Aranya Kanda, Sarga 29

खरं तु विरथं रामो गदापाणिमवस्थितम्। मृदुपूर्वं महातेजाः परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।3.29.1।।

kharaṃ tu virathaṃ rāmo gadāpāṇimavasthitam| mṛdupūrvaṃ mahātejāḥ paruṣaṃ vākyamabravīt

Effulgent Rama looked at Khara who stood with a mace in hand minus his chariot and said to him first in a gentle voice and then harshly :

गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे बले महति तिष्ठता। कृतं सुदारुणं कर्म सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम्।।3.29.2।।

gajāśvarathasambādhe bale mahati tiṣṭhatā| kṛtaṃ sudāruṇaṃ karma sarvalokajugupsitam

Although you command a huge army with many elephants, horses, chariots, etc. you have done such cruel deeds that the entire world despises you.

उद्वेजनीयो भूतानां नृशंसः पापकर्मकृत्। त्रयाणामपि लोकानामीश्वरोऽपि न तिष्ठति।।3.29.3।।

udvejanīyo bhūtānāṃ nṛśaṃsaḥ pāpakarmakṛt| trayāṇāmapi lokānāmīśvaro'pi na tiṣṭhati

One who is wicked, does sinful deeds and causes distress to all beings, will not survive even if he is the lord of the three worlds.

कर्म लोकविरुद्धं तु कुर्वाणं क्षणदाचर। तीक्ष्णं सर्वजनो हन्ति सर्पं दुष्टमिवागतम्।।3.29.4।।

karma lokaviruddhaṃ tu kurvāṇaṃ kṣaṇadācara| tīkṣṇaṃ sarvajano hanti sarpaṃ duṣṭamivāgatam

O nightranger, one who does a horrific deed which is against the world will be killed like an evil serpent come near.

लोभात्पापानि कुर्वाणः कामाद्वा यो न बुध्यते। भ्रष्टः पश्यति तस्यान्तं ब्राह्मणी करकादिव।।3.29.5।।

lobhātpāpāni kurvāṇaḥ kāmādvā yo na budhyate| bhraṣṭaḥ paśyati tasyāntaṃ brāhmaṇī karakādiva

Whoever commits sinful deeds out of greed or passion and without realisation will be ruined at the end like a lizard that eats hailstone (and dies).

वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः। किन्नु हत्वा महाभागान्फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस।।3.29.6।।

vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasāndharmacāriṇaḥ| kinnu hatvā mahābhāgānphalaṃ prāpsyasi rākṣasa

O demon what benefit will you get by killing the venerable ascetics, followers of righteous path residing in Dandaka forest?

न चिरं पापकर्माणः क्रूरा लोकजुगुप्सिताः। ऐश्वर्यं प्राप्य तिष्ठन्ति शीर्णमूला इव द्रुमाः।।3.29.7।।

na ciraṃ pāpakarmāṇaḥ krūrā lokajugupsitāḥ| aiśvaryaṃ prāpya tiṣṭhanti śīrṇamūlā iva drumāḥ

Cruel people, who are despised by the world for their sinful deeds, will not be prosperous for long just like trees with decayed roots.

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः। घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्।।3.29.8।।

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ| ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpamivārtavam

Just as the trees bear flowers at the proper season, so also people will certainly reap the fruits of their terrible, sinful deeds at appropriate time.

नचिरात्प्राप्यते लोके पापानां कर्मणां फलम्। सविषाणामिवान्नानां भुक्तानां क्षणदाचर।।3.29.9।।

nacirātprāpyate loke pāpānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalam| saviṣāṇāmivānnānāṃ bhuktānāṃ kṣaṇadācara

O nightranger people will reap the result of their sinful actions in this world soon like one eating poisonous food.

पापमाचरतां घोरं लोकस्याप्रियमिच्छताम्। अहमासादितो राजा प्राणान्हन्तुं निशाचर।।3.29.10।।

pāpamācaratāṃ ghoraṃ lokasyāpriyamicchatām| ahamāsādito rājā prāṇānhantuṃ niśācara

O nightranger I have come with the orders of the king to put an end to the lives of the perpetrators of dreadful, sinful and offensive deeds in this world.

अद्य हि त्वां मया मुक्ताश्शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः। विदार्यातिपतिष्यन्ति वल्मीकमिव पन्नगाः।।3.29.11।।

adya hi tvāṃ mayā muktāśśarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ| vidāryātipatiṣyanti valmīkamiva pannagāḥ

Now when I unleash the golden arrows, they will pierce through your body and come out like serpents emerging from the anthill.

ये त्वया दण्डकारण्ये भक्षिता धर्मचारिणः। तानद्य निहतस्सङ्ख्ये ससैन्योऽनुगमिष्यसि।।3.29.12।।

ye tvayā daṇḍakāraṇye bhakṣitā dharmacāriṇaḥ| tānadya nihatassaṅkhye sasainyo'nugamiṣyasi

Slain by me in the battle today, you and your army will follow the righteous men eaten by you in Dandaka forest.

अद्य त्वां निहतं बाणैः पश्यन्तु परमर्षयः। निरयस्थं विमानस्था ये त्वया हिंसिताः पुरा।।3.29.13।।

adya tvāṃ nihataṃ bāṇaiḥ paśyantu paramarṣayaḥ| nirayasthaṃ vimānasthā ye tvayā hiṃsitāḥ purā

The great seers whom you have earlier tortured and killed will, from their aerial vehicles, see you fallen into hell.

प्रहर त्वं यथाकामं कुरु यत्नं कुलाधम। अद्य ते पातयिष्यामि शिरस्तालफलं यथा।।3.29.14।।

prahara tvaṃ yathākāmaṃ kuru yatnaṃ kulādhama| adya te pātayiṣyāmi śirastālaphalaṃ yathā

O vile fellow, now you may strike at me as you please. I will make your head fall down like a palm fruit.

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण कृद्धस्संरक्तलोचनः। प्रत्युवाच खरो रामं प्रहसन्क्रोधमूर्छितः।।3.29.15।।

evamuktastu rāmeṇa kṛddhassaṃraktalocanaḥ| pratyuvāca kharo rāmaṃ prahasankrodhamūrchitaḥ

Challenged by Rama in that manner, Khara, his senses switched off, eyes turned red due to anger, replied laughing :

प्राकृतान्राक्षसान्हत्वा युद्धे दशरथात्मज। आत्मना कथमात्मानमप्रशस्यं प्रशंससि।।3.29.16।।

prākṛtānrākṣasānhatvā yuddhe daśarathātmaja| ātmanā kathamātmānamapraśasyaṃ praśaṃsasi

O son of Dasaratha, it is not praiseworthy to kill ordinary demons in war. Why do you praise yourself for it?

विक्रान्ता बलवन्तो वा ये भवन्ति नरर्षभाः। कथयन्ति न ते किञ्चित्तेजसा स्वेन गर्विताः।।3.29.17।।

vikrāntā balavanto vā ye bhavanti nararṣabhāḥ| kathayanti na te kiñcittejasā svena garvitāḥ

The valiant, strong and the best of men do not at all speak proudly of themselves and their valour.

प्राकृतास्त्वकृतात्मानो लोके क्षत्रियपांसनाः। निरर्थकं विकत्थन्ते यथा राम विकत्थसे।।3.29.18।।

prākṛtāstvakṛtātmāno loke kṣatriyapāṃsanāḥ| nirarthakaṃ vikatthante yathā rāma vikatthase

O Rama common people, having no control over themselves and the lowest of kshatriyas boast of themselves in the world in a meaningless way as you are doing (now).

कुलं व्यपदिशन्वीरस्समरे कोऽभिधास्यति। मृत्युकाले हि सम्प्राप्ते स्वयमप्रस्तवे स्तवम्।।3.29.19।।

kulaṃ vyapadiśanvīrassamare ko'bhidhāsyati| mṛtyukāle hi samprāpte svayamaprastave stavam

When death comes in a battle no hero will name his race and boast of himself unnessarily.

सर्वथैव लघुत्वं ते कत्थनेन विदर्शितम्। सुवर्णप्रतिरूपेण तप्तेनेव कुशाग्निना।।3.29.20।।

sarvathaiva laghutvaṃ te katthanena vidarśitam| suvarṇapratirūpeṇa tapteneva kuśāgninā

All your meanness is exhibited by your boasting just as the kusa grass caught by fire appears like gold.

न तु मामिह तिष्ठन्तं पश्यसि त्वं गदाधरम्। धराधरमिवाकम्प्यं पर्वतं धातुभिश्चितम्।।3.29.21।।

na tu māmiha tiṣṭhantaṃ paśyasi tvaṃ gadādharam| dharādharamivākampyaṃ parvataṃ dhātubhiścitam

Indeed, (it is strange that) you do not see me holding a mace and standing here like an unshakeable mountain which contains minerals and supports the earth.

पर्याप्तोऽहं गदापाणिर्हन्तुं प्राणान्रणे तव। त्रयाणामपि लोकानां पाशहस्त इवान्तकः।।3.29.22।।

paryāpto'haṃ gadāpāṇirhantuṃ prāṇānraṇe tava| trayāṇāmapi lokānāṃ pāśahasta ivāntakaḥ

Just like lord Yama, holding a noose of death is alone enough to destroy the three worlds, I am alone sufficient to take away your life in war, a mace in hand.

कामं बह्वपि वक्तव्यं त्वयि वक्ष्यामि न त्वहम्। अस्तं गच्छेद्धि सविता युद्धविघ्नस्ततो भवेत्।।3.29.23।।

kāmaṃ bahvapi vaktavyaṃ tvayi vakṣyāmi na tvaham| astaṃ gaccheddhi savitā yuddhavighnastato bhavet

Indeed, I shall not speak any more even though a lot can be said on you. But the Sun is about to set and it will be improper to wage war thereafter.

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि राक्षसानां हतानि ते। त्वद्विनाशात्करोम्येषां तेषामश्रुप्रमार्जनम्।।3.29.24।।

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rākṣasānāṃ hatāni te| tvadvināśātkaromyeṣāṃ teṣāmaśrupramārjanam

You have killed these fourteen thousand demons. Therefore, I will wipe their tears by destroying you.

इत्युक्त्वा परमक्रुद्धस्तां गदां परमाङ्गदः। खरश्चिक्षेप रामाय प्रदीप्तामशनिं यथा।।3.29.25।।

ityuktvā paramakruddhastāṃ gadāṃ paramāṅgadaḥ| kharaścikṣepa rāmāya pradīptāmaśaniṃ yathā

Having said this, highly enraged Khara adorned with large shoulder bands, hurled at Rama, his mace glowing like a thunderbolt.

खरबाहुप्रयुक्ता सा प्रदीप्ता महती गदा। भस्मवृक्षांश्च गुल्मांश्च कृत्वागात्तत्समीपतः।।3.29.26।।

kharabāhuprayuktā sā pradīptā mahatī gadā| bhasmavṛkṣāṃśca gulmāṃśca kṛtvāgāttatsamīpataḥ

The huge, blazing mace hurled by Khara's arms reduced the trees and shrubs into ashes and came close to Rama.

तामापतन्तीं ज्वलतां मृत्युपाशोपमां गदाम्। अन्तरिक्षगतां रामचशिच्छेद बहुधा शरैः।।3.29.27।।

tāmāpatantīṃ jvalatāṃ mṛtyupāśopamāṃ gadām| antarikṣagatāṃ rāmacaśiccheda bahudhā śaraiḥ

The mace, which moved in the sky burning like the noose of death was shattered to pieces by Rama.

सा विकीर्णा शरैर्भग्ना पपात धरणीतले। गदा मन्त्रौषधबलैर्व्यालीव विनिपातिता।।3.29.28।।

sā vikīrṇā śarairbhagnā papāta dharaṇītale| gadā mantrauṣadhabalairvyālīva vinipātitā

The mace shattered by the arrows of Rama , fell down scattered to pieces on the ground like a female serpent subdued by the force of mantras and medicine. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the twentyninth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.