“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 36
Ravana Derides Malyavan
Summary
Ravana turns his deaf ear to the words of Malyavan and even abuses him that the latter exaggerating the strength of Rama. Ravana further says that he will not restore Seetha to Rama and that Rama and his army will not go back alive, having crossed the ocean and reached Lanka. Then, Ravana assigns Prahasta and others to guard the four main gates of Lanka against the inroads of the enemy. He retires to his inner apartments, after ordering these assignments.
Chapter [Sarga] 36 in Detail
tattu maalyavato vaakyam hitam uktam daza aananah |
na marsayati dusta atmaa kaalasya vazam aagatah || 6-36-1
The evil- minded Ravana the ten-faced monster, who had fallen under the sway of Death; could not brook that beneficial advice tendered by Malyavan.
sa baddhvaa bhru kutim vaktre krodhasya vazam aagatah |
amarsaat parivritta akso maalyavantam atha abraviit || 6-36-2
He had fallen under the sway of anger, knitting his brows on the face as he was, rolling his eyes in fury and spoke to Malyavan (as follows)
hita buddhyaa yad ahitam vacah parusam ucyate |
para paksam pravizya eva na etat zrotra gatam mama || 6-36-3
"I have closed my ears to the speech you have made, albeit with good intentions and even by taking sides with the enemy."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 36 maanusam kripanam raamam ekam zaakhaa mriga aazrayam |
samartham manyase kena tyaktam pitraa vana aalayam || 6-36-4
"How can you hold Rama, who is a mere human being, a small feeble man, taking help from monkeys and dwelling in a forest having been abandoned by his father, to be a competent person?"
raksasaam iizvaram maam ca devataanaam bhayam karam |
hiinam maam manyase kena;ahiinam sarva vikramaih || 6-36-5
"How can you hold me, the Lord of demons, terrifying celestials and possessing all powers in full, to be a weaker person?"
viira dvesena vaa zanke paksa paatena vaa ripoh |
tvayaa aham parusaany uktah para protsaahanena vaa || 6-36-6
"I suspect that you spoke these harsh words to me because of your envy of my prowess or your partiality towards the enemies or my lenience towards you."
prabhavantam padastham hi parusam ko ahbidhaasyati |
panditah zaastra tattvajno vinaa protsaahanaad ripoh || 6-36-7
"Which learned man, understand the truth in the scriptures, would speak thus harshly to a mighty person in power, were it not to instigate him?"
aaniiya ca vanaat siitaam padma hiinaam iva zriyam |
kim artham pratidaasyaami raaghavasya bhayaad aham || 6-36-8
"Why should I give back Seetha, who is like Lakshmi the goddess of fortune without the lotus, having brought her away from the forest, through fear of Rama?"
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 36 vritam vaanara kotiibhih sasugriivam salaksmanam |
pazya kaizcid ahobhis tvam raaghavam nihatam mayaa || 6-36-9
"See Rama killed within a few days by me, along with Lakshmana together with Sugreeva in the midst of crores of monkeys."
dvandve yasya na tisthanti daivataany api samyuge |
sa kasmaad raavano yuddhe bhayam aahaarayisyati || 6-36-10
"How should this Ravana, whom in combat, the celestials themselves dare not meet in a duel, entertain fear in this encounter?"
dvidhaa bhajyeyam apy evam na nameyam tu kasyacit |
esa me sahajo dosah svabhaavo duratikramah || 6-36-11
"Rather would I be cut into two pieces than bend before anybody! Such was I from birth, it is my nature by default and cannot be alterable."
yadi taavat samudre tu setur baddho yadricchayaa |
raamena vismayah ko atra yena te bhayam aagatam || 6-36-12
"What great marvel is there in that which gave way to terror if by happy chance, a bridge indeed was constructed by Rama across the ocean."
sa tu tiirtvaa arnavam raamah saha vaanara senayaa |
pratijaanaami te satyam na jiivan pratiyaasyati || 6-36-13
"That Rama along with his army of monkeys, having crossed the ocean, will not go back alive. It is my true promise to you."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 36 evam bruvaanam samrabdham rustam vijnaaya raavanam |
vriidito maalyavaan vaakyam na uttaram pratyapadyata || 6-36-14
Beholding Ravana to be highly excited and speaking with such fury, Malyavan, abashed, did not reply.
jaya aazisaa ca raajaanam vardhayitvaa yathaa ucitam |
maalyavaan abhyanujnaato jagaama svam nivezanam || 6-36-15
Invoking blessings of victory to the king as courtesy demanded Malyavan took permission and went home.
raavanas tu saha amaatyo mantrayitvaa vimrizya ca |
lankaayaam atulaam guptim kaarayaam aasa raaksasah || 6-36-16
Ravana the demon on his part, assisted by his ministers having deliberated on the things to be examined, set about planning the defense of Lanka.
vyaadideza ca puurvasyaam prahastam dvaari raaksasam |
daksinasyaam mahaa viiryau mahaa paarzva mahaa udarau || 6-36-17
pazcimaayaam atho dvaari putram indrajitam tathaa |
vyaadideza mahaa maayam raaksasair bahubhir vritam || 6-36-18
Thereafter, he assigned the eastern gate to the demon, Prahasta and the southern gate to Maha Parshva and Mhodara both of great prowess [extraordinary ability]. At the western gate, he placed his son Indrajit, a powerful conjuror, with considerable force of demons.
uttarasyaam pura dvaari vyaadizya zuka saaranau |
svayam ca atra bhavisyaami mantrinas taan uvaaca ha || 6-36-19
Placing Shuka and Sarana at the northern city-gate, Ravana told his ministers that he would go there personally.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 36 raaksasam tu viruupa aksam mahaa viirya paraakramam |
madhyame asthaapayad gulme bahubhih saha raaksasaih || 6-36-20
He place the demon Virupaksha, who was full of energy and courage, to be in the center of the fort, with a large number of demons.
evam vidhaanam lankaayaam kritvaa raaksasa pumgavah |
mene krita artham aatmaanam krita anta vazam aagatah || 6-36-21
Making an arrangement in Lanka in this manner, that bull among demons, under the sway of Time, deemed his purpose as accomplished.
visarjayaam aasa tatah sa mantrino |
vidhaanam aajnaapya purasya puskalam |
jaya aazisaa mantra ganena puujito |
viveza so antah puram riddhiman mahat || 6-36-22
Having ordered for adequate arrangements for the defense of the city, Ravana then let his ministers depart. Having been honored with blessings of victory by the body of counselors, he entered his mighty and sumptuous inner apartments.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande saptatrimshah sargah
Thus completes 36th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
K. M. K. Murthy. (2002). Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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