Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— ततस्तान् रघुशार्दूलः सुग्रीवहनुमन्मुखान्। कपीन् शालीननयनानुवाचोदीर्णसंशयः॥१॥
Brahmā said: “The tiger among the Raghus, his doubts mounting, then addressed Sugrīva, Hanumān, and the other monkeys whose eyes were lowered in shame.
Passage 2
कथमद्य विलोक्यन्ते भवन्तो विमनायिताः। किं नु प्रतिज्ञाहीनाः स्थ कस्मिंश्चिन्महति स्थले॥२॥
“‘Why do you all appear so dispirited today? Have you perhaps failed some solemn pledge in an important matter?
Passage 3
किं वाधिः कोऽपि संजातः सर्वेषां वो महौजसाम्। किं वा व्याधिः सुसंजातो युगपद् दुर्निवारणः॥३॥
“‘Has some distress arisen among all you mighty warriors, or has an irresistible illness suddenly afflicted you together?
Passage 4
किं वा पराजिता यूयं केनापि समराङ्गणे। किं वा किमप्यनिष्टं वः समुत्पन्नं महत्तरम्॥४॥
“‘Or has someone defeated you upon the battlefield? Has some grave misfortune befallen you?
Passage 5
किं वा दूरे स्थितः कोऽपि सुहृत् पञ्चत्वमागतः। शोकस्य कारणं युष्मान् पृच्छामि कपिपुङ्गवाः॥५॥
“‘Or has some friend far away met death? Foremost monkeys, I ask you to tell me the cause of your grief.
Passage 6
न गर्जथ कृतास्फोटाः पुरेव कथमद्य वै। निर्जित्य राक्षसानीकं स्वस्वावासान् यदा पुरा॥६॥
“‘Why do you not roar and slap your arms today as you did before, when you defeated a rākṣasa host and returned to your respective quarters?
Passage 7
भवन्त उपगच्छन्ति गर्जनं कुर्वते तदा। आस्फोटयन्ति दोर्दण्डान् महाटोपं च तन्वते॥७॥
“‘At those times you approached roaring, struck your massive arms, and displayed tremendous pride.
Passage 8
वर्धयन्ति च मच्चित्ते महोत्साहं महाभटाः। तदद्य लक्षणं सर्वं युष्माकं प्रोषितं क नु॥८॥
“‘Mighty warriors, you thereby increased the great ardor in my heart. Where have all those signs of yours gone today?
Passage 9
महाशोकाब्धिनिर्मग्ना नूनं व्याकुलयन्ति माम्। तस्य कारणमापृच्छे ब्रुवन्तु सकला मम॥९॥
“‘You seem submerged in an ocean of grief, and you fill me with anxiety. I ask its cause; all of you, tell me.’
Passage 10
इति रामेण सम्पृष्टास्ते सर्वे कपियूथपाः। ऊचुः परस्परमुखं संप्रेष्य कलितत्रपाः॥१०॥
“Questioned thus by Rāma, all the monkey commanders glanced at one another and spoke in shame. The Monkeys Report Their Defeat
Passage 11
अद्य वीरेन्द्र सर्वेऽपि वयं समरमध्यगाः। जिताः शक्रजिता तेन लङ्काधिपतिसूनुना॥११॥
“‘Lord of heroes, today all of us in the midst of battle were defeated by Indrajit, the son of Laṅkā's king.
Passage 12
शरैः सुतीक्ष्णैर्वज्राभैर्हत्वा विद्राविता निशि। ततो विषण्णवदनाः सर्वेऽपि वयमागताः॥१२॥
“‘Struck and routed by his exceedingly sharp, thunderbolt-like arrows, all of us returned with dejected faces.
Passage 13
अग्निं संतर्प्य सुचिरं मन्त्राहुतिभिरीजितः। दिव्यं रथं परिप्राप्य शस्त्रास्त्ररणसंकुलम्॥१३॥
“‘After long satisfying the fire with mantra-charged oblations, he obtained a divine chariot filled with weapons and missiles for battle.
Passage 14
आबद्धकवचो वीरः समरे योद्धुमाययौ। वयं पराजितास्तेन नानाशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षिणा॥१४॥
“‘Armor fastened upon him, the hero came to fight, and he defeated us by raining down many weapons and missiles.
Passage 15
अजेयः सर्वदेवानां यक्षकिन्नररक्षसाम्। सोऽद्य संदृश्यते वीरस्ततश्चिन्तातुरा वयम्॥१५॥
“‘That hero appears today to be invincible to all gods, yakṣas, kinnaras, and rākṣasas. Therefore we are stricken with anxiety.’ Rāma Names the Warrior Who Can Defeat Indrajit
Passage 16
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां कपीन्द्राणां स दैन्यवित्। सौमित्रिमुखमालोक्य जगाद रघुपुङ्गवः॥१६॥
“Understanding their dejection after hearing the monkey chiefs' words, the foremost Raghu looked toward the son of Sumitrā and spoke.
Passage 17
सत्यमिन्द्रजितो वीर्यमीदृगेव न संशयः। देवोऽसुरो मनुष्यो वा न तं योधयितुं क्षमः॥१७॥
“‘Indrajit's prowess is indeed exactly as you say; there is no doubt. Neither god, asura, nor human is capable of fighting him.
Passage 18
अखण्डितं तपस्तस्य वीर्यमप्रतिमं तथा। तेन प्रतिबलो लोके द्वितीयो नावलोक्यते॥१८॥
“‘His austerity is unbroken and his valor unequaled. No second warrior able to match him is seen in the world.
Passage 19
येन द्वादश वर्षाणि कृतं व्रतमखण्डितम्। ब्रह्मचर्येण नियतं स तं जेष्यति संयुगे॥१९॥
“‘One who has observed an unbroken vow for twelve years, firmly restrained in celibacy, will defeat him in battle.
Passage 20
येन द्वादशवर्षाणि जितानिद्रा निरन्तरम्। कृतश्च निर्जने वासः स तं जेष्यति संयुगे॥२०॥
“‘One who has continuously conquered sleep for twelve years and has lived in solitude will defeat him in battle.
Passage 21
न सामान्यजनेनायं विजेयो बलवत्तरः। लङ्केशस्य सुतो वीरो धीरः परविमर्दनः॥२१॥
“‘This immensely powerful son of Laṅkā's king, a steadfast hero who crushes his enemies, cannot be defeated by an ordinary person.
Passage 22
तादृशोऽयं मम भ्राता सुमित्राङ्कविभूषणः। साधुलक्षणसम्पन्नो लक्ष्मणः सत्यभाषणः॥२२॥
“‘Such a person is this brother of mine, Lakṣmaṇa, the ornament of Sumitrā's lap, endowed with the marks of a virtuous man and truthful in speech.
Passage 23
एतस्याप्रतिमं मन्ये तपो वीर्यं बलं यशः। अयमेव क्षमो जेतुं रणे शक्रजितं रिपुम्॥२३॥
“‘I regard his austerity, valor, strength, and fame as unequaled. He alone is capable of defeating our enemy Indrajit in battle.
Passage 24
पुरैव विधिना चैतल्लिखितं भालपट्टयोः। उभयोरपि सौमित्रिवीरलङ्केशपुत्रयोः॥२४॥
“‘Destiny long ago inscribed this upon the foreheads of both heroes—the son of Sumitrā and the son of Laṅkā's king.
Passage 25
एष इन्द्रजितो जेता स वध्योऽनेन निश्चितम्। इति मत्वा कपिश्रेष्ठाश्चिन्तां त्यजत तज्जये॥२५॥
“‘Lakṣmaṇa will conquer Indrajit, and Indrajit is destined to be killed by him. Knowing this, foremost monkeys, cast aside your anxiety about victory over him.’
Passage 26
इति रामः कपीनुक्त्वा सुमित्रासूनुमादिशत्। जहि लक्ष्मण तं दुष्टं नाम्ना शक्रजितं रिपुम्॥२६॥
“After speaking thus to the monkeys, Rāma commanded Sumitrā's son: ‘Lakṣmaṇa, kill that wicked enemy named Indrajit.
Passage 27
त्रैलोक्ये वीरवर्यत्वं लभस्व विपुलं यशः। इन्द्रजित्सूदनो भूयाः सुखयेन्द्रादिकान् सुरान्॥२७॥
“‘Become renowned throughout the three worlds as the foremost hero and gain immense fame. Slay Indrajit and bring happiness to Indra and the other gods.’
Passage 28
स तदाज्ञां समादाय प्रणनाम महामनाः। आर्यं सत्यगिरं भूयः प्रसादसुमुखं च तम्॥२८॥
“The noble-hearted Lakṣmaṇa received that command and again bowed to his venerable brother, whose word was truth and whose face shone with favor.
Passage 29
युद्धावहारः समभूत्ततश्च दिनानि पञ्चैव तयोश्चमूषु। इतः कपीन्द्रा बलिनस्ततस्ते रक्षोवराः स्थैर्यमवाप्य तस्थुः॥२९॥
“A suspension of battle then lasted for five days between the two armies. On one side the mighty monkey chiefs and on the other the foremost rākṣasas recovered their steadiness and held their positions.”