Chapter [Sarga] 56

Introduction

Akampana enters the battle-field and assails the monkeys with his bow and arrows. Then, Hanuman comes to the rescue of the monkeys. A great fight ensued between Akampana and Hanuman. Hanuman strikes the head of Akampana with a huge tree and Akampana dies. All the demons take to their heels and return to Lanka.


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tad dR^iSTvaa sumahat karma kR^itam vaanara sattamaiH |
krodham aahaarayaam aasa yudhi tiivram akampanaH || 6-56-1

1. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tat= that; sumahat= very great; karma= exploit; kR^itam= done; vaanara sattamaiH= by the chiefs of monkeys; yudhi= in the battle; akampanaH= Akampana; aahaarayaamaasa= was seized; tiivram= a fierce; krodham= anger.

Seeing that very great exploit executed by the chiefs of monkeys in the battle, Akampana was seized with a fierce anger.

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krodha muurchita ruupas tu dhnuvan parama kaarmukam |
dR^iSTvaa tu karma shatruuNaam saarathim vaakyam abraviit || 6-56-2

2. dR^iSTvaa= witnessing; karma= the work; shatruuNaam= of the enemies; krodha muurchhitaruupaH= appearing fully of fierce anger; dhunvan= and moving; parama kaarmukam= his great bow; abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= the following words; saarathim= to his charioteer.

Witnessing that work of the enemies, his features were distorted by anger and brandishing his powerful bow, Akampana addressed his charioteer in these words.

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tatra eva taavat tvaritam ratham praapaya saarathe |
ete atra bahavo ghnanti subahuun raakSasaan raNe || 6-56-3

3. saarathi= O, charioteer!; ete balinaH= these strong monkeys; ghnanti= are killing; subahuun= innumerable; raakSasaan= demons; raNe= in the battle; praapaya= get; ratham= the chariot; tatraiva= just there; tvaritaH= soon.

"Drive the chariot quickly to that place, for, those monkeys are killing innumerable demons on the battle field."

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ete atra balavanto hi bhiima kaayaash ca vaanaraaH |
druma shaila praharaNaas tiSThanti pramukhe mama || 6-56-4

4. ete= these; vaanaraaH= monkeys; balavantaH= who are strong; bhiimakopaashcha= with terrific anger; druma shaila praharaNaaH= with trees and rocks as their weapons; tiSThanti= are standing; mama= in my; pramukhe= front; atra= here.

"Those arrogant monkeys of terrific ferocity, armed with trees and rocks, dare to affront me here."

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etaan nihantum icchaami samara shlaaghino hy aham |
etaiH pramathitam sarvam dR^ishyate raakSasam balam || 6-56-5

5.aham ichchhami= I wish; nihantum= to kill; etaan= these monkeys; samarashlaaghinaH= who are praising themselves in battle; sarvam= all; balam= the army; rakSasaaam= of demons; dR^ishyate= who are seen; pramathitam= to be crushed; etaiH= by them.

"I wish to kill those andicious monkeys, who are seen herassing all the army of demons."

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tataH prajavita ashvena rathena rathinaam varaH |
hariin abhyahanat krodhaat shara jaalair akampanaH || 6-56-6

6. tataH= thereafter; rathena= in his chariot; prachalitaashvena= drawn by fast-moving horses; akampanaH= Akampana; varaH= the most skillful; rathinaam= of chariot-warriors; sharajaalaiH= with a hail of darts; abhyapatat= assailed hariin= the monkeys; duuraat= from a distance.

Thereafter, in his chariot, drawn by fast-moving horses, Akampana the most skillful of chariot-warriors, with a hail of darts, assailed the monkeys from a distance.

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na sthaatum vaanaraah shekuh kim punar yoddhum aahave |
akampana sharair bhagnaah sarva;eva pradudruvuH || 6-56-7

7. vaanaraaH= the monkeys; na shekuH= were no longer able; sthaatum= to maintain their formation; aahave= in the battle; kim punaH= how much less; yuddhum= to fight; sarve eva= all of them; bhagnaaH= were crushed; akampana sharaiH= under the shafts of Akampana; abhidudruvuH= and took to their heels.

The monkeys were no longer able to maintain their formation, much less fight in the battle. all of them were crushed under the shifts of Akampana and took to their heels.

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taan mR^ityu vasham aapannaan akampana vasham gataan |
samiikSya hanumaan jnaatiin upatasthe mahaa balaH || 6-56-8

8. samiikSya= seeing; taan= those; jJNaatiin= companions; aapannaan= getting; mR6ityu vasham= under the sway of death; akampana sharaanugaan= pursued by Akampana's darts; mahaabalaH= the mighty; hanumaan= Hanuman; upatasthe= went to their rescue.

Seeing those companions, getting under the sway of death pursued by Akampana's darts, the mighty Hanuman went to their rescue.

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tam mahaa plavagam dR^iSTvaa sarve plavaga yuuthapaaH |
sametya samare viiraah sahitaah paryavaarayan || 6-56-9

9. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tam= him; mahaa plavagam= the giant monkey; sarve= all; te= those; viiraaH= valiant; plavagarSabhaaH= and best of the monkeys; hahitaaH= together; sametya= approached; paryavaarayan= and surrounded him.

Seeing Hanuman their great leader, all those valiant and the best of the monkeys together rallied and grouped themselves boldly round him.

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vyavasthitam hanuumantam te dR^iSTvaa hari yuuthapaaH |
babhuuvur balavanto hi balavantam upaashritaaH || 6-56-10

10. dR^iSTvaa= observing; hanuumantam= Hanuman; vyavasthitam= standing comageously; te= those; plavagarSabhaH= excellent monkeys; upaashritaaH= took shelter; balavantam= in his powerfulness; babhuuvuH= and became; balavantaH hi= indeed powerful.

Observing Hanuman's courage, those excellent monkeys took shelter in his powerfulness and became powerfulness and became powerful indeed.

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akampanas tu shaila aabham hanuumantam avasthitam |
mahaa indra;iva dhaaraabhih sharair abhivavarSa ha || 6-56-11

11. akampastu= Akampana; mahendraH iva= like Mahendra, the lord of celestials; abhivavarSaha= assailed; dharaabhiH= a hail; sharaiaH= of arrows; hanuumantam= on Hanuman; avasthitam= who remained as firm; shailaabham= as a rock.

Akampana, like Mahendra the Lord of celestials, assailed a hail of arrows on Hanuman, who remained as firm as a rock.

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acintayitvaa baaNa oghaan shariire patitaan shitaan |
akampana vadha arthaaya mano dadhre mahaa balaH || 6-56-12

12. achintayitvaa= heedless; baaNaughaan= of the flood of weapons; patitaan= that fell; shariire= upon his body; mahaabalaH= the mighty; kapiH= Hanuman; manaH dadhre= resolved in his mind; akampanavadhaarthaaya= to slay Akampana.

Heedless of the flood of weapons that fell upon his body, the mighty Hanuman resolved in his mind to slay Akampana.

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sa prahasya mahaa tejaa hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
abhidudraava tad rakSah kampayann iva mediniim || 6-56-13

13. prahasya= laughing heartily; saH= that; hanumaan= Hanuma; mahaatejaaH= of great splendour; maarutaatmajaH= and thes on of Maruta the wind-god; abhirudraava= leapt; tat raakSaH= on that demon; mediniim= causing the earth; kampayanniva= to shake as it were.

Laughing heartily , that Hanuman, the son of Maruta the wind-god and possessing a great splendour, leapt on the demon, causing the earth to shake as it were.

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tasya abhinardamaanasya diipyamaanasya tejasaa |
babhuuva ruupam durdharSam diiptasya iva vibhaavasoH || 6-56-14

14. diipta maanasya= while burning; tejasaa= with energy; nardamaanasya= and emitting yells; tasya= his; ruupam= form; babhuuva= became; durdharSam= difficult to overpower; diiptasya vibhaavasoH iva= like a blazing fire; atha= thereafter.

As he roared burning with energy, the form of Hanuman became difficult to overpower, like a blazing fire.

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aatmaanam tv apraharaNam jnaatvaa krodha samanvitaH |
shailam utpaaTayaam aasa vegena hari pumgavaH || 6-56-15

15. jJNaatvaa= knowing; aatmaanam= himself; a praharaNam= to be bereft of any weapon; haripuN^gavaH= Hanuman the excellent monkey; krodha saman votaH= with anger; utpaaTayaamaasa= uplifted; shailam= a mountian; vegena= quickly.

Knowing himself to be bereft of any weapon, Hanuman the excellent monkey, with a rage, uplifted a mountain quickly.

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tam gR^ihiitvaa mahaa shailam paaNinaa ekena maarutiH |
vinadya sumahaa naadam bhraamayaam aasa viiryavaan || 6-56-16

16. saH= that; viiryavaan= valiant; maarutiH= Hanuman; gR^ihiitvaa= seizing; sumahaashailam= very great mountain; ekena paaNinaa= with one hand; vinadye mahaanaadam= letting up a roar; bhraamayaamaasa= began to spin it rapidly.

That valiant Hanuman, seizing a very great mountain with one hand and letting up a roar, began to spin it rapidly.

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tatas tam abhidudraava raakSasa indram akampanam |
yathaa hi namucim samkhye vajreNa iva puram daraH || 6-56-17

17. tataH= thereafter; puraa iva= as formerly; samkhye= in an encounter; purandaraH= Indra the Lord of celestials; vajreNa= (hurled) his thunderbolt; namuchimiva= at Namuchi; (Hanuman); abhirudraava= rushed; tam akampanam= towards that Akampana.

Thereafter, as formerly in an encounter Indra the Lord of celestials hurled his thunderbolt at Namuchi, Hanuman rushed towards Akampana.

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akampanas tu tad dR^iSTvaa giri shR^ingam samudyatam |
duuraad eva mahaa baaNair ardha candrair vyadaarayat || 6-56-18

18. dR^iSTvaa= beholding; samudyatam= uplifted; girishR^iN^gam= mountain-peak; akampanstu= Akampana on his part; adaarayat= shattered it;duuraadeva= even from a distance; mahaa baaNaiH= by mighty arrows; ardhachandraiH= each having the shape of a crescent.

Beholding that crag flying towards him, Akampana shattered it even from a distance by means of his great crescent-shaped arrows.

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tat parvata agram aakaashe rakSo baaNa vidaaritam |
vikiirNam patitam dR^iSTvaa hanuumaan krodha muurchitaH || 6-56-19

19. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tam= that; parvataagram= rocky peak; rakSobaaNa vidaaritam= shattered by the demon's arrows; patitam= and falling; vikiirNam= in pieces; aakaashee= in the sky; hanumaan= Hanuman; krodha muurchhitaH= became mad with anger.

Seeing that rocky peak shatterd in the air by the demon's arrows and falling in pieces, Hanuman became mad with anger.

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so ashva karNam samaasaadya roSa darpa anvito hariH |
tuurNam utpaaTayaam aasa mahaa girim iva ucchritam || 6-56-20

20. samaasaadya= approaching; ashvakarNam= an Ashvakarna tree; mahaagirimiva= as large as a mountain; roSadarpaanvitaH= in the transport of rage that possessed him; saH= that; hariH= Hanuman; utpaaTayaamaasa= uprooted it; tuurNam= speedily.

Approaching an Ashwakarna tree as large as a mountain, in the transport of rage that possessed him, that Hanuman uprooted it speedily.

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tam gR^ihiitvaa mahaa skandham so ashva karNam mahaa dyutiH |
pragR^ihya parayaa priityaa bhraamayaamaasa bhuutale || 6-56-21

21. saH= that Hanuman; mahaadutiH= of great strength; gR^ihiitvaa= taking hold; tam ashvakarNam= of that Ashwakarna tree; mahaa skandam= with large branches; pragR^ihya= and tightly holding it; parayaa priityaa= with grea delight; bhraamayaamaasa= spinned it; bhuutale= on the ground.

Taking hold of that Ashvakarna tree with large branches, in his great strength, Hanuman with immense delight spinned it, while standing on the ground.

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pradhaavann uru vegena prabhanjams tarasaa drumaan |
hanuumaan parama kruddhash caraNair daarayat kSitim || 6-56-22

22. paramakR^iddhaH= the highly enraged; hanumaan= hanuman; pradhaavan= began to run; uruvegena= with great strides; babhaN^jaH= breaking down; drumaan= the trees; tarasaa= by his strength; daarayan= and tearing up; mahiim= the earth; charaNaiH= with his feet.

Then, the highly enraged Hanuman began to run with great strides, breaking down the trees by his strength and tearing up the earth with his feet.

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gajaamsH ca sagaja aarohaan sarathaan rathinas tathaa |
jaghaana hanumaan dhiimaan raakSasaamsh ca padaatikaan || 6-56-23

23. hanumaan= Hanuman; jaghaana= struck down; gajaamshcha= elephants; sagajaarohaan= as also who rode upon them; rathinaH= and charioteers; sarathaan= with their chariots; bhiimaan= and the terrific; padaatigaan= infantry; raakSasaan= of demons.

Hanuman struck down elephants as also who rode upon them and charioteers with their chariots and the terrific infantry of demons.

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tam antakam iva kruddham samare praaNa haariNam |
hanuumantam abhiprekSya raakSasaa vipradudruvuH || 6-56-24

24. abhiprekSya= seeing; tam hanuumantam= that Hanuman; antakmiva= like unto Yama the Destroyer of Vital breaths; kruddham= full of wrath; sadrumam= aimed with a tree; praNahaariNam= and taking off lives; raakSasaaH= the demons; vipradudruvuH= took to flight.

Seeing that Hanuman, like unto Yama the Destroyer of vital Breaths, full of wrath armed with a tree and taking off lives, the demons took of flight.

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tam aapatantam samkruddham raakSasaanaam bhaya aavaham |
dadarsha akampano viirash cukrodha ca nanaada ca || 6-56-25

25. viiraH= the valiant; akampanaH= Akampana; dadarsha= beheld; tam= that Hanuman; samkruddham= who was enraged; aapatantam= and rushing on; bhayaavaham= sowing terror; raakSasaanaam= among his demons; chukSobha cha= was greatly perturbed; nanaada cha= and set up a mighty shout.

The valiant Akampana, beholding that Hanuman who was enraged and rushing on, sowing terror among his soldiers, was greatly perturbed and set up a mighty shout.

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sa caturdashabhir baaNaih shitair deha vidaaraNaiH |
nirbibheda hanuumantam mahaa viiryam akampanaH || 6-56-26

26. saH akampanaH= that Akampana; dasha dashabhiH= with his fourteen; nishitaiH= sharp; baaNaiH= arrows; deha daaraNaiH nirbibhedha= pierced that tore the body; mahaa viiryam= the highly valiant; hanumantam= Hanuman.

With fourteen sharp arrows that tore the flesh, that Akampana pierced the highly valiant Hanuman.

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sa tathaa pratividdhas tu bahviibhih shara vR^iSTibhiH |
hanuumaan dadR^ishe viirah praruuDha;iva saanumaan || 6-56-27

27. viprakiirNaH= Riddled; shita shaktibhiH= with sharp-pointed; naaraachaiH= iron shafts; saH viiraH= that warrior; hanumaan= Hanuman; dadR^ishe= appeared; saanumaaniva= like a mountain; pravuuDhaH= on which number of plants sprang up.

Riddled with sharp-pointed shafts, that warrior Hanuman appeared like a mountain on which a number of plants shooted up.

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viraraaja mahaaviiryo mahaakaayo mahaabalaH |
puSpitaashokasamkaasho vidhuuma iva paavakaH || 6-56-28

28. mahaabalaH= the mighy Hanuman; mahaaviiryaH= of great strength; mahaa kaayaH= with a large body; viraraaja= shone; paavakaH iva= like a fire; vidhuumaH= without smoke; puSpitaashoka samkaashaH= and resembling an Ashoka tree in flowering.

That mighty Hanuman of great strength with a large body shone like a fire without smoke and resembled a blooming Ashoka tree.

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tato anyam vR^ikSam utpaaTya kR^itvaa vegam anuttamam |
shirasy abhijaghaana aashu raakSasa indram akampanam || 6-56-29

29. tatH= thereafter; kR^itvaa= showing; anuttamam= a great; vegam= haste; utpaaTya= in uprooting; anyam= another; vR^ikSam= tree; (Hanuman); jaghaana= struck; aashu= quickly; shirasi= on the head; akampanam= of Akampana; raakSasendram= the General of demons.

Thereafter, showing a great haste in uprooting another tree, Hanuman struck the head of Akampana the General of demons.

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sa vR^ikSeNa hatas tena sakrodhena mahaatmanaa |
raakSaso vaanara indreNa papaata sa mamaara ca || 6-56-30

30. hataH= struck; vR^ikSeNa= with a tree; tena vaanarendraNa= by that Hanuman; sakrodhena= the enraged; mahaatmanaa= and the high-souled; saH= that; raakSasaH= demon; papaata= fell down; mamaaracha= and died.

Struck with a tree by that high-souled and enraged Hanuman, that demon fell down and died.

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tam dR^iSTvaa nihatam bhuumau raakSasa indram akampanam |
vyathitaa raakSasaah sarve kSiti kampa;iva drumaaH || 6-56-31

31. dR^iSTvaa= seeing; tam akampanam= that Akampana; raakSasendram= the leader of demons; bhummau= on the ground; nihatam= killed; sarve= all; raakSasaaH= the demons; vyathitaaH= were perturbed; drumaaH iva= as trees; kSitikampe= during an earth-quake.

Seeing their leader Akampana lying lifeless on earth, all the demons trembled as the trees do during an earthquake.

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tyakta praharaNaah sarve raakSasaas te paraajitaaH |
laN^kaam abhiyayus trastaa vaanarais tair abhidrutaaH || 6-56-32

32. sarve= all; te= those; paraajitaaH= defeated; raakSasaaH= demons; abhiyayuH= were going; laN^kaam= towards Lanka; traasaa= due to fear; tyakta praharaNaaH= abandoning their weapons; abhidrutaaH= and having been attacked; taiH vaanaraiH= by those monkeys.

All those defeated warriors, throwing their arms, escaped in the direction of Lanka, terrified, pursued by those monkeys.

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te mukta keshaaH sambhraantaa bhagna maanaah paraajitaaH |
sravat shrama jalair angaih shvasanto vipradudruvuH || 6-56-33

33. mukta keshaaH= their hair loosened; sambhraantaaH= bewildered; bhagnamaanaaH= their pride broken; paraajitaaH= by the defeated; aN^gaiH= their limbs; sravachchhramajalaiH= dripping with sweat; te= those demons; vipradudruvuH= fled; shvasantaH= blowing out their breaths.

Their hair loosened, bewildered, their pride broken by defeat, their limbs dripping with sweat, those demons fled, blowing out their breaths.

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anyonyam pramamantus te vivishur nagaram bhayaat |
pR^iSThatas te susammuuDhaah prekSamaaNaa muhur muhuH || 6-56-34

34. sammuuDhaaH= mad; bhayaat= with fear; prekSyamaaNaaH= looking; pR^iSThataH= back; muhurmuhuH= again and again; pramathnantaH= crushing; anyonyam= each other; te= they; vivishuH= entered; nagaram= the city.

Mad with fear, looking back again and again and crushing each other in haste, they entered the city.

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teSu lankaam praviSTeSu raakSaseSu mahaa balaaH |
sametya harayah sarve hanuumantam apuujayan || 6-56-35

35. teSu raakSaseSu= (when) those demons; praviSTeSu= had entered; laNkaam= Lanka; sarve= all; mahaabalaaH= the mighty; harayaH= monkeys; sametya= approached; hanuumantam= Hanuman; apuujayan= and paid homage (to him).

When those demons had entered Lanka, all the mighty monkeys approached Hanuman and paid homage to him.

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so api prahR^iSTas taan sarvaan hariin sampratyapuujayat |
hanuumaan sattva sampanno yathaa arham anukuulataH || 6-56-36

36. saH= that; hanumaanapi= Hanuman; sattva sampannaH= of noble nature; sampratya puujayat= honoured; sarvaan= all; taan= those; prahR^iSTaH= delighted; hariin= monkeys; yathaarham= in accord with their rank; anukuulataH= as per the occasion.

That Hanuman, of noble nature honoured all those delighted monkeys, in accord with their rank and the occasion.

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vinedusH ca yathaa praaNam harayo jita kaashinaH |
cakarSusH ca punas tatra sapraaNaan eva raakSasaan || 6-56-37

37. jitakaashinaH= the triumphant; harayaH= monkeys; vineduH= shouted; yathaa praaNam= in accord with their might; punaH= and once again; chakR^iSushcha= dragged; raakSesaan= the demons; sapraaNaaneva= who were still alive; tatra= there on the battle field.

The triumphant monkeys shouted in accord with their nighty and once again dragged the demons who were still alive there on the battle-field.

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sa viira shobhaam abhajan mahaa kapiH |
sametya rakSaamsi nihatya maarutiH |
mahaa asuram bhiimam amitra naashanam |
yathaiva viSNur balinam camuu mukhe || 6-56-38

38. saH mahaakapiH= that great monkey; maarutiH= born of Maruta; sametya= having encountered; nihatya= and killed; rakSaamsi= the demons; abhajat= enjoyed; viira shobham= the heroic lustre; viSNuryathaa= as Vishnu; (when he overcame); mahaasuram= the mighty demons; bhiimam= of terror; urubalam= of immense power; amitranaashanam= destroying his enemies; chamuumukhe= in the forefront of the battle.

That great monkey, born of Maruta having encountered and killed the demons, enjoyed the same renown as Vishnu when he overcame the mighty and terrific demon of immense power destroying his enemies in the forefront of the battle.

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apuujayan deva gaNaas tadaa kapim |
svayam ca raamo atibalash ca lakSmaNah |
tathaiva sugriiva mukhaah plavam gamaa |
vibhiiSaNash caiva mahaa balas tadaa || 6-56-39

39. tadaa= then; devagaNaaH= the troops of deities; raamaH= along with Rama; svayam= himself; atibalaH= the exceedingly strong; lakSmaNaH cha= Lakshmana; tathaiva= and; sugriiva mukhaaH= Sugreeva etal; plavaNgamaaH= the monkeys; tathaa= and; mahaabalaH= the mighty; vibhiiSaNashchaiva= Vibhishana; apuujayam= paid homage; kapim= to Hanuman.

Then, the troops of deities along with Rama himself, the exceedingly strong Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other monkeys and the mighty Vibhishana paid homage to Hanuman.

 

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe SaTpaJNchaashaH sargaH

Thus completes 56th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.


Verse Locator for Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War : Chapter 56

 

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Sarga 56 in English Prose

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© March 2006, K. M. K. Murthy