Uttara Kanda: Chapter 28

सुमालिनं हतं दृष्ट्वा वसुना भस्मसात्कृतम्। स्वसैन्यं विद्रुतं चापि लक्षयित्वादितं सुरैः॥ ततः स बलवान्क्रुद्धो रावणस्य सुतस्तदा। निवर्त्य राक्षसान्सन्मेिघनादो व्यवस्थितः॥
Beholding Sumali slain and reduced to ashes by Vasu and being assailed by the deities the Räksasa host fled into diverse directions. And collecting all the Rākşasas stood there the highly powerful Meghanāda, enraged, the son of Ravana.

स रथेन महार्हेण कामगेन महारथः। अभिदुद्राव सेनां तां वनान्यग्निरिव ज्वलन्॥
Like to flaming fire approaching towards forest that great car-warrior encountered the enemies in a precious car coursing at will.

ततः प्रविशतस्तस्य विविधायुधधारिणः। विदुद्रुवुर्दिशः सर्वा दर्शनादेव देवताः॥
As soon as he, armed with various weapons, entered the field the celestials, at his very sight. And away to all directions.

न बभूव तदा कश्चिद्युयुत्सोरस्य संमुखे। सर्वानाविद्ध्य वित्रस्तांस्ततः शक्रोऽब्रवीत्सुरान्।।५
None could stand before him, well-versed in war-fare. Thereupon beholding the deities terrified and pierced with shafts, Indra, the king of gods, said.

न भेतव्यं न गन्तव्यं निवर्तध्वं रणे सुराः। एष गच्छति पुत्रो मे युद्धार्थमपराजितः॥
Be not afraid, O you celestials; do not fly away; come back to the battle; this my son, who has never been vanquished, goes to battle.

ततः शक्रसुतो देवो जयन्त इति विश्रुतः। रथेनाद्भुतकल्पेन सङ्ग्रामे सोऽभ्यवर्तत।७।।
Thereupon Sakra's son, known as divine Jayanta, proceeded towards the field of action by a wondrous car.

ततस्ते त्रिदशाः सर्वे परिवार्य शचीसुतम्। रावणस्य सुतं युद्धे समासाद्य प्रजनिरे।।।।।
Having encircled Saci's son and encountered Rāvana's son, the deities began to assail him.

तेषां युद्धं समभवत्सदृशं देवरक्षसाम्। महेन्द्रस्य च पुत्रस्य राक्षसेन्द्रसुतस्य च ॥
The encounter between Mahendra's son Jayanta and Rāvana's son Meghanāda was like one between gods and demons.

ततो मातलिपुत्रस्य गोमुखस्य स रावणिः। सारथेः पातयामास शरान्कनकभूषणान्॥
Thereupon Rāvana's son began to assail, with shafts feathered in gold, his (Jayanta's) charioteer Gomukha, Mātali's son.

शचीसुतश्चापि तथा जयन्तस्तस्य सारथिम्। तं चापि रावणिः क्रुद्धः समन्तात्प्रत्यविध्यता ॥ स हि क्रोधसमाविष्टो बली विस्फारितेक्षणः। रावणिः शक्रतनयं शरवर्षैरवाकिरत्॥
Sacīs son too, enraged, assailed on all sides, Rāvana's son and his charioteer. And the powerful Rāvani, stricken with ire and with eyes expanded, covered Sakra's son with arrows.

ततो नानाप्रहरणाञ्छितधारान्सहस्रशः। पातयामास संक्रुद्धः सुरसैन्येषु रावणिः॥ शतघ्नीमुसलप्रासगदाखङ्गपरश्वधान्। महान्ति गिरिशृङ्गाणि पातयामास रावणिः॥
Thereupon Rāvana's son struck the celestial host with thousands of huge mountain summits, Śataghnīs, maces, Prāsas, Prāsas, clubs, daggers, Paraśus and various other sharp pointed weapons.

ततः प्रव्यथिता लोकाः संजज्ञे च तमस्ततः। तस्य रावणपुत्रस्य शत्रुसैन्यानि निघ्नतः॥
Rāvana's son thus striking Indra's army the quarters were enshrouded with darkness by his illusory power.

ततस्तदैवतबलं समन्तात्तं शचीसुतम्। बहुप्रकारमस्वस्थमभवच्छरपीडितम्॥
Being overpowered with arrows on all sides the celestial army, leaving aside Jayanta, became restless.

नाभ्यजानन्त चान्योन्यं रक्षो वा देवताथवा। तत्र तत्र विपर्यस्तं समन्तात्परिधावत ॥
The deities or the Rākşasas, they could not recognise one another. And being distressed they ran about on all sides.

देवा देवानिजघ्नुस्ते राक्षसान्राक्षसास्तथा। संमूढास्तमसा छन्ना व्यद्रवनपरे तथा॥
Being enveloped with darkness and having their senses bewildered the celestials killed their own kith and the Rākṣasas their own men, and others fled away.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरः पुलोमा नाम वीर्यवान्। दैत्येन्द्रस्तेन संगृह्य शचीपुत्रोऽपवाहितः॥
In the interim a heroic and powerful Daityachief, Pulomā, be name, taking ſacī's son disappeared.

संगृह्य तं तु दौहित्रं प्रविष्टः सागरं तदा। आर्यकः स हि तस्यासीत्पुलोमा येन सा शची।।२०
Taking his own grand-son he entered into the ocean, Puloma was his grand-father for by him Śaci was begotten.

ज्ञात्वा प्रणाशं तु तदा जयन्तस्याथ देवताः। अप्रहृष्टास्ततः सर्वा व्यथिताः संप्रदुद्रुवुः॥
Thinking that Jayanta was slain all the deities greatly sorry and distressed fled away on all sides.

रावणिस्त्वथ संक्रुद्धो बलैः परिवृतः स्वकैः। अभ्यधावत देवांस्तान्मुमोच च महास्वनम्॥
Thereupon Rāvana's son, enraged and encircled by his own powerful followers, pursued the celestials emitting loud cries.

दृष्ट्वा प्रणाशं पुत्रस्य दैवतेषु च विद्वतन्। मातलिं चाह देवेशो रथः समुपनीयताम्॥
Not beholding his son and observing the flight of the deities the king of the celestials said to Mātali, “Bring the car."

स तु दिव्या महाभीमः सज्ज एव महारथः। उपस्थितो मातलिना बाह्यमानो महाजवः॥
By Mātali was brought, the celestial, highly dreadful, huge and quick-coursing chariot, that was ready.

ततो मेघा रथे तस्मिंस्तडित्त्वन्तो महाबलाः। अग्रतो वायुचपला नेदुः परमनिःस्वनाः॥
(And he having) ascended the car, the huge clouds, with lightening, being driven by winds, began to emit forth loud mutterings before the chariot.

नानावाद्यानि वाद्यन्त गन्धर्वाश्च समाहिताः। ननृतुश्चाप्सरःसङ्घा निर्याते त्रिदशेश्वरे॥
The Gandharvas began to play on various instruments and the Apsarās began to dance.

रुद्रैर्वसुभिरादित्यैरश्विभ्यां समरुद्गणैः। वृतो नानाप्रहरणैर्निर्ययौ त्रिदशाधिपः॥
Taking up various weapons, Indra, the king of divinities, set out for the field of action, in the company of Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, the two Asvins and Maruts.

निर्गच्छतस्तु शक्रस्य परुषः पवनो ववौ। भास्करो निष्प्रभश्चैव महोल्काश्च प्रपेदिरे॥
He, having set out for battle, the winds began to blow high, the sun was divested of its brilliance and the huge fire-brands began to send out flames.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे शूरो दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान्। आरुरोह रथं दिव्यं निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा।२९।। पन्नगैः सुमहाकायैर्वेष्टितं लोमहर्षणैः। येषां निःश्वासवातेन प्रदीप्तमिव संयुगे॥
In the interval the heroic and the highly powerful Daśagrīva ascended the celestial car, constructed by the Architect of the deities, encircled by the huge-bodied serpents capable of making down erect and by whose breath the battle-field was ablaze.

दैत्यैनिशाचरैश्चैव स रथः परिवारितः। समराभिमुखो दिव्यो महेन्द्रं सोऽभ्यवर्तत॥
Surrounded by demons and night-rangers and with the celestial car he encountered Mahendra in the battle-field.

पुत्रं तं वारयित्वा तु स्वयमेव व्यवस्थितः। सोऽपि युद्धाद्विनिष्क्रम्य रावणिः समुपाविशत्॥
Having desisted his son he himself stood there. And having coming out from the field of action Ravana's son too stood silent.

ततो युद्धं प्रवृत्तं तु सुराणां राक्षसैः सह। शस्त्राणि वर्षतां तेषां मेघनामिव संयुगे॥
Thereupon there arose an encounter between the Räkşasas and the deities and there began a downpour of weapons in the conflict like clouds.

कुम्भकर्णस्तु दुष्टात्मा नानाप्रहरणोद्यतः। नाज्ञायत तदा राजन्युद्धं केनाभ्यपद्यत॥
The vicious-souled Kumbhakarņa armed with various weapons came you, but he did not know,* O king, with whom the conflict was going on. *For he was asleep till then so he was not acquainted with the particulars war-fare. He used to sleep for six months at a time.

दन्तैः पादैर्भुजैर्हस्तैः शक्तितोमरमुद्गरैः। येन तेनैव संक्रुद्धस्ताडयामास देवताः॥
And by him enraged, the celestials were assailed with his teeth, feet, arms, hands, Saktis, Tomaras and clubs or any weapon whatsoever.

स तु रुदैर्महाघोरैः संगम्याथ निशाचरः। प्रयुद्धस्तैश्च संग्रामे क्षतः शस्त्रैर्निरन्तरम्॥
Thereupon the night-ranger engaged with the highly powerful Rudra and was wounded, in the conflict, with incessant strokes of weapons.

ततस्तद्राक्षसं सैन्यं प्रयुद्धं समरुद्गणैः। रणे विद्रावितं सर्वं नानाप्रहरणैस्तदा॥
Thereupon the Rākşasas army began to fight with Maruts and they were overwhelmed in the encounter with the stroke of various weapons.

केचिद्विनिहताः कृत्ताश्चेष्टन्ति स्म महीतले। वाहनेष्ववसक्ताश्च स्थिता एवपारे रणे॥ रथानागान्खराष्ट्रान्पन्नगांस्तुरगांस्तथा। शिशुमारान्वराहांश्च पिशाचवदनानपि॥ तान्समालिङ्गय बाहुभ्यां विष्टब्धाः केचिदुत्थिताः। देवैस्तु शस्त्रसंभिन्ना मनिरे च निशाचराः॥ चित्रकर्म इवाभाति सर्वेषां रणसंप्लवः। निहतानां प्रसुप्तानां राक्षसानां महीबले॥
Some fell down on earth of their carriers in the battle. And they all stood there in a halfsensible mood, some holding the car, some elephants, some asses, some boars, some Piśācamouthed animals and some embracing the Pannagas. And other night-rangers, having their bodies sundered by the deities gave up their being. The Rakşasas being slain and lying down on earth the action appeared wondrous like a painting.

शोणितोदकनिष्पन्दा काकगृध्रसमाकुला। प्रवृत्ता संयुगमुखे शस्त्रग्राहवती नदी॥
There issued out in the battle-field a river from weapons, having blood for its silent waters and infested with crows and vultures.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान्। निरीक्ष्य तु बलं सर्वं दैवतैर्विनिपातितम्॥ स तं प्रतिविगाह्याशु प्रवृद्धं सैन्यसागरम्। त्रिदशान्समरे निघ्नशक्रमेवाभ्यवर्तत॥
Having beheld his own army slain by the deities the highly powerful Daśänana, enraged beholding the army slain by gods, entered the ocean of celestial army and slaying the deities in the conflict confronted Sakra.

ततः शक्रो महच्चापं विस्फार्य सुमहास्वनम्। यस्य विस्फारनिर्घोषैः स्तनन्ति स्म दिशो दश।।४५
Thereupon Śakra took up his huge bow by the twang where-of the ten quarters were filled.

तद्विकृष्य महच्चापमिन्द्रो रावणमूर्धनि। पातयामास स शरान्पावकादित्यवर्चसः॥
Having unstrung his huge bow Indra struck Răvaņa, on his head, with arrows resembling the flame of fire and the rays of the sun.

तथैव च महाबाहुर्दशग्रीवो निशाचरः। शक्रं कार्मुकविभ्रष्टैः शरवर्षैरवाकिरत्॥
And the Rākşasa-chief Daśānana, having long arms, also assailed Indra with hundreds of shafts discharged off his bow.

प्रयुध्यतोरथ तयोर्बाणवषैः समन्ततः। नाज्ञायत तदा किंचित्सर्वं हि तमसा वृतम्॥
They having been thus engaged with each other with the downpour of dreadful shafts, all the quarters were filled with darkness and in consequence thereof nothing was visible.