श्रुत्वा तं भीमनिदिं शक्राशनिसमस्वनम्। वीक्षमाणाः दिशः सर्वा दुद्रुवुर्वानरा भृशम्॥
Hearing that dreadful uproar resembling the sound of Indra's thunder-bolt, the monkeys, casting their looks on all sides fled away.
तानुवाच ततः सर्वान्हनूमान्मारुतात्मजः। विषण्णवदनान्दीनांस्त्रस्तान्विद्रवतः पृथक् ॥
Thereupon Hanumān, the son of Maruta, spoke to them, poorly, terrified and of a sorrowful countenance, saying.
कस्माद्विषण्णवदना विद्रवध्वं प्लवंगमाः। त्यक्तयुद्धसमुत्साहाः शूरत्वं क्व नु वो गतम्॥
O monkeys, why do you look so melancholy and why are you flying away? Why have you renounced your earnest desire for fight? And where is your heroism gone?
पृष्ठतो न व्रजध्वं मामग्रतो यान्तमाहवे। शूरैरभिजनोपैतेरयुक्तं हि निवर्तितुम्॥
Do you remain behind me, I shall go first in the battle. It is improper for heroes of noble descent to escape from battle field.
एवमुक्ताः सुसंक्रुद्धा वायुपुत्रेण धीमता। शैलशृङ्गान्दुमांचैव जगृहुईष्टमानसाः।।।।
Being thus addressed by that highly intelligent son of the Wind-god, they were greatly excited with wrath and being pleased took up trees and। crags in their hands.
अभिपेतुश्च गर्जन्तो राक्षसान्वानरर्षभाः। परिवार्य हनूमन्तमन्वयुश्च महाहवे॥
Roaring thus the leading monkeys advanced towards the Rākşasas and stood encircling Hanumān in the battle-field.
स तैर्वानरमुख्यैस्तु हनूमान्सर्वतो वृतः। हुताशन इवार्चिष्मानदहच्छत्रुवाहिनीम्॥
Being surrounded on all sides by leading monkeys, Hanuman began to burn down enemy's host like to fire spreading its flames.
स राक्षसानां कदनं चकार सुमहाकपिः। वृतो वानरसैन्येन कालान्तकयमोपमः॥
Being encircled by monkey-hosts that mighty monkey resembling death himself began to grind the Rākşasas.
स तु शोकेन चाविष्टः कोपेन महता कपिः। हनूमानरावणिरथे महतीं पातयच्छिलाम्॥
Being overwhelmed with grief and wrought up with ire, that monkey Hanumān, threw a huge crag on the car of that son of Rāvana.
तामापतन्ती दृष्ट्वैव रथं सारथिना तदा। विधेयाश्वसमायुक्तो विदूरमपवाहितः॥
Beholding that crag about to fall down on the car, the charioteer moved his horses and it was speedily brought at some distance.
तमिन्द्रजितमप्राप्यरथस्थं सहसारथिम्। विवेश धरणी भित्वा सा शिला व्यर्थमुद्यता॥
And not reaching Indrajit stationed on the car and the charioteer, that crag, uselessly hurled, fell down on the earth.
पतितायां शिलायां तु व्यथिता रक्षसां चमूः। निपतन्त्या च शिलया राक्षसा मथिता भृशम्॥
As the crag falling down the army of the Rakşasas were violently crushed.
तमभ्यधावशतशो नदन्तः काननौकसः। ते दुमांश्च महाकाया गिरिशृङ्गाणि चोद्यतः॥
Thereupon hundreds of huge-bodied monkeys, emitting cries and taking up crags and trees proceeded towards him (Indrajit) and hurled them at him.
क्षिपन्तीन्द्रजितं संख्ये वानरा भीमविक्रमाः। वृक्षशैलमहावर्षं विसृजन्तः प्लवङ्गमाः॥ शत्रूणां कदनं चक्रुर्नेदुश्च विविधैः स्वनैः।
The monkeys gifted with dreadful prowess began to make a down-pour of crags and trees. They thus assailed the enemies and frequently emitted cries.
वानरैस्तैर्महाभीमैर्घोररूपा निशाचराः॥ वीर्यादभिहता वृक्षय॑चेष्टन्त रणक्षितौ।
The grim-visaged night-rangers were assailed with trees in that field by the terrible monkeys.
स सैन्यमभिवीक्ष्याथ वानरादितमिन्द्रजित्॥ प्रगृहीतायुधः क्रुद्धः परानभिमुखो ययौ। स शरौघानवसृजन्स्वसैन्येनाभिसंवृतः॥ जघान कपिशार्दूलान्सुबहून्दृढविक्रमः। शूलैरशनिभिः खङ्गैः पट्टिशैः शूलमुद्गरैः।। ते चाप्यनुचरांस्तस्य वानरा जघ्नुराहवे॥
Beholding his army thus distressed by the monkeys, Indrajit, excited with wrath, and taking up his dart, proceeded towards the enemies, and encircled by his soldiers showered terrible shafts upon them. And that one of dreadful prowess slew many a leading monkey by means of darts, Asanis, swords, pattisas and clubs.
सुस्कन्धविटपैः शैलैः शिलाभिश्च महाबलः। हनूमान्कदनं चक्रे रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्॥
The highly powerful monkeys destroyed his retinue, with crags, stones and trees having strong trunks. And Hanumān thus crushed many a Rākşasa of terrible deeds.
संनिवार्य परानीकमब्रवीत्तान्वनौकसः। हनूमान्संनिवर्तध्वं न नः साध्यमिदं बलम्॥
Obstructing the Rākṣasas (for some time) Hanumān spoke to monkeys, saying, “Stay, we should not fight now.
त्यक्त्वा प्राणान्विचेष्टन्तो रामप्रियचिकीर्षवः। यन्निमित्तं हि युध्यामो हता सा जनकात्मजा॥
That daughter of Janaka has been slain, for whom we have engaged in fight, renouncing all hope of life and desiring to accomplish Rāma's satisfaction.
इममर्थ हि विज्ञाप्य रामं सुग्रीवमेव च। तौ यत्प्रतिविधास्येते तत्करिष्यामहे वयम्॥
Let us now go and inform Rāma and Sugrīva of it. And we shall do as we shall be commanded by them.
इत्युक्त्वा वानरश्रेष्ठो वारयन्सर्ववानरान्। शनैः शनैरसंत्रस्तः सबलः संन्यवर्तत ॥
Saying this and desisting all the monkeys from encounter that foremost of monkeys proceeded undaunted and heroically.
ततः प्रेक्ष्य हनूमन्तं व्रजन्तं यत्र राघवः। स होतुकामो दृष्टात्मा गतश्चैत्यं निकुम्भिलाम्॥ निकुम्भिलामधिष्ठाय पावकं जुहवेन्द्रजित्।
Beholding Hanumăn proceed thus where Rāghava was that wicked-minded one (Indrajit) with a view to offer oblations to fire entered the sacrificial altar Nikumbhila.
यज्ञभूम्यां ततो गत्वा पावकस्तेन रक्षसा ॥ हूयमानः प्रजज्वाल होमशोणितमुक्तदा। साचिः पिनद्धो ददृशे होमशोणिततर्पितः।। संध्यागत इवादित्यः सुतीव्रोऽग्निः समुत्थितः॥
Reaching there Indrajit lighted up fire and began to pour oblations therein. And the fire blazed up receiving oblations of blood, and being satisfied assumed the appearance of the setting sun.
अथेन्द्रजिद्राक्षसभूतये तु जुहाव हव्यं विधिना विधानवित्। दृष्ट्वा व्यतिष्ठन्त च राक्षसास्ते महासमूहेषु नयानयज्ञाः॥
Indrajit conversant with all ceremonials, offered oblations in due form for the welfare of the Rākşasas. And they all stood there watching the result and desirous of ascertaining the success of the battle.* *This Sloka has been left off in some editions.