Uttara Kanda, Sarga 20

ततो वित्रासयन्मर्त्यान्पृथिव्यां राक्षसाधिपः । आससाद घने तस्मिन्नारदं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। 7.20.1 ।।

tato vitrāsayanmartyānpṛthivyāṃ rākṣasādhipaḥ | āsasāda ghane tasminnāradaṃ munipuṅgavam || 7.20.1 ||

Then, the lord of demons, terrifying mortals on earth, met Narada, the foremost among sages, in that dense region.

तस्याभिवादनं कृत्वा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । अब्रवीत्कुशलं पृष्ट्वा हेतुमागमनस्य च ।। 7.20.2 ।।

tasyābhivādanaṃ kṛtvā daśagrīvo niśācaraḥ | abravītkuśalaṃ pṛṣṭvā hetumāgamanasya ca || 7.20.2 ||

Having offered his salutations, Dashagriva, the night-wanderer, spoke after inquiring about his well-being and the reason for his arrival.

नारदस्तु महातेजा देवर्षिरमितप्रभः । अब्रवीन्मेघपृष्ठस्थो रावणं पुष्पके स्थितम् ।। 7.20.3 ।।

nāradastu mahātejā devarṣiramitaprabhaḥ | abravīnmeghapṛṣṭhastho rāvaṇaṃ puṣpake sthitam || 7.20.3 ||

The divine sage Narada, of immense splendor and effulgence, spoke to Ravana, who was seated in the Pushpaka chariot, while Narada himself was positioned on a cloud-top.

राक्षसाधिपते सौम्य तिष्ठ विश्रवसः सुत । प्रीतो ऽस्म्यभिजनोपेतविक्रमैरूर्जितैस्तव ।। 7.20.4 ।।

rākṣasādhipate saumya tiṣṭha viśravasaḥ suta | prīto 'smyabhijanopetavikramairūrjitaistava || 7.20.4 ||

"O gentle lord of Rakshasas, son of Vishravas, stop," Narada said, "I am pleased by your mighty valor, which is befitting your noble lineage."

विष्णुना दैत्यघातैश्च गन्धर्वोरगधर्षणैः । त्वया समं विमर्दैश्च भृशं हि परितोषितः ।। 7.20.5 ।।

viṣṇunā daityaghātaiśca gandharvoragadharṣaṇaiḥ | tvayā samaṃ vimardaiśca bhṛśaṃ hi paritoṣitaḥ || 7.20.5 ||

I am indeed greatly pleased by your battles, which are comparable to Vishnu's slaying of demons and your subjugation of Gandharvas and Uragas.

किंचिद्वक्ष्यामि तावत्ते श्रोतव्यं श्रोष्यसे यदि । श्रुत्वा चानन्तरं कार्यं त्वया राक्षससत्तम । तन्मे निगदतस्तात समाधिं श्रवणे कुरु ।। 7.20.6 ।।

kiṃcidvakṣyāmi tāvatte śrotavyaṃ śroṣyase yadi | śrutvā cānantaraṃ kāryaṃ tvayā rākṣasasattama | tanme nigadatastāta samādhiṃ śravaṇe kuru || 7.20.6 ||

I will first tell you something that should be heard, if you are willing to listen, and after hearing it, you, O best of Rakshasas, must act upon it; therefore, O dear one, pay close attention to my words.

किमयं वध्यते तात त्वया ऽवध्येन दैवतैः । हत एव ह्ययं लोको यदा मृत्युवशं गतः ।। 7.20.7 ।। ्तम ।

kimayaṃ vadhyate tāta tvayā 'vadhyena daivataiḥ | hata eva hyayaṃ loko yadā mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ || 7.20.7 || ्tama |

O dear one, why do you kill this world, which is already destined to die and cannot be killed by the gods, when it is already under the sway of death?

देवदानवदैत्यानां यक्षगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । अवध्येन त्वया लोकः क्लेष्टुं युक्तो न मानुषः ।। 7.20.8 ।।

devadānavadaityānāṃ yakṣagandharvarakṣasām | avadhyena tvayā lokaḥ kleṣṭuṃ yukto na mānuṣaḥ || 7.20.8 ||

It is not proper for you, who are invincible to gods, danavas, daityas, yakshas, gandharvas, and rakshasas, to torment the human world.

नित्यं श्रेयसि सम्मूढं महद्भिर्व्यसनैर्वृतम् । हन्यात्कस्तादृशं लोकं जराव्याधिशतैर्युतम् ।। 7.20.9 ।।

nityaṃ śreyasi sammūḍhaṃ mahadbhirvyasanairvṛtam | hanyātkastādṛśaṃ lokaṃ jarāvyādhiśatairyutam || 7.20.9 ||

Who would kill such people who are constantly bewildered about their welfare, surrounded by great misfortunes, and afflicted by hundreds of old age and diseases?

तैस्तैरनिष्टोपगमैरजस्रं यत्र कुत्र कः । मतिमान्मानुषे लोके युद्धेन प्रणयी भवेत् ।। 7.20.10 ।।

taistairaniṣṭopagamairajasraṃ yatra kutra kaḥ | matimānmānuṣe loke yuddhena praṇayī bhavet || 7.20.10 ||

Who among the intelligent would be fond of war in the human world, which is constantly afflicted by various undesirable occurrences everywhere?

क्षीयमाणं दैवहतं श्रुत्पिपासाजरादिभिः । विषादशोकसम्मूढं लोकं त्वं क्षपयस्व मा ।। 7.20.11 ।।

kṣīyamāṇaṃ daivahataṃ śrutpipāsājarādibhiḥ | viṣādaśokasammūḍhaṃ lokaṃ tvaṃ kṣapayasva mā || 7.20.11 ||

Do not you destroy the human world, which is already wasting away, struck by fate, afflicted by hunger, thirst, old age, and other miseries, and bewildered by dejection and sorrow.

पश्य तावन्महाबाहो राक्षसेश्वर मानुषम् । मूढमेवं विचित्रार्थं यस्य न ज्ञायते गतिः ।। 7.20.12 ।।

paśya tāvanmahābāho rākṣaseśvara mānuṣam | mūḍhamevaṃ vicitrārthaṃ yasya na jñāyate gatiḥ || 7.20.12 ||

O mighty-armed lord of Rakshasas, just behold the human being, who is so foolish and whose strange nature or destiny is not truly known.

क्वचिद्वादित्रनृत्यादि सेव्यते मुदितैर्जनैः । रुद्यते चापरैरार्तैर्धाराश्रुनयनाननैः ।। 7.20.13 ।।

kvacidvāditranṛtyādi sevyate muditairjanaiḥ | rudyate cāparairārtairdhārāśrunayanānanaiḥ || 7.20.13 ||

At times, joyful people engage in music and dance, while at other times, distressed individuals weep with faces and eyes streaming with tears.

मातापितृसुतस्नेहैर्भार्याबन्धुमनोरमैः । मोहितो ऽयं जनो ध्वस्तः क्लेशं स्वं नावबुध्यते ।। 7.20.14 ।।

mātāpitṛsutasnehairbhāryābandhumanoramaiḥ | mohito 'yaṃ jano dhvastaḥ kleśaṃ svaṃ nāvabudhyate || 7.20.14 ||

Deluded by affection for parents, children, charming wives, and relatives, this afflicted person does not comprehend his own suffering.

अलमेनं परिक्लिश्य लोकं मोहनिराकृतम् । जित एव त्वया सौम्य मर्त्यलोको न संशयः ।। 7.20.15 ।।

alamenaṃ parikliśya lokaṃ mohanirākṛtam | jita eva tvayā saumya martyaloko na saṃśayaḥ || 7.20.15 ||

Enough of tormenting this world, which is already overcome by delusion; O gentle one, the mortal world has indeed been conquered by you, there is no doubt about it.

अवश्यमेभिः सर्वैश्च गन्तव्यं यमसादनम् । तन्निगृह्णीष्व पौलस्त्य यमं परपुरञ्जय ।। 7.20.16 ।।

avaśyamebhiḥ sarvaiśca gantavyaṃ yamasādanam | tannigṛhṇīṣva paulastya yamaṃ parapurañjaya || 7.20.16 ||

All these beings must inevitably go to the abode of Yama, therefore, O son of Pulastya, O conqueror of enemy cities, subdue Yama himself.

तस्मिञ्जिते जितं सर्वं भवत्येव न संशयः । एवमुक्तस्तु लङ्केशो दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा । अब्रवीन्नारदं तत्र सम्प्रहस्याभिवाद्य च ।। 7.20.17 ।।

tasmiñjite jitaṃ sarvaṃ bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ | evamuktastu laṅkeśo dīpyamānaṃ svatejasā | abravīnnāradaṃ tatra samprahasyābhivādya ca || 7.20.17 ||

When Yama is conquered, everything is indeed conquered, there is no doubt; thus addressed, the lord of Lanka, shining with his own splendor, then spoke to Narada, having laughed heartily and saluted him.

महर्षे देवगन्धर्वविहार समरप्रिय । अहं समुद्यतो गन्तुं विजयार्थं रसातलम् ।। 7.20.18 ।।

maharṣe devagandharvavihāra samarapriya | ahaṃ samudyato gantuṃ vijayārthaṃ rasātalam || 7.20.18 ||

Ravana addresses the sage, declaring his readiness to descend to Rasatala for conquest.

ततो लोकत्रयं जित्वा स्थाप्य नागान्सुरान्वशे । समुद्रममृतार्थं च मथिष्यामि रसालयम् ।। 7.20.19 ।।

tato lokatrayaṃ jitvā sthāpya nāgānsurānvaśe | samudramamṛtārthaṃ ca mathiṣyāmi rasālayam || 7.20.19 ||

Ravana further states that after conquering the three worlds and subjugating the Nagas and gods, he will churn the ocean for nectar.

अथाब्रवीदृशग्रीवं नारदो भगवानृषिः । क्व खल्विदानीं मार्गेण त्वया ह्यन्येन गम्यते ।। 7.20.20 ।।

athābravīdṛśagrīvaṃ nārado bhagavānṛṣiḥ | kva khalvidānīṃ mārgeṇa tvayā hyanyena gamyate || 7.20.20 ||

Then, the divine sage Narada asked Ravana, "By which path are you indeed going now?"

अयं खलु सुदुर्गम्यः प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति । मार्गो गच्छति दुर्धर्षो यमस्यामित्रकर्शन ।। 7.20.21 ।।

ayaṃ khalu sudurgamyaḥ pretarājapuraṃ prati | mārgo gacchati durdharṣo yamasyāmitrakarśana || 7.20.21 ||

Narada warns Ravana that this path, O tormentor of enemies, is indeed very difficult to traverse and leads to the formidable city of Yama, the king of the dead.

स तु शारदमेघाभं हासं मुक्त्वा दशाननः । उवाच कृतमित्येव वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। 7.20.22 ।।

sa tu śāradameghābhaṃ hāsaṃ muktvā daśānanaḥ | uvāca kṛtamityeva vacanaṃ cedamabravīt || 7.20.22 ||

Dashanana, however, let out a laugh resembling an autumn cloud and then spoke these words, saying, "It is done."

तस्मादेवमहं ब्रह्मन् वैवस्वतवधोद्यतः । गच्छामि दक्षिणामाशां यत्र सूर्यात्मजो नृपः ।। 7.20.23 ।।

tasmādevamahaṃ brahman vaivasvatavadhodyataḥ | gacchāmi dakṣiṇāmāśāṃ yatra sūryātmajo nṛpaḥ || 7.20.23 ||

Therefore, O Brahmana, being thus intent on slaying Vaivasvata (Yama), I proceed to the southern direction where the son of Surya, the king (Yama), resides.

मया हि भगवन्क्रोधात्प्रतिज्ञातं रणार्थिना । अवजेष्यामि चतुरो लोकपालानिति प्रभो ।। 7.20.24 ।।

mayā hi bhagavankrodhātpratijñātaṃ raṇārthinā | avajeṣyāmi caturo lokapālāniti prabho || 7.20.24 ||

Indeed, O revered one, I, desirous of battle, have vowed in my anger, "I shall conquer the four guardians of the world, O lord."

तदिह प्रस्थितो ऽहं वै प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति । प्राणिसङ्क्लेशकर्तारं योजयिष्यामि मृत्युना ।। 7.20.25 ।।

tadiha prasthito 'haṃ vai pretarājapuraṃ prati | prāṇisaṅkleśakartāraṃ yojayiṣyāmi mṛtyunā || 7.20.25 ||

Therefore, I have now indeed set out towards the city of the king of the dead, and I shall unite with death the one who causes distress to living beings.

एवमुक्त्वा दशग्रीवो मुनिं तमभिवाद्य च । प्रययौ दक्षिणामाशां प्रविष्टः सह मन्त्रिभिः ।। 7.20.26 ।।

evamuktvā daśagrīvo muniṃ tamabhivādya ca | prayayau dakṣiṇāmāśāṃ praviṣṭaḥ saha mantribhiḥ || 7.20.26 ||

Having thus spoken and saluted that sage, Dashagriva (Ravana) departed towards the southern direction, accompanied by his ministers.

नारदस्तु महातेजा मुहूर्तं ध्यानमास्थितः । चिन्तयामास विप्रेन्द्रो विधूम इव पावकः ।। 7.20.27 ।।

nāradastu mahātejā muhūrtaṃ dhyānamāsthitaḥ | cintayāmāsa viprendro vidhūma iva pāvakaḥ || 7.20.27 ||

But the greatly effulgent Narada, the chief among Brahmanas, having assumed meditation for a moment, pondered like a smokeless fire.

येन लोकास्त्रयः सेन्द्राः क्लिश्यन्ते सचराचराः । क्षीणे चायुषि धर्मेण स कालो जेष्यते कथम् ।। 7.20.28 ।।

yena lokāstrayaḥ sendrāḥ kliśyante sacarācarāḥ | kṣīṇe cāyuṣi dharmeṇa sa kālo jeṣyate katham || 7.20.28 ||

How can that Time, by whom the three worlds including Indra and all animate and inanimate beings are tormented, and by whose law life itself is exhausted, ever be conquered?

स्वदत्तकृतसाक्षी यो द्वितीय इव पावकः । लब्धसञ्ज्ञा विजेष्यन्ते लोका यस्य महात्मनः ।। 7.20.29 ।।

svadattakṛtasākṣī yo dvitīya iva pāvakaḥ | labdhasañjñā vijeṣyante lokā yasya mahātmanaḥ || 7.20.29 ||

How can one conquer that great being (Yama), who is a witness to all deeds, like a second fire, and by whom all conscious beings in the worlds are eventually overcome?

यस्य नित्यं त्रयो लोका विद्रवन्ति भयार्दिताः । तं कथं राक्षसेन्द्रो ऽसौ स्वयमेव गमिष्यति ।। 7.20.30 ।।

yasya nityaṃ trayo lokā vidravanti bhayārditāḥ | taṃ kathaṃ rākṣasendro 'sau svayameva gamiṣyati || 7.20.30 ||

How can this king of Rakshasas (Ravana) personally go to conquer him, from whom the three worlds always flee, tormented by fear?

यो विधाता च धाता च सुकृतं दुष्कृतं तथा । त्रैलोक्यं विजितं येन तं कथं विजयिष्यते ।। 7.20.31 ।।

yo vidhātā ca dhātā ca sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ tathā | trailokyaṃ vijitaṃ yena taṃ kathaṃ vijayiṣyate || 7.20.31 ||

How will he conquer him who is the ordainer and sustainer of both good and bad deeds, and by whom the three worlds are already subdued?

अपरं किन्तु कृत्वायं विधानं संविधास्यति । कौतूहलसमुत्पन्नो यास्यामि यमसादनम् ।। 7.20.32 ।।

aparaṃ kintu kṛtvāyaṃ vidhānaṃ saṃvidhāsyati | kautūhalasamutpanno yāsyāmi yamasādanam || 7.20.32 ||

What other plan will this Ravana make after this, but filled with curiosity, I myself will go to the abode of Yama.

विमर्दं द्रष्टुमनयोर्यमराक्षसयोः स्वयम् ।। 7.20.33 ।।

vimardaṃ draṣṭumanayoryamarākṣasayoḥ svayam || 7.20.33 ||

He himself wished to witness the conflict between Yama and the Rakshasa. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे विंशः सर्गः ।। 20 ।। Thus ends the twentieth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.