Aranya Kanda — Sarga 23

तत्प्रयातं बलं घोरमशिवं शोणितोदकम्। अभ्यवर्षन्महागोरस्तुमुलो गर्दवारुणः॥

As those terrible and inauspicious forces were marching on, a mighty sable cloud with dreadful sounds began to shower down blood.

Aranya Kanda 23.1

निपेतुस्तुरगास्तस्य रथयुक्ता महाजवाः। समे पुष्पचिते देशे राजमार्गे यदृच्छया॥

The steeds yoked to his (Khara's) car, gifted with great celerity, dropped down all of a sudden on the level high ways strewn with blossoms.

Aranya Kanda 23.2

श्यामं रुधिरपर्यन्तं बभूव परिवेषणम्। अलातचक्रप्रतिम प्रतिगृह्य दिवाकरम् ॥

A dark circle bordered with red, resembling that of charcoal, appeared in the vicinity of the sun.

Aranya Kanda 23.3

ततो ध्वजमुपागम्य हेमदण्डं समुच्छ्रितम्। समाक्रम्य महाकायस्तस्थौ गृध्रः सुदारुणः॥

And a frightful vulture, having a huge body, approaching the banner, sat upon the upraised golden flag-staff.

Aranya Kanda 23.4

जनस्थानसमीपे च समाक्रम्य खरस्वनाः। विस्वरान् विविधान् नादान् मांसादा मृगपक्षिणः।।।। व्याजहुरभिदीप्तायां दिशि वै भैरवस्वनम्। अशिवं यातुधानानां शिवा घोरा महास्वनाः॥

And beasts and birds having shrill voices, living on flesh, remaining near Janasthāna, emitted various dissonant notes. And in the quarter lighted up by the sun, fierce jackals having mighty voices, in dreadful cries presaged evil to the Rākşasas.

Aranya Kanda 23.5

प्रभिन्नगजसंकाशास्तोयशोणितधारिणः। आकाशं तदनाकाशं चक्रुभीमाम्बुवाहकाः॥

And terrific clouds surcharged with water and blood, and resembling elephants with rent temples, enveloped the sky.

Aranya Kanda 23.6

बभूव तिमिरं घोरमुद्धतं रोमहर्षणम्। दिशो वा प्रादिशो वापि सुव्यक्तं न चकाशिरे॥

And a dense darkness appeared, capable of making one's hair stand on end, and no quarter was distinctly visible.

Aranya Kanda 23.7

क्षतजासवर्णाभा संध्या कालं बिना बभौ। खरं चाभिमुखं नेदुस्तदा घोरा मृगाः खगाः॥

And out of season, there appeared evening hued like a cloth soaked in blood. And facing Khara, terrible beasts and birds set up cries.

Aranya Kanda 23.8

कङ्कगोमायुगृध्राश्च चुक्रुशुर्भयशंसिनः। नित्याशिवकरा युद्धे शिवा घोरनिदर्शनाः॥ नेदुर्बलस्याभिमुखं ज्वालोद्गारिभिराननैः।

Kankas, Gomayas and vultures, portending fear, began to cry. Ever inauspicious in war, jackals presaging evil, with their mouths belching forth flame, howled in the face of the forces.

Aranya Kanda 23.9

कबन्धः परिघाभासो दृश्यते भास्करान्तिके॥ जग्राह सूर्यं स्वर्भानुरपर्वणि महाग्रहः। प्रवाति मारुतः शीघ्रं निष्प्रभौऽभूद् दिवाकरः॥

And comets, resembling parighas appeared beside the sun. That mighty planet Svarbhānu seized the sun when there was no parva. And the winds blew violently; and the sun was without lustre.

Aranya Kanda 23.10

उपेतुश्च विना रात्रिं ताराः खद्योतसप्रभाः। संलीनमीनविहगा नलिन्यः शुष्कपङ्कजाः॥

And when there was no night, stars wearing the sheen of fireflies, began to fall. And in the tanks fishes and fowls were inert, and the lotuses were withered.

Aranya Kanda 23.11

तस्मिन् क्षणे बभूवुश्च विना पुष्पफलैर्दुमाः। उद्धृतश्च विना वातं रेणुर्जलधरारुणः॥

And at that hour the trees were shorn of fruits and flowers; and without wind there arose dust dusky like clouds.

Aranya Kanda 23.12

चीचीकूचीति वास्यन्त्यो बभूवुस्तत्र सारिकाः। उल्काश्चापि सनिर्घोषा निपेतुर्पोरदर्शनाः॥

And the parrots uttered wild notes-cīcīkūci. And meteors of terrific aspects fell with loud noises.

Aranya Kanda 23.13

प्रचचाल मही चापि सशैलवनकानना। खरस्य च रथस्थस्य नर्दमानस्य धीमतः॥

And the earth with her mountains, woods, and forests, shook. And as the intelligent Khara was roaring from his car, his left arm shook, and his voice fell, and as he surveyed around, his eyes moistened, and his head ached; yet through ignorance, he did not desist.

Aranya Kanda 23.14

प्राकम्पत भुजः सव्यः स्वरश्चास्यावसज्जत। सास्रा सम्पद्यते दृष्टिः पश्यमानस्य सर्वतः॥ ललाटे च रुजो जाता न च मोहान्न्यवर्तत। तान् समीक्ष्य महोत्पातानुत्थितान् रोमहर्षणान्॥ अब्रवीद् राक्षसान् सर्वान् प्रहसन् स खरस्तदा।

Witnessing these mighty portents capable of making one's hair stand on end, Khara with a laugh, addressed the whole body of Rākşasas.

Aranya Kanda 23.15

महोत्पातानिमान् सर्वानुत्थितान् घोरदर्शनान् ॥ न चिन्तयाम्यहं वीर्याद् बलवान् दुर्बलानिव। तारा अपि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पातयेयं नभस्तलात्॥ मृत्यु मरणधर्मेण संक्रुद्धो योजयाम्यहम्। राघवं तं बलोत्सिक्तं भ्रातरं चापि लक्ष्मणम्॥ अहत्वा सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नोपावर्तितुमुत्सहे।

Even as a strong person from prowess counts not a weak one, I do not dwell upon all these mighty portents, dreadful to behold, that have appeared. Even the stars will I bring down from heaven with my sharp shafts; and even Death will I engaged, bring to mortality. Without slaying Rāghava puffed up with pride as well as Laksmana, by means of sharp weapons, I return not (from the conflict).

Aranya Kanda 23.16

यन्निमित्तं तु रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य विपर्ययः॥ सकामा भगिनी मेऽस्तु पीत्वा तु रुधिरं तयोः।

Let that sister of mine, for whom Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa have had sense perverted, attain her desire, by drinking their blood..

Aranya Kanda 23.17

न क्वचित् प्राप्तपूर्वो मे संयुगेषु पराजयः॥ युष्माकमेतत् प्रत्यक्षं नानृतं कथयाम्यहम्

I had never before met with defeat in conflict. You have witnessed it. I do not speak a falsehood.

Aranya Kanda 23.18

देवराजमपि क्रुद्धो मत्तैरावतगामिनम्॥ वज्रहस्तं रणे हन्यां किं पुनस्तौ च मानवौ।

Wrought up with rage, I shall slay in fight the sovereign of the celestials himself, going on his mad Airāvata, with the thunderbolt in his hand, what shall I say of those two, who are human beings?

Aranya Kanda 23.19

सा तस्य गर्जितं श्रुत्वा राक्षसानां महाचमूः॥ प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मृत्युपाशावपाशिता।

Entangled in the noose of death, that mighty army of the Rākşasas hearing his challenge, experienced boundless enthusiasm.

Aranya Kanda 23.20

समेयुश्च महात्मानो युद्धदर्शनकाक्षिणः॥ ऋषयो देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च सह चारणैः। समेत्य चोचुः सहितास्तेऽन्योन्यं पुण्यकर्मणः॥

And anxious to see the encounter, there came high-souled saints, and celestials, and Gandharvas, and Siddhas, with the Cāranas. And these pious ones assembled, spoke to one another.

Aranya Kanda 23.21

स्वस्ति गोब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तु लोकानां ये च सम्मताः। जयतां राघवो युद्धे पौलस्त्यान् रजनीचरान्॥ चक्रहस्ते यथा विष्णुः सर्वानसुरसत्तमान् ।

Welfare to those cows, and Brāhmanas, and those that are prized by the worlds! As the discus-handed Vişņu vanquished the foremost Asuras, may Rāghava rout in battle those rangers of the night, the progeny of Pulastya!

Aranya Kanda 23.22

एतश्चान्यच्च बहुशो ब्रुवाणाः परमर्षय: 1॥ जातकौतूहलास्तत्र विमानस्ताश्च देवताः। ददृशुर्वाहिनीं तेषां राक्षसानां गतायुषाम्॥

And saying this as well as various other things, the supreme saints and the celestials stationed in the sky conceiving curiosity (as to the issue of the conflict), beheld the host of those Rākşasas, whose days had been numbered.

Aranya Kanda 23.23

रथेन तु खरो वेगात् सैन्यस्याग्राद् विनिःसृतः। श्येनगामी पृथुग्रीवो यज्ञशत्रुर्विहंगमः॥ दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः। हेममाली महामाली सोस्यो रुधिराशनः॥ द्वादशैते महावीर्याः प्रतस्थुरभितः खरम्।

Then impetuously Khara issued in his car from the van of the army*. And these twelve endowed with exceeding prowess, viz., Syenagāmí, Prthusyama, Yajñaśatru, Vihangama, Durjaya, Karavirāksa, Parusa, Kālakärmuka, Hemamāli, Mahāmāli, Sarpāsya, and Rudhirāśana posted themselves around Khara. The N.W.P. text has a different stoka. And seeing him come out on the ground, they themselves came out.

Aranya Kanda 23.24

महाकपालः स्थूलाक्षः प्रमाथस्त्रिशिरास्तथा। चत्वार एते सेनाने दूषणं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयुः॥

And Mahākapāla, Sthūlākṣa, Pramātha and Trisirā—These four going before the forces, went at the back of Dūşaņa.

Aranya Kanda 23.25

सा भीमवेगा समराभिकाङ्गिणी सुदारुणा राक्षसवीरसेना। तौ राजपुत्रौ सहसाभ्युपेता माला ग्रहाणामिव चन्द्रसूर्यो।।

Then as the planets dart towards the sun and moon, that heroic and dreadful army of Rākşasas, eager for victory suddenly rushed towards the princes with great vehemence.

Aranya Kanda 23.26