Summary
The fourteen demons arrive at Rama's cottage guided by Shuurpanakha and they wage a war with Rama in which Rama destructs all their weaponry and eliminates them all. Seeing this defeat Shuurpanakha rushes back to her brother to report the defeat.
Chapter [Sarga] 20 in Detail
tatah shuurpanakhaa ghoraa raaghava aashramam aagataa |
raksasaan aacacakse tau bhraatarau saha siitayaa || 3-20-1
Then on arriving at Raghava's hermitage that ghastly Shuurpanakha has shown the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, along with Seetha to the fourteen demons. [3-20-1]
te raamam parna shaalaayaam upavistam mahaabalam |
dadrishuh siitayaa saardham laksmanena api sevitam || 3-20-2
They have seen the great-mighty Rama seated in the thatched cottage along with Seetha and Lakshmana attending to him. [3-20-2]
taam dristvaa raaghavah shriimaan aagataam taam ca raaksasiim |
abraviit bhraataram raamo laksmanam diipta tejasam || 3-20-3
On seeing the arrival of the demons, and the demoness Shuurpanakha too, that magnificent Rama of Raghava dynasty said to the radiantly brilliant Lakshmana. [3-20-3]
muhuurtam bhava saumitre siitaayaah pratyana.ntarah |
imaan asyaa vadhisyaami padaviim aagataan iha || 3-20-4
"Oh, Soumitri, briefly tarry at the close of Seetha as I wish to eliminate these demons who have trailed the path of that demoness to here. [3-20-4]
vaakyam etat tatah shrutvaa raamasya vidita aatmanah |
tathaa iti laksmano vaakyam raamasya pratyapuujayat || 3-20-5
On hearing that word of Rama, then the nimble-souled Lakshmana honored the word of Rama saying "so be it." [3-20-5]
raaghavo api mahat caapam caamiikara vibhuusitam |
cakaara sajyam dharmaatmaa taani raksaa.msi ca abraviit || 3-20-6
On taking up his awful bow that is decorated with gold Raghava stringed it with bowstring and even spoke the demons as a forewarning. [3-20-6]
putrau dasharathasya aavaam bhraatarau raama laksmanau |
pravistau siitayaa saardham dushcaram dandakaa vanam || 3-20-7
"We the sons of Dasharatha are brothers named Rama and Lakshmana, and we entered the impenetrable forests Dandaka along with Seetha. [3-20-7]
phala muula ashanau daa.ntau taapasau dharma caarinau |
vasantau dandakaaranye kim artham upahi.msatha || 3-20-8
"We the dispassionate subsist on fruits and tubers treading in the path of virtue, and we being the sages resident in Dandaka forest what for you outrage us. [3-20-8]
yusmaan paapa aatmakaan ha.ntum viprakaaraan mahaahave |
risiinaam tu niyogena praapto aham sashara aasanah || 3-20-9
"As assigned by the sages I chanced here with bow and arrows to decimate you evil-souled and unrighteous beings in a crucial clash. [3-20-9]
tisthata eva atra sa.ntustaa na upavarititum arhatha |
yadi praanaih iha artho vo nivartadhvam nishaa caraah || 3-20-10
"Stay there obligingly or you should not be able to return, else if you desire your lives, oh, nightwalkers, you may return now. [3-20-10]
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa raaksasaah te caturdasha |
uucur vaacam susamkruddhaa brahmaghnah shuula paanayah || 3-20-11
samrakta nayanaa ghoraa raamam raktaanta locanam |
parusaa madhura aabhaasam hristaah adrista paraakramam || 3-20-12
On hearing that sentence of Rama they the fourteen ghoulish demons who are the slayers of Brahmans and handlers of spears have become highly infuriated, and they with their bloodshot eyes and with harsh words said these words to Rama, whose eyes are with blood streaks at their ends, and who also is a sweet talker, and whose valor is yet unseen by those fourteen demons. [3-20-11, 12]
krodham utpaadya no bhartuh kharasya sumahaatmanah |
tvam eva haasyase praanaan adya asmaabhir hato yudhi || 3-20-13
"Killed in conflict by us you alone will set your lives loose as an inciter of fury in our highly great souled lord Khara. [3-20-13]
kaa hi te shaktir ekasya bahuunaam rana muurdhani |
asmaakam agratah sthaatum kim punar yoddhum aahave || 3-20-14
"Indeed, what capability you have as a lone one to stand against many of us in the forefront of war, and why tell again about your battling ability in a given battle. [3-20-14]
ebhih baahu prayuktaih nah parighaih shuula pattishaih |
praanaam tyaksyasi viiryam ca dhanuh ca kara piiditam || 3-20-15
"When we launch maces, spears and swords by our might you will forgo your lives, mettle, and even the bow now clasped in your hand." So said the demons to Rama. [3-20-15]
iti evam uktvaa sa.mrabdhaa raaksasaah te caturdasha |
udyata aayudha nistri.mshaa raamam eva abhidudruvuh || 3-20-16
ciksipuh taani shuulaani raaghavam prati durjayam |
Thus saying that way clamorously they the fourteen demons, upraising their weapons they unhesitatingly rushed towards Rama alone, and they hurled lances towards that unconquerable Raghava. [3-20-16, 17a]
taani shuulaani kaakutsthah samastaani caturdasha || 3-20-17
taavadbhih eva ciccheda sharaih kaa.ncana bhuusitaih |
Rama in turn shredded all of those fourteen lances only with as many arrows that are adorned in gold. [3-20-17b, 18a]
tatah pashcaat mahaatejaa naaraacaan suurya sa.mnibhaan || 3-20-18
jagraaha parama kruddhah caturdasha shila ashitaan |
Next that great resplendent Rama in high wrath took up fourteen iron bolt like arrows that are whetted on whetstone and equaling the sun in their dazzle. [3-20-18b, 19a]
grihiitvaa dhanuh aayamya laksyaan uddishya raaksasaan || 3-20-19
mumoca raaghavo baanaan vajraan iva shatakratuh |
Then Raghava took up his bow, arched it, and aiming at the targeted demons released arrows as Indra would release his Thunderbolts. [3-20-19b, 20a]
te bhittvaa raksasaam vegaat vaksaa.msi rudhira aaplutaah || 3-20-20
vinispetuh tadaa bhuumau valmiikaat iva pannagaah |
And by the force of their speed those arrows gored the chests of those demons, and then on coming out bedaubed with blood they swiftly penetrated into earth like snakes into snake pit. [3-20-20b, 21a]
taih bhagna hridayaa buumau chinna muulaa iva drumaah || 3-20-21
nipetuh shonita snaataa vikritaa vigata asavah |
Those arrows bursting their hearts they are blood bathed, mangled, and utterly dead, and like the uprooted trees they fell onto the ground. [3-20-21b, 22a]
taan bhuumau patitaan dristvaa raakshasii krodha muurcchitaa || 3-20-22
upagamya kharam saa tu ki.mcit sa.mshuska shonitaa |
papaata punah eva aartaa saniryaasaa iva vallarii || 3-20-23
On seeing the demons falling onto ground that demoness Shuurpanakha is convulsed in rage, and she with a blanched aspect returned to the near of Khara in an agonising manner like a creeper exuding resin on incision, and fell before him as before. [3-20-22b, 23]
bhraatuh samiipe shoka aartaa sasarja ninadam mahat |
sasvaram mumoca baaspam vivarna vadanaa tadaa || 3-20-24
Then she in the presence of her brother Khara discharged a great outcry, and with a bloodless face she spilled tears attuning the strains of a whiner. [3-20-24]
nipaatitaan preksya rane tu raaksasaan
pradhaavitaa shuurpanakhaa punah tatah |
vadham ca tesaam nikhilena raksasaam
shasha.msa sarvam bhaginii kharasya saa || 3-20-25
Shuurpanakha having seen the fall of demons quickly fled from Panchavati of Rama to Trikantaka, the capital of Khara, and she being the sister of Khara she reported to Khara all about the destruction of those demons, in its entirety. [3-20-25]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande vi.mshah sargah
Thus, this is the 20th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate