Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
The demons break the news to Ravana about Lanka. Ravana having been laid siege to by the monkeys. Ravana then ascends his mansion and surveys the innumerable troops of monkeys, occupying the entire city of Lanka. Meanwhile, Rama issues a command to the monkeys to destroy the enemies forthwith. The monkeys start demolishing various important defensive structures of the city of Lanka and besiege all the city-gates. Ravana also commands his army to commence combat. Sounds of couches blown by the army and terrible roars on both sides re-echoes the air, earth and sea. Demons begin to strike the monkeys with their weapons and the monkeys respond the strike with trees, mountain-tops, nails and teeth. |
tatas te raakSasaas tatra gatvaa raavaNa mandiram |
nyavedayan puriim ruddhaam raameNa saha vaanaraiH || 6-42-1
1. tataH= then; raakSasaaH= the demons; tatra= there; gatvaa= having gone; raavaNamandiram= to the house of Ravana; nyavedayan= informed (that); puriim= the city of Lanka; ruddhaam= has been besieged; raameNa= by Rama; vaanaraiH saha= along with his monkeys.
Then, the demons there, approached Ravana and informed him that the city had been besieged by Rama along with his monkeys.
ruddhaam tu nagariim zrutvaa jaata krodho nizaa caraH |
vidhaanam dviguNam zrutvaa praasaadam so adhyarohata || 6-42-2
2. shrutvaa= hearing; nagariim= that the city; ruddhaam= has been attacked; nishaacharaH= Ravana; jaatakrodhaH= exhibiting his anger; dviguNam= doubly; kR^itvaa= made; vidhaanam= his arrangements; aarohatacha= and ascended; praasaadam= his mansion.
Hearing that the city has been attacked, Ravana exhibiting his anger, doubly made the necessary arrangements for the war and ascended his mansion.
sa dadarza aavR^itaam lankaam sazaila vana kaananaam |
asamkhyeyair hari gaNaiH sarvato yuddha kaankSibhiH || 6-42-3
3. saH= that Ravana; dadarsha= saw; laN^kaam= the city of Lanka; sashailavanakaananaam= with its mountains, grooves and forests; vR^itaam= being covered; sarvataH= on all sides; asamkhyeyaiH= by innumerable; harigaNaiH= troops of monkeys; yuddha kaaNkSibhiH= looking for war.
That Ravana caught a glimpse of the city of Lanka, with its mountains, groves and forests all being covered by innumerable troops of monkeys, waiting for war.
sa dR^iSTvaa vaanaraih sarvaam vasudhaam kavalii kR^itaam |
katham kSapayitavyaah syur iti cintaa paro abhavat || 6-42-4
4. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; vasudhaam= the earth; kapiliikR^itaam= made brown in colour; sarvaiH= with all; vanaraaH= monkeys; saH= Ravana; abhavat= became; chintaaparaH= lost in thought; iti= as to; katham= how; syuH= (they) can be; kSapayitavyaa= exterminated.
Seeing the earth made all brown with innumerable monkeys, Ravana in great perplexity reflected: “How can they be exterminated?”
sa cintayitvaa suciram dhairyam aalambya raavaNaH |
raaghavam hari yuuthaamz ca dadarza aayata locanaH || 6-42-5
5. chintayitvaa= having pondered; suchiram= for long; aalambya= regaining; dhairyam= his confidence; aayata lochanaH= and with his eyes widened by surprise; saH= that Ravana; dadarsha= saw; raaghavam= Rama; hariyuuthaamshcha= and his troops of monkeys.
Having pondered for long, regaining his confidence and with his eyes widened by surprise, Ravana gazed on Rama and his troops of monkeys.
raaghavaH sahasainyena mudito naama pupluve |
laN^kaam dadarsha guptaam vai sarvato raakSasairvR^itaam || 6-42-6
6. raaghavaH= Rama; muditaH= delightful; saha sainyena= along with the army; pupluve naama= pressed forward (on the back of a monkey); dadarsha= and saw; laN^Kaam= Lanka; guptaam= being guarded; sarvataH= on all sides; vR^itaam= and thronged; raakSasaiH= with demons.
Full of delight, Rama passed forward (on the back of a monkey) along with his army and saw Lanka being guarded on all sides and thronged with demons.
dR^iSTvaa daasharathirlaN^kaam chitradhvajapataakiniim |
jagaama manasaa siitaam duuyamaanena chetasaa || 6-42-7
7. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; laN^kaam= Lanka; chitra dhvaja pataakiniim= decorated with banners and flags; daasharathiH= Rama; jagaama= recollected; manasaa= in his mind; siitaam= about Seetha; duuyamaanena= with a distressed chetasaa= heart.
Seeing that city of Lanka duly decorated with banners and flags, Rama remembered Seetha with a distressed heart.
atra saa mR^igashaabaakSii matkR^ite janakaatmajaa |
piiDyate shokasaMtaptaa kR^ishaa sthaNDilashaayinii || 6-42-8
8. (He said to himself); saa jankaatmajaa= here is that Seetha; mR^iga shaabaakSii= whose eyes resemble those of a fawn; shoka samtaptaa= tormented with grief; kR^ishaa= emaciated; sthaNDila shaayinii= with a bare ground as her bed; piiDyate= and suffereing matkR^ite= on my account; atra= here.
He said to himself, “Here is that daughter of Janaka, whose eyes resemble those of a fawn, tormented with grief, emacitated, with a bare ground as her bed and suffering here on my account.”
nipiiDyamaanaaM dharmaatmaa vaidehiimanuchintayan |
kSipramaajJNaapayadraamo vaanaraan dviSataam vadhe || 6-42-9
9. anuchintayan= reflecting on; vaidehiim= Seetha; nipiiDyamaanaam= being troubled; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous; raamaH= Rama; kSipram= speedily; aajJNaapayat= issued a command; vaanaraam= to the monkeys; vadhe= to destroy; dviSataam= the enemies.
Reflecting on Seetha being troubled, the virtuous Rama speedily issued a command to the monkeys to destroy the enemies forthwith.
evamukte tu vachasi raameNaakliSTakarmaNaa |
saMgharSamaaNaaH plavagaaH simhanaadai rapuuryan || 6-42-10
10. vachasi= (While) the aforesaid words; uktesati= were spoken; evam= thus; rameNa= by Rama; akliSTakarmaNaa= who was unwearied in action; plavagaaH= the monkeys; samgharSamaaNaaH= vying with one another; aapuurayan= filled the air; simhanaadaiH= with their roaring, resembling those of a lion.
Hearing those words of Rama, who was unwearied in action, the monkeys vying with one another filled the air with their roaring resembling those of lion.
shikharairvikiraamaitaaM laN^kaam muSTibhireva vaa |
iti sma dadhire sarve manaaMsi hariyuuthapaaH || 6-42-11
11. vikiraama= we shall tear asunder; etaam laNkaam= this Lanka; shikharaiH= with mountain=peaks; muSTibhireva vaa= or with fists alone; iti= thus; dadhire manaamsi= resolved ; sarve= all; hariyuuthapaaH= the monkey- generals.
“We shall tear asunder this Lanka with mountain-peaks or with fists alone.” – thus resolved all the monkey- generals.
udyamya girishR^iN^gaaNi mahaanti shikharaaNi cha |
taruumshchotpaaTya vividhaaMstiSThanti hariyuuthapaaH || 6-42-12
12. hariyuuthapaaH= the monkey- generals; udyamya= having lifted; girishR^iNgaaNi= the mountain-peaks; mahaanti= and huge; shikharaaNi= rocks; utpaaTya= and having plucked up; vividhaan= varius kinds; taruumshcha= of trees; tiSThanti= stood prepared (for the attack).
Lifting up mountain peaks and huge rocks and plucking up various kinds of trees, the monkey-generals stood prepared (for the attack).
prekSato raakSasa indrasya taany aniikaani bhaagazaH |
raaghava priya kaama artham lankaam aaruruhus tadaa || 6-43-13
13. tadaa= then; taani aniikaai= those troops; bhaagashaH= forming into columns aaruruhuH= began to scale the heights; laN^kaam= of Lanka; raakSasendrasya= (while) Ravana; prekSataH= stood gazing; raaghava priya kaamaartham= in order to fulfill Rama’s cherished desire.
In order to fulfill Rama’s cherished desire, those troops, forming themselves into columns, began to scale the heights of Lanka, while Ravana stood gazing.
te taamra vaktraa hema aabhaa raama arthe tyakta jiivitaaH |
lankaam eva ahyavartanta saala taala zilaa aayudhaaH || 6-42-14
14. te= those monkeys; hemaabhaaH= of golden hue; taamra vaktraaH= with coppery countenance; saala bhuudhara yodhinaH= fighting with sala trees and mountain- peaks; abhyavartanta= marched ahead; laN^kam= towards Lanka; tyakta jiivitaaH= ready to lay down their lives; raamaarthe= in Rama’s sevice.
Those monkeys, of golden hue with coppery countenance, fighting with Sala trees and mountain-peaks, marched ahead towards the city of Lanka, ready as they were to lay down their lives in Rama’s service.
te drumaiH parvata agraiz ca muSTibhiz ca plavam gamaaH |
praasaada agraaNi ca uccaani mamantus toraNaani ca || 6-42-15
15. te plavaN^gamaaH= those monkeys; mamanthuH= demolished; asamkhyaani= innumerable; praakaaraaNi= defensive walls; toraNaanicha= and arches; drumaiH= (with blows) from trees; parvataagraiH= mountain-tops; muSTibhishcha= an fists.
Those monkeys demolished innumerable defensive walls and arches with blows from trees, mountain-tops and fists.
paarikhaaH puurayanti sma prasanna salila aayutaaH |
paamsubhih parvata agraiz ca tR^iNaiH kaaSThaiz ca vaanaraaH || 6-42-16
16. vaanaraaH= the monkeys; puurayantisma= filled; parikhaiH= the moats; prasanna salilaayutaaH= containing clear water; paamsubhiH= with sands; parvataagraiH= mountain-tops; tR^iNaiH= grasses; kaaSThaishcha= and logs of woods.
The monkeys filled the moats containing clear water with sands, mountain-tops, grasses and logs of wood.
tataH sahasra yuuthaaz ca koTi yuuthaaz ca yuuthapaaH |
koTii zata yutaaz ca anye lankaam aaruruhus tadaa || 6-42-17
17. tataH= thereafter; yuuthapaaH= the commanders; aaruruhuH= scaled (the walls); laN^kaam= of Lanka; (taking with them); sahasrayuuthaashcha= battalions of monkeys in thousands; koTiyuuthaashcha= in crores; koTiyuutha shataashcha= (and even) hundreds of crores; anye cha= along with other.
The commanders scaled the walls of Lanks, taking with them battalions of monkeys in thousands, in crores and even hundreds of crores.
kaancanaani pramRdnantas toraNaani plavam gamaaH |
kailaasa zikhara aabhaani gopuraaNi pramathya ca || 6-42-18
18. pramardantaH= tearing up; kaaNchanaani= the golden; toraNaani= arches; pramathyacha= and breaking down; gopuraaNi= the gates; kailaasa shikharaabhaaNi= that equaled the peak of Kailasa the mountainous abode of Shiva the god of destruction; plavaNgamaaH= the monkeys (attacked Lanka).
The monkeys stood tearing up the golden arches and breaking down the gates that equaled the peak of Kailasa the mountainous abode of Shiva the Lord of Destruction.
aaplavantaH plavantaz ca garjantaz ca plavam gamaaH |
lankaam taam abhyavartanta mahaa vaaraNa samnibhaaH || 6-42-19
19. plavaNgamaaH= the monkeys; mahaa vaaraNa samnibhaaH= who resembled great elephants; abhidhaavanti= rushed; taam laN^kaam= towards that Lanka; aaplavanta= sprining; plavantashcha= leaping; garjantashcha= and roaring.
The monkeys who resembled great elephants hurled themselves towards that Lanka, springing, leaping and roaring.
jayaty atibalo raamo lakSmaNaz ca mahaa balaH |
raajaa jayati sugriivo raaghaveNa abhipaalitaH || 6-42-20
ity evam ghoSayantaz ca garjantaz ca plavam gamaaH |
abhyadhaavanta lankaayaah praakaaram kaama ruupiNaH || 6-42-21
20, 21. plavaNgamaaH= the monkeys; kaama ruupiNaH= who were able to change their form at will; ghoSayantascha= shouting thus; jayati= victory; urubalaH= to the mighty; raamaH= Rma; mahaabalaH= and the valiant; lakSmaNashca= Lakshmana; jayati= victory; raajaa= to the king; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; abhipaalitaH= protected; raaghaveNa= by Rama; garjantashcha= and roaring; abhyadhaavanta= rushed; praakaaram= towards the defensive walls; laN^kaayaaH= of Lanka.
The monkeys, who were able to change their form at will, shouting – “Victory to the mighty Rama and the valiant Lakshmana!” “Victory of Sugreeva protected by Raghava!” and roaring, rushed towards the defensive walls of Lanka.
viira baahuH subaahuz ca nalaz ca vana gocaraH |
nipiiDya upaniviSTaas te praakaaram hari yuuthapaaH || 6-42-22
etasminn antare cakruh skandha aavaara nivezanam |
22. te= those; hariyuuthapaaH= monkey-generals; viirabaahuH= Virabhabu; subaashcha= Subahu; nalashcha= Nala; tathaa= and panasaH= Panasa; nipiiDya= having stormed; praakaaram= the defensive walls; upaniviSTaaH= took up position on them; etasmin antare= meanwhile; chakre= (they); formed; skandhaavaaraniveshanam= an encampment of a multitude of military divisions.
Those monkey-generals Virabahu, Subahu, Nala and Panasa, having position on them. Meanwhile, they formed an encampment of a multitude of military divisions there.
puurva dvaaram tu kumudah koTibhir dazabhir vR^itaH || 6-42-23
aavR^itya balavaams tasthau haribhir jita kaazibhiH |
23. balavaan= the mighty; kumudaH= Kumuda; vR^itaH= surrounded; koTibhiH= by a crore; haribhiH= of monkeys; jita kaashibhiH= who behaved like conquerors; tasthau= stood; aavR^itya= beseizing; puurva dvaaram= the eastern gate (while remaining stationed in north-east).
The mighty Kumuda, surrounded by a crore of monkeys, who behaved like conquerors, stood besieging the eastern gate (while remaining stationed in north-east).
sahaayaarthe tu tasyeva niviSTaH prasabho hariH || 6-42-24
panasashca mahaabaahurvaanarai rabhisamvR^itaH |
24. prasabhaH hariH= A monkey called Prasabha; mahaabaahuH= and the mighty armed; panasashcha= panasa; niviSTaH- took up their position; abhisamvR^itaH= surrounded; vaanaraiH= by (other) monkeys; sahaayaarthe= in order toa ssist; tasyaiva= Kumuda himself.
Surrounded by other monkeys, a monkey called Prasabha and the mighty armed Panasa too up their position, in order to assist Kumuda himself.
dakSiNa dvaaram aagamya viirah zata balih kapiH || 6-42-25
aavR^itya balavaams tasthau vimzatyaa koTibhir vR^itaH |
25. balavaan= the strong; viiraH= and valiant; shatabaliH kapiH= monkey, Shatabali; vR^itaH= surrounded; vimshatyaa koTibhiH= by twenty crores (of monkeys); aasaadya= approached; dakSiNa dvaaram= the southern gate (while remaining stationed in south-east); tasthau= and stood; aavR^itya= surrounding it.
The strong and valiant monkey, Shatabali accompanied by twenty crores of monkeys, approached the southern gate (while remaining stationed in south-east) and stood there, to obstruct the exit.
suSeNah pazcima dvaaram gatas taaraa pitaa hariH || 6-42-26
aavR^itya balavaams tasthau SaSTi koTibhir aavR^itaH |
26. balavaan= the mighty; suSeNaH= Sushena; taarapitaa= the father of Tara; hariH= and a monkey; gatvaa= going; pashchima dvaaram= to the western gate (while remaining stationed in the south-west); aavR^itaH= surrounded; koTi koTibhiH= by crores and crores of monkeys; tasthau= stood; aavR^itya= besieging; (that gate).
The mighty monkey named Sushena, the father of Tara (Vali’s wife), going to the western gate (while remaining stationed in the south-west) surrounded by crores and croes of monkeys, stood besieging that gate.
uttara dvaaram aasaadya raamah saumitriNaa saha || 6-42-27
aavR^itya balavaams tasthau sugriivaz ca hari iizvaraH |
27. raamaH= Rama; saumitreNaa saha= along with Lakshmana; sugreevashcha= and Sugreeva; balavaan= the mighty; hariishvaraH= lord of the monkeys; aagamya= seeking uttara dvaaram= the northern gate (while remaining stationed in the north-west); tasthau= stood; aavR^itya= besieging (that gate)
Rama along with Lakshmana and Sugreeva the mighty lord of the monkeys, seeking the northern gate (while remaining stationed in the north west) stood besieging that gate.
R^iSkaaNaam bhiima vegaanaam dhuumrah zatru nibarhaNaH || 6-42-28
vR^itah koTyaa mahaa viiryas tasthau raamasya paarzvataH |
28. dhuumraH= Dhumra; mahaaviiryaH= of great prowess; shatrunibarhaNaH= and annihilator of enemies; vR^itaH= accompanied; koTyaa= R^ikSaaNaam= by a crore of bears; bhiima kopaanaam= having terrific rage; tasthau= stood; paarshvataH= by the side; raamsya= of Rama.
Accompanied by a crore of bears having terrific rage, Dhumra (brother of Jambavan, the king of bears) of great prowess and the annihilator of enemies, took up his position by the side of Rama.
samnaddhas tu mahaa viiryo gadaa paaNir vibhiiSaNaH || 6-42-29
vR^ito yas tais tu sacivais tasthau tatra mahaa balaH |
29. vibhiSaNaH= Vibhishana; mahaaviiryaH= of great energy; gadaa paaNiH= with mace in hand; samnaddhaH= clad in defensive armour; vR^itaH= and accompanied; yattaiH= by his watchful; sachivaiH= ministers; tasthau= took his position; yatra= where; mahaabalaH= the mighty Rama (was stationed).
Vibhishana of great energy with mace in hand, clad in defensive armour and accompanied by his watchful ministers, took his position where the mighty Rama is stationed.
gajo gava akSo gavayah zarabho gandha maadanaH || 6-42-30
samantaat parighaavanto rarakSur hari vaahiniim |
30. gajaH= Gaja; gavaakSaH= Gavaksha; gavayaH= GavayaH= Gavaya; sharabhaH= sharabha; gandhamaadanaH= and Gadhamdana; paridhaavantaH= galloping; samantaat= on every side; rarakSuH= defended; hari vaahiniim= the army of monkeys.
Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha and Gandhamadana, galloping on all sides, defended the army of monkeys.
tataH kopa pariita aatmaa raavaNo raakSasa iizvaraH || 6-42-31
niryaaNam sarva sainyaanaam drutam aajnaapayat tadaa |
31. tataH= then; raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSashvaraH= the lord of demons; kopa pariitaatmaa= with his mind filled in anger; tadaa= then; aajJNaapayat= commanded; niryaaNam- for the decamping; sarva seinyaanaam= of all the army; drutam= immediately.
Ravana the lord of demons with his mind filled in anger, then commanded for the decamping of the entire army immediately.
etacchrutvaa tadaa vaakyaM raavaNasya mukheritam || 6-42-32
sahasaa bhiimanirghoSamudghuSTaM rajaniicharaiH |
32. shrutvaa= hearing; etat= vaakyam= these words; mukheritam= uttered from the mouth; raavaNasya= of Ravana; udghuSTam= a sound; bhiima nirghoSam= rattling terribly; (was made); rajani charaiH= by the demons; sahasaa= immediately; tadaa= then.
At this command coming from Ravana lips, a tremendous clamour arose among the demons.
tataH prabodhitaa bheryashchandrapaaNDurapuSkaraaH || 6-42-33
hemakoNairabhihataa raakSasaanaaM samantataH |
33. bheryaH= kettle-drums; Chandra paaNDu puSkaraaH= their discs white as the moon; abhihataaH= on which are beaten; raakSasaanaam= by the demons; hemakoNaiH= with sticks of gold; samantataH= on all sides; prabodhitaaH= were stirred up.
By beating with sticks of gold, the demons stirred up on every side, kettle drums whose discs were white as the moon.
vinedushcha mahaaghoSaaH shaN^khaH shatasahasrashaH || 6-42-34
raakSasaanaaM sughoraaNaaM mukhamaarutapuuritaaH |
34. shata sahasrashaH= hundres and thousands; shaNkhaaH= of couches; mahaaghoSaaH= with great noise; vinedushcha= blared for the; mukha maaruta puuritaaH= blown with their cheeks extended to the full; raakSasaanaam= by the demons; sughoraaNaam= the most ghastly ones.
Hundreds and thousands of sonorous couches blared forth, blown with their cheeks extended to the full, by the most ghastly demons.
te babhuH shubhaniilaaN^gaaH sashaN^khaa rajaniicharaaH || 6-42-35
vidhyunmaNDalasaMnaddhaaH sabalaakaa ivaambudaaH |
35. shubhaniilaaNgaaH= with their handsome dark limbs; sa shaNkhaaH= equipped with couches; rajaniicharaaH= those rangers of the night; babhuuH ambudaaH iva= shone like clouds; vidynmaNDala samnaddhaaH= bored with lightning; sabalaakaaH= accompanied by rows of cranes.
With their handsome limbs equipped with couches, those rangers of night shone like clouds bordered with lightning accompanied by rows of cranes.
niSpatanti tataH sainyaa hR^iSTaa raavaNa coditaaH || 6-42-36
samaye puuryamaaNasya vegaa;iva mahaa udadheH |
36. niSpatanti= rushed forth; sainyaaH= the battalions; hR^iSTaaH= gaily; tataH= thereafter; raavaNa choditaaH= under Ravana’s directions; sanuye iva= as, at the time of Pralaya (dissolution of the world); vegaa= the rushing forth; mahodadhaH= of the ocean; puuryamaaNasya= which is swollen (by clouds).
The battalions rushed forth under Ravana’s instructions like the rushing forth of the ocean, which is swollen by the clouds, at the time of universal dissolution.
tato vaanarasainyena mukto naadaH samantataH || 6-42-37
malayaH puurito yena sasaanuprasthakandaraH |
37. tataH= then; samantataH= from every side; naadaH= a clamour; muktaH= arose; vaanara sainyena= from the army of monkeys; puuritaH= which filled; malayaH= Malaya mountain; sa saanu prastha kandaraH= with its ridger plains and caves.
Then, from every side a clamour, arose from the army of monkeys, which filled Malaya mountain with its ridges, plains and caves.
shaN^khadundubhinirghoSaH simhanaadastarasvinaam || 6-42-38
pR^ithiviiM chaantarikSam cha saagaraM chaabhyanaadayat |
38. shaNkha du ndubhi nirghoSaH= the sound of couches and drums; simhanaadaH= and the lionine roars; tarasvinaam= of those warriors; abhyanaadayat= reechoed; pR^ithiviim= over the earth; antarikSamcha= sky; saagaramcha= and sea.
The sound of couches and drums made by the demons and the leouine roars of those monkey- warriors re-echoed over the earth, sky and sea.
gajaanaaM bR^iMhitaiH saardhaM hayaanaaM heSitairapi || 6-42-39
rathaanaaM neminirghoSai rakSasaam padaniHsvanaiH |
39. bR^ihitaiH saartham= with the trumpeting; gajaanaam= of elephants; heSitairapi= the neighing; hayaanaam= of the horses; nemi nirghoSaiH= the clatters of wheels; rathaanaam= of the chariots; pada niHsvanaiH= and the sounds of the couches re-echoed over the earth, sky and sea).
With the trumpeting of elephants, the neighing of the horses, the clattering of the chariot-wheels and the sounds of the foot-steps, the sound of the couches reechoed over the earth, sky and sea.
etasminn antare ghorah samgraamah samapadyata || 6-42-40
rakSasaam vaanaraaNaam ca yathaa deva asure puraa |
40. etasmin antare= in the meantime; ghoraH= a terrible; samgraamaH= struggle; samapadyata= ensued; rakSasaam= between the demons; vaanaraaNaam= and the monkeys; puraa yathaa= as, in former times; devaasure= between celestials and demons.
In the meantime, a terrible struggle ensued between the demons and the monkeys, as in the former times between celestials and demons.
te gadaabhih pradiiptaabhih zakti zuula parazvadhaiH || 6-42-41
nijaghnur vaanaraan ghoraah kathayantah sva vikramaan |
41. kathayantaH= exhibiting; svavikramaan= their native prowess; te= those demons; nijaghnuH= struck; sarvaan= all; vaanaraan= the monkeys; gadaabhiH= with their maces; shaktishuula parasvadhaiH= spears; harpoons and axes; pradiiptaabhiH= which were flaming.
Exhibiting their native prowess, the demons began to strike all the monkeys with their flaming maces, spears, harpoons and axes.
tatho vR^ikSair mahaa kaayaaH parvata agraiz ca vaanaraaH || 6-42-42
nijaghnastaani rakSaaMsi nagairdanaishcha veginaH |
raajaa jayati sugriiva iti shabdo mahaanabhuut || 6-42-43
42, 43. tataH= then; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; mahaakaayaaH= with huge bodies; veginaH= swiftly; nijaghnuH= struck; taani rakSaamsi= those demons; vR^ikSaiH= with trees; parvataagraishcha= mountain-tops; nakhaiH= nails; dantaishcha= and teeth; jayati= victorious; raajaa= is king; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; iti= thus; abhuut= arose; mahaan= a loud; shabdaH= war-cry.
Then, the gigantic monkeys swiftly struck those demons with trees, mountain-tops, nails and teeth “Victorious is king Sugreeva” – thus arose a loud war-cry.
raajan jaya jayetyuktvaa svasvanaamakathaaM tataH |
raakSasaastvapare bhiimaaH praakaarasthaamahiiM gataan || 6-42-44
vaanaraan bhindipaalaishcha shuulai shchaiva vyadaarayan |
44. tataH= then; apre= some other; bhiimaaH= terrifying; raakSasaastu= demons on their part; uktvaa= uttering; iti= thus; jaya jaya= “Be winsome! Be victorious” sva sva naama kathaam= proclaimed their own respective names; praakaarasthaaH= (while some) standing on walls; vyadaarayan= hacked; vaanaraan= at the monkeys; gataan mahiim= standing on the ground (below); bhindi palaaishcha= with hooks and harpoons.
Then, some other terrifying demons on their part, shouting “Be winsome! Be victorious!”, proclaimed their own respective names. While some demons standing on walls hacked at the monkeys standing on the ground (below) with hooks and harpoons.
vaanaraacaapi samkruddhaah praakaarasthaan mahii gataaH || 6-42-45
raakSasaan paatayaam aasuh samaaplutya plavam gamaaH |
45. samkruddhaaH= the enraged; vaanaraashchaapi= monkeys too; mahiim gataaH= who were standing on the ground; aaplutya= leapt; kham= into the air; paatayaamaasuH= and dragged down; raakSasaan= those demons; praakaarastaaH= stationed on the walls; svabaahubhiH= (by seizing them) with their arms.
The enraged monkeys, who wee standing on the ground, leapt into the air and dragged down the demons stationed on the walls by seizing them with their arms.
sa samprahaaras tumulo maamsa zoNita kardamaH || 6-42-46
rakSasaam vaanaraaNaam ca sambabhuuva adbhuta upamaaH |
46. saH= that; tumulaH= tumultuous; samprahaaraH= combat; rakSasaam= between demons; vaanaraaNaam cha= and monkeys; sambadhuuvaH= became; adbhutopamaH= resembling a wonder; maamsa shoNita kardamaH= leaving a mire of flesh and blood.
That tumultuous combat between demons and monkeys transformed into a wonder, leaving a mire of flesh and blood.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavyeyuddhakaaNDe dvichatvaarimshaH
Thus completes 42nd Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© March 2005, K. M. K. Murthy