Chapter 21

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

स पुनः पतिताम् दृष्ट्वा क्रोधात् शूर्पणखाम् खरः
उवाच व्यक्तता वाचा ताम् अनर्थ अर्थम् आगताम्

sa punaḥ patitām dṛṣṭvā krodhāt śūrpaṇakhām kharaḥ
uvāca vyaktatā vācā tām anartha artham āgatām

SYNONYMS

saḥ kharaḥ: he, Khara | punaḥ patitām śūrpaṇakhām dṛṣṭvā = again, fallen: before him, Shuurpanakha, on seeing | anartha artham āgatām = calamity, for the purpose of, came back: to wreck havoc on | tām: to her | vyaktatā vācā: in clear, words | krodhāt uvāca: furiously, said. |

TRANSLATION

On seeing Shuurpanakha who came back only to wreck havoc on demonic race and again fell before him as before, Khara spoke this sentence to her in clear terms in all his fury. [3-21-1]

VERSE 2

मया तु इदानीम् शूराः ते राक्षसा पिशित अशनाः
त्वत् प्रियार्थम् विनिर्दिष्टाः किम् अर्थम् रुद्यते पुनः

mayā tu idānīm śūrāḥ te rākṣasā piśita aśanāḥ
tvat priyārtham vinirdiṣṭāḥ kim artham rudyate punaḥ

SYNONYMS

mayā: by me | tvat priya artham: your, wish, to fulfill | idānīm: just now | piśita aśanāḥ: flesh, eating, demons | śūrāḥ: fearless ones | te rākṣasā: those, demons are | vinirdiṣṭāḥ [vi nir diṣṭāḥ]: very, clearly, directed] commanded | punaḥ kim artham rudyate = again, vhat, for, it is vept: you howl. |

TRANSLATION

"What for your are howling again when I have just now commanded those fearless flesh eating demons in order to fulfill your wish? [3-21-2]

VERSE 3

भक्ताः चैव अनुरक्ताः च हिताः च मम नित्यशः
हन्यमाना अपि न हन्यन्ते न न कुर्युः वचो मम

bhaktāḥ caiva anuraktāḥ ca hitāḥ ca mama nityaśaḥ
hanyamānā api na hanyante na na kuryuḥ vaco mama

SYNONYMS

bhaktāḥ caiva anuraktāḥ ca: admirers, also, adherers, also | nityaśaḥ mama hitāḥ ca: always, of mine, well-wishers | hanyamānā api na hanyante: being killed, even, not, killable | mama vacaḥ: my, word [order] | na na kuryuḥ = no, not, doers: no question of not accomplishing my order. |

TRANSLATION

"Those demons are my admirers, adherers and they always remained my well-wishers, hence there is no question of their non-accomplishment of my orders. [3-21-3]

VERSE 4

किम् एतत् श्रोतुम् इच्छ्हामि कारणम् यत् कृते पुनः
हा नाथ इति विनर्दन्ती सर्पवत् चेष्टसे क्षितौ

kim etat śrotum icchhāmi kāraṇam yat kṛte punaḥ
hā nātha iti vinardantī sarpavat ceṣṭase kṣitau

SYNONYMS

yat kṛte: what, owing to | hā nātha iti: ha, lord, thus | vi nardantī: verily, bawling | punaḥ sarpa vat: again, serpent, as with | kṣitau ceṣṭase [luṭhasi] = on ground, gesturing: wriggling | etat kāraṇam: for this, reason | kim: what is it | śrotum icchāmi: to listen, I wish to. |

TRANSLATION

"Owing to what you are highly bawling by saying, 'haa, lord' and wriggle on the ground like a snake? I would like to know the reason for all this, what is it? [3-21-4]

VERSE 5

अनाथ वत् विलपसि किम् नु नाथे मयि स्थिते
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ मा मैवम् वैक्लव्यम् त्यज्यताम् इति

anātha vat vilapasi kim nu nāthe mayi sthite
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha mā maivam vaiklavyam tyajyatām iti

SYNONYMS

nāthe mayi sthite: one who cares for, I am, when I am available | mām: to me | kim nu: why, really | a nātha vat vilapasi: un, cared-for, like, you cry out | uttiṣṭha uttiṣṭha: get up, get up | evam vaiklavyam tyajyatām: this sort, perplexity, ward off, thus | iti: thus he said. |

TRANSLATION

"I am here to take care of you, then why should you really cry out like an uncared-for being, get up...get up, and ward off this sort of perplexity." Thus Khara said to Shuurpanakha. [3-21-5]

VERSE 6

इति एवम् उक्ता दुर्धर्षा खरेण परिसान्त्विता
विमृज्य नयने स अस्रे खरम् भ्रातरम् अब्रवीत्

iti evam uktā durdharṣā khareṇa parisāntvitā
vimṛjya nayane sa asre kharam bhrātaram abravīt

SYNONYMS

iti evam uktā: thus, that way, she is said | khareṇa pari sāntvitā: by Khara, wholly, pacified | dur dharṣā = un, assailable one: here, unassuageable one, Shuurpanakha | sa asre nayane: with, tears, eyes | vimṛjya: on dabbing | bhrātaram kharam abravīt: to brother, Khara, she spoke. |

TRANSLATION

She that Shuurpanakha who is otherwise an unassuageable one is wholly pacified when Khara spoke to her thus that way, and she on dabbing her tearful eyes then spoke to her brother Khara. [3-21-6]

VERSE 7

अस्मि इदानीम् अहम् प्रप्ता हत श्रवण नासिका
शोणित ओघ परिक्लिन्ना त्वया च परिसमन्विता

asmi idānīm aham praptā hata śravaṇa nāsikā
śoṇita ogha pariklinnā tvayā ca parisamanvitā

SYNONYMS

hata śravaṇa nāsikā: having chopped, ears, nose | aham: I | śoṇita ogha pari klinnā: gushes, blood, fully, wetted with | idānīm = nov: just a while back | prāptā asmi: came here, I am | tvayā parisānvitā [pari sāntvitā] ca = by you, completely, comforted, also: isn't it. |

TRANSLATION

"I came to you just a while back with my ears and nose chopped off and wet with gushes of blood, and you too have comforted me, isn't it. [3-21-7]

VERSE 8

प्रेषिताः च त्वया शूरा राक्षसाः ते चतुर् दश
निहन्तुम् राघवम् घोराम् मत् प्रियार्थम् स लक्ष्मणम्

preṣitāḥ ca tvayā śūrā rākṣasāḥ te catur daśa
nihantum rāghavam ghorām mat priyārtham sa lakṣmaṇam

SYNONYMS

śūrā: oh, valiant one | tvayā: by you | mat priya artham: to my, delight, for the reason of | sa lakṣmaṇam: with, Lakshmana | ghoram rāghavam nihantum: atrocious, Raghava, to eliminate | te catur daśa rākṣasāḥ preṣitāḥ ca: by you, fourteen, demons, sent, isn't it. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, valiant brother, for my delight you too have sent fourteen demons to eliminate that atrocious Rama along with Lakshmana, isn't it? [3-21-8]

VERSE 9

ते तु रामेण सामर्षाः शूल पट्टिस पाणयः
समरे निहताः सर्वे सायकैः मर्म भेदिभिः

te tu rāmeṇa sāmarṣāḥ śūla paṭṭisa pāṇayaḥ
samare nihatāḥ sarve sāyakaiḥ marma bhedibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

sa amarṣāḥ: with, envious anger | śūla paṭṭisa pāṇayaḥ: spears, bolts, in hands | te sarve: they, all | rāmeṇa: by Rama | marma bhedibhiḥ sāyakaiḥ: crucial-parts, cleavers, with arrows | samare nihatāḥ: in war, killed. |

TRANSLATION

"But they all who handled their spears and bolts along with an envious anger are killed in a fight with Rama by his arrows that cleave the crucial parts of his opponents. [3-21-9]

VERSE 10

तान् भूमौ पतितान् दृष्ट्वा क्षणेन एव महाजवान्
रामस्य च महत् कर्म महान् त्रासो अभवन् मम

tān bhūmau patitān dṛṣṭvā kṣaṇena eva mahājavān
rāmasya ca mahat karma mahān trāso abhavan mama

SYNONYMS

kṣaṇena eva: in a trice | bhūmau patitān: on earth, fallen | mahā javān: highly impetuous ones | tān: them, the demons | rāmasya mahat karma ca: Rama's, unusual, deed, also | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | mama: to me | mahān trāsaḥ abhavat = great, alarm, became: fell upon me. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing those highly impetuous demons falling to earth in a trice, and even on seeing the unusual deed of Rama in felling them, I am highly alarmed. [3-21-10]

VERSE 11

सा अस्मि भीता समुद्विग्ना विषण्णा च निशाचर
शरणम् त्वाम् पुनः प्राप्ता सर्वतो भय दर्शिनी

sā asmi bhītā samudvignā viṣaṇṇā ca niśācara
śaraṇam tvām punaḥ prāptā sarvato bhaya darśinī

SYNONYMS

niśācara: oh, nightwalker [Khara] | : such as I am | bhītā sam udvignā: scared, fully, frenzied | viṣaṇṇā ca: despaired, also | asmi: I became | sarvataḥ bhaya darśinī: from everywhere, dread, beholding | punaḥ tvām śaraṇam prāptā: again, you, for refuge, I sought. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh me! I am alarmed, fully frenzied, and even despaired, oh, nightwalker Khara, and beholding dread everywhere again I have come seeking your refuge. [3-21-11]

VERSE 12

विषाद नक्र अध्युषिते परित्रास ऊर्मि मालिनि
किम् माम् न त्रायसे मग्नाम् विपुले शोक सागरे

viṣāda nakra adhyuṣite paritrāsa ūrmi mālini
kim mām na trāyase magnām vipule śoka sāgare

SYNONYMS

viṣāda nakra adhyuṣite: despair, [called] crocodile, pervasive | paritrāsa ūrmi mālini = overly frightening, vaves, undulation: a roller = a long swelling wave | vipule śoka: vast, sorrow | sāgare magnām: [called] ocean, drowned | mām kim na trāyase: me, why, not, rescue. |

TRANSLATION

"Why do not you rescue me when I am drowned in a vast ocean called grief, wherein each pervasive crocodile is despair and each swelling wave is fright. [3-21-12]

VERSE 13

एते च निहता भूमौ रामेण निशितैः शरैः
ये च मे पदवीम् प्राप्ता राक्षसाः पिशित अशनाः

ete ca nihatā bhūmau rāmeṇa niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
ye ca me padavīm prāptā rākṣasāḥ piśita aśanāḥ

SYNONYMS

piśita aśanāḥ: flesh, eaters | ye rākṣasāḥ: which, demons | me padavīm prāptā = my, on path, treaded: followed me | ete ca: they, also | rāmeṇa: by Rama | bhūmau: on earth | niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ nihatā: with sharp, arrows, felled [adding to my problems, for which I have a contrite spirit.] |

TRANSLATION

"Besides, those flesh-eating demons that have followed me are also felled by Rama with his sharp arrows, for whom I have a contrite heart. [3-21-13]

VERSE 14

मयि ते यदि अनुक्रोशो यदि रक्षःसु तेषु च
रामेण यदि शक्तिः ते तेजो वा अस्ति निशा चर

mayi te yadi anukrośo yadi rakṣaḥsu teṣu ca
rāmeṇa yadi śaktiḥ te tejo vā asti niśā cara

SYNONYMS

, 15a| niśā cara: oh, night, walker Khara | te mayi: to you, on me | teṣu rakṣaḥsu ca: on those, demons, also | anukrośaḥ asti yadi: mercy, is there, if | te rāmeṇa: to you, with Rama [to fight] | śaktiḥ: ability | tejoaḥ vā: animation, or | asti yadi: is there, if | daṇḍaka araṇya nilayam: in Dandaka, forest, dwellers of | rākṣasa kaṇṭakam: for demons, a thorn | jahi: kill. |

TRANSLATION

"If you have mercy on me, and even on those dead demons, and if ability and animation are still left in you to cope with Rama, oh, nightwalker, kill that Rama who is a thorn in the side of demons dwelling in Dandaka forest. [3-21-14, 15a]

VERSE 15

ओर्

or

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| a+mitra ghnam: un, friendly ones, destroyer | rāmam tvam adya: Rama, you, now itself | na vadhiṣyasi yadi: not, going to kill, if | nir apatrapā: lexically: without, shame | here: unhesitatingly | tava agrataḥ caiva = in your, before, thus: that too | [adya: now itself] | prāṇān tyakṣyāmi: lives, I leave off. |

TRANSLATION

"If you are not going to kill that enemy destroyer Rama now itself, I will give up my life unhesitatingly, that too in your fore, that too now itself. If you are not going to kill that enemy destroyer Rama now itself, now itself I will give up my life than living a shameless life with these lopped ears and nose. [3-21-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

बुद्ध्या अहम् अनुपश्यामि न त्वम् रामस्य संयुगे

buddhyā aham anupaśyāmi na tvam rāmasya saṃyuge

SYNONYMS

b, 17| tv am: you | sa balaḥ api samyuge: with, forces, even with, on battlefield | mahā raṇe: in a crucial, war | rāmasya prati mukhe sthātum: Rama's, opposite faced [affront,] to stay | na śaktaḥ: not, capable | śūra mānī: as valiant one, you assert | na śūraḥ: valiant one, [but you are] not | mithyā āropita vikramaḥ: dubiously, imposed, valour [vainglorious] | aham buddhyā anupaśyāmi = ī, vith my perception, ī am discerning: instinctually perceiving. |

TRANSLATION

"I can perceive instinctually that you are incapable of affronting Rama in a given crucial battle, even if your are with all your forces on the battlefield, and you assert yourself a valiant, but you are just vainglorious. [3-21-16b, 17]

VERSE 18

अपयाहि जन स्थानात् त्वरितः सह बान्धवः
जहि त्वम् समरे मूढान् यथा तु कुलपांसन

apayāhi jana sthānāt tvaritaḥ saha bāndhavaḥ
jahi tvam samare mūḍhān yathā tu kulapāṃsana

SYNONYMS

, 19| tvam samare jahi: you, kill, in war | mānuṣau tau rāma lakṣmaṇau: who are just humans, those two, Rama, Lakshmana | hantum na śaknoṣi vai: to kill, [if] you are not, capable, really | niḥ sattvasya: with trivial, stamina | alpa vīryasya: trifling, sinews | te iha vāsaḥ tu kīdṛśaḥ: your, here, living, but, what for | kula pāmsana mūḍhān yathā [??]: clan, blemisher, as like, a stupid fellow | tvaritaḥ janasthānāt apayāhi = instantly, from zanasthāna, be gone: get out | saha bāndhavaḥ: with, relatives [hench-demons.] |

TRANSLATION

"Kill those two, Rama and Lakshmana, as they are just humans, or else, if you are incapable of doing so, really what for is your stay here in Janasthaana with your trivial stamina and trifling sinews like a stupid blemishing his clan, then get out of this Janasthaana at once along with your hench-demons. [3-21-18, 19]

PURPORT

The order of the verses from 16 to the last varies with versions and verbatim meanings differ. This is a kind of intimidation Shuurpanakha hurling at Khara. Besides being her brothers, Khara, Trishira and Duushana are the provincial governors of Janasthaana, nominated by Ravana. If they do not come to the rescue of Shuurpanakha, or to that matter of fact should they not eliminate intruders into Janasthaana, there is every possibility of their ouster from their posts by Ravana, because Shuurpanakha has more access to Ravana.
VERSE 20

राम तेजो अभिभूतो हि त्वम् क्षिप्रम् विनशिष्यसि
स हि तेजः समायुक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः

rāma tejo abhibhūto hi tvam kṣipram vinaśiṣyasi
sa hi tejaḥ samāyukto rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvam: you | rāma tejaḥ abhibhūtaḥ: by Rama's, resplendence, subjugated | kṣipram vi naśiṣyasi hi: quickly, completely evanish, indeed | daśaratha ātmajaḥ saḥ rāmaḥ: Dasharatha's, son, he, that Rama | tejaḥ samāyuktaḥ: resplendence, possesses | hi: in effect. |

TRANSLATION

"You will completely and quickly evanish, indeed, subjugated by resplendence of Rama, for that Dasharatha's son Rama possess that kind of resplendence, in effect. [3-21-20]

VERSE 21

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे एक विंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe eka viṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 22| yena: by whom | virūpitā asmi: misshapen, I am | asya bhrāta ca: his, brother, too | mahā vīryaḥ: highly, vigorous one | evam: this way | śoka ārtā: by affliction, anguished | pradara udarī rākśsī: cave like, bellied, demoness | bhrātuḥ samīpe: in brother's, presence, | bahuśaḥ vilāpya: variously, on bawling | karābhyām udaram hatvā: with both hands, on paunch, hitting | ruroda bhṛśa duḥkhitā: cried out, loudly, in her distress | naṣṭa sanjñā babhūva ha = lost, avareness, śe became: swooned, really. |

TRANSLATION

"And, by whom I am misshapen that brother of Rama too is a highly vigorous one..." in this way on saying Shuurpanakha bawled variously in the presence of her brother, Khara, and then anguished by her own affliction that demoness with a cave like belly started hitting her paunch with both of her hands, and what is more, she swooned. [3-21-21, 22]

PURPORT

The name Khara also stands for a he-ass