Shatrughna Chosen to Slay Lavana

Shloka 1 (uttara.62.1)

तथोक्ते तानृषीन्रामः प्रत्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः । किमाहारः किमाचारो लवणः क्व च वर्तते ।। 62.1 ।।

tathokte tānṛṣīnrāmaḥ pratyuvāca kṛtāñjaliḥ | kimāhāraḥ kimācāro lavaṇaḥ kva ca vartate || 62.1 ||

When they had spoken thus, Rama, with joined palms, asked those sages: "What does Lavana eat, how does he conduct himself, and where does he dwell?"

Shloka 2 (uttara.62.2)

राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ऋषयः सर्व एव ते । ततो निवेदयामासुर्लवणो ववृधे यथा ।। 62.2 ।।

rāghavasya vacaḥ śrutvā ṛṣayaḥ sarva eva te | tato nivedayāmāsurlavaṇo vavṛdhe yathā || 62.2 ||

Hearing Raghava's words, all those sages then began to tell him how Lavana had grown in power.

Shloka 3 (uttara.62.3)

आहारः सर्वसत्त्वानि विशेषेण च तापसाः । आचारो रौद्रता नित्यं वासो मधुवने तथा ।। 62.3 ।।

āhāraḥ sarvasattvāni viśeṣeṇa ca tāpasāḥ | ācāro raudratā nityaṃ vāso madhuvane tathā || 62.3 ||

His food is every kind of creature, ascetics above all; his conduct is ever savage, and he dwells in Madhuvana.

Shloka 4 (uttara.62.4)

हत्वा बहुसहस्राणि सिंहव्याघ्रमृगद्विपान् । मानुषांश्चैव कुरुते नित्यमाहारमाह्निकम् ।। 62.4 ।।

hatvā bahusahasrāṇi siṃhavyāghramṛgadvipān | mānuṣāṃścaiva kurute nityamāhāramāhnikam || 62.4 ||

Slaying thousands of lions, tigers, deer, elephants, and men, he makes them his daily meal.

Shloka 5 (uttara.62.5)

ततो ऽन्तराणि सत्त्वानि खादते स महाबलः । संहारे समनुप्राप्ते व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः ।। 62.5 ।।

tato 'ntarāṇi sattvāni khādate sa mahābalaḥ | saṃhāre samanuprāpte vyāditāsya ivāntakaḥ || 62.5 ||

When the hunt runs short, that mighty one devours whatever creatures remain, like Death himself with jaws agape at the world's ending.

Shloka 6 (uttara.62.6)

तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवो वाक्यमुवाच स महामुनीन् । घातयिष्यामि तद्रक्षो ह्यपगच्छतु वो भयम् ।। 62.6 ।।

tacchrutvā rāghavo vākyamuvāca sa mahāmunīn | ghātayiṣyāmi tadrakṣo hyapagacchatu vo bhayam || 62.6 ||

Hearing this, Raghava said to the great sages: "I shall slay that rakshasa — let your fear now depart."

Shloka 7 (uttara.62.7)

प्रतिज्ञाय तथा तेषां मुनीनामुग्रतेजसाम् । स भ्रातॄन्सहितान्सर्वानुवाच रघुनन्दनः ।। 62.7 ।।

pratijñāya tathā teṣāṃ munīnāmugratejasām | sa bhrātṝnsahitānsarvānuvāca raghunandanaḥ || 62.7 ||

Having thus made this vow to those fiercely radiant sages, Raghunandana addressed all his brothers gathered together.

Shloka 8 (uttara.62.8)

को हन्ता लवणं वीरः कस्यांशः स विधीयताम् । भरतस्य महाबाहोः शत्रुघ्नस्य च धीमतः ।। 62.8 ।।

ko hantā lavaṇaṃ vīraḥ kasyāṃśaḥ sa vidhīyatām | bharatasya mahābāhoḥ śatrughnasya ca dhīmataḥ || 62.8 ||

"Who shall be the hero to slay Lavana? To whom shall this share fall — to mighty-armed Bharata, or to wise Shatrughna?

Shloka 9 (uttara.62.9)

राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु भरतो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । अहमेनं वधिष्यामि ममांशः स विधीयताम् ।। 62.9 ।।

rāghaveṇaivamuktastu bharato vākyamabravīt | ahamenaṃ vadhiṣyāmi mamāṃśaḥ sa vidhīyatām || 62.9 ||

Thus addressed by Raghava, Bharata spoke: "I shall slay him — let this share be assigned to me."

Shloka 10 (uttara.62.10)

भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा धैर्यशौर्यसमन्वितम् । लक्ष्मणावरजस्तस्थौ हित्वा सौवर्णमासनम् ।। 62.10 ।।

bharatasya vacaḥ śrutvā dhairyaśauryasamanvitam | lakṣmaṇāvarajastasthau hitvā sauvarṇamāsanam || 62.10 ||

Hearing Bharata's words, filled with courage and valor, Lakshmana's younger brother rose, leaving his golden seat.

Shloka 11 (uttara.62.11)

शत्रुघ्नस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं प्रणिपत्य नराधिपम् । कृतकर्मा महाबाहुर्मध्यमो रघुनन्दनः ।। 62.11 ।।

śatrughnastvabravīdvākyaṃ praṇipatya narādhipam | kṛtakarmā mahābāhurmadhyamo raghunandanaḥ || 62.11 ||

Then Shatrughna — accomplished in deeds, mighty-armed, the middle-most of the Raghu brothers — bowed to the king and spoke these words.

Shloka 12 (uttara.62.12)

आर्येण हि पुरा शून्या त्वयोध्या परिपालिता । सन्तापं हृदये कृत्वा आर्यस्यागमनं प्रति ।। 62.12 ।।

āryeṇa hi purā śūnyā tvayodhyā paripālitā | santāpaṃ hṛdaye kṛtvā āryasyāgamanaṃ prati || 62.12 ||

"It was the noble Bharata who once governed Ayodhya when it stood empty because of you; bearing anguish in his heart, he waited for the noble one's return.

Shloka 13 (uttara.62.13)

दुःखानि च बहूनीह ह्यनुभूतानि पार्थिव । शयानो दुःखशय्यासु नन्दिग्रामे ऽवसत्पुरा ।। 62.13 ।।

duḥkhāni ca bahūnīha hyanubhūtāni pārthiva | śayāno duḥkhaśayyāsu nandigrāme 'vasatpurā || 62.13 ||

Many were the sorrows he endured, O king; sleeping upon a hard bed, he once dwelt at Nandigrama.

Shloka 14 (uttara.62.14)

फलमूलाशनो भूत्वा जटी चीरधरस्तथा । अनुभूयेदृशं दुःखमेष राघवनन्दनः । प्रेष्ये मयि स्थिते राजन्न भूयः क्लेशमाप्नुयात् ।। 62.14 ।।

phalamūlāśano bhūtvā jaṭī cīradharastathā | anubhūyedṛśaṃ duḥkhameṣa rāghavanandanaḥ | preṣye mayi sthite rājanna bhūyaḥ kleśamāpnuyāt || 62.14 ||

Living on fruits and roots, wearing matted locks and bark garments, this scion of Raghava has already endured such suffering. O king, while I remain here to serve, let him not undergo hardship again.

Shloka 15 (uttara.62.15)

तथा ब्रुवति शत्रुघ्ने राघवः पुनरब्रवीत् । एवं भवतु काकुत्स्थ क्रियतां मम शासनम् ।। 62.15 ।।

tathā bruvati śatrughne rāghavaḥ punarabravīt | evaṃ bhavatu kākutstha kriyatāṃ mama śāsanam || 62.15 ||

As Shatrughna spoke thus, Raghava said again: "So be it, Kakutstha — carry out my command.

Shloka 16 (uttara.62.16)

राज्ये त्वामभिषेक्ष्यामि मधोस्तु नगरे शुभे । निवेशय महाबाहो भरतं यद्यवेक्षसे ।। 62.16 ।।

rājye tvāmabhiṣekṣyāmi madhostu nagare śubhe | niveśaya mahābāho bharataṃ yadyavekṣase || 62.16 ||

I shall anoint you king in Madhu's fair city; and, mighty-armed one, if you see fit, let Bharata remain established here.

Shloka 17 (uttara.62.17)

शूरस्त्वं कृतविद्यश्च समर्थश्च निवेशने ।। 62.17 ।।

śūrastvaṃ kṛtavidyaśca samarthaśca niveśane || 62.17 ||

You are valiant, well-trained in learning, and capable of establishing a kingdom.

Shloka 18 (uttara.62.18)

यो हि शत्रुं समुत्पाट्य पार्थिवस्य पुनः क्षये । न विधत्ते नृपं तत्र नरकं स हि गच्छति ।। 62.18 ।।

yo hi śatruṃ samutpāṭya pārthivasya punaḥ kṣaye | na vidhatte nṛpaṃ tatra narakaṃ sa hi gacchati || 62.18 ||

For he who uproots an enemy but fails to install a king thereafter in that ruined realm — such a one surely goes to hell.

Shloka 19 (uttara.62.19)

स त्वं हत्वा मधुसुतं लवणं पापनिश्चयम् । राज्यं प्रशाधि धर्मेण वाक्यं मे यद्यवेक्षसे ।। 62.19 ।।

sa tvaṃ hatvā madhusutaṃ lavaṇaṃ pāpaniścayam | rājyaṃ praśādhi dharmeṇa vākyaṃ me yadyavekṣase || 62.19 ||

So, having slain Madhu's son, the wicked-hearted Lavana, rule that kingdom righteously, if my words seem right to you.

Shloka 20 (uttara.62.20)

उत्तरं च न वक्तव्यं शूर वाक्यान्तरे मम । बालेन पूर्वजस्याज्ञा कर्तव्या नात्र संशयः ।। 62.20 ।।

uttaraṃ ca na vaktavyaṃ śūra vākyāntare mama | bālena pūrvajasyājñā kartavyā nātra saṃśayaḥ || 62.20 ||

And, O hero, give no further reply while I am still speaking — the younger must obey the elder's command; of this there is no doubt.

Shloka 21 (uttara.62.21)

अभिषेकं च काकुत्स्थ प्रतीच्छस्व मयोद्यतम् । वसिष्ठप्रमुखैर्विप्रैर्विधिमन्त्रपुरस्कृतम् ।। 62.21 ।।

abhiṣekaṃ ca kākutstha pratīcchasva mayodyatam | vasiṣṭhapramukhairviprairvidhimantrapuraskṛtam || 62.21 ||

And, Kakutstha, accept this coronation which I am arranging, to be performed with due rite and mantra by Vasishtha and the foremost brahmins."