Mahāpārśva-vadhaḥ — The Slaying of Mahāpārśva (Angada’s Counterstrike)
युद्धकाण्ड
This sarga stages a concentrated battlefield reversal centered on Mahāpārśva, following the death of Mahodara at Sugrīva’s hands. Seeing Mahodara slain, Mahāpārśva’s anger intensifies and he disrupts Aṅgada’s forces with a punishing arrow-storm, severing and wounding vānaras and briefly depressing the front line. Aṅgada, observing the demoralization, surges forward and hurls an iron club/bar (parigha) at Mahāpārśva, knocking him from his chariot; Jāmbavān simultaneously assaults the rākṣasa chariot formation with a massive rock, striking horses and breaking the vehicle. Regaining consciousness, Mahāpārśva renews the attack—shooting Aṅgada and piercing Jāmbavān and Gavākṣa—prompting Aṅgada to seize a dreadful parigha, whirl it, and strike Mahāpārśva, then close in with a palm-strike. Mahāpārśva retaliates by throwing a battle-axe, which Aṅgada evades. Aṅgada then delivers a decisive, anatomically targeted fist-blow into the chest/heart region, shattering Mahāpārśva’s heart; the rākṣasa falls dead. The vānaras roar in triumph, Laṅkā’s structures vibrate, and Rāvaṇa—hearing the tumult—reorients toward renewed battle, marking a tactical and psychological escalation.
Verse 6.99.1
महोदरेतुनिहतेमहापार्श्वोमहाबलः ।सुग्रीवेणसमीक्ष्याथक्रोधात्सम्ररक्तलोचनः ।।।।अङ्गदस्यचमूंभीमांक्षोभयामाससायकैः ।
When Mahodara had been slain, the mighty Mahāpārśva, seeing that it was Sugrīva’s deed, his eyes reddened with wrath; and with his arrows he threw Angada’s formidable host into turmoil.
Verse 6.99.2
सवानराणांमुख्यानामुत्तमाङ्गानिसर्वशः ।।।।पातयामानकायेभ्यःफलंवृन्तादिवानिलः ।
He severed the heads of the prominent Vanara chiefs from their bodies on all sides, just as the wind knocks fruits from their stalks.
Verse 6.99.3
केषांचिदिषुभिर्बाहुन् स्कन्धांश्छिच्छेदराक्षसः च ।।।।वानराणांसुङ्कृद्ध: पार्श्वंकेषांव्यदारयत् ।
The delighted vānaras raised a mighty lion-roar; with its crash it seemed to shake Laṅkā, with her lofty terraces and gateways. And among the gods too, as if with Mahendra (Indra) present, a great acclamation arose.
Verse 6.99.4
तेऽर्दिताबाणवर्षेणमहापार्श्वेनवानराः ।।।।विषादविमुखाःसर्वेबभूवुर्गतचेतसः ।
Then the rākṣasa-king, Indra’s foe, hearing the mighty tumult raised by the dwellers of heaven and by the forest-dwelling Vānaras, blazed with wrath and once more stood facing the battle.
Verse 6.99.5
निरीक्ष्यबलमुद्विग्नमङ्गदोराक्षसार्दितम् ।।।।वेगंचक्रेमहावेगमहाबाहुस्समुद्रइवपर्वणि ।
Seeing the army distressed and harried by the rākṣasas, Angada—the mighty, broad-armed hero—unleashed his speed and force, like the ocean swelling on the tide of the full moon.
Verse 6.99.6
आयसंपरिघंगृह्यसूर्यरमशिसमप्रभम् ।।।।समरेवानरश्रेष्ठोमहापार्श्वेन्यपातयत् ।
The foremost of the Vānaras, seizing an iron bar blazing like the sun’s rays, hurled it in battle against Mahāpārśva.
Verse 6.99.7
स तुतेनप्रहारेणमहापार्श्वोविचेतनः ।।।।ससूतस्स्यन्दनात्तस्माद्विसंज्ञश्चापतद्भुवि ।
Struck by that blow, Mahāpārśva lost consciousness and, together with his charioteer, fell senseless from his chariot onto the ground.
Verse 6.99.8
स ऋक्षराजस्तेजस्वीनीलाञ्जनचयोपमः ।।।।निष्पत्यसुमहावीर्यस्स्वाद्व्यूहन्मेघसन्निभात् ।प्रगृह्यगिरिशृङ्गाभांक्रुद्धस्सविपुलांशिलाम् ।।।।अश्वाञ्जघानतरसाबभञ्जतम् स्यन्दनं च तम् ।
Then Jāmbavān, the radiant king of bears, like a heap of dark collyrium, sprang forth with great prowess from his own battle-formation that looked like a cloud.
Verse 6.99.9
स ऋक्षराजस्तेजस्वीनीलाञ्जनचयोपमः ।।6.99.8।।निष्पत्यसुमहावीर्यस्स्वाद्व्यूहन्मेघसन्निभात् ।प्रगृह्यगिरिशृङ्गाभांक्रुद्धस्सविपुलांशिलाम् ।।6.99.9।।अश्वाञ्जघानतरसाबभञ्जतम् स्यन्दनं च तम् ।
Enraged, he seized a vast rock like a mountain peak; with fierce force he struck down the horses and shattered that chariot as well.
Verse 6.99.10
मुहूर्ताल्लब्धसंज्ञस्तुमहापार्श्वोमहाबलः ।।।।अङ्गदंबहुभिर्बाणैर्भूयस्तंप्रत्यविध्यत ।
After a short while, regaining consciousness, the mighty Mahāpārśva again struck Angada with many arrows.
Verse 6.99.11
जाम्बवन्तंत्रिभिर्बाणैराजघानस्तनान्तरे ।।।।ऋक्षराजंगवाक्षं च जघानबहुभिश्शरैः ।
That leader struck down the heads of the foremost Vānara chiefs on every side, severing them from their bodies, like the wind knocking fruits from their stalks.
Verse 6.99.12
जाम्बवन्तंगवाक्षं च स दृष्टवाशरपीडितौ ।।।।जग्राहपरिघंघोरमङ्गदःक्रोधमूर्छितः ।
He pierced Jāmbavān in the chest with three arrows, and he struck the bear-king and Gavākṣa as well with a shower of many shafts.
Verse 6.99.13
तस्याङ्गदःप्रकुपितोराक्षसस्यतमायसम् ।।।।दूरस्थितस्यपरिघंरविरश्मिसमप्रभम् ।द्वावाभ्यांभुजाभ्यांसङ्गृह्यभ्रामयित्वा च वेगवान् ।।।।महापार्श्वस्यचिक्षेपवधार्थंवालिनस्सुतः ।
Seeing Jāmbavān and Gavākṣa tormented by arrows, Aṅgada—overwhelmed by anger—seized a dreadful iron club.
Verse 6.99.14
तस्याङ्गदःप्रकुपितोराक्षसस्यतमायसम् ।।6.99.13।।दूरस्थितस्यपरिघंरविरश्मिसमप्रभम् ।द्वावाभ्यांभुजाभ्यांसङ्गृह्यभ्रामयित्वा च वेगवान् ।।6.99.14।।महापार्श्वस्यचिक्षेपवधार्थंवालिनस्सुतः ।
Enraged at that Rākṣasa, Aṅgada—Vāli’s son—standing at a distance, seized the iron club radiant like the sun’s rays; whirling it with both arms, the swift one hurled it at Mahāpārśva, intent on slaying him.
Verse 6.99.15
स तुक्षिप्तोबलवतापरिघन्तस्यरक्षसः ।।।।धनुश्चसशरंहस्ताछचिरस्त्रांचाप्यपातयत् ।
But that iron club, hurled with great force, made the Rākṣasa drop from his hand his bow with its arrows, and it also knocked down his head-gear.
Verse 6.99.16
तंसमासाद्यवेगेनवालिपुत्रःप्रतापवान् ।।।।तलेनाभ्यहनत्क्रुद्धः कर्णमूले सकुण्डले ।
Closing in with speed, the valiant son of Vāli, angered, struck him with his palm at the base of the ear, where his earrings hung.
Verse 6.99.17
स तुक्रुद्धोमहावेगोमहापार्श्वोमहाद्युति ।।।।करेणैकेनजग्राहसुमहान्तंपरश्वथम् ।
Then Mahāpārśva—furious, swift, and radiant—grasped with one hand a massive battle-axe.
Verse 6.99.18
तंम्तैलधौतंविमलंशैलसारमयंदृढम् ।।।।राक्षसःपरमक्रुद्धोवालिपुत्रेन्यपातयत् ।
That Rākṣasa, enraged beyond measure, hurled at Vāli’s son the firm battle-axe—oil-polished, spotless and bright, hard as mountain rock.
Verse 6.99.19
तेनवामांसफलकेभृशंप्रत्यवपादितम् ।।।।अङ्गदोमोक्ष्यामाससरोषस्सपरश्वधम् ।
Though the axe was driven hard toward his left shoulder, Aṅgada—still blazing with fury—evaded that blow.
Verse 6.99.20
सवीरोवज्रसङ्काशमङ्गदोमुष्टिमात्मनः ।।।।संवर्तयत्सुसङ्कृद्धःपितृतुल्यपराक्रमः ।
Then that rākṣasa, raging with fury, severed the arms and shoulders of some vānaras with his arrows, and tore open the sides of others.
Verse 6.99.21
राक्षसस्यस्तनाभ्याशेमर्मज्ञोहृदयंप्रति ।।।।इन्द्राशनिमस्पर्शं स मुष्टिंविन्यपातयत् ।
Struck down by Mahāpārśva’s shower of arrows, those vānaras all turned despondent, their spirits shaken and their wits lost.
Verse 6.99.22
तेनतस्यनिपातेनराक्षसस्यमहामृधे ।।।।पफालहृदयंचास्य स पपातहतोभुवि ।
Seeing the army distressed under the rākṣasa’s attack, mighty-armed Angada surged forth with great speed—like the ocean swelling on the day of the full moon.
Verse 6.99.23
स्मिन्निपतितेभूमौतत्सैन्यंसम्प्रचुक्षुभे ।।।।अभवच्चमहान्क्रोधस्समरेरावणस्यतु ।
Then the heroic Angada—whose prowess matched his father’s—burning with fury, clenched his own fist, hard as a thunderbolt.
Verse 6.99.24
वानराणांश्चहृष्टानांसिंहनादःसुपुष्कलः ।।।।स्पोटयन्निवशब्देनलङ्कांसाट्टालगोपुराम् ।महेन्द्रेणेवदेवानांनादस्समभवन्महान् ।।।।
Knowing the vital points, he drove his fist—like Indra’s thunderbolt—into the rākṣasa’s chest, straight toward the heart.
Verse 6.99.25
वानराणांश्चहृष्टानांसिंहनादःसुपुष्कलः ।।6.99.24।।स्पोटयन्निवशब्देनलङ्कांसाट्टालगोपुराम् ।महेन्द्रेणेवदेवानांनादस्समभवन्महान् ।।6.99.25।।
By that blow, in the midst of the great battle, the rākṣasa’s heart burst—and he fell, slain, upon the ground.
Verse 6.99.26
अथैन्द्रशत्रुस्त्रिदिवालयानांवनौकनांचैवम्हाप्रणादम् ।श्रुत्वासरोषंयुधिराक्षसेन्द्रः ।पुनश्चयुद्धाभिमुखोऽवतस्थे ।।।।
When he fell upon the ground, that host was thrown into turmoil; and in the battle, Rāvaṇa was seized by a great wrath.