---
title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 23"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-23"
lang: "en"
---

# Aranya Kanda, Sarga 23

> तत्प्रयातं बलं घोरमशिवं शोणितोदकम्।  
> अभ्यवर्षन्महाघोरस्तुमुलो गर्दभारुणः॥ १॥

As the aforesaid dreadful army marched on, an exceptionally terrible cloud greyish in colour like a donkey showered inauspicious blood-red water. (1)

> निपेतुस्तुरगास्तस्य रथयुक्ता महाजवाः।  
> समे पुष्पचिते देशे राजमार्गे यदृच्छया॥ २॥

The horses possessed of great speed yoked to his chariot fell down by accident on the highway on the level ground strewn with flowers. (2)

> श्यामं रुधिरपर्यन्तं बभूव परिवेषणम्।  
> अलातचक्रप्रतिमं प्रतिगृह्य दिवाकरम्॥ ३॥

Round the sun there appeared a darkish red-edged halo looking like a revolving firebrand. (3)

> ततो ध्वजमुपागम्य हेमदण्डं समुच्छ्रितम्।  
> समाक्रम्य महाकायस्तस्थौ गृध्रः सुदारुणः॥ ४॥

Approaching the standard raised high on a golden pole, a gigantic and most frightful vulture settled on it. (4)

> जनस्थानसमीपे च समाक्रम्य खरस्वनाः।  
> विस्वरान् विविधान् नादान् मांसादा मृगपक्षिणः॥ ५॥  
> व्याजह्रुरभिदीप्तायां दिशि वै भैरवस्वनम्।  
> अशिवं यातुधानानां शिवा घोरा महास्वनाः॥ ६॥

Reaching the precincts of Janasthāna, carnivorous beasts and birds uttering shrill cries raised various discordant notes and in the sun-lit quarter terrible jackals making a great noise uttered a frightful yell foreboding ill luck to the ogres. (5-6)

> प्रभिन्नगजसंकाशास्तोयशोणितधारिणः।  
> आकाशं तदनाकाशं चक्रुर्भीमाम्बुवाहकाः॥ ७॥

Fearful clouds carrying blood in the form of water and looking like elephants in rut screened the heavens. (7)

> बभूव तिमिरं घोरमुद्धतं रोमहर्षणम्।  
> दिशो वा प्रदिशो वापि सुव्यक्तं न चकाशिरे॥ ८॥

A fearful and thick darkness that caused the hair to stand prevailed. Neither the quarters nor the intermediate points were clearly discernible. (8)

> क्षतजार्द्रसवर्णाभा संध्या कालं विना बभौ।  
> खरं चाभिमुखं नेदुस्तदा घोरा मृगाः खगाः॥ ९॥

Evening shades resembling a canopy drenched with blood fell before time and frightful beasts and birds cried at that time facing Khara. (9)

> कङ्कगोमायुगृध्राश्च चुक्रुशुर्भयशंसिनः।  
> नित्याशिवकरा युद्धे शिवा घोरनिदर्शनाः॥ १०॥  
> नेदुर्बलस्याभिमुखं ज्वालोद्गारिभिराननैः।  
> कबन्धः परिघाभासो दृश्यते भास्करान्तिके॥ ११॥

Foreboding danger, buzzards, jackals and vultures uttered shrill notes; and female jackals invariably bringing disaster in war and presenting a terrible aspect shrieked with their mouths vomitting flames. Again, a headless human figure resembling an iron club appeared near the sun. (10-11)

> जग्राह सूर्यं स्वर्भानुरपर्वणि महाग्रहः।  
> प्रवाति मारुतः शीघ्रं निष्प्रभोऽभूद् दिवाकरः॥ १२॥

The great planet Rāhu (now identified with the shadow of the earth) obscured the sun even when there was no time for it; the wind blew violently and the sun became lustreless. (12)

> उत्पेतुश्च विना रात्रिं ताराः खद्योतसप्रभाः।  
> संलीनमीनविहगा नलिन्यः शुष्कपङ्कजाः॥ १३॥

Stars flashing like fire-flies appeared even when there was no night. Lotus-ponds found their lotuses withered and their fishes and aquatic birds hidden in its depths. (13)

> तस्मिन् क्षणे बभूवुश्च विना पुष्पफलैर्द्रुमाः।  
> उद्धूतश्च विना वातं रेणुर्जलधरारुणः॥ १४॥

At that moment, the trees were bereft of their blossom and fruit, and dust, greyish as the cloud, arose even without wind. (14)

> चीचीकूचीति वाश्यन्त्यो बभूवुस्तत्र सारिकाः।  
> उल्काश्चापि सनिर्घोषा निपेतुर्घोरदर्शनाः॥ १५॥

Minas started warbling in that region and even meteors, presenting a terrible aspect, descended with a crash. (15)

> प्रचचाल मही चापि सशैलवनकानना।  
> खरस्य च रथस्थस्य नर्दमानस्य धीमतः॥ १६॥  
> प्राकम्पत भुजः सव्यः स्वरश्चास्यावसज्जत।  
> सास्रा सम्पद्यते दृष्टिः पश्यमानस्य सर्वतः॥ १७॥

Nay, the earth with its mountains, forests and woodlands violently shook. Again, while the wise Khara was thundering in his chariot, his left arm throbbed violently and voice grew faint. While he was looking around, his vision got bedimmed with tears. (16-17)

> ललाटे च रुजो जाता न च मोहान्न्यवर्तत।  
> तान् समीक्ष्य महोत्पातानुत्थितान् रोमहर्षणान्॥ १८॥  
> अब्रवीद् राक्षसान् सर्वान् प्रहसन् स खरस्तदा।  
> महोत्पातानिमान् सर्वानुत्थितान् घोरदर्शनान्॥ १९॥  
> न चिन्तयाम्यहं वीर्याद् बलवान् दुर्बलानिव।  
> तारा अपि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पातयेयं नभस्तलात्॥ २०॥

A pain also arose in his forehead, yet he did not give up his folly. Observing those stunning evil portents of a stirring nature sprung up at that moment, and laughing loudly, the celebrated Khara said to all the ogres (constituting his army), “Banking on my strength I do not care for all these stupendous evil portents sprung up, even though they are terrible to look at, any more than a powerful man does for weaklings. With my sharp arrows I can even shoot down the stars from the heavens.(18—20)

> मृत्युं मरणधर्मेण संक्रुद्धो योजयाम्यहम्।  
> राघवं तं बलोत्सिक्तं भ्रातरं चापि लक्ष्मणम्॥ २१॥  
> अहत्वा सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नोपावर्तितुमुत्सहे।  
> यन्निमित्तं तु रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य विपर्ययः॥ २२॥  
> सकामा भगिनी मेऽस्तु पीत्वा तु रुधिरं तयोः।  
> न क्वचित् प्राप्तपूर्वो मे संयुगेषु पराजयः॥ २३॥

“Highly enraged I shall invest Death himself with mortal nature. I dare not return without killing with my sharp arrows the celebrated Rāma, a scion of Raghu, proud of his strength, and his brother Lakṣmaṇa, too. “Let my sister, Śūrpaṇakhā, with reference to whom a wrong act has been done by Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, will have her desire fulfilled by drinking their blood. A defeat has never been faced by me on the fields of battle. (21—23)

> युष्माकमेतत् प्रत्यक्षं नानृतं कथयाम्यहम्।  
> देवराजमपि क्रुद्धो मत्तैरावतगामिनम्॥ २४॥  
> वज्रहस्तं रणे हन्यां किं पुनस्तौ च मानवौ।  
> सा तस्य गर्जितं श्रुत्वा राक्षसानां महाचमूः॥ २५॥  
> प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मृत्युपाशावपाशिता।  
> समेयुश्च महात्मानो युद्धदर्शनकांक्षिणः॥ २६॥  
> ऋषयो देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च सह चारणैः।  
> समेत्य चोचुः सहितास्तेऽन्योन्यं पुण्यकर्मणः॥ २७॥

“This is evident to you. I am not telling a lie. Enraged in battle I can make short work even of Indra, the lord of celestials, riding on the mad Airāvata, holding the thunderbolt in his hand, to say nothing of these two mortals.” Hearing his roar, that huge army of ogres, caught as it was in the noose of Death, derived joy that knew no parallel. Longing to witness the encounter, high-souled Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras), gods and Gandharvas (celestial musicians) as well as Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth) alongwith Cāraṇas (celestial bards) assembled there and, meeting together, the aforesaid beings of meritorious deeds, who were friendly to all, spoke to one another as follows : (24—27)

> स्वस्ति गोब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तु लोकानां ये च सम्मताः।  
> जयतां राघवो युद्धे पौलस्त्यान् रजनीचरान्॥ २८॥  
> चक्रहस्तो यथा विष्णुः सर्वानसुरसत्तमान्।  
> एतच्चान्यच्च बहुशो ब्रुवाणाः परमर्षयः॥ २९॥  
> जातकौतूहलास्तत्र विमानस्थाश्च देवताः।  
> ददृशुर्वाहिनीं तेषां राक्षसानां गतायुषाम्॥ ३०॥

“May all be well with the cows and the Brāhmaṇas as well as with those who are highly esteemed by the people. Even as Lord Viṣṇu, holding the discus in His hand, conquered all the foremost of demons, may Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, conquer the ogres born in the line of Sage Pulastya.” Speaking as aforesaid and saying many other such things, the greatest of Ṛṣis as well as gods seated in their aerial cars, in whom curiosity had sprung up, beheld there the army of those ogres, the sands of whose life had already run out. (28—30)

> रथेन तु खरो वेगात् सैन्यस्याग्राद् विनिःसृतः।  
> श्येनगामी पृथुग्रीवो यज्ञशत्रुर्विहंगमः॥ ३१॥  
> दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः।  
> हेममाली महामाली सर्पास्यो रुधिराशनः॥ ३२॥  
> द्वादशैते महावीर्याः प्रतस्थुरभितः खरम्।  
> महाकपालः स्थूलाक्षः प्रमाथस्त्रिशिरास्तथा।  
> चत्वार एते सेनाग्रे दूषणं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयुः॥ ३३॥

Khara for his part hurriedly rode in his chariot beyond his army; while Śyenagāmī, Pṛthugrīva, Yajñaśatru, Vihangama, Durjaya, Karavīrākṣa, Paruṣa, Kālakārmuka, Hemamālī, Mahāmālī, Sarpāsya and Rudhirāśana—these twelve, who were possessed of great prowess, marched round about Khara. Mahākapāla, Sthūlākṣa, Pramatha and Triśirā—these four followed at the heels of Dūṣaṇa at the head of the army. (31—33)

> सा भीमवेगा समराभिकांक्षिणी  
> सुदारुणा राक्षसवीरसेना।  
> तौ राजपुत्रौ सहसाभ्युपेता  
> माला ग्रहाणामिव चन्द्रसूर्यौ॥ ३४॥

Eagerly seeking a combat, that most formidable army of Rākṣasa warriors, possessed as it was with terrible impetuosity, suddenly approached those two princes like a group of planets rushing towards the moon and the sun. (34)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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