Hari Om.
Let us begin the third sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The ecstasy of the success of sItA’s quest was somewhat short lived for rAma as the prospect of crossing the ocean along with the large vAnara army weighed heavily on his mind. He was haunted by the same fear that sItA had expressed to hanumAn. This time it was the turn of the friend sugrIva to assure rAma. He assuaged the fears of rAma and gave him the confidence that the enormous army was at his beck and call and ready even to lay down their lives for him. He exhorted rAma to be optimistic and think of ways to cross the ocean. Onwards…
The logical articulation of sugrIva that was apt and well-articulated was accepted by rAma and he asked thus to hanumAn –
“By my efforts, I can build a bridge across the ocean or even to run it dry. Know this much, I am very well capable of crossing over the ocean. O vAnara, I would like to know how many forts are there in the lanka? Please tell me about it as you have seen. Tell me about the strengths of the demon forces and the way their forts are organized. How good are they in spying and how are the mansions of the demons? You are well capable of articulation and so please tell me about all these just as you have seen in detail”.
कतिदुर्गाणिदुर्गायालङ्कायाब्रूहितानिमे ।
ज्ञातुमिच्छामितत्सर्वंदर्शनादिववानर ।।6.3.3।।
Responding to rAma, the expert speaker hanumAn said –
“Listen O rAma, here I shall narrate to you everything about the organization of the forts in lanka. I will tell you how the demon forces guard the city and protect it. I will tell you about the fellow feeling of the demons, the slendor of rAvaNa, the opulence of lanka, the difficult nature of the ocean, how the army is organized and how they marshal their cavalry etc.
हृष्टप्रमुदितालङ्कामत्तद्विपसमाकुला ।
महतीरथसंपूर्णारक्षोगणसमाकुला ।।6.3.10।।
The demons of the lanka are a boisterous lot blessed with innumerable chariots. It has four large entrances on the four sides with strong doors fortified by iron beams. That is where you find powerful canons which can launch rains of darts on the advancing enemy forces and force them to retreat.
तत्रेषूपलयन्त्राणिबलवन्तिमहान्तिच ।
आगतंपरसैन्यंतैस्तत्रप्रतिनिवार्यते ।।6.3.12।।
These machines can also launch boulders and iron spikes and is guarded by well built guards. The golden boundary walls of the city are high and difficult to scale. They are studded with gems and precious stones. All around the city you find a deep moat that is infested with crocodiles. At the four entrances, there are large machines which create a bridge on the moat when favorable people come there. The same bridges are withdrawn by the machines when enemies approach thus making it impossible for them to enter inside.
द्वारेषुतासांचत्वारस्सङ्क्रमाःपरमायताः ।
यन्त्रैरुपेताबहुभिर्महद्भिर्गृहपङ्क्तिभिः ।।6.3.16।।
As you enter you find rows of houses. On one of the splendid highway you find a mansion with golden pillars. O rAma, rAvaNa has adopted a combative nature and due to his keenness for battle, he is alert to the needs of the army and looks after them well.
स्वयंप्रकृतिमापन्नोयुयुत्सूराम रावण: ।
उत्थितश्चाप्रमत्तश्चबलानामनुदर्शने ।।6.3.19।।
Laid in the middle of the rivers and mountains and along with its own artificial forts, lanka is difficult to access even for the gods. Being present very far on the other shore of the ocean and due to the absence of a path for ships to go there, the island is impossible to reach!
स्थितापारेसमुद्रस्यदूरपारस्यराघव ।
नौपथोपिश्चनास्त्यत्रनिरादेशश्चसर्वशः ।।6.3.21।।
Built on the mountain like the city of the gods, inside it you will find that the horses and the elephant forces make it invincible. Ten thousand battle hardened demons armed with tridents and swords guard the eastern gate. A million demons divided into fourfold forces keep vigil at the southern entrance. Another million demons protect the western gate wielding swords and their hands clothed in leather.
न्यर्बुदंरक्षसामत्राप्युत्तरद्वारमाश्रितम् ।
रथिनश्चाश्ववाहाश्चकुलपुत्त्रास्सुपूजिताः ।।6.3.27।।
Another hundred crore warriors born in high families riding chariots and horses keep vigil at the northern entrance. Hundreds and thousands of demons protect the middle part of lanka. Some of those roads have been destroyed by me. The moat has been filled up in places. The boundary walls have been broken in places. And a part of the army of the demons has been destroyed by me.
तेमयासङ्क्रमाभग्नाःपरिखाश्चावपूरिताः ।
दग्धाचनगरीलङ्काप्राकाराश्चावसादिताः ।।6.3.29।।
बलैकदेशःक्षपितोराक्षसानांमहात्मनाम् ।
येनकेनतुमार्गेणतरामवरुणालयम् ।
हतेतिनगरीलङ्कावानरैरवधार्यताम् ।।6.3.30 ।।
With any idea whatsoever, let us cross the ocean then it can be deemed that that the city of lanka will be destroyed by the vAnaras. O rAghava, your army comprising of angada, dvivida, mainda, jAmbavAn, panasa, nala, commander nIla and other warriors will leap over the mountains and forests and siege the city of lanka. They will bring down the boundary walls, mansions and storm the city. Please command your forces soon, O rAma to start for lanka at an appropriate time”.
Here we conclude the third 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: 6.004. They move for the conquest
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 