Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Ravana sends Vajradamstra, another demon to kill Rama, Sugreeva and his monkeys. Vajradamstra and his army emerge from the southern gate where Angada, the General of the Monkeys is stationed. The monkeys had a tough fight with the demons. Angada, the leader of the monkeys strikes the terrible strong demons, chopping off their heads. |
dhuumraakSaM nihatam dR^iSTvaa raavaNo raakSaseshvaraH |
krodhena mahataaviSTo niHshvasannurago yathaa || 6-53-1
diirghamuSTaM viniHshvasya krodhena kaluSiikR^itaH |
abraviidaakSasaM kruuraM vajradaMSTraM mahaabalam || 6-53-2
1, 2. shrutvaa= hearing; dhuumraakSam= Dhumraksha; nihatam= having been killed; raavaNaH= Ravana; raakSasesvaraH= the king of demons; aaviSTaH= was possessed; krodhena= of anger; mahataa= greatly; niHshvasan= hissing; urago yathaa= like a serpent; viniHshvasya= sighing; diirgham= long; uSNam= and hot; kaluSikR^itaH= and polluted; krodhena= by anger; abraviit= spoke; vajradamSTram= to Vajradamshtra; raakSasam= a demon; kruuram= who was cruel; mahaabalam= and mighty.
Hearing the death of Dhumraksha, Ravana the King of demons was possessed of anger and began to hiss like a serpent. Polluted by anger, with long and burning sighs, he addressed the cruel and mighty Vajradamshtra, a demon (as follows)
gachchhatvaM viira niryaahi raakSanaiH parivaaritaH |
jahi daasharathiM raamaM sugriivaM vaanaraiH saha || 6-53-3
3. viira= O, warrior!; tvam= you; gachha= proceed niryaahi= go ahead; parivaaritaH= surrounded; raakSasaiH= by demons; jahi= slay; raamam= Rama; daasharathim= the son of Dasaratha; sugriivam= Sugriiva; vaanaraiH saha= along with his monkeys!
"O, warrior! Go ahead as the head of the demons and slay Rama the son of Dasaratha, as also Sugreeva and his monkeys!"
tathetyuktvaa krutataraM maayaavii raakSaseshvaraH |
nirjagaama balaiH saarthaM bahubhiH parivaaritaH || 6-53-4
naagairashvaiH kharairuSTraiH saMyuktaH susamaahitaH |
pataakaadhvajachitraishcha rathaishcha samalaMkR^itaH || 6-53-5
4, 5. raakSaseshvaraH= that leader of the demons; maayaavii= a conjurer; uktvaa= saying; tathaa it= "So it be" parivaaritaH= surrounded; bahubhiH= by many; balaiH saardham= along with the army; samyuktaH= accompanied; naagaiH= by elephants; ashvaiH= horses; kharaiH= mules; uSTraiH= camels; rathaiH= and chariots; pataakadhvajachitraiH= conspicuous with flags and banners; nirjagaama= set out; susamaahitaH= with a well-attentive mind; samalankR^itaH= and well-prepared.
"So it be" answered the leader of the demons who was a conjurer and departed with many divisions of the army that surrounded him. With the utmost attention, he assembled teams of elephants, horses mules camels and chariots adorning them with conspicuous flags and banners and he himself was well-prepared.
tato vichitrakeyuuramukuTena vibhuuSitaH |
tanutraM cha samaavR^itya sadhanurniryayau drutam || 6-53-6
6. tataH= then; vibhuuSitaH= adorned; vichitra keyuura mukuTena= with colourful bracelets and a diadem; samaavR^itya= well-covered; tanutramcha= by an armour; sadhanuH= along with a bow; (he); drutam= immediately; nirvayau= started.
Adorned with colourful bracelets and a diadem, Vajradamshtra set out immediately, wielding a bow and well-covered by an armour.
pataakaalaMkR^itaM diiptaM taptakaaJNchanabhuuSitam |
ratham pradakSiNam kR^itvaa samaarohachchamuupatiH || 6-53-7
7. chamnupatiH= that army-general; pradakSiNam kR^itvaa= circumambulated; samaarohat= and ascended; ratham= his chariot; pataakaalamkR^itam= decorated with flags; diiptam= and shiningly; tapta kaan^chana bhuuSitam= adorned with pure gold.
That army-general circumambulated and ascended his chariot, duly decorated with flags and shiningly adorned with purpose.
yaSTibhistomaraishchitraiH shlakSlaishcha musalairapi |
bhindipaalaishcha chaapaishcha shaktibhiH paTTishairapi || 6-53-8
khaDgaishchakrairgadaabhishcha nishitaishcha parashvadhaiH |
padaatayashcha niryaanti vividhaaH shastrapaaNayaH || 6-53-9
8, 9. padaatayashcha= Infantry; vividhaaH= of every kind; niryaanti= issued forth; shastra paaNayaH= furnished in hand with weapons; yaSTabhiH= (such as) clubs; chitraiH= excellent; tomaraiH= javelins; shlakSNaiH= smooth; musalairapi= pestles; bhindipaalaishcha= harpoons; chaapaishcha= bows; shaktibhiH= lances; paTTishairapi= spears; khaDgaiH= swords; chakraiH= discus; gadaabhishcha= maces; nishitaiH= and sharp; parashvadhaiH= axes.
Infantry of every kind issued forth, furnished in their hands with weapons such as clubs, excellent javelins, smooth pestles, harpoons, bows, lances, spears, swords, discus, maces and sharp axes.
vichitravaasasaH sarve diiptaa raakSasapuN^gavaaH |
gaja madotkaTaaH shuuraashchalanta iva parvataa || 6-53-10
10. sarve= all; raakSasapuNgaraah= those excellent demons; diiptaaH= in their resplendent; vichitra vaasasaH= and coloured uniforms; shuuraaH= full of strength; (mounted); gajaaH= on elephants; madotkaTaaH= furious with rut; chalantaH= parvataaH iva= resembled moving hills.
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and coloured uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
te yuddhakushalaa ruuDhaastomaraaN^kuvaaH |
anye lakSaNasaMyuktaaH shuuraaruuDhaa mahaabalaaH || 6-53-11
11. te= those elephants; ruuDhaaH= mounted; tomaraaN^kusha paaNibhiH= by warriors bearing lances and goads; yuddha kushalaaH= were skilled in was-fare; anye= some other elephants; lakSaNa samyuktaaH= having good qualities; shuuraaruuDhaaH= mounted by valiant demons; mahaabalaaH= were mighty in strength.
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and coloured uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
tadraakSasabalaM sarvaM viprasthitamashobhata |
praavR^iTkaale yathaa meghaa nardamaanaaH savidyutaH || 6-53-12
niHsR^itaa dakSiNadvaaraadaN^gado yatra yuuthapaH |
12. tat= that; sarvam= whole; raakSasa balam= army of demons; viprasthitam= paraded; ashobhata= looking as brilliant; meghaaH yathaa= as the clouds; savidyutaH= with lightning; nardamaanaaH= and sound; praavR^itaa= they emerged; dakSiNa dvaaraat= from the southern gate; yatra= where; yuuthapaH= the General; aNgadaH= Angada ( is stationed).
That whole army of demons paraded, looking as brilliant as the clouds, with lightning and sound in the rainy season. They emerged from the southern gate where the General Angada is stationed.
teSaaM niSkramamaaNaanaamashubhaM samajaayata || 6-53-13
aakaashaadvighanaattiivraadulmukaa nyapataMstadaa |
vamantaH paavakajvaalaaH shivaa ghoraa vavaashire || 6-53-14
13, 14. teSaam= (While) those demons; niSkramaaNaam= set forth; ashubham= inauspicious portents; ajaayata= appeared; tadaa= then; vighanaat= from a cloudless; tiivraat= yet burning; aakaashaat= sky; ulmukaani= meteors; apatan= fell; ghoraaH= fearful; shiraaH= jackals; vavaashire= (emitting) their howls; vamantaH= belched forth; paavakajraalaaH= flames and fire.
While those demons set forth, inauspicious portents appeared. From a cloudless yet burning sky, meteors fell. Fearful jackals, emitting their howls, belched forth flames and fire.
vyaaharanta mR^igaa ghoraa rakSasaaM nidhanaM tadaa |
samaapatanto yodhaastu praaskhalaMstatra daaruNam || 6-53-15
15. ghoraaH= the dreadful; mR^igaaH= animals; tadaa= then; vyaaharanta= foretold; midhanam= teh destruction; rakSasaam= of the demons; yodhaastu= the warriors; samaapatantaH= entering the combat; praaskhalam= stumbled; tatra= there daaruNam= miserably.
The dreadful beasts then foretold destruction of demons, who while entering the combat, stumbled miserably.
etaanautpaatikaan dR^iSTvaa vajradaMSTro mahaabalaH |
dhairyamaalambya tejasvii nirjagaama raNotsukaH || 6-53-16
16. dR^iSTvaa= (Even after) seeing; etaan= these; outpaatikaan= portents; vajradamSTraH= Vjradamshtra; mahaabalaH= of exceeding prowess; tejasvii= and sharpness; aalambhya= shored up; dhairyam= courage; nirjagaama= and set out (for the combat); roNotsukaH= being fond of the battle.
Ever after seeing these portents Vajradamshtra of exceeding prowess and sharpness, shored up courage and being fond of battle, set out for the combat.
taaMstu niSkramato dR^iSTvaa vaanaraa jitakaashinaH |
praNeduH sumahaanaadaan puurayaMshcha disho dashaH || 6-53-17
17. vaanaraaH= the monkeys; jitakaashinaH= burning for victory; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; taan= then; niSkramataH= advancing; praNeduH= sounded; sumahaanaadaan= very great noises; puurayamshcha= and filled; dasha= the ten; dishaH= quarters.
The monkeys, burning for victory, seeing their enemies advancing, made tremendous shouts which echoed every quarter.
tataH pravR^ittaM tumulaM hariiNaaM raakSasaiH saha |
ghoraaNaam bhiimaruupaaNaamanyonyavadhakaankSiNaam || 6-53-18
18. tataH= thereafter; tumulam= a tumultuous battle; pravR^ittam= occured; hariiNaam= (between) monkeys; tathaa= and; rakSasaam= demons; ghoraaNaam= who were cruel; bhiima ruupaaNaam= of fearful forms; anyonya vadhakaaNkSiNaam= and desirous of killing each other.
Thereafter, a tumultuous battle ensured between the monkeys and the demons, who were cruel, of ferocious form and desirous of each other's destruction.
niSpatanto mahotsaahaa bhinnadehashorodharaaH |
rudhirokSitasarvaaN^gaa nyapatandharaNiitale || 6-53-19
19. mahotsaahaaH= some warriors of great energy; niSpatantaH= coming for war; bhinna deha shirodharaaH= their necks and bodies severed; nyapatan= fell; dharaNiitale= to the surface of the earth; rudhirokSi ta sarvaaNgaaH= their entire body bathed in blood.
Some warriors of great energy, coming for war, their necks, and bodies severed, fell to the surface of the earth, their entire bodies bathed in blood.
kechidanyonyamaasaadya shuuraaH parighapaaNayaH |
chikSipurvividhaan shastraansamareSvanivartinaH || 6-53-20
20. kechit shuuraaH= some warriors; anivartinaH= who did not turn back; samre= in battle; parighapaaNayaH= with arms resembling steel; aasaadya= approached; anyonyam= each other; chikSipuH= and threw; vividhaan= various kinds; shastraan= of weapons.
Some other warriors, who did not turn back in battle, with arms resembling steel, approached one another, attacking with various kinds of weapons.
drumaaNaaM cha shilaanaaM cha shastraaNaaM chaapi niHsvanaH |
shruuyate sumahaaMstatra ghoro hR^idayabhedanaH || 6-53-21
21. sumahaan= an extremely great; ghoraH= and terrible sound; hR^idaya bhedanaH= breaking the hearts; shruuyate= was heard; tatra= there; drumaaNaam= of trees; shilaanaam cha= rocks; shastraaNaam cha api= and even weapons.
An extremely great and terrible noise, breaking the hearts, was heard there from trees, rocks and weapons.
rathanemi svanastatra dhanuSashchaapi ghoravat || 6-53-22
shaN^khabheriimR^idaN^ganaaM babhuuva tumulaH svanaH |
22. ghoravat= a terrific; rathanemi svnaH= noise of the wheel-rims of chariots; dhanushchaapi= the bow; tumulaH= the shaN^kha bheriimR^idaN^gaanaam= of couches, kettle-drums and tabours; babhuuva= arose; tatra= there.
A terrific noise of the wheel-rims of chariots and the bow, along with the tumultuous sounds of couches, kettle-drums and tabours arose there.
kechidastraaNi saMtyajya baahuyuddhamakurvata || 6-53-23
talaishcha charaNaishcaapi muSTibhishcha drumairapi |
jaanubhishcha hataaH kechidbhagnadehaashca raakSasaaH || 6-53-24
shilaabhishchuurNitaaH kechidvaanarairyuddhadurmadaiH |
23, 24. kechit= some demons; samtyajya= leaving; astraaNi= weapons; akurvata= performed; baahuyuddham= battle with their arms; raakshasaaH= the demons; hataaH= were beaten; bhagnadehaaH= and their bodies made fragmented; vaanaraiH= by the monkeys; yuddha durmadaiH= of fighting arrogance; talaishcha= with their palms; charaNaishcha= feet; muSTibhishcha= fists; drumairapi= even trees; jaanubhishcha= knees; kechit= some; chuurNitaa= were crushed to powder; shilaabhiH= by rocks.
Some demons, leaving weapons, performed battle with their arms. The demons were beaten and their bodies made fragmented by the monkeys of fighting arrogance, with their palms, feet, fists, trees and knees. Some demons were crushed to powder with rocks.
vajradaMSTro bhR^ishaM baanai raNe vitraasayan hariin || 6-53-25
chchaara lokasamhaare paashahasta ivaantakaH |
25. bhR^isham= tremendously; vitraayasan= frightening; hariin= the monkeys; raNe= in the battle; baaNaiH= by his arrows; vajradamSTraH= Vajradamshtra; chachaara= moved himself; antakaH iva= like Yama the God of Death; loka samhaare= at the time of destroying the words; paasha hastaH= with a noose in his hand.
Tremendously frightening the monkeys in the battle by his arrows, Vajradamshtra moved himself in the battle-field like Yama the God of Death moving at the time of dissolution of the worlds, wielding a noose in his hand.
balavanto.astraviduSo naanaapraharaNaa raNe || 6-53-26
jaghnarvaanarasainyaani raakSasaaH krodhamuurchitaaH |
26. balavantaH= the strong; raakSasaH= demons; astra vidiSaH= skilled in weaponry; naanaa praharaNaaH= and wielding various kinds of weapons; jaghnuH= killed; vaanara sainyaani= the army of monkeys; raNe= in the battle; krodha muurchitaaH= with their increased anger.
The strong demons skilled in weaponry and wielding various kinds of weapons, killed the army of monkeys in that battle, with their increased anger.
jaghne taan raakSasaan sarvaan dhR^iSTo vaalisuto raNe || 6-53-27
krodhena dviguNaaviSTaH saMvartaka ivaanalaH |
27. dhR^iSTaH= the courageous; vaalisutaH= Angada, the son of Vali; dviguNaaviSTaH= twice possessed krodhena= by anger; jaghne= killed; sarvaan= all; taan= those; raakSasaan= demons; raNe= in the battle; samvartake analaH iva= like a world destroying fire.
The courageous Angada the son of Vali, twice possessed of anger, killed all those demons in the battle, like a world-destroying fire.
taan raakSasagaNaan sarvaanvaR^ikSamudyamya viiryavaan || 6-53-28
aN^gadah krodhataamraakSaH simhah kSudramR^igaaniva |
chakaara kadanam ghoram shakratulyaparaakramaH || 6-53-29
28, 29. viiryavaan= the valiant; aNgadaH= Angada; krodhataamraakSaH= with his raging red eyes; udyamya= lifted; vR^ikSam= a tree; (jaghaana= killed); sarvaan= all; taan= those; raakSasagaNaan= troops of demons; sihaH iva= like a lion (killing); kSudramR^igaan= small animals; shakratulya paraakramaH= Angada, with his prowess resembling that of Indra the Lord of celestials; chakaara= made; ghoram= a terrific kadanam= destroyer of the enemies.
The valiant Angada with his raging red eyes lifted a tree and killed all those troop of demons, like a lion killing small animals. Angada, with his prowess resembling that of Indra the Lord of celestials, brought about a terrific destroyer of the enemies.
aN^gadaabhihataastatta raakSasaa bhiimavikramaaH |
vibhinnashirasaH peturnikR^ittaa iva paadapaaH || 6-53-30
30. bhiima vikramaaH= the terribly strong; raakSasaaH= demons; aN^gadaabhihataaH= struck by Angada; tatra= there; vibhinna shirasaH= with their heads shattered; petuH= fell down; paadapaaH iva= like trees; nikR^ittaaH= chopped off.
The terribly strong demons, struck by Angada there, had their heads shattered and fell down like chopped off trees.
rathaishchitrairdhyajairashvaiH shariirhairarirakSasaam |
rudhiraugheNa saMchannaa bhuumirbhayakaraa tadaa || 6-53-31
31. bhuumiH= the earth; tadaa= then; bhayakaraa= appeared fearful; samchannaa= being covered; rathaiH= with chariots; chitraiH= conspicuous; dhvajaiH= flags; ashvaiH= horses; shariiraiH= bodes; harirakSasaam= of monkeys and demons; rudhirougheNa= with streams of blood.
The earth then appeared fearful, it being covered with chariots, conspicuous flags, horses, bodies of monkeys and demons with streams of blood flowing there.
haarakeyuuravastraishcha chatraishcha samalamkR^itaa |
bhuumirbhaati raNe tatra shaaradiiva yathaa nishaa || 6-53-32
32. bhuumiH= the earth; samalamkR^itaa= decorated; raNe= in battle; tatra= there; haara keyuura vastraishcha= with necklaces, bracelets worn on upper arm, garments, chatraishcha= and umbrellas; bhaati= shone; shaaradii nisheva yathaa= like an autumnal night.
That battle-field, decorated with necklaces, bracelets worn on upper arm, garments and umbrellas looked like an autumnal night.
aN^gadasya cha vegena tadraakSasabalam mahat |
praakampata tadaa tatra pavanenaambudo yathaa || 6-53-33
33. vegena= by swiftness; aN^gadasya= of Angada; tat= that; mahat= great; raakSasabalam= army of demons; tatra= there; praakampata= trembled; tadaa= then; ambudoyathaa= like a cloud; vegena= by the swiftness; pavanena= of wind.
By the swiftness of Angada, that great army of demons there trembled then, like a cloud by the swiftness of wind.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddha kaaNDe tripaJNchashaH sargaH
Thus completes 53rd Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© December 2005, K. M. K. Murthy