Aranya Kanda, Sarga 3

इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणश्श्रीमान्विराधे प्रहसन्निव। कोभवान्वनमभ्येत्य चरिष्यसि यथासुखम्।।3.3.1।।

ityuktvā lakṣmaṇaśśrīmānvirādhe prahasanniva| kobhavānvanamabhyetya cariṣyasi yathāsukham

Graceful Lakshmana asked Viradha with a smile, Who are you wandering in the forest at will ?.

अथोवाच पुनर्वाक्यं विराधः पूरयन्वनम्। पृच्छतो मम हि ब्रूतं कौ युवां क्व गमिष्यथः।।3.3.2.।।

athovāca punarvākyaṃ virādhaḥ pūrayanvanam| pṛcchato mama hi brūtaṃ kau yuvāṃ kva gamiṣyathaḥ||3.3.2.||

Then Viradha with his voice filling the forest said, Instead of asking about me you both should speak out who you are and where you are going

तमुवाच ततो रामो राक्षसं ज्वलिताननम्। पृच्छन्तं सुमहातेजा इक्ष्वाकुकुलमात्मनः।।3.3.3।।

tamuvāca tato rāmo rākṣasaṃ jvalitānanam| pṛcchantaṃ sumahātejā ikṣvākukulamātmanaḥ

Questioned by the demon, who bore a burning countenance, the highly effulgent Rama introduced his Ikshvaku family:

क्षत्रियौ वृत्तसम्पन्नौ विद्धि नौ वनगोचरौ। त्वां तु वेदितुमिच्छावः कस्त्वं चरसि दण्डकान्।।3.3.4।।

kṣatriyau vṛttasampannau viddhi nau vanagocarau| tvāṃ tu veditumicchāvaḥ kastvaṃ carasi daṇḍakān

Know us to be both kshatriyas, endowed with a good lineage and yet moving in the forest. We both wish to know, who you are and why you are going about in Dandaka forest?

तमुवाच विराधस्तु रामं सत्यपराक्रमम्। हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते राजन्निबोध मम राघव।।3.3.5।।

tamuvāca virādhastu rāmaṃ satyaparākramam| hanta vakṣyāmi te rājannibodha mama rāghava

Then Viradha said to Rama whose truth was his strength, I will tell you who I am. O, listen:

पुत्रः किल जयस्याहं माता मम शतह्रदा। विराध इति मामाहुः पृथिव्यां सर्वराक्षसाः।।3.3.6।।

putraḥ kila jayasyāhaṃ mātā mama śatahradā| virādha iti māmāhuḥ pṛthivyāṃ sarvarākṣasāḥ

I am indeed son to Jaya. My mother is Satahrada. Verily all the demons on this earth call me Viradha.

तपसा चाभिसम्प्राप्ता ब्रह्मणो हि प्रसादजा। शस्त्रेणावध्यता लोकेऽच्छेद्याभेद्यत्वमेव च।।3.3.7।।

tapasā cābhisamprāptā brahmaṇo hi prasādajā| śastreṇāvadhyatā loke'cchedyābhedyatvameva ca

By the grace of Lord Brahma I was bestowed with this prowess through my penance. In this world none can kill me with a weapon nor split nor cut me to pieces.

उत्सृज्य प्रमदामेनामनपेक्षौ यथागतम्। त्वरमाणौ पलायेथां न वां जीवितमाददे।। 3.3.8।।

utsṛjya pramadāmenāmanapekṣau yathāgatam| tvaramāṇau palāyethāṃ na vāṃ jīvitamādade

Therefore, leave this lady and run away to the place you came from. I will not take away your life .

तं रामः प्रत्युवाचेदं कोपसंरक्तलोचनः। राक्षसं विकृताकारं विराधं पापचेतसम्।।3.3.9।।

taṃ rāmaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kopasaṃraktalocanaḥ| rākṣasaṃ vikṛtākāraṃ virādhaṃ pāpacetasam

With eyes reddened with anger Rama replied to the sinful, deformed Viradha:

क्षुद्र धिक्त्वां तु हीनार्थं मृत्युमन्वेषसे ध्रुवम्। रणे प्राप्स्यसे सन्तिष्ठ न मे जीवन् गमिष्यासि।।3.3.10।।

kṣudra dhiktvāṃ tu hīnārthaṃ mṛtyumanveṣase dhruvam| raṇe prāpsyase santiṣṭha na me jīvan gamiṣyāsi

O vile, mean creature surely you are seeking death. Wait, you will meet it in the fight.

ततः सज्यं धनुः कृत्वा रामस्सुनिशिताञ्छरान्। सुशीघ्रमभिसन्धाय राक्षसं निजघान ह।।3.3.11।।

tataḥ sajyaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā rāmassuniśitāñcharān| suśīghramabhisandhāya rākṣasaṃ nijaghāna ha

Then Rama strung his bow immediately, shot the sharp arrows at Viradha and hit him verily.

धनुषा ज्यागुणवता सप्त बाणान्मुमोच ह। रुक्मपुङ्खान्महावेगान्सुपर्णानिलतुल्यगान्।।3.3.12।।

dhanuṣā jyāguṇavatā sapta bāṇānmumoca ha| rukmapuṅkhānmahāvegānsuparṇānilatulyagān

From his bow strung tight, Rama shot seven swift, goldenfeathered arrows comparable to Garuda and the Windgod in speed.

ते शरीरं विराधस्य भित्त्वाबर्हिणवाससः। निपेतुश्शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां पावकोपमाः।।3.3.13।।

te śarīraṃ virādhasya bhittvābarhiṇavāsasaḥ| nipetuśśoṇitādigdhā dharaṇyāṃ pāvakopamāḥ

The arrows tied with peacockfeathers, looking like fire, pierced the body of Viradha which, drenched in blood, fell on the ground.

स विद्धो न्यस्य वैदेहीं शूलमुद्यम्य राक्षसः। अभ्यद्रवत्सुसङ्कृद्धस्तदा रामं सलक्ष्मणम्।।3.3.14।।

sa viddho nyasya vaidehīṃ śūlamudyamya rākṣasaḥ| abhyadravatsusaṅkṛddhastadā rāmaṃ salakṣmaṇam

Hit by Rama and Lakshmana, the enraged demon left Vaidehi, lifted a sharp spear and ran towards them.

स विनद्य महानादं शूलं शक्रध्वजोपमम्। प्रगृह्याशोभत तदा व्यात्तानन इवान्तकः।।3.3.15।।

sa vinadya mahānādaṃ śūlaṃ śakradhvajopamam| pragṛhyāśobhata tadā vyāttānana ivāntakaḥ

The demon who produced a great noise with his wide open mouth resembled the god of death. He lifted a sharp spike that looked like Indra's banner.

अथ तौ भ्रातरौ दीप्तं शरवर्षं ववर्षतुः। विराधे राक्षसे तस्मिन् कालान्तकयमोपमे।।3.3.16।।

atha tau bhrātarau dīptaṃ śaravarṣaṃ vavarṣatuḥ| virādhe rākṣase tasmin kālāntakayamopame

And then both the brothers showered bright arrows on the demon Viradha who looked like Yama, the god of death.

स प्रहस्य महारौद्रः स्थित्वाजृम्भत राक्षसः। जृम्भमाणस्य ते बाणाः कायान्निष्पेतुराशुगाः।।3.3.17।।

sa prahasya mahāraudraḥ sthitvājṛmbhata rākṣasaḥ| jṛmbhamāṇasya te bāṇāḥ kāyānniṣpeturāśugāḥ

The demon who was extremely frightening stood there, laughing and yawning. As he yawned, all the swiftlyflying arrows fell out of his body.

स्पर्शात्तु वरदानेन प्राणान्सम्रोध्य राक्षसः। विराधः शूलमुद्यम्य राघवावभ्यधावत।।3.3.18।।

sparśāttu varadānena prāṇānsamrodhya rākṣasaḥ| virādhaḥ śūlamudyamya rāghavāvabhyadhāvata

By virtue of a boon Viradha, the demon, controlled the vital breath of his body by a mere touch and, raising the spike, ran towards the two Raghava princes.

तच्छूलं वज्रसङ्काशं गगने ज्वलनोपमम्। द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां चिच्छेद रामः शस्त्रभृतांवरः।।3.3.19।।

tacchūlaṃ vajrasaṅkāśaṃ gagane jvalanopamam| dvābhyāṃ śarābhyāṃ ciccheda rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃvaraḥ

With two arrows, Rama, the best among wielders of weapons, broke down the spike in the sky burning like fire, and resembling the thunderbolt of Indra.

तद्रामविशिखच्छिन्नं शूलं तस्यकराद्भुवि। पपाताशनिना छिन्नं मेरोरिव शिलातलम्।।3.3.20।।

tadrāmaviśikhacchinnaṃ śūlaṃ tasyakarādbhuvi| papātāśaninā chinnaṃ meroriva śilātalam

The spike, broken down by Rama's arrow, fell like a slab of mount Meru splintered by Indra's thunder.

तौ खड्गौ क्षिप्रमुद्यम्य कृष्णसर्पोपमौशुभौ। तूर्णमापेततुस्तस्य तदा प्रहरतां बलात्।।3.3.21।।

tau khaḍgau kṣipramudyamya kṛṣṇasarpopamauśubhau| tūrṇamāpetatustasya tadā praharatāṃ balāt

Then both Rama and Lakshmana quickly raised their swords which looked like black serpents and at once fell upon the demon who was going to strike with great force.

स वध्यमानः सुभृशं भुजाभ्यां परिरभ्यतौ। अप्रकम्प्यौ नरव्याघ्रौ रौद्रः प्रस्थातुमैच्छत।।3.3.22।।

sa vadhyamānaḥ subhṛśaṃ bhujābhyāṃ parirabhyatau| aprakampyau naravyāghrau raudraḥ prasthātumaicchata

Struck down, the angry demon tightly caught hold of both of them under his arms and wanted to set out, carrying Rama and Lakshmana, the two unshakeable tigers among men.

तस्याभिप्रायमाज्ञाय रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्। वहत्वयमलं तावत्पथाऽनेन तु राक्षसः।।3.3.23।।

tasyābhiprāyamājñāya rāmo lakṣmaṇamabravīt| vahatvayamalaṃ tāvatpathā'nena tu rākṣasaḥ

Rama understood the intention of the demon and said to Lakshmana, Let him go his way, no need to stop him.

यथा चेच्छति सौमित्रे तथा वहतु राक्षसः। अयमेव हि नः पन्था येन याति निशाचरः।।3.3.24।।

yathā cecchati saumitre tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ| ayameva hi naḥ panthā yena yāti niśācaraḥ

O Lakshmana, let the nightstalker go the way he wishes. That is, in fact, our path.

स तु स्वबलवीर्येण समुत्क्षिप्य निशाचरः। बालाविव स्कन्धगतौ चकारातिबलोद्धतः।।3.3.25।।

sa tu svabalavīryeṇa samutkṣipya niśācaraḥ| bālāviva skandhagatau cakārātibaloddhataḥ

Puffed up with his own great strength, Viradha lifted them and placed them on his shoulders as though they were two children.

तावारोप्य ततः स्कन्धं राघवौ रजनीचरः। विराधो विनदन्घोरं जगामाभिमुखो वनम्।।3.3.26।।

tāvāropya tataḥ skandhaṃ rāghavau rajanīcaraḥ| virādho vinadanghoraṃ jagāmābhimukho vanam

Then the nightstalker proceeded towards the forest, carrying both the scions of the Raghu race on his shouldersroaring.