Chapter 3

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

अथ उवाच पुनर् वाक्यम् विराधः पूरयन् वनम्
पृच्छतो मम हि ब्रूतम् कौ युवाम् क्व गमिष्यथः

atha uvāca punar vākyam virādhaḥ pūrayan vanam
pṛcchato mama hi brūtam kau yuvām kva gamiṣyathaḥ

SYNONYMS

atha: then afterwards | virādhaḥ vanam pūrayan: Viradha, forest, filling | punaḥ vākyam uvāca: in turn, sentence said | pṛcchataḥ mama brū tam: while I question, to me, you reply | kau yuvām: who, you two are | kva gamiṣyathaḥ: whereto, wish to go | hi: really. |

TRANSLATION

Then in his turn that demon Viradha said this sentence filling the forest with his gruesome voice, "I am asking you, really... tell me who you are and whereto you wish to go? " [3-3-1]

VERSE 2

तम् उवाच ततो रामो राक्षसम् ज्वलित आननम्
पृच्छन्तम् सुमहातेजा इक्ष्वाकु कुलम् आत्मनः

tam uvāca tato rāmo rākṣasam jvalita ānanam
pṛcchantam sumahātejā ikṣvāku kulam ātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ sumahā tejā = highly, resplendent one: Rama | pṛcchantam: questioner [who is insisting] | jvalita ānanam: one with a blazing face | tam rākśasam: to him, to demon | ātmanaḥ ikśvāku ulam: of his, about Ikshvaku, dynasty | uvāca: said |

TRANSLATION

Then that highly resplendent Rama said about his Ikshvaku dynasty to the blazing faced demon who is insistent. [3-3-2]

VERSE 3

क्षत्रियौ वृत्त संपन्नौ विद्धि नौ वनगोचरौ
त्वाम् तु वेदितुम् इच्छावः कः त्वम् चरसि दण्डकान्

kṣatriyau vṛtta saṃpannau viddhi nau vanagocarau
tvām tu veditum icchāvaḥ kaḥ tvam carasi daṇḍakān

SYNONYMS

vṛtta sampannau: bearing, ennobled behaviour | kśatriyau: as Kshatriya-s | vanagocarau: as forest, trekkers | viddhi: you know | tvām tu veditum icchāvaḥ: about you, but, to know, we wish to | dandakān carasi tvam kaḥ: in Dandaka, you move about, you, who. |

TRANSLATION

"Know us as Kshatriya-s with ennobled bearing, and we are trekking the forest...but we wish to know about you, who are you that move about in Dandaka forest? [3-3-3]

VERSE 4

तम् उवाच विराधः तु रामम् सत्य पराक्रमम्
हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते राजन् निबोध मम राघव

tam uvāca virādhaḥ tu rāmam satya parākramam
hanta vakṣyāmi te rājan nibodha mama rāghava

SYNONYMS

tam uvāca virādhaḥ tu: to him, said, Viradha | rāmam satya parākramam: to Rama, truly valiant one | hanta: Ah! | vakśyāmi te rājan: am telling, to you, king | ni bodha mama: well, know, me be informed of me | rāghava: Raaghava. |

TRANSLATION

Viradha said to that truly valiant Rama, "Ah! I'll tell you, oh king, be informed of me, oh Raghava... [3-3-4]

VERSE 5

पुत्रः किल जवस्य अहम् माता मम शतह्रदा
विराध इति माम् आहुः पृथिव्याम् सर्व राक्षसाः

putraḥ kila javasya aham mātā mama śatahradā
virādha iti mām āhuḥ pṛthivyām sarva rākṣasāḥ

SYNONYMS

a ham javasya putra kila: I am, Java's, son, really | śatahradā: Shatahrada | mātā mama: is my, mother | pṛthivyām sarva rākśasā: on earth, all, demons | virādha iti mām āhuḥ: Viradha, thus, me, call. |

TRANSLATION

"I am the son of Java indeed... my mother is Shatahradaa, and all the demons on earth call me Viradha...'[3-3-5]

VERSE 6

तपसा च अभि संप्राप्ता ब्रह्मणो हि प्रसादजा
शस्त्रेण अवध्यता लोके अच्छेद्य अभेद्यत्वम् एव

tapasā ca abhi saṃprāptā brahmaṇo hi prasādajā
śastreṇa avadhyatā loke acchedya abhedyatvam eva
ca

SYNONYMS

tapasā: by ascesis | brahmaṇaḥ hi prasāda ja: Brahma's, only, from beneficence, derived of | abhi samprāptā: I have obtained [a boon] | loke śaśtreṇa a vadhyatā ca: in world, by weapon, not, to be killed, and even | a cchedya a bhedya ca eva: not, be cut, not, to be slit, also, thus. |

TRANSLATION

"On my undertaking ascesis I derived a boon from the beneficence of Brahma, by which I will neither be cut, nor slit, nor killed with a weapon in this world..."[3-3-6]

VERSE 7

उत्सृज्य प्रमदाम् एनाम् अनपेक्षौ यथा आगतम्
त्वरमाणौ पलायेथाम् न वाम् जीवितम् आददे

utsṛjya pramadām enām anapekṣau yathā āgatam
tvaramāṇau palāyethām na vām jīvitam ādade

SYNONYMS

utsrijya enam pramadām: leave off, this, lady | an apekśau: without, yearning for | yathā āgatam: as came [hither] | tvaramāṇau: expeditiously | palāyethām: flee away | na vām jīvitam ādade: not, of you two, lives, taken off. |

TRANSLATION

"Leave off this lady without any yearning for her, and you expeditiously flee-away as you have come, then your lives will not be snatched away... [3-3-7]

VERSE 8

तम् रामः प्रति उवाच इदम् कोप संरक्त लोचनः
राक्षसम् विकृत आकारम् विराधम् पाप चेतसम्

tam rāmaḥ prati uvāca idam kopa saṃrakta locanaḥ
rākṣasam vikṛta ākāram virādham pāpa cetasam

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ prati uvāca idam: Rama, in reply, said, this way | tam: to him | kopa sam rakta locanaḥ: in anger, full, bloodshot, eyes | vikṛta ākāram: monstrous, bodied one | rākśasam: to the ogre | virādham pāpa cetasam: to Viradha, evil one, in intent. |

TRANSLATION

Rama in reply said this to that ogre Viradha, whose eyes are fully bloodshot in anger, who is monstrous in his body, and evil in intent... [3-3-8]

VERSE 9

क्षुद्र धिक्त्वाम् तु हीनार्थम् मृत्युम् अन्वेषसे ध्रुवम्
रणे प्राप्स्यसि संतिष्ठ न मे जीवन् विमोक्ष्यसे

kṣudra dhiktvām tu hīnārtham mṛtyum anveṣase dhruvam
raṇe prāpsyasi saṃtiṣṭha na me jīvan vimokṣyase

SYNONYMS

kśudra dhik tvām: knave, fie on you | hīna artham mṛtyum anvyeṣase dhruvam: for meanly, measures, death, you are in quest of, definitely | raṇe samprāpyasi: in war, you will get it | tiṣṭha: stay | na me jīvan vimokśyase: not, by me, to live, you be let-off. |

TRANSLATION

"You knave, fie upon you... you are in quest of you own death for your meanly measures, and definitely you will get it in this confrontation. Stay! I will not let you to live... [3-3-9]

VERSE 10

ततः सज्यम् धनुः कृत्वा रामः सुनिशितान् शरान्
सु शीघ्रम् अभिसंधाय राक्षसम् निजघान ह

tataḥ sajyam dhanuḥ kṛtvā rāmaḥ suniśitān śarān
su śīghram abhisaṃdhāya rākṣasam nijaghāna ha

SYNONYMS

tataḥ sa jyam dhanuḥ kṛtvā: then, with, string, the bow, made [bow stringed] | rāmaḥ: Rama | su niśitān śarān: very, sharp, arrows | su śīghram: very, quickly | abhi sandhāna rākśasam nijaghāna ha: well, aiming, at demon, darted, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

Then, stringing his bow Rama indeed darted very sharp arrows, very quickly and well aiming the demon... [3-3-10]

VERSE 11

धनुषा ज्या गुणवता सप्त बाणान् मुमोच ह
रुक्म पुंखान् महावेगान् सुपर्ण अनिल तुल्य गान्

dhanuṣā jyā guṇavatā sapta bāṇān mumoca ha
rukma puṃkhān mahāvegān suparṇa anila tulya gān

SYNONYMS

dhanuṣā jyā guṇa vatā: of bow, string, ideal one, having [perfectly stringed bow] | sapta bāṇān mumoca ha: seven, arrows, let off, really | rukma punkhān mahā vegān: golden, vanes, very, fast ones | suparna anila tulya gān: Garuda, [the Divine Eagle, and] Air-god, equal, in flight. |

TRANSLATION

Indeed seven arrows are let off with perfectly stringed bow, which have golden vanes, and very fast ones that equal the flights of Garuda, the Divine Eagle and the Air-god. [3-3-11]

VERSE 12

ते शरीरम् विराधस्य भित्त्वा बर्हिण वाससः
निपेतुः शोणिता दिग्धा धरण्याम् पावकोपमाः

te śarīram virādhasya bhittvā barhiṇa vāsasaḥ
nipetuḥ śoṇitā digdhā dharaṇyām pāvakopamāḥ

SYNONYMS

pāvaka upamāḥ: inferno, akin to | te: they the arrows | barhiṇa vāsasaḥ: peacock's feather, dressed [as their fins] | virādhasya śarīram bhitvā: Viradha's, body, on piercing | śoṇita digdhvā: blood, smeared with | nipetuḥ dharanyām: fell, on ground. |

TRANSLATION

But, they the arrows that are akin to infernos and dressed with peacock feathers as their fins, on piercing the body of Viradha they fell onto the ground besmirched with blood. [3-3-12]

VERSE 13

स विद्धो न्यस्य वैदेहीम् शूलम् उद्यंय राक्षसः
अभ्यद्रवत् सुसंक्रुद्धः तदा रामम् स लक्ष्मणम्

sa viddho nyasya vaidehīm śūlam udyaṃya rākṣasaḥ
abhyadravat susaṃkruddhaḥ tadā rāmam sa lakṣmaṇam

SYNONYMS

vi ddhaḥ saḥ rākśasaḥ: struck, he, that demon | tadā: then | nyasya vaidehīm: placed [down,] Vaidehi | śūlam udyamya: spear, hauling up | susamkruddhaḥ: very angrily | rāmam sa lakśmanam: towards Rama, and Lakshmana | abhyadravat: rushed. |

TRANSLATION

When that demon is thus struck, then he placed Vaidehi down from his arms, hauled up his spear, and very angrily rushed towards Rama and Lakshmana. [3-3-13]

VERSE 14

स विनद्य महानादम् शूलम् शक्र ध्वज उपमम्
प्रगृह्य अशोभत तदा व्यात्तानन इव अंतकः

sa vinadya mahānādam śūlam śakra dhvaja upamam
pragṛhya aśobhata tadā vyāttānana iva aṃtakaḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | saḥ vi nadya mahā nādam: he, blaringly, yelled, ghastly, shriek | śūlam: spear | śkra dhvaja upamam: Indra's, Flagstaff | pragṛhya: on holding fast | aśobhata: shone forth | vyātta ānanā iva antaka: [to eat] open mouthed one, like, Death. |

TRANSLATION

And holding fast his spear that is similar to the Indra's Flagstaff he blaringly yelled a ghastly shriek, and thus he shone forth like the wide-mouthed Death, ready-to-gulp. [3-3-14]

VERSE 15

अथ तौ भ्रातरौ दीप्तम् शर वर्षम् ववर्षतुः
विराधे राक्षसे तस्मिन् कालांतक अयम् उपमे

atha tau bhrātarau dīptam śara varṣam vavarṣatuḥ
virādhe rākṣase tasmin kālāṃtaka ayam upame

SYNONYMS

atha tau bhrātarau: then, those, two brothers | kāla antaka ayam upame: lifetime, ending one, that one, similar to | tasmin rākśase: on that, demon | dīptam śara varśam vavarśatuḥ: flaming, arrows, rain, incessantly rained. |

TRANSLATION

Then with an effulgent arrow-rain those two brothers incessantly rained on demon Viradha, who is similar to the terminator of lifetime. [3-3-15]

VERSE 16

स प्रहस्य महा रौद्रः स्थित्वा अजृम्भत राक्षसः
जृंभमाणस्य ते बाणाः कायात् निष्पेतुर् अशुगाः

sa prahasya mahā raudraḥ sthitvā ajṛmbhata rākṣasaḥ
jṛṃbhamāṇasya te bāṇāḥ kāyāt niṣpetur aśugāḥ

SYNONYMS

mahā raudaḥ saḥ rākśasaḥ: highly horrendous one, he, that demon | prahasya: laughed at it | sthitvā ajṛmbhata: on staying [a while,] yawned | jṛmbhamāṇasya: while he is yawning | te aśugāḥ bānāḥ: those, speedy, arrows | kāyāt niṣpetuḥ: from his body, spilled out. |

TRANSLATION

He that highly horrendous demon laughed at that arrow-shower, and standing for a while he yawned, and on his yawning and stretching his limbs in fatigue those arrows that earlier have gone speedily, spilled out from his body that speedily. [3-3-16]

VERSE 17

स्पर्शात् तु वर दानेन प्राणान् संरोध्य राक्षसः
विराधः शूलम् उद्यंय राघवौ अभ्यधावत

sparśāt tu vara dānena prāṇān saṃrodhya rākṣasaḥ
virādhaḥ śūlam udyaṃya rāghavau abhyadhāvata

SYNONYMS

rākśasaḥ virādhaḥ: demon, Viradha vara daanena = by the boon, given | sparśāt tu: by the touch of [by the touch of luck owing to boon] | prāṇān samrodhya: lives, held back | śūlam udyamya: spear, raising up | rāghavau: upon two Raghava-s | abhya dhāvata: quickly, ran. |

TRANSLATION

Demon Viradha held back his lives by the touch of boon, and raising up the spear he ran quickly at Rama and Lakshmana. [3-3-17]

VERSE 18

तत् शूलम् वज्र संकाशम् गगने ज्वलन उपमम्
द्वाभ्याम् शराभ्याम् चिच्छेद रामः शस्त्रभृताम् वरः

tat śūlam vajra saṃkāśam gagane jvalana upamam
dvābhyām śarābhyām ciccheda rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām varaḥ

SYNONYMS

tat śūlam vajra samkāśam: that, spear, Thunderbolt, akin to | gagane jvalana upamam: in the sky, blaze, like | śastra bhṛtām varaḥ: weaponry, wielder, the best dvaabhyaam sharaabhyam cchiCheda = by two, arrows, ripped apart. |

TRANSLATION

The best wielder of weaponry Rama ripped that spear apart, which is akin to the Thunderbolt of Indra, and that which is like a blaze in the sky, with two arrows in the sky itself. [3-3-18]

VERSE 19

तत् राम विशिखैः छिन्नम् शूलम् तस्य आपतत् भुविः
पपात अशनिना चिन्नम् मेरोर् इव शिला तलम्

tat rāma viśikhaiḥ chinnam śūlam tasya āpatat bhuviḥ
papāta aśaninā cinnam meror iva śilā talam

SYNONYMS

rāma viśikhaiḥ chinnam: by Rama's, blazing shafts, shattered | tat śūlam: that, spear | bhuviḥ āpatat: on ground, fallen | aśaninā chinnam meroḥ śilātalam iva papāta: by Thunderbolt, shattered, Mt. Meru, boulder-mass, as with. |

TRANSLATION

Shattered by Rama's blazing shafts that spear fallen on ground like the boulder mass of Mt. Meru when it is shattered by Indra's Thunderbolt. [3-3-19]

VERSE 20

तौ खड्गौ क्षिप्रम् उद्यंय कृष्ण सर्पौ इव उद्यतौ
तूर्णम् आपेततुः तस्य तदा प्रहारताम् बलात्

tau khaḍgau kṣipram udyaṃya kṛṣṇa sarpau iva udyatau
tūrṇam āpetatuḥ tasya tadā prahāratām balāt

SYNONYMS

tau khadgau kśipram udyamya: they, swords, quickly, upraised | kṛṣṇa sarpau iva udyatau: black, cobra, like, up swinging | tūrṇam āpatataḥ tasya: rapidly, crashed, on him | tadā prahāratām balāt: then, battering, mightily. |

TRANSLATION

They quickly upraised their swords and like a pair of up-swinging black-cobras they rapidly crashed on him, and then battered him mightily. [3-3-20]

VERSE 21

स वध्यमान सुभृशम् भुजाभ्याम् परिगृह्य तौ
अप्रकंप्यौ नरव्याघ्रौ रौद्रः प्रस्थातुम् ऐच्छत

sa vadhyamāna subhṛśam bhujābhyām parigṛhya tau
aprakaṃpyau naravyāghrau raudraḥ prasthātum aicchata

SYNONYMS

saḥ vadhyamāna su bhṛśam: he, [the demon,] being beaten, very firmly | bhujābhyām pari gṟ^hya tau: with his arms, well grabbing, them two | aprakampyau nara vyāghrau: unwavering ones, manly tigers | raudraḥ prasthātum aicchata: furious one [the demon,] to getaway [to carry away,] he wished. |

TRANSLATION

He that demon thus beaten very firmly by Rama and Lakshmana, then on grabbing those unwavering ones and manly tigers with his arms, that furious demon wished to carry them away. [3-3-21]

VERSE 22

तस्य अभिप्रायम् अज्ञाय रामो लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत्
वहतु अयम् अलम् तावत् पथानेन तु राक्षसः

tasya abhiprāyam ajñāya rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt
vahatu ayam alam tāvat pathānena tu rākṣasaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya abhiprāyam ajñāya: his, thinking, on knowing | rāmaḥ lakśmanam abravīt: Rama, to Lakshmana, spoke | ayam rākśasaḥ: this, demon | anena patha: by his, way | alam vahatu tāvat tu: easily, let him carry, up to there [anywhere.] |

TRANSLATION

Knowing the thinking of the demon for sure, Rama spoke to Lakshmana, "Let him easily carry us anywhere on his way... [3-3-22]

VERSE 23

यथा च इच्छति सौमित्रे तथा वहतु राक्षसः
अयम् एव हि नः पन्था येन याति निशाचरः

yathā ca icchati saumitre tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ
ayam eva hi naḥ panthā yena yāti niśācaraḥ

SYNONYMS

rākśasaḥ: demon | yathā icchati tathā vahatu: as, he wishes, that way, let him carry | niśā caraḥ yena yāti: night-walker, by which [way,] he goes | ayam eva hi naḥ panthā: that, only, is our, way. |

TRANSLATION

"Let this demon carry us as he wishes, and Saumitri, by which way this night-walker goes, that alone will be our way... [3-3-23]

PURPORT

Rama does not want to travel comfortably on the shoulders of the demon, but wants to examine what the demon wanted to do next, after carrying afar. The prince in Rama will not let the demon go rampant. Besides, the divine fury allows any sinister to tread his own way towards his own grave.
VERSE 24

स तु स्व बल वीर्येण समुत्क्षिप्य निशाचरः
बालाः इव स्कन्ध गतौ चकार अति बलोद्धतः

sa tu sva bala vīryeṇa samutkṣipya niśācaraḥ
bālāḥ iva skandha gatau cakāra ati baloddhataḥ

SYNONYMS

ati bala uddhitaḥ: muchly, by might, arrogant one | saḥ niśā cara tu: he that, night walker, but | sva bala vīryena: by his, might, courage | samutkśipya: on lifting | bālāḥ iva: babies, like | skanda gatau cakāra: on shoulders, having gone on, made as. |

TRANSLATION

But he that night-walker arrogant as he is by his might has uplifted Rama and Lakshmana like babies by that might and courage alone, and placed them on his shoulders as one would place babies. [3-3-24]

VERSE 25

तौ आरोप्य ततः स्कन्धम् राघवो रजनी चरः
विराधो विनदन् घोरम् जगाम अभिमुखो वनम्

tau āropya tataḥ skandham rāghavo rajanī caraḥ
virādho vinadan ghoram jagāma abhimukho vanam

SYNONYMS

t ataḥ: then | rajanī caraḥ: night, walker | tau rāaghavau skandham āropya: them, Raghava-s, on shoulders, having mounted | ghoram vinadan jagāma abhimukam vanam: very luridly, on yelling gone, towards, forest. |

TRANSLATION

That nightwalker Viradha on placing those two Raghava-s on his shoulders gone towards deeper forest yelling very luridly. [3-3-25]

VERSE 26

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे तृतीयः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe tṛtīyaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahā megha nibham: great, dark cloud-like, in its sheen | mahadbhiḥ vividhaiḥ drumaiḥ upetam: with great massive, variety of, with trees, containing | nānā vidhaiḥ pakśi kulaiḥ [āyutam]: with numerous, bird, flocks [overspread with] | śiva āyutam: with wild jackals, [shiva, not to be confounded with God Shiva,] infested with | vyāla mṛgaiḥ vikīrṇam: with predaceous, animals, sprawling around | vicitram: baffling | vanam praviśtaḥ: forest, entered. |

TRANSLATION

That demon entered into a baffling forest that is like a very dark cloud in its sheen, where a variety of massive trees are contained in, numerous flocks of vulturine birds are overspreading, and where wild jackals and other predaceous animals are sprawling around, along with Rama and Lakshmana. [3-3-26] Ikshvaku dynasty is of long lineage. This is Surya Vamsha, Solar dynasty of Kshatriya-s, of which Mahaa Kavi Kalidasa wondered as to how it can be narrated, for it is of a long lineage and he admires kvaH suurya prabhavo vamshH ... in his Raghu Vamsha Mahaa Kaavya, at 1-2. This dynasty may be known to understand why from Viradha to Ravana, wanted to die at the hands of Rama. The list of those kings is compiled in aananda raamayana and the same is being given hereunder... Suurya - IkShvaaku - Kaakuthsa va~NshanukramaNika Srii mahaa ViShNu originated Brahma .From Brahma the lineage, one after the other, is Mariici - Kashyapa - Suurya - Sraaddha Deva (Vaivasvata) - IkShvaaku - VikukShi (Sashaada) - Kakuthsa - Indravaahu - Anenasa - Vishvarandhi- Chandra - Yuvanaashva - Saabastha - BR^ihadashva - Kuvalayaashva - DhR^iDhaashva - Haryashva - Nikumbha - BarhaNaashva - KR^itaashva - Syenajit - Yuvanaashva - Maandhaata - Purukuthsa - Trasaddsya 2 - AnaraNya Haryashva - AruNa - Tribandhana - Satyavrat (OR) Trishanku - Harishcandra (OR) Satya Harishcandra - Rohita - Harita - Champa - Sudeva - Vijaya - Bharuka - VR^ika - Baahuka - Sagara - Sama~njasa - A~Nshumanta - Diliipa - Bhagiiratha - Shruta - Naabha - Sindhudviipa - Ayutaayu - RutuparNa - Sudaasu (OR) Mitrasaha (OR) KalmaShaanghri - by him Ashmaka - Muulaka Ariikavaca - Dasharatha - EiDavida - Vishvasaha - KhaTvaanga - Dhiirghabaahu - This Deergha baahu is also known to be Dilipa, and from that - Diliipa - Raghu - Aja - Dasharatha - and Dasharatha begot Vishnu again as Raama.