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. |
avañöabdha dhanum rämam kruddham ca ripu ghätinam |
dadarça äçramam ägamya kharaù saha puraùsaraiù || 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 dåñövä saguëam cäpam udyamya khara niùsvanam |
rämasya abhimukham sütam codyatäm 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 äjïayä sütaù turagän samacodayat |
yatra rämo mahäbähuù eko dhunvan dhanuù sthitaù || 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 niñpatitam dåñövä sarve te rajané caräù |
muïcamänä mahänädam saciväù paryavärayan || 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 teñäm yätudhänänäm madhye rathaù gataù kharaù |
babhüva madhye täräëäm lohitäìga iva uditaù || 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]
tataù çara sahasrena rämam apratima ojasam |
ardayitväa mahänädam nanäda samare kharaù || 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]
tataù tam bhéma dhanvänam kruddhäù sarve niçäcaräù |
rämam nänä vidhaiù çastraiù abhyavarñanta 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]
mudgaraiù äyasaiù çülaiù präsaiù khaògaiù paraçvadhaiù |
räkñasäù samare rämam nijaghnü roña tatparäù || 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 valähaka saìkäçä mahäkäyä mahäbaläù |
abhyadhävanta käkutstham rathaiù väjibhiù eva ca || 3-25-9
gajaiù parvata küöa abhaiù rämam yuddhe jiìghäsavaù |
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 räme çara varñäëi vyasåjan rakñasäm gaëäù || 3-25-10
çailendram iva dhäräbhir varñamäëä mahädhanäù |
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]
sarvaiù parivåto rämo räkçasaiù kèradarçinaiù || 3-25-11
tithiñu iva mahädevo våtaù päriñadäm gaëaiù |
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]
täni muktäni çasträëi yätudhänaiù sa räghavaù || 3-25-12
pratijagräha viçikhaiù nadi oghän iva sägaraù |
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 taiù praharaëaiù ghoraiù bhinna gätro na vivyathe || 3-25-13
rämaù pradéptair bahubhir vajrair iva mahä acalaù |
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 viddhaù kñataja digdhaù sarva gätreñu räghavaù || 3-25-14
babhüva rämaù sandhya abhraiù diväkara iva ävåtaù |
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.
viñedur deva gandharväù siddhäù ca parama åñayaù || 3-25-15
ekam sahasraiù bahubhiù tadä dåñövä samävåtam |
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 rämaù tu susaìkruddho maëòalé kåta kärmukaù || 3-25-16
sasarja niçitän bäëän çataçaù atha sahasraçaù |
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]
duravärän durviñahän kälapäça upamän raëe || 3-25-17
mumoca lélayä rämaù kaìkapaträn käïcana bhüñaëän |
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 çaräù çatru sainyeñu muktä rämeëa lélayä || 3-25-18
ädadü rakñasäm präëän päçäù kälakåtä 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]
bhittvä räkñasa dehän täm te çarä rudhira äplutäù || 3-25-19
antarikña gatä rejuù dépta agni sama tejasaù |
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.
asaìkhyeyäù tu rämasya säyakäù cäpa maëòalät || 3-25-20
viniñpetuù atéva ugrä rakñaù präëa apahäriëaù |
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]
taiù dhanüàñi dhvaja agräëi carmäëi ca çiräàsi ca || 3-25-21
bahün sa hasta äbharaëän ürün kari kara upamän |
cicheda rämaù samare çataçaù atha sahasraçaù || 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]
hayän käïcana sannähän ratha yuktän sa särathén |
gajäm ca sa gaja ärohän sa hayän säradhinaù tadä || 3-25-23
cichiduù bibhiduù ca eva räma bäëä guëa cyutäù |
padätén samare hatvä 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 näléka näräcaiù tékçëa agraiù vikarëibhiù |
bhémam ärta svaram cakruù chidyamänä niçäcaräù || 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 niçitaiù bäëaiù arditam marma bhedibhiù |
na rämeëa sukham lebhe çuñkam vanam iva agninä || 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 bhéma baläù çüräù präsän çülän paraçvadhän |
cikñipuù parama kruddhä rämäya rajanécaräù || 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]
teñäm bäëaiù mahäbähuù çasträëi ävärya véryavän |
jahära samare präëän ciccheda ca çiro dharän || 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 çirasaù petuù chinna carma çaräsanäù |
suparëa väta vikçiptä jagatyäm pädapä yathä || 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]
avaçiñöäù ca ye tatra viñaëëäù te niçäcaräù |
kharam eva abhyadhävanta çaraëärtham çara ähatäù || 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]
tän sarvän dhanur ädäya samäçväsya ca düñaëaù |
abhyadhävata susaìkruddhaù kruddhaù rudram kruddha iva antakaù || 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.
nivåttäù tu punaù sarve düñaëa äçraya nirbhayäù |
rämam eva abhyadhävanta säla täla çila äyudhäù || 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]
çüla mudgara hastäù ca päça hastä mahäbaläù |
såjantaù çara varñäëi çastra varñäëi saàyuge|| 3-25-33
druma varñäëi muïcantaù çilä varñäëi räkçasäù |
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 babhüva adbhutam yuddham tumulam roma harñaëam || 3-25-34
rämasya asya mahäghoram punaù teñäm ca rakñasäm |
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 samantät abhikruddhä räghavam punar ärdayan || 3-25-35
tataù sarvä diço dåñövä pradiçäù ca samävåtäù |
räkçasaiù sarvataù präptaiù çara varñäbhiù ävåtaù || 3-25-36
sa kåtvä bhairavam nädam astram parama bhäsvaram|
samayojayat gändharvam räkçaseñu mahäbalaù || 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]
tataù çara sahasräëi niryayuù cäpa maëòalät |
sarvä daça diço bänaiù äpüryanta samägataiù || 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 ädadänäm çarän ghorän vimuïcantam çara uttamän |
vikarñamäëam paçyanti räkçasäù te çara ärditäù || 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]
çara andhakäram äkäçam ävåëot sa diväkaram |
babhüva avasthito rämaù prakçipan iva tän çarän || 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 patamänaiù ca yugapacca hataiù bhriçam |
yugapat patitaiù caiva vikérëä vasudhä 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.
nihatäù patitäù kçéëä cchinna bhinna vidäritäù |
tatra tatra sma dåçyante räkçasäù te sahasraçaù || 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 uñëéñaiù uttama angaiù ca sa aìgadaiù bähubhiù tathä |
ürubhiù bähubhiù cchinnaiù nänä rüpaiù vibhüñaëaiù || 3-25-43
hayaiù ca dvipa mukhyaiù ca rathaiù bhinnaiù anekaçaù |
cämara vyajanaiù chatraiù dhvajaiù nänä vidhaiù api || 3-25-44
rämeëa bäëa abhihataiù vicchinnaiù çüla paööiçaiù |
khaògaiù khaëòékåtaiù präsaiù vikérëaiù ca paçvadhaiù || 3-25-45
cüëitäbhiù çiläbhiù ca çaraiù citraiù anekaçaù |
vicchinnaiù samare bhümiù vistérëä äbhüt bhayaìkarä || 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]
tän dåñövä nihatän sarve rakçasäù parama äturäù |
na tatra calitum çaktä rämam para puraïjayam || 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 välméki rämäyaëe ädi kävye araëya käëòe païca viàçaù sargaù
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]