Sarga 17: The Vanaras Are Born
Vanara Utpatti
Brahma directs the gods, sages, and celestial beings to beget mighty monkey-formed warriors to aid Vishnu; Indra, Surya, Brihaspati, and others father Vali, Sugriva, Hanuman, and countless vanara heroes.
Jump to a shloka · 33 in this sarga
रूपद्रविणसम्पन्नावश्विनौ रूपसम्मतौ। मैन्दं च द्विविदं चैव जनयामासतुस्स्वयम्।।1.17.13।।
Meaning
The two Ashvins, endowed with beauty and grace, themselves begot Mainda and Dvivida, blessing them with fine appearance.
वरुणो जनयामास सुषेणं वानरर्षभम्। शरभं जनयामास पर्जन्यस्तु महाबलम्।।1.17.14।।
Meaning
Varuna begot the foremost monkey Sushena, and the rain-god Parjanya begot the mighty Sharabha.
मारुतस्यात्मजश्श्रीमान्हनुमान्नाम वीर्यवान्। वज्रसंहननोपेतो वैनतेयसमो जवे।।1.17.15।।
Meaning
The glorious and valiant son of the Wind-god was named Hanuman, adamantine in constitution and equal in speed to Garuda, son of Vinata.
ते सृष्टा बहुसाहस्रा दशग्रीववधे रता:। अप्रमेयबला वीरा विक्रान्ता: कामरूपिण:।।1.17.16।।
Meaning
Thus many thousands were created, devoted to the destruction of the ten-headed Ravana, of immeasurable strength, heroic, valorous, and able to assume any form.
मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशा वपुष्मन्तो महाबला:। ऋक्षवानरगोपुच्छा: क्षिप्रमेवाभिजज्ञिरे।।1.17.17।।
Meaning
Resembling Meru and Mandara in build, of immense strength, these bears, monkeys, and langurs were swiftly born.
यस्य देवस्य यद्रूपं वेषो यश्च पराक्रम:। अजायत समस्तेन तस्य तस्य सुत: पृथक्।।1.17.18।।
Meaning
Whatever form, appearance, and valor each god possessed, a son was born to him separately bearing the same qualities.
गोलाङ्गूलीषु चोत्पन्ना: केचित्सम्मतविक्रमा:। ऋक्षीषु च तथा जाता वानरा: किन्नरीषु च।।1.17.19।।
Meaning
Some of great valor were born among female langurs, and likewise monkeys were born to she-bears and kinnara women.
देवा महर्षिगन्धर्वास्तार्क्ष्या यक्षा यशस्विन:। नागा: किम्पुरुषाश्चैव सिद्धविद्याधरोरगा:।।1.17.20।। बहवो जनयामासुर्हृष्टास्तत्र सहस्रश:। वानरान्सुमहाकायान्सर्वान्वै वनचारिण:।।1.17.21।। अप्सरस्सु च मुख्यासु तथा विद्याधरीषु च। नागकन्यासु च तथा गन्धर्वीणां तनूषु च।।1.17.22।।
Meaning
The gods, great sages, gandharvas, garudas, illustrious yakshas, nagas, kimpurushas, siddhas, vidyadharas, and uragas — many of them, delighted, begot by the thousands mighty monkeys who ranged the forests, from among the foremost apsaras, vidyadhara women, naga maidens, and gandharva women.
कामरूपबलोपेता यथाकामं विचारिण:। सिंहशार्दूलसदृशा दर्पेण च बलेन च।।1.17.23।।
Meaning
Endowed with the strength to take any form and to roam at will, they resembled lions and tigers in pride and might.
शिलाप्रहरणास्सर्वे सर्वे पादपयोधिन:।।1.17.24।।
Meaning
All of them wielded rocks as weapons, all had trees as their war-clubs.