Yuddha Kanda — Sarga 78

निकुम्भं निहतं दृष्ट्वा कुम्भं च विनिपातितम्। रावणः परमामर्षी प्रजज्वालानलो यथा॥

Beholding Kumbha and Nikumbha slain, Rāvana was excited with ire like to flaming fire.

Yuddha Kanda 78.1

नैर्ऋतः क्रोधशोकाभ्यां द्वाभ्यां तु परिमूर्च्छितः। खरपुत्रं विशालाक्षं मकराक्षमचोदयत्॥ गच्छ पुत्र मयाज्ञप्तो बलेनाभिसमन्वितः। राघवं लक्ष्मणं चैव जहि तौ सवनौकसौ॥

Being beside himself, simultaneously with wrath and grief Rāvana* spoke to Makarāksa, Kahara's son, having spacious eyes, saying, O child, do you proceed at my command with the army and destroy Rāghava and Laksmana with all the monkeys. *Nairta is another name of Ravana.

Yuddha Kanda 78.2

रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शूरमानी खरात्मजः। बाढमित्यब्रवीद्धृष्टो मकराक्षो निशाचरम्॥ सोऽभिवाद्य दशग्रीवं कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्। निर्जगाम गृहाच्छुभ्राद्रावणस्याज्ञया बली ॥

Hearing the words of Rāvana, Khara's son, Makarākşa, proud of his own own prowess, delightedly spoke to the night-ranger, saying, “Be it so." And saluting and circumambulating the ten-necked one, that hero, at Ravana's behest, issued out of the house.

Yuddha Kanda 78.3

समीपस्थं बलाध्यक्षं खरपुत्रोऽब्रवीद्वचः। रथमानीयतां तूर्णं सैन्यं त्वानीयतां त्वरात्॥

Khara's son spoke to the commander who was near him, saying, “Do you speedily bring the chariot here and all the soldiers."

Yuddha Kanda 78.4

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा बलाध्यक्षो निशाचरः। स्यन्दनं च बलं चैव समीपं प्रत्यपादयत्॥

Hearing his words, that commanding nightranger, soon let before him the army and the chariot.

Yuddha Kanda 78.5

प्र.क्षेणं रथं कृत्वा समाहूय निशाचरः। संचोदयायास शीघ्रं वै रथमावह॥

And going round the chariot and addressing the charioteer that night-ranger (Makarāksa) said, O charioteer, do you soon drive the chariot.

Yuddha Kanda 78.6

अथ ताराक्षसान्सर्वान्मकराक्षोऽब्रवीदिदम्। यूयं सर्वे प्रयुध्यध्वं पुरस्तान्मम राक्षसाः॥

Thereat Makarākṣa addressed those Räkşasas, saying, O Raksasas! do you all fight before me.

Yuddha Kanda 78.7

अहं राक्षसराजेन रावणेन महात्मना। आज्ञप्तः समरे हन्तुं तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥

I have been commanded by the high-souled Rāvana, the lord of Räksasas, to slay both Rāma and Lakşmaņa in conflict.

Yuddha Kanda 78.8

अद्य रामं वधिष्यामि लक्ष्मणं च निशाचराः। शाखामृगं च सुग्रीवं वानरांश्च शरोत्तमैः॥

I shall slay to-day, O night-ranger, with my excellent arrows, Rama, Laksmana, Sugriva and all other monkeys.

Yuddha Kanda 78.9

अद्य शूलनिपातैश्च वानराणां महाचमूम्। प्रदहिष्यामि संप्राप्तां शुष्कन्धनमिवानलः॥

Like to fire consuming dry fuel, shall I today slay the host of monkeys with my darts.

Yuddha Kanda 78.10

मकराक्षस्य तच्छुत्वा वचनं ते निशाचराः। सर्वे नानायुधोपेता बलवन्तः समाहिताः॥

Hearing those words of Makarākşa, the mighty night-rangers, (addressed themselves for fight).

Yuddha Kanda 78.11

ते कामरूपिणः क्रूरा दंष्ट्रिणः पिङ्गलेक्षणः। मातंगा इव नर्दन्तो ध्वस्तकेशा भयावहाः॥ परिवार्य महाकाया महाकायं खरात्मजम्। अभिजघ्नुस्ततो हृष्टाश्चालयन्तो नभस्तलम्॥

They were armed with various weapons, cautious; assuming shapes at will, crooked, having fearful teeth, coppery eyes; roaring like elephants, having dishevelled hair and terrible. And encircling the huge-bodied son of Khara, those gigantic (Raksasas) began to proceed, delighted and moving the earth (with the weight of their persons).

Yuddha Kanda 78.12

शङ्खभेरीसहस्राणामाहतानां समन्ततः। क्ष्वेलितास्फोटितानां च तत्र शब्दो महानभूत्॥

There arose a terrible noise on all sides from the sound of conches, and thousands of bugles, and from the moving of the arms of the heroes.

Yuddha Kanda 78.13

प्रभ्रष्टोऽथ करात्तस्य प्रतोदः सारथेस्तदा। पपात सहसा दैवाद्ध्वजस्तस्य तु रक्षसः॥

And all on a sudden the reins slipped off (the hands of) the charioteer and the flag of the Råkşasas dropped down.

Yuddha Kanda 78.14

तस्य ते रथसंयुक्ता हया विक्रमवर्जिताः। चरणैराकुलैर्गत्वा दीनाः सास्रमुखा ययुः॥

The course of the steeds was thus slackened and they began to move slowly and poorly with their heads drooping down.

Yuddha Kanda 78.15

प्रवाति पवनस्तस्मिन्सपांसुः खरदारुणः। निर्याणे तस्य रौद्रस्य मकराक्षस्य दुर्मते॥

There blew a terribly rough wind mixed with dust when the fearfully wicked-minded Makaraksa's issued out for battle.

Yuddha Kanda 78.16

तानि दृष्ट्वा निमित्तानि राक्षसा वीर्यवत्तमाः। अचिन्त्य निर्गताः सर्वे यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥

Those powerful Rākşasas neglecting those bad omens proceeded towards where Rāma and Laksmana were.

Yuddha Kanda 78.17

घनगजमहिषाङ्गतुल्यवर्णा समरमुखेष्वसकृद्गदासिभिन्नाः। अहमहमिति युद्धकौशलास्ते स्जनिचराः परिबभ्रमुर्मुहुस्ते॥

They were all black like to clouds, elephants and buffaloes, and had marks of swords and maces on their persons. And all those nightrangers were skilled in the art of warfare and began to range to and fro (in the battle field) saying, “I shall to first.”

Yuddha Kanda 78.18