Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Ravana next sends Akampana for the battle. As Akampana along with his army sets out for the war, he visualized various bad portents. A deadly conflict ensued between monkeys and demons. Kumuda, Nala and Mainda the chiefs of monkeys creates a great carnage among demons. |
vajradamra akSam nihatam shrutvaa raavaNo raakSasa iishvaraH |
bala adhyakSam uvaaca idam kR^ita anjalim upasthitam || 6-55-1
1. shrutvaa= hearing; vajradamSTram= (that) Vajradamshtra; hatam= was killed; vaaliputreNa= by Angada; raavaNaH= Ravana; uvaacha= spoke; idam= these words; upasthitam= to the nearby; balaadhyakSam= army general; kR^itaaN^jalim= who joined his palms in reverence.
Hearing that Vajradamshtra was killed by Angada, Ravana spoke the following words to the General of his forces who, with joined palms, stood near him.
shiighram niryaantu durdharSaa raakSasaa bhiima vikramaaH |
akampanam puras kR^itya sarva shastra prakovidam || 6-55-2
2. bhiimavikramaaH= (Let) the invincible; raakSasaaH= demons; durdharSaaH= of irresistible courage; niryaantu= go forth; shiighram= soon; akampanam= with Akampana; puraskR^itya= in front; sarva shastraastra kovidam= who is skilled in use of every weapon and missile.
"Let the invincible demons of irresistible courage go forth soon, with Akampana as their head, who is skilled in the use of every weapon and missile."
eSa shaastaa cha goptaa cha netaa cha yudhi sattamaH |
bhuutikaamashcha me nityaM nityam cha samarapriyaH || 6-55-3
3. eSaH= this; sattamaH= excellent demon; shaastaa= is a chastiser; goptaacha= a protector; netaacha= ad a leader; yudhi= in batle; nityam= ever; me bhuutikaamashcha= desiring my welfare; samarapriyaH= and loved war; nityam= forever.
"This excellent demon is a chastiser, a protector and a leader in battle. He ever desired my welfare and always loved war."
eSa jeSyati kaakatthsau sugriivaM cha mahaabalam |
vaanaraamshchaaparaan ghoraan haniSyati na samshayaH || 6-55-4
4. eSaH= He; jeSyati= will prove victorious; haniSyati= and can kill; kaakutsthau= Rama, Lakshmana; mahaabalam= the mighty; sugriivam= Sugreeva; aparaan= and the other; ghoraan= terrific; vaanaraan= monkeys; na= there is no; samshayaH= doubt.
"There is no doubt that he will prove victorious and Rama, Lakshmana, the mighty Sugreeva and the other terrible monkeys."
parigR^ihya sa taamaajJNaam raavaNasya mahaabalaH |
balaM samprerayaamaasa tadaa laghuparaakramaH || 6-55-5
5. parigR^ihya= taking; taam= that; aajJNaam= command; raavaNasya= of Ravana; mahaabalaH= the mighty; saH= Akampana; laghuparaakramaH= of quick resolution; tadaa= then; samprerayaamaasa= mobilized; balam= the army.
Taking that command of Ravana, the mighty Akampana of quick resolution then mobilized the army.
tato naanaapraharaNaa bhiimaakSaa bhiimadarshanaaH |
niSpetuu raakSasaa mukhyaa balaadhyakSaprachoditaaH || 6-55-6
6. mukhyaaH raakSasaaH= those foremost of demons; bhiima darshanaaH= of terrifying appearance; naanaapraharaNaaH= furnished with every kind of weapon; bhiimaakSaaH= and fearful to look upon; tataH= thereafter; niSpetuH= rushed into the fray; balaadhyakSaprachoditaaH= where their general had dispatched them.
Those foremost of demons of terrifying appearance, furnished with every kind of weapon and fearful to look upon, rushed into the fray where their general had dispatched them.
rathamaasthaaya vipulaM taptakaaJNchanabhuuSaNam |
meghaabho meghavarNashca meghasvanamahaasvanaH || 6-55-7
7. tadaa= then; akampanaH= Akampana; meghaabhaH= of the stature of a cloud; meghavarNashcha= of the colour of a cloud; meghasvana mahaasvanaH= whose voice resembled thunder; aasthaaya= ascended; vipulam= an extensive; ratham= chariot; tapta kaaN^chana bhuuSaNam= decorated with fine gold; niryaati= and set out; samvR^itaH= surrounded; ghoraiH= by dreadful; raakSasaiH= demons.
Then, Akampana of the stature and colour of a cloud, whose voice resembled a thunder, ascended his great chariot, decorated with fine gold and set out, surrounded by dreadful demons.
na hi kampayitum shakyah suraiR^iapi mahaa mR^idhe || 6-55-8
akampanas tatas teSaam aaditya;iva tejasaa |
8. surairapi= even celestials too; nashakyaH hi= were indeed unable; kampayitum= to upset; akampanaH= Akampana; mahaamR^idhe= in a great battle; tataH= hence; (he) tejasaa= by his splendour; aadityaH iva= was resembling the sun; teSaam= among the demons.
Even celestials were indeed unable to upset Akampana in a great battle. Hence, among the demons, he was shining like the sun, by his splendour.
tasya nidhaavamaanasya samrabdhasya yuyutsayaa || 6-55-9
akasmaad dainyam aagacchadd hayaanaam ratha vaahinaam |
9. tasya= (As) he; nirdhaava maanasya= sped on his way; samrabdhasya= hastening; yuyutsayaa= and eager to enter the battle; hayaanaam= the horses; rathavaahinaam= drawing his chariot; aagachchhat dainyam= were deprived of their energy; akasmaat= suddenly.
As he sped on his way, hastened and eager to enter the battle, the horses drawing his chariot were suddenly deprived of their energy.
vyasphuran nayanam ca asya savyam yuddha abhinandinaH || 6-55-10
vivarNo mukha varNash ca gadgadash ca abhavat svaraH |
10. savyam= the left; nayanam= eye; asya= of Akampana; yudhaabhinandinaH= who delighted in warfare; visphurat= began to twitch; mukhavarNashcha= hs countenance; vivarNaH= grew pale; svanaH= and his voice; abhavat= became; gadgadaH= trembled.
The left eye of Akampana, who delighted in warfare, began to twitch. His countenance grew pale and his voice trembled.
abhavat sudine ca api durdine ruukSa maarutam || 6-55-11
uucuh khagaa mR^igaah sarve vaacah kruuraa bhaya aavahaaH |
11. kaale= at a time; sudine= of a good day (marked by a fine weather); abhavat= it became; durdinam= a day of bad weather; mukSamaarutam= with a bitter wind beginning to blow; khagamR^igaaH= Birds and beasts; uuchuH= uttered; kruuraaH= cruel; bhayaavahaaH= and fearful; vaachaH= cries.
At a time of a good day, marked by fine weather, it turned into a day of bad weather with a bitter wind beginning to blow. Birds and beasts uttered cruel and fearful cries.
sa simha upacita skandhah shaarduula sama vikramaH || 6-55-12
taan utpaataan acintya eva nirjagaama raNa aajiram |
12. saH= that demon; simhaapachita skandhaH= who had the shoulders of a lion; shaarduulasama vikramaH= and the agility of a tiger; avichintyaiva= disregarding; taan= those; utpaataan= portents; nirjagaama= rushed; raNaajiram= towards the battle field.
That demon, who had the shoulders of a lion and the agility of a tiger, disregarding those portents, rushed towards the battle-field.
tadaa nirgacchatas tasya rakSasah saha raakSasaiH || 6-55-13
babhuuva sumahaan naadah kSobhayann iva saagaram |
13. tasya raakSasaH= (while) that demon; raakSasaiH saha= along with other demons; nirgachchhataH= went forward; tathaa= thus; sumahaan naadaH= an immense tumult; babhuuva= arose; khhobhayanmivaa= that seemed to convulse; saagaram= the ocean.
While Akampana advanced thus with his troops, an immense tumult arose that seemed to convulse the ocean.
tena shabdena vitrastaa vaanaraaNaam mahaa camuuH || 6-55-14
druma shaila praharaNaa yoddhum samavatiSThata |
14. tena shabdena= by (hearing) that sound; samupatiSThataam= of the coming demons; yoddhum= for the battle; mahaachamuuH= the huge army; vaanaraaNaam= of the monkeys; druma shailaprahaaraaNaam= moving forward with trees and rocks; vitrastaa= was frightened.
By hearing that clamour of the demons coming for the battle, the huge army of the monkeys, brandishing trees and rocks, was frightened.
teSaam yuddham mahaa raudram samjajne kapi rakSasaam || 6-55-15
raama raavaNayoR^iarthe samabhityakta jiivinaam |
15. mahaaraudram= a highly fierce; yuddham= battle; samjaJNe= occurred; teSaam= between those; kapiraakSasaam= monkeys and demons; samabhityakta jiivinaam= who were ready to lose their lives; raama raavaNayoH arthe= for the sake of Rama and Ravana.
A highly fierce battle ensued between those monkeys and demons, who were ready to lose their lives for the sake of Rama and Ravana.
sarve hy atibalaah shuuraah sarve parvata samnibhaaH || 6-55-16
harayo raakSasaash caiva paraspara jighamsavaH |
16. sarve= all; harayaH= the monkeys; raakSashchaiva= and the demons; paraspara jighaasavaH= who were willing to kill each other; atibalaaH= were very strong; shuuraaH= valiant; sarve= and all; parvata samnibhaaH= were resembling mountains.
All the monkeys and demons, who were willing to kill each other, were very strong and valiant. All were resembling mountains.
teSaam vinardaataam shabdah samyuge atitarasvinaam || 6-55-17
shushruve sumahaan krodhaad anyonyam abhigarjataam |
17. teSaam= their; sumahaan= very great; shabdaH= clamour; vinardataam= yelling; tarasvinaam= with their strength; kopam= in their rage; abhigarjitaam= making savage cries; shushruve= were heard; pamyuge= in that combat.
The tremendous clamour of the aforesaid warriors, yelling in their rage and strength, making savage cries, were distinctly heard on the battle-field.
rajasH ca aruNa varNa aabham subhiimam abhavad bhR^isham || 6-55-18
uddhuutam hari rakSobhiH samrurodha disho dasha |
18. subhiimam= A highly terrible; rajashcha= dust too; bhR^isham aruNa varNaabham= in a thick coppery colour; uddhatam= raised; harirakSobhiH= by the monkeys and demons; abhavata= was found; samrurodha= and enveloped; dasha= the ten; dishaH= quarters.
A highly terrific dust, in a thick coppery colour, raised by the monkeys and demons enveloped all the ten quarters.
anyonyam rajasaa tena kausheya uddhuuta paaNDunaa || 6-55-19
samvR^itaani ca bhuutaani dadR^ishuR^ina raNa ajire |
19. bhuutaani= the beings (combatants); samvR^itaani= enveloped; tena rajasaa= by that dust; kesheyoddhuuta paaNDunaa= which was whitish like a piece of silk shaken by the wind; na dadR^ishuH= did not see; anyonyam= each other; raNaajire= in the battle=field.
The combatants, enveloped by that dust, which was whitish like a piece of silk shaken by the wind, could no longer distinguish each other on the battle-field.
na dhvajo na pataakaa vaa varma vaa turago api vaa || 6-55-20
aayudham syandanam vaa api dadR^ishe tena reNunaa |
20. na= neither; dhvajaH= standard; pataakaa vaa= banner; na= nor; charma vaa= shield; turago.api vaa= horse; aayudham= weapon; syandanova api= even chariot; (could be seen); tena= in that; reNunaa= dust.
Neither standard, banner and shield, nor horse, weapon and chariot could be discerned in that pall of dust.
shabdasH ca sumahaams teSaam nardataam abhidhaavataam || 6-55-21
shruuyate tumule yuddhe na ruupaaNi cakaashire |
21. sumahaan= a great; tumulaH= tumultuous; shabdashcha= clamour; teSaaM= of warriors; nardataam= making challenging cries; abhidaavataam= and rushing upon each other; shruuyate= was heard; yuddhe= in the battle; ruupaaNi= (yet in the confuison) no forms; nachakaashire= were visible.
A great tumultuous clamour, of warriors, making challenging cries and rushing upon each other, was heard on the battle-field, yet in that confusion, no form was visible.
hariin eva susamkruddhaa harayo jaghnuR^iaahave || 6-55-22
raakSasaash ca api rakSaamsi nijaghnus timire tadaa |
22. tadaa= then; timire= in that darkness; susamruSTaaH= the greatly enraged; harayaH= monkeys; jaghnaH= killed; hariinena= the monkeys themselves; aahave= in the battle; raakSasaaH= the demons; nijaghnuH= killed; raakSasaashchaapi= the demons themselves.
In the darkness, the greatly enraged monkeys killed the monkeys themselves and the demons killed the demons themselves in battle.
te paraamshcha vinighnantaH svaamshcha vaanararaakSasaaH || 6-55-23
rudhiraardraam tadaa chakrurma hiiM paN^kaanulepanaam |
23. te= those; vaanara raakSasaaH= monkeys and demons; nighnantaH= killing; paraamshcha= others; svaamshcha= and their own people; tadaa= then; chakruH= make; mahiim= the earth; rudhiraardraam= dampened with blood; paNkaanulepanaam= anointing its body with mud.
Those monkeys and demons killing other and their own people then made the earth dampened with blood, anointing its body with mud.
tatas tu rudhira ogheNa siktam vyapagatam rajaH || 6-55-24
shariira shava samkiirNaa babhuuva ca vasum dharaa |
24. tataH= thereafter; trajaH= the dust; apagatam= wnet off; siktam= being sprinkled; rudhiogheNa= by the stream of blood; vasundharaa= the earth; babhuuva= became; shariira shava samkiirNaa= filled with bodies and corpses.
Under the stream of blood being sprinkled, the dust was laid, revealing the earth covered with bodies and corpses.
druma shakti shilaa praasaiR^igadaa parigha tomaraiH || 6-55-25
harayo raakSasaas tuurNam jaghnuR^ianyonyam ojasaa |
25. raakSasaaH= the demons; harayaH= and the monkeys; tuurNam= quickly; jaghmuH= struck; anyonyam= each other; ojasaa= with vigour; druma shaktigadaa praasaiH= with blows from trees, spears, maces, javelins; shilaa parigha tomaraiH= stones, bars and picks.
The demons and the monkeys vigorously struck each other swiftly with blows from trees, spears, maces, javelins, stones, bars and picks.
baahubhiH parighaa aakaaraiR^iyudhyantah parvata upamaaH || 6-55-26
harayo bhiima karmaaNo raakSasaan jaghnuR^iaahave |
26. haryaH= the monkeys; bhiima karmaaNaH= of dreadful deeds; parvatopamaaH= and who resembled mountains; yuddhantaH= fighting; baahubhiH= with their arms; parighaakaaraiH= appearing like iron bars; jaghnuH= killed; raakSasaan= the demons; aahave= in the battle.
The monkeys of dreadful deeds, resembling mountains, fighting with their arms appearing like iron bars, killed the demons in battle.
raakSasaasH ca api samkruddhaah praasa tomara paaNayaH || 6-55-27
kapiin nijaghnire tatra shastraih parama daaruNaiH |
27. praaasa tomara paaNayaH= with darts and javelins in their hands; abhisamkruddhaaH= the enraged; raakSasaastu= demons; tatra= there; nijaghnire= struck; kapiin= the monkeys; parama daaruNaiH= with their cruel; shastraiH= weapons.
The enraged demons with darts and javelins in their hands, struck the monkeys there with their cruel weapons.
akampanaH susaMkruddho raakSasaanaaM chamuupatiH || 6-55-28
saMharSayati taansarvaanraakSasaan bhiimavikramaan |
28. susamkruddhaH= the extremely enraged; akampanaH= Akampana; chamuupatiH= the General of the army; raakSasaanaam= of demons; samharSayati=cheered; sarvaan= all; taan raakSasaan= those demons; bhiimavikramaan= by his terrible prowess.
The extremely enraged Akampana, the general of the army of demons, cheered all those demons by his terrible prowess.
harayas tv api rakSaamsi mahaa druma mahaa ashmabhiH || 6-55-29
vidaarayanty abhikramya shastraaNy aacchidya viiryataH |
29. harayanti api= the monkeys however; abhikramya= leaping upon then; aachchhidya= and snatching; shastraaN= their weapons; viiryataH= through their strength; vidaarayanti= crushed; rakSaamsi= those demons; mahaa druma mahaashmabhiH= with blows from large trees and stones.
The monkeys however leaping upon them and snatching their weapons through their strength, crushed those demons with blows from large trees and stones.
etasminn antare viiraa harayah kumudo nalaH || 6-55-30
maindasH ca parama kruddhash cakruR^ivegam anuttamam |
30. etasmin antare= meanwhile; kumudaH= kumuda; nalaH= nala; maindashcha= and Mainda; viiraaH= the courageous; harayaH= monkeys; paramakruddhaaH= in an outburst of rage; charuH= displayed; anuttamam= unsurpassed; vegam= rashness.
Meanwhile Kumuda, Nala and Mainda the courageous monkeys in an outburst of anger, displayed unsuprassed rashness.
te tu vR^ikSaiR^imahaa vegaa raakSasaanaam camuu mukhe || 6-55-31
kadanam sumaha cakrur liilayaa hari yuuthapaaH |
mamanthuu raakSasaan sarve naanaapraharaNairbhR^isham || 6-55-32
31, 32. mahaaviiraaH= the exceedingly valiant; te= those; haripuN^gavaaH= chiefs of monkeys; liilayaa= as in sport; chamnumukhe= in the army-front; vR^ikSaiH= with trees; chakruH= performed; sumahat= a very great; kadanam= carnage; raakSasaanaam= of demons; sarve= all of them; bhR^isham= repeatedly; mamanthuH= crushed; raakSasaan= the demons; naanaa praharaNaiH= with every kind of weapon.
Those exceedingly valiant chiefs of monkeys, as in sport, in the battle-front, with mighty blows of trees, created a great carnage among the demons. All of them repeatedly crushed the demons with every kind of weapon.
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe paJNchapaJNchashaH sargaH
Thus completes 55th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© February 2006, K. M. K. Murthy