Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
A ferocious battle ensues between Rama and Ravana, hurling thousands of arrows on each other. Each one intercepts the other’s arrows. Rama speaks harsh words to Ravana for having carried away Seetha from Janasthana-forest to Lanka and vows that he will soon dispatch him surely to the world of Death. Rama then pours down streams of arrows on Ravana. Rama more vehemently torments Ravana with his sharp arrows and mystic missiles, till Ravana becomes helplessly weak and confused. Ravana’s charioteer carries away Ravana in the chariot, camly and slowly away from the battle-front. |
sa tu tena tadaa krodhaatkaakutsthenaardito raNe |
raavaNaH samarashlaaghI mahaakrodhamupaagamat || 6-103-1
1. saH raavaNaH= that Ravana; samara shlaaghii= boasting of his fight; arditaH= who was tormented; bhR^isham= much; kaakutsthena= by Rama; krodhaat= in fury; tadaa= then; upaagamat= flew into; mahaakrodhaat= a highly enraged state.
Tormented by Rama in fury, that Ravana then for his part, who was boasting of his fight, flew into a great rage.
sa dIptanayano roShaachchaapamaayamya vIryavaan |
abhyardayatsusa~Nkruddho raaghavaM paramaahave || 6-103-2
baaNadhaaraa sahasraistu sa toyada ivaambaraat |
raaghavan raavaNo baaNaistaTaakamiva pUrayat || 6-103-3
2, 3. Udyamya= raising; chaapam= his bow; diiptanayanaH= his eyes blazing; amarShaat= with rage; raaghavam samkruddhaH= extremely enraged with Rama as he was; paramaahave= in that great battle; viiraH= the valiant Ravana; viiryavaan= of prowess; abhyardayat= continued to oppress; puurayan= by covering; raaghavam= Rama; baaNadhaavaasahasraiH= with thousands of streams of arrows; saH toyadaH iva= as a rainy cloud; (would fill) taTaakam= a pond; (with thousands of arrow-like torrents; ambaraat= from the sky.
Raising his bow, his eyes blazing with anger, extremely enraged as he was with Rama in that great battle, the valiant Ravana of prowess continued to oppress, by covering Rama with thousands of streams of arrows, as a rainy cloud would fill a pond with thousands of arrow-like torrents from the sky.
pUritaH sharajaalena dhanurmuktena sanyuge |
mahaagiririvaakampyaH kaakustho na prakampate || 6-103-4
4. puuritaH= covered; sharajaalena= by a multitude= of arrows; dhanurmuktena= discharged from the bow; samyuge= in battle; kaakutsthaH= Rama; na kampate= did not wince; mahaagiririva= like a large mountain; akampyaH= which was unshakable.
Covered by a multitude of arrows discharged from Ravana’s bow in battle, Rama did not wince, like a large mountain which was unshakable.
sa sharaiH sharajaalaani vaarayansamare sthitaH |
gabhastIniva sUryasya pratijagraaha vIryavaan || 6-103-5
5. viiryavaan= The valiant; saH= Rama; sthitaH= stood; vaarayan= interrupting; sharajaalaani= the torrents of arrows; sharaiH= with his own arrows; samyuge= in the battle-field; pratjagraaha= and accepted them; gabhastiiniva= as rays; suurya= of the sun.
The valiant Rama stood interrupting the torrents of arrows with his own arrows in the battle-field and endured them as rays of the sun.
tataH sharasahasraaNi kShiprahasto nishaacharaH |
nijaghaanorasi kruddho raaghavasya mahaatmanaH || 6-103-6
6. tataH= then; kruddhaH= the enraged; nishaachaiaH= Ravana; kShipra hastaH= of brisk hand; nijaghaana= struck; shara sahasraaNi= thousands of arrows; urasi= into the breast; mahaatmanaH= of the great souled Rama.
Then, the enraged Ravana of brisk hand, struck thousands of arrows into the breast of the great-souled Rama.
sa shoNita samaadigdhaH samare lakShmaNaagrajaH |
dR^iShTaH phulla ivaaraNye sumahaankiMshukadrumaH || 6-103-7
7. lakShmaNaagrajaH= Rama; shoNita samaadigdhaH= bathed in blood; samare= in the battle-field; dR^iShTaH= appeared; sumahaan kimshuka drumaH= like a very big Kimshuka tree; phullaH= with bloom; araNye= in a forest.
Rama, bathed in blood in the battle-field, appeared like a very big Kimshuka tree with bloom in a forest.
sharaabhighaatasanrabdhaH soapi jagraaha saayakaan |
kaakutsthaH sumahaatejaa yugaantaadityavarchasaH || 6-103-8
8. sharaabhighaata samrabdhaH= enraged at the impact of the arrows; saH kaakutsthaH= that Rama; sumahaatejaH= of very great splendour; abhijagraaha= took hold of; saayakaan= arrows; yugaantaaditya tejasaH= which shone like the sun at the time of the dissolution of the world.
Enraged at the impact of the arrows, that Rama of very great splendour , took hold of arrows which shone like the sun at the time of dissolution of the world.
tatoanyonyan susanrabdhaavubhau tau raamaraavaNau |
sharaandhakaare samare nopaalakShayataan tadaa || 6-103-9
9. tau ubhau raama raavaNau= Rama and Ravana; susamrabdhau= who were quite enraged; tataH anyonyam nopalakShayataam= could not thereupon see each other; tadaa= at that time; samara= in the battle-field; sharaandhakaare= which was shrouded in darkness by the arrows.
Both Rama and Ravana who were see each other at that time in the battle-field, which was shrouded in darkness by the arrows.
tataH krodhasamaaviShTo raamo dasharathaatmajaH |
uvaacha raavaNan vIraH prahasya paruShaM vachaH || 6-103-10
10. prahasya= bursting into laughter; krodhasamaariShTaH= though filled with anger; viiraH= the valiant; raamaH= Rama; dasharathaatmajaH= the son of Dasaratha; uvaacha= spoke; paruSham vachaH= the following harsh words; raavaNam= to Ravana.
Bursting into laughter, though filled with anger, the valiant Rama, the son of Dasaratha spoke the following harsh words to Ravana.
mama bhaaryaa janasthaanaadaGYaanaadraakShasaadhama |
hR^itaa te vivashaa yasmaattasmaattvaM naasi vIryavaan || 6-103-11
11. raakShasaadhama= O the worst of demons!; yasmaat= since; mama bhaaryaa= my wife; hR^itaa= was taken away; te= by you; janasthaanaat= from Janasthana; vivashaa= helpless as she was; ajNaanaat= when I was unaware; tasmaat= hence; tvam= you; naasi= are not; viiryavaan= a person of prowess.
“O the worst of demons! Since you took away my helpless wife without my notice from Janasthana, hence you are not a person of prowess.”
mayaa virahitaan dInaan vartamaanaaM mahaavane |
vaidehIM prasabhan hR^itvaa shUroahamiti manyase || 6-103-12
12. hR^itvaa= having taken away; prasabham= by force; diinaam= the miserable; vaidehiim= Seetha; vartamaanaam= while she was staying; mahaavane= in the great forest; virahitaam= away from me; manyase= am a champion.”
“Having taken away by force the miserable Seetha while she was staying in the forest away from me, you think: ‘I am a champion’.”
strIShu shUra vinaathaasu paradaaraabhimarshake |
kR^itvaa kaapuruShan karma shUroahamiti manyase || 6-103-13
13. kR^itvaa= having done; karma= an act; kaapuruSham= of cowardly persons; paradaaraabhimarshaka= of laying your hands on another’s wife; shuura= posing as a hero; striiShu= in relation to women; vinaathaasu= without a protector; manyase= you think; iti= that; aham= I; shuuraH= am a champion.
“Having done an act of cowardly persons of laying your hands on another’s wife, posing as a hero in relation to women without a protector, you think: “I am a champion’.”
bhinnamaryaada nirlajja chaaritreShvanavasthita |
darpaanmR^ityumupaadaaya shUroahamiti manyase || 6-103-14
14. nirlajja= O shameless person; bhinna maryaada= who have broken the bounds of morality; anavasthita= and are unstable; chaaritreShu= of customs; upaadaaya= having laid hold; darpaat mR^ityum= through vanity of death (in the form of Seetha); manasye= you think; iti= that; aham shuuraH= ‘I am a champion’.
“O shameless person, who have broken the bounds of morality and are unstable of customs, having laid hold through vanity of death (in the form of Seetha) you think ‘I am a champion’.”
shUreNa dhanadabhraatraa balaiH samuditena cha |
shlaaghanIyan yashasyan cha kR^itaM karma mahattvayaa || 6-103-15
15. shlaaghaniiyam= indeed a praise worthy; mahat= great; yashasyam cha= and glorious; karma= act; kR^itam= has been performed; tvayaa= by you shuureNa dhanada bhraatraa= a valiant brother of Kubera, the god of wealth; balaiH samuditena= rich in strength!.
“Indeed a praiseworthy, great and glorious act has been performed by you, a valiant brother of Kubera, the god of wealth, rich in strength!”
utsekenaabhipannasya garhitasyaahitasya cha |
karmaNaH praapnuhIdaanIn tasyaadya sumahatphalam || 6-103-16
16. praapnuhi= reap; sumahat= a stupendous; phalam= fruit; idaaniim= now; adya= today; tasya karmaNaH= for that act; abhipannasya= done; utsekena= with vanity; garhitasya= which is contemptible; ahitasya= and noxious.
“Reap now and today the stupendous fruit of that noxious and contemptible act, perpetrated through sheer vanity.”
shUro.ahamiti chaatmaanamavagachchhasi durmate |
naiva lajjaasti te sItaan choravadvyapakarShataH || 6-103-17
17. durmate= O evil minded one!; avagachchhasi= you think; iti= that; aham= ‘I; shuuraH= am a champion; aatmaanaam= yourself!; naiva asti lajjaa= there is no shame; te= to you; vyapakarShataH= for having taken away; siitaam= Seetha; chauravat= like a thief.
“O evil-minded one! You think: ‘I am a champion’ yourself! Shame did not stand in your way at all, for having taken away Seetha like a thief.”
yadi matsaMnidhau sItaa dharShitaa syaattvayaa balaat |
bhraataran tu kharaM pashyestadaa matsaayakairhataH || 6-103-18
18. syaadyadi siitaa= If Seetha were; dharShitaa= laid hands upon; tvayaa= by you; matsammidhau= in my presence; pashyeH= you would have surely seen; bhraataram= your brother; kharam= Khara; tadaa= then; hataH= when killed; matsaayakaiH= with my arrows.
“If Seetha were laid hands upon by you in my presence, you would have surely seen your brother Khara at that very moment when killed with my arrows.”
diShTyaasi mama duShTaatmaMshchakShurviShayamaagataH |
adya tvaan saayakaistIkShNairnayaami yamasaadanam || 6-103-19
19. mandaatman= O stupid fellow!; diShTyaa= thank heaven!; aagataH asi= you have come; chakShurviShayam= within the range of my sight; nayaami= I will dispatch; tvaam= you; yamasaadanam= to the world of Death; tiikShNaiH saayakaiH= by my sharp arrows; adya= today.
“Thank heaven, O stupid fellow, you have come within the range of my sight. I will dispatch you to the world of Death, by my sharp arrows, today.”
adya te machchharaishchhinnan shiro jvalitakuNDalam |
kravyaadaa vyapakarShantu vikIrNan raNapaansuShu || 6-103-20
20. jvalitakuN^Dalam= with blazing ear-rings; te shiraH= let your head; raNapaamsuShu= lying on the dust-laden battlefield; vyapakarShantu= be carried away; kravyaadaaH= by beasts of prey; chhinnam= after having been chopped off; machharaiH= by my arrows; adya= today.
“Let your head, having blazing ear-rings lying on the dust-laden battle-field, be carried away by beasts of prey, after being chopped off by my arrows today.”
nipatyorasi gR^idhraaste kShitau kShiptasya raavaNa |
pibantu rudhiran tarShaadbaaNashalyaantarothitam || 6-103-21
21. raavaNa= O Ravana!; gR^idhraas= (Let) vultures; nipatya= fly down; te urasi= on your breast; kShiptasya= when wounded by shooting with my arrows and fallen; kShitau= on the ground; pibantu= and drink; rudhiram= the blood; baaNashalyaantotthitam= oozing out from the orifices caused by the impact of pointed arrow-tips.
“O Ravana! Let vultures fly down on your wounded breast when you have been thrown down on the ground and oozing out from the orifices caused by the impact of my pointed arrow-tips.”
adya madbaaNaabhinnasya gataasoH patitasya te |
karShantvantraaNi patagaa garutmanta ivoragaan || 6-103-22
22. te antraaNi= (let) your bowels; patitasya= when you have fallen down; gataasoH= dead; madbaaNa bhinnasya= when torn out by my arrows; adya= today; karShantu= be dragged; patagaaH garutmanaH= by birds and vultures; uragaamiva= as serpents are dragged.
“Let birds (such as crows and vultures) tear out your bowels, as eagles would drag serpents when you fall down dead when pierced by my arrows today.”
ityevan sa vadanvIro raamaH shatrunibarhaNaH |
raakShasendran samIpasthaM sharavarShairavaakirat || 6-103-23
23. ityevam vadan= thus speaking; viiraH= the valiant; raamaH= Rama; shatrunibarhaNaH= the annihilator of enemies; avaakirat= poured out; sharavarShaiH= streams of arrows; raakShasendram= on Ravana; samiipastham= who was in the vicinity.
Thus speaking, the valiant Rama, the annihilator of enemies, poured out streams of arrows on Ravana, who was in the vicinity.
babhUva dviguNan vIryaM balaM harShashcha sanyuge |
raamasyaastrabalan chaiva shatrornidhanakaa~NkShiNaH || 6-103-24
24. viiryam= the prowess; balam= the strength; harShashcha= the enthusiasm; astrabalam chaiva= and the stamina of the arms; raamasya= of Rama; babhuuva dviguNam= became two-fold; shatroH nidhana kaaNkShiNaH= when he longed for the death of his enemy; samyuge= in battle.
The prowess, the strength, the enthusiasm and the stamina of arms of Rama became two-fold, when he longed for the death of his enemy in battle.
praadurbabhUvurastraaNi sarvaaNi viditaatmanaH |
praharShaachcha mahaatejaaH shIghrahastataroabhavat || 6-103-25
25. viditaatmanaH= to Rama, the learned self; sarvaaNi= all kinds; astraaNi= of mystic missiles; praadurbhuuvuH= came to light in his mind; praharShaat= from his excessive enthusiasm; mahaatejaaH= Rama of extra ordinary energy; abhuut= became; shiighrahasta taraH= all the more swift-handed.
All kinds of mystic missiles came to light in the mind of Rama the learned self and in his excessive enthusiasm, Rama of extra-ordinary energy became all the more swift-handed.
shubhaanyetaani chihnaani viGYaayaatmagataani saH |
bhUya evaardayadraamo raavaNan raakShasaantakR^it || 6-103-26
26. vijN^aayaa= recognizing; etaani= these; shubhaani chihnaani= good omens; saH raamaH= that Rama; raakShasaantakR^it= the destroyer of demons; aardayan= tormented; raavaNam= Ravana; bhuuyatteva= even more vehemently.
Recognizing those good omens, Rama, the destroyer of demons, tormented Ravana even more vehemently.
harINaan chaashmanikaraiH sharavarShaishcha raaghavaat |
hanyamaano dashagrIvo vighUrNahR^idayoabhavat || 6-103-27
27. hanyamaanaH= struck; ashmanikaraiH= by volleys of stones; hariiNaam= of the monkeys; sharavarShaat= and the showers of arrows; raaghavaat= of Rama; dashagriivaH= Ravana; abhavat= felt; vighuurNa hR^idayaH= bewildered at heart.
While being struck by volleys of stones hurled by the monkeys and the showers of arrows coming from Rama, Ravana felt bewildered at heart.
yadaa cha shastraM naarebhe na vyakarShachchharaasanam |
naasya pratyakarodvIryan viklavenaantaraatmanaa || 6-103-28
28. yadaa shastram naarabhe= he could no longer take up weapons; na chakarSha sharaasanam= nor stretch his bow; na pratyakarot= nor reacted; asya viiryam= to Rama’s prowess; viklabena antaraatmanaa= on account of his mind being confused.
Ravana could no longer take up weapons, nor stretch his bow, nor reacted to Rama’s prowess – on account of his mind being confused.
kShiptaashchaapi sharaastena shastraaNi vividhaani cha |
na raNaarthaaya vartante mR^ityukaaleabhivartataH || 6-103-29
29. sharaaH= the arrows; aashu= swiftly; kShiptaaH= hurled; tena= by him; shastraaNicha= and the mystic missiles; vividhaani= of different kinds (employed by him); na vartante= did not turn to be; raNaathaaya= of any use in battle; mR^ityu kaalaH= (as) his time of death abhyavartata= approached.
As the time of his death approached, the arrows swiftly hurled and the various kinds of missiles employed by Ravana did not turn to be of any use in battle.
suutastu rathanetaasya tadavasthaM nirIkShya tam |
shanairyuddhaadasambhaanto rathan tasyaapavaahayat || 6-103-30
30. suutastu= the charioteer for his part; rathanetaa= driving the chariot; asya= of Ravana; niriikShya= seeing; tam= him; tadavastham; having that plight; asambhraantaH= without getting excited; apavaahayat= carried off; tasya= his; ratham= chariot; shanaiH= slowly; yuddhaat= from the battle-front.
Seeing Ravana reduced to such a plight, the charioteer driving the chariot, for his part, without getting excited, calmly and slowly carried off his chariot away from the battle-front.
rathaM cha tasyaatha javena saarathi |
rnivaarya bhiimaM jaladasvanaM tadaa |
jagaama bhiityaa samaraanmahiipatiM |
nirastaviiryaM patitaM samiikhya || 6-103-31
31. atha= thereupon; samiikShya= seeing; mahiipatim= Ravana, his king; nirastaviiryam= having hopelessly dropped his energy; patitam= and looked sunken; saarathiH= the charioteer; tadaa= then; nivaarya= diverting; bhiimam ratham= his terrific chariot; javena= with speed; jaladasvanam= which was rumbling like a cloud; jagaama= went; samaraat= from the battle-filed; bhiitya= in dismay.
On seeing Ravana, the king sunk down; hopelessly bereft of energy, the charioteer diverting in haste the chariot of Ravana, which was rumbling like a cloud, thereupon sneaked away from the battle-field in dismay.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe tryadhikashatatamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 104th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© June 2009, K. M. K. Murthy