Passage 1
हनुमानुवाच— वीरेन्द्र भवतः कृत्यं लोकोत्तरगुणोत्तरम्। तथापि मर्त्यलिङ्गत्वाज्जनाः संदिहते हृदि॥१॥
Hanumān said: “Hero of heroes, your deeds and qualities transcend the world. Yet because you bear the signs of a mortal, people entertain doubt in their hearts.
Passage 2
मुनीनां वचनाद् राम वेद्मि त्वां पुरुषोत्तमम्। अप्रमेयगुणाध्यक्षं सर्वदिव्यगुणाकरम्॥२॥
“Rāma, from the sages' words I know you as the Supreme Person, master of immeasurable qualities and mine of every divine virtue.
Passage 3
तेजोराशिं महोनीलं देवं रघुकुलोज्ज्वलम्। बले वीर्ये गुणैश्वर्ये भ्रमस्त्वयि न मे क्वचित्॥३॥
“You are a mass of splendor, a great sapphire-hued god who illuminates the Raghu line. I have no uncertainty concerning your strength, valor, qualities, or sovereignty.
Passage 4
यशःश्रीज्ञानवैराग्यनित्यचिद्धनशालिता। नित्यमुज्जृम्भते राम त्वय्यद्भुतगुणाश्रये॥४॥
“Rāma, glory, prosperity, knowledge, detachment, and the wealth of eternal consciousness perpetually flourish in you, the abode of wondrous qualities.
Passage 5
स्वमाययैव संवृत्य स्वरूपं सुखचिद्धनम्। विक्रीडसि च काकुत्स्थ लोकवृत्तमनुव्रतः॥५॥
“Kākutstha, veiling with your own māyā your essential form, compact with bliss and consciousness, you sport while conforming to the ways of the world.
Passage 6
अतस्ते विक्रमगुणा अलक्ष्याः प्राकृतैर्जनैः। ततः संदिहते ह्येते कपयो वालिनो वधम्॥६॥
“Therefore ordinary people cannot perceive the qualities of your valor, and so these monkeys doubt that Vālin can be slain.
Passage 7
प्रत्यायकं च तस्यैते ज्ञातुकामा रघूद्वह। अतो भिन्धि प्रभो वक्ररोहांस्तालमहीरुहान्॥७॥
“Bearer of the Raghu line, they desire some proof of it. Therefore, Lord, pierce the great palm trees that have grown crooked.
Passage 8
य एतानेकबाणेन प्रसुप्तभुजगाकृतीन्। भिन्द्यात् तालद्रुमान् सप्त वालिस्तेनैव हन्यते॥८॥
“The one who could pierce these seven palm trees, shaped like a sleeping serpent, with a single arrow would likewise kill Vālin.
Passage 9
कबन्धं दुन्दुभेश्चैव क्षिपेदेककरेण यः। महाद्रिकूटसंकाशं वालिस्तेनैव हन्यते॥९॥
“The one who could cast away with one hand Dundubhi's skeleton, resembling a great mountain peak, would likewise kill Vālin.
Passage 10
इति सुग्रीवमवदन् संज्ञा ऋषयश्च ये। कृत्यं तद् द्वयमप्येतत् त्वय्यद्भुततमं न हि॥१०॥
“Wise sages spoke thus to Sugrīva. Neither of these two feats is at all extraordinary for you.
Passage 11
ततो वालिवधश्चास्य प्रत्याय्यः पशुचेतसः। मैत्री चानेन वर्ध्यैव कपिसेना महीयसा॥११॥
“Then this animal-minded monkey will become convinced that Vālin can be slain; friendship with this noble one and the monkey army must indeed be fostered.” Rāma Reveals the Compassion within the Tests
Passage 12
इति श्रीमान् समाकर्ण्य काकुत्स्थो हनुमद्वचः। तथेति प्रतिशुश्राव सप्ततालप्रभेदनम्॥१२॥
The blessed Kākutstha heard Hanumān's words and promised, “So be it,” agreeing to pierce the seven palms.
Passage 13
उत्क्षेपं दुन्दुभेरस्थ्नः सत्यचारित्रविक्रमः। साभिप्रायाखिलकृतिः समुत्तोलितसायकः॥१३॥
True in conduct and valor, he also promised to cast away Dundubhi's bones. Every act of his bore a purpose, and he raised his arrow.
Passage 14
भेत्स्यामि हनुमन्नेष सप्त तालमहीरुहान्। भेत्स्यामि शापदग्धं च तन्मूलस्थं भुजङ्गमम्॥१४॥
“Hanumān, I shall pierce these seven great palm trees. I shall also pierce the serpent beneath their roots, scorched by a curse.
Passage 15
तेनासौ स्वं वपुः प्राप्य स्वर्लोकं यास्यति द्रुतम्। प्रहृत्य दुन्दुभेश्चास्थि तं वै नेष्यामि सद्गतिम्॥१५॥
“Through that release, the serpent will regain his own form and swiftly go to heaven. By striking Dundubhi's bones, I shall lead him too to a blessed destiny.
Passage 16
कार्यमेतद् द्वयं नाम मयैव करुणावशात्। अतस्तत्र गमिष्यामि निःशङ्कं कपिपुङ्गवैः॥१६॥
“These two deeds must be performed by me out of compassion. I shall therefore go there without hesitation with the foremost monkeys.
Passage 17
अलौकिकमिदं कर्म करिष्ये ख्यातिहेतवे। पश्यन्तु युगपत्सर्वे कपिवीरा बलोन्मदाः॥१७॥
“I shall perform this superhuman deed so that it becomes known. Let all the monkey heroes, proud of their strength, witness it together.”
Passage 18
उररीकृतमीशेन कर्मद्वयमलौकिकम्। हनुमानवदत्सत्यं सुग्रीवकपिसन्निधौ॥१८॥
Hanumān truthfully told Sugrīva and the monkeys that the Lord had accepted the two superhuman feats.
Passage 19
अथ ते राममादाय कपिवीराः सहानुजम्। तालावलीं वालिवधं प्रत्ययाय समाययुः॥१९॥
Then the monkey heroes brought Rāma and his younger brother to the row of palms to establish confidence that Vālin could be slain. The Seven Palms Are Pierced
Passage 20
श्रीमान् रामश्च सौमित्रिः सुग्रीवो हनुमांस्तथा। नलो नीलोऽङ्गदश्चैव सप्ततालावलीं ययुः॥२०॥
Blessed Rāma, Saumitri, Sugrīva, Hanumān, Nala, Nīla, and Aṅgada went to the row of seven palms.
Passage 21
ददर्श रामस्तान् कृत्स्नान् सप्त तालाकृतीन् द्रुमान्। व्यचष्ट सर्वमायेशस्तत्तत्त्वं भेदने स्थितः॥२१॥
Rāma beheld all seven palm-shaped trees. The Lord of every māyā, poised to pierce them, discerned the whole truth within them.
Passage 22
प्रदक्षेण समाक्रम्य सौमित्रेश्चरणद्वयम्। क्षणात् सरलीचक्रे सर्पं वक्रतया स्थितम्॥२२॥
As Saumitri stepped forward with both feet, in a moment he straightened the serpent that had lain in a crooked posture.
Passage 23
अभूच्चटचटाशब्दस्त्रैलोक्यपरिपूरणः। सरलीभवतां तेषां सप्तानां तालभूरुहाम्॥२३॥
As those seven palm trees became straight, their sharp cracking sound filled the three worlds.
Passage 24
ततो बिभेद बलवान् बाणेनैकेन तान् द्रुमान्। स बाणस्तस्य तान् भित्त्वा परतो निर्जगाम ह॥२४॥
Then the mighty Rāma pierced those trees with a single arrow. After passing through them, his arrow emerged on the far side.
Passage 25
भूत्वा हि सतनुर्भूयस्तूणीरं प्रविवेश सः। तदद्भुतमिवात्यर्थमभूत्सम्पश्यतां नृणाम्॥२५॥
Regaining its embodied form, it entered the quiver again. To all who watched, this appeared exceedingly wondrous.
Passage 26
श्रेणीभूतेषु तालेषु भिन्नेषु महतेषुणा। सप्तैव विवराण्यासन् पूर्यमाणानि वायुभिः॥२६॥
When the palms standing in a row had been pierced by the great arrow, seven holes appeared, filling with wind.
Passage 27
तन्मूलस्थश्च भुजगः शापदग्धो हतस्तदा। अवाप सद्गतिं भूयो रामेषुध्वस्तपातकः॥२७॥
The serpent beneath their roots, scorched by a curse, was struck then. His sin destroyed by Rāma's arrow, he attained a blessed destiny.
Passage 28
भिन्नेषु सप्ततालेषु सुरपाणितलोद्गता। कल्पद्रुसुमनोवृष्टिः पपातामुष्य मूर्धनि॥२८॥
When the seven palms were pierced, a rain of wish-granting flowers released from the gods' hands fell upon Rāma's head.
Passage 29
अथो जयजये त्युच्चैः कपयो धरणीतले। दिवि देवगणाश्चैव हर्षपूर्णा बभाषिरे॥२९॥
Then the joyful monkeys on earth and the companies of gods in heaven cried aloud, “Victory! Victory!”
Passage 30
सप्ततालद्रुमविवरोद्गीर्णैः सप्तभिः स्वरैः। उद्गायन्तीव मरुतो रामस्य विमलं यशः॥३०॥
With seven tones issuing from the openings in the seven palms, the winds seemed to sing Rāma's stainless glory. Dundubhi's Skeleton Is Cast Away
Passage 31
ततस्ते दर्शयामासुः कबन्धं दुन्दुभेर्महत्। महाद्रिकूटसंकाशमस्थिमात्रावशेषितम्॥३१॥
Then they showed him Dundubhi's great skeleton, a mass of bone resembling a mighty mountain peak.
Passage 32
हिमानीचयसंकाशं शुभ्रं सुचिरसंस्थितम्। तद् दृष्ट्वा बलवानेष वामेनैव तु पाणिना॥३२॥
It was white like a bank of snow and had lain there a very long time. Seeing it, mighty Rāma used only his left hand—
Passage 33
उल्लास्य धनुषः कोट्या स्वनवद् भूरिवेगतः। चलितं व्योममार्गेण दीर्घान्तरमपातयत्॥३३॥
—and, lifting it with the tip of his bow, sent it sounding through the sky with tremendous speed until it fell far away.
Passage 34
तद् दृष्ट्वाद्भुतविक्रमस्य चरितं श्रीरामचन्द्रस्य वै तालानां परिभेदनं खलु जवेनैकेन दिव्येषुणा। दुन्दुभ्यस्थिनिपातनं च धनुषः कोट्यैव लीलावशाद् वामेनैव करेण वानरभटा युक्ता बभूवुर्मुदा॥३४॥
Seeing this deed of wondrously valiant Śrī Rāmacandra—the palms pierced at speed by one divine arrow and Dundubhi's bones cast away playfully with the tip of the bow held in his left hand—the monkey warriors became filled with joy.