Book III : Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
The ambidextrous archery of Rama is established here for the first time. So far, he has been using his archery sporadically, and here it is said to have a different dimension. The speed with which he draws arrows from quiver, the quickness with which he strings them, and the precision with which he shoots, is suggested here, though not explained. Though no apparent divinity is attached to this excercise, it suggests a divine expertise of a human. There are fourteen thousand demons against one Rama, and the Divine beings watch this from heavens as a sport, without according any miraculous powers to Rama, suggesting that a human has to face any number of problems, here fourteen thousand demons, for himself and no divine grace suddenly comes to his help. Rama gives the demons enough time and warning, but as the atrocity is escalating, he uses one gandharva missile and many other arrows, which will devastate the entire army of Dushana's brute force. |
avaSTabdha dhanum raamam kruddham ca ripu ghaatinam |
dadarsha aashramam aagamya kharaH saha puraHsaraiH || 3-25-1
1. kharaH puraHsaraiH saha = Khara, forerunning soldiers, along with; aashramam aagamya= at hermitage, on coming; avaSTabdha dhanum= at Rama, who is holding fast, bow; kruddham= wrathful one; ripu ghaatinam raamam ca= enemy, eliminator, also; dadarsha= has seen.
Khara on arriving at the hermitage along with forerunning soldiers saw the enemy-eliminator and wrathful Rama holding fast to his bow. [3-25-1]
tam dR^iSTvaa saguNam caapam udyamya khara niHsvanam |
raamasya abhimukham suutam codyataam iti acodayat || 3-25-2
2. tam dR^iSTvaa= at him [Rama,] on seeing; khara niHsvanam= Khara, bawling [or, ass-like, braying bow]; sa guNam caapam udyamya= with, string-taut, bow, on raising up; raamasya abhimukham= to Rama's, fore; codyataam = let [chariot] be driven; iti suutam acodayat= thus, at charioteer, drove [him crazy.]
On seeing Rama that bawling Khara raised his string-taut bow that makes an ass-like braying twang, drove his charioteer crazy saying, "drive to the fore of that Rama..." [3-25-2]
sa kharasya aaj~nayaa suutaH turagaan samacodayat |
yatra raamo mahaabaahuH eko dhunvan dhanuH sthitaH || 3-25-3
3. saH suutaH= that, charioteer; kharasya aaj~nayaa= Khara's, by order; mahaabaahuH ekaH raamaH = mighty armed one, single, Rama; yatra dhanuH dhunvan sthitaH= where he is, bow, while swaying, standing; to there; turagaan sam acodayat= horses, well, driven.
On the orders of Khara the charioteer drove the horses to there where the mighty armed Rama is standing single-handedly while swaying his bow. [3-25-3]
tam tu niSpatitam dR^iSTvaa sarve te rajanii caraaH |
mu.ncamaanaa mahaanaadam sacivaaH paryavaarayan || 3-25-4
4. niSpatitam= who has fallen in - descended on; tam tu dR^iSTvaa= him, but - for their part, on seeing; sacivaaH te sarve rajanii caraaH = ministers - deputies, they, all, demons; mahaa naadam= with great, noise - battle cries; muncamaanaa venting out; pari avaarayan = around, encircled.
On seeing Khara descending on Rama then all those nightwalkers who are the deputies of Khara encircled Khara venting out loud battle cries. [3-25-4]
sa teSaam yaatudhaanaanaam madhye rathaH gataH kharaH |
babhuuva madhye taaraaNaam lohitaa.nga iva uditaH || 3-25-5
5. teSaam yaatudhaanaanaam madhye = of their, of demons, among; rathaH gataH saH kharaH = in chariot, staying, he, that Khara; taaraaNaam madhye= stars, in midst of; uditaH lohita anga = up-shot, copper, coloured bodied one - Mars; iva= like; babhuuva = became - shone forth.
Khara staying on his chariot in the thick of those demons appeared to be like coppery-red planet Mars up-shot in the thick of stars. [3-25-5]
tataH shara sahasrena raamam apratima ojasam |
ardayitvaaa mahaanaadam nanaada samare kharaH || 3-25-6
6. tataH= then; kharaH samare= Khara, in combat - prone to a combat; shara sahasrena= with arrows, a thousand; a + pratima ojasam= one with - not, paralleled [unique,] force; raamam= Rama is; ardayitvaaa= having assaulted; mahaa naadam nanaada = loud, battle cry, blared.
In his proneness to war then Khara assaulted that uniquely forceful Rama with a thousand arrows and blared a roaring battle cry. [3-25-6]
tataH tam bhiima dhanvaanam kruddhaaH sarve nishaacaraaH |
raamam naanaa vidhaiH shas.htraiH abhyavarSanta durjayam || 3-25-7
7. tataH= then; sarve kruddhaaH nishaacaraaH= all, infuriated, nightwalkers; bhiima dhanvaanam= one with - horrific, bow; dur jayam= one impossible, to vanquish - invincible; tam raamam= at him, that Rama; naanaa vidhaiH shastraiH abhyavarSanta= with many, types, of weapons, much [incessantly] rained.
All of those infuriated nightwalkers then incessantly rained diverse weapons on that invincible Rama who is handling a horrific bow. [3-25-7]
mudgaraiH aayasaiH shuulaiH praasaiH khaDgaiH parashvadhaiH |
raakSasaaH samare raamam nijaghnuu roSa tatparaaH || 3-25-8
8. raakSasaaH roSa tatparaaH= demons, to rancour, indulged - caught up; mudgaraiH aayasaiH shuulaiH praasaiH khaDgaiH parashvadhaiH= with bludgeons, lances, tridents, darts, hatchets; samare raamam nijaghnuu = in war, Rama, bombarded.
Those demons that are already caught up with rancour bombarded Rama with bludgeons, lances, tridents, darts and hatchets. [3-25-8]
te valaahaka sa.mkaashaa mahaakaayaa mahaabalaaH |
abhyadhaavanta kaakutstham rathaiH vaajibhiH eva ca || 3-25-9
gajaiH parvata kuuTa abhaiH raamam yuddhe ji.mghaasavaH |
9, 10a. valaahaka samkaashaa= immense-cloud, resembling - and jostling; mahaa kaayaa mahaa balaaH= massive bodied, exceptionally mighty ones; such as they are; te= those; rathaiH vaajibhiH eva ca= with chariots, horses, even, also; parvata kuuTa abhaiH gajaiH = mountain, ridges, similar, on elephants; yuddhe raamam jimghaasavaH= in war, Rama, eager to kill; kaakutstham abhyadhaavanta = towards Rama, they rushed in on.
Those massive bodied and exceptionally mighty demons came jostling like immense clouds in their eagerness to kill Rama in that war, while some mounted on chariots and horsebacks, and some more riding mountain-ridges like elephants rushed in on Rama. [3-25-9,10a]
te raame shara varSaaNi vyasR^ijan rakSasaam gaNaaH || 3-25-10
shailendram iva dhaaraabhir varSamaaNaa mahaadhanaaH |
10b, 11a. te rakSasaam gaNaaH= those, of demons, bands of; raame= on Rama; varSamaaNaa= that which is raining; mahaa ghanaaH= enormous, black clouds; dhaaraabhiH= with discharge of torrents; shaila indram iva = on mountain, the best - lofty one, as with; shara varSaaNi= arrow, torrents; vyasR^ijan= outpoured.
And those bands of demons have outpoured arrows on Rama, as with enormous black-clouds disemboguing torrents on a lofty mountain. [3-25-10b, 11a]
sarvaiH parivR^ito raamo raakshasaiH kR^IradarshinaiH || 3-25-11
tithiSu iva mahaadevo vR^itaH paariSadaam gaNaiH |
11b, 12a. raamaH= Rama; sarvaiH raakshasaiH kR^Ira darshinaiH= by all, demons, by demons, grisly, in their appearance; mahaa devaH= supreme, deity [Rudra]; tithiSu= on [certain] days; paariSadaam gaNaiH vR^itaH iva = retinue, group of, surrounded, as with; pari vR^itaH = around, [Rama is] hemmed in.
When hemmed in with those grisly-looking demons Rama appeared like Rudra surrounded by his divine retinue called prathama gaNa-s, on certain days, whereupon he starts his all-destructive cosmic-dance. [3-25-11b, 12a]
taani muk{}taani shastraaNi yaatudhaanaiH sa raaghavaH || 3-25-12
pratijagraaha vishikhaiH nadi oghaan iva saagaraH |
12b, 13a. saH raaghavaH= he, that Raghava; yaatudhaanaiH muktaani taani shastraaNi= by demons, discharged, those, arrows; saagaraH nadi oghaan iva= ocean, rivers', onrush, as with; vi shikhaiH= by verily, pointed [his arrows]; prati jagraaha= in turn, taken [pre-empted.]
That Raghava has pre-empted those arrows discharged by the demons with his excruciatingly pointed arrows as an ocean would do with the river's onrush. [3-25-12b, 13a]
sa taiH praharaNaiH ghoraiH bhinna gaatro na vivyathe || 3-25-13
raamaH pradiiptair bahubhir vajrair iva mahaa acalaH |
13b, 14a. ghoraiH taiH praharaNaiH = gruesome one, with those, assault weapons; bhinna gaatraH san= gashed, bodied, even if; saH raamaH= he, that Rama; pra diiptaiH= highly, blazing; bahubhiH vajraiH= with very many, Thunderbolts; mahaa a+calaH iva = enormous, not, moving one - mountain [Mt. Meru,] as with; na vi+vyathe= not, at all, hurt - not rendered feeble.
Even if his body is gashed with those gruesome assault weapons Rama is not enfeebled, as with the enormous Mt. Meru that can withstand even if battered by very many highly blazing thunderbolts of Indra. [3-25-13, 14a]
sa viddhaH kSataja digdhaH sarva gaatreSu raaghavaH || 3-25-14
babhuuva raamaH sandhya abhraiH divaakara iva aavR^itaH |
14b, 15a. viddhaH sarva gaatreSu= bruised, on all, limbs; kSataja digdhaH= with blood, bedaubed; raaghavaH= one from the dynasty of Raghu-s; saH raamaH= that, Rama; sandhya abhraiH aavR^itaH = of eventide, by cloudscapes, covered with; divaakara iva = sun, as like; babhuuva = became -shone forth.
Bruised and bedaubed with blood on all his limbs that Rama of Raghu's dynasty took shape of the sun enshrouded by cloudscapes at eventide. [3-25-14b, 15a]
Rama is not fading away like the evening sun but becoming more like blood red sun. The 'covering of blood' on his limbs suggests the covering of reddish flaring fire on all his limbs, as we say that evening sun is stained with blood and fire.
viSedur deva gandharvaaH siddhaaH ca parama R^iSayaH || 3-25-15
ekam sahasraiH bahubhiH tadaa dR^iSTvaa samaavR^itam |
15b, 16a. tadaa= then; bahubhiH sahasraiH samaavR^itam= many, thousands [of demons,] surrounded by; ekam dR^iSTvaa= single one, on seeing; deva gandharvaaH siddhaaH parama R^iSayaH ca= gods, celestials, saints, sages, also; viSeduH = are dispirited.
On seeing lone Rama beset by many demons, then the gods, celestials, saints and sublime-sages are dispirited. [3-25-15b, 16a]
tato raamaH tu susa.mkruddho maNDalii kR^ita kaarmukaH || 3-25-16
sasarja nishitaan baaNaan shatashaH atha sahasrashaH |
16b, 17a. tataH= then; raamaH tu= Rama, for his part; susamkruddhaH= becoming highly, infuriated; maNDalii kR^ita kaarmukaH= circularity, made [curved,] having bow; shatashaH= in hundreds; atha= why hundreds?; sahasrashaH= in thousands; nishitaan baaNaan sasarja = trenchant, arrows, jetted out.
But Rama on becoming highly infuriated curved his bow to a full circularity on stretching the bowstring up to his ear, and then jetted out trenchant arrows in hundreds. Why hundreds? He surged them in thousands. [3-25-16b, 17a]
duravaaraan dur.hviSahaan kaalapaasha upamaan raNe || 3-25-17
mumoca liilayaa raamaH ka.nkapatraan kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaan |
17b, 18a. raamaH raNe= Rama, in that war; dur a vaaraan= impossible, not to, stop - unstoppable ones; dur vi sahaan = impossible, to verily, tolerate - intolerable ones; kaala paasha [daNDa] upamaan = Time's, lead [shaft,] in simile; kanka patraan= eagle, feathered; kaancana bhuuSaNaan= in gold, adorned; such arrows; mumoca liilayaa = discharged, sportily.
In that war Rama sportily discharged eagle-feathered arrows adorned in gold which are unstoppable and intolerable, and which in simile are the leads of Time-god. [3-25-17b, 18a]
te sharaaH shatru sainyeSu muk{}taa raameNa liilayaa || 3-25-18
aadaduu rakSasaam praaNaan paashaaH kaalakR^itaa iva |
18b, 19a. raameNa liilayaa= by Rama, playfully; shatru sainyeSu muktaa= on enemy's, army, discharged; te sharaaH =those, arrows; kaala kR^itaa paashaaH iva= by Time-god, made [flung,] tethers, as with; rakSasaam praaNaan aadaduu= demon's, lives, [arrows] grabbed.
Those arrows that are playfully discharged on the army of enemy have grabbed the lives of demons like the tethers flung by the Time-god. [3-25-18b, 19a]
bhittvaa raakSasa dehaan taam te sharaa rudhira aaplutaaH || 3-25-19
a.ntarikSa gataa rejuH diipta agni sama tejasaH |
19b, 20a. te sharaa= those, arrows; taam raakSasa dehaan bhittvaa= their, demon's, bodies, on impaling; rudhira aaplutaaH= in blood, swamped; antarikSa gataa= into welkin, on going; diipta agni sama tejasaH= inflamed, flame, equal, with the flare; rejuH= shone forth.
On impaling the bodies demons, the arrows swamped in blood have gone into welkin, where they are aglow with flares equalling inflamed flames. [3-25-19b, 20a]
The similitude between redness of blood and the redness of flaring fire is again suggested, as said at 3-25-14b, 15a above.
asa.nkhyeyaaH tu raamasya saayakaaH caapa maNDalaat || 3-25-20
viniSpetuH atiiva ugraa rakSaH praaNa apahaariNaH |
20b, 21a. raamasya= Rama's; caapa maNDalaat= bow's, from nimbus - from circularly bent arrow; atiiva ugraaH= highly, frightening; rakSaH praaNa apahaariNaH= demons, lives, filchers of [resulted in]; a + sankhyeyaaH= not, calculable; saayakaaH viniSpetuH [vi niS petuH= verily, out, fell]= fusilladed.
Innumerable and highly frightening arrows fusilladed from the nimbus of the bow of Rama that resulted as the filchers of the lives of demons. [3-25-20b, 21a]
taiH dhanuu.mSi dhvaja agraaNi carmaaNi ca shiraa.msi ca || 3-25-21
bahuun sa hasta aabharaNaan uuruun kari kara upamaan |
ciCheda raamaH samare shatashaH atha sahasrashaH || 3-25-22
21b, 22. raamaH= Rama; samare= in that war; taiH= with such of them - arrows; shatashaH atha sahasrashaH= in hundreds, now, in thousands; dhanuumSi dhvaja agraaNi= bows, war-flags, pinnacles; carmaaNi ca= skins [armours,] also; shiraamsi ca= heads [of demons,] also; sa hasta aabharaNaan= with, hand, ornaments; bahuun= arms; kari kara upamaan= elephant's, trunk, similar; uuruun= thighs; ciCheda= shredded.
In that war, shooting now with hundreds, and now with thousands of such arrows, Rama shredded those many bows, pinnacles of war-flags, armours and the like. And even shred are the heads of demons, along with their ornamented arms and thighs similar to the trunks of elephants. [3-25-21b, 22]
hayaan kaa.ncana sannaahaan ratha yuk{}taan sa saarathiin |
gajaam ca sa gaja aarohaan sa hayaan saaradhinaH tadaa || 3-25-23
ciChiduH bibhiduH ca eva raama baaNaa guNa cyutaaH |
padaatiin samare hatvaa hi anayat yama sadanam || 3-25-24
23, 24. raama baaNaa [caapaat] guNa cyutaaH= Rama's, bow's, string, fallen from [with arrows]; kaancana sannaahaan= with golden, harnesses; ratha yuktaan = chariots, yoked to; sa saarathiin= with, charioteers; hayaan = horses; sa gajaam aarohaan= with, elephants, along with those that are riding; gajaam ca= elephants, also; ciChiduH bibhiduH ca eva hi= shredded, scrapped, also, thus, indeed; tadaa= likewise; sa hayaan saaradinaH= with, horses, cavaliers; padaatiin= infantrymen; samare hatvaa= in war, on killing; yama sadanam anayat = to Yama's, abode, led.
With the arrows flung from the bow-bowstring-nimbus of Rama, he indeed shredded and scraped the horses hitched with golden harnesses, and the chariots to which they are yoked, and even their charioteers. Likewise, he even ripped off the elephants along with their riders, and the horses along with their cavaliers. And on eliminating infantrymen in that war Rama led them to the abode of Yama, the Time-god. [3-25-23, 24] [3-25-23]
tato naaliika naaraacaiH tiikshNa agraiH vikarNibhiH |
bhiimam aarta svaram cakruH Chidyamaanaa nishaacaraaH || 3-25-25
25. tataH naaliika naaraacaiH= then, tubular arrows, iron arrows; tiikshNa agraiH= sharp, edged ones; vi karNibhiH= upturned, ears [crescent-tipped] arrow; Chidyamaanaa= while ripped to pieces; nishaacaraaH= nightwalkers; bhiimam aarta svaram cakruH= disgusting, anguish, cries, let out.
While ripped to pieces with tubular arrows, with arrows made of iron, and with sharp-edged and crescent-tipped arrows those demons have let out disgusting cries of anguish. [3-25-25]
tat sainyam nishitaiH baaNaiH arditam marma bhedibhiH |
na raameNa sukham lebhe shuSkam vanam iva agninaa || 3-25-26
26. raameNa= by Rama; marma bhedibhiH= critical places, piercing ones; nishitaiH baaNaiH arditam= with sharp, arrows, when harrowed; tat sainyam = that, army; sukham vanam agninaa iva= dried-up - burnt to a cinder, forest, by wild fire, as with; shuSkam na lebhe= pleasure, not, they have taken - disquieted.
When those arrows that gore the critical parts are thus harrowing, that army is discomposed like a forest burnt to a cinder by wild-fire. [3-25-26]
kecid bhiima balaaH shuuraaH praasaan shuulaan parashvadhaan |
cikSipuH parama kruddhaa raamaaya rajaniicaraaH || 3-25-27
27. bhiima balaaH shuuraaH= grotesquely, sinewy, brave ones; kecit rajaniicaraaH= some, nightwalkers; parama kruddhaa= highly, enraged; praasaan shuulaan parashvadhaan= darts, tridents, hatchets; raamaaya cikSipuH= towards Rama, they dashed.
Some of the grotesquely sinewy and braving nightwalkers are highly enraged and dashed their darts, tridents, and hatchets towards Rama. [3-25-27]
teSaam baaNaiH mahaabaahuH shastraaNi aavaarya viiryavaan |
jahaara samare praaNaan cicCheda ca shiro dharaan || 3-25-28
28. mahaabaahuH= mighty armed Rama; viiryavaan= valorous one; samare= in war; baaNaiH = with arrows; teSaam shastraaNi aavaarya= their, weapons, on fending off; shiraH dharaan= head, holders - necks; cicCheda= sheared off, praaNaan jahaara ca= filched, lives, also.
On fending off those weapons with his arrows that mighty armed and valorous Rama filched away their lives by shearing off their necks in that war. [3-25-28]
te Chinna shirasaH petuH Chinna carma sharaasanaaH |
suparNa vaata vikshiptaa jagatyaam paadapaa yathaa || 3-25-29
29. te= those demons; Chinna shirasaH= with severed, heads; Chinna carma shara aasanaaH = wrecked, shields, bows; suparNa vaata vikshiptaa= by Garuda, Divine-eagle, its gust, strewn around; paadapaa yathaa= trees, as with; jagatyaam petuH= on earth, crashed down.
Those demons crashed down to earth with their heads severed and shields and bows wrecked, like the trees strewn around on earth owing to the gust raised by Garuda, the Divine Eagle, when he takes a sudden flight in heavens. [3-25-29]
avashiSTaaH ca ye tatra viSaNNaaH te nishaacaraaH |
kharam eva abhyadhaavanta sharaNaartham shara aahataaH || 3-25-30
30. tatra avashiSTaaH= there, remaining; ye nishaacaraaH = those, nightwalkers, even; shara aahataaH= by arrows, battered; viSaNNaaH ca= desperately, also; kharam eva= to Khara, alone; sharaNa artham abhyadhaavanta= for shelter, seeking, rushed.
Those nightwalkers that are battered by those arrows and remaining there, they desperately rushed towards Khara alone seeking shelter. [3-25-30]
taan sarvaan dhanur aadaaya samaashvaasya ca duuSaNaH |
abhyadhaavata susa.mkruddhaH kruddhaH [rudram] kruddha iva antakaH || 3-25-31
31. duuSaNaH = Duushana; taan sarvaan= them, all; samaashvaasya on comforting; [punaH= again]; aadaaya= on taking them; su sam kruddhaH antakaH= very, highly, infuriated, Terminator; [rudram] iva= [to Rudra,] as with; dhanuH aadaaya= bow, taking; kruddham= infuriated - Rama;[kaakutstham= to Rama]; abhyadhaavata= hurried towards.
Comforting all of them and taking his bow, very highly infuriated Duushana rushed towards that infuriated Rama like the furious Eliminator Yama. Or That highly infuriated Duushana rushed towards Rama as highly infuriated Yama rushes towards Rudra, where Rudra being the ultimate eliminator himself, angry rush of Yama towards Rudra is therefore futile. [3-25-31]
The second meaning can be expressed by substituting the word 'kruddha' with 'rudra' as in other mms than that of Gorakhpur version.
nivR^ittaaH tu punaH sarve duuSaNa aashraya nirbhayaaH |
raamam eva abhyadhaavanta saala taala shila aayudhaaH || 3-25-32
32. sarve= all of them; duuSaNa aashraya nir bhayaaH= Duushana, in shelter of, without, fear - emboldened; punaH nivR^ittaaH tu= again, returned, but; saala taala shila aayudhaaH= saala trees, palm trees, boulders, as weapons; raamam eva abhyadhaavanta= to Rama, alone, towards rushed.
Coming under the shelter of Duushana all of those demons are but emboldened and returned, and they once again rushed towards Rama with saala trees, palm trees and boulders as their weapons. [3-25-32]
shuula mudgara hastaaH ca paasha hastaa mahaabalaaH |
sR^ijantaH shara varSaaNi shastra varSaaNi sa.myuge|| 3-25-33
druma varSaaNi mu.ncantaH shilaa varSaaNi raakshasaaH |
33, 34a. shuula mudgara hastaaH ca= tridents, maces, in hands, along with; paasha hastaa= leashes, in hands; mahaabalaaH raakshasaaH = great-mighty, demons; shara varSaaNi= arrow, torrents; shastra varSaaNi = missile, torrents; druma varSaaNi= tree, torrents; shilaa varSaaNi= boulder, torrents; sa.nyuge= in that war; sR^ijantaH= created; muncantaH= released.
Handling tridents, maces, and leashes those great-mighty demons have created torrents of arrows, missiles, trees and boulders, and inundated Rama in that war. [3-25-33, 34a]
tad babhuuva adbhutam yuddham tumulam roma harSaNam || 3-25-34
raamasya asya mahaaghoram punaH teSaam ca rakSasaam |
34b, 35a. punaH= again; raamasya= to Rama; teSaam rakSasaam ca = to the, demons, also; tumulam adbhutam= tumultuous, stunning; roma harSaNam = hair, raising one; asya yuddham= that, war; mahaa ghoram babhuuva= highly, gruesome, became.
Again there chanced a highly gruesome war between Rama and those demons that is tumultuous, stunning, and a hair-raising. [3-25-34b, 35a]
te samantaat abhikruddhaa raaghavam punar aardayan || 3-25-35
tataH sarvaa disho dR^iSTvaa pradishaaH ca samaavR^itaaH |
raakshasaiH sarvataH praaptaiH shara varSaabhiH aavR^itaH || 3-25-36
sa kR^itvaa bhairavam naadam astram parama bhaasvaram|
samayojayat gaandharvam raakshaseSu mahaabalaH || 3-25-37
35b, 36, 37. te= those demons; abhi kruddhaa= in high, dudgeon; punaH raaghavam= again, at Raghava; samantaat= all around; aardayan= on pressurising; [ahyayuH - abhi yayuH= came towards him - resurfaced]; tataH= then; mahaa balaH saH = exceptionally, forceful, he, that Rama; raakshasaiH sarvataH praaptaiH= by demons, from everywhere, reappeared; sarvaa dishaH pra dishaaH ca= all, directions, inter, directions, also; sam aavR^itaaH = fully, filled in; shara varSaabhiH aavR^itaH= with arrow, torrents, storming; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; bhairavam naadam kR^itvaa= thunderous, sound, making; raakshaseSu= among demons; parama bhaasvaram astram= extremely, blazing, missile; gaandharvam samayojayat= gandharva missile, launched.
Those demons have resurfaced from all around pressurising Raghava in high dudgeon. On seeing the reappearance of demons from everywhere, with whom all the directions and inter-directions are fully filled, and who are storming torrents of arrows, then that exceptionally forceful Rama made a thunderous sound and launched an extremely blazing missile among the gather of demons, called gandharva missile. [3-25-35b, 36, 37]
tataH shara sahasraaNi niryayuH caapa maNDalaat |
sarvaa dasha disho baanaiH aapuuryanta samaagataiH || 3-25-38
38. tataH caapa maNDalaat = then, from bow's, nimbus; shara sahasraaNi= arrows, in thousands; nir yayuH= out, scurried; samaagataiH baanaiH= with arrived, arrows; sarvaaH dasha dishaH= all, ten, sides; aapuuryanta= started to fill - crammed.
Then from the nimbus of his bow, arrows in thousand have scurried out, and with them thus arrived all the ten sides are cramped up. [3-25-38]
na aadadaanaam sharaan ghoraan vimu.nca.ntam shara uttamaan |
vikarSamaaNam pashyanti raakshasaaH te shara aarditaaH || 3-25-39
39. shara aarditaaH= by arrows, harrowed; te raakshasaaH = those, demons; ghoraan= deadly ones; sharaan aadadaanaam= arrows, drawing forth; na pashyanti= not, seeing; shara uttamaan vimuncantam= arrows, supreme, unloosening; na= not [seen]; vikarSamaaNam= traction [of bowstring]; [na = they have not seen.]
Either the drawing of those supreme arrows from the quiver, or the traction of bowstring on placing them, or unloosing them from the bow is unperceived by those demons that are harrowing under those arrows. [3-25-39]
shara andhakaaram aakaasham aavR^iNot sa divaakaram |
babhuuva avasthito raamaH prakshipan iva taan sharaan || 3-25-40
40. shara andhakaaram= arrows, darkness; sa divaakaram aakaasham= with, sun, sky; aavR^iNot = overspread; raamaH= Rama; taan sharaan= those, arrows; pra kshipan iva [pra vaman iva]= spew forth, as though; avasthitaH babhuuva = standing - persevered, he became.
Darkness caused by the thick of the arrows overspread the sky including its sun, while Rama happened to persevere spewing forth his arrows. [3-25-40]
Dark grew the air with arrowy hail / Which hid the sun as with a veil. - Griffith.
yugapat patamaanaiH ca yugapacca hataiH bhrisham |
yugapat patitaiH caiva vikiirNaa vasudhaa abhavat || 3-25-41
41. vasudhaa= earth; yugapat patamaanaiH ca= in a trice, falling down, and; yugapat hataiH ca= in a trice, killed, even; yugapat patitaiH caiva= in a trice, fallen down, also thus; bhrisham vikiirNaa abhavat= far and wide, scattered [with them,] became.
Far and wide the earth is scattered with herds that are falling instantaneously, hosts that have fallen instantly, and huddles that are already felled with an instantaneity. [3-25-41]
Fiends wounded, falling, fallen, slain, / All in a moment, spread the plain, - Griffith.
nihataaH patitaaH kshiiNaa cChinna bhinna vidaaritaaH |
tatra tatra sma dR^ishyante raakshasaaH te sahasrashaH || 3-25-42
42. te raakshasaaH= those, demons; tatra tatra= there, and there; sahasrashaH nihataaH= in thousands, when killed; patitaaH= when fell; kshiiNaa= when enfeebled; bhinna= when gashed; cChinna = when slashed; vidaaritaaH= when ripped; dR^ishyante sma= noticeable, they are.
Thousands of demons are noticeable hither and yon, killed, fallen and enfeebled, and slashed, gashed and ripped. [3-25-42]
And thousands scarce alive were left / Mangled, and gashed, and torn, and cleft. - Griffith.
sa uSNiiSaiH uttama angaiH ca sa a.ngadaiH baahubhiH tathaa |
uurubhiH baahubhiH cChinnaiH naanaa ruupaiH vibhuuSaNaiH || 3-25-43
hayaiH ca dvipa mukhyaiH ca rathaiH bhinnaiH anekashaH |
caamara vyajanaiH ChatraiH dhvajaiH naanaa vidhaiH api || 3-25-44
raameNa baaNa abhihataiH vicChinnaiH shuula paTTishaiH |
khaDgaiH khaNDiikR^itaiH praasaiH vikiirNaiH ca pashvadhaiH || 3-25-45
cuuNitaabhiH shilaabhiH ca sharaiH citraiH anekashaH |
vicChinnaiH samare bhuumiH vistiirNaa aabhuut bhaya.mkaraa || 3-25-46
43. samare= in war; sa uSNiiSaiH= with, headgears; uttama angaiH ca= with best, body part [heads,] also; tathaa= likewise; sa angadaiH baahubhiH = with, bicep-lets, with arms, cChinnaiH uurubhiH= cut off, with thighs; baahubhiH = arms [or, jaanubhiH= with knees]; naanaa ruupaiH vibhuuSaNaiH= diverse, patterns, with ornaments; an+ekashaH= not, one - numerous; hayaiH ca= with horses, also; dvipa mukhyaiH ca= elephants, best ones, also; bhinnaiH= ravaged; rathaiH = chariots; caamaraiH vyajanaiH = chaamara animal's tail fur, royal-fans; ChatraiH= royal-parasols; naanaa vidhaiH= very many, kinds of; dhvajaiH api= war-flags, even; raameNa= by Rama; baaNa abhihataiH= by arrows, battered; vicChinnaiH shuula paTTishaiH= splintered, tridents, spears; khaNDii kR^itaiH = to pieces, made as - broken to pieces; khaDgaiH= swords; praasaiH= darts; vikiirNaiH= shattered and strewn; pashvadhaiH ca= with hatchets, even; shilaabhiH= with boulders; cuuNitaabhiH= pulverised [arrows]; an+ ekashaH vicChinnaiH= in many ways, gone to rack and ruin; citraiH sharaiH=with amazing, arrows; vistiirNaa bhuumiH spread about, earth which is; bhayamkaraa aabhuut= horrifying, it [earth] became.
Some severed heads still have their headgears and some bare, some arms are with armlets and some bare, while some with their arms cut off, some with their thighs cut off, some with their divers patterns of ornaments on their bodies have fallen on ground. Numerous horses and elephants are felled. Chariots, royal-fans, royal-parasols, war-flags of very many kinds are ravaged in many ways. Hit down by Rama's arrows spears and tridents are variously splintered, swords broken to pieces, darts and hatchets shattered and strewn around. Also the boulders are pulverised, various amazing arrows have gone to rack and ruin in many ways. Spread with such wreckage the earth has become horrifying for a glance. [3-25-43, 44, 45, 46]
taan dR^iSTvaa nihataan sarve rakshasaaH parama aaturaaH |
na tatra calitum shak{}taa raamam para pura.mjayam || 3-25-47
47. sarve rakshasaaH= all, [surviving] demons; taan nihataan dR^iSTvaa = them, killed, on seeing; parama aaturaaH= highly, enervated; tatra calitum na shaktaa= there, to make a move, not, capable of; raamam para puram jayam= towards Rama, enemy's, capital/castle, conqueror.
On seeing the killed demons all the surviving demons have become enervated and they are rendered incapable to make a move towards Rama, the conqueror of enemy's capitals. [3-25-47]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.nca vi.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 25th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : June 04]