Aranya Kanda · Sarga 64 of 76 · 77 verses
The Deer Point South; Rama’s Fury
Wretched, Rama says in a wretched voice: “Go quickly to the river Godavari, Lakshmana, and find out whether Sita has gone to the Godavari to bring lotuses.” Lakshmana, swift in stride, goes to the lovely Godavari, searches its fords and says to Rama: “I do not see her at the fords; she does not hear me when I call. Where has Vaidehi, remover of our hardships, gone? I do not know where the slender-waisted one is, Rama.” Hearing Lakshmana, Rama, wretched and bewildered, goes himself to the river Godavari and asks, “Where is Sita?” The beings do not tell Rama that she was carried off by the king of the rakshasas, who deserves death; nor does the river Godavari. Urged by the beings, “Tell him of his beloved,” the river, though asked by grieving Rama, does not tell of Sita; remembering Ravana’s form and the deeds of that wicked one, the river does not tell of Vaidehi out of fear. Made hopeless of seeing Sita by the river, Rama, wasted by not seeing her, says to Saumitri: “This Godavari says nothing, gentle one. What shall I say, Lakshmana, when I meet Janaka, and Vaidehi’s mother, without her, an unwelcome thing? She who took away all my grief when I was without a kingdom, living on forest food: where has Vaidehi gone? Without my kin, not seeing Vaidehi, I think my nights will be long and wakeful. I will go along the Mandakini, Janasthana and this Prasravana mountain, all of them, if only Sita may be found. These great deer keep looking at me, hero; I see from their gestures that they want to tell me something.” Seeing them, Raghava, tiger among men, asks, looking, in a voice choked with tears, “Where is Sita?” At once the deer rise up, all facing south, pointing to the sky, the direction in which Maithili was carried; going that way, they look back at the king, looking at the path and the ground, and go on crying again. Lakshmana notices them and understands the whole meaning of their gestures. Wise Lakshmana says to his elder brother, like one in pain: “When you asked, ‘Where is Sita?’, these deer rose at once and point to the ground and the southern direction. Let us go this way, lord, toward the south-west, in case some trace of her, or the noble one herself, can be seen.” “Very well,” says Kakutstha, and sets out southward, followed by Lakshmana, looking at the ground.
As the two brothers talk, they see on the ground a path of fallen flowers. Seeing the rain of flowers fallen on the ground, heroic Rama, grieving, says to grieving Lakshmana: “I recognise these flowers here, Lakshmana; I gave them to Vaidehi in the forest, and she wore them. I think the sun, the wind and the glorious earth are guarding the flowers, doing what is dear to me.” Having said this to Lakshmana, righteous, mighty-armed Rama says to the mountain full of springs: “Lord of mountains, have you seen her, lovely in every limb, my lovely one, separated from me in a lovely part of the forest?” Angry, he speaks to the mountain like a lion to a small deer: “Show me golden Sita, with her golden limbs, mountain, before I destroy all your peaks.” Spoken to so, the mountain seems to show Sita but does not show her to Raghava. Then Rama, son of Dasharatha, says to the mountain: “You will be burned to ash by the fire of my arrows, unfit to be visited anywhere, without grass, trees or shoots. And I will dry up this river today, Lakshmana, if it does not tell me of moon-faced Sita.” Enraged so, as if to burn with his eye, Rama sees on the ground the great footprint of a rakshasa, and the footprints of Vaidehi, frightened, longing for Rama, running here and there, followed by the rakshasa. Seeing the movements of Sita and the rakshasa, the broken bow and quivers and the chariot scattered in many pieces, his heart in turmoil, Rama says to his dear brother: “See, Lakshmana, the gold drops from Vaidehi’s ornaments scattered, and garlands of many kinds, Saumitri. See the ground covered everywhere with bright drops of blood like drops of molten gold. I think, Lakshmana, Vaidehi has been split apart, divided or eaten by rakshasas who take any form. Two rakshasas quarrelling over Sita fought a terrible battle here, Saumitri. Whose is this great bow, lovely, adorned with pearls and gems, fallen broken on the ground, gentle one? Is it the rakshasas’, child, or the gods’? Whose is this golden armour, bright as the young sun, studded with beryl beads, broken and fallen on the ground? Whose is this umbrella with a hundred ribs, adorned with divine garlands, its staff broken, thrown down on the ground, gentle one? Whose are these donkeys with golden breastplates and goblin faces, terrible, huge, killed in battle? Whose is this war chariot, bright as a blazing fire, with its battle-banner, thrown down and broken? Whose are these terrible arrows, as long as a chariot axle, adorned with gold, struck down and scattered? See, Lakshmana, the two quivers full of arrows, destroyed. Whose charioteer is this, killed, whip and reins in hand? This is clearly the track of a man, of some rakshasa. See my enmity, a hundredfold, life-ending, with those terrible-hearted rakshasas who take any form, gentle one. Vaidehi has been carried off, or is dead, or the devoted one has been eaten. Dharma does not protect Sita, carried off in the great forest. When Vaidehi has been eaten or carried off, Lakshmana, who in the world, among the lords, can do what is dear to me, gentle one? Out of ignorance, all beings would despise even a maker of worlds, a hero who knows compassion, Lakshmana. Surely the lords of the gods think me weak, gentle, devoted to the good of the world, self-controlled, compassionate. See, Lakshmana: having come to me, virtue has become a fault. Today, for the destruction of all beings and of the rakshasas, as the great sun rises having withdrawn the moonlight, my splendour will shine, having withdrawn all my virtues. Neither yakshas nor gandharvas, nor pishachas nor rakshasas, nor kinnaras nor men will find happiness, Lakshmana. See the sky filled with my weapons and arrows, Lakshmana; I will make it impassable today for those who move in the three worlds: the planets stopped, the moon covered, fire and wind destroyed, the sun’s light veiled, mountain peaks crushed, lakes drying up, trees, creepers and bushes destroyed, the ocean destroyed. I will join the three worlds with the work of Time. If the lords do not give me back Sita safe, Saumitri, they will see my valour this very moment. No beings will be able to fly up into the sky, Lakshmana. See the world today crushed by nets of arrows released continuously from my bowstring, its beasts and birds destroyed and bewildered, confused and without bounds. With arrows drawn to my ear, hard for the world of the living to ward off, I will make the world empty of pishachas and rakshasas for Maithili’s sake. The gods will see today the strength of my arrows, released in anger and going far. Neither gods, nor daityas, nor pishachas, nor rakshasas will exist when the three worlds have been destroyed by my anger. The worlds of the gods, danavas, yakshas and rakshasas will fall in many pieces, shattered by floods of arrows. I will make these worlds without bounds today with my arrows. If the lords do not give back my beloved, carried off or dead, if they do not give back Vaidehi as she was, I will destroy the whole world, the three worlds with all that moves and does not move; until I see her, I will burn it with arrows.” Having said this, his eyes red with anger, his lips quivering, he ties on his bark and deerskin and binds up his matted hair. The body of that angry, wise Rama, in that state, shines like that of Rudra when he killed Tripura long ago. Taking the bow from Lakshmana and squeezing it, glorious Rama, conqueror of enemy cities, takes a blazing arrow, terrible as a venomous snake, fits it to the bow, and, angry as the fire at the end of an age, says: “As old age, as death, as Time, as fate are never resisted among beings, Lakshmana, so I, filled with anger, cannot be held back, without doubt. If they do not show me today Maithili, Sita, with her lovely teeth, blameless, as she was before, I will overturn the world with its gods, gandharvas, men, serpents and mountains.”
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स दीनो दीनया वाचा लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । शीघ्रं लक्ष्मण जानीहि गत्वा गोदावरीं नदीम् ॥ १ ॥
He, wretched, said in a wretched voice to Lakshmana: “Go quickly, Lakshmana, to the river Godavari and find out:
Commentary on the whole sarga
The Deer Point South; Rama’s Fury 1 min read.
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अपि गोदावरीं सीता पद्मान्यानयितुं गता । एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः पुनरेव हि ॥ २ ॥
“Has Sita gone to the Godavari to bring lotuses?” Spoken to so by Rama, Lakshmana again
नदीं गोदावरीं रम्यां जगाम लघुविक्रमः । तां लक्ष्मणस्तीर्थवतीं विचित्वा राममब्रवीत् ॥ ३ ॥
went to the lovely river Godavari, swift in stride. Having searched it with its fords, Lakshmana said to Rama:
नैनां पश्यामि तीर्थेषु क्रोशतो न शृणोति मे । कं नु सा देशमापन्ना वैदेही क्लेशनाशिनी ॥ ४ ॥
“I do not see her at the fords; she does not hear me calling. To what place has Vaidehi gone, remover of hardship?
नहि तं वेद्मि वै राम यत्र सा तनुमध्यमा । लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दीनः संतापमोहितः ॥ ५ ॥
“I do not know, Rama, where that slender-waisted one is.” Hearing Lakshmana’s words, wretched, bewildered by anguish,
रामः समभिचक्राम स्वयं गोदावरीं नदीम् । स तामुपस्थितो रामः क्व सीतेत्येवमब्रवीत् ॥ ६ ॥
Rama went himself to the river Godavari. Having come to it, Rama said, “Where is Sita?”
भूतानि राक्षसेन्द्रेण वधार्हेण हृतामपि । न तां शशंसू रामाय तथा गोदावरी नदी ॥ ७ ॥
The beings did not tell Rama that she had been carried off by the king of the rakshasas, who deserves death; nor did the river Godavari.
ततः प्रचोदिता भूतैः शंस चास्मै प्रियामिति । न च सा ह्यवदत् सीतां पृष्टा रामेण शोचता ॥ ८ ॥
Then, urged by the beings, “Tell him of his beloved,” yet she did not tell of Sita when asked by grieving Rama.
रावणस्य च तद्रूपं कर्मापि च दुरात्मनः । ध्यात्वा भयात् तु वैदेहीं सा नदी न शशंस ह ॥ ९ ॥
And thinking of Ravana’s form and the deeds of that wicked one, out of fear the river did not tell of Vaidehi.
निराशस्तु तया नद्या सीताया दर्शने कृतः । उवाच रामः सौमित्रिं सीतादर्शनकर्शितः ॥ १० ॥
Made hopeless of seeing Sita by that river, Rama, wasted by not seeing Sita, said to Saumitri:
एषा गोदावरी सौम्य किंचिन्न प्रतिभाषते । किं नु लक्ष्मण वक्ष्यामि समेत्य जनकं वचः ॥ ११ ॥
“This Godavari, gentle one, answers nothing. What words shall I say, Lakshmana, on meeting Janaka,
मातरं चैव वैदेह्या विना तामहमप्रियम् । या मे राज्यविहीनस्य वने वन्येन जीवतः ॥ १२ ॥
“and Vaidehi’s mother, without her, an unwelcome thing? She who, when I was without a kingdom, living in the forest on forest food,
सर्वं व्यपानयच्छोकं वैदेही क्व नु सा गता । ज्ञातिवर्गविहीनस्य वैदेहीमप्यपश्यतः ॥ १३ ॥
“took away all my grief: where has Vaidehi gone? Bereft of my kin, not seeing Vaidehi either,
मन्ये दीर्घा भविष्यन्ति रात्रयो मम जाग्रतः । मन्दाकिनीं जनस्थानमिमं प्रस्रवणं गिरिम् ॥ १४ ॥
“I think my nights will be long as I lie awake. The Mandakini, Janasthana, this mountain Prasravana:
सर्वाण्यनुचरिष्यामि यदि सीता हि लभ्यते । एते महामृगा वीर मामीक्षन्ते पुनः पुनः ॥ १५ ॥
“I will go over all of them, if only Sita may be found. These great deer, hero, look at me again and again,
वक्तुकामा इह हि मे इङ्गितान्युपलक्षये । तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा नरव्याघ्रो राघवः प्रत्युवाच ह ॥ १६ ॥
“for they wish to speak to me here; I notice their gestures.” Seeing them, Raghava, tiger among men, replied,
क्व सीतेति निरीक्षन् वै बाष्पसंरुद्धया गिरा । एवमुक्ता नरेन्द्रेण ते मृगाः सहसोत्थिताः ॥ १७ ॥
looking, in a voice choked with tears: “Where is Sita?” Spoken to so by the lord of men, those deer rose up at once,
दक्षिणाभिमुखाः सर्वे दर्शयन्तो नभःस्थलम् । मैथिली ह्रियमाणा सा दिशं यामभ्यपद्यत ॥ १८ ॥
all facing south, pointing to the sky, to the direction which Maithili had reached as she was carried off.
तेन मार्गेण गच्छन्तो निरीक्षन्ते नराधिपम् । येन मार्गं च भूमिं च निरीक्षन्ते स्म ते मृगाः ॥ १९ ॥
Going by that way, they look at the lord of men; by which way the deer look at the path and the ground,
पुनर्नदन्तो गच्छन्ति लक्ष्मणेनोपलक्षिताः । तेषां वचनसर्वस्वं लक्षयामास चेङ्गितम् ॥ २० ॥
they go again, crying, observed by Lakshmana. And he noticed the whole meaning of their gestures, their speech.
उवाच लक्ष्मणो धीमान् ज्येष्ठं भ्रातरमार्तवत् । क्व सीतेति त्वया पृष्टा यथेमे सहसोत्थिताः ॥ २१ ॥
Wise Lakshmana said to his elder brother, as one in pain: “When you asked, ‘Where is Sita?’, how these rose at once,
दर्शयन्ति क्षितिं चैव दक्षिणां च दिशं मृगाः । साधु गच्छावहे देव दिशमेतां च नैर्ऋतीम् ॥ २२ ॥
“the deer point to the ground and to the southern direction. Let us go well, lord, to this direction too, the south-west,
यदि तस्यागमः कश्चिदार्या वा साथ लक्ष्यते । बाढमित्येव काकुत्स्थः प्रस्थितो दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥ २३ ॥
“if any trace of her, or the noble one herself, may be seen.” Saying, “Very well,” Kakutstha set out to the southern direction,
लक्ष्मणानुगतः श्रीमान् वीक्षमाणो वसुंधराम् । एवं सम्भाषमाणौ तावन्योन्यं भ्रातरावुभौ ॥ २४ ॥
the glorious one, followed by Lakshmana, looking at the earth. As the two brothers were talking to each other so,
वसुंधरायां पतितपुष्पमार्गमपश्यताम् । पुष्पवृष्टिं निपतितां दृष्ट्वा रामो महीतले ॥ २५ ॥
they saw on the ground a path of fallen flowers. Seeing the rain of flowers fallen on the ground, Rama,
उवाच लक्ष्मणं वीरो दुःखितो दुःखितं वचः । अभिजानामि पुष्पाणि तानीमानीह लक्ष्मण ॥ २६ ॥
the hero, grieving, said grieving words to Lakshmana: “I recognise these flowers here, Lakshmana,
अपिनद्धानि वैदेह्या मया दत्तानि कानने । मन्ये सूर्यश्च वायुश्च मेदिनी च यशस्विनी ॥ २७ ॥
“worn by Vaidehi, given by me in the forest. I think the sun and the wind and the glorious earth
अभिरक्षन्ति पुष्पाणि प्रकुर्वन्तो मम प्रियम् । एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुर्लक्ष्मणं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ २८ ॥
“are guarding the flowers, doing what is dear to me.” Having said this to Lakshmana, bull among men, the mighty-armed one,
उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा गिरिं प्रस्रवणाकुलम् । कच्चित् क्षितिभृतां नाथ दृष्टा सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी ॥ २९ ॥
righteous Rama, said to the mountain full of springs: “Lord of the earth-bearers, has she been seen, lovely in every limb,
रामा रम्ये वनोद्देशे मया विरहिता त्वया । क्रुद्धोऽब्रवीद् गिरिं तत्र सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा ॥ ३० ॥
“my lovely one, in the lovely forest region, separated from me, by you?” Angry, he spoke to the mountain there, as a lion to a small deer:
तां हेमवर्णां हेमाङ्गीं सीतां दर्शय पर्वत । यावत् सानूनि सर्वाणि न ते विध्वंसयाम्यहम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“Show me that golden-coloured, golden-limbed Sita, mountain, before I destroy all your peaks.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण पर्वतो मैथिलीं प्रति । दर्शयन्निव तां सीतां नादर्शयत राघवे ॥ ३२ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama about Maithili, the mountain, as if showing that Sita, did not show her to Raghava.
ततो दाशरथी राम उवाच च शिलोच्चयम् । मम बाणाग्निनिर्दग्धो भस्मीभूतो भविष्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥
Then Rama, son of Dasharatha, said to the heap of rocks: “Burned by the fire of my arrows, you will become ash,
असेव्यः सर्वतश्चैव निस्तृणद्रुमपल्लवः । इमां वा सरितं चाद्य शोषयिष्यामि लक्ष्मण ॥ ३४ ॥
“unfit to be visited from any side, without grass, trees or shoots. And I will dry up this river today, Lakshmana,
यदि नाख्याति मे सीतामद्य चन्द्रनिभाननाम् । एवं प्ररुषितो रामो दिधक्षन्निव चक्षुषा ॥ ३५ ॥
“if it does not tell me today of moon-faced Sita.” Enraged so, Rama, as if wishing to burn with his eye,
ददर्श भूमौ निष्क्रान्तं राक्षसस्य पदं महत् । त्रस्ताया रामकांक्षिण्याः प्रधावन्त्या इतस्ततः ॥ ३६ ॥
राक्षसेनानुसृप्ताया वैदेह्याश्च पदानि तु । स समीक्ष्य परिक्रान्तं सीताया राक्षसस्य च ॥ ३७ ॥
saw on the ground the great footprint of a rakshasa, come out, and the footprints of Vaidehi, frightened, longing for Rama, running here and there, followed by the rakshasa. Having looked at the movements of Sita and the rakshasa,
भग्नं धनुश्च तूणी च विकीर्णं बहुधा रथम् । सम्भ्रान्तहृदयो रामः शशंस भ्रातरं प्रियम् ॥ ३८ ॥
the broken bow and quivers and the chariot scattered in many pieces, Rama, his heart in turmoil, said to his dear brother:
पश्य लक्ष्मण वैदेह्या कीर्णाः कनकबिन्दवः । भूषणानां हि सौमित्रे माल्यानि विविधानि च ॥ ३९ ॥
“See, Lakshmana, drops of gold from Vaidehi’s ornaments scattered, and garlands of many kinds, Saumitri.
तप्तबिन्दुनिकाशैश्च चित्रैः क्षतजबिन्दुभिः । आवृतं पश्य सौमित्रे सर्वतो धरणीतलम् ॥ ४० ॥
“See, Saumitri, the ground covered everywhere with bright drops of blood like drops of molten gold.
मन्ये लक्ष्मण वैदेही राक्षसैः कामरूपिभिः । भित्त्वा भित्त्वा विभक्ता वा भक्षिता वा भविष्यति ॥ ४१ ॥
“I think, Lakshmana, Vaidehi has been split again and again, or divided, or eaten, by rakshasas who take any form at will.
तस्या निमित्तं सीताया द्वयोर्विवदमानयोः । बभूव युद्धं सौमित्रे घोरं राक्षसयोरिह ॥ ४२ ॥
“For her sake, Sita’s, a terrible battle took place here, Saumitri, between two rakshasas disputing.
मुक्तामणिचितं चेदं रमणीयं विभूषितम् । धरण्यां पतितं सौम्य कस्य भग्नं महद् धनुः ॥ ४३ ॥
“Whose is this great bow, studded with pearls and gems, lovely, adorned, fallen broken on the ground, gentle one?
राक्षसानामिदं वत्स सुराणामथवापि वा । तरुणादित्यसंकाशं वैदूर्यगुलिकाचितम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“Is it the rakshasas’, child, or else the gods’? Like the young sun, studded with beads of beryl,
विशीर्णं पतितं भूमौ कवचं कस्य काञ्चनम् । छत्रं शतशलाकं च दिव्यमाल्योपशोभितम् ॥ ४५ ॥
“whose is this golden armour, broken, fallen on the ground? And the umbrella with a hundred ribs, adorned with divine garlands,
भग्नदण्डमिदं सौम्य भूमौ कस्य निपातितम् । काञ्चनोरश्छदाश्चेमे पिशाचवदनाः खराः ॥ ४६ ॥
“its staff broken, thrown down on the ground, gentle one: whose is it? And these donkeys with golden breastplates, goblin-faced,
भीमरूपा महाकायाः कस्य वा निहता रणे । दीप्तपावकसंकाशो द्युतिमान् समरध्वजः ॥ ४७ ॥
“of terrible form, huge-bodied: whose are they, killed in battle? Bright like a blazing fire, radiant, with its battle-banner,
अपविद्धश्च भग्नश्च कस्य साङ्ग्रामिको रथः । रथाक्षमात्रा विशिखास्तपनीयविभूषणाः ॥ ४८ ॥
“thrown down and broken: whose is this war chariot? Arrows the size of a chariot axle, adorned with refined gold:
कस्येमे निहता बाणाः प्रकीर्णा घोरदर्शनाः । शरावरौ शरैः पूर्णौ विध्वस्तौ पश्य लक्ष्मण ॥ ४९ ॥
“whose are these, struck down and scattered, terrible to see? See, Lakshmana, the two quivers full of arrows, destroyed.
प्रतोदाभीषुहस्तोऽयं कस्य वा सारथिर्हतः । पदवी पुरुषस्यैषा व्यक्तं कस्यापि रक्षसः ॥ ५० ॥
“Whose charioteer is this, killed, with whip and reins in hand? This is clearly the track of a man, of some rakshasa.
वैरं शतगुणं पश्य मम तैर्जीवितान्तकम् । सुघोरहृदयैः सौम्य राक्षसैः कामरूपिभिः ॥ ५१ ॥
“See my enmity, a hundredfold, life-ending, with those very terrible-hearted rakshasas who take any form, gentle one.
हृता मृता वा वैदेही भक्षिता वा तपस्विनी । न धर्मस्त्रायते सीतां ह्रियमाणां महावने ॥ ५२ ॥
“Vaidehi has been carried off, or is dead, or the devoted one eaten. Dharma does not protect Sita, carried off in the great forest.
भक्षितायां हि वैदेह्यां हृतायामपि लक्ष्मण । के हि लोके प्रियं कर्तुं शक्ताः सौम्य ममेश्वराः ॥ ५३ ॥
“When Vaidehi has been eaten, or carried off, Lakshmana, who in the world, gentle one, among the lords, is able to do what is dear to me?
कर्तारमपि लोकानां शूरं करुणवेदिनम् । अज्ञानादवमन्येरन् सर्वभूतानि लक्ष्मण ॥ ५४ ॥
“All beings, out of ignorance, would despise even the maker of the worlds, a hero who knows compassion, Lakshmana.
मृदुं लोकहिते युक्तं दान्तं करुणवेदिनम् । निर्वीर्य इति मन्यन्ते नूनं मां त्रिदशेश्वराः ॥ ५५ ॥
“Surely the lords of the thirty gods think me without valour: gentle, devoted to the good of the world, self-controlled, knowing compassion.
मां प्राप्य हि गुणो दोषः संवृत्तः पश्य लक्ष्मण । अद्यैव सर्वभूतानां रक्षसामभवाय च ॥ ५६ ॥
“See, Lakshmana: having reached me, virtue has become fault. This very day, for the destruction of all beings and of the rakshasas,
संहृत्यैव शशिज्योत्स्नां महान् सूर्य इवोदितः । संहृत्यैव गुणान् सर्वान् मम तेजः प्रकाशते ॥ ५७ ॥
“as the great sun rises having withdrawn the moonlight, my splendour will shine, having withdrawn all virtues.
नैव यक्षा न गन्धर्वा न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः । किंनरा वा मनुष्या वा सुखं प्राप्स्यन्ति लक्ष्मण ॥ ५८ ॥
“Neither yakshas, nor gandharvas, nor pishachas, nor rakshasas, nor kinnaras, nor men will find happiness, Lakshmana.
ममास्त्रबाणसम्पूर्णमाकाशं पश्य लक्ष्मण । असम्पातं करिष्यामि ह्यद्य त्रैलोक्यचारिणाम् ॥ ५९ ॥
“See the sky filled with my weapons and arrows, Lakshmana. I will make it impassable today for those who move in the three worlds,
संनिरुद्धग्रहगणमावारितनिशाकरम् । विप्रणष्टानलमरुद्भास्करद्युतिसंवृतम् ॥ ६० ॥
“the hosts of planets stopped, the moon covered, fire and wind destroyed, covered with the radiance of the sun,
विनिर्मथितशैलाग्रं शुष्यमाणजलाशयम् । ध्वस्तद्रुमलतागुल्मं विप्रणाशितसागरम् ॥ ६१ ॥
“mountain tops crushed, lakes drying up, trees, creepers and bushes destroyed, the ocean destroyed:
त्रैलोक्यं तु करिष्यामि संयुक्तं कालकर्मणा । न ते कुशलिनीं सीतां प्रदास्यन्ति ममेश्वराः ॥ ६२ ॥
“I will make the three worlds joined with the work of Time. If the lords do not give me Sita safe,
अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सौमित्रे मम द्रक्ष्यन्ति विक्रमम् । नाकाशमुत्पतिष्यन्ति सर्वभूतानि लक्ष्मण ॥ ६३ ॥
“this very moment, Saumitri, they will see my valour. No beings will fly up into the sky, Lakshmana.
मम चापगुणोन्मुक्तैर्बाणजालैर्निरन्तरम् । मर्दितं मम नाराचैर्ध्वस्तभ्रान्तमृगद्विजम् ॥ ६४ ॥
समाकुलममर्यादं जगत् पश्याद्य लक्ष्मण । आकर्णपूर्णैरिषुभिर्जीवलोकदुरावरैः ॥ ६५ ॥
“See the world today, Lakshmana, crushed continuously by the nets of arrows released from my bowstring, by my iron arrows, its beasts and birds destroyed and whirling, confused and without bounds. With arrows filled to the ear, hard for the world of the living to ward off,
करिष्ये मैथिलीहेतोरपिशाचमराक्षसम् । मम रोषप्रयुक्तानां विशिखानां बलं सुराः ॥ ६६ ॥
“I will make the world empty of pishachas and rakshasas for Maithili’s sake. The gods will see the strength of my arrows, sent by my anger,
द्रक्ष्यन्त्यद्य विमुक्तानाममर्षाद् दूरगामिनाम् । नैव देवा न दैतेया न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः ॥ ६७ ॥
“released today in impatience, going far. Neither gods, nor daityas, nor pishachas, nor rakshasas
भविष्यन्ति मम क्रोधात् त्रैलोक्ये विप्रणाशिते । देवदानवयक्षाणां लोका ये रक्षसामपि ॥ ६८ ॥
“will exist, when the three worlds have been destroyed by my anger. The worlds of the gods, danavas, yakshas, and of the rakshasas too,
बहुधा निपतिष्यन्ति बाणौघैः शकलीकृताः । निर्मर्यादानिमाँल्लोकान् करिष्याम्यद्य सायकैः ॥ ६९ ॥
“will fall in many pieces, made into fragments by floods of arrows. I will make these worlds without bounds today with arrows.
हृतां मृतां वा सौमित्रे न दास्यन्ति ममेश्वराः । तथारूपां हि वैदेहीं न दास्यन्ति यदि प्रियाम् ॥ ७० ॥
“If the lords will not give back my beloved, carried off or dead, Saumitri; if they will not give back Vaidehi in her former form,
नाशयामि जगत् सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । यावद् दर्शनमस्या वै तापयामि च सायकैः ॥ ७१ ॥
“I will destroy the whole world, the three worlds with what moves and does not move. Until I see her, I will burn them with arrows.”
इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षः स्फुरमाणोष्ठसम्पुटः । वल्कलाजिनमाबद्ध्य जटाभारमबन्धयत् ॥ ७२ ॥
Having said this, his eyes red with anger, his lips quivering, he bound on his bark and deerskin and bound up his load of matted hair.
तस्य क्रुद्धस्य रामस्य तथाभूतस्य धीमतः । त्रिपुरं जघ्नुषः पूर्वं रुद्रस्येव बभौ तनुः ॥ ७३ ॥
The body of that angry Rama, become so, the wise one, shone like that of Rudra when he killed Tripura long ago.
लक्ष्मणादथ चादाय रामो निष्पीड्य कार्मुकम् । शरमादाय संदीप्तं घोरमाशीविषोपमम् ॥ ७४ ॥
Then, taking the bow from Lakshmana and squeezing it, Rama, taking a blazing arrow, terrible, like a venomous snake,
संदधे धनुषि श्रीमान् रामः परपुरञ्जयः । युगान्ताग्निरिव क्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ७५ ॥
fitted it to the bow, the glorious conqueror of enemy cities, and, angry like the fire at the end of an age, said these words:
यथा जरा यथा मृत्युर्यथा कालो यथा विधिः । नित्यं न प्रतिहन्यन्ते सर्वभूतेषु लक्ष्मण । तथाहं क्रोधसंयुक्तो न निवार्योऽस्म्यसंशयम् ॥ ७६ ॥
“As old age, as death, as Time, as fate are never resisted among all beings, Lakshmana, so I, joined with anger, cannot be held back, without doubt.
पुरेव मे चारुदतीमनिन्दितां दिशन्ति सीतां यदि नाद्य मैथिलीम् । सदेवगन्धर्वमनुष्यपन्नगं जगत् सशैलं परिवर्तयाम्यहम् ॥ ७७ ॥
“If they do not show me today Maithili, Sita with lovely teeth, blameless, as before, I will overturn the world with gods, gandharvas, men and serpents, with its mountains.”