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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 18: Khara sends fourteen rākṣasas
Summary. Śūrpaṇakhā demands the blood of Rāma, Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa and leads Khara’s warriors to their hermitage
Sequence
- Khara sees his bleeding sister and demands to know who has dared injure her → he boasts that he will kill the offender and asks her to recover enough to explain (3.18.1–9)
- she describes two powerful, handsome young men dressed in bark and deerskin, with a beautiful woman between them → she says they disfigured her on the woman's account and asks to drink the blood of all three (3.18.10–16)
- Khara sends fourteen powerful rākṣasas with orders to kill the travelers and satisfy his sister's demand (3.18.17–20)
- Śūrpaṇakhā leads them to the hermitage. (3.18.21)
Verses 3.18.1–21
3.18.1
tāṃ tathā patitāṃ dṛṣṭvā virūpāṃ śoṇitokṣitām
bhaginīṃ krodhasaṃtaptaḥ kharaḥ papraccha rākṣasaḥ
Seeing his sister thus fallen, disfigured, and drenched in blood, the rākṣasa Khara, burning with rage, questioned her:
Words: tāṃ — her; tathā — thus; patitāṃ — fallen; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; virūpāṃ — disfigured; śoṇitokṣitām — drenched in blood; bhaginīṃ — sister; krodhasaṃtaptaḥ — burning with rage; kharaḥ — Khara; papraccha — asked, questioned; rākṣasaḥ — the rākṣasa
3.18.2
balavikramasaṃpannā kāmagā kāmarūpiṇī
imām avasthāṃ nītā tvaṃ kenāntakasamā gatā
“You, endowed with strength and valour, able to go where you will and to take any form at will, and a very match for Death — by whom have you been brought to this state?
Words: balavikramasaṃpannā — endowed with strength and valour; kāmagā — going where you will; kāmarūpiṇī — able to take any form at will; imām — this; avasthāṃ — state, condition; nītā — brought; tvaṃ — you; kenāntakasamā — by whom — (you) a match for Death; gatā — gone, reduced (to)
3.18.3
devagandharvabhūtānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām
ko 'yam evaṃ mahāvīryas tvāṃ virūpāṃ cakāra ha
Among gods, gandharvas, and beings, and among the great-souled seers — who is this one of such great might that he has disfigured you?
Words: devagandharvabhūtānām — of gods, gandharvas, and beings; ṛṣīṇāṃ — of seers; ca — and; mahātmanām — of the great-souled; ko 'yam — who is this; evaṃ — such, thus; mahāvīryas — of great might; tvāṃ — you; virūpāṃ — disfigured; cakāra — made; ha — indeed
3.18.4
na hi paśyāmy ahaṃ loke yaḥ kuryān mama vipriyam
antarena sahasrākṣaṃ mahendraṃ pākaśāsanam
For I see no one in the world who could do me such injury — save the thousand-eyed great Indra, chastiser of Pāka.
Words: na hi — for not; paśyāmy — I see; ahaṃ — I; loke — in the world; yaḥ — who; kuryān — could do; mama — to me; vipriyam — injury, offence; antarena — except, save; sahasrākṣaṃ — the thousand-eyed; mahendraṃ — great Indra; pākaśāsanam — chastiser of Pāka
3.18.5
adyāhaṃ mārgaṇaiḥ prāṇān ādāsye jīvitāntakaiḥ
salile kṣīram āsaktaṃ niṣpibann iva sārasaḥ
Today I shall take his life-breaths with my life-ending arrows, as a sārasa crane drinks off the milk mixed in water.
Words: adyāhaṃ — today I; mārgaṇaiḥ — with arrows; prāṇān — life-breaths; ādāsye — I shall take; jīvitāntakaiḥ — life-ending; salile — in water; kṣīram — milk; āsaktaṃ — mixed in, attached; niṣpibann — drinking off; iva — like; sārasaḥ — a sārasa crane
3.18.6
nihatasya mayā saṃkhye śarasaṃkṛttamarmaṇaḥ
saphenaṃ rudhiraṃ raktaṃ medinī kasya pāsyati
Whose red, foaming blood — his vital parts pierced by my arrows, slain by me in battle — shall the earth drink up?
Words: nihatasya — of (him) slain; mayā — by me; saṃkhye — in battle; śarasaṃkṛttamarmaṇaḥ — whose vitals are torn by arrows; saphenaṃ — foaming; rudhiraṃ — blood; raktaṃ — red; medinī — the earth; kasya — whose; pāsyati — will drink
3.18.7
kasya patrarathāḥ kāyān māṃsam utkṛtya saṃgatāḥ
prahṛṣṭā bhakṣayiṣyanti nihatasya mayā raṇe
Of whom slain by me in battle shall the birds, gathering, tear the flesh from his body and joyfully devour it?
Words: kasya — of whom; patrarathāḥ — the birds (winged ones); kāyān — from the body; māṃsam — flesh; utkṛtya — having torn out, cut off; saṃgatāḥ — gathered, come together; prahṛṣṭā — delighted, joyful; bhakṣayiṣyanti — will devour; nihatasya — of (him) slain; mayā — by me; raṇe — in battle
3.18.8
taṃ na devā na gandharvā na piśācā na rākṣasāḥ
mayāpakṛṣṭaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ śaktās trātuṃ mahāhave
That wretch, once dragged down by me in the great battle — neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor piśācas, nor rākṣasas are able to save him.
Words: taṃ — him; na devā — not the gods; na gandharvā — not the gandharvas; na piśācā — not the piśācas; na rākṣasāḥ — not the rākṣasas; mayāpakṛṣṭaṃ — dragged down by me; kṛpaṇaṃ — the wretch, pitiable one; śaktās — able; trātuṃ — to save, protect; mahāhave — in the great battle
3.18.9
upalabhya śanaiḥ saṃjñāṃ taṃ me śaṃsitum arhasi
yena tvaṃ durvinītena vane vikramya nirjitā
Regaining your senses gradually, you ought to tell me who that ill-mannered one is, by whom you were assailed and vanquished in the forest.
Words: upalabhya — having regained; śanaiḥ — gradually, slowly; saṃjñāṃ — consciousness, senses; taṃ — him; me — to me; śaṃsitum — to tell; arhasi — you ought; yena — by whom; tvaṃ — you; durvinītena — ill-mannered, ill-behaved; vane — in the forest; vikramya — having assailed, by force; nirjitā — vanquished, conquered
3.18.10
iti bhrātur vacaḥ śrutvā kruddhasya ca viśeṣataḥ
tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā vākyaṃ sabāṣpam idam abravīt
Hearing these words of her brother, who was especially enraged, Śūrpaṇakhā then spoke this speech in tears:
Words: iti — thus; bhrātur — of (her) brother; vacaḥ — words; śrutvā — having heard; kruddhasya — of (him) enraged; ca — and; viśeṣataḥ — especially; tataḥ — then; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; vākyaṃ — speech, words; sabāṣpam — in tears, tearfully; idam — this; abravīt — spoke
3.18.11
taruṇau rūpasaṃpannau sukūmārau mahābalau
puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau
“(There are) two young men, endowed with beauty, delicate, of great strength, with eyes broad as white lotuses, clad in bark and black antelope-skin garments,
Words: taruṇau — two young (men); rūpasaṃpannau — endowed with beauty; sukūmārau — delicate, very tender; mahābalau — of great strength; puṇḍarīkaviśālākṣau — with eyes broad as white lotuses; cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau — clad in bark and black antelope-skin garments
3.18.12
gandharvarājapratimau pārthivavyañjanānvitau
devau vā mānuṣau vā tau na tarkayitum utsahe
resembling the king of the gandharvas, endowed with royal marks; whether those two are gods or men, I cannot make out.
Words: gandharvarājapratimau — resembling the king of the gandharvas; pārthivavyañjanānvitau — endowed with royal marks; devau vā — whether gods; mānuṣau vā — or men; tau — those two; na — not; tarkayitum — to make out, conjecture; utsahe — I am able
3.18.13
taruṇī rūpasaṃpannā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā
dṛṣṭā tatra mayā nārī tayor madhye sumadhyamā
A young woman, endowed with beauty, adorned with every ornament, slender-waisted, was seen by me there between those two.
Words: taruṇī — a young woman; rūpasaṃpannā — endowed with beauty; sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā — adorned with every ornament; dṛṣṭā — seen; tatra — there; mayā — by me; nārī — woman; tayor — of those two; madhye — in the middle, between; sumadhyamā — slender-waisted
3.18.14
tābhyām ubhābhyāṃ saṃbhūya pramadām adhikṛtya tām
imām avasthāṃ nītāhaṃ yathānāthāsatī tathā
The two of them together, on account of that woman, brought me to this state, as though I were some unprotected, worthless creature.
Words: tābhyām — by those two; ubhābhyāṃ — by both; saṃbhūya — together, jointly; pramadām — woman; adhikṛtya — on account of, with reference to; tām — that; imām — this; avasthāṃ — state, condition; nītāhaṃ — I was brought; yathānāthāsatī — as though an unprotected, worthless woman; tathā — so, thus
3.18.15
tasyāś cānṛjuvṛttāyās tayoś ca hatayor aham
saphenaṃ pātum icchāmi rudhiraṃ raṇamūrdhani
I wish to drink, on the front of battle, the foaming blood of that crooked-natured woman and of those two, once they are slain.
Words: tasyāś — of her; cānṛjuvṛttāyās — and of the crooked-natured one; tayoś — of those two; ca — and; hatayor — of the (two) slain; aham — I; saphenaṃ — foaming; pātum — to drink; icchāmi — I wish; rudhiraṃ — blood; raṇamūrdhani — on the front of battle
3.18.16
eṣa me prathamaḥ kāmaḥ kṛtas tāta tvayā bhavet
tasyās tayoś ca rudhiraṃ pibeyam aham āhave
This is my foremost wish; may it be granted by you, brother — that I may drink the blood of her and of those two in battle.”
Words: eṣa — this; me — my; prathamaḥ — first, foremost; kāmaḥ — wish, desire; kṛtas — fulfilled, granted; tāta — dear one, brother; tvayā — by you; bhavet — may it be; tasyās — of her; tayoś ca — and of those two; rudhiraṃ — blood; pibeyam — may I drink; aham — I; āhave — in battle
3.18.17
iti tasyāṃ bruvāṇāyāṃ caturdaśa mahābalān
vyādideśa kharaḥ kruddho rākṣasān antakopamān
As she spoke thus, the enraged Khara dispatched fourteen mighty rākṣasas, like unto Death:
Words: iti — thus; tasyāṃ bruvāṇāyāṃ — as she was speaking; caturdaśa — fourteen; mahābalān — mighty; vyādideśa — commanded, dispatched; kharaḥ — Khara; kruddho — enraged; rākṣasān — rākṣasas; antakopamān — resembling Death
3.18.18
mānuṣau śastrasaṃpannau cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau
praviṣṭau daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ ghoraṃ pramadayā saha
“Two men armed with weapons, clad in bark and black antelope-skins, have entered the fearsome Daṇḍaka forest with a woman.
Words: mānuṣau — two men; śastrasaṃpannau — armed with weapons; cīrakṛṣṇājināmbarau — clad in bark and black antelope-skin garments; praviṣṭau — (the two) have entered; daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ — the Daṇḍaka forest; ghoraṃ — fearsome; pramadayā saha — with a woman
3.18.19
tau hatvā tāṃ ca durvṛttām upāvartitum arhatha
iyaṃ ca rudhiraṃ teṣāṃ bhaginī mama pāsyati
Having slain those two and that ill-conducted woman, you should return; and this my sister will drink their blood.
Words: tau — those two; hatvā — having slain; tāṃ — that; ca — and; durvṛttām — ill-conducted; upāvartitum — to return; arhatha — you (pl.) should; iyaṃ — this; ca — and; rudhiraṃ — blood; teṣāṃ — their, of them; bhaginī — sister; mama — my; pāsyati — will drink
3.18.20
manoratho 'yam iṣṭo 'syā bhaginyā mama rākṣasāḥ
śīghraṃ saṃpadyatāṃ gatvā tau pramathya svatejasā
This is the cherished desire of my sister, O rākṣasas; let it swiftly be accomplished — go and crush those two by your own might.”
Words: manoratho — the heart's desire; 'yam — this; iṣṭo — cherished, desired; 'syā — of her; bhaginyā — of (my) sister; mama — my; rākṣasāḥ — O rākṣasas; śīghraṃ — swiftly; saṃpadyatāṃ — let it be accomplished; gatvā — having gone; tau — those two; pramathya — having crushed, destroyed; svatejasā — by your own might
3.18.21
iti pratisamādiṣṭā rākṣasās te caturdaśa
tatra jagmus tayā sārdhaṃ ghanā vāteritā yathā
Thus commanded, those fourteen rākṣasas went there together with her, like clouds driven by the wind.
Words: iti — thus; pratisamādiṣṭā — commanded, instructed; rākṣasās — the rākṣasas; te — those; caturdaśa — fourteen; tatra — there; jagmus — went; tayā sārdhaṃ — together with her; ghanā — clouds; vāteritā — driven by the wind; yathā — like
← 3.17 Śūrpaṇakhā attacks Sītā · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.19 Rāma kills the fourteen →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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