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|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 49

"vismayaṁ paramaṁ gatvā"means very much surprised. Who was so surprised? That is Hanuma who was brought into the assembly of Ravana. Normally when one sees something unexpected one is surprised. Brought into the assembly of the Rakshasa king, Hanuma was surprised seeing Ravana.

In this Sarga we too will see that Ravana, who surprised Hanuma?

Now we go through Slokas of Sarga forty- nine.

||Sloka 49.01||

tataḥ sa karmaṇā tasya vismitō bhīmavikramaḥ|
hanumānrōṣatāmrākṣō rakṣō'dhipamavaikṣata||49.01||

sa|| tataḥ saḥ bhīmavikramaḥ hanumān rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ tasya karmaṇā vismitaḥ rakṣōdhipaṁ avaikṣata||

Rama Tika says - tasya indrajitasya karmaṇāvismitaḥ rāvaṇasya karmaṇā sītāpaharaṇakriyayā krōdhatāmrākṣaḥ|

Govindaraja TiKa says- rāvaṇēnāgantavyaṁ iti mayā yatnaḥ kr̥taḥ| sa tu nītijña āsanastha ēva indrajinmukhēna māṁ nibadhya ānītavān iti ānayana karmaṇā vismitaḥ |

||Sloka meanings||

tataḥ saḥ bhīmavikramaḥ hanumān -
then Hanuman who is of fierce valor
rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ -
with eyes red with anger
tasya karmaṇā vismitaḥ-
astonished by their actions
rakṣōdhipaṁ avaikṣata-
looked at the king of Rakshasas

||Sloka summary||

"Then Hanuman who is of fierce valor, astonished by their actions, looked at the king of Rakshasas with eyes red with anger." ||49.01||

Here tasya karmaṇā refers to Indrajit . He was surprised by the fact his wish to meet Ravana was fulfilled by Indrajit, who brought to Ravana. That he was angry by Indrajit - rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ - can be said to be because of Sita being abducted by Ravana

||Sloka 49.02||

bhrājamānaṁ mahārhēṇa kāṁcanēna virājatā|
muktajālāvr̥tē nātha makuṭēna mahādyutim||49.02||

sa|| mahārhēna kāṁcanēna virājitā atha muktājālavr̥tēnamukuṭēna bhrājamānaṁ mahādyutim||

||Sloka meanings||

mahārhēna kāṁcanēna virājitā -
made of excellent gold
atha muktājālavr̥tēna mukuṭēna bhrājamānaṁ -
shining with a crown covered with glittering strings of pearls
mahādyutim -
of great splendor

||Sloka summary||

"(the Rakshasa king was ) Of great splendor, shining with a golden crown covered with glittering strings of pearls." ||49.02||

||Sloka 49.03||

vajrasaṁyōgasaṁyuktai rmaharhamaṇivigrahaiḥ|
haimai rābharaṇaiścitrai rmanasēva prakalpitaiḥ||49.03||

sa|| vajrasaṁyōga saṁyuktaiḥ mahārhamaṇivigrahaiḥ manasā prakalpitairiva citraiḥ hēmaiḥ ābharaṇaiḥ ||

||Sloka meanings||

vajrasaṁyōga saṁyuktaiḥ -
studded with diamonds,
mahārhamaṇivigrahaiḥ -
adorned with small motifs of precious gems
manasā prakalpitairiva -
as though designed in mind
citraiḥ hēmaiḥ ābharaṇaiḥ-
with wonderful variety of golden ornaments

||Sloka summary||

"( He was decked ) with wonderful variety golden ornaments studded with diamonds, adorned with small motifs of precious gems as though designed in mind with imagination." ||49.03||

||Sloka 49.04||

maharhakṣaumasaṁvītaṁ raktacaṁdanarūṣitaṁ|
svanuliptaṁ vicitrābhirvividhābhiśca bhaktibhiḥ||49.04||

sa|| mahārhakṣauma saṁvītaṁ raktacaṁdana rūṣitaṁ vicitrābhiḥ vividhābiśca bhaktibhiḥ svānuliptaṁ ||

||Sloka meanings||

mahārhakṣauma saṁvītaṁ -
dressed in exquisite silk
raktacaṁdana rūṣitaṁ -
smeared with red sandal paste
vicitrābhiḥ vividhābiśca bhaktibhiḥ -
with many kinds of wonderful ornamental designs
svānuliptaṁ - smeared with unguents

||Sloka summary||

"( He was) Dressed in exquisite silk with many kinds of wonderful ornamental designs , smeared with red sandal paste , smeared with unguents." ||49.04||

||Sloka 49.05||

vivr̥tairdarśanīyaiśca raktākṣairbhīmadarśanaiḥ|
dīpta tīkṣṇamahādaṁṣṭraiḥ pralaṁbadaśanacchadaiḥ||49.05||

śirōbhirdaśabhirvīraṁ bhrājamānaṁ mahaujasaṁ|
nānāvyāḷasamākīrṇaiḥ śikharairiva maṁdaram||49.06||

sa|| darśanīyaiḥ raktākṣaiḥ bhīmadarśanaiḥ dīptatīkṣṇamahādaṁṣṭraiḥ pralaṁbadasanacchadaiḥ daśabhiḥ śirōbhiḥ vicitraiḥ nanāvyālasamākīrṇaiḥ śikharaiḥ maṁdaraṁ iva bhrājamānaṁ mahaujasaṁ vīraṁ (dadarśa)||

Rama Tika says - samasta pāṭhē bhrājamānaṁ iti uttarēṇa anvayaḥ| nānāvyālasamākīrṇaiḥ anēka sarpa vyāptaiḥ śikharaiḥ maṁdaramiva pralaṁbadaśanaiḥ darśibhiḥ śirōbhiśca bhrājamānaṁ|

||Sloka meanings||

darśanīyaiḥ bhīmadarśanaiḥ raktākṣaiḥ -
with blood red eyes, with fearsome looks,
dīptatīkṣṇamahādaṁṣṭraiḥ -
with shining sharp teeth
pralaṁbadasanacchadaiḥ -
with drooping lips
vicitraiḥ nānāvyālasamākīrṇaiḥ -
filled with different kinds of beasts
maṁdaraṁ iva śikharaiḥ - like the peaks of Mandara mountain
daśabhiḥ śirōbhiḥ - with ten heads
bhrājamānaṁ - shining
mahaujasaṁ vīraṁ (dadarśa)-
lustrous hero ( saw)

||Sloka summary||

"Heroic powerful and splendid, (he) appeared with blood red eyes, with fearsome looks, with shining sharp teeth with drooping lips, with ten heads, which looked like the peaks of Mandara mountain with different kinds of beasts." ||49.05,06||

The Simile of Mandara mountain with peaks and animals is for the sharp teeth , hanging lips, ten heads..

||Sloka 49.07||

nīlāṁjanacayaprakhyaṁ hārēṇōrasi rājatā|
pūrṇa caṁdrābhavaktrēna sabalākamivāṁbudam||49.07||

sa||nīlāṁjanacayaprakhyaṁ urasi rājatā hārēṇa pūrṇacaṁdrābhava vaktrēṇa balākaṁ aṁbudaṁ iva ||

||Sloka meanings||

nīlāṁjanacayaprakhyaṁ -
like a black mountain of collyrium
urasi rājatā hārēṇa -
with a chest illuminated by the necklace
pūrṇacaṁdrābhava vaktrēṇa -
with a face like that of full moon
balākaṁ aṁbudaṁ iva -
like black cloud with cranes flying around.

||Sloka summary||

"Like a black mountain of collyrium with a face like that of full moon, with a chest illuminated by the necklace , he looked like black cloud with cranes flying around." ||49.07||

||Sloka 49.08||

bāhubhirbaddhakēyūraiḥ caṁdanōttamarūṣitaiḥ|
bhrājamānāṁgadaiḥ pīnaiḥ paṁcaśīrṣairivōragaiḥ||49.08||

sa|| baddhakēyūraiḥ caṁdanōttamaruṣitaiḥ bhrājamānāṁgadaiḥ pīnaiḥ paṁcaśīrṣaiḥ uragairiva bāhubhiḥ ||

||Sloka meanings||

baddhakēyūraiḥ - wearing armlets
caṁdanōttamaruṣitaiḥ -
smeared with best sandal paste
bhrājamānāṁgadaiḥ pīnaiḥ bāhubhiḥ-
with shining bracelets, the stout arms
paṁcaśīrṣaiḥ uragairiva -
(looked) like five headed serpents.

||Sloka summary||

"Smeared with best sandal paste , wearing armlets and shining bracelets, the stout arms looked like five headed serpents." ||49.08||

||Sloka 49.09||

mahati sphāṭikē citrē ratnasaṁyōgasaṁskr̥tē|
uttamāstaraṇāstīrṇē sūpaviṣṭaṁ varānanē||49.09||

sa|| ratnasaṁyōga saṁskr̥tē citrē uttamāstaraṇāstīrṇē śphāṭikē mahati varāsanē sūpaviṣṭaṁ ||

||Sloka meanings||

ratnasaṁyōga saṁskr̥tē -
encrusted with precious stones
citrē uttamāstaraṇāstīrṇē -
on a beautiful carpet
sphāṭikē mahati varāsanē -
on a huge magnificent throne of crystals
sūpaviṣṭaṁ -
well seated ( Ravana))

||Sloka summary||

"( He was ) well seated on a huge magnificent throne of crystal encrusted with precious stones, which is on a beautiful carpet." ||49.09||

||Sloka 49.10||

alaṁkr̥tābhiratyarthaṁ pramadābhiḥ samaṁtataḥ|
vālavyajanahastābhi rārātsamupasēvitam||49.10||

sa|| atyarthaṁ alaṁkr̥tābhiḥ vyālavyajanahastābhiḥ pramadābhiḥ samaṁtataḥ ārāt samupasēvitaṁ||

||Sloka meanings||

atyarthaṁ alaṁkr̥tābhiḥ-
exceedingly well decorated ones
vyālavyajanahastābhiḥ-
holding whisks in their hands
pramadābhiḥ samaṁtataḥ -
surrounded by beautiful girls
ārāt samupasēvitaṁ -
being served in the vicinity

||Sloka summary||

"Beautiful girls exceedingly well decorated ones , holding whisks in their hands in the vicinity, attended on him."||49.10||

||Sloka 49.11,12||

durdharēṇa prahastēna mahāpārśvēna rakṣasā|
maṁtribhirmaṁtratattvajñairnikuṁbhēna ca maṁtriṇā||49.11||

sukhōpaviṣṭaṁ rakṣōbhiḥ caturbhiḥ baladarpitaiḥ|
kr̥tsnaḥ parivr̥tōlōkaḥ caturbhirivasāgaraiḥ||49.12||

sa|| durdharēṇa prahastēna rakṣasā mahāpārśvēna maṁtriṇā nikuṁbhēna maṁtratatvajñaiḥ maṁtribhiḥ baladarpitaiḥ caturbhiḥ rakṣōbhiḥ sukhōpaviṣṭaṁ caturbhiḥ sāgaraiḥ parivr̥taṁ kr̥tsnaṁ lōkam iva||

||Sloka meanings||

durdharēṇa prahastēna -
(attended by Rakshasas) Durdhara Prahasta
mahāpārśvēna nikuṁbhēna rakṣasā maṁtriṇā -
Mahaparsva Nikumbha Rakshasas and ministers
baladarpitaiḥ maṁtratatvajñaiḥ maṁtribhiḥ -
arrogant a, learned ones and ministers
caturbhiḥ rakṣōbhiḥ sukhōpaviṣṭaṁ -
seated comfortably with four ministers
caturbhiḥ sāgaraiḥ parivr̥taṁ -
surrounded by the four oceans
kr̥tsnaṁ lōkam iva -
like the whole world

||Sloka summary||

"He was attended by Rakshasas Durdhara Prahasta Mahaparsva Nikumbha, who are the ministers and learned ones. Attended by the four arrogant Rakshasas and comfortably seated he looked like the entire world surrounded by four oceans." ||49.11,12||

||Sloka 49.13||

maṁtribhirmaṁtratattvajñai ranyaiśca śubhabuddhibhiḥ|
anvāsyamānaṁ rakṣōbhiḥ surairiva surēśvaram||49.13||

sa|| maṁtra tatvajñaiḥ śubhabaṁdhubhiḥ maṁtribhiḥ anyaiḥ rakṣōbhiḥ suraiḥ surēśvaraṁ iva anvāsyamānaṁ ||

||Sloka meanings||

maṁtra tatvajñaiḥ śubhabaṁdhubhiḥ -
by learned ones, intellectuals
maṁtribhiḥ anyaiḥ rakṣōbhiḥ -
ministers and other Rakshasas
suraiḥ surēśvaraṁ iva -
Indra attended by the gods
anvāsyamānaṁ -
being attended

||Sloka summary||

"Attended by learned ones, intellectuals, ministers and other Rakshasas, he was like Indra attended by the gods."||49.13||

||Sloka 49.14||

apaśyat rākṣapatiṁ hanumānatitējasaṁ|
viṣṭhitaṁ mēruśikharē satōyamiva tōyadam||49.14||

sa|| hanumān atitējasaṁ mēruśikharē viṣṭhitaṁ satōyaṁ tōyadaṁ iva rākṣasapatiṁ apaśyat ||

||Sloka meanings||

hanumān atitējasaṁ -
Hanuman saw the highly splendid
mēruśikharē viṣṭhitaṁ -
on the peaks of Meru
satōyaṁ tōyadaṁ iva rākṣasapatiṁ -
like clouds laden with water
apaśyat - saw ( Ravana)

||Sloka summary||

"Hanuman saw the highly splendid, Rakshasa king who appeared like clouds laden with water on the peaks of Meru Mountain."||49.14||

||Sloka 49.15||

sataisaṁpīḍyamānō'pi rakṣōbhirbhīmavikramaiḥ|
vismayaṁ paramaṁ gatvā rakṣō'dhipamavaikṣata||49.15||

sa|| saḥ bhīmavikramaiḥ rakṣōbhiḥ saṁpīḍyamānōpi paramaṁ vismayaṁ gatvā rakṣōdhipaṁ avaikṣata||

||Sloka meanings||

saḥ bhīmavikramaiḥ -
by the fearsome Rakshasas
rakṣōbhiḥ saṁpīḍyamānōpi -
though being troubled by
paramaṁ vismayaṁ gatvā -
in amazement
rakṣōdhipaṁ avaikṣata -
looked at the Rakshasa king

||Sloka summary||

"Though being troubled by the fearsome Rakshasas he ( Hanuman) looked at the Rakshasa king in amazement." ||49.15||

||Sloka 49.16||

bhrājamānaṁ tatō dr̥ṣṭvā hanumānrākṣasēśvaram|
manasā ciṁtayāmāsa tējasā tasya mōhitā||49.16||

sa|| tataḥ hanumān bhrājamānaṁ tasya tējasā rākṣasēśvaraṁ dr̥ṣṭvā tasya tējasā mōhitaḥ manasā ciṁtayāmāsa||

||Sloka meanings||.

tataḥ hanumān - then Hanuman
bhrājamānaṁ rākṣasēśvaraṁ dr̥ṣṭvā -
looking at the shining king of Rakshasas
tasya tējasā mōhitaḥ -
attracted by his splendor
manasā ciṁtayāmāsa -
started thinking in his mind

||Sloka summary||

"Then Hanuman looking at the shining king of Rakshasas , attracted by his splendor, started thinking in his mind." ||49.16||

Though being troubled by the fearsome Rakshasas
Hanuman looked at the Rakshasa king in amazement.

Having overcome his initial surprise at Indrajit,
and anger at Ravana for his heinous crime,
looking at the king of Rakshasas and attracted by his splendor,
Hanuman started thinking in his mind.

||Sloka 49.17||

ahō rūpa mahōdhairya mahōsattva mahōdyutiḥ|
ahō rākṣasarājasya sarvalakṣaṇa yuktatā||49.17||

sa||| rākṣasarājasya rūpaṁ ahō| dhairyaṁ ahō| sattvaṁ ahō| dyutiḥ ahō| sarvalakṣaṇayuktatā ahō||

||Sloka meanings||

rākṣasarājasya rūpaṁ ahō - Oh What form of the king of Rakshasas
dhairyaṁ ahō - What courage
sattvaṁ ahō - What power
dyutiḥ ahō - What glow
sarvalakṣaṇayuktatā ahō - endowed with all merits

||Sloka summary||

"Oh What form . What courage . What power. What glow. He is endowed with all merits." ||49.17||

||Sloka 49.18||

yadyadharmō na balavān syādayaṁ rākṣasēśvaraḥ|
syā dayaṁ suralōkasya saśakrasyāpi rakṣitā||49.18||

sa|| ayaṁ balavān adharmaḥ na syāt yadi ayaṁ rākṣasēśvaraḥ saśakrasya suralōkasyāpi rakṣitā syāt ||

Rama Tika says - ayaṁ balavān rākṣasēśvarō yadyadharmavān na syāt śakrasya ityādi prāgvat|adharmahatatvāt sva prajānāmapi nāśaka ēvēti bhāvaḥ||

||Sloka meanings||

ayaṁ balavān rākṣasēśvaraḥ -
this powerful Rakshasa king.
adharmaḥ na syāt yadi -
if he is not unrighteous
saśakrasya suralōkasyāpi -
even the world of gods including Indra
rakṣitā syāt -
could have been the ruler

||Sloka summary||

"If he is not unrighteous, the powerful Rakshasa king could have been the lord of even the world of gods including Indra".||49.18||

||Sloka 49.19||

asya krūrairnr̥śaṁsaiśca karmabhirlōkakutsitaiḥ|
sarvē bibhyati khalvasmāllōkāḥ sāmaradānavāḥ||49.19||
ayaṁ hyutsahatē kruddhaḥ kartumēkārṇavaṁ jagat|

sa|| krūraiḥ nr̥śaṁsaiśca lōkakutsitaiḥ asyakarmabhiḥ sāmaradānavāḥ sarvē lōkāḥ asmāt bibhyati hi| ayaṁ kr̥ddhaḥ jagat ēkārṇavam kartuṁ utsahatē hi |

Rama Tika says - kr̥ddhaḥ ayaṁ jagat ēkārṇavaṁ kartum utsahatē samarthaḥ bhavati iti|

||Sloka meanings||.

krūraiḥ nr̥śaṁsaiśca -
with cruel wicked
lōkakutsitaiḥ asyakarmabhiḥ -
universally contemptible deeds
sāmaradānavāḥ sarvē lōkāḥ -
all the worlds including gods and demons
asmāt bibhyati hi -
scared of this person
ayaṁ kr̥ddhaḥ - this angry one
jagat ēkārṇavam kartuṁ utsahatē hi -
capable of making the entire world into ocean

||Sloka summary||

"With his contemptible wicked deeds, all people even the gods and demons are scared of this person. this angry one is capable of making the entire world into ocean." ||49.19||

||Sloka 49.20||

iticiṁtāṁ bahuvidhā makarōnmatimān kapiḥ||
dr̥ṣṭvā rākṣasarājasya prabhāvamamitaujasaḥ||49.20||

sa|| amitaujasaḥ rākṣasarājasya prabhāvaṁ dr̥ṣṭvā matimān hariḥ iti bahuvidhāṁ ciṁtāṁ akarōt||

||Sloka meanings||

amitaujasaḥ rākṣasarājasya -
of the brilliant king of Rakshasas
prabhāvaṁ dr̥ṣṭvā - seeing the power
matimān hariḥ - intelligent Hanuman
iti bahuvidhāṁ ciṁtāṁ akarōt -
thus entertained many thoughts.

||Sloka summary||

"Thus seeing the power of the brilliant king of Rakshasas intelligent Hanuman entertained many thoughts." ||49.20||

"iti cintāṁ bahuvidham."
Thus, the Vanara wondered in many ways.
That is what we hear in this Sarga.

We have seen this trait of Hanuma. Many a time being taken aback, being surprised, plainly wondering at the first sight.
But he recovers from such surprises and moves on his path undeterred.

We hear in second Sarga about the city of Lanka. Amazement at the city of Lanka on the Trikuta mountain looking like Amaravati. While searching for Sita in the city of Lanka, Hanuma wonders if it is a celestial city. Looking at the wives of Ravana, we hear Hanuma saying that there is none who was not in love with him. There is none who was brought by force. We hear praises Ravana at many places.

At every point of that praise we also hear, 'if only he did not commit the heinous crime, he could have been the Lord of Suras too!

It seems like the poet is making a point. One may have done many good deeds, but one heinous crime, he must bear the fruits of that action. This is a lesson poet seems to say again and again.

Thus, we come to the end of forty ninth Sarga

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē ēkōnapaṁcāśassargaḥ ||

Thus ends Sarga forty-nine of Sundarakanda in Ramayana the first poem composed in Sanskrit by the first poet sage Valmiki.

||om tat sat||