Uttara Kanda, Sarga 14

ततस्तु सचिवैः सार्धं षड्भिर्नित्यं बलोद्धतैः । महोदरप्रहस्ताभ्यां मारीचशुकसारणैः ।। 7.14.1 ।।

tatastu sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ ṣaḍbhirnityaṃ baloddhataiḥ | mahodaraprahastābhyāṃ mārīcaśukasāraṇaiḥ || 7.14.1 ||

Then, accompanied by six powerful ministers, including Mahodara, Prahasta, Maricha, Shuka, and Sarana, he proceeded.

धूम्राक्षेण च वीरेण नित्यं समरगृध्नुना । वृतः संप्रययौ श्रीमान्क्रोधाल्लोकान्दहन्निव ।। 7.14.2 ।।

dhūmrākṣeṇa ca vīreṇa nityaṃ samaragṛdhnunā | vṛtaḥ saṃprayayau śrīmānkrodhāllokāndahanniva || 7.14.2 ||

Accompanied by the brave Dhūmrākṣa, who was always eager for battle, the glorious Ravana set out, as if burning the worlds with his rage.

पुराणि स नदीः शैलान्वनान्युपवनानि च । अतिक्रम्य मुहूर्तेन कैलासं गिरिमागमत् ।। 7.14.3 ।।

purāṇi sa nadīḥ śailānvanānyupavanāni ca | atikramya muhūrtena kailāsaṃ girimāgamat || 7.14.3 ||

He swiftly crossed cities, rivers, mountains, forests, and groves, reaching Mount Kailasa in a short time.

सन्निविष्टं गिरौ तस्मिन्राक्षसेन्द्रं निशम्य तु । युद्धे ऽत्यर्थकृतोत्साहं दुरात्मानं समन्त्रिणम् ।। 7.14.4 ।।

sanniviṣṭaṃ girau tasminrākṣasendraṃ niśamya tu | yuddhe 'tyarthakṛtotsāhaṃ durātmānaṃ samantriṇam || 7.14.4 ||

The lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, was perceived to be settled on that mountain with his ministers, an evil-minded one extremely enthusiastic for battle.

यक्षा न शेकुः संस्थातुं प्रमुखे तस्य रक्षसः । राज्ञो भ्रातेति विज्ञाय गता यत्र धनेश्वरः ।। 7.14.5 ।।

yakṣā na śekuḥ saṃsthātuṃ pramukhe tasya rakṣasaḥ | rājño bhrāteti vijñāya gatā yatra dhaneśvaraḥ || 7.14.5 ||

The Yakṣas were unable to stand before that Rākṣasa (Ravana), and knowing him to be the king's (Kubera's) brother, they went to where Kubera, the lord of wealth, was.

ते गत्वा सर्वमाचख्युर्भ्रातुस्तस्य चिकीर्षितम् । अनुज्ञाता ययुर्हष्टा युद्धाय धनदेन ते ।। 7.14.6 ।।

te gatvā sarvamācakhyurbhrātustasya cikīrṣitam | anujñātā yayurhaṣṭā yuddhāya dhanadena te || 7.14.6 ||

Having gone, they reported all of his brother's intentions, and being permitted by Kubera, they joyfully went forth to battle.

ततो बलानां सङ्क्षोभो व्यवर्धत महोदधेः । तस्य नैर्ऋतराजस्य शैलं सञ्चालयन्निव ।। 7.14.7 ।।

tato balānāṃ saṅkṣobho vyavardhata mahodadheḥ | tasya nairṛtarājasya śailaṃ sañcālayanniva || 7.14.7 ||

Then, the commotion of the armies of that king of Rākṣasas (Ravana) grew like the great ocean, as if shaking a mountain.

ततो युद्धं समभवद्यक्षराक्षससङ्कुलम् । व्यथिताश्चाभवंस्तत्र सचिवा राक्षसस्य ते ।। 7.14.8 ।।

tato yuddhaṃ samabhavadyakṣarākṣasasaṅkulam | vyathitāścābhavaṃstatra sacivā rākṣasasya te || 7.14.8 ||

Then a battle ensued, crowded with Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, and there the ministers of the Rākṣasa (Ravana) became distressed.

स दृष्ट्वा तादृशं सैन्यं दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । हर्षनादान्बहून्कृत्वा स क्रोधादभ्यधावत ।। 7.14.9 ।।

sa dṛṣṭvā tādṛśaṃ sainyaṃ daśagrīvo niśācaraḥ | harṣanādānbahūnkṛtvā sa krodhādabhyadhāvata || 7.14.9 ||

Seeing such a vast army, the demon Dashagriva, after uttering many roars of joy, rushed forward in a fit of rage.

ये तु ते राक्षसेन्द्रस्य सचिवा घोरविक्रमाः । तेषां सहस्रमेकैकं यक्षाणां समयोधयन् ।। 7.14.10 ।।

ye tu te rākṣasendrasya sacivā ghoravikramāḥ | teṣāṃ sahasramekaikaṃ yakṣāṇāṃ samayodhayan || 7.14.10 ||

Each of those ministers of the king of demons, who were of terrible prowess, fought against a thousand Yakshas.

ततो गदाभिर्मुसलैरसिभिः शक्तितोमरैः । हन्यमानो दशग्रीवस्तत्सैन्यं समगाहत ।। 7.14.11 ।।

tato gadābhirmusalairasibhiḥ śaktitomaraiḥ | hanyamāno daśagrīvastatsainyaṃ samagāhata || 7.14.11 ||

Then, even while being struck by maces, clubs, swords, spears, and javelins, Dashagriva plunged into that army.

स निरुच्छ्वासवत्तत्र वध्यमानो दशाननः । वर्षद्भिरिव जीमूतैर्धाराभिरवरुध्यत ।। 7.14.12 ।।

sa nirucchvāsavattatra vadhyamāno daśānanaḥ | varṣadbhiriva jīmūtairdhārābhiravarudhyata || 7.14.12 ||

There, Dashanana, being struck down as if breathless, was obstructed by the continuous onslaught of weapons, much like clouds pouring down streams of rain.

न चकार व्यथां चैव यक्षशस्त्रैः समाहतः । महीधर इवाम्भोदैर्धाराशतसमुक्षितः ।। 7.14.13 ।।

na cakāra vyathāṃ caiva yakṣaśastraiḥ samāhataḥ | mahīdhara ivāmbhodairdhārāśatasamukṣitaḥ || 7.14.13 ||

Even though struck by the weapons of the Yakshas, he felt no pain, just like a mountain remains unaffected when drenched by hundreds of streams of rain from clouds.

स दुरात्मा समुद्यम्य कालदण्डोपमां गदाम् । प्रविवेश ततः सैन्यं नयन्यक्षान्यमक्षयम् ।। 7.14.14 ।।

sa durātmā samudyamya kāladaṇḍopamāṃ gadām | praviveśa tataḥ sainyaṃ nayanyakṣānyamakṣayam || 7.14.14 ||

The evil-minded one, having raised his mace resembling the staff of Yama, then entered the army, leading the Yakshas to their death.

स कक्षमिव विस्तीर्णं शुष्केन्धनमिवाकुलम् । वातेनाग्निरिवायत्तो यक्षसैन्यं ददाह तत् ।। 7.14.15 ।।

sa kakṣamiva vistīrṇaṃ śuṣkendhanamivākulam | vātenāgnirivāyatto yakṣasainyaṃ dadāha tat || 7.14.15 ||

He, like a fire empowered by the wind, burned that vast Yaksha army, which was crowded like a dry forest filled with dry fuel.

तैस्तु तत्र महामात्यैर्महोदरशुकादिभिः । अल्पावशेषास्ते यक्षाः कृता वातैरिवाम्बुदाः ।। 7.14.16 ।।

taistu tatra mahāmātyairmahodaraśukādibhiḥ | alpāvaśeṣāste yakṣāḥ kṛtā vātairivāmbudāḥ || 7.14.16 ||

There, those Yakshas were reduced to a few remaining, like clouds scattered by winds, by those great ministers such as Mahodara and Shuka.

केचित्समाहता भग्नाः पतिताः समरक्षितौ । ओष्ठांश्च दशनैस्तीक्ष्णैरदशन्कुपिता रणे ।। 7.14.17 ।।

kecitsamāhatā bhagnāḥ patitāḥ samarakṣitau | oṣṭhāṃśca daśanaistīkṣṇairadaśankupitā raṇe || 7.14.17 ||

Some, struck down and defeated, fell on the battlefield, while others, enraged in battle, bit their lips with sharp teeth.

श्रान्ताश्चान्योन्यमालिङ्ग्य भ्रष्टशस्त्रा रणाजिरे । सीदन्ति च तदा यक्षाः कूला इव जलेन ह ।। 7.14.18 ।।

śrāntāścānyonyamāliṅgya bhraṣṭaśastrā raṇājire | sīdanti ca tadā yakṣāḥ kūlā iva jalena ha || 7.14.18 ||

Exhausted and with their weapons lost, the Yakshas then collapsed on the battlefield, embracing each other, like riverbanks eroded by water.

हतानां गच्छतां स्वर्गं युध्यतां पृथिवीतले । प्रेक्षतामृषिसङ्घानां न बभूवान्तरं दिवि ।। 7.14.19 ।।

hatānāṃ gacchatāṃ svargaṃ yudhyatāṃ pṛthivītale | prekṣatāmṛṣisaṅghānāṃ na babhūvāntaraṃ divi || 7.14.19 ||

There was no space left in the sky due to the multitude of those killed going to heaven, those fighting on earth, and the groups of sages watching.

भग्नांस्तु तान्समालक्ष्य यक्षेन्द्रांस्तु महाबलान् । धनाध्यक्षो महाबाहुः प्रेषयामास यक्षकान् ।। 7.14.20 ।।

bhagnāṃstu tānsamālakṣya yakṣendrāṃstu mahābalān | dhanādhyakṣo mahābāhuḥ preṣayāmāsa yakṣakān || 7.14.20 ||

Seeing those powerful Yaksha chiefs defeated, the mighty-armed Kubera, the lord of wealth, dispatched other Yakshas.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राम विस्तीर्णबलवाहनः । प्रेषितो न्यपतद्यक्षो नाम्ना संयोधकण्टकः ।। 7.14.21 ।।

etasminnantare rāma vistīrṇabalavāhanaḥ | preṣito nyapatadyakṣo nāmnā saṃyodhakaṇṭakaḥ || 7.14.21 ||

O Rama, at that very moment, a Yaksha named Samyodhakantaka, sent with a vast army and chariots, attacked.

तेन चक्रेण मारीचो विष्णुनेव रणे हतः । पतितो भूतले शैलात्क्षीणपुण्य इव ग्रहः ।। 7.14.22 ।।

tena cakreṇa mārīco viṣṇuneva raṇe hataḥ | patito bhūtale śailātkṣīṇapuṇya iva grahaḥ || 7.14.22 ||

Maricha was struck down in battle by that discus, as if by Vishnu, and fell to the earth like a planet whose merits are exhausted falling from a mountain.

ससञ्ज्ञस्तु मुहूर्तेन स विश्रम्य निशाचरः । तं यक्षं योधयामास स च भग्नः प्रदुद्रुवे ।। 7.14.23 ।।

sasañjñastu muhūrtena sa viśramya niśācaraḥ | taṃ yakṣaṃ yodhayāmāsa sa ca bhagnaḥ pradudruve || 7.14.23 ||

However, the night-wanderer Maricha regained consciousness in a moment, rested, and then fought that Yaksha, who was subsequently defeated and fled.

ततः काञ्चनचित्राङ्गं वैडूर्यरजसोक्षितम् । मर्यादां प्रतिहाराणां तोरणान्तरमाविशत् ।। 7.14.24 ।।

tataḥ kāñcanacitrāṅgaṃ vaiḍūryarajasokṣitam | maryādāṃ pratihārāṇāṃ toraṇāntaramāviśat || 7.14.24 ||

Then, he entered the archway, which was the boundary of the doorkeepers, adorned with gold and sprinkled with sapphire dust.

तं तु राजन्दशग्रीवं प्रविशन्तं निशाचरम् । सूर्यभानुरिति ख्यातो द्वारपालो न्यवारयत् ।। 7.14.25 ।।

taṃ tu rājandaśagrīvaṃ praviśantaṃ niśācaram | sūryabhānuriti khyāto dvārapālo nyavārayat || 7.14.25 ||

O King, the doorkeeper known as Suryabhanu obstructed that Dashagriva, the night-wanderer, as he was entering.

स वार्यमाणो यक्षेण प्रविवेश निशाचरः । यदा तु वारितो राम न व्यतिष्ठत्स राक्षसः ।। 7.14.26 ।।

sa vāryamāṇo yakṣeṇa praviveśa niśācaraḥ | yadā tu vārito rāma na vyatiṣṭhatsa rākṣasaḥ || 7.14.26 ||

Though obstructed by the Yaksha, the night-wanderer entered, and O Rama, when that demon was stopped, he did not halt.

ततस्तोरणमुत्पाट्य तेन यक्षेण ताडितः । रुधिरं प्रस्रवन्भाति शैलो धातुस्रवैरिव ।। 7.14.27 ।।

tatastoraṇamutpāṭya tena yakṣeṇa tāḍitaḥ | rudhiraṃ prasravanbhāti śailo dhātusravairiva || 7.14.27 ||

Then, having uprooted the archway, he was struck by that Yaksha, and with blood flowing, he appeared like a mountain with streams of minerals.

स शैलशिखराभेण तोरणेन समाहतः । जगाम न क्षतिं वीरो वरदानात्स्वयम्भुवः ।। 7.14.28 ।।

sa śailaśikharābheṇa toraṇena samāhataḥ | jagāma na kṣatiṃ vīro varadānātsvayambhuvaḥ || 7.14.28 ||

Though struck by the archway resembling a mountain peak, the hero suffered no harm due to the boon granted by Svayambhu (Brahma).

तेनैव तोरणेनाथ यक्षस्तेनाभिताडितः । नादृश्यत तदा यक्षो भस्मीकृततनुस्तदा ।। 7.14.29 ।।

tenaiva toraṇenātha yakṣastenābhitāḍitaḥ | nādṛśyata tadā yakṣo bhasmīkṛtatanustadā || 7.14.29 ||

The Yaksha, struck by Ravana with that very archway, was then not seen, his body having been reduced to ashes.

ततः प्रदुद्रुवुः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा रक्षःपराक्रमम् । ततो नदीर्गुहाश्चैव विविशुर्भयपीडिताः । त्यक्तप्रहरणाः श्रान्ता विवर्णवदनास्तदा ।। 7.14.30 ।।

tataḥ pradudruvuḥ sarve dṛṣṭvā rakṣaḥparākramam | tato nadīrguhāścaiva viviśurbhayapīḍitāḥ | tyaktapraharaṇāḥ śrāntā vivarṇavadanāstadā || 7.14.30 ||

Then, all of them fled, having witnessed the Rakshasa's prowess, and, afflicted by fear, exhausted, with pale faces, and having abandoned their weapons, they then entered rivers and caves. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुर्दशः सर्गः ।। 14 ।। Thus ends the fourteenth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.