The Lament of the Rakshasa Women

Shloka 1 (yuddha.94.1)

तानि नागसहस्राणि सारोहाणि च वाजिनाम्। रथानां त्वग्निवर्णानां सध्वजानां सहस्रशः ॥ 94.1 ॥

tāni nāgasahasrāṇi sārohāṇi ca vājinām| rathānāṃ tvagnivarṇānāṃ sadhvajānāṃ sahasraśaḥ || 94.1 ||

Those thousands of elephants, and horses with their riders; those thousands of chariots, fiery in hue, each with its standard;

Shloka 2 (yuddha.94.2)

राक्षसानां सहस्राणि गदापरिघयोधिनाम्। काञ्चनध्वजचित्राणां शूराणां कामरूपिणाम् ॥ 94.2 ॥

rākṣasānāṃ sahasrāṇi gadāparighayodhinām| kāñcanadhvajacitrāṇāṃ śūrāṇāṃ kāmarūpiṇām || 94.2 ||

those thousands of shape-shifting rakshasa warriors, valiant fighters with maces and iron clubs, resplendent with golden banners;

Shloka 3 (yuddha.94.3)

निहतानि शरैर्दीप्तैस्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणैः। रावणेन प्रयुक्तानि रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥ 94.3 ॥

nihatāni śarairdīptaistaptakāñcanabhūṣaṇaiḥ| rāvaṇena prayuktāni rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā || 94.3 ||

all of them, sent forth by Ravana, were slain by the tireless Rama with his blazing arrows adorned with molten gold.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.94.4)

दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा च सम्भ्रान्ता हतशेषा निशाचराः। राक्षस्यश्च समागम्य दीनाश्चिन्तापरिप्लुताः ॥ 94.4 ॥

dṛṣṭvā śrutvā ca sambhrāntā hataśeṣā niśācarāḥ| rākṣasyaśca samāgamya dīnāścintāpariplutāḥ || 94.4 ||

The surviving rakshasas, seeing and hearing of this, were thrown into confusion; and the rakshasa women, gathering together, wretched and drowning in anxiety,

Shloka 5 (yuddha.94.5)

विधवा हतपुत्राश्च क्रोशन्त्यो हतबान्धवाः। राक्षस्यः सह संगम्य दुःखार्ताः पर्यदेवयन् ॥ 94.5 ॥

vidhavā hataputrāśca krośantyo hatabāndhavāḥ| rākṣasyaḥ saha saṃgamya duḥkhārtāḥ paryadevayan || 94.5 ||

widowed, their sons slain, their kinsmen killed, crying out—those rakshasa women, gathered together and tormented with grief, lamented aloud:

Shloka 6 (yuddha.94.6)

कथं शूर्पणखा वृद्धा कराला निर्णतोदरी। आससाद वने रामं कंदर्पसमरूपिणम् ॥ 94.6 ॥

kathaṃ śūrpaṇakhā vṛddhā karālā nirṇatodarī| āsasāda vane rāmaṃ kaṃdarpasamarūpiṇam || 94.6 ||

"How did that old, hideous, sunken-bellied Shurpanakha ever approach, in the forest, Rama, who is beautiful as the god of love himself?"

Shloka 7 (yuddha.94.7)

सुकुमारं महासत्त्वं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्। तं दृष्ट्वा लोकवध्या सा हीनरूपा प्रकामिता ॥ 94.7 ॥

sukumāraṃ mahāsattvaṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam| taṃ dṛṣṭvā lokavadhyā sā hīnarūpā prakāmitā || 94.7 ||

"Seeing that tender, mighty one, devoted to the welfare of all beings, how did that hideous creature, deserving death at the world's hands, become so inflamed with desire?"

Shloka 8 (yuddha.94.8)

कथं सर्वगुणैर्हीना गुणवन्तं महौजसम्। सुमुखं दुर्मुखी रामं कामयामास राक्षसी ॥ 94.8 ॥

kathaṃ sarvaguṇairhīnā guṇavantaṃ mahaujasam| sumukhaṃ durmukhī rāmaṃ kāmayāmāsa rākṣasī || 94.8 ||

"How did that foul-faced demoness, devoid of every virtue, dare to desire Rama—virtuous, mighty, and fair of face?"

Shloka 9 (yuddha.94.9)

जनस्यास्याल्पभाग्यत्वाद् वलिनी श्वेतमूर्धजा। अकार्यमपहास्यं च सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् ॥ 94.9 ॥

janasyāsyālpabhāgyatvād valinī śvetamūrdhajā| akāryamapahāsyaṃ ca sarvalokavigarhitam || 94.9 ||

"Because of the ill fortune of us all, that wrinkled, white-haired hag committed a deed both shameful and absurd, condemned by the whole world,"

Shloka 10 (yuddha.94.10)

राक्षसानां विनाशाय दूषणस्य खरस्य च। चकाराप्रतिरूपा सा राघवस्य प्रधर्षणम् ॥ 94.10 ॥

rākṣasānāṃ vināśāya dūṣaṇasya kharasya ca| cakārāpratirūpā sā rāghavasya pradharṣaṇam || 94.10 ||

"that repulsive one committed her outrage against Raghava—bringing about the destruction of the rakshasas, and of Dushana and Khara."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.94.11)

तन्निमित्तमिदं वैरं रावणेन कृतं महत्। वधाय सीता साऽऽनीता दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा ॥ 94.11 ॥

tannimittamidaṃ vairaṃ rāvaṇena kṛtaṃ mahat| vadhāya sītā sā''nītā daśagrīveṇa rakṣasā || 94.11 ||

"Because of her, Ravana built up this great enmity; and for his own destruction, that demon, the ten-necked one, brought Sita here."

Shloka 12 (yuddha.94.12)

न च सीतां दशग्रीवः प्राप्नोति जनकात्मजाम्। बद्धं बलवता वैरमक्षयं राघवेण च ॥ 94.12 ॥

na ca sītāṃ daśagrīvaḥ prāpnoti janakātmajām| baddhaṃ balavatā vairamakṣayaṃ rāghaveṇa ca || 94.12 ||

"Yet Ravana has not won Sita, Janaka's daughter, at all—he has only bound himself in an endless enmity with the mighty Raghava."

Shloka 13 (yuddha.94.13)

वैदेहीं प्रार्थयानं तं विराधं प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसम्। हतमेकेन रामेण पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम् ॥ 94.13 ॥

vaidehīṃ prārthayānaṃ taṃ virādhaṃ prekṣya rākṣasam| hatamekena rāmeṇa paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 94.13 ||

"That instance alone should have been proof enough—seeing how the rakshasa Viradha, who lusted after Vaidehi, was slain by Rama single-handed."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.94.14)

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्। निहतानि जनस्थाने शरैरग्निशिखोपमैः ॥ 94.14 ॥

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām| nihatāni janasthāne śarairagniśikhopamaiḥ || 94.14 ||

"In Janasthana, fourteen thousand rakshasas of terrible deeds were slain by his arrows, which blazed like tongues of fire."

Shloka 15 (yuddha.94.15)

खरश्च निहतः संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा। शरैरादित्यसंकाशैः पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम् ॥ 94.15 ॥

kharaśca nihataḥ saṃkhye dūṣaṇastriśirāstathā| śarairādityasaṃkāśaiḥ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 94.15 ||

"Khara was slain in that battle, and Dushana, and Trishira too, with arrows blazing like the sun—that too should have been proof enough."

Shloka 16 (yuddha.94.16)

हतो योजनबाहुश्च कबन्धो रुधिराशनः। क्रोधान्नादं नदन् सोऽथ पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम् ॥ 94.16 ॥

hato yojanabāhuśca kabandho rudhirāśanaḥ| krodhānnādaṃ nadan so'tha paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 94.16 ||

"Kabandha too was slain, he of arms a league long, who fed upon blood and roared aloud in rage—that too should have been proof enough."

Shloka 17 (yuddha.94.17)

जघान बलिनं रामः सहस्रनयनात्मजम्। वालिनं मेरुसंकाशं पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम् ॥ 94.17 ॥

jaghāna balinaṃ rāmaḥ sahasranayanātmajam| vālinaṃ merusaṃkāśaṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 94.17 ||

"Rama slew the mighty Vali, son of the thousand-eyed Indra, who stood like Mount Meru—that too should have been proof enough."

Shloka 18 (yuddha.94.18)

ऋष्यमूके वसंश्चैव दीनो भग्नमनोरथः। सुग्रीवः प्रापितो राज्यं पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम् ॥ 94.18 ॥

ṛṣyamūke vasaṃścaiva dīno bhagnamanorathaḥ| sugrīvaḥ prāpito rājyaṃ paryāptaṃ tannidarśanam || 94.18 ||

"Sugriva, wretched and his hopes shattered, was living on Mount Rishyamuka; Rama restored his kingdom to him—that too should have been proof enough."

Shloka 19 (yuddha.94.19)

धर्मार्थसहितं वाक्यं सर्वेषां रक्षसां हितम्। युक्तं विभीषणेनोक्तं मोहात् तस्य न रोचते ॥ 94.19 ॥

dharmārthasahitaṃ vākyaṃ sarveṣāṃ rakṣasāṃ hitam| yuktaṃ vibhīṣaṇenoktaṃ mohāt tasya na rocate || 94.19 ||

"The just, well-reasoned words spoken by Vibhishana, beneficial to all the rakshasas, did not please Ravana—so deep was his delusion."

Shloka 20 (yuddha.94.20)

विभीषणवचः कुर्याद् यदि स्म धनदानुजः। श्मशानभूता दुःखार्ता नेयं लङ्का भविष्यति ॥ 94.20 ॥

vibhīṣaṇavacaḥ kuryād yadi sma dhanadānujaḥ| śmaśānabhūtā duḥkhārtā neyaṃ laṅkā bhaviṣyati || 94.20 ||

"Had Kubera's brother followed Vibhishana's counsel, this Lanka would not have become the sorrow-stricken cremation ground it now is."

Shloka 21 (yuddha.94.21)

कुम्भकर्णं हतं श्रुत्वा राघवेण महाबलम्। अतिकायं च दुर्मर्षं लक्ष्मणेन हतं तदा। प्रियं चेन्द्रजितं पुत्रं रावणो नावबुध्यते ॥ 94.21 ॥

kumbhakarṇaṃ hataṃ śrutvā rāghaveṇa mahābalam| atikāyaṃ ca durmarṣaṃ lakṣmaṇena hataṃ tadā| priyaṃ cendrajitaṃ putraṃ rāvaṇo nāvabudhyate || 94.21 ||

"Even hearing that the mighty Kumbhakarna was slain by Raghava, and the formidable Atikaya slain by Lakshmana, and now his own beloved son Indrajit slain as well—Ravana still does not understand."

Shloka 22 (yuddha.94.22)

मम पुत्रो मम भ्राता मम भर्ता रणे हतः। इत्येष श्रूयते शब्दो राक्षसीनां कुले कुले ॥ 94.22 ॥

mama putro mama bhrātā mama bhartā raṇe hataḥ| ityeṣa śrūyate śabdo rākṣasīnāṃ kule kule || 94.22 ||

"'My son, my brother, my husband—slain in battle'—such is the cry heard now in every rakshasa household."

Shloka 23 (yuddha.94.23)

रथाश्वनागाश्च हतास्तत्र तत्र सहस्रशः। रणे रामेण शूरेण हताश्चापि पदातयः ॥ 94.23 ॥

rathāśvanāgāśca hatāstatra tatra sahasraśaḥ| raṇe rāmeṇa śūreṇa hatāścāpi padātayaḥ || 94.23 ||

"Chariots, horses and elephants lie slain everywhere, by the thousand; and foot-soldiers too have been struck down in battle by the valiant Rama."

Shloka 24 (yuddha.94.24)

रुद्रो वा यदि वा विष्णुर्महेन्द्रो वा शतक्रतुः। हन्ति नो रामरूपेण यदि वा स्वयमन्तकः ॥ 94.24 ॥

rudro vā yadi vā viṣṇurmahendro vā śatakratuḥ| hanti no rāmarūpeṇa yadi vā svayamantakaḥ || 94.24 ||

"Surely it is Rudra himself, or Vishnu, or great Indra of the hundred sacrifices, or Death himself, who slays us, wearing the form of Rama."

Shloka 25 (yuddha.94.25)

हतप्रवीरा रामेण निराशा जीविते वयम्। अपश्यन्त्यो भयस्यान्तमनाथा विलपामहे ॥ 94.25 ॥

hatapravīrā rāmeṇa nirāśā jīvite vayam| apaśyantyo bhayasyāntamanāthā vilapāmahe || 94.25 ||

"Our finest heroes slain by Rama, we have lost all hope in life; seeing no end to our terror, helpless, we lament."

Shloka 26 (yuddha.94.26)

रामहस्ताद् दशग्रीवः शूरो दत्तमहावरः। इदं भयं महाघोरं समुत्पन्नं न बुद्ध्यते ॥ 94.26 ॥

rāmahastād daśagrīvaḥ śūro dattamahāvaraḥ| idaṃ bhayaṃ mahāghoraṃ samutpannaṃ na buddhyate || 94.26 ||

"That valiant Dashagriva, granted mighty boons, still fails to grasp this terrible peril that has arisen for him from Rama's hand."

Shloka 27 (yuddha.94.27)

तं न देवा न गन्धर्वा न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः। उपसृष्टं परित्रातुं शक्ता रामेण संयुगे ॥ 94.27 ॥

taṃ na devā na gandharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ| upasṛṣṭaṃ paritrātuṃ śaktā rāmeṇa saṃyuge || 94.27 ||

"Neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor pishachas, nor rakshasas will be able to save him once Rama has set upon him in battle."

Shloka 28 (yuddha.94.28)

उत्पाताश्चापि दृश्यन्ते रावणस्य रणे रणे। कथयन्ति हि रामेण रावणस्य निबर्हणम् ॥ 94.28 ॥

utpātāścāpi dṛśyante rāvaṇasya raṇe raṇe| kathayanti hi rāmeṇa rāvaṇasya nibarhaṇam || 94.28 ||

"Evil omens too appear before Ravana at every turn of battle—they surely foretell his destruction at Rama's hands."

Shloka 29 (yuddha.94.29)

पितामहेन प्रीतेन देवदानवराक्षसैः। रावणस्याभयं दत्तं मनुष्येभ्यो न याचितम् ॥ 94.29 ॥

pitāmahena prītena devadānavarākṣasaiḥ| rāvaṇasyābhayaṃ dattaṃ manuṣyebhyo na yācitam || 94.29 ||

"Grandsire Brahma, pleased with him, granted Ravana freedom from fear of gods, danavas and rakshasas—but protection from mere men he never asked for."

Shloka 30 (yuddha.94.30)

तदिदं मानुषं मन्ये प्राप्तं निःसंशयं भयम्। जीवितान्तकरं घोरं रक्षसां रावणस्य च ॥ 94.30 ॥

tadidaṃ mānuṣaṃ manye prāptaṃ niḥsaṃśayaṃ bhayam| jīvitāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ rakṣasāṃ rāvaṇasya ca || 94.30 ||

"So this, I believe, is undoubtedly that very peril born of man which has now come upon us—terrible, and bringing an end to the lives of the rakshasas and of Ravana himself."

Shloka 31 (yuddha.94.31)

पीड्यमानास्तु बलिना वरदानेन रक्षसा। दीप्तैस्तपोभिर्विबुधाः पितामहमपूजयन् ॥ 94.31 ॥

pīḍyamānāstu balinā varadānena rakṣasā| dīptaistapobhirvibudhāḥ pitāmahamapūjayan || 94.31 ||

"Tormented by that mighty rakshasa, empowered by his boon, the gods once worshipped Grandsire Brahma with blazing austerities."

Shloka 32 (yuddha.94.32)

देवतानां हितार्थाय महात्मा वै पितामहः। उवाच देवतास्तुष्ट इदं सर्वा महद्वचः ॥ 94.32 ॥

devatānāṃ hitārthāya mahātmā vai pitāmahaḥ| uvāca devatāstuṣṭa idaṃ sarvā mahadvacaḥ || 94.32 ||

"For the welfare of the gods, the great-souled Grandsire, well pleased, spoke this weighty pronouncement to all the assembled deities:"

Shloka 33 (yuddha.94.33)

अद्यप्रभृति लोकांस्त्रीन् सर्वे दानवराक्षसाः। भयेन प्रभृता नित्यं विचरिष्यन्ति शाश्वतम् ॥ 94.33 ॥

adyaprabhṛti lokāṃstrīn sarve dānavarākṣasāḥ| bhayena prabhṛtā nityaṃ vicariṣyanti śāśvatam || 94.33 ||

"'From this day forward, all the danavas and rakshasas shall wander the three worlds forever, ever gripped by fear.'"

Shloka 34 (yuddha.94.34)

दैवतैस्तु समागम्य सर्वैश्चेन्द्रपुरोगमैः। वृषध्वजस्त्रिपुरहा महादेवः प्रतोषितः ॥ 94.34 ॥

daivataistu samāgamya sarvaiścendrapurogamaiḥ| vṛṣadhvajastripurahā mahādevaḥ pratoṣitaḥ || 94.34 ||

"Once, when all the gods together, led by Indra, had gathered, Mahadeva—the bull-bannered destroyer of the triple city—was gratified by them."

Shloka 35 (yuddha.94.35)

प्रसन्नस्तु महादेवो देवानेतद् वचोऽब्रवीत्। उत्पत्स्यति हितार्थं वो नारी रक्षःक्षयावहा ॥ 94.35 ॥

prasannastu mahādevo devānetad vaco'bravīt| utpatsyati hitārthaṃ vo nārī rakṣaḥkṣayāvahā || 94.35 ||

"And the gracious Mahadeva spoke these words to the gods: 'For your welfare, a woman shall be born who will bring about the destruction of the rakshasas.'"

Shloka 36 (yuddha.94.36)

एषा देवैः प्रयुक्ता तु क्षुद् यथा दानवान् पुरा। भक्षयिष्यति नः सर्वान् राक्षसघ्नी सरावणान् ॥ 94.36 ॥

eṣā devaiḥ prayuktā tu kṣud yathā dānavān purā| bhakṣayiṣyati naḥ sarvān rākṣasaghnī sarāvaṇān || 94.36 ||

"That very Sita, set in motion by the gods, will devour all of us together with Ravana, the destroyer of rakshasas that she is, just as hunger once consumed the danavas of old."

Shloka 37 (yuddha.94.37)

रावणस्यापनीतेन दुर्विनीतस्य दुर्मतेः। अयं निष्टानको घोरः शोकेन समभिप्लुतः ॥ 94.37 ॥

rāvaṇasyāpanītena durvinītasya durmateḥ| ayaṃ niṣṭānako ghoraḥ śokena samabhiplutaḥ || 94.37 ||

"It is because of the misconduct of that ill-mannered, evil-minded Ravana that this terrible catastrophe, drowned in grief, has come upon us."

Shloka 38 (yuddha.94.38)

तं न पश्यामहे लोके यो नः शरणदो भवेत्। राघवेणोपसृष्टानां कालेनेव युगक्षये ॥ 94.38 ॥

taṃ na paśyāmahe loke yo naḥ śaraṇado bhavet| rāghaveṇopasṛṣṭānāṃ kāleneva yugakṣaye || 94.38 ||

"We see no one in this world who could shelter us, beset by Raghava as we are, as though by Time itself at the end of an age."

Shloka 39 (yuddha.94.39)

नास्ति नः शरणं किंचिद् भये महति तिष्ठताम्। दावाग्निवेष्टितानां हि करेणूनां यथा वने ॥ 94.39 ॥

nāsti naḥ śaraṇaṃ kiṃcid bhaye mahati tiṣṭhatām| dāvāgniveṣṭitānāṃ hi kareṇūnāṃ yathā vane || 94.39 ||

"For us, standing here in such great peril, there is no refuge whatever—just as there is none for she-elephants surrounded by a forest fire."

Shloka 40 (yuddha.94.40)

प्राप्तकालं कृतं तेन पौलस्त्येन महात्मना। यत एव भयं दृष्टं तमेव शरणं गतः ॥ 94.40 ॥

prāptakālaṃ kṛtaṃ tena paulastyena mahātmanā| yata eva bhayaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ tameva śaraṇaṃ gataḥ || 94.40 ||

"That great-souled Vibhishana did the timely thing—he sought refuge precisely in the one from whom this peril was seen to come."

Shloka 41 (yuddha.94.41)

इतीव सर्वा रजनीचरस्त्रियः परस्परं सम्परिरभ्य बाहुभिः। विषेदुरार्तातिभयाभिपीडिता विनेदुरुच्चैश्च तदा सुदारुणम् ॥ 94.41 ॥

itīva sarvā rajanīcarastriyaḥ parasparaṃ samparirabhya bāhubhiḥ| viṣedurārtātibhayābhipīḍitā vineduruccaiśca tadā sudāruṇam || 94.41 ||

Thus lamenting, all those rakshasa women, embracing one another with their arms, sank into despair, overwhelmed with anguish and terror, and wailed aloud most piteously.