← 3.18 Khara sends fourteen rākṣasas · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.20 Śūrpaṇakhā challenges Khara →
Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 19: Rāma kills the fourteen
Summary. He offers withdrawal, cuts down their fourteen spears with one volley and kills them with fourteen further arrows
Sequence
- Śūrpaṇakhā points out Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa in the hut (3.19.1–2)
- Rāma tells Lakṣmaṇa to stay beside Sītā while he confronts the arrivals (3.19.3–5)
- he strings his bow, identifies the travelers, and asks why the rākṣasas wish to harm them → he declares his commitment to stop attacks on the munis but gives these attackers the chance to withdraw (3.19.6–10)
- they reject the warning, mock the prospect of one man resisting their numbers, and threaten to kill him for provoking Khara (3.19.11–15)
- they rush forward and throw fourteen spears (3.19.16)
- Rāma cuts down the spears with fourteen arrows, then takes fourteen more and shoots the attackers (3.19.17–20)
- the shafts pierce their chests and enter the earth; all fourteen fall dead (3.19.21–22)
- terrified and furious, Śūrpaṇakhā cries out, returns to Khara, and reports their destruction. (3.19.23–25)
Verses 3.19.1–25
3.19.1
tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā ghorā rāghavāśramam āgatā
rakṣasām ācacakṣe tau bhrātarau saha sītayā
Then the dreadful Śūrpaṇakhā, having come to Rāghava's hermitage, pointed out to the rākṣasas those two brothers together with Sītā.
Words: tataḥ — then; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; ghorā — dreadful; rāghavāśramam — Rāghava's hermitage; āgatā — having come; rakṣasām — to the rākṣasas; ācacakṣe — pointed out, showed; tau — those two; bhrātarau — brothers; saha sītayā — together with Sītā
3.19.2
te rāmaṃ parṇaśālāyām upaviṣṭaṃ mahābalam
dadṛśuḥ sītayā sārdhaṃ vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca
They saw the mighty Rāma seated in the leaf-hut, together with Sītā (Vaidehī) and Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: te — they; rāmaṃ — Rāma; parṇaśālāyām — in the leaf-hut; upaviṣṭaṃ — seated; mahābalam — the mighty one; dadṛśuḥ — saw; sītayā sārdhaṃ — together with Sītā; vaidehyā — with Vaidehī (Sītā); lakṣmaṇena ca — and with Lakṣmaṇa
3.19.3
tān dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ śrīmān āgatāṃ tāṃ ca rākṣasīm
abravīd bhrātaraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaṃ dīptatejasaṃ
Seeing them, and that rākṣasī who had come, the glorious Rāma spoke to his brother Lakṣmaṇa of blazing splendour:
Words: tān — them; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; śrīmān — glorious; āgatāṃ — who had come; tāṃ — that; ca — and; rākṣasīm — rākṣasī; abravīd — spoke; bhrātaraṃ — to (his) brother; rāmo — Rāma; lakṣmaṇaṃ — to Lakṣmaṇa; dīptatejasaṃ — of blazing splendour
3.19.4
muhūrtaṃ bhava saumitre sītāyāḥ pratyanantaraḥ
imān asyā vadhiṣyāmi padavīm āgatān iha
“For a moment, Saumitri, stay close beside Sītā; I shall slay these who have come here along her track.
Words: muhūrtaṃ — for a moment; bhava — be, stay; saumitre — O Saumitri; sītāyāḥ — of Sītā, at Sītā's (side); pratyanantaraḥ — close beside, right next to; imān — these; asyā — her; vadhiṣyāmi — I shall slay; padavīm — the path, track; āgatān — who have come; iha — here
3.19.5
vākyam etat tataḥ śrutvā rāmasya viditātmanaḥ
tatheti lakṣmaṇo vākyaṃ rāmasya pratyapūjayat
Then, hearing this speech of the wise Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa honoured Rāma's word with a “So be it.”
Words: vākyam etat — this speech; tataḥ — then; śrutvā — having heard; rāmasya — of Rāma; viditātmanaḥ — of him who knows himself, the wise-souled; tatheti — 'so be it'; lakṣmaṇo — Lakṣmaṇa; vākyaṃ — the word; rāmasya — of Rāma; pratyapūjayat — honoured, assented to
3.19.6
rāghavo 'pi mahac cāpaṃ cāmīkaravibhūṣitam
cakāra sajyaṃ dharmātmā tāni rakṣāṃsi cābravīt
And the righteous Rāghava strung his great bow adorned with gold, and spoke to those rākṣasas:
Words: rāghavo 'pi — and Rāghava; mahac cāpaṃ — great bow; cāmīkaravibhūṣitam — adorned with gold; cakāra — made; sajyaṃ — strung (with bowstring); dharmātmā — the righteous one; tāni — those; rakṣāṃsi — rākṣasas; cābravīt — and spoke
3.19.7
putrau daśarathasyāvāṃ bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau
praviṣṭau sītayā sārdhaṃ duścaraṃ daṇḍakāvanam
“We two are sons of Daśaratha, the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, entered with Sītā into the impassable Daṇḍaka forest.
Words: putrau — two sons; daśarathasyāvāṃ — we two of Daśaratha; bhrātarau — two brothers; rāmalakṣmaṇau — Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; praviṣṭau — (the two) entered; sītayā sārdhaṃ — together with Sītā; duścaraṃ — impassable, hard to traverse; daṇḍakāvanam — the Daṇḍaka forest
3.19.8
phalamūlāśanau dāntau tāpasau dharmacāriṇau
vasantau daṇḍakāraṇye kimartham upahiṃsatha
Living on fruits and roots, self-controlled, ascetics practising dharma, dwelling in the Daṇḍaka wilderness — why do you seek to harm us?
Words: phalamūlāśanau — eating fruits and roots; dāntau — self-controlled (the two); tāpasau — two ascetics; dharmacāriṇau — practising dharma; vasantau — dwelling (the two); daṇḍakāraṇye — in the Daṇḍaka wilderness; kimartham — why, for what purpose; upahiṃsatha — do you (pl.) harm, injure
3.19.9
yuṣmān pāpātmakān hantuṃ viprakārān mahāvane
ṛṣīṇāṃ tu niyogena prāpto 'haṃ saśarāsanaḥ
By the command of the seers I have come, bow in hand, to slay you evil-souled doers of outrage in the great forest.
Words: yuṣmān — you (pl.); pāpātmakān — evil-souled; hantuṃ — to slay; viprakārān — doers of outrage, wrong-doers; mahāvane — in the great forest; ṛṣīṇāṃ — of the seers; tu — indeed; niyogena — by command; prāpto 'haṃ — I have come; saśarāsanaḥ — with a bow
3.19.10
tiṣṭhataivātra saṃtuṣṭā nopasarpitum arhatha
yadi prāṇair ihārtho vo nivartadhvaṃ niśācarāḥ
Stay right there, content; you should not draw near. If you have any care for your lives, turn back, O night-roamers!
Words: tiṣṭhataivātra — just stay there; saṃtuṣṭā — content; nopasarpitum — not to approach; arhatha — you ought; yadi — if; prāṇair — in (your) lives; ihārtho — (is) any care here; vo — for you, your; nivartadhvaṃ — turn back; niśācarāḥ — O night-roamers
3.19.11
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rākṣasās te caturdaśa
ūcur vācaṃ susaṃkruddhā brahmaghnaḥ śūlapāṇayaḥ
Hearing those words of his, those fourteen rākṣasas, greatly enraged, slayers of brahmins, spears in hand, spoke (these) words —
Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; rākṣasās — the rākṣasas; te — those; caturdaśa — fourteen; ūcur — spoke; vācaṃ — words, speech; susaṃkruddhā — greatly enraged; brahmaghnaḥ — slayers of brahmins; śūlapāṇayaḥ — spears in hand
3.19.12
saṃraktanayanā ghorā rāmaṃ raktāntalocanam
paruṣā madhurābhāṣaṃ hṛṣṭādṛṣṭaparākramam
their eyes bloodshot, dreadful and harsh — (they addressed) Rāma, whose eyes were red at the corners, sweet in speech, delighted, his prowess (as yet) unseen:
Words: saṃraktanayanā — with bloodshot eyes (they); ghorā — dreadful (they); rāmaṃ — Rāma; raktāntalocanam — with eyes red at the corners; paruṣā — harsh (they); madhurābhāṣaṃ — sweet in speech (Rāma); hṛṣṭādṛṣṭaparākramam — delighted, his valour unseen (Rāma)
3.19.13
krodham utpādya no bhartuḥ kharasya sumahātmanaḥ
tvam eva hāsyase prāṇān adyāsmābhir hato yudhi
“Having provoked the wrath of our lord, the great-souled Khara, you alone shall lose your life, slain by us today in battle.
Words: krodham — wrath, anger; utpādya — having provoked, produced; no — our; bhartuḥ — of (our) lord; kharasya — of Khara; sumahātmanaḥ — the very great-souled; tvam eva — you alone; hāsyase — you shall lose, give up; prāṇān — life-breaths, life; adyāsmābhir — today by us; hato — slain; yudhi — in battle
3.19.14
kā hi te śaktir ekasya bahūnāṃ raṇamūrdhani
asmākam agrataḥ sthātuṃ kiṃ punar yoddhum āhave
What power have you, a single one, even to stand before us many on the front of battle — let alone to fight in combat?
Words: kā hi — what indeed; te — your; śaktir — power; ekasya — of (you) a single one; bahūnāṃ — of (us) many; raṇamūrdhani — on the front of battle; asmākam — of us, before us; agrataḥ — in front; sthātuṃ — to stand; kiṃ punar — how much more, let alone; yoddhum — to fight; āhave — in combat, battle
3.19.15
ebhir bāhuprayuktair naḥ parighaiḥ śūlapaṭṭiśaiḥ
prāṇāṃs tyakṣyasi vīryaṃ ca dhanuś ca karapīḍitam
By these clubs, spears, and paṭṭiśas wielded by our arms, you shall give up your life, your valour, and the bow gripped in your hand.”
Words: ebhir — by these; bāhuprayuktair — wielded by (our) arms; naḥ — our; parighaiḥ — by iron clubs; śūlapaṭṭiśaiḥ — by spears and paṭṭiśas; prāṇāṃs — life-breaths, life; tyakṣyasi — you shall give up; vīryaṃ — valour; ca — and; dhanuś ca — and the bow; karapīḍitam — gripped in the hand
3.19.16
ity evam uktvā saṃrabdhā rākṣasās te caturdaśa
udyatāyudhanistriṃśā rāmam evābhidudruvuḥ
cikṣipus tāni śūlāni rāghavaṃ prati durjayam
Having spoken thus, those fourteen furious rākṣasas, their weapons and swords upraised, rushed straight at Rāma, and hurled those spears at the invincible Rāghava.
Words: ity evam uktvā — having spoken thus; saṃrabdhā — furious, agitated; rākṣasās — the rākṣasas; te — those; caturdaśa — fourteen; udyatāyudhanistriṃśā — with weapons and swords upraised; rāmam — at Rāma; evābhidudruvuḥ — indeed rushed at; cikṣipus — hurled; tāni — those; śūlāni — spears; rāghavaṃ prati — at Rāghava; durjayam — the invincible
3.19.17
tāni śūlāni kākutsthaḥ samastāni caturdaśa
tāvadbhir eva ciccheda śaraiḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇaiḥ
Kākutstha (Rāma) cut down all those fourteen spears together with just as many gold-adorned arrows.
Words: tāni — those; śūlāni — spears; kākutsthaḥ — Kākutstha (Rāma); samastāni — all together; caturdaśa — fourteen; tāvadbhir eva — with just that many; ciccheda — cut down, split; śaraiḥ — with arrows; kāñcanabhūṣaṇaiḥ — gold-adorned
3.19.18
tataḥ paścān mahātejā nārācān sūryasaṃnibhān
jagrāha paramakruddhaś caturdaśa śilāśitān
Then, afterwards, the greatly resplendent one, in utmost fury, took up fourteen iron arrows, bright as the sun, whetted on stone.
Words: tataḥ paścān — then afterwards; mahātejā — the greatly resplendent one; nārācān — iron arrows; sūryasaṃnibhān — bright as the sun; jagrāha — took up, seized; paramakruddhaś — in utmost fury; caturdaśa — fourteen; śilāśitān — whetted on stone
3.19.19
gṛhītvā dhanur āyamya lakṣyān uddiśya rākṣasān
mumoca rāghavo bāṇān vajrān iva śatakratuḥ
Taking his bow and drawing it, aiming at the rākṣasas as his targets, Rāghava loosed his arrows, as Śatakratu (Indra) his thunderbolts.
Words: gṛhītvā — having taken; dhanur — bow; āyamya — having drawn; lakṣyān — as targets; uddiśya — aiming at, pointing at; rākṣasān — the rākṣasas; mumoca — loosed, released; rāghavo — Rāghava; bāṇān — arrows; vajrān — thunderbolts; iva — like; śatakratuḥ — Śatakratu (Indra)
3.19.20
rukmapuṅkhāś ca viśikhāḥ pradīptā hemabhūṣaṇāḥ
antarikṣe maholkānāṃ babhūvus tulyavarcasaḥ
And the arrows, gold-shafted, blazing, adorned with gold, became in the sky equal in brilliance to great meteors.
Words: rukmapuṅkhāś — gold-shafted, gold-feathered; ca — and; viśikhāḥ — arrows; pradīptā — blazing; hemabhūṣaṇāḥ — adorned with gold; antarikṣe — in the sky, mid-air; maholkānāṃ — of great meteors; babhūvus — became; tulyavarcasaḥ — equal in brilliance
3.19.21
te bhittvā rakṣasāṃ vegād vakṣāṃsi rudhirāplutāḥ
viniṣpetus tadā bhūmau nyamajjantāśanisvanāḥ
Piercing the breasts of the rākṣasas with force and drenched in blood, they then sprang out and sank into the ground with the sound of thunderbolts.
Words: te — they (the arrows); bhittvā — having pierced; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; vegād — with force, swiftly; vakṣāṃsi — the breasts; rudhirāplutāḥ — drenched in blood; viniṣpetus — sprang out, flew forth; tadā — then; bhūmau — into the ground; nyamajjantāśanisvanāḥ — sank, with the sound of thunderbolts
3.19.22
te bhinnahṛdayā bhūmau chinnamūlā iva drumāḥ
nipetuḥ śoṇitārdrāṅgā vikṛtā vigatāsavaḥ
Their hearts pierced, they fell to the ground like trees with severed roots, their bodies wet with blood, mangled, their life-breaths gone.
Words: te — they; bhinnahṛdayā — with hearts pierced; bhūmau — on the ground; chinnamūlā — with severed roots; iva — like; drumāḥ — trees; nipetuḥ — fell; śoṇitārdrāṅgā — with bodies wet with blood; vikṛtā — mangled, deformed; vigatāsavaḥ — their life-breaths gone
3.19.23
tān bhūmau patitān dṛṣṭvā rākṣasī krodhamūrchitā
paritrastā punas tatra vyasṛjad bhairavaṃ ravam
Seeing them fallen on the ground, the rākṣasī, senseless with rage and terrified, once again let out a dreadful cry there.
Words: tān — them; bhūmau — on the ground; patitān — fallen; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rākṣasī — the rākṣasī; krodhamūrchitā — senseless with rage; paritrastā — terrified; punas — again; tatra — there; vyasṛjad — let out, uttered; bhairavaṃ — dreadful; ravam — cry, roar
3.19.24
sā nadantī mahānādaṃ javāc chūrpaṇakhā punaḥ
upagamya kharaṃ sā tu kiṃ cit saṃśuṣka śoṇitā
papāta punar evārtā saniryāseva vallarī
Uttering a great roar, Śūrpaṇakhā swiftly approached Khara once more and, her blood now somewhat dried, fell down again in anguish, like a creeper oozing sap.
Words: sā — she; nadantī — roaring, crying out; mahānādaṃ — a great roar; javāc — swiftly; chūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; punaḥ — again; upagamya — having approached; kharaṃ — Khara; sā tu — she; kiṃ cit — somewhat, a little; saṃśuṣka śoṇitā — her blood partly dried; papāta — fell; punar evārtā — again, in anguish; saniryāseva — like (a creeper) oozing sap; vallarī — a creeper
3.19.25
nipātitān prekṣya raṇe tu rākṣasān pradhāvitā śūrpaṇakhā punas tataḥ
vadhaṃ ca teṣāṃ nikhilena rakṣasāṃ śaśaṃsa sarvaṃ bhaginī kharasya sā
Seeing the rākṣasas struck down in battle, Śūrpaṇakhā then sped off again; and that sister of Khara related everything in full — the slaughter of all those rākṣasas.
Words: nipātitān — struck down; prekṣya — having seen; raṇe — in battle; tu — and; rākṣasān — the rākṣasas; pradhāvitā — sped off, ran away; śūrpaṇakhā — Śūrpaṇakhā; punas — again; tataḥ — then; vadhaṃ — the slaughter, killing; ca — and; teṣāṃ — of them; nikhilena — entirely, in full; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; śaśaṃsa — related, told; sarvaṃ — everything; bhaginī — sister; kharasya — of Khara; sā — she
← 3.18 Khara sends fourteen rākṣasas · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.20 Śūrpaṇakhā challenges Khara →
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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