Book VI : Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
Ravana sends Mahodara to the battle-field. Mahodara creates havoc, by cutting off the hands, feet and thighs of monkeys. Some monkeys seek refuge with Sugreeva and some ran away for life. Sugreeva attacks Mahodara and initially kills the horses of the latter. Both of them fight till the weapons in their hands get broken. Then, they start wrestling with each other, till they get exhausted. Finally, Sugreeva cuts off Mahodara's head with a huge sword. |
hanyamAne bale tUrNamanyonyan te mahAmR^idhe |
sarasIva mahAgharme sUpakShINe babhUvatuH ||6-97-1
1. bale= those two armies; hanyamaane= being killed; anyonyam= by each another; mahaamR^idhe= in that major battle; babhuuvatuH= became; suupakShiiNe= diminished very much; tuurNam= quickly; sarasiiva= like two lakes; (diminishing); mahaagharme= in a severe summer.
Being killed by each other in that major battle, those two armies were very much diminished soon, like two lakes in a severe summer.
svabalasya vighAtena virUpAkShavadhena cha |
babhUva dviguNan kruddho rAvaNo rAkShasAdhipaH ||6-97-2
2. raavaNaH= Ravana; raakShasaadhipaH= the lord of demons; babhuuva= became; dviguNam= doubly; kruddhaH= enraged; ghaatena= because of the destroyal; svabalasya= of his own army; viruupaakShena vadhena= and the fall of Virupaksha.
Ravana the lord of demons got doubly enraged because of the destroyal of his own army and the fall of Virupaksha.
prakShINan tu balaM dR^iShTvA vadhyamAnan valImukhaiH |
babhUvAsya vyathA yuddhe prekShya daivaviparyayam ||6-97-3
3. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; svabalam= his own army; prakShiiNam= diminished; vadhyamaanam= after having been killed; valiimukhaiH= by the monkeys; yuddhe= in the battle; dR^iShTvaa= and seeing; daivaviparyam= the reversal of his fate; vyathaa= restlessness; babhuuva= came; asya= to him.
He felt restless to find his own army diminished while being killed by the monkeys and to see the reversal of his fate.
uvAcha cha samIpasthaM mahodaramarindamam |
asminkAle mahAbAho jayAshA tvayi me sthitA ||6-97-4
4. uvaacha= (He) spoke; mahodaram= to Mahodara; arimdamam= the annihilator of enemies; samiipastham= who was standing nearby (as follows): mahaabaaho= O the long armed!; asmin kaale= at this juncture; me jayaashaa= my hope for victory; tvayi sthitaa= lies in you.
He spoke to Mahodara, the annihilator of enemies, standing beside him (as follows): "O the long-armed! At this juncture, my hope for victory is centered in you."
jahi shatruchamUn vIra darshayAdya parAkramam |
bhartR^ipiNDasya kAloayaM nirveShTun sAdhu yudhyatAm ||6-97-5
5. viira= O the brave demon!; jahi= destroy; shatruchamuum= the army of our enemies!; darshaya= show; paraakramam= your prowess; adya= now!; ayam= this; kaalaH= is the time; nirveShTum= to repay the debt; bhartR^ipiN^Dasya= of your master (in the form of subsistence received from him); yudhyataam= fight; saadhu= well.
"O the brave demon! Destroy the army of our enemies. Show your prowess now. This is the time to repay the debt of your master (received in the form of sustenance from him). Fight well."
evamuktastathetyuktvA rAkShasendraM mahodaraH |
praviveshArisenAn sa pata~Nga iva pAvakam ||6-97-6
6. evam= thus; uktaH= spoken; mahodaraH= Mahodara; raakShasendraH= the chief of demons; uktvaa= uttering; tathaa iti= "So it be"; pravivesha= entered; taam arisenam= that army of enemies; pataN^gaH iva= as a moth; (rushed into); paavakam= a flame.
Hearing the words of Ravana, Mahodara the chief of demons saying "So it be”, penetrated into the army of enemies, as a moth rushed into a flame.
tataH sa kadanan chakre vAnarANAM mahAbalaH |
bhartR^ivAkyena tejasvI svena vIryeNa choditaH ||6-97-7
7. choditaH= incited; bhartR^ivaakyena= by the words of ihs master; saH mahaabalaH= that mighty demon; tejasvii= with full of energy; kadanam chakre= destroyed; vaanaraaNaam= the monkeys; svena viiryeNa= by dint of his own valour.
Emboldened by the words of his master, that mighty demon, with full of energy, destroyed the monkeys by dint of his own valour.
vaanaraashcha mahaasattvaH pragR^ihya vipulaaH shilaaH |
pravishyaaribalaM bhiimaM jaghnaste sarvaraakShasaan ||6-97-8
8. te= those; mahaasattvaaH= highly strong; vaanaraashcha= monkeys too; parigR^ihya= taking hold of vipulaaH shilaaH= huge rocks; pravishya= and penetrating; bhiimam aribalam= the terrific army of enemies; jaghmuH= killed; sarva raakShasaan= all the demons.
Taking hold of huge rocks and penetrating the terrific army of enemies, those highly strong monkeys too started killing all the demons.
mahodaraH susaMkruddhaH sharaiH kaajJNchanabhuuShaNaiH |
chichcheda paaNipaadoru vaanaraaNaaM mahaahave ||6-97-9
9. mahaahave= in that great battle; susamkruddhaH= the highly enraged; mahodaraH= Mahodara; sharaiH= with his arrows; kaaNchana bhuuShaNaiH= decked in gold; chichchheda= chopped off; paaNi paadoru= the hands, feet and thighs; vaanaraaNaam= of the monkeys.
In that great battle, the highly enraged Mahodara, with his arrows decked in gold, chopped off the hands, feet and thighs of monkeys.
tataste vaanaraaH sarve raakShasairarditaa bhR^isham |
disho dasha drutaaH kechitkechitsugriivamaashritaaH ||6-97-10
10. tataH= then; (among) sarve= all; te vaanaraaH= those monkeys; arditaaH= tormented; bhR^isham= very much; raakShasaiH= by the demons; kechit= some; drutaaH= ran away; dashadishaH= into ten directions; kechit= some; aashritaaH= sought refuge; sugriivam= with Sugreeva.
Then, among all those monkeys who were tormented by the demons, some ran away into ten directions. Some others sought refuge with Sugreeva.
prabhagnAn samare dR^iShTvA vAnarANAM mahAchamUm |
abhidudrAva sugrIvo mahodaramanantaram ||6-97-11
11. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; mahaabalam= the large army; vaanaraaNaam= of monkeys; prabhagnam= being defeated; samare= in battle; sugreevaH= Sugreeva; abhidudraava= rushed towards; mahodaram= Mahodara; rushed towards; mahodaram= Mahodara; anantaram= who was immediately close to him.
Seeing the large army of monkeys defeated in the battle, Sugreeva rushed towards Mahodara who was immediately close to him.
pragR^ihya vipulAn ghorAM mahIdhara samAn shilAm |
chikShepa cha mahAtejAstadvadhAya harIshvaraH ||6-97-12
12. pragR^ihya= seizing old of; shilaam= a rock; ghoraam= which was terrific; vipulaam= large; mahiidhara samaam= and equal in size to a mountain; hariishvaraH= Sugreeva; mahaatejaaH= who was endowed with a great energy; chikShepa= hurled it; tadvadhaaya= for killing him.
Seizing hold of a large and terrific rock, which looked like a mountain, Sugreeva who was endowed with a great energy, hurled it with an aim to kill the demon.
tAmApatantIn sahasA shilAn dR^iShTvA mahodaraH |
asambhrAntastato bANairnirbibheda durAsadAm ||6-97-13
13. dR^iShTvaa= seeing; taam shilaam= that rock; aapatantiim= falling; sahasaa= suddenly; mahodaraH= Mahodara; tataH= then; asambhraantaH= unagtated; nirbibheda= tore it; baaNaiH= with his arrows; duraasadaam= though it was difficult to approach.
Seeing that rock falling suddenly, Mahodara, then unagitated, tore it with his arrows, though it was difficult to approach.
rakShasA tena bANaughairnikR^ittA sA sahasradhA |
nipapAta shilAbhUmau gR^idhrachakramivAkulam ||6-97-14
14. saa= that rock; nikR^ittaa= broken; sahasradhaa= to a thousand pieces; tena rakShasaa= by that demon; baaNaughaiH= with a multitude of his arrows; tadaa= forthwith; nipapaata= fell down; bhuumau= on earth; aaknean gR^idhrachakramiva= like a flock of frightened vultures.
That rock, broken to a thousand pieces by that demon with a multitude of his arrows, forthwith fell down on earth, like a flock of frightened vultures.
tAn tu bhinnAn shilAM dR^iShTvA sugrIvaH krodhamUrchhitaH |
sAlamutpATya chikShepa rakShase raNamUrdhani ||6-97-15
15. krodhamurchchhitaH= filled with rage; dR^iShTyaa= on seeing; taam shilaam= that rock; bhinnaam= broken; utpaaTya= and uprooting; saalam= a Sala tree; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; chikShepa= hurled it; saH= Mahodara; tam chichchheda= chopped it off naikadhaa= into many pieces.
Filled with rage on seeing that rock broken and uprooting a Sala tree, Sugreeva hurled it at his enemy and Mahodara chopped it off into many pieces.
sharaishcha vidadArainan shUraH parapura~njayaH |
sa dadarsha tataH kruddhaH parighaM patitaM bhuvi ||6-97-16
16. shuuraH= the valiant Mahodara; parabalaardanaH= who torments hostile forces; vidadaara= lacerated; enam= Sugreeva; sharaiH= with his arrows; saH kruddhaH= that enraged Sugreeva; tataH= then; dadarsha= saw; parigham= an iron rod; patitam= fallen; bhuvi= on the ground.
The valiant Mahodara, who was the tormentator of hostile forces, lacerated Sugreeva with his arrows. That enraged Sugreeva then saw an iron rod on the ground.
Avidhya tu sa tan dIptaM parighaM tasya darshayan |
parighAgreNa vegena jaghAnAsya hayottamAn ||6-97-17
17. aavidhya= Swinging; tam diiptam parigham= that flashing iron rod; darshayan= and showing it; tasya= to him; saH= Sugreeva; jaghaana= killed; asya hayottamaan= the excellent horses of Mahodara; parigheNa= with that iron rod; ugravegena= of terrible speed.
Swinging that flashing iron rod and showing it to him, Sugreeva killed the excellent horses of Mahodara with that iron rod of terrible speed.
tasmAddhatahayAdvIraH soavaplutya mahArathAt |
gadAn jagrAha sa~Nkruddho rAkShasoatha mahodaraH ||6-97-18
18. avaplutya= jumping down; tasmaat mahaarathaat= from that huge chariot; hatahayaat= whose horses had been killed; saH viiraH= that valiant; mahodaraH= mahodara; raakShasaH= the demon; atha= thereupon; jagraaha= seized hold; gadaam= of a mace; kruddhaH= with anger.
Jumping down from that huge chariot, whose horses had been killed, that valiant Mahodara the demon, thereupon seized hold of a mace with anger.
gadAparighahastau tau yudhi vIrau samIyatuH |
nardantau govR^iShaprakhyau ghanAviva savidyutau ||6-97-19
19. gadaa parigha hastau= with a mace and an iron hand respectively in their hands; nardantau= and roaring; govR^iSha prakhyau= like two bulls; ghanaaviva= and resembling two clouds; savidyutau= charged with lightning; tau viirau= those two heroes; samiiyatuH= closed in; yudhi= for a battle.
With a mace and an iron road respectively in their hands and roaring like two bulls and resembling like two clouds charged with lightning, those two heroes closed in for a battle.
tataH kruddho gadaaM tasya chikShepa rajaniicharaH |
jvalantiiM bhaaskaraabhaasaaM sugriivaaya mahodaraH ||97-6-20
20. mahodaraH= Mahodara; rajaniicharaH= the demon; kruddhaH= was angry; tasya= with Sgureeva; tataH= and thereupon; chikShepa= hurled; jvalantiim gadaam= a blazing to mace; bhaskraabhaasaam= wich sone like the sun; sugroovaaya= on Sugreeva.
Mahodara the demon was angry with Sgureeva and thereupon hurled his blazing mace, which shone like the sun, on Sugreeva.
gadaaM taaM sumahaaghoraamaapatantiiM mahaabalaH |
sugriivo roShataamraakShaH samudyamya mahaahave ||6-97-21
AjaghAna gadAn tasya parigheNa harIshvaraH |
papAta sa gadodbhinnaH parighastasya bhUtale ||6-97-22
21, 22. taam sumahaaghoraam gadaam= (Seeing) that highly terrific mace; aapatantiim= falling (on him); mahaahave= in that great battle; mahaabalah= the mighty; sugiivaH= Sugreeva; hariishvaraH= the king of monkeys; roShataamraakShaH= was enraged with red eyes; aajaghaana= and struck; tasya gadaam= his mace; parigheNa samudyamya= lifting up the iron rod; tasya parighaH= that iron rod; gadodbhinnaH= broke off; papaata= and fell; bhuutale= on the floor.
Seeing that highly terrible mace, falling on him in that great battle, the mighty Sugreeva, the King of monkeys, was enraged with red eyes and struck that mace, by lifting up the iron rod. That iron rod broke off and fell on the ground.
tato jagrAha tejasvI sugrIvo vasudhAtalAt |
AyasaM musalan ghoran sarvato hemabhUShitam ||6-97-23
23. tataH= thereupon; tejasvii= the spirited; sugriiivaH= Sugreeva; jagraaha= took hold; ghoram aayasam musalam= of a formidable steel club; sarvatah hema bhuuShitam= entirely decked with gold; vasudhaatalaat= from the earth-surface.
Thereupon, the spirited Sugreeva took hold of a formidable steel club, entirely decked with gold, from the earth-surface.
sa tamudyamya chikShepa so.apyasya praakShipadgadaam |
bhinnAvanyonyamAsAdya petatustau mahiitale ||6-97-24
24. udyamya= lifting; tam= that steel club; saH= Sugreeva; chikShepa= hurled (it); saH.api= Mahodara too; praakShipat= hurled; gadaam= (another) mace; asya= on him; tau= those two weapons; anyonyam aasaadya= clashing each other; bhinnau= were broken; petatuH= and fell; mahiitale= on the floor.
Lifting that steel club, Sugreeva hurled it. Mahodara too hurled another mace on him. Those two weapons, clashing each other, broke and fell on the floor.
tato bhinnapraharaNau muShTibhyaan tau samiiyatuH |
tejo balasamAviShTau dIptAviva hutAshanau ||6-97-25
25. bhinna praharaNau= with their weapons broken; tau= the two warriors; tejobala samaaviShTaa= who were endowed with spirit and strength; diiptau hutaashanau iva= resembling two blazing fires; samiiyatau= contended; muShTibhyaam= with their fists.
As all their weapons were broken, those two warriors, who were endowed with spirit and strength, resembling two blazing fires, started contending with fists.
jaghnatustau tadAnyonyaM nedatushcha punaH punaH |
talaishchAnyonyamAhatya petaturdharaNItale ||6-97-26
26. punaH punaH= time and again; nadantau= roaring; tau= those two warriors; tadaa= then; jaghnatuH= banged; tadaa= then; jaghnatuH= banged; anyonyam= each other; aahatya= slapping anyonyam= each other; talaiH= with their palms; petatuH= (they) rolled; mahiitale= on the earth's surface.
Roaring again and again, those two warriors then banged each other. Slapping each other with their palms, they rolled on the earth's surface.
utpetatustatastUrNan jaghnatush cha parasparam |
bhujaishchikShepaturvIrAvanyonyamaparAjitau ||6-97-27
27. utpetatuH= they raised; tuurNam= quickly; tadaa= and then; jaghnatuH= began to strike; parasparam= each other; aparaajitaH= remaining unyielded; viirau= the two heroes; chikShipatuH= pushed; anyonyam= each other; bhujaiH= on their shoulders.
They raised quickly on their feet and then began to strike each other. Remaining unyielded, the two heroes pushed each other on their shoulders.
jagmutustau shramaM viirau baahuyuddhe paaMtapau |
jahaara cha tadaa khagDamaduuraparivartinam ||6-97-28
raakShasashcharmaNaa sArdhaM mahAvego mahodaraH |
28. tau viirau= those two heroes; paramtapau= the annihilators of their enemies; jagmatuH shramam= felt exhausted; baahuyuddhe= in the course of their wrestling; tadaa= then; mahaavegaH= the highly fast; mahodaraH= Mahodara; raakShasaH= the demon; jahaara= took; khaDgam= a sword; charmaNaasaardham= along with a shield; aduuraparivartinam= lying not very far.
Those two heroes, the annihilators their enemies, felt exhausted in the course of their wrestling. Then the highly fast Mahodara the demon took hold of a sword and a shield, lying not very far.
tathaiva cha mahAkhaDgan charmaNA patitan saha ||6-97-29
jagrAha vAnarashreShThaH sugrIvo vegavattaraH |
29. tathaiva= in the same way; vegavattaraH= the highly swift; sugriivaH= Sugreeva; vaanara shreShThaH= the foremost of monkeys; jagraaha= took hold; mahaakhaDgam= of a large sword; charmaNaa saha= along with a shield; tatitam= lying (there).
In the same way, the highly swift Sugreeva the foremost of monkeys took hold of a large sword together with a shield, lying there.
tau tu roShaparItA~Ngau nardantAvabhyadhAvatAm ||6-97-30
udyatAsI raNe hR^iShTau yudhi shastravishAradau |
30. tataH= thereupon; (those two warriors) shastra vishaaradau= who were skilled in the use of weaponry; raNe= in the battle-field, roShapariitaaN^gau= and whose limbs were seized with aner; abhyadhaavataam= galloped forward; nadantau= roaring; hR^iShTau= with joy; udyataasii= with their swords upraised.
Thereupon, those two warriors, who were skilled in the use of weaponry in the battle-field and whose limbs were seized with anger, galloped forward, roaring with joy, with their swords upraised.
dakShiNaM maNDalan chobhau tau tUrNan samparIyatuH ||6-97-31
anyonyamabhisa~Nkruddhau jaye praNihitAvubhau |
31. praNihitau= with their thoughts concentrated on one point; jaye= of victory; ubhau= both of them; abhisamkruddhau= were enraged with; anyonyam= each other; sampariiyatuH= and performed; dakShiNam maN^Dalam= circumambulations from left to right; sutuurNam= very quickly.
With their thoughts concentrated on one point of victory, both the warriors were enraged with each other and performed circumambulations form left to right, very quickly.
sa tu shUro mahAvego vIryashlAghI mahodaraH ||6-97-32
mahAcharmaNi tan khaDgaM pAtayAmAsa durmatiH |
32. saH shuuraH durmatiH mahodaraH= that valiat and evil-minded Mahodara; viiryashlaaghii= who was boasting of his own prowess; mahaavegaH= with very high speed; paatayaamaasa= let fall; tam= that; khaD^gam= sword; mahaacharmaNi= on the heavy shield (of Sugreeva).
That valiant and evil-minded Mahodara, who was boasting of his own prowess, let fall with very high speed, that sword on the heavy shield of Sugreeva.
lagnamutkarShataH khaDgan khaDgena kapiku~njaraH ||6-97-33
jahAra sashirastrANan kuNDalopahitan shiraH |
33. utkarShataH= even while Mahodara was extracting; khaD^gam= his sword; lagnam= which had got struck in the shield; kapikuN^jaraH= Sugreeva; jahaara= severed; khaD^gena= with his own sword; shiraH mahodara's head; kuN^Dalopagatam= which was adorned with ear-rings; sashirastraaNam= and helmet.
Even while Mahodara was extracting his sword which had got struck in the shield, Sugreeva severed with his own sword, Mahodara's head, which was adorned with ear-rings and helmet.
nikR^ittashirasastasya patitasya mahItale ||6-97-34
tadbalan rAkShasendrasya dR^iShTvA tatra na tiShThati |
34. tasa= (While) Mahodara; nikR^ittshiraH= with his head chopped off; patitasya= was falling; mahiitale= on the ground; raakShasendrasya= Ravana's balam= army; dR^iShTya= on seeing; tat= it; na dR^ishyate= could no longer be seen; tatra= there.
While Mahodara, with his head chopped off, was falling on the ground, Ravana's army, on seeing it, could no longer be seen on the battle-field.
hatvA tan vAnaraiH sArdhaM nanAda mudito hariH ||6-97-35
chukrodha cha dashagrIvo babhau hR^iShTashcha rAghavaH |
35. hatvaa= having killed; tam= Mahodara; hariH= Sugreeva; nanaada muditaH= made a rejoicing roar; vaanaraiH saardham= with his monkeys; dashagriivaH= Ravana; chukrodha cha= was enraged; raaghavashcha= Rama; babhau hR^iShTaH= looked rejoicing.
Having killed Mahodara, Sugreeva made a rejoicing roar with his monkeys. Ravana was enraged. Rama looked rejoicing.
viShaNNavadanaaH sarve raakShasaa diinachetasaH ||6-97-36
vidravanti tataH sarve bhayavitrastachetasaH |
36. viShaNNa vadanaah= with their faces looking low-spirited; sarve raakShasaaH= all the demons; diinachetasaH= felt dejected; bhayavitrasta chetasaH= with their minds stricken with fear; sarve= all of them; vidravanti= ran away; tataH= from the battle-field.
With their faces looking low-spirited all the demons felt dejected. With their minds stricken with fear, all of them ran away from the battle-field.
mahodaraM taM vinipaatya bhuumau |
mahaagireH kiirNamivaikadesham |
suuryaatmajastatra raraaja lakShmyaa |
suuryaH svatejobhirivaapradhR^iShyaH ||6-97-37
37. vinipaatya= having thrown down; bhuumau= to the ground; tam mahodaram= that Mahodara; ekadesham iva= looking like a part; mahaagireH= of a huge mountain; kiirNam lying shattered; apradhR^iShyaH= the invincible; suuryaatmajaH= Sugreeva; raraaja= shone; lakShmyaa= in glory; tatra= there; suuryaH iva= like the sun; svatejobhiH= shines with its rays.
Having thrown down to the ground that Mahodara, looking like a part of a huge mountain lying shattered the invincible Sugreeva shone in glory in the battle-field like the sun shines with its rays.
atha vijayamavaapya vaanarendraH |
samaramukhe surasiddhayakShasaMghaiH |
avanitalagataishcha bhuutasaMghai |
rharuShasamaakulitairniriikShyamaaNaH ||6-97-38
38. aavaapya= having attained; vijayam= victory; samaramukhe= in the battle-front; vaanarendraH= Sugreeva; atha= then; niriikShyamaaNah= continued to be looked at; surasiddhe yakShasamghaiH= by the multitude of gods, Siddhas (a class of demi-gods who are endowed with mystic powers) and Yakshas (another class of demi-gods attending upon Kubera, the god of riches) bhuutasamghaiH cha= as also a multitude of beings; avanitalagaiH= standing on the earth's surface; haruShasamaakulitaiH= who were all overwhelmed with joy.
Having attained victory in the battle-front, Sugreeva then continued to be looked at by the multitude of gods, Siddhas (a class of demigods who are endowed with mystic powers) and Yakshas (another class of demigods attending on Kubera, the god of riches) as also a host of beings standing on the earth's surface who were all overwhelmed with joy.
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye saptanavatitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 97th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© March 2009, K. M. K. Murthy