217 Garuda.
218 The word now used is ishika. This means blade of grass, but also means arrow. Since we have earlier been told that Rama invoked a blade of grass with brahmastra, we will continue to stick to blade of grass.
219 Ignore sama, dana and bheda and test danda. The intention is to test Ravana’s strength.
220 The word means servant.
221 Named Jambumali.
222 The word used is chaitya.
223 The bow.
224 Jambumali.
225 Meaning the sun.
226 The sons of the ministers.
227 Kubara is the pole for attaching the yoke to the chariot.
228 Ravana.
229 Aksha.
230 The chariot.
231 Aksha.
232 Hanumat.
233 A rainbow.
234 Aksha.
235 Garuda.
236 Ravana.
237 Hanumat.
238 Brahma.
239 Vyalas in Indrajit’s chariot are usually taken to be tigers. However, a vyala is any vicious beast and can be a tiger, a lion, a leopard, an elephant, or even some kind of reptile.
240 Indrajit.
241 Hanumat.
242 Hanumat.
243 Indrajit.
244 Meaning Brahma.
245 Which would occur in due course.
246 Indrajit’s.
247 Hanumat.
248 This is what happens at the time of the universal destruction.
249 Kubera.
250 The word brother is only meant to underline affection.
251 Garuda.
252 Past, present and future.
253 Of the rakshasas.
254 Who seek to eliminate Ravana.
255 An indirect reference to Rama.
256 Rama.
257 Mainaka.
258 The wind god.
259 Of invading Lanka.
260 This is probably an oblique reference to the destruction that comes at the end of one of Brahma’s days.
261 The fire on the tail.
262 Vadavamukha, the subterranean fire in the ocean.
263 There are three qualities (guna)—sattva (goodness), rajas (passion and energy) and tamas (inactivity and darkness). This refers to the quality of passion and energy.
264 Rama and Lakshmana.
265 The fire.
266 Also known as Pushya.
267 Mars.
268 The moon.
269 Mainaka.
270 Jambavat and Angada.
271 Rama.
272 In different places, the sequence of meeting Mainaka, Surasa and Simhika varies.
273 Earlier, we were told that Dhanyamalini restrained Ravana, Mandodari not having been mentioned.
274 This message is being delivered by Sugriva, which is odd.
275 Though this is Sugriva’s message, Sugriva is being mentioned in the third person.
276 Hanumat.
277 That is, the real cause is Sita.
278 Indrajit’s.
279 Divine weapons respectively associated with Brahma, Indra, Rudra, Vayu and Varuna.
280 This is directed at Hanumat.
281 This entire incident of Madhuvana is irrelevant to the main line of the story and may well have been inserted later.
282 Madhu is honey, so madhuvana means a grove filled with honey. Madhu also means liquor and the apes clearly became intoxicated.
283 Angada.
284 Dadhivaktra is the same as Dadhimukha.
285 Flowers, fruits and trees.
286 An occasion for celebration at having found Sita.
287 A drona is a wooden vessel, as well as an unit of measurement. The wooden vessel holds as much as a drona.
288 The guards.
289 Aryaka means noble one. More specifically, it means maternal uncle. Here, it means Dadhimukha, Angada’s maternal uncle.
290 In anger.
291 The guards.
292 The guards.
293 The guards.
294 Dadhimukha.
295 Dadhimukha.
296 A lion.
297 Sugriva.
298 The period of two months set by Ravana.
299 For whatever reason, Hanumat does not mention Rama’s ring, which he had carried with him, to win Sita’s confidence.
300 The jewel.
301 In the form of milk.
302 Janaka.
303 This is addressed to Hanumat.
304 These are Sita’s words, being quoted by Hanumat.
305 Indra.
306 Garuda.
307 Take me away in secret.
308 That is, the others are superior to me.
1 Demons.
2 Yakshas are semi-divine species, described as companions of Kubera, the lord of riches.
3 Semi-divine species, companions of Kubera, celestial musicians.
4 Demons.
5 Like catapults.
6 A shataghni is a weapon that can kill one hundred at one stroke.
7 Chariots, horses, elephants and foot soldiers.
8 Ayuta is ten thousand, niyuta is one hundred thousand, prayuta is one million and arbuda is one hundred million.
9 A yatudhana is an evil spirit or demon.
10 There are twenty-seven nakshatras, which are stars/constellations.
11 Indra.
12 The comparison is with Kubera, Kubera’s elephant being named Sarvabhouma.
13 Hanumat and Angada.
14 Jupiter and Venus.
15 Meaning Shukra (Venus).
16 The saptarshis are the seven great sages. The list varies, but the standard one is Marichi, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishtha. In the sky, the saptarshis are identified with the constellation of Ursa Major (Great Bear). The saptarshis were Brahma’s mental sons. Dhruva is the Pole Star.
17 Trishanku was born in the solar dynasty and his priest (Vishvamitra) gave him the boon that he would be in the sky, after Trishanku started to fall down from heaven. Astronomically, Trishanku is identified as the Southern Cross. Depending on the location in India, this can usually be seen on the southern horizon between April and June.
18 Demons.
19 This means the comet.
20 Famous battle between the gods and the demons. It took place after Chandra, the moon, abducted Tara, Brihaspati’s wife.
21 The five-leaved chaste tree (Vitex negunda), but this should read sindhuvaraka.
22 A drona is a wooden vessel, as well as an unit of measurement.
23 A means of crossing the ocean.
24 Timingila is a fish that devours whales (timi).
25 Mythical aquatic creatures, which can be loosely translated as sharks or crocodiles.
26 One of the seven nether regions.
27 Sandhya is any conjunction of day and night. Hence, it is dawn, as well as dusk.
28 The word chaitya has several meanings—sacrificial shed, temple, altar, sanctuary and a tree that grows along the road.
29 Kubera.
30 Pushpaka.
31 Mandodari.
32 Kumbhinasa was Ravana’s sister, married to Madhu.
33 One of the seven nether regions.
34 Throughout the translation, we have generally used serpents for nagas and snakes for sarpas. Nagas are not quite snakes. They are semi-divine, can assume human forms and live in specific regions.
35 Malevolent beings.
36 Sita’s abduction.
37 Hanumat.
38 Forms of liquor.
39 The word used is tata, which can be translated as either father or son, depending on whom Vibhishana is addressing. Since words are primarily addressed to Ravana, we have translated it as father.
40 That is, use danda only if sama, dana and bheda do not work.
41 It is not clear from the text where the elephant quote ends. This seems to be the right place. Wild elephants are referring to domesticated elephants being used to trap and capture them.
/> 42 There were four other rakshasas.
43 Rakshasa lady.
44 From Ravana to Rama.
45 Of the rakshasas.
46 This is a story from the Mahabharata. A fowler captured a she-pigeon or she-dove. Since the fowler was hungry and a guest, the he-pigeon or he-dove offered his body to the fowler as food.
47 Praising Rama.
48 Sagara was Rama’s ancestor.
49 In personified form.
50 Elephants in the water.
51 The personified form of the ocean.
52 Meaning, not just the path of Svati nakshatra, but the entire Milky Way.
53 Successful sages.
54 Sugriva.
55 Celestial bards.
56 Sarana.
57 Those who wander around.
58 The mountain, also known as Dardura.
59 Parnasha is identified with the river Banas, in Rajasthan. That is, Vinata used to reside in that region earlier.
60 This is a continuation of Sarana speaking.
61 Jambavat’s soldiers.
62 Kubera.
63 Kinnara, also known as kimpurusha, is a semi-divine species, described as Kubera’s companions.
64 With a tail like that of a cow, langur.
65 The mountain’s.
66 The Indian fig tree.
67 These numbers are explained later.
68 An elephant in musth.
69 Vayu.
70 Keeping it simple, agama is a class of sacred texts that are outside the mainstream.
71 An atiratha is a great warrior, greater than a maharatha.
72 Brahma’s weapon.
73 Rama’s.
74 By Rama.
75 The Critical Edition excises shlokas where one hundred thousand shankus are said to be a mahashanku and one hundred thousand mahashankus are said to be a vrinda.
76 The dexterity in valour refers to the apes. The Critical Edition excises shlokas where Rama orders for the release of the spies.
77 That is, outside the city.
78 A vyuha is a battle formation, this one shaped in the form of Garuda.
79 Sugriva.
80 Shatakratu’s preceptor is Brihasapati and Brihaspati’s son is Kesari. Hanumat is Kesari’s son.
81 Meaning Yama.
82 Yama.
83 As a gift from Rama, when Rama consecrated Vibhishana as the king of Lanka.
84 Vidyut-Jihva.
85 Respectively Vidyujjihva and Ravana.
86 The word chakra is mentioned twice.
87 Jewel worn on the top of the head.
88 Thus the destruction.
89 Presumably, by not leaving a descendant.
90 Sacrificial fee. These were donated symbolically.
91 As funeral rites.
92 Sarama is believed to have been Vibhishana’s wife, although nothing like that is clearly stated.
93 Indra.
94 Ravana.
95 Meru.
96 Ravana’s.
97 Sarama.
98 It is possible to interpret and translate this as Shri separated from the lotus on which she is seated.
99 Ravana’s mother was Kaikasi.
100 The destruction of the rakshasas.
101 Of Lanka and Sita.
102 There are four yugas—krita (satya), treta, dvapara and kali. As one progressively moves from krita yuga to kali yuga, dharma declines. Tishya yuga is another name for kali yuga.
103 The bird Turdus salica.
104 Rama.
105 The apes.
106 Sugriva.
107 Flowering tree, the text uses the word nagamala.
108 Variety of palm.
109 Bignonia suaveolens.
110 Clearly having descended from Suvela.
111 Between heaven and earth.
112 Rama.
113 The fire god.
114 Angada.
115 An akshouhini is an army, consisting of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horse riders and 109,350 foot soldiers.
116 Rama.
117 The rakshasas.
118 Shiva.
119 Also known as Shatrughna. Indeed, Shatrughna is a more appropriate name. One slays the enemy (shatru), not one’s friends (mitra).
120 Yama’s.
121 This should probably be Shatrughna.
122 The powers of rakshasas increase at night.
123 Indrajit’s.
124 Tree with red blossoms.
125 A naracha is an iron arrow.
126 Arrows with broad heads.
127 Arrows with heads shaped like crescents.
128 Arrows with heads shaped like a calf’s tooth.
129 Arrows with heads shaped like a lion’s tooth.
130 Kshura or kshurapra is an arrow with a sharp edge.
131 The image is of Indra withdrawing after showering down.
132 Indrajit.
133 A yama is a period of three hours. Since it is made up of three yamas, the night is known as triyama.
134 Because clouds don’t rain during the autumn.
135 Great warrior, more specifically, a maharatha is someone who can single-handedly fight ten thousand warriors.
136 The rakshasas who had been killed.
137 Astrologers, soothsayers.
138 Ten toes and two soles.
139 No space between the fingers and the toes.
140 The text uses the word goshpada. This literally means the mark of a cow’s foot in the soil and the small puddle of water that fills up such a mark, that is, a trifle.
141 This is not very clear. It probably means that the other warriors do not stand around, but do something instead.
142 The text uses the word panchatva. This simply means death, that is, when the body is separated into the five elements.
143 Kartavirya Arjuna.
144 Son by extension.
145 Because they took him to be Indrajit.
146 Sanjivakarani means something that imparts life, vishalya means something that removes stakes.
147 In the ocean.
148 Rama and Lakshmana.
149 Catapults or javelins that are like blowpipes, with arrows shot through them.
150 The chariots.
151 These were ominous portents.
152 Rakshasas.
153 A description of the rakshasas.
154 Kubara is the pole for attaching the yoke to the chariot.
155 Ominous portents.
156 The sense seems to be the following. If the rakshasas wait for the attack, the danger is uncertain. If the rakshasas attack, the danger is certain.
157 Ravana’s.
158 Regarded as inauspicious.
159 The sutas were charioteers and bards.
160 Rakshasas.
161 Madhava is a name for the month of Magha (January–February). Palasha trees have red flowers.
162 Along the banks.
163 Nila.
164 Nila.
165 Prahasta.
166 Bhutas.
167 Unless there was more than one Akampana, there is a consistency problem. Akampana has already been killed by Hanumat.
168 Alternatively, one who has obtained an excellent boon.
169 Kaya means body and ati means exceedingly.
170 As in, Ravana’s servant.
171 Since Rama killed Trishira in Janasthana, there may be another consistency problem.
172 Narantaka has already been killed by Dvivida.
173 Bhutas.
174 Sugriva.
175 Kartikeya shattered Mount Krouncha with his spear.
176 Mango trees.
177 Nila.
178 Ravana’s standard.
179 Kshurapras (kshuras) are arrows with sharp edges, ardhachandras are in the shape of a half-moon, karnis are barbed and bhallas have broad heads.
180 The Critical Edition excises a few shlokas where Ravana tries to pick up the unconscious Lakshmana with his arms.
181 Bali
.
182 The use of the word wives is odd. Non-Critical versions say grandsons instead.
183 Literally, the pleasures of villagers.
184 So that they would make a noise.
185 This refers to those along the road. Presumably, there were apes among them too, not just rakshasas.
186 Rama. The allusion is to Vishnu’s vamana (dwarf) incarnation.
187 Yama.
188 Vidyadharas are semi-divine, occupying the region between heaven and earth.
189 That is, Vishravasa.
190 Brahma.
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 151