Summary
Hearing the rejoicing cries of the monkeys, Ravana asks some demons to discover the cause of that rejoicing. The demons mount the rampart and discover that Rama and Lakshmana have been relieved of the shackle of arrows. They come to Ravana and inform that the two brothers Rama and Lakshmana are alive and appear like two strong elephants in the battle-field. Ravana then calls Dhumarksha, a demon and asks him to go with an army and kill Rama, Lakshmana and the monkeys Dhumarksha along with his army enters the western gate of Lanka where the army-chief Hanuman is stationed. While Dhumarksha advances in the battle-field, he observes several bad omens and feels disturbed.
Chapter [Sarga] 51 in Detail
tesaam sutumulam shabdam vaanaraanaam tarasvinaam |
nardataam raaksasaih saardham tadaa shushraava raavanah || 6-51-1
That tumultuous sound, set up by the monkeys who were full of martial ardour [zeal], arrested the attention of Ravana and his demons.
snigdha gambhiira nirghosam shrutvaa sa ninadam bhrisham |
sacivaanaam tatas tesaam madhye vacanam abraviit || 6-51-2
Hearing that mighty clamor, sounding smooth and deep, Ravana spoke to his ministers who surrounded him.
yathaa asau samprahristaanaam vaanaraanaam samutthitah |
bahuunaam sumahaan naado meghaanaam iva garjataam || 6-51-3
vyaktam sumahatii priitir etesaam na atra samshayah |
tathaa hi vipulair naadaish cuksubhe varuna aalayah || 6-51-4
"A great uproar, resembling the rumbling of clouds, has arisen from that horde of rejoiced monkeys. Undoubtedly their joy is great; their mighty roars are agitating the briny [salty] ocean itself.
tau tu baddhau sharais tiisknair bhraatarau raama laksmanau |
ayam ca sumahaan naadah shankaam janayati iva me || 6-51-5
"Those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana were tied by sharp arrows. This sound of a great magnitude being heard by me, is begetting an apprehension in me."
evam cha vacanam ca uktvaa mantrino raaksasa iishvarah |
uvaaca nairritaams tatra samiipa parivartinah || 6-51-6
Having spoken thus to his ministers, Ravana the Lord of Demons said to his demons who stood round him there (as follows)
jnaayataam tuurnam etasaam sarvesaam vana caarinaam |
shoka kaale samutpanne harsa kaaranam utthitam || 6-51-7
"You immediately discover from what cause this general rejoicing among all these monkeys coming for their present grievous situation!'
tathaa uktaas tena sambhraantaah praakaaram adhiruhya te |
dadrishuh paalitaam senaam sugriivena mahaatmanaa || 6-51-8
tau ca muktau sughorena shara bandhena raaghavau |
samutthitau mahaa bhaagau viseduh preksya raaksasaah || 6-51-9
Thus commanded by Ravana, they mounted the rampart very briskly and saw the army lead by the high-souled Sugreeva and also the highly fortunate Rama and Lakshmana who were relieved of the terrific shackle of arrow a and risen up together. All the demons felt desponded on seeing it.
samtrasta hridayaa sarve praakaaraad avaruhya te |
vivarna rakshanaah ghoraa raaksasa indram upasthitaah || 6-51-10
With their hearts trembling with fear and faces turning pale, all those terrific demons descended from the rampart and approached Ravana.
tad apriyam diina mukhaa raavanasya nishaa caraah |
kritsnam nivedayaam aasur yathaavad vaakya kovidaah || 6-51-11
With downcast faces, those demons skilled in speech, faithfully informed Ravana of those unpleasant tidings, saying:
yau taav indrajitaa yuddhe bhraatarau raama laksmanau |
nibaddhau shara bandhena nisprakampa bhujau kritau || 6-51-12
vimuktau shara bandhena tau drishyete rana ajire |
paashaan iva gajaau chittvaa gaja indra sama vikramau || 6-51-13
"The two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, whom Indrajit had bound with his benumbing shafts and whose arms he had pinioned, are free from the arrows which paralyzed them and now appear on the field of battle, as two strong elephants who have snapped their fetters [chain or shackle for the feet]."
tat shrutvaa vacanam tesaam raaksasa indro mahaa balah |
cintaa shoka samaakraanto visanna vadano abraviit || 6-51-14
Hearing their words, the might Ravana was filled with anxiety and fury. His face became pale (and he spoke as follows):
ghorair datta varair baddhau sharair aashii visa umapaih |
amoghaih suurya samkaashaih pramathya indrajitaa yudhi || 6-51-15
tam astra bandham aasaadya yadi muktau ripuu mama |
samshayastham idam sarvam anupashyaamy aham balam || 6-51-16
"If my adversaries, having thus been bound by Indrajit are freed, despite their injuries in battle by his formidable arrows which were infallible those rare boons, resembling serpents, bright as the sun, I perceive my entire army in jeopardy."
nisphalaah khalu samvrittaah sharaa vaasuki tejasah |
aadattam yais tu samgraame ripuunaam mama jiivitam || 6-51-17
"Those very arrows, bright as fire, which in battle have taken the life of my enemies, have now been rendered void indeed!"
evam uktvaa tu samkruddho nishvasann urago yathaa |
abraviid raksasaam madhye dhuumra aksam naama raakasam || 6-51-18
Having spoken thus in furious tones, hissing like a snake, he addressed a demon called Dhumarksha who was seated amidst the demons and said.
balena mahataa yukto raksasaam bhiima karmanaam |
tvam vadhaaya abhiniryaahi raamasya saha vaanaraih || 6-51-19
"You, with a terrific prowess, go quickly with a considerable force of demons and slay Rama, Lakshmana and his monkeys."
evam uktas tu dhuumra akso raaksasa indrena dhiimataa |
kritvaa pranaamam samhristo nirjagaama nripa aalayaat || 6-51-20
Thus commanded by Ravana, the intelligent Dhumarksha, going past from there, quickly departed front her royal palace.
abhiniskramya tad dvaaram bala adhyaksam uvaaca ha |
tvarayasva balam tuurnam kim cirena yuyutsatah || 6-51-21
Having crossed that gate, he spoke to the General of the Forces as follows: "Mobilize the army. Hasten quickly. What need is there for the delay?"
dhuumra aksasya vacah shrutvaa bala adhyakso bala anugah |
balam udyojayaam aasa raavanasya aajnayaa drutam || 6-51-22
Hearing the words of Dhumarksha, the general of forces, having the army which followed him, kept the army ready quickly, as per Ravana's command.
te baddha ghantaa balino ghora ruupaa nishaa caraah |
vinardamaanaah samhristaa dhuumra aksam paryavaarayan || 6-51-23
Those strong demons of terrific form, making sounds with bells hung on their bodies, joyously surrounded Dhumarksha.
vividha aayudha hastaash ca shuula mudgara paanayah |
gadaabhih pattasair dandair aayasair musalair bhrisham || 6-51-24
parighair bhindi paalaish ca bhallaih praasaih parashvadhaih |
niryayuu raaksasaa ghoraa nardanto jaladaa yathaa || 6-51-25
Furnished with every kind of weapon, brandishing spears, hammers, maces, harpoons, sticks, iron cudgels, bars, clubs, javelins, missiles, nooses and axes, those terrible demons sallied forth [set out] with the noise of thunder.
rathaih kavacinas tv anye dhvajaish ca samalamkritaih |
suvarna jaala vihitaih kharaish ca vividha aananaih || 6-51-26
hayaih parama shiighraish ca gaja indraish ca mada utkataih |
niryayuu raaksasa vyaaghraa vyaaghraa;iva duraasadaah || 6-51-27
Clad in mail, mounted on chariots that were magnificently dressed with flags and decorated with bands of pure gold, harnessed to mules of many heads or steeds of exceeding fleetness or elephants in furious rut [lust], some other excellent demons went forth like veritable tigers.
mriga simha mukhair yuktam kharaih kanaka bhuusanaih |
aaruroha ratham divyam dhuumra aksah khara nisvanah || 6-51-28
Dhumarksha, with a mule-like clatter, set out in a celestial chariot to which mules adorned with gold and heads of deer and lions were hitched.
sa niryaato mahaa viiryo dhuumra akso raaksasair vritah |
prahasan pashcima dvaaram hanuumaan yatra yuuthapah || 6-51-29
That Dhumarksha of mighty prowess, surrounded by demons, set forth amidst mocking laughter, through the western gate where the army-chief Hanuman was stationed.
rathapravaramaasthaaya kharayuktam kharasvanam |
prayaantam tu mahaa ghoram raaksasam bhiima darshanam || 6-51-30
antariksa gataah kruuraah shakunaah pratyavaarayan |
As he mounted and advanced in an excellent chariot harnessed to mules, whose voices he emulated, birds of ill-omen in the sky obstructed that advancing demon of very terrible and fearful appearance.
ratha shiirse mahaa bhiimo gridhrash ca nipapaata ha || 6-51-31
dhvaja agre grathitaash caiva nipetuh kunapa ashanaah |
A highly terrible vulture alighted on the top of his chariot, while those devourers of corpses clustered on the point of his standard.
rudhira aardro mahaan shvetah kabandhah patito bhuvi || 6-51-32
visvaram ca utsrijan naadam dhuumra aksasya samiipatah |
vavarsa rudhiram devah samcacaala ca medinii || 6-51-33
Streaming with blood, a huge decapitated trunk fell to earth, emitting inarticulate noise in Dhumarksha's vicinity and the sky rained down blood. The earth trembled.
pratilomam vavau vaayur nirghaata sama nisvanah |
timira ogha aavritaas tatra dishash ca na cakaashire || 6-51-34
The wind with noise resembling a thunder blew adversely. Every quarter, obscured by abundant darkness, did not dazzle.
sa tu utpaataams tato dristvaa raaksasaanaam bhaya aavahaan |
praadur bhuutaan sughoraamsh ca dhuumra akso vyathito abhavat || 6-51-35
mumuhuu raaksasaah sarve dhuumraaksasya purahsaraah |
Seeing those terrible omens that appeared in all their horror to the demons, Dhumarksha became perturbed [confuse]. Terror seized all the demons who were advancing in front of Dhumarksha.
tatah subhiimo bahubhir nishaa carair |
rvrito abhiniskramya rana utsuko balii |
dadarsha taam raaghava baahu paalitaam |
samudra kalpaam bahu vaanariim camuum || 6-51-36
Then, Dhumarksha, the highly terrible and strong demon, surrounded by a multitude of demons, eager to enter into combat, set out and beheld that army of a multitude of monkeys, resembling a flood, protected by the arms of Rama.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande ekapajnchashah sargah
Thus completes 51st Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate