Sarga 44

Verse 6.44.1

युध्यतामेनतेषांतुतदावानरराक्षसाम् ।रविरस्तंगतोरात्रिःप्रवृत्ताप्राणहारिणी ।।।।

While the Vānaras and rākṣasas were still locked in combat, the sun went down and night began—deadly to life amid the turmoil of war.

Verse 6.44.2

अन्योन्यंबद्धवैराणांघोराणांजयमिच्छताम् ।सम्प्रवृत्तंनिशायुद्धंतदावानररक्षसाम् ।।।।

In the space of a blink, Rāma struck down with six arrows—keen as tongues of flame—six night-ranging Rākṣasas: Yamaśatru, the hard-to-face Durdharṣa, Mahāpārśva, Mahodara, Vajradaṃṣṭra, and Mahākāya, along with the two, Śuka and Sāraṇa. Pierced by Rāma’s volleys in their vital spots, they withdrew from the fight there, surviving only with what life remained.

Verse 6.44.3

राक्षसोऽसीतिहरयोहरिश्चाऽसीतिराक्षसाः ।अन्योन्यंसमरेजघ्नुस्तस्मिंस्तमसिदारुणे ।।।।

In that dreadful darkness, the vanaras struck one another thinking, “He is a rākṣasa,” and the rākṣasas struck one another thinking, “He is a monkey,” as confusion seized the battle.

Verse 6.44.4

जहिदारयचैहीतिकथंविद्रवसीतिच ।एवंसुतुमुलश्शब्दस्तस्मिंस्तमसिशुश्रुवे ।।।।कालाःकाञ्चनसन्नाहास्तस्मिंस्तमसिराक्षसाः ।सम्प्रदृश्यन्तशैलेन्द्रादीप्तौषधिवनाइव ।।।।

That sinful Rāvaṇi, harsh in battle, entered concealment, became invisible, and loosed sharp arrows blazing like a thunderbolt.

Verse 6.44.5

जहिदारयचैहीतिकथंविद्रवसीतिच ।एवंसुतुमुलश्शब्दस्तस्मिंस्तमसिशुश्रुवे ।।6.44.4।।कालाःकाञ्चनसन्नाहास्तस्मिंस्तमसिराक्षसाः ।सम्प्रदृश्यन्तशैलेन्द्रादीप्तौषधिवनाइव ।।6.44.5।।

Enraged in battle, that rākṣasa struck and pierced both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa all over their bodies with dreadful arrows wrought with serpentine power.

Verse 6.44.6

तस्मिंस्तमसिदुष्पारेराक्षसाःक्रोधमूर्छिताः ।परिपेतुर्महावेगाभक्षयन्तःप्लवङ्गमान् ।।।।

There, shrouded by sorcery and deluding the two Rāghavas in the fight, the night-stalker—an invisible, treacherous combatant to all beings—bound the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in a net of arrows.

Verse 6.44.7

तेहयान् काञ्चनापीडान् ध्वजांश्चाशीविषोपमान् ।आप्लुत्यदशनैस्तीक्ष्णैर्भीमकोपाव्यदारयन् ।।।।वानराबलिनोयुद्धेऽक्षोभयन् राक्षसींचमूम् ।

Then the vānaras beheld those two heroes—tigers among men—suddenly struck down by him with arrows like venomous serpents, shot in wrath.

Verse 6.44.8

कुञ्जरान् कुञ्जरारोहान् पताकाध्वजिनोरथान् ।।।।कर्षुश्चददंशुश्चदशनैःक्रोधमूर्छिताः ।

But then the rākṣasa prince, unable to overpower the two in open, visible combat, resorted to sorcery; that evil-minded one bound the two royal sons by deceit.

Verse 6.44.9

लक्ष्मणश्चापिरामश्चशरैराशीविषोपमैः ।।।।दृश्यादृश्यानिरक्षांसिप्रवराणिनिजघ्नतुः ।

Rama and Lakshmana, too, with arrows like venomous serpents, struck down the foremost rākṣasas—both those who were visible and those who moved unseen.

Verse 6.44.10

तुरङ्गखुरविध्वस्तंरथनेमिसमुत्थितम् ।।।।रुरोधकर्णनेत्राणियुध्यतांधरणीरजः ।

Dust from the earth—pounded by horses’ hooves and churned up by chariot wheels—rose and clogged the ears and eyes of the fighters.

Verse 6.44.11

वर्तमानेतथाघोरेसङ्ग्रामेरोमहर्षणे ।।।।रुधिरोधामहाघोरानद्यस्तत्रप्रसुस्रुवुः ।

As that dreadful, hair-raising battle raged on, terrifying rivers of blood flowed there.

Verse 6.44.12

ततोभेरीमृदङ्गानांपणवानांचनिस्स्वनः ।।।।शङ्खवेणुस्वनोन्मिश्रस्सम्भूवाद्भुतोपमः ।

Then arose a wondrous uproar—kettledrums and mṛdaṅgas, paṇavas, and the blended sounds of conches and flutes.

Verse 6.44.13

हतानांस्तनमानानांराक्षसानांचनिःस्वनः ।।।।शस्तानांवानराणांचसम्बभूवातिदारुणः ।

A most dreadful roar arose—the cries and groans of fallen rākṣasas, and of the stricken vānaras as well.

Verse 6.44.14

हतैर्वानरवीरैश्चशक्तिशूलपरश्वधैः ।।।।निहतैःपर्वताकारैराक्षसैःकामरूपिभिः ।शस्त्रपुष्पोपहाराचतत्रासीद्युद्धमेदिनी ।।।।दुर् ज्ञेयादुर्निवेशाचशोणितास्रावकर्दमा ।

There the battlefield lay strewn as though with offerings of “flower-like” weapons: vānara heroes struck down by javelins, tridents, and axes, and mountain-sized rākṣasas—shapeshifters—felled as well. The ground became hard to make out and hard to traverse, a mire churned with streaming blood.

Verse 6.44.15

हतैर्वानरवीरैश्चशक्तिशूलपरश्वधैः ।।6.44.14।।निहतैःपर्वताकारैराक्षसैःकामरूपिभिः ।शस्त्रपुष्पोपहाराचतत्रासीद्युद्धमेदिनी ।।6.44.15।।दुर् ज्ञेयादुर्निवेशाचशोणितास्रावकर्दमा ।

The battlefield lay heaped with slain Vānara heroes and with shapeshifting Rākṣasas, fallen like mountains. There the earth of war seemed strewn with an offering of “flowers of weapons,” and it became hard to discern and to cross, turned into a mire of flowing blood.

Verse 6.44.16

साबभूवनिशाघोराहरिराक्षसहारिणी ।।।।कालरात्रीवभूतानांसर्वेषांदुरतिक्रमा ।

That night grew fearsome, destroying Vānaras and Rākṣasas alike; like Kālarātri for all beings, it was a passage hard to endure.

Verse 6.44.17

ततस्तेराक्षसास्तत्रतस्मिंस्तमसिदारुणे ।।।।राममेवाभ्यवर्तन्तसम्हृष्टाश्शरवृष्टिभिः ।

Then the Vānaras and the fearsome Rākṣasas—bound in mutual enmity and each longing for victory—began their battle in the night.

Verse 6.44.18

तेषामापततांशब्दःक्रुद्धानामपिगर्जताम् ।।।।उद्वर्तइवसत्त्व, नांसमुद्राणांप्रशुश्रुवे ।

After that, in the dreadful darkness of night, those Rākṣasas—exultant—rushed upon Rāma himself, showering him with volleys of arrows.

Verse 6.44.19

तेषांरामश्शरैःषडिभःषडजघाननिशाचरान् ।।।।निमेषान्तरमात्रेणशितैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।यमशत्रुश्चदुर्धर्षोमहापार्श्वमहोदरौ ।।।।वज्रदंष्ट्रोमहाकायस्तौचोभौशुकसारणौ ।तेतुरामेणबाणौघैस्सर्वेमर्मसुताडिताः ।।।।युद्धादपसृतास्तत्रसावशेषायुषोऽभवन् ।

The roar of those enraged ones as they charged, thundering as they came, was heard like the very seas upheaving, shaking all beings.

Verse 6.44.20

तेषांरामश्शरैःषडिभःषडजघाननिशाचरान् ।।6.44.19।।निमेषान्तरमात्रेणशितैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।यमशत्रुश्चदुर्धर्षोमहापार्श्वमहोदरौ ।।6.44.20।।वज्रदंष्ट्रोमहाकायस्तौचोभौशुकसारणौ ।तेतुरामेणबाणौघैस्सर्वेमर्मसुताडिताः ।।6.44.21।।युद्धादपसृतास्तत्रसावशेषायुषोऽभवन् ।

There, the great charioteer made the quarters and the intermediate directions shine clear, with arrows like tongues of fire, richly adorned with gold.

Verse 6.44.21

तेषांरामश्शरैःषडिभःषडजघाननिशाचरान् ।।6.44.19।।निमेषान्तरमात्रेणशितैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।यमशत्रुश्चदुर्धर्षोमहापार्श्वमहोदरौ ।।6.44.20।।वज्रदंष्ट्रोमहाकायस्तौचोभौशुकसारणौ ।तेतुरामेणबाणौघैस्सर्वेमर्मसुताडिताः ।।6.44.21।।युद्धादपसृतास्तत्रसावशेषायुषोऽभवन् ।

And whatever other fierce Rākṣasas stood facing Rāma—those too were destroyed as they closed in, like moths rushing into a flame.

Verse 6.44.22

तत्रकाञ्चनचित्राङ्गैश्शरैरग्निशिखोपमैः ।।।।दिशश्चकारविमलाःप्रदिशश्चमहारथः ।

With thousands of golden-feathered arrows raining down in flight, the night looked wondrous—like an autumn night glittering with fireflies.

Verse 6.44.23

येत्वन्येराक्षसाभीमारामस्याभिमुखेस्थिताः ।।।।तेऽपिनष्टाःसमासाद्यपतङ्गाइवपावकम् ।

With the clamour of the Rākṣasas and the loud cries of the Vānaras, that fearsome night became more fearsome still.

Verse 6.44.24

सुवर्णपुङ्खैर्विशिखैस्सपतद्भिस्सहस्रशः ।।।।बभूवरजनीचित्राखद्योतैरिवशारदी ।

As thousands of golden-feathered arrows fell without cease, the night grew wondrous—like an autumn night lit by fireflies.

Verse 6.44.25

राक्षसानांचनिनदैर्हरीणांचापिनिस्स्वनैः ।।।।साबभूवनिशाघोराभूयोघोरतरातदा ।

With the roars of the rākṣasas and the thunderous cries of the hari (vānara), that fierce night grew even more dreadful then.

Verse 6.44.26

तेनशब्देनमहताप्रवृद्धेनसमन्ततः ।।।।त्रिकूटःकन्दराकीर्णःप्रव्याहरदिवाचलः ।

As that immense sound swelled on every side, Trikūṭa—its slopes crowded with caves—sent back an echo, as though the mountain itself were answering a call.

Verse 6.44.27

गोलाङ्गूलामहाकायास्तमसातुल्यवर्चसः ।।।।सम्परिष्वज्यबाहुभ्यांभक्षयन्रजनीचरान् ।

The long-tailed, huge-bodied warriors, dark in radiance like the night, clasped the night-roaming rākṣasas in their arms and, holding them fast, devoured them.

Verse 6.44.28

अङ्गदस्तुरणेशत्रूननिहन्तुंसमुपस्थितः ।।।।रावणिंनिजघानाशुसारथिंचहयानपि ।

But Aṅgada, resolved to slay the foes in battle, swiftly struck down Rāvaṇa’s son’s charioteer—and the horses as well.

Verse 6.44.29

वर्तमानेतदाघोरेसङ्ग्रामेभृशदारुणे ।।।।इन्द्रजित्तुरथंत्यक्त्वाहताश्वोहतसारथिः ।अङ्गदेनमहामायस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।।।।

As that dreadful, fiercely violent battle raged on, Indrajit—his horses slain and his charioteer killed by Aṅgada—abandoned the chariot and, the great master of māyā, vanished then and there.

Verse 6.44.30

वर्तमानेतदाघोरेसङ्ग्रामेभृशदारुणे ।।6.44.29।।इन्द्रजित्तुरथंत्यक्त्वाहताश्वोहतसारथिः ।अङ्गदेनमहामायस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।।6.44.30।।

As that dreadful and fiercely violent battle continued, Indrajit—his horses and charioteer slain by Aṅgada—left the chariot and, wielding great māyā, disappeared then and there.

Verse 6.44.31

तत्कर्मवालिपुत्रस्यसर्वेदेवास्सहर्षिभिः ।तुष्टुवुःपूजनार्हस्यतौचोभौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।।।।

That deed of Vāli’s son—worthy of honor and worship—was praised by all the devas together with the rishis, and by both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa as well.

Verse 6.44.32

प्रभावंसर्वभूतानिविदुरिन्द्रजितोयुधि ।तेनतेतंमहात्मानंतुष्टाःदृष्टवाप्रधर्षितम् ।।।।

All beings knew Indrajit’s power in war; therefore, seeing that great one humbled and brought low, they rejoiced in deep satisfaction.

Verse 6.44.33

ततःप्रहृष्टाःकपयस्ससुग्रीवविभीषणाः ।साधुसाध्वितिनेदुश्चदृष्टवाशत्रुंप्रधर्षितम् ।।।।

Then the vānaras, with Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa, were filled with joy; seeing the foe brought low, they cried, “Well done! Well done!”

Verse 6.44.34

इन्द्रजित्तुतदातेननिर्जितोभीमकर्मणा ।संयुगेवालिपुत्रेणक्रोधंचक्रेसुदारुणम् ।।।।

But Indrajit, then defeated in battle by Vāli’s son, the doer of dreadful deeds, was seized by a most terrible rage.

Verse 6.44.35

सोऽन्तर्धानगतःपापोरावणीरणकर्कशः ।अदृश्योनिशितान्बाणान्मुमोचाशनिवर्चसः ।।।।

In the darkness a thunderous uproar was heard—“Strike! Tear him apart! Why do you flee?” In that same night the rākṣasas, dark of hue yet clad in golden armour, appeared like mountains whose forests of healing herbs gleam with light.

Verse 6.44.36

सरामंलक्ष्मणंचैवघोरैर्नागमयैश्शरैः ।बिभेदसमरेक्रुद्धःसर्वगात्रेषुराक्षसः ।।।।

In the dark of night, everywhere was heard the uproar of battle—“Strike! Tear him! Why do you run?” The rākṣasas, black in hue yet glittering in golden armour, looked like mountain-masses lit by shining herb-forests.

Verse 6.44.37

माययासम्वृतस्तत्रमोहयन्राघवौयुधि ।अदृश्यस्सर्वभूतानांकूटयोधीनिशाचरः ।।।।बबन्धशरबन्धेनभ्रातरौरामलक्ष्मणौ ।

In that darkness, hard to pass through, the rākṣasas—senseless with wrath—ranged about at great speed, devouring the vānaras.

Verse 6.44.38

तेनतौपुरुषव्याघ्रौक्रुद्धेनाशीविषैश्शरैः ।।।।सहसानिहतौवीरौतदाप्रैक्षन्तवानराः ।

Then the mighty vānaras, dreadful in their wrath, sprang upon the horses with golden head-gear and upon the standards like venomous serpents, and with sharp teeth tore them to pieces, throwing the rākṣasa ranks into turmoil in the battle.

Verse 6.44.39

प्रकाशरूपस्तुतदानशक्तस्तौबाधितुंराक्षसराजपुत्रः ।मायांप्रयोक्तुंसमुपाजगामबबन्धतौराजसुतौदुरात्मा ।।।।

Overcome by battle-fury, they dragged down elephants and their riders, and chariots set with flags and standards; biting with their teeth, they mauled, shattered, and tore them apart.