मार्कण्डेय उवाच प्रभूतान्नोदके तस्मिन् बहुमूलफले वने। सेनां निवेश्य काकुत्स्थो विधिवत् पर्यरक्षत॥
Markandeya said : The descendant of Kakustha having encamped his troops in those woods and abounding with plenty of food and drink and various (sorts of) fruits and roots, began to watch over them carefully.
रावणः संविधं चक्रे लङ्कायां शास्त्रनिर्मिताम्। प्रकृत्यैव दुराधर्षा दृढप्राकारतोरणा॥ अगाधतोयाः परिखा मीननक्रसमाकुलाः। बभूवुः सप्त दुर्धर्षाः खादिरैः शङ्कुभिश्चिताः॥
(On the other hand) Ravana set up, in Lanka, engines constructed in accordance with (the rules of the science on war). And the seven moats, (which encircled the city), protected by strong walls and gates, full of deep waters and abounding with fishes and alligators, though naturally unassailable, were rendered more so by being surrounded with pointed stakes of Khadira wood.
कपाटयन्त्रदुर्धर्षा बभूवुः सहुडोपलाः। साशीविषघटायोधाः ससर्जरसपांसवः॥
And the ramparts furnished with rounded stones and iron clubs were made unassailable by means of ballistas. The warriors (who mounted guard on the gates) had with them earthen jars full of poisonous snakes, resinous powders.
मुसलालातनाराचतोमरासिपरश्वधैः। अन्विताश्च शतघ्नीभिः समधूच्छिष्टमुद्गराः॥
And were armed with maces, fire-brands, Narichas, Tomaras, swords, axes, Shataghnis and clubs saturated with wax.
पुरद्वारेषु सर्वेषु गुल्म: स्थावरजङ्गमाः। बभूवुः पत्तिबहुलाः प्रभूतगजवाजिनः॥
And all the city gates were guarded by permanent and temporary encampments containing large numbers of infantry and by innumerable elephants and horses.
अगदस्त्वथ लङ्काया द्वारदेशमुपागतः। विदितो राक्षसेन्द्रस्य प्रविवेश गतव्यथः॥
Angada having reached one of the gates of Lanka and being made known to the Rakshasa king entered (the city) fearlessly.
मध्ये राक्षसकोटीनां बह्वीनां सुमहाबलः। शुशुभे मेघमालाभिरादित्य इव संवृतः॥
And that highly-powerful one surrounded by innumerable crores of Rakshasas shone like the sun in the midst of masses of clouds.
स समासाद्य पौलस्त्यममात्यैरभिसंवृतम्। रामसंदेशमामन्त्र्य वाग्मी वक्तुं प्रचक्रमे॥
And that eloquent (monkey) having approached and saluted the descendant of Pulastya who was surrounded by (his) ministers, began to deliver Rama's message (in the following words).
आह त्वां राघवो राजन् कोसलेन्द्रो महायशाः। प्राप्तकालमिदं वाक्यं तदादत्स्व कुरुष्व च॥
"O king, the highly-renowned lord of Kosala, the descendant of Raghu says to you (through me) these words appropriate to the occasion. Accept that (message) and act in obedience to it.
अकृतात्मानमासाद्य राजानमनये रतम्। विनश्यन्त्यनयाविष्टा देशाश्च नगराणि च॥
(Those) countries and cities whose kings are addicted to immoral acts and are incapable of controlling their minds, are themselves covered with sin and destroyed.
त्वयैकेनापराद्धं मे सीतामाहरता बलात्। वधायानपराद्धानामन्येषां तद् भविष्यति॥
You alone are guilty of forcibly carrying off Sita; but your guilt will lead many innocent persons to death.
ये त्वया बलदर्पाभ्यामाविष्टेन वनेचराः। ऋषयो हिंसिताः पूर्वं देवाश्चाप्यवमानिताः॥ राजर्षयश्च निहता रुदत्यश्च हृताः स्त्रियः। तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं फलं तस्यानयस्य ते॥
Elated with power and pride, you who formerly killed many Rishis living in the forests, insulted the gods, slew many royal sages and carried off weeping damsels, are about to be visited with retributive justice for your those vicious deeds.
हन्तास्मि त्वां सहामात्यैर्युध्यस्व पुरुषो भव। पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्यं मानुषस्य निशाचर॥
I will kill you together with your advisers. Give battle and play the hero. O night-ranger, behold the strength of my bow though I ar only a mortal.
मुच्यतां जानकी सीता न मे मोक्ष्यसि कर्हिचित्। अराक्षसमिमं लोकं कर्तास्मि निशितैः शरैः॥
Liberate Sita, the daughter of Janaka. But if you persist in not releasing her I will make this earth bare of all the Rakshasas with sharpened arrows."
इति तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य दूतस्य परुषं वचः। श्रुत्वा न ममृषे राजा रावणः क्रोधमूर्छितः॥
Hearing these harsh words of the messenger, king Ravana could not brook them and became senseless with rage.
इशितज्ञास्ततो भर्तुश्चत्वारो रजनीचराः। चतुर्भुङ्गेषु जगृहुः शार्दूलमिव पक्षिणः॥
Thereupon four night-wanderers who understood (well) the signs of their lord seized Angada by his four limbs like birds seizing a tiger.
तांस्तथाङ्गेषु संसक्तानङ्गदो रजनीचरान्। आदायैव खमुत्पत्य प्रासादतलमाविशत्॥
And along with those wanderers of the night who held him fast by his limbs Angada took a leap upwards and alighted on the roof of the palace.
वेगेनोत्पततस्तस्य पेतुस्ते रजनीचराः। भुवि सम्भिन्नहृदयाः प्रहारवरपीडिताः॥
Those Rakshasa raised up with great force fell down on the ground with their ribs shattered and sorely afflicted by the violence of the fall.
संसक्तो हर्म्यशिखरात् तस्मात् पुनरवापतत्। लवयित्वा पुरीं लङ्कां सुवेलस्य समीपतः॥
And he again took a leap from the roof of the palace whereon he descended and clearing the city of Lanka, come down to his comrades.
कोसलेन्द्रमथागम्य सर्वमावेद्य वानरः। विशश्राम स तेजस्वी राघवेणाभिनन्दितः॥
Then that monkey, approaching the lord of Kosala told him everything; and being highly praised by the descendant of Raghu, the energetic monkey went away to take rest.
ततः सर्वाभिसारेण हरीणां वातरंहसाम्। भेदयामास लङ्कायाः प्राकारं रघुनन्दनः॥
Then the descendant of Raghu by the simultaneous exertions of all monkeys, fleet as the wind, caused the walls of Lanka to be broken down.
विभीषणाधिपती पुरस्कृत्याथ लक्ष्मणः। दक्षिणं नगरद्वारमवामृद्गाद् दुरासदम्॥
Then Lakshmana with Vibhishana and the lord of the bears (Jambuvana) marching ahead, demolished the impregnable southern gate of the city.
करभारुणपाण्डूनां हरीणां युद्धशालिनाम्। कोटीशतसहस्रेण लङ्कामभ्यपपत् तदा॥
Rama then invaded Lanka with a hundred thousand crores of monkeys skilled in battle and resembling young camels in the reddish complexion which they had.
प्रलम्बबाहूरुकरजवान्तरविलम्बिनाम्। ऋक्षाणां धूम्रवर्णानां तिस्रः कोट्यो व्यवस्थिताः॥
Thirty millions of grey-coloured bears having long arms and thighs, broad paws and supporting themselves on their broad haunches prepared themselves (for battle).
उत्पतद्भिः पतद्भिश्च नियतद्भिश्च वानरैः। नादृश्यत तदा सूर्यो रजसा नाशितप्रभः॥
And the sun, with his rays shadowed by the dust raised by the monkeys leaping up an down and crosswise, could not be seen.
शालिप्रसूनसदृशैः शिरीषकुसुमप्रभैः। तरुणादित्यसदृशैः शणगौरैश्च वानरैः॥ प्राकारं ददृशुस्ते तु समन्तात् कपिलीकृतम्। राक्षसा विस्मिता राजन् सस्त्रीवृद्धाः समन्ततः॥
And the walls (of Lanka) covered all over with monkeys endued with complexions (yellow) as the ears of paddy, (grey) as shirisha flowers (crimson) as the morning sun and white as flax, assumed a tawny hue. And O king, the Rakshasas together with their wives and elders were wonder-struck (at this unusual sight).
बिभिदुस्ते मणिस्तम्भान् कर्णाट्टशिखराणि च। भग्नोन्मथितशृङ्गाणि यन्त्राणि च विचिक्षिपुः॥
And they (the monkeys and the bears) broke down pillars made of gems and the terraces of spires of the palaces. Pulling down and breaking to pieces the engines and their propellers they threw them away.
परिगृह्य शतघ्नीश्च सचक्राः सहुडोपलाः। चिक्षिपुर्भुजवेगेन लङ्कामध्ये महास्वनाः॥
And seizing the Shataghnis together with discs, clubs and stones, they threw them violently into Lanka uttering load yells.
प्राकारस्थाश्च ये केचिनिशाचरगणास्तथा। प्रदुद्रुवुस्ते शतशः कपिभिः समभिद्रुताः॥
The night-wanderers that were stationed on the walls, attacked by the monkeys fled hurriedly by hundreds.
ततस्तु राजवचनाद् राक्षसाः कामरूपिणः। निर्ययुर्विकृताकाराः सहस्रशतसङ्घशः॥
Then, at the command of the king, hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas of unnatural shapes and who could assume any form they liked, issued out (of the city to meet the enemy).
शस्त्रवर्षाणि वर्षन्तो द्रावयित्वा वनौकसः। प्राकारं शोभयन्तस्ते परं विक्रममास्थिताः॥
Discharging a (perfect) deluge of arrows and displaying great prowess, they graced the walls on driving away the dwellers of forests.
स माषराशिसदृशैर्बभूव क्षणदाचरैः। कृतो निर्वानरो भूयः प्राकारो भीमदर्शनैः॥
And those terrible-looking night-rangers resembling heaps of flesh made the walls clear of monkeys.
पेतुः शूलविभिन्नाङ्गा बहवो वानरर्षभाः। स्तम्भतोरणभग्नाश्च पेतुस्तत्र निशाचरा:॥
And there with their bodies pierced by lances many foremost of monkeys fell (dead) and several night-rangers also crushed by pillars broken in the course of battle breathed their last.
केशाकेश्यभवद् युद्धं रक्षसां वानरैः सह। नखैर्दन्तैश्च वीराणां खादतां वै परस्परम्॥
And the battle raged on between the heroic Rakshasas who fell to devouring (the monkeys) and the monkeys both parties dragging one another by the hair of the head and mangling one another with nails and teeth.
निष्टनन्तो [भयतस्तत्र वानरराक्षसाः। हता निपतिता भूमौ न मुञ्चन्ति परस्परम्॥
The Rakshasas and the monkeys with terrific yells and roars killed and struck down one another on the ground but (still) they did not give up the fight.
रामस्तु शरजालानि ववर्ष जलदो यथा। तानि लङ्कां समासाद्य जघ्नुस्तान् रजनीचरान्॥
Rama too, then, poured down showers of arrows like the very clouds. And those arrows reaching Lanka killed many night-rangers.
सौमित्रिरपि नाराजैर्दृढधन्वा जितक्लमः। आदिश्यादिश्य दुर्गस्थान् पातयामास राक्षसान्॥
And that mighty bowman, the indefatiguable son of Sumitra also, naming (particular) Rakshasas who were stationed in the forts killed them with Narachas.
ततः प्रत्यवहारोऽभूत् सैन्यानां राघवाज्ञया। कृते विमर्दे लङ्कायां लब्धलक्ष्यो जयोत्तरः॥
Then by order of Rama the forces retired (from the battle field) after having achieved success (in battle) and demolished (the defences of) Lanka and thereby making all the objects (of the city) easy of being aimed at.