Planning to Cross the Sea and Shuka's Return with Lakshmana's Letter
The search for a way to cross the sea begins. Meanwhile Ravana's messenger Shuka arrives and eventually returns carrying Lakshmana's letter.
Sundar Kand · Episode 17 / 20
Episode Text
अस प्रभु छाड़ि भजहिं जे आना। ते नर पसु बिनु पूँछ बिषाना॥ निज जन जानि ताहि अपनावा। प्रभु सुभाव कपि कुल मन भावा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asa prabhu chāṛi bhajahiṃ je ānā। te nara pasu binu pūṃcha biṣānā॥ nija jana jāni tāhi apanāvā। prabhu subhāva kapi kula mana bhāvā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Those who abandon such a supremely compassionate Lord and worship another are animals without horns or tails. Knowing Vibhishana to be his own devotee, Rama accepted him. The Lord’s nature greatly pleased the hearts of the monkey race.
पुनि सर्बग्य सर्ब उर बासी। सर्बरूप सब रहित उदासी॥ बोले बचन नीति प्रतिपालक। कारन मनुज दनुज कुल घालक॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puni sarbagya sarba ura bāsī। sarbarūpa saba rahita udāsī॥ bole bacana nīti pratipālaka। kāran manuja danuja kula ghālaka॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Then Rama, all-knowing, dwelling in everyone’s heart, of all forms, beyond all things, detached, who had taken human form for a purpose, and the destroyer of the demon race, spoke words that upheld righteousness.
सुनु कपीस लंकापति बीरा। केहि बिधि तरिअ जलधि गंभीरा॥ संकुल मकर उरग झष जाती। अति अगाध दुस्तर सब भाँती॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunu kapīsa laṅkāpati bīrā। kehi bidhi taria jaladhi gaṃbhīrā॥ saṃkula makara uraga jhaṣa jātī। ati agādha dustara saba bhāṃtī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O lord of monkeys, O heroic lord of Lanka, listen: by what means can this deep ocean be crossed? Filled with crocodiles, serpents, and fishes of many kinds, it is utterly deep and difficult to cross in every way.
कह लंकेस सुनहु रघुनायक। कोटि सिंधु सोषक तव सायक॥ जद्यपि तदपि नीति असि गाई। बिनय करिअ सागर सन जाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha laṅkesa sunahu raghunāyaka। koṭi sindhu soṣaka tava sāyaka॥ jadyapi tadapi nīti asi gāī। binaya kari'a sāgara sana jāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Vibhishana said: O Raghunath, listen. Although even one of your arrows can dry up countless oceans, still the code of conduct says that one should first go and make an appeal to the ocean.
प्रभु तुम्हार कुलगुर जलधि कहिहि उपाय बिचारि। बिनु प्रयास सागर तरिहि सकल भालु कपि धारि॥ ५० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prabhu tumhāra kulaguru jaladhi kahihi upāya bicāri। binu prayāsa sāgara tariahi sakala bhālu kapi dhāri॥ 50 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, the ocean is your family preceptor; he will consider the matter and tell the way. Then the entire army of bears and monkeys will cross the sea without effort.
सखा कही तुम्ह नीकि उपाई। करिअ दैव जौं होइ सहाई॥ मंत्र न यह लछिमन मन भावा। राम बचन सुनि अति दुख पावा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sakhā kahī tumha nīki upāī। karia daiva jauṃ hoi sahāī॥ mantra na yaha lachhimana mana bhāvā। rāma bacana suni ati dukha pāvā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
[Lord Rama said:] O friend, you have suggested a good plan. Let it be done if destiny will help. This counsel did not please Lakshmana's mind. Hearing Rama's words, he felt great sorrow.
नाथ दैव कर कवन भरोसा। सोषिअ सिंधु करिअ मन रोसा॥ कादर मन कहुँ एक अधारा। दैव दैव आलसी पुकारा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nātha daiva kara kavana bharosā। soṣia sindhu karia mana rosā॥ kādara mana kahuṃ eka adhārā। daiva daiva ālasī pukārā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
[Lakshmana said:] O Lord, what reliance can there be on fate? Stir up your anger and dry up the ocean. Fate is merely a support for a coward's mind, a way to console oneself. Only lazy people keep crying, 'Fate, fate!'
सुनत बिहसि बोले रघुबीरा। ऐसेहिं करब धरहु मन धीरा॥ अस कहि प्रभु अनुजहि समुझाई। सिंधु समीप गए रघुराई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunata bihasi bole raghubīrā। aisehīṃ karaba dharahu mana dhīrā॥ asa kahi prabhu anujahi samujhāī। sindhu samīpa gae raghurāī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing this, Rama smiled and said, 'So be it; keep your mind steady.' Having said this and comforting his younger brother, Lord Raghunatha went near the ocean.
प्रथम प्रनाम कीन्ह सिरु नाई। बैठे पुनि तट दर्भ डसाई॥ जबहिं बिभीषन प्रभु पहिं आए। पाछें रावन दूत पठाए॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prathama pranāma kīnha siru nāī। baiṭhe puni taṭa darbha ḍasāī॥ jabaṃhi bibhīṣana prabhu pahiṃ āe। pāchẽ rāvana dūta paṭhāe॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
First he bowed his head and offered obeisance. Then he sat on the shore after spreading kusa grass. Just as Vibhishana came near the Lord, Ravana sent messengers after him.
सकल चरित तिन्ह देखे धरें कपट कपि देह। प्रभु गुन हृदयँ सराहहिं सरनागत पर नेह॥ ५१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sakala carita tinha dekhe dhareṃ kapaṭa kapi deha। prabhu guna hṛdayaṃ sarāhahiṃ saranāgata para neha॥ 51 ॥
Meaning:
Assuming the form of a monkey through deception, they saw all the events. In their hearts they praised the Lord's virtues and his affection for those who surrender to him.
प्रगट बखानहिं राम सुभाऊ। अति सप्रेम गा बिसरि दुराऊ॥ रिपु के दूत कपिन्ह तब जाने। सकल बाँधि कपीस पहिं आने॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pragaṭa bakhānahiṃ rāma subhāū। ati saprema gā bisari durāū॥ ripu ke dūta kapinha taba jāne। sakala bāṃdhi kapīsa pahiṃ āne॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Then, even in open form, they began to praise Rama's nature with great love; their disguise was forgotten. The monkeys then realized that these were the enemy's messengers, and they bound them all and brought them to Sugriva.
कह सुग्रीव सुनहु सब बानर। अंग भंग करि पठवहु निसिचर॥ सुनि सुग्रीव बचन कपि धाए। बाँधि कटक चहु पास फिराए॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaha sugrīva sunahu saba bānara। aṃga bhaṃga kari paṭhavahu nisichara॥ suni sugrīva bacana kapi dhāe। bāṃdhi kaṭaka cahu pāsa phirāe॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Sugriva said, 'Listen, all you monkeys: mutilate the demons and send them back.' Hearing Sugriva's words, the monkeys rushed forward. Binding the messengers, they paraded them around the army.
बहु प्रकार मारन कपि लागे। दीन पुकारत तदपि न त्यागे॥ जो हमार हर नासा काना। तेहि कोसलाधीस कै आना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bahu prakāra mārana kapi lāge। dīna pukārata tadapi na tyāge॥ jo hamāra hara nāsā kānā। tehi kosalādhīsa kai ānā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The monkeys began to beat them in many ways. Though they cried out in distress, the monkeys did not let them go. [Then the messengers cried out:] Whoever cuts off our noses and ears will have the oath of Lord Rama, the ruler of Kosala, upon him.
सुनि लछिमन सब निकट बोलाए। दया लागि हँसि तुरत छोड़ाए॥ रावन कर दीजहु यह पाती। लछिमन बचन बाचु कुलघाती॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni lachhimana saba nikaṭa bolāe। dayā lāgi haṃsi turata choṛāe॥ rāvana kara dījahu yaha pātī। lachhimana bacana bācu kulaghātī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing this, Lakshmana called them near. Moved by compassion, he smiled and at once released the demons. [And said to them:] Give this letter to Ravana, and say: O destroyer of your lineage, read Lakshmana's words.
कहेहु मुखागर मूढ़ सन मम संदेसु उदार। सीता देइ मिलहु न त आवा कालु तुम्हार॥ ५२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahehu mukhāgara mūḍha sana mama saṃdesu udāra। sītā dei milahu na ta āvā kālu tumhāra॥ 52 ॥
Meaning:
Then tell that fool by word of mouth this noble message of mine: give back Sita and meet Him, or else your time has come.
तुरत नाइ लछिमन पद माथा। चले दूत बरनत गुन गाथा॥ कहत राम जसु लंकाँ आए। रावन चरन सीस तिन्ह नाए॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
turata nāi lachhimana pada māthā। chale dūta baranata guna gāthā॥ kahata rāma jasa laṃkāṃ āe। rāvana carana sīsa tinha nāe॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Bowing their heads at Lakshmana's feet, the messengers departed while singing the praises of Rama's virtues. Speaking of Rama's fame, they reached Lanka and bowed their heads at Ravana's feet.
बिहसि दसानन पूँछी बाता। कहसि न सुक आपनि कुसलाता॥ पुनि कहु खबरि बिभीषन केरी। जाहि मृत्यु आई अति नेरी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bihasi dasānana pūṃchī bātā। kahasi na suka āpani kusalātā॥ puni kahu khabari bibhīṣana kerī। jāhi mṛtyu āī ati nerī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Ravana, the ten-headed one, smiled and asked, 'O Shuka, why do you not speak of your welfare? Then tell me the news of Vibhishana, whose death has drawn very near.'
करत राज लंका सठ त्यागी। होइहि जव कर कीट अभागी॥ पुनि कहु भालु कीस कटकाई। कठिन काल प्रेरित चलि आई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karata rāja laṃkā saṭha tyāgī। hoihi java kara kīṭa abhāgī॥ puni kahu bhālu kīsa kaṭakāī। kaṭhina kāla prerita cali āī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
That fool abandoned Lanka while ruling it. That unfortunate one will now be like a worm in grain. Then tell me about the army of bears and monkeys, which has come here impelled by hard fate.
जिन्ह के जीवन कर रखवारा। भयउ मृदुल चित सिंधु बिचारा॥ कहु तपसिन्ह कै बात बहोरी। जिन्ह के हृदयँ त्रास अति मोरी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jinha ke jīvana kara rakhavārā। bhayau mṛdula cita sindhu bicārā॥ kahu tapasinha kai bāta bahorī। jinha ke hṛdayaṃ trāsa ati morī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
And tell me of those whose protector of life has become the soft-hearted sea (that is, if the sea were not between them and the demons, the demons would by now have killed and devoured them). Then tell me about those ascetics in whose hearts I cause great fear.
की भइ भेंट कि फिरि गए श्रवन सुजसु सुनि मोर। कहसि न रिपु दल तेज बल बहुत चकित चित तोर॥ ५३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kī bhai bheṃṭa ki phiri gae śravana sujasa suni mora। kahasi na ripu dala teja bala bahuta cakita cita tora॥ 53 ॥
Meaning:
Did you meet them, or did they turn back merely after hearing my glorious fame with their ears? Why do you not speak of the enemy host's valor and strength? Your mind seems utterly stunned.