Summary
The careless ocean did not appear in his personal form to Rama, even when it was requested to do so. Rama becomes angry at the ocean and looses fierce arrows, which cause a terror among the creatures inhabiting the sea.
Chapter [Sarga] 21 in Detail
tatah saagaravelaayaam darbhaanaastiirya raaghavah |
ajnjalim praanmukhah kritvaa pratishishye mahodadheh || 6-21-1
baahum bhujangabhogaabhamupadhaayaarisuudanah |
Thereafter Rama, the annihilator of enemies, spreading sacred grass on the sea shore, making a respectful salutation (by joining his palms) to the great ocean with his face turned eastward, lied down with his arm, resembling the body of a snake , as his pillow.
manikaajncanakeyuuramuktaapravarabhuusanaih || 6-21-2
bhujaih paramanaariinaamabhimristamanekadhaa || 6-21-3
His arm formerly adorned with armlets of gems and gold and the most excellent jewels of pearls, was touched more than once, by excellent women ( Kausalya and other mothers or by royal maids).
candanaagurubhishchaiva purastaadabhisevitam || 6-21-4
baalasuuryaprakaashaishca candanairupashobhitam |
Formerly, his arm used to be tended with sandalwood and aloe and with saffron pastes and made beautiful like the splendor of a rising sun.
shayane cottamaangena siitaayaah shobhitam puraa || 6-21-5
takshakasyeva sambhogam gangaajalanisevitam |
In the past, the aforesaid arm was graced by the head of Seetha on the couch. It resembled the body of Takshaka. (A snake) supported on the water of the Ganga.
samge yugasamkaasham shatruunaam shokavardhanam | 6-21-6
suhrdaam nandanam diirgham saagaraantavyapaashrayam |
The aforesaid arm resembled a yoke. It enhanced the grief of his enemies in battle. It was delightful to his friends. It is now placed at the shore of the sea.
asyataa ca punah savyam jyaaghaatavigatatvacam |
dakshino kakshinam bahum mahaaparighasamnibham || 6-21-7
gosahasrapradaataaram hyupadhaaya bhujam mahat |
adya me maranam vaatha taranam saagarasya vaa || 6-21-8
iti raamo dhritim kritvaa mahaabaahurmahodadhim |
adhishishye ca vidhivatprayato.atra sthito munih || 6-21-9
The aforesaid arm whose skin had been hardened by the strokes of the bow string, off the left arm resembling a great mace and that mighty right arm that bestowed thousands of cows in charity was used as a pillow. Rama, the competent man and the mighty armed said: “Either crossing of the ocean or a death should occur to me today”. Making that resolve he laid down by the ocean, restraining his speech and with a pious disposition according to tradition.
tasya raamasya suptasya kusha aastiirne mahii tale |
niyamaad apramattasya nishaas tisro aticakramuh || 6-21-10
Following the scriptural injunction, that Rama who was devoted to his sacred vow, while sleeping on the ground spread with Kusha grass, spent a time of three nights there.
sa triraatrositastatra nayajjno dharmavatsalah |
upaasata tadaa raamah saagaram saritaam patim || 6-21-11
Remaining there for three nights, Rama who was skilled in policy and fond of piety, waited upon the ocean, the lord of rivers.
na ca darshayate mandas tadaa raamasya saagarah |
prayatena api raamena yathaa arham abhipuujitah || 6-21-12
Though honored according to his worth by the self subdued Rama, the careless ocean did not appear in his personal form to Rama.
samudrasya tatah kruddho raamo rakta anta locanah |
samiipastham uvaaca idam laksmanam shubha laksmanam || 6-21-13
Rama becoming angry with the ocean, having the outer corners of his eyes turned red, spoke those words to Lakshmana, having auspicious marks, who was in his vicinity:
avalepam samudrasya na darshayati yat svayam |
prashamah ca ksamaa caiva aarjavam priya vaaditaa || 6-21-14
asaamarthyam phalanti ete nirgunesu sataam gunaah |
“O, what arrogance of the ocean, who does not appear himself personally before me! Indeed calmness, forbearance kind spoken ness and straight -forwardness- these qualities of noble men give weak results, when directed towards those having no virtues.”
aatma prashamsinam dustam dhristam viparidhaavakam || 6-21-15
sarvatra utsrista dandam ca lokah sat kurute naram |
“This world honors that man, who boasts himself, is corrupt and shameless, runs about in all directions advertising himself and commits every kind of excess”
na saamnaa shakyate kiirtir na saamnaa shakyate yashah || 6-21-16
praaptum laksmana loke asmin jayo vaa rana muudhani |
“O, Lakshmana! In this world, it is not possible to obtain fame, glory or victory at the end of a battle, by conciliation”
adya mad baana nirbhinnair makarair makara aalayam |
niruddha toyam saumitre plavadbhih pashya sarvatah || 6-21-17
“O, Lakshmana! Behold now this ocean, having its water made suffocated soon with its crocodiles floated on all sides and broken asunder by my arrows”.
bhogaamh ca pashya naagaanaam mayaa bhinnaani laksmana || 6-21-18
mahaabhogaani matsyaanaam karinaam ca karaan iha |
“See here, O, Lakshmana, the coils of water snakes, the huge bodies of alligators and the trunks of sea elephants being shattered by me.”
sashankha shuktikaa jaalam samiina makaram sharaih || 6-21-19
adya yuddhena mahataa samudram parishosaye |
“I will make the ocean with its multitude of conches, oyster shells, fishes and crocodiles, dry up now in this great battle”
ksamayaa hi samaayuktam maam ayam makara aalayah || 6-21-20
asamartham vijaanaati dhik ksamaam iidrishe jane |
“This ocean is considering me as an incapable man endowed as I am with forbearance. It is a great mistake to show forbearance to such an individual.”
sa darshayati saamnaa me saagaro ruupamaatmanah || 6-21-21
caapam aanaya saumitre sharaamh ca aashii visa upamaan |
samudram shosayisyaami padbhyaam yaantu plavangamaah || 6-21-22
“The Ocean is not appearing himself before me on kind words. O, Lakshmana! Bring the bow and the serpentine arrows. I shall dry up this ocean, so that our monkeys can cross it by feet.”
adya aksobhyam api kruddhah ksobhayisyaami saagaram |
velaasu krita maryaadam sahasaa uurmi samaakulam || 6-21-23
nirmaryaadam karisyaami saayakair varuna aalayam |
mahaarnavam kshobhayisye mahaadaanavasamkulam || 6-21-24
“Being provoked now, I will shake this ocean, even if it is unshakable. I will force the ocean, which is demarcated by banks and agitated with thousands of waves, bereft of a boundary, by my arrows. I will agitate the great ocean, thronged with great demons.”
evam uktvaa dhanus paanih krodha visphaarita iiksanah |
babhuuva raamo durdharso yuga anta agnir iva jvalan || 6-21-25
Speaking as aforesaid, Rama with his eyes made larger by anger and wielding a bow with his hand, became dreadful to look at, as a blazing fire at the end of the world.
sampiidya ca dhanur ghoram kampayitvaa sharair jagat |
mumoca vishikhaan ugraan vajraani iva shata kratuh || 6-21-26
Swaying his terrific bow and making the earth tremble by his violence Rama released the arrow resembling a powerful thunderbolt of Indra. (God of celestials).
te jvalanto mahaavegaas tejasaa saayaka uttamaah |
pravishanti samudrasya salilam trasta pannagam || 6-21-27
Those excellent arrows having a great speed and ablaze by their splendor, penetrated the waters of the ocean, striking the water- snakes with terror.
tato vegah samudrasya sanakra makaro mahaan |
sa babhuuva mahaaghorah samaaruta ravas tadaa || 6-21-28
The great jerk of water with fishes and alligators of the ocean, together with the resonance of the wind became very much dreadful.
mahaauurmi maalaa vitatah shankha shukti samaakulah |
sadhuuma parivritta uurmih sahasaa abhuun mahaaudadhih || 6-21-29
Immediately that great ocean, became shaken by the cluster of huge waves enveloped by a multitude of conches in its rolling waves and a smoke came out.
vyathitaah pannagaah ca aasan diipta aasyaa diipta locanaah |
daanavaah ca mahaaviiryaah paataala tala vaasinah || 6-21-30
Sea-snakes having brilliant faces and glittering eyes and the very valiant demons residing in nethermost subterranean region of the sea, were perturbed.
uurmayah sindhu raajasya sanakra makaraas tadaa |
vindhya mandara samkaashaah samutpetuh sahasrashah || 6-21-31
Thousands of waves, so large resembling Vindhya and Mandhara mountains, jumped up from the sea with its crocodiles and sea monsters.
aaghuurnita taranga oghah sambbhraanta uraga raaksasah |
udvartita mahaagraahah samvrittah salila aashayah || 6-21-32
That ocean with its multitude of fluctuating waves, with its frightened serpents and demons, with huge crocodiles coming out, became full of noise.
tatastu tam raaghava mugravegam |
prakarsamaanam dhmaraprameyam |
saumitrirutpatya vinihshvasantam |
maameti coktvaa dhanuraalalambe || 6-21-33
Then Lakshmana rushed towards Rama who in a terrific velocity was stretching his incomparable bow, with a penetrating sigh, crying: “No further, no farther” and took hold of the bow.
etadvinaapi hyudadhestavaarya |
sampatsyate viiratamasya kaaryam |
bhavadvidhaah krodhavasham na yaanti |
diirgham bhavaanpashyatu saadhuvrittam || 6-21-34
“O, honorable man! Even without the destruction of the ocean, the purpose of you the greatest hero will be fulfilled. Men like you do not fall into the sway of anger. You see some durable and noble alternative”
antarhitaishcaapi tathaantarikshe |
brahmarsibhishcaiva surarsibhishca |
shabdah kritah kastamiti bruvadbhi |
rmaa meti coktvaa mahataa svarena || 6-21-35
Brahmana-sages and celestial sages, stationed in the interior of the sky cried in a loud voices, saying “No farther, no farther” and making a noise “Ah, Oh, Alas !”
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande ekavimshah sargah
Thus completes 21st Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate