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Chapter 20

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

ततः शूर्पणखा घोरा राघव आश्रमम् आगता
रक्षसान् आचचक्षे तौ भ्रातरौ सह सीतया

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā ghorā rāghava āśramam āgatā
rakṣasān ācacakṣe tau bhrātarau saha sītayā

SYNONYMS

tataḥ ghorā śūrpaṇakhā: then, ghastly, Shuurpanakha | rāghava āśramam āgatā: Raghava's, hermitage, on arriving | rakṣasān: to [fourteen] demons | saha sītayā: with, Seetha | bhrātarau tau ācacakṣe = brothers, them tvo, said: has shown. |

TRANSLATION

Then on arriving at Raghava's hermitage that ghastly Shuurpanakha has shown the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, along with Seetha to the fourteen demons. [3-20-1]

VERSE 2

ते रामम् पर्ण शालायाम् उपविष्टम् महाबलम्
ददृशुः सीतया सार्धम् लक्ष्मणेन अपि सेवितम्

te rāmam parṇa śālāyām upaviṣṭam mahābalam
dadṛśuḥ sītayā sārdham lakṣmaṇena api sevitam

SYNONYMS

te: they the demons | sītayā sārdham: with Seetha, along | lakṣmaṇena api sevitam: by Lakshmana, even, attended by | parṇa śālāyām: in thatched leaf, cottage | upaviṣṭam mahābalam: sitting, great mighty | rāmam dadṛśuḥ: Rama , they saw. |

TRANSLATION

They have seen the great-mighty Rama seated in the thatched cottage along with Seetha and Lakshmana attending to him. [3-20-2]

VERSE 3

ताम् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमान् आगताम् ताम् च राक्षसीम्
अब्रवीत् भ्रातरम् रामो लक्ष्मणम् दीप्त तेजसम्

tām dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ śrīmān āgatām tām ca rākṣasīm
abravīt bhrātaram rāmo lakṣmaṇam dīpta tejasam

SYNONYMS

śrīmān rāghavaḥ: magnificent one, of Raghava dynasty | āgatām tām: those demons, who arrived, them | tām rākṣasīm ca: her, the demoness, also | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | dīpta tejasam bhrātaram lakṣmaṇam: to radiantly, brilliant, brother, to Lakshmana | rāmaḥ abravīt: Rama , said. |

TRANSLATION

On seeing the arrival of the demons, and the demoness Shuurpanakha too, that magnificent Rama of Raghava dynasty said to the radiantly brilliant Lakshmana. [3-20-3]

VERSE 4

मुहूर्तम् भव सौमित्रे सीतायाः प्रत्यनंतरः
इमान् अस्या वधिष्यामि पदवीम् आगतान् इह

muhūrtam bhava saumitre sītāyāḥ pratyanaṃtaraḥ
imān asyā vadhiṣyāmi padavīm āgatān iha

SYNONYMS

saumitre: oh, Soumitri | muhūrtam: for a moment | sītāyāḥ: with Seetha | prati anantaraḥ: towards, non-distantly [close by] | bhava: you be | asyāḥ: her [Shuurpanakha's] | padavīm = vay: trailing her path | iha āgatān: here, those that have come | imān vadhiṣyāmi: these [demons,] I wish to eliminate. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Soumitri, briefly tarry at the close of Seetha as I wish to eliminate these demons who have trailed the path of that demoness to here. [3-20-4]

VERSE 5

वाक्यम् एतत् ततः श्रुत्वा रामस्य विदित आत्मनः
तथा इति लक्ष्मणो वाक्यम् रामस्य प्रत्यपूजयत्

vākyam etat tataḥ śrutvā rāmasya vidita ātmanaḥ
tathā iti lakṣmaṇo vākyam rāmasya pratyapūjayat

SYNONYMS

tataḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ: then, Lakshmana | vidita ātmanaḥ = clearly knoving, souled: nimble-souled | rāmasya etat vākyam śrutvā: Rama 's, that, word, on hearing | tathā iti: so be it, thus | rāmasya vākyam prati apūjayat = ṟama 's, sentence, in turn, adored: honoured. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing that word of Rama, then the nimble-souled Lakshmana honoured the word of Rama saying "so be it." [3-20-5]

VERSE 6

राघवो अपि महत् चापम् चामीकर विभूषितम्
चकार सज्यम् धर्मात्मा तानि रक्षांसि च अब्रवीत्

rāghavo api mahat cāpam cāmīkara vibhūṣitam
cakāra sajyam dharmātmā tāni rakṣāṃsi ca abravīt

SYNONYMS

dharmātmā rāghavaḥ api: virtue-souled, Raghava, even | cāmīkara vibhūṣitam: gold, decorated with | mahat cāpam: awful, bow | sa jyam cakāra: with, bowstring, made [stringed bowstring] | tāni rakṣāmsi abravīt ca: them, to demons, spoke [as forewarning,] even. |

TRANSLATION

On taking up his awful bow that is decorated with gold Raghava stringed it with bowstring and even spoke the demons as a forewarning. [3-20-6]

VERSE 7

पुत्रौ दशरथस्य आवाम् भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ
प्रविष्टौ सीतया सार्धम् दुश्चरम् दण्डका वनम्

putrau daśarathasya āvām bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau
praviṣṭau sītayā sārdham duścaram daṇḍakā vanam

SYNONYMS

āvām putrau daśarathasya: we are, sons, of Dasharatha | bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau: brothers, Rama, Lakshmana | sītayā sārdham: Seetha, along with | duḥ caram daṇḍakā vanam praviṣṭa: not, passable, Dandaka, forest, we entered. |

TRANSLATION

"We the sons of Dasharatha are brothers named Rama and Lakshmana, and we entered the impenetrable forests Dandaka along with Seetha. [3-20-7]

VERSE 8

फल मूल अशनौ दांतौ तापसौ धर्म चारिणौ
वसन्तौ दण्डकारण्ये किम् अर्थम् उपहिंसथ

phala mūla aśanau dāṃtau tāpasau dharma cāriṇau
vasantau daṇḍakāraṇye kim artham upahiṃsatha

SYNONYMS

phala mūla aśanau: fruits, tubers, eaters | dāntau: dispassionate | dharma cāriṇau: virtue, treaders in | daṇḍaka araṇye vasantau: in Dandaka, forest, residents | tāpasau: being sages | kim artham: what, for | upa himsatha: you outrage us. |

TRANSLATION

"We the dispassionate subsist on fruits and tubers treading in the path of virtue, and we being the sages resident in Dandaka forest what for you outrage us. [3-20-8]

VERSE 9

युष्मान् पाप आत्मकान् हंतुम् विप्रकारान् महाहवे
ऋषीणाम् तु नियोगेन प्राप्तो अहम् सशर आसनः

yuṣmān pāpa ātmakān haṃtum viprakārān mahāhave
ṛṣīṇām tu niyogena prāpto aham saśara āsanaḥ

SYNONYMS

pāpa ātmakān: evil, souled ones | vi prakārān: not, righteous ones | yuṣmān mahā ahave hantum: you, in a crucial clash, to eliminate | sa śara āsanaḥ: with, arrows, bow | ṛṣīṇām tu niyogena: by sages, but, assigned | aham: I | prāptaḥ: chanced [here.] |

TRANSLATION

"As assigned by the sages I chanced here with bow and arrows to decimate you evil-souled and unrighteous beings in a crucial clash. [3-20-9]

VERSE 10

तिष्ठत एव अत्र संतुष्टा न उपवरितितुम् अर्हथ
यदि प्राणैः इह अर्थो वो निवर्तध्वम् निशा चराः

tiṣṭhata eva atra saṃtuṣṭā na upavarititum arhatha
yadi prāṇaiḥ iha artho vo nivartadhvam niśā carāḥ

SYNONYMS

niśā carāḥ: oh, night, walkers | santuṣṭāḥ [samduṣṭāḥ] atra eva tiṣṭhata: be satisfied [very abominable ones,] there, only, stay | upāvarititum na arhatha = to return, not, fit: impossible to return | vā yadi: else, if | prāṇaiḥ arthaḥ: with lives, purpose [if you desire your lives] | iha nivartadhvam: now, return. |

TRANSLATION

"Stay there obligingly or you should not be able to return, else if you desire your lives, oh, nightwalkers, you may return now. [3-20-10]

VERSE 11

तस्य तद् वचनम् श्रुत्वा राक्षसाः ते चतुर्दश
ऊचुर् वाचम् सुसंक्रुद्धा ब्रह्मघ्नः शूल पाणयः

tasya tad vacanam śrutvā rākṣasāḥ te caturdaśa
ūcur vācam susaṃkruddhā brahmaghnaḥ śūla pāṇayaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 12| tasya tat vacanam śrutvā: his [Rama's,] that, sentence, on hearing | brahma ghnaḥ: Brahman, slayers | śūla pāṇayaḥ: spears, handlers | te catur daśa rākṣasāḥ: those, fourteen, demons | ghorā: ghoulish ones | sam rakta nayanā: highly, bloodshot, eyed | su sam kruddhā: very, highly, infuriated | paruṣā: with harsh [words] | rāmam rakta anta locanam: to Rama, blood streaks, at ends, eyed | madhura ābhāṣam: to sweet, talker | a dṛṣṭa parākramam: un, seen, [whose] valour [is, of Rama] | hṛṣṭaḥ: happily [self-confidently, demons] | vācam ūcuḥ: words, said. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing that sentence of Rama they the fourteen ghoulish demons who are the slayers of Brahmans and handlers of spears have become highly infuriated, and they with their bloodshot eyes and with harsh words said these words to Rama, whose eyes are with blood streaks at their ends, and who also is a sweet talker, and whose valour is yet unseen by those fourteen demons. [3-20-11, 12]

VERSE 13

क्रोधम् उत्पाद्य नो भर्तुः खरस्य सुमहात्मनः
त्वम् एव हास्यसे प्राणान् अद्य अस्माभिर् हतो युधि

krodham utpādya no bhartuḥ kharasya sumahātmanaḥ
tvam eva hāsyase prāṇān adya asmābhir hato yudhi

SYNONYMS

naḥ bhartuḥ: to our, lord | su maha ātmanaḥ kharasya: a very, highly, souled one, to Khara | krodham utpādya: fury, on inciting | adya asmābhiḥ yudhi hataḥ: now, by us, in war, when dead | tvam eva: you, alone | hāsyase prāṇān: release, lives. |

TRANSLATION

"Killed in conflict by us you alone will set your lives loose as an inciter of fury in our highly great souled lord Khara. [3-20-13]

VERSE 14

का हि ते शक्तिर् एकस्य बहूनाम् रण मूर्धनि
अस्माकम् अग्रतः स्थातुम् किम् पुनर् योद्धुम् आहवे

kā hi te śaktir ekasya bahūnām raṇa mūrdhani
asmākam agrataḥ sthātum kim punar yoddhum āhave

SYNONYMS

bahūnām asmākam agrataḥ: many, of us, before | raṇa mūrdhani sthātum: in forefront, of war, to stay | ekasya te kā śaktiḥ hi: for lone one, to you, what, capability, indeed | āhave yoddhum kim punaḥ: in battle, [ability] to battle against, why, again. |

TRANSLATION

"Indeed, what capability you have as a lone one to stand against many of us in the forefront of war, and why tell again about your battling ability in a given battle. [3-20-14]

VERSE 15

एभिः बाहु प्रयुक्तैः नः परिघैः शूल पट्टिशैः
प्राणाम् त्यक्ष्यसि वीर्यम् च धनुः च कर पीडितम्

ebhiḥ bāhu prayuktaiḥ naḥ parighaiḥ śūla paṭṭiśaiḥ
prāṇām tyakṣyasi vīryam ca dhanuḥ ca kara pīḍitam

SYNONYMS

ebhiḥ naḥ bāhu prayuktaiḥ = by these, by our, arms, projected: launched by our might | parighaiḥ śūla paṭṭiśaiḥ: by maces, spears, broad blade swords | prāṇām vīryam ca: lives, mettle, also | kara pīḍitam dhanuḥ ca: by hand, clasped, bow, also | tyakṣyasi: you will forgo. |

TRANSLATION

"When we launch maces, spears and swords by our might you will forgo your lives, mettle, and even the bow now clasped in your hand." So said the demons to Rama. [3-20-15] su mahaatmanaH oh, Supreme Person; bhartR^iH kharasya our lord, to Khara; krodham utpaadya anger, infusing; asmaabhiH hataH tvam praaNaan na haasyase eva by us, killed, you, Spirits, not, leaves, thus... "Oh! Supreme Person, we have come here because you incited anger in our lord Khara, and by us killed will you let go your lives, mettle and spirits? No. Never it will happen." The reason for not happening of that event is explained: raNa muurdhan in war's, van; ekasya te agrataH sthaatum lone one, you, before, to stand; bahuunaam asmaakam api many, we are, though; kaa shaktiH where is, capability for us "Though you are a lone being, and we are many, where is the capability for us to stand before you in the van of war?" Thus they say that they have come only at the behest of their lord but not to kill Rama. baahuH yuktaiH parighaiH shuula paTTisaiH upalakshitaanaam though equipped with our paraphernalia like maces, spears, swords etc., adhyaahaara: asmaakam our; praaNaan viiryam tyakshasi lives, vitality, we loose; ehi come... give us salvation. "Though we are equipped with much paraphernalia like maces, spears, swords etc., we lose our lives and vitality at your hand, so come on, take them away, and accord salvation and release from our curse. It is better to die at your hand than returning to Khara and dying a merciless death at the hand of Khara. It may be remembered that these fourteen are the cursed Vedic-scholarly disciples of Chandrakanta, now in an accursed form namely Khara and other demons. Maheshvara Tiirtha.

PURPORT

For the three verses the above meaning is the textual meaning. For them there is another import.
VERSE 16

इति एवम् उक्त्वा संरब्धा राक्षसाः ते चतुर्दश
उद्यत आयुध निस्त्रिंशा रामम् एव अभिदुद्रुवुः

iti evam uktvā saṃrabdhā rākṣasāḥ te caturdaśa
udyata āyudha nistriṃśā rāmam eva abhidudruvuḥ

SYNONYMS

, 17a| samrabdhā te caturdaśa rākṣasāḥ: clamorously, they, fourteen, demons | iti evam uktvā: thus, that way, saying | nistrimśā āyudha udyata: unhesitatingly, weapons, on upraising | rāmam eva abhi dudruvuḥ: to, Rama, alone, towards, rushed | tāni śūlāni: them, the spears | dur jayam: un, conquerable | rāghavam prati: Raghava, towards | cikṣipuḥ: they hurled. |

TRANSLATION

Thus saying that way clamorously they the fourteen demons, upraising their weapons they unhesitatingly rushed towards Rama alone, and they hurled lances towards that unconquerable Raghava. [3-20-16, 17a]

VERSE 17

तानि शूलानि काकुत्स्थः समस्तानि चतुर्दश

tāni śūlāni kākutsthaḥ samastāni caturdaśa

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| kākutsthaḥ: Rama | caturdaśa tāni śūlāni: fourteen, those, lances | samastāni: all of them | tāvadbhiḥ eva: as many of them, only | kāncana bhūṣitaiḥ: in gold, adorned | śaraiḥ: with arrows | ciccheda: shredded. |

TRANSLATION

Rama in turn shredded all of those fourteen lances only with as many arrows that are adorned in gold. [3-20-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

ततः पश्चात् महातेजा नाराचान् सूर्य संनिभान्

tataḥ paścāt mahātejā nārācān sūrya saṃnibhān

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| tataḥ paścāt: there after | mahātejā: great resplendent Rama | parama kruddhaḥ: highly, wrathfully one | śila aśitān: on stone, sharpened ones | sūrya samnibhān: sun, equalling in dazzle | caturdaśa nārācān jagrāha: fourteen, iron bolts [like arrows,] took up. |

TRANSLATION

Next that great resplendent Rama in high wrath took up fourteen iron bolt like arrows that are whetted on whetstone and equalling the sun in their dazzle. [3-20-18b, 19a]

VERSE 19

गृहीत्वा धनुः आयम्य लक्ष्यान् उद्दिश्य राक्षसान्

gṛhītvā dhanuḥ āyamya lakṣyān uddiśya rākṣasān

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| rāghavaḥ dhanuḥ gṛhītvā: Raghava, bow, on taking | āyamya: arched [the bow] | lakṣyān rākṣasān uddiśya: targets, demons, aiming at | śatakratuḥ vajrān iva: Indra [releasing,] thunderbolt, like | bāṇān mumoca: arrows, released. |

TRANSLATION

Then Raghava took up his bow, arched it, and aiming at the targeted demons released arrows as Indra would release his Thunderbolts. [3-20-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

ते भित्त्वा रक्षसाम् वेगात् वक्षांसि रुधिर आप्लुताः

te bhittvā rakṣasām vegāt vakṣāṃsi rudhira āplutāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| te vegāt: they, by the [force of] speed | rakṣasām vakṣāmsi bhittvā: demons, in chests, on goring | rudhira āplutāḥ: with blood, bedaubed | tadā: then | viniṣpetuḥ [vi niṣ petuḥ]: swiftly coming out | bhūmau: into earth [nyamajjanta = subsided, penetrated into earth] | pannagāḥ valmīkāt iva: snakes, from snake pit, as with. |

TRANSLATION

And by the force of their speed those arrows gored the chests of those demons, and then on coming out bedaubed with blood they swiftly penetrated into earth like snakes into snake pit. [3-20-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

तैः भग्न हृदया बूमौ छ्हिन्न मूला इव द्रुमाः

taiḥ bhagna hṛdayā būmau chhinna mūlā iva drumāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| taiḥ bhagna hṛdayā: with them [arrows,] burst, hearts | śoṇita snātā: in blood, bathed | vi kṛtā: verily, mangled | vi gata asavaḥ: verily, gone, lives | chinna mūlā drumāḥ iva: cut down, at base [rooted out], trees, like | būmau nipetuḥ: on earth, fell. |

TRANSLATION

Those arrows bursting their hearts they are blood bathed, mangled, and utterly dead, and like the uprooted trees they fell onto the ground. [3-20-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

तान् भूमौ पतितान् दृष्ट्वा राक्षसी क्रोध मूर्च्छ्हिता

tān bhūmau patitān dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī krodha mūrcchhitā

SYNONYMS

bhūmau patitān tān dṛṣṭvā: on ground, fallen, them, on seeing | rākśasī krodha mūrcchitā: demoness, in rage, convulsed | kimcit sam śuṣka śoṇitā: a little, well, dried out, blood [blanched aspect] | sa niryāsā = vith, ekṣuded: with resin | vallarī iva: creeper, like | sā tu: she, but | ārtā: agonised | kharam upagamya: to Khara, going nearby | punaḥ eva papāta: again, like that, fell [as before.] |

TRANSLATION

On seeing the demons falling onto ground that demoness Shuurpanakha is convulsed in rage, and she with a blanched aspect returned to the near of Khara in an agonising manner like a creeper exuding resin on incision, and fell before him as before. [3-20-22b, 23]

VERSE 24

भ्रातुः समीपे शोक आर्ता ससर्ज निनदम् महत्
सस्वरम् मुमोच बाष्पम् विवर्ण वदना तदा

bhrātuḥ samīpe śoka ārtā sasarja ninadam mahat
sasvaram mumoca bāṣpam vivarṇa vadanā tadā

SYNONYMS

tadā śoka ārtā: then, by anguish, afflicted | bhrātuḥ samīpe: brother's, presence | sasarja ninadam mahat: discharged, outcry, great [outcry] | vi varṇa vadanā: without, colour, faced [bloodless face] | sa svaram: with, tune [attuning with the strains of a whiner] | bāṣpam mumoca: tears, released. |

TRANSLATION

Then she in the presence of her brother Khara discharged a great outcry, and with a bloodless face she spilled tears attuning the strains of a whiner. [3-20-24]

VERSE 25

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे विंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe viṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

śūrpaṇakhā raṇe ni pātitān: Shuurpanakha, in war, felled down | rākṣasān prekṣya: demons, having seen | punaḥ tataḥ: again, from there | pra dhāvitā: quickly, fled | bhaginī sā: sister, she [she being] | teṣām rakṣasām vadham: those, of demons, destruction | sarvam nikhilena: all about, in entirety | kharasya śaśamsa: to Khara, reported. |

TRANSLATION

Shuurpanakha having seen the fall of demons quickly fled from Panchavati of Rama to trikanTaka, the capital of Khara, and she being the sister of Khara she reported to Khara all about the destruction of those demons, in its entirety. [3-20-25]