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The Ramayana Book 1

Chapter 19

1 tac chrutvā rājaśārdūla viśvāmitrasya bhāṣitam
muhūrtam iva niḥsaṃjñaḥ saṃjñāvān idam abravīt
2 ūnaṣoḍaśavarṣo me rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ
na yuddhayogyatām asya paśyāmi saha rākṣasaiḥ
3 iyam akṣauhiṇī pūrṇā yasyāhaṃ patir īśvaraḥ
anayā saṃvṛto gatvā yodhāhaṃ tair niśācaraiḥ
4 ime śūrāś ca vikrāntā bhṛtyā me 'straviśāradāḥ
yogyā rakṣogaṇair yoddhuṃ na rāmaṃ netum arhasi
5 aham eva dhanuṣpāṇir goptā samaramūrdhani
yāvat prāṇān dhariṣyāmi tāvad yotsye niśācaraiḥ
6 nirvighnā vratavaryā sā bhaviṣyati surakṣitā
ahaṃ tatra gamiṣyāmil na rāma netum arhasi
7 bālo hy akṛtavidyaś ca na ca vetti balābalam
na cāstrabalasaṃyukto na ca yuddhaviśāradaḥ
na cāsau rakṣasāṃ yogyaḥ kūṭayuddhā hi te dhruvam
8 viprayukto hi rāmeṇa muhūrtam api notsahe
jīvituṃ muniśārdūla na rāmaṃ netum arhasi
9 yadi vā rāghavaṃ brahman netum icchasi suvrata
caturaṅgasamāyuktaṃ mayā saha ca taṃ naya
10 ṣaṣṭir varṣasahasrāṇi jātasya mama kauśikaḥ
duḥkhenotpāditaś cāyaṃ na rāmaṃ netum arhasi
11 caturṇām ātmajānāṃ hi prītiḥ paramikā mama
jyeṣṭhaṃ dharmapradhānaṃ ca na rāmaṃ netum arhasi
12 kiṃ vīryā rākṣasās te ca kasya putrāś ca ke ca te
kathaṃ pramāṇāḥ ke caitān rakṣanti munipuṃgava
13 kathaṃ ca pratikartavyaṃ teṣāṃ rāmeṇa rakṣasām
māmakair vā balair brahman mayā vā kūṭayodhinām
14 sarvaṃ me śaṃsa bhagavan kathaṃ teṣāṃ mayā raṇe
sthātavyaṃ duṣṭabhāvānāṃ vīryotsiktā hi rākṣasāḥ
15 tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro 'bhyabhāṣata
paulastyavaṃśaprabhavo rāvaṇo nāma rākṣasaḥ
16 sa brahmaṇā dattavaras trailokyaṃ bādhate bhṛśam
mahābalo mahāvīryo rākṣasair bahubhir vṛtaḥ
17 śrūyate hi mahāvīryo rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ
sākṣād vaiśravaṇabhrātā putro viśvaraso muneḥ
18 yadā svayaṃ na yajñasya vighnakartā mahābalaḥ
tena saṃcoditau tau tu rākṣasau sumahā balau
mārīcaś ca subāhuś ca yajñavighnaṃ kariṣyataḥ
19 ity ukto muninā tena rājovāca muniṃ tadā
na hi śakto 'smi saṃgrāme sthātuṃ tasya durātmanaḥ
20 sa tvaṃ prasādaṃ dharmajña kuruṣva mama putrake
devadānavagandharvā yakṣāḥ pataga pannagāḥ
21 na śaktā rāvaṇaṃ soḍhuṃ kiṃ punar mānavā yudhi
sa hi vīryavatāṃ vīryam ādatte yudhi rākṣasaḥ
22 tena cāhaṃ na śakto 'smi saṃyoddhuṃ tasya vā balaiḥ
sabalo vā muniśreṣṭha sahito vā mamātmajaiḥ
23 katham apy amaraprakhyaṃ saṃgrāmāṇām akovidam
bālaṃ me tanayaṃ brahman naiva dāsyāmi putrakam
24 atha kālopamau yuddhe sutau sundopasundayoḥ
yajñavighnakarau tau te naiva dāsyāmi putrakam
25 mārīcaś ca subāhuś ca vīryavantau suśikṣitau
tayor anyatareṇāhaṃ yoddhā syāṃ sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ

Next: Chapter 20