The Slaying of the Fourteen Demons

Shloka 1 (aranya.20.1)

ततः शूर्पणखा घोरा राघव आश्रमम् आगता | रक्षसान् आचचक्षे तौ भ्रातरौ सह सीतया ॥ 20.1 ॥

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā ghorā rāghava āśramam āgatā | rakṣasān ācacakṣe tau bhrātarau saha sītayā || 20.1 ||

Then the dreadful Shurpanakha, arriving at Raghava's hermitage, pointed out the two brothers, together with Sita, to the demons.

Shloka 2 (aranya.20.2)

ते रामम् पर्ण शालायाम् उपविष्टम् महाबलम् | ददृशुः सीतया सार्धम् लक्ष्मणेन अपि सेवितम् ॥ 20.2 ॥

te rāmam parṇa śālāyām upaviṣṭam mahābalam | dadṛśuḥ sītayā sārdham lakṣmaṇena api sevitam || 20.2 ||

They beheld mighty Rama seated in the leaf-hut, attended by Sita and by Lakshmana as well.

Shloka 3 (aranya.20.3)

ताम् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमान् आगताम् ताम् च राक्षसीम् | अब्रवीत् भ्रातरम् रामो लक्ष्मणम् दीप्त तेजसम् ॥ 20.3 ॥

tām dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ śrīmān āgatām tām ca rākṣasīm | abravīt bhrātaram rāmo lakṣmaṇam dīpta tejasam || 20.3 ||

Seeing that demoness returned there together with the demons who had come with her, the glorious Raghava, Rama, said to his brilliant brother Lakshmana:

Shloka 4 (aranya.20.4)

मुहूर्तम् भव सौमित्रे सीतायाः प्रत्यनंतरः | इमान् अस्या वधिष्यामि पदवीम् आगतान् इह ॥ 20.4 ॥

muhūrtam bhava saumitre sītāyāḥ pratyanaṃtaraḥ | imān asyā vadhiṣyāmi padavīm āgatān iha || 20.4 ||

"Stay close by Sita for a moment, Saumitri; I mean to slay these demons who have come here following that woman's trail."

Shloka 5 (aranya.20.5)

वाक्यम् एतत् ततः श्रुत्वा रामस्य विदित आत्मनः | तथा इति लक्ष्मणो वाक्यम् रामस्य प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥ 20.5 ॥

vākyam etat tataḥ śrutvā rāmasya vidita ātmanaḥ | tathā iti lakṣmaṇo vākyam rāmasya pratyapūjayat || 20.5 ||

Hearing this word of Rama, Lakshmana, of clear understanding, honoured Rama's word, saying, "So be it."

Shloka 6 (aranya.20.6)

राघवो अपि महत् चापम् चामीकर विभूषितम् | चकार सज्यम् धर्मात्मा तानि रक्षांसि च अब्रवीत् ॥ 20.6 ॥

rāghavo api mahat cāpam cāmīkara vibhūṣitam | cakāra sajyam dharmātmā tāni rakṣāṃsi ca abravīt || 20.6 ||

Then that righteous Raghava strung his great bow, adorned with gold, and spoke thus to those demons, as a warning:

Shloka 7 (aranya.20.7)

पुत्रौ दशरथस्य आवाम् भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ | प्रविष्टौ सीतया सार्धम् दुश्चरम् दण्डका वनम् ॥ 20.7 ॥

putrau daśarathasya āvām bhrātarau rāma lakṣmaṇau | praviṣṭau sītayā sārdham duścaram daṇḍakā vanam || 20.7 ||

"We are the sons of Dasharatha, brothers named Rama and Lakshmana, who have entered this impassable Dandaka forest together with Sita.

Shloka 8 (aranya.20.8)

फल मूल अशनौ दांतौ तापसौ धर्म चारिणौ | वसन्तौ दण्डकारण्ये किम् अर्थम् उपहिंसथ ॥ 20.8 ॥

phala mūla aśanau dāṃtau tāpasau dharma cāriṇau | vasantau daṇḍakāraṇye kim artham upahiṃsatha || 20.8 ||

We subsist on fruit and roots, self-controlled, walking in the path of dharma; we are ascetics dwelling in the Dandaka forest — for what reason do you seek to harm us?

Shloka 9 (aranya.20.9)

युष्मान् पाप आत्मकान् हंतुम् विप्रकारान् महाहवे | ऋषीणाम् तु नियोगेन प्राप्तो अहम् सशर आसनः ॥ 20.9 ॥

yuṣmān pāpa ātmakān haṃtum viprakārān mahāhave | ṛṣīṇām tu niyogena prāpto aham saśara āsanaḥ || 20.9 ||

I have come here, bow and arrows in hand, commissioned by the sages, to slay you, evildoers of unrighteous conduct, in this fierce combat.

Shloka 10 (aranya.20.10)

तिष्ठत एव अत्र संतुष्टा न उपवरितितुम् अर्हथ | यदि प्राणैः इह अर्थो वो निवर्तध्वम् निशा चराः ॥ 20.10 ॥

tiṣṭhata eva atra saṃtuṣṭā na upavarititum arhatha | yadi prāṇaiḥ iha artho vo nivartadhvam niśā carāḥ || 20.10 ||

Remain here in peace, or you shall not be able to depart at all; but if you value your lives, O night-rangers, withdraw at once."

Shloka 11 (aranya.20.11)

तस्य तद् वचनम् श्रुत्वा राक्षसाः ते चतुर्दश | ऊचुर् वाचम् सुसंक्रुद्धा ब्रह्मघ्नः शूल पाणयः ॥ 20.11 ॥

tasya tad vacanam śrutvā rākṣasāḥ te caturdaśa | ūcur vācam susaṃkruddhā brahmaghnaḥ śūla pāṇayaḥ || 20.11 ||

On hearing these words of his, those fourteen demons, slayers of brahmins and wielders of spears, grew furious,

Shloka 12 (aranya.20.12)

संरक्त नयना घोरा रामम् रक्तांत लोचनम् | परुषा मधुर आभाषम् हृष्टाः अदृष्ट पराक्रमम् ॥ 20.12 ॥

saṃrakta nayanā ghorā rāmam raktāṃta locanam | paruṣā madhura ābhāṣam hṛṣṭāḥ adṛṣṭa parākramam || 20.12 ||

and, their eyes reddened with rage, terrible to behold, spoke harsh words to Rama — sweet of speech, his eyes streaked red, his valour as yet unwitnessed by them:

Shloka 13 (aranya.20.13)

क्रोधम् उत्पाद्य नो भर्तुः खरस्य सुमहात्मनः | त्वम् एव हास्यसे प्राणान् अद्य अस्माभिर् हतो युधि ॥ 20.13 ॥

krodham utpādya no bhartuḥ kharasya sumahātmanaḥ | tvam eva hāsyase prāṇān adya asmābhir hato yudhi || 20.13 ||

"Slain by us this very day in battle, you alone shall breathe your last, having provoked the wrath of our great-souled lord Khara.

Shloka 14 (aranya.20.14)

का हि ते शक्तिर् एकस्य बहूनाम् रण मूर्धनि | अस्माकम् अग्रतः स्थातुम् किम् पुनर् योद्धुम् आहवे ॥ 20.14 ॥

kā hi te śaktir ekasya bahūnām raṇa mūrdhani | asmākam agrataḥ sthātum kim punar yoddhum āhave || 20.14 ||

What power, indeed, do you have, standing alone, to hold your ground before so many of us at the forefront of battle — let alone to fight against us?

Shloka 15 (aranya.20.15)

एभिः बाहु प्रयुक्तैः नः परिघैः शूल पट्टिशैः | प्राणाम् त्यक्ष्यसि वीर्यम् च धनुः च कर पीडितम् ॥ 20.15 ॥

ebhiḥ bāhu prayuktaiḥ naḥ parighaiḥ śūla paṭṭiśaiḥ | prāṇām tyakṣyasi vīryam ca dhanuḥ ca kara pīḍitam || 20.15 ||

Struck by these maces, spears, and broad-bladed swords wielded by our arms, you shall forfeit your life, your valour, and even that bow now clasped in your hand."

Shloka 16 (aranya.20.16)

इति एवम् उक्त्वा संरब्धा राक्षसाः ते चतुर्दश | उद्यत आयुध निस्त्रिंशा रामम् एव अभिदुद्रुवुः ॥ 20.16 ॥

iti evam uktvā saṃrabdhā rākṣasāḥ te caturdaśa | udyata āyudha nistriṃśā rāmam eva abhidudruvuḥ || 20.16 ||

So saying, those fourteen demons, in a fury, raised their weapons and rushed at Rama alone,

Shloka 17 (aranya.20.17)

चिक्षिपुः तानि शूलानि राघवम् प्रति दुर्जयम् | तानि शूलानि काकुत्स्थः समस्तानि चतुर्दश ॥ 20.17 ॥

cikṣipuḥ tāni śūlāni rāghavam prati durjayam | tāni śūlāni kākutsthaḥ samastāni caturdaśa || 20.17 ||

hurling their lances at unconquerable Raghava. All fourteen of those lances Kakutstha,

Shloka 18 (aranya.20.18)

तावद्भिः एव चिच्छ्हेद शरैः कांचन भूषितैः | ततः पश्चात् महातेजा नाराचान् सूर्य संनिभान् ॥ 20.18 ॥

tāvadbhiḥ eva cicchheda śaraiḥ kāṃcana bhūṣitaiḥ | tataḥ paścāt mahātejā nārācān sūrya saṃnibhān || 20.18 ||

cut to pieces with just as many gold-adorned arrows. Thereafter, that greatly resplendent one, in high fury, took up fourteen iron shafts, whetstone-sharpened, matching the sun in brilliance.

Shloka 19 (aranya.20.19)

जग्राह परम क्रुद्धः चतुर्दश शिल अशितान् | गृहीत्वा धनुः आयम्य लक्ष्यान् उद्दिश्य राक्षसान् ॥ 20.19 ॥

jagrāha parama kruddhaḥ caturdaśa śila aśitān | gṛhītvā dhanuḥ āyamya lakṣyān uddiśya rākṣasān || 20.19 ||

Then, seizing his bow and drawing it taut, taking aim at the demons as his marks,

Shloka 20 (aranya.20.20)

मुमोच राघवो बाणान् वज्रान् इव शतक्रतुः | ते भित्त्वा रक्षसाम् वेगात् वक्षांसि रुधिर आप्लुताः ॥ 20.20 ॥

mumoca rāghavo bāṇān vajrān iva śatakratuḥ | te bhittvā rakṣasām vegāt vakṣāṃsi rudhira āplutāḥ || 20.20 ||

Raghava loosed his arrows, as Indra of a hundred sacrifices looses his thunderbolts. With great force they tore through the demons' chests, and, bathed in blood,

Shloka 21 (aranya.20.21)

विनिष्पेतुः तदा भूमौ वल्मीकात् इव पन्नगाः | तैः भग्न हृदया बूमौ छ्हिन्न मूला इव द्रुमाः ॥ 20.21 ॥

viniṣpetuḥ tadā bhūmau valmīkāt iva pannagāḥ | taiḥ bhagna hṛdayā būmau chhinna mūlā iva drumāḥ || 20.21 ||

burst out the other side and plunged into the earth, as serpents vanish into an anthill. Their hearts shattered by those arrows, those demons,

Shloka 22 (aranya.20.22)

निपेतुः शोणित स्नाता विकृता विगत असवः | तान् भूमौ पतितान् दृष्ट्वा राक्षसी क्रोध मूर्च्छ्हिता ॥ 20.22 ॥

nipetuḥ śoṇita snātā vikṛtā vigata asavaḥ | tān bhūmau patitān dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī krodha mūrcchhitā || 20.22 ||

bathed in blood, mangled and lifeless, fell to the ground like trees uprooted at the root. Seeing them fallen upon the ground, that demoness, convulsed with fury,

Shloka 23 (aranya.20.23)

उपगम्य खरम् सा तु किंचित् संशुष्क शोणिता | पपात पुनः एव आर्ता सनिर्यासा इव वल्लरी ॥ 20.23 ॥

upagamya kharam sā tu kiṃcit saṃśuṣka śoṇitā | papāta punaḥ eva ārtā saniryāsā iva vallarī || 20.23 ||

went once more to Khara — her blood somewhat dried, her face drained — and fell before him again in her anguish, like a creeper oozing sap from a cut.

Shloka 24 (aranya.20.24)

भ्रातुः समीपे शोक आर्ता ससर्ज निनदम् महत् | सस्वरम् मुमोच बाष्पम् विवर्ण वदना तदा ॥ 20.24 ॥

bhrātuḥ samīpe śoka ārtā sasarja ninadam mahat | sasvaram mumoca bāṣpam vivarṇa vadanā tadā || 20.24 ||

Then, in her brother's presence, tormented by grief, she raised a great outcry; her face bloodless, she wept aloud, sobbing.

Shloka 25 (aranya.20.25)

निपातितान् प्रेक्ष्य रणे तु राक्षसान् प्रधाविता शूर्पणखा पुनः ततः | वधम् च तेषाम् निखिलेन रक्षसाम् शशंस सर्वम् भगिनी खरस्य सा ॥ 20.25 ॥

nipātitān prekṣya raṇe tu rākṣasān pradhāvitā śūrpaṇakhā punaḥ tataḥ | vadham ca teṣām nikhilena rakṣasām śaśaṃsa sarvam bhaginī kharasya sā || 20.25 ||

Having seen those demons felled in battle, Shurpanakha fled once more from there, and she, Khara's sister, related to him the whole account of the utter destruction of those demons.