūpaṃ prabhāvo vānubhāṣitum || 6-28-16 ||

This monkey is known to me, in truth, only through report; his strength, his form, his glory -- none of these can be adequately told.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.28.17)

एष आशंसते लङ्कामेको मथितुमोजसा । येन जाज्वल्यतेऽसौ वै धूमकेतुस्तवाद्य वै । लङ्कायां निहितश्चापि कथं विस्मरसे कपिम् ॥ ६-२८-१७ ॥

eṣa āśaṃsate laṅkām eko mathitum ojasā | yena jājvalyate'sau vai dhūmaketus tavādya vai | laṅkāyāṃ nihitaś cāpi kathaṃ vismarase kapim || 6-28-17 ||

He alone hopes to churn Lanka by his own power. He it was who set ablaze the very comet-fire that still today burns in your Lanka -- how have you forgotten this monkey?

Shloka 18 (yuddha.28.18)

यश्चैषोऽनन्तरः शूरः श्यामः पद्मनिभेक्षणः । इक्ष्वाकूणामतिरथो लोके विश्रुतपौरुषः ॥ ६-२८-१८ ॥

yaś caiṣo'nantaraḥ śūraḥ śyāmaḥ padmanibhekṣaṇaḥ | ikṣvākūṇām atiratho loke viśrutapauruṣaḥ || 6-28-18 ||

And this hero standing close by, dark of hue, with eyes like lotuses -- a great chariot-warrior of the Ikshvakus, whose manhood is renowned throughout the world,

Shloka 19 (yuddha.28.19)

यस्मिन् न चलते धर्मो यो धर्मं नातिवर्तते । यो ब्राह्ममस्त्रं वेदांश्च वेद वेदविदां वरः ॥ ६-२८-१९ ॥

yasmin na calate dharmo yo dharmaṃ nātivartate | yo brāhmam astraṃ vedāṃś ca veda vedavidāṃ varaḥ || 6-28-19 ||

in whom righteousness never wavers, and who himself never transgresses righteousness; who knows the Brahma-weapon and the Vedas, foremost among knowers of the Veda,

Shloka 20 (yuddha.28.20)

यो भिन्द्याद् गगनं बाणैर्मेदिनीं वापि दारयेत् । यस्य मृत्योरिव क्रोधः शक्रस्येव पराक्रमः ॥ ६-२८-२० ॥

yo bhindyād gaganaṃ bāṇair medinīṃ vāpi dārayet | yasya mṛtyor iva krodhaḥ śakrasyeva parākramaḥ || 6-28-20 ||

who could cleave the very firmament with his arrows, and rend the earth besides; whose wrath is like Death's, whose valour is like Indra's,

Shloka 21 (yuddha.28.21)

यस्य भार्या जनस्थानात् सीता चापि हृता त्वया । स एष रामस्त्वां राजन् योद्धुं समभिवर्तते ॥ ६-२८-२१ ॥

yasya bhāryā janasthānāt sītā cāpi hṛtā tvayā | sa eṣa rāmas tvāṃ rājan yoddhuṃ samabhivartate || 6-28-21 ||

whose wife Sita was carried off by you from Janasthana -- that Rama, O king, now advances upon you to give battle.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.28.22)

यस्यैष दक्षिणे पार्श्वे शुद्धजाम्बूनदप्रभः । विशालवक्षास्ताम्राक्षो नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजः ॥ ६-२८-२२ ॥

yasyaiṣa dakṣiṇe pārśve śuddhajāmbūnadaprabhaḥ | viśālavakṣās tāmrākṣo nīlakuñcitamūrdhajaḥ || 6-28-22 ||

And at his right side stands one radiant as pure gold, broad-chested, copper-eyed, with dark curling locks,

Shloka 23 (yuddha.28.23)

एषो हि लक्ष्मणो नाम भ्रातुः प्रियहिते रतः । नये युद्धे च कुशलः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥ ६-२८-२३ ॥

eṣo hi lakṣmaṇo nāma bhrātuḥ priyahite rataḥ | naye yuddhe ca kuśalaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ || 6-28-23 ||

this is he named Lakshmana, devoted to his brother's welfare and pleasure, skilled alike in counsel and in war, foremost of all wielders of weapons.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.28.24)

अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तश्च जयी बली । रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः ॥ ६-२८-२४ ॥

amarṣī durjayo jetā vikrāntaś ca jayī balī | rāmasya dakṣiṇo bāhur nityaṃ prāṇo bahiścaraḥ || 6-28-24 ||

Fierce in wrath, unconquerable, ever victorious, valiant and strong -- he is forever Rama's right arm, his very life moving about outside him.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.28.25)

नह्येष राघवस्यार्थे जीवितं परिरक्षति । एषैवाशंसते युद्धे निहन्तुं सर्वराक्षसान् ॥ ६-२८-२५ ॥

nahy eṣa rāghavasyārthe jīvitaṃ parirakṣati | eṣaivāśaṃsate yuddhe nihantuṃ sarvarākṣasān || 6-28-25 ||

For Raghava's sake he does not even guard his own life; he alone hopes, in battle, to slay every last rakshasa.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.28.26)

यस्तु सव्यमसौ पक्षं रामस्याश्रित्य तिष्ठति । रक्षोगणपरिक्षिप्तो राजा ह्येष विभीषणः ॥ ६-२८-२६ ॥

yas tu savyam asau pakṣaṃ rāmasyāśritya tiṣṭhati | rakṣogaṇaparikṣipto rājā hy eṣa vibhīṣaṇaḥ || 6-28-26 ||

And he who stands there at Rama's left side, ringed about by a company of rakshasas, is King Vibhishana himself.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.28.27)

श्रीमता राजराजेन लङ्कायामभिषेचितः । त्वामसौ प्रतिसंरब्धो युद्धायैषोऽभिवर्तते ॥ ६-२८-२७ ॥

śrīmatā rājarājena laṅkāyām abhiṣecitaḥ | tvām asau pratisaṃrabdho yuddhāyaiṣo'bhivartate || 6-28-27 ||

By the glorious Rama, king of kings, he has been consecrated as king over Lanka; and now, enraged against you, he advances to give battle.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.28.28)

यं तु पश्यसि तिष्ठन्तं मध्ये गिरिमिवाचलम् । सर्वशाखामृगेन्द्राणां भर्तारममितौजसम् ॥ ६-२८-२८ ॥

yaṃ tu paśyasi tiṣṭhantaṃ madhye girim ivācalam | sarvaśākhāmṛgendrāṇāṃ bhartāram amitaujasam || 6-28-28 ||

And him whom you see standing in the midst, unmoving as a mountain, lord of all the chieftains of monkeys, of boundless splendour,

Shloka 29 (yuddha.28.29)

तेजसा यशसा बुद्ध्या बलेनाभिजनेन च । यः कपीनतिबभ्राज हिमवानिव पर्वतः ॥ ६-२८-२९ ॥

tejasā yaśasā buddhyā balenābhijanena ca | yaḥ kapīn atibabhrāja himavān iva parvataḥ || 6-28-29 ||

who by splendour, fame, wisdom, strength and noble lineage outshines the other monkeys as the Himalaya outshines lesser mountains,

Shloka 30 (yuddha.28.30)

किष्किन्धां यः समध्यास्ते गुहां सगहनद्रुमाम् । दुर्गां पर्वतदुर्गम्यां प्रधानैः सह यूथपैः ॥ ६-२८-३० ॥

kiṣkindhāṃ yaḥ samadhyāste guhāṃ sagahanadrumām | durgāṃ parvatadurgamyāṃ pradhānaiḥ saha yūthapaiḥ || 6-28-30 ||

who, together with his chief commanders, dwells in cave-like Kishkindha, thick with forest and made impregnable by its mountains,

Shloka 31 (yuddha.28.31)

यस्यैषा काञ्चनी माला शोभते शतपुष्करा । कान्ता देवमनुष्याणां यस्यां लक्ष्मीः प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ ६-२८-३१ ॥

yasyaiṣā kāñcanī mālā śobhate śatapuṣkarā | kāntā devamanuṣyāṇāṃ yasyāṃ lakṣmīḥ pratiṣṭhitā || 6-28-31 ||

on whom shines a golden garland of a hundred lotuses, dear to gods and men, in which good fortune itself abides,

Shloka 32 (yuddha.28.32)

एतां मालां च तारां च कपिराज्यं च शाश्वतम् । सुग्रीवो वालिनं हत्वा रामेण प्रतिपादितः ॥ ६-२८-३२ ॥

etāṃ mālāṃ ca tārāṃ ca kapirājyaṃ ca śāśvatam | sugrīvo vālinaṃ hatvā rāmeṇa pratipāditaḥ || 6-28-32 ||

-- that is Sugreeva, to whom this garland, and Tara, and the everlasting kingship of the monkeys were given by Rama, after Vali was slain.

Shloka 33 (yuddha.28.33)

शतं शतसहस्राणां कोटिमाहुर्मनीषिणः । शतं कोटिसहस्राणां शङ्कुरित्यभिधीयते ॥ ६-२८-३३ ॥

śataṃ śatasahasrāṇāṃ koṭim āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | śataṃ koṭisahasrāṇāṃ śaṅkur ity abhidhīyate || 6-28-33 ||

The wise say that a hundred lakhs make a crore; a hundred thousand crores are called a shanku.

Shloka 34 (yuddha.28.34)

शतं शङ्कुसहस्राणां महाशङ्कुरिति स्मृतः । महाशङ्कुसहस्राणां शतं वृन्दमिहोच्यते ॥ ६-२८-३४ ॥

śataṃ śaṅkusahasrāṇāṃ mahāśaṅkur iti smṛtaḥ | mahāśaṅkusahasrāṇāṃ śataṃ vṛndam ihocyate || 6-28-34 ||

A hundred thousand shankus are remembered as one maha-shanku; a hundred thousand maha-shankus are here called one vrinda.

Shloka 35 (yuddha.28.35)

शतं वृन्दसहस्राणां महावृन्दमिति स्मृतम् । महावृन्दसहस्राणां शतं पद्ममिहोच्यते ॥ ६-२८-३५ ॥

śataṃ vṛndasahasrāṇāṃ mahāvṛndam iti smṛtam | mahāvṛndasahasrāṇāṃ śataṃ padmam ihocyate || 6-28-35 ||

A hundred thousand vrindas are remembered as one maha-vrinda; a hundred thousand maha-vrindas are here called one padma.

Shloka 36 (yuddha.28.36)

शतं पद्मसहस्राणां महापद्ममिति स्मृतम् । महापद्मसहस्राणां शतं खर्वमिहोच्यते ॥ ६-२८-३६ ॥

śataṃ padmasahasrāṇāṃ mahāpadmam iti smṛtam | mahāpadmasahasrāṇāṃ śataṃ kharvam ihocyate || 6-28-36 ||

A hundred thousand padmas are remembered as one maha-padma; a hundred thousand maha-padmas are here called one kharva.

Shloka 37 (yuddha.28.37)

शतं खर्वसहस्राणां महाखर्वमिति स्मृतम् । महाखर्वसहस्राणां समुद्रमभिधीयते ॥ ६-२८-३७ ॥

śataṃ kharvasahasrāṇāṃ mahākharvam iti smṛtam | mahākharvasahasrāṇāṃ samudram abhidhīyate || 6-28-37 ||

A hundred thousand kharvas are remembered as one maha-kharva; a hundred thousand maha-kharvas are called one samudra.

Shloka 38 (yuddha.28.38)

शतं समुद्रसाहस्रमोघ इत्यभिधीयते । शतमोघसहस्राणां महौघ इति विश्रुतः ॥ ६-२८-३८ ॥

śataṃ samudrasāhasram ogha ity abhidhīyate | śatam oghasahasrāṇāṃ mahaugha iti viśrutaḥ || 6-28-38 ||

A hundred thousand samudras are called one ogha; a hundred thousand oghas are renowned as one maha-ogha.

Shloka 39 (yuddha.28.39)

एवं कोटिसहस्रेण शङ्कूनां च शतेन च । महाशङ्कुसहस्रेण तथा वृन्दशतेन च ॥ ६-२८-३९ ॥

evaṃ koṭisahasreṇa śaṅkūnāṃ ca śatena ca | mahāśaṅkusahasreṇa tathā vṛndaśatena ca || 6-28-39 ||

Thus reckoning by a thousand crores, and a hundred shankus, and a thousand maha-shankus, and a hundred vrindas,

Shloka 40 (yuddha.28.40)

महावृन्दसहस्रेण तथा पद्मशतेन च । महापद्मसहस्रेण तथा खर्वशतेन च ॥ ६-२८-४० ॥

mahāvṛndasahasreṇa tathā padmaśatena ca | mahāpadmasahasreṇa tathā kharvaśatena ca || 6-28-40 ||

and a thousand maha-vrindas, a hundred padmas, a thousand maha-padmas, and a hundred kharvas,

Shloka 41 (yuddha.28.41)

समुद्रेण च तेनैव महौघेन तथैव च । एष कोटिमहौघेन समुद्रसदृशेन च ॥ ६-२८-४१ ॥

samudreṇa ca tenaiva mahaughena tathaiva ca | eṣa koṭimahaughena samudrasadṛśena ca || 6-28-41 ||

and by that same number of samudras and maha-oghas, and by a crore of maha-oghas -- with this army, vast as an ocean,

Shloka 42 (yuddha.28.42)

विभीषणेन वीरेण सचिवैः परिवारितः । सुग्रीवो वानरेन्द्रस्त्वां युद्धार्थमभिवर्तते ॥ ६-२८-४२ ॥

vibhīṣaṇena vīreṇa sacivaiḥ parivāritaḥ | sugrīvo vānarendras tvāṃ yuddhārtham abhivartate || 6-28-42 ||

surrounded by the valiant Vibhishana and by his counsellors, Sugreeva, lord of the monkeys, advances upon you for battle,

Shloka 43 (yuddha.28.43)

महाबलवृतो नित्यं महाबलपराक्रमः ॥ ६-२८-४३ ॥

mahābalavṛto nityaṃ mahābalaparākramaḥ || 6-28-43 ||

ever encompassed by a mighty force, himself possessed of great strength and valour.

Shloka 44 (yuddha.28.44)

इमां महाराज समीक्ष्य वाहिनी- मुपस्थितां प्रज्वलितग्रहोपमाम् । ततः प्रयत्नः परमो विधीयतां यथा जयः स्यान्न परैः पराभवः ॥ ६-२८-४४ ॥

imāṃ mahārāja samīkṣya vāhinīm upasthitāṃ prajvalitagrahopamām | tataḥ prayatnaḥ paramo vidhīyatāṃ yathā jayaḥ syān na paraiḥ parābhavaḥ || 6-28-44 ||

O great king, having well considered this army now arrived, blazing like a fiery planet, let the greatest effort now be made, so that victory may be ours and not defeat at the enemy's hands.