Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— उवाच सारणं वीक्ष्य शुको रघुपतेर्बलम्। इह सारण पश्यैतान् महाबाहुबलान् कपीन्॥१॥
Brahmā said: “Having seen the army of the lord of Raghu's line, Śuka said to Sāraṇa, ‘Look here, Sāraṇa, at these monkeys, mighty in the strength of their arms.
Passage 2
मनुष्यमात्रादपि ये बिभीयुर्वानराः किल। ते गर्जन्त्यद्य लङ्केशपुरीमथनकाङ्क्षिणः॥२॥
“‘The monkeys who were supposedly afraid even of a mere man now roar, longing to crush the city of Laṅkā's lord.
Passage 3
रामस्य दोर्बलोद्रिक्ता अमी वानरकुञ्जराः। रक्षोगणांस्तृणीकृत्य गर्जन्त्येते महोद्धताः॥३॥
“‘These elephant-like monkeys, elated by the strength of Rāma's arms, roar with immense audacity and regard the hosts of rākṣasas as mere straw.
Passage 4
एतैर्वारिनिधौ बद्धः सेतुः शैलगणैर्महान्। अमानुषमिदं कृत्यं हरते नः प्रभोर्मदम्॥४॥
“‘With masses of mountains these monkeys built a great bridge upon the ocean. This superhuman deed takes away the pride of our lord.
Passage 5
अपि भ्रूभङ्गमात्रेण बद्धो रामेण वारिधिः। इदमप्यस्य सुमहत्कर्म ज्ञेयतमं मुहुः॥५॥
“‘Indeed, by the mere bending of his brow Rāma bound the ocean. Again and again this too should be understood as his exceedingly great deed.
Passage 6
छन्ना एव दिशः पश्य परितो मर्कटव्रजैः। को नाम शक्नुयादेतान् संख्यातुं सुमहोद्धतान्॥६॥
“‘See how every direction is covered on all sides by companies of monkeys. Who could possibly count these immensely audacious warriors?
Passage 7
अमीभिः कनकच्छायैरसंख्यैः कपिकुञ्जरैः। द्वितीय इव लङ्कायाः प्राकारो निर्मितेतराम्॥७॥
“‘With these countless golden-hued monkey chiefs, it is as though a second rampart has been built around Laṅkā.
Passage 8
मुहुर्गर्जन्ति कूर्दन्ते माद्यन्ति सुमहाबलाः। आस्फोटयन्ति दोर्दण्डान् कथयन्ते च पौरुषम्॥८॥
“‘Possessed of immense strength, they repeatedly roar, leap, and revel. They slap their mighty arms and proclaim their valor.
Passage 9
तृणीकुर्वन्ति दर्पान्धांस्त्रिजगद्वर्तिनो भटान्। निर्दारयन्ति निनदैर्हृदयानि च रक्षसाम्॥९॥
“‘They regard as straw the pride-blinded warriors who range through the three worlds, and with their roars they rend the hearts of the rākṣasas.
Passage 10
उत्क्षेप्तुमवनीमेतामुत्सहन्ते बलोन्नताः। नखदन्तायुधैर्योद्धुं शिलाभिर्भूरुहैस्तथा॥१०॥
“‘Exalted by their strength, they are ready to lift up this earth and to fight with the weapons of their nails and teeth, as well as with rocks and trees.
Passage 11
सज्जन्ते राक्षसैरेते समरेष्वनिवर्तिनः। जिता येन दिशः सर्वाः सकुलं तं दशाननम्॥११॥
“‘Never retreating in battle, they prepare to fight the rākṣasas and the ten-headed one who, together with his clan, conquered every direction. Fate Turns Against Laṅkā
Passage 12
एषां ग्रसितुकामानामयमाटोप ईक्ष्यते। मन्येऽसौ कोऽपि सम्प्राप्तः कालस्यैव विपर्ययः॥१२॥
“‘This threatening display of theirs reveals their desire to devour us. I think some extraordinary reversal of Time itself has arrived.
Passage 13
अभूततममेवाद्य भवतीति विनिश्चितम्। तन्न जानाति लङ्केशो मन्ये भाग्यविपर्ययात्॥१३॥
“‘It is certain that something utterly unprecedented is happening today. I think Laṅkā's lord fails to recognize it because his fortune has turned against him.
Passage 14
नो चेत्तरेयुः सलिले कथं नाम शिलोच्चयाः। मनुष्यश्च कथं हन्याद्राक्षसान् निजभक्षकान्॥१४॥
“‘Otherwise, how could mountains cross through the water? And how could a human kill the rākṣasas who feed upon his own kind?
Passage 15
कपयश्च कथं कुर्युराटोपं रक्षसां जये। सोदरश्च कथं नाम त्यजेत्काल उपस्थिते॥१५॥
“‘How could monkeys make such a bold display of conquering the rākṣasas, and how could one's own brother abandon him unless his appointed Time had arrived? The Leaders at the Gates
Passage 16
इह रामो रघुपतिर्मुहुरालोकयन् धनुः। आस्तेऽसावुत्तरद्वारि लङ्काया विजयोद्यतः॥१६॥
“‘Here stands Rāma, lord of Raghu's line, repeatedly looking upon his bow. Intent on victory, he occupies Laṅkā's northern gate.
Passage 17
असौ सौमित्रिरनुजस्तस्यैवाहितलक्षणः। संधाय बाणं धनुषि मोक्तुकामोऽस्ति लक्ष्यदृक्॥१७॥
“‘There is his younger brother, Sumitrā's son, whose auspicious marks equal his own. His eye fixed on the target, he has set an arrow to his bow and is ready to release it.
Passage 18
अमी कपिमहावीरास्तेषां सुग्रीव ईश्वरः। बली वालिकपेर्भ्राता जल्पन्नास्ते रणोद्यमम्॥१८॥
“‘These are the great monkey heroes, and Sugrīva is their lord. The powerful brother of the monkey Vāli stands speaking of preparations for battle.
Passage 19
अयं स मारुतिर्वीरो हनुमानतिकोपनः। आस्ते युद्धकृतोत्साहो नगरीं यो ददाह च॥१९॥
“‘This is the heroic son of the Wind, the exceedingly fierce Hanumān. He who burned the city now stands eager for battle.
Passage 20
अस्यां दिशि करालोऽसौ जाम्बवान्नाम ऋक्षराट्। आस्ते बाहुयुगं पश्यन् वृद्धो युद्धविशारदः॥२०॥
“‘In this direction stands the formidable king of the bears named Jāmbavān. Though aged, that master of warfare stands regarding his two arms.
Passage 21
अमी च कपयः शूरा नलनीलाङ्गदादयः। परामृशन्तः संग्रामं जल्पन्ति स्वस्वपौरुषम्॥२१॥
“‘Here too are the heroic monkeys Nala, Nīla, Aṅgada, and the others. Discussing the coming battle, each speaks of his own valor.
Passage 22
अमीषां कर्तुं संख्यानं पारयामि न सारण। स्वस्वयूथाधिपतय एते सन्ति महाबलाः॥२२॥
“‘Sāraṇa, I cannot manage to count them. Each of these mighty warriors is the lord of his own troop.
Passage 23
यतो यतः प्रमार्येते दृशौ दिशि ततस्ततः। दृश्यन्ते कपिसैन्यानि बलोन्नद्धानि कोटिशः॥२३॥
“‘In every direction toward which the eyes are turned, proud monkey armies are seen in their tens of millions.
Passage 24
अमीभिर्वेष्टिता लङ्का ग्रस्तप्रायैव दृश्यते। इतोऽपि किल नो वेत्ति स्वामी नो भाविनो वशात्॥२४॥
“‘Encircled by them, Laṅkā already appears almost swallowed up. Even now our lord does not perceive it, held under the power of what is destined to be.’ The Spies Are Discovered and Released
Passage 25
इति संकथयन् वार्तां शुकाख्यः सारणं प्रति। विचचार रघुश्रेष्ठसैन्ये छन्नचतुर्दिशि॥२५॥
Thus relating this report to Sāraṇa, the spy named Śuka moved about within the army of Raghu's chief, which covered all four directions.
Passage 26
विचेरतुस्तौ कुटिलौ चारौ लङ्कापुरेशिनुः। तस्मिन् कपिबले सर्वैर्विदितौ राक्षसाविति॥२६॥
Those two deceitful spies of Laṅkā's lord moved through that monkey army, but everyone recognized that they were rākṣasas.
Passage 27
अथ तौ कपिभिर्बद्ध्वाऽऽनीतौ श्रीरामसन्निधौ। लङ्कातः किल सम्प्राप्तौ राक्षसौ शत्रुपक्षगौ॥२७॥
The monkeys then bound the two enemy rākṣasas who had come from Laṅkā and brought them into glorious Rāma's presence.
Passage 28
तानादिदेश भगवान् रघुवंशमणिः कपीन्। त्वरितं प्रतिमुच्येतां दशाननचराविमौ॥२८॥
The blessed jewel of Raghu's line commanded those monkeys: “Quickly release these two spies of the ten-headed one.
Passage 29
एताभ्यामिव बद्धाभ्यां मारिताभ्यामथापि वा। नहि नोऽभीष्टसंसिद्धिर्दशास्यं विजिगीषताम्॥२९॥
“Whether these two are bound or even killed, that will not accomplish our cherished aim as we seek to conquer the ten-headed one.”
Passage 30
इति रामकृतादेशान्मुक्तौ तौ कपिभिः खलौ। ईयतुः प्राणानादाय त्वरितं शुकसारणौ॥३०॥
At Rāma's command the monkeys released those two villains. Śuka and Sāraṇa hurried away, carrying off their lives.
Passage 31
श्रीमानथ द्वादशिकादिने पुरद्वारेषु सर्वेषु महाबलान् कपीन्। आदिश्य सेनापतिभिः पृथक् पृथग्द्वारे स्वयं च प्रभुरुत्तरे स्थितः॥३१॥
Then, on the twelfth day, the glorious Lord assigned mighty monkeys with their commanders separately to every gate of the city, and he himself stood at the northern gate.