Sloka & Translation

[Encounter between Rama and Khara.]

खरं तु विरथं रामो गदापाणिमवस्थितम्।

मृदुपूर्वं महातेजाः परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।3.29.1।।


महातेजा: briliant, रामः Rama, विरथम्: deprived of chariot, गदापाणिम् wielding a mace, अवस्थितम् stood, खरम् Khara, मृदुपूर्वम् gentle first, परुषम् harsh वाक्यम् words, अब्रवीत् said.

Effulgent Rama looked at Khara who stood with a mace in hand minus his chariot and said to him first in a gentle voice and then harshly :
गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे बले महति तिष्ठता।

कृतं सुदारुणं कर्म सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम्।।3.29.2।।


गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे elephants, horses, chariots etc. महति in a great, बले army, तिष्ठता standing, सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम् despised by the entire world, सुदारुणम् very cruel, कर्म deed, कृतम् done.

Although you command a huge army with many elephants, horses, chariots, etc. you have done such cruel deeds that the entire world despises you.
उद्वेजनीयो भूतानां नृशंसः पापकर्मकृत्।

त्रयाणामपि लोकानामीश्वरोऽपि न तिष्ठति।।3.29.3।।


भूतानाम् of all beings, उद्वेजनीयः causing distress, पापकर्मकृत् doer of sinful deeds, नृशंसः wicked, त्रयाणाम् of the three, लोकानाम् worlds, ईश्वरोऽपि even if he is the lord, न तिष्ठति not survive.

One who is wicked, does sinful deeds and causes distress to all beings, will not
survive even if he is the lord of the three worlds.
कर्म लोकविरुद्धं तु कुर्वाणं क्षणदाचर।

तीक्ष्णं सर्वजनो हन्ति सर्पं दुष्टमिवागतम्।।3.29.4।।


क्षणदाचर O nightranger लोकविरुद्धम् that which is against the world, कर्म deeds, कुर्वाणम् who does, तीक्ष्णम् a terrific, सर्वजनः all people, आगतम् befallen, दुष्टम् cruel, सर्पमिव like a serpent, हन्ति will kill.

O nightranger, one who does a horrific deed which is against the world will be killed like an evil serpent come near.
लोभात्पापानि कुर्वाणः कामाद्वा यो न बुध्यते।

भ्रष्टः पश्यति तस्यान्तं ब्राह्मणी करकादिव।।3.29.5।।


लोभात् out of greed, कामाद्वा out of passion, यः whoever, पापानि sinful deeds, कुर्वाणः commits, न बुध्यते not realise, भ्रष्ठः ruined, करकात् by a hailstone, ब्राह्मणीव like a lizard, तस्य his, अन्तम् end, पश्यति will see.

Whoever commits sinful deeds out of greed or passion and without realisation will be ruined at the end like a lizard that eats hailstone (and dies).
वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः।

किन्नु हत्वा महाभागान्फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस।।3.29.6।।


राक्षस O demon , दण्डकारण्ये in Dandaka forest, वसतः while residing, धर्मचारिणः those followers of righteous path, महाभागान् venerable ones , तापसान् ascetics, हत्वा after killing, किं नु what kind, फलम् fruit, प्राप्स्यसि will you get.

O demon what benefit will you get by killing the venerable ascetics, followers of righteous path residing in Dandaka forest?
न चिरं पापकर्माणः क्रूरा लोकजुगुप्सिताः।

ऐश्वर्यं प्राप्य तिष्ठन्ति शीर्णमूला इव द्रुमाः।।3.29.7।।


पापकर्माणः who do sinful deeds, लोकजुगुप्सिताः despised by the world, क्रूराः cruel, ऐश्वर्यम् prosperity, प्राप्य after obtaining, शीर्णमूलाः decayed at the roots, द्रुमाः इव like trees, चिरम् long time, न तिष्टन्ति will not stand.

Cruel people, who are despised by the world for their sinful deeds, will not be prosperous for long just like trees with decayed roots.
अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः।

घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्।।3.29.8।।


काले (at the right) time, पर्यागते comes in, जन्तुः people, पापस्य कर्मणः of sinful deeds, घोरम् terrific, फलम् fruit, द्रुमाः trees, आर्तवम् in proper season, पुष्पमिव like the flowers, अवश्यम् certainly, लभते will get.

Just as the trees bear flowers at the proper season, so also people will certainly reap the fruits of their terrible, sinful deeds at appropriate time.
नचिरात्प्राप्यते लोके पापानां कर्मणां फलम्।

सविषाणामिवान्नानां भुक्तानां क्षणदाचर।।3.29.9।।


क्षणदाचर O night ranger लोके in the world, पापानाम् of sinful, कर्मणाम् of actions, फलम् result, भुक्तानाम् eaten, सविषाणाम् poisonous, अन्नानामिव like the food, नचिरात् soon, प्राप्यते will obtain.

O nightranger people will reap the result of their sinful actions in this world soon like one eating poisonous food.
पापमाचरतां घोरं लोकस्याप्रियमिच्छताम्।

अहमासादितो राजा प्राणान्हन्तुं निशाचर।।3.29.10।।


निशाचर nightranger, घोरम् terrific, पापम् sin, आचरताम् doers, लोकस्य in this world, अप्रियम् offensive actions, इच्छताम् who like to do, प्राणान् life, हन्तुम् to put an end, राजा king, अहम् I, आसादितः I have come.

O nightranger I have come with the orders of the king to put an end to the lives of the perpetrators of dreadful, sinful and offensive deeds in this world.
अद्य हि त्वां मया मुक्ताश्शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः।

विदार्यातिपतिष्यन्ति वल्मीकमिव पन्नगाः।।3.29.11।।


अद्य now, मया by me, मुक्ताः unleashed, काञ्चनभूषणाः adorned with gold ornaments, शराः arrows, पन्नगाः like serpent, वल्मीकमिव like the anthill, त्वा you, विदार्य after piercing the body, अतिपतिष्यतनि will come out.

Now when I unleash the golden arrows, they will pierce through your body and come out like serpents emerging from the anthill.
ये त्वया दण्डकारण्ये भक्षिता धर्मचारिणः।

तानद्य निहतस्सङ्ख्ये ससैन्योऽनुगमिष्यसि।।3.29.12।।


त्वया by you, दण्डकारण्ये in Dandaka forest, ये those, धर्मचारिणः righteous people, भक्षिताः are eaten, तान् those, अद्य now, सङ्ख्ये in the war, निहतः killed, ससैन्यः along with your army, अनुगमिष्यसि will be following.

Slain by me in the battle today, you and your army will follow the righteous men eaten by you in Dandaka forest.
अद्य त्वां निहतं बाणैः पश्यन्तु परमर्षयः।

निरयस्थं विमानस्था ये त्वया हिंसिताः पुरा।।3.29.13।।


पुरा earlier, त्वया by you, ये whom, हिंसिताः tortured, परमर्षयः great seers, विमानस्थाः seated in the aerial vehicles, अद्य now, बाणैः with arrows, निहतम् killed, निरयस्थम् fallen into hell, त्वाम् you, पश्यन्तु see you.

The great seers whom you have earlier tortured and killed will, from their aerial vehicles, see you fallen into hell.
प्रहर त्वं यथाकामं कुरु यत्नं कुलाधम।

अद्य ते पातयिष्यामि शिरस्तालफलं यथा।।3.29.14।।


कुलाधम O Nile of the race, त्वम् you, यथाकामम् as you wish, प्रहर freely strike at me, यत्नम् effort, कुरु you may do, अद्य now, ते your, शिरः head, तालफलं यथा like a palm fruit, पातयिष्यामि will strike you down.

O vile fellow, now you may strike at me as you please. I will make your head fall down like a palm fruit.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण कृद्धस्संरक्तलोचनः।

प्रत्युवाच खरो रामं प्रहसन्क्रोधमूर्छितः।।3.29.15।।


रामेण by Rama, एवम् in that way, उक्तः having said, खरः Khara, संरक्तलोचनः eyes turned red, (ततः then), प्रहसन् laughed, क्रोधमूर्छितः lost his senses in anger, रामम् to Rama, प्रत्युवाच replied.

Challenged by Rama in that manner, Khara, his senses switched off, eyes turned red due to anger, replied laughing :
प्राकृतान्राक्षसान्हत्वा युद्धे दशरथात्मज।

आत्मना कथमात्मानमप्रशस्यं प्रशंससि।।3.29.16।।


दशरथात्मज O Rama, son of Dasaratha, युद्धे in war, प्राकृतान् ordinary ( people), राक्षसान्
demons, हत्वा killing, अप्रशस्यम् not praiseworthy, आत्मानम् yourself, आत्मना by yourself, कथम् why, प्रशंससि praising.

O son of Dasaratha, it is not praiseworthy to kill ordinary demons in war. Why do you praise yourself for it?
विक्रान्ता बलवन्तो वा ये भवन्ति नरर्षभाः।

कथयन्ति न ते किञ्चित्तेजसा स्वेन गर्विताः।।3.29.17।।


ये those, नरर्षभाः best of men, विक्रान्ताः valiant, बलवन्तो वा strong, भवन्ति they are, ते they, स्वेन by their own, तेजसा by valour, गर्विताः proud of, किञ्चित् even a little, न कथयन्ति do not speak of.

The valiant, strong and the best of men do not at all speak proudly of themselves and their valour.
प्राकृतास्त्वकृतात्मानो लोके क्षत्रियपांसनाः।

निरर्थकं विकत्थन्ते यथा राम विकत्थसे।।3.29.18।।


राम Rama, लोके in the world, अकृतात्मानः having no control over self, प्राकृतास्तु common people, क्षत्रियपांसनाः lowest of kshatriyas, यथा as, विकत्थन्ते they boast, निरर्थकम् in a meaningless, विकत्थसे you boast yourself.

O Rama common people, having no control over themselves and the lowest of kshatriyas boast of themselves in the world in a meaningless way as you are doing (now).
कुलं व्यपदिशन्वीरस्समरे कोऽभिधास्यति।

मृत्युकाले हि सम्प्राप्ते स्वयमप्रस्तवे स्तवम्।।3.29.19।।


मृत्युकाले when death, सम्प्राप्ते comes, वीरः hero, कः who, समरे in war, कुलम् his race, व्यपदिशन् naming, अप्रस्तवे unnecessarily, स्वयम् himself, स्तवम् praise, अभिधास्यति will talk
of.

When death comes in a battle no hero will name his race and boast of himself unnessarily.
सर्वथैव लघुत्वं ते कत्थनेन विदर्शितम्।

सुवर्णप्रतिरूपेण तप्तेनेव कुशाग्निना।।3.29.20।।


कत्थनेन by boasting, तप्तेन heated, सुवर्णप्रतिरूपेण looking like gold, कुशाग्निना इव by the fire of kusa grass, सर्वथैव by all means, ते your, लघुत्वम् meanness, विदर्शितम् is exhibited.

All your meanness is exhibited by your boasting just as the kusa grass caught by fire appears like gold.
न तु मामिह तिष्ठन्तं पश्यसि त्वं गदाधरम्।

धराधरमिवाकम्प्यं पर्वतं धातुभिश्चितम्।।3.29.21।।


त्वम् you, गदाधरम् holding a mace, इह here, तिष्ठन्तम् while standing, धातुभिः with minerals, चितम् inlaid, पर्वतम् mountain, धराधरमिव like supporter of earth, अकम्प्यम् unshakeable, माम् me, पश्यसि you are seeing, ननु indeed.

Indeed, (it is strange that) you do not see me holding a mace and standing here like an unshakeable mountain which contains minerals and supports the earth.
पर्याप्तोऽहं गदापाणिर्हन्तुं प्राणान्रणे तव।

त्रयाणामपि लोकानां पाशहस्त इवान्तकः।।3.29.22।।


पाशहस्तः holding the noose of death, अन्तकः Yama, त्रयाणाम् for the three, लोकानामपि इव worlds also, रणे in war, तव your, प्राणान् life, हन्तुम् to kill, गदापाणिः weilding mace, अहम् I, पर्याप्तः enough.

Just like lord Yama, holding a noose of death is alone enough to destroy the three
worlds, I am alone sufficient to take away your life in war, a mace in hand.
कामं बह्वपि वक्तव्यं त्वयि वक्ष्यामि न त्वहम्।

अस्तं गच्छेद्धि सविता युद्धविघ्नस्ततो भवेत्।।3.29.23।।


त्वयि on you, बहु much, वक्तव्यमपि has to be said, कामम् indeed, तु but, अहम् I, न वक्ष्यामि not speak any more, सविता Sun, अस्तं गच्छेत् will set, ततः thereafter, युद्धविघ्नः obstacle to wage war, भवेत् will be.

Indeed, I shall not speak any more even though a lot can be said on you. But the Sun is about to set and it will be improper to wage war thereafter.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि राक्षसानां हतानि ते।

त्वद्विनाशात्करोम्येषां तेषामश्रुप्रमार्जनम्।।3.29.24।।


ते for you, एषां these, राक्षसानाम् of demons, चतुर्दश fourteen, सहस्राणि thousand, हतानि killed, त्वद्विनाशात् by their destruction, तेषाम् their, अश्रुप्रमार्जनम् wiping their tears, करोमि I shall carry out.

You have killed these fourteen thousand demons. Therefore, I will wipe their tears by destroying you.
इत्युक्त्वा परमक्रुद्धस्तां गदां परमाङ्गदः।

खरश्चिक्षेप रामाय प्रदीप्तामशनिं यथा।।3.29.25।।


परमाङ्गदः adorned with large shoulder bands, खरः Khara, इति thus, उक्त्वा having said, परमक्रुद्धः highly enraged, प्रदीप्ताम् blazing, अशनिं यथा like a thunderbolt, तां गदाम् that mace, रामाय at Rama, चिक्षेव hurled.

Having said this, highly enraged Khara adorned with large shoulder bands, hurled at Rama, his mace glowing like a thunderbolt.
खरबाहुप्रयुक्ता सा प्रदीप्ता महती गदा।

भस्मवृक्षांश्च गुल्मांश्च कृत्वागात्तत्समीपतः।।3.29.26।।


खरबाहुप्रयुक्ता unleashed by Khara's arms, प्रदीप्ता blazing, महती huge, गदा mace, वृक्षांश्च trees, गुल्मांश्च shrubs, भस्म ashes, कृत्वा reduced into, तत्समीपतः close to him, अगात् reached.

The huge, blazing mace hurled by Khara's arms reduced the trees and shrubs into ashes and came close to Rama.
तामापतन्तीं ज्वलतां मृत्युपाशोपमां गदाम्।

अन्तरिक्षगतां रामचशिच्छेद बहुधा शरैः।।3.29.27।।


आपतन्ती falling down, ज्वलताम् burning, मृत्युपाशोपमाम् like the noose of death, तां गदाम् that mace, अन्तरिक्षगताम् in the sky, रामः Rama, शरैः arrows, बहुधा several pieces, चिच्छेद shattered.

The mace, which moved in the sky burning like the noose of death was shattered to pieces by Rama.
सा विकीर्णा शरैर्भग्ना पपात धरणीतले।

गदा मन्त्रौषधबलैर्व्यालीव विनिपातिता।।3.29.28।।


शरैः arrows, भग्ना broken, सा गदा the mace, मन्त्रौषधबलैः on the strength of mantras and medicines, विनिपातिता fell down, व्यालीव like a female serpent, विकीर्णा scattered, धरणीतले on the ground, पपात fell down.

The mace shattered by the arrows of Rama , fell down scattered to pieces on the ground like a female serpent subdued by the force of mantras and medicine.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the twentyninth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.