Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
A nocturnal was commences between the hostile demons and monkeys. The demons destroy some monkeys. The monkeys drag and kill elephants, chariots and their occupants. Rama and Lakshmana even in that darkness kill the foremost of demons. As a result of the struggle, streams of blood flow in the battle-field. That fatal night transforms into a night of dissolution. When some demons attack Rama with arrows, Rama strikes down six of the demons within a moment and they run away for life. Rama then clears off innumerable demons from the battle filed. Angada strikes Indrajit, his chariot and the charioteer all at once, but Indrajit vanishes from the spot. Sugreeva and his monkeys feel delighted and praise Angada’s prowess. Indrajit comes back in an invisible form and by recourse to magic, makes Rama and Lakshmana captive by hurling a net work of serpentine around them. |
yudhyataam eva teSaam tu tadaa vaanara rakSasaam |
ravir astam gato raatrih pravR^ittaa praaNa haariNii || 6-44-1
1. teSaam= (while) those; vaanara raakSasaam= monkeys and demons; yuddhataameva= were fighting; tadaa= then; raviH= the sun; astamgataH= sank below the horizon; pravR^ittaa= setting in motion; raatriH= a night; praaNa haariNii= of carnage.
While those monkeys and demons were fighting, the sun sank below the horizon, setting in motion a night of carnage.
anyonyam baddha vairaaNaam ghoraaNaam jayam icchataam |
sampravR^ittam nishaaa yuddham tadaa vaaraNa rakSasaam || 6-44-2
2. tadaa= then, nishaayuddham= a nocturnal war; sampravR^ittam= commenced; vaanara raakSasaam= between monkeys and demons; baddhavairaanaam= who contracted
Then, a nocturnal was commenced between the terrific monkeys and demons, who contracted hostility with each other, wishing for their victory.
raakSaso asi iti harayo harisha ca asi iti raakSasaaH |
anyonyam samare jaghnus tasmims tamasi daaruNe || 6-44-3
3. tasmin= in that; daaruNe= dreadful; tamasi= darkness; haryaH= the monkeys; iti= (thus) saying; raakSasaH asi= “you are a demon”; raakSasaaH= and the demons; iti= (thus) saying; vaanaraH asi= “you are a monkey”; jaghnuH= killed; anyonyam= each other; samara= in battle.
“You are a demon” said the monkeys “You are a monkey” said the demons and killed at each other in battle; during that dreadful darkness.
jahi daaraya ca eti iti katham vidravasi iti ca |
evam sutumulah shaabdas tasmims tamasi shausharuve || 6-44-4
4. tasmin sainye= in that army; sutumulaH= a very tumultuous; shabdaH= sound; shushruve= could be hear; evam= thus; jahi= “strike!”; daaraye= “tear asunder!”; ehi= “come near!”; katham vidravasiiti= “why are you running away?”
“Strike!” “Tear asunder!” “come near!” “Why are you running away?” – very tumultuous sounds like this could be heard in that army.
kaalaah kaancana samnaahaas tasmims tamasi raakSasaaH |
sampraadR^ishayanta shaaila indraa diipta oSadhi vanaa;iva || 6-44-5
5. raakSasaaH= the demons; kaalaaH= black in colour; kaaNchana samnaahaaH= wearing golden mails; sampradR^ishyanta= were being seen; tasmin tamasi= in that darkness; shailendraaH iva= as mountains; diiptauSadhi vanaaH= having groves of medicinal plants emitting their light.
The black demons in that darkness, wearing golden mails, were appearing as mountains with groves of medicinal plants emitting their light.
tasmims tamasi duSpaare raakSasaah krodha muurchitaaH |
paripetur mahaa vegaa bhakSayantah plavam gamaan || 6-44-6
6. tasmin tamasi= in that darkness; duSpaare= which was difficult to be overcome; raakSasaaH= the demons; krodhamuurchhitaaH= agitated with anger; bhakSayantaH= destroying; plavaN^gamaan= the monkeys; paripetuH= attacked; mahaavegaaH= with great speed.
In that darkness, which was difficult to be overcome, the demons agitated as they were with anger, attacked with great speed, duly destroying the monkeys.
te hayaan kaancana aapiiDan dhvajaamsha ca agni shaikhaa upamaan |
aaplutya dashaanais tiikSNair bhiima kopaa vyadaarayan || 6-44-7
vaanaraa balino yuddhe.akshobhayan raakSasiiM chamuum |
7. te vaanaraah balinaH= those strong monkeys; bhiima kopaaH= with terrific rage; aaplutya= leapt; vyadaarayan= and tore asunder; dashanaiH tiikSNaiH= by their sharp teeth; hayaan= the steeds; kaaN^chanaapiiDaan= with gold ornaments on their head; dhvajaamshcha= the banners; ashiiviSobhayan= and frightened; raakSasiim= the demoniacal; chamnum= army.
Those strong monkeys with a terrific rage leapt forward and tore asunder by their sharp teeth, the steeds with gold ornaments on their head, the serpentine banners and frightened the demoniac army.
kunjaraan kunjara aarohaan pataakaa dhvajino rathaan || 6-44-8
cakarSusha ca dadamshausha ca dashaanaih krodha muurchitaaH |
8. krodha muurchhitaa= agitated with anger; (the monkeys); chakarSuH= dragged; kuNjaraan= the elephants; kuNjaraarohaan= and those mounted on the elephants; rathaan= and the chariots; pataakaadhvajinaH= provided with banners and flag-staffs; dadamshcha= breaking them to pieces; dashanaiH= with their teeth.
Agitated with anger, the monkeys dragged the elephants and those mounted on them and also the chariots with their banners and flag-staffs duly breaking them to pieces with their teeth.
lakSmaNasha ca api raamasha ca shaarair aashaii viSa umapaiH || 6-44-9
dR^ishaya adR^ishayaani rakSaamsi pravaraaNi nijaghnatuH |
9. raamashcha= Rama; lakSmaNashchaapi= and Lakshman; nijaghnatuH= killed; pravaraaNi= the foremost; rakSaamsi= of the demons; dR^ishyaadR^ishyaani= both those who were visible and those who were invisible; sharaiH= with their arrows; aashiiviSapamaiH= resembling venomous snakes.
Rama and Lakshmana killed the foremost of the demons, both those who were visible and those who were invisible, with their arrows resembling venomous snakes.
turamga khura vidhvastam ratha nemi samuddhatam || 6-44-10
rurodha karNa netraaNiNyudhyataam dharaNii rajaH |
10. dharaNiirajaH= the dust; turaNgakhura vidhvastam= rising from the hooves of the horses; rathanemi samutthitam= and the wheels of the chariots; rurodha= blocked; karNanetvaaNi= the ears and the eyes; yudhyataam= of the combatants.
The dust rising from the hooves of horses and the wheels of the chariots blocked the ears and the eyes of the combatants.
vartamaane tathaa ghore samgraame loma harSaNe || 6-44-11
rudhira udaa mahaa vegaa nadyas tatra prasusruvuH |
11. ghore= (while) the terrific; saN^graame= battle; lomaharSaNe= causing the hair to bristle; vartamaane= was taking place; mahaaghoraaH= very terrible; nadyaH= rivers; mahaaghoraaH= very terrible; nadyaH= rivers; rudhiroughaaH= with streams of blood; visusrureH= were flowing; tatra= there.
While that terrible battle was taking place, causing the hair to bristle; very terrible rivers with streams of blood were flowing there.
tato bherii mR^idangaanaam paNavaanaam ca nisvanaH || 6-44-12
shaankha veNu svana unmisharah sambabhuuva adbhuta upamaH |
12. tataH= then; sambabhuuva= there arose; adbhutopamaH= a marvelous; niH svanaH= sound; bherii mR^idaN^gaanaam= of kettle drums and tabours; shaN^khanemi svanomishraH= mixed with the sounds of couches and fellies of chariot-wheels; paNavaanaamcha= and drums.
There arose a marvelous sound of kettle drums and tabors, mixed with the sounds of counches, fellies of chariot-wheels and drums.
hayaanaam stanamaanaanaam raakSasaanaam ca nisvanaH || 6-44-13
shastraaNaam vaanaraaNaam ca sambabhuuva atidaaruNaH |
13. sambabhuuva= there appeared; atra= here; daaruNaH= a terrific; niH svanaH= sound; stanamaananaam= resonated; hayaanaam= by horses; raakSasaanaamcha= demons; vaanaraaNamcha= and monkeys; shastaanaam= being wounded.
There appeared a terrific sound resonated by horses, demons and monkeys being wounded.
hatairvaanaramukhyeshcha shaktishuulaparashvadhaiH || 6-44-14
nihataiH parvataakaarai raakSasaiH kaamaruupibhiH |
shastra puSpa upahaaraa ca tatra aasiid yuddha medinii || 6-44-15
durjneyaa durniveshaaa ca shaoNita aasrava kardamaa |
14, 15. hataiH= the assassinated; vaanara mukhyaishcha= great monkeys; shaktishuulaparashvadhaiH= spears, maces, axes; nihataiH= and the slaughtered; raakSasaiH= demons; kaamaruupibhiH= who were able to change their form at will; parvataakaaraiH= with their bodies appearing like mountains; tatra= there; (lying) yuddhamedinii= on the battle field; shastra puSpopahaaraa= those weapons appeared to be offered up as a profusion of flowers (by the earth); aasiit= which became; durjJNeyaa= hidden; durniveshaacha= and rendered impassable; shoNitaa sraava kardamaa= by the slime formed out of streams of blood.
The assassinated great monkeys, spears, maces, axes and the slaughtered demons, who were able to change their form at will and with their bodies appearing like mountains were lying there on the battle-field. And those weapons appeared to be offered up as a profusion of flowers by the earth, which became hidden and rendered impassable by the slime formed out of streams of blood.
saa babhuuva nishaaa ghoraa hari raakSasa haariNii || 6-44-16
kaala raatrii iva bhuutaanaam sarveSaam duratikramaa |
16. saa ghoraa nishaa= that fatal night; babhuuva= became; hari raakSasa naashinii= as calamitous to the monkeys and demons; kaala raatriiva= as a night of dissolution; duratikramaa= which is difficult to be overcome; sarveSaam= by all; bhuutaanaam= beings.
That fatal night became as calamitous to the monkeys and demons, as a night of dissolution, which is difficult to be overcome by all beings.
tatas te raakSasaas tatra tasmims tamasi daaruNe || 6-44-17
raamam eva abhyadhaavanta samhR^iSTaa shaara vR^iSTibhiH |
17. tataH= then; tatra= there; tasmin tamas= in that darkness; parama daaruNe= the very terrible; te raakSasaaH= those demons; samhR^iSTaaH= thrilling with rapture; abhyavartanta= attacked; raamamena= Rama; shara vR^iSTibhiH= with showers of arrows.
In that very terrible darkness, those demons thrilling with rapture attacked Rama with showers of arrows.
teSaam aapatataam shaabdah kruddhaanaam abhigarjataam || 6-44-18
udvarta;iva saptaanaam samudraaNaam abhuut svanaH |
18. garjataam= yelling; kruddhaanaam= in fury; shabdaH= the sound; teSaam= of those demons; aapatataam= approaching in order to attack (Rama); abhuut= became; svanaH iva= like the noise; samudraaNaam= of the oceans; udvarte= at the time of destruction; sattvaanaam= of all the creatures.
Yelling in fury, the sound of those demons approaching in order to assault Rama was like the noise of the oceans at the time of destruction of all the creatures.
teSaam raamah shaaraih SaDbhih SaD jaghaana nishaaa caraan || 6-44-19
nimeSa antara maatreNa shaitair agni shaikha upamaiH |
19. nimeSaantara maatreNa= within a twinkling of an eye; raamaH= Rama; shaDbhiH= with six; shitaiH= sharp; sharaiH= arrows; agnishikhopamaiH= resembling tongues of flame; jaghaana= struck down; shad= six; teSaam= of those; nishaacharaan= demons.
Within a twinkling of an eye, Rama with six sharp arrows resembling tongues of flame, struck down six of those demons.
yajna shaatrusha ca durdharSo mahaa paarshava mahaa udarau || 6-44-20
vajra damSTro mahaa kaayas tau ca ubhau shauka saaraNau |
te tu raameNa baaNa oghah sarva marmasu taaDitaaH || 6-44-21
yuddhaad apasR^itaas tatra saavashaeSa aayuSo abhavan |
20, 21. durdharSaH= the unconquerable; yajJNashatrushcha= Yagnashatru; mahaapaarshva mahodarau= Maha parshva, Mahodara; mahaa kaayaH= gaint bodied; vajra damSTraH= Vajradamshtra; tau= those; ubhau= two; shuka saaraNau= shuka and Sarana; te= those six; taaDitaaH= being beaten; raameNa= by Rama; sarva marmasu= on all their vital organs; baaNaughaiH= by a flood of arrows; apasR^itaaH= retreated; yuddhaat= from the battle; abhavan= and became; saava sheSaayuSaH= the ones left with the remainder of their life.
The unconquerable Yagnashatru, Mahaparashva, Mahodara, the giant bodied Vajradamshtra, both Shuka and Sarana – all those six having been beaten by Rama on their vital organs with a flood of his arrows, retreated from the battle and somehow survived for the rest of their life.
tataH kaancana citra angaih shaarair agni shaikha upamaiH |
dishaasha cakaara vimalaah pradishaasha ca mahaa balaH || 6-44-22
22. mahaarathaH= Rama, the great warrior; nimeSantara maatreNa= merely within an instant; ghoraiH= by terrible; agnishikhopamaiH= arrows resembling flames of fire; chakaara= made; dishaSa= the quarters; vidishaashcha= and the intermediate quarters; vimalaaH= clear (of all the demons).
Rama the great warrior, merely within an instant, made the quarters and the intermediate quarters, clear of all the demons, by his arrows resembling flames of fire.
ye tvanye raakSasaa viiraa raamasya abhimukhe sthitaaH || 6-44-23
te api naSTaah samaasaadya patamgaa;iva paavakam |
23. anye= the other; viiraaH= valiant; raakSasaaH= demons; ye= who; sthitaaH= were standing; abhimukhe= turning their face towards; raamasya= Rama; te.api= they also; naSTaaH= perished; pataN^gaaH iva= like moths; aasaadya= having encountered; paavakam= (that) fire.
The other valiant demons, who were standing with their face turning towards Rama, also perished like moths, having encountered the same fire.
suvarNa punkhair vishaikhaih sampatadbhih sahasrashaaH || 6-44-24
babhuuva rajanii citraa kha dyotair iva shaaaradii |
24. rajanii= (that) night; suvarNa puNkhaiH= with the golden shafts; vishikaiH= of arrows; sampatadbhiH= falling; samantataH= on all sides; bahuuva= appeared; chitraa= bright-coloured; shaaradiiva= like an autumnal night; khadyotaiH= with its fire flies.
That night, with the golden shafts of arrows, flying on all sides, appeared bright-coloured, like an autumnal night with its fire-flies on all sides.
raakSasaanaam ca ninadair hariiNaam ca api garjitaiH || 6-44-25
saa babhuuva nishaaa ghoraa bhuuyo ghorataraa tadaa |
25. saa ghoraa nishaa= that terrible night; tadaa= then; babhuuva= became; ghora taraa= more terrible; bhuuyaH= again; niH svanaiH cha= by the sounds; bheriiNaam= of kettle-drums; ninadaiH= and by the roaring; raakSasaanaam= of the demons.
The terrible night on that day became more terrible again by the sound of kettle-drums and by the roaring sounds of the demons.
tena shaabdena mahataa pravR^iddhena samantataH || 6-44-26
trikuuTah kandara aakiirNah pravyaaharad iva acalaH |
26. tena mahataa= shabdena= by that great sound; pravR^iddhena= which augmented; samantataH= on all sides; trikuuTaH achalah= the mountain Trikuta; kandaraatiirNaH= full of caves; pravyaharadiva= appeared to be uttering confused murmurs.
By that great sound, which re-echoed on all sides, the mountain Trikuta, full of caves, appeared to be uttering confused murmurs.
go laanguulaa mahaa kaayaas tamasaa tulya varcasaH || 6-44-27
sampariSvajya baahubhyaam bhakSayan rajanii caraan |
27. golaaN^guulaaH= long-tailed and balck-faced monkeys; mahaa kaayaaH= with their gigantic bodes; tamasaa tulya= and dark-like; varchasaH= figure; sampariSvajya= grasped; rajanii charaan= the demons; baabhubhyaam= with their arms; bhakSayan= and allowed them to be devoured (by jackals, vultures etc).
Long-tailed and black faced monkeys with their gigantic bodies and dark-like figure, crushed the demons with their arms and allowed them to be eaten (by jackals, vultures etc).
angadas tu raNe shaatrum nihantum samupasthitaH || 6-44-28
raavaNer nijaghaana aashau saarathim ca hayaan api |
28. angadastu= Angada on his part; samupasthitaH= who came; nihantum= to annihilate; shatruun= the enemies; raNe= in the battle-field; nijaghaana= struck; raavaNim= Indrajit; saarathimcha= his charioteer; hayaanapi= and the horses; aashu= all at once.
Angada on his part, who came to annihilate the enemies in that battle-field, struck Indrajit, his charioteer and the horses all at once.
vartamaane tadaa ghore samgraame bhR^ishadaaruNe || 6-44-29
indrajit tu ratham tyaktvaa hata ashavo hata saarathiH |
angadena mahaa maayas tatra eva antar adhiiyata || 6-44-30
29, 30. ghore= (While) that awful; bhR^isha daaruNe= and very intense; samgraame= battle; vartamaane= was continuing; indrajittu= Indrajit; mahaamaayaH= a great trickster; yaktvaa= leaving; ratham= the chariot; hataashvaH= with its horses killed; hatasaarathiH= and charioteer killed; aNgadena= by Angada; antaradhiiyata= vanished; tatvaiva= from that very spot.
While that awful and very intense battle was going on, Indrajit a great trickster, leaving the chariot, with its horses and charioteer killed by Angada, vanished from that very spot itself.
tatkarma vaaliputrasya sarve devaaH saharSibhiH |
tuSTuvuH puujanaarhasya tau chobhau raamalakSmaNau || 6-44-31
31. sarve= all; devaaH= the celestials; ubhau= and both; raamalakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; sharSibhiH= together with all the sages; tuSTuvuH= were pleased; tat karma= with that act; puujanaarhasya= of the venerable; vaaliputrasya= Angada the son of wind-god.
All the celestials, both Rama and Lakshmana together with all sages were pleased with that act of the venerable Angada the son of Vali.
prabhaavaM sarvabhuutaani vidurindrajito yudhi |
tatastena mahaatmaanam dR^iSTvaa tuSTaaH pradharSitam || 6-44-32
32. sarva bhuutaani= all the living beings; viduH= knew; prabhaavam= the supernatural power; indrajitaH= of Indrajit; yudhi= in battle; tataH= for that reason; tuSTaaH= (they) were pleased; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; mahaatmaanam= that highly gifted demon; pradharSitam= being defeated; tena= by him.
Since all the living beings knew the supernatural powers of Indrajit in battle, they were pleased on seeing that highly gifted demon being defeated by Angada.
tataH prahR^iSTaaH kapayaH sasugriivavibhiiSaNaaH |
saadhusaadhviti nedushcha dR^iSTvaa shatrum paraajitam || 6-44-33
33. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; shatrum= the enemy; parajitam= defeated; kapayaH= those monkeys; sa sugriiva vibhiiSaNaaH= along with Sugreeva and Vibhishana; tataH= then; prahR^iSTaaH= were delighted; nedushcha= and praised him; saadhviti= as good.
Seeing the enemy defeated, those monkeys along with Sugreeva and Vibhishana were delighted and praised Angada as an efficient warrior.
indrajittu tadaanena nirjito bhiimakarmaNaa |
saMyuge vaaliputreNa krodhaM chakre sudaaruNam || 6-44-34
34. indrajittu= Indrajit on the other hand; tadaa= then; chakre= was driven; sudaaruNam drodham= to very terrible anger; nirjitaH= as he was defeated; samyuge= in battle; anana vaaliputreNa= by this Angada the son of wind-god; bhiimakarmaNaa= a dreadful monkey.
Indrajit, on the other hand, then was driven to a very terrible rage, as he was defeated in battle by Angada the son of Vali a dreadful monkey.
so antardhaana gatah paapo raavaNii raNa karkashaaH |
brahma datta varo viiro raavaNih krodha muurchitaH || 6-44-35
35. saH raavaNiH= that Indrajit the son of Ravana; saH antardhaana gataH= who had gone out of sight; paapaH= the sinful one; raNakkarkashaH= cruel in battle; adR^ishyaH= rendered himself as invisible; mumocha= and hurled forth; nisitaan= sharp; baaNaan= arrows; ashani varchasaH= bright as lightning.
That Indrajit the son of Ravana, the sinful demon who had gone out of sight and was cruel in battle, rendered himself as invisible again and hurled forth sharp arrows, bright as lightning.
raamaM cha lakSmaNam chaiva ghorairnaagamayaiH sharaiH |
bibheda samare kruddhaH sarvagaatreSu raaghavau || 6-44-36
36. kruddhaH= being enraged; samara= in battle, (Indrajit); bidheda= burted out; sharaiH= arrows; ghoraiH= which were terrific; naaga mayaiH= in the form of serpants; sarva gaatreSu= into all the limbs; raamam cha= of Rama; lakSmaNam chaiva= and Lakshmana; raaghavau= born in Raghu dynasty.
Being enraged in battle, Indrajit bursted out serpent-like terrible arrows into all the limbs of Rama and Lakshmana who were born in Raghu dynasty.
maayayaa saMvR^itastatra mohayan raaghavau yudhi |
adR^ishayo nishaitaan baaNaan mumoca ashaani varcasaH || 6-44-37
babandha sharabandhena bhraatarau raamalakSmaNau |
37. samvR^itaH= enveloped; maayayaa= by illusion; mohayan= he sought to confuse; raaghavau= Rama and Lakshmana; yudhi= in the struggle; tatra= their; adR^ishya= and invisible; sarva bhuutaanaam= to all beings; kuuTa yodhii= through his magic arts; nishaacharaH= Indrajit the ranger of the night; babandha= bound; bhraatarau= those two brothers; raama lakSmaNau= Rama and Lakshmana; shara bandhena= with a net work of arrows.
Enveloped by illusion, he sought to confuse Rama and Lakshmana in the struggle there and invisible to all beings through his magic arts, Indrajit the ranger of the night bound those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana with a net work of arrows.
tena rau puruSavyaaghrau kruddhenaashiiviSaiH sharaiH || 6-44-38
sahasaabhihatau viirau tadaa praikSanta vaanaraaH |
38. tadaa= then; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; praikSanta= saw; viirau= the two warriors; tau= those; puruSa vyaaghrau= lions among men; abhi hatau= tormented; sahasaa= quickly; aashiiviSaiH= by the serpentine; shariaiH= arrows; tena kR^iddhena= of that enraged demon.
Then, the monkeys saw the two warriors, those lions among men, being wounded quickly by the serpentine arrows of that enraged demons.
prakaasharuupastu tadaa na shakta |
stau baadhituM raakSasaraajaputraH |
maayaaM prayoktuM samupaajagaama |
babandha tau raajasutau duraatmaa || 6-44-39
39. na shaktaH= not being able; baadhitum= to torment; tau= those two princes; prakaasharuupaH= in his manifest form; raakSasaraaja putraH= the son of the king of demons; tadaa= then; samupaajagaama= came; duraatmaa= with his perverse mind; prayoktum= and had recourse; maayaam= to magic; raajasutau babandha= in order to make the princes captive.
Not being able to hurt those two princes in his manifest form, Indrajit the son of the king of demons with his perverse mind, had recourse to magic in order to make them captive.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe chatushchatvaariMshaH sargaH
Thus completes 44th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© May 2005, K. M. K. Murthy