Shuka Describes the Army and Calls Hanuman the Least Among Its Strength
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 54
Doha 54 · Movement 1 of 2
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Shuka asks Ravana to lay aside anger and hear the truth he requested. When Vibhishana reached Rama, the Lord immediately consecrated him king. The spies were bound and tormented, but Rama's authority saved their ears and noses from the monkey host.
As for the army, even hundreds of millions of mouths could not describe it. Bears and monkeys of countless colors fill the shore in vast, terrible forms. Their faces are fierce, their bodies immense, and their strength spreads beyond every scale the returning messenger can offer.
Then Shuka gives the comparison that should empty Ravana's court of laughter. The warrior who burned Lanka and killed his son possesses little strength beside the rest. Countless champions stand around him, hard and fearsome, immense as great serpents. Hanuman's devastation was not the full arrival of danger, but only its smallest visible measure.
The fire that consumed Lanka was only the faintest spark in the army now waiting across the sea.
Read the passage from the Manas
नाथ कृपा करि पूँछेहु जैसें। मानहु कहा क्रोध तजि तैसें।। मिला जाइ जब अनुज तुम्हारा। जातहिं राम तिलक तेहि सारा।। रावन दूत हमहि सुनि काना। कपिन्ह बाँधि दीन्हे दुख नाना।। श्रवन नासिका काटै लागे। राम सपथ दीन्हे हम त्यागे।। पूँछिहु नाथ राम कटकाई। बदन कोटि सत बरनि न जाई।। नाना बरन भालु कपि धारी। बिकटानन बिसाल भयकारी।। जेहिं पुर दहेउ हतेउ सुत तोरा। सकल कपिन्ह महँ तेहि बलु थोरा।। अमित नाम भट कठिन कराला। अमित नाग बल बिपुल बिसाला।।
"O lord, you have graciously asked, so hear me truly. Set aside your anger and accept what I say." "When your younger brother arrived, Rama immediately performed his royal consecration." "Hearing that we were Ravana's messengers, the monkeys bound us and inflicted many torments." "They began to cut off our ears and noses, but we were spared by invoking Rama's sacred name." "You ask about Rama's army, my lord. It cannot be described even with hundreds of millions of mouths." "Bears and monkeys of every hue, with fierce, vast, and fearsome forms." "The one who burned your city and slew your son possesses the least strength among all the monkeys." "Countless warriors, fierce and terrible, of immense might, vast as great serpents."