Rāvaṇavadha · Chapter 17

āśāsata tataḥ śāntimasnuragnīnahāvayan,
viprānavācayan yodhāḥ, prākkurvan maṅgalāni ca.

apūjayan kula-jyeṣṭhānupāgūhanta bālakān.
strīḥ samāvardhayan sā'srāḥ, kāryāṇi prādiśaṃs tathā.

ācchādayan, vyalimpaṃś ca, prāśnannatha surā''miṣam,
prāpiban madhu-mādhvīkaṃ bhakṣyāṃś cā ''dan yathepsitān

nyaśyan śastrāṇyabhīṣṭāni, samanahyaṃś ca varmabhiḥ,
adhyāsata su-yāgāni, dviṣadbhyaś cā 'śapaṃs tathā.

apūjayaṃś catur-vaktraṃ, viprānārcaṃs tathā 'stuvan,
samālipata śakrā'rir yānaṃ cā 'bhyalaṣad varam.

āmuñcad varma ratnā''ḍhyamabadhnāt khaḍgamujjlvalam,
adhyāsta syandanaṃ ghoraṃ, prāvartata tataḥ puraḥ

āghnan bherīr mahā-svānāḥ, kambūṃś cā 'pyadhaman śubhān,
atāḍayan mṛdaṅgāṃś ca, perāś cā 'pūrayan kalāḥ.

astuvan bandinaḥ, śabdānanyonyaṃ codabhāvayan,
anadan siṃhanādāṃś ca, prādrekata haya-dvipam.

a-nimittānyathā 'paśyannasphuṭad ravi-maṇḍalam,
aukṣan śoṇitamambhodā, vāyavo'vānsu-duḥsahāḥ.

ārcchan vāmaṃ mṛgāḥ kṛṣṇāḥ, śastrāṇāṃ vyasmaran bhaṭāḥ,
raktaṃ nyaṣṭhīvadaklāmya- dakhidyad vāji-kuñjaram.

na tānagaṇayan sarvānāskandaṃś ca ripūn, dviṣaḥ
acchindannasibhis tīkṣṇairabhindaṃs tomarais tathā

nyakṛntaṃś cakra-dhārābhiratudan śaktibhir dṛḍham,
bhallairavidhyannugrā'grairatṛṃhaṃs tomarairalam.

āsyan plavaṅgamā vṛkṣānadhunvan bhū-dharair bhṛśam,
ahiṃsan muṣṭibhiḥ kroghādadaśan daśanairapi.

prādunvan jānubhis tūrṇamatudaṃs tala-kūrparaiḥ,
prāhiṇvannari-muktāni śastrāṇi vividhāni ca.

atṛṇeṭ śakra-jic chatrūnabhrāmyac ca samantataḥ,
adhvanac ca mahā-ghoraṃ, na ca kaṃcana nā'dunot.

nā'jānan sandadhānaṃ taṃ, dhanur naikṣanta bibhratam
neṣūnacetannasyantaṃ, hatās tenā 'vidur dviṣaḥ.

aśṛṇvannanyataḥ śabdaṃ, prapalāyanta cā 'nyataḥ,
ākrandamanyato'kurvaṃs tenā 'hanyanta cā'nyataḥ.

prāloṭhanta, vyabhidyanta, parito raktamasravan,
paryaśrāmyannatṛpyaṃś ca kṣatās tenā 'mriyanta ca.

saumitrirākulas tasmin brahmā'straṃ sarva-rakṣasām
nidhanāyā ''juhūṣat taṃ vyṣṭabhnād raghu-nandanaḥ.

tato māyā-mayīṃ sītāṃ ghnan khaḍgena viyad-gataḥ
adṛśyatendrajid, vākyamavadat taṃ marut-sutaḥ.

"mā 'parādhnodiyaṃ kiṃcidabhraśyat patyurantikāt
sītāṃ rākṣasa ! mā smaināṃ nigṛhṇāḥ pāpa ! duḥkhitām"

"pīḍā-karama-mitrāṇāṃ kartavyamiti śakrajit
abravīt, khaḍga-kṛṣṭaś ca tasyā mūrdhānamacchinat.

"yat-kṛte 'rīn vyagṛhṇīma, samudramatarāma ca,
sā hate"ti vadan rāmamupātiṣṭhan marut-sutaḥ.

tataḥ prāmuhyatāṃ vīrau rāghavāvarutāṃ tathā,
uṣṇaṃ ca prāṇatāṃ dīrghamuccair vyākrośatāṃ tathā.

tāvabhāṣata paulastyo "mā sma praruditaṃ yuvām,
dhruvaṃ sa mohayitvā'smān pāpo'gacchannikumbhilām.

mā sma tiṣṭhata, tatra-stho vadhyo 'smāva-hutā'nalaḥ,
astre brahma-śirasyugre syandane cā 'nupārjite.

brahmā 'dadhād vadhaṃ tasya tasmin karmaṇyasaṃsthite"
prāyacchadājñāṃ saumitrer yuthapānāṃ ca rāghavaḥ.

tāṃ pratyaicchan su-saṃpritās tatas te sa-vibhīṣaṇāḥ,
nikumbhilāṃ samabhyāyan, nyarudhyanta ca rākṣasaiḥ

dik-pālaiḥ kadanaṃ tatra sene prākurutāṃ mahat,
aitāṃ rakṣāṃsi nirjitya drutaṃ paulastya-lakṣmaṇau,

tatrendrajitamaikṣetāṃ kṛta-dhiṣṇyaṃ samāhitam.
so 'juhot kṛṣṇavartmānamāmanan mantramuttamam.

adhyāyac chakrajid brahma, samādheracalan na ca.
tamāhvayata saumitriragarjac ca bhayaṃkaram.

akupyadindrajit tatra, pitṛvyaṃ cā'gadad vacaḥ
"tvamatrā 'jāyathā, deha ihā 'puṣyat surā'miṣaiḥ,

ihā 'jīva, ihaiva tvaṃ krūramārabhathāḥ katham,
nā'paśyaḥ pāṇimārdraṃ tvaṃ, bandhu-tvaṃ nā'pyapaikṣathāḥ.

a-dharmān nā 'trasaḥ pāpa ! loka-vādān na cā 'bibheḥ,
dharma-duṣaṇa ! nūnaṃ tvaṃ nā 'jānā, nā 'śṛṇoridam.

nirākṛtya yathā bandhūn laghu-tvaṃ yātya-saṃśayam."
pitṛvyeṇa tato vākyamabhyadhīyata śakrajit

"mithyā mā sma vyatikrāmo, macchīlaṃ mā na badhyathāh
satyaṃ samabhavaṃ vaṃśe pāpānāṃ rakṣasāmaham.

na tvajāyata me śīlaṃ tādṛk, yādṛk pitus tava.
kṣayā''vaheṣu doṣeṣu vāryamāṇo mayā 'ramat

daśa-grīvaṃ 'hametasmādatyajaṃ, na tu vidviṣan.
para-svānyārjayan, nārīranyadīyāḥ parāmṛśat.

vyajighṛkṣat surān nityaṃ, prāmādyad guṇināṃ hite,
āśaṅkata suhṛd-bandhūna-vṛddhān bahvamanyata.

doṣairaramataibhis te pitā 'tyajyata yair mayā.
tato-ruṣyadanardac ca, dvi-viṃśatibhireva ca

śarairatāḍayad bandhuṃ, pañca-viṃśatibhir nṛpam
rāvaṇis tasya saumitriramathnāc caturo hayān.

sāgarathiṃ cā 'lunād bāṇairabhanak syandanaṃ tathā,
saumitrimakirad bāṇaiḥ parito rāvaṇis tataḥ.

tāvasphāvayatāṃ śāktiṃ, bāṇāṃś cā'kiratāṃ muhuḥ.
vāruṇaṃ lakṣmaṇo'kṣipyadakṣipad raudramindrajit.

te parasparamāsādya śastre nāśamagacchatām,
āsuraṃ rākṣasaḥ śastraṃ tato ghoraṃ vyasarjayat,

tasmān nirapatad bhūri śilā-śūleṣṭi-mudgaram.
māheśvareṇa saumitrirastabhnāt tat sudurjayam.

tato raudra-samāyuktaṃ māhendraṃ lakṣmaṇo'smarat,
tenā''gamyata ghoreṇa, śiraś cā 'hriyata dviṣaḥ

atuṣyannamarāḥ sarve, prāhṛṣyan kapi-yūthapāḥ,
paryaṣvajata saumitriṃ, mūrdhnyajighrac ca rāghavaḥ.

arodīd rākṣasā'nīkamarodan nṛ-bhujāṃ patiḥ,
maithilyai cā 'śapaddhantuṃ tāṃ prākramata cā''turaḥ.

"a-yuktamidam" tyanye tamāptāḥ pratyavārayan,
nyarundhaṃś cā 'sya panthānaṃ bandhutā śucamāruṇat.

āsphāyatā 'sya vīratvamamarṣaś cā 'pyatāyata
rāvaṇasya tataḥ sainyaṃ samastamayuyutsayat.

agnīnavarivasyaṃś ca te, 'namasyaṃś ca śaṅkaram,
dvijānaprīṇayan śāntyai yātudhānā bhavad-bhiyaḥ.

paritaḥ paryavād vāyurājya-gandhir mano-ramaḥ,
aśrūyata sa puṇyāhaḥ svasti-ghoṣaḥ samuccaran.

yoddhāro 'bibharuḥ śāntyai sā'kṣataṃ vāri mūrdhabhiḥ,
ratnāni cā 'dadur gāś ca, samavāñchannathā''śiṣaḥ.

adihaṃś candanaiḥ śubhrair, vicitraṃ samavastrayan,
adhārayan srajaḥ kāntā, varma cā 'nye 'dadhur drutam.

samakṣṇuvata śastrāṇi, prāmṛjan khaḍga-saṃhatīḥ,
gajā''dīni samārohan, prātiṣṭhantā ''tha satvarāḥ

apūrayan nabhaḥ śabdo bala-saṃvarta-saṃbhavaḥ
apūryanta ca dig-bhāgās tumulais tūrya-nisvanaiḥ.

āsīd dvāreṣu saṃghaṭṭo rathā'śva-dviparakṣasām
samahāna-nimittaiś ca samabhūyata bhīṣaṇaiḥ

kapayo 'bibhayus tasminnabhañjaṃś ca mahā-drumān
prodakhāyan girīṃs tūrṇamagṛhṇaṃś ca mahā-śilāḥ.

tataḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ prāharan kapi-rākṣasāḥ,
anyonyenā 'bhyabhūyanta, vimardamasahanta ca.

prāvardhata rajo bhaumaṃ, tad vyāśnuta diśo daśa,
parā''tmīya-vivekaṃ ca prāmuṣṇāt kapi-rakṣasām.

tato 'dviṣur nirāloke svebhyo 'nyebhyaś ca rākṣasāḥ.
adviṣan vānarāś caiva vānarebhyo 'pi nirdayāḥ

aghuraṃs te mahā-ghoramaścyotannatha śoṇitam,
samapadyata raktena samantāt tena kardamaḥ.

gambhīrāḥ prāvahan nadyaḥ, samajāyanta ca hradāḥ,
vṛddhaṃ ca tad rajo 'śāmyat, samavedyanta ca dviṣaḥ.

tato 'citrīyatā 'straughair dhanuś cā 'dhūnayan mahat
rāmaḥ, samīhitaṃ tasya nā'cetan sve na cā 'pare.

chinnānaikṣanta bhinnāṃś ca samantād rāma-sāyukaiḥ.
kruṣṭaṃ hāheti cā 'śṛṇvan na ca rāmaṃ nyarūpayan.

abhinac chatru-saṃghātānakṣuṇad vāji-kuñjaram,
apinaṭ ca rathā'nīkaṃ, na cā 'jñāyata saṃcaran.

daśa danti-sahasrāṇi rathināṃ ca mahā''tmanām
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi sā''rohāṇāṃ ca vājinām

lakṣe ca dve padātīnāṃ rāghaveṇa dhanur-bhṛtā
anīyantāṣṭame bhāge divasasya parikṣayam.

yama-lokamivā'grathnād, rudrā''krīḍamivā 'karot,
śailairivā 'cinod bhūmiṃ bṛhadbhī rākṣasair hataiḥ.

astuvan deva-gandharvā, vyasmayanta plavaṅgamāḥ
kapīndre'tanyata prītiḥ, paulastyo'manyatā'dbhutam.

rākṣasyaḥ prārudannuccaiḥ, prājugupsanta rāvaṇam.
amuhyad bāla-vṛddhaṃ ca, samarauditaro janaḥ.

sarvataś cā'bhayaṃ prāpnon naicchan nṛbhyas tu rāvaṇaḥ,
phalaṃ tasyedamabhyāyād duruktasyeti cā 'bruvan.

tato 'dhāvan mahā-ghoraṃ rathamāsthāya rāvaṇaḥ,
akṣmāyata mahī, gṛdhrāḥ samārāryanta bhīṣaṇāḥ.

meghāḥ sa-vidyuto 'varṣaṃś cela-knopaṃ ca śoṇitam,
avān bhīmā nabhasvantaḥ, prāruvanna-śivāḥ śivāḥ

āṭāṭyatā 'vamatyā 'sau durnimittāni, saṃyuge
adhunod dhanurastraughaiḥ praurṇonūyata vidviṣaḥ

vyanāśayaṃs tataḥ śatrūn sugrīvā'stā mahībhṛtaḥ,
tato vyarasadaglāyadadhyśeta mahī-talam.

āścyotad rudhiraṃ, toyamalasac cā'ti vihvalam,
aśīyata nṛ-māṃsā'dāṃ balaṃ sugrīva-bādhitam.

virūpākṣas tato krīḍat saṃgrāme matta-hastinā,
muṣṭinā'dālayat tasya mūrdhānaṃ vānarā'dhipaḥ.

acūrṇayac ca yūpākṣaṃ śilayā tadanantaram.
saṃkruddho muṣṭinā'tubhnādaṅgado'laṃ mahodaram.

tato 'kuṣṇād daśagrīvaḥ kruddhaḥ prāṇān vanaukasām,
agopāyac ca rakṣāṃsi diśaś cā 'rīnabhājayat.

ālokayat sa kākutsthamadhṛṣṇod, ghoramadhvanat,
dhanurabhramayad bhīmamabhīṣayata vidviṣaḥ.

āskandal lakṣmaṇaṃ bānairatyakrāmac ca taṃ drutam,
rāmamabhyadravaj jiṣṇuraskunāc ceṣu-vṛṣṭibhiḥ.

apauhad bāṇa-varṣaṃ tad bhallai rāmo nirākulaḥ,
pratyaskunod daṣa-grīvaṃ śarairāśī-viṣopamaiḥ.

maṇḍalānyāṭatāṃ citramacchittāṃ śastra-saṃhatīḥ,
jagad vismāpayetāṃ tau, na ca vīrāvasīdatām.

vyoma prācinutāṃ bāṇaiḥ, kṣmāmakṣmāpayatāṃ gataiḥ,
abhittāṃ tūrṇamanyonyaṃ śikṣāś cā 'tanutāṃ muhuḥ.

samādhattā ''suraṃ śastraṃ rākṣasaḥ krūra-vikramaḥ,
tadakṣaran mahāsarpān vyāghra-siṃhāṃś ca bhīṣaṇān.

nyaṣedhat pāvakā'streṇa rāmas tad rākṣasas tataḥ
adīvyad raudramatyugraṃ, musalā''dyagalat tataḥ

gāndharveṇa nyavidyat tat kṣitīndro, 'tha narā'śanaḥ
sarva-marmasu kākutstha- maumbhat tīkṣṇaiḥ śilīmukhaiḥ

tatas triśirasaṃ tasya prāvṛścal lakṣmaṇo dhvajam,
amathnāt sārathiṃ cā''śu, bhūribhiś cā 'tudaccharaiḥ.

aśvān vibhīṣano 'tubhnāt syandanaṃ cā'kṣiṇod drutam,
nā'kṣubhnād rākṣaso, bhrātuḥ śaktiṃ codavṛhad gurum.

tāmāpatantīṃ saumitris tridhā'kṛntacchilīmukhaiḥ,
aśabdāyanta paśyantas tataḥ kruddho niśācaraḥ

aṣṭa-ghaṇṭāṃ mahā-śaktimudayacchan mahattarām,
rāmā'nujaṃ tayā 'vidhyat, sa mahīṃ vyasurāśrayat.

rāghavasyā'bhṛśāyanta sāyakās, tairupadrutaḥ
tatas tūrṇaṃ daśagrīvo raṇa-kṣmā paryaśeṣayat.

sa-sphurasyodakarṣac ca saumitreḥ śaktimagra-jaḥ,
asiñcadoṣadhīs tā yāḥ samānītā hanūmatā.

udajīvat sumitrā-bhūr bhrātā ''śliṣyata tamāyatam,
sanyaṅ mūrdhanyupāśiṅgha- dapṛcchac ca nirāmayam

tataḥ prodasahan sarve yoddhumabhyadravat parān,
akṛcchrāyata ca prāpto rathenā 'nyena 'rāvaṇaḥ.

"bhūmi-ṣṭhasyā 'samaṃ yuddhaṃ ratha-sthene"ti mātaliḥ
āharad rathamatyugraṃ sa-śastraṃ maghavā ''jñayā.

so 'dhyaṣṭhīyata rāmeṇa, śastraṃ pāśupataṃ tataḥ
nirāsyata daśā''syas, tacchakrā'streṇājayan nṛpaḥ.

tataḥ śata-mahasreṇa rāmaḥ praurṇon niśācaram
bāṇānāmakṣiṇod dhuryān, sārathiṃ cā'dunod drutam.

adṛśyantā 'nimittāni, prāhvalat kṣiti-maṇḍalam,
rāvaṇaḥ prāhiṇocchūlaṃ, śaktiṃ caindīṃ mahī-patiḥ.

tābhyāmanyonyamāsādya samavāpyata saṃśamaḥ,
lakṣeṇa patriṇāṃ vakṣaḥ kruddho rāmasya rākṣasaḥ

astṛṇādadhikaṃ rāmas tato 'devata sāyakaiḥ,
aklāmyadrāvaṇas, tasya sūto rathamanāśayat.

rākṣaso'tarjayat sūtaṃ punaś cā'ḍhaukayad ratham,
nirāsyetāmubhaubāṇānubhau dhuryānavidhyatām

ubhāvakṛntatāṃ ketūnāvyathetāmubhau na tau
adīpyetāmubhau dhṛṣṇū, prāyuñjātāṃ ca naipuṇam

ubhau māyāṃ vyatāyetāṃ, vīrau nā 'śrāmyatāmubhau
maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi kṣipramākrāmatāmubhau

na cobhāvapyalakṣyetāṃ, yantārāvāhatāmubhau
syandanau samapṛcyetāmubhayor dīpta-vājinau.

tato māyāmayān mūrdhno rākṣaso 'prathayadraṇe,
rāmeṇaikaśataṃ teṣāṃ prāvṛścyata śilīmukhaiḥ.

samakṣubhnannudanvantaḥ, prākampanta mahībhṛtaḥ,
santrāsamabibhaḥ śakruḥ, praiṃkhacca, kṣubhitā kṣitiḥ.

tato mātalinā śastramasmaryata mahīpateḥ
vadhāya rāvaṇasyograṃ svayambhūr yadakalpayat.

nabhasvān yasya vājeṣu, phale tigmāṃśu-pāvakau
gurutvaṃ meru-saṅkāśaṃ, dehaḥ sūkṣmo viyanmayaḥ.

rājitaṃ gāruḍaiḥ pakṣair viśveṣāṃ ghāma tejasām
smṛtaṃ tad rāvaṇaṃ bhittvā sughoraṃ bhuvyaśāyayat.

ābadhnan kapi-vadanāni saṃprasādaṃ, prāśaṃsat sura-samitir nṛpaṃ jitā 'rim,
anyeṣāṃ vigata-pariplavā digantāḥ, paulastyo'juṣata śucaṃ vipanna-bandhuḥ