“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59
Hanuman Incites the Monkeys to Attack Lanka
Summary
Describing the plight of Seetha to his fellow monkeys, Hanuma expresses his feeling that it behooved [profited] them all to see Rama only after restoring Seetha from Lanka. Hanuma says that even single-handed, he is capable of destroying that City of Lanka with its troops of demons, and killing Ravana, much more so when accompanied by heroic, mighty and powerful monkeys. Then, he recounts the past heroic exploits of Jambavan, Angada, Neela, Panasa, Mainda and Dvivida. Hanuma thus incites them all to decide consciously of a war against Lanka.
Chapter [Sarga] 59 in Detail
etat aakhyaanam tat sarvam hanuumaan maaruta aatmajah |
bhuuyah samupacakraama vacanam vaktum uttaram || 5-59-1
After informing all this, Hanuma the son of wind-god started telling more of the following words.
saphalo raaghava udyogah sugriivasya ca sambhramah |
shiilam aasaadya siitaayaa mama ca pravanam manah || 5-59-2
“By the power of virtuousness of Seetha, Rama’s effort and Sugreeva’s zeal are getting fulfilled. My mind too is devoted to her.”
tapasaa nirdahellokaan sruddho vaa nirdahedapi |
sarvadhaatipravriddho.asau raavano raaksasaadhipah || 5-59-3
“Ravana, the king of demons, who is strong in all ways, can burn away the three worlds by the power of his penance. Even if he is enraged, he can scorch away his adversaries.”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 tasya taam sprishato gaatram tapasaa na vinaashitam |
na tadagnishikhaa kuryaatsamspristaa paaninaa satii || 5-59-4
janakasya sutaa kuryaadyatkrodhakalusiikritaa |
“His body, which touched Seetha the daughter of Janaka, was not destroyed because of his askesis. Even a flame, when fully touched with one’s hand, cannot do that which Seetha would, if stirred by anger.”
jaambavatpramukhaan sarvaananujjnaapya mahaahariin || 5-59-5
asminnevam gate kaarye bhavataam cha nivedite |
nyaayyam sma saha vaidehyaa drastum tau paarthivaatmajau || 5-59-6
“This work (of mine in the form of Seetha’s discovery) has been informed to you in this way. It is indeed proper to see those two princes (Rama and Lakshmana) along with Seetha, after taking permission from all the great monkeys headed by Jambavan.
ahameko.api paryaaptah saraaksasaganaam puriim |
taam lankaam tarasaa hantum raavanam cha mahaabalam || 5-59-7
“I am sufficient, even alone; to destroy rapidly that City of Lanka together with those troops of demons as also the mighty Ravana.”
kim punah sahito viirairbalavadbhih kritaatmabhih |
kritaastraih plavagaih shuurairbhavadbhirvijayaisibhih || 5-59-8
“When accompanied by you, who are strong, whose spirit is disciplined, who are proficient in the use of arms, valiant, longing for victory and moving by jumps, how much more is required?”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 aham tu raavanam yuddhe sasainyam sapurahsaram |
sahaputram vadhisyaami sahodarayutam yudhi || 5-59-9
“In the battle, I on my part will kill Ravana along with his army, his forerunners, his sons and his brothers.”
brahmamaindram cha raudram cha vaayavyam vaarunam tathaa |
yadi shakrajoto.a strani durniriiksaani samyuge || 5-59-10
taanyaham vidhasyaami hanisyaami cha raavanam |
“In the battle, I can blow out the missiles presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, Brahma the creator, Rudra the god of destruction, Vayu the wind-god, Varuna the god of water and even those missiles even if they are difficult to be looked at, employed by Indrajit (Ravana’s eldest son).
bhavataamabhyanujjnaato vikramo me runaddhi tam || 5-59-11
mayaatulaa visristaa hi shailavristirnirantaraa |
devaanapi rane hanyaatkim punastaannishaacharaan || 5-59-12
“My prowess, when permitted by you, will frustrate that Ravana. The shower of rocks, which will be unequalled and incessant, discharged by me, can kill even celestials. How much more those demons?”
saagaro.apyatiyaadvelaam mandarah prachaledapi |
na jaambavantam samare kampayedarivaahinii || 5-59-13
“The ocean may overflow its shore. Mount Mandara may move from its position. But, in battle, no army of adversaries can stagger Jambavan.”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 sarvaraaksasasamghaanaam raaksasaa ye cha mahaatmanah |
alameko vinaashaaya viiro vaalisutah kapih || 5-59-14
“The heroic Angada, the son of Vali alone, is sufficient to destroy all the troops of demons and even the demons who were their progenitors.”
panasasyoruvegena niilasya cha mahaatmanah |
mandaro.apyavashiiryeta kimpunaryudhi raaksasaah || 5-59-15
“By the rapid movement of the thighs of the high-souled Neela and of Panasa, even Mount Mandara can be shattered. How much more, the demons in battle?”
sadevaasurayaksesu gandharvoragapaksisu |
maindasya pratiyoddhaaram shamsata dvividasya vaa || 5-59-16
“Tell me any one who can fight against Mainda or Dvivida, among Gandharvas the celestial singers or Uragas the serpents or Pakshis the birds or the celestials or the demons or Yakshas the semi-divine beings.”
ashviputrau mahaabhaagaavetau plavagasattamau |
etayoh pratiyoddhaaram na pashyaami ranaajire || 5-59-17
“These two illustrious sons of Ashwini Kumara’s, Mainda and Dvivida are the foremost among the monkeys. In the battle-field, I do not find anyone who can fight against these two monkeys.”
pitaamahavarotsekaatparamam darpamaasthitau |
amritapraashanaavetau sarvavaanarasattamau || 5-59-18
"Proud of having received boons from Brahma the creator and their grandfather and abiding in a supreme haughtiness, these two foremost among all the monkeys live on Amrita the nectar."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 ashvinormaananaartham hi sarvalokapitaamahah |
sarvaavadhyatvamatulamanayordattavaan puraa || 5-59-19
"Long ago, Brahma the grandfather of all the worlds gave an unequal boon to them in honor of Ashwini Kumara’s regarding their inviolability."
varotsekena mattau cha pramathya mahatiim chamuum |
suraanaamamritam viirau piitavantau plavamgamau || 5-59-20
"By the pride of those boons, those two heroic monkeys harassed a great army of celestials and thereupon drank up nectar, excited as they were with joy."
etaavena hi samkruddhau savaajirathakumjaraam |
lankaam naashayitum shaktau sarve tisthantu vaanaraah || 5-59-21
"Let all the other monkeys stand aside. Even these Mainda and Dvivida on their part are capable of destroying the entire city of Lanka together with its horses, chariots and elephants."
mayaiva nihataa lankaa dagdhaa bhasmiikritaa punah |
raajamaargesu sarvatra naama vishraavita mayaa || 5-59-22
"I alone burnt and destroyed the City of Lanka. In all its royal high-ways, the name (of Rama and others) was proclaimed by me as follows:
jayatyatibalo raamo laksmanashcha mahaabalah |
raajaa jayati sugriivo raaghavenaabhipaalitah || 5-59-23
aham kosalaraajasya daasah pavanasambhavah |
hanumaaniti sarvatra naama vishraavitam mayaa || 5-59-24
"'Victorious is Rama, the exceedingly strong and the mighty Lakshmana too! Victorious is King Sugreeva, protected by Rama. I am Hanuma, a servant of Rama and the son of wind-god'. In this way, the name (of Rama and others) was heralded by me everywhere."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 ashoka vanikaa madhye raavanasya duraatmanah |
adhastaat shimshapaa vrikshe saadhvii karunam aasthitaa || 5-59-25
raakshasiibhih parivritaa shoka samtaapa karshitaa |
megha lekhaa parivritaa candra lekhaa iva nishprabhaa || 5-59-26
acintayantii vaidehii raavanam bala darpitam |
"In the midst of Ashoka garden of the evil-minded Ravana and underneath a Simshupa tree, the virtuous Seetha was seen staying dejected, encircled as she was with female-demons, agonized with grief and anguish, lusterless like a digit of the moon encircled by a line of clouds and disregarding that Ravana who is arrogant of his strength."
pati vrataa ca sushronii avashtabdhaa ca jaanakii || 5-59-27
anuraktaa hi vaidehii raamam sarva aatmanaa shubhaa |
ananya cittaa raame ca paulomii iva puram dare || 5-59-28
"Seetha, a devoted and virtuous wife, having charming hips, has been placed under restraint. The auspicious Seetha is devoted to Rama in all ways, giving her undivided thought to Rama like Sachi the goddess, giving her concern to Indra the destroyer of strong holds."
tat eka vaasah samviitaa rajo dhvastaa tathaiva ca |
shoka samtaapa diina angii siitaa bhartri hite rataa || 5-59-29
"Weaving that single piece of cloth, which she had on her person even while being borne away by Ravana, and likewise covered with dust, she was seen by me in a miserable condition with her grief and anguish, devoted as she was to the welfare of her husband."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 saa mayaa raakshasii madhye tarjyamaanaa muhuh muhuh |
raakshasiibhih viruupaabhih drishtaa hi pramadaa vane || 5-59-30
eka venii dharaa diinaa bhartri cintaa paraayanaa |
adhah shayyaa vivarna angii padminii iva hima aagame |
raavanaat vinivritta arthaa martavya krita nishcayaa || 5-59-31
"I saw Seetha in a royal pleasure garden, amidst some female-demons. Seetha was being frightened time and again by those ugly female-demons. That Seetha, wearing a single braid of hair and looking depressed, was fully engaged in thinking about her lord. Looking like a lotus with a discolored figure in winter, she had determined to die, utterly averting to do anything with Ravana."
kathamcin mriga shaava akshii vishvaasam upapaaditaa || 5-59-32
tatah sambhaashitaa caiva sarvam artham ca darshitaa |
raama sugriiva sakhyam ca shrutvaa priitim upaagataa || 5-59-33
"With great difficulty, I created confidence in that fawn-eyed Seetha. Thereafter, I talked to her and explained everything to her. She was delighted to hear the companionship cropped up between Rama and Sugreeva."
niyatah samudaacaaro bhaktih bhartari ca uttamaa |
yan na hanti dashagriivam sa mahaatmaa kritaagasam || 5-59-34
"That high-souled Seetha does not kill Ravana who has committed an offence because she conducts herself well with restraint and since supreme is her devotion to her lord."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 59 nimitta maatram raamah tu vadhe tasya bhavishyati |
saa prakrityaiva tanvangii tadviyogaachchha karshitaa || 5-59-35
pratipatpaaathashiilasya vidyeva tanutaam gataa |
"Rama, on his part, will become mere instrument in killing that Ravana. That Seetha, who is by her own nature, on delicate-limbed woman, was emaciated because of separation from her lord. She had grown thin like the learning of a scholar continuing his studies even on the first day of lunar fortnight (which must be observed as a complete holiday by students."
evam aaste mahaabhaagaa siitaa shoka paraayanaa || 5-59-36
yat atra pratikartavyam tat sarvam upapaadyataam |
"Thus, the illustrious Seetha remains immersed in grief. Let all that be done, which requires to be counteracted by way of a relief in this matter."
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande ekonasastitamah sargah
Thus completes 59th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
Durga, Kishore Kopalle, and K. M. K. Murthy. (2001). Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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