Sarga 104

Verse 1

तस्यक्रुद्धस्यवदनंदृष्टवारामस्यधीमतः ।।।।सर्वभूतानिवित्रेसुःप्राकम्पत च मेदिनी ।

Seeing the face of the wise Rāma in anger, all beings were struck with fear, and even the earth trembled.

Verse 2

सिंहशार्दूलान्शैलस्सञ्चचालचलद्द्रुमः ।बभूवचापिक्षुभितःसमुद्रःसरिताम्पतिः ।।।।

The mountains—haunts of lions and tigers—shuddered, their trees trembling; and even the ocean, lord of rivers, grew violently disturbed.

Verse 3

खराश्चखरनिर्घोषागगनेपरुषाघनाः ।औत्पातिकानिनर्दन्तस्समन्तात्परिचक्रमुः ।।।।

Portentous, dreadful clouds—braying harshly like donkeys—wheeled about on every side in the sky, signaling ominous turns in the battle.

Verse 4

रामंदृष्टवासुसङ्क्रुद्धमुत्पातांश्चैवसुदारुणान् ।वित्रेसुस्सर्वभूतानिरावणस्याभवद्भयम् ।।।।

Seeing Rāma blazing with fury—and the dreadful portents as well—all beings trembled; fear arose even in Rāvaṇa.

Verse 5

विमानस्थास्तदादेवागन्धर्वाश्चमहोरगाः ।ऋषिदावनदैत्याश्चगरुत्मन्तश्चखेचराः ।।।।ददृशुस्तेतदायुद्धंलोकसम्वर्तसंस्थितम् ।नानाप्रहरणैर्भीमैश्शूरयोस्सम्प्रयुध्यतोः ।।।।

Then the gods, Gandharvas, great Nāgas, Ṛṣis, Dānavas and Daityas, along with Garuḍa-like sky-goers, stationed in aerial cars, beheld that battle—like the world’s dissolution—while the two heroes fought on with many terrifying weapons.

Verse 6

विमानस्थास्तदादेवागन्धर्वाश्चमहोरगाः ।ऋषिदावनदैत्याश्चगरुत्मन्तश्चखेचराः ।।6.104.5।।ददृशुस्तेतदायुद्धंलोकसम्वर्तसंस्थितम् ।नानाप्रहरणैर्भीमैश्शूरयोस्सम्प्रयुध्यतोः ।।6.104.6।।

Then the gods, Gandharvas, great Nāgas, Ṛṣis, Dānavas and Daityas, along with Garuḍa-like sky-goers, stationed in aerial cars, beheld that battle—like the world’s dissolution—while the two heroes fought on with many terrifying weapons.

Verse 7

ऊचुस्सुरासुरास्सर्वेतदाविग्रहमागताः ।प्रेक्षमाणामहर्युद्धंवाक्यंभक्त्याप्रहृष्टवत् ।।।।

Then all the Suras and Asuras—stirred into excitement as they watched the great battle—spoke words with devotion, exultant in their fervor.

Verse 8

दशग्रीवंजयेत्याहुरसुराःसमवस्थिताः ।देवाराममवोचंस्तेत्वंजयेतिपुनःपुनः ।।।।

The Asuras, standing firm in their allegiance, cried, “Let Daśagrīva be victorious!” The Devas, for their part, kept saying to Rāma again and again, “May you win!”

Verse 9

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेक्रोधाद्राघवस्य स रावणः ।प्रहर्तुकामोदुष्टात्मास्पृशन् प्रहरणंमहत् ।।।।वज्रसारंमहानादंसर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् ।शैलशृङ्गनिभैःकूटैश्चित्तदृष्टिभयावहम् ।।।।सधूममिवतीक्ष्णाग्रंयुगान्ताग्निचमोपमम् ।अतिरौद्रमनासाद्यंकालेनापिदुरासदम् ।।।।त्रासनंसर्वभूतानांदारणंभेदनंतथा ।प्रदीप्तमिवरोषेणशूलंजग्राहरावणः ।।।।

Just then, Rāvaṇa—evil at heart—burning with anger at Rāghava and eager to strike, laid his hand upon a mighty weapon. It was hard as a thunderbolt, roaring loudly, fit to crush every enemy; its spikes were like mountain-peaks and terrifying even to imagine. Smoke-like and razor-pointed, it blazed like the fire at the end of an age—fierce, unapproachable, and difficult to withstand even as Death itself. A terror to all beings—tearing and splitting—Rāvaṇa, inflamed with rage, seized that blazing śūla (trident/spear) to attack.

Verse 10

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेक्रोधाद्राघवस्य स रावणः ।प्रहर्तुकामोदुष्टात्मास्पृशन् प्रहरणंमहत् ।।6.104.9।।वज्रसारंमहानादंसर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् ।शैलशृङ्गनिभैःकूटैश्चित्तदृष्टिभयावहम् ।।6.104.10।।सधूममिवतीक्ष्णाग्रंयुगान्ताग्निचमोपमम् ।अतिरौद्रमनासाद्यंकालेनापिदुरासदम् ।।6.104.11।।त्रासनंसर्वभूतानांदारणंभेदनंतथा ।प्रदीप्तमिवरोषेणशूलंजग्राहरावणः ।।6.104.12।।

It was hard as a thunderbolt and thunderous in its sound, capable of destroying every enemy—set with spikes like mountain-peaks, terrifying even to behold and contemplate.

Verse 11

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेक्रोधाद्राघवस्य स रावणः ।प्रहर्तुकामोदुष्टात्मास्पृशन् प्रहरणंमहत् ।।6.104.9।।वज्रसारंमहानादंसर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् ।शैलशृङ्गनिभैःकूटैश्चित्तदृष्टिभयावहम् ।।6.104.10।।सधूममिवतीक्ष्णाग्रंयुगान्ताग्निचमोपमम् ।अतिरौद्रमनासाद्यंकालेनापिदुरासदम् ।।6.104.11।।त्रासनंसर्वभूतानांदारणंभेदनंतथा ।प्रदीप्तमिवरोषेणशूलंजग्राहरावणः ।।6.104.12।।

Its sharp point seemed wreathed in smoke, like the fire at the end of an age—exceedingly dreadful, unapproachable, and difficult to withstand even like Death itself.

Verse 12

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेक्रोधाद्राघवस्य स रावणः ।प्रहर्तुकामोदुष्टात्मास्पृशन् प्रहरणंमहत् ।।6.104.9।।वज्रसारंमहानादंसर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् ।शैलशृङ्गनिभैःकूटैश्चित्तदृष्टिभयावहम् ।।6.104.10।।सधूममिवतीक्ष्णाग्रंयुगान्ताग्निचमोपमम् ।अतिरौद्रमनासाद्यंकालेनापिदुरासदम् ।।6.104.11।।त्रासनंसर्वभूतानांदारणंभेदनंतथा ।प्रदीप्तमिवरोषेणशूलंजग्राहरावणः ।।6.104.12।।

A terror to all beings—rending and splitting—Rāvaṇa seized that trident, as though it blazed with his fury.

Verse 13

तच्छूलंपरमक्रुद्धोमध्येजग्राहवीर्यवान् ।अनेकैःसमरेश्शूरैराक्षसैःपरिवारितः ।।।।

Fiercely enraged, the mighty one gripped that trident at its middle, surrounded in battle by many heroic rākṣasas.

Verse 14

समुद्यम्यमहाकायोननादयुधिभैरवम् ।संरक्तनयनोरोषात्स्वसैन्यमभिहर्षयन् ।।।।

Raising it, the gigantic one roared a fearsome cry in battle; his eyes reddened with rage as he exulted and roused his own army.

Verse 15

पृथिवींचान्तरिक्षं च दिशश्चप्रदिशस्तथा ।प्राकम्पयत्तदाशब्दोराक्षसेन्द्रस्यदारुणः ।।।।

Then the dreadful sound of the lord of rākṣasas made the earth and the sky quake—along with all the directions and sub-directions.

Verse 16

अतिनादस्य्यदानेनतेनतस्यदुरात्मनः ।सर्वभूतानिवित्रेसुस्सागरश्चप्रचुक्षुभे ।।।।

By that deafening roar of the wicked-souled one, all creatures were struck with fear, and even the ocean heaved in agitation.

Verse 17

स गृहीत्वामहावीर्यश्शूलंतद्रावणोमहत् ।विनद्यसुमहानादंरामंपरुषमब्रवीत् ।।।।

Having taken up that great trident, mighty Rāvaṇa, roaring in a very loud voice, spoke harshly to Rāma.

Verse 18

शूलोऽयंवज्रसारस्तेरामरोषान्मयोद्यतः ।तवभ्रातृसहायस्यसम्यक् प्राणान् हरिष्यति ।।।।

“Rāma, this trident—hard as a thunderbolt—raised by me in fury, will surely take the life of you and your brother who stands as your ally.”

Verse 19

रक्षसामद्यशूराणांनिहतानांचमूमुखे ।त्वांनिहत्यरणश्लाघीकरोमितरसासमम् ।।।।

“Today, after killing you swiftly at the very front of the host, I—one who prides himself on war—will make you join those rākṣasa heroes who have already fallen.”

Verse 20

तिष्ठेदानींनिहमनित्वामेषशूलेनराघव ।एवमुक्त्वा स चिक्षेपतच्छूलंराक्षसाधिपः ।।।।

“Stand where you are now, O Rāghava—this very trident will kill you!” Saying so, the lord of the Rākṣasas hurled that trident.

Verse 21

तद्रावणकरान्मुक्तंविद्युन्मालासमावृतम् ।अष्टघण्टंमहानादंवियद्गतमशोभत ।।।।

Released from Rāvaṇa’s hand, that trident blazed—wreathed in garlands of lightning; bearing eight bells and roaring mightily, it shone as it sped through the sky.

Verse 22

तच्छूलंराघवोदृष्टवाज्वलन्तंघोरदर्शनम् ।ससर्जविशिखान्रामश्चापमायम्यवीर्यवान् ।।।।

Seeing that trident blazing, dreadful to behold, the valiant Rāma drew his bow and released a volley of arrows against it.

Verse 23

आपतन्तंशरौघेणवारयामासराघवः ।उत्पतन्तंयुगान्तानगिंजलौघैरिववासवः ।।।।

As it came rushing on, Rāghava checked it with a torrent of arrows—like Vāsava quenching the upsurging fire of the world’s end with floods of water.

Verse 24

निर्ददाह स तान्बाणान्रामकार्मुकनिःसृतान् ।रावणस्यमहान् शूलःपतङ्गानिवपावकः ।।।।

Rāvaṇa’s great trident burned up those arrows released from Rāma’s bow—like fire consuming moths.

Verse 25

तान्दृष्टवाभस्मसाद्भूतान्शूलसम्स्पर्शचूर्णितान् ।सायकानन्तरिक्षस्थान् राघवःक्रोधमाहरत् ।।।।

Seeing his arrows in mid-air crushed to dust by the trident’s touch and reduced to ash, Rāghava was seized by anger.

Verse 26

स तांमातलिनानीतांशक्तिंवासवसम्मताम् ।जग्राहपरमक्रुद्धोराघवोरघुनन्दनः ।।।।

Then Rāghava—delighter of the Raghu line—though greatly angered, took up that Śakti (javelin) brought by Mātali and approved by Vāsava (Indra).

Verse 27

सातोलिताबलवताशक्तिर्घण्टाकृतस्वना ।नभःप्रज्वालयामासयुगान्तोल्केवसप्रभा ।।।।

Lifted by the mighty one, that Śakti—ringing with bell-like sound—set the sky ablaze with its radiance, like a meteor at the end of an age.

Verse 28

साक्षिप्ताराक्षसेन्द्रस्यतस्मिन्कूलेपपात ह ।भिन्नःशक्त्यामहान् शूलोनिपपातहतद्युतिः ।।।।

Hurled, it struck the Rākṣasa-king’s trident; the great trident, split by the Śakti, lost its splendor and fell to the ground.

Verse 29

निर्भिभेदततोबाणैर्हयानस्यमहाजवान् ।रामस्त्रीक्ष्णैर्महावेगैर्भाणवद्भिरजिह्मगैः ।।।।

Then mighty Rāma shattered his horses with sharp, high-speed arrows—straight-flying shafts that struck like a driving shower.

Verse 30

निर्बिभेदोरपितदारावणंनिशितैश्शरैः ।राघवःपरमायत्तोललाटेपत्रतिभिस्त्रिभिः ।।।।

Then Rāghava, fully intent, pierced Rāvaṇa with sharp arrows—striking him, too, on the forehead with three leaf-edged shafts.

Verse 31

स शरैर्भिन्नसर्वाङ्गोगात्रप्रसृतशोणितः ।राक्षसेन्द्रस्समूहस्थःफुल्लाशोकइवाबभौ ।।।।

His whole body split by arrows, blood streaming from his limbs, the lord of the Rākṣasas—standing amid his host—shone like a flowering Aśoka tree.

Verse 32

स रामबाणैरतिविद्धगात्रोनिशाचरेन्द्रःक्षतजार्द्रगात्रः ।जगामखेदं च समाजमध्येक्रोधं च चक्रेसुभृशंतदानीम् ।।।।

Pierced all over by Rāma’s arrows, his body drenched with blood from wounds, the king of night-roamers fell into anguish in the midst of the assembly—and at that very moment he roused a fierce, overwhelming wrath.