Aranya Kanda: Chapter 34

ततः शूर्पणखां दृष्ट्वा ब्रुवन्ती परुषं वचः। अमात्यमध्ये संक्रुद्धः परिपप्रच्छ रावणः॥
Seeing Śūrpanakhā speak harsh words in the midst of the courtiers, Ravana, being enraged, asked her.

कश्च रामः कथंवीर्यः किंरूपः किंपराक्रमः। किमर्थे दण्डकारण्यं प्रविष्टश्च सुदुस्तरम्॥
Who is Rāma? And what is his prowess? And what his form? And what his power? And why had he entered the forest of Dandaka, difficult to range?

आयुघं किं च रामस्य येन ते राक्षसा हताः। खरश्च निहतः संख्ये दूषणस्त्रिशिरास्तथा॥
And what Rāma's weapons, by means of which he had slain the Rākşasas?. And Khara has been slain in battle, and Dūşaņa and Trisirā.

तत्त्वं ब्रूहि मनोज्ञाङ्गि केन त्वं च विरूपिता । इत्युक्ता राक्षसेन्द्रेण राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्छिता ॥
Do you, O you of a pleasing person, tell me the truth. And who had deformed you?

ततो रामं यथान्यायमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे। दीर्घबाहुर्विशालाक्षश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरः॥ कन्दर्पसमरूपश्च रामो दशरथात्मजः।
Thus addressed by the lord of the Rākṣasas, the Raksasi, transported with rage, commenced to duly narrate all about Rāma. Rāma the son of Dasaratha is long-armed, of expansive eyes, clad in bark and dark deer-skin, and like Kandarpa in grace.

शक्रचापनिभं चापं विकृष्य कनकाङ्गदम्॥ दीप्तान् त्रिपति नाराचान् सनिव महाविषान् ।
And drawing a bow resembling that of Sakra, decked with golden rings, he discharges blazing nāracas, like to serpents of virulent poison.

नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं महाबलम्।७।। न कार्मुकं विकर्षन्तं रामं पश्यामि संयुगे। हन्यमानं तु तत्सैन्यं पश्यामि शरवृष्टिभिः॥ इन्द्रेणेवोत्तमं सस्यमाहतं त्वश्मवृष्टिभिः। रक्षसां भीमवीर्याणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश॥ निहतानि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तेनैकेन पदातिना। अर्धाधिकमुहूर्तेन खरश्च सहदूषणः॥ ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः॥ एका कथंचित्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना । स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना॥ भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः।
I do not see in the field, Rāma drawing his bow: I only see the host being slaughtered by a shower of shafts. And as Indra destroys (a field of) goodly crops, by pouring down hail stones, fourteen thousand Räksasas of dreadful prowess, as well as Khara and Duşaņa were in a little over a moment slain with sharp shafts by Rāma alone fighting on foot. And he had reassured the saints, and after having been deformed, I alone from fear of slaying a woman, have been let off by the high-souled Rāma knowing self.

अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्॥ अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान् बली। रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुनित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः॥
His brother is endued with mighty energy, and in merit, is of equal prowess, and he is devoted to his brother, and bear him regard; the puissant one is named Laksmana. And wrathful and invincible and victorious, and powerful, and intelligent and mighty, (he) is Rāma's right-arı-his life ranging externally.

रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना। धर्मपत्नी प्रिया नित्यं भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता॥
And Rāma's virtuously wedded beloved wife having expansive eyes, and a face resembling the full-moon, is ever to the welfare of her lord.

सा सुकेशी सुनासोरू: सुरूपा च यशस्विनी। देवतेव वनस्यास्य राजते श्रीरिवापरा॥
And that fair-haired, fair-nosed, and fairthighed illustrious one possessed of beauty, grace the forest like a goddess, as if a goddess of wealth herself.

तप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभा रक्ततुङ्गनखी शुभा। सीता नाम वरारोहा वैदेही तनुमध्यमा॥
Of the lustre of burnished gold, with her finger nails reddish and projecting, and graceful, that surpassingly lovely wench is named Sītā—the slender-waisted daughter of Videha.

नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किंनरी। तथारूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले॥
And neither a goddess, nor a Gandharvi, nor a Yaksi, nor a Kinnari, had I seen before on earth, possessed of such beauty.

यस्य सीता भवेद् भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत्। अभिजीवेत् स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरंदरात्॥
He that shall have Sītā for his spouse, and who shall be warmly embraced by her, shall live longer in the world than the Lord of celestials himself.

सा सुशीला वपुःश्लाध्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि। तवानुरूपा भार्या सा त्वं च तस्याः पतिर्वरः॥
That good-natured girl, unparalleled on earth in loveliness, who can well pride herself on her person, is a worthy wife for you, and you too are a fit husband for her.

तां तु विस्तीर्णजघनां पीनोत्तुङ्गपयोधराम्। भार्यार्थे तु तवानेतुमुद्यताहं वराननाम्॥ विरूपितास्मि क्रूरेण लक्ष्मणेन महाभुज।
It is to bring over for you that one of spacious hips, and a high and well-developed bust, that I had put forth my endeavours. But, O mightyarmed one I have been disfigured by the wicked Laksmana.

तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेही पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्॥ मन्मथस्य शराणां च त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि।
As soon as you have seen Vaidehi having a countenance resembling the full moon, you shall be afflicted with the shafts of Cupid.

यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यात्वे तव जायते। शीघ्रमुद्भियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः॥
If it is your purpose to have her for your wife, at once stretch forth your right leg. for attaining success.

रोचते यति ते वाक्यं ममैतद् राक्षसेश्वर। क्रियतां निर्विशङ्केन वचनं मम रावण ॥
If, O lord of Raksasas, you relish my speech, do you then, O Ravana, without fear, do as I tell you.

विज्ञायैषामशक्तिं च क्रियतां च महाबल। सीता तवानवद्याङ्गी भार्यात्वे राक्षसेश्वर॥
Understanding their incapacity, do you, O lord of Rākṣasas, for making her your wife, by force carry away the frail Sītā of a blameless person.

हताञ्जनस्थानगतान् निशाचरान्। खरं च दृष्ट्वा निहतं च दूषणं त्वमद्य कृत्यं प्रतिपत्तुमर्हसि॥
Hearing that Rāma by means of straight coursing shafts, has slain the Rākşasas that had gone to Janasthāna, and seeing Khara and Düşaņa, killed, do you ascertaining your course, adopt it.