Sloka & Translation

[Hanuman gives a detailed description of Lanka on interrogation by Rama.]

sugrīvasyavacaśśrutvāhētumatparamārthavat .

pratijagrāhakākutsthōhanūmantamathābravīt ।।6.3.1।।

kākutstha: scion of Kakuthsa dynasty, sugrīvasya: of Sugriva, hētumat: well-meaning, paramārthavat: one who spoke the truth with deep understanding, vacaḥ words, śśrutvā: having heard, pratijagrāha: having accepted, atha: then, hanūmantam: at Hanuman, abravīt: said

Rama the scion of Kakuthsa dynasty having accepted the well-meaning words of Sugriva, who spoke the truth with deep understanding, turned to Hanuman and said.

tapasāsētubandhēnasāgarōcchōṣaṇēnaca .

sarvathāsusamarthō.smisāgarasyāsyalaṅghanē ।।6.3.2।।

tapasā: by austerity, sētubandhēna: construction of bridge, sāgarōcchōṇēnaca: or by drying the ocean, sarvathāpi: any other way, asyasāgarasya: that ocean's, laṅghanē: to cross, susamarthaḥ highly capable, asmi: I am.

"By austerity or by drying up the ocean or by any other means, I am capable of crossing the ocean."

katidurgāṇidurgāyālaṅkāyābrūhitānimē .

jñātumicchāmitatsarvaṅdarśanādivavānara! ।।6.3.3।।

vānara: vanara, durgāyāḥ forts, laṅkāyāḥ in Lanka, kati: how many, durgāṇi: difficult to access, sarvam: totally, darśanādiva: just as you have seen, jñātum: to know, icchāmi: I wish, tāni: all that, brūhi: tell me

"O Vanara! How many forts are in Lanka? You may tell me whatever you have seen. I wish to know all that."

balasyaparimāṇaṅcadvāradurgakriyāmapi .

guptikarmacalaṅkāyārakṣasāṅsadanānica ।।6.3.4।।

yathāsukhaṅyathāvacchalaṅkāyāmasidṛṣṭavān .

sarvamācakṣvatattvēnasarvathākuśalōhyasi ।।6.3.5।।

balasya: of the strength of army, parimāṇaṅca: the size, dvāradurgakriyāmapi: the gateways that are difficult to enter, laṅkāyāḥ of Lanka, guptikarmaca: the way in which the entrances have been protected, rakṣasām: by the rakshasas, sadanānica: and the dwellings, yathāsukham: very conveniently, yathāvacca: tell in detail laṅkāyām: in Lanka, dṛṣṭavān: one who has seen, asi: to me, sarvam: all,tattvēna: truly, ācakṣaya: you are aware, sarvathā: in all aspects, kuśalaḥ you are capable, asihi: indeed to me

"Tell me in detail about the strength and size of the army, the number of gateways that are difficult to enter, the way in which the entrances have been protected by the rakshasas, and their dwellings in Lanka. Indeed you are aware of all aspects and are also capable."

śrutvārāmasyavacanaṅhanumānmārutātmajaḥ .

vākyaṅvākyavidāṅśrēṣṭhōrāmaṅpunarathābravīt ।।6.3.6।।

vākyavidām: among those who are good in speech, śrēṣṭhaḥ foremost, mārutātmajaḥ son of Maruti, hanumān: Hanuman, rāmasya: Rama's, vacanam: words, śrutvā: having heard, atha: then, punaḥ again, rāmam: to Rama, abravīt: said

Hanuman the son of Maruti, the foremost among those who are good at speech, having heard Rama's words again said to Rama.

śrūyatāṅsarvamākhyāsyēdurgakarmavidhānataḥ .

guptāpurīyathālaṅkārakṣitācayathābalaiḥ ।।6.3.7।।

laṅkāpurī: city of Lanka, yathā: so also, durgakarmavidhānataḥ the way in which, it is fortified, guptā: secret , balaiḥ forces, yathā: that way, rakṣitāca: and protected, sarvam: everything, ākhyāsyē: relate, śrūyatām: wish to hear

"I will relate the way in which the city of Lanka is fortified, the way in which it is protected by secret forces, everything you wish to hear."

rākṣasāścayathāsnigdhārāvaṇasyacatējasā .

parāṅsamṛddhiṅlaṅkāyāssāgarasyacabhīmatām ।।6.3.8।।

vibhāgaṅcabalaughasyanirdēśaṅvāhanasyaca .

ēvamuktvākapiśrēṣṭhaḥkathayāmāsatattvavita: ।।6.3.9।।

rākṣasāḥ rakshasas, yathā: like that, snigddhā: affection, rāvaṇasya: Ravana's , tējasā: power, laṅkāyāḥ in Lanka, parām: superior, samṛddhim: abundance, sāgarasya: ocean's, bhīmatām: terrifying, balaughasya: army,vibhāgam: divisions, vāhanasya: the means of transport, like chariots, elephants horses and soldiers, nirdēśaṅca: and point out, tattvavita: as it truly is, kapiśrēṣṭhaḥforemost of vanaras, ēvam: in that way, uktvā: tell, kathayāmāsa: every thing

Hanuman, the foremost of the vanaras said that he will truly point out everything in Lanka:"Ravana's power, the affection of rakshasas to Ravana, his prosperity, the terrifying ocean, the divisions of the army such as chariots, elephants, horses and soldiers."

hṛṣṭapramuditālaṅkāmattadvipasamākulā .

mahatīrathasaṅpūrṇārakṣōgaṇasamākulā ।।6.3.10।।

mahatī: vast, laṅkā: Lanka, hṛṣṭapramuditā: very delighted, mattadvipasamākulā: full of elephants in rut, rathasaṅpūrṇā: filled with chariots, rakṣōgaṇasamākulā: filled with innumerable rakshasas

"The people in the vast island of Lanka are very delighted. Lanka is filled with chariots and innumerable rakshasas."

dṛḍhabaddhakavāṭānimahāparighavantica .

dvārāṇivipulānyasyāścatvārisumahāntica ।।6.3.11।।

asyāḥ in that Lanka, sumahānti: lofty, vipulāni: wide, catvāri: courtyards, dvārāṇi: entrances, dṛḍhabaddhakavāṭāni: doors fixed with metal fixtures , mahāparighavantica: with large iron bars

"Lanka is endowed with lofty wide courtyards, entrances with doors that are fixed with metal fixtures and large iron bars."

tatrēṣūpalayantrāṇibalavantimahāntica .

āgataṅparasainyaṅtaistatrapratinivāryatē ।।6.3.12।।

tatra: there , balavanti: powerful, mahāntica: and large, iṣūpalayāntrāṇi: machines that release darts and stones, tatra: there, āgatam: when they reach , parasainyam: enemy's army, taiḥ those, pratinivāryatē: will retaliate and destroy

"The doors are fitted with powerful machines which retaliate by discharging darts and stones on the enemy's army and kill them."

dvārēṣusaṅskṛtābhīmāḥkālāyasamayāśśitāḥ .

śataśōracitāvīraiśśataghnayōrakṣasāṅgaṇai ।।6.3.13।।

saṅskṛtāḥ made ready, bhīmāḥ terrific, kālayasamayāḥ fearful rakshasas ,śśitāḥ sharpened, śataśaḥ one hundred, śataghnayaḥ huge stones studded with iron spikes , rakṣasām: guards, gaṇaiḥ troops, dvārēṣu: at the entrance, racitāḥ kept ready

At the entrances are troops of terrific looking guards kept ready with a hundred sharpened stones studded with iron spikes.

sauvarṇastumahāṅstasyāḥprākārōduṣpradharṣaṇaḥ .

maṇīvidrumavaidūryamuktāviracitāntaraḥ ।।6.3.14।।

tasyāḥ its, sauvarṇaḥ golden , mahān: lofty, maṇīvidrumavaidūryamuktāviracitāntaraḥ encrusted here and there with gems, corals and Vaiduryas and pearls, prākāraḥ boundary wall, duṣpadharṣaṇaḥ difficult to assail

"Its lofty golden boundary wall encrusted here and there with gems, corals, Vaiduryas and pearls is difficult to assail."

sarvataścamahābhīmāśśītatōyavahāśśubhāḥ .

agādhāgrāhavatyaścaparikhāmīnasēvitā ।।6.3.15।।

sarvatāḥ all round it, mahābhīmāḥ very frightening, śītatōyāḥ very cold water, mahāśubhāḥ very splendid, agādhāḥ fathomless, grāhavatyaśca: crocodiles, mīnasēvitāḥ inhabited by fish, parikhā: moats

All round it (boundary wall) are very splendid moats filled with frightening-cold water inhabited by fish and crocodiles.

dvārēṣutāsāṅcatvārassaṅkramāḥparamāyatāḥ .

yantrairupētābahubhirmahadbhirgṛhapaṅktibhiḥ ।।6.3.16।।

dvārēṣu: at the entrance of gateways,catvāra: on four sides, paramāyatāḥ very extensive, bahubhiḥ huge, yantrai: engines, mahadbhi: huge,gṛhapaṅktibhiḥ rows of houses, upētāḥ when people approach, tāsāṅ: movable bridges, saṅkramāḥ four roadways

At the entrance of the gateways around the moats are four road ways. Huge engines are fixed to move the bridges when people approach. There are rows of houses (for the guards) at the gateways.

trāyantēsaṅkramāstatraparasainyāgatēsati .

yantraistairavakīryantēparikhāsusamantataḥ ।।6.3.17।।

tatra: there, parasainyāgatēsati: when enemy army enters, saṅkramāḥ road ways, trāyantē: protected, samantataḥ all over, parikhāsu: in the moats, taiḥ those, yantrai: those engines, apakīryantē: not possible to cross

"When the enemy arrives, the engines all over the moats lift the bridges making entry impossible for enemy armies."

ēkastvakampyōbalavānsaṅkramassumahādṛḍhaḥ .

kāñcanai rbahubhisstambhairvēdikābhiścaśōbhitaḥ ।।6.3.18।।

kāñcanai: golden, bahubhiḥ many, stambhai: pillars, vēdikābhiśca: altars , śōbhitaḥ shining, balavān: strong, sumahādṛḍhaḥ steady, ēkaḥ one, saṅkramastu: road way, akampyaḥ not shaky

"One of the road ways is very strong and steady, shining with unshakeable golden pillars and altars."

svayaṅprakṛtimāpannōyuyutsūrāma ! rāvaṇa: .

utthitaścāpramattaścabalānāmanudarśanē ।।6.3.19।।

rāma: O Rama!, svayam: Ravana himself , yuyutsuḥ one with hostile intention, prakṛtim: assuming natural tendency, āpannaḥ one who has adopted, rāvaṇaḥ Ravana, utthitaśca: eager to combat, balānām: army, anudarśanē: looks after, apramattaśca: ever very alert

"O Rama! Ravana, who is hostile in his intentions, assuming his natural tendency which is eagerness to combat, is always very alert and looks after the army."

laṅkāpunarnirālambādēvadurgābhayāvahā .

nādēyaṅpārvataṅvānyaṅkṛtrimaṅcacaturvidham ।।6.3.20।।

dēvadurgā: difficult for devatas to access, nirālambā: being located on peak of mountain, laṅkā: Lanka, punaḥ again, bhayāvahā: fierce, nādēyam: rivers, pārvatam: mountains, vānyam: forests, kṛtrimaṅca: and artificial fortress, caturvidham: four kinds

"Lanka is difficult to access even for devatas located on high peaks of the mountain. It is fierce to onlookers, surrounded by four kinds of forts, like rivers, mountains, forests and artificial fortresses."

sthitāpārēsamudrasyadūrapārasyarāghava ! .

naupathōpiścanāstyatranirādēśaścasarvaśaḥ ।।6.3.21।।

rāghava: O Raghava, dūrapārasya: difficult to cross, samudrasya: ocean's, pārē: other shore, sthitā: located, atra: there, naupathōpiśca: passage for ships, nāsti: not possible, sarvaśaḥ all over, nirādēśaśca: nothing around.

"O Raghava! Lanka is located on the other shore of the ocean. Passage through the sea is not possible. It is away from all and there is nothing around."

śailāgrēracitādurgāsāpurairdēvapurōpamā .

vājivāraṇāsampūrṇālaṅkāparamadurjayā ।।6.3.22।।

durgā: inaccessible, dēvapurōpamā: like the abode of devatas, sā: that, purai: city, śailāgrē: peak of the mountain, racitā: to prepare, vājivāraṇasampūrṇā: full of horses and elephants, sā: that, laṅkā: Lanka, paramadurjayā: difficult for anyone to conquer

"It is inaccessible like the abode of devatas as it is on the peak of the mountain. It is difficult to conquer for any one as it is full of horses and elephants."

parikhāścaśataghnayaścayantrāṇivividhānica .

śōbhayantipurīṅlaṅkāṅrāvaṇasyadurātmanaḥ ।।6.3.23।।

durātmanaḥ evil minded, rāvaṇasya: Ravana's, purīm: city, laṅkām: of Lanka, parikhāśca: by moats, śataghnayaśca: by missiles vividhāni: of many kinds, yantrāṇica: and machinery, śōbhayanti: is shining

"Evil minded Ravana's city of Lanka is shining with moats and missiles of many kinds and machinery."

ayutaṅrakṣasāmatrapūrvadvāraṅsamāśritam .

śūlahastādurādharṣāssarvēkhaṅgāgrayōdhinaḥ ।।6.3.24।।

atra:there, rakṣasām: rakshasas, ayutam: ten thousand, pūrvadvāram: eastern gate, samāśritam: garrisoned there , sarvē: all, śūlahastāḥ those wielding tridents, durādharṣāḥ unassailable in war, khaṅgāgrayōdhinaḥ stand in front and fight with swords

"There(in Lanka) ten thousand warriors are garrisoned at the eastern gate way holding tridents, and those who are unassailable in war stand in front with swords."

niyutaṅrakṣasāmatradakṣiṇadvāramāśritam .

caturaṅgēṇasainyēnayōdhāstatrāpyanuttamāḥ ।।6.3.25।।

atra: there, rakṣasā: rakshasas, niyutam: one lakh , dakṣiṇadvāram: at the southern gateway, āśritam: garrisoned, tatrāpi: they are also, caturaṅgēṇa: with four divisions of army , sainyēna: with army, yōdhāḥ warriors, anuttamāḥ best ones

At the southern gate also one lakh of rakshasas are garrisoned with four divisions of army. They are also the best warriors.

prayutaṅrakṣasāmatrapaścimadvāramāśritam .

carmakhaṅgadharāssarvētathāsarvāstrakōvidāḥ ।।6.3.26।।

atra: there, rakṣasām: the rakshasas, prayutam: ten lakhs, paścimadvāram: western gate, āśritam: garrisoned, sarvē: all, carmakhaṅgadharāḥ: wearing shields of skin and holding swords, tathā: that way, sarvāstrakōvidāḥ knowledgeable in several weapons.

At the western gate are garrisoned ten lakhs of rakshasas wearing shields of skin and holding swords. They are knowledgeable in several weapons.

nyarbudaṅrakṣasāmatrāpyuttaradvāramāśritam .

rathinaścāśvavāhāścakulaputtrāssupūjitāḥ ।।6.3.27।।

atra: there, rakṣasām: rakshasas, nyarbudam: one hundred crores, uttaradvāram: northern gate, api: even, āśritam: garrisoned, rathinaḥ charioteers, aśvavāhāśca: horse riders and elephant riders,supūjitāḥ well respected trust worthy ones, kulaputrāḥ born in noble families

At the northern gate(of Lanka) are garrisoned one hundred crores of rakshasas constituting, charioteers, horse riding and elephant riding ogres born of noble families, respected and trustworthy (for Ravana).

śataśō.thasahasrāṇimadhyamaṅskandhamāśritāḥ .

yātudhānādurādharṣāssāgrakōṭiścarakṣasām ।।6.3.28।।

atha: and , śataśaḥ hundreds, sahasrāṇi: thousands, durādharṣāḥ unassailable in war, yātudhānāḥ warriors, madhyamaskandham: in the center of the city, āśritāḥ collected, rakṣasām: ogres, sāgrakōṭiśca: in multitude of crores

"Hundreds and thousands of warriors who are unassailable are collected in the center(of Lanka) in multitudes of crores."

tēmayāsaṅkramābhagnāḥparikhāścāvapūritāḥ .

dagdhācanagarīlaṅkāprākārāścāvasāditāḥ ।।6.3.29।।

balaikadēśaḥkṣapitōrākṣasānāṅmahātmanām .

mayā: by me, tē: those, saṅkramāḥ the road ways, bhagnāḥ destroyed, parikhāśca: and even moats, avapūritāḥ filled up, laṅkānagarī: city of Lanka, dagdāca: burnt also , prākārāśca: even boundary walls, avasāditāḥ smashed, mahātmanām: very powerful ones, rākṣasānām: rakshasas,balaikadēśaḥ part of the army, kṣapitaḥ killed

"I have destroyed some of those roadways, even filled up the moats, burnt parts of the city of Lanka, smashed the boundary walls and killed part of the powerful army."

yēnakēnatumārgēṇatarāmavaruṇālayam .

hatētinagarīlaṅkāvānarairavadhāryatām ।।6.3.30 ।।

yēnakēnatu: by whatever means , mārgēṇa: passage, varuṇālayam: the ocean, abode of Varuna, tarāma: cross over , vānaraiḥ vanaras, laṅkānagarī: Lanka city, hatāiti: has destroyed, avadhāryatām: taken as destroyed

"If by whatever means the passage of ocean can be crossed by vanaras it can be taken for granted that the city of Lanka is destroyed."

aṅgadōdvividōmaindōjāmbavānpanasō.nalaḥ .

nīlassēnāpatiścēvabalaśēṣēṇakiṅtava ।।6.3.31।।

plavamānāhigatvātāṅrāvaṇasyamahāpurīm ।।6.3.32।।

saparvatavanāṅbhittvāsakhātāṅcasapratōraṇām .

saprākārāṅsabhavanāmānayiṣyantirāghava ।।6.3.33।।

rāghava: Raghava, balaśēṣēṇa: with the rest of the army, tava: your, kim: why, aṅgadaḥ Angada, dvividaḥ Dwivida, maindaḥ Mainda, jāmbavān: Jambavan, panasaḥ Panasa, analaḥ Anala, sēnāpatiḥ chief of the army, nīlaścaiva: even Nila, plavamānāḥ reaching by leaping, gatvāsaparvatāvanām: going over the mountains , sakhātām: outer gates, sapratōraṇām: archways, saprākārām: those boundaries, sabhavanām: and the buildings, tām: those, rāvaṇasyamahāpurīm: Ravana's city, bhittvā: demolishing, ānayiṣyanti: will get

"Raghava! What do we have to do with the rest of the army when Angada, Dwivida, Mainda, Jambavan, Panasa, Nala and the chief of the army Nila are there? Reaching Ravana's city by leaping over the mountains and demolishing the outer gates, other boundaries, archways and other buildings they will get into Lanka city."

ēvamājñāpayakṣipraṅbalānāṅsarvasaṅgraham .

muhūrtēnatuyuktēnaprasthānamabhirōcaya ।।6.3.34।।

ēvam: in that way, balānām: the army, sarvasaṅgraham: who the total, kṣipram: quickly, ājñāpaya: command, yuktēnaprasthānam: start at opportune time, abhirōcaya: you may command

"You may command the total army this way."Quickly start at an opportune time towards Lanka (said Hanuman to Rama)" commanded Hanuman."
।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍētṛtīyassargaḥ।।
This is the end of the third Sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic, the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.