Ravana Reprimands Shuka and Sarana

Shloka 1 (yuddha.29.1)

शुकेन तु समादिष्टान् दृष्ट्वा स हरियूथपान् । लक्ष्मणं च महावीर्यं भुजं रामस्य दक्षिणम् ॥ ६-२९-१ ॥

śukena tu samādiṣṭān dṛṣṭvā sa hariyūthapān | lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāvīryaṃ bhujaṃ rāmasya dakṣiṇam || 6-29-1 ||

Having seen those chiefs of the monkey-host pointed out by Shuka -- the most valiant Lakshmana, Rama's own right arm,

Shloka 2 (yuddha.29.2)

समीपस्थं च रामस्य भ्रातरं च विभीषणम् । सर्ववानरराजं च सुग्रीवं भीमविक्रमम् ॥ ६-२९-२ ॥

samīpasthaṃ ca rāmasya bhrātaraṃ ca vibhīṣaṇam | sarvavānararājaṃ ca sugrīvaṃ bhīmavikramam || 6-29-2 ||

Vibhishana, Rama's own adopted brother standing close beside him, and Sugreeva of terrible prowess, king of all the monkeys,

Shloka 3 (yuddha.29.3)

अङ्गदं चापि बलिनं वज्रहस्तात्मजात्मजम् । हनूमन्तं च विक्रान्तं जाम्बवन्तं च दुर्जयम् ॥ ६-२९-३ ॥

aṅgadaṃ cāpi balinaṃ vajrahastātmajātmajam | hanūmantaṃ ca vikrāntaṃ jāmbavantaṃ ca durjayam || 6-29-3 ||

the mighty Angada, grandson of the wielder of the thunderbolt, the valiant Hanuman, and the unconquerable Jambavan,

Shloka 4 (yuddha.29.4)

सुषेणं कुमुदं नीलं नलं च प्लवगर्षभम् । गजं गवाक्षं शरभं मैन्दं च द्विविदं तथा ॥ ६-२९-४ ॥

suṣeṇaṃ kumudaṃ nīlaṃ nalaṃ ca plavagarṣabham | gajaṃ gavākṣaṃ śarabhaṃ maindaṃ ca dvividaṃ tathā || 6-29-4 ||

Sushena, Kumuda, Nila, and Nala the bull among monkeys, Gaja, Gavaksha, Sharabha, and also Mainda and Dvivida --

Shloka 5 (yuddha.29.5)

किंचिदाविग्नहृदयो जातक्रोधश्च रावणः । भर्त्सयामास तौ वीरौ कथान्ते शुकसारणौ ॥ ६-२९-५ ॥

kiṃcid āvignahṛdayo jātakrodhaś ca rāvaṇaḥ | bhartsayāmāsa tau vīrau kathānte śukasāraṇau || 6-29-5 ||

Ravana, his heart a little shaken and his anger kindled, then rebuked those two heroes Shuka and Sarana, as soon as their report was ended.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.29.6)

अधोमुखौ तौ प्रणतावब्रवीच्छुकसारणौ । रोषगद्गदया वाचा संरब्धं परुषं तथा ॥ ६-२९-६ ॥

adhomukhau tau praṇatāv abravīc chukasāraṇau | roṣagadgadayā vācā saṃrabdhaṃ paruṣaṃ tathā || 6-29-6 ||

To Shuka and Sarana, standing bowed with faces cast down, Ravana spoke, in a voice choked with rage, words harsh and vehement.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.29.7)

न तावत् सदृशं नाम सचिवैरुपजीविभिः । विप्रियं नृपतेर्वक्तुं निग्रहे प्रग्रहे प्रभोः ॥ ६-२९-७ ॥

na tāvat sadṛśaṃ nāma sacivair upajīvibhiḥ | vipriyaṃ nṛpater vaktuṃ nigrahe pragrahe prabhoḥ || 6-29-7 ||

"It is surely not befitting for dependent ministers to speak unwelcome words to their king, who has the power both to punish and to reward."

Shloka 8 (yuddha.29.8)

रिपूणां प्रतिकूलानां युद्धार्थमभिवर्तताम् । उभाभ्यां सदृशं नाम वक्तुमप्रस्तवे स्तवम् ॥ ६-२९-८ ॥

ripūṇāṃ pratikūlānāṃ yuddhārtham abhivartatām | ubhābhyāṃ sadṛśaṃ nāma vaktum aprastave stavam || 6-29-8 ||

"Is it fitting for you both to sing, out of season, the praises of enemies who are hostile to us and advancing for war?"

Shloka 9 (yuddha.29.9)

आचार्या गुरवो वृद्धा वृथा वां पर्युपासिताः । सारं यद् राजशास्त्राणामनुजीव्यं न गृह्यते ॥ ६-२९-९ ॥

ācāryā guravo vṛddhā vṛthā vāṃ paryupāsitāḥ | sāraṃ yad rājaśāstrāṇām anujīvyaṃ na gṛhyate || 6-29-9 ||

"In vain have you both waited upon your teachers, preceptors, and elders, since you have not grasped the essence of political science that ought to be followed."

Shloka 10 (yuddha.29.10)

गृहीतो वा न विज्ञातो भारोऽज्ञानस्य वाह्यते । ईदृशैः सचिवैर्युक्तो मूर्खैर्दिष्ट्या धराम्यहम् ॥ ६-२९-१० ॥

gṛhīto vā na vijñāto bhāro'jñānasya vāhyate | īdṛśaiḥ sacivair yukto mūrkhair diṣṭyā dharāmy aham || 6-29-10 ||

"Either you never grasped it, or having grasped it did not understand -- you merely carry the burden of ignorance. That I still hold my sovereignty at all, saddled with such foolish ministers, is sheer fortune."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.29.11)

किं नु मृत्योर्भयं नास्ति मां वक्तुं परुषं वचः । यस्य मे शासतो जिह्वा प्रयच्छति शुभाशुभम् ॥ ६-२९-११ ॥

kiṃ nu mṛtyor bhayaṃ nāsti māṃ vaktuṃ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ | yasya me śāsato jihvā prayacchati śubhāśubham || 6-29-11 ||

"Have you then no fear of death, that you dare speak such harsh words to me, whose commanding tongue dispenses good fortune and ill?"

Shloka 12 (yuddha.29.12)

अप्येव दहनं स्पृष्ट्वा वने तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः । राजदण्डपरामृष्टास्तिष्ठन्ते नापराधिनः ॥ ६-२९-१२ ॥

apy eva dahanaṃ spṛṣṭvā vane tiṣṭhanti pādapāḥ | rājadaṇḍaparāmṛṣṭās tiṣṭhante nāparādhinaḥ || 6-29-12 ||

"Trees in the forest may survive even after being touched by fire, but the guilty, once seized by the king's rod of punishment, do not survive."

Shloka 13 (yuddha.29.13)

हन्यामहं त्विमौ पापौ शत्रुपक्षप्रशंसिनौ । यदि पूर्वोपकारैर्मे क्रोधो न मृदुतां व्रजेत् ॥ ६-२९-१३ ॥

hanyām ahaṃ tv imau pāpau śatrupakṣapraśaṃsinau | yadi pūrvopakārair me krodho na mṛdutāṃ vrajet || 6-29-13 ||

"I would slay these two sinners who praise the enemy's side, were it not that my anger is softened by their past services."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.29.14)

अपध्वंसत नश्यध्वं संनिकर्षादितो मम । नहि वां हन्तुमिच्छामि स्मराम्युपकृतानि वाम् । हतावेव कृतघ्नौ द्वौ मयि स्नेहपराङ्मुखौ ॥ ६-२९-१४ ॥

apadhvaṃsata naśyadhvaṃ saṃnikarṣād ito mama | na hi vāṃ hantum icchāmi smarāmy upakṛtāni vām | hatāv eva kṛtaghnau dvau mayi snehaparāṅmukhau || 6-29-14 ||

"Away with you both -- vanish from my presence. I do not wish to kill you; I remember your past services. Yet ungrateful and turned away from affection for me, you two are, to me, as good as dead."

Shloka 15 (yuddha.29.15)

एवमुक्तौ तु सव्रीडौ तौ दृष्ट्वा शुकसारणौ । रावणं जयशब्देन प्रतिनन्द्याभिनिःसृतौ ॥ ६-२९-१५ ॥

evam uktau tu savrīḍau tau dṛṣṭvā śukasāraṇau | rāvaṇaṃ jayaśabdena pratinandyābhiniḥsṛtau || 6-29-15 ||

Thus rebuked, Shuka and Sarana, filled with shame, saluted Ravana with cries of "victory!" and withdrew from his presence.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.29.16)

अब्रवीत् स दशग्रीवः समीपस्थं महोदरम् । उपस्थापय मे शीघ्रं चारानिति निशाचरः ॥ ६-२९-१६ ॥

abravīt sa daśagrīvaḥ samīpasthaṃ mahodaram | upasthāpaya me śīghraṃ cārān iti niśācaraḥ || 6-29-16 ||

That night-ranger, the ten-necked Ravana, said to Mahodara who stood nearby, "Bring me spies at once."

Shloka 17 (yuddha.29.17)

महोदरस्तथोक्तस्तु शीघ्रमाज्ञापयच्चरान् ॥ ६-२९-१७ ॥

mahodaras tathoktas tu śīghram ājñāpayac carān || 6-29-17 ||

So commanded, Mahodara straightway gave the order for the spies.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.29.18)

ततश्चाराः संत्वरिताः प्राप्ताः पार्थिवशासनात् । उपस्थिताः प्राञ्जलयो वर्धयित्वा जयाशिषः ॥ ६-२९-१८ ॥

tataś cārāḥ saṃtvaritāḥ prāptāḥ pārthivaśāsanāt | upasthitāḥ prāñjalayo vardhayitvā jayāśiṣaḥ || 6-29-18 ||

Then the spies, come hurriedly at the king's command, presented themselves with joined palms, offering him their blessings of victory.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.29.19)

तानब्रवीत् ततो वाक्यं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः । चारान् प्रत्यायिकान् शूरान् धीरान् विगतसाध्वसान् ॥ ६-२९-१९ ॥

tān abravīt tato vākyaṃ rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ | cārān pratyāyikān śūrān dhīrān vigatasādhvasān || 6-29-19 ||

Then Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, spoke these words to those spies -- trusted, brave, steadfast, and free of fear:

Shloka 20 (yuddha.29.20)

इतो गच्छत रामस्य व्यवसायं परीक्षितुम् । मन्त्रेष्वभ्यन्तरा येऽस्य प्रीत्या तेन समागताः ॥ ६-२९-२० ॥

ito gacchata rāmasya vyavasāyaṃ parīkṣitum | mantreṣv abhyantarā ye'sya prītyā tena samāgatāḥ || 6-29-20 ||

"Go from here and investigate Rama's disposition -- who among his counsellors stand closest to him, and who have joined him out of affection."

Shloka 21 (yuddha.29.21)

कथं स्वपिति जागर्ति किमद्य च करिष्यति । विज्ञाय निपुणं सर्वमागन्तव्यमशेषतः ॥ ६-२९-२१ ॥

kathaṃ svapiti jāgarti kim adya ca kariṣyati | vijñāya nipuṇaṃ sarvam āgantavyam aśeṣataḥ || 6-29-21 ||

"How he sleeps, how he wakes, what he intends to do next -- learn all this thoroughly and completely before you return."

Shloka 22 (yuddha.29.22)

चारेण विदितः शत्रुः पण्डितैर्वसुधाधिपैः । युद्धे स्वल्पेन यत्नेन समासाद्य निरस्यते ॥ ६-२९-२२ ॥

cāreṇa viditaḥ śatruḥ paṇḍitair vasudhādhipaiḥ | yuddhe svalpena yatnena samāsādya nirasyate || 6-29-22 ||

"An enemy known through spies is, by wise kings, engaged and overthrown in battle with but little effort."

Shloka 23 (yuddha.29.23)

चारास्तु ते तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रहृष्टा राक्षसेश्वरम् । शार्दूलमग्रतः कृत्वा ततश्चक्रुः प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ ६-२९-२३ ॥

cārās tu te tathety uktvā prahṛṣṭā rākṣaseśvaram | śārdūlam agrataḥ kṛtvā tataś cakruḥ pradakṣiṇam || 6-29-23 ||

The spies, delighted, said "So be it," and placing Shardula at their head, then circumambulated the lord of rakshasas.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.29.24)

ततस्तं तु महात्मानं चारा राक्षससत्तमम् । कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं जग्मुर्यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः ॥ ६-२९-२४ ॥

tatas taṃ tu mahātmānaṃ cārā rākṣasasattamam | kṛtvā pradakṣiṇaṃ jagmur yatra rāmaḥ salakṣmaṇaḥ || 6-29-24 ||

Having thus circumambulated that noble, foremost of rakshasas, the spies went to the place where Rama was, with Lakshmana.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.29.25)

ते सुवेलस्य शैलस्य समीपे रामलक्ष्मणौ । प्रच्छन्ना ददृशुर्गत्वा ससुग्रीवविभीषणौ ॥ ६-२९-२५ ॥

te suvelasya śailasya samīpe rāmalakṣmaṇau | procchannā dadṛśur gatvā sasugrīvavibhīṣaṇau || 6-29-25 ||

Going in disguise, they saw Rama and Lakshmana, together with Sugreeva and Vibhishana, near Mount Suvela.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.29.26)

प्रेक्षमाणाश्चमूं तां च बभूवुर्भयविह्वलाः । ते तु धर्मात्मना दृष्टा राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसाः ॥ ६-२९-२६ ॥

prekṣamāṇāś camūṃ tāṃ ca babhūvur bhayavihvalāḥ | te tu dharmātmanā dṛṣṭā rākṣasendreṇa rākṣasāḥ || 6-29-26 ||

Beholding that host, those rakshasas became overwhelmed with fear -- but they were spotted by the righteous Vibhishana, lord among rakshasas.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.29.27)

विभीषणेन तत्रस्था निगृहीता यदृच्छया । शार्दूलो ग्राहितस्त्वेकः पापोऽयमिति राक्षसः ॥ ६-२९-२७ ॥

vibhīṣaṇena tatrasthā nigṛhītā yadṛcchayā | śārdūlo grāhitas tv ekaḥ pāpo'yam iti rākṣasaḥ || 6-29-27 ||

The rakshasas standing there were seized by Vibhishana quite by chance; but only Shardula among them, being declared "this one is wicked," was made to be captured.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.29.28)

मोचितः सोऽपि रामेण वध्यमानः प्लवंगमैः । आनृशंस्येन रामेण मोचिता राक्षसाः परे ॥ ६-२९-२८ ॥

mocitaḥ so'pi rāmeṇa vadhyamānaḥ plavaṃgamaiḥ | ānṛśaṃsyena rāmeṇa mocitā rākṣasāḥ pare || 6-29-28 ||

He too, though about to be slain by the monkeys, was released by Rama; and out of Rama's compassion the other rakshasas were released as well.

Shloka 29 (yuddha.29.29)

वानरैरर्दितास्ते तु विक्रान्तैर्लघुविक्रमैः । पुनर्लङ्कामनुप्राप्ताः श्वसन्तो नष्टचेतसः ॥ ६-२९-२९ ॥

vānarair arditās te tu vikrāntair laghuvikramaiḥ | punar laṅkām anuprāptāḥ śvasanto naṣṭacetasaḥ || 6-29-29 ||

Harassed by the bold, swift-moving monkeys, those rakshasas, dazed and heaving with breath, made their way back once more to Lanka.

Shloka 30 (yuddha.29.30)

ततो दशग्रीवमुपस्थितास्ते चारा बहिर्नित्यचरा निशाचराः । गिरेः सुवेलस्य समीपवासिनं न्यवेदयन् रामबलं महाबलाः ॥ ६-२९-३० ॥

tato daśagrīvam upasthitās te cārā bahir nityacarā niśācarāḥ | gireḥ suvelasya samīpavāsinaṃ nyavedayan rāmabalaṃ mahābalāḥ || 6-29-30 ||

Then those mighty night-rangers, spies ever roving abroad, came before the ten-necked Ravana and reported that Rama's army was encamped in the vicinity of Mount Suvela.