एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Aranyakanda 39): राक्षसस्य रामत्रासवर्णनम् / The Demon’s Account of Rama-Fear
अरण्यकाण्ड
This sarga presents a first-person rākṣasa testimony addressed to Rāvaṇa. The speaker recounts entering Daṇḍakāraṇya with two accomplices, adopting animal disguise, and committing sustained violence against ascetics at sacrificial sites and tīrthas—an explicit inversion of dharmic space. He then narrates encountering Rāma, Sītā (Vaidehī), and Lakṣmaṇa; misjudging Rāma as a mere tapasvin, he charges in a sharp-horned animal form. Rāma responds with controlled martial efficiency: drawing a mighty bow, he releases three sharp arrows likened to Garuḍa/wind and thunderbolt, killing the two companions while the narrator escapes. The surviving rākṣasa claims a moral turn—becoming a recluse—yet remains psychologically dominated by trauma: he ‘sees Rāma in every tree,’ fears even words beginning with “ra,” and warns that war with Rāma is improper because Rāma could slay even mythic foes (Bali, Namuci). The chapter closes with admonition: Rāvaṇa’s offence will ruin others, and refusal of counsel leads to death by Rāma’s straight-flying arrows. The Southern Recension preserves repeated verse blocks (notably 3.39.8–9 and 3.39.23–24), reflecting traditional transmission layers.
Verse 3.39.1
एवमस्मि तदा मुक्तः कथञ्चित्तेन संयुगे।इदानीमपि यद्वृत्तं तच्छृणुष्व निरुत्तरम्।।।।
Thus, in that battle, I was somehow spared by him; now too, listen without interruption to what has happened recently.
Verse 3.39.2
राक्षसाभ्यामहं द्वाभ्यामनिर्विण्णस्तथा कृतः।सहितो मृगरूपाभ्यां प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम्।।।।
Having done so and regained my resolve, I entered the Daṇḍaka forest accompanied by two rākṣasas, both in the guise of deer.
Verse 3.39.3
दीप्तजिह्वो महाकायस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो महाबलः।व्यचरं दण्डकारण्यं मांसभक्षो महामृगः।।।।
I roamed the Daṇḍaka forest as a monstrous beast—huge-bodied and mighty, with a blazing tongue and sharp fangs—living on flesh.
Verse 3.39.4
अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्यवृक्षेषु रावण।अत्यन्तघोरो व्यचरं तापसान्सम्प्रधर्षयन्।।।।
O Rāvaṇa, in an exceedingly dreadful form I ranged about the sites of agnihotra, the holy fords, and the sacred trees, harassing the ascetics devoted to tapas.
Verse 3.39.5
निहत्य दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः।रुधिराणि पिबंस्तेषां तथा मांसानि भक्षयन्।।।।
In the Daṇḍaka forest I slew ascetics who lived by righteousness, drinking their blood and devouring their flesh.
Verse 3.39.6
ऋषिमांसाशनः क्रूरस्त्रासयन्वनगोचरान्।तथा रुधिरमत्तोऽहं विचरन्धर्मदूषकः।।।।
Cruel and feeding on the flesh of sages, I terrified the forest-dwellers; drunk on blood, I roamed about as a corrupter of dharma.
Verse 3.39.7
आसादयं तदा रामं तापसं धर्मचारिणम्।वैदेहीं च महाभागां लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्।।।।
Then I came upon Rāma—living as an ascetic and walking the path of dharma—along with the noble Vaidehī and Lakṣmaṇa, the great charioteer-warrior.
Verse 3.39.8
तापसं नियताहारं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्।सोऽहं वनगतं रामं परिभूय महाबलम्।।।।तापसोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्।अभ्यधावं हि संक्रुद्धस्तीक्ष्ण शृङ्गो मृगाकृतिः।।।।जिघांसुरकृतप्रज्ञस्तं प्रहारमनुस्मरन्।
Though Rāma was mighty, he lived on measured fare and was devoted to the welfare of all beings. Disdaining him as merely a forest-ascetic, remembering my former enmity—and forgetting the lesson of his earlier blow—I charged at him in fury, taking the shape of a sharp-horned beast, intent on killing him, in foolishness.
Verse 3.39.9
तापसं नियताहारं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्।सोऽहं वनगतं रामं परिभूय महाबलम्।।3.39.8।।तापसोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्।अभ्यधावं हि संक्रुद्धस्तीक्ष्ण शृङ्गो मृगाकृतिः।।3.39.9।।जिघांसुरकृतप्रज्ञस्तं प्रहारमनुस्मरन्।
Seeing Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa being carried off, Vaidehī cried out at the top of her voice, clasping the two mighty-armed brothers.
Verse 3.39.10
तेन मुक्तास्त्रयो बाणाश्शिताश्शत्रुनिबर्हणाः।।।।विकृष्य बलवच्चापं सुपर्णानिलनिस्स्वनाः।
Drawing his mighty bow with force, he loosed three sharp arrows—enemy-destroyers—whistling like Garuḍa or the wind.
Verse 3.39.11
ते बाणा वज्रसङ्काशास्सुमुक्ता रक्तभोजनाः।आजग्मुस्सहितास्सर्वे त्रयस्सन्नतपर्वणः।।।।
Those three well-aimed arrows—thunderbolt-like, blood-drinking, firmly jointed—came together all at once.
Verse 3.39.12
पराक्रमज्ञो रामस्य शठो दृष्टभयः पुरा।समुद्भान्तस्ततोमुक्तस्तावुभौ राक्षसौ हतौ।।।।
Knowing Rāma’s prowess from before and having witnessed that dread, I—deceitful as I was—fled in confusion and escaped; but the other two rākṣasas were slain.
Verse 3.39.13
शरेण मुक्तो रामस्य कथञ्चित्प्राप्य जीवितम्।इह प्रव्राजितो युक्तस्तापसोऽहं समाहितः।।।।
Having somehow escaped Rāma’s arrows and regained my life, I have become a renunciate here—an ascetic, disciplined and composed.
Verse 3.39.14
वृक्षे वृक्षे च पश्यामि चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्।गृहीतधनुषं रामं पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्।।।।
In tree after tree I behold Rāma—clad in bark-cloth and black deer-skin—bow in hand, like Death himself holding a noose.
Verse 3.39.15
अपि रामसहस्राणि भीतः पश्यामि रावण।रामभूतमिदं सर्वमरण्यं प्रतिभाति मे।।।।
O Rāvaṇa, in my fear I see even thousands of Rāmas; this entire forest appears to me as though it has become nothing but Rāma.
Verse 3.39.16
राममेव हि पश्यामि रहिते राक्षसाधिप।दृष्ट्वा स्वप्नगतं राममुद्भ्रमामि विचेतनः।।।।
O lord of the rākṣasas, even when I am alone I see only Rāma; and when I behold Rāma even in a dream, I become senseless and wander in bewilderment.
Verse 3.39.17
रकारादीनि नामानि रामत्रस्तस्य रावण।रत्नानि च रथाश्चैव त्रासं संजनयन्ति मे।।।।
O Rāvaṇa, for one terrified of Rāma, even words beginning with ‘ra’—such as ratna (‘gem’) and ratha (‘chariot’)—stir fear within me.
Verse 3.39.18
अहं तस्य प्रभावज्ञो न युद्धं तेन ते क्षमम्।बलिं वा नमुचिं वापि हन्याद्धि रघुनन्दनः।।।।
I know his might; it is not fitting for you to wage war with him. Rāma, the delight of the Raghu line, could indeed slay even Bali or Namuci.
Verse 3.39.19
रणे रामेण युद्ध्यस्व क्षमां वा कुरु राक्षस ।न ते रामकथा कार्या यदि मां द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ।। ।।
Fight Rāma in battle, O rākṣasa—or else make peace. But if you wish to see me alive, speak not and plot not concerning Rāma.
Verse 3.39.20
बहवस्साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्ममनुष्ठिताः।परेषामपराधेन विनष्ठास्सपरिच्छदाः।।।।
In this world, many virtuous people—devoted to Dharma and steadfast in righteous practice—have been destroyed, together with their dependents, because of the wrongdoing of others.
Verse 3.39.21
सोऽऽहं तवापराधेन विनश्येयं निशाचर।कुरु यत्ते क्षमं तत्त्वमहं त्वा नानुयामि ह।।।।
Thus, because of your offence, I would be ruined, O night-wanderer. Do what you truly deem fit for yourself; I will not follow you on this course.
Verse 3.39.22
रामश्च हि महातेजा महासत्त्वो महाबलः।।।।अपि राक्षसलोकस्य न भवेदन्तकोऽपि सः।
For Rāma is radiant, mighty in spirit, and immense in strength; may he not become, as it were, Death itself for the world of rākṣasas.
Verse 3.39.23
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।।।
If Khara, stationed at Jana-sthāna, for Śūrpaṇakhā’s sake overstepped all bounds and was formerly slain by Rāma, whose deeds are effortless—tell me here, in truth: what transgression of Dharma did Rāma commit?
Verse 3.39.24
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।3.39.23।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।3.39.24।।
If Khara of Jana-sthāna, for Śūrpaṇakhā’s sake, exceeded all bounds and was previously slain by Rāma of effortless action—then tell me truthfully: what fault did Rāma commit here?
Verse 3.39.25
इदं वचो बन्धुहितार्थिनामया यथोच्यमानं यदि नाभिपत्स्यसे।सबान्धवस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितं रणे हतोऽऽद्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगैः।।।।
If you will not accept this counsel I speak for the welfare of our own kinsmen, then today—together with your entire clan—you will lose your life in battle, struck down by Rāma’s straight-flying, unerring arrows.