Bhakti Arohan
ॐ

Sundarkand — Doha 20

In Ravana's Court

Doha 20: In Ravana's Court

Bound, Hanuman is brought into Ravana's splendid court and stands there without fear.

Verse 20.1

ब्रह्मबान कपि कहुँ तेहिं मारा। परतिहुँ बार कटकु संघारा॥ तेहिं देखा कपि मुरुछित भयऊ। नागपास बाँधेसि लै गयऊ॥ १ ॥

brahmabāna kapi kahum̐ tehiṁ mārā paratihum̐ bāra kaṭaku saṁghārā tehiṁ dekhā kapi muruchhita bhayaū nāgapāsa bām̐dhesi lai gayaū

Translation

He struck the monkey with the Brahma arrow, and even as he fell Hanuman crushed a whole troop. When Meghanada saw the monkey had fainted, he bound him in the serpent noose and carried him off.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

उसने कपि पर ब्रह्मबाण चलाया, और गिरते-गिरते भी उन्होंने एक पूरी टुकड़ी का संहार कर दिया। जब उसने देखा कि कपि मूर्छित हो गए, तब उन्हें नागपाश में बाँधकर ले गया।

Verse 20.2

जासु नाम जपि सुनहु भवानी। भव बंधन काटहिं नर ग्यानी॥ तासु दूत कि बंध तरु आवा। प्रभु कारज लगि कपिहिं बँधावा॥ २ ॥

jāsu nāma japi sunahu bhavānī bhava baṁdhana kāṭahiṁ nara gyānī tāsu dūta ki baṁdha taru āvā prabhu kāraja lagi kapihiṁ bam̐dhāvā

Translation

"Listen, Bhavani: the wise cut the bonds of worldly existence by repeating his name. Could his messenger ever be bound? It was for the Lord's work that the monkey let himself be tied."

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

(शिव जी कहते हैं) "हे भवानी, सुनो! जिनका नाम जपकर ज्ञानी मनुष्य संसार के बंधन काट देते हैं, क्या उनका दूत कभी बंधन में आ सकता है? प्रभु के काम के लिए कपि ने स्वयं को बँधवाया।"

Commentary

Shiva steps in again (compare 3.5) to make sure Parvati, and the reader, do not mistake the scene: the one who helps others escape bondage cannot himself truly be bound.

Verse 20.3

कपि बंधन सुनि निसिचर धाए। कौतुक लागि सभाँ सब आए॥ दसमुख सभा दीखि कपि जाई। कहि न जाइ कछु अति प्रभुताई॥ ३ ॥

kapi baṁdhana suni nisichara dhāe kautuka lāgi sabhām̐ saba āe dasamukha sabhā dīkhi kapi jāī kahi na jāi kachhu ati prabhutāī

Translation

Hearing the monkey had been caught, the demons came running, all flocking to the court to see the spectacle. The monkey saw Ravana's court; its splendour was beyond words.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

कपि के बाँधे जाने की बात सुनकर राक्षस दौड़े और तमाशा देखने सब सभा में आ गए। कपि ने जाकर रावण की सभा देखी। उसके अपार वैभव का कुछ वर्णन नहीं हो सकता।

Verse 20.4

कर जोरें सुर दिसिप बिनीता। भृकुटि बिलोकत सकल सभीता॥ देखि प्रताप न कपि मन संका। जिमि अहिगन महुँ गरुड़ असंका॥ ४ ॥

kara joreṁ sura disipa binītā bhṛikuṭi bilokata sakala sabhītā dekhi pratāpa na kapi mana saṁkā jimi ahigana mahum̐ garuṛa asaṁkā

Translation

Gods and the guardians of the directions stood humbly with folded hands, all watching his eyebrows in fear. Seeing such power, the monkey felt no fear, as fearless as Garuda among snakes.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

देवता और दिक्पाल हाथ जोड़े विनम्र खड़े थे, सब डरते हुए उसकी भौंहें देख रहे थे। उसका प्रताप देखकर भी कपि के मन में डर नहीं आया, जैसे साँपों के बीच गरुड़ निडर रहते हैं।

Commentary

The gods waiting on Ravana's eyebrows show how far his power reached. The Garuda image echoes Hanuman's own words at 16.6, but now he is the eagle and the court the snakes.

Verse 20.5

कपिहि बिलोकि दसानन बिहसा कहि दुर्बाद। सुत बध सुरति कीन्हि पुनि उपजा हृदयँ बिसाद॥ २० ॥

kapihi biloki dasānana bihasā kahi durbāda suta badha surati kīnhi puni upajā hṛidayam̐ bisāda

Translation

Looking at the monkey, Ravana laughed and spoke insultingly. Then, remembering his son's death, grief rose in his heart.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

कपि को देखकर रावण दुर्वचन कहता हुआ हँसा। फिर पुत्र-वध की याद आई, तो उसके हृदय में दुख उत्पन्न हुआ।

Contents
  1. Mangalacharan
  2. Doha 1: The Leap
  3. Doha 2: Surasa's Test
  4. Doha 3: First Sight of Lanka
  5. Doha 4: Lankini
  6. Doha 5: Searching the Palaces
  7. Doha 6: Meeting Vibhishana
  8. Doha 7: The Tongue among the Teeth
  9. Doha 8: Sita in the Ashoka Grove
  10. Doha 9: The Firefly and the Lotus
  11. Doha 10: Chandrahasa
  12. Doha 11: Trijata's Dream
  13. Doha 12: The Ring Falls
  14. Doha 13: Hanuman Reveals Himself
  15. Doha 14: Has He Forgotten Me?
  16. Doha 15: Rama's Message
  17. Doha 16: The Golden-Mountain Form
  18. Doha 17: Sita's Blessing
  19. Doha 18: Wrecking the Grove
  20. Doha 19: Meghanada and the Brahmastra
  21. Doha 20: In Ravana's Court
  22. Doha 21: On Whose Strength?
  23. Doha 22: The Envoy's Plea
  24. Doha 23: Wealth without Rama
  25. Doha 24: Punishment for the Envoy
  26. Doha 25: The Burning Tail
  27. Doha 26: Lanka Burns
  28. Doha 27: The Crest-Jewel
  29. Doha 28: The Return
  30. Doha 29: Before Rama
  31. Doha 30: Jambavan's Report
  32. Doha 31: Sita's Words
  33. Doha 32: A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid
  34. Doha 33: All by Your Glory
  35. Doha 34: The Boon of Devotion
  36. Doha 35: The March to the Sea
  37. Doha 36: Mandodari's Plea
  38. Doha 37: Flattering Counsel
  39. Doha 38: Vibhishana's Counsel
  40. Doha 39: Rama Is Not Merely a King
  41. Doha 40: Good Sense and Bad
  42. Doha 41: Vibhishana Is Cast Out
  43. Doha 42: Longing for Rama's Feet
  44. Doha 43: Sugriva's Suspicion
  45. Doha 44: The Vow of Refuge
  46. Doha 45: Vibhishana before Rama
  47. Doha 46: The Embrace
  48. Doha 47: Vibhishana's Hymn
  49. Doha 48: The Marks of a Devotee
  50. Doha 49: Vibhishana Crowned
  51. Doha 50: How to Cross the Ocean
  52. Doha 51: Before the Ocean
  53. Doha 52: The Spies Caught
  54. Doha 53: Ravana's Questions
  55. Doha 54: Shuka's Report
  56. Doha 55: Natural Heroes
  57. Doha 56: Lakshman's Letter
  58. Doha 57: Without Fear There Is No Love
  59. Doha 58: The Fire-Arrow
  60. Doha 59: The Ocean Surrenders
  61. Doha 60: Nala and Nila; Conclusion