तया परुषितः पूर्वं पुनरेव प्रशंसितः। अब्रवीद् दूषणं नाम खरः सेनापतिं तदा
Having previously been harshly addressed by her, and now again praised, Khara then spoke to Dushana, his general.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि मम चित्तानुवर्तिनाम्। रक्षसां भीमवेगानां समरेष्वनिवर्तिनाम्
Fourteen thousand demons, fierce and relentless in battle, follow my will.
नीलजीमूतवर्णानां लोकहिंसाविहारिणाम्। सर्वोद्योगमुदीर्णानां रक्षसां सौम्य कारय
They are dark as rain clouds, roam about harming the world, and are all fully prepared; assemble all these demons, gentle one.
उपस्थापय मे क्षिप्रं रथं सौम्य धनूंषि च। शरांश्च चित्रान् खड्गांश्च शक्तीश्च विविधाः शिताः
Quickly bring me my chariot, gentle one, along with bows, arrows of various kinds, swords, and sharp spears.
अग्रे निर्यातुमिच्छामि पौलस्त्यानां महात्मनाम्। वधार्थं दुर्विनीतस्य रामस्य रणकोविद
I wish to advance at the front, for the destruction of that unruly Rāma, who is skilled in battle, along with the great-souled Paulastyas.
इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य सूर्यवर्णं महारथम्। सदश्वैः शबलैर्युक्तमाचचक्षेऽथ दूषणः
As he was speaking thus, Dūṣaṇa ordered for him a great chariot, shining like the sun, yoked with dappled steeds.
तं मेरुशिखराकारं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणम्। हेमचक्रमसम्बाधं वैदूर्यमयकूबरम्
That chariot, resembling the peak of Mount Meru, adorned with refined gold, crowded with golden wheels, and with a yoke made of cat's-eye gems,
मत्स्यैः पुष्पैर्द्रुमैः शैलैश्चन्द्रसूर्यैश्च काञ्चनैः। माङ्गल्यैः पक्षिसङ्घैश्च ताराभिश्च समावृतम्
Covered with images of fish, flowers, trees, mountains, golden moons and suns, auspicious birds in flocks, and stars,
ध्वजनिस्त्रिंशसम्पन्नं किंकिणीवरभूषितम्। सदश्वयुक्तं सोऽमर्षादारुरोह खरस्तदा
Equipped with banners and swords, adorned with excellent bells, and always yoked with fine horses, Khara, in his anger, mounted it then.
खरस्तु तन्महत्सैन्यं रथचर्मायुधध्वजम्। निर्यातेत्यब्रवीत् प्रेक्ष्य दूषणः सर्वराक्षसान्
Khara, seeing that great army with chariots, armor, weapons, and banners, said to all the Rākṣasas, 'Set out!' to Dūṣaṇa.
ततस्तद् राक्षसं सैन्यं घोरचर्मायुधध्वजम्। निर्जगाम जनस्थानान्महानादं महाजवम्
Then that Rākṣasa army, with terrifying armor, weapons, and banners, departed from Janasthāna, roaring loudly and moving with great speed.
मुद्गरैः पट्टिशैः शूलैः सुतीक्ष्णैश्च परश्वधैः। खड्गैश्चक्रैश्च हस्तस्थैर्भ्राजमानैः सतोमरैः
With clubs, spears, tridents, very sharp axes, swords, and wheels held in their hands, shining with maces and javelins,
शक्तिभिः परिघैर्घोरैरतिमात्रैश्च कार्मुकैः। गदासिमुसलैर्वज्रैर्गृहीतैर्भीमदर्शनैः
With lances, dreadful iron bars, exceedingly great bows, maces, swords, pestles, and thunderbolts, all fearsome to behold,
राक्षसानां सुघोराणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश। निर्यातानि जनस्थानात् खरचित्तानुवर्तिनाम्
Fourteen thousand terrifying Rākṣasas, devoted to Khara's will, set out from Janasthāna.
तांस्तु निर्धावतो दृष्ट्वा राक्षसान् भीमदर्शनान्। खरस्याथ रथः किंचिज्जगाम तदनन्तरम्
Seeing those fearsome Rākṣasas rushing forth, Khara's chariot then followed a little behind.
संचोदितो रथः शीघ्रं खरस्य रिपुघातिनः। शब्देनापूरयामास दिशः सप्रदिशस्तथा
Urged on, the chariot of Khara, the destroyer of enemies, swiftly filled all the quarters and intermediate directions with its sound.
प्रवृद्धमन्युस्तु खरः खरस्वरो रिपोर्वधार्थं त्वरितो यथान्तकः। अचूचुदत् सारथिमुन्नदन् पुन- र्महाबलो मेघ इवाश्मवर्षवान्
Khara, his anger greatly increased, his voice harsh, hastened for the destruction of his enemy like Death himself; he shouted at his charioteer again, roaring like a mighty cloud hurling stones.
thumb|त्रयोविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे त्रयोविंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen to the twenty-third sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇya Kāṇḍa.
तत्प्रयातं बलं घोरमशिवं शोणितोदकम्। अभ्यवर्षन्महाघोरस्तुमुलो गर्दभारुणः
As that dreadful, inauspicious army set out, a terrible, tumultuous rain of blood, colored like a donkey, poured down upon them.
निपेतुस्तुरगास्तस्य रथयुक्ता महाजवाः। समे पुष्पचिते देशे राजमार्गे यदृच्छया
The swift horses yoked to that chariot collapsed by chance on the royal road, in a region strewn with flowers.
श्यामं रुधिरपर्यन्तं बभूव परिवेषणम्। अलातचक्रप्रतिमं प्रतिगृह्य दिवाकरम्
A dark, blood-red circle, like a blazing wheel, appeared around the sun.
ततो ध्वजमुपागम्य हेमदण्डं समुच्छ्रितम्। समाक्रम्य महाकायस्तस्थौ गृध्रः सुदारुणः
Then, approaching the raised golden banner, a great-bodied, dreadful vulture perched upon it.
जनस्थानसमीपे च समाक्रम्य खरस्वनाः। विस्वरान् विविधान् नादान् मांसादा मृगपक्षिणः
Near Janasthāna, the carnivorous beasts and birds, uttering the cries of Kharas, approached and made various dreadful sounds.
व्याजह्रुरभिदीप्तायां दिशि वै भैरवस्वनम्। अशिवं यातुधानानां शिवा घोरा महास्वनाः
In the blazing direction, the fierce and terrifying ones, auspicious yet dreadful, uttered the ghastly cries of the night-dwellers.
प्रभिन्नगजसंकाशास्तोयशोणितधारिणः। आकाशं तदनाकाशं चक्रुर्भीमाम्बुवाहकाः
Massive clouds, resembling split elephants and bearing streams of blood and water, covered the sky, making it appear as though there was no sky at all.
बभूव तिमिरं घोरमुद्धतं रोमहर्षणम्। दिशो वा प्रदिशो वापि सुव्यक्तं न चकाशिरे
A terrible, tumultuous darkness arose, causing the hair to stand on end; neither the directions nor the intermediate quarters were clearly visible.
क्षतजार्द्रसवर्णाभा संध्या कालं विना बभौ। खरं चाभिमुखं नेदुस्तदा घोरा मृगाः खगाः
The twilight, without the time of day, shone with the hue of fresh blood; then, dreadful beasts and birds cried out facing Khara.
कङ्कगोमायुगृध्राश्च चुक्रुशुर्भयशंसिनः। नित्याशिवकरा युद्धे शिवा घोरनिदर्शनाः
Herons, jackals, and vultures gave forth ominous cries, always portending evil in battle, yet appearing as dreadful omens.
नेदुर्बलस्याभिमुखं ज्वालोद्गारिभिराननैः। कबन्धः परिघाभासो दृश्यते भास्करान्तिके
Facing Bala, with mouths emitting flames, a Kabandha, resembling an iron club, was seen near the sun.
जग्राह सूर्यं स्वर्भानुरपर्वणि महाग्रहः। प्रवाति मारुतः शीघ्रं निष्प्रभोऽभूद् दिवाकरः
The great demon Svarbhānu seized the sun during the wrong phase; the wind blew fiercely, and the sun lost its brilliance.