December 12 - Sargas 29 and 30 of Yuddha Kanda.
Thus, as pointed out by the minister Shuka, Ravana had a good look at Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Vibhishana, Sugriva, Angada, and Hanuman as also the other warriors.
Ravana was now provoked and very angry. He began to condemn Shuka and Sarana.
"What kind of ministers are you, indeed!? विप्रियं नृपतेर्वक्तुं निग्रहे प्रग्रहे प्रभोः - when ministers are totally subject to rewards and punishments by their king, how can they dare speak what displeases their master?"
रिपूणां उभाभ्यां सदृशं नाम वक्तुमप्रस्तवे स्तवम्? "You two have been singing praises of our enemy! Does that suit you?"
"You fellows have lost all the merits you had earned by serving teachers and ascetics. You are totally wasted now in terms of knowing what is Rajaneeti (the right way for the king and his advisors). It is indeed a fortuitous miracle that I am still holding on to my kingdom with ministers like you. Do you not fear my punishment to put you to death? You two go away from here and never show me your faces again. I shall spare you remembering your good conduct before."
***
Ravana turned to his chief Mahodara. "Bring some good spies right now, here." Mahodara did so. They all genuflected, singing Ravana's praises. He ordered them to go forthwith and find out everything about Sri Rama and his council, and even how they slept and talked and what they planned.
चारेण विदितः शत्रुः पण्डितैर्वसुधाधिपैः ।
युद्धे स्वलपेन यत्नेन समासाद्य निरस्यते ॥
"An enemy properly penetrated and reported by good spies will by intelligent kings be easily defeated with minimum effort."
The spies said, "Amen!", and with Shardula in the lead, they circumambulated Ravana and left for the enemy camp.
They went and hid themselves, and got a good look at Sri Rama and his inner circle. But when they beheld the endless ocean of mighty vanaras, they lost heart. And it was their ill-luck that they were spotted by Vibhishana. He shouted at them and caught hold of Shardula. The vanaras gave him a thorough thrashing. But again, Sri Rama had mercy for him and let Shardula go.
The rakshasas barely made it back, heaving sighs from all the beating they had got.
They reported to Ravana that Sri Rama and his army had encamped near Suvela mountain.
***
The spies did not say anything to please Ravana. He again lost his cool. He asked Shardula, "What Shardula, look at your condition! I hope you were also not caught by those vanaras!?"
Shardula replied, "Sorry, oh lord, the vanaras are formidable and well organized by Sri Rama, Spies cannot penetrate them. There is no way to strike up any conversation with them. They are fierce and quick on the draw. Even entering their contingents is well nigh impossible. In fact, we were soon discovered by Vibhishana. They beat us up, tied us up, and paraded us. Finally, when Sri Rama saw me, I was bleeding all over. He at once ordered, "Don't beat him!" In fact, he has built a bridge with rocks on the ocean and come to the very gates of Lanka, holding his bow and arrows.
गरुडव्यूहमास्थाय सर्वतो हरिभिर्वृतः ।
मां वसृज्य महातेजा लङ्कामेवाभिवर्तितः ॥
"Sri Rama is surrounded on all sides by his vanara army. He has configured them into Garuda Vyuha. Soon after releasing me, that most brilliant warrior is ready to attack Lanka itself."
पुरा प्राकारमायाति क्षिप्रमेकतरं कुरु ।
सीतां वापि प्रयच्छाशु युद्धं वापि प्रदीयताम् ॥
"Before Sri Rama attacks the ramparts of Lanka, oh lord, either return Sita at once or get ready for battle."
Ravana took a few moments to absorb what was said. And then he said what was predictable:
यदि मां प्रधास्यन्ते देवगन्धर्वदानवाः ।
नैव सीतां प्रदास्यामि सर्वलोकभयादपि ॥
"Look, even if I am attacked by gods, celestials, and demons, all together, I shall never give Sita back, even if I have cause to fear the whole world."
Ravana went back to his questioning. "Tell me more about each of the warriors in their camp, and where they are descended from, and their history. Knowing their strengths and divine origins will enable us to fight them well in battle."
Shardula now narrated the antecedents of each of the heroes he had seen:
The mighty Jambavan, son of the lord of bears, undefeatable.
Dhumra, also son of Gadgada, also capable of killing many rakshasas alone in battle.
Sushena, son of Dharma, and righteous. Dadhimukha, Chandra's son. Sumukha, Durmukha and Veegadarshi, sons of Mrutyu, spelling death to enemies.
Nila is Agni's son, Hanuman is Vayu's son.
The formidable Angada is Indra's grandson. Dvivida and Mainda are the Aswani kumaras' twins.
Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha, and Gandhamadana are Yama's sons. There are ten crore vanaras like this. The rest are countless.
पुत्रो दशरथस्यैष सिंहसंहननो युवा ।
दूषणो निहतो येन खरश्च त्रिशिरास्तथा ॥
नास्ति रामस्य सदृशे विक्रमे भुवि कश्चन ।
विराधो निहतो येन कबन्धश्चान्तकोपमः ॥
वक्तुं न शक्तो रामस्य गुणान्कश्चिन्नरः क्षितौ ।
जनस्थानगता येन यावन्तो राक्षसा हताः ॥
"Oh lord, Sri Rama, the son of Dasharatha is leonine in build and quite young. He is the one who killed Dushana, Khara, and Trishiras.
"There is none in this world who can match Sri Rama in prowess. He killed even the terrific Viradha and Kabandha, who was like Yama himself.
"There is none on earth who can adequately describe Sri Rama's qualities. On his entry into Janasthana, the entire lot of rakshasas there was erased."
Shardula goes on to describe Lakshmana, with a face radiant like the sun, full of righteousness, with the strength of mighty elephants, whose arrows even gods cannot face.
Then he mentions Shveta and Jyotimukha, sons of Surya, and Nala, son of Vishwakarma. Durdhara, son of Vasu. And finally, Vibhishana, who is totally aligned with Sri Rama.
Shardula concludes that this makes the big list of heroes he has seen in the enemy camp. He adds,
शेषकार्ये भवान्गतिः - "Oh Lord, the future is up to you."
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
