Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

ततः शूर्पणखा दृष्ट्वा सहस्राणि चतुर्दश
हतानि एकेन रामेण रक्षसाम् भीम कर्मणाम्

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā dṛṣṭvā sahasrāṇi caturdaśa
hatāni ekena rāmeṇa rakṣasām bhīma karmaṇām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On seeing the fourteen thousands demons of heinous crimes, and even on seeing Trishira, Duushana, and even Khara, who are all exterminated by lone Rama, then Shuurpanakha emitted a thunderous blare like a thundercloud. [3-32-1, 2]

VERSE 3

सा दृष्ट्वा कर्म रामस्य कृतम् अन्यैः सुदुष्करम्
जगाम परम उद्विग्ना लंकाम् रावण पालिताम्

sā dṛṣṭvā karma rāmasya kṛtam anyaiḥ suduṣkaram
jagāma parama udvignā laṃkām rāvaṇa pālitām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Highly agitated to witness the deed done by Rama, which deed is highly impossible for others, she hurried Lanka ruled by Ravana. [3-32-3]

VERSE 4

सा ददर्श विमान अग्रे रावणम् दीप्त तेजसम्
उपोपविष्टम् सचिवैः मरुद्भिः इव वासवम्

sā dadarśa vimāna agre rāvaṇam dīpta tejasam
upopaviṣṭam sacivaiḥ marudbhiḥ iva vāsavam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

She saw Ravana who is fulgent with his own radiance, seated with ministers at his nearby in the midst of the divine aircraft Pushpaka, as with Indra who will be sitting amidst wind-gods. [3-32-4]

PURPORT

The place where Ravana is sitting can be said as 'at the top floor of a multi-storeyed building...' as the word vimaana means 'atop...' of a house, temple-towers etc. But it can also be said Pushpaka aircraft as said in Dharmaakuutam: tatra ca vicitra vimaana madhyage kaancana maya aasane - - The words upa upa viSTa 'the ministers are sitting near him, and are in attendance upon him...' by the use of extra preposition upa , but in the course of time the idea of 'nearness or proximity' are lost and it came be used as just 'sitting...' Thus, the tautological tendencies were influencing Sanskrit' - Pt. Satya Vrat in Ramayana - A Linguistic Study.

VERSE 5

आसीनम् सूर्य संकाशे कांचने परमासने
रुक्म वेदि गतम् प्राज्यम् ज्वलंतम् इव पावकम्

āsīnam sūrya saṃkāśe kāṃcane paramāsane
rukma vedi gatam prājyam jvalaṃtam iva pāvakam

SYNONYMS

sūrya samkāśe = to ṣun, vho is similar to: Ravana | kāncane parama āsane: golden, supreme, on a throne | rukma vedi gatam = vith golden, Fire: altar, going in - available in that Altar | pra ajyam = plentifully, drenced vith ghī: clarified butter | jvalantam: flaring up | pāvakam iva: Ritual-fire, as with | āsīnam: who is seated |

TRANSLATION

Seated similar to the Sun in firmament on a supreme golden throne, which resembles a golden Altar of Fire, and he himself resembling the blazing Ritual-fire spurting out of it when that Golden-Fire-Altar is drenched with plentiful ghee, she saw such a Ravana. [3-32-5]

PURPORT

Ravana is seated similar to the Sun in firmament on a supreme golden throne, which resembles a golden Fire-altar, laid with golden bricks. Mud-bricks will be used in Vedic-rituals in ordinary fashion, while he is a special fire in a special golden altar. When much ghee is poured into that Golden-Fire-Altar continually, it is natural for the fire to blurt up, so also Ravana is flaring up when his needs are oblated in that fire, and his glow is heightening with every pour of ghee-oblation, rather fulfilment of each need. On conquering all the worlds Ravana assumed indratva 'Indra-hood.' So all the oblations in rituals shall belong to Ravana. Any ritual other than this variety will be hindered or spoiled by this demon group. This is the real problem of all the celestials, as they are not getting their due of oblations through Vedic-rituals. Ravana's throne, rather the seat of authority, itself is the Golden-Ritual-Altar of its kind, and every praise, or extolment of Ravana is a hymn in his eulogy, and any offering made anywhere in his jurisdiction is an offering made into that Ravana-Fire-Altar. That absolute power of Ravana is making him to glow to the bedazzlement of all the worlds. And how he got that Indrahood is said next.

VERSE 6

देव गन्धर्व भूतानाम् ऋषीणाम् च महात्मनाम्
अजेयम् समरे घोरम् व्यात्त आननम् इव अन्तकम्

deva gandharva bhūtānām ṛṣīṇām ca mahātmanām
ajeyam samare ghoram vyātta ānanam iva antakam

SYNONYMS

deva gandharva bhūtānām: by gods, by gandharva-s, by [other] beings | mahā ātmanām ṛṣīṇām ca: by exalted, souls, sages, also | samare a jeyam = in var, not, conquerable one: Ravana | ghoram: catastrophic in look | vyātta [vi ātta] ānanam antakam iva: verily, gaping, mouth, Terminator, as with. |

TRANSLATION

An invincible one either for gods or gandharva-s, or to sages with exalted souls, or even to any other entity worth its name, whose appearance itself is catastrophic, and who is sitting identical to the Terminator, as though that Terminator himself is sitting with a wide gaped mouth, at such a Ravana Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-6]

VERSE 7

देव असुर विमर्देषु वज्र अशनि कृत व्रणम्
ऐरावत विषाण अग्रैः उत्कृष्ट किण वक्षसम्

deva asura vimardeṣu vajra aśani kṛta vraṇam
airāvata viṣāṇa agraiḥ utkṛṣṭa kiṇa vakṣasam

SYNONYMS

deva asura vi mardeṣu = in gods, demons, highly trampling dovn: in many combats | vajra aśani kṛta [su bahuśo] vraṇam: Vajra weapon of Indra, by Thunderbolt, made, [very many,] bruises | airāvata viṣāṇa agraiḥ = āiravata: elephant of Indra, with tusks, prongs of | utkṛṣṭa kiṇa vakṣasam: when gored, blotched, chest. |

TRANSLATION

One who is severally bruised in several combats of gods and demons with the thunderbolts from the Vajra weapon of Indra, and one who is severally blotched on his chest when the prongs of the tusks of Airavata, the lordly elephant of Indra, gored his chest, at such a Ravana Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-7]

VERSE 8

विंशत् भुजम् दश ग्रीवम् दर्शनीय परिच्छदम्
विशाल वक्षसम् वीरम् राज लक्ष्मण लक्षितम्

viṃśat bhujam daśa grīvam darśanīya paricchadam
viśāla vakṣasam vīram rāja lakṣmaṇa lakṣitam

SYNONYMS

vimśat bhujam: having twenty, arms | daśa grīvam: having ten, throats [faces] | darśanīya paricchadam: one with conspicuous, white parasol, [white fans etc., meaning that he has all regalia of Indra] | viśāla vakṣasam: one with broad, chest | vīram: at brave one | rāja lakṣmaṇa lakṣitam: one with kingly, attributes, attributed with. |

TRANSLATION

One who has twenty arms, ten faces and a broad chest, and a possessor of all regalia of Indra like white parasol, white fanning instruments, colours and the like insigne, and at that brave one who is attributed with all of the kingly attributes, Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-8]

PURPORT

Ravana is said to have four legs also in naaradiiya jaimini Ramayana: dasha aasyam viMshati bhujam bhinna anjana cayamopamam | paadaiH catur ati ugram taamroSTam 11 chapter, 75 verse. In Raghuvamsha in 18th chapter bhujamuurthoru baahulyaa dekopidhana daanuja etc., but not vividly portrayed elsewhere.

VERSE 9

नद्ध वैदूर्य संकाशम् तप्त कान्चन कुण्डलम्
सुभुजम् शुक्ल दशनम् महा आस्यम् पर्वतोपमम्

naddha vaidūrya saṃkāśam tapta kāncana kuṇḍalam
subhujam śukla daśanam mahā āsyam parvatopamam

SYNONYMS

naddha vaidūrya sankāśam: studded, vaiduurya gems [Lapis, cats-eye gems,] one gleaming alike | tapta kāncana kuṇḍalam: one with burnt [refined,] gold, ear-knobs | su bhujam: with robust, arms | śukla daśanam: with whitely, teeth | mahā āsyam: wide, mouthed | parvata upamam: mountain, in simile to. |

TRANSLATION

Blent with the gleam of Lapis gems studded in his ornaments his glisten is alike that gem, while his ear-knobs are made out of refined gold, and his arms strongish, teeth whitish, mouth widish and he is mountainous, and Shuurpanakha saw such a Ravana. [3-32-9]

VERSE 10

विष्णु चक्र निपातैः च शतशो देव संयुगे
अन्यैः शस्त्रैः प्रहारैः च महायुद्धेषु ताडितम्

viṣṇu cakra nipātaiḥ ca śataśo deva saṃyuge
anyaiḥ śastraiḥ prahāraiḥ ca mahāyuddheṣu tāḍitam

SYNONYMS

deva samyuge: gods, in war with | śataśaḥ: hundreds [of times] | viṣṇu cakra nipātaiḥ ca: Vishnu's, disc, with assaults of, also | [anyaiḥ ] mahā yuddheṣu = in [other,] great vars: gruesome wars | anyaiḥ śastraiḥ prahāraiḥ ca: with other, missile, by assaults of, also | [śataśaḥ] tāḍitam = he is assaulted: assaults known through scars on body. |

TRANSLATION

His body bears hundreds of welts caused when assaulted with Vishnu-disc for hundreds of times in wars with gods, and when assaulted for hundreds of times with the other assaults-missiles in other gruesome wars as well, and Shuurpanakha saw at such a Ravana. [3-32-10]

PURPORT

The disc of Vishnu here does not mean the sudarshana cakra of Vishnu. This is yet another missile which is one among many given to Rama by Vishvamitra. This sudarshana cakra is a 'thought of Vishnu to eliminate the vice...' sankalpa, a conceptually symbolic missile in one of his hands. But in the core of its essence it is no disc with any sprockets and central thumb-hole etc. praaNo mayaa kriyaa shaktiH | bhaava unmeSha udyamaH | sudarshanam ca sa~NkalpaH | shabdaa paryaaya vaacakaaH -- ahirbuj~na vaakya 'sudarshana is my causative thinking, words are just alternatives -- ahirbudhnya aphorisms. This narration is to portray that Ravana has war-wounds on all over his limbs. Though hit by Thunderbolts or missiles for umpteen times, he is just wounded but not dead and he is on such a winning spree, ineradicably.

VERSE 11

आहत अंगम् समस्तैः च देव प्रहरणैः तथा
अक्षोभ्याणाम् समुद्राणाम् क्षोभणम् क्षिप्र कारिणम्

āhata aṃgam samastaiḥ ca deva praharaṇaiḥ tathā
akṣobhyāṇām samudrāṇām kṣobhaṇam kṣipra kāriṇam

SYNONYMS

tathā: likewise | samastaiḥ deva praharaṇaiḥ: with all of the, gods, hacking [missilery] | āhata angam ca: hacked, limbs, even having | a kṣobhyāṇām samudrāṇām: not, perturbable, oceans | kṣobhaṇam: who can roil, agitator | kṣipra kāriṇam: a swift, perpetrator. |

TRANSLATION

Likewise, whose limbs are thrashed with thrashing missilery of all gods, whereby his body and soul have become harsh, thus he can perpetrate anything swiftly at his will, and he who can capably roil an un-perturbable ocean at his wish, at such Ravana Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-11]

VERSE 12

क्षेप्तारम् पर्वत अग्राणाम् सुराणाम् च प्रमर्दनम्
उच्छेत्तारम् च धर्माणाम् पर दार अभिमर्शनम्

kṣeptāram parvata agrāṇām surāṇām ca pramardanam
ucchettāram ca dharmāṇām para dāra abhimarśanam

SYNONYMS

parvata agrāṇām: to [of] mountain, peaks | kṣeptāram: volleyer of | surāṇām ca pra mardanam: of gods, even, extreme, represser of | dharmāṇām ca ucchettāram: ethical values, even, an extirpator of | para dāra abhimarśanam: other's, wives, [touches] molester. |

TRANSLATION

At him who is a volleyer of mountain peaks, a represser of gods, an extirpator of ethical values, and a molester of others wives, Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-12]

VERSE 13

सर्व दिव्य अस्त्र योक्तारम् यज्ञ विघ्न करम् सदा
पुरीम् भोगवतीम् गत्वा पराजित्य च वासुकिम्

sarva divya astra yoktāram yajña vighna karam sadā
purīm bhogavatīm gatvā parājitya ca vāsukim

SYNONYMS

, 14a| sarva divya astra yoktāram: every, divine, missile, marksman of | sadā yajña vighna karam: always, Vedic-rituals, obstacles, causer [interdictor] | yaḥ: who | bhogavatīm purīm gatvā: Bhogavati, to city, on going | vāsukim parājitya ca: Vaasuki [the King of Serpents,] on defeating, also | takṣakasya priyām bhāryām: Taksha's, dear, wife | parājitya jahāra: on defeating [molesting,] abducted. |

TRANSLATION

He who is a marksman of every divine missile, and an ever interdictor of Vedic-rituals, and who on going to the city named Bhogavati, the capital of Naga-s, and on defeating Vaasuki, the King of Serpents, has abducted the dear wife of Taksha on molesting her, and Shuurpanakha saw such a molester of others wives. [3-32-13, 14a]

VERSE 14

कैलासम् पर्वतम् गत्वा विजित्य नर वाहनम्

kailāsam parvatam gatvā vijitya nara vāhanam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On going to Mt. Kailash he who has defeated the god who uses humans as his vehicle, namely Kubera, and snatched away his aircraft, namely Pushpaka, which aircraft transits at the wish of its steersman, and Shuurpanakha saw such a grabber of others possessions. [3-32-14b, 15a]

VERSE 15

वनम् चैत्ररथम् दिव्यम् नलिनीम् नंदनम् वनम्

vanam caitraratham divyam nalinīm naṃdanam vanam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

He who enviously devastated the divine gardens of Kubera, called Caitraratha, along with a divine Lake of Lotuses pertaining to the same Kubera, called Pushkarini, and the gardens of Indra, called Nandana, along with other paradisiacal gardens of gods, Shuurpanakha saw such an envious demon. [3-32-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

चन्द्र सूर्यौ महा भागौ उत्तिष्ठन्तौ परंतपौ

candra sūryau mahā bhāgau uttiṣṭhantau paraṃtapau

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| śaila śikhara upamaḥ: mountain's, pinnacle, in simile | yaḥ = vho is: Ravana | uttiṣṭhantau mahā bhāgau: while rising [when they tend to rise,] highly, propitious ones [sun and moon | paran tapau = enemy: stiflers - sun and moon, or, paran tapaH = enemy-stifler - Ravana | candra sūryau: Moon, Sun are | bāhubhyām nivārayati: with two arms, forestalls. |

TRANSLATION

Shuurpanakha saw him who is similar to the pinnacle of a mountain, and who with his two hands forestalls the highly propitious ones and stiflers of their enemies, namely the Sun and Moon, when they tend to rise. [3-32-16b, 17a]

PURPORT

Tall as a hill that cleaves the sky, / He raised his mighty arms on high / To check the blessed moon, and stay / The rising of the Lord of Day. - Griffith.

VERSE 17

दश वर्ष सहस्राणि तपः तप्त्वा महावने

daśa varṣa sahasrāṇi tapaḥ taptvā mahāvane

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| dhīraḥ yaḥ: courageous one, which Ravana | purā mahā vane: earlier, in great, forest | daśa varṣa sahasrāṇi: ten, years, thousand | tapaḥ taptvā: asceticism, on accomplishing | svayam bhuve: from the self, created divinity [to Brahma] | śirāmsi upajahāra: heads [his ten heads,] dedicated [to Brahma.] |

TRANSLATION

That courageous one who in early times has practised ascesis for ten thousand years in a great-forest, and who on accomplishing it has dedicated ten of his heads to the Self-Created Brahma, she saw such a Ravana with such ten heads. [3-32-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

देव दानव गधर्व पिशाच पतग उरगैः

deva dānava gadharva piśāca pataga uragaiḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Whereby, to whom there is an indemnity against death in war at the hand of gods, demons, gandharva-s, devils, birds, or reptiles, excepting humans, and Shuurpanakha saw such an unimperilled Ravana. [3-32-18b, 19a]

VERSE 19

मन्त्रैः अभितुष्टम् पुण्यम् अध्वरेषु द्विजातिभिः

mantraiḥ abhituṣṭam puṇyam adhvareṣu dvijātibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

He who is an extreme-ultraist that expropriates the Soma-juice-oblation form the vessels of oblation in Vedic-rituals, which Soma juice-oblation is blest with Vedic-hymns and kept separately by Vedic Brahmans, since it is intended and shall belong to Indra and other divinities, and she saw such a plunderer. [3-32-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

प्राप्त यज्ञ हरम् दुष्टम् ब्रह्म घ्नम् क्रूर कारिणम्

prāpta yajña haram duṣṭam brahma ghnam krūra kāriṇam

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| prāpta yajña haram = received [culminated, ] Vedic: ritual, embezzler - Vedic ritual whose fruit is close at hand | duṣṭam: malicious one | krūra kāriṇam: one with cruel, acts | brahma ghnam = Brahman, slayer: or, Vedic-ritual, hinderer of | karkaśam: heartless one | nir anukrośam: without, goaded [rampant] | prajānām a hite ratam: to people, un, worthy [iniquity,] one who delights in. |

TRANSLATION

He who is such an embezzler of the Vedic-rituals at the time of their culmination, a malicious one, and one with cruel acts, a hinderer of Vedic-rituals, or, the slayer of those Brahmans that conduct Vedic-rituals contrary to his wishes, and one who is heartless and a rampant demon, who is a delighter in the iniquity to the people, at him Shuurpanakha saw. [3-32-20b, 21a]

PURPORT

The problem with Ravana is that nobody shall surpass him or his boons, by conducting various Vedic-rituals, appeasing various gods to get better boons, or say 'a boon to kill Ravana' itself. That being his preconceived fear he lets none to conduct any Vedic sacrifice. Secondly, he has became one with Indra with the boon of Brahma. So, any ritual should be centred on Ravana, not Indra. He is not a routine Brahman slayer as he has Brahmanic origin, and his teachers are Brahmans, and the like. But he goes against those Brahmans who dare to conduct rituals for Indra and other divinities.

VERSE 21

रावणम् सर्व भूतानाम् सर्व लोक भयावहम्

rāvaṇam sarva bhūtānām sarva loka bhayāvaham

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

She that demoness Shuurpanakha saw her brother who makes all beings to wail, an alarming one to all the worlds, an atrocious one and highly formidable Ravana. [3-32-21b, 22a]

PURPORT

Ravana is the nickname of Dashagriiva, or Dashakantha, or Dashaanana, or Dashakandhara. When Ravana tried to lift up Mt. Kailash with his twenty hands, on which Shiva, Parvati, Nandi, and a host of pramatha gaNa -s are there, Shiva pressed down the Mt. Kailash with his big toe. Then Ravana's twenty hands went under Mt. Kailash ehereby he started to yell in pain for a thousand years, terrifying all the worlds. Then, as advised by his ministers Ravana extols Shiva in a stotram , danDakam a rhythmical eulogy. That heavily worded eulogy is still available in the name of raavaNa kR^ita daNDaka . Then, Shiva releases Ravana's hands from under Mt. Kailash and blesses him to be renowned as 'Ravana' then onward. This will be in the uttara ramayaNa seventh book. Thus, Ravana is the etymological derivation of the word from the root ru 'to make noise or weep...' The mantra shastra says:-- raa ma patniim va nasthaam ni na aya - iti raavaNa 'one who abducted Rama's wife from woodlands...' In another way it is raavaNasya apatyam pumaan raavaNaH 'Ravana's son is Raavana.'

VERSE 22

तम् दिव्य वस्त्र आभरणम् दिव्य माल्य उपशोभितम्

tam divya vastra ābharaṇam divya mālya upaśobhitam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

And at him who is conspicuously sitting on a throne, attired and bejewelled in excellent apparels and jewels, shining forth with marvellous garlands, and who is like the Ultimate-Time on the rise destined for the Eventual-Time. [3-32-22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

राक्षसेन्द्रम् महाभागम् पौलस्त्य कुल नन्दनम्

rākṣasendram mahābhāgam paulastya kula nandanam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Demoness Shuurpanakha nearing Ravana, who is the highly fortunate king of demons, an enemy-destroyer and a felicity of the dynasty of Sage Pulasta, and who is now surrounded by his ministers, she spoke this sentence. [3-32-23b, 24]

VERSE 25

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे द्वा त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe dvā triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

a bhīta cāriṇī = not, fearing, in her movements: a fearless rover | mahātmanā virūpitā: by great-souled one [Lakshmana,] defaced | śūrpaṇakhā: Shuurpanakha | bhaya lobha mohitā: by fear [of Rama,] by craving [for Rama,] perplexed | pradarśayitvā: on displaying [her misfortune] | dīpta viśāla locanam: aglow, broad, eyed one | tam: to him [to Ravana] | su dāruṇam vākyam: very, caustic, sentence | abravīt: spoke. |

TRANSLATION

She who is disfigured by the high souled Lakshmana, and who is still perplexed with the fear of Lakshmana and her own craving for Rama as well, on displaying her misfortune to everybody that fearless rover Shuurpanakha spoke this very caustic sentence to Ravana, whose eyes are broad and burning. [3-32-25]