Lanka Glitters with Gems while Its Warriors Feast beneath the Shadow of Rama's Arrows
Sundara Kanda, Chhand 1
Doha 3 · Movement 2 of 3
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Golden walls set with astonishing gems enclose broad mansions, crossroads, markets, handsome streets, and a city shaped in countless forms. Elephants, horses, mules, infantry, and chariots fill the ways beyond counting. Demon hosts appear in many shapes, and their overwhelming army refuses the limits of description.
Forests, gardens, groves, flower grounds, lakes, wells, and stepwells shine inside the fort. Daughters of humans, nagas, gods, and gandharvas possess beauty that could enchant sages. Elsewhere colossal bodies roar like mountains. Warriors clash in many arenas, threatening one another while millions of terrible guards ring the city.
Wicked demons feed upon buffaloes, humans, cows, donkeys, and goats. Tulsidas says he has told something of them for one reason: beneath Raghuvira's arrows these bodies will be relinquished like offerings at a sacred ford, and the slain will attain their destined passage. Lanka's brilliance therefore stands beneath an unseen future of Rama's shafts.
The jeweled city roars in its strength, unaware that Rama's arrows already wait as its final sacred crossing.
Read the passage from the Manas
कनक कोट बिचित्र मनि कृत सुंदरायतना घना। चउहट्ट हट्ट सुबट्ट बीथीं चारु पुर बहु बिधि बना।। गज बाजि खच्चर निकर पदचर रथ बरूथिन्ह को गनै।। बहुरूप निसिचर जूथ अतिबल सेन बरनत नहिं बनै।। बन बाग उपबन बाटिका सर कूप बापीं सोहहीं। नर नाग सुर गंधर्ब कन्या रूप मुनि मन मोहहीं।। कहुँ माल देह बिसाल सैल समान अतिबल गर्जहीं। नाना अखारेन्ह भिरहिं बहु बिधि एक एकन्ह तर्जहीं।। करि जतन भट कोटिन्ह बिकट तन नगर चहुँ दिसि रच्छहीं। कहुँ महिष मानषु धेनु खर अज खल निसाचर भच्छहीं।। एहि लागि तुलसीदास इन्ह की कथा कछु एक है कही। रघुबीर सर तीरथ सरीरन्हि त्यागि गति पैहहिं सही।।
Golden ramparts studded with wondrous gems, beautiful, spacious mansions everywhere. Four-way crossroads, bustling markets, splendid lanes, the city adorned in countless ways. Elephants, horses, mules in droves, foot-soldiers and fine chariots beyond counting. Hosts of demons in many forms, an army of overwhelming power that words cannot capture. Forests, gardens, groves, and flower beds, ponds, wells, and step-wells shining beautifully. The daughters of naras, nagas, suras, and gandharvas, whose beauty would enchant even the minds of munis. Some with garlands upon their massive forms, tall as mountains, some slender and fair, of every shape and kind. Hanuman saw Lanka, that wondrous city of Ravana, and yet no fear or awe arose in his heart.