Sarga 97

Verse 6.97.1

तथातैःकृत्तगात्रैस्तुदशग्रीवेणमार्गणैः ।बभूववसुधातत्रप्रकीर्णाहरिभिस्तदा ।।।।

Thus, with the vānara warriors’ limbs severed by Daśagrīva’s arrows, the earth there became strewn with those fallen haris.

Verse 6.97.2

रावणस्याप्रसह्यंतंशरसम्पातमेकतः ।न शेकुस्सहितुंदीप्तंपतङ्गाज्वलनंयथा ।।।।

Struck hard by Sugrīva, the great elephant recoiled by a bow’s measure, sank down in distress, and bellowed aloud.

Verse 6.97.3

तेऽर्दितानिशितैर्बाणैःक्रोशन्तोविप्रदुद्रुवुः ।पावकार्चिस्समाविष्टादह्यमानायथागजाः ।।।।

Pierced and tormented by sharp arrows, they fled with cries of anguish—like elephants engulfed by tongues of fire, burning as they run.

Verse 6.97.4

प्लवङ्गनामनीकानिमहाभ्राणीवमारुतः ।सययौसमरेतस्मिन्विधमन्रावणश्शरैः ।।।।

At his sides and from behind, all the troop-leaders followed of their own accord, bearing massive rocks and many kinds of great trees.

Verse 6.97.5

कदनंतरसाकृत्वाराक्षसेन्ध्रोवनौकसाम् ।आससादततोत्वरितंयुद्धेराघवंस्तदा ।।।।

Roaring in battle with a mighty voice, the great Sugrīva struck down many others and pressed on toward the foremost of the rākṣasas.

Verse 6.97.6

सुग्रीवस्तान्कपीन्दृष्टवाभग्नान्विद्रावितान्रणे ।गुल्मेसुषेणंनिक्षिप्यचक्रेयुद्धेऽद्भुतंमनः ।।।।

They beheld Virūpākṣa—his eyes rolling with rage, foam upon his mouth and breath, drenched in blood—made yet more hideous by the violence of his fall.

Verse 6.97.7

आत्मनस्सदृशंवीरस्सतंनिक्षिप्यवानरम् ।सुग्रीवोऽऽभिमुखश्शत्रुंप्रतस्थेपादपायुधः ।।।।

The vānara beheld the foe twitching and rolling from side to side, his flank drenched in blood, crying out piteously—stirring sorrow and grim compassion in those who looked on.

Verse 6.97.8

पार्श्वतःपृष्ठतश्चास्यसर्वेयूथाधिपास्स्वयम् ।अनुजह्रुर्महाशैलान् विविधांश्चमहाद्रुमान् ।।।।

Thus, locked in close combat, the mighty forces of the vānaras and the rākṣasas met and clashed together.

Verse 6.97.9

सनदन्युधिसुग्रीवस्स्वरेणमहतामहान् ।पातयन्विविधांश्चान्यान्ञ्जगामोत्तमराक्षसान् ।।।।

Seeing mighty Virūpanetra destroyed by the vānara-king, the entire host of vānaras and rākṣasas surged into frenzy—like the Gaṅgā in wild flood.

Verse 6.97.10

ममन्थ च महाकायान्राक्षसान्वानरेश्वरः ।युगान्तसमयेवायुःप्रवृद्धानगमानिव ।।।।

And the lord of the vānara hosts crushed the huge-bodied rākṣasas, like the wind at the end of an age battering great masses.

Verse 6.97.11

राक्षसानामनीकेषुशैलवर्षंववर्ष ह ।अश्मवर्षंयथामेघःपक्षिसङ्घेषुकानने ।।।।

Into the rākṣasa battle-ranks he rained a shower of rocks, as a cloud rains a hail of stones upon flocks of birds in a forest.

Verse 6.97.12

कपिराजविमुक्तैस्तैश्शैलवर्षैस्तुराक्षसाः ।विकीर्णशिरसःपेतुर्निकृत्ताइवपर्वताः ।।।।

Struck by those showers of rocks released by the king of monkeys, the rākṣasas fell with shattered heads, like mountains hewn down.

Verse 6.97.13

अथसंक्षीयमाणेषुराक्षसेषुसमन्ततः ।सुग्रीवेणप्रभग्नेषुपतत्सुनिनदत्सु च ।।।।विरूपाक्षस्स्वकंनामधन्वीविश्राव्यराक्षसः ।रथादाप्लुत्यदुर्धर्षोगजस्कन्धमुपारुहत् ।।।।

Then, as the rākṣasas on every side were being worn down—shattered by Sugrīva, falling and crying out—Virūpākṣa, the hard-to-overcome bowman, proclaimed his own name, leapt down from his chariot, and mounted the back of a rutting elephant.

Verse 6.97.14

अथसंक्षीयमाणेषुराक्षसेषुसमन्ततः ।सुग्रीवेणप्रभग्नेषुपतत्सुनिनदत्सु च ।।6.97.13।।विरूपाक्षस्स्वकंनामधन्वीविश्राव्यराक्षसः ।रथादाप्लुत्यदुर्धर्षोगजस्कन्धमुपारुहत् ।।6.97.14।।

Then Virūpākṣa—the rākṣasa hard to assail—bow in hand, proclaimed his own name and, leaping down from his chariot, mounted the back of an elephant in rut.

Verse 6.97.15

स तंद्विरदमारुह्यविरूपाक्षोमहारथः ।वनर्दभनीमनिर्ह्रादंवानरानभ्यधावत ।।।।

Like moths unable to endure a blazing flame, the Vānara host could not bear, even for a moment, Rāvaṇa’s unbearable, glowing hail of arrows.

Verse 6.97.16

सुग्रीवे स शरान्घोरान्विससर्जचमूमुखे ।स्थापयामासचोद्विग्नान्राक्षसान् सम्प्रहर्षयन् ।।।।

Mounting the elephant, Virūpākṣa—the great chariot-warrior—let out a terrifying roar and charged toward the Vānara host.

Verse 6.97.17

सतुविद्धश्शितैर्बाणैःकपीन्द्रस्तेनरक्षसा ।चुक्रोध स महाक्रोधोवधेचास्यमनोदधे ।।।।

At the head of the army he loosed dreadful arrows at Sugrīva, steadying the shaken rākṣasas and filling them with delight.

Verse 6.97.18

ततःपादपमुद्धृत्यशूरस्सम्प्रधनोहरिः ।अभिपत्यजघानास्यप्रमुखेतुमहागजम् ।।।।

Wounded by the sharp arrows of that Rākṣasa, the lord of the monkeys roared in wrath and set his mind upon slaying him.

Verse 6.97.19

स तुप्रहाराभिहतस्सुग्रीवेणमहागजः ।अपासर्पद्धनुर्मात्रंनिषसादननाद च ।।।।

Then the valiant Vānara sprang into the fray, uprooted a tree, and leapt forward to strike the great elephant at the front.

Verse 6.97.20

गजात्तुमथितात्तूर्णमपक्रम्य स वीर्यवान् ।राक्षसोऽऽभिमुखश्शत्रुंप्रत्युद्गम्यततःकपिम् ।।।।आर्षभंचर्मखडगं च प्रगृह्यलघुविक्रमः ।भर्त्सयन्निवसुग्रीवमाससादव्यवस्थितम् ।।।।

Then that valiant Rākṣasa swiftly dismounted from the wounded elephant, faced the foe, and advanced toward the monkey-chief. Seizing a bull-hide shield and a sword, quick in onset, he approached Sugrīva who stood firm—seeming to threaten him.

Verse 6.97.21

गजात्तुमथितात्तूर्णमपक्रम्य स वीर्यवान् ।राक्षसोऽऽभिमुखश्शत्रुंप्रत्युद्गम्यततःकपिम् ।।6.97.20।।आर्षभंचर्मखडगं च प्रगृह्यलघुविक्रमः ।भर्त्सयन्निवसुग्रीवमाससादव्यवस्थितम् ।।6.97.21।।

Enraged on behalf of his ally’s cause, Sugrīva seized a massive rock—like a bank of clouds—and hurled it at Virūpākṣa.

Verse 6.97.22

स हितस्याभिसङ्कृद्धःप्रगृह्यविपुलांशिलाम् ।विरूपाक्षायचिक्षेपसुग्रीवोजलदोपमाम् ।।।।

Seeing the rock hurtling down, that foremost of the Rākṣasas sprang aside and then struck it with his sword in a mighty blow.

Verse 6.97.23

स तांशिलामापतन्तींदृष्टवाराक्षसपुङ्गवः ।अपक्रम्यसुविक्रान्तःखडगेनप्राहरत्तदा ।।।।

Then, seeing that boulder hurtling toward him, the exceedingly valiant Rākṣasa leader stepped aside and struck it with his sword.

Verse 6.97.24

तेनखडगप्रहारेणरक्षसाबलिनाहतः ।मुहूर्तमभवद्वीरोविसंज्ञइववानरः ।।।।

Struck by the sword-blow of that mighty Rākṣasa, the heroic Vānara was wounded and for a brief moment seemed as though unconscious.

Verse 6.97.25

स तदा स हसोत्पत्यराक्षसस्यमहाहवे ।मुष्टिंसन्वर्त्यवेगेनपातयामासवक्षसि ।।।।

Then, in that great battle, he sprang up at once, drew back his fist, and drove it with force into the Rākṣasa’s chest.

Verse 6.97.26

मुष्टिप्रहाराभिहतोविरूपाक्षोनिशाचरः ।तेनखडगेनसङ्कृद्दस्सुग्रीवस्यचमूमुखे ।।।।कवचंपातयामासपद्भ्यामभिहतोऽऽपतत् ।

Struck by Sugrīva’s fist, Virūpākṣa, the night-roamer, flared up in wrath; and with that sword, at the very front of the host, he brought down Sugrīva’s armor. Then, struck about the feet, Sugrīva fell.

Verse 6.97.27

स समुत्थायपतितःकपिस्तस्यव्यसर्जयत् ।तलप्रहारमशनेस्समानंभीमनिस्स्वनम् ।।।।

Though fallen, the monkey rose again and hurled at him a palm-strike like a thunderbolt, resounding with a dreadful crash.

Verse 6.97.28

तलप्रहारंतद्रक्षस्सुग्रीवेणसमुद्यतम् ।नैपुण्यान्मोचयित्वैनंमुष्टिनोरस्यताडयत् ।।।।

That Rākṣasa, as Sugrīva raised his palm-strike, slipped free of it with skill and then struck him on the chest with a clenched fist.

Verse 6.97.29

तस्सुसङ्कृद्धतरःसुग्रीवोवानरेश्वरः ।।।।मोक्षितंचात्मनोदृष्टवाप्रहारंतेनरक्षसा ।

Thereupon Sugrīva, lord of the Vānaras, grew still more enraged when he saw that the Rākṣasa had evaded his blow.

Verse 6.97.30

ददर्शान्तरंतस्यविरूपाक्षस्यवानरः ।।।।ततोन्यपातयत्क्रोधाच्छङ्खदेशेमहात्तलम् ।

The Vānara perceived an opening in Virūpākṣa; then, in anger, he brought down a mighty palm-blow upon his temple.

Verse 6.97.31

महेन्द्राशनिकल्पेनतलेनाभिहतःक्षितौ ।।।।पपातरुधिरक्लिन्नश्शोणितंसमुद्यमन् ।स्रोतोभ्यस्तुविरूपाक्षोजलंप्रस्रवणादिव ।।।।

Smitten to the ground by that palm, like Indra’s thunderbolt, Virūpākṣa fell—soaked in blood and spewing blood; from his body blood streamed forth like water from a waterfall.

Verse 6.97.32

महेन्द्राशनिकल्पेनतलेनाभिहतःक्षितौ ।।6.97.31।।पपातरुधिरक्लिन्नश्शोणितंसमुद्यमन् ।स्रोतोभ्यस्तुविरूपाक्षोजलंप्रस्रवणादिव ।।6.97.32।।

Struck to the ground by a palm-blow like Indra’s thunderbolt, Virūpākṣa fell—soaked in blood and spewing blood—while blood streamed from his body like water pouring from a waterfall.

Verse 6.97.33

विवृत्तनयनंक्रोधात्सफेनंरुधिराप्लुतम् ।ददृशुस्तेविरूपाक्षंविरूपाक्षतरंकृतम् ।।।।

In that battle, the ranks of the vānaras were scattered by Rāvaṇa’s arrows, just as great masses of clouds are driven apart by the wind.

Verse 6.97.34

स्फुरन्तंपरिवर्तन्तंपार्श्वेनरुधिरोक्षितम् ।करुणं च विनर्दन्तंददृशुःकपयोरिपुम् ।।।।

Having swiftly wrought slaughter among the forest-dwelling vānaras, the lord of the rākṣasas then hurried in battle toward Rāghava.

Verse 6.97.35

तथातुतौसंम्यतिसम्प्रयुक्तौ ।तरस्विनौवानरराक्षसानाम् ।।।।

Seeing those vānaras broken and driven back in battle, Sugrīva stationed Suṣeṇa to steady and protect the troop, and then turned his mind to a bold and wondrous course of action in the fight.

Verse 6.97.36

विनाशितंप्रेक्ष्यविरूपनेत्रंमहाबलंतंहरिपार्थिवेन ।बलंसमस्तंकपिराक्षसानामुन्मत्तगङ्गाप्रतिमंबभूव ।।।।

Heroic Sugrīva, having assigned a vānara force worthy of himself to stand guard, set forth to meet the foe face to face, wielding a tree as his weapon.