The Slaying of Subahu and the Rout of Maricha

Shloka 1 (bala.30.1)

अथ तौ देशकालज्ञौ राजपुत्रावरिंदमौ । देशे काले च वाक्यज्ञावब्रूतां कौशिकं वचः ॥ ३०-१ ॥

atha tau deśakālajñau rājaputrāvariṃdamau | deśe kāle ca vākyajñāvabrūtāṃ kauśikaṃ vacaḥ || 30.1 ||

Then those two princes, foe-subduers, discerning of the right place and time and skilled in fitting speech, spoke these words to Kaushika.

Shloka 2 (bala.30.2)

भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छावो यस्मिन्काले निशाचरौ । संरक्षणीयौ तौ ब्रूहि नातिवर्तेत तत्क्षणम् ॥ ३०-२ ॥

bhagavan śrotumicchāvo yasminkāle niśācarau | saṃrakṣaṇīyau tau brūhi nātivarteta tatkṣaṇam || 30.2 ||

'O venerable one, we wish to know the hour when the two night-roving demons will come, so that we may be on guard; tell us, that the moment may not slip past unwatched.'

Shloka 3 (bala.30.3)

एवं ब्रुवाणौ काकुत्स्थौ त्वरमाणौ युयुत्सया । सर्वे ते मुनयः प्रीताः प्रशशंसुर्नृपात्मजौ ॥ ३०-३ ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇau kākutsthau tvaramāṇau yuyutsayā | sarve te munayaḥ prītāḥ praśaśaṃsurnṛpātmajau || 30.3 ||

As the two princes of Kakutstha's line spoke thus, eager for the fight, all the assembled sages, delighted, praised them warmly.

Shloka 4 (bala.30.4)

अद्य प्रभृति षड्रात्रं रक्षतं राघवौ युवाम् । दीक्षां गतो ह्येष मुनिर्मौनित्वं च गमिष्यति ॥ ३०-४ ॥

adya prabhṛti ṣaḍrātraṃ rakṣataṃ rāghavau yuvām | dīkṣāṃ gato hyeṣa munirmaunitvaṃ ca gamiṣyati || 30.4 ||

'From this day, for six nights, you two Raghavas must stand guard; for this sage, having entered the sacred vow, will now fall silent.'

Shloka 5 (bala.30.5)

तौ तु तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राजपुत्रौ यशस्विनौ । अनिद्रौ षडहोरात्रं तपोवनमरक्षताम् ॥ ३०-५ ॥

tau tu tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājaputrau yaśasvinau | anidrau ṣaḍahorātraṃ tapovanamarakṣatām || 30.5 ||

Hearing this, the two glorious princes, forgoing sleep, kept watch over the hermitage grove for six full days and nights.

Shloka 6 (bala.30.6)

उपासांचक्रतुर्वीरौ यत्तौ परमधन्विनौ । ररक्षतुर्मुनिवरं विश्वामित्रमरिंदमौ ॥ ३०-६ ॥

upāsāṃcakraturvīrau yattau paramadhanvinau | rarakṣaturmunivaraṃ viśvāmitramariṃdamau || 30.6 ||

Those two heroes, ever alert and supreme with the bow, kept vigil, and those foe-subduing brothers guarded the noble sage Vishvamitra.

Shloka 7 (bala.30.7)

अथ काले गते तस्मिन् षष्ठेऽहनि तदागते । सौमित्रमब्रवीद्रामो यत्तो भव समाहितः ॥ ३०-७ ॥

atha kāle gate tasmin ṣaṣṭhe'hani tadāgate | saumitramabravīdrāmo yatto bhava samāhitaḥ || 30.7 ||

Then, as that time passed and the sixth day came, Rama said to Lakshmana: 'Be watchful now, and stay alert.'

Shloka 8 (bala.30.8)

रामस्यैवं ब्रुवाणस्य त्वरितस्य युयुत्सया । प्रजज्वाल ततो वेदिः सोपाध्यायपुरोहिता ॥ ३०-८ ॥

rāmasyaivaṃ bruvāṇasya tvaritasya yuyutsayā | prajajvāla tato vediḥ sopādhyāyapurohitā || 30.8 ||

Even as Rama spoke thus, keyed up for battle, the sacrificial altar, with its priests and preceptor about it, suddenly blazed into flame.

Shloka 9 (bala.30.9)

सदर्भचमसस्रुक्का ससमित्कुसुमोच्चया । विश्वामित्रेण सहिता वेदिर्जज्वाल सर्त्विजा ॥ ३०-९ ॥

sadarbhacamasasrukkā sasamitkusumoccayā | viśvāmitreṇa sahitā vedirjajvāla sartvijā || 30.9 ||

With its sacred grass, its cups and sacrificial ladles, its heaped firewood and flowers, the altar blazed up, Vishvamitra and his priests seated about it.

Shloka 10 (bala.30.10)

मंत्रवच्च यथान्यायं यज्ञोऽसौ संप्रवर्तते । आकाशे च महान् शब्दः प्रादुरासीद्भयानकः ॥ ३०-१० ॥

maṃtravacca yathānyāyaṃ yajño'sau saṃpravartate | ākāśe ca mahān śabdaḥ prādurāsīdbhayānakaḥ || 30.10 ||

As that sacrifice went forward duly, with all its mantras and rites, a great and terrifying sound suddenly arose in the sky.

Shloka 11 (bala.30.11)

आवार्य गगनं मेघो यथा प्रावृषि दृश्यते । तथा मायां विकुर्वाणौ राक्षसावभ्यधावताम् ॥ ३०-११ ॥

āvārya gaganaṃ megho yathā prāvṛṣi dṛśyate | tathā māyāṃ vikurvāṇau rākṣasāvabhyadhāvatām || 30.11 ||

Just as a cloud is seen covering the whole sky in the rainy season, so did the two rakshasas, weaving their magic, come rushing down.

Shloka 12 (bala.30.12)

मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च तयोरनुचरास्तथा । आगम्य भीमसंकाशा रुधिरौघानवासृजन् ॥ ३०-१२ ॥

mārīcaśca subāhuśca tayoranucarāstathā | āgamya bhīmasaṃkāśā rudhiraughānavāsṛjan || 30.12 ||

Maricha and Subahu, together with their fearsome-looking followers, arrived and rained down torrents of blood.

Shloka 13 (bala.30.13)

तां तेन रुधिरौघेण वेदीं वीक्ष्य समुक्षिताम् । सहसाभिद्रुतो रामस्तानपश्यत्ततो दिवि ॥ ३०-१३ ॥

tāṃ tena rudhiraugheṇa vedīṃ vīkṣya samukṣitām | sahasābhidruto rāmastānapaśyattato divi || 30.13 ||

Seeing the altar drenched by that torrent of blood, Rama at once rushed to the spot and saw them there, up in the sky.

Shloka 14 (bala.30.14)

तावापतन्तौ सहसा दृष्ट्वा राजीवलोचनः । लक्ष्मणं त्वथ संप्रेक्ष्य रामो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३०-१४ ॥

tāvāpatantau sahasā dṛṣṭvā rājīvalocanaḥ | lakṣmaṇaṃ tvatha saṃprekṣya rāmo vacanamabravīt || 30.14 ||

Seeing the two of them come swooping down all at once, lotus-eyed Rama glanced toward Lakshmana and spoke these words.

Shloka 15 (bala.30.15)

पश्य लक्ष्मण दुर्वृत्तान् राक्षसान् पिशिताशनान् । मानवास्त्रसमाधूताननिलेन यथा घनान् ॥ ३०-१५ ॥

paśya lakṣmaṇa durvṛttān rākṣasān piśitāśanān | mānavāstrasamādhūtānanilena yathā ghanān || 30.15 ||

'Look, Lakshmana, at these evil-natured, flesh-devouring rakshasas — I shall scatter them with the Manava missile, just as the wind scatters clouds.'

Shloka 16 (bala.30.16)

करिष्यामि न संदेहो नोत्सहे हन्तुमीदृशान् । इत्युक्त्वा वचनं रामश्चापे संधाय वेगवान् ॥ ३०-१६ ॥

kariṣyāmi na saṃdeho notsahe hantumīdṛśān | ityuktvā vacanaṃ rāmaścāpe saṃdhāya vegavān || 30.16 ||

'I shall do just that — of that there is no doubt; I have no desire to kill creatures such as these.' So saying, the swift Rama fitted the shaft to his bow —

Shloka 17 (bala.30.17)

मानवं परमोदारमस्त्रं परमभास्वरम् । चिक्षेप परमक्रुद्धो मारीचोरसि राघवः ॥ ३०-१७ ॥

mānavaṃ paramodāramastraṃ paramabhāsvaram | cikṣepa paramakruddho mārīcorasi rāghavaḥ || 30.17 ||

— the most excellent, most radiant Manava missile, and, greatly incensed, Rama let it fly straight at Maricha's chest.

Shloka 18 (bala.30.18)

स तेन परमास्त्रेण मानवेन समाहितः । संपूर्णं योजनशतं क्षिप्तः सागरसंप्लवे ॥ ३०-१८ ॥

sa tena paramāstreṇa mānavena samāhitaḥ | saṃpūrṇaṃ yojanaśataṃ kṣiptaḥ sāgarasaṃplave || 30.18 ||

Struck full by that supreme Manava missile, he was flung a hundred full yojanas away, into the heaving ocean.

Shloka 19 (bala.30.19)

विचेतनं विघूर्णन्तं शीतेषु बलपीडितम् । निरस्तं दृश्य मारीचं रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् ॥ ३०-१९ ॥

vicetanaṃ vighūrṇantaṃ śīteṣu balapīḍitam | nirastaṃ dṛśya mārīcaṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇamabravīt || 30.19 ||

Seeing Maricha, senseless and reeling, overwhelmed by the force of that Cold Arrow and hurled far away, Rama said to Lakshmana.

Shloka 20 (bala.30.20)

पश्य लक्ष्मण शीतेषुं मानवं मनुसंहितम् । मोहयित्वा नयत्येनं न च प्राणैर्व्ययुज्यत ॥ ३०-२० ॥

paśya lakṣmaṇa śīteṣuṃ mānavaṃ manusaṃhitam | mohayitvā nayatyenaṃ na ca prāṇairvyayujyata || 30.20 ||

'See, Lakshmana, how this Cold Arrow of the Manava missile, ordained long ago by Manu, stuns him and carries him off, yet does not take his life.'

Shloka 21 (bala.30.21)

इमानपि वधिष्यामि निर्घृणान् दुष्टचारिणः । राक्षसान् पापकर्मस्थान् यज्ञघ्नान् रुधिराशनान् ॥ ३०-२१ ॥

imānapi vadhiṣyāmi nirghṛṇān duṣṭacāriṇaḥ | rākṣasān pāpakarmasthān yajñaghnān rudhirāśanān || 30.21 ||

'But these other rakshasas I shall kill outright — merciless, foul in conduct, given to sinful deeds, hinderers of the sacrifice, drinkers of blood.'

Shloka 22 (bala.30.22)

इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं चाशु लाघवं दर्शयन्निव । संगृह्य सुमहच्चास्त्रमाग्नेयं रघुनंदनः । सुबाहूरसि चिक्षेप स विद्धः प्रापतद् भुवि ॥ ३०-२२ ॥

ityuktvā lakṣmaṇaṃ cāśu lāghavaṃ darśayanniva | saṃgṛhya sumahaccāstramāgneyaṃ raghunaṃdanaḥ | subāhūrasi cikṣepa sa viddhaḥ prāpatad bhuvi || 30.22 ||

So saying to Lakshmana, and as if to display his swiftness of hand, Rama, the delight of the Raghus, swiftly took up the mighty Agneya missile and let it fly at Subahu's chest; struck, Subahu fell dead to the ground.

Shloka 23 (bala.30.23)

शेषान् वायव्यमादाय निजघान महायशाः । राघवः परमोदारो मुनीनां मुदमावहन् ॥ ३०-२३ ॥

śeṣān vāyavyamādāya nijaghāna mahāyaśāḥ | rāghavaḥ paramodāro munīnāṃ mudamāvahan || 30.23 ||

Then, taking up the Vayavya missile, that most renowned and noble Raghava struck down the rest, bringing great joy to the sages.

Shloka 24 (bala.30.24)

स हत्वा राक्षसान् सर्वान् यज्ञघ्नान् रघुनंदनः । ऋषिभिः पूजितस्तत्र यथेन्द्रो विजयी पुरा ॥ ३०-२४ ॥

sa hatvā rākṣasān sarvān yajñaghnān raghunaṃdanaḥ | ṛṣibhiḥ pūjitastatra yathendro vijayī purā || 30.24 ||

Having thus slain all the sacrifice-hindering rakshasas, Rama, the delight of Raghu's line, was honoured there by the sages, even as Indra of old was honoured after his victory.

Shloka 25 (bala.30.25)

अथ यज्ञे समाप्ते तु विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । निरीतिका दिशो दृष्ट्वा काकुत्स्थमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ३०-२५ ॥

atha yajñe samāpte tu viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | nirītikā diśo dṛṣṭvā kākutsthamidamabravīt || 30.25 ||

Then, with the sacrifice brought to completion, the great sage Vishvamitra, seeing every quarter free of danger, said this to Rama.

Shloka 26 (bala.30.26)

कृतार्थोऽस्मि महाबाहो कृतं गुरुवचस्त्वया । सिद्धाश्रममिदं सत्यं कृतं वीर महायशः । स हि रामं प्रशस्यैवं ताभ्यां संध्यामुपागमत् ॥ ३०-२६ ॥

kṛtārtho'smi mahābāho kṛtaṃ guruvacastvayā | siddhāśramamidaṃ satyaṃ kṛtaṃ vīra mahāyaśaḥ | sa hi rāmaṃ praśasyaivaṃ tābhyāṃ saṃdhyāmupāgamat || 30.26 ||

'My purpose is fulfilled, O mighty-armed Rama; you have carried out your preceptor's word in full. You have made this Siddhashrama true to its name indeed, O hero of great renown.' Having praised Rama thus, Vishvamitra then went with the two brothers to the evening devotions.