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
नखदंष्ट्रायुधास्सर्वे सर्वे सर्वास्त्रकोविदा:।।1.17.25।।
Meaning
All had claws and fangs as weapons, all were skilled in every kind of missile-craft.
विचालयेयुश्शैलेन्द्रान्भेदयेयुस्स्थिरान्द्रुमान्। क्षोभयेयुश्च वेगेन समुद्रं सरितां पतिम्।।1.17.25।।
Meaning
They could shake the greatest mountains, split firmly rooted trees, and with their speed agitate the ocean, lord of rivers.
दारयेयु: क्षितिं पद्भ्यामाप्लवेयुर्महार्णवम्। नभ:स्थलम् विशेयुश्च गृह्णीयुरपि तोयदान्।।1.17.26।।
Meaning
They could rend the earth with their feet, leap across the great ocean, soar into the sky, and even seize the clouds.
गृह्णीयुरपि मातङ्गान्मत्तान्प्रव्रजतो वने। नर्दमानाश्च नादेन पातयेयुर्विहङ्गमान्।।1.17.27।।
Meaning
They could seize even rutting elephants wandering in the forest, and by their roar alone bring down birds flying in the sky.
ईदृशानां प्रसूतानि हरीणां कामरूपिणाम्। शतं शतसहस्राणि यूथपानां महात्मनाम्।।1.17.28।।
Meaning
Of such monkeys able to change form at will, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of great troop-leaders were born.
ते प्रधानेषु यूथेषु हरीणां हरियूथपा:। बभूवुर्यूथपश्रेष्ठा वीरांश्चाजनयन् हरीन्।।1.17.29।।
Meaning
Among the principal troops of monkeys, they became the foremost troop-leaders, and they in turn begot valiant monkeys of their own.
अन्ये ऋक्षवत: प्रस्थानवतस्थु स्सहस्रश:। अन्ये नानाविधान्शैलान्भेजिरे काननानि च।।1.17.30।।
Meaning
Some thousands stayed on the slopes of Mount Rikshavat, while others resorted to various other mountains and forests.
सूर्यपुत्रं च सुग्रीवं शक्रपुत्रं च वालिनम्। भ्रातरावुपतस्थुस्ते सर्व एव हरीश्वरा:।।1.17.32।।
Meaning
Surya's son Sugriva and Indra's son Vali, those two brothers, were the foremost among all the lords of the monkeys.
नलं नीलं हनूमन्तमन्यांश्च हरियूथपान्।।1.17.33।।
Meaning
Nala, Nila, Hanuman, and other monkey chieftains rose up as well.
ते तार्क्ष्यबलसम्पन्नास्सर्वे युद्धविशारदा:। विचरन्तोऽर्दयन्दर्पात्सिंहव्याघ्रमहोरगान्।।1.17.32।।
Meaning
Endowed with the strength of Garuda and skilled in warfare, they roamed about, proudly subduing lions, tigers, and great serpents.