Ill Omens on the March to Lanka

Shloka 1 (yuddha.23.1)

निमित्तानि निमित्तज्ञो दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणपूर्वजः । सौमित्रिं सम्परिष्वज्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 23.1 ॥

nimittāni nimittajño dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ | saumitriṃ sampariṣvajya idaṃ vacanamabravīt || 23.1 ||

Rama, elder brother of Lakshmana and skilled in the reading of omens, having observed the portents, embraced Saumitri and spoke these words:

Shloka 2 (yuddha.23.2)

परिगृह्योदकं शीतं वनानि फलवन्ति च । बलौघं संविभज्येमं व्यूह्य तिष्ठेम लक्ष्मण ॥ 23.2 ॥

parigṛhyodakaṃ śītaṃ vanāni phalavanti ca | balaughaṃ saṃvibhajyemaṃ vyūhya tiṣṭhema lakṣmaṇa || 23.2 ||

"Let us take hold of this region with its cool water and fruit-laden woods, Lakshmana; let us divide this host of troops and stand arrayed in battle formation."

Shloka 3 (yuddha.23.3)

लोकक्षयकरं भीमं भयं पश्याम्युपस्थितम् । प्रबर्हणं प्रवीराणामृक्षवानररक्षसाम् ॥ 23.3 ॥

lokakṣayakaraṃ bhīmaṃ bhayaṃ paśyāmyupasthitam | prabarhaṇaṃ pravīrāṇāmṛkṣavānararakṣasām || 23.3 ||

"I see a terrible, world-destroying danger approaching, which will bring slaughter upon the foremost heroes among bears, vanaras, and rakshasas."

Shloka 4 (yuddha.23.4)

वाताश्च कलुषा वान्ति कम्पते च वसुंधरा । पर्वताग्राणि वेपन्ते पतन्ति च महीरुहाः ॥ 23.4 ॥

vātāśca kaluṣā vānti kampate ca vasuṃdharā | parvatāgrāṇi vepante patanti ca mahīruhāḥ || 23.4 ||

"Turbid winds are blowing, the earth trembles, mountain-peaks quake, and trees are toppling down."

Shloka 5 (yuddha.23.5)

मेघाः क्रव्यादसंकाशाः परुषाः परुषस्वनाः । क्रूराः क्रूरं प्रवर्षन्ति मिश्रं शोणितबिन्दुभिः ॥ 23.5 ॥

meghāḥ kravyādasaṃkāśāḥ paruṣāḥ paruṣasvanāḥ | krūrāḥ krūraṃ pravarṣanti miśraṃ śoṇitabindubhiḥ || 23.5 ||

"Clouds resembling carrion-eating beasts, harsh and harsh-sounding, cruelly rain down showers mingled with drops of blood."

Shloka 6 (yuddha.23.6)

रक्तचन्दनसंकाशा संध्या परमदारुणा । ज्वलतः प्रपतत्येतदादित्यादग्निमण्डलम् ॥ 23.6 ॥

raktacandanasaṃkāśā saṃdhyā paramadāruṇā | jvalataḥ prapatatyetadādityādagnimaṇḍalam || 23.6 ||

"The evening twilight, red as sandalwood, is exceedingly dreadful; and from the blazing sun this fiery orb seems to be falling."

Shloka 7 (yuddha.23.7)

दीना दीनस्वराः क्रूराः सर्वतो मृगपक्षिणः । प्रत्यादित्यं विनर्दन्ति जनयन्तो महद्भयम् ॥ 23.7 ॥

dīnā dīnasvarāḥ krūrāḥ sarvato mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ | pratyādityaṃ vinardanti janayanto mahadbhayam || 23.7 ||

"Fierce beasts and birds, pitiful and crying with mournful voices, howl in every direction facing the sun, spreading great terror."

Shloka 8 (yuddha.23.8)

रजन्यामप्रकाशस्तु संतापयति चन्द्रमाः । कृष्णरक्तांशुपर्यन्तो लोकक्षय इवोदितः ॥ 23.8 ॥

rajanyāmaprakāśastu saṃtāpayati candramāḥ | kṛṣṇaraktāṃśuparyanto lokakṣaya ivoditaḥ || 23.8 ||

"By night the moon, its light dimmed, its rim ringed with black and red, torments the mind, as though rising at the hour of the world's dissolution."

Shloka 9 (yuddha.23.9)

ह्रस्वो रूक्षोऽप्रशस्तश्च परिवेषस्तु लोहितः । आदित्ये विमले नीलं लक्ष्म लक्ष्मण दृश्यते ॥ 23.9 ॥

hrasvo rūkṣo'praśastaśca pariveṣastu lohitaḥ | āditye vimale nīlaṃ lakṣma lakṣmaṇa dṛśyate || 23.9 ||

"O Lakshmana, a short, harsh, inauspicious, coppery halo surrounds the sun, and a dark mark is visible upon the otherwise spotless solar disc."

Shloka 10 (yuddha.23.10)

रजसा महता चापि नक्षत्राणि हतानि च । युगान्तमिव लोकानां पश्य शंसन्ति लक्ष्मण ॥ 23.10 ॥

rajasā mahatā cāpi nakṣatrāṇi hatāni ca | yugāntamiva lokānāṃ paśya śaṃsanti lakṣmaṇa || 23.10 ||

"See, O Lakshmana, the very stars are blotted out by heavy dust, seeming to proclaim the dissolution of all the worlds."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.23.11)

काकाः श्येनास्तथा नीचा गृध्राः परिपतन्ति च । शिवाश्चाप्यशुभान्नादान्नदन्ति सुमहाभयान् ॥ 23.11 ॥

kākāḥ śyenāstathā nīcā gṛdhrāḥ paripatanti ca | śivāścāpyaśubhānnādānnadanti sumahābhayān || 23.11 ||

"Crows, hawks, and vultures wheel low across the sky, and jackals too are howling cries of great and evil omen."

Shloka 12 (yuddha.23.12)

शैलैः शूलैश्च खड्गैश्च विमुक्तैः कपिराक्षसैः । भविष्यत्यावृता भूमिर्मांसशोणितकर्दमा ॥ 23.12 ॥

śailaiḥ śūlaiśca khaḍgaiśca vimuktaiḥ kapirākṣasaiḥ | bhaviṣyatyāvṛtā bhūmirmāṃsaśoṇitakardamā || 23.12 ||

"With boulders, spears, and swords hurled by monkeys and rakshasas, this earth shall soon be strewn and turned into a mire of flesh and blood."

Shloka 13 (yuddha.23.13)

क्षिप्रमद्यैव दुर्धर्षां पुरीं रावणपालिताम् । अभियाम जवेनैव सर्वैर्हरिभिरावृताः ॥ 23.13 ॥

kṣipramadyaiva durdharṣāṃ purīṃ rāvaṇapālitām | abhiyāma javenaiva sarvairharibhirāvṛtāḥ || 23.13 ||

"Let us march at once, this very day, swiftly and with all speed, surrounded by the entire host of vanaras, against that unassailable city ruled by Ravana."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.23.14)

इत्येवमुक्त्वा धन्वी स रामः संग्रामधर्षणः । प्रतस्थे पुरतो रामो लङ्कामभिमुखो विभुः ॥ 23.14 ॥

ityevamuktvā dhanvī sa rāmaḥ saṃgrāmadharṣaṇaḥ | pratasthe purato rāmo laṅkāmabhimukho vibhuḥ || 23.14 ||

Having spoken thus, that lord Rama, the crusher of foes in battle, bow in hand, set forth at the head of the army, facing toward Lanka.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.23.15)

सविभीषणसुग्रीवाः सर्वे ते वानरर्षभाः । प्रतस्थिरे विनर्दन्तो धृतानां द्विषतां वधे ॥ 23.15 ॥

savibhīṣaṇasugrīvāḥ sarve te vānararṣabhāḥ | pratasthire vinardanto dhṛtānāṃ dviṣatāṃ vadhe || 23.15 ||

All those foremost of vanaras, together with Vibhishana and Sugriva, roaring aloud, set forth resolved upon the destruction of the presumptuous enemy.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.23.16)

राघवस्य प्रियार्थं तु सुतरां वीर्यशालिनाम् । हरीणां कर्मचेष्टाभिस्तुतोष रघुनन्दनः ॥ 23.16 ॥

rāghavasya priyārthaṃ tu sutarāṃ vīryaśālinām | harīṇāṃ karmaceṣṭābhistutoṣa raghunandanaḥ || 23.16 ||

And Raghunandana was well pleased by the eager deeds and gestures of those mighty vanaras, striving so earnestly for Raghava's pleasure.