Aranya Kanda, Sarga 39

एवमस्मि तदा मुक्तः कथञ्चित्तेन संयुगे। इदानीमपि यद्वृत्तं तच्छृणुष्व निरुत्तरम्।।3.39.1।।

evamasmi tadā muktaḥ kathañcittena saṃyuge| idānīmapi yadvṛttaṃ tacchṛṇuṣva niruttaram

I was somehow saved by him this way in the combat.Listen without any reply to what has taken place recently.

राक्षसाभ्यामहं द्वाभ्यामनिर्विण्णस्तथा कृतः। सहितो मृगरूपाभ्यां प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम्।।3.39.2।।

rākṣasābhyāmahaṃ dvābhyāmanirviṇṇastathā kṛtaḥ| sahito mṛgarūpābhyāṃ praviṣṭo daṇḍakāvanam

Having done so, I picked up courage and entered Dandaka forest, accompanied by the two other demons in the form of deer .

दीप्तजिह्वो महाकायस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो महाबलः। व्यचरं दण्डकारण्यं मांसभक्षो महामृगः।।3.39.3।।

dīptajihvo mahākāyastīkṣṇadaṃṣṭro mahābalaḥ| vyacaraṃ daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ māṃsabhakṣo mahāmṛgaḥ

I wandered in Dandaka forest in the form of a huge animal with a big and strong body, a flaming red tongue and sharp teeth feeding on flesh.

अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्यवृक्षेषु रावण। अत्यन्तघोरो व्यचरं तापसान्सम्प्रधर्षयन्।।3.39.4।।

agnihotreṣu tīrtheṣu caityavṛkṣeṣu rāvaṇa| atyantaghoro vyacaraṃ tāpasānsampradharṣayan

O Ravana, assuming a very dreadful form, I wandered about sacrificial spots, sacred places, river banks, under huge trees planted at quadranglestorturing the ascetics.

निहत्य दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः। रुधिराणि पिबंस्तेषां तथा मांसानि भक्षयन्।।3.39.5।।

nihatya daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasāndharmacāriṇaḥ| rudhirāṇi pibaṃsteṣāṃ tathā māṃsāni bhakṣayan

I wandered about the Dandaka forest slaying righteous ascetics, drinking their blood and eating their flesh.

ऋषिमांसाशनः क्रूरस्त्रासयन्वनगोचरान्। तथा रुधिरमत्तोऽहं विचरन्धर्मदूषकः।।3.39.6।।

ṛṣimāṃsāśanaḥ krūrastrāsayanvanagocarān| tathā rudhiramatto'haṃ vicarandharmadūṣakaḥ

While thus roaming, I harmed the wanderers of the forest. Intoxicated with their blood I used to frighten the righteous.

आसादयं तदा रामं तापसं धर्मचारिणम्। वैदेहीं च महाभागां लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्।।3.39.7।।

āsādayaṃ tadā rāmaṃ tāpasaṃ dharmacāriṇam| vaidehīṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāratham

I encountered again the righteous Rama who was in the form of an ascetic, with venerable Sita and the great warrior Lakshmana.

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।

tāpasaṃ niyatāhāraṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam| so'haṃ vanagataṃ rāmaṃ paribhūya mahābalam tāpaso'yamiti jñātvā pūrvavairamanusmaran| abhyadhāvaṃ hi saṃkruddhastīkṣṇa śṛṅgo mṛgākṛtiḥ jighāṃsurakṛtaprajñastaṃ prahāramanusmaran|

Although Rama was very strong, he was living on restricted diet, engaged in the welfare of all beings. Treating him as a mere ascetic living in the forest, remembering my past hostility with him and disregarding his (fatal) blow, I ran towards him angrily, assuming the form of a sharphorned animal with an intention to kill him.

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।

tāpasaṃ niyatāhāraṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam| so'haṃ vanagataṃ rāmaṃ paribhūya mahābalam tāpaso'yamiti jñātvā pūrvavairamanusmaran| abhyadhāvaṃ hi saṃkruddhastīkṣṇa śṛṅgo mṛgākṛtiḥ jighāṃsurakṛtaprajñastaṃ prahāramanusmaran|

Although Rama was very strong, he was living on restricted diet, engaged in the welfare of all beings. Treating him as a mere ascetic living in the forest, remembering my past hostility with him and disregarding his (fatal) blow, I ran towards him angrily, assuming the form of a sharphorned animal with an intention to kill him.

तेन मुक्तास्त्रयो बाणाश्शिताश्शत्रुनिबर्हणाः।।3.39.10।। विकृष्य बलवच्चापं सुपर्णानिलनिस्स्वनाः।

tena muktāstrayo bāṇāśśitāśśatrunibarhaṇāḥ vikṛṣya balavaccāpaṃ suparṇānilanissvanāḥ|

His mighty bow drawn, Rama released three sharp darts that came whizzing like Garuda or the wind. They could destroy the enemy.

ते बाणा वज्रसङ्काशास्सुमुक्ता रक्तभोजनाः। आजग्मुस्सहितास्सर्वे त्रयस्सन्नतपर्वणः।।3.39.11।।

te bāṇā vajrasaṅkāśāssumuktā raktabhojanāḥ| ājagmussahitāssarve trayassannataparvaṇaḥ

All the three tightly jointed, welltargetted darts, strong as thunderbolt, and which could feed on blood came together all at once.

पराक्रमज्ञो रामस्य शठो दृष्टभयः पुरा। समुद्भान्तस्ततोमुक्तस्तावुभौ राक्षसौ हतौ।।3.39.12।।

parākramajño rāmasya śaṭho dṛṣṭabhayaḥ purā| samudbhāntastatomuktastāvubhau rākṣasau hatau

Having known Rama's prowess earlier and experienced tremendous fear, I ran away in a bewildered state as I was deceitful. The other two demons (who had accompanied me) succumbed.

शरेण मुक्तो रामस्य कथञ्चित्प्राप्य जीवितम्। इह प्रव्राजितो युक्तस्तापसोऽहं समाहितः।।3.39.13।।

śareṇa mukto rāmasya kathañcitprāpya jīvitam| iha pravrājito yuktastāpaso'haṃ samāhitaḥ

With my escape from Rama's darts I somehow got a fresh lease of life. Now I am composed. I have started living the life of a recluse here. I have turned an ascetic.

वृक्षे वृक्षे च पश्यामि चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्। गृहीतधनुषं रामं पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्।।3.39.14।।

vṛkṣe vṛkṣe ca paśyāmi cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram| gṛhītadhanuṣaṃ rāmaṃ pāśahastamivāntakam

I see Rama in every tree, clad in bark and deerskin, wielding the bow, holding a noose in hand like the god of death.

अपि रामसहस्राणि भीतः पश्यामि रावण। रामभूतमिदं सर्वमरण्यं प्रतिभाति मे।।3.39.15।।

api rāmasahasrāṇi bhītaḥ paśyāmi rāvaṇa| rāmabhūtamidaṃ sarvamaraṇyaṃ pratibhāti me

O Ravana I see in my fear thousands of Ramas. The entire forest appears to me as though filled with Rama.

राममेव हि पश्यामि रहिते राक्षसाधिप। दृष्ट्वा स्वप्नगतं राममुद्भ्रमामि विचेतनः।।3.39.16।।

rāmameva hi paśyāmi rahite rākṣasādhipa| dṛṣṭvā svapnagataṃ rāmamudbhramāmi vicetanaḥ

O king of the demons I see only Rama even in solitude. When I see him in a dream I lose my senses in a state of bewilderment.

रकारादीनि नामानि रामत्रस्तस्य रावण। रत्नानि च रथाश्चैव त्रासं संजनयन्ति मे।।3.39.17।।

rakārādīni nāmāni rāmatrastasya rāvaṇa| ratnāni ca rathāścaiva trāsaṃ saṃjanayanti me

O Ravana, every name beginning with the letter 'Ra', such as Ratna (gems), Ratha (chariot), etc. strike terror in me.

अहं तस्य प्रभावज्ञो न युद्धं तेन ते क्षमम्। बलिं वा नमुचिं वापि हन्याद्धि रघुनन्दनः।।3.39.18।।

ahaṃ tasya prabhāvajño na yuddhaṃ tena te kṣamam| baliṃ vā namuciṃ vāpi hanyāddhi raghunandanaḥ

I know his power.It is not proper to wage a war with him. Rama, delight of the Raghu dynasty, can slay even Bali or Namuchi.

रणे रामेण युद्ध्यस्व क्षमां वा कुरु राक्षस । न ते रामकथा कार्या यदि मां द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ।।3.39.19 ।।

raṇe rāmeṇa yuddhyasva kṣamāṃ vā kuru rākṣasa | na te rāmakathā kāryā yadi māṃ draṣṭumicchasi

Missing

बहवस्साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्ममनुष्ठिताः। परेषामपराधेन विनष्ठास्सपरिच्छदाः।।3.39.20।।

bahavassādhavo loke yuktā dharmamanuṣṭhitāḥ| pareṣāmaparādhena vinaṣṭhāssaparicchadāḥ

There were many pious men in this world who practise yoga and dharma .They have been destroyed along with their retinue due to mistakes committed by others.

सोऽऽहं तवापराधेन विनश्येयं निशाचर। कुरु यत्ते क्षमं तत्त्वमहं त्वा नानुयामि ह।।3.39.21।।

so''haṃ tavāparādhena vinaśyeyaṃ niśācara| kuru yatte kṣamaṃ tattvamahaṃ tvā nānuyāmi ha

O demon As such, I will perish due to your offence. You may do anything you deem appropriate. I will not follow you.

रामश्च हि महातेजा महासत्त्वो महाबलः।।3.39.22।। अपि राक्षसलोकस्य न भवेदन्तकोऽपि सः।

rāmaśca hi mahātejā mahāsattvo mahābalaḥ api rākṣasalokasya na bhavedantako'pi saḥ|

Rama is brilliant, powerful and strong. I hope he will not be the god of death for the world of demons.

यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।3.39.23।। अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।3.39.24।।

yadi śūrpaṇakhāhetorjanasthānagataḥ kharaḥ ativṛtto hataḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā| atra brūhi yathātattvaṃ ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ

For the sake of Surpanakha, Khara of Janasthana committed excesses and got killed by Rama who can accomplish things with ease.Tell me truly if Rama did violate anything here.

यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।3.39.23।। अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।3.39.24।।

yadi śūrpaṇakhāhetorjanasthānagataḥ kharaḥ ativṛtto hataḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā| atra brūhi yathātattvaṃ ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ

For the sake of Surpanakha, Khara of Janasthana committed excesses and got killed by Rama who can accomplish things with ease.Tell me truly if Rama did violate anything here.

इदं वचो बन्धुहितार्थिनामया यथोच्यमानं यदि नाभिपत्स्यसे। सबान्धवस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितं रणे हतोऽऽद्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगैः।।3.39.25।।

idaṃ vaco bandhuhitārthināmayā yathocyamānaṃ yadi nābhipatsyase| sabāndhavastyakṣyasi jīvitaṃ raṇe hato''dya rāmeṇa śarairajihmagaiḥ

If you do not follow my advice given for the welfare of our kith and kin, O Ravana, you are killed today. With your relations you will succumb to his straightmoving arrows. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the thirtyninth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.