Raghuvamsha - 12th Sarga in English (Free Verse)

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 104

 जय श्रीराम!

रघुपतिरपि जातवेदोविशुद्धां प्रगृह्य प्रियां

प्रियसुहृदि विभीषणे संगमय्य श्रियं वैरिणः । 

रविसुतसहितेन तेनानुयातः ससौमित्रिणा भुजविजितविमानरत्नाधिरूढः प्रतस्थे पुरीम् ॥१२.१०४॥  

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Śrīrāma too started back after accepting and embracing his dear wife Sītā pure as the blazing sacred fire. He first handed over to the good Vibhīṣaṇa the kingdom he had won from Rāvaṇa. Then he boarded the sacred Puṣpakavimāna he had rightfully won in battle, and, accompanied by Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, Vibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva, and others (Hanumān, of course), Śrīrāma flew to his capital, Ayodhyā."

Interestingly, the Puṣpakavimāna was the official vehicle given to the good Kubera by Brahmā. This was violently seized by Rāvaṇa. While Śrīrāma travelled to Ayodhyā in it, he duly returned it to Kubera. Kubera sent it back to Śrīrāma, saying as Dharma incarnate, Śrīrāma deserved to keep it and use it as the king of Ayodhyā. All this is described in great detail by Vālmīki.

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जय श्रीराम!

॥ इति रघुवंशे रावणवधो नाम द्वादशस्सर्गः समाप्तः ॥

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Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 103

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 जय श्रीराम!

Sorry, I cannot find a good enough image to fit Kālidāsa's description.

यन्ता हरेः सपदि संहृतकार्मुकज्याम् 

आपृच्छ्य राघवमनुष्ठितदेवकार्यम् । 

नामाङ्करावणशराङ्कितकेतुयष्टिम्

 ऊर्ध्वं रथं हरिसहस्रयुजं निनाय ॥१२.१०३॥

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "The charioteer of Hari now sought leave of the hero who had accomplished the mission for the gods (of killing Rāvaṇa), seeing upon that Śrīrāma now loosened the bowstring signalling the end of the battle. Thus, the chariot, pecked in its flagstaff by mighty arrows marked with Rāvaṇa̍s glorious name, was flown to heavens drawn by a thousand horses."

Hari = Mahāviṣṇu now incarnate as Śrīrāma. Also Indra. In the second line, Hari = horses! The power of Sanskrit, my friend!

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जय श्रीराम!

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Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 102

 जय श्रीराम!

Sorry, I cannot find a good enough image to fit Kālidāsa's description.

अथ मदगुरुपक्षैर्लोकपालद्विपानाम्

अनुगतमलिवृन्दैर्गण्डभित्तीर्विहाय । 

उपनतमणिबन्धे मूर्ध्नि पौलस्त्यशत्रोः 

सुरभि सुरविमुक्तं पुष्पवर्षं पपात ॥१२.१०२॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "The gods who had assembled in the skies were seated on the eight guardian elephants of the quarters. Each of these mighty elephants was in musth oozing the fragrant juice on the cheeks attracting bees. This huge swarm of bees were drinking the nectarine juice but could hardly fly as their wings became heavy as they also soaked up the juice. The bees forsook the elephants the moment the gods started showering heavenly flowers on the victorious Śrīrāma who had killed Rāvaṇa. The bees were drawn to the fragrant flowers and joined them in their descent as they came and virtually crowned the hero, mimicking the soon-to-be coronation of Śrīrāma."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 101

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 जय श्रीराम!

मरुतां पश्यतां तस्य शिरांसि पतितान्यपि । 

मनो नातिविशश्वास पुनः सन्धानशङ्किनाम् ॥१२.१०१॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Even after beholding the row of Rāvaṇaa's heads being cut off and dropping to the ground, the minds of the deities called Maruts were still sceptical, fearing that as before, the heads might rise and rejoin, bringing Rāvaṇa back to life".

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जय श्रीराम!

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Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 100

 जय श्रीराम!

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बालार्कप्रतिमेवाप्सु वीचिभिन्ना पतिष्यतः । 

रराज रक्षःकायस्य कण्ठच्छेदपरम्परा ॥१२.१००॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Once Rāvaṇa was decapitated, the row of his necks once attached but now separated from his body,  looked, as his body dropped off,  like red discs at the neck, similar to the multitude of reflections in the water of the red rising sun, the reflections being separated by the lapping waves."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 98 & 99

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 जय श्रीराम!

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तद्व्योमि शतधा भिन्नं ददृशे दीप्तिमन्मुखम् । 

वपुर्महोरगस्येव करालफणमण्डलम् ॥१२.९८॥ 

तेन मन्त्रप्रयुक्तेन निमेषार्धादपातयत् । 

स रावणशिरःपङ्क्तिमज्ञातव्रणवेदनाम् ॥१२.९९॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "That Brahmāstra sped in the sky, with its arrow tip splitting into a hundred fiery heads, the Astra appearing like the great serpent Ādiśeṣa himself with his fearsome array of glowing heads."

"By that sacred arrow, invoked with incantations, in a split-second,  Śrīrāma cut down surgically and felled the entire row of Rāvaṇa's ten heads, with the Rākṣasa's heads not displaying any signs of feeling the pain of decapitation!"

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 97

 जय श्रीराम!

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अमोघं संदधे चास्मै धनुष्येकधनुर्धरः ।

 ब्राह्ममस्त्रं प्रियाशोकशल्यनिष्कर्षणौषधम् ॥१२.९७॥  

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Now Śrīrāma, that archer non-pareil, set to his bow the ultimate weapon, Brahmāstra, which was infallible in its mission always, pointing it at Rāvaṇa. It was also aimed to relieve the grief that Devī Sītā was suffering from, a constant and unbearable pain akin to that of a torturous arrow-fragment embedded in one's flesh., This Brahmāstra would pluck out that source of pain and be the healing balm to Sītā."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 96

 जय श्रीराम!

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राघवो रथमप्राप्तां तामाशां च सुरद्विषाम् ।

अर्धचन्द्रमुखैर्बाणैश्चिच्छेद कदलीसुखम् ॥१२.९६॥     

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Even before that deadly spiked Śataghnī reached Śrīrāma's chariot, Śrīrāma used a crescent-moon shape-tipped arrow and cut it down. Indeed, he destroyed that deadly weapon as easily as cutting down a banana plant! Simultaneously, he cut down any hopes of victory among the Rākṣasas, as they witnessed their hero's inability to deal with Śrīrāma!"

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 95

 जय श्रीराम!

 अयश्शङ्कुचितां रक्षः शतघ्नीमथ शत्रवे ।

हृतां वैवस्वतस्यैव कूटशाल्मलिमक्षिपत् ॥१२.९५॥  

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Now Rāvaṇa hurled at Śrīrāma a mace studded with iron nails as fearsome as the proverbial weapon of thorns used by Yama in hell to torture the sinful, and it seemed as if Rāvaṇa had snatched it from him!".

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 94

 जय श्रीराम!

कृतप्रतिकृतप्रीतैस्तयोर्मुक्तां सुरासुरैः । 

परस्परशरव्रातः पुष्पवृष्टिं न सेहिरे ॥१२.९४॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Just as the two adversaries were fighting fiercely, i.e. Śrīrāma and Rāvaṇa, they also had their partisan cheerleaders among gods and demons in competition. The gods were showering flowers on their hero Śrīrāma for his prowess, but the flowers were intercepted by the flying missiles from Rāvaṇa. Similarly, the flowers being showered on Rāvaṇa by the demons were dispelled by the arrows filling the air as they emanated from Śrīrāma̍s bow". It was a melee of flying objects indeed! 

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 93

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 जय श्रीराम!

विक्रमव्यतिहारेण सामान्याभूद्द्वयोरपि । 

जयश्रीरन्तरा वेदिर्मत्तवारणयोरिव ॥१२.९३॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "The Goddess of Victory seemed to be oscillating between the heroes Śrīrāma and Rāvaṇa such that she became as it were the common ground for their fight, much like the mound of earth is claimed by warring tuskers in musth as they fight thereon." 

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 92

 जय श्रीराम!

वचसैव तयोर्वाक्यम् अस्त्रमस्त्रेण निघ्नतोः ।

अन्योन्यजयसंर्म्भो ववृधे वादिनोरिव ॥१२.९२॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "The battle continued between these two equally formidable combatants who were destroying each other's weapons with their own in a way like a debate would simply keep escalating  between two disputants endlessly by their matched abilities."

So even after piercing his heart with his arrow, Śrīrāma found that Rāvaṇa was not terminated and continued to fight with undiminished vigour.

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 91

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 जय श्रीराम!

रावणस्यापि रामास्तो भित्वा हृदयमाशुगः । 

विवेश भुवमाख्यातुमुरगेभ्य इव प्रियम् ॥१२.९१॥   

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "And then, even Śrīrāma's swift arrow pierced through Rāvaṇa's heart and sped into the nether world to spread among the serpents there the good news of Rāvaṇa's end."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 90

 जय श्रीराम!

तस्य स्फुरति पौलस्त्यः सीतासङ्गमशंसिनि । 

निचखानाधिकक्रोधः शरं स्व्येतरे भुजे ॥१२.९०॥  

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Rāvaṇa, on beholding the massive right shoulder and upper arm of Śrīrāma which throbbed and as such suggested how much it would receive the affectionate embrace of Sītā, was provoked into even greater rage of jealousy and dug up from his quiver his arrows  and fired at it."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 89

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 जय श्रीराम!

जेतारं लोकपालानां स्वमुखैरर्चितेश्वरम्। 

रामस्तुलितकैलासमरातिं बह्वमन्यत ॥१२.८९॥   

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Śrīrāma held Rāvaṇa, who had defeated the gods, worshipped Śiva by cutting off his own heads for offering, had lifted even the Kailāsa mountain at one time, in high esteem."

Statutory Warning: Śrīrāma held Rāvaṇa also in utter contempt for his cowardice, offences against righteous people, tormenting the sages and ascetics all over the world, and finally, for shamefully abducting Śītā. Śrīrāma had a great deal of information from both Hanūmān and Vibhīṣaṇa on Rāvaṇa.

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 88

 जय श्रीराम!

   भुजमूर्धोरुबाहुल्यादेकोऽपि धनदानुजः । 

ददृशे ह्ययथापूर्वो मातृवंश इव स्थितः ॥१२.८८॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "In the final battle, Rāvaṇa appeared in his full form with so many heads, shoulders and hands, that in an unprecedented spectacle, despite standing alone, Rāvaṇa appeared to be surrounded by the entire clan of Rākṣasas from his mother's side."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 87

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 जय श्रीराम!

 अन्योन्यदर्शनप्राप्तविक्रमावसरं चिरात् । 

रामरावणयोर्युद्धं चरितार्थमिवाभवत् ॥१२.८७॥ 

Notes: Kālidāsa says, " At last coming face to face, with a great opportunity to display one's military prowess, Śrīrāma and Rāvaṇa fought their decisive battle, renowned in all history."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 86

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 जय श्रीराम!

मातुलिस्तस्य माहेन्द्रमामुमोच तनुच्छदम् । 

यत्रोत्पलदलक्लैब्यम् अस्त्राण्यापुः सुरद्विषाम् ॥१२.८६॥

Notes: Kālidāsa says, "Indra's charioteer Matali respectfully compelled Śrīrāma to wear the divine armour that rendered all weapons hurled with striking force by the demons at Śrīrāma ineffectual like soft lotus flower petals."

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जय श्रीराम!

Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa 12th Sarga - 85

 जय श्रीराम!

तमाधूतध्वजपटं व्योमगङ्गोर्मिवायुभिः । 

देवसूतभुजालम्बी जैत्रमध्यस्त राघवः ॥१२.८५॥

Notes: Kālidāsa says, Śrīrāma leant on the shoulder of the divine charioteer who had brought that exquisite chariot, with the flag fluttering in the breeze stirred up in the skies by the holy river Gaṅgā ( who had come down to earth too, long ago, by the efforts of another Ikśvāku king, Bhagīratha), as Śrīrāma climbed on to the chariot and took his seat.  

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जय श्रीराम!