Aranya Kanda: Chapter 21

स पुनः पतितां दृष्ट्वा क्रोधाच्छूर्पणखां पुनः। उवाच व्यक्तया वाचा तामनर्थार्थमागताम्॥
Seeing Sūrpanakhă again lying on the ground, Khara in anger spoke out to that one, who had come to bring on evil.

मया त्विदानी शूरास्ते राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः। त्वत्प्रियार्थं विनिर्दिष्टाः किमर्थं रुद्यते पुनः॥
I had but recently commissioned for your behoof those heroic Rākşasas living on flesh. Why then do you again weep?

भक्ताश्चैवानुरक्ताश्च हिताश्च मम नित्यशः। हन्यमाना न हन्यन्ते न न कुर्युर्वचो मम॥
Bearing regard and attached to me, and ever engaged in my welfare, they, assailed by others, are incapable of being slain; nor do they not obey my orders.

किमेतच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि कारणं यत्कृते पुनः। हा नाथेति विनर्दन्ती सर्पवच्चेष्टसे क्षितौ॥
What can it be? I would hear of the occasion owing to which again, crying ‘Ah lord,' you roll on the earth like a serpent.

अनाथवद् विलपसि किं नु नाथे मयि स्थिते। उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ मा मैवं वैल्कव्यं त्यज्यतामिति ॥
Why do you be weep like one forlorn, while I your lord, am living? Arise! Arise! Do not fear, cast off your stupor.

इत्येवमुक्ता दुर्धर्षा खरेण परिसान्त्विता। विमृज्य नयने सारे खरं भ्रातरमब्रवीत्॥
Thus addressed, and consoled by Khara, that irrepressible one, wiping her eyes, spoke to Khara.

अस्मीदानीमहं प्राप्ता हतश्रवणनासिका। शोणितौघपरिक्लिन्ना त्वया च परिसान्त्विता।७।।
Having had my nose and ears cut off, I had come hither, covered with blood; and you had consoled me.

प्रेषिताश्च त्वया शूरा राक्षसास्ते चतुर्दश। निहन्तुं राघवं घोरं मत्प्रियार्थं सलक्ष्मणम्॥ ते तु रामेण सामर्षाः शूलपट्टिशपाणयः। समरे निहताः सर्वे सायकैमर्मभेदिभिः॥
And you also had despatched fourteen heroic Rākṣasas, for my hehoof, for slaying the terrific Rāghava along with Lakşmaņa. But all those, bearing ill will (towards Rāma), bearing darts and pattiśas in their hands, have been slain in conflict by means of weapons penetrating into the vitals.

तान् भूमौ पतितान् दृष्ट्वा क्षणेनैव महाजवान्। रामस्य च महत्कर्म महांस्त्रासोऽभवन्मम॥
Seeing those possessed of great speed, in a moment laid low on the ground, as well as (witnessing) Rāma's mighty deed, great fear has taken possession of me.

सास्मि भीता समुद्विग्ना विषण्णा च निशाचर। शरणं त्वं पुनः प्राप्ता सर्वतो भयदर्शिनी॥ विषादनक्राध्युषिते परित्रासोर्मिमालिनि। किं मां न त्रायसे मग्नां विपुले शोकसागरे॥
O ranger of the night, I am afraid, and agitated, and cast down. I have (at length) found in you a refuge, seeing fear on all sides. Will you not rescue me who am sinking in this ocean of grief, having sorrow for its alligators and affright for billows?

एते च निहता भूमौ रामेण निशितैः शरैः। ये च मे पदवी प्राप्ता राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः॥
And these Rākşasas, living on flesh who had arrived at that place, have been slain by Rāma with sharpened shafts.

मयि ते यद्यनुक्रोशो यदि रक्षःसु तेषु च। रामेण यदि शक्तिस्ते तेजो वास्ति निशाचर॥ दण्डकारण्यनिलयं जहि राक्षसकण्टकम्।
If you have any kindness for me as well as those sons of Rākşasas* and, O ranger of night, if you have strength and energy to cope with Rāma, do you kill this thorn of the Rákşasas, who has set up his dwelling in the forest of Dandaka. Another reading is that enemy of mine.

यदि रामममित्रघ्नं न त्वमद्य वधिष्यसि ॥ तव चैवाग्रतः प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि निरपत्रपा।
If you do not to-day slay that destroyer of foes, Rāma, I shall banishing shame, give up my life in your very presence.

बुद्ध्याहमनुपश्यामि न त्वं रामस्य संयुगे॥ स्थातुं प्रतिमुखे शक्तः सबलोऽपि महारणे।
Meseems, you backed by your forecast are incapable of staying in battle before Rāma in high encounter. Some texts-(Rāma) equipped with the bow.

शूरमानीं न शूरस्त्वं मिथ्यारोपितविक्रमः॥ अपयाहि जनस्थानात् त्वरितः सहबान्धवः। जहि त्वं समरे मूढान्यथा तु कुलपांसन॥ मानुषौ तौ न शक्नोसि हन्तुं वै रामलक्ष्मणौ। निःसत्त्वस्याल्पवीर्यस्य वासस्ते कीदृशस्त्विह॥
You plume yourself on being a hero; but are really none such. Prowess has been falsely attributed to you. Go off from Janasthāna without delay, along with your friends. O stainer of your line, do you in battle slay those foolhardy ones. But if you fail in slaying those human beings, Rama and Laksmana, then how can you void of strength and of slender prowess, stay here?

रामतेजोऽभिभूतो हि त्वं क्षिप्रं विनशिष्यसि। स हि तेजः समायुक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः॥ भ्राता चास्य महावीर्यो येन चास्मि विरूपिता।
Overcome by the energy of Rāma, you shall speedily meet with destruction Dasaratha's son, Rāma, you shall speedily meet with destruction. Dasaratha's son, is endued with energy. His brother is possessed of high vigour by whom I have come to be deformed.

एवं विलप्य बहुशो राक्षसी प्रदरोदरी॥ भ्रातुः समीपे शोकार्ता नष्टसंज्ञा बभूव ह। कराभ्यामुदरं हत्वा रुरोद भृशदुःखिता॥
Having thus bewailed long, that Raksasi, possessed of a spacious abdomen, through sorrow, became bereft of her senses before her brother, and exercised with great grief cried, striking her abdomen with her hands.