Bala Kanda, Sarga 30

Meaning

Now the two princes, who knew what is appropriate at a particular time and place and were also aware of the kind of words that should be spoken at a particular time and place and who were capable of subduing the enemy, addressed the following words to Viśwāmitra, a scion of Kuśa : (1)

Meaning

“O venerable sage, we both should like to hear at what particular moment of time the two ogres, Mārīca and Subāhu, have to be guarded against by us. That moment should not escape unnoticed.” (2)

Meaning

Full of delight, all those hermits who were present there on that occasion applauded the two princes, descended in the line of Kakutstha, who spoke as aforesaid, impatient because of their eagerness to fight with the demons. (3)

Meaning

They replied on behalf of the Ṛṣi : “From this day onward keep you vigil for six days and nights continuously, O scions of Raghu ! We tell you this because this sage, Viśwāmitra, has already gone through the rite of consecration and will observe strict silence all these days as he is doing even now.” (4)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid answer made by the hermits the two illustrious princes for their part guarded the grove hallowed by austerities for six days and nights continuously without even a wink of sleep. (5)

Meaning

Full of vigilance and armed with exquisite bows, the two heroes, capable as they were of subduing the enemy, kept by the side of Viśwāmitra, the foremost of sages, and guarded him as well as his sacrifice. (6)

Meaning

Now as time rolled on (five days had elapsed) and the sixth day (night), the most important on which the Soma juice is extracted, arrived, Śrī Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa, “Be prepared for a tussle and be vigilant.” (7)

Meaning

Even as Śrī Rāma, who was impatient because of his eagerness to fight with the Rākṣasas, spoke as aforesaid, the fire at the sacrificial altar at once blazed forth in the presence of the Brahmā, the superintending priest viz., Viśwāmitra and the other priests officiating at the sacrifice. (8)

Meaning

The fire at the altar, which was distinguished by the presence of the sacred Kuśa grass, a Camasa (a wooden vessel, generally of a square shape and furnished with a handle, used at sacrifices for drinking the Soma juice), a Sruk (a sort of large wooden ladle used for pouring clarified butter on a sacrificial fire and properly made of Palāśa or Khadira wood and about as long as an arm, with a receptacle at the end of the size of a hand), pieces of firewood and heaps of flowers for decoration and worship and was surrounded by Viśwāmitra and the other priests—blazed forth all of a sudden, heralding the onslaught of the Rākṣasas. (9)

Meaning

The sacrificial performance in question duly proceeded, accompanied by the recitation of sacred texts and presently there arose a loud and fearful clamour in the sky. (10)

Meaning

Just as a cloud appears during the monsoon, enveloping the sky, the two Rākṣasas, Mārīca and Subāhu, swooped down upon the sacrificial altar spreading their Māyā (sorcery). They as well as their followers of terrible aspect presently arrived and rained torrents of blood as well as of flesh, pus and so on. (11-12)

Meaning

Clearly perceiving the altar in question drenched with that shower of blood, Śrī Rāma ran forth at once to discover the cause and presently beheld the ogres in the air. (13)

Meaning

Seeing the two Rākṣasas rushing headlong towards him, the lotus-eyed Rāma for his part gazed at Lakṣmaṇa and spoke the following words to him : (14)

Meaning

“Look here, O Lakṣmaṇa, I shall scatter the wicked Rākṣasas, that feed on raw flesh, by means of the Mānavāstra, the missile presided over by Swāyambhuva Manu, as clouds are dispersed by the wind: there is no doubt about it. I do not feel inclined to kill them as they are destined to survive for some more years.” Having made this observation, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who was full of agility, put to his bow the most excellent and supremely effulgent missile presided over by Manu, and hurled it most angrily at the breast of Mārīca. (15—17)

Meaning

Forcibly hit with that highly excellent missile presided over by Manu, the ogre was flung in mid ocean, a distance of full one hundred Yojanas (eight hundred miles). (18)

Meaning

Seeing Mārīca thrown away reeling and struck senseless by the force of Śīteṣu, the missile presided over by Manu, Śrī Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa, “Behold, O Lakṣmaṇa, the power of Śīteṣu, the missile presided over and tried by Manu ! It has removed the demon to such a long distance having rendered him senseless; still the fellow has not been deprived of his life. (19-20)

Meaning

“I shall get rid of the other blood sucking Rākṣasas too, who are merciless and wicked, are given to sinful deeds and interfere with the performance of sacrifices.” (21)

Meaning

Having spoken to Lakṣmaṇa as aforesaid and showing his agility as it were, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) quickly invoked the most excellent missile presided over by the god of fire and hurled it at the breast of Subāhu and, pierced by it, the latter fell dead on the ground. Invoking the missile presided over by the wind-god, the highly illustrious and extremely large-hearted Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) threw away the rest at a distance, bringing joy thereby to all the sages. (22-23)

Meaning

Having got rid in this way of all the Rākṣasas that interfered with the performance of sacrifices, Śrī Rāma was honoured in that holy retreat by the Ṛṣis even as Indra was felicitated in the past on his victory scored over demons. (24)

Meaning

The sacrificial proceedings having been brought to a close, the great sage Viśwāmitra for his part forthwith spoke to Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) as follows on seeing the quarters rid of all pests : (25)

Meaning

“I stand accomplished of my purpose, O mighty-armed and highly illustrious hero, in that the bidding of your preceptor (in me) has been carried out by you. Nay, the name of this Siddhāśrama too has been justified.” Having applauded Śrī Rāma as aforesaid, he offered prayers to the evening twilight alongwith the two brothers. (26)