Rama on Subel and the Moonrise
The episode offers a beautiful vision of Rama seated on Subel. The moonrise is described in a tender and luminous mood.
Lanka Kand · Episode 5 / 37
Episode Text
इहाँ सुबेल सैल रघुबीरा। उतरे सेन सहित अति भीरा॥ सिखर एक उतंग अति देखी। परम रम्य सम सुभ्र बिसेषी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ihāṃ subela saila raghubīrā। utare sena sahita ati bhīrā॥ sikhara eka utaṃga ati dekhī। parama ramya sama subhra viseṣī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Here Shri Raghubir descended on Mount Suvela with a large crowd of troops. Seeing one peak of the mountain that was extremely high, supremely beautiful, level, and especially radiant—
तहँ तरु किसलय सुमन सुहाए। लछिमन रचि निज हाथ डसाए॥ ता पर रुचिर मृदुल मृगछाला। तेहि आसन आसीन कृपाला॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tahaṃ taru kisalaya sumana suhāe। lachimana raci nija hātha ḍasāe॥ tā para rucira mṛdula mṛgaśālā। tehi āsana āsīna kṛpālā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
There Lakshmanji arranged and spread tender leaves and lovely flowers of the trees with his own hands. Upon that he laid a beautiful, soft deer-skin. On that seat the compassionate Shri Ramji was seated.
प्रभु कृत सीस कपीस उछंगा। बाम दहिन दिसि चाप निषंगा॥ दुहुँ कर कमल सुधारत बाना। कह लंकेस मंत्र लगि काना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prabhu kṛta sīsa kapīsa uchaṃgā। bāma dahina disi cāpa niṣaṃgā॥ duhuṃ kara kamala sudhārata bānā। kaha laṃkesa maṃtra lagi kānā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Lord Shri Ramji had placed His head in the lap of Sugriva, the king of the monkeys. A bow and quiver were on His left and right. With both lotus hands He was preparing the arrows, while Vibhishana was speaking counsel close to His ear.
बड़भागी अंगद हनुमाना। चरन कमल चापत बिधि नाना॥ प्रभु पाछें लछिमन बीरासन। कटि निषंग कर बान सरासन॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baṛabhāgī aṃgada hanumānā। carana kamala cāpata bidhi nānā॥ prabhu pācheṃ lachimana bīrāsana। kaṭi niṣaṃga kara bāna sarāsana॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The supremely fortunate Angad and Hanuman are massaging the Lord’s lotus feet in many ways. Lakshmanji, with his quiver tied at the waist and bow and arrows in hand, sits splendidly behind the Lord in a warrior’s posture.
एहि बिधि कृपा रूप गुन धाम रामु आसीन। धन्य ते नर एहिं ध्यान जे रहत सदा लयलीन॥ ११ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi kṛpā rūpa guna dhāma rāmu āsīna। dhanya te nara ehiṃ dhyāna je rahata sadā layalīna॥ 11 (a) ॥
Meaning:
In this way, Rama, the abode of compassion, beauty, and virtues, is seated there. Blessed are those men who remain ever absorbed in this meditation.
पूरब दिसा बिलोकि प्रभु देखा उदित मयंक। कहत सबहि देखहु ससिहि मृगपति सरिस असंक॥ ११ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pūraba disā biloki prabhu dekhā udita mayaṃka। kahata sabahi dekhahu sasihi mṛgapati sarisa asaṃka॥ 11 (b) ॥
Meaning:
Looking toward the east, Lord Shri Ramji saw the moon rising. Then He said to everyone, “Look at the moon—how fearless it is, like a lion!”
पूरब दिसि गिरिगुहा निवासी। परम प्रताप तेज बल रासी॥ मत्त नाग तम कुंभ बिदारी। ससि केसरी गगन बन चारी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pūraba disi giriguhā nivāsī। param pratāpa teja bala rāsī॥ matta nāga tama kuṃbha bidārī। sasi kesarī gagana bana cārī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Dwelling in the cave-like eastern quarter, a storehouse of supreme splendor, radiance, and strength, this moon-lion tears apart the forehead of the dark, intoxicated elephant of darkness and roams fearlessly in the sky-forest.
बिथुरे नभ मुकुताहल तारा। निसि सुंदरी केर सिंगारा॥ कह प्रभु ससि महुँ मेचकताई। कहहु काह निज निज मति भाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bithure nabha mukutāhala tārā। nisi sundarī ker singārā॥ kaha prabhu sasi mahuṃ mecakatāī। kahahu kāha nija nija mati bhāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The stars scattered across the sky are like pearls; they are the adornment of the beautiful lady called Night. The Lord said, 'Brothers, what is the darkness in the moon? Tell me, each according to your own understanding.'
कह सुग्रीव सुनहु रघुराई। ससि महुँ प्रगट भूमि कै झाँई॥ मारेउ राहु ससिहि कह कोई। उर महँ परी स्यामता सोई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha sugrīva sunahu raghurāī। sasi mahuṃ pragaṭa bhūmi kai jhāṃī॥ māreu rāhu sasihi kaha koī। ura mahaṃ parī syāmatā soī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Sugriva said, 'Listen, O Raghuvir. In the moon, the shadow of the earth appears.' Someone said, 'Rahu struck the moon; that same black mark lies upon its heart.'
कोउ कह जब बिधि रति मुख कीन्हा। सार भाग ससि कर हरि लीन्हा॥ छिद्र सो प्रगट इंदु उर माहीं। तेहि मग देखिअ नभ परिछाहीं॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kou kaha jaba bidhi rati mukha kīnhā। sāra bhāga sasi kara hari līnhā॥ chidra so pragaṭa indu ura māhīṃ। tehi maga dekhia nabha parichāhīṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Some say that when Brahma fashioned the face of Rati, he took away the moon's essential part, so that Rati's face became supremely beautiful, but a hole remained in the moon's heart. That very hole remains in the moon's heart, and through it the dark shadow of the sky is seen.
प्रभु कह गरल बंधु ससि केरा। अति प्रिय निज उर दीन्ह बसेरा॥ बिष संजुत कर निकर पसारी। जारत बिरहवंत नर नारी॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prabhu kaha garala bandhu sasi kerā। ati priya nija ura dīhna baserā॥ biṣa saṃjuta kara nikara pasārī। jārat birahavanta nara nārī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Lord Rama said, 'Poison is the moon's beloved brother. Therefore it has given poison a place in its own heart. Spreading its poison-filled rays, it burns lovers, men and women alike.'
कह हनुमंत सुनहु प्रभु ससि तुम्हार प्रिय दास। तव मूरति बिधु उर बसति सोइ स्यामता अभास॥ १२ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha hanumanta sunahu prabhu sasi tumhāra priya dāsa। tava mūrati bidhu ura basati soi syāmatā abhāsa॥ 12 (a) ॥
Meaning:
Hanuman said, 'O Lord, listen: the moon is Your beloved servant. Your lovely dark form dwells in the moon's heart; that is the very reflection of darkness seen in the moon.'