Sarga 78

Verse 1

निकुम्भंनिहतंश्रुत्वाकुम्भं च विनिपातितम् ।रावणःपरमामर्षीप्रजज्वालानलोयथा ।।।।

Hearing that Nikumbha had been slain and that Kumbha too had fallen, Rāvaṇa—seized by fierce wrath—blazed like a fire kindled to a roar.

Verse 2

नैरृतःक्रोधशोकाभ्यांद्वाभ्यांतुपरिमूर्छितः ।खरपुत्रंविशालाक्षंमकराक्षमचोदयत् ।।।।

Rāvaṇa, overwhelmed by both anger and grief and utterly distraught, summoned Makarākṣa—Khara’s broad-eyed son.

Verse 3

गच्छपुत्रऽमयाऽजाज्ञप्तोबलेनाभिसमवनितः ।राघवंलक्ष्मणंचैवजहितांश्चवनौकसः ।।।।

“Go, my son—commanded by me and supported by an army. Slay Rāghava, Lakṣmaṇa, and those forest-dwelling Vānara forces as well.”

Verse 4

रावणस्यवचश्श्रुत्वाशूरमानीखरात्मजः ।बाढमित्यब्रवीद्धृष्टोमकराक्षोनिशाचरम् ।।।।

Hearing Rāvaṇa’s words, Makarākṣa—Khara’s son, proud of his heroism—boldly replied, “So be it.”

Verse 5

सोऽभिवाद्यदशग्रीवंकृत्वाचापिप्रदक्षिणम् ।निर्जगामगृहाच्छुभ्राद्रावणस्याज्ञयाबली ।।।।

After saluting Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa) and also circumambulating him in due form, the mighty warrior went out from the bright palace, acting under Rāvaṇa’s command.

Verse 6

समीपस्थंबलाध्यक्षंखरपुत्रोऽब्रवीदिदम् ।रथश्चानीयतांशीघ्रंसैन्यंत्वानीयतांत्वरात् ।।।।

Khara’s son said to the nearby commander of forces: “Bring the chariot quickly, and have the army assembled at once.”

Verse 7

तस्यतद्वचनंश्रुत्वाबलाध्यक्षोनिशाचरः ।स्यन्दनं च बलंचैवसमीपंप्रत्यपादयत् ।।।

Hearing his words, the rākṣasa commander-in-chief brought the chariot and the troops and stationed them close at hand.

Verse 8

प्रदक्षिणंरथंकृत्वाआरुरोहनिशाचरः ।सूतंसञ्चोदयामासशीघ्रंमेरथमावह ।।।।

Having reverently circumambulated the chariot, the rākṣasa mounted it and urged the charioteer: “Bring my chariot swiftly!”

Verse 9

अथतान्राक्षसान्सर्वान्मकराक्षोऽब्रवीदिदम् ।यूयंसर्वेप्रयुध्यध्वंपुरस्तान्ममराक्षसाः ।।।।

Then Makarākṣa said to all those rākṣasas: “All of you, rākṣasas, fight on ahead of me!”

Verse 10

अहंराक्षसराजेनरावणेनमहात्मना ।आज्ञप्तःसमरेहन्तुंतावुभौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।।।।

“I have been commanded by Rāvaṇa, the king of the Rākṣasas, to slay in battle those two—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.”

Verse 11

अद्यरामंवधिष्यामिलक्ष्मणं च निशाचराः ।शाखामृगं च सुग्रीवंवानरांश्चशरोत्तमैः ।।।।

“Today I will kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa—and Sugrīva, that tree-roaming monkey—as well as the Vānara hosts, with my finest arrows.”

Verse 12

अद्यशूलनिपातैश्चवानराणांमहाचमूम् ।प्रदहिष्यामिसम्प्राप्तांशुष्केन्धनमिवानलः ।।।।

“Today, with volleys of pikes, I will burn down the great Vānara army as it approaches—just as fire consumes dry fuel.”

Verse 13

मकराक्षस्यतच्छ्रुत्वावचनंतेनिशाचराः ।सर्वेनानायुधोपेताबलवन्तःसमाहिताः ।।।।

Having heard Makarākṣa’s words, those night-ranging Rākṣasas—all strong, focused, and equipped with many kinds of weapons—assembled and advanced.

Verse 14

तेकामरूपिणस्सरेदंष्ट्रिणःपिङ्गलेक्षणा ।मातङ्गाइवनर्दन्तोध्वस्तकेशाभयावहाः ।।।।परिवार्यमहाकायामहाकायंखरात्मजम् ।अभिजघ्नुस्ततोहृष्टाश्चालयन्तोवसुन्धराम् ।।।।

Those cruel Rākṣasas—shape-shifters with protruding fangs and tawny eyes, roaring like elephants, their hair dishevelled and their forms terrifying—surrounded the huge-bodied son of Khara. Then, exulting, they surged forth, shaking the earth beneath them.

Verse 15

तेकामरूपिणस्सरेदंष्ट्रिणःपिङ्गलेक्षणा ।मातङ्गाइवनर्दन्तोध्वस्तकेशाभयावहाः ।।6.78.14।।परिवार्यमहाकायामहाकायंखरात्मजम् ।अभिजघ्नुस्ततोहृष्टाश्चालयन्तोवसुन्धराम् ।।6.78.15।।

This verse repeats the preceding description in the provided source stream (a duplication across 6.78.14–6.78.15 in this Southern Recension dataset): the fearsome, shape-shifting Rākṣasas roar like elephants, surround Makarākṣa (Khara’s son), and advance exultantly, making the earth tremble.

Verse 16

शङ्खभेरीसहस्राणामाहतानांसमन्ततः ।क्ष्येळितास्फोटितानां च तत्रशब्दोमहानभूत् ।।।।

Then a tremendous din arose on all sides—conches and war-drums by the thousand being sounded, along with the whoops and the cracking-claps of warriors’ arms.

Verse 17

प्रभ्रष्टोऽथकरात्तस्यप्रतोदस्सारथेस्तदा ।पपातसहसादैवाद्ध्वजस्तस्यतुरक्षसः ।।।।

Then the charioteer’s goad slipped from his hand; and that Rakṣasa’s banner, by fate’s sudden turn, fell at once—an ominous sign.

Verse 18

तस्यतेरथसंयुक्ताहयाविक्रमवर्जिताः ।चरणैराकुलैर्गत्वादीनाःसास्रमुखाययुः ।।।।

His horses, yoked to the chariot, lost their mettle; moving on with faltering steps, they went forward dejected, their faces wet with tears.

Verse 19

प्रवातिपवनस्तस्मिन् सपांसुःखरदारुणः ।निर्याणेतस्यरौद्रस्यमकराक्षस्यदुर्मतेः ।।।।

As the fierce and evil-minded Makarākṣa set forth, a harsh and dreadful wind rose, driving dust everywhere.

Verse 20

तानिदृष्टवानिमित्तानिराक्षसावीर्यवत्तमाः ।अचिन्त्यनिर्गतास्सर्वेयत्रतौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।।।।

Though they saw those portents, the most valiant Rakṣasas ignored them and all marched to where Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa stood.

Verse 21

घनगजमहिषाङ्गतुल्यवर्णास्समरमखेष्वसकृद्गदासिभिन्नाः ।अहमहमितियुद्धकौशलास्तेरजनीचराःपरिबभ्रमुर्नदन्तः ।।।।

Those night-ranging warriors—dark-hued like storm-clouds, elephants, and buffaloes—skilled in battle and repeatedly gashed by maces and swords, roamed about roaring, crying, “I, I (will fight)!”