August 6 - Sargas 20 and 21 of Aranya Kanda.
The fourteen powerful rakshasas go with Shurpanakha and attack Sri Rama. They are all eliminated in one stroke by him. A scared Shurpanakha goes back to Khara challenging him to kill the mighty enemy in the form of Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
***
The fourteen raskhasas of terrible appearance and obvious might come to Sri Rama's hermitage with Shurpanakha. Sri Rama and Sita are seated in the courtyard with Lakshmana in attendance. Seeing them, Sri Rama asks Lakshmana to take care of Sita and go inside. He will attend to these rakshasas.
Sri Rama first speaks to them.
"We are Rama and Lakshmana, sons of King Dasharatha, come to this dense Dandaka forest with Sita. We live as ascetics eating fruits and shoots and are engaged in the study of scriptures. We have no enmity with you and have done you no harm.
ऋषीणां तु नियोगेन सम्प्रापः सशरासनः. ।
यदि प्राणैरिहार्थो वो निवर्तध्वं निशाचराः ॥
" On the order from rishis, we are carrying weapons for their protection. In case you value your lives, I suggest you better go away quietly, oh rakshasas!"
Of course, the rakshasas have come on a mission. "Oh Rama, you have provoked the wrath of our master Khara. It is you who will now lose your life in battle. How do you even imagine that fighting by yourself, you will face so many of us in battle? When we release these fierce spears, you will fall dead with your bow and arrows in an instant. "
***
They threw their spears, with full force, all at once, aimed directly at Sri Rama.
तानि शूलानि काकुत्स्थः समस्तानि चतुर्दश ।
तावद्धिरेव चिच्छेद शरैः काञ्चनभूषितैः ॥
" Sri Rama simultaneously shattered those fourteen spears aimed at him by shooting fourteen golden arrows."
Then Sri Rama released arrows like Indra would release his thunderbolt. The arrows went and rent the raskhasas' chests. They all tumbled to the ground bleeding, much like snakes prised out of their anthill forcibly.
Shurpanakha was extremely scared to see the carnage. Valmiki says her wounds had stopped bleeding by now. She again rushed to Khara's presence screaming even louder than before.
Khara was irritated. In fact Valmiki says he spoke to her clearly unhappily, thinking she brings more trouble now (तामनर्थार्थमागताम्).
Shurpanakha replied that his fourteen invincible warriors were eliminated by Sri Rama in an instant.
***
Shurpanakha asks, "Where is Khara's valour? Does he think still that he is in control around here?"
रामतेजोऽभिभूतो हि त्वं क्षिप्रं विनशिष्यसि ।
स हि तेजःसमायुक्तो रामो दशरथात्मजः ॥
भ्राता चास्य महावीर्यो येन चास्मि विरूपिता ।
एवं विलप्य बहुशो राक्षसी प्रदरोदरी ॥
"Oh brother, this Rama, son of King Dasharatha, is no ordinary mortal. If you come in conflict with him and face his radiant prowess, you will be annihilated quickly.
" Alas! It is my fate that I have been mutilated by his powerful brother thus...! (basically asking: of what worth is my own brother now when I am in my distress....)", so bewailed the ugly Shurpanakha with her protruding belly.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
