Yuddha Kanda — Sarga 55

वज्रदंष्ट्र हतं श्रुत्वा वालिपुत्रेण रावणः। बलाध्यक्षमुवाचेदं कृताञ्जलिमुपस्थितम्॥

Hearing Vajradanștra slain by the son of Vāli, Rāvaņa said to the general of his forces, standing before him with joined hands,

Yuddha Kanda 55.1

शीघ्रं निर्यान्तु दुर्धर्षा राक्षसा भीमविक्रमाः। अकम्पनं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदम्॥

Let invincible Rākşasas of dreadful prowess, march forth, placing before them Akampana, skilled in all weapons and arms.

Yuddha Kanda 55.2

एष शास्ता च गोप्ता च नेता च युधि सत्तमः। भूतिकामश्च मे नित्यं नित्यं च समरप्रियः॥

He is capable of chastising foes as well as of protecting his own and leading them; and he is excellent in warfare. And he is always desirous of my prosperity, and always love warfare.

Yuddha Kanda 55.3

एष जेष्यति काकुत्स्थौ सुग्रीवं च महाबलम्। वानरांश्चापरान्धोरान्हनिष्यति न संशयः॥

He will conquer the Kākutsthas, as well as sugrīva endowed with exceeding strength, and, without doubt, slay all the other dreadful monkeys.

Yuddha Kanda 55.4

परिगृह्य स तमाज्ञां रावणस्य महाबलः। बलं संप्रेषयामास तदा लघुपराक्रमः॥

Taking Rāvana's command, that highly powerful one endowed with fleet vigour, marshalled those forces.

Yuddha Kanda 55.5

ततो नानाप्रहरणा भीमाक्षा भीमदर्शनाः। निष्पेतू राक्षसा मुख्या बलाध्यक्षप्रचोदिताः॥

Then equipped with various arms, the foremost of Rākşasas, having dreadful eyes (in their heads, and of dreadful forms, marched forth, urged on by their general.

Yuddha Kanda 55.6

रथमास्थाय विपुलं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणम्। मेघाभो मेघवर्णश्च मेघस्वनमहास्वनः॥ राक्षसैः संवृतो घोरैस्तदा निर्यात्यकम्पनः।

Ascending a large car, adorned with burnished gold, Akampana, possessed of the splendour of clouds,* and cloud-hued, and furnished with a voice resembling the roar of clouds, went out, environed by Rākașasas of terrific forms. *There is a pun here on the word Akampana-lit.one incapable of being shaken.

Yuddha Kanda 55.7

नहि कम्पयितुं शक्यः सुरैरपि महामृधे।।।।। अकम्पनस्ततस्तेषामादित्य इव तेजसा।

Akampana, resembling the sun in power, was incapable of being shaken in fight by the very gods, and of being beheld by them. 1. Possessed of a person measuring, according to the commentator, a mass of clouds. I give the apparent sense, which answers. 2. Monkeys.

Yuddha Kanda 55.8

तस्य निर्धावमानस्य संरब्धस्य युयुत्सया॥ अकस्मादैन्यमागच्छद्धयानां रथवाहिनाम्।

And as, burning for battle, he rushed out in wrath, the steeds drawing his car suddenly lost their energy.

Yuddha Kanda 55.9

विस्फुरन्नयनं चास्य सव्यं युद्धाभिनन्दिनः॥ विवर्णो मुखवर्णश्च गद्गदश्चाभवत्स्वनः।

The left eye of that one delighting in encounter, began to throb. And his continence grew pale, and his voice faltered.

Yuddha Kanda 55.10

अभवत्सुदिने काले दुर्दिनं रूक्षमारुतम्॥ ऊचुः खगमृगाः सर्वे वाचः क्रूरा भयावहाः।

In a fair day, it looked foul with the wind breathing roughly. And fierce and frightful beasts and birds began to emit cries.

Yuddha Kanda 55.11

सिंहोपचितस्कन्धः शार्दूलसमविक्रमः॥ तानुत्पातानचिन्त्यैव निर्जगाम रणाजिरम्।

That lion-shouldered one like a tiger in prowess, without heeding these ominous occurrences, marched forth into the field.

Yuddha Kanda 55.12

तथा निर्गच्छतस्तस्य रक्षसः सह राक्षसैः॥ बभूव सुमहानादः क्षोभयन्निव सागरम्।

As that Rākşasa was setting out along with the Rākṣasas, he set up mighty roars as if agitating the deep.

Yuddha Kanda 55.13

तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ता वानराणां महाचमूः॥ दुमशैलप्रहाराणां योद्धं समुपतिष्ठताम्। तेषां युद्धं महारौद्रं संजज्ञे कपिरक्षसाम्॥ रामरावणयोरर्थे समभित्यक्तदेहिनः । सर्वे ह्यतिबलाः शूराः सर्वे पर्वतसंनिभाः॥

The mighty army of monkeys was seized with trepidation at that sound. And then there took place a mighty encounter of the Rākṣasas and the monkeys equipped staying in fight with trees and rocks, who had given up all concern for their selves in behalf of Rāma and Rävaņa.

Yuddha Kanda 55.14

हरयो राक्षसाश्चैव परस्परजिघांसया। तेषां विनर्दतां शब्दः संयुगेऽतितरस्विनाम्॥ शुश्राव सुमहान्कोपादन्योन्यमभिगर्जताम्।

And each side desirous of slaying the other, the monkeys and the Raksasas were exceedingly strong and heroic and like to mountains. And each party storming at the other, in that conflict were heard loud cries emitted by those swiftspeeding ones in anger.

Yuddha Kanda 55.15

रजश्चारुणवर्णाभं सुभीममभवद्भृशम्॥ उद्धृतं हरिरक्षोभिः संरुरोध दिशो दश।

And fearful was the dust red-hued that was raised incessantly by the monkeys and the Rākṣasa; and it enveloped the ten cardinal points.

Yuddha Kanda 55.16

अन्योन्यं रजसा तेन कौशेयोद्धतपाण्डुना ॥ संवृतानि च भूतानि ददृशुर्न रणाजिरे।

In the field of battle, each enveloped with that dust raised, pale as silk, could not be discovered by the other.

Yuddha Kanda 55.17

न ध्वजो न पताका वा चर्म वा तुरगोऽपि वा॥ आयुधं स्यन्दनो वापि ददृशे तेन रेणुना।

In consequence of that dust arising, neither standard, nor ensign, nor shield, nor steed, nor weapon, nor car could be seen.

Yuddha Kanda 55.18

शब्दश्च सुमहांस्तेषां नर्दतामभिधावताम्॥ श्रूयते तुमुलो युद्धे न रूपाणि चकाशिरे।

The fierce cries alone of those roaring and rushing were heard in that dreadful battle; but their forms were not visible to the sight.

Yuddha Kanda 55.19

हरीनेव सुसंरुष्टा हरयो जघ्नुराहवे॥ राक्षसा राक्षसांश्चापि निजघ्नुस्तिमिरे तदा।

In that conflict in the dark then monkeys extremely enraged slew monkeys, and Räkşasas also killed the Rākşasas.

Yuddha Kanda 55.20

ते परांश्च विनिघ्नन्तः स्वांश्च वानरराक्षसाः॥ रुधिराज् तदा चक्कुर्महीं पङ्कानुलेपनाम्।

And monkeys and Rākşasas slaying (indiscriminately) friends and foes, made the earth wet with blood, and miry.

Yuddha Kanda 55.21

ततस्तु रुधिरौघेण सिक्तं ह्यपगतं रजः॥ शरीरशवसंकीर्णा बभूव च वसुंधरा।

Then with showers of blood the dust was layed; and the earth was covered with corpses.

Yuddha Kanda 55.22

दुमशक्तिगदाप्रासैः शिलापरिघतोमरैः॥ राक्षसा हरयस्तूर्णं जघ्नुरन्योन्यमोजसा। बाहुभिः परिघाकारैर्युध्यन्तः पर्वतोपमान्॥ हरयो भीमकर्माणो राक्षसाञ्जघ्नुराहवे।

Rākşasas and monkeys fast slew each other vigorously with trees and darts, maces and prasas, rocks, bludgeons and Tomaras, and by means of their arms resembling bludgeons, coped with their adversaries appearing like hills.

Yuddha Kanda 55.23

राक्षसास्त्वभिसंक्रुद्धाः प्रासतोमरपाणयः॥ कपीनिजनिरे तत्र शस्त्रैः परमदारुणैः।

And in the encounter monkeys slew Rākşasas of dreadful deeds. And in their turn Rākşasas, wrought up with passion, bearing in their hands prāśas and tomaras destroyed monkeys wielding dire arms.

Yuddha Kanda 55.24

अकम्पनः सुसंक्रुद्धो राक्षसानां चमूपतिः॥ संहर्षयति तान्सर्वान्राक्षसान्भीमविक्रमान्।

That leader of the force-Akampana-growing wroth, inspired with cheerfulness all the Rāks asas endowed with dreadful vigour.

Yuddha Kanda 55.25

हरयस्त्वपि रक्षांसि महादुममहाश्मभिः॥ विदारयन्त्यभिक्रम्य शस्त्राण्याच्छिद्य वीर्यतः।

And the monkeys forcibly snatching away the weapons (of the Rākşasas), began to rive the Rákşasas with mighty trees and giant crags.

Yuddha Kanda 55.26

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरा हरयः कुमुदो नलः॥ मैन्दश्च परमक्रुद्धश्चक्रुर्वेगमनुत्तमम्।

In the meanwhile those heroes among the monkeys-Kumuda, Nīla and the exceedingly exasperated Mainda, summoned the utmost impetuosity they were masters of.

Yuddha Kanda 55.27

ते तु वृक्षैर्महावीरा राक्षसानां चमूमुखे।॥ कदनं सुमहच्चनुर्लीलया हरिपुंगवाः। ममन्थू राक्षसान्सर्वे नानाप्रहरणैर्भृशम्॥

And those foremost of monkeys and redoubtable able warriors without much ado began to spread quite a carnage in the van of the Rākşasa army, and by means of various arms terribly beat the Rākşasas.

Yuddha Kanda 55.28