“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 49
Hanuman Amazed by Ravana’s Splendor
Summary
Hanuma sees well-adorned Ravana, who is seated on a well-decorated throne of crystal. He is surrounded by four ministers viz., Durdhara, Prahasta, Mahaparshva and Nikumbha. Surprised to behold the splendor and glory of Ravana, Hanuma believes that he could even rule heaven along with Indra, but for his gross unrighteousness, which pulled him down.
Chapter [Sarga] 49 in detail
tatah sa karmanaa tasya vismito bhiima vikramah |
hanumaan rosha taamra aksho raksho adhipam avaikshata || 5-49-1
Then, Hanuma with a terrific prowess was enraged (at his capture and his being dragged) and saw Ravana with his red hot eyes. He was surprised by that deed of Indrajit.
bhraajamaanam mahaaarhena kaancanena viraajataa |
muktaa jaala aavritena atha mukutena mahaadyutim || 5-49-2
Ravana was endowed with a great splendor and shone with a glittering and precious diadem of gold as also encircled with strings of pearls.
vajra samyoga samyuktaih mahaaarha mani vigrahaih |
haimaih aabharanaih citraih manasaa iva prakalpitaih || 5-49-3
That Ravana was adorned with bright-colored gold ornaments, inlaid with diamonds and decorated with worthy gems, which appeared as though they were prepared with the mind.
mahaaarha kshauma samviitam rakta candana ruushitam |
svanuliptam vicitraabhih vividhabhih ca bhaktibhih || 5-49-4
Ravana was attired in very costly silk and his body was smeared with red-sandal paste and well painted with various brightly colored designs.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 49 vipulaih darshaniiyaih ca raksha akshaih bhiima darshanaih |
diipta tiikshna mahaadamshtraih pralamba dashanac chadaih || 5-49-5
shirobhih dashabhih viiram bhraajamaanam mahaaojasam |
naanaa vyaala samaakiirnaih shikharaih iva mandaram || 5-49-6
Ravana looked strange with his ten heads, having terrible-looking yet good-looking pair of red eyes each, with brilliant sharp enormous teeth and protruding lips, like a daring demon endowed with extra ordinary vigor, shining brightly as Mount Mandara with its peaks and infested with snakes of different varieties.
niila anjana caya prakhyam haarena urasi raajataa |
puurna candra aabha vaktrena sabalaakam iva ambudam || 5-49-7
Ravana was having a pearl necklace casting its splendor on his bosom. He was looking like a mass of blue antimony, but with his countenance shining like the full moon and appearing like a cloud illumined by the rising sun.
baahubhih baddha keyuuraih candana uttama ruushitaih |
bhraajamaana angadaih piinaih panca shiirshaih iva uragaih || 5-49-8
Ravana was distinguished by (twenty) arms, adorned with bracelets, smeared with excellent sandal-paste and decked with shining Angadas another variety of bracelets and looking like large five-hooded serpents.
mahati sphaatike citre ratna samyoga samskrite |
uttama aastarana aastiirne upavishtam vara aasane || 5-49-9
He was comfortably seated on a big excellent throne of crystal, rendered picturesque by being embedded with jewels and overspread with an exquisite covering.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 49 alamkritaabhih atyartham pramadaabhih samantatah |
vaala vyajana hastaabhih aaraat samupasevitam || 5-49-10
He was duly waited upon at close quarters on all sides by young ladies, well-adorned and with whisks in their hands.
durdharena prahastena mahaapaarshvena rakshasaa |
mantribhih mantra tattvajnaih nikumbhena ca mantrinaa || 5-49-11
upa upavishtam rakshobhih caturbhih bala darpitaih |
kritsnaih parivritam lokam caturbhih iva saagaraih || 5-49-12
He was proud of his might and had four counselors sitting nearby, all belonging to the demonical race and who knew the secret of good counsel, viz. Durdhara, Prahasta, Mahaparshva the demon and the counselor Nikumbha and looked like the entire terrestrial globe enclosed by four oceans.
mantribhih mantra tattvajnaih anyaih ca shubha buddhibhih |
ashvaasyamaanam sacivaih suraih iva sura iishvaram || 5-49-13
He was being reassured by counselors knowing the secret of good counsel and other demons with auspicious minds, as Indra the lord of celestials is reassured by celestials.
apashyat raakshasa patim hanuumaan atitejasam |
vishthitam meru shikhare satoyam iva toyadam || 5-49-14
Hanuma saw Ravana with a great splendor, sitting on the throne, looking like a rainy cloud on the peak of Mount Meru.
sa taih sampiidyamaano api rakshobhih bhiima vikramaih |
vismayam paramam gatvaa raksho adhipam avaikshata || 5-49-15
Though tortured by the demons that Hanuma, of terrific prowess, experiencing a great surprise, looked attentively at Ravana.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 49 bhraajamaanam tato drishtvaa hanumaan raakshasa iishvaram |
manasaa cintayaamaasa tejasaa tasya mohitah || 5-49-16
Seeing the glittering Ravana, the king of demons, Hanuma was bewildered by his splendor and thought in his mind as follows:
aho ruupam aho dhairyam aho sattvam aho dyutih |
aho raakshasa raajasya sarva lakshana yuktataa || 5-49-17
“What figure, what courage, what strength, what splendor and what amalgam of auspicious marks, alas, this king of demons has!”
yadi adharmo na balavaan syaat ayam raakshasa iishvarah |
syaat ayam sura lokasya sashakrasya api rakshitaa || 5-49-18
“Had this lord of demons perhaps not strong in unrighteousness, he would have been a protector of even the world of celestials together with Indra the lord of celestials.”
asya kruurairnrisham saishcha karmabhirlokakutsitaih |
sarve bibhyati khalvasmaallokaah saamaradaanavaah || 5-49-19
ayam hyutsahte kruddhah kartumekaarnavam jagat |
“By his cruel and violent acts despised by the world, all people including gods and demons indeed remain frightened of him. If enraged he is indeed capable to turn the entire world into a single ocean.”
iti cintaam bahu vidhaam akaron matimaan kapih |
drishtvaa raakshasa raajasya prabhaavam amita ojasah || 5-49-20
Seeing the power of Ravana the king of demons, who possessed an unlimited vigor, the intelligent Hanuma formulated many kinds of thoughts in this way.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Sundara Kanda – Chapter 49 ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaaNDe ekonapajnchaashah sargah
Thus completes 49th 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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