Sarga 77

Verse 1

निकुम्भोभ्रातरंदृष्टवासुग्रीवेणनिपातितम् ।प्रदहन्निवकोपेनवानरेन्द्रमवैक्षत ।।।।

Nikumbha, seeing his brother struck down by Sugrīva, fixed his gaze upon the Vānara-king in wrath, as though he would burn him with it.

Verse 2

ततस्स्रग्दामसन्नद्धंदत्तपञ्चाङ्गुलंशुभम् ।आददेपरिघंवीरोमहेन्द्रशिखरोपमम् ।।।।

Then the hero Nikumbha, adorned with a garland and taking up an auspicious iron club—five fingers in breadth—seized a weapon like the peak of Mount Mahendra.

Verse 3

हेमपट्टपरिक्षिप्तंवज्रविद्रुमभूषितम् ।यमदण्डोपमंभीमंरक्षसांभयनाशनम् ।।।।

It was bound with a golden band, adorned with diamond and coral, dreadful like Yama’s rod, and a fear-dispelling weapon for the rākṣasas.

Verse 4

तमाविध्यमहातेजाश्शक्रध्वजसमंतदा ।निननादविवृत्तास्योनिकुम्भोभीमविक्रमः ।।।।

Then Nikumbha, of dreadful prowess, roaring with mouth wide open, brandished that splendid weapon—like Indra’s banner—and struck forth with force.

Verse 5

उरोगतेननिष्केणभुजस्थैरङ्गदैरपि ।कुण्डलाभ्यां च चित्राभ्यांमालया च विचित्रया ।।।।निकुम्भोभूषणैर्भातितेनस्मपरिघेण च ।यथेन्द्रधनुषामेघस्सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुमान् ।।।।

Nikumbha shone with ornaments— a golden breast-plate, armlets upon his arms, splendid earrings, and a variegated garland—while holding his iron club; he looked like a cloud lit by lightning and thunder, arched with Indra’s rainbow.

Verse 6

उरोगतेननिष्केणभुजस्थैरङ्गदैरपि ।कुण्डलाभ्यां च चित्राभ्यांमालया च विचित्रया ।।6.77.5।।निकुम्भोभूषणैर्भातितेनस्मपरिघेण च ।यथेन्द्रधनुषामेघस्सविद्युत्स्तनयित्नुमान् ।।6.77.6।।

Nikumbha shone with ornaments— a golden breast-plate, armlets upon his arms, splendid earrings, and a variegated garland—while holding his iron club; he looked like a cloud lit by lightning and thunder, arched with Indra’s rainbow.

Verse 7

परिघाग्रेणपुष्पोटवातग्रथनिर्महात्मनः ।प्रजज्वालसघोषश्चविधूमइवपावकः ।।।।

As that great warrior whirled the iron club, a bursting clash of winds arose; it flared with a crashing sound like smokeless fire.

Verse 8

नगर्याविटपावत्यागन्धर्वभवनोत्तमैः ।सतारग्रहनक्षत्रंसचन्द्रंसमहाग्रहम् ।।।।निकुम्भपरिघाघूर्णंभ्रमतीवनभस्थ्सलम् ।

The sky—adorned as though it held the city of Viṭapavatī with splendid Gandharva-mansions, and filled with stars, constellations, the moon, and the great planets—seemed to whirl around, as if set spinning by Nikumbha’s revolving iron club.

Verse 9

दुरासदश्चसञ्जज्ञेपरिघाभरणप्रभः ।।।।कपीनांसनिकुम्भाग्निर्युगान्ताग्निरिवोत्थितः ।

His radiance—flaring from the iron club and his ornaments—became unapproachable; for the Vānara hosts, Nikumbha blazed up like the fire that rises at the end of an age.

Verse 10

राक्षसावानराश्चापि न शेकुस्स्पन्दितुंभयात् ।।।।हनूमांस्तुविवृत्योरस्तस्थौतस्याग्रतोबली ।

Rākṣasas—and even the Vānaras—could not so much as stir from fear; but mighty Hanumān, baring his chest, stood firm before him.

Verse 11

परिघोपमबाहुस्तुपरिघंभास्करप्रभम् ।।।।बलीबलवतस्तस्यपातयामासवक्षसि ।

That mighty rākṣasa—whose arms were like iron bars—brought down his sun-bright iron club upon the chest of the powerful Hanumān.

Verse 12

स्थिरेतस्योरसिव्यूढेपरिघश्शतधाकृतः ।।।।विकीर्यमाणस्सहसाउल्काशतमिवाम्बरे ।

The moment it struck his broad and firm chest, the iron club shattered into a hundred pieces, scattering at once like a hundred meteors across the sky.

Verse 13

स तुतेनप्रहारेणविचचालमहाकपिः ।।।।परिघेणसमाधूतोयथाभूमिचलेऽचलः ।

Though struck and shaken by that blow of the iron club, the great monkey remained unmoved—steady like a mountain even when the earth quakes.

Verse 14

तथाभिहतस्तेनहनुमान् प्लवगोत्तमः ।।।।मुष्टिंसम्वर्तयामासबलेनातिमहाबलः ।

Thus struck, Hanumān—the foremost of the monkeys, of immense strength—tightened his fist with all his might.

Verse 15

तमुद्यम्यमहातेजानिकुम्भोरसिवीर्यवान् ।।।।अभिचिक्षेपवेगेनवेगवान् वायुविक्रमः ।

Then the radiant and valiant Hanumān—swift as the Wind—raised his fist and hurled it with speed onto Nikumbha’s chest.

Verse 16

ततःपुस्फोटचर्मास्यप्रसुस्राव च शोणितम् ।।।।मुष्टिनातेनसञ्जज्ञेमेघेविद्युदिवोत्थिता ।

Then his skin split and blood began to flow; from that blow of the fist it appeared like lightning flashing forth from a cloud.

Verse 17

सःतुतेनप्रहारेणनिकुम्भोविचचाल ह ।।।।स्वस्थश्चापिनिजग्राहहनूमन्तंमहाबलम् ।

Yet by that blow Nikumbha did not give way; regaining himself, he seized the mighty Hanumān.

Verse 18

चुक्रुशुस्तदासङ्ख्येभीमंलङ्कानिवासिनः ।।।।निकुम्भेनोद्यतंदृष्टवाहनूमन्तंमहाबलम् ।

Then, in the midst of battle, the residents of Laṅkā cried out fearfully on seeing the mighty Hanumān lifted up by Nikumbha.

Verse 19

तदाह्रियमाणोऽपिकुम्भकर्णात्मजेन ह ।।।।आजघानानिलसुतोवज्रकल्पेनमुष्टिना ।

Even as he was being carried off by Kumbhakarṇa’s son, the son of the Wind struck him with a fist hard as a thunderbolt.

Verse 20

आत्मानंमोक्षयित्वाथक्षितावभ्यवपद्यत ।।।।हनूमानुन्ममाथाशुनिकुम्भंमारुतात्मजः ।

Then Hanumān, the Wind-god’s son, freeing himself, sprang onto the ground and at once began to assail Nikumbha fiercely.

Verse 21

निक्षिप्यपरमायत्तोनिकुम्भंनिष्पिपेष ह ।।।।उत्पत्यचास्यवेगेनपपातोरसिवीर्यवान् ।

With immense exertion he hurled Nikumbha down and crushed him; then, springing up with speed, the mighty one fell upon his chest.

Verse 22

परिगृह्य च बाहुभ्यांपरिवृत्यशिरोधराम् ।।।।उत्पाटयामानशिरोभैरवंनदतोमहत् ।

Seizing him with both arms and wrenching his neck around, Hanumān tore off his head, as Nikumbha cried out terribly and loudly.

Verse 23

अथनिनदतिसादितेनिकुम्भेपवनसुतेनरणेबभूवयुद्धम् ।दशरथसुतराक्षसेन्द्रसून्वोर्भृशतरमागतरोषयोस्सुभीमम् ।।।।

Then, as Nikumbha—still crying out—was slain by the Wind-god’s son on the battlefield, a most dreadful and violent battle arose between Daśaratha’s son and the son of the rākṣasa-king, both inflamed with intense anger.

Verse 24

व्यपेतेतुजीवेनिकुम्भस्यहृष्टाविनेदुःप्लवङ्गादिशस्सस्वनुश्च ।चचालेवचोर्वीपफालेवचद्यौर्भयंराक्षसानांबलंचाविवेश ।।।।

When Nikumbha’s life had departed, the monkeys rejoiced and shouted, and the quarters resounded; the earth seemed to shake, the sky seemed to split, and fear seized the rākṣasa host.