Sanskrit Text in Telugu , Kannada, Gujarati, Devanagari, English

|| om tat sat||
Sundarakanda
Sarga 8
అథ అష్టమస్సర్గః

Hanuman in his search for Sita, having moved from the entrance to various buildings,having jumped across the mansions of many Rakshasas,
reaches the palace complex of the king .

In the center of that complex, Hanuman sees a wonderful aerial vehicle called Pushpaka, which was decorated with rubies sapphires and diamonds. Its windows were made of gold. An incomparable one made by the celestial architect Viswakarma. It was shining like the blazing path of Sun,on the way to the world of Gods. There was nothing in that which did not require a special effort. There was nothing in that which was not decorated with celestial sapphires. There was nothing in that which is not special in some way. Indeed one cannot say firmly that what ever was there, was indeed there in the world of Gods. It was so unique. That aerial car was acquired with great effort of penance and great valor. That aerial car moves according to the wishes of the mind. That aerial car was built with many many special parts. The aerial car is wonderful look at with all special features.The aerial car moves as if following the dictates of the mind and moves far too. That aerial car goes with the speeds equal to that of the wind. That aerial car is like a temple for the great souls, people who acquired many merits and those delighted many fold.

The aerial car decorated with the springtime flowers was looking beautiful. It was looking more beautiful than the spring itself. Hanuman saw that aerial car Pushpaka, in the palace complex of the Rakshasa king.

That is the summary of the eighth Sarga. Thus poet Valmiki described the beautiful aerial car Pushpaka in very beautiful verses.

 

||Sloka 8.01||

స తస్య మధ్యే భవనస్య సంస్థితమ్
మహద్విమానం మణివజ్రచిత్రితమ్|
ప్రతప్త జామ్బూనదజాలకృత్రిమమ్
దదర్శ వీరః పవనాత్మజః కపిః||8.01||

స|| వీరః పవనాత్మజః కపిః భవనస్య తస్య మధ్యే సంస్థితం మహత్ విమానం దదర్శ| తత్ విమానం మణివజ్రచిత్రితం ప్రతప్త జామ్బూనదజాలకృత్రిమమ్ అపి (అస్తి)|

||Sloka meanings||

వీరః పవనాత్మజః కపిః - Vanara, the mighty son of wind god
భవనస్య తస్య మధ్యే సంస్థితం -
stationed in the middle of that palace complex
మహత్ విమానం దదర్శ -
saw the great Arial vehicle
తత్ విమానం మణివజ్రచిత్రితం -
That arial car was crafted with gems and pearls
ప్రతప్త జామ్బూనదజాలకృత్రిమమ్ అపి -
adorned with latticed windows of gold.

||Sloka summary||

"That mighty son of wind god Vayu saw the great aerial car stationed in the middle of that palace. The aerial car was rendered beautiful with gems and diamonds and was adorned with latticed windows of gold." ||8.01||

||Sloka 8.02||

తదప్రమేయాప్రతీకారకృత్రిమమ్
కృతం స్వయం సాధ్వితి విశ్వకర్మణా|
దివం గతం వాయుపథప్రతిష్టితమ్
వ్యరాజతాఽఽదిత్య పథస్య లక్ష్మవత్|| 8.02||

స|| తత్ అప్రమేయ అప్రతీకారకృత్రిమమ్ (విమానం ) స్వయం విశ్వకర్మణా సాధు కృతం ఇతి |(తత్ విమానం) దివం గతం వాయు పథే ప్రతిష్ఠితమ్ ఆదిత్య పథస్య లక్ష్మవత్ వ్యరాజత||

||Sloka meanings||

తత్ అప్రమేయ అప్రతీకారకృత్రిమమ్ (విమానం )-
w of incomparable beauty and immeasurable skill
స్వయం విశ్వకర్మణా సాధు కృతం ఇతి -
built by Viswakarma ( the divine architect) himself
దివం గతం వాయు పథే ప్రతిష్ఠితమ్ -
aerial car placed in the aerial path
దివిలోకమునకు పోవు ఆకాశమార్గము లో
ఆదిత్య పథస్య లక్ష్మవత్ వ్యరాజత -
in the orbit of Sun shone like a beacon light..||

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car with images of incomparable beauty and immeasurable skill was built by Viswakarma ( the divine architect) himself. That aerial car which was placed in the aerial path in the orbit of Sun shone like a beacon light." ||8.02||

||Sloka 8.03||

నతత్ర కించిన్నకృతం ప్రయత్నతో
న తత్రకించిన్నమహార్హరత్నవత్|
న తే విశేషా నియతా స్సురేష్వపి
న తత్ర కించిన్న మహావిశేషవత్|| 8.03||

స|| తత్ర కించిదపి ప్రయత్నతః న కృతం నాస్తి| తత్ర న మహర్హరత్నవత్ కించిదపి నాస్తి| తే విశేషాః సురేష్వపి న నియతాః | తత్ర న మహావిశేషవత్ కించ్దపి నాస్తి|

||Sloka meanings||

తత్ర కించిదపి ప్రయత్నతః న కృతం నాస్తి -
nothing in that chariot that was executed without special care and effort.
తత్ర న మహర్హరత్నవత్ కించిదపి నాస్తి -
nothing in that that was made without costly gems.
తే విశేషాః సురేష్వపి న నియతాః
- Those unique things were not available even to gods
తత్ర న మహావిశేషవత్ కించ్దపి నాస్తి-
nothing in that which was not unique.

||Sloka summary||

"There was nothing in that chariot that was executed without special care and effort. There was nothing in that that was not made with costly gems. Those unique things were not available even to gods. There is nothing in that which was not unique." ||8.03||

||Sloka 8.04||

తపః సమాధానపరాక్రమార్జితమ్
మనః సమాధానవిచారచారిణమ్|
అనేకసంస్థాన విశేషనిర్మితమ్
తతస్తతస్తుల్య విశేషదర్శనమ్|| 8.04||

స|| తత్ విమానం తపః సమాధానపరాక్రమార్జితమ్| తత్ విమానం మనః సమాధానవిచార చారిణమ్| తత్ విమానం అనేక సంస్థాన విశేషనిర్మితమ్ | తతః తతః తుల్యవిశేష దర్శనమ్||

||Sloka meanings||

తపః సమాధానపరాక్రమార్జితమ్ -
acquired through special efforts of penance and prowess
మనః సమాధానవిచారచారిణమ్ -
go to desired places even by a thought (of its master)
అనేకసంస్థాన విశేషనిర్మితమ్ -
is built with many special seats
తతస్తతస్తుల్య విశేషదర్శనమ్-
of wonderful appearance at all places.

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was acquired through special efforts of penance and prowess. It can go to desired places even by a thought (of its master). It is built with many special seats. It is of wonderful appearance at all places." || 8.04||

||Sloka 8.05||

మనః సమాధాయతు శీఘ్రగామినం
దురావరం మారుతతుల్యగామినం|
మహాత్మనాం పుణ్యకృతాం మహర్ధినాం
యశస్వినా అగ్ర్యముదామివాలయం||8.05||

||Sloka meanings||

మనః సమాధాయతు శీఘ్రగామినం-
moving speedily in respinse to the thoughts of the Master
దురావరం మారుతతుల్యగామినం -
impossible to stop and able to move with the speed of Vayu
మహాత్మనాం పుణ్యకృతాం మహర్ధినాం -
pious , valorous, very rich ones
యశస్వినా అగ్ర్యముదామివాలయం -
like a temple for people with lot of fame, people with unbounded happiness etc

||Sloka summary||

"Moving speedily in respinse to the thoughts of the Master, impossible to overcome, and able to move with the speed of air, it( teh arial vehicle) is like a temple of pious, valorous, very rich ones, people with lot of fame, people with unbounded happiness etc." ||8.05||

||Sloka 8.06||

విశేషమాలమ్బ్య విశేష సంస్థితమ్
విచిత్రకూటం బహుకూటమణ్డితమ్|
మనోఽభిరామం శరదిన్దు నిర్మలమ్
విచిత్రకూటం శిఖరం గిరేర్యథా ||8.06||

స|| తత్ విమానం విశేషం ఆలంబ్యవిశేష సంస్థితం| తత్ విమానం విచిత్రకూటం బహుకూటమండితమ్ అస్తి| నిర్మలం శరద్ ఇన్దు ఇవ మనోభిరామం| గిరే శిఖరం యథా విచిత్రకూటం (అపి అస్తి)|

||Sloka meanings||

తత్ విమానం విశేషం ఆలంబ్యవిశేష సంస్థితం-
That aerial car was specially designed in a unique manner.
తత్ విమానం విచిత్రకూటం బహుకూటమండితమ్ అస్తి -
It had many wonderful towers
నిర్మలం శరద్ ఇన్దు ఇవ మనోభిరామం -
Like the autumnal full moon it was pleasing to the heart.
విచిత్రకూటం శిఖరం గిరేర్యథా -
With many wonderful towers, it is like a mountain with many peaks

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was specially designed in a unique manner. It had many wonderful towers. Like the autumnal full moon it was pleasing to the heart. With many wonderful towers, it is like a mountain with many peaks." ||8.06||

||Sloka 8.07||

వహంతి యం కుణ్డలశోభితాననాః
మహాశనా వ్యోమచరా నిశాచరాః |
వివృత విధ్వస్తవిశాలలోచనాః
మహాజవా భూతగణాః సహస్రశః||8.07||

స|| యం ( విమానం) సహస్రః కుణ్డలశోభితాననః మహాశనాః వ్యోమచరాః నిశాచరాః వివృత విధ్వస్త విశాల లోచనాః మహాజవాః భూతగణాః వహంతి||

||Sloka meanings||

సహస్రః భూతగణాః కుణ్డలశోభితాననః -
thousands of groups of beings who have faces brightened by earrings,
మహాశనాః వ్యోమచరాః నిశాచరాః -
who are gluttons, who are ranging in the sky, who are night birds,
వివృత విధ్వస్త విశాల లోచనాః -
who are with big rolling and frightening eyes
మహాజవాః భూతగణాః వహంతి-
those who have tremendous speed ,

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was borne by thousands of groups of Bhuthas who have faces brightened by earrings, who are gluttons, who are ranging in the sky, who are night birds, who are with big rolling and frightening eyes as well as those who have tremendous strength". ||8.07||

||Sloka 8.08||

వసన్తపుష్కోత్కరచారుదర్శనమ్
వసన్తమాసాదపి కాన్త దర్శనమ్|
స పుష్పకం తత్ర విమానముత్తమమ్
దదర్శ తద్వానరవీరసత్తమః||8.08||

స|| తత్ వానర సత్తమః తత్ ఉత్తమం పుష్పకం విమానం దదర్శ | వసంతపుష్కోత్తరచారుదర్శనం తం విమానం దదర్శ| వసంత మాసాదపి కాన్త దర్శనమ్ తం విమానం దదర్శ|

||Sloka meanings||

తత్ వానర సత్తమః - the best of Vanaras
తత్ ఉత్తమం పుష్పకం విమానం దదర్శ -
saw the best of aerial cars namely Pushpaka
వసంతపుష్కోత్తరచారుదర్శనం -
looking beautiful like a collection of blossoms of the spring
వసంత మాసాదపి కాన్త దర్శనమ్
appearing more beautiful than the spring itself.

||Sloka summary||

"That best of Vanaras saw the best of aerial cars namely Pushpaka. The aerial car was looking beautiful like a collection of blossoms of the spring. It was appearing more beautiful than the spring itself." ||8.08||

Thus ends the description of the Arial car Pushpaka in the eighth Sarga. Here poet Valmiki described the beautiful aerial car Pushpaka in very beautiful verses.

Appalacaryulu garu in his commentary finds the thread of search for Self in this Sarga also.

The search for Sita takes Hanuma through many layers of Lanka. He moved from the gates of Lanksto inner palaces. He is yet to find Sita. That the search for 'Self' not reached the goal is clear. Where is 'Self'?

Upanishads talk about how one goes about the search for Self. Upanishads talk about Self as hidden within five sheaths or " Pancha Kosa" These five are Annamaya Kosa, Pranamaya kosa, Manomaya Kosa, Vijnanamaya Kosa, and Anandmaya Kosa.

Annamaya Kosa is the gross physical sheath. Dependent on food it exists as along as it can assimilate food. Its existence is transitory not seen prior to birth nor after death.It is not the Self.

Pranamaya Kosa is the sheath of vital force ( Prana). This is finer than the physical sheath. And it impels the physical sheath for action.
This itself is five vital airs. Enters the body after conception and leaves after death. Insentient and limited object,it cannot be Self the all seeing witness.

Manomaya Kosa is a finer sheath than the Prana. It has the feelings of 'I' and 'you'. Seed bed of desires , impels the senses to act.Stained by passion it creates bondage. Subject to change and is characterized by pain and pleasure. It cannot be the Self. Jnynamaya Kosa , the sheath of intelligence or Buddhi. Insentient by nature, appears intelligent or conscious. It reflects chit or pure Intelligence. This reflection of pure consciousness in buddhi is called Jiva. Self identifying itself with Buddhi experiences misery and happiness. Self identifying itself with Jiva is due to ignorance. It is not Self.

Anandmaya Kosa is the sheath of Bliss. The chief features of this sheath are pleasure and rest. The pleasure comes when in contact with agreeable objects. The full manifestation of Sheath of Bliss is experienced in deep sleep.

These sheaths are not the real coverings of Self. Self shines through all the layers. It is the ignorance that makes one identify Self with one or the other sheaths. That is what is stated in Upanishads.

Appalacharyulu garu says as Hanuman moves from one complex of palaces to another in the search for Sita,the thought that strikes one is about the search for "Self". Specifically the search for 'Self" through the 'Pancha Kosas".

Valmiki in his description of Hanuman's search says "अससादाथ लक्ष्मीवान् राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनम्" - "Hanuman entered the Rakshasa kings palace complex"; This is repeated at three different times. It appears at 6.2, 6.28 and 9.4 After such entrances Valmiki proceeds with esoteric descriptions . In all those three places Sita was not there. So those three complexes represent the three sheaths in the search for Self, Namely the Annamaya Kosa, Pranamaya Kosa and the Manomaya kosa. The complex he enters at the end of fifth and beginning of sixth Sarga as Annamaya Kosa, Then he enters the palace complex having Pushpaka. The description "दिवं गतं वायुपथ प्रतिष्ठितं" gives the hint to vital airs,
and reminds one of Pranamaya Kosa, the second sheath. The search in the eighth Sarga is symbolic of search in the Pranamaya Kosa.

We hear that statement again in the beginning of Sarga nine, That is while entering Ravana's sleeping quarters.The Ravana sleeping quarters is like "Manomaya Kosa". Why? We have already read in the first Sarga about Ravana. "असत् प्रलापान् रावयति इति रावणः" Because he makes one think of "ego"use egoistic words, he is called Ravana. The one that makes us think of those egoistic words is our ever flickering mind.
Ravan is the identification of that "ever flickering mind" Thus the Ravana's sleeping chamber is the "Manomaya kosa" The third sheath.

ఇత్యార్షే శ్రీమద్రామాయణే ఆదికావ్యే వాల్మీకీయే
చతుర్వింశత్ సహస్రికాయాం సంహితాయామ్
శ్రీమత్సుందరకాండే అష్టమస్సర్గః||

Thus ends the eighth Sarga of Sundarakanda in Ramayana, the first ever poem of mankind composed by Maharshi Valmiki.
||

|| om tat sat||