The Slaying of Dushana

Shloka 1 (aranya.26.1)

दूषणस्तु स्वकं सैन्यं हन्यमानं विलोक्य च। संदिदेश महाबाहुर्भीमवेगान् दुरासदान् ॥ 26.1 ॥

dūṣaṇastu svakaṃ sainyaṃ hanyamānaṃ vilokya ca | saṃdideśa mahābāhurbhīmavegān durāsadān || 26.1 ||

Seeing his own troops being cut down, mighty-armed Dushana commanded night-rangers of fearsome speed, hard to withstand,

Shloka 2 (aranya.26.2)

राक्षसान् पञ्चसाहस्रान् समरेष्वनिवर्तिनः। ते शूलैः पट्टिशैः खड्गैः शिलावर्षैर्द्रुमैरपि ॥ 26.2 ॥

rākṣasān pañcasāhasrān samareṣvanivartinaḥ | te śūlaiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ khaḍgaiḥ śilāvarṣairdrumairapi || 26.2 ||

five thousand rakshasas who never turned back in battle. They, with tridents, spears, swords, and showers of boulders and trees,

Shloka 3 (aranya.26.3)

शरवर्षैरविच्छिन्नं ववर्षुस्तं समन्ततः। तद् द्रुमाणां शिलानां च वर्षं प्राणहरं महत् ॥ 26.3 ॥

śaravarṣairavicchinnaṃ vavarṣustaṃ samantataḥ | tad drumāṇāṃ śilānāṃ ca varṣaṃ prāṇaharaṃ mahat || 26.3 ||

and with unceasing showers of arrows, rained down upon Rama from every side. That great, life-taking storm of trees and boulders

Shloka 4 (aranya.26.4)

प्रतिजग्राह धर्मात्मा राघवस्तीक्ष्णसायकैः। प्रतिगृह्य च तद् वर्षं निमीलित इवर्षभः ॥ 26.4 ॥

pratijagrāha dharmātmā rāghavastīkṣṇasāyakaiḥ | pratigṛhya ca tad varṣaṃ nimīlita ivarṣabhaḥ || 26.4 ||

the righteous Raghava met and repelled with his sharp arrows. Receiving that onslaught as a bull receives rain with eyes closed,

Shloka 5 (aranya.26.5)

रामः क्रोधं परं लेभे वधार्थं सर्वरक्षसाम्। ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टः प्रदीप्त इव तेजसा ॥ 26.5 ॥

rāmaḥ krodhaṃ paraṃ lebhe vadhārthaṃ sarvarakṣasām | tataḥ krodhasamāviṣṭaḥ pradīpta iva tejasā || 26.5 ||

Rama gave way to supreme anger for the destruction of all those rakshasas. Then, possessed by that fury and blazing as if with his own splendor,

Shloka 6 (aranya.26.6)

शरैरभ्यकिरत् सैन्यं सर्वतः सहदूषणम्। ततः सेनापतिः क्रुद्धो दूषणः शत्रुदूषणः ॥ 26.6 ॥

śarairabhyakirat sainyaṃ sarvataḥ sahadūṣaṇam | tataḥ senāpatiḥ kruddho dūṣaṇaḥ śatrudūṣaṇaḥ || 26.6 ||

he showered arrows on every side upon that army together with Dushana. Then the enraged army-commander Dushana, the scourge of his foes,

Shloka 7 (aranya.26.7)

शरैरशनिकल्पैस्तं राघवं समवारयत्। ततो रामः सुसंक्रुद्धः क्षुरेणास्य महद् धनुः ॥ 26.7 ॥

śarairaśanikalpaistaṃ rāghavaṃ samavārayat | tato rāmaḥ susaṃkruddhaḥ kṣureṇāsya mahad dhanuḥ || 26.7 ||

tried to check Raghava with arrows like thunderbolts. Then Rama, greatly enraged, with a razor-headed arrow

Shloka 8 (aranya.26.8)

चिच्छेद समरे वीरश्चर्तुभिश्चतुरो हयान्। हत्वा चाश्वान् शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरर्धचन्द्रेण सारथेः ॥ 26.8 ॥

ciccheda samare vīraścartubhiścaturo hayān | hatvā cāśvān śaraistīkṣṇairardhacandreṇa sāratheḥ || 26.8 ||

shattered his great bow, and with four more arrows that hero slew his four horses in battle. Having killed the horses with sharp arrows, with a crescent-headed shaft

Shloka 9 (aranya.26.9)

शिरो जहार तद्रक्षस्त्रिभिर्विव्याध वक्षसि। स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः ॥ 26.9 ॥

śiro jahāra tadrakṣastribhirvivyādha vakṣasi | sa cchinnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ || 26.9 ||

he tore off the charioteer's head, and pierced that rakshasa's chest with three more arrows. His bow now broken, his chariot destroyed, his horses and charioteer slain,

Shloka 10 (aranya.26.10)

जग्राह गिरिशृङ्गाभं परिघं रोमहर्षणम्। वेष्टितं काञ्चनैः पट्टैर्देवसैन्याभिमर्दनम् ॥ 26.10 ॥

jagrāha giriśṛṅgābhaṃ parighaṃ romaharṣaṇam | veṣṭitaṃ kāñcanaiḥ paṭṭairdevasainyābhimardanam || 26.10 ||

Dushana then seized a mace resembling a mountain peak, one that made the hair stand on end, bound about with golden bands, that had once crushed the armies of the gods,

Shloka 11 (aranya.26.11)

आयसैः शङ्कुभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कीर्णं परवसोक्षितम्। वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शं परगोपुरदारणम् ॥ 26.11 ॥

āyasaiḥ śaṅkubhistīkṣṇaiḥ kīrṇaṃ paravasokṣitam | vajrāśanisamasparśaṃ paragopuradāraṇam || 26.11 ||

studded with sharp iron spikes, drenched in the fat of enemies, whose touch was like Indra's thunderbolt, and which could shatter the gateways of hostile citadels.

Shloka 12 (aranya.26.12)

तं महोरगसंकाशं प्रगृह्य परिघं रणे। दूषणोऽभ्यपतद् रामं क्रूरकर्मा निशाचरः ॥ 26.12 ॥

taṃ mahoragasaṃkāśaṃ pragṛhya parighaṃ raṇe | dūṣaṇo'bhyapatad rāmaṃ krūrakarmā niśācaraḥ || 26.12 ||

Firmly grasping that mace, which in battle resembled a great serpent, the cruel-deeded night-ranger Dushana rushed upon Rama.

Shloka 13 (aranya.26.13)

तस्याभिपतमानस्य दूषणस्य च राघवः। द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां चिच्छेद सहस्ताभरणौ भुजौ ॥ 26.13 ॥

tasyābhipatamānasya dūṣaṇasya ca rāghavaḥ | dvābhyāṃ śarābhyāṃ ciccheda sahastābharaṇau bhujau || 26.13 ||

As Dushana came charging upon him, Raghava with two arrows severed his two arms, still ornamented at the wrists.

Shloka 14 (aranya.26.14)

भ्रष्टस्तस्य महाकायः पपात रणमूर्धनि। परिघश्छिन्नहस्तस्य शक्रध्वज इवाग्रतः ॥ 26.14 ॥

bhraṣṭastasya mahākāyaḥ papāta raṇamūrdhani | parighaśchinnahastasya śakradhvaja ivāgrataḥ || 26.14 ||

Slipping from his huge frame, that mace fell to the forefront of the battlefield, from his severed hand, like the flagstaff of Indra collapsing.

Shloka 15 (aranya.26.15)

कराभ्यां च विकीर्णाभ्यां पपात भुवि दूषणः। विषाणाभ्यां विशीर्णाभ्यां मनस्वीव महागजः ॥ 26.15 ॥

karābhyāṃ ca vikīrṇābhyāṃ papāta bhuvi dūṣaṇaḥ | viṣāṇābhyāṃ viśīrṇābhyāṃ manasvīva mahāgajaḥ || 26.15 ||

With both his arms scattered away, Dushana fell to the ground, like a proud, mighty elephant collapsing with both its tusks shattered.

Shloka 16 (aranya.26.16)

दृष्ट्वा तं पतितं भूमौ दूषणं निहतं रणे। साधु साध्विति काकुत्स्थं सर्वभूतान्यपूजयन् ॥ 26.16 ॥

dṛṣṭvā taṃ patitaṃ bhūmau dūṣaṇaṃ nihataṃ raṇe | sādhu sādhviti kākutsthaṃ sarvabhūtānyapūjayan || 26.16 ||

Seeing Dushana slain and fallen to the ground in battle, all beings honored Kakutstha (Rama), crying, "Well done, well done!"

Shloka 17 (aranya.26.17)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रुद्धास्त्रयः सेनाग्रयायिनः। संहत्याभ्यद्रवन् रामं मृत्युपाशावपाशिताः ॥ 26.17 ॥

etasminnantare kruddhāstrayaḥ senāgrayāyinaḥ | saṃhatyābhyadravan rāmaṃ mṛtyupāśāvapāśitāḥ || 26.17 ||

Meanwhile, three enraged commanders who led the army from the front, as if bound by the noose of death, together charged at Rama.

Shloka 18 (aranya.26.18)

महाकपालः स्थूलाक्षः प्रमाथी च महाबलः। महाकपालो विपुलं शूलमुद्यम्य राक्षसः ॥ 26.18 ॥

mahākapālaḥ sthūlākṣaḥ pramāthī ca mahābalaḥ | mahākapālo vipulaṃ śūlamudyamya rākṣasaḥ || 26.18 ||

Mahakapala, Sthulaksha, and the mighty Pramathi. The rakshasa Mahakapala, raising a broad trident,

Shloka 19 (aranya.26.19)

स्थूलाक्षः पट्टिशं गृह्य प्रमाथी च परश्वधम्। दृष्ट्वैवापततस्तांस्तु राघवः सायकैः शितैः ॥ 26.19 ॥

sthūlākṣaḥ paṭṭiśaṃ gṛhya pramāthī ca paraśvadham | dṛṣṭvaivāpatatastāṃstu rāghavaḥ sāyakaiḥ śitaiḥ || 26.19 ||

Sthulaksha seizing a spear, and Pramathi an axe, they attacked. The moment Raghava saw them charging upon him, with sharpened arrows

Shloka 20 (aranya.26.20)

तीक्ष्णाग्रैः प्रतिजग्राह सम्प्राप्तानतिथीनिव। महाकपालस्य शिरश्चिच्छेद रघुनन्दनः ॥ 26.20 ॥

tīkṣṇāgraiḥ pratijagrāha samprāptānatithīniva | mahākapālasya śiraściccheda raghunandanaḥ || 26.20 ||

he received them as one receives unexpected guests. Raghunandana (Rama) severed Mahakapala's head,

Shloka 21 (aranya.26.21)

असंख्येयैस्तु बाणौघैः प्रममाथ प्रमाथिनम्। स्थूलाक्षस्याक्षिणी स्थूले पूरयामास सायकैः ॥ 26.21 ॥

asaṃkhyeyaistu bāṇaughaiḥ pramamātha pramāthinam | sthūlākṣasyākṣiṇī sthūle pūrayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ || 26.21 ||

with countless streams of arrows he crushed Pramathi, and filled Sthulaksha's bulging eyes with arrows.

Shloka 22 (aranya.26.22)

स पपात हतो भूमौ विटपीव महाद्रुमः। दूषणस्यानुगान् पञ्चसाहस्रान् कुपितः क्षणात् ॥ 26.22 ॥

sa papāta hato bhūmau viṭapīva mahādrumaḥ | dūṣaṇasyānugān pañcasāhasrān kupitaḥ kṣaṇāt || 26.22 ||

Sthulaksha fell dead to the ground like a great tree felled with its branches. Then, still enraged, in an instant Rama

Shloka 23 (aranya.26.23)

हत्वा तु पञ्चसाहस्रैरनयद् यमसादनम्। दूषणं निहतं श्रुत्वा तस्य चैव पदानुगान् ॥ 26.23 ॥

hatvā tu pañcasāhasrairanayad yamasādanam | dūṣaṇaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā tasya caiva padānugān || 26.23 ||

slew Dushana's five thousand followers and sent them to the abode of Yama. Hearing that Dushana and his followers had been slain,

Shloka 24 (aranya.26.24)

व्यादिदेश खरः क्रुद्धः सेनाध्यक्षान् महाबलान्। अयं विनिहतः संख्ये दूषणः सपदानुगः ॥ 26.24 ॥

vyādideśa kharaḥ kruddhaḥ senādhyakṣān mahābalān | ayaṃ vinihataḥ saṃkhye dūṣaṇaḥ sapadānugaḥ || 26.24 ||

the enraged Khara commanded his mighty army-captains: "This Dushana, along with his followers, has been slain in battle.

Shloka 25 (aranya.26.25)

महत्या सेनया सार्धं युद्ध्वा रामं कुमानुषम्। शस्त्रैर्नानाविधाकारैर्हनध्वं सर्वराक्षसाः ॥ 26.25 ॥

mahatyā senayā sārdhaṃ yuddhvā rāmaṃ kumānuṣam | śastrairnānāvidhākārairhanadhvaṃ sarvarākṣasāḥ || 26.25 ||

Fight together with the great army, and with weapons of every kind, kill this wretched human Rama, O all you rakshasas!"

Shloka 26 (aranya.26.26)

एवमुक्त्वा खरः क्रुद्धो राममेवाभिदुद्रुवे। श्येनगामी पृथुग्रीवो यज्ञशत्रुर्विहंगमः ॥ 26.26 ॥

evamuktvā kharaḥ kruddho rāmamevābhidudruve | śyenagāmī pṛthugrīvo yajñaśatrurvihaṃgamaḥ || 26.26 ||

Having spoken thus, the enraged Khara himself rushed towards Rama. Shyenagami, Prithugriva, Yajnashatru, Vihangama,

Shloka 27 (aranya.26.27)

दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः। हेममाली महामाली सर्पास्यो रुधिराशनः ॥ 26.27 ॥

durjayaḥ karavīrākṣaḥ paruṣaḥ kālakārmukaḥ | hemamālī mahāmālī sarpāsyo rudhirāśanaḥ || 26.27 ||

Durjaya, Karaviraksha, Parusha, Kalakarmuka, Hemamali, Mahamali, Sarpasya, and Rudhirashana -

Shloka 28 (aranya.26.28)

द्वादशैते महावीर्या बलाध्यक्षाः ससैनिकाः। राममेवाभ्यधावन्त विसृजन्तः शरोत्तमान् ॥ 26.28 ॥

dvādaśaite mahāvīryā balādhyakṣāḥ sasainikāḥ | rāmamevābhyadhāvanta visṛjantaḥ śarottamān || 26.28 ||

these twelve mighty commanders of the forces, together with their troops, rushed straight at Rama, releasing their finest arrows.

Shloka 29 (aranya.26.29)

ततः पावकसंकाशैर्हेमवज्रविभूषितैः। जघान शेषं तेजस्वी तस्य सैन्यस्य सायकैः ॥ 26.29 ॥

tataḥ pāvakasaṃkāśairhemavajravibhūṣitaiḥ | jaghāna śeṣaṃ tejasvī tasya sainyasya sāyakaiḥ || 26.29 ||

Then the resplendent Rama, with arrows adorned with gold and diamonds and blazing like sacrificial fire, destroyed the remainder of that army.

Shloka 30 (aranya.26.30)

ते रुक्मपुङ्खा विशिखाः सधूमा इव पावकाः। निजघ्नुस्तानि रक्षांसि वज्रा इव महाद्रुमान् ॥ 26.30 ॥

te rukmapuṅkhā viśikhāḥ sadhūmā iva pāvakāḥ | nijaghnustāni rakṣāṃsi vajrā iva mahādrumān || 26.30 ||

Those sharp arrows with golden shafts, like smoking flames, struck down those rakshasas as thunderbolts strike down mighty trees.

Shloka 31 (aranya.26.31)

रक्षसां तु शतं रामः शतेनैकेन किर्णना। सहस्रं तु सहस्रेण जघान रणमूर्धनि ॥ 26.31 ॥

rakṣasāṃ tu śataṃ rāmaḥ śatenaikena kirṇanā | sahasraṃ tu sahasreṇa jaghāna raṇamūrdhani || 26.31 ||

With a hundred rudder-shaped arrows Rama slew a hundred rakshasas at once, and with a thousand more he slew a thousand more at the head of the battle.

Shloka 32 (aranya.26.32)

तैर्भिन्नवर्माभरणाश्छिन्नभिन्नशरासनाः। निपेतुः शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां रजनीचराः ॥ 26.32 ॥

tairbhinnavarmābharaṇāśchinnabhinnaśarāsanāḥ | nipetuḥ śoṇitādigdhā dharaṇyāṃ rajanīcarāḥ || 26.32 ||

Struck by those arrows, their armor and ornaments torn apart, their bows shattered, the night-rangers fell to the ground, drenched in blood.

Shloka 33 (aranya.26.33)

तैर्मुक्तकेशैः समरे पतितैः शोणितोक्षितैः। विस्तीर्णा वसुधा कृत्स्ना महावेदिः कुशैरिव ॥ 26.33 ॥

tairmuktakeśaiḥ samare patitaiḥ śoṇitokṣitaiḥ | vistīrṇā vasudhā kṛtsnā mahāvediḥ kuśairiva || 26.33 ||

With those demons lying fallen in battle, their hair loosened and drenched in blood, the whole earth appeared spread out like a vast sacrificial altar strewn with kusha grass.

Shloka 34 (aranya.26.34)

तत्क्षणे तु महाघोरं वनं निहतराक्षसम्। बभूव निरयप्रख्यं मांसशोणितकर्दमम् ॥ 26.34 ॥

tatkṣaṇe tu mahāghoraṃ vanaṃ nihatarākṣasam | babhūva nirayaprakhyaṃ māṃsaśoṇitakardamam || 26.34 ||

In that instant, the forest, filled with slain rakshasas and turned into a mire of flesh and blood, became a most terrible sight, resembling hell itself.

Shloka 35 (aranya.26.35)

चतुर्दशसहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्। हतान्येकेन रामेण मानुषेण पदातिना ॥ 26.35 ॥

caturdaśasahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām | hatānyekena rāmeṇa mānuṣeṇa padātinā || 26.35 ||

Fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds were thus slain by Rama alone - a single human, fighting on foot.

Shloka 36 (aranya.26.36)

तस्य सैन्यस्य सर्वस्य खरः शेषो महारथः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिराश्चैव रामश्च रिपुसूदनः ॥ 26.36 ॥

tasya sainyasya sarvasya kharaḥ śeṣo mahārathaḥ | rākṣasastriśirāścaiva rāmaśca ripusūdanaḥ || 26.36 ||

Of that entire army, only the great chariot-warrior Khara and the rakshasa Trishira remained, facing Rama, the destroyer of foes.

Shloka 37 (aranya.26.37)

शेषा हता महावीर्या राक्षसा रणमूर्धनि। घोरा दुर्विषहाः सर्वे लक्ष्मणस्याग्रजेन ते ॥ 26.37 ॥

śeṣā hatā mahāvīryā rākṣasā raṇamūrdhani | ghorā durviṣahāḥ sarve lakṣmaṇasyāgrajena te || 26.37 ||

All the remaining rakshasas - mighty, terrible, and unbearable in valor - were slain in the forefront of battle by Lakshmana's elder brother.

Shloka 38 (aranya.26.38)

ततस्तु तद्भीमबलं महाहवे समीक्ष्य रामेण हतं बलीयसा। रथेन रामं महता खरस्ततः समाससादेन्द्र इवोद्यताशनिः ॥ 26.38 ॥

tatastu tadbhīmabalaṃ mahāhave samīkṣya rāmeṇa hataṃ balīyasā | rathena rāmaṃ mahatā kharastataḥ samāsasādendra ivodyatāśaniḥ || 26.38 ||

Then, seeing that terrible army destroyed by the mighty Rama in that great battle, Khara advanced upon Rama in his great chariot, like Indra advancing with thunderbolt upraised.