Uttara Kanda, Sarga 31

ततो रामो महातेजा विस्मयात्पुनरेव हि । उवाच प्रणतो वाक्यमगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम् ।। 7.31.1 ।।

tato rāmo mahātejā vismayātpunareva hi | uvāca praṇato vākyamagastyamṛṣisattamam || 7.31.1 ||

Then, the greatly effulgent Rama, filled with wonder, again spoke words to Agastya, the best among sages, bowing down to him.

भगवन्राक्षसः क्रूरो यदाप्रभृति मेदिनीम् । पर्यटत्किं तदा लोकाः शून्या आसन्द्विजोत्तम ।। 7.31.2 ।।

bhagavanrākṣasaḥ krūro yadāprabhṛti medinīm | paryaṭatkiṃ tadā lokāḥ śūnyā āsandvijottama || 7.31.2 ||

O revered one, O best among Brahmins, when that cruel demon roamed the earth, were the worlds then empty of people?

राजा वा राजमात्रो वा किं तदा नात्र कश्चन । धर्षणं यत्र न प्राप्तो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः ।। 7.31.3 ।।

rājā vā rājamātro vā kiṃ tadā nātra kaścana | dharṣaṇaṃ yatra na prāpto rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ || 7.31.3 ||

Or was there no king or king's equal then, where Ravana, the lord of demons, did not meet with defeat or humiliation?

उताहो हतवीर्यास्ते बभूवुः पृथिवीक्षितः । बहिष्कृता वरास्त्रैश्च बहवो निर्जिता नृपाः ।। 7.31.4 ।।

utāho hatavīryāste babhūvuḥ pṛthivīkṣitaḥ | bahiṣkṛtā varāstraiśca bahavo nirjitā nṛpāḥ || 7.31.4 ||

Or perhaps those kings became devoid of valor, and many rulers were conquered and deprived of their excellent weapons.

राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ह्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः । उवाच रामं प्रहसन्पितामह इवेश्वरम् ।। 7.31.5 ।।

rāghavasya vacaḥ śrutvā hyagastyo bhagavānṛṣiḥ | uvāca rāmaṃ prahasanpitāmaha iveśvaram || 7.31.5 ||

Having heard the words of Rama, the revered sage Agastya, laughing, spoke to Rama as Brahma would speak to the Lord.

इत्येवं बाधमानस्तु पार्थिवान्पार्थिवर्षभ । चचार रावणो राम पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते ।। 7.31.6 ।।

ityevaṃ bādhamānastu pārthivānpārthivarṣabha | cacāra rāvaṇo rāma pṛthivīṃ pṛthivīpate || 7.31.6 ||

O Rama, O best of kings, O lord of the earth, Ravana thus indeed roamed the earth, oppressing kings.

ततो माहिष्मतीं नाम पुरीं स्वर्गपुरीप्रभाम् । सम्प्राप्तो यत्र सान्निध्यं सदासीद्वसुरेतसः ।। 7.31.7 ।।

tato māhiṣmatīṃ nāma purīṃ svargapurīprabhām | samprāpto yatra sānnidhyaṃ sadāsīdvasuretasaḥ || 7.31.7 ||

Then he reached the city named Mahishmati, which shone like a celestial city, and where the presence of Vasuretasa (Agni) always resided.

तुल्य आसीन्नृपस्तस्य प्रभावाद्वसुरेतसः । अर्जुनो नाम यत्राग्निः शरकुण्डेशयः सदा ।। 7.31.8 ।।

tulya āsīnnṛpastasya prabhāvādvasuretasaḥ | arjuno nāma yatrāgniḥ śarakuṇḍeśayaḥ sadā || 7.31.8 ||

Its king, named Arjuna, was equal in might to Vasuretasa (Agni), where Agni always resided, known as Sharakuṇḍeśaya.

तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ हैहयाधिपतिर्बली । अर्जुनो नर्मदां रन्तुं गतः स्त्रीभिः सहेश्वरः ।। 7.31.9 ।।

tameva divasaṃ so 'tha haihayādhipatirbalī | arjuno narmadāṃ rantuṃ gataḥ strībhiḥ saheśvaraḥ || 7.31.9 ||

On that very day, the powerful lord of the Haihayas, Arjuna, had gone to the Narmada river with his wives to sport.

तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ रावणस्तत्र आगतः । रावणो राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तस्यामात्यानपृच्छत ।। 7.31.10 ।।

tameva divasaṃ so 'tha rāvaṇastatra āgataḥ | rāvaṇo rākṣasendrastu tasyāmātyānapṛcchata || 7.31.10 ||

On that very day, Ravana arrived there, and the lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, then inquired of his ministers.

क्वार्जुनो नृपतिः शीघ्रं सम्यगाख्यातुमर्हथ । रावणो ऽहमनुप्राप्तो युद्धेप्सुर्नृवरेण ह । ममागमनमप्यग्रे युष्माभिः सन्निवेद्यताम् ।। 7.31.11 ।।

kvārjuno nṛpatiḥ śīghraṃ samyagākhyātumarhatha | rāvaṇo 'hamanuprāpto yuddhepsurnṛvareṇa ha | mamāgamanamapyagre yuṣmābhiḥ sannivedyatām || 7.31.11 ||

Ravana asks Arjuna's attendants to quickly and properly inform him of Arjuna's whereabouts, declaring his own arrival as Ravana, desirous of battle with the best of men, and instructing them to announce his presence to the king.

इत्येवं रावणेनोक्तास्ते ऽमात्याः सुविपश्चितः । अब्रुवन्राक्षसपतिमसान्निध्यं महीपतेः ।। 7.31.12 ।।

ityevaṃ rāvaṇenoktāste 'mātyāḥ suvipaścitaḥ | abruvanrākṣasapatimasānnidhyaṃ mahīpateḥ || 7.31.12 ||

Thus addressed by Ravana, those very wise ministers informed the lord of Rakshasas about the king's absence.

श्रुत्वा विश्रवसः पुत्रः पौराणामर्जुनं गतम् । अपसृत्यागतो विन्ध्यं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् ।। 7.31.13 ।।

śrutvā viśravasaḥ putraḥ paurāṇāmarjunaṃ gatam | apasṛtyāgato vindhyaṃ himavatsannibhaṃ girim || 7.31.13 ||

Having heard from the citizens that Arjuna had departed, Ravana, the son of Vishravas, also departed and came to the Vindhya mountain, which resembled the Himalayas.

स तमभ्रमिवाविष्टमुद्भ्रन्तमिव मेदिनीम् । अपश्यद्रावणो विन्ध्यमालिखन्तमिवाम्बरम् ।। 7.31.14 ।।

sa tamabhramivāviṣṭamudbhrantamiva medinīm | apaśyadrāvaṇo vindhyamālikhantamivāmbaram || 7.31.14 ||

Ravana saw that Vindhya mountain, which seemed to pervade the clouds and bewilder the earth, as if it were scratching the sky.

सहस्रशिखरोपेतं सिंहाध्युषितकन्दरम् । प्रपातपतितैस्तोयैः साट्टहासमिवाम्बुधिम् ।। 7.31.15 ।।

sahasraśikharopetaṃ siṃhādhyuṣitakandaram | prapātapatitaistoyaiḥ sāṭṭahāsamivāmbudhim || 7.31.15 ||

He saw the mountain endowed with a thousand peaks, its caves inhabited by lions, and its waters falling from waterfalls, resembling the ocean with its loud laughter.

देवदानवगन्धर्वैः साप्सरोगणकिन्नरैः । स्वस्त्रीभिः क्रीडमानैश्च स्वर्गभूतं महोच्छ्रयम् ।। 7.31.16 ।।

devadānavagandharvaiḥ sāpsarogaṇakinnaraiḥ | svastrībhiḥ krīḍamānaiśca svargabhūtaṃ mahocchrayam || 7.31.16 ||

The mountain, of immense height, appeared like heaven itself, with gods, demons, gandharvas, apsaras, and kinnaras playing there with their wives.

नदीभिः स्यन्दमानाभिः स्फटिकप्रतिमं जलम् । फणाभिश्चलजिह्वाभिरनन्तमिव विष्ठितम् ।। 7.31.17 ।।

nadībhiḥ syandamānābhiḥ sphaṭikapratimaṃ jalam | phaṇābhiścalajihvābhiranantamiva viṣṭhitam || 7.31.17 ||

The mountain was pervaded by crystal-clear water from flowing rivers, and appeared as if Ananta, the serpent god with his hoods and flickering tongues, had spread himself across it.

उत्क्रामन्तं दरीवन्तं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् । पश्यमानस्ततो विन्ध्यं रावणो नर्मदां ययौ ।। 7.31.18 ।।

utkrāmantaṃ darīvantaṃ himavatsannibhaṃ girim | paśyamānastato vindhyaṃ rāvaṇo narmadāṃ yayau || 7.31.18 ||

Ravana, after observing the Vindhya mountain, which rose high, possessed many caves, and resembled the Himalayas, then proceeded to the Narmada river.

चलोपलजलां पुण्यां पश्चिमोदधिगामिनीम् ।। 7.31.19 ।।

calopalajalāṃ puṇyāṃ paścimodadhigāminīm || 7.31.19 ||

Ravana went to the Narmada river, which was sacred, had water agitated by moving pebbles, and flowed towards the western ocean.

महिषैः सृमरैः सिंहैः शार्दूलर्क्षगजोत्तमैः । उष्णाभितप्तैस्तृषितैः सङ्क्षोभितजलाशयाम् ।। 7.31.20 ।।

mahiṣaiḥ sṛmaraiḥ siṃhaiḥ śārdūlarkṣagajottamaiḥ | uṣṇābhitaptaistṛṣitaiḥ saṅkṣobhitajalāśayām || 7.31.20 ||

The Narmada's waters were agitated by buffaloes, sṛmara deer, lions, tigers, bears, and magnificent elephants, all of whom were tormented by the heat and seeking to quench their thirst.

चक्रवाकैः सकारण्डैः सहंसजलकुक्कुटैः । सारसैश्च सदा मत्तैः सुकूजद्भिः समावृताम् ।। 7.31.21 ।।

cakravākaiḥ sakāraṇḍaiḥ sahaṃsajalakukkuṭaiḥ | sārasaiśca sadā mattaiḥ sukūjadbhiḥ samāvṛtām || 7.31.21 ||

The river was surrounded by chakravaka birds, karanda ducks, swans, water-hens, and sarasa cranes, all always joyful and sweetly cooing.

फुल्लद्रुमकृतोत्तंसां चक्रवाकयुगस्तनीम् । विस्तीर्णपुलिनश्रोणीं हंसावलिसुमेखलाम् ।। 7.31.22 ।।

phulladrumakṛtottaṃsāṃ cakravākayugastanīm | vistīrṇapulinaśroṇīṃ haṃsāvalisumekhalām || 7.31.22 ||

The river was adorned with blooming trees like head-ornaments, pairs of chakravaka birds like breasts, wide sandbanks like hips, and rows of swans like a beautiful girdle.

पुष्परेण्वनुलिप्ताङ्गीं जलफेनामलांशुकाम् । जलावगाहसंस्पर्शां फुल्लोत्पलशुभेक्षणाम् । पुष्पकादवरुह्याशु नर्मदां सरितां वराम् ।। 7.31.23 ।।

puṣpareṇvanuliptāṅgīṃ jalaphenāmalāṃśukām | jalāvagāhasaṃsparśāṃ phullotpalaśubhekṣaṇām | puṣpakādavaruhyāśu narmadāṃ saritāṃ varām || 7.31.23 ||

With her body smeared with pollen, pure water foam as her garment, a refreshing touch like a bath, and auspicious eyes like blooming lotuses, Ravana quickly descended from the Pushpaka to the Narmada, the best of rivers.

इष्टामिव वरां नारीमवगाह्य दशाननः । स तस्याः पुलिने रम्ये नानामुनिनिषेविते ।। 7.31.24 ।।

iṣṭāmiva varāṃ nārīmavagāhya daśānanaḥ | sa tasyāḥ puline ramye nānāmuniniṣevite || 7.31.24 ||

Ravana, having entered the Narmada as if embracing a beloved woman, then sat on her beautiful sandbank, which was frequented by various sages.

उपोपविष्टैः सचिवैः सार्धं राक्षसपुङ्गवः । प्रख्याय नर्मदां सो ऽथ गङ्गेयमिति रावणः ।। 7.31.25 ।।

upopaviṣṭaiḥ sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ rākṣasapuṅgavaḥ | prakhyāya narmadāṃ so 'tha gaṅgeyamiti rāvaṇaḥ || 7.31.25 ||

The foremost of rakshasas, Ravana, then sat with his ministers who were seated nearby, mistakenly declaring the Narmada to be the Ganga.

नर्मदादर्शजं हर्षमाप्तवान् राक्षसाधिपः । उवाच सचिवांस्तत्र सलीलं शुकसारणौ ।। 7.31.26 ।।

narmadādarśajaṃ harṣamāptavān rākṣasādhipaḥ | uvāca sacivāṃstatra salīlaṃ śukasāraṇau || 7.31.26 ||

The lord of rakshasas, having experienced joy from seeing the Narmada, playfully spoke to his ministers Shuka and Sarana there.

एष रश्मिसहस्रेण जगत्कृत्वैव काञ्चनम् । तीक्ष्णतापकरः सूर्यो नभसो ऽर्धं समाश्रितः ।। 7.31.27 ।।

eṣa raśmisahasreṇa jagatkṛtvaiva kāñcanam | tīkṣṇatāpakaraḥ sūryo nabhaso 'rdhaṃ samāśritaḥ || 7.31.27 ||

This sun, having made the world golden with its thousand rays and causing intense heat, has indeed reached the middle of the sky.

मामासीनं विदित्वैव चन्द्रायति दिवाकरः ।। 7.31.28 ।।

māmāsīnaṃ viditvaiva candrāyati divākaraḥ || 7.31.28 ||

The sun, knowing that I am seated here, indeed acts like the moon (becomes cool).

नर्मदाजलशीतश्च सुगन्धिः श्रमनाशनः । मद्भयादनिलो ऽप्यत्र वात्येष सुसमाहितः ।। 7.31.29 ।।

narmadājalaśītaśca sugandhiḥ śramanāśanaḥ | madbhayādanilo 'pyatra vātyeṣa susamāhitaḥ || 7.31.29 ||

Even this wind, cool with the Narmada's water, fragrant, and a destroyer of fatigue, blows here very carefully out of fear of me.

इयं वापि सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा नर्मदा नर्मवर्धिनी । नक्रमीनविहङ्गोर्मिः सभयेवाङ्गना स्थिता ।। 7.31.30 ।।

iyaṃ vāpi saricchreṣṭhā narmadā narmavardhinī | nakramīnavihaṅgormiḥ sabhayevāṅganā sthitā || 7.31.30 ||

This Narmada, the best of rivers and increaser of joy, with its crocodiles, fish, birds, and waves, stands as if a frightened woman.

तद्भवन्तः क्षताः शस्त्रैर्नृपैरिन्द्रसमैर्युधि । चन्दनस्य रसेनेव रुधिरेण समुक्षिताः ।। 7.31.31 ।।

tadbhavantaḥ kṣatāḥ śastrairnṛpairindrasamairyudhi | candanasya raseneva rudhireṇa samukṣitāḥ || 7.31.31 ||

Therefore, you, who were wounded in battle by kings equal to Indra, are drenched in blood as if with sandalwood paste.

ते यूयमवगाहध्वं नर्मदां शर्मदां शुभाम् । महापद्ममुखा मत्ता गङ्गामिव गहागजाः । अस्यां स्नात्वा महानद्यां पाप्मानं विप्रमोक्ष्यथ ।। 7.31.32 ।।

te yūyamavagāhadhvaṃ narmadāṃ śarmadāṃ śubhām | mahāpadmamukhā mattā gaṅgāmiva gahāgajāḥ | asyāṃ snātvā mahānadyāṃ pāpmānaṃ vipramokṣyatha || 7.31.32 ||

You should plunge into the auspicious and joy-giving Narmada river, just as rutting wild elephants led by Mahapadma plunge into the Ganga, and by bathing in this great river, you will be freed from sin.

अहमप्यद्य पुलिने शरदिन्दुसमप्रभे । पुष्पोपहारं शनकैः करिष्यामि कपर्दिनः ।। 7.31.33 ।।

ahamapyadya puline śaradindusamaprabhe | puṣpopahāraṃ śanakaiḥ kariṣyāmi kapardinaḥ || 7.31.33 ||

I also will gently make a flower offering to Kapardin (Shiva) today on the sandbank, which shines like the autumn moon.

रावणेनैवमुक्तास्तु प्रहस्तशुकसारणाः । समहोदरधूम्राक्षा नर्मदां विजगाहिरे ।। 7.31.34 ।।

rāvaṇenaivamuktāstu prahastaśukasāraṇāḥ | samahodaradhūmrākṣā narmadāṃ vijagāhire || 7.31.34 ||

Thus addressed by Ravana, Prahasta, Shuka, Sarana, along with Mahodara and Dhumraksha, plunged into the Narmada river.

राक्षसेन्द्रगजैस्तैस्तु क्षोभिता नर्मदा नदी । वामनाञ्जनपद्माद्यैर्गङ्गा इव महागजैः ।। 7.31.35 ।।

rākṣasendragajaistaistu kṣobhitā narmadā nadī | vāmanāñjanapadmādyairgaṅgā iva mahāgajaiḥ || 7.31.35 ||

The Narmada river was agitated by those chief Rakshasas, who were like great elephants, just as the Ganga is disturbed by great elephants like Vamana, Anjana, and Padma.

ततस्ते राक्षसाः स्नात्वा नर्मदायां महाबलाः । उत्तीर्य पुष्पाण्याजह्रुर्बल्यर्थं रावणस्य तु ।। 7.31.36 ।।

tataste rākṣasāḥ snātvā narmadāyāṃ mahābalāḥ | uttīrya puṣpāṇyājahrurbalyarthaṃ rāvaṇasya tu || 7.31.36 ||

Then, those mighty Rākṣasas, having bathed in the Narmada and emerged from the water, brought flowers for Ravana's offering.

नर्मदापुलिने हृद्ये शुभ्राभ्रसदृशप्रभे । राक्षसैस्तु मुहूर्तेन कृतः पुष्पमयो गिरिः ।। 7.31.37 ।।

narmadāpuline hṛdye śubhrābhrasadṛśaprabhe | rākṣasaistu muhūrtena kṛtaḥ puṣpamayo giriḥ || 7.31.37 ||

On the charming sandbank of the Narmada, which shone like a white cloud, the Rākṣasas swiftly created a mountain of flowers in a moment.

पुष्पेषूपहृतेष्वेवं रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । अवतीर्णो नदीं स्नातुं गङ्गामिव महागजः ।। 7.31.38 ।।

puṣpeṣūpahṛteṣvevaṃ rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ | avatīrṇo nadīṃ snātuṃ gaṅgāmiva mahāgajaḥ || 7.31.38 ||

When the flowers were thus brought, Ravana, the lord of Rākṣasas, descended into the river to bathe, just like a great elephant entering the Ganga.

तत्र स्नात्वा च विधिवज्जप्त्वा जप्यमनुत्तमम् । नर्मदासलिलात्तस्मादुत्ततार स रावणः ।। 7.31.39 ।।

tatra snātvā ca vidhivajjaptvā japyamanuttamam | narmadāsalilāttasmāduttatāra sa rāvaṇaḥ || 7.31.39 ||

Having bathed there according to ritual and recited the excellent mantra, that Ravana then emerged from the waters of the Narmada.

ततः क्लिन्नाम्बरं त्यक्त्वा शुक्लवस्त्रसमावृतम् । रावणं प्राञ्जलिं यान्तमन्वयुः सर्वराक्षसाः ।। 7.31.40 ।।

tataḥ klinnāmbaraṃ tyaktvā śuklavastrasamāvṛtam | rāvaṇaṃ prāñjaliṃ yāntamanvayuḥ sarvarākṣasāḥ || 7.31.40 ||

Then, having discarded his wet garment and now clad in white, Ravana proceeded with folded hands, followed by all the Rākṣasas.

तद्गतीवशमापन्ना मूर्तिमन्त इवाचलाः । यत्र यत्र च याति स्म रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः । जाम्बूनदमयं लिङ्गं तत्र तत्र स्म नीयते ।। 7.31.41 ।।

tadgatīvaśamāpannā mūrtimanta ivācalāḥ | yatra yatra ca yāti sma rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ | jāmbūnadamayaṃ liṅgaṃ tatra tatra sma nīyate || 7.31.41 ||

Wherever Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, went, the golden Shiva Lingam, as if an embodied mountain that had come under the sway of his movement, was carried along with him.

वालुकावेदिमध्ये तु तल्लिङ्गं स्थाप्य रावणः । अर्चयामास गन्धैश्च पुष्पैश्चामृतगन्धिभिः ।। 7.31.42 ।।

vālukāvedimadhye tu talliṅgaṃ sthāpya rāvaṇaḥ | arcayāmāsa gandhaiśca puṣpaiścāmṛtagandhibhiḥ || 7.31.42 ||

Ravana placed that Lingam in the middle of a sand altar and worshipped it with fragrant substances and flowers that smelled like nectar.

ततः सतामार्तिहरं परं वरं वरप्रदं चन्द्रमयूखभूषणम् । समर्चयित्वा स निशाचरो जगौ प्रसार्य हस्तान्प्रणनर्त चाग्रतः ।। 7.31.43 ।।

tataḥ satāmārtiharaṃ paraṃ varaṃ varapradaṃ candramayūkhabhūṣaṇam | samarcayitvā sa niśācaro jagau prasārya hastānpraṇanarta cāgrataḥ || 7.31.43 ||

Then, having worshipped Shiva, who removes the distress of the virtuous, is the supreme boon, grants boons, and is adorned with the moon's rays, Ravana, the night-wanderer, sang and danced in front of the deity with outstretched hands. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः ।। 31 ।। Thus ends the thirty-first sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.