The Conquest of Kubera and the Winning of the Pushpaka

Shloka 1 (uttara.15.1)

ततस्ताँल्लक्ष्य वित्रस्तान्यक्षेन्द्रांश्च सहस्रशः । धनाध्यक्षो महायक्षं माणिचारमथाब्रवीत् ।। १५.१ ।।

tatas tāṁl lakṣya vitrastān yakṣendrāṃś ca sahasraśaḥ | dhanādhyakṣo mahāyakṣaṃ māṇicāram athābravīt || 15.1 ||

Then, seeing those thousands of terrified yaksha-lords, the Lord of Wealth spoke to the great yaksha Manichara.

Shloka 2 (uttara.15.2)

रावणं जहि यक्षेन्द्र दुर्वृत्तं पापचेतसम् । शरणं भव वीराणां यक्षाणां युद्धशालिनाम् ।। १५.२ ।।

rāvaṇaṃ jahi yakṣendra durvṛttaṃ pāpacetasam | śaraṇaṃ bhava vīrāṇāṃ yakṣāṇāṃ yuddhaśālinām || 15.2 ||

'O lord of Yakshas, slay this evil-conducted, wicked-minded Ravana; be the refuge of the heroic, battle-skilled Yakshas.'

Shloka 3 (uttara.15.3)

एवमुक्तो महाबाहुर्माणिभद्रः सुदुर्जयः । वृतो यक्षसहस्रैस्तु चतुर्भिः समयोधयत् ।। १५.३ ।।

evam ukto mahābāhur māṇibhadraḥ sudurjayaḥ | vṛto yakṣasahasrais tu caturbhiḥ samayodhayat || 15.3 ||

Thus addressed, the mighty-armed, unconquerable Manibhadra, surrounded by four thousand Yakshas, joined battle.

Shloka 4 (uttara.15.4)

ते गदामुसलप्रासैः शक्तितोमरमुद्गरैः । अभिघ्नन्तस्तदा यक्षा राक्षसान्समुपाद्रवन् ।। १५.४ ।।

te gadāmusalaprāsaiḥ śaktitomaramudgaraiḥ | abhighnantas tadā yakṣā rākṣasān samupādravan || 15.4 ||

Those Yakshas, striking with maces, clubs, javelins, spears, lances, and hammers, fell upon the rakshasas.

Shloka 5 (uttara.15.5)

कुर्वन्तस्तुमुलं युद्धं चरन्तः श्येनवल्लघु । बाढं प्रयच्छन्नेच्छामि दीयतामिति भाषिणः ।। १५.५ ।।

kurvantas tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ carantaḥ śyenavallaghu | bāḍhaṃ prayacchann icchāmi dīyatām iti bhāṣiṇaḥ || 15.5 ||

Waging a tumultuous battle, darting about swift as hawks, they dealt their blows with force, crying out 'Take this, since you would have it!'

Shloka 6 (uttara.15.6)

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयो ब्रह्मवादिनः । दृष्ट्वा तत्तुमुलं युद्धं परं विस्मयमागमन् ।। १५.६ ।।

tato devāḥ sagandharvā ṛṣayo brahmavādinaḥ | dṛṣṭvā tat tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ paraṃ vismayam āgaman || 15.6 ||

Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, and the sages versed in sacred lore, beholding that tumultuous battle, were struck with the greatest wonder.

Shloka 7 (uttara.15.7)

यक्षाणां तु प्रहस्तेन सहस्रं निहतं रणे । महोदरेण चानिन्द्यं सहस्रमपरं हतम् ।। १५.७ ।।

yakṣāṇāṃ tu prahastena sahasraṃ nihataṃ raṇe | mahodareṇa cānindyaṃ sahasram aparaṃ hatam || 15.7 ||

By Prahasta a thousand Yakshas were slain in battle, and by Mahodara another admirable thousand were slain.

Shloka 8 (uttara.15.8)

क्रुद्धेन च तदा राजन्मारीचेन युयुत्सुना । निमेषान्तरमात्रेण द्वे सहस्रे निपातिते ।। १५.८ ।।

kruddhena ca tadā rājan mārīcena yuyutsunā | nimeṣāntaramātreṇa dve sahasre nipātite || 15.8 ||

And, O king, by the enraged and battle-eager Maricha, in the span of a mere eye-blink, two thousand were struck down.

Shloka 9 (uttara.15.9)

क्व च यक्षार्जवं युद्धं क्व च मायाबलाश्रयम् । रक्षसां पुरुषव्याघ्र तेन ते ऽभ्यधिका युधि ।। १५.९ ।।

kva ca yakṣārjavaṃ yuddhaṃ kva ca māyābalāśrayam | rakṣasāṃ puruṣavyāghra tena te 'bhyadhikā yudhi || 15.9 ||

'Where, O tiger among men, was the Yakshas' straightforward mode of battle, and where the rakshasas' reliance on the power of illusion? By this, they proved superior in the fight.'

Shloka 10 (uttara.15.10)

धूम्राक्षेण समागम्य माणिभद्रो महारणे । मुसलेनोरसि क्रोधात्तडितो न च कम्पितः ।। १५.१० ।।

dhūmrākṣeṇa samāgamya māṇibhadro mahāraṇe | musalenorasi krodhāt tāḍito na ca kampitaḥ || 15.10 ||

Engaging with Dhumraksha in that great battle, Manibhadra, though struck in fury upon the chest with a club, did not so much as waver.

Shloka 11 (uttara.15.11)

ततो गदां समाविध्य माणिभद्रेण राक्षसः । धूम्राक्षस्ताडितो मूर्ध्नि विह्वलः स पपात ह ।। १५.११ ।।

tato gadāṃ samāvidhya māṇibhadreṇa rākṣasaḥ | dhūmrākṣas tāḍito mūrdhni vihvalaḥ sa papāta ha || 15.11 ||

Then Manibhadra, swinging his mace, struck the rakshasa Dhumraksha upon the head; overcome, he fell to the ground.

Shloka 12 (uttara.15.12)

धूम्राक्षं ताडितं दृष्ट्वा पतितं शोणितोक्षितम् । अभ्यधावत सङ्ग्रामे माणिभद्रं दशाननः ।। १५.१२ ।।

dhūmrākṣaṃ tāḍitaṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ śoṇitokṣitam | abhyadhāvata saṅgrāme māṇibhadraṃ daśānanaḥ || 15.12 ||

Seeing Dhumraksha struck down, fallen, and drenched in blood, Dashanana rushed at Manibhadra in the battle.

Shloka 13 (uttara.15.13)

तं क्रुद्धमभिधावन्तं माणिभद्रो दशाननम् । शक्तिभिस्ताडयामास तिसृभिर्यक्षपुङ्गवः ।। १५.१३ ।।

taṃ kruddham abhidhāvantaṃ māṇibhadro daśānanam | śaktibhis tāḍayāmāsa tisṛbhir yakṣapuṅgavaḥ || 15.13 ||

That foremost of Yakshas, Manibhadra, struck the furiously charging Dashanana with three Shakti-spears.

Shloka 14 (uttara.15.14)

ताडितो माणिभद्रस्य मुकुटे प्राहरद्रणे । तस्य तेन प्रहारेण मुकुटं पार्श्वमागतम् ।। १५.१४ ।।

tāḍito māṇibhadrasya mukuṭe prāharad raṇe | tasya tena prahāreṇa mukuṭaṃ pārśvam āgatam || 15.14 ||

Being struck, he in turn struck at Manibhadra's crown in the battle; by that blow, his crown was knocked awry to one side.

Shloka 15 (uttara.15.15)

ततः संयुध्यमानेन विष्टब्धो न व्यकम्पत । तदाप्रभृति यक्षो ऽसौ पार्श्वमौलिरिति स्मृतः । सन्नादः सुमहान्राजंस्तस्मिन्शैले ऽभ्यवर्तत ।। १५.१५ ।।

tataḥ saṃyudhyamānena viṣṭabdho na vyakampata | tadāprabhṛti yakṣo 'sau pārśvamaulir iti smṛtaḥ | sannādaḥ sumahān rājaṃs tasmin śaile 'bhyavartata || 15.15 ||

Yet, still fighting on, he stood firm and did not waver; from that time on that yaksha came to be known by the name Parshvamauli, 'Crown-Askew'; and, O king, an exceedingly great roar arose upon that mountain.

Shloka 16 (uttara.15.16)

ततो दूरात्प्रददृशे धनाध्यक्षो गदाधरः । शुक्रप्रौष्ठपदाभ्यां च पद्मशङ्खसमावृतः ।। १५.१६ ।।

tato dūrāt pradadṛśe dhanādhyakṣo gadādharaḥ | śukraprauṣṭhapadābhyāṃ ca padmaśaṅkhasamāvṛtaḥ || 15.16 ||

Then, from afar, the mace-bearing Lord of Wealth was seen approaching, together with Shukra and Praushthapada, surrounded by his Treasures Padma and Shankha.

Shloka 17 (uttara.15.17)

स दृष्ट्वा भ्रातरं सङ्ख्ये शापाद्विभ्रष्टगौरवम् । उवाच वचनं धीमान्युक्तं पैतामहे कुले ।। १५.१७ ।।

sa dṛṣṭvā bhrātaraṃ saṅkhye śāpād vibhraṣṭagauravam | uvāca vacanaṃ dhīmān yuktaṃ paitāmahe kule || 15.17 ||

Seeing his brother there in battle, fallen from honor because of a curse, that wise one spoke words befitting the lineage of the Grandfather.

Shloka 18 (uttara.15.18)

यन्मया वार्यमाणस्त्वं नावगच्छसि दुर्मते । पश्चादस्य फलं प्राप्य ज्ञास्यसे निरयं गतः ।। १५.१८ ।।

yan mayā vāryamāṇas tvaṃ nāvagacchasi durmate | paścād asya phalaṃ prāpya jñāsyase nirayaṃ gataḥ || 15.18 ||

'O evil-minded one, though I have restrained you, you do not understand; afterward, having reaped its fruit, you will understand, once gone down to hell.'

Shloka 19 (uttara.15.19)

यो हि मोहाद्विषं पीत्वा नावगच्छति दुर्मतिः । स तस्य परिणामान्ते जानीते कर्मणः फलम् ।। १५.१९ ।।

yo hi mohād viṣaṃ pītvā nāvagacchati durmatiḥ | sa tasya pariṇāmānte jānīte karmaṇaḥ phalam || 15.19 ||

'The fool who drinks poison out of delusion and does not understand — he learns the fruit of his deed only at the very end of its consequence.'

Shloka 20 (uttara.15.20)

देवता नाभिनन्दन्ति धर्मयुक्तेन केनचित् । येन त्वमीदृशं भावं नीतस्सन्नावबुध्यसे ।। १५.२० ।।

devatā nābhinandanti dharmayuktena kenacit | yena tvam īdṛśaṃ bhāvaṃ nītas san nāvabudhyase || 15.20 ||

'The gods take no delight in you for any act in accord with dharma; and that is why, though brought to such a state, you still fail to understand.'

Shloka 21 (uttara.15.21)

मातरं पितरं यो हि आचार्यं चावमन्यते । स पश्यति फलं तस्य प्रेतराजवशं गतः ।। १५.२१ ।।

mātaraṃ pitaraṃ yo hi ācāryaṃ cāvamanyate | sa paśyati phalaṃ tasya pretarājavaśaṃ gataḥ || 15.21 ||

'He who disrespects his mother, his father, and his teacher — he sees the fruit of that, once come under the sway of the Lord of the Dead.'

Shloka 22 (uttara.15.22)

अध्रुवे हि शरीरे यो न करोति तपोर्जनम् । स पश्चात्तप्यते मूढो मृतो दृष्ट्वा ऽऽत्मनो गतिम् ।। १५.२२ ।।

adhruve hi śarīre yo na karoti taporjanam | sa paścāt tapyate mūḍho mṛto dṛṣṭvātmano gatim || 15.22 ||

'He who, while in this impermanent body, does not lay up the merit of austerity — that fool grieves afterward, once dead, seeing his own destiny.'

Shloka 23 (uttara.15.23)

धर्माद्राज्यं धनं सौख्यमधर्माद्दुःखमेव च । तस्माद्धर्मं सुखार्थाय कुर्यात्पापं विसर्जयेत् ।। १५.२३ ।।

dharmād rājyaṃ dhanaṃ saukhyam adharmād duḥkham eva ca | tasmād dharmaṃ sukhārthāya kuryāt pāpaṃ visarjayet || 15.23 ||

'From dharma come kingdom, wealth, and happiness; from adharma comes only sorrow. Therefore, for the sake of happiness, one should practice dharma and abandon sin.'

Shloka 24 (uttara.15.24)

पापस्य हि फलं दुःखं तद्भोक्तव्यमिहात्मना । तस्मादात्मापघातार्थं मूढः पापं करिष्यति ।। १५.२४ ।।

pāpasya hi phalaṃ duḥkhaṃ tad bhoktavyam ihātmanā | tasmād ātmāpaghātārthaṃ mūḍhaḥ pāpaṃ kariṣyati || 15.24 ||

'The fruit of sin is sorrow, which one must suffer here by oneself; it is therefore for his own ruin that a fool commits sin.'

Shloka 25 (uttara.15.25)

कस्य चिन्न हि दुर्बुद्धेश्छन्दतो जायते मतिः । देवं चेष्टयते सर्वं हतो दैवेन हन्यते । यादृशं कुरुते कर्म तादृशं फलमश्नुते ।। १५.२५ ।।

kasya cin na hi durbuddheś chandato jāyate matiḥ | devaṃ ceṣṭayate sarvaṃ hato daivena hanyate | yādṛśaṃ kurute karma tādṛśaṃ phalam aśnute || 15.25 ||

'No evil-minded man's understanding arises of his own free choice; Fate impels everything, and it is by Fate that the doomed man is struck down. As one's deed, so too the fruit one reaps.'

Shloka 26 (uttara.15.26)

बुद्धिरूपं फलं पुत्राञ्छौर्यं धीरत्वमेव च । प्राप्नुवन्ति नरा लोके निर्जितं पुण्यकर्मभिः ।। १५.२६ ।।

buddhirūpaṃ phalaṃ putrāñ chauryaṃ dhīratvam eva ca | prāpnuvanti narā loke nirjitaṃ puṇyakarmabhiḥ || 15.26 ||

'Wisdom, beauty of form, prosperity, sons, valor, and fortitude — men in this world attain these, won through their own meritorious deeds.'

Shloka 27 (uttara.15.27)

एवं निरयगामी त्वं यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी । न त्वां समभिभाषिष्ये ऽसद्वृत्तेष्वेव निर्णयः ।। १५.२७ ।।

evaṃ nirayagāmī tvaṃ yasya te matir īdṛśī | na tvāṃ samabhibhāṣiṣye 'sadvṛtteṣv eva nirṇayaḥ || 15.27 ||

'Such being your mind, you are thus bound for hell; I shall speak with you no further — with the wicked, a decision has already been reached.'

Shloka 28 (uttara.15.28)

एवमुक्तास्ततस्तेन तस्यामात्याः समाहताः । मारीचप्रमुखाः सर्वे विमुखा विप्रदुद्रुवुः ।। १५.२८ ।।

evam uktās tatas tena tasyāmātyāḥ samāhatāḥ | mārīcapramukhāḥ sarve vimukhā vipradudruvuḥ || 15.28 ||

Thus addressed, and struck down by him, all of Ravana's ministers, headed by Maricha, turned away and fled.

Shloka 29 (uttara.15.29)

ततस्तेन दशग्रीवो यक्षेन्द्रेण महात्मना । गदयाभिहतो मूर्ध्नि न च स्थानात्प्रकम्पितः ।। १५.२९ ।।

tatas tena daśagrīvo yakṣendreṇa mahātmanā | gadayābhihato mūrdhni na ca sthānāt prakampitaḥ || 15.29 ||

Then that great-souled lord of the Yakshas struck Dashagriva upon the head with his mace, yet he did not so much as move from his place.

Shloka 30 (uttara.15.30)

ततस्तौ राम निघ्नन्तौ तदान्योन्यं महामृधे । न विह्वलौ न च श्रान्तौ बभूवतुरमर्षणौ ।। १५.३० ।।

tatas tau rāma nighnantau tadānyonyaṃ mahāmṛdhe | na vihvalau na ca śrāntau babhūvatur amarṣaṇau || 15.30 ||

Then, O Rama, those two, striking one another in that great combat, grew neither faint nor weary, but remained ever unyielding in their fury.

Shloka 31 (uttara.15.31)

आग्नेयमस्त्रं तस्मै स मुमोच धनदस्तदा । राक्षसेन्द्रो वारुणेन तदस्त्रं प्रत्यवारयत् ।। १५.३१ ।।

āgneyam astraṃ tasmai sa mumoca dhanadas tadā | rākṣasendro vāruṇena tad astraṃ pratyavārayat || 15.31 ||

Then Dhanada loosed the Fire-weapon against him; the lord of the rakshasas warded off that weapon with the Weapon of Varuna.

Shloka 32 (uttara.15.32)

ततो मायां प्रविष्टो ऽसौ राक्षसीं राक्षसेश्वरः । रूपाणां शतसाहस्रं विनाशाय चकार च ।। १५.३२ ।।

tato māyāṃ praviṣṭo 'sau rākṣasīṃ rākṣaseśvaraḥ | rūpāṇāṃ śatasāhasraṃ vināśāya cakāra ca || 15.32 ||

Then that lord of the rakshasas entered into rakshasa-illusion, and for the sake of destruction assumed a hundred thousand forms.

Shloka 33 (uttara.15.33)

व्याघ्रो वराहो जीमूतः पर्वतः सागरो द्रुमः । यक्षो दैत्यस्वरूपी च सो ऽदृश्यत दशाननः ।। १५.३३ ।।

vyāghro varāho jīmūtaḥ parvataḥ sāgaro drumaḥ | yakṣo daityasvarūpī ca so 'dṛśyata daśānanaḥ || 15.33 ||

As a tiger, a boar, a storm-cloud, a mountain, an ocean, a tree, a Yaksha, and in the form of a Daitya — in all these Dashanana appeared.

Shloka 34 (uttara.15.34)

बहूनि च करोति स्म दृश्यन्ते न त्वसौ ततः । प्रतिगृह्य ततो राम महदस्त्रं दशाननः ।। १५.३४ ।।

bahūni ca karoti sma dṛśyante na tv asau tataḥ | pratigṛhya tato rāma mahad astraṃ daśānanaḥ || 15.34 ||

He kept assuming many forms, yet he himself was not to be seen; then, O Rama, Dashanana took up a mighty weapon.

Shloka 35 (uttara.15.35)

जघान मूर्ध्नि धनदं व्याविद्ध्य महतीं गदाम् । एवं स तेनाभिहतो विह्वलः शोणितोक्षितः ।। १५.३५ ।।

jaghāna mūrdhni dhanadaṃ vyāviddhya mahatīṃ gadām | evaṃ sa tenābhihato vihvalaḥ śoṇitokṣitaḥ || 15.35 ||

Whirling his massive mace, he struck Dhanada upon the head; thus struck by him, Dhanada grew faint and was drenched in blood.

Shloka 36 (uttara.15.36)

कृत्तमूल इवाशोको निपपात धनाधिपः ।। १५.३६ ।।

kṛttamūla ivāśoko nipapāta dhanādhipaḥ || 15.36 ||

Like an ashoka tree cut off at its root, the Lord of Wealth fell down.

Shloka 37 (uttara.15.37)

ततः पद्मादिभिस्तत्र निधिभिः स तदा वृतः । धनदोच्छ्वासितस्तैस्तु वनमानीय नन्दनम् ।। १५.३७ ।।

tataḥ padmādibhis tatra nidhibhiḥ sa tadā vṛtaḥ | dhanadocchvāsitais tais tu vanam ānīya nandanam || 15.37 ||

Then he was surrounded there by the Treasures, Padma and the rest; and by them Dhanada was revived and borne away to the Nandana grove.

Shloka 38 (uttara.15.38)

निर्जित्य राक्षसेन्द्रस्तं धनदं हृष्टमानसः । पुष्पकं तस्य जग्राह विमानं जयलक्षणम् ।। १५.३८ ।।

nirjitya rākṣasendras taṃ dhanadaṃ hṛṣṭamānasaḥ | puṣpakaṃ tasya jagrāha vimānaṃ jayalakṣaṇam || 15.38 ||

Having conquered that Dhanada, the lord of the rakshasas, his mind elated, seized his Pushpaka, the aerial chariot marking his victory.

Shloka 39 (uttara.15.39)

काञ्चनस्तम्भसंवीतं वैडूर्यमणितोरणम् । मुक्ताजालप्रतिच्छन्नं सर्वकामफलद्रुमम् ।। १५.३९ ।।

kāñcanastambhasaṃvītaṃ vaiḍūryamaṇitoraṇam | muktājālapraticchannaṃ sarvakāmaphaladrumam || 15.39 ||

It was encircled with golden pillars, its archways set with beryl gems, overspread with a net of pearls, and furnished with trees that yielded every desired fruit.

Shloka 40 (uttara.15.40)

मनोजवं कामगमं कामरूपं विहङ्गमम् । मणिकाञ्चनसोपानं तप्तकाञ्चनवेदिकम् ।। १५.४० ।।

manojavaṃ kāmagamaṃ kāmarūpaṃ vihaṅgamam | maṇikāñcanasopānaṃ taptakāñcanavedikam || 15.40 ||

It moved swift as thought, went wherever wished, took whatever form was desired, and flew like a bird; its stairways were of gem and gold, and its altars of refined gold.

Shloka 41 (uttara.15.41)

देवोपवाह्यमक्षय्यं सदादृष्टिमनःसुखम् । बह्वाश्चर्यं भक्तिचित्रं ब्रह्मणा परिनिर्मितम् ।। १५.४१ ।।

devopavāhyam akṣayyaṃ sadādṛṣṭimanaḥsukham | bahvāścaryaṃ bhakticitraṃ brahmaṇā parinirmitam || 15.41 ||

It was fit to bear the gods, imperishable, ever a delight to eye and mind, filled with manifold wonders and richly, devotedly adorned, and had been fashioned entirely by Brahma himself.

Shloka 42 (uttara.15.42)

निर्मितं सर्वकामैस्तु मनोहरमनुत्तमम् । न तु शीतं न चोष्णं च सर्वर्तुसुखदं शुभम् ।। १५.४२ ।।

nirmitaṃ sarvakāmais tu manoharam anuttamam | na tu śītaṃ na coṣṇaṃ ca sarvartusukhadaṃ śubham || 15.42 ||

It was fashioned to fulfill every desire, delightful and unsurpassed; it was neither cold nor hot, auspicious, and pleasant in every season.

Shloka 43 (uttara.15.43)

स तं राजा समारुह्य कामगं वीर्यनिर्जितम् । जितं त्रिभुवनं मेने दर्पोत्सेकात्सुदुर्मतिः ।। १५.४३ ।।

sa taṃ rājā samāruhya kāmagaṃ vīryanirjitam | jitaṃ tribhuvanaṃ mene darpotsekāt sudurmatiḥ || 15.43 ||

Mounting that will-moved chariot, won by his own valor, that thoroughly evil-minded king, in the swell of his pride, took himself to have conquered the three worlds.

Shloka 44 (uttara.15.44)

जित्वा वैश्रवणं देवं कैलासात्समवातरत् ।। १५.४४ ।।

jitvā vaiśravaṇaṃ devaṃ kailāsāt samavātarat || 15.44 ||

Having conquered the divine Vaishravana, he descended from Kailasa.

Shloka 45 (uttara.15.45)

स्वतेजसा विपुलमवाप्य तं जयं प्रतापवान्विमलकिरीटहारवान् । रराज वै परमविमानमास्थितो निशाचरः सदसि गतो यथानलः ।। १५.४५ ।।

svatejasā vipulam avāpya taṃ jayaṃ pratāpavān vimalakirīṭahāravān | rarāja vai paramavimānam āsthito niśācaraḥ sadasi gato yathānalaḥ || 15.45 ||

Having by his own splendor won that vast victory, that mighty one, adorned with spotless crown and necklace, seated upon that supreme aerial chariot, shone forth like fire entering an assembly hall.