Rama’s messenger speaks

तमुद्वीक्ष्य महाबाहुः पिङ्गाक्षं पुरतः स्थितम् ।

tamudvīkṣya mahābāhuḥ piṅgākṣaṃ purataḥ sthitam |

Seeing the tawny-eyed vanara standing before him,

रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टो रावणो लोकरावणः ॥

roṣeṇa mahatā’’viṣṭo rāvaṇo lokarāvaṇaḥ ||

strong-armed Ravana, who made the worlds cry out, was seized by great anger.

शङ्काहतात्मा दध्यौ स कपीन्द्रं तेजसा वृतम् ।

śaṅkāhatātmā dadhyau sa kapīndraṃ tejasā vṛtam |

Troubled by suspicion, he considered the radiant vanara:

किमेष भगवान् नन्दी भवेत् साक्षादिहागतः ॥

kimeṣa bhagavān nandī bhavet sākṣādihāgataḥ ||

'Could this be the blessed Nandi himself, come here in person?

येन शप्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया प्रहसिते पुरा ।

yena śapto’smi kailāse mayā prahasite purā |

He cursed me on Kailasa long ago when I mocked him.

सोऽयं वानरमूर्तिः स्यात्किंस्विद् बाणोऽपि वासुरः ॥

so’yaṃ vānaramūrtiḥ syātkiṃsvid bāṇo’pi vāsuraḥ ||

Has he assumed a vanara's form, or could this be the asura Bana?'

स राजा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रहस्तं मन्त्रिसत्तमम् ।

sa rājā roṣatāmrākṣaḥ prahastaṃ mantrisattamam |

His eyes copper-red with anger, the king spoke

कालयुक्तमुवाचेदं वचो विपुलमर्थवत् ॥

kālayuktamuvācedaṃ vaco vipulamarthavat ||

to his foremost minister Prahasta in substantial, timely words.

दुरात्मा पृच्छ्यतामेष कुतः किं वास्य कारणम् ।

durātmā pṛcchyatāmeṣa kutaḥ kiṃ vāsya kāraṇam |

'Ask this wicked one where he comes from and for what reason;

वनभङ्गे च कोऽस्यार्थो राक्षसानां च तर्जने ॥

vanabhaṅge ca ko’syārtho rākṣasānāṃ ca tarjane ||

what did he intend by destroying the grove and threatening the rakshasas?

मत्पुरीमप्रधृष्यां वै गमने किं प्रयोजनम् ।

matpurīmapradhṛṣyāṃ vai gamane kiṃ prayojanam |

What purpose brought him into my unassailable city,

आयोधने वा कं कार्यं पृच्छ्यतामेष दुर्मतिः ॥

āyodhane vā kaṃ kāryaṃ pṛcchyatāmeṣa durmatiḥ ||

and what did he seek by fighting? Question this ill-minded one.'

रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्तो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।

rāvaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā prahasto vākyamabravīt |

Hearing Ravana's words, Prahasta said,

समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे ॥

samāśvasihi bhadraṃ te na bhīḥ kāryā tvayā kape ||

'Take courage, vanara; may you fare well. You need not fear.

यदि तावत् त्वमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो रावणालयम् ।

yadi tāvat tvamindreṇa preṣito rāvaṇālayam |

If Indra sent you to Ravana's dwelling,

तत्त्वमाख्याहि मा ते भूद् भयं वानर मोक्ष्यसे ॥

tattvamākhyāhi mā te bhūd bhayaṃ vānara mokṣyase ||

tell the truth; have no fear, vanara, and you will be released.

यदि वैश्रवणस्य त्वं यमस्य वरुणस्य च ।

yadi vaiśravaṇasya tvaṃ yamasya varuṇasya ca |

Or do you belong to Kubera, Yama or Varuna,

चारुरूपमिदं कृत्वा प्रविष्टो नः पुरीमिमाम् ॥

cārurūpamidaṃ kṛtvā praviṣṭo naḥ purīmimām ||

entering our city after assuming this pleasing form?

विष्णुना प्रेषितो वापि दूतो विजयकाङ्क्षिणा ।

viṣṇunā preṣito vāpi dūto vijayakāṅkṣiṇā |

Or are you a messenger sent by Vishnu, who desires victory?

नहि ते वानरं तेजो रूपमात्रं तु वानरम् ॥

nahi te vānaraṃ tejo rūpamātraṃ tu vānaram ||

Your power is not that of a vanara; only your appearance is.

तत्त्वतः कथयस्वाद्य ततो वानर मोक्ष्यसे ।

tattvataḥ kathayasvādya tato vānara mokṣyase |

Tell the truth now, vanara, and you will be released;

अनृतं वदतश्चापि दुर्लभं तव जीवितम् ॥

anṛtaṃ vadataścāpi durlabhaṃ tava jīvitam ||

if you speak falsely, it will be difficult for you to live.

अथवा यन्निमित्तस्ते प्रवेशो रावणालये ।

athavā yannimittaste praveśo rāvaṇālaye |

Otherwise, explain what brought you into Ravana's dwelling.'

एवमुक्तो हरिवरस्तदा रक्षोगणेश्वरम् ॥

evamukto harivarastadā rakṣogaṇeśvaram ||

Addressed thus, the foremost vanara spoke to the rakshasa leader.

अब्रवीन्नास्मि शक्रस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च ।

abravīnnāsmi śakrasya yamasya varuṇasya ca |

'I do not belong to Indra, Yama or Varuna.

धनदेन न मे सख्यं विष्णुना नास्मि चोदितः ॥

dhanadena na me sakhyaṃ viṣṇunā nāsmi coditaḥ ||

I have no alliance with Kubera, and Vishnu has not sent me.

जातिरेव मम त्वेषा वानरोऽहमिहागतः ।

jātireva mama tveṣā vānaro’hamihāgataḥ |

This truly is my own kind: I am a vanara who has come here.

दर्शने राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तदिदं दुर्लभं मया ॥

darśane rākṣasendrasya tadidaṃ durlabhaṃ mayā ||

I wished to see the rakshasa king, but that audience was difficult to obtain.

वनं राक्षसराजस्य दर्शनार्थं विनाशितम् ।

vanaṃ rākṣasarājasya darśanārthaṃ vināśitam |

I destroyed the rakshasa king's grove in order to see him.

ततस्ते राक्षसाः प्राप्ता बलिनो युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः ॥

tataste rākṣasāḥ prāptā balino yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||

Then your powerful rakshasas arrived, wishing to fight.

रक्षणार्थं च देहस्य प्रतियुद्धा मया रणे ।

rakṣaṇārthaṃ ca dehasya pratiyuddhā mayā raṇe |

I fought back in battle to protect my body.

अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि ॥

astrapāśairna śakyo’haṃ baddhuṃ devāsurairapi ||

Even gods and asuras cannot bind me with weapon-bonds.

पितामहादेष वरो ममापि हि समागतः ।

pitāmahādeṣa varo mamāpi hi samāgataḥ |

This boon has also been granted me by Brahma.

राजानं द्रष्टुकामेन मयास्त्रमनुवर्तितम् ॥

rājānaṃ draṣṭukāmena mayāstramanuvartitam ||

Wishing to see the king, I respected the weapon's restraint.

विमुक्तोऽप्यहमस्त्रेण राक्षसैस्त्वभिवेदितः ।

vimukto’pyahamastreṇa rākṣasaistvabhiveditaḥ |

Though the weapon had released me, the rakshasas brought me before you.

केनचिद् रामकार्येण आगतोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् ॥

kenacid rāmakāryeṇa āgato’smi tavāntikam ||

I have come into your presence on a particular mission for Rama.

दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञाय राघवस्यामितौजसः ।

dūto’hamiti vijñāya rāghavasyāmitaujasaḥ |

Know me as the messenger of Raghava, whose might is immeasurable.

श्रूयतामेव वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो ॥

śrūyatāmeva vacanaṃ mama pathyamidaṃ prabho ||

Lord, listen to these words of mine, spoken for your good.'