Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty first sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Disfigured in her amorous misadventure, the ogress SUrpaNakha went and complained to khara, the chief of the demons in the region janasthAna. She insisted on extracting revenge on the brothers duo and wanted to quench her seething sense of revenge with their blood. Obliging immediately khara dispatched fourteen warriors for the job who were dispatched to the abode of the god of death in no time by rAma. Livid at this outcome and the insult that SUrpaNakha heaped on him, khara now ordered a disproportionate number of demons, fourteen thousand of them, led by their generals and he himself for a combat with rAma and lakshmaNa. As they converged upon the hermitage at panchavaTI, rAma ordered lakshmaNa to take sItA to safety and guard her while he faced the demons. And then in an unbelievable display of dexterity, determination and peerless prowess in archery, rAma launched a counter attack on the demons. He first vanquished the army, and then their general dUshaNa. Then came the turn of the twelve general who guarded khara. After them the three headed triSirA met his end in the hands of rAma. And finally it was the turn of khara. By no means, this was a cakewalk for rAma to face them all. But he stood his ground, copped several blows, was hit all over the body and lost his armor. Yet, he was unfazed and determined, and destroyed the chariot and weapons of khara. The demon was grounded. Now rAma hurled verbal volleys at him and finally, he aimed at a charging khara and shot him dead! The demon-infested janasthAna was rid of the trouble makers and sage eaters. The sages who spent their time in pious deeds dedicated to the welfare of the world were now free to practice and profess their dharma. Needless to say, they all came forwarded and felicitated rAma for his valour. They revealed that this was the plan with which they have led rAma into the forest as he alone was capable of protecting dharma! Even lord indra was involved in the mission and he passed on a special and mighty bow to sage Sarabhanga to be gifted to rAma! rAma was accorded a tremendous welcome to the hermitage by the sages and lakshmaNa. But the best part of the welcome was an absolutely delighted sItA who was so proud of her husband’s valour that she came running him and covered him in a tight embrace! It was time for celebrations… but, wait… Onwards…
Witnessing the unbelievable destruction of the demons at the janasthAna, a certain demon by name akampana, hurried to the presence of demon king rAvaNa at lanka and said to him –
“O king, the demons who were at janasthAna have been vanquished in a battle along with khara, their chief. I somehow escaped and came to you to report the matter”. The tenheaded rAvaNa became angry and his eyes turned red upon hearing this news from akampana and he glared as if to burn down the whole world by his sight and thundered –
“Who is that dying one, undesirous of redemption in this world or the other, that has dared to kill my mighty people at the janasthAna? It is well known that by displeasing me, even indra, kubEra, yama or vishNu cannot live in peace. I can ensure time is up for the god of death, can burn down fire, can cause death of death, can retard the speed of the wind, with my anger laden radiance I am capable of burning down the fire and the sun”!
To the rAvaNa thundering thus in anger, akampana prayed for his mercy and protection with folded hands speaking in utter fear unintelligibly. The ten-headed demon granted mercy and asked akampana to relate to him what happened fearlessly and properly. The spy continued-
“There is a son of king daSaratha by name rAma. He is lion-like in appearance, young, has mighty arms and broad shoulders. Dark in complexion, illustrious in the world, prosperous is endowed with peerless prowess and strength, khara and dUshaNa have been vanquished by him”.
Listening to this description by akampana, rAvaNa hissed like the king of serpents asked by any chance if rAma was accompanied by the gods or indra in doing this. Responding to the question of rAvaNa, akampana replied in detail to make rAvaNa aware of the valour and might of rAma –
“He is radiant, his name is rAma and he is best among archers. Endowed with vast divine weaponry and great qualities, in battle he fights sticking to dharma. Resembling him in attributes and might, with reddish eyes and a booming voice, with a moon-like pleasant countenance is his younger brother lakshmaNa. He aids rAma like the wind aids the fire and the two together have brought janasthAna down. There is no question about his greatness and no god ever came to lend him a helping hand in the battle. The golden feathered arrows that were released by rAma turned into five-hooded serpents and consumed the demons. Whichever the terrified demons went they beheld rAma there waiting for them with his arrows! Thus your janasthAna has been destroyed by rAma, O rAvaNa”.
येन येन च गच्छन्ति राक्षसा भयकर्शिताः।3.31.19।।
तेन तेन स्म पश्यन्ति राममेवाग्रतः स्थितम्।
इत्थं विनाशितं तेन जनस्थानं तवानघ।।3.31.20।।
On hearing these words of akampana, rAvaNa vowed to goto janasthAna and kill rAma and lakshmaNa. As he said this, akampana, continued the narration of rAma’s might and valour in a matter-of-fact manner as witnessed.
असाध्यः कुपितो रामो विक्रमेण महायशाः।
आपगायास्सुपूर्णाया वेगं परिहरेच्छरैः।।3.31.23।।
“O rAvaNa, it is impossible to face an angry rAma in the battle. With the power of his arrows, he is capable of arresting the flow of a river in spate, he can pull down the planets and stars from the skies, he is capable of destroying the banks of the ocean and inundating the whole world, he can arrest the speed of the wind, he can destroy the entire world and is capable of creation again by virtue of his valour. Even if the entire pantheon of gods and demons come together, they cannot win over him, what to speak of either you or the whole world of demons. You cannot defeat him in battle, just like the sinners cannot attain the heaven. There is only one way to vanquish him and I shall relate that you, listen.
His wife, endowed with a beautiful body, well formed, well proportioned, well decked and is the crest jewel among women. She is peerless among the demi-goddesses, apsaras or the nAga women, then to what to speak of among the humans. Go and abduct her from the forests by force and bereft of her, desirous of her, rAma shall give up his life”.
This idea of abduction of sItA appealed to rAvaNa. He thought for a while and told akampana – “very well, I shall leave in the morning on my chariot along with the charioteer and shall bring vaidEhI (sItA) to this city”.
Saying so, rAvaNa left on a chariot pulled by donkeys. The flying chariot illumined all the directions in the sky like the sun. Traveling along the great path of the celestial stars, rAvaNa’s chariot shone like the moon in the middle of the clouds. He traveled for and reached the hermitage of the son of tATaka – mAricha. The demon mAricha welcomed him with due hospitality and enquired meaningfully –
“O lord of demons and the worlds, I hope all is well at lanka. Your unannounced arrival makes me wonder if everything is alright”. Listening to this inquiry of his welfare, rAvaNa articulated the reason of his coming there –
“O dear, listen, my sentinels who kept a watch of janasthAna were decimated and felled in war by rAma who can pull off difficult deeds. So I want to extract revenge and you please assist me in abducting the wife of rAma”.
Listening to this proposal of rAvaNa, mAricha shot back –
“Whoever advised this abduction of sItA to you is your enemy masquerading as your friend. O king of the demons, who is that who has been favored you and yet is unhappy.
आख्याता केन सीता सा मित्ररूपेण शत्रुणा।
त्वया राक्षसशार्दूल को न नन्दति नन्दितः।।3.31.42।।
Who is that who advised you to bring sItA to lanka, please tell me. Who is that who wants to demolish the top of the clan of demons? Whoever is encouraging you thus, know him for sure to be your enemy, for he wants you to put your hand into the poisonous snake’s mouth and extract the poison!
प्रोत्साहयति कश्च त्वां स च शत्रुरसंशयः।
अशीविषमुखाद्दंष्ट्रामुद्धर्तुं चेच्छति त्वया।।3.31.44।।
Who has led you down this terrible path; he has undoubtedly spoiled your sound sleep by striking you (in sleep).
O rAvaNa, rAMa is verily like a mighty elephant that cannot be tamed. His pedigree is his trunk, his well built arms are his tusks, he oozes brilliance and it is impossible to face this elephant in the battle.
He is like a lion with its tail up and touching its waist when in anger on the battle front. He will destroy the demons who are easy pickings for him like the deer, his arrows are like his sharp teeth, and it is not at all advisable to wake up such a sleeping lion.
O rAvaNa, rAma is like the netherworld whose bottom cannot be ascertained. Why do you want to enter that. It is mired with his bow and the waves of arrows. It is not at all advisable to venture into that bottomless pit.
O lord of lanka, king of the demons, be pleased and return to lanka and enjoy with your wives. Let rAma delight in the forests with his wife”.
Thus advised by the mAricha, rAvaNa returned to lanka and entered his excellent palace.
Here we conclude the the thirty first sarga of the araNya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 3.32. The ogress escalates the matter
Previous: 3.30. Endgame for khara, rAma is celebrated
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
