The First Twang of Rama's Bow Deafens the Night-Wanderers
Aranya Kanda, Chhand 4
Doha 20 · Movement 2 of 3
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Khara and Dushana order the warriors to seize him. The night-wanderers surge forward with bows, arrows, lances, shaktis, tridents, swords, maces, axes, and every hard instrument of battle filling their hands.
Before Rama releases an arrow, he strikes the bowstring. The sound breaks across the field, hard, deep, and dreadful, passing through dust and armor like a thunderclap made from the Kodanda itself.
The demon ranks are deafened. Confusion opens among them, and in that instant knowledge and coordination vanish. One sound from the solitary archer reaches the whole army at once, loosening its order before the first shaft has entered the storm of weapons.
The Kodanda speaks once, and an army loses hearing, order, and thought beneath its terrible note.
Read the passage from the Manas
उर दहेउ कहेउ कि धरहु धाए बिकट भट रजनीचरा। सर चाप तोमर सक्ति सूल कृपान परिघ परसु धरा।। प्रभु कीन्ह धनुष टकोर प्रथम कठोर घोर भयावहा। भए बधिर ब्याकुल जातुधान न ग्यान तेहि अवसर रहा।।
Their hearts ablaze, they cried 'Seize them!' and charged. Terrible warriors of the night rushed forward, bearing arrows, bows, lances, shaktis, tridents, swords, maces, and battle-axes. The Lord first struck his bowstring with a thunderous twang, harsh, terrible, and dread-inspiring. The demons were deafened and thrown into confusion. In that moment, all sense and reason left them.