Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— ततो भ्रूभङ्गदुर्दर्शमुखमार्तण्डदीधितिः। अन्तःक्रोधसमुद्रेकाद् दशने दंष्ट्रदत्पटः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Then Rāma's sun-bright face became terrible beneath his knitted brow. As anger surged within him, the line of his fangs showed between his lips.
Passage 2
आताम्रभीमवदनः संहितारुणलोचनः। ललाटतटनिबद्धकुटिलभ्रूपुटः क्षणात्॥२॥
In an instant his fearsome face grew copper-red, his eyes contracted and reddened, and the crooked fold of his brow tightened across his forehead.
Passage 3
सावेशमभ्युवाचेदं लक्ष्मणाय विशङ्किने। त्यक्तपाथोधिस्तुतये स्वमभिप्रह्ववर्मणे॥३॥
Abandoning praise of the ocean, he spoke forcefully to apprehensive Lakṣmaṇa, whose body bowed toward him.
Passage 4
आनयानय सौमित्रे सत्वरं मामकं धनुः। अहमद्यैकबाणेन शोषये पयसां निधिम्॥४॥
“Sumitrā's son, quickly bring me my bow. Today I shall dry up the ocean with a single arrow.”
Passage 5
इत्युक्ते स तदानीतधनुषा श्रवणस्पृशा। संयोज्य तीव्रं विशिखं निर्मोक्तुमुपचक्रमे॥५॥
When Lakṣmaṇa brought the bow, Rāma drew it back to his ear, fitted a fierce arrow, and prepared to release it.
Passage 6
ततः शराग्निसम्पर्कादन्तर्दाहोऽम्बुधेरभूत्। क्षणेन पयसां राशिः क्वथ्यमान इवाग्निना॥६॥
At the touch of the arrow's fire, the ocean began burning from within. In an instant its mass of water seemed to boil over a flame.
Passage 7
उत्पफाल भृतो वाष्पैर्धूमैरिव विसृत्वरेः। उत्तान्तयादसां संघः परिप्लोषरुजातुरः॥७॥
Filled with spreading clouds of steam like smoke, the ocean heaved upward, and hosts of aquatic creatures writhed in the pain of scorching heat.
Passage 8
बभ्रमुर्मकरास्तत्र प्लुष्यमाणाः शराग्निना। मूर्छिताः परितो ग्राहमकरीमकरादयः॥८॥
Sea monsters wandered helplessly as the arrow-fire burned them. Crocodiles, female crocodiles, makaras, and other creatures fainted on every side.
Passage 9
क्वथ्यमाने जलस्तोमे मीनाः पर्वतसंनिभाः। पाठीनाः रोहिताः कूर्मास्तथान्ये जलजन्तवः॥९॥
As the waters boiled, mountain-sized fish, pāṭhīnas, rohitas, tortoises, and other aquatic beings suffered within them.
Passage 10
उत्तेरुर्हतप्राणाः प्लुष्टा रामशराग्निना। आरावः सुमहानासीद्दह्यमानस्य पाथसः॥१०॥
Their life-force failing as Rāma's arrow-fire scorched them, they rose to the surface. A tremendous cry came from the burning waters.
Passage 11
आपातालतलस्यापि गम्भीरमुदधेः पयः। क्षणेन प्लुष्टमभवद् वाडवेनेव वह्निना॥११॥
Even the deep ocean water extending down to Pātāla was scorched in an instant, as though by the submarine fire. The Ocean Realm Suffers
Passage 12
सम्भ्रान्तास्तिमयः स्थूलाः शतयोजनविग्रहाः। सन्तश्चैव मूर्छन्तो दह्यन्ते स्म समन्ततः॥१२॥
Enormous whales, their bodies a hundred yojanas long, became frantic, fainted, and burned on every side.
Passage 13
नगा नागाश्च मातङ्गाः खगा अन्तर्जलचराः। निर्दग्धाः सम्प्रसरता क्षणाद् रामशराग्निना॥१३॥
Submerged mountains, serpents, elephants, birds, and creatures moving beneath the water were burned in an instant by Rāma's spreading arrow-fire.
Passage 14
और्वमप्यदहद् वह्निः श्रीमद्रामशरोद्भवः। इति विस्मित आलोक्य निजे चेतसि सागरः॥१४॥
The fire born from glorious Rāma's arrow even burned the ancient submarine flame. Seeing this, the ocean was astonished within himself.
Passage 15
अयस्सारमयाः पक्षाः गिरीणां जलवासिनाम्। दन्दह्यमानाः क्षणतो वह्निज्वालाकदम्बकैः॥१५॥
The iron-hard wings of the mountains dwelling in the waters were scorched in a moment by masses of flame.
Passage 16
अधाक्षीद्धृदयं सिन्धोः रामबाणानलः स्पृशन्। वरुणस्यालयः कृत्स्नस्तत आक्रुलितोऽभवत्॥१६॥
Touching the ocean's heart, the fire of Rāma's arrow burned it, and the whole abode of Varuṇa was thrown into distress.
Passage 17
अदह्यततमां सिन्धोर्नगरी बाणवह्निना। नक्रा ग्राहा झषाः कूर्माः समदह्यन्त तत्क्षणात्॥१७॥
The ocean's city burned intensely in the arrow-fire; crocodiles, sea monsters, fish, and tortoises were consumed at once.
Passage 18
मुञ्चन्ति स्म विनिःश्वासान् शतयोजनविस्तृताः। यादोवराः पयोराशेर्मूर्छन्तः शरवह्निना॥१८॥
The ocean's foremost creatures, a hundred yojanas in extent, released heavy breaths as they fainted beneath the arrow-fire.
Passage 19
सुहृदो बान्धवाः पत्न्यः सुताश्च पयसां निधेः। दन्दह्यन्ते स्म रामस्य विशिखानलकीलया॥१९॥
The ocean's friends, relatives, wives, and sons were all scorched by the tongue of fire from Rāma's arrow.
Passage 20
गङ्गाद्याः सरितः सर्वाः क्षणेन जलधेः प्रियाः। अदह्यन्ते हृदि प्रौता राघवेन्द्रशराग्निना॥२०॥
Gaṅgā and all the other rivers dear to the ocean, joined to him at heart, were burned in an instant by Rāghava's arrow-fire. The Ocean Resolves to Surrender
Passage 21
तमुवाच प्रिया तस्य दह्यमाना तनौ भृशम्। हा नाथ केयमापत्तेः क्षणादुदयमागता॥२१॥
His beloved wife, her body severely burning, said to him, “Alas, my lord, what calamity has suddenly arisen?
Passage 22
त्वदाश्रिता अमी जीवा ग्राहकूर्मझषादयः। दह्यन्ते नाथ पर्येतानकस्मात्प्राप्तसंक्षयान्॥२२॥
“These creatures who depend upon you—crocodiles, tortoises, fish, and the rest—are burning, my lord, unexpectedly overtaken by destruction.
Passage 23
एते भूमिभृतो नाथ त्वयि मग्नाः समन्ततः। दह्यन्ते स्मानलज्वालादग्धपक्षतयो भृशम्॥२३॥
“Lord, these mountains submerged throughout your waters are fiercely burning, their wings consumed by the flames.
Passage 24
मृताश्च मूर्छिताश्चैव सर्वे यादोगणास्तव। हृदयं ते नदी नाथ दग्धप्रायं महाग्निना॥२४॥
“All your aquatic hosts are dead or unconscious, and the rivers within your heart, my lord, are almost consumed by the great fire.
Passage 25
दावानलो वा प्रलयानलो वा कोपोऽथवा देवकृतस्त्वयीश। प्रत्यङ्गदग्धास्तव पत्न्य एता भृशं विषीदन्ति न वेत्सि किं त्वम्॥२५॥
“Is this a forest fire, the fire of dissolution, or divine wrath directed against you, lord? Your wives, burned in every limb, grieve terribly. Do you not understand?
Passage 26
संरक्ष मां चाग्निभरेण दग्धामत्याकुलां स्वं च नितान्तदग्धम्। निःसृत्य शीघ्रं बहिरम्बुपूरात्पश्येश जातोऽस्ति कुतोऽयमग्निः॥२६॥
“Protect me, burned by this mass of fire and utterly distressed, and protect your own realm, which is intensely scorched. Quickly emerge from the waters and see where this fire has arisen.”
Passage 27
इत्युक्तमात्रो जलधिः स्वपत्न्या तत्कारणं दिव्यदृशा ददर्श। आकर्णकृष्टायतबाणमीशं रामं ततश्चाग्निभरं प्रजातम्॥२७॥
As soon as his wife spoke, the ocean used divine sight to perceive the cause: Lord Rāma drawing his long arrow back to his ear, and the mass of fire issuing from it.
Passage 28
ततः प्रियामाह स वारिराशिः पश्य प्रिये कारणमस्य वह्नेः। प्राप्तोऽयमीशो रघुवंशकेतुः परात्परः सम्प्रति रामनामा॥२८॥
Then the ocean told his beloved, “Dear one, behold the cause of this fire. The Lord beyond the supreme, the banner of Raghu's line now named Rāma, has arrived.
Passage 29
स मार्गमाकाङ्क्षति रावणस्य जयाय लङ्कानगरीं यियासुः। नाजानतोऽसौ विदितो मयायं विधक्षतेऽतो विशिखाग्निना माम्॥२९॥
“Seeking to conquer Rāvaṇa and reach the city of Laṅkā, he asks me for a path. In my ignorance I did not recognize him, and so he burns me with his arrow-fire.
Passage 30
अतो निबद्धाञ्जलिरेष भक्त्या प्रयाम्यहं तं शरणं शरण्यम्। सोपायनस्तस्य पदारविन्दे निवेद्य चात्मानमहं सुखी स्याम्॥३०॥
“Therefore, with palms joined in devotion and bearing gifts, I shall go for refuge to the giver of refuge. Offering myself at his lotus feet, I shall find peace.
Passage 31
तस्मै पुनः सपदि सेतुविधिं प्रदर्श्य सानुग्रहस्य चरणौ शिरसा प्रणम्य। तत्स्वीकृतोर्मणिरत्नगणोपदश्च क्षेमान्वितः पुनरहं गृहमभ्युपेयाम्॥३१॥
“I shall immediately show him how to construct the bridge, bow my head at the gracious Lord's feet, and offer him waves bearing multitudes of jewels. Once accepted by him and restored to safety, I shall return home.”