Mandodari Again Tries to Reason with Ravana
Mandodari again reminds Ravana of dharma, prudence, and the consequences of war. Ravana remains blinded by attachment and pride.
Lanka Kand · Episode 9 / 37
Episode Text
कंत समुझि मन तजहु कुमतिही। सोह न समर तुम्हहि रघुपतिही॥ रामानुज लघु रेख खचाई। सोउ नहिं नाघेहु असि मनुसाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kanta samujhi mana tajahu kumatihī। soha na samara tumhahi raghupatihī॥ rāmānuja laghu rekh khacāī। sou nahiṃ nāghehu asi manusāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O beloved, reflect in your mind and abandon bad counsel. It is not fitting for you to wage war with Raghupati. Lakshmana drew only a small line, and you could not even cross it—such is your manliness!
पिय तुम्ह ताहि जितब संग्रामा। जाके दूत केर यह कामा॥ कौतुक सिंधु नाघि तव लंका। आयउ कपि केहरी असंका॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
piya tumha tāhi jitaba saṃgrāmā। jāke dūta kera yaha kāmā॥ kautuka siṃdhu nāghi tava laṃkā। āyau kapi keharī asaṃkā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
O dear one, can you conquer in battle those whose messenger did such a deed? With playful ease he crossed the ocean and, like a lion among monkeys, entered your Lanka fearlessly!
रखवारे हति बिपिन उजारा। देखत तोहि अच्छ तेहिं मारा॥ जारि सकल पुर कीन्हेसि छारा। कहाँ रहा बल गर्ब तुम्हारा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rakhavāre hati bipina ujārā। dekhata tohi accha tehim̃ mārā॥ jāri sakala pura kīnhesi chārā। kahām̐ rahā bala garba tumhārā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
He killed the guards and laid waste the grove. Before your eyes he slew Akshaykumar and burned the whole city to ashes. Where then was your boast of strength?
अब पति मृषा गाल जनि मारहु। मोर कहा कछु हृदयँ बिचारहु॥ पति रघुपतिहि नृपति जनि मानहु। अग जग नाथ अतुलबल जानहु॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aba pati mṛṣā gāla jani mārahu। mora kahā kachu hṛdayaṃ bicārahu॥ pati raghupatihi nṛpati jani mānahu। aga jaga nātha atulabala jānahu॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Now, O lord, do not boast vainly. Think a little upon what I say in your heart. Do not regard Raghupati merely as a king, but know Him as the Lord of the manifest and unmanifest worlds, of immeasurable strength.
बान प्रताप जान मारीचा। तासु कहा नहिं मानेहि नीचा॥ जनक सभाँ अगनित भूपाला। रहे तुम्हउ बल अतुल बिसाला॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bāna pratāpa jāna mārīcā। tāsu kahā nahiṃ mānehi nīcā॥ janaka sabhām̐ aganita bhūpālā। rahe tumhau bala atula bisālā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Even lowly Maricha knew the power of Rama's arrows, yet you did not heed his warning. In Janaka's assembly there were countless kings; there too you were present, vast and immeasurably strong.
भंजि धनुष जानकी बिआही। तब संग्राम जितेहु किन ताही॥ सुरपति सुत जानइ बल थोरा। राखा जिअत आँखि गहि फोरा॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhañji dhanuṣa jānakī biāhī। taba saṃgrāma jitehu kina tāhī॥ surapati suta jāna_i bala thorā। rākhā jiat āṃkhi gahi phorā॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
By breaking Shiva's bow, Rama married Janaki; then why did you not defeat Him in battle? Jayanta, the son of Indra, knew something of His strength. Rama seized him and merely put out one eye, yet let him live.
बधि बिराध खर दूषनहि लीलाँ हत्यो कबंध। बालि एक सर मार्यो तेहि जानहु दसकंध॥ ३६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
badhi birādha khara dūṣanahi līlāṃ hatyo kabaṃdha। bāli eka sara mār̐yo tehi jānahu dasakaṃdha॥ 36 ॥
Meaning:
Those who destroyed Viradha and Khara and Dushana, and in sport slew Kabandha; and who killed Bali with a single arrow—understand Him, O ten-headed one!
जेहिं जलनाथ बँधायउ हेला। उतरे प्रभु दल सहित सुबेला॥ कारुनीक दिनकर कुल केतू। दूत पठायउ तव हित हेतू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jehiṃ jalanātha bam̐dhāyau helā। utare prabhu dala sahita subelā॥ kārunīka dinakara kula ketū। dūta paṭhāyau tava hita hetū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
He who bound the ocean as if in play, and the Lord who descended with the army on Mount Suvela—Rama, the compassionate banner of the solar race—sent a messenger for your own good.
सभा माझ जेहिं तव बल मथा। करि बरूथ महुँ मृगपति जथा॥ अंगद हनुमत अनुचर जाके। रन बाँकुरे बीर अति बाँके॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sabhā mājha jehiṃ tava bala mathā। kari barūtha mahuṃ mṛgapati jathā॥ adaṃga hanumata anuchara jāke। rana bām̐kure bīra ati bām̐ke॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
He who came into the midst of the assembly and churned up your strength, like a lion entering a herd of elephants; and whose servants are the bold, formidable warriors Angad and Hanuman...
तेहि कहँ पिय पुनि पुनि नर कहहू। मुधा मान ममता मद बहहू॥ अहह कंत कृत राम बिरोधा। काल बिबस मन उपज न बोधा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tehi kaham̐ piya puni puni nara kahahū। mudhā māna mamatā mada bahahū॥ ahaha kaṃta kṛta rāma birodhā। kāla bibasa mana upaja na bodhā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O husband, you keep calling Him a mere man. You are needlessly burdened with pride, attachment, and arrogance! Ah, beloved, you have opposed Rama, and because you are fully under Time's sway, understanding still does not arise in your mind.
काल दंड गहि काहु न मारा। हरइ धर्म बल बुद्धि बिचारा॥ निकट काल जेहि आवत साईं। तेहि भ्रम होइ तुम्हारिहि नाईं॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kāla daṃḍa gahi kāhu na mārā। harai dharma bala buddhi bicārā॥ nikaṭa kāla jehi āvata sāīṃ। tehi bhrama hoi tumhār̐ihi nāīṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Time does not strike anyone with a staff. It steals away righteousness, strength, intellect, and discernment. O lord, when a person's death-time draws near, confusion overtakes him, just as it has overtaken you.
दुइ सुत मरे दहेउ पुर अजहुँ पूर पिय देहु। कृपासिंधु रघुनाथ भजि नाथ बिमल जसु लेहु॥ ३७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dui suta mare daheu pura ajahuṃ pūra piya dehu। kṛpāsindhu raghunātha bhaji nātha bimala jasa lehu॥ 37 ॥
Meaning:
Your two sons have been slain and the city burned. Even now, O dear one, make amends; and O lord, worship Raghunatha, the ocean of compassion, and receive spotless fame.
नारि बचन सुनि बिसिख समाना। सभाँ गयउ उठि होत बिहाना॥ बैठ जाइ सिंघासन फूली। अति अभिमान त्रास सब भूली॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nāri bachana suni bisikha samānā। sabhām̐ gayau uṭhi hota bihānā॥ baiṭhi jāi siṃghāsana phūlī। ati abhimāna trāsa saba bhūlī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing the woman's words, he rose at daybreak like an arrow and went to the assembly. Seated on the throne, he bloomed with pride and forgot all fear.
इहाँ राम अंगदहि बोलावा। आइ चरन पंकज सिरु नावा॥ अति आदर समीप बैठारी। बोले बिहँसि कृपाल खरारी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ihām̐ rāma aṃgadahi bolāvā। āi charana paṃkaja siru nāvā॥ ati ādara samīpa baiṭhārī। bole bihaṃsi kṛpāla kharārī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Here Rama called Angad. He came and bowed his head at the lotus feet. With great honor He seated him nearby, and the merciful slayer of Khara smiled and spoke.
बालितनय कौतुक अति मोही। तात सत्य कहु पूछउँ तोही॥ रावनु जातुधान कुल टीका। भुज बल अतुल जासु जग लीका॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bālitanaya kautuka ati mohī। tāta satya kahu pūchauṃ tohī॥ rāvanu jātudhāna kula ṭīkā। bhuja bala atula jāsu jaga līkā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O son of Bali, I am greatly curious. So tell me the truth, dear one. Ravana, the ornament of the rakshasa clan, whose incomparable arm-strength is famed throughout the world...
तासु मुकुट तुम्ह चारि चलाए। कहहु तात कवनी बिधि पाए॥ सुनु सर्बग्य प्रनत सुखकारी। मुकुट न होहिं भूप गुन चारी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāsu mukuṭa tumha cāri calāe। kahahu tāta kavanī bidhi pāe॥ sunu sarbagya pranata sukhakārī। mukuṭa na hohiṃ bhūpa guna cārī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
You threw down his four crowns. Tell me, dear one, by what means did you obtain them? [Angad replied:] Listen, O all-knowing One and giver of joy to the suppliant. They are not crowns; they are the four virtues of a king.
साम दान अरु दंड बिभेदा। नृप उर बसहिं नाथ कह बेदा॥ नीति धर्म के चरन सुहाए। अस जियँ जानि नाथ पहिं आए॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sāma dāna aru daṃḍa bibhedā। nṛpa ura basahiṃ nātha kaha bedā॥ nīti dharma ke carana suhāe। asa jiyaṁ jāni nātha pahiṃ āe॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, the Vedas say that sama, dana, danda, and bheda dwell in the hearts of kings. They are the four beautiful limbs of policy and dharma. Knowing this in my heart, I have come before you, O Lord.
धर्महीन प्रभु पद बिमुख काल बिबस दससीस। तेहि परिहरि गुन आए सुनहु कोसलाधीस॥ ३८ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dharmahīna prabhu pada bimukha kāla bibasa dasasīsa। tehi parihari guna āe sunahu kosalādhīsa॥ 38 (a) ॥
Meaning:
Ravana, the ten-headed one, is devoid of dharma, turned away from the Lord's feet, and under the sway of Time. Therefore, O Lord of Kosala, listen: those virtues have left him and come to you.
परम चतुरता श्रवन सुनि बिहँसे रामु उदार। समाचार पुनि सब कहे गढ़ के बालिकुमार॥ ३८ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
parama caturatā śravana suni bihaṃse rāmu udāra। samācāra puni saba kahe gaḍha ke bālikumāra॥ 38 (b) ॥
Meaning:
Hearing Angad's remarkable cleverness, noble Rama smiled. Then the son of Bali recounted all the news of the fortress.