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.
युष्माकमेतत् प्रत्यक्षं नानृतं कथयाम्यहम्। देवराजमपि क्रुद्धो मत्तैरावतगामिनम्
This is evident before you; I do not speak falsely. Even if enraged, I could slay the king of the gods, who rides the intoxicated Airavata.
वज्रहस्तं रणे हन्यां किं पुनस्तौ च मानवौ। सा तस्य गर्जितं श्रुत्वा राक्षसानां महाचमूः
He who wields the thunderbolt in battle could be slain by me—what then of those two men? Hearing his roar, the great army of the Rākṣasas
प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मृत्युपाशावपाशिता। समेयुश्च महात्मानो युद्धदर्शनकांक्षिणः
felt incomparable delight, though bound by the noose of death; and the great souls, eager to witness the battle, assembled.
ऋषयो देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च सह चारणैः। समेत्य चोचुः सहितास्तेऽन्योन्यं पुण्यकर्मणः
The seers, gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas gathered together and spoke among themselves about the one of virtuous deeds.
स्वस्ति गोब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तु लोकानां ये च सम्मताः। जयतां राघवो युद्धे पौलस्त्यान् रजनीचरान्
"May there be well-being for cows and Brāhmaṇas, and for those esteemed in the worlds. May Rāghava conquer in battle the Paulastyas, the night-roaming demons.
चक्रहस्तो यथा विष्णुः सर्वानसुरसत्तमान्। एतच्चान्यच्च बहुशो ब्रुवाणाः परमर्षयः
As Viṣṇu, bearing the discus, destroyed all the foremost Asuras, so may he." Thus, and in many other ways, the supreme seers spoke.
जातकौतूहलास्तत्र विमानस्थाश्च देवताः। ददृशुर्वाहिनीं तेषां राक्षसानां गतायुषाम्
Filled with curiosity, the gods stationed in their aerial chariots watched the army of the Rākṣasas, whose life-force was spent.
रथेन तु खरो वेगात् सैन्यस्याग्राद् विनिःसृतः। श्येनगामी पृथुग्रीवो यज्ञशत्रुर्विहंगमः
Then Khara, swift as a hawk, emerged rapidly at the head of the army in his chariot; Pṛthugrīva, Yajñaśatru, Vihaṃgama,
दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः। हेममाली महामाली सर्पास्यो रुधिराशनः
Durjaya, Karavīrākṣa, Paruṣa, Kālakārmuka, Hemamālī, Mahāmālī, Sarpāsya, and Rudhirāśana—
द्वादशैते महावीर्याः प्रतस्थुरभितः खरम्। महाकपालः स्थूलाक्षः प्रमाथस्त्रिशिरास्तथा। चत्वार एते सेनाग्रे दूषणं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयुः
these twelve of great valor advanced around Khara; Mahākapāla, Sthūlākṣa, Pramātha, and Triśiras—these four followed Dūṣaṇa at the rear of the army.
सा भीमवेगा समराभिकांक्षिणी सुदारुणा राक्षसवीरसेना। तौ राजपुत्रौ सहसाभ्युपेता माला ग्रहाणामिव चन्द्रसूर्यौ
That army of fierce speed, eager for battle, dreadful and filled with Rākṣasa heroes, suddenly confronted the two princes, like the sun and moon approached by garlanded planets.
thumb|चतुर्विंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे चतुर्विंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the twenty-fourth sarga. Thus ends the twenty-fourth sarga in the Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
आश्रमं प्रतियाते तु खरे खरपराक्रमे। तानेवौत्पातिकान् रामः सह भ्रात्रा ददर्श ह
When Khara, mighty in valor, had departed for the hermitage, Rāma, together with his brother, beheld those same ominous portents.
तानुत्पातान् महाघोरान् रामो दृष्ट्वात्यमर्षणः। प्रजानामहितान् दृष्ट्वा वाक्यं लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्
Seeing those terrible and dreadful omens, Rāma, deeply disturbed for the welfare of the people, spoke to Lakṣmaṇa these words:
इमान् पश्य महाबाहो सर्वभूतापहारिणः। समुत्थितान् महोत्पातान् संहर्तुं सर्वराक्षसान्
"Behold, O mighty-armed one, these great and destructive omens that have arisen to bring about the destruction of all the Rākṣasas.
अमी रुधिरधारास्तु विसृजन्ते खरस्वनाः। व्योम्नि मेघा निवर्तन्ते परुषा गर्दभारुणाः
These streams of blood, resounding with harsh cries, are being poured forth; in the sky, clouds turn back, rough and the color of donkey's blood.
सधूमाश्च शराः सर्वे मम युद्धाभिनन्दिताः। रुक्मपृष्ठानि चापानि विचेष्टन्ते विचक्षण
All my arrows, wreathed in smoke and golden-backed, move restlessly, eager for battle, O discerning one.
यादृशा इह कूजन्ति पक्षिणो वनचारिणः। अग्रतो नोऽभयं प्राप्तं संशयो जीवितस्य च
The forest-dwelling birds are calling in strange ways; safety does not lie ahead for us, and there is doubt regarding our very lives.
सम्प्रहारस्तु सुमहान् भविष्यति न संशयः। अयमाख्याति मे बाहुः स्फुरमाणो मुहुर्मुहुः
A tremendous battle will surely take place—of this there is no doubt; my arm, trembling again and again, foretells it to me.
संनिकर्षे तु नः शूर जयं शत्रोः पराजयम्। सुप्रभं च प्रसन्नं च तव वक्त्रं हि लक्ष्यते
But, O hero, when we draw near, victory for us and defeat for the enemy are certain; for your face shines bright and clear.