Sloka & Translation

[ At Lanka,Ravana holds consultations with the rakshasas about winning over Rama. ]

लङ्कायांतुकृतंकर्मघोरंदृष्टवाभयावहम् ।

राक्षसेन्द्रोहनुमताशक्रेणेवमहात्मना ।।6.6.1।।

अब्रवीद्राक्षसान् सर्वान्ह्रियाकिञ्चिदवाङ्मुखः ।

महात्मना: great soul, शक्रेणेव: like Indra in might, हनुमता: Hanuman, लङ्कयाम् at Lanka, कृतम् carried out, भयावहम् terrifying, घोरम् dreadful, कर्म: action, दृष्टवा: considering, राक्षसेन्द्रः Lord of Rakshasas, ह्रियाकिञ्चित् a bit shy आवाङ्मुखः bending the head down, सर्वान् all, राक्षसान् Rakshasas, अब्रवीत् addressed.

Considering the terrifying, dreadful action that was carried by the great soul Hanuman who was like Indra in might, the Lord of Rakshasas felt a bit shy and bending down his head addressed all Rakshasas.

धर्षिताचप्रविष्टाचलङ्कादुष्प्रसहापुरी ।।6.6.2।।

तेनवानरमात्रेणदृष्टासीताचजानकी ।

तेन that, वानरमात्रेणतेन: after all a monkey in size, दुष्प्रसहा: difficult to enter, लङ्कापुरी: city of Lanka, धर्षिताच: destroyed, प्रविष्टाच: and entered जानकी: Janaka's daughter, Janaki, सीताच: and Sita दृष्टा: saw.

"(Hanuman) After all a monkey in size, entered the inaccessible city of Lanka, destroyed it and saw Sita, daughter of king of Janaka."

प्रासादोधर्षितश्चैत्यःप्रवराराक्षसाहताः ।।6.6.3।।

आविलाचपुरीलङ्कासर्वाहनुमताकृता ।

हनुमता: Hanuman, चैत्यप्रासादः huge mansions, धर्षितः destroyed, प्रवराः topmost, राक्षसृः Rakshasas, हताः killed, सर्वा: all, लङ्कापुरी: the city of Lanka, अविला: shattered, कृता: did.

"Hanuman destroyed huge mansions, killed topmost Rakshasas and shattered all the city of Lanka."

किंकरिष्यामिभद्रंवोकिंवायुक्तमनन्तरम् ।।6.6.4।।

उच्यतांनस्समर्थंयत्कृतंचसुकृतंभवेत् ।

वः and now, भद्रम् best, किम् What is, करिष्यामि: should we do, अनन्तरम् ultimately, किं: what, वा: to you, युक्तम् advisable, नः for us, यत् that which, समर्थम् effective, कृतम् strategy, सुकृतम् that which is good, भवेत् for us, उच्यताम् you may suggest.

"What is the best thing to do now? What should we do ultimately? What is advisable to do? What strategy is effective? You may suggest that which is good for us."

मन्त्रमूलंचविजयंप्रवदन्तिमनस्विनः ।।6.6.5।।

तस्मद्वैरोचयेमन्त्रंरामंप्रतिमहाबलाः ।

महाबलाः of great strength, विजयम् victory, मन्त्रमूलम् through wise counsel, मनस्विनः wise elders, प्रवदन्ति: say, तस्मात् therefore, रामंप्रति: in case of Rama, मन्त्रम् advice, रोचम् thinking of seeking.

"O mighty Rakshasas Wise elders say that through wise counsel victory is possible. Therefore, in the case of Rama I am thinking of seeking your advice."

त्रिविधाःपुरुषालोकेउत्तमाधममध्यमाः ।।6.6.6।।

तेषांतुसमवेतानांगुणदोषौवदाम्यहम् ।

लोके: in the world, उत्तमाधममध्यमाः good, bad and mediocre, त्रिविधाः three kinds, पुरुषाः men, समवेतानाम् their differences, तेषाम् there, गुणदोषौ: flaws in characteristics, अहम् I, वदामि: will tell.

"In the world, men are of three kinds good, mediocre and lowly. It is difficult to know their differences. I will tell you about the flaws in their characteristics."

मन्त्रिभिर्हितसंयुक्तैस्समर्थैर्मन्त्रनिर्णये ।।6.6.7।।

मित्रैर्वापिसमानार्थैर्बान्धवैरपिवाधिकैः ।

सहितोमन्त्रियित्वायःकर्मारम्भान्प्रवर्तयेत् ।।6.6.8।।

दैवेचकुरुतेयत्नंतमाहुःपुरुषोत्तमम् ।

यः he who, हितसंयुक्तेः with wellwishers, मन्न्त्रनिर्णये: who decides with counsel, समर्थैः capable ones, मन्त्रिभिः ministers, समानार्थैः relatives with common interests, मित्रैर्वापि: or friends, अधिकैः very well, बान्धवैर्यापि: or with relatives, सहितः friends, मन्त्रयित्वा: deliberating with, कर्मारम्भान् to begin his work प्रवर्तयेत् before undertaking, दैवेच: with faith in god, यत्नम् makes his attempt, कुरुते: does, तम् him, पुरुषोत्तमम् best among men, आहु: said to be.

"He who decides, after deliberating with his wellwishers, with capable ministers of good counsel, relatives of common interest or friends before undertaking his task and tries with faith in god is said to be best among men."

कोऽर्थंविमृशेदेकोधर्मेप्रकुरुतेमनः ।।6.6.9।।

कःकार्याणिकुरुतेतमाहुर्मध्यमंनरम् ।

कः alone, अर्थम् thinks, विमृशेत् deliberates with in, एकः alone, धर्मे: duty, मनः in his mind, प्रकुरुते: executes, एकः alone, कार्याणि: tasks, कुरुते: does, तंनरम् that person, मध्यमम् mediocre intermediate one, आहुः is said to be.

"He who thinks solitarily (not with others), deliberates with in his mind on his duty and executes his tasks, is said to be a (mediocre) a mediocre one."

गुणदोषौवनिशिचत्य त्यक्त्यादैवव्यपाश्रयम् ।।6.6.10।।

करिष्यामीतियःकार्यमुपेक्षेत्सनराधमः ।

यः he who, गुणदोषौ: merits and de merits, न: not, निश्चित्य: deciding, व्यक्तम् failing to consider, दैवव्यपाश्रयः giving up faith in God, करिष्यामिइति: I will do it, कार्यम् task, उपेक्षेत् begins to do, सः he, नराधमः lowly one among men.

"He who fails to consider the merits and de merits, decides to do on his own and begins without faith in god saying, 'I' will do it, is a lowly one among men."

यथेमेपुरुषानित्यमुत्तमाधममध्यमाः ।।6.6.11।।

वंमन्त्राऽहिविज्ञेयाउत्तमाधममध्यमः ।

नित्यम् invariably, इमे: thus, पुरुषाः men, यथा: similarly, उत्तमाधममध्यमाः good, intermediate and lowly people, एवम् in the same way, मन्त्राऽहि: even their counsel, उत्तमाधममध्यमः good, mediocre and lowly kinds, विज्ञेयः you know.

"Just as among men there are good, intermediate and lowly people invariably their counsel is also of three kinds good, mediocre and lowly."

ऐकमत्यमुपागम्यशास्त्रदृष्टेनचक्षुषा ।।6.6.12।।

मन्त्रिणोयत्रनिरतास्तमाहुर्मन्त्रमुत्तमम् ।

मन्त्रिणः ministers, शास्त्रदृष्टेन: based on Sastras, चक्षुषा: in view, ऐकमत्यम् all of them come to one conclusion, उपागम्य: having come together, यत्र: then निरताः remain attached, तम् such, मन्त्रम् counsel, उत्तमम् best, आहु: said to be.

"When all ministers are unanimous and come to one conclusion based on sastras, and having come together remain firm, such counsel is said to be the best."

बह्व्योऽपिमतीर्गत्वामन्त्रिणामर्थनिर्णये ।।6.6.13।।

पुनर्यत्रैकतांप्राप्तस्समन्त्रोमध्यमस्स्मृतः ।

बह्व्य: many, मतीर्गत्वा: due to different points of view, मन्त्रिणाम् ministers, अर्थनिर्णयः in decision, पुनः again, यत्र: that, एकताम् altogether, प्राप्तः attained unanimity, सः that, मन्त्रः adviser, मध्यमः mediocre, स्मृतः vision.

"The conclusion in which many ministers have different points of view and attain unanimity in decision after meeting different points of view is a mediocre vision."

अन्योन्यमतिमास्थाययत्रसम्प्रतिभाष्यते ।।6.6.14।।

नचैकमत्येश्रेयोऽस्तिमन्त्रस्सोऽधमउच्यत ।

यत्रअन्योन्यमतिम् where counsellors with different opinions, आस्थाय: holding on to their individual opinions, सम्प्रतिभाष्यते: speak What pleases them, ऐकमत्ये: unanimous opinion, श्रेयः good outcome, नास्ति: not, सःमन्त्रः such counsel, अधमः a bad one, उच्यते: is said.

"Where counsellors with different opinions hold on to their individual opinions that pleases them and are not for the outcome of a unanimous decision, such a counsel is said to be bad."

तस्मात्सुमन्त्रितंसाधुभवन्तोमतिसत्तमा: ।।6.6.15।।

कार्यंसम्प्रतिपद्यन्तामेतत्कृत्यंमतंमम ।

तस्मात् on account of that, मतिसत्तामाः wise ones, भवन्तः your, सुमन्त्रितम् thinking over well, साधु: rightly, कार्यम् task, सम्प्रतिपद्यन्ताम् that which has to be done, एतत् all that, मम: to me, कृत्यम् required action, मतम् I need.

"On account of that, O wise ones Think over very well, rightly of the task to be done and determine the action required by me now."

वानराणांहिधीराणांसहस्रैःपरिवारितः ।।6.6.16।।

रामोऽभ्येतिपुरीलङ्कामस्माकमुपरोधकः ।

रामः Rama, धीराणाम् valorous, वानराणाम् Vanaras, सहस्रैः thousands, परिवारितः to besiege, अस्माकम् us, उपरोधकः is approaching, लङ्कांपुरीम् city of Lanka, अभ्येति: reaching.

Accompanied by thousands of Vanaras, Rama is approaching to besiege us and reaching the city of Lanka.

तरिष्यतिचसुव्यक्तंराघवस्सागरंसुखम् ।।6.6.17।।

तरसायुक्तरूपेणसानुजस्सबलानुगः ।

राघवः Rama, युक्तरूपेण: worthy of his might, तरसा: speedily, सानुजः his brother, सबलानुगः and his army, सागरम् ocean, सुव्यक्तम् it is clear, सुखम् easily, तरिष्यतिच: will be able to cross.

"Rama who is worthy of his might, accompanied by his brother and army will be able to cross the ocean speedily and easily."

समुद्रमुच्छोषयतिवीर्येणान्यत्करोतिवा ।।6.6.18।।

अस्मिन्नेवंगतेकार्येविरुद्धेवानरैस्सह ।

हितंपुरेचसैन्येचसर्वसम्मन्त्रयतांमम ।।6.6.19।।

समुद्रम् ocean, उच्चोषयति: dry up, वीर्येण: out of his power, अन्यद्वा: or something else, करोति: will do, वानरैः Vanara, सह: with, विरुद्धे: encounters, अस्मिन् when his army, एवंगते: has set out that way, कार्ये: task, मम: me, पुरे: for the city, सैन्ये: army, हितम् benefiting, सर्वम् for all, सम्मन्त्रयताम् advise me a plan

Rama may dry up the ocean or do something else out of his power. If Vanaras come and encounter us, we will clash with him. When his army has set out that way, you may advise me of a plan that benefits the army and city of Lanka."
।।इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेषष्ठमस्सर्गः।।
This is the end of the sixth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.