स गत्वा विप्रियाण्याह बहूनि मधुनः सुतम् । वदन्तमेवं तं दूतं भक्षयामास राक्षसः ।। ७.६७.
The messenger went and spoke many unpleasant words to Madhu's son; as he spoke thus, the demon devoured the messenger.
चिरायमाणे दूते तु राजा क्रोधसमन्वितः । अर्दयामास तद्रक्षः शरवृष्ट्या समन्ततः ।। ७.६७.
When the messenger delayed, the king, filled with anger, assailed that demon from all sides with a shower of arrows.
ततः प्रहस्य तद्रक्षः शूलं जग्राह पाणिना । वधाय सानुबन्धस्य मुमोचायुधमुत्तमम् ।। ७.६७.
Then, laughing, the demon seized a spear in his hand and hurled the excellent weapon to slay the king along with his retinue.
तच्छूलं दीप्यमानं तु सभृत्यबलवाहनम् । भस्मीकृत्वा नृपं भूयो लवणस्यागमत्करम् ।। ७.६७.
That blazing spear, along with its attendants, army, and vehicles, reduced the king to ashes and then returned to Lavaṇa as tribute.
एवं स राजा सुमहान्हतः सबलवाहनः । शूलस्य तु बलं सौम्य अप्रमेयमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.६७.
Thus that great king, together with his army and vehicles, was slain; O gentle one, the power of the spear is truly immeasurable and unsurpassed.
श्वः प्रभाते तु लवणं वधिष्यसि न संशयः । अगृहीतायुधं क्षिप्रं ध्रुवो हि विजयस्तव ।। ७.६७.
Tomorrow at dawn you will surely slay Lavaṇa; there is no doubt—if he is without his weapon, your victory is certain and swift.
लोकानां स्वस्ति चैव स्यात्कृते कर्मणि च त्वया । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं लवणस्य दुरात्मनः ।। ७.६७.
By your accomplishment, there will be welfare for the worlds; all this concerning the wicked Lavaṇa has been told to you.
शूलस्य च बलं घोरमप्रमेयं नरर्षभ । विनाशश्चैव मान्धातुर्यत्तेनाभूच्च पार्थिव ।। ७.६७.
O best of men, the terrible and immeasurable power of the spear, and the destruction of Māndhātṛ by it, have thus been related to you.
त्वं श्वः प्रभाते लवणं महात्मन्वधिष्यसे नात्र तु संशयो मे । शूलं विना निर्गतमामिषार्थे ध्रुवो जयस्ते भविता नरेन्द्र ।। ७.६७.
Tomorrow at dawn, O great-souled one, you will slay Lavaṇa—of this I have no doubt; when he goes out without his spear in search of flesh, your victory, O king, will surely come.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तषष्टितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the sixty-seventh sarga of the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa in the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by the sage Vālmīki.
कथां कथयतां तेषां जयं चाकाङ्क्षतां शुभम् । व्यतीता रजनी शीघ्रं शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.६८.
As they recounted stories and longed for auspicious victory, the night swiftly passed for the great-souled Śatrughna.
ततः प्रभाते विमले तस्मिन्काले स राक्षसः । निर्गतस्तु पुराद्धीरो भक्ष्याहारप्रचोदितः ।। ७.६८.
Then, at that pure dawn, the steadfast Rākṣasa left the city, driven by hunger and the urge for food.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरः शत्रुघ्नो यमुनां नदीम् । तीर्त्वा मधुपुरद्वारि धनुष्पाणिरतिष्ठत ।। ७.६८.
Meanwhile, the heroic Śatrughna, having crossed the Yamunā river, stood at the gate of Madhupura, holding his bow.
ततो ऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते क्रूरकर्मा स राक्षसः । आगच्छद्बहुसाहस्रं प्राणिनां भारमुद्वहन् ।। ७.६८.
When half the day had passed, that cruel Rākṣasa arrived, carrying the burden of many thousands of living beings.
ततो ददर्श शत्रुघ्नं स्थितं द्वारि धृतायुधम् । तमुवाच ततो रक्षः किमनेन करिष्यसि ।। ७.६८.
Then he saw Śatrughna standing at the gate, weapon in hand, and the Rākṣasa said to him: 'What will you do with this?'
ईदृशानां सहस्राणि सायुधानां नराधम । भक्षितानि मया रोषात्कालमाकाङ्क्षसे नु किम् ।। ७.६८.
'Thousands like you, armed, O lowest of men, have been devoured by me in anger—do you too now desire your time?'
आहारश्चास्य सम्पूर्णो ममायं पुरुषाधम । स्वयं प्रविष्टो ऽद्य मुखं कथमासाद्य दुर्मते ।। ७.६८.
'My hunger is now satisfied with you, O wretch among men, who have come of your own accord today into my mouth—how did you approach, O wicked-minded one?'
तस्यैवं भाषमाणस्य हसतश्च मुहुर्मुहुः । शत्रुघ्नो वीर्यसम्पन्नो रोषादश्रूण्यवासृजत् ।। ७.६८.
As he spoke thus, laughing again and again, Śatrughna, endowed with valor, shed tears of anger.
तस्य रोषाभिभूतस्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः । तेजोमया मरीच्यस्तु सर्वगात्रैर्विनिष्पतन् ।। ७.६८.
Overcome by wrath, the great-souled Śatrughna radiated beams of energy from all his limbs.
उवाच च सुसङ्क्रुद्धः शत्रुघ्नस्तं निशाचरम् । योद्धुमिच्छामि दुर्बुद्धे द्वन्द्वयुद्धं त्वया सह ।। ७.६८.
Then Śatrughna, greatly enraged, said to that night-wanderer: 'I wish to fight you, O wicked one, in single combat.'
पुत्रो दशरथस्याहं भ्राता रामस्य धीमतः । शत्रुघ्नो नित्यशत्रुघ्नो वधाकाङ्क्षी तवागतः ।। ७.६८.
'I am the son of Daśaratha, the brother of wise Rāma; I am Śatrughna, ever the destroyer of enemies, come here desiring your death.'
तस्य मे युद्धकामस्य द्वन्द्वयुद्धं प्रदीयताम् । शत्रुस्त्वं सर्वभूतानां न मे जीवन्गमिष्यसि ।। ७.६८.
Grant me a duel, for I desire battle; you are the enemy of all beings, and you shall not escape alive from me.
तस्मिंस्तथा ब्रुवाणे तु राक्षसः प्रहसन्निव । प्रत्युवाच नरश्रेष्ठं दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो ऽसि दुर्मते ।। ७.६८.
When he spoke thus, the rakshasa, laughing as if in scorn, replied to the foremost of men: 'By fate you have come here, O wicked-minded one.'
मम मातृष्वसुर्भ्राता रावणो राक्षसाधिपः । हतो रामेण दुर्बुद्धे स्त्रीहेतोः पुरुषाधम ।। ७.६८.
My mother's sister's son, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, was slain by Rama, O evil-minded one, lowest of men, for the sake of a woman.
तच्च सर्वं मया क्षान्तं रावणस्य कुलक्षयम् । अवज्ञां पुरतः कृत्वा मया यूयं विशेषतः ।। ७.६८.
All that—the destruction of Ravana's lineage—has been endured by me; disregarding it openly, especially you all, I have borne it.
निहताश्च हि मे सर्वे परिभूतास्तृणं यथा । भूताश्चैव भविष्याश्च यूयं च पुरुषाधमाः ।। ७.६८.
All those who were slain by me have been treated with contempt, like grass; both those who have been and those who will be, and you, O lowest of men.
तस्य ते युद्धकामस्य युद्धं दास्यामि दुर्मते । तिष्ठं त्वं च मुहूर्तं तु यावदायुधमानये । ईप्सितं यादृशं तुभ्यं सज्जये यावदायुधम् ।। ७.६८.
For you, who desire battle, I shall grant combat, O wicked-minded one; wait a moment while I fetch my weapon, whichever you wish, so I may prepare it.
तमुवाचाशु शत्रुघ्नः क्व मे जीवन्गमिष्यसि । शत्रुर्यदृच्छया दृष्टो न मोक्तव्यः कृतात्मना ।। ७.६८.
Shatrughna quickly said to him: 'Where will you escape alive from me? An enemy encountered by chance should not be released by one who is resolved.'
यो हि विक्लवया बुद्ध्या प्रसरं शत्रवे ददौ । स हतो मन्दबुद्धित्वाद्यथा कापुरुषस्तथा ।। ७.६८.
He who, with a wavering mind, gives an opening to the enemy, is slain due to his foolishness, just like a coward.
तस्मात्सुदृष्टं कुरु जीवलोकं शरैः शितैस्त्वां विविधैर्नयामि । यमस्य गेहाभिमुखं हि पापं रिपुं त्रिलोकस्य च राघवस्य ।। ७.६८.
Therefore, behold the world of the living well; with sharp arrows of many kinds, I shall lead you, O wicked one, enemy of the three worlds and of Raghava, toward the abode of Yama.