Sarga 79

Verse 6.79.1

निर्गतंमकराक्षंतेदृष्टवावानरपुङ्गवाः ।आप्लुत्यसहसासर्वेयोद्धुकामाव्यवस्थिताः ।।।।

Seeing Makarākṣa emerge, the foremost of the vānaras sprang up at once, took their positions, and stood eager for battle.

Verse 6.79.2

ततःप्रवृत्तंसुमहत्तद्युद्धंरोमहर्षणम् ।निशाचरैःप्लवङ्गानांदेवानांदानवैरिव ।।।।

In Daṇḍaka, fourteen thousand Rākṣasas—and your father as well—together with Triśiras and Dūṣaṇa, were slain by me.

Verse 6.79.3

वृक्षशूलनिपातैश्चशिलापरिघपातनैः ।अन्योन्यंमर्दयन्तिस्मतदाकपिनिशाचराः ।।।।

Then the monkeys and the rākṣasas battered one another—hurling down trees and pikes, and crashing rocks and clubs upon each other.

Verse 6.79.4

शक्तिखडगगदाकुन्तैस्तोमरैश्चनिशाचराः ।पट्टसैर्भिण्ढिपालैश्चबाणपातैःसमन्ततः ।।।।पाशमुद्गरदण्डैश्चनिखातैश्चापरेस्तथा ।कदनंकपिसिंहानांचक्रुस्तेरजनीचराः ।।।।

Hurling javelins, swords, maces, spears and lances—along with short blades, bhiṇḍipālas, showers of arrows, nooses, mallets, staffs, and other weapons—the night-rangers wrought slaughter among the lion-like monkeys on every side.

Verse 6.79.5

शक्तिखडगगदाकुन्तैस्तोमरैश्चनिशाचराः ।पट्टसैर्भिण्ढिपालैश्चबाणपातैःसमन्ततः ।।6.79.4।।पाशमुद्गरदण्डैश्चनिखातैश्चापरेस्तथा ।कदनंकपिसिंहानांचक्रुस्तेरजनीचराः ।।6.79.5।।

Then the gods, rejoicing, beheld that night-roamer—Khara’s son—slain by the force of the arrows of Daśaratha’s son, shattered upon the earth like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt.

Verse 6.79.6

बाणौघैरर्दिताश्चापिखरपुत्रेणवानराः ।सम्भ्रान्तमनसस्सर्वेदुद्रुवुर्भयपीडिताः ।।।।

Struck by volleys of arrows shot by Khara’s son, all the vānaras, their minds shaken, fled, oppressed by fear.

Verse 6.79.7

तान्दृष्टवाराक्षसास्सर्वेद्रवमाणान्वलीमुखान् ।नेदुस्तेसिम्हवद्दृष्टाराक्षसाजितकाशिनः ।।।।

Seeing the vānaras fleeing, all the rākṣasas roared like lions, as though victory were already theirs.

Verse 6.79.8

विद्रवत्सुतदातेषुवानरेषुसमन्ततः ।रामस्तान्वारमायासशरवर्षेणराक्षसान् ।।।।

Then, as the vānaras scattered in flight on every side, Rāma checked the rākṣasas with a rain of arrows.

Verse 6.79.9

रितान्राक्षसान्दृष्टवामकराक्षोनिशाचरः ।क्रोधानलसमाविष्टोवचनंचेदमब्रवीत् ।।।।

Seeing the rākṣasas checked, Makarākṣa, the night-roaming one, consumed by the fire of wrath, spoke these words.

Verse 6.79.10

तिष्ठराम मयासार्धंद्वन्द्वयुद्धंददामिते ।त्याजयिष्यामितेप्राणान् धनुर्मुक्सैशशितैश्शरैः ।।।।

“Stand, Rāma! I offer you single combat with me. With sharp arrows loosed from my bow, I shall take away your life.”

Verse 6.79.11

यत्तदादण्डकारण्येपितरंहतवान्मम ।तदग्रतःस्वकर्मस्थंदृष्टवारोषोऽभिवर्धते ।।।।

“For long ago in Daṇḍakāraṇya you slew my father; now, seeing you before me as the very doer of that deed, my wrath only increases.”

Verse 6.79.12

दह्यन्तेधृशमङ्गानिदुरात्मन्ममराघव ।यन्मयासि न दृष्टस्त्वंतस्मिन् कालेमहावने ।।।।

“My limbs burn fiercely, O Rāghava of evil intent, because at that time in the great forest I did not set eyes upon you.”

Verse 6.79.13

दिष्ट्यासिदर्शनंराम ममत्वंप्राप्तवानिह ।काङ्क्षितोऽसिक्षुधार्तस्यसिंहस्येवेतरोमृगः ।।।।

“By fortune, O Rāma, you have come here into my sight. You are the one I have long desired—like another beast awaited by a hungry lion.”

Verse 6.79.14

अद्यमद्बाणवेगेनप्रेतराडिवषयंगतः ।येत्वयानिहताःशूराःसहतैश्चसमेष्यसि ।।।।

Today, driven by the swiftness of my arrows, you shall go to Yama’s realm and join the warriors you have slain.

Verse 6.79.15

बहुनात्रकिमुक्तेनशृणुराम वचोमम ।पश्यन्तुसकलालोकास्त्वा, मांचैवरणाजिरे ।।।।

Why speak at length? Hear my words, Rāma: let all the worlds behold—here on the battlefield—you and me.

Verse 6.79.16

अस्त्रैर्वागदयावापिबाहुभ्यांवामहाहवे ।अभ्यस्तंयेनवाराम तेनैवयुधिवर्तताम् ।।।।

Then a vast, hair-raising battle broke out between the night-roaming Rākṣasas and the Vānaras, like the ancient clash of Devas and Dānavas.

Verse 6.79.17

मकराक्ष्वचश्श्रुत्वारामोदशरथात्मजः ।अब्रवीत्प्रहसन्वाक्यमुत्तरोत्तरवादिनम् ।।।।

Whether with missiles, with a mace, or even with bare arms in this great combat, O Rāma—fight in battle with whatever you are most practiced in.

Verse 6.79.18

कत्थसेकिंवृथारक्षो बहून्यसदृशानिते ।न रणेशक्यतेजेतुंविनायुद्धेनवाग्भलात् ।।।।

Hearing Makarākṣa’s words, Rāma—the son of Daśaratha—smiled and replied to him, who kept speaking with ever more heated retorts.

Verse 6.79.19

चतुर्दशसहस्राणिरक्षसांत्वत्पिता च यः ।त्रिशिरादूषणश्चापिदण्डकेनिहतामया ।।।।

Why do you boast so vainly, O Rākṣasa, speaking so many impossibilities? On the battlefield, victory is not won by the mere force of words—without true fighting.

Verse 6.79.20

स्वाशितास्तवमांसेनगृध्रगोमायुवायसाः ।भविष्यन्त्यद्यवैपाप तीक्ष्णतुण्डनखाङ्कुराः ।।।।

Indeed, today, O sinner, vultures, jackals, and crows—sharp-beaked and clawed—will be filled with your flesh.

Verse 6.79.21

राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तुमकराक्षोमहाबलः ।बाणौघानमुचत्तस्मैराघवायरणाजिरे ।।।।

Thus addressed by Rāghava on the battlefield, the mighty Makarākṣa loosed a dense volley of arrows at Rāma.

Verse 6.79.22

तान्शरान् शरवर्षेणरामश्चिच्छेदनैकधा ।निपेतुर्भुवितेछिन्नारुक्मपुङ्खास्सहस्रशः ।।।।

Rāma, with a counter-rain of arrows, cut those shafts into many pieces; the golden-feathered arrows fell to the earth in thousands of fragments.

Verse 6.79.23

तद्युद्धमभवत्तत्रसमेत्यान्योन्यमोजसा ।खरराक्षसपुत्रस्यसूनोर्धशरथस्य च ।।।।

There, when they met face to face, a fierce combat arose with mighty force between the son of Khara, the rākṣasa, and the son of Daśaratha.

Verse 6.79.24

जीमूतयोरिवाकाशेशब्दोज्यातलयोस्तदा ।धनुर्मुक्तःस्वनोत्कृष्टश्श्रूयते च रणाजिरे ।।।।

Then, on that battlefield, the taut twang of bows—released by hands and bowstrings—was heard in the sky like the thunder of clouds.

Verse 6.79.25

देवदानवगन्धर्वाःकिन्नराश्चमहोरगाः ।अन्तरिक्षगतास्सर्वेद्रष्टुकामास्तदद्भुतम् ।।।।

Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and mighty serpents—all stationed in the sky—gathered there, eager to witness that astonishing event.

Verse 6.79.26

विद्धमन्योन्यगात्रेषुद्विगुणंवर्धतेपरम् ।कृतप्रतिकृतान्योन्यंकुरुतांतौरणाजिरे ।।।।

Though their bodies were pierced again and again, their ardor only rose—redoubling—on the battlefield, as each answered the other’s blows with blows in return.

Verse 6.79.27

राममुक्तांस्तुबाणौघान् राक्षसस्त्वच्छिनद्रणे ।रक्षोमुक्तांस्तुरामोवैनैकथाप्राच्छिनच्छरैः ।।।।

In the clash of battle, the rākṣasa cut down the volleys of arrows released by Rāma; and Rāma, in turn, shattered the missiles released by the rākṣasa in manifold ways with his own shafts.

Verse 6.79.28

बाणौघैर्विततास्सर्वादिशश्चप्रदिशस्तथा ।सञ्छन्नावसुधाचैवसमन्तान्नप्रकाशते ।।।।

With torrents of arrows, all the directions and the intermediate quarters were spread over; and the very earth, covered on every side, could scarcely be seen.

Verse 6.79.29

तःक्रुद्धोमहाबाहुर्धनुच्शिच्छेदरक्षसः ।अष्टाभिरथनाराचैस्सूतंविव्याधराघवः ।।।।

Then the mighty-armed Rāghava, enraged, cut the rākṣasa’s bow; and with eight steel-shafted arrows he struck the charioteer as well.

Verse 6.79.30

भित्त्वारथंशरैरामोहत्वाआश्वानपातयत् ।विरथोवसुधास्थश्चमकराक्षोनिशाचरः ।।।।

Rāma shattered the chariot with his arrows, slew the horses, and brought them down; and Makarākṣa, the night-roaming rākṣasa, left without a chariot, stood upon the ground.

Verse 6.79.31

तत्तिष्ठद्वसुधांरक्षश्शूलंजग्राहपाणिना ।त्रासनंसर्वभूतानांयुगान्ताग्निसमप्रभम् ।।।।

Standing there upon the earth, the rākṣasa seized a pike in his hand—an object of terror to all beings—blazing like the fire at the world’s end.

Verse 6.79.32

दुरवापम् महच्छूलंरुद्रदत्तंभयङ्करम् ।जाज्वल्यमानमाकाशेसंहारास्त्रमिवापरम् ।।।।यंदृष्टवादेवताःसर्वाभयार्ताविद्रुतादिशः ।

A mighty pike—hard to withstand, bestowed by Rudra, dreadful—blazed in the sky like yet another weapon of annihilation. Seeing it, all the gods, stricken with fear, fled toward the quarters.

Verse 6.79.33

विभ्राम्यतुमहच्छूलंप्रज्वलन्तन्निशाचरः ।।।।स क्रोधाप्राहिणोत्तस्मैराघवायमहात्मने ।

Whirling that great, blazing pike, the night-roaming rākṣasa, in fury, hurled it at the great-souled Rāghava.

Verse 6.79.34

तमापतन्तंज्वलितंखरपुत्रकराच्च्युतम् ।।।।बाणैत्रिभिराकाशेशूलंचिच्छेदराघवः ।

Rāghava cleft in mid-air, with three arrows, the blazing pike that had been hurled from the hand of Khara’s son as it came flying toward him.

Verse 6.79.35

सच्छन्नोनैकथाशूलोदिव्यहाटकमण्डितः ।।।।व्यशीर्यतमहोल्केवरामबाणार्दितोभुवि ।

Struck by Rāma’s arrows, that gold-adorned pike shattered into many pieces and dropped to the ground like a great burning brand breaking apart.

Verse 6.79.36

च्छूलंनिहतंदृष्टवारामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ।।।।साधुसावधितिभूतानिव्याहरन्तिनभोगताः ।

Seeing the pike destroyed by Rāma of tireless action, the beings in the sky cried out in praise, “Well done! Well done!”

Verse 6.79.37

तंदृष्टवानिहतंशूलंमकराक्षोनिशाचरः ।।।।मुष्टिमुद्यम्यकाकुत्स्थंतिष्ठतिष्ठेतिचाब्रवीत् ।

When the night-ranger Makarākṣa saw his pike destroyed, he raised his fist and shouted to Kakutstha, “Stand! Stand!”

Verse 6.79.38

सःतंदृष्टवाऽपतन्तंवैप्रहस्यरघुनन्दनः ।।।।पावकास्त्रंततोरामस्सन्दधेतुशरासने ।

Seeing him rushing in, Rāma—delight of the Raghu line—smiled, and then set the Fire-missile upon his bow.

Verse 6.79.39

तेनास्त्रणहतंरक्षःकाकुत्थ्सेनतदारणे ।।।।सञ्चिन्नहृदयंतत्रपपात च ममार च ।

Struck down in battle by that weapon of Kakutstha, the rākṣasa fell there with his heart cleft and died.

Verse 6.79.40

दृष्टवातेराक्षसास्सर्वेमकराक्षस्यपातनम् ।।।।लङ्कामेवप्रधावन्तरामबाणभयार्दिताः ।

With javelins, swords, maces, spears, lances, short blades, bhiṇḍipālas, and showers of arrows—together with nooses, mallets, staffs, and other weapons—the night-rangers caused devastation among the lion-like monkeys all around.

Verse 6.79.41

दशरथनृपसूनुबाणवेगैःरजनिचरंनिहतंखरात्मजंतम् ।ददृशुरथदेवताःप्रहृष्टागिरिमववज्रहतंक्षितौकीर्णम् ।।।।

Seeing Makarākṣa fall, all those rākṣasas, stricken with fear of Rāma’s arrows, fled straight back to Laṅkā.