Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 43

युध्यतां तु ततस्तेषां वानराणां महात्मनाम्। रक्षसां संबभूवाथ बलरोषः सुदारुणः॥
As the high-soulcd monkeys and Raksasas taught on, their wrath vastly increase at sight of each other's forces.

ते हयैः काञ्चनापीडैर्गजैश्चाग्निशिखोपमैः। रथैश्चादित्यसंकाशैः कवचैश्च मनोरमैः॥ निर्ययू राक्षसा वीरा नादयन्तो दिशो दश। राक्षसा भीमकर्माणो रावणस्य जयैषिणः॥
And furnished with steeds in golden trappings, and elephants resembling flames of fire; and cars appearing like (so many) suns; and shining armour, the valiant Räkşasas issued, making the ten cardinal points resound. The Rākşasas of terrific exploits were burning for victory on behalf of Rāvana.

वानराणामपि चमूवृंहति जयमिच्छताम्। अभ्यधावत तां सेनां रक्षसां घोरकर्मणाम्॥
The mighty monkey-army also, eager for victory, darted against the host of the Rākşasa of dreadful deeds.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तेषामन्योन्यमभिधावताम्। रक्षसां वानराणां च द्वन्द्वयुद्धमवर्तत॥
In the meanwhile, as either party assailed the other, there took place single combats between the Raksasas and the monkeys.

अङ्गदेनेन्द्रजित्सार्धं वालिपुत्रेण राक्षसः। अयुध्यत,महातेजास्त्र्यम्बकेण यथान्धकः॥
And as Andhaka had combated with the Three-eyed (deity), That Raksasas, the exceedingly energetic Indrajit, faught with Angada, Son to Vāli.

प्रजङ्ग्रेन च संपातिनित्यं दुर्धर्षणो रणे। जम्बुमालिनामारब्धो हनूमानपि वानरः॥
Sampāti, hard to to bear, engaged with Prajangha; and the monkey, Hanumān, entered into conflict with Jambumālī.

संगतस्तु महाक्रोधो राक्षसो रावणानुजः। समरे तीक्ष्णवेगेन शत्रुघ्नेन विभीषणः।८।।
And Ravana's younger brother, Vibhisana, fired with wrath, encountered Śatrughna, endowed with exceeding impetuosity.

तपनेन गजः सार्धं राक्षसेन महाबलः। निकुम्भेन महातेजा नीलोऽपि समयुध्यत॥ वानरेन्द्रस्तु सुग्रीवः प्रघसेन सुसंगतः। संगतः समरे श्रीमान्विरूपाक्षेण लक्ष्मणः॥
The highly powerful Nīla engaged with undertook Praghasa, and the graceful Lakşmaņa was engaged with Virüpākşa.

अग्निकेतुः सुदुर्धर्षो रश्मिकेतुश्च राक्षसः। मित्रघ्नो यज्ञकोपश्च रामेण सह संगताः॥
The exceedingly irrepressible Agniketu and the Raksasa Rasmiketu-and Mitraghna and Yajñakopa, were engaged with Rāma.

वज्रमुष्टिश्च मैन्देन द्विविदेनाशनिप्रभः। राक्षसाभ्यां सुघोराभ्यां कपिमुख्यौ समागतौ ।।१२ वीरः प्रतपनो घोरो राक्षसो रणदुर्धरः। समरे तीक्ष्णवेगेन नलेन समयुध्यत॥ धर्मस्य पुत्रो बलवान्सुषेण इति विश्रुतः। स विद्युन्मालिना सार्धमयुध्यत महाकपिः॥
Vajramuștti encountered Mainda, and Asaniprabha Dvivida. And those foremost of monkeys faught with those dreadful Rākşasas, the heroic and terrible Pratapana, incapable of being overcome in battle, was combating with Nala of terrific force; and that lusty son of Righteousness, well-known as Susena, a mighty monkey-battled with Vidyunmāli.

वानराश्चापरे घोरा राक्षसैरपरैः सह। द्वन्द्वं समीयुः सहसा युद्ध्वा च बहुभिः सह ॥
And other fearful monkeys encountered other Rākşasas; and many were the encounters the took place.

तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्। रक्षसां वानराणां च वीराणां जयमिच्छताम्॥
And great and fierce was the engagement that took place between the heroic Rakşasas and monkeys burning for victory, capable of making people's hair stand on end.

हरिराक्षसदेहेभ्यः : प्रसृताः केशशाद्वला:। शरीरसंघाटवहाः प्रसुनुः शोणितापगाः॥
And from the persons of the Räkşasas and the monkeys there flowed a river of gore, having hair for grass (growing on its banks) and the bodies of the warriors for pieces of planks floating (a down the current).

आजघानेन्द्रजित्क्रुद्धो वज्रेणेव शतक्रतुः। अङ्गदं गदया वीरं शत्रुसैन्यविदारणम्॥
Indrajit, growing enraged, with his mace dealt a blow at that tearer of hostile ranks, angada, like him of an hundred sacrifices striking with his · thunderbolt.

तस्य काश्चनचित्राङ्गं रथं साश्वं ससारथिम्। जघान गदया श्रीमानङ्गदो वेगवान्हरिः॥
Thereat, that graceful monkey, Angada, gifted with vehemence, with his mace crushed his car decked in gold, together with the steeds and the charioteer.

संपातिस्तु प्रजङ्ग्रेन त्रिभिर्बाणैः समाहतः। निजघानाश्वकर्णेन प्रजङ्घ रणमूर्धनि ॥
Sampāti was pierced with three arrows by Prajangha; and the former (in his turn) slew Prajangha on the edge of battle with an Ašvakarņa.

जम्बुमाली रथस्थस्तु रथशक्त्या महाबलः। बिभेद समरे क्रद्धो हनूमन्तं स्तनान्तरे॥
And Jambumali, mounted on a car, possessed of prodigious strength, fired with wrath, with all the access of force derived from his car wounded Hanumān between his paps.

तस्य तं रथमास्थाय हनूमान्मारुतात्मजः। प्रममाथ तलेनाशु सह तेनैव रक्षसा॥
Thereat, getting at his car, Hanumān-son to the Wind-god with a slap speedily crushed his adversary's vehicle along with the Raksasa.

नदन्प्रतपनो घोरो नलं सोऽभ्यनुधावत। नलः प्रपनस्याशु पातयामास चक्षुषी॥ भिन्नगात्रः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः क्षिप्रहस्तेन रक्षसा।
Then the terrific Pratapana, roaring, rushed at Nala; and thereat Nala, with his body pierced with sharp shafts by that swift handed Rākşasa, plucked out Pratapana's eyes, and cast them to the earth.

ग्रसन्तमिव सैन्यानि प्रघसं वानराधिपः॥ सुग्रीवः सप्तपर्णेन निजघान जवेन च।
That lord of monkeys, Sugrīva, with a Saptaparma-swiftly slew Praghasa, who appeared to be devouring up the troops.

प्रपीड्य शरवर्षेण राक्षसं भीमदर्शनम्॥ निजघान विरूपाक्षं शरेणैकेन लक्ष्मणः।
Tormenting the Räkşasa Virupākṣa of dreadful form, Laksmana killed him with a single arrow.

अग्निकेतुश्च दुर्धर्षो रश्मिकेतुश्च राक्षसः।। मित्रघ्नो यज्ञकोपश्च राममादीपयच्छरैः।२६।।
The irrepressible Agniketu, the Rākṣasas Raśmiketu, Mitraghna and Yajñakopa, with their arrows rendered Rāma aflame.

तेषां चतुर्णा रामस्तु शिरांसि समरे शरैः। क्रुद्धश्चतुर्भिश्चिच्छेद घोरैरग्निशिखोपमैः॥
Thereat, Rāma, growing wroth, in battle severed the heads of those four by means of four shafts, dreadful, and resembling the tongues of a fame.

वज्रमुष्टिस्तु मैन्देन मुष्टिना निहतो रणे। पपात सरथः साश्वः सुराट्ट इव भूतले॥
Vajramuști was slain in conflict by Mainda with a clenched fist; and down came he to the ground along with his car and horses, like a turret toppling (headlong.)

निकुम्भस्तु रणे नीलं नीलाञ्जनचयप्रभम्। निर्बिभेद शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः करैर्मेधमिवांशुमान्॥
Nikumbha in fight wounded Nila resembling a mass of blue collyrium, with sharpened shafts, as the Sun pierce clouds with his rays.

पुनः शरशतेनाथ क्षिप्रहस्तो निशाचरः। बिभेद समरे नीलं निकुम्भः प्रजहास च॥
Again with an hundred arrows, that lighthanded night-ranger pierced Nīla in the field; and Nikumbha laughed thereat.

तस्यैव रथचक्रेण नीलो विष्णुरिवाहवे। शिरश्चिच्छेद समरे निकुम्भस्य च सारथेः॥
At this, even as Visnu did in battle, Nila with a wheel of his car, cut off in conflict Nikumbha's head together with that of his charioteer.

वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शी द्विविदश्च समप्रभम्। जधान गिरिशृङ्गेण मिषतां सर्वरक्षसाम्॥
Dvivida, possessed of the touch of the Vajra and thunder bolt, in the presence of the entire Rākşasas host hurled a mountain-peak at him that was endowed with the splendour of the thunder bolt.

द्विविदं वानरेन्द्रं तं दुमयोधिनमाहवे। शरैरशनिसंकाशैः स विव्याधाशनिप्रभः॥
Asaniprabha in encounter pierced that foremost of monkeys bearer of trees in conflict, Dvivida, with shafts resembling thunder-bolts.

स शरैरभिविद्धाङ्गो द्विविदः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। सालेन सरथं साश्वं निजघानाशनिप्रभम्॥
Thereat, beside himself with wrath, with his entire body wounded with arrows, Dvivida with a sala destroyed Asaniprabha along with his car and horses.

विद्युन्माली रथस्थस्तु शरैः काञ्चनभूषणैः। सुषेणं ताडयामास ननाद च मुहुर्मुहुः॥
And Vidyanmālī, mounted on a car, assailed Suşeņa with shafts decked with gold, and behan to shout momentarily.

तं रथस्थमथो दृष्ट्वा सुषेणो वानरोत्तमः गिरिशृङ्गेण महता रथमाशु न्यपातयत्॥
Seeing him mounted on his car, Suşena-best of monkeys-taking up a huge crag, swiftly brought his car down to the ground.

लाघवेन तु संयुक्तो विद्युन्माली निशाचरः। अपक्रम्य रथातूर्णं गदापाणिः क्षितौ स्थितः॥
Thereat, endowed with lightness, that nightranger, Vidyunmāli, at once extricating himself from his car, stood on the ground with a mace in his hand.

ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टः सुषेणो हरिपुंगवः। शिलां सुमहतीं गृह्य निशाचरमभिद्रवत्॥
Thereupon that foremost of monkeys, Sușeņa, growing furious, taking up a gigantic crag, rushed at the night-ranger.

तमापतन्तं गदया विद्युन्माली निशाचरः। वक्षस्यभिजधानाशु सुषेणं हरिपुङ्गवम्॥
As he was descending, the night-ranger, Vidyunmālī, with his mace swiftly hit at the breast of Susena-greatest of monkeys.

गदाप्रहारं तं घोरमचिन्त्य प्लवगोत्तमः। तां तूष्णीं पातयामास तस्योरसि महामृधे।।४०१
Thereat, without thinking at all of the terrific hit of the mace, that best of monkeys in mighty conflict brought down that upon his head.

शिलाप्रहाराभिहतो विद्युन्माली निशाचरः। निष्पिष्टहृदयो भूमौ गतासुर्निपपात ह॥
Assailed with the crag, the night-ranger Vidyanmali, having his chest crushed, fell down to the earth, deprived of life.

एवं तैर्वानरैः शूरैः शूरास्ते रजनीचराः। द्वन्द्वे विमथितास्तत्र दैत्या इव दिवौकसैः।॥
Like the celestials warring against the Daityas, the heroic monkeys warred on and confounded the valiant rangers of the night.

भल्लैश्चान्यैर्गदाभिश्च शक्तितोमरसायकैः। अपविद्धैश्चापि रथैस्तथा साङ्ग्रामिकैहयैः।॥ निहतैः कुञ्जरैर्मतैस्तथा वानरराक्षसैः। चक्राक्षयुगदण्डैश्च भग्नैर्धरणिसंश्रितैः।॥ बभूवायोधनं घोरं गोमायुगणसेवितम्। कबन्धानि समुत्येतुर्दिक्षु वानररक्षसाम्।। विमर्दे तुमुले तस्मिन्देवासुररणोपमे॥
And frightful was the field of battle, with darts, and other arms; and clubs, and javelins, and lances, and other weapons, and with broken cars, and war-horses, and mad horses slain, and monkeys and Rākşasas, and wheels and Akşas, and yokes and standards, broken and scattered over the ground; and swarms of jackals began to range on all sides of the monkeys and the Raksasas; and Kabandhas began to rise in that terrific encounter, resembling the encounter of the gods and the Asuras.

निहन्यमाना हरिपुंगवैस्तदा निशाचराः शोणितगन्धमूर्च्छिताः। पुनः सुयुद्धं तरसा समाश्रिता दिवाकरस्यास्तमयाभिकामिणः॥
Thus destroyed by the foremost of monkeys, the rangers of night, beyond themselves with the smell of blood, eagerly wishing for the setting of the Sun, again made active preparation for a renewal of the fight.