Sundara Kanda 9

TUESDAY

jaala vaata ayanair yuktam kaancanaiH sthaaTikair api |
indra niila mahaa niila maNi pravaravedikam || 5-9-16

With windows and ventilation holes made of gold and also made of crystal, with platforms made of sapphires and emeralds;

vidrumeNa vichitreNa maNibhishcha mahaadhanaiH |
vistulaabhishcha muktaabhistalenaabhiviraajitam || 5-9-17

Shone by floors embellished with corals of strange hue and with precious stones of great value, with pearls without comparison;

chandanena cha raktena tapaniiyanibhena cha |
supuNyagandhinaa yuktamaadityataruNopamam || 5-9-18

Reddish and resembling gold, together with sandal wood having a good smell and brilliant like the Sun at noon;

kuuTaagaarairvaraakaarairvividhaiH samalamkR^itam |
vimaanam puSpakam divyam aaruroha mahaa kapiH || 5-9-19

The great Hanuma alighted the best aeroplane called Pushpaka with an excellent form decorated by rows of upper floors.

tatrasthaH sa tadaa gandham paana bhakSya anna sambhavam |
divyam sammuurchitam jighran ruupavantam iva anilam || 5-9-20

That Hanuma then being there, smelled a wonderful sweet fragrance like wind with an appearance, created from drinks and foods, including cooked rice diffused on all sides.

sa gandhaH tam mahaa sattvam bandhur bandhum iva uttamam |
ita ehi iti uvaaca iva tatra yatra sa raavaNaH || 5-9-21

That sweet smell was as though saying thus to that Hanuma : "Come here!", like a relative to a best relative pointing to there wherever that Ravana was.

tataH taam prasthitaH shaalaam dadarsha mahatiim shubhaam |
raavaNasya manaH kaantaam kaantaam iva vara striyam || 5-9-22

Hanuma started thereafter there (in that direction) and saw an auspicious great hall, close to heart of Ravana, like a delightful best woman.

WEDNESDAY

maNi sopaana vikRtaam hema jaala viraajitaam |
sphaaTikair aavRta talaam danta antarita ruupikaam || 5-9-23

That hall was made of stairways embedded with diamonds, decorated with golden windows, with a floor embellished with crystal, with shapes made from ivory in the middle.

muktaabhiH ca pravaalaiH ca ruupya caamii karair api |
vibhuuSitaam maNi stambhaiH subahu stambha bhuuSitaam || 5-9-24

Well decorated with pearls, corals and also with silver and gold and with diamond studded pillars and also decorated with many pillars.

namrairR^ijubhiratyuchchaiH samantaatsuvibhuushhitaiH |
stambhaiH pakSair iva atyuccair divam samprasthitaam iva || 5-9-25

By pillars slightly bent with no distortion, which were very tall and well decorated all over, that hall was as though starting for sky with very high wings.

mahatyaa kuthaya aastriiNam pRthivii lakSaNa ankayaa |
pR^ithiviim iva vistiirNaam saraaSTra gRha maaliniim || 5-9-26

Covered by a wonderful large carpet with all earth's characteristics like rivers, mountains, oceans, forests, painted over, that hall was like the vast earth together with states and rows of houses.

naaditaam matta vihagair divya gandha adhivaasitaam |
para ardhya aastaraNa upetaam rakSo adhipa niSevitaam || 5-9-27

It was resounded by birds in heat, made fragrant by excellent perfumes, hung with best tapestries and inhabited by the king of rakshasas

dhuumraam agaru dhuupena vimalaam hamsa paaNDuraam |
citraam puSpa upahaareNa kalmaaSiim iva suprabhaam || 5-9-28

It was made smokey by the fumes of agallocum. It was a pure one white like a swan, wonderful by the decoration of flowers, like divine cow with a great radiance.

manaH samhlaada jananiim varNasya api prasaadiniim |
taam shoka naashiniim divyaam shriyaH samjananiim iva || 5-9-29

That excellent hall was causing happiness to heart, causing a fair complexion, destroying sorrow and was as though producing prosperity.

indriyaaNi indriya arthaiH tu panca pancabhir uttamaiH |
tarpayaam aasa maataa iva tadaa raavaNa paalitaa || 5-9-30

Like a mother, then that hall governed by Ravana caused satisfaction to all five sensory organs with all the excellent five objects of the senses.

THURSDAY

svargo ayam deva loko ayam indrasya iyam purii bhavet |
siddhir vaa iyam paraa hi syaad iti amanyata maarutiH || 5-9-31

Hanuma thought thus : "This is heaven! This is indeed the abode of Devas! This is a city of Indra. This might be the result of a great austerity."

pradhyaayata iva apashyat pradiipaamH tatra kaancanaan (Hiatus!)|
dhuurtaan iva mahaa dhuurtair devanena paraajitaan || 5-9-32

Like gamblers defeated by greater gamblers in gambling, Hanuma saw golden hued lamps being still, as though in thought.

diipaanaam ca prakaashena tejasaa raavaNasya ca |
arcirbhir bhuuSaNaanaam ca pradiiptaa iti abhyamanyata || 5-9-33

Hanuma thought thus : "This building shines by the light of lamps and the brilliance of Ravana and also due to the radiance of jewellery."

tato apashyat kuthaa aasiinam naanaa varNa ambara srajam |
sahasram vara naariiNaam naanaa veSa vibhuuSitam || 5-9-34

Thereafter Hanuma saw a thousand of best women sitting on the rug with clothing of various colours and decorated in a variety of ways.

parivRtte ardha raatre tu paana nidraa vasham gatam |
kriiDitvaa uparatam raatrau suSvaapa balavat tadaa || 5-9-35

Then at the turn of midnight, those women slept deeply resting after playing during night, with a deep sleep caused by liquor.

tat prasuptam viruruce nihshabda antara bhuuSaNam |
nihshabda hamsa bhramaram yathaa padma vanam mahat || 5-9-36

That sleeping group of women, adorned with jewels which were not making sound, shone like a great park of lotuses with calm swans and bees.

taasaam samvRta dantaani miilita akSaaNi maarutiH |
apashyat padma gandhiini vadanaani suyoSitaam || 5-9-37

Hanuma saw faces of those best women, with teeth covered by lips with closed eyes and with lotus fragrance.

prabuddhaani iva padmaani taasaam bhuutvaa kSapaa kSaye |
punaH samvRta patraaNi raatraav iva babhuH tadaa || 5-9-38

At that time, those faces shone which became like lotuses in blossom during day time and again were like lotuses with closed petals at night.

imaani mukha padmaani niyatam matta SaTpadaaH |
ambujaani iva phullaani praarthayanti punaH punaH || 5-9-39

Hanuma thought that drunk bees definitely are desiring again and again these lotus faces like lotuses in blossom.

iti vaa amanyata shriimaan upapattyaa mahaa kapiH |
mene hi guNataH taani samaani salila udbhavaiH || 5-9-40

The glorious great Hanuma thought as above by recourse to reason. He also thought thus "Those faces equal lotuses by their qualities such as beauty, fragrance, and others".

FRIDAY

saa tasya shushubhe shaalaa taabhiH striibhir viraajitaa |
shaaradii iva prasannaa dyauH taaraabhir abhishobhitaa || 5-9-41

That hall of Ravana's being shone by those women, glittered like a calm cloudless sky in autumn shone by stars.

sa ca taabhiH parivRtaH shushubhe raakSasa adhipaH |
yathaa hi uDu patiH shriimaamH taaraabhir abhisamvRtaH || 5-9-42

That lord of Rakshasas surrounded by those women shone like the radiant moon surrounded by stars.

yaaH cyavante ambaraat taaraaH puNya sheSa samaavRtaaH |
imaaH taaH samgataaH kRtsnaa iti mene hariH tadaa || 5-9-43

Then Hanuma thought thus : "Whatever meteors together with residue of piety fall down from the sky, all those meteors had been together as these women".

taaraaNaam iva suvyaktam mahatiinaam shubha arciSaam |
prabhaa varNa prasaadaaH ca virejuH tatra yoSitaam || 5-9-44

There the luster, complexion and grace of those women clearly resembled great stars which emitted an auspicious radience.

vyaavRtta guru piina srak prakiirNa vara bhuuSaNaaH |
paana vyaayaama kaaleSu nidraa apahRta cetasaH || 5-9-45

Those women with dishevelled large thick garlands and scattered excellent jewels during the time of drinking, dancing etc., were with consciousness stolen by sleep.

vyaavRtta tilakaaH kaashcit kaashcid udbhraanta nuupuraaH |
paarshve galita haaraaH ca kaashcit parama yoSitaH || 5-9-46

Best women with disturbed sacred marks (tilaka) on forehead became with displaced anklets, became with necklaces fallen off to side.

mukhaa haara vRtaaH ca anyaaH kaashcit prasrasta vaasasaH |
vyaaviddha rashanaa daamaaH kishorya iva vaahitaaH || 5-9-47

Some other women became tied with pearl necklaces, some others became with tied-up waist ornaments (and) resembled young female horses who had walked long.

sukuNDala dharaaH ca anyaa vicchinna mRdita srajaH |
gaja indra mRditaaH phullaa lataa iva mahaa vane || 5-9-48

Some others wearing nice earrings with flower garlands that were torn and disturbed, resembled creepers, tread upon by an elephant in a big forest.

candra amshu kiraNa aabhaaH ca haaraaH kaasaamcid utkaTaaH |
hamsaa iva babhuH suptaaH stana madhyeSu yoSitaam || 5-9-49

Big pearl necklaces with the radiance of moon-rays in the middle of breasts of some other women shone like sleeping swans.

aparaasaam ca vaiduuryaaH kaadambaa iva pakSiNaH |
hema suutraaNi ca anyaasaam cakra vaakaa iva abhavan || 5-9-50

And of some other women, necklaces made with cat's eye gems resembled birds called Kadambas and for some others golden chains were like Chakravaka birds.

hamsa kaaraNDava aakiirNaaH cakra vaaka upashobhitaaH |
aapagaa iva taa rejur jaghanaiH pulinair iva || 5-9-51

Those women with buttocks resembling sand dunes, shone like rivers filled with swans and birds called Karandas and decorated by Chakravaka birds.

kinkiNii jaala samkaashaaH taa hema vipula ambujaaH |
bhaava graahaa yashaH tiiraaH suptaa nadya iva aababhuH || 5-9-52

Those sleeping women shone like rivers with their smiles as flower buds, with golden jewellery as big lotuses, with their behaviours as crocodiles, with fame as banks.

mR^iduSv angeSu kaasaamcit kuca agreSu ca samsthitaaH |
babhuuvur bhuuSaNaani iva shubhaa bhuuSaNa raajayaH || 5-9-53

Auspicious lines of decoration which were on smooth parts of some other women and on nipples, were like jewellery.

SATURDAY

amshu kaantaaH ca kaasaamcin mukha maaruta kampitaaH |
upari upari vaktraaNaam vyaadhuuyante punaH punaH || 5-9-54

Edges of clothing (worn by them) disturbed by air from breathing of some other women, were being fluttered again and again on their faces.

taaH paataakaa iva uddhuutaaH patniinaam rucira prabhaaH |
naanaa varNa suvarNaanaam vaktra muuleSu rejire || 5-9-55

Those edges of clothes with various beautiful colours, shone at the base of Ravana's wives' throats like hoisted flags of beautiful shine.

vavalguH ca atra kaasaamcit kuNDalaani shubha arciSaam |
mukha maaruta samsargaan mandam mandam suyoSitaam || 5-9-56

Here ear-rings of some beautiful women with a good glory, also moved lightly due to the air from breathing of those women.

sharkara aasava gandhaH sa prakRtyaa surabhiH sukhaH |
taasaam vadana nihshvaasaH siSeve raavaNam tadaa || 5-9-57

Then comforting breath from the faces of those women, by nature fragrant with the smell of liquor made of Sarkara, served Ravana.

raavaNa aanana shankaaH ca kaashcid raavaNa yoSitaH |
mukhaani sma sapatniinaam upaajighran punaH punaH || 5-9-58

Some women of Ravana smelled co-wives' faces again and again imagining them to be face of Ravana.

atyartham sakta manaso raavaNe taa vara striyaH |
asvatantraaH sapatniinaam priyam eva aacaramH tadaa || 5-9-59

Those best women with greatly devoted mind in Ravana, then not being on own will, brought delight only to their co-wives.

baahuun upanidhaaya anyaaH paarihaarya vibhuuSitaaH |
amshukaani ca ramyaaNi pramadaaH tatra shishyire || 5-9-60

Some other women slept there, making as pillows their arms decorated with bracelets and beautiful clothes.

anyaa vakSasi ca anyasyaaH tasyaaH kaacit punar bhujam |
aparaa tv ankam anyasyaaH tasyaaH ca api aparaa bhujau || 5-9-61

Another woman slept on another's bosom, again another woman slept on her shoulder, another woman slept on another woman's thigh and another slept on her breasts.

uuru paarshva kaTii pRSTham anyonyasya samaashritaaH |
paraspara niviSTa angyo mada sneha vasha anugaaH || 5-9-62

Overcome with heat and friendship, they resorted to thighs, sides, waist and back of one another, with mutual limbs placed on one another.

anyonyasya anga samsparshaat priiyamaaNaaH sumadhyamaaH |
ekii kRta bhujaaH sarvaaH suSupuH tatra yoSitaH
anyonya bhuja suutreNa strii maalaa grathitaa hi saa |
maalaa iva grathitaa suutre shushubhe matta SaTpadaa || 5-9-63

That garland of women tied with the rope of each other's shoulders shone like a flower garland with dragon flies on it tied in thread.

SUNDAY

lataanaam maadhave maasi phullaanaam vaayu sevanaat |
anyonya maalaa grathitam samsakta kusuma uccayam || 5-9-64
vyativeSTita suskantham anyonya bhramara aakulam |
aasiid vanam iva uddhuutam strii vanam raavaNasya tat || 5-9-65

That group of women of Ravana, tied by each other as garland with mixed group of flowers, with beautiful shoulders entwined promiscuously, hair like an exalted garden with a flower garland tied together of creepers in bloom due to the caress of the lord of wind in the vernal in the month of Vaisakha, with entwined beautiful trees.

uciteSv api suvyaktam na taasaam yoSitaam tadaa |
vivekaH shakya aadhaatum bhuuSaNa anga ambara srajaam || 5-9-66

Then it was not possible to make clear the knowledge of jewellery, body parts and clothes of those women even for those used to them.

raavaNe sukha samviSTe taaH striyo vividha prabhaaH |
jvalantaH kaancanaa diipaaH prekSanta animiSaa iva || 5-9-67

While Ravana slept comfortably, golden lamps shining brilliant, were as though seeing without closing eyes, those women of various glows.

raaja RSi pitR daityaanaam gandharvaaNaam ca yoSitaH |
rakSasaam ca abhavan kanyaaH tasya kaama vasham gataaH || 5-9-68

Women of royal sages, brahmanas and demons and of Gandharvas, of Rakshasas - all those unmarried girls surrendered from lust to Ravana.

yuddhakaamena taaH sarvaa raavaNena hR^itaaH striyaH |
samadaa madanenaiva mohitaaH kaashchidaagataaH || 5-9-69

All those women had been stolen by Ravana with a desire for war, some together with heat of youth obtained Ravana being desired by god of love.

na tatra kaacit pramadaa prasahya |
viirya upapannena guNena labdhaa |
na ca anya kaamaa api na ca anya puurvaa |
vinaa vara arhaam janaka aatmajaam tu || 5-9-70

There, even one woman had not been obtained forcefully by the strong Ravana, except for that daughter of Janaka, Seetha. Every other woman had been obtained by her character alone and there was no woman who had desire in another man, and there also was none with another lover.

na ca akuliinaa na ca hiina ruupaa |
na adakSiNaa na anupacaara yuktaa |
bhaaryaa abhavat tasya na hiina sattvaa |
na ca api kaantasya na kaamaniiyaa || 5-9-71

And there was no wife of his without a good lineage, there was no one with less beauty, no one without skill, no one without service, none with low intellect, no one without causing desire to lover.

MONDAY

babhuuva buddhiH tu hari iishvarasya |
yadi iidRshii raaghava dharma patnii |
imaa yathaa raakSasa raaja bhaaryaaH |
sujaatam asya iti hi saadhu buddheH || 5-9-72

Following thought occurred to Hanuma with a pious mind : "It would have been good for this Ravana if the virtuous wife of Rama had been left happy with her husband in the same such manner as these wives of the king of rakshasas."

Hanuma’s thought gives three different meanings-

1.      Had Seetha married Raavana, she would have been happy like other wives of Raavana. However,  Hanuma would not have got such thought. This verse is giving such meaning.

2.      It would have been good for this Ravana if the virtuous wife of Rama had been left happy with her husband in the same such manner as these wives of the king of rakshasas.

3.      Raavana would have got the correct lesson had his wives are taken away by someone as does with Seetha (Raaghava Dharma Patni).

Though Hanuma has no wrong thoughts, the way it has come out gives a wrong meaning. Hence, immediately become sad and thought

punaH ca so acintayad aarta ruupo |
dhruvam vishiSTaa guNato hi siitaa |
atha ayam asyaam kRtavaan mahaatmaa |
lankaa iishvaraH kaSTam anaarya karma || 5-9-73

Hanuma became gloomy and thought thus: "Seetha is definitely the best by virtues; then this lord of Lanka even though being great otherwise, did an evil and an un-gentlemanly deed with her.

MANUSHYAANAAM  SAHASRESHU  KASCHIDYATATI  SIDDHAYE

YATHATHAAM  API SIDDHAANAAM KASCHIN MAAM  VETHI            

                                                                                            THATHVA TAHA

 In thousands only one tries for Siddhi (Self realiazation). Only few will go till the end of achieving that.  Even in those only one would get to know of God.

Similarly, in thousands of wives of Raavana, there is no one who thought of leaving him. Even they do not have thought that there will be another equivalent to Raavana.

Only Seetha is not attracted towards Raavana and has a desire to go back to Rama.

This indicates the difficulty of being a MUMUKSHU ( the one seeking God).

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye sundara kaaNDe navamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 9th chapter in Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.