Aranya Kanda · Sarga 25 of 76 · 47 verses
The Battle Begins
Reaching the hermitage with his vanguard, Khara sees Rama, angry, slayer of enemies, his bow held firm. Seeing him, Khara raises his strung bow with its harsh twang and tells his charioteer to drive at Rama. At Khara’s command the charioteer drives the horses to where mighty-armed Rama stands alone, shaking his bow. Seeing him rush out, his night-ranging ministers surround him, roaring. Khara in his chariot among the yatudhanas looks like Mars risen among the stars. Then, striking Rama of matchless might with a thousand arrows, Khara roars a great roar in battle. All the night-rangers, angry, rain many kinds of weapons on invincible Rama of the terrible bow: hammers, iron spears, darts, swords and axes. Like clouds, huge and mighty, they rush at Kakutstha on chariots, horses and elephants like mountain peaks, wanting to kill him, and pour showers of arrows on him, like great clouds raining on the king of mountains. Surrounded by all those cruel-looking rakshasas, Rama is like Mahadeva surrounded by his hosts on the holy days. Raghava receives the weapons the yatudhanas release with his arrows, as the ocean receives the floods of rivers. Pierced in his limbs by those terrible weapons, he is not shaken, like a great mountain struck by many blazing thunderbolts. Wounded, smeared with blood all over, Raghava looks like the sun covered with twilight clouds. Gods, gandharvas, siddhas and supreme seers despair, seeing one man surrounded by many thousands.
Then Rama, very angry, his bow drawn into a circle, releases sharp arrows by hundreds and thousands, hard to stop, hard to bear, like the noose of Time in battle; he lets fly with ease heron-feathered arrows adorned with gold. Loosed so easily into the enemy army, those arrows take the rakshasas’ lives like nooses made by Time; piercing the rakshasas’ bodies and drenched in blood, they shine in the sky with the splendour of blazing fire. Countless, very fierce arrows fly from the circle of Rama’s bow, taking the lives of the rakshasas. With them Rama cuts bows, banner-tops, shields and armour, arms with hands and ornaments, and thighs like elephants’ trunks, by hundreds and thousands in battle. Rama’s arrows, released from the string, cut and pierce horses in golden armour yoked to chariots with their charioteers, elephants with their riders, and horsemen with their horses; killing the foot soldiers, he sends them to Yama’s abode. Cut by nalika and naracha arrows with sharp points and barbs, the night-rangers raise terrible cries of pain. Struck by arrows of many kinds that split the vital parts, that army finds no ease from Rama, like a dry forest from fire. Some brave night-rangers of terrible strength, in great anger, hurl darts, spears and axes at Rama; the mighty one parries their weapons with arrows, takes their lives in battle and cuts their necks. Their heads cut off, their shields and bows cut, they fall to the earth like trees thrown down by the wind of Garuda’s wings. Those night-rangers who survive, despairing and wounded by arrows, run to Khara for refuge. Dushana takes his bow, rallies them all and, very angry, rushes at the angry Rama like angry Death. Turning back, fearless with Dushana’s support, all of them rush at Rama again, armed with sala and palmyra trees and rocks, with spears and hammers and nooses, mighty, raining arrows and weapons in battle, showers of trees and stones. The battle between Rama and those rakshasas becomes wonderful, tumultuous, hair-raising, very terrible. Angry on every side, they press Raghava again. Seeing all the directions and intermediate directions covered by rakshasas coming from everywhere, covered with showers of arrows, the mighty one gives a terrible shout and fits to his bow the supremely radiant Gandharva weapon against the rakshasas. Thousands of arrows fly from the circle of his bow; all ten directions are filled with arrows coming together. The rakshasas, wounded by arrows, do not see him take the terrible arrows, nor release the best of arrows; they see him only drawing the bow. The darkness of arrows covers the sky and the sun; Rama stands as if hurling those arrows. With those falling at once, those killed at once and those fallen at once, the earth is strewn with them. Killed, fallen, wasted, cut, pierced, torn apart: thousands of rakshasas are seen here and there. With heads in turbans, arms with armlets, cut thighs and arms, ornaments of many kinds, horses, the best of elephants, many broken chariots, yak-tail fans, umbrellas and banners of many kinds, spears and axes cut by Rama’s arrows, swords broken in pieces, scattered darts and hatchets, crushed rocks and many bright arrows, the battlefield becomes terrible. Seeing them killed, all the rakshasas, deeply distressed, cannot move against Rama, conqueror of enemy cities.
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अवष्टब्धधनुं रामं क्रुद्धं तं रिपुघातिनम् । ददर्शाश्रममागम्य खरः सह पुरःसरैः ॥ १ ॥
Coming to the hermitage, Khara with his vanguard saw Rama, angry, slayer of enemies, his bow held firm.
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The Battle Begins 1 min read.
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तं दृष्ट्वा सगुणं चापमुद्यम्य खरनिःस्वनम् । रामस्याभिमुखं सूतं चोद्यतामित्यचोदयत् ॥ २ ॥
Seeing him, raising his strung bow with its harsh twang, he urged the charioteer: “Drive to face Rama.”
स खरस्याज्ञया सूतस्तुरगान् समचोदयत् । यत्र रामो महाबाहुरेको धुन्वन् धनुः स्थितः ॥ ३ ॥
At Khara’s command the charioteer drove the horses to where mighty-armed Rama stood alone, shaking his bow.
तं तु निष्पतितं दृष्ट्वा सर्वतो रजनीचराः । मुञ्चमाना महानादं सचिवाः पर्यवारयन् ॥ ४ ॥
Seeing him rush out, the night-ranging ministers surrounded him on every side, letting out a great roar.
स तेषां यातुधानानां मध्ये रथगतः खरः । बभूव मध्ये ताराणां लोहिताङ्ग इवोदितः ॥ ५ ॥
That Khara, standing in his chariot in the midst of those yatudhanas, was like Mars risen in the midst of the stars.
ततः शरसहस्रेण राममप्रतिमौजसम् । अर्दयित्वा महानादं ननाद समरे खरः ॥ ६ ॥
Then, having struck Rama of matchless might with a thousand arrows, Khara roared a great roar in battle.
ततस्तं भीमधन्वानं क्रुद्धाः सर्वे निशाचराः । रामं नानाविधैः शस्त्रैरभ्यवर्षन्त दुर्जयम् ॥ ७ ॥
Then all the night-rangers, angry, rained weapons of many kinds on that Rama of the terrible bow, hard to conquer.
मुद्गरैरायसैः शूलैः प्रासैः खड्गैः परश्वधैः । राक्षसाः समरे शूरं निजघ्नू रोषतत्पराः ॥ ८ ॥
With hammers, iron spears, darts, swords and axes, the rakshasas, intent on rage, struck at the hero in battle.
ते बलाहकसंकाशा महाकाया महाबलाः । अभ्यधावन्त काकुत्स्थं रथैर्वाजिभिरेव च ॥ ९ ॥
Like clouds, huge-bodied, very mighty, they rushed at Kakutstha with chariots and horses,
गजैः पर्वतकूटाभै रामं युद्धे जिघांसवः । ते रामे शरवर्षाणि व्यसृजन् रक्षसां गणाः ॥ १० ॥
and with elephants like mountain peaks, wishing to kill Rama in battle. Those hosts of rakshasas released showers of arrows at Rama,
शैलेन्द्रमिव धाराभिर्वर्षमाणा महाघनाः । सर्वैः परिवृतो रामो राक्षसैः क्रूरदर्शनैः ॥ ११ ॥
like great clouds raining torrents on the king of mountains. Surrounded by all those rakshasas of cruel appearance, Rama
तिथिष्विव महादेवो वृतः पारिषदां गणैः । तानि मुक्तानि शस्त्राणि यातुधानैः स राघवः ॥ १२ ॥
was like Mahadeva on the holy days, surrounded by hosts of his attendants. Those weapons released by the yatudhanas Raghava
प्रतिजग्राह विशिखैर्नद्योघानिव सागरः । स तैः प्रहरणैर्घोरैर्भिन्नगात्रो न विव्यथे ॥ १३ ॥
received with his arrows, as the ocean receives the floods of rivers. His limbs pierced by those terrible weapons, he was not shaken,
रामः प्रदीप्तैर्बहुभिर्वज्रैरिव महाचलः । स विद्धः क्षतजादिग्धः सर्वगात्रेषु राघवः ॥ १४ ॥
Rama, like a great mountain struck by many blazing thunderbolts. Pierced, smeared with blood in all his limbs, Raghava,
बभूव रामः संध्याभ्रैर्दिवाकर इवावृतः । विषेदुर्देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः ॥ १५ ॥
Rama, was like the sun covered by twilight clouds. Gods and gandharvas, siddhas and supreme seers despaired,
एकं सहस्रैर्बहुभिस्तदा दृष्ट्वा समावृतम् । ततो रामस्तु संक्रुद्धो मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः ॥ १६ ॥
seeing one man then surrounded by many thousands. Then Rama, very angry, his bow made into a circle,
ससर्ज निशितान् बाणान् शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । दुरावारान् दुर्विषहान् कालपाशोपमान् रणे ॥ १७ ॥
released sharp arrows by hundreds and then by thousands, hard to stop, hard to bear, like the noose of Time in battle.
मुमोच लीलया कङ्कपत्रान् काञ्चनभूषणान् । ते शराः शत्रुसैन्येषु मुक्ता रामेण लीलया ॥ १८ ॥
With ease he released heron-feathered arrows adorned with gold. Those arrows released by Rama with ease into the enemy armies
आददू रक्षसां प्राणान् पाशाः कालकृता इव । भित्त्वा राक्षसदेहांस्तांस्ते शरा रुधिराप्लुताः ॥ १९ ॥
took the lives of the rakshasas, like nooses made by Time. Piercing the bodies of those rakshasas, those arrows, drenched in blood,
अन्तरिक्षगता रेजुर्दीप्ताग्निसमतेजसः । असंख्येयास्तु रामस्य सायकाश्चापमण्डलात् ॥ २० ॥
shone, gone into the sky, with splendour like blazing fire. Countless arrows from the circle of Rama’s bow
विनिष्पेतुरतीवोग्रा रक्षःप्राणापहारिणः । तैर्धनूंषि ध्वजाग्राणि चर्माणि कवचानि च ॥ २१ ॥
flew out, very fierce, taking away the lives of the rakshasas. With them, bows, banner-tops, shields and armour,
बाहून् सहस्ताभरणानूरून् करिकरोपमान् । चिच्छेद रामः समरे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥ २२ ॥
arms with hands and ornaments, thighs like elephants’ trunks, Rama cut in battle by hundreds and thousands.
हयान् काञ्चनसंनाहान् रथयुक्तान् ससारथीन् । गजांश्च सगजारोहान् सहयान् सादिनस्तदा ॥ २३ ॥
चिच्छिदुर्बिभिदुश्चैव रामबाणा गुणच्युताः । पदातीन् समरे हत्वा ह्यनयद् यमसादनम् ॥ २४ ॥
Horses in golden armour yoked to chariots with their charioteers, elephants with elephant-riders, and horsemen with their horses, Rama’s arrows, released from the bowstring, then cut and pierced; having killed the foot soldiers in battle, he led them to Yama’s abode.
ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च विकर्णिभिः । भीममार्तस्वरं चक्रुश्छिद्यमाना निशाचराः ॥ २५ ॥
Then, cut by nalikas and narachas with sharp points and barbs, the night-rangers made a terrible cry of distress.
तत्सैन्यं विविधैर्बाणैरर्दितं मर्मभेदिभिः । न रामेण सुखं लेभे शुष्कं वनमिवाग्निना ॥ २६ ॥
That army, tormented by arrows of many kinds that split the vital parts, found no ease from Rama, like a dry forest from fire.
केचिद् भीमबलाः शूराः प्रासान् शूलान् परश्वधान् । चिक्षिपुः परमक्रुद्धा रामाय रजनीचराः ॥ २७ ॥
Some night-rangers, brave, of terrible strength, in supreme anger, hurled darts, spears and axes at Rama.
तेषां बाणैर्महाबाहुः शस्त्राण्यावार्य वीर्यवान् । जहार समरे प्राणांश्चिच्छेद च शिरोधरान् ॥ २८ ॥
Warding off their weapons with arrows, the mighty-armed, mighty one took their lives in battle and cut their necks.
ते छिन्नशिरसः पेतुश्छिन्नचर्मशरासनाः । सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्ता जगत्यां पादपा यथा ॥ २९ ॥
With heads cut off, shields and bows cut, they fell to the earth like trees thrown down by the wind of Suparna.
अवशिष्टाश्च ये तत्र विषण्णास्ते निशाचराः । खरमेवाभ्यधावन्त शरणार्थं शराहताः ॥ ३० ॥
And those night-rangers who were left there, despairing, wounded by arrows, ran to Khara himself for refuge.
तान् सर्वान् धनुरादाय समाश्वास्य च दूषणः । अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धः क्रुद्धं क्रुद्ध इवान्तकः ॥ ३१ ॥
Taking his bow and rallying them all, Dushana rushed, very angry, at the angry one, like angry Death.
निवृत्तास्तु पुनः सर्वे दूषणाश्रयनिर्भयाः । राममेवाभ्यधावन्त सालतालशिलायुधाः ॥ ३२ ॥
Turning back again, all of them, fearless with Dushana’s support, rushed at Rama himself, armed with sala trees, palmyras and rocks,
शूलमुद्गरहस्ताश्च पाशहस्ता महाबलाः । सृजन्तः शरवर्षाणि शस्त्रवर्षाणि संयुगे ॥ ३३ ॥
with spears and hammers in hand, nooses in hand, very mighty, releasing showers of arrows and showers of weapons in battle,
द्रुमवर्षाणि मुञ्चन्तः शिलावर्षाणि राक्षसाः । तद् बभूवाद्भुतं युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम् ॥ ३४ ॥
the rakshasas releasing showers of trees and showers of rocks. That battle became wonderful, tumultuous, hair-raising,
रामस्यास्य महाघोरं पुनस्तेषां च रक्षसाम् । ते समन्तादभिक्रुद्धा राघवं पुनरार्दयन् ॥ ३५ ॥
very terrible, between this Rama and those rakshasas again. Angry on every side, they pressed Raghava again.
ततः सर्वा दिशो दृष्ट्वा प्रदिशश्च समावृताः । राक्षसैः सर्वतः प्राप्तैः शरवर्षाभिरावृतः ॥ ३६ ॥
Then, seeing all the directions and intermediate directions covered by rakshasas arriving from everywhere, covered with showers of arrows,
स कृत्वा भैरवं नादमस्त्रं परमभास्वरम् । समयोजयद् गान्धर्वं राक्षसेषु महाबलः ॥ ३७ ॥
he, making a terrible roar, fitted the supremely radiant Gandharva weapon against the rakshasas, the very mighty one.
ततः शरसहस्राणि निर्ययुश्चापमण्डलात् । सर्वा दश दिशो बाणैरापूर्यन्त समागतैः ॥ ३८ ॥
Then thousands of arrows came out of the circle of the bow; all ten directions were filled with the arrows coming together.
नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं शरोत्तमान् । विकर्षमाणं पश्यन्ति राक्षसास्ते शरार्दिताः ॥ ३९ ॥
The rakshasas, wounded by arrows, did not see him taking the terrible arrows, nor releasing the best of arrows; they saw him only drawing.
शरान्धकारमाकाशमावृणोत् सदिवाकरम् । बभूवावस्थितो रामः प्रक्षिपन्निव तान् शरान् ॥ ४० ॥
The darkness of arrows covered the sky with the sun; Rama stood as if hurling those arrows.
युगपत्पतमानैश्च युगपच्च हतैर्भृशम् । युगपत्पतितैश्चैव विकीर्णा वसुधाभवत् ॥ ४१ ॥
With those falling at once, and those killed at once in great numbers, and those fallen at once, the earth became strewn.
निहताः पतिताः क्षीणाश्छिन्ना भिन्ना विदारिताः । तत्र तत्र स्म दृश्यन्ते राक्षसास्ते सहस्रशः ॥ ४२ ॥
Killed, fallen, wasted, cut, pierced, torn apart: those rakshasas were seen there by thousands, here and there.
सोष्णीषैरुत्तमाङ्गैश्च साङ्गदैर्बाहुभिस्तथा । ऊरुभिर्बाहुभिश्छिन्नैर्नानारूपैर्विभूषणैः ॥ ४३ ॥
हयैश्च द्विपमुख्यैश्च रथैर्भिन्नैरनेकशः । चामरव्यजनैश्छत्रैर्ध्वजैर्नानाविधैरपि ॥ ४४ ॥
रामेण बाणाभिहतैर्विच्छिन्नैः शूलपट्टिशैः । खड्गैः खण्डीकृतैः प्रासैर्विकीर्णैश्च परश्वधैः ॥ ४५ ॥
चूर्णिताभिः शिलाभिश्च शरैश्चित्रैरनेकशः । विच्छिन्नैः समरे भूमिर्विस्तीर्णाभूद् भयंकरा ॥ ४६ ॥
With heads in turbans and arms with armlets, with cut thighs and arms, with ornaments of many forms, with horses and the chief elephants and many broken chariots, with yak-tail fans, umbrellas and banners of many kinds, with spears and axes cut, struck by Rama’s arrows, with swords broken in pieces and darts scattered and hatchets, with crushed rocks and many bright arrows, cut apart in battle, the ground was spread out, terrible.
तान् दृष्ट्वा निहतान् सर्वे राक्षसाः परमातुराः । न तत्र चलितुं शक्ता रामं परपुरंजयम् ॥ ४७ ॥
Seeing them killed, all the rakshasas, deeply distressed, could not move there against Rama, conqueror of enemy cities.