Ravana Invades the Realm of Yama

Shloka 1 (uttara.21.1)

एवं सञ्चिन्त्य विप्रेन्द्रो जगाम लघुविक्रमः । आख्यातुं तद्यथावृत्तं यमस्य सदनं प्रति ।। २१.१ ।।

evaṃ sañcintya viprendro jagāma laghuvikramaḥ | ākhyātuṃ tadyathāvṛttaṃ yamasya sadanaṃ prati ||

Thinking thus, the foremost of sages, swift of movement, went to Yama's abode to relate all that had happened exactly as it occurred.

Shloka 2 (uttara.21.2)

अपश्यत्स यमं तत्र देवमग्निपुरस्कृतम् । विधानमुपतिष्ठन्तं प्राणिनो यस्य यादृशम् ।। २१.२ ।।

apaśyat sa yamaṃ tatra devam agnipuraskṛtam | vidhānam upatiṣṭhantaṃ prāṇino yasya yādṛśam ||

There he saw the god Yama, seated with fire placed before him, presiding over the ordinance appropriate to each living being according to its deeds.

Shloka 3 (uttara.21.3)

स तु दृष्ट्वा यमः प्राप्तं महर्षिं तत्र नारदम् । अब्रवीत्सुखमासीनमर्घ्यमावेद्य धर्मतः ।। २१.३ ।।

sa tu dṛṣṭvā yamaḥ prāptaṃ maharṣiṃ tatra nāradam | abravīt sukham āsīnam arghyam āvedya dharmataḥ ||

Seeing the great sage Narada arrived there, Yama duly offered him the guest-water, seated him comfortably, and spoke.

Shloka 4 (uttara.21.4)

कच्चित्क्षेमं तु देवर्षे कच्चिद्धर्मो न नश्यति । किमागमनकृत्यं ते देवगन्धर्वसेवित ।। २१.४ ।।

kaccit kṣemaṃ tu devarṣe kaccid dharmo na naśyati | kim āgamanakṛtyaṃ te devagandharvasevita ||

"O divine sage, is all well? Is righteousness anywhere in decline? O you honored by gods and gandharvas, what brings you here?"

Shloka 5 (uttara.21.5)

अब्रवीत्तु तदा वाक्यं नारदो भगवानृषिः । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि विधानं च विधीयताम् ।। २१.५ ।।

abravīt tu tadā vākyaṃ nārado bhagavān ṛṣiḥ | śrūyatām abhidhāsyāmi vidhānaṃ ca vidhīyatām ||

Then the blessed sage Narada spoke: "Listen, I shall tell you; and let the appropriate measure be taken."

Shloka 6 (uttara.21.6)

एष नाम्नो दशग्रीवः पितृराज निशाचरः । उपयाति वशं नेतुं विक्रमैस्त्वां सुदुर्जयम् ।। २१.६ ।।

eṣa nāmno daśagrīvaḥ pitṛrāja niśācaraḥ | upayāti vaśaṃ netuṃ vikramais tvāṃ sudurjayam ||

"O Lord of the Fathers, a rakshasa named Dashagriva is coming, by his might, to subdue you though you are well-nigh invincible."

Shloka 7 (uttara.21.7)

एतेन कारणेनाहं त्वरितो ह्यागतः प्रभो । दण्डप्रहरणस्याद्य तव किं नु भविष्यति ।। २१.७ ।।

etena kāraṇenāhaṃ tvarito hy āgataḥ prabho | daṇḍapraharaṇasyādya tava kiṃ nu bhaviṣyati ||

"For this reason, O lord, I have hastened here. What will now become of your rod of punishment, I wonder?"

Shloka 8 (uttara.21.8)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दूरादंशुमन्तमिवोदितम् । ददृशुर्दीप्तमायान्तं विमानं तस्य रक्षसः ।। २१.८ ।।

etasminn antare dūrād aṃśumantam ivoditam | dadṛśur dīptam āyāntaṃ vimānaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ ||

Meanwhile, from afar, that rakshasa's blazing chariot was seen approaching, radiant like the rising sun.

Shloka 9 (uttara.21.9)

तं देशं प्रभया तस्य पुष्पकस्य महाबलः । कृत्वा वितिमिरं सर्वं समीपं सो ऽभ्यवर्तत ।। २१.९ ।।

taṃ deśaṃ prabhayā tasya puṣpakasya mahābalaḥ | kṛtvā vitimiraṃ sarvaṃ samīpaṃ so 'bhyavartata ||

That mighty one's Pushpaka chariot, its radiance dispelling all darkness of the region, drew near.

Shloka 10 (uttara.21.10)

सो ऽपश्यत्स महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवस्ततस्ततः । प्राणिनः सुकृतं कर्म भुञ्जानांश्चैव दुष्कृतम् ।। २१.१० ।।

so 'paśyat sa mahābāhur daśagrīvas tatas tataḥ | prāṇinaḥ sukṛtaṃ karma bhuñjānāṃś caiva duṣkṛtam ||

That mighty-armed Dashagriva looked here and there, where beings were reaping the fruits of their good and evil deeds.

Shloka 11 (uttara.21.11)

अपश्यत्सैनिकांश्चास्य यमस्यानुचरैः सह । यमस्य पुरुषैरुग्रैर्घोररूपैर्भयानकैः ।। २१.११ ।।

apaśyat sainikāṃś cāsya yamasyānucaraiḥ saha | yamasya puruṣair ugrair ghorarūpair bhayānakaiḥ ||

He also saw Yama's soldiers, together with Yama's attendants — fierce, terrible in form, and dreadful.

Shloka 12 (uttara.21.12)

ददर्श वध्यमानांश्च क्लिश्यमानांश्च देहिनः । क्रोशतश्च महानादं तीव्रनिष्टनतत्परान् ।। २१.१२ ।।

dadarśa vadhyamānāṃś ca kliśyamānāṃś ca dehinaḥ | krośataś ca mahānādaṃ tīvraniṣṭanatatparān ||

He saw embodied souls being struck down, tormented, crying out loudly, given over to bitter wailing.

Shloka 13 (uttara.21.13)

कृमिभिर्भक्ष्यमाणांश्च सारमेयैश्च दारुणैः ।। २१.१३ ।।

kṛmibhir bhakṣyamāṇāṃś ca sārameyaiś ca dāruṇaiḥ ||

(He saw some) being devoured by worms and by savage dogs.

Shloka 14 (uttara.21.14)

क्षोत्रायासकरा वाचो वदतश्च भयावहाः । सन्तार्यमाणान्वैतरणीं बहुशः शोणितोदकाम् ।। २१.१४ ।।

kṣotrāyāsakarā vāco vadataś ca bhayāvahāḥ | santāryamāṇān vaitaraṇīṃ bahuśaḥ śoṇitodakām ||

Tormented by hunger, they cried out words of anguish and terror, while again and again they were made to cross the blood-red waters of the Vaitarani.

Shloka 15 (uttara.21.15)

वालुकासु च तप्तासु तप्यमानान्मुहूर्मुहुः । असिपत्रवने चैव भिद्यमानानधार्मिकान् ।। २१.१५ ।।

vālukāsu ca taptāsu tapyamānān muhurmuhuḥ | asipatravane caiva bhidyamānān adhārmikān ||

Some were being scorched again and again on burning sands, and the unrighteous were being cut to pieces in the forest of sword-leaves.

Shloka 16 (uttara.21.16)

रौरवे क्षारनद्यां च क्षुरधारासु चैव हि । पानीयं याचमानांश्च तृषितान्क्षुधितानपि ।। २१.१६ ।।

raurave kṣāranadyāṃ ca kṣuradhārāsu caiva hi | pānīyaṃ yācamānāṃś ca tṛṣitān kṣudhitān api ||

Some were in the Raurava hell, in the river of caustic salt, upon razor-sharp edges; thirsty and hungry, they begged for water.

Shloka 17 (uttara.21.17)

शवभूतान्कृशान्दीनान्विवर्णान्मुक्तमूर्धजान् । मलपङ्कधरान्दीनान्रूक्षांश्च परिधावतः ।। २१.१७ ।।

śavabhūtān kṛśān dīnān vivarṇān muktamūrdhajān | malapaṅkadharān dīnān rūkṣāṃś ca paridhāvataḥ ||

Emaciated, wretched, pale, hair disheveled, smeared with filth and mire, gaunt and corpse-like, they were seen running about in distress.

Shloka 18 (uttara.21.18)

ददर्श रावणो मार्गे शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः । कांश्चिच्च गृहमुख्येषु गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः । प्रमोदमानानद्राक्षीद्रावणः सुकृतैः स्वकैः ।। २१.१८ ।।

dadarśa rāvaṇo mārge śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ | kāṃścic ca gṛhamukhyeṣu gītavāditraniḥsvanaiḥ | pramodamānān adrākṣīd rāvaṇaḥ sukṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ ||

Ravana saw hundreds and thousands of such beings along the way. And he also saw others, in fine mansions, rejoicing amid the sounds of song and music, delighting in the fruits of their own good deeds.

Shloka 19 (uttara.21.19)

गौरसं गोप्रदातारो ह्यन्नं चैवान्नदायिनः । गृहांश्च गृहदातारः स्वकर्मफलमश्नतः ।। २१.१९ ।।

gorasaṃ gopradātāro hy annaṃ caivānnadāyinaḥ | gṛhāṃś ca gṛhadātāraḥ svakarmaphalam aśnataḥ ||

Those who had given cows enjoyed the bounty of dairy produce; those who had given food enjoyed food; those who had given dwellings enjoyed dwellings — each partaking of the fruit of their own deeds.

Shloka 20 (uttara.21.20)

सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताभिः प्रमदाभिरलङ्कृतान् ।। २१.२० ।।

suvarṇamaṇimuktābhiḥ pramadābhir alaṅkṛtān ||

(They were) attended by lovely women adorned with gold, gems, and pearls.

Shloka 21 (uttara.21.21)

धार्मिकानपरांस्तत्र दीप्यमानान्स्वतेजसा । ददर्श सुमहाबाहू रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ।। २१.२१ ।।

dhārmikān aparāṃs tatra dīpyamānān svatejasā | dadarśa sumahābāhū rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ ||

The great-armed lord of rakshasas, Ravana, saw there many other righteous ones, resplendent with their own inner radiance.

Shloka 22 (uttara.21.22)

ततस्तान्भिद्यमानांश्च कर्मभिर्दुष्कृतैः स्वकैः । रावणो मोचयामास विक्रमेण बलाद्बली ।। २१.२२ ।।

tatas tān bhidyamānāṃś ca karmabhir duṣkṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ | rāvaṇo mocayām āsa vikrameṇa balād balī ||

Then, those being tormented for their own evil deeds — Ravana, mighty in his power, forcibly freed them by his valor.

Shloka 23 (uttara.21.23)

प्राणिनो मोचितास्तेन दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा । सुखमापुर्मुहूर्तं ते ह्यतर्कितमचिन्तितम् ।। २१.२३ ।।

prāṇino mocitās tena daśagrīveṇa rakṣasā | sukham āpur muhūrtaṃ te hy atarkitam acintitam ||

Those beings, freed by the rakshasa Dashagriva, for that moment enjoyed a happiness sudden and unlooked-for.

Shloka 24 (uttara.21.24)

प्रेतेषु मुच्यमानेषु राक्षसेन महीयसा । प्रेतगोपाः सुसङ्क्रुद्धा राक्षसेन्द्रमभिद्रवन् ।। २१.२४ ।।

preteṣu mucyamāneṣu rākṣasena mahīyasā | pretagopāḥ susaṅkruddhā rākṣasendram abhidravan ||

As the mighty rakshasa freed the departed souls, their guardians, furious, rushed upon the lord of rakshasas.

Shloka 25 (uttara.21.25)

ततो हलहलाशब्दः सर्वदिग्भ्यः समुत्थितः । धर्मराजस्य योधानां शूराणां सम्प्रधावताम् ।। २१.२५ ।।

tato halahalāśabdaḥ sarvadigbhyaḥ samutthitaḥ | dharmarājasya yodhānāṃ śūrāṇāṃ sampradhāvatām ||

Then a great tumult of noise arose from every quarter as the valiant warriors of the King of Righteousness rushed forward.

Shloka 26 (uttara.21.26)

ते प्रासैः परिघैः शूलैर्मुसलैः शक्तितोमरैः । पुष्पकं समवर्षन्त शूराः शतसहस्रशः ।। २१.२६ ।।

te prāsaiḥ parighaiḥ śūlair musalaiḥ śaktitomaraiḥ | puṣpakaṃ samavarṣanta śūrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ ||

Those warriors, hundreds of thousands strong, rained down spears, iron clubs, tridents, maces, javelins, and lances upon the Pushpaka.

Shloka 27 (uttara.21.27)

तस्यासनानि प्रासादान्वेदिकास्तोरणानि च । पुष्पकस्य बभञ्जुस्ते शीघ्रं मधुकरा इव ।। २१.२७ ।।

tasyāsanāni prāsādān vedikās toraṇāni ca | puṣpakasya babhañjus te śīghraṃ madhukarā iva ||

They swiftly shattered its seats, pavilions, platforms, and archways, swarming upon the Pushpaka like bees.

Shloka 28 (uttara.21.28)

देवनिष्ठानभूतं तद्विमानं पुष्पकं मृधे । भज्यमानं तथैवासीदक्षयं ब्रह्मतेजसा ।। २१.२८ ।।

devaniṣṭhānabhūtaṃ tad vimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ mṛdhe | bhajyamānaṃ tathaivāsīd akṣayaṃ brahmatejasā ||

That Pushpaka chariot, a divine abode fit for the gods, though battered in that battle, remained undiminished by the power of Brahma invested in it.

Shloka 29 (uttara.21.29)

असङ्ख्या सुमहत्यासीत्तस्य सेना महात्मनः । शूराणामग्रयातॄणां सहस्राणि शतानि च ।। २१.२९ ।।

asaṅkhyā sumahaty āsīt tasya senā mahātmanaḥ | śūrāṇām agrayātṝṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni ca ||

That great being's army was countless and immense — hundreds and thousands of valiant vanguard warriors.

Shloka 30 (uttara.21.30)

ततो वृक्षैश्च शैलैश्च प्रासादानां शतैस्तथा । ततस्ते सचिवास्तस्य यथाकामं यथाबलम् । अयुध्यन्त महावीराः स च राजा दशाननः ।। २१.३० ।।

tato vṛkṣaiś ca śailaiś ca prāsādānāṃ śatais tathā | tatas te sacivās tasya yathākāmaṃ yathābalam | ayudhyanta mahāvīrāḥ sa ca rājā daśānanaḥ ||

Then, with trees, boulders, and hundreds of pavilions as weapons, his great-hearted ministers, along with King Dashanana himself, fought as they wished, to the utmost of their strength.

Shloka 31 (uttara.21.31)

ते तु शोणितदिग्धाङ्गाः सर्वशस्त्रसमाहताः । अमात्या राक्षसेन्द्रस्य चक्रुरायोधनं महत् ।। २१.३१ ।।

te tu śoṇitadigdhāṅgāḥ sarvaśastrasamāhatāḥ | amātyā rākṣasendrasya cakrur āyodhanaṃ mahat ||

Their limbs smeared with blood, struck by every kind of weapon, the ministers of the rakshasa lord waged a mighty battle.

Shloka 32 (uttara.21.32)

अन्योन्यं ते महाभागा जघ्नुः प्रहरणैर्भृशम् । यमस्य च महाबाहो रावणस्य च मन्त्रिणः ।। २१.३२ ।।

anyonyaṃ te mahābhāgā jaghnuḥ praharaṇair bhṛśam | yamasya ca mahābāho rāvaṇasya ca mantriṇaḥ ||

O mighty-armed one, the illustrious ministers of both Yama and Ravana struck one another fiercely with their weapons.

Shloka 33 (uttara.21.33)

अमात्यांस्तांस्तु सन्त्यज्य यमयोधा महाबलाः । तमेव चाभ्यधावन्त शूलवर्षैर्दशाननम् ।। २१.३३ ।।

amātyāṃs tāṃs tu santyajya yamayodhā mahābalāḥ | tam eva cābhyadhāvanta śūlavarṣair daśānanam ||

Leaving those ministers aside, Yama's mighty warriors charged straight at Dashanana himself, raining tridents upon him.

Shloka 34 (uttara.21.34)

ततः शोणितदिग्धाङ्गः प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतः । फुल्लाशोक इवाभाति पुष्पके राक्षसाधिपः ।। २१.३४ ।।

tataḥ śoṇitadigdhāṅgaḥ prahārair jarjarīkṛtaḥ | phullāśoka ivābhāti puṣpake rākṣasādhipaḥ ||

His limbs smeared with blood and battered by blows, the lord of rakshasas, seated in the Pushpaka, still shone like a blossoming ashoka tree.

Shloka 35 (uttara.21.35)

स तु शूलगदाप्रासाञ्छक्तितोमरसायकान् । मुसलानि शिलावृक्षान्मुमोचास्त्रबलाद्बली ।। २१.३५ ।।

sa tu śūlagadāprāsāñ chaktitomarasāyakān | musalāni śilāvṛkṣān mumocāstrabalād balī ||

That mighty one, by the power of his weapons, hurled tridents, maces, spears, javelins, lances, arrows, iron clubs, and even boulders and trees.

Shloka 36 (uttara.21.36)

तरूणां च शिलानां च शस्त्राणां चातिदारुणम् । यमसैन्येषु तद्वर्षं पपात धरणीतले ।। २१.३६ ।।

tarūṇāṃ ca śilānāṃ ca śastrāṇāṃ cātidāruṇam | yamasainyeṣu tad varṣaṃ papāta dharaṇītale ||

That terrible downpour of trees, rocks, and weapons fell upon Yama's army, striking the earth.

Shloka 37 (uttara.21.37)

तांस्तु सर्वान्विनिर्भिद्य तदस्त्रमपहत्य च । जघ्नुस्ते राक्षसं घोरमेकं शतसहस्रशः ।। २१.३७ ।।

tāṃs tu sarvān vinirbhidya tad astram apahatya ca | jaghnus te rākṣasaṃ ghoram ekaṃ śatasahasraśaḥ ||

Piercing through all these and destroying that weapon, hundreds of thousands of them struck at that one terrible rakshasa.

Shloka 38 (uttara.21.38)

परिवार्य च तं सर्वे शैलं मेघोत्करा इव । भिन्दिपालैश्च शूलैश्च निरुच्छ्वासमपोथयन् ।। २१.३८ ।।

parivārya ca taṃ sarve śailaṃ meghotkarā iva | bhindipālaiś ca śūlaiś ca niruc chvāsam apothayan ||

Surrounding him as clouds surround a mountain peak, they battered him with javelins and tridents until he seemed to gasp for breath.

Shloka 39 (uttara.21.39)

विमुक्तकवचः क्रुद्धः सिक्तः शोणितविस्रवैः । ततः स पुष्पकं त्यक्त्वा पृथिव्यामवतिष्ठत ।। २१.३९ ।।

vimuktakavacaḥ kruddhaḥ siktaḥ śoṇitavisravaiḥ | tataḥ sa puṣpakaṃ tyaktvā pṛthivyām avatiṣṭhata ||

His armor torn away, enraged, drenched in streams of blood, he then left the Pushpaka and stood upon the earth.

Shloka 40 (uttara.21.40)

ततः स कार्मुकी बाणी समरे चाभिवर्तत । लब्धसंज्ञो मुहूर्तेन क्रुद्धस्तस्थौ यथान्तकः ।। २१.४० ।।

tataḥ sa kārmukī bāṇī samare cābhivartata | labdhasaṃjño muhūrtena kruddhas tasthau yathāntakaḥ ||

Then, bow and arrows in hand, he turned to face the battle; in a moment, regaining his senses, he stood there enraged, like Death himself.

Shloka 41 (uttara.21.41)

ततः पाशुपतं दिव्यमस्त्रं सन्धाय कार्मुके । तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति तानुक्त्वा तच्चापं विचकर्ष स ।। २१.४१ ।।

tataḥ pāśupataṃ divyam astraṃ sandhāya kārmuke | tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti tān uktvā tac cāpaṃ vicakarṣa sa ||

Then, fitting the divine Pashupata weapon to his bow, crying "Stand, stand!" to them, he drew that bow taut.

Shloka 42 (uttara.21.42)

आकर्णात्स विकृष्याथ चापमिन्द्रारिराहवे । मुमोच तं शरं क्रुद्धस्त्रिपुरे शङ्करो यथा ।। २१.४२ ।।

ākarṇāt sa vikṛṣyātha cāpam indrāri rāhave | mumoca taṃ śaraṃ kruddhas tripure śaṅkaro yathā ||

Drawing the bow back to his ear, that foe of Indra, in fury, loosed that arrow in battle, as Shankara once did against Tripura.

Shloka 43 (uttara.21.43)

तस्य रूपं शरस्यासीत्विधूमज्वालमण्डलम् । वनं दहिष्यतो घर्मे दावाग्नेरिव मूर्च्छतः ।। २१.४३ ।।

tasya rūpaṃ śarasyāsīt vidhūmajvālamaṇḍalam | vanaṃ dahiṣyato gharme dāvāgner iva mūrcchataḥ ||

That arrow's form was a ring of smokeless flame, like a raging forest-fire in summer about to consume the woods.

Shloka 44 (uttara.21.44)

ज्वालामाली स तु शरः क्रव्यादानुगतो रणे । मुक्तो गुल्मान्द्रुमांश्चापि भस्म कृत्वा प्रधावति ।। २१.४४ ।।

jvālāmālī sa tu śaraḥ kravyādānugato raṇe | mukto gulmān drumāṃś cāpi bhasma kṛtvā pradhāvati ||

Garlanded in flame, followed by flesh-eating creatures, once loosed, that arrow rushed on in the battle, reducing thickets and trees to ashes.

Shloka 45 (uttara.21.45)

ते तस्य तेजसा दग्धाः सैन्या वैवस्वतस्य तु । रणे तस्मिन्निपतिता दावदग्धा नगा इव ।। २१.४५ ।।

te tasya tejasā dagdhāḥ sainyā vaivasvatasya tu | raṇe tasmin nipatitā dāvadagdhā nagā iva ||

Consumed by that fiery power, the armies of Vaivasvata (Yama) fell in that battlefield like trees burnt down by a forest fire.

Shloka 46 (uttara.21.46)

ततस्तु सचिवैः सार्धं राक्षसो भीमविक्रमः । ननाद सुमहानादं कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम् ।। २१.४६ ।।

tatas tu sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ rākṣaso bhīmavikramaḥ | nanāda sumahānādaṃ kampayann iva medinīm ||

Then that rakshasa of terrible prowess, together with his ministers, roared a mighty roar, as though shaking the very earth.