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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 3
In this Sarga, Virādha yells at Rāma and Lakshmaṇa and asks them who they are. Rāma and Lakshmaṇa tell him about themselves and their lineage. Then Virādha tells them his name and the names of his parents and brags about the boons he got from Brahma that has made him invincible.
He tells them to run away leaving Seetā behind, or get killed by him. Rāma gets angry and both he and Lakshmaṇa strike Virādha with sharp arrows. Virādha, in response, throws his spear at them, which Rāma breaks into pieces while it is still in the air.
Virādha then grabs both of them by hand and puts them on his shoulders and walks towards the Vana. Rāma tells Lakshmaṇa, 'Let him carry us, we have to go in this direction anyway!'
3.3.1 அதோவாச புநர்வாக்யம்
விராத: பூரயந்வநம் ।
ஆத்மாநம் ப்ருச்சதே ப்ரூதம்
கௌ யுவாம் க்வ கமிஷ்யத: ॥
athōvāca punarvākyaṃ
virādhaḥ pūrayanvanam ।
ātmānaṃ pṛcchatē brūtaṃ
kau yuvāṃ kva gamiṣyathaḥ ॥
Then Virādha yelled again, his voice
reverberating throughout the Vana:
'Hey, I am asking you!
Who are you? Where are you going?'
3.3.2 தமுவாச ததோ ராமோ
ராக்ஷஸம் ஜ்வலிதாநநம் ।
ப்ருச்சந்தம் ஸுமஹாதேஜா
இக்ஷ்வாகுகுலமாத்மந: ॥
tamuvāca tatō rāmō
rākṣasaṃ jvalitānanam ।
pṛcchantaṃ sumahātējā
ikṣvākukulamātmanaḥ ॥
In response to that question of the Rākshasa
whose face was burning (in anger),
the supremely radiant Rāma narrated
his lineage starting from Ikshwāku. Vālmeeki has an eye for contrasts. He uses contrast to highlight the differences between personalities.
Contrast between characters adds a wry beauty to the scene in its own way. You will see this many times in Rāmāyaṇa.
Rāma as well as the Rākshasa are like fire, but in a different way. Rāma is fiery with radiance. And Virādha is fiery with ravenous anger.
3.3.3 க்ஷத்ரியௌ வ்ருத்தஸம்பந்நௌ
வித்தி நௌ வநகோசரௌ ।
த்வாம் து வேதிதுமிச்சாவ:
கஸ்த்வம் சரஸி தண்டகாந் ॥
kṣatriyau vṛttasampannau
viddhi nau vanagōcarau ।
tvāṃ tu vēditumicchāvaḥ
kastvaṃ carasi daṇḍakān ॥
Know us as Kshatriyas of rich character
who happened to come to the Vana.
We would also like to know who you are
and why you are roaming in Daṇḍaka.
3.3.4 தமுவாச விராதஸ்து
ராமம் ஸத்யபராக்ரமம் ।
ஹந்த வக்ஷ்யாமி தே ராஜந்
நிபோத மம ராகவ ॥
tamuvāca virādhastu
rāmaṃ satyaparākramam ।
hanta vakṣyāmi tē rājan
nibōdha mama rāghava ॥
Then Virādha heckled Rāma, a man of true valor:
'Oh my, O Rāghava, O King, sure!
Sure, I will tell, and then you will know (who I am)!'
3.3.5 புத்ர: கில ஜயஸ்யாஹம்
மாதா மம ஸதஹ்ரதா ।
விராத இதி மாமாஹு:
ப்ருதிவ்யாம் ஸர்வராக்ஷஸா: ॥
putraḥ kila jayasyāhaṃ
mātā mama ṡatahradā ।
virādha iti māmāhuḥ
pṛthivyāṃ sarvarākṣasāḥ ॥
I am the son of Jaya. My mother is Ṡatahradā.
All the Rākshasas on this earth call me Virādha.
3.3.6 தபஸா சாபி மே ப்ராப்தா
ப்ரஹ்மணோ ஹி ப்ரஸாதஜா ।
ஸஸ்த்ரேணாவத்யதா லோகேऽ-
ச்சேத்யாபேத்யத்வமேவ ச ॥
tapasā cāpi mē prāptā
brahmaṇō hi prasādajā ।
ṡastrēṇāvadhyatā lōkē'-
cchēdyābhēdyatvamēva ca ॥
By doing Tapa and by the grace of Brahma,
I earned this; no weapon in this world
can kill me, or cut me or even hurt me. This Ṡlōka is a good example of the power of Sanskrit grammar and its structure, in allowing so much to be expressed so crisply and unambiguously.
3.3.7 உத்ஸ்ருஜ்ய ப்ரமதாமேநாம்
அநபேக்ஷௌ யதாகதம் ।
த்வரமாணௌ பலாயேதாம்
ந வாம் ஜீவிதமாததே ॥
utsṛjya pramadāmēnāṃ
anapēkṣau yathāgatam ।
tvaramāṇau palāyēthāṃ
na vāṃ jīvitamādadē ॥
Give up your love for this woman
and run away quickly just as you came.
I will spare your life.
3.3.8 தம் ராம: ப்ரத்யுவாசேதம்
கோபஸம்ரக்தலோசந: ।
ராக்ஷஸம் விக்ருதாகாரம்
விராதம் பாபசேதஸம் ॥
taṃ rāmaḥ pratyuvācēdaṃ
kōpasaṃraktalōcanaḥ ।
rākṣasaṃ vikṛtākāraṃ
virādhaṃ pāpacētasam ॥
Rāma, with his eyes turned blood red with anger,
shot back at that Rākshasa, Virādha,
of sinful mind and ugly shape, saying:
3.3.9 க்ஷுத்ர திக்த்வாம் து ஹீநார்தம்
ம்ருத்யுமந்வேஷஸே த்ருவம் ।
ரணே ப்ராப்ஸ்யஸே ஸந்திஷ்ட
ந மே ஜீவந் விமோக்ஷ்யஸே ॥
kṣudra dhiktvāṃ tu hīnārthaṃ
mṛtyumanvēṣasē dhruvam ।
raṇē prāpsyasē santiṣṭha
na mē jīvan vimōkṣyasē ॥
You wretch, Dhik on your heinous pursuits!
You certainly are seeking your own death
and you will get that in fight.
You will find no relief from me while you are alive!
3.3.10 தத: ஸஜ்யம் தநு: க்ருத்வா
ராமஸ்ஸுநிஸிதாஞ்சராந் ।
ஸுஸீக்ரமபிஸந்தாய
ராக்ஷஸம் நிஜகாந ஹ ॥
tataḥ sajyaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā
rāmassuniṡitāñcharān ।
suṡīghramabhisandhāya
rākṣasaṃ nijaghāna ha ॥
Then he strung the bow and immediately
struck the Rākshasa with sharp arrows.
3.3.11 தநுஷா ஜ்யாகுணவதா
ஸப்தபாணாந்முமோச ஹ ।
ருக்மபுங்காந் மஹாவேகாந்
ஸுபர்ணாநிலதுல்யகாந் ॥
dhanuṣā jyāguṇavatā
saptabāṇānmumōca ha ।
rukmapuṅkhān mahāvēgān
suparṇānilatulyagān ॥
From his bow that was strung,
he shot seven arrows of golden edges
with enormous speed, comparable
to that of Garuda and Wind.
3.3.12 தே ஸரீரம் விராதஸ்ய
பித்த்வாபர்ஹிணவாஸஸ: ।
நிபேதுஸ்ஸோணிதாதிக்தா
தரண்யாம் பாவகோபமா: ॥
tē ṡarīraṃ virādhasya
bhittvābarhiṇavāsasaḥ ।
nipētuṡṡōṇitādigdhā
dharaṇyāṃ pāvakōpamāḥ ॥
They, winged with peacock feathers,
pierced through the body of Virādha
and fell down, smeared with blood
and looking like tongues of flame.
3.3.13 ஸ வித்தோந்யஸ்ய வைதேஹீம்
ஸூலமுத்யம்ய ராக்ஷஸ: ।
அப்யத்ரவத்ஸுஸங்க்ருத்த:
ததா ராமம் ஸலக்ஷ்மணம் ॥
sa viddhōnyasya vaidēhīṃ
ṡūlamudyamya rākṣasaḥ ।
abhyadravatsusaṅkṛddhaḥ
tadā rāmaṃ salakṣmaṇam ॥
The Rākshasa who was thus struck, put down Vaidēhi
and dashed towards Rāma and Lakshmaṇa
in extreme rage, raising his spear.
3.3.14 ஸ விநத்ய மஹாநாதம்
ஸூலம் ஸக்ரத்வஜோபமம் ।
ப்ரக்ருஹ்யாஸோபத ததா
வ்யாத்தாநந இவாந்தக: ॥
sa vinadya mahānādaṃ
ṡūlaṃ ṡakradhvajōpamam ।
pragṛhyāṡōbhata tadā
vyāttānana ivāntakaḥ ॥
With the spear that resembled the flagstaff of Ṡakra,
and a roar that was extremely loud,
he looked like Yama with his mouth wide open
(ready to gorge all beings).
3.3.15 அத தௌ ப்ராதரௌ தீப்தம்
ஸரவர்ஷம் வவர்ஷது: ।
விராதே ராக்ஷஸே தஸ்மிந்
காலாந்தகயமோபமே ॥
atha tau bhrātarau dīptaṃ
ṡaravarṣaṃ vavarṣatuḥ ।
virādhē rākṣasē tasmin
kālāntakayamōpamē ॥
Then the two brothers showered volleys of fierce arrows
on Virādha the Rākshasa, who looked
like one who would put an end to time.
3.3.16 ஸ ப்ரஹஸ்ய மஹாரௌத்ர:
ஸ்தித்வாऽஜ்ரும்பத ராக்ஷஸ: ।
ஜ்ரும்பமாணஸ்ய தே பாணா:
காயாந்நிஷ்பேதுராஸுகா: ॥
sa prahasya mahāraudraḥ
sthitvā'jṛmbhata rākṣasaḥ ।
jṛmbhamāṇasya tē bāṇāḥ
kāyānniṣpēturāṡugāḥ ॥
The frightful Rākshasa, planting his feet firmly,
stretched and shook himself with a loud laugh
and those swift-flying arrows fell off.
3.3.17 ஸ்பர்ஸாத்து வரதாநேந
ப்ராணாந்ஸம்ரோத்ய ராக்ஷஸ: ।
விராத: ஸூலமுத்யம்ய
ராகவாவப்யதாவத ॥
sparṡāttu varadānēna
prāṇānsamrōdhya rākṣasaḥ ।
virādhaḥ ṡūlamudyamya
rāghavāvabhyadhāvata ॥
Able to hold on to his life with the help of
the boon that he had been granted,
the Rākshasa ran towards the scions of Raghu dynasty,
raising his spear aloft.
3.3.18 தச்சூலம் வஜ்ரஸங்காஸம்
ககநே ஜ்வலநோபமம் ।
த்வாப்யாம் ஸராப்யாம் சிச்சேத
ராம: ஸஸ்த்ரப்ருதாம்வர: ॥
tacchūlaṃ vajrasaṅkāṡaṃ
gaganē jvalanōpamam ।
dvābhyāṃ ṡarābhyāṃ cicchēda
rāmaḥ ṡastrabhṛtāṃvaraḥ ॥
Rāma, the foremost of archers,
smashed that spear, which was like fire resembling
Vajra (the thunderbolt of Indra) with two arrows.
3.3.19 தத்ராமவிஸிகச்சிந்நம்
ஸூலம் தஸ்யகராத்புவி ।
பபாதாஸநிநா சிந்நம்
மேரோரிவ ஸிலாதலம் ॥
tadrāmaviṡikhacchinnaṃ
ṡūlaṃ tasyakarādbhuvi ।
papātāṡaninā chinnaṃ
mērōriva ṡilātalam ॥
That spear, cut to pieces by Rama’s arrows,
fell down like a rock-face of Mount Mēru
sheared by a thunderbolt.
3.3.20 தௌ கட்கௌ க்ஷிப்ரமுத்யம்ய
க்ருஷ்ணஸர்போபமௌஸுபௌ ।
தூர்ணமாபேததுஸ்தஸ்ய
ததா ப்ரஹரதாம் பலாத் ॥
tau khaḍgau kṣipramudyamya
kṛṣṇasarpōpamauṡubhau ।
tūrṇamāpētatustasya
tadā praharatāṃ balāt ॥
Immediately, holding up two swords
that resembled black cobras,
they jumped at him and struck him with all force.
3.3.21 ஸ வத்யமாந: ஸுப்ருஸம்
புஜாப்யாம் பரிக்ருஹ்யதௌ ।
அப்ரகம்ப்யௌ நரவ்யாக்ரௌ
ரௌத்ர: ப்ரஸ்தாதுமைச்சத ॥
sa vadhyamānaḥ subhṛṡaṃ
bhujābhyāṃ parigṛhyatau ।
aprakampyau naravyāghrau
raudraḥ prasthātumaicchata ॥
Seizing them with his arms, as they belabored him,
that frightful creature wanted to carry them,
the tigers among men, the unshakable ones, off.
3.3.22-23 தஸ்யாபிப்ராயமாஜ்ஞாய
ராமோ லக்ஷ்மணமப்ரவீத்
வஹத்வயமலம் தாவத்
பதாऽநேந து ராக்ஷஸ: ॥
யதா சேச்சதி ஸௌமித்ரே
ததா வஹது ராக்ஷஸ: ।
அயமேவ ஹி ந: பந்தா
யேந யாதி நிஸாசர: ॥
tasyābhiprāyamājñāya
rāmō lakṣmaṇamabravīt
vahatvayamalaṃ tāvat
pathā'nēna tu rākṣasaḥ ॥
yathā cēcchati saumitrē
tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ ।
ayamēva hi naḥ panthā
yēna yāti niṡācaraḥ ॥
Knowing his intentions, Rāma said to Lakshmaṇa:
'O Sowmitri, let this Rākshasa, this night-rover,
nicely carry us in this direction as he likes;
this, anyway, is the direction we want to go!' Rāma has a lighter side to his personality, though the storyline does not offer much occasion for its expression. We saw it previously at the time of giving away cows to a Brāhmaṇa (2.32.35). Now, we see it in this Ṡlōka. What he says here is in jest. Would he really need a free ride? Would he go off leaving Seetā behind?
3.3.24 ஸ து ஸ்வபலவீர்யேண
ஸமுத்க்ஷிப்ய நிஸாசர: ।
பாலாவிவ ஸ்கந்தகதௌ
சகாராதிபலோத்தத: ॥
sa tu svabalavīryēṇa
samutkṣipya niṡācaraḥ ।
bālāviva skandhagatau
cakārātibalōddhataḥ ॥
And that night-rover, exulting in his overweening strength,
lifted them off the ground and put them on his shoulders
as if they were two little children.
3.3.25 தாவாரோப்ய தத: ஸ்கந்தம்
ராகவௌ ரஜநீசர: ।
விராதோ விநதந்கோரம்
ஜகாமாபிமுகோ வநம் ॥
tāvārōpya tataḥ skandhaṃ
rāghavau rajanīcaraḥ ।
virādhō vinadanghōraṃ
jagāmābhimukhō vanam ॥
Then, having put the scions of Raghu dynasty on his shoulders,
Virādha, the night-rover, let off a dreadful whoop,
and started walking towards the Vana.
3.3.26 வநம் மஹாமேகநிபம் ப்ரவிஷ்டோ
த்ருமைர்மஹத்பிர்விவிதைருபேதம் ।
நாநாவிதை: பக்ஷிகுலைர்விசித்ரம்
ஸிவாயுதம் வ்யாலம்ருகைர்விகீர்ணம் ॥
vanaṃ mahāmēghanibhaṃ praviṣṭō
drumairmahadbhirvividhairupētam ।
nānāvidhaiḥ pakṣikulairvicitraṃ
ṡivāyutaṃ vyālamṛgairvikīrṇam ॥
He entered the forest,
which was like a huge cloud,
filled with various kinds of giant trees,
resplendent with flocks of many kinds of birds
and teeming with jackals and wild beasts.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே த்ருதீயஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē tṛtīyassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the third Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.