Chapter 23 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 23

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 23.89

मांधातुर्वचनं श्रुत्वा रावणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। वरुणस्य कुबेरस्य यमस्यापि न विव्यथे॥ किं पुनर्मानुषात्त्वत्तो रावणो भयमाविशेत्। एवमुक्त्वा राक्षसेन्द्रः क्रोधात्संप्रज्वनिव॥ आज्ञापयामास तदा राक्षसान्युद्धदुर्मदान्। अथ क्रुद्धास्तु सचिवा रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥ ववर्षुः शरजालानि क्रुद्धा युद्धविशारदाः। अथ राज्ञा बलवता कङ्कपत्रैः शिलाशितैः॥ इषुभिस्ताडिताः सर्वे प्रहस्तशुकसारणाः। महोदरविरूपाक्षा हकम्पनपुरोगमा:॥ अथ प्रहस्तस्तु नृपमिषुवर्षेरवाकिरत्। अप्राप्तानेव तान्पर्वान्प्रचिच्छेद नृपोत्तमः॥ भृशुण्डीभिश्च भल्लैश्च भिन्दिपालैश्च तोमरैः। नरराजेन दह्यन्ते तृणभारा इवाग्निना॥ ततो नृपवरः क्रुद्धः पञ्चभिः प्रबिभेद तम्। तोमरैश्च महावेगैः पुनः क्रौञ्चमिवाग्निजः॥

māṃdhāturvacanaṃ śrutvā rāvaṇo vākyamabravīt| varuṇasya kuberasya yamasyāpi na vivyathe|| kiṃ punarmānuṣāttvatto rāvaṇo bhayamāviśet| evamuktvā rākṣasendraḥ krodhātsaṃprajvaniva|| ājñāpayāmāsa tadā rākṣasānyuddhadurmadān| atha kruddhāstu sacivā rāvaṇasya durātmanaḥ|| vavarṣuḥ śarajālāni kruddhā yuddhaviśāradāḥ| atha rājñā balavatā kaṅkapatraiḥ śilāśitaiḥ|| iṣubhistāḍitāḥ sarve prahastaśukasāraṇāḥ| mahodaravirūpākṣā hakampanapurogamā:|| atha prahastastu nṛpamiṣuvarṣeravākirat| aprāptāneva tānparvānpraciccheda nṛpottamaḥ|| bhṛśuṇḍībhiśca bhallaiśca bhindipālaiśca tomaraiḥ| nararājena dahyante tṛṇabhārā ivāgninā|| tato nṛpavaraḥ kruddhaḥ pañcabhiḥ prabibheda tam| tomaraiśca mahāvegaiḥ punaḥ krauñcamivāgnijaḥ||

English Meaning

Hearing the words of Māndhātă, Rāvana said, "Rāvaņa did not experience any affliction from Varuna, Kubera or Yama; why should he experience fear from you, who are a man?" Having said this, the lord of Rākşasas as if burning in ire, ordered the Rākşasas irrepressible in battle. Thereupon the ministers of the vicious-souled Ravana, highly enraged and well-skilled in warfare, began to make a downpour of arrows. Thereupon the highly powerful king Māndhātā, with sharpened shafts, assailed Prahasta, Suka Sarana, Mahodara, Virupaksa, Akampana and other foremost heroes. Prahasta covered the king with his arrows, but before they had approached him, that foremost of men shattered them into pieces. Like to fire burning down grass, the host of Rākşasas were burnt down by the king Mândhātā by means of hundreds of Bhusundis, Bhallas, Bhindipālās and Tomaras. As Kārtikeya, the son of fire, sundered the mount Krauñca with his shafts so Māndhātā, enraged, pierced Prahasta with five Tomaras gifted with great velocity.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)