Summary
Hearing the submission of Sarana, Ravana climbs up the roof of his palace and sees the entire army of monkeys from there. Ravana enquires about the various monkey leaders and Sarana shows him Nila, Angada, Nala, Shweta, Kumuda, Rambha, Sharabha, Panasa, Vinata and Krathana the army-generals along with their distinguishing characteristics.
Chapter [Sarga] 26 in Detail
tad vacah pathyam akliibam saaranena abhibhaasitam |
nishamya raavano raajaa pratyabhaasata saaranam || 6-26-1
Hearing those words, which were truthful and coward less, as spoken by Sarana, the king Ravana spoke to Sarana as follows:
yadi maam abhiyunjiiran deva gandharva daanavaah |
na eva siitaam pradaasyaami sarva loka bhayaad api || 6-26-2
"I do not give Seetha even if the celestials, celestial musicians or demons attack me or even if there is a terror from all the worlds."
tvam tu saumya paritrasto haribhir nirjito bhrisham |
pratipradaanam adya eva siitaayaah saadhu manyase || 6-26-3
"O, gentle one! As you were harassed very much by the monkeys and hence fearful; you are thinking of giving back Seetha now itself as good."
ko hi naama sapatno maam samare jetum arhati |
iti uktvaa parusam vaakyam raavano raaksasa adhipah || 6-26-4
aaruroha tatah shriimaan praasaadam hima paanduram |
bahu taala samutsedham raavano atha didriksayaa || 6-26-5
"Which enemy can defeat me in battle?" The illustrious Ravana, the lord of demons, causing the world to cry, spoke harsh words as aforesaid and then from there ascended the roof of his palace which was shining white like his snow and which was equal to the height his snow and which was equal to the height of several palmyrah trees, with a desire to see the army of monkeys.
taabhyaam caraabhyaam sahito raavanah krodha muurchitah |
pashyamaanah samudram ca parvataamh ca vanaani ca || 6-26-6
dadarsha prithivii desham susampuurnam plavam gamaih |
Ravana, stupefied with anger, along with his spies, saw that ocean, the mountains and the forests and beheld the entire land completely filled with monkeys.
tad apaaram asamkhyeyam vaanaraanaam mahad balam || 6-26-7
aalokya raavano raajaa paripapraccha saaranam |
Seeing that great army of monkeys, which was boundless and intolerable, the king Ravana asked Sarana as follows:-
esaam vaanara mukhyaanaam ke shuuraah ke mahaabalaah || 6-26-8
ke puurvam abhivartante mahaautsaahaah samantatah |
"Which monkeys are important among them? Who are valiant ones? Who are the very strong ones? Who will stay in front at all places, with great energy?"
kesaam shrinoti sugriivah ke vaa yuuthapa yuuthapaah || 6-26-9
saarana aacaksva me sarvam ke pradhaanaah plavam gamaah |
"To whom Sugreeva will hear? Who are the generals of the commanders of the monkey-heads? What is the influence of the monkeys? O, Sarana! Tell me all."
saarano raaksasa indrasya vacanam paripricchatah || 6-26-10
aacacakse atha mukhyaj~no mukhyaams taams tu vana okasah |
Then, Sarana who knew the chiefs of monkeys, spoke the following words about the chiefs of the monkeys i them, to the lord of demons who was enquiring about them.
esa yo abhimukho la.nkaam nardams tisthati vaanarah || 6-26-11
yuuthapaanaam sahasraanaam shatena parivaaritah |
yasya ghosena mahataa sapraakaaraa satoranaa || 6-26-12
la.nkaa pravepate sarvaa sashaila vana kaananaa |
sarva shaakhaa mriga indrasya sugriivasya mahaatmanah || 6-26-13
bala agre tisthate viiro niilo naama esa yuuthapah |
"He, the valiant one, who holds his arms high, who tramples the earth under his feet as he marches, whose face is turned towards Lanka, who in fury is knitting his brows very much, who is resembling a mountain- peak in stature, who is like filaments of a louts in hue, who is excess of anger continuously lashes out his tail and the swish of which is heard in ten regions, he is the prince named Angada, anointed by Sugreeva the king of monkeys and is challenging you to the battle."
baahuu pragrihya yah padbhyaam mahiim gacchati viiryavaan || 6-26-14
la.nkaam abhimukhah kopaad abhiiksnam ca vijrimbhate |
giri shringa pratiikaashah padma kinjalka samnibhah || 6-26-15
sphotayati abhisamrabdho laanguulam ca punah punah |
yasya laanguula shabdena svananti iva disho dasha || 6-26-16
esa vaanara raajena surgriivena abhisecitah |
yauvaraajye angado naama tvaam aahvayati samyuge || 6-26-17
"He, the valiant one, who holds his arms high, who tramples the earth under his feet as he marches, whose face is turned towards Lanka, who in fury is knitting his brows very much, who is resembling a mountain- peak in stature, who is like filaments of a louts in hue, who is excess of anger continuously lashes out his tail and the swish of which is heard in ten regions, he is the prince named Angada, anointed by Sugreeva the king of monkeys and is challenging you to the battle."
vaalinah sadrishah putrah sugriivasya sadaa priyah |
raaghavaarthe paraakraantah shakraarthe varuno yathaa || 6-26-18
"This Angada, a worthy son of Vali and always dear to Sugreeva, is coming forwards for Rama's interests, as Varuna is to Indra's."
etasya saa matih sarvaa yaddristaa janakaatmajaa |
hanuumataa vegavataa raaghavasya hitaisinaa || 6-26-19
"It is all due to Angada's design that Seetha was found by Hanuman, who is a swift monkey and a well-wisher of Rama."
bahuuni vaanarendraanaamesa yuuthaani viiryavaan |
parigrihyaabhiyaati tvaam svenaaniikena marditum || 6-26-20
"This valiant Angada, bringing along with him innumerable chief of monkeys, is approaching to crush you, with the help of his own army."
anuvaalisutasyaapi balena mahataa vritah |
viirastisthati samgraame setuheturayam nalah || 6-26-21
"Surrounded by a large army, here stands the valiant Nala the creator of the bridge, next to Angada the son of Vali, prepared for the battle."
ye tu vistabhya gaatraani ksvedayanti nadanti ca |
utthaaya ca vijrimbhante krodhena hari pumgavaah || 6-26-22
ete dusprasahaa ghoraah candaah canda paraakramaah |
astau shata sahasraani dasha koti shataani ca || 6-26-23
ya enam anugacchanti viiraah candana vaasinah |
esa aashamsate la.nkaam svena aniikena marditum || 6-26-24
"These excellent monkeys, numbering a thousand crores and eight lakhs, lodging in sandalwood groves, yelling with a lion's roar and having stiffened their limbs, are knitting their eye=brows raised in anger. These valiant monkeys, who are terrific and fierce having a ferocious zeal, are going after Nala. Nala himself with his aforesaid army aspires to smash Lanka forthwith."
shveto rajata samkaashah sabalo bhiima vikramah |
buddhimaan vaanarah shuuras trisu lokesu vishrutah || 6-26-25
tuurnam sugriivam aagamya punar gacchati vaanarah |
vibhajan vaanariim senaam aniikaani praharsayan || 6-26-26
"A monkey called Shweta of Silver hue [color] who is quick-witted and cleaver, of terrific prowess and a warrior renowned in the three worlds, has come to Sugreeva swiftly, dividing the army of monkeys and brining great delight to the troops, he goes back at once."
yah puraa gomatii tiire ramyam paryeti parvatam |
naamnaa samkocano naama naanaa naga yuto girih || 6-26-27
tatra raajyam prashaasti esa kumudo naama yuuthapah |
yo asau shata sahasraanaam sahasram parikarsati || 6-26-28
yasya vaalaa bahu vyaamaa diirgha laanguulam aashritaah |
taamraah piitaah sitaah shvetaah prakiirnaa ghora karmanah || 6-26-29
adiino rosanah candah samgraamam abhikaanksati |
esa eva aashamsate la.nkaam svena aniikena marditum || 6-26-30
"There was mountain called Ramya, on the banks of River Gomati. That mountain filled with various kinds of trees was also called Samrochana. An army-chief, named Kumuda used to roam around that mountainous region. He also used to rule that kingdom. He is the leader for lakhs of monkeys. He has a very long hair-coppery, yellow, pale and white and hideous to cook upon- thrown about on his tail is the intrepid and fierce monkey called Kanda. He yearns to fight and boast that he with destroy Lanka his forces."
yas tv esa simha samkaashah kapilo diirgha kesarah |
nibhritah preksate la.nkaam didhaksann iva caksusaa || 6-26-31
vindhyam krisna girim sahyam parvatam ca sudarshanam |
raajan satatam adhyaaste rambho naama esa yuuthapah || 6-26-32
shatam shata sahasraanaam trimshac ca hari yuuthapaah |
yam yaantam vaanaraa ghoraashcandaashchandparaakramaah || 6-26-33
parivaarya anugacchanti la.nkaam marditum ojasaa |
"O, king! He who resembles a tawny lion with a long mane and who is looking at Lanka attentively as though he wishes to consume it with his glasses, who dwells mostly on the mountains of Krishna and Sahya of Vindhya range of pleasing aspect, is the General named Rambha. Three thousand crores of excellent monkeys, who are formidable of impetuous valor and vigor, surround him who is marching ahead and follow in his foot-sets to destroy Lanka."
yas tu karnau vivrinute jrimbhate ca punah punah || 6-26-34
na ca samvijate mrityor na ca yuuthaad vidhaavati |
prakampate cha rosena tiryakcha punariikshate || 6-26-35
pashyan laanguulamapi ca ksvedatyesa mahaabalah |
mahaabalo viita bhayo ramyam saalveya parvatam || 6-26-36
raajan satatam adhyaaste sharabho naama yuuthapah |
"O, king! Look! The one who is yawning continuously and shaking his ears, he who does not have fear of death, he who never retreats from a battle, but violently moves with rage, who again sees obliquely, he who lashes out his tail and roars like a lion with great vigor, he who constantly dwells on the lovely Salveya mountain, he is Sharabha by name, the commander of monkeys with immense energy and devoid of fear."
etasya balinah sarve vihaaraa naama yuuthapaah || 6-26-37
raajan shata sahasraani catvaarimshat tathaiva ca |
"O, king! All his one lakh and forty thousand army-chiefs called Viharas are strong.
yas tu megha iva aakaasham mahaan aavritya tisthati || 6-26-38
madhye vaanara viiraanaam suraanaam iva vaasavah |
bheriinaam iva samnaado yasya esa shruuyate mahaan || 6-26-39
ghorah shaakhaa mriga indraanaam samgraamam abhikaanksataam |
esa parvatam adhyaaste paariyaatram anuttamam || 6-26-40
yuddhe dusprasaho nityam panaso naama yuuthapah |
"The one who is like a great cloud, enveloping the space and who stays in the middle of monkey-warriors like Indra the god of celestials, the great voice of whose monkeys wishing for battle is heard like the roll of drums, is the General named Panasa, who is always invincible in battle. He dwells in Pariyatra, a mountain that is exceeded by none in height."
enam shata sahasraanaam shata ardham paryupaasate || 6-26-41
yuuthapaa yuuthapa shrestham yesaam yuuthaani bhaagashah |
Troop-commanders numbering fifty lakhs commanding separate units attend obediently to him, who is excellent among the Generals."
yas tu bhiimaam pravalgantiim camuum tisthati shobhayan || 6-26-42
sthitaam tiire samudrasya dvitiiya iva saagarah |
esa dardara samkaasho vinato naama yuuthapah || 6-26-43
pibamh carati parnaashaam nadiinaam uttamaam nadiim |
sastih shata sahasraani balam asya plavam gamaah || 6-26-44
"He who is encamped with sixty lakhs monkeys as his army-strength on the sea-shore like unto a second ocean is the commander called Vinata who resembles Dardura mountain (in size) and is positioned there lending charm to the formidable army marching ahead and moves about, drinking the water of River Vena, the foremost of all rivers."
tvaam aahvayati yuddhaaya krathano naama yuuthapah |
vikraantaa balavantashca yathaa yuuthaani bhaagashah || 6-26-45
"A monkey called krathana, keeping the courageous, strong monkeys and the army-lieutenants in separate units, is inviting you for the battle."
yas tu gairika varna aabham vapuh pusyati vaanarah |
avamatya sadaa sarvaanvaanaraan baladarpitah || 6-26-46
gavayo naama tejasvii tvaam krodhaad abhivartate |
"That resplendent monkey who for his part nourishes his body having the hue of a red chalk and proud of his strength, stands facing you with anger despising all other monkeys."
enam shata sahasraani saptatih paryupaasate |
esa aashamsate la.nkaam svena aniikena marditum || 6-26-47
"Seventy lakhs monkeys are attending on him. He himself wishes to crush the city of Lanka with the help of his army."
ete dusprasahaa ghoraa balinah kaama ruupinah |
yuuthapaa yuuthapa shresthaa yesaam samkhyaa na vidyate || 6-26-48
"These commanders and commanders-in-chief are difficult to be conquered and their number is hard to be counted. Their troops are divided into distinct units."
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande sadvimshah sargah
Thus completes 26th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate