Sundara Kanda, Sarga 52

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वानरस्य महात्मनः। आज्ञापयद्वधं तस्य रावणः क्रोधमूर्छितः।।5.52.1।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā vānarasya mahātmanaḥ| ājñāpayadvadhaṃ tasya rāvaṇaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ

Hearing the great vanara's speech, Ravana overwhelmed with anger ordered the execution of Hanuman.

वधे तस्य समाज्ञप्ते रावणेन दुरात्मना। निवेदितवतो दौत्यं नानुमेने विभीषणः।।5.52.2।।

vadhe tasya samājñapte rāvaṇena durātmanā| niveditavato dautyaṃ nānumene vibhīṣaṇaḥ

Vibhishana did not approve of the killing of Hanuman, who had declared that he was an envoy (of Sri Rama) when the wicked Ravana ordered his murder.

तं रक्षोधिपतिं क्रुद्धं तच्च कार्यमुपस्थितम्। विदित्वा चिन्तयामास कार्यं कार्यविधौ स्थितः।।5.52.3।।

taṃ rakṣodhipatiṃ kruddhaṃ tacca kāryamupasthitam| viditvā cintayāmāsa kāryaṃ kāryavidhau sthitaḥ

Vibhishana who stood by the right course of action, having realised that the lord of demons was angry pondered over his duty.

निश्चितार्थस्ततस्साम्ना पूज्यं शत्रुजिदग्रजम्। उवाच हितमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः।।5.52.4।।

niścitārthastatassāmnā pūjyaṃ śatrujidagrajam| uvāca hitamatyarthaṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ

Then Vibhishana, who was skilled in speech having decided about his duty addressed his reverential elder brother, a conqueror of enemies in soothing, words in a meaningful, wholesome manner.

क्षमस्व रोषं त्यज राक्षसेन्द्र प्रसीद मद्वाक्यमिदं शृणुष्व। वधं न कुर्वन्ति परावरज्ञा दूतस्य सन्तो वसुधाधिपेन्द्राः।।5.52.5।।

kṣamasva roṣaṃ tyaja rākṣasendra prasīda madvākyamidaṃ śṛṇuṣva| vadhaṃ na kurvanti parāvarajñā dūtasya santo vasudhādhipendrāḥ

"O king of ogres give up your wrath, forgive and calm down. Please listen to my appeal. You know the basic values of life. Virtuous rulers of the earth do not order killing of an envoy.

राजधर्मविरुद्धं च लोकवृत्तेश्च गर्हितम्। तव चासदृशं वीर कपेरस्य प्रमापणम्।।5.52.6।।

rājadharmaviruddhaṃ ca lokavṛtteśca garhitam| tava cāsadṛśaṃ vīra kaperasya pramāpaṇam

"Mighty king killing this Hanuman is contrary to righteousness of kings. This is deplorable diplomacy and also unbecoming of you.

धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च राजधर्मविशारदः। परावरज्ञो भूतानां त्वमेव परमार्थवित्।।5.52.7।।

dharmajñaśca kṛtajñaśca rājadharmaviśāradaḥ| parāvarajño bhūtānāṃ tvameva paramārthavit

"You are conversant with dharma of a king. You have a sense of gratitude. You are a knower of right and wrong of all beings. the supeme truth.

गृह्यन्ते यदि रोषेण त्वादृशोऽपि विचक्षणः। तत श्शास्त्रविपश्चित्त्वं श्रम एव हि केवलम्।।5.52.8।।

gṛhyante yadi roṣeṇa tvādṛśo'pi vicakṣaṇaḥ| tata śśāstravipaścittvaṃ śrama eva hi kevalam

"If wise persons like you are also overpowered by unjust anger, then the mastery of the scriptures will become a mere fruitless exercise.

तस्मात्प्रसीद शत्रुघ्न राक्षसेन्द्र दुरासद। युक्तायुक्तं विनिश्चित्य दूतदण्डो विधीयताम्।।5.52.9।।

tasmātprasīda śatrughna rākṣasendra durāsada| yuktāyuktaṃ viniścitya dūtadaṇḍo vidhīyatām

"O destroyer of foes, O unassailable king of demon calm down. Only after carefully considering what is proper and improper decide on the punishment to be imposed".

विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः। रोषेण महताविष्टो वाक्यमुत्तरमब्रवीत्।।5.52.10।।

vibhīṣaṇavacaḥ śrutvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ| roṣeṇa mahatāviṣṭo vākyamuttaramabravīt

Ravana, the lord of demons heard Vibhishana's words and overcome with anger replied:

न पापानां वधे पापं विद्यते शत्रुसूदन। तस्मादेनं वधिष्यामि वानरं पापचारिणम्।।5.52.11।।

na pāpānāṃ vadhe pāpaṃ vidyate śatrusūdana| tasmādenaṃ vadhiṣyāmi vānaraṃ pāpacāriṇam

"O slayer of foes it is not wrong to kill a sinner. I shall, therefore, kill the sinful vanara."

अधर्ममूलं बहुदोषयुक्तमनार्यजुष्टं वचनं निशम्य। उवाच वाक्यं परमार्थतत्त्वं विभीषणो बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठः।।5.52.12।।

adharmamūlaṃ bahudoṣayuktamanāryajuṣṭaṃ vacanaṃ niśamya| uvāca vākyaṃ paramārthatattvaṃ vibhīṣaṇo buddhimatāṃ variṣṭhaḥ

On hearing his brother's harsh words spoken in tremendous anger, which were not acceptable to noble souls, wise Vibhishana again spoke these words of supreme truth:

प्रसीद लङ्केश्वर राक्षसेन्द्र धर्मार्थयुक्तं वचनं शृणुष्व। दूतानवध्यान् समयेषु राजन् सर्वेषु सर्वत्र वदन्ति सन्तः।।5.52.13।।

prasīda laṅkeśvara rākṣasendra dharmārthayuktaṃ vacanaṃ śṛṇuṣva| dūtānavadhyān samayeṣu rājan sarveṣu sarvatra vadanti santaḥ

"O lord of Lanka O king of demons be pleased to listen to my words which are the essence of dharma and artha. The elders have declared that the emissaries should not be killed by any means.

असंशयं शत्रुरयं प्रवृद्धः कृतं ह्यनेनाप्रियमप्रमेयम्। न दूतवध्यां प्रवदन्ति सन्तो दूतस्य दृष्टा बहवो हि दण्डाः।।5.52.14।।

asaṃśayaṃ śatrurayaṃ pravṛddhaḥ kṛtaṃ hyanenāpriyamaprameyam| na dūtavadhyāṃ pravadanti santo dūtasya dṛṣṭā bahavo hi daṇḍāḥ

This enemy has done a lot of harm, no doubt. Indeed he has done terrible and unpleasant deeds. (Yet) the wise have recommended many alternate punishments, while prohibiting their killing.

वैरूप्यमङ्गेषु कशाभिघातो मौण्ड्यं तथा लक्षणसन्निपातः। एतान् हि दूते प्रवदन्ति दण्डान् वधस्तु दूतस्य न नः श्रुतोऽस्ति।।5.52.15।।

vairūpyamaṅgeṣu kaśābhighāto mauṇḍyaṃ tathā lakṣaṇasannipātaḥ| etān hi dūte pravadanti daṇḍān vadhastu dūtasya na naḥ śruto'sti

"Mutilation of limbs, flogging, shaving of the head, and deforming limbs etc. these punishments have been prescribed for an emissary. Never has killing of an emissary been heard.

कथं च धर्मार्थविनीतबुद्धिः परावरप्रत्ययनिश्चितार्थः। भवद्विधः कोपवशे हि तिष्ठेत् कोपं नियच्छन्ति हि सत्त्ववन्तः।।5.52.16।।

kathaṃ ca dharmārthavinītabuddhiḥ parāvarapratyayaniścitārthaḥ| bhavadvidhaḥ kopavaśe hi tiṣṭhet kopaṃ niyacchanti hi sattvavantaḥ

"You are wellversed in dharma and artha. Learned men first decide what is right or wrong (before imposing punishment). How are you swayed by unjust anger? Indeed courageous persons (like you) should control anger.

न धर्मवादे न च लोकवृत्ते न शास्त्रबुद्धिग्रहणेषु चापि। विद्येत कश्चित्तव वीर तुल्य स्त्वंह्युत्तमस्सर्वसुरासुराणाम्।।5.52.17।।

na dharmavāde na ca lokavṛtte na śāstrabuddhigrahaṇeṣu cāpi| vidyeta kaścittava vīra tulya stvaṃhyuttamassarvasurāsurāṇām

"Heroic Ravana there is hardly any one who is equal to you in the knowledge of dharma, in the practice of worldly affairs and in grasping subtle truths of sastras. Indeed you are supreme among suras and asuras.

शूरेण वीरेण निशाचरेन्द्र सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वया प्रगल्भाः सुरदैत्यसङ्घा जिताश्च युद्धेष्वसकृन्नरेन्द्राः।।5.52.18।।

śūreṇa vīreṇa niśācarendra surāsurāṇāmapi durjayena| tvayā pragalbhāḥ suradaityasaṅghā jitāśca yuddheṣvasakṛnnarendrāḥ

"You are the king of demons. Hosts of gods and daityas efficient in wars are conquered by you again and again since you are a brave warrior invincible to gods and demons.

न चाप्यस्य कपेर्घाते कञ्चित्पश्याम्यहं गुणम्। तेष्वयं पात्यतां दण्डो यैरयं प्रेषितः कपिः।।5.52.19।।

na cāpyasya kaperghāte kañcitpaśyāmyahaṃ guṇam| teṣvayaṃ pātyatāṃ daṇḍo yairayaṃ preṣitaḥ kapiḥ

"I do not see any use in killing this monkey. Pronounce punishment on those who have sent this vanara.

साधुर्वा यदि वाऽसाधुः परैरेष समर्पितः। ब्रुवन् परार्थं परवान्न दूतो वधमर्हति।।5.52.20।।

sādhurvā yadi vā'sādhuḥ paraireṣa samarpitaḥ| bruvan parārthaṃ paravānna dūto vadhamarhati

"Whether he is soft or harsh, he has been sent by others. He is speaking on other's behalf and is dependent on them. An emissary does not deserve to be killed.

अपि चास्मिन् हते राजन्नान्यं पश्यामि खेचरम्। इह यः पुनरागच्छेत्परं पारं महोदधेः।।5.52.21।।

api cāsmin hate rājannānyaṃ paśyāmi khecaram| iha yaḥ punarāgacchetparaṃ pāraṃ mahodadheḥ

"O king If he is killed, I do not see any one who can cross this great ocean and come by air to reach this place.

तस्मान्नास्य वधे यत्नः कार्य: परपुरञ्जय। भवान् सेन्द्रेषु देवेषु यत्नमास्थातुमर्हति।।5.52.22।।

tasmānnāsya vadhe yatnaḥ kārya: parapurañjaya| bhavān sendreṣu deveṣu yatnamāsthātumarhati

"You who can conquer citadels of enemies should not direct your efforts to kill an envoy.You are fit to make efforts against enemies like gods including Indra.

अस्मिन्विनष्टे न हि वीरमन्यं पश्यामि यस्तौ वरराजपुत्रौ। युद्धाय युद्धप्रियदुर्विनीतावुद्योजयेद्धीर्घपथावरुद्धौ।।5.52.23।।

asminvinaṣṭe na hi vīramanyaṃ paśyāmi yastau vararājaputrau| yuddhāya yuddhapriyadurvinītāvudyojayeddhīrghapathāvaruddhau

"O lover of war if Hanuman is slain I do not see any one who can incite those two illmannered sons of the king who are prevented from reaching this faroff land.

पराक्रमोत्साहमनस्विनां च सुरासुराणामपि दुर्जयेन। त्वया मनोनन्दन नैतानां युद्धायतिर्नाशयतुं न युक्ता।।5.52.24।।

parākramotsāhamanasvināṃ ca surāsurāṇāmapi durjayena| tvayā manonandana naitānāṃ yuddhāyatirnāśayatuṃ na yuktā

"O delighter of demons even the gods and demons who are endowed with valour and energy cannot win you. You are invincible. It is not proper for you to lose chances of a good war.

हिताश्च शूराश्च समाहिताश्च कुलेषु जाताश्च महागुणेषु। मनस्विनश्शस्त्रभृतां वरिष्ठाः कोट्यग्रतस्ते सुभृताश्च योधाः।।5.52.25।।

hitāśca śūrāśca samāhitāśca kuleṣu jātāśca mahāguṇeṣu| manasvinaśśastrabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhāḥ koṭyagrataste subhṛtāśca yodhāḥ

"You have with you wellwishers, courageous ones, who have good qualities born in a good race, who are noble, sensible people, wielders of weapons and wellpaid warriors in crores.

तदेकदेशेन बलस्य तावत्केचित्तवाऽऽदेशकृतोऽभियान्तु तौ राजपुत्रौ विनिगृह्य मूढौ परेषु ते भावयितुं प्रभावम्।।5.52.26।।

tadekadeśena balasya tāvatkecittavā''deśakṛto'bhiyāntu tau rājaputrau vinigṛhya mūḍhau pareṣu te bhāvayituṃ prabhāvam

By your order let some strong soldiers from one contingency go and capture the two sons of the king, to exhibit your power over the enemy.