Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 66

स लवयित्वा प्राकारं गिरुकूटोपमो महान्। निर्ययौ नगरातूर्णं कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः॥
Having leapt over the wall, the exceedingly powerful and gigantic Kumbhakarņa resembling a mountain-summit, speedily went out of the city.

ननाद च महानादं समुद्रमभिनादयन्। विजयन्निव निर्घातान्विधमन्निव पर्वतान् ॥
Then he sent up a mighty shout making the sea resound, and as if drowning the roar of the thunder and riving mountains.

तमवध्यं मघवता यमेन वरुणेन वा। प्रेक्ष्य भीमाक्षमायन्तं वानरा विप्रदुद्रुवुः॥
Seeing that fierce-eyed one, incapable of being vanquished by Maghavān or Varuņa or Yama, the monkeys began to fly away.

तांस्तु विप्रदुतान्दृष्ट्वा राजपुत्रोऽङ्गदोऽब्रवीत्। नलं नीलं गवाक्षं च कुमुदं च महाबलम्॥
Seeing them scamper, the king's son-Angada said to Nala and Nīla and Gavākșa and the mighty Kumuda.

आत्मनस्तानि विस्मृत्य वीर्याण्यभिजनानि च। क्व गच्छत भयत्रस्ताः प्राकृता हरयो यथा॥
Forgetting your lineage and prowess, whither do you, exercised with fear, fly-like inferior monkeys?

साधु सौम्या निवर्तध्वं किं प्राणान्परिरक्षथ। नालं युद्धाय वै रक्षो महतीयं विभीषिका॥
You amiable ones, desist. Why should you save yourselves? This Rākşasa does not come to fight, this is only a great phenomenon to affright.

महतीमुत्थितामेनां राक्षसानां विभीषिकाम्। विक्रमाद्विधमिष्यामो निवर्तध्वं प्लवंगमाः।७।।
We shall by our vigour destroy this featful phenomenon of the Rākşasas that has presented itself. Therefore, let the monkeys desist.

कृच्छ्रेण तु समाश्वस्य संगम्य च ततस्ततः। वृक्षानगृहीत्वा हरयः संप्रतस्थू रणाजिरे॥
Cheered with much ado, the monkeys rallying, took up trees and advanced to the field of fight.

ते निवर्त्य तु संरब्धाः कुम्भकर्णं वनौकसः। निर्जघ्नुः पर क्रुद्धाः समदा इव कुञ्जराः॥ प्रांशुभिर्गिरिशृङ्गैश्च शिलाभिश्च महाबलाः। पादपैः पुष्पिताग्रैश्च हन्यमानो न कम्पते॥
Ceasing from flight, the wood-rangers waxing, enraged, began to assail Kumbhakarņa, like to elephants in rut. And the exceedingly strong Kumbhakarna, attacked with towering mountain peaks and crags and trees with flowering top, did not shake.

तस्य गात्रेषु पतिता भिद्यन्ते बहवः शिलाः। पादपाः पुष्पिताग्राश्च भग्नाः पेतुर्महीतले॥
And countless crags descending on his person, were shattered; and trees with flowering tops, being broken, fell down to the earth.

सोऽपि सैन्यानि संक्रुद्धो वानराणां महौजसाम्। ममन्थ परमायत्तो वनान्यग्निरिवोत्थितः॥
Incapable of containing himself (through rage), Kumbhakarņa on his part fell to agitating the ranks of the powerful monkeys, even as a fire breaking out burn dowit a forest.

लोहितार्दास्तु बहवः शेरते वानरर्षभाः। निरस्ताः पतिता भूमौ ताम्रपुष्पा इव दुमाः॥
Many a prime monkey, crimsoned and drenched (with blood) lay down (on the ground); and many, resisted dropped to the earth, like trees bearing coppery flowers.

लक्यन्तः प्रधावन्तो वानरा नावलोकयन्। केचित्समुद्रे पतिताः केचिद्गगनमास्थिताः॥
Without looking before or after, the monkeys bounded and rushed. And on being attacked by the Rāksasa with ease some of those heroes dropped into the deep and some entered the wilderness.

वध्यमानास्तु ते वीरा राक्षसेन च लीलया। सागरं येन ते तीर्णाः यथा तेनैव दुद्रुवुः॥ ते स्थलानि तदा निम्नं विवर्णवदना भयात्। ऋक्षा वृक्षान्समारूढाः केचित्पर्वतमाश्रिताः॥
Some ran by the same way by which they had crossed the ocean; and some with pale faces darted into downs. And some of the bears ascended up trees, and some took shelter in mountains.

निपेतुः केचिदपरे केचिन्नैवावतस्थिरे। केचिद्भूमौ निपतिताः केचित्सुप्ता मृता इव॥
Others dropped down; and some ran on. And some fell down to the earth, and some lay insensible as if dead.

तान्समीक्ष्याङ्गदो भग्नान्वानरानिदमब्रवीत्। अवतिष्ठत युध्यामो निवर्तध्वं प्लवंगमाः॥
Seeing the monkeys break down, Angada addressed them, saying, “Stay we shall fight.

भग्नानां वो न पश्यामि परिक्रम्य महीमिमाम्। स्थानं सर्वे निवर्तध्वं किं प्राणान्परिरक्षथ ॥
Desist, you monkeys. Going round this Earth place find I none where you may rest. Stop you all. What is the need of preserving your lives.

निरायुधानां क्रमतामसङ्गगतिपौरुषाः। दारा ह्युपहसिष्यन्ति स वै घातः सुजीवताम्॥
You poltroons, if you fly away leaving your arms behind, your wives shall deride you; and that is more painful to honourable persons than death itself.

कुलेषु जाताः सर्वेऽस्मिन्विस्तीर्णेषु महत्सु च। कव गच्छत भयत्रस्ताः प्राकृता हरयो यथा। अनार्याः खलु यद्भीतास्त्यक्त्वा वीर्यं प्रधावत॥
Born in long and noble lines, whither go you, suffering from fear, like abject monkeys? When renouncing your prowess, you fly away in fear, forsooth you are base.

विकत्थनानि वो यानि भवद्भिर्जनसंसदि। तानि वः क्व नु यातानि सोदग्राणि हतानि च॥
Where now is gone that talk of your anent your nobility and the welfare (of your king) which you had held in society.

भीरोः प्रवादाः श्रूयन्ते यस्तु जीवति धिक्कृतः। मार्गः सत्पुरुषैर्जुष्टः सेव्यतां त्यज्यतां भयम्॥
He that live, despised (of all), hear the reproach of being a craven. Therefore do you follow the way frequented by the worthy, and cast off fear.

शयामहे वा निहताः पृथिव्यामल्पजीविताः। प्राप्नुयामो ब्रह्मलोकं दुष्प्रापं च कुयोधिभिः॥ अवाप्नुयामः कीर्ति वा निहत्वा शत्रुमाहवे। निहता वीरलोकस्य भोक्ष्यामो वसु वानराः॥
We will either lie down on the earth, being slain in consequence of our shortness of days, and thus attain the region of Brahmä incapable of being attained by dastards; or achieve renown by slaying the foe in fight and slain in battle, we shall enjoy the wealth of the region of heroes.

न कुम्भकर्णः काकुत्स्थं दृष्ट्वा जीवन्गमिष्यति। दीव्यमानमिवासाद्य पतङ्गो ज्वलनं यथा॥
Like an insect coming to a glowing and flaming fire, Kumbhakarna, seeing Kākutstha, shall not away.hence living.

पलायनेन चोद्दिष्टाः प्राणानक्षामहे वयम्। एकेन बहवो भग्ना यशोनाशं गमिष्यति॥
If we save our lives by flight, and if the many are brought down by one, we shall lose our fame utterly.

एवं ब्रुवाणं तं शूरमङ्गदं कनकाङ्गदम्। द्रवमाणास्ततो वाक्यमूचुः शूरविगर्हितम् ॥
As Angada decked in golden angadas was saying this, the monkeys, flying away spoke to that hero words not worthy of being spoken to an hero.

कृतं नः कदनं घोरं कुम्भकर्णेन रक्षसा। न स्थानकालो गच्छामो दयितं जीवितं हि नः॥
Great is the havoc that the Rākşasa-Kumbhakarma-has spread among us. “This not the time to stay: life is dear to us."

एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं सर्वे ते भेजिरे दिशः। भीमं भीमाक्षमायान्तं दृष्ट्वा वानरयूथपाः॥
Having said this the monkey bands darted to the ten cardinal points, as they saw that dreadful and grim-eyed one approach.

द्रवमाणास्तु ते वीरा अङ्गदेन वलीमुखाः। सान्त्वनैश्चानुमानैश्च ततः सर्वे निवर्तिताः॥
As those flower of the forces were on the flight, those heroes were made to desist by Angada with words of comfort and hope pointing to the future.

प्रहर्षमुपनीताश्च वालिपुत्रेण धीमता। आज्ञाप्रतीक्षास्तस्थुश्च सर्वे वानरयूथपाः॥
On being cheered by the intelligent son of Vāli, all the monkey-bands stood expecting his commands.

ऋषभशरभमैन्दधूम्रनीलाः कुमुदसुषेणगवाक्षरम्भताराः। द्विविदपनसवायुपुत्रमुख्यास्त्वरिततराभिमुखं रणं प्रयाताः॥
Rşabha, Sarabha, Mainda, Dhūmra, Nila, Kumuda, Susena, Gavaksa, Rambha, Dvivida, Panasa, and son of wind Hanuman and other powerf:! leaders speedily proceeded to the battle field.