Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Having destroyed some monkeys in the battle-field, Ravana tries to approach Rama to continue his fight. Meanwhile, Sugreeva along with some monkeys attack some chiefs of demons and destroy them. Then, Virupaksha a demon comes and attacks Sugreeva. Sugreeva brings down a violent slap on the temple-bone of Virupaksha and kills him. |
tathaa taiH kR^ittagaatraistu dashagrIveNa maargaNaiH |
babhUva vasudhaa tatra prakIrNaa haribhirvR^itaa || 6-96-1
1. vasudhaa= the battle-field; tatra= there; babhuuva= became; prakiirNaa= dispersed; taiH= by those; haribhiH= monkeys; tadaa= then; kR^ittagaatraiH= by their bodies torn; maargaNaiH= with his arrows; dashagriiveNa= by Ravana; tathaa= in that manner.
The battle-field there, on its part, was strewn on that occasion with those monkeys whose bodies had thus been torn asunder by Ravana with his arrows.
raavaNasyaaprasahyan tan sharasampaatamekataH |
na shekuH sahitun dIptaM pata~Ngaa iva paavakam || 6-96-2
2. (Those monkeys); na shekuH= could not; sahitum= bear; tam= that; aprsahyam= irresistible; sharapaatam= descent of arrows; ekatam raavaNasya= loosed by Ravana alone; pataN^gaaH yathaa= as moths; (cannot bear); diiptam jvalanam= a blazing fire.
Those monkeys could not bear that irresistible descent of arrows loosed by Ravana, any more than moths would bear a blazing fire.
tearditaa nishitairbaaNaiH kroshanto vipradudruvuH |
paavakaarchiHsamaaviShTaa dahyamaanaa yathaa gajaaH || 6-96-3
3. te= those monkeys; arditaaH= tormented; nishitaiH baaNaiH= by sharp arrows; vipradudruvuH= fled away; kroshantaH= roaring; gajaaH yathaa= as elephants (run away); paavaakaarchiH samaaviShTaaH= when enveloped in flames of fire; dahyamaanaaH= and getting scorched.
Those monkeys tormented by sharp arrows, fled away roaring, as elephants run away, when enveloped in flames of fire and getting scorched by them.
plava~NgaanaamanIkaani mahaabhraaNIva maarutaH |
sa yayau samare tasminvidhamanraavaNaH sharaiH || 6-96-4
4. raavaNaH= Ravana; samyayau= was marching forward swiftly; tasmin samare= in that battle-field; vidhaman= blowing away; aniikaani= the army; plavaN^gamaan= of monkeys; maarutaH iva= like the wind; (blows away); mahaabhraaNi= large clouds.
Ravana was marching forward swiftly in that battle-field, blowing away the army of monkeys, like the wind blows away large clouds.
kadanan tarasaa kR^itvaa raakShasendro vanaukasaam |
aasasaada tato yuddhe raaghavan tvaritastadaa || 6-96-5
5. kadanam kR^itvaa= destroying; tarasaa= with his strength; vanaukasaam= the monkeys; tato yuddhe= in that battle; raakShasendraH= Ravana; tvaritam= quickly; aasasaada= approached; raaghavam= Rama; raNe= on the battle-field.
Having brought about with his might the destruction of those monkeys in battle, Ravana quickly approached Rama on the battle-field.
sugrIvastaankapIndR^iShTvaa bhagnaanvidravato raNe |
gulme suSheNaM nikShipya chakre yuddhe drutaM manaH || 6-96-6
6. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; taan kapiin= those monkeys; vidraavitaan= running away; bhagnaan= in defeat; raNe= in the battle; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; nikShipya= keeping; suSheNam= Sushena; gulme= as a guard for his soldiers; drutam= and quickly; manaH chakre= threw his mind; yuddhe= into the fight.
Seeing those monkeys running away in defeat in that battle, Sugreeva kept Sushena in charge of his army and quickly threw his mind into the fight.
aatmanaH sadR^ishan vIraM sa taM nikShipya vaanaram |
sugrIvoabhimukhaH shatruM pratasthe paadapaayudhaH || 6-96-7
7. nikShipya= keeping; tam viiram vaanaram= that valiant Sushena; sadR^isham= who was equal; aatmanaH= to himself; saH sugriivaH= that Sugreeva; paadapaayudhaH= armed witht he tree as a weapon; pratasthe= marched forward; shatrum abhimukham= towards the enemy.
Keeping that Sushena who was equal to himself, his substitute, that Sugreeva, armed with the tree as a weapon, marched forward towards the enemy.
paarshvataH pR^iShThatashchaasya sarve yUthaadhipaaH svayam |
anujahrurmahaashailaanvividhaaMshcha mahaadrumaan || 6-96-8
8. mahaashailaan= (Taking) huge rocks; vividhaan vanaspatiimshcha= and various kinds of trees; sarve= all; vaanara yuuthapaaH= the monkey-warriors; anujagmuH= followed; (Sugreeva); asya paarshrataH= at his side; pR^iShThatashcha= and behind.
Taking huge rocks and various kinds of trees, all the monkey-warriors followed Sugreeva at his side and behind.
sa nadanyudhi sugrIvaH svareNa mahataa mahaan |
paatayanvividhaaMshchaanyaa~njaghaanottamaraakShasaan || 6-96-9
9. mahaan= the gigantic; sugreevaH= Sugreeva; manarda= roared; mahataa svareNa= at a high pitch; yudhi= in the battle-field; pothayan= striking with his blows; mamantha= (he) crushed; anyaan vividhaan= various other; uttama raakShasaan= chiefs of demons.
The gigantic Sugreeva roared at a high pitch in the battle-field. Striking with his blows, he crushed various other chiefs of demons.
mamarda cha mahaakaayo raakShasaanvaanareshvaraH |
yugaantasamaye vaayuH pravR^iddhaanagamaaniva || 6-96-10
10. mahaakaayaH= the colossal bodied; vaanareshvaraH= Sugreeva; mamarda cha= smashed; raakShasaan= the demons; pravR^iddhaan agamaaniva= as the grown-up trees; (are smashed); vaayuH= by the wind; yugaantasamaye= at the time of dissolution of the world.
The colossal bodied Sugreeva smashed the demons, as the grown-up trees are smashed by the wind at the time of dissolution of the world.
raakShasaanaamanIkeShu shailavarShan vavarSha ha |
ashvavarShan yathaa meghaH pakShisa~NgheShu kaanane || 6-96-11
11. vavarSha= (Sugreeva) rained; shaila varSham= a hail of rocks; raakShasaam aniikeShu= on the army of demons; meghaH yathaa= as a cloud; (rains); ashvavarShaM= a shower of hail-stones; pakShisamgheShu= on a host of birds; kaanane= in a forest.
Sugreeva rained a hail of rocks on the army of demons, as a cloud rains a shower of hail-stones on a host of birds in a forest.
kapiraajavimuktaistaiH shailavarShaistu raakShasaaH |
vikIrNashirasaH peturnikR^ittaa iva parvataaH || 6-96-12
atha sa~NkShIyamaaNeShu raakShaseShu samantataH |
sugrIveNa prabhagneShu patatsu vinadatsu cha || 6-96-13
virUpaakShaH svakaM naama dhanvI vishraavya raakShasaH |
rathaadaaplutya durdharSho gajaskandhamupaaruhat || 6-96-14
12-14. raakShaseShu= (While) those demons; prabhagneShu= defeated; sugriiveNa= by Sugreeva; atha= and then; patasucha= falling on the floor; nadatsu= roaring; samkShiiyamaaNeShu= get diminished; samantataH= on all sides; durdharShaH= the indomitable; viruupaakShaH= Virupaksha; raakShasaH= the demon; dhanvii= holder of the bow; vishraavya= pronouncing; naama= his name; svam= himself; aaplutya= descending; rathaat= from his chariot; upaaruhat= mounted; gajaskandham= the back of an elephant.
While those demons, thus defeated by Sugreeva, falling on the floor and then roaring, get diminished in number from all sides, the indomitable Virupaksha the demon, holding a bow, pronouncing his name by himself, descended from his chariot and mounted the back of an elephant.
sa tan dviradamaaruhya virUpaakSho mahaarathaH |
vinadanbhImanirhraalan vaanaraanabhyadhaavata || 6-96-15
15. saH mahaabalaH= that mighty; nirupaakShaH= Virupaksha; aaruhya= mounting; tam dvipam= that elephant; nanarda= roared; atha= then; bhiimanirharaadam= a terrific noise; abhyadhaavata= and rushed; vaanaraan= towards the monkeys.
That mighty Virupaksha, mounting that elephant, then roared a terrific noise and rushed towards the monkeys.
sugrIve sa sharaanghoraanvisasarja chamUmukhe |
sthaapayaamaasaa chodvignaanraakShasaansampraharShayan || 6-96-16
16. visasarja= (Virupaksha) released; ghoraan= dreadful; sharaan= arrows; sugriive= on Sugreeva; chamuumukhe= who was as the front-rank of the army; sthaapayamaasa= (He) strengthened his support; udvignaan= to the worried; raakShasaan= demons; sampraharShayan= by cheering them up.
Virupaksha released dreadful arrows on Sugreeva who was at the front-rank of the army. He strengthened his support to the worried demons, by cheering them up.
soatividdhaH shitairbaaNaiH kapIndrastena rakShasaa |
chukrodha cha mahaakrodho vadhe chaasya mano dadhe || 6-96-17
17. saH kapiindvaH= Sugreeva, that king of monkeys; atividdhaH= when struck severely; shitaiH baaNaiH= with sharp arrows; tena rakShasaa= by that demon; chukrosha= shouted loudly; mahaakrodhaH= with profuse anger; dadhe manaH= he set his mind; asya vadhe= on killing him.
Sugreeva, the king of monkeys, when he was struck severely with sharp arrows by that demon, shouted loudly. With profuse anger, he set his mind on killing him.
tataH paadapamuddhR^itya shUraH sampradhane hariH |
abhipatya jaghaanaasya pramukhe taM mahaagajam || 6-96-18
18. uddR^itya= uplifting; paadapam= a tree; abhipatya= and coming near; tam= that; mahaagajam= huge elephant; shuuraH hariH= the valiant Sugreeva; sampradhanaH= a thorough fighter; jaghaana= struck it; pramukhe= on its face.
Uplifting a tree and coming near that huge elephant, the valiant Sugreeva, a thorough fighter, struck it on its face.
sa tu prahaaraabhihataH sugrIveNa mahaagajaH |
apaasarpaddhanurmaatraM niShasaada nanaada cha || 6-96-19
19. saH= that; mahaagajaH= huge elephant; prahaara abhihataH= struck with the blow; sugriiveNa= by Sugreeva; apaasarpat= receded; dhanurmaatram= to a distance of four yards; niShasaada= sank down; nanaada cha= and roared too.
That huge elephant, struck with the blow of Sugreeva, receded to a distance of four yards, sank down and roared too.
gajaattu mathitaattUrNamapakramya sa vIryavaan |
raakShasoabhimukhaH shatruM pratyudgamya tataH kapim || 6-96-20
aarShabhan charmakhaDgaM cha pragR^ihya laghuvikramaH |
bhartsayanniva sugrIvamaasasaada vyavasthitam || 6-96-21
20, 21. apakramya= descending; tuurNam= quickly; mathitaat gajaat= from his wounded elephant; saH= that; viiryavaan= valiant; raakShasaH= demon; tataH= then; pragR^ihya= seizing hold of; khaD^gam cha= his sword; aarShabham charma= from a shield made of a bull's hide; pratyudgmya laghuvikramaH= and advancing in rapid paces; abhimukhaH= facing; kapim= Sugreeva, the monkey; shatrum= his enemy; aasasaada= approached; sugriivam= Sugreeva; vyavasthitam= who stood firm; bhartsayanniva= threatening him as it were.
Descending quickly from his wounded elephant, that valiant demon then seizing hold of his sword from a shield made of a bull's hide and advancing in rapid paces, facing towards Sugreeva his enemy, approached him, who stood firm, threatening him as it were.
sa hi tasyaabhisa~NkruddhaH pragR^ihya mahatIn shilaam |
virUpaakShaaya chikShepa sugrIvo jaladopamaam || 6-96-22
22. abhisamkruddhaH= enraged; tasya= on that Virupaksha; saH sugriivaH= that Sugreeva; pragR^ihya= taking; shilaam= a rock; vipulaam= so extensive; jaladopamam= as a cloud; chikShepa= threw (it); viruupaakShasya= on Virupaksha.
Taking a huge rock, which looked like a cloud, that Sugreeva, who felt enraged, threw it on Virupaksha.
sa taan shilaamaapatantIn dR^iShTvaa raakShasapu~NgavaH |
apakramya suvikraantaH khaDgena praaharattadaa || 6-96-23
23. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; taam shilaam= that rock; aapatantiim= falling; saH suvikraantaH= that highly valiant; raakShasapungavaH= excellent of demons; tadaa= then; apakramya= receding away; praaharat= struck (him); khaDgena= with a sword.
Seeing that rock falling, that highly valiant and excellent of demons then receding away, struck him with a sword.
tena khaDgena sa~NkruddhaH sugrIvasya chamUmukhe |
kavachaM paatayaamaasa sa khaDgaabhihatoapatat || 6-96-24
24. hataH= wounded; khaDga praaareNa= by the blow of the sword; balinaa tena rakShasaa= of that strong demon; vaanaraH= Sugreeva; abhavat= became; visamjJNaH iva= as though unconscious; bhuumau= on the ground; muhuurtam= for a moment.
Wounded by the blow of the sword of that strong demon, Sugreeva became as though unconscious on the ground, for a moment.
sahasaa sa tadotpatya raakShasasya mahaahave |
muShTiM saMvartya vegena paatayaamaasa vakShasi || 6-96-25
25. tadaa= then; utpatya= bouncing up; sahasaa= suddenly; mahaahave= in that great battle; saH= that Sugreeva; samvartya= tightening; muShTim= his fist; paatayaamaasa= brought it down; raakShasasya vakShasi= on the demon's chest; vegena= violently.
Then, bouncing up suddenly in that great battle, Sugreeva, tightening his fist, brought it down on the demon's chest violently.
muShTiprahaaraabhihato viruupaakSho nishaacharaH |
tena khaDgena saMkruddhaH sugriivasya chamuumukhe || 6-96-26
kavacham paatayaamaasa padbhyaamabhihato.apatat |
26. samkruddhaH= enraged; muShTiprahaara abhihataH= when struck by the blow of the fist; viruupaakShaH= Virupaksha; nishaacharaH= the demon; paatayaamaasa= brough donw; kavacham= the armour; sugriivasya= of Sugreeva; tena khaDgena= by his sword; chamuumukhe= at the battle-front; abhihataH= Sugreeva, struck by him; apatat= fell down; padbhyaam= from his feet.
Feeling enraged, when struck by the blow of that fist, Virupaksha the demon brought down the armour of Sugreeva by his sword at the battle-front. Thus struck by him, Sugreeva fell down from his feet.
sa samutthaaya patitaH kapistasya vyasarjayat || 6-96-27
talaprahaaramashaneH samaanaM bhImanisvanam |
27. samutthaaya= getting up; patitaH= when fallen; saH kapiH= that Sugreeva; vyasarjayat= gave; tasya= him; talaprahaaram= a sharp; bhiimaniH svanam= with a terrific sound; samaanam= equal; aashaneH= to a thunder.
Getting up when fallen, Sugreeva gave him a slap, which produced a terrific sound similar to a thunder.
talaprahaaran tadrakShaH sugrIveNa samudyatam || 6-96-28
naipuNyaanmochayitvainaM muShTinorasyataaDayat |
28. mochaitvaa= setting himself free; tala prahaaram= from that slap; samudyataat= which was about to be raised; sugreeva= by Sugreeva; naipuNyaat= with skill; tat rakShaH= Virupakha, that demon; ataaDayat= struck; enam= him; urasi= on the chest; muShTinaa= with his fist.
Setting himself free from that slap, which was about to be raised by Sugreeva skillfully, Virupaksha the demon struck Sugreeva on the chest with his fist.
tatastu sa~NkruddhataraH sugrIvo vaanareshvaraH || 6-96-29
mokShitan chaatmano dR^iShTvaa prahaaraM tena rakShasaa |
29. tataH= then; dR^iShTvaa= seeing; aatmanaH= his; prahaaram= blow; mokShitam= being escaped; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; vaanareshvaraH tu= the king of monkeys for his part; samkruddhataraH= was very much enraged.
Then, seeing that demon escaping his blow, Sugreeva the monkey-king for his part, very much enraged.
sa dadarshaantaran tasya virUpaakShasya vaanaraH || 6-96-30
tato nyapaatayatkrodhaachchha~Nkhadeshe mahaatalam |
30.saH vaanaraH= that monkey; dadarsha= saw; antaram= an opportunity; tasya viruupaakShasya= (to strike) that Virupaksha; tataH= then; krodhaat= with anger; paatayat- (Sugreeva) brought down; anyat= another; mahaatalam= violent slap; shaNkha deshe= on his temple-bone.
That monkey saw an opportunity to strike that Virupaksha. Then, with anger, Sugreeva brought down another violent slap on his temple-bone.
mahendraashanikalpena talenaabhihataH kShitau || 6-96-31
papaata rudhiraklinnaH shoNitan sa samudvaman |
srotobhyastu viruupaakSho jalaM rasravaNaadiva || 6-96-32
31, 32. viruupaakShaH= Virupaksha; abhihataH= struck; talena= by that palm; mahendra ashanikalpena= like the thunderbolt of Indra the lord of celestials; papaata= fell; kShitau= to the ground; rudhira klinnaH= bathing blood; samudgiran= oozing; shoNitam= blood; bahu= profusely; srotobhyaH= from that apertures of his body; jalamiva= as water (flows); prasravaNaat= from the spring.
Virupaksha, struck by the blow of that palm, which was like the thunderbolt to the ground, oozing blood profusely from the (nine) apertures* of his body, as water flows from the spring.
* Nine apertures of body are two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, mouth, penis and anus.
vivR^ittanayanan krodhaatsaphena rudhiraaplutam |
dadR^ishuste virUpaakShan virUpaakShataran kR^itam || 6-96-33
33. te= the monkeys; dadR^ishuH= saw; viruupaakSham= Virupaksha; vivR^itta nayanam= with his eyes rolling; krodhaat= through anger; saphenam rudhiaaplutam= bathed in foaming blood; viruupaakShataram kR^itam= and as such rendered all the more deformed.*
The monkeys saw Virupaksha, bathed in foaming blood, with his eyes rolling through anger and as such rendered all the more deformed.*
* There is a pun here on the word 'Virupaksha' which means one with deformed eyes.
sphurantaM parivarjantaM paarshvena rudhirokShitam |
karuNan cha vinardaantaM dadR^ishuH kapayo ripum || 6-96-34
34. kapayaH= the monkeys; dadR^ishuH= saw; ripum= the enemy; rudhirokShitam= moistened with blood; parivartanam= turning to and from; sphurantam= as also throbbing; paarshvena= on his sides; vinardantam= and roaring; karuNam= piteously.
The monkeys saw their enemy, bathed in blood, turning to and from as also throbbing on his sides and roaring piteously.
tathaa tu tau sanyati samprayuktau |
tarasvinau vaanararaakShasaanaam |
balaarNavau sasvanatuH sabhImaM |
mahaarNavau dvaaviva bhinnavelau || 6-96-35
35. samprayuktau= confronting together; samyati= in the battle-field; tathaa= in that way; tarasvinau bhiimau= those two violent and terrific; balaarNavau= armies which were extensive as seas; raakShasaanaam= of monkeys and demons; sasvanatushcha= roared; dvau mahaarNavau iva= like two large oceans; bhinna setuu= which had burst their bounds.
Confronting together in the battle-field in that way, those two violent and terrific armies which were extensive as oceans, of monkeys and demons, roared like two large oceans which had burst their bounds.
vinaashitaM prekShya virUpanetraM |
mahaabalan tan haripaarthivena |
balan samastan kapiraakShasaanaam |
unmattaga~NgaapratimaM babhUva || 6-96-36
36. prekShya= beholding tam= that; mahaabalam= mighty; viruupanetram= virupaksha; vinaashitam= killed; haripaarthivena= by Sugreeva; balam= the army; kapiraakShasaanaam= of monkeys and demon; sametam= together; babhuuva= looked; udvR^itta gaN^gaapratimam= like the agitatd river of Ganga.
Beholding that mighty Virupaksha killed by Sugreeva, the army of monkeys and demons together looked like the agitated river of Ganga.
ityaarShe sriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye yuddhakaaNDe ShaNNavatitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 96th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© March 2009, K. M. K. Murthy