Sloka & Translation

[The story of Viradha ]

ityuktvā lakṣmaṇaśśrīmānvirādhē prahasanniva.

kōbhavānvanamabhyētya cariṣyasi yathāsukham৷৷3.3.1৷৷


iti ukatvā having said so, lakṣmaṇa śrīmān graceful Lakshmana, prahasanniva with a smile, virādhē at Viradha, kaḥ bhavān who are you? vanamabhyētya having come to the forest, yathāsukham at will, cariṣyasi you are roaming about.

Graceful Lakshmana asked Viradha with a smile, Who are you wandering in the forest at will ?.
athōvāca punarvākyaṅ virādhaḥ pūrayanvanam.

pṛcchatō mama hi brūtaṅ kau yuvāṅ kva gamiṣyathaḥ৷৷3.3.2৷৷.


atha then, virāthaḥ Viradha, vanam forest, pūrayan filling with echoes, punaḥ again, vākyam words, uvāca said, pṛcchataḥ asked, mama me, brūtam whereabouts, yuvām you both, kau who are you, kva where, gamiṣyathaḥ going.

Then Viradha with his voice filling the forest said, Instead of asking about me you both should speak out who you are and where you are going
tamuvāca tatō rāmō rākṣasaṅ jvalitānanam.

pṛcchantaṅ sumahātējā ikṣvākukulamātmanaḥ৷৷3.3.3৷৷


tataḥ thereafter, sumahātējāḥ highly effulgent, rāmaḥ Rama, pṛcchantam when asked, jvalitānanam burning countenance, taṅ rākṣasam to that demon, ātmanaḥ his, ikṣvākukulam Ikshvaku family, uvāca described.

Questioned by the demon, who bore a burning countenance, the highly effulgent Rama introduced his Ikshvaku family:
kṣatriyau vṛttasampannau viddhi nau vanagōcarau.

tvāṅ tu vēditumicchāvaḥ kastvaṅ carasi daṇḍakān৷৷3.3.4৷৷


nau both of us, vṛttasampannau endowed with good lineage, vanagōcarau both moving in the forest, kṣatriyau two kshatriyas, viddhi know, tvāṅ tu about you, vēditum wish to know, icchāvaḥ we both wish, daṇḍakān in the Dandaka forest, carasi you are going about, tvam you, kaḥ tell.

Know us to be both kshatriyas, endowed with a good lineage and yet moving in the forest. We both wish to know, who you are and why you are going about in Dandaka forest?
tamuvāca virādhastu rāmaṅ satyaparākramam.

hanta vakṣyāmi tē rājannibōdha mama rāghava৷৷3.3.5৷৷


virādhastu Viradha also, satyaparākramam one with truth as his prowess, taṅ rāmam to that Rama, uvāca said, hanta O, rājan to king, rāghava Rama, tē to you, vakṣyāmi I will tell, mama myself, nibōdha know.

Then Viradha said to Rama whose truth was his strength, I will tell you who I am. O, listen:
putraḥ kila jayasyāhaṅ mātā mama śatahradā.

virādha iti māmāhuḥ pṛthivyāṅ sarvarākṣasāḥ৷৷3.3.6৷৷


aham I am, jayasya Jaya's, putraḥ son, kila indeed, śatahradā Satahrada, mama my, mātā mother, pṛthivyām on this earth, sarvarākṣasāḥ all the demons, mām me, virādhaḥ Viradha iti so, āhuḥ call me.

I am indeed son to Jaya. My mother is Satahrada. Verily all the demons on this earth
call me Viradha.
tapasā cābhisamprāptā brahmaṇō hi prasādajā.

śastrēṇāvadhyatā lōkē.cchēdyābhēdyatvamēva ca৷৷3.3.7৷৷


tapasā through penance, brahmaṇaḥ from Brahma, prasādajā bestowed by his pleasure, lōkē in this world, śastrēṇa with any weapon, avadhyatā not to be killed, abhisamprāptā has been acquired, acchēdyābhēdyatvamēva ca not to be cut or broken by any.

By the grace of Lord Brahma I was bestowed with this prowess through my penance. In this world none can kill me with a weapon nor split nor cut me to pieces.
utsṛjya pramadāmēnāmanapēkṣau yathāgatam.

tvaramāṇau palāyēthāṅ na vāṅ jīvitamādadē৷৷ 3.3.8৷৷


ēnām this lady, pramadām woman, utsṛjya on giving up, anapēkṣau without claiming her, tvaramāṇau quickly, yathāgatam to the place where you came from, palāyēthām both of you may run, vām to you both, jīvitam life, na ādadē I will not take away.

Therefore, leave this lady and run away to the place you came from. I will not take away your life .
taṅ rāmaḥ pratyuvācēdaṅ kōpasaṅraktalōcanaḥ.

rākṣasaṅ vikṛtākāraṅ virādhaṅ pāpacētasam৷৷3.3.9৷৷


rāmaḥ Rama, kōpasaṅraktalōcanaḥ with eyes reddened due to anger, vikṛtākāram with deformed appearance, pāpacētasam with sinful intentions, tam him, virādhaṅ rākṣasam to demon Viradha, pratyuvāca replied.

With eyes reddened with anger Rama replied to the sinful, deformed Viradha:
kṣudra! dhiktvāṅ tu hīnārthaṅ mṛtyumanvēṣasē dhruvam.

raṇē prāpsyasē santiṣṭha na mē jīvan gamiṣyāsi৷৷3.3.10৷৷


kṣudra! O vile creature, hīnārtham mean, tvām you, dhik fie upon, dhruvam surely, mṛtyum death, anvēṣasē you are seeking, santiṣṭha stay, raṇē in war, prāpsyasē you will attain, jīvan while being alive, mē me, na gamiṣyāsi you will not go.

O vile, mean creature ! surely you are seeking death. Wait, you will meet it in the fight.
tataḥ sajyaṅ dhanuḥ kṛtvā rāmassuniśitāñcharān.

suśīghramabhisandhāya rākṣasaṅ nijaghāna ha৷৷3.3.11৷৷


tataḥ then, rāmaḥ Rama, dhanuḥ bow, sajyam strung, kṛtvā after setting, suniśitān sharp, śarān arrows, suśīghram quickly, abhisandhāya after aiming, rākṣasam rakshasa, nijaghāna hit, ha indeed.

Then Rama strung his bow immediately, shot the sharp arrows at Viradha and hit him verily.
dhanuṣā jyāguṇavatā sapta bāṇānmumōca ha.

rukmapuṅkhānmahāvēgānsuparṇānilatulyagān৷৷3.3.12৷৷


dhanuṣā bow, jyāguṇavatā string tied, mahāvēgān swift ones, suparṇānilatulyagān in speed comparable to Garuda and the wind-god, rukmapuṅkhān with bright feathers, sapta bāṇān seven arrows, mumōca ha verily released.

From his bow strung tight, Rama shot seven swift, golden-feathered arrows comparable to Garuda and the Wind-god in speed.
tē śarīraṅ virādhasya bhittvābarhiṇavāsasaḥ.

nipētuśśōṇitādigdhā dharaṇyāṅ pāvakōpamāḥ৷৷3.3.13৷৷


pāvakōpamāḥ looking like fire, tē they, barhiṇavāsasaḥ arrows tied with peacock feathers, virādhasya Viradha's, śarīram body, bhittvā after piercing, śōṇitādigdhāḥ drenched in blood, dharaṇyām on the ground, nipētuḥ fell.

The arrows tied with peacock-feathers, looking like fire, pierced the body of Viradha which, drenched in blood, fell on the ground.
sa viddhō nyasya vaidēhīṅ śūlamudyamya rākṣasaḥ.

abhyadravatsusaṅkṛddhastadā rāmaṅ salakṣmaṇam৷৷3.3.14৷৷


viddhaḥ Pierced, saḥ he, rākṣasaḥ that rakshasa, tadā then, vaidēhīm Sita, nyasya left her, śūlam a spear, udyamya after lifting, susaṅkṛddhaḥ with intense anger, salakṣmaṇam with Lakshmana, rāmam towards Rama, abhyadravat ran towards.

Hit by Rama and Lakshmana, the enraged demon left Vaidehi, lifted a sharp spear and ran towards them.
sa vinadya mahānādaṅ śūlaṅ śakradhvajōpamam.

pragṛhyāśōbhata tadā vyāttānana ivāntakaḥ৷৷3.3.15৷৷


tadā then, saḥ that, mahānādam loud noise, vinadya producing, śakradhvajōpamam like Indra's banner, śūlam spike, pragṛhya taking, vyāttānanaḥ with wide open mouth, antakaḥ god of death, iva like, aśōbhata shone.

The demon who produced a great noise with his wide open mouth resembled the god of death. He lifted a sharp spike that looked like Indra's banner.
atha tau bhrātarau dīptaṅ śaravarṣaṅ vavarṣatuḥ.

virādhē rākṣasē tasmin kālāntakayamōpamē৷৷3.3.16৷৷


atha and then, tau both, bhrātarau brothers, kālāntakayamōpamē looking like Yama, the god of
death, tasmin at him, rākṣasē at that demon, virādhē on Viradha, dīptam bright, śaravarṣam rain of arrows, vavarṣatuḥ showered.

And then both the brothers showered bright arrows on the demon Viradha who looked like Yama, the god of death.
sa prahasya mahāraudraḥ sthitvājṛmbhata rākṣasaḥ.

jṛmbhamāṇasya tē bāṇāḥ kāyānniṣpēturāśugāḥ৷৷3.3.17৷৷


mahāraudraḥ extremely frightening, saḥ rākṣasa: that rakshasa, prahasya after laughing, sthitvā stood there, ajṛmbhata yawned, jṛmbhamāṇasya as he was yawning, kāyāt from the body, āśugāḥ swift-moving, tē bāṇāḥ those arrows, niṣpētuḥ fell down.

The demon who was extremely frightening stood there, laughing and yawning. As he yawned, all the swiftly-flying arrows fell out of his body.
sparśāttu varadānēna prāṇānsamrōdhya rākṣasaḥ.

virādhaḥ śūlamudyamya rāghavāvabhyadhāvata৷৷3.3.18৷৷


rākṣasaḥ demon, virādhaḥ Viradha, varadānēna by virtue of a boon, sparśāt tu by touch as well, prāṇān (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, and Samana) vital breath, saṅrōdhya controlled, śūlam spike, udyamya on taking out, rāghavau Rama and Lakshmana, abhyadhāvata ran after.

By virtue of a boon Viradha, the demon, controlled the vital breath of his body by a mere touch and, raising the spike, ran towards the two Raghava princes.
tacchūlaṅ vajrasaṅkāśaṅ gaganē jvalanōpamam.

dvābhyāṅ śarābhyāṅ cicchēda rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāṅvaraḥ৷৷3.3.19৷৷


śastrabhṛtām among the wielders of bows, varaḥ best, rāmaḥ Rama, jvalanōpamam like burning fire, vajrasaṅkāśam resembling thunderbolt, tat that, śūlam spike, dvābhyām with two, śarābhyām arrows, gaganē in the sky, cicchēda broke asunder.

With two arrows, Rama, the best among wielders of weapons, broke down the spike in the sky burning like fire, and resembling the thunderbolt of Indra.
tadrāmaviśikhacchinnaṅ śūlaṅ tasyakarādbhuvi.

papātāśaninā chinnaṅ mērōriva śilātalam৷৷3.3.20৷৷


rāmaviśikhaiḥ by Rama's arrow, chinnam broken, tat śūlam spike, bhuvi on the ground, apatat fell, aśaninā by the thunder, chinnam broken into pieces, mērōḥ of mount Meru, śilātalam iva like a slab, papāta fell down.

The spike, broken down by Rama's arrow, fell like a slab of mount Meru splintered by Indra's thunder.
tau khaḍgau kṣipramudyamya kṛṣṇasarpōpamauśubhau.

tūrṇamāpētatustasya tadā praharatāṅ balāt৷৷3.3.21৷৷


tadā then, tau both, udyatau coming on, kṛṣṇasarpōpamau both looking like black serpents, śubhau auspicious, khaḍgau the two swords, kṣipram quickly, udyamya raising, tūrṇam at once, tasya at him, āpētatuḥ fell upon, balāt strongly, praharatām struck tasya him.

Then both Rama and Lakshmana quickly raised their swords which looked like black serpents and at once fell upon the demon who was going to strike with great force.
sa vadhyamānaḥ subhṛśaṅ bhujābhyāṅ parirabhyatau.

aprakampyau naravyāghrau raudraḥ prasthātumaicchata৷৷3.3.22৷৷


vadhyamānaḥ being struck, raudraḥ angry one, saḥ he, aprakampyau the unshakeable two, naravyāghrau two tiger-like men, tau both, bhujābhyām with his arms, subhṛśam tightly, parigṛhya holding, prasthātum to set out, aicchata intended.

Struck down, the angry demon tightly caught hold of both of them under his arms and
wanted to set out, carrying Rama and Lakshmana, the two unshakeable tigers among men.
tasyābhiprāyamājñāya rāmō lakṣmaṇamabravīt.

vahatvayamalaṅ tāvatpathā.nēna tu rākṣasaḥ৷৷3.3.23৷৷


tasya his, abhiprāyam intention, ājñāya having understood, rāmaḥ Rama, lakṣmaṇam to Lakshmana, abravīt said, ayaṅ rākṣasaḥ this demon, anēna pathā by this path, alam no need to prohibit, vahatu tāvat let him carry us.

Rama understood the intention of the demon and said to Lakshmana, Let him go his way, no need to stop him.
yathā cēcchati saumitrē! tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ.

ayamēva hi naḥ panthā yēna yāti niśācaraḥ৷৷3.3.24৷৷


saumitrē! O Lakshmana, rākṣasaḥ the demon, yathā as, icchati wishes to go, tathā like that, vahatu let him carry, niśācaraḥ night-stalker yēna by which ever, yāti moves, ayamēva this alone, saḥ such, panthāḥ hi direction only.

O Lakshmana, let the night-stalker go the way he wishes. That is, in fact, our path.
sa tu svabalavīryēṇa samutkṣipya niśācaraḥ.

bālāviva skandhagatau cakārātibalōddhataḥ৷৷3.3.25৷৷


atibalōddhataḥ one puffed with great strength, saḥ that Viradha, niśācaraḥ tu rakshasa on his part, svabalavīryēṇa by his own strength, samutkṣipya after lifting, bālāviva like two children, skandhagatau on both his shoulders, cakāra made.

Puffed up with his own great strength, Viradha lifted them and placed them on his shoulders as though they were two children.
tāvārōpya tataḥ skandhaṅ rāghavau rajanīcaraḥ.

virādhō vinadanghōraṅ jagāmābhimukhō vanam৷৷3.3.26৷৷


tataḥ then, rajanīcaraḥ the night-stalker, virādhaḥ Viradha, tau both rāghavau Rama and Lakshmana, skandham on the shoulders, ārōpya keeping, ghōram dreadfuly, vinadan while screaming, vanam abhimukhaḥ towards the forest, jagāma proceeded.

Then the night-stalker proceeded towards the forest, carrying both the scions of the Raghu race on his shoulders-roaring.
vanaṅ mahāmēghanibhaṅ praviṣṭō drumairmahadbhirvividhairupētam.

nānāvidhaiḥ pakṣikulairvicitraṅ śivāyutaṅ vyālamṛgairvikīrṇam৷৷3.3.27৷৷


mahāmēghanibham looking like a huge cloud, mahadbhi: with huge ones, vividhaiḥ of different kinds, drumaiḥ by trees, upētam filled with, nānāvidhaiḥ different kinds, pakṣikulaiḥ flocks of birds, vicitram wonderful, śivāyutam full of jackals, vyālamṛgaiḥ with wild animals, vikīrṇam covered with, vanam forest, praviṣṭaḥ entered.

Viradha entered the forest which appeared like a huge cloud. Overgrown with different types of large trees, it abounded in wonderful birds, jackals and other wild animals.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē tṛtīyassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the third sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.