सुग्रीवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हेतुमत्परमार्थवत्। प्रतिजग्राह काकुत्स्थो हनूमन्तमथाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing Sugrīva's speech, reasonable and fraught with high sense, Kākutstha accorded his assent to it and spoke to Hanumān, saying.
तपसा सेतुबन्धेन सागरोच्छोषणेन च। सर्वथापि समर्थोऽस्मि सागरस्यास्य लङ्घने॥
By asceticism, or constructing a bridge, or drying up the ocean, competent every way am I for crossing over this ocean.
कति दुर्गाणि दुर्गाया लङ्कायास्तद्ब्रवीष्व मे। ज्ञातुमिच्छामि तत्सर्वं दर्शनादिव वानर ॥
Of impracticable places, tell me how many there are in (Lankā), which are incapable of being come at.
बलस्य परिमाणं च द्वारदुर्गक्रियामपि। गुप्तिकर्म च लङ्काया रक्षसा सदनानि च॥ यथासुखं यथावच्च लङ्कायामसि दृष्टवान्। सर्वमाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन सर्वथा कुशलो ह्यसि ॥
O monkey, as you have seen personally, I wish to get acquainted with all this. And you have at your leisure duly noticed in Lankā the nur.ber of the army, the inaccessibility (or otherwise) of the gates, the defence of Lankā, and the dwellings of the Rākşasas. Do you faithfully relate this to me, for you are observant.
श्रुत्वा रामस्य वचनं हनूमान्मारुतात्मजः। वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठो रामं पुनरथाब्रवीत्॥ श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये दुर्गकर्म विधानतः। गुप्ता पुरी यथा लङ्का रक्षिता च यथा बलैः॥ राक्षसाश्च यथा स्निग्धा रावणस्य च तेजसा। परां समृद्धिं लङ्कायाः सागरस्य च भीमताम्॥ विभागं च बलौघस्य निर्देशं वाहनस्य च। एवमुक्त्वा कपिश्रेष्ठः कथयामास तत्त्ववित्॥
Hearing Rāma's speech, Hanumān, offspring of the Wind-god, foremost of those conversant with speech, again spoke to Rāma, Hearken! I will describe to you by what method is the city of Lankā guarded and protected by the Rākṣasas, how loyal the Rākşasas are, the surpassing prosperity of Lankā, the dreadfulness of the deep, the divisions of the forces, and the number of the elephants, horses, cars, etc.' Having said this, that best of monkeys, knowing the nature of things, went on.
हृष्टप्रमुदिता लङ्का मत्तद्विपसमाकुला। महती रथसंपूर्णा रक्षोगणनिषेविता ॥
Lankā, filled with mad elephants, ever rejoice. She is great, thronging with cars and inhabited by Raksasas.
दृढबद्धकपाटानि महापरिघवन्ति च। चत्वारि विपुलान्यस्या द्वाराणि सुमहान्ति च॥
Her doors are firmly established and furnished with massy bolts. And she has four wide and giant gates.
तत्रेषूपलयन्त्राणि बलवन्ति महान्ति च। आगतं प्रतिसैन्यं तैस्तत्र प्रतिनिवार्यते॥
(At those gates) are powerful and large arms, stones, and engines, whereby a hostile host approaching, is opposed.
द्वारेषु संस्कृता भीमाः कालायसमयाः शिताः। शतशो रचिता वीरैः शतघ्न्यो रक्षसां गणैः॥
At the entrances are arrayed and set in order by bands of heroic Rākşasas, hundreds of dreadful sharp iron sataghnis.* *A kind of fire-arms, or ancient Hindu rocket; or a stone set round with sharp iron spikes. According to Rāmānuja, a sort of mace about two yards in length, with spikes.
सौवर्णस्तु महांस्तस्याः प्राकारो दुष्प्रधर्षणः। मणिविद्रुमवैदूर्यमुक्ताविरचितान्तरः॥
She has a mighty impassable golden wall, having its side emblazoned in the centre with costly stones, coral, lapises and pearls.
सर्वतश्च महाभीमाः शीततोया महाशुभाः। अगाधा ग्राहवत्यश्च परिखा मीनसेविताः॥
Round about is a moat, exceedingly dreadful, with cool water, eminently grand, fathomless, containing ferocious aquatic animals, and inhabited by fishes.
द्वारेषु तासां चत्वारः संक्रमाः परमायताः। यन्त्रैरुपेता बहुभिर्महद्भिर्गृहपङ्क्तिभिः॥
At the gates are four broad bridges, furnished with machines and many rows of grand structures.
त्रायन्ते संक्रमास्तत्र परसैन्यागते सति। यन्त्रैस्तैरवकीर्यन्ते परिखासु समन्ततः॥
On the approach of hostile forces, their attack is repulsed by these machines, and they are thrown into the ditch.
एकस्त्वकम्प्यो बलवान्संक्रमः सुमहादृढः। काञ्चनैर्बहुभिः स्तम्भैर्वेदिकाभिश्च शोभितः॥
One among these bridges is immovable, strong and fast established; adorned with golden pillars and daises.
स्वयं प्रकृतिमापन्नो युयुत्सू राम रावणः। उत्थितश्चाप्रमत्तश्च बलानामनुदर्शने॥
O Rāma, albeit Rāvaņa hunger for fight, yet is he calm; and he is vigilant and ever engaged in superintending his army.
लङ्कापुनर्निरालम्बा देवदुर्गा भयावहा। नादेयं पार्वतं चान्यं कृत्रिमं च चतुर्विधम् ॥
And dreadful and resembling a celestial citadel, Lankā cannot be ascended by means of any support. She has fortresses composed of streams, those of hills, and artificial ones of four kinds.
स्थिता पारे समुद्रस्य दूरपारस्य राघव। नौपथश्चापि नास्त्यत्र निरुद्देशश्च सर्वशः॥
O Rāghava, she is situated on the other shore of the ocean having its limit far away. And way there is none even for barks, and all sides are destitute of division.
शैलाने रचिता दुर्गा सा पूर्देवपुरोपमा। वाजिवारणसंपूर्णा लङ्का परमदुर्जया॥
That citadel is built on the mountain's brow; and, resembling the metropolis of the immortals, the exceedingly invincible Larkā is filled with horses and elephants.
परिखाश्च शतघ्यश्च यन्त्राणि विविधानि च। शोभयन्ति पुरीं लङ्कां रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥
And a moat and sataghnís and various engines adorn the city of Lankā, belonging to the wicked Rāvana.
अयुतं रक्षसामत्र पूर्वद्वारं समाश्रितम्। शूलहस्ता दुराधर्षाः सर्वे खङ्गाग्रयोधिनः॥
And an ayuta of Raksasas, dart-handed, hard to subdue, and all fighting at the front with their swords-protect the Eastern gate.
नियुतं रक्षसामत्र दक्षिणद्वारमाश्रितम्। चतुरङ्गेण सैन्येन योधास्तत्राप्यनुत्तमाः॥
And a lac of Rākşasas with a fourfold force, and with the flower of the soldiery-protect the Southern gate.
प्रयुतं रक्षसामत्र पश्चिमद्वारमाश्रितम्। चर्मखङ्गधराः सर्वे तथा सर्वास्त्रकोविदाः॥
And a prayuta of Rākṣasas, bearing swords and shields, and skilled in all arms, protect the Western gate.
न्यर्बुदं रक्षसामत्र उत्तरद्वारमाश्रितम्। रथिनश्चाश्ववाहाश्च कुलपुत्राः सुपूजिताः॥ शतशोऽथ सहस्राणि मध्यमं स्कन्धमाश्रिताः। यातुधाना दुराधर्षाः साग्रकोटिश्च रक्षसाम्॥
And an arbuda of Rākṣasas protect the Northern gate. And car-warriors and horsemenpersons honoured and sprung from noble linesby hundreds and thousands,tand irrepressible goblins and koțis of Rākşasas, protect the garrison.
ते मया संक्रमा भग्नाः परिखाश्चावपूरिताः। दग्धा च नगरी लङ्का प्राकाराश्चावसादिताः॥
I have broken down the bridges and filled up the entrenchment. I have burnt that city of Lankā and laid the wall low.
येन केन तु मार्गेण तराम वरुणालयम्। हतेति नगरी लङ्का वानरैरुपधार्यताम्॥
Let us by any way whatever cross over Varuna's abode. Do you take it for certain that the city of Lankā is subdued by the monkeys.
अङ्गदो द्विविदो मैन्दो जाम्बवान्पनसो नलः। नील: सेनापतिश्चैव बलशेषेण किं तव॥ प्लवमाना हि गत्वा तां रावणस्य महापुरीम्। सपर्वतवना भित्त्वा सखातां च सतोरणाम्।। सप्राकारां सभवनामानयिष्यन्ति राधव॥
What is the use of your reckoning the rest? Aigada, Dvivida, Mainda, Jambavan, Panasa, Nala, and the general, Nīla, bounding and reaching Răvana's abode, and riving the same consisting of woods and hills, moat and gateway, walls and dwellings, shall, O Rāghava, bring (hither) Sītā.
एवमाज्ञापय क्षिप्रं बलानां सर्वसंग्रहम्। मुहूर्तेन तु युक्तेन प्रस्थानमभिरोचय॥
If this be so,* do you order the entire body of the army to be brought; and do you set out at the proper hour. *Ebam ajnápaya: Ramanuja reads sense into this passage. If you wishes the principal monkeys to go, bring them; if you wish the whole host to march, call it hither, and march at the auspicious moment.