47 shlokas
एवं सञ्चिन्त्य विप्रेन्दो जगाम लघुविक्रमः । आख्यातुं तद्यथावृत्तं यमस्य सदनं प्रति ।। 7.21.1 ।।
evaṃ sañcintya viprendo jagāma laghuvikramaḥ | ākhyātuṃ tadyathāvṛttaṃ yamasya sadanaṃ prati || 7.21.1 ||
Translation
Having thus reflected, the foremost of the twice-born, swift of stride, went toward the abode of Yama in order to relate that matter just as it had happened.
अपश्यत्स यमं तत्र देवमग्निपुरस्कृतम् । विधानमुपतिष्ठन्तं प्राणिनो यस्य यादृशम् ।। 7.21.2 ।।
apaśyatsa yamaṃ tatra devamagnipuraskṛtam | vidhānamupatiṣṭhantaṃ prāṇino yasya yādṛśam || 7.21.2 ||
Translation
There he beheld the god Yama, attended by Agni (Fire) at his fore, ordaining for each living being the dispensation according to its deserts.
स तु दृष्ट्वा यमः प्राप्तं महर्षिं तत्र नारदम् । अब्रवीत्सुखमासीनमर्घ्यमावेद्य धर्मतः ।। 7.21.3 ।।
sa tu dṛṣṭvā yamaḥ prāptaṃ maharṣiṃ tatra nāradam | abravītsukhamāsīnamarghyamāvedya dharmataḥ || 7.21.3 ||
Translation
And Yama, seeing the great sage Narada arrived there, having duly offered him the arghya (guest-water) according to custom, addressed him as he sat at ease:
कच्चित्क्षेमं तु देवर्षे कच्चिद्धर्मो न नश्यति । किमागमनकृत्यं ते देवगन्धर्वसेवित ।। 7.21.4 ।।
kaccitkṣemaṃ tu devarṣe kacciddharmo na naśyati | kimāgamanakṛtyaṃ te devagandharvasevita || 7.21.4 ||
Translation
"Is all well, O divine sage? Is righteousness not perishing? What is the purpose of your coming, O you who are honored by gods and Gandharvas?"
अब्रवीत्तु तदा वाक्यं नारदो भगवानृषिः । श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि विधानं च विधीयताम् ।। 7.21.5 ।।
abravīttu tadā vākyaṃ nārado bhagavānṛṣiḥ | śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi vidhānaṃ ca vidhīyatām || 7.21.5 ||
Translation
Then the venerable sage Narada spoke these words: "Let it be heard. I shall tell you what is to be done, and let that course be carried out."
एष नाम्नो दशग्रीवः पितृराज निशाचरः । उपयाति वशं नेतुं विक्रमैस्त्वां सुदुर्जयम् ।। 7.21.6 ।।
eṣa nāmno daśagrīvaḥ pitṛrāja niśācaraḥ | upayāti vaśaṃ netuṃ vikramaistvāṃ sudurjayam || 7.21.6 ||
Translation
"O lord of the ancestors, this night-ranging rakshasa named the Ten-necked is approaching to bring you, who are exceedingly hard to conquer, under his sway by his prowess."
एतेन कारणेनाहं त्वरितो ह्यागतः प्रभो । दण्डप्रहरणस्याद्य तव किं नु भविष्यति ।। 7.21.7 ।।
etena kāraṇenāhaṃ tvarito hyāgataḥ prabho | daṇḍapraharaṇasyādya tava kiṃ nu bhaviṣyati || 7.21.7 ||
Translation
"For this very reason, O lord, I have come in haste. What now will become of you, whose weapon is the rod of punishment?"
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दुरादंशुमन्तमिवोदितम् । ददृशुर्दीप्तमायान्तं विमानं तस्य रक्षसः ।। 7.21.8 ।।
etasminnantare durādaṃśumantamivoditam | dadṛśurdīptamāyāntaṃ vimānaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ || 7.21.8 ||
Translation
At that very moment they beheld from afar the blazing aerial chariot of that rakshasa coming on, risen like the radiant sun.
तं देशं प्रभया तस्य पुष्पकस्य महाबलः । कृत्वा वितिमिरं सर्वं समीपं सो ऽभ्यवर्तत ।। 7.21.9 ।।
taṃ deśaṃ prabhayā tasya puṣpakasya mahābalaḥ | kṛtvā vitimiraṃ sarvaṃ samīpaṃ so 'bhyavartata || 7.21.9 ||
Translation
That mighty one, having made the whole of that region free of darkness by the splendor of his Pushpaka chariot, drew near to the place.
सो ऽपश्यत्स महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवस्ततस्ततः । प्राणिनः सुकृतं कर्म भुञ्जानांश्चैव दुष्कृतम् ।। 7.21.10 ।।
so 'paśyatsa mahābāhurdaśagrīvastatastataḥ | prāṇinaḥ sukṛtaṃ karma bhuñjānāṃścaiva duṣkṛtam || 7.21.10 ||
Translation
Then that great-armed Ten-necked one looked here and there, and saw living beings reaping the fruit of their good deeds, and likewise of their evil deeds.
अपश्यत्सैनिकांश्चास्य यमस्यानुचरैः सह । यमस्य पुरुषैरुग्रैर्घोररूपैर्भयानकैः ।। 7.21.11 ।।
apaśyatsainikāṃścāsya yamasyānucaraiḥ saha | yamasya puruṣairugrairghorarūpairbhayānakaiḥ || 7.21.11 ||
Translation
He saw the soldiers of Yama together with his attendants — Yama's men, fierce, of dreadful and terrifying form.
ददर्श वध्यमानांश्च क्लिश्यमानांश्च देहिनः । क्रोशतश्च महानादं तीव्रनिष्टनतत्परान् ।। 7.21.12 ।।
dadarśa vadhyamānāṃśca kliśyamānāṃśca dehinaḥ | krośataśca mahānādaṃ tīvraniṣṭanatatparān || 7.21.12 ||
Translation
He saw embodied beings being slain and tormented, crying out with a great roar and given over to bitter wailing.
कृमिभिर्भक्ष्यमाणांश्च सारमेयैश्च दारुणैः ।। 7.21.13 ।।
kṛmibhirbhakṣyamāṇāṃśca sārameyaiśca dāruṇaiḥ || 7.21.13 ||
Translation
And he saw them being devoured by worms and by cruel hounds.
क्षोत्रायासकरा वाचो वदतश्च भयावहाः । सन्तार्यमाणान्वैतरणीं बहुशः शोणितोदकाम् ।। 7.21.14 ।।
kṣotrāyāsakarā vāco vadataśca bhayāvahāḥ | santāryamāṇānvaitaraṇīṃ bahuśaḥ śoṇitodakām || 7.21.14 ||
Translation
He heard voices that pained the ear and were terrifying as they spoke; and he saw beings being made to cross the Vaitarani river, whose waters again and again ran with blood.
वालुकासु च तप्तासु तप्यमानान्मुहूर्मुहुः । असिपत्रवने चैव भिद्यमानानधार्मिकान् ।। 7.21.15 ।।
vālukāsu ca taptāsu tapyamānānmuhūrmuhuḥ | asipatravane caiva bhidyamānānadhārmikān || 7.21.15 ||
Translation
He saw the unrighteous being scorched again and again upon burning sands, and being cut apart in the sword-leaved forest.
रौरवे क्षारनद्यां च क्षुरधारासु चैव हि । पानीयं याचमानांश्च तृषितान्क्षुधितानपि ।। 7.21.16 ।।
raurave kṣāranadyāṃ ca kṣuradhārāsu caiva hi | pānīyaṃ yācamānāṃśca tṛṣitānkṣudhitānapi || 7.21.16 ||
Translation
He saw them in the Raurava hell, in the river of caustic alkali, and upon razor's edges, and saw the thirsty and the hungry begging for water.
शवभूतान्कृशान्दीनान्विवर्णान्मुक्तमूर्धजान् । मलपङ्कधरान्दीनान्रूक्षांश्च परिधावतः ।। 7.21.17 ।।
śavabhūtānkṛśāndīnānvivarṇānmuktamūrdhajān | malapaṅkadharāndīnānrūkṣāṃśca paridhāvataḥ || 7.21.17 ||
Translation
Ravana saw upon the path, by hundreds and by thousands, beings reduced to corpses, emaciated, wretched, pallid, with disheveled hair, smeared with the filth of dirt and mud, miserable, parched, and running about.
ददर्श रावणो मार्गे शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः । कांश्चिच्च गृहमुख्येषु गीतवादित्रनिःस्वनैः । प्रमोदमानानद्राक्षीद्रावणः सुकृतैः स्वकैः ।। 7.21.18 ।।
dadarśa rāvaṇo mārge śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ | kāṃścicca gṛhamukhyeṣu gītavāditraniḥsvanaiḥ | pramodamānānadrākṣīdrāvaṇaḥ sukṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ || 7.21.18 ||
Translation
And Ravana saw some in the chief mansions rejoicing through their own good deeds, amid the sounds of song and musical instruments.
गौरसं गोप्रदातारो ह्यन्नं चैवान्नदायिनः । गृहांश्च गृहदातारः स्वकर्मफलमश्नतः ।। 7.21.19 ।।
gaurasaṃ gopradātāro hyannaṃ caivānnadāyinaḥ | gṛhāṃśca gṛhadātāraḥ svakarmaphalamaśnataḥ || 7.21.19 ||
Translation
He saw the givers of cows enjoying the produce of the cow, the givers of food enjoying food, and the givers of houses enjoying houses — each consuming the fruit of his own deeds.
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताभिः प्रमदाभिरलङ्कृतान् ।। 7.21.20 ।।
suvarṇamaṇimuktābhiḥ pramadābhiralaṅkṛtān || 7.21.20 ||
Translation
He saw them adorned by lovely women decked with gold, gems, and pearls.
धार्मिकानपरांस्तत्र दीप्यमानान्स्वतेजसा । ददर्श सुमहाबाहू रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ।। 7.21.21 ।।
dhārmikānaparāṃstatra dīpyamānānsvatejasā | dadarśa sumahābāhū rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ || 7.21.21 ||
Translation
There the great-armed Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, saw still others, the righteous, blazing with their own splendor.
ततस्तान्भिद्यमानांश्च कर्मभिर्दुष्कृतैः स्वकैः । रावणो मोचयामास विक्रमेण बलाद्बली ।। 7.21.22 ।।
tatastānbhidyamānāṃśca karmabhirduṣkṛtaiḥ svakaiḥ | rāvaṇo mocayāmāsa vikrameṇa balādbalī || 7.21.22 ||
Translation
Then the mighty Ravana, by his prowess and by force, set free those who were being cut apart on account of their own evil deeds.
प्राणिनो मोचितास्तेन दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा । सुखमापुर्मुहूर्तं ते ह्यतर्कितमचिन्तितम् ।। 7.21.23 ।।
prāṇino mocitāstena daśagrīveṇa rakṣasā | sukhamāpurmuhūrtaṃ te hyatarkitamacintitam || 7.21.23 ||
Translation
The living beings set free by that rakshasa, the Ten-necked one, attained for a moment a happiness unlooked-for and unimagined.
प्रेतेषु मुच्यमानेषु राक्षसेन महीयसा । प्रेतगोपाः सुसङ्क्रुद्धा राक्षसेन्द्रमभिद्रवन् ।। 7.21.24 ।।
preteṣu mucyamāneṣu rākṣasena mahīyasā | pretagopāḥ susaṅkruddhā rākṣasendramabhidravan || 7.21.24 ||
Translation
When the departed spirits were being released by the mighty rakshasa, the keepers of the departed, greatly enraged, rushed upon the lord of the rakshasas.
ततो हलहलाशब्दः सर्वदिग्भ्यः समुत्थितः । धर्मराजस्य योधानां शूराणां सम्प्रधावताम् ।। 7.21.25 ।।
tato halahalāśabdaḥ sarvadigbhyaḥ samutthitaḥ | dharmarājasya yodhānāṃ śūrāṇāṃ sampradhāvatām || 7.21.25 ||
Translation
Then, as the heroic warriors of Yama, the King of Righteousness, rushed forward, a tumultuous uproar arose on every side, from all the quarters.
ते प्रासैः परिघैः शूलैर्मुसलैः शक्तितोमरैः । पुष्पकं समवर्षन्त शूराः शतसहस्रशः ।। 7.21.26 ।।
te prāsaiḥ parighaiḥ śūlairmusalaiḥ śaktitomaraiḥ | puṣpakaṃ samavarṣanta śūrāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ || 7.21.26 ||
Translation
With darts, iron clubs, pikes, pestle-maces, javelins, and lances, those heroes, numbering in their hundreds of thousands, rained their weapons upon the Pushpaka.
तस्यासनानि प्रासादान्वेदिकास्तोरणानि च । पुष्पकस्य बभञ्जुस्ते शीघ्रं मधुकरा इव ।। 7.21.27 ।।
tasyāsanāni prāsādānvedikāstoraṇāni ca | puṣpakasya babhañjuste śīghraṃ madhukarā iva || 7.21.27 ||
Translation
They swiftly shattered the seats, the upper chambers, the platforms, and the archways of that Pushpaka, like bees swarming over it.
देवनिष्ठानभूतं तद्विमानं पुष्पकं मृधे । भज्यमानं तथैवासीदक्षयं ब्रह्मतेजसा ।। 7.21.28 ।।
devaniṣṭhānabhūtaṃ tadvimānaṃ puṣpakaṃ mṛdhe | bhajyamānaṃ tathaivāsīdakṣayaṃ brahmatejasā || 7.21.28 ||
Translation
Yet that aerial car Pushpaka, the abode of the gods, though it was being broken apart in the battle, remained even so unchanged and indestructible, for it was imperishable by the power of Brahma's might.
असङ्ख्या सुमहत्यासीत्तस्य सेना महात्मनः । शूराणामग्रयातऽणां सहस्राणि शतानि च ।। 7.21.29 ।।
asaṅkhyā sumahatyāsīttasya senā mahātmanaḥ | śūrāṇāmagrayāta'ṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni ca || 7.21.29 ||
Translation
Beyond counting and exceedingly vast was the army of that great-souled one; the heroes who marched in its vanguard numbered hundreds and thousands.
ततो वृक्षैश्च शैलैश्च प्रासादानां शतैस्तथा । ततस्ते सचिवास्तस्य यथाकामं यथाबलम् । अयुध्यन्त महावीराः स च राजा दशाननः ।। 7.21.30 ।।
tato vṛkṣaiśca śailaiśca prāsādānāṃ śataistathā | tataste sacivāstasya yathākāmaṃ yathābalam | ayudhyanta mahāvīrāḥ sa ca rājā daśānanaḥ || 7.21.30 ||
Translation
Then with trees, with rocks, and with hundreds of the palace-chambers, those ministers of his, mighty heroes, fought on according to their will and according to their strength, and so too did King Dashanana himself.
ते तु शोणितदिग्धाङ्गाः सर्वशस्त्रसमाहताः । अमात्या राक्षसेन्द्रस्य चक्रुरायोधनं महत् ।। 7.21.31 ।।
te tu śoṇitadigdhāṅgāḥ sarvaśastrasamāhatāḥ | amātyā rākṣasendrasya cakrurāyodhanaṃ mahat || 7.21.31 ||
Translation
And those ministers of the lord of the Rakshasas, their limbs smeared with blood and struck by every kind of weapon, waged a mighty battle.
अन्योन्यं ते महाभागा जघ्नुः प्रहरणैर्भृशम् । यमस्य च महाबाहो रावणस्य च मन्त्रिणः ।। 7.21.32 ।।
anyonyaṃ te mahābhāgā jaghnuḥ praharaṇairbhṛśam | yamasya ca mahābāho rāvaṇasya ca mantriṇaḥ || 7.21.32 ||
Translation
O mighty-armed one, those illustrious counselors of Yama and of Ravana struck one another fiercely with their weapons.
अमात्यांस्तांस्तु सन्त्यज्य यमयोधा महाबलाः । तमेव चाभ्यधावन्त शूलवर्षैर्दशाननम् ।। 7.21.33 ।।
amātyāṃstāṃstu santyajya yamayodhā mahābalāḥ | tameva cābhyadhāvanta śūlavarṣairdaśānanam || 7.21.33 ||
Translation
But then the warriors of Yama, of great strength, abandoning those ministers, rushed upon Dashanana himself with showers of pikes.
ततः शोणितदिग्धाङ्गः प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतः । फुल्लाशोक इवाभाति पुष्पके राक्षसाधिपः ।। 7.21.34 ।।
tataḥ śoṇitadigdhāṅgaḥ prahārairjarjarīkṛtaḥ | phullāśoka ivābhāti puṣpake rākṣasādhipaḥ || 7.21.34 ||
Translation
Thereupon, his limbs smeared with blood and his body battered by their blows, the lord of the Rakshasas shone upon the Pushpaka like an Ashoka tree in full bloom.
स तु शूलगदापासाञ्छक्तितोमरसायकान् । मुसलानि शिलावृक्षान्मुमोचास्त्रबलाद्बली ।। 7.21.35 ।।
sa tu śūlagadāpāsāñchaktitomarasāyakān | musalāni śilāvṛkṣānmumocāstrabalādbalī || 7.21.35 ||
Translation
Then that mighty one, by the power of his missiles, hurled forth pikes, maces, nooses, javelins, lances, arrows, pestle-clubs, rocks, and trees.
तरूणां च शिलानां च शस्त्राणां चातिदारुणम् । यमसैन्येषु तद्वर्षं पपात धरणीतले ।। 7.21.36 ।।
tarūṇāṃ ca śilānāṃ ca śastrāṇāṃ cātidāruṇam | yamasainyeṣu tadvarṣaṃ papāta dharaṇītale || 7.21.36 ||
Translation
That most terrible rain of trees, rocks, and weapons fell down upon the armies of Yama and upon the surface of the earth.
तांस्तु सर्वान्विनिर्भिद्य तदस्त्रमपहत्य च । जघ्नुस्ते राक्षसं घोरमेकं शतसहस्रशः ।। 7.21.37 ।।
tāṃstu sarvānvinirbhidya tadastramapahatya ca | jaghnuste rākṣasaṃ ghoramekaṃ śatasahasraśaḥ || 7.21.37 ||
Translation
But piercing through all those weapons and warding off that missile, they, in their hundreds of thousands, struck that single, dreadful Rakshasa.
परिवार्य च तं सर्वे शैलं मोघोत्करा इव । भिन्दिपालैश्च शूलैश्च निरुच्छ्वासमपोथयन् ।। 7.21.38 ।।
parivārya ca taṃ sarve śailaṃ moghotkarā iva | bhindipālaiśca śūlaiśca nirucchvāsamapothayan || 7.21.38 ||
Translation
Surrounding him on all sides like a swarm of locusts upon a mountain, they pounded him with slings and pikes until he could scarcely draw breath.
विमुक्तकवचः क्रुद्धः सिक्तः शोणितविस्रवैः । ततः स पुष्पकं त्यक्त्वा पृथिव्यामवतिष्ठत ।। 7.21.39 ।।
vimuktakavacaḥ kruddhaḥ siktaḥ śoṇitavisravaiḥ | tataḥ sa puṣpakaṃ tyaktvā pṛthivyāmavatiṣṭhata || 7.21.39 ||
Translation
Stripped of his armor, enraged, and drenched in streams of blood, he then forsook the Pushpaka and took his stand upon the earth.
ततः स कार्मुकी वाणी समरे चाभिवर्तत । लब्धसञ्ज्ञो मुहूर्तेन क्रुद्धस्तस्थौ यथान्तकः ।। 7.21.40 ।।
tataḥ sa kārmukī vāṇī samare cābhivartata | labdhasañjño muhūrtena kruddhastasthau yathāntakaḥ || 7.21.40 ||
Translation
Then, bow and arrow in hand, he turned back to the fray; having regained his senses within a moment, he stood there in his fury like Death himself.
ततः पाशुपतं दिव्यमस्त्रं सन्धाय कार्मुके । तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति तानुक्त्वा तच्चापं विचकर्ष स ।। 7.21.41 ।।
tataḥ pāśupataṃ divyamastraṃ sandhāya kārmuke | tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti tānuktvā taccāpaṃ vicakarṣa sa || 7.21.41 ||
Translation
Then, fitting the divine Pashupata missile to his bow, and crying out to them 'Stand! Stand!', he drew that bow taut.
आकर्णात्स विकृष्याथ चापमिन्द्रारिराहवे । मुमोच तं शरं क्रुद्धस्त्रिपुरे शङ्करो यथा ।। 7.21.42 ।।
ākarṇātsa vikṛṣyātha cāpamindrārirāhave | mumoca taṃ śaraṃ kruddhastripure śaṅkaro yathā || 7.21.42 ||
Translation
Drawing the bow back to his very ear in the battle, that foe of Indra, in his wrath, loosed that arrow, as Shankara had done against the Triple City.
तस्य रूपं शरस्यासीत्विधूमज्वालमण्डलम् । वनं दहिष्यतो घर्मे दावाग्नेरिव मूर्च्छतः ।। 7.21.43 ।।
tasya rūpaṃ śarasyāsītvidhūmajvālamaṇḍalam | vanaṃ dahiṣyato gharme dāvāgneriva mūrcchataḥ || 7.21.43 ||
Translation
The form of that arrow was a smokeless circle of flame, like a forest-fire blazing up in the summer heat as it sets about to consume a wood.
ज्वालामाली स तु शरः क्रव्यादानुगतो रणे । मुक्तो गुल्मान्द्रुमांश्चापि भस्म कृत्वा प्रधावति ।। 7.21.44 ।।
jvālāmālī sa tu śaraḥ kravyādānugato raṇe | mukto gulmāndrumāṃścāpi bhasma kṛtvā pradhāvati || 7.21.44 ||
Translation
And that arrow, wreathed in flames and followed by flesh-eating demons, once loosed in the battle, sped onward, reducing the thickets and the trees to ashes.
ते तस्य तेजसा दग्धाः सैन्या वैवस्वतस्य तु । रणे तस्मिन्निपतिता दावदग्धा नगा इव ।। 7.21.45 ।।
te tasya tejasā dagdhāḥ sainyā vaivasvatasya tu | raṇe tasminnipatitā dāvadagdhā nagā iva || 7.21.45 ||
Translation
Scorched by his fiery energy, the soldiers of Vaivasvata fell down in that battle like trees consumed by a forest fire.
ततस्तु सिचवैः सार्धं राक्षसो भीमविक्रमः । ननाद सुमहानादं कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम् ।। 7.21.46 ।।
tatastu sicavaiḥ sārdhaṃ rākṣaso bhīmavikramaḥ | nanāda sumahānādaṃ kampayanniva medinīm || 7.21.46 ||
Translation
Then the Rakshasa of terrible valor, together with his ministers, roared a tremendous roar, as if making the earth tremble.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः ।। 21 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe ekaviṃśaḥ sargaḥ || 21 ||
Translation
Thus, in the holy and glorious Ramayana, the first epic composed by Valmiki, ends the twenty-first sarga of the glorious Uttara Kanda.