A Demon Army Darkens the Sky, and Rama Strings the Kodanda Alone
Aranya Kanda, Chaupai 17
Doha 18 · Movement 1 of 3
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Surpanakha's mutilated form resembles streams of red ochre descending a mountain. She reaches Khara and Dushana wailing, shames their strength, and tells what happened. The brothers summon a vast army. Night-wanderers advance like winged mountains of black collyrium, mounted in countless ways and armed with an immeasurable variety of weapons.
Surpanakha is placed at their front. Terrible omens multiply, but warriors already mastered by death cannot read them. They roar, threaten, fly through the sky, and boast that the brothers will be captured alive, slain, and the woman taken. Dust rises until it fills the vault of heaven.
Rama calls Lakshmana and commands him to take Janaki into a mountain cave and remain vigilant. Lakshmana departs with Sita, carrying bow and arrows. Rama watches the dreadful host approach. Alone upon the field, he smiles and bends the hard Kodanda into readiness.
As dust swallows the sky, Rama stands alone before the black advancing mountains and strings his bow with a smile.
Read the passage from the Manas
नाक कान बिनु भइ बिकरारा। जनु स्त्रव सैल गैरु कै धारा।। खर दूषन पहिं गइ बिलपाता। धिग धिग तव पौरुष बल भ्राता।। तेहि पूछा सब कहेसि बुझाई। जातुधान सुनि सेन बनाई।। धाए निसिचर निकर बरूथा। जनु सपच्छ कज्जल गिरि जूथा।। नाना बाहन नानाकारा। नानायुध धर घोर अपारा।। सुपनखा आगें करि लीनी। असुभ रूप श्रुति नासा हीनी।। असगुन अमित होहिं भयकारी। गनहिं न मृत्यु बिबस सब झारी।। गर्जहि तर्जहिं गगन उड़ाहीं। देखि कटकु भट अति हरषाहीं।। कोउ कह जिअत धरहु द्वौ भाई। धरि मारहु तिय लेहु छड़ाई।। धूरि पूरि नभ मंडल रहा। राम बोलाइ अनुज सन कहा।। लै जानकिहि जाहु गिरि कंदर। आवा निसिचर कटकु भयंकर।। रहेहु सजग सुनि प्रभु कै बानी। चले सहित श्री सर धनु पानी।। देखि राम रिपुदल चलि आवा। बिहसि कठिन कोदंड चढ़ावा।।
Without nose or ears, she became a ghastly sight, like streams of red gairika (ochre) pouring down a mountainside. She went wailing to Khara and Dushana: 'Shame, shame upon your manhood and your strength, O brothers!' When they questioned her, she told them everything. Hearing her account, the demons assembled a vast army. Hordes of night-wanderers charged forward in troops, like flocks of winged collyrium mountains darkening the sky. They rode countless mounts and bore countless forms, armed with terrible weapons beyond measure. Surpanakha they placed at the front of the host, her inauspicious form bereft of ears and nose. Fearful omens multiplied without end, yet not one demon heeded them. Death had claimed their judgment. They roared, they threatened, they flew through the heavens. Seeing the great army, the demon warriors swelled with fierce delight. Some cried: 'Take the two brothers alive! Seize and slay them, and carry off the woman!' Dust rose until the entire dome of sky was filled. Rama called his younger brother and spoke. 'Take Janaki to the mountain cave. A terrible army of nishachara has arrived.' Hearing Prabhu's command, Lakshmana stayed alert and set out with Shri Sita, bow and quiver in hand. Seeing the enemy host bearing down, Rama smiled and strung his mighty kodanda.