The Battle with Viradha

Shloka 1 (aranya.3.1)

अथोवाच पुनर्वाक्यं विराधः पूरयन् वनम् । पृच्छतो मम हि ब्रूतं कौ युवां क्व गमिष्यथः ॥ 3.1 ॥

athovāca punarvākyaṃ virādhaḥ pūrayan vanam | pṛcchato mama hi brūtaṃ kau yuvāṃ kva gamiṣyathaḥ || 3.1 ||

Then Viradha, filling the forest with his voice, spoke again: "I am asking you — tell me, who are you two, and where are you bound?"

Shloka 2 (aranya.3.2)

तमुवाच ततो रामो राक्षसं ज्वलिताननम् । पृच्छन्तं सुमहातेजा इक्ष्वाकुकुलमात्मनः ॥ 3.2 ॥

tamuvāca tato rāmo rākṣasaṃ jvalitānanam | pṛcchantaṃ sumahātejā ikṣvākukulamātmanaḥ || 3.2 ||

Then the greatly resplendent Rama told that demon of blazing countenance, who kept pressing his question, of his own Ikshvaku lineage.

Shloka 3 (aranya.3.3)

क्षत्रियौ वृत्तसम्पन्नौ विद्धि नौ वनगोचरौ । त्वां तु वेदितुमिच्छावः कस्त्वं चरसि दण्डकान् ॥ 3.3 ॥

kṣatriyau vṛttasampannau viddhi nau vanagocarau | tvāṃ tu veditumicchāvaḥ kastvaṃ carasi daṇḍakān || 3.3 ||

"Know us as kshatriyas of noble conduct, roaming through the forest; but we wish to know of you — who are you, that you wander through Dandaka?"

Shloka 4 (aranya.3.4)

तमुवाच विराधस्तु रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । हन्त वक्ष्यामि ते राजन् निबोध मम राघव ॥ 3.4 ॥

tamuvāca virādhastu rāmaṃ satyaparākramam | hanta vakṣyāmi te rājan nibodha mama rāghava || 3.4 ||

Then Viradha said to Rama, of truthful valour: "Well then, O king, I shall tell you; know me well, O Raghava.

Shloka 5 (aranya.3.5)

पुत्रः किल जवस्याहं माता मम शतह्रदा । विराध इति मामाहुः पृथिव्यां सर्वराक्षसाः ॥ 3.5 ॥

putraḥ kila javasyāhaṃ mātā mama śatahradā | virādha iti māmāhuḥ pṛthivyāṃ sarvarākṣasāḥ || 3.5 ||

I am, indeed, the son of Java, and my mother is Shatahrada; all the demons on this earth call me by the name Viradha.

Shloka 6 (aranya.3.6)

तपसा चाभिसम्प्राप्ता ब्रह्मणो हि प्रसादजा । शस्त्रेणावध्यता लोकेऽच्छेद्याभेद्यत्वमेव च ॥ 3.6 ॥

tapasā cābhisamprāptā brahmaṇo hi prasādajā | śastreṇāvadhyatā loke'cchedyābhedyatvameva ca || 3.6 ||

Through austerity I have won this boon from the grace of Brahma himself — that in this world no weapon can slay me, cut me, or pierce me.

Shloka 7 (aranya.3.7)

उत्सृज्य प्रमदामेनामनपेक्षौ यथागतम् । त्वरमाणौ पलायेथां न वां जीवितमाददे ॥ 3.7 ॥

utsṛjya pramadāmenāmanapekṣau yathāgatam | tvaramāṇau palāyethāṃ na vāṃ jīvitamādade || 3.7 ||

So give up this woman without any longing, and flee swiftly the way you came — then I shall not take your lives.

Shloka 8 (aranya.3.8)

तं रामः प्रत्युवाचेदं कोपसंरक्तलोचनः । राक्षसं विकृताकारं विराधं पापचेतसम् ॥ 3.8 ॥

taṃ rāmaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kopasaṃraktalocanaḥ | rākṣasaṃ vikṛtākāraṃ virādhaṃ pāpacetasam || 3.8 ||

Then Rama, his eyes reddened with fury, made this reply to that misshapen demon Viradha, evil of intent—

Shloka 9 (aranya.3.9)

क्षुद्र धिक् त्वां तु हीनार्थं मृत्युमन्वेषसे ध्रुवम् । रणे प्राप्स्यसि संतिष्ठ न मे जीवन् विमोक्ष्यसे ॥ 3.9 ॥

kṣudra dhik tvāṃ tu hīnārthaṃ mṛtyumanveṣase dhruvam | raṇe prāpsyasi saṃtiṣṭha na me jīvan vimokṣyase || 3.9 ||

"Wretch, shame upon you! For so base a purpose you go seeking your own death, and death you shall surely find in battle. Stand your ground — while I live, you shall not go free."

Shloka 10 (aranya.3.10)

ततः सज्यं धनुः कृत्वा रामः सुनिशितान् शरान् । सुशीघ्रमभिसंधाय राक्षसं निजघान ह ॥ 3.10 ॥

tataḥ sajyaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā rāmaḥ suniśitān śarān | suśīghramabhisaṃdhāya rākṣasaṃ nijaghāna ha || 3.10 ||

Then, stringing his bow, Rama swiftly fitted his sharp arrows and let them fly at the demon.

Shloka 11 (aranya.3.11)

धनुषा ज्यागुणवता सप्त बाणान् मुमोच ह । रुक्मपुङ्खान् महावेगान् सुपर्णानिलतुल्यगान् ॥ 3.11 ॥

dhanuṣā jyāguṇavatā sapta bāṇān mumoca ha | rukmapuṅkhān mahāvegān suparṇānilatulyagān || 3.11 ||

From his taut-stringed bow he loosed seven arrows, golden-shafted and swift as the wind, matching in flight the pace of Garuda himself.

Shloka 12 (aranya.3.12)

ते शरीरं विराधस्य भित्त्वा बर्हिणवाससः । निपेतुः शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां पावकोपमाः ॥ 3.12 ॥

te śarīraṃ virādhasya bhittvā barhiṇavāsasaḥ | nipetuḥ śoṇitādigdhā dharaṇyāṃ pāvakopamāḥ || 3.12 ||

Those arrows, fletched with peacock feathers and blazing like fire, pierced through Viradha's body and fell to the earth smeared with blood.

Shloka 13 (aranya.3.13)

स विद्धो न्यस्य वैदेहीं शूलमुद्यम्य राक्षसः । अभ्यद्रवत् सुसंक्रुद्धस्तदा रामं सलक्ष्मणम् ॥ 3.13 ॥

sa viddho nyasya vaidehīṃ śūlamudyamya rākṣasaḥ | abhyadravat susaṃkruddhastadā rāmaṃ salakṣmaṇam || 3.13 ||

Wounded, the demon set Vaidehi down, hefted his spear, and, blazing with fury, charged straight at Rama and Lakshmana.

Shloka 14 (aranya.3.14)

स विनद्य महानादं शूलं शक्रध्वजोपमम् । प्रगृह्याशोभत तदा व्यात्तानन इवान्तकः ॥ 3.14 ॥

sa vinadya mahānādaṃ śūlaṃ śakradhvajopamam | pragṛhyāśobhata tadā vyāttānana ivāntakaḥ || 3.14 ||

Roaring a great terrible cry, gripping a spear like unto Indra's own standard, he shone forth then like Death himself, jaws agape.

Shloka 15 (aranya.3.15)

अथ तौ भ्रातरौ दीप्तं शरवर्षं ववर्षतुः । विराधे राक्षसे तस्मिन् कालान्तकयमोपमे ॥ 3.15 ॥

atha tau bhrātarau dīptaṃ śaravarṣaṃ vavarṣatuḥ | virādhe rākṣase tasmin kālāntakayamopame || 3.15 ||

Then those two brothers rained down a shower of blazing arrows upon that demon Viradha, terrible as Time itself, the ender, or Yama.

Shloka 16 (aranya.3.16)

स प्रहस्य महारौद्रः स्थित्वाजृम्भत राक्षसः । जृम्भमाणस्य ते बाणाः कायान्निष्पेतुराशुगाः ॥ 3.16 ॥

sa prahasya mahāraudraḥ sthitvājṛmbhata rākṣasaḥ | jṛmbhamāṇasya te bāṇāḥ kāyānniṣpeturāśugāḥ || 3.16 ||

That most terrible demon laughed aloud, then stood still and yawned — and as he yawned, those swift arrows simply fell out from his body.

Shloka 17 (aranya.3.17)

स्पर्शात् तु वरदानेन प्राणान् संरोध्य राक्षसः । विराधः शूलमुद्यम्य राघवावभ्यधावत ॥ 3.17 ॥

sparśāt tu varadānena prāṇān saṃrodhya rākṣasaḥ | virādhaḥ śūlamudyamya rāghavāvabhyadhāvata || 3.17 ||

Guarding his life by the power of that boon's touch, Viradha raised his spear and rushed at the two sons of Raghu.

Shloka 18 (aranya.3.18)

तच्छूलं वज्रसंकाशं गगने ज्वलनोपमम् । द्वाभ्यां शराभ्यां चिच्छेद रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥ 3.18 ॥

tacchūlaṃ vajrasaṃkāśaṃ gagane jvalanopamam | dvābhyāṃ śarābhyāṃ ciccheda rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ || 3.18 ||

That spear, resplendent as a thunderbolt and blazing across the sky like flame, Rama — foremost among wielders of weapons — cleft in two with a pair of arrows.

Shloka 19 (aranya.3.19)

तद् रामविशिखैश्छिन्नं शूलं तस्यापतद् भुवि । पपाताशनिना छिन्नं मेरोरिव शिलातलम् ॥ 3.19 ॥

tad rāmaviśikhaiśchinnaṃ śūlaṃ tasyāpatad bhuvi | papātāśaninā chinnaṃ meroriva śilātalam || 3.19 ||

That spear, shattered by Rama's shafts, fell to the ground, as when a rock-face of Mount Meru, riven by a thunderbolt, comes crashing down.

Shloka 20 (aranya.3.20)

तौ खड्गौ क्षिप्रमुद्यम्य कृष्णसर्पाविवोद्यतौ । तूर्णमापेततुस्तस्य तदा प्रहरतां बलात् ॥ 3.20 ॥

tau khaḍgau kṣipramudyamya kṛṣṇasarpāvivodyatau | tūrṇamāpetatustasya tadā praharatāṃ balāt || 3.20 ||

The two brothers then swiftly drew their swords and, like a pair of rearing black serpents, fell upon him at once, striking with all their strength.

Shloka 21 (aranya.3.21)

स वध्यमानः सुभृशं भुजाभ्यां परिगृह्य तौ । अप्रकम्प्यौ नरव्याघ्रौ रौद्रः प्रस्थातुमैच्छत ॥ 3.21 ॥

sa vadhyamānaḥ subhṛśaṃ bhujābhyāṃ parigṛhya tau | aprakampyau naravyāghrau raudraḥ prasthātumaicchata || 3.21 ||

Though sorely battered, that terrible demon seized those two unshaken tiger-men firmly in his two arms and sought to carry them away.

Shloka 22 (aranya.3.22)

तस्याभिप्रायमाज्ञाय रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् । वहत्वयमलं तावत् पथानेन तु राक्षसः ॥ 3.22 ॥

tasyābhiprāyamājñāya rāmo lakṣmaṇamabravīt | vahatvayamalaṃ tāvat pathānena tu rākṣasaḥ || 3.22 ||

Sensing his intent, Rama said to Lakshmana: "Let this demon carry us along his own path for now — there is no harm in it.

Shloka 23 (aranya.3.23)

यथा चेच्छति सौमित्रे तथा वहतु राक्षसः । अयमेव हि नः पन्था येन याति निशाचरः ॥ 3.23 ॥

yathā cecchati saumitre tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ | ayameva hi naḥ panthā yena yāti niśācaraḥ || 3.23 ||

Let this demon bear us as he pleases, O Saumitri; the way this night-roamer takes shall be our way as well."

Shloka 24 (aranya.3.24)

स तु स्वबलवीर्येण समुत्क्षिप्य निशाचरः । बालाविव स्कन्धगतौ चकारातिबलोद्धतः ॥ 3.24 ॥

sa tu svabalavīryeṇa samutkṣipya niśācaraḥ | bālāviva skandhagatau cakārātibaloddhataḥ || 3.24 ||

Then that night-roamer, swollen with pride in his own might and strength, hoisted the two of them up like children and set them upon his shoulders.

Shloka 25 (aranya.3.25)

तावारोप्य ततः स्कन्धं राघवौ रजनीचरः । विराधो विनदन् घोरं जगामाभिमुखो वनम् ॥ 3.25 ॥

tāvāropya tataḥ skandhaṃ rāghavau rajanīcaraḥ | virādho vinadan ghoraṃ jagāmābhimukho vanam || 3.25 ||

Having set the two Raghavas upon his shoulders, the night-roamer Viradha, roaring terribly, made his way deeper into the forest.

Shloka 26 (aranya.3.26)

वनं महामेघनिभं प्रविष्टो । द्रुमैर्महद्भिर्विविधैरुपेतम् । नानाविधैः पक्षिकुलैर्विचित्रं । शिवायुतं व्यालमृगैर्विकीर्णम् ॥ 3.26 ॥

vanaṃ mahāmeghanibhaṃ praviṣṭo | drumairmahadbhirvividhairupetam | nānāvidhaiḥ pakṣikulairvicitraṃ | śivāyutaṃ vyālamṛgairvikīrṇam || 3.26 ||

He entered a forest dark as a great storm-cloud, thick with massive and varied trees, alive with countless flocking birds, overrun with jackals, and teeming with beasts of prey.