Chapter 53
Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
धूम्राक्षं निहतम् दृष्ट्वा रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः
क्रोधेन महताविष्टो निःश्वसन्नुरगो यथा
dhūmrākṣaṃ nihatam dṛṣṭvā rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ
krodhena mahatāviṣṭo niḥśvasannurago yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing the death of Dhumraksha, Ravana the King of demons was possessed of anger and began to hiss like a serpent. Polluted by anger, with long and burning sighs, he addressed the cruel and mighty Vajradamshtra, a demon (as follows)
गच्छत्वं वीर निर्याहि राक्षनैः परिवारितः
जहि दाशरथिं रामं सुग्रीवं वानरैः सह
gacchatvaṃ vīra niryāhi rākṣanaiḥ parivāritaḥ
jahi dāśarathiṃ rāmaṃ sugrīvaṃ vānaraiḥ saha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, warrior! Go ahead as the head of the demons and slay Rama the son of Dasaratha, as also Sugreeva and his monkeys!"
तथेत्युक्त्वा क्रुततरं मायावी राक्षसेश्वरः
निर्जगाम बलैः सार्थं बहुभिः परिवारितः
tathetyuktvā krutataraṃ māyāvī rākṣaseśvaraḥ
nirjagāma balaiḥ sārthaṃ bahubhiḥ parivāritaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"So it be" answered the leader of the demons who was a conjurer and departed with many divisions of the army that surrounded him. With the utmost attention, he assembled teams of elephants, horses mules camels and chariots adorning them with conspicuous flags and banners and he himself was well-prepared.
ततो विचित्रकेयूरमुकुटेन विभूषितः
तनुत्रं च समावृत्य सधनुर्निर्ययौ द्रुतम्
tato vicitrakeyūramukuṭena vibhūṣitaḥ
tanutraṃ ca samāvṛtya sadhanurniryayau drutam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Adorned with colourful bracelets and a diadem, Vajradamshtra set out immediately, wielding a bow and well-covered by an armour.
पताकालंकृतं दीप्तं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषितम्
रथम् प्रदक्षिणम् कृत्वा समारोहच्चमूपतिः
patākālaṃkṛtaṃ dīptaṃ taptakāñcanabhūṣitam
ratham pradakṣiṇam kṛtvā samārohaccamūpatiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That army-general circumambulated and ascended his chariot, duly decorated with flags and shiningly adorned with purpose.
यष्टिभिस्तोमरैश्चित्रैः श्लक्ष्लैश्च मुसलैरपि
भिन्दिपालैश्च चापैश्च शक्तिभिः पट्टिशैरपि
yaṣṭibhistomaraiścitraiḥ ślakṣlaiśca musalairapi
bhindipālaiśca cāpaiśca śaktibhiḥ paṭṭiśairapi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Infantry of every kind issued forth, furnished in their hands with weapons such as clubs, excellent javelins, smooth pestles, harpoons, bows, lances, spears, swords, discus, maces and sharp axes.
विचित्रवाससः सर्वे दीप्ता राक्षसपुङ्गवाः
गज मदोत्कटाः शूराश्चलन्त इव पर्वता
vicitravāsasaḥ sarve dīptā rākṣasapuṅgavāḥ
gaja madotkaṭāḥ śūrāścalanta iva parvatā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and coloured uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
ते युद्धकुशला रूढास्तोमराङ्कुवाः
अन्ये लक्षणसंयुक्ताः शूरारूढा महाबलाः
te yuddhakuśalā rūḍhāstomarāṅkuvāḥ
anye lakṣaṇasaṃyuktāḥ śūrārūḍhā mahābalāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and coloured uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
तद्राक्षसबलं सर्वं विप्रस्थितमशोभत
प्रावृट्काले यथा मेघा नर्दमानाः सविद्युतः
tadrākṣasabalaṃ sarvaṃ viprasthitamaśobhata
prāvṛṭkāle yathā meghā nardamānāḥ savidyutaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That whole army of demons paraded, looking as brilliant as the clouds, with lightning and sound in the rainy season. They emerged from the southern gate where the General Angada is stationed.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While those demons set forth, inauspicious portents appeared. From a cloudless yet burning sky, meteors fell. Fearful jackals, emitting their howls, belched forth flames and fire.
व्याहरन्त मृगा घोरा रक्षसां निधनं तदा
समापतन्तो योधास्तु प्रास्खलंस्तत्र दारुणम्
vyāharanta mṛgā ghorā rakṣasāṃ nidhanaṃ tadā
samāpatanto yodhāstu prāskhalaṃstatra dāruṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The dreadful beasts then foretold destruction of demons, who while entering the combat, stumbled miserably.
एतानौत्पातिकान् दृष्ट्वा वज्रदंष्ट्रो महाबलः
धैर्यमालम्ब्य तेजस्वी निर्जगाम रणोत्सुकः
etānautpātikān dṛṣṭvā vajradaṃṣṭro mahābalaḥ
dhairyamālambya tejasvī nirjagāma raṇotsukaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Ever after seeing these portents Vajradamshtra of exceeding prowess and sharpness, shored up courage and being fond of battle, set out for the combat.
तांस्तु निष्क्रमतो दृष्ट्वा वानरा जितकाशिनः
प्रणेदुः सुमहानादान् पूरयंश्च दिशो दशः
tāṃstu niṣkramato dṛṣṭvā vānarā jitakāśinaḥ
praṇeduḥ sumahānādān pūrayaṃśca diśo daśaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The monkeys, burning for victory, seeing their enemies advancing, made tremendous shouts which echoed every quarter.
ततः प्रवृत्तं तुमुलं हरीणां राक्षसैः सह
घोराणाम् भीमरूपाणामन्योन्यवधकान्क्षिणाम्
tataḥ pravṛttaṃ tumulaṃ harīṇāṃ rākṣasaiḥ saha
ghorāṇām bhīmarūpāṇāmanyonyavadhakānkṣiṇām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, a tumultuous battle ensured between the monkeys and the demons, who were cruel, of ferocious form and desirous of each other's destruction.
निष्पतन्तो महोत्साहा भिन्नदेहशोरोधराः
रुधिरोक्षितसर्वाङ्गा न्यपतन्धरणीतले
niṣpatanto mahotsāhā bhinnadehaśorodharāḥ
rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgā nyapatandharaṇītale
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Some warriors of great energy, coming for war, their necks, and bodies severed, fell to the surface of the earth, their entire bodies bathed in blood.
केचिदन्योन्यमासाद्य शूराः परिघपाणयः
चिक्षिपुर्विविधान् शस्त्रान्समरेष्वनिवर्तिनः
kecidanyonyamāsādya śūrāḥ parighapāṇayaḥ
cikṣipurvividhān śastrānsamareṣvanivartinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Some other warriors, who did not turn back in battle, with arms resembling steel, approached one another, attacking with various kinds of weapons.
द्रुमाणां च शिलानां च शस्त्राणां चापि निःस्वनः
श्रूयते सुमहांस्तत्र घोरो हृदयभेदनः
drumāṇāṃ ca śilānāṃ ca śastrāṇāṃ cāpi niḥsvanaḥ
śrūyate sumahāṃstatra ghoro hṛdayabhedanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
An extremely great and terrible noise, breaking the hearts, was heard there from trees, rocks and weapons.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
A terrific noise of the wheel-rims of chariots and the bow, along with the tumultuous sounds of couches, kettle-drums and tabours arose there.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Some demons, leaving weapons, performed battle with their arms. The demons were beaten and their bodies made fragmented by the monkeys of fighting arrogance, with their palms, feet, fists, trees and knees. Some demons were crushed to powder with rocks.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Tremendously frightening the monkeys in the battle by his arrows, Vajradamshtra moved himself in the battle-field like Yama the God of Death moving at the time of dissolution of the worlds, wielding a noose in his hand.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The strong demons skilled in weaponry and wielding various kinds of weapons, killed the army of monkeys in that battle, with their increased anger.
जघ्ने तान् राक्षसान् सर्वान् धृष्टो वालिसुतो रणे
jaghne tān rākṣasān sarvān dhṛṣṭo vālisuto raṇe
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The courageous Angada the son of Vali, twice possessed of anger, killed all those demons in the battle, like a world-destroying fire.
तान् राक्षसगणान् सर्वान्वऋक्षमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्
tān rākṣasagaṇān sarvānvaṛkṣamudyamya vīryavān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The valiant Angada with his raging red eyes lifted a tree and killed all those troop of demons, like a lion killing small animals. Angada, with his prowess resembling that of Indra the Lord of celestials, brought about a terrific destroyer of the enemies.
अङ्गदाभिहतास्तत्त राक्षसा भीमविक्रमाः
विभिन्नशिरसः पेतुर्निकृत्ता इव पादपाः
aṅgadābhihatāstatta rākṣasā bhīmavikramāḥ
vibhinnaśirasaḥ peturnikṛttā iva pādapāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The terribly strong demons, struck by Angada there, had their heads shattered and fell down like chopped off trees.
रथैश्चित्रैर्ध्यजैरश्वैः शरीर्हैररिरक्षसाम्
रुधिरौघेण संचन्ना भूमिर्भयकरा तदा
rathaiścitrairdhyajairaśvaiḥ śarīrhairarirakṣasām
rudhiraugheṇa saṃcannā bhūmirbhayakarā tadā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The earth then appeared fearful, it being covered with chariots, conspicuous flags, horses, bodies of monkeys and demons with streams of blood flowing there.
हारकेयूरवस्त्रैश्च चत्रैश्च समलम्कृता
भूमिर्भाति रणे तत्र शारदीव यथा निशा
hārakeyūravastraiśca catraiśca samalamkṛtā
bhūmirbhāti raṇe tatra śāradīva yathā niśā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That battle-field, decorated with necklaces, bracelets worn on upper arm, garments and umbrellas looked like an autumnal night.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये युद्ध काण्डे त्रिपञ्चशः सर्गः
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye yuddha kāṇḍe tripañcaśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
By the swiftness of Angada, that great army of demons there trembled then, like a cloud by the swiftness of wind.
