Aranya Kanda, Sarga 19

तां तथा पतितां दृष्ट्वा विरूपां शोणितोक्षिताम्। भगिनीं क्रोधसन्तप्तः खरः पप्रच्छ राक्षसः।।3.19.1।।

tāṃ tathā patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā virūpāṃ śoṇitokṣitām| bhaginīṃ krodhasantaptaḥ kharaḥ papraccha rākṣasaḥ

Burning with anger to see his sister fallen down disfigured and drenched in blood, Khara enquired:

उत्तिष्ठ तावदाख्याहि प्रमोहं जहि सम्भ्रमम्। व्यक्तमाख्याहि केन त्वमेवं रूपा विरूपिता।।3.19.2।।

uttiṣṭha tāvadākhyāhi pramohaṃ jahi sambhramam| vyaktamākhyāhi kena tvamevaṃ rūpā virūpitā

Get up, give up your confusion and stupefaction. Tell me clearly by whom you have been disfigured like this ?

कः कृष्णसर्पमासीनमाशीविषमनागसम्। तुदत्यभिसमापन्नमङ्गुल्यग्रेण लीलया।।3.19.3।।

kaḥ kṛṣṇasarpamāsīnamāśīviṣamanāgasam| tudatyabhisamāpannamaṅgulyagreṇa līlayā

Who will hurt an innocent, venomous black serpent and stay away quietly close by for fun with his finger tip?

कः कालपाशं समासज्य कण्ठे मोहान्न बुध्यते। यस्त्वामद्य समासाद्य पीतवान्विषमुत्तमम्।।3.19.4।।

kaḥ kālapāśaṃ samāsajya kaṇṭhe mohānna budhyate| yastvāmadya samāsādya pītavānviṣamuttamam

Who is he who has tied has tied his throat with the noose of death out of ignorance and yet does not know the implications ? Who is he who has caused this injury to you, but does not understand that he has drunk deadly poison.

बलविक्रमसम्पन्ना कामगा कामरूपिणी। इमामवस्थां नीता त्वं केनान्तकसमागता।।3.19.5।।

balavikramasampannā kāmagā kāmarūpiṇī| imāmavasthāṃ nītā tvaṃ kenāntakasamāgatā

You have sufficient strength and courage. You are capable of moving as you like and taking any form at your will. By whom have you been brought to this state and drawn close to death?

देवगन्धर्वभूतानामृषीणां च महात्मनाम्। कोऽयमेवं विरूपां त्वां महावीर्यश्चकार ह।।3.19.6।।

devagandharvabhūtānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām| ko'yamevaṃ virūpāṃ tvāṃ mahāvīryaścakāra ha

Which valiant person among gods, gandharvas, sages and other great people, has disfigured you like this ?

न हि पश्याम्यहं लोके यः कुर्यान्मम विप्रियम्। अमरेषु सहस्राक्षं महेन्द्रं पाकशासनम्।।3.19.7।।

na hi paśyāmyahaṃ loke yaḥ kuryānmama vipriyam| amareṣu sahasrākṣaṃ mahendraṃ pākaśāsanam

I can see none in this world who can offend me, nor even the thousandeyed Indra among the gods.

अद्याहं मार्गणैः प्राणानादास्ये जीवितान्तकैः। सलिले क्षीरमासक्तं निष्पिबन्निव सारसः।।3.19.8।।

adyāhaṃ mārgaṇaiḥ prāṇānādāsye jīvitāntakaiḥ| salile kṣīramāsaktaṃ niṣpibanniva sārasaḥ

Just as the swan drinks only milk from water (mixed with milk), my arrows will (unerringly) drain the life from the enemy's body right now.

निहतस्य मया सङ्ख्ये शरसंकृत्तमर्मणः। सफेनं रुधिरं रक्तं मेदिनी कस्य पास्यति।।3.19.9।।

nihatasya mayā saṅkhye śarasaṃkṛttamarmaṇaḥ| saphenaṃ rudhiraṃ raktaṃ medinī kasya pāsyati

Whose foamy, red blood will the earth drink while I strike his vital organs with my arrows in the fight ?

कस्य पत्ररथाः कायान्मांसमुत्कृत्य सङ्गताः। प्रहृष्टा भक्षयिष्यन्ति निहतस्य मया रणे।।3.19.10।।

kasya patrarathāḥ kāyānmāṃsamutkṛtya saṅgatāḥ| prahṛṣṭā bhakṣayiṣyanti nihatasya mayā raṇe

Whose flesh will be eaten by cheerful flocks of (vultures), biting and tearing his body when he is killed by me in the battle ?

तं न देवा न गन्धर्वा न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः। मयापकृष्टं कृपणं शक्तास्त्रातुं महाहवे।।3.19.11।।

taṃ na devā na gandharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ| mayāpakṛṣṭaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ śaktāstrātuṃ mahāhave

Neither gods nor devils nor gandharvas nor even demons will have the power to rescue that hapless creature dragged by me ruthlessly in the battle.

उपलभ्य शनैस्संज्ञां तं मे शंसितुमर्हसि। येन त्वं दुर्विनीतेन वने विक्रम्य निर्जिता।।3.19.12।।

upalabhya śanaissaṃjñāṃ taṃ me śaṃsitumarhasi| yena tvaṃ durvinītena vane vikramya nirjitā

You should tell me as you slowly regain your consciousness which bragart has overpowered you in the forest with his strength.

इति भ्रातुर्वचश्श्रुत्वा क्रुद्धस्य च विशेषतः। ततश्शूर्पणखा वाक्यं सबाष्पमिदमब्रवीत्।।3.19.13।।

iti bhrāturvacaśśrutvā kruddhasya ca viśeṣataḥ| tataśśūrpaṇakhā vākyaṃ sabāṣpamidamabravīt

On hearing her angry brother, Surpanakha replied with words choked with tears:

तरुणौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सुकुमारौ महाबलौ। पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ।।3.19.14।। फलमूलाशनौ दान्तौ तापसौ धर्मचारिणौ। पुत्रौ दशरथस्यास्तां भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।।3.19.15।।

taruṇau rūpasampannau sukumārau mahābalau| puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau phalamūlāśanau dāntau tāpasau dharmacāriṇau| putrau daśarathasyāstāṃ bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau

Here are two young sons of Dasaratha, Rama and Lakshmana, who are gentle, handsome, strong, with eyes like white lotus, wearing deerskin and bark robes, living on fruits and roots, selfrestrained like ascetics and following the righteous path.

तरुणौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सुकुमारौ महाबलौ। पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ।।3.19.14।। फलमूलाशनौ दान्तौ तापसौ धर्मचारिणौ। पुत्रौ दशरथस्यास्तां भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।।3.19.15।।

taruṇau rūpasampannau sukumārau mahābalau| puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau phalamūlāśanau dāntau tāpasau dharmacāriṇau| putrau daśarathasyāstāṃ bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau

Here are two young sons of Dasaratha, Rama and Lakshmana, who are gentle, handsome, strong, with eyes like white lotus, wearing deerskin and bark robes, living on fruits and roots, selfrestrained like ascetics and following the righteous path.

गन्धर्वराजप्रतिमौ पार्थिवव्यञ्जनान्वितौ। देवौ वा मानुषौ वा तौ न तर्कयितुमुत्सहे।।3.19.16।।

gandharvarājapratimau pārthivavyañjanānvitau| devau vā mānuṣau vā tau na tarkayitumutsahe

They are kings of the gandharvas with all royal insignia. I was not able to discern whether they are gods or humans.

तरुणी रूपसम्पन्ना सर्वाभरणभूषिता। दृष्टा तत्र मया नारी तयोर्मध्ये सुमध्यमा।।3.19.17।।

taruṇī rūpasampannā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā| dṛṣṭā tatra mayā nārī tayormadhye sumadhyamā

I saw between them a young, beautiful woman of slender waist, adorned with all kinds of jewels.

ताभ्यामुभाभ्यां सम्भूय प्रमदामधिकृत्य ताम्। इमामवस्थां नीताहं यथानाथासती तथा।।3.19.18।।

tābhyāmubhābhyāṃ sambhūya pramadāmadhikṛtya tām| imāmavasthāṃ nītāhaṃ yathānāthāsatī tathā

I have been subjected to this state of an orphan unfaithful woman by both of them for the sake of that lady.

तस्याश्चानृजुवृत्तायास्तयोश्च हतयोरहम्। सफेनं पातुमिच्छामि रुधिरं रणमूर्धनि।।3.19.19।।

tasyāścānṛjuvṛttāyāstayośca hatayoraham| saphenaṃ pātumicchāmi rudhiraṃ raṇamūrdhani

I wish to drink the foamy blood of that crooked woman and of both the brothers slain on the battle front.

एष मे प्रथमः कामः कृतस्तात त्वया भवेत्। तस्यास्तयोश्च रुधिरं पिबेयमहमाहवे।।3.19.20।।

eṣa me prathamaḥ kāmaḥ kṛtastāta tvayā bhavet| tasyāstayośca rudhiraṃ pibeyamahamāhave

O dear this is my first wish and you must fulfil it. I will drink her blood and of the two brothers, in the battle.

इति तस्यां ब्रुवाणायां चतुर्दश महाबलान्। व्यादिदेश खरः क्रुद्धो राक्षसानन्तकोपमान्।।3.19.21।।

iti tasyāṃ bruvāṇāyāṃ caturdaśa mahābalān| vyādideśa kharaḥ kruddho rākṣasānantakopamān

As she was speaking, the inflamed Khara ordered fourteen very strong demons, comparable to Yama, the god of death, to proceed.

मानुषौ शस्त्रसम्पन्नौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ। प्रविष्टौ दण्डकारण्यं घोरं प्रमदया सह।।3.19.22।।

mānuṣau śastrasampannau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau| praviṣṭau daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ ghoraṃ pramadayā saha

Two human beings equipped with weapons, clad in bark robes and deerskin have entered the dreadful Dandaka forest along with a woman of bewitching beauty.

तौ हत्वा तां च दुर्वृत्तामपावर्तितुमर्हथ। इयं च रुधिरं तेषां भगिनी मम पास्यति।।3.19.23।।

tau hatvā tāṃ ca durvṛttāmapāvartitumarhatha| iyaṃ ca rudhiraṃ teṣāṃ bhaginī mama pāsyati

I want you to get both of them along with that notorious woman killed. This sister of mine will drink their blood.

मनोरथोऽयमिष्टोऽस्या भगिन्या मम राक्षसाः। शीघ्रं सम्पाद्यतां तौ च प्रमथ्य स्वेन तेजसा।।3.19.24।।

manoratho'yamiṣṭo'syā bhaginyā mama rākṣasāḥ| śīghraṃ sampādyatāṃ tau ca pramathya svena tejasā

O demons quickly go and crush them with your power and fulfil my sister's sincere wish.

इति प्रतिसमादिष्टा राक्षसास्ते चतुर्दश। तत्र जग्मुस्तया सार्धं घना वातेरिता यथा।।3.19.25।।

iti pratisamādiṣṭā rākṣasāste caturdaśa| tatra jagmustayā sārdhaṃ ghanā vāteritā yathā

Thus commanded, the fourteen demons along with Surpanakha rushed there like windblown clouds.

ततस्तु ते तं समुदग्रतेजसं तथापिऽतीक्ष्णप्रदरा निशाचराः। न शेकुरेनं सहसा प्रमर्दितुं वनद्विपा दीप्तमिवाग्निमुत्थितम्।।3.19.26।।

tatastu te taṃ samudagratejasaṃ tathāpi'tīkṣṇapradarā niśācarāḥ| na śekurenaṃ sahasā pramardituṃ vanadvipā dīptamivāgnimutthitam

The nightrangers were unable to crush him(Rama) despite their sharp, glowing weapons just as wild elephants cannot face all at once the rising flame of the forest fire. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनविंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the nineteenth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.