Uttara Kanda, Sarga 14

Meaning

“Accompanied and surrounded by his six ministers—Mahodara and Prahasta, Mārīca, Śuka, Sāraṇa and the hero Dhūmrākṣa, who ever thirsted for battle the glorious Rāvaṇa, who was always proud of his might, set out as if to consume the worlds with his anger. (1-2)

Meaning

“Marching across cities, rivers, hills, forests and groves, he reached Mount Kailāsa in an hour or so. (3)

Meaning

“Hearing of the wicked king of the Rākṣasas encamped on the mountain with his ministers, eager for battle and active, the Yakṣas were unable to make a stand against the ogre, knowing that he was a brother of the lord of wealth, they sought the abode of the latter. (4-5)

Meaning

“Going to him, they told him all about the intentions of his brother. Permitted by the lord of wealth, they set out joyously to give battle. (6)

Meaning

“Then there arose an excitement in the forces of the king of the Nairṛtas. It was like the agitation of the sea and it seemed to shake the hill. (7)

Meaning

“Between the Yakṣas and the Rākṣasas then started a thick fight in which the said ministers of the Rākṣasa felt alarmed. (8)

Meaning

“Seeing his army in that plight, the Rākṣasa, Daśagrīva, rushed out in anger raising many shouts of encouragement. (9)

Meaning

“The ministers of the king of the Rākṣasas were terribly valiant. Each one of them for his part fought with a thousand Yakṣas. (10)

Meaning

“Under an attack of clubs, pestles, swords, javelins and iron clubs, Rāvaṇa entered the enemy’s army. (11)

Meaning

“Being struck with volleys of arrows by the Yakṣas as though with torrents of raining clouds, Daśānana was held up and was unable even to breathe, as it were. (12)

Meaning

“Just as a mountain is not shaken even though drenched by clouds with hundreds of torrents, even so he (Daśagrīva) did not feel tormented though wounded by the weapons shot by the Yakṣas. (13)

Meaning

“Lifting up a club, resembling the rod of Death (Kāladaṇḍa), the gigantic Daśagrīva thereupon entered the army, dispatching the Yakṣas to the abode of Yama. (14)

Meaning

“Like a fire ablaze on account of the wind, he burnt the aforesaid army of the Yakṣas, which was spread out as grass and concentrated like dried wood. (15)

Meaning

“By those great ministers, Mahodara, Śuka and others, the Yakṣas were reduced largely in number even as clouds are dispersed by the winds. (16)

Meaning

“Some of them, badly mutilated when struck in the battle, fell on the ground, while others in anger bit their lips with their sharp teeth on the battlefield. (17)

Meaning

“Just like the bank of a river eroded by water, some of the Yakṣas, exhausted and embracing one another, sank down on the battlefield, their weapons fallen down. (18)

Meaning

“The atmosphere was thickly crowded with those who, having lost their lives, were proceeding to heaven, with those who were still fighting, with those who were running away and with the host of Ṛṣis witnessing the fight. (19)

Meaning

“Seeing those exceptionally mighty leaders of the Yakṣas put to flight, the mighty-armed lord of wealth sent other mighty Yakṣas. (20)

Meaning

“In the meantime, O Rāma, a Yakṣa, Saṁyodhakaṇṭaka by name, with a huge army and a vast number of mounts and vehicles, sallied forth having been sent by the lord of wealth. (21)

Meaning

“Struck by him in battle with a discus as by Lord Viṣṇu, Mārīca fell on the ground from the mountain like a star when the merit responsible for its stay in heaven is exhausted. (22)

Meaning

“Recovering his consciousness in an hour or so, and having rested awhile, that Rākṣasa fought once more the aforesaid Yakṣa, who having been defeated, took to his heels. (23)

Meaning

“Then Rāvaṇa entered the portals plated all over with gold and inlaid with cat’s-eye gems and silver and which marked the last line guarded by gate-keepers. (24)

Meaning

“A gate-keeper, Sūryabhānu by name, stopped Daśagrīva, the Rākṣasa, while he was entering the portal. (25)

Meaning

“The Rākṣasa, however, made good his entry though stopped by the Yakṣa. When, however, O Rāma, the Rākṣasa did not stop, though prevented by the Yakṣa, he was then struck by the Yakṣa, with a post which he pulled out from the portal. Bleeding profusely, Daśagrīva looked like a hill with streams of molten ochre flowing from it. (26-27)

Meaning

“Though struck with the door-post resembling the crest of a hill, the hero (Daśagrīva) could not be slain, thanks to the boons granted to him by Brahmā (the self-born creator). (28)

Meaning

“Struck back with the same door-post by him, the Yakṣa was seen no more, his body having been reduced to powder. (29)

Meaning

“Seeing the might of the Rākṣasa, all began to run. Exhausted and pale, stricken with fear as they were, they threw away their weapons and entered the rivers or the caves.” (30)