Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 99 of 128 · 51 verses
Rama and Ravana Meet
Seeing Mahodara and Mahaparshva killed, and mighty Virupaksha too, Ravana is filled with great anger and urges on his charioteer: I will end the grief of my slain ministers and my besieged city by killing Rama and Lakshmana. In battle I will cut down the tree that is Rama, which gives Sita as its flower and fruit, whose branches are Sugriva, Jambavan, Kumuda, Nala, Dvivida, Mainda, Angada, Gandhamadana, Hanuman, Sushena and all the monkey leaders. The great chariot-warrior drives swiftly at Raghava, filling the ten directions with the noise of his chariot; the whole earth with its rivers, mountains and forests shakes, and lions, deer and birds are terrified. He sends out the very terrible Tamasa weapon, which burns all the monkeys; they fall everywhere, and dust rises as they flee broken, unable to bear a weapon made by Brahma himself. Seeing the many divisions broken by Ravana’s arrows by hundreds, Raghava takes his stand. Having routed the monkey army, the tiger among rakshasas sees Rama standing undefeated with his brother Lakshmana, like Vasava with Vishnu, holding his great bow as if to scratch the sky, lotus-eyed, long-armed, tamer of foes.
Radiant Rama with Saumitri, seeing the monkeys broken and Ravana coming on, joyfully grips his bow by the middle and begins to twang it, with great force and a great sound, as if to split the earth; at the sound of Ravana’s arrows and Rama’s bow, rakshasas fall by hundreds. Coming within range of the two princes’ arrows, Ravana looks like Rahu near the moon and sun. Lakshmana, wanting to fight him first, draws his bow and looses arrows like flames; Ravana checks them as soon as they leave the bow, one with one, three with three, ten with ten, showing his swift hand. Passing Saumitri by, Ravana, conqueror in battle, comes up to Rama, standing like another mountain, and, eyes red with rage, rains arrows on him. Seeing the streams of arrows coming, Rama quickly takes broad-headed shafts and cuts those blazing, terrible, serpent-like arrows. Raghava and Ravana rain showers of sharp arrows on each other, circling long and wonderfully to left and right, flung about by the force of their arrows, neither defeated. All beings tremble at the two fierce archers, like Yama and the Ender. The sky becomes full of arrows like clouds at the end of summer garlanded with lightning, like a lattice of windows made by rains of swift, sharp, vulture-feathered arrows; they make a deep darkness of arrows, like two great clouds risen after the sun has set. A great, unapproachable, unimaginable battle takes place between them, each wanting to kill the other, like that of Vritra and Vasava; both are supreme archers, skilled in war, first among weapon-knowers, and wherever they move, waves of arrows follow them like waves stirred by the wind on two oceans.
Then Ravana, terror of the worlds, his hands busy, fixes a garland of iron arrows on Rama’s forehead; Rama bears on his head that garland loosed from the fierce bow, shining like blue lotus petals, and feels no pain. Murmuring mantras and invoking the Raudra weapon, angry, the radiant one takes more arrows, draws his bow and looses them at the rakshasa king without pause; they fall on his great cloud-like armour, which cannot be pierced, and cause no pain. Again Rama, skilled in all weapons, pierces the forehead of the rakshasa lord in his chariot with a supreme weapon; the arrows, in the form of five-headed serpents, are repelled by Ravana and enter the earth hissing. Having defeated Raghava’s weapon, Ravana, overcome with anger, brings forth the very terrible Asura weapon and looses sharp arrows with the faces of lions, tigers, herons, chakravaka birds, vultures, hawks, jackals and wolves, wide-mouthed and fearful, five-mouthed ones licking their lips, and others with the faces of donkeys, boars, dogs, cocks, sea monsters and venomous snakes, created by magic; angry, he hisses like a serpent. Assailed by the Asura weapon, the bull of the Raghus, like fire himself, looses the mighty Pavaka weapon: arrows with faces blazing like fire, faces like the sun, the moon and the half moon, like comets, coloured like planets and stars, like great meteors, like tongues of lightning. Struck by Raghava’s weapon, Ravana’s terrible arrows melt away in the sky, and thousands of them are destroyed. Seeing that weapon destroyed by Rama of untiring deeds, all the monkeys who take any form at will roar with joy, the heroes surrounding Raghava with Sugriva at their head; and great Rama, son of Dasharatha, having overpowered the weapon loosed from Ravana’s arms, is filled with joy, and the monkey lords roar aloud in delight.
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महोदरमहापार्श्वौ हतौ दृष्ट्वा स रावणः । तस्मिंश्च निहते वीरे विरूपाक्षे महाबले ॥ १ ॥
Seeing Mahodara and Mahaparshva killed, and that mighty hero Virupaksha killed too,
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आविवेश महान् क्रोधो रावणं तु महामृधे । सूतं संचोदयामास वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ॥ २ ॥
great anger entered Ravana in the great battle; he urged on his charioteer and said these words:
निहतानाममात्यानां रुद्धस्य नगरस्य च । दुःखमेवापनेष्यामि हत्वा तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ३ ॥
“The grief of my slain ministers and of the besieged city I will drive away by killing those two, Rama and Lakshmana.
रामवृक्षं रणे हन्मि सीतापुष्पफलप्रदम् । प्रशाखा यस्य सुग्रीवो जाम्बवान् कुमुदो नलः ॥ ४ ॥
“In battle I will kill the tree that is Rama, which gives Sita as flower and fruit, whose branches are Sugriva, Jambavan, Kumuda and Nala,
द्विविदश्चैव मैन्दश्च अङ्गदो गन्धमादनः । हनूमांश्च सुषेणश्च सर्वे च हरियूथपाः ॥ ५ ॥
“Dvivida and Mainda, Angada and Gandhamadana, Hanuman and Sushena, and all the monkey troop leaders.”
स दिशो दश घोषेण रथस्यातिरथो महान् । नादयन् प्रययौ तूर्णं राघवं चाभ्यधावत ॥ ६ ॥
Making the ten directions resound with the noise of his chariot, the great chariot-fighter went quickly and rushed at Raghava.
पूरिता तेन शब्देन सनदीगिरिकानना । संचचाल मही सर्वा त्रस्तसिंहमृगद्विजा ॥ ७ ॥
Filled with that sound, the whole earth with its rivers, mountains and forests shook, its lions, deer and birds terrified.
तामसं सुमहाघोरं चकारास्त्रं सुदारुणम् । निर्ददाह कपीन् सर्वांस्ते प्रपेतुः समन्ततः ॥ ८ ॥
He made the very terrible, very cruel Tamasa weapon; it burned all the monkeys, and they fell on every side.
उत्पपात रजो भूमौ तैर्भग्नैः सम्प्रधावितैः । नहि तत् सहितुं शेकुर्ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं स्वयम् ॥ ९ ॥
Dust rose on the ground as they ran, broken; they could not bear that weapon made by Brahma himself.
तान्यनीकान्यनेकानि रावणस्य शरोत्तमैः । दृष्ट्वा भग्नानि शतशो राघवः पर्यवस्थितः ॥ १० ॥
Seeing those many divisions broken by hundreds by Ravana’s excellent arrows, Raghava took his stand.
ततो राक्षसशार्दूलो विद्राव्य हरिवाहिनीम् । स ददर्श ततो रामं तिष्ठन्तमपराजितम् ॥ ११ ॥
Then the tiger among rakshasas, having routed the monkey army, saw Rama standing undefeated,
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विष्णुना वासवं यथा । आलिखन्तमिवाकाशमवष्टभ्य महद् धनुः ॥ १२ ॥
with his brother Lakshmana, like Vasava with Vishnu, as if scratching the sky, holding his great bow,
पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षं दीर्घबाहुमरिंदमम् । ततो रामो महातेजाः सौमित्रिसहितो बली ॥ १३ ॥
lotus-petal-eyed, long-armed, tamer of enemies. Then radiant, mighty Rama, with Saumitri,
वानरांश्च रणे भग्नानापतन्तं च रावणम् । समीक्ष्य राघवो हृष्टो मध्ये जग्राह कार्मुकम् ॥ १४ ॥
seeing the monkeys broken in battle and Ravana coming on, Raghava, glad, took his bow by the middle.
विस्फारयितुमारेभे ततः स धनुरुत्तमम् । महावेगं महानादं निर्भिन्दन्निव मेदिनीम् ॥ १५ ॥
Then he began to twang that excellent bow, of great force and great sound, as if splitting the earth.
रावणस्य च बाणौघै रामविस्फारितेन च । शब्देन राक्षसास्तेन पेतुश्च शतशस्तदा ॥ १६ ॥
By the floods of Ravana’s arrows and by the sound of Rama’s twanging, rakshasas fell then by hundreds.
तयोः शरपथं प्राप्य रावणो राजपुत्रयोः । स बभौ च यथा राहुः समीपे शशिसूर्ययोः ॥ १७ ॥
Coming within the range of the arrows of those two princes, Ravana shone like Rahu near the moon and the sun.
तमिच्छन् प्रथमं योद्धुं लक्ष्मणो निशितैः शरैः । मुमोच धनुरायम्य शरानग्निशिखोपमान् ॥ १८ ॥
Wishing to fight him first, Lakshmana, drawing his bow, loosed sharp arrows like flames of fire.
तान् मुक्तमात्रानाकाशे लक्ष्मणेन धनुष्मता । बाणान् बाणैर्महातेजा रावणः प्रत्यवारयत् ॥ १९ ॥
Those arrows, as soon as they were loosed in the sky by Lakshmana the bowman, radiant Ravana checked with arrows.
एकमेकेन बाणेन त्रिभिस्त्रीन् दशभिर्दश । लक्ष्मणस्य प्रचिच्छेद दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम् ॥ २० ॥
One with one arrow, three with three, ten with ten, he cut Lakshmana’s arrows, showing the swiftness of his hand.
अभ्यतिक्रम्य सौमित्रिं रावणः समितिंजयः । आससाद रणे रामं स्थितं शैलमिवापरम् ॥ २१ ॥
Passing Saumitri by, Ravana, conqueror in battle, came up in battle to Rama, standing like another mountain.
स राघवं समासाद्य क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः । व्यसृजच्छरवर्षाणि रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः ॥ २२ ॥
Coming up to Raghava, his eyes red with anger, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, loosed rains of arrows.
शरधारास्ततो रामो रावणस्य धनुश्च्युताः । दृष्ट्वैवापतिताः शीघ्रं भल्लाञ्जग्राह सत्वरम् ॥ २३ ॥
Then Rama, seeing the streams of arrows loosed from Ravana’s bow falling, quickly took broad-headed arrows in haste.
ताञ्छरौघांस्ततो भल्लैस्तीक्ष्णैश्चिच्छेद राघवः । दीप्यमानान् महाघोराञ्छरानाशीविषोपमान् ॥ २४ ॥
Then Raghava cut those floods of arrows with sharp broad-headed arrows, those blazing, very terrible arrows like poisonous snakes.
राघवो रावणं तूर्णं रावणो राघवं तथा । अन्योन्यं विविधैस्तीक्ष्णैः शरवर्षैर्ववर्षतुः ॥ २५ ॥
Raghava on Ravana swiftly, and Ravana on Raghava likewise, rained on each other rains of many kinds of sharp arrows.
चेरतुश्च चिरं चित्रं मण्डलं सव्यदक्षिणम् । बाणवेगात् समुत्क्षिप्तावन्योन्यमपराजितौ ॥ २६ ॥
And they moved long and wonderfully in a circle, left and right, thrown up by the force of the arrows, neither defeated by the other.
तयोर्भूतानि वित्रेसुर्युगपत् सम्प्रयुध्यतोः । रौद्रयोः सायकमुचोर्यमान्तकनिकाशयोः ॥ २७ ॥
All beings trembled at those two fighting together, fierce, loosing arrows, like Yama and the Ender.
सततं विविधैर्बाणैर्बभूव गगनं तदा । घनैरिवातपापाये विद्युन्मालासमाकुलैः ॥ २८ ॥
The sky was then constantly filled with many kinds of arrows, as with clouds at the end of the hot season, crowded with garlands of lightning.
गवाक्षितमिवाकाशं बभूव शरवृष्टिभिः । महावेगैः सुतीक्ष्णाग्रैर्गृध्रपत्रैः सुवाजितैः ॥ २९ ॥
The sky became as if latticed with rains of arrows, very swift, very sharp-pointed, with vulture feathers, well fletched.
शरान्धकारमाकाशं चक्रतुः परमं तदा । गतेऽस्तं तपने चापि महामेघाविवोत्थितौ ॥ ३० ॥
They made the sky a supreme darkness of arrows then, like two great clouds risen when the sun has set.
तयोरभून्महायुद्धमन्योन्यवधकांक्षिणोः । अनासाद्यमचिन्त्यं च वृत्रवासवयोरिव ॥ ३१ ॥
A great battle took place between them, each wishing to kill the other, unapproachable and unthinkable, like that of Vritra and Vasava.
उभौ हि परमेष्वासावुभौ युद्धविशारदौ । उभावस्त्रविदां मुख्यावुभौ युद्धे विचेरतुः ॥ ३२ ॥
For both were supreme archers, both skilled in battle, both first among the knowers of weapons; both moved in battle.
उभौ हि येन व्रजतस्तेन तेन शरोर्मयः । ऊर्मयो वायुना विद्धा जग्मुः सागरयोरिव ॥ ३३ ॥
For wherever the two went, there waves of arrows went, like waves struck by the wind on two oceans.
ततः संसक्तहस्तस्तु रावणो लोकरावणः । नाराचमालां रामस्य ललाटे प्रत्यमुञ्चत ॥ ३४ ॥
Then Ravana, who makes the worlds cry, his hand engaged, fixed a garland of iron arrows on Rama’s forehead.
रौद्रचापप्रयुक्तां तां नीलोत्पलदलप्रभाम् । शिरसाधारयद् रामो न व्यथामभ्यपद्यत ॥ ३५ ॥
That garland, loosed from the fierce bow, with the splendour of blue lotus petals, Rama bore on his head and felt no pain.
अथ मन्त्रानपि जपन् रौद्रमस्त्रमुदीरयन् । शरान् भूयः समादाय रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः ॥ ३६ ॥
Then, murmuring mantras too, invoking the Raudra weapon, taking more arrows, Rama, filled with anger,
मुमोच च महातेजाश्चापमायम्य वीर्यवान् । तान् शरान् राक्षसेन्द्राय चिक्षेपाच्छिन्नसायकः ॥ ३७ ॥
the radiant, valiant one, drawing his bow, loosed them, and hurled those arrows at the rakshasa lord without a break in his arrows.
ते महामेघसंकाशे कवचे पतिताः शराः । अवध्ये राक्षसेन्द्रस्य न व्यथां जनयंस्तदा ॥ ३८ ॥
Those arrows, falling on the armour of the rakshasa lord, like a great cloud, which could not be pierced, caused no pain then.
पुनरेवाथ तं रामो रथस्थं राक्षसाधिपम् । ललाटे परमास्त्रेण सर्वास्त्रकुशलोऽभिनत् ॥ ३९ ॥
Then again Rama, skilled in all weapons, split the forehead of that rakshasa lord standing in his chariot with a supreme weapon.
ते भित्त्वा बाणरूपाणि पञ्चशीर्षा इवोरगाः । श्वसन्तो विविशुर्भूमिं रावणप्रतिकूलिताः ॥ ४० ॥
Those, having broken their arrow forms, like five-headed serpents, hissing, repelled by Ravana, entered the earth.
निहत्य राघवस्यास्त्रं रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । आसुरं सुमहाघोरमस्त्रं प्रादुश्चकार सः ॥ ४१ ॥
Having destroyed Raghava’s weapon, Ravana, overcome with anger, brought forth the very terrible Asura weapon.
सिंहव्याघ्रमुखांश्चापि कङ्ककोकमुखानपि । गृध्रश्येनमुखांश्चापि शृगालवदनांस्तथा ॥ ४२ ॥
With the faces of lions and tigers, with the faces of herons and chakravakas, with the faces of vultures and hawks, and likewise jackal-faced,
ईहामृगमुखांश्चापि व्यादितास्यान् भयावहान् । पञ्चास्याँल्लेलिहानांश्च ससर्ज निशितान् शरान् ॥ ४३ ॥
wolf-faced too, with mouths wide open, fearful, five-mouthed and licking, he loosed sharp arrows,
शरान् खरमुखांश्चान्यान् वराहमुखसंश्रितान् । श्वानकुक्कुटवक्त्रांश्च मकराशीविषाननान् ॥ ४४ ॥
and other arrows with donkey faces, with boar faces, with the mouths of dogs and cocks, with the faces of sea monsters and poisonous snakes.
एतांश्चान्यांश्च मायाभिः ससर्ज निशिताञ्छरान् । रामं प्रति महातेजाः क्रुद्धः सर्प इव श्वसन् ॥ ४५ ॥
These and others, sharp arrows made by magic, the radiant one loosed at Rama, angry, hissing like a serpent.
आसुरेण समाविष्टः सोऽस्त्रेण रघुपुङ्गवः । ससर्जास्त्रं महोत्साहं पावकं पावकोपमः ॥ ४६ ॥
Assailed by that Asura weapon, the bull of the Raghus, like fire, loosed the weapon of great energy, the Pavaka.
अग्निदीप्तमुखान् बाणांस्तत्र सूर्यमुखानपि । चन्द्रार्धचन्द्रवक्त्रांश्च धूमकेतुमुखानपि । ग्रहनक्षत्रवर्णांश्च महोल्कामुखसंस्थितान् ॥ ४७ ॥
Arrows with faces blazing like fire there, and with sun faces too, with moon and half-moon faces, with comet faces too, coloured like planets and stars, shaped with faces of great meteors,
विद्युज्जिह्वोपमांश्चापि ससर्ज विविधाञ्छरान् । ते रावणशरा घोरा राघवास्त्रसमाहताः ॥ ४८ ॥
and like tongues of lightning, he loosed arrows of many kinds. Those terrible arrows of Ravana, struck by Raghava’s weapon,
विलयं जग्मुराकाशे जघ्नुश्चैव सहस्रशः । तदस्त्रं निहतं दृष्ट्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥ ४९ ॥
melted away in the sky and were destroyed by thousands. Seeing that weapon destroyed by Rama of untiring deeds,
हृष्टा नेदुस्ततः सर्वे कपयः कामरूपिणः । सुग्रीवाभिमुखा वीराः सम्परिक्षिप्य राघवम् ॥ ५० ॥
all the monkeys who take any form at will roared with joy then, the heroes with Sugriva before them, surrounding Raghava.
ततस्तदस्त्रं विनिहत्य राघवः प्रसह्य तद् रावणबाहुनिःसृतम् । मुदान्वितो दाशरथिर्महात्मा विनेदुरुच्चैर्मुदिताः कपीश्वराः ॥ ५१ ॥
Then, having destroyed by force that weapon issued from Ravana’s arms, great-souled Raghava, son of Dasharatha, was filled with joy, and the monkey lords, glad, roared aloud.