Uttara Kanda, Sarga 19
अथ जित्वा मरुत्तं स प्रययौ राक्षसाधिपः। नगराणि नरेन्द्राणां युद्धकाङ्क्षी दशाननः॥ १॥
Meaning
Having conquered Marutta, and thirsting for combat, the notorious Daśānana, the suzerain lord of the Rākṣasas, now sought the capital cities of kings. (1)
समासाद्य तु राजेन्द्रान् महेन्द्रवरुणोपमान्। अब्रवीद् राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु युद्धं मे दीयतामिति॥ २॥ निर्जिताः स्मेति वा ब्रूत एष मे हि सुनिश्चयः। अन्यथा कुर्वतामेवं मोक्षो नैवोपपद्यते॥ ३॥
Meaning
Approaching the King of kings, who compared with the mighty Indra (the ruler of gods) and Varuṇa (the god presiding over the waters), Rāvaṇa (the ruler of ogres) actually said to them: “Give me battle or declare that you are defeated. This is my ultimatum to you. No escape is possible for those who act otherwise.” (2-3)
ततस्त्वभीरवः प्राज्ञाः पार्थिवा धर्मनिश्चयाः। मन्त्रयित्वा ततोऽन्योन्यं राजानः सुमहाबलाः॥ ४॥ निर्जिताः स्मेत्यभाषन्त ज्ञात्वा वरबलं रिपोः। दुष्यन्तः सुरथो गाधिर्गयो राजा पुरूरवाः॥ ५॥ एते सर्वेऽब्रुवंस्तात निर्जिताः स्मेति पार्थिवाः। अथायोध्यां समासाद्य रावणो राक्षसाधिपः॥ ६॥ सुगुप्तामनरण्येन शक्रेणेवामरावतीम्। स तं पुरुषशार्दूलं पुरंदरसमं बले॥ ७॥ प्राह राजानमासाद्य युद्धं देहीति रावणः। निर्जितोऽस्मीति वा ब्रूहि त्वमेवं मम शासनम्॥ ८॥
Meaning
Consulting one another, the kings for their part, though fearless, highly intelligent, exceedingly mighty and pious of resolve, and recognizing the enemy’s strength which he had derived from boons, then admitted that they stood defeated. Duṣyanta, Suratha, Gādhi, Gaya and King Purūravā—all these monarchs, O beloved Rāma, said, ‘We are defeated.’ Then, duly reaching Ayodhyā, well-protected by Anaraṇya, as Amarāvatī is by Indra, and approaching the monarch, who was a tiger among men and equal to Indra in might, the notorious Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of the Rākṣasas, said to him, “Give me fight or say ‘I stand defeated.’ Such is my mandate.” (4—8)
अयोध्याधिपतिस्तस्य श्रुत्वा पापात्मनो वचः। अनरण्यस्तु संक्रुद्धो राक्षसेन्द्रमथाब्रवीत्॥ ९॥
Meaning
Enraged to hear the command of that sinful-minded fellow, Anaraṇya, the king of Ayodhyā, now said to the king of the Rākṣasas: (9)
दीयते द्वन्द्वयुद्धं ते राक्षसाधिपते मया। संतिष्ठ क्षिप्रमायत्तो भव चैवं भवाम्यहम्॥ १०॥
Meaning
“O king of the Rākṣasas, I allow you to fight a duel with me, tarry awhile and get ready quickly; I am also getting ready.” (10)
अथ पूर्वं श्रुतार्थेन निर्जितं सुमहद् बलम्। निष्क्रामत् तन्नरेन्द्रस्य बलं रक्षोवधोद्यतम्॥ ११॥
Meaning
Since Anaraṇya had previous information, he had gathered a huge force. Intent on killing the Rākṣasa, the said army of the king sallied forth. (11)
नागानां दशसाहस्रं वाजिनां नियुतं तथा। रथानां बहुसाहस्रं पत्तीनां च नरोत्तम॥ १२॥ महीं संछाद्य निष्क्रान्तं सपदातिरथं रणे। ततः प्रवृत्तं सुमहद् युद्धं युद्धविशारद॥ १३॥ अनरण्यस्य नृपते राक्षसेन्द्रस्य चाद्भुतम्। तद् रावणबलं प्राप्य बलं तस्य महीपतेः॥ १४॥ प्राणश्यत तदा सर्वं हव्यं हुतमिवानले। युद्ध्वा च सुचिरं कालं कृत्वा विक्रममुत्तमम्॥ १५॥ प्रज्वलन्तं तमासाद्य क्षिप्रमेवावशेषितम्। प्राविशत् संकुलं तत्र शलभा इव पावकम्॥ १६॥
Meaning
O jewel among men, ten thousand elephants and a lakh of horses, nay, several thousands of chariots as well as of foot-soldiers then came out on the battlefield, entirely covering the land, inclusive of foot-soldiers and chariots. Then ensued, O warrior skilled in warfare, a very fierce battle between King Anaraṇya, and the king of the Rākṣasas. Encountering the forces of Rāvaṇa, and having fought for a pretty long time and exhibited supreme valour, the entire army of that ruler of the earth was fully consumed like oblations poured into a sacrificial fire. Attenuated in no time on coming in contact with the inflamed Rāvaṇa, the army perished in a body like moths on entering fire. (12—16)
सोऽपश्यत् तन्नरेन्द्रस्तु नश्यमानं महाबलम्। महार्णवं समासाद्य वनापगशतं यथा॥ १७॥
Meaning
That aforesaid monarch, for his part saw that huge army perishing like hundreds of streams full of water disappearing on reaching the ocean. (17)
ततः शक्रधनुःप्रख्यं धनुर्विस्फारयन् स्वयम्। आससाद नरेन्द्रस्तं रावणं क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥ १८॥
Meaning
Then beside himself with rage and twanging his bow, resembling the bow of Indra, the king came up to the notorious Rāvaṇa. (18)
अनरण्येन तेऽमात्या मारीचशुकसारणाः। प्रहस्तसहिता भग्ना व्यद्रवन्त मृगा इव॥ १९॥
Meaning
The said ministers, Mārīca, Śuka and Sāraṇa alongwith Prahasta, were badly beaten by Anaraṇya and fled like deer. (19)
ततो बाणशतान्यष्टौ पातयामास मूर्धनि। तस्य राक्षसराजस्य इक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनः॥ २०॥
Meaning
Thereupon Anaraṇya (the delight of Ikṣwāku’s race) shot eight hundred arrows on the head of the king of the Rākṣasas. (20)
तस्य बाणाः पतन्तस्ते चक्रिरे न क्षतं क्वचित्। वारिधारा इवाभ्रेभ्यः पतन्त्यो गिरिमूर्धनि॥ २१॥
Meaning
Though falling on the head of Rāvaṇa, the aforesaid arrows of Anaraṇya did not cause any injury anywhere any more than torrents of water falling from clouds on the top of a hill. (21)
ततो राक्षसराजेन क्रुद्धेन नृपतिस्तदा। तलेनाभिहतो मूर्ध्नि स रथान्निपपात ह॥ २२॥
Meaning
Then, struck on the head by the enraged king of the Rākṣasas with his palm, the aforesaid king fell from the chariot: so the tradition goes. (22)
स राजा पतितो भूमौ विह्वलः प्रविवेपितः। वज्रदग्ध इवारण्ये सालो निपतितो यथा॥ २३॥
Meaning
Confused and completely shaken, the said king fell on the ground like a sal tree struck by lightning in a forest. (23)
तं प्रहस्याब्रवीद् रक्ष इक्ष्वाकुं पृथिवीपतिम्। किमिदानीं फलं प्राप्तं त्वया मां प्रति युध्यता॥ २४॥
Meaning
Making fun of that ruler of Ikṣwāku’s dynasty, Rāvaṇa said, “What have you gained by encountering me, on this occasion? (24)
त्रैलोक्ये नास्ति यो द्वन्द्वं मम दद्यान्नराधिप। शङ्के प्रसक्तो भोगेषु न शृणोषि बलं मम॥ २५॥
Meaning
“There is none in all the three worlds who can give battle to me, O Lord of men! Deeply addicted (as you were) to sense-enjoyments, I imagine, you did not hear of my might.” (25)
तस्यैवं ब्रुवतो राजा मन्दासुर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्। किं शक्यमिह कर्तुं वै कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः॥ २६॥
Meaning
To him who was speaking thus, the king, whose life was sinking, replied as follows: “What can be done by me now? For, death is inviolable, indeed. (26)
नह्यहं निर्जितो रक्षस्त्वया चात्मप्रशंसिना। कालेनैव विपन्नोऽहं हेतुभूतस्तु मे भवान्॥ २७॥
Meaning
“Surely, I have not been vanquished by you, O ogre, who are indulging in self-praise; I stand destroyed by Fate alone and you are a mere instrument in the hands of Death. (27)
किं त्विदानीं मया शक्यं कर्तुं प्राणपरिक्षये। नह्यहं विमुखी रक्षो युद्ध्यमानस्त्वया हतः॥ २८॥
Meaning
“What can be done by me precisely at this moment when my life is coming to an end? Thank God, I have not been averse to fighting, O ogre, and have been killed while fighting. (28)
इक्ष्वाकुपरिभावित्वाद् वचो वक्ष्यामि राक्षस। यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं यदि मे सुकृतं तपः। यदि गुप्ताः प्रजाः सम्यक् तदा सत्यं वचोऽस्तु मे॥ २९॥
Meaning
“Since you have insulted the race of Ikṣwāku, I shall pronounce a curse (on you), O ogre! If a gift has ever been bestowed, an oblation has ever been poured into the sacred fire, and austerities have been practised well and if the people have been well protected by me, let my words prove to be true. (29)
उत्पत्स्यते कुले ह्यस्मिन्निक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम्। रामो दाशरथिर्नाम स ते प्राणान् हरिष्यति॥ ३०॥
Meaning
“Indeed, in this race of high-souled Ikṣwākus will be born a son of Daśaratha, Śrī Rāma by name; He will take your life”. (30)
ततो जलधरोदग्रस्ताडितो देवदुन्दुभिः। तस्मिन्नुदाहृते शापे पुष्पवृष्टिश्च खाच्च्युता॥ ३१॥
Meaning
When that curse was pronounced, the kettledrum of the gods was sounded at a high pitch like the roar of thunder and an abundance—of flowers were showered from the heavens. (31)
ततः स राजा राजेन्द्र गतः स्थानं त्रिविष्टपम्। स्वर्गते च नृपे तस्मिन् राक्षसः सोऽपसर्पत॥ ३२॥
Meaning
Then that king, O ruler of rulers, ascended to the realm of heaven. And when the said king ascended to heaven, the ogre left. (32)
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