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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 22: Omens on Khara’s march
Summary. Blood-coloured rain, darkness and bodily tremors warn of disaster, Khara dismisses them and advances with his leading warriors
Sequence
- Ominous signs accompany the march: blood-colored rain, stumbling horses, a red-rimmed halo around the sun, and a vulture settling on Khara's standard (3.22.1–4)
- predators cry, darkness spreads before twilight, jackals howl, the sun is obscured, and stars appear by day (3.22.5–12)
- plants lose their flowers and fruit, dust rises without wind, meteors fall, and the earth shakes (3.22.13–15)
- Khara's left arm trembles, his voice falters, his eyes fill with tears, and his forehead aches, but he does not turn back (3.22.16–17)
- laughing at the portents, he boasts that he could defeat Death or Indra and will not return without killing the brothers (3.22.18–24)
- his confidence encourages the army (3.22.25)
- meanwhile ṛṣis, Devas, gandharvas, siddhas and cāraṇas gather and pray for Rāma's victory (3.22.26–29)
- Khara drives to the front with twelve leading warriors around him; Mahākapāla, Sthūlākṣa, Pramāthin, and Triśiras follow Dūṣaṇa → the force bears down on the travelers. (3.22.30–34)
Verses 3.22.1–34
3.22.1
tat prayātaṃ balaṃ ghoram aśivaṃ śoṇitodakam
abhyavarṣan mahāmeghas tumulo gardabhāruṇaḥ
Upon that dreadful army as it marched, a great tumultuous cloud, ashen as a donkey, rained down inauspicious blood-water.
Words: tat — that; prayātaṃ — marching, set forth; balaṃ — army, force; ghoram — dreadful; aśivaṃ — inauspicious; śoṇitodakam — blood-water; abhyavarṣan — rained down (upon); mahāmeghas — a great cloud; tumulo — tumultuous; gardabhāruṇaḥ — ashen as a donkey
3.22.2
nipetus turagās tasya rathayuktā mahājavāḥ
same puṣpacite deśe rājamārge yadṛcchayā
His swift horses, yoked to the chariot, stumbled and fell, as if by chance, on the level, flower-strewn ground of the royal road.
Words: nipetus — fell, stumbled; turagās — horses; tasya — his; rathayuktā — yoked to the chariot; mahājavāḥ — of great speed, swift; same — on the level; puṣpacite — flower-strewn; deśe — place, ground; rājamārge — on the royal road; yadṛcchayā — by chance
3.22.3
śyāmaṃ rudhiraparyantaṃ babhūva pariveṣaṇam
alātacakrapratimaṃ pratigṛhya divākaram
A dark halo, rimmed with blood-red, like a whirling firebrand, formed, encircling the sun.
Words: śyāmaṃ — dark; rudhiraparyantaṃ — with a blood-red border; babhūva — formed, came to be; pariveṣaṇam — a halo (round the sun); alātacakrapratimaṃ — like a whirling firebrand; pratigṛhya — seizing, encircling; divākaram — the sun (day-maker)
3.22.4
tato dhvajam upāgamya hemadaṇḍaṃ samucchritam
samākramya mahākāyas tasthau gṛdhraḥ sudāruṇaḥ
Then a huge, most fearful vulture, coming to the banner raised on its golden staff, alighted on it and perched there.
Words: tato — then; dhvajam — the banner; upāgamya — having come to; hemadaṇḍaṃ — with a golden staff; samucchritam — raised aloft; samākramya — having alighted upon; mahākāyas — huge-bodied; tasthau — perched, stood; gṛdhraḥ — a vulture; sudāruṇaḥ — most fearful
3.22.5
janasthānasamīpe ca samākramya kharasvanāḥ
visvarān vividhāṃś cakrur māṃsādā mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ
And near Janasthāna, harsh-voiced flesh-eating beasts and birds, gathering, made various discordant cries.
Words: janasthānasamīpe — near Janasthāna; ca — and; samākramya — approaching, coming upon; kharasvanāḥ — harsh-voiced; visvarān — discordant (cries); vividhāṃś — various; cakrur — made; māṃsādā — flesh-eating; mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ — beasts and birds
3.22.6
vyājahruś ca padīptāyāṃ diśi vai bhairavasvanam
aśivā yātu dāhānāṃ śivā ghorā mahāsvanāḥ
And in the blazing (southern) quarter, dreadful, loud-voiced jackals, inauspicious to the yātudhānas (demons), howled forth a frightful cry.
Words: vyājahruś — howled, uttered; ca — and; padīptāyāṃ — in the blazing; diśi — quarter, direction; vai — indeed; bhairavasvanam — a frightful cry; aśivā — inauspicious (jackals); yātu dāhānāṃ — of the yātudhānas (demons); śivā — jackals; ghorā — dreadful; mahāsvanāḥ — loud-voiced
3.22.7
prabhinnagirisaṃkāśās toyaśoṣitadhāriṇaḥ
ākāśaṃ tad anākāśaṃ cakrur bhīmā balāhakāḥ
Fearsome clouds, resembling riven mountains, bearing waters now dried up, made that sky no-sky, blotting it out.
Words: prabhinnagirisaṃkāśās — resembling riven mountains; toyaśoṣitadhāriṇaḥ — bearing waters now dried up; ākāśaṃ — the sky; tad — that; anākāśaṃ — no-sky, void of sky; cakrur — made; bhīmā — fearsome; balāhakāḥ — clouds
3.22.8
babhūva timiraṃ ghoram uddhataṃ romaharṣaṇam
diśo vā vidiśo vāpi suvyaktaṃ na cakāśire
A dreadful, thick darkness arose, hair-raising; neither the quarters nor the intermediate quarters shone forth distinctly.
Words: babhūva — arose, came to be; timiraṃ — darkness; ghoram — dreadful; uddhataṃ — thick, risen up; romaharṣaṇam — hair-raising; diśo vā — the quarters; vidiśo vāpi — or the intermediate quarters too; suvyaktaṃ — distinctly, clearly; na — not; cakāśire — shone forth
3.22.9
kṣatajārdrasavarṇābhā saṃdhyākālaṃ vinā babhau
kharasyābhimukhaṃ nedus tadā ghorā mṛgāḥ khagāḥ
Though it was not twilight, (the sky) shone with a hue like that of moist blood; and then dreadful beasts and birds cried out facing Khara.
Words: kṣatajārdrasavarṇābhā — with a hue like moist blood; saṃdhyākālaṃ — the twilight time; vinā — without, apart from; babhau — shone; kharasyābhimukhaṃ — facing Khara; nedus — cried out; tadā — then; ghorā — dreadful; mṛgāḥ — beasts; khagāḥ — birds
3.22.10
nityāśivakarā yuddhe śivā ghoranidarśanāḥ
nedur balasyābhimukhaṃ jvālodgāribhir ānanaiḥ
Jackals, ever bringers of ill fortune in battle, dreadful in aspect, howled facing the army, with flames pouring from their mouths.
Words: nityāśivakarā — ever bringers of ill fortune; yuddhe — in battle; śivā — jackals; ghoranidarśanāḥ — dreadful in aspect; nedur — howled; balasyābhimukhaṃ — facing the army; jvālodgāribhir — pouring forth flames; ānanaiḥ — with (their) mouths
3.22.11
kabandhaḥ parighābhāso dṛśyate bhāskarāntike
jagrāha sūryaṃ svarbhānur aparvaṇi mahāgrahaḥ
A headless-trunk shape, like an iron bar, was seen near the sun; and Svarbhānu (Rāhu), the great planet, seized the sun though it was not the eclipse juncture.
Words: kabandhaḥ — a headless trunk (-shaped cloud); parighābhāso — resembling an iron bar; dṛśyate — is/was seen; bhāskarāntike — near the sun; jagrāha — seized; sūryaṃ — the sun; svarbhānur — Svarbhānu (Rāhu); aparvaṇi — not at the (eclipse) juncture; mahāgrahaḥ — the great planet/seizer
3.22.12
pravāti mārutaḥ śīghraṃ niṣprabho 'bhūd divākaraḥ
utpetuś ca vinā rātriṃ tārāḥ khadyotasaprabhāḥ
A wind blew swiftly, the sun grew lustreless, and the stars rose up though it was not night, shining faint as fireflies.
Words: pravāti — blows, blew; mārutaḥ — the wind; śīghraṃ — swiftly; niṣprabho — lustreless; 'bhūd — became; divākaraḥ — the sun; utpetuś — rose up; ca — and; vinā — without, apart from; rātriṃ — night; tārāḥ — stars; khadyotasaprabhāḥ — shining like fireflies
3.22.13
saṃlīnamīnavihagā nalinyaḥ puṣpapaṅkajāḥ
tasmin kṣaṇe babhūvuś ca vinā puṣpaphalair drumāḥ
The lotus-ponds, their fish and birds hidden away and their lotus-blossoms (closed); and at that moment the trees became bereft of flowers and fruit.
Words: saṃlīnamīnavihagā — with fish and birds hidden; nalinyaḥ — the lotus-ponds; puṣpapaṅkajāḥ — (with) their lotus-blossoms; tasmin kṣaṇe — at that moment; babhūvuś — became; ca — and; vinā — without; puṣpaphalair — flowers and fruits; drumāḥ — the trees
3.22.14
uddhūtaś ca vinā vātaṃ reṇur jaladharāruṇaḥ
vīcīkūcīti vāśyanto babhūvus tatra sārikāḥ
And without any wind, dust rose up, grey as a rain-cloud; and there the mynah-birds went on screeching “vīcīkūcī.”
Words: uddhūtaś — raised up, stirred up; ca — and; vinā — without; vātaṃ — wind; reṇur — dust; jaladharāruṇaḥ — grey as a rain-cloud; vīcīkūcīti — 'vīcīkūcī' (a screech); vāśyanto — screeching, crying; babhūvus — became, were; tatra — there; sārikāḥ — the mynah-birds
3.22.15
ulkāś cāpi sanirghoṣā nipetur ghoradarśanāḥ
pracacāla mahī cāpi saśailavanakānanā
And meteors, with a crash, dreadful to see, fell down; and the earth too shook, with its mountains, woods, and forests.
Words: ulkāś — meteors; cāpi — and also; sanirghoṣā — with a crash, resounding; nipetur — fell; ghoradarśanāḥ — dreadful to see; pracacāla — shook, trembled; mahī — the earth; cāpi — and also; saśailavanakānanā — with its mountains, woods, and forests
3.22.16
kharasya ca rathasthasya nardamānasya dhīmataḥ
prākampata bhujaḥ savyaḥ kharaś cāsyāvasajjata
And as the crafty Khara stood roaring on his chariot, his left arm trembled and his voice grew hoarse and faltering.
Words: kharasya — of Khara; ca — and; rathasthasya — standing on the chariot; nardamānasya — roaring; dhīmataḥ — the crafty one; prākampata — trembled; bhujaḥ — arm; savyaḥ — left; kharaś — and a harshness (of voice); cāsyāvasajjata — clung to him, faltered
3.22.17
sāsrā saṃpadyate dṛṣṭiḥ paśyamānasya sarvataḥ
lalāṭe ca rujā jātā na ca mohān nyavartata
As he looked about on every side, his sight became tearful, and a pain arose in his forehead; yet out of infatuation he did not turn back.
Words: sāsrā — tearful; saṃpadyate — became; dṛṣṭiḥ — sight, vision; paśyamānasya — of (him) looking; sarvataḥ — on every side; lalāṭe — on the forehead; ca — and; rujā — pain, ache; jātā — arose; na — not; ca — and (yet); mohān — out of infatuation, delusion; nyavartata — turned back
3.22.18
tān samīkṣya mahotpātān utthitān romaharṣaṇān
abravīd rākṣasān sarvān prahasan sa kharas tadā
Beholding those great portents that had arisen, hair-raising, Khara then, laughing, spoke to all the rākṣasas:
Words: tān — those; samīkṣya — having beheld; mahotpātān — great portents; utthitān — arisen; romaharṣaṇān — hair-raising; abravīd — spoke; rākṣasān — to the rākṣasas; sarvān — all; prahasan — laughing; sa — he; kharas — Khara; tadā — then
3.22.19
mahotpātān imān sarvān utthitān ghoradarśanān
na cintayāmy ahaṃ vīryād balavān durbalān iva
“All these great portents that have arisen, dreadful to behold, I heed not, in my strength — as a strong man heeds not the weak.
Words: mahotpātān — the great portents; imān — these; sarvān — all; utthitān — arisen; ghoradarśanān — dreadful to behold; na — not; cintayāmy — I heed, mind; ahaṃ — I; vīryād — out of (my) strength; balavān — a strong man; durbalān — the weak; iva — as, like
3.22.20
tārā api śarais tīkṣṇaiḥ pātayeyaṃ nabhastalāt
mṛtyuṃ maraṇadharmeṇa saṃkruddho yojayāmy aham
Even the stars I could bring down from the vault of heaven with my sharp arrows; enraged, I would subject Death itself to the law of dying.
Words: tārā — the stars; api — even; śarais — with arrows; tīkṣṇaiḥ — sharp; pātayeyaṃ — I could bring down; nabhastalāt — from the vault of heaven; mṛtyuṃ — Death; maraṇadharmeṇa — with the law of dying; saṃkruddho — enraged; yojayāmy — I would yoke, subject; aham — I
3.22.21
rāghavaṃ taṃ balotsiktaṃ bhrātaraṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇam
ahatvā sāyakais tīkṣṇair nopāvartitum utsahe
Without slaying with my sharp arrows that Rāghava, puffed up with strength, and his brother Lakṣmaṇa too, I cannot bring myself to turn back.
Words: rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; taṃ — that; balotsiktaṃ — puffed up with strength; bhrātaraṃ — brother; cāpi — and also; lakṣmaṇam — Lakṣmaṇa; ahatvā — without slaying; sāyakais — with arrows; tīkṣṇair — sharp; nopāvartitum — not to turn back; utsahe — I am able, bring myself
3.22.22
sakāmā bhaginī me 'stu pītvā tu rudhiraṃ tayoḥ
yannimittaṃ tu rāmasya lakṣmaṇasya viparyayaḥ
Let my sister have her wish fulfilled, drinking the blood of those two, on whose account comes the undoing of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: sakāmā — with her desire fulfilled; bhaginī — sister; me — my; 'stu — let (her) be; pītvā — having drunk; tu — indeed; rudhiraṃ — blood; tayoḥ — of those two; yannimittaṃ — on account of which; tu — but, indeed; rāmasya — of Rāma; lakṣmaṇasya — of Lakṣmaṇa; viparyayaḥ — the reversal, undoing, destruction
3.22.23
na kva cit prāptapūrvo me saṃyugeṣu parājayaḥ
yuṣmākam etat pratyakṣaṃ nānṛtaṃ kathayāmy aham
Never before have I met with defeat in battles; this is plain before your eyes — I speak no falsehood.
Words: na — not; kva cit — anywhere, ever; prāptapūrvo — met with before; me — by me, my; saṃyugeṣu — in battles; parājayaḥ — defeat; yuṣmākam — to you (pl.); etat — this; pratyakṣaṃ — evident, before the eyes; nānṛtaṃ — no falsehood; kathayāmy — I speak; aham — I
3.22.24
devarājam api kruddho mattairāvatayāyinam
vajrahastaṃ raṇe hanyāṃ kiṃ punas tau ca mānuṣau
Enraged, I could slay in battle even the king of the gods, riding his rutting Airāvata, thunderbolt in hand — how much more those two mortals?
Words: devarājam — the king of the gods (Indra); api — even; kruddho — enraged; mattairāvatayāyinam — riding the rutting Airāvata; vajrahastaṃ — thunderbolt in hand; raṇe — in battle; hanyāṃ — I could slay; kiṃ punas — how much more; tau — those two; ca — and; mānuṣau — mortals, men
3.22.25
sā tasya garjitaṃ śrutvā rākṣasasya mahācamūḥ
praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe mṛtyupāśāvapāśitā
Hearing that roar of the rākṣasa Khara, his great army, though bound in the noose of death, felt an unequalled joy.
Words: sā — that; tasya — his; garjitaṃ — roar, boast; śrutvā — having heard; rākṣasasya — of the rākṣasa; mahācamūḥ — the great army; praharṣam — joy, delight; atulaṃ — unequalled; lebhe — obtained, felt; mṛtyupāśāvapāśitā — bound in the noose of death
3.22.26
sameyuś ca mahātmāno yuddhadarśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ
ṛṣayo devagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca saha cāraṇaiḥ
And there gathered the great-souled seers, gods, gandharvas, and siddhas, together with the cāraṇas, eager to witness the battle.
Words: sameyuś — gathered, came together; ca — and; mahātmāno — the great-souled; yuddhadarśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ — eager to witness the battle; ṛṣayo — seers; devagandharvāḥ — gods and gandharvas; siddhāś — siddhas (perfected beings); ca — and; saha cāraṇaiḥ — together with the cāraṇas (celestial bards)
3.22.27
sametya coruḥ sahitās te 'nyāyaṃ puṇyakarmaṇaḥ
svasti gobrāhmaṇebhyo 'stu lokānāṃ ye ca saṃmatāḥ
Having assembled, those of holy deeds spoke together of the injustice (of it): “May it be well with cows and brahmins, and with those esteemed among the worlds!
Words: sametya — having assembled; coruḥ — and (they) spoke together; sahitās — united, together; te — they; 'nyāyaṃ — the injustice, wrong; puṇyakarmaṇaḥ — of holy deeds; svasti — well-being, blessing; gobrāhmaṇebhyo — to cows and brahmins; 'stu — let it be; lokānāṃ — of the worlds; ye — who; ca — and; saṃmatāḥ — esteemed, honoured
3.22.28
jayatāṃ rāghavo yuddhe paulastyān rajanīcarān
cakrā hasto yathā yuddhe sarvān asurapuṃgavān
May Rāghava conquer in battle the night-roaming descendants of Pulastya, as the discus-handed (Viṣṇu) conquered in battle all the bulls among asuras.”
Words: jayatāṃ — may (he) conquer; rāghavo — Rāghava; yuddhe — in battle; paulastyān — the descendants of Pulastya; rajanīcarān — night-roamers; cakrā — with (his) discus; hasto — in hand (i.e. the discus-handed Viṣṇu); yathā — as; yuddhe — in battle; sarvān — all; asurapuṃgavān — the bulls among asuras
3.22.29
etac cānyac ca bahuśo bruvāṇāḥ paramarṣayaḥ
dadṛśur vāhinīṃ teṣāṃ rākṣasānāṃ gatāyuṣām
Speaking this and much else besides, the supreme seers watched the host of those rākṣasas, whose lives were already forfeit.
Words: etac — this; cānyac — and other; ca — and; bahuśo — repeatedly, in many ways; bruvāṇāḥ — speaking; paramarṣayaḥ — the supreme seers; dadṛśur — watched, saw; vāhinīṃ — the host, army; teṣāṃ — of those; rākṣasānāṃ — of the rākṣasas; gatāyuṣām — whose lives were forfeit
3.22.30
rathena tu kharo vegāt sainyasyāgrād viniḥsṛtaḥ
taṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasaṃ bhūyo rākṣasāś ca viniḥsṛtāḥ
And Khara, on his chariot, sped swiftly forth from the front of the army; seeing that rākṣasa, the other rākṣasas too pressed forward again.
Words: rathena — by/on the chariot; tu — and; kharo — Khara; vegāt — swiftly, with speed; sainyasyāgrād — from the front of the army; viniḥsṛtaḥ — came forth, sped out; taṃ — him, that; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rākṣasaṃ — rākṣasa; bhūyo — again; rākṣasāś — the rākṣasas; ca — too, and; viniḥsṛtāḥ — came forth, pressed forward
3.22.31
śyena gāmī pṛthugrīvo yajñaśatrur vihaṃgamaḥ
durjayaḥ karavīrākṣaḥ paruṣaḥ kālakārmukaḥ
Śyenagāmin, Pṛthugrīva, Yajñaśatru, Vihaṃgama, Durjaya, Karavīrākṣa, Paruṣa, Kālakārmuka,
Words: śyena gāmī — Śyenagāmin (a name); pṛthugrīvo — Pṛthugrīva; yajñaśatrur — Yajñaśatru; vihaṃgamaḥ — Vihaṃgama; durjayaḥ — Durjaya; karavīrākṣaḥ — Karavīrākṣa; paruṣaḥ — Paruṣa; kālakārmukaḥ — Kālakārmuka
3.22.32
meghamālī mahāmālī sarpāsyo rudhirāśanaḥ
dvādaśaite mahāvīryāḥ pratasthur abhitaḥ kharam
Meghamālin, Mahāmālin, Sarpāsya, and Rudhirāśana — these twelve of great valour marched on either side of Khara.
Words: meghamālī — Meghamālin; mahāmālī — Mahāmālin; sarpāsyo — Sarpāsya; rudhirāśanaḥ — Rudhirāśana; dvādaśaite — these twelve; mahāvīryāḥ — of great valour; pratasthur — marched, set out; abhitaḥ — on either side of, around; kharam — Khara
3.22.33
mahākapālaḥ sthūlākṣaḥ pramāthī triśirās tathā
catvāra ete senāgryā dūṣaṇaṃ pṛṣṭhato 'nvayuḥ
Mahākapāla, Sthūlākṣa, Pramāthin, and likewise Triśiras — these four, foremost of the army, followed behind Dūṣaṇa.
Words: mahākapālaḥ — Mahākapāla; sthūlākṣaḥ — Sthūlākṣa; pramāthī — Pramāthin; triśirās — Triśiras; tathā — likewise; catvāra — four; ete — these; senāgryā — foremost of the army; dūṣaṇaṃ — Dūṣaṇa; pṛṣṭhato — behind; 'nvayuḥ — followed
3.22.34
sā bhīmavegā samarābhikāmā sudāruṇā rākṣasavīra senā
tau rājaputrau sahasābhyupetā mālāgrahāṇām iva candrasūryau
That army of rākṣasa heroes, of terrible speed, eager for battle, most fearsome, suddenly fell upon those two princes, as grasping planets in a train fall upon the moon and the sun.
Words: sā — that; bhīmavegā — of terrible speed; samarābhikāmā — eager for battle; sudāruṇā — most fearsome; rākṣasavīra — of rākṣasa heroes; senā — army; tau — those two; rājaputrau — princes; sahasābhyupetā — suddenly fell upon; mālāgrahāṇām — of the grasping planets in a train; iva — like, as; candrasūryau — the moon and sun
← 3.21 Khara’s army mobilizes · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.23 Rāma prepares to fight alone →
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.
Plain text: /text/3/22.md · JSON: /data/3/22.json