Sri Valmiki Ramayanam -Aranya Kanda (Book 3) Sarga 23 to 30

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book III : Aranya Kanda -The Forest Trek

Introduction

On the starting out of Khara's demonic forces to wage a war with Rama, many bad omens are foreboded by vultures, animals, and even by nature. Though in the know of the portent evil, Khara proceeds with his army vaingloriously messaging his army that he can overcome these auguries or even Indra, and Rama is nothing before him.

tat prayaatam balam ghoram ashivam shoNita udakam |
abhyavarSat mahaa meghaH tumulo gardabha aruNaH || 3-23-1

1. gardabha aruNaH= ass-like [greyish,] in colour; tumulaH= tumultuous; mahaa meghaH= massy, cloud; prayaatam tat ghoram balam= advancing that, fiendish, army of Khara; a + shivam= ill-omened; shoNita udakam= blood, waters; abhyavarSat= rained.

A massy and tumultuous ass-coloured cloud rained ill-omened bloody water while that fiendish force is advancing. [3-23-1]

nipetuH turagaaH tasya ratha yuk{}taa mahaajavaaH |
same puSpacite deshe raajamaarge yadR^icChayaa || 3-23-2

2. ratha yuktaa= to chariot, paired; mahaa javaaH tasya turagaaH= highly, speedy, his, horses; raaja maarge= royal, road [high way]; puSpa cite= with flowers, overspread; same deshe= on even [surface,] at places; yadR^icChayaa nipetuH= in a trice, fallen [tottered.]

The highly speedy horses paired to Khara's chariot have tottered in a trice, even though that place on the highway is with even surface and spread with flowers. [3-23-2]

shyaamam rudhira paryantam babhuuva pariveSaNam |
alaata cakra pratimam pratigR^ihya divaakaram || 3-23-3

3. divaakaram= sun; prati gR^ihya [pari gR^ihya]= on capturing; shyaamam= blackish; rudhira paryantam [pari antam]= blood-red, at edges - a corona; alaata cakra pratimam= fireball, circle of, in shape; pari veSaNam= a nest nested around; babhuuva became - formed.

Capturing the sun a blackish corona with blood-red outer circle has formed and nested around it like the fiery ring formed by circling a fireball. [3-23-3]

This sort of corona can be seen during the total eclipse of sun where a black corona with red tinged glow forms around the eclipsed sun. This circling of fireball handheld on a sling is there even today, and it is performed before marriage processions or such other events as a daring sport.

tato dhvajam upaagamya hema daNDam samucChritam |
samaakramya mahaakaayaH tasthau gR^idhraH sudaaruNaH || 3-23-4

4. tataH= then; mahaa kaayaH= massive, bodied; su daaruNaH gR^idhraH= very, awful, eagle; hema daNDam= golden, shaft; sam ucChritam= very, lofty one; dhvajam upaagamya= flag, nearing at; [hema daNDam= golden shaft]; sam aakramya= well, occupying; tasthau= seated.

Then, nearing the golden shaft of the flag of the chariot with a very lofty flagstaff, an awful eagle with massive body occupied and perched atop of that golden shaft. [3-23-4]

janasthaana samiipe ca samaakramya khara svanaaH |
visvaraan vividhaan ca cakruH maa.msa aadaa mR^iga pakSiNaH || 3-23-5

5. khara svanaaH= cacophonous, voiced ones; maamsa aadaa flesh, eating - carnivorous; mR^iga pakSiNaH= animals [predators,] birds - vultures; janasthaana samiipe sam aakramya= Janasthaana, nearby, took over; vi vidhaan= many, kinds of; vi+svaraan= out of, tune - raucous sounds; cakruH= made.

Cacophonous and carnivorous predators and vultures took over the nearby places of Janasthaana and they made raucous sounds of many kinds. [3-23-5]

vyaajahruH ca padiiptaayaam dishi vai bhairava svanam |
ashivaa yaatudhaanaanaam shivaa ghoraa mahaasvanaaH || 3-23-6

6. ghoraa mahaa svanaaH shivaa= fearsome, loud, noised, jackals; abhi diiptaayaam dishi= very, [by sun] scorched, in direction, towards that stretch; bhairava svanam= [emitting] awful, sounds; yaatudhaanaanaam= to demons; a + shivaa vyaajahruH= not, auspicious, made know - they howled.

Turning towards the stretch scorched by the sun, fearsome and loud noised jackals have howled emitting awful sounds, that which is inauspicious to the demons. [3-23-6]

prabhinnagajasa.mkaashatoyashoNitadhaariNaH | - yadvaa -
prabhinna gaja sa.mkaasha toya shoNita dhaariNaH |
aakaasham tat anaakaasham cakruH bhiima a.mbu vaahakaaH|| 3-23-7

7. pra bhinna gaja [giri] samkaasha= verily, bursting, elephant [mountain,] similar - burst mountains, or, elephants coving the sky ; toya shoNita dhaariNaH= waters, bloodlike, carrying; bhiimaaH ambu vaahakaaH= frightening, water, carriers [clouds]; tadaa= then; aakaasham= that, sky; an+aakaasham cakruH= less, leeway, made as.

Then frightening clouds similar to bursting mountains carrying bloodlike water have rendered the firmament less of leeway. [3-23-7]

babhuuva timiram ghoram uddhatam roma harSaNam |
disho vaa pradisho vaa api suvyak{}tam na cakaashire || 3-23-8

8. ghoram uddhatam roma harSaNam= abominable, upheave - cataclysmic, hair, raising; timiram= darkness; babhuuva= became; disha vaa pradishaH vaa api= in milieus, or, inter, milieus, or, even; su vyaktam na cakaashire= very, clearly, not, brightened.

There chanced an abominable, cataclysmic, hair-raising darkness whereby the milieus or inter-milieus are not very clearly brightened. [3-23-8]

kSataja aardra savarNaabhaa sa.mdhyaa kaalam vinaa babhau |
kharam ca abhimukham neduH tadaa ghoraa mR^igaaH khagaaH || 3-23-9
ka.nka gomaayu gR^idhraaH ca cukrushuH bhaya sa.mshinaH |

9, 10a. kaalam vinaa= time, without - untimely; kSataja aardra sa varNa abhaa= blood, drenched, similar, in colour, with hue of - similar to the hue and colour of blood wet object; sandhyaa= eventide; babhau= glistened; tadaa= then; ghoraa mR^igaaH= horrendous, brutes; khagaaH= birds; kharam abhi mukham= at Khara, towards, facing; neduH= clamoured; kanka gomaayu gR^idhraaH ca= vultures, jackals, eagles, also; bhaya samshinaH cukrushuH= danger, portending, screamed.

An untimely eventide glistened with a colour similar to the one drenched in blood, and then horrendous brutes and birds have clamoured facing Khara directly, and the vultures, jackals and eagles too have screamed portending danger. [3-23-9, 10a]

nityaa ashiva karaa yuddhe shivaa ghora nidarshanaaH || 3-23-10
neduH balasya abhimukham jvaala udgaaribhiH aananaiH |

10. yuddhe= in war; nityaa a+hiva karaa= always, not, auspicious, causers of - agents of; ghora nidarshanaaH= calamities, demonstrable for [foretellers]; shivaa= [female] jackals; jvaala udgaaribhiH aananaiH= blazes, spewing, with snouts; balasya abhimukham neduH= forces, in front of, howled.

Jackals, that too female jackals, are always the agents of inauspiciousness in wars with demonstrable calamities brought forth by their portending howling, and such jackals have now howled in front of Khara's army with their snouts spewing blazes. [3-23-10]

kabandhaH parigha aabhaaso dR^ishyate bhaaskara a.ntike || 3-23-11
jagraaha suuryam svarbhaanuH aparvaNi mahaagrahaH |
pravaati maarutaH shiighram niS.hprabho abhuut divaakaraH || 3-23-12

11b, 12. bhaaskara antike= sun, near at; parigha aabhaasaH= club like - spherical object, in shape; kabandhaH= human trunk; dR^ishyate= is revealed; mahaa grahaH= great, planet; svarbhaanuH= Rahu, [the eclipsing planet]; jagraaha suuryam= captured, the sun; maarutaH shiighram pravaati= wind, swiftly, blew - frantically whirled; divaakaraH niS prabhaH abhuut= sun, without, shine, became.

A spherical object like that of a human trunk is revealed near at the sun, while the sun is rendered shineless as though Rahu, the great eclipsing-planet, has eclipsed him inopportunely, and the wind too whirled frantically. [3-23-11b, 12]

utpetuH ca vinaa raatrim taaraaH khadyotana prabhaaH |
sa.mliina miina vihagaa nalinyaH shuSka pa.nkajaaH || 3-23-13
tasmin kSaNe babhuuvuH ca vinaa puSpa phalaiH drumaaH |

13, 14a. kha dyotana prabhaaH= sky, illuminators, with brilliance of - with the brilliance equalling that of fire-flies; taaraaH= stars; vinaa raatrim= without, night nightfall; utpetuH= sprang up - seen; tasmin kSaNe= it that, moment; samliina miina vihagaa= merged - stood still, fishes, waterfowls - that have; nalinyaH= lakes; shuSka pankajaaH= with dried-up, lotuses - they became; drumaaH vinaa puSpa phalaiH babhuuvuH= trees, without, fruits, flowers, became - dropped of from trees.

Stars sprang up with the brilliance of fireflies though it is not night, and at that moment fishes and waterfowls stood still in lakes, lotuses have dried up, flowers and fruits have dropped from trees as though it is night. [3-23-13, 14a]

uddhuutaH ca vinaa vaatam reNuH jaladhara aruNaH || 3-23-14
ciicii kuuci iti vaashyanto babhuuvuH tatra saarikaaH |

14b, 15a. vinaa vaatam= without, wind [puffing]; jala dhara aruNaH= water, carrier [like the colour of such clouds,] reddish-brown; reNuH= dust; uddhuutaH= is shoved up; tatra= there; saarikaaH= Sharika birds [Maina, Gracula Reliosa]; cii cii kuu cii= cii, cii, kuu, cii; iti= thus as; vaashyantaH babhuuvuH= twittering, they became - they are confused.

Without any puffing of wind dust in brownish-red colour is heaved up, and there the songbirds like Maina started to twitter as 'cii cii kuu cii'. [3-23-14b, 15a]

The expression cii cii kuu cii is an onomatopoetic expression for the twittering of birds.

ulkaaH ca api sa nirghoSaa nipetuH ghora darshanaaH || 3-23-15
pracacaala mahii ca api sa shaila vana kaananaa |

15b, 16a. ghora darshanaaH= horrible, in look; sa nir+ghoSaa= with, outgoing, sound - thunderously; ulkaaH ca api= meteors, also, even; nipetuH= fell down; sa shaila vana kaananaa= with, mountains, woods, forests; [sarvaa] mahii ca api= [entire] earth, also, even; pracacaala [pra ca caala]= verily, shakily, quaked.

Meteors horrible in their look have fallen down thunderously, and even the earth together with its mountains, woods and forests quaked shakily. [3-23-15b, 16a]

kharasya ca rathasthasya nardamaanasya dhiimataH || 3-23-16
praakampata bhujaH savyaH svaraH ca asya avasajjata |

16b, 17a. ratha sthasya= in chariot, staying; nardamaanasya dhiimataH= while raving, clever one; kharasya= of Khara; savyaH bhujaH= left, shoulder; praa kampata= excessively, thrilled; asya svaraH ca= his, voice, also; ava sajjata= down, slacked - quavered.

He who is raving while sitting in his chariot that clever Khara's left shoulder thrilled excessively, and his voice too quavered. [3-23-16b, 17a]

sa asraa sa.mpadyate dR^iSTiH pashyamaanasya sarvataH || 3-23-17
lalaaTe ca rujo jaataa na ca mohaat nyavartata |

17b, 18a. sarvataH pashyamaanasya= everywhere, while seeing; [asya= his]; dR^iSTiH= sight - eyes; sa asraa sampadyate= is with, tears, obtained [eyes spawned tears]; lalaaTe ca= on forehead, also; ruja jaataa= ache, is born - occurred; mohaat= owing to imprudence - by vanity; na ca= not, also; niaavartata [ni aa vartata= back, towards, proceeded]= he did not turn back.

While he is seeing everywhere his eyes spawned tears for no good reason, his forehead ached, but he did not retrace his steps owing to his own vanity. [3-23-17b, 18a]

taan samiikSya mahotpaataan utthitaan roma harSaNaan || 3-23-18
abraviit raakSasaan sarvaan prahasan sa kharaH tadaa |

18b, 19a. saH kharaH= he, that Khara; tadaa utthitaan= then - at that moment, stemmed up; taan roma harSaNaan= them, hair, raising ones; mahaa utpaataan= worst, auguries; samiikSya= observing; prahasan= laughing off; sarvaan raakSasaan abraviit= to all, demons, said.

On observing those worst auguries stemming up at that moment with hair-raising nature, Khara laughed them off and said this to all of the demons. [3-23-18b, 19a]

mahaa utpaataan imaan sarvaan utthitaan ghora darshanaan || 3-23-19
na ci.ntayaami aham viiryaat balavaan durbalaan iva |

19b, 20a. utthitaan= uprisen - cropped up; ghora darshanaan= horrible, appearing [in their nature]; imaan mahaa utpaataan= these, awful, auguries; sarvaan= all of them; aham= I; viiryaat= owing to [my own] valour; balavaan dur balaan iva= mighty one [is unworried of,] not, mighty one [mightless one,] as with; na cintayaami= I am not, thinking - I am unbothered.

"These awful auguries with their horrible nature have arisen, but owing to my own valour I am unbothered about all of them as with a mighty one unworried of the mightless. [3-23-19b, 20a]

taaraa api sharaiH tiikSNaiH paatayeyam nabhaH talaat || 3-23-20
mR^ityum maraNa dharmeNa sa.mkruddho yojayaami aham |

20b, 21a. aham= I; taaraa api= stars, even; sharaiH tiikSNaiH= with arrows, excruciating; nabhaH talaat paatayeyam= from sky's, plane, make to fall [strike to fall - hurtle]; sam kruddhaH= highly, infuriated; mR^ityum= to Death; maraNa dharmeNa= with death's, disposition with mortality; yojayaami= I can enjoin.

"With the excruciating arrows of mine I can hurtle stars from the face of sky, and if highly infuriated, I can even enjoin mortality to Death himself. [3-23-20b, 21a]

raaghavam tam bala utsik{}tam bhraataram ca asya lakSmaNam || 3-23-21
ahatvaa saayakaiH tiikSNaiH na upaavartitum utsahe |

21b, 22a. bala utsiktam= by might, enthused - haughty; tam raaghavam= that, Raghava; asya bhraataram lakSmaNam ca= his, brother, Lakshmana, too; tiikSNaiH saayakaiH= with incisive, arrows; a+hatvaa= without, killing; upaavartitum [upa aa vartitum]= to return; na utsahe= not, enthusiastic - reluctant.

"I am reluctant to return without killing that Rama, a haughty one by his might, together with his brother Lakshmana, with my incisive arrows. [3-23-21b, 22a]

yan nimittam tu raamasya lakSmaNasya viparyayaH || 3-23-22
sakaamaa bhaginii me astu piitvaa tu rudhiram tayoH |

22b, 23a. raamasya lakSmaNasya= Rama's, Lakshmana's; vi paryayaH= mis, behaviour - perverse of them; yat nimittam= in whose [Shuurpanakha's,] respect; sa [me] bhaginii= she, [my] sister; tayoH= of those two; rudhiram piitvaa= blood, on drinking; sa kaamaa astu= fulfilled, desire - contented, let her be.

"In whose respect both Rama and Lakshmana behaved perversely, let that sister of mine be contented in drinking the blood of those two. [3-23-22b, 23a]

na kvacit praapta puurvo me sa.myugeSu paraajayaH || 3-23-23
yuSmaakam etat pratyakSam na anR^itam kathayaami aham |

23b, 24a. me samyugeSu= to me, in combats; kvacit paraajayaH na praaptaH puurvaH= anywhere, defeat, not, chanced, earlier; etat yuSmaakam pratyakSam= that is, to you all, obvious; aham an+R^itam= I am, un, truth; na kathayaami= not, telling.

"No defeat has chanced on me in combats at anytime and anywhere, that to you all is obvious and I tell no untruth. [3-23-23b, 24a]

deva raajam api kruddho matta airaavata gaaminam || 3-23-24
vajra hastam raNe hanyaam kim punaH tau ca maanuSau |

24b, 25a. kruddhaH= if I am in fury; matta airaavata gaaminam= ruttish, Iravata elephant, going on - treks; vajra hastam= Thunderbolt, wielder; deva raajam api= god's, king [Indra,] even; raNe hanyaam= in war, I kill; tau ca [ku] maanuSau= those two, are but, [base] humans; kim punaH= why, [speak of] again.

"If I am infuriated I can eliminate even the king of gods, wielder of Thunderbolt and a trekker on ruttish elephant Iravata, namely Indra in a war, then why talk about these two humans." Thus Khara addressed his troops. [3-23-24b, 25a]

saa tasya garjitam shrutvaa raakSasaaanaam mahaa camuuH || 3-23-25
praharSam atulam lebhe mR^ityu paasha avapaashitaa |

25b, 26a. mR^ityu paasha ava+paashitaa= death's, by noose, tied, down; saa mahaa camuuH raakSasaaanaam= that, sizable, army, of demons; tasya garjitam shrutvaa= his [Khara's,] thundered [speech,] on hearing; a tulam= not, comparable; pra harSam lebhe= rejoice, they obtained.

On hearing that thundering speech of Khara that sizeable army of demons which is tied down by the noose of death obtained an incomparable rejoice. [3-23-25b, 26a]

sameyuH ca mahaatmaano yuddha darshana kaa.nkSiNaH || 3-23-26
R^iSayo deva gandharvaaH siddhaaH ca saha caaraNaiH |

26b, 27a. mahaa aatmaanaH= great souls; R^iSayaH deva gandharvaaH= sages, gods, gandharva-s; siddhaaH ca saha caaraNaiH= siddha-s, also, with, carana-s; yuddha darshana kaankSiNaH= war, see, desiring to; samiiyuH= came together [in firmament.]

Then desiring to see the war of Khara with Rama, great-souls like sages, gods, gandharva-s along with carana-s and siddha-s have come together in firmament. [3-23-26b, 27a]

sametya ca uucuH sahitaaH te anyaayam puNyakarmaNaH || 3-23-27
svasti go braahmaNebhyo astu lokaanaam ye ca sammataaH |

27b, 28a. puNya karmaNaH= of pious, deeds; te= those; sametya= gathering at a place; anyaH anyam= other, to other [with one another]; sahitaaH= on meeting; go braahmaNebhyaH= for cows, Brahmans; ye lokaanaam sam mataaH= those, who by people, are respected; to them; svasti astu= good, may betide; [uucuH= said.]

On gathering at a place those great souls met one another and said, "let good betide cows, Brahmans and those that are held respectful by the people at large." [3-23-27b, 28a]

jayataam raaghavo yuddhe paulastyaan rajanii caraan || 3-23-28
cakrahasto yathaa viSNuH sarvaan asura sattamaan |

28. cakra hastaH viSNuH= dic, handler, Vishnu; yuddhe sarvaan asura sattamaan= in war, all, demons, mighty ones; yathaa= as with, as Vishnu dealt with demons; raaghavaH= Raghava [sankhye= in war]; rajanii caraan paulastyaan= [these] night walkers, belonging to Pulastya dynasty; jayataam= shall triumph over.

"Let Raghava triumph over these mighty night walkers from the lineage of Pulastya, as with Vishnu who once conquered all the mighty demons in war." So said celestials to one another. [3-23-28]

etat ca anyat ca bahusho bruvaaNaaH parama R^iSayaH || 3-23-29
jaata kautuuhalaat tatra vimaanasthaaH ca devataaH |
dadR^ishur vaahiniim teSaam raakSasaanaam gata aayuSaam || 3-23-30

29. etat ca anyat ca bahushaH= this, also, other, also, a good many topics; bruvaaNaaH parama R^iSayaH= while speaking, great, sages; tatra vimaana sthaaH= there, in aircrafts, abiding in; devataaH ca= gods, also; jaata kautuuhalaat= originated, inquisitiveness; gata aayuSaam= those with lapsed - beyond hope, longevity; teSaam raakSasaanaam= their, of demons; vaahiniim dadR^ishuH= [flow of] army, they saw.

While the great sages are speaking about this and many other topics, they and the gods abiding in their aircrafts have inquisitively seen the flow of army of demons, whose longevity is now beyond hope. [3-23-29, 30]

rathena tu kharo vegaat sainyasya agraat viniHsR^itaH |
shyenagaamii pR^ithugriivo yaj~nashatruH viha.mgamaH || 3-23-31
durjayaH karaviiraakSaH paruSaH kaalakaarmukaH |
hemamaalii mahaamaalii sarpaaasyo rudhiraashanaH || 3-23-32
dvaadasha ete mahaaviiryaaH pratasthuH abhitaH kharam |

31. kharaH rathena vegaat= Khara, by chariot's, speed; sainyasya agraat viniHsR^itaH= to army's, van of, bolted out; one additional foot: tam dR^iSTvaa raakshasam bhuuyo raakshasaascha vinihsR^itaaH= him, on seeing, the demon Khara, then, demons, also, rushed out.] shyenagaamii pR^ithugriivaH yaj~nashatruH vihangamaH= Shyenagaami, Prithugviira, Yajnashatu, Vihamgama durjayaH karaviiraakSaH paruSaH kaalakaarmukaH= Durjaya, Karaviiraaksha, Parusha, Kaalakaarmuka; hemamaalii mahaamaalii sarpaaasyaH rudhiraashanaH= Hemamaali, Mahaamaali, Sarpaasya, Rudhiraaksha; mahaa viiryaaH= great, vigorous ones; ete= these are; dvaa dasha two, ten [twelve demons]; kharam abhitaH pratasthuH= Khara, around - in a semicircle, cruised.

Khara speedily bolted in his chariot to the van of his legions, and on seeing that demon Khara going in front other important demons too rushed to fore. They are Shyenagaami, Prithugviira, Yajnashatru, Vihamgama and also Durjaya, Karaviiraaksha, Parusha, Kaalakaarmuka, Hemamaali, Mahaamaali, Sarpaasya, Rudhiraaksha. These twelve highly valorous demons cruised in a semicircle around Khara. [3-23-31]

mahaakapaalaH sthuulaakSaH pramaathii trishiraaH tathaa |
catvaara ete senaa agre duuSaNam pR^iSThato anvayuH || 3-23-33

33. mahaakapaalaH sthuulaakSaH pramaathii trishiraaH tathaa= Mahakapaala, Stuulaaksha, Pramaathii, Trishira, likewise; ete catvaara= these, four; senaa agre [senaanyaH= forces, at fore [army commanders]; duuSaNam pR^iSThataH anvayuH= Duushana, at behind, followed.

Likewsie Mahakapaala, Stuulaaksha, Pramaathii, Trishira are the four commanders of demonic forces and they followed Duushana marching at his behind. [3-23-33]

saa bhiima vegaa samara abhikaa.mkshiNii
sudaaruNaa raakSasa viira senaa |
tau raaja putrau sahasaa abhyupetaa
maalaa grahaaNaam iva candra suuryau || 3-23-34

34. bhiima vegaa= infernally, speedy; samara abhi kaamkshiNii= for battle, readily, interested in; su daaruNaa= highly, execrable; saa raakSasa viira senaa= that, demonic, valiant ones', army of; sahasaa= quickly; grahaaNaam maalaa iva= of planets, festoon, as if; candra suuryau= to Moon, Sun; tau raaja putrau abhi+upetaa= at them two, princes, towards, rushed.

That army of valiant demons which is highly execrable, infernally speedy, and readily inspirited for a battle quickly rushed towards those two princes, Rama and Lakshmana, as though a festoon of planets would rush towards the Moon and Sun so as to put them to rout. [3-23-34]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe trayo vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 23rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 24

Introduction

Rama perceives good omens of victory, but to safeguard Seetha he sends her away with Lakshmana to take shelter in a mountain's cave till the war is over. Then he adopts a furious nature to annihilate demons. Gods and divinities watch from heavens as to how a war can occur between one against fourteen thousand demons.

aashramam prati yaate tu khare khara paraakrame |
taan eva autpaatikaan raamaH saha bhraatraa dadarsha ha || 3-24-1

1. khara paraakrame khare= of fierce, valour, Khara; aashramam prati yaate tu= hermitage, towards, started, while; raamaH bhraatraa saha= Rama, brother, along with; autpaatikaan= auguries; taan eva = them, only [those that appeared to Khara]; dadarsha ha= seen, indeed.

While fiercely valorous Khara proceeded towards Rama's hermitage, Rama along with his brother Lakshmana has indeed seen the very same auguries which have earlier appeared to Khara. [3-24-1]

taan utpaataan mahaaghoraan raamo dR^iSTvaa ati amarSaNa |
prajaanaam ahitaan dR^iSTvaa vaakyam lakSmaNam abraviit || 3-24-2

2. mahaa ghoraan taan utpaataan dR^iSTvaa = very, gruesome, them, at bad omens, on looking at; [roma harSaNaan= hair raising ones]; dR^iSTvaa prajaanaam a+ hitaan = on seeing - perceiving them, for people, to be un, propitious to Lakshmana,; ati amarSaNaH= in high, resent; raamaH lakSmaNam vaakyam abraviit= Rama, sentence, said to.

On looking at those very gruesomely bad omens, and perceiving them to be unpropitious to people, Rama spoke this sentence to Lakshmana. [3-24-2]

imaan pashya mahaabaaho sarva bhuuta apahaariNaH |
samutthitaan mahaa utpaataan sa.mhartum sarva raakSasaan || 3-24-3

3. mahaabaahuH= oh, dextrous brother; sarva bhuuta apahaariNaH = all, beings, that can annihilate; sarva raakSasaan= all, demons; sam hartum= complete, to eliminate; samutthitaan= arisen; imaan mahaa utpaataan= these, great, indications; pashya= you see.

"Oh, dextrous Lakshmana, for the complete elimination of all the demons these great indications have arisen, as though betokening the annihilation of all beings. See them. [3-24-3]

amii rudhira dhaaraaH tu visR^ija.nto khara svanaaH |
vyomni meghaa nivartante paruSaa gardabha aruNaaH || 3-24-4

4. rudhira dhaaraaH = blood, streams, but; vi sR^ijantaH= copiously showering; khara svanaaH= with braying, thunderous; paruSaa gardabha aruNaaH = stark, ass-like, in reddish-grey tint; amii meghaa tu = these, clouds, on their part; vyomni ni vartante= in skies, clouds, moving - hovering.

"On their part these clouds are hovering on the sky with stark reddish-grey tint, thunderously braying and copiously showering streams of blood. [3-24-4]

sa dhuumaaH ca sharaaH sarve mama yuddha abhinanditaaH |
rukma pR^iSThaani caapaani viceSTante vicakshaNa || 3-24-5

5. yuddha abhi nanditaaH [mahaa yuddha abhinandinaH]= war, towards, ecstatic; sarve mama sharaaH = all, my, arrows; sa dhuumaaH ca = with, fumes, too - incensed to fuming; rukma pR^iSThaani caapaani= golden plated, at their backside, bows; vicakshaNa= telling apart; vi ceSTante [viveSTante]= verily, gesturing - incessantly spurring.

"All my arrows too are incensed to fuming in an ecstasy towards a war, and dorsally gold-plated bows of mine are incessantly spurring to hook up those arrows, telling apart the impeding conflict. [3-24-5]

yaadR^ishaa iha kuujanti pakSiNo vana caariNaH |
agrato naH bhayam praaptam sa.mshayo jiivitasya ca || 3-24-6

6. iha= here; vana caariNaH pakSiNaH = forest, moving, birds; yaa dR^ishaaH= in which sort of [birds]; kuujanti = [that are] shrieking; by that; naH agrataH bhayam praaptam= for us, up ahead, danger, is coming on; jiivitasya samshayaH ca= of lives, uncertainty, too.

"Judging by the kind of wild birds that are shrieking here, danger is up ahead and coming upon us, along with uncertainty of our lives. [3-24-6]

sa.mprahaaraH tu sumahaan bhaviSyati na sa.mshayaH |
ayam aakhyaati me baahuH sphuramaaNo muhur muhuH || 3-24-7
sa.nnikarSe tu naH shuura jayam shatroH paraajayam |
suprabham ca prasannam ca tava vak.htram hi lakSyate || 3-24-8

7, 8. su mahaan sam+prahaaraH tu bhaviSyati = very, great - critical riotous, conflict, for its part, will occur; na samshayaH= no, doubt; shuura= oh, brave one; muhuH muhuH= again, again; sphuramaaNaH= throbbing; ayam me baahuH= this, my, arm; sannikarSe= in the vicinity; naH jayam = our, victory; shatroH paraajayam= for enemies, defeat; aakhyaati= telling; tava vaktram= your, face; su prabham ca prasannam ca= well, glowing, also, brightened, also; lakSyate hi = appearing, for sure.

"This right hand of mine is indicating by its repeated throbbing that a critical and riotous conflict is going to occur, no doubt, but oh brave one, our victory and defeat to the enemies are also in vicinity, and for sure, your face is also appearing brightish and aglow, which itself is a good omen. [3-24-8] [3-24-7, 8]

udyataanaam hi yuddhaartham yeSaam bhavati lakSmaNaH |
niS.hprabham vadanam teSaam bhavati aayuH parikSayaH || 3-24-9

9. lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; yuddha artham hi udyataanaam=for conflict, purpose of, indeed, who are poised for; yeSaam vadanam= whose, face; niS+prabham bhavati = without, lustre, it becomes; teSaam= their; aayuH pari kSayaH bhavati= longevity, completely, dwindle, it will be - death looms large on their longevity.

"If the faces of those that are poised for a conflict loose lustre, deem that the death is looming large on their longevity too. [3-24-9]

rakshasaam nardataam ghoraH shruuyate ayam mahaadhvaniH |
aahataanaam ca bheriiNaam raakshasaiH kruura karmabhiH || 3-24-10

10. nardataam rakshasaam= uproar, of demons; raakshasaiH kruura karmabhiH = by demons, with fiendish, activities; aahataanaam bheriiNaam ca= drumming, war-drums, also; ghoraH= horrible - ear-splitting; ayam= this; mahaa dhvaniH= great - nasty, noise; shruuyate ca= is audible, also.

"This nasty noise which we hear pertains to the uproar of demons, and even to the drumming of war drums by the demons of fiendish activities, and this is ear-splitting. [3-24-10]

anaagata vidhaanam tu kartavyam shubham icChataa |
aapadam sha.nkamaanena puruSeNa vipashcitaa || 3-24-11

11. aapadam shankamaanena= danger, misgiving; shubham icChataa= by well, wisher; vi pashcitaa= verily, analysing one - by talented one; puruSeNa= by a person; an+aagata vidhaanam= not, come yet - for imminent situation; kartavyam tu = procedure [preventive measures,] alone [be effectuated.]

"Preventive measures are to be effectuated for any imminent situation by any well-wishing person, or by a person with misgivings about a danger, or by a person of talent. [3-24-11]

The meaning can otherwise be rendered as: 'If any misgivings are caused by an imminent danger a well-wisher and intellectual person shall effectuate preventive measures...' but this becomes more self-centred and cannot become a maxim or axiom.

tasmaat gR^ihiitvaa vaidehiim shara paaNiH dhanur dharaH |
guhaam aashraya shailasya durgaam paadapa sa.mkulaam || 3-24-12

12. tasmaat= therefore; vaidehiim gR^ihiitvaa = Vaidehi, on taking; shara paaNiH dhanur dharaH= arrows, [ready at] hand, bow, wielding; shailasya= of mountain; paadapa samkulaam= with trees, overgrown; durgaam guhaam aashraya = impassable, cave, take shelter.

"Hence, wield your bow, keep arrows ready at hand, and taking Vaidehi with you seek shelter in a impassable cave of a mountain overgrown with trees. [3-24-12]

pratikuulitum icChaami na hi vaakyam idam tvayaa |
shaapito mama paadaabhyaam gamyataam vatsa maa ciram || 3-24-13

13. idam vaakyam- this, word; tvayaa prati kuulitum= by you, to be gainsaid; na icChaami hi= not, I wish, indeed; vatsa= oh, boy; mama paadaabhyaam shaapitaH [asi= you are]= by my, pair of feet, you are sworn - have honour on my feet; gamyataam maa ciram = be gone, not, lately.

"I wish you to gainsay me for this word of mine, my boy, have honour on my feet and be gone not before long. [3-24-13]

tvam hi shuuraH ca balavaan hanyaa etaan na sa.mshayaH |
svayam nihantum icChami sarvaan eva nishaacaraan || 3-24-14

14. tvam shuuraH ca= you, are a stalwart, also; balavaan= forceful one; etaan hanyaa hi= them [demons,] you can eliminate, for sure; na samshayaH= no, doubt; tu= but; sarvaan nishaacaraan eva= all of the, night-walkers demons, thus; svayam nihantum icChami= personally, to eliminate, I long to.

"You are a stalwart, a forceful one, and for sure you can eliminate them all, it is doubtless, but I long to eliminate all of the nightwalkers, personally" Rama said thus to Lakshmana. [3-24-14]

evam uk{}taH tu raameNa lakSmaNaH saha siitayaa |
sharaan aadaaya caapam ca guhaam durgaam samaashrayat || 3-24-15

15. raameNa evam uktaH= by Rama, thus, one who is said; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; sharaan caapam ca= arrows, bow, also; aadaaya= on taking; saha siitayaa= along with, Seetha; durgaam guhaam samaashrayat= unreachable, in cave, took shelter.

When Rama said to him that way, Lakshmana picked up his bow and arrows, and together with Seetha he took shelter in an unreachable cave. [3-24-15]

This episode of sending away Seetha and Lakshmana has got three reasons in the complex of She-He-Me. 1] One is that this Seetha is to be sent away from that prospective battlefield, because Seetha is untrained for warfare like Rama's third mother Kaikeyi. Secondly, whenever Seetha is present we see no killings or slayings in Ramayana, because she, as Goddess Lakshmi, condones any sinner and accords salvation. As such, there may be a probability of not only hindering war, but there may be her blessing to every demon with a free passage to heaven, of which Rama becomes a helpless onlooker. 2] Second reason is that this Lakshmana is intolerant of any assault on his brother or sister-in-law and colloids head-on with the aggressors, which may lead Lakshmana up to Lanka to confront even Ravana. That being the snakily aggressive nature of Lakshmana, Rama bids him to go away before any happening, or any further dialogue is given to Lakshmana. 3] Third is that Rama is the first one to promise the sages and saints to eradicate demons for himself, for which Seetha nags him not to wage a causeless war. Therefore, if Rama is going to hide in any cave camouflaged by trees along with Seetha, and Lakshmana goes on warring, the very character of Rama is at stake. Thus, as promised to sages and saints Rama alone wanted to trigger off the elimination process of demons. That is why Rama breathes fresh air saying "good riddance" in next verse.

tasmin praviSTe tu guhaam lakSmaNe saha siitayaa |
hanta niryuk{}tam iti uk{}tvaa raamaH kavacam aavishat || 3-24-16

16. tasmin lakSmaNe= that, Lakshmana; siitayaa saha guhaam praviSTe tu = Seetha, along with, in cave, on entering, but; raamaH= Rama; hanta= thank goodness; nir yuktam= minus, with them - good riddance, good idea; iti uktvaa= thus, saying [to himself]; kavacam aavishat= armour, shield, entered - donned.

On Lakshmana's entering into cave along with Seetha, Rama said to himself, "thank goodness, it is a good-idea!" and thus saying he donned his shield. [3-24-16]

sa tena agni nikaashena kavacena vibhuuSitaH |
babhuuva raamaH timire mahaan agnir iva utthitaH || 3-24-17

17. agni nikaashena= fire, in brilliance; tena kavacena vi bhuuSitaH= by that, armour, well, bedecked - which actually is a meaningless protection for Rama; saH raamaH= he, that Rama; timire utthitaH= in utter darkness, up-shot; vi+ dhuumaH= without, fumes; agniH iva = fire, as with; babhuuva= he became - shone forth.

Well bedecked in a shield that has fire-like brilliance that Rama shone forth like a fumeless conflagration up-shot in utter darkness. [3-24-17]

sa caapam udyamya mahat sharaan aadaaya viiryavaan |
sa.mbabhuuva avasthitaH tatra jyaa svanaiH puurayan dishaH || 3-24-18

18. viiryavaan = valorous one; saH= he that Rama; mahat caapam udyamya = imposing bow, on raising up; sharaan aadaaya arrows, drawing up; jyaa svanaiH= bowstring, by sound of; dishaH puurayan = directions, while filling; tatra avasthitaH= there, he stood; sam babhuuva = he became - he firmed up.

On raising his imposing bow and drawing arrows, that valorous Rama firmed up and stood there, filling all the directions with the tinny sounds of bowstring. [3-24-18]

tato devaaH sagandharvaaH siddhaaH ca saha caaraNaiH |
sameyuH ca mahaatmano yuddha darshana kaa.nkshayaa || 3-24-19

19. tataH= then; sa gandharvaaH devaaH= with, gandharva-s gods; mahaatmanaH siddhaaH ca caaraNaiH saha= great-souls, siddha-s, carana-s, along with; yuddha darshana kaankshayaa= war, to see, aspiring to; sam eyuH ca = together, came, also.

Gods with gandharva-s and great-souled siddha-s along with carana-s have then met one another and came there aspiring to see the war. [3-24-19]

R^iSayaH ca mahaatmano loke brahmarSi sattamaaH |
sametya ca uuchuH sahitaaH te anyonyam puNya karmaNaH || 3-24-20

20. mahaatmanaH R^iSayaH ca = great-souls, sages, also; loke brahmarSi sattamaaH= those that are there in worlds, Brahma-sages, eminent ones; puNya karmaNaH= those with pious, exploits; sametya= came together; anyaH anyam= other, to other [one another]; sahitaaH= on meeting; uucuH= they talked.

The great-souled sages and those that are known in worlds as eminent Brahma-sages, on their coming together those beings of pious exploits spoke to one another, among themselves. [3-24-20]

svasti go braahmaNaanaam ca lokaanaam ca iti sa.msthitaaH |
jayataam raaghavo yuddhe paulastyaan rajanii caraan || 3-24-21
cakra hasto yathaa yuddhe sarvaan asura pu.ngavaan |

21, 22a. go braahmaNebhyaH= for cows, Brahmans; ye lokaanaam sam sthitaaH= those, in worlds, well, abiding in; svasti astu= good, may betide; raaghavaH= Raghava [sankhye= in war]; rajanii caraan paulastyaan= [these] night walkers, belonging to Pulastya dynasty; jayataam= shall triumph over; cakra hastaH viSNuH= disc, handler, Vishnu; yuddhe sarvaan asura pungavaan= in war, all, demons, mighty ones; iti uucuH= thus, said.

"Let good betide cows, Brahmans and those people that are abiding in all the worlds. Raghava shall be victorious in the war over the clansmen of Sage Paulastya, the nightwalkers." Thus they talked among themselves. [3-24-21]

evam uk{}tvaa punaH pra uuchuH aalokya ca parasparam || 3-24-22
caturdasha sahasraaNi rakSasaam bhiima karmaNaam |
ekaH ca raamo dharmaatmaa katham yuddham bhaviSyati || 3-24-23

22b, 23. evam uktvaa= thus, on saying; aalokya ca parasparam= on seeing, at each other; punaH pra uuchuH= again, they well, said; bhiima karmaNaam rakSasaam = of fiendish, deeds, demons [force is]; catur dasha sahasraaNi= four, ten, thousand [fourteen thousand]; dharmaatmaa raamaH ca ekaH= virtue-souled, Rama, also, one [only]; yuddham katham bhaviSyati= war, how, results in.

Thus speaking they also well-said again, looking at each other "the demons of fiendish deeds are fourteen thousand in number and this virtue-souled Rama is solitary... what would be the result of this war!" Thus the sages discussed among themselves. [3-24-22b, 23]

iti raajarSayaH siddhaaH sa gaNaaH ca dvijarSabhaaH |
jaata kautuuhalaat tasthur vimaanasthaaH ca devataa || 3-24-24

24. raaja rSayaH= kingly-sages; sa gaNaaH siddhaaH= with, assemblages, siddha-s; dvija rSabhaaH= Brahmans, the eminent ones; vimaana sthaaH devataaH ca = on aircraft, staying, gods, also; jaata kautuuhalaat tasthuH= originated, inquisitiveness, tarried there.

Thus the assemblages of kingly-sages, siddha-s and the eminent Brahmans, along with gods that are staying in their aircrafts, tarried there in the firmament peering inquisitively at Rama. [3-24-24]

aaviSTam tejasaa raamam sa.ngraama shirasi sthitam |
dR^iSTvaa sarvaaNi bhuutaani bhayaat vivyathire tadaa || 3-24-25

25. tadaa= then; sangraama shirasi sthitam= war's, head of [forefront,] standing up to; tejasaa aaviSTam raamam= by aura ]of invincibility,] immured, at Rama; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; sarvaaNi bhuutaani= all, beings; bhayaat vivyathire [vi vyathire] = by dread, verily, in throes of.

Immured in an aura of invincibility Rama is standing up to the war in its vanguard, and then on seeing at him all beings went into the throes of dread. [3-24-25]

ruupam apratimam tasya raamasya akliSTa karmaNaH |
babhuuva ruupam kruddhasya rudrasya iva mahaatmanaH || 3-24-26

26. a+ kliSTa karmaNaH= without, causing difficulties, lone with such deeds - Rama with unharmful deeds; tasya raamasya= that, Rama's; a+ pratimam ruupam= un, equalling [nonesuch,] aspect; kruddhasya= infuriated; mahaatmanaH= supreme-souled; rudrasya ruupam iva= Rudra's, aspect, as with; babhuuva = became.

That nonesuch aspect of Rama whose deeds are unharmful to any, has become the aspect of wrathful supreme-souled Rudra. [3-24-26]

The wrathful aspect of Rudra at the time of era ending has chanced on Rama to start the elimination of demonic clan and this is as observed by caaraNaa-s in firmament. caaraNaa-s are those divine beings that journey in heavens in their auspicious paths. Hanuma while jumping the ocean to Lanka treads the path of caaraNaa-s because their footpath is so auspicious. For this skaanda puraaNa has something to tell: rudra tejo vilasitam d®ÿ÷v˜ r˜ma kalebaram | saðkham cakra þ¨lam ca pin˜kam khe÷am eva ca | kha÷v˜m ca ghan÷˜m ýamaru b˜õa p˜þa ankuþam tath˜ | c˜pam vajram khaýgam ca paraþum tr˜sa k˜raõam | jaya þriyam ca gang˜m ca dad®þu× siddha c˜raõ˜× | sk˜ndda pur˜õa According to Maheshvara Tiirtha.

iti sa.mbhaaSyamaaNo tu deva ga.ndharva caaraNaiH |
tato ga.mbhiira nir.hhraadam ghora carma aayudha dhvajam ||3-24-27
aniikam yaatudhaanaanaam samantaat pratyadR^ishyata |
viira aalaapaan visR^ijataam anyonyam abhigacChataam || 3-24-28
caapaani vispharayataam jR^i.mbhataam ca api abhiikSNashaH |
vipraghuSTa svanaanaam ca du.ndubhiim ca api nighnataam || 3-24-29

27, 28, 29. iti sam bhaaSyamaaNaH tu= thus, while conversing, but; deva gandharva caaraNaiH= by gods, gandharva-s, carana-s; tataH= then; gambhiira nirhraadam= with boisterous, noise; ghora [varama] carma aayudha dhvajam= having grisly, [shields] skin [shields,] weaponry, war-flags; yaatudhaanaanaam aniikam samantaat= of demons, legions, all over; pratyadR^ishyata = are seen [by gods]; viira aalaapaan visR^ijataam= bravo, cries, spouting out; anyonyam abhigacChataam [abhigarjataam]= at each other, rushing [bawling]; caapaani vispharayataam= with bows, making brassy noise; abhiikSNashaH= too much for; jR^imbhataam ca api= jumping by leaps and bounds, also, even; dundubhiim ca api = drums, also, even; nighnataam= while drumming vi pra ghuSTa= with verily, loud, clamorous; svanaanaam ca= with noise, also [filled the area.]

While gods, gandharva-s, carana-s are conversing thus, then they have seen there the legions of the demons arriving from all over with boisterous noises, spouting cries of bravo, handling their grisly skins, shields, weaponry and war-flags, and onrushing at each other in disarray. With brassy twanging of bows, with the drumming of war drums, and even by their jumping, leaping and bouncing that area is filled with very loud and clamorous noise. [3-24-27, 28, 29]

teSaam sutumulaH shabdaH puurayaamaasa tad vanam |
tena shabdena vitrastaaH shvaapadaa vana caariNaH || 3-24-30
dudruvuH yatra niHshabdam pR^iSThato na avalokayan |

30, 31a. teSaam su tumulaH shabdaH= their, highly, brutish, noise; tat vanam puurayaamaasa = that, forest, started to fill; tena shabdena vi trastaaH= by that, noise, verily, panicked; vana caariNaH= forest, ranging; shvaapadaa= brutes; yatra= where; niH shabdam= without, noise - silence is there; to there; pR^iSThataH na avalokayan= at back, not, looking; dudruvuH= dashed off.

When highly brutish cacophony of demons started to fill the forest, that jangling even panicked the brutes ranging in that forest, and those beasts dashed off to other places where silence prevailed, without looking back. [3-24-30, 31a]

tat ca aniikam mahaavegam raamam samanuvartata || 3-24-31
ghR^ita naanaa praharaNam ga.mbhiiram saagaropamam |

31b, 32a. mahaa vegam= highly, speedy - temerarious; ghR^ita naanaa praharaNam = taking, many, assault weapons; gambhiiram saagara upamam = unfathomable - unnavigable [tumultuous,] ocean, in simile; tat aniikam= that, army; raamam= towards Rama; sam anu vartata [sam upa sarpata]= well, near to, steered.

And that foolhardy army of demons which in simile is like an unnavigable ocean steered towards Rama handling many assault weapons. [3-24-31b, 32a]

raamo api caarayan cakSuH sarvato raNa paNDitaH || 3-24-32
dadarsha khara sainyam tat yuddha abhimukho gataH |

32b, 33a. raNa paNDitaH= war, expert - Rama; raamaH api= Rama, even; cakSuH sarvataH caarayan= eyes [sight,] all over, spreading - casting; yuddha abhi mukhaH gataH = war, towards, going - lunging at; tat khara sainyam dadarsha = that, Khara's, army, [Rama] has seen.

Casting his sight all-over even that war-expert Rama has seen that army of Khara lunging at a conflict. [3-24-32b, 33a]

vitatya ca dhanur bhiimam tuuNyaaH ca uddhR^itya saayakaan || 3-24-33
krodham aahaarayat tiivram vadhaartham sarva rakSasaam |

33. bhiimam dhanuH vitatya ca = awesome, bow, on stretching, also; tuuNyaaH saayakaan uddhR^itya ca= from quiver, arrows, on whipped out; sarva rakSasaam vadhaartham= all, demons, to eliminate; tiivram krodham aahaarayat = extreme, wrath, he called forth - [adopted a mask.]

Rama stretched his awesome bow to examine the taut of bowstring, and even whipped arrows out of quiver, and then adopted a mask of extreme wrath to eliminate all the demons. [3-24-33]

Rama has no built-in feature of ire or wrath. He has to whip it up at times to show divine fury as a mask. From the start Vishnu is changing get-ups and when Milky Ocean was churned, He became Mohini, and from then on his role-play is continuous in al the incarnations. As said in Bala Kanda 1-1-18: kaalaagni sadR^ishaH krodhe 'resembles like fierce fire in anger...' thus it is a resemblance, not an actuality, even that is unbearable for a glance. atha yuddha samudyata y˜tudh˜n˜nidh˜n˜ya satvaram udagra kopam ˜viÿ÷asya pracaõýa anila dodh¨yam˜na jv˜l˜kal˜pa yug˜nta anala kalpasya sakala jana duÿprekÿyasya - - dharm˜k¨tam Even now, on seeing Rama's unsightly aspect, should these demons fall prostrate before him, there would no loss to their lives. But Khara, as his name itself indicates that he has an asinine mentality, will not yield.

duSprekSyashcaabhavat.hkruddhoyugaantaagnirivajvalan - yadvaa -
duS.hprekSyaH ca abhavat kruddho yugaanta agniH iva jvalan || 3-24-34
tam dR^iSTvaa tejasaa aaviSTam praavyathan vana devataaH |

34. kruddhaH= one who is enraged; that Rama; jvalan= while blazing; yuga anta agniH iva = era, ending, Fire, like, blazing; duS prekSyaH= un, sightly - frightful-looking; abhavat ca= he became, also; tejasaa aaviSTam= by conflagration, when pervaded; tam dR^iSTvaa = at him [Rama,] on seeing; vana devataaH= pastoral, deities; praa vyathan= very much, annoyed.

And when he is enraged and blazing he became frightful-looking like the blazing Fire at the end of era, and on seeing such a Rama when he is pervaded with conflagration like anger, the pastoral deities are very much annoyed. [3-24-34]

tasya ruSTsya ruupam tu raamasya dadR^ishe tadaa |
dakshasya iva kratum hantum udyatasya pinaakinii || 3-24-35

35. tataH= then; ruSTsya tasya raamasya ruupam= exasperated, his, that Rama's, aspect; dakshasya kratum hantum= Daksha's, ritual, to destroy; udyatasya= embarked; pinaakinii iva= one who wields Pinaaka bow - namely Rudra, as with; dadR^ishe= appeared.

The all-pacific aspect of that Rama then in his exasperation appeared to be like that of the all-ruinous Rudra, the wielder of bow called Pinaki, namely peaceful Shiva when enraged, at the time of Rudra's embarking on to ruin the Vedic ritual of Daksha Prajaapati. [3-24-35]

tat kaarmukaiH aabharaNaiH rathaiH ca
tat var.hmaabhiH ca agni samaana varNaiH |
babhuuva sainyam pishita ashaninaam
suurya udaye niilam iva abhra jaalam || 3-24-36

36. pishita ashaninaam tat sainyam = of raw-flesh, eaters, that, army; kaarmukaiH aabharaNaiH rathaiH ca= with bows, embellishments, chariots, also; agni samaana varNaiH= fire, equalling, in colour; tat [taiH] varmaabhiH ca= that, [with those,] armours, also; suurya udaye= of sun, at dawn time; niilam= blue-black; abhra jaalam [abhra bR^indam]= clouds, cluster of; iva= as with; babhuuva= became - varied.

That army of raw-flesh eaters with their bows, embellishments, and chariots, and also with their armours, all glittering with the dazzle of flaming fire, varied into a sky-blue coloured cluster of clouds on which the dazzling sunrays will be glittering at the dawning of the sun. [3-24-36]

The metaphor of cloud-clusters with the demons is to explain that the clouds will evaporate on the advent of fire-like sun at his dawn or rising of Rama to war. The night-walking demons have their powers increased in evening times and dwindled in morning. Thus their fire-like armours will cease to exist when the real Sun's fire [or fire of Rama's arrows] starts to flame, their bows cease to exits if the rainbow-giver comes in, and their flagging ensigns will cease with the ensigncy of raising sun in sky, and ill becomes of them, the evil-doers, after a short while.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe catur vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 24th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

Chapter [Sarga] 25

Introduction

The ambidextrous archery of Rama is established here for the first time. So far, he has been using his archery sporadically, and here it is said to have a different dimension. The speed with which he draws arrows from quiver, the quickness with which he strings them, and the precision with which he shoots, is suggested here, though not explained. Though no apparent divinity is attached to this excercise, it suggests a divine expertise of a human. There are fourteen thousand demons against one Rama, and the Divine beings watch this from heavens as a sport, without according any miraculous powers to Rama, suggesting that a human has to face any number of problems, here fourteen thousand demons, for himself and no divine grace suddenly comes to his help. Rama gives the demons enough time and warning, but as the atrocity is escalating, he uses one gandharva missile and many other arrows, which will devastate the entire army of Dushana's brute force.

avaSTabdha dhanum raamam kruddham ca ripu ghaatinam |
dadarsha aashramam aagamya kharaH saha puraHsaraiH || 3-25-1

1. kharaH puraHsaraiH saha = Khara, forerunning soldiers, along with; aashramam aagamya= at hermitage, on coming; avaSTabdha dhanum= at Rama, who is holding fast, bow; kruddham= wrathful one; ripu ghaatinam raamam ca= enemy, eliminator, also; dadarsha= has seen.

Khara on arriving at the hermitage along with forerunning soldiers saw the enemy-eliminator and wrathful Rama holding fast to his bow. [3-25-1]

tam dR^iSTvaa saguNam caapam udyamya khara niHsvanam |
raamasya abhimukham suutam codyataam iti acodayat || 3-25-2

2. tam dR^iSTvaa= at him [Rama,] on seeing; khara niHsvanam= Khara, bawling [or, ass-like, braying bow]; sa guNam caapam udyamya= with, string-taut, bow, on raising up; raamasya abhimukham= to Rama's, fore; codyataam = let [chariot] be driven; iti suutam acodayat= thus, at charioteer, drove [him crazy.]

On seeing Rama that bawling Khara raised his string-taut bow that makes an ass-like braying twang, drove his charioteer crazy saying, "drive to the fore of that Rama..." [3-25-2]

sa kharasya aaj~nayaa suutaH turagaan samacodayat |
yatra raamo mahaabaahuH eko dhunvan dhanuH sthitaH || 3-25-3

3. saH suutaH= that, charioteer; kharasya aaj~nayaa= Khara's, by order; mahaabaahuH ekaH raamaH = mighty armed one, single, Rama; yatra dhanuH dhunvan sthitaH= where he is, bow, while swaying, standing; to there; turagaan sam acodayat= horses, well, driven.

On the orders of Khara the charioteer drove the horses to there where the mighty armed Rama is standing single-handedly while swaying his bow. [3-25-3]

tam tu niSpatitam dR^iSTvaa sarve te rajanii caraaH |
mu.ncamaanaa mahaanaadam sacivaaH paryavaarayan || 3-25-4

4. niSpatitam= who has fallen in - descended on; tam tu dR^iSTvaa= him, but - for their part, on seeing; sacivaaH te sarve rajanii caraaH = ministers - deputies, they, all, demons; mahaa naadam= with great, noise - battle cries; muncamaanaa venting out; pari avaarayan = around, encircled.

On seeing Khara descending on Rama then all those nightwalkers who are the deputies of Khara encircled Khara venting out loud battle cries. [3-25-4]

sa teSaam yaatudhaanaanaam madhye rathaH gataH kharaH |
babhuuva madhye taaraaNaam lohitaa.nga iva uditaH || 3-25-5

5. teSaam yaatudhaanaanaam madhye = of their, of demons, among; rathaH gataH saH kharaH = in chariot, staying, he, that Khara; taaraaNaam madhye= stars, in midst of; uditaH lohita anga = up-shot, copper, coloured bodied one - Mars; iva= like; babhuuva = became - shone forth.

Khara staying on his chariot in the thick of those demons appeared to be like coppery-red planet Mars up-shot in the thick of stars. [3-25-5]

tataH shara sahasrena raamam apratima ojasam |
ardayitvaaa mahaanaadam nanaada samare kharaH || 3-25-6

6. tataH= then; kharaH samare= Khara, in combat - prone to a combat; shara sahasrena= with arrows, a thousand; a + pratima ojasam= one with - not, paralleled [unique,] force; raamam= Rama is; ardayitvaaa= having assaulted; mahaa naadam nanaada = loud, battle cry, blared.

In his proneness to war then Khara assaulted that uniquely forceful Rama with a thousand arrows and blared a roaring battle cry. [3-25-6]

tataH tam bhiima dhanvaanam kruddhaaH sarve nishaacaraaH |
raamam naanaa vidhaiH shas.htraiH abhyavarSanta durjayam || 3-25-7

7. tataH= then; sarve kruddhaaH nishaacaraaH= all, infuriated, nightwalkers; bhiima dhanvaanam= one with - horrific, bow; dur jayam= one impossible, to vanquish - invincible; tam raamam= at him, that Rama; naanaa vidhaiH shastraiH abhyavarSanta= with many, types, of weapons, much [incessantly] rained.

All of those infuriated nightwalkers then incessantly rained diverse weapons on that invincible Rama who is handling a horrific bow. [3-25-7]

mudgaraiH aayasaiH shuulaiH praasaiH khaDgaiH parashvadhaiH |
raakSasaaH samare raamam nijaghnuu roSa tatparaaH || 3-25-8

8. raakSasaaH roSa tatparaaH= demons, to rancour, indulged - caught up; mudgaraiH aayasaiH shuulaiH praasaiH khaDgaiH parashvadhaiH= with bludgeons, lances, tridents, darts, hatchets; samare raamam nijaghnuu = in war, Rama, bombarded.

Those demons that are already caught up with rancour bombarded Rama with bludgeons, lances, tridents, darts and hatchets. [3-25-8]

te valaahaka sa.mkaashaa mahaakaayaa mahaabalaaH |
abhyadhaavanta kaakutstham rathaiH vaajibhiH eva ca || 3-25-9
gajaiH parvata kuuTa abhaiH raamam yuddhe ji.mghaasavaH |

9, 10a. valaahaka samkaashaa= immense-cloud, resembling - and jostling; mahaa kaayaa mahaa balaaH= massive bodied, exceptionally mighty ones; such as they are; te= those; rathaiH vaajibhiH eva ca= with chariots, horses, even, also; parvata kuuTa abhaiH gajaiH = mountain, ridges, similar, on elephants; yuddhe raamam jimghaasavaH= in war, Rama, eager to kill; kaakutstham abhyadhaavanta = towards Rama, they rushed in on.

Those massive bodied and exceptionally mighty demons came jostling like immense clouds in their eagerness to kill Rama in that war, while some mounted on chariots and horsebacks, and some more riding mountain-ridges like elephants rushed in on Rama. [3-25-9,10a]

te raame shara varSaaNi vyasR^ijan rakSasaam gaNaaH || 3-25-10
shailendram iva dhaaraabhir varSamaaNaa mahaadhanaaH |

10b, 11a. te rakSasaam gaNaaH= those, of demons, bands of; raame= on Rama; varSamaaNaa= that which is raining; mahaa ghanaaH= enormous, black clouds; dhaaraabhiH= with discharge of torrents; shaila indram iva = on mountain, the best - lofty one, as with; shara varSaaNi= arrow, torrents; vyasR^ijan= outpoured.

And those bands of demons have outpoured arrows on Rama, as with enormous black-clouds disemboguing torrents on a lofty mountain. [3-25-10b, 11a]

sarvaiH parivR^ito raamo raakshasaiH kR^IradarshinaiH || 3-25-11
tithiSu iva mahaadevo vR^itaH paariSadaam gaNaiH |

11b, 12a. raamaH= Rama; sarvaiH raakshasaiH kR^Ira darshinaiH= by all, demons, by demons, grisly, in their appearance; mahaa devaH= supreme, deity [Rudra]; tithiSu= on [certain] days; paariSadaam gaNaiH vR^itaH iva = retinue, group of, surrounded, as with; pari vR^itaH = around, [Rama is] hemmed in.

When hemmed in with those grisly-looking demons Rama appeared like Rudra surrounded by his divine retinue called prathama gaNa-s, on certain days, whereupon he starts his all-destructive cosmic-dance. [3-25-11b, 12a]

taani muk{}taani shastraaNi yaatudhaanaiH sa raaghavaH || 3-25-12
pratijagraaha vishikhaiH nadi oghaan iva saagaraH |

12b, 13a. saH raaghavaH= he, that Raghava; yaatudhaanaiH muktaani taani shastraaNi= by demons, discharged, those, arrows; saagaraH nadi oghaan iva= ocean, rivers', onrush, as with; vi shikhaiH= by verily, pointed [his arrows]; prati jagraaha= in turn, taken [pre-empted.]

That Raghava has pre-empted those arrows discharged by the demons with his excruciatingly pointed arrows as an ocean would do with the river's onrush. [3-25-12b, 13a]

sa taiH praharaNaiH ghoraiH bhinna gaatro na vivyathe || 3-25-13
raamaH pradiiptair bahubhir vajrair iva mahaa acalaH |

13b, 14a. ghoraiH taiH praharaNaiH = gruesome one, with those, assault weapons; bhinna gaatraH san= gashed, bodied, even if; saH raamaH= he, that Rama; pra diiptaiH= highly, blazing; bahubhiH vajraiH= with very many, Thunderbolts; mahaa a+calaH iva = enormous, not, moving one - mountain [Mt. Meru,] as with; na vi+vyathe= not, at all, hurt - not rendered feeble.

Even if his body is gashed with those gruesome assault weapons Rama is not enfeebled, as with the enormous Mt. Meru that can withstand even if battered by very many highly blazing thunderbolts of Indra. [3-25-13, 14a]

sa viddhaH kSataja digdhaH sarva gaatreSu raaghavaH || 3-25-14
babhuuva raamaH sandhya abhraiH divaakara iva aavR^itaH |

14b, 15a. viddhaH sarva gaatreSu= bruised, on all, limbs; kSataja digdhaH= with blood, bedaubed; raaghavaH= one from the dynasty of Raghu-s; saH raamaH= that, Rama; sandhya abhraiH aavR^itaH = of eventide, by cloudscapes, covered with; divaakara iva = sun, as like; babhuuva = became -shone forth.

Bruised and bedaubed with blood on all his limbs that Rama of Raghu's dynasty took shape of the sun enshrouded by cloudscapes at eventide. [3-25-14b, 15a]

Rama is not fading away like the evening sun but becoming more like blood red sun. The 'covering of blood' on his limbs suggests the covering of reddish flaring fire on all his limbs, as we say that evening sun is stained with blood and fire.

viSedur deva gandharvaaH siddhaaH ca parama R^iSayaH || 3-25-15
ekam sahasraiH bahubhiH tadaa dR^iSTvaa samaavR^itam |

15b, 16a. tadaa= then; bahubhiH sahasraiH samaavR^itam= many, thousands [of demons,] surrounded by; ekam dR^iSTvaa= single one, on seeing; deva gandharvaaH siddhaaH parama R^iSayaH ca= gods, celestials, saints, sages, also; viSeduH = are dispirited.

On seeing lone Rama beset by many demons, then the gods, celestials, saints and sublime-sages are dispirited. [3-25-15b, 16a]

tato raamaH tu susa.mkruddho maNDalii kR^ita kaarmukaH || 3-25-16
sasarja nishitaan baaNaan shatashaH atha sahasrashaH |

16b, 17a. tataH= then; raamaH tu= Rama, for his part; susamkruddhaH= becoming highly, infuriated; maNDalii kR^ita kaarmukaH= circularity, made [curved,] having bow; shatashaH= in hundreds; atha= why hundreds?; sahasrashaH= in thousands; nishitaan baaNaan sasarja = trenchant, arrows, jetted out.

But Rama on becoming highly infuriated curved his bow to a full circularity on stretching the bowstring up to his ear, and then jetted out trenchant arrows in hundreds. Why hundreds? He surged them in thousands. [3-25-16b, 17a]

duravaaraan dur.hviSahaan kaalapaasha upamaan raNe || 3-25-17
mumoca liilayaa raamaH ka.nkapatraan kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaan |

17b, 18a. raamaH raNe= Rama, in that war; dur a vaaraan= impossible, not to, stop - unstoppable ones; dur vi sahaan = impossible, to verily, tolerate - intolerable ones; kaala paasha [daNDa] upamaan = Time's, lead [shaft,] in simile; kanka patraan= eagle, feathered; kaancana bhuuSaNaan= in gold, adorned; such arrows; mumoca liilayaa = discharged, sportily.

In that war Rama sportily discharged eagle-feathered arrows adorned in gold which are unstoppable and intolerable, and which in simile are the leads of Time-god. [3-25-17b, 18a]

te sharaaH shatru sainyeSu muk{}taa raameNa liilayaa || 3-25-18
aadaduu rakSasaam praaNaan paashaaH kaalakR^itaa iva |

18b, 19a. raameNa liilayaa= by Rama, playfully; shatru sainyeSu muktaa= on enemy's, army, discharged; te sharaaH =those, arrows; kaala kR^itaa paashaaH iva= by Time-god, made [flung,] tethers, as with; rakSasaam praaNaan aadaduu= demon's, lives, [arrows] grabbed.

Those arrows that are playfully discharged on the army of enemy have grabbed the lives of demons like the tethers flung by the Time-god. [3-25-18b, 19a]

bhittvaa raakSasa dehaan taam te sharaa rudhira aaplutaaH || 3-25-19
a.ntarikSa gataa rejuH diipta agni sama tejasaH |

19b, 20a. te sharaa= those, arrows; taam raakSasa dehaan bhittvaa= their, demon's, bodies, on impaling; rudhira aaplutaaH= in blood, swamped; antarikSa gataa= into welkin, on going; diipta agni sama tejasaH= inflamed, flame, equal, with the flare; rejuH= shone forth.

On impaling the bodies demons, the arrows swamped in blood have gone into welkin, where they are aglow with flares equalling inflamed flames. [3-25-19b, 20a]

The similitude between redness of blood and the redness of flaring fire is again suggested, as said at 3-25-14b, 15a above.

asa.nkhyeyaaH tu raamasya saayakaaH caapa maNDalaat || 3-25-20
viniSpetuH atiiva ugraa rakSaH praaNa apahaariNaH |

20b, 21a. raamasya= Rama's; caapa maNDalaat= bow's, from nimbus - from circularly bent arrow; atiiva ugraaH= highly, frightening; rakSaH praaNa apahaariNaH= demons, lives, filchers of [resulted in]; a + sankhyeyaaH= not, calculable; saayakaaH viniSpetuH [vi niS petuH= verily, out, fell]= fusilladed.

Innumerable and highly frightening arrows fusilladed from the nimbus of the bow of Rama that resulted as the filchers of the lives of demons. [3-25-20b, 21a]

taiH dhanuu.mSi dhvaja agraaNi carmaaNi ca shiraa.msi ca || 3-25-21
bahuun sa hasta aabharaNaan uuruun kari kara upamaan |
ciCheda raamaH samare shatashaH atha sahasrashaH || 3-25-22

21b, 22. raamaH= Rama; samare= in that war; taiH= with such of them - arrows; shatashaH atha sahasrashaH= in hundreds, now, in thousands; dhanuumSi dhvaja agraaNi= bows, war-flags, pinnacles; carmaaNi ca= skins [armours,] also; shiraamsi ca= heads [of demons,] also; sa hasta aabharaNaan= with, hand, ornaments; bahuun= arms; kari kara upamaan= elephant's, trunk, similar; uuruun= thighs; ciCheda= shredded.

In that war, shooting now with hundreds, and now with thousands of such arrows, Rama shredded those many bows, pinnacles of war-flags, armours and the like. And even shred are the heads of demons, along with their ornamented arms and thighs similar to the trunks of elephants. [3-25-21b, 22]

hayaan kaa.ncana sannaahaan ratha yuk{}taan sa saarathiin |
gajaam ca sa gaja aarohaan sa hayaan saaradhinaH tadaa || 3-25-23
ciChiduH bibhiduH ca eva raama baaNaa guNa cyutaaH |
padaatiin samare hatvaa hi anayat yama sadanam || 3-25-24

23, 24. raama baaNaa [caapaat] guNa cyutaaH= Rama's, bow's, string, fallen from [with arrows]; kaancana sannaahaan= with golden, harnesses; ratha yuktaan = chariots, yoked to; sa saarathiin= with, charioteers; hayaan = horses; sa gajaam aarohaan= with, elephants, along with those that are riding; gajaam ca= elephants, also; ciChiduH bibhiduH ca eva hi= shredded, scrapped, also, thus, indeed; tadaa= likewise; sa hayaan saaradinaH= with, horses, cavaliers; padaatiin= infantrymen; samare hatvaa= in war, on killing; yama sadanam anayat = to Yama's, abode, led.

With the arrows flung from the bow-bowstring-nimbus of Rama, he indeed shredded and scraped the horses hitched with golden harnesses, and the chariots to which they are yoked, and even their charioteers. Likewise, he even ripped off the elephants along with their riders, and the horses along with their cavaliers. And on eliminating infantrymen in that war Rama led them to the abode of Yama, the Time-god. [3-25-23, 24] [3-25-23]

tato naaliika naaraacaiH tiikshNa agraiH vikarNibhiH |
bhiimam aarta svaram cakruH Chidyamaanaa nishaacaraaH || 3-25-25

25. tataH naaliika naaraacaiH= then, tubular arrows, iron arrows; tiikshNa agraiH= sharp, edged ones; vi karNibhiH= upturned, ears [crescent-tipped] arrow; Chidyamaanaa= while ripped to pieces; nishaacaraaH= nightwalkers; bhiimam aarta svaram cakruH= disgusting, anguish, cries, let out.

While ripped to pieces with tubular arrows, with arrows made of iron, and with sharp-edged and crescent-tipped arrows those demons have let out disgusting cries of anguish. [3-25-25]

tat sainyam nishitaiH baaNaiH arditam marma bhedibhiH |
na raameNa sukham lebhe shuSkam vanam iva agninaa || 3-25-26

26. raameNa= by Rama; marma bhedibhiH= critical places, piercing ones; nishitaiH baaNaiH arditam= with sharp, arrows, when harrowed; tat sainyam = that, army; sukham vanam agninaa iva= dried-up - burnt to a cinder, forest, by wild fire, as with; shuSkam na lebhe= pleasure, not, they have taken - disquieted.

When those arrows that gore the critical parts are thus harrowing, that army is discomposed like a forest burnt to a cinder by wild-fire. [3-25-26]

kecid bhiima balaaH shuuraaH praasaan shuulaan parashvadhaan |
cikSipuH parama kruddhaa raamaaya rajaniicaraaH || 3-25-27

27. bhiima balaaH shuuraaH= grotesquely, sinewy, brave ones; kecit rajaniicaraaH= some, nightwalkers; parama kruddhaa= highly, enraged; praasaan shuulaan parashvadhaan= darts, tridents, hatchets; raamaaya cikSipuH= towards Rama, they dashed.

Some of the grotesquely sinewy and braving nightwalkers are highly enraged and dashed their darts, tridents, and hatchets towards Rama. [3-25-27]

teSaam baaNaiH mahaabaahuH shastraaNi aavaarya viiryavaan |
jahaara samare praaNaan cicCheda ca shiro dharaan || 3-25-28

28. mahaabaahuH= mighty armed Rama; viiryavaan= valorous one; samare= in war; baaNaiH = with arrows; teSaam shastraaNi aavaarya= their, weapons, on fending off; shiraH dharaan= head, holders - necks; cicCheda= sheared off, praaNaan jahaara ca= filched, lives, also.

On fending off those weapons with his arrows that mighty armed and valorous Rama filched away their lives by shearing off their necks in that war. [3-25-28]

te Chinna shirasaH petuH Chinna carma sharaasanaaH |
suparNa vaata vikshiptaa jagatyaam paadapaa yathaa || 3-25-29

29. te= those demons; Chinna shirasaH= with severed, heads; Chinna carma shara aasanaaH = wrecked, shields, bows; suparNa vaata vikshiptaa= by Garuda, Divine-eagle, its gust, strewn around; paadapaa yathaa= trees, as with; jagatyaam petuH= on earth, crashed down.

Those demons crashed down to earth with their heads severed and shields and bows wrecked, like the trees strewn around on earth owing to the gust raised by Garuda, the Divine Eagle, when he takes a sudden flight in heavens. [3-25-29]

avashiSTaaH ca ye tatra viSaNNaaH te nishaacaraaH |
kharam eva abhyadhaavanta sharaNaartham shara aahataaH || 3-25-30

30. tatra avashiSTaaH= there, remaining; ye nishaacaraaH = those, nightwalkers, even; shara aahataaH= by arrows, battered; viSaNNaaH ca= desperately, also; kharam eva= to Khara, alone; sharaNa artham abhyadhaavanta= for shelter, seeking, rushed.

Those nightwalkers that are battered by those arrows and remaining there, they desperately rushed towards Khara alone seeking shelter. [3-25-30]

taan sarvaan dhanur aadaaya samaashvaasya ca duuSaNaH |
abhyadhaavata susa.mkruddhaH kruddhaH [rudram] kruddha iva antakaH || 3-25-31

31. duuSaNaH = Duushana; taan sarvaan= them, all; samaashvaasya on comforting; [punaH= again]; aadaaya= on taking them; su sam kruddhaH antakaH= very, highly, infuriated, Terminator; [rudram] iva= [to Rudra,] as with; dhanuH aadaaya= bow, taking; kruddham= infuriated - Rama;[kaakutstham= to Rama]; abhyadhaavata= hurried towards.

Comforting all of them and taking his bow, very highly infuriated Duushana rushed towards that infuriated Rama like the furious Eliminator Yama. Or That highly infuriated Duushana rushed towards Rama as highly infuriated Yama rushes towards Rudra, where Rudra being the ultimate eliminator himself, angry rush of Yama towards Rudra is therefore futile. [3-25-31]

The second meaning can be expressed by substituting the word 'kruddha' with 'rudra' as in other mms than that of Gorakhpur version.

nivR^ittaaH tu punaH sarve duuSaNa aashraya nirbhayaaH |
raamam eva abhyadhaavanta saala taala shila aayudhaaH || 3-25-32

32. sarve= all of them; duuSaNa aashraya nir bhayaaH= Duushana, in shelter of, without, fear - emboldened; punaH nivR^ittaaH tu= again, returned, but; saala taala shila aayudhaaH= saala trees, palm trees, boulders, as weapons; raamam eva abhyadhaavanta= to Rama, alone, towards rushed.

Coming under the shelter of Duushana all of those demons are but emboldened and returned, and they once again rushed towards Rama with saala trees, palm trees and boulders as their weapons. [3-25-32]

shuula mudgara hastaaH ca paasha hastaa mahaabalaaH |
sR^ijantaH shara varSaaNi shastra varSaaNi sa.myuge|| 3-25-33
druma varSaaNi mu.ncantaH shilaa varSaaNi raakshasaaH |

33, 34a. shuula mudgara hastaaH ca= tridents, maces, in hands, along with; paasha hastaa= leashes, in hands; mahaabalaaH raakshasaaH = great-mighty, demons; shara varSaaNi= arrow, torrents; shastra varSaaNi = missile, torrents; druma varSaaNi= tree, torrents; shilaa varSaaNi= boulder, torrents; sa.nyuge= in that war; sR^ijantaH= created; muncantaH= released.

Handling tridents, maces, and leashes those great-mighty demons have created torrents of arrows, missiles, trees and boulders, and inundated Rama in that war. [3-25-33, 34a]

tad babhuuva adbhutam yuddham tumulam roma harSaNam || 3-25-34
raamasya asya mahaaghoram punaH teSaam ca rakSasaam |

34b, 35a. punaH= again; raamasya= to Rama; teSaam rakSasaam ca = to the, demons, also; tumulam adbhutam= tumultuous, stunning; roma harSaNam = hair, raising one; asya yuddham= that, war; mahaa ghoram babhuuva= highly, gruesome, became.

Again there chanced a highly gruesome war between Rama and those demons that is tumultuous, stunning, and a hair-raising. [3-25-34b, 35a]

te samantaat abhikruddhaa raaghavam punar aardayan || 3-25-35
tataH sarvaa disho dR^iSTvaa pradishaaH ca samaavR^itaaH |
raakshasaiH sarvataH praaptaiH shara varSaabhiH aavR^itaH || 3-25-36
sa kR^itvaa bhairavam naadam astram parama bhaasvaram|
samayojayat gaandharvam raakshaseSu mahaabalaH || 3-25-37

35b, 36, 37. te= those demons; abhi kruddhaa= in high, dudgeon; punaH raaghavam= again, at Raghava; samantaat= all around; aardayan= on pressurising; [ahyayuH - abhi yayuH= came towards him - resurfaced]; tataH= then; mahaa balaH saH = exceptionally, forceful, he, that Rama; raakshasaiH sarvataH praaptaiH= by demons, from everywhere, reappeared; sarvaa dishaH pra dishaaH ca= all, directions, inter, directions, also; sam aavR^itaaH = fully, filled in; shara varSaabhiH aavR^itaH= with arrow, torrents, storming; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; bhairavam naadam kR^itvaa= thunderous, sound, making; raakshaseSu= among demons; parama bhaasvaram astram= extremely, blazing, missile; gaandharvam samayojayat= gandharva missile, launched.

Those demons have resurfaced from all around pressurising Raghava in high dudgeon. On seeing the reappearance of demons from everywhere, with whom all the directions and inter-directions are fully filled, and who are storming torrents of arrows, then that exceptionally forceful Rama made a thunderous sound and launched an extremely blazing missile among the gather of demons, called gandharva missile. [3-25-35b, 36, 37]

tataH shara sahasraaNi niryayuH caapa maNDalaat |
sarvaa dasha disho baanaiH aapuuryanta samaagataiH || 3-25-38

38. tataH caapa maNDalaat = then, from bow's, nimbus; shara sahasraaNi= arrows, in thousands; nir yayuH= out, scurried; samaagataiH baanaiH= with arrived, arrows; sarvaaH dasha dishaH= all, ten, sides; aapuuryanta= started to fill - crammed.

Then from the nimbus of his bow, arrows in thousand have scurried out, and with them thus arrived all the ten sides are cramped up. [3-25-38]

na aadadaanaam sharaan ghoraan vimu.nca.ntam shara uttamaan |
vikarSamaaNam pashyanti raakshasaaH te shara aarditaaH || 3-25-39

39. shara aarditaaH= by arrows, harrowed; te raakshasaaH = those, demons; ghoraan= deadly ones; sharaan aadadaanaam= arrows, drawing forth; na pashyanti= not, seeing; shara uttamaan vimuncantam= arrows, supreme, unloosening; na= not [seen]; vikarSamaaNam= traction [of bowstring]; [na = they have not seen.]

Either the drawing of those supreme arrows from the quiver, or the traction of bowstring on placing them, or unloosing them from the bow is unperceived by those demons that are harrowing under those arrows. [3-25-39]

shara andhakaaram aakaasham aavR^iNot sa divaakaram |
babhuuva avasthito raamaH prakshipan iva taan sharaan || 3-25-40

40. shara andhakaaram= arrows, darkness; sa divaakaram aakaasham= with, sun, sky; aavR^iNot = overspread; raamaH= Rama; taan sharaan= those, arrows; pra kshipan iva [pra vaman iva]= spew forth, as though; avasthitaH babhuuva = standing - persevered, he became.

Darkness caused by the thick of the arrows overspread the sky including its sun, while Rama happened to persevere spewing forth his arrows. [3-25-40]

Dark grew the air with arrowy hail / Which hid the sun as with a veil. - Griffith.

yugapat patamaanaiH ca yugapacca hataiH bhrisham |
yugapat patitaiH caiva vikiirNaa vasudhaa abhavat || 3-25-41

41. vasudhaa= earth; yugapat patamaanaiH ca= in a trice, falling down, and; yugapat hataiH ca= in a trice, killed, even; yugapat patitaiH caiva= in a trice, fallen down, also thus; bhrisham vikiirNaa abhavat= far and wide, scattered [with them,] became.

Far and wide the earth is scattered with herds that are falling instantaneously, hosts that have fallen instantly, and huddles that are already felled with an instantaneity. [3-25-41]

Fiends wounded, falling, fallen, slain, / All in a moment, spread the plain, - Griffith.

nihataaH patitaaH kshiiNaa cChinna bhinna vidaaritaaH |
tatra tatra sma dR^ishyante raakshasaaH te sahasrashaH || 3-25-42

42. te raakshasaaH= those, demons; tatra tatra= there, and there; sahasrashaH nihataaH= in thousands, when killed; patitaaH= when fell; kshiiNaa= when enfeebled; bhinna= when gashed; cChinna = when slashed; vidaaritaaH= when ripped; dR^ishyante sma= noticeable, they are.

Thousands of demons are noticeable hither and yon, killed, fallen and enfeebled, and slashed, gashed and ripped. [3-25-42]

And thousands scarce alive were left / Mangled, and gashed, and torn, and cleft. - Griffith.

sa uSNiiSaiH uttama angaiH ca sa a.ngadaiH baahubhiH tathaa |
uurubhiH baahubhiH cChinnaiH naanaa ruupaiH vibhuuSaNaiH || 3-25-43
hayaiH ca dvipa mukhyaiH ca rathaiH bhinnaiH anekashaH |
caamara vyajanaiH ChatraiH dhvajaiH naanaa vidhaiH api || 3-25-44
raameNa baaNa abhihataiH vicChinnaiH shuula paTTishaiH |
khaDgaiH khaNDiikR^itaiH praasaiH vikiirNaiH ca pashvadhaiH || 3-25-45
cuuNitaabhiH shilaabhiH ca sharaiH citraiH anekashaH |
vicChinnaiH samare bhuumiH vistiirNaa aabhuut bhaya.mkaraa || 3-25-46

43. samare= in war; sa uSNiiSaiH= with, headgears; uttama angaiH ca= with best, body part [heads,] also; tathaa= likewise; sa angadaiH baahubhiH = with, bicep-lets, with arms, cChinnaiH uurubhiH= cut off, with thighs; baahubhiH = arms [or, jaanubhiH= with knees]; naanaa ruupaiH vibhuuSaNaiH= diverse, patterns, with ornaments; an+ekashaH= not, one - numerous; hayaiH ca= with horses, also; dvipa mukhyaiH ca= elephants, best ones, also; bhinnaiH= ravaged; rathaiH = chariots; caamaraiH vyajanaiH = chaamara animal's tail fur, royal-fans; ChatraiH= royal-parasols; naanaa vidhaiH= very many, kinds of; dhvajaiH api= war-flags, even; raameNa= by Rama; baaNa abhihataiH= by arrows, battered; vicChinnaiH shuula paTTishaiH= splintered, tridents, spears; khaNDii kR^itaiH = to pieces, made as - broken to pieces; khaDgaiH= swords; praasaiH= darts; vikiirNaiH= shattered and strewn; pashvadhaiH ca= with hatchets, even; shilaabhiH= with boulders; cuuNitaabhiH= pulverised [arrows]; an+ ekashaH vicChinnaiH= in many ways, gone to rack and ruin; citraiH sharaiH=with amazing, arrows; vistiirNaa bhuumiH spread about, earth which is; bhayamkaraa aabhuut= horrifying, it [earth] became.

Some severed heads still have their headgears and some bare, some arms are with armlets and some bare, while some with their arms cut off, some with their thighs cut off, some with their divers patterns of ornaments on their bodies have fallen on ground. Numerous horses and elephants are felled. Chariots, royal-fans, royal-parasols, war-flags of very many kinds are ravaged in many ways. Hit down by Rama's arrows spears and tridents are variously splintered, swords broken to pieces, darts and hatchets shattered and strewn around. Also the boulders are pulverised, various amazing arrows have gone to rack and ruin in many ways. Spread with such wreckage the earth has become horrifying for a glance. [3-25-43, 44, 45, 46]

taan dR^iSTvaa nihataan sarve rakshasaaH parama aaturaaH |
na tatra calitum shak{}taa raamam para pura.mjayam || 3-25-47

47. sarve rakshasaaH= all, [surviving] demons; taan nihataan dR^iSTvaa = them, killed, on seeing; parama aaturaaH= highly, enervated; tatra calitum na shaktaa= there, to make a move, not, capable of; raamam para puram jayam= towards Rama, enemy's, capital/castle, conqueror.

On seeing the killed demons all the surviving demons have become enervated and they are rendered incapable to make a move towards Rama, the conqueror of enemy's capitals. [3-25-47]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.nca vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 25th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 26

Introduction

Rama eliminates fourteen thousand demons led by Duushana. Firstly, the forerunning demons are killed, next Duushana is routed, and then twelve other captains who on knowing Duushana's downfall dashed towards Rama. Left behind are only two, Khara and Trishira, the chiefs of that demonic force in Janasthaana.

duuSaNaH tu svakam sainyam hanyamaanam vilokya ca |
sa.mdidesha mahaabaahuH bhiima vegaan nishaacaraan || 3-26-1
raakshasaan pa.nca saahasraan samareSu anivartinaH |

1. mahaabaahuH duuSaNaH tu= mighty armed one, Duushana, on his part; hanyamaanam= while being shattered; svakam sainyam vilokya ca= his own, forces, on seeing, also; bhiima vegaan nishaacaraan= of monstrous, impetus, nightwalkers; samareSu a+ nivartinaH = in war, not, retreating; panca saahasraan raakshasaan = t five, thousands, demons; samdidesha= ordered.

On seeing the shattering of his own forces, Duushana bid five thousand mighty-armed nightwalkers of monstrous impetus, and who knew no retreat in war, to attack Rama. [3-26-1]

te shuulaiH paTTishaiH kadagaiH shilaa varaSaiH drumaiH || 3-26-2
shara varSaiH vicChinnam vavarSuH tam samantataH |

2b, 3a. te= they; shuulaiH paTTishaiH kadagaiH= with spears, scimitars, swords; shilaa varaSaiH= with boulder, rains; drumaiH = with trees; shara varSaiH= with arrow, rains; a vi cChinnam= not, verily, ceasing [incessantly]; sam antataH= completely, from all over; tam= on that Rama; va varSuH= inordinately, rained.

And they with spears, scimitars, swords, and with the rains of boulders, trees and arrows rained incessantly and inordinately upon Rama from all over. [3-26-2b, 3a]

tat drumaaNaam shilaanaam ca varSam praaNa haram mahat || 3-26-3
pratijagraaha dharmaatmaa raaghavaH tiikSNa saayakaiH |

3b, 4a. dharmaatmaa raaghavaH= virtue-souled, Raghava; tat praaNa haram = that, lives, taking; mahat= ghastly one [storming]; drumaaNaam shilaanaam ca= of trees, of boulders, also; varSam = storm; tiikSNa saayakaiH= with fierce, arrows; prati jagraaha= in return, taken [neutralised.]

Raghava, the virtue-souled, in his turn has neutralised that ghastly and life-taking storm of boulders and trees with his fierce arrows. [3-26-3b, 4a]

pratigR^ihya ca tad varSam nimiilita iva R^iSabhaH || 3-26-4
raamaH krodham param lebhe vadha artham sarva rakSasaam |

4b, 5a. raamaH= Rama; nimiilita R^iSabhaH iva = with closed eyes, a bull, as with; tat varSam prati gR^ihya= that, storm, on receiving - on assimilating; sarva rakSasaam vadha artham = of all, demons, elimination, for the sake of; param krodham lebhe= inordinate, infuriation, he took [he evoked.]

Like a bull receiving rain with closed eyes Rama assimilated that storming and then evoked an inordinate infuriation for eliminating all of the demons. [3-26-4b, 5a]

tataH krodha samaaviSTaH pradiipta iva tejasaa || 3-26-5
sharaiH abhyakirat sainyam sarvataH saha duuSaNam |

5b, 6a. tataH krodha samaaviSTaH= then, exasperation, prevailing over; tejasaa pradiipta iva = with blaze [of virtue,] highly blazing, like; saha duuSaNam sainyam= along with, Duushana, on army; sarvataH = from all over; sharaiH= with arrows; abhi akirat = fully, bestrewn - diffused.

Exasperation prevailing on him who appeared to be highly blazing with the blaze of his own virtue, he then diffused Duushana and his army with arrows from all over. [3-26-5b, 6a]

tataH senaa patiH kruddho duuSaNaH shatru duuSaNaH || 3-26-6
sharaiH ashani kalpaiH tam raaghavam samavaarayat |

6b, 7a. tataH= then; senaa patiH= army, commander; shatru duuSaNaH duuSaNaH = rival's, railer, Duushana; kruddhaH= becoming enraged; ashani kalpaiH sharaiH = thunderbolt, simulative of, with arrows; tam raaghavam= him, that Raghava; sam avaarayat= virtually, forestalled.

And on becoming enraged Duushana, the railer of his rivals and the commander of that army, then virtually forestalled Raghava's onslaught with his arrows that are simulative of thunderbolts. [3-26-6b, 7a]

tato raamaH sa.mkruddhaH kshureNa asya mahat dhanuH || 3-26-7
cicCheda samare viiraH caturbhiH caturo hayaan |

7b, 8a. tataH sam kruddhaH= then, infuriated [Rama]; samare viiraH raamaH = in war, valiant one, Rama; kshureNa= razor-sharp [arrow with crescent-shaped barb]; asya mahat dhanuH= his [Duushana's,] sturdy, bow; caturbhiH caturaH hayaan= with four [arrows,] four, horses; cicCheda= shivered [bow broken into shivers] / shredded [horses shredded into pieces.]

That valiant one in warring Rama is then infuriated and with his crescent-barbed arrow shivered the sturdy bow of Duushana, shredding four of his horses with four more arrows. [3-26-7b, 8a]

hatvaa ca ashvaan sharaiH tiikshNaiH artha candreNa saarathe || 3-26-8
shiro jahaara tad rakshaH tribhir vivyaadha vakshasi |

8b, 9a. tiikshNaiH sharaiH= with excruciating, arrows; ashvaan ca hatvaa = horses, even, on destructing; artha candreNa = with half, moon-shaped - crescent-barbed arrow; saarathe shiraH jahaara= charioteer's, head, snatched away - fragmented; tribhiH= with three [arrows]; tat rakshaH vakshasi vivyaadha = that, demon [Duushana,] in chests, impaled.

On destructing the horses with excruciating arrows, he even fragmented the head of the charioteer with a crescent-barbed arrow, and even impaled the chest of demon Duushana with some more arrows. [3-26-8b, 9a]

One crescent dart he aimed which shred / Clean from his neck the driver's head; / Three more with deadly skill addressed / Stood quivering in the giant's breast. - Griffith.

sa cChinna dhanvaa viratho hata ashvo hata saarathiH || 3-26-9
jagraaha giri shR^i.nga aabham parigham roma harSaNam |
veSTitam kaa.ncanaiH paTTaiH deva sainya abhimardanam || 3-26-10
aayasaiH sha.nkubhiH tiikSNaiH kiirNam para vasaa ukSitaam |
vajra ashani sama sparsham para gopura daaraNam || 3-26-11

9b, 10, 11. cChinna dhanvaa= with a fractured, bow; vi+rathaH without - shattered, chariot; hata ashvaH hata saarathiH= killed, horses, killed, charioteer; saH= he that Duushana; giri shR^inga aabham= mountain, peak, in its shine - outranking; roma harSaNam= hair, thriller of; kaancanaiH paTTaiH veSTitam = with golden, girdles, girt with; deva sainya abhi mardanam= god's, army, now, gritter of; tiikSNaiH aayasaiH shankubhiH = with incisive, iron, spikes; kiirNam= overlain - studded with; para vasaa ukSitaam =, with others [enemy's,] fats, saturated once; vajra ashani sama sparsham = diamond, thunderbolt, coequal, for touch; para gopura daaraNam= others [adversaries',] archway, which ransacks; such a; parigham jagraaha= mace, he grabbed.

With his bow fractured and chariot shredded, and with horses and charioteer killed, he that Duushana grabbed a mace which outranks a peak of mountain and a hair-thriller at its sight, and which girt with golden girths once gritted the armies of gods, the head of which is studded with incisive iron spikes and saturated with the fat of foes, a coequal of a diamond and a thunderbolt in its hardiness and flashiness, and a ransacker of the archways of fortresses of his adversaries. [3-26-9b, 10, 11]

tam mahaa uraga sa.mkaasham pragR^ihya parigham raNe |
duuSaNo abhyapatat raamam kruura karmaa nishaacaraH || 3-26-12

12. kruura karmaa nishaacaraH= one with infernal, exerts, nightwalker; duuSaNaH= Duushana; raNe= in war; mahaa uraga samkaasham= infernal, serpent, akin to; tam parigham= that, mace; pra gR^ihya= well, taking - gripping firmly; raamam= towards Rama; abhyaapatat [abhi aa patat= towards, came, falling] fell upon - rushed at.

On firmly gripping that mace which in war is akin to an infernal serpent, and the touch of which tantamount to snakebite, rushed that nightwalker Duushana with infernal exerts rushed towards Rama. [3-26-12]

tasya abhipatamaanasya duuSaNasya sa raaghavaH |
dvaabhyaam sharaabhyaam cicCheda sa hasta aabharaNau bhujau || 3-26-13

13. saH raaghavaH= he, Raghava; abhi patamaanasya= towards, while coming upon; tasya duuSaNasya= his, of Duushana; sa hasta aabharaNau bhujau= with, hand, ornaments, shoulders - arms with wrist-ornaments; dvaabhyaam sharaabhyaam cicCheda= two, arrows, sheared off.

While Duushana came falling on, he that Raghava sheared off his shoulders that have wrist-ornaments on his arms with two arrows. [3-26-13]

bhraSTaH tasya mahaakaayaH papaata raNa muurdhani |
parighaH Chinna hastasya shakra dhvaja iva agrataH || 3-26-14

14. raNa muurdhani= in war, in vanguard of; Chinna hastasya= on who has sheared, hands; tasya= his; mahaa kaayaH= gigantic, in construct; parighaH bhraSTaH= mace, having slipped - and spinned; shakra dhvaja iva= Indra's, flagstaff, like [when collapsed]; agrataH pa paata= in front of [Duushana,] fell.

When Duushana's arms are thus sheared in the van of war, his gigantic mace slipped and spun in his own front, like the flagstaff with flag raised in honour of Indra, and collapsed . [3-26-14]

karaabhyaam ca vikiirNaabhyaam papaata bhuvi duuSaNaH |
viSaaNaabhyaam vishiir.hNaabhyaam manasvii iva mahaagajaH || 3-26-15

15. duuSaNaH = Duushana; vikiirNaabhyaam karaabhyaam= with strewn, arms; vishiirNaabhyaam viSaaNaabhyaam = broken down, with two tusks; manasvii= self-regarding - haughty one; mahaa gajaH iva= gigantic, elephant, like; bhuvi papaata= on earth, fell down.

With both of his arms strewn around Duushana fell down onto earth like a haughty and gigantic elephant when both of its tusks are broken down. [3-26-15]

dR^iSTvaa tam patitam bhuumau duuSaNam nihatam raNe |
saadhu saadhu iti kaakutstham sarva bhuutaani apuujayan || 3-26-16

16. raNe nihatam= in war, elimination of; bhuumau patitam= on earth, fallen; tam duuSaNam dR^iSTvaa= him, that Duushana, on seeing; sarva bhuutaani= all, beings; kaakutstham= to Kakutstha; saadhu saadhu iti = good, good, thus as; apuujayan= venerated - applauded.

On seeing Duushana eliminated and fallen to ground, all the beings have applauded Rama saying, 'good, good...' [3-26-16]

etasmin antare kruddhaaH trayaH senaa agra yaayinaH |
sa.mhatya abhyadravan raamam mR^ityu paasha avapaashitaaH || 3-26-17
mahaakapaalaH sthuulaakSaH pramaathii ca mahaabalaH |

17, 18a. etasmin antare= in this, meantime; kruddhaaH= infuriated ones; mahaakapaalaH sthuulaakSaH= Mahakapaala, Sthulaaksha; mahaabalaH pramaathii ca= great-mighty one, Pramaathi, also; trayaH senaa agra yaayinaH= three, army, fore, striders [leading, commanders]; mR^ityu paasha ava paashitaaH= by death's, rein, bound by; samhatya [samhR^itya]= collectively; raamam abhi dravan = to Rama, towards, ran.

In the meantime infuriated are the three leading commanders of that army, namely Mahakapaala, Sthulaaksha and great mighty Pramaathii, and they collectively ran towards Rama, bound by the rein of death. [3-26-17, 18a]

mahaakapaalo vipulam shuulam udyamya raakSasaH || 3-26-18
sthuulaakSaH paTTisham gR^ihya pramaathii ca parashvadham |

18b, 19a. mahaakapaalaH vipulam shuulam udyamya= Mahakapaala, broad, trident, raising up; raakSasaH sthuulaakSaH paTTisham gR^ihya= demon, Sthulaaksha, scimitar, handling; pramaathii ca parashvadham = Pramaathi, also, axe [handling, they rushed.]

Mahakapaala raising a broad trident, Sthulaaksha handling a scimitar, Pramaathi handling an axe rushed towards Rama. [3-26-18b, 19a]

dR^iSTvaa eva aapatataH taam tu raaghavaH saayakaiH shitaiH || 3-26-19
tiikSNa agraiH pratijagraaha sa.mpraaptaan atithiin iva |

19b, 20a. raaghavaH= Raghava; aa patataH= coming, falling on; taam tu= them, but; dR^iSTvaa eva= on seeing, thus; shitaiH tiikSNa agraiH saayakaiH = sharpened, with acute, edges, with arrows; sampraaptaan a+tithiin iva= chanced, [guests] without, time limit [an inopportune guests of war] as with; jagraaha= received - taken on.

As one would receive guests meeting his basic needs, Raghava too took on these untimely guests of war, rather the insurgents, meeting their basic needs which now are no more than highly sharpened acute edged arrows, when he saw them coming and falling upon him, inopportunely. [3-26-19b, 20a]

mahaakapaalasya shiraH cicCheda raghuna.ndanaH || 3-26-20
asa.mkhyeyaiH tu baaNa oghaiH pramamaatha pramaathinam |
sthuulaakSasya akSiNii sthuule puurayaamaasa saayakaiH || 3-26-21
sa papaata hato bhuumau viTapii iva mahaadrumaH |
duuSaNasya anugaan pa.nca sahasraan kupitaH kshaNaat || 3-26-22
hatvaa tu pa.nca sahasraan anayat yama sadanam |

20b, 21, 22, 23a. raghunandanaH= Raghu's, legatee - Rama; mahaakapaalasya shiraH cicCheda Mahakapaala's, head, chopped off; a+samkhyeyaiH tu baaNa oghaiH= not, calculable, but, arrows, with spate of; pramaathinam= Pramatha is; prama maatha [pra ma maatha= totally, routed, down]= eliminated; sthuulaakSasya= Sthuulakaya's; sthuule akSiNii= bulging, eyes; saayakaiH puurayaamaasa= with arrows, started to fill; saH= he [Sthulaaksha]; kshaNaat hataH= forthwith, killed; viTapii mahaa drumaH iva= with branches, burly, tree, like; bhuumau papaata = onto ground, fell down; kupitaH= infuriated one - Rama; duuSaNasya panca sahasraan anugaan = Duushana's, five, thousand, henchmen are; panca sahasraan= with five, thousand [arrows]; hatvaa tu = on eliminating, but; anayat yama sadanam = led them, to Yam, Time-god's, residence [hell.]

Rama, the legatee of Raghu, chopped off the head of Mahakapaala, with incalculable spates of arrows he eliminated Pramaathi, and filled the bulging eyes of Sthulaaksha with arrows by which Sthulaaksha is killed and fell down onto ground like a burly tree with its broad branches. Then still infuriated Rama forthwith eliminated the five thousand hench-demons of Duushana with five thousand arrows, and thus he led them to the residence of Time-god, namely the hell. [3-26-20b, 21, 22, 23a]

The words viTapi 'a tree with branches and twigs...' and druma 'a tree' in general. Though they are similar to give the general meaning of a tree, they are juxtaposed taking the viTapi as the adjective of the word druma. This is not exactly synonymic usage, but a shade of difference is available in both words. Readers may please refer to the excellent book of Dr. Satya Vrat, The Ramayana - A Linguistic Study.

duuSaNam nihatam shrutvaa tasya ca eva padaanugaan || 3-26-23
vyaadidesha kharaH kruddho sena adhyakshaan mahaabalaan |

23b, 24a. duuSaNam nihatam= Duushana, as killed; tasya pada anugaan= his own, followers; shrutvaa = on hearing; kharaH kruddhaH= Khara, irately; mahaa balaan sena adhyakshaan= to them who have mighty forces under them, to army, captains; vyaadidesha= ordered.

On hearing about the killing of Duushana and also thus of the followers of Duushana, Khara irately ordered his army captains, under whose captaincy mighty forces are there. [3-26-23b, 24a]

ayam vinihataH sa.nkhye duuSaNaH sa padaanugaaH || 3-26-24
mahatyaa senayaa saardham yuddhvaa raamam kumaanuSam |
shastraiH naanaa vidha akaaraiH hanadhvam sarva raakshasaaH || 3-26-25

24b, 25. ayam= he [Duushana]; sa pada anugaaH = with, followers; duuSaNaH= Duushana; sankhye= in war; vinihataH= is killed; sarva raakshasaaH= oh, all, demons; mahatyaa senayaa saardham= formidable, army, along with - take; yuddhvaa= on combat; naanaa vidha akaaraiH shastraiH= diverse, kinds of, having designs, with weapons; ku maanuSam= evil, human; raamam = Rama; hanadhvam= be killed.

"Duushana is killed in war along with his followers, hence all you demons, take formidable army, take weapons of diverse designs, combat and kill that evil-human Rama..." Thus Khara ordered the remaining demons. [3-26-24b, 25]

evam uk{}tvaa kharaH kruddho raamam eva abhi dudruve |
shyenagaamii pR^ithugriivo yaj~nashatrur viha.ngamaH || 3-26-26
durjayaH karaviiraakshaH paruSaH kaalakaarmukaH |
hemamaalii mahaamaalii sarpasyo rudhiraashanaH || 3-26-27
dvaadasha ete mahaaviiryaa bala adhyakshaaH sa sainikaaH
ramam eva abhyadhaava.nta visR^ija.ntaH sharottamaan || 3-26-28

26, 27, 28. kharaH evam uktvaa= Khara, = thus, saying; kruddhaH= in rage; raamam eva abhi dudruve= to Rama, alone, towards, rushed; shyenagaamii pR^ithugriivaH yaj~nashatruH vihangamaH= Shyenagaami, Prithugriiva, Yajnashatru, Vihangama durjayaH karaviiraakshaH paruSaH kaalakaarmukaH= Durjaya, Karaviiraaksha, Parusha, Kaalakaarmuka; hemamaalii mahaamaalii sarpasyaH rudhiraashanaH= Hemamaali, Mahaamaali, Sarpaasya, Rudhiraaksha; ete mahaaviiryaa dvaadasha = these, fiendishly atrocious [demons] twelve are; bala adhyakshaaH= troop, leaders; sa sainikaaH = with, demon forces; shara uttamaan visR^ijantaH= arrows, best ones - atrocious one, while launching; ramam eva abhyadhaavanta= to Rama, alone, towards, rushed.

Saying so Khara himself rushed towards Rama in rage, and Shyenagaami, Prithugriiva, Yajnashatru, Vihangama Durjaya, Karaviiraaksha, Parusha, Kaalakaarmuka, Hemamaali, Mahaamaali, Sarpaasya, and Rudhiraaksha are the twelve fiendishly atrocious troop leaders of demonic forces, and they too rushed towards Rama launching their atrocious arrows. [3-26-26, 27, 28]

tataH paavaka sa.mkaashaiH hema vajra vibhuuSitaiH |
jaghana sheSam tejasvii tasya sainyasya saayakaiH || 3-26-29

29. tejasvii= resplendent - Rama; tataH= then; paavaka samkaashaiH= ritual-fire, isimilar in blaze; hema vajra vibhuuSitaiH = with gold, diamonds, embellished with; saayakaiH= with arrows; tasya sainyasya sheSam of that, army's, remaining [demons]; jaghana= annihilated.

He who is resplendent that Rama then annihilated the remaining demons of that army with his arrows that are embellished with gold and diamonds, and that are blazing like ritual-fires. [3-26-29]

te rukma pu.nkhaa vishikhaaH sa dhuumaa iva paavakaaH |
nijaghnuH taani rakSaa.msi vajraa iva mahaadrumaan || 3-26-30

30. rukma punkhaa= with golden, tailpieces; sa dhuumaa paavakaaH iva= with, fumes, similar to, [dazzling] ritual-fires, as though; te vi shikhaaH= those [arrows,] with sharp barbs; vajraaH mahaa drumaan iva= Thunderbolts, gigantic, trees, as with; taani rakSaamsi nijaghnuH= them, demons, felled.

With those arrows that have golden tailpieces and sharp barbs, and that are dazzling like fuming ritual fires Rama felled the demons, as Thunderbolts of Indra will be felling gigantic trees. [3-26-30]

rakSasaam tu shatam raamaH shatena ekena karNinaa |
sahasram tu sahasreNa jaghaana raNa muurdhani || 3-26-31

31. raamaH tu rakSasaam shatam= Rama, but, demons, a hundred; karNinaa= with rudder-like [helm/tiller of a rudder of a ship,] suchlike arrow; ekena shatena= with one, hundred; sahasram = thousand [demons]; sahasreNa= with thousand [arrows]; raNa muurdhani= in war's, forefront; jaghaana= hit down.

With a hundred rudder like arrows Rama hit down a hundred demons, and with a thousand more, thousand more demons are hit in the forefront of that war. [3-26-31]

taiH bhinna varma aabharaNaaH Chinna bhinna shara aasanaaH |
nipetuH shoNita aadigdhaa dharaNyaam rajaniicaraaH || 3-26-32

32. taiH= with them [arrows]; bhinna varma aabharaNaaH= ripped off, shields, armorial-ornaments; Chinna bhinna shara aasanaaH= ruined, rickety, arrow's, seat [bow]; rajanii caraaH shoNita aa digdhaa= nightwalkers, by blood, wholly, [bodies] smudged; dharaNyaam = onto ground; nipetuH = fell down.

Ripped are their shields and armorial-ornaments, ruined and rickety are their bows, and they the nightwalkers fell flat on ground, bodies wholly smudged with blood. [3-26-32]

taiH muk{}ta keshaiH samare patitaiH shoNita ukSitaiH |
vistiirNaa vasudhaa kR^it.hsnaa mahaavediH kushaiH iva || 3-26-33

33. samare patitaiH= in war, fell down; mukta keshaiH= released, head-hair [tousling]; shoNita ukSitaiH= with blood, drenched; taiH= with them, those demons; kR^itsnaa vasudhaa= entire, earth; mahaa vediH kushaiH vistiirNaa iva= vast, fire-altar, with holy-grass, spread over with, like [became.]

With those demons that have fallen down in war, whose hair is tousled and who are drenched in blood, entire earth looked like a vast altar of fire overspread with holy grass. [3-26-33]

tat kSaNe tu mahaa ghoram vanam nihata raakSasam |
babhuuva niraya prakhyam maa.msa shoNita kardamam || 3-26-34

34. nihata raakSasam vanam = with killed, demons, forest; kSaNe mahaa ghoram= in a moment, very, disgustingly; maamsa shoNita kardamam= flesh, blood, sludgy; niraya prakhyam= hell, identical with; babhuuva= became.

That forest which became sludgy with the flesh and blood of killed demons and very disgusting, in a moment it became identical with hell. [3-26-34]

caturdasha sahasraaNi rakSasaam bhiima karmaNaam |
hataani ekena raameNa maanuSeNa padaatinaa || 3-26-35

35. maanuSeNa= by a human; padaatinaa= foot-soldier; raameNa ekena = by Rama; a lone one; bhiima karmaNaam= of frightening, exploits; rakSasaam= demons are; catur dasha sahasraaNi = four, ten, thousand - fourteen thousand; hataani= are eliminated.

Thus that Rama, a lone one, that too a foot-soldier, has eliminated fourteen thousand demons of frightening exploits. [3-26-35]

tasya sainyasya sarvasya kharaH sheSo mahaarathaH |
raakSasaH trishiraaH caiva raamaH ca ripusuudanaH || 3-26-36

36. sarvasya= of the entire [army]; tasya sainyasya= of his [Khara's,] army; mahaarathaH kharaH sheSaH= great-charioteer, Khara, remnant - excepting for; raakSasaH trishiraaH caiva= demon, Trishira, also thus [except for]; raamaH ca ripu suudanaH= Rama, also, enemy, destroyer; [nishaacaraa hata sheSau = on killing, reaming ones, nightwalkers;]

Of his entire army great-charioteer Khara and Trishira are the remaining nightwalkers, and Rama, the enemy destroyer, naturally on the other side. [3-26-36]

The last compound in the second foot indicates that Rama is also remaining as one among the army of Khara, which is found irksome to some scholars. They said that the older mms contain the expression hata shSau nishaaacaraa instead of raamaH ca ripu suudanaH taking the finishing line from the opening words of next verse. Otherwise, it can be said 'on the side of Khara only two demons, namely Khara and Trishira are remaining, and on the other side Rama is remaining...' as given here. But it is said to be inappropriate, because Rama cannot be grouped with the killable side. Further, there are some more petty demons besides Khara and Trishira, to carry a word to Ravana, as said in the coming chapters.

sheSaa hataa mahaaviiryaa raakshasaa raNa muurdhani |
ghoraa durviSahaaH sarve lakshmaNasya agrajena || 3-26-37

37. mahaa viiryaa= highly, valorous ones; ghoraaH= ghastly ones; durviSahaaH= unbearable ones; sarve sheSaa raakshasaa = all, remaining, demons; [te= they are]; lakshmaNasya agrajena= by Lakshmana's, elder brother - Rama; raNa muurdhani hataa= in war's, forefront, are eliminated.

Lakshmana's elder brother Rama eliminated all of the remaining demons in the forefront of war who are highly valorous, ghastly and unbearable. [3-26-37]

tataH tu tad bhiima balam mahaa aahave
samiikSya raameNa hatam baliiyasaa |
rathena raamam mahataa kharaH tataH
samaasasaada indra iva udyata ashaniH || 3-26-38

38. tataH= then; kharaH= Khara; mahaa aahave= in great war; baliiyasaa raameNa= by forceful one, Rama; hatam= those that are - killed; tat bhiima balam= that, gigantic, force; samiikSya = on surveying; tataH= then; udyata ashaniH= one with - upraised, Thunderbolt; indra iva = Indra, as with; mahataa rathena= by a great, chariot; raamam samaasasaada [sam aa sa saada]= to Rama, marched onto reach.

Then on surveying that great demonic force which is eliminated by Rama in that staggering war, Khara then marched on to reach Rama in a huge chariot, as with Indra who will march upraising his Thunderbolt. [3-26-38]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe SaD vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 26th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 27

Introduction

Trishira, the demon, supersedes Khara to fight Rama at his turn. He hits Rama with arrows for which Rama says that it is no more than the patting with flowers. Then a combat ensues and Rama becoming infuriated eliminates Trishira in the battle

kharam tu raama abhimukham prayaa.ntam vaahinii patiH |
raakSasaH trishiraa naama sa.mnipatya idam abraviit || 3-27-1

1. raama abhimukham pra yaantam= towards Rama's, forefront, verily, journeying - lunging at; kharam tu= to Khara, but; vaahinii patiH= forces, commander; trishiraa naama raakSasaH= Trishira, named demons; sam nipatya= on nearing / on saluting; idam abraviit= this, said.

But when Khara is about to lunge to the forefront of Rama, nearing him the commander of demonic forces named Trishira spoke this to him. [3-27-1]

maam niyojaya vikraa.ntam tvam nivartasva saahasaat |
pashya raamam mahaabaahum sa.myuge vinipaatitam || 3-27-2

2. vikraantam maam niyojaya= invader [such as I am,] me, enjoin; saahasaat tvam ni vartasva= from adventure, you, return - desist from; samyuge= in combat; vi ni paatitam= verily, down, felled; mahaabaahum raamam pashya= mighty-armed, Rama, you [are certain to] see.

"Desisting from your personal adventure you enjoin me for I am an invader, and then you are certain to see me felling that mighty-armed Rama in combat. [3-27-2]

The spirit of soldiery is explained in this verse. When junior rankers are available, they are not supposed to allow higher ups to lunge forward in the first instance. Dharmaakuutam puts it thus, in Maha Bharata war, when Duryodhana himself wanted to deal with Arjuna, Ashvatthaama holds him back saying: mayi jiivati gaandhaare na yuddham kartum arhasi ... aham aavaara iSyaami paartham tiSTa suyodhana... 'when I am alive you are not supposed to combat, I will take over Arjuna, you stay back, oh, Suyodhana...' But the same Suyodhana does not show this much war-nicety when killing the lone Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna.

pratijaanaami te satyam aayudham ca aham aalabhe |
yathaa raamam vadhiSyaami vadhaarham sarva rakSasaam || 3-27-3

3. aham te= I, to you; satyam prati jaanaami= truly, promising; aayudham ca aalabhe= weapon, I am, on touching - oath on my weapon, too; yathaa= as to how; sarva rakSasaam= for all, demons; vadha arham= kill, meant to - deserves to be killed, killable by all demons; such; raamam vadhiSyaami= Rama, I wish to kill.

"Taking oath on my weapon I promise to you that I truly wish to kill this Rama, as he deserves ill of all the demons by killing. [3-27-3]

aham vaa asya raNe mR^ityuH eSa vaa samare mama |
vinivartya raNa utsaaham muhuurtam praashniko bhava || 3-27-4

4. raNa utsaaham vinivartya [vi ni vartya]= combat, adventurism, hold back; raNe aham asya mR^ityuH vaa= in conflict, I [will become,] his, death, whether; samare eSa mama vaa= in combat, he, mine, or; muhuurtam praashnikaH bhava= for a while, examiner, you become.

"Hold back your combative-adventurism and become an examiner to decide whether I am going to become his god of death in this combat, or he becomes mine. [3-27-4]

The word praashinkaH is said to a rare expression meaning 'one who asks questions, an examiner, a judge...' in its fine sense. Secondarily, it is 'a witness' 'a spectator.' [After Prof. Satya Vrat.]

prahR^iSTo vaa hate raame janasthaanam prayaasyasi |
mayi vaa nihate raamam sa.myugaaya prayaasyasi || 3-27-5

5. raame hate= while Rama, is killed; pra hR^iSTaH janasthaanam pra yaasyasi= very gladly, to Janasthaana, you may proceed; vaa= else if; mayi nihate= when I am, killed; samyugaaya raamam prayaasyasi [upa yaasyasi]= to combat, towards Rama, you can proceed.

"If I were to kill Rama you may gladly proceed to Janasthaana, else if Rama kills me then you can adventurously proceed against him for a combat." Thus Trishira spoke to Khara. [3-27-5]

These verses have commentary in depth. sarva raakshasaam vadhaa artham 'he who is meant to kill all the demons...' raamam 'about that Rama...' yathaa - yathaa vat 'as it is, in his true form; aham prati jaanaami ' I am in the full know of him...' 'I know fully well that this Rama has come to eliminate all the demons...' These are the same words told by Sage Vishvamitra to Dasharatha when he came to take Rama and Lakshmana. tam vadhiSyaami ' him, I shall kill...' for that only sarvam aayudham aalabhe... 'all weaponry I am handling...' 'However, knowing him well I am handling these weapons for sake of show, only entice him to accord salvation to me firstly...' because aham vaa raNe mR^ityuH? 'can I be his death in war? No I cannot... eSa vaa samre mama mR^ityuH 'he is my death in combat...' muhur praasniko bhava for a while you become an examiner, and examine and know it yourself; raame a + hate sati, mayi ca nihate sati 'if Rama is not killed by me, or if I am killed by Rama, then you can adventurously proceed to him, and have your turn to get salvation at Rama's arrows...'

kharaH trishirasaa tena mR^ityu lobhaat prasaaditaH |
gacCha yudhya iti anuj~naato raaghava abhimukho yayau || 3-27-6

6. kharaH= Khara; tena trishirasaa= by him, that Trishira; mR^ityu lobhaat= death, greedy demon; prasaaditaH= manoeuvred; gacCha yudhya= go, combat; iti anuj~naataH= thus, when permitted; raaghava abhimukhaH yayau= to Raghava's, forefront, proceeded.

By that death-greedy demon Trishira, Khara is manoeuvred and Khara to him said 'begone... combat...' and thus permitted, Trishira proceeded to the forefront of Rama. [3-27-6]

trishiraaH tu rathena eva vaaji yuk{}tena bhaasvataa |
abhyadravat raNe raamam tri shR^i.nga iva parvataH || 3-27-7

7. trishiraaH tu= Trishira, on his part; vaaji yuktena= horses, yoked; bhaasvataa rathena eva= with lustrous, chariot, thus; tri shR^inga parvataH iva= tri, peaked, mountain, as if; raNe raamam abhyadravat= in war, to Rama, hurried.

Trishira with a lustrous chariot that is yoked with equally lustrous horses hurried towards Rama in that war, like a tri-peaked mountain, for they say, he is a tri-headed demon. [3-27-7]

shara dhaaraa samuuhaan sa mahaamegha iva utsR^ijan |
vyasR^ijat sadR^isham naadam jala aardrasya iva dundubheH || 3-27-8

8. saH mahaa megha iva= he, hefty, cloud, as with; shara dhaaraa samuuhaan= arrow, torrents, hosts of; utsR^ijan= while discharging; jala aardrasya dundubheH sadR^isham iva= with water, wet, war-drum, in similarity, like; naadam vyasR^ijat [vi ava sR^ijat]= sound, readily discharged.

Discharging hosts of arrow-torrents like a hefty-arrow-cloud, he readily discharged a noise similar to the thudding drumbeat when a water-wet war-drum is beaten, rather than a blast from a heated drum. [3-27-8]

aagacCha.ntam trishirasam raakSasam prekSya raaghavaH |
dhanuSaa pratijagraaha vidhunvan saayakaan shitaan || 3-27-9

9. raaghavaH= Raghava; aagacChantam raakSasam trishirasam= oncoming, demon, of Trishira; prekSya= on seeing; shitaan saayakaan= smarting, arrows; dhanuSaa vi dhunvan= with bow, speedily, shoving - winnowing; prati jagraaha= in turn received -welcomed him.

On seeing the oncoming of that demon Trishira, Raghava welcomed him by speedily winnowing smarting arrows from his bow. [3-27-9]

sa sa.mprahaaraH tumulo raama trishirasoH tadaa |
sa.mbabhuuva atiiva balinoH si.mha ku.n~jarayoH iva || 3-27-10

10. raama trishirasoH= of Rama, of Trishira; tumulaH= tumultuous one; saH sam prahaaraH= that, grave, encounter; atiiva balinoH= extremely, forceful ones; simha kun~jarayoH iva= lion, elephant, like that of; tadaa= then; sam babhuuva= chanced.

That grave and tumultuous encounter chanced between Rama and Trishira is like the extremely forceful encounter between a loin and an elephant. [3-27-10]

tataH trishirasaa baaNaiH lalaaTe taaDitaH tribhiH |
amarSii kupito raamaH sa.mrabdham idam abraviit || 3-27-11

11. tataH= later; a marSii raamaH= not, happy - highly, enraged, Rama is; trishirasaa= by Trishira; tribhiH baaNaiH= with three, arrows; lalaaTe= on forehead [of Rama]; taaDitaH= when smote; Rama; kupitaH= is [further] ireful - ire intensified; samrabdham idam abraviit= franticly, this, [Rama] said.

Later when Trishira smote on the forehead of highly enraged Rama with three arrows, Rama's ire is intensified and he franticly said this to that demon. [3-27-11]

aho vikrama shuurasya raakSasasya iidR^isham balam |
puSpaiH iva sharaiH yasya lalaaTe asmi parikSataH || 3-27-12

12. aho= oho; vikrama shuurasya= triumphing, of adventurer; raakSasasya balam= demon's, energy; iidR^isham!= just this?; yasya sharaiH= whose, with arrows; puSpaiH iva lalaaTe= with flowers, as if, on forehead; pari kSataH asmi= peripherally, struck - rap, I am.

"Oho! What an energy of a triumphing adventurer is this! A demon with this sort of energy is adventuring me, whose arrows rap my forehead peripherally, like flowers! [3-27-12]

mama api pratigR^ihNiiS.hva sharaan caapa guNa cyutaan |
evam uk{}tvaa susa.mrabdhaH sharaan aashiiviSa upamaan || 3-27-13
trishiro vakSasi kruddho nijaghaana catur dasha |

13, 14a. mama caapa guNa cyutaan= mine, bow's, from bowstring, falling - plunging; sharaan api= arrows, even; prati gR^ihNiiSva= in return, you acknowledge - accept - withstand; evam uktvaa= thus, saying; su sam rabdhaH= one who has very, high - alacritous, swiftness; kruddhaH= infuriated; aashiiviSa upamaan= with venomous snakes, like; catur dasha sharaan four, ten [fourteen,] arrows; trishiraH vakSasi= Trishira's, on chest; nijaghaana= hit; [nicakhaana= staved in.]

"Now you accept arrows plunging from the string of my bow..." saying thus, that infuriated Rama with his alacritous swiftness hit the chest of Trishira with fourteen arrows similar to venomous snakes. [3-27-13, 14a]

caturbhiH turagaan asya sharaiH sa.mnata par.hvaabhiH || 3-27-14
nyapaatayata tejasvii caturaH tasya vaajinaH |

14b, 15a. tejasvii= resplendent [Rama]; sam nata parvaabhiH= hook, barbed, straight-shooting ones; caturbhiH sharaiH= with four, arrows; tasya= such [kind of arrows]; asya= his [Trishira's]; turagaan= speedy going; caturaH vaajinaH= four, horses - of chariot; nyapaatayata= fell down - hewed down.

With four of his straight shooting arrows that have hook-like barbs, that resplendent Rama hewed down four of the speedy horses of Trishira's chariot. [3-27-14b, 15a]

aSTabhiH saayakaiH suutam ratha upasthe nyapaatayat || 3-27-15
raamaH cicCheda baaNena dhvajam ca asya samucChritam |

15b, 16a. raamaH aSTabhiH saayakaiH= Rama, with eight, arrows; suutam= charioteer is; ratha upasthe nyapaatayat= from chariot's, seat, fell down; baaNena= with one arrow; asya= his [Trishira's]; sam ucChritam= hoisted high; dhvajam ca= flag, also; cicCheda= ripped off.

With eight arrows Rama felled the charioteer from his settle on the chariot, and with one arrow ripped off the high flying flag on that chariot. [3-27-15b, 16a]

tato hata rathaat tasmaat utpata.ntam nishaacaram || 3-27-16
cicCheda raamaH tam baaNaiH hR^idaye so abhavat jaDaH |

16b, 17a. tataH= then; raamaH= Rama; tasmaat hata rathaat= from that, smashed, chariot; ut patantam= up, falling - vaulting; tam nishaacaram= that, nightwalker is; baaNaiH hR^idaye cicCheda= with arrows, at heart's place, tore to shreds; saH jaDaH abhavat= he [Trishira,] became, inert.

When that nightwalker is vaulting from that smashed chariot Rama with his arrows tore his chest to shreds and he that Trishira became inert. [3-27-16b, 17a]

saayakaiH ca aprameya aatmaa saamarSaH tasya rakSasaH || 3-27-17
shiraa.msi apaatayat triiNi vegavadbhiH tribhiH shataiH |

17b, 18a. a + prameya aatmaa= not, estimable, with aptitude - Rama; sa amarSaH= with, exasperation; vegavadbhiH tribhiH= rapid ones, wit three; sharaiH= arrows; as in other mms - shitaiH= sharp ones; saayakaiH= with arrows; tasya rakSasaH= of that, demon; triiNi shiraamsi apaatayat= three, heads, made to fall - rolled.

And with three sharp and rapid arrows, and even with his own exasperation, Rama of inestimable aptitude rolled the three heads that demon. [3-27-17b, 18a]

sa dhuuma shoNita udgaarii raama baaNa abhipiiDitaH || 3-27-18
nyapatat patitaiH puurvam samarastho nishaacaraH |

18b, 19a. raama baaNa abhi piiDitaH= Rama's, arrow, highly, tortured; saH nishaacaraH= that, nightwalker; dhuuma shoNita udgaarii= fumes, blood, spewing; puurvam patitaiH= earlier - just now, fallen; samara sthaH= in war, standing; nyapatat= fell down.

When that nightwalker is highly tortured with Rama's arrows he collapsed spewing blood with fumes, whereat he is standing in war, at where his three heads rolled just now. [3-27-18b, 19a]

hata sheSaaH tato bhagnaa raakSasaaH khara sa.mshrayaaH || 3-27-19
dravanti sma na tiSThanti vyaaghra trastaa mR^igaa iva |

19b, 20a. tataH= then; khara samshrayaaH= by Khara, so far protected; hata sheSaaH raakSasaaH= on killing - liquidation, remaining ones, demons; bhagnaa= with shattered [confidence]; vyaaghra trastaa mR^igaaH iva= by tiger, alarmed, deer, as with; dravanti sma= running away; na tiSThanti= they are, not, standing - defecting Khara.

As with the fleeing of deer alarmed by a tiger, the demons remaining after liquidation, whom Khara has protected so far and whose confidence is now shattered, are running away, and they gave Khara the run-around. [3-27-19b, 20a]

taan kharo dravato dR^iSTvaa nivartya ruSitaH tvaran |
raamam eva abhidudraava raahuH candramasam yathaa || 3-27-20

20b, c. ruSitaH kharaH= piqued Khara; dravataH taan dR^iSTvaa= runners - deserters, them, on seeing; tvaran nivartya= quickly, bringing them back; raahuH candramasam yathaa= planet Rahu, to Moon, as with; raamam eva abhi dudraava= to Rama, alone, towards, scurried.

On seeing at those deserters Khara is piqued and quickly brought them back to his control, and then as with the scampering of eclipsing planet Rahu towards moon during lunar-eclipse, he scurried towards Rama alone. [3-27-20b, c]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe sapta vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 27th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 28

Introduction

Khara the demon brother of Shuurpanakha confronts Rama when all of his valiant warriors are eliminated. He wages a fearful war showing all his expertise and he even brings down the amour of Rama with his arrows. The combat of Rama and Khara takes a longer time, as Khara is not easy-to-deal demon

nihatam duuSaNam dR^iSTvaa raNe trishirasaa saha |
kharasya api abhavat traaso dR^iSTvaa raamasya vikramam || 4-28-1

1. raNe trishirasaa saha= in war, Trishira, along with; nihatam duuSaNam dR^iSTvaa= slain, Duushana, on seeing; raamasya vikramam dR^iSTvaa = Rama's, intrepidity, on seeing [inasmuch as]; kharasya traasaH api abhavat = of Khara, intimidated, even, became.

Khara is intimidated on seeing the elimination of Duushana along with Trishira inasmuch as the intrepidity of Rama is concerned. [4-28-1]

sa dR^iSTvaa raakSasam sainyam aviSahyam mahaabalam |
hatam ekena raameNa duuSaNaH trishiraa api || 4-28-2
tad balam hata bhuuyiSTham vimanaaH prekSya raakSasaH |
aasasaada kharo raamam namucir vaasavam yathaa || 4-28-3

2, 3. saH kharaH = he Khara; mahaabalam aviSahyam raakSasam sainyam = mighty force, insufferable, demon's, force; ekena raameNa hatam = by lone one, by Rama, as annihilated; trishiro duuSaNaH api= Trishira, Duushana, even [as eliminated]; dR^iSTvaa = on seeing; raakSasaH tat balam= demons, that, force; hata bhuuyiSTham= destructed, wholly; prekSya= on observing - apprehending; vi manaaH= without, heart - became apprehensive; namuciH vaasavam yathaa= Namuchi [the demon,] to Indra, as with; raamam aasasaada= at Rama, reached out - lunged at.

On seeing the annihilation of the insufferable and mighty force of demons, even that of Duushana and Trishira by lone Rama, and thus to apprehend that the demonic force is wholly destructed, that demon Khara became apprehensive, and then he lunged at Rama, as with demon Namuchi who once lunged at Indra. [4-28-2, 3]

vikR^iSya balavat caapam naaraacaan rak{}ta bhojanaan |
kharaH cikSepa raamaaya kruddhaan aashii viSaan iva || 4-28-4

4. kharaH= Khara; balavat caapam vikR^iSya = forcefully, bow [string,] drawing out; kruddhaan aashii viSaan iva= furious one [arrows,] snake, venomous ones, like [arrows]; rakta bhojanaan= that have blood, as their meals; naaraacaan raamaaya cikSepa = iron-arrows, for Rama, discharged.

Forcefully drawing the bowstring fitted with iron-arrows, which looked like furious serpents of venom ingesting only blood, Khara discharged them on Rama. [4-28-4]

jyaam vidhunvan subahushaH shikSayaa astraaNi darshayan |
cacaara samare maargaan sharai ratha gataH kharaH || 4-28-5

5. ratha gataH kharaH= chariot, who is on, Khara; su bahushaH = in very, many ways; jyaam vidhunvan= bowstring, fidgeting; shikSayaa= by [his] training [skills in warfare]; astraaNi darshayan= missiles, brandishing; samare= in war - on battleground; sharaiH= with arrows [showing expertise]; maargaan cacaara = in many ways - in many a manner, moved about.

Fidgeting with bowstring in many a way, brandishing missiles with many a skill, Khara moved about the battleground in many a manner, seated on chariot and showing his expertise with arrows. [4-28-5]

sa sarvaaH ca disho baaNaiH pradishaH ca mahaarathaH |
puurayaamaasa tam dR^iSTvaa raamo api sumahat dhanuH || 4-28-6
sa saayakaiH dur.hviSahaiH sa sphulingaiH iva agnibhiH |
nabhaH cakaara avivaram parjanya iva vR^iSTibhiH || 4-28-7

6. mahaa rathaH saH= great-chariot fighter, he that Khara; sarvaaH dishaH ca pra dishaH ca= all, stretches, and, inter-stretches, also; baaNaiH puurayaamaasa= with arrows, started to fill; tam dR^iSTvaa raamaH api= him, on seeing, Rama, even; su mahat dhanuH puurayaamaasa= [his] very, great, bow, started to pull the bowstring - take aim [in reciprocation]; saH= he [Rama]; dur vi SahaiH= not, verily, endurable - unendurable ones; sa sphulingaiH agnibhiH iva = with, sparks, [tongues of] fire, like; saayakaiH= with [such] arrows; parjanyaH vR^iSTibhiH nabhaH iva= Rain-god, with torrents, as with; a+ vivaram= without, leeway; cakaara = made [chocking the sky.]

That great chariot-fighter Khara then started to fill all the stretches and inter-stretches with arrows, seeing that even Rama reciprocally started to take aim with his bow Rama, and then filled and made the sky less of leeway with verily unendurable arrows that are like tongues of fire emitting sparks, as with Rain-god chocking the sky with torrents, less of latitude. [4-28-6, 7]

tad babhuuva shitaiH baaNaiH khara raama visar.hjitaiH |
pari aakaasham anaakaasham sarvataH shara sa.nkulam || 4-28-8

8. khara raama visarjitaiH= by Khara, by Rama, discharged; shitaiH baaNaiH= with sharp, arrows; tat pari aakaasham= that, vault of, sky - in and around there; sarvataH shara sankulam= everywhere, arrows, riotous; an+aakaasham babhuuva= without, empty space, it became.

No empty space is left out in the space around since it has become riotous with the sharp arrows discharged by Rama and Khara from everywhere. [4-28-8]

shara jaala aavR^itaH suuryo na tadaa sma prakaashate |
anyonya vadha sa.mrambhaat ubhayoH sa.mprayudhyatoH || 4-28-9

9. anyaH anyaH vadha samrambhaat= one, another, to slay, in excitement; ubhayoH= both; sam pra yudhyatoH= mutually, well, while warring; tadaa= then; shara jaala aavR^itaH= arrows, by mesh, obscured; suuryaH na prakaashate sma = sun, not, shining, he is.

While both of them are warring with excitement to slay one another, then the sun obscured with the mesh of arrows has not shined. [4-28-9]

tato naaliika naaraacaiH tiikSNa agraiH ca vikar.hNibhiH |
aajaghaana raNe raamam totrair iva mahaa dvipam || 4-28-10

10. tataH= then; Khara; raNe= in combat; naaliika= tubular; naaraacaiH= with iron arrows; tiikSNa agraiH ca= acutely, edged, also; vikarNibhiH= crescent-edged arrows; raamam= Rama is; totraiH mahaa dvipam iva = with a goad, great, elephant, as with; aajaghaana= swatted.

Then with acutely edged tubular, iron, and crescent-edged arrows Khara swatted Rama in that combat, as a great elephant will be swatted with a goad. [4-28-10]

tam rathastham dhanuS paaNim raakSasam paryavasthitam |
dadR^ishuH sarva bhuutaani paasha hastam iva a.ntakam || 4-28-11

11. ratha stham= who is on chariot; dhanuS paaNim= with bow, in hand; paryavasthitam= who is in the presence, ready for a close combat; tam raakSasam= that, demon; paasha hastam antakam iva= noose, handling, Terminator, as if; sarva bhuutaani dadR^ishuH = all, beings, saw at - appeared to be.

When charioted Khara came to the presence of Rama with bow in hand and ready for a close combat, that demon appeared to all beings as the Terminator handling his noose. [4-28-11]

hantaaram sarva sainyasya pauruSe paryavasthitam |
parishrantam mahaasattvam mene raamam kharaH tadaa || 4-28-12

12. kharaH= Khara; sarva sainyasya hantaaram = all, [demonic] forces, eliminator of; pauruSe paryavasthitam= in boldness, abiding - shown his mettle with boldness; mahaa sattvam= greatly, indefatigable one; raamam= at Rama; tadaa= then - by now; pari shrantam= wholly, fatigued; mene = presumed to be.

Khara presumed that greatly indefatigable Rama is wholly fatigued by now, though he has shown his mettle of boldness in eliminating all of the demonic forces, all the while. [4-28-12]

tam si.mham iva vikraantam si.mha vikraanta gaaminam |
dR^iSTvaa na udvijate raamaH si.mhaH kSudra mR^igam yathaa || 4-28-13

13. simham iva vikraantam= at him [Khara,] like, prancing; simha vikraanta gaaminam= one who is - lion, pace, with the gait; tam dR^iSTvaa= him [Khara,] on seeing; raamaH= Rama; simhaH kSudra mR^igam yathaa = lion, at least, beat, as with; na udvijate= not, agitated - unruffled.

On seeing Khara who is prancing like a lion with a gait of a lion, Rama is unruffled like a lion that sees a least beast. [4-28-13]

For the last compound in second foot the other versions contain si.mhaH si.mham iva aparam 'a lion on seeing another lion...' Firstly comparing Khara with lion and later comparing him with kshudra mR^iga 'petty animal...' is not found aesthetic by some scholars.

tataH suurya nikaashena rathena mahataa kharaH |
aasasaada atha tam raamam pata.nga iva paavakam || 4-28-14

14. tataH= then; kharaH= Khara; suurya nikaashena sun, equalling; mahataa rathena= by great - radiant one, by chariot; raamam= to Rama; patanga paavakam iva = a moth, towards fire, as with; tam aasasaada= him - Rama, reached - attacked.

In a chariot that equals the sun in its radiance then Khara reached Rama as a moth reaches fire. [4-28-14]

tato asya sasharam caapam muSTi deshe mahaatmanaH |
kharaH cicCheda raamasya darshayan hasta laaghavam || 4-28-15

15. tataH= then; kharaH= Khara; hasta laaghavam = hand's, skill - sleight of hand; darshayan= showing; mahaatmanaH asya raamasya= great-souled one, that, Rama's; sa sharam caapam= with, arrow, bow; muSTi deshe = at the fist, place- at handgrip; cicCheda= broke.

Showing sleight of hand Khara then broke the handgrip of the bow of that great-souled Rama along with an arrow fitted on it. [4-28-15]

sa punaH tu aparaan sapta sharaan aadaaya varmaNi |
nijaghaana raNe kruddhaH shakra ashani sama prabhaan || 4-28-16

16. saH= he, Khara; kruddhaH= infuriated; punaH= again - still; shakra ashani sama prabhaan= Indra's, thunderbolt, equalling, in radiance; aparaan sapta sharaan aadaaya= other, seven arrows, on drawing; raNe varmaNi nijaghaana= in war, armour, hit at.

Still infuriated Khara has drawn seven more arrows that equal the radiance of Indra's thunderbolts and hit Rama's armour in that war. [4-28-16]

tataH shara sahasreNa raamam apratima ojasam |
ar.hdayitvaa mahaanaadam nanaada samere kharaH || 4-28-17

17. tataH= then; kharaH= Khara; a+ pratima ojasam= not, equalling, in vitality; raamam= Rama is; shara sahasreNa= with arrows, a thousand; ardayitvaa= on distressing; samere mahaa naadam nanaada= in war, great blare, blared.

Then, on distressing Rama of unequalled vitality with a thousand arrows in that combat Khara blared a loud blare. [4-28-17]

tataH tat prahatam baaNaiH khara muk{}taiH supar.hvabhiH |
papaata kavacam bhuumau raamasya aaditya varcasaH || 4-28-18

18. tataH= then; khara muktaiH= by Khara, released; su parvabhiH= those with great, egress; baaNaiH= with arrows; raamasya aaditya varcasaH= of Rama, sun-like, in resplendence; tat kavacam= that, armour; pra hatam = completely, destroyed; bhuumau papaata = on field, fell down.

With the arrows released by Khara that have a great egress, then that armour of Rama that has a sun-like resplendence is completely destroyed and fell on the field. [4-28-18]

sa sharaiH arpitaH kruddhaH sarva gaatreSu raaghavaH |
raraaja samare raamo vidhuumo agnir iva jvalan || 4-28-19

19. sharaiH sarva gaatreSu arpitaH= with arrows, in all, limbs, given to - hit; raaghavaH saH raamaH= one from Raghu's dynasty, he that, Rama; kruddhaH= is enraged; vi dhuumaH agniH iva jvalan= without, fume, fire, like, flaring; samare raraaja = in war, flared up.

When all his limbs are hit with arrows Rama is enraged and in that war Rama flared up like a fumeless flaring fire. [4-28-19]

tato ga.mbhiira nirhraadam raamaH shatru nibarhaNaH |
cakaara a.ntaaya sa ripoH sajyam anyan mahat dhanuH || 4-28-20

20. tataH= then; shatru nibarhaNaH= enemy, blaster; saH raamaH that, Rama; ripoH antaaya = of enemy, for ending; gambhiira nirhraadam= thunderously, blasting [bow that has]; anyat mahat dhanuH= another, great, bow; sa jyam= with bowstring; cakaara= made - strung.

Then Rama, the blaster of enemies, strung bowstring to another thunderously blasting bow, to end the enemy. [4-28-20]

sumahat vaiSNavam yat tat atisR^iSTam maharSiNaa |
varam tat dhanuH udyamya kharam samabhidhaavata || 4-28-21

21. tat= that one - renowned bow; yat= which one; su mahat vaiSNavam dhanuH= verily, admirable, Vishnu's, bow; maharSiNaa ati sR^iSTam= by great-sage [Agastya,] well, released [awarded]; varam= the best one; tat udyamya= that, on upraising; kharam= to Khara; sam abhi dhaavata= verily, towards, rushed [rushed at.]

That which is a very admirable bow of Vishnu and that which is awarded by great-sage Agastya, upraising that choicest bow Rama rushed towards Khara. [4-28-21]

tataH kanaka pu.nkhaiH tu sharaiH sa.mnata par.hvabhiH |
cicCheda raamaH sa.mkruddhaH kharasya samare dhvajam || 4-28-22

22. tataH= then; raamaH sam kruddhaH= Rama, highly infuriated; kanaka punkhaiH= with golden, finned ones; sannata parvabhiH = with curved, barbs; sharaiH= with such arrows; samare kharasya dhvajam in war, Khara's, flag; cicCheda= fragmented.

With arrows that have golden fins and curved barbs that highly infuriated Rama then fragmented Khara's flagstaff with flag in that war. [4-28-22]

sa darshaniiyo bahudhaa vicChinnaH kaa.ncano dhvajaH |
jagaama dharaNiim suuryo devataanaam iva aaj~nayaa || 4-28-23

23. bahudhaa vicChinnaH= severally, shattered; darshaniiyaH= seeable - good looking; saH kaancanaH dhvajaH= that, golden, flagstaff with flag; devataanaam aaj~nayaa= by god's, order - damnation; suuryaH iva= sun, as with; dharaNiim jagaama= to earth, went - fallen on earth.

That eye-pleasing golden flagstaff with flag is severally shattered and fell onto ground as if it is god-damned sun fallen on earth. [4-28-23]

tam caturbhiH kharaH kruddho raamam gaatreSu maargaNaiH |
vivyaadha hR^idi marmaj~no maata.ngam iva tomaraiH || 4-28-24

24. kruddhaH= enraged [by fall of flag]; marma j~naH = crucial points, knower [or, knower of war tactics]; kharaH= Khara; tam raamam= at that, Rama; hR^idi= on chest; caturbhiH maargaNaiH= with four, arrows; maatangam tomaraiH iva= elephant, with lancets as if [one would prod]; gaatreSu= on limbs of Rama; vivyaadha= assaulted.

By that Khara is enraged, and as one who is aware of striking crucial parts/war tactics assaulted on the chest of Rama with four arrows, and even on other limbs, as one would prod an elephant with lancets. [4-28-24]

sa raamo bahubhiH baaNaiH khara kaarmuka niHsR^itaiH |
viddho rudhira sik{}taa.ngo babhuuva ruSito bhR^isham || 4-28-25

25. saH raamaH= he, that Rama; khara kaarmuka niHsR^itaiH= from Khara's, bow, unloosened; bahubhiH baaNaiH= with various, arrows; viddhaH= when impacted; rudhira sikta angaH= with blood, drenched, limbs; bhR^isham ruSitaH babhuuva= highly, indignant, he became.

Impacted with various arrows unloosened from the bow of Khara, limbs of Rama are drenched in blood and he became highly indignant. [4-28-25]

sa dhanur dhanvinaam shreSThaH pragR^ihya parama aahave |
mumoca parama iSvaasaH SaT sharaan abhilakSitaan || 4-28-26

26. parama aahave= in that great, war; dhanvinaam shreSThaH= among archers, ablest one; parama iSvaasaH= one who got great, bow; saH= he that Rama; dhanuH pragR^ihya= bow, on taking - on aiming; abhi lakSitaan= the arrow that have already targeted their targets - targeting pointedly; SaT sharaan mumoca= six, arrows, released.

On aiming his great bow that ablest one among archers, namely Rama, then in that war released six arrows targeting pointedly. [4-28-26]

shirasi ekena baaNena dvaabhyaam baahvor atha aarpayat |
tribhiH candra ardha vak{}traiH ca vakSasi abhijaghaana ha || 4-28-27

27. ekena baaNena shirasi = only one, with arrow, on head; atha= next; dvaabhyaam baahvoH= with two, on hands; aarpayat= given, hit; tribhiH candra ardha vaktraiH ca= with three, moon, half, faced ones, also [crescent shaped arrows]; vakSasi abhijaghaana ha= on chest, toward, hit, indeed.

Rama indeed hit Khara's head with one arrow, with two his hands, and next with three crescent shaped arrows he hit his chest. [4-28-27]

tataH pashcaat mahaatejaa naaraacaan bhaaskara upamaan |
jaghaana raakSasam kruddhaH trayodasha shilaa ashitaan || 4-28-28

28. tataH pashcaat= then, afterwards; mahaatejaa kruddhaH= great-resplendent Rama, infuriately; raakSasam jaghaana [jighaa.msu]= demon, to kill; bhaaskara upamaan= sun, similar to [in dazzle]; trayaH dasha naaraacaan= three, ten [thirteen,] iron arrows; shilaa ashitaan= on stone, grind - sharply whetted; [launched.]

Then afterwards that great-resplendent Rama wishing to eliminate the demon, infuriately launched thirteen iron arrows that are sharply whetted and similar to the dazzle of sun. [4-28-28]

rathasya yugam ekena caturbhiH shabalaan hayaan |
SaSThena ca shiraH sa.mkhye cicCheda khara saaratheH || 4-28-29
tribhiH triveNuun balavaan dvaabhyaam akSam mahaabalaH |
dvaadashena tu baaNena kharasya sa sharam dhanuH || 4-28-30
Chittvaa vajra nikaashena raaghavaH prahasan iva |
trayodashena indra samo bibheda samare kharam || 4-28-31

29. samare= in combats; indra samaH= Indra, one who is equal to [Rama]; balavaan= mighty one; raaghavaH= Raghava; prahasan iva= laughing at [making a sport of,] as though; samkhye= in combat; ekena= with one [arrow]; asya rathasya= his [Khara's,] of chariot; yugam= yoke; and then; caturbhiH shabalaan [caturaH] hayaan= with four, dappled, [four] horses; SaSThena= with sixth [arrow]; khara saaratheH shiraH = Khara's, charioteer's, head; tribhiH triveNuum= with three [arrows,] three-pronged shaft [from yoke to body of chariot]; dvaabhyaam akSam= with two, the axle; cicCheda= fragmented [the chariot]; dvaa dashena tu baaNena= two, ten [twelve,] but, with arrows; kharasya sa sharam dhanuH [cicCheda] = Khara's, together with, arrow, bow; Chittvaa= on wrecking; mahaabalaH= great-mighty [Rama]; vajra nikaashena= thunderbolt, similar [with arrows]; trayodashena = with thirteenth arrow; kharam bibheda= Khara, is impaled.

That mighty Raghava who equals Indra in combats, smiling at the warfare of Khara, smashed the yoke of the chariot with one arrow; with four, four of the dappled horses; with the sixth, the head of the charioteer of Khara; with three, the three-pronged shaft from yoke to the base of chariot; with two the axels, thus that chariot is fragmented. Then, on wrecking Khara's bow on which an arrow is placed with the twelfth, that mighty one Rama impaled Khara with the thirteenth arrow that is similar to a thunderbolt. [4-28-29, 30, 31]

prabhagna dhanvaa viratho hata ashvo hata saarathiH |
gadaa paaNiH avaplutya tasthau bhuumau kharaH tadaa || 4-28-32

32. tadaa= then; pra bhagna dhanvaa= one with utterly, shattered, bow; vi rathaH= one without, chariot; hata ashvaH hata saarathiH= with killed, horses, killed, charioteer; kharaH= Khara; gadaa paaNiH= mace, in hand - wielding it; ava plutya= hopped down; bhuumau= on ground; tasthau = stood fast.

With his bow utterly shattered, chariot fragmented, horses killed, and charioteer felled, that Khara then hopped down to ground from the dilapidated chariot wielding a mace, and stood fast. [4-28-32]

tat karma raamasya mahaarathasya
sametya devaaH ca maharSayaH ca |
apuujayan praa.njalayaH prahR^iSTaaH
tadaa vimaana agra gataaH sametaaH || 4-28-33

33. devaaH ca maharSayaH ca= gods, also, great-sages, too; tadaa= then; sametaaH= assembling; vimaana agra gataaH = on aircrafts, tops, staying; sametyaH= coming together; pra hR^iSTaaH = highly, gladdened; praanjalayaH= with adjoined palms; mahaarathasya raamasya tat karma= great chariot-fighter, Rama's, that, deed; apuujayan= worshipped.

The gods as well as great-sages have then came together and assembled in heavens, and those assemblies that are aboard their aircrafts are highly gladdened at the exploit of the great chariot-fighter Rama, and they worshipped him with their adjoined palms. [4-28-33]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe aSTa vi.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 28th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 29

Introduction

Khara provokes Rama to fight, but Rama gives enough advise to Khara to yield up. Khara presumes that Rama is overtired to fight him back and thus enters into verbal fight. Ultimately Khara hurls a mammoth mace at Rama, which burns down all the neighbouring plants and bushes, and Rama splinters it down while it is still sky rocketing

kharam tu viratham raamo gadaa paaNim avasthitam |
mR^idu puurvam mahaatejaaH paruSam vaakyam abraviit || 3-29-1

1. mahaatejaaH raamaH = great-resplendent, Rama; vi ratham= without chariot [lost it]; gadaa paaNim= with mace, in hand; avasthitam= who is staying before; kharam tu= to Khara, but; mR^idu puurvam= soft [words,] firstly; paruSam vaakyam abraviit= forbidding, sentence, said.

Rama, the great-resplendent, spoke these words forbiddingly albeit softly to Khara who lost his chariot but staying his course wielding a mace. [3-29-1]

Rama is said to have tested whether Khara is ready to surrender or not, at least at this stage of loosing all paraphernalia of war. Hence he is said to have talked softly but harshly to that demon.

gaja ashva ratha sa.mbaadhe bale mahati tiSThataa |
kR^itam sudaaruNam karma sarva loka jugup.hsitam || 3-29-2

2. gaja ashva ratha= elephants, horses, chariots; sam baadhe= abounding with; mahati bale = with gigantic, forces; tiSThataa= staying - you who hold sway; such as you are; sarva loka jugupsitam karma = by all, worlds, detestable - loathsome, deed; su daaruNam = very, heinous one; kR^itam= is perpetrated - in Dandaka forests.

"Although you hold sway over a gigantic force abounding with elephants horses and chariots, you have perpetrated heinous deeds in Dandaka forests that are loathsome to all the worlds, that is unseemliest to this soldiery. [3-29-2]

udvejaniiyo bhuutaanaam nR^isha.msaH paapa karmakR^it |
trayaaNaam api lokaanaam iishvaro api na tiSThati || 3-29-3

3. bhuutaanaam udvejaniiyaH= for living beings, causing suffering; paapa karma kR^it= evil, deed, doer - transgressor; nR^ishamsaH= completely ruthless one; trayaaNaam lokaanaam api = for three, worlds, even if; iishvaraH api= lord, may be; na tiSThati= not, stand up for [himself.]

"One who causes suffering to living beings, besides being a transgressor and completely ruthless, he does not stand up for himself even if he were to be the lord of all the three worlds. [3-29-3]

karma loka viruddham tu kurvaaNam kSaNadaa cara |
tiikSNam sarva jano hanti sarpam duSTam iva aagatam || 3-29-4

4. kSaNadaa cara= oh, night-walker; loka viruddham karma kurvaaNam= to world, infringing, deeds, who will be doing - an infringer of worldly routine; tiikSNam= one who is imperious; sarva janaH= all, people; aagatam duSTam sarpam iva = that came, vicious, serpent, as with; hanti= will eradicate.

"All people will eliminate him, oh, nightwalker, who is imperious and an infringer of worldly routine, as they would eradicate a vicious serpent, in the event of its running across them. [3-29-4]

lobhaat paapaani kurvaaNaH kaamaat vaa yo na budhyate |
hR^iSTaH pashyati tasya antam braahmaNii karakaat iva || 3-29-5

5. lobhaat= by selfishness; kaamaat vaa= obsessively, or; yaH paapaani kurvaaNaH= who, evils, while going on doing; na budhyate= will not, know - does not realise - heedless; such a one; hR^iSTaH= delighted, [bhraSTaH= becomes decadent]; karakaat= hail [pellets on eating]; braahmaNii= a lizard [with red tail]; iva= as with; tasya= what has been done - evil deed; antam pashyati = end [result,] he sees.

"He who goes on performing evils selfishly, obsessively, heedlessly, more so delightedly, he will see the results of his own doings, like red-tailed-lizard on its eating self-destructive hailstones, obsessively and delightedly. [3-29-5]

Hailstones are life-taking poisonous pellets to this particular red- tailed lizard, called brahmaNi . It is still called as 'bamaani' in Bhojpuri vernacular of Hindi.

Parting with some parts of one's own accrual is lobha, and craving for that which is absolutely unavailable is moha. People tend to commit sin while protecting their own accruals as well as trying to acquire unavailable things. But any person, if goes on undertaking these evils, even after realizing that both are mistakes, it is an unpardonable crime. The metaphor of a red-tail-lizard is said to be unavailable in older scripts. There is another variation to this foot wherein the simile is with a Brahman bereft of his self-respect, and that foot reads as: bhrSTaH pashyati duHkham sa braahmaNa paravaan iva .

Next, implying the prospective question of Khara, viz., 'What sin I have committed?' Rama answers it in the next verse.

vasato daNDakaaraNye taapasaan dharma caariNaH |
kim nu hatvaa mahaabhaagaan phalam praapsyasi raakSasa || 3-29-6

6. raakSasa= oh, demon; daNDaka araNye vasataH = in Dandaka, forest, while living in; dharma caariNaH= virtue, treaders; mahaa bhaagaan= highly, propitious ones; taapasaan = sages; hatvaa= on killing; kim nu phalam praapsyasi= why [what], really, fruit [benefit,] you will gain.

"The residents of Dandaka forest are the highly-propitious sages that tread the path of virtue, and oh, demon, what benefit you gain in killing them, really? [3-29-6]

Again Khara may ask, 'There are many more sinners, what will become of them, why holding me alone responsible?' For this Rama is saying that the sinners in general will get their punishment after their mortality in karmic cycle is over. But those that are not only sinners but cruel, and even abhorred by world, will ruin here only, because their merit accumulated in earlier births has come to a standstill on this earth itself. Those sinners will become like petrified trees trunks, they neither fall nor their boughs flower.

na ciram paapa karmaaNaH kruuraa loka jugupsitaaH |
aishvaryam praapya tiSThanti shiirNa muulaa iva drumaaH || 3-29-7

7. paapa karmaaNaH= evil, doers; loka jugupsitaaH= by world, abominated; kruuraa= reprobates; aishvaryam praapya= a fortune, on getting - on making [for lavish living]; shiirNa muulaa drumaaH iva= petrified, base [trunk,] of tree, as with; ciram na tiSThanti= long-lastingly, will not, sit tight - will not last long.

"Even if a fortune is made for a lavish living with an iota of merit, the evildoers, that too reprobates, further more those that are abominated by world will not last long, no more that petrified tree trunks. [3-29-7]

avashyam labhate kartaa phalam paapasya karmaNaH |
ghoram paryaagate kaale drumaH puSpam iva aartavam || 3-29-8

8. kaale pari aagate = of time, upon, coming; kartaa= doer [jantuH= people]; paapasya karmaNaH = of evil, doings; ghoram phalam= ghastly, result; drumaH= trees; aartavam= seasonal; puSpam iva = flower, as with; avashyam labhate = definitely, reaps.

"One who undertakes evildoings will definitely and seasonably reap their fruits, which in his case will be ghoulish, as with the flowering of trees according to season. [3-29-8]

dhvani/allusion: That fruit of sin will not be immediate alike the a crop that yields long after sowing. Moreover the fruit of sin will be venomous, for the greedy harvester of that sin alone will devour it.

na ciraat praapyate loke paapaanaam karmaNaam phalam |
sa viSaaNaam iva annaanaam bhuktaanaam kSaNadaacara || 3-29-9

9. kSaNadaacara= oh, nightwalker; loke= in world; paapaanaam karmaNaam phalam= of profane, acts, fruit of; bhuktaanaam sa viSaaNaam annaanaam iva = devoured, with, venom, food, as with; na ciraat praapyate = not, long after, is acquired.

"In the world one acquires the fruit of profane acts not before long, oh, nightwalker, and it will be like venomous food devoured. [3-29-9]

dhvani/allusion: 'As one quickly acquires the results of the venomous food devoured, oh, nightwalker, the perpetrator of profane acts will acquire their fruits that quickly, in the world.' Eating food, or committing a sin is simply subjective. If one commits sin unknowingly, that will be as good as the intake of venomous food, unsuspectingly. Both the poisonous food, and committing sins will act internally and rapidly than any other ruinous inflictor. Then the sinner, or the consumer of poisonous food will acquire an inconsolable wretched state.

paapam aacarataam ghoram lokasya apriyam icChataam |
aham aasaadito raaj~naa praaNaan hantum nishaacara || 3-29-10

10. nishaacara= oh nightwalker; ghoram paapam aacarataam = hideous, evil, perpetrators; lokasya a+ priyam icChataam= world's, not, approbatory, those wishful of; praaNaan hantum= lives, to exterminate; [raajaa] raaj~naa= [king] at the behest of king; aham aasaaditaH= I, arrived.

"I am the king who arrived to exterminate the lives of those that perpetrate hideous sins, and even of those that wish to do evils to the disapprobation of world.

Or

"I am the one who arrived at the behest of the king Dasharatha, or Bharata to exterminate the lives of those that perpetrate hideous sins, and even of those that wish to do evils to the disapprobation of world. [3-29-10]

The word 'raaj~na' is 'sent by some king' for it is in fifth case. Whereas the word 'raajaa' is 'as a king I have come...' This is as appearing in some mms. Dharmaakuutam uses 'raaj~naa' and says: : anena loka upadrava kara× r˜jñ˜ avaþyam þikÿaõŸyam iti s¨citam | and he goes on quoting vidura niiti Vidura's morals in Maha Bharata: gurur˜tmavat˜m þ˜st˜ þ˜st˜ dur˜tman˜m | anta× pracchanna p˜p˜n˜m þ˜st˜ vaivasvato yama× ||

adya bhitvaa mayaa muktaaH sharaaH kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaaH |
vidaarya atipatiSyanti valmiikam iva pannagaaH || 3-29-11

11. adya= now; mayaa muktaaH kaancana bhuuSaNaaH= by me, released, in gold, decorated; sharaaH = arrows; pannagaaH valmiikam iva= snakes, from snake-pit, like; tvaam= you; bhitvaa= on tearing; vi daarya= verily, on riving; ati patiSyanti= out, they fall - they go out, bounce back.

"Now, my arrows that are decorated in gold will be released on you like snakes rebounding from a snake-pit, and they will tear you asunder, and on riving you they will bounce back into my quivers. [3-29-11]

dhvani/allusion: My arrows can pierce through your body, not only your body but to the core of earth, and they bounce back to re-enter my quivers like the snakes that emerge from snake pits and return to their pits when their task is over. Or, when these arrows enter your body that is akin to a snake pit, they will kill all the sins lying like snakes inside that body of yours, and return to my quivers.

ye tvayaa daNDakaaraNye bhakSitaa dharma caariNaH |
taan adya nihataH sa.nkhye sa sainyo anugamiSyasi || 3-29-12

12. tvayaa= by you; daNDakaaraNye= in Dandaka forest; ye= those are; dharma caariNaH = virtue, treaders - sages; bhakSitaa= are eaten; taan= them [the sages]; adya= now; sankhye nihataH = [you] eliminated, in war; sa sainyaH= with, your army; anu gamiSyasi= in tow, you will follow - tread behind.

"Now eliminated in war, you along with your army will tread behind those sages that were treading the path of virtue, on whom you have so far feasted in Dandaka forest. [3-29-12]

dhvani/allusion: A kind of assurance is sounded here by Rama's words in saying that Khara will be absolved of his sins. Those that are eliminated by Rama are sure to get salvation. Here not only Khara but also entire army is going to get that salvation, if Khara surrenders at least at this stage. In Skanda Purana it is said: r˜ma vidýh˜ niþ˜car˜ b˜õai× su t˜ýit˜× | r˜mam ˜s˜dya samare s˜yujya padavŸm gat˜× || skaanda puraaNa But this saayujua, salvation or getting to heavens is of a variety. In war those that sacrifice themselves in the fire of arrows will get indra loka. Those that conduct warfare unhappily thinking that death is the only result of war they get gandharva loka. Those that retreat or go begging for their lives and yet killed, they get guhya loka, and those that are fully aware of Kshatriya dharma and conduct righteous warfare they go to brahma loka. So says Maha Bharata. The same is said Bhagavad Gita yam yam v˜ api smaran bh˜vam tyajatyante kalebaram | tam tam evaiti kaunteya sad˜ tad bh˜va bh˜vita× || Gita 8-6.

adya tvaam nihatam baaNaiH pashyantu paramarSayaH |
nirayastham vimaanasthaa ye tvayaa nihataa puraa || 3-29-13

13. puraa tvayaa ye nihataa= earlier, by you, who are, slain; such of them; paramarSayaH= supreme-sages; vimaana sthaa= abiding in aircrafts; adya= now; baaNaiH nihatam= with arrows, slain - assaulted; nirayastham = [your] abidance in hell; tvaam pashyantu= you, let them see.

"Let the supreme sages who were earlier slain by you may now see abiding on their aircrafts, your abidance in hellish death pangs when assaulted with my arrows. [3-29-13]

The word nirayastham is literally 'in hell of Yama' but here it is the hell-like situation caused by Rama's arrows. If the literal meaning of 'in hell' is taken the above assurance of salvation etc., will be futile, hence, it is 'hellish pangs' by the hit of arrows.

praharasva yathaa kaamam kuru yatnam kulaadhama |
adya te paatayiSyaami shiraH taala phalam yathaa || 3-29-14

14. kula adhama= clan's, knave of; yathaa kaamam praharasva = as, you wish, you attack; yatnam kuru= an effort, you make; adya te shiraH= now, your, head; taala phalam yathaa= palm, fruit, as with; paatayiSyaami = I wish to toss down.

"Attack me as you wish... make an effort... you the knave of your clan... now I am going to toss your head down like a palm-fruit..." Thus Rama addressed Khara. [3-29-14]

It is questioned whether Rama is self-eulogizing when talking this way to Khara. It is contradicted saying that yuddha k˜le vŸra v˜dasya sva par˜krama anus˜reõa uts˜ha abhiv®dhyartham para tirask˜ra artham ca - ˜tma stuti - karaõe doÿa abh˜v˜t | dk 'there is nothing wrong in foretelling how brave a warrior is and it will not come under self-praise, in war...' and the commentator goes on quoting many references, for e.g., Karna in Maha Bharata says: þ¨r˜× garjanbti satatam pr˜v®ÿi iva bal˜hak˜× | 'brave ones will be regularly thundering like thundering clouds...'

evam uktaH tu raameNa kruddhaH sa.mrakta locanaH |
prati uvaaca tato raamam prahasan krodha muurchitaH || 3-29-15

15. raameNa evam uktaH tu = by Rama, thus, [Khara is] said, but; [kharaH] kruddhaH = [Khara] is infuriated; samrakta locanaH= with bloodshot, eyes; tataH prahasan= thereupon, laughing at; krodha muurchitaH= in anger, convulsed; raamam= to Rama; prati uvaaca = replied.

But when Rama said thus, Khara is infuriated and convulsed in anger, and he replied Rama with bloodshot eyes, laughing boisterously. [3-29-15]

dhvani/allusion: Khara 'laughed at' Rama's words of self-praise means that even the Supreme Being untiringly does some self-praise like telling 'I am here to save you... seek refuge in me for I alone can save...' in order to make Himself known to the adamants. The whole concept of Bhagavad Gita in telling that 'I am here... Know me thus...' etc., is for the same purpose. Thus, this is a laughable situation to those who are already in the know of Being. Presently it is Khara who was great Vedic Brahman once, but became an ogre by curse. Contrariwise, it is a 'laughable talk' of the Supreme Being, to non-knowers or for the non-adherers.

praakR^itaan raakSasaan hatvaa yuddhe dasharatha aatmaja |
aatmanaa katham aatmaanam aprashasyam prashamsasi || 3-29-16

16. dasharatha aatmaja= oh, Dasharatha's, son; yuddhe praakR^itaan raakSasaan hatvaa = in war, primitive - average, demons, on killing; a + prashasyam= not, praiseworthy; aatmaanam= about yourself; aatmanaa= yourself; katham prashamsasi= how, you are praising.

"On killing average demons in war, oh, son of Dasharatha, how you praise yourself when you yourself are un-praiseworthy?" Thus Khara started to speak to Rama. [3-29-16]

dhvani/allusion: For this self-praise it is said that Khara estimated Rama as an unworthy being in the parlance of mortals. khara× tu kop˜t asamartho r˜ma iti bhr˜nt˜ uktav˜n iti no ko api doÿa× | dk But as a cursed Vedic Brahman who is in the know of Rama as Vishnu is retorting Rama saying 'you also need to self-eulogise, when I am fully aware of you and come hither to gain my salvation at your hand? You are not supposed to self-extol before small beings like us...'

vikraantaa balavanto vaa ye bhavanti nararSabhaaH |
kathayanti na te ki.mcit tejasaa svena garvitaaH || 3-29-17

17. ye nararSabhaaH= those, best of men; vikraantaa balavantaH vaa= victorious, vigorous ones, either; bhavanti= will be there; te svena tejasaa garvitaaH = they, of their own, with valour, becoming proud; na kimcit kathayanti = not, anything, they say - boast.

"Those best of men that are victorious and mighty will not boast anything, for they will be really proud of their own valour. [3-29-17]

dhvani/allusion: This is said otherwise: ye nararSabhaaH 'those best ones among men like you...' te 'by them...' [adhyaahaarya] evam 'elliptic: this way...' na kathayanti 'do not praise themselves...' tejasaa svena garvitaaH kathayanti some of 'those that are proud of their own valorous resplendence, they speak up their glory, vaingloriously...' 'So it is unapt of you to speak up for yourself, for we are in the know of it, and we are waiting for our release from our curse at your hand...' Tiirtha.

praakR^itaaH tu akR^ita aatmaano loke kSatriya paa.msanaaH |
nirarthakam vikatthante yathaa raama vikatthase || 3-29-18

18. raama= oh, Rama; loke= in world; a + kR^ita aatmaanaH= not, perfected, with selves - irresolute in self-confidence; praakR^itaaH tu= frivolous, but; kSatriya paamsanaaH= Kshatriya, undignified one; yathaa vikatthase= as to how, they are boasting; likewise; nir arthakam vi katthante= not, meaningful, verily, they speak up - you boast in a meaningless manner.

"Oh, Rama, as to how undignified Kshatriya-s that are frivolous and irresolute in self-confidence will boast in the world, likewise you too are boasting in a meaningless manner. [3-29-18]

dhvani/allusion: Khara's intent is: kSatriya paamsanaaH 'the Kshatriya, worthless... worthless Kshatriya-s...' yathaa nir arthakam vikatthase 'as to how they meaninglessly speak up for themselves...' raama tvam vikatthante 'oh, Rama, you are speaking like that...' 'It is unapt of you to talk vainly like any other average Kshatriya, as you are an incarnate in a best Kshatriya clan, and you do your duty righteously without much talk...' Tiirtha.

kulam vyapadishan viiraH samare ko abhidhaasyati |
mR^ityu kaale hi sa.mpraapte svayam aprastave stavam || 3-29-19

19. mR^ityu kaale sampraapte = at death, time, on arrival of - looming large; viiraH= valiant one; kaH samare kulam vyapadishan = who, in wartime, his lineage, while speaking about; a + prastave= not, appropriate time - inopportunely; svayam stavam= personally, self-extol; abhidhaasyati hi= broaches, is it!

"Who will be that valiant that speaks about his lineage at wartime, that too, when the death-time is looming large! And, there will there be someone who broaches his self-extols in such an inopportune situation, is it! [3-29-19]

dhvani/allusion: Khara's saying is: samare 'in war...' [adhyaahaara]: shatru pakshe 'elliptic: on the enemy's side...' mR^ityu kaale sampraapte sati 'death time, while chancing, that being so...' stavam ko vaa abhidaasyati 'self-praise, who, either, speaks out...' Thus, Khara's saying is: 'where is the necessity for any warrior to self-eulogise when the death-time is hovering upon his enemy? And you, as Rama, are on the winning spree in this war, and there is no necessity to extol yourself...' Tiirtha.

sarvathaa tu laghutvam te katthanena vidarshitam |
suvarNa pratiruupeNa taptena iva kusha agninaa || 3-29-20

20. katthanena= by self-praise; by you; taptena= burnt; suvarNa prati ruupeNa= golden, in reflection, aspect - having the aspect of gold; kusha agninaa iva= grass-blade, by fire, as with; sarvathaa tu laghutvam te= howsoever, but, ignominy, yours; vi darshitam= well, shown.

"Howsoever your ignominy is well shown by your self-praise, like the manifestation of gold on the tip of grass-blade burnt by fire, where the fire on grass-blade is no fire, and the bulb of fire appearing at the tip of grass-blade as a bulb of gold, is no gold. [3-29-20]

dhvani/allusion: A blade of grass when burnt, immediately glows and manifests a globe of golden flame, but it is too quick to evanish thus it can not burn the gold to refine it. katthanena 'by broaching...' te laghutvam 'your ignominy...' sarvathaiva vidarshitam ' in every way, well-shown...' and that ignominy is looking like taptena 'burnt...' kusha agninaa 'fire abiding the grass-blade...' suvarNa pratiruupeNa 'golden in hue...' laghutvam vidarshyate yathaa tathaa 'lowliness of fire proper will be shown by that fire on grass-blade, likewise... tava laghutvam eva vidarshitam bhavat 'so also your own lowliness is made evident...' 'A small fire on a small grass-blade quickly burns though with a golden hue, but it cannot sustain its flame to burn other things. It burns the grass-blade on which it sits. So, self-ruinous is your self-eulogy...' Govindaraja.

kusha agninaa 'by grass-blade's fire...' that is used to purify golden material in rituals; suvarNa prati ruupeNa 'gold, equalling in aspect...' namely brass items; taptena 'if burnt to purify...'; laghutvam 'stain of blakishness...'; If brass items are put to the same small fire of grass-blade they immediately become smoky, however small the fire may be; Thus te 'by you...' katthanena 'by self-praising...' laghutvam vidarshitam 'your futility is well-shown...' Maheshvara Tiirtha.

suvarNa prati ruupeNa tapyatena ashmanaa agninaa is another text. In this ashmanaa is 'stone...' If anyone touches a stone that is similar to fire outwardly, he does not feel the heat of the fire by the cold touch of stone. Thus, his 'foolishly mistaken identity' makes a fool of himself. Thus Khara is saying 'I was thinking that Rama is a very great valiant person, but by way of listening your self-eulogies, at an inopportune time, you appear to be a cold stone but not a firebrand... One who goes on self-eulogising without taking any action in a war is a coward but not a victor...' Thus Khara is quickening Rama to proceed with fighting so that the ensuing salvation can also be quickened.

na tu maam iha tiSTha.ntam pashyasi tvam gadaa dharam |
dharaadharam iva aka.mpyam parvatam dhaatubhiH citam || 3-29-21

21. tvam= you; gadaa dharam= mace, wielding; iha tiSThantam= here, staying - standing; dhaatubhiH citam= by ores, laden; parvatam= having nubs, protuberances, jagged; dharaa dharam iva= earth, borne by - mountain, like; a + kampyam= not, shakeable; maam tu na pashyasi nanu= me, but, not, you see, isn't it.

"But you are seeing me wielding a mace and standing before you like an unshakable and jagged mountain laden with ores, isn't it! [3-29-21]

paryaapto aham gadaa paaNir hantum praaNaan raNe tava |
trayaaNaam api lokaanaam paasha hasta iva a.ntakaH || 3-29-22

22. paasha hasta antakaH= noose, wielder, terminator; trayaaNaam lokaanaam api iva= for three, worlds, even for the [lives in those three worlds,] as with; raNe tava praaNaan hantum = in war, your, lives, to destroy - to kill; gadaa paaNiH aham paryaaptaH= with mace, in hand, I am, enough.

"As to how the Terminator wielding noose is enough to take away all the lives in all the three worlds, handling my mace I am enough for detracting your life from you. [3-29-22]

dhvani/allusion: 'I am not competent enough to combat with you...' is the sense that is drawn out. gadaa dharam maam pashyasi nanu 'mace-wielder, me, you see, though...' 'Though you see me wielding this mace...' paasha hasta antaka iva 'noose-wielder Yama, Terminator, like...' 'Though I appear to be noose-wielding Terminator...' trayaNaam api lokaanaam praaNaan hantum paryaaptaH yadyapi tathaa api 'Though I can strike down the lives of all in all the three worlds with this single mace as Yama does so with only one noose...' raNe tava na paryaaptaH 'in war, with you, not, competent... 'I am not competent enough to fight with you in war, for I am an inferior being in comparison to you, oh, Supreme Being...'

kaamam bahu api vaktavyam tvayi vakSyaami na tu aham |
astam praapnoti savitaa yuddha vighnaH tato bhavet || 3-29-23

23. tvayi= in your respect; bahu vaktavyam api kaamam = much, is to be said, though, really; tu= but; aham na vakSyaami= I am, not, tell - I will not continue to say; savitaa astam praapnoti= sun, dusk, getting at; tataH yuddha vighnaH bhavet= thereby, for war, disruption, occurs.

"Even though much is to be said in your respect I will not continue to say, for the sun is getting at the dusk thereby disruption to war occurs. [3-29-23]

dhvani/allusion: This is the devil's advocacy about dharma yuddha 'righteous warfare...' which righteous war is generally waged from morning till evening. Khara says that 'because the sun is dusking you humans cannot war with us, the nightwalkers who are adept in night-wars. Thus by killing you in nighttime does not prove my victory, for your warfare is from sunrise to sunset. Hence, this war is to be stalled. If you quicken now without self-extolling, I will kill you before sunset, proving my chivalry and then I can dab the eyes of the wives of the demons so far killed by you...'

caturdasha sahasraaNi raakSasaanaam hataani te |
tvat vinaashaat karomi adya teSaam ashru pramaarjanam || 3-29-24

24. te= to you - by you; raakSasaanaam caturdasha sahasraaNi hataani = demons, fourteen, thousand, are killed; [eSa= this me]; tvat vi naashaat= on your, utter, eradication - on killing you; teSaam ashru pramaarjanam= their [their wives,] tears, wiping; adya karomi = today itself, I will do.

"You have killed fourteen thousand demons and on killing you I will wipe the tears of the wives of those dead demons today itself." Khara said so to Rama. [3-29-24]

dhvani/allusion: Khara cannot return to his place after sacrificing these many demons. Either he should win or be won over. So 'when these many demons are eliminated by you... tvad vinaashaat = tvattaH naashaat 'by you if I am eliminated...' eSaam ashru pramaarjanam karomi 'their tears I will wipe... 'For I sacrificed fourteen thousand kinsmen of mine, and if I am also killed by you, their wives do not find fault with me and my death will wipe their tears out... that is why, though you tried to pacify and avert me from warring with soft talk mR^idu puurva bhaaSaNena, as at 3-29-1. I can not but war, and you need not think that I am heedless of your words...' Tiirtha.

iti uktvaa parama kruddhaH taam gadaam parama angadaam |
kharaH cikSepa raamaaya pradiiptaam ashanim yathaa || 3-29-25

25. iti uktvaa= thus, saying; kharaH= Khara; parama kruddhaH= highly, infuriated; parama angadaam = [mace] with superb, [golden] cinctures; [parama angdaH= one who has superb bicep-lets, Khara]; pra ndiiptaam ashanim yathaa= extremely glaring, thunderbolt, which is like; taam gadaam= that, mace; raamaaya cikSepa = for Rama - towards Rama, hurled.

Saying thus that highly infuriated Khara hurled his mace towards Rama, around which there are superb golden cinctures, and which is extremely glaring like a thunderbolt. [3-29-25]

khara baahu pramuktaa saa pradiiptaa mahatii gadaa |
bhasma vR^ikSaam ca gulmaam ca kR^itvaa agaat tat samiipataH || 3-29-26

26. khara baahu pra muktaa= by Khara's, arms, forcefully discharged; pra diiptaa mahatii gadaa= highly, fiery, stupendous, mace; vR^ikSaam ca gulmaam ca= trees, also, shrubs, also; bhasma kR^itvaa= to ashes, making - on rendering down; saa= that mace; tat samiipataH agaat= to his [Rama's,] near, has gone - darted out.

Forcefully discharged from Khara's hands that highly fiery and stupendous mace rendering trees and shrubs down to ashes darted towards Rama. [3-29-26]

taam aapatantiim mahatiim mR^ityu paasha upamaam gadaam |
a.ntarikSa gataam raamaH cicCheda bahudhaa sharaiH || 3-29-27

27. aa patantiim= coming, falling upon - swooping down; mahatiim= monstrous [mace]; mR^ityu paasha upamaam= Terminator, halter, in simile; such a mace; taam gadaam= that, mace; antarikSa gataam= while sky, rocketing; raamaH sharaiH bahudhaa cicCheda = Rama, with arrows, variously, smashed - to smithereens.

When that monstrous mace similar to the halter of the Terminator is swooping down, Rama smashed it to smithereens with his arrows while it is still sky rocketing. [3-29-27]

saa vishiirNaa sharaiH bhinnaa papaata dharaNii tale |
gadaa ma.ntra auSadhi balair vyaalii iva vinipaatitaa || 3-29-28

28. sharaiH bhinnaa= by arrows, splintered; saa gadaa= that, mace; mantra auSadhi balaiH= by spells, by nostrums, by the strengths of; vi ni paatitaa= utterly, down, fallen came to naught; vyaalii iva = female snake, as with; vi shiirNaa= absolutely, crumbled; dharaNii tale= earth's, on surface; papaata= fell down.

That mace splintered with arrows of Rama fell crumbling onto the surface of earth as a springing female snake would fall down by the strength of spells and nostrums. [3-29-28]

dhvani/allusion: The mention about Khara's mace may be noticed. In the text, its reference has come more often and at the end it is said to have burnt down the vegetation along its course of travel, which indicates that it has some radiation power. Without making it to touch the ground, Rama has splintered it in sky itself, and its destruction is metaphoric with a venomous serpent, and hymns and herbs can bring down that serpent. That is to say even if venomous missiles are used their antidotes are ready at hand. For this Dharmaakuutam says, without expanding: anena mantra auÿadhi balai× viÿa ˜di n˜þa ukto bhavati | dk 'any poison can be neutralised by antidotes, say spells and nostrums...'

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe ekona tri.msha sargaH

Thus, this is the 29th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 30

Introduction

Rama and Khara exchange a haughty wordy duel and when the demon Khara charges at Rama, Rama eliminates him with his all-powerful arrow and gods and sages shower flowery rain. Seetha and Lakshmana return from their hiding cave and Seetha becomes very happy on seeing her victorious and indefatigable husband.

bhittvaa tu taam gadaam baaNaiH raaghavo dharma vatsalaH |
smayamaanaH kharam vaakyam sa.mrabdham idam abraviit || 3-30-1

1. dharma vatsalaH raaghavaH= virtue, patron, Raghava; taam gadaam baaNaiH bhittvaa= that, mace, with arrows, having smashed; smayamaanaH= while smiling; samrabdham kharam= to flustering, Khara; idam vaakyam abraviit= this, sentence, spoke.

On smashing the mace with arrows Raghava spoke this sentence to Khara smiling him out of temper, without assaulting weaponless and flustering Khara, because Rama is the patron of virtue following the protocol of righteous war. [3-30-1]

This seems to be a roundabout meaning. But to explain why the epithet dharma vatsala to Rama is given, this beating round the bush is necessary. So also, many epithets used in this epic have relevance to the circumstances, characters, or their actions. These cannot be explained without the support of commentaries, and unfortunately commentaries skip these minor details assuming that the readers are capable enough to grasp them in the course of narration, which resulted otherwise at a later time. We therefore request pundits to consolidate the relevancy of each the inordinate epithet used to the situations narrated somewhere like web, if it is going to cost a fortune on printing and stationary. Explaining them occasionally is unnoticed, and they appear to be redundant metre fillers in these days where Sanskrit itself has become an alienated language.

etat te bala sarvasvam darshitam raakSasaadhama |
shakti hiinataro matto vR^ithaa tvam upagar.hjasi || 3-30-2

2. raakSasa adhama= oh, demon, the wretched; te etat= your, all this - this is all the strength you have, is it; bala sarvasvam darshitam= strength [of yours and your army,] in its entirety, is displayed; mat taH shakti hiina taraH= than mine [your,] strength, paltry, higher in comparison - paltriest; tvam vR^ithaa upagarjasi= you, futilely, blare - you boast yourself.

"So, this is all the strength of yours and your army that is displayed and nothing more to display, is it! You wretched demon, it is paltriest compared to my strength, yet you vaunt aloud futilely! [3-30-2]

eSaa baaNa vinirbhinnaa gadaa bhuumi talam gataa |
abhidhaana pragalbhasya tava pratyaya ghaatinii || 3-30-3

3. eSaa gadaa= this, mace [of yours]; baaNa vi nir bhinnaa= with arrows, very, completely, battered; abhidhaana pragalbhasya= in talking, pompous [of a bombastic being]; tava pratyaya ghaatinii= your, aplomb, is shattered - by mace; bhuumi talam gataa= mace, on earth's, surface, gone down.

"This mace of yours in which you repose your bombastic aplomb, now completely battered with my arrows has gone onto the surface of earth, so also is your vanity. [3-30-3]

yat tvayaa uktam vinaSTaanaam idam ashru pramaarjanam |
raakSasaanaam karomi iti mithyaa tat api te vacaH || 3-30-4

4. [aham= I will]; vi naSTaanaam raakSasaanaam= completely, lost, demons - of demons whose kinsfolk is lost; idam= this; ashru pramaarjanam= tears, dabbing; karomi= I will do; iti= thus; yat tvayaa uktam= what words, by you, said; te tat vacaH api= your, that, words, even; mithyaa= are fake.

"What that is said by you, 'I will dab the tears of the demons whose kinfolk are dead here...' even this word of yours is a fake. [3-30-4]

niicasya kSudra shiilasya mithyaa vR^ittasya rakSasaH |
praaNaan apahariSyaami garutmaan amR^itam yathaa || 3-30-5

5. niicasya= of a knave; kSudra shiilasya= roguish, in character; mithyaa vR^ittasya= of devious, behaviour [ghoulish]; rakSasaH= being a demon; such as you are, your; praaNaan= lives; garutmaan amR^itam yathaa= Garuda, Ambrosia, as with; [aham= I will]; apahariSyaami= I will snatch away.

"In boasting you are knavish, in character roguish, and in behaviour ghoulish, such a demon as you are, I will take your life away as the Divine Eagle Garuda took away Ambrosia. [3-30-5]

adya te bhinna kaNThasya phena budbuda bhuuSitam |
vidaaritasya mat baaNaiH mahii paasyati shoNitam || 3-30-6

6. anvaya/word order: adya= now; mat baaNaiH vi daaritasya= by my, arrows verily, rip; bhinna kaNThasya= chopped off, of your throat; te phena budbuda bhuuSitam shoNitam= your, with froth, foam, garnished with, blood [gushed from chopped throat]; mahii paasyati= earth, guzzles.

"Now, my arrows will rip and chop off your throat, and then the earth will guzzle the blood gushed therefrom garnished with froth and foam. [3-30-6]

paa.msu ruuSita sarvaangaH srasta nyasta bhuja dvayaH |
svapsyase gaam samaashliSya durlabhaam pramadaam iva || 3-30-7

7. paamsu ruuSita sarva angaH= by dirt, smeared with, on all, limbs; srasta nyasta bhuja dvayaH= made to slide, laid [knocked down to earth,] arms, two; svapsyase gaam sam aashliSya= you sleep [eternally,] on earth, well-embracing; dur labhaam pramadaam iva= impossible one, to gain, lady, like.

"You will go to eternal sleep embracing the earth as you embrace an un-gainable lady, when both of your arms are knocked down to slide on earth, and limbs smeared with dirt. [3-30-7]

pravR^iddha nidre shayite tvayi raakSasa paa.msane |
bhaviSyanti asharaNyaanaam sharaNyaa daNDakaa ime || 3-30-8

8. raakSasa paamsane= oh, demon, the notorious; tvayi= by you; pra vR^iddha nidre shayite= in well developed [profound,] sleep, while sleeping; ime daNDakaaH= these, Dandaka forests; sharaNyaanaam= for shelter-worthy [sages]; sharaNyaa bhaviSyanti= shelter, will become.

"While you are in profound sleep, oh, notorious demon, this Dandaka forest becomes a shelter to the shelter-worthy sages and saints. [3-30-8]

janasthaane hata sthaane tava raakSasa mat sharaiH |
nirbhayaa vicariSyanti sarvato munayo vane || 3-30-9

9. raakSasa= oh, demon; tava janasthaane= in your, Janasthaana; mat sharaiH= with my, arrows; hata sthaane= ruined, strongholds [of demons]; munayaH nir bhayaa= sages, without, fear; sarvataH vane= everywhere, in forest; vi cariSyanti= well, move about.

"When the strongholds of demons in your Janasthaana are ruined with my arrows, the sages in this forest will move about everywhere, fearlessly. [3-30-9]

adya viprasariSyanti raakSasyo hata baandhavaaH |
baaSpa aardra vadanaa diinaa bhayaat anya bhayaavahaaH || 3-30-10

10. anya bhayaavahaaH= to others, terrorizing [so far]; raakSasyaH= demonesses; hata baandhavaaH= killed, kinsmen; baaSpa aardra vadanaa= with tear, wet, with faces; bhayaat diinaa= with fear, becoming pitiable; adya= now; viprasariSyanti [vi pra sariSyanti]= very, quickly, flee away.

"The demonesses who terrorized others so far will be pitiably terrorised now, and they flee away very quickly with tear-wet faces as their kinsmen are killed. [3-30-10]

adya shoka rasaj~naaH taaH bhaviSyanti nirarthakaaH |
anuruupa kulaaH patnyo yaasaam tvam patiH iidR^ishaH || 3-30-11

11. yaasaam= to which females [demonesses]; iidR^ishaH tvam patiH= this kind of you, [abominable one] is the husband; anuruupa kulaaH= well-matched to you, in befitting family [taken birth]; taaH= they the demonesses; patnyaH= are [befittingly deplorable] wives; adya= now; nir arthakaaH= without, meaning - meaningless - lives of demonesses became meaningless; shoka rasaj~naaH= grief's, enjoyers of empathy; bhaviSyanti= they will become.

"To which demonesses your kind of grievous demon is the husband, they must have taken birth in a befittingly grievous family like that of yours, and must be well-matched to you in grievous atrocities, and though they might not have tasted a grievous situation so far, since their lives have become meaningless, now they will become the enjoyers of the empathy of grief. [3-30-11]

nR^isha.msa shiila kSudra aatman nityam braahmaNa kaNTaka |
tvat kR^ite shankitaiH agnau munibhiH paatyate haviH || 3-30-12

12. nR^ishamsa shiila= atrocious, in conduct; kSudra aatman= debased, by conscience; nityam braahmaNa kaNTaka= always, Brahmans, bothersome to; tvat kR^ite shankitaiH= by your, deeds, sceptical of; munibhiH haviH agnau paatyate= by sages, in Ritual-Fire, oblations dropped - consigned.

"You are atrocious in conduct because you countervail against Veda-s, debased by conscience because you counteract to Vedic rituals, and you are countermanding Vedic procedures because you have always been bothersome to Brahmans, and those Brahmans becoming sceptical of your deeds of hindrance, they are hesitatingly consigning oblations into Ritual-Fire, which are to be swiftly dropped into fire to the chants of hymns and even on time, hence you are countervailing against Veda-s and counteracting to their rituals, and countermanding their procedures." Thus Rama spoke to Khara irefully. [3-30-12]

tam evam abhisa.mrabdham bruvaaNam raaghavam raNe |
kharo nirbhartsayaamaasa roSaat kharatara svaraH || 3-30-13

13. evam= this way; [raNe= in war] vane= in forest; abhi samrabdham bruvaaNam= very impetuously, who is speaking; tam raaghavam= to that, Raghava; roSaat= rancorously; khara tara svaraH= ass, more than, one who has voice - very harsh voiced Khara - stridulous than braying; kharaH= Khara; nirbhartsayaamaasa= started to intimidate.

While Raghava is speaking that way with such an impetuosity in that forest, Khara started to intimidate him rancorously in a voice stridulous than braying. [3-30-13]

dR^iDham khalu avalipto asi bhayeSu api ca nirbhayaH |
vaacya avaacyam tato hi tvam mR^ityu vashyo na budhyase || 3-30-14

14. bhayeSu api ca== in fearful [situation,] even, also; nir bhayaH tvam= without, fearing, you are; dR^iDham avaliptaH asi= resolutely, you pride yourself; tataH= thereby; mR^ityu vashyaH hi= [even if you are under] death's, control, indeed; vaacya a vaacyam= speakable, not, speakable; tvam= you; na budhyase khalu= not, mindful of, for sure.

"Priding yourself resolutely you are unfearing even in a fearful situation, thereby you have indeed gone into the control of death, and for sure you are unmindful of what is speakable and what is not." Thus, Khara started his tongue-lashing. [3-30-14]

kaala paasha parikSiptaa bhava.nti puruSaa hi ye |
kaarya akaaryam na jaananti te nirasta SaD indriyaaH || 3-30-15

15. ye puruSaa= such of those, men; kaala paasha pari kSiptaa= Time's, lead, overly, when closing in; bhavanti= they will be; te= they; nir asta= without, animation; SaD indriyaaH= six, senses [on becoming insensible to]; kaarya a kaaryam= doable, not, doable; na jaananti= not, knowing.

"Such of those men on whom the Lead of the Time verily closes in, they will not know what is to be done and what not, for all of their six senses will be rendered insensible." Thus Khara intimidated Rama. [3-30-15]

dhvani/allusion: For the above three verses it said: evam bruvaaNam raamam 'to Rama who saying that way...' mR^ityu vashya kharaH 'Khara going under the control of Death...' is saying 'oh, Rama...' tvam vaacya a+vaacya na budhyase iti 'you know not what to speak and what not to speak - to a dying creature like me, because that creature's six-senses are stand-still...' Then why is this nirbhartsayana, roSa? 'threatening me, and anger at me?' 'Because the faculties of that dying creatures, presently mine, will be in a flux, they will attack anyone verbally or physically, let alone the Almighty... thus you are not able to distinguish between what is to be done or not to be done with such a senseless creature... So, what you have to do now is to finish me, and what is not to be done is this sermonising. Why not finish me off from this curse and accord salvation?' Maheshvara Tiirtha. anena maraõa samaye jan˜n˜m buddhi bhraÕþo bhavati it s¨citam - dk 'at the time of death people's mind deranges...'

evam uktvaa tato raamam sa.mrudhya bhR^ikuTim tataH |
sa dadarsha mahaa saalam aviduure nishaacaraH || 3-30-16
raNe praharaNasya arthe sarvato hi avalokayan |

16, 17a. saH nishaacaraH= he that, nightwalker; raamam evam uktvaa= to Rama, this way, on saying; tataH= then; bhR^i kuTim= eye, brows; sam rudhya= tightly, contracting; raNe praharaNasya arthe= in war, to assault, for purpose of [assault weapon]; sarvataH avalokayan= everywhere, while seeing; a +vi+ duure= not, very, faraway; tataH= then; mahaa saalam dadarsha hi= a huge, saala tree, he saw, in fact.

Saying so to Rama that nightwalker Khara then knitting his brows tightly saw everywhere for an assault weapon for use in that combat, and then he indeed found one not far away from him, namely a huge saala tree. [3-30-16, 17a]

sa tam utpaaTayaamaasa sa.mdaSTa dashana cChadam || 3-30-17
tam samutkSipya baahubhyaam vinarditvaa mahaabalaH |
raamam uddishya cikSepa hataH tvam iti ca abraviit || 3-30-18

17b, 18. saH= he that Khara; dashana cChadam= teeth, covering of [lips]; sam daSTa [sam dashya]= well, biting [curling in frown]; tam utpaaTayaamaasa= that tree, started to extricate; mahaabalaH= great-mighty one [Khara]; tam= it [tree]; baahubhyaam= by both hands; sam ut kSipya= forcefully, up, lifting; vi narditvaa= loudly, braying; raamam uddishya cikSepa= Rama, aiming at, hurled; tvam hataH= you are, killed; iti ca abraviit= thus, also, saying - shouting.

He curled his lips in frown and started to extricate that Saala tree, and that great-mighty Khara on forcefully uprooting that tree with both of hands hurled it aiming at Rama, braying loudly and shouting at him 'you are dead...' [3-30-17b, 18]

tam aapatantam baaNa oghaiH cChittvaa raamaH prataapavaan |
roSam aahaarayat tiivram niha.ntum samare kharam || 3-30-19

19. prataapavaan raamaH= adventurous one, Rama; aa patantam= coming, falling; tam= it [tree]; baaNa oghaiH= with arrow, torrent of; cChittvaa= on shredding; samare kharam nihantum= in war, Khara, to eliminate; roSam aahaarayat tiivram= rancour, evoked, unusual [rancour.]

But that adventurous Rama on shredding that tree which is swooping down with a torrent of arrows, and deciding to eliminate that Khara in that war evoked an unusual rancour, which rancour is equally an unusual facet of Rama. [3-30-19]

The inveterate bitterness of Rama is to see the unyielding Khara at a time when all of his war paraphernalia is lost, but still trying to be aggressive, rancorously.

jaata svedaH tato raamo roSaat rakta anta locanaH |
nir.hbibheda sahasreNa baaNaanaam samare kharam || 3-30-20

20. tataH= then; jaata svedaH= emerging [on body,] sweat; roSaat rakta anta locanaH= in acrimony, bloodshot, at ends, with eyes; raamaH= such Rama; baaNaanaam sahasreNa= with arrows, a thousand; samare kharam= in war, Khara is; nirbibheda [nir bi bheda= completely, utterly, shredded]= shredded utterly.

Rama whose body is perspiring and whose eyes are acrimoniously bloodshot at ends, he utterly shredded Khara with a thousand arrows in that war. [3-30-20]

tasya baaNa a.ntaraat raktam bahu susraava phenilam |
gireH prasravaNasya iva dhaaraaNaam ca parisravaH || 3-30-21

21. tasya phenilam= his [Khara's,] frothy [blood]; bahu raktam= copious, blood; baaNa antaraat= arrow's, gaps [apertures made by arrows, gashes]; prasravaNasya gireH iva= Prasavana, of mountain, like [the flow of rapids on Mt. Prasavana;] su sraava [gireH kharsya]= well, flowed [from mountainous Khara]; dhaaraaNaam ca pari sravaH= on earth, also, over, flowing.

Copious frothy blood gushed out from the gashes of arrows on the mountainous body of Khara, like the rapids on Mt. Prasavana, and it overflowed on earth too. [3-30-21]

Mt. Prasavana is depicted in Kishkindha canto where Rama admires and eulogises the rainy season when waiting for Sugreeva's help.

vikala sa kR^ito baaNaiH kharo raameNa sa.myuge |
matto rudhira gandhena tam eva abhyadravat drutam || 3-30-22

22. samyuge raameNa baaNaiH= conflict, by Rama, with arrows; vikala [vihvala] kR^itaH= to torment, made to; mattaH saH kharaH= is bedevilled, he, that Khara; rudhira gandhena= with blood, stinking [on body]; drutam tam [raama] eva abhi adravat= quickly, to him [Rama,] towards, bolted.

When Khara is tormented with the arrows of Rama in that conflict he is bedevilled and with his blood stinking body he quickly bolted towards that Rama alone. [3-30-22]

tam aapata.ntam sa.mrabdham kR^ita astro rudhira aaplutam |
apasarpat dvi tri padam ki.mcit tvarita vikramaH || 3-30-23

23. kR^ita astraH [shaastraH]= completed, missiles [sciences - one who learnt archery in full-fledged manner]; Rama; aa patantam= coming, falling - descending on; rudhira aaplutam= blood, bathed in; samrabdham= boisterous one; tam= him; on seeing; tvarita vikramaH= in swiftness, valorous one Rama; dvi tri padam= two, three, steps; kimcit apasarpat= a little, swerved, veered - stepped back.

When Khara is descending on boisterously with his body bathed in blood, that adept one in the Science of Archery, dhanur veda , the scripture on archery, and that valorous Rama, in swiftness lurched a little...say, two or three steps... [3-30-23]

On this back stepping, backtracking, or the scrape Rama took in war, [ scrape - intr. draw back a foot in making a clumsy bow; and here without clumsiness of bow]; much discussion is available discussing whether Rama can retrace his step or not. It is said that stepping back in war is prohibited for a valorous warrior or to the epical hero. saðgr˜me saÕsth˜nam aniv®tti× ca - gautama and many more scriptures say this. And a relaxation to such a stance is said: kvacit ati sanka÷a viÿaye subha÷˜n˜m abhito ayam apasarpa× - ved˜nta deþika But here Rama is taking a runner's back-leg and it is not to be construed as an act of cowardice. Dharmaakuutam clarifies this as: vasca þatru vadhe k˜mayam˜na r˜msya dhanuÿi b˜õa sandh˜na ˜di saukary˜rtham apasarpaõam r˜meõa k®tam bh¨ÿaõam eva na tu d¨ÿaõam | ata eva m¨le apasarpaõe k®ta astram eva hetumatvena maharÿiõ˜ upanyastham | anantara þlokena khara vad˜ya þara sandh˜na mokÿaõa ˜di pratip˜danam upapannam bhavati | bhity˜ apasarpaõe puna× þara mokÿa anupapatto riti | dk 'Wishing to eliminate the demon Rama has taken a back step. It is only to have a leeway between his target, arrow, and arrow-flinging place... In the verse itself the great-sage Valmiki incorporated words like kR^ita astra that Rama is an exponent in archery [keeping some doubting Thomas' in view.] Further, in the next few verses Rama eliminates Khara, thus it is not an act of cowardice...'

More so, some scholars hold that this verse has got grammatical glitches, some ancient mms reads this verse as, even though this verse too has the word apasarpaNa scrape: tam ˜patantam vegena Ÿpt˜syam rudhira plutam | apas®tya tata× sth˜n˜t d®ÿ÷v˜ tvarita vikrama× ||

tataH paavaka sa.mkaasham vadhaaya samare sharam |
kharasya raamo jagraaha brahma daNDam iva aparam || 3-30-24

24. tataH= then; raamaH= Rama; kharasya vadhaaya= for Khara, to eliminating; paavaka samkaasham=, Ritual-fire, similar to; aparam brahma daNDam iva= another - secondary, Brahma's, shaft [missile,] as with; such an; sharam= arrow; samare jagraaha= in that conflict, taken.

Then, Rama snatched an arrow which is similar to the Ritual-fire, and secondary only to the ultimate missile, namely the Brahma-missile, for the elimination of Khara in war. [3-30-24]

sa tat dattam maghavataa sura raajena dhiimataa |
sa.mdadhe ca sa dharmaatmaa mumoca ca kharam prati || 3-30-25

25. dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; saH= he that Rama; dhiimataa maghavataa sura raajena= by sensible one, prosperous one, gods, king of - namely Indra; dattam= given; tat= that [particular arrow]; sam dadhe ca= fitted on bow, also; kharam prati= Khara, towards; mumoca ca= released, also.

That particular arrow is made available to Rama through Sage Agastya by the king of gods, namely Indra, because Indra is a sensible one about the future course of events, and he is also prosperous in securing impossible weaponry, and now Rama fitted such an arrow on his bow and released it towards Khara. [3-30-25]

sa vimukto mahaabaaNo nirghaata sama niHsvanaH |
raameNa dhanuraayamya kharasya urasi ca aapatat || 3-30-26

26. raameNa= by Rama; dhanuH aayamya= bow, bending - by stretching bowstring to ear; kharasya urasi vimuktaH= on Khara's, chest, released; nir ghaata out, falling, [with electric-force, viz., thunderbolt]; sama= similar to= niH svanaH= out, roaring - thunderous; saH mahaa baaNaH= that, great - formidable, arrow; aa patat= came, and fell [on Khara's chest.]

That formidable arrow is promptly released on Rama's stretching the bowstring up to his ear, bending bow almost to a circularity, and which arrow is thunderous while in egress like the thunder of a thunderbolt, and that has come and plunged inthe chest of Khara. [3-30-26]

sa papaata kharo bhuumau dahyamaanaH shara agninaa |
rudreNa eva vinir.hdagdhaH shveta araNye yathaa andhakaH || 3-30-27

27. shara agninaa dahyamaanaH= by arrow's, radiation, being burnt; saH kharaH= that, Khara; shveta araNye= in White, forest; rudreNa vinirdagdhaH [vi nir dagdhaH]= by Rudra, very, completely, burnt; andhakaH yathaa= Andhaka, as with; bhuumau papaata= on earth, fell down.

Khara fell down on to earth and on being burnt by the radiation of that arrow he is like demon Andhaka, who once was very completely burnt by Rudra in Shveta-araNya, the White-forest. [3-30-27]

Andhaka is the son of Danu, the wife of Kashyapa Prajaapati, and her progeny is termed as daanava-s, demons. Shiva burns this Andhaka with his Third-eye in Shveta-forest, which is said to be at the confluence point of River Kauvery in ocean.

sa vR^itra iva vajreNa phenena namucir yathaaa |
balo vaa indra ashani hato nipapaata hataH kharaH || 3-30-28

28. saH kharaH= he that Khara; hataH= when eliminated; vajreNa vR^itra iva= with Thunderbolt of Indra, demon Vritta, like; phenena namuciH yathaaa= by froth [of blood,] demon Namuchi, like; indra ashani hataH= by Indra's, Thunderbolt, eliminated; balaH vaa= demon Bala, or; nipapaata [ni pa paata ]= fell down - brought fown.

As with fall of demon Vritta or fall of demon Bala who are eliminated by Indra with his Thunderbolt, or as with the collapse of demon Namuchi who is eliminated by the same Indra just with forth or foam, Khara too is brought down. [3-30-28]

The demon Namuchi secures a boon from the gods that he may not die by wetness or dryness, so Indra uses foam and forth, which are neither wet nor dry, to eliminated him.

etasmin a.ntare devaaH caaraNayoH saha sa.ngataaH |
dundubhiH ca abhinighna.ntaH puSpa varSa sama.ntataH || 3-30-29
raamasya upari sa.mhR^iSTaa vavarSuH vismitaaH tadaa |

29, 30a. etasmin antare= in this, meantime; devaaH caaraNayoH saha sangataaH= gods, carana-s [celestials,] along with, on gathering; sam hR^iSTaa= well-pleased; dundubhiH abhinighnantaH [abhi ni ghnantaH]= drums, also, all over, well, drummed; tadaa vismitaaH= then, amazed; raamasya upari= on Rama, above; samantataH= from all over; puSpa varSa vavarSuH= flowers, rain, showered.

In this meantime gods gathering along with carana-s drummed celestial drums from all over and showered flowers on Rama from all over. [3-30-29, 30a]

artha adhika muhuurtena raameNa nishitaiH sharaiH || 3-30-30
catur dasha sahasraaNi rakshsaam kaama ruupiNaam |
khara duuSaNa mukhyaanaam nihataani mahaamR^idhe || 3-30-31

30b, 31. raameNa= by Rama; artha adhika muhuurtena= in half, more, one muhurta [hour]; nishitaiH sharaiH= with sharp, arrows; mahaa mR^idhe= in extreme, crack-down; khara duuSaNa mukhyaanaam= Khara, Duushana, chieftains; rakshsaam= of demons; kaama ruupiNaam= by wish, guise-changers; catur dasha sahasraaNi= four, ten, thousand [fourteen thousand]; nihataani= are eliminated.

And those gods and other celestials in their amazement said among themselves that 'in one and half hours, say seventy two minutes of this extreme crack-down Rama with his sharp arrows has eradicated fourteen thousand guise changing demons, including their chieftains Khara and Duushana. [3-30-30b, 31]

aho bata mahat karma raamasya vidita aatmanaH |
aho viiryam aho daar.hDhyam viSNoH iva hi dR^ishyate || 3-30-32
iti evam uktvaa te sarve yayuH devaa yathaa aagatam|

32, 33a. vidita aatmanaH= shrewd, souled; raamasya= of Rama; mahat karma= great, deed; aho bata= aha, Surprising; aho viiryam= what, a valour; aho daarDhyam= what, a fortitude; viSNoH iva= of Vishnu [valour, fortitude etc]; dR^ishyate hi= seems to be, really; iti evam uktvaa= thus, that way, saying; sarve te devaa= all, those, gods; yathaa aagatam yayuH= as, they came, went away.

"Aha! Surprising is this great deed of Rama, the shrewd-soul, what a valour, what a fortitude, really, his valour and fortitude are like those of Vishnu..." Thus saying that way all of those gods have gone away as the have come. [3-30-32, 33a]

tato raaja R^iSayaH sarve samgataaH parama R^iSayaH || 3-30-33
sabhaajya muditaa raamam sa agastyaa idam abruvan |

33b, 34a. tataH= then; sarve raaja R^iSayaH= all, kingly, sages; sa agastyaa= with, Agastya; parama R^iSayaH samgataaH= with elite, sages, foregathering; muditaa= delighted; raamam sa bhaajya= Rama, on adoring; idam abruvan= this, said.

All the kingly-sages and elite-sages along with Sage Agastya, who as incidentally came here to witness the victory of Rama, then on foregathering near at Rama delightedly said this on adoring him. [3-30-33b, 34a]

etat artham mahaatejaa mahendraH paaka shaasanaH || 3-30-34
sharabha.nga aashramam puNyam aajagaama pura.ndaraH |

34b, 35a. paaka shaasanaH= demon Paka, controller of; mahaatejaa= great-resplendent; purandaraH= enemy-city destroyer; mahendraH= Indra; etat artham= for this, purpose alone; puNyam sharabhanga aashramam aajagaama= meritorious, to Sharabhanga's, hermitage, came to.

"He that great-resplendent one, the controller of demon Paka, and the destroyer of enemy's cities, namely Indra, once came to the meritorious hermitage of Sage Sharabhanga only for the purpose such an elimination of demons. [3-30-34b, 35a]

aaniitaH tvam imam desham upaayena mahar.hSibhiH || 3-30-35
eSaam vadha artham shatruuNaam rakSasaam paapa karmaNaam |

35b, 36a. shatruuNaam= enemies; paapa karmaNaam= demons, evil, doers; eSaam rakSasaam= these, of demons; vadha artham= for eradication, purpose of; tvam= you; maharSibhiH upaayena= by sages, with ideation; imam desham aaniitaH= to this, countryside, you are brought.

"For the purpose of eradicating these demons who are the evildoers by nature and the natural enemies to saintly people you are led to this countryside by the great sages with an ideation. [3-30-35b, 36a]

tat idam naH kR^itam kaaryam tvayaa dasharatha aatmaja || 3-30-36
sva dharmam pracariSyanti daNDakeSu maharSayaH |

36b, 37a. dasharatha aatmaja= oh, Dasharatha's, son; tat idam kaaryam tvayaa kR^itam= that, this, task, by you, is done; maharSayaH daNDakeSu= great-sages, in Dandaka; sva dharmam pracariSyanti [pra car iSyati]= their own [of sages,] duties, well-practise.

"That which is the task of ours it is accomplished by you, oh, son of Dasharatha, now that Dandaka is unimpeded these great-sages will be practising their respective sacred devoirs in it." Thus, the sages expressed their thanksgiving. [3-30-36b, 37a]

etasmin ana.ntare viiro lakSmaNaH saha siitayaa || 3-30-37
giri durgaat viniS.hkramya sa.mvivesha aashramam sukhii |

37b, 38a. etasmin anantare= in this, meanwhile; viiraH lakSmaNaH saha siitayaa= brave, Lakshmana, with, Seetha; giri durgaat viniSkramya= mountain, from cave, verily, exiting; sukhii= who is happy [charmed for Rama's victory]; aashramam samvivesha [sam vi vesha]= to [their own] hermitage, well entered.

In the meanwhile the brave Lakshmana exiting from the mountain cave came along with Seetha to their hermitage, and he is charmed at the victory of his brother Rama. [3-30-37b, 38a]

tato raamaH tu vijayii puujyamaano mahar.hSibhiH || 3-30-38
pravivesha aashramam viiro lakSmaNena abhipuujitaH |

38b, 39a. tataH= then; vijayii viiraH raamaH tu= victorious, brave man, Rama, but; maharSibhiH puujyamaanaH= by great-sages, being reverenced; lakSmaNena abhi puujitaH= by Lakshmana, coming towards, greeted; aashramam pravivesha= hermitage, entered.

And then that brave and victories Rama too came towards hermitage while great-sages reverenced him, and he entered the hermitage while Lakshmana came forward to greet him. [3-30-38b, 39a]

tam dR^iSTvaa shatru ha.ntaaram maharSiiNaam sukha aavaham || 3-30-39
babhuuva hR^iSTaa vaidehii bhartaaram pariSvaje |

39b, 40a. vaidehii= Seetha; shatru hantaaram= enemy, eliminator; maharSiiNaam sukha aavaham= for great-sages, rejoice, accorder; tam bhartaaram dR^iSTvaa= him, her husband, on seeing; hR^iSTaa babhuuva= became, rejoiced; pariSvaje= embraced.

And Seetha on seeing her husband, the eliminator of enemies and accorder of happiness to sages, embraced her husband Rama, rejoicingly. [3-30-39b, 40a]

mudaa paramayaa yuk{}taa dR^iSTvaa raksho gaNaan hataan |
raamam ca eva avyayam dR^iSTaa tutoSa janaka aatmajaa || 3-30-40

40. janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; hataan rakshaH gaNaan dR^iSTvaa= eliminated, demon, hordes, on seeing; paramayaa mudaa yuktaa= with extreme, rapture, along with; raamam ca eva= Rama, also, thus; a + vyayam dR^iSTaa= not, scathed, on observing; tutoSa= gladdened for herself, with sniggering smiles, with smiles hid behind lips, soft-pedalled smiles.

Janaka's daughter Seetha on seeing the hordes of demons eliminated, and even on observing her husband is also scatheless, she is all-smiles for him smiling sniggeringly. [3-30-40]

Any wife on seeing her husband returning from a risky journey will embrace her husband delightfully, and nothing special about it. But the commentators attach a great significance to this situation.

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Firstly Seetha is hR^iSTaa 'exultant...' more than happiness. Rama's victory is the cause for that. sati dharmiNi dharmaaH 'nature will have its own peculiar property...' Rama's victory is the peculiar property dharmi, and the exultancy caused is its nature dharma. hR^iSTaa 'exulted' 'thrilling, hair-raising, electrifying' 'as though the inner joy is going to outburst trough the skin pores...' Such is the joy of Seetha.

The cause for the extreme exultancy is said next. Vaidehi, is the daughter of Videha King, Janaka and when she is said so, it is remembered that mithila adhipatiH viiraH 'Mithila's king is the bravest of the brave...' Thus, she is aware what bravery and victory are, and knowing that she hailed her victorious husband, for she is a worthy princess. bhartaaram pariSvaje 'husband, embraced...' Is Rama a husband of Seetha or to total Universe? loka bhartaaram suSuveya. He is the husband of the total Universe. When she is the mother of all beings in the universe, and when her husband protects her progeny from the evildoers, will she not embrace that husband of hers, as well as of the Universe? The word bharta 'one who bears...' and this Rama has no other burden to bear, except the Universe.

This embracing is pariSvaje, pari sa svaje 'wholly embraced.' She embraced him from all over and fomented his war-wounds with her warm breasts. Then, why for this much happy hugging? It is replied: maharSiiNaam sukha aavaham pariSvaje 'one who brought comfort to great-sages, him she embraced...' The great-sages are her children, supplicating her to recommend to the Supreme Being to bestow His grace for their salvation. Since Rama brought some relief by his paternal affection to these children-like sages, she is happy and hugging.

Seetha came out of a mountain cave and embraced Rama. This suggests that the innate soul sheSi on the advise of a teacher, after leaving the cave-like living being, is released from bondages and embraces the master sheShin. This is the same predicament for her in Sundara Kanda, where the teacher Hanuma advises her to come with him, but she refuses, because her lord alone has to come conquering, as he has done now as far as her confinement is concerned. Here she is put in cave and guarded by Lakshmana, unlike demonesses guarding her in open-air gardens in Lanka. She came out of the cave and is joining her husband. Govindaraja.

Next, Maheshvara Tiirtha records: tam dR^iSTvaa shatru hantaaram 'at him Rama, on seeing, enemy, eliminator...'in that compound: tam 'at him...' that Rama, which one-Rama assumed himself as fourteen thousand Rama-s, appearing as each to each demon at the time of war, with his divinely gracious aspect divya mangala vigraha and eliminated all demons, that Rama she saw. te tu yaavanta evaa~Nau taavaan tu dadR^ishe sataiH As many demons are there, so many Rama-s are there on the battlefield.

tam 'at him...' 'who eliminated fourteen thousand demons, single-handedly, , that too in seventy two minutes. These demons are so far undeafted even by Indra with all his forces. Rama defeated such demons without any damage to his person, a + vyayam 'unscathed, undamaged... and very easily also...' at such a Rama Seetha saw.

tam 'him' who looks girlish. Seetha once said that Rama is girly not only in his looks but also in bravery, perhaps. r˜ma j˜m˜taram pr˜pya striyam puruÿa vigraham Ayodhya Part I, 30-3. When Rama dissuades Seetha from coming to forests, Seetha said to Rama, 'my father is the King of Mithila and he may think that you have left me behind at Ayodhya unable to protect me in forests... thus my father may also think that he got a 'girl' as his son-in-law in you...' Through this is a tongue-in-cheek expression Seetha reminded Rama at that situation of his Mohini ruupa 'getup of Mohini...' which he assumed at the time of churning Milky Ocean, it is her woomanhood that spoke like that. Though not then, even now Rama looks girlishly pleasant, if he is not summoning wrath upon him, as per his attributes, puNDarika vishaala aksha, somavat priya darshanaH 'lotus-petal-eyed, moon-like-delightful-aspect...' And he becomes unsightly, only if angered. Such a girlish Rama has won war, and at him Seetha saw in admiration about his mannishness. Now her father Janaka will definitely appreciate his son-in-law Rama. King Janaka is a result-oriented king, as said in Gita, 3-20: karmaNi evahi samsiddham aasthitaH janakaadayaH 'Janaka and others are involved in self-less- result-oriented deeds...' and facing him without results is impossible. Thus Seetha's opinion is 'my father Janaka who is result-oriented and self-less in his pursuits, he will now appreciate Rama, since Rama has also accomplished a self-less pursuit in saving the sages...'

tam shatru hantaaram 'at him... who has annihilated the enemies in war...' as he has annihilated troops and troops of unwieldy demons as said at: tai× dhan¨Õÿi dhvaja agr˜õi carm˜õi ca þir˜Õsi ca || 3-25-21 and at bah¨n sa hasta ˜bharaõ˜n ¨r¨n kari kara upam˜n | 3-25-22 [A] and also who later said that he will emerge, as and when needed to eradicate vice, as at paritraNaaya saadhuunaam vinaashaaya ca duSkR^itaam - Gita: 4-8 And Seetha saw at such an omnipotent Being who is an eliminator of evil.

maharSiNaam sukha aavaham 'for great-sages, accorder of comfort...' dR^iSTvaa vaidehii babhuuva 'on seeing Vaidehi became...' she became one with herself bhuu sattaayaam. When it is said aatmaa vai puruSasya daaraa 'wife indeed is the soul of manl...' that soul of Rama, namely Seetha is so far in a dilemma, because Rama is a lone-warrior against fourteen-thousand demons and his safe return is ambiguous. Now that he remained unhurt, that soul called Seetha, has regained her abode in Rama. Then hR^iSTaa pariSvaje 'delightfully embraced...' Maheshvara Tiirtha.

Dharmaakuutam also derives the same meanings, but with reference to dharma:

sŸt˜ -- anapar˜dhi r˜kÿasa jana vadho na ucita iti vaidehŸ k®ta pratiÿedham api - apyaham jŸvitam jahy˜m tv˜m v˜ site - iti prak˜reõa an˜d®tya - caturdaþa sahasr˜õi r˜kÿasa -- ekasca r˜mo -- iti ®ÿi jan˜n˜m api samþayite uddhe kr¨ratar˜n r˜kÿas˜n hatv˜ - avyatho yo r˜ma× t˜d®þa× par˜m®þyate -- sŸt˜ -- tath˜ ca - þatru hant˜ram maharÿiõ˜m sukha ˜vaham -- iti - avyadham iti ca viþeÿaõ˜ni upapann˜ni bhavanti -- ata eva ete arth˜ uttara slok˜bhy˜m upasamh®t˜×

tataH tu tam raakshasa sa.ngha mardanam
sa puujyamaanam muditaiH mahaatmabhiH |
punaH pariSvajya mudaa anvita aananaa
babhuuva hR^iSTaa janaka aatmajaa tadaa || 3-30-41

41. tataH= then; mudaa anvita aananaa= delight, having [beaming with,] with visage; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; raakshasa sangha mardanam= demonic, troops, eliminator of; muditaiH mahaatmabhiH= with delighted, great sages; sa puujyamaanam= with, adorability - who adore him; such as he is, tam= him, at that Rama; punaH pariSvajya= again, embraced; tadaa hR^iSTaa babhuuva= then, rapturous, she became.

She whose face is beaming with delight that Seetha, the daughter Janaka, on seeing Rama who has eliminated demonic troops, and whom great-sages are worshipping, again embraced him and became rapturous. [3-30-41]

.

Khara's elimination

Anytime an evil-force is eliminated by any divinity the fruits of its reading/listening is said at conclusion. For the annihilation of Khara there is such an epilogue phala shruti quoted by Maheshvara Tiirtha.

þrutv˜ þrŸ r˜ma vijayam p˜pa badh˜t pramucyate |
tathaiva s®nkhal˜ bandh˜t ®õa bandh˜t vimucyate |
þrutv˜ puÿpavatŸ n˜rŸ tanayam vamþa vardhanam |
labhate r˜ghavendrasya pras˜d˜t kŸrti vardhanam || skaanda puraaNa

On hearing Rama's victory one will be freed from shackles of sins, also from the chains of punishment, also from the entanglement of debt... should a bride hear this she begets son, who enhances dynasty... and by the grace of Raghava, enriched is the renown... skaanda puraaNa.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe tri.msha sargaH

Thus, this is the 30th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection