Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
As lanka scrambled for their defence in the wake of an imminent onslaught by rAma’s army, rAma was busy with meticulous planning. Based on the information they received from the ministers of vibhIshaNa, rAma laid out a clear strategy marking who should be present where as they surrounded lanka. He matched warrior for warrior and showed exceptional battle preparation. Having laid out the ground strategy, he wanted to get a clearer view of lanka, its layout and security and along with his key warriors, scaled the suvEla mountain. They enjoyed the scenic views of the mountain and decided to camp that night on the suvEla mountain and get a better view of lanka along with the palace of rAvaNa in the morning. Onwards…
The vAnara warriors having spent the night on top of the suvEla mountain, beheld lanka in the morning. The plains on top and the delighful gardens and forests that the mountain hosted were a treat to the eyes and they were astonished to behold the scenic foliage. It was replete with champaka, aSOka, punnAga, sAla, tAla, tamAla, nAgamAla, hintAla, arjuna, nIpa, saptaparNa, tilaka, karNikAra and pATala trees and plants which were in full bloom and covered the forests and gardens. With creepers around the trees and the tree tops bearing varieties of fragrant flowers, lanka resembled amarAvatI, the city of indra. The trees which bore wondrous flowers of delicate red petals and fruits appeared like humans bedecked with jewels. The elegant gardens that were very pleasing were replete with bees that were humming and birds that were intoxicated with honey. Peacocks danced merrily there, cuckoos sang and gentle streams flowed by the sides. The cries of the birds, peacocks, buzzing of the bees reverberated in the forests and gardens. These gardens resembled chaitraratha and nandana – the gardens of kubEra.
नित्यमत्तविहङ्गानि भ्रमराचरितानि च ।
कोकिलाकुलषण्डानि विहगाभिरुतानि च ॥
भृङ्गराजाभिगीतानि कुररस्वनितानि च ।
कोणालकविधुष्टानि सारसाभिरुतानि च ॥
विविशुस्ते ततस्तानि वनान्युपवनानि च ।
हृष्टाः प्रमुदिता वीरा हरयः कामरूपिणः ॥
The vAnaras who were capable of assuming any form at will entered the forests and gardens in all excitement and happiness and then gentle breeze that carried fragrance blowed soothing the senses and carrying the pollen. Yet other vAnara warriors were permitted by sugrIva to enter lanka, the city of fluttering flags. As they roared and entered lanka, moving swiftly. Stamping their feet, they kicked up quite a dust, and scared the birds, bears, lions, boars, buffaloes, deer and elephants. The birds and beasts ran away in different directions terrified by the rampaging vAnaras. One of the peaks of the trikUTa mountain was so tall that it could not be reached by the birds. Nobody could even think of scaling the peak, let alone attempting to do so. It made quite a sight and was a hundred yOjanas long and thirty yOjanas wide. On top of that peak was housed the city of lanka that was being ruled over by rAvaNa.
The city was dotted with tall sky scrapers with gOpuras which were white like the clouds and were tastefully decked with gold and silver plates. The tall buildings with their vimAnas and gOpuras lent a glorious look to the city. There in the middle of the city, a palace stood out like the towering kailAsa peak touching the skies. The mansion had a thousand pillars, was always under the vigil of the demons and was the abode of the king of the demons. The city that was on top of the trikUTa mountain and looked like it was levitating in the skies like the monsoon clouds with its forests and hills that delighted the mind, with its delightful gardens, with its flora and fauna, with its attendant demons who were keeping vigil, such an opulent and spacious lanka was beheld by the illustrious rAma along with lakshmaNa and other vAnaras. At the sight of those ingeniously built huge mansions which were laid out wonderfully in the city of lanka making it resemble the city of gods, rAma was astonished. He took a good look at the gem studded city with its mansions, machines and gigantic thresholds along with his great army of warriors.
Here we conclude the thirty ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 6.040. sugrIva’s daring assault
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 