Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
On the advice of Matali the charioteer, Rama employs on Ravana, a mystic missile presided over by Brahma. That arrow penetrates Ravana's heart and kills him. Ravana falls down dead from his chariot to the earth. |
atha sasmaarayaamaasa maatalii raaghavaM tadaa |
ajaananniva kiM viira tvamenamanuvartase || 6-108-1
1. atha= thereupon; tadaa= and then; maataliH= Matali; samsmaarayaamaasa= refreshed the memory; raaghavam= of Rama (as follows); viira= O the valiant one!; kim= why; tvam anuvartase= are you (still) carrying out (the battle); enam= with him; ajananniva= as though you are unaware (of how to dispose of him)?
Thereupon, Matali refreshed the memory of Rama as follows: "O the valiant one! Why are you still carrying out the battle with Ravana as though you are unaware (of how to dispose of him)?
visR^ijaasmai vadhaaya tvamastraM paitaamahaM prabho |
vinaashakaalaH kathito yaH suraiH so.adya vartate || 6-108-2
2. prabho= O lord!; tvam= you; visR^ija= discharge; astram= a mystic missile; paitaamaham= presided over by Brahma the lord of creation; asmai= on him; vadhaaya= for his destruction; saH= that; vinaashakaalaH= time for his destruction; vartate= is; adya= now; yaH= which (was expressed); suraiH= by the celestials.
"O lord! You can employ a mystic missile presided over by Brahma the lord of creation. The time for his destruction has come now, as expressed by the celestials."
tataH saMsmaarito raamastena vaakyena maataleH |
jagraaha sa sharaM diiptaM niHshvasantamivoragam || 6-108-3
yaM tasmain prathamaM praadaadagastyo bhagavaanR^iShiH |
brahmadattaM mahaabaaNamamoghaM yudhi viiryavaan || 6-108-4
3-4. tataH= then; viiryavaan= the valiant; raamaH= Rama; samsmaaritaH= who was reminded; tena vaakyena= by those words; maataleH= of Matali; jagraaha= took hold; diiptam sharam= of a blazing arrow; brahmadattam= which was given by Brahma; yam= and which; amogham= that unfailing mahaabaaNam= great arrow; praadaat= was given; tasmai= to him; bhagavaan= agastyaR^iShiH= by the glorious sage, Agastya; yudhi= in the battle-field; prathamam= earlier; niHshvasantam uragam iva= and which looked like a hissing serpent.
Then, the valiant Rama, who was reminded thus by Matali, took hold of a blazing arrow, which was given by Brahma and which in turn was given to him by the glorious sage, Agastya earlier in the battle-field and which looked like a hissing serpent.
brahmaNaa nirmitaM puurvamindraarthamamitaujasaa |
dattaM surapateH puurvaM trilokajayakaaN^kShiNaH || 6-108-5
5. nirmitam= having been made; puurvam= formerly; indraartham= for Indra, the lord of celestials; brahmaNaa= by Brahma the lord of creation; amitaujasaa= of infinite strength; dattam= it was bestowed; puurvam= in the past; surapateH= on the ruler of gods; triloka jayakaaN^kShiNaH= who was desirous of conquering the three worlds.
Having been made formerly for Indra, the lord of celestials by Brahma, the lord of creation of infinite strength, it was bestowed in the past on the ruler of gods, who was desirous of conquering the three worlds.
yasya vaajeShu pavanaH phale paavakabaaskarau |
shariiramaakaashamayaM gaurave merumandarau || 6-108-6
6. yasya vaajeShu= in its feathers; pavanaH= was mind; phale= in its end-point; paavaka bhaskarau= were the fire and the sun; gaurave= in its heaviness; merumandarau= were Mounts Meru and Mandara; shariiram= and its shaft; aakaasha mayam= was made of ether.
In its feathers, wind was established. In its end-point were the fire and the sun. In its heaviness were Mounts Meru and Mandara. Its shaft was made of ether.
jaajvalyamaanaM vapuShaa supuN^khaM hemabhuuShitam |
tejasaa sarvabhuutaanaaM kR^itaM bhaaskaravarchasam || 6-108-7
7. supuNkham= provided with good shaft; hema bhuuShitam= decked with gold; jaajvalyamaanam vapuShaa= (the arrow) which had its body shining; kR^itam= had been made-up; tejasaa sarva bhuutaanaam= of the efficacy of all the elements; bhaaskara varchasam= and an illuminating power of the sun.
Provided with good shaft decked with gold, the arrow which had its body shining, had been made up of the efficacy of all the elements and an illuminating power of the sun.
sadhuumamiva kaalaagniM diiptamaashiiviShopamam |
naranaagaashvavR^indaanaaM bhedanaM kShiprakaariNam || 6-108-8
8. diiptam= blazing; kaalaagnim iva= like a fire at the time of universal dissolution; sadhuumam= enveloped in smoke; aashiiviShopamam= and looking like a venomous snake; kShipra kaariNam= it was swift in action; bhedanam= and capable of bursting; nara naagaashvavR^inaanaam= hosts of men, elephants and horses.
Blazing like a fire at the time of universal dissolution enveloped in smoke and looking like a venomous snake, it was swift in action and capable of bursting hosts of men, elephants and horses.
dvaaraaNaaM parighaaNaaM cha giriiNaaM chaapi bhedanam |
naanaarudhiradigdhaaN^gaM medodigdhaM sudaaruNam || 6-108-9
9. bhedanam= (It) broke; dvaaraaNaam= gate-ways; parighaaNaam= iron bars; giriiNamch api= and even mountains; naanaarudhira digdhaaN^gam= smeared with the blood of various victims; medodigdham= and quoted with their marrow; sudaaruNam= (it presented) a very terrific appearance.
It broke gate-ways, iron bars, and even mountains. Smeared witht he blood of various victims and quoted with their marrow, it presented a very terrific appearance.
vajrasaaraM mahaanaadaM naanaasamitidaaraNam |
sarvavitraasanaM bhiimaM shvasantamiva pannagam || 6-108-10
10. vajrasaaram= (It) had an efficacy of a thunder-bolt; mahaanaadam it made a great sound; naanaa samiti daaraNam= It tore off various kinds of armies of adversaries (in many battles); sarvavitraasanam= creating fear to all; shvasantam pannagam iva= like a hissing serpent.
That arrow had an efficacy of a thunder bolt, loud-sounding, tearing off armies of adversaries in many battles and creating fear to all, like a hissing serpent.
kaN^kagR^idhrabakaanaaM cha gomaayugaNarakShasaam |
nityaM bhakShapradaM yuddhe yamaruupaM bhayaavaham || 6-108-11
11. nitya bhakShapradam= It forever was giving food; kaN^kagR^idhra bakaanaam cha= to vultures, eagles, cranes; gomaayu gaNa rakShasaam= troops of jackals and demons; yuddhe= in teh battle-field; yamaruupam= it was in the form of Yama the lord of death; bhayaavaham= and fearful.
It was giving perennial feed to vultures, eagles, cranes, troops of jackals and demons in the battle-field, possessing a form of Yama the lord of Death and was fearful.
nandanaM vaanarendraaNaaM rakShasaamavasaadanam |
vaajitaM vividharvaajaishchaaruchitrairgarutmataH || 6-108-12
12. nandanam= (that arrow) bestowed joy; vaanarendraaNaam= on the monkey-leaders; avasaadanam= and destroyed; rakShasaam= the demons; vaajitam= It was made speedy; vividhaiH chaaru chitraiH vaajaiH= by various kinds of beautiful coloured feathers; garutmataH= of Garuda, the king of eagles.
That arrow bestowed joy on the monkey-leaders and destroyed the demons. It was made speedy, by tying various kinds of beautiful coloured feathers of Garuda, the king of eagles, to it.
tamuttameShum lokaanaamikShvaakubhayanaashanam |
dviShataaM kiirtiharaNam praharShakaramaatmanaH || 6-108-13
abhimantrya tato raamastaM maheShuM mahaabalaH |
vedaproktena vidhinaa saMdadhe kaarmuke balii || 6-108-14
13-14. mahaabalaH= the mighty; balii= and strong; raamaH= Rama; tataH= then; samdadhe tammaheShum= fixed that arrow; uttameShum= which was the foremost; lokaanaam= among the worlds; ikShvaaku bhayanaashanam= which removed the fear of Ikshwaku dynasty; kiirtiharaNam= took away the glory; dviShatam= of enemies; praharShaNam= bestowed joy; aatmanaH= to one's own self; kaarmuke= on his bow; abhimantrya= making it sacred by a speacial formula; veda proktena; vidhinaa= as per the procedure specified in the Vedas the sacred scripts.
Making it sacred by a special formula as per the procedure specified in scriptures, Rama who was endowed with an extraordinary strength then fixed that arrow which was the foremost among the three worlds, capable of removing the fear of Ikshwaku dynasty, taking away the glory of the enemies and bestowing joy to one's own self on his bow.
tasmin saMdhiiyamaane tu raaghaveNa sharottame |
sarvabhuutaani saMtresushchachaala cha vasuMdharaa || 6-108-15
15. tasmin sharottame= (while) that excellent arrow; samdhiiyamaane= was being fixed; raaghaveNa= by Rama; sarvabhutaani= all the beings; samtresuH= were frightened; vasumdharaa= the earth; chachaala= trembled.
While that excellent arrow was being fixed by Rama, all the beings were frightened and the earth trembled.
sa raavaNaaya saMkruddho bhR^ishamaayamya kaarmukam |
chikShepa paramaayattaH sharaM marmavidaaraNam || 6-108-16
16. saH samkruddhaH= that enraged Rama; bhR^isham aayamya kaarmukam= stretching his bow well; paramaayattaH= and with an attentive mind; chikShepa= hurled; sharam= that arrow; marma vidaaranam= which can tear off the vitals; raavaNaaya= towards Ravana.
That enraged Rama, stretching his bow well and with an attentive mind, hurled that arrow which can tear off the vitals, towards Ravana.
sa vajra iva durdharSho vajribaahuvisarjitaH |
kR^itaanta iva chaavaaryo nyapatadraavaNorasi || 6-108-17
17. saH= that arrow; durdharShaH= which was inviolable; vajraH iva= as a thunderbolt; vajribaahu visarjitaH= hurled by Indra's arms; avaaryaH= irresistible; kR^itaantaH iva= as Yama the lord of Death; Ravana's chest.
That arrow, which was inviolable as a thunderbolt hurled by the arms of Indra and irresistible as Yama the lord of Death, fell upon Ravana's chest.
sa visR^iShto mahaavegah shariiraantakaraH sharaH |
chchheda hR^idayaM tasya raavaNasya duraatmanaH || 6-108-18
18. saH sharaH= that arrow; visR^iShTaH= released; with great speed; shariiraantakaraH= and which was capable of destroying the body; bibheda= tore off; hR^idayam= the heart; duraatmanaH tasya raavaNasya= of that evil-minded Ravana.
That arrow, released with great speed and which was capable of destroying the body, tore off the heart of that evil-minded Ravana.
rudhiraaktah sa vegena shariiraantakaraH sharaH |
raavaNasya haran praaNaan vivesha dharaNiitalam || 6-108-19
19. saH sharaH= that arrow; shariiraantakaraH= which was capable of causing death to the body; haran= taking away; praaNaan= the life; raavaNasya= of Ravana; rudhiraaktaH= and anointed with blood; vivesha= penetrated; dharaNiitalam= the earth.
That arrow, which was capable of causing death to the body, after taking away the life of Ravana and having been anointed with blood, penetrated the earth.
sa sharo raavaNaM hatvaa rudhiraarriikR^itachchhaviH |
kR^itakarmaa nibhR^itavatsvatuuNiiM punaraavishat || 6-108-20
20. rudhiraardriikR^ita chchhaviH= smeared with blood; hatvaa= on having killed; raavaNam= Ravana; kR^itakarmaa= and the thereby accomplished its mission; saH sharaH= that arrow; punaH aavishat= re-entered; svatuuNiim= its own quiver (of Rama); nibhR^itavat= silently.
Smeared with blood on having killed Ravana and thereby accomplishing its mission, that arrow re-entered its own quiver (of Rama) silently.
tasya hastaddhatasyaashu kaarmukaM cha sasaayakam |
vipapaata saha praaNairbhrushyamaanasya jiivitaat || 6-108-21
21. tasya hatasya hastaat= from the hands of the slain Ravana; jiivitaat bhrashyamaanasya= who was being separated from his life; nipapaata= fell; aashu= quickly kaarmukam= his bow; sasaayakam= with its arrow; praaNaiH saha= along with his life.
From the hands of the slain Ravana, who was being separated from his life, fell his bow with its arrows (fitted to it), at the same time coinciding indeed with his life-breath.
gataasurbhiimavegastu nairR^itendro mahaadyutiH |
papaata syandanaadbhuumau vR^itro vajrahato yathaa || 6-108-22
22. naiR^tendraH= that king of demons; bhiimavegaH= who was endowed with terrific swiftness; mahaadyntiH= and invested with great splendour; gataasuH= having lost his life; papaata= fell down; bhuumau= on the ground; syandanaat= from his chariot; vR^itraH yathaa= as Vritra the demon; (fell); vajrahataH= when struck with a thunderbolt.
Having lost his life, that king of demons for his part, who was endowed with terrible swiftness and invested with great splendour, fell down from the chariot to the ground , like Vritra the demon when the latter was struck down by the thunderbolt.
taM dR^iShTvaa patitaM bhuumau hatasheShaa nishaacharaaH |
hatanaathaa bhayatrastaaH sarvataH saMpradudruvuH || 6-108-23
23. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; tam= that Ravana; patitam= fallen down; bhuumau= on the earth; hatasheShaaH= the surviving; nishaacharaaH= demons; hatanaathaaH= whose king had been killed; bhayatrastaaH= were panic-stricken; sampradudruvuH= ran away; sarvataH= to all sides.
Seeing Ravana fallen down on earth, the surviving demons whose king had been killed, were panic stricken and ran away to all sides.
sarvatashchaabhipetustaan vaanaraa drumayodhinaH |
dashagriivavadhaM dR^iShTvaa vaanaraa jitakaashinaH || 6-108-24
24. vaanaraaH= the monkeys; drumayodhinaH= who fought with trees; abhipetuH= fell upon; taan= them; sarvataH= from all sides; dR^iShTvaa= seeing; dashagriva vadham= Ravana's killing; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; jitakaashinaH= assumed a triumphant appearance.
The monkeys, who fought with trees, fell upon the demons from all sides. Seeing the killing of Rvana, the monkeys assumed a triumphant appearance.
atditaa vaanarairbhraShTaa laN^kaamabhyapatan bhayaat |
hataashrayatvaatkaruNairbaaShpaprasravaNairmukhaiH || 6-108-25
25. arditaaH= (Those demons) tormented; vaanaraiH= by the monkeys; bhraShTaaH= who had fled away; hataashrayatvaat= the one on whom they depended, having been killed; mukhaiH= with their faces; karunaiH= looking miserable; baaShpa sravaNaiH= with tears flowing down; abhyapatan= ran away; bhayaat= with fear.
Tormented by the monkeys, the demons rushed back with panic towards Lanka, with faces looking miserable and tears flowing down, their supporter having been killed.
tato vineduH saMhR^iShTaa vaanaraa jitakaashinaH |
vadanto raaghavajayaM raavaNasya cha tadvadham || 6-108-26
26. tataH= thereupon; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; jitakaashinaH= behaving like conquerors; samhR^ishTaaH= were quite rejoiced; vineduH= and roared shouts of joy; vadantaH= proclaiming; raaghavajayam= Rama's victory; tadvadham cha raavaNasya= and that killing of Ravana.
Roaring shouts of joy, quite rejoiced as they were, and proclaiming Rama's victory and the killing of Ravana in his hands, the monkeys behaved like conquerors.
athaantarikShe vyanadatsaumystridashadundubhiH |
divyagandhavahastatra maarutaH susukho vavau || 6-108-27
27. atha= then; saumyaH= the cheerful; tridasha dundibhiH= kettle-from of the gods; vyanadat= reverberated antarikShe= in the sky; susukhaH maarutaH= very pleasant wind; vavau= blew; tatra= there; divyagandhavahaH= carrying divine adour.
Then the cheerful kettle-drum of the gods reverberated in the sky. Very pleasant winds, carrying divine odour, blew there.
nipapaataantarikShaachcha puSpavR^iShTistadaa bhuvi |
kirantii raghavarathaM duravaapaa manoharaa || 6-108-28
28. kirantii= pouring over; raaghavaratham= the chariot of Rama; manoharaa= quite faseinating; puShpavR^iShTiH= shower of flowers; duravaapaa= which was difficult to be accomplished; nipapaata= fell; antarikSjaat= from the heavens; bhuvi= to the earth; tadaa= on that occasion.
Pouring over the chariot of Rama quite fascinating shower of flowers, which was difficult to be accomplished (elsewhere), fell from the heavens to the earth on that occasion.
raaghavastavasaMyuktaa gagane cha vishushruve |
saadhu saadhviti vaagagyraa devataanaaM mahaatmanaam || 6-108-29
29. agraH= excellent; vaak= pronouncements; mahaatmaanaam devataanaam= of the great-souled gods; saadhu saadhu iti= saying "well done! Bravo!"; raaghava stavasamyuktaa= combined with a panegyric in praise of Rama; vishruve= was distinctly heard; gagane= in the sky.
Excellent pronouncements of the great-souled gods saying "well done! Bravo!", combined with a panegyric in praise of Rama, was distinctly heard in the sky.
aavivesha mahaan harSho devaanaaM chaaraNaiH saha |
raavane nihate raudre sarvalokabhayaMkare || 6-108-30
30. raavane= (When) Ravana; raudre= the cruel demon; sarvaloka bhayakare= the terror of all the world; nihate= was killed; mahaan= a great; harShaH= rejoice; aavivesha= took possession of; devaanaan= gods; chaaraNaiH= and charanas the celestial bards.
When Ravana, the cruel demon and the terror of all the worlds, was killed, a great rejoice filled the hearts of gods and charanas the celestial bards.
tataH sakaamaM sugriivamaN^gadaM cha vibhiiShaNam |
chakaara raaghavaH priito hatvaa raakShasapuMgavam || 6-108-31
31. priitaH= having been pleased; hatvaa= with the killing; raakShasa pungavam= Ravana; raaghavaH= Rama; tataH= then; chakaara sakaamam= fulfilled the desire; sugriivam= of Sugreeva; aN^gadam= Angada; vibhiiShaNam cha= and Vibhishana.
Having been pleased with the killing of Ravana, Rama then fulfilled the desire of Sugreeva, Angada and Vibhishana.
tataH prajagmuH prashamaM marudgaNaa |
dishaH prasedurvimalaM nabho.abhavat |
mahii chakampe na cha maaruto vavau |
sthiraprabhashchaapyabhavaddivaakaraH || 6-108-32
32. tataH= then; marudgaNaaH= troops of celestials; prajagmuH= got; prashamam= mental peace; dishaH= all the quarters; praseduH= were brightened up; aakaasham= and the sky; abhavat= became; vimalam= clear; mahii= the earth; na chakame= did not tremble; maarutaH= the wind; vavau= blew; divaakaraH chapi= the sun too; abhavat= shed; sthiraprabhaH= a steady light.
Then, troops of celestials got their mental peace. All the quarters were brightened up and the sky became clear. The earth did not tremble. The wind blew gently. The sun too shed a steady light.
tatastu sugriivavibhiiShaNaaN^gadaaH |
suhR^idvishiShTaaH sahalakShmaNaastadaa |
sametya hR^iShTaa vijayena raaghavaM |
raNe.abhiraamaM vidhinaabhyapuujayan || 6-108-33
33. hR^iShTaaH= rejoiced; vijayena= with the victory; raNe= in battle; sugriiva vibhiiShaNaangadaaH= Sugreeva, Vibhishana and Angada; saha lakShmaNaaH= together with Lakshmana; suhR^idvishiShTaaH= along with their friends; tataH= thereupon; sametya= approaching; raamam= Rama; abhiraamam= who looked charming; tadaa= then; abhyapuujayan= paid their respects; vidhinaa= with due ceremony.
Rejoiced with the victory in battle, Sugreeva, Vibhishana and Angada together with Lakshmana along with their friends paid their respects with due ceremony to Rama, who looked charming.
sa tu nihararipuh sthirapratijJNaH |
svajanabalaabhivR^ito raNe raraaja |
raghukulanR^ipanandano mahujaa |
stridashagaNairabhisaMvR^ito yathendraH || 6-108-34
34. saH= that Rama; raghukulanR^ipanandanaH= the delight of Dasaratha; (for his part) nihataripuH= who had just killed his enemy; sthirapratijJNaH= ad thus, who was steadfast in his vows. mahaatejaaH= and who was endowed with a great splendour; raNe svajana baalaabhivR^itaH= who stood surrounded on the battle-field by his own people and the army; raraaja= shone; mahendraH iva= like Indra the lord of celestials.
That Rama, the delight of Dasaratha, for his part, who had just killed his enemy and thus who was steadfast in his vows and who was endowed with a great splendour, who stood surrounded on the battle-field by his own people and the army shone like Indra the lord of celestials.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe aShTottarasharatamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 108th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© June 2009, K. M. K. Murthy