The Ramayana · 214 of 493

Araṇya Kānda (The Forest Book): Canto 20 — The Giants’ Death

Fierce Śúrpaṇakhá with her train To Ráma’s dwelling came again, And to the eager giants showed Where Sítá and the youths abode. Within the leafy cot they spied The hero by his consort’s side, And faithful Lakshmaṇ ready still To wait upon his brother’s will. Then noble Ráma raised his eye And saw the giants standing nigh, And then, as nearer still they pressed. His glorious brother thus addressed, “Be thine a while, my brother dear, To watch o’er Sítá’s safety here, And I will slay these creatures who The footsteps of my spouse pursue.”

He spoke, and reverent Lakshmaṇ heard Submissive to his brother’s word. The son of Raghu, virtuous-souled, Strung his great bow adorned with gold, And, with the weapon in his hand, Addressed him to the giant band: “Ráma and Lakshmaṇ we, who spring From Daśaratha, mighty king; We dwell a while with Sítá here In Daṇḍak forest wild and drear. On woodland roots and fruit we feed, And lives of strictest rule we lead. Say why would ye our lives oppress Who sojourn in the wilderness. Sent hither by the hermits’ prayer With bow and darts unused to spare, For vengeance am I come to slay Your sinful band in battle fray. Rest as ye are: remain content, Nor try the battle’s dire event. Unless your offered lives ye spurn, O rovers of the night, return.”

They listened while the hero spoke, And fury in each breast awoke. The Bráhman-slayers raised on high Their mighty spears and made reply: They spoke with eyes aglow with ire, While Ráma’s burnt with vengeful tire, And answered thus, in fury wild, That peerless chief whose tones were mild:

“Nay thou hast angered, overbold, Khara our lord, the mighty-souled, And for thy sin, in battle strife Shalt yield to us thy forfeit life. No power hast thou alone to stand Against the numbers of our band. ’Twere vain to match thy single might Against us in the front of fight. When we equipped for fight advance With brandished pike and mace and lance, Thou, vanquished in the desperate field, Thy bow, thy strength, thy life shalt yield.”

With bitter words and threatening mien Thus furious spoke the fierce fourteen, And raising scimitar and spear On Ráma rushed in wild career. Their levelled spears the giant crew Against the matchless hero threw. His bow the son of Raghu bent, And twice seven shafts to meet them sent, And every javelin sundered fell By the bright darts he aimed so well.

The hero saw: his anger grew To fury: from his side he drew Fresh sunbright arrows pointed keen, In number, like his foes, fourteen. His bow he grasped, the string he drew, And gazing on the giant crew, As Indra casts the levin, so Shot forth his arrows at the foe. The hurtling arrows, stained with gore, Through the fiends’ breasts a passage tore, And in the earth lay buried deep As serpents through an ant-hill creep Like trees uptorn by stormy blast The shattered fiends to earth were cast, And there with mangled bodies they, Bathed in their blood and breathless, lay.

With fainting heart and furious eye The demon saw her champions die. With drying wounds that scarcely bled Back to her brother’s home she fled. Oppressed with pain, with loud lament At Khara’s feet the monster bent. There like a plant whence slowly come The trickling drops of oozy gum, With her grim features pale with pain She poured her tears in ceaseless rain, There routed Śúrpaṇakhá lay, And told her brother all, The issue of the bloody fray, Her giant champions’ fall.