Sloka & Translation

Audio

[On the command of Ravana Prahasta enquires Hanuman the purpose of his visit -- Hanuman reveals that he is a vanara and a messenger of Rama.]

tamudvīkṣya mahābāhuḥ piṅgākṣaṅ purata sthitam.

kōpēna mahatā.viṣṭō rāvaṇō lōkarāvaṇaḥ৷৷5.50.1৷৷

śaṅkāhṛtātmā dadhyau sa kapīndraṅ tējasāvṛtam.


mahābāhuḥ mighty-armed, lōkarāvaṇaḥ who torments all worlds, saḥ rāvaṇaḥ that Ravana, purataḥ in front, sthitam stood, taṅ piṅgākṣam that tawny-eyed one, udvīkṣya after looking at, mahatā with great, kōpēna in anger, āviṣṭaḥ overpowered, śaṅkāhṛtātmā doubting at heart, tējasā with brilliance, āvṛtam surrounded, kapīndram lord of monkeys, dadhyau thought over.

The mighty- armed Ravana, a tormentor of all worlds, overcome with anger beheld the tawny-eyed brilliant lord of monkeys who stood before him and started thinking in his mind full of apprehensions.
kimēṣa bhagavānnandī bhavētsākṣādihāgataḥ৷৷5.50.2৷৷

yēna śaptō.smi kailāsē mayā sañcālitē purā.

sō.yaṅ vānaramūrtissyātkiṅsvidbāṇō mahā.suraḥ৷৷5.50.3৷৷


ēṣaḥ he who, purā earlier, mayā by me, kailāsē when Kailasa, sañcālitē when shaken, yēna by that, śaptaḥ asmi I was, bhagavān lord, sākṣāt personally, iha here, āgataḥ has come, nandī Nandi, kiṅ bhavēt could he be?, saḥ ayam ths same, vānaramūrtiḥ in vanara form, mahāsuraḥ great demon, bāṇaḥ Bana, syāt kiṅ svit could be himself.

'Is he Lord Nandi who came here in person? I was earlier cursed by him when I shook the mount Kailasa in the past. Could he have assumed a monkey-form or may be he is the great demon Bana. (Nandi is the bull, the vehicle of Lord Siva).
sa rājā rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ prahastaṅ mantrisattamam.

kālayuktamuvācēdaṅ vacō.vipulamarthavat৷৷5.50.4৷৷


saḥ rājā that king, rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ eyes red in anger, mantrisattamam esteemed minister, prahastam Prahasta, kālayuktam a timely word, arthavat profound, avipulam brief, idaṅ vacaḥ this word, uvāca spoke.

The infuriated demon king told the great minister Prahasta, these profound words in a brief manner appropriate to the hour.
durātmā pṛcchyatāmēṣa kutaḥ kiṅ vātra kāraṇam.

vanabhaṅgē ca kō.syārthō rākṣasīnāṅ ca tarjanē৷৷5.50.5৷৷


ēṣaḥ he, durātmā wicked one, pṛcchyatām enquire, kutaḥ from which place, atra here, kiṅ kāraṇam for what reason, vanabhaṅgē ca in destroyed the garden, rākṣasīnām of she-demons, tarjanē threatened, asya its, arthaḥ purpose, kaḥ what?

"Enquire from this wicked one, why he has come and from where, Why he destroyed the garden and for what purpose he threatened the demonesses?
matpurīmapradhṛṣyāṅ vā.gamanē kiṅ prayōjanam.

āyōdhanē vā kiṅ kāryaṅ pṛcchayatāmēṣa durmatiḥ৷৷5.50.6৷৷


apradhṛṣyām inviolable, matpurīm my state, āgamanē in arriving, kiṅ prayōjanam for what purpose, āyōdhanē vā or to wage war, kiṅ kāryam for what purpose, ēṣaḥ durmatiḥ this wicked one, pṛcchyatām enquire.

"Enquire why this wicked one entered this inviolable city and for what purpose did he wage a war"
rāvaṇasya vacaśśrutvā prahastō vākyamabravīt.

samāśvasihi bhadraṅ tē na bhīḥ kāryā tvayā kapē৷৷5.50.7৷৷


prahastaḥ Prahasta, rāvaṇasya Ravana's, vacaḥ words, śrutvā on hearing, vākyam words, abravīt spoke, kapē O monkey!, samāśvasihi be relaxed, tē bhadram feel safe, tvayā you, bhīḥ na kāryā need not entertain fear.

On hearing Ravana, Prahasta spoke these words boosting the monkey's morale 'O monkey! Be relaxed. Feel safe. You need not entertain any fear.
yadi tāvattvamindrēṇa prēṣitō rāvaṇālayam.

tattvamākhyāhi mā bhūttē bhayaṅ vānara mōkṣyasē৷৷5.50.8৷৷


vānara O vanara!, tvam you, indrēṇa by Indra, rāvaṇālayam to the abode of Ravana, prēṣitaḥ yadi tāvat if you are sent, tattvam truth, ākhyāhi you may tell, tē to you, bhayam mābhūt be not afraid, mōkṣyasē you will be released.

"Have you came to the abode of Ravana sent by Indra? Speak the truth. Be not afraid.You will be released".
yadi vaiśravaṇasya tvaṅ yamasya varuṇasya ca.

cārarūpamidaṅ kṛtvā praviṣṭō naḥ purīmimām৷৷5.50.9৷৷

viṣṇunā prēṣitō vā.pi dūtō vijayakāṅkṣiṇā.


idam this, cārarūpam charming appearance, kṛtvā after assuming, naḥ our, imāṅ purīm this city, praviṣṭaḥ entered, tvam you, vaiśravaṇasya Vaisravana's (Kubera's), yamasya Yama's, varuṇasya ca Varuna's and, vijayakāṅkṣiṇā with a desire to win, viṣṇunā by Visnu, dūtaḥ messenger, prēṣitō vāpi sent perhaps.

na hi tē vānaraṅ tējō rūpamātraṅ tu vānaram৷৷5.50.10৷৷

tattvata: kathayasvādya tatō vānara mōkṣyasē.


vānara vanara, tē your, rūpamātraṅ tu only your appearance, vānaram is of a vanara, tējaḥ glow, vānaram of a vanara, na hi not indeed, adya this day, tattvataḥ truth, kathayasva you may speak, tataḥ then, mōkṣyasē you will be set free.

"Your appearance is only of that of a vanara. But your glow is not of a vanara indeed. Tell the truth today. You will be set free.
anṛtaṅ vadataścāpi durlabhaṅ tava jīvitam৷৷5.50.11৷৷

athavā yannimittastē pravēśō rāvaṇālayē.


tava your, anṛtam false, vadataḥ while you speak, jīvitam life, durlabham difficult, athavā or else, rāvaṇālayē in the abode of Ravana, tē pravēśaḥ your entry, yannimittaḥ for waht reason.

"If you tell a lie, it will be difficult for you to live. Or else, tell me for what reason have you entered the abode of Ravana.'
ēvamuktō hariśrēṣṭhastadā rakṣōgaṇēśvaram৷৷5.50.12৷৷

abravīnnāsmi śakrasya yamasya varuṇasya vā.

dhanadēna na mē sakhyaṅ viṣṇunā nāsmi cōditaḥ৷৷5.50.13৷৷

jātirēva mama tvēṣā vānarō.hamihāgataḥ.


ēvam that way, uktaḥ having been addressed, hariśrēṣṭhaḥ foremost of monkeys, tadā then, rakṣōgaṇēśvaram to the lord of the demon clan, abravīt said, śakrasya of Indra, yamasya Yama's, varuṇasya Varuna's, nāsmi I am not (a messenger), mē to me, dhanadēna with Kubera, sakhyam friendship, na not, viṣṇunā by Visnu, cōditaḥ sent (prompted), na not, ēṣā this way, mama my, jātirēva birth itself, aham I am, vānaraḥ vanara, iha here, āgataḥ come.

The foremost of the vanaras spoke to the lord of ogres in response to the equiries made to him: "I have not come from Indra or Yama or Varuna. I have no friendship with Kubera. I have not been sent by Visnu. By birth I am vanara and I have come here.'
darśanē rākṣasēndrasya durlabhē tadidaṅ mayā৷৷5.50.14৷৷

vanaṅ rākṣasarājasya darśanārthē vināśitam.


rākṣasēndrasya of the lord of ogres, darśanē to see, durlabhē which is difficult, mayā by me, tat that, idam this, vanam garden, rākṣasarājasya demon king's, darśanārthē in order to see, vināśitam to destroy.

tatastē rākṣasāḥ prāptā balinō yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ.

rakṣaṇārthaṅ tu dēhasya pratiyuddhā mayā raṇē৷৷5.50.15৷৷


tataḥ then, balinaḥ powerful, tē rākṣasāḥ those ogres, yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ desiring to fight, prāptāḥ came, dēhasya of body, rakṣaṇārthaṅ tu to protect, mayā by me, raṇē in the combat, pratiyuddhāḥ in return I fought.

"Desiring to fight with me the powerful ogres came. Then I fought in self defence.
astrapāśairna śakyō.haṅ baddhuṅ dēvāsurairapi৷৷5.50.16৷৷

pitāmahādēṣa varō māmāpyēṣō.bhyupāgataḥ.


aham I, dēvasurairapi even by suras and asuras, astrapāśaiḥ by bondage of astras, baddhum to bind, na śakyaḥ not possible, ēṣaḥ varaḥ such a boon, mamāpi to me also, pitāmahādēva only from grand father Brahma, abhyupāgataḥ it has been granted me.

"It is not possible to bind me with any bondage of astras even by devas or danavas. Such a boon has been granted to me by Grandfather Brahma.
rājānaṅ draṣṭukāmēna mayāstramanuvartitam৷৷5.50.17৷৷

vimuktō hyahamastrēṇa rākṣasaistvabhipīḍitaḥ.

kēnacidrājakāryēṇa samprāptō.smi tavāntikam৷৷5.50.18৷৷


rājānam king, draṣṭukāmēna to see, mayā by me, astram this astra, anuvartitam is honoured, rākṣasaiḥ by ogres, abhipīḍitaḥ tu even pressed, aham I, astrēṇa by astra, vimuktō hi though released, kēnacit by some mission, rājakāryēṇa pertaining to the king, tava to your, antikam presence, samprāptaḥ asmi have come.

"Wishing to see the king I honoured this astra and not otherwise. Even though I was tormented by the ogres and released by the astra I submitted to you as I have a small work assigned by the king.
dūtō.hamiti vijñēyō rāghavasyāmitaujasaḥ.

śrūyatāṅ cāpi vacanaṅ mama pathyamidaṅ prabhō৷৷5.50.19৷৷


aham I, amitaujasaḥ of highly powerful, rāghavasya Rama's, dūtaḥ iti messenger thus, vijñēyaḥ it may be known, prabhō O lord, pathyam good, idam this, mama vacanam my word, śrūyatāṅ cāpi listen.

Know that I am a messenger of the highly powerful Rama. O lord! please listen to these beneficial words of mine meant for your welfare.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē pañcāśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fiftieth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.