According to Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, Ravana, after bringing Sita to Lanka and while trying to entice her, himself states that he was King of 32 crores of Rakshasas.
दश राक्षस कोट्यः च द्वाविंशतिः अथ अपराः |
वर्जयित्वा जरा वृद्धान् बालान् च रजनीचरान् || ३-५५-१४
तेषाम् प्रभुः अहम् सीते सर्वेषाम् भीम कर्मणाम् |"Oh, Seetha, ten crores of first-rated demons are there, furthermore, twenty-two crores of demons of ghastly exploits are there, thus all put together, three hundred twenty millions of demons are there in Lanka, omitting the weakish, oldish, youngish demons. For all of them I am the lord." Thus Ravana started his self-eulogy.
Though the spies Shuka and Sarana of Ravana describes the strength of of Shri Rama’s Vanara armay, it is innumerable.
—
However, it was mentioned, in the war between Indrajit and Shri Rama and Lakshmana, that Indrajit eliminated 67 crores of Vanaras, by employing Brahmastra.
सोऽस्त्रमाहारयामास ब्राह्ममस्त्रविदां वरः || ६-७३-२७
धनुश्चात्मरथं चैव सर्वं तत्राभ्यमन्त्रयत् |
Indrajit, who was skilled in the use of mystic missiles, invoked the missile presided over by Brahma and charged it on his bow, chariot and all.
स पावकं पावकदीप्ततेजा |
हुत्वा महेन्द्रप्रतिमप्रभावः|
स चापबाणासिरथाश्वसूतः |
खेऽन्तर्दध आत्मानमचिन्त्यरूपः || ६-७३-२९
Having propitiated offering in fire, Indrajit, having a splendour shining like the fire, having a might similar to that of Indra, and possessing an unimaginable prowess, became himself invisible in the sky, with the bow, arrows, sword, chariot, horses, charioteer and all.
सप्तषष्टिर्हताः कोट्यो वानराणां तरस्विनाम् |
अह्नः पञ्चमशेषेण वल्लभेन स्वयम्भुवः || ६-७४-१२
Sixty seven crores of powerful monkeys were struck down by the cherished missile of Brahma, the self-born creator, in the fifth and last period of the day.
—
Hence, even as per conservative estimates, we can safely say that Shri Rama’s army consists of 67 Crore and more (67 Crore +) Vanaras.
No comments:
Post a Comment