Sloka & Translation

Audio

[Hanuman perceiving the damage caused by him to the City of Lanka, thinks of Sita and begins to blame himself -- on seeing good omens he presumes that Sita would have been protected by her chastity]

laṅkāṅ samastāṅ sandīpya lāṅgūlāgniṅ mahābalaḥ.

nirvāpayāmāsa tadā samudrē harisattamaḥ৷৷

sandīpyamānāṅ vidhvastāṅ trastarakṣōgaṇāṅ purīm.

āvēkṣya hanumān laṅkāṅ cintayāmāsa vānaraḥ৷৷5.55.1৷৷


laṅkāṅ samastāṅ the entire city of Lanka, sandīpya having burnt, mahābalaḥ powerful, tadā then, lāṅgūlāgniṅ fire on his tail, samudrē in the ocean, nirvāpayāmāsa put off, vānaraḥ vanara, hanumān Hanuman, sandīpyamānām having been lit, vidhvastām destroyed, trastarakṣōgaṇām panic stricken ogres, laṅkāṅ purīm Lanka city, āvēkṣya seeing, cintayāmāsa began to think.

Powerful Hanuman, having burnt the entire city of Lanka, put out the fire on his tail in the ocean. Beholding the burning city, the destroyed gardens and the panic stricken ogres, he began to think:
tasyābhūtsumahāṅstrāsaḥ kutsā cātmanyajāyata.

laṅkāṅ pradahatā karma kiṅsvitkṛtamidaṅ mayā৷৷5.55.2৷৷


tasya to him, sumahān very great, trāsaḥ fear, abhūt overtook, ātmani in himself, kutsā ca self reproach, ajāyata was felt, laṅkām Lanka, pradahatā while burning, mayā by me, idam this, kiṅsvit what a heinous, karma action, kṛtam perpetrated.

Overtaken by great fear, Hanuman felt a sense of self-reproach seeing Lanka reduced to ashes, and said, ' Lanka is burnt. What a heinous action has been perpetrated by me'.
dhanyāstē puruṣaśrēṣṭhā yē buddhyā kōpamutthitam.

nirundhanti mahātmānō dīptamagnimivāmbhasā৷৷5.55.3৷৷


utthitam rising, kōpam anger, buddhyā by their wisdom,dīptam burning agnim fire, ambhasā iva with water, yē those, nirundhanti will restrain, mahātmānaḥ high-souled men, tē they, puruṣaśrēṣṭhāḥ best among men, dhanyāḥ blessed.

'Blessed indeed are the high-souled men, who in their wisdom restrain their own anger as one would put off burning fire with water.
kruddhaḥ pāpaṅ na kuryātkaḥ kruddhō hanyādgurūnapi.

kruddhaḥ paruṣayā vācā narassādhūnadhikṣipēt৷৷5.55.4৷৷


kruddhaḥ angry man, kaḥ who, pāpam sin, na kuryāt will not comit, kruddhaḥ angry man, gurūnapi even his elders, hanyāt will kill, kruddhaḥ angry, naraḥ human being, paruṣayā with a harsh, vācā with word, sādhūn sages, adhikṣipēt will accuse.

'Which sinful act an angry man will not commit? He will even kill his respectable elders or insult sages with his harsh tongue.
vācyāvācyaṅ prakupitō na vijānāti karhicit.

nākāryamasti kruddhasya nāvācyaṅ vidyatē kvacit৷৷5.55.5৷৷


prakupitaḥ one who is angry, karhicit at any time, vācyāvācyam a word worthy of speaking or not, na vijānāti knows not, kruddhasya angry man's, akāryam misdeed, na asti exists not, avācyam unutterable, kvacit anywhere, na vidyatē exists not.

yassamutpatitaṅ krōdhaṅ kṣamayaiva nirasyati.

yathōragastvacaṅ jīrṇāṅ sa vai puruṣa ucyatē৷৷5.55.6৷৷


uragaḥ snake, jīrṇām worn out, tvacaṅ yathā as its slough, yaḥ he who, samutpatitam rising, krōdham anger, kṣamayā ēva with tolerance alone, nirasyati drives away, saḥ vai he alone, puruṣaḥ man, ucyatē is said to be.

dhigastu māṅ sudurbuddhiṅ nirlajjaṅ pāpakṛttamam.

acintayitvā tāṅ sītāmagnidaṅ svāmighātukam৷৷5.55.7৷৷


tāṅ sītām that Sita, acintayitvā not thinking of, agnidam set fire, svāmighātukam betrayer of the master, sudurbuddhim having of a wicked mind, nirlajjam shameless, pāpakṛttamam greatest sinner, mām me, dhik astu fie upon.

'Fie upon me, a wicked, shameless person and the greatest sinner for betraying the master and setting fire to the city without thinking of Sita.
yadi dagdhā tviyaṅ laṅkā nūnamāryā.pi jānakī.

dagdhā tēna mayā bharturhitaṅ kāryamajānatā৷৷5.55.8৷৷


iyam this, laṅkā Lanka, dagdhā yadi if it burnt, āryā noble lady, jānakyapi even Janaki, dagdhā is burnt, tēna therefore, ajānatā unknowingly, mayā by me, bhartuḥ master's, kāryam mission, hatam spoilt.

'If this Lanka is burnt, even noble Janaki is burnt, my master's work is spoilt by me unknowingly.
yadarthamayamārambhastatkāryamavasāditam.

mayā hi dahatā laṅkāṅ na sītā parirakṣitā৷৷5.55.9৷৷


yadartham on account of what, ayam this, ārambha: effort, tat kāryam that work, avasāditam is foiled, laṅkām Lanka, dahatā while burning, mayā by me, sītā Sita, na parirakṣitā hi not protected.

'My very mission is foiled. Sita has not been protected by me for no part of Lanka has escaped unburnt.
īṣatkāryamidaṅ kāryaṅ kṛtamāsīnna saṅśayaḥ.

tasya krōdhābhibhūtēna mayā mūlakṣayaḥ kṛtaḥ৷৷5.55.10৷৷


idaṅ kāryam this work, īṣatkāryam a small work, kṛtam is done, āsīnna was, krōdhābhibhūtēna over powered by anger, mayā by me, tasya its, mūlakṣayaḥ the very root of my achievement is defeated, kṛtaḥ done, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na no.

vinaṣṭā jānakī nūnaṅ na hyadagdhaḥ pradṛśyatē.

laṅkāyāṅ kaściduddhēśassarvā bhasmīkṛtā purī৷৷5.55.11৷৷


nūnam surely, jānakī Janaki, vinaṣṭā lost, laṅkāyām in Lanka, kaścit even a little, uddhēśaḥ place, adagdhaḥ unburnt, na pradṛśyatē hi indeed not seen, sarvāḥ entire, purī city, bhasmīkṛtā is reduced to ashes.

'Surely Janaki has perished in Lanka, for not even a little place is left unburnt. The entire city is reduced to ashes.
yadi tadvihataṅ kāryaṅ mama prajñāviparyayāt.

ihaiva prāṇasaṅnyāsō mamāpi hyadya rōcatē৷৷5.55.12৷৷


mama my, prajñāviparyayāt stupidity, tat this, kāryam work, vihataṅ yadi if it has been foiled, mamāpi foil me also, ihaiva here itself, prāṇasanyāsaḥ give up life, adya now, rōcatē is proper.

'If my work has been destroyed by my perversity of judgement, I will give up my life now and here itself'.
kimagnau nipatāmyadya āhōsvidbaḍabāmukhē.

śarīramāhō sattvānāṅ dadmi sāgaravāsinām৷৷5.55.13৷৷


adya today, agnau in fire, nipatāmi shall I jump, āhōsvit alas! baḍabāmukhē in the mouth of submarine fire, āhō alas! śarīram body, sāgaravāsinām sattvānām to those aquatic creatures living in the ocean dadmi I would offer.

'Shall I end my life by jumping into fire just now, or else into the mouth of submarine fire? Should I offer my body to the living creatures of the ocean as their food?
kathaṅ hi jīvatā śakyō mayā draṣṭuṅ harīśvaraḥ.

tau vā puruṣaśārdūlau kāryasarvasvaghātinā৷৷5.55.14৷৷


kāryasarvasvaghātinā after completely spoiling the work, mayā by me, jīvatā with life, harīśvaraḥ king of monkeys, draṣṭum to see, kathaṅ vā how to, śakyaḥ possible, puruṣaśārdūlau two tigers among men, tau vā or both those (Rama and Lakshmana.)

'Having spoilt the entire work how can I show my face to the king of monkeys? How is it possible to see both the tigers among men?
mayā khalu tadēvēdaṅ rōṣadōṣātpradarśitam.

prathitaṅ triṣu lōkēṣu kapitvamanavasthitam৷৷5.55.15৷৷


mayā by me, rōṣadōṣāt due to the mistake committed angerily, triṣu lōkēṣu in all the three worlds, prathitam well-known, anavasthitam Instability, tat that, idam this, kapitvam monkey-nature, pradarśitaṅ khalu indeed exhibited.

'On account of my mistake of yielding to anger, I have exhibited the unstable monkey-nature and made it well established in the three worlds.
dhigastu rājasaṅ bhāvamanīśamanavasthitam.

īśvarēṇāpi yadrāgānmayā sītā na rakṣitā৷৷5.55.16৷৷


anīśam having no control, anavasthitam unstable, rājasam excitable, bhāvam nature, dhik astu fie upon, yat that which, īśvarēṇāpi even though I am powerful, mayā by me, rāgāt out of passion, sītā Sita, na rakṣitā is not protected.

'Fie upon my hasty action commited due to lack of self-control. I did not save Sita eventhough the entire situation was under my control. (I had the capacity to save her. But I failed due to anger.)
vinaṣṭāyāṅ tu sītāyāṅ tāvubhau vinaśiṣyataḥ.

tayōrvināśē sugrīvaḥ sabandhurvinaśiṣyati৷৷5.55.17৷৷


sītāyām When Sita, vinaṣṭāyām is lost, tau ubhau those two, vinaśiṣyataḥ will die, tayōḥ of those two, vināśē when they are dead, sabandhuḥ including all relatives, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, vinaśiṣyati will perish.

'If the two princes know about Sita's loss they will die and when they are dead Sugriva would perish along with all his relatives.
ētadēva vacaśśrutvā bharatō bhrātṛvatsalaḥ.

dharmātmā sahaśatrughnaḥ kathaṅ śakṣyati jīvitum৷৷5.55.18৷৷


ētadēva this alone, vacaḥ word, śrutvā having heard, bhrātṛvatsalaḥ a loving brother, dharmātmā righteous one, sahaśatrughnaḥ along with Satrughna, bharataḥ Bharata, jīvitum to live, katham how, śakṣyati he can.

'How will the loving righteous brother, Bharata along with Satrughna survive after hearing this?
ikṣvākuvaṅśē dharmiṣṭhē gatē nāśamasaṅśayam.

bhaviṣyanti prajāssarvāśśōkasantāpapīḍitāḥ৷৷5.55.19৷৷


dharmiṣṭhē when the righteous, ikṣvākuvaṅśē Ikshvaku race, nāśam will perish, gatē when it happens, sarvāḥ all, prajāḥ people, asaṅśayam there is no doubt, śōkasantāpapīḍitāḥ tormented by grief and remorse, bhaviṣyanti would be.

'When the righteous Ikshvaku race perishes the people would be tormented by grief and remorse. There is no doubt.
tadahaṅ bhāgyarahitō luptadharmārthasaṅgrahaḥ৷৷5.55.20৷৷

rōṣadōṣaparītātmā vyaktaṅ lōkavināśanaḥ.


tat then, bhāgyarahitaḥ unfortunate, luptadharmārthasaṅgrahaḥ failed to secure dharma and artha, rōṣadōṣaparītātmā overwhelmed with anger, aham I, vyaktam this is evident, lōkanāśanaḥ destroyer of the whole world.

'I have failed in seeking dharma and artha. It is evident is that I am a destroyer of the world because I was overtaken by anger. How unfortunate I am!'
iti cintayatastasya nimittānyupapēdirē.

pūrvamapyupalabdhāni sākṣātpunaracintayat৷৷5.55.21৷৷


tasya when he, iti thus, cintayataḥ while he was bemoaning, sākṣāt directly witnessed, pūrvamapi earlier, upalabdhāni experienced, nimittāni omens, upapēdirē punaḥ once again appeared, acintayat he reflected upon them again.

When Hanuman was thus bemoaning, good omens as in the past appeared before him. He started reflecting once again:
athavā cārusarvāṅgī rakṣitā svēna tējasā.

na naśiṣyati kalyāṇī nāgniragnau pravartatē৷৷5.55.22৷৷


athavā or else, cārusarvāṅgī lady of beautiful limbs, svēna by her own, tējasā by splendour, rakṣitā is protected, kalyāṇī auspicious lady, na naśiṣyati will not perish, agniḥ fire, agnau at fire, na pravartatē cannot act/be effective.

'On the other hand a beautiful and auspicious lady like Sita will be protected by her own splendour and will not perish as fire cannot extinguish fire. (Sita is pure like fire. Here the great sage Valmiki is suggesting the future incident in which Sita emerged safe from 'Agni-pariksha' or fire-ordeal.)
na hi dharmātmanastasya bhāryāmamitatējasaḥ.

svacāritrābhiguptāṅ tāṅ spraṣṭumarhati pāvakaḥ৷৷5.55.23৷৷


dharmātmanaḥ of the righteous one, amitatējasaḥ of a man of immeasureable glory, tasya his, bhāryām wife, svacāritrābhiguptām protected by her own chastity, tām her, pāvakaḥ fire, spraṣṭum to touch, nārhati hi cannot.

'Fire cannot touch that lady who is protected by her own chastity and who is wedded to the righteous man of immasureable glory.
nūnaṅ rāmaprabhāvēṇa vaidēhyāssukṛtēna ca.

yanmāṅ dahanakarmāyaṅ nādahaddhavyavāhanaḥ৷৷5.55.24৷৷


dahanakarmā fire who consumes, ayam this, hanyavāhanaḥ the consumer of oblations, mām me, nādahat did not burn, iti yat and this is, nūnam surely, rāmaprabhāvēṇa by Rama's power, vaidēhyāḥ Vaidehi's, sukṛtēna ca by her merits also.

'Fire, the consumer of oblations who has the property of burning has not burnt me and this is surely on account of Rama's power and Vaidehi's merits.
trayāṇāṅ bharatādīnāṅ bhrātrūṇāṅ dēvatā ca yā.

rāmasya ca mana: kāntā sā kathaṅ vinaśiṣyati৷৷5.55.25৷৷


yā such lady, bharatādīnām of Bharata and others, trayāṇām of all the three, dēvatāḥ ca is treated as a goddess, rāmasya Rama's, manaḥ kāntā dear to his heart, sā she, katham how, vinaśiṣyati will she be destroyed?

'To Bharata, Lakshmana and Satrughna she is a goddess and she is dear to Rama's heart, how would she perish?
yadvā dahanakarmāyaṅ sarvatra prabhuravyayaḥ.

na mē dahati lāṅgūlaṅ kathamāryāṅ pradhakṣyati৷৷5.55.26.


yadvā or if, sarvatra everywhere, prabhuḥ lord, avyayaḥ that which never fails, ayam this, dahanakarmā burning fire-god, mē my, laṅgūlam tail, na dahati has not burnt, āryām noble Sita, katham how, pradhakṣyati will he burn.

'If not so, the fire-god who never fails in burning has not burnt my tail. How will he burn noble Sita?'
punaścācintayattatra hanumānvismitastadā.

hiraṇyanābhasya girērjalamadhyē pradarśanam৷৷5.55.27৷৷


tadā then, hanumān Hanuman, vismitaḥ wondered, jalamadhyē in the midst of water, hiraṇyanābhasya of Hiranyanabha's, girēḥ mountain, pradarśanam appearing, tatra there, punaḥ again, acintayat thought.

Then Hanuman thought of the appearance of mountain Hiranyanabha in the midst of water, a wonderful phenomenon.
tapasā satyavākyēna ananyatvācca bhartari.

api sā nirdahēdagniṅ na tāmagniḥ pradhakṣyati৷৷5.55.28৷৷


tapasā by asceticism, satyavākyēna by adhering to truth, bhartari towards her husband, ananyatvācca complete/exclusive devotion, sā she, agnim fire, nirdahēt api may even burn, tām her, agniḥ fire, na pradhakṣyati is not capable of burning.

'By virtue of her power of asceticism, power of truthfulness and exclusive devotion towards her husband, she may consume the fire. Fire will not burn her'.
sa tathā cintayaṅstatra dēvyā dharmaparigraham.

śuśrāva hanumānvākyaṅ cāraṇānāṅ mahātmanām৷৷5.55.29৷৷


tatra there, tathā so, dēvyāḥ queen's, dharmaparigraham power of righteousness, cintayan while thinking, saḥ hanumān that Hanuman, mahātmanām of the great ones, cāraṇānām of charanas (heavenly birds moving in the sky), vākyam word, śuśrāva heard.

As Hanuman was thinking so, he heard the words of the great charanas who were praising the queen's power of righteousness.
ahō khalu kṛtaṅ karma duṣkaraṅ hi hanūmatā.

agniṅ visṛjatā.bhīkṣṇaṅ bhīmaṅ rākṣasavēśmani৷৷5.55.30৷৷


rākṣasavēśmani in the demons buildings, ābhīkṣṇam excessively, bhīmam terrific, agnim fire, visṛjatā spreading, hanūmatā by Hanuman, duṣkaram marvellous, karma task, kṛtaṅ khalu has been done verily, ahō Oh!

'Oh! Hanuman has indeed accomplished the marvellous task of spreading the terrific fire on the demons buildings.
prapalāyitarakṣaḥ strībālavṛddhasamākulā.

janakōlāhalādhmātā krandantīvādrikandarai: ৷৷5.55.31৷৷


prapalāyitarakṣastrībālavṛddhasamākulā crowded with children, women and old demons running (in a bid to save their lives), janakōlāhalādhmātā loud with the wails of demons people, adrikandarē with the cave like houses, krandantī iva as if wailing loudly.

The city is crowded with women, children and old demons running (in a bid to save themselves). The loud wails of demons resounded in the mountain-caves. It was as if the city was shrieking loudly.
dagdhēyaṅ nagarī sarvā sāṭṭaprākāratōraṇā.

jānakī na ca dagdhēti vismayō.dbhuta ēva naḥ৷৷5.55.32৷৷


sāṭṭaprākāratōraṇā with towering markets ramparts and portals, iyam this, nagarī city, sarvā entirely, dagdhā is burnt, jānakī ca and Janaki, na dagdhā is not burnt, iti thus, naḥ for us, adbhutaḥ wonderful, vismayaḥ ēva It is surprising.

'The city with its towering markets, ramparts and portals is burnt, but Janaki is not. It is really wonderful, strange !
sa nimittaiśca dṛṣṭārthaiḥ kāraṇaiśca mahāguṇaiḥ.

ṛṣivākyaiśca hanumānabhavatprītamānasaḥ৷৷5.55.33৷৷


saḥ hanūmān that Hanuman, dṛṣṭhārthaiḥ with proofs having seen, nimittai: with omens, mahāguṇaiḥ good tidings, kāraṇaiśca and by reasons, ṛṣivākyaiśca by the sages words, prītamānasaḥ happy at heart, abhavat became.

With omens that proved to be right and for good reasons and from the words of the sages (charanas), Hanuman felt happy.
tataḥ kapiḥ prāptamanōrathārthastāmakṣatāṅ rājasutāṅ viditvā.

pratyakṣatastāṅ punarēva dṛṣṭavā pratiprayāṇāya matiṅ cakāra৷৷5.55.34৷৷


tataḥ then, kapiḥ Hanuman, prāptamanōrathārthaḥ with his desires fulfilled, tāṅ rājasutām the princess, akṣatām not hurt, viditvā after knowing, tām her, punarēva once again, pratyakṣataḥ directly, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, pratiprayāṇāya for departing, matim thought, cakāra entertained.

Hanuman, having fulfilled his desires and knowing that Sita is not hurt, thought of departing after meeting Sita once again (to testify that she is really safe).
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē pañcapañcāśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fiftyfifth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.