Sarga 43

Verse 6.43.1

युध्यतांतुततस्तेषांवानराणांमहात्मनाम् ।रक्षसांसम्बभूवाथबलकोपस्सुदारुणः ।।6.43.1।।

As those great-souled Vānaras fought on, there arose among the Rākṣasas a most dreadful surge of wrath and martial fury.

Verse 6.43.2

तेहयैःकाञ्चनापीडैर्ध्वश्चाग्निशिखोपमैः ।रथैश्चादित्यसङ्काशैःकवचैश्चमनोरमैः ।।6.43.2।।निर्ययूराक्षसव्याघ्रानादयन्तोदिशोदश ।राक्षसाभीमकर्माणोरावणस्यजयैषिणः ।।6.43.3।।

In the fray, swift and splendid Aṅgada struck down the golden, richly adorned chariot—together with its horses and charioteer.

Verse 6.43.3

तेहयैःकाञ्चनापीडैर्ध्वश्चाग्निशिखोपमैः ।रथैश्चादित्यसङ्काशैःकवचैश्चमनोरमैः ।।6.43.2।।निर्ययूराक्षसव्याघ्रानादयन्तोदिशोदश ।राक्षसाभीमकर्माणोरावणस्यजयैषिणः ।।6.43.3।।

Those tiger-like rākṣasas—doers of dreadful deeds—marched out seeking victory for Rāvaṇa, their horses adorned with golden trappings, their banners like tongues of fire, their chariots radiant as the sun, and their armor splendid; and as they advanced, they made all ten directions resound.

Verse 6.43.4

वानराणामपिचमूर्बृहतीजयमिच्छताम् ।अभ्यधावततांसेनांरक्षसांकामरूपिणम् ।।6.43.4।।

Eager for victory, even the mighty and vast army of the Vānaras surged forward, charging the host of the Rākṣasas—beings able to assume forms at will.

Verse 6.43.5

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेतेषामन्योन्यमभिधावताम् ।रक्षसांवानराणांचद्वन्द्वयुद्धमवर्तत ।।6.43.5।।

In that tumultuous crush—like the war of Devas and Asuras—severed trunks of Vānaras and Rākṣasas sprang up and lay scattered in every direction.

Verse 6.43.6

अङ्गदेन्द्रजित्सार्धंवालिपुत्रेणराक्षसः ।आयुध्यतमहातेजास्त्ऱ्यम्बकेणयथाऽन्तकः ।।6.43.6।।

Then the night-roaming rākṣasas, torn by the leaders of the Vānaras and smeared all over with blood, yearned for the sun’s setting; yet, gathering their strength again, they rushed back into the fierce battle.

Verse 6.43.7

प्रजङ्घेनचसम्पातिर्नित्यंदुर्मर्षणोरणे ।जम्बुमालिनमारब्धोहनुमानपिवानरः ।।6.43.7।।

Sampāti, ever hard to overcome in battle, fought Prajaṅgha, while the Vānara Hanumān engaged Jambumālī.

Verse 6.43.8

संगतस्तुमहाक्रोधोराक्षसोरावणानुजः ।समरेतीक्ष्णवेगेनमित्रघ्नेनविभीषणः ।।6.43.8।।

Then Vibhīṣaṇa—Rāvaṇa’s brother, a rākṣasa blazing with fury—closed in upon Mitraghna in battle and fought him with swift force.

Verse 6.43.9

तपनेनगजस्सार्धंराक्षसेनमहाबलः ।निकुम्भेनमहातेजानीलोऽपिसमयुध्यत ।।6.43.9।।

Gaja, a warrior of great strength, fought the rākṣasa Tapana; and Nīla too, radiant in prowess, battled Nikumbha.

Verse 6.43.10

वानरेन्द्रस्तुसुग्रीवःप्रघसेनसमागतः ।सङ्गतःसमरेश्रीमान्विरूपाक्षेणलक्ष्मणः ।।6.43.10।।

Sugrīva, lord of the Vānaras, engaged Praghāsa; and in that battle the illustrious Lakṣmaṇa met Virūpākṣa in combat.

Verse 6.43.11

अग्निकेतुश्चसुदुर्धर्षोरश्मिकेतुश्चराक्षसः ।सुप्तघ्नोयज्ञकोपश्चरामेणसहसङ्गताः ।।6.43.11।।

Agniketu—hard to overcome—along with the rākṣasa Raśmiketu, and also Suptaghna and Yajñakopa, all closed in to fight with Rāma.

Verse 6.43.12

वज्रमुष्टिस्तुमैन्देनद्विविदेनाशनिप्रभः ।राक्षसाभ्यांसुघोराभ्यांकपिमुख्यौसमागतौ ।।6.43.12।।

Seeking victory for Rāvaṇa, tiger-like rākṣasas of dreadful deeds sallied forth—mounted on horses with golden trappings, bearing banners like tongues of fire, with chariots shining like the sun and splendid armor—roaring so that the ten directions resounded.

Verse 6.43.13

वीरःप्रतपनोघोरोराक्षसोरणदुर्धरः ।समरेतीक्ष्णवेगेननळेनसमयुध्यत ।।6.43.13।।

Vajramuṣṭi, together with Mainda, and Aśaniprabha, together with Dvivida—those chiefs among the monkeys—closed in to fight the two exceedingly fearsome rākṣasas.

Verse 6.43.14

धर्मस्यपुत्रोबलवान्सुषेणइतिविश्रुतः ।सविद्युन्मालिनासार्धमयुध्यतमहाकपिः ।।6.43.14।।वानराश्चापरेभीमाराक्षसैरपरैस्सह ।द्वन्द्वंसमीयुस्सहसायुद्धायबहुभिस्सह ।।6.43.15।।

Pratapana—the heroic, dreadful rākṣasa, hard to withstand in war—fought in battle with Nala, who charged with piercing speed.

Verse 6.43.15

धर्मस्यपुत्रोबलवान्सुषेणइतिविश्रुतः ।सविद्युन्मालिनासार्धमयुध्यतमहाकपिः ।।6.43.14।।वानराश्चापरेभीमाराक्षसैरपरैस्सह ।द्वन्द्वंसमीयुस्सहसायुद्धायबहुभिस्सह ।।6.43.15।।

Suṣeṇa—mighty and famed as “the son of Dharma”—that great vānarā fought in close combat together with Vidyunmālin.

Verse 6.43.16

तत्रासीत्सुमहद्युद्धंतुमुलंरोमहर्षणम् ।रक्षसांवानराणांचवीराणांजयमिच्छताम् ।।6.43.16।।

And other fearsome vānaras as well, with many companions, suddenly rushed into duel-combat against other rākṣasas, each pair seeking battle face to face.

Verse 6.43.17

हरिराक्षसदेहेभ्यःप्रभूताःकेशशाद्वलाः ।शरीरसङ्घाटावहाःप्रसुस्रुश्शोणितापगाः ।।6.43.17।।

There arose a vast, tumultuous, hair-raising battle between the heroic rākṣasas and vānaras, all longing for victory.

Verse 6.43.18

अजघानेन्द्रजित्क्रुद्धोवज्रेणेवशतक्रतुः ।अङ्गदंगदयावीरंशत्रुसैन्यविदारणम् ।।6.43.18।।

From the bodies of vānaras and rākṣasas, torrents of blood streamed forth, bearing heaps of corpses like floating logs and thick with hair like matted weeds.

Verse 6.43.19

तस्यकाञ्चनचित्राङ्गंरथंसाश्वंससारथिम् ।जघानसमरेश्रीमानङ्गदोवेगवान्कपिः ।।6.43.19।।

Enraged, Indrajit struck the heroic Aṅgada with a mace—Aṅgada, the cleaver of hostile armies—just as Śatakratu (Indra) would strike with his thunderbolt.

Verse 6.43.20

सम्पातिस्तुत्रिभिर्भाणैःप्रजङ्घेनसमाहतः ।निजघानश्वकर्णेनप्रजङ्घंरणमूर्धनि ।।6.43.20।।

Sampāti, wounded by Prajaṅgha with three arrows, struck down Prajaṅgha in the thick of battle with an aśvakarṇa tree.

Verse 6.43.21

जम्बुमालीरथस्थस्तुरथशक्त्यामहाबलः ।बिबेदसमरेक्रुद्धोहनूमन्तंस्तनान्तरे ।।6.43.21।।

Jambumālī, mighty and standing upon his chariot, enraged in battle, pierced Hanūmān in the chest with a javelin.

Verse 6.43.22

तस्यतंरथमास्थायहनूमान् मारुतात्मजः ।प्रममाथतलेनाशुसहतेनैवरक्षसा ।।6.43.22।।

Hanūmān, son of the Wind-god, sprang onto his chariot and with a swift blow of his palm crushed both the chariot and that very rākṣasa.

Verse 6.43.23

नदन् प्रतपनोघोरोनलंसोप्यन्वधावत ।नलःप्रतपनस्याशुपातयामासचक्षुषी ।।6.43.23।।

Roaring, the dreadful Pratapana rushed at Nala; but Nala swiftly struck him, making his eyes fall and blinding him.

Verse 6.43.24

भिन्नगात्रश्शरैस्तीक्ष्णैःक्षिप्रहस्तेनरक्षसा ।ग्रसन्तमिवसैन्यानिप्रघसंवानराधिपः ।।6.43.24।।सुग्रीवस्सप्तपर्णेननिर्भिभेदजघानच ।

As the swift-handed rākṣasa Praghasa, his limbs rent by sharp arrows, seemed as though he would devour the armies, Sugrīva—the lord of the Vānara hosts—split him open and slew him with a saptaparṇa tree.

Verse 6.43.25

अग्निकेतुश्चदुर्धर्षोरश्मिकेतुश्चराक्षसः ।।6.43.25।।सुप्तघ्नोयज्ञकोपश्चरामंनिर्भिभिदुश्शरैः ।

Agniketu, hard to assail, and the rākṣasa Raśmiketu, along with Suptaghna and Yajñakopa, struck Rāma repeatedly with their arrows.

Verse 6.43.26

तेषांचतुर्णांरामस्तुशिरांसिनिशितैश्शरैः ।क्रुद्धश्चतुर्भिश्चिच्छेदघोरैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।।6.43.26।।

Then Rāma, enraged, severed the heads of those four with four sharp and dreadful arrows, blazing like tongues of fire.

Verse 6.43.27

वज्रमुष्टिस्तुमैन्देनमुष्टिनानिहतोरणे ।पपातसरथस्साश्वःपुराट्टइवभूतले ।।6.43.27।।

Vajramuṣṭi, struck down in battle by Mainda’s fist, fell to the ground—along with chariot and horses—like a shattered rampart.

Verse 6.43.28

निकुम्बस्तुरणेनीलंनीलाञ्जनचयप्रभम् ।निर्बिभेदशरैस्तीक्ष्णैःकरैर्मेघमिवांशुमान् ।।6.43.28।।

In the battle, Nikumbha pierced Nīla—dark as a heap of collyrium—with sharp arrows, as the sun’s rays pierce through a cloud.

Verse 6.43.29

पुनश्शरशतेनाथक्षिप्रहस्तोनिशाचरः ।बिभेदसमरेनीलंनिकुम्भःप्रजहासच ।।6.43.29।।

Once more, the swift-handed night-ranger Nikumbha struck Nīla in battle with a hundred arrows—and laughed aloud.

Verse 6.43.30

तस्यैवरथचक्रेणनीलोविष्णुरिवाहवे ।शिरश्चिच्छेदसमरेनिकुम्भस्यचसारथेः ।।6.43.30।।

In the thick of battle, Nīla—like Viṣṇu in war—severed the head of Nikumbha’s charioteer using the very wheel of his chariot.

Verse 6.43.31

वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शोद्विविदोऽप्यशनिप्रभम् ।जघानगिरिशृङ्गेणमिषतांसर्वरक्षसाम् ।।6.43.31।।

Dvividha, whose body felt like a thunderbolt, struck down Aśaniprabha with a mountain-peak, while all the Rākṣasas looked on.

Verse 6.43.32

द्विदिधंवानरेन्द्रंतुनगयोधिनमाहवे ।शरैरशनिसङ्काशैस्सविव्याधाशनिप्रभः ।।6.43.32।।

But in that battle, Aśaniprabha pierced Dvividha—the lord of Vānaras, fighting with mountains and trees—with arrows that flashed like lightning.

Verse 6.43.33

सशरैरभिविद्धाङ्गोद्विविदःक्रोधमूर्छितः ।सालेनसरथंसाश्वंनिजघानाशनिप्रभम् ।।6.43.33।।

Dvividha, his limbs pierced by arrows and maddened with wrath, struck down Aśaniprabha with a śāla tree—along with his chariot, horses, and charioteer.

Verse 6.43.34

विद्युन्मालीरथस्थस्तुशरैःकाञ्चनभूषणैः ।सुषेणंताडयामासननादचमुहुर्मुहुः ।।6.43.34।।

Vidyunmālī, stationed on his chariot, battered Suṣeṇa with arrows adorned in gold, and again and again he roared aloud.

Verse 6.43.35

तंरथस्थमथोदृष्टवासुषेणोवानरोत्तमः ।गिरिशृङ्गेणमहतारथमाशुन्यपातयत् ।।6.43.35।।

Seeing him on the chariot, Suṣeṇa—the best of the Vānaras—swiftly brought that chariot down with a massive mountain-peak.

Verse 6.43.36

लाघवेनतुसंयुक्तोविद्युन्मालीनिशाचरः ।अपक्रम्यरथात्तूर्णंगदापाणिःक्षितौस्थितः ।।6.43.36।।

Endowed with agility, the night-roaming Vidyunmālī quickly withdrew from his chariot and stood upon the ground, mace in hand.

Verse 6.43.37

ततःक्रोधसमाविष्टःसुषेणोहरिपुङ्गवः ।शिलांसुमहतींगृह्यनिशाचरमभिद्रवत् ।।6.43.37।।

Then Suṣeṇa, the foremost of monkeys, seized a very large rock—angered to the core—and charged at the night-roamer.

Verse 6.43.38

तमापतन्तंगदयाविद्युन्मालीनिशाचरः ।वक्षस्यभिजघानाशुसुषेणंहरिपुङ्गवः ।।6.43.38।।

As Suṣeṇa charged in, Vidyunmālī, the night-roaming Rākṣasa, swiftly struck that foremost of Vānaras on the chest with his mace.

Verse 6.43.39

गदाप्रहारंतंघोरमच्नित्यप्लवगोत्तमः ।तांशिलांपातयामासतस्योरसिमहामृधे ।।6.43.39।।

In that great melee, the best of the Vānaras, disregarding the dreadful mace-blow, made the rock crash down upon Vidyunmālī’s chest.

Verse 6.43.40

शिलाप्रहारभिहतोविद्युन्मालीनिशाचरः ।निष्पिष्टहृदयोभूमौगतासुर्निपपातह ।।6.43.40।।

Meanwhile, as they rushed at one another, the Rākṣasas and the Vānaras fell into one-on-one duels across the field.

Verse 6.43.41

एवंतैर्वानरैश्शूरैश्शूरास्तेरजनीचराः ।द्वन्द्वेविमृदितास्तत्रदैत्याइवदिवौकसैः ।।6.43.41।।

Then Indrajit, that radiant Rākṣasa, fought with Aṅgada, Vāli’s son—like Antaka (Death) contending with Tryambaka (Śiva).

Verse 6.43.42

भग्नैखडगैर्गदाभिश्चशक्तितोमरपट्टसै: ।अपविद्धैश्चाभिन्नैश्चरथैस्साङ्ग्रामिकैर्हयैः ।।6.43.42।।निहतैःकुञ्जरैर्मत्स्सैस्तथावानरराक्षसैः ।चक्राक्षयुगदण्डैश्चभग्नैर्धरणिसंश्रितैः ।।6.43.43।।बभूवायोधनंघोरंगोमायुगणसेवितम् ।

Sampāti—ever hard to withstand in battle—met Prajaṅgha; and Hanumān, the Vānara hero, likewise began his combat with Jambumālī.

Verse 6.43.43

भग्नैखडगैर्गदाभिश्चशक्तितोमरपट्टसै: ।अपविद्धैश्चाभिन्नैश्चरथैस्साङ्ग्रामिकैर्हयैः ।।6.43.42।।निहतैःकुञ्जरैर्मत्स्सैस्तथावानरराक्षसैः ।चक्राक्षयुगदण्डैश्चभग्नैर्धरणिसंश्रितैः ।।6.43.43।।बभूवायोधनंघोरंगोमायुगणसेवितम् ।

Struck by a blow of rock, Vidyunmālī, the night-roaming Rākṣasa, fell upon the ground—his heart crushed, his life departed.

Verse 6.43.44

कबन्धानिसमुत्पेतुर्दिक्षुवानररक्षसाम् ।।6.43.44।।विमर्देतुमुलेतस्मिन्देवासुररणोपमे ।

Thus, in single combats, those heroic Vānaras crushed the heroic night-roaming Rākṣasas there—like Dānavas struck down by the gods.

Verse 6.43.45

विदार्यमाणाहरिपुङ्गवैस्तदानिशाचराश्शोणितदिग्धगात्राः ।पुनःसुयुद्धंतरसासमास्थितादिवाकरस्यास्तमयाभिकाङ्क्षिणः ।।6.43.45।।

The battlefield grew dreadful—strewn with broken swords and maces, spears, javelins, and axes; with shattered and overturned chariots and war-horses; with heaps of fallen elephants, and of Vānaras and Rākṣasas; and with broken wheels, axles, and yokes scattered upon the earth—so that packs of jackals came to haunt it.