Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Seeing Kumbha his brother killed in battle, the enraged Nikumbha with an iron club as his weapon roars and faces the battle. Hanuma directly attacks Nikumbha, by striking his fist forcibly on Nikumbha’s breast. Unmoved by that blow, Nikumbha lifts Hanuma, off the ground. Hanuma in retaliation frees himself and throws down Nikumbha on the ground. Hanuma descends on Nikumbha, pounds his chest with his fist, catches his head and tears it off. Thus, Nikumbha dies at the hands of Hanuma. |
nikumbho bhraataraM dR^iShTvaa sugriiveNa nipaatitam |
pradahanniva kopena vaanarendramudaikShata || 6-77-1
1. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; bhraataram= his brother; nipaatitam= stretched (on the ground); sugriiveNa= by Sugreeva; udaikShata kopena= he cast angry looks; (at Sugreeva); pradahanniva= as is would burn him (into ashes).
Seeing his brother stretched on the ground, Nikumbha cast angry looks at Sugreeva, as it would burn him into ashes.
tataH sragdaamasaMnaddhaM dattapaJNchaaN^gulam shubham |
aadade parighaM dhiiro mahendrashikharopamam || 6-77-2
2. tataH= then; dhiiraH= Nikumbha of firmness; aadade= grasped; parigham= his iron club; mahendra shikharopamam= stupendous like the crest of Mount Mandara; shubham= which was bright; sragdaama samnaddam= festooned with wreaths; dattapaN^chaaNgulam= and provided with iron plates measuring five digits in breadth.
Then, Nikumbha of firm mind grasped his iron club, stupendous like the crest of Mount Mandara and which was bright, festooned with wreaths and provided with iron plates, measuring five digits in breadth.
hemapaTTaparikShiptaM vajravidrumabhuuShitam |
yamadaNDopamaM bhiimaM rakShasaaM bhayanaashanam || 6-77-3
3. hema paTTaparikShiptam= round it ran a broad strip of gold; vajra vidrumabhuuShitam= while diamonds and rubies studded it all over; yama daN^Dopamam= like the death-dealing rod of Yama (it seemed); bhiimam= causing dismay to the monkeys; bhayanaashanam= and nerving the demons with courage.
Round it ran a broad strip of gold while diamonds and rubies studded it all over. Like the death-dealing rod of Yama, it seemed causing dismay to the monkeys and nerving the demons with courage.
tamaavidhya mahaatejaaH shakradhvajasamaujasam |
ninanaada vivR^ittaasyo nikumbho bhiimavikramaH || 6-77-4
4. aavidhya= wielding; tam= that weapon; shakradhvaja samaujasam= which in size resembled the flag-staff of Indra; nikumbhaH= Nikumbha; bhiimavikramaH= of terrific prowess; ninanaada= roared, vivR^ittaasya= with his mouth yawning wide.
Wielding that weapon, which in size resembled the flag-staff of Indra, Nikumbha of terrific prowess, roared with his mouth yawing wide.
urogatena niShkeNa bhujasthairaN^gadairapi |
kuNDalaabhyaaM cha chitraabhyaaM maalayaa cha sa chitrayaa || 6-77-5
nikumbho bhuuShaNairbhaati tena sma parigheNa cha |
yathendradhanuShaa meghaH sa vidyutstanayitnumaan || 6-77-6
5, 6. urogatena= on his chest; niShkeNa= (shone) a medal of gold; bhujasthaiH= his arms were held; aN^gadaiH api= by beautiful bracelets; chitraabhyaam= lustrous; kuN^Dalaabhyaam= pendants depended from his ears; chitrayaa= resplendent; maalayaacha= garland; (enfolded his neck); bhuuShaNaiH= with these ornaments; tena parigheNacha= and with his club; saH nikumbhaH= that Nikumbha; bhaatisma= shone (assumed); meghaH yatha= (the threatening semblance) of a cloud; savidyut stanayitnumaan= with lightning and thunder; indradhamShaa= and shot with (a vivid) rainbow.
On his chest shone a medal of gold. His arms were held by beautiful bracelets. Lustrous pendants depended from his ear. Resplendent garland enfolded his neck. With these ornaments and with his club, Nikumbha assumed the threatening semblance of a cloud, with lightning and thunder and shot with a vivid rainbow.
parighaagreNa pusphoTa vaatagranthirmahaatmanH |
prajajvaala saghoShashcha vidhuuma iva paavakaH || 6-77-7
7. parighaagreNa= with his club in front; mahaatmanaH= of the mighty Nikumbha; pushpoTa vaatagranthiH= the noise was like the bursting yell of seven winds of heaven; prajajvaala= and illumined; paavakaH iva= like the fire-god; vidhuumaH= bereft of smoke.
The strong Nikumbha, with his arms as strong as his club, hurled his club having sun-like splendour, on the breast of that mighty Hanuma.
nagaryaa viTapaavatyaa gandharvabhavanottamaiH |
sataaraagrahanakShatraM sachandraM samahaagraham || 6-77-8
nikumbhaparighaaghuurNaM bhramatiiva nabhaHsthalam |
8. nabhaHsthalam= the sky above; bhramatiiva= appeared whirled around; nikumbha parigha aaghuurNam= in the toss of Nikumbha's club, viTapaavatyaa nagaryaa= as though Alaka the city; gandharva bhavanottamaiH= with the palaces of Gandharvas; (performing rapid revolutions) sa taaraagrahanakShatram sachandram samahaagraham= and moon and the stars and the planets; (joining the rotating race).
The sky above appeared whirled around in the toss of Nikumbha's club, as though Alaka the City with the palaces of Gandharvas performed rapid revolutions and the moon and the stars and the planets joining the rotating race.
duraasadashcha saMjajJNe parighaabharaNaprabhaH || 6-77-9
krodhendhano nikumbhaagniryugaantaagnirivotthitaH |
9. nikumbhaagniH= the hot tempered fire of nikumbha; parighaabharaNaprabhaH= which had club and ornaments for its flame; samjaJNe= became; krodhenahanaH= and his fury as its face, duraasadaH= dangerous to be approached; utthitaH yugaantaagniH iva= like the fire risen at the time of dissolution of the world.
The hot tempered fire of Nikumbha, which had his club and ornaments for its flame and his fury as its fuel, became dangerous to be approached, like the fire rising at the time of dissolution of the world.
raakShasaa vaanaraashchaapi na shekuH spandituM bhayaat || 6-77-10
hanumaamstu vivR^ityorastasthau pramukhato balii |
10. raakShasaaH= the demons; vaanarashchaapi= and even the monkeys; bhayaat= out of fear; na shekuh= were unable; spanditum= to move; balii= the strong; hunumaat tu= Hanuma for his part; tasthau= stood (alone); uraH vivR^itya= with his breast bared (to the fury of the attack); pramukhataH= in front (of Nikumbha).
The demons and the monkeys too, out of fear, were unable even to make the slightest movement. The mighty Hanuma, on his part, stood alone among them, with his breast bared to the fury of the attack, in front of Nikumbha.
parighopamabaahustu parighaM bhaaskaraprabham || 6-77-11
balii balavatastasya paatayaamaasa vakShasi |
11. balii= the strong Nikumbha; parighopama baahuH= with his arms as strong as his club; paatayaamaasa= hurled; parigham= his club; bhaaskara prabham= with a splendour of the sun; vakShasi= on the breast; tasya balavataH= of that mighty Hanuma.
The strong Nikumbha, with his arms as strong as his club, hurled his club having sun-like splendour, on the breast of that mighty Hanuma.
sthire tasyorasi vyuuDhe parighaH shatadhaa kR^itaH || 6-77-12
vikiiryamaaNaH sahasaa ulkaashatamivaambare |
12. parighaH= the (titanic) club; tasya urasi= that fell on his breast; sthire= which was rock-like; vyuuDhe= and wide; sahasaa= at once; kR^itaH shatadhaa= shattered into hundreds of fragments; ulkaashatamiva= like hundreds of meteors; vikiiryamaaNaH= shattered; ambare= into the sky.
The titanic club, which fell on the wide and rock-like chest of Hanuma, at once shattered into hundreds of fragments, like hundreds of meteors shattering into the sky.
sa tu tena prahaareNa vichachaala mahaakapiH || 6-77-13
parigheNa samaadhuuto yathaa bhuumichale.achalaH |
13. saH mahaakapiH= that Hanuma; samaadhuutaH= struck; tena= by that; prahaareNa= blow; parigheNa= of the club; vichachaala= was unmoved; achalaH yathaa= like a mountain; bhuumichale= in an earthquake.
That Hanuma, struck by that blow of the club, was unmoved like a mountain in an earthquake.
sa tathaabhihatastena hanumaan pavagottamaH || 6-77-14
muShTiM samvartayaamaasa balenaatimahaabalaH |
14. tathaa= thus; abhihataH= struck; tena= by him; saH atmahaabalaH hanuman= that mighty Hanuma; plavagottamaH= the foremost of monkeys; samvartayaamaasa= clenched; muShTim= his fist; balena= forcibly.
Thus struck by him, the mighty Hanuma the monkey-chief clenched his fist forcibly.
tamudyamya mahaatejaa nikumbhorasi viiryavaan || 6-77-15
abhichikShepa vegena vegavaan vaayuvikramaH |
15. mahaatejaaH= the greatly splendoured; viiryavaan= powerful; vegavaan= and swift; vaayuvikramaH= Hanuma, with the violence of the wind-god, his father; udyamya= lifting; tam= that fist; abhichikShepa= struck it against; nikumbhorasi= Nikumbha’s breast; vegena= with force.
The greatly splendoured, powerful and swift Hanuma, with the violence of the wind-god, his father, lifting that fist, struck it against, Nikumbha’s breast with force.
tatra pusphoTa varmaasya prasusraava cha shoNitam |
muShTinaa tena saMjajJNe meghe vidyudivotthitaa || 6-77-16
16. tena muShTinaa= by that fist; tatra= then; asya varma= his armour; pusphoTa= got split up; shoNitamcha= and red blood; prasusraava= profusely oozed out; meghe iva= as a black cloud; samJNe utthitaa= streaked suddenly; vidyut= with (fierce) lightning.
By the blow of that fist there, his armour got split up and red blood profusely oozed out, as a black cloud streaked suddenly with fierce lightning.
sa tu tena prahaareNa nikumbho vichachaala ha |
svasthashchaapi nijagraaha hanuumantaM mahaabalam || 6-77-17
17. tena prahaareNa= by that blow; saH= that; nikumbhaH= Nikumbha; vichachaalaha= was unmoved; svasthashchaapi= and even recovered; nijagraaha= and grasped; mahaabalam= the mighty; hanuumantam= Hanuma.
But, by that blow, Nikumbha was unmoved, recovered soon and grasped the unwieldy bulk of Hanuma.
chukrushushcha tadaa saMkhye bhiimaM laN^kaanivaasinaH |
nikumbhenodyataM dR^iSTvaa hanuumantaM mahaabalam || 6-77-18
18. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; mahaabalam= the mighty; hanuumantam= Hanuma; udyatam= lifted off (the ground); samkhye= in battle; laN^kaanivasasinaH= the demons; tadaa= then; chukrushuH= roared; bhiimam= terribly.
Seeing the mighty Hanuma lifted off the ground in battle, loud roar of exultant joy rose from the ranks of demons.
sa tathaa hriyamaaNo.api hanumaaMstena rakShasaa |
aajaghaanaanilasuto vajrakalpena muShTinaa || 6-77-19
19. saH hriyamaaNaH api= eventhough he was being carried off; tathaa= in that way; tena rakShasaa= by that demon; hanuman= Hanuma; anila sutaH= the son of wind-god; aajaghaana= struck (him); muShTinaa= with his fist; vajrakalpena= which was like a thunder-bolt.
Eventhough he was being carried off in that way by that demon, Hanuma the son of wind-god, struck him with his thunderbolt-like fist.
aatmaanaM mokShayitvaatha kShitaavabhyavapadyata |
hanuumaanunmamaathaashu nikumbhaM maarutaatmajaH || 6-77-20
20. mokShayitvaa aatmaanam= freeing himself (from Nikumbha); hanuman= Hanuma; maarutaatmajaH= the son of wind-god; atha= then; abhyapadyata= threw him down; kShitau= on the ground; aashu= and quickly; unmamaatha nikumbham= treated Nikumbha with blows.
Freeing himself from Nikumbha, Hanuma the son of wind-god then threw him down on the ground and treated him with blows.
nikShipya paramaayatto nikumbhaM niShpipeSha cha |
utpatya chaasya vegena papaatorasi vegavaan || 6-77-21
21. nikShipya= throwing down; nikumbham= Nikumbha; vegena= by main force; paramaayattaH= with a supreme effort; papaata= descended on him; utpatya= leaping; asya urasi= on his chest; niShpi peShacha vegavaan= and pounded it mercilessly.
Throwing down Nikumbha by main force and with a supreme effort, Hanuma descended on him, leaped on his chest and pounded it mercilessly.
parigR^ihya cha baahubhyaaM parivR^itya shirodharaam |
utPaaTayaamaasa shiro bhairavaM nadato mahat || 6-77-22
22. baahuubhyaam= with both hands; parigR^ihya= catching; shirodharaam= the enemy’s neck; parivR^itya= twisted it about; utpaaTayaamaasa= and tore off; mahat shiraH= his huge head; bhairavam nadatam= while he was horribly roaring.
Then with both hands, he caught the enemy’s neck, twisted it about and tore off his huge head, while Nikumbha was horribly roaring.
atha ninadati saadite nikumbhe |
pavanasutena raNe babhuuva yuddham |
dasharathasutaraakShasendrasuunvo |
rbhR^ishataramaagataroShayoH subhiimam || 6-77-23
23. atha= then; ninadati nikumbha= while the roaring Nikumbha; saadite= was killed; raNe= in battle; pavanasutena= by Hanuma; babhuuva= there ensued; bhR^ishataram= and exceedingly; subhiimam= terrific; yuddham= struggle; dasharathasutaH= between Rama; aagata roShayoH= the enraged; raakShasendra suunvoH= and Makaraksha, son of Khara a ruler of demons.
Then, while the roaring Nikumbha was killed in battle by Hanuma, there ensued an exceedingly terrific struggle between the enraged Rama and Makaraksha, son of Khara, a ruler of demons.
vyapete tu jiive nikumbhasya hR^iShTaa |
vineduH plavaMgaa dishaH sasvanushcha |
chachaaleva chorvii papaateva saa dvau |
rbalaM raakShasaanaaM bhayam chaavivesha || 6-77-24
24. nikumbhasya jive vyapete= when it was clear that Nikumbha had expired; plavaNgaaH= the monkeys; nineduH= shouted; hR^iShTaaH= with glee; dishaH= the quarters; sasvanuH cha= thundered with satisfaction; urvii= the earth; chchaalena= rocked with joy; dyouH= the heaven; papaatena= appeared to crumble; bhayam= and fear; aviveshacha= seized; raakShasaanaam balam= the army of demons.
When it was clear that Nikumbha had expired, the monkeys shouted with glee, the quarters thundered with satisfaction, the earth rocked with joy, the heaven appeared to crumble and fear seized the army of demons.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe vaalmiikiiye aadikaavye yuddhakaaMDe saptasaptatitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 77th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© July 2008, K. M. K. Murthy