Aranya Kanda — Sarga 26

दूषणस्तु स्वकं सैन्यं हन्यमानं विलोक्य च। संदिदेश महाबाहुर्भीमवेगान् दुरासदान्॥ राक्षसान् पञ्चसाहस्रान् समरेष्वनिवर्तिनः।

Finding his own forces slaughtered, the mighty-armed Düşaņa speedily ordered five thousand Rākşasas, gifted with tremendous velocity, difficult of being approached, who never turned from the field.

Aranya Kanda 26.1

ते शूलैः पट्टिशैः खङ्गैः शिलावषैर्दुमैरपि॥ शरवर्षैरविच्छिन्नं ववर्षुस्तं समन्ततः।

And from all sides they incessantly showered darts and pațțiśas, and scimitars, and stones, and trees, and shafts.

Aranya Kanda 26.2

तद् द्रुमाणां शिलानां च वर्षं प्राणहरं महत्॥ प्रतिजग्राह धर्मात्मा राघवस्तीक्ष्णसायकैः।

Thereupon by means of shafts the righteous Rāghava resisted that mighty destructive shower of trees and stones.

Aranya Kanda 26.3

प्रतिगृह्य च तद् वर्षं निमीलित इवर्षभः॥ रामः क्रोधं परं लेभे वधार्थं सर्वरक्षसाम्।

Resisting that shower, Rāma with his eyes staring and resembling a bull, flew into a great rage, for the purpose of slaying the whole body of Raksasas.

Aranya Kanda 26.4

ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टः प्रदीप्त इव तेजसा ॥ शरैरभ्यकिरत् सैन्यं सर्वतः सहदूषणम्।

Then influenced by wrath, and flaming in energy, he on all sides covered the army along with Düşana with arrows.

Aranya Kanda 26.5

तत: सेनापतिः क्रुद्धौ दूषणः शत्रुदूषणः॥ शरैरशनिकल्पैस्तं राघवं समवारयत्।

Then the general, Dusana, destroyer of enemies, getting wroth, opposed Rāghava with arrows resembling thunderbolts.

Aranya Kanda 26.6

ततो रामः सुसंक्रुद्धः क्षुरेणास्य महद् धनुः॥ चिच्छेद समरे वीरश्चतुर्भिश्चतुरो हयान् । हत्वा चाश्वाशरैस्तीक्ष्णैरर्धचन्द्रेण सारथेः॥ शिरो जहार तद्रक्षस्त्रिभिर्विव्याध वक्षसि।

Then heroic Răma highly angered, severed his (Dusana's) mighty bow with shafts sharp as razors, and slew his four horses by ineans of as many shafts. And having slain the steeds, he (Rāma) cut off the head of the charioteer by means of a crescent-shaped weapon, and pierced the (Rakşasa Dūşaņa) in the breast with a brace of shafts.

Aranya Kanda 26.7

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः॥ जग्राह गिरिशृङ्गाभं परिघं रोमहर्षणम्। वेष्टितं काञ्चनैः पट्टैर्देवसैन्याभिमर्दनम्॥ आयसैः शङ्कुभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कीर्णं परवसोक्षितम्। वज्राशनिसमस्पर्श परगोपुरदारणम्॥

His bow cut off, his steeds together with the charioteer slain, and himself deprived of his car, he (Dūşana) took a parigha resembling a mountain peak, able to me one's down stand on end plated with gold, capable of afflicting celestial hosts, studded with sharp iron sankus, and graced with the fal of foes;-of the touch of a thunder-bolt, able to pierce the persons of enemies*. The text may also mean able to rend the cities of foes.

Aranya Kanda 26.8

तं महोरगसंकाशं प्रगृह्य परिघं रणे। दूषणोऽभ्यपतद् रामं क्रूरकर्मा निशाचरः॥

And taking up in that encounter the parigha (an iron club) resembling a mighty snake, that ranger of the night of cruel deeds Duşaņa, rushed towards Rāina.

Aranya Kanda 26.9

तस्याभिपतमानस्य दूषणस्य च राघवः। द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां चिच्छेद सहस्ताभरणौ भुजौ॥

And as Dūsuņa was rushing forward, Rāghava by means of a couple of shafts cut off his two arms with the ornaments.

Aranya Kanda 26.10

भ्रष्टस्तस्य महाकायः पपात रणमूर्धनि। परिघश्छिन्नहस्तस्य शक्रध्वज इवाग्रतः॥

And the huge parigha (an iron club) escaping from (Dusana's grasp) fell forward on the field like the banner of Sakra.

Aranya Kanda 26.11

कराभ्यां च विकीर्णाभ्यां पपात भुवि दूषणः। विषाणाभ्यां विशीर्णाभ्यां मनस्वीव महागजः॥

And like a nighty elephant whose husks have fallen off, Dūşana, on his arms having been severed, fell down to the earth.

Aranya Kanda 26.12

दृष्ट्वा तं पतितं भूमौ दूषणं निहतं रणे। साधु साध्विति काकुत्स्थं सर्वभूतान्यपूजयन्॥

Seeing Dūşaņa down on the ground, and slain in battle, all creatures, saying, ''well done! well done!" paid homage to Kākutstha.

Aranya Kanda 26.13

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रुद्धास्त्रयः सेनाग्रयायिनः। संहत्याभ्यद्रवन् रामं मृत्युपाशावपाशिताः॥ महाकपालः स्थूलाक्षः प्रमाथी च महाबलः। महाकपालो विपुलं शूलमुद्यम्य राक्षसः॥ स्थूलाक्षः पट्टिशं गृह्य प्रमाथी च परश्वधम्।

In the meantime, three generals, getting wioth, being entrapped in the noose of death, rushed against Rāma in a body, viz; Mahakapāla, Stūlākșa, and the mighty Pramāthī the Rāksasa, Mahākapäla, upraising a large dart, and Sthulaksa, taking a pattisa, and Pramāthi all axe.

Aranya Kanda 26.14

दृष्ट्वैवापततस्तांस्तु राघवः सायकैः शितैः॥ तीक्ष्णाग्रैः प्रतिजग्राह सम्प्राप्तानतिथीनिव।

And as Rāghava beheld them advance, he resisted them by means of sharp and keen-edged shafts, even as one receives guests that have come.

Aranya Kanda 26.15

महाकपालस्य शिरश्चिच्छेद रघुनन्दनः॥ असंख्येयैस्तु बाणौधैः प्रममाथ प्रमाथिनम्। स्थूलाक्षस्याक्षिणी स्थूले पूरयामास सायकैः ॥

And Raghu's son split Mahākapāla's head, afflicted Pramăthſ with countless shafts, and lodged the eyes of Sthūlāksya with sharp shafts.

Aranya Kanda 26.16

स पपात हतो भूमौ विटपीव महाद्रुमः। दूषणस्यानुगान् पञ्चसाहस्रान्कुपितः क्षणात्॥ हत्वा तु पञ्चसाहौरनयद् यमसादनम्।

as soon And they fell down to the earth like mighty trees of many bough. Thereat instantly inflained with wrath, Räma by means of five thousand shafts, sent as many thousands of Dusana's followers to Yama's abode.

Aranya Kanda 26.17

दूषणं निहतं श्रुत्वा तस्य चैव पदानुगान् ॥ व्यादिदेश खरः क्रुद्धः सेनाध्यक्षान् महाबलाम्। अयं विनिहतः संख्ये दूषणः सपदानुगः॥ महत्या सेनया सार्धं युद्ध्वा रामं कुमानुषम्। शस्त्रैर्नानाविधाकारैर्हनध्वं सर्वराक्षसाः।।२५ ।

Hearing that Dusana had been slain, Khara, waxing wroth, commanded his mighty generals, saying, Fighting with that vile man, Rāma, along with his mighty forces Düşana has been slain in battle, together with his followers. Let all the Rākşasas slay him with weapons of various shapes.

Aranya Kanda 26.18

एवमुक्त्वा खरः क्रुद्धो राममेवाभिदुद्रुवे। श्येनगामी पृथुग्रीवो यज्ञशत्रुर्विहंगमः॥ दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः। हेममाली महामाली सास्यो रुधिराशनः॥ द्वादशैते महावीर्या बलाध्यक्षाः ससैनिकाः। राममेवाभ्यधावन्त विसृजन्तः शरोत्तमान्॥

Having said this in wrath, Khara darted towards Rama. And discharging choice shafts, Syenagāmi Prthugrīva, Yajñaśatru, Vihangama, Durjaya, Karaviraksa, Parusa, Kalakarmuka, Hemamali, Mahämāli, Sarpāsya, and Rudhirāśana these twelve generals endued with mighty prowess accompanied with their forces, proceeded vehemently against Räina, discharging excellent shafts.

Aranya Kanda 26.19

ततः पावकसंकाशैमवज्रविभूषितैः। जघान शेषं तेजस्वी तस्य सैन्यस्य सायकैः॥

Threat with shafts resembling fire, and decked with diamonds and with gold, (Rāma) possessed of energy destroyed the rest of his (Khara's) forces.

Aranya Kanda 26.20

ते रुक्मपुङ्खा विशिखाः सधूमा इव पावकाः। निजध्नुस्तानि रक्षासिं वज्रा इव महाद्रुमान्॥

And as the thunderbolt slay the mighty, Asuras, those shafts studded with gold, and like to smoking fire, slew those Rākşasas.

Aranya Kanda 26.21

रक्षसां तु शतं रामः शतेनैकेन कर्णिना। सहस्रं तु सहस्रेण जघान रणमूर्धनी॥

And in the field Rāma slew an hundred Rāks asa with an hundred Karnis, and a thousand (again) with a thousand.

Aranya Kanda 26.22

तैर्भिन्नवर्माभरणाश्छिन्नभिन्नशरासनाः। निपेतुः शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां रजनीचराः॥

And, their armour and ornaments severed, and their bows broken in shivers, those rangers of the night fell down on the earth, bathed in blood.

Aranya Kanda 26.23

तैर्मुक्तकेशैः समरे पतितैः शोणितोक्षितैः । विस्तीर्णा वसुधा कृत्स्ना महावेदिः कुशैरिव ॥

And as a spacious dais is covered with Kusa, the entire field was scattered with the Rākṣasas fallen in battle with hair dishevelled, and covered with blood.

Aranya Kanda 26.24

तत्क्षणै तु महाघोरं वनं निहतराक्षसम्। बभूव निरयप्रख्यं मांसशोणितकर्दमम्॥

And at that time that fearful forest, with the Rākṣasas slaughtered, and with its clay mired with flesh and blood, resembled hell itself.

Aranya Kanda 26.25

चतुर्दशसहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्। हतान्येकेन रामेण मानुषेण पदातिनः॥

Fourteen thousand Rākṣasas of dreadful deeds were slain by Rāma single, a human being, fighting, (moreover) on foot.

Aranya Kanda 26.26

तस्य सैन्यस्य सर्वस्य खरः शेषो महारथः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिराश्चैव रामश्च रिपुसूदनः॥

And the remnant of his (Khara's) forces were that mighty car-warrior, Khara himself, and the Raksasa, Trisirā; and (on the other side) was that destroyer of foes-Rāma.

Aranya Kanda 26.27

शेषा हता महावीर्या राक्षसा रणमूर्धनी। घोरा दुर्विषहाः सर्वे लक्ष्मणस्याग्रजेन ते॥

The rest of the Rākşasas, gifted with great prowess, terrible, and difficult of being withstood, were all slain in battle by the elder brother of Laksmana.

Aranya Kanda 26.28

ततस्तु तद्भीमबलं महाहवे समीक्ष्य धर्मेण हतं बलीयसा। रथेन रामं महता खरस्ततः समाससादेन्द्र इवोद्यताशनिः॥

Then seeing that dreadful army destroyed in terrible conflict by the mighty Rāma, Khara ascending a great car, advanced before Rāma, like Indra with the upraised thunderbolt. Then seeing that dreadful army destroyed in terrible conflict by the mighty Rāma, Khara ascending a great car, advanced before Rāma, like Indra with the upraised thunderbolt.

Aranya Kanda 26.29