Sarga 98

Verse 6.98.1

हन्यमानेबलेतूर्णमन्योन्यंतेमहामृथे ।सरसीवमहाघर्मेसोपक्षीणेबभूवतुः ।।6.98.1।।

In that great battle, as the armies swiftly destroyed one another, they seemed like lakes in the height of summer, their waters utterly diminished.

Verse 6.98.2

स्वबलस्यविघातेनविरूपाक्ष्वधेन च ।बभूवद्विगुणंक्रुद्धोरावणोराक्षसाधिपः ।।6.98.2।।

On the battlefield the two heroes advanced toward each other—mace and iron bar in hand—roaring like mighty bulls, like storm-clouds flashing with lightning.

Verse 6.98.3

प्रक्षीणंतुबलंदृष्टवावध्यमानंवलीमुखैः ।बभूवास्यव्यथायुद्धेप्रेक्ष्यदैवविपर्ययम् ।।6.98.3।।

In the same way, Sugrīva—the foremost of the Vānaras, swifter still—took up a mighty sword that had fallen there, together with a shield.

Verse 6.98.4

उवाच च समीपस्थंमहोदरमरिन्दमम् ।अस्मिन्कालेमहाबाहोजयाशात्वयिमेस्थिता ।।6.98.4।।

Thus addressed, Mahodara, a lord among the Rākṣasas, replied, “So be it,” and plunged into that enemy army like a moth into a flame.

Verse 6.98.5

जहिशत्रुचमूंवीरदर्शयाद्यपराक्रमम् ।भर्तृपिण्डस्यकालोऽऽयंनिर्देष्टुंसाधुयुध्यताम् ।।6.98.5।।

Then the mighty one wrought havoc among the Vānaras—brilliant, urged on by his lord’s command and by his own martial strength.

Verse 6.98.6

एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वाराक्षसेन्द्रोमहोदरः ।प्रविवेशारिसेनांतांपतङ्गइवपावकम् ।।6.98.6।।

The great-souled Vānaras too, seizing massive rocks, charged into the dreadful enemy host and struck down the night-ranging Rākṣasas.

Verse 6.98.7

ततस्सकदनंचक्रेवानराणांमहाबलः ।भर्तृवाक्येनतेजस्वीस्वेनवीर्येणचोदितः ।।6.98.7।।

But Mahodara, enraged, in that great battle severed the Vānaras’ hands, feet, and thighs with arrows adorned in gold.

Verse 6.98.8

वानराश्चमहासत्त्वाःप्रगृह्वःविपुलाशशिलाः ।प्रविश्यारिबलंभीमंजघ्नुस्तेरजनीचरान् ।।6.98.8।।

Having felled Mahodara to the ground—like a fragment of a great mountain cast down—the son of the Sun shone there in splendor, unassailable, like the Sun blazing by its own radiance.

Verse 6.98.9

महोदरस्तुसङ्कृद्धश्शरैःकाञ्चनभूषणैः । चिच्छेदपाणिपादोरुन्वानराणांमहाहवे ।।6.98.9।।

In that great battle, Mahodara—seized by fury—shot arrows adorned with gold and, striking hands, feet, and thighs, cruelly severed the limbs of the Vānara warriors.

Verse 6.98.10

ततस्तेवानरास्सर्वेराक्षसैरर्दिताभृशम् ।दिशोदशद्रुताःकेचित्केचित्सुग्रीवमाश्रिताः ।।6.98.10।।

Then those vānaras, sorely harassed by the rākṣasas, scattered in all ten directions; some, however, sought refuge with Sugrīva.

Verse 6.98.11

प्रभग्नांसमरेदृष्टवावानराणांमहाचमूम् ।अभिदुद्रावसुग्रीवोमहोदरमनन्तरम् ।।6.98.11।।

Seeing the great vā­nara host broken in the fight, Sugrīva immediately rushed toward Mahodara.

Verse 6.98.12

प्रगृह्यविपुलांघोरांमहीधरसमांशिलाम् ।चिक्षेप स महातेजास्तद्वधायहरीश्वरः ।।6.98.12।।

That mighty, radiant lord of the vānaras seized a vast, dreadful rock, like a mountain, and hurled it, intent on slaying him.

Verse 6.98.13

तामापततनींसहसाशिलांदृष्टवामहोदरः ।असम्भ्रान्तस्ततोबाणैर्निर्बिभेददुरासदाम् ।।6.98.13।।

Seeing that formidable rock rushing toward him, Mahodara did not lose his composure; at once he pierced and shattered it with arrows.

Verse 6.98.14

रक्षसातेनबाणौघैर्निकृत्तासासहस्रधा ।निपपातशिलाभूमौगृध्रचक्रमिवाकुलम् ।।6.98.14।।

Severed into a thousand fragments by that rākṣasa’s torrent of arrows, the rock fell to the ground, scattered like a swirling circle of vultures.

Verse 6.98.15

तांतुभिन्नांशिलांदृष्टवासुग्रीवःक्रोधमूर्छितः ।सालमुत्पाट्यचिक्षेपराक्षसेरणमूर्थनि ।।6.98.15।।

But when Sugrīva saw the rock shattered, he was overcome by anger; tearing up a sāla tree, he hurled it at the rākṣasa in the thick of battle.

Verse 6.98.16

शरैश्चविददारैनंशूरःपरपुरञ्जयः ।स ददर्शततःक्रुद्धःपरिघंपतितंभुवि ।।6.98.16।।

That hero, the vanquisher of enemy strongholds, tore into him with sharp arrows; then, enraged, he saw the club-like weapon fallen upon the ground.

Verse 6.98.17

आविध्यतु स तंदीप्तंपरिघंतस्यदर्शयन् ।परिघाग्रेणवेगेनजघानास्यहयोत्तमान् ।6.98.17।।

Whirling that blazing iron bar and displaying it to him, he struck with the bar’s tip and tremendous force, felling Mahodara’s finest horses.

Verse 6.98.18

तस्माद्धतहयावदीरःसोऽऽवप्लुत्यमहारथात् ।गदांजग्राहसंक्रुद्धोराक्षसोऽऽथमहोदरः ।।6.98.18।।

Then Mahodara—the rākṣasa hero, his horses slain—leapt down from the great chariot and, enraged, seized a mace.

Verse 6.98.19

गदापरिघहस्तौतौयुधिवीरौसमीयतुः ।नर्दन्तौगोवृषप्रख्यौघनाविवसविद्युतौ ।।6.98.19।।

Rāvaṇa, lord of the Rākṣasas, became doubly enraged—at the devastation of his forces and at the slaying of Virūpākṣa.

Verse 6.98.20

ततःक्रुद्धोगदांतस्यैचिक्षेपरजनीचरः ।ज्वलतनींभास्कराभासांसुग्रीवायमहोदरः ।।6.98.20।।

Then Mahodara, the night-ranging rākṣasa, enraged, hurled a blazing mace—sun-bright—toward Sugrīva.

Verse 6.98.21

गदांतांसुमहाघोरामापततनींमहाबलः ।सुग्रीवोरोषताम्राक्षस्समुद्यम्यमहाहवे ।।6.98.21।।आजघानगदांतस्यपरिघेणहरीश्वर ।पपात स गदोद्भिन्नःपरिघस्तस्यभूतले ।।6.98.22।।

In that dreadful clash, mighty Sugrīva—his eyes reddened with wrath—raised his iron bar and struck Mahodara’s onrushing mace. Shattered by the blow, the mace fell upon the earth.

Verse 6.98.22

गदांतांसुमहाघोरामापततनींमहाबलः ।सुग्रीवोरोषताम्राक्षस्समुद्यम्यमहाहवे ।।6.98.21।।आजघानगदांतस्यपरिघेणहरीश्वर ।पपात स गदोद्भिन्नःपरिघस्तस्यभूतले ।।6.98.22।।

Then the radiant Sugrīva picked up from the earth a fearsome iron club, adorned with gold on every side.

Verse 6.98.23

ततोजग्राहतेजस्वीसुग्रीवोवसुधातलात् ।आयसंमुसलंघोरंसर्वतोहेमभूषितम् ।।6.98.23।।

Sugrīva lifted and hurled that club; Mahodara too flung another mace in return. Meeting each other mid-course, both weapons shattered and fell upon the earth.

Verse 6.98.24

स तमुद्यम्यचिक्षेपसोऽऽप्यन्यांव्याक्षिपद्गदाम् ।भिन्नावन्योन्यमासाद्यपेततुद्दरणीतले ।।6.98.24।।

Thereafter, their weapons broken, the two closed in with their fists—filled with might and fiery energy, like two blazing fires.

Verse 6.98.25

ततोग्नप्रहरणौमुष्टिभ्यांतौसमीयतुः ।तेजोबलसमाविष्टौदीप्ताविवहुताशनौ ।।6.98.25।।

Then the two struck each other again and again, roaring; and slapping one another with their palms, they fell and tumbled upon the ground.

Verse 6.98.26

जघ्नतुस्तौतदान्योन्यंवेदतुश्चपुनःपुनः ।तलैश्चान्योन्यमहत्यपेततुश्चमहीतले ।।6.98.26।।

Then they sprang up swiftly and struck one another; those two undefeated heroes grappled, each pushing the other back with his arms.

Verse 6.98.27

उत्पेततुस्ततस्तूर्णंजघ्नतुश्चपरस्परम् ।भुजैश्चिक्षिपतुर्वीरावन्योन्यमपराजितौ ।।6.98.27।।

Then, leaping up swiftly, those two undefeated heroes struck each other and grappled, each pushing the other with his arms.

Verse 6.98.28

जग्मतुस्तौश्रमंवीरौबाहुयुधेपरंतपौ ।अजहारतदाखडगमदूरपरिवर्तिनम् ।।6.98.28।।राक्षसश्चर्मणासार्धंमहावेगोमहोदरः ।

Seeing his forces greatly diminished and being slain by the monkey-warriors, he was seized by anguish amid the battle, beholding the reversal of fate.

Verse 6.98.29

थैव च महाखडगंचर्मणापतितंसह ।।6.98.29।।जग्राहवानरश्रेष्ठस्सुग्रीवोवेगवत्तरः।।

The two heroes—scourges of their foes—grew weary in their wrestling combat. Then Mahodara, the swift Rākṣasa, seized a sword lying nearby, along with a shield.

Verse 6.98.30

तौतुरोषपरीताङ्गौनर्दन्तावभ्यधावताम् ।।6.98.30।।उद्यतासीरणेहृष्टावुभौशस्त्रविशारदौ ।

Then, their bodies seized by wrath, roaring aloud, the two rushed at one another. In the crush of battle they advanced with swords raised—both exultant, both masters of weapons.

Verse 6.98.31

दक्षिणंमण्डलंचोभौसुतूर्णंसम्परीयतुः ।।6.98.31।।अन्योन्यमभिसङ्कृद्धौ जये प्रणिहितावुभौ ।

Both wheeled swiftly in rightward circles, each enraged at the other; and, intent on victory, they closed in once more.

Verse 6.98.32

तुशूरोमहावेगोवीर्यश्लाघीमहोदरः ।।6.98.32।।महाचर्मणितंखडगंपातयामासदुर्मतिः ।

But Mahodara—valiant, swift, and boastful of his prowess, evil in counsel—brought his sword down upon Sugrīva’s great shield.

Verse 6.98.33

लग्नमुत्कर्षतःखडगंखडगेनकपिकुञ्जरः ।।6.98.33।।जहारसशिरस्त्राणंकुण्डलोपहितंशिरः ।

As Mahodara tugged to free the sword that had stuck fast, Sugrīva—the elephant among monkeys—struck with his own blade and severed Mahodara’s head, adorned with earrings and guarded by a helmet.

Verse 6.98.34

निकृत्तशिरसस्तस्यपतितस्यमहीतले ।।6.98.34।।तद्बलंराक्षसेन्द्रस्यदृष्टवातत्र न तिष्टते ।

With his head cut off and fallen upon the earth, the host of the Rākṣasa king, seeing it, did not stand its ground there.

Verse 6.98.35

हत्वांतंवानरैस्सार्धंननादमुदितोहरिः ।।6.98.35।।चुक्रोध च दशग्रीवोबभौहृष्टश्चराघवः ।

Having slain him, Sugrīva, rejoicing with the Vānaras, roared aloud. Daśagrīva blazed with wrath, while Rāghava shone with gladness.

Verse 6.98.36

विषण्णवदनास्सर्वेराक्षसादीनचेतसः ।।6.98.36।।विद्रवन्तिततस्सर्वेभयवित्रस्तचेतसः ।

All the Rākṣasas, their faces downcast and their spirits crushed, fled from that place—every one of them shaken in mind by fear.

Verse 6.98.37

महोदरंतंन्वििपात्यभूमौमहागिरेःकीर्णमिवैकदेशम् ।सूर्यात्मजस्तत्ररराजलक्ष्म्यसूर्यस्स्वतेजोभिरिवाप्रधृष्यः ।।6.98.37।।

Rāvaṇa spoke to Mahodara, who stood nearby and was hard for enemies to withstand: “At this moment, O mighty-armed one, my hope of victory rests upon you.”

Verse 6.98.38

“Destroy the enemy host, O hero, and show your prowess today. This is the time to repay the sustenance received from your lord—therefore, fight well!”