The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  191 The three kinds of acts are seeking peace through an alliance, surrendering and swearing allegiance and fighting. The five kinds of modes are starting an act, ensuring the means to accomplish it, deciding on the time and place for the action, guarding against failure and ensuring the chances of success.

  192 Either one pursues dharma, artha and kama together, or dharma and artha, dharma and kama, or artha and kama. The idea is not to pursue one to the exclusion of the other two.

  193 Respectively, dana, sama, bheda and danda.

  194 The text uses the word arthashastra.

  195 Mahodara’s arguments are difficult to understand and we have taken some liberties.

  196 Of alliances and relationships.

  197 The reverse of artha.

  198 Of kama.

  199 In a battle.

  200 The word used is tata,

  201 Kumbhakarna.

  202 A reference to the churning of the ocean.

  203 A reference to Vishnu’s vamana incarnation.

  204 The anticlockwise direction is inauspicious.

  205 Kumbhakarna.

  206 Yama.

  207 The suggestion is that the terror is an imagined one and even that Kumbhakarna is a mechanical contrivance.

  208 Hanumat.

  209 Inexplicably, the Critical Edition excises a shloka where he struck Gandhamadana with his feet.

  210 Overgrown with trees.

  211 A sahasra is a measure of weight.

  212 Sugriva.

  213 Sugriva.

  214 Kumbhakarna’s.

  215 He also ate up those who were on his own side.

  216 The Critical Edition excises a shloka where his other weapons also fell down.

  217 Four (sometimes eight) elephants are believed to hold up the four (or eight) directions.

  218 The foot had been severed, he still possessed his thighs.

  219 The torso fell into the ocean.

  220 Divine sages.

  221 Semi-divine species, companions of Kubera.

  222 All four were Ravana’s sons. Mahodara and Mahaparshva were Ravana’s brothers.

  223 The text uses the word tata. Literally, my father in the middle.

  224 Literally, Trishira means one with three heads. The three diadems make it clear that he did possess three heads.

  225 This is probably a reference to Mount Mandara.

  226 Of chests.

  227 Of the apes.

  228 Angada.

  229 The same as Trishira.

  230 Meaning Mahaparshva.

  231 The same as Devantaka.

  232 The context makes it clear that this was Devantaka’s elephant, not Mahodara’s.

  233 It died.

  234 Trishira possessed three heads.

  235 Indra killed Trishira (a different Trishira) or Vishvarupa, the son of Tvashtri/Tvashtra/Tvashta.

  236 There are eight elephants who guard the eight directions—Airavata, Pundareeka, Vamana, Kumuda, Anjana, Pushpadanta, Sarvabhouma and Suprateeka. Airavata is also regarded as the king of elephants and is Indra’s mount. Mahapadma is another name for Pundareeka.

  237 Javelin is only partly correct. The text uses the word rathashakti. While shakti is a javelin, rathashakti is the pole that holds up the standard in a chariot. Hence, these were special kinds of javelins.

  238 The rainbow.

  239 The text doesn’t clearly state what is four cubits long, the handle or the scabbard.

  240 A nakshatra is not a star, but can be a constellation too. Punarvasu is the constellation of Gemini (Mithuna), with the two stars, Gemini and Pollux.

  241 Kubera.

  242 Dhanyamali/Dhanyamalini has been mentioned before. At that time, we weren’t told that she was Ravana’s wife.

  243 Varuna.

  244 Probably meaning Shiva.

  245 The blow made him bend down and he probably got off the chariot.

  246 Divine weapon named after the sun god. Suryastra is a synonym.

  247 Yama.

  248 Another divine weapon, invoked on a blade of grass and associated with Tvashta.

  249 Named after Yama.

  250 Named after Vayu.

  251 Plough (hala) is probably a typo and should be arrow.

  252 Agni.

  253 The fire.

  254 A kind of myrobalan.

  255 Shakrajit is the same as Indrajit.

  256 Indrajit.

  257 The boon granted by Brahma.

  258 Vibhishana.

  259 A day of twelve hours was divided into five parts, each consisting of 144 minutes. This incident occurred in the fifth segment, the last part of the day.

  260 Jambavat.

  261 Vibhishana.

  262 Rama and Lakshmana.

  263 The word used is tata.

  264 Mritasanjivani brings the dead back to life, vishalyakarani removes stakes and heals wounds, souvarnakarani restores the original complexion of the body and sandhani repairs broken bones.

  265 That is, the wind.

  266 Trikuta.

  267 Pressed down with his feet.

  268 Garuda.

  269 Alternatively, Brahma’s abode.

  270 Interpreted as Kailasa, Shiva’s abode.

  271 Horse-faced, place where Vishnu is worshipped in his form of Hayagriva (horse-necked).

  272 There are stories about Rudra having severed Brahma’s fifth head (shira).

  273 Probably meaning Yama.

  274 Kubera.

  275 Surya (the sun god) was excessively brilliant and Vishvakarma shaved off a part of this brilliance. The place where Surya was bound down, for this task to be done, is known as Suryanibandhana.

  276 This is the spot through where one enters the nether regions.

  277 Vayu is Indra’s messenger.

  278 Vayu.

  279 Trikuta.

  280 He returned it to the Himalayas.

  281 Shiva.

  282 Signifying the violation of the rules of war and the chaos.

  283 Kumbha.

  284 There is a double image of Indra astride Airavata, wielding his bow, and of the rainbow as Indra’s bow.

  285 Towards rakshasas.

  286 Indra.

  287 Ravana.

  288 Because of the blood, with an implicit comparison with the evening sky.

  289 Meaning Alakapuri, Kubera’s capital.

  290 Nikumbha’s.

  291 Makaraksha.

  292 That is, claws like goads.

  293 Divine weapon named after Pavaka, the fire god. Therefore, pavakastra is a synonym for agneyastra.

  294 Indrajit seems to have offered the live goat as an offering into the fire.

  295 In personified form.

  296 In the sense that a true mendicant has no use for weapons.

  297 Indrajit.

  298 A sage with knowledge of the supreme being (brahman).

  299 A reference to Ravana’s parentage.

  300 The sacred thread slopes down from the left shoulder towards the right. Hence, Sita was diagonally sliced from left to right.

  301 The sacrificial ground.

  302 Dharma and adharma.

  303 Dharma.

  304 By not instating Rama as the heir apparent.

  305 Indra killed a sage named Vishvarupa. This was adharma, but he atoned for it by performing a sacrifice.

  306 The word used is tata.

  307 In strength.

  308 The sense seems to be that it would have been impossible for Indrajit to bring Sita out in public.

  309 The word used is tata.

  310 The sacrifice.

  311 This is what Brahma told Indrajit.

  312 Lakshmana.

  313 Vibhishana.

  314 Indrajit.

  315 That is, Indra and Vritra.

  316 Goshpada.

  317 Though Indrajit is his brother’s son, he is like a son.

  318 The four apes.

  319 Indrajit.

  320 Lakshmana.

>   321 By excising shlokas, the Critical Edition breaks continuity. Indrajit’s horses have already been killed. In the excised shlokas, Indrajit returns to Lanka and comes back with another chariot and horses. While fighting against Lakshmana, he then attacks Vibhishana. Those shlokas have also been excised.

  322 This is addressed to the arrow.

  323 Vishnu.

  324 Sushena.

  325 Yama.

  326 Rama.

  327 These are Sita’s thoughts.

  328 Bathing is an act of purification, performed after concluding a period of studies.

  329 The day of the new moon is amavasya, that is, the next day.

  330 Divine weapon named after gandharvas.

  331 Three hours.

  332 The text uses both the words astra and shastra. Both mean weapons. Broadly, an astra is hurled, while a shastra is held in the hand. Shastra is typically used for a human weapon, while astra is a term also used for a divine weapon, such as one invoked on an arrow.

  333 The god of love.

  334 Of Rama’s powers.

  335 The text actually uses the singular, since the women are lamenting individually.

  336 Mahodara and Mahaparshva have already been killed. However, Ravana may have been confused. There is also the hedge that the rakshasas couldn’t clearly make out what he said. But since Mahodara and Mahaparshva are killed again, there is a clear case of inconsistency.

  337 Ravana.

  338 Sushena.

  339 There is a pun. The word virupaksha means one with malformed or disfigured eyes. Virupaksha’s eyes became more malformed.

  340 Sugriva. Apes using weapons is rare, suggesting that this incident about Mahodara doesn’t belong, Mahodara having already been killed.

  341 Sugriva.

  342 The use of a weapon suggests the same interpolation about the Mahaparshva incident.

  343 Meaning darkness.

  344 Because of his invincible armour.

  345 The architect of the demons.

  346 Ravana decided not to throw the javelin at Vibhishana.

  347 Vasuki.

  348 Rama.

  349 The text uses the expression ‘attains panchatva’.

  350 Referred to earlier as sandhani.

  351 On return, Hanumat is addressing Sushena. Because the Critical Edition has excised some shlokas, there is a break in continuity.

  352 Of killing Ravana.

  353 Because of excision of shlokas, the Critical Edition breaks the continuity. The ‘he’ is Matali, Indra’s charioteer, who has been asked by Indra to bring Indra’s chariot to Rama and act as Rama’s charioteer.

  354 The older name for Rohini used to be Prajapati. As such, Rohini is presided over by Prajapati.

  355 Mercury.

  356 Angaraka is Mangala (Mars).

  357 In sarcasm.

  358 The rainbow.

  359 Ravana.

  360 Rama.

  361 Counterclockwise, therefore, inauspicious.

  362 Ravana’s chariot.

  363 The japa flower.

  364 That is, they were rendered immobile.

  365 A sarika bird is a kind of thrush, Turdus salica.

  366 They were spectators to the duel.

  367 That is, the adversary’s horse.

  368 Kshana is a measurement of time, with differing interpretations. A second or an instant is accurate enough. Muhurta is forty-eight minutes.

  369 Meaning Dasharatha.

  370 There were Ravana’s wives and there were the wives of other rakshasas too.

  371 Vasishtha’s wife.

  372 Vibhishana.

  373 Sita.

  374 Mandodari’s grandfather was Sumali.

  375 The city of Lanka.

  376 Vibhishana’s four advisers.

  377 Brought Vibhishana.

  378 Akshata, unhusked grain.

  379 Modaka.

  380 Laja.

  381 These are Rama’s words, being stated by Hanumat. Hence, we have put them within quotes.

  382 This is probably a reference to Hanumat. But since the subject isn’t mentioned, it is conceivable that Rama meant Vibhishana.

  383 The story is as follows. A tiger pursued a hunter. The hunter climbed a tree on which a bear was perched. The hunter and the bear agreed that they would not push each other down. The tiger asked the bear to push the hunter down, but he refused. When the tiger asked the hunter to push down the bear, he tried, but wasn’t successful. The tiger repeated the request to the bear, citing violation of the pledge. However, the bear refused and chanted the shloka.

  384 When Hanumat visited her in Ashokavana.

  385 The Critical Edition excises a shloka where we are told that Vibhishana tells Sita this, after greeting her.

  386 Kanchuka, this can also be translated as jacket, upper garment, or armour.

  387 When a maiden chooses her own husband.

  388 Within themselves, not publicly.

  389 While Sita was being abducted.

  390 Perhaps from the quills of a porcupine, though that is not necessary.

  391 There are eight Vasus. The names vary, though Ritadhama is not a name in the standard lists. Ritadhama means one whose abode is the truth.

  392 There are eleven Rudras. Since the names vary in different lists, the eighth Rudra cannot be given a specific name.

  393 There is no unambiguous number of Sadhyas, but a number of twelve is sometimes given.

  394 Of the universe.

  395 Vishnu’s name, meaning one whose soldiers can go everywhere.

  396 The supreme being.

  397 The excellent being.

  398 One with a lotus in his navel.

  399 Vashatkara is the exclamation ‘vashat’ made at the time of offering an oblation.

  400 The sound of ‘om’/‘aum’.

  401 Shesha.

  402 The moon.

  403 Vishnu bears the srivatsa mark (or curl) on his chest. This is the place where Lakshmi resides.

  404 Used in the plural.

  405 Ashtavakra’s story is told in the Mahabharata. The brahmana in question is Kahoda, Ashtavakra’s father. Kahoda had been imprisoned, but Ashtavakra saved him.

  406 These are addressed to Lakshmana.

  407 Meaning Dasharatha.

  408 The word used is tata.

  409 Of the moon.

  410 Vibhishana spoke to Rama.

  411 Tirtha means a place of pilgrimage. But etymologically, it means a place where one descends into the water. In this context, the latter meaning is appropriate.

  412 Setu means bridge, the bridge being named after Nala.

  413 Mainaka.

  414 Atri’s wife, Anasuya.

  415 Panchami in shukla paksha.

  416 If the city is prosperous, there will be plenty of alms to be distributed.

  417 Lakshmana was the second.

  418 Objects always offered to a guest—padya (water to wash the feet), achamaniya (water to wash the mouth/face), arghya (a gift) and asana (a seat).

  419 Conveying the news that day, instead of waiting for the next day.

  420 The nishadas were hunters who dwelt in mountains and forests.

  421 Towards Ayodhya.

  422 The sky, the path followed by Vayu.

  423 Parashurama’s.

  424 One krosha is two miles, however, the definition was not standardized.

  425 Bharata.

  426 Bharata.

  427 The Critical Edition has the wrong sequence of events. Non-Critical versions preserve the right sequence.

  428 Hanumat had been used as a messenger before Rama and Sugriva actually met. That must be the explanation for this statement.

  429 To Sugriva.

  430 Who had been revived.

  431 As they were returning from Lanka to Ayodhya in the Pushpaka vimana, the Critical Edition excises some shlokas. In those excised shlokas, they stopped in Kishkindha to pick up the wives of the apes, who also came to Ayodhya to join in the festi
vities. With those shlokas excised, this reference to Kishkindha is unnecessary.

  432 The word ‘temple’ should not convey the wrong impression. A better translation is ‘houses of the gods’. In all probability, these were in individual residences and were not collective places of worship.

  433 Dasharatha’s wives.

  434 Since these are flowers, this probably means red, blue, white, yellow and pink.

  435 A shreni is like a guild, it is an association of traders or artisans who follow the same line of business. The word means a rank or line.

  436 Bharata.

  437 Vasishtha.

  438 Vasishtha.

  439 The analogy probably means that Bharata has planted the tree. But now that the tree has grown up, it requires Rama to look after it.

  440 The wheel of time.

  441 Barbers.

  442 Presumably meaning Shatrughna.

  443 The wives of the other three brothers.

  444 The citizens.