Chapter 30
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
भित्त्वा तु ताम् गदाम् बाणैः राघवो धर्म वत्सलः
स्मयमानः खरम् वाक्यम् संरब्धम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
bhittvā tu tām gadām bāṇaiḥ rāghavo dharma vatsalaḥ
smayamānaḥ kharam vākyam saṃrabdham idam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On smashing the mace with arrows Raghava spoke this sentence to Khara smiling him out of temper, without assaulting weaponless and flustering Khara, because Rama is the patron of virtue following the protocol of righteous war. [3-30-1]
PURPORT
एतत् ते बल सर्वस्वम् दर्शितम् राक्षसाधम
शक्ति हीनतरो मत्तो वृथा त्वम् उपगर्जसि
etat te bala sarvasvam darśitam rākṣasādhama
śakti hīnataro matto vṛthā tvam upagarjasi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"So, this is all the strength of yours and your army that is displayed and nothing more to display, is it! You wretched demon, it is paltriest compared to my strength, yet you vaunt aloud futilely! [3-30-2]
एषा बाण विनिर्भिन्ना गदा भूमि तलम् गता
अभिधान प्रगल्भस्य तव प्रत्यय घातिनी
eṣā bāṇa vinirbhinnā gadā bhūmi talam gatā
abhidhāna pragalbhasya tava pratyaya ghātinī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This mace of yours in which you repose your bombastic aplomb, now completely battered with my arrows has gone onto the surface of earth, so also is your vanity. [3-30-3]
यत् त्वया उक्तम् विनष्टानाम् इदम् अश्रु प्रमार्जनम्
राक्षसानाम् करोमि इति मिथ्या तत् अपि ते वचः
yat tvayā uktam vinaṣṭānām idam aśru pramārjanam
rākṣasānām karomi iti mithyā tat api te vacaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"What that is said by you, 'I will dab the tears of the demons whose kinfolk are dead here...' even this word of yours is a fake. [3-30-4]
नीचस्य क्षुद्र शीलस्य मिथ्या वृत्तस्य रक्षसः
प्राणान् अपहरिष्यामि गरुत्मान् अमृतम् यथा
nīcasya kṣudra śīlasya mithyā vṛttasya rakṣasaḥ
prāṇān apahariṣyāmi garutmān amṛtam yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In boasting you are knavish, in character roguish, and in behaviour ghoulish, such a demon as you are, I will take your life away as the Divine Eagle Garuda took away Ambrosia. [3-30-5]
अद्य ते भिन्न कण्ठस्य फेन बुद्बुद भूषितम्
विदारितस्य मत् बाणैः मही पास्यति शोणितम्
adya te bhinna kaṇṭhasya phena budbuda bhūṣitam
vidāritasya mat bāṇaiḥ mahī pāsyati śoṇitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Now, my arrows will rip and chop off your throat, and then the earth will guzzle the blood gushed therefrom garnished with froth and foam. [3-30-6]
पांसु रूषित सर्वान्गः स्रस्त न्यस्त भुज द्वयः
स्वप्स्यसे गाम् समाश्लिष्य दुर्लभाम् प्रमदाम् इव
pāṃsu rūṣita sarvāngaḥ srasta nyasta bhuja dvayaḥ
svapsyase gām samāśliṣya durlabhām pramadām iva
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You will go to eternal sleep embracing the earth as you embrace an un-gainable lady, when both of your arms are knocked down to slide on earth, and limbs smeared with dirt. [3-30-7]
प्रवृद्ध निद्रे शयिते त्वयि राक्षस पांसने
भविष्यन्ति अशरण्यानाम् शरण्या दण्डका इमे
pravṛddha nidre śayite tvayi rākṣasa pāṃsane
bhaviṣyanti aśaraṇyānām śaraṇyā daṇḍakā ime
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"While you are in profound sleep, oh, notorious demon, this Dandaka forest becomes a shelter to the shelter-worthy sages and saints. [3-30-8]
जनस्थाने हत स्थाने तव राक्षस मत् शरैः
निर्भया विचरिष्यन्ति सर्वतो मुनयो वने
janasthāne hata sthāne tava rākṣasa mat śaraiḥ
nirbhayā vicariṣyanti sarvato munayo vane
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When the strongholds of demons in your Janasthaana are ruined with my arrows, the sages in this forest will move about everywhere, fearlessly. [3-30-9]
अद्य विप्रसरिष्यन्ति राक्षस्यो हत बान्धवाः
बाष्प आर्द्र वदना दीना भयात् अन्य भयावहाः
adya viprasariṣyanti rākṣasyo hata bāndhavāḥ
bāṣpa ārdra vadanā dīnā bhayāt anya bhayāvahāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The demonesses who terrorized others so far will be pitiably terrorised now, and they flee away very quickly with tear-wet faces as their kinsmen are killed. [3-30-10]
अद्य शोक रसज्ञाः ताः भविष्यन्ति निरर्थकाः
अनुरूप कुलाः पत्न्यो यासाम् त्वम् पतिः ईदृशः
adya śoka rasajñāḥ tāḥ bhaviṣyanti nirarthakāḥ
anurūpa kulāḥ patnyo yāsām tvam patiḥ īdṛśaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"To which demonesses your kind of grievous demon is the husband, they must have taken birth in a befittingly grievous family like that of yours, and must be well-matched to you in grievous atrocities, and though they might not have tasted a grievous situation so far, since their lives have become meaningless, now they will become the enjoyers of the empathy of grief. [3-30-11]
नृशंस शील क्षुद्र आत्मन् नित्यम् ब्राह्मण कण्टक
त्वत् कृते शन्कितैः अग्नौ मुनिभिः पात्यते हविः
nṛśaṃsa śīla kṣudra ātman nityam brāhmaṇa kaṇṭaka
tvat kṛte śankitaiḥ agnau munibhiḥ pātyate haviḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You are atrocious in conduct because you countervail against Veda-s, debased by conscience because you counteract to Vedic rituals, and you are countermanding Vedic procedures because you have always been bothersome to Brahmans, and those Brahmans becoming sceptical of your deeds of hindrance, they are hesitatingly consigning oblations into Ritual-Fire, which are to be swiftly dropped into fire to the chants of hymns and even on time, hence you are countervailing against Veda-s and counteracting to their rituals, and countermanding their procedures." Thus Rama spoke to Khara irefully. [3-30-12]
तम् एवम् अभिसंरब्धम् ब्रुवाणम् राघवम् रणे
खरो निर्भर्त्सयामास रोषात् खरतर स्वरः
tam evam abhisaṃrabdham bruvāṇam rāghavam raṇe
kharo nirbhartsayāmāsa roṣāt kharatara svaraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While Raghava is speaking that way with such an impetuosity in that forest, Khara started to intimidate him rancorously in a voice stridulous than braying. [3-30-13]
दृढम् खलु अवलिप्तो असि भयेषु अपि च निर्भयः
वाच्य अवाच्यम् ततो हि त्वम् मृत्यु वश्यो न बुध्यसे
dṛḍham khalu avalipto asi bhayeṣu api ca nirbhayaḥ
vācya avācyam tato hi tvam mṛtyu vaśyo na budhyase
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Priding yourself resolutely you are unfearing even in a fearful situation, thereby you have indeed gone into the control of death, and for sure you are unmindful of what is speakable and what is not." Thus, Khara started his tongue-lashing. [3-30-14]
काल पाश परिक्षिप्ता भवंति पुरुषा हि ये
कार्य अकार्यम् न जानन्ति ते निरस्त षड् इन्द्रियाः
kāla pāśa parikṣiptā bhavaṃti puruṣā hi ye
kārya akāryam na jānanti te nirasta ṣaḍ indriyāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Such of those men on whom the Lead of the Time verily closes in, they will not know what is to be done and what not, for all of their six senses will be rendered insensible." Thus Khara intimidated Rama. [3-30-15]
PURPORT
एवम् उक्त्वा ततो रामम् संरुध्य भृकुटिम् ततः
स ददर्श महा सालम् अविदूरे निशाचरः
evam uktvā tato rāmam saṃrudhya bhṛkuṭim tataḥ
sa dadarśa mahā sālam avidūre niśācaraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Saying so to Rama that nightwalker Khara then knitting his brows tightly saw everywhere for an assault weapon for use in that combat, and then he indeed found one not far away from him, namely a huge saala tree. [3-30-16, 17a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
He curled his lips in frown and started to extricate that Saala tree, and that great-mighty Khara on forcefully uprooting that tree with both of hands hurled it aiming at Rama, braying loudly and shouting at him 'you are dead...' [3-30-17b, 18]
तम् आपतन्तम् बाण ओघैः च्छ्हित्त्वा रामः प्रतापवान्
रोषम् आहारयत् तीव्रम् निहंतुम् समरे खरम्
tam āpatantam bāṇa oghaiḥ cchhittvā rāmaḥ pratāpavān
roṣam āhārayat tīvram nihaṃtum samare kharam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
But that adventurous Rama on shredding that tree which is swooping down with a torrent of arrows, and deciding to eliminate that Khara in that war evoked an unusual rancour, which rancour is equally an unusual facet of Rama. [3-30-19]
PURPORT
जात स्वेदः ततो रामो रोषात् रक्त अन्त लोचनः
निर्बिभेद सहस्रेण बाणानाम् समरे खरम्
jāta svedaḥ tato rāmo roṣāt rakta anta locanaḥ
nirbibheda sahasreṇa bāṇānām samare kharam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Rama whose body is perspiring and whose eyes are acrimoniously bloodshot at ends, he utterly shredded Khara with a thousand arrows in that war. [3-30-20]
तस्य बाण अंतरात् रक्तम् बहु सुस्राव फेनिलम्
गिरेः प्रस्रवणस्य इव धाराणाम् च परिस्रवः
tasya bāṇa aṃtarāt raktam bahu susrāva phenilam
gireḥ prasravaṇasya iva dhārāṇām ca parisravaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Copious frothy blood gushed out from the gashes of arrows on the mountainous body of Khara, like the rapids on Mt. Prasavana, and it overflowed on earth too. [3-30-21]
PURPORT
विकल स कृतो बाणैः खरो रामेण संयुगे
मत्तो रुधिर गन्धेन तम् एव अभ्यद्रवत् द्रुतम्
vikala sa kṛto bāṇaiḥ kharo rāmeṇa saṃyuge
matto rudhira gandhena tam eva abhyadravat drutam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Khara is tormented with the arrows of Rama in that conflict he is bedevilled and with his blood stinking body he quickly bolted towards that Rama alone. [3-30-22]
तम् आपतंतम् संरब्धम् कृत अस्त्रो रुधिर आप्लुतम्
अपसर्पत् द्वि त्रि पदम् किंचित् त्वरित विक्रमः
tam āpataṃtam saṃrabdham kṛta astro rudhira āplutam
apasarpat dvi tri padam kiṃcit tvarita vikramaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Khara is descending on boisterously with his body bathed in blood, that adept one in the Science of Archery, dhanur veda , the scripture on archery, and that valorous Rama, in swiftness lurched a little...say, two or three steps... [3-30-23]
PURPORT
ततः पावक संकाशम् वधाय समरे शरम्
खरस्य रामो जग्राह ब्रह्म दण्डम् इव अपरम्
tataḥ pāvaka saṃkāśam vadhāya samare śaram
kharasya rāmo jagrāha brahma daṇḍam iva aparam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then, Rama snatched an arrow which is similar to the Ritual-fire, and secondary only to the ultimate missile, namely the Brahma-missile, for the elimination of Khara in war. [3-30-24]
स तत् दत्तम् मघवता सुर राजेन धीमता
संदधे च स धर्मात्मा मुमोच च खरम् प्रति
sa tat dattam maghavatā sura rājena dhīmatā
saṃdadhe ca sa dharmātmā mumoca ca kharam prati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That particular arrow is made available to Rama through Sage Agastya by the king of gods, namely Indra, because Indra is a sensible one about the future course of events, and he is also prosperous in securing impossible weaponry, and now Rama fitted such an arrow on his bow and released it towards Khara. [3-30-25]
स विमुक्तो महाबाणो निर्घात सम निःस्वनः
रामेण धनुरायम्य खरस्य उरसि च आपतत्
sa vimukto mahābāṇo nirghāta sama niḥsvanaḥ
rāmeṇa dhanurāyamya kharasya urasi ca āpatat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That formidable arrow is promptly released on Rama's stretching the bowstring up to his ear, bending bow almost to a circularity, and which arrow is thunderous while in egress like the thunder of a thunderbolt, and that has come and plunged inthe chest of Khara. [3-30-26]
स पपात खरो भूमौ दह्यमानः शर अग्निना
रुद्रेण एव विनिर्दग्धः श्वेत अरण्ये यथा अन्धकः
sa papāta kharo bhūmau dahyamānaḥ śara agninā
rudreṇa eva vinirdagdhaḥ śveta araṇye yathā andhakaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Khara fell down on to earth and on being burnt by the radiation of that arrow he is like demon Andhaka, who once was very completely burnt by Rudra in Shveta-araNya, the White-forest. [3-30-27]
PURPORT
स वृत्र इव वज्रेण फेनेन नमुचिर् यथाअ
बलो वा इन्द्र अशनि हतो निपपात हतः खरः
sa vṛtra iva vajreṇa phenena namucir yathāa
balo vā indra aśani hato nipapāta hataḥ kharaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
As with fall of demon Vritta or fall of demon Bala who are eliminated by Indra with his Thunderbolt, or as with the collapse of demon Namuchi who is eliminated by the same Indra just with forth or foam, Khara too is brought down. [3-30-28]
PURPORT
एतस्मिन् अंतरे देवाः चारणयोः सह संगताः
दुन्दुभिः च अभिनिघ्नंतः पुष्प वर्ष समंततः
etasmin aṃtare devāḥ cāraṇayoḥ saha saṃgatāḥ
dundubhiḥ ca abhinighnaṃtaḥ puṣpa varṣa samaṃtataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In this meantime gods gathering along with carana-s drummed celestial drums from all over and showered flowers on Rama from all over. [3-30-29, 30a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And those gods and other celestials in their amazement said among themselves that 'in one and half hours, say seventy two minutes of this extreme crack-down Rama with his sharp arrows has eradicated fourteen thousand guise changing demons, including their chieftains Khara and Duushana. [3-30-30b, 31]
अहो बत महत् कर्म रामस्य विदित आत्मनः
अहो वीर्यम् अहो दार्ढ्यम् विष्णोः इव हि दृश्यते
aho bata mahat karma rāmasya vidita ātmanaḥ
aho vīryam aho dārḍhyam viṣṇoḥ iva hi dṛśyate
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Aha! Surprising is this great deed of Rama, the shrewd-soul, what a valour, what a fortitude, really, his valour and fortitude are like those of Vishnu..." Thus saying that way all of those gods have gone away as the have come. [3-30-32, 33a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
All the kingly-sages and elite-sages along with Sage Agastya, who as incidentally came here to witness the victory of Rama, then on foregathering near at Rama delightedly said this on adoring him. [3-30-33b, 34a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"He that great-resplendent one, the controller of demon Paka, and the destroyer of enemy's cities, namely Indra, once came to the meritorious hermitage of Sage Sharabhanga only for the purpose such an elimination of demons. [3-30-34b, 35a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"For the purpose of eradicating these demons who are the evildoers by nature and the natural enemies to saintly people you are led to this countryside by the great sages with an ideation. [3-30-35b, 36a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That which is the task of ours it is accomplished by you, oh, son of Dasharatha, now that Dandaka is unimpeded these great-sages will be practising their respective sacred devoirs in it." Thus, the sages expressed their thanksgiving. [3-30-36b, 37a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In the meanwhile the brave Lakshmana exiting from the mountain cave came along with Seetha to their hermitage, and he is charmed at the victory of his brother Rama. [3-30-37b, 38a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And then that brave and victories Rama too came towards hermitage while great-sages reverenced him, and he entered the hermitage while Lakshmana came forward to greet him. [3-30-38b, 39a]
तम् दृष्ट्वा शत्रु हंतारम् महर्षीणाम् सुख आवहम्
tam dṛṣṭvā śatru haṃtāram maharṣīṇām sukha āvaham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And Seetha on seeing her husband, the eliminator of enemies and accorder of happiness to sages, embraced her husband Rama, rejoicingly. [3-30-39b, 40a]
मुदा परमया युक्ता दृष्ट्वा रक्षो गणान् हतान्
रामम् च एव अव्ययम् दृष्टा तुतोष जनक आत्मजा
mudā paramayā yuktā dṛṣṭvā rakṣo gaṇān hatān
rāmam ca eva avyayam dṛṣṭā tutoṣa janaka ātmajā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Janaka's daughter Seetha on seeing the hordes of demons eliminated, and even on observing her husband is also scatheless, she is all-smiles for him smiling sniggeringly. [3-30-40]
PURPORT
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे त्रिंश सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe triṃśa sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
She whose face is beaming with delight that Seetha, the daughter Janaka, on seeing Rama who has eliminated demonic troops, and whom great-sages are worshipping, again embraced him and became rapturous. [3-30-41]