Chapter 24

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

आश्रमम् प्रति याते तु खरे खर पराक्रमे
तान् एव औत्पातिकान् रामः सह भ्रात्रा ददर्श ह

āśramam prati yāte tu khare khara parākrame
tān eva autpātikān rāmaḥ saha bhrātrā dadarśa ha

SYNONYMS

khara parākrame khare: of fierce, valour, Khara | āśramam prati yāte tu: hermitage, towards, started, while | rāmaḥ bhrātrā saha: Rama, brother, along with | autpātikān: auguries | tān eva: them, only [those that appeared to Khara] | dadarśa ha: seen, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 2

तान् उत्पातान् महाघोरान् रामो दृष्ट्वा अति अमर्षण
प्रजानाम् अहितान् दृष्ट्वा वाक्यम् लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत्

tān utpātān mahāghorān rāmo dṛṣṭvā ati amarṣaṇa
prajānām ahitān dṛṣṭvā vākyam lakṣmaṇam abravīt

SYNONYMS

mahā ghorān tān utpātān dṛṣṭvā: very, gruesome, them, at bad omens, on looking at | [roma harṣaṇān: hair raising ones] | dṛṣṭvā prajānām a hitān = on sīing: perceiving them, for people, to be un, propitious to Lakshmana, | ati amarṣaṇaḥ: in high, resent | rāmaḥ lakṣmaṇam vākyam abravīt: Rama, sentence, said to. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 3

इमान् पश्य महाबाहो सर्व भूत अपहारिणः
समुत्थितान् महा उत्पातान् संहर्तुम् सर्व राक्षसान्

imān paśya mahābāho sarva bhūta apahāriṇaḥ
samutthitān mahā utpātān saṃhartum sarva rākṣasān

SYNONYMS

mahābāhuḥ: oh, dextrous brother | sarva bhūta apahāriṇaḥ: all, beings, that can annihilate | sarva rākṣasān: all, demons | sam hartum: complete, to eliminate | samutthitān: arisen | imān mahā utpātān: these, great, indications | paśya: you see. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 4

अमी रुधिर धाराः तु विसृजंतो खर स्वनाः
व्योम्नि मेघा निवर्तन्ते परुषा गर्दभ अरुणाः

amī rudhira dhārāḥ tu visṛjaṃto khara svanāḥ
vyomni meghā nivartante paruṣā gardabha aruṇāḥ

SYNONYMS

rudhira dhārāḥ: blood, streams, but | vi sṛjantaḥ: copiously showering | khara svanāḥ: with braying, thunderous | paruṣā gardabha aruṇāḥ: stark, ass-like, in reddish-grey tint | amī meghā tu: these, clouds, on their part | vyomni ni vartante = in skies, clouds, moving: hovering. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 5

स धूमाः च शराः सर्वे मम युद्ध अभिनन्दिताः
रुक्म पृष्ठानि चापानि विचेष्टन्ते विचक्षण

sa dhūmāḥ ca śarāḥ sarve mama yuddha abhinanditāḥ
rukma pṛṣṭhāni cāpāni viceṣṭante vicakṣaṇa

SYNONYMS

yuddha abhi nanditāḥ [mahā yuddha abhinandinaḥ]: war, towards, ecstatic | sarve mama śarāḥ: all, my, arrows | sa dhūmāḥ ca = vith, fumes, tū: incensed to fuming | rukma pṛṣṭhāni cāpāni: golden plated, at their backside, bows | vicakśaṇa: telling apart | vi ceṣṭante [viveṣṭante] = verily, gesturing: incessantly spurring. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 6

यादृशा इह कूजन्ति पक्षिणो वन चारिणः
अग्रतो नः भयम् प्राप्तम् संशयो जीवितस्य च

yādṛśā iha kūjanti pakṣiṇo vana cāriṇaḥ
agrato naḥ bhayam prāptam saṃśayo jīvitasya ca

SYNONYMS

iha: here | vana cāriṇaḥ pakṣiṇaḥ: forest, moving, birds | yā dṛśāḥ: in which sort of [birds] | kūjanti: [that are] shrieking | naḥ agrataḥ bhayam prāptam: for us, up ahead, danger, is coming on | jīvitasya samśayaḥ ca: of lives, uncertainty, too. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 7

संप्रहारः तु सुमहान् भविष्यति न संशयः
अयम् आख्याति मे बाहुः स्फुरमाणो मुहुर् मुहुः

saṃprahāraḥ tu sumahān bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
ayam ākhyāti me bāhuḥ sphuramāṇo muhur muhuḥ

SYNONYMS

, 8| su mahān sam prahāraḥ tu bhaviṣyati = very, great: critical riotous, conflict, for its part, will occur | na samśayaḥ: no, doubt | śūra: oh, brave one | muhuḥ muhuḥ: again, again | sphuramāṇaḥ: throbbing | ayam me bāhuḥ: this, my, arm | sannikarṣe: in the vicinity | naḥ jayam: our, victory | śatroḥ parājayam: for enemies, defeat | ākhyāti: telling | tava vaktram: your, face | su prabham ca prasannam ca: well, glowing, also, brightened, also | lakṣyate hi: appearing, for sure. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 9

उद्यतानाम् हि युद्धार्थम् येषाम् भवति लक्ष्मणः
निष्प्रभम् वदनम् तेषाम् भवति आयुः परिक्षयः

udyatānām hi yuddhārtham yeṣām bhavati lakṣmaṇaḥ
niṣprabham vadanam teṣām bhavati āyuḥ parikṣayaḥ

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana | yuddha artham hi udyatānām: for conflict, purpose of, indeed, who are poised for | yeṣām vadanam: whose, face | niṣ prabham bhavati: without, lustre, it becomes | teṣām: their | āyuḥ pari kṣayaḥ bhavati = longevity, completely, dvindle, it vill be: death looms large on their longevity. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 10

रक्षसाम् नर्दताम् घोरः श्रूयते अयम् महाध्वनिः
आहतानाम् च भेरीणाम् राक्षसैः क्रूर कर्मभिः

rakṣasām nardatām ghoraḥ śrūyate ayam mahādhvaniḥ
āhatānām ca bherīṇām rākṣasaiḥ krūra karmabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

nardatām rakśasām: uproar, of demons | rākśasaiḥ krūra karmabhiḥ: by demons, with fiendish, activities | āhatānām bherīṇām ca: drumming, war-drums, also | ghoraḥ = horrible: ear-splitting | ayam: this | mahā dhvaniḥ = great: nasty, noise | śrūyate ca: is audible, also. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 11

अनागत विधानम् तु कर्तव्यम् शुभम् इच्छ्हता
आपदम् शंकमानेन पुरुषेण विपश्चिता

anāgata vidhānam tu kartavyam śubham icchhatā
āpadam śaṃkamānena puruṣeṇa vipaścitā

SYNONYMS

āpadam śankamānena: danger, misgiving | śubham icchatā: by well, wisher | vi paścitā = verily, analysing one: by talented one | puruṣeṇa: by a person | an āgata vidhānam = not, come yet: for imminent situation | kartavyam tu: procedure [preventive measures,] alone [be effectuated.] |

TRANSLATION

"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]

PURPORT

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.
VERSE 12

तस्मात् गृहीत्वा वैदेहीम् शर पाणिः धनुर् धरः
गुहाम् आश्रय शैलस्य दुर्गाम् पादप संकुलाम्

tasmāt gṛhītvā vaidehīm śara pāṇiḥ dhanur dharaḥ
guhām āśraya śailasya durgām pādapa saṃkulām

SYNONYMS

tasmāt: therefore | vaidehīm gṛhītvā: Vaidehi, on taking | śara pāṇiḥ dhanur dharaḥ: arrows, [ready at] hand, bow, wielding | śailasya: of mountain | pādapa samkulām: with trees, overgrown | durgām guhām āśraya: impassable, cave, take shelter. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 13

प्रतिकूलितुम् इच्छ्हामि न हि वाक्यम् इदम् त्वया
शापितो मम पादाभ्याम् गम्यताम् वत्स मा चिरम्

pratikūlitum icchhāmi na hi vākyam idam tvayā
śāpito mama pādābhyām gamyatām vatsa mā ciram

SYNONYMS

idam vākyam: this, word | tvayā prati kūlitum: by you, to be gainsaid | na icchāmi hi: not, I wish, indeed | vatsa: oh, boy | mama pādābhyām śāpitaḥ [asi = you are] = by my, pair of fīt, you are svorn: have honour on my feet | gamyatām mā ciram: be gone, not, lately. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 14

त्वम् हि शूरः च बलवान् हन्या एतान् न संशयः
स्वयम् निहन्तुम् इच्छ्हमि सर्वान् एव निशाचरान्

tvam hi śūraḥ ca balavān hanyā etān na saṃśayaḥ
svayam nihantum icchhami sarvān eva niśācarān

SYNONYMS

tvam śūraḥ ca: you, are a stalwart, also | balavān: forceful one | etān hanyā hi: them [demons,] you can eliminate, for sure | na samśayaḥ: no, doubt | tu: but | sarvān niśācarān eva: all of the, night-walkers demons, thus | svayam nihantum icchami: personally, to eliminate, I long to. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 15

एवम् उक्तः तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः सह सीतया
शरान् आदाय चापम् च गुहाम् दुर्गाम् समाश्रयत्

evam uktaḥ tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇaḥ saha sītayā
śarān ādāya cāpam ca guhām durgām samāśrayat

SYNONYMS

rāmeṇa evam uktaḥ: by Rama, thus, one who is said | lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana | śarān cāpam ca: arrows, bow, also | ādāya: on taking | saha sītayā: along with, Seetha | durgām guhām samāśrayat: unreachable, in cave, took shelter. |

TRANSLATION

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]

PURPORT

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.
VERSE 16

तस्मिन् प्रविष्टे तु गुहाम् लक्ष्मणे सह सीतया
हन्त निर्युक्तम् इति उक्त्वा रामः कवचम् आविशत्

tasmin praviṣṭe tu guhām lakṣmaṇe saha sītayā
hanta niryuktam iti uktvā rāmaḥ kavacam āviśat

SYNONYMS

tasmin lakṣmaṇe: that, Lakshmana | sītayā saha guhām praviṣṭe tu: Seetha, along with, in cave, on entering, but | rāmaḥ: Rama | hanta: thank goodness | nir yuktam = minus, vith them: good riddance, good idea | iti uktvā: thus, saying [to himself] | kavacam āviśat = armour, śield, entered: donned. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 17

स तेन अग्नि निकाशेन कवचेन विभूषितः
बभूव रामः तिमिरे महान् अग्निर् इव उत्थितः

sa tena agni nikāśena kavacena vibhūṣitaḥ
babhūva rāmaḥ timire mahān agnir iva utthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

agni nikāśena: fire, in brilliance | tena kavacena vi bhūṣitaḥ = by that, armour, vell, bedecked: which actually is a meaningless protection for Rama | saḥ rāmaḥ: he, that Rama | timire utthitaḥ: in utter darkness, up-shot | vi dhūmaḥ: without, fumes | agniḥ iva: fire, as with | babhūva = he became: shone forth. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 18

स चापम् उद्यम्य महत् शरान् आदाय वीर्यवान्
संबभूव अवस्थितः तत्र ज्या स्वनैः पूरयन् दिशः

sa cāpam udyamya mahat śarān ādāya vīryavān
saṃbabhūva avasthitaḥ tatra jyā svanaiḥ pūrayan diśaḥ

SYNONYMS

vīryavān: valorous one | saḥ: he that Rama | mahat cāpam udyamya: imposing bow, on raising up | jyā svanaiḥ: bowstring, by sound of | diśaḥ pūrayan: directions, while filling | tatra avasthitaḥ: there, he stood | sam babhūva = he became: he firmed up. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 19

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाः च सह चारणैः
समेयुः च महात्मनो युद्ध दर्शन कांक्षया

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāḥ ca saha cāraṇaiḥ
sameyuḥ ca mahātmano yuddha darśana kāṃkṣayā

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | sa gandharvāḥ devāḥ: with, gandharva-s gods | mahātmanaḥ siddhāḥ ca cāraṇaiḥ saha: great-souls, siddha-s, carana-s, along with | yuddha darśana kānkśayā: war, to see, aspiring to | sam eyuḥ ca: together, came, also. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 20

ऋषयः च महात्मनो लोके ब्रह्मर्षि सत्तमाः
समेत्य च ऊचुः सहिताः ते अन्योन्यम् पुण्य कर्मणः

ṛṣayaḥ ca mahātmano loke brahmarṣi sattamāḥ
sametya ca ūcuḥ sahitāḥ te anyonyam puṇya karmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahātmanaḥ ṛṣayaḥ ca: great-souls, sages, also | loke brahmarṣi sattamāḥ: those that are there in worlds, Brahma-sages, eminent ones | puṇya karmaṇaḥ: those with pious, exploits | sametya: came together | anyaḥ anyam: other, to other [one another] | sahitāḥ: on meeting | ūcuḥ: they talked. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 21

स्वस्ति गो ब्राह्मणानाम् च लोकानाम् च इति संस्थिताः
जयताम् राघवो युद्धे पौलस्त्यान् रजनी चरान्

svasti go brāhmaṇānām ca lokānām ca iti saṃsthitāḥ
jayatām rāghavo yuddhe paulastyān rajanī carān

SYNONYMS

, 22a| go brāhmaṇebhyaḥ: for cows, Brahmans | ye lokānām sam sthitāḥ: those, in worlds, well, abiding in | svasti astu: good, may betide | rāghavaḥ: Raghava [sankhye = in war] | rajanī carān paulastyān: [these] night walkers, belonging to Pulastya dynasty | jayatām: shall triumph over | cakra hastaḥ viṣṇuḥ: disc, handler, Vishnu | yuddhe sarvān asura pungavān: in war, all, demons, mighty ones | iti ūcuḥ: thus, said. |

TRANSLATION

"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]

VERSE 22

एवम् उक्त्वा पुनः प्र ऊचुः आलोक्य च परस्परम्

evam uktvā punaḥ pra ūcuḥ ālokya ca parasparam

SYNONYMS

b, 23| evam uktvā: thus, on saying | ālokya ca parasparam: on seeing, at each other | punaḥ pra ūcuḥ: again, they well, said | bhīma karmaṇām rakṣasām: of fiendish, deeds, demons [force is] | catur daśa sahasrāṇi: four, ten, thousand [fourteen thousand] | dharmātmā rāmaḥ ca ekaḥ: virtue-souled, Rama, also, one [only] | yuddham katham bhaviṣyati: war, how, results in. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 24

इति राजर्षयः सिद्धाः स गणाः च द्विजर्षभाः
जात कौतूहलात् तस्थुर् विमानस्थाः च देवता

iti rājarṣayaḥ siddhāḥ sa gaṇāḥ ca dvijarṣabhāḥ
jāta kautūhalāt tasthur vimānasthāḥ ca devatā

SYNONYMS

rāja rṣayaḥ: kingly-sages | sa gaṇāḥ siddhāḥ: with, assemblages, siddha-s | dvija rṣabhāḥ: Brahmans, the eminent ones | vimāna sthāḥ devatāḥ ca: on aircraft, staying, gods, also | jāta kautūhalāt tasthuḥ: originated, inquisitiveness, tarried there. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 25

आविष्टम् तेजसा रामम् स।ंग्राम शिरसि स्थितम्
दृष्ट्वा सर्वाणि भूतानि भयात् विव्यथिरे तदा

āviṣṭam tejasā rāmam sa|ṃgrāma śirasi sthitam
dṛṣṭvā sarvāṇi bhūtāni bhayāt vivyathire tadā

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | sangrāma śirasi sthitam: war's, head of [forefront,] standing up to | tejasā āviṣṭam rāmam: by aura ]of invincibility,] immured, at Rama | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | sarvāṇi bhūtāni: all, beings | bhayāt vivyathire [vi vyathire]: by dread, verily, in throes of. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 26

रूपम् अप्रतिमम् तस्य रामस्य अक्लिष्ट कर्मणः
बभूव रूपम् क्रुद्धस्य रुद्रस्य इव महात्मनः

rūpam apratimam tasya rāmasya akliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ
babhūva rūpam kruddhasya rudrasya iva mahātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

a kliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ = vithout, causing difficulties, lone vith suc dīds: Rama with unharmful deeds | tasya rāmasya: that, Rama's | a pratimam rūpam: un, equalling [nonesuch,] aspect | kruddhasya: infuriated | mahātmanaḥ: supreme-souled | rudrasya rūpam iva: Rudra's, aspect, as with | babhūva: became. |

TRANSLATION

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

PURPORT

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 dR^iShTvaa raama kalebaram | sa~Nkham cakra shuulam ca pinaakam kheTam eva ca | khaTvaam ca ghanTaam Damaru baaNa paasha ankusham tathaa | caapam vajram khaDgam ca parashum traasa kaaraNam | jaya shriyam ca gangaam ca dadR^ishuH siddha caaraNaaH | skaandda puraaNa According to Maheshvara Tiirtha.
VERSE 27

इति संभाष्यमाणो तु देव गंधर्व चारणैः
ततो गंभीर निर्ह्रादम् घोर चर्म आयुध ध्वजम्

iti saṃbhāṣyamāṇo tu deva gaṃdharva cāraṇaiḥ
tato gaṃbhīra nirhrādam ghora carma āyudha dhvajam

SYNONYMS

, 28, 29| iti sam bhāṣyamāṇaḥ tu: thus, while conversing, but | deva gandharva cāraṇaiḥ: by gods, gandharva-s, carana-s | tataḥ: then | gambhīra nirhrādam: with boisterous, noise | ghora [varama] carma āyudha dhvajam: having grisly, [shields] skin [shields,] weaponry, war-flags | yātudhānānām anīkam samantāt: of demons, legions, all over | pratyadṛśyata: are seen [by gods] | vīra ālāpān visṛjatām: bravo, cries, spouting out | anyonyam abhigacchatām [abhigarjatām]: at each other, rushing [bawling] | cāpāni vispharayatām: with bows, making brassy noise | abhīkṣṇaśaḥ: too much for | jṛmbhatām ca api: jumping by leaps and bounds, also, even | dundubhīm ca api: drums, also, even | nighnatām: while drumming vi pra ghuSTa = with verily, loud, clamorous | svanānām ca: with noise, also [filled the area.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 30

तेषाम् सुतुमुलः शब्दः पूरयामास तद् वनम्
तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ताः श्वापदा वन चारिणः

teṣām sutumulaḥ śabdaḥ pūrayāmāsa tad vanam
tena śabdena vitrastāḥ śvāpadā vana cāriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 31a| teṣām su tumulaḥ śabdaḥ: their, highly, brutish, noise | tat vanam pūrayāmāsa: that, forest, started to fill | tena śabdena vi trastāḥ: by that, noise, verily, panicked | vana cāriṇaḥ: forest, ranging | śvāpadā: brutes | yatra: where | niḥ śabdam = vithout, noise: silence is there | pṛṣṭhataḥ na avalokayan: at back, not, looking | dudruvuḥ: dashed off. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 31

तत् च अनीकम् महावेगम् रामम् समनुवर्तत

tat ca anīkam mahāvegam rāmam samanuvartata

SYNONYMS

b, 32a| mahā vegam = highly, spīdy: temerarious | ghṛta nānā praharaṇam: taking, many, assault weapons | gambhīram sāgara upamam = unfathomable: unnavigable [tumultuous,] ocean, in simile | tat anīkam: that, army | rāmam: towards Rama | sam anu vartata [sam upa sarpata]: well, near to, steered. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 32

रामो अपि चारयन् चक्षुः सर्वतो रण पण्डितः

rāmo api cārayan cakṣuḥ sarvato raṇa paṇḍitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 33a| raṇa paṇḍitaḥ = var, ekṣpert: Rama | rāmaḥ api: Rama, even | cakṣuḥ sarvataḥ cārayan = eyes [sight,] all over, spreading: casting | yuddha abhi mukhaḥ gataḥ = var, tovards, going: lunging at | tat khara sainyam dadarśa: that, Khara's, army, [Rama] has seen. |

TRANSLATION

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

VERSE 33

वितत्य च धनुर् भीमम् तूण्याः च उद्धृत्य सायकान्

vitatya ca dhanur bhīmam tūṇyāḥ ca uddhṛtya sāyakān

SYNONYMS

bhīmam dhanuḥ vitatya ca: awesome, bow, on stretching, also | tūṇyāḥ sāyakān uddhṛtya ca: from quiver, arrows, on whipped out | sarva rakṣasām vadhārtham: all, demons, to eliminate | tīvram krodham āhārayat = ekṣtreme, vrath, he called forth: [adopted a mask.] |

TRANSLATION

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]

PURPORT

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 yaatudhaanaanidhaanaaya satvaram udagra kopam aaviShTasya pracaNDa anila dodhuuyamaana jvaalaakalaapa yugaanta anala kalpasya sakala jana duShprekShyasya - - dharmaakuutam 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.
VERSE 34

दुष्प्रेक्ष्यश्चाभवत्क्रुद्धोयुगान्ताग्निरिवज्वलन् यद्वा
दुष्प्रेक्ष्यः च अभवत् क्रुद्धो युगान्त अग्निः
इव ज्वलन्

duṣprekṣyaścābhavatkruddhoyugāntāgnirivajvalan - yadvā -
duṣprekṣyaḥ ca abhavat kruddho yugānta agniḥ
iva jvalan

SYNONYMS

kruddhaḥ: one who is enraged | jvalan: while blazing | yuga anta agniḥ iva: era, ending, Fire, like, blazing | duṣ prekṣyaḥ = un, sightly: frightful-looking | abhavat ca: he became, also | tejasā āviṣṭam: by conflagration, when pervaded | tam dṛṣṭvā: at him [Rama,] on seeing | vana devatāḥ: pastoral, deities | prā vyathan: very much, annoyed. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 35

तस्य रुष्ट्स्य रूपम् तु रामस्य ददृशे तदा
दक्षस्य इव क्रतुम् हन्तुम् उद्यतस्य पिनाकिनी

tasya ruṣṭsya rūpam tu rāmasya dadṛśe tadā
dakṣasya iva kratum hantum udyatasya pinākinī

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | ruṣṭsya tasya rāmasya rūpam: exasperated, his, that Rama's, aspect | dakśasya kratum hantum: Daksha's, ritual, to destroy | udyatasya: embarked | pinākinī iva = one vho vields Pināka bov: namely Rudra, as with | dadṛśe: appeared. |

TRANSLATION

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]

VERSE 36

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे चतुर् विंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe catur viṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

piśita aśaninām tat sainyam: of raw-flesh, eaters, that, army | kārmukaiḥ ābharaṇaiḥ rathaiḥ ca: with bows, embellishments, chariots, also | agni samāna varṇaiḥ: fire, equalling, in colour | tat [taiḥ] varmābhiḥ ca: that, [with those,] armours, also | sūrya udaye: of sun, at dawn time | nīlam: blue-black | abhra jālam [abhra bṛndam]: clouds, cluster of | iva: as with | babhūva = became: varied. |

TRANSLATION

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]

PURPORT

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.