Uttara Kanda, Sarga 21

एवं सञ्चिन्त्य विप्रेन्दो जगाम लघुविक्रमः । आख्यातुं तद्यथावृत्तं यमस्य सदनं प्रति ।। 7.21.1 ।।

evaṃ sañcintya viprendo jagāma laghuvikramaḥ | ākhyātuṃ tadyathāvṛttaṃ yamasya sadanaṃ prati || 7.21.1 ||

Having thus pondered, Narada, moving swiftly, went towards Yama's abode to narrate the events as they had transpired.

अपश्यत्स यमं तत्र देवमग्निपुरस्कृतम् । विधानमुपतिष्ठन्तं प्राणिनो यस्य यादृशम् ।। 7.21.2 ।।

apaśyatsa yamaṃ tatra devamagnipuraskṛtam | vidhānamupatiṣṭhantaṃ prāṇino yasya yādṛśam || 7.21.2 ||

There, Narada saw the god Yama, honored by fire, administering the fate of all beings as it was ordained for each.

स तु दृष्ट्वा यमः प्राप्तं महर्षिं तत्र नारदम् । अब्रवीत्सुखमासीनमर्घ्यमावेद्य धर्मतः ।। 7.21.3 ।।

sa tu dṛṣṭvā yamaḥ prāptaṃ maharṣiṃ tatra nāradam | abravītsukhamāsīnamarghyamāvedya dharmataḥ || 7.21.3 ||

Upon seeing the great sage Narada arrive there, Yama, having properly offered him a water offering and seated him comfortably, then spoke.

कच्चित्क्षेमं तु देवर्षे कच्चिद्धर्मो न नश्यति । किमागमनकृत्यं ते देवगन्धर्वसेवित ।। 7.21.4 ।।

kaccitkṣemaṃ tu devarṣe kacciddharmo na naśyati | kimāgamanakṛtyaṃ te devagandharvasevita || 7.21.4 ||

Yama asked, "O divine sage, is all well with you, and is dharma not perishing? What is the purpose of your visit, O one revered by gods and gandharvas?"

अब्रवीत्तु तदा वाक्यं नारदो भगवानृषिः । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि विधानं च विधीयताम् ।। 7.21.5 ।।

abravīttu tadā vākyaṃ nārado bhagavānṛṣiḥ | śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi vidhānaṃ ca vidhīyatām || 7.21.5 ||

Then, the revered sage Narada spoke these words: "Listen, I will tell you the plan, and let it be carried out."

एष नाम्नो दशग्रीवः पितृराज निशाचरः । उपयाति वशं नेतुं विक्रमैस्त्वां सुदुर्जयम् ।। 7.21.6 ।।

eṣa nāmno daśagrīvaḥ pitṛrāja niśācaraḥ | upayāti vaśaṃ netuṃ vikramaistvāṃ sudurjayam || 7.21.6 ||

O King of Pitrus, this demon named Dashagriva is approaching to bring you, who are very difficult to conquer, under his control through his valor.

एतेन कारणेनाहं त्वरितो ह्यागतः प्रभो । दण्डप्रहरणस्याद्य तव किं नु भविष्यति ।। 7.21.7 ।।

etena kāraṇenāhaṃ tvarito hyāgataḥ prabho | daṇḍapraharaṇasyādya tava kiṃ nu bhaviṣyati || 7.21.7 ||

O Lord, it is for this reason that I have quickly come; what will happen today to you, the wielder of the staff of punishment?

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दुरादंशुमन्तमिवोदितम् । ददृशुर्दीप्तमायान्तं विमानं तस्य रक्षसः ।। 7.21.8 ।।

etasminnantare durādaṃśumantamivoditam | dadṛśurdīptamāyāntaṃ vimānaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ || 7.21.8 ||

In the meantime, from afar, they saw the demon's radiant aerial chariot approaching, shining like the rising sun.

तं देशं प्रभया तस्य पुष्पकस्य महाबलः । कृत्वा वितिमिरं सर्वं समीपं सो ऽभ्यवर्तत ।। 7.21.9 ।।

taṃ deśaṃ prabhayā tasya puṣpakasya mahābalaḥ | kṛtvā vitimiraṃ sarvaṃ samīpaṃ so 'bhyavartata || 7.21.9 ||

The mighty one, Ravana, having illuminated the entire region with the radiance of his Pushpaka chariot, then approached that place.

सो ऽपश्यत्स महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवस्ततस्ततः । प्राणिनः सुकृतं कर्म भुञ्जानांश्चैव दुष्कृतम् ।। 7.21.10 ।।

so 'paśyatsa mahābāhurdaśagrīvastatastataḥ | prāṇinaḥ sukṛtaṃ karma bhuñjānāṃścaiva duṣkṛtam || 7.21.10 ||

The mighty-armed Dashagriva saw living beings everywhere experiencing the fruits of both their good and evil deeds.

अपश्यत्सैनिकांश्चास्य यमस्यानुचरैः सह । यमस्य पुरुषैरुग्रैर्घोररूपैर्भयानकैः ।। 7.21.11 ।।

apaśyatsainikāṃścāsya yamasyānucaraiḥ saha | yamasya puruṣairugrairghorarūpairbhayānakaiḥ || 7.21.11 ||

He also saw Yama's soldiers along with his fierce, dreadful, and terrifying attendants.

ददर्श वध्यमानांश्च क्लिश्यमानांश्च देहिनः । क्रोशतश्च महानादं तीव्रनिष्टनतत्परान् ।। 7.21.12 ।।

dadarśa vadhyamānāṃśca kliśyamānāṃśca dehinaḥ | krośataśca mahānādaṃ tīvraniṣṭanatatparān || 7.21.12 ||

He saw embodied beings being killed and tormented, crying out with a great cry and intent on intense wailing.

कृमिभिर्भक्ष्यमाणांश्च सारमेयैश्च दारुणैः ।। 7.21.13 ।।

kṛmibhirbhakṣyamāṇāṃśca sārameyaiśca dāruṇaiḥ || 7.21.13 ||

He saw them being devoured by worms and by fierce dogs.

क्षोत्रायासकरा वाचो वदतश्च भयावहाः । सन्तार्यमाणान्वैतरणीं बहुशः शोणितोदकाम् ।। 7.21.14 ।।

kṣotrāyāsakarā vāco vadataśca bhayāvahāḥ | santāryamāṇānvaitaraṇīṃ bahuśaḥ śoṇitodakām || 7.21.14 ||

He heard them uttering terrifying cries that caused distress to the ears, and saw them repeatedly being made to cross the Vaitarani river, whose waters were blood.

वालुकासु च तप्तासु तप्यमानान्मुहूर्मुहुः । असिपत्रवने चैव भिद्यमानानधार्मिकान् ।। 7.21.15 ।।

vālukāsu ca taptāsu tapyamānānmuhūrmuhuḥ | asipatravane caiva bhidyamānānadhārmikān || 7.21.15 ||

Ravana saw the unrighteous being tormented repeatedly in hot sands and cut in the forest of sword-leaves.

रौरवे क्षारनद्यां च क्षुरधारासु चैव हि । पानीयं याचमानांश्च तृषितान्क्षुधितानपि ।। 7.21.16 ।।

raurave kṣāranadyāṃ ca kṣuradhārāsu caiva hi | pānīyaṃ yācamānāṃśca tṛṣitānkṣudhitānapi || 7.21.16 ||

He also saw them in Raurava hell, in the caustic river, and on razor-sharp edges, begging for water while thirsty and hungry.

शवभूतान्कृशान्दीनान्विवर्णान्मुक्तमूर्धजान् । मलपङ्कधरान्दीनान्रूक्षांश्च परिधावतः ।। 7.21.17 ।।

śavabhūtānkṛśāndīnānvivarṇānmuktamūrdhajān | malapaṅkadharāndīnānrūkṣāṃśca paridhāvataḥ || 7.21.17 ||

These miserable beings appeared like corpses, emaciated, discolored, with disheveled hair, covered in dirt and mud, and were running around frantically.

ददर्श रावणो मार्गे शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः । कांश्चिच्च गृहमुख्येषु गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः । प्रमोदमानानद्राक्षीद्रावणः सुकृतैः स्वकैः ।। 7.21.18 ।।

dadarśa rāvaṇo mārge śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ | kāṃścicca gṛhamukhyeṣu gītavāditraniḥsvanaiḥ | pramodamānānadrākṣīdrāvaṇaḥ sukṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ || 7.21.18 ||

Ravana saw hundreds and thousands of such beings on his path, but he also saw others rejoicing in splendid houses with sounds of music and singing, enjoying the fruits of their own good deeds.

गौरसं गोप्रदातारो ह्यन्नं चैवान्नदायिनः । गृहांश्च गृहदातारः स्वकर्मफलमश्नतः ।। 7.21.19 ।।

gaurasaṃ gopradātāro hyannaṃ caivānnadāyinaḥ | gṛhāṃśca gṛhadātāraḥ svakarmaphalamaśnataḥ || 7.21.19 ||

Those who gave cows enjoyed milk products, givers of food enjoyed food, and givers of houses enjoyed houses, thus partaking in the fruits of their own good deeds.

सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताभिः प्रमदाभिरलङ्कृतान् ।। 7.21.20 ।।

suvarṇamaṇimuktābhiḥ pramadābhiralaṅkṛtān || 7.21.20 ||

This describes beings who were adorned by beautiful women with gold, gems, and pearls.

धार्मिकानपरांस्तत्र दीप्यमानान्स्वतेजसा । ददर्श सुमहाबाहू रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ।। 7.21.21 ।।

dhārmikānaparāṃstatra dīpyamānānsvatejasā | dadarśa sumahābāhū rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ || 7.21.21 ||

The very mighty-armed Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, saw other righteous beings there, shining with their own splendor.

ततस्तान्भिद्यमानांश्च कर्मभिर्दुष्कृतैः स्वकैः । रावणो मोचयामास विक्रमेण बलाद्बली ।। 7.21.22 ।।

tatastānbhidyamānāṃśca karmabhirduṣkṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ | rāvaṇo mocayāmāsa vikrameṇa balādbalī || 7.21.22 ||

Then, the powerful Ravana, by his valor and force, released those who were being tormented by their own evil deeds.

प्राणिनो मोचितास्तेन दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा । सुखमापुर्मुहूर्तं ते ह्यतर्कितमचिन्तितम् ।। 7.21.23 ।।

prāṇino mocitāstena daśagrīveṇa rakṣasā | sukhamāpurmuhūrtaṃ te hyatarkitamacintitam || 7.21.23 ||

The beings released by that Rakshasa Dashagriva indeed attained unexpected and unthought-of happiness for a moment.

प्रेतेषु मुच्यमानेषु राक्षसेन महीयसा । प्रेतगोपाः सुसङ्क्रुद्धा राक्षसेन्द्रमभिद्रवन् ।। 7.21.24 ।।

preteṣu mucyamāneṣu rākṣasena mahīyasā | pretagopāḥ susaṅkruddhā rākṣasendramabhidravan || 7.21.24 ||

When the dead were being released by the mighty Rakshasa, the guardians of the dead became very enraged and rushed towards the lord of Rakshasas.

ततो हलहलाशब्दः सर्वदिग्भ्यः समुत्थितः । धर्मराजस्य योधानां शूराणां सम्प्रधावताम् ।। 7.21.25 ।।

tato halahalāśabdaḥ sarvadigbhyaḥ samutthitaḥ | dharmarājasya yodhānāṃ śūrāṇāṃ sampradhāvatām || 7.21.25 ||

Then, a great tumultuous roar arose from all directions, made by the brave warriors of Yama who were charging forward.

ते प्रासैः परिघैः शूलैर्मुसलैः शक्तितोमरैः । पुष्पकं समवर्षन्त शूराः शतसहस्रशः ।। 7.21.26 ।।

te prāsaiḥ parighaiḥ śūlairmusalaiḥ śaktitomaraiḥ | puṣpakaṃ samavarṣanta śūrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ || 7.21.26 ||

Hundreds of thousands of those brave warriors showered the Pushpaka chariot with spears, iron clubs, lances, maces, javelins, and other missiles.

तस्यासनानि प्रासादान्वेदिकास्तोरणानि च । पुष्पकस्य बभञ्जुस्ते शीघ्रं मधुकरा इव ।। 7.21.27 ।।

tasyāsanāni prāsādānvedikāstoraṇāni ca | puṣpakasya babhañjuste śīghraṃ madhukarā iva || 7.21.27 ||

They quickly shattered the seats, palaces, platforms, and archways of the Pushpaka chariot, just like bees.

देवनिष्ठानभूतं तद्विमानं पुष्पकं मृधे । भज्यमानं तथैवासीदक्षयं ब्रह्मतेजसा ।। 7.21.28 ।।

devaniṣṭhānabhūtaṃ tadvimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ mṛdhe | bhajyamānaṃ tathaivāsīdakṣayaṃ brahmatejasā || 7.21.28 ||

Even though that divine Pushpaka aerial chariot, which was a dwelling place for gods, was being shattered in battle, it remained indestructible due to the power of Brahma.

असङ्ख्या सुमहत्यासीत्तस्य सेना महात्मनः । शूराणामग्रयातऽणां सहस्राणि शतानि च ।। 7.21.29 ।।

asaṅkhyā sumahatyāsīttasya senā mahātmanaḥ | śūrāṇāmagrayāta'ṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni ca || 7.21.29 ||

The army of that great-souled Yama was immeasurably vast, comprising hundreds and thousands of brave warriors leading the charge.

ततो वृक्षैश्च शैलैश्च प्रासादानां शतैस्तथा । ततस्ते सचिवास्तस्य यथाकामं यथाबलम् । अयुध्यन्त महावीराः स च राजा दशाननः ।। 7.21.30 ।।

tato vṛkṣaiśca śailaiśca prāsādānāṃ śataistathā | tataste sacivāstasya yathākāmaṃ yathābalam | ayudhyanta mahāvīrāḥ sa ca rājā daśānanaḥ || 7.21.30 ||

Then, those great heroic ministers of Ravana, along with King Dashanana himself, fought using trees, mountains, and hundreds of palaces, as they wished and according to their strength.

ते तु शोणितदिग्धाङ्गाः सर्वशस्त्रसमाहताः । अमात्या राक्षसेन्द्रस्य चक्रुरायोधनं महत् ।। 7.21.31 ।।

te tu śoṇitadigdhāṅgāḥ sarvaśastrasamāhatāḥ | amātyā rākṣasendrasya cakrurāyodhanaṃ mahat || 7.21.31 ||

Though their limbs were smeared with blood and they were struck by all sorts of weapons, those ministers of the Rakshasa king waged a great battle.

अन्योन्यं ते महाभागा जघ्नुः प्रहरणैर्भृशम् । यमस्य च महाबाहो रावणस्य च मन्त्रिणः ।। 7.21.32 ।।

anyonyaṃ te mahābhāgā jaghnuḥ praharaṇairbhṛśam | yamasya ca mahābāho rāvaṇasya ca mantriṇaḥ || 7.21.32 ||

O mighty-armed one, those great ministers of Yama and Ravana fiercely struck each other with their weapons.

अमात्यांस्तांस्तु सन्त्यज्य यमयोधा महाबलाः । तमेव चाभ्यधावन्त शूलवर्षैर्दशाननम् ।। 7.21.33 ।।

amātyāṃstāṃstu santyajya yamayodhā mahābalāḥ | tameva cābhyadhāvanta śūlavarṣairdaśānanam || 7.21.33 ||

The mighty warriors of Yama, abandoning those ministers, rushed directly towards Dashanana (Ravana) with showers of spears.

ततः शोणितदिग्धाङ्गः प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतः । फुल्लाशोक इवाभाति पुष्पके राक्षसाधिपः ।। 7.21.34 ।।

tataḥ śoṇitadigdhāṅgaḥ prahārairjarjarīkṛtaḥ | phullāśoka ivābhāti puṣpake rākṣasādhipaḥ || 7.21.34 ||

Then, the lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, with his limbs smeared with blood and wounded by the blows, appeared on his Pushpaka chariot like a blooming Ashoka tree.

स तु शूलगदापासाञ्छक्तितोमरसायकान् । मुसलानि शिलावृक्षान्मुमोचास्त्रबलाद्बली ।। 7.21.35 ।।

sa tu śūlagadāpāsāñchaktitomarasāyakān | musalāni śilāvṛkṣānmumocāstrabalādbalī || 7.21.35 ||

The powerful one indeed hurled spears, maces, nooses, shaktis, javelins, arrows, pestles, stones, and trees, empowered by his missile knowledge.

तरूणां च शिलानां च शस्त्राणां चातिदारुणम् । यमसैन्येषु तद्वर्षं पपात धरणीतले ।। 7.21.36 ।।

tarūṇāṃ ca śilānāṃ ca śastrāṇāṃ cātidāruṇam | yamasainyeṣu tadvarṣaṃ papāta dharaṇītale || 7.21.36 ||

That extremely terrible shower of trees, stones, and weapons fell upon Yama's armies on the surface of the earth.

तांस्तु सर्वान्विनिर्भिद्य तदस्त्रमपहत्य च । जघ्नुस्ते राक्षसं घोरमेकं शतसहस्रशः ।। 7.21.37 ।।

tāṃstu sarvānvinirbhidya tadastramapahatya ca | jaghnuste rākṣasaṃ ghoramekaṃ śatasahasraśaḥ || 7.21.37 ||

But having pierced through all those weapons and repelled that missile, Yama's soldiers, in hundreds of thousands, struck that single terrible demon.

परिवार्य च तं सर्वे शैलं मोघोत्करा इव । भिन्दिपालैश्च शूलैश्च निरुच्छ्वासमपोथयन् ।। 7.21.38 ।।

parivārya ca taṃ sarve śailaṃ moghotkarā iva | bhindipālaiśca śūlaiśca nirucchvāsamapothayan || 7.21.38 ||

And all of them, having surrounded him like dense clouds surrounding a mountain, crushed him with bhindipalas and spears until he was breathless.

विमुक्तकवचः क्रुद्धः सिक्तः शोणितविस्रवैः । ततः स पुष्पकं त्यक्त्वा पृथिव्यामवतिष्ठत ।। 7.21.39 ।।

vimuktakavacaḥ kruddhaḥ siktaḥ śoṇitavisravaiḥ | tataḥ sa puṣpakaṃ tyaktvā pṛthivyāmavatiṣṭhata || 7.21.39 ||

With his armor loosened, enraged, and drenched in streams of blood, he then abandoned the Pushpaka chariot and stood on the earth.

ततः स कार्मुकी वाणी समरे चाभिवर्तत । लब्धसञ्ज्ञो मुहूर्तेन क्रुद्धस्तस्थौ यथान्तकः ।। 7.21.40 ।।

tataḥ sa kārmukī vāṇī samare cābhivartata | labdhasañjño muhūrtena kruddhastasthau yathāntakaḥ || 7.21.40 ||

Then, the bow-wielding Indrajit, having regained consciousness in a moment, stood enraged in battle like the god of death.

ततः पाशुपतं दिव्यमस्त्रं सन्धाय कार्मुके । तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति तानुक्त्वा तच्चापं विचकर्ष स ।। 7.21.41 ।।

tataḥ pāśupataṃ divyamastraṃ sandhāya kārmuke | tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti tānuktvā taccāpaṃ vicakarṣa sa || 7.21.41 ||

Then, he fixed the divine Pāśupata weapon on his bow, and having told them "Stop! Stop!", he drew that bow.

आकर्णात्स विकृष्याथ चापमिन्द्रारिराहवे । मुमोच तं शरं क्रुद्धस्त्रिपुरे शङ्करो यथा ।। 7.21.42 ।।

ākarṇātsa vikṛṣyātha cāpamindrārirāhave | mumoca taṃ śaraṃ kruddhastripure śaṅkaro yathā || 7.21.42 ||

Then, Indrajit, the enemy of Indra, enraged in battle, drew his bow up to his ear and released that arrow, just as Shiva did at Tripura.

तस्य रूपं शरस्यासीत्विधूमज्वालमण्डलम् । वनं दहिष्यतो घर्मे दावाग्नेरिव मूर्च्छतः ।। 7.21.43 ।।

tasya rūpaṃ śarasyāsītvidhūmajvālamaṇḍalam | vanaṃ dahiṣyato gharme dāvāgneriva mūrcchataḥ || 7.21.43 ||

The form of that arrow was a smokeless circle of flames, like a raging forest fire intensifying in summer, about to consume a forest.

ज्वालामाली स तु शरः क्रव्यादानुगतो रणे । मुक्तो गुल्मान्द्रुमांश्चापि भस्म कृत्वा प्रधावति ।। 7.21.44 ।।

jvālāmālī sa tu śaraḥ kravyādānugato raṇe | mukto gulmāndrumāṃścāpi bhasma kṛtvā pradhāvati || 7.21.44 ||

That arrow, wreathed in flames and followed by flesh-eating demons, once released in battle, rushed forward, turning bushes and even trees into ashes.

ते तस्य तेजसा दग्धाः सैन्या वैवस्वतस्य तु । रणे तस्मिन्निपतिता दावदग्धा नगा इव ।। 7.21.45 ।।

te tasya tejasā dagdhāḥ sainyā vaivasvatasya tu | raṇe tasminnipatitā dāvadagdhā nagā iva || 7.21.45 ||

Yama's armies, burnt by the enemy's power in that battle, fell down like trees consumed by a forest fire.

ततस्तु सिचवैः सार्धं राक्षसो भीमविक्रमः । ननाद सुमहानादं कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम् ।। 7.21.46 ।।

tatastu sicavaiḥ sārdhaṃ rākṣaso bhīmavikramaḥ | nanāda sumahānādaṃ kampayanniva medinīm || 7.21.46 ||

Then, the demon of terrible prowess, Ravana, along with his attendants, let out a very great roar, as if shaking the earth. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः ।। 21 ।। Thus ends the twenty-first sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.