---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 70"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-70"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 70

> कथां कथयतां तेषां जयं चाकाङ्क्षतां शुभम्।  
> व्यतीता रजनी शीघ्रं शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः॥ १॥

The night passed away quickly while staying at the hermitage of Cyavana, the noble Śatrughna conversing with Cyavana and other sages, who wished for his holy victory (against Lavaṇa). (1)

> ततः प्रभाते विमले तस्मिन् काले स राक्षसः।  
> निर्गतस्तु पुराद् वीरो भक्ष्याहारप्रचोदितः॥ २॥

Then in the morning when it was dawn, that Rākṣasa, Lavaṇa, the heroic one, went out of his city impelled by the desire to bring his food. (2)

> एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरः शत्रुघ्नो यमुनां नदीम्।  
> तीर्त्वा मधुपुरद्वारि धनुष्पाणिरतिष्ठत॥ ३॥

In the meantime, Śatrughna, the brave one, having crossed the Yamunā, stood at the gates of the city of Madhu, with bow in his hand. (3)

> ततोऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते क्रूरकर्मा स राक्षसः।  
> आगच्छद् बहुसाहस्रं प्राणिनां भारमुद्वहन्॥ ४॥

Then at midday that Rākṣasa, Lavaṇa, the evil-doer returned bearing the load of many thousand creatures. (4)

> ततो ददर्श शत्रुघ्नं स्थितं द्वारि धृतायुधम्।  
> तमुवाच ततो रक्षः किमनेन करिष्यसि॥ ५॥

Then the Rākṣasa saw Śatrughna armed with the bow, standing at the gate and said to him: ‘What will you do with this weapon? (5)

> ईदृशानां सहस्राणि सायुधानां नराधम।  
> भक्षितानि मया रोषात् कालेनानुगतो ह्यसि॥ ६॥

‘Many thousands of men like you accompanied with weapons, O wretched one, have been devoured by me in anger. Death seems to have come nearer to you. (6)

> आहारश्चाप्यसम्पूर्णो ममायं पुरुषाधम।  
> स्वयं प्रविष्टोऽद्य मुखं कथमासाद्य दुर्मते॥ ७॥

‘O vile one, my food is yet incomplete, having come, you enter my mouth of your own accord?’ (7)

> तस्यैवं भाषमाणस्य हसतश्च मुहुर्मुहुः।  
> शत्रुघ्नो वीर्यसम्पन्नो रोषादश्रूण्यवासृजत्॥ ८॥

While the Rākṣasa spoke thus and laughing, the heroic Śatrughna broke in tears with anger. (8)

> तस्य रोषाभिभूतस्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः।  
> तेजोमया मरीच्यस्तु सर्वगात्रैर्विनिष्पतन्॥ ९॥

Fiery rays issued forth from all the limbs of the noble and angry Śatrughna. (9)

> उवाच च सुसंक्रुद्धः शत्रुघ्नः स निशाचरम्।  
> योद्धुमिच्छामि दुर्बुद्धे द्वन्द्वयुद्धं त्वया सह॥ १०॥

Highly enraged, Śatrughna then addressed the demon, who roamed about thus at right, ‘O evil one, I wish to have a duel with you. (10)

> पुत्रो दशरथस्याहं भ्राता रामस्य धीमतः।  
> शत्रुघ्नो नाम शत्रुघ्नो वधाकाङ्क्षी तवागतः॥ ११॥

‘I am the son of (King) Daśaratha, and the brother of the wise Śrī Rāma, the extirpator of foes, Śatrughna by name. I have come with a desire to kill you. (11)

> तस्य मे युद्धकामस्य द्वन्द्वयुद्धं प्रदीयताम्।  
> शत्रुस्त्वं सर्वभूतानां न मे जीवन् गमिष्यसि॥ १२॥

‘So give the duel to me, who desires to fight with you! You are the enemy of all beings; with me alive here you shall not escape.’ (12)

> तस्मिंस्तथा ब्रुवाणे तु राक्षसः प्रहसन्निव।  
> प्रत्युवाच नरश्रेष्ठं दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि दुर्मते॥ १३॥

When Śatrughna had spoken thus, that Rākṣasa, Lavaṇa, replied to the best among men, as if laughing: ‘O wicked one, it is my good luck that you have come within my reach. (13)

> मम मातृष्वसुर्भ्राता रावणो नाम राक्षसः।  
> हतो रामेण दुर्बुद्धे स्त्रीहेतोः पुरुषाधम॥ १४॥

‘O insensate one, the Rākṣasa Rāvaṇa the brother of my maternal aunt, was killed by Rāma for the sake of a woman. (14)

> तच्च सर्वं मया क्षान्तं रावणस्य कुलक्षयम्।  
> अवज्ञां पुरतः कृत्वा मया यूयं विशेषतः॥ १५॥

All I had forgiven, the destruction of the family of Rāvaṇa, and ignoring specially you. (15)

> निहताश्च हि ते सर्वे परिभूतास्तृणं यथा।  
> भूताश्चैव भविष्याश्च यूयं च पुरुषाधमाः॥ १६॥

‘But now all of you, that have been born or will be born and even you vile ones, will be swept away by me like straws.(16)

> तस्य ते युद्धकामस्य युद्धं दास्यामि दुर्मते।  
> तिष्ठ त्वं च मुहूर्तं तु यावदायुधमानये॥ १७॥

‘I shall indeed give you a fight, who wish it, O fool of vicious intellect. Just wait for a moment, while I bring my weapon (trident). (17)

> ईप्सितं यादृशं तुभ्यं सज्जये यावदायुधम्।  
> तमुवाचाशु शत्रुघ्नः क्व मे जीवन् गमिष्यसि॥ १८॥

‘I am going to be equipped with the weapon with which I desire to kill you.’ At this Śatrughna at once spoke out: ‘Where will you go as long as I am alive? (18)

> स्वयमेवागतः शत्रुर्न मोक्तव्यः कृतात्मना।  
> यो हि विक्लवया बुद्ध्या प्रसरं शत्रवे दिशेत्।  
> स हतो मन्दबुद्धिः स्याद् यथा कापुरुषस्तथा॥ १९॥

‘The enemy that has come of his own accord does not deserve to be set free by one disciplined in mind. Whoever with unsettled mind gives freedom to a foe to disappear, that weak-minded one indeed would be killed as a coward. (19)

> तस्मात् सुदृष्टं कुरु जीवलोकं  
> शरैः शितैस्त्वां विविधैर्नयामि।  
> यमस्य गेहाभिमुखं हि पापं  
> रिपुं त्रिलोकस्य च राघवस्य॥ २०॥

‘You, therefore, have a good look at this world of mortals, O wicked one! I shall carry you to Yama’s abode with many sharp arrows, O foe of the three worlds and also of Raghu’s family.’ (20)

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

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