Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Dhumraksha along with army attacks the monkeys. A tumultuous battle ensued between the demons and the monkeys. The battle reached frightful proportions in that both the monkeys and demons were killed in large numbers. When Dhumraksha pounced on Hanuman, the latter shattered Dhumraksha's chariot to pieces. Lifting his mace, Dhumraksha fights with Hanuman, who in turn hits him on his head and kills him. |
dhuumra akSam prekSya niryaantam raakSasam bhiima nisvanam |
vinedur vaanaraah sarve prahR^iSTaa yuddha kaankSiNaH || 6-52-1
1. viikSya= beholding; raakSasam= the demon; dhuumraakSam= Dhumraksha; bhiima vikramam= of terrible prowess; niryaantam= coming forth; sarve= all; vaanaraaH= the monkeys; vineduH= roared; prahR^iSTaaH= with joy; yuddha kaaNkSiNaH= longing for war.
Beholding the demon, Dhumraksha of terrible prowess coming forth, all the monkeys waiting for the war, roared with joy.
teSaam tu tumulam yuddham samjajne hari rakSasaam |
anyonyam paadapair ghorair nighnatam shuula mudgaraiH || 6-52-2
2. sutumulam= A highly tumultuous; yuddham= battle; samjajJNe= was perceived; teSaam= (between) those; kapirakSasaam= monkeys and demons; nighnataam= who were slaying; anyonyam= each other; ghoraiH= with terrible; paadapaiH= trees; shuula mudgaraiH= lances and maces.
A highly tumultuous battle was seen between those monkeys and demons, who were slaying each other, with terrible trees, lances and maces.
raakSasair vaanaraa ghoraa vinikR^ittaah samantataH |
vaanarai raakSasaash ca api drumair bhuumau samii kR^itaaH || 6-52-3
3. ghoraaH= the terrible; vaanaraaH= monkeys; vinikR^ittaaH= were cut down; samantataH= on all sides; raakSasaiH= by the demons; raakSasaashchaapi= and the demons also; bhuumisamiikR^itaaH= were levelled down to the earth; drumaiH= with trees; vaanaraiH= by the monkeys.
The terrible monkeys were moved down on all sides by the demons. The demon too were levelled down to the earth with trees by the monkeys.
raakSasaash ca api samkruddhaa vaanaraan nishitaih sharaiH |
vivyadhur ghora samkaashaih kanka patrair ajihmagaiH || 6-52-4
4. raakSasaastu= the demons on their part; abhisamkruddhaaH= enraged with anger; vivyadhuH= paralyzed; vaanaraan= the monkeys; sharaiH= with arrows; kaNkapatraiH= having wings; ajihmahaiH= going straight; nishitaiH= sharp; ghora samkaashaiH= and having frightful appearance.
Enraged with anger, the demons, on their part, paralyzed the monkeys with sharp and frightful arrows, going as straight as wings of eagle.
te gadaabhisH ca bhiimaabhih paTTasaih kuuTa mudgaraiH |
ghoraisH ca parighaisH citrais trishuulaisH ca api samshitaiH || 6-53-5
vidaaryamaaNaa rakSobhir vaanaraas te mahaa balaaH |
amarSaaj janita uddharSaasH cakruH karmaaNy abhiitavat || 6-52-6
5, 6. vidiiryamaaNaaH= (While) being torn asunder; rakSobhiH= by the demons; bhiimaabhiH= with terrible; gadaabhiH= maces; paTTishaiH= spears; kuuTa mudgaraiH= hammers; ghoraiH= frightful; parighaishcha= iron bars; samshritaiH= and resorting to; chitraiH= variegated; trishuulaishcha= tridents; te vaanaraaH= those monkeys; mahaabalaaH= of exceeding prowess; abhiitavat= fearlessly; chakruH= accomplished; karmaaNi= the tasks; amarSajanitoddharSaaH= with an excitement born of anger.
While being torn asunder by the demons with terrible maces, spears, hammers, frightful iron bars and variegated tridents, the mighty monkeys fearlessly accomplished their tasks with an excitement born of anger.
shara nirbhinna gaatraas te shuula nirbhinna dehinaH |
jagR^ihus te drumaams tatra shilaash ca hari yuuthapaaH || 6-52-7
7. shuula nirbhinna dehinaH= while their bodies were split up by the tridents; sharanirbhinna gaatraaH= and their limbs broken by arrows; te= those; vaanarayuuthapaaH= leaders of monkeys; jagruH= took up; drumaan= trees; shilaashcha= and rocks; tatra= there.
While their bodies were split up by the tridents and their limbs broken by arrows, those leaders of monkeys took up trees and rocks there to fight.
te bhiima vegaa harayo nardamaanaas tatas tataH |
mamanthuu raakSasaan bhiimaan naamaani ca babhaaSire || 6-52-8
8. te harayaH= those monkeys; bhiima vegaaH= of terrible swiftness; nardamaanaaH= roaring aloud; mamanthuH= herassed; viiraan= the valiant; raakSasaan= demons; tatstataH= at all places; babaaSire= and called out; naamaanicha= their names.
Those terribly swift monkeys, roaring aloud harassed the valiant demons at all places, by calling out their names.
tad babhuuva adbhutam ghoram yuddham vaanara rakSasaam |
shilaabhir vividhaabhish ca bahu shaakhaish ca paadapaiH || 6-52-9
9. tat= that; ghoram= awfu; yuddham= battle; vividhaabhiH= with various kinds of; shilaabhiH= rocks; bahushaakhaiH= and many branching; paadapaiH= trees; vaanararakSasaam= between monkeys and demons; babhuuva= became; adbhutam= wonderful.
That awful battle with all kinds of rocks and trees furnished with many branches between monkeys and demons appeared wonderful.
raakSasaa mathitaah kecid vaanarair jita kaashibhiH |
vavarSuu rudhiram kecin mukhai rudhira bhojanaaH || 6-52-10
10. kechit= some; raakSasaaH= demons; mathitaaH= were crushed; vaanaraiH= by monkeys; jitakaashibhiH= who conquered fear; kechit= and some; rudhira bhojanaaH= blood-sucking demons; pravemuH= vomitted; rudhiram= blood; mukhaiH= from their months.
Some demons were crushed by monkeys, who conquered fear and some blood-sucking demons vomited blood from their mouths.
paarshveSu daaritaah kecit kecid raashii kR^itaa drumaiH |
shilaabhisH cuurNitaaH kecit kecid dantair vidaaritaaH || 6-52-11
11. kechit= some; daaritaaH= were torn; paarshveSu= at the sides; kechit= some; raashikR^itaaH= were formed into a heap; drumaiH= by trees; kechit= some; chuurNitaah= were powdered; shilaabhiH= by stones; kechit= some; vidaaritaaH= were torn; dantaiH= by teeth.
Some demons were slashed open at their sides. Some were formed into a heap by the trees. Some others were crushed by stones and yet others torn to pieces by the monkeys teeth.
dhvajair vimathitair bhagnaiH kharaish ca vinipaatitaiH |
rathair vidhvamsitaisH ca api patitai rajanii caraiH || 6-52-12
12. dhvajaiH= their standards; vimathitaiH= crushed; bhagnaiH= and broken; khaDgaishcha= their swords; vimipaatitaiH= snapped; rathaiH= their chariots; vidhamsitaiH= overturned; kechit= some; rajaniicharaaH= demons; vyathitaaH= were perturbed.
With their standards crushed and broken, their swords snapped and their chariots overturned, some demons were perturbed.
gajendraiH parvataakaaraiH parvataagrairvanaukasaam |
mathitairvaajibhiH kiirNam saarohairvasudhaatalam || 6-52-13
13. mathitaiH= crushed; parvataagraiH= by the great rocks; vanaukasaam= of monkeys; vasudhaatalam= the earth; kiirNam= was scattered; gajendraiH= with elephants; parvataakaaaiH= resembling hills; vaajibhiH= and horses; saarohaiH= with their riders.
Crushed by the great rocks of monkeys, the earth was scattered with corpses of great elephants resembling hills and horses with their riders.
vaanarair bhiima vikraantair aaplutya aaplutya vegitaiH |
raakSasaaH karajais tiikSNair mukheSu vinikartitaaH || 6-52-14
14. vaanaraiH= by the monkeys; bhiimavikraantaiH= of terrific prowess; vegitaiH= and swiftness; raakSasaaH= the demons; aaplutya= jumped up horizontally; utputya= and vertically; vinidaaritaaH= and were torn; tiikSNaiH karajaiH= by their sharp nails; mukheSu= in their faces.
The monkeys of terrific prowess rushed upon the demons, flinging themselves upon them with great bounds horizontically and vertically and scratching their faces with their sharp nails.
vivarNa vadanaa bhuuyo viprakiirNa shiro ruhaaH |
muuDhaaH shoNita gandhena nipetur dharaNii tale || 6-52-15
15. viSaNNa vadanaaH= with their faces dejected; bhuuyaH= very much; viprakiirNashiroruhaaH= their hair torn out; muuDhaH= maddened; shoNitagandhena= by the smell of blood; (those demons); nipetuH= fell; charaNiitale= on the ground.
With their faces dejected very much, their hair torn out and maddened by the smell of blood, those demons fell on the ground.
naye tu parama kruddhaa raakSasaa bhiima vikramaaH |
talair eva abhidhaavanti vajra sparsha samair hariin || 6-52-16
16. anye= some other; raakSasaaH= demons; bhiima vikramaaH= of exceeding valour; parama kruddhaaH= very much enraged; abhidhaavanti= ran up towards; hariin= the monkeys; talaireva= with their palms; vajrasparsha samaiH= having a diamond-like blow.
Some other demons of exceeding valour, who were enraged, very much, ran up towards the monkeys to attack them with their palms having a diamond-like blow.
vanarair aapatantas te vegitaa vegavattaraiH |
muSTibhisH caraNair dantaiH paadapaisH caapa pothitaaH || 6-52-17
17. te= those demons; aapatantaH= coming quickly; vegitaaH= with a great speed; aavapothitaaH= were crushed; vaanaraiH= by the monkeys; vegavattaraiH= of greater swiftness; muSTibhiH= with their fists; charaNaiH= feet; dantaiH= teeth; paadapaishcha= and tress.
The monkeys, receiving that sharp shock, with even a greater ferocity, crushed the demons with blows of their fists, feet teeth and trees.
sanyam tu vidrutam dR^iSTvaa dhuumra akSo raakSasa R^iSabhaH |
roSeNa kadanam cakre vaanaraaNaam yuyutsataam || 6-52-18
18. dR^iSTvaa= Seeing; sainyam= the army; vidrutam= routed; druumraakSaH= Drumraksha; raakSasarSabhaH= the lion among the demons; roSeNa= with anger; chakre= made; kadanam= a blood-shed; vaanaraaNaam= of the monkeys; yuyutsataam= wishing to fight.
Seeing his army routed, Dhumraksha that lion among the demons, in his anger began to create a blood-shed of the monkeys wishing to fight.
praasaiH pramathitaaH kecid vaanaraaH shoNita sravaaH |
mudgarair aahataaH kecit patitaa dharaNii tale || 6-52-19
19. kechit= some; vaanaraaH= monkeys; pramathitaaH= pierced; praasaiH= with spears; shoNita sravaaH= lost rivers of blood; kechit= (while) others; aahataaH= struck down; mudgaraiH= by axes; paatitaaH= fell; dharaNiitale= to the earth's surgface.
Some monkeys pierced with spears lost rivers of blood while others struck down by blows of axe, fell to the earth's surface.
parighair mathitah kecid bhiNDi paalair vidaaritaaH |
paTTasair aahataah kecid vihvalanto gata asavaH || 6-52-20
20. kechit= some; mathitaaH= wee crushed; parighaiH= by iron bars; daaritaaH= (others) torn; bhindipaalaishcha= by harpoons; kechit= some; mathitaaH= were pierced; paTTishaiH= by javelins; vihvalantaH= were exhausted; gataasavaH= and lost their lives.
Some were crushed by iron bars, others torn by harpoons, some others pierced by javelins, all exhausted and lost their lives.
kecid vinihataa bhuumau rudhira aardraa vana okasaH |
kecid vidraavitaa naSTaah samkruddhai raakSasair yudhi || 6-52-21
21. vinihataaH= slain; yudhi= in battle; samkR^iddhaiH= by infuriated; raakSasaiH= demons; kechit= some; vanaukasaH= monkeys; rudhiraadraaH= drenched with blood; bhuumau= fell on the ground; kechit= some others; naSTaaH= disappeared; vidraavitaaH= having been driven away.
Slain in battle by infuriated demons, some monkeys, drenched with blood, fell on the ground and some others disappeared, having been driven away.
vibhinna hR^idayaaH kecid eka paarshvena shaayitaaH |
vidaarita astra shuulai ca kecid aantrair vinisrutaaH || 6-52-22
22. vibhinna hR^idayaaH= with pierced hearts; kechit= some (monkeys); shaayitaaH= were made to lie down; ekapaarshvena= on one side; kechit= some; vidaaritaaH= were torn asunder; tshuulaiH= by tridents; aantraiH= and their intestines; viniH sR^itaaH= came out.
With pierced hearts, some monkeys were made to lie down on one side. Some were torn asunder by tridents that even their intestines came out.
tat subhiimam mahad yuddham hari raakasa samkulam |
prababhau shastra bahulam shilaa paadapa samkulam || 6-52-23
23. tat yuddham= that battle; mahat= which was mighty; prababhau= flashed; subhiimam= quite terribly; hariraakSasa samkulam= intense between monkeys and demons; shilaapaadapa samkulam= crammed with rocks and trees; shastra bahulam= and multitude of weapons.
That mighty battle assumed most awful proportions in that monkeys and demons were crammed with rocks, trees and multitude of weapons.
dhanur jyaa tantri madhuram hikkaa taala samanvitam |
mandra stanita samgiitam yuddha gaandharvam aababhau || 6-52-24
24. tat= that; yuddha gaandharvam= combat in the form of a symphony ababhau= diffused; madhuram= sweet with (the sounds of) bow-strings; hikkaataala samanvitam= with neighing of the horses as rhythms; mandastanita giitam= and vocal music in the form of trumpeting of elephants.
With the bow-strings as the tuneful lute, the neighing of horses as a measure rhythm and the trumpeting of elephants as the vocal music, the whole battle resembled a symphony.
dhuumra akSas tu dhanuS paaNir vaanaraan raNa muurdhani |
hasan vidraavayaam aasa dishas taan shara vR^iSTibhiH || 6-52-25
25. dhuumraakSastu= Dhumraksha on his part; dhanuSpaaNiH= wielding a bow in his hand; hasan= laughing; raNa muurdhani= at the battle-front; vidraayaamaasa taan vaanaraan= made those monkeys to run away; dishaH= to (all) quarters; sharavR^iSThibhiH= by a shower of his arrows.
Dhumraksha on his part, wielding a bow in his hand and laughing at the battle-front, made those monkeys to run away to all the quarters by a shower of his arrows.
dhuumra akSeNa arditam sainyam vyathitam dR^ishya maarutiH |
abhyavartata samkruddhah pragR^ihya vipulaam shilaam || 6-52-26
26. prekSya= seeing; sainyam= the army; vyathitam= perturbed; arditam= and being tormented; dhuumraakSeNa= by Dhumraksha; maarutiH= Hanuman; samkruddhaH= was enraged; abhyavartata= and turned towards him; pragR^ihya= taking; vipulaam= a gigantic; shilaam= rock.
Seeing the army perturbed due to tormented by Dhumraksha, Hanuman was enraged and turned towards him, taking a gigantic rock in his hands.
krodhaad dviguNa taamra akSah pitR^i tulya paraakramaH |
shilaam taam paatayaam aasa dhuumra akSasya ratham prati || 6-52-27
27. tulya paraakramaH= Hanuman, who was equal in strength; pituH= to his father; dviguNa taamraakSah= with his eyes doubly red; krodhaat= due to anger; paatayaamaasa= threw down; taam shilaan= that rock; ratham prati= towards the chariot; dhuumraakSasya= of Dhumraksha.
Hanuman, who was equal in strength to his father, with his eyes inflamed with anger, flung the rock on the chariot of Dhumraksha.
aapatantiim shilaam dR^iSTvaa gadaam udyamya sambhramaat |
rathaad aaplutya vegena vasudhaayaam vyatiSThata || 6-52-28
28. dR^iSTvaa= behold; aapantantiim= the befalling; shilaam= rock; (Dhumraksha) udyamya= lifting; gadaam= his mace; sambhramaat= hurriedly; aaplutya= jumped down; vegena= speedily; rathaat= from the chariot; vyatiSThata= and stood; vasudhyaam= on the earth.
Beholding the befalling rock, Dhumraksha lifting his mace hurriedly, jumped down speedily from the chariot and stood there on the earth.
saa pramathya ratham tasya nipapaata shilaa bhuvi |
sacakra kuubaram saashvam sadhvajam sashara aasanam || 6-52-29
29. saa shilaa= that rock; pramathya= shattered; tasya= his; ratham= chariot; sa chakra kubera mukham= along with banner; sasharaasanam= and bows; nipapaata= and rolled down; bhuvi= to the ground.
Shattering his chariot with its wheels, its pole, its crest along with banner and bows, that rock rolled down to the ground.
sa bhanktvaa tu ratham tasya hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
rakSasaam kadanam cakre saskandha viTapair drumaiH || 6-52-30
30. saH hanumaan= That Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of Maruta; bhaN^ktyaa= breaking; tasya= his; ratham= chariot; chakre= caused; kadanam= the destruction; rakSasaam= of demons; drumaiH= by the use of trees; saskandha viTapaiH= with their branches and shoots.
Thereafter, Hanuman the son of Maruta (the wind-god), after breaking the chariot, destroyed the demons with trunks of trees furnished with their branches.
vibhinna shiraso bhuutvaa raakSasaah shoNita ukSitaaH |
drumaiH pramathitaasH ca anye nipetur dharaNii tale || 6-52-31
31. vibhinna shirasaH= with their crushed heads; raakSasaaH= the demons; bhuutvaa= became; rudhirokSitaaH= drenched with blood; anye= some others; pramathitaaH= crunched; drumaiH= by trees; nipetuH= fell; dharaNiitale= on the ground.
With their heads crushed, the demons were drenched with blood. Some others were crunched by the trees and fell down to the earth.
vidraavya raakSasam sainyam hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
gireH shikharam aadaaya dhuumra akSam abhidudruve || 6-52-32
32. hanumaan= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= sainyam= the army; raakSasam= of demons; aadaaya= and taking shikharam= the peak; gireH= of a mountain; abhidudruve= ran towards; dhuumraakSam= Dhumraksha.
Having driven away the army of demons, Hanuma born of Maruta, breaking off the peak of a mountain, ran towards Dhumraksha.
tam aapatantam dhuumra akSo gadaam udyamya viiryavaan |
vinardamaanaH sahasaa hanuumantam abhidravat || 6-52-33
33. viiryavaan= the valiant; dhuumraakSaH= Dhumraksha; udyamya= lifted; gadaam= his mace; vinardamaanaH= making a roaring sound; abhidravat= ran; tam hanumantam= towards that Hanuma; aapatantam= attacking on him; sahasaa= suddenly.
The valiant Dhumraksha lifted his mace and making a roaring sound, ran towards that Hanuman who was rushing on him suddenly.
tataH kruddhas tu vegena gadaam taam bahu kaNTakaam |
paatayaam aasa dhuumra akSo mastake tu hanuumataH || 6-52-34
34. atha= thereafter; dhuumraakSaH= Dhumraksha; roSeNa= with an outrage; paatayaamaasa= stroke down; taam gadaam= that mace; bahukaNTakaam= with spikes; mastake= on the head; tasya hanuumataH= of that Hanuman.
Thereafter, Dhumraksha with an outrage, brought down that mace studded with countless spikes on the head of that Hanuma.
taaDitah sa tayaa tatra gadayaa bhiima ruupayaa |
sa kapir maaruta balas tam prahaaram acintayan || 6-52-35
dhuumra akSasya shiro madhye giri shR^ingam apaatayat |
35. saH kapiH= that Hanuman; saH= the famous one; maaruta balaH= with an energy similar to the wind; taaDitaH= struck; tatra= there; tayaa gadayaa= by that mace; bhiimavegayaa= with a terrific velocity; achintayan= disregarding; tam prahaaram= that blow; apaatayat= threw down; girishR^iN^gam= his rocky peak; shiromadhye= on the middle of the skull; dhuumraakSasya= of Dhumraksha.
That Hanuman, who was endowed with an energy similar to the wind, was in no way disturbed by that blow but struck Dhumraksha on the middle of his skull with his rocky peak.
sa vihvalita sarva ango giri shR^ingeNa taaDitaH || 6-52-36
papaata sahasaa bhuumau vikiirNa;iva parvataH |
36. saH= that Dhumraksha; taaDitaH= struck; girishR^iN^gena= by the rocky peak; visphaarita sarvaaNgaH= having his shattered limbs; sahasaa= soon; papaata= fell down; bhuumau= on the ground; parvataH iva= like a mountain; vikiirNaH= crumbling.
That Dhumraksha, struck by the rocky peak, which shattered all his limbs, soon fell down on the ground like a mountain crumbling.
dhuumra akSam nihatam dR^iSTvaa hata sheSaa nishaa caraaH || 6-52-37
trastaaH pravivishur lankaam vadhyamaanaaH plavam gamaiH |
37. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; dhuumrakSam= Dhumraksha; nihatam= having been killed; nishaacharaaH= the demons; hata sheSaaH= left surviving; trastaaH= were frightened; vadhyamaanaaH= being killed; plavaN^gamaiH= by the monkeys; pravivishuH= entered; laN^kaam= Lanka.
Seeing Dhumraksha having been killed, the demons left surviving were frightened of being killled by the monkeys and re entered Lanka.
sa tu pavana suto nihatya shatrum |
kSataja vahaah saritash ca samvikiirya |
ripu vadha janita shramo mahaatmaa |
mudam agamat kapibhish ca puujyamaanaH || 6-52-38
38. saH= that; mahaatmaa= illustrious; pavanasutaH= Hanuma the son of Pavana; nihatya= having killed; shatruun= his enemies; vahaaH= causing; saritashcha= rivers; kSataja= of blood; samvikiirya= to flow; ripu vadhajanita= shramaH= weary of slaughter of enemies; mudam= with delight; agamat= received; supuujyamaanaH= the cordial felicitations; kapibhiH= by the monkeys.
That illustrious Hanuman the son of Pavana having destroyed his enemies, causing rivers of blood to flow, weary of slaughter of the enemies, with delight, received the cordial felicitations by the monkeys.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe dvipaJNchashaH sargaH
Thus completes 52nd Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© November 2005, K. M. K. Murthy