Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 21 of 128 · 35 verses
Rama’s Anger at the Ocean
Rama spreads darbha grass on the shore, faces east, joins his palms toward the ocean and lies down, his head on his arm: the arm that once wore golden ornaments, that fair women caressed, that was anointed with sandal, on which Sita rested her head, the arm that gave away thousands of cows and bears the scars of the bowstring. “Today either I cross, or the ocean dies.” Resolved, disciplined, silent like a sage, he lies three nights on the kusha grass, worshipping the lord of rivers.
But the dull ocean does not show itself. Rama, his eyes red at the corners with anger, says to Lakshmana: such is the ocean’s arrogance. Calm, patience, straightforwardness and kind speech, the virtues of the good, are taken for weakness by the worthless; the world honours the boastful, the wicked, the brazen and the violent. Neither fame nor glory nor victory can be won by conciliation alone. Today you will see the ocean blocked with crocodiles broken by my arrows, the coils of its serpents and the trunks of its sea-elephants cut, its shells, fish and monsters destroyed. I will dry it up; the monkeys will walk across. Bring my bow and my arrows like venomous snakes.
Blazing like the fire at the end of an age, he draws his terrible bow, shaking the world, and shoots fierce arrows like Indra’s thunderbolts. They enter the water, terrifying the serpents. The ocean heaves with its fish and monsters, roars with the wind, smokes, rolls over its waves, shells and pearl oysters; serpents with burning mouths and the mighty danavas of the underworld are in torment; waves as big as the Vindhya and Mandara rise by the thousand. As Rama draws his bow again, Lakshmana leaps up, seizes it and says, “No more!” The ocean’s work will be done without this; one like you does not yield to anger. And hidden in the sky, brahmarshis and divine sages cry out “Alas!” and “No more!”
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ततः सागरवेलायां दर्भानास्तीर्य राघवः । अञ्जलिं प्राङ्मुखः कृत्वा प्रतिशिश्ये महोदधेः ॥ १ ॥
Then, spreading darbha grass on the ocean shore, Raghava, facing east, joining his palms toward the great ocean, lay down,
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बाहुं भुजङ्गभोगाभमुपधायारिसूदनः । जातरूपमयैश्चैव भूषणैर्भूषितं पुरा ॥ २ ॥
the slayer of enemies, pillowing his head on his arm, like the coil of a serpent, which was once adorned with golden ornaments,
मणिकाञ्चनकेयूरमुक्ताप्रवरभूषणैः । भुजैः परमनारीणामभिमृष्टमनेकधा ॥ ३ ॥
caressed in many ways by the arms of the finest women, with armlets of gems and gold and the finest ornaments of pearls,
चन्दनागुरुभिश्चैव पुरस्तादभिसेवितम् । बालसूर्यप्रकाशैश्च चन्दनैरुपशोभितम् ॥ ४ ॥
once served with sandal and aloe, and adorned with sandal the colour of the young sun,
शयने चोत्तमाङ्गेन सीतायाः शोभितं पुरा । तक्षकस्येव सम्भोगं गङ्गाजलनिषेवितम् ॥ ५ ॥
once graced on the bed by Sita’s head, like the coil of Takshaka served by the waters of the Ganga;
संयुगे युगसंकाशं शत्रूणां शोकवर्धनम् । सुहृदां नन्दनं दीर्घं सागरान्तव्यपाश्रयम् ॥ ६ ॥
like a yoke in battle, increasing the grief of enemies, gladdening friends, long, the refuge of the earth to its ocean’s edge;
अस्यता च पुनः सव्यं ज्याघातविहतत्वचम् । दक्षिणो दक्षिणं बाहुं महापरिघसंनिभम् ॥ ७ ॥
the left one, its skin hardened by the strokes of the bowstring as he shot again and again; the right one too, like a great iron bar:
गोसहस्रप्रदातारं ह्युपधाय भुजं महत् । अद्य मे तरणं वाथ मरणं सागरस्य वा ॥ ८ ॥
pillowing his head on that great arm, the giver of thousands of cows: “Today either my crossing, or the death of the ocean.”
इति रामो धृतिं कृत्वा महाबाहुर्महोदधिम् । अधिशिष्ये च विधिवत् प्रयतो नियतो मुनिः ॥ ९ ॥
So resolved, mighty-armed Rama lay before the great ocean according to the rule, purified, disciplined, silent.
तस्य रामस्य सुप्तस्य कुशास्तीर्णे महीतले । नियमादप्रमत्तस्य निशास्तिस्रोऽभिजग्मतुः ॥ १० ॥
As Rama lay on the ground spread with kusha, alert in his observance, three nights passed.
स त्रिरात्रोषितस्तत्र नयज्ञो धर्मवत्सलः । उपासत तदा रामः सागरं सरितां पतिम् ॥ ११ ॥
Having stayed there three nights, knowing policy, devoted to dharma, Rama then worshipped the ocean, lord of rivers.
न च दर्शयते रूपं मन्दो रामस्य सागरः । प्रयतेनापि रामेण यथार्हमभिपूजितः ॥ १२ ॥
But the dull ocean did not show its form to Rama, though worshipped duly by Rama in purity.
समुद्रस्य ततः क्रुद्धो रामो रक्तान्तलोचनः । समीपस्थमुवाचेदं लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम् ॥ १३ ॥
Then Rama, angry with the ocean, the corners of his eyes red, said this to Lakshmana of auspicious marks, standing near:
अवलेपः समुद्रस्य न दर्शयति यः स्वयम् । प्रशमश्च क्षमा चैव आर्जवं प्रियवादिता ॥ १४ ॥
“Such is the ocean’s arrogance, that it does not show itself. Calm, patience, straightforwardness and kind speech:
असामर्थ्यफला ह्येते निर्गुणेषु सतां गुणाः । आत्मप्रशंसिनं दुष्टं धृष्टं विपरिधावकम् ॥ १५ ॥
“these virtues of the good bear the fruit of seeming powerless toward those without virtue. The boaster, the wicked, the brazen, the one who rushes about,
सर्वत्रोत्सृष्टदण्डं च लोकः सत्कुरुते नरम् । न साम्ना शक्यते कीर्तिर्न साम्ना शक्यते यशः ॥ १६ ॥
“who lays the rod on everyone: him the world honours. Neither fame nor glory can be won by conciliation,
प्राप्तुं लक्ष्मण लोकेऽस्मिञ्जयो वा रणमूर्धनि । अद्य मद्बाणनिर्भग्नैर्मकरैर्मकरालयम् ॥ १७ ॥
“nor victory at the head of battle, Lakshmana, in this world. Today see the home of sea monsters, its water blocked by crocodiles broken by my arrows
निरुद्धतोयं सौमित्रे प्लवद्भिः पश्य सर्वतः । भोगिनां पश्य भोगानि मया भिन्नानि लक्ष्मण ॥ १८ ॥
“floating on every side, Saumitri. See the coils of the serpents split by me, Lakshmana,
महाभोगानि मत्स्यानां करिणां च करानिह । सशङ्खशुक्तिकाजालं समीनमकरं तथा ॥ १९ ॥
“the great bodies of the fish and the trunks of the sea-elephants here, with its masses of shells and oysters, with its fish and sea monsters.
अद्य युद्धेन महता समुद्रं परिशोषये । क्षमया हि समायुक्तं मामयं मकरालयः ॥ २० ॥
“Today with a great fight I will dry up the ocean. This home of sea monsters thinks me, joined with patience,
असमर्थं विजानाति धिक् क्षमामीदृशे जने । न दर्शयति साम्ना मे सागरो रूपमात्मनः ॥ २१ ॥
“to be powerless; shame on patience toward such a one. The ocean does not show its form to me in response to conciliation.
चापमानय सौमित्रे शरांश्चाशीविषोपमान् । समुद्रं शोषयिष्यामि पद्भ्यां यान्तु प्लवंगमाः ॥ २२ ॥
“Bring my bow, Saumitri, and arrows like venomous snakes. I will dry up the ocean; let the leapers go on foot.
अद्याक्षोभ्यमपि क्रुद्धः क्षोभयिष्यामि सागरम् । वेलासु कृतमर्यादं सहस्रोर्मिसमाकुलम् ॥ २३ ॥
“Today in anger I will shake the ocean, unshakeable though it is, whose bounds are set on its shores, full of a thousand waves.
निर्मर्यादं करिष्यामि सायकैर्वरुणालयम् । महार्णवं क्षोभयिष्ये महादानवसंकुलम् ॥ २४ ॥
“With my arrows I will make Varuna’s home boundless; I will shake the great sea, full of great danavas.”
एवमुक्त्वा धनुष्पाणिः क्रोधविस्फारितेक्षणः । बभूव रामो दुर्धर्षो युगान्ताग्निरिव ज्वलन् ॥ २५ ॥
Having said this, bow in hand, his eyes wide with anger, Rama became unassailable, blazing like the fire at the end of an age.
सम्पीड्य च धनुर्घोरं कम्पयित्वा शरैर्जगत् । मुमोच विशिखानुग्रान् वज्रानिव शतक्रतुः ॥ २६ ॥
Pressing his terrible bow and shaking the world with his arrows, he loosed fierce arrows, like Shatakratu loosing thunderbolts.
ते ज्वलन्तो महावेगास्तेजसा सायकोत्तमाः । प्रविशन्ति समुद्रस्य जलं वित्रस्तपन्नगम् ॥ २७ ॥
Those best of arrows, blazing with splendour, of great speed, entered the water of the ocean, terrifying its serpents.
तोयवेगः समुद्रस्य समीनमकरो महान् । स बभूव महाघोरः समारुतरवस्तथा ॥ २८ ॥
The great surge of the ocean’s water, with its fish and sea monsters, became very terrible, with the roar of the wind.
महोर्मिमालाविततः शङ्खशुक्तिसमावृतः । सधूमः परिवृत्तोर्मिः सहसासीन्महोदधिः ॥ २९ ॥
Spread with garlands of great waves, covered with shells and oysters, smoking, its waves rolling over, the great ocean suddenly became so.
व्यथिताः पन्नगाश्चासन् दीप्तास्या दीप्तलोचनाः । दानवाश्च महावीर्याः पातालतलवासिनः ॥ ३० ॥
The serpents were in torment, with blazing mouths and blazing eyes, and the danavas of great valour who live in the underworld.
ऊर्मयः सिन्धुराजस्य सनक्रमकरास्तथा । विन्ध्यमन्दरसंकाशाः समुत्पेतुः सहस्रशः ॥ ३१ ॥
The waves of the king of rivers, with crocodiles and sea monsters, like the Vindhya and Mandara, rose up by the thousand.
आघूर्णिततरङ्गौघः सम्भ्रान्तोरगराक्षसः । उद्वर्तितमहाग्राहः सघोषो वरुणालयः ॥ ३२ ॥
With its masses of waves whirling, its serpents and rakshasas in confusion, its great crocodiles thrown up, Varuna’s home roared.
ततस्तु तं राघवमुग्रवेगं प्रकर्षमाणं धनुरप्रमेयम् । सौमित्रिरुत्पत्य विनिःश्वसन्तं मामेति चोक्त्वा धनुराललम्बे ॥ ३३ ॥
Then, as Raghava, of fierce speed, sighing, was drawing his immeasurable bow, Saumitri leapt up, said “No more!”, and caught hold of the bow.
एतद्विनापि ह्युदधेस्तवाद्य सम्पत्स्यते वीरतमस्य कार्यम् । भवद्विधाः क्रोधवशं न यान्ति दीर्घं भवान् पश्यतु साधुवृत्तम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“Even without this, the ocean’s work will be done for you, greatest of heroes, today. Those like you do not fall under anger’s power; look to good conduct for the long run.”
अन्तर्हितैश्चापि तथान्तरिक्षे ब्रह्मर्षिभिश्चैव सुरर्षिभिश्च । शब्दः कृतः कष्टमिति ब्रुवद्भि- र्मामेति चोक्त्वा महता स्वरेण ॥ ३५ ॥
And by brahmarshis and divine sages hidden in the sky a cry was raised, saying “Alas!” and “No more!” in a great voice.