Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

एवम् आधर्षितः शूरः शूर्पणख्या खरः ततः
उवाच रक्षसाम् मध्ये खरः खरतरम् वचः

evam ādharṣitaḥ śūraḥ śūrpaṇakhyā kharaḥ tataḥ
uvāca rakṣasām madhye kharaḥ kharataram vacaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Thus when Shuurpanakha disparaged that valiant Khara amidst demons he is infuriated and spoke these highly hurtful words. [3-22-1]

VERSE 2

तव अपमान प्रभवः क्रोधो अयम् अतुलो मम
न शक्यते धारयितुम् लवण अंभ इव उल्बणम्

tava apamāna prabhavaḥ krodho ayam atulo mama
na śakyate dhārayitum lavaṇa aṃbha iva ulbaṇam

SYNONYMS

tava apamāna prabhavaḥ: your, disgrace, originating from | mama atulaḥ ayam krodhaḥ: my, limitless, this, fury | ulbaṇam lavaṇa ambha iva: highly [bitter,] salt, water, like | dhārayitum na śakyate: to contain, not, possible. |

TRANSLATION

"This fury of mine originating from the disgrace brought on you is like the highly bitter salt water that is impossible to contain when ingested. [3-22-2]

VERSE 3

न रामम् गणये वीर्यान् मानुषम् क्षीण जीवितम्
आत्म दुश्चरितैः प्राणान् हतो यो अद्य विमोक्ष्यति

na rāmam gaṇaye vīryān mānuṣam kṣīṇa jīvitam
ātma duścaritaiḥ prāṇān hato yo adya vimokṣyati

SYNONYMS

mānuṣam kṣīṇa jīvitam rāmam: human, one with dwindled, lifetime, Rama will be | vīryāt na gaṇaye = by [his] valour, not, ī do not reckon: I do not care | yaḥ: which Rama | ātma duḥ caritaiḥ: by his own, bad, doings | hataḥ: slain | adya prāṇān vi mokṣyati: now, lives, is going to give up. |

TRANSLATION

"I do not care the valour of that Rama for he is a human with dwindled lifetime, now going to give up his life slain by his own misdoings. [3-22-3]

VERSE 4

बाष्पः संधार्यताम् एष संभ्रमः च विमुच्यताम्
अहम् रामम् सह भ्रात्रा नयामि यम सादनम्

bāṣpaḥ saṃdhāryatām eṣa saṃbhramaḥ ca vimucyatām
aham rāmam saha bhrātrā nayāmi yama sādanam

SYNONYMS

eṣa bāṣpaḥ: these, tears, hold back | samdhāryatām: hold back | sambhramaḥ ca vimucyatām: despair, too, cast of | aham rāmam bhrātrā saha: I, Rama, brother, along with | nayāmi yama sādanam: send, to Terminator's, abode. |

TRANSLATION

"Control your tears and cast off your despair too, for I will send Rama to the abode of the Terminator along with his brother. [3-22-4]

VERSE 5

परश्वध हतस्य अद्य मन्द प्राणस्य भू तले
रामस्य रुधिरम् रक्तम् उष्णम् पास्यसि राक्षसि

paraśvadha hatasya adya manda prāṇasya bhū tale
rāmasya rudhiram raktam uṣṇam pāsyasi rākṣasi

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Now, you demoness, you will swill that Rama's red hot blood when that short-lived one is hewed down to earth with an axe." So Khara assured Shuurpanakha. [3-22-5]

VERSE 6

सा प्रहृष्ट्वा वचः श्रुत्वा खरस्य वदनात् च्युतम्
प्रशशंस पुनर् मौर्ख्यात् भ्रातरम् रक्षसाम्
वरम्

sā prahṛṣṭvā vacaḥ śrutvā kharasya vadanāt cyutam
praśaśaṃsa punar maurkhyāt bhrātaram rakṣasām
varam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On hearing the words plunged from the mouth of Khara she is very much gladdened and in all her stupidity she further praised her brother highly saying, "you are the best among all the demons..." [3-22-6]

VERSE 7

तया परुषितः पूर्वम् पुनर् एव प्रशंसितः
अब्रवीत् दूषणम् नाम खरः सेना पतिम् तदा

tayā paruṣitaḥ pūrvam punar eva praśaṃsitaḥ
abravīt dūṣaṇam nāma kharaḥ senā patim tadā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Though she denounced him earlier she alone praised him now for which Khara is overjoyed, and then he ordered his army commander, namely Duushana. [3-22-7]

VERSE 8

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि मम चित्त अनुवर्तिनाम्
रक्षसाम् भीम वेगानाम् समरेषु अनिवर्तिनाम्

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi mama citta anuvartinām
rakṣasām bhīma vegānām samareṣu anivartinām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Those who are the followers of my will, whose hustle will be frightful and who will be unretreating in combats, such of those demons are there in fourteen thousand numbers, aren't they. [3-22-8]

VERSE 9

नील जीमूत वर्णानाम् लोक हिंसा विहाराणाम्
सर्व उद्योगम् उदीर्णानाम् रक्षसाम् सौम्य कारय

nīla jīmūta varṇānām loka hiṃsā vihārāṇām
sarva udyogam udīrṇānām rakṣasām saumya kāraya

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"And oh, gentle Duushana, those domineering demons are with dark-clouds like complexions, and they are the pamperers of genocide, as such, cause them for a belligerency, all at once. [3-22-9]

PURPORT

The very sight of these black cloud like demons will be murderous to humans, as Rama exclaimed about Tataka. If the on looking humans are not dead at first sight of these demons, then these demons can pamper in killing humans

VERSE 10

उपस्थापय मे क्षिप्रम् रथम् सौम्य धनूंषि च
शरान् च चित्रान् खड्गां च शक्ती च विविधाः शिताः

upasthāpaya me kṣipram ratham saumya dhanūṃṣi ca
śarān ca citrān khaḍgāṃ ca śaktī ca vividhāḥ śitāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"For me, oh, gentle one, promptly position my chariot before me along with bows and arrows, amazing swords and diverse sharp power bolts. [3-22-10]

VERSE 11

अग्रे निर्यातुम् इच्छ्हामि पौलस्त्यानाम् महात्मनाम्
वधार्थम् दुर्विनीतस्य रामस्य रण कोविद

agre niryātum icchhāmi paulastyānām mahātmanām
vadhārtham durvinītasya rāmasya raṇa kovida

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, war pert Duushana, I wish to start ahead of all the demons of ours, who are the clans-demons of the great souled Paulastya, for the purpose of elimination of that evil-minded Rama." So said Khara to Duushana. [3-22-11]

PURPORT

For this Maheshvara Tiirtha says: raamasya agre paulastyaanaam raakShasaanaam vadhaartham niryaatum icchaami which gives meaning: "Before Rama I wish to present all the demonic clansmen of Sage Paulastya, for the purpose of elimination, for which I am starting ahead as a starter of this elimination process..."

VERSE 12

इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य सूर्य वर्णम् महारथम्
सत् अश्वैः शबलैः युक्तम् आचचक्षे अथ दूषणः

iti tasya bruvāṇasya sūrya varṇam mahāratham
sat aśvaiḥ śabalaiḥ yuktam ācacakṣe atha dūṣaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

While Khara is saying thus Duushana heralded saying, "Here comes the great chariot with sun's dazzle, yoked with very good horses of variegated colours." [3-22-12]

VERSE 13

तम् मेरु शिखर आकारम् तप्त कांचन भूषणम्
हेम चक्रम् असंबाधम् वैदूर्यमय कूबरम्

tam meru śikhara ākāram tapta kāṃcana bhūṣaṇam
hema cakram asaṃbādham vaidūryamaya kūbaram

SYNONYMS

, 14, 15| saḥ kharaḥ: he, that Khara | meru śikhara ākāram: like Mt. Meru's, ridge, in shape | tapta kāncana bhūṣaṇam: molten, gold, embellished in | hema cakram: golden, wheeled | a sam bādham: not, verily, inconvenient [not congested, having enough room, seating capacity] | vaidūryamaya kūbaram: with studded-gems, shaft of yoke | kāncanaiḥ: with golden [with artefacts of gold, like] | matsyaiḥ puṣpaiḥ drumaiḥ śailaiḥ: with fishes, flowers, trees, mountains | candra sūryaiḥ ca: moon, sun, also | māngalyaiḥ pakṣi samghaiḥ ca: auspicious one, bird, flocks | tārābhiḥ ca: with stars, also | sam ā vṛtam: all over, encompassed | dhvaja nistrinśa sampannam: flags, swords, endowed with | kinkiṇī vara bhūṣitam: jingle-bells, best ones, decorated with | sat aśva yuktam: best, horses, yoked with | [ratham: chariot] tadaa = then | amarṣāt āruroha: with rancour, mounted. |

TRANSLATION

That chariot which has a roomy cabin with its rooftop like that of the ridge of Mt. Meru, body embellished in gold, wheels golden, gem-studded yoke-to-carriage shaft, all around encompassed with golden artefacts like fishes, flowers, trees, mountains, sun, moon, and auspicious birds flocks and stars, and even decorated with jingle-bells, endowed with flags, swords, and best horses, and such as it is, Khara embarked on it with all his rancour. [3-22-13, 14, 15]

VERSE 16

खरः तु तान् महत् सैन्याम् रथ चर्म आयुध ध्वजान्
निर्यात इति अब्रवीत् प्रेक्ष्य दूषणः सर्व
राक्षसान्

kharaḥ tu tān mahat sainyām ratha carma āyudha dhvajān
niryāta iti abravīt prekṣya dūṣaṇaḥ sarva
rākṣasān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On overseeing that great army with chariots, skins shields, weaponry and flags, and even at Duushana too, Khara charged all those demons saying "proceed." [3-22-16]

VERSE 17

ततः तद् राक्षसम् सैन्यम् घोर चर्म आयुध ध्वजम्
निर्जगाम जन स्थानात् महानादम् महाजवम्

tataḥ tad rākṣasam sainyam ghora carma āyudha dhvajam
nirjagāma jana sthānāt mahānādam mahājavam

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | ghora carma [varman] āyudha dhvajam: having ghoulish, skins, [shields] weaponry, flags | tat rākṣasam sainyam: that, demonic, force | mahā nādam: with blatant, blare | mahā javam: with hasty, foray | janasthānāt nirjagāma: from Janasthaana, issued forth. |

TRANSLATION

Then that demonic force with their ghoulish skin shields, weaponry and flags, issued forth from Janasthaana, blaring blatantly and foraying dashingly. [3-22-17]

VERSE 18

मुद्गरैः पट्टिशैः शूलैः सुतीक्ष्णैः च परश्वधैः
खड्गैः चक्रैः च हस्तस्थैः भ्राजमानैः
स तोमरैः

mudgaraiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlaiḥ sutīkṣṇaiḥ ca paraśvadhaiḥ
khaḍgaiḥ cakraiḥ ca hastasthaiḥ bhrājamānaiḥ
sa tomaraiḥ

SYNONYMS

gṛhītaiḥ: taken | hasta sthaiḥ: in hands, carrying [wielding] | mudgaraiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlaiḥ: maces, dart-bolts, spears | su tīkṣṇaiḥ ca: very, [razor-] sharp ones, also | paraśvadhaiḥ khaḍgaiḥ cakraiḥ ca: axes, swords, discs, also | bhrājamānaiḥ tomaraiḥ śaktibhiḥ: flashing ones, power-darts, with power-bolts | ghoraiḥ parighaiḥ: dreadful ones, iron-maces | ati mātraiḥ kārmukaiḥ: un, usual ones, bows | gadā asi musalaiḥ: clubs, scimitars, pounding-shafts | bhīma darśanaiḥ: that are calamitous, in look | vajraiḥ: with thunderbolt [like weapons] | khara citta anuvartinām: Khara's, whim, followers | su ghorāṇām: very, fiendish one | rākṣasānām: of demons | catur daśa sahasrāṇi: four, ten, thousand, [army of fourteen thousand] | janasthānāt niryātāni: from Janasthaana, started out. |

TRANSLATION

Wielding maces, dart-bolts, and spears, and also razor-sharp axes, swords and discs, and dreadful power-darts and power-bolts that are flashing, iron maces, unusual bows, clubs, scimitars and pounding-shafts, and even thunderbolt like weapons that are calamitous in look, that army which comprises fourteen thousand fiendish demons that are the followers of Khara's whim, has started from Janasthaana. [3-22-18, 19, 20]

PURPORT

Earlier batch which was sent against Rama consisted fourteen demons and now it is an army of fourteen thousand demons.

VERSE 21

तान् तु निर्धावतो दृष्ट्वा राक्षसान् भीम दर्शनम्
खरस्य अथ रथः किंचित् जगाम तत् अनन्तरम्

tān tu nirdhāvato dṛṣṭvā rākṣasān bhīma darśanam
kharasya atha rathaḥ kiṃcit jagāma tat anantaram

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On seeing the outrush of those demons of diabolic appearance, then Khara's chariot also proceeded a little later at their behind. [3-22-21]

VERSE 22

ततः तान् शबलान् अश्वान् तप्त कांचन भूषितान्
खरस्य मतम् आज्ञाय सारथिः पर्यचोदयत्

tataḥ tān śabalān aśvān tapta kāṃcana bhūṣitān
kharasya matam ājñāya sārathiḥ paryacodayat

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | sārathiḥ: charioteer | tapta kāncana bhūṣitān: molten [polished] golden, adorned with | śabalān tān aśvān: colourful, them, horses | kharasya matam ājñāya: Khara's, notion, knowing [according to] | pari acodayat = set spurs to horses: speedily charioted. |

TRANSLATION

Then the charioteer set spurs on those colourful horses that are adorned in polished gold according to the notions of Khara. [3-22-22]

VERSE 23

संचोदितो रथः शीघ्रम् खरस्य रिपु घातिनः
शब्देन आपूरयामास दिशः स प्रदिशः तथा

saṃcodito rathaḥ śīghram kharasya ripu ghātinaḥ
śabdena āpūrayāmāsa diśaḥ sa pradiśaḥ tathā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

When the chariot of enemy destroyer Khara is driven that impetuously, it has started to swell earth's four cardinal quarters and inter-quarters with turbulence. [3-22-23]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे द्वा विंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe dvā viṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

He whose voice is thunderous and whose rancour escalated speedily, and who is hastening forward like the Terminator intending to destroy his enemy, that Khara repeatedly hurried the charioteer shouting at him loudly like a overwhelming cloud that is going to storm stones. [3-22-24]