The Challenge to Yama

Shloka 1 (uttara.20.1)

ततो वित्रासयन्मर्त्यान्पृथिव्यां राक्षसाधिपः । आससाद घने तस्मिन्नारदं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥ 20.1 ॥

tato vitrāsayanmartyānpṛthivyāṃ rākṣasādhipaḥ | āsasāda ghane tasminnāradaṃ munipuṅgavam || 20.1 ||

Then, terrifying mortals over the earth, that lord of rakshasas came upon Narada, foremost of sages, there amid a cloud.

Shloka 2 (uttara.20.2)

तस्याभिवादनं कृत्वा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । अब्रवीत्कुशलं पृष्ट्वा हेतुमागमनस्य च ॥ 20.2 ॥

tasyābhivādanaṃ kṛtvā daśagrīvo niśācaraḥ | abravītkuśalaṃ pṛṣṭvā hetumāgamanasya ca || 20.2 ||

Having saluted him, Dashagriva the night-wanderer asked after his welfare and the reason for his visit.

Shloka 3 (uttara.20.3)

नारदस्तु महातेजा देवर्षिरमितप्रभः । अब्रवीन्मेघपृष्ठस्थो रावणं पुष्पके स्थितम् ॥ 20.3 ॥

nāradastu mahātejā devarṣiramitaprabhaḥ | abravīnmeghapṛṣṭhastho rāvaṇaṃ puṣpake sthitam || 20.3 ||

Narada, the divine sage of measureless splendour, standing upon the back of a cloud, said to Ravana, who stood in the Pushpaka:

Shloka 4 (uttara.20.4)

राक्षसाधिपते सौम्य तिष्ठ विश्रवसः सुत । प्रीतो ऽस्म्यभिजनोपेतविक्रमैरूर्जितैस्तव ॥ 20.4 ॥

rākṣasādhipate saumya tiṣṭha viśravasaḥ suta | prīto 'smyabhijanopetavikramairūrjitaistava || 20.4 ||

"O gentle lord of rakshasas, son of Vishravas, pause a while. I am pleased by your mighty feats, so befitting your noble birth --"

Shloka 5 (uttara.20.5)

विष्णुना दैत्यघातैश्च गन्धर्वोरगधर्षणैः । त्वया समं विमर्दैश्च भृशं हि परितोषितः ॥ 20.5 ॥

viṣṇunā daityaghātaiśca gandharvoragadharṣaṇaiḥ | tvayā samaṃ vimardaiśca bhṛśaṃ hi paritoṣitaḥ || 20.5 ||

"-- by your combat with Vishnu, your slaying of daityas, your subjugation of gandharvas and serpents, and your battles with your equals -- I am indeed greatly gratified."

Shloka 6 (uttara.20.6)

किंचिद्वक्ष्यामि तावत्ते श्रोतव्यं श्रोष्यसे यदि । श्रुत्वा चानन्तरं कार्यं त्वया राक्षससत्तम । तन्मे निगदतस्तात समाधिं श्रवणे कुरु ॥ 20.6 ॥

kiṃcidvakṣyāmi tāvatte śrotavyaṃ śroṣyase yadi | śrutvā cānantaraṃ kāryaṃ tvayā rākṣasasattama | tanme nigadatastāta samādhiṃ śravaṇe kuru || 20.6 ||

"I shall now say something, if you are willing to hear it; and having heard it, O best of rakshasas, act accordingly thereafter. As I speak, O dear one, give me your full attention."

Shloka 7 (uttara.20.7)

किमयं वध्यते तात त्वया ऽवध्येन दैवतैः । हत एव ह्ययं लोको यदा मृत्युवशं गतः ॥ 20.7 ॥

kimayaṃ vadhyate tāta tvayā 'vadhyena daivataiḥ | hata eva hyayaṃ loko yadā mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ || 20.7 ||

"Why, O dear one, is this mortal world -- itself already slain the moment it falls under death's sway -- being slain by you, who are unslayable even by the gods?"

Shloka 8 (uttara.20.8)

देवदानवदैत्यानां यक्षगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । अवध्येन त्वया लोकः क्लेष्टुं युक्तो न मानुषः ॥ 20.8 ॥

devadānavadaityānāṃ yakṣagandharvarakṣasām | avadhyena tvayā lokaḥ kleṣṭuṃ yukto na mānuṣaḥ || 20.8 ||

"It does not befit you -- unslayable by gods, danavas, daityas, yakshas, gandharvas, and even rakshasas -- to torment this human world."

Shloka 9 (uttara.20.9)

नित्यं श्रेयसि सम्मूढं महद्भिर्व्यसनैर्वृतम् । हन्यात्कस्तादृशं लोकं जराव्याधिशतैर्युतम् ॥ 20.9 ॥

nityaṃ śreyasi sammūḍhaṃ mahadbhirvyasanairvṛtam | hanyātkastādṛśaṃ lokaṃ jarāvyādhiśatairyutam || 20.9 ||

"Who would slay a world that is ever confused about its own true good, beset by great calamities, and already burdened by hundreds of ills of old age and disease?"

Shloka 10 (uttara.20.10)

तैस्तैरनिष्टोपगमैरजस्रं यत्र कुत्र कः । मतिमान्मानुषे लोके युद्धेन प्रणयी भवेत् ॥ 20.10 ॥

taistairaniṣṭopagamairajasraṃ yatra kutra kaḥ | matimānmānuṣe loke yuddhena praṇayī bhavet || 20.10 ||

"Ceaselessly beset by all manner of misfortune, whatever wise person, wherever, would truly delight in seeking combat within the human world?"

Shloka 11 (uttara.20.11)

क्षीयमाणं दैवहतं श्रुत्पिपासाजरादिभिः । विषादशोकसम्मूढं लोकं त्वं क्षपयस्व मा ॥ 20.11 ॥

kṣīyamāṇaṃ daivahataṃ śrutpipāsājarādibhiḥ | viṣādaśokasammūḍhaṃ lokaṃ tvaṃ kṣapayasva mā || 20.11 ||

"Do not further afflict this world -- already wasting away, struck down by fate, worn by hunger, thirst, and old age, and bewildered by grief and sorrow."

Shloka 12 (uttara.20.12)

पश्य तावन्महाबाहो राक्षसेश्वर मानुषम् । मूढमेवं विचित्रार्थं यस्य न ज्ञायते गतिः ॥ 20.12 ॥

paśya tāvanmahābāho rākṣaseśvara mānuṣam | mūḍhamevaṃ vicitrārthaṃ yasya na jñāyate gatiḥ || 20.12 ||

"Just look, O mighty-armed lord of rakshasas, at this human world -- so deluded, of such strange and varied purpose, whose true course none can know."

Shloka 13 (uttara.20.13)

क्वचिद्वादित्रनृत्यादि सेव्यते मुदितैर्जनैः । रुद्यते चापरैरार्तैर्धाराश्रुनयनाननैः ॥ 20.13 ॥

kvacidvāditranṛtyādi sevyate muditairjanaiḥ | rudyate cāparairārtairdhārāśrunayanānanaiḥ || 20.13 ||

"In one place, joyful people revel in music, dance, and the like; elsewhere, others weep in anguish, their faces streaming with tears."

Shloka 14 (uttara.20.14)

मातापितृसुतस्नेहैर्भार्याबन्धुमनोरमैः । मोहितो ऽयं जनो ध्वस्तः क्लेशं स्वं नावबुध्यते ॥ 20.14 ॥

mātāpitṛsutasnehairbhāryābandhumanoramaiḥ | mohito 'yaṃ jano dhvastaḥ kleśaṃ svaṃ nāvabudhyate || 20.14 ||

"Deluded by love for mother, father, and children, and by attachment to dear wife and kin, this people, though already undone, does not even recognize its own suffering."

Shloka 15 (uttara.20.15)

अलमेनं परिक्लिश्य लोकं मोहनिराकृतम् । जित एव त्वया सौम्य मर्त्यलोको न संशयः ॥ 20.15 ॥

alamenaṃ parikliśya lokaṃ mohanirākṛtam | jita eva tvayā saumya martyaloko na saṃśayaḥ || 20.15 ||

"Enough of tormenting this world, already cast down by delusion. The mortal world, O gentle one, has already been conquered by you -- of this there is no doubt."

Shloka 16 (uttara.20.16)

अवश्यमेभिः सर्वैश्च गन्तव्यं यमसादनम् । तन्निगृह्णीष्व पौलस्त्य यमं परपुरञ्जय ॥ 20.16 ॥

avaśyamebhiḥ sarvaiśca gantavyaṃ yamasādanam | tannigṛhṇīṣva paulastya yamaṃ parapurañjaya || 20.16 ||

"All these beings must inevitably go to Yama's abode. Instead, subdue that very Yama, O son of Pulastya, O conqueror of enemy cities!"

Shloka 17 (uttara.20.17)

तस्मिञ्जिते जितं सर्वं भवत्येव न संशयः । एवमुक्तस्तु लङ्केशो दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा । अब्रवीन्नारदं तत्र सम्प्रहस्याभिवाद्य च ॥ 20.17 ॥

tasmiñjite jitaṃ sarvaṃ bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ | evamuktastu laṅkeśo dīpyamānaṃ svatejasā | abravīnnāradaṃ tatra samprahasyābhivādya ca || 20.17 ||

"When he is conquered, everything indeed is conquered -- of this there is no doubt." Thus addressed, the lord of Lanka, laughing and bowing to Narada, who blazed with his own splendour, said to him:

Shloka 18 (uttara.20.18)

महर्षे देवगन्धर्वविहार समरप्रिय । अहं समुद्यतो गन्तुं विजयार्थं रसातलम् ॥ 20.18 ॥

maharṣe devagandharvavihāra samarapriya | ahaṃ samudyato gantuṃ vijayārthaṃ rasātalam || 20.18 ||

"O great sage, who delights in the company of gods and gandharvas, fond of combat -- I am indeed resolved to go down to Rasatala for conquest."

Shloka 19 (uttara.20.19)

ततो लोकत्रयं जित्वा स्थाप्य नागान्सुरान्वशे । समुद्रममृतार्थं च मथिष्यामि रसालयम् ॥ 20.19 ॥

tato lokatrayaṃ jitvā sthāpya nāgānsurānvaśe | samudramamṛtārthaṃ ca mathiṣyāmi rasālayam || 20.19 ||

"Then, having conquered the three worlds and brought nagas and gods under my sway, I shall churn the ocean, the abode of nectar, for the sake of ambrosia."

Shloka 20 (uttara.20.20)

अथाब्रवीदृशग्रीवं नारदो भगवानृषिः । क्व खल्विदानीं मार्गेण त्वया ह्यन्येन गम्यते ॥ 20.20 ॥

athābravīdṛśagrīvaṃ nārado bhagavānṛṣiḥ | kva khalvidānīṃ mārgeṇa tvayā hyanyena gamyate || 20.20 ||

Then the divine sage Narada said to Dashagriva: "But now, by what other path do you intend to go?"

Shloka 21 (uttara.20.21)

अयं खलु सुदुर्गम्यः प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति । मार्गो गच्छति दुर्धर्षो यमस्यामित्रकर्शन ॥ 20.21 ॥

ayaṃ khalu sudurgamyaḥ pretarājapuraṃ prati | mārgo gacchati durdharṣo yamasyāmitrakarśana || 20.21 ||

"This path, O scourge of enemies, leading to the city of the king of the dead, is exceedingly hard to traverse and formidable -- it is the path to Yama."

Shloka 22 (uttara.20.22)

स तु शारदमेघाभं हासं मुक्त्वा दशाननः । उवाच कृतमित्येव वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ 20.22 ॥

sa tu śāradameghābhaṃ hāsaṃ muktvā daśānanaḥ | uvāca kṛtamityeva vacanaṃ cedamabravīt || 20.22 ||

Then Dashanana, letting loose laughter like an autumn cloud, said, "So be it!" and spoke this word further:

Shloka 23 (uttara.20.23)

तस्मादेवमहं ब्रह्मन् वैवस्वतवधोद्यतः । गच्छामि दक्षिणामाशां यत्र सूर्यात्मजो नृपः ॥ 20.23 ॥

tasmādevamahaṃ brahman vaivasvatavadhodyataḥ | gacchāmi dakṣiṇāmāśāṃ yatra sūryātmajo nṛpaḥ || 20.23 ||

"Therefore, O brahmin, resolved thus upon slaying Vaivasvata, I now go to the southern quarter, where that king, son of the Sun, dwells."

Shloka 24 (uttara.20.24)

मया हि भगवन्क्रोधात्प्रतिज्ञातं रणार्थिना । अवजेष्यामि चतुरो लोकपालानिति प्रभो ॥ 20.24 ॥

mayā hi bhagavankrodhātpratijñātaṃ raṇārthinā | avajeṣyāmi caturo lokapālāniti prabho || 20.24 ||

"For, O lord, in my fury, seeking battle, I have vowed: 'I shall conquer the four guardians of the world!' -- so it is, O mighty one."

Shloka 25 (uttara.20.25)

तदिह प्रस्थितो ऽहं वै प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति । प्राणिसङ्क्लेशकर्तारं योजयिष्यामि मृत्युना ॥ 20.25 ॥

tadiha prasthito 'haṃ vai pretarājapuraṃ prati | prāṇisaṅkleśakartāraṃ yojayiṣyāmi mṛtyunā || 20.25 ||

"Therefore I now set out for the city of the king of the dead; I shall unite with death itself him who causes all creatures' suffering."

Shloka 26 (uttara.20.26)

एवमुक्त्वा दशग्रीवो मुनिं तमभिवाद्य च । प्रययौ दक्षिणामाशां प्रविष्टः सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥ 20.26 ॥

evamuktvā daśagrīvo muniṃ tamabhivādya ca | prayayau dakṣiṇāmāśāṃ praviṣṭaḥ saha mantribhiḥ || 20.26 ||

Having said this, Dashagriva, bowing to that sage, set out for the southern quarter, accompanied by his ministers.

Shloka 27 (uttara.20.27)

नारदस्तु महातेजा मुहूर्तं ध्यानमास्थितः । चिन्तयामास विप्रेन्द्रो विधूम इव पावकः ॥ 20.27 ॥

nāradastu mahātejā muhūrtaṃ dhyānamāsthitaḥ | cintayāmāsa viprendro vidhūma iva pāvakaḥ || 20.27 ||

But Narada, of great splendour, remained for a moment absorbed in meditation; that foremost of brahmins, like a smokeless fire, reflected thus:

Shloka 28 (uttara.20.28)

येन लोकास्त्रयः सेन्द्राः क्लिश्यन्ते सचराचराः । क्षीणे चायुषि धर्मेण स कालो जेष्यते कथम् ॥ 20.28 ॥

yena lokāstrayaḥ sendrāḥ kliśyante sacarācarāḥ | kṣīṇe cāyuṣi dharmeṇa sa kālo jeṣyate katham || 20.28 ||

"By whom the three worlds, together with Indra, and all moving and unmoving beings, are afflicted when their dharma-appointed lifespan runs out -- how could such a Time be conquered?"

Shloka 29 (uttara.20.29)

स्वदत्तकृतसाक्षी यो द्वितीय इव पावकः । लब्धसञ्ज्ञा विजेष्यन्ते लोका यस्य महात्मनः ॥ 20.29 ॥

svadattakṛtasākṣī yo dvitīya iva pāvakaḥ | labdhasañjñā vijeṣyante lokā yasya mahātmanaḥ || 20.29 ||

"He who bears witness to every deed done and given, who is like a second fire, by whose great awareness the worlds themselves gain their reckoning -- how shall he be conquered?"

Shloka 30 (uttara.20.30)

यस्य नित्यं त्रयो लोका विद्रवन्ति भयार्दिताः । तं कथं राक्षसेन्द्रो ऽसौ स्वयमेव गमिष्यति ॥ 20.30 ॥

yasya nityaṃ trayo lokā vidravanti bhayārditāḥ | taṃ kathaṃ rākṣasendro 'sau svayameva gamiṣyati || 20.30 ||

"He, from fear of whom the three worlds are ever fleeing -- how will that lord of rakshasas himself go up against him?"

Shloka 31 (uttara.20.31)

यो विधाता च धाता च सुकृतं दुष्कृतं तथा । त्रैलोक्यं विजितं येन तं कथं विजयिष्यते ॥ 20.31 ॥

yo vidhātā ca dhātā ca sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ tathā | trailokyaṃ vijitaṃ yena taṃ kathaṃ vijayiṣyate || 20.31 ||

"He who is both ordainer and sustainer, the judge of good deeds and bad, by whom the three worlds already stand conquered -- how shall he ever conquer him?"

Shloka 32 (uttara.20.32)

अपरं किन्तु कृत्वायं विधानं संविधास्यति । कौतूहलसमुत्पन्नो यास्यामि यमसादनम् ॥ 20.32 ॥

aparaṃ kintu kṛtvāyaṃ vidhānaṃ saṃvidhāsyati | kautūhalasamutpanno yāsyāmi yamasādanam || 20.32 ||

"But what arrangement will he make next? Moved by curiosity, I myself shall go to Yama's abode --"

Shloka 33 (uttara.20.33)

विमर्दं द्रष्टुमनयोर्यमराक्षसयोः स्वयम् ॥ 20.33 ॥

vimardaṃ draṣṭumanayoryamarākṣasayoḥ svayam || 20.33 ||

-- to witness with my own eyes this clash between Yama and that rakshasa.