The Female-demons Lament over the Death of their Kith and Kin

taani naagasahasraaNi saarohaaNaan cha vaajinaam | rathaanaan chaagnivarNaanaan sadhvajaanaaM sahasrashaH || 94-6-1 raakShasaanaan sahasraaNi gadaaparighayodhinaam | kaaMchanadhvajachitraaNaan shUraaNaan kaamarUpiNaam || 94-6-2 nihataani sharaistIkShNaistaptakaaMchanabhUShaNaiH | raavaNena prayuktaani raameNaakliShTakarmaNaa || 94-6-3

Rama, who was unweary in action, with his shining arrows adorned with pure gold, killed those thousands of elephants dispatched by Ravana, thousands of horses, valiant demons who can change their form at will mounted on thousands of chariots with their flag-staffs, having the colour of fire, fighting with maces and iron rods and conspicuous with their golden banners.

dR^iShTvaa shrutvaa cha sambhraantaa hatasheShaa nishaacharaaH | raakShasyashcha samaagamya dInaashchintaapariplutaaH || 94-6-4 vidhavaa hataputraashcha kroshantyo hatabaandhavaaH | raakShasyaH saha saMgamya duHkhaartaaH paryadevayan || 94-6-5

Seeing and hearing about the killing of the demons, the surviving demons well frightened, looked sad and were overwhelmed with anxiety. They wailed when they met their wives. All female-demons who lost their husbands, sons and kinsfolk met at one place, stricken as they were with sorrow, wailed as follows:

kathan shUrpaNakhaa vR^iddhaa karaalaa nirNatodarI | aasasaada vane raaman kandarpamiva rUpiNam || 94-6-6

"How did the old and ugly Surpanakha, of sunken belly, approach, in the forest, Rama who is charming like the god of love?"

sukumaaraM mahaasattvan sarvabhUtahite ratam | tan dR^iShTvaa lokavadhyaa saa hInarUpaa prakaamitaa || 94-6-7

"How strange that on seeing that Rama of tender youth, endowed with extraordinary strength and devoted to the welfare of all created beings, that ugly woman (Surpanakha) who deserved to be condemned by the people, was stung with excessive lust?"

kathan sarvaguNairhInaa guNavantaM mahaujasaM | sumukhan durmukhI raamaM kaamayaamaasa raakShasI || 94-6-8

"How that ugly-faced demoness, who is bereft of all virtues, dared to make love to Rama, who is full of virtues, endowed with great bodily strength and who possessed a charming countenance?"

janasyaasyaalpabhaagyatvaatpalinI shvetamUrdhajaa | akaaryamapahaasyan cha sarvalokavigarhitam || 94-6-9 raakShasaanaan vinaashaaya dUShaNasya kharasya cha | chakaaraapratirUpaa saa raaghavasya pradharShaNam || 94-6-10

"Because of the ill-luck of these people, and to the destruction of demons and of Dushana and Khara, that grey-haired and disgusting woman, who had developed wrinkles, tried to be arrogant with Rama, misdeed which was worth ridiculing and condemned by the whole world."

tannimittamidan vairaM raavaNena kR^itaM mahat | vadhaaya nItaa saa sItaa dashagrIveNa rakShasaa || 94-6-11

"For the sake of that Surpanakha, Ravana built this huge enmity. For his own destruction, Ravana the demon brought that Seetha."

na cha sItaan dashagrIvaH praapnoti janakaatmajaam | baddhaM balavataa vairamakShayan raaghaveNa ha || 94-6-12

"Ravana cannot obtain Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, but an endless enmity has been built with the mighty Rama."

vaidehIM praarthayaanan tan viraadhaM prekShya raakShasaM | hatamekena raameNa paryaaptan tannidarshanam || 94-6-13

"Seeing that instance of Rama killing single-handedly Viradha the demon, who was yearning for Seetha, is enough indeed (to convince Ravana of Rama's strength and ability)"

chaturdashasahasraaNi rakShasaaM bhImakarmaNaam | nihataani janasthaane sharairagnishikhopamaiH || 94-6-14

"In Janasthana, Rama killed fourteen thousand demons who were doing terrific feats, with his arrows resembling tongues of fire."

kharashcha nihataH saMkhye dUShaNastrishiraastathaa | sharairaadityasaMkaashaiH paryaaptan tannidarshanam || 94-6-15

"In that battle, Khara, Dushana and Trishira were killed with arrows resembling the sun. That instance should have been sufficient (to open the eyes of Ravana)."

hato yojanabaahushcha kabandho rudhiraashanaH | krodhaarto vinadansoatha paryaaptan tannidarshanam || 94-6-16

"Further, that Kabandha having arms with a length of eight miles each, with blood as his food and roaring with anger was killed. That instance should have been sufficient."

jaghaana balinan raamaH sahasranayanaatmajam | baalinaM meghasaMkaashaM paryaaptan tannidarshanam || 94-6-17

"Rama killed the mighty Vali, the son of Indra the lord of celestials, looking like the black cloud. That instance should have been sufficient. (To open the eyes of Ravana)"

R^ishyamUke vasaMshaile dIno bhagnamanorathaH | sugrIvaH sthaapito raajye paryaaptan tannidarshanam || 94-6-18

"The kingdom was restored to the miserable Sugreeva, who was residing in Mount Rishyamuka, living with his wishes disappointed. That instance should prove sufficient. (To open the eyes of Ravana)."

dharmaarthasahitan vaakyaM sarveShaaM rakShasaaM hitam | yuktan vibhIShaNenoktaM mohaattasya na rochate || 94-6-19

"The appropriate advice tendered by Vibhishana which was conformable to duty and interest of Ravana as also beneficial to all the demons, was not to the liking to him, due to his ignorance."

vibhIShaNavachaH kuryaadyadi sma dhanadaanujaH | shmashaanabhUtaa duHkhaartaa neyan laMkaa purI bhavet || 94-6-20

"Had Ravana followed Vibhishana's advice, this Lanka would not have become a burial ground, tormented by sorrow."

kumbhakarNan hataM shrutvaa raaghaveNa mahaabalam | atikaayaM cha durmarShaM lakShmaNena hataM tadaa || 94-6-21 priyan chendrajitaM putran raavaNo naavabudhyate |

"As Rama killed all our great warriors, we are lamenting with a loss of hope in our lives, failing to see an end to our fear and having become helpless."

mama putro mama bhraataa mama bhartaa raNe hataH || 94-6-22 ityevan shrUyate shabdo raakShasaanaan kule kule |

"The valiant Ravana, having been gifted with great boons by Brahma, is not able to understand this greatly terrific calamity, coming forth from the hand of Rama."

rathaashchaashvaashcha naagaashcha hataaH shatasahasrashaH || 94-6-23 raNe raameNa shUreNa raakShasaashcha padaatayaH |

"Neither the celestials nor Gandharvas the celestial musicians nor the evil spirits nor the demons are able to protect Ravana, who is about to attack Rama in battle."

rudro vaa yadi vaa viShNurmahendro vaa shatakratuH || 94-6-24 hanti no raamarUpeNa yadi vaa svayamantakaH |

"Bad omens are appearing for Ravana, as and when his warriors are setting out for each combat. They are indeed telling about the prospective annihilation of Ravana by Rama."

hatapravIraa raameNa niraashaa jIvite vayam || 94-6-25 apashyantyo bhayasyaantamanaathaa vilapaamahe |

Brahma, the lord of creation, gratified by the austerity of Ravana, gave protection to Ravana from celestials, demons and ogres. But Ravana did not seek protection from human beings."

raamahastaaddashagrIvaH shUro dattavaro yudhi || 94-6-26 idaM bhayaM mahaaghoramutpannaM naavabudhyate |

"I think that such a calamity has come from that humanity only dreadfully causing an end to the lives for the demons and for Ravana too. There is no doubt about it."

na devaa na cha gandharvaa na pishaachaa na raakasaaH || 94-6-27 upasR^iShTaM paritraatun shaktaa raameNa sanyuge |

"The celestials, tormented by the mighty Ravana, because of the misuse of the boon bestowed on him, worshipped Brahma the lord of creation with their glowing austerities."

utpaataashchaapi dR^ishyante raavaNasya raNe raNe || 94-6-28 kathayiShyanti raameNa raavaNasya nibarhaNam |

"The great-souled Brahma, duly gratified, spoke for the benefit of those celestials, the following words to them:

pitaamahena prItena devadaanavaraakShasaiH || 94-6-29 raavaNasyaabhayan dattaM maanuShebhyo na yaachitam |

"From today onwards, all the ogres and demons, constantly enveloped with fear, will be wandering always in the three worlds."

tadidaM maanuShaanmanye praaptaM niHsaMshayaM bhayam || 94-6-30 jIvitaantakaran ghoran rakShasaaM raavaNasya cha |

"All the celestials together with Indra and others, got propitiated by Shiva the lord of destruction, with the ensign of a bull on his flag-staff and who destroyed the three strong cities built of gold, silver and iron in the sky, air and earth for demons."

pIDyamaanaastu balinaa varadaanena rakShasaa || 94-6-31 dIptaistapobhirvibudhaaH pitaamahamapUjayan |

"The gracious Shiva spoke the following words to the celestials: 'For your benefit, a woman will be born, for causing destruction of the demons.'"

devataanaan hitaarthaaya mahaatmaa vai pitaamahaH || 94-6-32 uvaacha devataaH sarvaa idan tuShTo mahadvachaH |

"This Seetha, the destroyer of demons, employed by the celestials, will consume us along with Ravana, as in the past hunger consumed the demons."

adya prabhR^iti lokaanstrInsarve daanavaraakShasaaH || 94-6-33 bhayena praavR^itaa nityan vichariShyanti shaashvatam |

"As a result of the bad behaviour of Ravana, the wicked demon with an evil disposition of mind, this terrific havoc with grief occurred."

daivataistu samaagamya sarvaishchendrapurogamaiH || 94-6-34 vR^iShadhvajastripurahaa mahAdevaH prasaaditaH |

"Rama is occupying us, as the Death occupies at the time of dissolution of the universe. We do not find any one now, who can give protection to us in this world."

prasannastu mahaadevo devaanetadvachoabravIt || 94-6-35 utpatsyati hitaarthan vo naarI rakShaHkShayaavahaa |

"There is no refuge whatsoever for us, who stand in great danger, as indeed there is no shelter for female-elephants, enveloped by a wild fire in a forest."

eShaa devaiH prayuktaa tu kShudyathaa daanavaanpuraa || 94-6-36 bhakShayiShyati naH sItaa raakShasaghnI saraavaNaan |

"The great-souled Vibhishana did something opportune. He sought refuge in him alone from whom such a peril is perceived."

raavaNasyaapanItena durvinItasya durmateH || 94-6-37 ayaM niShTaanako ghoraH shokena samabhiplutaH |

Then, all female-demons, embracing each other in their arms, afflicted as they were with grief and tormented with excessive fear, lamented thus and wept loudly and severely.

taM na pashyaamahe loke yo naH sharaNado bhavet || 94-6-38 raaghaveNopasR^iShTaanaan kaaleneva yugakShaye |

Rama is occupying us, as the Death occupies at the time of dissolution of the universe. We do not find any one now who can give protection to us.

naasti naH sharaNaM kashchidbhaye mahati tiShThataam || 94-6-39 daavaagniveShThitaanaaM hi kareNuunaaM yathaa vane |

There is no refuge for us who stand in great danger, as there is no shelter for female-elephants enveloped by a wild fire in a forest.

praaptakaalaM kR^itaM tena paulastyena mahaatmanaa || 94-6-40 yata evaM bhayaM dR^iShThaM tameva sharaNaM gataH |

The great-souled Vibhishana did something opportune. He sought refuge in him alone from whom such a peril is perceived.

itIva sarvaa rajanIcharastriyaH | parasparan samparirabhya baahubhiH | viSheduraartaatibhayaabhipIDitaa | vineduruchchaishcha tadaa sudaaruNam || 94-6-41

Then all female-demons embracing each other in their arms, afflicted as they were with grief and tormented with excessive fear, lamented and wept loudly.