Sloka & Translation

[Rama points out to Lakshmana the evil portents indicating destruction of Rakshasas, monkeys, and people.]

निमित्तानिनिमित्ताज्ञोदृष्टवालक्ष्मणपूर्वजः ।

सौमित्रिंसम्परिष्वज्यइदंवचनमब्रवीत् ।।6.23.1।।


निमित्तज्ञः one who is aware of portents, लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः Lakshmana's elder brother, दृष्टवा perceiving, निमित्तानि portents, सौमित्रिम् to Saumithri, इदम् these, सम्परिष्वज्य embracing, वचनम् words, अब्रवीत् spoke.

Perceiving the portents, Rama spoke these words embracing Saumithri who was aware of the portents.
निमित्तानिपरिगृह्योदकंशीतंवनानिफलवन्तिच ।

बलौघंसंविभज्येमंव्यूह्यतिष्ठेमलक्ष्मण ।।6.23.2।।


लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, शीतम् cool, उदकम् water, फलवन्ति fruit, वनानिच forests, परिगृह्य arranging, इदम् this, बलौघम् battalions of army, संविभज्य dividing, व्यूह्य the group, तिष्ठेम will remain.

"Lakshmana Arrange a place in this forest where there is cool water and fruits for the battalions of the army, we shall remain (alert)."
लोकक्षयकरंभीमंभयंपश्याम्युपस्थितम् ।

निबर्हणंप्रवीराणामृक्षवानररक्षसाम् ।।6.23.3।।


लोकक्षयकरम् that which bodes destruction to the people, भीमम् dreadful, प्रवीराणाम् for the warriors, ऋक्षवानररक्षसाम् Bears, monkeys and Rakshasas, निबर्हणम् will be slain, भयम् fear, उपस्थितम् will happen, पश्यामि I foresee.

"Dreadful warriors, Bears, monkeys, and Rakshasas will be slain, and I foresee that which bodes destruction of people."
वाताश्चकलुषावान्तिकम्पतेचवसुन्धराः ।

पर्वताग्राणिवेपन्तेपतन्तिचमहीरुहाः ।।6.23.4।।


वाताः wind, कलुषाः mixed with dust is blowing, वान्ति cracking, वसुन्धराच even the earth, कम्पते shaking, पर्वताग्राणि mountain tops, वेपन्ते breaking, महीरुहाः huge trees, पतन्तिच and falling down.

"The wind is blowing mixed with dust, even the earth is cracking, mountain tops are shaking, and huge trees are breaking and falling down."
मेघाःक्रव्यादसङ्काशाःपरुषाःपरुषस्वनाः ।

क्रूराःक्रूरंप्रवर्षन्तिमिश्रंशोणितबिन्दुभिः ।।6.23.5।।


क्रव्यादसङ्काशाः clouds resembling raw flesh in colour, परुषाः harsh, परुषस्वनाः in harsh tone, क्रूराः cruel, मेघाः clouds, क्रूरम् frightening, शोणितबिन्दुभिः even drops of blood, मिश्रम् mixed, प्रवर्षन्ति raining.

"Clouds resembling raw flesh in colour, are making harsh frightening sounds, and rain mixed with drops of blood."
रक्तचन्दनसङ्काशासन्ध्यापरमदारुणा ।

ज्वलतःप्रपतत्येतदादित्यादग्निमण्डलम् ।।6.23.6।।


रक्तचन्दनसङ्काशा like red sandal, सन्ध्या twilight, परमदारुणा very frightening, ज्वलतः blazing, आदित्यात् from the Sun, एतत of variegated colours, अग्निमण्डलम् , masses of fire प्रपतति raining.

"The twilight in red sandal colour is very frightening. The Sun is blazing, raining masses of fire in variegated colours."
दीनादीनस्वराःक्रूरास्सर्वतोमृगपक्षिणः ।

प्रत्यादित्यंविनर्धन्तिजनयन्तोमहाद्भयम् ।।6.23.7।।


सर्वतः all over, क्रूराःमृगाः wild animals, दीनाः pathetic, दीनस्वराः wailing in low tone, महात् great, भयम् fear, जनयन्तः producing, प्रत्यादित्य opposite the Sun, विनर्धन्ति indicating.

"The wild animals all over have a piteous look and wailing in low tone standing opposite the Sun is indicating fear."
रजन्यामप्रकाशस्तुसन्तापयतिचन्द्रमाः ।

कृष्णरक्तांशुपर्यन्तोलोकक्षयइवोदितः ।।6.23.8।।


लोकक्षये at the time of dissolution of the universe, उदितइव like the Sun, कृष्णरक्तांशपर्यन्तः with black rays around and red rays behind, चन्द्रमाः moon, रजन्याम् in the night, अप्रकाशः devoid of glow, सन्तापयति causing sorrow.

"The moon devoid of glow even in the night is like the Sun with black rays around and red aura behind (the black)."
ह्रस्वोरूक्षोऽप्रशस्तश्चपरिवेषस्सुलोहितः ।

आदित्येविमलेनीलंलक्ष्मलक्ष्मणदृश्यते ।।6.23.9।।


लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, विमले white, आदित्ये Sun, ह्रस्वः becoming small, रूक्षः dreary, अप्रशस्तः that which had not been seen before, लोहितः copper coloured, परिवेषः around, नीलम् black, लक्ष्म in the centre, दृश्यते appears.

"Lakshmana the white Sun is appearing in copper colour around with black colour in the centre which had not been seen before. It is small and dreary."
रजसामहताचापिनक्षत्राणिहतानिच ।

युगान्तमिवलोकानांपश्यशंसन्तीवलक्ष्मण ।।6.23.10।।


लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, महता great, रजसा brightness, हतानि devoid, नक्षत्राणि the stars, लोकानाम् in the worlds, युगान्तम् end of universe at the time of dissolution, शंसन्तीव as if indicating, पश्य appears.

"Lakshmana the stars devoid of brightness are indicating as though it is the time of dissolution of the universe?"
काकाश्श्येनास्तथानीचागृध्राःपरिपतन्तिच ।

शिवाश्चाप्यशिवान्नादान्नदन्तिसुमहाभयान् ।।6.23.11।।


काकाः crows, श्येनाः hawks, ततागृध्राः likewise eagles, नीचाः small, परिपतन्ति falling down, शिवाश्चापि also jackals, महाभयान् great fear, अशिवान् creating, नादान् howls, नदन्ति making.

"The crows, hawks and eagles are falling down like small animals. Also, the jackals are creating fear by making howls."
शैलैश्शूलैश्चखढगैश्चविसृष्टैःकपिराक्षसैः ।

भविष्यत्यावृताभूमिर्मांसशोणितकर्दमा ।।6.23.12।।


कपिराक्षसैः Vanaras and Rakshasas, विसृष्टैः hurled, शैलैः mountains, शूलैश्च tridents, खढगैश्च with swords, मांसशोणितकर्दमा covered with flesh and blood, भूमिः earth, आवृता turning to, भविष्यति will become.

"The earth will turn into a mass of flesh and blood and will be covered by the mountains and tridents hurled by Vanaras and Rakshasas."
क्षिप्रमद्यैवदुर्दर्षांपुरींरावणपालिताम् ।

अभियामजनेनैवसर्वतोहरिभिर्ववृताः ।।6.23.13।।


सर्वैः all, हरिभिः Vanaras, आवृताः turning direction, अद्यैव now itself, क्षिप्रम् immediately, जवेनैव swiftly, रावणपालिताम् ruled by Ravana, पुरीम् city, अभियाम will go.

All the Vanaras turning their direction will go immediately and now itself, swiftly to the city ruled by Ravana (said Rama to Lakshmana).
इत्येवमुक्त्वाधर्मात्माधनवीसङ्ग्रामहर्षणः ।

प्रतस्थेपुरतोरामोलङ्कामभिमुखोविभुः ।।6.23.14।।


रामः Rama, सङ्ग्रामधर्षणः one who subdues his enemies in war, विभुः a celebrated one, रामः Rama, इत्येवम् in this way, उक्त्वा having spoken, धनवी wielding a bow, पुरतः in front, लङ्काम् to Lanka, अभिमुखः towards, प्रतस्थे proceeded.

Rama, the subduer of enemies in war, a celebrated one having spoken this way proceeded towards Lanka going in front wielding a bow.
सविभीषणसुग्रीवास्ततस्तेवानरर्षभाः ।

प्रतस्थिरेविनर्दन्तोनिश्चिताद्विषतांवधे ।।6.23.15।।


सविभीषण then Vibheeshana, सुग्रीवाः Sugriva, सर्वे all, ते of them, वानरर्षभाः bulls among Vanaras, विनर्दन्तः roaring, निश्चितानाम् determined, द्विषताम् in the matter of, वधे slaying, प्रतस्थिरे went

Then Vibheeshana, Sugriva and all bulls among Vanaras determined in the matter of slaying (the enemies) went roaring.
राघवस्यप्रियार्थंतुसुतरांवीर्यशालिनाम् ।

हरीणांकर्मचेष्टाभिस्तुतोषरघुपुङ्गवः ।।6.23.16।।


सुतरां excessively, वीर्यशालिनाम् heroes, हरीणाम् Vanaras, राघवस्य to Rama, प्रियार्थम् to make him happy, कर्मचेष्टाभिः actions, रघुपुङ्गवः the delight of Raghus, तुतोष saw and felt happy

To make Rama happy, the excessively heroic Vanaras made monkey actions. Seeing that Rama felt happy.
।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेत्रयोविंशस्सर्गः ।।
This is the end of the twenty third sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.