The Chariot Duel Begins

Shloka 1 (yuddha.106.1)

सारथिः स रथं हृष्टः परसैन्यप्रधर्षणम्। गन्धर्वनगराकारं समुच्छ्रितपताकिनम्॥॥ 106.1 ॥

sārathiḥ sa rathaṃ hṛṣṭaḥ parasainyapradharṣaṇam| gandharvanagarākāraṃ samucchritapatākinam|||| 106.1 ||

Thrilled with delight, the charioteer made ready that chariot capable of overwhelming the enemy's forces, wondrous as a city of the Gandharvas, its banners raised high,

Shloka 2 (yuddha.106.2)

युक्तं परमसम्पन्नैर्वाजिभिर्हेममालिभिः। युद्धोपकरणैः पूर्णं पताकाध्वजमालिनम्॥॥ 106.2 ॥

yuktaṃ paramasampannairvājibhirhemamālibhiḥ| yuddhopakaraṇaiḥ pūrṇaṃ patākādhvajamālinam|||| 106.2 ||

yoked with excellent steeds adorned with golden garlands, filled with implements of war, and hung with rows of flags and standards,

Shloka 3 (yuddha.106.3)

ग्रसन्तमिव चाकाशं नादयन्तं वसुंधराम्। प्रणाशं परसैन्यानां स्वसैन्यस्य प्रहर्षणम्॥॥ 106.3 ॥

grasantamiva cākāśaṃ nādayantaṃ vasuṃdharām| praṇāśaṃ parasainyānāṃ svasainyasya praharṣaṇam|||| 106.3 ||

as though it were swallowing the very sky, making the earth resound, the destroyer of enemy hosts and the delight of his own army —

Shloka 4 (yuddha.106.4)

रावणस्य रथं क्षिप्रं चोदयामास सारथिः। तमापतन्तं सहसा स्वनवन्तं महाध्वजम्॥॥ 106.4 ॥

rāvaṇasya rathaṃ kṣipraṃ codayāmāsa sārathiḥ| tamāpatantaṃ sahasā svanavantaṃ mahādhvajam|||| 106.4 ||

that thundering chariot of Ravana, bearing its great standard as it rushed forward, the charioteer swiftly drove onward.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.106.5)

रथं राक्षसराजस्य नरराजो ददर्श ह। कृष्णवाजिसमायुक्तं युक्तं रौद्रेण वर्चसा॥॥ 106.5 ॥

rathaṃ rākṣasarājasya nararājo dadarśa ha| kṛṣṇavājisamāyuktaṃ yuktaṃ raudreṇa varcasā|||| 106.5 ||

Then Rama, the lord of men, beheld that chariot of the demon-king, yoked with black steeds and endowed with a terrible splendour,

Shloka 6 (yuddha.106.6)

दीप्यमानमिवाकाशे विमानं सूर्यवर्चसम्। तडित्पताकागहनं दर्शितेन्द्रायुधप्रभम्॥॥ 106.6 ॥

dīpyamānamivākāśe vimānaṃ sūryavarcasam| taḍitpatākāgahanaṃ darśitendrāyudhaprabham|||| 106.6 ||

blazing as though it were an aerial car in the sky, radiant as the sun, dense with lightning-like flags, and gleaming with the hues of a rainbow.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.106.7)

शरधारा विमुञ्चन्तं धाराधरमिवाम्बुदम्। स दृष्ट्वा मेघसंकाशमापतन्तं रथं रिपोः॥॥ 106.7 ॥

śaradhārā vimuñcantaṃ dhārādharamivāmbudam| sa dṛṣṭvā meghasaṃkāśamāpatantaṃ rathaṃ ripoḥ|||| 106.7 ||

loosing streams of arrows as a raincloud pours down torrents of water — seeing that cloud-like chariot of the enemy bearing down upon him,

Shloka 8 (yuddha.106.8)

गिरेर्वज्राभिमृष्टस्य दीर्यतः सदृशस्वनम्। विस्फारयन् वै वेगेन बालचन्द्रानतं धनुः॥॥ 106.8 ॥

girervajrābhimṛṣṭasya dīryataḥ sadṛśasvanam| visphārayan vai vegena bālacandrānataṃ dhanuḥ|||| 106.8 ||

which roared like a mountain struck and split apart by a thunderbolt, Rama, with great speed, bent his bow into the shape of a crescent moon,

Shloka 9 (yuddha.106.9)

उवाच मातलिं रामः सहस्राक्षस्य सारथिम्। मातले पश्य संरब्धमापतन्तं रथं रिपोः॥॥ 106.9 ॥

uvāca mātaliṃ rāmaḥ sahasrākṣasya sārathim| mātale paśya saṃrabdhamāpatantaṃ rathaṃ ripoḥ|||| 106.9 ||

and said to Matali, the charioteer of the thousand-eyed Indra, "O Matali, behold the enemy's chariot, coming on so furiously.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.106.10)

यथापसव्यं पतता वेगेन महता पुनः। समरे हन्तुमात्मानं तथानेन कृता मतिः॥॥ 106.10 ॥

yathāpasavyaṃ patatā vegena mahatā punaḥ| samare hantumātmānaṃ tathānena kṛtā matiḥ|||| 106.10 ||

From the way he swoops upon us again and again with such great speed, circling to the unfavourable side, it seems he has resolved, in this battle, upon nothing less than his own destruction."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.106.11)

तदप्रमादमातिष्ठ प्रत्युद्गच्छ रथं रिपोः। विध्वंसयितुमिच्छामि वायुर्मेघमिवोत्थितम्॥॥ 106.11 ॥

tadapramādamātiṣṭha pratyudgaccha rathaṃ ripoḥ| vidhvaṃsayitumicchāmi vāyurmeghamivotthitam|||| 106.11 ||

"Therefore stay alert, and drive forward to meet the enemy's chariot; I wish to shatter it, even as the wind scatters a rising cloud.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.106.12)

अविक्लवमसम्भ्रान्तमव्यग्रहृदयेक्षणम्। रश्मिसंचारनियतं प्रचोदय रथं द्रुतम्॥॥ 106.12 ॥

aviklavamasambhrāntamavyagrahṛdayekṣaṇam| raśmisaṃcāraniyataṃ pracodaya rathaṃ drutam|||| 106.12 ||

Without fear, without flurry, your heart and gaze steady, the reins held in perfect control, drive the chariot swiftly forward.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.106.13)

कामं न त्वं समाधेयः पुरंदररथोचितः। युयुत्सुरहमेकाग्रः स्मारये त्वां न शिक्षये॥॥ 106.13 ॥

kāmaṃ na tvaṃ samādheyaḥ puraṃdararathocitaḥ| yuyutsurahamekāgraḥ smāraye tvāṃ na śikṣaye|||| 106.13 ||

In truth you need no instruction, accustomed as you are to driving Indra's own chariot; eager for battle and single-minded, I merely remind you — I do not presume to teach you."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.106.14)

परितुष्टः स रामस्य तेन वाक्येन मातलिः। प्रचोदयामास रथं सुरसारथिरुत्तमः॥॥ 106.14 ॥

parituṣṭaḥ sa rāmasya tena vākyena mātaliḥ| pracodayāmāsa rathaṃ surasārathiruttamaḥ|||| 106.14 ||

Greatly gratified by these words of Rama, Matali, that foremost of the charioteers of the gods, drove the chariot onward.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.106.15)

अपसव्यं ततः कुर्वन् रावणस्य महारथम्। चक्रसम्भूतरजसा रावणं व्यवधूनयत्॥॥ 106.15 ॥

apasavyaṃ tataḥ kurvan rāvaṇasya mahāratham| cakrasambhūtarajasā rāvaṇaṃ vyavadhūnayat|||| 106.15 ||

Then, circling round Ravana's great chariot, keeping it to the right, he enveloped Ravana in the dust thrown up by his own wheels.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.106.16)

ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवस्ताम्रविस्फारितेक्षणः। रथप्रतिमुखं रामं सायकैरवधूनयत्॥॥ 106.16 ॥

tataḥ kruddho daśagrīvastāmravisphāritekṣaṇaḥ| rathapratimukhaṃ rāmaṃ sāyakairavadhūnayat|||| 106.16 ||

Then the ten-necked Ravana, enraged, his coppery eyes flaring wide, showered Rama, who stood facing his chariot, with a hail of arrows.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.106.17)

धर्षणामर्षितो रामो धैर्यं रोषेण लम्भयन्। जग्राह सुमहावेगमैन्द्रं युधि शरासनम्॥॥ 106.17 ॥

dharṣaṇāmarṣito rāmo dhairyaṃ roṣeṇa lambhayan| jagrāha sumahāvegamaindraṃ yudhi śarāsanam|||| 106.17 ||

Provoked by this assault, yet mastering his anger with fortitude, Rama took up in that battle Indra's bow of tremendous power.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.106.18)

शरांश्च सुमहावेगान् सूर्यरश्मिसमप्रभान्। तदुपोढं महद् युद्धमन्योन्यवधकांक्षिणोः। परस्पराभिमुखयोर्दृप्तयोरिव सिंहयोः॥॥ 106.18 ॥

śarāṃśca sumahāvegān sūryaraśmisamaprabhān| tadupoḍhaṃ mahad yuddhamanyonyavadhakāṃkṣiṇoḥ| parasparābhimukhayordṛptayoriva siṃhayoḥ|||| 106.18 ||

and arrows of tremendous speed, radiant as the sun's own rays. Then began, between those two who each desired the other's death, facing one another like two proud lions, that great battle.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.106.19)

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। समीयुर्द्वैरथं द्रष्टुं रावणक्षयकांक्षिणः॥॥ 106.19 ॥

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ| samīyurdvairathaṃ draṣṭuṃ rāvaṇakṣayakāṃkṣiṇaḥ|||| 106.19 ||

Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, the Siddhas and the great sages, all longing for Ravana's destruction, gathered to witness that chariot-duel.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.106.20)

समुत्पेतुरथोत्पाता दारुणा रोमहर्षणाः। रावणस्य विनाशाय राघवस्योदयाय च॥॥ 106.20 ॥

samutpeturathotpātā dāruṇā romaharṣaṇāḥ| rāvaṇasya vināśāya rāghavasyodayāya ca|||| 106.20 ||

Then terrible, hair-raising portents began to appear, foretelling Ravana's ruin and Rama's rising fortune.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.106.21)

ववर्ष रुधिरं देवो रावणस्य रथोपरि। वाता मण्डलिनस्तीव्रा व्यपसव्यं प्रचक्रमुः॥॥ 106.21 ॥

vavarṣa rudhiraṃ devo rāvaṇasya rathopari| vātā maṇḍalinastīvrā vyapasavyaṃ pracakramuḥ|||| 106.21 ||

The god of rain poured blood down upon Ravana's chariot, and fierce circling winds began to blow against him.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.106.22)

महद्गृध्रकुलं चास्य भ्रममाणं नभस्थले। येन येन रथो याति तेन तेन प्रधावति॥॥ 106.22 ॥

mahadgṛdhrakulaṃ cāsya bhramamāṇaṃ nabhasthale| yena yena ratho yāti tena tena pradhāvati|||| 106.22 ||

A great flock of vultures wheeled overhead in the sky, flying always in the very direction his chariot moved.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.106.23)

संध्यया चावृता लङ्का जपापुष्पनिकाशया। दृश्यते सम्प्रदीप्तेव दिवसेऽपि वसुंधरा॥॥ 106.23 ॥

saṃdhyayā cāvṛtā laṅkā japāpuṣpanikāśayā| dṛśyate sampradīpteva divase'pi vasuṃdharā|||| 106.23 ||

Lanka was wrapped in a dusk red as the Japa flower, and even in broad day the earth seemed to be ablaze.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.106.24)

सनिर्घाता महोल्काश्च सम्प्रपेतुर्महास्वनाः। विषादयंस्ते रक्षांसि रावणस्य तदाहिताः॥॥ 106.24 ॥

sanirghātā maholkāśca samprapeturmahāsvanāḥ| viṣādayaṃste rakṣāṃsi rāvaṇasya tadāhitāḥ|||| 106.24 ||

Great meteors, accompanied by thunderclaps, fell with a mighty roar; hostile to Ravana, they filled his demons with despair.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.106.25)

रावणश्च यतस्तत्र प्रचचाल वसुंधरा। रक्षसां च प्रहरतां गृहीता इव बाहवः॥॥ 106.25 ॥

rāvaṇaśca yatastatra pracacāla vasuṃdharā| rakṣasāṃ ca praharatāṃ gṛhītā iva bāhavaḥ|||| 106.25 ||

The very earth trembled where Ravana stood, and the arms of the fighting demons seemed as though gripped fast and powerless.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.106.26)

ताम्राः पीताः सिताः श्वेताः पतिताः सूर्यरश्मयः। दृश्यन्ते रावणस्याग्रे पर्वतस्येव धातवः॥॥ 106.26 ॥

tāmrāḥ pītāḥ sitāḥ śvetāḥ patitāḥ sūryaraśmayaḥ| dṛśyante rāvaṇasyāgre parvatasyeva dhātavaḥ|||| 106.26 ||

Before Ravana, the sun's rays fell, appearing coppery, yellow, grey, and white, like the mineral veins upon a mountainside.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.106.27)

गृध्रैरनुगताश्चास्य वमन्त्यो ज्वलनं मुखैः। प्रणेदुर्मुखमीक्षन्त्यः संरब्धमशिवं शिवाः॥॥ 106.27 ॥

gṛdhrairanugatāścāsya vamantyo jvalanaṃ mukhaiḥ| praṇedurmukhamīkṣantyaḥ saṃrabdhamaśivaṃ śivāḥ|||| 106.27 ||

She-jackals, followed by vultures, vomiting fire from their mouths, howled fierce and ill-omened cries as they stared upon Ravana's face.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.106.28)

प्रतिकूलं ववौ वायू रणे पांसून् समुत्किरन्। तस्य राक्षसराजस्य कुर्वन् दृष्टिविलोपनम्॥॥ 106.28 ॥

pratikūlaṃ vavau vāyū raṇe pāṃsūn samutkiran| tasya rākṣasarājasya kurvan dṛṣṭivilopanam|||| 106.28 ||

On the battlefield the wind blew against him, whipping the dust aloft and clouding the vision of that lord of demons.

Shloka 29 (yuddha.106.29)

निपेतुरिन्द्राशनयः सैन्ये चास्य समन्ततः। दुर्विषह्यस्वरा घोरा विना जलधरोदयम्॥॥ 106.29 ॥

nipeturindrāśanayaḥ sainye cāsya samantataḥ| durviṣahyasvarā ghorā vinā jaladharodayam|||| 106.29 ||

Though no cloud had gathered, terrible thunderbolts fell all about his army, their roar unbearable to hear.

Shloka 30 (yuddha.106.30)

दिशश्च प्रदिशः सर्वा बभूवुस्तिमिरावृताः। पांसुवर्षेण महता दुर्दर्शं च नभोऽभवत्॥॥ 106.30 ॥

diśaśca pradiśaḥ sarvā babhūvustimirāvṛtāḥ| pāṃsuvarṣeṇa mahatā durdarśaṃ ca nabho'bhavat|||| 106.30 ||

All the quarters and intermediate points were shrouded in darkness, and beneath the heavy fall of dust the sky itself grew hard to see.

Shloka 31 (yuddha.106.31)

कुर्वन्त्यः कलहं घोरं सारिकास्तद्रथं प्रति। निपेतुः शतशस्तत्र दारुणा दारुणारुताः॥॥ 106.31 ॥

kurvantyaḥ kalahaṃ ghoraṃ sārikāstadrathaṃ prati| nipetuḥ śataśastatra dāruṇā dāruṇārutāḥ|||| 106.31 ||

Fearsome Sarika birds, shrieking terrible cries and locked in furious strife with one another, fell by the hundreds upon that chariot.

Shloka 32 (yuddha.106.32)

जघनेभ्यः स्फुलिङ्गाश्च नेत्रेभ्योऽश्रूणि संततम्। मुमुचुस्तस्य तुरगास्तुल्यमग्निं च वारि च॥॥ 106.32 ॥

jaghanebhyaḥ sphuliṅgāśca netrebhyo'śrūṇi saṃtatam| mumucustasya turagāstulyamagniṃ ca vāri ca|||| 106.32 ||

From the haunches of his horses sparks of fire fell continually, and from their eyes flowed tears, as though they poured forth fire and water together.

Shloka 33 (yuddha.106.33)

एवंप्रकारा बहवः समुत्पाता भयावहाः। रावणस्य विनाशाय दारुणाः सम्प्रजज्ञिरे॥॥ 106.33 ॥

evaṃprakārā bahavaḥ samutpātā bhayāvahāḥ| rāvaṇasya vināśāya dāruṇāḥ samprajajñire|||| 106.33 ||

Many such fearsome and terrible portents arose in this way, heralding the destruction of Ravana.

Shloka 34 (yuddha.106.34)

रामस्यापि निमित्तानि सौम्यानि च शिवानि च। बभूवुर्जयशंसीनि प्रादुर्भूतानि सर्वशः॥॥ 106.34 ॥

rāmasyāpi nimittāni saumyāni ca śivāni ca| babhūvurjayaśaṃsīni prādurbhūtāni sarvaśaḥ|||| 106.34 ||

For Rama, on the other hand, gentle and auspicious omens appeared on every side, proclaiming his coming victory.

Shloka 35 (yuddha.106.35)

निमित्तानीह सौम्यानि राघवः स्वजयाय वै। दृष्ट्वा परमसंहृष्टो हतं मेने च रावणम्॥॥ 106.35 ॥

nimittānīha saumyāni rāghavaḥ svajayāya vai| dṛṣṭvā paramasaṃhṛṣṭo hataṃ mene ca rāvaṇam|||| 106.35 ||

Seeing these gentle omens that foretold his own victory, Raghava was filled with the deepest joy and already considered Ravana as good as slain.

Shloka 36 (yuddha.106.36)

ततो निरीक्ष्यात्मगतानि राघवो रणे निमित्तानि निमित्तकोविदः। जगाम हर्षं च परां च निर्वृतिं चकार युद्धे ह्यधिकं च विक्रमम्॥॥ 106.36 ॥

tato nirīkṣyātmagatāni rāghavo raṇe nimittāni nimittakovidaḥ| jagāma harṣaṃ ca parāṃ ca nirvṛtiṃ cakāra yuddhe hyadhikaṃ ca vikramam|||| 106.36 ||

Then Raghava, versed in the reading of omens, having observed in the battlefield those signs that favoured him, was filled with joy and deep serenity, and displayed even greater prowess in that combat.