Rama Slays Ravana with the Brahma Weapon

Verse 1 (3.291.1)

ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः प्रिये पुत्रे निपातिते । निर्ययौ रथमास्थाय हेमरत्नविभूषितम् ॥

tataḥ kruddho daśagrīvaḥ priye putre nipātite | niryayau rathamāsthāya hemaratnavibhūṣitam

Then, enraged at the fall of his beloved son, Ten-Necked Ravana went out, mounted on a chariot adorned with gold and jewels,

Verse 2 (3.291.2)

संवृतो राक्षसैर्घोरैर्विविधायुधपाणिभिः । अभिदुद्राव रामं स पोथयन्हरियूथपान् ॥

saṃvṛto rākṣasairghorairvividhāyudhapāṇibhiḥ | abhidudrāva rāmaṃ sa pothayanhariyūthapān

surrounded by fearsome rakshasas bearing weapons of many kinds, and charged at Rama, crushing the leaders of the monkey troops.

Note on the text: Corrected घेरैः → घोरैः (misprint in Wikisource; e-sign for o-sign, the critical edition reads ghorair). Restored a missing word space (संवृतोराक्षसैः → संवृतो राक्षसैः).

Verse 3 (3.291.3)

तमाद्रवन्तं संक्रुद्धं मैन्दनीलनलाङ्गदाः । हनुमाञ्जाम्बवांश्चैव ससैन्याः पर्यवारयन् ॥

tamādravantaṃ saṃkruddhaṃ maindanīlanalāṅgadāḥ | hanumāñjāmbavāṃścaiva sasainyāḥ paryavārayan

As he charged in fury, Mainda, Nila, Nala and Angada, Hanuman and Jambavan, with their troops, surrounded him.

Note on the text: Corrected संक्रुद्ध → संक्रुद्धं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara of the accusative agreeing with तमाद्रवन्तं, the critical edition reads saṃkruddhaṃ).

Verse 4 (3.291.4)

ते दशग्रीवसैन्यं तदृक्षवानरपुङ्गवाः । द्रुमैर्विध्वंसयांचक्रुर्दशग्रीवस्य पश्यतः ॥

te daśagrīvasainyaṃ tadṛkṣavānarapuṅgavāḥ | drumairvidhvaṃsayāṃcakrurdaśagrīvasya paśyataḥ

Those bulls among bears and monkeys laid waste the army of Ten-Necked Ravana with trees while he looked on.

Verse 5 (3.291.5)

ततः स्वसैन्यमालोक्य वध्यमानमरातिभिः । मायावी चासृजन्मायां रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥

tataḥ svasainyamālokya vadhyamānamarātibhiḥ | māyāvī cāsṛjanmāyāṃ rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ

Then, seeing his own army being slaughtered by the enemy, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas and master of illusion, sent forth an illusion.

Verse 6 (3.291.6)

तस्य देहविनिष्क्रान्ताः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । राक्षसाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त शरशक्त्यृष्टिपाणयः ॥

tasya dehaviniṣkrāntāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | rākṣasāḥ pratyadṛśyanta śaraśaktyṛṣṭipāṇayaḥ

Issuing from his body, rakshasas appeared by hundreds and by thousands, with arrows, spears and double-edged swords in their hands.

Verse 7 (3.291.7)

तान्रामो जघ्निवान्सर्वान्दिव्येनास्त्रेण राक्षसान् । अथ भूयोऽपि मायां स व्यदधाद्राक्षसाधिपः ॥

tānrāmo jaghnivānsarvāndivyenāstreṇa rākṣasān | atha bhūyo'pi māyāṃ sa vyadadhādrākṣasādhipaḥ

Rama slew all those rakshasas with a divine weapon. Then the lord of the rakshasas worked an illusion once more.

Note on the text: Corrected भूयोपि → भूयोऽपि (missing avagraha in Wikisource; the critical edition reads bhūyo 'pi).

Verse 8 (3.291.8)

कृत्वा रामस्य रूपाणि लक्ष्मणस्य च भारत । अभिदुद्राव रामं च लक्ष्मणं च दशाननः ॥

kṛtvā rāmasya rūpāṇi lakṣmaṇasya ca bhārata | abhidudrāva rāmaṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ ca daśānanaḥ

Making many forms of Rama and of Lakshmana, O Bharata, the Ten-Faced one charged at Rama and at Lakshmana.

Note on the text: Corrected रामस् → रामस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara य of the genitive, the critical edition reads rāmasya).

Verse 9 (3.291.9)

ततस्ते राममर्च्छन्तो लक्ष्मणं च क्षपाचराः । अभिपेतुस्तदा रामं प्रगृहीतशरासनाः ॥

tataste rāmamarcchanto lakṣmaṇaṃ ca kṣapācarāḥ | abhipetustadā rāmaṃ pragṛhītaśarāsanāḥ

Then those night-roamers, assailing Rama and Lakshmana, fell upon Rama with their bows raised.

Verse 10 (3.291.10)

तां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य मायामिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । उवाच रामः सौमित्रिमसंभ्रान्तो बृहद्वचः ॥

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasendrasya māyāmikṣvākunandanaḥ | uvāca rāmaḥ saumitrimasaṃbhrānto bṛhadvacaḥ

Seeing that illusion of the lord of the rakshasas, Rama, joy of the Ikshvakus, undismayed, spoke these weighty words to Sumitra's son:

Note on the text: Corrected राक्षसेन्द्रस् → राक्षसेन्द्रस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara य of the genitive, the critical edition reads rākṣasendrasya). Restored a missing word space (दृष्ट्वाराक्षसेन्द्र- → दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्र-).

Verse 11 (3.291.11)

जहीमान्राक्षसान्पापानात्मनः प्रतिरूपकान् । इत्युक्त्वाऽभ्यहनद्रामो लक्ष्मणश्चात्मरूपकान् ॥

jahīmānrākṣasānpāpānātmanaḥ pratirūpakān | ityuktvā'bhyahanadrāmo lakṣmaṇaścātmarūpakān

"Kill these wicked rakshasas made in our own likeness." So saying, Rama struck them down, and Lakshmana too struck down those made in his likeness.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.274.11a; the second line differs from the critical edition's (jaghāna rāmas tāṃś cānyān ātmanaḥ pratirūpakān), a recension variant.

Verse 12 (3.291.12)

ततो हर्यश्वयुक्तेन रथेनादित्यवर्चसा । उपतस्थे रणे रामं मातलिः शक्रसारथिः ॥

tato haryaśvayuktena rathenādityavarcasā | upatasthe raṇe rāmaṃ mātaliḥ śakrasārathiḥ

Then Matali, Shakra's charioteer, came up to Rama on the battlefield with a chariot yoked to bay horses and shining like the sun.

Verse 13 (3.291.13)

अयं हर्यश्वयुग्जैत्रो मघोनः स्यन्दनोत्तमः । त्वदर्थमिह संप्राप्तः संदेशाद्वै शतक्रतोः ॥

ayaṃ haryaśvayugjaitro maghonaḥ syandanottamaḥ | tvadarthamiha saṃprāptaḥ saṃdeśādvai śatakratoḥ

"This is Maghavan's finest chariot, victorious and yoked to bay horses; it has come here for your sake at the bidding of Shatakratu.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the second line. The first line is CE 3.274.13a; the second line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 3.274.13b*1296).

Verse 14 (3.291.14)

अनेन शक्रः काकुत्स्थ समरे दैत्यदानवान् । शतशः पुरुषव्याघ्र रथोदारेण जघ्निवान् ॥

anena śakraḥ kākutstha samare daityadānavān | śataśaḥ puruṣavyāghra rathodāreṇa jaghnivān

With this splendid chariot, Kakutstha, tiger among men, Shakra has slain Daityas and Danavas by the hundred in battle.

Note on the text: CE 3.274.13c–e (the critical edition prints 3.274.13 as a three-line verse whose first line is the first line of the previous verse).

Verse 15 (3.291.15)

तदनेन नरव्याघ्र मया यत्तेन संयुगे । स्यन्दनेन जहि क्षिप्रं रावणं मा चिरं कृथाः ॥

tadanena naravyāghra mayā yattena saṃyuge | syandanena jahi kṣipraṃ rāvaṇaṃ mā ciraṃ kṛthāḥ

So, tiger among men, with this chariot, which I shall drive with all care in the fight, slay Ravana quickly; do not delay."

Note on the text: Corrected तदनन → तदनेन (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, the critical edition reads tad anena). Restored a missing word space (जहिक्षिप्रं → जहि क्षिप्रं).

Verse 16 (3.291.16)

इत्युक्तो राघवस्तथ्यं वचोऽशङ्कत मातलेः । मायैषा राक्षसस्येति तमुवाच विभीषणः ॥

ityukto rāghavastathyaṃ vaco'śaṅkata mātaleḥ | māyaiṣā rākṣasasyeti tamuvāca vibhīṣaṇaḥ

So addressed, Raghava doubted Matali's true words, thinking, "This is the rakshasa's illusion." Then Vibhishana said to him:

Note on the text: Corrected विबीषणः → विभीषणः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for भ). Restored a missing word space (मायैषाराक्षसस्येति → मायैषा राक्षसस्येति).

Verse 17 (3.291.17)

नेयं माया नरव्याघ्र रावणस्य दुरात्मनः । तदातिष्ठ रथं शीघ्रमिममैन्द्रं महाद्युते ॥

neyaṃ māyā naravyāghra rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ | tadātiṣṭha rathaṃ śīghramimamaindraṃ mahādyute

"This is no illusion of the evil-souled Ravana, tiger among men. Mount this chariot of Indra quickly, O splendid one."

Note on the text: Corrected रावणस् → रावणस्य and इमसैन्द्रं → इममैन्द्रं (misprints in Wikisource; dropped akshara य, and स for म; the critical edition reads rāvaṇasya and imam aindraṃ). Restored missing word spaces (नरव्याघ्ररावणस् → नरव्याघ्र रावणस्य, रथंशीघ्रम् → रथं शीघ्रम्).

Verse 18 (3.291.18)

ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थस्तथेत्युक्त्वा विभीषणम् । रथेनाभिपपाताथ दशग्रीवं रुषाऽन्वितः ॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ kākutsthastathetyuktvā vibhīṣaṇam | rathenābhipapātātha daśagrīvaṃ ruṣā'nvitaḥ

Then Kakutstha, delighted, said "So be it" to Vibhishana and, filled with fury, charged in the chariot at the Ten-Necked one.

Verse 19 (3.291.19)

हाहाकृतानि भूतानि रावणे समभिद्रुते । सिंहनादाः सपटहा दिवि दिव्यास्तथाऽनदन् ॥

hāhākṛtāni bhūtāni rāvaṇe samabhidrute | siṃhanādāḥ sapaṭahā divi divyāstathā'nadan

As Ravana was charged, all beings cried out "Alas! alas!", and in heaven divine lion-roars resounded with the beating of drums.

Note on the text: Corrected हाहाकुतानि → हाहाकृतानि and सपटहादिति → सपटहा दिवि (misprints in Wikisource; u-sign for ṛ-sign, and त for व with a lost word space; the critical edition reads hāhākṛtāni and sapaṭahā divi).

Verse 20 (3.291.20)

दशकन्धरराजसून्वोस्तथा युद्धमभून्महत् । अलब्धोपममन्यत्र तयोरेव तथाऽभवत् ॥

daśakandhararājasūnvostathā yuddhamabhūnmahat | alabdhopamamanyatra tayoreva tathā'bhavat

Then a great battle took place between the Ten-Necked one and the king's son; nothing like it was to be found anywhere else, for it was like itself alone.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets and the inner double danda around this verse (editorial marks in Wikisource) and restored a missing word space (अलब्धोपममन्यत्रतयोरेव → अलब्धोपममन्यत्र तयोरेव). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its two lines appear in the apparatus as 3.274.18d*1298 and *1299.

Verse 21 (3.291.21)

स रामाय महाघोरं विससर्ज निशाचरः । शूलमिन्द्राशनिप्रख्यं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम् ॥

sa rāmāya mahāghoraṃ visasarja niśācaraḥ | śūlamindrāśaniprakhyaṃ brahmadaṇḍamivodyatam

The night-roamer hurled at Rama a most terrible spear, like Indra's thunderbolt, like the uplifted rod of Brahma.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मदण्डभिवोद्यतम् → ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम् (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म, the critical edition reads brahmadaṇḍam ivodyatam). Restored a missing word space (सरामाय → स रामाय).

Verse 22 (3.291.22)

तच्छूलं सत्वरं रामश्चिच्छेद निशितैः शरैः । तद्दृष्ट्वा दुष्करं कर्म रावणं भयमाविशत् ॥

tacchūlaṃ satvaraṃ rāmaściccheda niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | taddṛṣṭvā duṣkaraṃ karma rāvaṇaṃ bhayamāviśat

Rama swiftly cut that spear apart with sharp arrows; seeing that hard feat, Ravana was seized with fear.

Note on the text: Corrected चच्छेद → चिच्छेद (misprint in Wikisource; a for i in the reduplicated perfect, the critical edition reads ciccheda).

Verse 23 (3.291.23)

ततः क्रुद्धः ससर्जाशु दशग्रीवः शिताञ्छरान् । सहस्रायुतशो रामे शस्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥

tataḥ kruddhaḥ sasarjāśu daśagrīvaḥ śitāñcharān | sahasrāyutaśo rāme śastrāṇi vividhāni ca

Then in anger the Ten-Necked one quickly loosed at Rama sharp arrows by thousands and tens of thousands, and weapons of many kinds:

Verse 24 (3.291.24)

ततो भुशुण्डीः शूलानि मुसलानि परश्वथान् । शक्तीश्च विविधाकाराः शतघ्नीश्च शितान्क्षुरान् ॥

tato bhuśuṇḍīḥ śūlāni musalāni paraśvathān | śaktīśca vividhākārāḥ śataghnīśca śitānkṣurān

bhushundis, spears, clubs and axes, darts of many shapes, shataghnis, and sharp razor-headed arrows.

Verse 25 (3.291.25)

तां मायां विविधां दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवस्य रक्षसः । भयात्प्रदुद्रुवुः सर्वे वानराः सर्वतोदिशम् ॥

tāṃ māyāṃ vividhāṃ dṛṣṭvā daśagrīvasya rakṣasaḥ | bhayātpradudruvuḥ sarve vānarāḥ sarvatodiśam

Seeing that manifold illusion of the rakshasa Ten-Necked Ravana, all the monkeys fled in fear in every direction.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (मायांविविधां → मायां विविधां).

Verse 26 (3.291.26)

ततः सुपत्रं सुमुखं हेमपुङ्खं शरोत्तमम् । तूणादादाय काकुत्स्थो ब्रह्मास्त्रेण युयोज ह ॥

tataḥ supatraṃ sumukhaṃ hemapuṅkhaṃ śarottamam | tūṇādādāya kākutstho brahmāstreṇa yuyoja ha

Then Kakutstha took from his quiver an excellent arrow, well feathered, with a fine head and a golden butt, and joined it to the Brahma weapon.

Note on the text: Corrected हेमपुङ्गं → हेमपुङ्खं (misprint in Wikisource; ग for ख, the critical edition reads hemapuṅkhaṃ). Restored a missing word space (सुमुखंहेम- → सुमुखं हेम-).

Verse 27 (3.291.27)

तं प्रेक्ष्य बाणं रामेण ब्रह्मास्त्रेणानुमन्त्रितम् । जहृषुर्देवगन्धर्वा दृष्ट्वा शक्रपुरोगमाः ॥

taṃ prekṣya bāṇaṃ rāmeṇa brahmāstreṇānumantritam | jahṛṣurdevagandharvā dṛṣṭvā śakrapurogamāḥ

Seeing that arrow charged by Rama with the Brahma weapon, the gods and Gandharvas, with Shakra at their head, rejoiced.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (प्रेक्ष्यबाणं → प्रेक्ष्य बाणं).

Verse 28 (3.291.28)

अल्पावशेषमायुश्च ततोऽमन्यन्त रक्षसः । ब्रह्मास्त्रोदीरणाच्छत्रोर्देवदानवकिंनराः ॥

alpāvaśeṣamāyuśca tato'manyanta rakṣasaḥ | brahmāstrodīraṇācchatrordevadānavakiṃnarāḥ

And since his foe had called up the Brahma weapon, the gods, Danavas and Kinnaras judged that the rakshasa had little of his life left.

Verse 29 (3.291.29)

ततः ससर्ज तं रामः शरमप्रतिमौजसम् । रावणान्तकरं घोरं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम् ॥

tataḥ sasarja taṃ rāmaḥ śaramapratimaujasam | rāvaṇāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ brahmadaṇḍamivodyatam

Then Rama loosed that arrow of matchless might, terrible, the bringer of Ravana's end, like the uplifted rod of Brahma.

Verse 30 (3.291.30)

मुक्तमात्रेण रामेण दूराकृष्टेन भारत । स तेन राक्षसश्रेष्ठः सरथः साश्वसारथिः । प्रजज्वाल महाज्वालेनाग्निनाभिपरिप्लुतः ॥

muktamātreṇa rāmeṇa dūrākṛṣṭena bhārata | sa tena rākṣasaśreṣṭhaḥ sarathaḥ sāśvasārathiḥ | prajajvāla mahājvālenāgninābhipariplutaḥ

The moment Rama loosed it, drawn far back, O Bharata, that best of rakshasas, with his chariot, horses and charioteer, blazed up, engulfed in a fire of great flames.

Note on the text: Three-line verse. The first line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; apparatus 3.274.27d*1300); the second and third lines are CE 3.274.28 (with परिप्लुतः for pariṣkṛtaḥ).

Verse 31 (3.291.31)

ततः प्रहृष्टास्त्रिदशाः सहगन्धर्वचारणाः । निहतं रावणं दृष्ट्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭāstridaśāḥ sahagandharvacāraṇāḥ | nihataṃ rāvaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā

Then the thirty gods, with the Gandharvas and Charanas, rejoiced, seeing Ravana slain by Rama of tireless deeds.

Verse 32 (3.291.32)

तत्यजुस्तं महाभागं पञ्चभूतानि रावणम् । भ्रंशितः सर्वलोकेषु स हि ब्रह्मास्त्रतेजसा ॥

tatyajustaṃ mahābhāgaṃ pañcabhūtāni rāvaṇam | bhraṃśitaḥ sarvalokeṣu sa hi brahmāstratejasā

The five elements abandoned the mighty Ravana; by the power of the Brahma weapon he was cast out of all the worlds.

Verse 33 (3.291.33)

शरीरधातवो ह्यस्य मांसं रुधिरमेव च । नेशुर्ब्रह्मास्त्रनिर्दग्धा न च भस्माप्यदृश्यत ॥

śarīradhātavo hyasya māṃsaṃ rudhirameva ca | neśurbrahmāstranirdagdhā na ca bhasmāpyadṛśyata

The elements of his body, his flesh and his blood, burned up by the Brahma weapon, perished; not even ashes were to be seen.

Note on the text: Corrected ह्यस् → ह्यस्य, मासं → मांसं and निर्दग्दा → निर्दग्धा (misprints in Wikisource; dropped akshara य, dropped anusvara, and द for ध; the critical edition reads hy asya māṃsaṃ and nirdagdhā).