Mandodari Warns Ravana
Mandodari urges Ravana to avert disaster by returning Sita. She reminds him of Rama's power and counsels him to act with wisdom.
Sundar Kand · Episode 14 / 20
Episode Text
उहाँ निसाचर रहहिं ससंका। जब तें जारि गयउ कपि लंका॥ निज निज गृहँ सब करहिं बिचारा। नहिं निसिचर कुल केर उबारा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
uhāṃ nisācara rahahiṃ sasaṃkā। jab teṃ jāri gayau kapi laṃkā॥ nija nija gṛhẽ saba karahiṃ bicārā। nahiṃ nisichara kula kera ubārā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
There in Lanka, the demons lived in fear ever since Hanuman burned it. In their own homes they all deliberated, seeing no way to save the demon race.
जासु दूत बल बरनि न जाई। तेहि आएँ पुर कवन भलाई॥ दूतिन्ह सन सुनि पुरजन बानी। मंदोदरी अधिक अकुलानी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāsu dūta bala barani na jāī। tehi āẽ pura kavana bhalāī॥ dūtinha sana suni purajana bānī। maṃdodarī adhika akulānī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
How can the power of that messenger be described? If he himself comes to the city, what good can there be? Hearing the words of the townspeople from the envoys, Mandodari became greatly agitated.
रहसि जोरि कर पति पग लागी। बोली बचन नीति रस पागी॥ कंत करष हरि सन परिहरहू। मोर कहा अति हित हियँ धरहू॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rahasi jori kara pati paga lāgī। bolī bacana nīti rasa pāgī॥ kaṃta karaṣa hari sana pariharahū। mora kahā ati hita hiyaṃ dharahū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In private she joined her hands and fell at her husband's feet, and, speaking in words steeped in policy, said: O beloved, give up your hostility toward Hari. Take my words as exceedingly beneficial and keep them in your heart.
समुझत जासु दूत कइ करनी। स्रवहिं गर्भ रजनीचर घरनी॥ तासु नारि निज सचिव बोलाई। पठवहु कंत जो चहहु भलाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
samujhata jāsu dūta kai karanī। sravahiṃ garbha rajanīcara gharanī॥ tāsu nāri nija saciva bolāī। paṭhavahu kaṃta jo cahahu bhalāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Merely thinking of what the messenger of such a one does causes the demon women to miscarry. O dear lord, if you desire well-being, have your own minister called and send him forth.
तव कुल कमल बिपिन दुखदाई। सीता सीत निसा सम आई॥ सुनहु नाथ सीता बिनु दीन्हें। हित न तुम्हार संभु अज कीन्हें॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tava kula kamala bipina dukhadāī। sītā sīta nisā sama āī॥ sunahu nātha sītā binu dīnhẽ। hita na tumhāra saṃbhu aja kīnhẽ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Sita has come like a winter night, bringing sorrow to the lotus-grove of your lineage. Listen, my lord: without giving up Sita, your welfare cannot be accomplished, not even by Shiva and Brahma.
राम बान अहि गन सरिस निकर निसाचर भेक। जब लगि ग्रसत न तब लगि जतनु करहु तजि टेक॥ ३६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma bāna ahi gana sarisa nikara nisācara bheka। jab lagi grasata na taba lagi jatanu karahu taji ṭeka॥ 36 ॥
Meaning:
Rama's arrows are like a host of serpents, and the demons are like a host of frogs. Until those arrows devour them, abandon stubbornness and take the proper course.
श्रवन सुनी सठ ता करि बानी। बिहसा जगत बिदित अभिमानी॥ सभय सुभाउ नारि कर साचा। मंगल महुँ भय मन अति काचा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śravana sunī saṭha tā kari bānī। bihasā jagata bidita abhimānī॥ sabhaya subhāu nāri kara sācā। maṃgala mahuṃ bhaya mana ati kācā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing her words, that foolish and world-famous arrogant Ravana laughed and said, The nature of women is indeed fearful. Even in an auspicious gathering you are afraid! Your heart is very weak.
जौं आवइ मर्कट कटकाई। जिअहिं बिचारे निसिचर खाई॥ कंपहिं लोकप जाकीं त्रासा। तासु नारि सभीत बड़ि हासा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jauṃ āvai markaṭa kaṭakāī। jiahiṃ bicāre nisichara khāī॥ kaṃpahiṃ lokapa jākīṃ trāsā। tāsu nāri sabhīta baṛi hāsā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
If the monkey army comes, the poor demons will have to live by devouring it. The guardians of the world themselves tremble with fear before him; for his wife to be afraid is a great joke.
अस कहि बिहसि ताहि उर लाई। चलेउ सभाँ ममता अधिकाई॥ मंदोदरी हृदयँ कर चिंता। भयउ कंत पर बिधि बिपरीता॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa kahi bihasi tāhi ura lāī। chaleu sabhāṃ mamatā adhikāī॥ maṃdodarī hṛdayaṃ kara cintā। bhayau kaṃta para bidhi biparītā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Saying this, he laughed, drew her to his heart, and went to the court, filled with affection. Mandodari grew anxious in her heart, thinking that fate had turned hostile toward her husband.
बैठेउ सभाँ खबरि असि पाई। सिंधु पार सेना सब आई॥ बूझेसि सचिव उचित मत कहहू। ते सब हँसे मष्ट करि रहहू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baiṭheu sabhāṃ khabari asi pāī। siṃdhu pāra senā saba āī॥ būjhesi saciva ucita mata kahahū। te saba haṃse maṣṭa kari rahahū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
As soon as he sat in the court, he received the news that the entire enemy army had come from across the sea. He asked his ministers for proper counsel: What should be done now? Then they all laughed and said, Sit quietly; what need is there for advice?
सचिव बैद गुर तीनि जौं प्रिय बोलहिं भय आस। राज धर्म तन तीनि कर होइ बेगिहीं नास॥ ३७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saciva baida gura tīni jauṃ priya bolahiṃ bhaya āsa। rāja dharma tana tīni kara hoi begihīṃ nāsa॥ 37 ॥
Meaning:
If the minister, physician, and guru—these three—speak only pleasing words out of fear of displeasure or hope of gain, then kingdom, body, and dharma are quickly destroyed.