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.
उत्पेतुश्च विना रात्रिं ताराः खद्योतसप्रभाः। संलीनमीनविहगा नलिन्यः शुष्कपङ्कजाः
Stars, shining like fireflies, appeared without night; lotuses, with their fish and birds hidden, became withered and dry.
तस्मिन् क्षणे बभूवुश्च विना पुष्पफलैर्द्रुमाः। उद्धूतश्च विना वातं रेणुर्जलधरारुणः
At that moment, the trees became devoid of flowers and fruits; dust, red as clouds, was stirred up without wind.
चीचीकूचीति वाश्यन्त्यो बभूवुस्तत्र सारिकाः। उल्काश्चापि सनिर्घोषा निपेतुर्घोरदर्शनाः
There, the starlings began to cry out with 'cīcī' and 'kūcī' sounds; and dreadful meteors, resounding, fell down.
प्रचचाल मही चापि सशैलवनकानना। खरस्य च रथस्थस्य नर्दमानस्य धीमतः
The earth, along with its mountains, forests, and groves, trembled; as Khara, the wise one, roared from his chariot.
प्राकम्पत भुजः सव्यः स्वरश्चास्यावसज्जत। सास्रा सम्पद्यते दृष्टिः पश्यमानस्य सर्वतः
His left arm quivered, his voice faltered, and tears filled his eyes as he looked all around.
ललाटे च रुजो जाता न च मोहान्न्यवर्तत। तान् समीक्ष्य महोत्पातानुत्थितान् रोमहर्षणान्
Pain arose on his forehead, yet he did not turn back out of confusion; seeing those great, hair-raising omens.
अब्रवीद् राक्षसान् सर्वान् प्रहसन् स खरस्तदा। महोत्पातानिमान् सर्वानुत्थितान् घोरदर्शनान्
Then Khara, laughing, addressed all the Rākṣasas: 'All these great and dreadful omens have arisen.'
न चिन्तयाम्यहं वीर्याद् बलवान् दुर्बलानिव। तारा अपि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पातयेयं नभस्तलात्
I do not worry about them; by my strength, I consider the strong and the weak alike. Even the stars I could bring down from the sky with sharp arrows.
मृत्युं मरणधर्मेण संक्रुद्धो योजयाम्यहम्। राघवं तं बलोत्सिक्तं भ्रातरं चापि लक्ष्मणम्
Enraged, I will bring death, in accordance with the law of mortality, upon that Rāghava, proud of his strength, and his brother Lakṣmaṇa.
अहत्वा सायकैस्तीक्ष्णैर्नोपावर्तितुमुत्सहे। यन्निमित्तं तु रामस्य लक्ष्मणस्य विपर्ययः
Without slaying them with sharp arrows, I cannot turn back; for the downfall of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa is my purpose.