The Vision of Lanka's Gardens and Towers

Shloka 1 (yuddha.39.1)

तां रात्रिमुषितास्तत्र सुवेले हरियूथपाः। लङ्कायां ददृशुर्वीरा वनान्युपवनानि च ॥ 39.1 ॥

tāṃ rātrimuṣitāstatra suvele hariyūthapāḥ| laṅkāyāṃ dadṛśurvīrā vanānyupavanāni ca || 39.1 ||

Having spent that night on Suvela, the valiant chiefs of the monkey army looked upon Lanka and saw its forests and groves.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.39.2)

समसौम्यानि रम्याणि विशालान्यायतानि च। दृष्टिरम्याणि ते दृष्ट्वा बभूवुर्जातविस्मयाः ॥ 39.2 ॥

samasaumyāni ramyāṇi viśālānyāyatāni ca| dṛṣṭiramyāṇi te dṛṣṭvā babhūvurjātavismayāḥ || 39.2 ||

Seeing those groves -- level, gentle, delightful, vast and far-reaching, a pleasure to behold -- they were filled with astonishment.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.39.3)

चम्पकाशोकबकुलशालतालसमाकुला। तमालवनसंछन्ना नागमालासमावृता ॥ 39.3 ॥

campakāśokabakulaśālatālasamākulā| tamālavanasaṃchannā nāgamālāsamāvṛtā || 39.3 ||

Thick with champaka, ashoka, bakula, sala, and tala trees, covered with groves of tamala, and ringed about with rows of nagakesara --

Shloka 4 (yuddha.39.4)

हिन्तालैरर्जुनैर्नीपैः सप्तपर्णैः सुपुष्पितैः। तिलकैः कर्णिकारैश्च पाटलैश्च समन्ततः ॥ 39.4 ॥

hintālairarjunairnīpaiḥ saptaparṇaiḥ supuṣpitaiḥ| tilakaiḥ karṇikāraiśca pāṭalaiśca samantataḥ || 39.4 ||

-- with hintala, arjuna, nipa, and saptaparna trees in full bloom, and tilaka, karnikara, and patala trees on every side --

Shloka 5 (yuddha.39.5)

शुशुभे पुष्पिताग्रैश्च लतापरिगतैर्द्रुमैः। लङ्का बहुविधैर्दिव्यैर्यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती ॥ 39.5 ॥

śuśubhe puṣpitāgraiśca latāparigatairdrumaiḥ| laṅkā bahuvidhairdivyairyathendrasyāmarāvatī || 39.5 ||

-- Lanka, with trees flowering at their crowns and entwined with creepers, shone in manifold splendor like Amaravati, the city of Indra.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.39.6)

विचित्रकुसुमोपेतै रक्तकोमलपल्लवैः। शाद्वलैश्च तथा नीलैश्चित्राभिर्वनराजिभिः ॥ 39.6 ॥

vicitrakusumopetai raktakomalapallavaiḥ| śādvalaiśca tathā nīlaiścitrābhirvanarājibhiḥ || 39.6 ||

It gleamed with wondrous blossoms and tender red new leaves, with green meadows and dark, striking lines of woodland.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.39.7)

गन्धाढ्यान्यतिरम्याणि पुष्पाणि च फलानि च। धारयन्त्यगमास्तत्र भूषणानीव मानवाः ॥ 39.7 ॥

gandhāḍhyānyatiramyāṇi puṣpāṇi ca phalāni ca| dhārayantyagamāstatra bhūṣaṇānīva mānavāḥ || 39.7 ||

The trees there bore fragrant, most delightful flowers and fruits, as though they were ornaments worn by human beings.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.39.8)

तच्चैत्ररथसंकाशं मनोज्ञं नन्दनोपमम्। वनं सर्वर्तुकं रम्यं शुशुभे षट्पदायुतम् ॥ 39.8 ॥

taccaitrarathasaṃkāśaṃ manojñaṃ nandanopamam| vanaṃ sarvartukaṃ ramyaṃ śuśubhe ṣaṭpadāyutam || 39.8 ||

That forest, like Chaitraratha, Kubera's own garden, lovely as Nandana, Indra's paradise-grove, blooming through every season and alive with the hum of bees, shone in delight.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.39.9)

दात्यूहकोयष्टिबकैर्नृत्यमानैश्च बर्हिणैः। रुतं परभृतानां च शुश्रुवे वननिर्झरे ॥ 39.9 ॥

dātyūhakoyaṣṭibakairnṛtyamānaiśca barhiṇaiḥ| rutaṃ parabhṛtānāṃ ca śuśruve vananirjhare || 39.9 ||

There, by its mountain streams, one could hear the cries of water-birds and herons, the calls of dancing peacocks, and the songs of cuckoos.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.39.10)

नित्यमत्तविहंगानि भ्रमराचरितानि च। कोकिलाकुलखण्डानि विहंगाभिरुतानि च ॥ 39.10 ॥

nityamattavihaṃgāni bhramarācaritāni ca| kokilākulakhaṇḍāni vihaṃgābhirutāni ca || 39.10 ||

Its groves were forever alive with birds drunk on nectar, thronged by bees, thick with cuckoos, and echoing with birdsong.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.39.11)

भृङ्गराजाधिगीतानि कुररस्वनितानि च। कोणालकविघुष्टानि सारसाभिरुतानि च। विविशुस्ते ततस्तानि वनान्युपवनानि च ॥ 39.11 ॥

bhṛṅgarājādhigītāni kurarasvanitāni ca| koṇālakavighuṣṭāni sārasābhirutāni ca| viviśuste tatastāni vanānyupavanāni ca || 39.11 ||

-- filled with the song of the shrike, the cry of the osprey, the calling of the konalaka bird, and the cries of the crane -- and into those forests and groves the monkeys now entered.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.39.12)

हृष्टाः प्रमुदिता वीरा हरयः कामरूपिणः। तेषां प्रविशतां तत्र वानराणां महौजसाम् ॥ 39.12 ॥

hṛṣṭāḥ pramuditā vīrā harayaḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ| teṣāṃ praviśatāṃ tatra vānarāṇāṃ mahaujasām || 39.12 ||

Those valiant monkeys, who could take any shape at will, entered joyfully and full of delight; and as those mighty ones went in --

Shloka 13 (yuddha.39.13)

पुष्पसंसर्गसुरभिर्ववौ घ्राणसुखोऽनिलः। अन्ये तु हरिवीराणां यूथान्निष्क्रम्य यूथपाः। सुग्रीवेणाभ्यनुज्ञाता लङ्कां जग्मुः पताकिनीम् ॥ 39.13 ॥

puṣpasaṃsargasurabhirvavau ghrāṇasukho'nilaḥ| anye tu harivīrāṇāṃ yūthānniṣkramya yūthapāḥ| sugrīveṇābhyanujñātā laṅkāṃ jagmuḥ patākinīm || 39.13 ||

-- a breeze scented by the flowers blew, delightful to the senses. Meanwhile other troop-leaders among the heroic monkeys came forth from their bands and, with Sugriva's leave, made their way toward Lanka with its rows of banners.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.39.14)

वित्रासयन्तो विहगान् ग्लापयन्तो मृगद्विपान्। कम्पयन्तश्च तां लङ्कां नादैः स्वैर्नदतां वराः ॥ 39.14 ॥

vitrāsayanto vihagān glāpayanto mṛgadvipān| kampayantaśca tāṃ laṅkāṃ nādaiḥ svairnadatāṃ varāḥ || 39.14 ||

Those splendid monkeys, roaring aloud, sent the birds flying in terror, unsettled the deer and elephants, and made all of Lanka tremble with their cries --

Shloka 15 (yuddha.39.15)

कुर्वन्तस्ते महावेगा महीं चरणपीडिताम्। रजश्च सहसैवोर्ध्वं जगाम चरणोत्थितम् ॥ 39.15 ॥

kurvantaste mahāvegā mahīṃ caraṇapīḍitām| rajaśca sahasaivordhvaṃ jagāma caraṇotthitam || 39.15 ||

-- with tremendous speed they trod the earth beneath their feet, and the dust stirred up by their tread rose suddenly skyward.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.39.16)

ऋक्षाः सिंहाश्च महिषा वारणाश्च मृगाः खगाः। तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ता जग्मुर्भीता दिशो दश ॥ 39.16 ॥

ṛkṣāḥ siṃhāśca mahiṣā vāraṇāśca mṛgāḥ khagāḥ| tena śabdena vitrastā jagmurbhītā diśo daśa || 39.16 ||

Bears, lions, buffaloes, elephants, deer, and birds, terrified by that noise, fled in fright in every direction.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.39.17)

शिखरं तु त्रिकूटस्य प्रांशु चैकं दिविस्पृशम्। समन्तात् पुष्पसंछन्नं महारजतसंनिभम् ॥ 39.17 ॥

śikharaṃ tu trikūṭasya prāṃśu caikaṃ divispṛśam| samantāt puṣpasaṃchannaṃ mahārajatasaṃnibham || 39.17 ||

Now the single towering peak of Mount Trikuta, touching the very sky, covered on every side with flowers, gleaming like massed silver --

Shloka 18 (yuddha.39.18)

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं विमलं चारुदर्शनम्। श्लक्ष्णं श्रीमन्महच्चैव दुष्प्रापं शकुनैरपि ॥ 39.18 ॥

śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ vimalaṃ cārudarśanam| ślakṣṇaṃ śrīmanmahaccaiva duṣprāpaṃ śakunairapi || 39.18 ||

-- stretching a hundred leagues wide, immaculate, lovely to see, smooth-faced, majestic and vast, so lofty that even birds could scarcely reach it --

Shloka 19 (yuddha.39.19)

मनसापि दुरारोहं किं पुनः कर्मणा जनैः। निविष्टा तस्य शिखरे लङ्का रावणपालिता ॥ 39.19 ॥

manasāpi durārohaṃ kiṃ punaḥ karmaṇā janaiḥ| niviṣṭā tasya śikhare laṅkā rāvaṇapālitā || 39.19 ||

-- so hard of ascent that even the mind could scarcely climb it, let alone the feet of men -- and upon its very summit stood Lanka, ruled by Ravana.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.39.20)

दशयोजनविस्तीर्णा विंशद्योजनमायता। सा पुरी गोपुरैरुच्चैः पाण्डुराम्बुदसंनिभैः। काञ्चनेन च शालेन राजतेन च शोभते ॥ 39.20 ॥

daśayojanavistīrṇā viṃśadyojanamāyatā| sā purī gopurairuccaiḥ pāṇḍurāmbudasaṃnibhaiḥ| kāñcanena ca śālena rājatena ca śobhate || 39.20 ||

Ten leagues wide and twenty leagues long, that city, its towering gate-towers like pale clouds, gleamed with ramparts of gold and silver.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.39.21)

प्रासादैश्च विमानैश्च लङ्का परमभूषिता। घनैरिवातपापाये मध्यमं वैष्णवं पदम् ॥ 39.21 ॥

prāsādaiśca vimānaiśca laṅkā paramabhūṣitā| ghanairivātapāpāye madhyamaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ padam || 39.21 ||

Adorned with palaces and lofty mansions, Lanka was supremely beautiful, like the sky massed with clouds at summer's end, or like the middle realm of Vishnu, the airy space between earth and heaven.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.39.22)

यस्यां स्तम्भसहस्रेण प्रासादः समलंकृतः। कैलासशिखराकारो दृश्यते खमिवोल्लिखन् ॥ 39.22 ॥

yasyāṃ stambhasahasreṇa prāsādaḥ samalaṃkṛtaḥ| kailāsaśikharākāro dṛśyate khamivollikhan || 39.22 ||

In it stood a palace adorned with a thousand pillars, shaped like a peak of Mount Kailasa, seeming to scrape the very sky.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.39.23)

चैत्यः स राक्षसेन्द्रस्य बभूव पुरभूषणम्। शतेन रक्षसां नित्यं यः समग्रेण रक्ष्यते ॥ 39.23 ॥

caityaḥ sa rākṣasendrasya babhūva purabhūṣaṇam| śatena rakṣasāṃ nityaṃ yaḥ samagreṇa rakṣyate || 39.23 ||

That great edifice of the rakshasa-king had become the very ornament of the city, and it was ever guarded by a full hundred rakshasas.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.39.24)

मनोज्ञां काञ्चनवतीं पर्वतैरुपशोभिताम्। नानाधातुविचित्रैश्च उद्यानैरुपशोभिताम् ॥ 39.24 ॥

manojñāṃ kāñcanavatīṃ parvatairupaśobhitām| nānādhātuvicitraiśca udyānairupaśobhitām || 39.24 ||

They saw the city -- lovely, golden, graced by hills, and beautified further by gardens bright with minerals of every hue --

Shloka 25 (yuddha.39.25)

नानाविहगसंघुष्टां नानामृगनिषेविताम्। नानाकुसुमसम्पन्नां नानाराक्षससेविताम् ॥ 39.25 ॥

nānāvihagasaṃghuṣṭāṃ nānāmṛganiṣevitām| nānākusumasampannāṃ nānārākṣasasevitām || 39.25 ||

-- echoing with birds of every kind, roamed by every kind of deer, rich with every kind of flower, and thronged by rakshasas of every kind.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.39.26)

तां समृद्धां समृद्धार्थां लक्ष्मीवाँल्लक्ष्मणाग्रजः। रावणस्य पुरीं रामो ददर्श सह वानरैः ॥ 39.26 ॥

tāṃ samṛddhāṃ samṛddhārthāṃ lakṣmīvā~llakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ| rāvaṇasya purīṃ rāmo dadarśa saha vānaraiḥ || 39.26 ||

That prosperous city, rich in every kind of wealth -- the glorious Rama, elder brother of Lakshmana, together with the monkeys, beheld Ravana's city thus.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.39.27)

तां महागृहसम्बाधां दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः। नगरीं त्रिदिवप्रख्यां विस्मयं प्राप वीर्यवान् ॥ 39.27 ॥

tāṃ mahāgṛhasambādhāṃ dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ| nagarīṃ tridivaprakhyāṃ vismayaṃ prāpa vīryavān || 39.27 ||

Seeing that city crowded with great mansions and resembling heaven itself, the valiant elder brother of Lakshmana was filled with astonishment.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.39.28)

तां रत्नपूर्णां बहुसंविधानां प्रासादमालाभिरलंकृतां च। पुरीं महायन्त्रकवाटमुख्यां ददर्श रामो महता बलेन ॥ 39.28 ॥

tāṃ ratnapūrṇāṃ bahusaṃvidhānāṃ prāsādamālābhiralaṃkṛtāṃ ca| purīṃ mahāyantrakavāṭamukhyāṃ dadarśa rāmo mahatā balena || 39.28 ||

That city, full of gems and richly equipped, adorned with rows of stately palaces, its main gates fitted with great mechanical devices -- Rama, with his mighty army, gazed upon it all.