Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 103

Meaning

Hard pressed by the celebrated scion of Kakutstha in fury at that time, the said Rāvaṇa, for his part, who was given to bragging on the field of battle, flew into great rage. (1)

Meaning

Raising his bow, his eyes flaming with anger, extremely enraged as he was, the gallant Rāvaṇa pressed Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) hard in that major conflict. (2)

Meaning

He for his part continued to cover Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) with arrows in the same way as a rainy cloud would fill a pond with thousands of arrow-like torrents falling from the heavens. (3)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha), who was unshakable like a big mountain, did not flinch even though covered with a stream of arrows discharged from the bow of Rāvaṇa on the field of battle. (4)

Meaning

The heroic prince stood intercepting the streams of arrows discharged by Rāvaṇa with his own arrows on the battlefield and bore them like the rays of the sun. (5)

Meaning

Provoked to anger, the quick-handed night-stalker then dug thousands of arrows into the breast of the high-souled scion of Raghu. (6)

Meaning

Covered with blood on the battlefield, that eldest brother of Lakṣmaṇa was seen like a huge Kiṁśuka tree with flowers in a forest. (7)

Meaning

Angered by the impact of the arrows of Rāvaṇa, that scion of Kakutstha, endowed as he was with immense energy, took up arrows which shone like the sun blazing at the end of the world-cycle. (8)

Meaning

Though greatly enraged, both the aforesaid warriors, Śrī Rāma and Rāvaṇa, could not thereupon see each other at that time on the battlefield, which was shrouded in darkness by the hail of arrows. (9)

Meaning

Laughing heartily, though filled with anger, the valiant Śrī Rāma, son of Emperor Daśaratha, then administered the following harsh rebuke to Rāvaṇa: (10)

Meaning

“Since my consort was borne away by you from Janasthāna, helpless as she was, through unawareness about my real strength, O vile ogre, hence you are not heroic. (11)

Meaning

“Having carried away by force the miserable Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), while she was in the great forest away from me, you think: ‘I am a hero’. (12)

Meaning

“Having perpetrated the cowardly act of laying your hands on another’s wife, O ogre, posing as a champion in relation to ladies without a protector, you think: ‘I am a hero’. (13)

Meaning

“O shameless creature, who have transgressed the bounds of morality and are unstable of character, having laid hold through vanity of death in the form of Sītā, you think: ‘I am a hero’. (14)

Meaning

“Indeed, a laudable, momentous and glorious act has been performed by you, a heroic brother of Kubera (the god of wealth), rich in might? (15)

Meaning

“Reap today and this very moment the rich fruit of that detested and pernicious act perpetrated through sheer vanity. (16)

Meaning

“Although, O evil-minded one, you think yourself: ‘I am a hero’, shame did not stand in your way at all when you were bearing Sītā away like a thief. (17)

Meaning

“Had Sītā been forcibly laid hands upon by you in my presence, you would have surely joined your cousin, Khara, that very moment, when struck with my shafts. (18)

Meaning

“By good fortune, O dull-witted one, you have fallen within the range of my sight. I shall dispatch you to the abode of Death with my sharp arrows today. (19)

Meaning

“Let carnivorous birds and beasts drag away here and there today your head severed by my arrows and lying scattered in the dust of the battlefield with its dazzling earrings. (20)

Meaning

“Let vultures, swooping on your breast when you have been thrown down on the ground, O Rāvaṇa, quaff with avidity your blood gushing forth from the outlet made by the head of my arrow. (21)

Meaning

“Let birds such as crows and vultures tear out your entrails as eagles would pluck off snakes when you fall dead pierced by my arrows today.” (22)

Meaning

Saying so, the valiant Śrī Rāma, the well-known exterminator of his enemies, covered Rāvaṇa (the ruler of ogres), who stood near, with showers of arrows. (23)

Meaning

The prowess, might and martial ardour as well as the force of the missiles of Śrī Rāma, who sought the destruction of his enemy, was redoubled. (24)

Meaning

All the mystic missiles appeared before Śrī Rāma, who was rich in self-knowledge. Nay, in his excessive joy, born of his martial ardour, the prince, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, became more nimble-handed in discharging arrows. (25)

Meaning

Perceiving these auspicious prognostications in himself, the aforesaid Śrī Rāma, the exterminator of ogres, began to strike Rāvaṇa even more vehemently. (26)

Meaning

While being struck with volleys of stones hurled by the monkeys and the showers of arrows coming from Śrī Rāma, (a scion of Raghu) the ten-headed monster felt bewildered at heart. (27)

Meaning

When, on account of his mind being confused, he could no longer take up weapons nor stretch his bow, nor, again, could he oppose Śrī Rāma’s valour, while the arrows and other weapons of all kinds swiftly discharged by Śrī Rāma, had his death for their objective, the hour of his death appeared imminent. (28-29)

Meaning

Perceiving him reduced to such a plight, the charioteer, who controlled his chariot, for his part, calmly drove his chariot out of the fray. (30)

Meaning

Turning in haste the chariot of Rāvaṇa, which was rumbling like a cloud, on perceiving the king (the lord of ogres) sunk down, bereft of energy, the charioteer forthwith sneaked away in dismay from the battlefield. (31)