Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 45

स तस्य गतिमन्विच्छन्राजपुत्रः प्रतापवान्। दिदेशातिबलो रामो दश वानरयूथपान्॥
Then, anxious to ascertain his* course, the king's son possessed of prowess, and endowed with exceeding strength, Rāma, ordered ten of the monkey-leaders. * Indrajit's.

द्वौ सुषेणस्य दायादौ नीलं च प्लवगाधिपम्। अङ्गदं वालिपुत्रं च शरभं च तरस्विनम् ॥ द्विविदं च हनूमन्तं सानुप्रस्थं महाबलम्। ऋषभं चर्षभस्कन्धमादिदेश परन्तपः॥
The repressor of foes ordered Väli's sonAngada, the vigorous Śarabha, Dvivida, Hanumān, the mighty Sānuprastha, Rşabha and Rşabhaskandha.

ते संप्रहृष्टा हरयो भीमानुद्यम्य पादपान्। आकाशं विविशुः सर्वे मार्गमाणा दिशो दश॥
Thereat with alacrity those monkeys, wielding mighty trees, shot up into the sky, and began to scour the ten cardinal points.

तेषां वेगवतां वेगमिषुभिर्वेगवत्तरैः। अस्त्रवित्परमात्रेण वारयामास रावणिः॥
And Ravana's son, skilled in arms, resisted the impetuous march of those vehement ones by means of a powerful weapon as well as arms more forceful (than the force of their rush).

तं भीमवेगा हरयो नाराचैः क्षतविक्षताः। अन्धकारे न ददृशुर्मेधैः सूर्यमिवावृतम्॥
The exceedingly vehement monkeys, cut and mangled with Nărăcas, saw him in the dark like the sun enveloped in clouds.

रामलक्ष्मणयोरेव सर्वदेहभिदः शरान्। भृशमावेशयामास रावणिः समितिंजयः॥
That conqueror in battle, Ravana's son, with shafts sorely pierced the persons of Rāma and Laksmana.

निरन्तरशरीरौ तु तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। क्रुद्धनेन्द्रजिता वीरौ पन्नगैः शरतां गतः॥
And both Rāma and Lakşmaņa had their bodies entirely covered by the angry Indrajit with shafts turned into serpents.

तयोः क्षतजमार्गेण सुस्राव रुधिरं बहु। तावुभौ च प्रकाशेते पुष्यिताविव किंशुकौ॥
And from their wounds blood began to gush out in streams; and they looked like flowercrowned Kinsukas.

ततः पर्यन्तरक्ताक्षो भिन्नाञ्जनचयोपमः। रावणिर्धातरौ वाक्यमन्तर्धानगतोऽब्रवीत्॥
Then that one having red corners to his eyes and resembling a mass of crushed collyrium, Rāvana's son, said to the brothers, as he vanished.

युध्यमानमनालक्ष्यं शक्रोऽपि विदशेश्वरः। द्रष्टुमासादितुं वापि न शक्तः किं पुनर्युवाम्॥
When I fight remaining invisible, even Sakrathe lord of the celestials-cannot see or approach me, and who are you?

प्रापिताविषुजालेन राघवौ कङ्कपत्रिणा। एष रोषपरीतात्मा नयामि यमसादनम्॥
And I, with my soul surcharged with wrath, shall, assailing them with showers of weapons furnished with Karka feathers, send Raghu's sons to the abode of Yama."

एवमुक्त्वा तु धर्मज्ञौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। निर्बिभेद शितैर्बाणैः प्रजहर्ष ननाद च॥
Having spoken thus to the brothers-Rāma and Laksmana, cognizant of righteousness-(Indrajit)pierced them with sharpened shafts, and shouted in joy.

भिन्नाञ्जनचयश्यामो विस्फार्य विपुलं धनुः। भूय एव शरान्धोरान्विससर्ज महामृधे॥
And stretching his large bow, that one sable like to a mass of crushed collyrium again discharged terrific shafts in battle.

ततो मर्मसु मर्मज्ञो मज्जयनिशिताशरान्। रामलक्ष्मणयोर्वीरो ननाद च मुहुर्मुहुः॥
That one versed in the inner sense of things, with whetted arrows pierced the vitals of Rāma and Lakşmaņa and shouted momentarily.

बद्धौ तु शरबन्धेन तावुभौ रणमूर्धनि। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण न शेकतुरवेक्षितुम्॥
And fast bound by the shackles of shafts on the edge of battle, they* could not attain respite for a moment, *i.e. Rama and Laksmana.

ततो विभिन्नसर्वाङ्गौ शरशल्याचितौ कृतौ। ध्वजाविव महेन्द्रस्य रज्जुमुक्तौ प्रकम्पितौ ॥ तौ संप्रबलितौ वीरौ मर्मभेदेन कर्शितौ। निपेततुर्महेष्वासौ जगत्यां जगतीपती॥
Then with their persons pierced with shafts and darts, and resembling the flags of the Great Indra let loose from the cords and trembling (in the air), and with their bodies bristling with arrows, those heroes and mighty bowmen-lords of the earth-tormented in consequence of their vitals having been pierced, dropped down to the earth.

तौ वीरशयने वीरौ शयानौ रुधिरोक्षितौ। शरवेष्टितसर्वाङ्गावातौं परमपीडितौ॥
Those heroes, bathed in blood and their persons covered with arrows-pained and suffering terribly, lay down as became heroes.

नह्यविद्धं तयोर्गाने बभूवाङ्गुलमन्तरम्। नानिविण्णं न चाध्वस्तमाकराग्रादजिह्मगैः॥
There was not so much room unpierced in their persons as could be measured by a finger; and they were wounded with arrows up to the fore-parts of their hands.

तौ तु क्रूरेण निहतौ रक्षसा कामरूपिणा। असृक्सुनुवतुस्तीवं जलं प्रस्रवणाविव ॥
They being wounded by that fell one capable of assuming shapes at will, blood violently gushed out of their bodies like water from a spring.

पपात प्रथमं रामो विद्धो मर्मसु मार्गणैः। क्रोधादिन्द्रजिता येन पुरा शक्रो विनिर्जितः॥ रुक्मपुङ्खैः प्रसन्नात्रै रजोगतिभिराशुगैः। नाराचैरर्धनाराचैर्भल्लैरञ्जलिकैरपि।। विव्याध वत्सदन्तैश्च सिंहदंष्ट्रैः क्षुरैस्तथा॥ स वीरशयने शिश्येऽविज्यमाविध्य कार्मुकम्। भिन्नमुष्टिपरीणाहं त्रिनतं रुक्मभूषितम्॥
Rāma fell first, pierced in the vitals with the shafts. And the same Indrajit who had formerly wrathfully routed Śakra, (now) pierced (Rāma) with Närācas knotted with fold, and having polished heads; swift-speeding; and resembling dust carried about by the wind; and halfNārācas; and darts resembling anjalis;' and Vatsadantas; and simhadamstras; and razors; and, resigning his stringless bow decked in gold and curved in three places, with its part for grasping shattered-he lay down like a hero. 1. The hands joined at the lower sides, with the palms hollowed. 2. Weapons resembling the teeth of a calf. 3. Weapons resembling the lion's teeth. 4. Rāma.

बाणपातान्तरे रामं पातितं पुरुषर्षभम्। स तत्र लक्ष्मणो दृष्ट्वा निराशो जीवितेऽभवत्॥
Seeing Rāma, the foremost of men-down within arrow-range, Laksmana despaired of his life.

रामं कमलपत्राक्षं शरण्यं रणतोषिणम्। शुशोच भ्रातरं दृष्ट्वा पतितं धरणीतले॥
Seeing his brother, Rāma having eyes resembling lotus petals and ever delighting in battle, himself the refuge of others, lying down in the field; (Laksmana) began to weep.

हरयश्चापि तं दृष्ट्वा संतापं परमं गताः। शोकाश्चिकुशुधैरमश्रुपूरितलोचनाः॥
The monkeys also seeing him, were plunged in sorrow; and they, their eyes flooded with tears, began to cry in grief of heart.

बद्धौ त तौ वीरशये शयानौ ते वानराः संपरिवार्य तस्थुः। समागता वायुसुतप्रमुख्या विषादमार्ताः परमं च जग्मुः॥
When they had been bound and had laid themselves down as become heroes, the monkeys stood around them-and, conversing with one another, they, headed by the son of the Wing, were seized with extreme sorrow.