Sarga 23

Then, having conquered Yama, the chief among the gods, Ravana, who boasted of his prowess in battle, indeed saw his own companions.

Then, having seen Ravana, whose body was drenched in blood and shattered by blows, the demons indeed approached him auspiciously.

After Ravana had consoled them and celebrated their victory, Maricha and the other chiefs all boarded the Pushpaka chariot.

Then, proceeding to Rasatala, he entered the ocean, which was inhabited by hosts of Daityas and Nagas and well-protected by Varuna.

Having gone to the city of Bhogavati, protected by Vasuki, and having brought the Nagas under his control, he, delighted, proceeded to the gem-studded city.

There lived the Nivātakavachas, Daityas who had obtained boons, and Ravana, having approached them, challenged them to battle.

All those Daityas were indeed very mighty, powerful, equipped with various weapons, and overjoyed and fierce in battle.

The enraged Rakshasas and Danavas fiercely pierced each other with spears, tridents, thunderbolts, sharp-edged spears, swords, and axes.

As they continued to fight, more than a year passed, yet neither side achieved victory nor suffered complete destruction.

Then, the imperishable god Brahma, the lord of the three worlds, quickly arrived there, seated in his magnificent aerial chariot.

Having stopped that act of war involving the Nivatakavachas, the wise grandfather Brahma spoke meaningful words.

Indeed, this Ravana cannot be conquered in battle by gods and asuras, nor can you (Nivatakavachas) be led to destruction even by gods and Danavas.

Friendship with you Rakshasas is agreeable, and there is no doubt that all interests of friends are undivided.

Then, Ravana established a friendship with the Nivātakavachas, with fire as witness, and became delighted at that time.

Ravana then resided there for a year, treated properly and justly by them, receiving affection as if he were in his own city.

Then, having mastered a full hundred magic arts, Ravana wandered through the netherworld in search of the city of Varuna, the lord of waters.

Then, having gone to the city named Ashmanagara, which was inhabited by the Kalakeyas, Ravana killed the exceedingly strong Kalakeyas there.

Then, Ravana cut off Shurpanakha's husband, his mighty and exceedingly strong brother-in-law named Vidyujjihva, who was a Rakshasa licking (blood/wounds) with his tongue in battle, with his sword.

Having conquered him, he killed four hundred demons in an instant.

Then, the lord of rakshasas saw the divine abode of Varuna, which resembled white clouds and shone like Mount Kailasa.

There he saw the divine cow Surabhi, standing and continuously flowing milk, from whose abundant milk flow the ocean named Kshiroda originated.

There Ravana saw the ocean, the best source of cows, bulls, and excellent things, from which the cool-rayed moon, the maker of night, originated.

Great sages known as foam-drinkers subsist by depending on this ocean, and it is also where nectar and Svadhā, the offering for ancestors, originated.

Ravana, having circumambulated the exceedingly wonderful Surabhi, whom people in the world call by that name, then proceeded.

He then entered a very dreadful place, guarded by various forces, and there he saw Varuna's excellent abode, which was filled with hundreds of streams, resembled an autumn cloud, and was always joyful.

Then, having killed the commanders of the army in battle and being struck by them, Ravana said to the warriors, "Let the king (Varuna) be quickly informed."

"Ravana, desirous of battle, has arrived; let battle be given to him, or else, with folded hands, say 'I am conquered' if you have no fear."

At this moment, the enraged sons and grandsons of the great-souled Varuna, including Gau and Pushkara, came out.

Endowed with valorous qualities and surrounded by their own forces, they yoked their chariots, which moved at will, shining with brilliant splendor.

Then, a terrible and hair-raising battle ensued between the sons of Varuna, the lord of waters, and the intelligent Ravana.

And by the very powerful ministers of the Rakshasa Dashagriva, that entire army of Varuna was destroyed in a moment.

Then, seeing their own army afflicted by a shower of arrows in battle, the sons of Varuna retreated from the fight.

Indeed, they, who were on the ground, having seen Ravana in the Pushpaka chariot, quickly ascended into the sky with their swift-moving chariots.

After obtaining an equal position in the sky, a great and tumultuous battle ensued among them, resembling the fierce combat between gods and demons.

Then, having turned Ravana away in battle with their fire-like arrows, they were satisfied and roared various sounds.

Then, the enraged hero Mahodara, seeing his king humiliated, abandoned all fear of death and, desirous of battle, looked towards the enemy.

In that fierce battle, those who moved at will and resembled the wind were indeed struck by Mahodara with his mace and fell to the earth.

Having killed hundreds of warriors and horses belonging to the sons of Varuna, Mahodara quickly let out a great roar upon seeing them standing dismounted from their chariots.

Mahodara struck down their chariots, which, along with their horses and slain charioteers, fell to the ground.

But those brave sons of the great-souled Varuna, having abandoned their chariots, stood in the sky and were not distressed due to their inherent power.

Enraged, they made their bows ready, pierced Mahodara, and together attacked Ravana in battle.

Greatly enraged, they tore him apart with very terrible arrows, released from their bows and resembling thunderbolts, just as clouds tear apart a great mountain.

Then, the enraged Ravana, appearing like the fire of destruction, struck their vital spots with very dreadful showers of arrows.

Then, by him alone, the foot-soldiers suddenly began to collapse under the impact of various maces and hundreds of spears.

The irresistible Ravana, positioned above them, hurled down sharp-edged spears, lances, 'hundred-killers', and javelins upon them.

Those brave foot-soldiers, struck down, scattered and fled like sixty-year-old elephants that have fallen into a deep mud-pit.

Seeing his very mighty enemies (literally 'sons') collapsing and distressed, Ravana roared with joy like a great thundercloud.

Then, the Rakshasa Ravana, having uttered great roars, struck down the followers of Varuna (Devas) with showers of various weapons, just like a cloud pours down torrents of rain.

Then, all of them, defeated and fallen to the ground, were quickly brought back into their homes by their own men from the battlefield.

Then the demon Ravana said to them, "Let this be announced to Varuna."

Then a minister of Varuna named Prahasta (or Prahasa) said to Ravana, "Indeed, the great king, the lord of waters Varuna, has gone to the world of Brahma."

Varuna, whom you challenge in battle, has gone to hear Gandharva music; therefore, O hero, what is the use of your vain exertion when the king is absent, and those princes who were present here have already been defeated?

Having heard that, the lord of demons Ravana, proclaiming his own name and uttering a joyful roar, indeed departed from Varuna's abode.

Having arrived by a certain path, the demon Ravana returned by that very path, flying through the sky towards Lanka. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रयोविंशः सर्गः ।। 23 ।। Thus ends the twenty-third sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.