← 3.22 Omens on Khara’s march · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.24 Battle at Janasthāna →

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 23: Rāma prepares to fight alone

Summary. He reads the omens as signs of victory, sends Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa into a mountain cave and faces the fourteen thousand

Sequence

  1. Rāma sees the portents too and interprets them as foretelling the rākṣasas' destruction (3.23.1–4)
  2. his weapons seem eager for battle, birds signal danger, and his throbbing arm foretells combat → Lakṣmaṇa's bright, composed face gives him confidence in victory (3.23.5–9)
  3. he nevertheless insists on taking precautions and orders Lakṣmaṇa to escort Sītā, armed, into a secluded mountain cave → he forbids any argument or delay (3.23.10–12)
  4. Lakṣmaṇa obeys and enters the cave with Sītā (3.23.13)
  5. Rāma puts on his armor, takes his bow and arrows, and sounds the bowstring (3.23.14–16)
  6. the Devas, gandharvas, siddhas, cāraṇas and guhyakas wonder how one man can face fourteen thousand enemies (3.23.17–18)
  7. the rākṣasa army arrives with shouting, drums, and twanging bows, driving the animals away (3.23.19–23)
  8. Rāma surveys the formation and prepares to fight alone. (3.23.24–27)

Verses 3.23.1–27

3.23.1

āśramaṃ prati yāte tu khare kharaparākrame
tān evautpātikān rāmaḥ saha bhrātrā dadarśa ha

As Khara, of harsh valour, was marching toward the hermitage, Rāma, together with his brother, beheld those very portents.

Words: āśramaṃ prati — toward the hermitage; yāte — as (he) was going; tu — and; khare — Khara; kharaparākrame — of harsh valour; tān — those; evautpātikān — those very portents, portentous signs; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saha bhrātrā — with (his) brother; dadarśa — beheld, saw; ha — indeed

3.23.2

tān utpātān mahāghorān utthitān romaharṣaṇān
prajānām ahitān dṛṣṭvā vākyaṃ lakṣmaṇam abravīt

Seeing those most dreadful, hair-raising portents that had arisen, boding ill to creatures, he spoke these words to Lakṣmaṇa:

Words: tān — those; utpātān — portents; mahāghorān — most dreadful; utthitān — arisen; romaharṣaṇān — hair-raising; prajānām — to creatures, beings; ahitān — boding ill, harmful; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vākyaṃ — words; lakṣmaṇam — to Lakṣmaṇa; abravīt — spoke

3.23.3

imān paśya mahābāho sarvabhūtāpahāriṇaḥ
samutthitān mahotpātān saṃhartuṃ sarvarākṣasān

“Behold, mighty-armed one, these great portents that have arisen, carrying off all beings — (arisen) to destroy all the rākṣasas.

Words: imān — these; paśya — behold; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; sarvabhūtāpahāriṇaḥ — carrying off all beings; samutthitān — arisen; mahotpātān — great portents; saṃhartuṃ — to destroy; sarvarākṣasān — all the rākṣasas

3.23.4

amī rudhiradhārās tu visṛjantaḥ kharasvanān
vyomni meghā vivartante paruṣā gardabhāruṇāḥ

Yonder harsh, donkey-grey clouds roll about in the sky, pouring down streams of blood with harsh cries.

Words: amī — yonder, those; rudhiradhārās — streams of blood; tu — indeed; visṛjantaḥ — pouring down, releasing; kharasvanān — harsh cries; vyomni — in the sky; meghā — clouds; vivartante — roll about, move to and fro; paruṣā — harsh, rough; gardabhāruṇāḥ — donkey-grey

3.23.5

sadhūmāś ca śarāḥ sarve mama yuddhābhinandinaḥ
rukmapṛṣṭhāni cāpāni viveṣṭante ca lakṣmaṇa

And all my arrows, rejoicing in the coming battle, are smoking, and my gold-backed bows quiver, Lakṣmaṇa.

Words: sadhūmāś — smoking; ca — and; śarāḥ — arrows; sarve — all; mama — my; yuddhābhinandinaḥ — rejoicing in battle; rukmapṛṣṭhāni — gold-backed; cāpāni — bows; viveṣṭante — quiver, writhe; ca — and; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa

3.23.6

yādṛśā iha kūjanti pakṣiṇo vanacāriṇaḥ
agrato no bhayaṃ prāptaṃ saṃśayo jīvitasya ca

From the manner in which the forest-roaming birds here cry, danger has come upon us, and a peril to our life lies ahead.

Words: yādṛśā — in what manner, such as; iha — here; kūjanti — cry, chirp; pakṣiṇo — birds; vanacāriṇaḥ — forest-roaming; agrato — ahead, in front; no — our; bhayaṃ — danger, fear; prāptaṃ — has come, arrived; saṃśayo — peril, doubt; jīvitasya — of (our) life; ca — and

3.23.7

saṃprahāras tu sumahān bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
ayam ākhyāti me bāhuḥ sphuramāṇo muhur muhuḥ

A very great battle will take place, no doubt; this arm of mine, throbbing again and again, foretells it.

Words: saṃprahāras — battle, clash; tu — indeed; sumahān — very great; bhaviṣyati — will be, take place; na saṃśayaḥ — no doubt; ayam — this; ākhyāti — tells, foretells; me — my; bāhuḥ — arm; sphuramāṇo — throbbing, quivering; muhur muhuḥ — again and again

3.23.8

saṃnikarṣe tu naḥ śūra jayaṃ śatroḥ parājayam
suprabhaṃ ca prasannaṃ ca tava vaktraṃ hi lakṣyate

It is close at hand, O brave one — our victory and the enemy's defeat; for your face is seen bright and serene.

Words: saṃnikarṣe — close at hand, near; tu — indeed; naḥ — our; śūra — O brave one; jayaṃ — victory; śatroḥ — of the enemy; parājayam — defeat; suprabhaṃ — bright, radiant; ca — and; prasannaṃ — serene, clear; ca — and; tava — your; vaktraṃ — face; hi — for; lakṣyate — is seen, appears

3.23.9

udyatānāṃ hi yuddhārthaṃ yeṣāṃ bhavati lakṣmaṇaḥ
niṣprabhaṃ vadanaṃ teṣāṃ bhavaty āyuḥ parikṣayaḥ

For those who, roused for battle, have a lustreless face, O Lakṣmaṇa — for them comes the end of life.

Words: udyatānāṃ — of those roused, ready; hi — for; yuddhārthaṃ — for battle; yeṣāṃ — of whom; bhavati — becomes, is; lakṣmaṇaḥ — O Lakṣmaṇa; niṣprabhaṃ — lustreless; vadanaṃ — face; teṣāṃ — of them; bhavaty — becomes, comes; āyuḥ — of life; parikṣayaḥ — end, destruction

3.23.10

anāgatavidhānaṃ tu kartavyaṃ śubham icchatā
āpadaṃ śaṅkamānena puruṣeṇa vipaścitā

Provision against what has not yet come should be made by a wise man who wishes good and who apprehends danger.

Words: anāgatavidhānaṃ — provision against what is to come; tu — indeed; kartavyaṃ — to be made, done; śubham — good, welfare; icchatā — by (one) wishing; āpadaṃ — danger, calamity; śaṅkamānena — by (one) apprehending, fearing; puruṣeṇa — by a man; vipaścitā — by a wise (man)

3.23.11

tasmād gṛhītvā vaidehīṃ śarapāṇir dhanurdharaḥ
guhām āśrayaśailasya durgāṃ pādapasaṃkulām

Therefore, taking Vaidehī, with arrows in hand and bow in grip, (go to) a cave of the sheltering mountain, hard of access, thick with trees.

Words: tasmād — therefore; gṛhītvā — having taken; vaidehīṃ — Vaidehī (Sītā); śarapāṇir — with arrows in hand; dhanurdharaḥ — bow-bearing; guhām — a cave; āśrayaśailasya — of the sheltering mountain; durgāṃ — hard of access, inaccessible; pādapasaṃkulām — thick with trees

3.23.12

pratikūlitum icchāmi na hi vākyam idaṃ tvayā
śāpito mama pādābhyāṃ gamyatāṃ vatsa māciram

I do not wish this word of mine to be opposed by you; you are adjured by my very feet — go, dear one, without delay.

Words: pratikūlitum — to be opposed, contradicted; icchāmi — I wish; na hi — not indeed; vākyam idaṃ — this word; tvayā — by you; śāpito — adjured, entreated on oath; mama — my; pādābhyāṃ — by (my two) feet; gamyatāṃ — let it be gone, go; vatsa — dear one, child; māciram — without delay

3.23.13

evam uktas tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇaḥ saha sītayā
śarān ādāya cāpaṃ ca guhāṃ durgāṃ samāśrayat

Thus addressed by Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, taking his arrows and bow, betook himself with Sītā to a cave hard of access.

Words: evam uktas — thus addressed; tu — and; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; saha sītayā — with Sītā; śarān — arrows; ādāya — having taken; cāpaṃ — bow; ca — and; guhāṃ — cave; durgāṃ — hard of access; samāśrayat — betook himself to, resorted to

3.23.14

tasmin praviṣṭe tu guhāṃ lakṣmaṇe saha sītayā
hanta niryuktam ity uktvā rāmaḥ kavacam āviśat

When Lakṣmaṇa, with Sītā, had entered the cave, Rāma, saying, “Well, it is settled!”, donned his armour.

Words: tasmin praviṣṭe — when he had entered; tu — and; guhāṃ — the cave; lakṣmaṇe — Lakṣmaṇa (loc.); saha sītayā — with Sītā; hanta — well! ah!; niryuktam — it is settled, arranged; ity uktvā — having said thus; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kavacam — armour; āviśat — put on, entered

3.23.15

sā tenāgninikāśena kavacena vibhūṣitaḥ
babhūva rāmas timire vidhūmo 'gnir ivotthitaḥ

Adorned with that fire-like armour, Rāma became, in the darkness, like a smokeless fire blazing up.

Words: sā — he; tenāgninikāśena — with that fire-like (armour); kavacena — with armour; vibhūṣitaḥ — adorned; babhūva — became; rāmas — Rāma; timire — in the darkness; vidhūmo — smokeless; 'gnir — fire; ivotthitaḥ — like (a fire) risen up

3.23.16

sa cāpam udyamya mahac charān ādāya vīryavān
babhūvāvasthitas tatra jyāsvanaiḥ pūrayan diśaḥ

Raising his great bow and taking his arrows, the valiant one stood there, filling the quarters with the twang of his bowstring.

Words: sa — he; cāpam — bow; udyamya — having raised; mahac — great; charān — arrows; ādāya — having taken; vīryavān — the valiant one; babhūvāvasthitas — stood, remained; tatra — there; jyāsvanaiḥ — with the twangs of the bowstring; pūrayan — filling; diśaḥ — the quarters

3.23.17

tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca saha cāraṇaiḥ
ūcuḥ paramasaṃtrastā guhyakāś ca parasparam

Then the gods with the gandharvas, and the siddhas together with the cāraṇas, and the guhyakas, greatly alarmed, said to one another:

Words: tato — then; devāḥ — the gods; sagandharvāḥ — with the gandharvas; siddhāś — siddhas; ca — and; saha cāraṇaiḥ — together with the cāraṇas; ūcuḥ — said; paramasaṃtrastā — greatly alarmed; guhyakāś — the guhyakas (attendants of Kubera); ca — and; parasparam — to one another

3.23.18

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām
ekaś ca rāmo dharmātmā kathaṃ yuddhaṃ bhaviṣyati

“Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of dreadful deeds, and the righteous Rāma but one — how will the battle be?”

Words: caturdaśa — fourteen; sahasrāṇi — thousand; rakṣasāṃ — of rākṣasas; bhīmakarmaṇām — of dreadful deeds; ekaś — one, alone; ca — and; rāmo — Rāma; dharmātmā — the righteous one; kathaṃ — how; yuddhaṃ — battle; bhaviṣyati — will be

3.23.19

tato gambhīranirhrādaṃ ghoravarmāyudhadhvajam
anīkaṃ yātudhānānāṃ samantāt pratyadṛśyata

Then the army of the yātudhānas (demons), of deep roar, with dreadful armour, weapons, and banners, appeared on every side.

Words: tato — then; gambhīranirhrādaṃ — of deep roar; ghoravarmāyudhadhvajam — with dreadful armour, weapons, and banners; anīkaṃ — army, host; yātudhānānāṃ — of the yātudhānas (demons); samantāt — on every side, all around; pratyadṛśyata — appeared, came into view

3.23.20

siṃhanādaṃ visṛjatām anyonyam abhigarjatām
cāpāni vispharayatāṃ jṛmbhatāṃ cāpy abhīkṣṇaśaḥ

Of (those rākṣasas) uttering lion-roars, bellowing at one another, twanging their bows, and stretching their limbs again and again —

Words: siṃhanādaṃ — a lion-roar; visṛjatām — of (those) uttering, letting out; anyonyam — at one another, mutually; abhigarjatām — of (those) bellowing, roaring; cāpāni — bows; vispharayatāṃ — of (those) twanging, stretching; jṛmbhatāṃ — of (those) stretching (limbering up); cāpy — and also; abhīkṣṇaśaḥ — repeatedly, again and again

3.23.21

vipraghuṣṭasvanānāṃ ca dundubhīṃś cāpi nighnatām
teṣāṃ sutumulaḥ śabdaḥ pūrayām āsa tad vanam

and (of those) shouting loud and beating kettle-drums — the tumultuous noise of them filled that forest.

Words: vipraghuṣṭasvanānāṃ — of (those) of loud-shouting voice; ca — and; dundubhīṃś — kettle-drums; cāpi — and also; nighnatām — of (those) beating; teṣāṃ — of them; sutumulaḥ — very tumultuous; śabdaḥ — noise, sound; pūrayām āsa — filled; tad vanam — that forest

3.23.22

tena śabdena vitrastāḥ śvāpadā vanacāriṇaḥ
dudruvur yatra niḥśabdaṃ pṛṣṭhato nāvalokayan

Terrified by that noise, the forest-roaming beasts of prey fled to wherever it was quiet, without looking back.

Words: tena śabdena — by that noise; vitrastāḥ — terrified; śvāpadā — beasts of prey; vanacāriṇaḥ — forest-roaming; dudruvur — fled, ran; yatra — where; niḥśabdaṃ — silent, without noise; pṛṣṭhato — backward, behind; nāvalokayan — not looking

3.23.23

tat tv anīkaṃ mahāvegaṃ rāmaṃ samupasarpata
ghṛtanānāpraharaṇaṃ gambhīraṃ sāgaropamam

And that army, of great speed, bearing various weapons taken up, deep like the ocean, drew near to Rāma.

Words: tat — that; tv — and; anīkaṃ — army; mahāvegaṃ — of great speed; rāmaṃ — Rāma; samupasarpata — drew near, approached; ghṛtanānāpraharaṇaṃ — bearing various weapons taken up; gambhīraṃ — deep; sāgaropamam — like the ocean

3.23.24

rāmo 'pi cārayaṃś cakṣuḥ sarvato raṇapaṇḍitaḥ
dadarśa kharasainyaṃ tad yuddhābhimukham udyatam

And Rāma too, skilled in war, casting his glance all around, beheld that army of Khara, arrayed and facing him for battle.

Words: rāmo 'pi — and Rāma too; cārayaṃś — casting, moving; cakṣuḥ — (his) eye, glance; sarvato — all around; raṇapaṇḍitaḥ — skilled in war; dadarśa — beheld; kharasainyaṃ — the army of Khara; tad — that; yuddhābhimukham — facing for battle; udyatam — arrayed, ready

3.23.25

vitatya ca dhanur bhīmaṃ tūṇyāś coddhṛtya sāyakān
krodham āhārayat tīvraṃ vadhārthaṃ sarvarakṣasām

And drawing his fearsome bow and taking arrows from his quiver, he summoned up a fierce wrath for the slaying of all the rākṣasas.

Words: vitatya — having drawn, stretched; ca — and; dhanur — bow; bhīmaṃ — fearsome; tūṇyāś — from the quiver; coddhṛtya — and having drawn out; sāyakān — arrows; krodham — wrath; āhārayat — summoned up, brought forth; tīvraṃ — fierce, keen; vadhārthaṃ — for the slaying; sarvarakṣasām — of all the rākṣasas

3.23.26

duṣprekṣyaḥ so 'bhavat kruddho yugāntāgnir iva jvalan
taṃ dṛṣṭvā tejasāviṣṭaṃ prāvyathan vanadevatāḥ

Enraged, he became hard to look upon, blazing like the fire at the end of an age; seeing him filled with fiery energy, the forest-deities trembled.

Words: duṣprekṣyaḥ — hard to look upon; so 'bhavat — he became; kruddho — enraged; yugāntāgnir — the fire at the end of an age; iva — like; jvalan — blazing; taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; tejasāviṣṭaṃ — filled with fiery energy; prāvyathan — trembled, were troubled; vanadevatāḥ — the forest-deities

3.23.27

tasya kruddhasya rūpaṃ tu rāmasya dadṛśe tadā
dakṣasyeva kratuṃ hantum udyatasya pinākinaḥ

Then the aspect of the enraged Rāma appeared like that of the trident-bearing Śiva when he rose up to destroy the sacrifice of Dakṣa.

Words: tasya — his; kruddhasya — enraged; rūpaṃ — form, aspect; tu — indeed; rāmasya — of Rāma; dadṛśe — appeared, was seen; tadā — then; dakṣasyeva — as of Dakṣa's; kratuṃ — sacrifice; hantum — to destroy; udyatasya — of (Śiva) risen up, ready; pinākinaḥ — of the trident-bearer (Śiva)

← 3.22 Omens on Khara’s march · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.24 Battle at Janasthāna →

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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